_David. St. Peter attributes it to him, and gives us the key to this psalm, by applying (ver. 8.) to the traitor Judas, Acts i. 16, 20. (Berthier, T. vii.) --- Our Saviour seems to allude to it, when he styles Judas, the son of perdition, John xvii. 8. It may also have a reference to Doeg, or Achito... [ Continue Reading ]
_Praise. Hebrew, "God of my praise," (Calmet) --- whom I always adore, under every dispensation of Providence. (Haydock) --- Yet the original may agree with the Vulgate, and Christ desires to be glorified, (John xii. 23., and xvii. 5.; Berthier) and styles his passion, his praise. (Theodoret) --- Da... [ Continue Reading ]
_Cause. Or provocation. (Haydock) --- So Catiline gratuito potius malus quam crudelis erat. (Sallust.) --- The sanctity of Jesus Christ could not be overwhelmed, or hidden, (Haydock) even with the torrent of abuse thrown upon him._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Detracted. Hebrew and Septuagint, "calumniated," as [in] ver. 20., and 29. (Calmet) --- Prayer. Jesus Christ prayed for his enemies, (Luke xxiii. 34.; Flaminius) and did many good works for the benefit of all, John x. 32., and Acts x. 38. David had also signalized himself in the defence of his coun... [ Continue Reading ]
_Set thou the sinner over him, &c. Give to the devil, that arch-sinner, power over him: let him enter into him, and possess him. The imprecations contained in the thirty verses of this psalm, are opposed to the thirty pieces of silver for which Judas betrayed our Lord: and are to be taken as prophet... [ Continue Reading ]
_Prayer. Or may his supplication to judges for pardon irritate them, (Calmet) and let it not move God to mercy any more than a sin. (Menochius) --- God rejects such prayers as are destitute of the proper conditions, as he did those of Antiochus, (St. Augustine; Calmet) and they are a fresh sin. (Ber... [ Continue Reading ]
PSALM CVIII. (DEUS LAUDEM MEAM.) David, in the person of Christ, prayeth against his persecutors; more especially the traitor Judas; foretelling and approving his just punishment for his obstinacy in sin and final impenitence. _ Bishopric. Greek: Episkopen, "inspection or pre-eminence" of any kind... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wisdom. Judas was married, (St. Augustine) and stole for his family; (Lyranus) though as the Scripture is silent, St. Chrysostom believes the contrary. (Menochius) --- The synagogue being rejected, the Jews are in a manner orphans. (Calmet) --- The posterity of persecutors prosper not long. (Worthi... [ Continue Reading ]
_Out. Hebrew, "seek." St. Jerome, "be sought after," which implies that the are rejected. (Houbigant) --- The being reduced to beg, is terrible to one who has been brought up in a better manner. --- Dwellings. Septuagint (Menochius) and St. Jerome, "ruins." The Jews were forbidden to weep over the r... [ Continue Reading ]
_Usurer. The Romans forced the miserable Jews to pay taxes, and Domitian banished them from Rome, to live in a wood, where their furniture was only a basket and some hay, and their wives came to beg. Cophino fænoque relicto_ Arcanam Judæa tremens mendicat in aurem. (Juvenal, Sat. xi. 540.) (Calmet)... [ Continue Reading ]
_In one. Hebrew, "another." Let none remember them. The ruin of Jerusalem took place within forty years time. (Calmet) --- Arch-heretics are not long followed; their disciples make fresh discoveries. (Worthington)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Out. As children derive great advantages from the piety of their parents, so they also feel the punishment of their crimes, when they imitate them, Deuteronomy xxiv. 16., and Ezechiel xviii. 20. If they share in the afflictions of their family, and are free from sin, this must be considered as a tr... [ Continue Reading ]
_They. Iniquities, (Haydock) or may the sinners be "against the Lord," and He against them, Leviticus xxvi. 21. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Mercy. Therefore he, the chief, and each of his adherents, can expect to find no mercy, James ii. 13. (Haydock) --- By the most crying injustice, the Jews put to death, the man of sorrows, [Isaias liii. 3.] (Calmet) who had been pleased to assume our nature, and had not where to lay his head, Luke... [ Continue Reading ]
_Bones. This strikingly describes the malediction of a person who has swallowed iniquity like water, Job xv. 16., and Proverbs iv. 17. The Jews had spoken ill of Christ, and of his disciples, Matthew xxvii. 25., and John ix. 17. (Calmet) --- Let all who delight in cursing, attend to this sentence. ... [ Continue Reading ]
_Work. They effect their own ruin. (Haydock) --- The Jews pretended to act for the glory of God, being influenced with a zeal with knowledge. Some translate, "let such be the recompense;" which is not amiss. (Berthier)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_With me. Many ancient psalters supply, "thy mercy," with the Arabic. (Calmet) --- Grace must always accompany our endeavours, 1 Corinthians xv. 10. (Berthier)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Within me. In the garden. Christ did penance for sin all his life. He wept over Jerusalem, Luke xix. 41. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Locusts. David was forced to wander about. Christ continually sought after the lost sheep, (Calmet) and was hurried to different tribunals. (Menochius) --- St. Jerome applies this to the Jews, and St. Augustine to Christians under persecution. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_For oil, propter oleum. The meaning is, my flesh is changed, being perfectly emaciated, and dried up, as having lost all its oil, or fatness. (Challoner) --- Or, "on account of the privation of perfumes," (Berthier) which the Jews looked upon as necessary. David and Jesus Christ were exposed to man... [ Continue Reading ]
_Heads, and saying, Vah, &c. (Matthew xxvii. 40.) as Semei insulted David, (2 Kings xvi. 5.; Calmet) though he is not said to have shaken his head, for which reason the prophecy may rather relate solely to Christ. (Berthier) --- "To pay our ransom, he was crucified; to be crucified, he was despised;... [ Continue Reading ]
_It. My suffering, (Berthier) or deliverance. (Calmet) --- Jesus Christ prays for a glorious resurrection, and that his enemies may be covered with all possible confusion. (Worthington)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Cloak. Greek: Diplois, means the outward robe. Hebrew mehil. (Haydock) (Galatians iii. 13.) --- "The cross of Jesus Christ shall be the glory of believers, and the confusion of infidels." (St. Leo, ser. xviii. de pas.) --- A salutary and inward shame may be of great advantage. (Haydock) --- Christ... [ Continue Reading ]
_Many. In the Catholic Church, (Haydock) till the end of the world. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_My. Hebrew, "his soul from the judges," Pilate and the Jews, (Calmet) particularly the Sanhedrim. How many still continue to persecute Christ, and do not tremble! (Berthier)_... [ Continue Reading ]