Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary: Psalm 118 (Beati Imaculati)
Ver. 141. Young. The Fathers explain this of David, who was preferred before his brothers; and of the Gentiles, who were chosen by Jesus Christ. (Worthington) --- It may refer to Daniel, who was enabled to prophesy very soon, or to the disciples, for whom this psalm was composed, (Calmet) whether Solomon, or any of the faithful. (Berthier) --- The just are often judged to be ignorant by the worldly wise; but they follow the law, the true wisdom. (Worthington)
Ver. 143. Trouble. Such is the portion of the just, Romans v. 3. --- Meditation. Hebrew, "joy." (Symmachus) (Calmet) --- The sense is the same. Septuagint generally give the former meaning, as they render by seeking what moderns would restrain to signify observing, ver. 145, &c. (Berthier)
Ver. 144. Live. In justice, as thy law enjoins. (Worthington) --- Christ is the life. (Berthier)
Ver. 145. Cried. With requisite fervour, (Worthington) and attention. (St. Augustine)
Ver. 147. The. Literally, "in maturity." Some think that we should read immaturitate, aoria, (St. Augustine) "in the dead of the night." The psalmist not only rose at midnight, but before sun-rise to meditate. (Haydock) --- Kimchi says, he only indulged sleep the first three hours. But others believe, that he arose in the third and last watch, ver. 148. (Calmet) --- He got up before the ordinary time, and prayed with earnestness. (Worthington) --- St. Ambrose encourages people to come early to the church, to offer the first-fruits of their hearts, and voice to God; (Calmet) and St. Augustine informs us, that such was the practice of St. Monica. (Confessions ix. 7.) You are not in a higher station than the holy king who said, I rose, &c., ver. 22. (St. Chrysostom, ser. 42. ad pop.) (Berthier)
Ver. 148. Morning. Both night and morning, I prevented the usual hours of prayer. (Worthington) --- To thee, is not in Hebrew, "my eyes prevented the watches." (Haydock)
Ver. 149. Judgment. Or wonted mercy. (Worthington)
Ver. 150. Law. There is no medium between faith and infidelity. If we do not observe the law, we sin. Not to advance is to go back. (Calmet) --- Shall we hesitate whether to follow the narrow or the broad road? (Berthier)
Ver. 151. Near. To reward or punish. We wander from thee, yet there is no place between. (St. Augustine, [Confessions?] x. 26, 27.) (Berthier) --- God is ever ready to hear our just requests. (Worthington) --- His law may be easily known, Deuteronomy xxx. 11. (Calmet)
Ver. 152. Ever. God's law is always the same in substance. (Worthington) --- That of Moses receives its perfection in Christianity. (Calmet) --- Though after this life we can no longer observe them, the reward of our past virtue will remain for ever. (Berthier)
Ver. 153. Humiliation. Or "humility," as St. Augustine understands it of that virtue. (Calmet)
Ver. 155. Sinners. Such cannot expect to be liberated. (Calmet) --- Yet, as the captivity was fixed for seventy years, and many who were almost ignorant of the law, and had married strange wives, returned, this verse overturns that system, and shews that eternal salvation is meant. (Berthier)
Ver. 157. Many. The Babylonians on one hand, and false brethren on the other, attack me: but I am grieved most to see God offended. (Calmet) --- All the earth is stained with the blood of martyrs, whom the Church honours with festivals, and whose intercession heals many sick. (St. Augustine)
Ver. 158. Transgressors. Septuagint, "fools," asunetountas. If o were placed before e, the exact meaning of the Hebrew would be preserved, though the wicked are often styled fools. (Haydock) --- The prevaricating Jews are here designated, ver. 136. (Calmet)
Ver. 159. Behold. A person may profess his innocence without arrogance.
Ver. 160. Truth. Hence all such commandments are immutable. (Worthington) --- The threats of God have been put in execution, and we cannot doubt but the promised liberation will soon take place. (Calmet)
Ver. 161. Princes. Of darkness, or the chiefs of the Philistines, &c. (Berthier) --- Daniel was much exposed to the fury of the Babylonian princes, but he was more afraid of the terrors of the law, (Leviticus xxvi.) than of all that they could do against him. (Calmet) --- Thus the martyrs despised the threats of tyrants. (St. Augustine) --- Cause. The powerful men of this world have no just reason to persecute the just, nor can they make them abandon virtue. (Worthington) --- St. Basil answered Valens with great intrepidity, shewing how little he apprehended what the emperor could take from him, as we read in St. Gregory of Nazianzus (or. 20.) who says, (or. 6.) let us fear only one thing, which is, to fear any person more than God. (Berthier)
Ver. 162. Spoil. Having just mentioned fear; lest any should think that he entertained any secret dislike for the law; he adds, that it gives him more content than the greatest treasures or conquests can the miser or the hero, ver. 14, 72, and 127. (Calmet) --- He rejoiceth thus in keeping the commandments, how difficult soever they may be. (Worthington)
Ver. 163. Iniquity. Hebrew, "lying." The Babylonians have attempted to draw me over to their false religion; but I perceive its vanity, (Calmet) and stick closer to the truth, (Haydock; ver. 85.) and to thy holy law. (Calmet)
Ver. 164. Seven. Often, (Worthington) as the word signifies, Proverbs xxiv. 16., &c. (Vatable) --- Yet here it may determine the precise number, as the Church seems to have taken it, by instituting the seven canonical hours of the day, and matins and lauds for the night, in imitation of the psalmist. (Berthier; ver. 147) --- R. Solomon understands it literally, prescribing prayer twice before the reading of the decalogue, and once after in the morning; and in the afternoon, twice before and after the same lecture. The Church has enjoined matins to be said at night, lauds in the morning, prime, tierce, sext, none, vespers and complin, in the course of the day. (St. Benedict, reg. 8., and 16.) (Calmet) --- This ecclesiastical office consists of hymns, psalms, &c. (St. Isidore) --- Against it some have risen up, particularly against that part which was said in the night, pretending that God had made the night for rest; and hence they were called nuctazontes, or "drowsy" heretics. (St. Isidore, Of. i. 22.) --- St. Jerome styles Vigilantius Dormitantius, for the same reason; as if it were better to sleep than to watch. Wycliff (Wald. iii. Tit. iii. 21.) and Luther have oppugned the same holy practice, though it be so conformable to Scripture and to the fathers. (St. Basil, reg. fus. 37.; St. Gregory, dial. iii. 14.; Ven. Bede, Hist. iv. 7., &c.) --- St. Clement, as many suppose, (Worthington) or at least some author before the fourth century, (Haydock) explains the reason why we should pray at these set times; but cautions us not to join with heretics, neither in the Church nor at home. (Apostolic Constitutions viii. 40.) --- For what society is there between light and darkness? (2 Corinthians vi.) St. Cyprian, (or. Dom.) St. Jerome, (ep. ad Eust.) and St. Augustine (ser. 55. de Temp.) mention several of these hours, and exhort the faithful to be diligent in attending these public prayers. (Worthington)
Ver. 165. Peace, in their own conscience, (Worthington) and prosperity, without fear of danger. Not even death can disturb those who belong to God, Romans viii. 38. (Calmet) --- But all things work together for their good, Romans viii. 28. (Haydock) --- The perfect are not moved to imitate bad example, and the weak are not excused for so doing, as they ought to be constant. (Worthington) --- The virtuous man is neither scandalized at the law, though he may not understand it perfectly, nor at the fall of those who had been most eminent for sanctity. (St. Augustine)
Ver. 166. Loved. Hebrew, &c., "performed." (Calmet) --- The difference is but small. (Berthier) --- He is actuated by real charity. (Worthington)
Ver. 168. Sight, whom I would not offend. (Worthington) --- The presence of God ought to deter us most effectually from sin. (Haydock) (Titus ii. 13.)
Ver. 169. Supplication. Hebrew, "cry." Eusebius reads axioma, "dignity," which St. Ambrose thinks has been substituted for axiosis, "prayer;" though all our copies of the Septuagint have deesis, (Calmet) a word of the same import. (Haydock)
Ver. 171. A hymn. Hebrew also, "praise." (Haydock) --- Like a spring sending forth a copious stream. (Calmet)
Ver. 173. Save me. Though a person be endued with grace, he requireth more grace to resist temptations. (Worthington) --- Actual grace is requisite. (Haydock)
Ver. 175. Live in grace and glory. To serve God, it was not requisite that one should be at Jerusalem. Daniel, Tobias, &c., were saints elsewhere. (Berthier) --- Yet it was more easy to worship God in his temple, where every thing moved to piety; (Haydock) and this the psalmist desires, deeming it a new life. (Calmet)
Ver. 176. Lost. I am in captivity. (Calmet) --- All men have been involved in sin, and Christ came to save them; but only such as keep the law will obtain salvation. (Worthington) --- The conclusion contains a confession of misery in the name of all, and an allusion to Christ, the good shepherd. The prophet admits that notwithstanding his love of the law, he may have still many ways transgressed; and that without faith in the Messias, he could not belong to his fold, or escape the many dangers of the world, 1 Corinthians iv. 4., and ix. 27. (Berthier) --- Seek. St. Hilary and some Greek copies have read incorrectly "quicken." (Calmet)
Bible Text & Cross-references:
Of the excellence of virtue, consisting in the love and observance of the commandments of God.
1 Alleluia.