“The Majesty, or as holy David calls it, the Glory, is manifested among the creatures that it has produced and governs. These are the back parts of God, which he leaves behind him, as tokens of himself like the shadows and reflection of the sun in the water, which show the sun to our weak eyes, because we cannot look at the sun himself, for by his unmixed light he is too strong for our power of perception.”

“"How wonderful your name." Through this name, in fact, death was dissolved, demons imprisoned in bonds, heaven opened, gates of paradise thrown wide, the Spirit sent down, slaves made free, enemies become sons, strangers become heirs, human beings become angels. Why speak of angels? God became man, and man became God; heaven accepted the nature from earth, earth accepted the one seated on the cherubim along with the angelic host. The wall was removed, the partition dissolved, what were separate were united, darkness was banished, light shone, death was swallowed up.”

“Accordingly it is said, "O Lord, our Lord, how admirable is Your Name in all the earth!" [Psalm 8:1]. I ask, how is His Name wonderful in all the earth? The answer is, "For Your glory has been raised above the heavens." So that the meaning is this, O Lord, who art our Lord, how do all that inhabit the earth admire You! For Your glory has been raised from earthly humiliation above the heavens. For hence it appeared who You were that descended, when it was by some seen, and by the rest believed, whither it was that You ascended.”

“The church says, "O Lord, our Lord." For after the recognition of Christ when one is freed from the slavery of idolatry, one begins to call on God and the Lord. Always the whole earth truly is full of the marvelous creations, the works of God. And even more marvelous the name of that One, namely, Christ, has been made wonderful among all the nations and foreign peoples through faith in him.”

“But this, dearest brothers, we must greatly consider on this solemnity: that on this day the handwriting of our condemnation has been blotted out, the sentence of our corruption has been changed. For that nature to which it was said, "You are earth, and to earth you will go," today went to heaven. For on account of this very lifting up of our flesh, blessed Job figuratively calls the Lord a bird. For since he saw that Judea would not understand the mystery of His Ascension, he pronounced sentence on their unbelief, saying, "The bird knew not the path." For the Lord was rightly called a bird, because He raised His fleshly body to the heavens. Whoever did not believe that He ascended to heaven did not know the path of this bird. Concerning this solemnity it is said through the Psalmist, "Your magnificence is exalted above the heavens."”

“the gittith A musical instrument that came from Gath, where craftsmen were found to make it (Machbereth Menachem p. 60). But our Sages said (Mid. Ps. 8:1): Concerning a nation [Edom] that is destined to be trodden like a winepress, as it is written (in Isaiah 63:3): “A winepress I trod alone.” However, the contents of the psalm do not indicate it.”

“For the Chief Musician: set to the Gittith. A Psalm of David. – We have expounded already above (Ps. 4:1) that Gittith is a kind of music. And there are those who say that David composed and recited (the Psalm) when he was in Gath; while others say (Ibn Ezra) that he gave it to the sons of Obed Edom the Gittite. This Psalm also is a hymn and rendering of praise and thanks to God, and a recounting of His acts of power.”

“These are the two knowledges of faith illuminating and inflaming in a threefold manner while being retraced to unity. They are said to cry, out of admiration, because both forms of knowledge are admirable. Wherefore in the Psalm: "O Lord, our Lord, how glorious is Your name over all the earth!" And in truth this name is admirable in so far as it refers to the eternal God, for it implies a true distinction of Persons together with unity of essence, through which they are supremely conforming to each other, supremely in accord, supremely coequal, coeternal, consubstantial, and coessential. Likewise, it is admirable in so far as it refers to God made man, because the three natures are conjoined: the highest with the lowest, without debasement; the first with the last, without alteration; the simple with the composite, without composition.”

“Above he set forth a Psalm in which David prayed concerning his persecution; here he sets forth a Psalm of thanksgiving: and first a Psalm is presented for the benefits bestowed upon the whole human race. Second, another for the benefits bestowed upon him for the destruction of enemies, or for the goods granted. Third, for the evils removed, at "I will give thanks": for here he expresses the affection of a man considering the benefits of God bestowed upon the human race, and giving thanks. The title is "Unto the end, a Psalm of David, for the winepresses," and since the rest has been explained above, I shall explain here only the last part. Here it should be noted that in Dt. 16 it says: "Seven days you shall celebrate the feast of tabernacles, when you gather in your produce from the threshing floor and the winepress," etc. For it should be known that David had a special devotion in celebrating the feasts, and he did something special for the praise of God. Now the feast of tabernacles was the principal one. And this took place during the vintage in commemoration of the divine benefit, when he led the children of Israel out of Egypt in tents, and brought them into the promised land where there are fruits: and therefore it was necessary that they have the most beautiful fruits, at which time were the winepresses; and therefore it says "for the winepresses." This is the literal sense. But spiritually, the winepress is the Church: Is. 5: "He planted a choice vineyard, he built a winepress in it"; Mt. 21: "He planted a vineyard, and dug a winepress in it." He says therefore "for the winepresses," that is, for the Churches of the world: and the Church is called a winepress, because just as in a winepress the wine is separated from the grape skins, so in the Church the good are separated from the wicked by the work of ministers: even if not always in place, yet in disposition. For the same reason it is also called a threshing floor: because there the grain is separated from the chaff. Likewise, from the words literally set down, the spiritual sense is separated. Likewise the winepresses are the martyrdoms, in which the separation of souls from bodies takes place, while the bodies of those who are trampled by affliction and persecution for the name of Christ remain crushed on the earth, but their souls flow forth to rest in the heavens. This Psalm is divided into two parts. First the Psalmist marvels at the divine excellence. Second, at his clemency, at "What is man." Concerning the first he does two things. First he shows that the majesty of God is admirable. Second, that it is manifest, at "Out of the mouths of infants." Concerning the first he does two things: first he sets him forth as wonderful. Second he makes clear the reason for what was said, at "For your magnificence is elevated," etc. He says therefore, "Lord" of all: Esth. 13: "You are Lord of all"; but especially "our Lord," we who worship you, who cling to you. Jerome has "our Ruler": Jgs. 8: "I will not rule over you, nor shall my son, but the Lord shall rule over you." "How admirable is your name," etc., namely of your divinity: Ps. 92: "Wonderful are the surges of the sea," etc. Gen. 32: "Why do you ask my name, which is wonderful?" Likewise, of the incarnate Christ: Is. 9: "His name shall be called Wonderful." But is it only in Judea, as the Jews say, or in Africa, as the Donatists claim? No; but "in all the earth": Mal.: "From the rising of the sun to its setting, great is my name among the nations." The reason for the wonder is added: "For your magnificence is elevated," because in the heavens your greatness appears. Wonder occurs when someone sees an effect and is ignorant of the cause. Therefore something is wonderful in two ways: either because the cause is totally unknown, or because it does not produce an effect that perfectly manifests the cause. The first is not the case with God: because he produces an effect: Rom. 1: "The invisible things of God are known through the things that have been made," etc. He produces, I say, an effect, yet not one that perfectly manifests the cause: and therefore he remains admirable: and this is what he says: "your magnificence," that is, your praise or your power, which can do great things, "is elevated above the heavens," surpassing the making of the heavens beyond all proportion. Hence he excludes the error of those who say that God is the form of the heaven: for according to this he would be proportionate to the heavens. Likewise of those who say that he acts by necessity of nature: because he would not extend himself above the heavens: yet he can make something infinitely greater. Or "above the heavens," that is, above the Scriptures, because he is more than is praised in the Scriptures: Sir. 43: "Glorifying God as much as you can, he will still surpass it, and admirable is his magnificence." Or "your magnificence," that is, your Son, God and man, "is elevated" in the ascension "above the heavens": Eph. 4: "He who descended is the same who ascended above all the heavens," etc.”

“"Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast made perfect praise, because of Thine enemies" [Psalm 8:2]. I cannot take babes and sucklings to be any other than those to whom the Apostle says, "As unto babes in Christ I have given you milk to drink, not meat." [1 Corinthians 3:1-2] Who were meant by those who went before the Lord praising Him, of whom the Lord Himself used this testimony, when He answered the Jews who bade Him rebuke them, "Have ye not read, out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast made perfect praise?" [Matthew 21:16] Now with good reason He says not, Thou hast made, but, "Thou hast made perfect praise." For there are in the Churches also those who now no more drink milk, but eat meat: whom the same Apostle points out, saying, "We speak wisdom among them that are perfect;" [1 Corinthians 2:6] but not by those only are the Churches perfected; for if there were only these, little consideration would be had of the human race. But consideration is had, when they too, who are not as yet capable of the knowledge of things spiritual and eternal, are nourished by the faith of the temporal history, which for our salvation after the Patriarchs and Prophets was administered by the most excellent Power and Wisdom of God, even in the Sacrament of the assumed Manhood, in which there is salvation for every one that believeth; to the end that moved by Its authority each one may obey Its precepts, whereby being purified and "rooted and grounded in love," he may be able to run with Saints, no more now a child in milk, but a young man in meat, "to comprehend the breadth, the length, the height, and depth, to know also the surpassing knowledge of the love of Christ." [Ephesians 3:17-19]”

“The meaning is this: you are worthy of praise not only from those who are perfect who know you fully, but you are proclaimed with the mouths of beginners in the faith and little children.… The psalmist professes that even infants proclaim God. By this he means those who have begun to come to the Lord in newness of faith, so that this wisdom might appear to have been conferred through God's intervention rather than to have been gleaned through human effort.”

“how mighty is Your name more than the strength of the measure of the earthlings. The earthlings did not deserve that You should cause Your Shechinah to rest among them. for which You should bestow Your majesty upon the heavens It is fitting that You bestow it upon the heavens. But You, with Your great humility...”

“O Lord, our Sovereign Lord: – for Thou art Lord of the created things, those above and those below. How Excellent is Thy Name: – Equivalent to How Excellent art Thou! For His Name is He, and He is His Name. Name (here) is the Tetragrammaton, and is not a common noun; and it is Excellent. in all the earth! – He means to say: Thy power is seen in all the earth; whether in the inhabited parts, or in the desert, or in the sea in all the earth Thy might is seen; but the supreme glory and mightiest power are visible in the heavens, for the earth is but a tiny thing in comparison with the heavens, being like the point in the centre of the circle. Who hast set Thy glory over the heavens: – The word תְּנָה (set) is the infinitive in place of (the perfect) נָתַתָּ (hast set), for the infinitive is used in place of a past tense, as (in the text) “calveth and forsaketh” (Jerem. 14:5), where the infinitive עָזוֹב is equivalent to עָזְבָה, and other instances besides; and also in place of a future and present participle, as we have expounded in the book Miklol in the grammatical section thereof. And the meaning of the verse is this: How Excellent is Thy Name in all the earth! And Excellent inasmuch as Thou hast set Thy glory over the heavens. And the interpretation of the word glory (הוד) is “might and splendour.” And it is possible to explain Who hast set Thy glory over the heavens as the reason why Thy Name is Excellent in all the earth. His meaning (then) is: because Thou hast invested the higher, (elements) with power to control the lower; for the earth and all that it contains, the seas and all therein all are in the control of the higher (elements).”

“Then when he says "Out of the mouths," he shows that it is most manifest. And first he shows the manifestation. Second, the reason for it, at "For I shall see." That it is manifest he proves, because that is manifest which is implanted in all people, however simple they may be, as if by a kind of natural knowledge. For there is a twofold kind of people who follow the natural and right instinct, namely the simple and the wise. That the wise should know God is not a great thing; but that the simple should, that is remarkable. But there are some who pervert the natural instinct: and these repel the knowledge of God: Ps. 81: "They did not know," that is, they willed not to know, "nor did they understand," etc. Job 22: "They said to God, Depart from us; we do not want the knowledge of your ways." But God brings it about that through those, that is, through the simple, who follow the natural instinct, those who pervert the natural instinct are confounded. By "infants" the simple are designated: 1 Pet. 2: "As newborn infants, reasonable, without guile," etc. He says therefore: admirable indeed is your name, yet in such a way that "out of the mouths of infants and sucklings you have perfected praise," you who inwardly prompt them to this: and this "on account of your enemies," who oppose your knowledge and understanding: Phil. 3: "Enemies of the cross of Christ," etc. "That you may destroy the enemy and the avenger," every persecutor. Or Pharaoh who would take vengeance against one confessing your name: 2 Cor. 10: "Destroying counsels, and every height that exalts itself against the knowledge of God." Or the tyrant who assails your holy name with arms: 1 Pet. 2: "That by doing well you may silence the ignorance of imprudent men." Christ did this: for in Mt. 21, concerning the children of the Hebrews, Christ responded that from their words praise was perfected, who by the prompting of the Holy Spirit were praising: which nonetheless seemed to be done childishly. This applies when the simple acknowledge God, and others pervert the studies of natural knowledge, lest they know God himself. Likewise this applies to the apostles who were without learning and uneducated: Acts 4: "Simple as doves": Mt. 10: "And as sheep in the midst of wolves"; and they destroyed all the enemies of Christ. 1 Cor. 1: "The foolish things of the world God has chosen, that he might confound the wise, and the weak things," etc.”

“David composed the eighth psalm with reference to Christ, speaking of his divine nature in the first verses of it, as the Lord Christ himself also testifies of it in the Gospel, when they strewed his way with branches and praised him with shouts of welcome, saying: Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord! And when the Jews, finding themselves powerless to rebuke the multitudes and the children, (for it was a marvellous spectacle—to see boys, babes and sucklings, and the disciples and the multitudes joining in shouts of applause, and with loud voices praising him in song), took in hand to throw questions at him, and said to him: Hearest thou not what these are saying? But another evangelist says: Some from among the crowd said to him: Rebuke thy disciples; as if they would say—Why dost thou blaspheme, accepting a hymn which can be suitably applied to God alone? each of the parties who addressed him having the same purpose in view. Unto them the Lord said—to the one party: Yea, have ye never read; Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast ordained praise? clearly indicating that the eighth psalm had reference to him.”

“But how shall I tell what God makes? Behold the whole universe; it is His work: and the heaven, and the sun, and angels, and men, are the works of His fingers. How great is the power of God! His bare volition was the creation of the universe. For God alone made it, because He alone is truly God. By the bare exercise of volition He creates; His mere willing was followed by the springing into being of what He willed. Consequently the choir of philosophers are in error, who indeed most nobly confess that man was made for the contemplation of the heavens, but who worship the objects that appear in the heavens and are apprehended by sight. For if the heavenly bodies are not the works of men, they were certainly created for man. Let none of you worship the sun, but set his desires on the Maker of the sun; nor deify the universe, but seek after the Creator of the universe.”

“Now this Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is not circumscribed to some place, nor is there heaven beyond him, but "the heavens are the work of his fingers," and "the whole earth is holden in the hollow of his hand." He is in everything, and yet nothing contains him. Do not imagine that God is smaller than the sun or that he is as large as the sun. For, as he made the sun, he must have been already incomparably greater than the sun and more resplendent with light. He knows what is to come, and nothing equals him in power. He knows everything and does as he wills. He is not subject to any law of sequence, or genesis, or fortune or fate. He is perfect by every measure. He possesses unchangeably every kind of virtue, never less and never more, but ever in the same degree and manner.”

“Our very eyes and the law of nature teach us that God exists and that he is the efficient and maintaining cause of all things: our eyes, because they fall on visible objects and see them in beautiful stability and progress, immovably moving and revolving, if I may so say; natural law, because through these visible things and their order it reasons back to their author. For how could this universe have come into being or been put together unless God had called it into existence and held it together? For everyone who sees a beautifully made lute and considers the skill with which it has been fitted together and arranged, or who hears its melody, would think of none but the lutemaker or the luteplayer, and would recur to him in mind, though he might not know him by sight. And thus to us also is manifested that which made and moves and preserves all created things, even though he is not comprehended by the mind.”

“And why did he not say "your hands" instead of "your fingers"? To show that visible things are a work requiring the least power, and the extraordinary aspect of creation, namely, that the stars hang there without falling; at any rate, though the very nature of the foundations required, not that they be suspended above but lie below, still the excellent Architect and Creator produced a surprise in making most of the visible things surpass the logic of nature.”

“The psalmist is speaking here of the frailty of the body and of human weakness, and what does he say? If you consider his flesh, what is a person? If you consider his spirit, he is noble. Let us by no means scorn the flesh, but let us reject its works. Let us not despise the body that will reign in heaven with Christ. "Flesh and blood can obtain no part in the kingdom of God"; no, not flesh and blood of themselves, but the works of the flesh. "Flesh and blood can obtain no part in the kingdom of God." How, then, are they going to reign together with Christ; how shall we be seated together in heaven in Christ?”

“"For I shall see Your heavens, the works of Your fingers" [Psalm 8:3]. We read that the law was written with the finger of God, and given through Moses, His holy servant: by which finger of God many understand the Holy Ghost. Wherefore if, by the fingers of God, we are right in understanding these same ministers filled with the Holy Ghost, by reason of this same Spirit which works in them, since by them all holy Scripture has been completed for us; we understand consistently with this, that, in this place, the books of both Testaments are called "the heavens." Now it is said too of Moses himself, by the magicians of king Pharaoh, when they were conquered by him, "This is the finger of God." [Exodus 8:19] And what is written, "The heavens shall be rolled up as a book." Although it be said of this æthereal heaven, yet naturally, according to the same image, the heavens of books are named by allegory. "For I shall see," he says, "the heavens, the works of Your fingers:" that is, I shall discern and understand the Scriptures, which You, by the operation of the Holy Ghost, hast written by Your ministers.”

“Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings You have established strength You caused Your Shechinah to rest in the Temple, and You decreed that we thank You. This is strength [that emerges] from the mouth of the Levites and the priests, who are people raised in filth like babes and sucklings. [The word] עוללים is an expression of (Job 16:15) “and sullied my radiance in the dust,” and because of the filth, all infants are called עוללים. because of Your adversaries To inform them that we are Your people. to put an end to the disgrace of the enemy and avenger, who says, “You are no better than the other nations.” But I, when I see Your heavens, etc.,... I wonder in my heart, what is man that You should remember him?”

“Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast laid the foundation of Strength: – The first of the distinguishing marks in man after his coming into the (light and) air of the world is the power to suck. It is needful that man should confess the Creator and recognise His might and power on account of His works that are visible in heaven and in earth; and also from the constitution of his body, which is created from a drop of seed which turns to blood, and from that grows little by little until the limbs are perfectly formed and it comes forth into the (light and) air of the world. He has already made mention of this in the Psalm “O Lord, Thou hast searched vie and known” (cxxxix. infra). In the present Psalm he says that the wonders of the Creator and His loving-kindness toman are to be recognised from the moment of his first coming into the (light and) air of the world, and from his early infancy. It is for this reason that he uses the word יסדת (Thou hast laid the foundation); for, just as יסוד (foundation) is the beginning of the building, so the suckling period is the beginning of the (power to) recognise the loving-kindness of the Creator towards man after his coming into the (light and) air of the world, because the Holy One – Blessed be He! – has made for him in the breasts an incision like the eye-hole of a fine needle. It is no wider, for if it were wider, the milk would flow forth in a stream without sucking, and too much would come into his mouth, so that he would be choked by it; and if it were smaller than it is, sucking would be difficult to the child and his lips would become painful. Everything, however, is in due proportion and measure. Further, He has distinguished man from the rest of the creatures in that He has put his mother's teats in the place of understanding, as our Rabbis of blessed memory have remarked (Babli, Berakhoth 10a). It is for this reason that he says: Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast laid the foundation of strength, that man may be able to see that all is within the design of a Designer, and not, as the enemies of the Lord say, that everything happens by nature and chance without the direction of a Director and the design of a Designer. And this is the meaning of what he says next: Because of Thine adversaries, That Thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger: – Although this loving-kindness is to be seen also in like manner in the case of the beasts and living creatures, to man God has given understanding and discernment to recognise God's work and to confess Him and praise Him for all; and all of them have been created for his (man's) use. Such being the case, it is incumbent upon him to reflect, and to recognise the work of God, and to confess Him in everything. And the learned Rabbi Abraham ben Ezra has expounded (ad loc.) that he speaks so “on account of man's being honoured above all the lower creatures, for from the time that the child begins to speak (and this is the meaning of out of the mouth of babes), then the spirit, by reason of his constitution, begins to receive strength until it discerns the power of its Creator by a deliberate act of judgement, for the soul is strengthened day after day; and this is the meaning of Thou hast laid the foundation of strength. And the meaning of because of Thine adversaries (is) to bring to naught the words of the deniers, who say there is no God.” And our teacher Moses ha-Cohen ben Giktilla has expounded thus: out of the mouth of babes, though they cannot speak with their mouths, (yet) in themselves they teach of the multitude of Thy loving-kindnesses, for Thou dost sustain them and makest them to grow in their bodily development.”

“Next he attaches the reason for this manifestation, saying "For." Cicero says in the book On the Nature of the Gods, and it was also said by Aristotle, although it is not found in his books that we have, that if any man were to enter a palace which he saw well arranged, there is no one so senseless that, even though he did not see how it was made, he would not perceive that it was constructed by someone. We enter the world, and we do not see how it was made; but from the very fact that it is so well ordered, we ought to perceive that it was made by someone. And the order of the heavenly bodies shows this especially. There were some who erred by attributing the causes of things to the necessity of matter; hence they say that all things were made on account of the hot and cold, the dry and moist, like the elements which thus came together. But if this could have some appearance of truth in other things, in no way can it hold for the heavenly bodies: because it cannot be attributed to the necessity of matter that this body is so far distant from that one, and that they complete their courses in such and such a time. This can only be traced back to an intellectual cause. And therefore Scripture, when it wishes to manifest the power of God, brings us to the consideration of the heavens. Is. 40: "Lift up your eyes on high, and see who created these things": therefore he says, "For I shall see your heavens, the works of your fingers." He says "the works of fingers" for three reasons: because what we do with our fingers, we do attentively and distinctly. And the things to be considered about the heavenly bodies can only be traced back to an intelligible cause; and therefore he says "the works of your fingers": Ps. 135: "Who made the heavens in understanding." Or it corresponds to what he says, "elevated." When someone causes something heavy to be raised, he puts his shoulder under it; but when he causes something light to be raised, he puts his finger under it; and therefore he says "the works of fingers," as though it were easy for him to make the heavens: Is. 40: "Who has weighed the mass of the earth with three fingers, and balanced the heavens with the palm of his hand?" Or because what we do with fingers are delicate works. To show therefore that these are more delicate than other things, he says "the works of fingers," etc. He names the moon, and not the sun, on account of the pagans, who believed the sun was the supreme god: and therefore he specifically names "the moon and the stars," in which there is no obvious basis for error: Sir. 43: "The beauty of heaven is the glory of the stars, the Lord illuminating the world on high." Mystically, the apostles or the Scriptures are the works of fingers. Three fingers are three persons; as if to say, the works of the whole Trinity, or of the Holy Spirit. The moon is the Church: the stars are the teachers. And these God established.”

“"What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that Thou visitest him?" [Psalm 8:4]. It may be asked, what distinction there is between man and son of man. For if there were none, it would not be expressed thus, "man, or son of man," disjunctively. For if it were written thus, "What is man, that Thou art mindful of him, and son of man, that Thou visitest him?" it might appear to be a repetition of the word "man." But now when the expression is, "man or son of-man," a distinction is more clearly intimated. This is certainly to be remembered, that every son of man is a man; although every man cannot be taken to be a son of man. Adam, for instance, was a man, but not a son of man. Wherefore we may from hence consider and distinguish what is the difference in this place between man and son of man; namely, that they who bear the image of the earthy man, who is not a son of man, should be signified by the name of men; but that they who bear the image of the heavenly Man [1 Corinthians 15:49] should be rather called sons of men; for the former again is called the old man and the latter the new; but the new is born of the old, since spiritual regeneration is begun by a change of an earthy, and worldly life; and therefore the latter is called son of man. "Man" then in this place is earthy, but "son of man" heavenly; and the former is far removed from God, but the latter present with God; and therefore is He mindful of the former, as in far distance from Him; but the latter He visiteth, with whom being present He enlighteneth him with His countenance. For "salvation is far from sinners;" and, "The light of Thy countenance hath been stamped upon us, O Lord." So in another Psalm he saith, that men in conjunction with beasts are made whole together with these beasts, not by any present inward illumination, but by the multiplication of the mercy of God, whereby His goodness reacheth even to the lowest things; for the wholeness of carnal men is carnal, as of the beasts; but separating the sons of men from those whom being men he joined with cattle, he proclaims that they are made blessed, after a far more exalted method, by the enlightening of the truth itself, and by a certain inundation of the fountain of life. For he speaketh thus: "Men and beasts Thou wilt make whole, O Lord, as Thy mercy hath been multiplied, O God. But the sons of men shall put their trust in the covering of Thy wings. They shall be inebriated with the richness of Thine house, and of the torrent of Thy pleasures Thou shall make them drink. For with Thee is the fountain of life, and in Thy light shall we see light. Extend Thy mercy to them that know Thee." Through the multiplication of mercy then He is mindful of man, as of beasts; for that multiplied mercy reacheth even to them that are afar off; but He visiteth the son of man, over whom, placed under the covering of His wings, He extendeth mercy, and in His light giveth light, and maketh him drink of His pleasures, and inebriateth him with the richness of His house, to forget the sorrows and the wanderings of his former conversation. This son of man, that is, the new man, the repentance of the old man begets with pain and tears. He, though new, is nevertheless called yet carnal, whilst he is fed with milk; "I would not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal," says the Apostle. And to show that they were already regenerate, he says, "As unto babes in Christ, I have given you milk to drink, not meat." And when he relapses, as often happens, to the old life, he hears in reproof that he is a man; "Are ye not men," he says, "and walk as men?"”

“When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, The moon and the stars which Thou hast ordained: – He does not mention the sun. Some say that (David) uttered this Psalm at night, at a time when he was considering the moon and stars, and discerning the wonders of the Creator. Others also say (Ibn Ezra, ad loc.) that in the daytime only the sun is seen, while at night a very great host is seen. It is for this reason, then, that he makes no mention of the sun. And others again say (ibid, in the name of others) that when he said Who hast set Thy glory over the heavens he hinted at the sun in this, for it is the great creation par excellence. And he says When I consider Thy heavens as though meaning: “When I consider Thy great creations in the world, and reflect upon human affairs, then I stand amazed.” So he says:”

“In the New Testament, after the universal scripture and the course of time, Christ was formed, as was man on the sixth day, that He may "have dominion over the fish of the sea," and "the birds of the air." As the Psalm says, "what is man that You should be mindful of him, or the son of man that You should care for him? You have made him little less than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him rule over the works of your hands, putting all things under his feet: all sheep and oxen, yes, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, the fishes of the sea," etc. And in order that it be understood of Christ, the Apostle says: "You have made him little less than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor." And there follows: "But we do see Him who was made 'a little lower than the angels,' namely, Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of His having suffered death." Man was created out of a virgin soil that had never received blood, which signifies Christ born of the Virgin; and as Eve was formed out of Adam's side, so also the Church, out of the side of Christ. But since Christ never sinned, how can Adam's transgression correspond to Him? There must be transference from the head to the body.”

“"What." Above the Psalmist marveled at the excellence of the divine majesty; and now he commemorates two benefits divinely bestowed upon men. Second, from this he concludes the Psalm in praise, at "Lord, our Lord," etc. Concerning the first he does three things. First he shows the clemency of God toward men by comparison with those things which are above men. Second, by comparison with the first man, at "with glory and honor." Third, by comparison with those things which are below man, at "and you have set him." Above man there is a twofold nature: namely, the divine and the angelic. First therefore he sets forth the benefits by comparison with God. Second, by comparison with the angels, at "you have diminished him." First let it be explained as it pertains to natural benefits. Second, as to gratuitous gifts. And according to the first mode and concerning it he does two things. First he sets forth God's special care for man. Second, the special familiarity, at "or the son of man." It is wonderful that someone great should be joined to someone small by a special familiarity: and therefore the Psalmist first commemorates the smallness of man from his condition: "What is man," so small a thing? Job 14: "Man born of woman"; and 25: "Man is rottenness, and the son of man is a worm." Second, as to his origin: because he is also lowly: Job 14: "Who can make clean what was conceived of unclean seed?"; and 10: "Did you not, like milk," etc. And therefore he says, "or the son of man?" But to this one so small, so lowly, he says that he does two things: namely, that he is mindful of him, and that he visits him. The first pertains to care. The second to special familiarity. And this is the manner of speaking: as if some craftsman had made great things, and among them one very small thing, namely a needle, and when he made the needle he showed that he had knowledge of it. But that in the arrangement of his works he should care about the needle would be very wonderful; and therefore he says, "What is man, that among your great creatures you are mindful of him?" Sir. 16: "Do not say, I shall be hidden from God," etc. "and what is a soul," etc. Because on account of its smallness God does not forget you. But what is so great about this? For God has care of all things: Wis. 12: "For there is no other than you, whose care is for all." It must be said that he has a special care for man, namely that in the judgment his acts are rewarded: Job 14: "Do you think it fitting to open your eyes upon such a one," etc. Likewise he not only has care for man, but has familiarity with him; and this is what he says, "that you visit him." Only rational nature is capable of God, by knowing and loving him. Insofar therefore as God becomes present to us through love or knowledge, he visits us: Job 10: "Your visitation has preserved," etc. So therefore the clemency of God is great in the comparison of man to God. These can also be referred to the benefits of grace: and then in these all the mysteries of Christ are enumerated. First, of the incarnation: "What is man?" He touches on two things: namely, the cause of the incarnation, and the incarnation itself: and he says, "What is man?" For God seemed to have forgotten man when he expelled him from Paradise: he remembers man of this kind when he is brought back to that of Ps. 105: "Remember us, O Lord." And so the incarnation follows: because he "visits"; and therefore he says "or the son of man," etc. Because although he visited the whole human race, he especially visited that man assumed into the unity of the hypostasis: Heb. 2: "He never took hold of angels, but of the seed of Abraham."”

“How by his teaching regarding the form of a servant which he took upon him, did he deign to show mildly glimpses of his divinity, to receive accusations preferred against him by his own creatures, and to answer them, not with anger but with mildness and forbearance? O the excess of his long-suffering! as David was privileged still further to make such prophecies, for he speaks also concerning his human nature in the same psalm from the passage: What is man that thou art mindful of him?”

“He has made us "a little lower than the angels," I mean, by reason of death: but even that little we have now recovered. There is nothing therefore to hinder us from becoming nigh to the angels, if we will. Let us then will it, let us will it, and having exercised ourselves thoroughly, let us return honor to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, world without end, Amen.”

“Therefore was the son of man first visited in the person of the very Lord Man, born of the Virgin Mary. Of whom, by reason of the very weakness of the flesh, which the Wisdom of God vouchsafed to bear, and the humiliation of the Passion, it is justly said, "You have lowered Him a little lower than the Angels" [Psalm 8:5].”

“From here on the humility and glory of the Lord Savior is related. He was made less not because of any necessity inherent in his role as servant, but by his loving free wish; as the Apostle says, "He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant." The psalm continues with the words "a little less than angels," because Christ took up the cross to win the salvation of all, since it was for this reason that the Creator of angels was made less than angels. The words "a little less" are well stated, since he took on himself a mortal body, though he had no sin. He "was crowned with glory and honor" when, after his utterly miraculous resurrection, as God he was exalted in as much as he had been made man, and he received the trust of the whole world.”

“What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that Thou visitest him? – What is man! is the antithesis of How Excellent is Thy Name! for the latter expression is intended to magnify, but this to depreciate. He says, When I consider Thy heavens, the moon and the stars, great creations and intelligences as they are, (I exclaim) What is man! that Thou dost remember him and hast imparted to him some of the glory of the higher incorporeal intelligences; for even in the case of those that are corporeal I see their great bodily size and relative superiority, and that man is as nothing compared with them. And he says, the work of Thy fingers, and also which Thou hast ordained, to confute the scoffers who say the world is eternal; therefore he says work and Thou hast ordained, for Thou didst make them all new. And he says: I will consider of Thy heavens, although only the nearest is visible to us, because they are concentric up to the eighth, which is the sphere of the Zodiac, and because they are all transparent, as an object in a glass vessel which is visible from outside. And the learned Rabbi Abraham ben Ezra, of blessed memory, has written that the Psalmist says Thy fingers because the fingers are ten in number and the spheres are ten – seven firmaments containing the seven planets, the sphere of the Zodiac, the ninth sphere above that of the Zodiac, and the tenth the Throne of Glory. What is man that Thou art mindful of him? And the son of man that Thou visitest him? repeating the idea with a change of terms. Or he means to say by that Thou art mindful of him, that Thou didst remember him at his creation and didst impart to him some of Thy glory. And Thou visitest him – all the days of his life Thou watchest over him and his deeds to reward every man according to his ways.”

“"O Lord, our Lord, how glorious is Your name over all the earth! You have made him little less than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor." And in truth this name is admirable in so far as it refers to the eternal God, for it implies a true distinction of Persons together with unity of essence. Likewise, it is admirable in so far as it refers to God made man, because the three natures are conjoined: the highest with the lowest, without debasement; the first with the last, without alteration; the simple with the composite, without composition.”

“But there follows concerning man in comparison to the angels, to whom man is found to be close. "You have diminished him." In the angels the image of God is found through a simple intuition of truth, without inquiry; but in man through discursive reasoning; and therefore in man it is somewhat diminished. Hence it is that men are called angels: Mal. 2: "They shall seek the law from his mouth, because he is the angel of the Lord of hosts." Man is also corruptible, but only slightly; because at some time man in the fatherland will know all things without discursive reasoning; and he will be incorruptible in body: 1 Cor. 15: "This corruptible body must put on incorruption." Next he shows the clemency of God toward man by comparison with man himself, when he says "with glory and honor," etc. To be crowned belongs to kings. God made man as the king of lower things, and there is "glory," namely the brightness of the divine image: and this is a certain crown of man: 1 Cor. 11: "Man is the image and glory of God": Ps. 4: "The light of your countenance, O Lord, is signed upon us." But he is honored who is not subject to anything. For man is subject to no natural bodily creature as regards his soul, neither in his coming into being nor in his progress: not in his coming into being, because he is not produced by a creature, and he acts freely; nor does he perish with the body; and in this the honor of man consists; and therefore it says in Wis. 2: "Nor did they judge the honor of holy souls," etc., up to "he made him": Ps. 48: "Man, when he was in honor, did not understand," etc. The second is the passion. "You diminished him" on account of the passion. Heb. 2: "Him who was made a little lower than the angels," etc. In the Hebrew it reads: "And you diminish him a little from God": because he was joined to God in the unity of person; but diminished on account of the passibility he assumed. The third is the benefit of the resurrection in the honor shown to the apostles, which he enumerates through the passion: Phil. 2: "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow," etc. Jn. 5: "That all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father."”

“When it is says, "You have set him over the works of your hand," clearly the word reveals that he is set over the heavens, a man established by the God of the universe. How and when are these future things unless when the kingdom of heaven is received as an inheritance according to the promises made and according to the word of the apostle: "The heir of God and the coheirs of Christ"? So in this age, let the earthly creatures as oxen, cattle, beasts of burden, birds and fish, be subject to humankind. To humankind is reserved the life common to angels in the heavenly city of God, when people are received into the kingdom of heaven and appointed over the works of the hands of God, and they will be the rulers and protectors of all things of the heavens, the moon and stars and everything of the heavens above. The letter to the Hebrews considering this word treats the statement for the future age: "All things you have placed under his feet." For after the lower course of this life, whenever that new age comes in which the kingdom of heaven is awaited and following the glorious appearance of our Savior all things will be subjected, according to that witness that has been made by the promise from the Father to him: "Sit on my right, until I place your enemies a footstool under your feet."”

“The Father is not "among" all things, for to him it is confessed that "all things serve you." Nor is the Son reckoned "among" all things, for "all things were made by him," and "all things exist together in him, and he is above all the heavens." The Son, therefore, exists not "among" but above all things, being, indeed, after the flesh, of the people, of the Jews, but yet at the same time God over all, blessed forever, having a name that is above every name, it being said of him, "You have put all things in subjection under his feet." But in making all things subject to him, he left nothing that is not subject, even as the apostle has said.”

“But that glorifying is added, in which He rose and ascended up into heaven; "With glory," he says, "and with honour have You crowned Him; and hast set Him over the works of Your hands" [Psalm 8:6]. Since even Angels are the works of God's hands, even over Angels we understand the Only-begotten Son to have been set; whom we hear and believe, by the humiliation of the carnal generation and passion, to have been lowered a little lower than the Angels.”

“And this is a precise demonstration of your lovingkindness and power, he is saying, imbuing the lowly nature of human beings with wisdom so that they might have control over not only the land creatures but also those that fly and that swim and that do both, use their skills to hunt those in the heights and in the depths, and keep under control those that pass through the air and those hidden in the water.… Uncreated nature alone, you see, is separate from this subjection as something free. The nature that receives existence from it, however, is subject whatever it be—visible or invisible—to Christ the Lord, both as God and as man. Such is the honor human nature received from the God of all. Hence, as a conclusion he used the same verse as at the beginning: "O Lord, our Lord, how wonderful is your name in all the earth!"”

“"You have placed all things under his feet." … Just as nothing is independent of the work of the Lord, so nothing can be shown to be outside the power of Christ, since he is going to judge the world. For by saying "all things," the psalm seems to have omitted neither earthly nor heavenly things. This interpretation is in harmony with what the divine interpreter, the Apostle testifies: "In subjecting all things to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him."”

“What the psalmist said of the Father concerning our Lord as he rose from the dead, "You have put all things under his feet," is surely the same as what our Lord himself said to his disciples as he rose, "All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me." Indeed, even before he rose from the dead, the angelic virtues in heaven knew that they were rightfully subject to the human nature they saw had been specifically assumed by their Maker. Blind human beings on earth, however, disdained to be brought into subjection to one they knew had put on mortality in common with themselves; they declined to understand the divine power in his miracles, since they discerned that there was human weakness present in his sufferings.”

“For Thou hast made him but little lower than Elohim: – that is, the angels – in that the spirit of man is of the (same) quality as that of the angels, which is incorporeal just as they are incorporeal; and the inferiority consists in the fact of its (i.e. man's spirit) being (lodged) in a body. And crownest him with glory and honour – by the higher spirit which Thou hast placed in him. And by it”

“In the New Testament, after the universal scripture and the course of time, Christ was formed, as was man on the sixth day, that He may "have dominion over the fish of the sea," and "the birds of the air." As the Psalm says, "what is man that You should be mindful of him, or the son of man that You should care for him? You have made him little less than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him rule over the works of your hands, putting all things under his feet: all sheep and oxen, yes, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, the fishes of the sea," etc. And in order that it be understood of Christ, the Apostle says: "You have made him little less than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor." And there follows: "But we do see Him who was made 'a little lower than the angels,' namely, Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of His having suffered death." Man was created out of a virgin soil that had never received blood, which signifies Christ born of the Virgin; and as Eve was formed out of Adam's side, so also the Church, out of the side of Christ. But since Christ never sinned, how can Adam's transgression correspond to Him? There must be transference from the head to the body.”

“Next, when he says "you have set him," he sets forth the clemency of God toward man by comparison with those things which are below man, because he willed that man have dominion over these lower things: and concerning this he does three things. First he proposes the dominion. Second, the capacity for ruling. Third, the number of subjects. The second, at "you have subjected all things." The third, at "the sheep and the oxen." He says therefore: since man is king, you have given him dominion "over the works of your hands": Gen. 1: "That he may rule over the fish of the sea, and the birds of the air, and the beasts of the whole earth, and every creeping thing that moves upon the earth." He has this through reason, because he excels all animals: and therefore as soon as he said "with glory and honor," he added, "you have set him," that is, you gave him dominion. But note that he says man has authority over the works of the "hands," not of the "fingers"; because these are not so delicate as the heavens, which are the works of the fingers. Man cannot subject these to himself; and therefore second he shows the capacity for ruling. "All things," he says, "you have subjected," so that he might preside and rule at his will. This is signified in Gen. 2, where God brought all the animals to Adam. And this subjection was complete before sin; but some things now resist as a punishment for sin. The fourth mystery is the ascension: "You have set him over," etc. Eph. 1: "Setting him at his right hand, above every principality and power," etc. The fifth mystery is the coming for judgment: "you have subjected all things," etc., that is, you have established him as judge over all things: Heb. 2: "But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him": then all things will be subjected under his feet, that is, under his humanity, because the head of Christ is God, 1 Cor. 11. And the feet are the humanity: Jn. 5: "He gave him power to execute judgment."”

“"You have put," he says, "all things in subjection under His feet." When he says, "all things," he excepts nothing. And that he might not be allowed to understand it otherwise, the Apostle enjoins it to be believed thus, when he says, "He being excepted which put all things under Him." [1 Corinthians 15:27] And to the Hebrews he uses this very testimony from this Psalm, when he would have it to be understood that all things are in such sort put under our Lord Jesus Christ, as that nothing should be excepted. [Hebrews 2:8] And yet he does not seem, as it were, to subjoin any great thing, when he says, "All sheep and oxen, yea, moreover, the beasts of the field, birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, which walk through the paths of the sea" [Psalm 8:7]. For, leaving the heavenly excellencies and powers, and all the hosts of Angels, leaving even man himself, he seems to have put under Him the beasts merely; unless by sheep and oxen we understand holy souls, either yielding the fruit of innocence, or even working that the earth may bear fruit, that is, that earthly men may be regenerated unto spiritual richness. By these holy souls then we ought to understand not those of men only, but of all Angels too, if we would gather from hence that all things are put under our Lord Jesus Christ. For there will be no creature that will not be put under Him, under whom the pre-eminent spirits, that I may so speak, are put. But whence shall we prove that sheep can be interpreted even, not of men, but of the blessed spirits of the angelical creatures on high? May we from the Lord's saying that He had left ninety and nine sheep in the mountains, that is, in the higher regions, and had come down for one? For if we take the one lost sheep to be the human soul in Adam, since Eve even was made out of his side, [Genesis 2:21-22] for the spiritual handling and consideration of all which things this is not the time, it remains that, by the ninety and nine left in the mountains, spirits not human, but angelical, should be meant. For as regards the oxen, this sentence is easily dispatched; since men themselves are for no other reason called oxen, but because by preaching the Gospel of the word of God they imitate Angels, as where it is said, "You shall not muzzle the ox that treads out the grain." How much more easily then do we take the Angels themselves, the messengers of truth, to be oxen, when Evangelists by the participation of their title are called oxen? "You have put under" therefore, he says, "all sheep and oxen," that is, all the holy spiritual creation; in which we include that of holy men, who are in the Church, in those wine-presses to wit, which are intimated under the other similitude of the moon and stars.”

“Thou makest him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands: – i.e. the inferior beings. Or the meaning of the expression may include the higher ones also; and the dominion then consists in his knowing by his understanding the movement of the spheres and the stars. Thou hast put all things under his feet: – The lower (beings) are all under him, as it says (Gen. 9:2): “And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every fowl of the air.'””

“Third, when he says "the sheep and the oxen," etc., he enumerates the subjects: and he lists animals so that plants may be understood as well. Among the animals, some are subject according to their whole kind, namely the tame and domestic animals by their nature, that is, sheep and oxen: and he says this in the feminine, "all of them," because herds are made up especially of cows and sheep. Others are those not subject according to their whole kind: and of these some are walking creatures: and regarding this he says "moreover the beasts of the field," etc., that is, boars, deer, and the like. And in the judgment some are good: and of these some subjects are signified by sheep: 2 Kgs. 24: "These who are sheep, what have they done?" Some are prelates, and these are signified by oxen: Prov. 14: "Where there are many harvests, there the strength of the ox is manifest." Some are wicked: and of these there are three kinds: 1 Jn. 2: "Everything that is in the world is either the concupiscence of the eyes, or the concupiscence of the flesh, or the pride of life." And first he sets forth the lustful: and these are the sheep and oxen and beasts of the field, because they delight in bestial things: Joel 1: "The beasts have rotted in their dung, and the storehouses of the field are demolished." He says this because they go by the broad way, Mt. 7.”

“"Yea moreover," says he, "the beasts of the field." The addition of "moreover" is by no means idle. First, because by beasts of the plain may be understood both sheep and oxen: so that, if goats are the beasts of rocky and mountainous regions, sheep may be well taken to be the beasts of the field. Accordingly had it been written even thus, "all sheep and oxen and beasts of the field;" it might be reasonably asked what beasts of the plain meant, since even sheep and oxen could be taken as such. But the addition of "moreover" besides, obliges us, beyond question, to recognise some difference or another. But under this word, "moreover," not only "beasts of the field," but also "birds of the air, and fish of the sea, which walk through the paths of the sea" [Psalm 8:8], are to be taken in. What is then this distinction? Call to mind the "wine-presses," holding husks and wine; and the threshing-floor, containing chaff and grain; and the nets, in which were enclosed good fish and bad; and the ark of Noah, in which were both unclean and clean animals: and you will see that the Churches for a while, now in this time, unto the last time of judgment, contain not only sheep and oxen, that is, holy laymen and holy ministers, but "moreover beasts of the field, birds of the air, and birds of the sea, that walk through the paths of the sea." For the beasts of the field were very fitly understood, as men rejoicing in the pleasure of the flesh where they mount up to nothing high, nothing laborious. For the field is also "the broad way, that leads to destruction:" [Matthew 7:13] and in a field is Abel slain. [Genesis 4:8] Wherefore there is cause to fear, lest one coming down from the mountains of God's righteousness ("for your righteousness," he says, "is as the mountains of God" ) making choice of the broad and easy paths of carnal pleasure, be slain by the devil. See now too "the birds of heaven," the proud, of whom it is said, "They have set their mouth against the heaven." See how they are carried on high by the wind, "who say, We will magnify our tongue, our lips are our own, who is our Lord?" Behold too the fish of the sea, that is, the curious; who walk through the paths of the sea, that is, search in the deep after the temporal things of this world: which, like paths in the sea, vanish and perish, as quickly as the water comes together again after it has given room, in their passage, to ships, or to whatsoever walks or swims. For he said not merely, who walk the paths of the sea; but "walk through," he said; showing the very determined earnestness of those who seek after vain and fleeting things. Now these three kinds of vice, namely, the pleasure of the flesh, and pride, and curiosity, include all sins. And they appear to me to be enumerated by the Apostle John, when he says, "Love not the world; for all that is in the world is the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life." [1 John 2:15-16] For through the eyes especially prevails curiosity. To what the rest indeed belong is clear. And that temptation of the Lord Man was threefold: by food, that is, by the lust of the flesh, where it is suggested, "command these stones that they be made bread:" [Matthew 4:3] by vain boasting, where, when stationed on a mountain, all the kingdoms of this earth are shown Him, and promised if He would worship: [Matthew 4:8-9] by curiosity, where, from the pinnacle of the temple, He is advised to cast Himself down, for the sake of trying whether He would be borne up by Angels. [Matthew 4:6] And accordingly after that the enemy could prevail with Him by none of these temptations, this is said of him, "When the devil had ended all his temptation." [Luke 4:13] With a reference then to the meaning of the wine-presses, not only the wine, but the husks too are put under His feet; to wit, not only sheep and oxen, that is, the holy souls of believers, either in the laity, or in the ministry; but moreover both beasts of pleasure, and birds of pride, and fish of curiosity. All which classes of sinners we see mingled now in the Churches with the good and holy. May He work then in His Churches, and separate the wine from the husks: let us give heed, that we be wine, and sheep or oxen; not husks, or beasts of the field, or birds of heaven, or fish of the sea, which walk through the paths of the sea. Not that these names can be understood and explained in this way only, but the explanation of them must be according to the place where they are found. For elsewhere they have other meanings. And this rule must be kept to in every allegory, that what is expressed by the similitude should be considered agreeably to the meaning of the particular place: for this is the manner of the Lord's and the Apostles' teaching. Let us repeat then the last verse, which is also put at the beginning of the Psalm, and let us praise God, saying, "O Lord our Lord, how wonderful is Your name in all the earth!" For fitly, after the matter of the discourse, is the return made to the heading, whither all that discourse must be referred.”

“Flocks and cattle Heb. צנה ואלפים [equivalent to] צאן ובקר, like (Deut. 7:13), “the young of your cattle (אלפך).” צנה is an expression of industry, as (in Num. 32:24), “and enclosures for your flocks (לצנאכם)”; oveyledic in Old French, enclosures to pen the small livestock. There are many Aggadic midrashim, but they do not fit the verses.”

“Flocks and cattle: – The aleph of צֹאן (flocks) is elided in צֹנֶה, and the he of צנה is changed for aleph, as is seen in the word לצנאכם (for your flocks) (Num. 32:24). And he says flocks and cattle because they grow up with him, and are serviceable for his work and for his food and for his clothing. And the flocks include sheep and goats, and the cattle (אלפים) are the oxen. And he says all of them – with reference to the rest of the animals that grow up with him the horses and asses and camels. And he says And also beasts of the field: – meaning the wild creatures of the field. And he adds And also, for also over them, that do not grow up with him about his dwelling, he has dominion through his understanding and his cunning devices against them. And he says further:”

“Some are flying creatures, that is, birds: and some are swimming creatures, that is, fish. Second, the proud, the birds: Mt. 13: "The birds of the air devoured it": Dt. 32: "They shall be devoured by birds with a most bitter bite." Third, the greedy, who "traverse the paths of the sea," literally; or of the world: Ps. 11: "The wicked walk round about": Job 1: "I have gone around the earth, and walked through it."”

“Fowl of heaven and fish of the sea: – He says: Even over those which are not in the earth with him, as the fowl which flies in the air, and the fishes which swim in the waters, he rules over all and snares them by his cunning devices. And further, by his understanding and his cunning devices He passes over the paths of the sea: – in that he makes ships and passes in them over the paths of the sea.”

“Just as God is admirable for the eminence of his majesty, so he is shown to be admirable from his clemency; and therefore he concludes with wonder: "Lord, our Lord," etc. Yet it should be known that this Psalm is circular, because it has the same verse at the beginning and at the end. Some are semicircular, because they do not repeat the whole verse, but a part; such as "Bless the Lord, O my soul," whose end is "in every place of his dominion."”

“O Lord, our Sovereign Lord, How Excellent is Thy Name in all the earth! – He returns once more to praise when he has finished the recital of the loving kindnesses which He (God) shews towards man, and the power He has given him over all; and because, though he is small and of no account in comparison with the great creatures on high, he is their equal in understanding. (And so) he returns to praise and says, O Lord, our Sovereign Lord, etc.”