Psalms 71

Verse 1. Psalm. Some copies add, “of David.” But the Hebrew has only Lishlomo, “to Solomon;” (Saint Jerome Bible.) or, composed by Solomon. The former sense is more generally adopted, (Bert.) though the Chal. and Eusebius look upon the latter as most plausible. David, however, seems to have written this last most beautiful piece, when he placed his son upon the throne; (3 Kennicott. 1:47) and being transported with a divine enthusiasm, he described the reign of the Messias, ( Calmet.) to whom alone many of the passages can be applied, (Saint Augustine Worthington.) as the Jews, Chal. Kimchi, and so forth confess, though they will not allow Jesus to be the Christ, verse 5. 11. 17. Calmet.

Verse 2. Son. Solomon, (Bert.) or Cyrus, (Pr. disc.) or the Messias. Most blessed Trinity, enable the Son of man, or of David, to judge the world. Worthington. Isaiah 10:3. John 5:22.—Judgment. Equity is the duty of governors, as obedience is that of subjects. Solomon acts with the greatest sagacity. 1 Chronicles 22:10 and 29:23. and 2 Chronicles 1:10. The psalmist inculcates the obligation of defending the rights of the poor, who are under God’s protection. To him even judges and monarchs must give an account. Deuteronomy 1:17. 2 Chronicles 19:6.

Verse 3. Justice. These blessings shall be so common; (Psalms 35:6 and Joel 3:18) or, let princes pursue the paths of justice and peace. Mic. 6:1. Solomon was to enjoy a perpetual peace, (1 Chronicles 22:9) as he was a figure of Jesus Christ, who has procured a more solid one for us. Ephesians 2:14. John 14:27. Isaiah 52:7. Calmet.—Hebrew has “by righteousness,” as this is the source of true peace. Romans 14:17. These virtues are publicly enforced in the Church, as from a mountain. Isaiah 2:2. Bert.—Christ, the rock, ( Bible.) and his ministers, the hills, preach reconciliation. Worthington.

Verse 4. Oppressor. Lit. “calumniator.” Christ has chained down the devil, the accuser of our brethren. Revelation 12:10 and 20:2. Menochius.—He hath taken away his spoils, (John 8:44) and undertaken the defence of the humble. Isaiah 11:4. Solomon was also the reverse of those wicked princes, who received bribes, and neglect the poor. Isaiah 1:23. Calmet.

Verse 5. Before. Or, in the presence of the moon, as the Hebrew indicates, (Bert.) though S. Jerom translates, ultra, “beyond, or after.” Bible.—Yea, Christ existed before all the creation, (Psalms 109:3. Calmet.) and these comparisons do not insinuate that he will ever cease to be. Theod.—The kingdom of David and Solomon is described in the same poetic language, (Psalms 88:28 and 37. Calmet.) as it will remain for ever in the hands of the Messias. Bible.—Hebrew makes a sudden address to the king, “they shall fear thee with the sun,” which Houbigant dislikes. Some letters may have been changed, though the sense is not bad. Bert.—“They shall fear thee at the rising of the sun, and shall pray to they by the light of the moon,” Chal. both day and night. Calmet.—Solomon, as a figure of Christ, was good for some time; but no king, except our Saviour, will reign for ever. Worthington.—The mind of the prophet is now raised to behold him. Menochius.

Verse 6. Fleece. Or, “new cut grass,” as the original term also signifies. Yet the explanation given by the Vulg. seems preferable, (Bert.) as an allusion is made to what happened to Gideon, (Judges 6:37. Houbig.) prefiguring the miraculous conception of our Saviour. He shall call both the strayed sheep of the house of Israel, and the inhabitants of all the earth: as Solomon gave the greatest satisfaction to his people, during the early part of his reign, ( Bible.) and spoke with the utmost eloquence. 3 Kennicott. 4:34. Calmet.—Some supply His justice, (verse 7) or rather, “his word” shall come. Deuteronomy 22:2. Calmet.—The incarnation was effected sweetly, and in silence. Worthington.

Verse 7. Justice. Hebrew “the just,” who appear most under a good king, being animated by his example. Bible.—Away. Chal. “till those who adore the moon be exterminated.” This idolatry pervaded almost all the east. Solomon’s reign was very peaceable, 3 Kennicott. 4:25. But this was only a feeble representation of the peace which Christ should bring. At his birth, the whole world was at peace. Angels proclaimed it to all the earth. Lu. 2:14. Isaiah 2:4. Calmet.—It is certain, that the internal peace of Solomon’s reign did not continue to the end, ( Bible.) much less till the moon should be taken away. Bert.

Verse 8. To sea. Solomon ruled from the Mediterranean, Red, and Indian Seas, to the Persian Gulph, and the Euphrates, having al Arabia tributary to him, ( Bible.) and the countries as far as Syria; so that he enjoyed all that had been promised by God. Genesis 15:18. Numbers 34:3 and 2 Chronicles 9:26 and 3 Kennicott. 4:24.—The earth, denotes this kingdom. Saint Jerome in Is. xiii. 4. But if we explain it of Christ, his Church has no limits. In spite of the corruption of the world, she still asserts her title of Catholic. Calmet.—She is universal, both as to time and place, and always visible, verse 15. Worthington.—Her divine head began to propagate this kingdom, after he had been baptized in the river Jordan, (Bert.) as the Fathers agree. This unlimited dominion was promised, (Psalms 2:7. Calmet.) and the prophet Zachary, (9) seems to quote this passage, when speaking of the Messias alone; so that it is best to understand it in this sense, as the Septuagint have done, by οικουμενης. Bert. Isaiah 9:6.

Verse 9. Ethiopians. So S. Jerom, Aquila, and so forth translate Tsiim, ( Bible.) which denotes any nations living at a distance from commerce, (Bert.) or islanders, and those who are accustomed to sail. Isaiah 13:21. People on the continent, as well as those in islands, and ships, shall submit to Solomon, 3 Kennicott. 10:11) as all shall yield to Christ, ( Calmet.) at least at the day of judgment.—Ground. Prostrating to adore him. Isaiah 49:23. Bert.—Thus the Persians approach their kings, (Val. Max. vii. 3.) as the Muscovites and Chinese do still. Calmet.—The eunuch of the queen of Ethiopia was the first convert of those who did not live in the holy land. Acts 8:27. Menochius.

Verse 10. Tharsis. Bordering on “the sea,” (Bert.) or in Cilicia, though we find not that Solomon ever claimed any authority there, or that the Mediterranean was under his control. He sent his fleet indeed to Tharsis; (3 Kennicott. 10:22) but Arabia and Saba brought presents, or tribute to him. Under the name of islands, the Hebrews comprise all places, to which they had to go by water, as Asia Minor, and so forth Isaiah 66:19. Calmet.—The three kings were the first who verified this prediction concerning our Saviour; and afterwards Constantine and other potentates embraced his religion. Among the islands, Britain, which is the greatest in Europe, was partly converted in the days of the apostles, (Theod. in Tim. and so forth) and more under Eleutherius; though the English nation received the faith from Saint Augustine and others, sent by Pope Gregory the Great, A.D. 596. Worthington.—Saba. Hebrew Seba. The preceding Arabia is sheba, ( Bible.) and refers to some of those who people that country.—Gifts, or tribute, 1 Chronicles 18. Calmet.—If the former term, presents, (Hebrew mincha, “a sacrifice of flour,” and so forth Bible.) be taken in the strict sense, the text cannot be applicable to any but the true God, the Messias. Bert.—The wise men, who came from this country, adored and offered presents to Christ. Matthew 2. Menochius.

Verse 11. Earth, is omitted in Hebrew Rom. Septuagint and so forth so that this cannot regard Solomon, (Bert.) though he was reverenced by all the neighbouring kings. 3 Kennicott. 10:23. Christ alone is the universal king, (Revelation 19:16 and Philippians 2:10. Calmet.) to whom every knee shall bend, at least when all shall appear in judgment. Many kings shall submit before. Bert.

Verse 14. Usuries. Hebrew toc, ( Bible.) means “fraud and usury.” Eternal torment is the usury which God exacts for murder, and so forth (Saint Augustine) or a transient pleasure. Bible.—From this Christ has redeemed us, (Bert.) as well as from iniquity. Saint Augustine—Original sin is the capital, for which the devil claims usury. Bell.—Name. Hebrew “blood.” Septuagint properly wrote αιμα, which has been changed for ονομα. The sense is not very different, as those who respect a person’s name, are careful to defend him from death. Bert.—Hebrew “their blood is precious.” Psalms 115:15 and 1 Kennicott. 26:21. Solomon repressed all injustice, so that usury was banished, and the poor was so much enriched, as not to be forced to borrow. Calmet.—Yet, after his fall, he laid heavy burdens on his people. Bible.—How much has the name and blood of Christians cost! Yet we fear not to scandalize those (Bert.) for whom Christ died! The most beautiful qualification of all in power is, to protect the poor, and to promote the work of God, for which he lends them his authority. Bible.

Verse 15. Arabia. Hebrew sheba, verse 10. Bible.—This was accomplished by the wise men. Euseb.—For him, (de ipso.) They shall adopt the form of prayer which he has taught, (Saint Augustine) or they shall adore him on his own account. Bert.—Through him we have access in one spirit to the Father. Ephesians 2:18. Romans 5:1. People might pay a civil respect also to Solomon.—He shall live. The prolongation of the ruler’s life is sometimes ( Bible.) a blessing. Proverbs 28:2. The poor shall live, and pay the taxes cheerfully, praying for his prince, and so forth Calmet.—They shall adore God, and offer their vows for him, ( Bible.) as subjects would do for Solomon, and the crowds did for Jesus Christ, crying out, Hosanna, and so forth Matthew 21. Menochius.

Verse 16. A firmament on the earth, and so forth This may be understood of the Church of Christ, ever firm and visible: and of the flourishing condition of its congregation. Challoner.—The strength or staff of bread shall not fail. Psalms 104:16. Isaiah 3:1. Calmet.—Prot. “there shall be a handful of corn in the,” and so forth Bible.—Thus moderns follow the Rabbins, who greatly exaggerate the abundance which will take place under the Messias, as expecting that wheat will then grow as high as cedars. The country was indeed very luxuriant and populous in the reign of Solomon. But the fathers explain this of the Church, founded on Christ, the rock, and enriched with all virtues, ( Calmet.) and the most efficacious sacraments, particularly with the holy Eucharist, to which S. Jerom may allude: “there shall be memorable wheat,” and so forth Bible.—By these hyperbolical allegories, the abundance enjoyed in the Church was denoted. Menochius.

Verse 17. Continueth. Prot. marg. “shall be as a son, to continue his father’s name for ever.” The Messias is the eternal son of God. Hebrew yinnin, (Keri.) might be rendered Bible. filiabitur, (Mont.) if this word were Latin. The ancient Jews considered this as one of the titles of the Messias. Chal. “before the sun was, his name was prepared.” Bert.—This is the third time that the glory of Christ is pronounced eternal, verse 5 and 7. Bible.—He is for ever blessed: but we cannot think of Solomon, without remembering his almost incredible fall. Calmet.—Blessed. This was spoken only of the Messias, (Bert.) who is the cause of salvation to all the elect. None are saved who do not continue in Him, ( Menochius.) by faith and good works.

Verse 18. The God. Hebrew repeats this word, ( Bible.) as the Septuagint of S. Jerom did. Ep. ad Sun. Calmet.—Alone. Miracles can be wrought only by God’s power. Worthington.

Verse 19. So be it. Hebrew “And amen.” See Psalms 40. Bible.—This glory of God was David’s most ardent wish. Worthington.—It is suspected that the collector of the psalms added these two verses, (Muis.) as all the books end alike. Calmet.

Verse 20. Are ended. By this it appears that this psalm, though placed here, was in order of time the last of those which David composed, ( Challoner.) as he died soon after. Menochius.—The subject which he has here treated, ( Bible.) concentrated all his thoughts and desires. Euseb.—“The prayers of David, son of Jesse, have been summed up.” Theodot. and V. Edit. Bible.—It is probable that the collections of the psalms were made at different times; (Bert.) and though many were found after this second book was completed, it was not judged expedient to make any alteration. The Syr. and Arab. pass over this sentence entirely, ( Calmet.) which might be added by Esdras. Worthington.—The following psalms have the name of Asaph, and so forth in the titles. Flamin.—Yet it is certain that David composed some at least, which are place after this. See Psalms 109. and so forth Bible.—The true David ceaseth not to sing new canticles in his Church. Saint Augustine Worthington.