A Manual of the Book of Psalms: Or, The Subject-Contents of All the Psalms

“A Manual of the Book of Psalms: or, The Subject-Contents of All the Psalms” is a religious commentary written in the early 19th century, attributed to Martin Luther and translated into English by Rev. Henry Cole. The work offers an in-depth, Psalm-by-Psalm guide exploring the theological, doctrinal, and experiential dimensions of the Book of Psalms. Its primary focus is to provide spiritual reflection and practical interpretation, highlighting Psalms’ roles as prophecy, doctrine, consolation, supplication, and thanksgiving within Christian faith and worship. The opening of the manual includes the translator’s preface, Luther’s introductory correspondence and prefaces, and the commentary on the first several Psalms. The translator introduces the work as a spiritually rich resource intended to deepen the understanding of sincere Christians. Luther’s own prefaces emphasize the unique position of the Psalms as a compendium of emotional, prophetic, and spiritual experience, valuable both for personal devotion and church instruction. He categorizes the Psalms into five primary types and begins providing detailed summaries and spiritual lessons for each Psalm, focusing on their significance for faith, hope, comfort, and guidance in Christian life. The commentaries draw frequent parallels between the Psalms, the Decalogue, and the Lord’s Prayer, taking care to distinguish true faith from hypocrisy and to encourage patient trust in God through affliction.