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*H Unto the end. A psalm for David.
Ver. 1. David. This psalm was to be sung when he or his successors went to battle. In a higher sense, it may allude to the victories of Christ, and of his Church. Bert. — Christian must offer up this prayer for their governors. W. — It was probably composed when the Ammonites and Syrians made such great preparations for war, v. 8. and 2 K. x. 6. 18. C.
*H May the Lord hear thee in the day of tribulation: may the name of the God of Jacob protect thee.
Ver. 2. Hear thee, the Ruler; or Jesus Christ praying for his people. W. — Tribulation. War is always such. The victors themselves suffer, and many souls perish. C. — Name. The Messias, as the Jews often explain the expression, (Hooke, Prin.) or God himself, as others have it. Nomen ejus ipse. C. — The blessed Trinity is all one God. The name of the Lord is a strong tower, &c. Prov. xviii. 10. It was made known to Moses, to give him confidence. Ex. iii. 13. H. — Great was the honour conferred on the patriarchs, that God should be styled the God of Abraham, &c.! But ours is not less, since we are authorized to call Him Our Father. Bert.
*H May he send thee help from the sanctuary: and defend thee out of Sion.
Ver. 3. Sion, where God was supposed to reside, in the tabernacle; though he was also in heaven, v. 7. C.
*H May he be mindful of all thy sacrifices: and may thy whole burntoffering be made fat.
Ver. 4. Sacrifices. Heb. mincha, a sacrifice of flour, or unbloody; a figure of the Mass. W. — Minchothec, "thy presents" (Mont. H.) of fruits, &c. — Fat. Heb. also, "ashes," by miraculous fire, (Bert.) to testify God's acceptance; as at the sacrifices of Abel, (H.) Elias, &c. Lev. ix. 24. and 3 K. xviii. 31. and 1 Par. xxi. 26. God forbade lean victims to be offered, as they might shew a want of respect; (Mal. i. 8.) though he always regarded the heart (C.) and faith of the offerer more than the victim. Heb. xi. 4. H. — Sacrifices were offered before every important enterprize. 1 K. xiii. 12. C. — Fat here intimates what would be acceptable. W. Dan. iii. 40. M.
*H May he give thee according to thy own heart; and confirm all thy counsels.
Ver. 5. Counsels. We must suppose that those of a pious prince are right. C. — This condition is always understood. H.
*H We will rejoice in thy salvation; and in the name of our God we shall be exalted.
Ver. 6. Salvation. Jesus Christ, who gives us the victory over all our spiritual enemies, (C.) or in thy prosperity; (W.) which we shall attribute to God. The first words may also be addressed to Him. We shall rejoice if thou grant us the victory, and we will return thanks. Heb. "we shall praise, or be praised, for thy salvation; and in thy name we shall lift up the standard." C. — But there is no proof that nodgol, (H.) which occurs no where else, has this signification. It is probable that the Sept. read nogdol; and Houbigant adopts their version. S. Jerom has, "we shall dance." All the versions denote joy. Bert.
*H The Lord fulfil all thy petitions: now have I known that the Lord hath saved his anointed. He will hear him from his holy heaven: the salvation of his right hand is in powers.
Ver. 7. Hath saved. The prophets speak of future events as past. Bert. — The people were convinced of God's protection, (C.) and anticipated what they would say at their triumphant return. — Anointed (Christum) the king, (C.) priest, (W.) or our Saviour, at his resurrection, (S. Athan.) after he had subdued his enemies. W. — Powers. That is, in strength. His right hand is strong and mighty to save them that trust in him. Ch. — The plural is often used to denote something most excellent, (H.) great strength, or heavenly forces. W.
*H Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will call upon the name of the Lord, our God.
Ver. 8. Call upon. Sept. Rom. Syr. &c. read, "we shall be exalted," μεγαλυνθησομεθα, (C.) as v. 6. Some call upon or trust in chariots, &c. H. — Heb. "remember," which often implies to confide, (C.) and such we call upon as we hope will be able and willing (H.) to protect us. Bert. — Let our enemies assemble all their forces and auxiliaries, we shall not fear as long as God is for us. C. — The Jewish kings were forbidden to multiply horses, that they might not be tempted to confide in them. H.
* Summa
*S Part 3, Ques 19, Article 12
[II-II, Q. 19, Art. 12]
Whether Poverty of Spirit Is the Beatitude Corresponding to the Gift of Fear?
Objection 1: It would seem that poverty of spirit is not the beatitude corresponding to the gift of fear. For fear is the beginning of the spiritual life, as explained above (A. 7): whereas poverty belongs to the perfection of the spiritual life, according to Matt. 19:21, "If thou wilt be perfect, go sell what thou hast, and give to the poor." Therefore poverty of spirit does not correspond to the gift of fear.
Obj. 2: Further, it is written (Ps. 118:120): "Pierce Thou my flesh with Thy fear," whence it seems to follow that it belongs to fear to restrain the flesh. But the curbing of the flesh seems to belong rather to the beatitude of mourning. Therefore the beatitude of mourning corresponds to the gift of fear, rather than the beatitude of poverty.
Obj. 3: Further, the gift of fear corresponds to the virtue of hope, as stated above (A. 9, ad 1). Now the last beatitude which is, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God," seems above all to correspond to hope, because according to Rom. 5:2, "we . . . glory in the hope of the glory of the sons of God." Therefore that beatitude corresponds to the gift of fear, rather than poverty of spirit.
Obj. 4: Further, it was stated above (I-II, Q. 70, A. 2) that the fruits correspond to the beatitudes. Now none of the fruits correspond to the gift of fear. Neither, therefore, does any of the beatitudes.
_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (De Serm. Dom. in Monte i, 4): "The fear of the Lord is befitting the humble of whom it is said: Blessed are the poor in spirit."
_I answer that,_ Poverty of spirit properly corresponds to fear. Because, since it belongs to filial fear to show reverence and submission to God, whatever results from this submission belongs to the gift of fear. Now from the very fact that a man submits to God, it follows that he ceases to seek greatness either in himself or in another but seeks it only in God. For that would be inconsistent with perfect subjection to God, wherefore it is written (Ps. 19:8): "Some trust in chariots and some in horses; but we will call upon the name of . . . our God." It follows that if a man fear God perfectly, he does not, by pride, seek greatness either in himself or in external goods, viz. honors and riches. In either case, this proceeds from poverty of spirit, in so far as the latter denotes either the voiding of a puffed up and proud spirit, according to Augustine's interpretation (De Serm. Dom. in Monte i, 4), or the renunciation of worldly goods which is done in spirit, i.e. by one's own will, through the instigation of the Holy Spirit, according to the expounding of Ambrose on Luke 6:20 and Jerome on Matt. 5:3.
Reply Obj. 1: Since a beatitude is an act of perfect virtue, all the beatitudes belong to the perfection of spiritual life. And this perfection seems to require that whoever would strive to obtain a perfect share of spiritual goods, needs to begin by despising earthly goods, wherefore fear holds the first place among the gifts. Perfection, however, does not consist in the renunciation itself of temporal goods; since this is the way to perfection: whereas filial fear, to which the beatitude of poverty corresponds, is consistent with the perfection of wisdom, as stated above (AA. 7, 10).
Reply Obj. 2: The undue exaltation of man either in himself or in another is more directly opposed to that submission to God which is the result of filial fear, than is external pleasure. Yet this is, in consequence, opposed to fear, since whoever fears God and is subject to Him, takes no delight in things other than God. Nevertheless, pleasure is not concerned, as exaltation is, with the arduous character of a thing which fear regards: and so the beatitude of poverty corresponds to fear directly, and the beatitude of mourning, consequently.
Reply Obj. 3: Hope denotes a movement by way of a relation of tendency to a term, whereas fear implies movement by way of a relation of withdrawal from a term: wherefore the last beatitude which is the term of spiritual perfection, fittingly corresponds to hope, by way of ultimate object; while the first beatitude, which implies withdrawal from external things which hinder submission to God, fittingly corresponds to fear.
Reply Obj. 4: As regards the fruits, it seems that those things correspond to the gift of fear, which pertain to the moderate use of temporal things or to abstinence therefrom; such are modesty, continency and chastity. _______________________
*H They are bound, and have fallen: but we are risen, and are set upright. O Lord, save the king: and hear us in the day that we shall call upon thee.
Ver. 9. Bound. Their chariot wheels are entangled. Ex. xiv. 25. C. — Those who trust in the power of man, fall into captivity. W. — Their feet are ensnared. Bert. — The king. Heb. "Let the king hear us when we call." Prot. (H.) "our king shall hear," &c. Syr. "Word of the Lord, redeem us; Potent king, hear," &c. But the Sept. is preferable, and the best critics often deviate from the Jews; (Muis. C.) though here the sense is very good, and adopted by S. Jerom. God is styled king in Heb. H. — This title is commonly given to the Messias. Bert. — The Chal. seems to have had the second person of the blessed Trinity in view, as many of the Jews were acquainted with this mystery, particularly after the propagation of the gospel, when the paraphrase on the psalms was probably composed. H. — When the head is safe, the body is also preserved. W. — We must pray for our superiors, that we also may lead a quiet life. 1 Tim. ii. 2. Their welfare is for the public good. H.
* Summa
*S Part 4, Ques 51, Article 3
[III, Q. 51, Art. 3]
Whether Christ's Body Was Reduced to Dust in the Tomb?
Objection 1: It would seem that Christ's body was reduced to dust in the tomb. For just as man dies in punishment of his first parent's sin, so also does he return to dust, since it was said to the first man after his sin: "Dust thou art, and into dust thou shalt return" (Gen. 3:19). But Christ endured death in order to deliver us from death. Therefore His body ought to be made to return to dust, so as to free us from the same penalty.
Obj. 2: Further, Christ's body was of the same nature as ours. But directly after death our bodies begin to dissolve into dust, and are disposed towards putrefaction, because when the natural heat departs, there supervenes heat from without which causes corruption. Therefore it seems that the same thing happened to Christ's body.
Obj. 3: Further, as stated above (A. 1), Christ willed to be buried in order to furnish men with the hope of rising likewise from the grave. Consequently, He sought likewise to return to dust so as to give to them who have returned to dust the hope of rising from the dust.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Ps. 15:10): "Nor wilt Thou suffer Thy holy one to see corruption": and Damascene (De Fide Orth. iii) expounds this of the corruption which comes of dissolving into elements.
_I answer that,_ It was not fitting for Christ's body to putrefy, or in any way be reduced to dust, since the putrefaction of any body comes of that body's infirmity of nature, which can no longer hold the body together. But as was said above (Q. 50, A. 1, ad 2), Christ's death ought not to come from weakness of nature, lest it might not be believed to be voluntary: and therefore He willed to die, not from sickness, but from suffering inflicted on Him, to which He gave Himself up willingly. And therefore, lest His death might be ascribed to infirmity of nature, Christ did not wish His body to putrefy in any way or dissolve no matter how; but for the manifestation of His Divine power He willed that His body should continue incorrupt. Hence Chrysostom says (Cont. Jud. et Gent. quod 'Christus sit Deus') that "with other men, especially with such as have wrought strenuously, their deeds shine forth in their lifetime; but as soon as they die, their deeds go with them. But it is quite the contrary with Christ: because previous to the cross all is sadness and weakness, but as soon as He is crucified, everything comes to light, in order that you may learn it was not an ordinary man that was crucified."
Reply Obj. 1: Since Christ was not subject to sin, neither was He prone to die or to return to dust. Yet of His own will He endured death for our salvation, for the reasons alleged above (Q. 51, A. 1). But had His body putrefied or dissolved, this fact would have been detrimental to man's salvation, for it would not have seemed credible that the Divine power was in Him. Hence it is on His behalf that it is written (Ps. 19:10): "What profit is there in my blood, whilst I go down to corruption?" as if He were to say: "If My body corrupt, the profit of the blood shed will be lost."
Reply Obj. 2: Christ's body was a subject of corruption according to the condition of its passible nature, but not as to the deserving cause of putrefaction, which is sin: but the Divine power preserved Christ's body from putrefying, just as it raised it up from death.
Reply Obj. 3: Christ rose from the tomb by Divine power, which is not narrowed within bounds. Consequently, His rising from the grave was a sufficient argument to prove that men are to be raised up by Divine power, not only from their graves, but also from any dust whatever. _______________________
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