Psalm 48 — The Beauty of Zion

If [you wish to give thanks] on the second day of the week, then [you have] Psalm 48.

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

I was fascinated once I realized that this psalm is in praise of a place — Mount Zion — the hill on whic Jerusalem and the temple stood. Underlying all of this is the fact that praising the "city of God" is actually praising because this is where God is found. In a sense, this is the opposite of the story of the Tower of Babel because the people are not praising their own accomplishments, but the God who made it possible and his loving care.

Zion (1903), Ephraim Moses Lilien

What does this offer for a Christian who is not oriented toward God in the way that the psalmist was? The Church Fathers look at the city as a way of life and at the temple as a symbol of Christ.  

48:1 Great is the Lord

In Our Lives. Theodoret of Cyr: Often the divine Scripture gives the name "city" not to the building but to the way of life. Accordingly, here too he says the Lord of all was shown to be great through the things done by him in connection with his city, which the elevation of its teaching rendered illustrious as though located on a lofty and mighty hill.

Commentary on the Psalms

48:9 The Temple of God

Christ, the Temple. Ambrose: God's true temple is the body of Christ, and in that body lies the purificatoin of all our sins. Truly, that flesh is God's temple, and in it there is no contagion of sin. On the contrary, it was itself the sacrifice that takes away the sin of all the world. That flesh is indeed God's temple, and in it shone God's image. In it there dwelled the fullness of divinity in a bodily manner, for Christ is himself that fullness. ... In that temple, the psalmist tells us, "we have received your mercy." Just as Christ is redemption, so too he is mercy. No greater mercy can there be than that he should offer himself as a victim for our crimes. He sacrificed himself to wash the world clean in his blood, for in no other way could our sin be abolished.

Commentary on Twelve Psalms
Both quotes from Psalms 1-50 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture)

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An index of psalm posts is here.

Psalm 47 — God is Exalted

Psalm 47 announces the Savior's ascension in to heaven ... and the calling of the gentiles.

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

This is a happy one unlike a lot of the others we have read so far. It is a hymn of victory where the Church Fathers see Christ welcomed by the nations with a joyful reception.  There is shouting and clapping, singing and celebration.

Wikipedia tells us that "In Christian scholarship, Psalm 47 is one of seven 'enthronement psalms' which refer to the crowning of God as king at a festive occasion.' It has also been suggested that the theme of Psalm 47 is 'universal rejoicing for God's universal reign'."

From the Utrecht Psalter, singing praises to God with lyres or citharas.

I especially like what Caesarius of Arles says, about how to apply praise of God in our own lives to keep the devil away. It's not a bad reminder that, as Peter tells us "Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for [someone] to devour."

47:7 The Fairest of Humankind

Sing to Frustrate Satan. Caesarius of Arles: Let us, too, lift up our voices by singing or praying in church, so that our adversary, the devil may depart in confusion at the holy sound. If notin deed, then surely in thought or word the devil usually creeps up to those who are silent or speak of idle, useless matters. When they are singing or praying he can in no way take advantage by his cunning of those whom he sees engaged mentally or vocally in God's praises.

Sermon 80.2 

Psalms 1-50 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture)

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An index of psalm posts is here.

Psalm 46 — God is Our Refuge

When you have fled to God for refuge and are delivered from the afflictins round about you, if you wish to give thanks to God and to recount his kindness toward you, you have Psalm 46.

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

I especially like the first stanza which lays out a list of uncontrollable events which we can't control.

God is for us a refuge and strength,
a helper close at hand, in times of distress,
so we shall not fear though the earth should rock,
though the mountains fall into the depths of the sea,
even though its waters rage and foam,
even though the mountains be shaken by its waves.

Right now we might feel that shaken by the works of men also — politics, the economy, and more. But these pale in comparison to the events the psalmist describes.

But the second part of the psalm outlines a world transfigured by God. The Lord hs brought peace and an end to war. This is indeed a joyful and hopeful song to the Lord.

Illustration of verse 9 from the Stuttgart Psalter

Saint John Paul II's discusion of this psalm in his Liturgy of the Hour series points out that Christian tradition sees in the "help" offered to the city of God a prophetic allusion to the Resurrection. Here's the relevant portion but do follow the link to read the whole thing.

5. With this Psalm, Christian tradition has sung the praise of Christ "our peace" (cf. Eph 2: 14) and, through his death and Resurrection, our deliverer from evil. The Christological commentary that St Ambrose wrote on v. 6 of Psalm 46[45] that describes the "help" offered to the city of God, "right early" before daybreak, is evocative. The famous Father of the Church sees in it a prophetic allusion to the Resurrection.

In fact, he explains: "The Resurrection at break of day procures the support of heavenly help for us, the Resurrection that put an end to night has brought us day; as Scripture says: "Awakened and arisen and raised from the dead! And the light of Christ will shine for you'.

Note the mystical significance! At nightfall Christ's passion occurred... at dawn, the Resurrection.... In the evening of the world he is killed, while the light is dying, for this world was shrouded in total darkness and would have been plunged into the horrors of even grimmer shadows had Christ, the light of eternity, not come down from heaven for us to bring the age of innocence back to the human race. The Lord Jesus, therefore, suffered and with his blood he redeemed our sins, the light of a clearer knowledge was radiant, and the day shone with spiritual grace" (cf. Commento a Dodici Salmi: SAEMO, VIII, Milan-Rome, 1980, p. 213).

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An index of psalm posts is here.

Psalm 45 — A Wedding Hymn

Well aware that the Word is the Son of God, the psalmist sings in 45 in the voice of the Father, "My heart has uttered a good Word."

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

This psalm is unique in that it is a royal wedding song. The first part addresses, the bridegroom who is also the king. The second part addresses the bride, of course the queen. Jewish tradition read the paslm as a prophecy of the Messiah. The Church took up that thinking and applied it to Jesus, the Messiah, with the Church being his bride.

David Foresees the Mystic Marriage of Christ and the Church

There is so much excellent commentary from the Church Fathers on this psalm that it is difficult to know what to share here. I have picked one that mostly talks about how this psalm calls Jesus fairest of humankind while Isaiah (53:2-3) talking about the Suffering Servant (also understood to be about Christ the Messiah) says that he had no beauty of majesty. It reconciles the two passages by looking to the inner meaning. I found it really interesting. 

45:2 The Fairest of Humankind

His Form. Chrysostom: How, then, does another inspired author say, "We saw him: he had no form or beauty; instead, his form was dishonorable, of no importance beside human beings. He is not speaking about deformity—God forbid—but about an object of scorn. You see, once having deigned to become human, he went through every demeaning experience, not choosing a queen for his mother, not placed in a bed of gold at the time of swaddling clothers but in a manger, not reared in an affluent home but in an artisan's humble dwelling. Again, when he picked disciples, he did not pick orators and philosophers and kings but fishermen and tax collectors. He shared this simple life, not owning a house or clad in rich clothing or enjoying similar a similar fate, but nourished at others' expense, insulted, scorned, driven out, pursued. Now he did this to trample underfoot human conceit in fine style. So, since he did not fit himself out in any pomp or circumstance or attach to himself hangers on or bodyguards, but went about at times alone, like any ordinary person, thus that suthor said, "We saw him, and he had no form or beauty," whereas the psalmist sayd, "Comely to behold beyond all human beings," suggesting grace, wisdom, teaching, miracles. Then to underline the comeliness he says, "Grace streamed out on your lips."

Chrysostom's Commentary on the Psalms 45
Psalms 1-50 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture)

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An index of psalm posts is here.

Psalm 44 — Prayer for Victory

If you wish to call to mind constantly the benefits of God to the patriarchs, the exodus out of Egypt, the passage through the desert, and how, while God is so good, human beings are ungrateful, you have Paslm 44.

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

We've seen a lot of lamentations in the psalms but what strikes me about this one is that it begins with thinking over the past and realizing the God's people didn't succeed by their merits but by God's grace, given in utter kindness. 

It's a truth that I would do well to reflect upon more often because it's definitely true in my own life.

Vassily Maximov, Grandmother's Tales

Family stories are how we first learn who we are, what the world is like, how to live, and what our culture is. Each civilization has those stories too. It is how we know who we are in a larger way. St. John Chrysostom has two wonderful reflections on this psalm that touch on that point.

I also love the question he asks in the second quote we read here — which triumps is the psalmist recalling? I thought of exodus, but Chrysostom gives us an example which happened later in history. Through imaginative reflection, the retelling puts us in the story becomes truly inspirational.

44:1 We Have Heard

Divine Stories. Chrysostom: Listen to this, all you who are heedless of your children, who ignore their singing diabolical songs, while you pay no attention to the divine stories. Those people were not like that; on the contrary, they passed their life without interruption in stories of God's great deeds and achieved a double advantage. On the one hand, it was a good experience for them to keep in mind the divine favors, and they were the better for it; on the other, their offspring gained no little grounding in the knowledge of God from these stories, and were moved to imitation of virtue. For them, you see, books were the mouths of their forebears, and these stories were a feature of every study and every employment, nothing being more agreeable or more profitable. 

44:2 With God's Own Hand

A Marvelous and Extraordinary Sight. Chrysostom: So which triumps is he recalling? Which successes? Some in Egypt, some in the desert, some in the land of promise, but especially those in the promised land. ... They had no need of weapons; instead, they captured citires by a mere shout, and crossing the Jordan they overran the first city that stood in their way, Jericho, as though by dancing ratner than fighting. I mean, they went out fitted with weapons not as if for battles but for a festival and dance, bearing arms for appearance's sake rather than security; wearing sacred robes and having the Levites preceding the army, they encircled the wall. It was a marvelous and extraordinary sight to see, so many thousands of soldiers marching in step and order, in silence and utter regularity, as though no one was about, with tht daunting harmony of trumpets keeping everything in time.

Both quotes from Chrysostom's Commentary on the Psalms 44
Psalms 1-50 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture)

An index of psalm posts is here.

Psalm 43 – Hope in God

If [enemies] persist, and, with hands red with blood, try to drag you down and kill you, remember that God is the proper judge (for he alone is righteous while that which is human is limited) and so say the words of ... [Psalm 43].

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

As we noted for Psalm 42, Psalm 43 used to be a the last part of that hymn until they were separated to be used in the prayer book. They express a longing for restoration by God which is combined by confident trust.

Medieval painting of guitarra latina (left) and guitarra morisca (right)
from the Cantigas de Santa Maria (13th. century)
I like the way that the musicians are watching each other's playing.
Kind of like jamming at a rock concert.

Saint John Paul II has a meditation on this psalm as part of the series he did covering the prayers of the evening in the liturgy of the hours. Read the whole thing here if you like. I share this bit which talks about the Psalmist as a pilgrim toward Heaven, struggling through the darkness of trials but with joy in his heart because of the encounter with God that awaits at the end.

With Confidence on the Road Toward Heavenly Zion

The person praying has not yet reached the temple of God, he is still overwhelmed by the darkness of the trial; but now before his eyes shines the light of the future encounter, and his lips already experience the tone of the song of joy....

The Psalm then becomes the prayer of the one who is a pilgrim on earth and still finds himself in contact with evil and suffering, but has the certainty that the endpoint of history is not an abyss of death, but rather a saving encounter with God. This certainty is even stronger for Christians, to whom the Letter to the Hebrews proclaims: "You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God that judge of all, and to the spirits of the just made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks more eloquently than that of Abel" (Heb. 12: 22-24).

An index of psalm posts is here.

Psalm 42 — Thirsting for God

If in your intense longing for God, you hear the reviling of your enemies, do not give way to fear but know that such a longing bears an immortal fruit, and comfort your soul with hope in God. When you are uplifted by this, and earthly sorrow has been assuaged a little, say Psalm 42.

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

This begins Book 2 of the psalms. Psalm 42 and 43 used to be a single hymn until they were separated to be used in the prayer book. They express a longing for restoration by God which is combined by confident trust.

Relief of Psalm 42
Tympanum above the northern side entrance of St. Thomas Church, taken by Siehe Jotquadrat

The most famous image from Psalm 42 is of the thirsting deer and also of deep calling to deep. The first is of an intense longing for God's life-giving waters. The second is the opposite of life-giving waters, being indicative of all the troubles cascading over the psalmist, tumbling him around. But in the midst of this tumbling, the psalmist notes that God still "sends" or "directs" his love. In the midst of this trouble there is a strong sign of God's presence.

Both images call on the nature imagery that I love and which convey truths about God's love and our trust that strike deep at the soul. Here St. Augustine ponders the idea of pouring out one's soul.

42:4 Pouring Out One's Soul

Transcends All Things. Augustine: I look for my God in every bodily creature, whether on earth or in the sky, but I do not find him. I look for his substance in my own soul but do not find him there. Yet still I have pondered on this search for my God and, longing to gaze on the invisible realities of God by understanding them through created things, "I poured out my soul above myself," and now there is nothing left for me to touch, except my God. For there, above my soul, is the home of my God: there he dwells, from there he looks down on me, from there he created me, from there he governs me and takes thought for me, from there he arouses me, calls me, guides me and leads me on, and from there he will lead me to journey's end. (Expositions on the Psalms 42.)

Psalms 1-50 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture)

An index of psalm posts is here.

Psalm 41 — Prayer for Healing

When many are poor and needy and you wish to show pity for them, on the one hand acknowledging the generosity of some people, and urging others on to similar deeds of mercy, say Psalm 41.

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

This has been described as a liturgy for the sick. Deserted by even his closest friends, the psalmist comes to the temple for healing. After a few words from the priest, the psalmist asks for healing and for relief from the friends who abandoned him and now gloat while they wait for his death.

Jesus himself quoted this psalm during the last supper, expressing his own deep sorrow. 

I am not speaking of you all; I know whom I have chosen; it is so that the Scripture may be fulfilled, "He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me" (Jn 13:18).

I'm always knocked over when we see Jesus quoting scripture like this. And I'm not the only one. From early Christian times, this psalm has been studied as a prophecy of the plot against Christ.

We could hardly ask for a more appropriate psalm to consider as we approach Lent next week.

Tile panel with a verse from Psalm 40 (in the Vulgate), 1716,
by Policarpo de Oliveira Bernardes;
in the Igreja da Misericórdia, in Évora, Portugal.

Saint John Paul II has a meditation on this psalm as part of the series he did covering the prayers of the evening in the liturgy of the hours. Read the whole thing here if you like. I share this bit which points the way from gloom to a dawn of hope.

An Invitation to Meditate on the Saving Passion of Christ

Our bitterness is profound when it is the "friend" we trusted, literally in Hebrew: the "man of peace", who turns against us. We are reminded of Job's friends: from being his companions in life, they become indifferent and hostile presences (cf. Jb 19: 1-6). In our prayer resounds the voices of a crowd of people forgotten and humiliated in their sickness and weakness, even by those who should have stood by them.

Yet the prayer of Psalm 41[40] does not end in this gloomy setting. The person praying is sure that God will appear on his horizon, once again revealing his love (cf. vv. 11-14). He will offer his support and gather in his arms the sick person, who will once again be "in the presence" of his Lord (v. 13) or, to use biblical language, will relive the experience of the liturgy in the temple.

The Psalm, streaked by pain, thus ends in a glimpse of light and hope. In this perspective, we can understand how St Ambrose, commenting on the initial beatitude of the Psalm (cf. v. 2), saw in it prophetically an invitation to meditate on the saving passion of Christ that leads to the Resurrection.

Indeed, this Father of the Church suggests introducing into the reading of the Psalm: "Blessed are those who think of the wretchedness and poverty of Christ, who though he was rich made himself poor for us. Rich in his Kingdom, poor in the flesh, because he took this poor flesh upon himself.... So he did not suffer in his richness, but in our poverty.

An index of psalm posts is here.

Psalm 40 — Waiting Patiently

During the attack, as you suffer the afflictions and wish to learn the advantage of steadfast patience, sing Psalm 40.

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

This one has been long regarded as praise and patience as one waits for an answer to prayer. Peter Kreeft points out that waiting is the first step in finding out what God wants from us.

"I have waited, waited for the Lord." The Psalmist says it twice because waiting always feels too long and tries our patience. But we must never, never, never, never, never give up. because God will always respond.

The second thing the Psalmist tells us is what God does in response to our waiting for him: he "heard my cry." Waiting is a "cry," a cry from the heart. Waiting is an active, passionate, and painful thing, not a passive, easy, comfortable thing. If we wait for God in this way, he will always hear us and answer us. And in answering us, the Psalmist says, he "stooped toward me," as a tall adult stoops to talk to a tiny child. He humbled himself. He came down to our level, since we cannot raise ourselves up to his level by ourselves.

Food for the Soul, Year C, Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Look at this image to see under just what conditions the psalmist is imagined patiently waiting. Yikes!!!! But it does go along with what the psalm tells us.

There are two kinds of patience being mentioned here. The first is patient endurance for a long time. The second is enduring hope and expectation that doesn't fade. God doesn't always act quickly but He's worth waiting for.

"I waited patiently for the Lord"
Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry, Musée Condé

This is lengthy but I was fascinated by all the possibilities that the language indicates. All of these kinds of muck and mire are familiar. All make us long even more for a secure rock with firm footing.

Stuck in the Muck

The psalmist is seeking deliverance from sin, so it is interesting to see how its consequences are described as being mired down in a slippery place, with no secure footing or ability to escape. Several images are attached to the vocabulary used here. (1) One appears to refer to the clay pounded out into a smooth surface in building village streets. While in most circumstances this must have provided a relatively hard surface, on occasions of rain or perhaps the spilling of blood in battle, the clay could become slippery and muddy (cf. Zech. 10:5).

(2) A second image connected with the slippery mire is the shifty sediments of the sea bed. Isaish 57:20 describes the restless sea that tosses up slimy seaweed and mud. Similarly, Psalm 69:14 describes the desperate plight of one who is sinking into the mire while the sea waves crash over him.

(3) The final image associated with slippery mud refers to the sediment left in the bottom of an abandoned cistern or pit. Jeremiah 38:6 describes the circumstances in which the prophet was abandoned to die by his enemies in a cistern having "no water in it, only mus, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud." When the kind learned of Jeremiah's fate, he sent men with ropes to draw him up out of the muck and mire of the pit. Similarly Joseph's brother threw him into an empty cistern before drawing him out in order to sell him to passing Midianites (Gen. 37:19-28). Lamentations 3:53 describes the poet being thrown into a cistern and left to die while the "waters closed over my head." Apparently these accounts draw on a common practice of using cisterns for imprisonment. ...

Psalms Volume 1 (The NIV Application Commentary)

An index of psalm posts is here.

Psalm 39 — To Know Gladness

  If ... you wish to pray on your own behalf as the enemy prepares the attacks, there is all the more reason, in arming yourself for the battle, to sing the words of Psalm 39.

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

When discussing Psalm 38, I forgot to mention that we're down to the last four of the psalms of Book 1 of Psalms, The Laments of David (psalms 38-41). It hasn't escaped our notice that we've been working our way through many laments. So. Many. Laments. 

Then we'll be on to Book 2, which is the Triumphs of David! Huzzah! First though let's keep in mind that these last four laments seem to be an extended meditation on personal sin as the cause for divine judgment, the need for confession, the need for God's aid, and pleas for delivery from suffering. 

General thinking is that they were written by David and present his sufferings and trials when he is not yet delivered but is still confident that God will help him. It is worth keeping David's life in mind when reading these psalms. Of course, our lives are reflected here also and that is the more important part of any meditation.

I was struck, when reading this psalm and the commentaries, by how similar this is in some ways to Ecclesiastes. The psalmist talks about how fleeting life is, that "each man's life is but a breath. Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro." And so forth and so on.  

Never do we feel more like this than when we are in the depths of despair with no help or answers immediately forthcoming.

Were can the psalmist look for help? To God, of course!

Psalm 39 in a Franciscan manuscript

I've said plenty above but wanted to share this from St. Ambrose which really touched my heart.

39.13 To Know Gladness

Forgive Me. Ambrose. Forgive me, so that I need no longer be a pilgrim and a wayfarer. Forgive me so that I may be called home from exile. If you forgive me, before I go from this place, I shall no longer be an exile and a pilgrim. Once you will have forgiven me, I will not longer be in foreign parts. I shall be a fellow citizen of your saints; I shall be with my ancestors, who were pilgrims before me and are now truly citizens. I shall be a member of God's household. I shall not dread punishment but also merit grace through our Lord Jesus; with whom, Lord God, be praise to you, and honor and glory forever; now and always for ages of ages. Amen. (Commentary on Twelve Psalms 39.39.)

Psalms 1-50 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture)

An index of psalm posts is here.

Psalm 38 — Prayer in Sickness

 When you feel the Lord's displeasure, if you see that you are troubled by this, you can say Psalm 38.

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

This is a penitential psalm of David where everything has gone wrong because of his sins, which he freely admits. The result is disease, desertion by family and friends, attacks by enemies, and personal helplessness. Yet, just when the list of disasters hits its height, the psalmist declares confidence in the Lord. 

But it is for you, O Lord, that I wait;

    it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.

Now that's faith! That's hard to do, especially when literally everything is the worst it can be. The psalm is left open-ended as David begs the Lord to act.

Do not forsake me, O Lord
O my God, do not be far from me;
make haste to help me
O Lord, my salvation.

Here's a basic observation about the acid test for knowing how loathsome sin actually is. David feels it and we do too under similar circumstances to those that John Chrysostom describes.

38:5 After the Fact

After the Fact, Saint John Chrysostom. Our bedroom is our heart, for there we toss and turn if we have a bad conscience, but there, if our conscience is easy, we find rest. .. But the person of whom our psalm is speaking retired there to hatch his evil plots, where no one would see him. And because such wickedness was the subject of his meditation, he could find no rest, even in his heart. Homilies on the Gospel of John.

Psalms 1-50 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture)

There is a bigger point to be gleaned from those final words asking the Lord to act.

If salvation is God's possession, if it is in some sense particularly his, then it is in his control and not simply at the beck and call of humans—no matter how righteous they may be. This awareness of the freedom of God to give or withhold his deliverance is not as clearly expressed in the psalms as in, let's say, Job, Ecclesiastes, or the prayer of the three friends of Daniel (Dan 3:16-18). It is in the final analysis not deliverance but God whom the three friends of Daniel, the psalmists, and Job seek to know and experience. It is this realization that lies behind the psalmist's exclamation at the conclusion of Psalm 38, "O Yahweh, my salvation!" (pers. trans.). Even if the desired deliverance delays or does not come, God is the continuing source of hope and salvation, now and into the future.

Psalms Volume 1 (The NIV Application Commentary)

An index of psalm posts is here.

Psalm 37 — Fret Not Because of Evildoers

If, when evil and lawless people are opposing the lowly, and you wish to admonish the latter not to pay attention or to be provoked to envy—since such evildoers will speedily be destroyed—say to yourself and to the others Psalm 37.

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

This is a very long psalm telling us to not worry about the evildoers who are prospering. We've been hearing this our whole lives, haven't we? From the time we've been little there always seems to be someone who's getting away with things and never getting caught. Often they are celebrated and praised. And it drives us crazy. The psalmist says that God sees all and justice will be done. If we struggle with that, then we're not the first and we're not alone. That gives us the opportunity to increase our true trust in God, which may be one of the reasons that God allows the evildoers to flourish.

Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry, Folio 66v - Psalm 37 (Vulgate) / 38 (Hebrew Bible)

A ton of the Church fathers have commented on this one and we'll dip into a few of them below. All are from Psalms 1-50 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture).

37:7 Wait Patiently for the Lord

God is in Control. Theodoret of Cyr. Even if you see one choosing wickedness and not deviating from his purpose but being borne downstream, do not be worried and concerned that no one is in control of the world. Commentary on the Psalms.

Remember God's Promise. St. Augustine. Did you believe in Christ? Yes? Then why did you believe. What did he promise you? If Christ promised you happiness in this world, then go ahead and complain against him; complain when you see the unbeliever happy. But what sort of happiness did he, in fact, promise you? Nothing else but happiness when the dead rise again. And what did he promise you in this life? Only what he went through himself; yes, I tell you, he promised you a share in his own experience. Do you disdain it, you, a servant and a disciple? Do you disdain what your master and teacher went through? Do you not recall his own words: "A servant is not greater than his master, nor a disciple above his teacher"? (Mt 10:24; Jn 13:16) for your sake he bore painful scourging, insults, the cross and death itself. And how much of this did he deserve, he a just man? And what did you, a sinner, not deserve? Keep a steady eye, and do not let it be deflected by wrath. Expositions of the Psalms.

37:12 The Wicked Plot

Conviction. Cassiodorus. When the wicked person sees the just person cultivating good manners, he believes that he himself is being particularly indicted. He gnashes his teeth and rages in mind. He at once tries to take the very life of him whose manners he cannot corrupt. Explanation of the Psalms.

37:15 Their Bows Broken

They Hurt Themselves St. Augustine. What do you think: does the scoundrel's wickedness harm you without harming himself? Of course not. How is it possible that the malice which springs form his ill will and hatred and lashes out to do you harm should not devastate him within before making its attempt outwardly on you? Hostility rides roughshod over your body; iniquity rots his soul. Whatever he launches against you recoils on him. His persecution purifies you but leaves him guilty. Who comes off worse then? ... Clearly, then, all who persecute the just are more severely damaged and more gravely wounded themselves, because in their case it is the soul itself that is laid waste. Expositions of the Psalms.

An index of psalm posts is here.

Psalm 36 — The Wicked and the Righteous

When you see transgressors of the law being so zealous in their evildoing, do not attribute this evil to nature—this is what the heretics teach—but in saying Psalm 36 know that they are the cause of their own sinful behavior.

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

I'm really struck by the statement above. To attribute one's evil to their nature instead of to their own choice to commit sin is just the way a lot of evil is spoken about today. Once again, human nature is the same now as it was thousands of years ago.

Waves in Stained Glass

There are two points that I like to think about in this psalm. The first is made by Saint Augustine about wickedness and a possible way out of it.

36:4 Plotting Evil

Our Inner Bedroom, Saint Augustine. Our bedroom is our heart, for there we toss and turn if we have a bad conscience, but there, if our conscience is easy, we find rest. .. But the person of whom our psalm is speaking retired there to hatch his evil plots, where no one would see him. And because such wickedness was the subject of his meditation, he could find no rest, even in his heart.

The Road to Evil, Saint Augustine. If we cannot be free from wickedness, at let us hate it. When you have begun to hate it, you are unlikely to be tricked into committing a wicked act by any stealthy temptation. ... Hate sin and iniquity, so that you may unite yourself to God, who will hate it with you. Homilies on the Psalms.

Psalms 1-50 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture)

I really was struck by this discussion of "living water" which is referred to in the psalm. I never looked specifically into the phrase. This really adds another level of meaning to both the psalm and every time Jesus brings it up.

The psalmist speaks in reverential tones of experiencing the hospitality of the divine house of Yahweh (36:8-9) and of sharing the refreshment offered by the host: restorative drink drawn from God's "river of delights" and the "fountain of life."...

First, "living water" (mayim hayyim) most often refers to flowing water taken from streams or rivers or to water drawn from spring-fed pools. This kind of living water was distinguished from standing water left in jars, gathered in cisterns, left standing by rainfall in stagnant pools, or even drawn from a well. The distinction was particularly important in the laws of ritual purity and cleansing. Only "living water" had the property of cleansing from uncleanness. For this reason ritual baths had to be provided with some access to living water in order to maintain their cleansing property and status. Often a channel of living water would be directed from a stream or spring to the site of the bath so that a small amount could be let into the chamber pool before each supplicant entered for cleansing. ...

[In his conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well] Jesus deepens the conversation by pointing to a spiritual meaning: "Everyone who drinks this [well] water will never be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

Living water has been transformed into a "spring of water ... [of] eternal life" (equivalent to maqor hayyim in Ps. 36). Jeremiah employs a similar phrase (meqor mayim hayyim ["spring of living water]) to speak of Yahweh as a "spring of living water" that Israel rejected in favor of cisterns dug by their own hands (Jer. 2:13, 7:13). The woman understands the allusions in Jesus' conversation and immediately asks to receive what Jesus is offering.

Psalms Volume 1 (The NIV Application Commentary)

An index of psalm posts is here.

Psalm 35 — Plea for Divine Assistance

If [enemies] persist, and, with hands red with blood, try to drag you down and kill you, remember that God is the proper judge (for he alone is righteous while that which is human is limited) and so say the words of [Psalm] 35.

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

I love the imagery here. The Navarre Bible points out that "the military language used at the start of the psalm signals the kind of divine deliverance that the psalmist seeks..."

In response to the psalmist's cry, Yahweh runs through the fray, spear and shield in hand, to defend the psalmist's life. As he does so, Yahweh's ringing voice is herd above the din of battle, shouting "I am your salvation!" This encourages the beleaguered psalmist to hang on until deliverance arrives.

Psalms Volume 1 (The NIV Application Commentary)

Isn't this the best mental picture ever? It makes me think of the Battle of the Pelennor Fields in The Lord of the Rings when they think all is lost and then Aaragorn and his soldiers show up to fight side by side, eventually winning the day. That is an image of God I need to hold more present in my difficult moments.

In classical antiquity, bucklers on medals were either used to signify public vows rendered to the gods for the safety of a prince, or that he was esteemed the defender and protector of his people: these were called votive bucklers, and were hung at altars, etc. — Wikipedia

A key point of this psalm praises God not just for his might but for his holiness.

The Incomparability of Yahweh

The central part of Psalm 35 turns on a rhetorical question ("Who is like you?") that the psalmist utters in response to God's anticipated retribution against his enemies (35:10). The obvious answer is "No one!" which serves as the immediate foundation for the confidence that Yahweh is able to deliver. There is no other god like Yahweh, who can match his power or inhibit his action in the psalmist's behalf. ...

The psalmists and others draw great solace from their insight that Yahweh is not like the gods of the other nations, or even like human kings or sages. The venality and fickleness of the gods of Mesopotamia is well known. It is not just the matter that various gods and goddesses opposed and sought to undermine one another. The greatest difficulty lay in the fact that the individual deities were inconsistent in their dealings with humans. They could be tricked, misinformed, or emotionally manipulated so that they could swing in a moment from beneficent care to harsh punishment of their followers. All one's careful worship and supplication could be undone in a moment's pique.

Thus, it was a great comfort for Israel to know that Yahweh is not like the gods of the nations. Not only is he superior in power and might, but he is also consistent in his essential character of holiness, justice, and mercy. ... In the final analysis, God's trustworthiness is the result of his incomparable power used for the benefit of the powerless. God is so superior in all things that he has no need to use power for self-interest, but he is free to champion those who have no power at all.

Psalms Volume 1 (The NIV Application Commentary)

An index of psalm posts is here.

Psalm 34 — Praise for Deliverance

If you have chanced upon enemies and yet have prudently fled from them and their schemes, call together people of gentle disposition and give thanks in the words of Psalm 34

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

The inscription of this psalm certainly makes me sit up and pay attention:

Of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he left.

I didn't remember this incident at all but it happened when David was on the run from Saul and had to go into enemy territory to escape. When he's recognized by the Philistine king, David feigns insanity and is sent away. Whew! Read it in 1 Samuel, chapter 21.

You would certainly thank the Lord for all his favors when that insanity idea worked out the way it did for David. Surely it seemed like a long shot at the time.

Psalm 34 by Ephraim Moses Lilien.
The musical instruments are drawn after the rich archaeological material;
also the way of holding and playing them is reproduced from the sources.

I like the way that St. Augustine tied it to modern, everyday life in his day. Our days are no different in the way that we think we have it worse than anyone ever did. After all, even God's favored one, David, had a lot to put up.

34:12 Who Desires Life?

Good Days. Augustine. Do you not grumble every day, "How long do we have to put up with this? Things get worse and worse by the day. Our parents had happier days, things were better in their time." Oh, come on! If you questioned those parents of yours, they would moan to you about their days in just the same way. ... So you are looking for good days. Let us all look for them together, but not here. ... There are always evil days in this world, but always good days in God. Abraham enjoyed good days, but only within his own heart; he had bad days when a famine forced him to migrate in search of food. But everyone else had to search, too. What about Paul: did he have good days, he who had "often gone without food, and endured cold and exposure?" (2 Cor. 11:27). But the servants have no right to be discontented; even the Lord did not have good days in this world. He endured insults, injuries, the cross and many a hardship.  Expositions of the Psalms.

Psalms 1-50 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture)

An index of psalm posts is here.

Psalm 33 — The Sovereignty of God

When you are gathered together with people who are righteous and upright of life, wing with them Psalm 33.

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

I love the way this psalm begins, telling everyone to to rejoice, sing, and play instruments. One translation says "shout for joy." Another says "skillfully play with joyful chant." Anyway you look at it, this makes me think of a loud, joyful procession of call and response, of everyone joining in as loudly as they can. Again, I think of the joyful celebrations of song and dance from my beloved Indian movies.

This psalm of praise is about much more than God's reflection in creation, but I was really struck by verse 6 (NIV):

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
their starry host by the breath of his mouth.

I'll never forget the many times I have looked up at the night sky and been reduced to tears by the beauty, grandeur, and mystery of the stars overhead. That's hard to do when you live in a big city like I do, but I remember the last time I was at my sister's house in Florida. They live in a spot where you can get complete darkness despite the houses around them and a casual glance at the sky left me rooted to the spot for a long time. My heart was so full of joy at God's goodness to his. After all, He made the world beautiful because he loves us. When I think of the power, creativity, and intelligence it took for that creation, I am overawed. 

That brings me back to the rest of the psalm. If God can do that, can't we trust him to keep his word? The psalmist considers God's character and his interactions with us to show why we may trust God even if we might have to wait for his help. The key is to wait hopefully, with trust.

Van Gogh's Starry Night Over the Rhône
Van Gogh in a letter to Theo after having painted Starry Night Over the Rhône,
confessing to a "tremendous need for, shall I say the word—for religion—
so I go outside at night to paint the stars."

 

I'm going to let Basil the Great develop the idea of how nature lets us see the invisible God through visible things. I particularly love the way he won't hear of "accidental" development for nature or of "bad mishaps" in people's lives. This is not being able to see with God's foresight.

33:4 All God's Work

The Providence of God. Basil the Great. "If you see the heavens," he says, "and the order in them," they are a guide to faith, for through themselves they show the Craftsman; and, if you see the orderly arrangement about the earth, again through these things also your faith in God is increased. In fact, it is not by acquiring knowledge of God with our carnal eyes that we believe in him, but by the power of the mind we have perceived the invisible God through visible things. Therefore, "all his works are done with faithfulness." Even if you consider the stone, it also possesses a certain proof of the power of its Maker. likewise, if you consider the ant or the gnat or the bee. Frequently in the smallest objects the wisdom of the creator shines forth. He who unfolded the heavens and poured out the boundless expanses of the seas, he it is who hollowed out the very delicate sting of the bee like a tube, so that through it the poison might be poured out. Therefore "all his works are done with faithfulness." Do not say, "This happened by chance" and "that occurred accidentally." Nothing is casual, nothing indeterminate, nothing happens at random, nothing among things that exist is caused by chance. And do not say, "It is a bad mishap," or "it is an evil hour." these are the words of the untaught. "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? (Mt. 10:29) And yet not one of them will fall" (Mt. 10:29) without the divine will. How many are the hairs of your head? Not one of them will be forgotten. (Cf. Mt. 10:30) Do you see the divine eye, how none of the least trifles escapes its glance?  Homilies on the Psalms.

An index of psalm posts is here.

Psalm 32 — Happy Those Who Are Forgiven!

When you see people being baptized and ransomed
out of a generation that is perishing,
and you are in wonder at the loving kindness of God toward the human race,
then sing to them Psalm 32.

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

It is really impossible for a Catholic to read this psalm without thinking of what a blessing the sacrament of reconciliation is. We all know the feeling of wracking guilt. It is part of the human condition. Likewise, we all know the sublime relief and joy in confessing our offense and being forgiven. This psalm speaks to all those feelings while giving good advice in the beginning and end as to how we should strive to live.

David's Joy Over Forgiveness; as in Psalm 32;
illustration from a 1903 Bible card

Pope John Paul II looked at the connection with the sacrament of reconciliation when he discussed Psalm 32 in his series of homilies on the psalms and canticles of evening prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours.

At this point it is the Lord who speaks in order to promise to guide the now converted sinner. Indeed, it is not sufficient to have been purified; it is necessary to walk on the right path. Therefore, as in the Book of Isaiah (cf. Is 30: 21), the Lord promises: "I will instruct you... the way you should go" (Ps 32[31]: 8), and invites docility. The appeal becomes solicitous, "streaked" with a bit of irony using the lively comparison of a mule and horse, symbols of stubbornness (cf. v. 9). Indeed, true wisdom leads to conversion, leaving vice and its dark power of attraction behind. Above all, however, it leads to the enjoyment of that peace which flows from having been freed and forgiven.

In the Letter to the Romans St Paul refers explicitly to the beginning of our Psalm to celebrate Christ's liberating grace (cf. Rom 4: 6-8). We could apply this to the sacrament of Reconciliation.

In light of the Psalm, this sacrament allows one to experience the awareness of sin, often darkened in our day, together with the joy of forgiveness. The binomial "sin-punishment" is replaced by the binomial "sin-forgiveness", because the Lord is a God who "forgives iniquity and transgression and sin" (cf. Ex 34: 7).

St Cyril of Jerusalem (fourth century) uses Psalm 32[31] to teach catechumens of the profound renewal of Baptism, a radical purification from all sin (cf. Procatechesi, n. 15). Using the words of the Psalmist, he too exalts divine mercy. We end our catechesis with his words: "God is merciful and is not stingy in granting forgiveness.... The mountain of your sins will not rise above the greatness of God's mercy, the depth of your wounds will not overcome the skilfulness of the "most high' Doctor: on condition that you abandon yourself to him with trust. Make known your evil to the Doctor, and address him with the words of the prophet David: "I will confess to the Lord the sin that is always before me'. In this way, these words will follow: "You have forgiven the ungodliness of my heart'" (Le Catechesi, Rome, 1993, pp. 52-53).

An index of psalm posts is here.

Psalm 31 — Into Your Hands I Commend My Spirit

When you see yourself hated and persecuted by all your relatives and friends
because of the truth, do not be downcast either for them or for yourself;
and when all your acquaintances turn away from you,
do not be frightened, but withdraw from them
and keep your eyes fixed on the future, singing Psalm 31.

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

Jesus quotes this psalm as his last words before dying on the cross:

Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. (Luke 23:46)

Into thy hand I commit my spirit;
thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God. (Psalm 31:5)

This should make Christians look from two angles. What are we to take from these last words? Also, since Jesus is "quoting" from this psalm, as a faithful Jew, what context would there have been for a listener who may have prayed this as part of daily devotions? 

German words from Psalms 31:15 ("My times are in thy hand")
on a sundial on the tower of the Marienkirche in St. Johann

 Saint Augustine had a lot to say about this psalm, most notably about enemies. He examines them from many angles and I'm going to include several quotes because I found each so insightful. These are all from Psalms 1-50 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture).

31.4 Freed from the Net

The Double Trap of the Enemy. Augustine. The enemy's trap is stretched out ready; there are twin loops in it, error and terror: error to entice, terror to break and grip us. You must shut the door of greed against error and the door of fear against terror; and then you will be led clear of the trap. Expositions on the Psalms.

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31.8 Set in a Broad Place

The Broad Plane of Freedom. Augustine. You have not imprisoned me with no possible hope for liberty; you have not handed me over to the endless power of the devil. ... The charity that is in me has been released from cramping fear and can walk unhindered forever into the broad stretches of freedom, for I know my Lord's resurrection and the promise of my own. Expositions on the Psalms.

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31.15 In Your Hands

Praying For and Against Enemies. Augustine. We have to distinguish between enemies against whom we must pray. Human enemies, of whatever kind, are not to be hated, lest a good person hates a bad person who is causing trouble, the result is two bad people. A good person must love even the bad person he or she has put up with, so that at any rate there is only one who is bad. The enemies against whom we need to pray are the devil and his angels. ... Even when human enemies assail us, it is only as the instruments of these evil spirits. When the apostle Paul warns us how careful we must be to guard against those enemies, he is speaking to God's servants who are being harassed, and probably by the factions and dishonesty and hostility of human beings; yet he says to them, "It is not against flesh and blood that you have to struggle" — not against human enemies, then — "but against principalities and powers and the rulers of this world."  Expositions on the Psalms.

Sources are here and an index of psalm posts is here.

Psalm 30 — Praise for Healing

In dedicating your house—the is, your soul, which welcomes the Lord,
and the bodily house in which you dwell corporeally—
rejoice and sing Psalm 30

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

We've all had the experience that the psalmist describes here: "Complacent, I once said, “I shall never be shaken.”

LORD, you showed me favor, established for me mountains of virtue. But when you hid your face I was struck with terror. (NAB translation)

How many times have I felt I will never have my faith falter and then when things go wrong I am filled with dismay? I feel as if God is absent because he isn't dashing in to fix my problems immediately. That's not really the way of faith and often the experience I gain in having to trust while working out my own solution is invaluable. I know also so well the absolute joy of God's presence after the crisis has passed and realizing what He's done in my life.

There's some good commentary on this below, as well as a look at how this is a Biblical type in the Old and New Testaments. Interesting stuff!

Text from Psalm 30:5,
"Heaviness may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning",
illustrated on a window in St Giles, Codicote, Hertfordshire, UK

This psalm reflects feelings so universal that it is a "type" or foreshadowing of events in the Old and New Testaments.

30:5 Joy Comes with the Morning

Biblical Types. Theodoret of Cyr: Now things turned out like this both in the case of Hezekiah and in the case of the salvation of everyone. After the Assyrians applied those awful threats and moved the city to weeping, they sustained the blow at night and in the morning they filled with good cheer those whom they had forced to weep. The divine Isaiah brought Hezekiah the sentence of death in the evening, and towards morning brought him in turn the good news of life. And it happened likewise in the case of the salvation of everyone: the sacred apostles and the believers along with them lamented that passion of the Lord, but toward morning the women came and brought the joy of the resurrection. Commentary on the Psalms.

Psalms 1-50 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture)

Here we have some good insights for modern application.

For most of us, life is full of similar moments when our awareness of God's presence waxes and wanes. I am talking about our awareness of God here, not the reality of his presence or absence. God is always present, whether we realize it or not. This psalm, however, illustrates how our feelings, our perceptions, can either strengthen or undermine our confidence in facing the circumstances of our lives.

Clearly our perceptions are not always the best judge of reality. ... Nevertheless, our reaction to our circumstances can be immensely altered by our sense of God's presence or absence. As the psalmist indicates, the ability to perceive God at work in the midst of a troubled time made all the difference in the world. Wailing turned to a dance of joy, and rich festal garments replaced sackcloth and ashes.

Psalms vol. 1 (The NIV Application Commentary)

Sources are here and an index of psalm posts is here.

Psalm 29 — The Lord Blesses His People with Peace

If in a spirit of gratitude you wish to teach how one should make a spiritual offering to the Lord, sing Psalm 29.

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

The first line of this psalm says, depending on your translation, "Ascribe to the Lord, O mighty ones..." (or O Heavenly beings or "sons of gods"). The literal translation of the word is 'elim which is the plural of the word for "god." However you slice it (and there are a lot of ways to slice depending on which experts you are reading) it is undeniable that the original reference was to pagan gods. 

We can look at this short psalm as proclaiming the glory of God and his power over creation but that understanding of speaking to the pagan gods in the beginning gives the whole thing a real "in your face, you pagan gods!" 

I like it. I like it a lot.

Lebanon Cedar

It is clear, however, that Israel employed terms like this—'elim ("gods"), bene 'elim ("children of the gods"), and related uses of 'elohim ("gods") and bene 'elohim ("children of God/the gods, heavenly beings, cf. Job 1:6, 2:1)— because she was immersed in a culture dominated by polytheistic belief systems and often struggled with pressure to conform. We know that Israel struggled with the temptation to worship gods other than Yahweh down to the exilic period, at which time (and only then) did absolute monotheistic belief in the existence of Yahweh alone take root firmly in the exilic community.

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The pinnacle and climax of the theophany comes at the height of the storm's power, as all those gathered in the temple worship Yahweh with a loud acclamation of "Glory!" With this shout the worshipers fulfill the call of the opening verses: "Ascribe to the Lord ... glory and strength ... due his name." This cry of acknowledgement is wrested from them almost against their will as the blasting, crashing, flashing display of divine power cannot be denied. All tremble! All worship! All know the glory of Yahweh!

Psalms vol. 1 (The NIV Application Commentary)

Seeing the psalm as a declaration against the pressure to conform to other beliefs makes me think of my own struggle to keep secular society from getting a good hold on the way I think. I have to shake off certain modern attitudes repeatedly to keep the right attitude toward God.

Maybe that's why I love what the comment above says about the "blasting, crashing, flashing display of divine power" which is the glory of God. Reread the psalm with those two ideas in mind and you might become as fond of this psalm as I have.

Sources are here and an index of psalm posts is here.