Ps 39:14

“"Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it" [Psalm 40:14]. For in a certain passage he makes an accusation, and says, "I looked upon my right hand, and beheld; and there was no man who sought after my soul;" that is, there was no man to imitate Mine example. Christ in His Passion is the Speaker. "I looked on my right hand," that is, not on the ungodly Jews, but on Mine own right hand, the Apostles,-"and there was no man who sought after My soul." So thoroughly was there no man to "seek after My soul," that he who had presumed on his own strength, "denied My soul." But because a man's soul is sought after in two ways, either in order that you may enjoy his society; or that you may persecute him; therefore he here speaks of others, whom he would have "confounded and ashamed," who are "seeking after his soul." But lest you should understand it in the same way as when he complains of some who did not "seek after his soul," He adds, "to destroy it;" that is, they seek after my soul in order to my death. ..."Let them be turned backward and put to shame that wish me evil." "Turned backwards." Let us not take this in a bad sense. He wishes them well; and it is His voice, who said from the Cross, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." Wherefore then doth he say to them, that they should return "backwards"? Because they who before were proud, so that they fell, are now become humble, so that they may rise again. For when they are before, they are wishing to take precedence of their Lord; to be better than He; but if they go behind Him, they acknowledge Him to be better than they; they acknowledge that He ought to go before; that He should precede they follow. Thence He thus rebukes Peter giving Him evil counsel. For the Lord, when about to suffer for our salvation, also foretold what was to happen concerning that Passion itself; and Peter says, "Be it far from Thee," "God forbid it!" "This shall not be!" He would fain have gone before his Lord; would have given counsel to his Master! But the Lord, that He might make him not go before Him, but follow after Him, says, "Get thee behind, Satan!" It is for this reason He said "Satan," because thou art seeking to go before Him, whom thou oughest to follow; but if thou art behind, if thou follow Him, thou wilt henceforth not be "Satan." What then? "Upon this Rock I will build My Church." ...”

“"Let them be confounded." Here he presents the confusion of adversaries, of whom some are capital enemies and seek to kill. Others do not seek to kill but to harm. Others seek to mock or deceive with words. And these three kinds of evils are designated here. And these things can refer either to good or to evil: because there is a twofold confusion. One confusion is good, which is through repentance; Rom. 6: "What fruit did you have then in those things of which you are now ashamed?" The other is confusion through punishment. Therefore when he says, "Let them be confounded," that is, let them be punished. And he prays this in conformity with the divine will, or justice. Or, "Let them be confounded," that is, let them repent, "and be put to shame together"; either through fear of punishments. As to the first, Wis. 17: "Since wickedness is timid, it gives testimony of condemnation." Or through fear that provokes repentance. And this because "they seek my soul," to kill it corporally. Or souls, to lead them into darkness: Gen. 14: "Give me the souls; keep the rest for yourself." He asks that the bodily enemies be impeded; hence he says, "Let them be turned backward," for good, that is, let them follow Christ behind him, Mt. 16; or for evil, that is, let them fall from their intention, so that they fail. "And let them blush who think evil things against me," that is, who rejoice at my evils: Lam. 1: "All my enemies have heard my evil; they rejoiced because you have done it."”