“To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, A Psalm of David. Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.”
Remembrance. This is all that occurs in Hebrew, or in many Greek copies, though the following words were perhaps extant in the copy of the Septuagint, or were added to complete the sentence. Several of the verses are found in Psalm xxxiv., and xxxix., and seem to have been used as a form of prayer in any danger. (Berthier) — David foresaw that Christ would pray for the safety of his natural and mystical body, and would be heard. (Menochius) — The following psalm is a sequel to this. (Calmet)
“They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.”
‘Tis well, ’tis well. Euge, euge. St. Jerome renders it, vah! vah! which is the voice of one insulting and deriding. Some understand it as a detestation of deceitful flatterers. (Challoner) — In the New Testament, Well done, denotes applause. (St. Jerome in Ezechiel vi.) — These predictions relate to the murderers of the Messias. (Berthier) — In the 39th psalm, the Church prays for aid; and here David, persecuted by Absalom, or any of the just, lays before God his particular wants. (Worthington)