Psalms 54:13
For if my enemy had reviled me, I would verily have borne with it. And if he that hated me had spoken great things against me, I would perhaps have hidden myself from him.
Open Psalms 54:13 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Quoniam si inimicus meus maledixisset mihi, sustinuissem utique. Et si is qui oderat me super me magna locutus fuisset, abscondissem me forsitan ab eo.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- ὅτι εἰ ἐχθρὸς ὠνείδισέν με, ὑπήνεγκα ἄν, καὶ εἰ ὁ μισῶν ἐπ᾽ ἐμὲ ἐμεγαλοημόνησεν, ἐκρύβην ἂν ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ.
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 55:13
- כִּ֤י לֹֽא אוֹיֵ֥ב יְחָֽרְפֵ֗נִי וְאֶ֫שָּׂ֥א לֹֽא מְ֭שַׂנְאִי עָלַ֣י הִגְדִּ֑יל וְאֶסָּתֵ֥ר מִמֶּֽנּוּ
Haydock's commentary
From him. But how shall we guard against a traitor? (Calmet)
The injury received from a friend is most cutting. (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 LV
14. “For if an enemy had upbraided me” ( ver. 12 ). And indeed above he was “troubled in his exercise” by the voice of the enemy and by the tribulation of the sinner, perhaps being placed in that city, that proud city that was building a tower, which was “sunk,” that divided might be the tongues: give heed to his inward groaning because of perils from false brethren. “For if an enemy had upbraided me, I would have undergone it assuredly, and if he that did hate me had over me spoken great words,” that is, through pride had on me trampled, did magnify himself above me, did threaten me all in his power: “I would hide myself assuredly from him.” From him that is abroad, thou wouldest hide thyself where? Amid those that are within. But now see whether anything else remaineth, but that thou seek solitude. “But thou,” he saith, “man of one mind, my guide and my friend” ( ver. 13 ). …
St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Hebrews 10.32-34
Then he also enumerates them particularly, amplifying his discourse, and multiplying his praise. How? “Partly” (he says) “whilst ye were made a gazing-stock by reproaches and afflictions”; for reproach is a great thing, and calculated to pervert the soul, and to darken the judgment. For hear what the prophet says: “While they daily say unto me, Where is thy God?” ( Ps. xlii. 10 .) And again, “If the enemy had reproached me, I would have borne it.” ( Ps. lv. 12 .) For since the human race is exceedingly vainglorious, therefore it is easily overcome by this.
St Basil The Letters, To Eulogius, Alexander, and Harpocration, bishops of Egypt, in exile
2. I have been specially moved to desire union with you by the report of the zeal of your reverences in the cause of orthodoxy. The constancy of your hearts has been stirred neither by multiplicity of books nor by variety of ingenious arguments. You have on the contrary, recognised those who endeavoured to introduce innovations in opposition to the apostolic doctrines, and you have refused to keep silence concerning the mischief which they are causing. I have in truth found great distress among all who cleave to the peace of the Lord at the divers innovations of Apollinarius of Laodicea. He has all the more distressed me from the fact that he seemed at the beginning on our side. …