The Homilies of Saint Jerome, Volume 1 (1–59 on the Psalms)

58. Homily 58 On Psalm 148

HOMILY 58 ON PSALM 148 IIHERE IS A DOUBLE 'alleluia' in the title of this psalm, and many suppose that the two alleluias constitute the title. We ought to know, however, that one alleluia marks the close of the preceding psalm and the other the beginning of this. We must learn the rule that all psalms that commence with an alleluia, also end with an alleluia.! Many are of the opinion that a subjoined alleluia indicates the beginning of another psalm, but that is not so, for the psalm that opens with alleluia, likewise, closes with an alleluia. Why am I drawing your attention to this matter? So that you may know why there are two alleluias at the head of this psalm. 'Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights.' To praise God, human nature alone does not suffice ; the heavens, too, join in His praise. 'Praise the Lord from the heavens.' The psalmist did not mean, praise, 0 heavens; but, you who are in heaven give praise, you who dwell in heaven: thrones, dominations, powers, seraphim, cherubim, and 'every name that is named, not only in this world, but also that which is to come.'2 'Praise the Lord from the heavens.' You who are in the heights, praise Him in the heights. You who are on high, praise the Most High. He did not say this to the lowly and those established below, but to you who are on the summits. 'Praise him, all you his angels.' Do you notice the order of 1 Cf. Commentarioli in ps. 104.1. 2 Eph. 1.21. 416 HOMILY 58 417 the angels? First named are the thrones; thrones are seats. Let us not suppose that they are chairs upon which God remains seated; but that they are some heavenly powers upon which God always sits as if in His own chariot. 'Praise him, all his angels.' All His angels. Let him who is an angel give praise; he who is a demon cannot. 'Praise him, all you his hosts.' Because we have summoned the angels to the praise of God, and I, a man, cannot know the names of all the angels, I say in general: Praise Him, all His heavenly hosts. Thus far the psalmist calls upon invisible creation: Praise Him, you who are unseen, who are not visible to the human eye. Now he comes to His creatures that we do see with our own eyes. 'Praise him, sun and moon.' Take note, heathens; note well, Manichaeans. The sun gives praise, it does not receive it. 'Praise him, sun and moon.' You call the sun god. Just watch and see how much praise precedes that of the sun. Praise from the heaven; praise in the heights; give praise all you angels; praise, all you hosts. Your god with its praise is fifth in order. 'Praise him, sun and moon.' The psalmist did not say, moon and sun, but sun and moon; the greater light praises first. Mark well the order of the visible universe : Praise Him, sun; after the sun, the moon; after the moon, all the stars. 'All the stars,' not only the morning star, not only the greater stars, but let the lesser equally praise the Lord. Someone may raise the question: How do the sun and moon and stars praise God? In that they do not depart from the duty and servitude that is theirs. Their service is the praise of God. Sublime honor is yours, 0 human soul. The sun and the moon and the stars hasten in their course to serve you. Angels, thrones, dominations do not need the sun, nor the moon, nor the stars, for they are in heavenly abodes beyond the sun and the moon. Sun, moon, and stars exist for our sake; they serve us. It is the Apostle who says that creation itself groans and travails to be delivered into the 418 SAINT JEROME freedom of the sons of God.s When, moreover, the sons of God shall attain glory, creation itself also will be delivered from its slavery. Someone may ask: How is the sun in slavery and how is it set free? In what way, the moon; in what way, the stars? The sun is liberated that it may not look upon the Jews, that it may not look upon the heathens, upon those who are blaspheming its Lord. It...