_Will. He is wholly occupied and delighted in keeping God's commandments. (Worthington) --- This distinguishes the saint from him who only refrains from sin through fear. (Calmet) --- Qui timet invitus observat. (St. Ambrose) --- Yet even servile fear is of some service, as it restrains exterior con... [ Continue Reading ]
Tree. Probably the palm-tree, the emblem of a long life, Job xxviii. 18. The tree of life is watered by the river of living waters, proceeding from the throne of God, who is the source of all grace, Apocalypse xxii. 1., Luke xxi. 33., and John iv. 14. (Calmet) --- Those who make good use of favours... [ Continue Reading ]
_Not so. Hebrew, "but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away." (Haydock) --- They are inconstant (St. Jerome) in the good resolutions which they sometimes form. (Haydock) (Job xxi. 18.) --- The good corn remains, but they are tossed about by every wind, and their memory perishes with all the... [ Continue Reading ]
Again. So as to gain their cause, (Amama) or to make opposition; as the Hebrew yakumu, "stand up," with defiance, intimates. (Haydock) --- They are already judged, (John iii. 18.) and can make no defence; they being separated from the just, like goats, Kimchi (though he is defended by Amama. Haydock... [ Continue Reading ]
_Knoweth, with approbation. There is only one road which leads to heaven: but these men, having sown in the flesh, must reap corruption, Galatians vi. 8. (Berthier) --- God will reward or punish (Worthington) all according to their deserts. (Haydock) --- To some he will thunder out, I never knew you... [ Continue Reading ]
PSALM I. (BEATUS VIR.) The happiness of the just: and the evil state of the wicked. Theodoret observes that this psalm has "no title in Hebrew;" and some have attributed it to Esdras, when he collected the psalms into one book. But the Complutensian Septuagint reads, "A psalm of David;" "without a... [ Continue Reading ]