1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible
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| Psalms 51:1 | Unto the end, understanding for David, Psalm 13:1. | |
| Psalms 51:2 | when Doeg, the Edomite, came and told Saul: David went to the house of Achimelech. [1 Kings xxii. 9.] | \f + \fr 51:2-3\ft Achimelech. Sixtus V, Septuagint, etc., read Abimelech. But the former is the true name. See 1 Kings 22:9, 20. (Calmet) --- The word understanding implies, that we ought to reflect on the misery of detraction, and bear our crosses with submission. (Berthier) --- Doeg was but half a Jew, and persecuted the faithful. (Worthington) --- Iniquity. Hebrew chesed, means also mercy, and some translate, "the mercy of God! or, the great mercy." Noble exploit! (Calmet) --- But our version seems more natural. El may be a preposition, as Symmachus has Kath. (Berthier) --- If Doeg, who was the most powerful of the shepherds of Saul, (1 Kings 21:7.) thought it his duty to give his master information of what had passed, he ought to have stated the matter fairly, instead of insinuating, that the high-priest was ill-affected. (Haydock) --- Nothing could be more false, as he supposed he was acting agreeably to the interests of Saul, and of the state. (Calmet) |
| Psalms 51:3 | Why dost thou glory in malice, thou that art mighty in iniquity? | |
| Psalms 51:4 | All the day long thy tongue hath devised injustice: as a sharp razor, thou hast wrought deceit. | |
| Psalms 51:5 | Thou hast loved malice more than goodness; and iniquity rather than to speak righteousness. | |
| Psalms 51:6 | Thou hast loved all the words of ruin, O deceitful tongue. | Ruin. Septuagint katapontismou, "drowning," or to make the innocent suffer "shipwreck." |
| Psalms 51:7 | Therefore will God destroy thee for ever: he will pluck thee out, and remove thee from thy dwelling-place: and thy root out of the land of the living. | Thy, is not found in Hebrew. Doeg would not dare to enter the tabernacle, after he had slain the priests. (Calmet) --- Houbigant properly supplies thy. (Berthier) --- Living. The Jews inform us, that Doeg slew himself with his master at Gelboe, and that David punished his offspring with death. (Calmet) |
| Psalms 51:8 | The just shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, and say: | Laugh, at the last day, when they will have nothing to fear, nor the wicked to hope. In this life, the just are full of compassion; but they cannot but approve of God's judgments. (Calmet) |
| Psalms 51:9 | Behold the man that made not God his helper: But trusted in the abundance of his riches: and prevailed in his vanity. | The man. Hebrew hageber, "the hero." |
| Psalms 51:10 | But I, as a fruitful olive-tree in the house of God, have hoped in the mercy of God for ever; yea, for ever and ever. | Fruitful. David foretells his own prosperity on the throne, (Worthington) when this wretch shall be no more. (Haydock) --- He was at this time in great perplexity, (Calmet) in banishment from the house of God. (Menochius) |
| Psalms 51:11 | I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name, for it is good in the sight of thy saints. | It punished the wicked, and asserted thy just providence. (Haydock) --- Good. Thy saints find the greatest comfort in thee. (Calmet) |