Fathers

Loading…

What the Fathers say

Psalms 46:10

Eastern Fathers

Desert Fathers

Poemen said, 'Whatever hardship comes upon you, it can be overcome by silence.'

The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

What then follows? "Be still." To what purpose? "And see that I am God" [Psalm 46:10]. That is, Not ye, but I am God. I created, I create anew; I formed, I form anew; I made, I make anew. If you could not make yourself, how can you make yourself anew? This sees not the contentious tumult of man's soul; to which contentious tumult is it said, "Be still." That is, restrain your souls from contradiction. Do not argue, and, as it were, arm against God. Else yet live your arms, not yet burned up with fire. …

Exposition on Psalm 46 ↗

Bede

When the labors and hardships of this age come to an end, and our debts, [that is] all our faults, have been forgiven, the entire people of the elect will rejoice eternally in the sole contemplation of the divine vision, and that most longed-for command of our Lord and Savior will be fulfilled: "Be still and see that I am God."

Homilies on the Gospels 2:17 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

"Be still and see." Here is the end of peace. The end of temporal peace, according to the Philosopher, is the contemplation of truth. Hence peace is the useful end of the active life, and peace is ordered to contemplation. And according to Augustine, Christ procured the peace of the Roman Empire so that the apostles might travel throughout the whole world. …

Exposition on the Psalms of David ↗