_The presses. In Hebrew Gittith, supposed to be a musical instrument: (Challoner) or, "the musicians from Geth," who were famous, and might follow David, 2 Kings i. 20., and xv. 18. The Septuagint must have read a v for i. (Calmet) Gothuth. Yet St. Jerome and Pagnin agree with them; (Haydock) and th... [ Continue Reading ]
_O Lord, (Jehova) our Lord, (Adonenu). (St. Jerome) Dominator noster, "our Ruler." (Haydock) --- God is Lord of all by creation, and still more of those who believe. (Worthington) --- Adonai is pronounced by the Jews, and sometimes applied to men. But they have lost the pronunciation of the first te... [ Continue Reading ]
Praise. But why does the prophet take notice of this proof of Christ's being the Messias, while he passes over his curing the sick? &c. St. Chrysostom answers, because the other miracles had been performed in the old law, but God had never before opened the mouths of infants to proclaim "praise the... [ Continue Reading ]
_Fingers, as if they had been formed in play, while the Incarnation is the work of God's right hand. (Eusebius) (Calmet) --- Heavens, moon, and stars, denote the Church. No mention is made of the sun, because it is the emblem of Christ, who was the Creator. (Berthier) (Apocalypse xii. 1.) --- This t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Him. The prophet considers the nature of man at such a distance from the divinity. Being, nevertheless, united with it in Jesus Christ, it is raised far above the angels, Hebrews ii. 6. (Berthier) --- When we reflect on the meanness of our nature, on the one hand, and on what God has done for it on... [ Continue Reading ]
Angels. Elohim means also "God," as St. Jerome, &c., explain it. Thou hast placed man like a deity upon earth. But St. Paul adopts the sense of the Septuagint. (Calmet) --- St. Jerome doubted whether the epistle to the Hebrews belonged to him or he would have done the same. Some of the Fathers suppo... [ Continue Reading ]
_All sheep. St. Paul did not judge it necessary to specify these things, as they are included in the word all. (Berthier) These tame cattle designate the believing Jews; beasts, the Gentile converts; birds, the proud; fishes, the voluptuous. (St. Athanasius) --- The birds may also be put for men of... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sea. All things are subjected to man's dominion., Genesis i. 26., and ix. 2. (Calmet) --- "The Stoics are in the right, who say that the world was made for us. For all its parts and productions are contrived for man's benefit." (Lactantius, ira. xiii.)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Earth. This repetition of the first verse insinuates, that as God was admirable in giving man the power to avoid sin and death; so he is wonderful in raising him again, in such a state the he can sin no more. (Worthington)_... [ Continue Reading ]
PSALM VIII. (DOMINE DOMINUS NOSTER.) God is wonderful in his works; especially in mankind, singularly exalted by the incarnation of Christ.... [ Continue Reading ]