Augustine Interpreting the Psalms

Right off the bat, Saint Augustine is explaining how important signs are. A sign is something that brings another thing into one's mind, i.e. a footprint brings the idea of the animal who created that footprint. His description of sign encompasses much more than what comes to mind when i think of a "sign," including written words. In terms of translated religious writings, Augustine says the main point is to find out what the speaker means, and not necessarily the exact written word.

St. Augustine's insight would alter the way some people interpret the Psalms. The focus would be less on what the literal meaning of the words are, and more on concepts that could be constructed from the words. For example, when a Psalm mentions a battle and describes how God would help you defeat your enemies, St Augustine's view point could be that the Psalm wasn't necessarily talking about a physical battle, but a mental struggle that faith in God will help you get through. 

Some people would say the Psalms are too violent. This view would show that the violence in the Psalms may just be there to paint a better picture, and provide a stronger emotional feeling for some mental battle. St Augustine's idea allowed the Psalms to be used in multiple ways, by people in different situations. The Psalms would mean whatever they could get out of it.