PSALM CXIII. (IN EXITU ISRAEL.) God hath shewn his power in delivering his people: idols are vain. (The Hebrews divide this into two psalms.) or Hebrew Psalm cxv. Ver. 1. Not. Some Jews here commence the 115th psalm. (Haydock) --- But St. Augustine shews, that this part is well connected with the preceding, the true God being known by his works, while idols are senseless, and therefore can have no pretensions to divine worship. (Worthington) --- It seems that the psalmist would not break off so abruptly, without praising God for his wondrous works, and the Fathers are silent about the present division of the Hebrew, (Berthier) though Eusebius and St. Athanasius had occasion to examine the text, as some Greek copies end here, and others at ver. 12., the idols, &c. --- Glory. We claim no share in these miracles; or we confess our unworthiness, but do thou deliver us. (Calmet) --- Thou hast done these wonders to fulfil thy gracious promises, and to prevent blasphemy. (Worthington) or Hebrew Psalm cxv. Ver. 3. Heaven. Septuagint add, "and on earth," which St. Augustine joins with the following words, he, &c. We cannot indeed point God out, as we might do idols. But then what sore of gods are they? (Calmet) --- Viler than insects. (Theodoret) or Hebrew Psalm cxv. Ver. 4. Men. All Catholics agree, that idolatry is the "giving of divine honour to any creature." St. Justin Martyr, St. Augustine in the ten first books of the City of God, and other Fathers, refute al the species of idolatry. The Platonists adored the angels, or devils, intelligentias separatas. Others worshipped dead or living men renowned for their achievements, like Jupiter and Hercules; while some paid the same sovereign respect to animals, or even to inanimate things, both in themselves and in their images. The psalmist here derides the most gross species of idols, which are made by men, and are incapable of any vital action, being thus beneath the very beasts. Yet some were so absurd as to confide in them, (ver. 16.; Worthington; or ver. 8.; Haydock) and thereby neglected the light of reason, becoming slaves of the devils, who were either the objects of adoration, as in the compacts made by sorcerers, or at least seduced mankind to pay such worship to creatures. Hence all the gods of the Gentiles are styled devils, Psalm xcv. 5. (Worthington) --- How unjustly do heretics apply these words to the holy images used in the Church! though they must know (Haydock) that Catholics do not consider them as gods, no more than the saints and angels, whom they reverence only as the friends of God: treating their pictures with a relative honour, and endeavouring thus to excite themselves to the pursuit of virtue, by the memory of what they had done. (Berthier) or Hebrew Psalm cxv. Ver. 7. Throat. Roman and Milan Psalters add, neither is there any breath in their mouths, which occurs, (Psalm cxxxiv. 17.) instead of this sentence. (Haydock) --- Juvenal (Sat. 13.) laughs at the silence of Jupiter's statue. (Calmet) or Hebrew Psalm cxv. Ver. 8. Let. Zeal prompts him to make this imprecation, (Calmet) or prophecy. Hebrew, they "are or shall be." The pagans (Haydock) could not well find fault with this wish, (Menochius) as it would be a great honour to resemble real gods. Yet none of their statuaries would be willing to become such statues, or be charged with the wicked conduct of Jupiter, &c. (St. Chrysostom) (Berthier) --- The psalmist justly conforms his will to God's decree; and still would rejoice if he should give the idolaters grace to repent. (Worthington) or Hebrew Psalm cxv. Ver. 9. The house, is not now in Hebrew. But it occurs in the parallel passage, (Psalm cxxxiv.) where the imperative is used, as the Hebrew is here pointed. (Calmet) --- "Israel trusts....house of Aaron, trust ye in the Lord," (Montanus) which is much in favour of this text, though St. Jerome, &c., agree with the Septuagint. (Calmet) --- Houbigant rejects the Hebrew reading, and the house of Israel occurs, ver. 12. (Berthier) --- All the people, the priests, and converts from paganism, are invited to praise the Lord. (St. Chrysostom) (Acts ii. 5., and x. 2., and xiii. 16.) (Calmet) --- The Church always comprised two distinct orders, the clergy and the laity. (Menochius) or Hebrew Psalm cxv. Ver. 12. Hath. Hebrew, "will be," which seems better. Let him bless us. (Calmet) --- Both versions are true. (Berthier) (Ephesians i. 3.) or Hebrew Psalm cxv. Ver. 16. Of heaven. Or the highest heaven, in which God displays his glory, though he fill every place. (Haydock) --- His benefits to man claim a return of gratitude, and we are not dispensed from shewing our adoration, as deists would hence unreasonably infer. (Berthier) -- Worldly men say this in their hearts, abandoning their pretensions to heaven. (Worthington) or Hebrew Psalm cxv. Ver. 17. The dead. People who are thus affected, give no praise to God, when they die, but descend into hell. (Worthington) --- Criminals are therefore said to be dead, while the saints only sleep. (St. Chrysostom) --- Hell. Hebrew, "silence," or the tomb, (Berthier) where none can sound God's praises, (Haydock) though the soul in a state of separation may adore him. (Berthier) See Psalm vi. 6., and xxix. 10. or Hebrew Psalm cxv. Ver. 18. Live. In the state of justice, and aspiring to God's kingdom. While we use this world only as the means to ascend thither, we shall praise him for evermore. (Worthington) Alleluia occurs in Hebrew at the end of the foregoing psalm, (Haydock) with which this and the following have an intimate connexion, alluding to the liberation of the captives. Hammond discovers some Chaldeisms, which confirms the supposition that it was composed about that time. (Calmet) --- Yet this does not deter Muis, &c., from ascribing the psalm to David, reigning in peace, (Haydock) though others think he alludes to some of his persecutions, and it certainly appears to be of the same nature with the 55th [psalm], which was written after his escape from Achis. (Calmet) --- The sentiments of our Saviour, or of his Church under persecution, (St. Augustine) or those of a saint entering into glory, are here expressed. (St. Jerome) --- The faithful sigh after their heavenly country. (Berthier) --- Christ speaks here as in the 21st psalm. (Houbigant) --- Prayer. He always hears me, which prompts me to love. (Worthington) --- Because. Hebrew ci maybe rendered "therefore," as in the next psalm, ver. 1., and Luke vii. 47. (Calmet) Days. All my life. (Worthington) --- Faith, hope, and charity, (St. Augustine) as well as gratitude, are here commended. (Berthier) --- Love and confidence are necessary conditions of prayer; and increase the more it is employed. (Calmet) Sorrows. Hebrew, "bands." --- Perils. Hebrew, "the straitness of the grave, (Calmet) the fortifications of hell." (St. Jerome) (Haydock) --- I am like one buried after the manner of the Egyptians, who bound up the dead, and laid them in small holes cut out of a rock. David uses similar expressions to denote the dangers to which he had been exposed, 1 Kings xxi. 12., and Psalm xvii. 6. (Calmet) --- They may be applicable to all the just. (Berthier) --- When I offended, death and hell, which are due to sin, threatened me unawares; affliction opened my eyes, and I thereupon prayed to thee. (Worthington) Little ones. In their mother's womb, and infancy. (St. Chrysostom) --- Hebrew, "the simple." (Berthier) --- He delights to protect those who have no dependence on any other. (Calmet) --- Humbled. Or afflicted, (Worthington) and "brought low." (St. Jerome) Rest. The peace of the soul, which must precede eternal happiness. --- Bountiful to. Hebrew, "rewarded." The Chaldean termination i, occurs twice in this verse, whence some would prove that it was written after the captivity. This argument is weak, as such things have been observed in the books which were certainly written before. It would only follow, that Esdras might make such alterations, (Berthier) or they may be attributed to some negligent transcriber. (Haydock) He. Hebrew, "thou hast." Yet St. Jerome and the Chaldean read like the Vulgate. (Berthier)