The interpretation timeline

Ps 61:1

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

From the early Church Fathers to now.

2 Patristic · 1 Jewish

Ps 61:1 · Douay-Rheims
“Unto the end, for Idithun, a psalm of David.”
Patristic before A.D. 750
430
A.D.
Augustine of Hippo Patristic
A.D. 354–430
“From him truly is patience, true patience, holy patience, religious patience, right patience; Christian patience is a gift of God. For many robbers also suffer most patiently; and while not yielding and overcoming the torturer, afterwards are punished with eternal fire. The cause distinguishes the martyr from patience, or rather, from the hardness of the wicked. The punishment is the same, but the cause is different. We sang with the voice of the martyrs (for Vincent had said these things in his prayers): Judge me, O God, and distinguish my cause from an unholy nation. His cause is distinguished: because he fought for truth, for justice, for God, for Christ, for faith, for the unity of the Church, for indivisible charity. Who granted him this patience? Who? Let the Psalm tell us. For it is read there, it is sung there: Will not my soul be subject to God? From him indeed is my patience. Whoever thinks that Saint Vincent could do these things by his own strength is greatly mistaken. For whoever presumes that he can do this by his own strength, even if he seems to conquer through patience, is overcome by pride. To conquer well is to conquer all machines. When it offers allurements, it is conquered by continence: when it inflicts punishments and torments, it is conquered by patience: when it suggests errors, it is conquered by wisdom.”
Source
430
A.D.
Augustine of Hippo Patristic
A.D. 354–430
“The title of it is, "Unto the end, in behalf of Idithun, a Psalm to David himself." I recollect that already to you hath been explained what Idithun is. ...Let us see how far he hath leaped over, and whom he hath "leaped over," and in what place, though he hath leaped over certain men, he is situate, whence as from a kind of spiritual and secure position he may behold what is below. ...He being set, I say, in a certain fortified place, doth say, "Shall not my soul be subject to God?" [Psalm 62:1]. For he had heard, "He that doth exalt himself shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted:" and fearful lest by leaping over he should be proud, not elated by those things which were below, but humble because of Him that was above; to envious men, as it were threatening to him a fall, who were grieved that he had leaped over, he hath made answer, "Shall not my soul be subject to God?" ..."For from Himself is my salvation."”
Source
675 years pass — nothing from this stretch is hosted yet
Scholastic c. 1100 – 1500
1105
A.D.
Rashi Jewish
1040–1105
“on jeduthun The name of a musical instrument. The Midrash Aggadah, though, [explains it to mean]: concerning the ordinances (דתות) and laws that are decreed upon Israel by their enemies.”
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.