106. And David, pitying her, says: “O wretched daughter of Babylon.” Ps. cxxxvii. [cxxxvi.] 8 [LXX.]. Wretched indeed, as being the daughter of Babylon, when she ceased to be the daughter of Jerusalem. This passage is another instance of the way in which St. Ambrose, like many other early writers, lost sight of the original meaning of the text in drawing allegorical lessons from it. The “daughter of Babylon,” i.e. the people, had never been a “daughter of God,” nor was the dashing of the children against the rock ever intended to bear the beautiful interpretation given to it by our author. And yet he calls for a healer for her, and says: “Blessed is he who shall take thy little ones and dash them against the rock.” Ps. cxxxvii. [cxxxvi.] 9. That is to say, shall dash all corrupt and filthy thoughts against Christ, Who by His fear and His rebuke will break down all motions against reason, so as, if any one is seized by an adulterous love, to extinguish the fire, that he may by his zeal put away the love of a harlot, and deny himself that he may gain Christ.