1 A miktam of David. Keep me, God, for in you I have taken refuge.
Jerome · AD 420 An inscription of a title, to David himself. In place of this the fifth edition put the Hebrew word itself, "MACTHAM David," which Aquila translated as "of the humble and simple David," and Symmachus as "of the humble and unstained David." And Aquila himself again, in the fifty-fifth psalm and in the rest as far as the fifty-ninth, rendered this very thing so as to say "of the…
Theodoret of Cyrus · AD 458 The psalm is spoken in the person of the Savior but is spoken from the viewpoint of his humanity, as are also many other such statements that we find in the sacred Gospels.… In this psalm also he asks to be protected and is protected by himself: while he asks as a human being, as God he grants the request, his own Father of course being pleased and cooperating.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 In the preceding Psalm he enumerated the just deeds that God requires of man; here, however, he shows how he followed justice. The title is this: "The inscription of the title of David himself." And according to the literal sense, it signifies that it was composed specifically about those things which pertain to the person of David.
The Presence of the LORD 2 I have said to the LORD, “You are my Lord; my good is not apart from you.”
Ambrose of Milan · AD 397 Who has ever given him anything, since "from him, and through him and in him" are all things? The fount of life is that highest Good that bestows the substance of life on all, because it has life abiding in itself. It receives from no one as though it were needy; it lavishes goods on all and borrows from others nothing for itself, for it has no need of us.
Theodoret of Cyrus · AD 458 The abundance of good things, he is saying, comes to me from your grace.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 "I said," etc. Here first he sets forth the act of faith. Second he assigns the reason, at "Because you have no need of my goods," etc. The act of faith is to confess God, either in the heart by believing, or outwardly by praising, or by approving with deeds: Rom.
3 As for the holy ones who are in the land, they are the majestic ones — all my delight is in them.
Jerome · AD 420 To the saints who are in his land, he made all his wishes wonderful in them. In place of which it is written in the Hebrew: "To the saints who are in the land, and to my exalted ones, is all my will in them." These goods of which you have no need, O Father, my saints do need—the saints in whom I have made all my wishes to be wonderful.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "To the saints who are on His earth" [Psalm 16:3]: to the saints who have placed their hope in the land of the living, the citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem, whose spiritual conversation is, by the anchor of hope, fixed in that country, which is rightly called God's earth; although as yet in this earth too they be conversant in the flesh.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 "To the saints." Here he shows how he relates to the saints -- as is also read from the person of Christ. And it should be known that the will of the Father is as the will of Christ, and insofar as he is man, it is to fulfill the will of the Father: Ps. 39: "To do your will, O my God, I have desired": 1 Thess. 4: "This is the will of God, your sanctification": Jn.
4 Their sorrows multiply who have hurried after another; I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood, and I will not lift up their names upon my lips.
Jerome · AD 420 Their infirmities have been multiplied; afterward they made haste. Whose infirmities have been multiplied? Surely those of the saints who above are recorded as being in the land of the Lord. When they were foolish, unbelieving, straying, and serving various desires and pleasures, passing their lives in greed and envy, their infirmities were being multiplied.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Grace cannot be given to man unless he first acknowledge his blindness, weakness, and malice. And so, there was a time in which blindness prevailed, as in the period before the Law. At a later point, the illuminating Law was given, and yet "their infirmities were multiplied," and there was an opportunity for a greater transgression of the Law.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 "Their infirmities are multiplied." Here he shows how he relates to the adversaries of God, or to sinners. And first he sets forth their conversion; second, the manner of conversion, at "I will not gather." Concerning the first, he does two things.
5 The LORD is the portion of my share and my cup; you hold my lot.
Evagrius Ponticus · AD 399 The inheritance is the contemplation of the present and future ages; the inheritance of Christ is the understanding of God.
Leander of Seville · AD 601 See, my blessed sister, how much you have achieved; see to what a high peak you have attained, how you have found the grace of many benefits in one and the same Christ. He is, indeed, your true Bridegroom, he is also your brother, he is likewise your friend, he is your inheritance, he is your reward, he is God and the Lord.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 "The Lord." Here he assigns the reason for his clinging to God alone, because he alone is his inheritance; as if to say, I cling to him alone because this is my inheritance. First he says that God is his inheritance. Second he commends it, saying that he is content with it, at "For indeed my inheritance," etc.
6 The measuring lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, the inheritance is beautiful to me.
Evagrius Ponticus · AD 399 If the line is measured, how is it written the Gospel of John: "For God gives the Spirit without measure" and "I will pour out my spirit on you." Perhaps by chance it is called "measure" not in terms of knowledge itself but on account of him who receives it, because its receptivity cannot be greater.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "The lines have fallen to me in glorious places" (ver. 6). The boundaries of my possession have fallen in Thy glory as it were by lot, like as God is the possession of the Priests and Levites. "For Mine inheritance is glorious to Me." "For Mine inheritance is glorious," not to all, but to them that see; in whom because I am, "it is to Me."
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 "Lines have been stretched out for me in splendid places." The rich measure land with a line. Deut. 32: "Jacob is the line of his inheritance." And therefore "portion" is called, as it were, "the line of a cord," that is, my portion falls to me in the best things, because nothing is better than God himself. Jer.
7 I will bless the LORD who has counseled me; even at night my kidneys instruct me.
Jerome · AD 420 I will bless the Lord who has given me understanding: moreover even until night my reins have rebuked me. He who speaks below, "My flesh shall rest in hope, for you will not leave my soul in hell, nor will you give your holy one to see corruption," consistently now too says: I will bless the Lord who has given me understanding, moreover even until night my reins have rebuked me…
Bonaventure · AD 1257 This brief word belongs to David himself, who through the Holy Spirit unfolds to us the very gift of understanding given to us by the Holy Spirit, and he unfolds it to us with respect to the humble gratitude of the recipient and with respect to the liberal diffusion of the giver.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 "I will bless." Above, the Psalmist set forth the reason why he clings to God alone, namely because God is the portion of his inheritance; here he acknowledges benefits. And first he proposes benefits received; second, benefits to be hoped for, at "Moreover, also my flesh." Concerning the first, he does two things.
8 I have set the LORD before me continually; because he is at my right hand I shall not be shaken.
Jerome · AD 420 I foresaw the Lord in my sight always: for he is at my right hand, that I may not be moved. In place of what we read in Latin, "I foresaw," and what in Greek is written "proōrōmēn," it stands better in the Hebrew SEBETHI, which we may render "I set before myself." So that it means: I set the Lord before me always at my right hand, and I could be overthrown by no fraud of my ene…
Cassiodorus · AD 585 By explaining what he did, he passes on to us the unique remedy through which we can avoid sins. For the person who constantly keeps him in his mental line of sight does not turn toward transgressions in any way.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 And because the flesh feared the passion, I, in that passion, "set the Lord before me," with eyes raised to heaven, not to the world. Providence is the foreseeing of things to happen in the future; but vision or sight is of things present. But if such loins still assail, one should not fear, because one has the help of God ready.
9 Therefore my heart has been glad and my glory has rejoiced; my flesh also dwells in safety.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 "My flesh will rest in hope." The Lord Jesus Christ says these words, whose flesh is the first to rest in hope. Crucified, made the first fruit of the dead and having been taken into heaven after the resurrection, he carried the earthly body with him so that even the heavenly powers were awestruck and terrified seeing the flesh ascending into heaven.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Wherefore My heart was glad, and My tongue exulted" [Psalm 16:9]. Wherefore both in My thoughts is gladness, and in my words exultation. "Moreover too My flesh shall rest in hope." Moreover too My flesh shall not fail unto destruction, but shall sleep in hope of the resurrection.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 "Moreover." Here he enumerates the benefits to be hoped for. First as to the resurrection of the flesh; second as to the soul, at "You have made known." The first is divided into two.
10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol; you will not give your loyal one to see the pit.
Acts · AD 62 Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent. For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.
Jerome · AD 420 Moreover my flesh too shall rest in hope. For you will not leave my soul in hell, nor will you give your holy one to see corruption. It is superfluous to wish to treat of those things which have been explained by the apostles.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 The reason is that resurrection requires the union of body and soul; and therefore the soul joined to divinity should not have remained in Hell; but it had to stay there only until the truth of his humanity and true flesh was proven: nor was it fitting for it to be left in Hell, where it had descended to free the saints. Sir.
11 You will make known to me the path of life; fullness of joys is with your face; pleasures are at your right hand forever.
Jerome · AD 420 You have made known to me the ways of life; you will fill me with gladness with your countenance: delights are at your right hand unto the end.
Maximus of Turin · AD 465 This is certainly said in the person of the Savior at the time of the resurrection. When after his death he returned to the heavenly heights from the lower regions, he began to make known the path of life, which was previously unknown. The path of life was unknown before Christ, since it was still untouched by the foot of anyone who rose from the dead.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 The benefits that pertain to the soul he commemorates when he says, "You have made known." This refers to Christ for his members, and these are the teachings and precepts that are the way to beatitude. Prov.