Psalms 141:4
When my spirit failed me, then thou knewest my paths. In this way wherein I walked, they have hidden a snare for me.
Open Psalms 141:4 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- in deficiendo ex me spiritum meum, et tu cognovisti semitas meas. In via hac qua ambulabam absconderunt laqueum mihi.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- ἐν τῷ ἐκλείπειν ἐξ ἐμοῦ τὸ πνεῦμά μου, καὶ σὺ ἔγνως τὰς τρίβους μου· ἐν ὁδῷ ταύτῃ ᾗ ἐπορευόμην ἔκρυψάν μοι παγίδα.
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 142:4
- בְּהִתְעַטֵּ֬ף עָלַ֨י רוּחִ֗י וְאַתָּה֮ יָדַ֪עְתָּ נְֽתִיבָ֫תִ֥י בְּאֹֽרַח ז֥וּ אֲהַלֵּ֑ךְ טָמְנ֖וּ פַ֣ח לִֽי
Haydock's commentary
Knewest. With approbation, (Psalm i. 6.; Haydock) my deportment towards Saul, and also the dangers to which I was exposed, and the means of escaping.
They. Ancient psalters add, "the proud," from Psalm cxxxvi. 6. (Calmet)
The devil and his agents attack the just at all times. (St. Jerome)
When I was reduced to such distress that I could not help myself, thou didst approve of my conduct, and deliver me. (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 CXLII
3. “My tribulation I will proclaim in His sight.” There is a repetition, both in the two preceding sentences, and in these which follow: the sentiments are two, but both twice expressed.…For, “in His sight,” is the same as “before Him;” “I will proclaim my tribulation,” is the same as, “I will pour out my prayer.” When doest thou this? Being set in the midst of persecution, he saith, “while my spirit failed from me” ( ver. 3 ). Wherefore hath thy spirit failed, O martyr, set in tribulation? That I may not claim my strength as mine own, that I may know that Another worketh in me the goodness I have. And men perhaps have heard that my spirit hath failed within me, and have despaired of me, and have said, “we have taken him captive, we have overpowered him;” “and Thou hast known my paths.” They thought me cast down, Thou didst see me standing upright. …