Monday, February 11, 2013

Psalm 111 verse 9: Hell awaits for the wicked!

Today the conclusion of this series on Psalm 111 with a look at the final verse:

Peccator videbit, et irascetur; dentibus suis fremet et tabescet : desiderium peccatorum peribit.
The wicked shall see, and shall be angry, he shall gnash with his teeth and pine away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.

Looking at the text

Peccator (the sinner) videbit (will see), et (and) irascetur (he will be angry)

peccator, oris, m.  a sinner, transgressor; the wicked, the godless.
video, vidi, vlsum, ere 2,  to see, behold; consider; experience, undergo, suffer, realize; keep watch, look for, meditate on
irascor, iratus sum, irasci to be angry or wrathful.

dentibus suis (his teeth) fremet (he gnashes) et (and) tabescet (he pines away)

dens, dentis, m.  a tooth;  to gnash the teeth; to break the teeth of one is to destroy his power, to render him harmless.
fremo, ui, itum, ere 3  to rage, clamor; dentibus fremere, to gnash the teeth.
tabesco, tabui, ere 3  to pine away, waste away, melt away, faint

desiderium (the desire) peccatorum (of sinners) peribit (it will perish)

desiderium, ii, n.  desire, longing, wish, yearning
pereo, ii, itum, ire,  to perish, come to naught, be lost;  stray, be lost.

Penetrating the meaning of the text

Why is it that evil-doers are not just committed to a life of sin, but seem so often to also be filled with anger and jealousy at the good?  

The psalm closes with a reminder that no matter the force of their wrath now, it is transitory, for they shall go down to that final death that is hell…

The psalm as a whole

1 Beatus vir qui timet Dominum : in mandatis ejus volet nimis
2 Potens in terra erit semen ejus; generatio rectorum benedicetur.
3 Gloria et divitiæ in domo ejus, et justitia ejus manet in sæculum sæculi. 
4 Exortum est in tenebris lumen rectis : misericors, et miserator, et justus. 
5 Jucundus homo qui miseretur et commodat; disponet sermones suos in judicio: quia in æternum non commovebitur.  
6 In memoria æterna erit justus; ab auditione mala non timebit.
7 Paratum cor ejus sperare in Domino, confirmatum est cor ejus; non commovebitur donec despiciat inimicos suos.
8 Dispersit, dedit pauperibus; justitia ejus manet in sæculum sæculi : cornu ejus exaltabitur in gloria.
9 Peccator videbit, et irascetur; dentibus suis fremet et tabescet : desiderium peccatorum peribit.

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