THEOSISJerome of Stridon
Let no good come to the wicked; may he who does not honor the face of God not extend his days. He seeks harm for those lacking the reverence of the Lord, desiring that their punishment be swift, that they may be struck down immediately and endure the torment they rightfully deserve. In Galatians 5:12, it is stated, and in 2 Timothy 4:14, 'Alexander the coppersmith has done me much harm; may the Lord repay him according to his deeds.' These passages prompt careful consideration regarding their meanings. This interpretation aligns with the Hebrew text.
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However, for those who follow the method of the Seventy translators, who provide an alternate understanding, ‘And I know that it shall be well for those who fear God, who are in awe of His countenance; but to the wicked, there shall be no good, nor will he extend his days in shadow, for he shall not delight in the presence of God,’ one could paraphrase it as follows: 'While the aforementioned circumstances will indeed occur, I am convinced that it will be well for those who hold His presence in reverence; for the Lord's face is against those who do evil (Psalm 33:7). The wicked will find no goodness, for he does not fear the presence of God and will not last in the shadow, which symbolizes the span of his life, fleeting as a shadow. It is not merely longevity that matters, but the measure of one's days, made substantial through good works. Jacob, recognizing his sinfulness, laments: 'Few and evil have been my days' (Genesis 47:9), and in the Psalms, he admits to God: 'My days are like a shadow that lengthens, and I wither away like grass' (Psalm 102:12). He speaks not out of a desire for prolonged existence in this world, where all seasons are brief, but rather from a fear of the eternal age to come. He wishes to avoid a shortening of life where true existence resides.