Bible Commentaries
Expositor's Dictionary of Texts
Psalms 24
Psalm 24
These were the last words written by Columba after he had spent a long life of incessant Christian labour. He died in Iona on9 June, a.d597.
The narrative Adamnan gives of his closing hours, of his farewell words with his sorrow-stricken disciples, of his parting with his faithful old horse, which put its head on its master's breast as if aware of the event, reveals the deep tenderness and humanity of his nature.
When the biographer has lingered lovingly on the little incidents that preceded the death, he continues: "After these words he descended the hill, and, having returned to the monastery, sat in his hut transcribing the Psalter; and coming to that verse of the34th Psalm , where it is written, "They that seek the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good," "Here," said he, "at the end of the page I must stop, and what follows let Baithen write". The last verse he had written was very applicable to the saint who was about to depart, and to whom eternal good shall never be wanting; while the one that followeth is equally applicable to the father who succeeded him, the instructor of his spiritual children, "Come, ye children, and hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord"."
—John Ker.
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