Book Review: Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Psalms 51-150 ed. Q. Wesselschmidt

Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Old Testament VIII: Psalms 51-150 edited by Quentin F. Wesselschmidt

This commentary provides a lot of quotes from early Christian authors who reference the last two-thirds of the Book of Psalms. Each psalm is presented in English with a brief summary of the quotations that follow, presenting the theological reflections of the Church Fathers. The full quotes are a paragraph or two taken from longer works like Saint Augustines Confessions or Saint Jerome's letters. Footnotes provide the sources if readers want to get more; they also provide explanations if the authors reference then-current ideas, like Arian theology or Donatist attitudes. 

The book includes short biographies of all the authors and references to find the original, complete texts in their original languages or English translations. Like the previous volume, this is an excellent resource for delving deeper into each Psalm for research and reflection. 

Highly recommended.

SAMPLE QUOTE:

From commentary on Psalm 55, how punishment is the reward for impenitence: "This also is relevant to the accumulation of retribution, if the blind person not only is unable to perceive the light but also with pleasure seeks to increase the darkness of his blindness." On the Forgiveness of Sins by Fulgentius of Ruspe, p. 22

From commentary on Psalm 62, about trusting completely in God: "God will not forget even the saliva that has dried in your mouth as a result of fasting. On the contrary, everything will be returned to you at the moment of your anguish. Only humble yourself in all things, hold back your word even if you understand the whole affair. Do not quietly acquire the habit of abusing; on the contrary, joyfully put up with every trial. For if you knew the honor that results from trials you would not pray to be delivered from them, because it is preferable for you to pray, to weep and to sigh until you are saved, rather than to relax and be lead off a captive." Instructions 16 by Pachomius, pp. 49-50

From the commentary on Psalm 102, about Jesus's human body and soul: "...since he (Jesus) has an immortal nature, he took a body capable of suffering, and with the body a human soul. Both of these he kept unstained from the defilements of sin and gave his soul for the sake of the souls that had sinned and his body for the sake of the bodies that had died. And since the body that was assumed is described as the body of the very only-begotten Son of God, he refers the passion of the body to himself." Letter 144 by Theodoret of Cyr, p. 216

From the commentary on Psalm 105, about slavery: "So the psalmist beautifully says, 'Joseph had been sold into slavery. They had bound his feet with fetters.' 'He had been sold into slavery,' he says; he did not become a slave. They had bound his feet, but not his soul." Letter 53 by Ambrose, p. 245

From the commentary on Psalm 131, on humility: "For glory is like the human shadow: if you follow it, it runs away; if you run away, it follows. Always value yourself least of all and remember, whenever any good befalls you throughout your life, ascribe it all to God who gave it, not to yourself who received it." Exhortation to Humility 8 by Martin of Braga, p. 363.

From the commentary on Psalm 136, on anthropomorphizing God: "God is not finite but the people's faculty of perceiving is finite. God is not restricted, but rather the understanding of people's minds is limited. Accordingly, our Lord said in the Gospel, 'The hour shall come when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father,' and he gave the reason: 'God is spirit, and therefore they who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.'" On the Trinity by Novatian, p. 378.