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*H To the end, a psalm of David. The canticle of Jeremias and Ezechiel to the people of the captivity, when they began to go out.
Ver. 1. Of the captivity. That is, the people of the captivity of Babylon. This is not in the Hebrew, but is found in the ancient translation of the Septuagint. Ch. — From the word canticle. H. — It is of little authority. Jeremias and Ezechiel were never together. C. Bert. — Perhaps the former might have put this psalm of David into the hands of the people, when they were going to Babylon, and Ezechiel might have exhorted them to recite it at their return. H. — It seems to have been composed by David, in thanksgiving for rain; (Ps. xxviii. Muis.) or some of the Levites wrote it, after God had removed the scourge of drought, with which he had afflicted the people, in consequence of their neglecting to finish the temple. Agg. i. 4. Mal. iii. 9. C. — David predicts the return from captivity, (Bert.) and the vocation of the Gentiles, (S. Hil. &c. M.) which the prophets Jeremias, &c. had insinuated, by the coming of the nations from Babylon, so as to forsake idolatry. S. Aug. &c. W.
*H A hymn, O God, becometh thee in Sion: and a vow shall be paid to thee in Jerusalem.
Ver. 2. Hymn. Or Heb. "Praise is silent," (H.) "waiteth," (Prot.) or "silence is praise for thee, O God." Pagn. Favete linguis. Hor. Grot. — "We worship Him with pure silence." Porphyr. Abst. iii. Zac. ii. 13. H. — In Jerusalem, is not in Heb. &c. though Houbigant thinks it was originally. Bert. — "Only the vows of ecclesiastical religion are useful." S. Hil. — Praises of those who are out of the Church, are not acceptable to God. W.
* Summa
*S Part 3, Ques 91, Article 1
[II-II, Q. 91, Art. 1]
Whether God Should Be Praised with the Lips?
Objection 1: It would seem that God should not be praised with the lips. The Philosopher says (Ethic. 1, 12): "The best of men ere accorded not praise, but something greater." But God transcends the very best of all things. Therefore God ought to be given, not praise, but something greater than praise: wherefore He is said (Ecclus. 43:33) to be "above all praise."
Obj. 2: Further, divine praise is part of divine worship, for it is an act of religion. Now God is worshiped with the mind rather than with the lips: wherefore our Lord quoted against certain ones the words of Isa. 29:13, "This people . . . honors [Vulg.: 'glorifies'] Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me." Therefore the praise of God lies in the heart rather than on the lips.
Obj. 3: Further, men are praised with the lips that they may be encouraged to do better: since just as being praised makes the wicked proud, so does it incite the good to better things. Wherefore it is written (Prov. 27:21): "As silver is tried in the fining-pot . . . so a man is tried by the mouth of him that praiseth." But God is not incited to better things by man's words, both because He is unchangeable, and because He is supremely good, and it is not possible for Him to grow better. Therefore God should not be praised with the lips.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Ps. 62:6): "My mouth shall praise Thee with joyful lips."
_I answer that,_ We use words, in speaking to God, for one reason, and in speaking to man, for another reason. For when speaking to man we use words in order to tell him our thoughts which are unknown to him. Wherefore we praise a man with our lips, in order that he or others may learn that we have a good opinion of him: so that in consequence we may incite him to yet better things; and that we may induce others, who hear him praised, to think well of him, to reverence him, and to imitate him. On the other hand we employ words, in speaking to God, not indeed to make known our thoughts to Him Who is the searcher of hearts, but that we may bring ourselves and our hearers to reverence Him.
Consequently we need to praise God with our lips, not indeed for His sake, but for our own sake; since by praising Him our devotion is aroused towards Him, according to Ps. 49:23: "The sacrifice of praise shall glorify Me, and there is the way by which I will show him the salvation of God." And forasmuch as man, by praising God, ascends in his affections to God, by so much is he withdrawn from things opposed to God, according to Isa. 48:9, "For My praise I will bridle thee lest thou shouldst perish." The praise of the lips is also profitable to others by inciting their affections towards God, wherefore it is written (Ps. 33:2): "His praise shall always be in my mouth," and farther on: "Let the meek hear and rejoice. O magnify the Lord with me."
Reply Obj. 1: We may speak of God in two ways. First, with regard to His essence; and thus, since He is incomprehensible and ineffable, He is above all praise. In this respect we owe Him reverence and the honor of latria; wherefore Ps. 64:2 is rendered by Jerome in his Psalter [*Translated from the Hebrew]: "Praise to Thee is speechless, O God," as regards the first, and as to the second, "A vow shall be paid to Thee." Secondly, we may speak of God as to His effects which are ordained for our good. In this respect we owe Him praise; wherefore it is written (Isa. 63:7): "I will remember the tender mercies of the Lord, the praise of the Lord for all the things that the Lord hath bestowed upon us." Again, Dionysius says (Div. Nom. 1): "Thou wilt find that all the sacred hymns," i.e. divine praises "of the sacred writers, are directed respectively to the Blessed Processions of the Thearchy," i.e. of the Godhead, "showing forth and praising the names of God."
Reply Obj. 2: It profits one nothing to praise with the lips if one praise not with the heart. For the heart speaks God's praises when it fervently recalls "the glorious things of His works" [*Cf. Ecclus. 17:7, 8]. Yet the outward praise of the lips avails to arouse the inward fervor of those who praise, and to incite others to praise God, as stated above.
Reply Obj. 3: We praise God, not for His benefit, but for ours as stated. _______________________
SECOND
*H O hear my prayer: all flesh shall come to thee.
Ver. 3. O. Heb. "hearer of prayer," (C.) or "graciously hear my prayer, till all," &c. S. Jer. Houbig. — To thee. At the last judgment, or (C.) at the vocation of the Gentiles. Bert. M.
*H The words of the wicked have prevailed over us: and thou wilt pardon our transgressions.
Ver. 4. Transgressions. These are the words of the Christian converts, (Euseb.) or of the Jews, who acknowledge that they have been justly punished with drought, for neglecting the temple and first fruits. Agg. i. 4. Mal. iii. 9. C. — Heb. "thou wilt expiate our transgressions," which denotes Christ's satisfaction. Bert. — Though the wicked threaten, we fear nothing, as long as thou wilt pardon our offences. W. — These have been the occasion of our past sorrows. M.
*H Blessed is he whom thou hast chosen and taken to thee: he shall dwell in thy courts. We shall be filled with the good things of thy house; holy is thy temple,
Ver. 5. To thee, by predestination. — House, adorned with exterior graces. S. Hil. — Happy the man, whom thou hast ordained, by faith and good works, to eternal life! David speaks in the name of the elect. M.
* Summa
*S Part 4, Ques 4, Article 3
[III, Q. 4, Art. 3]
Whether the Divine Person Assumed a Man?
Objection 1: It would seem that the Divine Person assumed a man. For it is written (Ps. 64:5): "Blessed is he whom Thou hast chosen and taken to Thee," which a gloss expounds of Christ; and Augustine says (De Agone Christ. xi): "The Son of God assumed a man, and in him bore things human."
Obj. 2: Further, the word "man" signifies a human nature. But the Son of God assumed a human nature. Therefore He assumed a man.
Obj. 3: Further, the Son of God is a man. But He is not one of the men He did not assume, for with equal reason He would be Peter or any other man. Therefore He is the man whom He assumed.
_On the contrary,_ Is the authority of Felix, Pope and Martyr, which is quoted by the Council of Ephesus: "We believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, because He is the Eternal Son and Word of God, and not a man assumed by God, in such sort that there is another besides Him. For the Son of God did not assume a man, so that there be another besides Him."
_I answer that,_ As has been said above (A. 2), what is assumed is not the term of the assumption, but is presupposed to the assumption. Now it was said (Q. 3, AA. 1, 2) that the individual to Whom the human nature is assumed is none other than the Divine Person, Who is the term of the assumption. Now this word "man" signifies human nature, as it is in a suppositum, because, as Damascene says (De Fide Orth. iii, 4, 11), this word God signifies Him Who has human nature. And hence it cannot properly be said that the Son assumed a man, granted (as it must be, in fact) that in Christ there is but one suppositum and one hypostasis. But according to such as hold that there are two hypostases or two supposita in Christ, it may fittingly and properly be said that the Son of God assumed a man. Hence the first opinion quoted in Sent. iii, D. 6, grants that a man was assumed. But this opinion is erroneous, as was said above (Q. 2, A. 6).
Reply Obj. 1: These phrases are not to be taken too literally, but are to be loyally explained, wherever they are used by holy doctors; so as to say that a man was assumed, inasmuch as his nature was assumed; and because the assumption terminated in this--that the Son of God is man.
Reply Obj. 2: The word "man" signifies human nature in the concrete, inasmuch as it is in a suppositum; and hence, since we cannot say a suppositum was assumed, so we cannot say a man was assumed.
Reply Obj. 3: The Son of God is not the man whom He assumed, but the man whose nature He assumed. _______________________
FOURTH
*S Part 4, Ques 9, Article 2
[III, Q. 9, Art. 2]
Whether Christ Had the Knowledge Which the Blessed or Comprehensors Have?
Objection 1: It would seem that in Christ there was not the knowledge of the blessed or comprehensors. For the knowledge of the blessed is a participation of Divine light, according to Ps. 35:10: "In Thy light we shall see light." Now Christ had not a participated light, but He had the Godhead Itself substantially abiding in Him, according to Col. 2:9: "For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead corporeally." Therefore in Christ there was not the knowledge of the blessed.
Obj. 2: Further, the knowledge of the blessed makes them blessed, according to John 17:3: "This is eternal life: that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom Thou hast sent." But this Man was blessed through being united to God in person, according to Ps. 64:5: "Blessed is He Whom Thou hast chosen and taken to Thee." Therefore it is not necessary to suppose the knowledge of the blessed in Him.
Obj. 3: Further, to man belongs a double knowledge--one by nature, one above nature. Now the knowledge of the blessed, which consists in the vision of God, is not natural to man, but above his nature. But in Christ there was another and much higher supernatural knowledge, i.e. the Divine knowledge. Therefore there was no need of the knowledge of the blessed in Christ.
_On the contrary,_ The knowledge of the blessed consists in the knowledge of God. But He knew God fully, even as He was man, according to John 8:55: "I do know Him, and do keep His word." Therefore in Christ there was the knowledge of the blessed.
_I answer that,_ What is in potentiality is reduced to act by what is in act; for that whereby things are heated must itself be hot. Now man is in potentiality to the knowledge of the blessed, which consists in the vision of God; and is ordained to it as to an end; since the rational creature is capable of that blessed knowledge, inasmuch as he is made in the image of God. Now men are brought to this end of beatitude by the humanity of Christ, according to Heb. 2:10: "For it became Him, for Whom are all things, and by Whom are all things, Who had brought many children unto glory, to perfect the author of their salvation by His passion." And hence it was necessary that the beatific knowledge, which consists in the vision of God, should belong to Christ pre-eminently, since the cause ought always to be more efficacious than the effect.
Reply Obj. 1: The Godhead is united to the manhood of Christ in Person, not in essence or nature; yet with the unity of Person remains the distinction of natures. And therefore the soul of Christ, which is a part of human nature, through a light participated from the Divine Nature, is perfected with the beatific knowledge whereby it sees God in essence.
Reply Obj. 2: By the union this Man is blessed with the uncreated beatitude, even as by the union He is God; yet besides the uncreated beatitude it was necessary that there should be in the human nature of Christ a created beatitude, whereby His soul was established in the last end of human nature.
Reply Obj. 3: The beatific vision and knowledge are to some extent above the nature of the rational soul, inasmuch as it cannot reach it of its own strength; but in another way it is in accordance with its nature, inasmuch as it is capable of it by nature, having been made to the likeness of God, as stated above. But the uncreated knowledge is in every way above the nature of the human soul. _______________________
THIRD
*S Part 4, Ques 34, Article 4
[III, Q. 34, Art. 4]
Whether Christ Was a Perfect Comprehensor in the First Instant of His Conception?
Objection 1: It would seem that Christ was not a perfect comprehensor in the first instant of His conception. For merit precedes reward, as fault precedes punishment. But Christ merited in the first instant of His conception, as stated above (A. 3). Since, therefore, the state of comprehension is the principal reward, it seems that Christ was not a comprehensor in the first instant of His conception.
Obj. 2: Further, our Lord said (Luke 24:26): "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and so to enter into His glory?" But glory belongs to the state of comprehension. Therefore Christ was not in the state of comprehension in the first instant of His conception, when as yet He had not suffered.
Obj. 3: Further, what befits neither man nor angel seems proper to God; and therefore is not becoming to Christ as man. But to be always in the state of beatitude befits neither man nor angel: for if they had been created in beatitude, they would not have sinned afterwards. Therefore Christ, as man, was not in the state of beatitude in the first instant of His conception.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Ps. 64:5): "Blessed is he whom Thou hast chosen, and taken to Thee"; which words, according to the gloss, refer to Christ's human nature, which "was taken by the Word of God unto the unity of Person." But human nature was taken by the Word of God in the first instant of His conception. Therefore, in the first instant of His conception, Christ, as man, was in the state of beatitude; which is to be a comprehensor.
_I answer that,_ As appears from what was said above (A. 3), it was unbecoming that in His conception Christ should receive merely habitual grace without the act. Now, He received grace "not by measure" (John 3:34), as stated above (Q. 7, A. 11). But the grace of the "wayfarer," being short of that of the "comprehensor," is in less measure than that of the comprehensor. Wherefore it is manifest that in the first instant of His conception Christ received not only as much grace as comprehensors have, but also greater than that which they all have. And because that grace was not without its act, it follows that He was a comprehensor in act, seeing God in His Essence more clearly than other creatures.
Reply Obj. 1: As stated above (Q. 19, A. 3), Christ did not merit the glory of the soul, in respect of which He is said to have been a comprehensor, but the glory of the body, to which He came through His Passion.
Wherefore the reply to the Second Objection is clear.
Reply Obj. 3: Since Christ was both God and man, He had, even in His humanity, something more than other creatures--namely, that He was in the state of beatitude from the very beginning. _______________________
*H Wonderful in justice. Hear us, O God our saviour, who art the hope of all the ends of the earth, and in the sea afar off.
Ver. 6. Justice. Because there thou wilt fulfil thy promises, and requirest the greatest composure and attention. Eph. ii. 12. 22. Bert. — Nothing defiled can enter into heaven. Apoc. xxi. W. — Off. The Jews were dispersed into all countries, (Jer. xxxi. 8.) and all are called to the true faith. C.
*H Thou who preparest the mountains by thy strength, being girded with power:
Ver. 7. Strength, or rain. The power (C.) and goodness of God, are described with regard to the captives, and converted nations, (Bert.) and the great works of the creation. W.
*H Who troublest the depth of the sea, the noise of its waves. The Gentiles shall be troubled,
Ver. 8. Troublest. Prot. "stillest the noise." H. — Troubled. The most obdurate are converted from all countries. W.
*H And they that dwell in the uttermost borders shall be afraid at thy signs: thou shalt make the outgoings of the morning and of the evening to be joyful.
Ver. 9. Joyful. People both of the east and west shall learn to fear thee; or thy chosen people shall dwell in peace, and attend the morning and evening service. Euseb. C. — Both morning and evening afford delight, as people may labour, or take some rest, according to their different wants.
*H Thou hast visited the earth, and hast plentifully watered it; thou hast many ways enriched it. The river of God is filled with water, thou hast prepared their food: for so is its preparation.
Ver. 10. River. Heb. "the division," or all the seas and fountains (Bert.) of consequence, (M.) particularly the Jordan, which overflows, like the Euphrates, about Pentecost. Jos. iii. 15. Jer. xii. 5. C. — Its, the earth's, after a plentiful rain. H. — God has wrought many wonders by water, and hath fed his people, (Ex. vii. 14. and xvi. 3. &c.) to prefigure the graces conferred in baptism, the holy Eucharist, &c. W.
*H Fill up plentifully the streams thereof, multiply its fruits; it shall spring up and rejoice in its showers.
Ver. 11. Showers. This gives the sense, rather than the words of the Heb. Bert. — Pastors are still preserved to feed the faithful; and all the just receive the crown of justice, at the end of their life. 2 Tim. iv. W.
*H Thou shalt bless the crown of the year of thy goodness: and thy fields shall be filled with plenty.
Ver. 12. Crown. The crops shall succeed each other, and be abundant. Lev. xxvi. 5. 10. Amos ix. 13. This fertility was foretold, Agg. ii. 20. C. — "By thy blessing, the year shall roll along, and thy steps shall distil fatness." S. Jer. H.
*H The beautiful places of the wilderness shall grow fat: and the hills shall be girded about with joy,
Ver. 13. Wilderness. Or, of such places as were not ploughed. Little hay was collected, as cattle might almost always pasture. — Hills, covered with vine-trees, &c. Joel iii. 18. Job xx. 17. C. — The most barren will bring forth fruit, and the perfect shall advance in merit. W.
*H The rams of the flock are clothed, and the vales shall abound with corn: they shall shout, yea they shall sing a hymn.
Ver. 14. Clothed, with fleeces, (H.) or rather, shall be surrounded with sheep. Heb. also, "the pastures shall be covered with sheep." Houbigant would read e, for c, and translate, "the mountains shall be clothed with flocks." But such changes require some proof, and the sense is the same. Bert. — All nature (M.) praises God in its own manner, when it answers the designs of God. Yet man is chiefly invited to sing. H. — The pastors, (W.) like rams, lead the way; but all the just, without exception, shall be happy in their celestial mansions, and with the utmost content, shall join the hymns of Sion. H.