A complete copy of one of Saint Augustine's chief exegetical works. The present Amerbach edition is only the second time Augustine's explanation of and commentary on the Psalms was ever printed. The first time was in ca. 1485, only a few years earlier, and was printed by an anonymous press in the Low Countries.
The work starts with an introduction, which is followed by three parts, or "quinquagena", containing the explanation of 50 Psalms. Explanatio Psalmorum was not written as a single work, but rather is a collection of sermons and treatises compiled by later theologians to form the present work, also known under the title Enarationes in Psalmos.
Augustine of Hippo (354-430), in Latin known as Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis, but best known as Saint Augustine, was the bishop of Hippo Regius (in present day Algeria). He was a theologian and is considered one of the most important church fathers, as his writings greatly influenced both Western Christianity and philosophy. His teachings were also embraced by the Protestants during the Reformation and he is still recognized as a saint in the Lutheran Church today.
With an owner's inscription on the front pastedown, an annotation in the upper outer corner of the recto of the first blank flyleaf, a (partially) scraped out annotation in the bottom margin of the first text page, and an annotation on the verso of the last text leaf. The boards are rubbed and scraped, strongly affecting the clarity of the blind-tooling, the bottom edges and corners of the boards are scuffed and a tear in the leather at the bottom corner of the back board has been repaired, the edges of the book block are somewhat dust soiled. The gutter between the first two blank flyleaves is cracked, exposing the sewing supports and leather of the binding, a water stain in the bottom corner of the first 4 leaves (including the 2 blank flyleaves), a torn corner on leaf R7 of the 2nd part and leaf (5)6 of the 3rd part, margins foxed throughout. Otherwise in good condition. BM, Catalogue of German books, p. 54; BM, General catalogue, p. 530; Goff A-1243; GW 2909; Hain-Copinger 1971; IDL 519; ISTC ia01272000; Proctor; 7582; USTC 743124; cf. McCarthy, An ecclesiology of groaning: Augustine, the psalms, and the making of Church. In: Theological studies, vol.66 (1), p.23-48, 2005.