The interpretation timeline

Ps 146:3

How this passage has been read — the sources, oldest to newest.

From the early Church Fathers to now.

1 Patristic · 1 Jewish · 1 Catholic · 1 Reformed

Ps 146:3 · Douay-Rheims
“Who healeth the broken of heart, and bindeth up their bruises.”
Patristic before A.D. 750
430
A.D.
Augustine of Hippo Patristic
A.D. 354–430
“How doth He gather? What doeth He in order to gather? "Who healeth the bruised in heart" (ver. 3). Behold the way in which the dispersions of Israel are gathered, by the healing of the bruised in heart. They who are not of a bruised heart, are not healed. What is to bruise the heart? Let it be known, brethren, let it be done, that ye may be able to be healed. For it is told in many other places of Scripture; ..."the sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit, a bruised and contrite heart God will not despise." He healeth then the bruised in heart, for He draweth nigh unto them to heal them; as is said in another place, "the Lord is nigh unto them who have bruised their heart." Who are they that have "bruised their heart"? The humble. Who are they that have not "bruised their heart"? The proud. The bruised heart shall be healed, the puffed up heart shall be dashed down. For for this purpose perhaps is it dashed down, that being bruised it may be healed. Let not our heart then, brethren, desire to be set upright, before it be upright. It is ill for that to be uplifted which is not first corrected. ... What are the means whereby He "bindeth up their bruises"? Just as physicians bind up fractures. For sometimes (observe this, beloved; it is well known to those who have observed it, or have heard it from physicians), sometimes when limbs are sound, but are crooked and distorted, physicians break them in order to set them straight, and make a new wound, because the soundness which was distorted was amiss. ... What are these means whereby He bindeth? The sacraments of this present life, whereby in the mean time we obtain our comfort: and all the words we speak to you, words which sound and pass away, all that is done in the Church in this present time, are the means whereby "He bindeth up our bruises." For just as, when the limb has become perfectly sound, the physician taketh off the bandage; so in our own city Jerusalem, when we shall have been made equal to the Angels, think ye that we shall receive there, what we have received here? Will it be needful then that the Gospel be read to us, that our faith may abide? or that hands be laid upon us by any Bishop? All these are means of binding up fractures; when we have attained perfect soundness, they will be taken off; but we should never attain it, if they were not bound up.”
Source
737 years pass — nothing from this stretch is hosted yet
Scholastic c. 1100 – 1500
1167
A.D.
Ibn Ezra Jewish
1089–1167
“"He who heals the broken-hearted" - They are the mourners of Zion. "And bandages" - [this word is] like that [which it says]: "...they were not sprinkled [with medicinal herbs] and they were not bandaged/wrapped up..." (Isaiah 1:6). And Rabbi Yitzchak the Spaniard says that [this phrase is referring] to [how God "bandages" and fashions] their design, like the expression used by Yishmael and others like him: "Your hands designed me..." (Iyov 10:8). And in my opinion, [the meaning is] that He is like one who touches them, that he touches that which is very saddening for them.”
Source
682 years pass — nothing from this stretch is hosted yet
Post-Reformation c. 1650 – 1900
1849
A.D.
1774–1849
“Bruises. God delivered the captives, after chastising them, Deuteronomy xxxii. 39. (Calmet) — He gives life to the penitent, as Christ healed the sick, &c., Isaias lxi. 1. (Berthier)”
1871
A.D.
1871
“Though applicable to the captive Israelites, this is a general and precious truth. wounds--(Compare Margin).”
Modern · 1953 →

The in-app commentary runs from the Fathers to the early-modern record, then stops — that's where the public-domain sources end, not where the reading does. For the modern reading, follow the sources directly.