Psalm 140:9
let's go catch some bees
Keep me from the snare, which they have laid for me, and from the stumblingblocks of them that work iniquity. (Psalm 140:9 DR)
In our struggle against temptation we find that it generally comes from two sources. There is firstly the chiefly internal vector in which our concupiscence is aroused by the things of this world; that is, our appetites themselves become the source of this temptation in that we are tempted by some external good to engage or indulge our appetites in a disordered manner. This is what the scriptures refer to as “the concupiscence of the flesh, and the concupiscence of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16 DR).
But another vector of temptation is somewhat more external in that it consists of the example we see of others. The Psalmist elsewhere (e.g., Psalm 72) grapples with seeing the prosperity of sinners and is tempted to despair of righteousness availing anything. But these examples can also lead us to desire what we see others doing, or to justify them in our minds, or to even think that what is evil might be good. This is why St. Paul cautions the Corinthians: “Evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Corinthians 15:33 DR).
The Psalmist considers these temptations under two similar but differing figures:
He tells from what quarter he apprehends death, and says it is from the snares and stumbling blocks, that is, from the temptation of the devil and from bad example. (St. Robert Bellarmine, A Commentary on the Book of the Psalms, 140, 9.)
The first is that of a snare. The entire efficacy of a snare is predicated on something in the snare being delightful or appealing to the thing to be ensnared; for example, we put peanut butter or cheese on the trigger of a mousetrap to lure the mouse into springing the trap. Countless other examples could be adduced. For the internal temptation there is a perceived good, a potential delight to be had from the temptation. Our appetites are such that they naturally are directed towards a good and will seek them unless prevented by some obstacle.
In the case of beasts there is no rational avoidance of a snare; the mouse might not go after the cheese for some cause or another, but it’s not because it perceives a trap and reasons that it shouldn’t take the bait.
For humans endowed with reason there is rationality as a potential obstacle to the sating of the appetite. While our appetites are powerful, our reason is intended to order and direct it towards not just the perceived good but the actual good. On the level of nature the sexual desire is good for numerous reasons, but its use is not therefore in every circumstance good. Reason is supposed to direct the sexual appetite towards its good end within its proper context; that is, towards the procreation of children within the marital bond.
The snare is found in thinking that one can obtain the good without the virtuous exercise of the appetites, much like the mouse “thinks” that cheese in the open is a random lucky thing with no strings attached. But the snare is sprung precisely in the disordered attaining of this good, which for the mouse is deadly and for us can certainly be so spiritually. For while the sin in question may not be a mortal sin, even venial sin has the opportunity to ensnare us, and the more we indulge it the more difficult it is to escape.
The second figure is that of stumblingblocks, which is found in the examples we see from others. These are more external to us and—while perhaps more obvious and less existential—nevertheless have the power to trip us up, as the figure suggests. As noted above, things like perceiving injustice in the world and the prosperity of the wicked can tempt us to despair and disbelief; after all, if God is just, why do the wicked not suffer for their injustice, or even worse, why do the righteous seem to suffer for their righteousness.
These stumblingblocks are not direct assaults of temptation like the internal ones are. They can be petty annoyances or even just absolutely stupid things that sit in front of us that we see others do, but the incessant bombardment from day to day can take its toll. Much like walking on a rocky path is all the more arduous, so having to deal with these examples around us constantly can lead to discouragement. To be a stumblingblock suggests that you don’t fall immediately on your face, but the potential is always there.
These examples are compounded when we face the disappointment of those we looked up to themselves stumbling, which is why in the previous verse the Psalmist declares that he will keep his eyes fixed on the Lord. The question arises—if our eyes are raised towards heaven, how will we see the stumblingblocks so as to avoid them?
The first obvious answer is that an analogy should never be pushed too far.
However, a deeper answer is that it is our fixation upon these stumblingblocks which makes them to be so. If we are trusting in our own strength or ingenuity to avoid them we demonstrate a pride which—with delightful irony—the Scriptures say go before a fall (cf. Proverbs 16:18). But as we in this day and age are particularly aware of, to be consumed with the external examples around us does not bring any peace or edification; it is far more likely to draw us further into it or to give up in despair. By having our eyes fixed on the Lord we smooth out those forms of stumblingblocks, just as practicing virtue helps to ameliorate the fire of the appetites.
Thus the Psalmist does not presume of himself to avoid the snare or the stumblingblock, but instead entrusts himself to his Lord who is the only One who can keep his soul safe from falling into them. In the struggle against any temptation we should never presume on our own strength of will or fortitude of virtue but commend ourselves to God who can keep us from falling.
This animation came about rather randomly. I was looking for some medieval manuscript illustrations that depicted hunting and found many, but this one caught my eye as it depicts a man trying to catch bees in a sack. So naturally I had to do something with this.
I cutout everything in Photoshop and brought it into After Effects. I rigged up the guy with the Puppet Tool and then created his movements first, like he was unsuccessfully trying to catch the bees. I then animated the bees to react to his movements (well, the opposite, I guess), and even had one divebomb him.
It was pretty fun.
Enjoy.
Keep me from the snare, which they have laid for me, and from the stumblingblocks of them that work iniquity.
(Psalm 140:9 DR)
View a higher quality version of this gif here: