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Footnotes

1. Psalm 58:1 This is one of the so-called imprecatory (or cursing) psalms (see note on Ps 35) that call upon God to mete out justice to enemies. In their thirst for justice, the authors of these psalms use hyperbole (or overstatement) in order to move others to oppose sin and evil. Such impassioned expressions may seem vengeful to a Western audience not used to the diatribes and curses of Easterners. And the joy exhibited over the justice to be meted out seems ferocious to us. However, we must realize above all that the psalmists were desiring only true justice, a justice that could not be derailed, denied, or mocked—because it was God’s justice.
   The psalmist and all Israel regard judges as well as rulers to be divine beings (see Pss 45:7; 82:6; Ex 21:6; Deut 19:17), for judging, like ruling, is a power of God. This psalm wars against those who pervert such a divine power.
   The early Church applied this psalm to the trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrin (see Mt 26:57-68 par).
2. Psalm 58:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation. According to “Do not destroy”: see note on Ps 57:1. Miktam: see note on Ps 16:1.
3. Psalm 58:2 Rulers: literally, “gods”: see introduction.
4. Psalm 58:3 Hearts: see note on Ps 4:8.
5. Psalm 58:4 The evil ways of the wicked (see Ps 10) are theirs from birth.
6. Psalm 58:6 The roles of charmers and enchanters are frequently alluded to in the Old Testament (see Deut 18:11; Eccl 10:11; Isa 3:3; Jer 8:17).
7. Psalm 58:7 The psalmist regards teeth as weapons of the mouths by which the wicked harass the righteous (see Ps 57:5), so he begs God to destroy them.
8. Psalm 58:8 See notes on Pss 58; 35.
9. Psalm 58:8 Make them wither like grass that is trampled: the meaning of the Hebrew is unclear. Another translation likens the psalmist’s foes to archers who shoot blunted arrows. “When they ready the bow, let their arrows be blunted.”
10. Psalm 58:9 Snail: the ancients believed that snails dried up in the sun and evaporated.
11. Psalm 58:10 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain. Another translation given is: “Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns— / whether they be green or dry— / the wicked will be swept away.” This accords with the fact that twigs from wild bushes (thorns) were used to start quick fires for cooking (see Ps 118:12; Eccl 7:6).
12. Psalm 58:11 Bathe his feet in the blood: a vivid expression indicating complete victory over one’s foes that was common in the Near East (see Ps 68:24; Isa 63:1-6).
13. Psalm 59:1 The most realistic situation for this psalm is as follows: a believer, a Jewish group, or the whole people is exposed to persecution; it comes from forces that wish to impose paganism on the exiles or perhaps on Jerusalem itself. Like raging dogs that prowl the night in the cities of the East in search of prey, evil-intentioned persons attack the innocent victim with slander and curses, seeking to destroy his reputation and ultimately his life. The description is ferocious and the imprecation vehement and vengeful; but God will not tolerate lying and perfidy without end; the Almighty One cannot let himself be mocked, for his honor is at stake (v. 14).
    We can pray this psalm to God and to Christ inserting our own name in all our temporal struggles, and even more in the bitter spiritual struggles we must constantly wage against our powerful spiritual enemies.
14. Psalm 59:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation. According to “Do not destroy”: see note on Ps 57:1. Miktam: see note on Ps 16:1. The superscription imagines that the occasion for this psalm was the narrative in 1 Sam 19:11-17. Some believe it might have been when Jerusalem was under siege as at the time of Hezekiah (see 2 Ki 18:19), while others point to the time of Nehemiah (see Neh 4).
15. Psalm 59:2 Defend me: literally, “lift me to a high, safe place.”
16. Psalm 59:6 Lord, God of hosts: an expression used first in 1 Sam 1:3 to designate the Lord as the sovereign over all powers in the universe—the God of all armies, both the heavenly army (see Ps 68:17; Deut 33:2; Jos 5:14; Hab 3:8) and the army of Israel (see 1 Sam 17:45). See also note on Ps 24:10. God of Israel . . . punish all the nations: seems to indicate an attack on Israel by the nations.
17. Psalm 59:8 The wicked curse God as if he cannot see and hear and will not respond. But God laughs at them (see Pss 2:4; 37:13) and listens until the day of reckoning when the curses will fall back in judgment on the wicked themselves.
18. Psalm 59:10 The psalmist asks God to put his foes to death, so that his people may not be seduced by them and so that the people will remember this particular saving act longer than they have remembered others (see Pss 78:11; 106:13).
19. Psalm 59:12 Another translation possible is: “O God, put them to death, / so that they may not seduce my people.”
20. Psalm 59:12 O Lord, our shield: just as the king was regarded as the people’s shield in ancient Israel (see Ps 84:10), so the Lord was called the Shield of his people (see Pss 7:11; 84:12; 89:19; 91:4; 115:9-11; Deut 33:29; Prov 30:5). Accordingly, the psalmist invokes this attribute of the Lord at this point.
21. Psalm 59:14 God’s punishment of the nations will show that God, the King of Israel (see Ps 24:1, 6; Isa 41:21ff; 63:19), is also the Master of the universe (see Pss 46:11f; 83:19).
22. Psalm 59:15 The wicked wreak havoc like a pack of dogs, snarling and howling as they prowl about the city. The godly take courage in hearing of God’s laughter (v. 9) and the assurance of his love (vv. 10-11). For the Lord is their strength and their fortress, who will deliver them from all their enemies and whom they will praise.
23. Psalm 59:17 After the night of danger (vv. 7, 15), the psalmist will sing to God on the morning of deliverance (see notes on Ps 57; 57:9). Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5.
24. Psalm 59:18 The psalmist vows to offer ritual praise for his deliverance (see note on Ps 7:18).
25. Psalm 60:1 God responds to the supplication of the nation of Israel, which is suffering because it has neglected the covenant. The cry of a holy war sounds forth. God mobilizes Israel from one end to the other (vv. 8-9) to wreak judgment on enemy territory—one feels as if carried back to the time of the Exodus and the conquest of Canaan. After the Exile, this psalm could have been chanted during a penitential liturgy. Verses 7-14 are also found in Ps 108 as verses 7-14.
    The military casualties and temporal disasters of ancient Israel typify the spiritual disasters that the Church, the new Israel, sometimes suffers. In union with Christ, her risen Head, the Church directs this supplication to the Father in critical moments of her history.
26. Psalm 60:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation. According to “The Lily of . . .”: its meaning is unknown. Miktam: see note on Ps 16:1. The superscription refers to events that are found in 2 Sam 8:1; 1 Chr 18. However, the accounts make no mention of Edom or of the fact that David’s forces met stiff resistance (vv. 3-5) and even a temporary defeat (v. 11f). The Valley of Salt is unknown (see 2 Sam 8:13).
27. Psalm 60:4 Shook the earth: the defeat is likened to an earthquake, which is an apocalyptic characteristic (see Isa 24:20).
28. Psalm 60:5 Wine that made us stagger: God has given them drink from the cup of the divine wrath (see Ps 75:9; Isa 51:17, 22; Jer 25:15) rather than the cup of the divine blessings (see Pss 16:5, including note; 23:5; 116:13).
29. Psalm 60:6 Bow: symbol of the enemy, which relied on its bows.
30. Psalm 60:7 These verses occur again as verses 7-14 of Ps 108.
31. Psalm 60:8 The Lord gives his people an oracle of hope, reminding them of his promises that the earth is his and no enemy can stand against him. Shechem was west of the Jordan, and Succoth east of it; therefore, they indicated dominion over all of Palestine. Next are named four Israelite tribes; hence, there are three regions in all that must be reduced to subjection.
32. Psalm 60:9 Helmet: a symbol of the strength exhibited by the tribe of Ephraim (see Deut 33:17; Jdg 7:24—8:3). Scepter: a symbol of the King-Messiah who had been promised from Judah (see Gen 49:10).
33. Psalm 60:10 Moab is my washbasin: i.e., its people will do menial work for the Israelites (see Gen 18:4). Plant my sandal: an Eastern way of signifying possession.
34. Psalm 60:11 The psalmist asks the Lord to lead him to victory even though the pain of defeat and God’s apparent rejection are still with him. For he knows that the Lord remains with his people and will ensure a joyous and victorious outcome (see Pss 44:6; 118:15f).
35. Psalm 60:11 Fortified city: doubtless Bozrah in Idumea (see Isa 34:6; 63:1; Am 1:12). It was from this inaccessible refuge that the Edomites sent incursions into Judea.
36. Psalm 61:1 The psalmist, a Levite deported to Babylon along with the elite of the Jewish people in 598 B.C., voices his ardent desire to return to the holy city and resume his service in the temple. Added to this lament of the exiled Levite is a prayer for the king, probably on behalf of Zedekiah, the last to sit on the throne of David after the first deportation of 598 B.C. This prayer also calls upon the Messiah, who is to come from the royal line (see 2 Sam 7; 1 Chr 17:14), to reign forever, and whose coming Israel awaits.
    This prayer beautifully expresses our hope as Christians. Sent by the Father and anointed by the Holy Spirit, Christ has become our Head, our guide and leader to the Father, provided we keep our eyes fixed on him by faith (see Acts 3:15; 5:31; Heb 2:10; 12:2). Long live Christ the King!
37. Psalm 61:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation.
38. Psalm 61:3 Ends of the earth: the phrase can also be translated as “from the brink of the netherworld,” i.e., the grave. Heart: see note on Ps 4:8. Set me high upon a rock: a reference to God’s sanctuary (see Ps 27:5). Another translation is: “Lead me to the rock that is higher than I”: a reference to God, the psalmist’s “rock of refuge” (Pss 31:3; 71:3; see also Pss 18:3; 62:3, 7f; 94:22).
39. Psalm 61:5 Shelter of your wings: see note on Ps 17:8.
40. Psalm 61:6 The psalmist is certain of being heard (see Pss 56:14; 66:19) and resuming his functions (see Ps 16:5), for he is among those who fear God (see Mal 3:16). Name: see note on Ps 5:12.
41. Psalm 61:7 As in Pss 85:11f; 89:15, 25, these personified divine attributes were thought to accompany the Messiah just as they protect the king (see Prov 20:28) or the simple Levite (see Ps 40:12). They were then applied to Christ, “Son of David,” by the Fathers of the Church. The insistence on an eternal reign recalls the prophecy of Nathan (see 2 Sam 7:16; 1 Chr 17:14), which is frequently alluded to in the Psalter (see Pss 18:51; 45:18; 72:5, 17; 89:5; 132:12). Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5.
42. Psalm 61:9 See note on Ps 7:18. To fulfill one’s vows meant to make an offering or sacrifice promised to God, normally in a single ceremony. To do so day after day shows a commitment to a debt that could never be paid off or an awareness that God’s blessings are new every morning. Name: see note on Ps 5:12.
43. Psalm 62:1 This psalm recalls the malice of human beings (see Ps 4:3), the nothingness of creatures (see Ps 39:6f; Isa 40:15), the vanity of riches (see Ps 49:13; Prov 11:28; 27:24), and the impartiality of the heavenly Judge (see Pss 9:8f, 17; 11:7; 33:5; 140:13). It provides an unsurpassable lesson of wisdom and simple trust in God to those who are deeply hurt and deceived (see Ps 31). Human beings seek success in wickedness, falsehood, and violence. The believer knows the futility of this manner of acting; it is of no avail in the sight of God’s judgment. Entirely different is the strength of the faithful: the Lord, who renders to each what they merit (Job 34:11; Prov 24:12; Sir 16:14; Ezek 18), will never fail them—and he is the only one who will never do so.
    At the invitation of Christ and in union with him, we must learn to abandon ourselves to the heavenly Father in all the trials and difficulties of life and seek in him our rest and inner peace. We could thus recite this entire psalm to celebrate the wonderful fruits of this filial confidence and to exhort our life companions to practice similar abandonment.
44. Psalm 62:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation. Jeduthun: see note on Ps 39:1.
45. Psalm 62:2 Soul: see note on Ps 6:4.
46. Psalm 62:4 Leaning wall . . . tottering fence: metaphor for the psalmist’s state of weakness—real (in God’s eyes) or imagined (by his enemies).
47. Psalm 62:5 Place on high: either a throne in the case of David or a place of safety such as a fortress on a cliff in the case of another psalmist. Hearts: see note on Ps 4:8.
48. Psalm 62:6 Be at rest: see Pss 27:13f; 42:6, 12; 43:5.
49. Psalm 62:9 Pour out your heart before him: a call for true prayer and meditation with God (see Lam 2:19). Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
50. Psalm 62:10 A reference to the manner of weighing precious objects; the lighter one would rise. On God’s scale, the wicked are a puff of air. The image of the scale recurs in Job 31:6; Prov 16:2; 21:2; 24:12; Isa 40:15.
51. Psalm 62:11 The Prophets inveighed against social crimes (see Isa 30:12; Ezek 22:29). The consequence was the recommendation to be detached from riches (see Job 27:12ff; 31:25; Eccl 5:8ff; Jer 17:11; Mt 6:19f, 24). Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
52. Psalm 62:13 The doctrine of personal retribution, taught by the Prophets, above all Ezekiel (see Ezek 18), is taken up by the sages and the psalmists (see Pss 28:4; 31:24; Job 34:11; Prov 24:12; Sir 16:13) and passes into the New Testament (see Mt 16:27; Rom 2:6; 2 Tim 4:14; Rev 2:23)—but only good deeds have eternal value. Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5.
53. Psalm 63:1 A deported Levite thinks back to the time when he lived in the temple, close to God; in the silence of the night he meditates on those happy hours, the remembrance of which comforts him. And the desire rises in him and becomes more and more intense; already it is as if he is once again in the sanctuary with no other occupation than to offer unceasing praise to the One whose love surpasses every other good. In that time of deliverance the king will be filled with blessings by God while the oppressors will receive the severest of chastisements.
    By its movement and style, this engaging prayer finds a place among the most beautiful psalms of longing (see Pss 42; 61; 73; 84). It enables us to rediscover—amid the difficulties of daily life and all that distracts us from the spiritual life—the longing for God, whose love is the only thing that makes life worth living. It can also serve as the song of the prodigal son (see Lk 15), enabling us to put into words the distress, hope, and penitence of the repentant sinner.
54. Psalm 63:1 This superscription ascribes the psalm to a time when David was in the wilderness of Judah (see 1 Sam 24; 2 Sam 15:23-28; 16:2, 14; 17:16, 29).
55. Psalm 63:2 Earnestly: literally, “in the morning” (see notes on Pss 57; 57:9). My soul . . . my body: i.e., my whole being.
56. Psalm 63:3 The psalmist worships God, the Great King, who promised to dwell among his people—formerly in the Ark of the Covenant (see Pss 78:61; 132:8; 1 Sam 4:21) and now in the sanctuary where the psalmist envisions the Lord in all his power and glory.
57. Psalm 63:4 Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5. For the Old Testament, the greatest good was earthly life; but God’s kindness is better even than life.
58. Psalm 63:5 Uplifted hands: the usual posture for prayer (see Ex 9:29, 33) with palms turned upward (see also Pss 44:21; 77:3; 88:10; 119:48; 143:6; 1 Ki 8:22; Ezr 9:5; Neh 8:6; 2 Mac 3:20). The lifting up of one’s hands was also a symbol of dependence on and praise of the Lord (see Pss 28:2; 63:5; 1 Tim 2:8). Name: see note on Ps 5:12.
59. Psalm 63:6 Soul: see note on Ps 6:4. As at a banquet: literally, “marrow and fat,” the preferred meats of the Palestinian Arabs and a symbol of the best of foods (see Ps 36:9).
60. Psalm 63:7 Upon my bed: during the night of darkness, the psalmist anxiously looks for the morning of God’s deliverance (see notes on Pss 57; 57:9). Watches of the night: the night was divided into three watches, and if someone were aware of all three of them he was passing a sleepless night—in this case at prayer (see Ps 119:148; Lam 2:19).
61. Psalm 63:8 See note on Ps 17:8.
62. Psalm 63:10 See notes on Pss 5:11; 35.
63. Psalm 63:11 The psalmist’s enemies will lose their lives for having sought to kill him, and they will become food for jackals, i.e., they will remain unburied, a cause for shame (see note on Ps 53:6).
64. Psalm 63:12 All who swear by him: to swear by the Lord signified devoted adherence to him (see Isa 45:23; 48:1; Zep 1:5). God will acquit his followers (see Deut 6:13; Jer 12:16; Dan 13:42, 60) but will chastise the wicked (see Ps 52:3-7).
65. Psalm 64:1 The psalmist shows that the righteous are often defenseless before the cynicism of the machinations and calumnies to which they are prey. Those who weave their intrigues act in shadows and believe they are hidden from view. However, God sees everything, even secret human actions and designs. His judgment overtakes those who evade justice. Basing himself on the law of talion (“an eye for an eye”), the author imagines that, even here below, God will turn their evil against the wicked while publicly acquitting the righteous. Each life will be brought before the judgment of God; the righteous will find their joy in the Lord. Such is the lesson of the psalm, even though the ways of God follow a more mysterious course than its author yet suspected.
    This psalm was applied to the Passion of Jesus by St. Augustine. It also finds a ready place in the prayer of the Church and the faithful who experience the physical and spiritual attacks of the world, the flesh, and the devil as we await the coming of Christ to dispense true justice (see Rev 19:1f).
66. Psalm 64:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation.
67. Psalm 64:4 Tongues: see note on Ps 5:10.
68. Psalm 64:6 These verses enlarge the portrait of the wicked set forth in verses 3-5; there the wicked are shown opposing the innocent, while here their common plotting is shown. The wicked lay snares to trap their victims (see Pss 35:7; 119:110; 140:6; 142:4; Deut 7:16; Prov 22:24f; Jer 7:9f).
69. Psalm 64:7 Hearts: see note on Ps 4:8. Hidden: literally, “deep” (see Prov 18:4; 20:5).
70. Psalm 64:8 See notes on Pss 5:11; 35.
71. Psalm 64:8 God will turn on the wicked the harm they wanted to do to the psalmist, as demanded by the law of talion (see Pss 7:13f; 9:16f; 35:7f; 37:15; 59:13f; 140:10). He will shoot his arrows at them (see Ps 38:3; Deut 32:42). The shame they had intended to bring upon the godly will fall back upon themselves (see Pss 22:8; 52:7-9; 59:11; Jer 48:26).
72. Psalm 64:9 Wag their heads: a common gesture of ridicule (see Pss 22:8; 44:15; 109:25; Jer 48:27).
73. Psalm 64:10 The psalmist encourages all to proclaim and ponder the acts of God (see Ps 2:10; Isa 41:20) and to turn to him in adversity. He will vindicate his servants who are righteous (see Pss 7:11; 11:2-7), and they will be in a position to give him praise (see Ps 7:18).
74. Psalm 64:10 The wicked asked derisively, “Who will see us?” (v. 6) and were unafraid of the consequences of their actions. But when all humanity sees the power of God, fear will come upon everyone.
75. Psalm 65:1 In Israel, the Harvest Feast (see Lev 23:29) directly follows the Day of Atonement (to which reference is made in Ps 65:4; see Lev 16). At this time the people celebrate a season of abundance. Joy and gratitude pervade this poem. At the beginning, there is a first acclamation to the Lord who dwells in Zion; in this privileged place God receives worship and dispenses pardon while the Levites are overwhelmed with joy and filled with grace. Then the horizon is expanded to include the very ends of the earth: the people praise the Master of the world whose exploits are proclaimed by all creation and history. Lastly, gratitude is offered for the huge harvest: the poet evokes the miracle that comes in the form of rain (for these regions ever threatened by drought); the springtime of Judea shines forth, and the country experiences a sumptuous rebirth.
    The modern—scientific—way in which we look at the succession of the seasons and harvests need not deprive us of the wisdom of the ancients, which saw God at work and extolled his splendor and goodness. It is God who acts through the regular course of nature (see Mt 6:26, 30).
    This psalm reminds us to offer God unceasing praise and thanksgiving (see Col 3:16f; Eph 5:19f).
76. Psalm 65:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation.
77. Psalm 65:2 It is fitting . . . praise to you: another translation is: “Praise awaits you.” The debt of giving praise to God is fulfilled when people carry out the vows they made in time of need (see note on Ps 7:18).
78. Psalm 65:3 To you all flesh must come: i.e., all humankind will come to God. It recalls the universalism of the psalmists (see Pss 64:10; 66:1, 4, 8; 67:4-6) and of Isaiah (see Isa 17:12; 26:15; 66:19, 23).
79. Psalm 65:4 Blot them out: or “make atonement for them.” God forgives sins when his people repent and observe his rules for pardon (as he did for the Israelites who observed the Day of Atonement—see Lev 16:20-30).
80. Psalm 65:5 Blessed: see note on Ps 1:1. Good things of your house: see note on Ps 36:9.
81. Psalm 65:6 Awesome deeds: God’s creative acts as reflected in the beauty and bounty of Nature and his saving acts as seen in the deliverance of Israel from Egypt and its establishment in the Promised Land (see Pss 106:22; 145:6; Deut 10:21; 2 Sam 7:23; Isa 64:3).
82. Psalm 65:7 Clothed in your great power, you hold the mountains in place: the God of the psalmist is the Creator, the one who formed the mountains and continues to hold them in place (see Ps 93:1; Am 4:13).
83. Psalm 65:8 Just as God tamed the turbulence of the primeval waters of chaos (see notes on Pss 32:6; 33:7), so he brings to an end the turmoil of the nations (see Isa 2:4f; 11:6-9; Mic 4:3f).
84. Psalm 65:9 Wonders: the great saving acts of God indicated in note to verse 6.
85. Psalm 65:10 Streams of God: the poet evokes the means by which God brings forth the rain out of his “storehouses” (Ps 33:7), which flow into the water sources on earth and give life to creatures (see Ps 46:5; Isa 33:21).
86. Psalm 65:11 God sends both the “early” rain in the fall and the “latter” rain in the spring to water the ground and lead to abundant harvests—which he then blesses (see Deut 11:14; 28:12; Hos 6:3; Joel 2:23; Acts 14:17).
87. Psalm 65:12 Bounty: literally, “goodness”; the reference is to both material and spiritual gifts, God’s covenant promises. Tracks: God’s royal chariot tours the heavens dispensing fertility throughout the earth (see Pss 18:11; 68:5; Deut 33:26; Isa 66:15; Am 9:13).
88. Psalm 65:14 In their joy they shout and sing together: all creation joins in the praise of God for his goodness (see Pss 89:13; 96:11-13; 98:8f; 103:22; 145:10; 148:3f, 7-10; Job 38:7; Isa 44:23; 49:13; 55:12).