Psalm 29 — I will extol you, O Lord

^29:1^ A psalm of a song, at the dedication of David’s house. ^29:2^ I will extol you, O Lord, for you have upheld me, and have not made my enemies to rejoice over me.

^29:3^ O Lord my God, I have cried to you, and you have healed me. ^29:4^ You have brought forth, O Lord, my soul from hell; you have saved me from those who go down into the pit.

^29:5^ Sing to the Lord, O you his saints, and give praise to the memory of his holiness.

^29:6^ For wrath is in his indignation; and life in his good will. In the evening weeping shall have place, and in the morning gladness.

^29:7^ And in my abundance I said, “I shall never be moved.” ^29:8^ O Lord, in your favor, you gave strength to my beauty. You turned away your face from me, and I became troubled.

^29:9^ To you, O Lord, will I cry and I will make supplication to my God.

^29:10^ What profit is there in my blood, while I go down to corruption? Shall dust confess to you, or declare your truth?

^29:11^ The Lord has heard, and has had mercy on me; the Lord became my helper. ^29:12^ You have turned for me my mourning into joy; you have cut my sackcloth, and have compassed me with gladness,

^29:13^ to the end that my glory may sing to you, and I may not regret. O Lord my God, I will give praise to you forever.

264. In the preceding psalm, the prophet exhorted others to give thanks; now here he himself gives thanks.

The title is a psalm of a song at the dedication of David’s house. As was said above, the Psalms are said to be of songs which were first sung and afterwards came the psalm with the psaltery, as though it refers to a psalm following after a song. (See above, Psalm 4.) But we read that David did not dedicate the house of God, since he was forbidden to do so by the Lord through Nathan (2 Sam 7). But this does not speak about the house of the Lord but the house of David. It can be read in 2 Samuel 5 that, after the death of Saul, he took Jerusalem and there built his house. And it was customary that when someone entered his house, he would have a solemn celebration. And it can be said that this psalm was sung by David himself when he first entered his new house to live there.

Nevertheless, it can be understood better as referring to the house of David, that is, Christ, who is the head of the Church and his body. It is written above, for the finishing of the tabernacle (Ps 28:1); but here, at the dedication of the house.

A tabernacle is for those fighting, and so the present Church is called a tabernacle. Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men (Rev 21:3).

A house is for resting, so the Church awaits the rest of the fatherland. We shall go into the house of the Lord (Ps 121:1).

Each of these had their construction, which corresponds to the arrangement of his Incarnation, and a dedication, which took place at his Resurrection when the body of Christ was brought into the glory of immortality.

Above, the body of Christ continues to be constructed through the conversion of the faithful; it will be dedicated when it will be in glory.

This psalm is divided into two parts.

In the first, he remembers the favors for which he gives thanks in general;

second, in particular, at and I said.

He makes two points in regard to the first.

First, he gives thanks for his own proper favors.

Second, he invites others to give thanks for those enjoyed in common, at sing to the Lord, O you his saints.

He makes three points regarding his own proper gifts.

First, he gives thanks.

Second, he remembers the favors, at for you have upheld me.

Third, he explains, at O Lord, my God.

Therefore, he says, I will extol you, O Lord, not by making you higher but by confessing and praising your height. Blessing the Lord, exalt him as much as you can (Sir 43:33).

And he assigns two favors for which he should be exalted:

one, on the part of God;

and the other, on the part of his enemies.

The second is the effect of the first.

On the part of God is that you have upheld me, in your protection, since he chose and protected him, as is in 1 Samuel 16, even to the end.

Or God upheld the just when he united those to himself who cling to him through the union of charity. But he united Christ the man to himself by taking him into perfect unity. But you, O Lord, are my protector (Ps 3:4).

On the part of his enemies is that you have not made my enemies to rejoice over me. For it is not very hateful for enemies to rejoice about him, since they do not rejoice except in their own evil, and no one desires evil except to one hated by oneself. If you give to your soul her desires, she will make you a joy to your enemies (Sir 18:31).

But it is certain that David did not come to be a joy to his enemies, since Saul did not accomplish his aim concerning him.

But this does not seem to be about Christ. Vah, you who destroy the temple of God (Matt 27:40). Also, the evil do insult just men and rejoice over them. *But now the younger in time scorn me. . . . Now I am turned into their song, and am become their byword (*Job 30:1, 9).

But it must be said that, although the Jews did rejoice over Christ during that hour, they did not in the end, since his name grew much stronger when Christ arose. Rejoice not, you, my enemy, over me, because I am fallen (Mich 7:8).

265. Afterwards, when he says, O Lord my God, I have cried to you, he shows how he was delivered:

first, from interior evils;

second, from exterior, at you have brought forth, O Lord.

Interior evil is infirmity, either bodily or spiritual. These two could be both in David and in us, but in Christ there was only the bodily infirmity, because of his passibility. (Cf. ST III, q. 15, a. 2, ad 1.)

And so he says, I, namely David, have cried*. *In my trouble I cried to the Lord and he heard me (Ps 119:1). Likewise, Christ cried, and insofar as he is God he is the hearer. With a strong cry and tears (Heb 5:7).

It follows: and you have healed me. He says this out of either infirmity, but Christ was healed only from bodily passibility.

Afterwards, he says that he was delivered from exterior evils: you have brought forth, O Lord, my soul from hell.

First is from those which were actually threatening him;

and second, from those from which he was preserved: you have saved me.

Therefore, he says, you have brought forth, O Lord, my soul from hell.

This cannot be understood literally about David, since he was not yet brought forth from hell when the psalm said this. It can be understood about him according to metaphor, since he was delivered from mortal danger.

But it is understood according to the literal sense about Christ, whose soul was brought forth from hell by God. Because you will not leave my soul in hell (Ps 15:10).

Also, it fits those whom Christ resurrected. You also by the blood of your testament have sent forth your prisoners out of the pit, wherein is no water (Zech 9:11).

Second, he speaks about his preservation from mortal danger when he adds, you have saved me from those who go down into the pit.

Literally, a pit is understood to be a cave, for it was the ancient custom to be buried in deep caves. You have saved me, he says, from those who go down into the pit, as if to say, “You have delivered me from danger of death.”

But it is best expounded about Christ, since by the pit eternal damnation can be understood, because although Christ descended into hell, nevertheless he did not descend there to be damned, but to deliver those who were in the pit. As if to say, “You have given it to me that I am not made like those who descend into the pit.” I am become a man without help, free among the dead (Ps 87:5–6).

Or he says, into the pit, that is, into sin, for he was immune from sin.

266. Afterwards, when he says, sing to the Lord, O you his saints, he first leads others to give thanks.

Second, he remembers the favors, at for wrath is in his indignation.

Here he makes two points:

first, he shows who owes thanks to God;

second, for what, at give praise.

Therefore, he says, sing. Behold how the psalm is of a song. Sing, I say, you saints. Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner (Sir 15:9). Give praise to our God, all you his servants (Rev 19:5).

But for what? Give praise, by giving thanks, for the memory of his holiness. One way in which for the memory of his holiness can be understood is that God remembers us. I remembered you (Jer 2:2).

He says, of his holiness. And this can be understood in two ways:

either that this memory came into being from holiness, that is, from his own mercy and goodness: be holy because I am holy (Lev 11:44);

or that the memory is of us so that he may make us holy. I am the Lord who sanctifies you (Lev 20:8).

In another way, to the memory can be ours since we remember the holiness of God. As if to say, “Give praise by remembering his holiness.” I will remember the tender mercies of the Lord (Isa 63:7).

267. Second, when he says, for wrath is in his indignation, he remembers the favors shown to all.

Here he makes two points.

First, he describes those favors which concern the clemency of God.

Second, he shows a sign of the clemency itself, at in the evening.

Therefore, he says, for wrath is in his indignation. The mercy of God is not without justice, and so he puts justice first; mercy, second.

He refers to justice when he says, for wrath is in his indignation. Here, wrath should be understood to indicate the effects of wrath, that is, vengeance, because indignation is not used to indicate the emotion of anger in God, but the justice of God according to which he detests the wicked. (Cf. ST I, q. 3, a. 2, ad 2.) To God the wicked and his wickedness are hateful alike (Wis 14:9). As if to say, “In his indignation, that is, in the justice of God judging sin by wrath—that is, vengeance.”

Jerome more plainly says, for his wrath is for a moment, as if to say, “If he is ever angry, it is for a brief time to correct.” In a moment of indignation I have hidden (Isa 54:8). I desire not the death of he who dies (Ezek 18:32). Jerome has, life is in his propitiation, as if to say, “He punished for a moment and afterwards is propitiated and gives life.” He strikes, and his hands shall heal (Job 5:18).

Now, according to the literal sense he shows a sign of his clemency and mercy when he adds, in the evening weeping shall have place, as if to say, “He will lead you from sorrow to consolation in a brief time,” since if someone is sad in the evening, he will be joyful by morning.

A triple reason can be given for why sorrow is in the evening but joy is in the morning.

The first comes from exterior order, since evening is the beginning of darkness which saddens, but there is light in the morning which brings gladness. So the blind sing to be glad. What manner of joy shall be to me, who sit in darkness, and see not the light of heaven? (Tob 5:12).

The second is from the interior, for morning is the hour of blood by which a man is disposed to gladness, but evening is the hour of black bile, by which a man is disposed to sorrow.

The third is from the nature of sleep. For sleep is the rest of animals, and so sorrow is quieted by sleep.

Mystically, the text is clear, since the sorrow of the Lord in the tomb was in the evening so that the faithful wept for the death of Christ. But in the morning gladness because of the announcement of the Resurrection.

If this is applied to the whole human race, then in the evening, that is, at the sin of the first parents, there was weeping, since, as Genesis 3 says, the sun was moving past noon when Adam sinned. And this weeping cannot be said to be brief, since its remnants remain even after the healing of grace.

But in the morning, that is, in Christ, is gladness.

Or, in the evening is when the spiritual light begins to fade in man and there is weeping in him, but when it rekindles in him, then there is gladness. In the morning I will stand before you and I shall see (Ps 5:5).

268. And in my abundance. Above, he gave thanks for the divine favors, but here he describes the whole order of why this is fitting.

Here he makes three points.

First, he describes the progress of his approach;

second, his return to prayer: to you, O Lord, will I cry.

Third, he shows the hearing of his prayer, at the Lord has heard.

According to the gloss, the first should be understood about Christ and any man.

First, let us explain how it can be understood about any man. Pride is the beginning of all sin (Sir 10:15). And so, in the progress in his approach,

first, the presumption of trusting in oneself is mentioned,

second, the falsity of presumption, at O Lord, in your favor.

Third is the punishment of presumption, at you turned away your face from me.

Therefore, he says, and I said, that is, I presumed in my heart, in my abundance, in bodily prosperity, I shall never be moved, that is, I shall not fail. I shall sit, a queen (Rev 18:7). In the day of good things be not unmindful of evils (Sir 11:27).

Or he says, in my abundance of spiritual goods, as Adam was in paradise. Full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty in pleasure (Ezek 28:12–1). And in this abundance, they say, I shall not be moved. Against this is said, he who thinks himself to stand, let him take heed lest he fall (1 Cor 10:12).

He shows the falsity of this presumption when he says, O Lord, in your favor, you gave strength to my beauty. Temporal prosperity is a beauty to man, so it is compared to a blossom. All flesh is grass (Isa 40:6). Now this beauty of his nature does not have the strength to be measured. As the flower of the grass shall he pass away. For the sun rose with a burning heat, and parched the grass, and the flower thereof fell off, and the beauty of the shape thereof perished (Jas 1:10–11).

But from where does he have strength and firmness and constancy? Certainly, from the favor of God. And so he said, but presumptuously, that I will not be moved. But it is not so; on the contrary, as long as it pleased you, you gave strength to my beauty. These will be well perpetually, since in the fatherland these are eternal in the saints, but here they exist at his will.

Likewise, beauty can be understood as spiritual virtue. Strength and beauty are her clothing (Prov 31:25). Of itself this nature is not strong, since we have this beauty in earthen vessels (2 Cor 4:7). Stay you in the city till you be endued with power from on high (Luke 24:49). And so he says, you gave strength to my beauty, but in your favor. He has favor on whom he will (Rom 9:18).

And he proves this through its effect, since when you turned away your face from me, I perished. Now, God is said to turn his face away from man so that he might not see him or so that he might not be seen by him. Now, he sees all things with simple vision and knowledge but some with the vision of mercy. Look upon me and have mercy on me (Ps 24:16). You, therefore, turned away your face from me, so as not to have mercy on me. And immediately I became troubled, either by spiritually falling into sin or temporally into adversity.

Or, you turned away your face from me, so as not to be seen by me. And the text of Jerome seems to say this. In any adversities, it is strength to man to have eyes turned towards God. I remembered God, and was delighted (Ps 76:4). Therefore, you have turned away from me so that I might not see you, and I became troubled.

But if it is explained about Christ, then in this, I said, “I shall never be moved,” he is not presumptuous, but it comes from certain knowledge in my abundance, that is, of virtue and grace. We saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only begotten of the Father (John 1:14).

I shall never be moved from the will of God. I always do the things that please him (John 8:29). And this is because you gave strength to my beauty, by causing wonders and by resisting my adversaries. Who was predestined the Son of God in power (Rom 1:4).

And when you turned away your face from me is clear: in my Passion. O God my God . . . why have you forsaken me? (Ps 21:2). I became troubled, not in my reason, but in sensuality. Now is my soul troubled (John 12:27).

269. To you, O Lord. Afterwards, he returns to prayer when he says, to you, O Lord, will I cry.

And first, he puts down the prayer.

Second, he gives the reason, at what profit.

Third, he shows that the prayer is heard: the Lord has heard.

He makes two points in his prayer.

First, he prays for the removal of evil;

second, to receive the good, at and I will make supplication to my God.

Therefore, he says, to you, O Lord, will I cry, so that cry is understood as a prayer which is made for the removal of evil: in Christ’s case, of the Passion; in the sinner, for the removal of sin; in man, of adversity.

And I will make supplication to my God. Supplication is for a good to be given. Christ makes supplication for glory, the sinner for grace, the afflicted man for prosperity.

Or, cry is referred to affliction of heart and supplication to the assiduity of the prayer. The continual prayer of a just man avails much (Jas 5:16).

270. Afterwards, when he says, what profit is there in my blood while I go down to corruption?, he indicates the reason in two ways:

first, in general;

second, in particular, at shall dust confess?

Therefore, he says, what profit is there in my blood? If it is explained as about Christ, the greatest profit is found in Christ’s blood, which shall be shed for many unto remission of sins (Matt 26:28). But if he had not been brought back to life quickly, but his Resurrection had been delayed until the end of the world, there would have been no profit in it, nor would there have been if his body had been totally putrefied.

But would not the Passion have sufficed for salvation? Yes. (Cf. ST III, q. 53, a. 1.) But if this had not happened, that is, if he had not risen, and quickly, his divinity would not have been believed, and so there would have been no profit for men that followed.

He shows this in particular, saying, shall dust confess to you?

Dust can be spoken about in two ways.

In one way, the dust of the sinner is understood. Like the dust, which the wind drives from the face of the earth (Ps 1:4).

Sinners, who are dust, have reached two goods through the death of Christ.

The first is that they may confess their sins. Now when they heard these things, they had compunction in their heart (Acts 2:37). And so he says, shall dust confess to you? If I, the sinner, descend into the corruption of putrefaction, then no.

Another good is the confession of the truth of the faith, so: or shall it declare your truth? Or, shall the dust, crumbling off from the body, be the sort of matter that will make the people confess the truth to you through the apostles, or the apostles themselves confess your truth?

If it is explained about man, then, shall it confess?, that is, if I die, I shall not be able to praise you.

271. Third, when he says, the Lord has heard, he shows that his prayer is heard.

First is described its hearing,

second, the manner of its hearing, at and has had mercy;

and third, the fruit: that it may sing.

He said above, I will cry, but here he says that he has been heard: for the Lord has heard, since he has answered. And it shall come to pass that before they call, I will hear; as they are yet speaking, I will hear (Isa 65:24). Father, I give you thanks that you have heard me, and I knew that you hear me always (John 11:41–42).

Afterwards, the manner is described: and he has had mercy on me.

First, he shows the manner itself.

Second, he explains it, at you have turned my mourning into joy.

The gloss says, I will cry, against evil, and I will make supplication for the good, and I have been heard in both.

In regard to the first, he has had mercy on me by removing the whole evil of punishment.

In regard to the second, the Lord became my helper. And I have reached immortal glory. My helper and my protector: in him has my heart confided, and I have been heard. And my flesh has flourished (Ps 27:7).

He explains the manner when he says, you have turned for me my mourning into joy. As spoken about Christ, he says two things.

First, the change from evil to good is shown in regard to the interior;

second, in regard to the exterior, at you have cut.

Christ had great sorrow interiorly at the time of the Passion, since my soul is sorrowful (Matt 26:38). And also in those who belonged to him: you shall lament and weep (John 16:20). He says this lamentation has been changed into the joy of the Resurrection. In regard to himself, in your strength, O Lord, the king, namely Christ, shall joy (Ps 20:2); and in regard to those who belonged to him, since the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord (John 20:20).

Second is shown that a change is made from evil things to good things in exterior things, since you have cut my sackcloth. Sackcloth is an austere cloth and it is put on the loins in the time of sorrow, and it is made from the hair of goats. So the flesh of Christ is sackcloth insofar as it has a likeness to the flesh of sin. For the goat and the kid signify sinners, since they were offered for sins, as the gloss says. You have cut my sackcloth, that is, you pierced me through with nails and a lance, and you have restored immortality to me, and so he says, you have compassed.

Or this can be understood about any just man whose mourning is changed to joy. Your sorrow will be turned into joy (John 16:20). After weeping and tears, you pour in joyfulness (Tob 3:22).

272. Afterwards, when he says, to the end that my glory may sing to you, the fruit of being heard is described.

Now the fruit is the glory of God, and it can be understood to result in the glory of God in two ways:

either about the glory of the Resurrection of Christ

or about the glory of the saints.

So he says, my glory, given to me in the resurrection or given to the saints in the fatherland, may sing to you, that is, my praise is to you. That your son may glorify you (John 17:1).

And this is forever, so he says, O Lord my God, I will give praise to you forever. Blessed are those who dwell in your house . . . they shall praise you for ever and ever (Ps 83:5).