Psalms 75:8
Thou art terrible, and who shall resist thee? from that time thy wrath.
The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Tu terribilis es ; et quis resistet tibi ? ex tunc ira tua.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- σὺ φοβερὸς εἶ, καὶ τίς ἀντιστήσεταί σοι ἀπὸ τῆς ὀργῆς σου;
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 76:8
- אַתָּ֤ה נ֥וֹרָא אַ֗תָּה וּמִֽי יַעֲמֹ֥ד לְפָנֶ֗יךָ מֵאָ֥ז אַפֶּֽךָ
Haydock's commentary
And. Hebrew, "thou, and who shall subsist before thee in the moment of thy wrath?" Houbigant rejects the second thou. (Berthier)
From. From the time that thy wrath shall break out. (Challoner)
Ex tunc, often relates to a distant period. We have long known the effects of thy indignation. (Calmet) (Hebrews x. 31.)
At the first notice of thy will the enemy is dejected, and fears thy potent anger. (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 Book II, Chapter VI
13. For thus doth pride imitate high estate, whereas Thou alone art God, high above all. And what does ambition seek but honours and renown, whereas Thou alone art to be honoured above all, and renowned for evermore? The cruelty of the powerful wishes to be feared; but who is to be feared but God only, out of whose power what can be forced away or withdrawn, when, or where, or whither, or by whom? The enticements of the wanton would fain be deemed love; and yet is naught more enticing than Thy charity, nor is aught loved more healthfully than that, Thy truth, bright and beautiful above all. Curiosity affects a desire for knowledge, whereas it is Thou who supremely knowest all things. …
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm LXXVI
8. “Thou art terrible, and who shall withstand Thee at that time by Thine anger?” ( ver. 7 ). Now they sleep, and perceive not Thee angry; but for cause that they should sleep, He was angry. Now that which sleeping they perceived not, at the end they shall perceive. For there shall appear the Judge of quick and dead. “And who shall withstand Thee at that time by Thine anger?” For now they speak that which they will, and they dispute against God and say, who are the Christians? or who is Christ? or what fools are they that believe that which they see not, and relinquish the pleasures which they see, and follow the faith of things which are not displayed to their eyes! Ye sleep and snore, ye speak against God, as much as ye are able. …
St Gregory Nazianzen On His Father's Silence, Because of the Plague of Hail
12. Far be it from me that I should ever, among other chastisements, be thus reproached by Him Who is good, but walks contrary to me in fury because of my own contrariness: I have smitten you with blasting and mildew, and blight; without result. The sword from without made you childless, yet have ye not returned unto Me, saith the Lord. May I not become the vine of the beloved, which after being planted and entrenched, and made sure with a fence and tower and every means which was possible, when it ran wild and bore thorns, was consequently despised, and had its tower broken down and its fence taken away, and was not pruned nor digged, but was devoured and laid waste and trodden down by all! This is what I feel I must say as to my fears, thus have I been pained by this blow, and this, I will further tell you, is my prayer. …