“Everyone who discusses divine matters in an orderly way so as always to hold the correct opinion concerning the Father, the Godhead of the Only-begotten and the glory of the Holy Spirit, brings glory and honor to the Lord. And, because his providence penetrates even to the smallest things, he increases the glory who is able to give the reasons for which all things were created and for which they are preserved, and also for which, after this present stewardship, they will be brought to judgment. He who is able himself to contemplate each individual creature with clear and unconfused thoughts and, after having contemplated them himself, is able to present to others also the facts concerning the goodness of God and his just judgment, he is the one who brings glory and honor to the Lord and who lives a life in harmony with this contemplation. For, the light of such a person shines before others, since by word and work and through mighty deeds of every kind the Father in heaven is glorified.”

“You who are entrusted with the divine message, he is saying, and are called children of God, bear the divine message everywhere with all enthusiasm, transform those reared on nonsense into rational people and offer them first to God; then through them present the worship and the hymns, celebrating the benefactor in the divine dwellings. This resembles what was said by the Savior to the sacred apostles, "Go, make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."”

“Surely the holy teachers are often understood by the word rams, since they are the leaders of flocks that follow the Lord. Hence the psalmist says in a pleasing manner: "Bring to the Lord, O children of God, bring to the Lord the offspring of rams," which is clearly to say, "Bring to the Lord, O angels of God to whom the responsibility for this task has been delegated, bring to the Lord in heaven the spirits of the faithful who, through imitation of the blessed apostles' life and faith, have proved worthy to become their offspring."”

“Prepare for the Lord Heb. הבו. Prepare for the Lord and prepare for Him, you sons of the mighty of the land. From here we derive the ruling that [for the first blessing of the Amidah prayer] we should say the blessing אבות, the Patriarchs (Meg. 17b, R.H. 32b, Mid. Ps. 29:2). But Menachem (p. 68) associated הבו as an expression of giving. mighty Heb. אלים, princes. prepare for the Lord glory and might From here we derive that [for the second blessing of the Amidah prayer] we should say the blessing of גבורות, mighty deeds.”

“In other Psalms, the Psalmist recalled the confidence he has in God; here, however, as one who has been delivered, he gives thanks. And first are set forth Psalms pertaining to thanksgiving. Second, he recalls the benefits bestowed, at "In you, O Lord, I have hoped." Concerning the first, he does two things. First, he invites others to give thanks. Second, he himself gives thanks, at "I will exalt you." The title: "A Psalm of David, at the completion of the tabernacle." And note the history of 1 Kgs. 4, where the children of Israel in the time of Eli fought against the Philistines, and the ark of God was captured, and it was in that land for six months. Finally, because of the plague, they sent it back to Gibeah. And when Saul had died, David took it and carried it to Jerusalem, and made a tabernacle for it, and danced before it, as is found in 2 Kgs. 6; and then this Psalm seems to have been composed. Mystically, the tabernacle designates the holy Church: Rev. 21: "Behold, the tabernacle of God with men." This tabernacle, namely the Church, has been snatched from the hands of the Philistines, that is, the demons; and what is said in this Psalm pertains to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, through which this tabernacle is brought to completion. It is therefore divided into two parts. In the first, he invites others to offer to God through thanksgiving. In the second, he recalls the benefits, at "The voice of the Lord is upon the waters." Concerning the first, he does three things. First, he shows to whom offering should be made. Second, who should offer. Third, what they ought to offer. He says therefore, "Bring." But to whom? "To the Lord," alone, and to no other: Ex. 22. That offering should be made to God alone is stated in 1 Chr. 29: "All things are yours, and what we have received from your hand, we have given to you." He shows who ought to offer: "sons of God." Sir. 34: "The Most High does not approve the gifts of the wicked." Gen. 4: "God first looked upon Abel, and then upon his gifts," because a person must first please God and then make an offering to him. And therefore he says, "sons of God," through faith: Jn. 1: "But to as many as received him, he gave the power to become sons of God, to those who believe in his name." Likewise, through charity: 1 Jn. 3: "See what manner of love God has given us," etc. Through good works: Rom. 8: "Those who are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God."”

“Many assume an attitude of prayer, but they are not in the court because of the wandering of their mind and the distraction of their thoughts coming from vain solicitude.… He who makes his belly a god, or glory, or money, or anything else that he honors more than all things neither adores the Lord nor is in the holy court, even though he seems to be worthy of the visible assemblies.”

“"Bring unto the Lord glory and honour" [Psalm 29:2]. By your works let the Lord be glorified and honoured. "Bring unto the Lord glory to His name." Let Him be made known gloriously throughout the world. "Worship the Lord in His holy court." Worship the Lord in your heart enlarged and sanctified. For you are His regal holy habitation.”

“The waters are also the saints, because rivers flow from within them, that is, spiritual teaching that refreshes the souls of the hearers. Again, they receive water that springs up to eternal life, wherefore it becomes in those who receive it rightly "a fountain of water, springing up unto life everlasting." On such waters, then, is the Lord.”

“"The Voice of the Lord is upon the waters" [Psalm 29:3]. The Voice of Christ is upon the peoples. "The God of majesty has thundered." The God of majesty, from the cloud of the flesh, has awfully preached repentance. "The Lord is upon many waters." The Lord Jesus Himself, after that He sent forth His Voice upon the peoples, and struck them with awe, converted them to Himself, and dwelt in them.”

“When Jesus was baptized, after the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit came down as a dove, the Father spoke over the waters saying, "You are my Son." The God of majesty thundered, that is, he spoke profoundly over the waters, that is, over the nations so that they would be made complete in virtue and in the magnificence of Christ Jesus. And each one stood apart from the rebellious and rejoiced.”

“Mystically, "The voice of the Lord upon the waters." A twofold benefit is implied: namely, of conversion and of the gifts that are given to the converted. "The voice of the Lord in power." According to the mystery, this can be explained in two ways. In one way, so that it is referred to the preaching of Christ; and so it deals with the conversion of Jews and Gentiles. Of the Jews, when he says "upon the waters." Human beings are likened to waters, because just as waters, people flow and do not return, 2 Kgs. 14. Hence "upon the waters" is said "the voice," that is, the preaching of the Lord, that is, upon the Jewish people, because from the teaching of God -- not yet incarnate, but awaited -- the Jews were converted to God. Concerning the conversion of the Gentiles, it follows when he says, "The God of majesty thundered." Thunder is formed in a cloud, in which the incarnation itself is signified, which is like a cloud: Is. 19: "Behold, the Lord ascends upon a light cloud." The God of majesty, therefore, thundered, that is, the almighty thundered through preaching from the cloud of his flesh: Job 37: "He will thunder with his voice marvelously." And he says "upon many waters," because the voice of the incarnate Lord was not only upon the Jews but upon the Gentiles: Is. 49: "I have given you as a light to the nations," etc. Or "upon the waters" of Baptism; hence from the time that Christ was baptized, this Psalm is sung.”

“The voice of the Lord is not in the weak and dissolute soul but in that which vigorously and powerfully achieves the good.… Magnificence is virtue extraordinarily great. One who performs great actions becomingly … hears himself called magnificent. When the soul is not enslaved by the pride of the flesh but assumes a greatness and dignity proper to it because of its awareness of its attributes received from God, in this soul is the voice of the Lord. Therefore, they who entertain noble thoughts of God, contemplating sublimely the reasons for creation, and being able to comprehend to a certain extent at least the goodness of God's providence, and who besides are unsparing in their expenditures and are munificent in supplying the needs of their brothers, these are the magnificent people in whom the voice of the Lord dwells.… No difficult conditions will grieve the magnificent person; nor, in short, will any suffering greatly trouble him, nor will the sins of paltry and contemptible little people move him, nor the impurity of the flesh humble him. He is almost inaccessible to the humiliating passions, which cannot even look on him because of the loftiness of his mind.… Those, then who give great glory to God, elevate his magnificence.”

“From this he prophesies the power imparted to the apostles.… The narrative of the Acts also teaches us things in harmony with this: we learn from there how at his ascension Christ the Lord addressed his holy disciples in the words, "Stay in this city until you have been clothed with power from on high." Ten days later on the feast of Pentecost, "there came a sound from heaven like that of a violent wind blowing." … Now, he gives the name "voice" to the grace of the Spirit filling the apostles with power and might and rendering puny people magnificent.”

“"The voice of the Lord in power." Above, the Psalmist, according to the mystical understanding, touched upon the mystery of the conversion of the Jews and Gentiles; here, however, he sets forth the benefit of temporal gifts. And concerning this he does three things. First, he proposes the spiritual gifts. Second, he sets forth the uprooting of vices that follows from them, at "The voice of the Lord breaking." Third, the advancement or promotion to good things, at "The voice of the Lord preparing." In spiritual gifts there is this difference: because to some, spiritual gifts are given for those things that are commonly fitting and must be done and are necessary for salvation; to others, for certain arduous things, such as working miracles and the like. As to the first, he says, "The voice of the Lord in power," that is, by the Lord's command, power is given to fulfill the precepts. As to the second, he says, "The voice of the Lord in magnificence," that is, by the Lord's command, power is given to his saints to do great things: Ps. 67: "Over Israel is his magnificence." The Gloss adapts these to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. And the first, namely the conversion of the faithful, to the gift of fear, which is accomplished by divine power, to which it pertains to allow fears. Magnificence pertains to the gift of knowledge, because to knowledge it pertains to do great things: Sir. 25: "How great is the one who finds wisdom."”

“The cedar is at times praised by Scripture as a stable tree, free from decay, fragrant, and adequate for supplying shelter, but at times it is attacked as unfruitful and hard to bend, so that it offers a representation of impiety.… The Lord is said to break those vainly puffed up and magnifying themselves in the things of this world that are considered exalting, wealth, glory, power, beauty of body, influence or strength.… Just as the cedars, which are lofty in themselves, because they are produced on a high mountain become more conspicuous through the added height of the mountain, so also those leaning on the perishable things of the world are cedars indeed through their false glory and vanity of mind; and they are called cedars of Libanus because they are glorying in the elevation that belongs to another and are raised up to their false glory by the earth and earthly circumstance, as if by the summit of Libanus.”

“"The Voice of the Lord breaking the cedars" [Psalm 29:5]. The Voice of the Lord humbling the proud in brokenness of heart. "The Lord shall break the cedars of Libanus." The Lord by repentance shall break them that are lifted on high by the splendour of earthly nobility, when to confound them He shall have "chosen the base things of this world," [1 Corinthians 1:28] in the which to display His Divinity.”

“The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars The kings of the nations, as the matter that is written (in I Sam. 7:10): “and the Lord thundered with a loud noise etc. upon the Philistines”; (in Isa. 30:31): “For from the Lord’s voice Assyria shall be broken.” And at the time of the giving of the Torah (Deut. 5: 23): “For who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speak out of the fire as we have and remained alive?” You heard and remained alive, but the nations of the world would hear it and die.”

“"The voice of the Lord breaking." Here he treats the exclusion of vices, and he touches first on the vice of pride. Second, of concupiscence, at "The voice of the Lord dividing the flame of fire." Third, the vice of unbelief or contempt, at "The voice of the Lord shaking the desert." He shows, therefore, first the exclusion of pride. Hence it should be noted that just as fir trees are tall, so are cedars; and therefore through them pride is signified. He says therefore, "The voice of the Lord breaking the cedars," that is, the power of the divine command over all the proud: Is. 14: "Your pride has been dragged down to Hell." "And he will break the cedars of Lebanon," that is, the voice of the Lord over the arrogant and proud, reducing them by his power; because all kings were converted to Christ through this. And finally upon the cedars of Lebanon, because the greater ones among the Jews were converted, as about Nicodemus, Jn. 3.”

“"And shall bruise them as the calf of Libanus" [Psalm 29:6]. And when their proud exaltation has been cut off, He will lay them low after the imitation of His Own humility, who like a calf was led to slaughter [Isaiah 53:7] by the nobility of this world. "For the kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers agreed together against the Lord, and against His Christ." "And the Beloved is as the young of the unicorns." For even He the Beloved, and the Only One of the Father, "emptied Himself" of His glory; and was made man, [Philippians 2:7] like a child of the Jews, that were "ignorant of God's righteousness," [Romans 10:3] and proudly boasting of their own righteousness as peculiarly theirs.”

“Likewise, "And he will reduce them like a calf." Here the perfection of conversion is set forth. Mount Lebanon is very rich in pastures, and the priests, on account of the abundance of victims, had cattle graze there. And therefore, "He will reduce them like a calf of Lebanon," that is, he will humble them like a calf of Lebanon, so that they may offer themselves as a sacrifice, just as the calf nourished on Mount Lebanon is offered. And this is evident, because many great people exposed themselves to martyrdom for Christ: Mt. 22: "My bulls and fatted calves have been slaughtered." "And the beloved one, as the offspring of unicorns." This can be read in two ways. First, so that it signifies the authority of the crushing; as if to say: the Beloved One will do these things. And according to this, the Beloved One is placed in the singular, as having authority. "This is my Son," etc. Mt. 3. And he will do these things as the offspring of unicorns, that is, as the son of the Jews, because the mystery of the incarnation accomplished these things. And the Jews are called unicorns inasmuch as they glory in the worship of one God. Or he is called a unicorn because according to his eternal generation he is without a mother, and according to his temporal generation he was a son without a father. In another way, "The Beloved One," etc., that is, Christ, as an example of this crushing, will suffer, giving others an example of suffering: 1 Pet. 2: "Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you might follow in his footsteps." And he will suffer not as God, but as the offspring of the unicorns, that is, of the Jews. Let us return, therefore, to the literal sense.”

“This animal is called the unicorn, but I cannot say that I have seen him. But I have seen four brazen figures of him set up in the four-towered palace of the King of Ethiopia. From these figures I have been able to draw him as you see. They speak of him as a terrible beast and quite invincible, and say that all his strength lies in his horn. When he finds himself pursued by many hunters and on the point of being caught, he springs up to the top of some precipice whence he throws himself down and in the descent turns a somersault so that the horn sustains all the shock of the fall, and he escapes unhurt. And scripture in like manner speaks concerning him, saying, Save me from the mouth of lions, and my humility from the horns of unicorns. And again: And he that is beloved as the son of unicorns; and again in the blessings of Balaam wherewith he blessed Israel, he says for the second time: God so led him out of Egypt even as the glory of the unicorn; thus bearing complete testimony to the strength, audacity, and glory of the animal.”

“Although fire seems to human intelligence to be incapable of being cut or divided, yet by the command of the Lord it is cut through and divided. I believe that the fire prepared in punishment for the devil and his angels is divided by the voice of the Lord, in order that, since there are two capacities in fire, the burning and the illuminating, the fierce and punitive part of the fire may wait for those who deserve to burn, while its illuminating and radiant part may be allotted for the enjoyment of those who are rejoicing. Therefore, the voice of the Lord divides the fire and allots it, so that the fire of punishment is dark, but the light of the state of rest remains unkindled.”

“"The Voice of the Lord cutting short the flame of fire" [Psalm 29:7]. The Voice of the Lord, without any harm to Himself, passing through all the excited ardour of them that persecute Him, or dividing the furious rage of His persecutors, so that some should say, "Is not this haply the very Christ;" others, "Nay; but He deceives the people:" [John 7:41, 12] and so cutting short their mad tumult, as to pass some over into His love, and leave others in their malice.”

“"The voice of the Lord dividing the flame." Here he recalls the benefit by which they were freed from an evil inflicted by God. In Num. 11, it is said that on account of the murmuring of the people, fire invaded part of the camp, and at the raising of Moses' hands the fire was extinguished. And this is what he says: "The voice," that is, the command, "of the Lord dividing," that is, destroying, "the flame of fire." Next he recalls the benefits that promote in good. And he sets forth three: first, the benefit of the multiplication of the people; second, the nourishment of the little ones; third, guidance through the desert. Jerome's text reads, "The voice of the Lord causing the desert to bring forth." It is read thus in Joshua: None of those who came out of Egypt and entered the desert entered the promised land, except Joshua and Caleb, as is clear from Num. 14. But all who entered it were born in the desert. And therefore he recalls this benefit, that the people were not extinguished. Hence he says, "The voice of the Lord causing to bring forth," that is, causing to give birth, "and especially the desert of Kadesh." Because as far as Moses' intention went, those leaving Egypt would immediately enter the promised land and come to Kadesh. Hence they sent scouts, and those scouts dissuaded them and they were afraid to enter. And on account of that sin, all died. And because from that point they gave up entering, all died in this desert. Or according to our text, "The voice of the Lord shaking the desert," that is, stirring to generation throughout the desert of Kadesh. "The voice of the Lord preparing the deer." Jerome has, "acting as midwife for the deer." The Hebrew has, "preparing the mules." Deer dwell in deserts. And because the children of Israel were in the desert for forty years, they are called deer: Ps. 17: "He made my feet like the feet of deer," because the women had the opportunity to give birth and to nurse. "And he will reveal the dense forests," or thickets, because he provided guidance through the pillar of fire by night and of cloud by day: Ps. 135: "He led his people through the desert." Mystically, in that he says "The voice of the Lord breaking," the gift of fortitude is signified. And here he sets forth the exclusion of the sin of concupiscence, when he says, "The voice of the Lord dividing the flame of fire," namely of concupiscence: Wis. 6: "The desire for wisdom will lead to the everlasting fire." And this nourishes other evils, concerning which 1 Jn. 2 says: "All that is in the world is either the concupiscence of the eyes," etc. And this consumes: Job 31: "It is a fire that devours to destruction." Basil explains it thus: "The voice of the Lord dividing," etc., because on the day of judgment, by divine power, fire will be divided, because burning without light will be in the fire enveloping the reprobate. Fire shining without burning will be for the glory of the elect. And what he says pertains to the gift of counsel. "The voice of the Lord shaking the desert." Here he sets forth the exclusion of a twofold unbelief: namely, of the Gentiles and of the Jews. As to the first, he says, "The voice of the Lord shaking the desert," that is, he stirred the nations to faith by converting them to it: Is. 54: "Many are the children of the desolate one" (that is, of the Gentile people) "more than of her who has a husband," that is, than of the synagogue. As to the second, he says, "The desert of Kadesh," which is interpreted as "holy of the law," because the Jews, sanctified through the lawgiver, will be converted at the end of the world: Is. 1: "Our land is desolate," etc. And this pertains to the gift of understanding. Next he recalls the benefit that pertains to promotion in good things. And first he sets forth the conferral of wisdom. Second, its act. He says therefore, "The voice of the Lord preparing the deer," that is, holy and perfect men; because just as deer repel venomous things, so the saints repel every sin; and just as deer pass through thorns without injury, so the saints pass through the vanity of the world without delight. Gen. 49: "Naphtali is a deer let loose, giving words of beauty." And these are prepared by God, not by themselves. And God himself "will reveal" to them "the dense things," that is, those things that are hidden from others: Mt. 11: "You have revealed them to little ones." And this pertains to the gift of wisdom. Next he concludes with thanksgiving for the aforesaid benefits, saying, "In his temple all will speak glory": Ps. 148: "Young men and maidens, old men with the younger, let them praise the name of the Lord." Another text has, "Everyone will speak or declare glory." It is true that each person has common gifts and also special ones. And for this special gift, each one will declare glory: Sir. 51: "To him who gives me justice, I will give glory."”

“"The Voice of the Lord moving the wilderness" [Psalm 29:8]. The Voice of the Lord moving to the faith the Gentiles once "without hope, and without God in the world;" [Ephesians 2:12] where no prophet, no preacher of God's word, as it were, no man had dwelt. "And the Lord will move the desert of Cades." And then the Lord will cause the holy word of His Scriptures to be fully known, which was abandoned by the Jews who understood it not.”

“causes the desert to quake Heb. יחיל, an expression of (Jer. 6:24), “pain (חיל) as a woman in travail.” the Lord causes the desert of Kadesh to quake That is the desert of Sinai, as our Sages said in Tractate Shabbath (89a): It was called by five names: the desert of Sinai, the desert of Zin, the desert of Kadesh, the desert of Kedemoth, the desert of Paran. [It was called] the desert of Kadesh because Israel was sanctified on its account.”

“One who is in the temple of God does not speak out abuse or folly or words full of shameful matters, but "in his temple all shall speak his glory." … This one duty, referring glory to the Creator, belongs to every army of heavenly creatures. Every creature, whether silent or uttering sound, whether celestial or terrestrial, gives glory to the Creator. But wretched people who leave their homes and run to the temple, as if to enrich themselves somewhat, do not lend their ears to the words of God; they do not possess a knowledge of their nature; they are not distressed, although they have previously committed sin; they do not grieve at remembering their sins, nor do they fear the judgment; but, smiling and shaking hands with one another, they make the house of prayer a place of lengthy conversation, pretending not to hear the psalm that solemnly protests and says, "In the temple of God all shall speak his glory." You not only do not speak his glory, but you even become a hindrance to the other, turning his attention to yourself and drowning out the teaching of the spirit by your own clamor. See to it that you do not at some time leave condemned along with those blaspheming the name of God instead of receiving a reward for glorifying him. You have a psalm; you have a prophecy, the evangelical precepts, the preachings of the apostles. Let the tongue sing, let the mind interpret the meaning of what has been said, that you may sing with your spirit, that you may sing likewise with your mind. Not at all is God in need of glory, but he wishes you to be worthy of winning glory. Therefore, "what a person sows, he will also reap." Sow glorification, that you may reap crowns and honors and praises in the kingdom of heaven. This statement, "In his temple all shall speak his glory," was made not unfittingly in a digression, because some in the temple of God talk endlessly until their tongue aches; and these enter without profit.”

“"The Voice of the Lord perfecting the stags" [Psalm 29:9]. For the Voice of the Lord has first perfected them that overcame and repelled the envenomed tongues. "And will reveal the woods." And then will He reveal to them the darknesses of the Divine books, and the shadowy depths of the mysteries, where they feed with freedom. "And in His temple does every man speak of His glory." And in His Church all born again to an eternal hope praise God, each for His own gift, which He has received from the Holy Spirit.”

“Now, he called "woods" the idols' precincts as being utterly fruitless; these are the kinds of woods or coppices that the best woodcutters are accustomed to chop down, leaving the earth bare of them, and they plant fruitbearing trees and sow seeds of edible crops. The cultivators of the world did this, too: pulling up idols' precincts by the roots, they planted the divine churches in their place.”

“The voice of the Lord will frighten the hinds In the future, it will frighten the nations of the world and cause [them] to quake, those who are now standing firmly like hinds, as the matter that is stated (above 18:34): “He makes my feet like hinds.” Said Rabbi Phinehas: It does not say, “like harts,” but “like hinds,” like the females, because the feet of the females stand straighter than those of the males (Mid. Ps. 22:1). Another explanation: יחולל is kria in Old French, to create, as (in Prov. 8: 25), “before the hills, I was created (חוללתי).” and strip the forests Like (Gen. 30:37), “by uncovering (מחשף) the white.” He will strip the forest trees, i.e., he will strip the nations, compared to forest trees, of their glory, as is stated (in Amos 2:9): “whose height is as the height of the cedar trees.” and in His Temple which will be built. everyone speaks of His glory Everyone will praise Him there and say...”

“The Lord sat [enthroned] at the flood alone in His greatness, and now also, the Lord sits alone forever, “but the idols will completely pass away,” (as in Isa. 2:18), yet to His people He will give strength and a blessing of peace. Our Sages, however, expounded upon it in Midrash Psalms (29:2) that the nations became frightened and startled, and they came to Balaam and said to him, “What is the sound of the stirring that we heard? Is He going to bring a flood upon the world?” He replied to them, “He already swore that He would not bring a flood. Rather, the sound of the stirring that you heard is that the Holy One, blessed be He, is giving a Torah to His people.””

“"The Lord." Here he treats of the hoped-for benefits. And first he recalls the power of the benefactor. Second, he sets forth the hoped-for benefits, at "The Lord will give strength to his people." In the Hebrew it reads, "The Lord sat enthroned at the flood," and this has a plain sense. As if to say: it is true that he did this for the people of Israel. Was he not of the same power at some earlier time? Indeed, from the beginning of the world his judgments were manifest. And he recalls one manifest one: that by his judgment, on account of the sins of men, he brought about the flood. "And the Lord will sit as king forever," judging, namely, the peoples in equity. Jerome has, "The Lord inhabits the flood," or "causes it to be inhabited." When the flood inundated, the earth was emptied of inhabitants. Afterward, he again causes the earth, then devastated, to be inhabited through the multiplication of men. Mystically, this can be read in three ways. In one way, so that the word "flood" is, as it were, an accusative appended to the infinitive "to inhabit," because in Noah's ark only those people inhabited the flood. And so through Noah's ark the Church is signified, and the saints who are in it securely inhabit the flood of tribulations. In another way, conversely, as if "the flood inhabits in his temple." The flood represents the world and the carnal people of the world: Nah. 1: "With an overflowing flood he will make a complete end." He will therefore cause this flood to inhabit in his temple when they are converted. "And he will sit as king forever," as was explained above. In another way, "He inhabits the flood," that is, the baptismal waters, which he himself inhabits through the effect of grace. Next he recalls the hoped-for benefits. And first, those pertaining to progress. Second, to the end. As to the first, he says, "The Lord will give strength to his people," through which they can make progress: Is. 40: "He gives power to the fallen, and to those who had no strength," etc. As to the second, he says, "The Lord will bless his people with peace": Is. 32: "My people shall sit in the beauty of peace, in tents of confidence, in plentiful rest."”

“"The Lord will give strength to His people" [Psalm 29:11]. For the Lord will give strength to His people fighting against the storms and whirlwinds of this world, for peace in this world He hath not promised them. "The Lord will bless His people in peace." And the same Lord will bless His people, affording them peace in Himself; for, saith He, "My peace I give unto you, My peace I leave with you."”