Psalms 104:1
Alleluia. Give glory to the Lord, and call upon his name: declare his deeds among the Gentiles.
Open Psalms 104:1 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Alleluja. Confitemini Domino, et invocate nomen ejus ; annuntiate inter gentes opera ejus.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- Ἁλληλουιά. Ἐξομολογεῖσθε τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ ἐπικαλεῖσθε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, ἀπαγγείλατε ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ.
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 105:1
- הוֹד֣וּ לַ֭יהוָה קִרְא֣וּ בִּשְׁמ֑וֹ הוֹדִ֥יעוּ בָ֝עַמִּ֗ים עֲלִילוֹתָֽיו
Haydock's commentary
Alleluia. This word occurs at the end of the preceding psalm in Hebrew, and means, "Praise ye the Lord," though it is also used as an exclamation of joy; for which reason it is left untranslated. See Apocalypse xx. (St. Augustine, ep. ad Casulan.) (Calmet)
It implies that we must praise God with all our power; and Catholic writers retain this (Worthington) and similar words in the original. (Haydock)
The first 15 verses of this psalm nearly agree with that which was composed by David, when the ark was to be removed from the house of Obededon, 1 Paralipomenon xvi. 8, 22. (Haydock)
But the last part seems to have been added by him, or by another afterwards, with some small alterations. (Berthier)
It was perhaps adapted to the dedication of the second temple, with the two following psalms. (Calmet)
Gentiles. Their conversion is thus insinuated. (Calmet)
The apostles preached to all. (Eusebius)
How much more ought we not to celebrate the mysteries of Christ? (Worthington)
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 Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm CV
1. This Psalm is the first of those to which is prefixed the word Allelujah; the meaning of which word, or rather two words, is, Praise the Lord. For this reason he beginneth with praises: “O confess unto the Lord, and call upon His Name” ( ver. 1 ); for this confession is to be understood as praise, just as these words of our Lord, “I confess to Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth.” For after commencing with praise, calling upon God is wont to follow, whereunto he that prayeth doth next add his longings: whence the Lord’s Prayer itself hath at the commencement a very brief praise, in these words, “Our Father which art in Heaven.” The things prayed for, then follow.…This also followeth, “Tell the people what things He hath done;” or rather, to translate literally from the Greek, as other Latin copies too have it, “Preach the Gospel of His works among the Gentiles.” Unto whom is this …