1 O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious: and his mercy endureth for ever.
Jerome · AD 420 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. O you who sin grievously, and despair of your own salvation, and think that because of the greatness of your sins you cannot obtain pardon: I command you — that is, the prophet does — give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. Great are your sins: but great is the Lord, who has mercy on you. Give thanks, therefore, to the Lord.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 [Jesus] was granting pardon; but while he was granting it he raised his face to her and said, "Has no one stoned you?" And she did not say, "Why? What have I done, Lord? I am not guilty, am I?" She did not say that; what she said was, "No one, Lord." She accused herself. They had been unable to prove it against her and had withdrawn.
2 Who can express the noble acts of the Lord: or shew forth all his praise?
Jerome · AD 420 Who shall tell the mighty acts of the Lord? No one is worthy to proclaim the mighty acts of the Father, except the Son. No one can tell the might of the Father, except him who is himself also mighty: the mighty acts of the Mighty One he alone who is in the bosom of the Father, he who is himself mighty, can proclaim and tell. Shall he make all his praises heard?
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Who can express the mighty acts of the Lord?" (ver. 2). Full of the consideration of the Divine works, while he entreateth His mercy, "Who," he saith, "can express the mighty acts of the Lord, or make all His praises heard?" We must supply what was said above, to make the sense complete here, thus, "Who shall make all His praises heard?" that is, who is sufficient to make all…
3 Blessed are they that alway keep judgement: and do righteousness.
Jerome · AD 420 Blessed are they who keep judgment, and do justice at all times. David speaks rightly. He too had done judgment, he had done justice: but because he did not do it at all times, therefore he fell. For what does he say? Blessed are they who keep judgment, and do justice at all times. But blessed are they who do it at all times.
Caesarius of Arles · AD 542 I implore, you, dearly beloved, always to call to mind and remember what we have mentioned for the salvation of your soul. Do not accept it only in passing; our sermon ought to fasten its roots in your heart, so that on judgment day it may happily bear the fruits of eternal life.
4 Remember me, O Lord, according to the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation;
Jerome · AD 420 Remember us, O Lord, in the good pleasure of your people. What blessed David says is this: I know, O Lord, the old Law; the perfect blessedness is not in the old Law, but in the Gospel; I know that the former people offended you, and that a new people is being created, which will serve you: I know that your Son will come, and will save the whole human race, and those who are ch…
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Next, since God justifieth, that is, maketh men righteous, by healing them from their iniquities, a prayer followeth: "Remember me, O Lord, according to the favour that Thou bearest unto Thy people" (ver. 4): that is, that we may be among those with whom Thou art well pleased; since God is not well pleased with them all.
5 That I may see the felicity of thy chosen: and rejoice in the gladness of thy people, and give thanks with thine inheritance.
6 We have sinned with our fathers: we have done amiss, and dealt wickedly.
Jerome · AD 420 We have sinned with our fathers. As sons we have followed our fathers: we have done what our fathers also did. 'For he has shut up all under sin, that he might have mercy on all.' We have acted unjustly, we have committed iniquity. Note carefully what he says: We have sinned with our fathers, we have acted unjustly, we have committed iniquity.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 But let us hear what they next confess: "we have sinned with our fathers: we have done amiss, and dealt wickedly" [Psalm 106:6]. What means "with our fathers"?..."Our fathers," he says, "regarded not Your wonders in Egypt" [Psalm 106:7]; and many other things also, he does relate of their sins.
7 Our fathers regarded not thy wonders in Egypt, neither kept they thy great goodness in remembrance: but were disobedient at the sea, even at the Red sea.
Jerome · AD 420 Our fathers in Egypt did not understand your wonders. They saw, and they did not see: they saw with the eyes of the flesh, and with spiritual eyes they did not see. He did not say, they did not see: but, they did not understand.
8 Nevertheless, he helped them for his Name's sake: that he might make his power to be known.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 He adds, that God acted not according to their unbelief. "Nevertheless," he says, "He saved them for His Name's sake: that He might make His power to be known": not on account of any deservings of their own.
9 He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the deep, as through a wilderness.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up" [Psalm 106:9]. We do not read that any voice was sent forth from Heaven to rebuke the sea; but he has called the Divine Power by which this was effected, a rebuke: unless indeed any one may choose to say, that the sea was secretly rebuked, so that the waters might hear, and yet men could not.
10 And he saved them from the adversaries' hand: and delivered them from the hand of the enemy.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "And He saved them from the hating ones" [Psalm 106:10]. Some translators, in order to avoid an expression unusual in Latin, have rendered the word, by a circumlocution, "And He saved them from the hand of those that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy." What price was given in this redemption?
11 As for those that troubled them, the waters overwhelmed them: there was not one of them left.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "As for those that troubled them, the waters overwhelmed them: there was not one of them left" [Psalm 106:11]; not of all the Egyptians, but of those who pursued the departing Israelites, desirous either of taking or of killing them.
12 Then believed they his words: and sang praise unto him.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Then believed they in His words" (ver. 12). The expression seemeth barely Latin, for he saith not "believed His word," or "on His words," but "in His words;" yet it is very frequent in Scripture.
13 But within a while they forgat his works: and would not abide his counsel.
Pachomius the Great · AD 348 Three days after our father Theodore died, when all the brothers were in deep mourning, our father Horsiesi became ill from grief over the death of our father Theodore of happy memory. Then some of the elderly brothers, including Apa [Pgentaesi] and Apa Pachomius, strongly urged Apa Horsiesi to go and speak some words of comfort to the brothers.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "They acted hastily: they forgot His works" (ver. 13): other copies read more intelligibly, "They hastened, they forgot His works, and would not abide His counsel." For they ought to have thought, that so great works of God towards themselves were not without a purpose, but that they invited them to some endless happiness, which was to be waited for with patience; but they hast…
14 But lust came upon them in the wilderness: and they tempted God in the desert.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Lastly, "And they lusted a lust in the wilderness, and they tempted God in the dry land" (ver. 14). The "dry land," or land without water, and "desert," are the same: so also are, "they lusted a lust," and, "they tempted God." The form of speech is the same as above, "they praised a praise."
Philoxenus of Mabbug · AD 523 That they sought flesh lustfully, and asked for it with lust, David testifieth, saying, "They lusted with lust in the wilderness, and they tempted God in the waterless desert, And He gave them their requests, and sent fulness into their souls." And in the place where they required flesh it is written that, "The people said to Moses, It was better for us when we were in Egypt, f…
15 And he gave them their desire: and sent leanness withal into their soul.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "And He gave them their desire, and sent fullness withal into their souls" [Psalm 106:15]. But He did not thus render them happy: for it was not that fullness of which it is said, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." [Matthew 5:6] In this passage he does not speak of the rational soul, but of the soul as giving animal life…
16 They angered Moses also in the tents: and Aaron the saint of the Lord.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "And they angered Moses in the tents, and Aaron the saint of the Lord" [Psalm 106:16]. What angering, or, as some have more literally rendered it, what provocation, he speaks of, the following words sufficiently show.
17 So the earth opened, and swallowed up Dathan: and covered the congregation of Abiram.
Pachomius the Great · AD 348 What shall I say of Adam who, at the beginning of the human race, gave the first example of disobedience and contempt? To him was given power over all the beasts of the earth, just as everything is to be given twofold to the firstborn.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "The earth opened," he says, "and swallowed up Dathan, and covered over the congregation of Abiram" [Psalm 106:17]: "swallowed up" answers to "covered over." Both Dathan and Abiram were equally concerned in a most sacrilegious schism.
18 And the fire was kindled in their company: the flame burnt up the ungodly.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "And the fire was kindled in their company; the flame burnt up the sinners" [Psalm 106:18]. This word is not in Scripture usually applied to those, who, although they live righteously, and in a praiseworthy manner, are not without sin.
19 They made a calf in Horeb: and worshipped the molten image.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "And they made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the graven image" (ver. 19). "Thus they changed their glory, in the similitude of a calf that eateth hay" (ver. 20). He saith not "into" the likeness, but "in" the likeness.
20 Thus they turned their glory: into the similitude of a calf that eateth hay.
21 And they forgat God their Saviour: who had done so great things in Egypt;
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "They forgat God who saved them" [Psalm 106:21]. How did He save them? "Who did so great things in Egypt: Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and fearful things in the Red Sea" [Psalm 106:22].
22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham: and fearful things by the Red sea.
23 So he said, he would have destroyed them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the gap: to turn away his wrathful indignation, lest he should destroy them.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "So He said, He would have destroyed them" (ver. 23). Since they forgot Him who saved them, the Worker of wondrous works, and made and worshipped a graven image, by this atrocious and incredible impiety they deserved death.
24 Yea, they thought scorn of that pleasant land: and gave no credence unto his word;
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Yea, they thought scorn of that pleasant land" [Psalm 106:24]. But had they seen it? How then could they scorn that which they had not seen, except as the following words explain, "and believed not in His words." Indeed, unless that land which was styled the land that flowed with milk and honey, [Exodus 3:8] signified something great, through which, as by a visible token, He w…
25 But murmured in their tents: and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord" [Psalm 106:25]; who strongly forbade them to murmur.
26 Then lift he up his hand against them: to overthrow them in the wilderness;
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Then lift He up His hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness" [Psalm 106:26]; "to cast out their seed among the nations: and to scatter them in the lands" [Psalm 106:27].
27 To cast out their seed among the nations: and to scatter them in the lands.
28 They joined themselves unto Baal-peor: and ate the offerings of the dead.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "They were initiated also unto Baalpeor;" that is, were consecrated to the Gentile idol; "and ate the offerings of the dead" [Psalm 106:28].
29 Thus they provoked him to anger with their own inventions: and the plague was great among them.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Thus they provoked Him to anger with their own inventions; and destruction was multiplied among them" (ver. 29). As if He had deferred the lifting up of His hand which was to cast them down in the desert, and to cast out their seed among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands; as the Apostle saith: "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gav…
30 Then stood up Phinees and prayed: and so the plague ceased.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 Tell me this. Will you still dare to call Jesus an imposter and lawbreaker? Will you not instead go off and bury yourselves somewhere, when you look the facts in the face, since their truth is so obvious? If Jesus were an imposter and lawbreaker, as you say he was, you should have been held in high honor for putting him to death.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Then stood up Phineas, and appeased Him, and the shaking ceased" [Psalm 106:30]. He has related the whole briefly, because he is not here teaching the ignorant, but reminding those who know the history. The word "shaking" here is the same as "breaking" before. For it is one word in the Greek.
31 And that was counted unto him for righteousness: among all posterities for evermore.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "And that was counted unto him for righteousness among all posterities for evermore" [Psalm 106:31]. God counted this unto His Priest for righteousness, not only as long as posterity shall exist, but "for evermore;" for He who knows the heart, knows how to weigh with how much love for the people that deed was done.
32 They angered mm also at the waters of strife: so that he punished Moses for their sakes;
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "And they angered Him at the waters of strife: so that Moses was vexed for their sakes" (ver. 32); "because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake doubtfully with his lips" (ver. 33). What is spake doubtfully? As if God, who had done so great wonders before, could not cause water to flow from a rock.
33 Because they provoked his spirit: so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.
34 Neither destroyed they the heathen: as the Lord commanded them;
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 But they of whose iniquities this Psalm speaks, when they had entered into that temporal land of promise, "destroyed not the heathen, which the Lord commanded them" [Psalm 106:34]; "but were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works" [Psalm 106:35]. "Insomuch that they worshipped their idols, which became to them an offense" [Psalm 106:36].
35 But were mingled among the heathen: and learned their works.
36 Insomuch that they worshipped their idols, which turned to their own decay: yea, they offered their sons and their daughters unto devils;
37 And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters: whom they offered unto the idols of Canaan; and the land was defiled with blood.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Yea, they offered their sons and their daughters unto devils" [Psalm 106:37]; "and shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they offered unto the idols of Canaan" [Psalm 106:38].
38 Thus were they stained with their own works: and went a whoring with their own inventions.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 But what is it that follows? "And the land was slain with bloods." We might suppose that this was a mistake of the writer, and that he had written interfecta for infecta, were it not for the goodness of God, who has willed His Scriptures to be written in many languages; were it not that we see it written as in the text in many Greek copies which we have inspected; "the land was…
Bonaventure · AD 1257 The first plague was of blood, by which idolaters were struck, because the Psalm says of them: "They poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan."
39 Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people: insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance.
40 And he gave them over into the hands of the heathen: and they that hated them were lords over them.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against His own people" [Psalm 106:40]. Our translators have been unwilling to use the word anger, for the Greek θυμὸς; though some have used it; while others translate by "indignation" or "mind." Whichever of these terms be adopted, passion does not affect God; but the power of punishing has assumed this name metaphorically from cus…
41 Their enemies oppressed them: and had them in subjection.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Insomuch that He abhorred His own inheritance; and He gave them over into the hand of the heathen: and they that hated them were lords over them" [Psalm 106:41]: "and their enemies oppressed them, and they were brought low under their hands" [Psalm 106:42].
42 Many a time did he deliver them: but they rebelled against him with their own inventions, and were brought down in their wickedness.
43 Nevertheless, when he saw their adversity: he heard their complaint.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Lastly, he saith, "Many a time did He deliver them." "But they provoked Him with their own counsels" (ver. 43). This is what he said above, "They did not abide His counsel." Now a man's counsel is pernicious to himself, when he seeketh those things which are his own only, not those which are God's.
44 He thought upon his covenant, and pitied them according unto the multitude of his mercies: yea, he made all those that led them away captive to pity them.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Nevertheless, God, full of mercy, forsook them not. "And He saw when they were in adversity, when He heard their complaint" [Psalm 106:44]. "And He thought upon His covenant, and repented, according to the multitude of His mercies" [Psalm 106:45]. He says, "He repented," because He changed that wherewith He seemed about to destroy them.
45 Deliver us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen: that we may give thanks unto thy holy Name, and make our boast of thy praise.
46 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting and world without end: And let all the people say, Amen.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 So "He gave them unto compassions, in the sight of all that had taken them captive" [Psalm 106:46]. That they might not be vessels of wrath, but vessels of mercy. [Romans 9:22-23] The compassions unto which He gave them are named in the plural for this reason, I imagine, because each one has a gift of his own from God, one in one way, another in another.