He has not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise you the LORD.
Read Chapter 147
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
29. "He hath not done so to the whole race" (ver. 20). Let none deceive you: it is not announced to any nation, this judgment of God; namely, how the righteous and the unrighteous suffer, how all suffer for their deserts, how the righteous themselves are freed by the grace of God, not in their own merits. This is not announced to the whole race, but only to Jacob, only to Israel. What then do we, if He hath not announced it to the whole race, but only to Jacob, only to Israel? Where will we be? In Jacob. "He hath not manifested His judgments to them." To whom? To all nations. How then are the "snows" called, when the crystal is melted? How are the nations called, now Paul is justified? How, save to be in Jacob? The wild olive is cut off from its stock, to be grafted into the olive: now they belong to the olive, no longer ought they to be called nations, but one nation in Christ, the nation of Jacob, the nation of Israel ...What is Israel? "Seeing God." Where shall he see God? In peace....
] Them. He hath not announced his decrees to them. This glory was reserved for Israel, Deuteronomy iv. 7. (Calmet)
The written law was granted to the latter. Yet God had sufficiently manifested his will to all mankind, so that they must also appear before his tribunal. (St. Chrysostom) (Berthier)
Alleluia. Considering that all were in the mass of sin, and that God justly let many perish; those whom he justifies are more bound to praise him; and therefore the prophet concludes this and the following psalms with Alleluia. (Worthington)
Christians, and particularly Catholics, are most concerned, since many have rebelled against the light of faith, (Berthier) and abuse the gift of the holy Scriptures. (Haydock)
