1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible

Presents commentary in a tabular format for ease of reading.Click to learn more.





Psalms 103:26 There the ships shall go. This sea-dragon which thou hast formed to play therein.

Go. The sea, which seems to be placed as a barrier, tends, by means of navigation, to the general convenience of nations. (Calmet) --- Dragon. Leviathan, a huge fish, (Job 40:20.; Worthington) which Bochart takes to be the crocodile; though that monster is found rather in rivers. (Berthier) --- It designates here all whales, and other great fishes which play in the sea without experiencing any fear like mortals. Some translate "to play with it," (Calmet) as auto cannot agree with Thalassa. (Berthier) --- The prodigious size of these fishes costs God nothing. (Calmet) --- The whole creation is but a plaything for him, ludens in orbe terrarum, Proverbs 8:31. (Haydock) --- Some Jews impiously pretend that God plays three hours a day with the leviathan, and that he only created two; one of which he killed to make a feast for the elect, and the other causes the tides, by turning itself, etc. See 4 Esdras, written at least in the second century. (St. Jerome) (Muis) (Calmet) --- Though this monster be too strong for man, it cannot defend itself out of water; (Worthington) and even in its own element man gains the victory by his skill. (Haydock)