They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that does good, no, not one.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
4. "All have gone out of the way, they have together become useless:" that is, the Jews have become as the Gentiles, who were spoken of above. "There is none that doeth good, no not up to one" (ver. 3), must be interpreted as above. "Their throat is an open sepulchre." Either the voracity of the ever open palate is signified: or allegorically those who slay, and as it were devour those they have slain, into whom they instil the disorder of their own conversation. Like to which with the contrary meaning is that which was said to Peter, "Kill and eat; " that he should convert the Gentiles to his own faith and good conversation. "With their tongues they have dealt craftily." Flattery is the companion of the greedy and of all bad men. "The poison of asps is under their lips." By "poison," he means deceit; and "of asps," because they will not hear the precepts of the law, as asps "will not hear the voice of the charmer;" which is said more clearly in another Psalm. "Whose mouth is full of c...
Unprofitable. Without faith in Christ, none have meritorious works. (Worthington)
Not one. Such was the condition of the world before Christ, as all were born in sin. "No one "says St. Augustine, "can do good, except he show the method. "All were immersed in ruin, "except the holy Virgin, concerning whom, for the honour of the Lord, I would have no question at all, in treating of sins. "(St. Augustine, de Nat. et Grat. contra Pelag. xxxvii. 44.) (Calmet)
The Council of Trent approves of this reserve, when speaking of original sin. Our Saviour is the source of this privilege, and much more out of the question. He could not be guilty of any sort of transgression. He was in all things like to us, excepting sin. (Haydock)
Their What follows to shall not, (ver. 4.) occurs in St. Paul; (Romans iii. 11, 12, 13.) whence St. Jerome supposes that it has been inserted here, though the apostle took the quotations from different parts of scripture. (Praef. in xvi. Isaias.) He informs us, that al...
