_God. This characterizes the Jewish legislator [Moses]. (Berthier) (Deuteronomy xxxiii. 1.) (Du Hamel) --- David composed it in his [Moses'] name, (Menochius) or it bears some analogy with his writings. St. Jerome maintains, that he [Moses] was the author of the nine following psalms, (Calmet) which... [ Continue Reading ]
_Formed. Hebrew, "brought forth," Job xxxviii. 8. (Calmet) --- Here Origen improperly concluded the sentence. (St. Jerome, Ep. ad Cypr.) --- God, is not in Septuagint, Syriac, or ancient Latin psalters. (Calmet) --- Al signifies both God, and not, and seems to be twice explained in the Vulgate, as H... [ Continue Reading ]
_Turn not man away, &c. Suffer him not quite to perish from thee, since thou art pleased to call upon him to be converted to thee. (Challoner) --- God wills not the death of the sinner. (Worthington) --- Give him grace not to yield to his base passions. (St. Augustine) --- Hebrew, "thou humblest man... [ Continue Reading ]
_For, &. This thought naturally tends to convert the sinner. --- Watch. Consisting of three hours, (Berthier) which were of unequal length, according to the seasons. (Calmet) --- A thousand years seem not so long to God. (Haydock) --- What them must be the short life of man? See Job vii. 8. (Calmet)... [ Continue Reading ]
_Their years be. Hebrew, "thou strikest, (Calmet) or inundatest them: they are a dream." But our version is accurate. (Berthier)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Fall. Hebrew, "it is cut down and dries." The heat of the climate caused the flowers to decay ver soon, Isaias xl. 6. Man's youth touches on old age. (Calmet) --- The present moment is all we can call our own. (Berthier) --- "A young man may die soon: an old man cannot live long," says an English p... [ Continue Reading ]
_Life. Literally, "age." Thou clearly discernest all our proceedings. (Haydock) --- Man is condemned for Adam's sin. The Israelites who were fit for arms, and gave way to murmuring, were sentenced to die in the desert. He may allude to this event. (Berthier) --- Hebrew may signify also, "our hidden... [ Continue Reading ]
_As a spider. As frail and weak as a spider's web; and miserable withal, whilst, like a spider, we spend our bowels in weaving webs to catch flies. (Challoner) --- Meditabuntur is here used in a passive sense. (Tirinus) --- Hebrew, "we have spent our years like one speaking a word." (St. Jerome) ---... [ Continue Reading ]
In them. Years, (Calmet) "in the world." Chaldean, "together." Symmachus, years. This was the usual term of man's life in David's time, (Haydock) and about the captivity, when this was written. Many lived above one hundred years when Moses wrote. (Calmet) --- Yet this proves nothing, as there are st... [ Continue Reading ]
_Anger? God must punish actual sin severely, since he thus condemns mankind on account of original sin. (Worthington)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thy right hand. Your Messias, to liberate and instruct us. (St. Augustine) --- "Make us know how to number our days thus, and we shall come to thee with a wise heart." (St. Jerome) (Ecclesiasticus vii. 40.) (Haydock) --- Septuagint have read iminoc for yamenu, "our days." (Amama) --- Make us truly... [ Continue Reading ]
_We are. Hebrew, "Fill us." (Montanus) --- But the psalmist feels interiorly, that his petition has been granted. (Berthier) --- The prospect of a glorious immortality fills us with hope in proportion to our sufferings for the truth. (Worthington)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Yea, the work. Each in particular. Roman Septuagint, &c., omit this sentence, which Houbigant improperly deems useless. (Berthier) --- Charity must direct all. (St. Augustine) (Worthington)_... [ Continue Reading ]
PSALM LXXXIX. (DOMINE REFUGIUM.) A prayer for the mercy of God; recounting the shortness and miseries of the days of man.... [ Continue Reading ]