1 Unto the end. For the wine and oil presses. A Psalm to the sons of Korah.
Jerome · AD 420 O God, who shall be like unto you? Since there is none like you, we seek no other author but you. Be not silent, neither be still, O God. We keep silent; do you speak on our behalf. It is the voice of the righteous man: he who says, "Neither be still, O God," is confident of his own righteousness.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 The people of God, then, in this Psalm saith, "O God, who shall be like unto Thee?" (ver. 1). Which I suppose to be more fitly taken of Christ, because, being made in the likeness of men, He was thought by those by whom He was despised to be comparable to other men: for He was even "reckoned among the unrighteous," but for this purpose, that He might be judged.
2 How beloved are your tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!
Jerome · AD 420 For behold, your enemies have made a noise. We can interpret this, according to the tropology, of the Church and of the heresies. But we can also interpret it, according to the letter, of the people of the Jews and of the other nations that were assailing Judaea round about. For behold, your enemies have made a noise.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "For lo Thine enemies have sounded, and they that hate Thee have lifted up the head" (ver. 2). He seems to me to signify the last days, when these things that are now repressed by fear are to break forth into free utterance, but quite irrational, so that it should rather be called a "sound," than speech or discourse.
Theodoret of Cyrus · AD 458 When Leontius perceived this, he did not think it safe to try to prevent them, for he saw that the people were exceedingly well-disposed towards these excellent men. However, putting a colour of courtesy on his speech, he requested that they would perform this act of worship in the churches. They were perfectly well aware of his evil intent.
3 My soul longs and faints for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh have exulted in the living God.
Jerome · AD 420 Against your people they have devised a malicious plan. This they speak, that they may snatch away from your Church. They have plotted against your holy ones. Each day they think of nothing else, save how they may deceive the men of the Church and trip them up.
John Damascene · AD 749 Moreover, one must know that the word gnōmē, or opinion, is used in many ways and with many meanings. Thus, it sometimes means "advice" as when the divine apostle says, "Now, concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord; but I give counsel." Sometimes it implies "design," as when the prophet David says, "They have taken a malicious counsel against your people." Sometim…
4 For even the sparrow has found a home for himself, and the turtle-dove a nest for herself, where she may lay her young: your altars, O Lord of hosts, my king and my God.
Jerome · AD 420 They have said: Come, and let us destroy them from the nation. Let there be no nation, for it is the people of God. And let the name of Israel be remembered no more. Let him be remembered no more who sees God with his understanding.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "They have said, Come, and let us destroy them from a nation" (ver. 4). He has put the singular number for the plural: as it is said, "Whose is this cattle," even though the question be of a flock, and the meaning "these cattle." Lastly, other copies have "from nations," where the translators have rather followed the sense than the word.
5 Blessed are those who dwell in your house, O Lord. They will praise you from age to age.
Jerome · AD 420 Against your covenant they have made their arrangements. You spoke through the prophets; and they through Manichaeus, Marcion, Arius, and Valentinus.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Since they have imagined with one consent; together against Thee have they disposed a testament" (ver. 5): as though they could be the stronger. In fact, "a testament" is a name given in the Scriptures not only to that which is of no avail till the death of the testators, but every convenant and decree they used to call a testament.
6 Blessed is the man whose help is from you. In his heart, he is disposed to ascend
Jerome · AD 420 The tents of the Edomites and the Ishmaelites. Since once we have begun, leaving behind the lowliness of the literal history, to raise our understanding to a higher manner of the spiritual meaning's exposition... For the history is a simple one, in which the Jewish people speaks against the other nations that were fighting against it.
7 from the valley of tears, from the place which he has determined.
Jerome · AD 420 Gebal, which is interpreted "empty valley." They are not of the mountains, but of the valley: for they have no taste for the things above, but for the things below; they are not of heaven, but wholly of the earth.
8 For even the lawgiver will provide a blessing; they will go from virtue to virtue. The God of gods will be seen in Zion.
Jerome · AD 420 For Assur also came with them. They went before, and he follows. Let us see who this is that follows. Assur indeed is interpreted "the devil": truly so, because he is both the enemy and the avenger, as is written in the eighth psalm, "That you may destroy the enemy and the defender." He himself makes us sin, and he himself accuses us for punishment.
9 O Lord, God of hosts, hear my prayer. Pay attention, O God of Jacob.
Jerome · AD 420 Since, therefore, they came against your people, let us see what the psalmist imprecates upon them. Do to them as to Midian and Sisera. You have read the book of Judges: this is that Midian whom Gideon assailed. And Sisera, and Jabin. Jabin and Sisera are those whom Deborah and Barak assailed. At the torrent of Kishon, they perished at Endor.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Now let us see what the prophetic spirit prays may fall upon them, rather foretelling than cursing. "Do thou to them," he says, "as unto Madian and Sisera, as unto Jabin at the brook of Kishon" [Psalm 83:9]. "They perished at Endor, they became as the dung of the earth" [Psalm 83:10].
10 O God, gaze upon our protector, and look upon the face of your Christ.
11 For one day in your courts is better than thousands elsewhere. I have chosen to be lowly in the house of my God, rather than to dwell in the tabernacles of sinners.
Jerome · AD 420 Make their princes. Whose? Of those who fight against your people. As Oreb and Zeeb, and Zebah and Zalmunna, all their princes. I think you have read the history in the book of Judges, that Gideon, who is called by another name Jerubbaal, fighting on behalf of the people of God, conquered these four kings, and slew them.
12 For God loves mercy and truth. The Lord will give grace and glory.
Jerome · AD 420 Who said: Let us possess the sanctuary of God by inheritance. They said it, but they did not accomplish it: for the Lord was fighting for his people.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "All their princes, who said, Let us take to ourselves the sanctuary of God in possession" [Psalm 83:12]. This is that vain noise, with which, as said above, Your enemies have made a murmuring. But what must be understood by "the sanctuary of God," except the temple of God?
13 He will not withhold good things from those who walk in innocence. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man who hopes in you.
Gregory of Nazianzus · AD 390 What does he mean by this? As I take it, that goodness can with difficulty gain a hold on human nature, like fire on green wood; while most people are ready and disposed to join in evil, like stubble, I mean, ready for a spark and a wind, which is easily kindled and consumed from its dryness.
Jerome · AD 420 O my God, make them as a wheel. See the clemency of the prophet: he does not pray against them, but for them. See what he says. O my God — you who are the God of all, but properly my God: O my God, make them as a wheel. Those who have, as it were, a foundation in malice, let them have no foundation, but let them totter, and not stand firm in malice.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 But what follows? "My God, make them like a wheel" [Psalm 83:13]. This is fitly taken as meaning that they should be constant in nothing that they think; but I think it may also be rightly explained, make them like a wheel, because a wheel is lifted up on the part of what is behind, is thrown down on the part of what is in front; and so it happens to all the enemies of the peop…