Psalms 101:24
He answered him in the way of his strength: Declare unto me the fewness of my days.
The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Respondit ei in via virtutis suæ : Paucitatem dierum meorum nuntia mihi :
- Septuagint (Swete)
- ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ ἐν ὁδῷ ἰσχύος αὐτοῦ Τὴν ὀλιγότητα τῶν ἡμερῶν μου ἀνάγγειλόν μοι.
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 102:24
- עִנָּ֖ה בַדֶּ֥רֶךְ כחו קִצַּ֥ר יָמָֽי
Haydock's commentary
He answered him in the way of his strength. That is, the people mentioned in the foregoing verse, or the penitent, in whose person this psalm is delivered, answered the Lord in the way of his strength: that is, according to the best of his power and strength; inquiring after the fewness of his days: to know if he should live long enough to see the happy restoration of Sion, &c. (Challoner)
The sense of the Vulgate is as good as that of the present Hebrew, "he hath weakened (afflicted; Montanus) my strength, in the way; He hath shortened my days. I said, my God, make me not depart in the midst," &c.
The captives, or those who were set free, address God, though the psalmist himself may express what prayers he had poured forth in his bonds. (Calmet)
The variation of the Septuagint and Hebrew originates in the points; and the text has, his force, very properly, though the Jews would substitute "my." (Berthier)
The stability of the Church is hence proved by St. Augustine. (Haydock)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm CII
23. “She answered Him in the way of His strength” ( ver. 23 ).…The preceding words show, that either “His praise,” or “Jerusalem,” answered: for it was said, “And His praise in Jerusalem; in the nations gathering together in one, and the kingdoms, that they may serve the Lord. Respondit ei. ” We cannot say, “the kingdoms answered,” for he would have said responderunt. Respondit ei. We cannot say, “the nations answered,” for he would have said, responderunt (in the plural). Since then it is Respondit ei, in the singular, we look for the singular number above, and find that the words, “His praise,” and “Jerusalem,” are the only words in which we find it. But since it is doubtful, whether it be “His praise,” or “Jerusalem,” let us expound it each way. How did “His praise” answer Him? When they who are called by Him thank Him. …
St Athanasius Defence of His Flight. (Apologia de Fuga.), The Lord's hour and time
Now as these things are written in the Scriptures, the case is clear, that the saints know that a certain time is measured to every man, but that no one knows the end of that time is plainly intimated by the words of David, ‘Declare unto me the shortness of my days.’ What he did not know, that he desired to be informed of. Accordingly the rich man also, while he thought that he had yet a long time to live, heard the words, ‘Thou fool, this night they are requiring thy soul: then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?’ And the Preacher speaks confidently in the Holy Spirit, and says, ‘Man also knoweth not his time.’ Wherefore the Patriarch Isaac said to his son Esau, ‘Behold, I am old, and I know not the day of my death.’ Our Lord therefore, although as God, and the Word of the Father, He both knew the time measured out by Him to all, and was conscious of the time for suffe …