Book 21 Psalms (continued 1)
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Kings over her... That is, pastors and rulers over his church, viz., the apostles and their successors. Then by their ministry shall men be made whiter than the snow which lies on the top of the high mountain Selmon.
67:16. The mountain of God is a fat mountain. A curdled mountain, a fat mountain.
The mountain of God... The church, which, Isa. 2.2, is called The mountain of the house of the Lord upon the top of mountains. It is here called a fat and a curdled mountain; that is to say, most fruitful, and enriched by the spiritual gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost.
67:17. Why suspect, ye curdled mountains? A mountain in which God is well pleased to dwell: for there the Lord shall dwell unto the end.
Why suspect, ye curdled mountains?... Why do you suppose or imagine there may be any other such curdled mountains? You are mistaken: the mountain thus favoured by God is but one; and this same he has chosen for his dwelling for ever.
67:18. The chariot of God is attended by ten thousands; thousands of them that rejoice: the Lord is among them in Sina, in the holy place.
The chariot of God... Descending to give his law on mount Sina: as also of Jesus Christ his Son, ascending into heaven, to send from thence the Holy Ghost, to publish his new law, is attended with ten thousands, that is, with an innumerable multitude of joyful angels.
67:19. Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive; thou hast received gifts in men. Yea for those also that do not believe, the dwelling of the Lord God.
Led captivity captive... Carrying away with thee to heaven those who before had been the captives of Satan; and receiving from God the Father gifts to be distributed to men; even to those who were before unbelievers.
67:20. Blessed be the Lord day by day: the God of our salvation will make our journey prosperous to us.
67:21. Our God is the God of salvation: and of the Lord, of the Lord are the issues from death.
The issues from death... The Lord alone is master of the issues, by which we may escape from death.
67:22. But God shall break the heads of his enemies: the hairy crown of them that walk on in their sins.
67:23. The Lord said: I will turn them from Basan, I will turn them into the depth of the sea:
I will turn them from Basan, etc... I will cast out my enemies from their rich possessions, signified by Basan, a fruitful country; and I will drive them into the depth of the sea: and make such a slaughter of them, that the feet of my servants may be dyed in their blood, etc.
67:24. That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thy enemies; the tongue of thy dogs be red with the same.
67:25. They have seen thy goings, O God, the goings of my God: of my king who is in his sanctuary.
Thy goings... Thy ways, thy proceedings, by which thou didst formerly take possession of the promised land in favour of thy people; and shalt afterwards of the whole world, which thou shalt subdue to thy Son.
67:26. Princes went before joined with singers, in the midst of young damsels playing on timbrels.
Princes... The apostles, the first converters of nations; attended by numbers of perfect souls, singing the divine praises, and virgins consecrated to God.
67:27. In the churches bless ye God the Lord, from the fountains of Israel.
From the fountains of Israel... From whom both Christ and his apostles sprung. By Benjamin, the holy fathers on this place understand St. Paul, who was of that tribe, named here a youth, because he was the last called to the apostleship. By the princes of Juda, Zabulon, and Nephthali, we may understand the other apostles, who were of the tribe of Juda; or of the tribes of Zabulon, and Nephthali, where our Lord began to preach, Matt. 4.13, etc.
67:28. There is Benjamin a youth, in ecstasy of mind. The princes of Juda are their leaders: the princes of Zabulon, the princes of Nephthali.
67:29. Command thy strength, O God confirm, O God, what thou hast wrought in us.
Command thy strength.. Give orders that thy strength may be always with us.
67:30. From thy temple in Jerusalem, kings shall offer presents to thee.
67:31. Rebuke the wild beasts of the reeds, the congregation of bulls with the kine of the people; who seek to exclude them who are tried with silver. Scatter thou the nations that delight in wars:
Rebuke the wild beasts of the reeds... or the wild beasts, which lie hid in the reeds. That is, the devils, who hide themselves in order to surprise their prey. Or by wild beasts, are here understood persecutors, who, for all their attempts against the Church, are but as weak reeds, which cannot prevail against them who are supported by the strength of the Almighty. The same are also called the congregation of bulls (from their rage against the Church) who assemble together all their kine, that is, the people their subjects, to exclude if they can, from Christ and his inheritance, his constant confessors, who are like silver tried by fire.
67:32. Ambassadors shall come out of Egypt: Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands to God.
Ambassadors shall come, etc... It is a prophecy of the conversion of the Gentiles, and by name of the Egyptians and Ethiopians.
67:33. Sing to God, ye kingdoms of the earth: sing ye to the Lord: Sing ye to God,
67:34. Who mounteth above the heaven of heavens, to the east. Behold he will give to his voice the voice of power:
To the east... From mount Olivet, which is on the east side of Jerusalem.-Ibid. The voice of power... That is, he will make his voice to be a powerful voice: by calling from death to life, such as were dead in mortal sin: as at the last day he will by the power of his voice call all the dead from their graves.
67:35. Give ye glory to God for Israel, his magnificence, and his power is in the clouds.
67:36. God is wonderful in his saints: the God of Israel is he who will give power and strength to his people. Blessed be God.
Psalms Chapter 68
Salvum me fac, Deus.
Christ in his passion declareth the greatness of his sufferings, and the malice of his persecutors the Jews; and foretelleth their reprobation.
68:1. Unto the end, for them that shall be changed; for David.
For them that shall be changed... A psalm for Christian converts, to remember the passion of Christ.