God. After the signs of dissolution, the Son of God shall come to judge. (Berthier) --- The earth is now full of bustle: but then all shall be silent. (St. Augustine) --- Meek. Ezechias had given large sums to preserve peace, 4 Kings xviii. 14. (Calmet) --- Judgment will take place for the sake of the just. (Worthington) PSALM LXXV. (NOTUS IN JUD\'c6A.) God is known in his Church: and exerts his power in protecting it. It alludes to the slaughter of the Assyrians, in the days of King Ezechias. To thee. The enemy shall repress his resentment, when he beholds the fall of Sennacherib. (Tirinus) --- The people who had been delivered, express their constant sentiments of gratitude. They revolve in mind the wonders of God, (Haydock) both in time and in eternity, and keep holidays in memory of such benefits. (Berthier) --- Hebrew, "for the wrath of man shall confess to thee, thou shalt be girded with the remains of wrath." (St. Jerome) --- The fury of the enemy shall only cause thy power to shine forth in his destruction. (Haydock) --- Petau unites both these ideas, in his beautiful Greek verses, though it must be confessed, this passage is very obscure, both in the original and versions. (Berthier) --- Men shall meditate on these benefits, and praise God with gladness, being moved to make vows, even of things left to their discretion, which they must perform. (Worthington) God. Victims of thanksgiving, as was customary after a victory, Psalm xxi., xxvi., xlix., and xiv. He speaks to the people who had been spared, particularly to the priests, though it may be understood also of foreign nations, who complied with this invitation, 2 Paralipomenon xxxii. 22. (Calmet) --- Vows, and their completion, ought not to be separated, even though the thing vowed may have been before a matter of choice, as virginity, &c. (St. Augustine) (Berthier) --- What says Luther? (Haydock) Away. Hebrew, "he will cut off," (Montanus) like grapes: which means rather to destroy, than to bereave of counsel, Isaias xix. 13. This might be written after Sennacherib was slain, 4 Kings xix. 37. (Calmet) --- God is terrible, and will demand an account even of princes, respecting vows and other good works. Great discretion is therefore requisite. (Worthington) Idithun. Hebrew, "upon Idithun," was not formerly in the text. (St. Jerome) --- It may be the name of an instrument, (Bellarmine) or tune, (Muis) or this master of music and Asaph might sing alternately. There is nothing certain; (Menochius) though some would hence conclude, that Asaph was the author. The occasion of the psalm is also unknown, and may be applied to all the afflicted servants of God, (Berthier) or to the captives. (Calmet) To God. These repetitions denote fervour, (Calmet) and that God alone must be the object of our desire. (St. Augustine) Deceived, in my expectations, as I prayed with mind and body continually. (Worthington) --- Good works are a strong recommendation. "They cry, though we be silent." Many have recourse to the great for assistance, and few to God. Yet in isto invenio omnia. (St. Jerome) --- Hebrew is variously translated, and may have been altered. "My hand fell in the night, and ceased not." Symmachus and St. Jerome come near to the Vulgate. (Calmet) --- They have, "and does not cease," which would be the case, if the person were deceived or rejected. (Berthier) --- Protestants, "my sore ran," &c. (Haydock) --- But this seems rather violent. (Calmet) --- Comforted. By any worldly advantages. (Menochius) --- Joy can come from God alone. (Berthier) Delighted. Hebrew, "cried out," which many explain through sorrow. But the Septuagint seem rather to take it in a different sense, as well as the swooning, which might proceed from ecstatic joy (Berthier) at the thought of God. The alternate sorrows and joys of the just are well described. They are seldom allowed to continue long in the same state. Protestants, "I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah." St. Jerome, "I spoke within myself," exercising myself in meditation. (Haydock) --- I was sometimes in such distress, that nothing seemed capable of giving me any comfort. But I relied on God, and was in an ecstacy. (Worthington) My eyes. Vatican Septuagint, Arabic, and St. Augustine read, "my enemies," but our Vulgate follows the edition of Aldus and Complutensian (Berthier) very frequently, which here agree better with the Hebrew, "I hindered my eyes from looking up;" (St. Jerome; Symmachus) or, "thou hast kept the watches of my eyes," (Aquila) hindering me from sleeping; (Haydock) so that I did not watch three hours only, like the sentinels, but all night. (Calmet) --- The sudden address to God seems incorrect. (Berthier) --- I rose before the usual time, yet did not utter my sentiments, (Worthington) being quite oppressed both with grief and joy. (Haydock) --- I durst not speak, as I was convinced that thy judgments were right. (Menochius) Of old. And the favours which had been heaped on the nation. (Calmet) --- Years. Both past and future times; (Haydock) yea, eternity itself, the great occupation of life. (St. Augustine) (Berthier) Heart. Septuagint have read differently from the present [Hebrew]. (Berthier) --- Hebrew, "I recollected my canticle in the night, and communed with my own heart, and my spirit sought to the bottom;" or, "I swept, my spirit," (St. Jerome) from all things unbecoming. Septuagint Greek: Eskallon. "I dug and harrowed" it by earnest meditation, to extract the weeds, and make it fit to receive the divine seed, (St. Jerome, here and ep. ad Sun.) and to bring forth fruit; (Haydock) or I swept to discover the precious jewel (Berthier) of salvation. (Haydock) --- Scopebam, is not deemed a good Latin word; but seems to be derived from Greek: skopeo, "I consider or direct my aim;" though some think it means rather," I swept," Isaias xiv. 23. Hugo reads scopabam. (Calmet) --- I diligently examined my conscience, (Worthington) and left nothing unturned, like the woman in the gospel who sought the groat. [Luke xv. 8. (Menochius) --- Hebrew yechapes, may also mean, "my spirit is set free, " to say what might seem too bold, Will God, &c. (Calmet) Ever. Hebrew adds, "is his word ineffectual?" which the Vatican Septuagint neglects, (Berthier) though gamar omer be thus rendered in other editions. "Has he completely fulfilled his word," which may be the true sense, consumabitur verbum. (St. Jerome) (Haydock) --- "Will he execute this threat from generation?" &c. (Calmet) --- God will never abandon his Church, (Worthington) though he may chastise his people. (Haydock) Mercies? Turning the waters another way, (Muis; Calmet) or going against his natural inclination. Vincit illum misericordia sua. (St. Jerome) Begun. By God's grace, I now perceive that my thoughts were wrong. (Worthington) --- I see that we are chastised on account of our sins; (Theodoret) but now I hope for better things. (Tirinus) (Genebrard) --- Hebrew may have this (Berthier) and many other meanings. (Calmet) --- Protestants, "I said this is my infirmity. But I will remember the years of right," &c. De Dieu, "To pray, this is mine; to change the right hand, is of the most High." (Calmet) --- All comfort and every good resolution must come from him. Challothi is derived from eel, by the Septuagint, and from chala, (Haydock) "he is sick," by others. Who will assert that the former are not the most ancient and learned interpreters? The sequel shews that the psalmist begins to entertain better hopes. (Berthier) --- Now have I begun to follow wisdom, and to amend my life. St. Anthony advised all to make this resolution every morning. (Tirinus) Beginning. In favour of Israel, or rather of all the just from Abel. (Haydock)