From the early Church Fathers to now.
6 Patristic · 2 Catholic
“The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart: and he will save the humble of spirit.”
“He who says that affliction is not proper to the just says nothing else than that an adversary is not proper for the athlete. But what occasions for crowns will the athlete have who does not struggle?”
“It often happens that the righteous are put to the test in extreme troubles and severe tribulations.… Even if they are tested by many troubles and many tribulations, God allowing this to their advantage, he nevertheless definitely frees them from the troubles, not allowing them to be overcome by the disasters in the end.… He rescues them after allowing the tribulations for a while to their advantage, keeps those in the midst of tribulations free from harm and preserves their strength completely.”
“"Many are the troubles of the righteous" (ver. 19): doth He say, "Therefore let Christians be righteous, therefore let them hear My Word, that they may suffer no tribulation? He promiseth not this; but saith, "Many are the troubles of the righteous." Rather, if they be unrighteous they have fewer troubles, if righteous they have many. But after few tribulations, or none, these shall come to tribulation everlasting, whence they shall never be delivered: but the righteous after many tribulations shall come to peace everlasting, where they shall never suffer any evil. "Many are the tribulations of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of all."”
“While God allows them to descend into the arena of tribulations, he comes to their assistance and renders them superior to the calamities besetting them, confirming their resolve and making it strong.”
“The afflictions of the just are certainly many, for the devil pursues them with great power and people also often oppress them out of jealousy. The wicked can be afflicted sometimes too, if they suffer something adverse by themselves, but the just are oppressed both by their own sufferings and when they share in those of others through love.”
“Next he presents the impending danger, because "many are the tribulations of the just": Lam. 1: "Many are my groans," etc. 2 Tim. 3: "All who wish to live devoutly in Christ will suffer persecution." And they endure these tribulations from persecutors: Ps. 118: "Many are those who persecute me and trouble me." Likewise, from the company of those whom they see sinning, they grieve: 2 Pet. 2: "Dwelling among them, they tormented the just soul from day to day with their wicked works." Likewise, from the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the enemy: Gal. 5: "The flesh desires against the spirit," etc. Next, when he says, "And from all these he will deliver them," he presents the help given to them. Now they are helped in two ways. First, so that they are completely delivered; and with regard to this he says, "And from all these the Lord will deliver them." Second, so that they do not succumb to tribulations; and with regard to this he says, "The Lord guards," etc. He says therefore, "And from all these tribulations the Lord will deliver them," partly here, but perfectly in the future, when (Rev. 7) "they shall neither hunger nor thirst anymore," etc. Sir. 51: "You have delivered me according to the multitude of the mercy of your name": 2 Macc. 1: "Delivered from great dangers by God, we give him great thanks."”
“Them. Hebrew, “broken-hearted;” to the humble and distressed. (Haydock) — God is very near to such. (Calmet) (Psalm l. 19., and xc. 15.) See St. Polycarp, Epistle to the Philippians ii.”
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.