The text from the Calov Bible Commentary, marked by Bach. When only ‘corrections’ they are printed in small type (No claim to completeness with regard to that type of entry). Many people expected quite a number of markings in the book of Psalms. This is not the case. That doesn’t imply he didn’t read them (he did, the corrections testify to this), it says exactly what it says: he didn’t feel compelled to highlight passages. (I suggest: because ‘nothing new’ there. So familiar with this book). That, however, makes the few sections he did mark the more interesting.

bold = bibletext
italics and underlining = text marked by Bach (italics renders emphatic marks in the margin)
– corrections by Bach, are explained between brackets, often using green
blue text = extra context/explication (Dick Wursten)
small type = This entry is not marked by Bach, he only corrects a printing error

Aside: we now open the second book of the Calov-bible commentary of Bach, In Bach’s edition this is the second part of the first volume.

J.N.J (= In nomine Jesu )

Der 
H. Göttlichen Bücher 
Andere Theil /
Darinnen begrieffen sind Die 
Poëtischen Schrifften der H. Bibel / Die von den Männern Gottes / gleichsam in Versen / beschrieben sind / wiewol derselben Versen eigentliche Art / Form / und Weise niemand bis jetzo erforschen konnen / Wie sie zur Lust / zum Gesang / oder mit Rythmis, und mit Reimen / nach Art und mensur der kurtzen / und langen Syllaben, abgefasset seyn. Als da sind:
Das Buch Hiob
Das Buch der Psalmen
Die Bücher Salomonis

—

Job – Hiob

Only two corrections

Column 49 (fac. 114).
Job 8 v.11 Can reeds grow where it is not moist? Or grass without water? (Thus the godless cannot blossom and grow if they are not quickened by the water of heavenly rain and blessing, through the word and; pirit, or if they are touched by the head of God’s wrath.) v. 12 Otherwise (without water’and necessary moisture) even when still in bloom (or not yet) [Bach adds “ehe es” (before it)] is cut down it withers (it must wither) before one can make hay. (others: above all grass.)
Column 150 (fac. 120).
Job 31 v. 38 If my land cries out against me (for revenge, Genesis IV. 10. Habakkuk 11. 11. Job IIX. 18. James V. 4) and all its furrows like an other (or the ridges between each of two furrows) weep (that I have not compensated those people who farmed them for me.) [Bach tries to restore the propter text, but only partly succeeds:
– Lutherbibel: “Wird mein Land gegen mich schreien und werden miteinander seine Furchen weinen….
– Calov Wird mein Land gegen mich schreien und wie ein ander seine Furchen weinen…
– Bach edits Calov: Wird mein Land gegen mich schreien und wie mit ein ander seine Furchen weinen…]

The Psalms

Columns 217-218 (fac. 121). (wrongly numbered 214-215) – Vorrede/Preface
… This book [Psalms] is thus regarded as a magnificent jewel in the church as a whole and is referred to as a book of praise and thanks by those who worship in Hebrew, Latin, and German; the Greek church calls it a book of hymns and songs of praise because it contains many excellent psalms of praise and thanks: thus the whole book is named Psalterium, from a musical instrument with which the psalms, hymns, and songs of thanks are actually played. And they have been given many pleasing names: Basil the Great speaks of it as a rich common “promptuarium” [storehouse] of all good teachings, in which may be found what is needed for everyone’s blessing-a treasure of perfect theology and a wealth of spiritual remedies for driving out poisons and evil spirits and for preserving the protective vigilance of the angels; all means of celebrating festive and joyful days: to invoke many kinds of spiritual offerings, to sound many kinds of beautiful melodies, and to give form to the songs of angels. (allerley schöne Melodeyen / anzustimmen / und Engliche (sic) Gesänge einzurichten)

Columns 222-223 (fac. 122).
The penance Psalms are sufficiently known: Psalms VI, XXXII, XXXVIII, LI, CII, CXXX, and CXLIII. The Psalms of thanksgiving and the Psalms of instruction cover the entire body of Psalms, and they have all been earnestly used by the kings of Israel who were blessed by God. But all Psalms ‘ hat are without title or which bear no name are attributed to the king and prophet David [of which there are fifty-one), along with those that expressly bear his name in the heading (of which there are 72); thus there are one hundred twenty-three which are ascribed in common to King David. The remaining 27 stand with other names, according to title: namely, Psalm XC to Moses; the two Psalms LXXII and CXXVII to King Solomon; twelve to the prophet Asaph, David’s director of music: Psalms L, LXXIII, LXXIV, LXXV, LXXVI, LXXVII, LXXVIII, LXXIX, LXXX, LXXXI, LXXXII, and LXXXIII; one to Ethan the Ezrahite, namely Psalm LXXXIX; eleven to the children of Korah, namely Psalms XLIII, XLIV, XLV, XLVI, XLVII, XLVIII, XLIX, LXXXIV, LXXXV, LXXXVII, and LXXXVIII; several are attributed to Jeduthun. But of these we find none except for the title of Psalm LXXVII which reads, · Psalm of Asaph to be sung for Jeduthun; ‘ meaning that Asaph composed it and assigned it to be sung for Jeduthun: as also Psalm LXXVII indicates by title that the children of Korah composed it and assigned it to Heman the Ezrahite for his use and recitation. For though Heman and) Jeduthun were prophets 1 Chronicles XXVI. 1. : Heman a seer, that is, a prophet of the king’s in the words of God who is named to raise the horn [in sound] 1 Chronicles XXVI. 5. 2 Chronicles XXXIV. 15. And Jeduthun a seer of King Josiah: they nonetheless attended to In­strumental Music as ordained by David in service to their office, to execute it with harps, psaltery, and cymbals. (original German: So haben die doch auffgewartet bey der Instrumental Music, wie sie verordnet gewesen von David zum Werck nach ihrem Ampt / mit Harffen / Psalter / und Cymblen / solches zu verrichten)

Psalm 32:2 The blessedness of imputative justice

Column 362 (fac. 123). – von der waren Gerechtigkeit (Bach underlines a very succinct summary, by Luther I presume, of the benificial effect of imputative justice)
Ps. 32:2 Blessed the man to whom God assigns no sin. Thus is blessedness: relief of the heavy burden of sin that until now drove us into hell and the merciful covering of the horrible shame of our misdeed and the forgiveness, not the attribution, of all our transgression.)

Psalm 55:23: God’s providence: rhythmic casting…

Column 468 (fac. 124).
Ps. 55:23  (Is it the rhythm, the wordplay, that made Bach underline this – and/or the content?)

A number of corrections

Column 530 (fac. 125).
Ps. 68:36 Wondrous is God in His sanctuary (in His church). He is the God of Israel (of the spiritual Israel). He will give His people (that He has acquired for it, Acts XX. 28. the holy people, the (Bach inserts ‘Volkes” (people)] of his own I. Peter; II. 19) power and strength.
Column 535 (fac. 126).
Ps. 69:30 [in error for v. 29-Editor] But I am afflicted (Psalm XLI. 1.) and in pain; God, may [Bach changes “Meine” (my) to “Deine” (Your)] help protect me. (Psalm X. 18. Psalm XXXV. 3. 10. 17. Psalm XXXI. 17. 25. Psalm XXII. 22. 25. Psalm CX. 1. 7.)
Column 626 (fac. 127).
Ps 91:13 On (or upon) the lion (the wild Iion) and adder [Bach adds what is omitted:”wirstu gehen” (you will step)] (with these wild animals are included for example all others from the animal kingdom which could be harmful to us, also serpents and reptiles) and tread upon the young lion and dragon (we may step upon poisor: tous, dangerous, and fierce animals or they may come into contact with us and strike us, as eve·r may happen; if we trust in God nothing can harm us. Ezekiel XI. 9. Hosea II. 18 compare I. Samuel XVII. 37 Daniel 111. 16. VI. 22. Acts XXIIX. 5.)

Column 652 (fac. 128).

Psalm 100: 4 Gehet zu seinem Thoren ein mit Dancken zu seinen Vorhöfen mit Loben…. Bach adds the remainder: Dancket ihm, Lobet Seinen Nahmen.

Ps. 100:4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving, His courts with praise. [Bach inserts the missing biblical text) “Danket ihm, Lobet seinen Nahmen” (Give thanks to Him and praise His name.)]

Ps. 101 Sound political leadership

For Luther – alongside Psalm 82 and Psalm 127 – Psalm 101 is a key biblical text to expound his political ethics. In 1535 a separate booklet was published as a political tract (kind of Mirror of the Prince – Fürstenspiegel).¹

Columns 653-656 (fac. 129). = 4 columns with markings (both marginal and underlinings). This Psalm (better: Luther’s explication) must have appealed to Bach

Der erste Theil
Von Gnade und Recht der Regenten in ihrem Reich / und wie sie sich für ihre Person erzeigen sollen

Psalm 101: The King as Gods (civil) servant

Ps. 101:2

Psalm 101: Civil servants, goddless men

Der andere Theil
Was für Beampten Könige erwehlen sollen
Ps. 101:3 … I hate the transgressor (stubborn despisers of the word of God – halsstarrige Verächter des Worts Gottes) and I will not let him stay with me (that means, according to Luther, not only do I hold myself to God’s word and service, but that anyone of my household or those who belong to me whom I find offending against God’s commandments is my enemy. One has known many men who are otherwise worthy for being useful and necessary in one’s household and kingdom. For godless men often have received from God finer and higher gifts and aptitude (denn es haben offt die Gottlosen von Gott viel schönere / höhere Gaben und Geschicklichkeit) for worldly things which one cannot do without in the home and! government, on whose example however the pious cannot be students, just as Ahitophel so exceeded all clever and wise men in David’s kingdom that his counsel was respected as if God himself had proposed what was said in council. He however was a base scoundrel, traitor, and villain (und er war doch ein Grund-Bösewicht / Verräther und Schalck) in his heart and, thus, in his actions, so that David drove him away by his counsel and feared no one so greatly and prayed against him saying: Dear God turn Ahitophel’s counsel into folly. Etc.)

Psalm 101: Appearances are deceptive: Juncker Neidhardt

Column 655 (fac. 130). Bach underlines: Dass es einen Schein behalte / er sey nicht Neidhardt, sondern ein Freund und Liebhaber der Gerechtigkeit…

Ps. 101:5

Quote from Luther’s sermon on Ps. 101 (published 1535 – 45 pages, the source Calov excerpts) – I also copied from this source…

Column 656 (fac. 130).

Was für Leute die Herren in ihrem Lande nicht leiden solten
Ps. 101:8 (… The prophet prides himself on carrying out such miraculous deeds early. Here earliness means not that of the day but rather the early hours of the regime (sondern des Regiments Frühstunden) . That means he has done away with such vices in a timely way and at an early hour before it grows to the half or full heat of midday. For whenever one allows a vice to establish roots and to become a habit, then there is no help for that person, as Seneca [‘Ovidius’, as mentioned in Errata, not corrected by Bach] says: Deest remedii locus, ubi, quae vitia fuerent, mores sunt [there is no place for remedy when meanness takes the place of vice]. Whenever evil becomes a habit the matter is over and done with… .)

Column 673-674 [fac. 131).
Ps. 105 (Luther gave the following summary of this Psalm: A psalm of thanksgiving is made for the people of Israel, to give thanks for all the old miracles which He had performed for them from Abraham onward until they had been led into the land of Canaan, as He had told all ofthem and contracted with Moses, Deuteronomy XIX, that God performed such miracles not for the sake of their piety or merit, but because of the covenant and promise [Bach strikes out the misplaced “nicht” (not)] which He made with Abraham, for how pious they have been and what they had merited the following Psalm sings.)

Column 687 (fac. 132).
Ps. 107:27 They shall thank the Lord for His goodness and [Bach fills in the missing biblical text: “umb seine” (for His)] wonders which He performs for the sons of men.

Column 773 (fac. 133).

Ps. 119 Jack-never-mind / Hans-acht-sein-nicht

Ps. 119: 158 I see the despisers and it grieves me that they do not keep your word. (v. 53 above, Luther says: they who are above us pay no heed to such matters, they let it happen and still want to be pious, they add nothing to their character in which they are drowned. It almost hurts, when a matter is great and one sees that those for whom it would be most appropriate do not accept it. I call it to be “Jack-never-mind’🙂 [Bach marks the above passage with “NB” in margin. ]

Ps. 120: Complaint: Unity and Peace is lost (Church)

Column 777 (fac. 134). Wehe mir / dass ich ein Fremdling bin under Mesech / ich muss wohnen under den Hütten Kedar
Ps. 120:5 (… It is thus David’s view that I console myself with hope and patience. I wish greatly that the church were at peace and that the pastors were themselves in agreement about things, but it is not the case. Therefore I will commend everything to God through prayer and will teach faithfully. All the while one must suffer this anguish and overcome evil with good. Thus we see that teaching and preaching is a wearisome profession, for over and beyond all torment and suffering that a preacher must bear is the fact that the false brethren falsify doctrine and cause the church -unrest… .) The feeling expressed here is that of ‘vreemdelingschap’, not feeling at home/ease in the (present) world

Column 796 (fac. 135).
Ps. 126:2 (… Such words are first given to the Jews, for laughter shall first be offered to the people to whom it had been promised. Now it has come to the nations, whom He also calls into the community of this laughter.) then one shall sing [Bach writes above this verb “sagen” (say). This is the correct rendering of the Luther-bible. Curious: he does not cross out the incorrect vers ‘singen’] among the nations, the Lord has done great things for them. …
v. 4 Lord, turn away our captivity, as you dried up [Bach alters verb “trocknete” to present tense, “trocknest” (dry up)) the waters toward the south. (that is, it shall be so pleasing to us as streams of water in a parched or hot draught-stricken land, like a southern land. judges I. 15.)

Psalm 127: Wer nun den lieben Gott lässt walten – Gelassen-sein, Trust, Providence

Column 798 (fac. 136).
Ps. 127:1 (… The Lord God, as the wise man says, did not simply shape and create everything and then walk away from his creation, for he did not create the house and civic structure the way a builder or carpenter makes a ship, leaving the structure when it is finished and turning it over to the sailor to command. Rather; the Lord God remains with His creatures, He governs and maintains house, land, and people. People do not realize this and think that God no longer concerns Himself with anything and lets us do whatever we please… .)

A number of corrections

Column 818 (fac. 137).
Ps. 132:6 (… Now, he says, the place is fixed and set where the ark of the covenant and temple are to be; if it is not to be at this place it will be found nowhere on earth. Why is it that he says that it will be in Ephrathah? For one reads that it has [Bach inserts “nicht” (not)] been in Ephrathah, but rather in Bethlehem. As obscure as this phrasing may seem, it is nonetheless certain that the kingdom of Judah is indicated by the place-name Ephrathah… .)
Column 828 Ps. 133:3 (Clement)
Column 640 [incorrect numbering for 840] (fac. 138).
Ps. 139:3v. 3 Wherever I walk or lie (you harbor my going and my lying down, you observe it and study everything with exactness. Job XXXI. 4.) you surround me and see all my torment [Bach “Plage’‘ “Wege” (ways)] Job XXXIV. 21. you have knowledge of all my actions and being.)
Column 843 (fac. 139).
Ps. 139:13 You have my inner parts in [Bach “der” “deiner” (your)] power: (you possess my inner parts, meaning that my innermost desires are known to you. Compare Job XIX. 27.) you were in power over me in my mother’s womb. (that is, from the moment that I was conceived in the womb, that you drew flesh and skin upon me in the womb, Job X. II.)
Column 872 Ps. 148:14 erhöret > erhöhet (Clement)
Column 929 Spr. 10:7 vermessen>verwesen (Clement)

Proverbs

• One correction – column 929: Prov. 10:7 ‘vermessen ‘ > ‘verwesen’
• No markings

1. – WA 51, 200-264. // Dr. Martin Luthers Psalmen-Auslegung, hrsg. v. Erwin Mühlhaupt, 3. Band: Psalmen 91-150, Göttingen: Vandenhoeck und Ruprecht, 1965, S. 63-123. ↩︎