Psalms 143:12
Whose sons are as new plants in their youth: Their daughters decked out, adorned round about after the similitude of a temple:
Open Psalms 143:12 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Quorum filii sicut novellæ plantationes in juventute sua ; filiæ eorum compositæ, circumornatæ ut similitudo templi.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- ὧν οἱ υἱοὶ ὡς νεόφυτα ἡδρυμμένα ἐν τῇ νεότητι αὐτῶν, αἱ θυγατέρες αὐτῶν κεκαλλωπισμέναι, περικεκοσμημέναι ὡς ὁμοίωμα ναοῦ·
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 144:12
- אֲשֶׁ֤ר בָּנֵ֨ינוּ כִּנְטִעִים֮ מְגֻדָּלִ֪ים בִּֽנְעוּרֵ֫יהֶ֥ם בְּנוֹתֵ֥ינוּ כְזָוִיֹּ֑ת מְ֝חֻטָּב֗וֹת תַּבְנִ֥ית הֵיכָֽל
Haydock's commentary
Whose. Hebrew, "our." This makes quite a different sense from the ancient versions, which refer what follows to the rebels, who had no cause to complain of David's government, ver. 14. (Calmet)
St. Jerome, however, agrees with the Hebrew, "that our sons may be," &c. Protestants asher means "whose (ver. 11.) and that." (Haydock)
If we supply, they said, the text and versions will give the same sense, (Genebrard; Berthier) as it is inserted [in] ver. 15. (Haydock)
Decked. Hebrew, "our daughters, like corner-stones cut like a temple," (Montanus) or "palace." (Protestants)
Haydock wrote amid the controversies of his day. The Church teaches that those born into communities separated from her cannot be charged with the sin of separation, and embraces them as brothers (CCC 818).
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 XXXVIII
24. “But mine enemies live” ( ver. 19 ). They are well off: they rejoice in worldly prosperity, while I am suffering, and “roaring with the groaning of my heart.” In what way do His enemies “live,” in that He hath said of them already, that they have “spoken vanity”? Hear in another Psalm also: “Whose sons are as young plants; firmly rooted.” But above He had said, “Whose mouth speaketh vanity. Their daughters polished after the similitude of a temple: their garners full bursting forth more and more; their cattle fat, their sheep fruitful, multiplying in their streets; no hedge falling into ruin; no cry in their streets.” “Mine enemies” then “live.” This is their life; this life they praise; this they set their hearts upon: this they hold fast to their own ruin. For what follows? They pronounce “the people that is in such a case” blessed. …
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm CXLIV
9. “Whose sons are like young vines firmly planted in their youth” ( ver. 12 ). He wisheth to recount their happiness. Observe, ye sons of light, sons of peace: observe, ye sons of the Church, members of Christ; observe whom he calleth “strangers,” whom he calleth “strange children,” whom he calleth “waters of contradiction,” whom he calleth a “sword of ill intent.” Observe, I beseech you, for among them ye are in peril, among their tongues ye fight against the desires of your flesh, among their tongues, set in the hand of the devil wherewith he fighteth.…What vanity hath their mouth spoken, and how is their right hand a right hand of iniquity? “Their daughters are fitted and adorned after the similitude of a temple.” “Their garners are full, bursting out from one store to another: their sheep are fruitful, multiplying in their streets” ( ver. …