THEOSISJerome of Stridon
You will bring an unexpected thief upon them, for they have prepared a trap to ensnare me and have secretly laid nets for my feet. But You, O Lord, are aware of all their schemes against me designed for my demise. Do not pardon their wickedness, and let their sin not be erased from Your presence. Let them falter before You; in the time of Your anger, act against them. If we interpret this in relation to Jeremiah, then the unexpected thief can be understood as Nebuchadnezzar; however, a more just and accurate interpretation in reference to the Savior is the Roman army. To prevent any perception of God’s judgment as unjust, the actions they committed against the Son of God, Christ, and the suffering they endured are presented.
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The phrase, “You shall not forgive their wickedness” and “their sin shall not be erased from Your presence,” aligns with the previous petitions, for He intercedes with the Father on behalf of the people. Once the opportunity for repentance has elapsed and they continue in their transgressions—among them the leaders—they face punishment not solely for themselves but for the sake of others, lest their unpunished sin serve as a detrimental example. The expression, “let them stumble or fall before You,” resonates with the words of Isaiah and Peter: “And you shall not stumble as if against a stone of offense and a rock of temptation” (Isaiah 8:14) (1 Pet. 2:8), and is echoed by the psalmist: “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone; this is of the Lord” (Ps. 117:22).