“The pride of the height, the clear firmament, the beauty of heaven, with his glorious shew;”
Shew. We cannot behold these things without admiration of God.
“The sun when it appeareth, declaring at his rising a marvellous instrument, the work of the most High:”
High. The sun is the most excellent of all irrational creatures, affording light (Worthington) and heat for the production of things; (Haydock) whence Aristotle (de Anima ii.) styles it “father of men and of gods.” Yet it is inferior to man, being devoid of reason. All creatures manifest God’s majesty; the little as well as the great. (Worthington)
“Great is the Lord that made it; and at his commandment runneth hastily.”
Hastened. Some Greek copies read “slackened,” alluding to Josue x. 13.
“He made the moon also to serve in her season for a declaration of times, and a sign of the world.”
In all. Complutensian Greek, “to stand guard.” Other copies agree with the Vulgate, though embarrassed. — World. To mark out the seasons, Genesis i. 14., and Psalm ciii. 19.
“From the moon is the sign of feasts, a light that decreaseth in her perfection.”
Day. The lunar system prevailed only after the captivity. The Passover was celebrated on the 14th of the moon of Nisan.
“The month is called after her name, increasing wonderfully in her changing, being an instrument of the armies above, shining in the firmament of heaven;”
Name. Meni is used for the moon, (Jeremias lxv. 11.) which resembles the Greek men, “month.” This is also derived from mene, “the moon.” We know not what Hebrew words were used, chap. vi. 23. The two former may both come from manah, “to divide.”
“The beauty of heaven, the glory of the stars, an ornament giving light in the highest places of the Lord.”
Armies. The stars, &c., are compared to a camp or army.
“Look upon the rainbow, and praise him that made it; very beautiful it is in the brightness thereof.”
Judgment. The angels are not pure before God; (Job iv. 18., and xv. 15.) or rather the stars obey his orders, Baruch iii. 34., Judges v. 20., and Psalm cxviii. 91. (Calmet)
“It compasseth the heaven about with a glorious circle, and the hands of the most High have bended it.”
Brightness. Mille trahit varios adverso sole colores. (Virgil, Æneid 5.)
“Through this the treasures are opened: and clouds fly forth as fowls.”
Judgment, to punish the wicked, Exodus xiv. 24., and Isaias xxxvii. 36. (Calmet)
“By his great power he maketh the clouds firm, and the hailstones are broken small.”
Birds, sent to give information by letters, as the Egyptians still do. (Bochart i. 2.) (Isaias lx. 8.) — Tempests execute God’s judgments, Job xxxviii. 22.
“At his sight the mountains are shaken, and at his will the south wind bloweth.”
Broken, as from huge mountains, Job xxxviii. 39. (Calmet)
“The eye marvelleth at the beauty of the whiteness thereof, and the heart is astonished at the raining of it.”
Strike. Greek, “upbraid, (Drusius) or make the earth fall in labour,” odinesen. (Grabe) (Haydock)
“The hoarfrost also as salt he poureth on the earth, and being congealed, it lieth on the top of sharp stakes.”
Lightning. Greek, “flying, he.” (Haydock) — Locusts. “They cover the cornfields with a destructive cloud.” (Pliny, [Natural History?] xi. 29.)
“When the cold north wind bloweth, and the water is congealed into ice, it abideth upon every gathering together of water, and clotheth the water as with a breastplate.”
Shower, as if God were about to drown the world. The melting of snow occasions dreadful inundations. (Calmet) — Its whiteness sometimes deprives people of their sight. (Xenophon, Anab. iv.)
“It devoureth the mountains, and burneth the wilderness, and consumeth the grass as fire.”
Thistles. Greek, “stakes,” pointed as it were with steel. (Menochius)
“A present remedy of all is a mist coming speedily, a dew coming after heat refresheth.”
Crystal, or ice. (Calmet)
“By his counsel he appeaseth the deep, and planteth islands therein.”
Burn. Cold destroys verdure no less than fire, Genesis xxxi. 40.
“They that sail on the sea tell of the danger thereof; and when we hear it with our ears, we marvel thereat.”
Overpower it. Greek, “give joy; (25.) with,” &c. (Haydock) — Warmth and rain restore beauty to the earth, after the horrors of winter.
“For therein be strange and wondrous works, variety of all kinds of beasts and whales created.”
Still. Literally, “silent,” Matthew viii. 26. — Lord. Roman Greek, “Jesus planted it;” which is a mistake for nesous, islands. (Calmet) — “He planted islands in it.” Grabe thus corrects the Alexandrian copy, though it agree with the Roman and Aldine editions. (Haydock)
“By him the end of them hath prosperous success, and by his word all things consist.”
Thereof. Psalm cvi. 23. “He who has not sailed has seen nothing evil.” (Possidip.)
“We may speak much, and yet come short: wherefore in sum, he is all.”
Monstrous. Greek, “creation of whales.” (Haydock)
“How shall we be able to magnify him? for he is great above all his works.”
Is. Greek, “his angel gives a prosperous journey.” — Regulated. Greek, “blended.” (Haydock) — If God be angry, all will go to the bottom. (Grotius)
“The Lord is terrible and very great, and marvellous is his power.”
All. Literally, “in all.” Every thing obeys God, chap. xlii. 15., and Ecclesiastes xii. 13.
“When ye glorify the Lord, exalt him as much as ye can; for even yet will he far exceed: and when ye exalt him, put forth all your strength, and be not weary; for ye can never go far enough.”
Him. So the Greek reads. Vulgate seems to say, “boasting in all, what shall we be able to do?” What is man, fighting against the Lord! (Calmet)
“There are yet hid greater things than these be, for we have seen but a few of his works.”
His. Greek, “exalting the Lord, exert your power; and labour, for you will not come up to him: (35.) who,” &c. (Haydock) — He is above all praise, Psalm cxliv. 3. (Calmet)
From. Greek, “many hidden things are,” &c. (Haydock) — The angels, and many secrets of nature, have not been mentioned. (Calmet)