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COMMENTARY ON PSALM 140 To the end. A psalm for David. URSUED BY SAUL BLESSED David calls on the God of all for assistance. [1944] Deliver me, 0 Lord, from a wicked person, rescue from an unjust man (v. 1). Saul was unjust and ungrateful to the benefactor: he went to trouble to do away with the divine David, who, far from doing him any wrong, was even a source of many good things for him. Who pondered injustice in their heart, waged war all day long (v. 2): they not only had recourse to wicked thoughts, but also added works to thoughts. Symmachus, on the other hand, rendered all day long as "for the whole day."1 They sharpened their tongue like a serpent 's; venom ofasps is under their tongues (v. 3): by recourse to deceit he often tried to do away with him; and often after taking oaths and adopting friendly words he broke the oaths. Hence it was right for the psalmist to compare the deceitful attitude and the hidden guile to the poison of serpents. (2) Protect me, 0 Lord, from the hand of a sinner, and deliver me from unjust people (v. 4). The prayer becomes a just person, who requests not destruction for the foes but personal salvation. Who have plotted to trip up my steps. Driven out by Saul, blessed David took refuge with the Philistines; they were godless, however , and practitioners of every kind of lawlessness. On this score, therefore, he is admirable, for being everywhere a protector of piety, reluctant to be subject to necessities. Still, the man driving me out, he is saying, came close to tripping up the steps of my piety. Arrogant people hid a trap for me, and with nets he laid a trap for my feet; they set stumbling blocks on my path (v. 5). He calls Saul himself arrogant, and the various schemes, stratagems, 1. One wonders what Theodoret (or, in line with Doriva\'s thinking, a copyist ) thinks this footnote achieves for his reader. 335 336 THEODORET OF CYRUS and wiles traps, nets, and stumbling blocks. He said this in a figurative manner, by analogy with hunters setting strings, traps, and nets. (3) I said to the Lord, You are my God (v. 6). For my part, on the contrary, I scorned all human things and dedicated myself to you; I know you are Lord and God, and I await help from you. Give ear, 0 Lord, to the voice ofmy supplication. Lord, Lord, might of my salvation (vv. 6-7). The repetition comes from a person of faith and longing: In you, he is saying, I place the hope of salvation , you alone being strong enough to provide salvation. You covered my head in the day of battle. I learned this by experience: when I submitted to single combat with Goliath, and when I was engaged in battle with the Philistines, you protected me with your aid as with a shield. (4) [1945] Do not surrender me, 0 Lord, at the desire of the one sinning against me (v. 8). Symmachus, on the other hand, put it this way, "Do not grant, Lord, the desires of the lawless one," and likewise both Theodotion 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 in my regard.2 They plotted against me; do not abandon me lest they be puffed up: they direct every thought to my murder; so do not strip me of your providence lest you provide them with an occasion for imposture. (5) The head oftheir circle, labor oftheir lips will cover them (v. 9). From this point he foretells the evils to come to them. Symmachus , on the other hand, rendered it more clearly, "May the bitterness of those surrounding me, the effort of their lips cover them over": 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 2. In a psalm characterized by many hapax legomena and archaic forms, Theodoret is predictably puzzled by...

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