Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary: Psalm 9 (Confitebor Tibi Domine)
Ver. 3. [or 24.] Blessed by flatterers, while his is full of himself also, as the Hebrew insinuates. (Calmet) --- "The miser, applauding himself, has blasphemed the Lord. The wicked in the height of his fury will not seek, nor is God in all his thoughts." (Haydock) --- This is more energetic, and encourages us to study the original. The worldling wishes there were no God; or banishes him from his thoughts as much as possible. (Berthier)
Ver. 4. [or 25.] Seek to regain his favour, (Worthington; Menochius) or rather (Haydock) he flatters himself that God will not punish him, ver. 13(34). (Calmet) --- Multum irascitur, dum non exquirit. (St. Augustine) See Psalm xxxv. 5.
Ver. 5. [or 26.] Filthy. Hebrew, "as one in labour." He can enjoy no ease. Chaldean, "his ways are prosperous." Junius, "paved." (Calmet) --- Removed. Hebrew, "height itself before him, he will blow upon all his enemies." This more forcibly denotes his violence and scorn. (Berthier) (Acts ix. 1.) (Menochius) --- He ruleth for a time, and supposeth that his dominion will never have an end, and that he will enjoy constant happiness. (Worthington)
Ver. 6. [or 27.] Evil. Always happy, or as the Hebrew, Chaldean, &c., may signify, "I shall not desist from evil." (Calmet) --- I will gratify my passions. Who dares to oppose me? (A.[Haydock?]) --- The pride of Nabuchodonosor is known, Daniel iv. 19., &c.
Ver. 7. [or 28.] Sorrow. Which he prepares for others, and yet feels himself. (Calmet) --- Etiam ad perniciem laboratur. (St. Augustine) --- To gain hell requires some trouble. (Haydock) --- The wicked is his own executioner. (Calmet)
Ver. 8. [or 29.] Rich. St. Jerome, "in the porches," is equivalent. Moderns translate, "villages," which Houbigant would change for a word signifying "ditches," without necessity. (Berthier)
Ver. 9. [or 30.] Poor. "His eyes look round the strong," for aid; or "the poor," (Protestants) for destruction. See ver. 14(35).
Ver. 10. [or 31.] Fall. Protestants, "and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones." (Haydock) --- He imitates the lion in the fable, which feigned sickness. (Horace, ep.) --- But the Vulgate gives a better sense. (Calmet) --- "He will bring under the broken, (poor) and will rush on violently with all his power." St. Jerome here explains chelecaim, valenter, instead of "the poor;" (Haydock) as some of the Greek interpreters must have done, if it be true that his version is formed on the plan of the Hexapla, of a mere selection from Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion, as Houbigant asserts, (Pref.) in order to confute the Jews. (Haydock)
Ver. 11. [or 32.] End. God delays for a time; but he will punish. (Calmet) --- Religion lays open all the sophisms of infidelity. (Berthier)
Ver. 14. [or 35.] Sorrow. Thou punishest with pain. (St. Augustine) --- Thou beholdest all the iniquity which is committed, (Calmet) but waitest until the measure be full. (St. Chrysostom) --- Terrible delay! --- Poor. St. Jerome, "art left thy strong ones," who distrust in themselves, and rely on thee. (Haydock) --- Others explain cheleca, "poor and weak." (Parkhurst) --- Cheleca only occurs here and [in] ver. 9(30), 10(31). Protestants, "the poor committeth himself to thee." (Haydock)
Ver. 15. [or 36.] Found. When the means of sinning are withdrawn, he will repent; (Sts. Chrysostom, Augustine; Isaias xxviii. 19.) or it is a sort of irony: he will see whether, as he said, God will take no notice, ver. 4(25). (Calmet) --- He shall be utterly exterminated, Psalm xxxvi. (Menochius) --- No vestige of his magnificent works, founded on injustice, shall remain. (Haydock)
Ver. 16. [or 37.] Shall. Or Hebrew, "have perished." In the prophetic style, things to come are spoken of as past, on account of their certainty. (Berthier) --- The wicked shall not appear in the kingdom of God, to pollute his earth. (Haydock) --- Ye nations which have seized the promised land, expect not to keep possession. If God suffer the sinner for a while, it is because he is eternal, so that he will never let him escape. (Calmet)
Ver. 17. [or 38.] The. Hebrew, "Thou, Lord, hast heard the desire of the humble. Thou wilt prepare their heart; thou wilt cause thine ear to hear." (Protestants; Haydock) --- Luther seems to have altered the text in his German version, in order to establish his error of the certitude of salvation; "their heart is sure that thine ear hath heard." The Hebrew intimates that God prepares the heart for all good. (Berthier) --- He hears before his servants cry out, (Isaias lxv. 24.) since his spirit inspires the petitions, Romans viii. 26., and Galatians iv. 6. (Calmet) --- The cry of the heart is charity, amore petitur. (St. Augustine, Mor. Ecc.) --- The just man is always ready to suffer whatever God may appoint. (Worthington)
Ver. 18. or 39. Earth. St. Jerome is more expressive, "that the man of earth may by no means cherish pride any longer." Though he may be the greatest monarch, he is but man, dust and corruption, ver. 21. (Haydock) --- Christ, who shewed himself wonderful in humility at his birth, (ver. 1.) will display his power at the last day, by giving sentence against the wicked, and by exalting his servants. (Worthington)
Bible Text & Cross-references:
The church praiseth God for his protection against her enemies.
1 Unto the end, for the hidden things of the son. A psalm for David.
2 I will give praise to thee, O Lord, with my whole heart: I will relate all thy wonders.
3 I will be glad, and rejoice in thee: I will sing to thy name, O thou most high.
4 When my enemy shall be turned back: they shall be weakened, and perish before thy face.
5 For thou hast maintained my judgment and my cause: thou hast sat on the throne, who judgest justice.
6 Thou hast rebuked the Gentiles, and the wicked one hath perished; thou hast blotted out their name for ever and ever.
7 The swords of the enemy have failed unto the end: and their cities thou hast destroyed.
Their memory hath perished with a noise: 8 But the Lord remaineth for ever.
He hath prepared his throne in judgment: 9 and he shall judge the world in equity, he shall judge the people in justice.
10 And the Lord is become a refuge for the poor: a helper in due time in tribulation.
11 And let them trust in thee who know thy name: for thou hast not forsaken them that seek thee, O Lord.
12 Sing ye to the Lord, who dwelleth in Sion: declare his ways among the Gentiles:
13 For requiring their blood, he hath remembered them: he hath not forgotten the cry of the poor.
14 Have mercy on me, O Lord: see my humiliation which I suffer from my enemies.
15 Thou that liftest me up from the gates of death, that I may declare all thy praises in the gates of the daughter of Sion.
16 I will rejoice in thy salvation: the Gentiles have stuck fast in the destruction which they prepared.
Their foot hath been taken in the very snare which they hid.
17 The Lord shall be known when he executeth judgments: the sinner hath been caught in the works of his own hands.
18 The wicked shall be turned into hell, all the nations that forget God.
19 For the poor man shall not be forgotten to the end: the patience of the poor shall not perish for ever.
20 Arise, O Lord, let not man be strengthened: let the Gentiles be judged in thy sight.
21 Appoint, O Lord, a lawgiver over them: that the Gentiles may know themselves to be but men.
[The Hebrews divide the psalm in two here.]
(Psalm x. according to the Hebrews.)
1(22) Why, O Lord, hast thou retired afar off? why dost thou slight us in our wants, in the time of trouble?
2(23) Whilst the wicked man is proud, the poor is set on fire: they are caught in the counsels which they devise.
3(24) For the sinner is praised in the desires of his soul: and the unjust man is blessed.
4(25) The sinner hath provoked the Lord, according to the multitude of his wrath, he will not seek him:
5(26) God is not before his eyes: his ways are filthy at all times.
Thy judgments are removed from his sight: he shall rule over all his enemies.
6(27) For he hath said in his heart: I shall not be moved from generation to generation, and shall be without evil.
7(28) *His mouth is full of cursing, and of bitterness, and of deceit: under his tongue are labour and sorrow.
8(29) He sitteth in ambush with the rich, in private places, that he may kill the innocent.
9(30) His eyes are upon the poor man: he lieth in wait, in secret, like a lion in his den.
He lieth in ambush, that he may catch the poor man: to catch the poor, whilst he draweth him to him.
10(31) In his net he will bring him down, he will crouch and fall, when he shall have power over the poor.
11(32) For he hath said in his heart: God hath forgotten, he hath turned away his face, not to see to the end.
12(33) Arise, O Lord God, let thy hand be exalted: forget not the poor.
13(34) Wherefore hath the wicked provoked God? for he hath said in his heart: He will not require it.
14(35) Thou seest it, for thou considerest labour and sorrow: that thou mayst deliver them into thy hands.
To thee is the poor man left: thou wilt be a helper to the orphan.
15(36) Break thou the arm of the sinner and of the malignant: his sin shall be sought, and shall not be found.
16(37) The Lord shall reign to eternity, yea, for ever and ever: ye Gentiles shall perish from his land.
17(38) The Lord hath heard the desire of the poor: thy ear hath heard the preparation of their heart.
18(39) To judge for the fatherless and for the humble, that man may no more presume to magnify himself upon earth.
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