Psalm 74

There is a just judgment to come: therefore let the wicked take care.

1 We will praise thee, O God: we will praise, and we will call upon thy name. We will relate thy wondrous works:

2 When I'shall take a time, I-will judge justices. :

-_ 8 The éarth is melted, and all that dwell therein: I have'established the pillars thereof.

4 [I said to the wicked: Do not act wickedly: and to the sinners: Lift not up the horn.

5 Lift not up your horn on high: speak not iniquity against God.

‘6 For néither from the east, nor. from the west, nor from the desert hills:

7 For God is the judge. One he putteth down, and another he lifteth up:

8 For in the hand: of the Lord there is a cup of strong wine! full.of mixture. And he hath poured it out from this to that: but the dregs thereof are not emptied: all the sinners of the earth shall drink.

9 But I will declare for ever: I will sing to the God of Jacob.

10 And I will break all the horns of sinners: but the horns of the just shall be exalted. vat

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALM,

1 “We will praise thee, O God: we will pratse, and we will call upon thy name, We will relate thy wondrous works :

The elect of God, who, from the superior knowledge of God enjoyed by them, say it is their duty to pray to, to praise, and to announce God to others, ‘speak here, saying, ‘ We will praise thee, O God, we will call upon thy name ;” we will not only praise

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS.

thee in this life, but we will invoke thy name, fox pure praise does not belong to this life, but to the next, ‘ We will relate thy wondrous works.” We will not only praise you in our heart, and pray to you, but we will also announce your wonderful works to all beside, that they too may learn to fear and to. love vou. “‘When I shall take a time, I will judge justices.” These words come fromthe supreme judge, in approbation of the preceding, promising the just their reward in due season, as well as condign punishment to the wicked, who neither confess to nor invoke him. “ When I shall take a time,” the time of judgment determined from all eternity; then, “ Z will judge justices ;” judge with the greatest candour and justice. That not only the day, but even the hour, of judgment has been definitively laid down, is taught by the Apostle, Acts xvyii.; where he says, “ Because he hath appointed a day wherein he wilt judge the world in equity by the man whom he hath appointed, giving faith to all by raising him up from the dead;” and St. John teaches, in the Apocalypse, “ Fear the Lord, and give him honour, because the hour of his judgment is come.” Great thanks, says St. Augustine, should be given to God, who does not pronounce judgment immediately after the commission of the sin, but waits for mortals to de peaance, mever ceasing, in many and various ways, in the meantime to invite and exhort them until the appointed day and hour arrive.

3 “ The earth is melted, and all that dwell therein: I have established the pillars thereof.”

The just speak again, saying, If you judge justly, O Lord, who can stand it? for, “the earth is melted ;” gone to the bad, corrupted, become dissipated by the vices of its inhabitants; “and all that dwell therein” - have also gone to the bad, there is no one, not even one, there to do good. ‘The Lord answers, “ J have established the pillars thereof.” It is not gone entirely, for I have established the pillars of it, perfect souls, who. are allowed to exist; for God always had per-

fect, and faithful servants, though it is.said in Gene-

sis that, ‘the earth was corrupt through:the iniquities

ofits inhabitants ;” yet in the very same-chapter it is

stated that “ Noe was ajust and perfect man.”

4 “T said to the wicked: Do not.act wickedly: and to the sinners; Lift not up the horn.”

The prophet now, in the person of one.of the just, admonishes the wicked to cease from their iniquity, while a hope of salvation remains; and that judgment is only deferred to give them an opportunity of doing penance. ‘‘ And to the sinners, lift not up the horn;” that is, I said to the sinners, do not glory in your iniquity, do not proudly defend your sins. The horn is an emblem of pride, and they who not only commit sin, but even glory in their crimes, and seek to be praised for them, are the farthest from salvation, “* Left not up the horn;” do not allow your- ‘selves to be so deeply immersed in sin as to despise and to blaspheme the Almighty, pik.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS.

5 “ Lift not up your horn on high: speak not iniquity against God.

6 “ For neither from the east, norfrom the west, nor From the desert hills :”

He assigns a reason why we. should not “ speak mquily against God,” because there will be-no es» eaping his judgment; for he will not judge from the east, so that one may fly to the west; nor from the west, so that one may conceal, himself in the east; nor from the desert mountains, where one may hide himself among the trees, or shelter himself in the valleys.

7 “ For God is the judge. another he lifteth up:

8 ‘* For in-the hand of the Lord there is a cup of strong wine full of mixture. And he hath poured it out from this to that: but the dregs thereof are not emptied : all the sinners of the earth shall drink.”

And he hath poured. it out from this to that ; but the dregs thereof are not emptied; all the sinners of the earth shall drink. ‘ Mor God ts the judge,’ who is every where, and, therefore, there is no escaping him ; ‘‘ one he putteth down,’ the proud man; “and another he lifteth up,” the humble man. ‘“ For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup of strong wine;” for God has the attribute of retributive justice, by virtue of which, while he punishes the haughty sinner, he, at the same time, raises up and consoles the just, after freeing them from the persecution of the wicked. Retributive justice is called a cup of strong wine in various parts of the Scripture, as Isaias li., Jeremias xxv., Lamentations iv., Ezechiel xxiii.,

. Apocalypse xiv., and in various other places. The metaphor is derived from the fact of man being so. weakened by an excess of strong wine that he neither knows how, nor is he able, to help himself. The drunken man loses all power of judgment, totters, falls, is buried in sleep. He that is punished by his fellow-man, generally speaking, has some remedy, either by seeking to regain the favour of the person who so punishes bim, or by flying from him, or by resisting him; but he that is punished by God has no remedy, but, like a drunken man, suddenly falls down insensible under God’s judgments, He adds, “full of mixture ;” that is, the cup of strong wine prepared by the Lord will not be simply a cup of strong wine, but yarious strong wines will be mixed up init, to make it stronger again, thereby giving us to understand the severity and strength of God’s judgments, and the variety of punishments it has at command; as we read in Psalm x., “ Lire and sulphur, and the spirit of storms is the portion of their cup.” “ And he hath poured it out from this to that;” God has already poured out the cup of his anger on many, pouring it on this nation now, on another at another time; going from the Sodomites to the Chaldeans, from them to the Egyptians, and to other nations ; ‘ but the dregs thereof are not emptied ;” the heaviest portion of his retributive justice has not been yet applicd, it is re-

_ served for the day of judgment, and then “ all the

One he putteth down, and

sinners of the earth shall drink.” For then there will no longer be any room for mercy ; but all who shall be found among the sinners on that day shall be com-

pelled to drink the dregs of the cup of the anger of the Lord.

9 “ But I will declare for ever: I will sing to the God of Jacob.”

The prophet now speaks, after having described God’s judgment, and the punishment of the wicked, and promises that he will publish God’s praise for ever, They may drink of the cup of the anger of God; but I, delivered through his grace, “will declare for ever,” how? “J will sing to the God of Jacob ;” what I will declare for ever will be a hymn of praise and thanks to the God of Jacob, which I will sing for ever.

10 “And Iwill break. all the horns of sinners: but the horns of the just shall be exalted.”

God speaks here, and says, “‘ £ will break all the horns of sinners; all their. pride, all their glory, all their power; ‘‘ but the horns of the just shall be ex-_ alted.” I will cause the power and the glory of every just man, and especially of Christ, who was so eminently just as to justify many, to be exalted, as it is said in Isaias liii., “ Wy just servant shall justify many.” St, Jerome observes that this Psala was composed in the form of a dialogue,

PSALM LXXV,

God is known in his. church: and exerts his power in protecting it. It alludes to the slaughter af the Assyrians, in the days of King Ezechias.

1 In Judea God is known: his name is ereat in Israel:

2 And his place is in peace; and his abode in Sion:

3 There hath, he broken the powers of bows, the shield, the sword, and the battle.

4 Thou enlightenest wonderfully from the evérlasting hills:.

5 All the foolish of heart were troubled. They have slept their sleep: and all the men of riches have found nothing in their hands,

6 At thy rebuke, O God of Jaceb, they have all slumbered that mounted on horseback.

7 Thou art terrible, and who shall resist thee? from that time thy wrath.

8 Thou hast caused judgment to be heard from heaven: theearth trembled, and was still,

9 When God arose in judgment, to save all the meek of the earth.

10° For the thought of man shall give praise to thee: and the remainders of the thought shall keep holiday to thee.

11 Vow ye, and pay to the Lord your God: all you that round about him bring presents. To him that is terrible,

13 Even to him who taketh away the spirit of princes: to the terrible with the kings of the earth.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALM.

The carnal Jews are very proud of this expression, but without any reason. God certainly was known in Judea when it had the prophe's, and the people obedient to them; and God’s name was great in Israel when the people were circumcised, not only in the flesh, but in their hearts; but once they denied God the Son, foretold by all the prophets, and ceased to be his people; God is no longer known in Judea, nor is his name great in Israel, according to the flesh. But, as this Psalm has “to the end” in its title, and, therefore, has reference to Christ, who is the end of the law, and will be praised to the end of the world, it is now true to say, and will be for ever true to say, “ God is known in Judea, great is his name in Israel.” By Judea, however, we are to understand the Church, in which are to be found the true children of Juda, circumcised in the heart, and not in the flesh ; of whom the Apostle, Romans ii., says, ‘¢ For it is not he is a Jew that is so outwardly, nor as that circumcision that ts outward in the flesh; the circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit, not in the letter ;” and in chap. ix., * Lor all are not Israelites that are of Israel.” God, then, is known in the Church of Christ, and great is his name among the people of Christ ; for greater wisdom is to be found in children instructed in the shortest catechism, than was formerly to be found among the pagan philosophers, or the Jewish rabbis. God, however, is principally known to those perfect souls who devote themselves to contemplation, and from contemplation, burst forth with all their hearts to celebrate the divine praise.

2 “And his place ts in peace: and his abode in Ston :”

He assigns a reason for God being better known in Judea than in any other place, because he chose Jerusalem as his royal residence, and Sion as his citadel. “ And his place is in peace ;” God chose a particular spot for himself, in which to place his tabernacle, the city of Salem, which signifies peace ; “and his abode is in Sion;” he chose Sion for his habitation, it being the best and the most elevated part of Jerusalem.

3 ‘There hath he broken the powers of bows, the . shield, the sword, and the battle.”

He now describes the victory over the Assyrians, of which there is mention in the title of the Psalm. It is to be found in 1 Kings xix., where God delivered Jerusalem from the blockade of king Senna-

God is known: his name is great in

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS.

cherib, without the Jews striking a single blow; for the Angel of the Lord killed, in one night, one hundred and eighty-five thousand of the Assyrians, and thus ‘broke the powers of bows” the Assyrians had ready to shoot the Hebrews, and “ the shield” they had ready to defend themselves from the Hebrews, and the “ sword” they had sharpened to fight handto-hand, after having discharged the atrows; atid, finally, put down the entire “war,” diverted it from Jerusalem.

4 “* Thou enlightenest wonderfully from the everlasting hills :”

The prophet explains how the Jews accomplished the victory over the Assyrians, which.he does by an appeal to God, “ Thou enlightenest wonderfully from the everlasting hills ;” the Lord destroyed the weapons of offence and defence carried by the Assyrians, before Jerusalem ; and you are the Lord that did so, when from the heavens, “ the everlasting hells,” as if from a lofty tower, you “ enlightened wonder fully ;” sent forth your Angel like lightuing from heaven to destroy the army of the Assyrians,

5 ‘All the foolish of heart were troubled. They have slept their sleep: and all the men of riches have found nothing in thetr hands.”

In consequence of such havoe by the destroying Angel, “ail the foolish of heart were troubled ;” all the soldiers of Sennackerib, who hoped to have taken the city. “* They have slept their sleep;” instead of taking the city, however, they are buried in the sleep of death; ‘and all the men of riches have Sound nothing in their hands ;” the richest of the Assyrians, who coveted more than the poorest, instead of adding to their riches, Jost what they had; and thus, “ they found nothing in their hands,” neither of what they expected nor what they brought with them.

6 “At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, they have all slumbered that mounted on horseback.”

He asserts that the death of the Assyrians was not a natural deatb, but one inflicted by God in his anger, ‘At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, they have all slumbercd ;” they were said in the preceding verse ‘to have slept their sleep.” They have slept their sleep, “ prostrated by thy rebuke;” they have slept the sleep of death; for God’s rebuke is most effective, and produces its effect at once. If the rebuke of St. Peter put Ananias and Sapphira to instant death, how much more fearful must not the rebuke of Almighty God be? ‘ Mounted on horseback” alludes to the confidence and arrogance of the Assyrians, who trusted so much in their cavalry.

7 “ Thou art terrible, and who shall resist thee 2 from that time thy wrath.”

The prophet now addresses Almighty God in admiration of his power, so displayed in the punishment of, and vengeance inflicted on, the Assyrians, teaching us to fear and admire him in like manner. ‘* Thou art terrible, and who shall resist thee in thy

anger?” such is the meaning of * from that time thy wrath.”

8 “ Thou hast caused judgment to be heard from heaven : the earth trembled, and was still,

9 ‘*When God arose in judgment, to save all the meek of the earth.”

• Taking advantage of God’s anger towards the Assyrians, he passes to the anger that will be displayed by the same Judge on the day of general judgment ; for it is then in reality that none of the wicked will be able to stand the countenance ofthe angry Judge, making use, as is wont with the prophets, of the past tense to indicate the future. ** Thow hast caused Judgment to be heard from heaven ;” that means, you will announce, by various signs from heaven, that will appear in the sua, the moor, and the stars; and, finally, by that dreadfal trumpet of the Angels, that jou are about to come to the last judgment; and then the earth will ‘ ¢remble,’”’ will ‘be silent,” through fear; meaning all its inhabitants, who will “be withered up through fear, in expectation of what as £0 come on the whole world.” “When God arose in judgment,” “ you will cause judgment to be heard Srom heaven; when you shall arise to judge, rise

from your throne in heaven, and come to judge the

world, “to save all the meck of the earth;” for such will be the end and object of judgment, that all the meek in the world may be no longer harassed by their proud and cruel persecutors, but that, upon their just condemnation, all the pious and the just may obtain eternal salvation, pesce, and happiness.

10 ‘ For the thought of man shall give praise to thee : and the remainders of the thought shall keep holiday to thee.”

The consequence of the last judgment will be that the meek, now delivered from all oppression on the part of their persecutors, will bear such kindness in mind, will perpetually praise God, and will keep holy days in heaven, in memory of such kindness. Man, when he thinks on those matters, will constantly praise thee ; “ and the remainders of the thought;” the very recollection of the pleasure imparted by such thoughts, will make man as joyful as he is in times of holiday,

11 ‘ Vow ye, and pay to the Lord your God : all you that round about him bring presents. To him that is terrible

12.“ Even to him who taketh away the spirit of princes : to the terrible with the kings of the earth.”

The prophet concludes the Psalm by exhorting the faithful to make vows, in order to appease God who is so terrible, that he deprives kings themselves of life, when he wills it. ‘ Vow ye, and pay ;” promise God those gifts and sacrifices that you know are agreeable to him; but, be sure faithfully to discharge what you shall have promised. Vow and pay, I say, “all you that round about him bring presents; all you that are in the habit of approaching his altars and offeiing your gifts upon them. Vow then, and pay your vows to that true God, “ who is terrible” in

his judgments, and can neither be deceived nor derided by any one; and is terrible, not only to ordinary men, but even to kings and princes, who are usually terrible to others. From the words vow ye, and pay to the Lord, we refute the heresy of those who question the legitimacy of vows regarding matters not commanded by Gcd.