While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.
Read Chapter 146
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
2. But who saith it, and to whom saith he it? What shall we say, brethren? Is it the flesh that saith, "Praise thou the Lord, O my soul"? And can the flesh suggest good counsel to the soul? However much the flesh be conquered, and subjected as a servant to us through strength which the Lord imparteth, that it serve us entirely as a bond slave, enough for us that it hinder us not. ...For the body, inasmuch as it is the body, is even beneath the soul; and every soul, however vile, is found more excellent than the most excellent body. And let not this seem to you to be wonderful, that even any vile and sinful soul is better than any great and most surpassing body. It is better, not in deserts, but in nature. The soul indeed is sinful, is stained with certain defilements of lusts; yet gold, though rusted, is better than the most polished lead. Let your mind then run over every part of creation, and ye will see that what we are saying is not incredible, that a soul, however blameable, is ye...
Children. Hebrew, "sons of Adam. "The greatest prince is of the same frail condition as other men. He is not always willing, nor able to save. He must die, and all his projects cease. (Haydock)
If we could have depended on any, Cyrus seemed to be the person. Yet he has been deceived, and now forbids the building of a temple. We must, however, be grateful for the liberty which we enjoy by the goodness of God. (Calmet)
In one Son of man (Christ) we may trust; not because he is the Son of man, but because he is the Son of God. (St. Augustine) (Worthington)
