let the enemy pursue my soul, and overtake it; yes, let him tread my life down to the earth, and lay my glory in the dust.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 5. That repaid. This seems better than “my peaceable one,” as some translate the Hebrew for it would be but a small commendation not to injure a friend: the pagans do as much. Duport therefore agrees with the Vulg., and S. Jerom has, “If I have rendered evil to those who did me any, and sent my enemies empty away;” or, as the Hebrew is in the future, “I will let my enemies depart without fighting;” which is equivalent to, I will gain no advantage over them. Bert.—The man who takes revenge, injures himself, and becomes the devil’s slave. Saint Augustine—David had been so far from giving way to ingratitude, that he would not even hurt his enemy. Bible.—He let Saul escape, when he might easily have slain him. Calmet.