Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, you shall purge them away.
Read Chapter 65
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
6. "The discourses of unjust men have prevailed over us, and our iniquities Thou shalt propitiate" (ver. 3). ...Every man, in whatsoever place he is born, of that same land or region or city learneth the language, is habituated to the manners and life of that place. What should a boy do, born among Heathens, to avoid worshipping a stone, inasmuch as his parents have suggested that worship from them the first words he hath heard, that error with his milk he hath sucked in; and because they that used to speak were elders, and the boy that was learning to speak was an infant, what could the little one do but follow the authority of elders, and deem that to be good which they recommended? Therefore nations that are converted to Christ afterwards, and taking to heart the impieties of their parents, and saying now what the prophet Jeremias himself said, "Truly a lie our fathers have worshipped, vanity which hath not profited them" -when, I say, they now say this, they renounce the opinions a...
Transgressions. These are the words of the Christian converts, (Eusebius) or of the Jews, who acknowledge that they have been justly punished with drought, for neglecting the temple and first fruits, Aggeus i. 4., and Malachi as iii. 9. (Calmet)
Hebrew, "thou wilt expiate our transgressions "which denotes Christ's satisfaction. (Berthier)
Though the wicked threaten, we fear nothing, as long as thou wilt pardon our offences. (Worthington)
These have been the occasion of our past sorrows. (Menochius)
