Expositions on the Book of Psalms 29
29.0 Psalm XXIX PL 36, 128
29.1 Psalm XXIX PL 36, 214
1. A Psalm of the Mediator Himself, strong of hand, of the perfection of the Church in this world, where she wars in time against the devil.
[vers. 1.] In finem Psalmus laetitiae resurrectionis atque in immortalem statum mutationis atque innovationis corporis, non tantum Domini, sed etiam totius Ecclesiae. Nam in superiori psalmo tabernaculum consummatum est, ubi habitamus belli tempore: nunc autem domus dedicatur, quae in sempiterna pace permanebit.
29.2 PL 36, 214
2. The Prophet speaks, “Bring unto the Lord, O ye Sons of God, bring unto the Lord the young of rams” (ver. 1). Bring unto the Lord yourselves, whom the Apostles, the leaders of the flocks, have begotten by the Gospel. “Bring unto the Lord glory and honour” (ver. 2). By your works let the Lord be glorified and honoured. “Bring unto the Lord glory to His name.” Let Him be made known gloriously throughout the world. “Worship the Lord in His holy court.” Worship the Lord in your heart enlarged and sanctified. For ye are His regal holy habitation.
[vers. 2.] Christus itaque totus loquitur: Exaltabo te, Domine, quoniam suscepisti me: sublimitatem tuam laudabo, Domine, quoniam suscepisti me. Nec jucundasti inimicos meos super me: nec eos qui toties variis per orbem persecutionibus me opprimere conati sunt, jucundasti super me.
29.3 PL 36, 214
3. “The Voice of the Lord is upon the waters” (ver. 3). The Voice of Christ is upon the peoples. “The God of majesty hath thundered.” The God of majesty, from the cloud of the flesh, hath awfully preached repentance. “The Lord is upon many waters.” The Lord Jesus Himself, after that He sent forth His Voice upon the peoples, and struck them with awe, converted them to Himself, and dwelt in them.
[vers. 3.] Domine Deus meus, clamavi ad te, et sanasti me: Domine Deus meus, clamavi ad te, et corpus mortalitate saucium et aegrum jam non gero.
29.4 PL 36, 214
4. “The Voice of the Lord is in power” (ver. 4). The Voice of the Lord now in them themselves, making them powerful. “The Voice of the Lord is in great might.” The Voice of the Lord working great things in them.
[vers. 4.] Domine, reduxisti ab inferis animam meam, salvum fecisti me a descendentibus in lacum: salvum fecisti me a conditione profundae caecitatis, atque infimi limi corruptibilis carnis.
29.5 PL 36, 214
5. “The Voice of the Lord breaking the cedars” (ver. 5). The Voice of the Lord humbling the proud in brokenness of heart. “The Lord shall break the cedars of Libanus.” The Lord by repentance shall break them that are lifted on high by the splendour of earthly nobility, when to confound them He shall have “chosen the base things of this world,” in the which to display His Divinity.
[vers. 5.] Psallite Domino sancti ejus: exsulta: Propheta futura ista cernens, et dicit, Psallite Domino sancti ejus. Et confitemini memoriae sanctitatis ejus: et confitemini ei quod sanctitatis, qua vos sanctificavit. non est oblitus, cum totum hoc medium tempus desiderio vestro longum esset.
29.6 PL 36, 215
6. “And shall bruise them as the calf of Libanus” (ver. 6). And when their proud exaltation hath been cut off, He will lay them low after the imitation of His Own humility, who like a calf was led to slaughter by the nobility of this world. “For the kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers agreed together against the Lord, and against His Christ.” “And the Beloved is as the young of the unicorns.” For even He the Beloved, and the Only One of the Father, “emptied Himself” of His glory; and was made man, like a child of the Jews, that were “ignorant of God’s righteousness,” and proudly boasting of their own righteousness as peculiarly theirs.
[vers. 6.] Quoniam ira in indignatione ejus: quoniam vindicavit in vos primum peccatum, quod morte solvistis. Et vita in voluntate ejus: et vitam aeternam, ad quam redire nullis vestris viribus possetis, quia voluit dedit. Vespere demorabitur fletus: vespere coepit, ubi sapientiae lumen recessit a peccante homine, quando morte damnatus est; ab ipso vespere moras habebit fletus, quamdiu in laboribus et tentationibus populus Dei exspectat diem Domini. Et in matutinum exsultatio: usque in matutinum, quo exsultatio resurrectionis futura est, quae in matutina Domini resurrectione praefloruit.
29.7 PL 36, 215
7. “The Voice of the Lord cutting short the flame of fire” (ver. 7). The Voice of the Lord, without any harm to Himself, passing through all the excited ardour of them that persecute Him, or dividing the furious rage of His persecutors, so that some should say, “Is not this haply the very Christ;” others, “Nay; but He deceiveth the people:” and so cutting short their mad tumult, as to pass some over into His love, and leave others in their malice.
[vers. 7.] Ego autem dixi in abundantia mea, Non movebor in aeternum: ego autem ille populus, qui ab initio loquebar, dixi in mea abundantia, jam nullam patiens egestatem: Non movebor in aeternum.
29.8 PL 36, 215
8. “The Voice of the Lord moving the wilderness” (ver. 8). The Voice of the Lord moving to the faith the Gentiles once “without hope, and without God in the world;” where no prophet, no preacher of God’s word, as it were, no man had dwelt. “And the Lord will move the desert of Cades.” And then the Lord will cause the holy word of His Scriptures to be fully known, which was abandoned by the Jews who understood it not.
[vers. 8.] Domine, in voluntate tua praestitisti decori meo virtutem: sed hanc abundantiam, Domine, non ex me mihi esse, sed in voluntate tua praestitisse te decori meo virtutem ex eo didici, Avertisti autem faciem tuam a me, et factus sum conturbatus; quod avertisti aliquando a peccante faciem tuam, et factus sum conturbatus, recedente a me illuminatione notitiae tuae.
29.9 PL 36, 215
9. “The Voice of the Lord perfecting the stags” (ver. 9). For the Voice of the Lord hath first perfected them that overcame and repelled the envenomed tongues. “And will reveal the woods.” And then will He reveal to them the darknesses of the Divine books, and the shadowy depths of the mysteries, where they feed with freedom. “And in His temple doth every man speak of His glory.” And in His Church all born again to an eternal hope praise God, each for His own gift, which He hath received from the Holy Spirit.
[vers. 9.] Ad te, Domine, clamabo, et ad Deum meum deprecabor: quod tempus conturbationis et miseriae meae recolens, et tanquam in eo constitutus, audio vocem primogeniti tui, capitis mei pro me morituri, et dicentis: Ad te, Domine, clamabo, et ad Deum meum deprecabor.
29.10 PL 36, 215
10. “The Lord inhabiteth the deluge” (ver. 10). The Lord therefore first inhabiteth the deluge of this world in His Saints, kept safely in the Church, as in the ark. “And the Lord shall sit a King for ever.” And afterward He will sit reigning in them for ever.
[vers. 10.] Quae utilitas in sanguine meo, dum descendo in corruptionem? quae utilitas in effusione sanguinis mei, dum descendo in corruptionem? Numquid confitebitur tibi pulvis? Si enim non statim resurrexero, corruptumque fuerit corpus meum, numquid confitebitur tibi pulvis, id est turba impiorum, quam mea resurrectione justificabo? Aut annuntiabit veritatem tuam? aut annuntiabit ad salutem caeterorum veritatem tuam?
29.11 PL 36, 215
11. “The Lord will give strength to His people” (ver. 11). For the Lord will give strength to His people fighting against the storms and whirlwinds of this world, for peace in this world He hath not promised them. “The Lord will bless His people in peace.” And the same Lord will bless His people, affording them peace in Himself; for, saith He, “My peace I give unto you, My peace I leave with you.”
[vers. 11.] Audivit Dominus, et misertus est mihi; Dominus factus est adjutor meus: nec dedit sanctum suum videre corruptionem .