Peter Lombard's commentary on the Psalms emerged from the vibrant intellectual atmosphere of twelfth-century Paris, where he taught at the cathedral school of Notre-Dame before becoming bishop. Written between 1135 and 1138, this work represents one of the major biblical commentaries of the high medieval period, produced during the same era that would see Lombard complete his more famous Sentences. The commentary addressed the need for systematic theological interpretation of Scripture that could serve both academic instruction and pastoral formation in an age of renewed scholarly activity.
Lombard's approach to the Psalms demonstrates the sophisticated exegetical methods of his time, weaving together patristic authorities—especially Augustine, Jerome, and Cassiodorus—with contemporary theological insights. He consistently applies the traditional fourfold sense of Scripture while paying particular attention to the christological dimensions of the psalms. His commentary reveals deep engagement with questions of prophecy, typology, and the relationship between Old Testament texts and Christian doctrine. Throughout, Lombard displays the systematic mind that would make his Sentences the standard theological textbook for centuries, organizing complex traditional material into clear, teachable form while addressing theological problems with careful distinction-making.
The work influenced medieval psalm interpretation and contributed to the development of scholastic biblical commentary. Lombard's balanced synthesis of patristic wisdom with contemporary theological method provided a model for subsequent commentators, and his interpretations shaped how the psalms were understood in both academic and liturgical contexts throughout the later medieval period.
Who should read this: Medieval historians and theologians studying the development of biblical interpretation will find essential material here, as will those interested in how patristic exegesis was transmitted and transformed in the high medieval schools. This is specialized academic territory, not suitable for general spiritual reading or contemporary devotional use.
Commentary on the Psalms
by Peter Lombard
Peter Lombard's commentary on the Psalms emerged from the vibrant intellectual atmosphere of twelfth-century Paris, where he taught at the cathedral school of Notre-Dame before becoming bishop. Written between 1135 and 1138, this work represents one of the major biblical commentaries of the high medieval period, produced during the same era that would see Lombard complete his more famous Sentences. The commentary addressed the need for systematic theological interpretation of Scripture that could serve both academic instruction and pastoral formation in an age of renewed scholarly activity.
Lombard's approach to the Psalms demonstrates the sophisticated exegetical methods of his time, weaving together patristic authorities—especially Augustine, Jerome, and Cassiodorus—with contemporary theological insights. He consistently applies the traditional fourfold sense of Scripture while paying particular attention to the christological dimensions of the psalms. His commentary reveals deep engagement with questions of prophecy, typology, and the relationship between Old Testament texts and Christian doctrine. Throughout, Lombard displays the systematic mind that would make his Sentences the standard theological textbook for centuries, organizing complex traditional material into clear, teachable form while addressing theological problems with careful distinction-making.
The work influenced medieval psalm interpretation and contributed to the development of scholastic biblical commentary. Lombard's balanced synthesis of patristic wisdom with contemporary theological method provided a model for subsequent commentators, and his interpretations shaped how the psalms were understood in both academic and liturgical contexts throughout the later medieval period.
Who should read this: Medieval historians and theologians studying the development of biblical interpretation will find essential material here, as will those interested in how patristic exegesis was transmitted and transformed in the high medieval schools. This is specialized academic territory, not suitable for general spiritual reading or contemporary devotional use.
Editions
External off-site sources
Free downloads