Psalms 21:31

Shall. Hebrew, "and his soul he will not vivify," which give no distinct meaning. Some join it with the preceding, All shall adore....yet he will not restore him to life. The living alone shall be able to sound forth God's praises, as it is often observed, Psalm vi. 6., and Isaias xxxviii. 18. (Calmet) --- Chaldean, "the Lord will not give life to the wicked; but the race of Abraham shall praise him." Others again explain it of Jesus Christ, "because he has not spared his life," he shall see a long-lived seed (Isaias liii. 10.) in the Church, which shall praise him for ever. (Haydock) --- V. sometimes signifies "because," and though it is not clear that it has this meaning here, the explication is very beautiful. None of the Greek versions admit the negation. They agree with the Vulgate; only Theodotion reads, "his soul;" making the prophet speak instead of the Messias. It is suspected that the Septuagint read i instead of u, and lu for la. The Masorets acknowledge 15 places in which this change would be proper. The learned observe many more. Thus 1 Paralipomenon xi. 20., in Hebrew we read that Abisai had "no ( la) name among the three;" whereas it ought to be the reverse, ( lu) ei nomen inter tres, "he was renowned," &c. (Berthier) --- St. Jerome agrees with the present Hebrew, "and his soul shall not live." Protestants, "and none can keep alive his own soul." Symmachus, "whose soul shall live, and seed shall serve him." (Haydock) --- "The Messias shall live for God, and his posterity shall serve him," (Berthier) as the faithful shall never cease to be influenced by his spirit, to testify their gratitude. (Haydock)