Psalms 102:1
For David himself. Bless the Lord, O my soul: and let all that is within me bless his holy name.
Open Psalms 102:1 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Ipsi David. Benedic, anima mea, Domino, et omnia quæ intra me sunt nomini sancto ejus.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- Τῷ Δαυείδ. Εὐλόγει ἡ ψυχή μου τὸν κύριον, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐντός μου τό ὄνομα τὸ ἅγιον αὐτοῦ.
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 103:1
- לְדָוִ֨ד בָּרֲכִ֣י נַ֭פְשִׁי אֶת יְהוָ֑ה וְכָל קְ֝רָבַ֗י אֶת שֵׁ֥ם קָדְשֽׁוֹ
Haydock's commentary
Himself. All agree that David wrote this psalm as a model of resignation. The occasion is not known. (Berthier)
It may express the sentiments of the captives, (Calmet) or of converts to Christianity, (Eusebius) and is written with inimitable sweetness.
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St Augustine Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament, On the words of the Gospel, John vi. 53, ‘Except ye eat the flesh,’ etc., and on the words of the apostles. And the Psalms. Against the Pelagians
7. “Bless the Lord, O my soul.” Say, yea say to thy soul, “Thou art still in this life, still bearest about a frail flesh, still “doth the corruptible body press down the soul;” still after the entireness of remission hast thou received the remedy of prayer; for still, whilst thy weaknesses are being healed, dost thou say, “Forgive us our debts.” Say then to thy soul, thou lowly valley, not an exalted hill; say to thy soul, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.” What benefits? Tell them, enumerate them, render thanks. What benefits? “Who forgiveth all thine iniquities.” This took place in baptism. What takes place now? “Who healeth all thy weaknesses.” This takes place now; I acknowledge. …
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm CIII
1. …“Bless the Lord, O my soul! and all that is within me, His holy Name” ( ver. 1 ). I suppose that he speaketh not of what is within the body; I do not suppose him to mean this, that our lungs and liver, and so forth, are to burst forth into the voice of blessing of the Lord. There are lungs in our breast indeed, like a kind of bellows, which send forth successive breathings, which breathing forth of the air inhaled is pressed out into voice and sound, when the words are articulated; nor can any utterance sound forth from our mouth, but what the pressed lungs have given vent to; but this is not the meaning here; all this relateth to the ears of men. God hath ears: the heart also hath a voice. …