Psaumes

Introduction au chapitre

PSALM CV. (CONFITEMINI DOMINO.)

A confession of the manifold sins and ingratitude of the Israelites.

Psaumes 105:1

Ver. 1. Alleluia. The word is repeated in some copies. S. Jer. --- But Heb. has only one at the end of the preceding psalm: of which this appears to be a sequel. As in the former, God's favours were specified, so here the ingratitude of his people is acknowledge. C. --- It may refer to the Jews during, (Euseb.

Vatab.) or after the captivity, (C.) and to all in the state of sin. S. Jer. Bert.

--- The 47th and 48th verses agree with the three last, which were sung at the translation of the ark. 1 Par. xvi. 34. H. --- Hence that canticle now makes a part of our Ps. civ. xcv. and cv. with various alterations made by the prophet. Bert.

--- Give glory. Lit. "confess" (H.) your sins, to obtain mercy, (S. Chrys.) or rather praise God, (Theod.) who is the source of all good. W. --- This was the usual prayer of the Israelites, in ceremonies of thanksgiving. 2 Par. v. 13. C.

Psaumes 105:2

Ver. 2. Powers. See Eccli. xliii. 29. No one can sufficiently praise God's power or mercy. Bert.

Psaumes 105:3

Ver. 3. Times. He only who perseveres to the end shall be crowned. Matt. xxiv.

13. Ezec. xxxiii.

H. --- Such as these can alone worthily sound forth God's praises, (Bert.) being so happy as to preserve their innocence, or at least to repent. W.

Psaumes 105:4

Ver. 4. Us. Heb. "me." But Aquila, Syr. &c. agree with the Sept. Some of the Jews were already returned, and pray for the liberation of their brethren. C. ---

The Fathers explain it of Christian converts. S. Chrys. --- People. According to thy gracious promises, that we may enjoy the blessings of thy elect. W.

Psaumes 105:6

Ver. 6. Sinned. Here commences the confession of sins. The just man first accuses himself.

Prov. xviii. 17. C. --- The same prayer is repeated, Judith vii. 19. and Dan. ix. 5.

as it might be applicable to the captives. Bert. --- We have injured ourselves, our neighbours, and our God. W.

Psaumes 105:7

Ver. 7. Going up. Or proceeding. The banks of the sea were more elevated than the country from which the Israelites came, (C.) and the land of Chanaan was still higher. See Ps. cvi. 23.

Gen. xii. 9. H. --- Sea even. Is not in the Sept. C.

Psaumes 105:8

Ver. 8. Known. Is. lxiii. 12. He might justly (W.) have abandoned them to the Egyptians. Ex.

xiv. 11.

Psaumes 105:9

Ver. 9. Rebuked. Commanding with power. --- Nah. i. 4. C. --- Wilderness. Or plain country. H.

Psaumes 105:10

Ver. 10. Redeemed. What price was given? This is a figure of baptism, in which the fruits of Christ's blood are applied to our souls. All sins are there destroyed, as the Egyptians were in the Sea. S. Aug. Ser. xlii. de Temp. W.

Psaumes 105:11

Ver. 11. Left. Manetho and Lorin assert, that Pharao reigned afterwards. But this is contrary to the Scripture. All who came to attack Israel perished. C. ---

They supposed that the waters were enchanted. S. Iræn. iv. 48.

Psaumes 105:12

Ver. 12. Words. And Moses his servant. Ex. xiv. 31. and xv. 1.

Psaumes 105:13

Ver. 13. Counsel. Three days after the passage of the sea, God laid injunctions upon the at Mara, which they would not observe. Ex. xv. 22. C. --- They coveted unnecessary things. W.

Psaumes 105:14

Ver. 14. Desire. Or they greedily sought for flesh meat, (H.) at Sin, or Pharan.

Ex. xvi. 13.

Num. xi. 31. Chronological order is not observed. C.

Psaumes 105:15

Ver. 15. Fulness. Or disgust: plesmone. Sept. probably read zore, (as Num. xi.

20.) instead of razon. Heb. "leanness," (C.) which is a natural consequence of immoderate repletion. H.

Psaumes 105:16

Ver. 16. Holy one. By his function (W.) of priest. Core wished to take his place, as the rest did to supplant Moses in the civil government. Num. xvi. C.

Psaumes 105:17

Ver. 17. Adiron. With Core, though his children were preserved. C. --- God presently resented the injury done to his ministers. Euseb.

Psaumes 105:18

Ver. 18. Wicked. Two hundred and fifty accomplices, (Num. xv. 35. C.) and fourteen thousand seven hundred murmurers. M.

Psaumes 105:19

Ver. 19. Graven. Heb. "molten." The image must first be graven. Bert. Ex. xxxii.

3.

Psaumes 105:20

Ver. 20. Grass. This enhances their folly. God is often styled the glory of his people. C. ---

Osee (x. 5.) contemptuously calls the golden calf, the glory of Samaria. H. ---

This idolatry was truly blameable, (Rom. i. 23.) and not the veneration paid by Catholics to the images of Christ,

&c. W. --- Those who pretend that the Hebrews meant to adore the true God, and not the idol Apis, are here clearly refuted; they forgot God, &c. Acts vii. 40.

Bert.

Psaumes 105:23

Ver. 23. Breach. Like a valiant captain, (C.) or pastor. H. --- God complains of those who neglected this duty. Ezec. xiii. 5. and xxii. 30. The psalmist alluded to the conduct of Moses, after the people had adored the calf, (Ex. xxxii. 10.) or when they had joined with Core. Num.

xvi. 44. C. --- The intercession of the saints is useful, (S. Aug.) still more after their victories. S.

Jer. ad Vig. ii. 2 Mac. xv. 14. Bert. --- God spared the people for the sake of Moses. W.

Psaumes 105:24

Ver. 24. Word. Which Moses, Josue, &c. announced. Num. xiii. and xii. 29. C.

Psaumes 105:26

Ver. 26. Over them. Swearing C. to destroy them, (H. Ezec. xx. 23.) and scatter them, as they now experienced. Lev. xxvi. 31. and Deut. xxviii. 36. 64.

Psaumes 105:28

Ver. 28. Dead idols, without life, (Ch.) particularly Adonis (C.) whose death is bewailed by the poets, &c. H. --- Idols kill their votaries. W.

Psaumes 105:29

Ver. 29. Multiplied. All who had murmured perished, or this may relate to the 24,000. Num.

xxv. 9. C. --- Ezec. xx. 23. S. Paul (1 Cor. x. 8.) speaks of those 23,000 slain by the Levites. The Heb. which has only 3,000 must be inaccurate. Temporal chastisements were intended to prefigure those which are eternal, as the Jews knew that such rewards and punishments were to be considered (Matt. xix. 16.

Bert.) as the spiritual sense of the law. Grot. Jur. ii. 20, 39.

Psaumes 105:31

Ver. 31. Evermore. Phinees thus by his pious zeal, merited (W.) God's favour, and the high priesthood (Num. xxv. 13. C.) for his posterity, for 900 years, though the latter promise seems to have been conditional. Bert.

Psaumes 105:33

Ver. 33. He distinguished with his lips. Moses, by occasion of the people's rebellion and incredulity, was guilty of distinguishing with his lips; when, instead of speaking to the rock, as God had commanded, he said to the people, with a certain hesitation in his faith, Hear ye rebellious and incredulous: Can we from this rock bring out water for you? Num. xx. 10. Ch.

---

For thus doubting of God's will, he was temporarily punished,. Deut. i. 37. W.

--- The death of his sister, and the ingratitude and rebellion of the people disturbed him. Theod. See Is. lxiii. 10.

Houbigant follows the Arab. "he delayed or hesitated." Yebatte means, "he spoke rashly." Some refer this, (Bert.) to God. "He reproached...that they," &c.

(M.) which is not necessary, (Bert.) or he sentenced Moses to die. Kimchi.

Psaumes 105:34

Ver. 34. Them. Commanding no idolatrous government to be left in the land, nor any Chanaanite to be permitted to live, who should make opposition. The law of extermination must probably be thus restricted. The Jews neglected these ordinances, and hence became so often infected with idolatry, (Bert.) even to the end of the republic, when many still adored the sun. Joseph. Bel. ii.

8.

Ex. xxiii. 32. Jos. xiii. 13.

Psaumes 105:38

Ver. 38. Chanaan. These unnatural sacrifices were perhaps practised under the judges, or at least under the kings. W. --- Some pretend that the children were only made to pass over or between fires. But this is refuted by facts. Lev. xviii.

21. and 4 K. xvi. 3. Jer. vii. 30 --- Polluted.

Infecta: ephonoktanethe is used by Sept. in this sense, though it signifies also,

"was slain;"

interfecta, as most Latin Bibles and Fathers read, before the correction of Clem. VIII. The former expression is more natural and conformable to the Heb.

C.

Psaumes 105:39

Ver. 39. And was. Heb. "and they were defiled." S. Jer. --- Inventions. Idols of their imaginations, (H.) and lusts. C.

Psaumes 105:45

Ver. 45. Repented. Ceased to punish, (Euseb.) when the people repented. S.

Jer. --- God then regarded them in mercy, having given them grace to repent.

W.

Psaumes 105:46

Ver. 46. Mercies. He inspired their enemies with pity for them. Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes shewed them favour. Ps. lxxxiii. 12. C.

Psaumes 105:47

Ver. 47. Save. These verses, which may be well recited in times of schism, (W.) occur, 1 Par.

xvi. being probably inserted by Esdras, or some other prophet. But here they are in their proper place, as many of the Israelites are still in captivity. C. --- yet as this is only a system, we may rather suppose, that David wrote this conclusion. He had to encounter various nations, who might have made captives; and he may beg that all may be united in the same faith, and avoid the society of the wicked. Bert.

Psaumes 105:48

Ver. 48. So be it. The second Amen occurs not in Heb. But Alleluia is placed instead, which the Vulg. makes the title of the next psalm. H. --- This conclusion of the fourth book seems to be added by the collector. Ps. xl. C. ---

Yet this is uncertain. H.