_Understanding. See Psalm xxxi. (Menochius) --- Core, who composed, (Tirinus) or sung (Menochius) most of the psalms in this second part. (Tirinus) --- Pieces of a joyful nature were generally assigned to them, according to the Jews and St. Jerome, Psalm lxxxiv. (Menochius) --- They were descendants... [ Continue Reading ]
_Waters. This was sung at the baptism of Catechumens, (St. Augustine) teaching them to thirst after heaven. (Haydock) --- The hart being infected with poison, thirsts exceedingly, as sinners must do for pardon. (Worthington)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Strong. Most Bibles before Clement VIII read "fountain." (Calmet) --- El signifies both God and strong. (Berthier) --- The Levites desired earnestly to serve God in his temple; Christians must wish to appear before him in heaven, (Calmet) when they will be free from temptations. Idols may destroy,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Bread. Ovid imitates this: Cura dolorque animi lachrymæque alimenta fuere. (Met. x.) --- The tears of compunction obtain the remission of sin. (St. Jerome) --- God. Thus the idolaters derided those who could not point at their God. (Haydock) --- The Babylonians had conquered all the surrounding nat... [ Continue Reading ]
_These sarcasms fill me with grief, (Calmet) while the solemn ceremonies of religion, which, I remember, where observed in the temple, cause my heart to overflow with joy. (Berthier) --- I shall. Protestants, "I had gone with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God with the voice of joy... [ Continue Reading ]
_My countenance. Hebrew, "his," as Aquila, &c., read. (Calmet) --- Yet as the words are repeated, (ver. 12.) there seems to be a fault in the text, (Berthier) owing to v, "his" being taken in here, instead of explaining it by and, ver. 7. (Haydock) --- The arrangement of the letters in the Vulgate i... [ Continue Reading ]
_Little hill of Sion. I hope that I shall soon again behold the fertile regions along the Jordan. (Calmet) --- But these hills of Hermon, &c., are nothing when compared with heaven: They serve only to remind us of our banishment. (Berthier) --- The difficulties of our present abode, hemmed in on all... [ Continue Reading ]
_Flood-gates. The Hebrews imagined there were immense reservoirs of water above, (Calmet) which might serve to drown the earth, as at the deluge, Genesis vii. 11. Both heaven and earth seemed to be armed against the psalmist. (Haydock) --- One affliction succeeded another, (Calmet) and God appeared... [ Continue Reading ]
_Night. In affliction, as well as in prosperity, we must praise the Lord. Roman Septuagint, "in the night he will manifest it." --- Mercy. (Haydock) --- This is very beautiful, but not agreeable with the original. (Berthier)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Whilst. Protestants As, "with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me." (Haydock) --- Thus the martyrs were tortured and upbraided. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Countenance. To whom I look up with confidence. (Menochius) --- The just are comforted with the hope of God's sight. (Worthington)_... [ Continue Reading ]
PSALM XLI. (QUEMADMODUM DESIDERAT.) The fervent desire of the just after God: hope in afflictions.... [ Continue Reading ]