Psalms 3:8
For thou hast struck all them who are my adversaries without cause: thou hast broken the teeth of sinners.
Open Psalms 3:8 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Quoniam tu percussisti omnes adversantes mihi sine causa ; dentes peccatorum contrivisti.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- ἀνάστα, Κύριε, σῶσόν με ὁ θεός μου· ὅτι σὺ ἐπάταξας πάντας τοὺς ἐχθραίνοντάς μοι ματαίως, ὀδόντας ἁμαρτωλῶν συνέτριψας.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- ק֘וּמָ֤ה יְהוָ֨ה הוֹשִׁ֘יעֵ֤נִי אֱלֹהַ֗י כִּֽי הִכִּ֣יתָ אֶת כָּל אֹיְבַ֣י לֶ֑חִי שִׁנֵּ֖י רְשָׁעִ֣ים שִׁבַּֽרְתָּ
Haydock's commentary
Without cause. Hebrew, "on the jaw." (Haydock)
Without redress. (Calmet)
Septuagint seems to have read leinom, as "some Jews say that the ancient copies were different." (Origen, A.D. 231.) (Kennicott)
Teeth. Strength and fury.
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 III
6. “I will not fear the thousands of people that surround me” ( ver. 6 ). It is written in the Gospels how great a multitude stood around Him as He was suffering, and on the cross. “Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God” ( ver. 7 ). It is not said to God, “Arise,” as if asleep or lying down, but it is usual in holy Scripture to attribute to God what He doeth in us; not indeed universally, but where it can be done suitably; as when He is said to speak, when by His gift Prophets speak, and Apostles, or whatsoever messengers of the truth. Hence that text, “Would you have proof of Christ, who speaketh in me?” For he doth not say, of Christ, by whose enlightening or order I speak; but he attributes at once the speaking itself to Him, by whose gift he spake.
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm V
4. “Because I will pray unto Thee ( ver. 3 ). O Lord, in the morning Thou wilt hear my voice.” What does that, which he said above, “Hear Thou,” mean, as if he desired to be heard immediately? But now he saith, “in the morning Thou wilt hear;” not, hear Thou: and, “I will pray unto Thee;” not, I do pray unto Thee: and, as follows, “in the morning I will stand by Thee, and will see;” not, I do stand by Thee, and do see. Unless perhaps his former prayer marks the invocation itself: but being in darkness amidst the storms of this world, he perceives that he does not see what he desires, and yet does not cease to hope, “For hope that is seen, is not hope.” Nevertheless, he understands why he does not see, because the night is not yet past, that is, the darkness which our sins have merited. …
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm VI
1. “Of the eighth,” seems here obscure. For the rest of this title is more clear. Now it has seemed to some to intimate the day of judgment, that is, the time of the coming of our Lord, when He will come to judge the quick and dead. Which coming, it is believed, is to be, after reckoning the years from Adam, seven thousand years: so as that seven thousand years should pass as seven days, and afterwards that time arrive as it were the eighth day. But since it has been said by the Lord, “It is not yours to know the times, which the Father hath put in His own power:” and, “But of the day and that hour knoweth no man, no, neither angel, nor Power, neither the Son, but the Father alone:” and again, that which is written, “that the day of the Lord cometh as a thief,” shows clearly enough that no man should arrogate to himself the knowledge of that time, by any computation of years. …