The Latin psalter
Theresa Gross-Diaz
The psalter contains the complete book of Psalms, comprising 150 poems originally composed in Hebrew between tenth and third centuries bce. For monastics, secular scholars laity alike, this was arguably single most important Bible. Among Christians medieval Europe, it generally agreed that psalms were immediately obviously about Christ: Aquinas summed up a millennium exegetical opinion when he held comprised ‘all theology’ ‘everything concerning Incarnation’. at core both monastic liturgy. monks, foundation prayer sovereign guide to contemplation; for church writers, cardinal text trying out new approaches teaching ideas; preachers, an inexhaustible handbook constructing sermons. Clergy knew better than any other book; they as – is, not only orally, through sermons liturgy, but written form, owned it, commissioned even learned read from it. language Latin Middle Ages, its phrases so well known echo throughout sacred profane literature time, enrich vocabulary Romance languages. Its verbal images form significant part artistic heritage Europe.
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