Psalm 10 (9):9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

His speech is filled with curses, resentment, and deceit, and torment and evil are found on his lips. Another translator remarks that it conveys emptiness. He ambushes from concealed spots, collaborating with the wealthy to slay the innocent, keeping an eye on the needy. Another interpreter mentions he hides behind the court. His gaze is fixed on the destitute, lying in wait like a lion in its lair, ready to snatch away the beggar, ensnaring him in his trap. An additional translator indicates this is from his lair. He lies in secret. Yet another source refers to this as his obsession. Notice how he transforms into a wild beast? The prophet depicts him as such, illustrating his cunning, his traps, and his sinister plans.

His gaze is directed towards the impoverished, as He must primarily seek the righteous, of whom it is declared: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3), (Psalm 9:9). He lies in wait like a lion in its lair. The reference to a lion signifies one who embodies both brutality and cunning. The initial persecution of the Church was marked by brutality, through decrees, tortures, and killings, forcing Christians to renounce their faith; the subsequent persecution is malicious, carried out by various heretics and false believers. A third form, which will arise from Antichrist, is the most perilous, as it will combine both force and deceit. He will wield power and perform signs within the empire.

This is the evil one, the devil. The poor are unfortunate not merely in material ways but also in spiritual ones, for ‘blessed are the poor in spirit’ (Matt. 5:3). ‘In his bonds he will bring low.’ Who is this? Most certainly, it is the poor individual. Note the phrase ‘shall bring low,’ not ‘kill.’ In humiliating the beggar, his degradation signifies destruction for the devil.

He stealthily mingles with the wealthy in hidden places, plotting against the righteous. He gathers in meetings and congregations, setting traps for the innocent. His gaze is fixed on those the world undervalues. He stalks like a lion behind barriers, ensnaring the vulnerable as he draws them into his net. He will bring low the proud. Just as a lion roams the land in search of its quarry, he schemes for deceit and theft day and night. Yet in his pursuit, he will stumble and meet ruin when he seizes the destitute. Despite his victories over others, he will not escape the grip of death but will ultimately descend into the grave like all.

He lies in wait in the shadows, akin to a lion in its den. Here, the prophet expands on this idea to illustrate the deviousness of the wicked individual and to underscore his true predatory nature. Like a lion concealed within its lair, this man preys upon the vulnerable, taking advantage of those whom he ensnares unsuspectedly. He lies in ambush to snatch away the destitute, seeking to ensnare the needy at a moment’s notice. Through the earlier comparison of the deceitful individual to a lion, characterized by its cunning and ferocity, the prophet firmly supports this analogy, emphasizing that such a man embodies the behavior of a lion. He states that the man pounces from his hiding place like a lion, aiming to claim his victim and drag it into his den.

Three periods of oppression In the beginning, the Church faced intense persecution, with pagans compelling Christians to offer sacrifices to idols through prohibitions, torture, and executions. A second form of persecution is the subtle assault currently being carried out by pagans and false believers. The final persecution is foretold to arise from the Antichrist. This will be the most perilous of all, characterized by extreme cruelty stemming from a singular power, using deceptive miracles to lead astray, as the Lord indicated in the Gospel, even the elect if possible (Mk 13:22, Mt 24:24). Thus, the term lion signifies strength, while the phrase in his den conveys cunning.

He lies in wait, much like a fierce lion in its den, ready to tear apart the vulnerable with deceitful words and sometimes even with actions, ensnaring his victim to consume him. He is a ferocious beast, not just any creature, but a lion in particular. Frequently, he lays his traps while pretending to discuss mundane matters, but secretly harbors selfish intentions. Likewise, one who speaks of wisdom may covertly intend recklessness. This is how the adversary tempted Eve in the Garden, promising her a divine status by violating the commandment. Similarly, Judas was led astray by his greed.

In the preceding verse, the speaker elaborates further in the subsequent two verses through varied metaphors and phrases. Here, the oppressor is likened to a thief enticing a passerby, and at the same time, he is compared to a savage creature, like a lion, and to a hunter laying out nets to ensnare the defenseless animals. In the Hebrew text, these two verses are more explicitly interpreted as follows: he will watch in concealment, like a lion in its den; he will keep vigil, seeking to seize the destitute; and after capturing the needy, he will bring him into his lair: he will crouch down, and the afflicted will be ensnared in his stronghold.

The relentless adversary, resembling a lion in its lair, lies in wait among the people of Israel, tirelessly trying to annihilate Christ the Lord, who was made low for the sake of humanity’s redemption. Misjudging Him as merely a man rather than recognizing His divinity, the malevolent Jews, consumed by wickedness, led Him to His crucifixion. The prophet characterizes this maniac as a beast, illustrating his cunning, plots, and traps laid against the humble and the afflicted.

The Prophet clearly shifts the comparisons he employs; initially, he likens the unscrupulous wealthy person to a lion on the hunt. This analogy aptly illustrates a powerful and affluent individual; just as no creature can thwart a lion from seizing its prey, no one challenges the wealthy individual, asking, “Why do you conspire against the poor?” No one dares to defend the destitute in the presence of the rich or the weak in the presence of the strong (Sir 13:25, 28). Subsequently, he draws from the image of a hunter who lays traps. This mirrors the tactics of the wealthy and influential, who often ensnare the impoverished and vulnerable by laying various traps for them.