Sing to the Lord a new song.
His praise is in the assembly of holy ones.
Let Israel be gladdened in the one who made him,
and let the children of Zion rejoice exceedingly in their King.
Let them praise his name in dance;
with tambourine and harp let them sing psalms to him,
because the Lord is well pleased with his people,
and he will raise up the humble in salvation.
Holy ones will boast in glory,
and they will rejoice exceedingly in their beds,
the heights of God in their throat
and double-edged swords in their hands,
to enact vengeance among the nations,
reproof among the peoples,
to bind their kings in fetters
and those held in esteem among them in iron handcuffs,
to enact among them written judgment.
This is glory to all his holy ones. (Psalm 149:1–9 LXX)
My brothers and sisters, my children, O seedlings of the Catholic Church, O holy and heavenly seed, O you that have been born again in Christ and been born from above, listen to me—or rather, listen to God through me: Sing to the Lord a new song. “Well, I am singing,” you say. Yes, you are singing, of course you’re singing, I can hear you. But don’t let your life give evidence against your tongue. Sing with your voices, sing also with your hearts; sing with your mouths, sing also with your conduct.
Sing to the Lord a new song. You ask what you should sing about the one you love? For of course you do want to sing about the one you love. You are asking for praises of his to sing. You have been told, Sing to the Lord a new song. You are looking for praise songs, are you? His praise is in the Church of the saints. The praise of the one to be sung about is the singer himself. Do you want to sing God his praises? Be yourselves what you sing. You are his praise if you lead good lives.
His praise, you see, is not to be found in the synagogues of the Jews, nor in the madness of the pagans, nor in the errors of the heretics, nor in the applause of the theaters. You ask where it is to be found? Look at yourselves, you be it. His praise is in the Church of the saints. You ask what to rejoice about when you are singing? Let Israel rejoice in the one who made him, and all he can find to rejoice about is God.
Augustine of Hippo, Sermon Preached at Carthage at the Ancestors 34.6
For the Lord has conferred benefits on his people. What greater benefit could he bestow than to die for the impious? What greater kindness than to blot out with his own blood the decree that stood against a sinner? What greater favor than to say, “I do not care what you have been. Become now what you were not”? The Lord has conferred benefits on his people by forgiving sins and promising eternal life. He is beneficent in turning back to himself one who is turned away, in aiding one who does battle, in crowning one who conquers. The Lord has conferred benefits on his people.
And he will lift up the gentle to salvation. The proud are uplifted too, but not to salvation. The gentle are raised up to salvation, but the proud in death, for, while the proud exalt themselves, the Lord humbles them, but the gentle humble themselves, and the Lord exalts them. He will lift up the gentle to salvation.
Augustine of Hippo, Expositions of the Psalms 149.9
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