The inscription of a title. That is, a pillar or monument, Greek: stelographia: which is as much as to say, that this psalm is most worthy to be engraved on an everlasting monument. (Challoner) --- Mictam. Protestants, "Michtam." Marginal note, or "golden psalm of David," or most excellent. St. Jero... [ Continue Reading ]
_I have. Hebrew, "Thou, my soul, hast said." But St. Jerome agrees with us. --- Goods. Hebrew, "my good is not above thee." I can desire nothing greater. (Berthier) --- Aquila and Vatable seem to have the same idea as the Septuagint. We reap all the profit from our piety. (Calmet) --- The redemption... [ Continue Reading ]
_Saints. Hebrew, "the magnificent" priests, God himself, (Exodus xv. 11.; Calmet) and ceremonies of religion, (Haydock) for which David had a wonderful affection. (Calmet) --- But Christ has displayed the greatest love towards all his converts, and they had need of it. (Berthier) --- God here speaks... [ Continue Reading ]
Haste. Men who are convinced of their own infirmities, hasten to find a remedy. (Worthington) --- No sooner had fallen man been redeemed, that he strove to advance in the ways of perfection. (Berthier) --- The sins, to which the saints sometimes yield, tend to make them more cautious (Calmet) and gr... [ Continue Reading ]
PSALM XV. (CONSERVA ME DOMINE.) Christ's future victory and triumph over the world and death. Cup. Eternal happiness consists in seeing (Worthington) and enjoying God, (Haydock) and is promised to the patient. Though Christ was truly king of Israel and exercised jurisdiction, (John xii., and xviii... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lines, with which land was measured. (Berthier) --- Christ expresses his satisfaction with his church, which is gathered from all nations, to manifest the choicest virtues, Titus ii. 14. (Euthymius, St. Jerome, &c.) (Calmet) --- This was his inheritance, not measured out with lines, (Josue x.) but... [ Continue Reading ]
_Understanding. Hebrew, "counsel." In the night of tribulation God directs the reins, or affections of the soul. Christ might speak thus concerning his human nature. (Berthier) (Luke ii. 40., and Hebrews v. 7.) David also gives thanks to God for enabling him to make so happy a choice, and to avoid b... [ Continue Reading ]
That I. Hebrew, "I shall not," &c. The sense is the same, but St. Peter agrees with us and the Septuagint, Acts ii. 25, &c. It is not of faith that the seven preceding verse regard Jesus Christ as the following do; but as the same person speaks, we may rationally infer that all should be explained o... [ Continue Reading ]
_Tongue. Hebrew, "glory." Yet Protestants translate, "tongue," (Acts ii.) as St. Peter follows the Septuagint (Haydock) and he surely understood the force of the Hebrew; so that his testimony in their favour is very strong. Commentators observe that the tongue manifests the joy of the heart, (Berthi... [ Continue Reading ]
Soul in hell. Beza, (in his 1st edition, which he corrected afterwards) would translate "more corpse ( cadaver, or carcass) in the grave;" for which he as been justly blamed. For, though the corpse is sometimes called soul, as it has been animated by it, (Haydock) and the soul and blood are often us... [ Continue Reading ]
Of life. The observance of the commandments, (St. Jerome) or the method of obtaining happiness by patience and humility. (St. Augustine) --- Thou hast opened a new track to me (Haydock) in the resurrection, unknown to mortals. (Euthymius; Bellarmine) --- For though some had been already raised to li... [ Continue Reading ]