O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; your holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
Read Chapter 79
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
"O God, the Gentiles have come into Thine inheritance" (ver. 1). Under which form of expression other things which were to come to pass, are spoken of as having been done. Nor must this be wondered at, that these words are being spoken to God. For they are not being represented to Him not knowing, by whose revelation they are foreknown; but the soul is speaking with God with that affection of godliness, of which God knoweth. For even the things which Angels proclaim to men, they proclaim to them that know them not; but the things which they proclaim to God, they proclaim to Him knowing, when they offer our prayers, and in ineffable manner consult the eternal Truth respecting their actions, as an immutable law. And therefore this man of God is saying to God that which he is to learn of God, like a scholar to a master, not ignorant but judging; and so either approving what he hath taught, or censuring what he hath not taught: especially because under the appearance of one praying, the Pr...
1. Over the title of this Psalm, being so short and so simple, I think we need not tarry. But the prophecy which here we read sent before, we know to be evidently fulfilled. For when these things were being sung in the times of King David, nothing of such sort, by the hostility of the Gentiles, as yet had befallen the city Jerusalem, nor the Temple of God, which as yet was not even builded. For that after the death of David his son Salomon made a temple to God, who is ignorant? That is spoken of therefore as though past, which in the Spirit was seen to be future.
Saints. The Assideans, who were the most esteemed for piety, 1 Machabees ii. 42. In the worst of times, there were always some pious Israelites, and the generality of them were less wicked than their enemies, who exercised a horrid barbarity in refusing them burial, after destroying vast numbers, 2 Paralipomenon xxxvi. 17. (Calmet)
This was done at least under Epiphanes, 1 Machabees vii. 16. (Haydock)
Persecutors have hung the bodies of martyrs on poles to be the food of birds, (Worthington) as the missionary priests were treated in England not long ago. Hebrew is here rather inaccurate, (Haydock) "to the wild beast of the earth itself "(Montanus) lechaitho arets, being put forth léith, earts, (Houbigant) as Protestants themselves translate. (Haydock)
Asaph, who might live during the captivity. (Calmet)
If the ancient (Haydock) Asaph, or David, composed this psalm, it must be considered as a prediction of the ruin caused by Nabuchodonosor, or by Epiphanes. (Berthier, T. v.)
The author of 1 Machabees (vii. 17.) accommodates it to the sufferings of those (Calmet) whom Alcimus destroyed; or rather the prophet had them also in view as well as Christian martyrs. (Haydock)
He cannot speak of the last ruin of Jerusalem, since it would have been improper to pray for its restoration. (St. Augustine)
Fruit. A mean village, (Menochius) as Isaias (i. 8.) had threatened. Hebrew, "a heap of stones "(St. Jerome) in the field, Micheas i. 6. Such was the condition of Jerusalem under Nabuchodonosor (Calmet) and Ephiphanes, 1 Machabees i. (Berthier)
Catholics have been persecuted in every country, and forced to use mean houses for divine worship. (Worthington)
