For Asaph. The preposition L is placed before his name, as it is before David's. (Haydock) --- Yet whether he was the author of the psalm, (Calmet) or only set it to music, (Worthington) is uncertain. (Menochius) --- The 72d, and ten following psalms, bear his name, and it is observed, that the styl... [ Continue Reading ]
_Beauty. This may refer to God, or to Sion, (Calmet) where the Church of Christ began. (Worthington)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Silence. Christ displayed the light of truth from Sion, at his first coming. But he would not judge any till the second, John iii. 17., and viii. 15. (St. Jerome) (Calmet) --- Before him, at the last day, (Haydock) or in hell. (St. Athanasius) --- Our Saviour appeared formerly with great mildness:... [ Continue Reading ]
_Earth. As if they were animated, Deuteronomy iv. 26., and xxxii. 1., Isaias i. 2., and Jeremias ii. 12. --- Some understand the angels and apostles by heaven. (Calmet) --- Judge. Literally, "to divide," discernere, (Haydock) the goats from the sheep, Matthew xxv. 32. (Calmet) (Menochius) --- The wh... [ Continue Reading ]
His saints. Hebrew, "my merciful ones," (Haydock) the chosen people, (Calmet) particularly priests, (Theodoret) who might have too high an opinion of the legal sacrifices, (St. Chrysostom) or all the elect are meant, Matthew xxiv. 30. (Eusebius) --- The Hebrews were the only nation which then offere... [ Continue Reading ]
_Heavens. Apostles, (St. Jerome) or angels. (Chaldean) (St. Athanasius) --- God is judge. His sentence must therefore be just, (Menochius) and we ought to tremble, 1 Corinthians iv. 4. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Testify. I will require thee to speak the truth, and attest the world, Psalm lxxx. 9. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sight. I complain of no neglect (Menochius) in these outward ceremonies. (Haydock) --- God required no victims during the captivity; but he always demanded praise, (ver. 14.; Calmet) a contrite heart, Psalm l. 19., &c. (Haydock) --- The prophets often admonished the people of this truth, (Isaias i.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Oxen. St. Jerome and Protestants, "the cattle upon a thousand hills." But our version is very good, and adopted by the Syriac, Ferrand, &c. (Calmet) --- Aleph means an ox as well as a thousand; and i may have been added to the preceding word, instead of u, at the beginning of this. (Berthier) --- W... [ Continue Reading ]
_I know your number, and have absolute dominion over all, Isaias xxxvii. 28. (Calmet) --- Field. Ripe fruits. (St. Cyril) (Alexandrian) --- With God all things are present. (St. Augustine; Lombard, 1 dist. 35.; F.; Amama)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Goats? Can any of you be so stupid? (Menochius) --- Some of the pagans believed, that their idols delighted in the smell of victims. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Vows. A faithless promise is very displeasing, Ecclesiastes v. 3. True religion must be interior, (Calmet) also 1 Corinthians xiv. 15. (Haydock) --- We must discharge, not only our general, (Menochius) but also our particular vows, (Worthington) and obligations. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Call. Prayer is a perfect act of religion, and a confession of God's dominion. Qui fingit sacros auro vel marmore vultus,_ Non facit ille Deos: qui rogat, ille facit. (Martial viii. v. 24.) To neglect prayer is, in some sense, to deny God. (Calmet) --- He is pleased to exercise our confidence, (H... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sinner. He is not blamed for praying: but his hypocrisy is condemned. (Berthier) --- The world is full of such hypocrites, who have God in their mouths, but not in their hearts, and whose voice alone is the voice of Jacob, Genesis xxvii. 22., Isaias xxix. 13., and Titus i. 16. --- The wicked judges... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lay. Hebrew, "slanderest." (Protestants) But dophi occurs on where else. (Berthier) --- The sinner sits to detract, or with pleasure, (Menochius) habitually offends. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
PSALM XLIX. (DEUS DEORUM.) The coming of Christ: who prefers virtue and inward purity before the blood of victims. _ Silent, and deferred punishment, (St. Augustine) waiting for thy conversion, Romans ii. 4. --- Unjustly, is not expressed in Hebrew. (Berthier) --- Face, judgment and hell, (Chaldea... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lest he. Hebrew, "I tear you in pieces." (Protestants) (Haydock) --- Rapiat ut Leo. (St. Augustine) --- It may be understood of death, (Theodoret) or of God. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
Praise. This king of improper sacrifice, and those of justice, and of a contrite heart, (Psalm iv., and l.) must accompany outward sacrifices, to make them acceptable. The latter has always been obligatory, (Worthington) as well as the former. (Haydock) --- This psalm proves, that the old victims sh... [ Continue Reading ]