Thomas Aquinas, on Ps 33:4

“O magnify the Lord with me; and let us extol his name together.”

“Next, when he says, "I sought," the matter of praise is presented, which is divine clemency in hearing prayer. Concerning the first he does two things. First, he presents the clemency of his hearing. Second, the merit of being heard, at "This poor man cried out." Concerning the first he does two things. First, he presents the benefit granted to himself. Second, he invites others to obtain this benefit, at "Come to him," etc. Concerning the first he does three things. First, he presents the petition. Second, the hearing, at "And he heard me." Third, the effect of being heard, at "And from all." He says therefore, "I sought the Lord." The best choice is to seek God himself; hence in the Lord's Prayer the first petition is "Hallowed be thy name": Is. 55: "Seek the Lord while he may be found." He says therefore, "I sought," as if to say, with great diligence I sought. And therefore the hearing follows, "And he heard me." The effect of the hearing is that "from all my tribulations he delivered me." For he delivers the just from tribulations sometimes so that they do not suffer tribulations: Job 5: "In six tribulations he will deliver you, and in the seventh, evil shall not touch you." Sometimes so that they are not too greatly troubled: Ps. 93: "According to the multitude of my sorrows in my heart, your consolations have gladdened my soul": 2 Cor. 1: "Who comforts us in all our tribulation"; and this consolation the holy always have. Likewise, he delivered them exteriorly, because the wicked can never separate the saints from Christ: Rom. 8: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?"”

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