1 Praise, for David himself. I will extol thee, O God my king: and I will bless thy name for ever; yea, for ever and ever.
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VERS. 1.-- *Praise, for David himself.* This psalm contains briefly the things which in the divine Scriptures are spread abroad at large, etc., *as far as* lest any should be able to err in his praise: God fills the saints with the Holy Spirit, etc., *as far as* and therefore let his spirit in his servants praise him, because he makes himself to be praised. As there are seven psalms of penance, so also seven spirits, according to that sacrament wherein the Lord commanded Moses to set seven lamps in the tabernacle, shining with perpetual light. *I will extol thee.* First the prophet promises endless praise; secondly, he says that all shall accomplish the praise of God in nine ways, there, *Generation and generation;* thirdly, he explains the same at greater length, there, *compassionate.* *For ever and ever.* He who does not begin here shall be dumb in the world to come.
2 Every day will I bless thee: and I will praise thy name for ever; yea, for ever and ever.
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VERS. 2.-- *Every day,* etc. He who here every day does so, shall deserve in the eternal day to praise with continual exultation. He blesses now *every day,* that, when the one day without ends shall have come, he may go from praise to praise, as from virtue to virtue. *For ever, and for ever and ever.* Of which praise elsewhere: *They shall praise for ever and ever*, because they will always love him whom they will always see, since nothing is more delightful than that vision.
3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: and of his greatness there is no end.
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VERS. 3.-- *Exceedingly.* In one word he has given us to consider that which cannot be fully grasped: and therefore never cease from praises.
4 Generation and generation shall praise thy works: and they shall declare thy power.
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VERS. 4.-- *Generation and generation.* Secondly, he promises that all shall accomplish the praise of God in nine ways. *Thy works.* If we fail in his greatness, let us at least praise the worker from his works, the founder from the things founded, the creator from his creatures. Nine are the works: power, magnificence, holiness, wonders, strength, the greatness of terrible things, memory, justice, which shall be explained hereafter: from these, as from topics and seeds, all praise is drawn, in the manner in which all arguments are taken from a small number of topics. *And thy power.* For works do not praise, save that they may announce the strength of the worker. But certain eloquent men praise the creature, forgetful of the Creator. But holy praisers, if they love the works, praise the worker the more: and on account of these they love him. If in things made there is felt any beauty, usefulness, strength, it is the more praised in him who made it. If thou praisest the works, thou praisest thyself also, who art the work of God. And this occurs: *Let not thy own mouth praise thee, lest thou seem arrogant*. But it is not arrogance, because thou praisest God in thee, not thyself.
5 They shall speak of the magnificence of the glory of thy holiness: and shall tell thy wondrous works.
6 And they shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and shall declare thy greatness.
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VERS. 6.-- *And the power.* If he did not threaten, there would be no correction; but if he did not allure, there would be no exhortation. He is therefore both lovable and terrible. They shall declare therefore the power of him that disciplines and punishes, if they preach the eternal kingdom, they do not keep silent concerning the eternal fire.
7 They shall publish the memory of the abundance of thy sweetness: and shall rejoice in thy justice.
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VERS. 7.-- *They shall belch forth the memory of the abundance of thy sweetness.* He himself through his abundant sweetness is first mindful of us, by calling us, by preventing us with his grace, and thence we of him. *They shall belch forth,* he says, not, they shall eat. He eats who learns, he belches forth who teaches: yet he belches forth that which he eats. This memory, because it is exceeding sweet, is to be eaten and to be belched forth. So then eat, that thou mayest belch forth.
8 The Lord is gracious and merciful: patient and plenteous in mercy.
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VERS. 8.-- *Compassionate and merciful.* Thirdly he explains at greater length the things which in the second place he set forth briefly. As if: Deservedly in these things they shall praise, because *compassionate,* etc. The parts of praise are set down here which were set down above, but they cannot be explained one by one: for who could fully explain his works or his power? *Compassionate and merciful.* To those to whom he has given that pardon. *Patient.* To those to whom he has not yet given it, but waits that he may give it.
9 The Lord is sweet to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.
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VERS. 9.-- *Tender mercies.* He begins from the works, that he may be called compassionate while he restores the fallen. *Merciful,* by nature, even while he creates. *Patient,* this he takes from the second topic of praise, namely from power, which he praises, not because he has hung the lands, restrained the seas, painted the heavens with stars, etc., but because he bears with sinners, that they may be converted. *And his tender mercies.* For if thou takest away thy evil works, and there remain in thee nothing but his works, his mercy will not let thee go: but if thou dost not let go thy own works, his severity will be upon thy works, when he shall say: *Go, ye cursed, into everlasting fire*.
10 Let all thy works, O Lord, praise thee: and let thy saints bless thee.
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VERS. 10.-- *Let all thy works confess to thee, O Lord.* Let them praise as do those things which have not the sense of praising, which are the matter of praise: because while thou inquirest, thou findest a great power in them, which is from God. *And thy saints.* Everything that is confesses either by itself, or through rational creatures. Or the saints, that is, angels and men. This concerning holiness: for this is the holiness of God, that the saints should owe him confession.
11 They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom: and shall tell of thy power:
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VERS. 11.-- *The glory of the kingdom.* It is taken therefore from the wonders. As if: How wonderful is he who made heaven and earth, and filled them with divers good things.
12 To make thy might known to the sons of men: and the glory of the magnificence of thy kingdom.
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VERS. 12.-- *That known.* This is taken from the power of terrible things, etc., *as far as* to whom, being magnificent, nothing is compared.
13 Thy kingdom is a kingdom of all ages: and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations. The Lord is faithful in all his words: and holy in all his works.
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VERS. 13.-- *Thy kingdom,* etc. He praises from the perpetuity and the effect of dominion. And this is taken from greatness: if it is great to rule for a time, it is greater to have no term of dominion. *The Lord is faithful in all.* This is taken from the abundant sweetness; whence above: *The memory of the abundance of thy sweetness. Faithful,* because his coming fulfilled the gifts. To abundance also belongs that he lifts up those who fall, raises up the crushed; whence the remembrance of sweetness is had, and is belched forth in his praises.
14 The Lord lifteth up all that fall: and setteth up all that are cast down.
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VERS. 14.-- *Who fall down.* From their own evils, all of whom God lifts up. Or, from these temporal things, as the saints do, like Job, who lose something in the world and are made abject, and are falling: but all these he confirms, because seven times the just man falls and rises again; but the wicked are weakened in evils. *And he lifts up all that are cast down.* Those belonging to him, because he resists the proud.
15 The eyes of all hope in thee, O Lord: and thou givest them meat in due season.
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VERS. 15.-- *The eyes of all hope in thee, O Lord.* He treats of justice at greater length, that he who hears of the merciful one may fear the just one: and it belongs to justice that he should satisfy those who hope, bodily or spiritually. For food is not always to be given, but in due season: for to many who ask it is wholesomely deferred. *And thou givest them their food in due season.* The physician therefore gives the sick man what is fitting, etc., *as far as* blessing God at all times.
16 Thou openest thy hand, and fillest with blessing every living creature.
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VERS. 16.-- *Thou openest the hand.* Although sometimes thou dost not give, yet thou givest opportunely: thou deferrest indeed, thou dost not take away.
17 The Lord is just in all his ways: and holy in all his works.
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VERS. 17.-- *Just.* By the very name he discloses justice, that it may be manifestly shown that this praise is concerning justice. *Ways* are dispositions and wills, which are all just, even if he scourges. *In his ways, and holy in all* *his works.* It is to be known that *Ways* pertain to disposition, works to effect: these are divided according to us. But with him, to will is the same as to do: because from his will things have their being.
18 The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him: to all that call upon him in truth.
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VERS. 18.-- *He is near to all that call upon him.* Propitious, who is everywhere, and this concerning justice.
19 He will do the will of them that fear him: and he will hear their prayer, and save them.
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VERS. 19.-- *He will do the will of them that fear him.* (ID.) He concludes concerning justice: for it is just both to keep those who love him and to destroy sinners.
20 The Lord keepeth all them that love him; but all the wicked he will destroy.
21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless his holy name forever; yea, for ever and ever.
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VERS. 21.-- *Praise.* All things having been expounded, there follows a brief conclusion, in which he concludes that which cannot be explained.