1 I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, with my whole heart: even before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
Jerome · AD 420 And in the sight of the angels I will sing psalms to you. See the advancement of the penitent, that after confession and repentance he is counted worthy to sing psalms with the angels. But he who sings psalms no longer performs repentance, but gives thanks, and blesses.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 The title of this Psalm is brief and simple, and need not detain us; since we know whose resemblance David wore, and since in him we recognise ourselves also, for we too are members of that Body. The whole title is, "To David himself." Let us see then, what is to David himself.
Bede · AD 735 It is no secret that angels are frequently present, invisibly, at the side of the elect, in order to defend them from the snares of the cunning enemy and uphold them by the great gift of heavenly desire.
2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy Name, because of thy loving-kindness and truth: for thou hast magnified thy Name and thy word above all things.
Jerome · AD 420 I will worship toward your holy temple. If this is the temple which now is seen to be deserted, in which one ought to worship: then the Jews ought not to worship, since the temple has been overthrown. But by "temple" he means the holy and heavenly Jerusalem.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "I will worship toward Your holy Temple" [Psalm 138:2]. What holy Temple? That where we shall dwell, where we shall worship. For we hasten that we may adore. Our heart is pregnant and comes to the birth, and seeks where it may bring forth.
3 When I called upon thee, thou heardest me: and enduedst my soul with much strength.
Jerome · AD 420 You will multiply strength in my soul. You will multiply: that is, that the soul is subject to many anxieties.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "In what day soever I call upon Thee, do Thou quickly hear me" (ver. 3). Wherefore, "quickly"? Because Thou hast said, "While yet thou art speaking I will say, Lo, here I am." Wherefore, "quickly"? Because now I seek not earthly happiness, I have learnt holy longings from the New Testament.
4 All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord: for they have heard the words of thy mouth.
Jerome · AD 420 Let all the kings of the earth confess to you, O Lord. The kings of the earth are those who reign in sin. Therefore let those very ones confess, who reign in sin. For he is not speaking of the kings of this world. For it is written: "The heart of the king is in the hand of God." Do you suppose that the heart of the most impious Julian was in the hand of God? God forbid.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Let all the kings of the earth confess to Thee, O Lord" (ver. 4). So shall it be, and so it is, and that daily; and it is shown that it was not said in vain, save that it was future. But neither let them, when they confess to Thee, when they praise Thee, desire earthly things of Thee. For what shall the kings of the earth desire? Have they not already sovereignty?
5 Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord: that great is the glory of the Lord.
Jerome · AD 420 And let them sing in the ways of the Lord. The philosophers of this world did not sing in the ways of the Lord, but we sing in the ways of the Lord, that is, in Moses and Isaiah and Jeremiah: and from these ways we come to that way which says, "I am the way."
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "And let them sing in the paths of the Lord, that great is the glory of the Lord" [Psalm 138:5]. Let all the kings of the earth sing in the paths of the Lord. In what paths? Those that are spoken of above, "in Your mercy and Your truth." Let not then the kings of the earth be proud, let them be humble.
6 For though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: as for the proud, he beholdeth them afar off.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Perhaps because [the psalm] said, "The Lord is sublime and observes lowly things," you say to yourself, "Then he does not observe me." What could be more unfortunate than you, if he does not observe you but ignores you? Observing indicates compassion; ignoring indicates contempt.
Caesarius of Arles · AD 542 Today we are keeping the solemn festival of the ascension. If, therefore, we celebrate the Lord's ascension in a manner that is right, holy, faithful, devout and pious, we must ascend with him and lift up our hearts. Now as we ascend, let us not be lifted up with pride or presume on our merits as if they were our own.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, yet shalt thou refresh me: thou shalt stretch forth thy hand upon the furiousness of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "If I walk in the midst of tribulation, You shall revive me" [Psalm 138:7]. True it is: whatsoever tribulation you are in, confess, call on Him; He frees you, He revives you....Love the other life, and you shall see that this life is tribulation, whatever prosperity it shine with, whatever delights it abound and overflow with; since not yet have we that joy most safe and free f…
8 The Lord shall make good his loving-kindness toward me: yea, thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever; despise not then the works of thine own hands.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Thou, Lord, shalt recompense for me" (ver. 8). I recompense not: Thou shalt recompense. Let mine enemies rage their full: Thou shall recompense what I cannot.