1 Alleluia. Of Haggai and Zachariah.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 The title is, "Praise, to David himself." Praise to Christ Himself. And since He is called David, who came to us of the seed of David, yet He was our King, ruling us, and bringing us into His kingdom, therefore "Praise to David himself" is understood to mean, Praise to Christ Himself.
2 Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord with my life. I will sing psalms to my God as long as I shall be. Do not trust in the leaders,
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Now then begin to praise, if thou intendest to praise for ever. He who will not praise in this transitory "age," will be silent when "age upon age" has come. But lest any one should in any otherwise also understand what he saith, "I will praise Thy Name for the age," and should seek another age, wherein to praise, he saith, "Every day will I bless Thee" (ver. 2).
3 in the sons of men, in whom there is no salvation.
Gregory of Nyssa · AD 395 Now if any one should ask for some interpretation, and description, and explanation of the Divine essence, we are not going to deny that this kind of wisdom we are unlearned, acknowledging only so much as this, that it is not possible that which is by nature infinite should be comprehended in any conception expressed by words.
Ambrose of Milan · AD 397 You cannot, then, heretic [Arian], build up a false doctrine on the basis of an analogy of human procreation. Nor can you gather the means for such a purpose from our discussion, for we cannot embrace the greatness of infinite godhead, "of whose greatness there is no end," in our limited speech.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Great art Thou, O Lord, and greatly to be praised; great is Thy power, and of Thy wisdom there is no end. And man, being a part of Thy creation, desires to praise Thee, man, who bears about with him his mortality, the witness of his sin, even the witness that Thou "resistest the proud," -yet man, this part of Thy creation, desires to praise Thee.
4 His spirit will depart, and he will return to his earth. In that day, all their thoughts will perish.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 For how great things besides has His boundless Goodness and illimitable Greatness made, which we do not know! When we lift the gaze of our eyes even to the heaven, and then recall it from sun, moon, and stars to the earth, and there is all this space where our sight can wander; beyond the heavens who can extend the eyesight of his mind, not to say of his flesh?
5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob: his hope is in the Lord God himself,
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "They shall speak of the magnificence of the glory of Thy Holiness, and shall record Thy wondrous deeds" (ver. 5). See whether this man, meditating on Thy works, hath turned aside from the Worker to the work: see whether he hath sunk from Him who made, to the things which He made. Of the things which He hath made, he hath made a step up to Him, not a descent from Him to them.
6 who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all the things that are in them.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "And the excellence of Thy fearful works shall they speak of: and Thy greatness, they shall relate it" (ver. 6). For He doth not hold out promises, without holding out threats also: if He held out no promises, there would be no encouragement; if He held out no threats, there would be no correction.
7 He preserves the truth forever. He executes judgment for those who suffer injury. He provides food for the hungry. The Lord releases those who are bound.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "The remembrance of the abundance of Thy sweetness they shall pour forth" (ver. 7): none but Thine.
8 The Lord enlightens the blind. The Lord sets upright those who have been thrown down. The Lord loves the just.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Merciful and pitiful is the Lord; long-suffering, and very merciful" (ver. 8). Were He not such as this, there would be no seeking to recover us. Consider thyself: what didst thou deserve, O sinner? Despiser of God, what didst thou deserve? See if aught occur to thee but penalty, if aught occur to thee but punishment.
9 The Lord watches over new arrivals. He will support the orphan and the widow. And he will destroy the ways of sinners.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Sweet is the Lord to all, and His compassions reach into all His works" (ver. 9). Hear the Scripture: "I will not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn, and live." By these words of God, he is brought back to hope; but there is another snare to be feared, lest through this very hope he sin the more.
10 The Lord shall reign forever: your God, O Zion, from generation to generation.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Let all Your works, O Lord, confess to You, and let Your saints bless You" [Psalm 145:10]. How so? Is not the earth His work? Are not the trees His work? Cattle, beasts, fish, fowl, are not they His works? Plainly they too are. And how shall these too confess to Him?