Verse 6
Because of truth and meekness and justice: and thy right hand shall conduct thee wonderfully.
propter veritatem, et mansuetudinem, et justitiam; et deducet te mirabiliter dextera tua.
He explains the reason why Christ deservedly should reign, because He has kingly virtues: as though he were to say: “Proceed prosperously, and reign on account of Thy truth, gentleness and justice,” that is, because the kingly virtues in Him are not lacking. The Hebrew codex explains this text more clearly, serving almost as a commentary: thus, it
has, because of (Thy) word of truth and the gentleness of Thy justice. Form these words, we learn that two things are necessary to a king, that he should be truthful,, that is, faithful in his words, and just in his works. This is what is said of God the high king in Psalm xxliv: “Faithful in all his words: and holy in all his works.”
[1] But because the judgement of a judge often has a sharp side to it, which is like a blemish in justice, to Christ’s justice, which is utterly perfect, is added meekness. For Christ is gentle in His justice, that is, He judges most justly but without sour temper, without harshness and without arrogance; He does not frighten away but conciliates those who come before Him. This then is how the words in our edition are to be explained: “reign on account of (Thy) truth,” which Thou keepest always in Thy words and promises, “and (on account of Thy) gentleness and justice.” that is, on account of the gentleness which Thou interminglest with justice. “and thy right hand shall conduct thee wonderfully,” that is, and reigning with these virtues, Thou wilt see wondrous advances in Thy kingdom. And Thou wilt have no need of others’ help; but Thy very right hand itself, Thy strength and Thy might, will suffice Thee, to conduct Thee wonderfully, and make Thee to increase Thy kingdom, until Thou makest all Thine enemies Thy footstool.
[2] In Hebrew the wording is a little different but the sense is the same; for St. Jerome translates it thus: And Thy right hand will teach Thee things inspiring dread, that is, Thy right hand, conquering and overthrowing enemies, will teach Thee, that is, will show Thee, and make Thee discern terrible events, namely the slaughter of Thine enemies.
[1] Thy kingdom is a kingdom of all ages: and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations. The Lord is faithful in all his words: and holy in all his works. Regnum tuum regnum omnium saeculorum; et dominatio tua in omni generatione et generationem. Fidelis Dominus in omnibus verbis suis, et sanctus in omnibus operibus suis. [Ps. Cxliv. 13]
[2] Cf. Ps. Cix. 1. The Lord said to my Lord: Sit thou at my right hand: Until I make thy enemies thy footstool. Psalmus David. Dixit Dominus Domino meo : Sede a dextris meis, donec ponam inimicos tuos scabellum pedum tuorum.
Verse 7
Thy arrows are sharp: under thee shall people fall, into the hearts of the king's enemies,
Sagittae tuae acutae, populi sub te cadent, in corda inimicorum regis.
He explains how the right hand of Christ the king will conduct him so wonderfully in extending his kingdom, saying: He will do this because the arrows, which thy right hand shall loose, are most sharp, and will therefore pierce thine enemies’ hearts, and people, the enemies themselves, shall fall under thee and be subjected to thy power. Arrows are to be understood asmeaning the words of God, or rather the preaching of god’s word; for this is the method generally used by Christ to propagate His kingdom; He Himself says this in Psalm ii: “But I am appointed king by him over Sion his holy mountain, preaching his commandment.”
[1] The word of God is however also called a sword, an arrow, a hammer, and similar terms, because it has a similarity to all these weapons. It is called a sharply pointed arrow because it is extremely effective at piercing hearts, much more so than the human eloquence of a great orator. “For the word of God is living and effectual, and more piercing than any two edged sword.”
[2] The words, under thee shall people fall, are to be read in parenthesis;
[3] and the people are said to fall under this King, wounded by arrows, because they are not wounded so
as to be killed but so as to die to sin and live for justice, and in this way they emerge subjects of Christ the king, serving Him, for whom serving is reigning. Finally, into the hearts of the king's enemies, in the Hebrew and Greek codices and in many Latin manuscripts, is read as into the heart and not as into the hearts. For it is true that the arrows of God’s word penetrate sinners’ hearts and it is also true that those arrows stay fixed in the heart; and love’s wound nourishes and preserves the heart, and in this way makes enemies and sinners into friends and saints.In the Greek codices, it has, Thy arrows are sharp, O mighty one: but this word, O mighty one, is not in the Hebrew. From which we know that the author of the Latin Vulgate had the Greek version’s amendment which they published; or certainly was aware that wording was not placed in the text by the Septuagint translators but was inserted from another source.
[1] But I am appointed king by him over Sion his holy mountain, preaching his commandment. Ego autem constitutus sum rex ab eo super Sion, montem sanctum ejus, praedicans praeceptum ejus. [Psalm ii. 6]
[2] For the word of God is living and effectual, and more piercing than any two edged sword; and reaching unto the division of the soul and the spirit, of the joints also and the marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Vivus est enim sermo Dei, et efficax et penetrabilior omni gladio ancipiti : et pertingens usque ad divisionem animae ac spiritus : compagum quoque ac medullarum, et discretor cogitationum et intentionum cordis. [Hebr. iv. 12]
[3] After Hellenistic Greek παρεντιθέναι to put in beside.
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
No comments:
Post a Comment