They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appears before God.
Read Chapter 84
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
10. What then does God supply by His grace to him whom He taketh hold of to lead him on? He goes on to say: "He hath placed steps in his heart." ...Where does it place steps? "In his heart, in the valley of weeping" (ver. 6). So here thou hast for a winepress the valley of weeping, the very pious tears in tribulation are the new wine of those that love. ...They went forth "weeping," he says, "casting their seed." Therefore, by the grace of God may upward steps be placed in thy heart. Rise by loving. Hence the Psalm "of degrees" is called. ..."He hath placed steps of ascent to the place which He hath appointed" (ver. 7). Now we lament; whence proceed our lamentations, but from that place where the steps of our ascent are placed? Whence comes our lamentation, but from that cause wherefore the Apostle exclaimed that he was a wretched man, because he saw another law in his members, warring against the law in his mind? And whence does this proceed? From the penalty of sin. And we thought th...
Blessing. Abundance of water, and other necessaries, (2 Corinthians ix. 6.) as well as (Haydock) spiritual graces, which help those who continue in the true Church to arrive at the vision of God. (Worthington)
Virtue, or "company "in which manner the Israelites went to the temple. (Calmet)
God. And not merely the temple, as here on earth. (Menochius)
