Psalms 137:1
I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart: for thou hast heard the words of my mouth. I will sing praise to thee in the sight of the angels:
Open Psalms 137:1 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Ipsi David. Confitebor tibi, Domine, in toto corde meo, quoniam audisti verba oris mei. In conspectu angelorum psallam tibi ;
- Septuagint (Swete)
- Τῷ Δαυείδ. Ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι, Κύριε, ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ μου, ὅτι ἤκουσας τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ στόματός μου· καὶ ἐναντίον ἀγγέλων ψαλῶ σοι.
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 138:1
- לְדָוִ֨ד אוֹדְךָ֥ בְכָל לִבִּ֑י נֶ֖גֶד אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲזַמְּרֶֽךָּ
Haydock's commentary
David. It contains a form of thanksgiving for him, or for any other. (Worthington) (Berthier)
Some Greek copies add, "of Aggeus and Zacharias." But this is of small authority, though they might sing this psalm (Calmet) when the Jews had been delivered from all their enemies, (Origen) under Darius, who married Esther. It might also be used by Ezechias, after his recovery, (Calmet) or by David, when he found himself at rest, (Muis) and had the Messias in view. (Berthier)
Praise. Literally, "confess," (Haydock) by repentance, (St. Jerome) and praise. (St. Hilary)
For, &c. This sentence is placed after angels, in Septuagint and is not at all in Hebrew, (Berthier) Chaldean, Syriac, &c. (Calmet)
It seems probable that the Septuagint found this reason for praise in their copies.
Angels. Some would translate "judges, gods," &c. But the psalmist would rather pray before the angels, who would attend in the temple, and present his petitions. (Berthier) (Apocalypse v., and viii.) (Apostolic Constitutions viii. 4.)
Their presence ought to full us with awe, (Luke xii. 8., and 1 Timothy v. 21.) and with confidence, if our prayer comes from the heart. (Haydock)
Such God will hear, and the angels will present, Tobias xii., Acts x., and 1 Corinthians xi. 10., and Psalm xxiv. 10.
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 CXXXVIII
1. The title of this Psalm is brief and simple, and need not detain us; since we know whose resemblance David wore, and since in him we recognise ourselves also, for we too are members of that Body. The whole title is, “To David himself.” Let us see then, what is to David himself. The title of the Psalm is wont to tell us what is treated of within it: but in this, since the title informs us not of this, but tells us only to Whom it is chanted, the first verse tells us what is treated of in the whole Psalm, “I will confess to Thee.” This confession then let us hear. But first I remind you, that the term confession in Scripture, when we speak of confession to God, is used in two senses, of sin, and of praise. But confession of sin all know, confession of praise few attend to. …