Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion.
Read Chapter 147
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
17. "Praise in unison, O Jerusalem, thy God" (ver. 12). Abiding yet in captivity, they behold those flocks, or rather, the one flock of all its citizens, gathered from all sides into that city; they see the joy of the mass, now after threshings and winnowings placed in the garner, fearing nothing, suffering no toil nor trouble; and, as yet abiding here, in the midst of the threshing they send forward their joy of hope, and pant for it, joining as it were their hearts to the Angels of God, and to that people which shall abide with them in joy for ever. For what wilt thou then do, O Jerusalem? Surely toil and groaning will pass away. What wilt thou do? wilt thou plough, or sow, or plant vines, or make voyages, or trade? What wilt thou do? Will it still be thy duty to be engaged in the works thou now doest, good though they are, and spring from mercy? Consider thy numbers, consider on all sides thy company: see whether any hungers, for thee to give bread to; see whether any thirsts, for t...
] Alleluia. This word is not in Hebrew. (Haydock)
Many with the Septuagint add, "of Aggæus and Zacharias. "(Calmet)
The psalm has the same object in view as the preceding. (Berthier)
The Fathers explain it of the Church, and of heaven. (Calmet)
Sion. This place was highly favoured before the captivity, and rebuilt afterwards so as to enjoy many blessings. But all this was only a figure of the privileges belonging to the Church, and to the heavenly Sion, the true vision of peace. (Worthington)
The earthly Jerusalem was too often faithless; (Galatians iv. 26., and Hebrews xii. 22.) so that the psalmist cannot have it alone in view. (Berthier)
