Thomas Aquinas, on Ps 33:9

“O taste, and see that the Lord is sweet: blessed is the man that hopeth in him.”

“Then when he says, "Fear," he first exhorts to the observance of divine fear. Second, he assigns the cause of fear, at "For there is no want." Third, he makes the cause manifest, at "The rich have been in need." He says therefore, "The Lord is sweet and gentle." But to whom? To those who fear him. Therefore, "Fear the Lord, all you his saints." And he says "saints," because no one can be holy unless he is God-fearing. And he says this because fear is necessary not only for those ascending to holiness, but also for those remaining in it: Sir. 27: "If you do not hold yourself steadfastly in the fear of the Lord, your house will quickly be overthrown." And also because nothing so empties holiness as pride; and fear is a restraint upon pride: Sir. 7: "He who fears God neglects nothing": Sir. 40: "In the fear of the Lord there is no diminishment." The reason why one should fear, he adds: "For there is no want for those who fear him." This is explained in multiple ways. First, concerning the want of spiritual goods: Is. 33: "The riches of salvation are wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is his treasure." If therefore the fear of the Lord is a treasure, there is no want for those who fear him. Likewise, concerning bodily want. For it sometimes happens that one who fears God has little; but it does not happen that he is destitute. One is destitute who considers himself lacking; those who fear God are content with what they have: Phil. 4: "Everywhere and in all things I have been instructed," etc. Likewise, God comes to the aid of those who seek him in their need. But Augustine objects in his Sermon on the Mount, because the Apostle says, 1 Cor. 4: "Even to this hour we hunger and thirst and are naked." How then is there no want for those who fear him? And he says that God is both nourisher and physician. A physician, however, withdraws nourishment from the sick and makes them hunger and thirst, because it is expedient for health. So God, according to what is expedient for our salvation, sometimes sends want, sometimes confers riches, sometimes grants length of days, sometimes brings brevity.”

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