Verse 1

Lamnatseach lidavid, (Haydock) "to the master of music or, or to David." (Calmet) --- St. Jerome supplies the word psalm. That David, or any other, should give the title of master of music to so great a prince may seem strange; and therefore the Vulgate may perhaps be as accurate. St. Jerome and Pagnin have "to the victor of David." Almost all agree that he composed this psalm (Haydock) when he began to be persecuted by Saul. He expresses his confidence in God; when his friends advised him to flee. (Calmet) --- The Fathers take hence occasion to caution the faithful against the insidious speeches of those who pretend that they can procure greater security than the Church affords, (Haydock) and that they teach a doctrine of greater perfection. (Sts. Augustine, Jerome, &c.) (Calmet)

Verse 2

How. My friends....say, &c. (Worthington) --- To the. Hebrew now, "to your mountain," as the words are joined which were formerly divided, while a v has been lost, and another placed instead of i, as we may gather from the ancient interpreters. (Chaldean; Syriac; St. Jerome, &c.) --- Most people suppose that David's friends exhort him to withdraw: but he waits for the divine order. Others think (Calmet) that these are the words of his enemies, who wished to fill him with dismay, that he might retire among the Gentiles, and adore their idols, 1 Kings xxvi. 19. (Mariana) --- Sparrow. Hebrew tsipor, any little "bird." (Haydock) (Proverbs xxvii. 8.) (Menochius) --- Heretics false style their conventicles the mountains. (St. Augustine) (Worthington)

Verse 3

Quiver. Hebrew, "on the string," ready to shoot. (Calmet) --- But yether (Haydock) means "abundance," and may be well understood of the quiver. (Berthier) --- Persecutors use all rigour, though they disguise the real cause of their resentment against the innocent. (Worthington) --- Dark. Septuagint add "moon." (Menochius)

Verse 4

Made. In choosing me for king, Hebrew, "the foundations are, or shall be destroyed; and what shall the just do? or, what has the just man done?" The foundations, both of religion and of the kingdom, depend on God's ordinances, as the Septuagint well explain. (Berthier) --- Pagnin has, "the nets;" St. Jerome, "the laws." In these days of infidelity and rebellion, the just must experience the greatest perplexity. (Haydock) --- If faith be lost, who shall be just? (Berthier) --- Persecutors, and especially heretics, pull down what others have built. (Worthington)

Verse 5

Heaven. This is the source of my confidence. (Calmet) --- The admirable mother of the Machabees suggested this consoling motive, (Berthier) to strengthen her youngest son, 2 Machabees vii. 28. Heaven is the temple of the Lord, (Haydock) though the tabernacle may be so styled here. See Psalm x. 8. (Calmet) --- The poor man is not in Hebrew but it is chiefly of him that the psalmist speaks; (Berthier) and the Septuagint and Arabic (Calmet) seem to (Haydock) have read it. Eliphaz remarks, that God does not disregard human affairs, as the wicked supposed, Job xxii. 12. (Calmet) --- If his eyes seem to be shut, his providence watcheth. (Worthington)

Verse 6

Trieth, interrogat, which is rendered by examine, ver. 5. (Haydock) --- God juridically questions all, (Calmet) and makes them give an exact account of themselves, even of every idle word. (Haydock) --- The word also means that he punishes, or chastises. (Calmet) --- Hebrew, "the Lord trieth the just, but his soul hateth the wicked, and the lover of iniquity." (St. Jerome, &c.) (Haydock) --- Yet the original may be explained in the sense of the Septuagint which is more beautiful and instructive; as the sinner will hardly believe that he is his own greatest enemy. (Berthier) --- By continuing in sin he brings damnation on his soul. (Worthington)

Verse 7

Snares. Wonderful expression! The wicked cannot escape. (Haydock) --- Brimstone, as he did upon Sodom, Genesis xix. 4., and Jude 7. --- Cup. At feasts, each person (Calmet) had his portion and his own cup. Dreadful indeed is the inheritance of the wicked. See Psalm xv. 5. (Berthier) --- If God spare for a time, He must at last punish severely. (Worthington)

Verse 8

Righteousness. As, on the other hand, (Haydock) the upright shall behold God, (Matthew v. 8.) while the wicked shall be driven into darkness (Calmet) for all eternity. In vain do modern sophists pretend that hell will not last for ever because God is incapable of revenge, or of delighting in the torture of his creatures. They use the word revenge in a wrong sense. (Berthier) --- God is not subject to any passion; but his justice requires that those should be eternally punished, whose will is always impious. (Haydock) --- Can they shew that there will be room for repentance in the other world? (Berthier) or that the wicked would make use of it, if granted, since they would not repent as long as they lived? By the same arguments, they might as well prove that God could not punish at all. (Haydock) (Daniel iii. 27.)

Verse 39

PSALM X. (IN DOMINO CONFIDO.)

The just man's confidence in God in the midst of persecutions.