Psalms 137:2
I will worship towards thy holy temple, and I will give glory to thy name. For thy mercy, and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy holy name above all.
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- Vulgate (Clementine)
- adorabo ad templum sanctum tuum, et confitebor nomini tuo : super misericordia tua et veritate tua ; quoniam magnificasti super omne, nomen sanctum tuum.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- προσκυνήσω πρὸς ναὸν ἅγιόν σου, καὶ ἐξομολογήσομαι τῷ ὀνόματί σου ἐπὶ τῷ ἐλέει σου καὶ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ σου, ὅτι ἐμεγάλυνας ἐπὶ πᾶν ὄνομα τὸ ἅγιόν σου.
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 138:2
- אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֨ה אֶל הֵיכַ֪ל קָדְשְׁךָ֡ וְא֘וֹדֶ֤ה אֶת שְׁמֶ֗ךָ עַל חַסְדְּךָ֥ וְעַל אֲמִתֶּ֑ךָ כִּֽי הִגְדַּ֥לְתָּ עַל כָּל שִׁ֝מְךָ֗ אִמְרָתֶֽךָ
Haydock's commentary
Towards. Thus the Jews acted, when they were at a distance from the temple, and in captivity. (Worthington)
Truth. Which thou hast displayed in my regard.
Holy. Septuagint may have perhaps written Logion, "Word," agreeably to the Hebrew, though our version seems more easy. (Berthier)
St. Jerome (ad Sun.) explains it of Jesus Christ, the Word, whose name is so exalted, (Philippians ii. 9.; Calmet) as well as the divine majesty. (Worthington)
The holy doctor translates, "thou hast magnified thy word above every name." But thy is joined with name in Hebrew. Others would supply, "thy name and thy word." (Berthier)
Strength. Septuagint, &c., add, "thy." (Calmet)
All virtue comes from God. (Haydock)
If my prayer be granted, as formerly, I shall advance in virtue. (St. Chrysostom) (Ephesians iii. 14.)
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 CXXXVIII
3. “I will worship toward Thy holy Temple” ( ver. 2 ). What holy Temple? That where we shall dwell, where we shall worship. For we hasten that we may adore. Our heart is pregnant and cometh to the birth, and seeketh where it may bring forth. What is the place where God is to be worshipped?…“The Temple of God is holy,” saith the Apostle, “which Temple ye are.” But assuredly, as is manifest, God dwelleth in the Angels. Therefore when our joy, being in spiritual things, not in earthly, taketh up a song to God, to sing before the Angels, that very assembly of Angels is the Temple of God, we worship toward God’s Temple. There is a Church below, there is a Church above also; the Church below, in all the faithful; the Church above, in all the Angels. …