PSALM CXVIII. (BEATI .) Of the excellence of virtue, consisting in the love and observance of the commandments of God. Iniquity. Hebrew, "lying." Let me not imitate the wicked. (Haydock) --- Remit the punishment of my sins, (Psalm cvi. 17.; Calmet) --- also original sin, and its effects. (St. Hilary) --- Protect me from falling. (Worthington) Heart. Man runs, but God must impart grace. (Worthington) --- An enlarged heart sometimes denotes the capacity of understanding, 3 Kings iv. 29. (Calmet) --- But it is a singular mercy of God to make us love his commands. (St. Augustine) Always. Hebrew hekeb, means also, "for the reward," (Pagnin; Haydock; ver. 112.) or step by step. (St. Jerome) (Calmet) --- Make me love thy commandments. (Worthington) Heart. Enable me to keep and to understand thy law, ver. 1, 2. (Worthington) --- We must observe what we know, that we may receive greater lights. (Haydock) Desired. Free-will concurs with grace. (Worthington) Covetousness. Either of money, or any unlawful object, 1 Timothy vi. 10. (Haydock) The word is very comprehensive. (Berthier) --- Batsah is rendered mammon by the Chaldean. (Calmet) Vanity. Idols, worldly prosperity, &c., (Psalm xxxvi. 1, 7.; (Calmet) shews, (St. Ambrose) and all dangerous objects. (Haydock) --- We must pray that God will take away the occasions of sin, and help us to advance in virtue. (Worthington) Reproach. Hidden sins of thought, (St. Ambrose) or the sarcasms of the Babylonians. (Calmet) --- Sin is odious, because it is contrary to God's law, which is most delightful. (Worthington) --- The saints have been often ridiculed, Jeremias xx. 7., and Acts xxvi. 24. (Haydock) Quicken. The just prays for greater perfection, and for perseverance. (Worthington) Salvation. The Messias, foretold by the prophets, (Genesis xlix., Romans iii. 23., and Titus ii. 13.; Berthier) or grace, freely promised to all who ask for it. (Worthington) In any thing. Literally, "the word" that I, &c. Thus he stops their mouths, by professing his confidence in God. (Haydock) --- The Babylonians insultingly ask, Where is their God? If thou free me from captivity, I may reply that my hopes were not vain. (Calmet) --- This answer I will give boldly, if I obtain thy grace, which will strengthen my weakness. (Worthington) Mouth. Let those who preach the truth, live up to it. (St. Hilary and St. Ambrose) --- Though the psalmist may be under some fear, he prays that he may not omit to make open profession of his faith. (Worthington) --- God never hinders his servants from doing this, though he sometimes suffers them to fall. But the Church will never cease to proclaim the truth. She will not give up one article of faith, though all heretics would thus embrace every other part of her doctrine. She will never open her bosom to those who would alter one point, nor say that such can enter heaven. (Berthier) Ever. Hebrew, "and after." The sanction of the law will remain after this world is at an end. These expressions relate to the Church. (Berthier) Large. The Jews could not practise the law out of their country, (Calmet) as to the ceremonial part. (Haydock) --- He hopes to be soon set at liberty. The verb should be explained in the future, as St. Jerome has them, (Calmet) though this is immaterial. (Berthier) --- David had already observed this line of conduct, which he resolved always to pursue, (Haydock) or he speaks in the person of all confessors, as he had not to be tried by any kings. (Berthier) --- Those who suffer for the faith, receive great joy. (Worthington) Of thy, ( de, &c.) but the true reading is, in testimoniis, "conformably to," &c., as in the Hebrew, Septuagint, and Vulgate. (Haydock) (Berthier) --- Ashamed. Thus many even of the female sex have professed their faith boldly, with St. Agnes, St. Catharine, St. Winefrid, &c., answering the reproachful objections that were put to them, as if it were dishonourable to be a Christian, Catholic or Papist. No. These are most glorious titles, importing the true service of Christ, in unity with the Catholic Church, and under the Vicar of Jesus Christ, the Pope. (Worthington) --- But as Protestants mean an undue attachment to the Pope by the last title, we shew, that in that sense it is unjustly and illiberally applied to us, (Haydock) and no gentlemen or scholar would not make use of it. (Nightingale) --- See N. G.'s letters to J. Slack, Whitby, 1813. (Haydock) --- Daniel spoke with great freedom to Nabuchodonosor, &c., Daniel ii. 27., and v. 17., and vi. 22. Hands. To pray, labour, or rather to swear an eternal fidelity. (Calmet) --- Confessors rejoice in meditation on God's words, which they shew forth in all their actions. (Worthington)