Nor for the pestilence that walks in darkness; nor for the destruction that wastes at noonday.
Read Chapter 91
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
7. "Nor for the arrow that flieth by day, for the matter that walketh in darkness, nor for the ruin and the devil that is in the noonday" (ver. 6). These two clauses above correspond to the two below; "Thou shall not fear" for "the terror by night, from the arrow that flieth by day:" both because of "the terror by night," from "the matter that walketh in darkness:" and because of "the arrow that flieth by day," from "the ruin of the devil of the noon-day." What ought to be feared by night, and what by day? When any man sins in ignorance, he sins, as it were, by night: when he sins in full knowledge, by day. The two former sins then are the lighter: the second are much heavier; but this is obscure, and will repay your attention, if, by God's blessing, I can explain it so that you may understand it. He calls the light temptation, which the ignorant yield to, "terror by night:" the light temptation, which assails men who well know, "the arrow that flieth by day." What are light temptation...
Day. Neither open attacks, nor unforeseen accidents prevail. (Calmet)
Business. Hebrew dabar, "thing "ver. 3., "the pestilence. "(St. Jerome) (Haydock)
The Hebrews suppose, that one angel presides over death in the daytime, and another during the night; or that various demons send maladies at these different times.
Invasion. Septuagint and old Italic, have, "ruin. "
St. Jerome, after Aquila, "from the bite of him who rageth, damonizontos, at noon. Keteb, (Haydock) according to an ancient tradition of the Jews, denotes one of the bolder devils, who attacks in open day, and seeks no aid from nocturnal craft. (Genebrard) The psalmist may allude to those popular notions, (Theodoret; St. Jerome) which were prevalent among the pagans. (Theocrit. Idyl. i.; Lucan iii.) (Calmet)
Thou shalt fear no danger of the day or night, (Bellarmine) nor any which disturbs the life of man. (Scaligers, ep. i. p. 95.)
This author mistakes, when he supposes that Keteb is rendered devil. (Amama)
He might ...
