Fathers

Psalms 17

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Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips. Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal. Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer. Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not. I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech. Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about. They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly. They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth; Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places. Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword: From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

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What the Fathers say

Psalms 17:4

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

What the Lord has commanded seems hard and harsh, that any who wish to follow him should deny themselves. But nothing can be hard and harsh that is commanded by one who helps us to do what he commands. You see, both these things are true, both what is said to him in the psalm: "Because of the words of your lips I have kept to hard ways"; and what he himself said, "My yoke is easy, and my burden is light." The fact is, whatever is hard in the commandments is made easy by charity.

Sermon 96:1 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

Second, he explains by what fire he was examined, when he says, "On account of the words of your lips, I kept to hard ways." Hard ways are adversities; and I endured this on account of the words of your lips, that is, in order to keep your words, or to proclaim your words. Jer. 20: "The word of the Lord became a reproach and a derision to me." Jerome has, "that I might keep to the broad ways." Robbers seek byways to hide; so did David when Saul pursued him. Ps. …

Exposition on the Psalms of David ↗