1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible

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Psalms 62:1 A psalm of David, when he was in the desert of Edom.

Edom, (Idumaeae.) (Haydock) --- Several copies read Judaeae; which agrees with the Hebrew, etc. The Idumeans, after the captivity, occupied those deserts (Calmet) of Ziph, Haret, etc., (Worthington) where David had screened himself from the fury of Saul. This psalm may express his sentiments, (Theodoret; Muis) or those of the captives, returning home, (Calmet) or it may agree with all those, who thirst after their heavenly country. (Berthier) --- St. Jerome explains it of the coming of Christ, and it was used in the morning service. (St. Chrysostom) (Psalm cxl.) (Calmet) --- Catholics, who are imprisoned for their faith, and cannot approach the tabernacle, may here find comfort. (Worthington)
Psalms 62:2 O God, my God, to thee do I watch at break of day. For thee my soul hath thirsted; for thee my flesh, O how many ways!

Day. The manna dissolved with the sun beams, and God will be served with diligence. --- Flesh. The sensations of my soul affect all my body. (Worthington) --- Thirst is more insupportable than hunger; and the psalmist could not express his ardour better. (Calmet) --- He loves God with all his strength, etc. (Haydock) --- "The soul desires, but the end can be attained only by good works." Carnis laboribus pervenitur. (St. Jerome) --- O how! Protestants, "longeth for thee in a dry," etc. But come is no Hebrew verb, and occurring no where else, is little understood by the Jews. It seems that comu, "as," should be here, to correspond with the following so. "As my flesh thirsts in this, etc., so in the," etc. I shall find no less pleasure in attending thy worship, than a thirsty traveller does in finding water. (Calmet) --- Theodotion agrees with the Septuagint, in considering this as a compound word posaplos, (Calmet) and we had best stick to the most ancient version. (Berthier)
Psalms 62:3 In a desert land, and where there is no way, and no water: so in the sanctuary have I come before thee, to see thy power and thy glory.

Land. "O solitude," cries out St. Ephrem, "ladder of heaven, mother of compunction,....and piety, thou art the guardian of the eyes," etc. --- Glory. The ark, (Calmet) or Jesus Christ, the desired of all nations. (St. Jerome) (Haydock) --- I have attended thy worship in spirit, not being able to be present at Jerusalem. (Calmet) (Menochius) (Worthington) --- Thus people, who cannot hear mass, ought to act. (Haydock)
Psalms 62:4 For thy mercy is better than lives: thee my lips shall praise.

Lives. For these must perish, while heaven remains for ever. (St. Hilary) --- This consolation is preferable to any worldly prosperity. (Worthington)
Psalms 62:5 Thus will I bless thee all my life long: and in thy name I will lift up my hands.

Hands. Doing good works, as the Fathers explain it. This is the posture of people who pray, or take an oath. (Tertullian) (1 Timothy 2:8.) (Calmet) --- I will, etc. Comfort is proportioned to suffering for Christ, 2 Corinthians 1:(Worthington)
Psalms 62:6 Let my soul be filled as with marrow and fatness: and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips.

Fatness. With the most exquisite delights of the temple, Jeremias 31:14. (Calmet) --- Thy grace will enable me to give thee due praise (Worthington) with joy. (Menochius)
Psalms 62:7 If I have remembered thee upon my bed, I will meditate on thee in the morning:

Bed. I will think on thee both when I retire to rest, and when I get up. (Berthier) --- Thou art my first beginning, and last end. (Haydock) --- At all times I will meditate on thy mercies (Calmet) in bed, and much more, when I arise, (Worthington) as I shall not then be so much oppressed with drowsiness. (Menochius)
Psalms 62:8 because thou hast been my helper. And I will rejoice under the covert of thy wings:

Psalms 62:9 my soul hath stuck close to thee: thy right hand hath received me.

Psalms 62:10 But they have sought my soul in vain, they shall go into the lower parts of the earth.

John 2:17. --- ** Romans 15:3.
Earth. To seek me out, (Houbigant) or they shall perish. The Babylonians were exposed to many miseries under Cyrus, as the prophets assert, (Isaias 13:1., and Jeremias 25:12.) though profane history be silent. (Calmet) --- David foretells the destruction of his persecutors, either temporal or spiritual. (Worthington) --- The devils may be styled foxes. (Berthier) (St. Hilary) --- This may also be verified in the Jews, who persecuted Christ, and fell a prey to the Roman arms, etc. (Eusebius) (Calmet) --- Saul perished in battle, and his body was exposed on a gibbet to wild beasts, 1 Kings xxxi. (Worthington)
Psalms 62:11 They shall be delivered into the hands of the sword, they shall be the portions of foxes.

Psalms 62:12 But the king shall rejoice in God, all they shall be praised that swear by him: because the mouth is stopped of them that speak wicked things.

The king. David, (Berthier, etc.) or Zorobabel, for whom the Jews had the highest regard, though he was not an independent monarch, nor wore a crown, Aggeus 2:24., and Zacharias 3:8. It was customary to swear by the life of the king, 1 Kings 1:26., and 20:3. The Fathers understand Jesus Christ to be meant, and this is the true and primary sense; as Zorobabel was only a figure of Him, and never really possessed the throne, that the Jews might not think that the prophecies were fulfilled in his person. --- By him. The king, (Du Pin; Calmet) or God. (Menochius) (Bossuet) (Tirinus) --- Those who follow the true religion, (Deuteronomy 6:13., and Isaias 45:23.; Calmet) and act accordingly (Haydock) shall be kings for ever, Apocalypse. (Berthier) (1 Peter 2:9.) (Haydock) --- As David came to the throne, on the death of his rival, so was Christ's name exalted, after the Romans had destroyed the Jews. (Worthington)