(Vulgata: “Erípe me de inimícis meis, Deus meus”) — “Deliver me from my enemies, O my God.”
(A psalm of David when Saul sent men to watch his house to kill him — 1 Samuel 19.)
Versus 1
Erípe me de inimícis meis, Deus meus;
et ab insurgéntibus in me líbera me.
Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
and free me from those who rise up against me.
Word Notes
- erípe – snatch away, deliver!; imperat. of ēripiō, ēripere, ēripuī, ēreptum
- inimīcus, -ī (m.) – enemy
- insurgéntibus – those rising up; pres. part. abl. pl. of insurgō, insurgere, insurrēxī, insurrectum
- lībera – free, set loose!; imperat. of līberō, līberāre, līberāvī, līberātum
Commentary
The psalm begins as a cry from a hunted man. David’s tone combines fear and faith: divine help is not an abstraction but an immediate rescue from physical danger.
Versus 2
Erípe me de operántibus iniquitátem;
et de viris sánguinum salva me.
Deliver me from those who work iniquity;
and save me from men of blood.
Word Notes
- operántibus – those working / practising; pres. part. of operor, operārī, operātus sum
- iniquitās, iniquitātis (f.) – wickedness, injustice
- vir, virī (m.) – man
- sanguis, sanguinis (m.) – blood
- salva – save!; imperat. of salvō, salvāre, salvāvī, salvātum
Commentary
“Men of blood” refers not only to murderers but to all who build power through violence.
Versus 3
Quia ecce cepérunt ánimam meam: irruérunt in me fortes.
Neque iníquitas mea, neque peccátum meum, Dómine:
For behold, they have taken my soul: the strong have rushed upon me.
Not for my iniquity nor for my sin, O Lord.
Word Notes
- cepérunt – they have seized; perf. of capiō, capere, cēpī, captum
- irruérunt – they have rushed in; perf. of irrumpō, irrumpere, irrūpī, irruptum
- fortes, fortium (m. pl.) – the strong, powerful men
- iniquitas, peccatum – injustice, sin; the two are juxtaposed to affirm innocence.
Commentary
David protests his innocence: persecution without guilt. This theme recurs throughout the Psalms — suffering as unjust hostility rather than divine punishment.
Versus 4
Sine iniquitáte cucúrri, et diréxi:
Exsúrge in occúrsum meum, et vide.
Without iniquity I have run and directed my course:
Arise to meet me, and see.
Word Notes
- sine iniquitáte – without wrongdoing
- cucúrri – I have run; perf. of currō, currere, cucurrī, cursum
- diréxi – I have set straight / directed; perf. of dīrigō, dīrigere, dīrēxī, dīrēctum
- occúrsus, -ūs (m.) – meeting, encounter
- exsúrge – arise!; imperat. of exsurgō
Commentary
“Arise and see” is both plea and challenge: a call for divine attention when human justice fails.
Versus 5
Et tu, Dómine, Deus virtútum, Deus Israël, inténde ad visitándas omnes gentes:
non misereáris ómnibus, qui operántur iniquitátem.
And you, Lord God of hosts, God of Israel, attend to visit all nations:
be not merciful to those who work iniquity.
Word Notes
- virtūtum – of hosts / powers / armies (gen. pl. of virtus)
- inténde – attend, turn your gaze; imperat. of intendō
- visitándas – to visit, punish; gerundive of visitō, visitāre, visitāvī, visitātum
- misereáris – you may have mercy; subj. of misereor
Commentary
The psalmist widens his cry from personal to universal justice. The “God of Israel” is here judge of the nations.
Versus 6
Converténtur ad vésperam, et famem patiéntur ut canes; et circuíbunt civitátem.
They shall return at evening and go about hungry like dogs; they shall roam the city.
Word Notes
- converténtur – they will return; fut. of convertō
- véspera, vésperae (f.) – evening
- fames, famis (f.) – hunger
- patiéntur – they will suffer; fut. of patior, patī, passus sum (dep.)
- circuībunt – they will go around, prowl; fut. of circueō, circuīre, circuiī, circuitum
Commentary
The enemies are pictured as nocturnal scavengers — a timeless symbol of restless malice.
Versus 7
Ecce loquéntur in ore suo, et gládius in lábiis eórum:
quóniam quis audívit?
Behold, they speak with their mouth, and a sword is in their lips:
for who has heard?
Word Notes
- gládius, glādiī (m.) – sword
- lábium, lábiī (n.) – lip
- audívit – has heard?; perf. of audiō
Commentary
Words as weapons: slander and defamation are equated with swords. “Who has heard?” suggests their cynical belief that God does not notice.
Versus 8
Et tu, Dómine, deridébis eos:
ad níhilum dedúces omnes gentes.
But you, O Lord, shall laugh at them:
you shall bring all the nations to nothing.
Word Notes
- deridébis – you will deride, mock; fut. of derideō, deridēre, derīsī, derīsum
- ad níhilum dedúces – you will lead to nothingness; fut. of dēdūcō
Commentary
Divine laughter — not cruelty but serene confidence: the eternal outlasts the conspiracies of men.
Versus 9
Fortitúdinem meam ad te custódiam, quia Deus suscéptor meus es:
I will keep my strength for you, for you are my protector, O God.
Word Notes
- fortitúdo, fortitúdinis (f.) – strength, courage
- custódiam – I will guard / keep; fut. of custōdiō, custōdīre, custōdīvī, custōdītum
- suscéptor, susceptoris (m.) – supporter, defender
Commentary
Faith matures into composure: the psalmist keeps inner strength through trust, not retaliation.
Versus 10
Deus meus misericórdia ejus prævéniet me:
Deus osténdet mihi super inimícos meos.
My God, his mercy shall go before me:
God shall show me justice over my enemies.
Word Notes
- praevéniet – will go before / anticipate; fut. of praeveniō, praevenīre, praevēnī, praeventum
- osténdet – will show; fut. of ostendō, ostendere, ostendī, ostentum
Commentary
Mercy precedes victory: divine compassion acts before vengeance, reversing human order.
Versus 11
Ne occídas eos, nequándo obliviscántur pópuli mei:
díssipa eos in virtúte tua, et depóne eos, protéctor meus, Dómine:*
Slay them not, lest my people forget:
scatter them by your power and bring them low, O Lord my protector.
Word Notes
- occídas – you may kill; subj. of occīdō, occīdere, occīdī, occīsum
- nequándo – lest perhaps
- díssipa – scatter!; imperat. of dissipō, dissipāre
- depóne – bring down!; imperat. of dēpōnō, dēpōnere, dēposuī, dēpositum
Commentary
A striking twist: the psalmist asks not for annihilation but prolonged humiliation — judgment as moral reminder, not obliteration.
Versus 12
Delictum oris eórum, sermónem labiórum ipsórum; et comprehendántur in supérbia sua.
The sin of their mouth, the word of their lips; let them be caught in their pride.
Word Notes
- delictum, delictī (n.) – offence, sin
- comprehendantur – may they be caught; subj. pass. of comprehendō, comprehendere, comprehendī, comprehēnsum
- superbia, superbiae (f.) – pride, arrogance
Commentary
Their punishment fits their sin: words and pride entrap their speakers.
Versus 13
Et de exsecratióne et mendácio annuntiabúntur in consummatióne:
in ira consummatiónis, et non erunt.
And for cursing and lying they shall be proclaimed even to the end:
in the wrath of completion, and they shall be no more.
Word Notes
- exsecratio, exsecrationis (f.) – curse, abomination
- mendacium, mendacii (n.) – lie, falsehood
- consummatio, consummationis (f.) – completion, final destruction
Commentary
The “consummation” implies final justice — not annihilation for its own sake but closure to moral chaos.
Versus 14
Et scient quia Deus dominábitur Jacob, et fínium terræ.
And they shall know that God rules Jacob and the ends of the earth.
Word Notes
- dominábitur – he shall rule; fut. dep. of dominor, dominārī, dominātus sum
- fines, finium (m. pl.) – ends, borders
Commentary
Israel’s experience becomes universal revelation: divine sovereignty reaches “to the ends of the earth.”
Versus 15
Converténtur ad vésperam, et famem patiéntur ut canes, et circuíbunt civitátem.
(Refrain repeated from verse 6.)
They shall return at evening and go about hungry like dogs, and prowl around the city.
Commentary
Repetition reinforces the moral cycle: the unrepentant remain restless, enslaved by appetite and aggression.
Versus 16
Ipsi dispergéntur ad manducándum:
si vero non fúerint saturáti, et murmurábunt.
They shall be scattered to eat; and if they be not filled, they shall murmur.
Word Notes
- dispergentur – they will be scattered; fut. of dispergō, dispergere, dispersī, dispersum
- manducandum – to eat; gerund of manducō, manducāre
- saturati – filled, satisfied; perf. part. of saturiō
- murmurábunt – they shall murmur, grumble; fut. of murmurō, murmurāre
Commentary
Their hunger is moral as well as physical — desire without fulfilment.
Versus 17
Ego autem cantábo fortitúdinem tuam; et exsultábo mane misericórdiam tuam:
quia factus es suscéptor meus, et refúgium meum in die tribulatiónis meæ.
But I will sing of your strength; in the morning I will rejoice in your mercy:
for you have been my support and refuge in the day of my trouble.
Word Notes
- cantábo – I will sing; fut. of cantō
- exsultábo – I will rejoice; fut. of exsultō
- refugium, refugiī (n.) – refuge, shelter
Commentary
The darkness of night (when enemies prowl) contrasts with dawn — the time of deliverance and song.
Versus 18
Adjútor meus tibi psallam, quia Deus suscéptor meus es; Deus meus misericórdia mea.
You are my helper; I will sing praises to you, for you are my protector, O my God, my mercy.
Word Notes
- adjutor, adjutoris (m.) – helper, supporter
- psallam – I will sing psalms; fut. of psallō, psallere
- misericordia mea – my mercy, i.e. the God whose mercy defines me
Commentary
The psalm closes in confidence: mercy, not vengeance, has the last word.
✶ Summary Commentary
Psalm 58 moves from desperation to serenity. Its vivid images — dogs at night, swords for tongues — evoke a world of intrigue and threat. Yet faith transforms fear into song: “In the morning I will rejoice in your mercy.”
The structure alternates between complaint (vv. 1–7) and trust (vv. 8–18). The psalm models the rhythm of prayer itself: fear expressed, faith renewed.
✶ Exercises
1️⃣ Vocabulary & Grammar
a. Give full principal parts and meanings:
- eripe, irruerunt, custodiam, praeveniet, murmurabunt.
b. Identify the mood and tense of occidas and comprehendantur.
c. Explain the construction of sine iniquitate cucurri et direxi — what tense and person are used?
2️⃣ Translation
Translate into Latin:
- “God will protect the innocent man.”
- “They wander like hungry dogs through the city.”
- “I will sing of your strength every morning.”
3️⃣ Reflection
- What emotions move through this psalm — fear, anger, hope?
- How does David’s response to persecution differ from revenge?
- How might “night and morning” serve as symbols of despair and renewal?