Keep not silence, O God: hold not your peace, and be not still, O God.
Read Chapter 83
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
2. The people of God, then, in this Psalm saith, "O God, who shall be like unto Thee?" (ver. 1). Which I suppose to be more fitly taken of Christ, because, being made in the likeness of men, He was thought by those by whom He was despised to be comparable to other men: for He was even "reckoned among the unrighteous," but for this purpose, that He might be judged. But when He shall come to judge, then shall be done what is here said, "O God, who is like unto Thee?" For if the Psalms did not use to speak to the Lord Christ, that too would not be spoken which not one of the faithful can doubt was spoken unto Christ. "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever, a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Thy kingdom." To him therefore also now it is said, "O God, who shall be like unto Thee?" For unto many Thou didst vouchsafe to be likened in Thy humiliation, even so far as to the robbers that were crucified with Thee: but when in glory Thou shalt come, "who shall be like unto Thee?" ...
1. Of this Psalm the title is, "A song of a Psalm of Asaph." We have already often said what is the interpretation of Asaph, that is, congregation. That man, therefore, who was called Asaph, is named in representation of the congregation of God's people in the titles of many Psalms. But in Greek, congregation is called synagogue, which has come to be held for a kind of proper name for the Jewish people, that it should be called The Synagogue; even as the Christian people is more usually called The Church, in that it too is congregated.
Asaph. This psalm alludes to the wars of David, (2 Kings viii.; Berthier) against Ammon, (Bossuet) or of the Jews returned from captivity, (2 Esdras iv., and Ezechiel xxxviii.; Theodoret) or of the Machabees; (1 Machabees v., and 2 Machabees x.; Bellarmine) or rather of Josaphat, 2 Paralipomenon xx. (Kimchi) (Hammond) (Calmet)
All in danger are taught to have recourse to God. (Berthier)
To thee? Hebrew, "be not silent to thyself. "(Pagnin)
But domi also implies "like "(Bellarmine) and there would otherwise be a sort of tautology. (Berthier)
Christ on earth was like other men: but when he shall come to judgment, none will be comparable to Him. (St. Augustine)
Amama says this exposition is groundless: but others are of a contrary opinion. (Haydock)
The ancient Greek interpreters seem not to have varied from the Septuagint, though St. Jerome adopts the present Hebrew, "be not silent. Hold", which may express the utmost fervour and want of protection. Thy own cause is now at stake: the enemy wishes to destroy religion. (Calmet)
