And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.
Ver. 30. And when they had sung an hymn] The Jews at the Passover sang the great hallelujah, that is, the 113th Psalm with the five following Psalms. This they began to sing after that dismissory cup mentioned before. At all times we should sing hallelujahs, with grace in our hearts to the Lord; but at the sacrament the great hallelujah, the hosannah Rabbah. We should credit the feast by our spiritual jollity, shouting as a giant after his wine, singing and making melody to the Lord in our hearts. Chrysostom maketh mention of a hymn of thanksgiving, wont to be used by the monks of his time after they had supped: a and he calleth them angels for their holy and heavenly life and conversation. We should come from the Lord's table, as Moses did from the mount, with our faces shining; as the good women, did from the sepulchre, "with fear and great joy;" as the people went to their tents from Solonmn's feast, "joyful and glad of heart," 1 Kings 8:66. If those in the wilderness were so cheered and cherished by their idolatrous feast before the golden calf; that they "eat and drink, and rise up to play," 1 Corinthians 10:7, how much more should we by this blessed banquet? To whet our stomachs, let faith feed upon some promise before the sacrament. A moderate breakfast gets a man the better stomach to his dinner, &c.
a υμνος ευχαριστηριος. Hom. 55 in Matt.