Ps 39:4

“"Blessed is that man that makes the name of the Lord his trust, and has not respected vanities or lying madnesses" [Psalm 40:4]. Behold the way by which you would fain have gone. Behold the "multitude that fill the Broad way." It is not without reason "that" road leads to the amphitheatre. It is not without reason it leads to Death. The "broad way" leads unto death, [Matthew 7:13] its breadth delights for time: its end is straitness to all eternity. Aye; but the multitudes murmur; the multitudes are rejoicing together; the multitudes are hastening along; the multitudes are flocking together! Do not thou imitate them; do not turn aside after them: they are "vanities, and lying madnesses." Let the Lord your God be your hope. Hope for nothing else from the Lord your God; but let the Lord your God Himself be your hope. For many persons hope to obtain from God's hands riches, and many perishable and transitory honours; and, in short, anything else they hope to obtain at God's hands, except only God Himself. But do thou seek after your God Himself: nay, indeed, despising all things else, make your way unto Him! Forget other things, remember Him. Leave other things behind, and "press forward" [Philippians 3:14] unto Him. Surely it is He Himself, who set you right, when turned away from the right path; who, now that you are set in the right path, guides you aright, who guides you to your destination. Let Him then be your hope, who both guides you, and guides you to your destination. Whither does worldly covetousness lead you? And to what point does it conduct you at the last? Thou at first desired a farm; then you would possess an estate; you would shut out your neighbours; having shut them out, you set your heart on the possessions of other neighbours; and extended your covetous desires till you had reached the shore: arriving at the shore, thou covet the islands: having made the earth your own, you would haply seize upon heaven. Leave thou all your loves. He who made heaven and earth is more beautiful than all.”

“The fruit will be beatitude; hence he says, "Blessed is the man whose hope is the name of the Lord." And first the fruit is presented, which is beatitude, and to whom it is owed, namely to those who cling to God. And therefore he first presents the true opinion and excludes the false. The true opinion is that beatitude is only in those who have hope in him: Is. 30: "Blessed are all who wait for him"; and therefore he says, "Blessed is the man whose hope is the name of the Lord." This name, Jesus, is the true hope, because in him is salvation. Hence that person is blessed who does not expect temporal things from him, but the eternal salvation which his name indicates. Hence those who await the salvation of God are beatified. Or, "Blessed is the man whose hope is the name of the Lord," that is, whose hope is the invocation of the name of the Lord: Ps. 19: "Some trust in chariots and some in horses; but we invoke the name of the Lord our God." The false opinion is that beatitude consists in temporal things or in the worship of idols; and he excludes this when he says, "He has not looked upon vanity," that is, upon temporal things and pleasures--in which are included all things pertaining to pleasures and temporal goods: Eccl. 1: "Vanity of vanities," etc. The second he excludes when he says, "Nor upon false madness," that is, the worship of idols, in which certain false things were fabricated, such as that men would become gods. Likewise, there were many wanton practices and impurities and cruelties exercised there: Wis. 14: "While they rejoice, they go mad." Likewise, they were false because they were based on falsehood and not founded upon divine power, which did not befit them: Amos 3: "Assemble upon the mountains of Samaria and see the many madnesses in the midst of it." To this category belong all vain and harmful superstitions, such as necromancy, divinations, and auguries. Or, "madness" means anger, quarreling, or the vain spectacles of games.”

“New. Excellent. (Haydock) — I was before uttering complaints, now I give thanks with joy, for my health and conversion. (Calmet) — Song. Hebrew, “Praise.” The penitent changes his language, which is no longer understood by worldlings. (Berthier) — Many. St. Augustine reads, the just, who take part in the welfare of their brethren, (Psalm xxxi. 11.) while the wicked are filled with alarm, at the ways of God; who humbles or exalts people as he pleases. (Calmet)”