Psalms 31:3
Because I was silent my bones grew old; whilst I cried out all the day long.
The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Quoniam tacui, inveteraverunt ossa mea, dum clamarem tota die.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- ὅτι ἐσίγησα, ἐπαλαιώθη τὰ ὀστᾶ μου ἀπὸ τοῦ κράζειν με ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν.
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 32:3
- כִּֽי הֶ֭חֱרַשְׁתִּי בָּל֣וּ עֲצָמָ֑י בְּ֝שַׁאֲגָתִ֗י כָּל הַיּֽוֹם
Haydock's commentary
Because I was silent, &c. That is, whilst I kept silence, by concealing, or refusing to confess my sins, thy hand was heavy upon me, &c. (Challoner)
The cry was then only an effect of vanity, like that of the Pharisee, full of his own merits; (St. Augustine; St. Jerome; Calmet) or David was silent till Nathan made him know his fault, which he afterwards ceased not to deplore. (Theodoret)
It is supposed that he had continued impenitent for above a year. But he might fell remorse during that time, ver. 5. (Berthier)
Cried. Hebrew, "roared," like a lion. (Calmet)
Because I acknowledged not my grievous sins, I was much afflicted. I prayed, but to little purpose. (Worthington)
Wishing to conceal the cause of my grief, (Calmet) I pined away, (Haydock; Lamentations iii. 4.) and suffered greatly, because I did not confess. (Menochius)
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 XXXII
3. “Because I kept silence, my bones waxed old:” because I made not with my mouth “confession unto salvation,” all firmness in me has grown old in infirmity. “Through my roaring all the day long” ( ver. 3 ): when I was ungodly and a blasphemer, crying against God, as though defending and excusing my sins.