Psalms 67:31

Rebuke the wild beasts of the reeds: or the wild beasts which lie hid in the reeds. That is, the devils, who hide themselves in order to surprise their prey. Or by wild beasts, are here understood persecutors, who, for all their attempts against the Church, are but as weak reeds, which cannot prevail against them, who are supported by the strength of the Almighty. The same are also called the congregation of bulls, (from their rage against the Church) who assembled together all their kine, that is, the people, their subjects, to exclude, if they can, from Christ and his inheritance, his constant confessors, who are like silver tried by fire. (Challoner) --- Symmachus nearly agrees with this version: "Rebuke the wild beasts." Yet most render the Hebrew in the singular, to denote the chief of the enemies, (Haydock) particularly the devil, who dwells with the vain and luxurious, (Bellarmine) being Behemoth, in Job xl. 16., (Menochius) and the old serpent, (Haydock) as he probably lay concealed, among the shrubs of Paradise, when he tempted our first parents. (Berthier) --- It refers literally to the kings of Egypt, and of Ethiopia, who might be solicited to make war on David, by the Philistines. Pharao is often called a dragon, (Ezechiel xxix. 3.) as his officers, or the princes "of Chus," may be styled bulls. They shall be forced to submit, ver. 32. (Calmet) --- To exclude. Hebrew, "trampling upon," (Berthier) or "boasting of their pieces of silver," (Montanus) which is so common among them, 3 Kings x. 27. (Haydock) --- The Egyptians even adorned their sandals with it. (Clem. Ped. ii. 11.) --- The soldiers of Antiochus had mostly gold nails in their shoes. (Val. Max. ix. 2.) (Calmet) --- Houbigant proposes some alterations, and translates, "Keep down the beast of the reed, the collection of the strong, as also the chariots of the people, which run quickly on silver wheels." All the versions tend to shew the fury and insolence of the enemy against God's people. (Berthier) --- Tried. Protestants, " till every one submit himself with pieces of silver." (Haydock)