Psalm Books

Considered from ancient times as the most read biblical book, the Book of Psalms is composed of the 151 psalms of the Old Testament, attributed by the Christian tradition to the prophet David, the legendary king of Israel, who reigned approximately between 1013 and 973 B.C.

Structured in twenty parts, the content of this famous writing is generally lyrical-religious, expressing with hymn-like fervour, the feelings of deep adoration of the author in front of the divine power and his prophetic belief in the coming of the Messiah on earth to absolve mankind of all sins and sufferings.

The Hebrews recited the Psalms while accompanying themselves on the harp, in a monotone and rhythmic manner known as psalmody. Later integrated in the Christian religion, they are sung in a chant-like manner accompanied by a musical instrument with cords, similar to a harp, named in Greek psalterion, a name which has been given to the oldest psalm books translated into Greek, and from which the name psaltire (Psalm book) derives in Romanian.

At Putna Monastery, there are five copies of the Psalm Book in Slavonic, three of them dating from the 15th century, one from the 16th century and the other from 1612. One of the first three is also known as “the great’, and is distinguished by an exceptional beauty.


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