Psalms 15:7
I will bless the Lord, who hath given me understanding: moreover my reins also have corrected me even till night.
Open Psalms 15:7 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Benedicam Dominum qui tribuit mihi intellectum ; insuper et usque ad noctem increpuerunt me renes mei.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- εὐλογήσω τὸν κύριον τὸν συνετίσαντά με· ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἕως νυκτὸς ἐπαίδευσάν με οἱ νεφροί μου.
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 16:7
- אֲבָרֵ֗ךְ אֶת יְ֭הוָה אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְעָצָ֑נִי אַף לֵ֝יל֗וֹת יִסְּר֥וּנִי כִלְיוֹתָֽי
Haydock's commentary
Understanding. Hebrew, "counsel." In the night of tribulation God directs the reins, or affections of the soul. Christ might speak thus concerning his human nature. (Berthier) (Luke ii. 40., and Hebrews v. 7.) David also gives thanks to God for enabling him to make so happy a choice, and to avoid being seduced. (Calmet)
He derives instructions from pain. (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 I
2. “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law will he meditate by day and by night ( ver. 2 ). The law is not made for a righteous man,” says the Apostle. But it is one thing to be in the law, another under the law. Whoso is in the law, acteth according to the law; whoso is under the law, is acted upon according to the law: the one therefore is free, the other a slave. Again, the law, which is written and imposed upon the servant, is one thing; the law, which is mentally discerned by him who needeth not its “letter,” is another thing. “He will meditate by day and by night,” is to be understood either as without ceasing; or “by day” in joy, “by night” in tribulations. For it is said, “Abraham saw my day, and was glad:” and of tribulation it is said, “my reins also have instructed me, even unto the night.”
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm VII
11. “My righteous help is from the Lord, who maketh whole the upright in heart.” God, who searcheth the hearts and reins, directeth the righteous; but with righteous help maketh He whole the upright in heart. He doth not as He searcheth the hearts and reins, so make whole the upright in heart and reins; for the thoughts are both bad in a depraved heart, and good in an upright heart; but delights which are not good belong to the reins, for they are more low and earthly; but those that are good not to the reins, but to the heart itself. Wherefore men cannot be so called upright in reins, as they are called upright in heart, since where the thought is, there at once the delight is too; which cannot be, unless when things divine and eternal are thought of. …
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm XVI
7. “I will bless the Lord, who hath given Me understanding” ( ver. 7 ): whereby this inheritance may be seen and possessed. “Yea moreover too even unto night my reins have chastened Me.” Yea besides understanding, even unto death, My inferior part, the assumption of flesh, hath instructed Me, that I might experience the darkness of mortality, which that understanding hath not.