Chapter 11

David in the person of Christ, prayeth against his persecutors; more especially the traitor Judas: foretelling and approving his just punishment for his obstinacy in sin and final impenitence.

108:1. Unto the end, a psalm for David.

108:2. O God, be not thou silent in my praise: for the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful man is opened against me.

108:3. They have spoken against me with deceitful tongues; and they have compassed me about with words of hatred; and have fought against me without cause.

108:4. Instead of making me a return of love, they detracted me: but I gave myself to prayer.

108:5. And they repaid me evil for good: and hatred for my love.

108:6. Set thou the sinner over him: and may the devil stand at his right hand.

Set thou the sinner over him, etc. . .Give to the devil, that arch-sinner, power over him: let him enter into him, and possess him. The imprecations, contained in the thirty verses of this psalm, are opposed to the thirty pieces of silver for which Judas betrayed our Lord; and are to be taken as prophetic denunciations of the evils that should befall the traitor and his accomplices the Jews; and not properly as curses.

108:7. When he is judged, may he go out condemned; and may his prayer be turned to sin.

108:8. May his days be few: and his bishopric let another take.

108:9. May his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.

108:10. Let his children be carried about vagabonds, and beg; and let them be cast out of their dwellings.

108:11. May the usurer search all his substance: and let strangers plunder his labours.

108:12. May there be none to help him: nor none to pity his fatherless offspring.

108:13. May his posterity be cut off; in one generation may his name be blotted out.

108:14. May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered in the sight of the Lord: and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.

108:15. May they be before the Lord continually, and let the memory of them perish from the earth:

108:16. because he remembered not to shew mercy,

108:17. But persecuted the poor man and the beggar; and the broken in heart, to put him to death.

108:18. And he loved cursing, and it shall come unto him: and he would not have blessing, and it shall be far from him. And he put on cursing, like a garment: and it went in like water into his entrails, and like oil in his bones.

108:19. May it be unto him like a garment which covereth him; and like a girdle with which he is girded continually.

108:20. This is the work of them who detract me before the Lord; and who speak evils against my soul.

108:21. But thou, O Lord, do with me for thy name's sake: because thy mercy is sweet. Do thou deliver me,

108:22. For I am poor and needy, and my heart is troubled within me.

108:23. I am taken away like the shadow when it declineth: and I am shaken off as locusts.

108:24. My knees are weakened through fasting: and my flesh is changed for oil.

For oil. . .Propter oleum. The meaning is, my flesh is changed, being perfectly emaciated and dried up, as having lost all its oil or fatness.

108:25. And I am become a reproach to them: they saw me and they shaked their heads.

108:26. Help me, O Lord my God; save me; according to thy mercy.

108:27. And let them know that this is thy hand: and that thou, O Lord, hast done it.

108:28. They will curse and thou wilt bless: let them that rise up against me be confounded: but thy servant shall rejoice.

108:29. Let them that detract me be clothed with shame: and let them be covered with their confusion as with a double cloak.

108:30. I will give great thanks to the Lord with my mouth: and in the midst of many I will praise him.

108:31. Because he hath stood at the right hand of the poor, to save my soul from persecutors.

Psalms Chapter 109

Dixit Dominus.

Christ's exaltation and everlasting priesthood.

109:1. A psalm for David. The Lord said to my Lord: Sit thou at my right hand: Until I make thy enemies thy footstool.

109:2. The Lord will send forth the sceptre of thy power out of Sion: rule thou in the midst of thy enemies.

109:3. With thee is the principality in the day of thy strength: in the brightness of the saints: from the womb before the day star I begot thee.

109:4. The Lord hath sworn, and he will not repent: Thou art a priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech.

109:5. The Lord at thy right hand hath broken kings in the day of his wrath.

109:6. He shall judge among nations, he shall fill ruins: he shall crush the heads in the land of many.

109:7. He shall drink of the torrent in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.

Psalms Chapter 110

Confitebor tibi, Domine.

God is to be praised for his graces, and benefits to his church.

Alleluia.

110:1. I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; in the council of the just, and in the congregation.

110:2. Great are the works of the Lord: sought out according to all his wills.

110:3. His work is praise and magnificence: and his justice continueth for ever and ever.

110:4. He hath made a remembrance of his wonderful works, being a merciful and gracious Lord:

110:5. He hath given food to them that fear him. He will be mindful for ever of his covenant:

110:6. He will shew forth to his people the power of his works.

110:7. That he may give them the inheritance of the Gentiles: the works of his hands are truth and judgment.

110:8. All his commandments are faithful: confirmed for ever and ever, made in truth and equity.

110:9. He hath sent redemption to his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever. Holy and terrible is his name:

110:10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. A good understanding to all that do it: his praise continueth for ever and ever.

Psalms Chapter 111

Beatus vir.

The good man is happy.

Alleluia, of the returning of Aggeus and Zacharias.

Of the returning, etc. . .This is in the Greek and Latin, but not in the Hebrew. It signifies that this psalm was proper to be sung at the time of the return of the people from their captivity; to inculcate to them, how happy they might be, if they would be constant in the service of God.

111:1. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord: he shall delight exceedingly in his commandments.

111:2. His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the righteous shall be blessed.

111:3. Glory and wealth shall be in his house: and his justice remaineth for ever and ever.

111:4. To the righteous a light is risen up in darkness: he is merciful, and compassionate and just.

111:5. Acceptable is the man that sheweth mercy and lendeth: he shall order his words with judgment:

111:6. Because he shall not be moved for ever.

111:7. The just shall be in everlasting remembrance: he shall not fear the evil hearing. His heart is ready to hope in the Lord:

111:8. His heart is strengthened, he shall not be moved until he look over his enemies.

111:9. He hath distributed, he hath given to the poor: his justice remaineth for ever and ever: his horn shall be exalted in glory.

111:10. The wicked shall see, and shall be angry, he shall gnash with his teeth and pine away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.

Psalms Chapter 112

Laudate, pueri.

God is to be praised for his regard to the poor and humble.

Alleluia.

112:1. Praise the Lord, ye children: praise ye the name of the Lord.

112:2. Blessed be the name of the Lord, from henceforth now and for ever.

112:3. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same, the name of the Lord is worthy of praise.

112:4. The Lord is high above all nations; and his glory above the heavens.

112:5. Who is as the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high:

112:6. and looketh down on the low things in heaven and in earth?

112:7. Raising up the needy from the earth, and lifting up the poor out of the dunghill:

112:8. That he may place him with princes, with the princes of his people.

112:9. Who maketh a barren woman to dwell in a house, the joyful mother of children.

Psalms Chapter 113

In exitu Israel.

God hath shewn his power in delivering his people: idols are vain. The Hebrews divide this into two psalms.

Alleluia.

113:1. When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a barbarous people:

113:2. Judea was made his sanctuary, Israel his dominion.

113:3. The sea saw and fled: Jordan was turned back.

113:4. The mountains skipped like rams, and the hills like the lambs of the flock.

113:5. What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou didst flee: and thou, O Jordan, that thou wast turned back?

113:6. Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams, and ye hills, like lambs of the flock?

113:7. At the presence of the Lord the earth was moved, at the presence of the God of Jacob:

113:8. Who turned the rock into pools of water, and the stony hill into fountains of waters.

113:1. Not to us, O Lord, not to us; but to thy name give glory.

113:2. For thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake: lest the Gentiles should say: Where is their God?

113:3. But our God is in heaven: he hath done all things whatsoever he would.

113:4. The idols of the Gentiles are silver and gold, the works of the hands of men.

113:5. They have mouths and speak not: they have eyes and see not.

113:6. They have ears and hear not: they have noses and smell not.

113:7. They have hands and feel not: they have feet and walk not: neither shall they cry out through their throat.

113:8. Let them that make them become like unto them: and all such as trust in them.

113:9. The house of Israel hath hoped in the Lord: he is their helper and their protector.

113:10. The house of Aaron hath hoped in the Lord: he is their helper and their protector.

113:11. They that fear the Lord have hoped in the Lord: he is their helper and their protector.

113:12. The Lord hath been mindful of us, and hath blessed us. He hath blessed the house of Israel: he hath blessed the house of Aaron.

113:13. He hath blessed all that fear the Lord, both little and great.

113:14. May the Lord add blessings upon you: upon you, and upon your children.

113:15. Blessed be you of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

113:16. The heaven of heaven is the Lord's: but the earth he has given to the children of men.

113:17. The dead shall not praise thee, O Lord: nor any of them that go down to hell.

113:18. But we that live bless the Lord: from this time now and for ever.

Psalms Chapter 114

Dilexi.

The prayer of a just man in affliction, with a lively confidence in God.

Alleluia.

114:1. I have loved, because the Lord will hear the voice of my prayer.

114:2. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me: and in my days I will call upon him.

114:3. The sorrows of death have compassed me: and the perils of hell have found me. I met with trouble and sorrow:

114:4. And I called upon the name of the Lord. O Lord, deliver my soul.

114:5. The Lord is merciful and just, and our God sheweth mercy.

114:6. The Lord is the keeper of little ones: I was humbled, and he delivered me.

114:7. Turn, O my soul, into thy rest: for the Lord hath been bountiful to thee.

114:8. For he hath delivered my soul from death: my eyes from tears, my feet from falling.

114:9. I will please the Lord in the land of the living.

Psalms Chapter 115

Credidi.

This in the Hebrew is joined with the foregoing psalm, and continues to express the faith and gratitude of the psalmist.

Alleluia.

115:10. I have believed, therefore have I spoken; but I have been humbled exceedingly.

115:11. I said in my excess: Every man is a liar.

115:12. What shall I render to the Lord, for all the things that he hath rendered to me?

115:13. I will take the chalice of salvation; and I will call upon the name of the Lord.

115:14. I will pay my vows to the Lord before all his people:

115:15. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

115:16. O Lord, for I am thy servant: I am thy servant, and the son of thy handmaid. Thou hast broken my bonds:

115:17. I will sacrifice to thee the sacrifice of praise, and I will call upon the name of the Lord.

115:18. I will pay my vows to the Lord in the sight of all his people:

115:19. In the courts of the house of the Lord, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem.

Psalms Chapter 116

Laudate Dominum.

All nations are called upon to praise God for his mercy and truth.

Alleluia.

116:1. O Praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.

116:2. For his mercy is confirmed upon us: and the truth of the Lord remaineth for ever.

Psalms Chapter 117

Confitemini Domino.

The psalmist praiseth God for his delivery from evils: putteth his whole trust in him; and foretelleth the coming of Christ.

Alleluia.

117:1. Give praise to the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

117:2. Let Israel now say, that he is good: that his mercy endureth for ever.

117:3. Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

117:4. Let them that fear the Lord now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

117:5. In my trouble I called upon the Lord: and the Lord heard me, and enlarged me.

117:6. The Lord is my helper: I will not fear what man can do unto me.

117:7. The Lord is my helper: and I will look over my enemies.

117:8. It is good to confide in the Lord, rather than to have confidence in man.

117:9. It is good to trust in the Lord, rather than to trust in princes.

117:10. All nations compassed me about; and, in the name of the Lord I have been revenged on them.

117:11. Surrounding me they compassed me about: and in the name of the Lord I have been revenged on them.

117:12. They surrounded me like bees, and they burned like fire among thorns: and in the name of the Lord I was revenged on them.

117:13. Being pushed I was overturned that I might fall: but the Lord supported me.

117:14. The Lord is my strength and my praise: and he is become my salvation.

117:15. The voice of rejoicing and of salvation is in the tabernacles of the just.

117:16. The right hand of the Lord hath wrought strength: the right hand of the Lord hath exalted me: the right hand of the Lord hath wrought strength.

117:17. I shall not die, but live: and shall declare the works of the Lord.

117:18. The Lord chastising hath chastised me: but he hath not delivered me over to death.

117:19. Open ye to me the gates of justice: I will go in to them, and give praise to the Lord.

117:20. This is the gate of the Lord, the just shall enter into it.

117:21. I will give glory to thee because thou hast heard me: and art become my salvation.

117:22. The stone which the builders rejected; the same is become the head of the corner.

117:23. This is the Lord's doing , and it is wonderful in our eyes.

117:24. This is the day which the Lord hath made: let us be glad and rejoice therein.

117:25. O Lord, save me: O Lord, give good success.

117:26. Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord. We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord.

117:27. The Lord is God, and he hath shone upon us. Appoint a solemn day, with shady boughs, even to the horn of the altar.

117:28. Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, and I will exalt thee. I will praise thee, because thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.

117:29. O praise ye the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Psalms Chapter 118

Beati immaculati.

Of the excellence of virtue consisting in the love and observance of the commandments of God.

Alleluia.

ALEPH.

Aleph. . .The first eight verses of this psalm in the original begin with Aleph, which is the name of the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The second eight verses begin with Beth, the name of the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet; and so to the end of the whole alphabet, in all twenty-two letters, each letter having eight verses. This order is variously expounded by the holy fathers; which shews the difficulty of understanding the holy scriptures, and consequently with what humility, and submission to the Church they are to be read.

118:1. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.

118:2. Blessed are they that search his testimonies: that seek him with their whole heart.

His testimonies. . .The commandments of God are called his testimonies, because they testify his holy will unto us. Note here, that in almost every verse of this psalm (which in number are 176) the word and law of God, and the love and observance of it, is perpetually inculcated, under a variety of denominations, all signifying the same thing.

118:3. For they that work iniquity, have not walked in his ways.

118:4. Thou hast commanded thy commandments to be kept most diligently.

118:5. O! that my ways may be directed to keep thy justifications.

118:6. Then shall I not be confounded, when I shall look into all thy commandments.

118:7. I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned the judgments of thy justice.

118:8. I will keep thy justifications: O! do not thou utterly forsake me.

BETH.

118:9. By what doth a young man correct his way? by observing thy words.

118:10. With my whole heart have I sought after thee: let me not stray from thy commandments.

118:11. Thy words have I hidden in my heart, that I may not sin against thee.

118:12. Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy justifications.

118:13. With my lips I have pronounced all the judgments of thy mouth.

118:14. I have been delighted in the way of thy testimonies, as in all riches.

118:15. I will meditate on thy commandments: and I will consider thy ways.

118:16. I will think of thy justifications: I will not forget thy words.

GIMEL.

118:17. Give bountifully to thy servant, enliven me: and I shall keep thy words.

118:18. Open thou my eyes: and I will consider the wondrous things of thy law.

118:19. I am a sojourner on the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.

118:20. My soul hath coveted to long for thy justifications, at all times.

118:21. Thou hast rebuked the proud: they are cursed who decline from thy commandments.

118:22. Remove from me reproach and contempt: because I have sought after thy testimonies.

118:23. For princes sat, and spoke against me: but thy servant was employed in thy justifications.

118:24. For thy testimonies are my meditation: and thy justifications my counsel.

DALETH.

118:25. My soul hath cleaved to the pavement: quicken thou me according to thy word.

118:26. I have declared my ways, and thou hast heard me: teach me thy justifications.

118:27. Make me to understand the way of thy justifications: and I shall be exercised in thy wondrous works.

118:28. My soul hath slumbered through heaviness: strengthen thou me in thy words.

118:29. Remove from me the way of iniquity: and out of thy law have mercy on me.

118:30. I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments I have not forgotten.

118:31. I have stuck to thy testimonies, O Lord: put me not to shame.

118:32. I have run the way of thy commandments, when thou didst enlarge my heart.

HE.

118:33. Set before me for a law the way of thy justifications, O Lord: and I will always seek after it.

118:34. Give me understanding, and I will search thy law; and I will keep it with my whole heart.

118:35. Lead me into the path of thy commandments; for this same I have desired.

118:36. Incline my heart into thy testimonies and not to covetousness.

118:37. Turn away my eyes that they may not behold vanity: quicken me in thy way.

118:38. Establish thy word to thy servant, in thy fear.

118:39. Turn away my reproach, which I have apprehended: for thy judgments are delightful.

118:40. Behold I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy justice.

VAU.

118:41. Let thy mercy also come upon me, O Lord: thy salvation according to thy word.

118:42. So shall I answer them that reproach me in any thing; that I have trusted in thy words.

118:43. And take not thou the word of truth utterly out of my mouth: for in thy words, I have hoped exceedingly.

118:44. So shall I always keep thy law, for ever and ever.

118:45. And I walked at large: because I have sought after thy commandments.

118:46. And I spoke of thy testimonies before kings: and I was not ashamed.

118:47. I meditated also on thy commandments, which I loved.

118:48. And I lifted up my hands to thy commandments, which I loved: and I was exercised in thy justifications.

ZAIN.

118:49. Be thou mindful of thy word to thy servant, in which thou hast given me hope.

118:50. This hath comforted me in my humiliation: because thy word hath enlivened me.

118:51. The proud did iniquitously altogether: but I declined not from thy law.

118:52. I remembered, O Lord, thy judgments of old: and I was comforted.

118:53. A fainting hath taken hold of me, because of the wicked that forsake thy law.

118:54. Thy justifications were the subject of my song, in the place of my pilgrimage.

118:55. In the night I have remembered thy name, O Lord: and have kept thy law.

118:56. This happened to me: because I sought after thy justifications.

HETH.

118:57. O Lord, my portion, I have said, I would keep thy law.

118:58. I entreated thy face with all my heart: have mercy on me according to thy word.

118:59. I have thought on my ways: and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.

118:60. I am ready, and am not troubled: that I may keep thy commandments.

118:61. The cords of the wicked have encompassed me: but I have not forgotten thy law.

118:62. I rose at midnight to give praise to thee; for the judgments of thy justification.

118:63. I am a partaker with all them that fear thee, and that keep thy commandments.

118:64. The earth, O Lord, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy justifications.

TETH.

118:65. Thou hast done well with thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word.

118:66. Teach me goodness and discipline and knowledge; for I have believed thy commandments.

118:67. Before I was humbled I offended; therefore have I kept thy word.

118:68. Thou art good; and in thy goodness teach me thy justifications.

118:69. The iniquity of the proud hath been multiplied over me: but I will seek thy commandments with my whole heart.

118:70. Their heart is curdled like milk: but I have meditated on thy law.

118:71. It is good for me that thou hast humbled me, that I may learn thy justifications.

118:72. The law of thy mouth is good to me, above thousands of gold and silver.

JOD.

118:73. Thy hands have made me and formed me: give me understanding, and I will learn thy commandments.

118:74. They that fear thee shall see me, and shall be glad : because I have greatly hoped in thy words.

118:75. I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are equity: and in thy truth thou hast humbled me.

118:76. O! let thy mercy be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.

118:77. Let thy tender mercies come unto me, and I shall live: for thy law is my meditation.

118:78. Let the proud be ashamed, because they have done unjustly towards me: but I will be employed in thy commandments.

118:79. Let them that fear thee turn to me: and they that know thy testimonies.

118:80. Let my heart be undefiled in thy justifications, that I may not be confounded.

CAPH.

118:81. My soul hath fainted after thy salvation: and in thy word I have very much hoped.

118:82. My eyes have failed for thy word, saying: When wilt thou comfort me?

118:83. For I am become like a bottle in the frost: I have not forgotten thy justifications.

118:84. How many are the days of thy servant: when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?

118:85. The wicked have told me fables: but not as thy law.

118:86. All thy statutes are truth: they have persecuted me unjustly, do thou help me.

118:87. They had almost made an end of me upon earth: but I have not forsaken thy commandments.