Psalms 24:1
Unto the end, a psalm for David. To thee, O Lord, have I lifted up my soul.
Open Psalms 24:1 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- In finem. Psalmus David. Ad te, Domine, levavi animam meam :
- Septuagint (Swete)
- Ψαλμὸς τῷ Δαυείδ. Πρὸς σέ, Κύριε, ἦρα τὴν ψυχήν μου,
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 25:1
- לְדָוִ֡ד אֵלֶ֥יךָ יְ֝הוָ֗ה נַפְשִׁ֥י אֶשָּֽׂא
Haydock's commentary
David. This word alone occurs in Hebrew. Septuagint and St. Jerome add also Psalm. (Haydock)
St. Augustine and Theod.[Theodotion or Theodoret?] agree with the Vulgate. (Calmet)
These variations prove that we cannot depend much on the titles; and the learned do not look upon them as the word of God. The psalm may have been composed, when David was persecuted by his son, (Berthier) or by Saul. It may also allude to the captives. This is the first of the seven alphabetical psalms. The 33d, 35th, 110th, 111th, 118th, and 144th, are of the same description, being written in this manner (Calmet) on account of their importance, (Kimchi) or to help the memory, (Berthier) or for copies, to teach young people to write. (Grotius)
Each verse forms a distinct sentence, not much connected with the rest. We perceive some derangement in the present Hebrew copies of this psalm, as the letters are not in proper order, though it might easily be restored by altering the divisions, &c. The Jews have been less attentive to preserve these divine canticles (Calmet) than their Thalmudical songs. (Pellican in Psalm lxxxv. 9.)
The Septuagint and St. Jerome seem to have had better copies. Christ, the Church, (Calmet) or any pious soul, may address this fervent prayer to God under affliction.
Lifted up in the true spirit of prayer, (Berthier) with fervour and confidence, Deuteronomy xxiv. 15., and Lamentations iii. 41. (Calmet)
Attention is requisite to obtain a petition, (Worthington) as well as fervour, &c. (Haydock)
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 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John, Chapter V. 19-40
5. The lesson of to-day, brethren, is easy; but on account of what was due yesterday (for I know what I have delayed, not withdrawn, and the Lord has deigned to allow me even to-day to speak to you), recall to mind what you ought to demand, if perhaps, while preserving piety and wholesome humility, we may in some measure stretch out ourselves, not against God, but towards Him, and lift up our soul, pouring it out above us, like the Psalmist, to whom it was said, “Where is thy God?” “On these things,” saith he, “I meditated, and poured out my soul above me.” Therefore let us lift up our soul to God, not against God; for this also is said, “To Thee, O Lord, I have lifted up my soul.” And let us lift it up with His own assistance, for it is heavy. …
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm XXV
2. “Unto Thee, O Lord, have I lift up my soul” ( ver. 1 ): with spiritual longing have I lift up the soul, that was trodden down on the earth with carnal longings. “O my God, in Thee I trust, I shall not be ashamed” ( ver. 2 ). O my God, from trusting in myself I was brought even to this weakness of the flesh; and I who on abandoning God wished to be as God, fearing death from the smallest insect, was in derision ashamed for my pride; now, therefore, “in Thee I trust, I shall not be ashamed.”
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Nun
108. “My soul is alway in Thy hand” ( ver. 109 ). Some copies read, “in my hand:” but most, “in Thy hand;” and this latter is indeed easy. For “the souls of the righteous are in God’s hand: in whose hand are both we and our words.” “And I do not forget Thy law:” as if his memory were aided to remember God’s law by the hands of Him in whose hands is his soul. But how the words, “My soul is in my hands,” can be understood, I know not. For these are the words of the righteous, not of the ungodly; of one who is returning to the Father, not departing from the Father.…Is it perhaps said, “My soul is in my hands,” in this sense, as if he offered it to God to be quickened? Whence in another passage it is said, “Unto Thee, O Lord, have I lifted up my soul.” Since here too he had said above, “Quicken Thou me.”