From the Explanations of the Psalms
by St. Ambrose, bishop
The Appeal of the Book of Psalms
Though all Scripture is fragrant with God’s grace, the Book
of Psalms has a special attractiveness.
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| Moses and the parting of the Red Sea |
Moses wrote the history of Israel’s forefathers in prose,
but after leading the people through the Red Sea—a wonder that remained in
their memory—he broke into song of triumph in praise of God when he saw King
Pharaoh drowned along with his forces.
His genius soared to a higher level, to match an accomplishment beyond his
own powers.
Miriam too raised her timbrel and sang encouragement for the
rest of the women, saying: Let us sing to
the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; he has cast horse and rider into the
sea.
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| Miriam praising God |
In the Book of Psalms there is profit for all, with healing
power for our salvation. There is
instruction from history, teaching from the law, prediction form prophecy,
chastisement from denunciation, persuasion from moral preaching. All who read it may find the cure for their
own individual failings.
All with eyes
to see can discover in it a complete gymnasium for the soul, a stadium for all
the virtues, equipped for every kind of exercise; it is for each to choose the
kind he judges best to help him gain the prize.
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| King David |
If you wish to read and imitate the deeds of the past, you
will find the whole history of the Israelites in a single psalm; in one short
reading you can amass a treasure for the memory.
If you want to study the power of the law,
which is summed up in the bond of charity (Whoever
loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law), you may read in the psalms of
the great love with which one man faced serious dangers single-handedly in order
to remove the shame of the whole people.
You will find the glory of charity more than a match for the parade of
power.
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| Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God |
What I am to say of the grace of prophecy? We see that what others hinted at in riddles
was promised openly and clearly to the psalmist alone: the Lord Jesus was to be
born of his seed, according to the word of the Lord, I will place upon your throne one who is the fruit of your flesh.
In the psalms, then, not only is Jesus born for us, he also
undergoes his saving passion in his body, he lies in death, he rises again, he
ascends into heaven, he sits at the right and of the Father.
What no man would have dared to say was
foretold by the psalmist alone, and afterward proclaimed by the Lord himself in
the Gospel.
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| St. Ambrose, 4th Century Church Father |
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