The Watch Of Angels

Et in conspectu angelorum psallam tibi. Parum sibi existimat Propheta esse, ut hominibus tantum praesentibus psallat: quia homines corporalium tantum negotiorum officia inspiciunt. In eo enim quod psallit, motum complacitae Deo operationis ostendit. Non ergo quae videntur in corpore cerni desiderat: sed ea, quae spiritaliter naturae spiritales contuentur gerere festinat. Scit enim se sub specula angelorum vitam omnem moresque agere, et ubique haec divinorum ministeriorum auxilia fidelibus cunctis assistere, ut scriptum est: Angelus Domini in circuitu timentium eum. Legem etiam Moysi in manu Mediatoris per angelos fuisse dispositam docet Apostolus. Nec non et Eliseus absolutissime docuit, humanas infirmitates angelorum auxiliis defendi, et in omnibus periculis, si fides maneat in nobis, adesse spiritalium virtutum defensionem. Namque cum Rex Syriae capere Geth urbem, in qua idem Eliseus propheta esset, pararet, et nocturnis itineribus exercitum suum, qui ante lucem urbem obsideret, destinasset; puer Elisei conspecta obsidione dixit: O Domine, quid faciemus? Et dixit Eliseus: Noli timere: quia plures sunt nobiscum, quam cum illis. Et oravit Eliseus ad Dominum, et dixit, Adaperi, Domine, oculos pueri hujus, et videat. Et adaperuit Dominus oculos pueri, et vidit, et ecce mons erat plenus equis et curribus in gyro Elisei, et descenderunt ad eos. Tantus et tam nobilis propheta solus contemplatione auxiliorum spiritalium dignus est: sed oratio ejus ad Dominum visum incorporalium etiam puero suo meruit. In horum igitur assistentium humanis auxiliis Angelorum conspectu psallet Propheta, spiritalibus spiritalium operum contemplatione placiturus. Sanctus Hilarius Pictaviensis, Tractatus super Psalmos, Tractatus in Psalmum CXXXVII Source: Migne PL 9.786c-787b

And in the sight of angels I will praise you. 1 The prophet judged it too little to sing praises before present men, because men only look to attend to corporeal affairs. And in what he praises a man shows to God the affection for the work that pleases. Therefore he desires not to see things which appear in the body, but he hastens to look spiritually on those things which have a spiritual nature. He knows that every life and deed is under the watch of angels, and everywhere the help of these divine servants assists all of the faithful, so that it is written: 'The angel of the Lord, in a circle about those who fear him.' 2 The Apostle teaches that even the Law of Moses, in the hand of Mediator, was given through angels. 3 And certainly Elisha taught that human infirmities receive the guard of angelic help, even in every danger, if faith remains in us, which comes with the defence of spiritual virtues. For when the king of Syria assailed the city of Geth, in which the prophet Elisha was, he arranged that the army which had travelled through the night and before dawn had laid seige to the town should desist. The serving boy seeing the seige said to Elisha, 'My lord, what shall we do?' And Elisha said:' Do not fear, because there are more with us than with them.' And Elisha prayed to the Lord and said: 'Open the eyes of this boy, Lord, and let him see.' And the Lord opened the eyes of the boy, and he saw, and behold there was a mountain full with horses and chariots in a circle about Elisha and they came down to them. 4 Only so great a noble prophet was worthy to contemplate these spiritual helpers, but his prayer to the Lord merited that the sight of incoporeal things came also to the boy. Therefore the prophet sings in the sight of these angels who help men, that he please things spiritual by the contemplation of spiritual works. Saint Hilary of Poitiers, Homilies on the Psalms, from Psalm 137 1 Ps 137.1 2 Ps 33.8 3 Galat 3.19 4 4 Kings 6.11-17