Psalms 68:32
And it shall please God better than a young calf, that bringeth forth horns and hoofs.
Open Psalms 68:32 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- et placebit Deo super vitulum novellum, cornua producentem et ungulas.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- καὶ ἀρέσει τῷ θεῷ ὑπὲρ μόσχον νέον κέρατα ἐκφέροντα καὶ ὁπλάς.
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 69:32
- וְתִיטַ֣ב לַֽ֭יהוָה מִשּׁ֥וֹר פָּ֗ר מַקְרִ֥ן מַפְרִֽיס
Haydock's commentary
Hoofs. They were to be three years old. (Kimchi)
So Virgil says, (Æneid ix.) Jam cornu petat & pedibus qui spargat arenam. (Ec.[Ecclesiasticus?] iii.) (Calmet)
Our prayers are therefore offered through our Lord Jesus Christ, Hebrews xiii. 15. (Berthier)
Devout prayer is more acceptable than victims of the best description, though they were also good, (Worthington) and, cæteris paribus, of a higher dignity. (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 Clement of Rome First Epistle to the Corinthians, Chapter LII. Such a confession is
The Lord, brethren, stands in need of nothing; and He desires nothing of any one, except that confession be made to Him. For, says the elect David, “I will confess unto the Lord; and that will please Him more than a young bullock that hath horns and hoofs. Let the poor see it, and be glad.” And again he saith, “Offer unto God the sacrifice of praise, and pay thy vows unto the Most High. And call upon Me in the day of thy trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.” For “the sacrifice of God is a broken spirit.”
St Clement of Rome The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians, Chapter LII
The Lord, brethren, stands in need of nothing; and He desires nothing of any one except that confession be made to Him. For, says the elect David, “I will confess unto the Lord; and that will please Him more than a young bullock that hath horns and hoofs. Let the poor see it, and be glad.” And again he saith, “Offer unto God the sacrifice of praise, and pay thy vows unto the Most High. And call upon me in the day of thy trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.” For “the sacrifice of God is a broken spirit.”
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm LXIX
30. “Poor and sorrowful I am” ( ver. 30 ). Why this? Is it that we may acknowledge that through bitterness of soul this poor One doth speak evil? For He hath spoken of many things to happen to them. And as if we were saying to Him, “Why such things?”, “Nay, not so much!” He answereth, “poor and sorrowful I am.” They have brought Me to want, unto this sorrow they have set Me down, therefore I say these words. It is not, however, the indignation of one cursing, but the prediction of one prophesying. For He was intending to recommend to us certain things which hereafter He saith of His poverty and His sorrow, in order that we may learn to be poor and sorrowful. …
St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans, Homily XX on Rom. xii. 1
After discoursing at large upon the love of God toward man, and pointing out His unspeakable concern for us, and unutterable goodness, which cannot even be searched into, he next puts it forward with a view of persuading those who have received the benefit to exhibit a conversation worthy of the gift. And though he is so great and good a person, yet he does not decline beseeching them, and that not for any enjoyment he was likely to get himself, but for that they would have to gain. And why wonder that he does not decline beseeching, where he is even putting God’s mercies before them? For since, he means, it is from this you have those numberless blessings, from the mercies of God, reverence them, be moved to compassion by them. For they themselves take the attitude of suppliants, that you would show no conduct unworthy of them. …