[Scriptum compendiosum Psalterii intentionem declarans]

Blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly

The author of this psalm is properly unknown; however, it is more commonly believed to have been Ezra the prophet, who repaired the Law and also recollected the psalms composed by various people and gathered them into this book, and he placed this psalm at the beginning of his recollection by way of a certain prologue. The matter of the psalm is the goodness and perfection of Christ, but the misery and eternal damnation of the ungodly. The intention is to entice men to the good and, as far as possible, to reform them to Christ, and to retract them from the evil of the example of the damnation of the ungodly. The sentence in general: the prophet in this psalm, as if in a prologue at the head and beginning of the book, treats of him who is the head and beginning of all, namely Christ, writing and pronouncing his perfection, goodness, and felicity, and truly the vanity and misery of the ungodly.

Why have the nations raged

The author of this psalm is the prophet David. The matter is the kingdom of Christ. The intention is to subject men to the kingdom of Christ. The sentence in general is that the prophet speaks about the assembly of the infidels against Christ in his passion, and about their destruction; also about the institution of the kingdom of Christ and about the ineffable eternal generation of Christ himself. Furthermore, about the propagation of the kingdom of Christ and the veneration of its dilatation.

O Lord, why are they multiplied that afflict me?

The author of this is the prophet David. The matter is the passion and resurrection of Christ. The intention is to refute those not believing in the death of Christ and his passion and resurrection. The sentence in general is that the prophet in that psalm speaks in the person of Christ the man to the Father concerning the multitude of those pursuing him, the faith of him who is present, and his own, and the proclamation of the resurrection of others, and the extermination of his adversaries.

When I called upon him, he heard me

The author of this is the prophet David. The matter is moral instruction. The intention is conversion from vain and evil things to true and good things. The sentence in general is that the prophet in that psalm prays in his own person and that of any perfect man existing in tribulation, so that his prayer may be heard, rebuking the unfaithful and sinners not to follow vanity, warning everyone that sacrifice of justice may be offered to God, whence they obtain and follow his great benefits.

Give ear to my words, O Lord

The author of the psalm is the prophet David. The matter is eternal felicity. The intention is to hear the faithful so that they may not imitate the wicked, but by the example of God, have hatred for iniquity and evil, and may desire to be made glorious with the good and the just in the future.