I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with my own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
8. "And I have meditated in the night with my heart" (ver. 6). No slanderous person seeketh for snares in his words, in his heart he hath meditated. "I babbled." Behold there is the former babbling. Watch again, that thy spirit faint not. I did not, he saith, I did not so babble as if it were abroad: in another way now. How now? "I did babble, and did search out my spirit." If he were searching the earth to find veins of gold, no one would say that he was foolish; nay, many men would call him wise, for desiring to come at gold: how great treasures hath a man within, and he diggeth not! This man was examining his spirit, and was speaking with that same his spirit, and in the very speaking he was babbling. He was questioning himself, was examining himself, was judge over himself. And he continueth; "I did search my spirit." He had to fear lest he should stay within his own spirit: for he had babbled without; and because all his enemies had anticipated watches, he found there sorrow, and ...
Heart. Septuagint have read differently from the present . (Berthier)
Hebrew, "I recollected my canticle in the night, and communed with my own heart, and my spirit sought to the bottom "or, "I swept, (or directed, scope bam) my spirit "(St. Jerome) from all things unbecoming. Septuagint Eskallon. "I dug and harrowed "it by earnest meditation, to extract the weeds, and make it fit to receive the divine seed, (St. Jerome, here and ep. ad Sun.) and to bring forth fruit; (Haydock) or I swept to discover the precious jewel (Berthier) of salvation. (Haydock)
Scope bam, is not deemed a good Latin word; but seems to be derived from skopeo, "I consider or direct my aim "though some think it means rather "I swept "Isaias xiv. 23. Hugo reads scopa bam. (Calmet)
I diligently examined my conscience, (Worthington) and left nothing unturned, like the woman in the gospel who sought the groat. (Menochius)
Hebrew yechapes, may also mean, "my spirit is set free "to say what might seem too bold, Will...
