Psalms 46:8
For God is the king of all the earth: sing ye wisely.
Open Psalms 46:8 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- quoniam rex omnis terræ Deus, psallite sapienter.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- ὅτι βασιλεὺς πάσης τῆς γῆς ὁ θεός, ψάλατε συνετῶς.
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 47:8
- כִּ֤י מֶ֖לֶךְ כָּל הָאָ֥רֶץ אֱלֹהִ֗ים זַמְּר֥וּ מַשְׂכִּֽיל
Haydock's commentary
Wisely. Hebrew mascil, which is so often rendered "understanding" in the titles. No one can do well, what he does not understand. (Calmet)
The union of faith and good works, is singing wisely. (St. Chrysostom) (Calmet)
Concordent manus & lingua. (St. Augustine) (Du Hamel)
Let each strive to know the mysteries of faith. (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 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John, Chapter III. 22-29
3. John, however, may say something more evidently, that our Lord Jesus Christ is God. We may find this in the present passage, that it is perhaps of Him we have been singing, “The Lord reigned over all the earth;” against which they are deaf who imagine that He reigns only in Africa. But let them not suppose that it is not of Christ it is spoken when it is said, “God reigned over all the earth.” For who else is our King, but our Lord Jesus Christ? It is He that is our King. …
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm XLVII
8. “For God is the King of all the earth” ( ver. 7 ). What? And before was He not God of all the earth? Is He not God of both heaven and earth, since by Him surely were all things made? Who can say that He is not his God? But not all men acknowledged Him their God; and where He was acknowledged, there only, so to say, He was God. “In Judah is God known.” Not yet was it said to the sons of Korah, “O clap your hands, all ye nations.” For that God known in Judah, is King of all the earth: now by all He is acknowledged, for that is fulfilled which Isaiah saith, “He is thy God who hath delivered thee, the God of the whole earth shall He be called.” “Sing ye praises with understanding.” He teacheth us and warneth us to sing praises with understanding, not to seek the sound of the ear, but the light of the heart. …
St Jerome The Letters of St. Jerome, To Rusticus
15. No art is ever learned without a master. Even dumb animals and wild herds follow leaders of their own. Bees have princes, and cranes fly after one of their number in the shape of a Y. There is but one emperor and each province has but one judge. Rome was founded by two brothers, but, as it could not have two kings at once, was inaugurated by an act of fratricide. So too Esau and Jacob strove in Rebekah’s womb. Each church has a single bishop, a single archpresbyter, a single archdeacon; and every ecclesiastical order is subjected to its own rulers. A ship has but one pilot, a house but one master, and the largest army moves at the command of one man. That I may not tire you by heaping up instances, my drift is simply this. Do not rely on your own discretion, but live in a monastery. …