1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible
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| Psalms 135:1 | Alleluia. Praise the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. | Alleluia, in Hebrew, is at the end of the last psalm. (Haydock) --- It is omitted entirely in St. Augustine, etc. Origen thinks that the captives sung this psalm at their return, as it greatly resembles the 106th, 134th, etc. (Calmet) --- We read, (2 Paralipomenon 7:6.) the priests stood in their offices, and the Levites, with the instruments of music of the Lord, which king David made to praise the Lord, "because his mercy endureth for ever," etc. This chorus is found only in this psalm, which seems therefore to have been sung at the dedication of the temple. (Berthier) --- The first part of the verse was sung by the priests, or cantors, (Haydock) and the second was repeated perhaps by the people, (Calmet) or by other musicians, as we now answer at the litanies, and often repeat the Rosary, Glory, etc., (Worthington) which surely may be done without any superstition, though Leigh, in his Battologeo, and Casaubon (Exer. 14.) be pleased to ridicule the Jesus psalter, on this account. --- Praise. Literally, "confess" (Haydock) your sins, and praise God. (St. Hilary) --- For ever. Or is unbounded. His heart overflows at this thought. (Berthier) |
| Psalms 135:2 | Praise ye the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. | Gods. Angels, kings, (Theodoret) or idols. (St. Augustine) --- God is over all. (Calmet) |
| Psalms 135:3 | Praise ye the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever. | Lord. By these three repetitions the blessed Trinity is insinuated, (Worthington) as some of the Fathers have remarked, though the argument is not convincing. (Berthier) |
| Psalms 135:4 | Who alone doth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever. | Wonders. If saints or others work miracles, it is only by God's permission. (Theodoret) --- None can do any thing against his will. (Haydock) --- Only He can perform true miracles, above the course of nature. (Worthington) --- They prove the divinity. (Calmet) |
| Psalms 135:5 | *Who made the heavens in understanding: for his mercy endureth for ever. Genesis 1:1. | Understanding. Or Son, who is the uncreated Wisdom, (St. Augustine) or to lead us to the knowledge of him. All has been made by the divine power and wisdom. Cajetan, etc., would assert the heavens to be intelligent, or governed by angels, Genesis 1:14. (Orig.[Origen?] Prin. 1., etc.) --- But this opinion is generally rejected. |
| Psalms 135:6 | Who established the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever. | Waters. On which it was supposed to rest like a vessel. (Calmet) |
| Psalms 135:7 | Who made the great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever. | Lights. The stars, (St. Jerome) or the sun and moon, ver. 8., and Genesis 1:16. (Calmet) --- All are great lights, though the moon be comparatively small. (Berthier) |
| Psalms 135:8 | The sun to rule the day: for his mercy endureth for ever. | |
| Psalms 135:9 | The moon and the stars to rule the night: for his mercy endureth for ever. | |
| Psalms 135:10 | *Who smote Egypt with their first-born: for his mercy endureth for ever. Exodus 12:29. | First-born. Justice was exercised on them, and mercy on Israel. (Calmet) |
| Psalms 135:11 | *Who brought Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever. Exodus 13:17. | |
| Psalms 135:12 | With a mighty hand and with a stretched-out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever. | |
| Psalms 135:13 | Who divided the Red Sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever. | Parts. Two, not twelve, as the Rabbins pretend, (Berthier) and as Origen, etc., seem to allow, Exodus 14:22. |
| Psalms 135:14 | And brought out Israel through the midst thereof: for his mercy endureth for ever. | |
| Psalms 135:15 | *And overthrew Pharao and his host in the Red Sea: for his mercy endureth for ever. Exodus 14:28. | |
| Psalms 135:16 | Who led his people through the desert: for his mercy endureth for ever. | Desert. This was very astonishing, as they were not incommoded by the heat, or destitute of food and clothes for forty years, (Calmet) except when God tried them for their improvement, or for their sins. |
| Psalms 135:17 | Who smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever. | |
| Psalms 135:18 | *And slew strong kings: for his mercy endureth for ever. Numbers 21:24. | |
| Psalms 135:19 | Sehon, king of the Amorrhites: for his mercy endureth for ever. | |
| Psalms 135:20 | *And Og, king of Basan: for his mercy endureth for ever. Numbers 21:33. | |
| Psalms 135:21 | *And he gave their land for an inheritance: for his mercy endureth for ever. Josue 13:7. | |
| Psalms 135:22 | For an inheritance to his servant Israel: for his mercy endureth for ever. | |
| Psalms 135:23 | For he was mindful of us in our affliction: for his mercy endureth for ever. | Affliction. Literally, "humility," (Haydock) when we entered into ourselves under the judges, or during the captivity. (Calmet) |
| Psalms 135:24 | And he redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever. | |
| Psalms 135:25 | Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever. | Food. Hebrew, "bread," which denotes all sorts of eatables. (Berthier) --- The particular and general favours of God proceed from his mercy. (Worthington) |
| Psalms 135:26 | Give glory to the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever. | |
| Psalms 135:27 | Give glory to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever. | Give, etc. This verse is marked as superfluous in the most correct psalters, being a repetition of ver. 3., and unknown to the Hebrew, Septuagint, etc., though it is found in the Arabic. (St. Augustine; etc.) (Calmet) |