Psalms 131:1
O Lord, remember David, and all his meekness.
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- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Canticum graduum. Memento, Domine, David, et omnis mansuetudinis ejus :
- Septuagint (Swete)
- ᾨδὴ τῶν ἀναβαθμῶν. Μνήσθητι, Κύριε, τοῦ Δαυεὶδ καὶ πάσης τῆς πρᾳύτητος αὐτοῦ·
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 132:1
- שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת זְכוֹר יְהוָ֥ה לְדָוִ֑ד אֵ֝ת כָּל עֻנּוֹתֽוֹ
Haydock's commentary
David. Jesus Christ, (St. Hilary, &c.) or the pious king David, when he intended to build the temple. Solomon adopts some of the verses at his dedication, (ver. 8., and 2 Paralipomenon vi. 41.; Haydock) and some have attributed the psalm to him, to the captives, or to some prophet in the time of the Machabees, though the prophets then, in fact, appeared no longer. (Berthier) See Psalm xliii., lxxiii., lxxvi., lxxxviii., and xcviii.
The Jews allow, that some verses regard the Messias, of whom the whole may be explained in a spiritual, (Calmet) or even in the second literal sense. (Berthier)
It is usual for David, Moses, &c., to speak of themselves in the third person. (Worthington)
Meekness. Hebrew also, "humility," (Calmet) or "affliction," (St. Jerome) as the prophet might have all this in view. David gave abundant proofs of his humility (2 Kings vii. 2, 13.; Berthier) and moderation, and was greatly afflicted all his life. (Haydock)
Blessed are the meek, Matthew v. Christ has set before us his own example.
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 CXXXII
2. “Lord, remember David, and all his meekness” ( ver. 1 ). David according to the truth of history was one man, king of Israel, son of Jesse. He was indeed meek, as the Divine Scriptures themselves mark and command him, and so meek that he did not even render evil for evil to his persecutor Saul. He preserved towards him so great humility, that he acknowledged him a king, and himself a dog: and answered the king not proudly nor rudely, though he was more powerful in God; but he rather endeavoured to appease him by humility, than to provoke him by pride. …
St Jerome The Letters of St. Jerome, To Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria
1. Your letter shews you to possess that heritage of the Lord of which when going to the Father he said to the apostles, “peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you,” and to own the happiness described in the words, “blessed are the peace-makers.” You coax as a father, you teach as a master, you enjoin as a bishop. You come to me not with a rod and severity but in a spirit of kindness, gentleness, and meekness. Your opening words echo the humility of Christ who saved men not with thunder and lightning but as a wailing babe in the manger and as a silent sufferer upon the cross. You have read the prediction made in one who was a type of Him, “Lord, remember David and all his meekness,” and you know how it was fulfilled afterwards in Himself. …
St Gregory Nazianzen On the Death of His Father
24. But what was most excellent and most characteristic, though least generally recognized, was his simplicity, and freedom from guile and resentment. For among men of ancient and modern days, each is supposed to have had some special success, as each chanced to have received from God some particular virtue: Job unconquered patience in misfortune, Moses and David meekness, Samuel prophecy, seeing into the future, Phineas zeal, for which he has a name, Peter and Paul eagerness in preaching, the sons of Zebedee magniloquence, whence also they were entitled Sons of thunder. But why should I enumerate them all, speaking as I do among those who know this? Now the specially distinguishing mark of Stephen and of my father was the absence of malice. …
St Gregory Nazianzen Funeral Oration on the Great S. Basil, Bishop of Cæsarea in Cappadocia
73. Further, to run over the Judges, or the most illustrious of the Judges, there is “Samuel among those that call upon His Name,” who was given to God before his birth, and sanctified immediately after his birth, and the anointer with his horn of kings and priests. But was not Basil as an infant consecrated to God from the womb, and offered with a coat at the altar, and was he not a seer of heavenly things, and anointed of the Lord, and the anointer of those who are perfected by the Spirit? Among the kings, David is celebrated, whose victories and trophies gained from the enemy are on record, but his most characteristic trait was his gentleness, and, before his kingly office, his power with the harp, able to soothe even the evil spirit. …