English · KJV

Augustine of Hippo

Nicene & Post-Nicene · AD 325–500 · 7,530 passages across 62 books

Commentary

5,081–5,100 of 7,530
Psalms 32:4

For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.

"Because day and night Your Hand was heavy upon me:" because, through the continual punishment of Your scourges, "I was turned in misery, while a thorn was fixed through me" [Psalm 32:4]: I was made miserable by knowing my misery, being pricked with an evil conscience.
Psalms 32:5

I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

"I acknowledged my sin, and my unrighteousness have I not hid:" that is, my unrighteousness have I not concealed. "I said, I will confess against myself my unrighteousness to the Lord:" I said, I will confess, not against God (as in my ungodly crying, when I kept silence), but against myself, my unrighteousness to the Lord. "And Thou forgavest the iniquity of my heart" [Psalm 32:5]; hearing the word of confession in the heart, before it was uttered with the voice.
Psalms 32:6

For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.

"For this shall every one that is holy pray unto You in an acceptable time:" for this wickedness of heart shall every one that is righteous pray unto You. For not by their own merits will they be holy, but by that acceptable time, that is, at His coming, who redeemed us from sin. "Nevertheless in the flood of great waters they shall not come near him" [Psalm 32:6]: nevertheless, let none think, when the end has come suddenly, as in the days of Noah, [Matthew 24:37-41] that there remains a place of confession, whereby he may draw near unto God.
Psalms 32:7

Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.

"You are my refuge from the pressures, which have compassed me about:" You are my refuge from the pressure of my sins, which has compassed my heart. "O Thou, my Rejoicing, deliver me from them that compass me about" [Psalm 32:7]: in You is my joy: deliver me from the sorrow which my sins bring upon me.
Psalms 32:8

I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

Diapsalma. The answer of God: "I will give you understanding, and will set you in the way in which you shall go;" I will give you understanding after confession, that you depart not from the way in which you should go; lest you wish to be in your own power. "I will fix Mine Eyes upon you" [Psalm 32:8]; so will make sure upon you My Love.
Psalms 32:9 · 2 passages

Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.

"Be not ye like horse or mule, which have no understanding:" and therefore would govern themselves. But says the Prophet, "Hold in their jaws with bit and bridle." Do Thou then, O God, unto them "that will not come near You" [Psalm 32:9], what man does to horse and mule, that by scourges Thou make them to bear Your rule.
To have a soul and not to have an understanding, that is, not to use it or to live according to it, is a beast’s life. For there is in us something bestial by which we live in the flesh, but it must be ruled by the understanding. For the understanding rules from above the impulses of the soul when it moves itself according to the flesh and desires to pour itself out immoderately into carnal delights.

TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 15:19.2

Psalms 32:10

Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.

"Many are the scourges of the sinner:" much is he scourged, who, confessing not his sins to God, would be his own ruler. "But he that trusts in the Lord, mercy compasses him about" [Psalm 32:10]; but he that trusts in the Lord, and submits himself to His rule, mercy shall compass him about.
Psalms 32:11

Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

"Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, you righteous:" be glad, and rejoice, you righteous, not in yourselves, but in the Lord. "And glory, all you that are right in heart" [Psalm 32:11]: and glory in Him, all you who understand that it is right to be subject unto Him, that so ye may be placed above all things beside.
Psalms 33:1

Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.

"Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous:" rejoice, O you righteous, not in yourselves, for that is not safe; but in the Lord. "For praise is comely to the upright" [Psalm 33:1]: these praise the Lord, who submit themselves unto the Lord; for else they are distorted and perverse.
Psalms 33:2

Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.

"Praise the Lord with harp:" praise the Lord, presenting unto Him your bodies a living sacrifice. [Romans 12:1] "Sing unto Him with the psaltery for ten strings" [Psalm 33:2]: let your members be servants to the love of God, and of your neighbour, in which are kept both the three and the seven commandments.
Psalms 33:3

Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.

"Sing unto Him a new song:" sing unto Him a song of the grace of faith. "Sing skilfully unto Him with jubilation" [Psalm 33:3]: sing skillfully unto Him with rejoicing.
Psalms 33:4

For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth.

"For the Word of the Lord is right:" for the Word of the Lord is right, to make you that which of yourselves ye cannot be. "And all His works are done in faith" [Psalm 33:4]: lest any think that by the merit of works he has arrived at faith, when in faith are done all the works which God Himself loves.
Psalms 33:5

He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.

"He loves Mercy and Judgment:" for He loves Mercy, which now He shows first; and Judgment, wherewith He exacts that which He has first shown. "The earth is full of the Mercy of the Lord" [Psalm 33:5]: throughout the whole world are sins forgiven unto men by the Mercy of the Lord.
Psalms 33:6

By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

"By the Word of the Lord were the heavens made firm:" for not by themselves, but by the Word of the Lord were the righteous made strong. "And all the strength of them by the Breath of His Mouth" [Psalm 33:6]. And all their faith by His Holy Spirit.
Psalms 33:7

He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses.

"He gathers the waters of the sea together as into a bottle:" He gathered the people of the world together, to confession of mortified sin, lest through pride they flow too freely. "He lays up the deep in storehouses" [Psalm 33:7]: and keeps in them His secrets for riches.
Psalms 33:8

Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

"Let all the earth fear the Lord:" let every sinner fear, that so he may cease to sin. "Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him" [Psalm 33:8]: not of the terrors of men, or of any creature, but of Him let them stand in awe.
Psalms 33:9

For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.

"For He spoke, and they were made:" for no other one made those things which are to fear; but He spoke, and they were made. "He commanded, and they were created" [Psalm 33:9]: He commanded by His Word, and they were created.
Psalms 33:10

The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.

"The Lord brings the counsel of the heathen to nought;" of them that seek not His Kingdom, but kingdoms of their own. "He makes the devices of the people of none effect:" of them that covet earthly happiness. "And reproves the counsels of princes" [Psalm 33:10]: of them that seek to rule over such peoples.
Psalms 33:11

The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

"But the counsel of the Lord stands for ever;" but the counsel of the Lord, whereby He makes none blessed but him that submits unto Himself, stands for ever. The thoughts of His Heart to all generations [Psalm 33:11]: the thoughts of His Wisdom are not mutable, but endure to all generations.

All writers