A Prayer for God’s Power 1 If only you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would flow down before you —
Eusebius of Caesarea · AD 339 This power is present to you, that of which we did not hear from all time, nor were we able to say (which would be bearing false witness) that someone else was such a God, in the way that our eyes have now seen the effects in such works.
John Cassian · AD 435 David also said "Lord, bend the skies and come down," and Moses said, "Show me your face that I might see you clearly." For no one saw more closely than Moses when receiving the law of God. God was speaking from the clouds, and [Moses] witnessed that same presence of his majesty.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 1113. Here he offers a petition. And first, he asks for the presence of the judge; second, he asks for mercy: "behold you are angry" (Isa 64:5). Concerning the first, he does two things. First, he sets out the petition; second, the fulfillment of the petition: "you didst come down" (Isa 64:3). Concerning the first of these, he does two things.
2 as fire kindles brushwood, as fire makes water boil — to make your name known to your adversaries, so that nations would tremble before you!
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 In the waters: "the waters would burn with fire," because you are all fiery, if you should wish: "at another time the fire, above its own power, burnt in the midst of water" (Wis 16:19); or, by the waters are signified peoples: "the many waters are many peoples" (Rev 17:15).
3 When you did awesome things that we did not hope for, you came down; the mountains flowed down before you.
Theodoret of Cyrus · AD 458 These things we suffered were not on account of your weakness but on account of our transgression. For when you make your personal appearance from heaven, the mountains will melt and dissolve like wax too near to the fire. For fire will feast on our enemies, and your power will become obvious to all.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 The effect on the Jews: "when you shall do wonderful things, we shall not bear," that is, we, who are accustomed to see and hear, because of our stupor, as they were terrified in Exodus 20:18, thus: "they that had excused themselves" (Heb 12:19); or we shall not bear his coming, even having seen his miracles. 1115. Here he sets out the fulfillment of the petition.
4 And from of old they have not heard, they have not given ear; no eye has seen a God besides you who acts for the one who waits for him.
1 Corinthians · AD 55 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.…
Cyril of Alexandria · AD 444 The divine is invisible in nature. "For no one has ever seen God," as it is written. But God can be seen by the eyes of faith from those things that happen without explanation and beyond speech. For the invisible things, since the foundation of the world, are clearly understood by the things that are made, that is, his heavenly power and godhead.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 In benefits, he sets out the greatness of his benefits: "from the beginning of the world they have not heard," for never has anything been seen or heard, like what God did for the Jews, and will do for the saints in glory: "eye has not seen, nor ear heard: neither has it entered into the heart of man, what things God has prepared for them that love him" (1 Cor 2:9). 1120.
5 You met the one who rejoices and does righteousness, those who remember you in your ways. See, you were wrathful, and we sinned; in them we have been a long time — and shall we be saved?
Jerome · AD 420 A disorder of priorities. Not because you are angry, we have sinned; but because we have sinned, you are angry. And because we have sinned, you are angry with us, O Lord: therefore we have gone astray and have left the right path. Whether according to the Hebrew, who we have always been in sins, we shall be saved only by your mercy, who we are defiled through ourselves.
Ishodad of Merv · AD 850 "You were angry, and we sinned." This is a sentence with reversed terms, that is, since we have sinned, you were angry and had us deported; and this is analogous to the words "and they made his grave with the wicked." "Some day we will be saved." With the same mercy through which you saved us once from Egypt, we will be saved from Babylon as well.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 As to the promptness of his benefitting them: "you have met him that rejoices," to help him, while he was still petitioning or coming to you; "him that rejoices," in you: "wisdom goes about seeking such as are worthy of her" (Wis 6:17). Mystically: Simeon (Luke 2). 1117. "Behold you are angry." Here he sets out mercy.
6 And we have all become like the unclean, and all our righteous acts like a soiled garment. And we all wither like a leaf, and our iniquity like the wind carries us away.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 6.) Behold, you are angry, and we have sinned; we have always been in them, and we shall be saved. And we have become like the unclean, all of us, like the soiled cloths of our entire righteousness. And we have fallen like leaves, and our iniquities have swept us away like the wind.
Cyril of Alexandria · AD 444 Some translators try to alter the meaning of this passage.… For it is not, they say, that the divine anger was the cause of their misdeeds, but that because they misbehaved, God was angry. For they are afraid lest God's anger be thought of as the effector of sins.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 And as to the imperfection of their good deeds: "and we are all become as one unclean, and all our justices," because they are wrapped up in other sins: "if I be washed, as it were, with snow waters, and my hands shall shine ever clean, yet you shall plunge me in filth, and my garments shall abhor me" (Job 9:30-31).
7 And there is none calling on your name, rousing himself to take hold of you — for you have hidden your face from us, and made us melt away by the hand of our iniquity.
Ephrem the Syrian · AD 373 "There is no one who calls on your name." Since they worshiped the idols, they did not remember your name. "There is no one who bestirs himself to take hold of you." They certainly put all their faith in the idols.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 7) There is no one who calls upon your name, who rises and holds on to you. You have hidden your face from us and have afflicted us in the hand of our iniquity. LXX: And there is no one who calls upon your name and remembers to grasp you. For you have turned your face away from us and have delivered us because of our iniquities.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 1118. He shows the need of the petitioner as to lack of help. And first, lack of human help: "there is none that calls upon" and "takes hold of you," with prayers: "I held him: and I will not let him go" (Song 3:4); second, lack of divine help: "you have hid your face," of your mercy, "and have crushed us in the hand," that is, the work, of our iniquity; according to what it sa…
8 And now, LORD, you are our father. We are the clay and you are the one who forms us, and the work of your hand are all of us.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 8 and following) And now, Lord, you are our father, and we are clay; you are our potter, and all our works are the work of your hands. Do not be exceedingly angry, Lord, and do not remember our iniquity any longer. Look, your people are all of us. The city of your holy ones has become a desert; Zion has become a desert, Jerusalem is desolate.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 1119. "And now, O Lord." Here he sets out mercy. And concerning this, he does two things. First, he asks for mercy, assigning the reason: "you are our father": "as clay is in the hand of the potter, so are we in the hand of God" (Jer 18:6); "remember, I beseech you, that you have made me as the clay" (Job 10:9).
9 Do not be wrathful, LORD, beyond measure, and do not remember iniquity forever. See, look now — we are all your people.
Didymus the Blind · AD 398 The Lord gives to each person according to his deeds; against those who sin greatly and often he is very angry indeed, but he is angry in a mild way against those who do wrong in a few things and only for a short time.
Cyril of Alexandria · AD 444 They entreat God insistently concerning his removal from friendship with them. Since they had come to this situation through their many sins, they wove their prayers with great skill. For since they are unable to mollify the one who could save them with their own works and blameless lives, they now take another route.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 And now, O Lord. Here he sets out mercy. And concerning this, he does two things. First, he asks for mercy, assigning the reason: you are our father: as clay is in the hand of the potter, so are we in the hand of God (Jer 18:6); remember, I beseech you, that you have made me as the clay (Job 10:9).
10 Your holy cities have become a wilderness; Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 "The city of your sanctuary" (sancti), that is, the sanctuary of the temple, namely, Jerusalem: "the enemy has put out his hand to all her desirable things" (Lam 1:10).
11 Our holy and beautiful house, where our fathers praised you, has become a burning of fire, and all our delightful things have become a ruin.
Jerome · AD 420 Moreover, your house, that is, the sanctuary of our sanctification and glory, in which our fathers praised you, has fallen into ruins and ashes, and has been destroyed by a raging fire, so that no victims are offered in it, no Passover is celebrated, nothing is done of the ceremonies that you commanded to be done, but all our desires have been turned into ruins. ...
Cyril of Alexandria · AD 444 The defendants speak of the damage in the soul and that they have been caught in their sins; they are like leaves blown about by every wind and, scattered all over, now remember the external misfortunes that came on them. And the destruction of Jerusalem is deplored along with the temple's burning. For after the Savior's crucifixion, these things were fulfilled.
Theodoret of Cyrus · AD 458 If we who bear the name of "your people," he says, are unworthy of your goodwill, judge the city worthy to be spared by reason of its founder, for it has become a desert.
12 Over these will you restrain yourself, LORD? Will you keep silent and afflict us beyond measure?
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 And he wonders at his patience: "will you refrain yourself, O Lord, upon these things?" "Why look you upon our iniquities?" (Hab 1:13).