32 “God heard, and He despised:” that is, He gave heed and took vengeance. “And unto nothing He brought Israel exceedingly”. For when God despised, what were they who by God's help were what they were? But doubtless he is commemorating the doing of that thing, when they were conquered by the Philistines in the time of Heli the priest, and the Ark of the Lord was taken, and with great slaughter they were laid low. This it is that he speaks of. “And He rejected the tabernacle of Selom, His tabernacle, where He dwelled among men”.
He has elegantly explained why He rejected His tabernacle, when he says, “where He dwelled among men.” When therefore they were not worthy for Him to dwell among, why should He not reject the tabernacle, which indeed not for Himself He had established, but for their sakes, whom now He judged unworthy for Him to dwell among. “And He gave over unto captivity their strength, and their beauty unto the hands of the enemy.” The very Ark whereby they thought themselves invincible, and whereon they plumed themselves, he calls their “virtue” and “beauty.”
Lastly, also afterward, when they were living ill, and boasting of the temple of the Lord, He does terrify them by a Prophet, saying, “See ye what I have done to Selom, where was My tabernacle.” “And He ended with the sword His people, and His inheritance He despised”. “Their young men the fire devoured:” that is, wrath. “And their virgins mourned not”. For not even for this was there leisure, in fear of the foe. “Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows were not lamented”.
For there fell by the sword the sons of Heli, of one of whom the wife being widowed, and presently dying in child-birth, because of the same confusion could not be mourned with the distinction of a funeral. “And the Lord was awakened as one sleeping”. For He seems to sleep, when He gives His people into the hands of those whom He hates, when there is said to them, “Where is your God?” “He was awakened, then, like one sleeping, like a mighty man drunken with wine.” No one would dare to say this of God, save His Spirit. For he has spoken, as it seems to ungodly men reviling; as if like a drunken man He sleeps long, when He succours not so speedily as men think.
Source: The Enarrations, or Expositions, on the Psalms (New Advent)