Psalms 140:10
The wicked shall fall in his net: I am alone until I pass.
The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Cadent in retiaculo ejus peccatores : singulariter sum ego, donec transeam.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- πεσοῦνται ἐν ἀμφιβλήστρῳ αὐτοῦ ἁμαρτωλοί· κατὰ μόνας εἰμὶ ἐγὼ ἕως οὗ ἂν παρέλθω.
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 141:10
- יִפְּל֣וּ בְמַכְמֹרָ֣יו רְשָׁעִ֑ים יַ֥חַד אָ֝נֹכִ֗י עַֽד אֶעֱבֽוֹר
Haydock's commentary
His. "Own," (Protestants) the devil's, (St. Hilary) or God's net. (St. Chrysostom, &c.)
Saul twice fell into David's power. (Calmet)
Alone. Singularly protected by the Almighty, until I pass all their nets and snares. (Challoner)
Though alone, I fear no danger. (Haydock)
I will have no connection with the wicked in this life, (St. Chrysostom) which is beset with snares. (Calmet)
Hebrew, "I will be a witness till I pass." (Houbigant)
Yachad means, "together," &c. (Berthier)
Sinners shall at last be entrapped; but the Church shall be for ever protected. (Worthington)
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 Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm CXLI
13. “Sinners shall fall into his nets” ( ver. 10 ). Not all sinners, certain sinners, who are so great sinners, as to love this life to such a degree as to prefer it to everlasting life, “shall fall into his trap.” But what sayest thou? Shall they that are such, thinkest thou, fall into his nets? what of Thy disciples, O Christ? Behold, when persecution was raging, when they all “left Thee alone, and went every one to his own:” lo! they who were closest to Thee, in Thy trial and persecution, when Thine enemies demanded Thee to be crucified, abandoned Thee. And that bold one, who had promised Thee that he would go with Thee even unto death, heard from the Physician what was being done in him, the sick man. For being in a fever, he had said he was whole; but the Lord touched the vein of his heart. …
St Gregory Nazianzen On the Great Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria
20. Thus he combined the two, and so united the partisans of both calm action and of active calm, as to convince them that the monastic life is characterised by steadfastness of disposition rather than by bodily retirement. Accordingly the great David was a man of at once the most active and most solitary life, if any one thinks the verse, I am in solitude, till I pass away, of value and authority in the exposition of this subject. Therefore, though they surpass all others in virtue, they fell further short of his mind than others fell short of their own, and while contributing little to the perfection of his priesthood, they gained in return greater assistance in contemplation. …