1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible

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Psalms 21:1	Unto the end, for the morning protection, a psalm for David.	Protection, susceptione. Hebrew ayeleth, hathuchar, or "for a speedy interposition," or succour. See ver. 2, 20, and 25. --- St. Jerome, "the morning stag." (Haydock) --- Many of the titles are almost inexplicable, and this is one of the most puzzling; (Calmet) but is of no service for understanding the psalm, which certainly speaks of Jesus Christ, as the apostles have quoted several texts, and Theodorus of Mopsuesta was condemned for asserting that it was only accommodated to him. (Conc. V. col. 4.) (Berthier) --- Grotius comes too near this system, by explaining it of Christ only in a figurative sense. We ought to do quite the reverse, if we allow that some verses regard David, as a figure of the Messias; (Calmet) or rather, as the same person speaks throughout, we must understand the whole of Him. (Berthier, t. ii.) --- The Jews were formerly of the same opinion, (Lyranus) but seeing the use which was made of this psalm by Christians, they have explained it of David, or of the miseries of the nation. Septuagint seem to intimate that this psalm was sung at the morning service, (Calmet) or referred to the coming, or resurrection of our Saviour, (St. Augustine; Worthington; Psalm 3:6.; Menochius) after the long night of infidelity. (Didymus) --- He is represented as the hart, or beautiful hind, whom the Jews hunted unto death, ver. 17. Some band of musicians might be styled, after "the morning hind," as another seems to be after "the mute dove;" (Psalm lv.) and the wine presses, or "band of Geth;" (Psalm viii., etc.) though we cannot pretend to give a reason for these titles. Many, who are unwilling to confess their ignorance, say that these terms allude to some musical instrument, or favourite song, etc. (Calmet) --- It would be as well to speak plainly that these things are hidden from us. (Haydock)
Psalms 21:2	O *God, my God, look upon me: why hast thou forsaken me? Far from my salvation are the words of my sins.	O God. Our Saviour repeated these words as they are in Hebrew, though the vulgar tongue was Syriac, (Calmet) or Greek mixed with the Abamean. (Paulus) --- Eli (or Eloi, St. Mark) lamma sabacthani. So he pronounced what the Jews would now read, Eli....lama (or lamach.; Tirinus) hazabtani; (Calmet) and in our method, ali....lome ázbocthoni. But it must be admitted (Haydock) that the true pronunciation is irretrievably lost. The Masorets vary from the ancient versions, (Masclef.; Capel; Houbigant; Mr. C. Butler, Hor. Bib. 4 edit. p. 69.) and from one another; so that after being at the immense labour of learning their rules, we shall be no more secure of attaining the truth. (Haydock) --- It were, therefore, greatly to be wished that the learned would agree about some characters to express uniformly the Hebrew in modern languages, as it would greatly facilitate the knowledge of the sacred writings. (Kennicott, Diss. 1:p. 243.) --- We have only attempted to use such as might inform the reader what letters were in the original; and yet we are sorry to find that z, or the long a and e are often printed without the mark above; which shews the inconvenience of so many points, introduced by the Masorets. (Haydock) --- Look upon me, are words admitted by Christ, "because (says Eusebius) they are not in Hebrew." But this reason is not conclusive, as he might have left them out, though they were in the original. The Septuagint may have rendered one ali, in this sense, "to me," as they have not added my to the first mention of God: or, they may have anticipated from ver. 20 (Berthier) this explication. Christ speaks with reference to his sacred humanity, as his divinity suspended its beatific influence, that he might drink the bitter chalice. (Theodoret; St. Jerome) --- He also speaks the language of his afflicted members, who think they are abandoned. (St. Augustine) Calmet) --- Sins. That is, the sins of the world, which I have taken upon myself, cry out against me, and are the cause of all my sufferings. (Challoner) --- An ancient psalm of St. Germ. reads "lips," instead of sins. Hebrew, "roaring." (St. Jerome) (Calmet) --- "Prayer," Sixtine Edition. "Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?" (Protestants) (Haydock) --- The Septuagint seem to have read shagathi, whereas the Hebrew places the g after the a, or they have substituted the cause for the effect; as sin was certainly the cause of Christ's affliction, and of his Father's not granting present relief. Indeed our Saviour did not ask for it, but only expressed the sentiments of suffering nature, which he corrected by the most perfect submission, to teach us how to behave. (Berthier) --- God is the God of all creatures, but more particularly of Christ, by personal union. (Worthington) --- The latter tenderly expostulates, (Haydock) that he is not comforted like other saints, (Matthew 27:46.) since he had undertaken to die for the sins of the world, and reputed them as his own. (Worthington) --- Delicta nostra sua delicta fecit, ut justitiam suam nostram justitiam faceret. (St. Augustine) --- He speaks in the name of his members. (St. Thomas Aquinas, 3. p. q. 15. a 1.) --- Christ could commit no sin: (1 Peter 2:21., and 2 Corinthians 5:21.) but as long as he had taken our iniquities upon himself, to expiate with his own blood, he could not be at ease till he had perfected the work. David was convinced that his own sins were punished by the rebellion of Absalom, as Nathan had declared, 2 Kings 12:10. (Calmet)
Psalms 21:3	O my God, I shall cry by day, and thou wilt not hear: and by night, and it shall not be reputed as folly in me.	Folly. My cry proceeds not from impotent rage, Luke 4:28. (Eusebius, Agel.) (Menochius) --- I know that thou wilt grant my request. (Calmet) --- I shall not cry in vain. (Theodoret) --- It is not for my own folly that I suffer. (Geneb.) --- "Many cry and are not heard, yet it is for their advantage, and not out of folly." (St. Augustine) --- Christ prayed on the cross, as he had done in the garden, to have the bitter chalice removed. But this was not blameable, as it was done with entire submission. (Worthington) --- The cry of the lips, or of human nature, which would be free from suffering, was not heard: (Haydock) because the cry of the heart, which desired that the justice of God should be satisfied, was much louder; and this petition was granted by Him who denied nothing to his Son, John 11:41. (Calmet) --- This should be our model. Submission and perseverance will always be crowned. Hebrew has now d instead of r, in the word dumiya, "silence," which is also good; "there is no silence for me." In the night (Berthier) of death, (Haydock) God granted the petition. (Berthier) --- Aquila gives this idea, non tacebis, as St. Jerome observes: "thou wilt do what I desire." Hebrew may also mean: I have no rest, or I cry incessantly. (Calmet) --- The prayer of Christ for relief, was conditional. He absolutely desired God's will to be accomplished, and thus he was heard, ver. 25., and Hebrews 5:7. He was our pattern. (St. Augustine, ep. 120.) (Worthington)
Psalms 21:4	But thou dwellest in the holy place, the praise of Israel.	In the, etc. Hebrew, "the Holy one inhabitest the praises of Israel," or "Thou holy, sancte, inhabitant, the praise," (St. Jerome) or, as the plural intimates, the source and object of all "the praises of Israel," (Haydock) and of the Church. (Worthington) --- This may be connected with the preceding, or following verse. Thou art in the midst of us, so that thou canst not be ignorant of my situation, like the idols; or thou hast shewn great favours to our ancestors, ver. 5. Theodoret and St. Jerome seem to take these words to be addressed by the Father or by the prophet to Jesus Christ, who inhabited a body so free from sin. (Calmet)
Psalms 21:5	In thee have our fathers hoped; they have hoped, and thou hast delivered them.
Psalms 21:6	They cried to thee, and they were saved: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.	Confounded. He interests his Father, by calling to mind the ancient patriarchs, (Ecclesiasticus 2:11.; Berthier) who obtained their requests. (Worthington)
Psalms 21:7	But I am a worm, and no man: the reproach of men, and the outcast of the people.	No man. Hebrew ish, "a great man," vir, (Mont.[Montanus?]) so far from being treated as a nobleman, I am not even respected as one of the meanest of men, (adam.) (Haydock) --- "Why not a man?" says St. Augustine, "because he is God. Why a worm? because a mortal, born of the flesh, without generation." The ancient naturalists supposed that worms were not generated; and though this be now deemed inaccurate, the Fathers applied this notion to confirm the doctrine of our Saviour's being born of a virgin, which had been clearly revealed. (Calmet) --- People. God afforded Christ no exterior (Haydock) or common consolation, while the wicked persecutors treated him as a worm. (Worthington) --- The rights of humanity are respected in the greatest criminals. But the enemies of our Lord added insult to torments, Isaias 52:14. (Berthier) --- It would be difficult to apply this to David. For even in the depth of his misery, when reviled by Semei, and dishonoured by Absalom, he was attended by the priests, and by a powerful army. (Calmet)
Psalms 21:8	*All they that saw me have laughed me to scorn: they have spoken with the lips, and wagged the head. Matthew 27:39.; Mark 15:29.	All. This often denotes only the greatest number. (St. Jerome) --- For surely the blessed Virgin, and some others, must be excepted. (Haydock) --- But almost all joined in persecuting Christ, (Worthington) while his disciples left him. (Calmet) --- These two verses are quoted by the three first evangelists. --- Spoken. Hebrew, "opened or distorted." (Berthier) --- "They shoot out the lip." (Protestants) --- These signs and expressions (Haydock) mark the greatest contempt, ver. 14., and Job 16:4., etc.
Psalms 21:9	*He hoped in the Lord, let him deliver him: let him save him, seeing he delighteth in him. Matthew 27:43.	He hoped. Hebrew, "roll, or he (Calmet) rolled himself on the Lord." (Protestants marginal note) --- But the text is conformable to ours. "He trusted on," etc. St. Matthew 27:43., He trusted in God, let him deliver him now if he will have him. Ci, which is here rendered quoniam, "since," (Haydock may also mean "if," as it is in the Protestants marginal note. Thus both texts agree. Many passages are thus quoted, without adding, as it is written. (Berthier) --- God permitted that these blasphemers should use the very language of the prophet, that the completion of what he said might be more conspicuous. Chaldean, "I have sung praises to the Lord, and he has withdrawn me from danger." This explanation is not contemptible. (Calmet) --- But it is foreign to the context, and to all the other versions, as well as to the evangelists. (Haydock) --- The collating of this psalm with the history of Christ, must convince every sincere person that he who was thus ignominiously treated, was the object of God's complacency, and that the Christian religion is true. (Berthier)
Psalms 21:10	For thou art he that hast drawn me out of the womb: my hope from the breasts of my mother.	Womb. David might say this as a figure of Christ, in consequence of the many favours which he had received. (Theodoret) (Calmet) --- But none could use these expressions with propriety, but Jesus Christ, who had no man for his father, and who had the perfect use of reason, so that he could call God his God from the very first. All others are born children of wrath, except the blessed Virgin, whose privilege was still the fruit of redemption. (Berthier) --- She conceived and bore her son, remaining a pure virgin. (Eusebius; St. Athanasius; etc.) --- The synagogue rejected the Messias, but God received him, and made him head of the Church. (St. Augustine)
Psalms 21:11	I was cast upon thee from the womb: From my mother's womb thou art my God,	Cast. This custom is noticed, (Genesis 30:3.) and frequently in Homer. Thou art my only Father, (Calmet) as I am born miraculously, and have been hitherto protected. I now suffer death, but thou wilt raise me to life again, Psalm 15:9. (Worthington)
Psalms 21:12	depart not from me. For tribulation is very near: for there is none to help me.	Help. This Christ might say a little before he expired, foreseeing the distress of his Church, (Calmet) or he might use these words in his agony; (St. Jerome) as this agrees with the sequel. (Calmet) --- Almost all have abandoned me; and those who would, are not able to protect me. (Worthington)
Psalms 21:13	Many calves have surrounded me: fat bulls have besieged me.
Psalms 21:14	They have opened their mouths against me, as a lion ravening and roaring.
Psalms 21:15	I am poured out like water; and all my bones are scattered. My heart is become like wax melting in the midst of my bowels.
Psalms 21:16	My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue hath cleaved to my jaws: and thou hast brought me down into the dust of death.
Psalms 21:17	For many dogs have encompassed me; the council of the malignant hath besieged me. They have dug my hands and feet:
Psalms 21:18	They have numbered all my bones. And they have looked and stared upon me.
Psalms 21:19	*They parted my garments amongst them; and upon my vesture they cast lots. Matthew 27:35.; John 19:23-24.
Psalms 21:20	But thou, O Lord, remove not thy help to a distance from me; look towards my defence.
Psalms 21:21	Deliver, O God, my soul from the sword: my only one from the hand of the dog.
Psalms 21:22	Save me from the lion's mouth; and my lowness from the horns of the unicorns.
Psalms 21:23	*I will declare thy name to my brethren: in the midst of the church will I praise thee. Hebrews 2:12.
Psalms 21:24	Ye that fear the Lord, praise him: all ye, the seed of Jacob, glorify him.
Psalms 21:25	Let all the seed of Israel fear him: because he hath not slighted nor despised the supplication of the poor man. Neither hath he turned away his face from me: and when I cried to him he heard me.
Psalms 21:26	With thee is my praise in a great church: I will pay my vows in the sight of them that fear him.
Psalms 21:27	The poor shall eat and shall be filled; and they shall praise the Lord that seek him: their hearts shall live for ever and ever.
Psalms 21:28	All the ends of the earth shall remember, and shall be converted to the Lord. And all the kindreds of the Gentiles shall adore in his sight.
Psalms 21:29	For the kingdom is the Lord's; and he shall have dominion over the nations.
Psalms 21:30	All the fat ones of the earth have eaten and have adored: all they that go down to the earth shall fall before him.
Psalms 21:31	And to him my soul shall live: and my seed shall serve him.
Psalms 21:32	There shall be declared to the Lord a generation to come: and the heavens shall shew forth his justice to a people that shall be born, which the Lord hath made.