sanitized for your protection

By Diogenes ( articles ) | Feb 21, 2007

The Fathers of the Church got the idea into their heads that the psalms often spoke of Christ, and even saw foreshadowings of His crucifixion in the fate accorded the Just Man. How did that happen? In part, because the language of the Psalmist frequently made reference to a particular male:

Because HE cleaves to me I shall deliver HIM;
I shall set HIM on high because HE knows my name.
When HE calls to me I shall answer HIM;
I shall be with HIM in distress. (Psalm 91:14f.)

Feel excluded? Not to worry. Our Revised New American Bible cleans up the boners the sacred authors missed.

WHOEVER clings to me I will deliver;
WHOEVER knows my name I will set on high.
ALL who call upon me I will answer;
I will be with THEM in distress.

No patriarchal bias there, folks! With the time saved on unnecessary christological exegesis, Saint Jerome -- had he the RNAB to hand -- might have opened up an aromatherapy spa in Livonia.