Laudate nomen. An exhortation to praise God: the vanity of idols.
God who only is omnipotent, and fountaine of algoodnes, is of al to be praised, 8. He is the special protector of his elected people. 15. Contrariwise false goddes are impotent, vaine, and can not helpe those that serue them. 19. Only the Church doth rightly praise him.
1Alleluia. Praise ye the name of the Lord: O you his servants, praise the Lord:Alleluia: lodate Dio. Lodate il nome del Signore, lodate il Signore voi servi suoi,Alleluia. PRAYSE ye the name of our Lord, ye seruantes prayse our Lord.Alleluja. Laudate nomen Domini; / laudate, servi, Dominum: 2You that stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.Che fate il vostro soggiorno nella casa del Signore, nei cortili della casa del nostro Dio.Ye that stand in the house of our Lord, in the courtes of the house of our God.qui statis in domo Domini, / in atriis domus Dei nostri. 3Praise ye the Lord, for the Lord is good: sing ye to his name, for it is sweet.Lodate il Signore, perché è buono il Signore: cantate inni al nome di lui, perchè è soave.Prayse ye our Lord, because our Lord is good: sing ye to his name, because it is sweete.Laudate Dominum, quia bonus Dominus; / psallite nomini ejus, quoniam suave. 4For the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself: Israel for his own possession.Perchè il Signore elesse per se Giacobbe, per sua proprietà Israele.Because our Lord hath chosen Iacob to himself, Israel for his owne possession.Quoniam Jacob elegit sibi Dominus; / Israël in possessionem sibi. 5For I have known that the Lord is great, and our God is above all gods.Perché io ho conosciuto come è grande il Signore; e il nostro Dio sopra tutti gli dei.Because I haue knowne that our Lord is great, and our God aboue al goddes.Quia ego cognovi quod magnus est Dominus, / et Deus noster præ omnibus diis. 6Whatsoever the Lord pleased he hath done, in heaven, in earth, in the sea, and in all the deeps.Tutte le cose, che ha voluto le ha fatte il Signore in cielo, e in terra, in mare, e in tutti gli abissi.Al thinges whatsoeuer our Lord would he hath done, in heauen, in earth, in the sea, and in al the depthes.Omnia quæcumque voluit Dominus fecit, / in cælo, in terra, in mari et in omnibus abyssis. 7He bringeth up clouds from the end of the earth: he hath made lightnings for the rain. He bringeth forth winds out of his stores:Ei, che fa venir le nuvole dall'estremità della terra: fece i lampi per segnale della pioggia. Egli i venti trae fuora da' suoi tesori:Bringing forth clowdes from the vttermost of the earth: lightenings he hath turned into rayne. Who bringeth forth the windes out of his treasures:Educens nubes ab extremo terræ, / fulgura in pluviam fecit; / qui producit ventos de thesauris suis. 8He slew the firstborn of Egypt from man even unto beast.egli percosse i primogeniti dell'Egitto dell'uomo fino al bestiame.who stroke the first begotten of Aegypt from man euen to beast.Qui percussit primogenita Ægypti, / ab homine usque ad pecus.
9He sent forth signs and wonders in the midst of thee, O Egypt: upon Pharao, and upon all his servants.E mandò segni, e prodigj in mezzo, a te, o Egitto, contro Faraone, e contro tutti i suoi servi.He sent forth signes, and wonders in the middes of thee ô Aegypt: vpon Pharao, and vpon al his seruantes.Et misit signa et prodigia in medio tui, Ægypte: / in Pharaonem, et in omnes servos ejus. 10He smote many nations, and slew mighty kings:Egli che abbattè molte genti, e uccise dei re robusti.Who stroke manie nations: and slew strong kinges:Qui percussit gentes multas, / et occidit reges fortes: 11Sehon king of the Amorrhites, and Og king of Basan, and all the kingdoms of Chanaan.Sehon re degli Amorrei, e Og re di Basan, e tutti i regni di Chanaan.Sehon the king of the Amorrheites, & Og the king of Basan, and al the kingdomes of Chanaan.Sehon, regem Amorrhæorum, et Og, regem Basan, / et omnia regna Chanaan: 12And gave their land for an inheritance, for an inheritance to his people Israel.E diede la loro terra in retaggio: in retaggio ad Israele suo popolo.And he gaue their land for inheritance, for an inheritance to Israel his people.et dedit terram eorum hæreditatem, / hæreditatem Israël populo suo. 13Thy name, O Lord, is for ever: thy memorial, O Lord, unto all generations.Signore, il tuo nome o in eterno: Signore, la memoria di te per tutte le generazioni.Lord thy name is for euer: Lord thy memorial is vnto generation and generation.Domine, nomen tuum in æternum; / Domine, memoriale tuum in generationem et generationem. 14For the Lord will judge his people, and will be entreated in favour of his servants.Perché il Signore farà giustizia al suo popolo, e si placherà co' suoi servi.Because our Lord shal iudge his people: and wil be intreated toward his seruantes.Quia judicabit Dominus populum suum, / et in servis suis deprecabitur. 15The idols of the Gentiles are silver and gold, the works of men’s hands.I simolacri delle nazioni sono oro, e argento, opere delle mani degli uomini.The idoles of the Gentiles are siluer, and gold, the workes of mens handes.Simulacra gentium argentum et aurum, / opera manuum hominum. 16They have a mouth, but they speak not: they have eyes, but they see not.Hanno bocca, e non parleranno i hanno occhi, e non vedranno.They haue mouth, and shal not speake: they haue eies, and shal not see.Os habent, et non loquentur; / oculos habent, et non videbunt. 17They have ears, but they hear not: neither is there any breath in their mouths.Hanno orecchi, e non udiranno: imperocché non vi è spirito nella loro bocca.They haue eares, and shal not heare: for neither is there breath in their mouth.Aures habent, et non audient; / neque enim est spiritus in ore ipsorum.
18Let them that make them be like to them: and every one that trusteth in them.Sian simili ad essi coloro, che li fanno, e tutti quei, che in essi confidano.Let them that make them become like to them: and al that haue confidence in them.Similes illis fiant qui faciunt ea, / et omnes qui confidunt in eis. 19Bless the Lord, O house of Israel: bless the Lord, O house of Aaron.Casa d'Israele, benedici il Signore: benedici il Signore, casa d'Aronne.Ye house of Israel blesse our Lord: ye house of Aaron blesse our Lord.Domus Israël, benedicite Domino; / domus Aaron, benedicite Domino. 20Bless the Lord, O house of Levi: you that fear the Lord, bless the Lord.Casa di Levi, benedici il Signore: voi, che temete il Signore benedite il Signore.Ye house of Leui blesse our Lord: you that feare our Lord, blesse ve our Lord.Domus Levi, benedicite Domino; / qui timetis Dominum, benedicite Domino. 21Blessed be the Lord out of Sion, who dwelleth in Jerusalem.Di Sionne si benedica il Signore, che abita in Gerusalemme.Blessed be our Lord out of Sion, who dwelleth in Ierusalem.Benedictus Dominus ex Sion, / qui habitat in Jerusalem.
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Berthier
Alleluia. The psalm turns on God's praises, and might be composed by David, after he had settled the order of the Levites, though it may suit all people. (Berthier)
Calmet
The latter part agrees with Psalm cxiii., and Jeremias x., which might lead us to conclude that it was composed after the captivity, perhaps for the dedication of the second temple. The next psalm is a repetition of this, with the chorus interspersed. (Calmet)
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Worthington
Courts. Both clergy and laity praise God for his favours and power. (Worthington)
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Calmet
Sweet. Occupation, and very useful, Psalm 146:1. (Calmet)
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Calmet
Possession. Hebrew, "jewel," "property." Chaldean, "well-beloved." See Deuteronomy 52:8., and Ecclesiasticus 17:14. (Calmet)
Berthier
The first patriarchs corresponded with God's goodness: but their descendants were for the most part ungrateful: so that Christians have now entered into their place, and must praise God. (Berthier)
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St. Chrysostom
Gods. Whatever is so esteemed by men. (St. Chrysostom)
Calmet
He then proceeds to shew the vanity of such false gods. (Calmet)
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Earth. The Mediterranean sea is so called, Luke 12:54.
Haydock
Rain. Indicating, or causing rain. (Haydock)
Theodoret
The most incompatible things are united. (Theodoret)
St. Augustine
The sinner melts into tears at the sight of God's judgments. (St. Augustine)
Stores, which are his will and decrees. (Theodoret) (Jeremias 51:16.)
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Entreated. Deuteronomy 32:36. "Have pity," (Berthier) or revenge.
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Calmet
Fear. It was important to distinguish the priests from the people. (Calmet)
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Gods seruantes.
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Clergie that serue in the Temple,
and ye Laitie that attend to his seruice, must praise him for these causes.
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••• goodnes.
his benignitie.
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he hath adopted vs his children.
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he is omni potent, as appeareth by his vvorkes, here and elsvvhere recited: and manie wayes knovvne to the vvorld.
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Concordance Exo. 1•.
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Concordance Ios. 12. Num. 21. Ios. 13.
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Concordance Psal. 113.
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 135.1
1. Very pleasant ought it be to us, and we should rejoice because it is pleasant, to which this Psalm exhorteth us. For it says, “Praise the name of the Lord” (
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 135.2
2. …Therefore, “Ye who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God, praise the Lord” (
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 135.3
3. What reason shall I give why you should praise Him? “Because the Lord is good” (
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 135.5
5. “For the Lord hath chosen Jacob to Himself, Israel for His own possession” (
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 135.6
6. …“Because,” says he, “I know that the Lord is great, and our God is above all gods” (
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St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 2.6
… But here in the case of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, inasmuch as Their power resides in Their nature (for the Holy Spirit breathes “where He listeth ,” and “worketh all in all as He will ,” and the Son, by Whom all things were made, visible and invisible, in heaven and in earth, “did all things whatsoever He pleased
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 135.7
7. “All whatsoever the Lord willed, He made in the heaven, and in the earth, in the sea, and in all its deep places” (
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus 1
… But we know that with Him all things are possible, for He changed the water of the Nile into blood, and day into night, and made the sea dry land, and filled the dry wilderness with water, and we hear the prophet saying “Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did He in heaven, and in earth, in the seas and all deep places.”
St John of Damascus † AD 749 An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 1.8
… a power known by no measure, measurable only by His own will alone (for all things that He wills He can
St John of Damascus † AD 749 An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 2.29
… For in that case they would both assuredly be deficient, the one in creating, the other in providing . God therefore is both Creator and Provider, and His creative and preserving and providing power is simply His good-will. For whatsoever the Lord pleased that did He in heaven and in earth
St John of Damascus † AD 749 An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 4.13
If then the Word of God is quick and energising , and the Lord did all that He willed
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 135.8
8. “Raising the clouds from the ends of the earth” (
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 135.9
9. We see therefore these things in that work of His; we praise, we marvel at, we bless God; let us see what He has done among men for His people. “Who smote the first-born of Egypt” (
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 135.9
… “Who smote the first-born of Egypt” ( ver. 8 ). But withal those divine doings are told which thou mightest love, those are not told which thou mightest fear. Attend, and see that also when He is angry, He doeth what He willeth. “From man even unto beast. He sent signs and wonders into the midst of thee, O Egypt!” (
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 135.9
… “From man even unto beast. He sent signs and wonders into the midst of thee, O Egypt!” ( ver. 9 ). Ye know, ye have read what the hand of the Lord did by Moses in Egypt, to crush and cast down the proud Egyptians, “on Pharaoh and on all his servants.” Little did He in Egypt: what did He after His people was led out thence? “Who smote many nations” (
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 135.9
… what did He after His people was led out thence? “Who smote many nations” ( ver. 10 ), who possessed that land, which God willed to give His people. “And slew mighty kings, Sehon king of the Amorites, and Og the king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan” (
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 135.9
… Then ye have thoroughly understood these things. What did God then? He drove out the wicked, “And he gave their land for an inheritance, even an inheritance to Israel His servant” (
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 135.10
10. Then follows the loud cry of His praise. “Thy Name, O Lord, is for ever and ever” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 135.11
11. All these things then did God overthrow, in the body at that time, when our fathers were led out of the land of Egypt, in the spirit now. Nor does His Hand cease until the end. Therefore deem not that these mighty deeds of God were then finished and have ceased. “Thy Name, O Lord,” he says, “is for ever.”
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 135.12
12. “The Lord hath judged His people, and will be called upon among His servants” (
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Tertullian † AD 220 Scorpiace 2
… as when by the mouth of David He says: “The gods of the nations are silver and gold: they have eyes, and see not; they have ears, and hear not; they have a nose, and smell not; a mouth, and they speak not; hands, and they handle not; feet and they walk not. Like to them shall be they who make them, and trust in them.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Exhortation to Martyrdom, Addressed to Fortunatus 1
In the cxiiith Psalm it is shown that “the idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have a mouth, and speak not; eyes have they, and see not. They have ears, and hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouth. Let those that make them be made like unto them.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 77.14
… ears they have and they hear not; feet they have and they walk not. Why dost thou walk to a God that walketh not? I do not, he saith, worship such things, and what dost thou worship? The divinity which is there. Thou dost then worship that whereof hath been said elsewhere, “for the Gods of the nations are demons.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 135.13
13. Lastly, after all that arrangement and dispensation, the Spirit of God turns itself to reproaching and ridiculing those idols, which are now ridiculed by their very worshippers. “The idols of the Gentiles are silver and gold” (
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St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 3.60
… “The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have a mouth, and speak not; they have eyes, and see not; they have ears, and hear not; and neither is there any breath in their mouth. Let them who make them become like unto them, and all those who trust in them.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 135.13
… because silver glitters, and gold glitters, have they therefore eyes, or do they see?…But as these things are senseless, why make ye men of silver and gold to be gods? See ye not that the gods which ye make see not? “They have a mouth, and will not speak; they have eyes, and will not see” (
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 135.13
… See ye not that the gods which ye make see not? “They have a mouth, and will not speak; they have eyes, and will not see” ( ver. 16 ); “they have ears, and will not hear; neither is there any breath in their mouth” (
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 135.14
14. And man, thou laughest doubtless at what thou hast made, if thou knowest by whom thou art made. But of them who know not, what is said? “All they who make them, and all they who trust in them, are like them” (
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 135.15
… daily the eyes of the blind, the ears of the deaf are opened, the nostrils of the senseless are breathed into, the tongues of the dumb are loosed, the hands of the palsied are strengthened, the feet of the lame are guided; sons of Abraham are raised up of these stones, to all of whom be it said, “Bless the Lord, ye house of Israel” (
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 135.15
… But even granting that it is said of that house, and the people of Israel is meant, from thence did the Apostles and thousands of the circumcised believe? “Bless the Lord, ye house of Aaron. Bless the Lord, ye house of Levi” (
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 135.16
16. Let us also with one voice say what follows: “Blessed be the Lord out of Zion, who dwelleth in Jerusalem” (
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v. 1 vide 112,1 et 154,1; cum hic etiam in hebr habeatur in atriis, simul cum sacerdotibus et levitis invitantur 18101 ad laudandum Deum ; psallite cantionibus et instrumentis musicis celebrate: nomen Domini; nomen, vide ad 51,11 et 53,8; alu referunt ad totum complexum et ad utihtatem psallentium (Chrys. Theod. Calm.); sed ex parallelismo ad quia bonus prior acceptio potius suadetur. Ad
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v. 6 descripta eius potentia universali in coelo et in abyssis, terra marique; 113 b,3; hebr 115,3. Cuius aliqua exempla afferuntur
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v. 7, cf. Ier. 10,13, qui levat nubes ab extremo terrae 51,16, a mari (Theod. ; fines enim terrae sunt sinus maris, faciem terrae ; fulgura in pluviam facit; explica : fulgura simul cum pluvia, seu inter pluviam facit; id quandoque veteribus mirum videbatur; nam 770600. : ostendit θαῦμα πάντων παραδοξότατον : 1n aquis enim fulguris ignis discurrens neque illas calefacit neque ipseextinguitur » ; ventos de thesauris suis, vide 32,1. Deut. 28,12. Iob 38,22. Uti in rebus naturalibus, ita in hominum quoque sortibus et eventibus suam ostendit potentiam
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v. 8, vide 77,51; Ex. 12,29;
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v. 9 signa et prodigia, in plagis, quibus Pharao et aulici quoque affligebantur; Ex. 8,3. 24: 9,15; 10,16;
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v. 10 gentes multas, 11,55; occidit reges fortes, los. 12, 1-94; Sehon Num. 21,21 sq. Deut. 2,26; Og Num. 21,33. Deut. 3,9; hereditatem populo suo, los. 13,1 etc. Commemoratis operibus ac beneficiis Dei subditur laus Domini
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v. 13 nomen tuum manet praedicatum et laudatum in aeternum ; implebitur quod Deus dixit. Ex. 3,15; et ad
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v. 14 vide Deut 32,36 ; iudicabit, tribuet populo quod vi promissionis ei debetur, causam populi aget et tuebitur; e£ n servis suis deprecabitur, 89,15 legimus textum fere eundem : et deprecabilis esto super servos tuos; Hier : in servos suos erit placabilis, hebr servorum suorum miserebitur. Illustratur quod v. 5 dietum est : Deus noster prae omnibus dis. . Impotentia describitur et inanitas deorum, scil. qui non sunt nisi simu-- 3 lacra, non habent aliud esse, nisi esse et naturam statuarum ; ef. [5. 44,19; v. 15-18 vide ad 113 b, 4-8. Israel autem et sacerdotes et levi- = tae et timentes Dominum, proselyti v. 19.20 invitantur ad Deum cele- M brandum; ita redit psalmus ad initium; v. 21 Dominus sit laudatus et — — laus eius ex Sion audiatur et propagetur; 49,2.
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In fact Scripture extols the dominion that God has over his creative act in such a way that every necessity is excluded from it. God "has done all that he willed" (Ps. 113, 11; 134, 6) and St. Paul teaches that God does everything "secundum consilium voluntatis suae" (Eph., 1, 11).
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bitum honorem et venerationem impertiendum: non quod credatur inesse aliqua in iis divinitas vel virtus propter quam sint colendae, vel quod ab eis sit aliquid petendum, vel quod fiducia in imaginibus sit figenda, velut olim fiebat a gentibus, quae in idolis spem suam collocabant (Ps. 134, 15), sed quoniam honor qui eis exhibetur, refertur ad prototypia, quae illae repraesentant, ita ut per imagines, quas osculamur et coram quibus caput aperimus et procumbimus, Christum …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.