Ambrose of Milan : Neither does he build a sepulchre for himself who dies before the time, for "he is dead while he liveth;" and he hears not the voice of Haggai, that is being interpreted, of the Feaster, for he enters not the Tabernacle of God, "in the voice of praise and thanksgiving, the sound of one feasting." For how can he hear His voice, who sees not His works? If he saw them, he would have heard the Word which has been put in His Hand, rejoicing in His acts, whereby "He knocked and it was opened to Him," and He descended into his soul that He might feed therein upon the food of sincerity and truth. Now because he has not heard, the word of Haggai comes again to hand, and says, Rise up from your "cieled houses" that are weighed down by wickedness, and "go up to the mountain" of the heavenly Scriptures, and "hew wood," the wood of wisdom, the wood of life, the wood of knowledge; and make straight your ways, direct your acts that they may keep their due order which is useful and necessary for building the house of God. — Letter 30 Augustine of Hippo : I believe, brothers, that you remarked and committed to memory the title of this psalm. "The conversion," he said, "of Haggai and Zechariah." These prophets were not as yet in existence when these verses were sung.… But both, the one within the year after the other, began to prophesy that which seemed to pertain to the restoration of the temple, as was foretold so long before. … "For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are." Whoever therefore converted himself to the work of this building together, and to the hope of a firm and holy edifice, like a living stone from the miserable ruin of this world, understands the title of the psalm, understands "the conversion of Haggai and Zechariah." Let him therefore chant the following verses, not so much with the voice of his tongue as of his life. For the completion of the building will be that ineffable peace of wisdom, the "beginning" of which is the "fear of the Lord." Let him therefore, whom this conversion builds together, begin there. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 112:1