Renewal in Christ: Athanasius on the Christian Life

Appendix 2: On the Psalms

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also want to write to you to let you know how he explained it to me. For there was a certain grace and persuasiveness with his eloquent tale. This is what he said: §2 – The Psalms Are a Microcosm of theWhole Bible Everything that is in our Scripture, my child, is both old and new. It is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, as it is written (2 Tim 3:16). But the book of Psalms has, in addition, a certain persuasive observation for those who devote themselves to it. Now each book of Scripture serves its own purpose in what it relates, such as the Pentateuch telling of the birth of the world and the deeds of the patriarchs; of the exodus of Israel from Egypt, and the giving of the Law. The three-volume work on Joshua, Judges and Ruth [the Triteuch ] tells of the inheritance of the land and of the deeds of the judges and the genealogy of David. The Kings and Chronicles tell of the deeds of the kings, and Esdras tells of the release of the captives, the return of the people, and the building of the temple and the city. The prophets include prophecies concerning the advent of the Savior, calls for obedience concerning the commandments and for condemnation against their transgressors, as well as including prophecies for the gentiles. But the book of Psalms is like a garden which besides bearing fruit in it that is found elsewhere—which it sets to music—brings to light its own special fruit which it accompanies in song along with the words.

§3 – The Psalms Recapitulate Genesis, Exodus, and Numbers

It sings, for instance, of the Genesis events in Psalm 19: The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands ; and the 24th Psalm: The earth is