Patristic commentaries on the psalter and odes

[Anthony]

I would be grateful if somebody could recommend a patristic commentary on the Psalter, and also (if there is one) on the Odes from Matins (as included at the end of the Psalter).

Many thanks,
Anthony

[Michael Stickles]

I can't recommend, since I haven't actually read any, but I can identify a few.

A translation of St. John Chrysostom's Commentary on the Psalms was published just this year; you can check the Amazon.com page (http://www.amazon.com/St-John-Chrysostom-Commentary-Psalms/dp/1885652127) for a description. Unfortunately, only commentary on 58 of the Psalms has survived.

The website of the Monastery of St. Andrew the First-Called has translations of St. Athanasius' discussions of Psalms 22 and 86 (http://www.anastasis.org.uk/psalm_commentary.htm). Also, athanasius.com has St. Athanasius'
Letter to Marcellinus on the Interpretation of the Psalms (http://www.athanasius.com/psalms/aletterm.htm).

CCEL has online Augustine's Exposition on the Book of Psalms (http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf108.toc.html). It appears to be complete (1-150).

St. Basil also wrote homilies on the Psalms, but I don't know for how many. The book Exegetic Homilies (http://www.questia.com/library/book/exegetic-homilies-by-saint-basil-sister-agnes-clare-c-dp-way.jsp) contains these plus homilies on the Hexaemeron; the online version is at Questia.com and is only available to subscribers (they do have sample pages; 151 through 351 should all be from the Psalms homilies).

Aquinas also wrote a commentary on the Psalms, but given various comments about Aquinas that I've read here, I doubt that his commentary would be "recommended." I could be wrong, though.

Hope that helps. I'm afraid I'm not familiar with (and couldn't find in a quick search) any Patristic commentaries on the Odes from Matins.

In Christ,
Mike

[Herman Blaydoe]

The Letter of St. Athanasius to Marcellinus (http://www.athanasius.com/psalms/aletterm.htm) is a wonderful commentary on incorporating the Psalms into your prayer life. It is also found in the back of the book "On the Incarnation" by St. Athanasius. I highly recommend it.

[Anthony]

Thank you, Mike and Herman, for your researches. Perhaps I should have said that I am already familiar with the Letter to Marcellinus, though I hadn't noticed it was on-line. I agree that it is a wonderful piece, and maybe I will start by re-reading it.

As far as Aquinas is concerned, I believe at least one of his scriptural commentaries, the Catena Aurea, was basically a collection of excerpts from the Fathers, and I have seen it well spoken of on at least one Orthodox website, though opinions will doubtless differ.

I had a quick look at the St Basil site, and was amused by the credits:


Contributors: Saint Basil, Sister Agnes Clare...

[Edward Mansager]

They're not thoroughly Orthodox, but I've found the first three volumes of Neale's commentary on the Psalms on Google Books:

Vol 1 Psalms I-XXXVIII: http://books.google.com/books?id=CD77u9SRGx4C
Vol 2 Psalms XXXIX-LXXX: http://books.google.com/books?id=d_U2AAAAMAAJ
Vol 3 Psalms LXXI-CXVIII: http://books.google.com/books?id=Dgg3AAAAMAAJ

Hope they may be of some help,
Caritate in Christi,
Edward

[Christophoros]

Grace for Grace: The Psalter and the Holy Fathers

http://www.archangelsbooks.com/proddetail.asp?prod=SVSMANLEY-02

[Julian K.]

Grace for Grace: The Psalter and the Holy Fathers

http://www.archangelsbooks.com/proddetail.asp?prod=SVSMANLEY-02


Indeed,

Grace for Grace: The Psalter and the Holy Fathers : Patristic Christian Commentary, Meditations, and Liturgical Extracts Relating to the Psalms (ed. Johanna Manley) is one of the best books with Patristic commentaries on the Psalms.



http://www.amazon.com/Grace-Patristic-Commentary-Meditations-Liturgical/dp/0962253618

[Michael 'Anthony' Cornett]

I realize this is an older thread, but it may be of interest to those (like myself) looking to find a copy of "Grace for Grace" by Johanna Manley...I received a response from SVS Press regarding the next reprint, since it is currently out-of-print and unavailable...



Thank you for your interest in SVS Press. At this time Grace for Grace is scheduled to be reprinted in late November. Please check our website or check back with us then.

[Eric Peterson]

Blessed Theodoret of Cyrus has commentary on the Psalms from Catholic Univeristy of America Press.

[Vasiliki D.]

St Nikolai Velimirovich ...

[George Dokos]

For a thoroughly patristic commentary on the Nine Biblical Odes (and if you can read Greek), consult St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite's Kepos Chariton (Garden of Graces), published by Vasileios Regopoulos, Thessaloniki.