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*H A psalm for David himself. Unto thee will I cry, O Lord: O my God, be not thou silent to me: lest if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.
Ver. 1. Himself. The Heb. and Sept. (Rom. and Alex.) have simply "of David." — Ledavid. H. — The psalm appears to be a sequel of the preceding, and we may adopt the rule of the Jews, who refer the psalms which have no title, to the same author and events as those which go before. It may relate to the captives, (C.) or to David under persecution, though the Fathers explain it of Christ suffering, &c. and rising again. — My God. Heb. "rock." This term is so often applied to God, that it might be added to his other ten titles. Bert. — Lest...to me, is not in the Rom. psalter. Euthym. &c. — Pit, grave; though it also denote "a prison." C. — S. Jerom has "be not deaf to me," &c. M.
*H Hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication, when I pray to thee; when I lift up my hands to thy holy temple.
Ver. 2. Pray. Heb. "cry...to the recess of thy sanctuary, (H.) or to thy oracle." Sept. place the whole for a part. The tabernacle was often styled temple. 1 K. i. 9. To lift up the hands was customary in prayer, (1 Tim. ii. 8. Lam. iii. 41. Bert.) to testify whence our aid must come. H. — The Jews turned towards the holy place in prayer, (3 K. viii. 48. Ezec. viii. 16.) even after the temple was destroyed. C.
*H Draw me not away together with the wicked; and with the workers of iniquity destroy me not: Who speak peace with their neighbour, but evils are in their hearts.
Ver. 3. Draw. Sextus V. reads tradas, "deliver," &c. But the present trahas, is more conformable to the original. C. — Sept. add, destroy me not, as the Heb. might also signify. Suffer me not to follow bad example. They often paraphrase, to render the text clearer. A similar petition occurs, Ps. xxv. 9. — Hearts. Such double dealers are abominable, and quite opposite to the candour of a Christian. Jo. i. 47. and 1 Pet. ii. 22. Bert. — The psalmist prays that God would comfort and support him, as he knew that God tempteth no man. Jam. i. W.
*H Give them according to their works, and according to the wickedness of their inventions. According to the works of their hands give thou to them: render to them their reward.
Ver. 4. Reward. He speaks prophetically, (v. 5.) or of spiritual enemies. Bert. — "If they do not understand by kindness, make them understand by torments." S. Jer. — He alludes to the calamities of the Babylonians, who had made such havoc, (C.) as well as to that of all who persecuted or rebelled against David. H. — His zeal prompts him to approve of their chastisement. W.
*H Because they have not understood the works of the Lord, and the operations of his hands: thou shalt destroy them, and shalt not build them up.
Ver. 5. The works, (in opera.) The prep. seems redundant, though (H.) it was probably in both places, to insinuate that attention is requisite. The Jews perished, because they would not know the things that were for their peace. Lu. xix. 42. Their city in ruins, is an emblem of the sinner's utter destruction. — Thou shalt. Heb. "he will." Bert. — The Chaldees gave supreme honour to idols, neglecting the true God. Their punishment was at hand. Kimchi. C. — Ignorance will prove no excuse, when people might be informed. God will save none, without their co-operation. W.
*H Blessed be the Lord, for he hath heard the voice of my supplication.
Ver. 6. Blessed. This energetic epithet is generally applied to the Lord, and as it is also given to Christ, he must be true God. Rom. ix. 5. &c.
*H The Lord is my helper and my protector: in him hath my heart confided, and I have been helped. And my flesh hath flourished again, and with my will I will give praise to him.
Ver. 7. Protector. Heb. "buckler," to defend me from external enemies, as his grace enables me to do good. — Flesh. Heb. "heart." But joy would manifest itself over the whole body: (Prov. xvii. 22. Bert.) and the Syr. agrees with the Sept. "My flesh shall bud forth, and I shall sing his praises in glory." C. — Will. Heb. "canticle," which was dictated by the will. It is suspected that the Sept. read differently. Only the saints taste true joys, so that they alone might be styled sensual. But this worldlings cannot understand. 1 Cor. ii. 14. Bert. — The Fathers explain this text of Christ's, or of our resurrection, (S. Jer. &c.) which was prefigured by the return from captivity. C. — Interior comfort causes the body to be refreshed; and the psalmist gladly (W.) expresses his gratitude. H.
* Summa
*S Part 2, Ques 69, Article 2
[I-II, Q. 69, Art. 2]
Whether the Rewards Assigned to the Beatitudes Refer to This Life?
Objection 1: It would seem that the rewards assigned to the beatitudes do not refer to this life. Because some are said to be happy because they hope for a reward, as stated above (A. 1). Now the object of hope is future happiness. Therefore these rewards refer to the life to come.
Obj. 2: Further, certain punishments are set down in opposition to the beatitudes, Luke 6:25, where we read: "Woe to you that are filled; for you shall hunger. Woe to you that now laugh, for you shall mourn and weep." Now these punishments do not refer to this life, because frequently men are not punished in this life, according to Job 21:13: "They spend their days in wealth." Therefore neither do the rewards of the beatitudes refer to this life.
Obj. 3: Further, the kingdom of heaven which is set down as the reward of poverty is the happiness of heaven, as Augustine says (De Civ. Dei xix) [*Cf. De Serm. Dom. in Monte i, 1]. Again, abundant fullness is not to be had save in the life to come, according to Ps. 16:15: "I shall be filled [Douay: 'satisfied'] when Thy glory shall appear." Again, it is only in the future life that we shall see God, and that our Divine sonship will be made manifest, according to 1 John 3:2: "We are now the sons of God; and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be. We know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like to Him, because we shall see Him as He is." Therefore these rewards refer to the future life.
_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (De Serm. Dom. in Monte i, 4): "These promises can be fulfilled in this life, as we believe them to have been fulfilled in the apostles. For no words can express that complete change into the likeness even of an angel, which is promised to us after this life."
_I answer that,_ Expounders of Holy Writ are not agreed in speaking of these rewards. For some, with Ambrose (Super Luc. v), hold that all these rewards refer to the life to come; while Augustine (De Serm. Dom. in Monte i, 4) holds them to refer to the present life; and Chrysostom in his homilies (In Matth. xv) says that some refer to the future, and some to the present life.
In order to make the matter clear we must take note that hope of future happiness may be in us for two reasons. First, by reason of our having a preparation for, or a disposition to future happiness; and this is by way of merit; secondly, by a kind of imperfect inchoation of future happiness in holy men, even in this life. For it is one thing to hope that the tree will bear fruit, when the leaves begin to appear, and another, when we see the first signs of the fruit.
Accordingly, those things which are set down as merits in the beatitudes, are a kind of preparation for, or disposition to happiness, either perfect or inchoate: while those that are assigned as rewards, may be either perfect happiness, so as to refer to the future life, or some beginning of happiness, such as is found in those who have attained perfection, in which case they refer to the present life. Because when a man begins to make progress in the acts of the virtues and gifts, it is to be hoped that he will arrive at perfection, both as a wayfarer, and as a citizen of the heavenly kingdom.
Reply Obj. 1: Hope regards future happiness as the last end: yet it may also regard the assistance of grace as that which leads to that end, according to Ps. 27:7: "In Him hath my heart hoped, and I have been helped."
Reply Obj. 2: Although sometimes the wicked do not undergo temporal punishment in this life, yet they suffer spiritual punishment. Hence Augustine says (Confess. i): "Thou hast decreed, and it is so, Lord--that the disordered mind should be its own punishment." The Philosopher, too, says of the wicked (Ethic. ix, 4) that "their soul is divided against itself . . . one part pulls this way, another that"; and afterwards he concludes, saying: "If wickedness makes a man so miserable, he should strain every nerve to avoid vice." In like manner, although, on the other hand, the good sometimes do not receive material rewards in this life, yet they never lack spiritual rewards, even in this life, according to Matt. 19:29, and Mk. 10:30: "Ye shall receive a hundred times as much" even "in this time."
Reply Obj. 3: All these rewards will be fully consummated in the life to come: but meanwhile they are, in a manner, begun, even in this life. Because the "kingdom of heaven," as Augustine says (loc. cit.), can denote the beginning of perfect wisdom, in so far as "the spirit" begins to reign in men. The "possession" of the land denotes the well-ordered affections of the soul that rests, by its desire, on the solid foundation of the eternal inheritance, signified by "the land." They are "comforted" in this life, by receiving the Holy Ghost, Who is called the "Paraclete," i.e. the Comforter. They "have their fill," even in this life, of that food of which Our Lord said (John 4:34): "My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me." Again, in this life, men "obtain" God's "Mercy." Again, the eye being cleansed by the gift of understanding, we can, so to speak, "see God." Likewise, in this life, those who are the "peacemakers" of their own movements, approach to likeness to God, and are called "the children of God." Nevertheless these things will be more perfectly fulfilled in heaven. ________________________
THIRD
*H The Lord is the strength of his people, and the protector of the salvation of his anointed.
Ver. 8. People; (hoz lamu) instead of which the Heb. has lamo, "their strength;" though the people of God had not been mentioned. S. Jerom translates, "the Lord is my strength." Houbigant shews that the Vulg. is most accurate. Bert. — Prot. marg. "his strength." — Salvation. Lit. "salvations," as he had many times protected David, as well as (H.) the priests and prophets, and all the chosen people. 1 Pet. ii. 9. C. — God causeth the good endeavours of the king for his subjects to prosper. W.
*H Save, O Lord, thy people, and bless thy inheritance: and rule them and exalt them for ever.
Ver. 9. Exalt, or carry on thy shoulders, like the good shepherd. Lu. xv. 5. Restore thy people to prosperity. This was the wish of the carnal Jews. The Christian must raise his thoughts higher. C. — S. Jerom and Prot. "feed...and lift them up for ever." Here the progress of justification appears. H. — God redeems and conducts us to eternal bliss. Bert. — As in Ps. xix. &c. the subjects pray for their superiors, so here the ruler offers up his petitions for those committed to his charge. W.