Surely his salvation is near those that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
8. "Nevertheless, His salvation is nigh them that fear Him" (ver. 9). There were some even then who feared Him in the Jewish people. Everywhere throughout the earth idols were worshipped: devils were feared, not God: in that nation God was feared. But why was He feared? In the Old Testament He was feared, lest He should give them up to captivity, lest He should take away their land from them, lest He should destroy their vines with hail, lest He should make their wives barren, lest He should take away their children from them. For these carnal promises of God captivated their minds, which as yet were of small growth, and for these things God was feared: but He was near unto them who even for these things feared Him. The Pagan prayed for land to the devil: the Jew prayed for land to God: it was the same thing which they prayed for, but not the same to whom they prayed. The latter, though seeking what the Pagan sought, yet was distinguished from the Pagan; for He sought it of Him who had...
Land. After the captivity, Judea flourished by degrees. But the glory of the second temple consisted in the presence of the Messias, Aggeus ii. 8. (Calmet)
Those who were moved with godly fear, embraced the gospel, in order to be saved, while many rejected it through their own fault. (Worthington)
