Psalms 48:9
Nor the price of the redemption of his soul: and shall labour for ever,
The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- et pretium redemptionis animæ suæ. Et laborabit in æternum ;
- Septuagint (Swete)
- καὶ τὴν τιμὴν τῆς λυτρώσεως τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐκοπίασεν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα,
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 49:9
- וְ֭יֵקַר פִּדְי֥וֹן נַפְשָׁ֗ם וְחָדַ֥ל לְעוֹלָֽם
Haydock's commentary
And shall labour for ever, &c. This seems to be a continuation of the foregoing sentence; as much as to say, no man can by any price or ransom, prolong his life, that so he may still continue to labour here, and live to the end of the world. Others understand it of the eternal sorrows, and dying life of hell, which is the dreadful consequence of dying in sin. (Challoner)
The just, on the contrary, who have laboured for eternity, shall see the death of the wicked, or of the wise of this world. (Eusebius, &c.)
It may also be a prediction of Christ's life of sufferings and future glory, (Bossuet) or express the sentiments of infidels, who deny a Providence; because both good and bad perish alike, Ecclesiastes iii. 18. (St. Augustine)
Hebrew, "he rests for ever," (St. Jerome) or "shall he be undisturbed?" (Calmet)
Both those who disbelieve a future state, and those who live as if they did, shall suffer. (Worthington)
This verse is included within a parenthesis by Protestants, (For the redemption....is precious, and it, &c.) (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, Part 1
9. “He shall not give to God his propitiation, and the price of the redemption of his soul” ( ver. 8 ). He trusteth in his virtue, and in the abundance of his riches doth glory, who “shall not give to God his propitiation:” that is, satisfaction whereby he may prevail with God for his sins: “nor the price of the redemption of his soul,” who relieth on his virtue, and on his friends, and on his riches. But who are they that give the price of the redemption of their souls? They to whom the Lord saith, “Make to yourselves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness, that they may receive you into everlasting habitations.” They give the price of the redemption of their soul who cease not to do almsdeeds. So those whom the Apostle chargeth by Timothy he would not have to be proud, lest they should glory in the abundance of their riches. …
St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans, Homily V on Rom. i. 28
Now let each man enter into his own conscience, and reckoning up his transgressions, let him call himself to a strict account, that we be not then condemned with the world. ( 1 Cor. xi. 32 .) For fearful is that court, awful the tribunal, full of trembling the accounts, a river of fire rolls along ( ἕλκεται ). “A brother doth not redeem: shall man redeem?” ( Ps. xlix. 8 . LXX.) Call then to mind what is said in the Gospel, the Angels running to and fro, of the bridechamber being shut, of the lamps going out, of the powers which drag to the furnaces. …
St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Hebrews 12.14
Let us not merely hear the words but write them also before our sight, and let us imagine Him to be now present and saying these things, and that we are led away to that fire. What heart shall we have? What consolation? And what, when we are cut asunder? And what when we are accused of rapacity? What excuse shall we have to utter? What specious argument? None: but of necessity bound, bending down, we must be dragged to the mouths of the furnace, to the river of fire, to the darkness, to then ever-dying punishments, and entreat no one. For it is not, it is not possible, He says, to pass across from this side to that: for “there is a great gulf betwixt us and you” ( Luke xvi. …
St John Cassian The Seven Books of John Cassian on the Incarnation of the Lord, Against Nestorius, Chapter XII. He explains more fully what the mystery is which is signified under the name of the man and wife
What then is that great mystery which is signified under the name of the man and his wife? Let us ask the Apostle himself, who elsewhere to teach the same thing uses words of the same force, saying: “And evidently great is the mystery of godliness, which was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.” What then is that great mystery which was manifested in the flesh? Clearly it was God born of the flesh, God seen in bodily form: who was openly received up in glory just as He was openly manifested in the flesh. …