Saving the manifold instances of protection. (Haydock) PSALM XLIII. (DEUS AURIBUS NOTRIS.) The Church commemorates former favours, and present afflictions; under which she prays for succour. Horn, like bulls. (Worthington) --- This we have done in former times. (Calmet) --- Not man's strength, but God's favour, granteth the victory. (Worthington) We glory. Literally, "be praised." (Haydock) --- We have always attributed our success to thee. (Calmet) Now. He foretelleth divers states of the Jews, and of the Church. (Worthington) To. Literally, "after," post. They were formerly defeated; now it is our turn. (Haydock) Nations. Many never returned from captivity. (Calmet) See Deuteronomy xxviii. 43. Reckoning. Protestants, "thou dost not increase thy wealth by their price." (Haydock) --- Thou art eager to get quit of them, as of the vilest slaves. (Theodoret; Grotius) (Isaias l. 2., and lii. 3.) Exchange. Some copies of the Septuagint read Greek: allalagmasi, "jubilations," with the Ethiopic. (St. Augustine, &c.) --- While others have more correctly Greek: allagmasi, like the Vulgate. There were none to purchase, so that thou hast given the people for nothing. (Calmet) --- At the last siege of Jerusalem, the Jews, who had sold (Worthington) or bought Christ for thirty pieces of money, (Haydock) were themselves sold for the smallest price; thirty being given for one penny. See Josephus, Jewish Wars. (Worthington) Head, out of contempt. (Menochius) --- The Gentiles propose us as an example of a people fallen a prey to the divine indignation, 4 Kings xix. 21., and Lamentations ii. 15. Detracteth me. St. Jerome, "blasphemeth" God, while they upbraid us, as a faithless people. (Calmet) Covenant. Till the passion of Christ, the Jews did not wholly fall from God, and then many were chosen from among them, to found the Christian religion. (Worthington) --- The Corites speak in the name of their faithful brethren, whom no provocation had induced to follow the superstitious practices of Babylon. (Calmet) Neither. Literally, "and or yet." (Haydock) --- But the negative particle is taken (Worthington) from the first part of the verse. (Calmet) --- St. Jerome, "Neither hast thou," &c. (Menochius) --- Yet many adhere to the Hebrew, &c., "And thou hast turned," &c. Though it may be taken in a dangerous sense, (Calmet) yet it may only signify, (Haydock) that God had removed his people from the country where his worship was observed, and had refused them his protection; hence their paths have been unfortunate. (Theodoret) --- This agrees better with the sequel. (Berthier) --- It is no proof that God is the author of sin, in either sense. (Tirinus) Affliction. Hebrew, or "dragons," (St. Jerome; Menochius) alluding to the deserts, to which the Jews retired, when the Assyrians invaded them. The text may be more applicable to the first Christians, who might truly say, that they had not transgressed. (Houbigant) -- To the martyrs, death was but like a shadow. (St. Gregory) (Mark iv. 17.) --- Here it denotes great darkness and misery. (Menochius) If we. This is a Hebrew idiom, to express, we have not. (Worthington) Slaughter. They will not suffer us to be quiet respecting our religion, striving to delude us: or, if we prove resolute, like Daniel, they expose us to torments. (Calmet) --- This was more fully verified at the first propagation of the gospel, (Romans viii. 36.) as it still continues to be among those, who cease not to persecute Catholics by artifice, as well as by open violence. Christians in every age (Haydock) are persecuted, more than the prophets (Worthington) generally were. (Haydock)