Psalms 118:4
Thou hast commanded thy commandments to be kept most diligently.
Open Psalms 118:4 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Tu mandasti mandata tua custodiri nimis.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- σὺ ἐνετείλω τὰς ἐντολάς σου φυλάξασθαι σφόδρα.
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 119:4
- אַ֭תָּה צִוִּ֥יתָה פִקֻּדֶ֗יךָ לִשְׁמֹ֥ר מְאֹֽד
Haydock's commentary
Diligently. Nimis. Literally, "too much." But this is a Hebrew idiom, to imply the greatest diligence. (Haydock)
Some would refer it to "God's strong injunction;" which is not necessary. The psalmist henceforward speaks to God. (Berthier)
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 Augustine Of Holy Virginity, Section 42
42. Wherefore let this be the first thought for the putting on of humility, that God’s virgin think not that it is of herself that she is such, and not rather that this best “gift cometh down from above from the Father of Lights, with Whom is no change nor shadow of motion.” For thus she will not think that little hath been forgiven her, so as for her to love little, and, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and wishing to establish her own, not to be made subject to the righteousness of God. In which fault was that Simon who was surpassed by the woman, unto whom many sins were forgiven, because she loved much. But she will have more cautious and true thoughts, that we are so to account all sins as though forgiven, from which God keeps us that we commit them not. …
St Augustine A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants, Four Questions on the Perfection of Righteousness: (1.) Whether a Man Can Be Without Sin in This Life
Now those who aver that a man can exist in this life without sin, must not be immediately opposed with incautious rashness; for if we should deny the possibility, we should derogate both from the free will of man, who in his wish desires it, and from the power or mercy of God, who by His help effects it. But it is one question, whether he could exist; and another question, whether he does exist. Again, it is one question, if he does not exist when he could exist, why he does not exist; and another question, whether such a man as had never sinned at all, not only is in existence, but also could ever have existed, or can ever exist. …
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Aleph
4. What meaneth, “Thou hast charged that we shall keep Thy commandments too much”? ( ver. 4 ). Is it, “Thou hast charged too much”? or, “to keep too much”? Whichever of these we understand, the sense seems contrary to that memorable and noble sentiment which the Greeks praise in their wise men, and which the Latins agree in praising. “Do nothing too much.”…But the Latin language some times uses the word nimis in such a sense, that we find it in the holy Scripture, and employ it in our discourses, as signifying, very much. In this passage, “Thou hast charged that we keep Thy commandments too much,” we simply understand very much, if we understand rightly; and if we say to any very dear friend, I love you too much, we do not wish to be understood to mean more than is fitting, but very much.