Prophecies of David

Stabat Mater dolorosa. JJ Tissot. Brooklyn Museum.

Our Lenten meditations continue with posts taken from Considerations on the Passion of Jesus Christ* by Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori.

"You may use this little book* in your prayers when you meditate on the Passion. I am using it myself every day. I desire that you should not allow a day to pass without recalling to your mind, with the aid of this or another book, something of the Passion. The Passion was for the saints a continual subject of meditation." (St Alphonsus, 1773)

This grace I ask of thee to-day: obtain for me a continual remembrance of the passion of Jesus, and of thine also, and a tender devotion to them.

Prophecies of David

[ ] References in the text to numbered footnotes are not hyperlinked but may be found at the end of the relevant paragraph.

David mourning his son. JJ Tissot. (Public Domain)

David also predicted other circumstances more in detail respecting the Passion of Jesus Christ. Especially in the twenty-first Psalm he foretold that he should be pierced with nails in his hands and in his feet, so that they should be able to count all his bones. [1] He foretold that before he should be crucified, his garments should be stripped off from him, and divided among the executioners; [2] speaking of his outer garments alone, because the inner vestment, which was made without seam, was to be given by lot: They parted My garments amongst them, and upon My vesture they cast lots.This prophecy is recalled both by St. Matthew [2] and St. John.[2]


[1] [17] For many dogs have encompassed me: the council of the malignant hath besieged me. They have dug my hands and feet.
Quoniam circumdederunt me canes multi; concilium malignantium obsedit me. Foderunt manus meas et pedes meos,
[18] They have numbered all my bones. And they have looked and stared upon me.
dinumeraverunt omnia ossa mea. Ipsi vero consideraverunt et inspexerunt me. [Ps 21]
[2] [19] They parted my garments amongst them; and upon my vesture they cast lots.
Diviserunt sibi vestimenta mea, et super vestem meam miserunt sortem.  [Ps 21]
[2] [35] And after they had crucified him, they divided his garments, casting lots; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: They divided my garments among them; and upon my vesture they cast lots.
Postquam autem crucifixerunt eum, diviserunt vestimenta ejus, sortem mittentes : ut impleretur quod dictum est per prophetam dicentem : Diviserunt sibi vestimenta mea, et super vestem meam miserunt sortem. [Matt 27][2] [23] The soldiers therefore, when they had crucified him, took his garments, (and they made four parts, to every soldier a part,) and also his coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
Milites ergo cum crucifixissent eum, acceperunt vestimenta ejus ( et fecerunt quatuor partes, unicuique militi partem) et tunicam. Erat autem tunica inconsutilis, desuper contexta per totum.
[24] They said then one to another: Let us not cut it, but let us cast lots for it, whose it shall be; that the scripture might be fulfilled, saying: They have parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture they have cast lots. And the soldiers indeed did these things.
Dixerunt ergo ad invicem : Non scindamus eam, sed sortiamur de illa cujus sit. Ut Scriptura impleretur, dicens : Partiti sunt vestimenta mea sibi : et in vestem meam miserunt sortem. Et milites quidem haec fecerunt. [John 19]


 

David also foretold what St. Matthew thus relates respecting the blasphemies and mockeries of the Jews against Jesus Christ while he hung upon the cross: They that passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, Vah, Thou that destroyest the temple of God, and in three days dost rebuild it, save Thy own self; if Thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. [3] In like manner also, the chief priests, with the scribes and ancients, mocking, said, He saved others, Himself He cannot save; if He be the king of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God, let Him now deliver Him if He will have Him; for He said, I am the Son of God. All this was in accordance with what David had foretold in the following words: All they that saw Me have laughed Me to scorn; they have spoken with the lips and wagged the head. He hoped in the Lord, let Him deliver Him, let Him save Him, seeing He delighteth in Him.[4]
 

[3] [39] And they that passed by, blasphemed him, wagging their heads,
Praetereuntes autem blasphemabant eum moventes capita sua,
[40] And saying: Vah, thou that destroyest the temple of God, and in three days dost rebuild it: save thy own self: if thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.
et dicentes : Vah qui destruis templum Dei, et in triduo illud reaedificas : salva temetipsum : si Filius Dei es, descende de cruce.
[41] In like manner also the chief priests, with the scribes and ancients, mocking, said:
Similiter et principes sacerdotum illudentes cum scribis et senioribus dicebant :
[42] He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the king of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.
Alios salvos fecit, seipsum non potest salvum facere : si rex Israel est, descendat nunc de cruce, et credimus ei :
[43] He trusted in God; let him now deliver him if he will have him; for he said: I am the Son of God.
confidit in Deo : liberet nunc, si vult eum : dixit enim : Quia Filius Dei sum. [Matt 27]

[4] [8] All they that saw me have laughed me to scorn: they have spoken with the lips, and wagged the head.
Omnes videntes me deriserunt me; locuti sunt labiis, et moverunt caput.
[9] He hoped in the Lord, let him deliver him: let him save him, seeing he delighteth in him.
Speravit in Domino, eripiat eum : salvum faciat eum, quoniam vult eum. [Ps 21]

St John & the Blessed Virgin. JJ Tissot. Brooklyn Museum.

David further foretold the great pains which Jesus should suffer on the cross in seeing himself abandoned by all, and even by his own disciples, except St. John and the Blessed Virgin; while his beloved Mother, by her presence, did not lessen the sufferings of her Son, but rather increased them through the compassion that he felt for her, in seeing her thus afflicted by his death.

Thus our suffering Lord, in the agonies of his bitter death, had none to comfort him. This also was foretold by David: I looked for one that would grieve together with Me, but there was none; and for one that would comfort Me, and I found none. [5]

The greatest suffering, however, of our afflicted Redeemer consisted in his beholding himself abandoned by his Eternal Father, upon which he cried out, according to the prophecy of David, O God, my God, look upon me; why hast Thou forsaken me? Far from My salvation are the words of My sins; [6] as though he had said, “O my Father, the sins of men, which I call my own, because I have taken them upon me, forbid me to be delivered from these sufferings which are ending my life; and why hast Thou, O my God, abandoned me in this my great agony?” To these words of David correspond the words which St. Matthew records as uttered by Jesus upon the cross a little while before his death: Eli. Eli, lamma sabachthani? that is, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?[7]


[5] [21] In thy sight are all they that afflict me; my heart hath expected reproach and misery. And I looked for one that would grieve together with me, but there was none: and for one that would comfort me, and I found none.
in conspectu tuo sunt omnes qui tribulant me. Improperium exspectavit cor meum et miseriam; et sustinui qui simul contristaretur, et non fuit; et qui consolaretur, et non inveni. [Ps 68]
[6] [2] O God my God, look upon me: why hast thou forsaken me? Far from my salvation are the words of my sins.
Deus, Deus meus, respice in me : quare me dereliquisti? Longe a salute mea verba delictorum meorum.  [Ps 21]
[7] [46] And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying: Eli, Eli, lamma sabacthani? that is, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Et circa horam nonam clamavit Jesus voce magna, dicens : Eli, Eli, lamma sabacthani? hoc est : Deus meus, Deus meus, ut quid dereliquisti me? [Matt 27] 

Totus tuus ego sum et omnia mea tua sunt. 

Tecum tutus semper sum.
Ad Jesum per Mariam.