The Bible, Douay-Rheims Part 371

Psalms Chapter 97

Cantate Domino.

All are again invited to praise the Lord, for the victories of Christ.

97:1. A psalm for David himself. Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle: because he hath done wonderful things. His right hand hath wrought for him salvation, and his arm is holy.

97:2. The Lord hath made known his salvation: he hath revealed his justice in the sight of the Gentiles.

97:3. He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our G.o.d.

97:4. Sing joyfully to G.o.d, all the earth; make melody, rejoice and sing.

97:5. Sing praise to the Lord on the harp, on the harp, and with the voice of a psalm:

97:6. With long trumpets, and sound of cornet. Make a joyful noise before the Lord our king:

97:7. Let the sea be moved and the fullness thereof: the world and they that dwell therein.

97:8. The rivers shall clap their hands, the mountains shall rejoice together

97:9. At the presence of the Lord: because he cometh to judge the earth.

He shall judge the world with justice, and the people with equity.

Psalms Chapter 98

Dominus regnavit.

The reign of the Lord in Sion: that is, of Christ in his church.

98:1. A psalm for David himself. The Lord hath reigned, let the people be angry: he that sitteth on the cherubims: let the earth be moved.

Let the people be angry... Though many enemies rage, and the whole earth be stirred up to oppose the reign of Christ, he shall still prevail.

98:2. The lord is great in Sion, and high above all people.

98:3. Let them give praise to thy great name: for it is terrible and holy:

98:4. And the king's honour loveth judgment. Thou hast prepared directions: thou hast done judgment and justice in Jacob.

Loveth judgment... Requireth discretion.-Ibid. Directions... Most right and just laws to direct men.

98:5. Exalt ye the Lord our G.o.d, and adore his footstool, for it is holy.

Adore his footstool... The ark of the covenant was called, in the Old Testament, G.o.d's footstool: over which he was understood to sit, on his propitiatory, or mercy seat, as on a throne, between the wings of the cherubims, in the sanctuary: to which the children of Israel paid a great veneration. But as this psalm evidently relates to Christ, and the New Testament, where the ark has no place, the holy fathers understand this text, of the worship paid by the church to the body and blood of Christ in the sacred mysteries: inasmuch as the humanity of Christ is, as it were, the footstool of the divinity. So St. Ambrose, L. 3. De Spiritu Sancto, c. 12. And St. Augustine upon this psalm.

98:6. Moses and Aaron among his priests: and Samuel among them that call upon his name. They called upon the Lord, and he heard them:

Moses and Aaron among his priests... By this it is evident, that Moses also was a priest, and indeed the chief priest, inasmuch as he consecrated Aaron, and offered sacrifice for him. Lev. 8. So that his pre-eminence over Aaron makes nothing for lay church headship.

98:7. He spoke to them in the pillar of the cloud. They kept his testimonies, and the commandment which he gave them.

98:8. Thou didst hear them, O Lord our G.o.d: thou wast a merciful G.o.d to them, and taking vengeance on all their inventions.

All their inventions... that is, all the enterprises of their enemies against them, as in the case of Core, Dathan, and Abiron.

98:9. Exalt ye the Lord our G.o.d, and adore at his holy mountain: for the Lord our G.o.d is holy.

Psalms Chapter 99

Jubilate Deo.

All are invited to rejoice in G.o.d the creator of all.

99:1. A psalm of praise.

99:2. Sing joyfully to G.o.d, all the earth: serve ye the Lord with gladness. Come in before his presence with exceeding great joy.

99:3. Know ye that the Lord he is G.o.d: he made us, and not we ourselves.

We are his people and the sheep of his pasture.

99:4. Go ye into his gates with praise, into his courts with hymns: and give glory to him. Praise ye his name:

99:5. For the Lord is sweet, his mercy endureth for ever, and his truth to generation and generation.

Psalms Chapter 100

Misericordiam et judicium.

The prophet exhorteth all by his example, to follow mercy and justice.

100:1. A psalm for David himself. Mercy and judgment I will sing to thee, O Lord: I will sing,

100:2. And I will understand in the unspotted way, when thou shalt come to me. I walked in the innocence of my heart, in the midst of my house.

I will understand, etc... That is, I will apply my mind, I will do my endeavour, to know and to follow the perfect way of thy commandments: not trusting to my own strength, but relying on thy coming to me by thy grace.

100:3. I will not set before my eyes any unjust thing: I hated the workers of iniquities.

100:4. The perverse heart did not cleave to me: and the malignant, that turned aside from me, I would not know.

100:5. The man that in private detracted his neighbour, him did I persecute. With him that had a proud eye, and an unsatiable heart, I would not eat.

100:6. My eyes were upon the faithful of the earth, to sit with me: the man that walked in the perfect way, he served me.

100:7. He that worketh pride shall not dwell in the midst of my house: he that speaketh unjust things did not prosper before my eyes.

100:8. In the morning I put to death all the wicked of the land: that I might cut off all the workers of iniquity from the city of the Lord.