Commentary on the Psalms (In Psalmos Davidis Expositio)

In the preceding psalms the Psalmist set forth the glory of the king and of the kingdom; but here he exhorts the foreign nations to be converted to God. And first he exhorts them to the praise of God. Second, to having hope in God. Third, he teaches them divine worship. The second begins where it says, "Hear this." The third, where it says, "The God of gods." The title is clear, since it has been explained above: "Unto the end, for the sons of Core, a Psalm of David." Concerning the first part he does two things. First, he exhorts all nations to the praise of God. Second, the matter of the praise is set forth, where it says, "The Lord is great." Concerning the first he does three things. For first he sets forth the invitation to the praise of God. Second, the cause, where it says, "For the Lord is most high." Third, he makes this cause manifest, where it says, "God has ascended."

The praise of God ought to proceed from a gladness of heart, just as it is also in the homeland: Isaiah 51: "Joy and gladness shall be found therein." This gladness of heart is shown through an outward sign, of deed or of word. First, therefore, he leads them to praise as regards deeds. Second, as regards words. He says, then, "all nations," as if to say: God has done so many good things for us, therefore praise him in deed, "clap your hands." The clapping of hands is done as a sign of exultation: Jeremiah 5: "the priests clapped with their hands"; as if to say: "clap," that is, show the exultation of your heart through the clapping of your hands. And this happens when a man outwardly performs the services of God with gladness: Psalm 99: "Serve the Lord in gladness"; Isaiah 55: "every tongue of the regions shall clap with the hand," that is, all peoples shall clap. Likewise, praise him in word: hence he says, "shout for joy to God with a voice of exultation," that is, with an outward voice demonstrating an interior affection. The Gloss: jubilation is an ineffable joy, which cannot be kept silent, but cannot be expressed, because it exceeds comprehension. And such is the goodness of God, which cannot be expressed; and if it is expressed, it is nevertheless expressed imperfectly. And therefore Jeremiah said (Jeremiah 1): "Ah, ah, ah, behold I know not how to speak." And the Church signifies this jubilation when, upon the same syllable, she multiplies the notes: Psalm 65: "Shout with joy to God, all the earth; sing a psalm," and so on.

"For the Lord." Here the cause of the praise is set forth, and the goods which proceed from the greatness of God. And first the greatness of God is set forth. Second, the sign of that greatness. The greatness of God is commended in two ways. First, through the loftiness of his power. Second, through the majesty of his dominion. He says, then: God is to be praised on account of the loftiness of his nature, because "the Lord is most high": Psalm 112: "The Lord is high above all nations," and so on. And because lofty things are far removed from us, someone might believe that he ought not to be feared, nor that he has providence over us; just as certain fools said, in whose person it is said in Job 22: "He walks about the poles of heaven, and does not consider our affairs." And therefore it was said: "As far as it is in you, you have emptied fear." But it is not so. This one is exalted precisely because he is terrible, because he foresees all things, he punishes all things. Likewise he is to be feared on account of his dominion, because he is "a great king over all the earth": Psalm 23: "the earth is the Lord's," and so on. He is great in the universality of his dominion, because "Great in the universality of dominion, for [it is] a kingdom of all ages, Ps. 144.," Psalm 144. Likewise in duration, because it is forever. Likewise in authority, because he is king of all kings.

The sign of the greatness of this king is taken from those things which he has done in us, and these are the benefits of God. First, in the subjection of others. Second, in the conferring of goods. He says, then, "He has subjected peoples to us." These are the words of the Church, to whom even her enemies are subjected temporally. Augustine in the Gloss: "For how many now run to the Church who are not yet Christians; they ask the help of the Church, they wish it to come to their aid temporally, even though they are not yet willing to reign with us for eternity." Likewise, that these may be the words of the apostles: "He has subjected peoples to us," namely of the Jews, "and nations," that is, of the Gentiles, "under our feet": Isaiah 52: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that announces and preaches peace." Likewise in the same place, chapter 45: "that I may subject the nations before his face." Or otherwise, "he has subjected peoples to us." Some are converted to the faith, and these are subjected by their own will. Others are not converted, but live as pagans, and these are subjected under the feet, because in the end they will be crushed under our judicial power.

"He has chosen for us his inheritance." Here another benefit of the conferring of goods is set forth. Here it should be noted that election implies the acceptance of one thing over another. Now the election of God can be taken in a twofold respect. First, on the part of the goods which are conferred. And thus one should distinguish: because some of those things which are conferred are temporal, some spiritual. But the impious sinners receive temporal things as the portion falling to them: Wisdom 2: "this is our portion." But the just receive God himself as their portion: Psalm 15: "the Lord is the portion of my inheritance." But God has chosen for himself spiritual goods; that is, he has made us choose spiritual goods. "He has chosen for us his inheritance," therefore, as if to say: since there are diverse portions of goods, he has chosen to give us his inheritance. Second, the election of God is taken on the part of those to whom it is given; and thus a distribution is made, because all are condemned in original sin, yet some are saved by God's election. And therefore he says, "he has chosen for us," and so on.

And what this inheritance is, he shows: "the beauty of Jacob, whom he has loved." Jerome's text has "the glory," or "the pride of Jacob." And here "pride" is taken for excellence: Isaiah 60: "I will make you into a pride," that is, into an excellence, "of ages." In the same place, "with glory," that is, with beauty, or comeliness: because in that eternal inheritance itself they will be excellent, glorious, and comely: Jeremiah 31: "May the Lord bless you, O beauty of justice." "Whom he has loved." Or, "whom Jacob"; as if to say, this inheritance is the glory of Jacob, that is, of the faithful one, which glory God has loved, because "the Lord loves the gates of Sion." Or, "the beauty of Jacob," that is, that which is represented through Jacob: because there were represented to him the spiritual goods to which we have been chosen, such as the ladder which he saw, and other things of this kind. But the first reading is better.

"God has ascended with jubilation." Here he sets forth the cause and the order. He says that he is exalted and a great king, and on this account he is to be praised. But is he indeed so exalted? Indeed he is. And first he shows his excellence. Second, he shows the breadth of his kingdom, where it says, "sing praise." Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth his excellence. Second he concludes the exhortation, where it says, "sing praise." I say, then, that he is exalted, because he ascended. But if he is exalted, how did he ascend? Because he descended. Ephesians 4: "he who ascended is the same," and so on. But how did he ascend? "With jubilation." Jubilation is an immense joy, and here jubilation signifies imperfect knowledge. There were two kinds of those singing praise at the ascension of Christ, namely the apostles and the angels. Now the apostles have an imperfect knowledge of divine things, and therefore jubilation over the joy of Christ's ascension with glory belongs to them. Likewise the angels were there, and they had clear knowledge, and jubilation does not belong to them, but a manifest announcement; and therefore he says, "and the Lord with the voice of the multitude." Hence the angels say (Acts 1): "Men of Galilee, why do you stand," and so on. If, then, he is exalted, "sing praise to our God" with the mouth, "sing praise to our king" with the heart: 1 Corinthians 14: "I will sing with the spirit, I will sing also with the understanding."

"For the king." Consequently he shows that he is a great king, and he shows this in reverse order. For first he leads them to sing praise to the king. Second, he assigns the cause. Third, he makes it manifest. I say, then, "sing praise to God"; but again, "sing praise to the king," because he is great. And he says "sing praise, sing praise" twice, because we honor the humanity and the divinity in Christ with the same honor, since it is the same supposit: John 5: "that all may honor the Son as they honor the Father." And that praise ought to be sung he shows, because "God is king of all the earth." And therefore you, inhabitants of the earth, should sing praise to him. And he says, "of all the earth," not of Judea only, or of Greece, but of the whole world; but, "sing praise wisely," that is, discreetly. And sing praise not only with the mouth, but with the heart renewed within, because "praise is not comely in the mouth of a sinner," as is said in Ecclesiasticus 15. Likewise not with a troubled mind: James 5: "let him pray with an even mind." Likewise continually: Isaiah 23: "sing well, frequent the song."

Consequently he makes manifest how he is king of all the earth. And first he foretells the kingdom of Christ over all nations. Second, over all the princes of the nations; as if to say: I say that he is king of all the earth, because although he now reigns in Judea only, yet he will reign over all nations, because all nations will be converted to God: Psalm 116: "Praise the Lord, all you nations." And the reason for this is: because Christ is God, and now, having ascended, sits at the right hand of the Father, "upon his holy seat," that is, at the right hand of God; and thus nothing remains except that all be subjected to him: Daniel 7: "to him was given the kingdom." Nor are only the nations subjected to him, but also their princes; hence he says, "the princes of the peoples," namely of all of them, "are gathered together with the God of Abraham," through faith and love. And he says "Abraham," because he was the origin of believing, both of the father and of the son: Matthew 3: "Matth. 3: He is able to raise up children of Abraham from these stones.": Psalm 71: "the kings of the Arabians," and so on.

And the reason why they are gathered is because "the strong gods of the earth are exceedingly exalted." And this can be understood in two ways. In one way, of the Jews: because they themselves were gods, since they were instructed concerning God: John 10: "he called them gods, to whom the word of God was made." Likewise they were strong, because constant in the faith of the one God; but "of the earth," because their eyes and their affections were always turned toward earthly things. These are "exalted" through pride, "exceedingly," to such a degree that they were unwilling to accept the teaching of Christ. And therefore the apostles went to the nations. In another way, "the strong gods," that is, the apostles. And they are called gods on account of judicial power. And in the Old Testament judges were called gods: Exodus 22: "you shall not speak ill of the gods." Apply this to the gods, that is, to the judges. And they are called strong on account of their constancy in suffering: Romans 8: "Who shall separate us from the charity of Christ?" "Of the earth," that is, still existing among earthly things: 2 Corinthians 4: "we have this treasure in earthen vessels." And they were "exceedingly exalted," through preaching: Mark, last chapter: "but they, going forth, preached everywhere." Likewise through the working of miracles. Likewise through the attaining of glory. Jerome's text has: "for the gods, the shields of the earth," because the apostles were the protectors of all peoples.