1 Oratio Moysi, hominis Dei. Domine, refugium factus es nobis a generatione in generationem.
Jerome · AD 420 The eighty-eighth psalm is prefaced with this title: The Understanding of Ethan the Ezrahite. Wherever "understanding" is placed first, what follows is mystical and obscure. Ethan is interpreted as "strong," or "robust"; and Ezrahite as "one helped," or "one who has obtained help." I say this because we are dealing with the literal history.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Understand, beloved, this Psalm, which I am about to explain, by the grace of God, of our hope in the Lord Jesus Christ, and be of good cheer, because He who promised, will fulfil all, as He has fulfilled much: for it is not our own merit, but His mercy, that gives us confidence in Him.
Theodoret of Cyrus · AD 458 Orthodoxos: Listen now how the prophet praises God at the very beginning of the psalm. He saw with his prophetic eyes the future iniquity of his people and the captivity that was in consequence foredoomed; yet he praised his own Lord for unfailing promises.
2 Priusquam montes fierent, aut formaretur terra et orbis, a sæculo et usque in sæculum tu es, Deus.
Jerome · AD 420 For you have said, Mercy shall be built up forever. I myself, who then spoke in the Old Testament through the patriarchs and through the prophets, now myself speak through my own self; for I have not come to loose the commandments of mercy which the law had built up, but to build upon them.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "For You have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever" [Psalm 89:2]. It is this that I sing: this is Your truth, for the making known of which my mouth serves. In such wise You say, I build, as not to destroy: for some Thou destroyest and buildest not; and some whom Thou destroyest Thou dost rebuild.
3 Ne avertas hominem in humilitatem: et dixisti: Convertimini, filii hominum.
Jerome · AD 420 I have appointed a covenant to my chosen ones. Do you wish to know how to this day the Lord appoints his covenant? Let us act well, and we shall deserve to be sharers in the Lord's appointment of the chosen ones. I have sworn to David my servant. Let us see what it is that the Lord swore. This surely, which follows. Unto eternity I will prepare your seed.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "You have said, I have made a covenant with My chosen" [Psalm 89:3]. What covenant, but the new, by which we are renewed to a fresh inheritance, in our longing desire and love of which we sing a new song. "I have made a covenant with My chosen," says the Psalmist: "I have sworn unto David My servant." How confidently does he speak, who understands, whose mouth serves truth!
4 Quoniam mille anni ante oculos tuos tamquam dies hesterna quæ præteriit: et custodia in nocte
Hippolytus of Rome · AD 235 And around us are the wise men of the Greeks mocking and jeering us, as those who believe without inquiry, and foolishly.
Jerome · AD 420 And I will build up your throne from generation to generation. In two generations, as we have said, the throne of God is set, namely in the circumcision and among the Gentiles.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Let us see then what God has sworn. "I have sworn," He says, "to David My servant; your seed will I establish for ever" [Psalm 89:4]. But what is the seed of David, but that of Abraham. And what is the seed of Abraham?
5 quæ pro nihilo habentur, eorum anni erunt.
Jerome · AD 420 And the heavens shall confess your wonders, O Lord. This is what is said in the eighteenth psalm: "The heavens declare the glory of God." According to the mystical understanding, he calls the apostles "heavens." For if it is said to the sinner, "Earth you are, and to earth you shall go," why should it not be said to the holy or righteous man, "Heaven you are, and to heaven you…
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "O Lord, the very Heavens shall praise Thy wondrous works" [Psalm 89:5]. The Heavens will not praise their own merits, but Thy wondrous works, O Lord. For in every act of mercy on the lost, of justification of the unrighteous, what do we praise but the wondrous works of God? Thou praisest Him, because the dead have risen: praise Him yet more, because the lost are redeemed.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 The heavens proclaim your wonders, that is, the marvels of the soul which they feel within them. Such experiences make faith most secure. When the soul considers the Most High in a manner that is most pious, true, and good, then it is lifted up by zeal and the rapture of love to the third heaven.
6 Mane sicut herba transeat; mane floreat, et transeat; vespere decidat, induret, et arescat.
Jerome · AD 420 For who among the clouds shall be equal to the Lord? The clouds are the prophets, the clouds are the apostles, who pour showers of teachings upon the dry hearts of men. Who shall be like the Lord among the sons of God?
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "For who is he among the clouds, who shall be compared unto You, Lord!" [Psalm 89:6]. Is this to be the praise of the Heavens, is this to be their rain? What? Are the preachers confident, because "none among the clouds shall be compared unto the Lord"? Does it appear to you, brethren, a high ground of praise, that the clouds cannot be compared with their Creator?
7 Quia defecimus in ira tua, et in furore tuo turbati sumus.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 O such strictness toward the righteous! O such abundant forgiveness toward the sinner! He finds so many different means, without himself changing, to keep the righteous in check and forgive the sinner, by usefully dividing his rich goodness. And listen how. If he frightens the sinner who persists in sins, he brings him to desperation and to the exhaustion of hope.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 ..."God is very greatly to be feared in the counsel of the righteous, and to be had in dread of all them that are round about Him" [Psalm 89:7]. God is everywhere; who therefore are round about Him, who is everywhere? For if He has some round about Him, He is represented as finite on every side.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 This counsel has been confirmed by the twelve Apostles and by the counsels of the Saints. If you want the testimony of the Saints concerning these counsels, seek Anthony, Paphnutius, and Macarius, who all resolved to observe these counsels. Seek the bishops Basil, Augustine, Martin, and Gregory; all were monks and resolved to observe the counsels and kept them.
8 Posuisti iniquitates nostras in conspectu tuo; sæculum nostrum in illuminatione vultus tui.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "O Lord God of Hosts, who is like unto Thee? Thy truth, most mighty Lord, is on every side" [Psalm 89:8]. Great is Thy power Thou hast made Heaven and earth, and all things that in them are: but greater still is thy loving-kindness, which has shown forth Thy truth to all around Thee.
9 Quoniam omnes dies nostri defecerunt, et in ira tua defecimus. Anni nostri sicut aranea meditabuntur;
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 ...For ye have heard, like men accustomed to the watering of the clouds of God, "Thy truth" then "is in the circuit of Thee." But when without persecutions, when without opposition, since it is said, that "He was born for a sign which shall be spoken against"?
10 dies annorum nostrorum in ipsis septuaginta anni. Si autem in potentatibus octoginta anni, et amplius eorum labor et dolor; quoniam supervenit mansuetudo, et corripiemur.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Lastly, what hast Thou done in the sea itself, to pacify its rage, and to weaken it? "Thou hast humbled the proud as one that is wounded." There is a certain proud serpent in the sea, of which another passage of Scripture speaks, "I will command the serpent, and he shall bite him;" and again, "There is that Leviathan, whom Thou hast made to mock him," whose head He bruises abov…
11 Quis novit potestatem iræ tuæ, et præ timore tuo iram tuam
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "The heavens are thine, the earth also is Thine." From Thee, over Thy earth they rain. Thine are the heavens, by whom is preached Thy truth in circuit of Thee; "Thine is the earth," which has received Thy truth in circuit of Thee; and what has resulted from that rain? "Thou hast laid the foundation of the round world, and all that therein is."
12 dinumerare? Dexteram tuam sic notam fac, et eruditos corde in sapientia.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Thou hast created the north and the seas." For nothing has any power against Thee, against its Creator. The world indeed may rage through its own malice, and the perversity of its will; does it nevertheless pass over the bound laid down by the Creator, who made all things? Why then do I fear the north wind? Why do I fear the seas?
13 Convertere, Domine; usquequo? et deprecabilis esto super servos tuos.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Thou hast a mighty arm" (ver. 13). Let no man arrogate anything to himself. "Thou hast a mighty arm:" by Thee we were created, by Thee we have been defended. "Thou hast a mighty arm: strong be Thy hand, and high be Thy right hand."
14 Repleti sumus mane misericordia tua; et exsultavimus, et delectati sumus omnibus diebus nostris.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Righteousness and judgment are the preparation of Thy seat" (ver. 14). Thy righteousness and judgment will appear in the end: they are now hidden.
15 Lætati sumus pro diebus quibus nos humiliasti; annis quibus vidimus mala.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 In all these things shall we not rejoice? Or shall we contain our joy? Or shall words suffice for our gladness? Or shall the tongue be able to express our rejoicing? If therefore no words suffice, "Blessed is the people, O Lord, that knows glad shouting" [Psalm 89:15]. O blessed people! Do you conceive aright, do you understand, glad shouting?
16 Respice in servos tuos et in opera tua, et dirige filios eorum.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 O Lord, "they shall walk in the light of Thy countenance." "They shall rejoice in Thy name all the day" (ver. 16). That Thabor and Hermon shall rejoice in Thy name: all day shall they rejoice, if they will, in Thy name; but if they will rejoice in their own name, they shall not rejoice all day: for they shall not continue in their joy, when they shall delight in themselves, and…
17 Et sit splendor Domini Dei nostri super nos, et opera manuum nostrarum dirige super nos, et opus manuum nostrarum dirige.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "For You are the glory of their strength: and in Your good pleasure You shall lift up our horns" [Psalm 89:17]: because it has seemed good to You, not because we are worthy.