Psalms 73:12

Ages. He is eternal, and hath long ago made choice of us. (Menochius) --- Earth. Publicly rescuing his people from Egypt, (Kimchi) and shewing his power over all the earth. (Calmet) --- The Fathers understand this of Jesus Christ, who died on Calvary, (Calmet) near Jerusalem, (Haydock) which some assert, is the middle of the earth, though others more properly attribute this situation to the promised land, which was nearly the centre of the world, (Amama) then known to the Jews, as there were 60 degrees to the Ganges, and as many westward to the extremity of Spain. Kimchi places it in the midst of the seven climates, (in Psalm xvi. 3.) and many others have explained this literally, as if Jerusalem was really the central point of the world, (St. Jerome in Ezechiel v. 5., and xxxviii. 12.; St. Hilary, &c.) in which sense Josephus styles it the navel. (Calmet) --- As the world is nearly round, any place may be said to be in the middle. Some have erroneously supposed, that Jerusalem was exactly under the line, (see de Locis. iii. in Ven. Bede's works) though it be about the 32 degree of North latitude. (Haydock) --- Its situation was at least very commodious for having access to the different parts of the ancient world. (St. Jerome in Ezechiel xxxviii.) (Calmet) --- The middle of the earth may here also relate to Egypt, where God formerly displayed his power, (Berthier) or to the wilderness, as the sequel seems to indicate. The latter formed a part of the promised land, (Haydock) which was pitched upon to be the theatre of the true religion, and of the sufferings of Christ, as they were to be made known to all the world. (Tirinus)