Part 355 (2/2)

A prayer for the propagation of the church.

66:1. Unto the end, in hymns, a psalm of a canticle for David.

66:2. May G.o.d have mercy on us, and bless us: may he cause the light of his countenance to s.h.i.+ne upon us, and may he have mercy on us.

66:3. That we may know thy way upon earth: thy salvation in all nations.

66:4. Let people confess to thee, O G.o.d: let all people give praise to thee.

66:5. Let the nations be glad and rejoice: for thou judgest the people with justice, and directest the nations upon earth.

66:6. Let the people, O G.o.d, confess to thee: let all the people give praise to thee:

66:7. The earth hath yielded her fruit. May G.o.d, our G.o.d bless us,

66:8. May G.o.d bless us: and all the ends of the earth fear him.

Psalms Chapter 67

Exurgat Deus.

The glorious establishment of the church of the New Testament, prefigured by the benefits bestowed on the people of Israel.

67:1. Unto the end, a psalm of a canticle for David himself.

67:2. Let G.o.d arise, and let his enemies be scattered: and let them that hate him flee from before his face.

67:3. As smoke vanisheth, so let them vanish away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of G.o.d.

67:4. And let the just feast, and rejoice before G.o.d: and be delighted with gladness.

67:5. Sing ye to G.o.d, sing a psalm to his name, make a way for him who ascendeth upon the west: the Lord is his name. Rejoice ye before him: but the wicked shall be troubled at his presence,

Who ascendeth upon the west... Super occasum. St. Gregory understands it of Christ, who after his going down, like the sun, in the west, by his pa.s.sion and death, ascended more glorious, and carried all before him.

St. Jerome renders it, who ascendeth, or cometh up, through the deserts.

67:6. Who is the father of orphans, and the judge of widows. G.o.d in his holy place:

67:7. G.o.d who maketh men of one manner to dwell in a house: Who bringeth out them that were bound in strength; in like manner them that provoke, that dwell in sepulchres.

Of one manner... That is, agreeing in faith, unanimous in love, and following the same manner of discipline. It is verified in the servants of G.o.d, living together in his house, which is the church. 1 Tim. 3.15.

Ibid. Them that were bound, etc... The power and mercy of G.o.d appears in his bringing out of their captivity those that were strongly bound in their sins: and in restoring to his grace those whose behaviour had been most provoking; and who by their evil habits were not only dead, but buried in their sepulchres.

67:8. O G.o.d, when thou didst go forth in the sight of thy people, when thou didst pa.s.s through the desert:

67:9. The earth was moved, and the heavens dropped at the presence of the G.o.d of Sina, at the presence of the G.o.d of Israel.

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