Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Psalms 38:1

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

"O Lord, rebuke me not in Your indignation; neither chasten me in Your hot displeasure" [Psalm 38:1]. For it will be that some shall be chastened in God's "hot displeasure," and rebuked in His "indignation." And haply not all who are "rebuked" will be "chastened;" yet are there some that are to be saved in the chastening. …

Exposition on Psalm 38 ↗

Ambrose of Milan

Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger; nor chasten me in your wrath. He who repents should be prepared to endure reproaches and suffer injuries; and not be disturbed if someone accuses him of his own sin. For if he himself must accuse himself, why does he not endure others accusing him? And if he should not fear being accused by a man, how much more by his Lord God, to whom we all, even in secret things, sin; since the condemnation of present things, especially the absolution of future things, is from Him. …

Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms ↗

Thomas Aquinas

Above, the Psalmist implored divine help against persecutors, at "Judge"; he also showed their wickedness, at "The unjust one said"; he taught us to despise the prosperity of the wicked in the preceding Psalm, "Do not be envious"; but in this Psalm he confesses that he is afflicted on account of his sins. Concerning this he does two things. First, he sets forth his affliction. …

Exposition on the Psalms of David ↗