Fathers

Psalms 19

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The heavens declare the glory of God. The expanse shows his handiwork. Day after day they pour out speech, and night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their voice has gone out through all the earth, their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his room, like a strong man rejoicing to run his course. His going out is from the end of the heavens, his circuit to its ends. There is nothing hidden from its heat. Yahweh’s law is perfect, restoring the soul. Yahweh’s covenant is sure, making wise the simple. Yahweh’s precepts are right, rejoicing the heart. Yahweh’s commandment is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of Yahweh is clean, enduring forever. Yahweh’s ordinances are true, and righteous altogether. They are more to be desired than gold, yes, than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and the extract of the honeycomb. Moreover your servant is warned by them. In keeping them there is great reward. Who can discern his errors? Forgive me from hidden errors. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me. Then I will be upright. I will be blameless and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, Yahweh, my rock, and my redeemer.

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What the Fathers say

Psalms 19:12

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

You must know then, dearly beloved, that God's testing is not aimed at his getting to know something he was ignorant of before but at bringing to light what was hidden in a person, by means of a test, which is a kind of interrogation. People are not as well known to themselves as they are to their Creator, nor do the sick know themselves as well as the doctor does. A person is sick; he is suffering, the doctor is not suffering, and the patient is waiting to hear what he is suffering from from the one who is not suffering. …

Sermon 2:3 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

"Offenses." Here he prays concerning the offenses of those who transgress the law. And first he sets forth the hiddenness of sins. Second, he asks for their remission, at "From my hidden ones." Third, he sets forth the reason for the petition, at "If they shall not have dominion over me," and so on. He says therefore: we frequently offend against the law, but "Who can understand sins?" As if to say, no one. And this for three reasons. First, because sin blinds the eyes of the sinner, hence small sins are not easily discerned: Wis. …

Exposition on the Psalms of David ↗

Bonaventure

In many other ways also a man becomes a partaker of the sin of another; and on account of this the Psalm says: From my hidden sins cleanse me, O Lord, and from the sins of others spare your servant.

Collationes de Decem Praeceptis, Collation 4 ↗