Honey of Souls

Derek A. Olsen earned a PhD in New Testament from Emory University in 2011. His research focuses on the intersection between Scripture and liturgy, and he currently serves on the Episcopal Church's Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music. He is also the author of Reading Matthew with Monks (Liturgical Press, 2015).

• ContentsList of Abbreviations   viiIntroduction   ixChapter One: The Psalter, a Bible in Miniature   1Chapter Two: Technological Challenges   27Chapter Three: Cassiodorus and His Work   61Chapter Four: An Initial Glance at the Explanation of the Psalms   91Chapter Five: Cassiodorus and the Interpretive Framework   114Chapter Six: The Preface to the Commentary   147 Chapter Seven: Editing Augustine and Reading the Scriptures   181Chapter Eight: A Thorough Reading of Psalm 87   220Chapter Nine: Five Psalms—Short Takes   232Chapter Ten: The Legacy of Cassiodorus   274Bibliography   305Index   309

"This engaging book draws the reader in to the world of psalm interpretation that reflects the experience of Christians in Late Antiquity, when the reception of Scripture, and especially of the Psalms, was conditioned by oral tradition, liturgical performance, and prayer. The commentator comes alive in Olsen's account, which folds the salient details of translation, symbolism, historical context, and transmission into a seamless narrative. His analysis of Cassiodorus's contributions is enriching for specialists and informative for less expert readers."Susan Leslie Boynton, Professor of Music, Historic Musicology, Columbia University