Psalms 64:4
The words of the wicked have prevailed over us: and thou wilt pardon our transgressions.
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- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Verba iniquorum prævaluerunt super nos, et impietatibus nostris tu propitiaberis.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- λόγοι ἀνόμων ὑπερηδυνάμωσαν ἡμᾶς, καὶ τὰς ἀσεβείας ἡμῶν σὺ ἱλάσῃ.
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 65:4
- דִּבְרֵ֣י עֲ֭וֺנֹת גָּ֣בְרוּ מֶ֑נִּי פְּ֝שָׁעֵ֗ינוּ אַתָּ֥ה תְכַפְּרֵֽם
Haydock's commentary
Transgressions. These are the words of the Christian converts, (Eusebius) or of the Jews, who acknowledge that they have been justly punished with drought, for neglecting the temple and first fruits, Aggeus i. 4., and Malachias iii. 9. (Calmet)
Hebrew, "thou wilt expiate our transgressions," which denotes Christ's satisfaction. (Berthier)
Though the wicked threaten, we fear nothing, as long as thou wilt pardon our offences. (Worthington)
These have been the occasion of our past sorrows. (Menochius)
Where a note speaks of the Jewish people, the Church teaches that the Passion cannot be charged against all the Jews then living, nor against the Jews of today, and that all sinners were its authors (CCC 597, 598).
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 LXV
6. “The discourses of unjust men have prevailed over us, and our iniquities Thou shalt propitiate” ( ver. 3 ).…Every man, in whatsoever place he is born, of that same land or region or city learneth the language, is habituated to the manners and life of that place. What should a boy do, born among Heathens, to avoid worshipping a stone, inasmuch as his parents have suggested that worship? from them the first words he hath heard, that error with his milk he hath sucked in; and because they that used to speak were elders, and the boy that was learning to speak was an infant, what could the little one do but follow the authority of elders, and deem that to be good which they recommended? Therefore nations that are converted to Christ afterwards, and taking to heart the impieties of their parents, and saying now what the prophet Jeremias himself said, “Truly a lie our fathers have worshipped …
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm CXXXVII
12. “Happy shall he be that repayeth thee, as thou hast served us.” What repayment meaneth he? Herewith the Psalm closeth, “Happy, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the rock” ( ver. 9 ). Her he calleth unhappy, but him happy who payeth her as she hath served us. Do we ask, what reward? This is the repayment. For what hath that Babylon done to us? We have already sung in another Psalm, “The words of the wicked have prevailed against us.” For when we were born, the confusion of this world found us, and choked us while yet infants with the empty notions of divers errors. …
St Ambrose On the Decease of His Brother Satyrus, Book II. On the Belief in the Resurrection
132. The soul has to depart from the surroundings of this life, and the pollutions of the earthly body, and to press on to those heavenly companies, though it is for the saints alone, to attain to them, and to sing praise to God (as in the prophet’s words we hear of those who are harping and saying: “For great are Thy marvellous works, O Lord God Almighty, just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of the nations; who shall not fear and magnify Thy Name, for Thou only art holy, for all nations shall come and worship before Thee”), and to see Thy marriage feast, O Lord Jesus, in which the Bride is led from earthly to heavenly things, while all rejoice in harmony, for “to Thee shall all flesh come,” now no longer subject to transitory things, but joined to the Spirit, to see the chambers adorned with linen, roses, lilies, and garlands. …