Expositions of the Psalms [Collected Works of Erasmus, Volume 65]

Consisting of Erasmus' commentary on psalms 38, 83, and 14, this is the third and final volume of the Expositions of the Psalms in the Collected Works of Erasmus. Dating from the last years of Erasmus' life, they represent his mature thoughts on the great crisis facing western Christendom.

During the early 1530s, Erasmus explored disputed issues in the Church and attempted to reconcile the warring parties of the Reformation. His characteristic emphasis on the inner experience of faith, rather than outer conformity to a doctrinal checklist, allowed him to be receptive to the insights of reform while refusing to compromise on the essentials of received tradition. By stressing the subjective experience at the heart of religious practice, he sought to reduce the tension of institutional conflict. The exposition of Psalm 38 is here translated into English for the first time, and that of Psalm 14 for the first time since 1537; together with Psalm 83, the three expositions in this collection offer the student of Erasmus an important access to his legacy.

Volume 65 of the Collected Works of Erasmus series.

Desiderius Erasmus (c. 1466–1536), a Dutch humanist, Catholic priest, and scholar, was one of the most influential Renaissance figures. A professor of divinity and Greek, Erasmus wrote, taught, and travelled, meeting with Europe’s foremost scholars. Erasmus was a prolific author, writing on both ecclesiastic and general human interest subjects.
James McConica is a Professor Emeritus at the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies in Toronto Dominic Baker-Smith is a professor emeritus of English Literature at the University of Amsterdam.