Click *H for Haydock Commentary. *Footnote for footnote etc.
Click any word in Latin Greek or Hebrew to activate the parser. Then click on the display to expand the parser.
*H Alleluia. GIVE glory to the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Ver. 1. Alleluia. S. Aug. repeats this word. But it occurs in the Heb. &c. at the end of the preceding psalm, of which this is a continuation, shewing how God pardoned his people, and delivered them from captivity, (C.) and mankind from sin. H. Fathers. Bert. — Glory. Lit. "confess" your sins, thay you may praise God, (Ps. cv. H.) and adore his mercy and providence. W.
*H Let them say so that have been redeemed by the Lord, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy: and gathered out of the countries.
Ver. 2. Countries. The Jews from Babylon, and all who were redeemed by Christ. C. — He was promised immediately after the fall. W.
*H From the rising and from the setting of the sun, from the north and from the sea.
Ver. 3. Sea. Heb. miyam, for which we should read imim "the right," denoting the south. C. — But the sea, or ocean, is properly used in the same sense. Bert. — The Ammonites, Philistines, Syrians, and Idumeans, from these four quarters, often reduced the Israelites to servitude, under the judges. Houbig. — From all parts, the Jews of the ten tribes returned in the reigns of Darius and Alexander. C. Diss. — But the texts which are applied to this event speak rather of the conversion of the Gentiles, which the prophet has here in view. Bert. — None are excluded from the benefits of this redemption, but by their own fault. W.
*H They wandered in a wilderness, in a place without water: they found not the way of a city for their habitation.
Ver. 4. Habitation. So were the Jews distressed at Babylon, (C.) as many are forced to wander in the world, and all are involved in sin. W.
*H They were hungry and thirsty: their soul fainted in them.
Ver. 5. Hungry. As both Jews and Gentiles were for the word of God, (Amos viii. 11.) when Christ appeared. H. — Their wants cried aloud, (S. Aug.) though they sought him not. Isai. lxv. 1. Bert. — Those who call upon God are relieved by him, in the manner which is most for their welfare. W.
*H Let the mercies of the Lord give glory to him: and his wonderful works to the children of men.
Ver. 8. Mercies. We are unworthy to open our mouths. This chorus is repeated, (v. 15. 21. 31.) by the people, after the Levites had sung the intermediate sentences. C. — The v. 6. 13. 19. are of the same nature, and refer to different sorts of calamities. Bert. — All the benefits of God, proceeding from his mercy, and not from man's deserts, praise him. W.
*H Such as sat in darkness and in the shadow of death: bound in want and in iron.
Ver. 10. Darkness. This second allegory represents the condition of the captives, and of mankind, before Christ's coming. C. — The former enjoyed some liberty. Jer. xxix. 5. — But the latter were most miserable, (Matt. ix. 15. Lu. iv. 18.) and of these the words are most naturally explained. Bert.
*H Because they had exasperated the words of God: and provoked the counsel of the most High:
Ver. 11. Exasperated. Heb. "changed, or frustrated." This is the source of all misery, (C.) as calamities are commonly inflicted on account of sin. W.
*H And their heart was humbled with labours: they were weakened, and there was none to help them.
Ver. 12. Labours. There were slaves of various descriptions: some were confined to hard labour, and chained down at night. C.
*H And he brought them out of darkness, and the shadow of death; and broke their bonds in sunder.
Ver. 14. Bonds. Of their passions. See S. Aug. Conf. viii. 11. H.
*H He took them out of the way of their iniquity: for they were brought low for their injustices.
Ver. 17. Iniquity. Making them alter their conduct. Heb. seems less correct: "they are foolish on account of their way, and they," &c. Illness is sent to punish sin. Job xxxiii. 19. Matt. ix. 2. Jo. v. 14. C.
* Summa
*S Part 3, Ques 35, Article 1
[II-II, Q. 35, Art. 1]
Whether Sloth Is a Sin?
Objection 1: It would seem that sloth is not a sin. For we are neither praised nor blamed for our passions, according to the Philosopher (Ethic. ii, 5). Now sloth is a passion, since it is a kind of sorrow, according to Damascene (De Fide Orth. ii, 14), and as we stated above (I-II, Q. 35, A. 8). Therefore sloth is not a sin.
Obj. 2: Further, no bodily failing that occurs at fixed times is a sin. But sloth is like this, for Cassian says (De Instit. Monast. x, [*De Institutione Caenobiorum]): "The monk is troubled with sloth chiefly about the sixth hour: it is like an intermittent fever, and inflicts the soul of the one it lays low with burning fires at regular and fixed intervals." Therefore sloth is not a sin.
Obj. 3: Further, that which proceeds from a good root is, seemingly, no sin. Now sloth proceeds from a good root, for Cassian says (De Instit. Monast. x) that "sloth arises from the fact that we sigh at being deprived of spiritual fruit, and think that other monasteries and those which are a long way off are much better than the one we dwell in": all of which seems to point to humility. Therefore sloth is not a sin.
Obj. 4: Further, all sin is to be avoided, according to Ecclus. 21:2: "Flee from sins as from the face of a serpent." Now Cassian says (De Instit. Monast. x): "Experience shows that the onslaught of sloth is not to be evaded by flight but to be conquered by resistance." Therefore sloth is not a sin.
_On the contrary,_ Whatever is forbidden in Holy Writ is a sin. Now such is sloth (_acedia_): for it is written (Ecclus. 6:26): "Bow down thy shoulder, and bear her," namely spiritual wisdom, "and be not grieved (_acedieris_) with her bands." Therefore sloth is a sin.
_I answer that,_ Sloth, according to Damascene (De Fide Orth. ii, 14) is an oppressive sorrow, which, to wit, so weighs upon man's mind, that he wants to do nothing; thus acid things are also cold. Hence sloth implies a certain weariness of work, as appears from a gloss on Ps. 106:18, "Their soul abhorred all manner of meat," and from the definition of some who say that sloth is a "sluggishness of the mind which neglects to begin good."
Now this sorrow is always evil, sometimes in itself, sometimes in its effect. For sorrow is evil in itself when it is about that which is apparently evil but good in reality, even as, on the other hand, pleasure is evil if it is about that which seems to be good but is, in truth, evil. Since, then, spiritual good is a good in very truth, sorrow about spiritual good is evil in itself. And yet that sorrow also which is about a real evil, is evil in its effect, if it so oppresses man as to draw him away entirely from good deeds. Hence the Apostle (2 Cor. 2:7) did not wish those who repented to be "swallowed up with overmuch sorrow."
Accordingly, since sloth, as we understand it here, denotes sorrow for spiritual good, it is evil on two counts, both in itself and in point of its effect. Consequently it is a sin, for by sin we mean an evil movement of the appetite, as appears from what has been said above (Q. 10, A. 2; I-II, Q. 74, A. 4).
Reply Obj. 1: Passions are not sinful in themselves; but they are blameworthy in so far as they are applied to something evil, just as they deserve praise in so far as they are applied to something good. Wherefore sorrow, in itself, calls neither for praise nor for blame: whereas moderate sorrow for evil calls for praise, while sorrow for good, and again immoderate sorrow for evil, call for blame. It is in this sense that sloth is said to be a sin.
Reply Obj. 2: The passions of the sensitive appetite may either be venial sins in themselves, or incline the soul to mortal sin. And since the sensitive appetite has a bodily organ, it follows that on account of some bodily transmutation a man becomes apt to commit some particular sin. Hence it may happen that certain sins may become more insistent, through certain bodily transmutations occurring at certain fixed times. Now all bodily effects, of themselves, dispose one to sorrow; and thus it is that those who fast are harassed by sloth towards mid-day, when they begin to feel the want of food, and to be parched by the sun's heat.
Reply Obj. 3: It is a sign of humility if a man does not think too much of himself, through observing his own faults; but if a man contemns the good things he has received from God, this, far from being a proof of humility, shows him to be ungrateful: and from such like contempt results sloth, because we sorrow for things that we reckon evil and worthless. Accordingly we ought to think much of the goods of others, in such a way as not to disparage those we have received ourselves, because if we did they would give us sorrow.
Reply Obj. 4: Sin is ever to be shunned, but the assaults of sin should be overcome, sometimes by flight, sometimes by resistance; by flight when a continued thought increases the incentive to sin, as in lust; for which reason it is written (1 Cor. 6:18): "Fly fornication"; by resistance, when perseverance in the thought diminishes the incentive to sin, which incentive arises from some trivial consideration. This is the case with sloth, because the more we think about spiritual goods, the more pleasing they become to us, and forthwith sloth dies away. _______________________
SECOND
*H He sent his word, and healed them: and delivered them from their destructions.
Ver. 20. Word. Jesus Christ, according to the prophetical sense, adopted by the Fathers, (S. Atha. or. 3. &c.) though it literally implies, that at God's command the sick were healed. Matt. viii. 7. — This allegory again represents the state of captivity. C.
*H And let them sacrifice the sacrifice of praise: and declare his works with joy.
Ver. 22. Praise. Instead of victims. Ps. xxvi. &c.
*H They that go down to the sea in ships, doing business in the great waters:
Ver. 23. Down to the sea, &c. Captivity is here compared to a tempest. C. — The apostles carry the tidings of salvation to all places. Persecutions are raised; but God grants peace to his Church under Constantine. Euseb.
*H These have seen the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.
Ver. 24. Deep. The fury of tempests. Various nations, and the treasures of the deep. M.
*H They mount up to the heavens, and they go down to the depths: their soul pined away with evils.
Ver. 26. Heavens. So Virgil says:
*H They were troubled, and reeled like a drunken man; and all their wisdom was swallowed up.
Ver. 27. Up. They knew not how to proceed. Ambiguis ars stupet ipsa malis. C.
*H And he turned the storm into a breeze: and its waves were still.
Ver. 29. Breeze. Heb. "silence, or calm."
*H And they rejoiced because they were still: and he brought them to the haven which they wished for.
Ver. 30. For. Even to Jerusalem. C.
*H Let the mercies of the Lord give glory to him, and his wonderful works to the children of men.
Ver. 31. Men. We must thank God for having enabled us to repent, v. 8. W.
*H He hath turned rivers into a wilderness: and the sources of waters into dry ground:
Ver. 33. Wilderness. God caused his people to pass through the Red Sea, and the Jordan, to possess the fruitful country of Chanaan, part of which had been cursed for the crimes of the Sodomites. H. — He has punished Babylon, (Jer. xxv. 12.) made a straight road for his people, (Is. xxxv. 8.) and enabled them to cultivate their country again, v. 41. C. — The synagogue has been abandoned, and the Church chosen. Bert. — The power of God is displayed, who caused the land of promise to be more fertile for his people, which is now very barren. W.
*H A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
Ver. 34. Barrenness. Or "saltness." H. — He alludes to the environs of Sodom. Gen. xiii. 10. and xix. 24. W.
*H Anti they sowed fields, and planted vineyards: and they yielded fruit of birth.
Ver. 37. Of birth. A plentiful crop, facient fruges germina. S. Jer. C. — Abundance of fruit shall grow in some places, while others are punished on account of sin. W.
*H Contempt was poured forth upon their princes: and he caused them to wander where there was no passing, and out of the way.
Ver. 40. Princes. Jechonias was humbled, (H.) and exalted, with Daniel, &c. 4 K. xxv. 27. Others explain it of Nabuchodonosor and Baltasar, who were reduced to the state of ignominy and death. C. — The Jews experienced the greatest miseries at the last siege of Jerusalem. Bert.
*H And he helped the poor out of poverty: and made him families like a flock of sheep.
Ver. 41. Sheep. The Gentiles took the place of the obstinate Jews. S. Aug.
* Footnotes
-
*
Job
22:19
The just shall see, and shall rejoice, and the innocent shall laugh them to scorn.
*H The just shall see, and shall rejoice, and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
Ver. 42. Mouth. The psalmist saw Babylon before its ruin, (C.) at least in spirit. God's judgments strengthen virtue, and repress the wicked. H. The propagation of the gospel put to silence the oracles of the pagans. Bert.
*H Who is wise, and will keep these things; and will understand the mercies of the Lord?
Ver. 43. Lord. This is the part of wisdom, and deserves our serious consideration, (H.) as Osee (xiv. 10.) and our Saviour admonish. Matt. xi. 15. and xiii. 9. Mar. iv. 9. &c.