PSALM XXIII. (DOMINI EST TERRA.) Who they are that shall ascend to heaven: Christ's triumphant ascension thither. The face. Hebrew, "Thy face, O Jacob, always." (St. Jerome) --- Protestants Jacob. Selah. (Haydock) --- Thus they intimate that the Hebrew is imperfect. All the preceding virtues belong to Jesus Christ, who obtained mercy for us. The generation of Adam multiplied, (Genesis v. 1.) and soon forgot the Lord: but it shall not be so with the disciples of Christ, who must delight in fervent prayer, and in the constant practice of good works; and not merely serve him in certain fits of devotion. (Berthier) See Proverbs xxix. 26. (Menochius) Princes; or, "lift up your chief or highest gates:" portas principes. Hebrew, "gates, lift up your heads." Here the gates themselves are addressed, while the Septuagint and Vulgate turn the discourse to the porters or princes. (Berthier) --- The tops of the gates must be raised, to let the triumphal car pass through, Isaias vi. 4., and Amos viii. 3., and ix. 1. The Church has constantly understood this passage of Christ's ascension. The saints in his train address the angels, who appear to be filled with astonishment. (Theodoret; Eusebius) (Calmet) --- The gates of heaven are more properly styled eternal, than those of the temple, which were not yet erected; or of Jerusalem, which should be (Berthier) soon demolished. (Haydock) --- This apostrophe to the gates is very striking, commanding them to allow more room for the crowd to pass in the train of the conqueror, who was usually seated on a lofty chariot. (Calmet) --- The prophet contemplating the ascension of Christ, inviteth the angels to receive him; and by the figure, prosopopeia, speaketh also to the gates by which he is to enter. (Worthington) --- Homer (Iliad 8.) represents the Hours as door-keepers of heaven removing a thick cloud, which obstructs the entrance. (Haydock) --- These gates are supposed to open, by being lifted upwards. The Greeks style them cataracts, Genesis vii. 11. (Tournemine) Who. This is the question of the Levites, when the ark approached, or of the angels in heaven, who hold a dialogue with the attendants of Christ. These return a satisfactory answer only at the second demand, having first given four titles to their great king. (Berthier) --- Some of the Fathers suppose that the angels in heaven were not acquainted with the incarnation. (St. Justin Martyr, dial.; Theodoret; St. Jerome in Isaias lxiii.) But the latter here asserts that the good and bad angels hold a dialogue, or that the former address the spirits in limbo, announcing to them their speedy deliverance in consequence of Christ's victory over the devil. The dialogue is rather (Calmet) between the angels in heaven, and the spirits of the just, (St. Athanasius) or other angels, who accompanied Christ in his ascension. (Calmet) --- The angels express their admiration of the glory with which Christ, (Worthington) in our human nature, (Haydock) was environed; and the prophet replies, that he had overcome all his opponents, and again orders the gates to open. (Worthington) --- The angels were not ignorant, but gave occasion to a further display of the conqueror's dignity, and expressed their surprise that men should enter heaven. (Menochius)