My soul thirsts for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
Read Chapter 42
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
5. "My soul is athirst for the living God" (ver. 2). What I am saying, that "as the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so longs my soul after Thee, O God," means this, "My soul is athirst for the living God." For what is it athirst? "When shall I come and appear before God?" This it is for which I am athirst, to "come and to appear before Him." I am athirst in my pilgrimage, in my running; I shall be filled on my arrival. But "When shall I come?" And this, which is soon in the sight of God, is late to our "longing." "When shall I come and appear before God?" This too proceeds from that "longing," of which in another place comes that cry, "One thing have I desired of the Lord; that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life." Wherefore so? "That I may behold" (he saith) "the beauty of the Lord." "When shall I come and appear before the Lord?" ...
Strong. Most Bibles before Clement VIII read "fountain. "(Calmet)
El signifies both God and strong. (Berthier)
The Levites desired earnestly to serve God in his temple; Christians must wish to appear before him in heaven, (Calmet) when they will be free from temptations. Idols may destroy, but they cannot give life. (Worthington)
