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

COMMENTARY ON PSALM 105 Alleluia. HIS PSALM ALSO makes the recommendation to sing the praises of the God of all, as the title indicates:1 Alleluia is translated, Praise the Lord. It recalls the promises made by God to the patriarchs and the good things provided by him through them to their successors. Mention of the one and the other, in fact, suffices to stir and provoke those enjoying such favors to imitation of their forebears' virtue. At the same time it also teaches the new people that it was not without just cause that he deprived that ungrateful people of his characteristic care. In other words, since they were styled God's peapIe and plainly enjoyed the divine providence, but were later completely deprived of it, he teaches all human beings through the preceding psalms the degree and number of the benefits he gave them and how they proved ungrateful for the favors [1709] so that all might at the same time come to know the justice of the sentence passed on them, and on seeing the retributions for the ingratitude might not take the same path as theirs but tread the straight path. (2) Confess to the Lord, and call upon his name (v. 1). For call upon Symmachus said "proclaim." The verse urges them to offer thankful hymn singing and recount the divine favors. Announce among the nations his works. It is clear and obvious that he has at heart the interests not only ofJews but of all the nations. Sing to him, and play to him, recount all his marvels (v. 2): repay 1. Though our present Hebrew text shifts the Alleluia to the end of the previous psalm, where it impairs the inclusion provided by w. I and 35 there, the LXX is right to place it here, where it could likewise have formed an inclusion with the final Alleluia-had this not been omitted by the LXX (perhaps because of the Alleluia beginning Ps 106)! Theodoret does not seem any more aware of Hebrew prosodic patterns than his version. 171 172 THEODORET OF CYRUS him with hymns and music, and teach those unaware of them the wonders worked by him. Take credit in his holy name (v. 3). Aquila, on the other hand, put "Boast" for Take credit. The verse urges them to pride themselves not on riches or health or influence , but on the knowledge of God and on his providence. This was the exhortation also of the divine Apostle, "Let the one who boasts," he says, "boast in the Lord."2 The most wise Anna also gives the same account, "Let the wise not boast in his wisdom, the strong not boast in his strength";3 and, "Let the rich not boast in his riches, but let the one who boasts boast in this, in understanding and knowing the Lord, and performing judgments and righteousness on the earth."4 Let the heart ofthose seeking the Lord rejoice: for the fruit of hope in the Lord isjoy. (3) Seek the Lord and be strengthened (v. 4). To teach how to do it he added, Seek his face always: it is necessary to seek his assistance from above not once or twice, but right throughout life, and thus reap the benefit; invincible and insuperable will the seekers be. In laying down the law the Lord also made this promise, "Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and [the door] will be opened to you; everyone who asks receives, everyone who seeks finds, and to everyone who knocks [the door] will be opened."5 Remember the marvels he has done, his prodigies, and the judgments from his mouth (v. 5): do not consign to oblivion the ineffable wonders, which the Lord worked in ordering things by his righteous verdict. He gave the name judgments here to the miracles justly performed by God: when he recounts what was done in Egypt, he teaches ahead of time the justice of the punishment of the Egyptians. Offspring of Abraham, his servants, children ofJacob, his chosen ones (v. 6). He is referring to the same group by applying one name or another to them, [1712] styled successors and children, whereas he named them chosen ones as called God's people ahead of all the nations. He also indicated this in what follows. (4) He is the Lord our God, his judgments in all the earth (v. 7): the one who is God...

Share