Psalms

Introduction to the chapter

PSALM CXVII. (CONFITEMINI DOMINO.)

The psalmist praiseth God for his delivery from evils; putteth his whole trust in him; and foretelleth the coming of Christ.

Psalms 117:1

Ver. 1. Alleluia is borrowed from the end of the former psalm in Heb. Our Saviour and the apostles determine us to explain this solely of the Messias, though should would also see another literal sense, applicable to the victories of David, or of the captives, at their return, over God or Cambyses. Bert. ---

This supposition seems very probable, 2 Esd. vi. 16. Yet the Jews saw that some passages belonged to the Messias, and were accustomed to use v. 26. in praying for his manifestation. This psalm is very pompous, and in the dramatic style, (C.) though this is not certain. Bert. --- Praise. Or "confess," and praise God for his great mercies. W.

Psalms 117:2

Ver. 2. That he is good, is not here in Heb. The Sept. insert the words in the two next verses.

The people, priests, and all who fear God among the Gentiles must praise him (Ps. cxiii. 11. C.) particularly now under the new law, since they have received greater benefits. W. --- Our Saviour seems to allude to this passage, observing that God alone is good, (Lu. xviii. 28.) to intimate that the man who gave him that title, must also acknowledge his divinity. S. Aug. Bert.

Psalms 117:5

Ver. 5. Trouble. Both spiritual and temporal. W. --- Enlarge me, or set me at liberty in a spacious place. C.

Psalms 117:7

Ver. 7. My helper. Heb. "to me among the helpers," (Mont.) or most powerful, (Houbig.) and the mover of all, who lend assistance. Jesus Christ prayed with tears, and was heard for his reverence. Heb. v. 7. We must expect afflictions, (Job xxxiii.) and must have recourse to God.

Psalms 117:9

Ver. 9. Princes. For vain is the salvation of man. Ps. lix. 31. Jer. xvii. 5. C. --- So neither can man hurt those whom God protects. Rom. viii. 31. H.

Psalms 117:10

Ver. 10. Revenged. Heb. "I have broken them," (C.) or "will render to them."

Houbig. --- This may relate to David, Nehemias, Christ, and his martyrs. C. ---

The Church, or any just man in the midst of enemies, confidently hopes for victory. W. --- None shall prevail against Christ and his Church. Bert.

Psalms 117:12

Ver. 12. Bees. Sept. add, "do a honeycomb." But this is not in the original. ---

Burned. Heb.

"were extinguished." The Sept. and Chal. seem to have read better, as it would then be useless to add, as is the former ver. "but...I will destroy them;" and therefore Prot. and Duport here put,

"for," &c. (Bert.) though the ci be still used. H. --- The rage of the enemy is well described by the similitudes of bees and fire. C. --- Christ was attacked with mortal hatred by the Jews. S. Aug.

--- The fury of the multitude was fierce, but short-lived, as in God I have overcome them all. W.

Psalms 117:13

Ver. 13. Fall. I was very near falling. Heb. "pushing thou hast pushed me that,"

&c. M. --- "My sin has strongly pushed me." Chal. C. --- Those who stick to the Heb. suppose, that the psalmist addressed the chief of his enemies. But a letter or two may have been added, as S. Jerom, Felix,

&c. admit not the second person. Houbigant prefers, "they have pushed me."

Bert. --- By God's grace I was prevented from yielding to the force of temptation. W.

Psalms 117:15

Ver. 15. Just. Such were the Jews by their vocation, though many answered very ill the designs of God. C. --- Christians thank God for their redemption, and confessors are full of joy in their prisons and torments. Acts xvi. 25. Bert.

Psalms 117:16

Ver. 16. Me is not in Heb. All salvation is from God. Bert. --- Right hand, repeated thrice, insinuates the blessed Trinity, as the word Lord is applied to Christ, who effected man's redemption with singular efficacy. W.

Psalms 117:17

Ver. 17. Live. The captives were dying daily, so that this rather belongs to the Church of Christ.

Bert. John viii. 51.

Psalms 117:18

Ver. 18. Chastised me, severely. H. --- Sept. may also signify, "has instructed me," (C.) by means of tribulation. H. --- God chastiseth as a parent, that his children may not perish eternally.

W.

Psalms 117:19

This 19th-century note uses polemical language; read it in the light of the note at the top of this panel.

Ver. 19. Justice. Of the temple, where the undefiled Israelites alone can enter, (Ps. xiv. 1.) or the land of Judea. Is. xxvi. The Fathers explain it of the Church, and of heaven, to which none can be admitted, who have not departed in the communion of saints, (S. Chrys. S. Aug.) having walked in the narrow path.

Euseb. --- Christ styles himself the way, (H.) and the gate. Bert.

Apoc. xxii. 14. --- Formerly penitents were not allowed to be present during all the Mass; and heretics, &c. are cut off from the bosom of the Church. C. --- The just here beg for instruction, which they promise to follow. W.

Psalms 117:22

Ver. 22. Corner. This was a sort of proverb, and is applied to David, Zorobabel, or the Jewish nation; but they can only be considered as figures of Christ, in whom this prediction was fulfilled, when he established his Church, and made one people of those who were before divided. Is.

xxviii. 16. Matt. xxi. 42. Acts iv. 11. C. --- He was rejected by most of the Jews; yet he chose some of them, who, with the Gentiles, formed his Church. H. ---

This all Christians now confess.

W. --- The Pharisees pretended to build for the glory of God, when they opposed the designs of Christ, which, nevertheless, succeeded. They could not object to his application of this text, as they would have done, if it had been already verified in David, &c. Bert. --- He has laid the foundation. We must be living stones, if we would co-operate in this heavenly building. 1 Pet. ii.

5.

Psalms 117:24

Ver. 24. Day. Of grace. W. --- The Church often repeats this during the paschal time, though God is equally the author of all days. H. See Eph. iv. 30. Jo. viii.

56.

Psalms 117:25

Ver. 25. Save me. The person is not expressed in Sept. Or, (C.) Heb. hoshiha na, "salvifica nunc." Mont. --- Na means likewise, "I beg." H. --- Quæso, Domine, salvum fac, obsecro: Quæso, Domine, fac prospere agere, obsecro.

This formed the acclamations of the Jewish children, Hosanna, Matt. xxi. 9.

The branches which were carried at the feast of tabernacles, were also styled Hosannas. C. --- When Christ entered Jerusalem, the children sung his praises, holding palms. W.

Psalms 117:26

Ver. 26. We. The Levites, (C.) or Christ and his ministers pronounce this blessing, (W.) or the psalmist gives it, after having expressed his thanks for the graces brought by the Messias. Bert.

Psalms 117:27

Ver. 27. Us. Christ, who comes in the name of the Lord, "is himself God," our instructor. S. Aug.

Tit. ii. 11. Bert. --- Day. The feast of tabernacles, for which this psalm was probably composed.

The Jews dwelt under tents. C. Lev. xxiii. 40. and 2 Esd. vii. 15. --- Altar. Heb.

"Bind a festival with cords unto the horns," &c. To make sense, the Chal.

inserts, bind the lamb for the festival.

But this Houbigant ridicules, and he believes that the solemn entrance of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem is here foretold. Scarcely any prediction in the Old Testament is more clearly verified in the new. Matt. xxi. 8. Heb. Bahabothim certainly means, "in ramis opacis," and S. Jerom translates, "frequent the solemnity in shady boughs." Bert. --- The victims were never tied to the altar, but slain in the porch of the northern gate. Ezec. xl. 39. C.

Psalms 117:28

Ver. 28. I will, &c. This might be in the copies of the Sept. It occurs v. 26. (Bert.) though it was here retrenched in the Hexapla. C.

Psalms 117:29

Ver. 29. For ever. Praise is our first and last duty. v. 1. W.