Historical chapter commentary
Verse 1. Poor. Hebrew “afflicted.” This may refer to some of the captives, who were returning, (verse 14. Calmet.) or to Jesus Christ, (Saint Augustine) to whom Saint Paul applies verse 26. 28 and whose redemption was prefigured by the former event. Calmet.—David might have both in view. Bible.—Yet most believe that the psalm was written by Daniel, or Jeremias, and so forth Calmet.—It may have two literal senses, like many others. Bert.
Verse 2. Cry. Fervent petition, though only in the heart. Exodus 14:15.
Verse 3. Turn not. We first abandon God, but must humbly beg for grace. Worthington.
Verse 4. Fire. Cremium denotes any combustible matter. Colum. xii. 19. Saint Jerome Calmet.—While in mortal sin, our best actions, alms, and so forth avail nothing. 1 Corinthians 13. Worthington.
Verse 5. Bread. Through excessive sorrow, ( Bible.) I am fainting in captivity. Calmet.—The human race is relieved by the bread of life, the holy Eucharist. Saint Augustine Bert.—Sinners have no relish for spiritual food. Worthington.
Verse 6. Flesh, or “skin.” Saint Jerome—The necessary moisture is consumed. Euseb. Worthington.
Verse 7. A pelican, and so forth I am become, through grief, like birds that affect solitude and darkness. Challoner.—Kaath comes from a root that signifies to vomit ( Bible.) as this bird lives chiefly on shell-fish, which it swallows, and when the heat of its stomach has caused the shells to open, it throws them up again, and eats the fish. Bochart. Parkhurst in ka. Bible.—It seems to be the onocratalus, which resembles the heron. What many of the ancients have related concerning its giving life again to its young, by its blood, and so forth must be accounted fabulous. The Fathers have not expressed these facts as certain, ( Calmet.) though they have beautifully accommodated them to the tenderness and grace, which Christ has shewn to lost man. See Euseb. and Saint Augustine Bible.—Raven. Owl, or rather another species of pelican, so called from having a bag under its chap, “to inclose” fish, and so forth Parkhurst in cose.—With its prey it retires to solitary places. So the distressed love solitude and silence. Bible.
Verse 8. Sparrow. Hebrew Tsippor means any “quick moving” bird, and so forth (Idem.) and as the sparrow is not a solitary bird, it may here signify the owl. Bochart. Calmet.—But these etymological reasons are not very certain, nor important. Bible.—We may adhere to the Septuagint as many interpreters do. Bert.—The sparrow having lost its mate, mourns in or near its nest. Worthington.
Verse 9. Against me. To kill me, (Acts 23:12) or to prove my guilt. Calmet.—They are my sworn enemies, ( Worthington.) who formerly seemed my friends. Bible.
Verse 10. For. Or “therefore.”—Weeping. These figurative expressions denote excessive grief. Psalms 79:6. Calmet.—Meat and drink gave me no more satisfaction than ashes. Worthington.—Rolling on the ground, through grief, my food was spoiled. Menochius.
Verse 13. Memorial. Thou wilt be remembered by us with gratitude for all eternity, ( Bible.) or wilt thou punish for ever such short-lived creatures? Calmet.—Saint Paul understands this of Jesus Christ, (Hebrews 1:11. Bert.) or he rather refers to verse 26. Bible.—The hope of the Messias gives me comfort. Worthington.
Verse 14. Come. Pointed out; (Jeremiah 29:10. Calmet.) or David wishes to repair the ravages caused by Absalom, or foretells the return from captivity, ( Bible.) and the grace granted to the Church, and to every faithful soul. Worthington.
Verse 15. Thereof. They had a great regard for the very soil. 4 Kennicott. 5:17. Calmet.—Hebrew “dust,” as it was then uncultivated. Bert.—Esdras, and so forth repaired the ruins of Sion, as Christ and his apostles established the Church. Menochius.
Verse 16. Glory. The conversion of nations is often predicted as about to take place after the captivity; yet not so fully, till the time of Christ. Calmet.—His glory is so manifest, that all kings know it, although, they be not converted. Worthington.
Verse 17. Seen. Dwelling with us. John 1. Bible.—Jerusalem had attained its ancient splendour before the coming of the Messias. Calmet.
Verse 18. Humble. Patriarchs, priests, and all true penitents. Worthington.
Verse 19. Generation. Lit. “in another,” by the subsequent writers of the Old and New Testaments. Bible.—Let all posterity become acquainted with this psalm, and know under what obligations we have been to the Lord.—Created. The Jews after the captivity, and, in a higher sense, ( Calmet.) Christians, the new creature. 2 Corinthians 5:17. Calmet. Worthington.—This interpretation seems much the better, as kings and nations were converted only by the Messias, and his apostles. Bert.
Verse 22. That. The faithful in the Church endeavour to serve Christ. Worthington.
Verse 23. Kings. This did not take place till the gospel was preached, ( Calmet.) though some kings offered sacrifice before, yet without being converted. See Zechariah 2:10. Bible.
Verse 24. He answered him in the way of his strength. That is, the people mentioned in the foregoing verse, or the penitent, in whose person this psalm is delivered, answered the Lord in the way of his strength: that is, according to the best of his power and strength; inquiring after the fewness of his days: to know if he should live long enough to see the happy restoration of Sion, and so forth Challoner.—The sense of the Vulg. is as good as that of the present Hebrew “he hat weakened (afflicted. Mont.) my strength, in the way; He hath shortened my days. I said, my God, make me not depart in the midst,” and so forth—The captives, or those who were set free, address God, though the psalmist himself may express what prayers he had poured forth in his bonds. Calmet.—The variation of the Septuagint and Hebrew originates in the points; and the text has, his force, very properly, though the Jews would substitute “my.” Bert.—The stability of the Church is hence proved by Saint Augustine Bible.
Verse 25. Days. Allow me time to grow in virtue. Worthington. If I be cut off in my youth, I may not be prepared. Menochius.
Verse 27. Perish. Or be changed in their qualities, ( Worthington.) as well as all other things, like a garment. This does not convey the idea of annihilation; and the Fathers are divided on this subject. 2 Peter 3:10. Revelation 21:23. Calmet.
Verse 28. Fail. This regards Christ, (Hebrews 1) who has established his Church, ( Calmet.) to be perpetual ( Worthington.) in this world, ( Bible.) and triumphant in eternity, ver. 29. Calmet.—The psalm must therefore be understood literally of Him; unless it may have two senses, which those to whom Saint Paul wrote must have known, otherwise it would not prove Christ’s divinity. The Socinians are greatly puzzled how to evade this argument. Bert.