Expositions of the Psalms 1-32 (III/15) (Works of Saint Augustine) [Hardcover]

John E. Rotelle (Author), Michael Fiedrowicz (Author), Maria Boulding (Author), St. Augustine (Author)

Book Description

Series: Expositions of the Psalms | Publication Date: May 1, 2000

This is the first volume of the long-awaited translation of one of Augustine's classics and a great work in Christian literature. Newly translated by Maria Boulding, O.S.B., whose masterful translation of Augustines Confessions in the same series has been praised as being of a different level of excellence from practically anything else in the market (Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury). As the psalms are a microcosm of the Old Testament, so the Expositions of the Psalms can be seen as a microcosm of Augustinian thought. They recapitulate and focus the experiences of Augustines personal life, his theological reflections, and his pastoral concerns as Bishop of Hippo.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'This first volume of the Exposition of the Psalms in Sister Maria Boulding's fine translation fills a long existing vacuum among the translated works of Augustine available to contemporary readers. Her clear and attractive translation presents Augustine's expression of his own spirituality, which necessarily entails his most valuable theological insights. The comprehensive and scholarly 51-page introduction by Michael Fiedrowicz offers a key to the Psalms' various depths of meaning and shows how they are a microcosm of Augustinian thought.' --Mary T. Clark, RSCJ, Author of Augustine in the Outstanding Christian Thinkers Series

About the Author

Augustine of Hippo is one of the greatest thinkers and writers in the Western world. After becoming a Christian he was made bishop of Hippo in Africa, where he was influential in civil and church affairs. His more than 100 books, 200 letters and 500 sermons have left a lasting impact on Western philosophy and culture. His classic and best-selling works include the Confessions, The Trinity, The City of God, and Teaching Christianity.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 462 pages
• Publisher: New City Press; First edition (May 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565481267
• ISBN-13: 978-1565481268
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,829,589 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Augustine in high form, February 22, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Expositions of the Psalms 1-32 (III/15) (Works of Saint Augustine) (Hardcover)

Maria Boulding's translation of the Confessions has been justly praised for its balance of literary style, non-sexist language, and clarity of expression. She now has turned her efforts to the translation of the Ennarationes in Psalmos, a collection of preached sermons and written commentary on all one-hundred fifty psalms. This first volume includes commentaries on the first thirty-two psalms, with two expositions of six psalms, three of Psalm 32, and four of Psalm 30.

These expositions show Augustine at prayer, albeit public prayer in front of a congregation, and addressing a mixed audience, i.e. one composed of more learned and less learned hearers, a distinction he sometimes make reference to as determining the nature of his discourse on a particular day. And thus they show Augustine to be the great preacher and teacher he is. Some of the expositions show Augustine thinking aloud, as when he considers verse six of the first psalm, "I rested and fell asleep," which he variously interprets. He notes that different translations interpret the original Greek differently, and he offers his own thoughts on possible interpretations.

For one not used to patristic interpretation of scripture, Augustine's commentary can be jarring, since he does not just deal with the text on the level of literal interpretation, but he also includes what have come to be known, since the middle ages, as the analogical and anagogical interpretations, i.e. interpretations of what the psalm means in terms of Christianity and what it says to us about moral behavior, all part of Augustine's sensus plenior.

Some of his well-known themes appear, also, and the commentary offers another light on them. In the exposition of Psalm 5, Augustine treats of lying, commenting on the verse, "You hate all those who work iniquity." He gives a brief summary of the discussion on lying and concealing the truth that are found in more expansive forms in his treatises on that subject. The footnotes often are helpful in noting echoes of other works, although here, strangely, there is no reference to his other discussions of lying. He also offers a reflection on God as father and mother in Exposition 2 of Psalm 26, a discussion that might be surprising to some readers.

Overall, the Expositions of the Psalms offers what amounts to a mini-course in Augustinian theology, since all of his keys themes are treated in an abbreviated manner at some point in the exposition. And Augustine offers his advice to the people on praying the psalms in his fourth exposition of Psalm 30: "If the psalm is praying, pray yourselves; if it is groaning, you groan too; if it is happy, rejoice; if it is crying out in hope, you hope as well; if it expresses fear, be afraid."

Michael Fiedrowicz's introduction offers a good exposition on how to read this work, placing it in historical and literary context, with an especially good explanation of Augustine's method of interpretation. At the back of the book is an index of Scripture citations and a general index.

26 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Augustine at his best: editors at their worst, March 2, 2005

By 

Ryan R. Grant (Lancaster, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Expositions of the Psalms 1-32 (III/15) (Works of Saint Augustine) (Paperback)

It is great to see Augustine's beautiful and spiritually enlightening commentary on the Psalms presented in an affordable publication. It is sad to see that publication employ Inclusive language for its Psalm translations, which pervert the meaning and intent not only of the Psalms, but also of Augustine's commentary. The verses of the Psalms that Augustine commented on differed greatly from what is presented in the book. The least the translaters/editors could have done is to translate the vulgate Psalms which Augustine commented on, since they are obviously capable of translating Augustine. The inclusive language really distracts from the text, making the book annoying and reducing your experience of Augustine on account of politics, which I find sad.

The Grammar rendered is sometimes choppy, and can not be attributed to Augustine's difficult prose. You'd do better to find this in the "Ancient Christian Writers" Series, or from a different company.

I gave the 3 stars for Augustine. The Editors get 0 stars.