Praying the Psalms with Augustine and Friends

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Praying the Psalms with Augustine and Friends

Psalm 98 with Peter Chrysologus – Celebrating God’s Kindness

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth (v. 4). What is it that an understanding of this great joy is likely to make clear? Why is it that, after God gave commandments so great, so terrifying, and so awesome, he now invites the earth to shout joyfully? Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, the text reads. What other reason is there than the following? The awesome God later chose the role of a very gentle shepherd. He assumed this character in order to act as a merciful shepherd and gather together, like straggling sheep into one fold, those wandering peoples, those straying nations, those tribes scattered far and wide. Yes, more, he wanted to lead back to milk and grass and restore those wild nations which were sluggish after eating the flesh and drinking the blood of carcasses. Briefly, he desired to make them again gentle sheep. Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, he says, and by this command he imposes his shepherdly control on all the earth. The resounding trumpet draws the soldier forth to war. Just so does the sweetness of this joyous call invite the sheep to pasture. How fitting it was to lessen the chaos of fighting by shepherdly kindness, in order that grace so gentle might save the nations which their own natural wildness had long been destroying.