Psalm 7 — In you have I put my trust

^7:1^ To the end, a psalm of David which he sang to the Lord for the words of Chusai the son of Jemini. ^7:2^ O Lord my God, in you have I put my trust; save me from all those who persecute me, and deliver me. ^7:3^ Lest at any time he seize upon my soul like a lion, while there is no one to redeem me, nor to save. ^7:4^ O Lord my God, if I have done this thing, if there be iniquity in my hands, ^7:5a^ if I have rendered to those who repaid me evils,

^7:5b^ let me deservedly fall empty before my enemies. ^7:6^ Let the enemy pursue my soul, and take it, and tread down my life on the earth, and bring down my glory to the dust.

^7:7^ Rise up, O Lord, in your anger, and be exalted in the borders of my enemies. And arise, O Lord my God, in the precept which you have commanded: ^7:8^ And a congregation of people shall surround you. And for their sakes you return on high.

^7:9^ The Lord judges the people. Judge me, O Lord, according to my justice, and according to my innocence upon me. ^7:10a^ The wickedness of sinners shall be brought to naught, and you shall direct the just;

^7:10b^ the searcher of hearts and reins is God. ^7:11^ Just is my help from the Lord who saves the upright of heart.

^7:12^ God is a just judge, strong and patient. Is he angry every day?

^7:13^ Unless you are converted, he will brandish his sword; he has bent his bow and made it ready. ^7:14^ And in it he has prepared the instruments of death; he has made ready his arrows for those who burn.

^7:15^ Behold, he has been in labor with injustice; he has conceived sorrow, and brought forth iniquity.

^7:16^ He has opened a pit and dug it; and he has fallen into the hole he made. ^7:17^ His sorrow shall be turned on his own head, and his iniquity shall come down upon his crown.

^7:18^ I will give praise to the Lord according to his justice, and will sing to the name of the Lord the most high.

42. The earlier psalms were written for liberation from enemies; but this is a psalm in which he prays for vindication from them, and thus the title is to the end, which he sung to the Lord for the words of Chusai the son of Jemini.

The story in 2 Samuel 17 tells how David was fleeing before the face of his son, and Ahithophel, who was very wise, remained with Absalom. Chusai, however, remained with David, who had sent him back to learn the plans of Ahithophel and tell them to him. Now when Ahithophel gave Absalom counsel which was very dangerous to David, his father—namely, to attack him immediately before he could make himself safe elsewhere—Chusai secretly informed David so he could flee from the plains where he was and cross the Jordan to a fortified place. Therefore, when David had heard the message from Chusai, he sang this song to the Lord, and therefore it is said here, which he sung to the Lord for the words of Chusai the son of Jemini.

Now he is called the son of Jemini because he might have been from the tribe of Benjamin, or was descended from another who had this name.

Jerome does not have in the end. Neither does he have for victory but for ignorance, or for the ignorant. And he says for the words of the Ethiopian, although it is not known whether Chusai was Ethiopian.

Mystically, this psalm could be said by the Church against her persecutors. And then Chusai in for the words of Chusai would be interpreted to mean “silence,” but Jemini would mean “the right hand,” as if to say that by the hidden judgment of divine providence, Ahithophel, whose name means “the ruin of a brother” (that is, Judas Iscariot), conspired with counsel and help to bring to ruin (that is, to death), his brother, namely, Christ, who was not ashamed to call us brothers (Heb 2:11). But what he did for the destruction of one man, Christ turned to the salvation of all, as Augustine says in the gloss. (Peter Lombard, Magna glossatura (Patrologia Latina [Migne], 191:111).)

Now this psalm has three parts.

First, he describes his prayer.

Second, his being heard, at the Lord judges.

Third, the action of grace: I will give glory to the Lord.

He considers two things regarding the first.

First, he prays to be freed from his enemies.

Second, he prays that his enemies be overcome: rise up, O Lord, in your anger.

Regarding the first of these, he makes two points.

First, he begs for mercy.

Second, he declares his innocence: O Lord my God, if I have done this thing.

Regarding the first of these, he makes three points.

First, he expresses the disposition of the one praying.

Second, he lays out his petition: save me.

Third, he gives the reason for his petition: lest at any time he seize upon my soul.

Now the disposition of the prayer is that he should hope in the Lord because no one hoped in the Lord and was confounded (Sir 2:11), and so he says, in you have I put my trust.

His petition is twofold, for he asks to be saved and to be freed, according to Dionysius. To be freed is to be rescued from evil; to be saved is to be maintained in the good. (Dionysius, The Divine Names 8.9 (Patrologia Graeca [Migne], 3:898).) Therefore, he prays to be saved from his enemies’ corruption and to be freed from them. And this can be understood both about physical enemies and about spiritual enemies, as if to say, “Save me from enemies and from temptations.” Save me from the mouth of the lion (Ps 21:22). Free my soul from their malignity (Ps 34:17).

He gives the reason for his petition when he says, lest at any time he seize upon my soul like a lion, as if to say, “Unless you help me, Absalom will devour me like a lion.” *Arise and let us flee; for we shall not escape else from the face of Absalom (*2 Sam 15:14).

And while he speaks in the plural above, from all those who persecute, here he speaks in the singular, lest at any time he seize upon my soul like a lion, since all are included under one head: spiritual enemies under one devil, physical under Absalom. (Cf. ST III, q. 3, aa. 8–9.) Because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion (1 Pet 5:8). He lies in wait in secret like a lion (Ps 9:30).

Lest he seize, as if suddenly and swiftly. The wolf seizes (John 10:12), since the devil acts deceitfully.

And he will do this while there is no one to redeem me. To be redeemed means to be freed from evil, and this refers to freedom from punishment. I will redeem them from death (Hos 13:14).

Nor to save refers to freedom from guilt. He shall save his people from their sins (Matt 1:21). Jerome: lest indeed he seize my soul as a lion, and there be no one to rescue.

Afterwards he protests his innocence: O Lord my God, if I have done this thing.

And this can be understood in two ways: either as an oath or as an announcement.

If as an oath, then it should be known that an oath is of two kinds, (Cf. ST II-II, q. 89, a. 1.)

either through attestation, as in: for God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit (Rom 1:9),

or through imprecation, as when it is said, “If I did x, may y befall me.” If I have been glad at the downfall of he who hated me (Job 31:29). I call God to witness upon my soul (2 Cor 1:23), as if to say, “If I am not innocent, may he seize me.”

Or an oath can be understood as an announcement, as if to say, “If I fail in these things, let this be my punishment”: let me deservedly fall.

And following this formula he first disavows guilt: if I have done this thing.

Second, he determines a punishment for himself: let me deservedly fall.

Now he disavows guilt first generally speaking, when he says, O Lord my God, if I have done this thing. What is this thing? Sin: namely pride, according to the gloss, which is a universal sin. (Cf. Peter Lombard, Magna glossatura (Patrologia Latina [Migne], 191:112).) Pride is the beginning of all sin (Sir 10:15).

Another interpretation of this thing is when someone suffers some tribulation because of his own guilt, it is said to him, “You have done this thing,” as if to say, “You are the reason why this happened.”

And so he says, if I have done this thing, to give the reason for this persecution. David did judgment and justice to all his people (2 Sam 8:15). I will bear the wrath of the Lord, because I have sinned against him (Mic 7:9).

Second, when he says, if there be iniquity, he disavows particular guilt.

Here he makes three points.

First, he says that he has done injury to no one, and so he says, if there be iniquity. If you will put away from yourself the iniquity that is in your hand (Job 11:14). Reflect, and see, that there is no evil in my hand, nor iniquity (1 Sam 24:12). When a man has done injury to no one, it seems unjust that he be afflicted.

Second, he has even forgiven offenses, and so he says, if I have rendered. My eye has spared you. For I said, “I will not put out my hand against my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed” (1 Sam 24:11). Seek not revenge, nor be mindful of the injury of your citizens (Lev 19:18).

Third, he has done good to his enemies, which is a third good. So the text of Jerome has, I let my enemies go free. Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil by good (Rom 12:21). If your enemy is hungry, give him to eat (Prov 25:21). Do good to those who hate you (Matt 5:44). Elisha commanded the king of Samaria to provide food for the army of the king of Syria, which had come to capture him. And a great provision of meats was set before them, and they ate and drank (2 Kgs 6:23).

43. Next, when he says, let me deservedly fall, he designates the punishment that would follow for him, as if to say, “If what I say is not true, may these things happen to me.”

And first, he describes a loss of money;

second, a loss of his person;

third, a loss of glory.

Therefore, he says of the first, let this evil befall me: let me deservedly, that is justly, fall empty before my enemies, that is, let them carry away my goods. If a spot has cleaved to my hands, then let me sow and let another eat (Job 31:7–8).

In regard to his person, he describes three ways a man can suffer in himself:

first, by persecution;

second, by captivity;

and third, by death.

In regard to the first, he says, let the enemy pursue;

in regard to the second: let him take it.

In regard to the third: and let him tread down, either by killing or completely laying me low.

In regard to glory, he adds, and bring down my glory to the dust, as if to say, “Whatever it is in which I glory, let it be reduced to dust and scattered.”

The mystical interpretation would be that the enemy, the devil, persecutes by tempting. Our persecutors were swifter than the eagles of the air (Lam 4:19). Let him take it, through consent to sin. All her persecutors have taken her in the midst of straits (Lam 1:3).

Let him tread down through custom and contempt. Bow down, that we may go over (Isa 51:23).

The glory of a man is twofold, namely, natural and spiritual.

About natural glory, 1 Corinthians 11:7 says, the man indeed ought not to cover his head, because he is the image and glory of God.

About spiritual glory, 2 Corinthians 1:12 says, for our glory is this, the testimony of our conscience.

Therefore, the devil brings the glory of man down to the dust, since the image of God is defaced because it is disfigured: having their conscience seared (1 Tim 4:2). (Cf. ST I, q. 93, a. 4, ad 3.) O Lord, in your city you shall bring their image to nothing (Ps 72:20).

44. Above, he set forth a prayer for himself, asking for freedom and salvation; here he prays against his enemies:

he asks first for their punishment;

second, for the fruit of punishment, at and be exalted.

Let us read the text first historically, as it can be applied to David.

Rise up is said to two types of men: those sleeping and those lying down. Now God seems to sleep when he does not punish sins, as though he lacks the vigilance of prudence. Arise, why do you sleep, O Lord? (Ps 43:23). Also, when he does not punish, he seems to be lying impotent; but he seems to rise up when he shows his power by punishing his enemies. Let your hand be exalted, and let them not see; let the envious people see and be confounded, and let fire devour your inheritance (Isa 26:11). In anger, he says, that is, in punishment, which is the effect of anger. (Cf. ST I-II, q. 46, a. 1, resp.)

Now he describes a triple fruit of punishment.

One fruit pertains to God: that God is exalted, not in himself, but in the opinion of men, since through it he is acclaimed as high and powerful. And so he says, arise, as if to say, “Humble my enemies, and in this you will appear exalted.” For as you have been magnified in us in their sight, so you shall be magnified among them in our presence (Sir 36:4). And he says, in the borders, that he should humble them completely and that nothing should remain of their borders to be taken. Jerome has, arise angrily over the enemies, as if to say, “Be angry, and in this, arise.”

Another fruit pertains to David: the Lord has sought for a man according to his own heart and he has commanded him to be prince over his people (1 Sam 13:14). And David said about himself, the Lord commanded me, that I might be the ruler (2 Sam 6:21). Therefore, this command seems to have been made void when David was brought low, and so he says: arise . . . in the precept which you have commanded, that is, that I should be head in the kingdom. And so Jerome has, rise up to me in the judgment which you have commanded.

Another fruit pertains to the people. In the old law, some leaders were chosen by the people, but the highest leader was chosen by God alone. May the Lord the God of the spirits of all flesh provide a man (Num 27:16). When you have come into the land which the Lord your God will give you, and possess it, and shall say, “I will set a king over me, as all nations have that are round about: you shall set him whom the Lord your God shall choose” (Deut 17:14–15).

Therefore, the people in highest leadership should have followed the divine ordinance, and so he adds, and a congregation of people shall surround you, that is, it will follow your command so that it may be brought back to me, and for their sakes you return on high, that is, your magnificence will become manifest, as if to say, “Not only for your vindication, but also so that men may be brought back to me.”

But insofar as it refers to Christ, he asks about the mystery of the Incarnation, from which come two fruits.

First, the suppression of the demons,

and the conversion of men: rise up, O Lord.

In regard to the first, he says, rise up, that is, appear in the world through the Incarnation, and do this in your anger, that is, to punish the demons. Now is the judgment of the world (John 12:31). What have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? are you come to destroy us? (Mark 1:24).

And be exalted in the borders of my enemies, by taking away their possession. When a strong man armed keeps his court, those things are in peace which he possesses. But if a stronger than he come upon him, and overcome him; he will take away all his armor wherein he trusted, and will distribute his spoils (Luke 11:21–22), and how can any one enter into the house of the strong, and rifle his goods, unless he first bind the strong? And then he will rifle his house (Matt 12:29).

Or this passage is against the Jews; it is the petition of the Church of the gentiles against them.

And he says, be exalted in the enemies’ borders; the other parts of the interpretation are not changed. That which appears exalted to men is for this same reason hidden—for example, when it is lifted up exceedingly high. So what is hidden in the depths appears if it is exalted. The depths also of rivers he has searched, and hidden things he has brought forth to light (Job 28:11). So he says, be exalted, that is, be made manifest. And as what is exceedingly exalted is hidden—he was raised up, and a cloud received him out of their sight (Acts 1:9)—so be exalted, that you may be made hidden to the Jews in order that they might not know you, and so crucify you and be redeemed.

In regard to the second, he says, arise O God, in the precept, for the conversion of men.

Here he first describes the motive of conversion;

second, its completion;

and third, punishment.

Therefore, he says, in the precept, namely of meekness and humility, which you have commanded. Learn of me because I am meek and humble of heart (Matt 11:29).

Arise, therefore, in this precept, that is, appear humble while being on high, as if to say, “Accept humility in such a way that you do not leave the height.”

Or it could mean arise from the dead.

And so a congregation of people shall surround you; the congregation of the blessed who will be rewarded and of the evil who will be punished. Your name is as oil poured out (Song 1:2). The mountain of the house of the Lord shall be prepared on the top of mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it (Isa 2:2). Lift up your eyes round about, and see: all these are gathered together, they are come to you (Isa 60:4).

And for their sakes you return on high, to perfect this synagogue, the congregation of believers: ascending on high, he led captivity captive (Eph 4:8). For he shall go up who shall open the way before them (Mic 2:13).

Or, you will hide from the eyes of the Jews on high. A congregation of people shall surround you, by condemning and persecuting, for which they will be greatly punished.

45. This is the second part of this psalm, which treats the hearing of the petition. And since the hearing of the petition occurs by God’s judgment, so the divine judgment is introduced.

And first, he sets it forth;

second, he treats its deferral: God is a just judge, strong and patient. Is he angry every day?

Regarding the first, he makes three points:

for he first sets forth the judgment itself;

second, its manner, judge me, O Lord;

third, the particular characteristics of the judge: the searcher of hearts and reins is God.

Therefore, he says, “I have enemies persecuting me, and I ask for divine help to be freed. And I have confidence about this because the Lord judges the people. For he judges the world with justice, and the people with his truth (Ps 95:13).” The Lord stands up to judge, and he stands to judge the people (Is 3:13).

And note that after he has said, and for their sakes you return on high, he adds something about judgment, since after the Ascension he will return to judge. Just as you have seen him going up into heaven, so he shall come to judge (Acts 1:11). He describes the manner of judgment in the form of a prayer, since by praying he shows what will happen in the judgment, saying, judge me.

And first, he describes the repayment of good people;

second, the punishment of evil ones: sinners shall be brought to naught.

In judgment, two things are repaid, since good things will be given to the good and evil to the evil. Therefore, he who is good and free from evil will have an abundance of good things and a removal of evil things. He who shall hear me . . . shall enjoy abundance, without fear of evils (Prov 1:33). And so in regard to this first aspect, he says, judge me, O Lord, according to my justice, which you have given to me, according to which I am just; and it is justice that you should repay good things to me. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill (Matt 5:6).

In regard to the second aspect, he says, according to my innocence, and it is justice that they should suffer no evil. The innocent shall be saved, and he shall be saved by the cleanness of his hands (Job 22:30).

And note that he asks for this judgment to be in accordance with justice. Above, in the penitential psalm, he speaks that it should be in accordance with mercy, not remembering his own merit; but now, since, already justified, he has done some good things for which reward is owed, he asks to be judged according to justice. His saying upon me expresses that the justice and innocence of man are not from man, but from God. (Cf. ST I-II, q. 113, a. 2.)

Contrary to his asking that he receive goods and suffer no evil is the argument that sometimes it is good and useful to be oppressed by evils, and further, that the good have evils in this world, and the evil have goods. Remember that you did receive good things in your lifetime (Luke 16:25).

And a reason is given for this. The wickedness of sinners shall be fulfilled, that is, shall reach an end. He who is filthy, let him be filthy still (Rev 22:11).

Note that sometimes God delays punishment so that the predestined may be converted. Therefore the Lord waits that he may have mercy on you (Isa 30:18). So, then, the wickedness of sinners shall be brought to naught, that is, fail.

And sometimes this is so that the evil may manifest their malice more clearly and the justice of God’s judgments be apparent, and then the wickedness of sinners shall be consumed, that is, completed, so that the justice of the vindication may appear more clearly, which is why he says, know beforehand that your seed shall be a stranger in a land not their own . . . for as yet the iniquities of the Amorrhites are not at the full until this present time (Gen 15:13, 16). (Cf. ST Supp., q. 94, a. 3; Supp., q. 99, a. 1.) And he gave him no inheritance in it; no, not the pace of a foot: but he promised to give it him in possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child (Acts 7:5).

So he says, it shall be consumed, as if to say, “They shall do whatever they can, since then the wickedness of these same sinners shall be consumed.”

But shall the evil, then, severely oppress the just? No, because God directs the just. So, you shall direct the just. The simplicity of the just shall guide them (Prov 11:3).

46. Afterwards, when he adds, the searcher, he shows the suitability of the judge.

And first, he describes the suitability of the judge;

and second, he describes the confidence aroused by him: just is my help.

Now two things are required for a judge to be suitable: that he be wise, and that he be just.

Now these are found in God, and so he is a suitable judge. The king, who sits on the throne of judgment, scatters away all evil with his look (Prov 20:8). And he is most wise, knowing all things, even those that are interior: all things are naked and open to his eyes (Heb 4:13). And he is most just: but you, O Lord of Sabaoth, who judge justly (Jer 11:20). And so he says, the searcher of hearts.

Jerome has, the examiner of hearts and reins, the just God, and the other verse follows, my shield is in God, while our text has, just is my help.

Therefore, he says, the searcher.

Now, there are three things in man:

one which is apparent, namely, his external work;

and two which are hidden, his intention and his delight.

These two are hidden to us but open to God. And since they are known to God, although hidden to us, he says, the searcher of hearts, since he knows the intention, and reins, that is, the delight—whether you delight in the praise of God or of men.

But since to search is to inquire, and to inquire belongs to the ignorant, he removes this from God. And in order to show that God knows clearly, when he said, shall be consumed, he appropriately said, the searcher, since the condition of man appears most clearly in tribulation.

Afterwards, he adds, just is my help from the Lord. Here he discusses the confidence inspired by the judge, from whom help is expected.

For there are two kinds of help from God:

that of mercy

and that of justice.

The help by which one is freed from evils and from sins is that of mercy, and it is not just since it does not come from merits.

But when someone is justified, God perfects him, and this belongs to justice, since it corresponds in some way to merit.

It is said about the first, a helper in due time (Ps 9:10).

About the second, God will help it (Ps 45:6).

But why? Since he saves the upright of heart. He will keep the salvation of the righteous (Prov 2:7). The upright of heart, that is, those who incline toward God in their intention.

But Cassiodorus asks why he does not say, “Who saves those with upright reins,” but rather the upright of heart. (Cf. Augustine, Expositions on the Psalms 7.11 (Corpus Christianorum Series Latina, 38:43–44).)

I respond: uprightness pertains to the order to the end, and the intention is directed to this, and so it is necessary that the intention be right. But to the reins pertains sensual delight.

47. Above, he discussed the divine judgment; now here he treats the delay of the future event, that is, of punishment.

First, he shows the cause of the delay,

second, the preparation for vindication: unless you are converted.

Now he puts forward three reasons why God could be thought not to punish sinners.

One is that he is not just, so providence is distant from human actions. The iniquity of the house of Israel, and of Judah, is exceedingly great, and the land is filled with blood, and the city is filled with perverseness, for they have said, “The Lord has forsaken the earth, and the Lord sees not” (Ezek 9:9). He walks about the poles of heaven, and he does not consider our things (Job 22:14). And he disavows this of God, who is a just judge. Behold, a king shall reign in justice, and princes shall rule in judgment (Isa 32:1).

Another reason would be that he is not powerful, but he disavows this, since God is . . . strong. If strength be demanded, he is most strong (Job 9:19).

Therefore, what is the reason? That he is patient. Therefore it asks, is he angry every day? That is, he does not punish on any day whatsoever, but waits for a time and overlooks. Overlooking the sins of men for the sake of repentance (Wis 11:24). The Lord waits that he may have mercy on you (Isa 30:18). The thrasher shall not thrash it for ever (Isa 28:28).

Jerome has, threatening the whole day, that is, through Sacred Scripture.

48. Afterwards, when he says, unless you are converted, he shows that the Lord prepares himself to inflict punishment, although he delays for a reason. And he describes the preparation here:

first, on the part of God punishing;

second, on the part of the man punished or the receiver of the punishment: behold, he has been in labor.

The preparation on the part of God is described according to the preparation of man against his merits or sin, since to God the wicked and his wickedness are hateful alike (Wis 14:9).

As a man prepares himself with a sword against enemies who are near, but with a bow against those who are distant, so the divine vindication against those who seem to cling to themselves and who can see the cause of punishment is called a sword, as though against those who are near, but a bow against those far off; and so he does not immediately punish you, but prepares himself so you may be converted. Unless you are converted, he will brandish his sword; he has bent his bow and made it ready. This is his vindication: flee from the face of the sword, for the sword is the avenger of iniquities (Job 19:29). His dart shall go forth as lightning (Zech 9:14).

He will brandish to terrify, and, toward those near, to strike them more forcefully, since unless a man is converted through threats, he will cut him down forcefully.

Maximus Valerius: the divine wrath goes forward to vengeance by slow steps, and makes up for the slowness of its punishment by its seriousness. (Maximus Valerius, Factorum ac dictorum memorabilium 9.1.)

Jerome has, he sharpens his sword, that is, he will prepare a greater condemnation. If I shall sharpen my sword as the lightning (Deut 32:41). Do not think that I came to send peace upon earth . . . but the sword (Matt 10:34).

According to the gloss, Christ is the sword of God. (Peter Lombard, Magna glossatura (Patrologia Latina [Migne], 191:117).) Therefore, the brandishing is the threat of Gehenna in which the wicked are cut down as by him vindicating. In that day God shall visit with his hard, and great, and strong sword (Isa 27:1).

And he also prepares himself with a bow, as though for those distant: he has bent his bow and made it ready.

And he speaks first about the preparation of the bow;

second, of the arrows: he has bent his bow and made it ready.

He who prepares a bow first bends it;

second, adjusts it in his hand.

In regard to the first, he says, his bow, that is, the divine vindication, like one punishing unexpectedly.

In regard to the second, he says, and made it ready. For Topheth is prepared from yesterday, prepared by the king, deep and wide (Isa 30:33), namely, to punish.

Second, he speaks about the preparation of the arrows: in it he has prepared the instruments of death,

first, in regard to the arrows themselves;

second, how he puts something more deadly on them, perhaps fire or poison.

Therefore, he says, and in it, namely, the bow, he has prepared the instruments, that is, the instruments of death (namely, of killing). Every one has a destroying weapon in his hand (Ezek 9:1).

For those who burn, because here is something flammable, by which should be understood the punishment of eternal fire. But it is said that the Hebrew has, he has made his arrows persecute me.

This bow signifies Sacred Scripture, according to Augustine in the gloss. (Cf. Peter Lombard, Magna glossatura (Patrologia Latina [Migne], 191:117).) My bow in my hand shall be repaired (Job 29:20). This bow is bent when the hardness of the Old Testament is softened by the New. It is prepared when it is explained. He has prepared the instruments of death.

The instruments of death can be taken in two ways:

in regard to good

or in regard to evil.

These latter are the heretics, who, from the Sacred Scriptures, prepare death for the simple. And thus, he has prepared, that is, he has allowed to be prepared. He caused them to wander (Ps 106:40). He has made ready, that is, he has exteriorized, or made apparent, his arrows, penetrating sayings. The sharp arrows of the mighty (Ps 119:4).

Or, taken in regard to the good, the instruments of death are the apostles sent to the disobedient. To the one indeed the odor of death unto death, but to the others the odor of life unto life (2 Cor 2:16). And he rendered them fit to burn with the fire of charity. Elijah the prophet stood up, as a fire, and his word burnt like a torch (Sir 48:1).

49. Afterwards, when he says, behold, he has been in labor, he treats the preparation on the part of the man to be punished.

Here he puts forward two things:

progression into sin, by which one is “prepared,” that is, to be punished;

and second, meeting with punishment: he has opened a pit.

In the progression of sin, three things take place. Evil is proposed, attempted, and accomplished. And so the enemies of David first conceived it, but later came the time of attempting it, and afterwards they accomplished it.

Now, the proposal is like conception, attempting like childbirth, accomplishing like having given birth. And so he says, behold, he has been in labor, that is, he tries to accomplish injustice against his neighbor. He has conceived sorrow, since they have labored to commit iniquity (Jer 9:5). They have conceived . . . iniquity (Isa 59:4). When concupiscence has conceived it brings forth sin (Jas 1:15). Now, he brought forth the iniquity which was conceived, since Absalom and Ahithophel, with their confederates, had taken away Jerusalem.

50. He has opened a pit. He treats punishment.

And first he lays out a metaphor;

second, he explains it, at his sorrow shall be turned.

Hunters place traps to catch wolves in deep holes. These enemies likewise exercise their ingenuity to catch men; this happens through betrayal, and so it is like a pit. Among the Hebrews, a deep hole is called a pit. You also by the blood of your testament have sent forth your prisoners out of the pit, in which there is no water (Zech 9:11).

Therefore, he has opened, that is, he came up with deceit, a pit, that is, a deep hole, and dug it, by thinking deeply.

And here, to finish, he has fallen into the hole he made, since he was intending to kill and was killed himself. They dug a pit before my face, and they have fallen into it (Ps 56:7).

And here he explains how it is mine: it shall be turned on his own head. Since he conceived sorrow, sorrow shall be turned on his own head—that is, the iniquity which he brought forth shall come down upon his crown. The iniquity thereof shall be heavy upon it, and it shall fall, and not rise again (Isa 24:20).

51. I will give praise. This is the third part, where he lays out his thanksgiving according to his justice, which precedes merit. His work is praise and magnificence (Ps 110:3).

And I will sing with a psaltery. Take a psalm, and bring here the timbrel; the pleasant psaltery with the harp (Ps 80:3).