Early Church Fathers Scripture Index : Texts
Psalms 37:4
There are 5 footnotes for this reference.
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 1, Volume 1, page 309, footnote 3 (Image)
Augustine: Prolegomena: St. Augustine's Life and Work, Confessions, Letters
Letters of St. Augustin (HTML)
Letters of St. Augustin (HTML)
To Januarius (HTML)
CCEL Footnote 1783 (In-Text, Margin)
... unchangeable; and therefore it is still proud, because it is giving to itself the highest place, whereas God is higher. In such sin the soul is not left unpunished, for “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.” When, however, the soul delights in God, there it finds the true, sure, and eternal rest, which in all other objects was sought in vain. Therefore the admonition is given in the book of Psalms, “Delight thyself in the Lord, and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”[Psalms 37:4]
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 1, Volume 7, page 169, footnote 3 (Image)
Augustine: Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homilies on the First Epistle of John, Soliloquies
Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John. (HTML)
Chapter VI. 41–59. (HTML)
CCEL Footnote 517 (In-Text, Margin)
... mind is drawn also by love. Nor ought we to be afraid, lest perchance we be censured in regard to this evangelic word of the Holy Scriptures by men who weigh words, but are far removed from things, most of all from divine things; and lest it be said to us, “How can I believe with the will if I am drawn?” I say it is not enough to be drawn by the will; thou art drawn even by delight. What is it to be drawn by delight? “Delight thyself in the Lord, and He shall give thee the desires of thy heart.”[Psalms 37:4] There is a pleasure of the heart to which that bread of heaven is sweet. Moreover, if it was right in the poet to say, “Every man is drawn by his own pleasure,” —not necessity, but pleasure; not obligation, but delight,—how much more boldly ought we ...
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 1, Volume 8, page 328, footnote 8 (Image)
Augustine: Expositions on the Psalms
Expositions on the Book of Psalms. (HTML)
Psalm LXXII (HTML)
CCEL Footnote 3188 (In-Text, Margin)
... sense, that is, for the purpose of saving: therefore he saith, “He shall judge the poor of the people,” that is, shall sever for salvation those that are poor among the people. “And He shall humble the false-accuser.” No false-accuser can be more suitably recognised here than the devil. False accusation is his business. “Doth Job worship God gratis?” But the Lord Jesus doth humble him, by His grace aiding His own, in order that they may worship God gratis, that is, may take delight in the Lord.[Psalms 37:4] He humbled him also thus; because when in Him the devil, that is, the prince of this world, had found nothing, he slew Him by the false accusations of the Jews, whom the false-accuser made use of as his vessels, working in the sons of unbelief. …
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 2, Volume 8, page 101, footnote 1 (Image)
Basil: Letters and Select Works
The Hexæmeron. (HTML)
The creation of fowl and water animals. (HTML)
CCEL Footnote 1684 (In-Text, Margin)
... wisdom which is displayed in the works of creation, I seem to be but at the beginning of my story. Nevertheless, I have not detained you so long without profit. For what would you have done until the evening? You are not pressed by guests, nor expected at banquets. Let me then employ this bodily fast to rejoice your souls. You have often served the flesh for pleasure, to-day persevere in the ministry of the soul. “Delight thyself also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desire of thine heart.”[Psalms 37:4] Do you love riches? Here are spiritual riches. “The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold and precious stones.” Do you love enjoyment and pleasures? Behold the oracles of the Lord, which, for ...
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 2, Volume 10, page 28, footnote 4 (Image)
Ambrose: Select Works and Letters
Dogmatic Treatises, Ethical Works, and Sermons. (HTML)
On the Duties of the Clergy. (HTML)
Book I. (HTML)
Chapter XXXI. A kindness received should be returned with a freer hand. This is shown by the example of the earth. A passage from Solomon about feasting is adduced to prove the same, and is expounded later in a spiritual sense. (HTML)
164. In this food let us delight of which the prophet says: “Delight thou in the Lord.”[Psalms 37:4] In this food they delight, who have with wonderful knowledge learnt to take in the higher delights; who can know what that delight is which is pure and which can be understood by the mind. Let us therefore eat the bread of wisdom, and let us be filled with the word of God. For the life of man made in the image of God consists not in bread alone, but in every word that cometh from God. About the cup, too, holy Job says, plainly enough: “As the earth ...