Psalms 9:7
The swords of the enemy have failed unto the end: and their cities thou hast destroyed. Their memory hath perished with a noise.
Open Psalms 9:7 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Inimici defecerunt frameæ in finem, et civitates eorum destruxisti. Periit memoria eorum cum sonitu ;
- Septuagint (Swete)
- τοῦ ἐχθροῦ ἐξέλιπον αἱ ῥομφαῖαι εἰς τέλος, καὶ πόλεις καθεῖλες· ἀπώλετο τὸ μνημόσυνον αὐτῶν μετ᾽ ἠχοῦς·
- Hebrew (WLC)
- הָֽאוֹיֵ֨ב תַּ֥מּוּ חֳרָב֗וֹת לָ֫נֶ֥צַח וְעָרִ֥ים נָתַ֑שְׁתָּ אָבַ֖ד זִכְרָ֣ם הֵֽמָּה
Haydock's commentary
Swords. "My enemies have sunk under the sword." (Syriac) (Haydock)
Frameæ is a German word for "javelins," pointed with iron, which they might either throw, or use in close fight. (Tacitus)
It is often put for a sword. Et Martii frameam. (Juvenal xiii.)
The weapons of the enemy being exhausted, they are forced to yield.
Their. Hebrew, &c., "the."
Noise, as swiftly. These fierce nations are fallen like a huge Colossus. (Calmet)
Hebrew, "they themselves," or "with them."
Cities, &c.
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 IX
8. “The swords of the enemy have failed at the end” ( ver. 6 ). Not enemies in the plural, but this enemy in the singular. Now what enemy’s swords have failed but the devil’s? Now these are understood to be divers erroneous opinions, whereby as with swords he destroys souls. In overcoming these swords, and in bringing them to failure, that sword is employed, of which it is said in the seventh Psalm, “If ye be not converted, He will brandish His sword.” And peradventure this is the end, against which the swords of the enemy fail; since up to it they are of some avail. Now it worketh secretly, but in the last judgment it will be brandished openly. By it the cities are destroyed. …
Theodoret Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus, To John, Bishop of Germanicia
I have always known, sir, that you are not unmindful of our friendship. And it has ever been my wish and prayer that your piety should give heed to exact truth, and shun the communion of traitors to true religion, ascribing to the Supreme Ruler His care on our behalf. For indeed, while I have been silent and inactive, He has put an end to our very keen and terrible sufferings, and has replaced the dire tempest by this bright calm. And now that the loving-kindness of the Lord has granted us this blessing, I find the quiet of my retreat indeed delightful, for I feel the necessity of persuading those who have been led away by the slanders launched against me, and of both convincing them of the truth of the teaching of the gospels, and refuting the attack of falsehood. …
St Athanasius Life of Antony. (Vita Antoni.), His address to monks, rendered from Coptic, exhorting them to perseverance, and encouraging them against the wiles of Satan
41. ‘And since I have become a fool in detailing these things, receive this also as an aid to your safety and fearlessness; and believe me for I do not lie. Once some one knocked at the door of my cell, and going forth I saw one who seemed of great size and tall. Then when I enquired, “Who art thou?” he said, “I am Satan.” Then when I said, “Why art thou here?” he answered, “Why do the monks and all other Christians blame me undeservedly? Why do they curse me hourly?” Then I answered, “Wherefore dost thou trouble them?” He said, “I am not he who troubles them, but they trouble themselves, for I am become weak. Have they not read,” “The swords of the enemy have come to an end, and thou hast destroyed the cities?” “I have no longer a place, a weapon, a city. The Christians are spread everywhere, and at length even the desert is filled with monks. …
St Gregory Nazianzen The Second Oration on Easter
XX. What sayest thou? Thus it hath pleased Him that thou shouldest come forth out of Egypt, the iron furnace; that thou shouldest leave behind the idolatry of that country, and be led by Moses and his lawgiving and martial rule. I give thee a piece of advice which is not my own, or rather which is very much my own, if thou consider the matter spiritually. Borrow from the Egyptians vessels of gold and silver; with these take thy journey; supply thyself for the road with the goods of strangers, or rather with thine own. There is money owing to thee, the wages of thy bondage and of thy brickmaking; be clever on thy side too in asking retribution; be an honest robber. Thou didst suffer wrong there whilst thou wast fighting with the clay (that is, this troublesome and filthy body) and wast building cities foreign and unsafe, whose memorial perishes with a cry. …