Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary: Psalm 67 (Exurgat Deus)
Ver. 30. From. Symmachus For. Kings shall reverence the temple, which David foresaw would be shortly erected; or, "with greater magnificence, than in the temple of Jerusalem, kings shall offer gifts to thee," (Deschamps) which clearly refers to the Messias. (Berthier) --- "As soon as thy temples shall be," &c. Under Solomon, many kings became tributary, and at the preaching of the gospel, emperors submitted to Christ. (Calmet) --- They have contributed to adorn the Church, (Isaias lx., and lxvi.) where God is praised with the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and the virtues of penance and prayer. (Menochius)
Ver. 31. 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 assembled 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. (Challoner) --- Symmachus nearly agrees with this version: "Rebuke the wild beasts." Yet most render the Hebrew in the singular, to denote the chief of the enemies, (Haydock) particularly the devil, who dwells with the vain and luxurious, (Bellarmine) being Behemoth, in Job xl. 16., (Menochius) and the old serpent, (Haydock) as he probably lay concealed, among the shrubs of Paradise, when he tempted our first parents. (Berthier) --- It refers literally to the kings of Egypt, and of Ethiopia, who might be solicited to make war on David, by the Philistines. Pharao is often called a dragon, (Ezechiel xxix. 3.) as his officers, or the princes "of Chus," may be styled bulls. They shall be forced to submit, ver. 32. (Calmet) --- To exclude. Hebrew, "trampling upon," (Berthier) or "boasting of their pieces of silver," (Montanus) which is so common among them, 3 Kings x. 27. (Haydock) --- The Egyptians even adorned their sandals with it. (Clem. Ped. ii. 11.) --- The soldiers of Antiochus had mostly gold nails in their shoes. (Val. Max. ix. 2.) (Calmet) --- Houbigant proposes some alterations, and translates, "Keep down the beast of the reed, the collection of the strong, as also the chariots of the people, which run quickly on silver wheels." All the versions tend to shew the fury and insolence of the enemy against God's people. (Berthier) --- Tried. Protestants, "till every one submit himself with pieces of silver." (Haydock)
Ver. 32. Ambassadors shall come, &c. It is a prophecy of the conversion of the Gentiles, and by name of the Egyptians and Ethiopians, (Challoner) who were among the first converts, Isaias xix. 9., Sophonias iii. 10., and Acts viii. 27. --- Ambassadors. Hebrew chashmannim occurs no where else. But it denotes some people in authority, and seems to have the same import as "the Asmonean." --- Ethiopia, comprises the country on both sides of the Red Sea, as well as that below Egypt, and on the Araxes. This prediction was accomplished, when Solomon married the daughter of Pharao, and was visited by the queen of Saba. But it was more fully verified by the propagation of the gospel, (Calmet) when many in Egypt became monks and nuns. (Worthington)
Ver. 33-34. Sing ye to God, is rejected by St. Jerome; but defended by St. Hilary, &c. It seems proper to connect the former sentence after Selah, (Berthier) or may be added instead, to express applause. (Haydock) --- East. From Mount Olivet, which is on the east side of Jerusalem. (Challoner) --- God fills all places, ver. 5., and Deuteronomy xxxiii. 26. (Calmet) --- Religion has gone westward, but will return to the east, Apocalypse xvi. (Tirinus) --- 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. (Challoner) --- He will come to judge with great majesty, (Worthington) and his thunder shall resound, as well as the last trumpet, 1 Corinthians xv. 52.
Ver. 35. For Israel. Altering the stops, we might translate, "over Israel appears his magnificence;" (Berthier) agreeably to Hebrew, St. Augustine, &c. (Calmet)
Ver. 36. Saints, or sanctuary. Hebrew literally, "thou art terrible, O God, from thy holy places." (Montanus) --- Yet Pagnin retains, "in his holy," &c. The tabernacle, or temple, (ver. 30.) and the ark, were esteemed the bulwarks of Israel. There God was pleased to grant his people's requests more easily, to encourage public worship. (Haydock) --- The sanctification of the faithful is a miracle of God. (Calmet) --- They may justly be styled his sanctuaries. --- People. Adorning his elect with immortality. (Menochius)
Bible Text & Cross-references:
The glorious establishment of the Church of the New Testament, prefigured by the benefits bestowed on the people of Israel.
1 Unto the end, a psalm of a canticle for David himself.
2 Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered: and let them that hate him flee from before his face.
3 As smoke vanisheth, so let them vanish away; as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
4 And let the just feast, and rejoice before God: and be delighted with gladness.
5 Sing ye to God, sing a psalm to his name: make a way for him who ascendeth upon the west: the Lord is his name.
Rejoice ye before him: but the wicked shall be troubled at his presence, 6 who is the father of orphans, and the judge of widows.
God in his holy place:
7 God who maketh men of one manner to dwell in a house:
Who bringeth out them that were bound in strength; in like manner them that provoke, that dwell in sepulchres.
8 O God, when thou didst go forth in the sight of thy people, when thou didst pass through the desert:
9 The earth was moved, and the heavens dropped at the presence of the God of Sinai, at the presence of the God of Israel.
10 Thou shalt set aside for thy inheritance a free rain, O God: and it was weakened, but thou hast made it perfect.
11 In it shall thy animals dwell; in thy sweetness, O God, thou hast provided for the poor.
12 The Lord shall give the word to them that preach good tidings with great power.
13 The king of powers is of the beloved, of the beloved; and the beauty of the house shall divide spoils.
14 If you sleep among the midst of lots, you shall be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and the hinder parts of her back with the paleness of gold.
15 When he that is in heaven appointeth kings over her, they shall be whited with snow in Selmon.
16 The mountain of God is a fat mountain.
A curdled mountain, a fat mountain. 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.
18 The chariot of God is attended by ten thousands; thousands of them that rejoice: the Lord is among them in Sinai, in the holy place.
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.
20 Blessed be the Lord day by day: the God of our salvation will make our journey prosperous to us.
21 Our God is the God of salvation: and of the Lord, of the Lord are the issues from death.
22 But God shall break the heads of his enemies: the hairy crown of them that walk on in their sins.
23 The Lord said: I will turn them from Basan, I will turn them into the depth of the sea.
24 That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thy enemies: the tongue of thy dogs be red with the same.
25 They have seen thy goings, O God, the goings of my God: of my king who is in his sanctuary.
26 Princes went before joined with singers, in the midst of young damsels playing on timbrels.
27 In the churches bless ye God the Lord, from the fountains of Israel.
28 There is Benjamin a youth, in ecstacy of mind.
The princes of Juda are their leaders: the princes of Zabulon, the princes of Nephthali.
29 Command thy strength, O God: confirm, O God, what thou hast wrought in us.
30 From thy temple in Jerusalem, kings shall offer presents to thee.
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: 32 ambassadors shall come out of Egypt: Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands to God.
33 Sing to God, ye kingdoms of the earth: sing ye to the Lord:
Sing ye to God, 34 who mounteth above the heaven of heavens, to the east.
Behold he will give to his voice the voice of power, 35 give ye glory to God, for Israel, his magnificence, and his power is in the clouds.
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.