*H Alleluia. GIVE glory to the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Ver. 1. Alleluia. S. Aug. repeats this word. But it occurs in the Heb. &c. at the end of the preceding psalm, of which this is a continuation, shewing how God pardoned his people, and delivered them from captivity, (C.) and mankind from sin. H. Fathers. Bert. — Glory. Lit. "confess" your sins, thay you may praise God, (Ps. cv. H.) and adore his mercy and providence. W.
*H Let them say so that have been redeemed by the Lord, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy: and gathered out of the countries.
Ver. 2. Countries. The Jews from Babylon, and all who were redeemed by Christ. C. — He was promised immediately after the fall. W.
*H From the rising and from the setting of the sun, from the north and from the sea.
Ver. 3. Sea. Heb. miyam, for which we should read imim "the right," denoting the south. C. — But the sea, or ocean, is properly used in the same sense. Bert. — The Ammonites, Philistines, Syrians, and Idumeans, from these four quarters, often reduced the Israelites to servitude, under the judges. Houbig. — From all parts, the Jews of the ten tribes returned in the reigns of Darius and Alexander. C. Diss. — But the texts which are applied to this event speak rather of the conversion of the Gentiles, which the prophet has here in view. Bert. — None are excluded from the benefits of this redemption, but by their own fault. W.
*H They wandered in a wilderness, in a place without water: they found not the way of a city for their habitation.
Ver. 4. Habitation. So were the Jews distressed at Babylon, (C.) as many are forced to wander in the world, and all are involved in sin. W.
*H They were hungry and thirsty: their soul fainted in them.
Ver. 5. Hungry. As both Jews and Gentiles were for the word of God, (Amos viii. 11.) when Christ appeared. H. — Their wants cried aloud, (S. Aug.) though they sought him not. Isai. lxv. 1. Bert. — Those who call upon God are relieved by him, in the manner which is most for their welfare. W.
*H Let the mercies of the Lord give glory to him: and his wonderful works to the children of men.
Ver. 8. Mercies. We are unworthy to open our mouths. This chorus is repeated, (v. 15. 21. 31.) by the people, after the Levites had sung the intermediate sentences. C. — The v. 6. 13. 19. are of the same nature, and refer to different sorts of calamities. Bert. — All the benefits of God, proceeding from his mercy, and not from man's deserts, praise him. W.
*H Such as sat in darkness and in the shadow of death: bound in want and in iron.
Ver. 10. Darkness. This second allegory represents the condition of the captives, and of mankind, before Christ's coming. C. — The former enjoyed some liberty. Jer. xxix. 5. — But the latter were most miserable, (Matt. ix. 15. Lu. iv. 18.) and of these the words are most naturally explained. Bert.
*H Because they had exasperated the words of God: and provoked the counsel of the most High:
Ver. 11. Exasperated. Heb. "changed, or frustrated." This is the source of all misery, (C.) as calamities are commonly inflicted on account of sin. W.
*H And their heart was humbled with labours: they were weakened, and there was none to help them.
Ver. 12. Labours. There were slaves of various descriptions: some were confined to hard labour, and chained down at night. C.
*H And he brought them out of darkness, and the shadow of death; and broke their bonds in sunder.
Ver. 14. Bonds. Of their passions. See S. Aug. Conf. viii. 11. H.
*H He took them out of the way of their iniquity: for they were brought low for their injustices.
Ver. 17. Iniquity. Making them alter their conduct. Heb. seems less correct: "they are foolish on account of their way, and they," &c. Illness is sent to punish sin. Job xxxiii. 19. Matt. ix. 2. Jo. v. 14. C.
*H He sent his word, and healed them: and delivered them from their destructions.
Ver. 20. Word. Jesus Christ, according to the prophetical sense, adopted by the Fathers, (S. Atha. or. 3. &c.) though it literally implies, that at God's command the sick were healed. Matt. viii. 7. — This allegory again represents the state of captivity. C.
*H And let them sacrifice the sacrifice of praise: and declare his works with joy.
Ver. 22. Praise. Instead of victims. Ps. xxvi. &c.
*H They that go down to the sea in ships, doing business in the great waters:
Ver. 23. Down to the sea, &c. Captivity is here compared to a tempest. C. — The apostles carry the tidings of salvation to all places. Persecutions are raised; but God grants peace to his Church under Constantine. Euseb.
*H These have seen the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.
Ver. 24. Deep. The fury of tempests. Various nations, and the treasures of the deep. M.
*H They mount up to the heavens, and they go down to the depths: their soul pined away with evils.
Ver. 26. Heavens. So Virgil says:
*H They were troubled, and reeled like a drunken man; and all their wisdom was swallowed up.
Ver. 27. Up. They knew not how to proceed. Ambiguis ars stupet ipsa malis. C.
*H And he turned the storm into a breeze: and its waves were still.
Ver. 29. Breeze. Heb. "silence, or calm."
*H And they rejoiced because they were still: and he brought them to the haven which they wished for.
Ver. 30. For. Even to Jerusalem. C.
*H Let the mercies of the Lord give glory to him, and his wonderful works to the children of men.
Ver. 31. Men. We must thank God for having enabled us to repent, v. 8. W.
*H He hath turned rivers into a wilderness: and the sources of waters into dry ground:
Ver. 33. Wilderness. God caused his people to pass through the Red Sea, and the Jordan, to possess the fruitful country of Chanaan, part of which had been cursed for the crimes of the Sodomites. H. — He has punished Babylon, (Jer. xxv. 12.) made a straight road for his people, (Is. xxxv. 8.) and enabled them to cultivate their country again, v. 41. C. — The synagogue has been abandoned, and the Church chosen. Bert. — The power of God is displayed, who caused the land of promise to be more fertile for his people, which is now very barren. W.
*H A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
Ver. 34. Barrenness. Or "saltness." H. — He alludes to the environs of Sodom. Gen. xiii. 10. and xix. 24. W.
*H Anti they sowed fields, and planted vineyards: and they yielded fruit of birth.
Ver. 37. Of birth. A plentiful crop, facient fruges germina. S. Jer. C. — Abundance of fruit shall grow in some places, while others are punished on account of sin. W.
*H Contempt was poured forth upon their princes: and he caused them to wander where there was no passing, and out of the way.
Ver. 40. Princes. Jechonias was humbled, (H.) and exalted, with Daniel, &c. 4 K. xxv. 27. Others explain it of Nabuchodonosor and Baltasar, who were reduced to the state of ignominy and death. C. — The Jews experienced the greatest miseries at the last siege of Jerusalem. Bert.
*H And he helped the poor out of poverty: and made him families like a flock of sheep.
Ver. 41. Sheep. The Gentiles took the place of the obstinate Jews. S. Aug.
*H The just shall see, and shall rejoice, and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
Ver. 42. Mouth. The psalmist saw Babylon before its ruin, (C.) at least in spirit. God's judgments strengthen virtue, and repress the wicked. H. The propagation of the gospel put to silence the oracles of the pagans. Bert.
* Footnote * Job 22 : 19
The just shall see, and shall rejoice, and the innocent shall laugh them to scorn.*H Who is wise, and will keep these things; and will understand the mercies of the Lord?
Ver. 43. Lord. This is the part of wisdom, and deserves our serious consideration, (H.) as Osee (xiv. 10.) and our Saviour admonish. Matt. xi. 15. and xiii. 9. Mar. iv. 9. &c.