1 Unto the end, for them that shall be changed, for the sons of Core, for understanding. A canticle for the Beloved.
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VERS. 1.-- *Unto the end,* etc. An epithalamium, that is, the praise of the bridal chamber. A canticle for those who are to be changed and for the beloved, that is, for the bride and the bridegroom, is written for the sons of Core, that they may venerate. For here is described through whom they shall be changed, because the praise of the bridegroom and of the bride is here sung. The Prophet promises that he will utter forth the heraldings of God.
2 My heart hath uttered a good word: I speak my works to the king: My tongue is the pen of a scrivener that writeth swiftly.
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VERS. 2.-- *It hath uttered forth.* For the Prophet speaks within, etc., *as far as* before that is which he is about to do. But the counsel of the Father is the Word. *Good.* By which all good things were made. *I speak.* That is, I bring forth the Word: the same here as before; but he says that in that very word are all the works of God; whence: *What was made in him was life,* so that nothing may be in the work which was not first in the counsel. Of this it is said: *God hath spoken once.* *A pen.* He compares the Word not to sound, which passes away, but to writing, which remains. Or, *swiftly,* because not one thing after another, but all things together in one eternal Word. *Swiftly.* The power of prophecy, which does not under human torment devise what it divulges to others out of the secret of the Godhead.
3 Thou art beautiful above the sons of men: grace is poured abroad in thy lips; therefore hath God blessed thee for ever.
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VERS. 3.-- *Beautiful in form.* He begins the praise of the bridegroom first from his form. *He hath blessed.* The former things the Prophet said in the person of God, these from his own; or all from himself. Or, *he uttereth forth the word,* who says a hymn to God. *I speak my works.* to the praise of him who is from him. *Tongue, a pen.* Because what I say, I also write. Or, *swiftly:* because the things which I write are quickly to come. *In the lips.* Because, when he spoke, the world received the grace of reconciliation.
4 Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O thou most mighty.
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VERS. 4.-- *Gird thyself.* Here he praises him from his power; and do thou, being such, *gird thyself.*
5 With thy comeliness and thy beauty set out, proceed prosperously, and reign. Because of truth and meekness and justice: and thy right hand shall conduct thee wonderfully.
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VERS. 5.-- *With thy comeliness and beauty. Comeliness* to the humanity, in which he appeared to the world; *beauty* to the Deity, by which he adorns all things. *Attend.* Pitying, look upon man as he perishes. *Prosperously.* Setting men free. *Proceed.* From the womb of the Virgin, as a bridegroom: or, from these conquered to others to be conquered. *Reign.* Show thy power in the faith of men, thou who hast always reigned. And through this, because both through thyself and through thine own thou teachest the truth, by which thou destroyest our falsehood. And because meek in bearing with the wicked, as when he prayed for his enemies, so also his own: And because he showed the justice of life. And because it shall lead thee on without stumbling through the course of the whole life, or from people to people *Wonderfully.* Because all shall wonder, or, because he will do miracles.
6 Thy arrows are sharp: under thee shall people fall, into the hearts of the king's enemies.
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VERS. 6.-- *The peoples shall fall under thee.* That is, many of his enemies shall put themselves under him, and this by reason or by will. This is what the title said: *For those who shall be changed out of the sons of Core.* -- *Into the hearts.* Of thy enemies, that they may be friends, as Saul was.
7 Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a sceptre of uprightness.
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VERS. 7.-- *A throne.* Here from judgment: *A throne* pertains to judgment. *A rod.* The rule of divine equity, which is truly straight and is never bent: this governs the just, strikes the unjust. Let no one presume much to himself concerning mercy, or flatter himself: because the rod of direction, if it governs some, crushes others: it governs the spiritual, it crushes the carnal.
8 Thou hast loved justice, and hated iniquity: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
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VERS. 8.-- *Thou hast loved.* Or, because *thou hast loved justice,* etc., these rewards have been rendered, he made thee king, giving *the name which is above every name.* *And thou hast hated.* If a man hates iniquity in himself, he acts with God: God hates iniquity, do thou also hate it. *O God.* It is set twice openly in the Greek, the one a vocative, the other a nominative. This one is anointed, that one is the stone which Jacob anointed.
9 Myrrh and stacte and cassia perfume thy garments, from the ivory houses: out of which
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VERS. 9.-- *Myrrh,* etc. Here the Prophet praises the bridegroom from his wife and from his adornment; first from the adornment. *Myrrh and stacte.* Perfumes are fitly applied to the bridal chamber, etc., *as far as* that is, redemption, through the water of baptism. *Of ivory.* In ivory, chastity, which, being dark before, is made bright by saws and files; so the saints, filed down by the cuttings and rubbings of divers punishments, are made bright by the variety of virtues. *The daughters of kings.* Of earthly ones, not caring for the honour of their fathers, etc., *as far as* and they took them for the raising up of seed.
10 The daughters of kings have delighted thee in thy glory. The queen stood on thy right hand, in gilded clothing; surrounded with variety.
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VERS. 10.-- *The queen stood,* etc. Here he commends the bridegroom from his wife. *With variety.* Although there be unity in charity, yet she is adorned with gold, that is, the doctrine of the Apostles, with the scarlet of the martyrs, with the gems of virgins, with the purple of the penitent.
11 Hearken, O daughter, and see, and incline thy ear: and forget thy people and thy father's house.
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VERS. 11.-- *Hear, O daughter.* The praise of the bride is lower, but fourfold: from her form, from her glory, from the maidens, from her offspring. *Hear, O daughter.* The Prophet addresses the queen, as one of the fathers. The Jews saw and slew; do thou hear the Gospel, and by believing thou shalt see God: here through an image, in time to come through sight. Or, Hear the prophecies which foretold the incarnation, and see them fulfilled.
12 And the king shall greatly desire thy beauty; for he is the Lord thy God, and him they shall adore.
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VERS. 12.-- *And the king shall desire.* Here he praises her from her form.
13 And the daughters of Tyre with gifts, yea, all the rich among the people, shall entreat thy countenance.
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VERS. 13.-- *Of Tyre.* By Tyre, the neighbour of Judaea, the Gentiles are designated; whence the Canaanite woman is a figure of the Church. *Of Tyre,* of the Gentiles, the whole from a part. *With gifts.* That they may offer themselves, etc., *as far as* the Gentiles, namely, who are in the straits of their sins.
14 All the glory of the king's daughter is within in golden borders,
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VERS. 14.-- *All the glory.* From the glory of the bride, as above from the power of the bridegroom. *From within.* Or inwardly. Let almsgiving therefore be in secret, where God sees. Or not in a circumcision made by hand, as in the old law, but in spiritual things. *In fringes.* The end of the garment signifies the end of the world or of man. *Golden.* Not gilded, as above, but golden, because in the end is the whole perfection, where charity is found full.
15 Clothed round about with varieties. After her shall virgins be brought to the king: her neighbours shall be brought to thee.
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VERS. 15.-- *They shall be brought to the king.* Here the bride is praised from her friends, as above from judgment. * They shall be brought,* by opportune preaching. *After her.* First unity is spoken of, afterward the enumeration of the parts is distinct, when it is said: *Virgins and her neighbours.*
16 They shall be brought with gladness and rejoicing: they shall be brought into the temple of the king.
17 Instead of thy fathers, sons are born to thee: thou shalt make them princes over all the earth.
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VERS. 17.-- *Instead of thy fathers sons are born to thee.* Or in place of the ancient fathers, worshippers of idols, the Apostles were born, princes of preaching. Or after the prophets the Apostles, after the Apostles others. This psalm is sung on the feast of blessed Mary the Virgin, because the things which are here said generally of the Church can be referred specially to Mary. It is sung also for virgins, because it is there said: *Virgins shall be brought to the king.* And for the Apostles, because where it is said: *Sons are born to thee.* Likewise of the nativity of the Lord, because there it treats of the praise of the bridegroom and of the bride and of the nuptials of Christ and the Church, whose espousal was made in the incarnation of the Word.
18 They shall remember thy name throughout all generations. Therefore shall people praise thee for ever; yea, for ever and ever.