Psalms 146

Verse 1. Alleluia. In some editions of the Septuagint ( Bible.) and in Syr. Arab. and so forth the same inscription occurs, as in the former psalms. Many ascribe this to the same authors, and to the same occasion. Hebrew and Chal. have no title. Yet the psalm seems to be a thanksgiving ( Calmet.) for the permission to build the temple and walls of Jerusalem, (Orig.) which had been neglected, till God visited the people with a famine, verse 8. 2 Ezra 5:1. Agg. 1:6. Bossuet—Zorobabel, and so forth urge the people to build. Syr. Calmet.—Still David might compose this psalm, as he was a prophet, (Bert.) and he may allude to the beginning of his reign, when the people were all united. Jans.—Good. Agreeable and advantageous for us.—Praise. This consists in purity of life, rather than in the sweetest accents. Calmet.

Hebrew: יה Yah

LORD or GOD in all caps is from the Hebrew יהוה Yahweh except when otherwise noted as being from the short form יה Yah.

Verse 2. Jerusalem. After the captivity, ( Worthington.) or at the beginning of David’s reign, when he had taken Sion, and Israel acknowledged his dominion. 2 Kennicott. 5. It may also allude to the Church, (John 11:51) and to heaven. Hebrews 12:22. Revelation 21. Bert.

Verse 3. Bruises. God delivered the captives, after chastising them. Deuteronomy 32:39. Calmet.—He gives life to the penitent, as Christ healed the sick, and so forth Isaiah 61:1. Bert.

Verse 4. Stars. Which to man are innumerable. Though some have counted 1022 with Ptolemy, yet the discovery of telescopes has shewn that many more are discernible, ( Calmet.) and none would dare at present to fix their number. Bert.—Cicero (Of. i.) treats this as a thing impossible. See Genesis 15:5. Calmet.—Ptolemy could only ascertain the number of the more notorious. Worthington.—Kimchi admits 1098 created to shine, besides innumerable others, which have influence over plants, and so forth God has the most perfect knowledge of all. They are like his soldiers, whom he knows by name, (Isaiah 40:25) as the good shepherd does his sheep. John 10:3. Calmet.—We read that Cyrus knew the name of all his officers, (Cyrop. v.) and that Adrian, and Scipio, the Asiatic, could even name all the soldiers in their armies.

Verse 5. Power. God the Son. Earthly monarchs are forced to depend on others for the execution of their orders. But God is infinite. Calmet.—Number. He knows innumerable things: ( Worthington.) or rather, ( Bible.) the divine wisdom hath no parts. Jeremiah 10:6. Bert.

Verse 6. Ground. As he has done to the Egyptians, and so forth Calmet.

Verse 7. Praise. Lit. “confession,” ( Bible.) including both compunction and praise. Bert.

Verse 8. Clouds. This is represented as something wonderful, (Job 5:9 and 37:6) though conformable to the laws of nature. The preservation of things is like a new creation. Calmet.—And the herb, and so forth Herbam, (Psalms 103:14. Bible.) is now wanting in Hebrew as it was in the days of Saint Jerome and the Chal. though the Septuagint Aquila, and so forth read it, and it is not probable that they would borrow it from another psalm. Bert.—Their copies must therefore have varied. Bible.—The herb, may denote corn, and all vegetables for food. These productions evince the goodness and wisdom of God, (Bert.) as well as his power. Worthington.

Verse 9. Young. Lit. “the sons of ravens,” which may denote those birds in general, as well as their young. God provides for all. Many fables have been recounted concerning ravens, as if they neglected or forgot their young ones; and the Hebrews seem to have entertained some of these opinions, to which the sacred writers conform themselve., Job 38:41. Calmet.—Saint Luke (12:24) specifies ravens, though Saint Matthew (6:26) has the birds, when relating the same speech.—Upon him, must be understood in Hebrew. See Psalms 103:21. (Bert.) Joel 1:20. Calmet.—If God take such care of the neglected ravens, how much more will he provide for his servants? Saint John Chrysostom Worthington.

Hebrew: יה Yah