The End of Captivity

Ita ait: 'Dum avertit Dominus captivitatem plebis suae.' Captivitas proprie gentium est, qui in corde suo dixerant: 'Non est Deus;' qui 'trepidaverant ubi non erat timor,' qui spem inopis confuderunt et illuserant, quia Dominus spes ejus est; qui in generatione justa Dominum habitaturum negaverant, capti religionibus daemonum, superstitionibus temporum, officiis creaturae. Haec captivitas apellitur, hoc servitium adimitur. Sed Isreal erit ille qui credit, Israel erit ille qui Deum oculis cordis adspiciet: quia Israel Deum videns est, qui post captiviatem aversam hoc Dei salutare cognoscit. Laetatur Jacob, laetatur et Israel captivitae aversa, libertate concessa, Deo contemplato, Abraham et Jacob patribus per adoptionem familiae nuncupatis. In his ergo laetemur, et in his exstultemus, scientes per nostram redemptionem ob unius poenitentis salutem esse in coelis gaudia angelorum; et cum coelestis laetitia pro nobis sit, oportet in Christo gaudia nostra esse perpetua. Sanctus Hilarius Pictaviensis,Tractatus super Psalmos, Tractatus in Psalmum XIV

Thus he says, ' When the Lord ends the captivity of his people.' 1 Captive indeed are the people who have said in their hearts, 'There is no God,' 2 who fear where there is no fear, 3 who have confused hope as worthless and mock it because the Lord is his hope, who have refused to dwell with God in the generation of the righteous, who have been captured by the religions of the demons, by the superstitions of the times, by the ways of creatures. This is the captivity that is cast off, this is servitude that is removed. For Israel shall be he who believes, Israel shall be he who sees God with the eyes of the heart, because Israel sees God, he who after captivity, turning away from it in revulsion, knows the salvation of God. Jacob rejoices, and Israel, turning away in disgust from captivity, granted freedom, contemplating God, with the Abraham and Jacob, named fathers, through adoption of the family, rejoices. In this, therefore, we rejoice, and in these things we delight, knowing by our redemption that the angels rejoice on account of the penitence of one to be saved, and that when there is joy in the heavens for us, there should be our joy forever in Christ. Saint Hilary of Poitiers, Homilies on the Psalms, Psalm 14 1 Ps 14.7   2 Ps 53. 1  3 Ps 53. 6