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*H Alleluia. GIVE praise to the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
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 some 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.
*H Let Israel now say, that he is good: that his mercy endureth for ever.
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.
*H In my trouble I called upon the Lord: and the Lord heard me, and enlarged me.
Ver. 5. Trouble. Both spiritual and temporal. W. — Enlarge me, or set me at liberty in a spacious place. C.
* Footnotes
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Hebrews
13:6
So that we may confidently say: The Lord is my helper: I will not fear what man shall do to me.
*H The Lord is my helper: and I will look over my enemies.
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.
*H It is good to trust in the Lord, rather than to trust in princes.
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.
*H All nations compassed me about; and, in the name of the Lord I have been revenged on them.
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.
*H They surrounded me like bees, and they burned like fire among thorns: and in the name of the Lord I was revenged on them.
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.
*H Being pushed I was overturned that I might fall: but the Lord supported me.
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.
* Footnotes
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Exodus
15:2
The Lord is my strength and my praise, and he is become salvation to me: he is my God, and I will glorify him: the God of my father, and I will exalt him.
*H The voice of rejoicing and of salvation is in the tabernacles of the just.
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.
*H The right hand of the Lord hath wrought strength: the right hand of the Lord hath exalted me: the right hand of the Lord hath wrought strength.
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.
* Summa
*S Part 1, Ques 3, Article 1
[I, Q. 3, Art. 1]
Whether God Is a Body?
Objection 1: It seems that God is a body. For a body is that which has the three dimensions. But Holy Scripture attributes the three dimensions to God, for it is written: "He is higher than Heaven, and what wilt thou do? He is deeper than Hell, and how wilt thou know? The measure of Him is longer than the earth and broader than the sea" (Job 11:8, 9). Therefore God is a body.
Obj. 2: Further, everything that has figure is a body, since figure is a quality of quantity. But God seems to have figure, for it is written: "Let us make man to our image and likeness" (Gen. 1:26). Now a figure is called an image, according to the text: "Who being the brightness of His glory and the figure," i.e. the image, "of His substance" (Heb. 1:3). Therefore God is a body.
Obj. 3: Further, whatever has corporeal parts is a body. Now Scripture attributes corporeal parts to God. "Hast thou an arm like God?" (Job 40:4); and "The eyes of the Lord are upon the just" (Ps. 33:16); and "The right hand of the Lord hath wrought strength" (Ps. 117:16). Therefore God is a body.
Obj. 4: Further, posture belongs only to bodies. But something which supposes posture is said of God in the Scriptures: "I saw the Lord sitting" (Isa. 6:1), and "He standeth up to judge" (Isa. 3:13). Therefore God is a body.
Obj. 5: Further, only bodies or things corporeal can be a local term _wherefrom_ or _whereto._ But in the Scriptures God is spoken of as a local term _whereto,_ according to the words, "Come ye to Him and be enlightened" (Ps. 33:6), and as a term _wherefrom_: "All they that depart from Thee shall be written in the earth" (Jer. 17:13). Therefore God is a body.
_On the contrary,_ It is written in the Gospel of St. John (John 4:24): "God is a spirit."
_I answer that,_ It is absolutely true that God is not a body; and this can be shown in three ways. First, because no body is in motion unless it be put in motion, as is evident from induction. Now it has been already proved (Q. 2, A. 3), that God is the First Mover, and is Himself unmoved. Therefore it is clear that God is not a body. Secondly, because the first being must of necessity be in act, and in no way in potentiality. For although in any single thing that passes from potentiality to actuality, the potentiality is prior in time to the actuality; nevertheless, absolutely speaking, actuality is prior to potentiality; for whatever is in potentiality can be reduced into actuality only by some being in actuality. Now it has been already proved that God is the First Being. It is therefore impossible that in God there should be any potentiality. But every body is in potentiality because the continuous, as such, is divisible to infinity; it is therefore impossible that God should be a body. Thirdly, because God is the most noble of beings. Now it is impossible for a body to be the most noble of beings; for a body must be either animate or inanimate; and an animate body is manifestly nobler than any inanimate body. But an animate body is not animate precisely as body; otherwise all bodies would be animate. Therefore its animation depends upon some other thing, as our body depends for its animation on the soul. Hence that by which a body becomes animated must be nobler than the body. Therefore it is impossible that God should be a body.
Reply Obj. 1: As we have said above (Q. 1, A. 9), Holy Writ puts before us spiritual and divine things under the comparison of corporeal things. Hence, when it attributes to God the three dimensions under the comparison of corporeal quantity, it implies His virtual quantity; thus, by depth, it signifies His power of knowing hidden things; by height, the transcendence of His excelling power; by length, the duration of His existence; by breadth, His act of love for all. Or, as says Dionysius (Div. Nom. ix), by the depth of God is meant the incomprehensibility of His essence; by length, the procession of His all-pervading power; by breadth, His overspreading all things, inasmuch as all things lie under His protection.
Reply Obj. 2: Man is said to be after the image of God, not as regards his body, but as regards that whereby he excels other animals. Hence, when it is said, "Let us make man to our image and likeness", it is added, "And let him have dominion over the fishes of the sea" (Gen. 1:26). Now man excels all animals by his reason and intelligence; hence it is according to his intelligence and reason, which are incorporeal, that man is said to be according to the image of God.
Reply Obj. 3: Corporeal parts are attributed to God in Scripture on account of His actions, and this is owing to a certain parallel. For instance the act of the eye is to see; hence the eye attributed to God signifies His power of seeing intellectually, not sensibly; and so on with the other parts.
Reply Obj. 4: Whatever pertains to posture, also, is only attributed to God by some sort of parallel. He is spoken of as sitting, on account of His unchangeableness and dominion; and as standing, on account of His power of overcoming whatever withstands Him.
Reply Obj. 5: We draw near to God by no corporeal steps, since He is everywhere, but by the affections of our soul, and by the actions of that same soul do we withdraw from Him; thus, to draw near to or to withdraw signifies merely spiritual actions based on the metaphor of local motion. _______________________
SECOND
*H I shall not die, but live: and shall declare the works of the Lord.
Ver. 17. Live. The captives were dying daily, so that this rather belongs to the Church of Christ. Bert. John viii. 51.
*H The Lord chastising hath chastised me: but he hath not delivered me over to death.
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.
*H Open ye to me the gates of justice: I will go in to them, and give praise to the Lord.
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.
* Footnotes
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Isaias
28:16
Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Behold I will lay a stone in the foundations of Sion, a tried stone, a corner stone, a precious stone, founded in the foundation. He that believeth, let him not hasten.
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Matthew
21:42
Jesus saith to them: Have you never read in the Scriptures: The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? By the Lord this has been done; and it is wonderful in our eyes.
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Luke
20:17
But he looking on them, said: What is this then that is written, The stone, which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?
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Acts
4:11
This is the stone which was rejected by you the builders, which is become the head of the corner.
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Romans
9:33
As it is written: Behold I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone and a rock of scandal. And whosoever believeth in him shall not be confounded.
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1_Peter
2:7
To you therefore that believe, he is honour: but to them that believe not, the stone which the builders rejected, the same is made the head of the corner:
*H The stone which the builders rejected; the same is become the head of the corner.
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.
*H This is the day which the Lord hath made: let us be glad and rejoice therein.
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.
*H O Lord, save me: O Lord, give good success.
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.
*H Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord. We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord.
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.
*H The Lord is God, and he hath shone upon us. Appoint a solemn day, with shady boughs, even to the horn of the altar.
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.
*H Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, and I will exalt thee. I will praise thee, because thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.
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.
*H O praise ye the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Ver. 29. For ever. Praise is our first and last duty. v. 1. W.