Psalms 31:8
I will give thee understanding, and I will instruct thee in this way, in which thou shalt go: I will fix my eyes upon thee.
Open Psalms 31:8 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Intellectum tibi dabo, et instruam te in via hac qua gradieris ; firmabo super te oculos meos.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- συνετιῶ σε καὶ συνβιβῶ σε ἐν ὁδῷ ταύτῃ ᾗ πορεύσῃ, ἐπιστηριῶ ἐπὶ σὲ τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου.
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 32:8
- אַשְׂכִּֽילְךָ֨ וְֽאוֹרְךָ֗ בְּדֶֽרֶךְ ז֥וּ תֵלֵ֑ךְ אִֽיעֲצָ֖ה עָלֶ֣יךָ עֵינִֽי
Haydock's commentary
Fix. Hebrew, "consult with my eyes concerning thee." The Vulgate, better. (Calmet)
Protestants marginal note, "my eye shall be upon thee." (Haydock)
God thus engages to watch over, and direct his servant, (Genesis xliv. 21., and Jeremias xxiv. 6.; Calmet) giving him instruction, by means of chastisements. (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 On the Holy Trinity, In How Many Ways the Creature is to Be Taken by Way of Sign. The Eucharist
Excepting, therefore, all these things as I just now said, there are some also of another kind; which, although from the same corporeal substance, are yet brought within reach of our senses in order to announce something from God, and these are properly called miracles and signs; yet is not the person of God Himself assumed in all things which are announced to us by the Lord God. When, however, that person is assumed, it is sometimes made manifest as an angel; sometimes in that form which is not an angel in his own proper being, although it is ordered and ministered by an angel. …
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm XXXII
8. Diapsalma. The answer of God: “I will give thee understanding, and will set thee in the way in which thou shalt go;” I will give thee understanding after confession, that thou depart not from the way in which thou shouldest go; lest thou wish to be in thine own power. “I will fix Mine Eyes upon thee” ( ver. 8 ); so will make sure upon thee My Love.
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Tau
166. Let us now hear the words of one praying: since we know who is praying, and we recognise ourselves, if we be not reprobate, among the members of this one praying. “Let my prayer come near in Thy sight, O Lord” ( ver. 169 ): for, “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart.” “Give me understanding, according to Thy word.” He claimeth a promise. For he saith, “according to Thy word,” which is to say, according to Thy promise. For the Lord promised this when He said, “I will inform thee.”