I will sing of mercy and justice: unto you, O LORD, will I sing.
Read Chapter 101
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
1. In this Psalm, we ought to seek in the whole body of it what we find in the first verse: "Mercy and judgment will I sing unto Thee, O Lord" (ver. 1). Let no man flatter himself that he will never be punished through God's mercy; for there is judgment also; and let no man who hath been changed for the better dread the Lord's judgment, seeing that mercy goeth before it. For when men judge, sometimes overcome by mercy, they act against justice; and mercy, but not justice, seemeth to be in them: while sometimes, when they wish to enforce a rigid judgment, they lose mercy. But God neither loseth the severity of judgment in the bounty of mercy, nor in judging with severity loseth the bounty of mercy. Suppose we distinguish these two, mercy and judgment, by time; for possibly, they are not placed in this order without a meaning, so that he said not "judgment and mercy," but "mercy and judgment:" so that if we distinguish them by succession in time, perhaps we find that the present is the s...
Himself. He describes the conduct which he was resolved to follow in ruling, (Calmet) or alluding to the pious king Josias. (Theodoret) (4 Kings xxii.) The sentiments are not confined to rulers alone, (Berthier) though this psalm might be styled, "the mirror of princes. "(Muis)
Mercy and judgment. The chief qualifications of a king. (Calmet)
Whether I am treated with clemency or with rigour, I will praise thee. (Chaldean)
No one should presume, since there is judgment, nor despair, since mercy goes before. (St. Jerome) (St. Augustine)
I will sing, and I will understand. Piety is one of the best means to acquire the intelligence of these heavenly hymns, and of the whole scripture. (Haydock)
We might translate the Hebrew (Calmet) and Vulgate, Mercy and judgment I will sing, to thee, Lord, will I sing psalms. (Haydock)
