Psalms 20:4
For thou hast prevented him with blessings of sweetness: thou hast set on his head a crown of precious stones.
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- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Quoniam prævenisti eum in benedictionibus dulcedinis ; posuisti in capite ejus coronam de lapide pretioso.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- ὅτι προέφθασας αὐτὸν ἐν εὐλογίαις χρηστότητος, ἔθηκας ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ στέφανον ἐκ λίθου τιμίου.
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 21:4
- כִּֽי תְ֭קַדְּמֶנּוּ בִּרְכ֣וֹת ט֑וֹב תָּשִׁ֥ית לְ֝רֹאשׁ֗וֹ עֲטֶ֣רֶת פָּֽז
Haydock's commentary
Sweetness. Hebrew, "of goodness," the effects of thy mercy. (Haydock)
Thou hast made David a king according to thy own heart, and granted him victory, and many favours, even before he had asked for them. The humanity of Jesus Christ was still more glorified, (Calmet) by a gratuitous predestination. (St. Augustine, Prædest. 30., Persev. 24., &c.)
Stones. Hebrew, "fine gold or the topaz," Psalm xviii. 11. (Berthier)
David took the crown of Melchom, weighing a talent, 2 Kings xii. 30. (Calmet)
God gave him the victory on every occasion, Ecclesiasticus xlvii. 7. (Haydock)
He crowned Jesus Christ, the martyrs, and all those who have been ready to suffer for him. (Worthington)
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 A Treatise Against Two Letters of the Pelagians, Man Does No Good Thing Which God Does Not Cause Him to Do
Wherefore God does many good things in man which man does not do; but man does none which God does not cause man to do. Accordingly, there would be no desire of good in man from the Lord if it were not a good; but if it is a good, we have it not save from Him who is supremely and incommunicably good. For what is the desire for good but love, of which John the apostle speaks without any ambiguity, and says, “Love is of God”? Nor is its beginning of ourselves, and its perfection of God; but if love is of God, we have the whole of it from God. …
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm XXI
4. “For Thou hast presented Him with the blessings of sweetness” ( ver. 3 ). Because He had first quaffed the blessing of Thy sweetness, the gall of our sins did not hurt Him. “ Diapsalma . Thou hast set a crown of precious stone on His Head.” At the beginning of His discoursing precious stones were brought, and compassed Him about; His disciples, from whom the commencement of His preaching should be made.