Bible in 90 Days

Footnotes

1. Job 42:1 Suffering is still mysterious, but Job humbles himself before God. He was wrong, posing as a judge in the name of too human an idea of God. He has now encountered God, i.e., he has had a new experience of God, a new perception of his mystery, and it has transformed him interiorly. Job can entrust himself with confidence to this God of infinite grandeur and unlimited power.
2. Job 42:7 With Job’s reply (vv. 1-6), the drama has come to an end, but the author does not want to leave his readers in ignorance of what became of the principal players. Here is the Lord’s definitive judgment: the friends of Job are blameworthy, and Job, God’s impatient but faithful servant, has the greatest blessings heaped upon him.
3. Job 42:7 God conducts the trial of the three friends. Job’s prayer will obtain pardon for them.
4. Job 42:10 Job shows his greatness through his goodness, for he intercedes for those who have treated him harshly. Job recovers double what he previously had of honors, riches, posterity, length of life, and heaped-up possessions: all the rewards of the righteous, all the prosperity of the Patriarchs.
5. Job 42:14 Jemimah: i.e., “dove.” Keziah: i.e., “cassia” or “cinnamon.” Keren-happuch: i.e., “eye cosmetic.”
6. Job 42:15 Normally, daughters received an inheritance only when there were no sons (see Num 27:1-11).
7. Psalm 1:1 These first two psalms are regarded as a preface to the entire Psalter. Collections of psalms that were originally different were gradually regrouped to comprise the Psalter as we have it; the psalms attributed to David (3–41 and 51–72), the songs of Ascents (120–134), and the chants of the Hallel (105–107, 111–118, 135–150) constitute the most remarkable of these primary collections. But as presently arranged in our Bible, the Book of Psalms is divided like the Pentateuch (the first five Books of the Bible that are called the Law) into five unequal parts, each of which ends with a formula of acclamation.
8. Psalm 1:1 At the entrance to the collection of the Psalms, we are immediately placed before a life-choice: God or nothingness. This option imposes itself on us throughout all the pages of the Bible. In the historical accounts, law codes, prophecies, prayers, and meditative texts, a line of division is set forth. It distinguishes between righteousness and impiety, self-reliance and faith, good and evil, wickedness and love. The words are varied and the experiences are numerous in order to bear witness to this rupture.
   They mark a division between peoples, between individuals, and between the acts and projects of our lives. Appearances may produce change and daily contradict the faithful’s overly naive dreams about prosperity; however, one fact remains: a life of righteousness and truth is a path of happiness, a path to God, whereas those who deaden their conscience for their own ends have no other future but ruin.
   Every time a reader prays a psalm, he or she is forced to choose between the “two ways” (see Deut 30:15; Prov 4:18f; Jer 21:8), the difference between which is underscored by Jesus (see Mt 7:13; 25). The righteous are blessed for they are separated from sin, Bible-centered, and prosperous. Unlike them are the wicked who are doomed to judgment.
9. Psalm 1:1 The Psalter begins by declaring the blessedness of the righteous (v. 1) and concludes by summoning all creation to praise God in heaven and on earth (Ps 150). Human beings are made for happiness, and the revealed moral law is oriented toward that happiness. Blessed: the happy state of life in fellowship with God, revering him and obeying his laws (see Pss 94:12; 112:1; 119:1f; 128:1; Prov 29:18). Scoffers: those who reject God and his law (see Prov 1:10-19).
10. Psalm 1:2 The law of the Lord: either the first five Books of the Bible, known as the Torah (law), or divine instruction. Meditates: literally, “murmurs,” i.e., assimilates the law of life that incarnates the presence of God and teaches the believer how to attain joyous intimacy with the Lord. Indeed, the law is a judgment of God and a happiness for human beings.
11. Psalm 1:3 Like a tree . . . never wither: the righteous are able to withstand the rigors of life. Like a tree planted on fertile ground, they are able to enhance their spiritual life.
12. Psalm 1:4 Like chaff . . . blows away: the wicked are completely powerless spiritually, for they are like chaff that is easily borne away, even by the slightest breeze.
13. Psalm 1:5 At the judgment—either God’s judgment of the wicked during life (see Pss 76:7f; 130:3; Ezr 9:15) or his judgment of them at the end of time (see Mal 3:2; Mt 25:31-46; Rev 6:17)—the wicked will bear the brunt of their misdeeds. Righteous: a name for the faithful People of God, i.e., those who reverence God and diligently strive to carry out his laws in every phase of their lives.
14. Psalm 1:6 Watches over: the Lord takes an avid interest in their conduct (see Pss 31:7f; 37:18; Gen 18:19; Am 3:2; Nah 1:7). The way of the wicked will perish: a similar fate is set forth for the wicked in Ps 112:10: “the desires of the wicked will be fruitless.” The theme of the two ways has already been found in Deut 30:15f and Jer 21:8; it will be taken up again in Prov 4:18f and Mt 7:13.
15. Psalm 2:1 Although the surrounding peoples are rising up, the People of God are enthroning a new king; empowered by God’s assistance, he shatters the coalition of their foes. This is the drama evoked in the present psalm, and it recurs more than once in the history of Israel. Thus, this poem found its place in a liturgy for royal consecration, for each king was a “messiah,” that is, a man anointed with the sacred unction in the name of God. But the Prophets and the New Testament enlarged these perspectives. Hence, this ancient text evokes the whole drama of the world. It proclaims the sovereignty of God in the midst of the tumult of peoples and our human rebellions.
    Behind the king of verse 6 can be glimpsed the Messiah (the Christ), a descendant of David and the Son of God, who will save his people (see Isa 9:5-6; Acts 4:25; 13:33; Heb 1:5). There is a premonition of the struggle that will take place at the end of time (see Ezek 38–39; Dan 12), a struggle already begun in the Passion of Jesus and in the persecutions of the Church (see Acts 4:25-28). But the psalm also expresses the hope of a final conversion of all the nations as they at last acknowledge the Lord (see Isa 45; Rev 19:15). God’s plan will be achieved in the glory of the Messianic Kingdom.
16. Psalm 2:2 Anointed One: in Hebrew, Mashiah (whence the word “Messiah”), which in the Greek translation is Christos; it referred originally to the Davidic King but ultimately to Jesus Christ. This phrase has given rise to two titles of Jesus: “Messiah” from the Hebrew and “Christ” from the Greek. In Israel the power of office was bestowed by anointing both on kings (see Jdg 9:8; 1 Sam 9:16; 16:12f) and on high priests (see Lev 8:12; Num 3:3).
17. Psalm 2:6 Holy mountain: reference to the site of the temple (see 2 Chr 3:4; 15:1; 33:15). Psalms 43:3; 46:5 have “holy mountain” and “holy place” respectively. Psalm 48:2 has “holy mountain” and Psalm 87:1 has “holy mountains.”
18. Psalm 2:7 Decree: this is nothing less than the prophecy of Nathan (see 2 Sam 7:14) applied to the Messiah by 1 Chr 17:13 (see Ps 89:27). Here the Messiah speaks after the rebels (v. 3) and after God who in an oracle (v. 6) has just enthroned him as King of Israel. He has also declared him his Son according to a formula familiar to the ancient Orient.
19. Psalm 2:8 The Messiah’s reign will be coextensive with that of God (see Isa 49:6; Dan 7:14). This verse is applied by Heb 1:5 (see Heb 5:5), then by tradition and the Liturgy, to the eternal generation of the Word.
20. Psalm 2:9 The Book of Revelation applies this verse to Christ’s triumphant reign (see Rev 12:5; 19:15).
21. Psalm 2:12 Bow down in homage: another possible translation is: “honor the Son.” Blessed: see note on Ps 1:1.
22. Psalm 3:1 At the beginning of the Book we find a collection of psalms attributed to David. His life, replete with difficulties and brimming with confidence, was presented as an example: it inspired poems that David did not himself compose. One theme dominates the diversity of psalms that make up this first part: the innocent find themselves in the grip of the wicked. Hope is ceaselessly renewed as is torment: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Ps 22:1). It is the trial of darkness; still one certitude remains: “You will fill me with joy in your presence” (Ps 16:11). Is not this the dialogue that takes place in the life of believers?
23. Psalm 3:1 In time of great danger and anguish, the psalmist finds refuge in God as his shield (protector) and the one who fills him with courage. God answers his prayer and bestows peace and deliverance.
24. Psalm 3:3 Selah: a word whose meaning is uncertain; possibly a musical term.
25. Psalm 3:4 God will preserve the psalmist from dishonor and humiliation by means of his grace (see Pss 18:3; 27:5; 62:8; 110:5; Deut 33:29; Sir 11:12f).
26. Psalm 3:5 Holy Mountain: see note on Ps 2:6.
27. Psalm 3:6 This passage (see Prov 3:24) is applied by the Fathers of the Church to the dead and risen Christ.
28. Psalm 3:8 God treats the wicked like ferocious beasts whose jaws are shattered (see Pss 22:14f; 35:16; 58:7; Job 29:17; Ezek 22:25). The initial appeal reminds one of Jer 2:27. See notes on Pss 5:10; 35.
29. Psalm 4:1 Those who are well established in life delude themselves by seeking happiness in riches and worldly vanities. The psalmist, rich in divine trust and joy, invites them to discover the price of God’s friendship: “the light of [God’s] face.” This is an evening prayer (see vv. 5, 9), filled with desire for God; Christians move beyond its earthly perspectives. Prayer brings openness of heart, assurance of God’s help, faith, divine approval, joy, and peace.
30. Psalm 4:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation.
31. Psalm 4:3 How long . . . ?: see note on Ps 6:4.
32. Psalm 4:4 Those who are faithful: one of several words (sometimes translated as “saints”) for the People of God, who should be faithful to him (see Pss 12:2; 31:24; 32:6; 34:10). See also notes on Pss 16:3; 34:10.
33. Psalm 4:5 One must fear to offend God but rather pray to him in the calm and silence of adoration. When you are angry be careful not to sin: these words are cited by Paul in Eph 4:26 with the sense that if anger takes hold of you, let it not lead you to act evilly—for there is such a thing as righteous anger (see Mk 3:5). Beds: can refer to the spot where one prostrated oneself to pray (see Ps 95:6; Sir 50:17), which is also suggested by the presence of the term Selah, or pause.
34. Psalm 4:7 Face shine on: this image of benevolence and contentment (see Num 6:25; Prov 16:15; Dan 9:17) occurs frequently in the Psalter (see Pss 31:17; 67:2; 119:135; and especially note on Ps 13:2). The reading in the Septuagint and Vulgate is: “The light of your countenance, O Lord, is signed [or: imprinted] on us.” It was interpreted as referring to the soul created in the image of God and regenerated by the baptismal character that makes a Christian a child of light (see Lk 16:8; Jn 12:36; 1 Thes 5:5; Eph 5:8).
35. Psalm 4:8 Heart: the biblical center of the human spirit, which harbors a person’s thoughts and emotions and gives rise to action.
36. Psalm 5:1 This is a morning prayer (see v. 4) in which the psalmist prays for the Lord to hear his prayer and grant a sense of God’s goodness and justice, bestow guidance, punish enemies, and bless the righteous. Broken by tribulation, the persecuted man appeals for the justice of God against his own enemies. Christians must spiritualize the call for vengeance, hating evil rather than those who do evil. To love God is to choose the cause of justice and bear the witness of a purified joy.
37. Psalm 5:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation.
38. Psalm 5:4 At daybreak: the morning is the privileged moment for divine favors (see Pss 17:14f; 30:6; 46:6; 59:17). I bring my petition: other possible translations are: “I offer my vows” and “I prepare my offering.”
39. Psalm 5:8 Kindness: Hebrew, hesed; this word denotes the sentiments that flow from a natural community, family, clan, or society (benevolence, favor). It is also the love of the covenant between the Lord and the community of Israel, regarded as his spouse and child. Finally, it includes the sentiments that are found in each of its members (grace and love on the part of the Lord, and piety on the part of the faithful). See also note on Ps 6:5.
40. Psalm 5:9 Make your path straight before me: the Greek reads: “Make straight my way before you.”
41. Psalm 5:10 With mouth, heart, throat, and tongue they spread harm around. Their throat is a wide open grave: their words bring death to their hearers (see Jer 5:16)—a theme cited in Rom 3:13. Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
42. Psalm 5:11 This verse reminds us that the so-called imprecatory (or cursing) psalms (see note on Ps 35) have been a problem for Christians from the beginning of the use of the Psalter. Christ instructed Christians to pray for enemies (see Mt 5:44) and gave an example of this on the cross (see Lk 23:34). Yet the psalmists at times call for punishment (even of the most drastic kind) on enemies. Christians may look upon these statements as appeals for strict redress of evil in accord with the divine justice or direct them toward the enemies of their souls, the devil and his minions who are implacable foes of God.
43. Psalm 5:12 Your name: a name usually designates the person, hence the Lord himself. See also note on Ps 8:2, 10.
44. Psalm 6:1 This is the first of the so-called Penitential Psalms (6; 32; 38; 51; 102; 130; 143), a designation for psalms suitable for expressing repentance that goes back to the sixth century A.D. In affliction, the psalmist invokes the divine mercy, begs to be saved from death, confesses his wretchedness, and expresses faith in his own deliverance and his enemies’ total abasement.
45. Psalm 6:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation. Upon the eighth: probably a musical term referring to an eight-stringed instrument.
46. Psalm 6:3 Body is in agony: literally, “bones are shaken.”
47. Psalm 6:4 Soul: the Hebrew word, nephesh, usually means a person’s life-giving breath, which disappears at death. It is thus applied to a person’s very self as a living, conscious being (“my soul” equals “myself”). How long?: elliptical formula used in psalms of lamentation both in Babylonia and in Israel (see Pss 74:10; 80:5; 90:13; 94:3) to express anxiety over the divine aid that is late in coming.
48. Psalm 6:5 Kindness: Hebrew, hesed, which may also be translated as “mercy” and refers to all that God promised to give to his people (see Deut 7:9, 12) through the Davidic dynasty (see Ps 89:25, 29, 34; 2 Sam 7:15; Isa 55:3). See also note on Ps 5:8.
49. Psalm 6:6 The psalmist offers a motive for God to save him from death: it is the living who praise him. The netherworld was viewed as the place where the souls of the dead had a kind of shadowy existence, with no activity or lofty emotion. Just what that existence entailed at any given Old Testament period is difficult to gauge until the second century B.C. It is then that the sacred Books begin to speak more clearly about life after death (see Wis 3; Dan 12:1-3).
50. Psalm 6:8 Eyes grow dim . . . worn out: a sign of failing strength (see Ps 38:11; 1 Sam 14:27, 29; Jer 14:6) or sorrow in affliction (see Pss 31:10; 88:10; Job 17:7; Lam 2:11) or dashed hopes (see Pss 69:4; 119:82, 123; Deut 28:32; Isa 38:14).
51. Psalm 6:9 This apostrophe (taken up in Mt 7:23) has been prepared for by the end of verse 8. The enemies of the sick person, like the friends of Job, see in his trials a heavenly chastisement for hidden faults; they insult him and accuse him unjustly—a theme that is more developed elsewhere (see Pss 31; 35; 38; 69).
52. Psalm 6:11 See notes on Pss 5:11; 35.
53. Psalm 7:1 Falsely accused, the psalmist implores the divine assistance, affirms his innocence, invokes God’s just judgment, and expresses limitless confidence in the punishment of his enemy as well as his own salvation, concluding with praise for God’s righteousness.
54. Psalm 7:1 Cush is not otherwise known, but as a Benjaminite he was probably a supporter of Saul. Hence, the psalm is associated with Saul’s determined attempts on David’s life.
55. Psalm 7:5 I who . . . enemies: an alternative translation is: “and without cause have despoiled an enemy.”
56. Psalm 7:10 Minds and hearts: literally, “hearts and kidneys.” These words were used as virtual synonyms (but “heart” most often) to refer to the innermost center of human life. To “search mind and heart” was a conventional expression for God’s examination of a person’s hidden character and motives (see Jer 11:20; 17:10; 20:12).
57. Psalm 7:15 See notes on Pss 5:11; 35.
58. Psalm 7:18 I will offer thanks . . . and I will sing hymns of praise: a vow to praise the Lord in keeping with the Israelite belief that praise must follow deliverance. The praise involved thank offerings and celebrating God’s saving deed in the presence of others in the temple (see Ps 50:14f, 23). See also note on Ps 9:2. Name: see notes on Pss 5:12; 8:2.
59. Psalm 8:1 In the midst of disconsolate supplications, here is a hymn that chants the splendor of God. But is not the best reflection of the divine majesty the grandeur of the human being? For the Lord has made this tiny being lost in the immensity of the world the crown of all creation. In the man “crowned with glory” Paul and the author of the Letter to the Hebrews see the glorified and risen Christ, who, while on earth, was for a time made lower than the heavenly creatures, the angels (see 1 Cor 15:25-27; Eph 1:22; Heb 2:5-9).
60. Psalm 8:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation. Gittith: possibly a musical instrument from the Philistine city of Gath, or else a song for the harvest and the winepress.
61. Psalm 8:2 Name: according to Semitic usage, this word designates the person with all its essential qualities. See also note on Ps 5:12.
62. Psalm 8:3 Out of the mouths of newborn babes and infants: Jesus cites this passage with reference to the children who acclaim him on the day of his triumphal entry into Jerusalem (see Mt 21:16).
63. Psalm 8:5 Son of man: a phrase used here and elsewhere as a synonym for human (see Ps 80:18; Ezek 2) and a sign of humility. Later it became a Messianic title in Daniel (7:13f) and Jewish apocryphal tradition (see 1 Enoch, 2 Esdras, and 2 Baruch). Eventually, Jesus made use of it to express his twofold destiny of suffering (see Mk 8:31; 9:13, 31; 10:33; 14:21) and of glory (see Mk 8:38; 12:36; 14:62).
64. Psalm 8:6 A little less than the angels: that is, a little lower than the beings who comprise the heavenly court. The text for heavenly beings is elohim, that is, “God”; in effect, God created human beings in his own image and likeness. Some translate: “a little less than godlike”; and in Heb 2:9 this passage is said to be eminently fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the God-man. See also 1 Cor 15:27; Eph 1:22, where Paul applies to Christ the words “you have . . . placed everything under his feet” (v. 7).
65. Psalm 9:1 In these psalms we are perhaps in the period of the return from the Exile, toward the end of the sixth century; the foreign occupiers and the people who had remained in Palestine regarded returning deportees as intruders and they mistreated them. This is the first alphabetical psalm; in the Masoretic Text it is divided into two psalms, while in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate Psalms 9 and 10 constitute one psalm. This accounts for the difference in the numbering of the psalms in these versions.
66. Psalm 9:1 is predominantly praise of God for his royal blessings and glories, including deliverance from hostile nations, concluding with a short prayer for God’s continuing righteous judgments (see v. 5) on the nations.
67. Psalm 9:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation. According to Muth Labben: nothing is known about these words.
68. Psalm 9:2 The praise rendered to the Lord by the psalmists in the Psalter is customarily public praise for his goodness and glory as well as the saving acts he has performed on behalf of his people. Some have described such praise as the forerunner of the Gospel preaching in the New Testament. See also note on Ps 7:18.
69. Psalm 9:3 Name: see note on Ps 5:12.
70. Psalm 9:12 Enthroned in Zion: the Lord is enthroned not only in heaven (see Pss 2:4; 113:5) but also on earth—in the temple of Jerusalem from which he rules the world (see note on Ps 2:6; see also Ps 132:13).
71. Psalm 9:15 Daughter of Zion: a personification of Jerusalem and its inhabitants in accord with ancient Near Eastern practice (see Pss 45:12; 137:8).
72. Psalm 9:16 Under the Lord’s just rule and in accord with the law of talion (see Ex 21:23-25; Lev 24:19f; Deut 19:21), the wicked who attack others are punished by the very actions they perform (see Ps 7:16). But the needy (v. 19), those who are attacked, will be saved by their trust in the Lord. Thus, God’s honor and glory are vindicated when he judges and punishes the wicked.
73. Psalm 9:17 Higgaion: probably a musical notation.
74. Psalm 10:1 A prayer of one in trouble and seeking to be rescued, it explores the ways and motives of the wicked and calls on God the King to arise and defend the oppressed.
75. Psalm 10:4 In denying the action of Providence the wicked in effect denies God (see Pss 10:13; 14:1b; 36:2f; Zep 1:12), who is some far-off personage (Ps 10:5).
76. Psalm 10:6 Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
77. Psalm 10:7 Curses, deceit, and threats: this text, which contains the three most common weapons of the tongue in Israel’s experience, is cited in Rom 3:14. Curses were believed to have real power over those upon whom they were leveled; deceit referred to slander and threats for evil purposes (see 1 Ki 21:8-15).
78. Psalm 10:15 See notes on Pss 5:11; 35.
79. Psalm 10:16 The Lord is the hope of the righteous (the poor) in a just world, for he is King forever. Because he is faithful to his covenant, he will defeat the heathen for he listens to the longings of the poor and establishes justice for them. Hence, no one on earth is to be feared.
80. Psalm 11:1 This is a confession of confident trust in the Lord’s righteous rule at a time when one’s wicked adversaries seem to have the upper hand. Friends counsel flight to a mountain refuge to escape trouble, but the innocent psalmist stands fast, for the Lord protects those who seek asylum in his temple.
    In praying this psalm, we should be mindful that although we can rely on God, we are never sure of ourselves. The Spirit of God is quick to help, but the “flesh,” human nature, is weak—so much so that we must ask not to be put to the test (see Mt 26:41) and must flee from it if this is possible and permitted (see Mt 10:23).
81. Psalm 11:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation.
82. Psalm 11:1 The psalmist remains confident in the Lord even though he is under attack by the wicked and receives counsel from his advisers to flee.
83. Psalm 11:2 The wicked are likened to archers setting traps; they are treacherous, furtive, and bent on maligning the upright and making them fall (see Pss 10:7-10; 37:14). Those who are upright: i.e., the righteous who know and love the Lord (see Pss 7:10; 36:11; 73:1).
84. Psalm 11:3 The psalmist’s advisers are concerned about the collapse of the foundations (i.e., the order of society; see Pss 75:4; 82:5; Ezek 30:4). This order has been established by the Lord at creation and is being maintained by him.
85. Psalm 11:4 The psalmist relies on God, who is seated on his heavenly throne—a symbol of his royal rule and authority to judge (see Pss 9:8; 47:9)—and totally against those who love violence. At the right time, he will mete out to the wicked the judgment they deserve, and he will deliver the upright and grant them access to himself.
86. Psalm 11:6 Fiery coals and brimstone: an image of judgment taken from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (see Gen 19:24; Deut 29:23; Ezek 38:22). Scorching wind: another image of judgment taken from the hot desert winds that blow over the Middle East and devastate the vegetation (see Isa 21:1; 40:7f; Jer 4:11). Their allotted portion: literally, “the portion of their cup.” The cup that God gives people to drink is a symbol for their destiny (see Ps 16:5; Mt 20:22; 26:39; Rev 14:10).
87. Psalm 11:7 Behold his face: an expression usually denoting access, especially to the king. Here the expression indicates access to the heavenly King, with reference to his presence at the temple (God’s royal house on earth). It is legitimate for us to see in this text an allusion to ultimate access to the heavenly temple (see Pss 16:11; 17:15; 23:6; 140:14).
88. Psalm 12:1 The psalmist, surrounded by the treachery and arrogance of sinners (see Mic 7:1-7), calls for help and is certain that God will judge them as their iniquity reaches its zenith. The words of the Lord can be fully relied on, whereas the boastful words of the adversaries are completely futile.
    We Christians can make this supplication our own, for we feel deeply every disorder in the social realm. Eager for justice, we are outraged by every injustice, every disloyalty and fraud in social relations.
89. Psalm 12:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation. Upon the eighth: see note on Ps 6:1.
90. Psalm 12:3 Hearts: see note on Ps 4:8.
91. Psalm 12:7 Purified seven times: the number seven signified fullness or completeness; hence the phrase means “refined through and through.” The words of the Lord are absolutely pure and true (see Pss 18:31; 19:8; Prov 30:5).
92. Psalm 12:8 The psalmist voices his confidence that, although the wicked are at present lording it over the righteous, God will take care of the latter.
93. Psalm 13:1 The suffering psalmist cries out to God in despair over his impending death and the triumph of his enemies. Suddenly (perhaps after a religious experience of some kind), his tone changes; he speaks from a heart brimming with complete trust in God and voices his joy and gratitude.
    In praying this psalm, we can think of Christ in his abandonment on the cross and provisional defeat by death, in the face of his enemies’ ephemeral success. We too experience the critical trial of God’s silence and apparent absence. Far from weakening our confidence in God, this eventuality should strengthen it.
94. Psalm 13:1 For the director: most likely a musical or liturgical notation.
95. Psalm 13:2 How long: see note on Ps 6:4. Hide your face: when God hides his face, the righteous become concerned (see Pss 30:8; 104:29), for when God’s face shines on people it brings deliverance and blessings (see Pss 31:17; 67:2; 80:4; 119:135).
96. Psalm 13:3 Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
97. Psalm 13:6 Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5.
98. Psalm 13:7 The Septuagint and Vulgate add another line: “I will sing to the name of the Lord most high.”
99. Psalm 14:1 The psalmist envisions the world divided into “the fool[s]” (also termed “evildoers”) and “the company of the righteous” (also termed “the poor” and “[God’s] people”). Although the fools act as though there is no God and persecute the righteous, the psalmist is confident that God will eventually punish evildoers and reward the righteous. Psalm 53 is a somewhat revised duplicate of this psalm.
    When Paul rereads this psalm, he will see in it a description of our sinful condition. No one is just in God’s sight; we all need to be saved by Jesus Christ (Rom 3:10-25).
100. Psalm 14:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation.
101. Psalm 14:1 Elsewhere the psalmists included themselves among those who are not righteous in God’s eyes (see Pss 130:3; 143:2; see also 1 Ki 8:39; Job 9:2; Eccl 7:20). Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
102. Psalm 14:2 The Lord: in contrast with what “the fool” (v. 1b) thinks, the Lord is very much in evidence and has his eyes on the whole earth. Seeks God: see Ps 15 for a description of those who truly seek God.
103. Psalm 14:3 After this verse, many Greek and Latin manuscripts add the Old Testament citations that were first combined in Rom 3:13-18.
104. Psalm 14:4 Evildoers: live by the violence of their own doing rather than by reliance on the Lord (see Ps 10:2-4).
105. Psalm 14:5 God is on the side of the righteous and, anytime he wishes, strikes sudden terror in the hearts of the wicked (see Deut 28:67; 1 Sam 14:15; 2 Chr 14:13; Job 3:25). Righteous: see note on Ps 1:5.
106. Psalm 14:6 Poor: see note on Ps 22:27.
107. Psalm 14:7 The righteous poor are identified with God’s people. Who will . . . Zion: another possible translation is: “Oh, if only salvation for Israel / will come forth from Zion.”
108. Psalm 15:1 The psalmist presents a summary of moral conduct in the form of an instruction to those who have access to God at his temple (see Ps 24:3-6; Isa 33:14-16; Mic 6:6-8). He indicates that sanctity of life is necessary for those who wish to approach God and emphasizes the social virtues of justice and charity.
     In praying this psalm, Christians keep in mind that by becoming man the Word has pitched his tent among us (see Jn 1:14), and in his body dwells the fullness of the divinity. In close contact and in profound communion with the body of Jesus, of whom she is the visible extension on earth, the Church constitutes the dwelling of God in the world (see 1 Cor 3:16f).
109. Psalm 15:1 Holy mountain: an ancient designation for the temple, the place where God dwells upon the earth (see Pss 2:6; 3:5; 43:3; 48:2).
110. Psalm 15:2 It is not sacrifices or ritual purity but moral righteousness that gives access to the Lord (see the basic covenantal law: Ex 20:1-17; see also Isa 1:10-17; 33:14-16; 58:6-10; Jer 7:2-7; Ezek 18:5-9; Hos 6:6; Am 5:14f, 21-24; Mic 6:6-8; Zec 7:9f; 8:16f). Heart: see note on Ps 4:8. Those who fear the Lord: a frequent expression in the Psalter (see, e.g., Ps 115:11), it refers to those who fear God and live in accordance with his will because of their reverence for him. Later it will take on a technical sense and refer to proselytes to Judaism not yet circumcised (see Acts 2:11; 10:2). Interest on a loan: laws dealing with interest on loans are found in Ex 22:24-27; Lev 25:35-37; Deut 15:7-11; 23:19f. In general, interest for profit was not to be charged to Israelites. Jesus went even further (see Lk 6:34f).
111. Psalm 16:1 A prayer for safekeeping, pleading for the Lord’s protection against the threat of death. It could also be called a psalm of trust. This psalm prepares the way for belief in an everlasting life with God. And it is easy to see how early Christian preachers could understand the final verses as a detailed prophecy of the Resurrection of Christ (Acts 2:24-28; 13:25).
     This psalm is in a special way the prayer of those who have “chosen God” in one or other form of consecrated life. Rarely has the joy of a life lived in the presence of God been expressed with such enthusiasm. The wonder felt penetrates to the innermost being of the believer (that is, the “heart,” which for the ancients was the seat of one’s thoughts as well as desires and affections).
112. Psalm 16:1 Miktam: its meaning is unknown. Some translate it as “song” or “poem”; others suggest that it means “in a low voice.”
113. Psalm 16:3 Another possible translation is: “As for the gods who are in the land / and the lofty ones, / I take no delight in them.” Saints: i.e., the godly who live on earth as opposed to the angelic beings who are heavenly. See notes on Pss 4:4; 34:10.
114. Psalm 16:4 Take up their names: that is, appeal to or worship them (see Jos 23:7).
115. Psalm 16:5 Cup: a metaphor referring to what the host offers his guests to drink. To the righteous the Lord offers a cup of blessings (see Ps 23:5) or salvation (see Ps 116:13), but he makes the wicked drink from a cup of wrath (see Jer 25:15; Rev 14:10; 16:19).
116. Psalm 16:9 The Lord, in whom the psalmist takes refuge, wills life for him (hence he has made known to him the path of life, v. 11) and will not abandon him to the grave, even though “heart and . . . flesh fail” (Ps 73:26). But implicit in these words of assurance (if not actually explicit) is the confidence that, with the Lord as his refuge, even the grave cannot rob him of life (see Pss 17:15; 73:24). If this could be said of David, how much more of David’s promised Son! So Peter quotes verses 8-11 and declares that with these words David prophesied of Christ and his Resurrection (Acts 2:25-28; see Paul’s similar use of v. 10b in Acts 13:35). Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
117. Psalm 16:10 Holy One: the reference is first of all to David, but the psalm is ultimately fulfilled in Christ.
118. Psalm 17:1 Here again we have a picture of smug and pitiless people whose hearts are closed to the word of God as well as to the cry of the poor. The psalmist who endures their unjust accusations begs God to show forth his innocence and to punish his evil accusers. He is willing to leave earthly goods to them (v. 14) as long as he can rejoice in God’s presence. Perhaps we can see in this desire for awakening, enlightened by God’s face (v. 15), the burgeoning hope of the resurrection.
     In praying this psalm, we should recall that in the Church (his Mystical Body) and in each Christian (as in a part of that Body), Jesus relives the mystery of his undeserved Passion and glorious Resurrection (see Acts 9:4f).
119. Psalm 17:3 Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
120. Psalm 17:4 Word of your lips: God’s revelation by which he made known the “paths” his faithful are to follow. And refrained . . . violence: an alternative translation is: “and kept the words of your law.”
121. Psalm 17:7 Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5.
122. Psalm 17:8 Apple of your eye . . . shadow of your wings: conventional Hebrew metaphors for protection (see Deut 32:10; Prov 7:2; Isa 49:2).
123. Psalm 17:10 Hearts: see note on Ps 4:8. Arrogance . . . mouths: see notes on Pss 5:11; 10:7.
124. Psalm 17:13 Cast them down: see notes on Pss 5:11; 35.
125. Psalm 17:14 From the worldly . . . life: or: “from mortals whose part in life is transitory.” You satisfy . . . little ones: or: “With your treasures you fill their bellies; / their sons are enriched / and bequeath their abundance to their little ones.”
126. Psalm 17:15 See your face: see note on Ps 11:7. When I awaken: from the night of death; however, inasmuch as death is often compared to sleep (see Ps 76:6; Dan 12:1f), it may refer to a new awakening after death.
127. Psalm 18:1 This song of David occurs also in 2 Sam 22 with minor variations. It is composed of an introduction (vv. 1-4), a conclusion (vv. 47-51), and three major divisions: (1) the Lord’s deliverance of David from mortal enemies (vv. 5-20); (2) the moral grounds for the Lord’s help (vv. 21-30); and (3) the Lord’s help recounted (vv. 31-46).
     Already emerging in this splendid psalm, which is both a song of thanksgiving and a song of victory, is the image of the King-Messiah, Jesus, born of the house of David and beloved Son of the Father; he will conquer the forces of evil. This poem is a festal song expressing wonder and thanksgiving and glorifying God.
     To the extent that we can allow ourselves to be identified with Christ and become kings in him (see Ps 2), we can use this psalm to praise God the Father for the wonders that Paul celebrates in the hymn of the Letter to the Ephesians (1:3-15).
128. Psalm 18:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation.
129. Psalm 18:3 Rock: a common symbol for God indicating his strength as a refuge or as a deliverer (see Pss 19:15; 31:3f; 42:10; 62:3, 8; 71:3; 73:26; 78:35; 89:27; 92:16; 94:22; 95:1; 144:1; Deut 32:15; Isa 17:10). See Jesus’ use of the word in Mt 16:18. Horn: a symbol of strength (see Deut 33:17; Jer 48:25); it often had Messianic overtones (see Ps 132:17; Ezek 29:21).
130. Psalm 18:6 Cords of the netherworld . . . snares of death: the psalmist had been in the grip of death and a prisoner of the grave (see Ps 116:3; Job 36:8).
131. Psalm 18:7 Temple: God’s heavenly dwelling where he is enthroned (see Pss 11:4; 113:5; Isa 6:1; 40:22).
132. Psalm 18:8 In these powerful images the ancients sang of the presence and glory of God in creation and in events (see Pss 68:9f; 97:2-5; Ex 19:15-18; Jdg 5:4f; Job 36:29f; Isa 30:27f; Hab 3:3-15). The description gives a presentiment of the struggle at the end of time in which God triumphs.
133. Psalm 18:11 Cherub: a winged being, represented at the entrance of Mesopotamian temples. Two cherubim stood on the Ark of the Covenant (see Ex 25:18; 1 Ki 6:23-28). God was regarded as enthroned on them (see Pss 80:2; 99:1) and riding upon the storm clouds (see Ps 104:3) or upon the cherubim.
134. Psalm 18:15 Arrows: shafts of lightning (see Pss 77:18; 144:6; Hab 3:11).
135. Psalm 18:16 The psalmist may be referring to the wondrous deed God accomplished at the Red Sea during the Exodus (see Ex 14:15-22).
136. Psalm 18:17 Watery depths: symbols of great danger (see Pss 32:6; 40:3; 42:8; 66:12; 69:3, 15; 88:18; 130:1; Job 22:11; Isa 30:28; Jon 2:5f).
137. Psalm 18:21 Righteousness: see note on Ps 1:5.
138. Psalm 18:22 Ways of the Lord: see note on Ps 25:10.
139. Psalm 18:27 God treats people the way they treat him and others. The perverse: those who stray from the straight way of the Lord. Show yourself to be shrewd: the Lord counters the evil acts of the wicked, one after the other.
140. Psalm 18:29 Light for my lamp: a figure of life and happiness (see 1 Ki 11:36). Light: see note on Ps 27:1.
141. Psalm 18:35 Bow of bronze: a bow difficult to bend that would shoot arrows with greater force.
142. Psalm 18:47 Blessed: i.e., adored, praised, and thanked.
143. Psalm 18:50 This text is cited by Paul (Rom 15:9) as a prediction of the conversion of the Gentiles. Name: see note on Ps 5:12.
144. Psalm 18:51 You have shown kindness to your anointed: the Lord is mindful of his covenant with his anointed king and never ceases bestowing blessings upon him. This is even more true of the King and Anointed par excellence, Jesus Christ. Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5.
145. Psalm 19:1 The universe is a hymn to the glory of the Lord, but this is even more true of the Mosaic Law. The silent revelation of creation is offered to all human beings, but the law, privilege of Israel, reveals to the hearts of believers God’s perfection, justice, truth, and goodness and challenges them to imitate the divine life.
     The ode to the sun in this psalm (vv. 5b-7) seems to be an imitation of a fragmentary Assyrian text in which the sun-god rises from the ocean and passes through the gates of the east to meet the goddess. The Christmas Liturgy uses this image to recall, in poetic language, the coming to earth of the Son of God.
     By its splendor and vastness, the star-studded heavens teach us the glory, the splendor and infinite power, the prodigious artistry of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit who work together in its continuous creation. The Law, perfect as far as its epoch and its place in the divine economy of salvation are concerned, was brought to its absolute perfection by Christ (see Mt 5:17).
146. Psalm 19:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation.
147. Psalm 19:2 The heavens show forth the glory of their Creator to all peoples (see Ps 148:3).
148. Psalm 19:5 Paul interprets this proclamation of the heavens as referring also to the proclamation of the Gospel (see Rom 10:18).
149. Psalm 19:5 The heavens are the divinely pitched tent for the lordly sun—widely worshiped in the ancient Near East (see Deut 4:19; 17:3; 2 Ki 23:5, 11; Jer 8:2; Ezek 8:16), but here a mere creature of God (as in Ps 136:8f; Gen 1:16). Of the created realm, the sun is the supreme metaphor of the glory of God (see Ps 84:12; Isa 60:19f), as it makes its daily triumphant sweep across the whole extent of the heavens and pours out its heat (felt presence) on every creature. The literature of the time applied to the sun the six synonyms for God’s revelation in verses 8-11.
150. Psalm 19:8 The simple: those who are inexperienced and hence childlike (see Ps 119:98-100; Prov 1:4); the New Testament shows that heavenly wisdom is a gift to “children,” hidden from the worldly-wise (see Lk 10:21; 1 Cor 1:18ff; 2:8-10; 2 Tim 3:15).
151. Psalm 19:9 Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
152. Psalm 19:10 Fear of the Lord: see note on Ps 15:2-5. In this case, some exegetes believe that the term “fear” should really be “word.”
153. Psalm 19:11 See Ps 119:103, 127. This entire hymn to the law is closely connected to the long Psalm 119.
154. Psalm 19:12 The psalmist knows that God’s commandments lead to life (see Deut 5:33). Yet he is also aware that like all human beings he is weak and imperfect. He may err unknowingly and need to seek forgiveness of hidden faults (v. 13; see Lev 5:2-4). However, willful sins (v. 14) are another matter; they cut one off from God and his people (see Num 15:30f). He prays to be preserved from them.
155. Psalm 19:15 This meditation is presented to the Lord as a praise offering (see notes on Pss 7:18; 9:2; see also Pss 50:14; 104:33). Heart: see note on Ps 4:8. Rock: see note on Ps 18:3.
156. Psalm 20:1 During a liturgy of prayer for the king just before he engages in battle with a powerful foe (2 Chr 20:6), the people (perhaps the assembled soldiers) pray for their king: is he not a “messiah,” that is, an “anointed one” of the Lord (v. 7) and the head of the chosen people of the God of Jacob (v. 3)? A choir chants the petition (vv. 3-6) and a soloist (perhaps a Levite: see 2 Chr 20:14) responds (vv. 7-9); he announces assurance that the prayer will be heard, for Israel does not rely on the force of arms as its pagan neighbors do but on its God and Savior. Thus, the people already celebrate the coming triumph of the Lord.
     In praying this psalm, we can ask the Father to grant the integral victory of Christ in his mystical members, just as he gained it in and for himself (see 1 Cor 15:22f). For the Father is the accomplisher of all things (see Rom 11:36).
157. Psalm 20:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation.
158. Psalm 20:2 Name: see notes on Pss 5:12; 8:2, 10. Protect you: literally, “raise you to a high, safe place.”
159. Psalm 20:3 Zion: see note on Ps 9:12.
160. Psalm 20:4 Remember: with God, remembering and acting go together (see Gen 8:1; Ex 2:24).
161. Psalm 20:5 Heart’s desire: see note on Ps 4:8.
162. Psalm 20:6 May we shout . . . name of our God: see note on Ps 7:18. The Hebrew word for “victory” could also be translated as “salvation.”
163. Psalm 20:7 His anointed: i.e., the king of Israel (see Pss 2:2; 132:10); the divine help is his as intrinsic to his kingship (see Ps 18:51). See note on Ps 2:2.
164. Psalm 20:8 The force of arms is useless in the face of the divine power. The Prophets were always against the use of horses and chariots in Israel, in imitation of the neighboring pagans (see Deut 17:16; Isa 31:1; Hos 1:7; Mic 5:10; Zec 12:4). The same affirmation occurs in Pss 33:16f; 147:10; Prov 21:31. A similar expression of confidence in the Lord rather than in human weaponry is made by David when facing Goliath (1 Sam 17:45-47).
165. Psalm 20:10 The psalm ends in the same way as it began—with fervent prayers that the Lord will come to the aid of the king.
166. Psalm 21:1 One would have a poor understanding of feasts if one did not allow chants to intermingle desires and reality. On a feast, the king appears to share the privileges of God: authority, long rule, and majesty, for the Lord has blessed and established him to save his people from their foes. The history of Israel will more than once give the lie to this ideal figure of the monarch. The Church sees therein the traits of Jesus Christ, King and Savior of the People of God; in him resides the blessing for the whole world. The psalm continued to be sung in Israel even when the kingship ended after the sixth century A.D.—but this time concerning a future Messianic King.
     By a very simple spiritual transposition, this psalm enables us to sing of the divine blessings granted to Christ, especially his Resurrection, and to hope for his complete and decisive triumph over his enemies (the devil, sin, and death).
167. Psalm 21:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation.
168. Psalm 21:2 King and people offer praise to the Lord for the victory that they have achieved over their foes through God’s strength.
169. Psalm 21:3 Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
170. Psalm 21:4 You welcomed him with choice blessings: as you once welcomed Abraham (see Gen 12:2) and Joseph (see Gen 48:20). Placed a crown . . . upon his head: alludes either to his own crown reinforcing his kingship after his victory or to the crown of the king that he had defeated (see 2 Sam 12:30). This verse is eminently applied to the Messiah (see Pss 45:4; 72:17; 2 Sam 7:29; 1 Chr 17:27).
171. Psalm 21:5 The king asked the Lord for life and received length of days forever and ever (see 1 Ki 1:25, 31, 34, 39; Dan 2:4; 3:9).
172. Psalm 21:6 Glory . . . splendor and majesty: like those of the heavenly King (see Ps 96:3).
173. Psalm 21:7 Everlasting blessings: this phrase may refer to blessings of enduring value or an unending number of blessings. Your presence: God’s favor, which is the greatest cause of joy inasmuch as it is the supreme blessing, leading to all others.
174. Psalm 21:8 Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5.
175. Psalm 21:9 The king’s future victories are described as certain because of the Lord’s action.
176. Psalm 21:10 The expression on the day when you appear, (literally, “on the day of your face [judgment]” see Ps 34:17; Lam 4:16), and the mention of the fire are eschatological themes (see Ps 2:12; 2 Sam 23:7; Isa 30:33; Hos 7:7; Mal 3:19).
177. Psalm 21:11 The foes of the king will have no descendants to make war on him.
178. Psalm 21:14 The word strength in the concluding verse connects the theme with the opening verse: “O Lord, the king rejoices in your strength” (v. 2), and we will offer you our praise.
179. Psalm 22:1 This psalm draws its inspiration from the “Songs of the Suffering Righteous Man (or Servant)” (Isa 52:13—53:12) and from the “Confessions of Jeremiah” (Jer 15:15; 17:15; 20:7); it ends, as they do, with the proclamation that the sufferings of the righteous man will restore life to humanity. Such a text seems planned, as it were, to become the prayer of Christ (Mk 15:34), and the Gospels have also singled out details from it that describe in advance the Passion of Jesus (e.g., Mt 27:35, 39, 43; Jn 19:23f, 28). The author of Hebrews even placed the words of verse 23 on the lips of Jesus (Heb 2:12). Indeed, no other psalm is so often quoted in the New Testament.
     In praying this psalm, we can keep in mind that Christ continues to pray it through the Church and Christians, since he continues the mystery of his abandonment in his Mystical Body.
180. Psalm 22:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation. According to “The Deer of the Dawn”: nothing is known about these words.
181. Psalm 22:2 Why? The question erupts from the heart of a righteous man. Yesterday he was still enjoying God’s favor as a son, but now he feels abandoned for no reason and afflicted with atrocious sufferings and made the laughingstock of free-thinkers. Has God changed?
182. Psalm 22:3 But I am afforded no relief: the Hebrew text is obscure here. Some translate: “by night, and am not silent.”
183. Psalm 22:7 I am a worm and not human: this passage clearly depicts the psalmist’s sense of isolation (see Job 25:6; Isa 41:14).
184. Psalm 22:8 They sneer in mockery and toss their heads: words and gestures of scorn, also indulged in by Christ’s foes on Calvary (see Mt 27:39; Mk 15:29). See also note on Ps 5:10.
185. Psalm 22:9 Cited in Mt 27:43. If he loves him: may be taken as “if God loves the sufferer” or “if the sufferer loves God.”
186. Psalm 22:10 After recalling what the Lord had been for Israel (vv. 4-6), the psalmist now recalls what the Lord has been for him. I was entrusted to your care at my birth: the father customarily acknowledged the newborn by taking it upon his knees (see Gen 50:23; Job 3:12).
187. Psalm 22:13 Around the beleaguered man there arises a wave of hostility; he experiences in his flesh the whole of human sorrow. The images are delusive, and the cries become pathetic. Here is a man whose life is being taken away.
188. Psalm 22:13 Bulls . . . lions . . . dogs: these are metaphors for the enemies. Bashan: a land east of the Jordan that was noted for its good pasturage and the size and quality of its animals (see Deut 32:14; Ezek 39:18; Am 4:1).
189. Psalm 22:15 Bones . . . heart: his combination of “bones” and “heart” (see note on Ps 4:8) was used to refer to the whole person (body and spirit) (see Ps 102:4; Prov 14:30; 15:30; Isa 66:14).
190. Psalm 22:16 My mouth . . . jaw: see Jn 19:28 (“I thirst”). The dust of death: the netherworld, domain of the dead; the author is using the language of his day, as in Mesopotamian descriptions of the netherworld (see Job 7:9, 21).
191. Psalm 22:17 Pierced my hands and my feet: his limbs are wounded by the dogs as he seeks to fend off their attacks (see also Isa 53:5; Zec 12:10; Jn 19:34). Although the phrase finds its complete fulfillment in Christ’s crucifixion, it is not expressly used by the evangelists in the Passion account.
192. Psalm 22:18 I can count all my bones: this could also be translated as “I must display all my bones.” The meaning is that one is attacked and stripped of his garments (see v. 19).
193. Psalm 22:19 Explicitly cited in Jn 19:24 as a prophecy fulfilled in the action of the soldiers who divided Christ’s garments among them on Calvary.
194. Psalm 22:20 The scene shifts as the beleaguered psalmist is led to confront the God of the Covenant. He thus recalls God’s promises to be near his people and to protect them from all adversity. He throws himself on the Lord’s mercy and is comforted.
195. Psalm 22:22 Save me: an alternative translation is: “You have heard me.” The psalmist knows he has been heard and will be delivered from death.
196. Psalm 22:23 God reverses the righteous man’s condition; his hope returns. In the temple, he celebrates his deliverance and offers a sacrifice of communion amidst the poor who love God. Then the perspective is enlarged even more. The whole earth gives thanks to God who rules the world and dispenses justice. The poor are called to the table of God, and the line of the righteous shall never be extinguished from the midst of human beings. Indeed, the passion of the righteous man has changed something in the human world. Name: see note on Ps 5:12.
197. Psalm 22:23 God reverses the righteous man’s condition; his hope returns. In the temple, he celebrates his deliverance and offers a sacrifice of communion amidst the poor who love God. Then the perspective is enlarged even more. The whole earth gives thanks to God who rules the world and dispenses justice. The poor are called to the table of God, and the line of the righteous shall never be extinguished from the midst of human beings. Indeed, the passion of the righteous man has changed something in the human world. Name: see note on Ps 5:12.
198. Psalm 22:24 The taunts of the psalmist’s enemies are drowned out by the songs of God’s faithful. The true descendants of Jacob are those who fear the Lord and seek him (see Ps 24:6).
199. Psalm 22:25 Not hidden his face: a metaphor for God withdrawing from someone (see Pss 13:2; 27:9; 69:18; 88:15; 102:3; 143:7; Isa 8:17; Mic 3:4).
200. Psalm 22:26 This verse affirms the importance of public worship by stressing the praise of God in the great assembly as well as the pledging of freewill offerings. Vows were often made in time of trial (see Pss 50:14; 61:9; 66:1f) and were implemented when God had effected deliverance from the trial (Ps 65:2f).
201. Psalm 22:27 In an allusion to the Messianic Banquet (see Ps 23:5; Prov 9:1f; Isa 25:6; 55:1; 65:13), the psalmist describes a worldwide company of people from every state in life who will ultimately take up God’s praise from age to age. It constitutes one of the grandest visions of the scope of the worshipers who will come to praise the saving acts of the Lord.
202. Psalm 22:27 The poor: the anawim, originally the poor who depended on God for their livelihood; later, the humble, pious, and devout—those who hoped in God alone.
203. Psalm 22:31 This is the more common translation (also found in the new Vulgate). An alternative translation is: “and those who cannot keep themselves alive. /Posterity will serve him; / future generations will be told about the Lord. / They will proclaim his righteousness / to a people yet unborn— / for he has done it.”
204. Psalm 23:1 This psalm is a profession of joyful trust in the Lord as the good Shepherd-King that has become one of the world’s greatest prayers. The image of God in shepherd’s garb has parallels in the Prophets (see Isa 40:11; Ezek 34:11-16) and will be the best known of the allegories in which Jesus speaks of himself (see Jn 10:11-18), so much so that the New Testament writers love to give him this title (see Heb 13:20; 1 Pet 2:25; Rev 7:17). The water, oil, and cup of wine of which the text speaks made Christians think of the Sacraments of initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. As a result, the psalm used to be sung during the Easter Vigil by the newly baptized, who were filled with the joy of God.
     In praying this psalm, we can dwell on the fact that the heavenly Father’s love embraces us from eternity, preparing for us in Christ all kinds of spiritual blessings: election, adoption, redemption, incorporation into Christ (see Eph 1:3-14). He watches over us solicitously (see Mt 6:25-34) and follows us through the Good Shepherd who seeks out the straying sheep until he finds it again (see Lk 15).
205. Psalm 23:2 Green pastures: a symbol for everything that makes life flourish. Tranquil streams: literally, “waters of resting places,” waters that bring refreshment and well-being (see Isa 49:10).
206. Psalm 23:3 Restores my soul: the Lord revitalizes the psalmist’s spirit (see Ps 19:8; Ru 4:15; Prov 25:13; Lam 1:16). Paths of righteousness: paths that conform to the will of the Lord, the “right way.”
207. Psalm 23:4 Valley of the shadow of death: another possible translation is: “through the darkest valley.” It refers to any situation that is death-threatening.
208. Psalm 23:5 What was only a comparison used by the psalmist to indicate the happiness of those who dwell in the house of the Lord has become a wonderful reality in the New Covenant. God sets the table for all who as members of his Church seek rest and protection in the house of God during their pilgrimage. He gives them the Bread of Heaven and the cup of his love and the riches of his grace—Christ’s Precious Blood and the anointing of the Spirit with his sevenfold gifts.
209. Psalm 23:5 In the ancient Near East, covenants were frequently made at a meal (see Ps 41:10; Gen 31:54; Ob 7). Anoint my head with oil: reception customarily accorded to an honored guest at a banquet (see Lk 7:46; see also 2 Sam 12:20; Eccl 9:8; Dan 10:3). Cup: the same image is found in Pss 16:5; 75:9; 116:13. This verse indicates that the Messianic Banquet (see Ps 22:27) is reserved for the righteous; the wicked are excluded from it (see Isa 65:13f).
210. Psalm 23:6 Goodness and kindness: the terms often refer to blessings of God’s covenant with Israel; here they are personified (see Pss 25:21; 43:3; 79:8; 89:14). Days of my life: see Pss 27:4; 128:5. Forever: this word could mean “throughout the years.” However, since even the pagan people surrounding Israel believed that human life continued after death in some kind of shadowy existence in the netherworld (see notes on Pss 11:7; 16:9-11), the word “forever” legitimately can be taken in its true sense.
211. Psalm 24:1 A procession wends its way toward the temple; perhaps it bears the Ark of the Covenant to the holy place. Chants are expressed. They acclaim the Creator and thus recall the conditions for a true participation in worship: “clean hands and a pure heart” (vv. 3-6). At the entrance to the sanctuary, the cortege comes to a halt as the participants take time to meditate wonderingly about the presence of God. They must needs celebrate God the Vanquisher who takes possession of his holy dwelling; the titles given him (vv. 8-10) evoke the time when, represented by the Ark, the Lord would take his place at the head of the armies of Israel and lead them to victory (Num 10:35; Jos 6).
     This psalm is well adapted to celebrating feasts of the Lord and to calling for the coming of his kingdom. It is also a psalm that makes demands, since it tells us of the conditions required for receiving the kingdom of God. The Church has always used this psalm in celebrating Christ’s Ascension into the heavenly Jerusalem and into the sanctuary on high.
212. Psalm 24:1 The Lord is proclaimed as the Creator, Sustainer, and Owner of the entire world. Therefore, he is worthy of the title “King of glory” (vv. 7-10). See Pss 29; 33:6-11; 89:6-19; 95:3-5; 104.
213. Psalm 24:1 See Ps 89:12; Deut 10:14. This text is cited in 1 Cor 10:26.
214. Psalm 24:2 Founded . . . established: a metaphor taken from the founding of a city. Extra-biblical records indicate that temples were regarded as microcosms of the created world; hence language applicable to temples was also applicable to the earth.
215. Psalm 24:4 Clean hands . . . pure heart: those who do no evil and think no evil. Jesus said that the “pure of heart . . . will see God” (Mt 5:8).
216. Psalm 24:7 These verses speak of the arrival of the Lord, the King of glory, at his sanctuary in Zion after his victorious journey from Egypt. The Lord of hosts (v. 10), the Lord, valiant in battle (v. 8; see Ex 15:1-18), has routed his enemies and now comes in triumph to his own city (see Pss 46; 48; 76; 87).
217. Psalm 24:7 Lift up your arches, O gates . . . you ancient portals: the gates and doors are personified in accord with extra-biblical parallels.
218. Psalm 24:10 The Lord of hosts: in Hebrew, Yahweh Sabaoth, sometimes translated as “the Lord of armies.” The expression suggests, first of all, the God who leads the Israelite army, therefore the Almighty who is surrounded by angels and stars and who controls the cosmic forces; then the expression becomes simply a way of emphasizing the greatness and power of God. See also note on Ps 59:6.