PSALM XCV. (CANTATE DOMINO.) An exhortation to praise God for the coming of Christ and his kingdom. Fulness. Its raging billows, (Calmet) fishes, (Menochius) those who live upon the water. (Haydock) --- Let al testify their joy. Every thing is animated by the psalmist. (Calmet) Judge. Or "rule," as he invites all to rejoice. (Calmet) --- But this will be done by all nature, when God shall punish the wicked. (Haydock) --- He now judges by his ministers, and will pass sentence at the last day. (Worthington) --- This verse is added, instead of the last there in 1 Paralipomenon xvi,. which occur in Psalm cv. (Haydock) Same. Huic. The title is the same as usual in the Septuagint. (Menochius) --- It occurs not in Hebrew. The psalm may refer to David's establishment on the throne, after the death of Saul, or Absalom, or to the return from captivity, and to the first and second coming of Christ. (Calmet) --- This last seems to be the most literal sense. (Berthier) --- To him. Christ's body on the third day, and many souls were restored to life. [Matthew xxvii. 52. --- Islands. We have great reason to rejoice in being educated in the true faith, and we may hope that the Catholic religion will once more flourish in these isles. (Worthington) --- The Son of man shall have dominion over all, Daniel vii. 14. His Church is persecuted, as the waves beat against an island. (Eusebius) (Calmet) Clouds. We could not bear the blaze of the divine majesty, Psalm xvii. 12. Christ veiled himself in our human nature, (Theodoret) in the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary. (St. Jerome) (Calmet) --- God gave the law with terror; and so he will come to judge with integrity. (Worthington) A fire. Preceding the last judgment, 2 Peter iii. 12., Daniel vii. 10., and Wisdom v. 22. (Menochius) All. Which is conformable to the Hebrew, &c., though the Vulgate terra, means, "all the earth" melted. (Haydock) Heavens. Apostles, Psalm xviii. The judge appears publicly. (Calmet) Idols. Hebrew Elilim, Psalm xcv. 5. (Haydock) --- Angels. Hebrew Elohim, means also, all who have power. Chaldean, "idols." St. Paul, (Hebrews i. 6.) quotes this in the third person; Let all the angels, (Calmet) or rather he alludes to the Septuagint, (Deuteronomy xxxii. 43.) which clearly speaks of the Messias, and may therefore have been altered in the Hebrew text, which St. Jerome translated. The psalmist expresses the same idea as Moses had done. (Berthier) --- Both those who adore idols of their own imagination, and their graven things, are condemned. (Worthington) Gods. Princes or angels, elohim, ver. 7. (Haydock) Light. Prosperity. The Babylonians are punished. (Calmet) Holiness. Or sanctuary. Praise for ever his adorable name, (Calmet) since he is holiness itself, and sanctifies others. (Worthington) PSALM XCVI. (DOMINUS .) All are invited to rejoice at the glorious coming and reign of Christ. David. His name occurs not in Hebrew, though the psalm is worthy of him. (Berthier) --- It may refer to the return from captivity, as a figure of the world's redemption. --- Things. In rescuing his people from slavery, and in the incarnation. (Calmet) --- For him. Or alone. (Menochius) --- Christ raised himself by his own power. (Calmet) (Isaias lxii. 5.) --- He redeemed mankind for his own glory, sibi. (Berthier) Salvation. Cyrus, or the Messias, whose gospel is preached every where, (Calmet) and who has saved the world. (Worthington) Israel. The prophets foretold the liberation of the Jew, and of mankind. The blessed Virgin Mary seems to allude to this passage, Luke i. 55. (Calmet) --- Some Jews were converted, Romans xi. (Worthington) Cornet. This was a crooked horn; the trumpets were of metal, Numbers x. 2. (Calmet) Hands. These strong oriental expressions hardly suit our language. (Calmet) --- They contain a metaphor, and denote the inhabitants of the world, (Haydock) or those rivers, which spring from Jesus Christ, and mountains, which are raised to heaven by his grace, to praise the Redeemer. (St. Augustine) --- Then the just are exhorted to lift up their heads. (Menochius) PSALM XCVII. (CANTATE DOMINO.) All are again invited to praise the Lord, for the victories of Christ. Himself. There is no title in Hebrew. Hence many have attributed it to Moses, with the preceding psalms. But the name of Samuel destroys this pretension, and most people suppose that David wrote it at the removal of the ark. (Calmet) --- Others refer it to the return from captivity, (Theodoret) or to the dedication of the second temple, (Calmet) and the reign of the Messias. (Berthier) --- Angry. Though many enemies rage, and the whole earth be stirred up to oppose the reign of Christ, he shall still prevail. (Challoner) (Psalm ii.) --- His will shall be done, (Worthington) for He sitteth on the Cherubim. (Haydock) --- Ferrand infers from this expression, that the psalm cannot regard the times after the captivity, as the ark existed no more. But this is not clear; and, at any rate, this idea might still be retained, as God is represented on a chariot drawn by Cherubim, Ezechiel x. 1., and Daniel iii. 55. (Calmet) Loveth judgment. Requireth discretion. (Calmet) --- Hebrew, "the king's strength loveth judgment." He does nothing unjustly, as the enemy is forced to confess. (Calmet) --- This is the highest glory of a king. (Theodoret) --- God requires that we should honour him, by correcting our fault. (St. Augustine) --- Directions. Most right and just laws to direct men. (Challoner) --- Jacob. There God principally instructed mankind, and punished the perverse. Other nations he seemed to have left to themselves. (Haydock) Adore his foot-stool. The ark of the covenant was called, in the Old Testament, God's foot-stool: over which he was understood to sit, on his propitiatory, or mercy-seat, as on a throne, between the wings of the Cherubim, in the sanctuary: to which the children of Israel paid a great veneration. But as this psalm evidently relates to Christ, and the New Testament, where the ark has no place, the holy Fathers understand this text of the worship paid by the Church to the body and blood of Christ in the sacred mysteries: in as much as the humanity of Christ is, as it were, the foot-stool of the divinity. So St. Ambrose, l. 3. de Spiritu Sancto, c. 12., and St. Augustine upon this psalm. (Challoner) --- The last mentioned holy Doctor inculcates the obligation of adoring Jesus Christ in the blessed Eucharist, and refutes the Capharnaites, &c., John vi. (Worthington) --- The Jews adored God, shewing a relative honour, by prostrating themselves before the ark, in the same manner as Catholics do before holy images. (Berthier) --- It is. Septuagint and some psalters, "he is holy." (Calmet) --- Hebrew is ambiguous. (Berthier) --- "I discover how I may adore the foot-stool,...without impiety. Christ took flesh of Mary,...and give it us to eat for our salvation. But none eats that flesh, till he have first adored it." (St. Augustine) Moses and Aaron among his priests. By this it is evident, that Moses also was a priest, and indeed the chief priest, in as much as he consecrated Aaron, and offered sacrifice for him, Leviticus viii. So that his pre-eminence over Aaron makes nothing for lay church headship. (Challoner) (Worthington) --- Samuel is only mentioned as a Levite. See 1 Kings xxv. 1. (Calmet) Cloud. As he did to Samuel in the night. (Berthier) --- Them. By their example, the psalmist insinuates, that priests in the new law shall pray for the people. (Worthington) PSALM XCVIII. (DOMINUS .) The reign of the Lord in Sion: that is, of Christ in his Church. All their inventions. That is, all the enterprizes of their enemies against them, as in the case of Core, Dathan, and Abiron. (Challoner) (Numbers xvi.) (Worthington) Syriac, "injuries." The failings of these great men were punished in mercy. (Calmet) --- Thou hast made them harmless in all their works. (Houbigant) Mountain. On Sion, or in the Catholic Church. (Berthier) --- "Those who do not adore on this mountain, are not heard unto eternal life." (St. Augustine) Praise. Theodoret reads, "A psalm of David for confession, with a title in Hebrew." But now that text and the Septuagint agree with us. The psalm refers to the same events as the preceding. (Calmet) Earth. Both Jews and Gentiles, (Worthington) converted to the faith of Christ. (Haydock) --- Gladness. God loves a cheerful giver. [2 Corinthians ix. 7. (Menochius) --- He hears our prayers in all places. Yet appoints the temple more peculiarly for that duty. (Worthington) Not. St. Jerome seems to have read lu for lo, and translates, "and we are his," which Houbigant follows. But the Vulgate gives a very necessary instruction, as some might perhaps forget that God preserves their life every instant, (Berthier) and some have foolishly imagined, that the collection of things might give existence, or be eternal. (Berthier) Truth. This is commonly joined with mercy. (Calmet) --- God faithfully executes what he has promised (Worthington) for the liberation of his people, and the conversion of the Gentiles. (Calmet) PSALM XCIX. ( DEO.) All are invited to rejoice in God, the Creator of all. Himself. He describes the conduct which he was resolved to follow in ruling, (Calmet) or alluding to the pious king Josias. (Theodoret) (4 Kings xx. ii.) The sentiments are not confined to rulers alone, (Berthier) though this psalm might be styled, "the mirror of princes." (Muis) --- Mercy and judgment. The chief qualifications of a king. (Calmet) --- Whether I am treated with clemency or with rigour, I will praise thee. (Chaldean) --- No one should presume, since there is judgment, nor despair, since mercy goes before. (St. Jerome) (St. Augustine) --- I will sing, and I will understand. Piety is one of the best means to acquire the intelligence of these heavenly hymns, and of the whole scripture. (Haydock) --- We might translate the Hebrew (Calmet) and Vulgate, Mercy and judgment I will sing, to thee, Lord, will I sing psalms. (Haydock) I will understand, &c. That is, I will apply my mind, I will do my endeavour, to know and to follow the perfect way of thy commandments: not trusting in my own strength, but relying on thy coming to me by thy grace. (Challoner) --- I will watch over my conduct. --- When thou. So St. Jerome and Houbigant read, though Septuagint have "when wilt thou come to me?" (Berthier) --- He is impatient of having the ark: but is well apprized that God will not dwell in a polluted soul, or in a wicked city: therefore he promises to remove such obstacles. --- I walked. Or "will walk." All the other verbs should be in the future; (Calmet) though that is of no consequence. (Berthier) --- David had studied to regulate his interior and his family before, as much as he did afterwards. (Haydock) --- His fall was most likely (Berthier) subsequent to this event, 1 Kings vi. 11. (Haydock) --- He acknowledges that he had done what he here mentions, by God's assistance. (Worthington) Thing. Or Hebrew, "word of Belial." I will neither suffer an evil word or action to pass without reproof. (Calmet) Know. I looked upon them with such contempt, (Eusebius) or I highly disapproved of their conduct, (St. Augustine) and would have no society with them. (Calmet) --- David was, in a manner, forced to tolerate Joab; but he shewed sufficiently his displeasure, and ordered his successor to punish him, as soon as it could be done with safety to the state. (Menochius) PSALM C. ( &.) The prophet exhorteth all, by his example, to follow mercy and justice. Persecute. Or abhor (Worthington) with a perfect hatred. We must shew our displeasure if we hear detraction, (Haydock) that we may not partake in the crime. (St. Jerome) --- The court is most likely to be infected with this vice, as people are continually endeavouring to supplant their rivals. (Calmet) --- Secret thoughts of resentment must be stifled in their birth. (Eusebius) --- Heart. Hebrew, "wide heart," which is sometimes taken in a good sense, 3 Kings iv. 29. But here it denotes the ambitious and misers, Proverbs xxviii. 25. (Calmet)