Praying the Psalms with Augustine and Friends

Chapter 8: Psalms 131–150

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Psalm 147 with Augustine – Genuine Praise How pleasant and fitting it is to praise him (v. 1). How? If he is praised by our good lives, then praise will be pleasant to him. Praise is not fitting in the mouth of a sinner. If praise is not fitting in the mouth of a sinner, neither is it pleasant, for only what is fitting is pleasant. For praise may be pleasant to someone when they hear someone praising with neat and clever sentiments and with a sweet voice; but let our praise be pleasant to God, whose ears are open not to the mouth, but to the heart; not to the tongue, but to the life of the one who praises. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit (v. 5). He who numbers the stars cannot himself be numbered. Whatever this world contains, though it is infinite to humans, is not infinite to God. His understanding surpasses all calculators. It cannot be counted by us. Let human voices be hushed, human thoughts still. Let them not stretch themselves out to incomprehensible things, as though they could comprehend them, but as though they were to take part in them, for partakers we shall be. Let no one doubt it—Scripture says those things which are now impossible will not be impossible for us. The LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love (v. 11).