Psalms 8:1
Unto the end, for the presses: a psalm of David.
The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- In finem, pro torcularibus. Psalmus David.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- Εἰς τὸ τέλος, ὑπὲρ τῶν ληνῶν· ψαλμὸς τῷ Δαυείδ.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ עַֽל הַגִּתִּ֗ית מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד
Haydock's commentary
The presses. In Hebrew Gittith, supposed to be a musical instrument: (Challoner) or, "the musicians from Geth," who were famous, and might follow David, 2 Kings i. 20., and xv. 18. The Septuagint must have read a v for i. (Calmet) Gothuth. Yet St. Jerome and Pagnin agree with them; (Haydock) and that sense seems as plausible as any other. The psalm relates to Christ alone; (Matthew xxi. 16., 1 Corinthians xv. 26., and Hebrews ii. 6.) who is represented treading the wine-press, Isaias lxiii. 3., and Apocalypse xix. 13. (Berthier)
The Jews confess that it speaks of the Messias. (Ferrand.)
We may explain it also of the natural prerogatives of man, (Calmet) though (Haydock) this weakens the force of the prophecy. (Berthier)
St. Augustine applies the expressions to the good and bad in the Church. (Worthington)
It might be sung during the feast of tabernacles, after the vintage. (Menochius)
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.