Of one manner. That is, agreeing in faith, unanimous in love, and following the same manner of discipline. It is verified in the servants of God living together in his house, which is the Church, 1 Timothy iii. 15. (Challoner) --- Hebrew may signify, "He maketh those who were alone (steriles) to dwell in a house," Psalm cxii. 9. He builds up their house, and grants them children. (Flaminius) (Exodus i. 21.) --- The Israelites under Pharao, (Calmet) saw their male issue destroyed, (Haydock) but God enabled them to multiply exceedingly, Exodus i. 12. (Calmet) --- Yechidim means "the solitary," (St. Jerome) and "the united," as the first Christians were. (Berthier) (Acts ii. 44.) (Haydock) --- The Church preserves unity in faith, &c. (St. Cyprian, ep. 76.) (Worthington) --- Bound. The power and mercy of God appears, in his bringing out of their captivity, those who were strongly bound in their sins; and in restoring to his grace those whose behaviour had been most provoking; and who by their evil habits were not only dead, but buried in their sepulchres. (Challoner) --- God's grace moves even the rebellious and negligent will of man, so that it willingly embraces the right path. (Worthington) --- In strength. Houbigant, "to walk freely." The Gentiles were, as it were, buried, before Christ delivered them, (Berthier) as he did those who were once incredulous in the days of Noe, (1 Peter iii. 20., and iv. 6.; St. Athanasius) and God rescued the Israelites from servitude, notwithstanding their repeated provocations, both before and after this mercy. Some translate, (Haydock) Hebrew, "He delivers those who were bound in chains; but the rebels have remained in the desert." (Calmet) --- Their bodies have there become a prey to beasts, and to corruption. (Haydock) --- God permitted the rebellious Egyptians to pursue his people. (Menochius) PSALM LXVII. (EXURGAT DEUS.) The glorious establishment of the Church of the New Testament, prefigured by the benefits bestowed on the people of Israel. Dropped. The earthquake and rain are not mentioned by Moses. But the prophets often supply omissions. Debora and Habacuc speak in the same lofty strains, Exodus xix. 16., Judges v. 4., and Habacuc iii. 6. (Calmet) --- Debora specifies some words, (Haydock) which seem to be here wanting, "the clouds also dropped water, the mountains melted" at, &c. --- Of Sinai, or, "Sinai at," &c. (Menochius) --- Hebrew, "this Sinai before God, (Judges v. 5., Jehovah) the God of Israel." The old manuscript 3 retains the word Jehovah at least six times, where it is not once printed, as that of Lambeth, 434, does here, &c. (Kennicott) --- St. Augustine and the ancient psalters read, A facie Domini; Mons Sinai, &c. (Calmet) --- The mount itself seemed to melt amid thunder and rain. (Haydock) A free rain. The manna, which rained plentifully from heaven, in favour of God's inheritance, that is, of his people Israel: which was weakened indeed under a variety of afflictions, but was made perfect by God; that is, was still supported by divine Providence, and brought on to the promised land. It agrees particularly to the Church of Christ, his true inheritance, which is plentifully watered with the free rain of heavenly grace; and through many infirmities, that is, crosses and tribulations, is made perfect, and fitted for eternal glory. (Challoner) --- God came to redeem us, without any merit on our side. He chose the weak, but made them strong. (Worthington) --- The cattle stood in great need of water, as the Hebrews did of manna. (Calmet) --- He will render the promised land most fertile. (Houbigant) In it, &c. That is, in this Church, which is thy fold, and thy inheritance, shall thy animals, thy sheep, dwell: where thou hast plentifully provided for them. (Challoner) --- Those whom thou hast chosen shall enjoy this manna, or the blessed Sacrament. (Worthington) To them that preach good tidings. Evangelizantibus. That is, to the preachers of the gospel; who, receiving the word from the Lord, shall with great power and efficacy, preach thoughout the world the glad tidings of a Saviour, and of eternal salvation through him; (Challoner) with miracles following, Mark xvi. (Worthington) (Luke xxi. 15.) (Calmet) --- Hebrew seems to speak of females, who used to sing canticles of victory, like Mary and Deborah, &c. But the feminine is used at the beginning of Ecclesiastes, though Solomon be meant, and here the Chaldean paraphrases, "God gave the words of the law to his people, by the mediation of Moses and Aaron, who published the word of God." This passage has a striking analogy with Ephesians iv. 11., &c. He gave some apostles....for the perfecting of the saints, &c., which St. Paul observes, just after quoting this psalm. (Berthier) The king of powers. That is, the mighty King, the Lord of Hosts, is of the beloved, of the beloved; that is, is on the side of Christ, his most beloved Son; and his beautiful house, viz., the Church, in which God dwells for ever, shall by her spiritual conquests, divide the spoils of many nations. The Hebrew (as it now stands pointed) is thus rendered: The kings of armies have fled, they had fled, and she that dwells at home shall divide the spoils. (Challoner) --- Yet Symmachus comes nearer the Septuagint and St. Jerome has in the same sense, (Berthier) "the kings of armies shall form leagues," &c. The great King, is the Lord (ver. 12.) of hosts, who shall enable many to publish his wonders. They are represented as women, to denote the particular Churches of Christ, which have risen on the ruins of idolatry, though they may also refer to the victories of the Israelites, under Debora, when mighty kings came to invade the country, Judges iv., and v. 19, 24. (Haydock) --- The glory of that victory was given to her, and to Jahel, who slew Sisara. (Calmet) --- Soon after the preaching of the gospel, the most potent monarchs (Calmet) submitted to its authority, and thus a glorious prey was rescued from the power of the devil. (Worthington) --- Women sometimes promoted this great work. (Menochius)