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*H A prayer for David himself. Incline thy ear, O Lord, and hear me: for I am needy and poor.
Ver. 1. David. He might compose this psalm under any affliction, though prayer is always necessary (Bert.) for any person. W. — Others apply it to Ezechias, (Theodoret) the captives, or the Church. C. — Jesus Christ prays during his passion, and foretells his resurrection, and the vocation of the Gentiles. S. Aug. — Needy. Heb. "mild or afflicted." Humility is requisite to pray well, as those who think themselves rich, ask not with fervour. C. — God "inclines his ear if thou dost not lift up thy neck." S. Aug.
*H Preserve my soul, for I am holy: save thy servant, O my God, that trusteth in thee.
Ver. 2. I am holy. I am by my office and profession dedicated to thy service, (Ch.) as a Levite, (C.) or a member of the true Church. H. — He may also speak in the person of Christ, who prays for us and in us. D. — Syr. and Arab. read, "thou art good." C. — Our necessities, firm purposes of leading a virtuous life, and confidence in God, move him to shew mercy. W.
*H Give joy to the soul of thy servant, for to thee, O Lord, I have lifted up my soul.
Ver. 4. Soul. I ardently desire to serve in thy temple. Jer. xxii. 27. A holy importunity, (Lu. xviii. 2. Tert. Apol. 39. C.) and fervour in prayer, (H.) with perseverance, attention, and a sense of God's infinite perfections, are requisite. W.
* Footnotes
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Joel
2:13
And rend your hearts, and not your garments and turn to the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, patient and rich in mercy, and ready to repent of the evil.
*H I have called upon thee in the day of my trouble: because thou hast heard me.
Ver. 7. Heard me. This gives me confidence that thou wilt do it again. H. — Thou art not like senseless idols. C.
*H There is none among the gods like unto thee, O Lord: and there is none according to thy works.
Ver. 8. Gods, which have been set up by men; or among angels, &c. (C.) capable of working miracles by an independent power. H.
* Summa
*S Part 1, Ques 4, Article 3
[I, Q. 4, Art. 3]
Whether Any Creature Can Be Like God?
Objection 1: It seems that no creature can be like God. For it is written (Ps. 85:8): "There is none among the gods like unto Thee, O Lord." But of all creatures the most excellent are those which are called by participation gods. Therefore still less can other creatures be said to be like God.
Obj. 2: Further, likeness implies comparison. But there can be no comparison between things in a different genus. Therefore neither can there be any likeness. Thus we do not say that sweetness is like whiteness. But no creature is in the same genus as God: since God is no genus, as shown above (Q. 3, A. 5). Therefore no creature is like God.
Obj. 3: Further, we speak of those things as like which agree in form. But nothing can agree with God in form; for, save in God alone, essence and existence differ. Therefore no creature can be like to God.
Obj. 4: Further, among like things there is mutual likeness; for like is like to like. If therefore any creature is like God, God will be like some creature, which is against what is said by Isaias: "To whom have you likened God?" (Isa. 40:18).
_On the contrary,_ It is written: "Let us make man to our image and likeness" (Gen. 1:26), and: "When He shall appear we shall be like to Him" (1 John 3:2).
_I answer that,_ Since likeness is based upon agreement or communication in form, it varies according to the many modes of communication in form. Some things are said to be like, which communicate in the same form according to the same formality, and according to the same mode; and these are said to be not merely like, but equal in their likeness; as two things equally white are said to be alike in whiteness; and this is the most perfect likeness. In another way, we speak of things as alike which communicate in form according to the same formality, though not according to the same measure, but according to more or less, as something less white is said to be like another thing more white; and this is imperfect likeness. In a third way some things are said to be alike which communicate in the same form, but not according to the same formality; as we see in non-univocal agents. For since every agent reproduces itself so far as it is an agent, and everything acts according to the manner of its form, the effect must in some way resemble the form of the agent. If therefore the agent is contained in the same species as its effect, there will be a likeness in form between that which makes and that which is made, according to the same formality of the species; as man reproduces man. If, however, the agent and its effect are not contained in the same species, there will be a likeness, but not according to the formality of the same species; as things generated by the sun's heat may be in some sort spoken of as like the sun, not as though they received the form of the sun in its specific likeness, but in its generic likeness. Therefore if there is an agent not contained in any genus, its effect will still more distantly reproduce the form of the agent, not, that is, so as to participate in the likeness of the agent's form according to the same specific or generic formality, but only according to some sort of analogy; as existence is common to all. In this way all created things, so far as they are beings, are like God as the first and universal principle of all being.
Reply Obj. 1: As Dionysius says (Div. Nom. ix), when Holy Writ declares that nothing is like God, it does not mean to deny all likeness to Him. For, "the same things can be like and unlike to God: like, according as they imitate Him, as far as He, Who is not perfectly imitable, can be imitated; unlike according as they fall short of their cause," not merely in intensity and remission, as that which is less white falls short of that which is more white; but because they are not in agreement, specifically or generically.
Reply Obj. 2: God is not related to creatures as though belonging to a different genus, but as transcending every genus, and as the principle of all genera.
Reply Obj. 3: Likeness of creatures to God is not affirmed on account of agreement in form according to the formality of the same genus or species, but solely according to analogy, inasmuch as God is essential being, whereas other things are beings by participation.
Reply Obj. 4: Although it may be admitted that creatures are in some sort like God, it must nowise be admitted that God is like creatures; because, as Dionysius says (Div. Nom. ix): "A mutual likeness may be found between things of the same order, but not between a cause and that which is caused." For, we say that a statue is like a man, but not conversely; so also a creature can be spoken of as in some sort like God; but not that God is like a creature. _______________________
*H All the nations thou hast made shall come and adore before thee, O Lord: and they shall glorify thy name.
Ver. 9. Name. This was partly verified after the captivity, and fully when the gospel was preached. C. — The Gentiles came by faith, and glorified God by good works. Matt. v. 17. W.
*H For thou art great and dost wonderful things: thou art God alone.
Ver. 10. Alone. Sept. Vat. Arab. &c. add, "the great." C. Acts xvii. 24.
*H Conduct me, O Lord, in thy way, and I will walk in thy truth: let my heart rejoice that it may fear thy name.
Ver. 11. Truth. Let me see the justice of thy conduct in suffering the wicked to prosper, (Ps. lxxii. 17.) or let me invariably observe thy holy law, which alone can give me true content. — Rejoice. Heb. as we read at present, "likewise fear," (C.) "unite," (Mont.) or "let my heart be one," solitary, disengaged from all, unicum, (S. Jer.) "to fear," &c. C. — This sense is very good. But yached, means also rejoice. Bert. — Our joy must be mixed with fear. D.
*H For thy mercy is great towards me: and thou hast delivered my soul out of the lower hell.
Ver. 13. Hell of the damned, (W.) according to the Fathers: or out of captivity and dangers. Bert. — If it be understood of Christ, it must refer to limbo. Bell. M. — It seems equivalent to the lower pit. Ps. lxxxvii. 7. H. — The Jews admit seven regions in hell, (Geneb.) and our theologians four: 1. Of the damned; 2. of unbaptized infants; 3. of purgatory; and 4. of the saints in Abraham's bosom. S. Aug. mentions the first and last here: but he speaks clearly of purgatory in other places. De Gen. con. Manch. ii. 17. in Ps. vi. C. — David was rescued from the most imminent dangers, and Christ came out of limbo, (Ps. xv. 10. D.) by his own power. H.
*H O God, the wicked are risen up against me, and the assembly of the mighty have sought my soul: and they have not set thee before their eyes.
Ver. 14. Eyes. The Babylonians oppress us most unjustly. C.
*H And thou, O Lord, art a God of compassion, and merciful, patient, and of much mercy, and true.
Ver. 15. True. This title is also applied to Christ, who, of course, is God; since every man is liable to mistake. Rom. iii. 4. Apoc. xix. 1. God authorized Moses and the prophets to address Him, as the psalmist does. Ex. xxxiv. 6. Joel ii. 13. Bert.
*H O look upon me, and have mercy on me: give thy command to thy servant, and save the son of thy handmaid.
Ver. 16. Command. Heb. "strength," (H.) to resist the enemy. M. — Order me as thou pleasest: I am entirely devoted to thee from my very birth. Ps. cxv. 16. Restore the throne of David. C. — The prophets frequently thus turn to the Church, the kingdom of the Messias, who was born of the handmaid of the Lord. W.
*H Shew me a token for good: that they who hate me may see, and be confounded, because thou, O Lord, hast helped me and hast comforted me.
Ver. 17. Good. Mark me for thy slave, (C.) which will be the highest honour. H. — Give me such a sign as the angel did when he was going to destroy the first-born of Egypt. S. Athan. — By some prodigy convince our oppressors that there is a God. C. Bert. — The resurrection, prefigured by Jonas, was the great proof of Christ and his Church; and this serves either for the conversion or for the condemnation of mankind. See S. Aug. W.