Psalms 88:53
Blessed be the Lord for evermore. So be it. So be it.
Open Psalms 88:53 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Benedictus Dominus in æternum. Fiat, fiat.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- εὐλογητὸς Κύριος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. γένοιτο, γένοιτο.
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 89:53
- בָּר֖וּךְ יְהוָ֥ה לְ֝עוֹלָ֗ם אָ֘מֵ֥ן וְאָמֵֽן
Haydock's commentary
So be it. Some suppose, that these words were added by the collector of the psalms into five books. (Calmet)
Here the third ends. (Haydock)
The psalmist loses not hope, under adversity. (Berthier)
He begins and finishes with God's praises. (Calmet)
We beg that all may praise thee, O Lord. (Worthington)
This is the only reply which he makes to the sarcasms of infidels, being convinced of God's providence. (Calmet)
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 LXXV
3. But that there is a strengthening of the sense in repetition, by many passages of the Scriptures we are taught. Thence is that which the Lord saith, “Verily, Verily.” Thence in certain Psalms is, “So be it, So be it.” To signify the thing, one “So be it” would have been sufficient: to signify confirmation, there hath been added another “So be it.”…Countless passages of such sort there are throughout all the Scriptures. With these it is sufficient that we have commended to your notice a way of speaking which ye may observe in all like cases: now to the substance attend: “We will confess to Thee,” he saith, “and we will invoke.” I have said why before invocation confession doth precede: because whom thou dost invoke, him thou dost invite. But he willeth not to come when invoked, if thou shalt have been lifted up: lifted up if thou shalt have been, thou wilt not be able to confess. …
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm LXXXIX
41. They have blasphemed the change of Christ; but what dost thou answer? “The blessing of the Lord for evermore. Amen and Amen” ( ver. 52 ). Thanks to His mercy, thanks to His grace. We express our thanks: we do not give them, nor return them, nor repay them: we express our thanks in words, while in fact we retain our sense of them. He saved us for no reward, He heeded not our impieties: He searched us out when we searched not for Him, He found, redeemed, emancipated us from the bondage of the devil and the power of his wicked angels: He drew us to Him to purify us by that faith, from which He releases those enemies only who believe not, and who for that reason cannot be purified. Let those who still remain infidels say every day what they choose; day by day they shall be fewer and fewer that remain; let them revile, mock, accuse, not the death, but the change of Christ. …