Psalms 131:14
This is my rest for ever and ever: here will I dwell, for I have chosen it.
Open Psalms 131:14 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Hæc requies mea in sæculum sæculi ; hic habitabo, quoniam elegi eam.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- αὕτη ἡ κατάπαυσίς μου εἰς αἰῶνα αἰῶνος· ὧδε κατοικήσω, ὅτι ᾑρετισάμην αὐτήν.
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 132:14
- זֹאת מְנוּחָתִ֥י עֲדֵי עַ֑ד פֹּֽה אֵ֝שֵׁ֗ב כִּ֣י אִוִּתִֽיהָ
Haydock's commentary
This. God is introduced speaking to the end. (Haydock)
Chosen. Hebrew, "desired." This relates to his spouse, the Church. (Calmet)
He dwelleth in this Sion for ever. (Worthington)
It was the figure of the Christian Church, as this is of heaven, Hebrews xii. 22. (Berthier)
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 CXXXII
15. “This shall be My rest for ever” ( ver. 14 ). These are the words of God. “My rest:” I rest there. How greatly doth God love us, brethren, since, because we rest, He saith that He also resteth! For He is not sometimes Himself disturbed, nor doth He rest as we do; but He saith that He resteth there, because we shall have rest in Him. “Here will I dwell: for I have a delight therein.”
St Athanasius Synodal Letter to the People of Antioch. (Tomus ad Antiochenos.)
We are persuaded that being ministers of God and good stewards ye are sufficient to order the affairs of the Church in every respect. But since it has come to us, that many who were formerly separated from us by jealousy now wish for peace, while many also having severed their connection with the Arian madmen are desiring our communion, we think it well to write to your courtesy what ourselves and the beloved Eusebius and Asterius have drawn up: yourselves being our beloved and truly most-desired fellow-ministers. We rejoice at the said tidings, and pray that even if any be left still far from us, and if any appear to be in agreement with the Arians, he may promptly leave their madness, so that for the future all men everywhere may say, ‘One Lord, one faith.’ For as the psalmist says, what is so good or pleasant as for brethren to dwell in unity. …
St Athanasius Letters of Athanasius with Two Ancient Chronicles of His Life, Second Letter to Orsisius
I have heard about the decease of the blessed Theodorus, and the tidings caused me great anxiety, knowing as I did his value to you. Now if it had not been Theodorus, I should have used many words to you, with tears, considering what follows after death. But since it is Theodorus whom you and I have known, what need I say in my letter save ‘Blessed is’ Theodorus, ‘who hath not walked in the council of the ungodly?’ But if ‘he is blessed that feareth the Lord,’ we may now confidently call him blessed, having the firm assurance that he has reached as it were a haven, and has a life without care. …
St Jerome The Letters of St. Jerome, To Eustochium
10. Then, after distributing money to the poor and her fellow-servants so far as her means allowed, she proceeded to Bethlehem stopping only on the right side of the road to visit Rachel’s tomb. (Here it was that she gave birth to her son destined to be not what his dying mother called him, Benoni, that is the “Son of my pangs” but as his father in the spirit prophetically named him Benjamin, that is “the Son of the right hand).” After this she came to Bethlehem and entered into the cave where the Saviour was born. …