God. The multiplicity of titles shews the prophet's love. See Apocalypse v. 12. (St. Augustine, Confessions i. 4.) (Berthier) PSALM LXI. (NONNE DEO.) The prophet encourageth himself and all others to trust in God, and serve him. All. Hebrew, "always, O people." Septuagint seem to have read, adoth, for heth. --- For ever. Here Selah is translated, (Berthier) though it is not in Septuagint, &c. David exhorts his followers to address themselves to God, with compunction and confidence. (Calmet) Liars. They are so vain and light, that if they are put into the scales, they will be found to be of no weight; and to be mere lies, deceit, and vanity. Or, they are liars in their balances, by weighing thing by false weights, and preferring the temporal before the eternal. (Challoner) (Proverbs xi. 1., and xx. 10.) --- They give false judgments; be not concerned; God is our protector. (Calmet) --- God's servants strive to draw others to the practice of virtue. (Worthington) --- All sinners (Haydock) will not outweigh vanity itself. (Menochius) Them. Let the rich assist their needy brethren; and you, my followers, beware of enriching yourselves, by unjust rapine, during this civil war. (Calmet) --- Raise your thoughts to something better. (St. Augustine) Once, by the generation of his word, (St. Augustine) or when he promulgated the law, Exodus xx. 6. (Berthier) --- God's word is invariable, (Worthington; Job xxxiii. 14.; Menochius) and will be put in execution. (St. Ambrose) (Tirinus) --- This he has often inculcated. (Vatable) (Job xxxix. 35.) Amos (i. 3.) uses three and four, in the same sense. (Calmet) Works. We must therefore refrain from every injustice. (Haydock) --- God spoke once by Moses, and again by his own Son. Both the Testaments confirm the certainty of rewards and punishments, (Berthier) as God is able and willing (Worthington) to execute his decrees. Luther, followed by the Dutch, translates, "as he merits;" to which expression, concerning the just, Amama objects. (Haydock) Edom, (Haydock) --- Several copies read Jud\'e6\'e6; which agrees with the Hebrew, &c. The Idumeans, after the captivity, occupied those deserts (Calmet) or Ziph, Haret, &c., (Worthington) where David had screened himself from the fury of Saul. This psalm may express his sentiments, (Theodoret; Muis) or those of the captives, returning home, (Calmet) or it may agree with all those, who thirst after their heavenly country. (Berthier) --- St. Jerome explains it of the coming of Christ, and it was used in the morning service. (St. Chrysostom) (Psalm cxl.) (Calmet) --- Catholics, who are imprisoned for their faith, and cannot approach the tabernacle, may here find comfort. (Worthington) Day. The manna dissolved with the sun beams, and God will be served with diligence. --- Flesh. The sensations of my soul affect all my body. (Worthington) --- Thirst is more insupportable than hunger; and the psalmist could not express his ardour better. (Calmet) --- He loves God with all his strength, &c. (Haydock) --- "The soul desires, but the end can be attained only by good works." Carnis laboribus pervenitur. (St. Jerome) --- O how! Protestants, "longeth for thee in a dry," &c. But come is no Hebrew verb, and occurring no where else, is little understood by the Jews. It seems that comu , "as," should be here, to correspond with the following so. "As my flesh thirsts in this, &c., so in the, " &c. I shall find no less pleasure in attending thy worship, than a thirsty traveller does in finding water. (Calmet) --- Theodotion agrees with the Septuagint, in considering this as a compound word Greek: posaplos, (Calmet) and we had best stick to the most ancient version. (Berthier) Land. "O solitude," cries out St. Ephrem, "ladder of heaven, mother of compunction,....and piety, thou art the guardian of the eyes," &c. --- Glory. The ark, (Calmet) or Jesus Christ, the desired of all nations. (St. Jerome) (Haydock) --- I have attended thy worship in spirit, not being able to be present at Jerusalem. (Calmet) (Menochius) (Worthington) --- Thus people, who cannot hear mass, ought to act. (Haydock) Lives. For these must perish, while heaven remains for ever. (St. Hilary) --- This consolation is preferable to any worldly prosperity. (Worthington) Hands. Doing good works, as the Fathers explain it. This is the posture of people who pray, or take an oath. (Tertullian) (1 Timothy ii. 8.) (Calmet) --- I will, &c. Comfort is proportioned to suffering for Christ, 2 Corinthians i. (Worthington) Fatness. With the most exquisite delights of the temple, Jeremias xxxi. 14. (Calmet) --- Thy grace will enable me to give thee due praise (Worthington) with joy. (Menochius) Bed. I will think on thee both when I retire to rest, and when I get up. (Berthier) --- Thou art my first beginning, and last end. (Haydock) --- At all times I will meditate on thy mercies (Calmet) in bed, and much more, when I arise, (Worthington) as I shall not then be so much oppressed with drowsiness. (Menochius) Earth. To seek me out, (Houbigant) or they shall perish. The Babylonians were exposed to many miseries under Cyrus, as the prophets assert, (Isaias xiii. 1., and Jeremias xxv. 12.) though profane history be silent. (Calmet) --- David foretells the destruction of his persecutors, either temporal or spiritual. (Worthington) --- The devils may be styled foxes. (Berthier) (St. Hilary) --- This may also be verified in the Jews, who persecuted Christ, and fell a prey to the Roman arms, &c. (Eusebius) (Calmet) --- Saul perished in battle, and his body was exposed on a gibbet to wild beasts, 1 Kings xxxi. (Worthington) The king. David, (Berthier, &c.) or Zorobabel, for whom the Jews had the highest regard, though he was not an independent monarch, nor wore a crown, Aggeus ii. 24., and Zacharias iii. 8. It was customary to swear by the life of the king, 1 Kings i. 26., and xx. 3. The Fathers understand Jesus Christ to be meant, and this is the true and primary sense; as Zorobabel was only a figure of Him, and never really possessed the throne, that the Jews might not think that the prophecies were fulfilled in his person. --- By him. The king, (Du Pin; Calmet) or God. (Menochius) (Bossuet) (Tirinus) --- Those who follow the true religion, (Deuteronomy vi. 13., and Isaias xlv 23.; Calmet) and act accordingly (Haydock) shall be kings for ever, Apocalypse. (Berthier) (1 Peter ii. 9.) (Haydock) --- As David came to the throne, on the death of his rival, so was Christ's name exalted, after the Romans had destroyed the Jews. (Worthington)