Bible in 90 Days

Footnotes

1. Psalm 25:1 One admires the inner quality of the righteous man who addresses himself to God in this alphabetical psalm. He does not believe that he is totally innocent. He takes false steps and deserves his wretchedness and his isolation because of his sins. His confession testifies to much uprightness and honesty. It is the attitude of a humble person who knows he is loved by God and trusts in him; he hopes to receive pardon, counsel, and assistance from the Lord. The theme of this beautiful prayer is given in the cry of hope in verses 1-2, which the Liturgy puts on the lips of Christians at the beginning of Advent.
   In praying this psalm, we can dwell on the fact that in his unfailing love God is pleased to lead us back to the right path when we go astray and to keep us on it. Christ gives us salvation through the remission of sins (see Lk 1:77-79).
2. Psalm 25:1 Prayer for relief from distress and the ensuing slander from one’s foes.
3. Psalm 25:4 Prayer for guidance and pardon. Your ways: that is, “your commandments” (see Pss 27:11; 86:11; 128:1; 143:8). Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5.
4. Psalm 25:8 Trust in the Lord’s covenant blessings.
5. Psalm 25:10 Ways of the Lord: God’s manner of dealing kindly with those who remain faithful to the covenant (see Pss 103:7; 138:5). See also Ps 85:10; Gen 32:10; Deut 33:9; and Paul’s magnificent summary in Rom 8:28: “We know that God makes all things work together for good for those who love him.”
6. Psalm 25:11 Name: see note on Ps 5:12.
7. Psalm 25:12 The path he should choose: or “the path chosen for him.”
8. Psalm 25:13 Inherit the land: according to the teaching of the sages, God rewards the righteous here below by bestowing on them earthly goods that he withholds from the wicked (see Ps 37:9, 29; Prov 19:23). To this is added the returned exiles’ hope for the enjoyment of the land of their ancestors (see Isa 57:13; 60:21; 65:9).
9. Psalm 25:14 The Lord manifests himself to those who fear him: some translations have “The Lord manifests his secret to those who fear him,” which is to be understood as divine intimacy and friendship (see Ps 73:28; Ex 33:11; Job 29:4; Prov 3:32; Jn 15:5) united with the understanding of divine things (see Jer 16:21; 31:34; Hos 6:6).
10. Psalm 25:16 Renewed prayer for relief from distress and foes.
11. Psalm 25:17 Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
12. Psalm 25:22 Concluding prayer on behalf of all God’s people. Redeem: i.e., “deliver.”
13. Psalm 26:1 This psalm is a prayer for God’s discerning mercies to spare his faithful servant from the death that overtakes the wicked. In the psalms of supplication, we often hear this protestation from those accused who call upon God to bear witness to their innocence. The prayer that we now read is perhaps that of a Levite, but certainly of a man who loves the life of the temple. He is very sure of his rectitude in the face of others’ accusations. Possibly he is also quite conscious of the faults that everyone has in his life.
    He teaches us a great certainty: it is better to throw ourselves upon the judgment of God than to let ourselves be crushed by the judgment of others. This believer, who is at ease to praise the Lord in the temple, loves a clear and decided fidelity. Who would fail to be attracted by such a desire for uprightness and sincerity before God!
    In praying this psalm, we can recall that since we share by faith and Baptism in the mystery of Christ dead and risen, our old self has been crucified with Christ so that the sinful body might be destroyed and we might cease to be enslaved by sin. Divested of our old nature and invested with the new nature of Christ who becomes all in all (see Col 3:9-11), we share in his holiness and irreproachable innocence before God, being purified from all injustice (see Rom 8:1; 1 Jn 1:9).
14. Psalm 26:3 Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5.
15. Psalm 26:6 Wash my hands in innocence: a liturgical action (see Ex 30:19, 21; 40:31f), which symbolized both inner and outer cleanliness (see Isa 1:16). Those who come to God must have “clean hands and a pure heart” (Ps 24:4). Around your altar: celebrating God’s saving acts beside his altar was regarded as a public act of devotion in which assembled worshipers could be invited to participate (see Ps 43:5).
16. Psalm 26:7 Proclaiming . . . wondrous deeds: see note on Ps 9:2.
17. Psalm 26:8 Where your glory resides: the presence of God’s glory meant the presence of God himself (see Ex 24:16; 33:22). His glory dwelt in the tabernacle (see Ex 40:35) and later in the temple (see 1 Ki 8:11). John 1:14 places that same presence in the Word made flesh who “dwelt among us.”
18. Psalm 26:9 A premature death was a divine chastisement (see Pss 5:7; 28:4; 55:24).
19. Psalm 26:12 Level ground: where there is safety and no danger of falling. Assembly: worshiping at the sanctuary (as in Pss 1:5; 22:26; 35:18; 40:10f; 111:1; 149:1).
20. Psalm 27:1 Although enemies or the difficulties of existence may be multiplied, the believer finds a sure refuge in God—such is the cry of trust that opens this psalm. Then the movement of the prayer deepens, becoming the search and avid desire for God. It is in the temple that one discovers the presence of the Lord in the sacrifice, chant, supplication, and the law. If such a search becomes necessary for life, will not God be present to his most forsaken and pressured servant?
    In praying this psalm, we can place a similar confidence in God and the Lord Jesus, one capable of enabling us to overcome all adversity and death itself.
21. Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light: “light” often symbolizes happiness and well-being (see Pss 18:29; 36:10; 43:3; 97:11) or life and salvation (see Isa 9:2; 49:6; 58:8; Jer 13:16; Am 5:18-20), whose source is the Lord (see Isa 10:17; Mic 7:8f).
22. Psalm 27:2 To devour my flesh: the psalmist’s enemies are like rapacious beasts (see Pss 7:3; 17:12; 22:13f, 17); in the figurative sense, this refers to calumny (see Dan 3:8).
23. Psalm 27:3 With the Lord as his stronghold and helper, the psalmist fears nothing—not even an army arrayed against him. So long as this strong union with God remains unbroken, the psalmist is secure. Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
24. Psalm 27:4 Tarrying in the house of the Lord is an expression and sign of spiritual union with God and intimacy with him. Beauty of the Lord: i.e., his goodness (see Ps 90:17).
25. Psalm 27:5 Shelter . . . tent: references to the sanctuary of Jerusalem (see Rev 7:15f). See also Pss 31:21; 32:7; 61:5; 91:1.
26. Psalm 27:6 I will offer sacrifices: see note on Ps 7:18.
27. Psalm 27:8 Heart: see note on Ps 4:8. Seek his face: an idiom meaning to commune with the Lord, originating in the custom of pilgrimages to sacred places (see Pss 24:6; 105:4; 2 Sam 21:1; Hos 5:15). It then took on the general sense of seeking to know the Lord, anticipate his desires, and live in his presence. In a word, to seek the Lord is to serve him faithfully (Deut 4:29-31).
28. Psalm 27:9 Hide your face: see note on Ps 13:2.
29. Psalm 27:10 Union with God gives confidence in prayer; and prayer is something that even the most devout person must do. Sirach says: “Pray in [the Lord’s] presence” (17:25) and “Let nothing hinder you from promptly discharging your vows [i.e., your prayer]” (18:22).
30. Psalm 27:11 Your way: God’s manner of dealing kindly with those who remain faithful to the covenant by keeping his commandments (see Pss 86:11; 128:1; 143:8).
31. Psalm 27:13 Goodness of the Lord: the good things promised in the covenant with David (see 2 Sam 7:28). Land of the living: reference to this life or to the temple (see Pss 52:7; 116:9; Isa 38:11), where the God of life is present; the psalmist is speaking of the world of the living as opposed to the world of the dead.
32. Psalm 28:1 The psalmist calls upon God and curses his persecutors; such vehemence indicates that he is close to the end of his strength. Deaf for a time, the Lord finally hears his servant; after anguish here is the thanksgiving. The concluding formula transforms the psalm into a prayer for Israel, the “anointed one,” that is, the people consecrated (v. 8) to the service of God. Believers will one day refuse the sentiments of vengeance that spring up here from the experience of the oppressed psalmist; for God could not indistinctly combine honesty with wrongdoing.
    In praying this psalm, we should keep in mind that in this life Christ does not normally answer our desire for escape or special privilege. He sends us out and immerses us in the world and its tribulations (see Jn 15:18—16:4; 17:18) after his election has drawn us out of it (see Jn 15:19). Yet we already foresee victory, for the same divine power that raised Christ from the dead will raise us also and lead our humanity into a state of glory (see Eph 1:17-20).
33. Psalm 28:1 Rock: the Lord is the Rock, who gives strength and sustenance to his people and provides refuge for them (see Ps 18:3 and note). Pit: metaphor for the grave.
34. Psalm 28:2 Lift up my hands: the usual posture for prayer (see Pss 63:5; 134:2; 141:2). Most Holy Place: the innermost part of the temple, the Holy of Holies, which contained the Ark of the Covenant and was looked upon as the place of God’s presence on earth (see 1 Ki 6:16, 19-23; 8:6-8).
35. Psalm 28:3 The psalmist prays that the Lord will deliver him from his adversities (see Ps 26:9-12) so that he will not be numbered with the wicked nor judged with them. Hearts: see note on Ps 4:8.
36. Psalm 28:4 The wicked have not learned to respond to the Lord and his wondrous deeds in redemptive history (the works of his hands). Therefore, they will be judged according to the works of their hands. Justice requires that evil be removed so that its power will be completely voided. See notes on Pss 5:11; 35.
37. Psalm 28:6 The psalmist gives praise to the Lord for having heard his prayer; this will result in righteous judgment and vindication. Blessed: see note on Ps 18:47.
38. Psalm 28:7 No longer does the psalmist feel threatened to the point of despairing. He is overjoyed and jubilant because he knows that the Lord will come to his aid as his strength (see Ex 15:2) and his shield (see Ps 3:4). Heart: see note on Ps 4:8. With my song I praise him: see note on Ps 7:18.
39. Psalm 28:8 Anointed one: here the reference seems to be to the entire people of God, which is consecrated to his service (see Ps 105:15; Ex 19:6; Hab 3:13). See also note on Ps 2:2.
40. Psalm 28:9 Be their shepherd: a theme found also in Ps 80:2; Isa 40:11; Jer 31:10; Ezek 34; Mic 5:4. The Lord answered this prayer by sending the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ (Jn 10:11, 14), who died for his sheep.
41. Psalm 29:1 The psalmist sings a hymn of praise to the Lord, the King of creation, evoking his power and glory in the storm that terrifies the foes of Israel, while sparing the chosen people. He concludes by asking the Lord to give similar power to the king and to Israel.
    We can pray this psalm in the knowledge that the voice of God has acquired a body in Christ Jesus, living Word of the Father. It calls upon all who are in heaven, on earth, and in the netherworld to attribute to Christ all glory and power, and to adore him alone.
42. Psalm 29:1 Mighty ones: literally, “sons of God,” which in the beginning probably referred to the pagan deities but later came to be understood as referring to the angels (see Pss 82:1; 89:7; Job 1:6). To eliminate the polytheistic meaning of the expression, the Septuagint and Vulgate added immediately after “mighty ones” the line “bring to the Lord the offspring of rams.” This passage is sometimes applied to Israel, the son of God (see Ex 4:22; Deut 14:1; Acts 17:28).
43. Psalm 29:2 Name: see note on Ps 5:12. In the splendor of his holiness: it probably refers to the priestly garments to be worn in the liturgy (see Ps 110:3), although it may also refer to God or to the sanctuary.
44. Psalm 29:3 The voice of the Lord: this phrase appears seven times in imitation of the sound of thunder and symbolizes the power of God, the Lord of history as well as the Master of the elements, whose voice no one can resist (see Job 37:4f; Ezek 10:5).
45. Psalm 29:5 The cedars of Lebanon: i.e., the strongest of all trees (see Isa 2:13).
46. Psalm 29:6 Sirion: a Phoenician name for Mount Hermon in northern Palestine. The mountains there were originally given the general name of Lebanon.
47. Psalm 29:8 The wilderness of Kadesh: probably a border location in southern Palestine; some believe it is a location north of Palestine near Lebanon and Mount Hermon.
48. Psalm 29:9 The cry of Glory! takes place either in heaven (v. 2) or in the temple of Jerusalem whose liturgy echoes the heavenly praises.
49. Psalm 29:10 Enthroned above the flood: a reference to God’s control of the unruly primordial waters (see Gen 1:2, 6-10) or to his sending of the flood (see Gen 6:17), which was the first manifestation of the divine justice. Thus, the Lord will know how to make the cause of his people triumph (see Job 20:28; 22:16; Isa 24:18; 59:9ff).
50. Psalm 30:1 This is a psalm of thanksgiving arising out of the experience of someone who was at death’s door because of an illness, compounded by feelings of haughtiness in time of prosperity and despair in times of humiliation. The Lord listened to his cry and healed him; hence the psalmist calls for praise. This psalm came to be applied to Israel itself, especially in its experience of the Exile, and was chanted at the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple in commemoration of the purification of the temple in 164 B.C. (see Ezr 6:16; 1 Mac 4:36ff).
    This psalm reminds us that while we await life eternal and union with Christ, the present life with its adversities offers us the opportunity to receive from the divine goodness a cure, various deliverances, and even spiritual resurrection.
51. Psalm 30:2 Out of the depths: a common Old Testament phrase of extreme distress (see Pss 69:3, 16; 71:20; 88:6; 130:1; Lam 3:55; Jon 2:2) usually connected with the words “the grave” and “the pit.”
52. Psalm 30:3 You healed me: other passages that proclaim God as a healer are: Pss 103:3; 107:20; Hos 6:1; 7:1; 11:3; 14:5.
53. Psalm 30:4 Netherworld: symbol for a life-threatening experience (see Ps 18:6; Jon 2:2). Pit: metaphor for the grave.
54. Psalm 30:5 Saints: see note on Ps 16:3. Name: see note on Ps 5:12.
55. Psalm 30:6 Last throughout the night: literally, “come in at evening to lodge,” like a guest seeking a night’s rest.
56. Psalm 30:7 In time of good fortune, I said, “Nothing can ever sway me”: security brings forgetfulness of God (see Deut 8:8-10; Hos 13:6; Prov 30:9). The secure psalmist spoke similar words to those of the wicked in Ps 10:6 and so lost the blessing promised to the righteous (see Ps 15:5).
57. Psalm 30:9 In the stillness and inactivity of the pit, no one gives praise to God; the psalmist prays to be delivered so that he may rejoin those who worship the Lord (see Pss 6:6; 88:11-13; 115:17; Isa 38:18).
58. Psalm 30:12 Sackcloth: a symbol of mourning (see Ps 35:13; Gen 37:34).
59. Psalm 30:13 Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
60. Psalm 31:1 Faith, distress, and gratitude alternate in this prayer, evoking the “confessions” of the prophet Jeremiah, his dolorous destiny, and his intimacy with the Lord (Jer 17:14-18; 20:7-18). At the moment of death on the cross, Jesus will use this psalm to express his trusting abandonment to the Father (see Lk 23:46).
    We should be mindful that God will often place us in a situation in which we can unite our voice to that of Christ in reciting this psalm, especially by letting us share his sufferings and making us become like him in death so that we may rise with him from the dead (see Phil 3:10f).
61. Psalm 31:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation.
62. Psalm 31:2 No matter what may be the conflict in which we are enmeshed, God remains the one certitude. The images of the rock and the fortress attest to a serene and unshakable trust in God.
63. Psalm 31:3 Rock: see note on Ps 18:3.
64. Psalm 31:4 Name: see note on Ps 5:12.
65. Psalm 31:6 Into your hands I commend my spirit: last words of Christ on the cross (see Lk 23:46) and St. Stephen (see Acts 7:59). Spirit: life itself.
66. Psalm 31:8 Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5.
67. Psalm 31:10 The prayer changes tone; after serenity comes a gasping cry. The stricken person is also one who is despised and rejected, an object of utter contempt by others. This is the despairing cry at times when we seem completely alone.
68. Psalm 31:10 Soul: see note on Ps 6:4.
69. Psalm 31:13 Like a broken vessel: a customary comparison for something that has been rendered useless (see Isa 30:14; Jer 19:11; 22:28).
70. Psalm 31:14 There is terror on every side: a cry used when danger lurks (see Jer 6:25; 20:10; 46:5; 49:29).
71. Psalm 31:16 My life is in your hands: God is the ultimate master of every moment of everyone’s life.
72. Psalm 31:17 Face shine: see note on Ps 13:2.
73. Psalm 31:18 See notes on Pss 5:11; 35.
74. Psalm 31:20 A moment arrives when the believer experiences anew the power of God’s presence. This holds good despite the mockery and false accusations of enemies, that is, the war of words that constitutes one of the greatest trials of our human relationships. Certain of God, the believer does not let himself become enmeshed in conflicts.
75. Psalm 31:20 Stored up: the psalmist relies on the Lord who has stored up his goodness (his covenant promises) for his faithful ones.
76. Psalm 31:22 Blessed: see note on Ps 18:47. Kindness: see note on Ps 4:8.
77. Psalm 31:24 Saints: see notes on Pss 4:4; 16:3; and 34:10. The arrogant: often equal to the wicked, for the arrogant act as if they have no need of God and are a law to themselves (see Pss 10:2-11; 73:6; 94:2-7; Deut 8:14; Isa 2:17; Ezek 28:2, 5; Hos 13:6).
78. Psalm 32:1 This is the second of the seven Penitential Psalms (6; 32; 38; 51; 102; 130; 143), a joyous testimony of gratitude for God’s gift of forgiveness for those who confess their sins and follow the law of God. Instead of constantly pondering their sins, believers acknowledge their wretchedness before God and accept forgiveness and reconciliation. Their torment ceases, and a new person is born, overwhelmed by grace, confidence, and a sense of obedience.
    In praying this psalm, we can focus not only on the happiness resulting from the forgiveness of particular sin but also on the more profound happiness obtained by the complete victory given us by God in Christ over sin under all its forms.
79. Psalm 32:1 Maskil: this term cannot be given a precise translation; perhaps it means “teaching” or “training.”
80. Psalm 32:1 Joyous declaration of the happiness of having one’s sins forgiven by God (see Pss 65:5; 85:2; Job 31:33). This text is cited by Paul in Rom 4:7-8. Blessed: see note on Ps 1:1.
81. Psalm 32:3 I remained silent: did not confess the sin before God. Body: literally, “bones.”
82. Psalm 32:4 According to St. Augustine, even before penitents acknowledge their sin, God hears the cry of their heart and pardons it because of their true contrition (see 2 Sam 12:13).
83. Psalm 32:5 Sin . . . guilt . . . offenses: these are the three most common Hebrew words for evil thoughts and actions (see Ps 51:3-4; Isa 59:12).
84. Psalm 32:6 The psalmist encourages the godly to draw near to God; even in the greatest adversities, the Lord will protect them. Where . . . found: another version is: “in time of distress.” Great floods: symbol of grave danger (see note on Ps 18:17).
85. Psalm 32:7 After receiving God’s help, the psalmist will be surrounded by people celebrating this latest act of deliverance while he brings thank offerings.
86. Psalm 32:10 Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5.
87. Psalm 32:11 Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
88. Psalm 33:1 This psalm follows a classical pattern. First, the psalmist calls for praise to God. Then he proclaims praise for his great deeds: his word that created the three-tiered universe (vv. 4-9), his intervention in history when he chose his people from among the nations (vv. 10-12), and finally his powerful help for those who fear him (vv. 13-19). Thus, he contemplates God’s work in creation, in the history of Israel, and in the lives of the righteous. The people acclaim Providence, whose wise plan is universal in its scope.
    In Ephesians (Eph 1:9; 3:4f), Paul will explain this hidden plan of God that is carried to fulfillment in Christ’s Passover in order that humankind may have life and the world may attain its goal.
89. Psalm 33:3 Sing to him a new song: celebrate God’s saving deed with a new song to make known his greatness to others and to give him praise (see Pss 7:18, and note; 40:4; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1; Isa 42:10; Rev 5:9; 14:3).
90. Psalm 33:4 The psalmist celebrates especially the perfections of the Lord. His nature and his self-revelation are in complete harmony; he is faithful (true) in everything that he does. He also loves righteousness and justice, i.e., he carries out his plans by his verdicts, rule, and covenant relationship with his people. Furthermore, his kindness is evident in his works on earth; he shows the same loyalty, constancy, and love toward the rest of creation that he shows to his people (v. 22). Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5.
91. Psalm 33:6 The Fathers of the Church applied this verse to the Blessed Trinity: Lord = Father; word = Son; breath = Spirit. All their host: the stars of the sky were viewed as an army (see Neh 9:6; Isa 40:26; 45:12; Jer 33:22). See also note on Ps 24:10.
92. Psalm 33:7 He gathers the waters . . . as in a bowl: God rules the dangerous waters so easily that it is like a person putting water into a bowl (see Ps 104:9; Gen 1:9f; Job 38:8-11; Prov 8:29; Jer 5:22).
93. Psalm 33:8 The nations of the world feared many gods, each of whom reigned over the various heavenly bodies and over the land, sea, and sky. But the psalmist stresses that the Lord is the Creator-Ruler of the world and everything in it. Hence, he calls upon all nations and all peoples to fear the Lord because of his greatness and his goodness.
94. Psalm 33:9 Whatever God spoke came into existence (see Heb 11:3). Everything reflects his wise rule. The nations are completely under his control (see Prov 19:21; 21:30; Isa 8:10; 19:17; 46:10f; Jer 29:11; Mic 4:12). God’s providence works out his purposes. Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
95. Psalm 33:12 The psalmist now meditates on the election of God’s people, after he has stressed the Lord’s power and steadfast carrying out of his plans.
96. Psalm 33:12 The Lord freely chose his people as his heritage (see Pss 28:9; 74:2; 78:62, 71; 94:5, 14; 106:5, 40; Ex 19:5; Deut 4:20; 9:26, 29).
97. Psalm 33:13 The Lord sees everything that happens on earth (vv. 13-15) and controls human destinies. Hearts: see note on Ps 4:8.
98. Psalm 33:18 Success in any venture does not depend on earthly means but on God alone, who watches over his faithful and delivers them from death and every danger. Eyes of the Lord: a metaphor for the Lord’s loving care. Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5.
99. Psalm 33:20 The people respond by expressing a renewal of their covenant commitment. The Lord is their help and shield (see Pss 3:4; 28:7), and they trust in his holy name, with which they associate past acts of deliverance (see Ps 30:5). They promise to be submissive and abandon themselves to him as he works out his plans for the establishment of his kingdom and the renewal of the earth. Soul: see note on Ps 6:4. Hearts: see note on Ps 4:8. Name: see note on Ps 5:12. Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5.
100. Psalm 34:1 This alphabetical psalm has two parts. The first voices thanksgiving for the solicitude with which God surrounds the righteous and the poor to deliver them from their anguish. Doubtless the psalmist has experienced this in life and gives his disciples the fruit of his experience. The second part takes the tone of an instruction (vv. 13-23): a sage invites the listeners to discover the path to happiness in the fear of the Lord.
     The poorest of the poor and the wisest of the sages is Christ, and it is upon his lips that we can place this psalm after the example of John (Jn 19:36), numbering ourselves—in accord with the express indication of Peter (see 1 Pet 3:10-12)—among the children to whom he teaches the way of life and happiness. From the early days of Christianity this psalm served to teach those who were preparing for the Christian life and for Baptism (1 Pet 2:3).
101. Psalm 34:1 The superscription refers to 1 Sam 21:11-15, but (probably as the result of a scribal error) erroneously substitutes Abimelech for Achish, King of Gath.
102. Psalm 34:2 The praise of the Lord is continual, God-centered, and the response of a grateful heart—an offering that the Lord will never reject (see Ps 50:14-23; Hos 14:2; Heb 13:15). Its purpose is to acknowledge the Lord’s greatness (see Pss 30:2; 69:31; 99:5; 107:32; 145:1). Name: see note on Ps 5:12.
103. Psalm 34:3 Soul: see note on Ps 6:4.
104. Psalm 34:7 In my anguish: literally, “this poor man.” The word “poor” is usually applied to one who depends completely on God for his deliverance and his very life. See also note on Ps 22:27.
105. Psalm 34:8 Angel of the Lord: i.e., the Lord’s protection or the presence of God. However, such protection, although promised by the Lord (see Ps 91:11; Gen 32:2; 2 Ki 6:17; Mt 4:5f), is not automatic; it depends on one’s allegiance to the covenant—the “fear of the Lord”—entailing the practices mentioned in verses 12-15.
106. Psalm 34:9 This verse is applied to the Holy Eucharist by the Fathers of the Church and the Liturgy (see 1 Pet 2:3). Blessed: see note on Ps 1:1.
107. Psalm 34:10 Fear the Lord: see note on Ps 15:2-5. Saints: that is, those consecrated to God and sharing in his holiness (see Ex 19:6; Lev 19:2; Num 16:3; Isa 4:3; Dan 8:24). See also notes on Pss 4:4; 16:3.
108. Psalm 34:11 Powerful: literally, “lions”—fierce animals were symbols of people with power.
109. Psalm 34:12 To gain wisdom entails two things: fearing the Lord and doing his will. The latter calls for integrity of language rather than deception (v. 14; see Jer 4:2), practicing good rather than evil (v. 15; see Ps 37:3, 27), and working for rather than against peace (vv. 15-16; see Ps 37:37; Mt 5:9; Rom 12:18; 14:19; Heb 12:14).
110. Psalm 34:12 Children: a term (also translated as “simple” or “sons”) for students in Wisdom literature (see Prov 1:22; 4:1; 8:32; Sir 3:1; 23:7).
111. Psalm 34:13 This verse is found word for word in an Egyptian text of the 18th dynasty (tomb of Ai) (see 1 Pet 3:10f).
112. Psalm 34:14 Tongue: see note on Ps 5:10.
113. Psalm 34:16 The eyes and ears of the Lord are attuned to the righteous (see Ps 33:18), but the face of the Lord (see note on Ps 13:2) is against evildoers (see Lev 17:10; Jer 23:30; 1 Pet 3:10-12).
114. Psalm 34:18 Compunction and humility are requirements for benefiting from the grace of salvation (see Ps 51:19; Mt 11:29f). The Lord hears the cry of the righteous (see Ps 145:19) and the brokenhearted (see Ps 147:3) and saves them from their afflictions.
115. Psalm 34:20 No matter how many are the troubles of the righteous man, the Lord will deliver him (see Job 5:19; 2 Tim 3:11), protecting all his bones, a phrase representative of his whole being. Not a single one will be broken: John applies this text to Jesus on the cross as the righteous man par excellence. Hence, this text is regarded as a prophecy about Christ when he was crucified. Although it was the custom of the Romans to break the legs of a person they had crucified so that death would come more quickly, it was not carried out in this case and not one of Christ’s bones was broken.
116. Psalm 34:20 Delivers him: God promises to be our source of power, courage, and wisdom to help us through our troubles; at times he even chooses to take them away from us.
117. Psalm 34:22 The wicked will perish in their own evil and be condemned (see Ps 9:16), but the righteous will be saved by the Lord (see Ex 6:6; Lk 1:68; Rev 14:3).
118. Psalm 35:1 This is one of the so-called imprecatory (or cursing) psalms that call upon God to mete out justice to enemies (see vv. 24-26; Pss 3:8; 5:11; 6:10; 18:14-16; 28:4f; 31:18f; 37:2, 9-10, 15, 20, 35f; 40:15f; 54:7; 55:10, 16, 24; 58:8-12; 63:10-12; 64:8-10; 69:23-29; 71:13; 79:6, 12; 83:10-19; 129:5-8; 137:8-9; 139:19-22; 140:10-12; 141:10; 143:12). In their thirst for justice, the authors of these psalms use hyperbole (or overstatement) in order to move others to oppose sin and evil (see also note on Ps 5:11). In three successive waves, the frantic and indignant cry of the persecuted righteous man rises toward God; and three successive times the suppliant rediscovers hope. He is a man overwhelmed by the underhanded wickedness, betrayal, and calumnies of friends as well as the dark designs of adversaries. It reminds us once again of the evils suffered by the prophet Jeremiah (Jer 20:10-13), and we cannot refrain from thinking of the trial of Jesus before a tribunal bent on sending him to his death (Mt 26:57ff).
     Christians are aware that the world continues to pursue Christ in the person of his disciples (see Mt 5:11; 10:17f; Jn 15:18-25), unjustly directing accusations and persecutions against them. Hence, the prayer formulated in this psalm must spring forth from the lips and hearts of the disciples united with their Master.
119. Psalm 35:3 Soul: see note on Ps 6:4.
120. Psalm 35:5 Like chaff flying in the wind: i.e., easily carried away. Angel of the Lord: see note on Ps 34:8.
121. Psalm 35:9 Soul: see note on Ps 6:4.
122. Psalm 35:10 My whole being: literally, “all my bones.” Poor and needy: see notes on Pss 22:27; 34:7.
123. Psalm 35:13 Sackcloth: a symbol of mourning. Fasting: an act of mourning (see Ps 69:10). Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
124. Psalm 35:17 How long . . . ?: see note on Ps 6:4. Lions: a metaphor for enemies.
125. Psalm 35:19 Treacherous enemies . . . those who hate me without reason: cited in Jn 15:25, since this psalm as well as Ps 69 was regarded by the New Testament authors as foreshadowing the Passion of Christ.
126. Psalm 35:20 The enemies of the psalmist assail him and wrongly accuse him of some crime (see v. 11). These verses and verse 25 recall Ps 40:16; Lam 2:16; Ezek 25:3; 26:2; Hab 1:13.
127. Psalm 35:24 See introduction above and note on Ps 5:11.
128. Psalm 36:1 This psalm combines two contrasting pictures, which were perhaps separated at one time. On the one hand, there is a person destroyed by sin, whose heart holds no sentiment that is not turned to sin (vv. 2-5). On the other, there are creatures dedicated to God, that is, the righteous, who are peaceful and happy (vv. 6ff). These same traditional images of happiness will be found among the Prophets, suggestive of the ideal time for the installment of the future Messiah (Isa 12:2; 25:6; Jer 31:14; Ezek 47).
     Christians know better than the psalmist that pride constitutes a maleficent force residing in all humans. In practice, it carries us inevitably along toward evil (see Rom 6:1-11). Through Christ, the Father preserves for us, his faithful, his salvation that shines continually upon us to render us holy and to defend us against outrages on the part of evil and the impious. The New Testament applies images from the second part of this psalm to Christ: light of humankind and inexhaustible wellspring of life (Jn 7:37f; 8:12; Rev 21:6).
129. Psalm 36:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation.
130. Psalm 36:2 Sin . . . heart: an alternative translation is: “An oracle is within my heart / concerning the sinfulness of the wicked.” Heart: see note on Ps 4:8. Paul cites this verse in Rom 3:18.
131. Psalm 36:3 His guilt will . . . be discovered and hated: because it is an offense against God and hence punished by him.
132. Psalm 36:5 On his bed: rather than meditating on God’s law both day and night (Pss 1:2; 119:55), the wicked plots evil even on his bed.
133. Psalm 36:6 Your kindness . . . mighty deep: God’s influence reaches from one end of the world to the other and into every sphere. Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5.
134. Psalm 36:8 Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5. Shadow of your wings: see note on Ps 17:8.
135. Psalm 36:9 People rejoice together before the Lord. The image is of the abundance of meat from the sacrifices. This is already a prefiguration of the Messianic Banquet of which Jesus will speak, the “Supper of the Lamb” (Rev 19:9). House: the earth that provides food for all living creatures (see Pss 24:2; 104:14). Streams: the means by which God brings forth the rain out of his “storehouses” (Ps 33:7), which flow into the water sources on earth and give life to creatures.
136. Psalm 36:10 Fountain of life: an expression to be taken in the widest possible sense as life implying prosperity, peace, and happiness (see Pss 46:5; 133:3; Isa 12:5; 55:1; Jer 2:13; 17:13; 31:12). In Proverbs this expression designates wisdom (Prov 13:14; 16:22; 18:4) and the fear of the Lord (14:27). The passage is applied to Christ, life and light of human beings (Jn 4:10, 14). Light: through God’s loving kindness (see Pss 4:7; 31:17; 89:16; 97:11; Job 29:3) we enjoy fullness of life and well-being.
137. Psalm 36:11 Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5. Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
138. Psalm 37:1 A peaceful, aged psalmist strings together, in alphabetical order, sayings about the opposing lots of the righteous and the wicked. It is a fine lesson in wisdom for those who grow angry at the successes of evildoers: their triumph is ephemeral. Experience and meditation on the word of God have revealed to this sage the happy destiny that the Lord has reserved for his friends; each of the righteous is called to enjoy the promises made to the people of Israel as a reward for their faithfulness: to dwell in the holy land in peace (vv. 3, 11).
     The horizon remains limited to this world. Hence, it is a modest happiness if it were not irradiated by the nearness of the Lord and did not contain the still hidden promise of a love that cannot be extinguished, of an eternal joy.
     Christ will reveal this infinite perspective: eternal happiness in the Kingdom of God, the true Promised Land, belongs to the poor, those who forgive and thirst for righteousness and peace (Mt 5).
139. Psalm 37:2 See notes on Pss 5:11; 35 (this also applies to vv. 9f, 15, 20, 35f).
140. Psalm 37:3 The land: the Promised Land (Ps 25:13; Deut 16:20), which in the New Testament became a type of heaven (see Mt 5:3-12; Lk 6:20-26; Heb 11:9, 13-16). This word is also used in verses 9, 11, 22, 27, 29, 34.
141. Psalm 37:4 Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
142. Psalm 37:6 Dawn . . . noonday: light and brightness symbolize truth, well-being, and happiness (see Job 22:28; Song 1:7; Wis 5:6).
143. Psalm 37:9 Those who hope only in the Lord for their sustenance and their well-being (i.e., “the poor”) will inherit the land, while those who bypass God and by wicked means try to take hold of it will come to naught (see notes on Pss 5:11; 35).
144. Psalm 37:11 The meek: another word for the poor, those who count solely on God and follow his law (see Mt 5:5). Indeed, the promises of the Lord are only for the meek who depend solely on him (v. 9) and will enjoy an abundance of peace. “Peace” symbolizes the beneficence of the godly (see Ps 72:7) in contrast with the life of suffering (v. 12; see Ps 119:65f).
145. Psalm 37:13 Their day: the time for their ultimate defeat, their death (see 1 Sam 26:10, where “his day” is translated as “his time”).
146. Psalm 37:14 The poor: see note on Ps 22:27.
147. Psalm 37:15 Hearts: see note on Ps 4:8.
148. Psalm 37:18 Upright: those who are God’s faithful and obedient servants as was Abraham (see Gen 17:1).
149. Psalm 37:20 Beauty of the meadows: the beauty of grass and flowers that comes and goes every year (see Pss 90:5f; 102:12; 103:15f; Job 14:2; Isa 40:6-8; Jas 1:10f).
150. Psalm 37:24 See Prov 24:16.
151. Psalm 37:26 Blessed: see note on Ps 1:1.
152. Psalm 37:28 The psalmist insists that the Lord loves the just (see Prov 2:8) who are his faithful ones, and he will never forsake them. Hence, Paul could say with complete confidence: “[Nothing] will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:38f).
153. Psalm 37:29 The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever through their descendants (see Mt 5:5).
154. Psalm 37:30 The wise man reveres the Lord and desires to do his will. God’s law is written on his heart (see Ps 40:9; Deut 6:6; Isa 51:7; Jer 31:33; Ezek 36:27). He speaks wisely (see Ps 49:4) and establishes peace (see Ps 36:7). Heart: see note on Ps 4:8. His steps do not waver: from the way of the righteous (see 1:6).
155. Psalm 37:32 The righteous need not fear the machinations of the wicked, for the Lord has promised to come to their assistance. He gave Canaan to Israel and the earth to all who love him (see Isa 65:17-25; 66:22; Rev 21:1).
156. Psalm 37:35 God confounds the proud (see Job 20:6f; Isa 2:12; 14:13-15; Ezek 31:10f). Verdant tree: or “cedar of Lebanon.”
157. Psalm 37:37 The righteous have a bright future; the wicked have no future at all (see Prov 23:18; 24:14). A future: or “descendants.”
158. Psalm 37:39 The Lord is the protector of all who take refuge in him, all who call upon him for protection, deliverance, and victory (see Pss 9:10; 12:2; 34:7f).
159. Psalm 38:1 The psalmist of this third Penitential Psalm (seven in all: Pss 6; 32; 38; 51; 102; 130; 143) is a man prostrated beneath the weight of his sickness and the vilification heaped on him by others, a man marked by the chastisement of God. He utters a suppliant and monotone plaint that seems as interminable as his suffering. Before God, he is pitiable, abandoned, and betrayed. This new Job (Job 6:4; 19:13-21) does not rebel. He thinks of himself as a sinner who deserves his lot and he suffers in silence, leveling neither recriminations nor imprecations against his adversaries. Indeed, hope stirs secretly in him.
     The complete abandonment to God that is expressed here is also found in the third Lamentation (Lam 3:26-29) and in the Songs of the Servant of the Lord (see Isa 53:7). The Christian Liturgy sees in this man of sorrows an image of the Christ who was silent during his Passion.
     In praying this psalm, we should look to ourselves, scrutinizing our lives and our consciences with a penetrating and impartial honesty, the better to discern the place of sin therein and the better to realize that we are and remain sinners (see Rom 7:14-20; 1 Jn 1:8f). This will in no way prevent us from begging God not to chastise us in his wrath but to save us as soon as possible from our afflictions and our foes.
160. Psalm 38:1 For remembrance: the meaning is “For the memorial sacrifice” or “portion” (see Lev 2:2, 9, 16; 5:12; Isa 66:3); it occurs elsewhere only in Ps 70; an alternative translation is: “A petition.”
161. Psalm 38:3 Arrows: i.e., the trials God has sent him (see Deut 32:23; Job 6:4; 34:6; Lam 3:12; Ezek 5:16).
162. Psalm 38:4 Body: literally, “flesh.” Bones: see note on Ps 34:20-21.
163. Psalm 38:5 My iniquities tower far above my head: his guilt has resulted in both physical and psychological suffering.
164. Psalm 38:8 Body: literally, “flesh.”
165. Psalm 38:9 Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
166. Psalm 38:13 This passage recalls the fourth Song of the Servant (Isa 53:4, 7; see also Pss 31:11; 35:20; 37:32; 88:9; Job 12:4f; 19:13f).
167. Psalm 38:14 Like a man deaf and dumb, the psalmist does not reply to those who slander him; he waits for the Lord to vindicate his cause.
168. Psalm 38:20 Passage close to Pss 35:11; 109:3-5. Some Greek manuscripts and many versions add: “They have rejected me, the loved one, like some hideous corpse” (see Isa 14:19 Greek). This allusion to the crucified Christ is made even more explicit in the Coptic version by the words: “They have nailed my flesh.”
169. Psalm 38:20 Hate me without good reason: although the psalmist acknowledges that he sinned against the Lord, he protests his innocence of wrongdoing against his enemies (see note on Ps 35:19).
170. Psalm 39:1 The psalmist is not a sage who reflects on existence but a man grappling with God. In the face of the blows that strike him, he realizes the total frailty of existence and even of life itself. He would like to cast out from his heart all intentions to rebel, but it is impossible for him to hold back his complaint any longer. A real faith in the resurrection is still absent and, apart from an intervention of God providing a new breath of life, everything seems a mockery. One thinks of the lucid reflections of Ecclesiastes 1:2.
     This psalm reminds us that while doing our utmost to acquire and develop the eternal divine life in us, we must regard our bodily life as the highest good, the most precious natural talent entrusted to us by God for our vigilant concern and fruitful action. The heavenly Father himself watches over this life, assigning it food and drink (see Mt 6:25-34) and life itself (see Acts 17:25-28). Jesus himself watches over material life, looking after the hunger of the crowd (see Mt 15:32), curing the sick (Mt 4:23), and raising the dead (Mt 9:25). We must thus greatly value our life and seek to prolong it for the glory of God and our spiritual progress (see Phil 1:23-26). Christians too have this same feeling in times of great distress: without the Lord what value is there in life?
171. Psalm 39:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation. Jeduthun: he is believed to be one of the three men appointed choral directors by David (see 1 Chr 25:1). See note on Ps 89:1.
172. Psalm 39:2 Muzzle on my mouth: to repress saying anything derogatory in the presence of the wicked.
173. Psalm 39:4 Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
174. Psalm 39:5 The psalmist begs God to help him know and accept the brevity and vanity of life, a brevity and vanity stressed in other psalms (see Pss 62:10; 73:19; 90:10-11) and in Isa 40:17.
175. Psalm 39:7 This passage is reminiscent of Ecclesiastes.
176. Psalm 39:9 Fools: see notes on Ps 14:2, 3.
177. Psalm 39:13 The psalmist—a sinner and overcome with adversity—feels like a stranger in God’s presence and in his world. Still, he has no doubts about belonging to the covenant community. So he begs the Lord to remove his judgment from him so that the psalmist may know joy once again.
178. Psalm 39:13 Wayfarer: that is, one who is only a temporary sojourner on earth (see Lev 25:23: “The land belongs to me and you are my aliens and tenants”; see also Ps 119:19; 1 Pet 2:11).
179. Psalm 39:14 Am no more: in the time of the psalmist there apparently was no idea of any resurrection, even a mitigated one in the netherworld (see note on Ps 6:6).
180. Psalm 40:1 This psalm, one of the most engaging of the entire Psalter, is divided into two parts. The first (vv. 2-13) is a thanksgiving reminiscent of Jeremiah (Jer 7:22; 17:7; 31:33). The second (vv. 14-18) is a lament that appears also as Ps 70.
     Every Christian (and the whole Church) can naturally recite this beautiful psalm in his or her own right as one really (though not yet completely) saved.
181. Psalm 40:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation.
182. Psalm 40:2 The psalmist expresses a great hope in the Lord. No one knows God’s goodness better than one who has experienced abandonment. Purified by trial, the psalmist welcomes God into the depths of his being, his life becomes a kind of inner offering, the only true sacrifice, and he joyfully bears witness to the Lord’s righteousness, love, and truth. In reading this psalm, we get the impression of entering into the confidence of Christ himself, of divining his inner attitude toward the course of his action and above all toward his Passion. A few Greek translations have accentuated this resemblance even more; thus, the Letter to the Hebrews cites this psalm to make us understand the profound decision of Christ (Heb 10:5-10).
     The best praise of God and the best sacrifice are the gift of one’s heart and life. The Prophets often opposed ritual formalism and replaced it with the true religion that is internal (Isa 1:11; Jer 6:20; 31:33; Am 5:22; Hos 6:6). It is this experience to which the songs of the Suffering Servant bear witness (Isa 50:5; 53:10), which was also the experience of Christ.
183. Psalm 40:4 New song: see note on Ps 33:3. Many will look on: see note on Ps 9:2.
184. Psalm 40:5 Blessed: see note on Ps 1:1.
185. Psalm 40:7 These verses are applied to Christ by Heb 10:5-10.
186. Psalm 40:7 Obedience is better than sacrifice (see Pss 50:7-15; 51:18f; 69:32f; 1 Sam 15:22; Isa 1:10-20; Jer 7:22; Hos 6:6; Am 5:22-25; Mic 6:6-8; Acts 7:42f). But you have made my ears receptive: a variant reading from the Greek versions has: “but a body you have prepared for me,” which was interpreted in a Messianic sense and applied to Christ (see Heb 10:5ff).
187. Psalm 40:8 The psalmist presents himself to the Lord, submitting himself to whatever his Master may require (Heb 10:9). He presents himself as an offering to the Lord (see Rom 12:1f). It is written of me in the scroll: the scroll is the Torah or the Mosaic Law, transcribed on parchment scrolls. The alternative Greek reading is “with the scroll written for me,” which suggests a Messianic sense.
188. Psalm 40:9 Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
189. Psalm 40:12 Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5.
190. Psalm 40:13 Hyperbolic statements expressing the intense nature of the sinner’s sufferings (see Pss 6:8; 38:4f, 11; 69:5), which serve as a transition to the second part of the psalm.
191. Psalm 40:14 Distress can remind a person of his attachment to sin. Is there any reason why people should vilify the person who acknowledges his faults? Realizing his attraction toward evil, the psalmist cries out to God, and the poor man rediscovers the joyous assurance that God thinks about him.
192. Psalm 40:15 See notes on Pss 5:11; 35.
193. Psalm 40:16 Aha, aha!: the mocking words of the psalmist’s adversaries.
194. Psalm 40:18 Poor and needy: see note on Ps 34:7. My help and my deliverer: the salvation promised to the faithful (see Isa 25:9), first conceived as natural with reference to the Exodus or the return from the Exile, was later conceived as spiritual without restriction of space or time (see, e.g., Pss 18:1; 19:15).
195. Psalm 41:1 The psalmist is well aware that mercy is rarely given by human beings. In his illness, he received no mercy from others; instead his enemies gleefully engaged in malicious gossip about him and his coming death and even his friend betrayed him. However, the psalmist does not retaliate in kind; he turns to God for mercy, asking for a rich life with all his powers restored so that he can stand once again in the presence of the Lord.
     In praying this psalm, we can recall that the entire psalm is applicable to Christ personally, with the exception of verse 5, which he can assume only in place of and in the role of his sinful members. Since Christ assures us of God’s complete solicitude, we can recite this supplication on our account amid our earthly trials.
196. Psalm 41:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation.
197. Psalm 41:2 The psalmist voices his confidence that the Lord will restore him to fullness of health and life because of the psalmist’s regard for the weak. Blessed . . . weak: other psalms use the same designation (“Blessed”) for those whom God favors (see Pss 32:1f; 34:9; 40:5; 65:5; see also note on Ps 1:1).
198. Psalm 41:5 Sinned: the psalmist acknowledges his sin and asks for forgiveness and healing—in keeping with the idea that sickness was a divine punishment for sin (see Ps 107:17; Job 32:3). In the cure of the man born blind, Jesus was to indicate that such was not the case (see Jn 9:2f).
199. Psalm 41:7 Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
200. Psalm 41:10 This passage repeats a theme frequently developed (see Pss 31:12; 38:12; 55:15f; 88:9; Job 19:13; Jer 20:10; 38:22). It is cited by Jesus with reference to Judas (Jn 13:18) according to the sense of the Septuagint. Risen up: literally, “raised his heel.”
201. Psalm 41:11 Make me well: the fact that God heals the psalmist is in itself a judgment in his favor and against his adversaries, but paying them back is not part of God’s judgment.
202. Psalm 41:14 This doxology is not part of the psalm; it concludes the first of the five Books of the Psalter (see Pss 72:18f; 89:53; 106:48; 150). Blessed: see note on Ps 18:47.
203. Psalm 42:1 The drama of the righteous confronted with the rise of evil terminated Book I of the Psalter. This conflict remains, but other themes come to the fore with greater insistence. Now the prayer often evinces a desire for God and to be far from human beings, oftentimes with a more mystical note added. At other times, crucial moments of history will appear to provoke alternatively both praise and supplication: the drama of the righteous remains—as that of the people. In short, in the psalms that follow, the collective aspect will be readily underlined.
204. Psalm 42:1 This psalm, which really forms one with the next psalm, has a fascinating literary beauty but also expresses feeling of a rare kind. It is the lament of the exiled Levite combining nostalgia, distress, and fervent desire. Living in a foreign land, far from the temple of Jerusalem, the sole place where it was believed one would encounter God, the sacred ministers feel the Exile more deeply; the sanctuary is the only place where they find their happiness. They are the first to suffer the mockings of the pagans, who do not recognize the God to whom they have dedicated their lives. Three times the lament is voiced, and three times the chant that gives hope is also uttered, as the psalm vibrantly expresses the fervor for the temple, where the people flocked to celebrate the love and presence of God.
     At the heart of this fervor we glimpse the deepest human yearning: the desire for God. It is this that here on earth inspires the candidates who seek to enter the Church, the “house of God,” and we also place it on the lips of the dead who are waiting to be admitted into the new Jerusalem, the heavenly city of God. Consecrated men and women also recognize herein the movement of their souls. Is not this the sublime desire at the root of all human restlessness? Down the centuries Augustine has proclaimed: “Our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”
205. Psalm 42:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation. Maskil: see note on Ps 32:1a. Sons of Korah: Levites (see 1 Chr 26:19). In Book II, seven psalms bear this inscription (Pss 42; 44–49) and four in Book III (Pss 84–85; 87–88).
206. Psalm 42:2 God: from Pss 42 to 89, the ineffable tetragrammaton (“Yahweh”) is generally replaced by “God” (“Elohim”), marking this as the “Elohist Psalter.”
207. Psalm 42:3 Soul: see note on Ps 6:4. Living God: see Deut 5:26. Behold the face of God: here the phrase is taken to mean God’s personal presence (see Gen 33:10; Ex 10:28f). In other places the expression “see God” (or “see the face of God”) indicates the presence of God in the temple (see Pss 11:7; 17:15; 63:3; Ex 24:10; 33:7-11; Job 33:26).
208. Psalm 42:6 Why . . . my God: this refrain appears three times in this double psalm (vv. 6, 12; 43:5) and indicates that the two parts were originally one psalm (see note on v. 12).
209. Psalm 42:7 Mount Mizar: not identified. The translation from the land . . . supposes a Levite exiled to the springs of the Jordan, at the foot of Mount Hermon. If we think of him as exiled in Babylon, the translation would be: “I will remember you / more than the land of the Jordan and Hermon, / than the lowly mountain [Zion].”
210. Psalm 42:8 The depths of the sea resound . . . your waterfalls: the psalmist alludes to the “waterfalls” that carry God’s waters from the “depths” above to the “depths” below (see note on Ps 36:9), bringing God’s breakers sweeping over him (see Pss 69:2f; 88:8; Jon 2:3, 5). And God is involved in this danger of water toward the psalmist (see note on Ps 32:6)—he lets it happen.
211. Psalm 42:9 Nonetheless, the psalmist is confident of God’s kindness, and this sustains him (see note on Ps 6:5). The living God: some propose the translation: “the God of my life” and understand it as the “God who gives me life.”
212. Psalm 42:10 Rock: see note on Ps 18:3. Why . . . ? Why . . . ?: see note on Ps 6:4.
213. Psalm 42:11 The psalmist has been abandoned by God to his godless enemies, who taunt him with the words “Where is your God?” He resembles a dying man, and his whole being (bones; see note on Ps 34:20-21) is distressed by his foes and by God’s silence.
214. Psalm 42:12 The refrain is voiced for the second time in this double-psalm (see v. 6, above) and will be repeated once more in Ps 43:5. This threefold refrain reflects the attitude of many of God’s people during the Exile or any crisis situation. In such loneliness and alienation, faith is tried and leads to salvation. For hope is mindful of the Lord’s glorious works of salvation and victory recounted in the sacred writings. See Mt 26:38 for the application of these words to Christ’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.
215. Psalm 43:1 The psalmist asks God for vindication so that he may be able to return to the temple and render him praise once again.
     We can pray this psalm to augment our tranquil hope. We place our cause in God, who has sworn that he will obtain redress for us from our enemies (see Rom 12:19; Heb 10:30). He will enable us to journey toward the heavenly Jerusalem in the vast mobile column of his Church, the true liturgical procession and uninterrupted processional march that takes the elect to him (see Heb 10:19-22).
216. Psalm 43:3 Your light and your truth: the psalmist personifies the divine attributes of light (see note on Ps 27:1) and truth (see Pss 25:5; 26:3; 40:11) and asks that they bring him safely to the temple. Holy mountain: see note on Ps 2:6.
217. Psalm 43:4 Altar of God . . . I will praise you: see notes on Pss 7:18; 26:6.
218. Psalm 43:5 See note on Ps 42:12.
219. Psalm 44:1 In the history of Israel, times of joy and defeat alternate with one another. This hymn transmits the strong feeling of the people about the triumphs of bygone days and the defeat at hand. But they do not believe God can forget forever the people that he loves.
     As the true “remnant” and the elite of God’s servants, the Church very naturally uses this psalm of the remnant of Israel to beseech the Lord and Master to take pity on her in the severe trials that assail her. This national lamentation is a prayer for times when we feel overwhelmed by failure, uncertainty, and confusion.
220. Psalm 44:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation. Maskil: see note on Ps 32:1a. Sons of Korah: see note on Ps 42:1.
221. Psalm 44:2 The liturgy of the Old Testament transmits with gratitude the memory of the great hours of the conquest. Isn’t God the one who at that time was responsible for this people’s victory? A hymn recalls these wondrous deeds.
222. Psalm 44:4 The light of your face: see notes on Pss 4:7; 13:2.
223. Psalm 44:5 My: this psalm is sung in the name of all Israel.
224. Psalm 44:6 Name: see note on Ps 5:12.
225. Psalm 44:10 Only a lament can evoke the situation of that moment; we are doubtless at the time of the Exile, after 587 B.C. This prayer could have been utilized and adapted at other times of national calamity; thus, verses 18-23 make us think of the Maccabean period when Israel is conscious of being the faithful community that did not deserve persecution (167–164 B.C.); the people suffer for their faith rather than for punishment of sin. For Paul, this lament (v. 23) reflects the condition of Christians (Rom 8:36).
226. Psalm 44:10 You no longer accompany our armies: as commander-in-chief (see Pss 60:12; 68:8; Ex 15:3; Jdg 5:4).
227. Psalm 44:11 You have forced us to retreat: God is responsible for the defeats as well as the victories (v. 5) of Israel.
228. Psalm 44:15 Since the People of God have been allowed by God to be conquered, plundered, scattered like sheep, and enslaved by their enemies, their name has been disgraced among the nations (see Deut 28:37; 1 Ki 9:7; Jer 24:10). Shake their heads: a gesture of scorn (see Ps 64:9).
229. Psalm 44:18 Israel’s present state is not the result of infidelity to God’s Covenant (see Ex 19–24).
230. Psalm 44:19 Hearts: see note on Ps 4:8. Your path: the path or way shown them by the Lord (see Ps 18:31).
231. Psalm 44:20 You have crushed us [and] forced us to live among the jackals: i.e., relegated Israel to a place unfit for human beings (see Isa 13:22; Jer 9:11; 10:22). Another translation proposed is: “you crushed us as you did the sea monster.” Darkness: they have been left without “light,” which symbolizes the fruits of God’s loving kindness (see note on Ps 36:10).
232. Psalm 44:21 Name: see note on Ps 5:12. Lifted up our hands: the usual posture for prayer (see Ex 9:29), with palms turned upward.
233. Psalm 44:23 In truth, Israel has suffered the hostility of the peoples because she has been the nation faithful to the Lord. Applying this verse to the Christian community (Rom 8:36), Paul is able to give it a positive slant because of Christ’s victory through his Passion and Resurrection (Rom 8:37-39).
234. Psalm 44:24 Why . . . ?: see note on Ps 6:4.
235. Psalm 44:25 Hide your face: see note on Ps 13:2.
236. Psalm 44:26 Our bodies cling to the ground: posture of those who are defeated, those at prayer, or those in affliction (see Pss 7:6; 119:25; Num 24:4; Deut 9:18).
237. Psalm 44:27 Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5.
238. Psalm 45:1 This unique psalm, probably composed for a royal wedding, opens with the dedication to the king, then lets the ceremony unfold before our eyes. First, it celebrates the monarchy, depicting it under the characteristics of a new David, the Anointed One already acclaimed by Isaiah (see Isa 9:5f; 11:3-5). He is a splendid war chief, a lieutenant of God who comes forth with a dazzling cortege; upon him rests the promise made to the House of David (see 2 Sam 7). Next it addresses and celebrates the queen—a foreigner (Ps 45:11-18)—placed at the right hand of her royal spouse, richly adorned and heaped with gifts. She is ushered into the palace followed by her bridesmaids and offered an array of good wishes.
     The psalm also reminds us of a different kind of marriage. The Prophets had spoken of God as espoused to his people (see Isa 62:5; Ezek 16:8f; Hos 2:16), a rich, though bold image. As Jews reread this beautiful lyric text, they had a presentiment of the covenant that the future Messiah was to establish and extend to include the pagan peoples. The Christian tradition finds in it a prediction of the marriage of Christ and the Church (Mt 9:15; 22:9; Jn 3:29; 2 Cor 11:5; Eph 5:22; Rev 19:9; 21:2), the new and definitive covenant that is extended to all peoples.
     The Liturgy draws upon this psalm in celebrating the most impressive fulfillment of these mystical espousals: the Virgin Mary, Queen and Bride of the King, and those who, following her, have chosen Christ for their Bridegroom.
239. Psalm 45:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation. According to “Lilies”: nothing is known about these words. Maskil: see note on Ps 32:1a. Sons of Korah: see note on Ps 42:1.
240. Psalm 45:2 The poet addresses the King-Messiah and applies to him attributes of Yahweh (see Ps 145:4-7, 12f, etc.) and of Immanuel (see Isa 9:5f; 11:3-5). He is urged to conduct himself in such a way that his reign will be adorned even more splendidly than the wedding vestments he has on (Ps 45:4-6). The best way he can do so is to make the glory of his kingdom consist in justice and righteousness (vv. 7-10).
241. Psalm 45:2 Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
242. Psalm 45:3 Most handsome of men: so far above all other men was a king of that era regarded (see 1 Sam 9:2; 16:18) that he is akin to a god (see note on Ps 45:7). Older versions translated this phrase as “fairest among the sons of men.” Grace has anointed your lips: see Prov 22:11; Eccl 10:12; see also Isa 50:4; Lk 4:22.
243. Psalm 45:6 Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
244. Psalm 45:7 O God: a title of honor applied in the Bible to the Messiah (see Isa 9:6), as well as to the leaders and judges (see Ps 82:6), to Moses (see Ex 4:16; 7:1), to the spirit of Samuel (see 1 Sam 28:13), and to the House of David (see Zec 12:8). The fullest meaning of this description of the Davidic king is attained when it is applied to Christ (see Heb 1:8f).
245. Psalm 45:9 The psalmist’s descriptions and references of the preparations for the wedding ceremony—robes, spices, music, the royal daughters, and the royal bride—all emphasize the rightness of the moment and the anointing of this king, who is a son of David. God’s blessing on him ensures the continuity of David’s house in accord with God’s promise (see 2 Sam 7:16). Myrrh and aloes and cassia: Oriental perfumes (see Gen 37:25; Ex 25:6; Song 1:13; 4:14). From palaces of ivory: see 1 Ki 22:39; Am 3:15; 6:4. Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
246. Psalm 45:10 Daughters of kings: in the allegorical sense, these are the pagan nations converted to the true God (see Song 1:3; 6:8; Isa 60:3f; 61:5) and admitted to his service (Ps 45:16). Gold of Ophir: the most prized kind of gold (see 1 Ki 9:28; 10:11; Job 22:24). The location of Ophir is not known; it is sometimes identified with the southern coast of Arabia or eastern Africa.
247. Psalm 45:11 Forget your people and your father’s house: all her concern should be with what follows, not with what went before; she is the queen and should be concerned with her husband the king.
248. Psalm 45:13 The reward for joining God’s people and for following the new way of life is exaltation among the nations. The people of Tyre—as well as other wealthy nations—will bring tribute to Jerusalem. Indeed, during Solomon’s rule, precious gifts were brought to Jerusalem because of his great renown. Daughter of Tyre: the city of Tyre, famous for its wealth, which was the first foreign city to recognize the Davidic dynasty (see 2 Sam 5:11) and remained close to Solomon (see 1 Ki 5; 9:10-14, 26-28). See also note on Ps 9:15.