Thomas Aquinas, on Ps 52:2

“They are corrupted, and become abominable in iniquities: there is none that doth good.”

“"He has looked down from heaven." Here the judgment of God against the wicked is set forth. And first the consideration of the judge is introduced. Second, what the judge finds is shown: "All have turned aside." Third, the sentence is added: "Shall they not know?" The reason they deny God is that they believe that because of his loftiness God does not look upon the lowest things. Job 22: "Do you not think that God is higher than heaven?" etc. "You say, what? He judges through the darkness; he walks about the poles of heaven; and he does not consider our affairs." But it pertains to the perfection of his wisdom that he looks upon all things. Ps.: "Who is like the Lord our God, who dwells on high and looks upon the lowly in heaven and on earth?" And therefore he says that "the Lord has looked down from heaven," that is, he considers "the children of men" from his loftiness. Sir. 16: "What is my soul in so vast a creation?" Prov. 16: "All the ways of man are open to his eyes." Ps.: "The Lord has looked down from heaven upon the earth." Or "from heaven," that is, from Christ. Or from the soul of the just man. He inquires among the children of men "to see if there is one who understands, or who seeks God." There is a difference between God and man: human judges inquire into what is done outwardly, but God looks upon the heart. Ps.: "God searches the hearts and minds."”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.