In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

COMMENTARY ON PSALM 118 Alleluia. HIS, TOO, IS A HYMN offered to God by those who have attained salvation. Jews, on the one hand, offer this hymn in thanksgiving to God after the return, with all the neighboring people gathered together at the one time, envying their former prosperity and assembling other nations and savage peoples, and then consumed by plagues sent by God according to the prophecy of Joel, Ezekiel, Micah, and Zechariah. On the other hand, since our situation is prefigured in theirs, the hymn singing applies rather to those who have come to faith from the nations, who though persecuted, tortured and abused at the hands of great numbers of both rulers and ruled, mobs and mobsters, kings and generals, and though subjected to countless forms of death, emerged superior to the enemies. To the one group and the other, of course, the grace of the Spirit proposed the teaching of the hymn singing. (2) Confess to the Lord that he is good, because his mercy is forever (v. I): sing the praises of the one who is good and provider of good things; he has sufficient mercy and always offers it to those in need. Let the house ofIsrael say that he is good, because his mercy is forever. Let the house ofAaron say that he is good, because his mercy is forever (vv. 2-3)' After mentioning these individually, he makes general mention of those who have come to faith from the nations: Let all who fear the Lord say that he is good, because his mercy is forever (v. 4). All of you, he is saying, sing the praises of God's loving-kindness, both you who take your origin from Israel , glory in the piety ofyour ancestors, and have been accorded the priesthood in them, as well as you who, though from different nations, have been freed from the godlessness of [your] ancestors. [1812] There is one God of all, in fact, who offers different favors to all, and extends mercy to those who ask. 238 COMMENTARY ON PSALM 118 239 (3) Then he teaches the providence of God more clearly. Out of [my] distress I called upon the Lord, and he hearkened to my request for space (v. 5): he did not obstruct the onset of evils, but revealed the perils and immediately scattered them. He said this also in the fourth psalm, "In [my] distress you gave me space,"I that is, You offered me consolation in excess of the pain. The Lord is my helper, I shall not fear what man will do to me. The Lord is my helper, I shall look down upon my foes (vv. 6-7): having the Lord of all to assist me, I do not fear the enemies' attacks ; enjoying aid from him, I hope to see their overthrow as quickly as possible. (4) Then he confirms the pious attitude with good thoughts. It is better to trust in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to hope in the Lord than to hope in rulers (vv. 8-9): he is good, loving, intent on good things, able to do what he intends, and enjoying irresistible authority, whereas human beings, corruptible by nature and unstable in outlook, often do not intend the good and sometimes are powerless to assist the wronged when intent on it; even if they are rulers, they hold that rule [only] for a time; kingship with human beings is impermanent, in force for a short time. Hence it is better to forsake the assistance of human beings and beg divine help. (5) All the nations surrounded me, and I took vengeance on them in the name ofthe Lord (v. 10). The Church sustained the assaults of all the nations, butJerusalem of some, not of all; so in regard to the latter the language is expressed in hyperbolic fashion, but literally in the case of the Church:2 those in each nation who came to faith endured the alarms and dangers at the hands of non-believers, yet likewise they and the others overcame their adversaries by trusting in God. They surrounded me in a circle, and I took vengeance on them in the name ofthe Lord (v. 1 1 ) . Symmachus, on the other hand, put it this way, 'They surrounded me, and in turn besieged me," that is, They applied one assault after another and all kinds of sieges, whereas I was protected by appeal to God...

Share