THEOSISAugustine of Hippo
This psalm bears the title 'Hallelujah' not just once, but twice. Some interpret that one 'Hallelujah' concludes the previous psalm while the other introduces this one. They argue that all psalms with this title feature it at the end, though not all at the outset, leading them to assert that any psalm lacking 'Hallelujah' at the close must not have it at the start either; they presume the seeming beginning actually pertains to the conclusion of the preceding psalm. However, unless they furnish us with compelling evidence to the contrary, we shall adhere to the customary practice of attributing any instance of 'Alleluia' to the psalm it prefixes. Very few manuscripts (none of the Greek copies examined by me) have this 'Alleluia' situated at the end of Psalm 105, with no subsequent psalm belonging to the same collection. Even if there were a uniformity across all versions, this practice would hold its ground; for it is conceivable that at every mention of divine praise, the entirety of the Psalms, which are traditionally divided into five books (each concluding with an 'Amen'), might be deemed complete with this final Hallelujah after all that has been uttered. Regarding the double Hallelujah that appears at the start of a psalm, it could function similarly to our Lord saying 'Amen' once or twice; therefore, one might wonder why 'Hallelujah' varies between single and double occurrences. Particularly as in this Psalm 105, both instances appear following the numeral designating the psalm, whereas one intended for the conclusion of the prior psalm should precede the number, and the Hallelujah specific to this psalm would then follow. It is also possible that an unexamined tradition has persisted, indicating a rationale of which we are not yet aware, prompting us to rely more on the discernment of truth rather than customary biases. Until we gain clarity on this issue, we will attribute any occurrence of 'Hallelujah'—once or twice—appearing after the psalm number to the corresponding psalm, in accordance with the prevalent Church custom, acknowledging that we regard both the mysteries associated with the psalm titles and the order of these psalms as significant, despite our current inability to fully grasp them.
Moreover, I observe a strong connection between these two psalms, 105 and 106; in the first, the people of God are acknowledged in the person of the elect, against whom there is no accusation, regarded among those pleased with God (1 Corinthians 10:5). Meanwhile, the subsequent psalm speaks of those who agitated God, though they were also recipients of His grace. Thus, this psalm commences similarly to its predecessor: 'Give thanks to the Lord.' In that previous psalm, it continues with, 'And invoke His Name,' while here it states, 'For He is good, and His mercy endures forever' (Psalm 105:1). This presents an opportunity to perceive an acknowledgment of sins; for shortly thereafter we find, 'We have sinned with our ancestors, we have done wrong, and we have acted wickedly.' The affirmation, 'For He is good, and His mercy endures forever,' primarily extols God, and within this praise lies the confession of our sins. Indeed, when one confesses sins, it must be done whilst glorifying God; true confession is not godly unless it is devoid of despair, appealing to God's mercy. Thus, it includes His praise, whether in articulating attributes like graciousness and mercy, or merely in sentiment, as we believe this is done. Should we grasp that mercy is essential for human happiness, we might posit it enhances our eternal condition; yet if it refers to mercy bestowed upon the afflicted to either console or liberate them from suffering, it might better indicate the completion of time, where suffering persons will persist, deserving such mercy. Unless one wishes to assert that God's mercy will also extend to those condemned alongside the devil and his angels, the mercy offered cannot liberate them from that condemnation but may slightly alleviate their plight; thus, God's mercy may rightly be deemed everlasting since it manifests even in their enduring torment.
Who can declare the might of the Lord? Psalm 104:2. Engaged in reflecting upon God’s deeds and beseeching His favor, the question arises, who possesses the capacity to articulate the might of the Lord or proclaim all His praise? To round out the consideration, one may add, 'Who can convey all His praise?' That is, who is able to recount all of it? 'I will make them known,' he asserts, signifying that the magnificent acts of the Lord and His praises should be conveyed in a manner enabling their declaration to others. But who is capable of such a task? Could it not be, as indicated in the subsequent verse, 'Blessed are those who keep judgment, who practice righteousness at all times' (Psalms 104:3), that those praises understood within His commandments are indeed His works? For God, as the apostle asserts, operates within you (Philippians 2:13). He accomplishes these things beyond expression. Who can ensure that His praises are shared? That is, who, once having received them, will offer all praises back to Him? What constitutes the works of His commandments? While not all that is heard is acted upon, He who produces in us both the desire and the capacity to act in accordance with His good pleasure deserves all praise (Philippians 2:13). For this reason, while it may have been articulated as 'All His commandments' or 'All the works of His commandments,' he opted instead for 'Praise Him.'
Yet if there were no distinction between judgment and righteousness, we would not read in another psalm, 'Until righteousness returns to judgment.' Scripture frequently juxtaposes these terms, as in ‘Righteousness and judgment are the foundation of His throne;’ and further, ‘Thus He shall make your righteousness shine forth like the morning and your judgment like the midday sun,' suggesting a potential redundancy. Due to the semantic overlap, one term may sometimes substitute for the other; judgment may stand for righteousness, or vice versa. However, when these words are considered in their proper contexts, I believe there is an inherent difference: it is said, 'He who keeps judgment judges rightly, but he who acts righteously does just that.' Additionally, the phrase 'Until righteousness returns to judgment' can reasonably imply that those who maintain judgment through faith and carry out righteousness via action are indeed counted as blessed.
Next, since God justifies—making men righteous by cleansing them of sin—the petition emerges: 'Remember me, O Lord, according to the favor bestowed upon Your people' (Psalm 104:4); in other words, may I be counted among those favored by You, for God does not accept everyone. 'Oh, visit me with Your salvation.' This refers to the Savior Himself, in whom sins are absolved and souls restored to righteousness, so they may act justly; and those who utter these words recognize that such individuals are blessed, thus they themselves earnestly pray for this. 'Visit us, therefore, with Your salvation'—which is to say, with Your Christ. 'See the blessedness of Your elect and rejoice in the joy of Your people' (Psalm 104:5); that is, visit us to witness the blessedness of Your chosen, so we may rejoice in Your joy. In some texts, 'happiness' replaces 'sweetness;' as noted before, 'For He is gracious,' where others have 'For He is sweet.' The same term in Greek appears elsewhere, 'The Lord will show sweetness,' which some interpret as 'blessedness' while others translate as 'bounty.' What does it mean to 'Visit us to see the bliss of Your elect,' unless it signifies the happiness that You grant to Your chosen? Yet we must not remain oblivious, as those whom it is said, 'But now you say we see,' thus your sin remains (John 9:41). The Lord grants vision to the blind, not based on their merit, but through the blessedness that He grants to His elect, signifying the blessedness of Your elect; for He does not direct His gaze away from those who seek Him.
We speak of our daily bread as our own, while also adding, 'give it to us' (Matthew 6:11). Let us extol You with Your inheritance. I ponder why this verse has been interpreted so diversely, considering the Greek expression remains consistent across the three. Yet since this phrase appears to be ambiguous, if the understanding guided by translators is accurate—that You may be esteemed—then the preceding verses must also echo this comprehension, for, as noted, there exists one Greek phrase throughout these three verses; thus, we can construe it all as follows: 'Visit us with Your salvation so that You might behold the blessedness of Your elect; that is, visit us with the intention of bringing us there to witness it; may You delight in the joy of Your people, which means You should be seen as rejoicing with them in their joy; may You be glorified along with Your inheritance, signifying that You alone are glorified because it is for Your sake that it receives glory.
Now let us attend to what they later admit: 'We have sinned with our ancestors; we have behaved wickedly and have acted unjustly' (Psalm 104:6). What could be the implication of 'with our ancestors?' They indicate that their fathers did not heed Your wonders in Egypt (Psalm 105:7) and recount numerous other sins. Alternatively, it may be understood as acknowledging they have sinned alongside their fathers, emulating their transgressions. If that is the case, it would require substantiation through an example of such phrasing. However, I came across no instance where an individual claimed to have sinned 'with' another in a way that suggests imitation after a significant interval. What, then, does it mean that our ancestors did not comprehend Your miracles? Furthermore, did they fail to grasp what You aimed to convey through these signs? Was it not the promise of eternal life and goodness, not fleeting but unchangeable—acquired only through patience? This impatience led them to grumble and they grew frustrated, seeking blessings comprised of immediate and temporary goods, having overlooked the magnitude of Your grace. The critique falls on both their understanding and memory; they should have reflected on the eternal blessings God called them to through these temporary gifts and recalled at the very least the miraculous acts performed to liberate them from their adversaries, forgetting the assistance He had provided in Egypt.
They exasperated themselves at the very moment they approached the Red Sea. It is noteworthy how Scripture rebukes the misunderstanding of what should have been acknowledged and the failure to remember what ought to be recalled. People are often reluctant to acknowledge their faults for fear that this might lessen their earnestness in prayer and humility before God, whose gaze should invite them to reveal their true selves. By fervently praying for His assistance, they can transform into the individuals they are not yet. It is indeed more favorable to point out even ignorance and negligence in sins so they can be eradicated, than to excuse them and permit them to persist—more beneficial to purify these transgressions by beseeching God rather than constraining them by inciting Him. God’s actions are not contingent on their disbelief; nonetheless, He saved them for the sake of His Name to make His power known (Psalm 105:8), representing an act not based on their merit.