Psalm 138/2 v 13-14

The final two verses of Psalm 138 in effect recapitulate the opening lines of the psalm.

13/ 22	V	Proba me, Deus, et scito cor meum: * intérroga me, et cognósce sémitas meas.
	NV	Scrutare me, Deus, et scito cor meum; proba me et cognosce semitas meas
	JH	Scrutare me, Deus, et cognosce cor meum; proba me, et scito cogitationes meas.
		δοκίμασόν με ὁ θεός καὶ γνῶθι τὴν καρδίαν μου ἔτασόν με καὶ γνῶθι τὰς τρίβους μου

Proba (test/prove) me (me), Deus (God), et (and) scito (know) cor (the heart) meum (my); interroga (examine/test) me, et (and) cognosce (know) semitas (the paths/ways) meas (my).  

Note: Scito: 2nd sg fut imperat act

probo, avi, atum, are  to try, to test, prove, examine; to search, prove

scio, ivi and ii, itum, ire, to know.

cor, cordis, n., the heart, regarded as the seat of the faculties, feelings, emotions, passions; the mind, the soul.

interrogo, avi, atum, are, to ask, to question; to request, demand; to examine, try, test

cognosco, gnovi, gnitum, ere 3, to know, see, learn, perceive, be come acquainted with

semita, ae, f, a path, way; course of life, action, conduct, or procedure

DR	Prove me, O God, and know my heart: examine me, and know my paths.
MD	Search me O Lord and know my heart, examine me and know my thoughts
RSV	Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!
Cover	Try me, O God, and seek the ground of my heart; prove me, and examine my thoughts.
Knox	Scrutinize me, O God, as thou wilt, and read my heart; put me to the test, and examine my restless thoughts.
Grail	O search me, God, and know my heart. O test me and know my thoughts.

Cassiodorus comments on this:

No one can say this but he who also says Behold the prince of this world cometh and in me he will not find anything.  He alone is known to be free from sin who is seen also to have borne the sins of men.  Prove denotes his patience, know reveals 'I knew not sin, despite the agitation of my condition'; examine suggests a most detailed scrutiny, for no-one can deny what has happened when questioned by one with knowledge.  Paths also refers to the activities which he continuously performed with heavenly holiness.

14/ 23	V	Et vide, si via iniquitátis in me est: * et deduc me in via æterna.
	NV	et vide, si via vanitatis in me est, et deduc me in via aeterna.
	JH	Et uide si uia doli in me est, et deduc me in uia aeterna.
		καὶ ἰδὲ εἰ ὁδὸς ἀνομίας ἐν ἐμοί καὶ ὁδήγησόν με ἐν ὁδῷ αἰωνίᾳ

Et (and) vide (see) si (if) via (the way) iniquitatis (of wickedness) in me (in me) est (it is), et (and) deduc (lead) me in (me in) via (the way) æterna (eternal).

video, vidi, visum, ere 2,  to see, behold; consider; experience, undergo, suffer, realize; keep watch, look for, meditate on

via, ae, a way, road, path, street. God's way, God's policy, way of life

iniquitas, atis, f iniquity, injustice, sin

deduco, duxi ductum, ere 3, to lead or bring down;  guide, lead, conduct

aeternus, a, um eternal. forever

DR	And see if there be in me the way of iniquity: and lead me in the eternal way.
Brenton	and see if there is any way of iniquity in me, and lead me in an everlasting way.
MD	And see, if I am on the way of evil, and lead me on the path of life eternal
Cover	Look well if there be any way of wickedness in me; and lead me in the way everlasting.
Knox	See if on any false paths my heart is set, and thyself lead me in the ways of old.
Grail	See that I follow not the wrong path and lead me in the path of life eternal.

Cassiodorus again puts these words in the mouth of Christ:

Observe how the good Master teaches us the perfect order of things: first He said that He was proved and known, and then exam­ined, so that when no wickedness was uncovered He could be led to that way in which He reigns with wonderful power and everlasting glory in company with the holy Spirit. The way of iniquity is the work of the devil, which he never ceases to practise by means of his evil promptings in the progress of this world. The Lord rightly said that this way is not in Him who is the Rock, for no trace of the ancient serpent could be established in His unshifting presence. So His human substance did well to beg to be led into the eternal way, in which the devil's path could not be found; the Lord Christ often begs the Father for what is actually His own, so that the unity of love, power or nature between them can be recognised.

St Augustine, however, viewed it as an instruction to imitate Christ:

What else says he, but lead me in Christ? For who is the way everlasting, save He that is the life everlasting? For everlasting is He who said, I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. If then you find anything in my way which displeases Your eyes, since my way is mortal, do Thou lead me in the way everlasting, wherein is no iniquity; for even if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He is the propitiation for our sins;  He is the Way everlasting without sin; He is the Life everlasting without punishment. 

St John Chrysostom puts the moral message in more general terms:

Now what is the eternal path if not the spiritual path, which leads to heaven and of which there is no end?...But how is one guided towards it?  By enjoying grace from God and contributing what we have to offer - practicing virtue, dedicated to sound values, rendered superior to things of this life.  Progress on that path, you see, is not shortlived and temporary.  That is what virtue is like, in fact: its fruits are constantly ripening and never decaying, its goods are immortal, unlimited and unending.  May it be the good fortune of us all to attain them, thanks to the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ...

Psalm 138/2 (139) – Et dixi: forsitan 

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
1  Et dixi: Fórsitan ténebræ conculcábunt me: * et nox illuminátio mea in delíciis meis.	11 And I said: Perhaps darkness shall cover me: and night shall be my light in my pleasures.
2  Quia ténebræ non obscurabúntur a te, et nox sicut dies illuminábitur: * sicut ténebræ ejus, ita et lumen ejus.	12 But darkness shall not be dark to you, and night shall be light all the day: the darkness thereof, and the light thereof are alike to you.
3  Quia tu possedísti renes meos: * suscepísti me de útero matris meæ.	13 For you have possessed my reins: you have protected me from my mother's womb.
4  Confitébor tibi quia terribíliter magnificátus es: * mirabília ópera tua, et ánima mea cognóscit nimis.	14 I will praise you, for you are fearfully magnified: wonderful are your works, and my soul knows right well.
5  Non est occultátum os meum a te, quod fecísti in occúlto: * et substántia mea in inferióribus terræ.	15 My bone is not hidden from you, which you have made in secret: and my substance in the lower parts of the earth.
6  Imperféctum meum vidérunt óculi tui, et in libro tuo omnes scribéntur: * dies formabúntur, et nemo in eis.	16 Your eyes did see my imperfect being, and in your book all shall be written: days shall be formed, and no one in them.
7  Mihi autem nimis honorificáti sunt amíci tui, Deus: * nimis confortátus est principátus eórum.	17 But to me your friends, O God, are made exceedingly honourable: their principality is exceedingly strengthened.
8  Dinumerábo eos, et super arénam multiplicabúntur: * exsurréxi, et adhuc sum tecum.	18 I will number them, and they shall be multiplied above the sand, I rose up and am still with you.
9  Si occíderis, Deus, peccatóres: * viri sánguinum, declináte a me.	19 If you will kill the wicked, O God: you men of blood, depart from me:
10  Quia dícitis in cogitatióne: * Accípient in vanitáte civitátes tuas.	20 Because you say in thought: They shall receive your cities in vain.
11  Nonne qui odérunt te, Dómine, óderam? * et super inimícos tuos tabescébam?	21 Have I not hated them, O Lord, that hated you: and pined away because of your enemies?
12  Perfécto ódio óderam illos: * et inimíci facti sunt mihi.	22 I have hated them with a perfect hatred: and they have become enemies to me.
13  Proba me, Deus, et scito cor meum: * intérroga me, et cognósce sémitas meas.	23 Prove me, O God, and know my heart: examine me, and know my paths.
14  Et vide, si via iniquitátis in me est: * et deduc me in via æterna.	24 And see if there be in me the way of iniquity: and lead me in the eternal way

Psalm 138/2 verses 9-12

 Verses 9-12 are among those difficult verses that should not be read too literally.  Fortunately the Fathers provide useful guides on how to interpret them.

9/ 18	V	Si occíderis, Deus, peccatóres: * viri sánguinum, declináte a me.
	NV	Utinam occidas, Deus, peccatores; viri sanguinum, declinate a me.
	JH	Si occideris, Deus, impium: uiri sanguinum, declinate a me.
		ἐὰν ἀποκτείνῃς ἁμαρτωλούς ὁ θεός ἄνδρες αἱμάτων ἐκκλίνατε ἀ{P'} ἐμοῦ

Si (if) occideris (you will kill), Deus (God), peccatores (sinners), viri (the men) sanguinum (of blood), declinate (depart/turn away/turn aside) a (from) me (me): 

occido ere cidi cisum to beat to the ground, kill, slay,

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

vir, viri, m., a man

sanguis, mis, m., blood;  

declino, avi, atum, are,  to bend from the straight path, to turn aside or away, depart from, go astray

DR	If thou wilt kill the wicked, O God: ye men of blood, depart from me:
Brenton	Oh that thou wouldest slay the wicked, O God; depart from me, ye men of blood.
Cover	Wilt thou not slay the wicked, O God? Depart from me, ye bloodthirsty men.
Knox	O God, wouldst thou but make an end of the wicked! Murderers, keep your distance from me!
Grail	O God, that you would slay the wicked! Men of blood, keep far away from me!

Cassiodorus explains:

...We must above all be careful not to believe that the Lord Christ is praying for the destruction of sinners, for he had undoubtedly come to save them.  As he himself says in the Gospel: I have not come to call the just, but sinners.  If we analyse this verse in the spiritual sense all our difficulties are removed.  What Christ says is: If thou shouldst kill sinners O Lord; God kills the sinner when he dies to sin so that he may live for the Lord.  As Paul puts it: I am dead to the law that I may live for Christ.  So sinners are killed when they are translated from evil designs to a virtuous attitude....  Since all do not deserve to attain the Catholic faith, the intermediate words are addressed to the unfaithful and obdurate who have refused to believe:...They are men of blood, then, because they live according to the flesh, and perform bloody actions.  They are rightly told to depart because they have not longed to find a place in the Church.

The Navarre commentary notes on this verse that:

All that man can do is appeal to God to deliver him from the violent and the ungodly who defy God...

10/ 19	V	Quia dícitis in cogitatióne: * accípient in vanitáte civitátes tuas.
	NV	Qui loquuntur contra te maligne: exaltantur in vanum contra te.
	JH	Qui contradicent tibi scelerate; elati sunt frustra aduersarii tui.
		ὅτι ἐρεῖς εἰς διαλογισμόν λήμψονται εἰς ματαιότητα τὰς πόλεις σου

quia (for/because) dicitis (you say) in cogitatione (in thought): accipient (they shall take/receive) in vanitate (in vain) civitates (the cities) tuas (your).

The Greek and the MT here diverge sharply (due to different possible interpretations of the underlying Hebrew), but neither version is particularly clear in meaning. 

cogitatio, onis, f. thoughts, plans, designs; evil plans or devices; the deep plans or thoughts of God.

accipio, cepi, ceptum, ere 3  to take; seize, grasp; take away; receive or grasp mentally; receive

vanus, a, um.  vain, idle, profitless, deceptive, null, empty as to purpose or result

civitas, atis, f a city, state, commonwealth; the inhabitants of the city

DR	Because you say in thought: They shall receive thy cities in vain.
Brenton	For thou wilt say concerning their thought, that they shall take thy cities in vain.
MD	They who speak of Thee deceitfully, who in malice take thy name in vain
Cover	For they speak unrighteously against thee; and thine enemies take thy Name in vain.
Knox	Treacherously they rebel against thee, faithlessly set thee at defiance.
Grail	With deceit they rebel against you and set your designs at naught.

The literal meaning of the reference to cities (or the alternative versions) in the verse is a little obscure, but Bellarmine interprets it as follows:

The just shall receive the cities of God in vain, because they will shortly be deprived of them...that is, widely propagated by the conversion of the Gentiles to the faith, and of sinners to justice; and as in consequence thereof, many cities, that is congregations were rescued from the slavery of demons, and the worship of idols...

11/ 20	V	Nonne qui odérunt te, Dómine, óderam? * et super inimícos tuos tabescébam?
	NV	Nonne, qui oderunt te, Domine, oderam et insurgentes in te abhorrebam?
	JH	Nonne odientes te, Domine, odiui, et contra aduersarios tuos distabui ?
		οὐχὶ τοὺς μισοῦντάς σε κύριε ἐμίσησα καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς σου ἐξετηκόμην

Nonne (surely/not?) qui (who) oderunt (they hated) te (you), Domine (O Lord), oderam (I have hated), et (and) super (over) inimicos (the enemies) tuos (your) tabescebam (I have pined/wasted away)?

nonne, interrog. adv., not?

odi and odivi, odisse; other forms, odirem, odiens; to hate

inimicus, i, m., a foe, enemy

tabesco, tabui, ere 3  to pine away, waste away, melt away, faint.

DR	Have I not hated them, O Lord, that hated thee: and pine away because of thy enemies?
Brenton	Have I not hated them, O Lord, that hate thee? and wasted away because of thine enemies?
Cover	Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
Knox	Lord, do I not hate the men who hate thee, am I not sick at heart over their rebellion?
Grail	Do I not hate those who hate you, abhor those who rise against you?

How do we reconcile this with the injunctions of the Gospel to love our enemies?  Bellarmine suggests that the answer is to love the sinner, but hate the sin:

It is no wonder that he who has his eyes fixed on God, and who cleaves to him with his whole heart, should avow that he hated them who hated him, and that he should pine away with grief and sadness on beholding him so insulted by the wicked.  And his hatred of them was intense, for it was a perfect hatred, consummate and irreconcilable, but applying to the sin, and not to the sinner...

Cassiodorus provides a more extended treatment of the problem.  First he makes a distinction between our enemies, and those who make themselves God's enemies:

The question why we are bidden to love our enemies seems to be no idle one, whereas to hate God is an accursed act, for there is a great difference between the two.  On occasion our enemies rise against us with justified anger; they are annoyed because we do not render the appropriate service, because we slander them, because we begrudge them their virtuous efforts.  So we are rightly bidden to love our enemies when we happen to offend them through our fault.  But when God's enemies are obdurate, they are condemned with an appropriate and solemn curse, for though created by him and owing their entire life to him, they become arrogant towards their Maker.  So such men are rightly to be regarded with disgust, for they were unmindful of such great kindnesses. 

He also points to Christ's reaction to those who declared themselves to be his enemies publicly:

We must also take into account the verbal distinctions which are made.  First he said...Hidden hatreds can earlier dwell in the malevolent heart, but it is a mark of the most intense wickedness to declare oneself an enemy; this denotes open and inveterate persecutors who with accursed shamelessness ravage God's holy ones.   In his holy devotion he rightly says he is pining away because of them, for while in this life he bears with them longer so that they may accept correction, they attack God's Church with rash onslaughts.  As Scripture says elsewhere, The zeal for thy house has made me pine away, the expression signifies considerable grief.  We say that people pine way when they are afflicted with unending cares, and come close to death's door as their bodies fail.

12/ 21	V	Perfécto ódio óderam illos: * et inimíci facti sunt mihi.
	NV	Perfecto odio oderam illos, et inimici facti sunt mihi.
	JH	Perfecto odio oderam illos : inimici facti sunt mihi.
		τέλειον μῖσος ἐμίσουν αὐτούς εἰς ἐχθροὺς ἐγένοντό μοι

Perfecto (perfect) odio (hatred) oderam (I have hated) illos (them), et (and) inimici (the enemies) facti sunt (they have been made/become) mihi (to me). 

perfectus a um perfect, complete

odium ii n hate, hatred

DR	I have hated them with a perfect hatred: and they are become enemies to me.
Brenton	I have hated them with perfect hatred; they were counted my enemies.
MD	With full hatred will I hate them, they are become my enemies
RSV	I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.
Cover	Yea, I hate them right sore, even as though they were mine enemies.
Knox	Surpassing hatred I bear them, count them my sworn enemies.
Grail	I hate them with a perfect hate and they are foes to me.

Cassiodorus takes up the love the sinner, hate the sin theme:

Perfect hatred consists of loving men and always loathing their vices; for in so far as they are God's creation they must undoubtedly be loved, because considered as God's works they are good.  But they are to be loathed for the wickedness with which they have befouled themselves in grisly crimes, for such persons can be pleasing only to those enmeshed in similar deeds.  To demonstrate to you the unity of their divinity, the Son says that they stood opposed to you the unity of their divinity, the Son says that they who stood opposed to the Father's commands have become His enemies..He defines the hatred with which he hates the Father's enemies; it is the perfect hatred begotten not by human rancour or by physical envy, but by the Lord's charity.  Odium gets its name from oris repudium (rejection by mouth).

Bellarmine provides an interpretation applicable to Christ appropriate for our remembrance of Maundy Thursday in the Office:

I was no enemy of theirs - for I merely sought to correct and reform them - but they became enemies to me, by reason of my having so reproved and sought to reform them.

Psalm 138/2 (139) – Et dixi: forsitan 

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
1  Et dixi: Fórsitan ténebræ conculcábunt me: * et nox illuminátio mea in delíciis meis.	11 And I said: Perhaps darkness shall cover me: and night shall be my light in my pleasures.
2  Quia ténebræ non obscurabúntur a te, et nox sicut dies illuminábitur: * sicut ténebræ ejus, ita et lumen ejus.	12 But darkness shall not be dark to you, and night shall be light all the day: the darkness thereof, and the light thereof are alike to you.
3  Quia tu possedísti renes meos: * suscepísti me de útero matris meæ.	13 For you have possessed my reins: you have protected me from my mother's womb.
4  Confitébor tibi quia terribíliter magnificátus es: * mirabília ópera tua, et ánima mea cognóscit nimis.	14 I will praise you, for you are fearfully magnified: wonderful are your works, and my soul knows right well.
5  Non est occultátum os meum a te, quod fecísti in occúlto: * et substántia mea in inferióribus terræ.	15 My bone is not hidden from you, which you have made in secret: and my substance in the lower parts of the earth.
6  Imperféctum meum vidérunt óculi tui, et in libro tuo omnes scribéntur: * dies formabúntur, et nemo in eis.	16 Your eyes did see my imperfect being, and in your book all shall be written: days shall be formed, and no one in them.
7  Mihi autem nimis honorificáti sunt amíci tui, Deus: * nimis confortátus est principátus eórum.	17 But to me your friends, O God, are made exceedingly honourable: their principality is exceedingly strengthened.
8  Dinumerábo eos, et super arénam multiplicabúntur: * exsurréxi, et adhuc sum tecum.	18 I will number them, and they shall be multiplied above the sand, I rose up and am still with you.
9  Si occíderis, Deus, peccatóres: * viri sánguinum, declináte a me.	19 If you will kill the wicked, O God: you men of blood, depart from me:
10  Quia dícitis in cogitatióne: * Accípient in vanitáte civitátes tuas.	20 Because you say in thought: They shall receive your cities in vain.
11  Nonne qui odérunt te, Dómine, óderam? * et super inimícos tuos tabescébam?	21 Have I not hated them, O Lord, that hated you: and pined away because of your enemies?
12  Perfécto ódio óderam illos: * et inimíci facti sunt mihi.	22 I have hated them with a perfect hatred: and they have become enemies to me.
13  Proba me, Deus, et scito cor meum: * intérroga me, et cognósce sémitas meas.	23 Prove me, O God, and know my heart: examine me, and know my paths.
14  Et vide, si via iniquitátis in me est: * et deduc me in via æterna.	24 And see if there be in me the way of iniquity: and lead me in the eternal way

And you can find the final set of notes on this psalm here.