Psalms 79:17
Things set on fire and dug down shall perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.
The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Incensa igni et suffossa, ab increpatione vultus tui peribunt.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- ἐμπεπυρισμένη πυρὶ καὶ ἀνεσκαμμένη· ἀπὸ ἐπιτιμήσεως τοῦ προσώπου σου ἀπολοῦνται.
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 80:17
- שְׂרֻפָ֣ה בָאֵ֣שׁ כְּסוּחָ֑ה מִגַּעֲרַ֖ת פָּנֶ֣יךָ יֹאבֵֽדוּ
Haydock's commentary
Things set on fire, &c. So this vineyard of thine, almost consumed already, must perish if thou continue thy rebukes. (Challoner)
Things, would imply that incensa is in the neuter plural. But this is not the case in Septuagint or Hebrew. (Berthier)
St. Jerome has succensam, "Look down upon the vine or root, (17) burn up and without any branches. Let them perish at," &c., who have thus treated it. (Haydock)
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 LXXX
10. “Things burned with fire, and dug up, by the rebuke of Thy countenance shall perish” ( ver. 16 ). What are the things burned with fire and dug up which shall perish from the rebuke of His countenance? Let us see and perceive what are the things burned with fire and dug up. Christ hath rebuked what? Sins: by the rebuke of His countenance sins have perished. Why then are sins burned with fire and dug up? Of all sins, two things are the cause in man, desire and fear. Think, examine, question your hearts, sift your consciences, see whether there can be sins, except they be either of desire, or of fear. There is set before thee a reward to induce thee to sin, that is, a thing which delighteth thee; thou doest it, because thou desirest it. But perchance thou wilt not be allured by bribes; thou art terrified with menaces, thou doest it because thou fearest. …
St John Chrysostom The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch, Homily II
22. There is one thing in which wealth seems to have an advantage over poverty, viz. that it lives in a state of daily luxury, and is supplied with an abundance of pleasure in its banquets. This however may also be seen exemplified at the table of the poor; and these enjoy there a pleasure superior to that of the rich. And marvel not at this, nor think what I say a paradox; for I will make the matter clear to you from the evidence of facts. Ye know of course, and ye all confess that in feasts it is not the nature of the viands, but the disposition of those who feast upon them, which usually causes the pleasure; for instance, when any one comes to the table hungry, the food will taste sweeter than any delicacy, or condiment, or a thousand exquisite preparations for the palate, although it may be the most common article of diet. …