Psalms 18:14

Those, &c. Or "from strangers," alienis, whose company we cannot avoid with too much caution. (Haydock) --- Hebrew, "the proud." It is conjectured (Berthier) that the Septuagint read r for d, in mizzedim. (Haydock) (Amama) --- But this is not necessary, as they might include the proud, and all the wicked, under the name of "strangers," which term is particularly applicable to idolaters, (Isaias xiii. 11.) and all scandalous sinners, who are strangers to the law; and from whose society and dominion we may all beg to be delivered. (Berthier) --- Spare. Hebrew, "free," (St. Jerome) or "withhold." Nature is so prone to evil, that the prophet prays earnestly for grace to resist, or to be kept out of danger. (Haydock) --- All sins cannot be avoided, but preserve me from wilfully committing any enormous crime. (Rivet) --- Deliver me from the devil's power. (Theodoret) --- Those who are in authority have much to dread, lest they be answerable for the sins of others, which they ought to have prevented; as all must fear giving scandal, &c., and so being accessory to another's crime. [1 Timothy v. 22.] (Haydock) --- Delicta aliena affigunt me. (St. Augustine) --- Yet sins of frailty, and of malice, are here meant; (Bellarmine) which last ought to be strange, or very uncommon. --- Over me. Septuagint, Greek: mou. (Haydock) --- St. Augustine reads dominata, which agrees better with delicta. If my secret sins, or those of others, do not oppress me, I shall pray with confidence, and be heard. (Calmet) --- Yet dominata refers to alienis, strangers, or proud people, (Berthier) who are continually alluring to evil, both by word and example. How great must be the influence of such over their subjects, when even their equals take the infection so frequently! Vulgate might be rendered, "If my own had not ruled;" in which sense Pius IV used this explanation on his death bed, knowing that his kindred had abused their power. (Du Thou, B. vi. A.D. 1549.) (Haydock) --- Sin, pride; the source of all evil. (St. Jerome) --- "Let men at last blush to be proud, for whose sake God was humbled." (St. Augustine) --- If mortal sin be absent, the soul is just, and will be, one day, free from stain. (Worthington)