God is also to be praised by his peculiar people, for particular benefits. 4. and for his omnipotent power, wisdom, goodness, in creating, and governing this whole world, 11. and most special benignity towards those that trust in him.God is alſo to be praiſed by his peculiar people, for particular benefites. 4. & for his omnipotent powre, wiſdom, goodnes, in creating, and gouerning this whole world, 11. and moſt ſpecial benignitie towards thoſe that truſt in him.✦

Alleluia. Praise ye our Lord because Psalm is good: to our God let there be pleasant, and praise.Alleluia. PRAYSE ye our Lord becauſe Pſalme a is good : to our God let there be pleaſant, and comelie praiſe.Alleluja. Laudate Dominum, quoniam bonus est psalmus ; Deo nostro sit jucunda, decoraque laudatio.

2Our Lord building up Jerusalem: will gather together the of Israel.Our Lord building vp Ieruſalem : b wil gather together the diſperſions of Iſrael.Ædificans Jerusalem Dominus, dispersiones Israëlis congregabit :

3Who healeth the contrite of heart: and bindeth up their .Who c healeth the contrite of hart : and bindeth vp their ſores.qui sanat contritos corde, et alligat contritiones eorum ;

4Who numbereth the multitude of stars: and giveth names to them all.Who d numbereth the multitude of ſtarres : and e geueth names to them al.qui numerat multitudinem stellarum, et omnibus eis nomina vocat.

1609 marginBesides experience of every one, that shall behold the firmament in a clear night, the holy Scripture (Gen. 15:5) sheweth, that the stars are innumerable to man. For albeit Ptolemy and other Astronomers numbereth certain more notorious stars, which serve especially for some knowledge in the science of Astronomy, numbering 349 such in the Zodiac; 316 in the South part thereof; and 360 on the North part, which are in all 1025. Yet all acknowledge that no man can come near to any probable conjecture of the whole number, nor is able to attain any perfect knowledge of their natural influences, and special properties. And therefore the Psalmist proposeth here the admirable, and unsearchable knowledge of God: who both most exactly knoweth the number, and so perfectly their nature, that his divine Omniscience giveth to every star a proper name, according to their singular differences and properties.d Beſides experience of euerie one, that ſhal behold the firmament in a clere night, the holie Scripture (Gen. 15. v. 5.) ſheweth, that the ſtarres are innumerable to man. For albeit Ptolomæy and other Aſtronomers numbereth certaine more notorious ſtarres, which ſerue eſpecially for ſome knowlege in the ſcience of Aſtronomie, numbering 349. ſuch in the Zodiach; 316. in the South part therof; and 360. on the North part, which are in al 1025. Yet al acknowlege that no man can come nere to anie probable coniecture of the whole number, nor is able to attaine anie perfect knowlege of their natural influences, and ſpecial proprietes. And therfore the Pſalmiſt propoſeth here the admirable, and vnſearchable knowlege of God: who both moſt exactly knoweth the number, e and ſo perfectly their nature, that his diuine Omniſcience geueth to euerie ſtarre a proper name, according to their ſingular differences and proprieties.

5Great is our Lord, and great is his strength: and of his wisdom there is no number.Great is our Lord, and great is his ſtrength : and of his f wiſdom there is no number.Magnus Dominus noster, et magna virtus ejus, et sapientiæ ejus non est numerus.

6Our Lord receiving the meek: and humbling sinners even to the ground.Our Lord receiuing the meeke : & humbling ſinners euen to the ground.Suscipiens mansuetos Dominus ; humilians autem peccatores usque ad terram.

7Sing ye to our Lord in : sing ye to our God on harp.Sing ye to our Lord in confeſſion : ſing ye to our God on harpe.Præcinite Domino in confessione ; psallite Deo nostro in cithara.

8Who covereth the heaven with clouds: and prepareth rain for the earth. Who bringeth forth grass in the mountains: and herb for the service of men.Who g couereth the heauen with cloudes : and prepareth rayne for the earth. Who bringeth forth graſſe in the mountaines : and herbe for the ſeruice of men.Qui operit cælum nubibus, et parat terræ pluviam ; qui producit in montibus fœnum, et herbam servituti hominum ;

9Who giveth to beasts their food: and to the young ravens that call upon him.Who geueth to beaſtes their foode : and to h the young rauens that cal vpon him.qui dat jumentis escam ipsorum, et pullis corvorum invocantibus eum.

1609 marginBoth sacred and profane authors testify, that ravens seeing their young ones, either without feathers, or to have whitish, unlike to theirs, as suspecting that they are not their own birds, but of some other kind, leave them destitute of meat; therefore God the author of nature, and conserver of all kinds of creatures, by his special providence, feedeth them: either by a certain dew hanging near them in the air, as Isidore supposeth; or by little beasts, or flies, sent by God's providence, which they catching into their mouths, are nourished and brought up, as St. Chrysostom teacheth, ser. in Elias; or by what other means soever, all agree that young ravens are neglected by their parents, and are fed marvellously by God's ordinance; by which example the Psalmist sheweth, that much more God hath care of men: especially of such men (saith St. Chrysostom, Hom. in hunc Psalm.) as honour him with hymns and praises, whom also he hath called to be his peculiar people, and his own portion or inheritance.h Both ſacred and prophane auctors teſtifie, that rauens ſeing their yong ones, either without fethers, or to haue whitiſh, vnlike to theirs, as ſuſpecting that they are not their owne birdes, but of ſome other kinde, leaue them deſtitute of meate; therfore God the auctor of nature, and conſeruer of al kindes of creatures, by his ſpecial prouidence, feedeth them: either by a certaine dew hanging nere them in the ayre, as Iſidorus ſuppoſeth; or by litle beaſtes, or flees, ſent by Gods prouidence, which they catching into their mouthes, are nouriſhed and brought vp, as S. Chryſoſtom teacheth, ſer. in Heliam; or by what other meanes ſoeuer, al agree that yong rauens are neglected by their parents, and are fedde meruelouſly by Gods ordinance; by which example the Pſalmiſt ſheweth, that much more God hath care of men: eſpecially of ſuch men (ſaith S. Chryſoſtom.) as honour him with hymnes and praiſes, whom alſo he hath called to be his peculiar people, and his owne portion or inheritance.

10He shall not have pleasure in the strength of an horse: nor in the legs of a man shall he be well pleased.He ſhal not haue pleaſure in the ſtrength of an horſe : nor in the legges of a man ſhal he be wel pleaſed.Non in fortitudine equi voluntatem habebit, nec in tibiis viri beneplacitum erit ei.

11Our Lord is well pleased toward them that fear him: and in them, that hope upon his mercy.Our Lord is wel pleaſed toward them that feare him : and in them, that hope vpon his mercie.Beneplacitum est Domino super timentes eum, et in eis qui sperant super misericordia ejus.

The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.

St. Robert Bellarmine’s commentary on Psalms 146 — verse-by-verse exposition→

Chapter 146 of 150