Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart stands in awe of your word.
Read Chapter 119
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
159. We know what persecutions the body of Christ, that is, the holy Church, suffered from the kings of the earth. Let us therefore here also recognise the words of the Church: "Princes have persecuted me without a cause: and my heart hath stood in awe of Thee" (ver. 161). For how had the Christians injured the kingdoms of the earth, although their King promised them the kingdom of heaven? How, I ask, had they injured the kingdoms of earth? Did their King forbid His soldiers to pay and to render due service to the kings of the earth? Saith He not to the Jews who were striving to calumniate Him, "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's"? Did He not even in His own Person pay tribute from the mouth of a fish? Did not His forerunner, when the soldiers of this kingdom were seeking what they ought to do for their everlasting salvation, instead of replying, Loose your belts, throw away your arms, desert your king, that ye may wage war for the L...
Princes. Of darkness, or the chiefs of the Philistines (Berthier)
Daniel was much exposed to the fury of the Babylonian princes, but he was more afraid of the terrors of the law, (Leviticus xxvi.) than of all that they could do against him. (Calmet)
Thus the martyrs despised the threats of tyrants. (St. Augustine)
Cause. The powerful men of this world have no just reason to persecute the just, nor can they make them abandon virtue. (Worthington)
St. Basil answered Valens with great intrepidity, shewing how little he apprehended what the emperor could take from him, as we read in St. Gregory of Nazianzus (or. 20.) who says, (or. 6.) let us fear only one thing, which is, to fear any person more than God. (Berthier)
