Hebrew Psalm No. 11
(Psalm No. 10 in the Vulgate) 1 To the choirmaster, of David. In the Lord I trust; how can you say to my soul, “Flee to your mountain like a bird”?. According to most exegetes, David composed this psalm during the persecution he suffered at the hands of Saul (2 Kings 26:1 ff.). His friends advised him to seek refuge in the mountains; but he replied that he placed his trust in God. 2 For behold, the wicked bend their bow, they have fitted their arrow to the string, to shoot in the shadows at men of upright heart. 3 When the foundations are overturned, what can the righteous do? With laws and order overturned, what will the righteous man do in such an extreme situation? 4 The Lord in his holy temple, the Lord, whose throne is in heaven, has open eyes, his eyelids search the children of men. The sacred singer replies: God, from his throne in heaven, sees everything. 5 The Lord tests the righteous, but he hates the wicked and those who love violence. 6 On the wicked he will rain down snares, fire and brimstone, and a scorching wind; this is the cup that will be allotted to them. Compare Job 20:23. Following Saint Basil and Saint Chrysostom, the Psalmist wants to emphasize by all these figures the multitude, the speed and the destructive force of the punishments with which God is accustomed to strike the wicked. 7 For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice. The upright will see his face.
Hebrew Psalm No. 12
(Psalm No. 11 in the Vulgate)
1 To the choirmaster, at the octave, a psalm of David. 2 Save us, O Lord, for the godly are gone, the faithful vanish from among mankind. 3 They speak lies to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart. 4 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that speaks arrogantly, 5 those who say, “We have strength with our tongue; our lips are our own—who is lord over us?” Such has always been the language of the doctors of error; they have always claimed that by means of their vain knowledge and false eloquence, they would succeed in triumphing over the truth entrusted to the infallibility of the Church. 6 Because of the oppression of the afflicted, because of the groaning of the poor, I will now arise, says the Lord, I will bring them the salvation for which they yearn. 7 The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the earth, purified seven times. particularly his promises, and consequently those he made in verse 6 8 You, Lord, will keep them, you will preserve them forever from this generation. Of these worldly men and their corruption. See Ecclesiastes 1, 4. 9 Around them the wicked walk about arrogantly: as much as they exalt themselves, so much will the children of men be humbled. This is the final characteristic by which the Psalmist characterizes the domination of the wicked.
Hebrew Psalm No. 13
(Psalm No. 12 in the Vulgate)
1 To the choirmaster, a song of David. The occasion for which this psalm was composed is unknown. Some relate it to the persecution of Saul. See Psalms Hebrews 4. 2 How long, Lord, will you always forget me? How long will you hide your face from me? 3 How long will I plot in my soul and have sorrow over my heart all day long? How long will my enemy rise up against me? 4 Look on me and answer me, Lord my God; give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death., That is to say, revive me (Ezra 9:8), or grant me some relief (1 Samuel 14:27). Indeed, darkness covers the eyes of those who are downcast (Lamentations 5:17), or: enlighten my eyes, so that I may find a way to escape and not die. The Christian, in his prayer, will also remember the enemies of his soul and ask to be enlightened, lest he die the death of sin. 5 so that my enemy may not say, “I have overcome him,” and my adversaries may not rejoice when I stumble. 6 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation; I will sing praises to the Lord for his goodness to me. The name of the Lord is the Lord himself, that is, the Lord who, by the very fact that he is named, is known.
Hebrew Psalm No. 14
(Psalm No. 13 in the Vulgate)
1 To the choirmaster, of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God. They are corrupt, they do abominable things; there is no one who does good.”. The fool: one who not only professes erroneous maxims, but also acts with impiety. See Isaiah 32:6. 2 The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man to see if there is anyone who is wise, anyone who seeks God. 3 All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is not one who does good, not one. Not all men are included: for verse 6 speaks of a righteous race, a small number, who, although they also bear human frailty within them, do not fail to lead a life pleasing to God. 4 Do not all evildoers have knowledge? They devour my people as they eat bread, and they do not call on the Lord. 5 They will suddenly tremble with fear, for God is in the midst of the righteous generation. These impious people lived without praying, and the temporal evils they experienced, or were threatened with, made them tremble, although these evils are not properly to be feared, since they contribute more to the advantage than to the disadvantage of man, and thus they serve to make him better. 6 You want to confound the plans of the unfortunate, but the Lord is his refuge. They do not have the presence of the Lord, who dwells in the midst of the righteous, to sustain their courage. 7 Oh, may deliverance for Israel come from Zion! When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people, Jacob will be in joy, Israel rejoices. Oh, may salvation, the Savior, the Deliverer, soon come from Zion to deliver us from this corruption and this wretched state (Thomas). Jacob and Israel are the names of the patriarch from whom the Jewish people originate, and they stand for the people themselves.
Hebrew Psalm No. 15
(Psalm No. 14 in the Vulgate)
1 A Psalm of David. Lord, who may dwell in your tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? According to most exegetes, David sang this psalm on the occasion of the translation of the Ark of the Covenant and the consecration of the new tabernacle (2 Samuel 6:2ff.; 1 Chronicles 15:4ff.). However, it can also be considered, without relating it to this event, as an answer to the question: Who will enjoy the favor of society, the grace of God, and the happiness found in His presence? In any case, let the Christian, in prayer, remember this last thought. 2 He who walks in innocence, who practices righteousness, and who speaks truth in his heart. That is, the one who avoids evil and does good. See Psalm 37:27. 3 He does not slander with his tongue, he does not harm his brother, nor cast reproach on his neighbor. He whose thoughts are upright and whose speech is sincere. 4 In his eyes the reprobate is shameful, but he honors those who fear the Lord. If he has sworn to his own harm, he does not change it. 5 He does not lend his money at interest or accept a bribe against the innocent; he who does these things will never be shaken. See Exodus 22:25. Leviticus 25:36. Luke 6, 35.
