Commentary on the Psalms 1 part 42/42

For who, being instructed in the ways of the blessed Paul, or the marvellous Peter, or the most divine John, or the other apostles, or the victorious martyrs, or the other saints, or those who now are athletes of virtue, does not move his tongue to hymnody of Him who bestowed upon men so great an abundance of good things? 'Praise Him in the firmament of His power.' But Symmachus renders it thus:

'Praise Him in the firmament that cannot be overthrown.'

For He alone has power that is firm, imperishable, and eternal.

'Praise Him for His mighty acts.' For ineffable are the things continually accomplished through His holy ones.

'Praise Him according to the multitude of His greatness.'

This resembles the things already interpreted by us: 'For of His greatness there is no end.' For infinite, he says, is His magnitude, immeasurable His power;

therefore, on account of all things, continue unceasingly to sing His praise.

'Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet.' This was a priestly instrument;

for the priests used the trumpets, calling to remembrance the trumpets that sounded on Mount Sinai.

'Praise Him with the psaltery and harp.'

[Sections 5, 6.] 'Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;

praise Him with strings and instrument.'

'Praise Him with sweet-sounding cymbals, praise Him with cymbals of jubilation.' Of old the Levites used these instruments in the divine temple, singing the praise of God;

not because God was delighted by their sound, but because He approved the aim of what was being done.

For that the Deity is not delighted by songs and playing, we hear Him saying to the Jews:

'Take away from Me the sound of your songs, and I will not hear the voice of your instruments.' These things, then, He permitted to be done, wishing to deliver them from the error of idols.

For since some were fond of play and laughter, and all these things were performed in the temples of idols, He permitted these things, drawing them by these means, and by the lesser harm preventing the greater, and by imperfect things training them beforehand for the perfect.

'Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.' Not the Jews only, but all men.

For He is not the God of the Jews only, according to the divine Apostle, but also of the nations.

Now in the one hundred and forty-fourth psalm he said:

'Let all flesh bless His holy name.' But here, 'Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.' Neither there did he call upon flesh alone, nor here upon breath alone;

but through the one and through the other, he exhorts men to sing the praise of the God of all with both body and soul.

And admirable is the conclusion of the whole treatise of the psalms, agreeing also with the aim of the prophecy.

For indeed the prophecy proclaims salvation to the nations, and the conclusion of the prophecy exhorts those who have obtained it to sing the praise of their Benefactor.

But we not only hear the words, but here also behold the deeds.

For in every city and village and field, in the outlying parts and mountains and hills, and in the uninhabited and utterly desolate wilderness, the God of all is sung in praise.

And I exhort those who encounter this book, if it should seem to be well and rightly interpreted, to reap the benefit that comes from these things.

But if anywhere we have not attained to the hidden mysteries of the Spirit, not to blame us too severely.

For what we were able to find, we have set forth ungrudgingly for all, and what we were taught by the Fathers, we have been zealous to hand on to those who come after us.

And the labour indeed we ourselves have endured, but to others we offer the benefit without their labour.

Whom I ask to recompense our labour with prayers;

that, supported by these, we may add to our words our deeds, and may reap the blessedness which is composed of both.

the kingdom of heaven. Which may it come to pass that we all attain, in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father belongs glory, together with the Holy Spirit, unto the ages.