Psalms

Introduction to the chapter

PSALM CXLVI. (LAUDATE DOMINUM.)

An exhortation to praise God for his benefits.

Psalms 146:1

Ver. 1. Alleluia. In some editions of the Sept. (H.) and in Syr. Arab. &c. the same inscription occurs, as in the former psalms. Many ascribe this to the same authors, and to the same occasion.

Heb. and Chal. have no title. Yet the psalm seems to be a thanksgiving (C.) for the permission to build the temple and walls of Jerusalem, (Orig.) which had been neglected, till God visited the people with a famine, v. 8. 2 Esd. v. 1. Agg.

i. 6. Bossuet --- Zorobabel, &c. urge the people to build. Syr. C. --- Still David might compose this psalm, as he was a prophet, (Bert.) and he may allude to the beginning of his reign, when the people were all united. Jans. --- Good.

Agreeable and advantageous for us. --- Praise. This consists in purity of life, rather than in the sweetest accents. C.

Psalms 146:2

Ver. 2. Jerusalem. After the captivity, (W.) or at the beginning of David's reign, when he had taken Sion, and Israel acknowledged his dominion. 2 K. v. It may also allude to the Church, (Jo.

xi. 51.) and to heaven. Heb. xii. 22. Apoc. xxi. Bert.

Psalms 146:3

Ver. 3. Bruises. God delivered the captives, after chastising them. Deut. xxxii.

39. C. --- He gives life to the penitent, as Christ healed the sick, &c. Is. lxi. 1.

Bert.

Psalms 146:4

Ver. 4. Stars. Which to man are innumerable. Though some have counted 1022

with Ptolemy, yet the discovery of telescopes has shewn that many more are discernible, (C.) and none would dare at present to fix their number. Bert. ---

Cicero (Of. i.) treats this as a thing impossible. See Gen. xv. 5. C. --- Ptolemy could only ascertain the number of the more notorious. W. --- Kimchi admits 1098 created to shine, besides innumerable others, which have influence over plants, &c.

God has the most perfect knowledge of all. They are like his soldiers, whom he knows by name, (Is. xl. 25.) as the good shepherd does his sheep. Jo. x. 3. C.

--- We read that Cyrus knew the name of all his officers, (Cyrop. v.) and that Adrian, and Scipio, the Asiatic, could even name all the soldiers in their armies.

Psalms 146:5

Ver. 5. Power. God the Son. Earthly monarchs are forced to depend on others for the execution of their orders. But God is infinite. C. --- Number. He knows innumerable things: (W.) or rather, (H.) the divine wisdom hath no parts. Jer. x.

6. Bert.

Psalms 146:6

Ver. 6. Ground. As he has done to the Egyptians, &c. C.

Psalms 146:7

Ver. 7. Praise. Lit. "confession," (H.) including both compunction and praise.

Bert.

Psalms 146:8

Ver. 8. Clouds. This is represented as something wonderful, (Job v. 9. and xxxvii. 6.) though conformable to the laws of nature. The preservation of things is like a new creation. C. --- And the herb, &c. Herbam, (Ps. ciii. 14. H.) is now wanting in Heb. as it was in the days of S. Jer.

and the Chal. though the Sept. Aquila, &c. read it, and it is not probable that they would borrow it from another psalm. Bert. --- Their copies must therefore have varied. H. --- The herb, may denote corn, and all vegetables for food.

These productions evince the goodness and wisdom of God, (Bert.) as well as his power. W.

Psalms 146:9

Ver. 9. Young. Lit. "the sons of ravens," which may denote those birds in general, as well as their young. God provides for all. Many fables have been recounted concerning ravens, as if they neglected or forgot their young ones; and the Hebrews seem to have entertained some of these opinions, to which the sacred writers conform themselve. , Job xxxviii. 41. C. --- S. Luke (xii.

24.) specifies ravens, though S. Matthew (vi. 26.) has the birds, when relating the same speech.

--- Upon him, must be understood in Hebrew. See Ps. ciii. 21. (Bert.) Joel i. 20.

C. --- If God take such care of the neglected ravens, how much more will he provide for his servants? S.

Chrys. W.

Introduction to the chapter

PSALM CXLVII. (LAUDA JERUSALEM.)

The Church is called upon to praise God for his peculiar graces and favours to his people. In the Hebrew, this psalm is joined to the foregoing.

Psalms 147:1

Ver. 1. or Hebrew Psalm cxlvii. Ver. 12. Alleluia. This word is not in Heb. H. ---

Many with the Sept. add, "of Aggæus and Zacharias." C. --- The psalm has the same object in view as the preceding. Bert. --- The Fathers explain it of the Church, and of heaven. C. --- Sion. This place was highly favoured before the captivity, and rebuilt afterwards so as to enjoy many blessings.

But all this was only a figure of the privileges belong to the Church, and to the heavenly Sion, the true vision of peace. W. --- The earthly Jerusalem was too often faithless; (Gal. iv. 26. Heb. xii.

22.) so that the psalmist cannot have it alone in view. Bert.

Psalms 147:2

Ver. 2. or Hebrew Psalm cxlvii. Ver. 13. Within thee. Jerusalem was better fortified than (H.) other cities. But the Church is built upon a rock, and enriched with many graces, while heaven is free from all danger, and its inhabitants secure. W. --- Nehemias re-peopled the city, which he had surrounded with walls, (C.) despising the sarcasms of his enemies. 2 Esd. vii.

4.

Psalms 147:3

Ver. 3. or Hebrew Psalm cxlvii. Ver. 14. Peace. To obtain this, the peace of Jesus Christ must triumph in our hearts. Col. iii. 15. H. --- Borders. People perceiving that Assuerus favoured the Jews, durst no longer attack them. 2

Esd. vi. 16. C. --- They enjoyed peace and plenty. In the Church we have remission of sin in baptism and penance, and the spiritual food of Christ's body and blood in the blessed Eucharist, with the graces of the other sacraments. In heaven peace and joy subsist for ever. W. --- Fat. The best (H.) of all sorts of fruit. Theod. --- The Fathers understand the blessed Eucharist, or the holy Scriptures. S. Aug. &c. C.

Psalms 147:4

Ver. 4. or Hebrew Psalm cxlvii. Ver. 15. Speech. Rain, (Kimchi) Jesus Christ, (S.

Aug.) or the gospel, (S. Hil. S. Jer.) which was presently propagated over all the earth. Rom. x. 18. W. ---

God's commands are instantly obeyed. H. --- No sooner did he speak to Saul, but he was converted. Acts ix. 4. Heb. iv. 12. Bert.

Psalms 147:5

Ver. 5. or Hebrew Psalm cxlvii. Ver. 16. Like wool. Because it is white, and light, and covereth the earth as a fleece, which keeps it warm, and makes it fruitful.

On which account also, in the following words, mists (or as it is in the Hebrew, hoar frosts) are compared to ashes, which give a fruitfulness to the ground.

Ch. --- Trees and fruits are preserved by the snow resting upon them.

Vota arborum frugumque...nives...insidere. Pliny xvii. 2. --- Mists are succeeded by clear weather. By penance and austerity sins are remitted, and devils expelled. Is. i. 18. W.

Psalms 147:6

Ver. 6. or Hebrew Psalm cxlvii. Ver. 17. His chrystal. Some understand it of hail, which is as it were ice, divided into bits, or morsels. Ch. Eccli. xliii. 22. C. --- In summer and winter God sends proper moisture for the earth. T. --- The most hardened are sometimes converted: but this must be the effect of grace. W. ---

Cold. If it were to continue, all would perish. He therefore sends the warm (C.)

"south wind." Syr.

Psalms 147:7

Ver. 7. or Hebrew Psalm cxlvii. Ver. 18. Wind. "Spirit." The blessed Trinity (S.

Jer.) grants compunction. Bert. --- By preaching and grace conversions are wrought.

Psalms 147:8

Ver. 8. or Hebrew Psalm cxlvii. Ver. 19. Jacob. These spiritual blessings pertain only to the true Church. W.

Psalms 147:9

Ver. 9. or Hebrew Psalm cxlvii. Ver. 20. Them. He hath not announced his decrees to them.

This glory was reserved for Israel. Deut. iv. 7. C. --- The written law was granted to the latter.

Yet God had sufficiently manifested his will to all mankind, so that they must also appear before his tribunal. S. Chrys. Bert. --- Alleluia. Considering that all were in the mass of sin, and that God justly let many perish; those whom he justifies are more bound to praise him; and therefore the prophet concludes this and the following psalms with Alleluia. W. --- Christians, and particularly Catholics, are most concerned, since many have rebelled against the light of faith, (Bert.) and abuse the gift of the holy Scriptures. H.