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*H Unto the end, in verses, understanding for David.
Ver. 1. David. It alludes to some of his persecutions, particularly to that of Absalom, as well as to that of the Church, and of Jesus Christ. Bede explains it of Onias: who, being excluded from the high priesthood, retired into Egypt, and built the temple of Onion. 2 Mac. xiii. C.
*H Be attentive to me and hear me. I am grieved in my exercise; and am troubled,
Ver. 3. Hear me. He repeats the same petition four times, (H.) to testify his fervour, and humility. Eccli. xxxv. 21. — Exercise, among the wicked, (S. Aug.) or while I consider the sufferings of Christ. Euseb. — David was perplexed what course to take, when he first heard of his son's revolt. Our Saviour was sorrowful unto death. Matt. xxvi. 37. C. — This life is a warfare. W. — Λδολεσχια. Heb. sichi, denotes serious (H.) meditation. Gen. xxiv. 63. M.
*H At the voice of the enemy, and at the tribulation of the sinner. For they have cast iniquities upon me: and in wrath they were troublesome to me.
Ver. 4. Upon me. When a person has fallen into distress, the world is ever ready to attribute it to some fault. Absalom accused his father of neglecting to judge, &c. 2 K. xv. 2. The Jews calumniated and sought the death of Christ, whose agony in the garden is well described, (v. 5.) as well as the consternation of David, at the sight of such a general revolt, (C.) which almost overwhelmed him. W.
*H My heart is troubled within me: and the fear of death is fallen upon me.
Ver. 5. Troubled, like a woman in labour, (M.) as yachil implies, (C.) in Hiphel. M.
*H And I said: Who will give me wings like a dove, and I will fly and be at rest?
Ver. 7. Dove, which flies swiftly. He now adored the judgments of God, which chastised him, as he had threatened; (2 K. xii. 11.) though, while innocent, he had rejected a similar proposal. Ps. x. 1. The event shewed, that he acted wisely in retiring beyond the Jordan. C. — O that I could fly, and in the simplicity of the dove, be removed from these afflictions! W. — As I could not go to heaven, I retired into the wilderness. M.
*H I waited for him that hath saved me from pusillanimity of spirit, and a storm.
Ver. 9. Storm. The first fury of the rebels, which is most dangerous, is thus specified. David was convinced, that his son's party would dwindle away, when he was informed that he did not pursue him, following the advice of Chusai. C. — Heb. "I would hasten my escape from the impetuous wind and tempest." But the Sept. may be equally correct. Bert. — God protected his weak servant in the greatest dangers. W.
*H Cast down, O Lord, and divide their tongues; for I have seen iniquity and contradiction in the city.
Ver. 10. Cast down. Heb. "swallow up," as the earth did Dathan. C. — Sept. "drown." H. — Tongues, as at Babel, that they may not know how to proceed. C. — Heb. "swallow up...the torrent of their tongue." Bate. — Pallag, means also to "divide." Absalom was accordingly infatuated by David's friend. 2 K. xv. 31. and xvii. 7. M. — City of Hebron, or even of Jerusalem, which caused the king to leave no garrison in it. The city was still more abandoned in our Saviour's regard. C. — Contradiction. Their counsels agree not. They have their troubles, yet will not amend; but strive to oppress the poor. W.
*H For if my enemy had reviled me, I would verily have borne with it. And if he that hated me had spoken great things against me, I would perhaps have hidden my self from him.
Ver. 13. From him. But how shall we guard against a traitor? C. — The injury received from a friend is most cutting. W.
* Summa
*S Part 2, Ques 47, Article 4
[I-II, Q. 47, Art. 4]
Whether a Person's Defect Is a Reason for Being More Easily Angry with Him?
Objection 1: It would seem that a person's defect is not a reason for being more easily angry with him. For the Philosopher says (Rhet. ii, 3) that "we are not angry with those who confess and repent and humble themselves; on the contrary, we are gentle with them. Wherefore dogs bite not those who sit down." But these things savor of littleness and defect. Therefore littleness of a person is a reason for being less angry with him.
Obj. 2: Further, there is no greater defect than death. But anger ceases at the sight of death. Therefore defect of a person does not provoke anger against him.
Obj. 3: Further, no one thinks little of a man through his being friendly towards him. But we are more angry with friends, if they offend us or refuse to help us; hence it is written (Ps. 54:13): "If my enemy had reviled me I would verily have borne with it." Therefore a person's defect is not a reason for being more easily angry with him.
_On the contrary,_ The Philosopher says (Rhet. ii, 2) that "the rich man is angry with the poor man, if the latter despise him; and in like manner the prince is angry with his subject."
_I answer that,_ As stated above (AA. 2, 3) unmerited contempt more than anything else is a provocative of anger. Consequently deficiency or littleness in the person with whom we are angry, tends to increase our anger, in so far as it adds to the unmeritedness of being despised. For just as the higher a man's position is, the more undeservedly he is despised; so the lower it is, the less reason he has for despising. Thus a nobleman is angry if he be insulted by a peasant; a wise man, if by a fool; a master, if by a servant.
If, however, the littleness or deficiency lessens the unmerited contempt, then it does not increase but lessens anger. In this way those who repent of their ill-deeds, and confess that they have done wrong, who humble themselves and ask pardon, mitigate anger, according to Prov. 15:1: "A mild answer breaketh wrath": because, to wit, they seem not to despise, but rather to think much of those before whom they humble themselves.
This suffices for the Reply to the First Objection.
Reply Obj. 2: There are two reasons why anger ceases at the sight of death. One is because the dead are incapable of sorrow and sensation; and this is chiefly what the angry seek in those with whom they are angered. Another reason is because the dead seem to have attained to the limit of evils. Hence anger ceases in regard to all who are grievously hurt, in so far as this hurt surpasses the measure of just retaliation.
Reply Obj. 3: To be despised by one's friends seems also a greater indignity. Consequently if they despise us by hurting or by failing to help, we are angry with them for the same reason for which we are angry with those who are beneath us. ________________________
*H But thou a man of one mind, my guide, and my familiar,
Ver. 14. Guide, the prime minister, (Bert.) and chief of the council. M. — Such was Achitophel, who had nevertheless been long (C.) secretly disaffected. See 2 K. xv. 12. and xvi. 23. He professed the same religion, and was trusted with the most important affairs, as Judas carried the purse. H.
*H Who didst take sweetmeats together with me: in the house of God we walked with consent.
Ver. 15. Consent, or with expedition, as the Rabbins order people to go to the temple, though they must return slowly. All this designates Judas. C. — Dreadful lesson for all sacred ministers, who prove faithless! (Bert.) participating of the holy sacraments in the Catholic Church, (W.) and yet betraying themselves, and their master! Achitophel had probably to attend David in the temple, as Naaman did Benadad. 4 K. v. 18. H.
*H Let death come upon them, and let them go down alive into hell. For there is wickedness in their dwellings: in the midst of them.
Ver. 16. Let death, &c. This, and such like imprecations, which occur in the psalms, are delivered prophetically; that is, by way of foretelling the punishments which shall fall upon the wicked from divine justice, and approving the righteous ways of God: but not by way of ill-will, or uncharitable curses, which the law of God disallows. Ch. — David shewed even too much tenderness towards the rebels, in the opinion of Joab, &c. He would not hurt Saul. His predictions were verified; as Achitophel became a suicide, Absalom perished miserably, suspended between heaven and earth, as an object of horror to both, while many of his accomplices were either slain, or fell into precipices. 2 K. xvii. 23. and xviii. 8. H. — Hell, by a sudden death, like Antiochus, Core, &c. Num. xvi. 30. The just are already dead to this world. Bert. — Those who sin on purpose, descend, as it were, alive into hell. W.
*H Evening and morning, and at noon I will speak and declare: and he shall hear my voice.
Ver. 18. Evening. The Hebrew then began the day. C. Gen. i. 5. H. — They had three times allotted for prayer, (Dan. vi. 10.) as the Church had afterwards. Const. Ap. vii. 25. C. — Evening song, matins, and the sacrifice of the mass, are the principal times for divine service. W. — David comprises all times, because his prayer was continual. Bert. C.
*H He shall redeem my soul in peace from them that draw near to me: for among many they were with me.
Ver. 19. Among many, &c. That is, they that drew near to attack me, were many in company, all combining to fight against me. Ch. — Or, many also joined themselves to me with Joab, and the holy angels, (4 K. vi. 16.) though almost all Israel followed Absalom. 2 K. xv. 13. C. — In many things, schismatics agree with the Church; but their crime is the breaking of unity. S. Aug.
*H God shall hear, and the Eternal shall humble them. For there is no change with them, and they have not feared God:
Ver. 20. Change, or redemption for them, (Ps. xliii. 13. Euseb.) or they will not amend, (W.) nor cease to blaspheme God, and to calumniate me. C. — Eternal. Lit. "He who is before ages." H.
*H He hath stretched forth his hand to repay. They have defiled his covenant,
Ver. 21. Repay. Heb. bishlomaiv, "in his retribulations," or "against his peaceable ones." Houbigant too arbitrarily translates, "they have sent forth their hand against, " &c. Bert.
*H They are divided by the wrath of his countenance, and his heart hath drawn near. His words are smoother than oil, and the same are darts.
Ver. 22. They are divided, &c. Dispersed, scattered, and brought to nothing, by the wrath of God, who looks with indignation on their wicked and deceitful ways. Ch. — They are separated from the good, (S. Jer.) slain by a look. 2 Thes. ii. 8. — Near, or fought, v. 19. C. — Some translate, "they have divided the butter, like words of his mouth." But this is less accurate, and the same idea is conveyed in the next words. Bert. — Prot. "The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart. His words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords." H. — My enemy has violated every law, under the appearance of friendship. C. — Darts. Absalom kissed the men of Israel to delude them, (2 K. xv. 2.) and the traitor gave this sign to those who came to seize our Saviour. Matt. xxvi. 48. C. — The words of God are most excellent in themselves, but they seem hard to the incredulous. Thus the Capharnaites gave rise to the first heresy against the words of Christ, which S. Peter piously believed, though, as yet, he did not comprehend their meaning. Jo. vi. S. Aug. W. — His heart and words may thus be understood of God: but they more probably relate to any one of David's numerous enemies, who is thus singled out. H.
* Footnotes
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Matthew
6:25
Therefore I say to you, be not solicitous for your life, what you shall eat, nor for your body, what you shall put on. Is not the life more than the meat: and the body more than the raiment?
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Luke
12:22
And he said to his disciples: Therefore I say to you: Be not solicitous for your life, what you shall eat, nor for your body, what you shall put on.
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1_Peter
5:7
Casting all your care upon him, for he hath care of you.
*H Cast thy care upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall not suffer the just to waver for ever.
Ver. 23. Cast. The prophet had experienced the happy effect of this conduct. C. — In all troubles and doubts, we must have recourse to God. W. 1 Pet. v. 7.
*H But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction. Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee, O Lord.
Ver. 24. Destruction; "into gehenna," (Chal.) or "hell," (S. Jer.) to which the judge sentences the reprobate, without promoting their crimes. S. Aug. C. — Days. It is rare that murderers and notorious malefactors escape punishment in this world; but in the next, they will surely be requited. Absalom perished in the flower of his age. Bert. — Achitophel, and many others, have been suddenly cut off. God sometimes permits such to reign for a time, to exercise his servants, or that they may repent. S. Aug. — The Scripture often threatens sinners in this manner. Job xxi. 21. Is. lxv. 20. C. — Their days are indeed spent, when they die. But if they had altered their conduct, they might have prolonged their life, (H.) according to the usual course of nature. W. M.