2. "Her foundations are upon the holy hills" (ver. 1). The Psalm had as yet said nothing of the city: it begins thus, and says, "Her foundations are upon the holy hills." Whose? There can be no doubt that foundations, especially among the hills, belong to some city. Thus filled with the Holy Spirit, and with many thoughts of love and longing for that city, as if after long internal meditation, that citizen bursts out, "Her foundations are upon the holy hills;" as if he had already said something concerning it. And how could he have said nothing on a subject, respecting which in his heart he had never been silent? For how could "her foundations" have been written, of which nothing had been said before? But, as I said, after long and silent travailing in contemplation of that city in his mind, crying to God, he bursts out into the ears of men thus: "Her foundations are upon the holy hills." And, supposing persons who heard to enquire of what city he spoke he adds, "the Lord loveth the ga...
1. The Psalm which has just been sung is short, if we look to the number of its words, but of deep interest in its thoughts. ...The subject of song and praise in that Psalm is a city, whose citizens are we, as far as we are Christians: whence we are absent, as long as we are mortal: whither we are tending: through whose approaches, undiscoverable among the brakes and thorns that entangle them, the Sovereign of the city made Himself a path for us to reach it. Walking thus in Christ, and pilgrims till we arrive, and sighing as we long for a certain ineffable repose that dwells within that city, a repose of which it is promised, that "the eye of man hath never seen" such, "nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into his heart to conceive;" let us chant the song of a longing heart: for he who truly longs, thus sings within his soul, though his tongue be silent: he who does not, however he may resound in human ears, is voiceless to God. See what ardent lovers of that city were they by whom thes...
Mountains. So far the Jews extend the title, supposing that the subject of this canticle was concerning Sion, Moria Others think that, thereof, refers to a part of the psalm which has been lost, (Calmet) or to the temple or city which occupied the prophet's thoughts; or it is sufficiently explained by the word Sion, which follows, as the relative sometimes comes first. (Du Hamel) See Proverbs xiv. 3.
This psalm might be composed (Berthier) by some of the Corites, during, or after the captivity, when Jerusalem received strangers within her walls, as a figure of the Christian Church; (Isaias ii. 2., and Zacharias viii. 20.; Calmet) or David (Berthier) might write it when he had removed the ark to Sion, which was to be the seat of the true religion. (Ferrand)
Mountains. The apostles and prophets; (Ephesians ii. 20.; Challoner) on which the Church is founded. (Haydock)
The city was styled holy, from the temple built on Moria. Several other mountains were included within its walls. (Calm...
