Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay my honor in the dust. Selah.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
4. "Let the enemy" therefore "persecute my soul and take it" (ver. 5). By again naming the enemy in the singular number, he more and more clearly points out him whom he spoke of above as a lion. For he persecutes the soul, and if he has deceived it, will take it. For the limit of men's rage is the destruction of the body; but the soul, after this visible death, they cannot keep in their power: whereas whatever souls the devil shall have taken by his persecutions, he will keep. "And let him tread my life upon the earth:" that is, by treading let him make my life earth, that is to say, his food. For he is not only called a lion, but a serpent too, to whom it was said, "Earth shalt thou eat." And to the sinner was it said, "Earth thou art, and into earth shalt thou go." "And let him bring down my glory to the dust." This is that dust which "the wind casteth forth from the face of the earth," to wit, vain and silly boasting of the proud, puffed up, not of solid weight, as a cloud of dust c...
Dust. Hebrew adds, "to dwell "(Haydock) as if the ignominy was not to be effaced. This would be very sensible for a king. (Berthier)
Glory is here synonymous with life, or soul, Genesis xlix. 6. Let my life and (Calmet) reputation be lost. (Worthington)
Sum mum crede nefas animam præferre pudori. (Juvenal viii.)
