“In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.”
Day. Under the law of grace, Christians sing this and such like canticles. (Worthington) — Sion. This word is not in Hebrew, &c., though it be understood. (Calmet) — Other nations have their respective cities. All Christians admit this one. (Worthington) — The captives continue to return thanks. Yet the Holy Ghost speaks chiefly of the Church, and of the general resurrection. (Calmet) — Bulwark. Faith and good works. (Worthington)
“Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. truth: Heb. truths”
Truth. The Jews who returned from Babylon, were more virtuous than their ancestors, as the prophets intimate; though they have Christians principally in view.
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. perfect: Heb. peace, peace mind: or, thought, or, imagination”
Away: condemning the virtuous, as if they were fools. (Menochius) — Symmachus, “our work, or fiction, is taken away.” Hebrew may have other meanings. (Haydock)
“Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: everlasting: Heb. the rock of ages”
You, people of Juda.
“For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust.”
High: Nabuchodonosor and his empire.
“The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.”
Needy. The Jews shall behold the ruin of the city by Cyrus, (Calmet) who was of a contemptible nation. (Haydock)
“The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just.”
In. God will remove every obstacle, at their return.
“With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.”
Night of distress.
“Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.”
Justice. Clemency would therefore be ill placed. If the Israelites had not been led away captives, would they ever have been reformed?
“LORD, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them. at: or, toward thy people”
Not see. Let them perish, or live to witness the glory of the Jews.
“LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us. in us: or, for us”
Works, both in punishing and rewarding. (Calmet) — God crowns his own gifts. (Estius)
“O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.”
Lords of Babylon, (Calmet) and our own passions. (Haydock)
“They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.”
Giants; the proud emperors of Babylon, whom thou wilt destroy. Septuagint, “physicians;” as Rephaim has also this meaning.
“Thou hast increased the nation, O LORD, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth.”
Nation of the Jews. (Calmet) — Septuagint, “add evils to them, O Lord; add evils to the nobles of the land.” (Haydock) — Hebrew may have the same sense. — Ends: princes, or the Chaldeans, sending them also into captivity; or thou hast propagated thy Church over the world.
“LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them. prayer: Heb. secret speech”
They. Septuagint, “We,” &c. (Calmet) — Affliction is a wholesome medicine. (Haydock)
“We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.”
Wind. Our expectation of aid from others has been disappointed. (Calmet) — Septuagint, “the spirit of thy salvation, which thou hast wrought on the earth. We shall not fall, but the inhabitants of the earth shall fall.” (Haydock) — Their copies must have been different from ours. — Fallen. The Chanaanites are left for our trial and punishment. (Calmet)
“Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.”
Dead: a civil death, shall regain their liberty; and those who have left this world in a state of virtue, shall be happy. — Ruin. Cyrus liberated the Jews, having conquered Babylon.
“Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.”
Away, and Cambyses be destroyed, Ezechiel xxxviii. 11. (Calmet)
“For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. blood: Heb. bloods”
Shall cover her stain no more. This is said with relation to the martyrs, and their happy resurrection. (Challoner) — The blood of the saints shall demand vengeance. (Calmet)