# Psalter > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Psalter > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Psalter.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psalter > Source revision: 1322700616 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Volume containing the Book of Psalms}}{{Redirect|Psalters|the musical group|The Psalters|Latin translations of the Psalter|Latin Psalters}} {{distinguish|Salter (disambiguation){{!}}Salter|Psaltery}} {{More citations needed|date=February 2008}} thumb|Carolingian Psalter (facsimile) [[Image:Utrecht 15v 2.jpg|thumb|Folio 15b of the [Utrecht Psalter](/source/Utrecht_Psalter) illustrates Psalm 27]] A '''psalter''' is a volume containing the [Book of Psalms](/source/Book_of_Psalms), often with other devotional material bound in as well, such as a [liturgical calendar](/source/liturgical_calendar) and [litany of the Saints](/source/litany_of_the_Saints). Until the emergence of the [book of hours](/source/book_of_hours) in the [Late Middle Ages](/source/Late_Middle_Ages), psalters were the books most widely owned by wealthy lay persons. They were commonly used for learning to read. Many psalters were richly illuminated, and they include some of the most spectacular surviving examples of medieval book art. The English term ([Old English](/source/Old_English) {{lang|ang|psaltere}}, {{lang|ang|saltere}}) derives from [Church Latin](/source/Church_Latin). The source term is {{langx|la|psalterium}}, which is simply the name of the [Book of Psalms](/source/Book_of_Psalms) (in secular Latin, it is the term for a stringed instrument, from {{langx|grc|ψαλτήριον}} ''psalterion''). The Book of Psalms contains the bulk of the [Divine Office](/source/Liturgy_of_the_Hours) of the [Roman Catholic Church](/source/Roman_Catholic_Church). The other books associated with it were the [Lectionary](/source/Lectionary), the [Antiphonary](/source/Antiphonary), and [Responsoriale](/source/Responsoriale), and the [Hymnary](/source/Hymnary).{{CathEncy|wstitle=Psalterium}} In Late Modern English, ''psalter'' has mostly ceased to refer to the Book of Psalms (as the text of a book of the Bible) and mostly refers to the dedicated physical volumes containing this text. {{TOC limit|3}} ==Western Christianity== {{See also|Latin Psalters}} Dedicated psalters, as distinct from copies of the Psalms in other formats, e.g. as part of a full edition of the Old Testament, were first developed in the [Latin West](/source/Western_Christianity) in the 6th century in [Ireland](/source/Celtic_Christianity) and from about 700 on the [continent](/source/Francia). The extensively illustrated [Utrecht Psalter](/source/Utrecht_Psalter) is one of the most important surviving Carolingian manuscripts and exercised a major influence on the later development of [Anglo-Saxon art](/source/Anglo-Saxon_art).Francis Wormald, ''The Utrecht Psalter'', Utrecht, 1953 In the [Middle Ages](/source/Middle_Ages) psalters were among the most popular types of [illuminated manuscript](/source/illuminated_manuscript)s, rivaled only by the [Gospel Book](/source/Gospel_Book)s, from which they gradually took over as the type of manuscript chosen for lavish illumination. From the late 11th century onwards they became particularly widespread - Psalms were recited by the clergy at various points in the [liturgy](/source/liturgy), so psalters were a key part of the liturgical equipment in major churches. Various different schemes existed for the arrangement of the Psalms into groups (see [Latin Psalters](/source/Latin_Psalters)). As well as the 150 Psalms, medieval psalters often included a calendar, a litany of saints, [canticle](/source/canticle)s from the [Old](/source/Old_Testament) and [New Testament](/source/New_Testament)s, and other devotional texts. The selection of saints mentioned in the calendar and litany varied greatly and can often give clues as to the original ownership of the manuscript, since monasteries and private patrons alike would choose those saints that had particular significance for them. Many psalters were lavishly illuminated with full-page miniatures as well as decorated initials. Of the initials the most important is normally the so-called "[Beatus initial](/source/Beatus_initial)", based on the "B" of the words ''Beatus vir...'' ("Blessed is the man...") at the start of [Psalm 1](/source/Psalm_1). This was usually given the most elaborate decoration in an illuminated psalter, often taking a whole page for the initial letter or first two words. [Historiated initial](/source/Historiated_initial)s or full-page illuminations were used to mark the beginnings of the major divisions of the Psalms, or the various daily readings, and may have helped users navigate to the relevant part of the text, as medieval books almost never had page numbers. Many psalters, particularly from the 12th century onwards, included a richly decorated "prefatory cycle" &ndash. A series of full-page illuminations preceding the Psalms, usually illustrating the Passion story, though some also featured Old Testament narratives. Such images helped to enhance the book's status, and served as aids to contemplation in the practice of personal devotions. The psalter is also a part of either the [Horologion](/source/Horologion) or the [breviary](/source/breviary), used to say the [Liturgy of the Hours](/source/Liturgy_of_the_Hours) in the Eastern and Western Christian worlds respectively. ==Eastern Christianity== {{see|Kathisma}} [[File:Mudil Psalter.jpg|thumb|The Mudil Psalter, the oldest complete psalter in the Coptic language, [Coptic Museum](/source/Coptic_Museum), Egypt, [Coptic Cairo](/source/Coptic_Cairo)]] Non-illuminated psalters written in [Coptic](/source/Coptic_language) include some of the earliest surviving [codices](/source/Codex) (bound books) altogether. The earliest Coptic psalter predates the earliest Western (Irish) one by more than a century. The [Mudil Psalter](/source/Mudil_Psalter), the oldest complete Coptic psalter, dates to the 5th century. It was found in the Al-Mudil Coptic cemetery in a small town near [Beni Suef](/source/Beni_Suef), [Egypt](/source/Egypt). The codex was in the grave of a young girl, open, with her head resting on it.{{cite book|author1=Mat Immerzeel|author2=Jacques Van Der Vliet|title=Coptic Studies on the Threshold of a New Millennium: Proceedings of the Seventh International Congress of Coptic Studies, Leiden, August 27-September 2, 2000|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B5La9DdjVG0C|access-date=25 May 2012|year=2004|publisher=Peeters Publishers|isbn=978-90-429-1409-4|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180504154419/https://books.google.com/books?id=B5La9DdjVG0C|archive-date=4 May 2018}} Scholar [John Gee](/source/John_Gee) has argued that this represents a cultural continuation of the [ancient Egypt](/source/ancient_Egypt)ian tradition of placing the [Book of the Dead](/source/Book_of_the_Dead) in tombs and [sarcophagi](/source/Sarcophagus).{{cite web |url=https://www.britishmuseum.org/pdf/Gee.pdf |title=BMSAES |access-date=2017-06-15 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180409231818/http://www.britishmuseum.org/pdf/Gee.pdf |archive-date=2018-04-09 }} The [Pahlavi Psalter](/source/Pahlavi_Psalter) is a fragment of a [Middle Persian](/source/Middle_Persian) translation of a [Syriac](/source/Syriac_language) version of the Book of Psalms, dated to the 6th or 7th century. In [Orthodox Christianity](/source/Eastern_Orthodox), the Book of Psalms for liturgical purposes is divided into 20 ''[kathisma](/source/kathisma)ta'' or "sittings", for reading at [Vespers](/source/Vespers) and [Matins](/source/Matins). ''Kathisma'' means sitting, since the people normally sit during the reading of the psalms. Each kathisma is divided into three [stases](/source/stasis_(liturgy)), from ''stasis'', to stand, because each stasis ends with [Glory to the Father...](/source/Doxology), at which everyone stands. The reading of the kathismata are arranged so that the entire psalter is read through in the course of a week. During [Great Lent](/source/Great_Lent) it is read through twice in a week. During [Bright Week](/source/Bright_Week) (Easter Week) there is no reading from the Psalms. Orthodox psalters usually contain the [Biblical canticles](/source/Canticle), which are read at the [canon](/source/canon_(hymnography)) of Matins during Great Lent. The established Orthodox tradition of [Christian burial](/source/Christian_burial) has included reading the Psalms in the church throughout the [vigil](/source/vigil), where the deceased remains the night before the funeral, a reflection of the vigil of [Holy Friday](/source/Good_Friday). Some Orthodox psalters also contain special [prayers for the departed](/source/prayer_for_the_dead) for this purpose. While the full tradition is showing signs of diminishing in practice, the psalter is still sometimes used during a [wake](/source/wake_(ceremony)).[http://www.thehtm.org/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=75_105&products_id=577&osCsid=ac0d5ff41a9e45bfeedaf4b9c58bec62 The Psalter According to the Seventy] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716061143/http://www.thehtm.org/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=75_105&products_id=577&osCsid=ac0d5ff41a9e45bfeedaf4b9c58bec62 |date=2011-07-16 }} ==Significant psalters== [[File:Albani-Psalter Initialen.jpg|thumb|Initials from the beginning of psalms in the [St. Albans Psalter](/source/St._Albans_Psalter).]] [[File:Clasm Chludov.jpg|thumb|upright|A page from the [Chludov Psalter](/source/Chludov_Psalter), 9th century]] [[File:Sofia Psalter 1337.png|right|thumb|upright|The [Sofia Psalter](/source/Sofia_Psalter), 1337]] [[File:Psalter, Rača monastery.jpg|right|thumb|upright|The Psalter of [Jerotej Račanin](/source/Jerotej_Ra%C4%8Danin), 1700]] ===Manuscripts=== See also [:Category:Illuminated psalters](/source/%3ACategory%3AIlluminated_psalters) ====Early Medieval==== *[Psalter of St. Germain of Paris](/source/Psalter_of_St_Germain), 6th century{{cite web|url=https://www.wdl.org/en/item/20008/|title=Psalter of Saint Germain of Paris|date=4 May 2018|website=wdl.org|access-date=4 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171227121814/https://www.wdl.org/en/item/20008/|archive-date=27 December 2017}} *[Cathach of St. Columba](/source/Cathach_of_St._Columba), early 7th century *[Faddan More Psalter](/source/Faddan_More_Psalter) *[Vespasian Psalter](/source/Vespasian_Psalter), 2nd quarter of the 8th century *[Montpellier Psalter](/source/Montpellier_Psalter) *[Chludov Psalter](/source/Chludov_Psalter), 3rd quarter of the 9th century *[Southampton Psalter](/source/Southampton_Psalter) *[Utrecht Psalter](/source/Utrecht_Psalter), 9th century *[Salaberga Psalter](/source/Salaberga_Psalter)Northumbria, first half of eighth century, now Berlin.[http://www.omifacsimiles.com/brochures/cima30.pdf Introduction to facsimile edition] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170208141444/http://www.omifacsimiles.com/brochures/cima30.pdf |date=2017-02-08 }} *[Stuttgart Psalter](/source/Stuttgart_Psalter) *[Lothair Psalter](/source/Lothair_Psalter), 840–855, [British Library](/source/British_Library), Add. MS 37768{{cite web|url=http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/FullDisplay.aspx?ref=Add_MS_37768|title=Digitised Manuscripts|website=www.bl.uk|access-date=4 May 2018}} ====High Medieval==== *[Paris Psalter](/source/Paris_Psalter), 10th century *[Ramsey Psalter](/source/Ramsey_Psalter) *[Gertrude Psalter](/source/Gertrude_Psalter), late 10th century with mid-11th century illuminations *[Theodore Psalter](/source/Theodore_Psalter), 1066, at the [British Library](/source/British_Library) *[Psalterium Sinaiticum](/source/Psalterium_Sinaiticum), 11th century *[Melisende Psalter](/source/Melisende_Psalter), circa 1135 *[Eadwine Psalter](/source/Eadwine_Psalter), c 1160 *[Harley Psalter](/source/Harley_Psalter) *[St. Albans Psalter](/source/St._Albans_Psalter) *[Winchester Psalter](/source/Winchester_Psalter) *[Westminster Psalter](/source/Westminster_Psalter) *[Felbrigge Psalter](/source/Felbrigge_Psalter) *[Great Canterbury Psalter](/source/Great_Canterbury_Psalter) (Anglo-Catalan Psalter or Paris Psalter), c.1200 and 1340s *[Psalter of St. Louis](/source/Psalter_of_St._Louis) *[Ormesby Psalter](/source/Ormesby_Psalter), start 13th century, [Bodleian Library](/source/Bodleian_Library){{cite web|url=https://digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/inquire/p/4f365f14-6841-440c-8f02-09f821368404|title=Psalter (known as the 'Ormesby Psalter')|website=Digital Bodleian|access-date=17 October 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821230745/http://bodley30.bodley.ox.ac.uk:8180/luna/servlet/detail/ODLodl~1~1~42501~127851:Psalter--known-as-the--Ormesby-Psal|archive-date=21 August 2016}} *[Potocki Psalter](/source/Potocki_Psalter), mid 13th century, now Warsaw with detached leaves elsewhere.{{cite web|url=http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/the-crucifixion-a-leaf-from-the-potocki-psalter-65011|title=The Crucifixion (a Leaf from the Potocki Psalter)|date=4 April 2018|website=mfa.org|access-date=4 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220121104/http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/the-crucifixion-a-leaf-from-the-potocki-psalter-65011|archive-date=20 December 2016}} ====Late Medieval==== *[Queen Mary Psalter](/source/Queen_Mary_Psalter) *[Luttrell Psalter](/source/Luttrell_Psalter) *[Gorleston Psalter](/source/Gorleston_Psalter) *[Macclesfield Psalter](/source/Macclesfield_Psalter) *[Tickhill Psalter](/source/Tickhill_Psalter) *[Sofia Psalter](/source/Sofia_Psalter) *[Tomich Psalter](/source/Tomich_Psalter) *[http://openn.library.upenn.edu/Data/0028/html/ms_232_015.htmlMS 232/15 Psalter at OPenn]{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} *[Kiev Psalter of 1397](/source/Kiev_Psalter_of_1397) *[Psalter of Jean, Duc de Berry](/source/Les_Tr%C3%A8s_Riches_Heures_du_duc_de_Berry) *[http://www.abdn.ac.uk/diss/historic/collects/bps/ Burnet Psalter] ====Early modern / Tudor period==== *[Psalter of Henry VIII](/source/Psalter_of_Henry_VIII) *[Daskal Philip Psalter](/source/Daskal_Philip_Psalter) *[http://openn.library.upenn.edu/Data/0031/html/1953_128_7.html 1953‑128‑7 Liturgical psalter at OPenn] ===Printed editions=== See also [:Category:Psalters](/source/%3ACategory%3APsalters) ====Incunabula==== *[Psalterium Romanum](/source/Psalterium_Romanum), 1457 [Mainz], [Johann Fust](/source/Johann_Fust) and [Peter Schöffer](/source/Peter_Sch%C3%B6ffer). The first printed psalter.Margaret Stillwell, ''The Beginning of the World of Books: 1450 to 1470'', New York, 1972, no. 18. *[Psalterium Benedictinum](/source/Psalterium_Benedictinum), 1459 [Mainz], [Johann Fust](/source/Johann_Fust) and [Peter Schöffer](/source/Peter_Sch%C3%B6ffer). The second printed psalter.Margaret Stillwell, ''The Beginning of the World of Books: 1450 to 1470'', New York, 1972, no. 27. ====Early modern editions==== *[Coverdale's Psalter](/source/Coverdale_Bible), 1535 *[Genevan Psalter](/source/Genevan_Psalter), 1562 *''[David's Psalter](/source/David's_Psalter)'', a translation of the Book of Psalms into [Polish](/source/Polish_language) by [Jan Kochanowski](/source/Jan_Kochanowski), 1579 *[Scottish Psalter](/source/Hymnbooks_of_the_Church_of_Scotland), 1635 and 1650 *[Bay Psalm Book](/source/Bay_Psalm_Book), 1640, the first book printed in British North America. The Psalms in it are metrical translations into English.[http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.rbc/americanimprint.02405 The Bay Psalm Book] From the Collections at the Library of Congress *[New England Psalter](/source/New_England_Psalter) ====Modern editions==== *[Grail Psalms](/source/Grail_Psalms), 1963, 2008 *[ICEL Psalter](/source/ICEL_Psalter), 1995 ==See also== {{commons category|Psalters}} {{wiktionary}} *[Metrical psalter](/source/Metrical_psalter) *[Book of Hours](/source/Book_of_Hours) *[Latin Psalters](/source/Latin_Psalters) *[Pahlavi Psalter](/source/Pahlavi_Psalter) *[Psalms](/source/Psalms) ==References== {{Reflist}} == Further reading == * Annie Sutherland, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=d4KXBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA282 English Psalms in the Middle Ages, 1300–1450]'', Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015. {{Psalms}} {{Eastern Orthodox liturgical books}} {{Sacraments, rites, and liturgies of the Catholic Church}} {{Authority control}} Category:Christian genres Category:Medieval books Category:Psalters Category:Types of illuminated manuscript --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Psalter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psalter) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psalter?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.