Psalms 113:21
He hath blessed all that fear the Lord, both little and great.
Open Psalms 113:21 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Benedixit omnibus qui timent Dominum, pusillis cum majoribus.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- εὐλόγησεν τοὺς φοβουμένους τὸν κύριον, τοὺς μικροὺς μετὰ τῶν μεγάλων.
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 115:13
- יְ֭בָרֵךְ יִרְאֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה הַ֝קְּטַנִּ֗ים עִם הַגְּדֹלִֽים
The Fathers on this verse
St Augustine Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament, On the words of the Gospel, Luke xviii. 1,’They ought always to pray, and not to faint,’ etc. And on the two who went up into the temple to pray: and of the little children who were presented unto Christ
4. And, lo, after the case had been stated, and the sentence pronounced, little children also came forth, yea, rather, are carried and presented to be touched. To be touched by whom, but the Physician? Surely, it will be said, they must be whole. To whom are the infants presented to be touched? To whom? To the Saviour. If to the Saviour, they are brought to be saved. To whom, but to Him “who came to seek and to save what was lost.” How were they lost? As far as concerns them personally, I see that they are without fault, I am seeking for their guiltiness. Whence is it? I listen to the Apostle, “By one man sin entered into the world. By one man,” he says, “sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men by him in whom all sinned.” Let then the little children come, let them come: let the Lord be heard. …
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm CXV
9. For we do not by our deservings prevent the mercy of God; but, “The Lord hath been mindful of us, and hath blessed us. He hath blessed the house of Israel, He hath blessed the house of Aaron” ( ver. 12 ). But in blessing both of these, “He hath blessed all that fear the Lord” ( ver. 13 ). Dost thou ask, who are meant by both of these? He answereth, “both small and great.” That is, the house of Israel with the house of Aaron, those who among that nation believed in Jesus the Saviour.…For in the character of those who out of that nation believed, it is said, “Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.” Seed, because when it has been scattered over the earth, it multiplied.
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm CXVIII
2. “Let Israel now confess that He is good, and that His mercy endureth for ever” ( ver. 2 ). “Let the house of Aaron now confess that His mercy endureth for ever” ( ver. 3 ). “Yea, let all now that fear the Lord confess that His mercy endureth for ever” ( ver. 4 ). Ye remember, I suppose, most beloved, what is the house of Israel, what is the house of Aaron, and that both are those that fear the Lord. For they are “the little and the great,” who have already in another Psalm been happily introduced into your hearts: in the number of whom all of us should rejoice that we are joined together, in His grace who is good, and whose mercy endureth for ever; since they were listened to who said, “May the Lord increase you more and more, you and your children;” that the host of the Gentiles might be added to the Israelites who believed in Christ, of the number of whom are the Apostles our father …