Devout persons fervently desire eternal glory, 6. accounting it, in the mean time, a happy state to be in the militant Church, 12. where God first giving grace, will give glory in the triumphant.Deuout perſons feruently deſire eternal glorie, 6. accounting it, in the meane time, a happie ſtate to be in the militant Church, 12. where God firſt geuing grace, wil geue glorie in the triumphant.✦

Unto the end, for wine presses, the children of Core, a Psalm.Vnto the end, a for wine preſſes, b the children of Core, a Pſalme.In finem, pro torcularibus filiis Core. Psalmus.

2How beloved are thy tabernacles O Lord of hosts!How beloued are c thy tabernacles ô Lord of hoaſtes!Quam dilecta tabernacula tua, Domine virtutum !

3My soul , and unto the courts of our Lord. My heart, and my flesh have rejoiced toward the living God.My ſoule coueteth, and d fainteth vnto the courtes of our Lord. My hart, and e my fleſh haue reioyced toward the liuing God.Concupiscit, et deficit anima mea in atria Domini ; cor meum et caro mea exsultaverunt in Deum vivum.

4For the sparrow also hath found her an house: and the turtledove a nest for herself, where she may lay her young ones. Thine altars O Lord of hosts: my King, and my God.For f the ſparow alſo hath found her an houſe: and g the turtledoue a neſt for her ſelfe, where ſhe may lay her young ones. Thine h altars ô Lord of hoaſtes: my King, and my God.Etenim passer invenit sibi domum, et turtur nidum sibi, ubi ponat pullos suos : altaria tua, Domine virtutum, rex meus, et Deus meus.

1609 marginsparrow. As sparrows by natural instinct seeking habitations, find houses to dwell in, · turtledove. and turtles have nests, wherein to lay their young ones: so faithful souls seek to dwell in heaven, and in the mean time to lay up good works within the Catholic Church; out of which (saith S. Augustine in this place) how good soever works do seem (as when pagans, and heretics feed the hungry, clothe the naked, receive strangers into their houses, visit the sick, comfort prisoners) being not laid in the nest, conculcabuntur, & conterentur: non servabuntur, non custodientur: they shall be trodden under foot, they shall be bruised in pieces: they shall not be conserved, they shall not be kept: but (that such works may be profitable and be conserved) they must be done in true faith, in the Catholic faith, in society of the unity of the Church. · altars. Works are good, and rightly laid up when they are done in unity, and participation of God's Altars, the most proper places of Divine Service, of external Sacrifice in this life, and spiritual sacrifice of perfect praises in eternal glory; where all Saints without ceasing sing: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts. Isaias 6. Apoc. 4.f As ſparowes by natural inſtinct ſeeking habitations, finde houſes to dwel in, g and turtles haue neſtes, wherin to lay their young ones: ſo faithful ſoules ſeeke to dwel in heauen, and in the meane time to lay vp good workes within the Catholique Church; out of which (ſayth S. Auguſtin in this place) how good ſoeuer workes do ſeme (as when paganes, and heretikes feede the hungrie, cloth the naked, receiue ſtrangers into their houſes, viſite the ſicke, comforte priſoners) being not laid in the neſt, conculcabuntur, & conterentur: non ſeruabuntur, non cuſtodientur: they ſhal be trodde vnder foote, they ſhal be bruiſed in peeces: they ſhal not be conſerued, they ſhal not be kept: but (that ſuch workes may be profitable and be conſerued) they muſt be donne in true faith, in the Catholique faith, in ſocietie of the vnitie of the Church. · h VVorkes are good, and rightly laide vp when they are donne in vnitie, and participation of Gods Altares, the moſt proper places of Diuine Seruice, of external Sacrifice in this life, and ſpiritual ſacrifice of perfect praiſes in eternal glorie; where al Sainctes without ceaſing ſing: Holie, holie, holie, Lord God of hoaſtes. Iſaiæ 6. Apoc. 4.

5Blessed are they, that dwell in thy house O Lord: for ever and ever they shall praise thee.Bleſſed are they, that dwel in i thy houſe ô Lord: for euer and euer they ſhal praiſe thee.Beati qui habitant in domo tua, Domine ; in sæcula sæculorum laudabunt te.

6Blessed is the man, whose help is from thee: he hathBleſſed is the man, whoſe helpe is from thee: he k hathBeatus vir cujus est auxilium abs te : ascensiones in corde suo disposuit,

7disposed ascension in his heart, in the vale of tears, in the place, which he hath appointed.diſpoſed aſcenſion in his hart, in l the vaile of teares, in the place, which he hath appointed.in valle lacrimarum, in loco quem posuit.

8For the lawgiver shall give blessing, they shall go from virtue into virtue: the God of gods shall be seen in Sion.For m the lawgeuer ſhal geue n bleſſing, they ſhal goe o from vertue into vertue: p the God of goddes ſhal be ſeene in Sion.Etenim benedictionem dabit legislator ; ibunt de virtute in virtutem : videbitur Deus deorum in Sion.

9Lord God of hosts hear my prayer: receive with thine ear O God of Jacob.Lord God of hoaſtes heare my prayer: receiue with thine eare ô God of Iacob.Domine Deus virtutum, exaudi orationem meam ; auribus percipe, Deus Jacob.

10Behold O God our protector: and look upon the face of thy Christ.Behold ô God our protectour: and q looke vpon the face of thy Chriſt.Protector noster, aspice, Deus, et respice in faciem christi tui.

11Because better is one day in thy courts, above thousands. I have chosen to be an in the house of my God: rather than to dwell in the tabernacles of sinners.Becauſe r better is one day in thy courtes, aboue thouſands. I haue choſen to be s an abiect in the houſe of my God: rather then to dwel t in the tabernacles of ſinners.Quia melior est dies una in atriis tuis super millia ; elegi abjectus esse in domo Dei mei magis quam habitare in tabernaculis peccatorum.

12Because God loveth mercy and truth: our Lord will give grace, and glory.Becauſe God v loueth mercie and truth: our Lord wil geue w grace, x and glorie.Quia misericordiam et veritatem diligit Deus : gratiam et gloriam dabit Dominus.

13He will not deprive them of good things, that walk in innocency: O Lord of hosts blessed is the man, that hopeth in thee.He wil not depriue them of good thinges, that y walke in innocencie: ô Lord of hoaſtes bleſſed is the man, that hopeth in thee.Non privabit bonis eos qui ambulant in innocentia : Domine virtutum, beatus homo qui sperat in te.

The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.

St. Robert Bellarmine’s commentary on Psalms 83 — verse-by-verse exposition→

Chapter 83 of 150