1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible
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| Psalms 80:1 | Unto the end, for the wine-presses, a psalm for Asaph himself. | For the wine-presses, etc., torcularibus. It either signifies a musical instrument, or that this psalm was to be sung at the feast of the tabernacles after the gathering in of the vintage, (Calmet) or on the feast of trumpets, on the 1st of Tisri, Leviticus 23:24. (Eusebius) (Pin.) (Calmet) See Psalm viii. --- From the grape some good wine is extracted, and the rest is thrown away: so in this psalm we find the just rejoice, while the wicked complain, during the persecutions of the Church. (St. Augustine) --- Some Latin copies add, "on the 5th day of the week;" and Genebrard supposes that these additions are owing to the Jewish traditions, (Calmet) as they might sing this psalm on Thursday. (Haydock) --- We need not attempt to ascribe this piece to any particular time, though some have thought that it regards the captives, the translation of the ark, or the vocation of the Gentiles, etc. (Calmet) --- It is very beautiful. (Berthier) |
| Psalms 80:2 | Rejoice to God our helper: sing aloud to the God of Jacob. | |
| Psalms 80:3 | Take a psalm and bring hither the timbrel: the pleasant psaltery with the harp. | |
| Psalms 80:4 | Blow up the trumpet on the new moon, on the noted day of your solemnity. | New moon of Tisri, Leviticus 23:24. --- Noted. Hebrew, "in the obscure, in the day of our solemnity." (Calmet) --- Protestants, "in the time appointed, on our solemn feast-day." Cose may denote "obscure or appointed;" (St. Jerome) "in the middle of the month;" (Haydock) which alludes to the feast of tabernacles, when the Jews dwelt under the shade of tents, made of branches. This was esteemed "the most holy and greatest" of their festivals. (Josephus, [Antiquities?] 8:2.) (Numbers 29:12., and Proverbs 7:20.) (Calmet) --- It may also be explained of the new moon of Tisri, (Menochius) when the people were admonished of the beginning of the civil year, or of the three great festivals to be then celebrated, perhaps (Haydock) in memory of the world's creation, at that season. (Berthier) --- How carefully ought we not, therefore, to celebrate the Christian holidays, which are instituted to excite our gratitude for greater benefits! (Haydock) --- The days of the new moons (Numbers 28:11.) were consecrated, to acknowledge God's constant providence; and that of Tisri in particular, (Numbers 29:1.) to thank him for the preservation of Isaac, Genesis 22:18. (Worthington) --- But the Lord's day reminds us not only of the world's creation, but also of its redemption, etc., Romans 4:25. (Berthier) |
| Psalms 80:5 | For it is a commandment in Israel, and a judgment to the God of Jacob. | Jacob. It is a duty which we owe to God, in obedience to his command. Hebrew may be, (Haydock) "a decree for the princes (gods) of Jacob." (Calmet) --- Protestants, "a law of," etc. |
| Psalms 80:6 | *He ordained it for a testimony in Joseph, when he came out of the land of Egypt: he heard a tongue which he knew not. Genesis 41:29. | Joseph. Who represents all the family of Israel, as he took care of it. (Calmet) (Psalm 79:2.) (Worthington) --- Not. The Israelites heard the voice of God at Sinai, (St. Jerome, etc.; Calmet) and for the last time, where forced to hear the insults of the Egyptians at their heels; (Haydock) whose language was barbarous to them, (Psalm 113:1.; Menochius) and not well understood by all, as they had very little society together. Joseph spoke to his brethren by an interpreter. (Haydock) --- Some explain this of Joseph himself, when he first came into Egypt, (Chaldean. Bossuet) or of the Israelites, at their arrival there. (Vatable) --- But this agrees not with the Vulgate or Hebrew, (Haydock) the latter of which is very confused and incorrect, though it be adopted (Calmet) by St. Jerome: "I heard a tongue which I knew not, I withdrew," etc., (Haydock) or, making a small alteration, "God hast established this festival in Joseph, when He appeared in the land of Egypt to rescue his people: then said the Lord, I made him hear a language which he knew not, that I was the protector of my people, I will remove," etc. (Calmet) --- The authors of the Pin. disc. take this liberty, which would make the sense pretty clear. But the Hebrew means, "I heard," etc. Some not being able to understand this, have substituted, "He heard," with the German version. (Berthier) --- The ancient Greek interpreters seem to have read the same, as no variation is noticed. (Calmet) --- If, however, we must explain the Hebrew of St. Jerome, we must suppose that, "I knew not, means I condemned, as it often does; and God certainly reprobated the harsh language of the Egyptian task-masters, and came to deliver his people from oppression, Exodus 2:25., and 3:8., and 5:14. (Haydock) |
| Psalms 80:7 | He removed his back from the burdens: his hands had served in baskets. | Baskets. Hebrew, "brazen." (Montanus) --- "His hands shall pass from the pots." (Protestants) --- Dud, means also, "basket." (Haydock) --- The Hebrews were thus forced to carry mortar, (Menochius) straw, etc. (Worthington) |
| Psalms 80:8 | Thou calledst upon me in affliction, and I delivered thee: I heard thee in the secret place of tempest: *I proved thee at the waters of contradiction. Exodus 17:5. | In the secret place of tempest. Hebrew, of thunder. When thou soughtest to hide thyself from the tempest: or, when I came down to Mount Sinai, hidden from the eyes in a storm of thunder; (Challoner; Exodus 19:16.) or when I afflicted Egypt, (Exodus 9:23.) and Pharao's army, Psalm 76:19. --- Contradiction, at Mara, or rather at Cades, where Moses betrayed some distrust, Exodus 24:25., and Numbers 20:12. (Calmet) --- After so many benefits, they still contradicted God, and would not serve him. (Worthington) |
| Psalms 80:9 | Hear, O my people, and I will testify to thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken to me, | Testify. Instruct, or call heaven to witness our covenant. (Calmet) --- Man has free will, and may choose whether he will obey or not. (Worthington) |
| Psalms 80:10 | There shall be *no new god in thee: neither shalt thou adore a strange god. Exodus 20:3. | New God. Who must of course be false. (Haydock) --- Hebrew, "strange," Exodus 20:2., and Jeremias 23:23. (Calmet) --- An express law on this head was a great benefit, (Worthington) as most people had gone astray. (Haydock) |
| Psalms 80:11 | For I am the Lord, thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. | Fill it. I will grant all thy just requests, if thou be faithful. (Eusebius) (Calmet) (Worthington) --- God uses the title of Jehovah, "the Eternal self-existent Being." (Berthier) |
| Psalms 80:12 | But my people heard not my voice: and Israel hearkened not to me. | |
| Psalms 80:13 | *So I let them go according to the desires of their heart: they shall walk in their own inventions. Acts 14:15. | Inventions. Ancient psalters read, "wills." This is the greatest (Calmet) of God's judgments, Romans 1:24. (Menochius) --- He sometimes permits a person to go on, that he may be disgusted with sin. Ut saturati vitiis vel sic agant poenitentiam. (St. Jerome) --- We ought all to dread this root of bitterness, (Hebrews 12:15.) which may cause us to resist God's grace, and to be abandoned by him, as the Israelites seemed to be, before their ruin came on. (Berthier) |
| Psalms 80:14 | *If my people had heard me: if Israel had walked in my ways: Baruch 3:13. | |
| Psalms 80:15 | I should soon have humbled their enemies, and laid my hand on them that troubled them. | Soon. Forsitan, "perhaps," (Haydock) does not here imply a doubt, (Menochius) but rather the ease and liberty (Worthington) with which God could have rescued his people (Hebrew) "in a moment." (Calmet) (Berthier) |
| Psalms 80:16 | The enemies of the Lord have lied to him: and their time shall be for ever. | Enemies. The faithless Israelites, (Calmet) or infidel nations. (Bossuet, etc.) --- Ever. Impenitent sinners shall suffer for ever. (Challoner) --- The Jews will scarcely be converted at last. (Menochius) --- For a long time God bore with their infidelities, and heaped favours upon them. (Haydock) |
| Psalms 80:17 | And he fed them with the fat of wheat, and filled them with the honey out of the rock. | And. Or "though." This increases their ingratitude. --- Filled. Hebrew, "I will fill thee;" which reading few admit. St. Jerome agrees with us. (Berthier) --- Protestants, (16) "the haters of the Lord should have submitted (marginal note, lied) to him; but their time should have endured for ever. (17) He should have fed them, (v rather signifies "him;" Haydock) also with the finest of wheat, and with honey out of the rock, should I have satisfied thee." This sudden change seems rather abrupt, though God may have spoken either in the first or third person, from ver. 6. (Haydock) --- Rock. He fed them in the desert with manna, and the water seemed most delicious, as they were thirsty; unless he speaks of real honey. (Menochius) --- The promised land was very fruitful; but all this prefigured the favours which God bestows upon his servants, in the blessed Eucharist, 1 Corinthians 10:4. (Calmet) --- How many, like Judas, partake of them, and prove faithless! (St. Augustine) |