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*H The praise of a canticle for David. He that dwelleth in the aid of the most High, shall abide under the protection of the God of Jacob.
Ver. 1. David. Sept. add, "it has no title in Heb." and hence the Jews refer it to the preceding author, with S. Jer. &c. But this rule is very uncertain. C. Bert. — Some suppose that Moses composed it when he led the Israelites out of Egypt, or in the wilderness; while others think that it is the work of David under some imminent danger. The Fathers apply it to Jesus Christ. Yet it may be considered simply as a moral instruction, (C.) superior in elegance to any Greek or Latin poem. Muis — Aid. Heb. "secret place." Of heaven. Is not in Heb. shaddai, which means, (H.) "the almighty self-sufficient, or destroying God." C. — We must keep close to God by mental prayer, if we would enjoy the divine protection. S. Greg. Mor. vii. 7. Bert.
*H For he hath delivered me from the snare of the hunters: and from the sharp word.
Ver. 3. Delivered me. Heb. and Sept. "shall deliver thee." Yet the Alex. copy has me. H. — The psalmist addresses his own soul. Bert. — Word, verbo: we sometimes find "sword," printed by mistake. Heb. dabar, signifies "word, thing, pestilence, &c." H. — The devil employs human respect to draw many into his nets. S. Aug. Bert. — Neither subtle craft, nor the cruelty of tyrants will disturb those who trust in Providence. W.
*H He will overshadow thee with his shoulders: and under his wings thou shalt trust.
Ver. 4. With. Sept. "upon." S. Aug. "between," as the Lord carried Israel. Deut. xxxii. 11. C. — Heb. "he will cover thee with his feathers," (H.) like an eagle. M.
*H His truth shall compass thee with a shield: thou shalt not be afraid of the terror of the night.
Ver. 5. Shield. God's fidelity, or word, affords the best protection. Prov. xxx. 5. C. — Having the spirit of faith, a man is secure. But he whose heart is hardened, (Bert.) is covered with the buckler of God's affliction, (Lam. iii. 64. H.) abuses every thing, and seems bewitched with self-love. Gal. i. Bert. — Night. Devils, spectres, &c. (Cant. iii. 7. C.) and treacherous insinuations, that people are not bound to confess the truth, in time of danger. W.
*H Of the arrow that flieth in the day, of the business that walketh about in the dark: of invasion, or of the noonday devil.
Ver. 6. Day. Neither open attacks, nor unforeseen accidents prevail. C. — Business. Heb. dabar, "thing," v. 3. "the pestilence." S. Jer. H. — The Hebrews suppose, that one angel presides over death in the daytime, and another during the night; or that various demons send maladies at these different times. — Invasion. Sept. and old Italic, have, "ruin." — S. Jer. after Aquila, "from the bite of him who rageth, δαμονιζοντος, at noon. Keteb, (H.) according to an ancient tradition of the Jews, denotes one of the bolder devils, who attacks in open day, and seeks no aid from nocturnal craft. Geneb. The psalmist may allude to those popular notions, (Theod. S. Jer.) which were prevalent among the pagans. Theocrit. Idyl. i. Lucan iii. C. — Thou shalt fear no danger of the day or night, (Bellar.) nor any which disturbs the life of man. Scalig. ep. i. p. 95. — This author mistakes, when he supposes that Keteb is rendered devil. Amama. — He might also ask how the Chal. Aquila, and Symmachus came to discover, that the devil is here mentioned, as well as the Sept.? Bert. — These seem to have read ussod, "and the devil," instead of issud, "from destruction which ravages," (Amama) vastabit. Mont. H. — But allowing that the Sept. &c. are accurate, what is meant by this devil? S. Peter seems to explain the idea, when he exhorts us to sobriety. 1 Pet. v. 8. Bert. — Violent temptations of sloth, (S. Athan.) or impurity, (Theod.) or the persecutions against the faithful, may be meant. Four different sorts of attacks seem to be designated. 1. Such as assult the ignorant with the fears of the night, tempting them to secure their temporal estates, while they think not of eternal woe impending. 2. Others are attacked with the arrow in the day, and threatened with death, which they know they ought rather to endure, than abandon their faith. 3. The business, &c. imitates some grievous but latent temptation, as when the faithful are persuaded to take some unlawful oath. 4. But the greatest and most manifest attack, is styled, invasion, &c. when persecutors assail those who adhere to the true faith with a succession of torments, and subtle arguments, which have been the occasion of the fall of many, who had resisted the former attacks. Yet none of these yield, but by their own fault, trusting in themselves, and not in God. S. Aug. W. — Noon day. Grotius explains this of the heat of the sun, which is very dangerous to travellers in Palestine. C.
*H A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand: but it shall not come nigh thee.
Ver. 7. Fall. Or "attack,...but shall not come nigh to thee." Euseb. C. — How great soever may be the number of thy adversaries, they shall not be able to do thee any harm. They shall fall at thy feet, and their dart shall not reach thee. H. — More forsake God in prosperity, than under adversity. W.
*H Because thou, O Lord, art my hope: thou hast made the most High thy refuge.
Ver. 9. Because. Saying, Thou, &c. W. v. 1. C. — High. Heb. helyon is a title of God, (C.) not the adjective to refuge, (Bert.) as Chal. Aquila, &c. have taken it. "Thou hast placed thy dwelling most high." So that there, &c. v. 10. It is evident that the following promises relate not to the Lord, (C.) but to the just man. Prot. "because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most high thy habitation." This transposition is not authorized by the text. H.
*H There shall no evil come to thee: nor shall the scourge come near thy dwelling.
Ver. 10. Scourge. Aquila has Αφη, "the leprosy," (C.) or any stroke of distress. H. — What the saints have suffered were not real evils, and they will be amply rewarded in heaven. They never complain, having God with them, (C. v. 15. H.) and his holy angels. M.
* Footnotes
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*
Luke
4:10
For it is written that He hath given his angels charge over thee that they keep thee.
*H For he hath given his angels charge over thee; to keep thee in all thy ways.
Ver. 11. Angels. Many seem to be assigned to the just, to whom S. Hil. &c. would restrain this privilege. But it is more generally believed, that each person has an angel guardian. This was the opinion even of the pagans. Porphyr. Ap. ii. S. Clem. Strom. v. C. — To keep. Instead of this, the tempter substituted and, (Matt. iv. 6.) finding it would not answer his purpose, (H.) and shewed that the question was about walking, and not about precipitating oneself. S. Bern. ser. xv. p. 90. — To attempt such unusual courses, is the way of Lucifer, (W.) and tempting God, as our Saviour replied. Bert. — From the father of lies, heretics have learnt how to curtail and misapply the holy Scriptures. H. — God has highly favoured man, by intrusting him to the care of these sublime ministers of his court, (S. Bern.) and surely it is lawful for us to implore their assistance, as we may apply to our fellow-creatures for redress in our temporal necessities. To refuse to do so, on the plea that we expect all immediately from God, would be going contrary to his appointment. Else why has God given them for our guardians, since He could have done all without them? In vain is it objected, that this invocation is a religious worship. It may be so styled, because they are blessed, and help us to obtain salvation. But we only honour in them the gifts of God. Bert. — They protect us by his ordinance, (W.) and the very form of praying, shews in what light we regard them. Who durst say to God, pray for us? M.
* Summa
*S Part 1, Ques 57, Article 2
[I, Q. 57, Art. 2]
Whether an Angel Knows Singulars?
Objection 1: It would seem that angels do not know singulars. For the Philosopher says (Poster. i, text. 22): "The sense has for its object singulars, but the intellect, universals." Now, in the angels there is no power of understanding save the intellectual power, as is evident from what was said above (Q. 54, A. 5). Consequently they do not know singulars.
Obj. 2: Further, all knowledge comes about by some assimilation of the knower to the object known. But it is not possible for any assimilation to exist between an angel and a singular object, in so far as it is singular; because, as was observed above (Q. 50, A. 2), an angel is immaterial, while matter is the principle of singularity. Therefore the angel cannot know singulars.
Obj. 3: Further, if an angel does know singulars, it is either by singular or by universal species. It is not by singular species; because in this way he would require to have an infinite number of species. Nor is it by universal species; since the universal is not the sufficient principle for knowing the singular as such, because singular things are not known in the universal except potentially. Therefore the angel does not know singulars.
_On the contrary,_ No one can guard what he does not know. But angels guard individual men, according to Ps. 90:11: "He hath given His angels charge over Thee." Consequently the angels know singulars.
_I answer that,_ Some have denied to the angels all knowledge of singulars. In the first place this derogates from the Catholic faith, which asserts that these lower things are administered by angels, according to Heb. 1:14: "They are all ministering spirits." Now, if they had no knowledge of singulars, they could exercise no provision over what is going on in this world; since acts belong to individuals: and this is against the text of Eccles. 5:5: "Say not before the angel: There is no providence." Secondly, it is also contrary to the teachings of philosophy, according to which the angels are stated to be the movers of the heavenly spheres, and to move them according to their knowledge and will.
Consequently others have said that the angel possesses knowledge of singulars, but in their universal causes, to which all particular effects are reduced; as if the astronomer were to foretell a coming eclipse from the dispositions of the movements of the heavens. This opinion does not escape the aforesaid implications; because, to know a singular, merely in its universal causes, is not to know it as singular, that is, as it exists here and now. The astronomer, knowing from computation of the heavenly movements that an eclipse is about to happen, knows it in the universal; yet he does not know it as taking place now, except by the senses. But administration, providence and movement are of singulars, as they are here and now existing.
Therefore, it must be said differently, that, as man by his various powers of knowledge knows all classes of things, apprehending universals and immaterial things by his intellect, and things singular and corporeal by the senses, so an angel knows both by his one mental power. For the order of things runs in this way, that the higher a thing is, so much the more is its power united and far-reaching: thus in man himself it is manifest that the common sense which is higher than the proper sense, although it is but one faculty, knows everything apprehended by the five outward senses, and some other things which no outer sense knows; for example, the difference between white and sweet. The same is to be observed in other cases. Accordingly, since an angel is above man in the order of nature, it is unreasonable to say that a man knows by any one of his powers something which an angel by his one faculty of knowledge, namely, the intellect, does not know. Hence Aristotle pronounces it ridiculous to say that a discord, which is known to us, should be unknown to God (De Anima i, text. 80; _Metaph._ text. 15).
The manner in which an angel knows singular things can be considered from this, that, as things proceed from God in order that they may subsist in their own natures, so likewise they proceed in order that they may exist in the angelic mind. Now it is clear that there comes forth from God not only whatever belongs to their universal nature, but likewise all that goes to make up their principles of individuation; since He is the cause of the entire substance of the thing, as to both its matter and its form. And for as much as He causes, does He know; for His knowledge is the cause of a thing, as was shown above (Q. 14, A. 8). Therefore as by His essence, by which He causes all things, God is the likeness of all things, and knows all things, not only as to their universal natures, but also as to their singularity; so through the species imparted to them do the angels know things, not only as to their universal nature, but likewise in their individual conditions, in so far as they are the manifold representations of that one simple essence.
Reply Obj. 1: The Philosopher is speaking of our intellect, which apprehends only by a process of abstraction; and by such abstraction from material conditions the thing abstracted becomes a universal. Such a manner of understanding is not in keeping with the nature of the angels, as was said above (Q. 55, A. 2, A. 3 ad 1), and consequently there is no comparison.
Reply Obj. 2: It is not according to their nature that the angels are likened to material things, as one thing resembles another by agreement in genus, species, or accident; but as the higher bears resemblance to the lower, as the sun does to fire. Even in this way there is in God a resemblance of all things, as to both matter and form, in so far as there pre-exists in Him as in its cause whatever is to be found in things. For the same reason, the species in the angel's intellect, which are images drawn from the Divine essence, are the images of things not only as to their form, but also as to their matter.
Reply Obj. 3: Angels know singulars by universal forms, which nevertheless are the images of things both as to their universal, and as to their individuating principles. How many things can be known by the same species, has been already stated above (Q. 55, A. 3, ad 3). _______________________
THIRD
*S Part 1, Ques 113, Article 1
[I, Q. 113, Art. 1]
Whether Men Are Guarded by the Angels?
Objection 1: It would seem that men are not guarded by the angels. For guardians are deputed to some because they either know not how, or are not able, to guard themselves, as children and the sick. But man is able to guard himself by his free-will; and knows how by his natural knowledge of natural law. Therefore man is not guarded by an angel.
Obj. 2: Further, a strong guard makes a weaker one superfluous. But men are guarded by God, according to Ps. 120:4: "He shall neither slumber nor sleep, that keepeth Israel." Therefore man does not need to be guarded by an angel.
Obj. 3: Further, the loss of the guarded redounds to the negligence of the guardian; hence it was said to a certain one: "Keep this man; and if he shall slip away, thy life shall be for his life" (3 Kings 20:39). Now many perish daily through falling into sin; whom the angels could help by visible appearance, or by miracles, or in some such-like way. The angels would therefore be negligent if men are given to their guardianship. But that is clearly false. Therefore the angels are not the guardians of men.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Ps. 90:11): "He hath given His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways."
_I answer that,_ According to the plan of Divine Providence, we find that in all things the movable and variable are moved and regulated by the immovable and invariable; as all corporeal things by immovable spiritual substances, and the inferior bodies by the superior which are invariable in substance. We ourselves also are regulated as regards conclusions, about which we may have various opinions, by the principles which we hold in an invariable manner. It is moreover manifest that as regards things to be done human knowledge and affection can vary and fail from good in many ways; and so it was necessary that angels should be deputed for the guardianship of men, in order to regulate them and move them to good.
Reply Obj. 1: By free-will man can avoid evil to a certain degree, but not in any sufficient degree; forasmuch as he is weak in affection towards good on account of the manifold passions of the soul. Likewise universal natural knowledge of the law, which by nature belongs to man, to a certain degree directs man to good, but not in a sufficient degree; because in the application of the universal principles of law to particular actions man happens to be deficient in many ways. Hence it is written (Wis. 9:14): "The thoughts of mortal men are fearful, and our counsels uncertain." Thus man needs to be guarded by the angels.
Reply Obj. 2: Two things are required for a good action; first, that the affection be inclined to good, which is effected in us by the habit of mortal virtue. Secondly, that reason should discover the proper methods to make perfect the good of virtue; this the Philosopher (Ethic. vi) attributes to prudence. As regards the first, God guards man immediately by infusing into him grace and virtues; as regards the second, God guards man as his universal instructor, Whose precepts reach man by the medium of the angels, as above stated (Q. 111, A. 1).
Reply Obj. 3: As men depart from the natural instinct of good by reason of a sinful passion, so also do they depart from the instigation of the good angels, which takes place invisibly when they enlighten man that he may do what is right. Hence that men perish is not to be imputed to the negligence of the angels but to the malice of men. That they sometimes appear to men visibly outside the ordinary course of nature comes from a special grace of God, as likewise that miracles occur outside the order of nature. _______________________
SECOND
*H In their hands they shall bear thee up: lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Ver. 12. Stone. He alludes to nurses. C. — All these expressions are metaphorical, to shew the assistance given by angels, to remove the obstacles which impede our progress towards heaven.
*H Thou shalt walk upon the asp and the basilisk: and thou shalt trample under foot the lion and the dragon.
Ver. 13. Asp. Which kills in eight hours time at farthest, making the blood congeal.— Basilisk. "The little king" of serpents. What is related of it seems fabulous. Pliny viii. 21. Solin xxx. C. — Yet there might be some species known by this name, possessing fascinating qualities like the rattle-snake. Bert. — The sight of it alone could not destroy a man; otherwise how could any account of it have been given? Heb. ssel means a lion in Job, (Bert.) and phethen, "an asp," (C.) or basilisk. Bochart — Dragon. Crocodile. C. — The most noxious animals, both of sea and land, shall prove quite harmless to the true servants of God, when he intends to prove the truth of his religion, as he did in the cases of Daniel, and of the disciples of Christ. Mar. xvi. If they be suffered to kill the saints here, it is in order that they may be glorified in heaven, ver. 15. H. — The devil is styled an asp, &c. Bert. — He sometimes attacks the Church, by craft, and at other times by open violence. But she remains secure, (S. Aug.) and her children can only be preserved by continuing in her bosom. To know which is the true Church; "see, says S. Greg. (Mor. xx. 29.) which are the most recent sects." Bert. — Methodists may now wrest this honour from the rest of Protestants. H.
*H Because he hoped in me I will deliver him: I will protect him because he hath known my name.
Ver. 14. Because. God speaks the rest. W. — Known. In practice. C.
*H He shall cry to me, and I will hear him: I am with him in tribulation, I will deliver him, and I will glorify him.
Ver. 15. Tribulation. The just are not exempt from it. — Glorify him, with eternal salvation.
* Summa
*S Part 2, Ques 2, Article 3
[I-II, Q. 2, Art. 3]
Whether Man's Happiness Consists in Fame or Glory?
Objection 1: It would seem that man's happiness consists in glory. For happiness seems to consist in that which is paid to the saints for the trials they have undergone in the world. But this is glory: for the Apostle says (Rom. 8:18): "The sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come, that shall be revealed in us." Therefore happiness consists in glory.
Obj. 2: Further, good is diffusive of itself, as stated by Dionysius (Div. Nom. iv). But man's good is spread abroad in the knowledge of others by glory more than by anything else: since, according to Ambrose [*Augustine, Contra Maxim. Arian. ii. 13], glory consists "in being well known and praised." Therefore man's happiness consists in glory.
Obj. 3: Further, happiness is the most enduring good. Now this seems to be fame or glory; because by this men attain to eternity after a fashion. Hence Boethius says (De Consol. ii): "You seem to beget unto yourselves eternity, when you think of your fame in future time." Therefore man's happiness consists in fame or glory.
_On the contrary,_ Happiness is man's true good. But it happens that fame or glory is false: for as Boethius says (De Consol. iii), "many owe their renown to the lying reports spread among the people. Can anything be more shameful? For those who receive false fame, must needs blush at their own praise." Therefore man's happiness does not consist in fame or glory.
_I answer that,_ Man's happiness cannot consist in human fame or glory. For glory consists "in being well known and praised," as Ambrose [*Augustine, Contra Maxim. Arian. ii, 13] says. Now the thing known is related to human knowledge otherwise than to God's knowledge: for human knowledge is caused by the things known, whereas God's knowledge is the cause of the things known. Wherefore the perfection of human good, which is called happiness, cannot be caused by human knowledge: but rather human knowledge of another's happiness proceeds from, and, in a fashion, is caused by, human happiness itself, inchoate or perfect. Consequently man's happiness cannot consist in fame or glory. On the other hand, man's good depends on God's knowledge as its cause. And therefore man's beatitude depends, as on its cause, on the glory which man has with God; according to Ps. 90:15, 16: "I will deliver him, and I will glorify him; I will fill him with length of days, and I will show him my salvation."
Furthermore, we must observe that human knowledge often fails, especially in contingent singulars, such as are human acts. For this reason human glory is frequently deceptive. But since God cannot be deceived, His glory is always true; hence it is written (2 Cor. 10:18): "He . . . is approved . . . whom God commendeth."
Reply Obj. 1: The Apostle speaks, then, not of the glory which is with men, but of the glory which is from God, with His Angels. Hence it is written (Mk. 8:38): "The Son of Man shall confess him in the glory of His Father, before His angels" [*St. Thomas joins Mk. 8:38 with Luke 12:8 owing to a possible variant in his text, or to the fact that he was quoting from memory].
Reply Obj. 2: A man's good which, through fame or glory, is in the knowledge of many, if this knowledge be true, must needs be derived from good existing in the man himself: and hence it presupposes perfect or inchoate happiness. But if the knowledge be false, it does not harmonize with the thing: and thus good does not exist in him who is looked upon as famous. Hence it follows that fame can nowise make man happy.
Reply Obj. 3: Fame has no stability; in fact, it is easily ruined by false report. And if sometimes it endures, this is by accident. But happiness endures of itself, and for ever. ________________________
FOURTH
*H I will fill him with length of days; and I will shew him my salvation.
Ver. 16. Days. Eternity alone can satisfy the heart. — Salvation. Or Jesus, who promised to manifest himself. Jo. xiv. 21. 25. Bert. — Abraham saw him afar off; Simeon at hand. Jo. viii. 56. Lu. ii. 30. God insures the just a long life in this world, and an eternal one in the next. C. — That life is long enough which ends in happiness. H.