Psalms 118:80
Let my heart be undefiled in thy justifications, that I may not be confounded. CAPH
Open Psalms 118:80 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Fiat cor meum immaculatum in justificationibus tuis, ut non confundar.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- γενηθήτω ἡ καρδία μου ἄμωμος ἐν τοῖς δικαιώμασίν σου, ὅπως ἂν μὴ αἰσχυνθῶ.
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 119:80
- יְהִֽי לִבִּ֣י תָמִ֣ים בְּחֻקֶּ֑יךָ לְ֝מַ֗עַן לֹ֣א אֵבֽוֹשׁ
The Fathers on this verse
St Augustine A Treatise Concerning Man’s Perfection in Righteousness, To Whom God’s Commandments are Grievous; And to Whom, Not. Why Scripture Says that God’s Commandments are Not Grievous; A Commandment is a Proof of the Freedom Of Man’s Will; Prayer is a Proof of Grace
He next quotes passages to show that God’s commandments are not grievous. But who can be ignorant of the fact that, since the generic commandment is love (for “the end of the commandment is love,” and “love is the fulfilling of the law”), whatever is accomplished by the operation of love, and not of fear, is not grievous? They, however, are oppressed by the commandments of God, who try to fulfil them by fearing. “But perfect love casteth out fear;” and, in respect of the burden of the commandment, it not only takes off the pressure of its heavy weight, but it actually lifts it up as if on wings. In order, however, that this love may be possessed, even as far as it can possibly be possessed in the body of this death, the determination of will avails but little, unless it be helped by God’s grace through our Lord Jesus Christ. …
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Jod
80. “O let my heart,” he saith, “be unspotted in Thy righteousnesses, that I be not ashamed” ( ver. 80 ). He returneth to the words of His body, that is, His holy people, and now prayeth that his heart may be made unspotted, that is, the heart of His members; “in the righteousnesses of God,” not in their own strength: for He hath prayed for this, not presumed upon it. In the words he hath added, “that I be not ashamed,” there is a resemblance to some of the earlier verses of this Psalm. Whereas there, in the words, “O that,” he signifieth a wish, he hath here expressed himself in the more open words of one praying: “O let my heart be sound:” so that in neither of these two sentences, each of which is one and the same, there is found the boldness of one who trusteth in his own free will against grace. …