Psalms 88:23
The enemy shall have no advantage over him: nor the son of iniquity have power to hurt him.
Open Psalms 88:23 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Nihil proficiet inimicus in eo, et filius iniquitatis non apponet nocere ei.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- οὐκ ὠφελήσει ἐχθρὸς ἐν αὐτῷ, καὶ υἱὸς ἀνομίας οὐ προσθήσει τοῦ κακῶσαι αὐτόν·
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 89:23
- לֹֽא יַשִּׁ֣א אוֹיֵ֣ב בּ֑וֹ וּבֶן עַ֝וְלָ֗ה לֹ֣א יְעַנֶּֽנּוּ
Haydock's commentary
Him. The Jews contributed to the glory of Christ, and the redemption of mankind. The enemies of David fell before his feet. (Calmet)
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 City of God, How Like the Prophecy About Christ in the 89th Psalm is to the Things Promised in Nathan’s Prophecy in the Books of Samuel
Wherefore also in the 89th Psalm, of which the title is, “An instruction for himself by Ethan the Israelite,” mention is made of the promises God made to king David, and some things are there added similar to those found in the Book of Samuel, such as this, “I have sworn to David my servant that I will prepare his seed for ever.” And again, “Then thou spakest in vision to thy sons, and saidst, I have laid help upon the mighty One, and have exalted the chosen One out of my people. I have found David my servant, and with my holy oil I have anointed him. For mine hand shall help him, and mine arm shall strengthen him. The enemy shall not prevail against him, and the son of iniquity shall harm him no more. And I will beat down his foes from before his face, and those that hate him will I put to flight. And my truth and my mercy shall be with him, and in my name shall his horn be exalted. …
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm LXXXIX
22. “The enemy shall not be able to do him violence” ( ver. 22 ). The enemy rages indeed but he shall not be able to do Him violence: he is wont to hurt, but he shall not hurt. How then shall he afflict Him? he will exercise Him, but he shall not hurt Him. There shall be profit in his raging; for those against whom he rages shall be crowned in their conquering. For how is he conquered, if he rages not against us? or where is God our helper, if we fight not? The enemy therefore shall do what is in his power; but “he shall not be able to do Him violence: the son of wickedness shall not come nigh to hurt Him.”
St Cyril of Jerusalem On the words Incarnate, and Made Man
23. We know then for certain that the Lord was to be born of a Virgin, but we have to shew of what family the Virgin was. The Lord sware in truth unto David, and will not set it aside. Of the fruit of body will I set upon thy throne : and again, seed will I establish for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven . And afterwards, Once have I sworn by My holiness that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before Me, and as the moon established for ever . Thou seest that the discourse is of Christ, not of Solomon. For Solomon’s throne endured not as the sun. But if any deny this, because Christ sat not on David’s throne of wood, we will bring forward that saying, The Scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat : for it signifies not his wooden seat, but the authority of his teaching. …