Expositions on the Book of Psalms Vol. 1

For nearly fifteen centuries, Christians have turned to Augustine's lectures on the Psalms as a guide for contemplative prayer. Long before he became bishop of Hippo, Augustine delivered these expositions to his congregation, and they retain the immediacy of spoken reflection: searching, devotional, and intellectually electrifying. This first volume covers Psalms 1-36, offering readings that move from close textual analysis to soaring mystical insight. Augustine treats the Psalms not as relics but as living prayers that speak directly to the soul's struggle toward God. He reads David as archetype of the penitent, the Psalter as a school of divine longing. These are texts that shaped monastic liturgy, influenced every subsequent Western theologian, and continue to offer modern readers a vocabulary for desire and despair before the holy. For anyone seeking to understand how classical Christianity read scripture, or simply longing to pray the Psalms more deeply, Augustine remains the master teacher.