The Israelites are exhorted to sing praises to God, 5. for his marvellous benefits towards Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 11. whose particular family, being then small, went from Chanaan into Egypt (17. Whither Joseph by God's providence was carried before) there increased in number, was persecuted, 26. delivered by Moyses and Aaron, working many great miracles, 36. protected, and fed in the desert, 44. and finally possessed Chanaan.The Iſraelites are exhorted to ſing praiſes to God, 5. for his meruelous benefites towards Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob. 11. whoſe particular familie, being then ſmal, went from Chanaan into Ægypt (17. Whither Ioſeph by Gods prouidence was caried before) there increaſed in number, was perſecuted, 26. deliuered by Moyſes and Aaron, working manie great miracles, 36. protected, and fedde in the deſert, 44. and finally poſſeſſed Chanaan.✦

Alleluia. Confess ye to our Lord, and his name: show forth his works among the Gentiles.a Alleluia. CONFESSE ye to our Lord, and inuocate his name : b ſhew forth his workes among the Gentiles.Alleluja. Confitemini Domino, et invocate nomen ejus ; annuntiate inter gentes opera ejus.

1609 marginGod's special benefits towards the Jews. the 4. key. · For an exposition of this Psalm read the places quoted in the inner margin. · a Alleluia signifieth more than Laudate Dominum, Praise ye our Lord. For by these two Hebrew words, Allelu ia, the Prophet inviteth all men to praise God, with gladness, and jubilation, with heart, voice, and gesture, with instruments, and howsoever we are able. And therefore S. Jerome, S. Augustine, and all Catholic writers keep the same word, and translate it not, neither in the titles of Psalms, nor ordinarily in any place of holy Scripture. This is the first Psalm thus titled, and is the same Psalm in sense, and in good part of the words, which the royal Prophet made, and caused to be sung, when he brought the Ark of God from the house of Obededom into his own house. 1 Paralipomenon 16. v. 8. · b How much more grateful is it now to God, that we celebrate the greater mysteries of the new Testament.Gods ſpecial benefites towards the Iewes. the 4. key. · a Alleluia ſignifieth more then Laudate Dominum, Praiſe ye our Lord. For by theſe two hebrew wordes, Allelu a, the Prophet inuiteth al men to praiſe God, with gladnes, and iubilation, with hart, voice, and geſture, with inſtruments, and howſoeuer we are able. And therfore S Ierom, S. Auguſtin, and al Catholique writers kepe the ſame worde, and tranſlate it not, neither in the titles of Pſalmes, not ordinarily in anie place of holie Scripture. This is the firſt Pſalme thus titled, and is the ſame Pſalme in ſenſe, and in good part of the wordes, which the royal Prophet made, and cauſed to be ſongue, when he brought the Arke of God from the houſe of Obededom into his owne houſe. 1. Par. 16. v. 8. · b How much more gratful is it now to God, that we celebrate the greater myſteries of the new Teſtament. · For an expoſition of this Pſalme read the places quoted in the inner margen.

2Chant to him, and sing to him: tell ye all his marvellous works.Chaunt to him, and ſing to him : tel ye al his meruelous workes.Cantate ei, et psallite ei ; narrate omnia mirabilia ejus.

3Praise ye him in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek our Lord.Prayſe ye him in his holie name: let the hart of them reioice that ſeeke our Lord.Laudamini in nomine sancto ejus ; lætetur cor quærentium Dominum.

4Seek ye our Lord, and be : seek his face always.Seeke ye our Lord, and be confirmed : ſeeke c his face alwayes.Quærite Dominum, et confirmamini ; quærite faciem ejus semper.

5Remember ye his marvellous works, which he hath done: his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth.Remember ye his meruelous workes, which he hath done: his wonders, and the iudgments of his mouth.Mementote mirabilium ejus quæ fecit ; prodigia ejus, et judicia oris ejus :

6The seed of Abraham, his servants: the children of Jacob his elect.The ſeede of Abraham, his ſeruantes: the children of Iacob his elect.semen Abraham servi ejus ; filii Jacob electi ejus.

7He is the Lord our God: in all the earth are his judgments.He is the Lord our God: in d al the earth are his iudgementes.Ipse Dominus Deus noster ; in universa terra judicia ejus.

8He hath been mindful for ever of his testament: of the word, which he commanded unto a thousand generations.He hath bene mindeful for euer of his teſtament: of the word, which he commanded e vnto a thouſand generations.Memor fuit in sæculum testamenti sui ; verbi quod mandavit in mille generationes :

9Which he disposed to Abraham: and of his oath to Isaac.Which he diſpoſed to Abraham: and of his oath to Iſaac.quod disposuit ad Abraham, et juramenti sui ad Isaac :

10And he appointed it to Jacob for a precept: and to Israel for an eternal testament.And he appointed it to Iacob for a precept: and to Iſrael for an eternal teſtament.et statuit illud Jacob in præceptum, et Israël in testamentum æternum,

11Saying: To thee will I give the land of Chanaan, the of your inheritance.Saying : To thee wil I geue the land of Chanaan, the corde of your inheritance.dicens : Tibi dabo terram Chanaan, funiculum hæreditatis vestræ :

12When they were of small number, very few and sojourners thereof:When they were f of ſmal number, very few and ſeiourners therof :cum essent numero brevi, paucissimi, et incolæ ejus.

13And they passed from nation into nation, & from kingdom to another people.And they paſſed from nation into nation, & from kingdom to an other people.Et pertransierunt de gente in gentem, et de regno ad populum alterum.

14He left not a man to hurt them: and he rebuked kings for their sake.He leift not a man to hurt them : and he rebuked kings for their ſake.Non reliquit hominem nocere eis : et corripuit pro eis reges.

15Touch not my anointed, and toward my prophets be not .Touch not my annointed, and toward my prophetes be not malignant.Nolite tangere christos meos, et in prophetis meis nolite malignari.

16And he called a famine upon the land: and he destroyed all the strength of bread.And g he called a famine vpon the land: and he deſtroyed al the ſtrength of bread.Et vocavit famem super terram, et omne firmamentum panis contrivit.

17He sent a man before them: Joseph was sold to be a servant.He ſent a man before them: Ioſeph was ſold to be a ſeruant.Misit ante eos virum : in servum venundatus est, Joseph.

18They humbled his feet in fetters, iron passed through his soul,They humbled his feete in fetters, yron paſſed through his ſoule,Humiliaverunt in compedibus pedes ejus ; ferrum pertransiit animam ejus :

19until his word came. The word of our Lord inflamed him:vntil his word came. The word of our Lord inflamed him:donec veniret verbum ejus. Eloquium Domini inflammavit eum.

20the king sent, and loosed him; the prince of the people, and released him.the king ſent, and looſed him; the prince of the people, and releaſed him.Misit rex, et solvit eum ; princeps populorum, et dimisit eum.

21He appointed him lord of his house: and prince of all his possession.He appointed him lord of his houſe : and prince of al his poſſeſſion.Constituit eum dominum domus suæ, et principem omnis possessionis suæ :

22That he might instruct his princes as himself: and might teach his ancients wisdom.That he might inſtruct his princes as himſelfe: and might teach his ancientes wiſedom.ut erudiret principes ejus sicut semetipsum, et senes ejus prudentiam doceret.

23And Israel entered into Egypt, and Jacob was a sojourner in the land of Cham.And Iſrael entered into Ægypt, and Iacob was a ſeiourner in the land h of Cham.Et intravit Israël in Ægyptum, et Jacob accola fuit in terra Cham.

24And he increased his people exceedingly: and strengthened them over their enemies.And he increaſed his people excedingly : and ſtrengthned them ouer their enemies.Et auxit populum suum vehementer, et firmavit eum super inimicos ejus.

25He turned their heart, that they hated his people: and to work guile toward his servants.He i turned their hart, that they hated his people: and to worke guile toward his ſeruantes.Convertit cor eorum, ut odirent populum ejus, et dolum facerent in servos ejus.

1609 margini May it be understood, or believed (saith S. Augustine) that God turneth the heart of man to commit sins? Or is it no sin, or is it a small sin, to hate the people of God? Or to work guile towards his servants? Who will say this? What then, is God author of these so grievous sins, who is not to be supposed the author of a most small sin? This learned Father therefore answereth, that God perverted not a right heart, but turned that was of itself perverse, to the hatred of his people, where he might use that evil well, not by making them evil, but by bestowing upon his own people good things, which the evil might easily envy. Which hatred of theirs how God used both to the exercise of his people (which is profitable to us) & to the glory of his own name, the things that follow do teach us, which are here remembered to his praise.i May it be vnderſtood, or beleued (ſaith S. Auguſtin) that God turneth the hart of man to committe ſinnes? Or is it no ſinne, or is it a ſmal ſinne, to hate the people of God? Or to worke guile towards his ſeruants? VVho wil ſay this? VVhat then, is God author of theſe ſo greeuous ſinnes, who is not to be ſuppoſed the author of a moſt ſmal ſinne? This lerned Father therfore anſwereth, that God peruerted not a right hart, but turned that was of it ſelfe peruerſe, to the hatred of his people, where he might vſe that euil wel, not by making them euil, but by beſtowing vpon his owne people good thinges, which the euil might eaſily enuie. VVhich hatred of theirs how God vſed both to the exerciſe of his people (which is profitable to vs) & to the glorie of his owne name, the thinges that folow do teach vs, which are here remembred to his praiſe.

26He sent Moyses his servant: Aaron, himself whom he chose.He ſent Moyſes his ſeruant : Aaron, k him ſelfe whom he choſe.Misit Moysen servum suum ; Aaron quem elegit ipsum.

27He did put in them the words of his signs, and of his wonders in the Land of Cham.He did put in them the wordes of his ſignes, and of his wonders in the Land of Cham.Posuit in eis verba signorum suorum, et prodigiorum in terra Cham.

28He sent darkness, and obscured: and did not exasperate his words.He ſent l darkenes, and obſcured : and did m not exaſperate his wordes.Misit tenebras, et obscuravit ; et non exacerbavit sermones suos.

29He turned their waters into blood: and killed their fishes.He turned their n waters into bloud : and killed their fiſhes.Convertit aquas eorum in sanguinem, et occidit pisces eorum.

30Their land brought forth frogs in the inner chambers of their kings.Their land broughtforth o frogges in the inner chambers of their kinges.Edidit terra eorum ranas in penetralibus regum ipsorum.

31He said, and the came: and the in all their coasts.He ſayd, and p the cænomyia came : and the q ciniſes in al their coaſtes.Dixit, et venit cœnomyia et ciniphes in omnibus finibus eorum.

32He made their rains hail: fire burning in their land.He made theyr raynes r haile: fire burning in their land.Posuit pluvias eorum grandinem : ignem comburentem in terra ipsorum.

33And he stroke their vines, and their fig trees: and he destroyed the wood of their coasts.And he ſtroke their vines, and their figtrees : and he deſtroyed the wood of their coaſtes.Et percussit vineas eorum, et ficulneas eorum, et contrivit lignum finium eorum.

34He said, & the locust came, and the whereof there was no number.He ſaid, & ſ the locuſt came, and the t bruchus wherof there was no number.Dixit, et venit locusta, et bruchus cujus non erat numerus :

35And it did eat all the grass in their land: and it did eat all the fruit of their land.And it did eate al the graſſe in their land : and it did eate al the fruicte of their land.et comedit omne fœnum in terra eorum, et comedit omnem fructum terræ eorum.

36And he stroke every first begotten in their land: the first fruits of all their labour.And he ſtroke euerie v firſt begotten in their land : the firſt fruictes of al their labour.Et percussit omne primogenitum in terra eorum, primitias omnis laboris eorum.

37And he brought them forth with gold and silver, and there was not in their tribes a feeble person.And he brought them forth with gold and ſiluer, and there was not in their tribes a feeble perſon.Et eduxit eos cum argento et auro, et non erat in tribubus eorum infirmus.

38Egypt was glad at their departure: because the fear of them lay upon them.Ægypt was glad at their departure : becauſe the feare of them lay vpon them.Lætata est Ægyptus in profectione eorum, quia incubuit timor eorum super eos.

39He spread a cloud for their protection, and fire to shine unto them by night.He ſpred a cloude for their protection, and fire to ſhine vnto them by night.Expandit nubem in protectionem eorum, et ignem ut luceret eis per noctem.

40They made petition, and the quail came: and he filled them with the bread of heaven.They made petition, and the quaile came: and he filled them with the bread of heauen.Petierunt, et venit coturnix, et pane cæli saturavit eos.

41He divided the rock, and waters flowed: rivers ran in the dry ground.He diuided the rocke, and waters flowed : riuers ranne in the drie ground.Dirupit petram, et fluxerunt aquæ : abierunt in sicco flumina.

42Because he was mindful of his holy word, which he had uttered to Abraham his servant.Becauſe he was mindful of his holie word, which he had vttered to Abraham his ſeruant.Quoniam memor fuit verbi sancti sui, quod habuit ad Abraham puerum suum.

43And he brought forth his people in exultation, and his elect in joy.And he broughtforth his people in exultation, and his elect in ioy.Et eduxit populum suum in exsultatione, et electos suos in lætitia.

44And he gave them the countries of the Nations: and they possessed the labours of peoples:And he gaue them the countries of the Nations : and they poſſeſſed the labours of peoples :Et dedit illis regiones gentium, et labores populorum possederunt :

45That they might keep his , and seek after his law.That they might keepe his iuſtifications, and ſeeke after his lawe.ut custodiant justificationes ejus, et legem ejus requirant.

The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.

St. Robert Bellarmine’s commentary on Psalms 104 — verse-by-verse exposition→

Chapter 104 of 150