Ps 139 v10: Plots, lies and heresy

Verse 10 of Psalm 139 is the start of a section of the psalm dealing with the fate of those who plot evil, and is important in setting up a contrast between the appearance and behaviour of the evil man in this psalm, and the just man in the next.

Here are a selection of Latin (and Greek) versions of the text:

10	V	Caput circúitus eórum: * labor labiórum ipsórum opériet eos.
	OR	caput circuitus eorum labor labiorum ipsorum operiet eos
	NV	Exaltant caput, qui circumdant me; malitia labiorum ipsorum operiat eos.
	Pian	Extollunt caput qui me circumdant: Malitia labiorum eorum obruat eos.
	JH	Amaritudo conuiuarum eorum, labor labiorum eorum operiet eos.
	Sept	ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῦ κυκλώματος αὐτῶν κόπος τῶν χειλέων αὐτῶν καλύψει αὐτούς

[Key: V=Vulgate; OR=Old Roman; NV=Neo-Vulgate; JH=St Jerome's translation from the Hebrew; Sept=Septuagint]

Looking at the Latin 

If we focus first on the first version, the Vulgate, we can rearrange the Douay-Rheims translation slightly to get a phrase by phrase comparison: 

Caput eórum circúitus labor labiórum ipsórum opériet eos.

The head of them compassing me about: the labour of their lips shall overwhelm them.

Word by word: 

Caput (the head) circúitus (surrounding/around) eórum (of them): * labor (the work) labiórum (of the lips) ipsórum (their) opériet (it will overwhelm) eos (them).

The key vocabulary for the verse is as follows:

caput, itis, n. the head
circuitus, us, used chiefly in the phrase "in circuitu," round about.
labor, oris, m., work, labor, toil, effort; Labor, travail; mischief; trouble, difficulty
labium, ii, n., a lip; frequently stands for language, speech, thought, plan, design.
operio perui pertum ire to cover, cover over; pardon; overwhelm; clothe

DR	The head of them compassing me about: the labour of their lips shall overwhelm them.
Brenton	[As for] the head of them that compass me, the mischief of their lips shall cover them.
MD	They carried high their heads, they that surround me, the mischief of their lips shall overwhelm them.
RSV	Let the mischief of their own lips fall upon the head of them that compass me about.
Cover	Those who surround me lift up their head, let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!
Knox	They carry their heads high as they close in around me; let their conspiracy prove its own undoing
Grail	Those surrounding me lift up their heads. Let the malice of their speech overwhelm them.

 [Key: DR=Douay-Rheims Challoner; MD=Monastic Diurnal; RSV=Revised Standard Version; Cover=Coverdale]

Pride and humility

The Masoretic Tradition-based translations (Knox, Grail and Coverdale) set out below are actually useful in this case in making clearer that the reference to the head here implies the proud, those who keep their 'heads lifted up' rather than those who keep their eyes cast down and their heads bowed down out of humility as St Benedict instructs his monks to do in Chapter 7 of his rule.  

St Augustine makes the central point, following and building on St Ambrose's thinking, in asserting that pride is the basis of all sin: "But the head of their going about is pride, for pride is the beginning of every sin."  

Plots, heresy and lies

The circling about, or encompassing reference, Cassiodorus explains, can be seen as the way the devil roams around, looking for ways to attack us:

...the head of her enemies, the devil, embarks on a rotating detour, for he never attains the direct way, but is ever enfolding himself by doubling back on his tracks. The order of words is like this: Their head goes round. Peter likewise says of him: Your adversary as a roaring lion goes round, seeking whom he may devour.

The jist of the verse, then, is a plea or prophesy that those who plot against Christ and his Church will find their evil rebound against them. Theodoret for example comments that:

...may they fall foul of their own schemes, he is saying, and suffer what they devised against me, and may the savagery hatched against me completely envelop those employing it.  This resembles what is said in the seventh psalm: “He sank a pit and dug it out, and fell into the hole he had made.” 

St Jerome points the finger at heretics who twist the words of the philosophers to defend their positions, and argues that the proper response is orthodox teaching grounded in Holy Scripture:

...these heretics hide themselves in the winding utterances of Aristotle and the other philosophers and so shield and defend themselves. The man of the Church, however, with the cross as a staff unwinds the coil, discloses the head hidden within its recesses, and there strikes at it. In other words, he draws proof from the Sacred Scriptures and disseminates it'

 

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem. Psalmus David.	Unto the end, a psalm of David.
1 Eripe me, Dómine, ab hómine malo: * a viro iníquo éripe me.	Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: rescue me from the unjust man.
2 Qui cogitavérunt iniquitátes in corde: * tota die constituébant prælia.	3 Who have devised iniquities in their hearts: all the day long they designed battles.
3 Acuérunt linguas suas sicut serpéntis: * venénum áspidum sub lábiis eórum.	4 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent: the venom of asps is under their lips.
4 Custódi me, Dómine, de manu peccatóris: * et ab homínibus iníquis éripe me.	5 Keep me, O Lord, from the hand of the wicked: and from unjust men deliver me.
5 Qui cogitavérunt supplantáre gressus meos: * abscondérunt supérbi láqueum mihi:	Who have proposed to supplant my steps: 6 The proud have hidden a net for me.
6 Et funes extendérunt in láqueum: * juxta iter scándalum posuérunt mihi.	And they have stretched out cords for a snare: they have laid for me a stumbling block by the wayside.
7. Dixi Dómino : Deus meus es tu: * exáudi, Dómine, vocem deprecatiónis meæ.	7 I said to the Lord: You are my God: hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication.
8 Dómine, Dómine, virtus salútis meæ: * obumbrásti super caput meum in die belli.	8 O Lord, Lord, the strength of my salvation: you have overshadowed my head in the day of battle.
9 Ne tradas me, Dómine, a desidério meo peccatóri: * cogitavérunt contra me, ne derelínquas me, ne forte exalténtur.	9 Give me not up, O Lord, from my desire to the wicked: they have plotted against me; do not forsake me, lest they should triumph.
10 Caput circúitus eórum: * labor labiórum ipsórum opériet eos.	10 The head of them compassing me about: the labour of their lips shall overwhelm them.
11 Cadent super eos carbónes, in ignem dejícies eos: * in misériis non subsístent.	11 Burning coals shall fall upon them; you will cast them down into the fire: in miseries they shall not be able to stand.
12 Vir linguósus non dirigétur in terra: * virum injústum mala cápient in intéritu.	12 A man full of tongue shall not be established in the earth: evil shall catch the unjust man unto destruction.
13 Cognóvi quia fáciet Dóminus judícium ínopis: * et vindíctam páuperum.	13 I know that the Lord will do justice to the needy, and will revenge the poor.
14 Verúmtamen justi confitebúntur nómini tuo: * et habitábunt recti cum vultu tuo.	14 But as for the just, they shall give glory to your name: and the upright shall dwell with your countenance.

And for the next part in this series, continue on here.

Ps 139 v9: Save us from evil desires and the plots of the wicked

Verse 9 of Psalm 139 speaks of our desire for salvation, in the face of those looking around for someone, anyone to destroy.

Looking at the Latin

The Vulgate and Douay-Rheims translations are arranged phrase by phrase below:

Ne tradas me, Dómine, a desidério meo peccatóri: cogitavérunt contra me,  ne derelínquas me, ne forte exalténtur.

Give me not up, O Lord, from my desire to the wicked: they have plotted against me; do not forsake me, lest they should triumph.

The key vocabulary for the verse is as follows:

trado, didi, ditum, ere 3,  to give up, hand over, deliver up or over, abandon

desiderium, ii, n.  desire, longing, wish, yearning

peccator, oris, m.  a sinner, transgressor; the wicked, the godless.

cogito, avi, atum, are  to think, plan, devise, take counsel

derelinquo, liqui, lictum, ere 3, to abandon, forsake.

forte, adv. perhaps, perchance

exalto, avi, atum, are  to exalt, i.e., to elevate in rank, power, dignity, or the like; to dignify

Word by word:

Ne (not) tradas (you abandon/give up) me, Dómine (O Lord), a (from) desidério (the desire, wish) meo (my) peccatóri (to/for the wicked): cogitavérunt (they have plotted) contra (against) me, ne (not) derelínquas (you forsake/abandon) me, ne (not/lest) forte (perchance) exalténtur (they shall be exalted).

MT vs Septuagint?

The second phrase, a desiderio meo, reflects the Greek, and might best be translated as 'against my wishes'.  St Jerome's version, reflects the slightly different text tradition also reflected in the Masoretic Text, rendering it 'do not grant the desires of the wicked'.

Theodoret of Cyrus noted the two different text traditions for the verse and commented:

Symmachus, on the other hand put it this way, Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the lawless one, and likewise both Theodotian and Aquila.  Do not grant, he is saying, to the one hankering after my slaughter the realization of their desire.  According to the Septuagint the sense to be taken is, May he not enjoy what he longs for in my regard: I desire to be saved, whereas he desires to do away with me; so do not grant him the desire of my regard.

9	V	Ne tradas me, Dómine, a desidério meo peccatóri: cogitavérunt contra me, ne derelínquas me, ne forte exalténtur.
	OR	ne tradas me a desiderio meo peccatori cogitaverunt adversum me ne derelinquas me ne umquam exaltentur
	NV	Ne concedas, Domine, desideria impii; consilia eius ne perficias.
	Pian	Ne concesseris, Domine, desideria iniqui, Noli implere consilia eius.
	JH	Ne des, Domine, desideria impii; scelera eius ne effundantur et eleuentur.
	Sept	μὴ παραδῷς με κύριε ἀπὸ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας μου ἁμαρτωλῷ διελογίσαντο κα{T'} ἐμοῦ μὴ ἐγκαταλίπῃς με μήποτε ὑψωθῶσιν διάψαλμα

[Key: V=Vulgate; OR=Old Roman; NV=Neo-Vulgate; JH=St Jerome's translation from the Hebrew; Sept=Septuagint]

The Masoretic Text reading simplifies the translation, asking for deliverance from the desires of the wicked:

DR	Give me not up, O Lord, from my desire to the wicked: they have plotted against me; do not thou forsake me, lest they should triumph.
Brenton	Deliver me not, O Lord, to the sinner, according to my desire: they have devised [mischief] against me; forsake me not, lest they should be exalted.
MD	Surrender me not, O Lord, to the desires of the wicked, they plot against me, do not abandon me.
RSV	Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked; do not further his evil plot!
Cover	Let not the ungodly have his desire, O Lord; let not his mischievous imagination prosper, lest they be too proud.
Knox	Lord, do not let malice have its way with me, do not prosper its evil designs
Grail	Do not grant the wicked their desire nor let their plots succeed.

[Key: DR=Douay-Rheims Challoner; MD=Monastic Diurnal; RSV=Revised Standard Version; Cover=Coverdale]

Save us from the evil desires of our enemies?

St John Chrysostom interpreted this verse as a plea to God to thwart the evil desires of others:

What he means is this: Do not yield to his desire against me – that is, what he desires against me, do not permit him to achieve.  He did not say, What he desires, but at my desire, wanting to suggest something like this: Do not grant even the least of his desires.  

The point is that the good will always be confronted those by seeking to attack them: 

Such wicked people, you see, with great desire work their wiles against their neighbours, like the devil too, of whom Scripture says, He roams around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  This is the way he attacked Job; this is the way he wanted to attack Peter, and hence Jesus said, How many times has Satan looked for you to sift you like grain.  

The ultimate case of this is, of course, Our Lord, culminating in his arrest on Maundy Thursday, and trial and execution on Good Friday, as a result of the plots, machinations and false accusations of the Jewish authorities. 

Save us from ourselves

Many of the more recent Western commentaries, by contrast, interpret the verse as a plea as asking for God's assistance in not succumbing to the temptations represented by our own desires.

St Robert Bellarmine for example commented that:

We are given up from our desires to the wicked when concupiscence holds us captive, and gives us up to the power of Satan; for instance, when you look on another with an eye of concupiscence you become guilty at once, and subject to temptation; when death, in the time of persecution, is threatened, nothing can be offered to the evil one by the persecutor but the desire of life; when the tempter puts an opportunity for committing fraud in the way of man he can offer him nothing but the desire of lucre, and so of other sins. 

Both interpretations, of course, are valid, and helpful, since they teach us to be watchful for both our own weaknesses, temptations and sins, but also the attacks of those who are evil. 

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem. Psalmus David.	Unto the end, a psalm of David.
1 Eripe me, Dómine, ab hómine malo: * a viro iníquo éripe me.	Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: rescue me from the unjust man.
2 Qui cogitavérunt iniquitátes in corde: * tota die constituébant prælia.	3 Who have devised iniquities in their hearts: all the day long they designed battles.
3 Acuérunt linguas suas sicut serpéntis: * venénum áspidum sub lábiis eórum.	4 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent: the venom of asps is under their lips.
4 Custódi me, Dómine, de manu peccatóris: * et ab homínibus iníquis éripe me.	5 Keep me, O Lord, from the hand of the wicked: and from unjust men deliver me.
5 Qui cogitavérunt supplantáre gressus meos: * abscondérunt supérbi láqueum mihi:	Who have proposed to supplant my steps: 6 The proud have hidden a net for me.
6 Et funes extendérunt in láqueum: * juxta iter scándalum posuérunt mihi.	And they have stretched out cords for a snare: they have laid for me a stumbling block by the wayside.
7. Dixi Dómino : Deus meus es tu: * exáudi, Dómine, vocem deprecatiónis meæ.	7 I said to the Lord: You are my God: hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication.
8 Dómine, Dómine, virtus salútis meæ: * obumbrásti super caput meum in die belli.	8 O Lord, Lord, the strength of my salvation: you have overshadowed my head in the day of battle.
9 Ne tradas me, Dómine, a desidério meo peccatóri: * cogitavérunt contra me, ne derelínquas me, ne forte exalténtur.	9 Give me not up, O Lord, from my desire to the wicked: they have plotted against me; do not forsake me, lest they should triumph.
10 Caput circúitus eórum: * labor labiórum ipsórum opériet eos.	10 The head of them compassing me about: the labour of their lips shall overwhelm them.
11 Cadent super eos carbónes, in ignem dejícies eos: * in misériis non subsístent.	11 Burning coals shall fall upon them; you will cast them down into the fire: in miseries they shall not be able to stand.
12 Vir linguósus non dirigétur in terra: * virum injústum mala cápient in intéritu.	12 A man full of tongue shall not be established in the earth: evil shall catch the unjust man unto destruction.
13 Cognóvi quia fáciet Dóminus judícium ínopis: * et vindíctam páuperum.	13 I know that the Lord will do justice to the needy, and will revenge the poor.
14 Verúmtamen justi confitebúntur nómini tuo: * et habitábunt recti cum vultu tuo.	14 But as for the just, they shall give glory to your name: and the upright shall dwell with your countenance.

And for the next part in this series, continue on here.

Psalm 139 v8: The salvation that Christ buys for us with his blood

Verse 8 of Psalm 139 takes us back to the theme of God's protection of us.    

 Looking at the Latin

The Vulgate Latin and Douay-Rheims translations are arranged below, phrase by phrase:

Dómine, Dómine, virtus salútis meæ: obumbrásti super caput meum  in die belli.

O Lord, Lord, the strength of my salvation: you have overshadowed my head in the day of battle.

The use of perfect tense for obumbrasti (you have overshadowed) can be read as a statement of faith: the pslamist is absolutely certain of God's protection, acting as a shield or helmet for him.

The key vocabulary is:

virtus, utis, f   strength, power, might; an army, host; the angels.; the heavenly bodies, the sun, moon, and stars

salus, utis, f. the act of helping, saving; victory, temporal salvation; help, deliverance, safety, salvation.

obumbro, avi, atum, are, to overshadow, shield, protect; obumbrare super, to shield, protect.

caput, itis, n. the head

bellum, i, n. war, battle; war-equipment of every sort

Word by word:

Dómine (O Lord), Dómine, virtus (the strength) salútis (of the salvation) meæ (of me): * obumbrásti super (you have shielded/protected) caput (the head) meum (my) in die (in the day) belli (of battle).

The various Latin versions provide a variety of synonyms for two of the key words, virtus (potens, fortitudo) and obumbro (protexisti, tegis), which are also reflected in the standard English translations.

8	V/NV	Dómine, Dómine, virtus salútis meæ: obumbrásti super caput meum in die belli.
	Pian	Domine, Deus, potens auxilium meum! Tegis caput meum die pugnae.
	JH	Domine Deus, fortitudo salutis meae, protexisti caput meum in die belli.
	Sept	κύριε κύριε δύναμις τῆς σωτηρίας μου ἐπεσκίασας ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλήν μου ἐν ἡμέρᾳ πολέμου

It is worth noting though, that the Pian's auxilium (help), though reflected in some of the modern translations, is rather weaker than the force of the Greek and Vulgate, on which some of the Patristic commentaries on the verse depend.

DR	O Lord, Lord, the strength of my salvation:  thou hast overshadowed my head in the day of battle.
Brenton	O Lord God, the strength of my salvation;  thou hast screened my head in the day of battle.
MD	O Lord my God, Thou my strong help, Thou shieldest my head in the day of battle
RSV	O LORD, my Lord, my strong deliverer, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle
Cover	O Lord God, thou strength of my health; thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.
Knox	My Lord, my Master, my strong deliverer, it is thou that shieldest my head in the day of battle
Grail	Lord my God, my mighty help, you shield my head in the battle.

God's salvation or help?

The key commentaries from the Fathers emphasize the importance of the word salvation (salutis). St John Chrysostom commented that the verse shows that:

he is also power of punishment and retribution.  But to me, he says, you supplied the power of salvation: whereas you are capable of both abusing and destroying, I always found your power to be directed to my salvation.  Note the desire of the speaker: by the repetition and by adding my salvation he shows his deep affection….

Similarly, St Cassiodorus put the verse in the mouth of  the Church saying:

When she speaks of the strength of my salvation, she indicates her patience and perseverance; there can be no salvation in the struggle with afflictions unless the virtue of endurance is granted through the Lord's mercy.

 And St Robert Bellarmine saw the repetition of the word, and appeal to, salvation as indicative of the force of the situation faced by the speaker:

In order, then, to show that the dangers were present and pressing, he again appeals to the Lord, saying, “O Lord, the strength of my salvation,” I appeal to you with such confidence, because you are my strength, on whom I depend for salvation; you are the only power to save and protect me from my enemies. 

Christ's sacrifice is our redemption 

This verse also, though, has a clear Christologial interpretation.  

St Augustine's commentary on it sees it as a reminder to us that the salvation offered was purchased at a high price:

Thou Lord - Lord, that is, most truly Lord, not like the lords of men, not like the lords who buy with money-bags, but the Lord who buys with His Blood.

St Cassiodorus goes further, suggesting that the second phrase of the verse is a reference to the Passion:

When the Church says that her head is overshadowed in the day of battle, she refers to the Lord's blessed passion. On that day of His crucifixion He was so overshadowed and protected that His mind suffered no confusion, and His flesh bore no onset of corruption; indeed, He Himself begs in Psalm 21 for help to be accorded: But thou, 0 Lord, remove not my help to a distance from me: look towards my defence, and the rest. The Lord's passion is well described as the day of battle; on that day the devil was overcome, the bars of hell were burst asunder, captives were freed, and He alone triumphed by dying, for unprecedentedly He destroyed death by death.

The verse also has a universal application though, as St Augustine made clear:

He complained of the stumbling-blocks and snares of sinners, of wicked men, vessels of the devil, that barked around him and laid snares around him, of the proud that envy the righteous. But He immediately added a comfort, He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. This he observed and feared, and, distressed at the abundance of iniquities, turned himself to hope. Verily I shall be saved, if I endure unto the end: but endurance, so as to win salvation, pertains unto strength; You are the strength of my salvation; You make me to endure, that I may attain salvation....Toiling then in this warfare, he looked back to the grace of God; and because already he had begun to be heated and parched, he found, as it were, a shade, whereunder to live.

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem. Psalmus David.	Unto the end, a psalm of David.
1 Eripe me, Dómine, ab hómine malo: * a viro iníquo éripe me.	Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: rescue me from the unjust man.
2 Qui cogitavérunt iniquitátes in corde: * tota die constituébant prælia.	3 Who have devised iniquities in their hearts: all the day long they designed battles.
3 Acuérunt linguas suas sicut serpéntis: * venénum áspidum sub lábiis eórum.	4 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent: the venom of asps is under their lips.
4 Custódi me, Dómine, de manu peccatóris: * et ab homínibus iníquis éripe me.	5 Keep me, O Lord, from the hand of the wicked: and from unjust men deliver me.
5 Qui cogitavérunt supplantáre gressus meos: * abscondérunt supérbi láqueum mihi:	Who have proposed to supplant my steps: 6 The proud have hidden a net for me.
6 Et funes extendérunt in láqueum: * juxta iter scándalum posuérunt mihi.	And they have stretched out cords for a snare: they have laid for me a stumbling block by the wayside.
7. Dixi Dómino : Deus meus es tu: * exáudi, Dómine, vocem deprecatiónis meæ.	7 I said to the Lord: You are my God: hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication.
8 Dómine, Dómine, virtus salútis meæ: * obumbrásti super caput meum in die belli.	8 O Lord, Lord, the strength of my salvation: you have overshadowed my head in the day of battle.
9 Ne tradas me, Dómine, a desidério meo peccatóri: * cogitavérunt contra me, ne derelínquas me, ne forte exalténtur.	9 Give me not up, O Lord, from my desire to the wicked: they have plotted against me; do not forsake me, lest they should triumph.
10 Caput circúitus eórum: * labor labiórum ipsórum opériet eos.	10 The head of them compassing me about: the labour of their lips shall overwhelm them.
11 Cadent super eos carbónes, in ignem dejícies eos: * in misériis non subsístent.	11 Burning coals shall fall upon them; you will cast them down into the fire: in miseries they shall not be able to stand.
12 Vir linguósus non dirigétur in terra: * virum injústum mala cápient in intéritu.	12 A man full of tongue shall not be established in the earth: evil shall catch the unjust man unto destruction.
13 Cognóvi quia fáciet Dóminus judícium ínopis: * et vindíctam páuperum.	13 I know that the Lord will do justice to the needy, and will revenge the poor.
14 Verúmtamen justi confitebúntur nómini tuo: * et habitábunt recti cum vultu tuo.	14 But as for the just, they shall give glory to your name: and the upright shall dwell with your countenance.

And for the next part in this series, continue on here.