Seen. All the promises have been fulfilled. How could any one have thought that we should have been permitted to dedicate this temple under the patronage of the king of Persia? (1 Esdras vi. 8.) Who would not have feared, lest the Christian religion should perish, under such violent persecutions? Converts admire its beauty and strength. (Calmet) --- The completion of the prophecies is a wonderful confirmation and comfort of Christians, (Worthington) whose faith is founded indeed for ever. (Haydock) --- The gates of hell shall not prevail. [Matthew xvi. 18. (Menochius) PSALM XLVII. (MAGNUS DOMINUS.) God is greatly to be praised for the establishment of his Church. Temple. Greek: Naou. Septuagint, St. Ambrose, &c., though the Vatican and Alexandrian copies have Greek: Laou, "people," with the Arabic, Ethiopic, St. Augustine, &c. (Haydock) --- In the Church we receive many graces, (Calmet) even Christ himself, (St. Ambrose) to which those who refuse to be Catholics, can have no title. (Worthington) Earth. all who hear of the wonders of God, must praise him; and who can be ignorant of what He has done, (Calmet) in the defeat of the enemies of his people, (Haydock) of Sennacherib, Cambyses, &c.? Yet all the earth will be instructed only by the propagation of the Gospel. (Calmet) --- Justice, against thy enemies, (Haydock) though this word may here imply "mercy," in opposition to the judgments, ver. 12. (Calmet) --- These perfections are never at variance. (Worthington) Juda. Septuagint, Symmachus, &c., have "Judea," (Calmet) which would intimate, that the psalm was composed after the captivity. But the Hebrew reads Yehuda, "Juda," with St. Jerome. (Haydock) Surround. Hebrew, "walk round, (Haydock) tell her towers." (St. Jerome)