Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; nor wilt then give thy holy one to see corruption.

“For Thou wilt not leave my soul to Sheol: Neither wilt Thou suffer Thine holy one to see the pit: – For I know that while I hold fast to life, that is the right way that I am in – and this is what he means in saying Thy holy one – I know that Thou wilt not leave my soul to go down to Sheol with the body, but wilt raise it to Thy glory. And in the Haggadic interpretation (Shoher Tob) (the explanation is given): “Everyone who hears himself reviled and holds his peace, in judgment is called ‘holy one.’” Thou wilt not suffer: a repetition of the thought with a change of words.”

“In the preceding Psalm he enumerated the just deeds which God requires of man; but here he shows how he followed after justice. The title is this: "The inscription of the title itself, of David." And as to the letter it signifies that it was composed specially concerning those things which pertain to the person of David. But because David also bore the person of Christ, who was to be born from his seed, therefore some things here are set down concerning David, and some concerning Christ. And thus Peter, in Acts 2: "I foresaw the Lord," etc., says that this is properly said of the resurrection of Christ, and not of David. And according to this, this Psalm touches upon the history of the New Testament, according to what is said in John 18, that when Christ was crucified Pilate placed a title over his head, "This is Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews"; and this is, as it were, the title of his kingdom. A threefold title was customarily inscribed. Sometimes on someone's tomb: "This is the tomb of so-and-so." Sometimes on a house: "This is the house of so-and-so." Sometimes for a triumph, as was done at Rome: and this is the title of Christ, who triumphed through the cross: Colossians 2: "Triumphing over them openly in himself, despoiling the principalities and powers." It is signified here, therefore, that in this Psalm it deals specially with the kingdom of Christ. Jerome's title is this: "A Psalm of David, humble and simple." And it is signified that in that Psalm there is treated the simplicity and humility of David, whether taken singly, or as a figure, namely of Christ. This Psalm, therefore, is divided into two parts. In the first, speaking either on his own part or on the part of Christ, he shows that he clings to God alone. Secondly, he recalls the benefits which he has received from God, at the words, "I will bless the Lord, who," etc. The first pertains to simplicity, the second to humility. Concerning the first, he does two things. First, he shows that he clings to God alone. Secondly, he assigns the reason, at the words, "The Lord is my portion," etc. Concerning the first, he does three things. First, he shows how he stands toward God. Secondly, how he stands toward the saints of God. Thirdly, how he stands toward the enemies of God. The second, at the word "to the saints." The third, at the word "multiplied," etc. Toward God he stands as one clinging to him alone: and this in two ways: through hope and through faith, at the words, "I have said to the Lord." Concerning the first he sets forth two things: namely the sign of hope, and hope itself. The sign of hope, at the words, "Preserve me, O Lord": as if to say, I do not trust that I can be saved by myself, but do you, O Lord, preserve me — either in himself, or in his members: John 17: "Father, keep in thy name those whom thou hast given me." And this, "because I have hoped in thee." But did Christ hope? It must be said that he did: he hoped indeed for eternal life on behalf of others, but for himself the glory of the body. But he had the glory of the soul from the very instant of his conception. "I have said," etc. Here he first sets down the act of faith. Secondly he assigns the reason, at the words, "because of my goods," etc. The act of faith is to confess to God, whether by believing in the heart, or by praising outwardly, or by approving in deeds: Romans 10: "With the heart we believe unto justice, but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation"; and therefore, "I have said" — in heart, in mouth, and in deed — "thou art my God": Genesis 28: "The Lord shall be my God." And this is so, "because thou hast no need of my goods." And this is proper to God: because he is of infinite goodness, and nothing can be added to him, since he is a substantial good extending goodness to all things, as the sun extends its light — illuminating all things not by participation, but through his very being. But to any other creature whatsoever something can be added, even to the saints, and for this reason something accrues to them, and therefore in some way they stand in need of us: but God alone does not need our goods: Job 33: "Moreover, if thou do justly, what shalt thou give him, or what shall he receive of thy hand?" Jerome has: "because it is not well with us without thee": as if to say, from this it appears that thou art my God, because thou art goodness, and it is not well with me without thee. "To the saints." Here he shows how he stands toward the saints, also as read from the person of Christ. And it must be known that the will of the Father is as the will of Christ, even insofar as he is man, so that he might fulfill the will of the Father: Psalm 39: "That I might do thy will, O my God, I have desired"; 1 Thessalonians 4: "This is the will of God, your sanctification"; John 6: "I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me, the Father, that of all that he hath given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again in the last day." But Christ willed many things: and this for our benefit. But what did he will? To suffer, to die, to rise again, that he might bring us to life. He says, therefore: God the Father has made wonderful all my desires — that is, has wonderfully fulfilled them — "in them." In whom? "In them," that is, in his saints who are in his land, that is, in the Church militant and triumphant. Jerome has it thus: "To the saints who are in the land, and to the excellent, is all my will directed." Another reading has "the mighty." And granted that some earthly man trusts in the power of a mighty army, yet David says, I have hoped in thee: Ecclesiasticus 2: "No one hath hoped in the Lord, and hath been confounded." And my mighty ones are thy saints, who do great things: Psalm 100: "My eyes are toward the faithful," says Christ, "that they may sit with me." That Christ himself loves the saints is clear: Proverbs 8: "I love them that love me." "Multiplied." Here he shows how he stands toward the adversaries of God, or toward sinners. And first he sets down their conversion; secondly, the manner of their conversion, at the words, "I will not gather together." Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth the state of their preceding guilt; secondly he sets down the state of the grace that follows, at the words, "afterwards they made haste." He says, therefore, "their infirmities are multiplied" — that is, their various sins. Or "infirmities," that is, the penalties following from sin. Lamentations 1: "Many are my groanings." And from this follows, "afterwards they made haste" — that is, they strove to amend their life, so as to redeem the time lost. And they do this fittingly, because "where sin abounded, grace did more abound," as is said in Romans 5. Likewise, after tribulations a man runs to God. Hosea 6: "In their affliction they will rise early to me: Come, and let us return to the Lord." Psalm 82: "Fill their faces with shame, and they shall seek thy name, O Lord." "Not." Here he sets down the manner of their conversion. And first he shows to what rite they are converted; secondly, how perfectly, at the words, "nor will I be mindful," etc. He says, therefore, "they made haste." But how are they to be converted? In the old law, those who were converted used to offer various sacrifices. But I will gather them together from diverse parts unto the faith; but not so that they should shed blood: because, as the Apostle says in Hebrews 10, "it is impossible that sins should be taken away by the blood of bulls and goats." "I will not gather together their meetings for blood offerings," that is, from the rite of the law: but this gathering is by the new blood, that is, of Christ. Hebrews 9: "Christ was offered once to exhaust the sins of many." Hebrews 10: "By one oblation he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified," etc. Zechariah 9: "Thou also, by the blood of thy testament, hast sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit, wherein is no water," etc. But how will this gathering be perfect? Because "I will not be mindful of their names," which they had in the state of sin — for one was called a fornicator, another a thief. But no one, after conversion, ought to be so named, because names of this kind are blotted out. Or, I will not be mindful of their sins in judgment, when I gather together the just: "Come, ye blessed," Matthew 25. And this "through my lips," or through my preachers. But to them it will be said, "Depart, ye cursed," etc. Jeremiah 15: "If thou separate the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth." Jerome has: "Their idols are multiplied: I will not pour out their libations of blood after those who follow behind; neither will I take up their names upon my lips"; as if to say, I worship thee, not idols. But their idols are many. Hosea 8: "I have multiplied those departing from thee behind thy back." Jeremiah 2: "They have turned their back and their face to me"; nor will I be a partaker of their libations. Deuteronomy 33: "Of whose victims they ate the fat, and drank the wine of the libations." Nor will I swear by those idols. "The Lord." Here he assigns the reason for his clinging to God alone, namely that God alone is his inheritance; as if to say: I cling to this one alone for this reason, that this is my inheritance. First he says that God is his inheritance. Secondly he commends it, in that he is content with it, at the words, "for indeed my inheritance," etc. This itself is our good, which we enjoy: men in this world seek possessions and the use of them, but his possession is God; hence, "the Lord is the portion of my inheritance," taken intransitively — that is, the inheritance that comes to me as my portion. Some have, for an inheritance, the delights of the flesh. Wisdom 2: "This is our portion, and this our lot." But others have other delightful things of the world; but God is my lot. Lamentations 3: "The Lord is my portion, said my soul." But he is not only my inheritance, but also "the portion of my cup" — that is, my cup that comes to me as my lot; for God is my whole delight and drink. Psalm 22: "My inebriating cup, how goodly it is!" Or, Christ has the faithful as his inheritance; and of this inheritance, namely of the faithful, God is the portion, as has been said, "the Lord is the portion of my cup," because my passion is ordered to God. He himself is also the giver of this inheritance: "Thou art he who wilt restore my inheritance to me" — namely, of eternal glory. And thus Christ speaks in the person of his own people, who lost it when the first parent sinned. Or, "inheritance," that is, the glory of the body, which man lost by sinning. "The lines have been stretched out for me in goodly places." The rich measure land with a cord. Deuteronomy 32: "Jacob is the cord of his inheritance." And therefore "portion" is said as it were "a small cord" of rope — that is, my portion falls to me among the best things, since nothing is better than God himself. Jeremiah 3: "I will give thee a desirable land, a goodly inheritance." Secondly he shows that he is content with it: "for indeed my inheritance is goodly to me"; as if to say: not only is my inheritance goodly in itself, but it is so goodly to me that I would in no way exchange it. Psalm 131: "This is my rest for ever and ever: here will I dwell, for I have chosen it." "I will bless." Above, the Psalmist set down the reason why he clings to God alone, namely that God himself is the portion of his inheritance; here he acknowledges the benefits received. And first he sets forth the benefits already received; secondly, those to be hoped for, at the words, "moreover my flesh also," etc. Concerning the first he does two things. First he recalls the benefits received; secondly he shows the joy which he has from them, at the words, "therefore my heart hath been glad." He recalls, therefore, a twofold benefit: one in the attaining of good, the other in being preserved against evils. As to the first he says, "I will bless the Lord," etc., so that I may understand how goodly is that eternal inheritance. Psalm 118: "Give me understanding, and I will search," etc. Psalm 31: "I will give thee understanding, and I will instruct thee." Ecclesiasticus, last chapter: "To him that giveth me wisdom will I give glory." But the Lord gave man reason unto wisdom, yet he did not entirely take away infirmity; but this will be in glory. And first he sets forth it; secondly he sets down the help against it, at the words, "I foresaw the Lord." Every man has from God, according to reason, the light of the intellect, and the just man is reformed by the light of grace. But still the infirmity of the flesh remains; and therefore he says, "moreover my reins also have corrected me" — that is, my infirmities, namely of guilt, or sins. And this, "even unto night" — that is, even unto death — "my reins have corrected me," that is, have shown me to be reprehensible. Another reading has it that, because in the reins the incitement of lust has its seat, it thus troubles by tempting to delight. 2 Corinthians 12: "Lest the greatness of the revelations," etc. But in Christ there are no infirmities of guilt, or of corruption, because his flesh does not war against the spirit; and therefore it is understood only of penalty. Hebrews 4: "Tempted in all things" — as to bodily infirmities. But if it be understood of us, it must be said that man, who has the gift of understanding, or grace, may still say with the Apostle, Romans 7: "I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind." Or "reins," that is, the Jews joined to him, "even unto night," that is, even unto the passion, or even unto the passibility of the flesh. And because the flesh feared the passion, I, in that passion, "foresaw the Lord," with eyes lifted up to heaven, not to the world. Providence is the foreseeing of things to be done in the future; but vision or sight is of things present. But if such reins still assail, there is no need to fear, because he has the help of God ready. And therefore he first sets down the remembrance of help, saying, "I foresaw the Lord," etc., namely when "my reins corrected me." Psalm 24: "My eyes are ever towards the Lord: for," etc. And this for the reason that "he is at my right hand, that I be not moved" — not at the left. Proverbs 3: "The Lord shall be at thy side, and shall keep thy foot, that thou be not taken." Isaiah 50: "Let us stand together," etc. "For this my heart hath been glad." 1 Kings 2: "My heart hath rejoiced in the Lord." Psalm 63: "The just shall rejoice in the Lord," etc. And "my tongue hath rejoiced," etc., outwardly, when with outward joy he bursts forth into vocal praise. Isaiah 12: "Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath done great things." Psalm 80: "Rejoice to God," etc. "Moreover." Here he enumerates the benefits to be hoped for. First as to the resurrection of the flesh; secondly as to the soul, at the words, "thou hast made known." The first into two. First he sets down the hope of the resurrection; secondly the manner, at the words, "because thou wilt not leave." He says, therefore: thou hast given me understanding, and hast stood by me as man, but "moreover my flesh also shall rest in hope" — of the resurrection. Psalm 3: "I have slept, and have taken my rest, and I have risen up." And my flesh, too, shall have hope in the resurrection. Wisdom 3: "Their hope is full of immortality." The reason is that resurrection requires the union of body and soul; and therefore the soul joined to the divinity ought not to remain in Hell; but it had to remain there only so long until the truth of his humanity, and of his true flesh, should be proved; nor was it fitting that he be left any longer in Hell, where he had descended to free the saints. Ecclesiasticus 24: "I will penetrate to all the lower parts of the earth, and will behold all that sleep, and will enlighten all," etc. Likewise on the part of the body, because "nor wilt thou give thy holy one" — that is, my body sanctified by thee — "to see corruption" — that is, of putrefaction, or of dissolution, which he did not suffer; but he did suffer the corruption of death. He recalls the benefits which pertain to the soul, when he says, "thou hast made known." This is referred to Christ on behalf of his members, and these are the teachings and precepts, which are the way unto beatitude. Proverbs 7: "Keep my commandments, and thou shalt live"; and therefore he says, "Thou hast made known to me the ways of life." Secondly he recalls the benefit; where he says three things. First, the full vision of God: "thou shalt fill me with joy with thy countenance" — that is, I shall see thy countenance. 2 Corinthians 13: "Now I know in part" — that is, imperfectly — "then shall I know face to face." Full joy: John 16: "that your joy may be full": because the delights are unfailing, because "at thy right hand" even "unto the end." Isaiah 51: "Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads, they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and mourning shall flee away." Proverbs 3: "Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory."”

“For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell,.... Meaning, not in the place of the damned, where Christ never went, nor was; for at his death his soul was committed to his Father, and was the same day in paradise: but rather, "sheol" here, as "hades" in the Near Testament, signifies the state of the dead, the separate state of souls after death, the invisible world of souls, where Christ's soul was; though it was not left there, nor did it continue, but on the third day returned to its body again; though it seems best of all to interpret it of the grave, as the word is rendered in Gen 42:38; and then by his "soul" must be meant, not the more noble part of his human nature, the soul, in distinction from the body; for as it died not, but went to God, it was not laid in the grave; but either he himself, in which sense the word "soul" is sometimes used, even for a man's self, Psa 3:2. For it might be truly said of him, God's Holy One, that he was laid in the grave, though not left there; or rather his dead body, for so the word "nephesh" is rendered in Num 9:6; so "anima" is used in Latin authors (u): this was laid in the grave; for Joseph having begged it of Pilate, took it down from the cross, and laid it in his own new tomb; though it was the will of God it should not be left there, but be raised from the dead, as it was on the third day, before it was corrupted, as follows: neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption; that is, to lie so long in the grave as to putrefy and be corrupted; wherefore he was raised from the dead on the third day, according to the Scriptures, before the time bodies begin to be corrupted; see Joh 11:39; and this was owing not to the care of Joseph or Nicodemus, in providing spices to preserve it, but of God who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; and who would not suffer his body to be corrupted, because he was holy, and because he was his Holy One; that so as there was no moral corruption in him, there should be no natural corruption in him; so the Jewish Midrash (w) interprets it, that "no worm or maggot should have power over him;'' which is not true of David, nor of any but the Messiah. This character of "Holy One" eminently belongs to Christ above angels and men, yea, it is often used of the divine Being, and it agrees with Christ in his divine nature, and is true of him as man; he is the holy thing, the holy child Jesus; his nature is pure and spotless, free from the taint of original sin; his life and conversation were holy and harmless, he did no sin, nor knew any, nor could any be found in him by men or devils; his doctrines were holy, and tended to promote holiness of life; all his works are holy, and such is the work of redemption, which is wrought out in consistence with and to the glory of the holiness and righteousness of God; Christ is holy in all his offices, and is the fountain of holiness to his people; and he is God's Holy One, he has property in him as his Son, and as Mediator, and even as an Holy One; for he was sanctified and sent into the world by him, being anointed with the holy oil of his Spirit without measure. The word may be rendered, a "merciful" (x) or "liberal" and "beneficent one": for Christ is all this; he is a merciful as well as a faithful high priest, and he generously distributes grace and glory to his people. (u) "--animamque sepulchro coudimus--". Virgil. Aeneid. 3. v. 67. (w) Apud Kimchi in v. 9. (x) "misericordem tuum", Pagninus, Montanus; "beneficus tuus", Piscator.”

“Soul in hell. Beza, (in his 1st edition, which he corrected afterwards) would translate “my corpse ( cadaver, or carcass) in the grave;” for which he as been justly blamed. For, though the corpse is sometimes called soul, as it has been animated by it, (Haydock) and the soul and blood are often used synonymously, yet we shall find no instance of the body of any one still living being styled a soul. When speaking, therefore, of a person’s future death, the soul means either life or the spiritual substance, Genesis xxxvii. 22., and Psalm xlix. 16. Hence the explanation of the Fathers, who understand this of Christ’s descent into hell, to free the saints who were detained in limbo, is more probable. (Berthier) — The instances which are adduced to maintain the opposite sentiment, which Calmet, &c., assert is more literal, either prove nothing, or they relate to people deceased, whose bodies were not to be touched. See Genesis ix. 5., Leviticus xvii. 11., and xxi. 11., Numbers vi. 6., and xix. 13., and Aggeus ii. 14. Christ speaks of his body in the following part of the verse, (Haydock) calling it Holy, because it was never separated from the divine nature. (Berthier) — The erroneous interpretations or corruptions of Beza and Calvin on this head, opposing themselves to the consent of all the ancient Fathers, who believed this passage related to the descent into limbo, are noted, Genesis xxvii., Acts ii., and 1 Peter iii. The Protestant editions vary. Some retain the word hell, others the grave; remarking that “this is chiefly meant of Christ, by whose resurrection all his members have immortality.” And (Acts ii.) they paraphrase, “Thou shalt not leave me in the grave;” wresting that which regards the body, rising from the grave, to the soul, which was never there. (Worthington) — The last edition of [King] James I agrees however with us, in both places. “Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption.” It is observable that in the Hebrew editions, (except Stephen’s and some few others) we find the word chasidic in the text, though the last i be properly omitted in the margin; as the word would otherwise signify “saints:” and thus make the apostles false witnesses, Acts xiii. 35, &c. (Haydock) — “But who shall lay any such thing to their charge? Other men may be deficient in their knowledge, and in their honesty; but inspired apostles could neither be deceived nor deceive. All the ancient versions, the Masorets,” who order the word to be read in the singular, though printed plural in the text, and many of the best manuscripts vouch for their veracity. Moreover it is not true that God will not suffer his saints to see corruption; and, if this were the meaning of the words, they would not predict the resurrection of any particular person: yet “these words, the apostles observe to the Jews, are a prophecy of some particular person, whose soul was not long to continue in the place of departed spirits, and whose body was not to be corrupted, both being soon to be reunited. Now David, say they, did not speak this of himself, &c. Have the apostles imposed a prophecy upon the Jewish people, and upon the world?” (Kennicott, Dis. i.) — This learned author was greatly encouraged to go on with his ten years’ labour, in examining Hebrew manuscripts over the world, by finding many of them so favourable to the Christian religion, though it had been confidently asserted that all the manuscripts were perfectly uniform. We may rejoice to see that he also approves of the Catholic explanation of this passage, and does not refer the whole to the burial of Christ. In effect, the Apostles’ Creed clearly distinguishes this article from that of the descent into hell. — One. Montfaucon ventures to follow Keri, “thy merciful one.” (Haydock) — Corruption. “Neither wilt thou permit that sanctified body, by which other people are to be sanctified, to become corrupt.” (St. Augustine) — Christ rose again before the holy women had embalmed his body, (Luke xxvi. 53., and Mark xvi. 1.) that no one might attribute the incorruption to that cause. His appearance was so glorious, as to dispel every doubt from the minds of those who would attend to reason. His descent into hell was not in consequence of any weakness, or that he might suffer, (Calmet) as Calvin blasphemously asserts, (Haydock; Tirinus) but he descended in triumph, to liberate the souls of the holy Fathers, (Calmet) or to announce to them the glad tidings of peace, the fruits of which they should shortly enjoy at his ascension, when he would open the gates of heaven to all the faithful. (Haydock)”

“soul--or, "self." This use of "soul" for the person is frequent (Gen 12:5; Gen 46:26; Psa 3:2; Psa 7:2; Psa 11:1), even when the body may be the part chiefly affected, as in Psa 35:13; Psa 105:18. Some cases are cited, as Lev 22:4; Num 6:6; Num 9:6, Num 9:10; Num 19:13; Hag 2:13, &c., which seem to justify assigning the meaning of body, or dead body; but it will be found that the latter sense is given by some adjunct expressed or implied. In those cases person is the proper sense. wilt not leave . . . hell--abandon to the power of (Job 39:14; Psa 49:10). Hell as (Gen 42:38; Psa 6:5; Jon 2:2) the state or region of death, and so frequently--or the grave itself (Job 14:13; Job 17:13; Ecc 9:10, &c.). So the Greek Hades (compare Act 2:27, Act 2:31). The context alone can settle whether the state mentioned is one of suffering and place of the damned (compare Psa 9:17; Pro 5:5; Pro 7:27). wilt . . . suffer--literally, "give" or "appoint." Holy One-- (Psa 4:3), one who is the object of God's favor, and so a recipient of divine grace which he exhibits--pious. to see--or, "experience"--undergo (Luk 2:26). corruption--Some render the word, the pit, which is possible, but for the obvious sense which the apostle's exposition (Act 2:27; Act 13:36-37) gives. The sense of the whole passage is clearly this: by the use of flesh and soul, the disembodied state produced by death is indicated; but, on the other hand, no more than the state of death is intended; for the last clause of Psa 16:10 is strictly parallel with the first, and Holy One corresponds to soul, and corruption to hell. As Holy One, or David (Act 13:36-37), which denotes the person, including soul and body, is used for body, of which only corruption can be predicated (compare Act 2:31); so, on the contrary, soul, which literally means the immaterial part, is used for the person. The language may be thus paraphrased, "In death I shall hope for resurrection; for I shall not be left under its dominion and within its bounds, or be subject to the corruption which ordinarily ensues."”