Original Douay–Rheims AnnotationsPsalms 21
English College of Douai–Rheims
Read Psalms 21 in the BiblePsalms 21:3
Thou wilt not hear.
Our B. Saviour seeing his most terrible death imminent, prayed conditionally [1], if it pleased his heavenly Father, to have the same removed from him, & was not heard, as the Psalmist here prophesieth. The principal reason was, because God of his divine charity had decreed, that mankind should be redeemed by this death of his Son. Christ also himself of his excellent charity, consented here unto, & therefore persisted not in his conditional prayer, but added absolutely & prayed, that not his own will, but his Fathers might be fulfilled. And in this he was heard [2], to his own more glory and other infinite benefits of innumerable souls, as it followeth, v. 25. When I cried to him he heard me. S. Paul also witnesseth (Heb. 5. v. 7.) that Christ offering prayers and supplications to him that could save him from death, was heard for his reverence: that is, in respect of his inestimable merit in human nature united in person to God. Another cause, why Christ was not delivered from violent death [3], as many holy persons were, when they cried to God in distress, as S. Augustine sheweth (Epist. 120. c. 11.) was for example to Christians, whom God will have to suffer temporal afflictions, and death, for the glory of life everlasting, according to S. Peter's doctrine, Christ suffered for us, leaving an example that you may follow his steps. [4]
- 1 Christ's conditional prayer was not heard.
- 2 His absolute prayers were always heard.
- 3 Christ suffered for our example.
- 4 1 Pet. 2.
Psalms 21:17
They have digged.
Of obstinate malice the Jews have corrupted this place (and God knoweth how many others) in the Hebrew text of some editions ◦, reading caari, which signifieth as a lion, without all coherence of the sense, for caaru, they digged or pierced; to avoid so plain a prophecy of nailing Christ's hands and feet to the cross.
- ◦ The Hebrew text corrupted by the Jews.
Psalms 21:23
I will declare thy name to my brethren.
Here it is evident that this Psalm is of Christ ◦, not of David, by S. Paul's allegation (Heb. 2. v. 11. 12.) saying: He that sanctifieth (to wit Christ) disdained not to call the sanctified his brethren.
- ◦ This Psalm is of Christ.
In the midst of the Church I will praise thee.
After Christ's Passion and Resurrection, in the rest of this Psalm, other two principal points of Christian Religion are likewise prophesied: His perpetual visible Church, and the B. Sacrament of his body. The former is here prophesied by way of inviting all the seed of Jacob to glorify God (v. 24.) all the seed of Israel to fear him (v. 25.) to wit, innumerable Christians [1], the true Israelites, the universal Church in the whole world. As for heretical parts or parcels in the world, such as the Donatists, which going forth from the Catholic Church say: Christ hath lost his great Church, the devil hath taken the whole world from him, and he remaineth only in a part of Africa, they do not praise God (saith S. Augustine) but dishonour God and Christ, as if God were not faithful in his promise [2], as if Christ were dispossessed of his Kingdom the Catholic Church. Lest any should reply, that Christ is praised though the Church be decayed, or be very small, the Holy Ghost hath prevented such arguments, saying v. 26: His praise is in the great Church. Which could neither be verified in the part of Donatists in Afrike, nor now in the part of Protestants since Luther in Europe. Further S. Augustine explicateth [3], & urgeth the verses following in this Psalm, against the same blind, deaf, and obstinate Donatists, who did not, or would not see, nor hear, that all the ends of the earth shall remember, and be converted to our Lord. The holy Scripture saith not, the ends of the earth, but all the ends. Well go too (saith this great Doctor) peradventure there is but one verse, thou thoughtest upon something else, thou talkedst with thy brother, when one read this; mark, he repeateth and knocketh upon the deaf: All the families of the Gentiles shall adore in his sight: Yet the heretic is deaf, he heareth not, let one knock again: Because the Kingdom is our Lord's, and he shall have dominion over the Gentiles. Hold these three verses brethren. Thus and more S. Augustine against those that think the true Church may fail, or become invisible or obscure. And though it be not in like prosperous state at all times, and in all places, yet it is always conspicuous, and more general than any other congregation professing whatsoever pretended religion.
- 1 Prophecy of the visible and universal Church.
- 2 in hunc Psal.
- 3 S. Augustine proveth the Church to be always visible and great by this Psalm.
Psalms 21:27
The poor shall eat.
Seeing this Psalm is of Christ, as is proved by S. Paul's allegation of 23. verse, and by the concordance thereof with the Evangelists [1], it is necessarily deduced, that the vows mentioned in the former verse, and these words, the poor shall eat and be filled, cannot be referred to the sacrifices of the old Testament, but to the blessed Sacrifice and Sacrament of the Eucharist, which our Saviour promised, after he had replenished the people with five loaves, and which he instituted at his last supper in presence of his Apostles. So S. Augustine doubteth not to understand it, and to teach, as well in his double exposition of this Psalm as in his 120. Epistle. c. 27. The poor, that is the humble and poor in spirit, shall eat & be filled: the fat ones, or the rich being proud, do also adore and eat, but are not filled. They also are brought to the table of Christ [2], and participate his body and blood, but they adore only, are not also filled, because they do not imitate (Christ's humility) they disdain to be humble. Where it is clear, this holy father by Christ's body and blood meaneth not bread and wine as signs of his body and blood, for bread and wine cannot be lawfully adored: neither doth he mean our Lord's body as it was on the cross, or is in heaven, for so it is not eaten, but as it is in forms of bread and wine on Christ's table, the Altar.
- 1 The Eucharist prophesied in this place.
- 2 Real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
Original Douay–Rheims Annotations — English College of Douai–Rheims. CC0 1.0
Psalms 21:1
For the morning enterprise.
In respect of the end for which Christ suffered, this Psalm is entitled: for the morning enterprise: that is, for Christ's glorious Resurrection ◦, and other effects of his Passion. Which holy David by the spirit of Prophecy so describeth here long before with diverse particular circumstances, as the Evangelists have since historically recorded, that it may not unfitly be called, The Passion of Jesus Christ according to David.