Leaf from a 1497 Nuremberg Bible. English translation of: Leaf from a 1497 Nuremberg Bible. Quintrell, Ann. (OBVERSE, CENTER OF PAGE) For the Lord in Psalms a song of songs. LXVI May God have mercy on us and bless us: he shines his countenance over us and may he have mercy on us. So that we may know your way on earth, your salvation in all peoples. May the people have faith in you, God: may all peoples profess faith in you. Let the people be glad and rejoice: since you judge the people in equality and direct the peoples on earth. May the people, oh God, confess to you: May all peoples profess faith in you the land gave it fruit. May god, our lord, bless us, may god bless us and all the ends of the earth fear him. For the Lord David’s Psalm of song. Psalms 67 May god arise and his enemies be scattered and those who hate him flee from his face. Just as smoke dies out, just as wax flows from (OBVERSE COMMENTARY, left side wrap-around text.) May God have mercy on us. For this psalm (Psalms 66) such title is said before in Hebrew for the victory in the instruments of the song of Psalm. Also in Jerome’s translation it is called the canticle of canticles for the Lord in psalm. And the same thought is in each which is partly from the above mentioned Psalms 4. From the title the author for these is not clearly the author of the Psalms nor the music. Some authors say about this that that psalm is an act of thanksgiving for the fertility of a certain year. For the Jews, after they had harvested fruits, convened in September in Israel, which month was almost entirely festive. Since in that month there was a festival of trumpets and a festival of atonement and of tabernacles and a festival of Seder or of the harvest. As it is said in Leviticus 23. And whenever a year was fertile: it was customary that one very high, holy and faithful man made a special song for the act of thanksgiving. And thus it was about this psalm they talk: but they do not explain who that actor was. After this then that psalm is divided into two parts. Since first the imploring for fertility is placed. In the second part, because of its pretense the act of thanksgiving is placed there. They are confident about the first, it is said. a “May God have mercy on us” to release our sins b “and may he bless us” We would be blessed by increasing in the goodness of our spirits and bodies. c “May his countenance shine over us” The scripture says about God who in the manner of man, when he wishes to do a grace for someone, shows to him his cheerful and happy face. d “So that we may know…on earth” that is in the fertility of the land e “your way” that is the traces of your grace through the result of fertility which has been granted. f “your salvation in all peoples” that is so that it is common knowledge to all peoples that you have a special cure for our salvation, therefore it applies. g “May the people have faith in you, oh God” that is through the result granted to us may they believe in your goodness and divinity: and may they be turned to you as it is said that when the Jews were wonderfully freed from the persecution of Aman, many kinsmen throughout diverse parts were joined in celebrations of these, as it is said in Esther 4. h “Let the people be glad and rejoice” and the rest, as he made this easy with Aman, who by divine judgement was hung with his sons. i And “the people on earth you direct” since through such results you direct people to awareness of your truth. k “May the people believe in you, oh God” In response to this is placed the act of thanksgiving for the fertility they obtained, as it is said. k “May the people believe in you, oh God” with a holy profession of your praise and for this reason they ought thus to believe. Therefore it applies. l “land gave its fruit” in great abundance through the goodness of your grace. Therefore it applies. m “May God bless us, our Lord” concerning the future as he has now done concerning the past. n And “All the ends of the earth fear him” as the judgment of all for the purposing of punishing evil deeds is very powerful. Although the author agrees to say this statement in many points: nevertheless see that some things are not irrelevant – that because of the fertility in Judea which is a poor land, all kinsmen and people of the world would be invited to a confession of divine praise: and especially since such fertility was not in other lands. Wherefore with safe, better judgment it seems to me that that psalm was not an act of thanksgiving forpast goodness but rather it is a prophecy about the future about the sacred incarnation of Christ and his close association among men. It seems to me that a certain goodness was highly desired by the holy fathers because see that some sacred prophet, whoever he was, made that psalm concerning this. It is said “May God have mercy on us” by sending salvation to us. And by bestowing on us his own good grace. “He shines his countenance over us” by glorifying his own son by means of miracles: who is said to be the coutenance of his father. Since he is his image that is as it is said according to Luke. God sent into the kingdom an image of his love for his son, who is the image of the invisible god. He was seeking this name – savior. John 17 “Father glorify your son and he himself glorfiies you in return. I have glorified and I will again.” Since he glorified him with miracles before his death and before his resurrection. And “may he have mercy on us” by freeing us from Gehena through the blood of his son. “So that we might know his way on earth” the psalms converts the word to Christ, whose life was known to men by his conversations among men, his teachings and his healing. “your salvation in all peoples” since the salvation made through Christ is known to all peopls through the prediction of the apostles. b17 Text