Verse 5. 'Let darkness and the shadow of death overshadow it.' 9. The blindness of error so overwhelms the devil that he will not rise again to the light of repentance. By the shadow of death, forgetfulness ought to be understood; for just as death cuts off life, so forgetfulness extinguishes memory. Since, therefore, the apostate angel is handed over to eternal forgetfulness, he is darkened by the shadow of death. Let it therefore be said: 'Let darkness and the shadow of death overshadow it'; that is, let the blindness of his own error so overwhelm him that he may never again rise to the light of repentance through the remembrance of the divine regard. There follows: