_Psalm. St. Ambrose adds, "of David." It is written in an enigmatical style, like the book of Ecclesiastes, and is very obscure. But the drift is, to impress the captives with a contempt of worldly grandeur, which will end in death. The redemption of mankind and the resurrection of Christ are foreto... [ Continue Reading ]
_Earth-born. Hebrew, "sons of Adam," a title belonging to the meanest. Progenies terræ. Perseus vi. 56. (Calmet) --- So Callimachus styles the giants, "mud-born." (Haydock)--- Yet Houbigant explains it of the rich, (Berthier) who have lands, and leave their names to them, ver. 12. (Haydock) --- Of m... [ Continue Reading ]
_Proposition. Hebrew, "riddle." (Berthier) --- The ancients delighted in parables, which required attention to discern the meaning, and thus people had the pleasures of ingenuity. Music often accompanied their precepts. (Strabo i. 12.) (Calmet) --- Utile dulci. (Haydock) --- The psalmist intimates,... [ Continue Reading ]
The iniquity of my heel. That is, the iniquity of my steps, or ways: or the iniquity of my pride, with which, as with the heel, I have spurned and kicked at my neighbours: or the iniquity of my heel, that is, the iniquity in which I shall be found in death. The meaning of this verse is, why should I... [ Continue Reading ]
_They that trust, &c. As much as to say, let them fear, that trust in their strength or riches; for they have great reason to fear: seeing not brother, or other man, how much a friend soever, can by any price or labour rescue them from death. (Challoner) --- I address myself particularly to the rich... [ Continue Reading ]
_No. Protestants, "none of them can by any means redeem his brother; nor, &c. (Haydock) --- But the Septuagint translate as well, and the sense is the same, Matthew xvi. 26. (Berthier) --- If Jesus Christ, thy brother, does not redeem thee, will any other do it? (St. Augustine) or though thy brother... [ Continue Reading ]
And shall labour for ever, &c. This seems to be a continuation of the foregoing sentence; as much as to say, no man can by any price or ransom, prolong his life, that so he may still continue to labour here, and live to the end of the world. Others understand it of the eternal sorrows, and dying lif... [ Continue Reading ]
_He shall not see destruction, &c., or shall he not see destruction? As much as to say, however thoughtless may be of his death, he must not expect to escape: when even the wise and the good are not exempt from dying. (Challoner) --- Strangers. This is very distressing. (Pindar. Olym. x.) (Ecclesias... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sepulchres. Hebrew Kobrom is better than the present Kirbam, their "interior," and is adopted by the Chaldean, Syriac, &c. (Calmet) --- "Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever." (Protestants) (Haydock) --- Called. That is, they have left their names on their graves, whic... [ Continue Reading ]
_Compared. Hebrew, "he is like dumb, or perishable beasts." (Haydock) --- So much is man degraded by his attachment to riches and pleasures. (Theodoret) (Calmet) --- Some explain this of Adam, (St. Chrysostom) reduced to the necessity of labouring, and dying, like brutes, ver. 21., and Ecclesiastes... [ Continue Reading ]
_They shall delight in their mouth. Notwithstanding the wretched way in which they walk, they shall applaud themselves with their mouths, and glory in their doings, (Challoner) though it be to their shame, Philippians iii. 10. --- Hebrew, their posterity shall applaud their maxims, (Calmet) as many... [ Continue Reading ]
PSALM XLVIII. (AUDITE H\'c6C OMNES GENTES.) The folly of worldlings, who live in sin, without thinking of death or hell. In the morning. That is, in the resurrection to a new life; when the just shall judge and condemn the wicked. --- From their glory. That is, when their short-lived glory in this... [ Continue Reading ]
_Redeem. Chaldean and some Rabbins seem to understand this of purgatory. "He will draw me from hell, and give me a place in his habitation." (Genebrard) --- Others explain it of Christ's resurrection, or of the liberation of the patriarchs from limbo. (Cassiodorus) --- It seems a full solution of th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Him. "The glory of a man increases with his prosperity, but it does not go down with him when he descends" (St. Ambrose) into the grave. He there finds the same reception as the most ignoble._... [ Continue Reading ]
_To him. The wicked are very selfish. They will seem grateful to those who are in power, and will cringe to get riches. (Haydock) --- Yea, they will seem to thank God for their prosperity, (Worthington) or rather, they will assume these appearances with men. Hebrew, "he will bless his soul during li... [ Continue Reading ]
_Fathers. Like them he shall die. (Haydock) --- Hebrew reads in the second person, with Syriac, Aquila, &c. (Calmet) --- Yet Protestants, Montanus, and others agree with us and the Septuagint. --- And he. Hebrew, "they." The [] edition, however, has Greek: opsetai. Each individual, as well as the wh... [ Continue Reading ]
_Understand. Hebrew yabin, though (ver. 13.) we find yalin, "shall remain all night." (Calmet) --- But this is probably a mistake, as the prophet concludes with repeating this important instruction: (Berthier) Remember, O man, not to degrade thy rational soul. (Worthington) --- Thou wast honoured by... [ Continue Reading ]