- The proud:
- This metaphor is taken from the mode in which wild beasts are caught in the East. Deep pits are dug in the earth, and slightly covered over with reeds, turf, etc., so as not to be discerned from the solid ground; and the animals attempting to walk over them, the surface breaks, they fall in, and are taken alive. Thus the Psalmist's enemies employed craft as well as power in order to effect his ruin. "Let the proudª be ashamed;ª° for¹ they dealt perverselyª° with me without a cause:ª [but] I¹ will meditateª° in thy precepts.ª" {Psa 119:78} + "He madeª° a pit,ª and diggedª° it, and is fallenª° into the ditchª [which] he made.ª°" {Psa 7:15} + "For¹ without causeª have they hidª° for me their netª [in] a pit,ª [which] without causeª they have diggedª° for my soul.ª" {Psa 35:7} + "Let not¹ the footª of prideª come²° against¹ me, and let not¹ the handª of the wickedª removeª° me." {Psa 36:11} + "An ungodlyª manª diggeth upª° evil:ª and in¹ his lipsª [there is] as a burningª fire.ª" {Prv 16:27} + "Shall evilª be recompensedª° for¹ good?ª for¹ they have diggedª° a pitª for my soul.ª Rememberª° that I stoodª° beforeª thee to speakª° goodª for¹ them, [and] to turn awayª°¹ thy wrathª from¹ them." {Jer 18:20}
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