Fathers

Psalms 31

Tap a verse to read the Fathers. Press and hold, then drag, to make a card.

In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength. Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth. I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the LORD. I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities; And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room. Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly. For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed. I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me. I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel. For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life. But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God. My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake. Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave. Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous. Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. Blessed be the LORD: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city. For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee. O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

About · Privacy · Credits · Support VRSZ

What the Fathers say

Psalms 31:20

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

"You will protect them in Your tabernacle from the contradiction of tongues" [Psalm 31:20]. But here meanwhile while evil tongues murmur against them, saying, Who has come thence? You will protect them in the tabernacle, that of faith in those things, which the Lord wrought and endured for us in time.

Exposition on Psalm 31 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

Then when he says, "You will hide them," he shows the benefits of God toward the saints through liberation from evil. But because man can suffer a twofold evil -- namely, in deed and in word -- first he shows when he protects from the first evil. Second, how from the second, at "You will protect them." He says therefore, "You will hide them," and so on. He speaks by way of similitude: just as if someone were sought for death, whoever hid him in the secret places of his house, there he would be safe. So it is with the saints. …

Exposition on the Psalms of David ↗

Bonaventure

He who fears God cannot lose God. But he who fears something other than God has what ought to be taken from him. But he who fears God is secure everywhere. "How great is the multitude of your sweetness, O Lord, which you have hidden for those who fear you; you have perfected it for those who hope in you." Therefore the fear of God ought to be perfect, because "it shall be well with those who fear God," because they shall come to the blessing of glory.

Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 2 ↗