The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.
Read Chapter 112
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
7. "The ungodly shall see it, and he shall be angered" (ver. 10): this is that late and fruitless repentance. For with whom rather than himself is he "angered," when he shall say, "Our pride, what hath it profiled us? the boast-fulnes of our riches, what hath it given us?" seeing the horn of him exalted with honour, who "dispersed abroad, and gave to the poor." "He shall gnash with his teeth, and consume away:" for "there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." For he will no more bring forth leaves and bloom, as would happen if he had repented in season: but he will then repent, when "the desire of the ungodly shall perish," no consolation succeeding. "The desire of the ungodly shall perish," when "all things shall pass away like a shadow," when the flower shall fall down on the withering of the grass. "But the word of the Lord that endureth for ever," as it is mocked by the vanity of the falsely happy, so will laugh at the perdition of the same when truly miserable.
The wicked. The devil, enraged to see the converts to Christianity, (St. Athanasius) or the Jews, (St. Chrysostom) instigated by him. (Haydock)
All the damned shall repine at the happiness of the elect, (St. Augustine) as the Babylonians did, when they beheld the prosperity of those who had been captives. (Calmet)
