Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Psalms 104:32

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

"Who looks on the earth, and makes it tremble; who touches the hills, and they shall smoke" [Psalm 104:32]. O earth, you were exulting in your good, to yourself you ascribed your fullness and opulence; behold, the Lord looks on you, and causes you to tremble. May He look on you, and make you tremble: for the trembling of humility is better than the confidence of pride....For it is God, he says, which works in you. For this reason then with trembling, because God works in you. …

Exposition on Psalm 104 ↗

Jerome

Who looks upon the earth, and makes it tremble. For our earth shall tremble on the day of judgment. And it signifies the earthly sinners. Who touches the mountains, and they smoke. If the mountains smoke, how much more the earth? The saints smoke, since we shall all be saved through fire. For it would not have smoke, unless there were fire.

Homily 30, on Psalm 103 ↗

Bonaventure

On that verse of the Psalm: "He who looks upon the earth and makes it tremble," the Gloss says: "Then God looks upon the earth and makes it tremble, when he illumines the earthly man by the regard of his grace and converts him to his original principle, through which all things are begun and governed. And then man trembles." Therefore man ought greatly to consider what he thinks, what he speaks, and what he does, because God sees all things.

Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 2 ↗