Whilst there be none to redeem, nor to save: that lest he tear me, whilst Thou
redeemest
not, nor savest.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v1
4.
Turn, O Lord, and deliver my soul.
Turning
Him ready as the dawn. Since it was not His absence Who is every where present, but our turning away that
And.
38 Turning needs God's help, to escape the hopeless state. Psai. m in such difficulty we say, Turn, O Lord, that is, help us,
TI.
that that turning may be perfected in us, which findeth Thee ready, and offering Thyself for the fruition of them that love Thee. And hence after he said, Turn, O Lord,he added, and deliver my soul: cleaving as it were to the entanglements of this world, and suffering, in the very act of turning, from the thorns, as it were, of rending and tearing desires. Make me whole, he says,/or Thy piti/s sake. He knows that it is not of his own merits that he is healed : for to him sinning, and transgressing a given command, was just condemnation due. Heal me therefore, he says, not for my merit's sake, but for Thy pity's sake.
6. Ver. 5. For in death there is no one that is mindful of Thee. He knows too that now is the time for turning unto God : for when this life shall have passed away, there remaineth
Lukeie. but a retribution of our deserts. But in hell who shall con fess to Thee ? That rich man, of whom the Lord speaks, who saw Lazarus in rest, but bewailed himself in torments, confessed in hell, yea so as to wish even to have his brethren warned, that they might keep themselves from sin, because of
the punishment which is not believed to be in hell. Although therefore to no purpose, yet he confessed that those torments had deservedly lighted upon him ; since he even wished his brethren to be instructed, lest they should fall into the same. What then is, But in hell who will confess to Thee ? Is hell to be understood as that place, whither the ungodly will be cast down after the judgment, when by reason of that deeper darkness they will no more see any light of God, to Whom they may confess aught? For as yet that rich man by raising his eyes, although a vast gulf lay between, could still see Lazarus established in rest : by comparing himself with whom, he was driven to a confession of his own deserts.
It may be understood also, as if the Psalmist calls sin, that is committed in contempt of God's law, death : so as that we should give the name of death to the sting of death, because it procures death. For the sting ofdeath is sin. In which
l Cor.
15, 56. death this is to be unmindful of God, to despise His law
and commandments: so that by hell the Psalmist would
mean, that blindness of soul, which overtakes and enwraps
Bom. l, the sinner, that is, the dying. As they did not think good, 28.
The 'couch' of sinful weakness to be washed with tears. 39
the Apostle says, to retain God in their knowledge, Ood gave Vku. 6. them over to a reprobate mind. From this death, and this
hell, the soul earnestly prays that she may be kept safe,
whilst she strives to turn to God, and feels heIr difficulties.
have
7. Wherefore he goes on to say, (ver. C. ) laboured
in my groaning. And as if this availed but little, he adds, /will wash each night my couch. That is here called a couch, where the sick and weak soul rests, that is, in bodily gratification and in every worldly pleasure. Which pleasure, whoso endeavours to withdraw himself from washes with tears. For he sees that he already condemns carnal lusts
and yet his weakness held by the pleasure, and willingly
lies down therein, from whence none but the soul that
made whole can rise. As for what he says, each night, he would perhaps have taken thus: that he who, ready in spirit, perceives some light of truth, and yet, through weakness
of the flesh, rests sometime in the pleasure of this world, compelled to suffer as were days and nights in an alterna
tion of feeling: as when he says, With the mind serve the Rom. law of God, he feels as were day again when he says,
but with the flesh the law of sin, he declines into night: until all night passeth away, and that one day comes, of
said, In the morning will stand Thee, andPt. 5,3. For then he will stand, but now he lies down,
on his couch; which he will wash each night,
which
will see.
when he
that with so great abundance of tears he may obtain the most assured remedy from the mercy of God. will drench my bed with tears. It repetition. For when he says, with tears, he shews with what meaning he said above, will wash. For we take bed here to be the same as couch above.
will drench, something more than, will wash: since any thing may be washed superficially, but drenching penetrates to the more inward parts which here signifies weeping to the very bottom of the heart. Now the variety of tenses which he uses the past, when he said,
have laboured in my groaning; and the future, when he said, will wash each night my couch; the future again, will drench my bed with tears this shews what every man
ought to say to himself, when he labours in groaning to no
Although,
I /
/
/
is
it is
;
;
I
;
;
/ /
I
is is;
it,
is
is a
it it is it
by I
"
7,
40 Darkness of sin. The soul beset with enemies.
Psalm purpose. As if he should say, It hath not profited when -- I have done this, therefore I will do the other.
8. Ver. 7. Mine eye is disordered by anger: is it by his own, or God's anger, in which he uiaketh petition that he might not be reproved, or chastened ? But if anger in that place intimate the day of judgment, how can it be understood now? Is it a beginning of it, that men here suffer pains and torments, and above all the loss of the understanding of the
Rom. l, truth; as I have already quoted that which is said, God gave
28'
them over to a reprobate mind? For such is the blindness of the mind. Whosoever is given over thereunto, is shut out from the interior light of God: but not wholly as yet, whilst
Mat. 25,he is in this life. For there is outer darkness, which is un-
30
derstood to belong rather to the day of judgment; that he should rather be wholly without God, whosoever whilst there is time refuses correction. Now to be wholly without God, what else is but to be in extreme blindness? If
Tim. 6, indeed God dwell in inaccessible light, whereinto they enter, Mat. 25 to whom said, Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. It
then the beginning of this anger, which in this life every sinner suffers. In fear therefore of the day of judgment, he in trial and grief; lest he be brought to that, the disastrous
commencement of which he experiences now. And there fore he did not say, mine eye extinguished, but, mine eye is disordered by anger. But he mean that his eye dis ordered by his own anger, there no wonder either in this.
Eph. 4, For hence perhaps said, Let not the sun go down upon your wrath; because the mind, which, from her own disorder, not permitted to see God, supposes that the inner sun, that
is, the wisdom of God, suffers as were a setting in her.
9. have grown old in all mine enemies. He had only spoken of anger, (if were yet of his own anger that he spoke but thinking on his other vices, he found that he was entrenched by them all. Which vices, as they belong to the
old life and the old man, which we must put off, that we may put on the new man, well said, have grown old. But in all mine enemies, he means, either amidst these vices, or amidst men who will not be converted to God. For these, even they know them not, even
21. 23.
Col.
they bear with them,
if
:)
/
if
it /
it is
if is is
3,
it
it is
it,
is
is is
is
it is
1
Rejoicing of the Church at separation from the wicked. 41
even if they use the same tables and houses and cities, with Ver. 8. no strife arising between them, and in frequent converse ~ together with seeming concord : notwithstanding, by the contrariety of their aims, they are enemies to those who turn
unto God. For seeing that the one love and desire this world, the others wish to be freed from this world, who sees not that the first are enemies to the last ? For if they can, they draw the others into punishment with them. And it is a great grace, to be conversant daily with their words, and not to depart from the way of God's commandments. For often the mind which is striving to go on to God-ward, being rudely handled in the very road, is alarmed; and generally fulfils not its good intent, lest it should offend those with whom it lives, who love and follow after other perishable and transient goods. From such every one that is whole is separated, not in space, but in soul. For the body is con tained in space, but the soul's space is her affection.
10. Wherefore after the labour, and groaning, and very frequent showers of tears, since that cannot be ineffectual, which is asked so earnestly of Him, Who is the Fountain of
all mercies, and it is most truly said, the Lord is nigh unto Pa, 34 them that are of a broken heart: after difficulties so great,18.
the pious soul, by which we may also understand the Church, intimating that she has been heard, see what she adds : (ver. 8. ) Depart from me, all ye that work iniquity ; for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. It is either spoken prophetically, since they will depart, that is, the ungodly will be separated from the righteous, when the day ofjudg ment arrives, or, for this time present. For although both are equally found in the same assemblies, yet on the open floor the wheat is already separated from the chaff, though it be hid among the chaff. They can therefore be associated together, but cannot be carried away by the wind together.
1 1 . For the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping ; (ver. 9. ) The Lord hath heard my supplication ; the Lord hath received my prayer. The frequent repetition of the same sentiments shews not, so to say, the necessities of the narrator, but the warm feeling of his joy. For they that rejoice are wont so to speak, as that it is not enough for
them to declare once for all the object of their joy. This is the fruit of that groaning in which there is labour, and those
42 They that mock now shall be vexed hereafter.
Psalm tears with which the couch is washed, and bed drenched : ---- ' for, he that sows in tears, shall reap in joy : and, blessed are
''
5.
they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.
12. Ver. 10. Let all mine enemies be ashamed and vexed.
He said above, depart from me all ye: which can take place, as it has been explained, even in this life : but as to what he says, let them be ashamed and vexed, I do not see how it can happen, save on that day when the rewards of the righteous and the punishments of the sinners shall be made manifest. For at present so far are the ungodly from being ashamed, that they do not cease to insult us. And for the most part their mockings are of such avail, that they
make the weak to be ashamed of the name of Christ. Hence Mat. i0, it is said, Whosoever shall be ashamed of Me before men, Luke 9,? / him will I be ashamed before My Father. But now
lis wnosoever would fulfil those sublime commands, to disperse, 9. to give to the poor, that his righteousness may endure for ever; and selling all his earthly goods, and spending them on
iTim. 6, the needy, would follow Christ, saying, We brought nothing
'
into this world, and truly we can carry nothing out having food and raiment, let us be therewith content; incurs the profane raillery of those men, and by those who will not be made whole, called mad and often to avoid being so called by desperate men, he fears to do, and puts off that, which the most faithful and powerful of all physicians hath ordered. It not then at present that these can be ashamed, by whom we have to wish that we be not made ashamed, and so be either called back from our proposed journey, or hindered, or delayed. But the time will come, when they Wisd. 5, shall be ashamed, saying as written, These are they whom
we had sometimes in derision, and a parable of reproach we fools counted their life madness, and their end to be without honour how are they numbered among the children of God, and their lot among the saints Therefore have we erred from the way of truth, and the light of righteous ness hath not shined unto us, nor the sun risen upon us: we have been filled with the way of wickedness and destruction, and have walked through rugged deserts, but the way of the Lord we have not known. What hath pride profited us, or what hath the vaunting of riches brought us? All those things are passed away like a shadow.
:
is
is
;
?
:
"
is
is
;
t,6'
Swift confusion of the wicked; sometimes conversion. 43
13. But as to what he says, Let them be turned and con- Ver. founded. Who would not judge it to be a most righteous .
punishment, that they should have a turning unto confusion,
who would not have one unto salvation ? After this he
added, exceeding quickly. For when the day of judgment
shall have begun to be no longer looked for, when they shall
have said, Peace, then shall sudden destruction come upon l Thws. them. Now whensoever it come, that comes very quickly, ' '
of whose coming we give up all expectation ; and nothing
makes the length of this life be fell but the hope of living.
For nothing seems more quick, than all that has already
passed in it. When then the day of judgment shall come,
then will sinners feel how that all the life which passeth away
is not long. Nor will that any way possibly seem to them
to have come tardily, which shall have come without their desiring, or rather without their believing. Although it
can too be taken in this place thus, that inasmuch as God
has heard, so to say, her groans, and her long and frequent
tears, she may be understood to be freed from her sins, and
to have tamed every disordered impulse of carnal affection :
as she saith, Depart from me, all ye that work iniquity, for
the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping: and when
she has had this happy issue, it is no marvel if she be already
so perfect, as to pray for her enemies. The words then, Let
all mine enemies be ashamed, and vexed, may have this meaning ; that they should repent of their sins, which cannot
be effected without confusion and vexation. There is then nothing to hinder us from taking what follows too in this
sense, let them be turned and ashamed, that is, let them be turned to God, and be ashamed that they sometime gloried
in the former darkness of their sins; as the Apostle says,
For what glory had ye sometime in those things, of which ye Bom. 6, are now ashamed? But as to what he added, exceeding**.
quickly, it must be referred either to the warm affection of her wish, or to the power of Christ ; Who converteth to the faith of the Gospel in such quick time the nations, which in their idols' cause did persecute the Church.
2 Sam. 37'-
PSALM VII. EXPOSITION.
A Psalm to David himself, which he sung to the Lord, for the words of Chusi, son ofJemini.
1 . Now the story, which gave occasion to this prophecy, may be easily recognised in the second book of Kings. For there Chusi, the friend of king David, went over to the side of Abessalon, his son, who was carrying on war against his father, for the purpose of discovering and reporting the designs which he was taking against his father, at the instigation of Achitophel, who had revolted from David's friendship, and was instructing by his counsel, to the best of his power, the son against the father. But since it is not the story itself which is to be the subject of consideration in this Psalm, from which the prophet hath taken a veil of
2 Cor. mysteries, if we have passed over to Christ, let the veil be
'
'
taken away. And first let us inquire into the signification of the very names, what it means. For there have not been wanting interpreters, who investigating these same words, not carually according to the letter, but spiritually, declare to us, that Chusi should be interpreted silence; and Gemini, righthanded ; Achitophel, brother's ruin. Among which
Horn,
Judas, that traitor, again meets us, that Abessalon should bear his image, according to that interpre
tation of it as a father's peace; in that his father was full of thoughts of peace toward him: although he in his guile had war in his heart, as was treated of in the third Psalm. Now as we find in the Gospels that the disciples of our Lord
interpretations,
Matt. 9, Jesus Christ are called sons, so in the same Gospels we find they are called brethren also. For the Lord on the John resurrection saith, Go and say to My brethren. And the
20 ' 17 ' Apostle calls Him, the first begotten among many brethren. The ruin then of that disciple, who betrayed Him, is rightly understood to be a brother's ruin, which we said is the inter pretation of Achitophel. Now as to Chusi, from the inter pretation of silence, it is rightly understood that our Lord contended against that guile in silence, that is, in that most deep secret, whereby blindness happened in part to Israel,
Ahitophel type of Judas, Hushai of Christ's silence. 45
when they were persecuting the Lord, that the fulness of the Title. Gentiles might enter in, and so all Israel might be saved. When
the Apostle came to this profound secret and deep silence,
he exclaimed, as if struck with a kind of awe of its very depth,
0 the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of'Rom. God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways34]
past finding out ! For who hath known the mind of the Lord, cr who hath been His counsellor? Thus that great silence he does not so much discover by explanation, as he sets forth its greatness in admiration. In this silence the Lord hiding the sacrament of His adorable passion, turns the brother's voluntary ruin, that is, His betrayer's impious
wickedness, into the order of His mercy and providence : that what he with perverse mind wrought for one Man's destruction, He might by providential overruling dispose for all men's salvation. The perfect soul then, which is already worthy to know the secret of God, sings a Psalm unto the Lord, she sings for the words of Chusi, because she has
attained to know the words of that silence : for among unbelievers and persecutors there is that silence and secret.
But among His own, to whom it is said, Now I call you John
15'
no more servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lordI
15' have called you friends, all things that
I
have heard of My Father I
doeth; but for
have made known unto you: among His friends, I say, there is not the silence, but the words of the silence, that is, the meaning of that silence set forth and manifested. Which silence, that is, Chusi, is called the son of Gemini, that is, righthanded. For what was done
for the Saints was not to be hidden from them. And yet
He saith, Let not the left hand know what the right handj,iatt. 6, doeth. The perfect soul then, to which that secret has been3- made known, sings in prophecy for the words of Chusi, that
is, for the knowledge of that same secret. Which secret
God at her right hand, that is, favourable0 and propitious
unto her, has wrought. Wherefore this silence is called the
son of the right hand, which is, Chusi, the sIon of Gemini.
2. Ver. 1 . O Lord my God, in Thee have
from all them that persecute me, and deliver me. As one to
c It is difficult to preserve in translation the double meaning of dexter as righthanded and favourable.
hoped : save me
46 Satan the sole remaining enemy of the perfect.
Psalm whom, already perfected, all the war and enmity of vice -- being overcome, there remaineth no enemy but the envious devil, he says, Save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me : (ver. 2. ) lest at any time he tear my soul as a lion. The Apostle says, Your adversary the devil, as a roaring
i ? et
lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. There fore when the Psalmist said in the plural number, Save me
from all them that persecute me: he afterwards introduced the singular, saying, lest at any time he tear my soul as a lion. For he does not say, lest at any time they tear : he knew what enemy and violent adversary of the perfect soul remained.
Whilst there be none to redeem, nor to save: that lest he tear me, whilst Thou redeemest not, nor savest. For, God redeem not, nor save, he tears.
3. And that might be clear that the already perfect soul, which to be on her guard against the most insidious snares of the devil only, says this, see what follows, (ver. 3. ) O Lord my God, have done this. What that he calls this Since he does not mention the sin by name, are we to under stand sin generally? If this sense displease us, we may take that to be meant which follows as we had asked, what this that you say, this? He answers, Ifthere be iniquity in my hands. Now then is clear that said of all sin,
If
Matt. Lord says, Be ye perfect, as your Father Which is in heaven
43. 45.
jyfro maIceth His sun to rise upon the good and the evil, and raineth on the just and the unjust. He then who repayeth not them that recompense evil, perfect. When therefore the perfect soul prays for the words Chusi, the son ofJemini, that for the knowledge of that secret and silence, which the Lord, favourable to us and merciful, wrought for our salvation, so as to endure, and with all patience bear, the guiles of this betrayer: as He should say to this perfect soul, explaining the design of this secret, For thee ungodly and sinner, that thine iniquities might be washed away by My blood-shedding, in great silence and great
have repaid them that me evil. recompense
(ver. 4. )
Which none can say with truth, but the perfect. For so the
bore with My betrayer wilt not thou imitate me, that thou too mayest not repay evil for evil? Consider
patience
ing" then, and understanding what the Lord has done for
I
a
is
;
if
if
it
I is,
I
it if
is of
it is
5,
it
; is?
:
is, if
is
Prophetic imprecation on such as return evil. 47
him, and by His example going on to perfection, theVBB. 5. Psalmist says, If I have repaid them that recompense me
evil : that is, if I have not done what Thou hast taught me
by Thy example : may I therefore fall by mine enemies
empty. And he says well, not, If I have repaid them that do me evil ; but, who recompense. For whoso recompenseth, had received somewhat already. Now it is an instance of greater patience, not even to repay him evil, who after receiving benefits returns evil for good, than if without receiving any previous benefit he had had a mind to injure.
/
evil: that is, If I have not imitated Thee in that silence,
If therefore he says,
have repaid them that recompense me
that is, in Thy patience, which Thou hast wrought for me,
I
boaster, who, being himself a man, desires to avenge himself on a man ; and whilst he openly seeks to overcome a man, is secretly himself overcome by the devil, rendered empty by vain and proud joy, because he could not, as it were, be
fall
conquered.
by mine enemies empty. For he is an empty
may
evil, may
therefore fall
ty.
The Psalmist knows then where a greater
victory may be obtained, and where the Father which Matt. 6,
seeth in secret will reward. Lest then he repay them that '
recompense evil, he overcomes his anger rather than another
man, being instructed too by those writings, wherein it is
written, better is heIthat overcometh his anger, than he that Pro'. l6,
If
taketh a ciI
have repaid them that recompense me
by my enemies empty. He seems to swear by way of execration, which is the heaviest kind of oath, as when one says, If I have done so and so, may I
suffer so and so. But swearing in a swearer's mouth is one thing, in a prophet's meaning another. For here he men tions what will really befal men, who repay them that recompense evil; not what, as by an oath, he would imprecate on himself or any other.
4. Ver. 5. Let the enemy therefore persecute my soul and take it. By again naming the enemy in the singular number, he more and more clearly points out him, whom he spoke of above as a lion. For he persecutes the soul, and if he has deceived will take it. For the limit of men's rage the destruction of the body but the soul, after this visible death, they cannot keep in their power: whereas whatever souls
;
it,
is
48 Emptiness and sad end ofglorying in man's praise.
Psalm the devil shall have taken by his persecutions, he will keep. '--And let him tread my life upon the earth: that is, by
treading let him make my life earth, that is to say, his food.
For he is not only called a lion, but a serpent too, to whom Gen. 3, it was said, Earth shall thou eat. And to the sinner
"
Apostle, let him glory in the Lord. This solidity is brought down to the dust, ifone through pride despising the secresy of conscience, where God only proves a man, desires to glory before men. Hence comes what the Psalmist elsewhere
was it said, Earth thou art, and into earth shall thou go.
lb. 19.
And let him bring down my glory to the dust. This is
Ps. l,4. that dust, which the wind casteth forth from the face of the earth, to wit, vain and silly boasting of the proud, puffed up, not of solid weight, as a cloud of dust carried away by the wind. Justly then has he here spoken of the glory, which he would not have brought down to dust. For he would have it solidly established in conscience before God,
1 Cor. 1, where there is no boasting. He that glorieth, saith the
Ps. 53,5. says, God shall bruise the bones of them that please men. Now he that has well learnt or experienced the steps in overcoming vices, knows that this vice of empty glory is either alone, or more than all, to be shunned by the perfect. For that by which the soul first fell, she overcomes the last.
^ccl"s. For the beginning of all sin is pride: and again, the begin-
12. '
Acts 7,
ning of man's pride is to depart from God.
5. Ver. 6. Arise, O Lord, in Tliine anger. Why yet does
he, who we say is perfect, incite God to anger? Must we not see, whether he rather be not perfect, who, when he was being stoned, said, O Lord, lay not this sin to their charge? Or does the Psalmist pray thus not against men, but against the devil and his angels, whose possession sinners and the ungodly are ? He then does not pray against him in wrath, but in mercy, whosoever prays that that possession may be
Rom. 4, taken from him by that Lord Who justifieth the ungodly. For when the ungodly is justified, from ungodly he is made
just, and from being the possession of the devil he passes into the temple of God. And since it is a punishment, that a possession, in which one longs to have rule, should be taken away from him : this punishment, that he should cease to possess those whom he now possesses, the Psalmist calls the
Christ exalted ; the People gathered round Him. 49
anger of God against the devil. Arise, O Lord, in Thine Vrr. anger. Arise, (he has used it as "appear,") in words, tW 10.
human and obscure; as though God sleeps, when He unrecognised and hidden in His secret workings. Be exalted in the borders of mine enemies. He means by borders the possession itself, in which he wishes that God should be exalted, that be honoured and glorified, rather than the devil, while the ungodly are justified and praise
God. And arise, Lord my God, in the commandment
that Thou hast given: that is, since Thou hast enjoined humility, appear in humility and first fulfil what Thou hast enjoined; that men by Thy example overcoming pride may
not be possessed of the devil, who against Thy command
ments advised to pride, saying, Eat, and your eyes shall be Gen. 3,5. opened, and ye shall be as Gods.
6. And the congregation of the people shall surround Tliee. This may be understood two ways. For the congre gation of the people can be taken, either of them that believe,
or of them that persecute, both of which took place in the same humiliation of our Lord in contempt of which the multitude of them that persecute surrounded Him con cerning which said, Why have the heathen raged,Ps. and the people meditated vain things But of them
that believe through His humiliation the multitude so sur rounded Him, that could be said with the greatest truth, blindness in part happened unto Israel, that the fulness Rom.
of the Gentiles might come in: and again, Ask of me, and /", trill give Thee the Gentiles for Thine inheritance, and the boundaries the earth for Thy possession. And for their sakes return Thou on high that is, for the sake of this con gregation return Thou on high which He understood to have done by His resurrection and ascension into heaven. For being thus glorified He gave the Holy Ghost, Which
2*?
before His exaltation could not be given, as written in
the Gospel,/or the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because j0hD that Jesus was not yet glorified. Having then returned on 39- high for the sake of the congregation of the people, He sent
the Holy Ghost: by Whom the preachers of the Gospel being filled, filled the whole world with Churches.
7. can be taken also in this sense Arise, Lord, in
E
;
It
:
O
7,
2, i.
is is
?
it
: :
is,
of
is it
it
is O
;
:
is is,
50 Hiding of Christ from sinners, even in His own Church,
Psalm Thine anger, and be exalted in the borders of mine enemies: - that is, arise in Thine anger, and let not mine enemies understand Thee; so that to be exalted, should be this, become high*, that Thou mayest not be understood;
which has reference to the silence spoken of above. For it Ps. 18, is of this exaltation thus said in another Psalm, And He ascended upon Cherubim, and flew: and, He made darkness
His secret place. In which exaltation, or concealment, when for their sins' desert they shall not understand Thee, who shall crucify Thee, the congregation of believers shall surround Thee. For in His very humiliation He was exalted, that was not understood. So that, And arise, O Lord my God, in the commandment that Thou hast given:
may have reference to this, that is, when Thou shewest Thyself, be high or deep that mine enemies may not understand Thee. Now sinners are the enemies of the
just man, and the ungodly of the godly man. And the con gregation of the people shall surround Thce: that is, by this very circumstance, that those who crucify Thee under stand Thee not, the Gentiles shall believe on Thee, and so shall the congregation of the people surround Thee. But what follows, this be the true meaning, has in more pain, that begins already to be perceived, than joy that is understood. For follows, and for their sokes return Thou on high, that is, and for the sake of this congregation of the human race, wherewith the Churches are crowded, return Thou on high, that is, again cease to be understood.
What then is, and for their sakes, but that this congregation too will offend Thee, so that Thou mayest most truly foretel
Lukei8,and say, Thinkest Thou when the Son of Man shall come,
8. He trillfindfaith on the earth Again, ofthe false prophets, Mat. 24, who are understood to be heretics, He says, Because of
their iniquity the love many shall wax cold. Since then
even in the Churches, that is, in that
peoples and nations, where the Christian name has most widely spread, there shall be so great abundance of sinners, which already, in great measure, perceived; not that famine of the word here predicted, which has been threat-
Amos
served in translation.
altus. Its twofold meaning of high and deep not capable of being pre
congregation of
is
8, ?
is
it
is
it it
of
?
if it
is,
Our Lord's coming to Judgment longedfor by the upright. 51
ened by another prophet also ? Is it not too for this congre- Vb>>. gation's sake, who, by theirsins,are estranging from themselves 10' - the light of truth, that God returns on high, that so that
faith, pure and cleansed from the corruption of all perverse opinions, held and received, either not at all, or by the
very few of whom was said, Blessed is he that shall Mark endure to the end, the same shall be saved? Not without cause then said, and for the sake this congregation return Thou on high: that is, again withdraw into the depth
of Thy secrecy, even for the sake of this congregation of the peoples, that hath Thy name, and doeth not Thy deeds.
8. But whether the former exposition of this place, or this last be the more suitable, without prejudice to any one better, or equal, or as good, follows very consistently, the
Lord judgeth the people. For whether He returned on
high, when, after the resurrection, He ascended into heaven,
well does follow, The Lord judgeth the people: for that
He will come from thence to judge the quick and the dead.
Or whether He return on high, when the understanding of
the truth leaves sinful Christians, for that of His coming
has been said, Thinkestthou the Son of Man on His coming Lukels, will find faith on the earth The Lord then judgeth the 8.
people. What Lord, but Jesus Christ? For the Father John judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto
the Son. Wherefore this soul which prayeth perfectly,
see how she fears not the day of judgment, and with a truly secure longing says in her prayer, Thy kingdom come: judge
me, she says, Lord, according to my righteousness. In
the former Psalm weak one was entreating, imploring rather the mercy of God, than mentioning any desert of his
own since the Son of God came to call sinners to repent- Matt. ance. Therefore he had there said, Save me, O Lord, for p^
But*,
have repaid them that recompense me evil. e2
Thy mercy's sake; that not for my desert's sake.
now, since being called he hath held and kept the command ments which he received, he bold to say, Judge me, Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to my harmlessness, that upon me. This true harmlessness, which harms not even an enemy. Accordingly, well does he require to be judged according to his harmlessness, who could
say with truth, If
I
O is a
it
it
is
of
is, is
?
it
:
O it
6
9, 5,
it
is is
'
is,
52 Man's righteousness is by grace. Wickedness consummated.
Psai. m As for what he added, that is upon me, it can refer not only , to harmlessness, but can be understood also with reference to righteousness ; that the sense should be this, Judge me,
0 Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to my harmlessness, which righteousness and harmlessness is upon me. By which addition he shews that this very thing, that the soul is righteous and harmless, she has not by herself, but by God Who giveth brightness and light. For of this
Ps. 18, he says in another Psalm, Thou, O Lord, wilt light my
John l 8-
35.
'
candle. And of John it is said, that he was not the light, but bore witness of the light. He was a burning and shining candle. That light then, whence souls, as candles, are kindled, shines forth not with borrowed, but with original, brightness, which light is truth itself. It is then so said, According to my righteousness, and according to my harm lessness, that is upon me, as if a burning and shining candle should say, Judge me acccording to the flame which is upon
1 al. that me, that is, not that wherewith ' I am myself, but that whereby 1 shine enkindled of thee.
9. Ver. 9. But let the wickedness of sinners be con summated. He says, be consummated, be completed, ac- Rev. 22, cording to that in the Apocalypse, Let the righteous become
more righteous, and let the filthy be filthy still. For the wickedness of those men appears consummate, who crucified the Son of God ; but greater is theirs who will not live uprightly, and hate the precepts of truth, for whom the Son of God was crucified. Let the wickedness of sinners, then he says, be consummated, that is, arrive at the height of wickedness, that just judgment may be able to come at once. But since it is not only said, Let the filthy be filthy still ; but it is said also, Let the righteous become more righteous ; he joins on the words, And Thou shalt direct the righteous, 0 God, Who searcheth the hearts and reins. How then can the righteous be directed but in secret? when even by means of those things which, in the commencement of the Christian ages, when as yet the saints were oppressed by the persecu tion of the men of this world, appeared marvellous to men, now that the Christian name has begun to be in such high dignity, hypocrisy, that is pretence, has increased ; of those, 1 mean, who by the Christian profession had rather please
God, searching hearts and reins, guides His oum. His healing. 53
men than God. How then is the righteous man directed in Ver. so great confusion of pretence, save whilst God searcheth the ------ hearts and reins ; seeing all men's thoughts, which are meant
by the word heart ; and their delights, which are understood
by the word reins ? For the delight in things temporal and earthly is rightly ascribed to the reins ; for that it is both the lower part of man, and that region where the pleasure of carnal generation dwells, through which man's nature is transferred into this life of care, and deceiving joy, by the succession of the race. God then, searching our heart, and perceiving that it is there where our treasure is, that is, in heaven ; searching also the reins, and perceiving that we do not assent to flesh and blood, but delight ourselves in the Lord, directs the righteous man in his inward conscience before Him, where no man seeth, but He alone Who per- ceiveth what each man thinketh, and what delighteth each. For delight is the end of care ; because to this end does each man strive by care and thought, that he may attain to his delight. He therefore seeth our cares, Who searcheth the
heart. He seeth too the ends of cares, that is delights, Who narrowly searcheth the reins ; that when He shall find that
our cares incline neither to the lust of the flesh, nor to the l John
O Id lust of the eyes, nor to the pride of life, all which pass away '
as a shadow, but that they are raised upward to the joys of things eternal, which are spoilt by no change, He may direct
the righteous, even He, the God Who searcheth the hearts and reins. For our works, which we do in deeds and words, may be known unto men ; but with what mind they are done, and to what end we would attain by means of them, He alone knoweth, the God Who searcheth the hearts and reins.
10. Ver. 10. My righteous help is from the Lord, Who maketh whole the upright in heart. The offices of medicine are twofold, one the curing infirmity, the other the preserving health. According to the first it was saidIin the preceding
Psalm, Have mercy on me, O Lord, for
am weak} ac-Ps. 6,2.
I is said in this Psalm, If there be cording to the second it
in my hands, iniquity I if
have repaid them that recompense
therefore ' fall
i
by my enemies empty. For al. de-
me evil, may
there the weak prays that he may be delivered, here one terv^dly already whole that he may not change for the worse. Ac-
54 Preserving mercy for the Righteous. Uprightness in heart.
Psalm cording to the one it is there said, Make me whole for Thy
JJIl mercy's
sake ; according to this other it is here said, Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness. For there he asks for a remedy to escape from disease ; but here for pro tection from falling into disease. According to the former it is said, Make me whole, O Lord, according to Thy mercy : according to the latter it is said, My righteous help is from the Lord, Who maketh whole the upright in heart. Both the one and the other maketh men whole ; but the former removes them from sickness into health, the latter preserves them in this health. Therefore there the help is merciful, because the sinner hath no desert, who as yet longeth to be
Rom. 4, justified, believing on Him Who justifieth the ungodly ; but here the help is righteous, because it is given to one already righteous. Let the sinner then who said, / am weak, say in the first place, Make me whole, O Lord, for thy mIercy's sake ; and here let the righteous man, who said, If have repaid them that recompense me evil, say, My righteous help is from the Lord, Who maketh whole the upright in heart. For if he sets forth the medicine, by which we may be healed when weak, how much more that, by which we may be kept
Rom. 5, in health. For if while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, how much more being now justified shall we be kept whole from wrath through Him.
11. My righteous help is from the Lord, Who maketh whole the upright in heart. God, Who searcheth the hearts and reins, directeth the righteous ; but with righteous help maketh He whole the upright in heart. He doth not as He searcheth the hearts and reins, so make whole the upright in heart and reins ; for the thoughts are both bad in a depraved heart, and good in an upright heart ; but delights which are not good belong to the reins, for they are more low and earthly ; but those that are good not to the reins, but to the heart itself. Wherefore men cannot be so called upright in reins, as they are called upright in heart, since where the thought is, there at once the delight is too ; which cannot be, unless when things divine and eternal are
Ps. 4.
Him ready as the dawn. Since it was not His absence Who is every where present, but our turning away that
And.
38 Turning needs God's help, to escape the hopeless state. Psai. m in such difficulty we say, Turn, O Lord, that is, help us,
TI.
that that turning may be perfected in us, which findeth Thee ready, and offering Thyself for the fruition of them that love Thee. And hence after he said, Turn, O Lord,he added, and deliver my soul: cleaving as it were to the entanglements of this world, and suffering, in the very act of turning, from the thorns, as it were, of rending and tearing desires. Make me whole, he says,/or Thy piti/s sake. He knows that it is not of his own merits that he is healed : for to him sinning, and transgressing a given command, was just condemnation due. Heal me therefore, he says, not for my merit's sake, but for Thy pity's sake.
6. Ver. 5. For in death there is no one that is mindful of Thee. He knows too that now is the time for turning unto God : for when this life shall have passed away, there remaineth
Lukeie. but a retribution of our deserts. But in hell who shall con fess to Thee ? That rich man, of whom the Lord speaks, who saw Lazarus in rest, but bewailed himself in torments, confessed in hell, yea so as to wish even to have his brethren warned, that they might keep themselves from sin, because of
the punishment which is not believed to be in hell. Although therefore to no purpose, yet he confessed that those torments had deservedly lighted upon him ; since he even wished his brethren to be instructed, lest they should fall into the same. What then is, But in hell who will confess to Thee ? Is hell to be understood as that place, whither the ungodly will be cast down after the judgment, when by reason of that deeper darkness they will no more see any light of God, to Whom they may confess aught? For as yet that rich man by raising his eyes, although a vast gulf lay between, could still see Lazarus established in rest : by comparing himself with whom, he was driven to a confession of his own deserts.
It may be understood also, as if the Psalmist calls sin, that is committed in contempt of God's law, death : so as that we should give the name of death to the sting of death, because it procures death. For the sting ofdeath is sin. In which
l Cor.
15, 56. death this is to be unmindful of God, to despise His law
and commandments: so that by hell the Psalmist would
mean, that blindness of soul, which overtakes and enwraps
Bom. l, the sinner, that is, the dying. As they did not think good, 28.
The 'couch' of sinful weakness to be washed with tears. 39
the Apostle says, to retain God in their knowledge, Ood gave Vku. 6. them over to a reprobate mind. From this death, and this
hell, the soul earnestly prays that she may be kept safe,
whilst she strives to turn to God, and feels heIr difficulties.
have
7. Wherefore he goes on to say, (ver. C. ) laboured
in my groaning. And as if this availed but little, he adds, /will wash each night my couch. That is here called a couch, where the sick and weak soul rests, that is, in bodily gratification and in every worldly pleasure. Which pleasure, whoso endeavours to withdraw himself from washes with tears. For he sees that he already condemns carnal lusts
and yet his weakness held by the pleasure, and willingly
lies down therein, from whence none but the soul that
made whole can rise. As for what he says, each night, he would perhaps have taken thus: that he who, ready in spirit, perceives some light of truth, and yet, through weakness
of the flesh, rests sometime in the pleasure of this world, compelled to suffer as were days and nights in an alterna
tion of feeling: as when he says, With the mind serve the Rom. law of God, he feels as were day again when he says,
but with the flesh the law of sin, he declines into night: until all night passeth away, and that one day comes, of
said, In the morning will stand Thee, andPt. 5,3. For then he will stand, but now he lies down,
on his couch; which he will wash each night,
which
will see.
when he
that with so great abundance of tears he may obtain the most assured remedy from the mercy of God. will drench my bed with tears. It repetition. For when he says, with tears, he shews with what meaning he said above, will wash. For we take bed here to be the same as couch above.
will drench, something more than, will wash: since any thing may be washed superficially, but drenching penetrates to the more inward parts which here signifies weeping to the very bottom of the heart. Now the variety of tenses which he uses the past, when he said,
have laboured in my groaning; and the future, when he said, will wash each night my couch; the future again, will drench my bed with tears this shews what every man
ought to say to himself, when he labours in groaning to no
Although,
I /
/
/
is
it is
;
;
I
;
;
/ /
I
is is;
it,
is
is a
it it is it
by I
"
7,
40 Darkness of sin. The soul beset with enemies.
Psalm purpose. As if he should say, It hath not profited when -- I have done this, therefore I will do the other.
8. Ver. 7. Mine eye is disordered by anger: is it by his own, or God's anger, in which he uiaketh petition that he might not be reproved, or chastened ? But if anger in that place intimate the day of judgment, how can it be understood now? Is it a beginning of it, that men here suffer pains and torments, and above all the loss of the understanding of the
Rom. l, truth; as I have already quoted that which is said, God gave
28'
them over to a reprobate mind? For such is the blindness of the mind. Whosoever is given over thereunto, is shut out from the interior light of God: but not wholly as yet, whilst
Mat. 25,he is in this life. For there is outer darkness, which is un-
30
derstood to belong rather to the day of judgment; that he should rather be wholly without God, whosoever whilst there is time refuses correction. Now to be wholly without God, what else is but to be in extreme blindness? If
Tim. 6, indeed God dwell in inaccessible light, whereinto they enter, Mat. 25 to whom said, Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. It
then the beginning of this anger, which in this life every sinner suffers. In fear therefore of the day of judgment, he in trial and grief; lest he be brought to that, the disastrous
commencement of which he experiences now. And there fore he did not say, mine eye extinguished, but, mine eye is disordered by anger. But he mean that his eye dis ordered by his own anger, there no wonder either in this.
Eph. 4, For hence perhaps said, Let not the sun go down upon your wrath; because the mind, which, from her own disorder, not permitted to see God, supposes that the inner sun, that
is, the wisdom of God, suffers as were a setting in her.
9. have grown old in all mine enemies. He had only spoken of anger, (if were yet of his own anger that he spoke but thinking on his other vices, he found that he was entrenched by them all. Which vices, as they belong to the
old life and the old man, which we must put off, that we may put on the new man, well said, have grown old. But in all mine enemies, he means, either amidst these vices, or amidst men who will not be converted to God. For these, even they know them not, even
21. 23.
Col.
they bear with them,
if
:)
/
if
it /
it is
if is is
3,
it
it is
it,
is
is is
is
it is
1
Rejoicing of the Church at separation from the wicked. 41
even if they use the same tables and houses and cities, with Ver. 8. no strife arising between them, and in frequent converse ~ together with seeming concord : notwithstanding, by the contrariety of their aims, they are enemies to those who turn
unto God. For seeing that the one love and desire this world, the others wish to be freed from this world, who sees not that the first are enemies to the last ? For if they can, they draw the others into punishment with them. And it is a great grace, to be conversant daily with their words, and not to depart from the way of God's commandments. For often the mind which is striving to go on to God-ward, being rudely handled in the very road, is alarmed; and generally fulfils not its good intent, lest it should offend those with whom it lives, who love and follow after other perishable and transient goods. From such every one that is whole is separated, not in space, but in soul. For the body is con tained in space, but the soul's space is her affection.
10. Wherefore after the labour, and groaning, and very frequent showers of tears, since that cannot be ineffectual, which is asked so earnestly of Him, Who is the Fountain of
all mercies, and it is most truly said, the Lord is nigh unto Pa, 34 them that are of a broken heart: after difficulties so great,18.
the pious soul, by which we may also understand the Church, intimating that she has been heard, see what she adds : (ver. 8. ) Depart from me, all ye that work iniquity ; for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. It is either spoken prophetically, since they will depart, that is, the ungodly will be separated from the righteous, when the day ofjudg ment arrives, or, for this time present. For although both are equally found in the same assemblies, yet on the open floor the wheat is already separated from the chaff, though it be hid among the chaff. They can therefore be associated together, but cannot be carried away by the wind together.
1 1 . For the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping ; (ver. 9. ) The Lord hath heard my supplication ; the Lord hath received my prayer. The frequent repetition of the same sentiments shews not, so to say, the necessities of the narrator, but the warm feeling of his joy. For they that rejoice are wont so to speak, as that it is not enough for
them to declare once for all the object of their joy. This is the fruit of that groaning in which there is labour, and those
42 They that mock now shall be vexed hereafter.
Psalm tears with which the couch is washed, and bed drenched : ---- ' for, he that sows in tears, shall reap in joy : and, blessed are
''
5.
they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.
12. Ver. 10. Let all mine enemies be ashamed and vexed.
He said above, depart from me all ye: which can take place, as it has been explained, even in this life : but as to what he says, let them be ashamed and vexed, I do not see how it can happen, save on that day when the rewards of the righteous and the punishments of the sinners shall be made manifest. For at present so far are the ungodly from being ashamed, that they do not cease to insult us. And for the most part their mockings are of such avail, that they
make the weak to be ashamed of the name of Christ. Hence Mat. i0, it is said, Whosoever shall be ashamed of Me before men, Luke 9,? / him will I be ashamed before My Father. But now
lis wnosoever would fulfil those sublime commands, to disperse, 9. to give to the poor, that his righteousness may endure for ever; and selling all his earthly goods, and spending them on
iTim. 6, the needy, would follow Christ, saying, We brought nothing
'
into this world, and truly we can carry nothing out having food and raiment, let us be therewith content; incurs the profane raillery of those men, and by those who will not be made whole, called mad and often to avoid being so called by desperate men, he fears to do, and puts off that, which the most faithful and powerful of all physicians hath ordered. It not then at present that these can be ashamed, by whom we have to wish that we be not made ashamed, and so be either called back from our proposed journey, or hindered, or delayed. But the time will come, when they Wisd. 5, shall be ashamed, saying as written, These are they whom
we had sometimes in derision, and a parable of reproach we fools counted their life madness, and their end to be without honour how are they numbered among the children of God, and their lot among the saints Therefore have we erred from the way of truth, and the light of righteous ness hath not shined unto us, nor the sun risen upon us: we have been filled with the way of wickedness and destruction, and have walked through rugged deserts, but the way of the Lord we have not known. What hath pride profited us, or what hath the vaunting of riches brought us? All those things are passed away like a shadow.
:
is
is
;
?
:
"
is
is
;
t,6'
Swift confusion of the wicked; sometimes conversion. 43
13. But as to what he says, Let them be turned and con- Ver. founded. Who would not judge it to be a most righteous .
punishment, that they should have a turning unto confusion,
who would not have one unto salvation ? After this he
added, exceeding quickly. For when the day of judgment
shall have begun to be no longer looked for, when they shall
have said, Peace, then shall sudden destruction come upon l Thws. them. Now whensoever it come, that comes very quickly, ' '
of whose coming we give up all expectation ; and nothing
makes the length of this life be fell but the hope of living.
For nothing seems more quick, than all that has already
passed in it. When then the day of judgment shall come,
then will sinners feel how that all the life which passeth away
is not long. Nor will that any way possibly seem to them
to have come tardily, which shall have come without their desiring, or rather without their believing. Although it
can too be taken in this place thus, that inasmuch as God
has heard, so to say, her groans, and her long and frequent
tears, she may be understood to be freed from her sins, and
to have tamed every disordered impulse of carnal affection :
as she saith, Depart from me, all ye that work iniquity, for
the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping: and when
she has had this happy issue, it is no marvel if she be already
so perfect, as to pray for her enemies. The words then, Let
all mine enemies be ashamed, and vexed, may have this meaning ; that they should repent of their sins, which cannot
be effected without confusion and vexation. There is then nothing to hinder us from taking what follows too in this
sense, let them be turned and ashamed, that is, let them be turned to God, and be ashamed that they sometime gloried
in the former darkness of their sins; as the Apostle says,
For what glory had ye sometime in those things, of which ye Bom. 6, are now ashamed? But as to what he added, exceeding**.
quickly, it must be referred either to the warm affection of her wish, or to the power of Christ ; Who converteth to the faith of the Gospel in such quick time the nations, which in their idols' cause did persecute the Church.
2 Sam. 37'-
PSALM VII. EXPOSITION.
A Psalm to David himself, which he sung to the Lord, for the words of Chusi, son ofJemini.
1 . Now the story, which gave occasion to this prophecy, may be easily recognised in the second book of Kings. For there Chusi, the friend of king David, went over to the side of Abessalon, his son, who was carrying on war against his father, for the purpose of discovering and reporting the designs which he was taking against his father, at the instigation of Achitophel, who had revolted from David's friendship, and was instructing by his counsel, to the best of his power, the son against the father. But since it is not the story itself which is to be the subject of consideration in this Psalm, from which the prophet hath taken a veil of
2 Cor. mysteries, if we have passed over to Christ, let the veil be
'
'
taken away. And first let us inquire into the signification of the very names, what it means. For there have not been wanting interpreters, who investigating these same words, not carually according to the letter, but spiritually, declare to us, that Chusi should be interpreted silence; and Gemini, righthanded ; Achitophel, brother's ruin. Among which
Horn,
Judas, that traitor, again meets us, that Abessalon should bear his image, according to that interpre
tation of it as a father's peace; in that his father was full of thoughts of peace toward him: although he in his guile had war in his heart, as was treated of in the third Psalm. Now as we find in the Gospels that the disciples of our Lord
interpretations,
Matt. 9, Jesus Christ are called sons, so in the same Gospels we find they are called brethren also. For the Lord on the John resurrection saith, Go and say to My brethren. And the
20 ' 17 ' Apostle calls Him, the first begotten among many brethren. The ruin then of that disciple, who betrayed Him, is rightly understood to be a brother's ruin, which we said is the inter pretation of Achitophel. Now as to Chusi, from the inter pretation of silence, it is rightly understood that our Lord contended against that guile in silence, that is, in that most deep secret, whereby blindness happened in part to Israel,
Ahitophel type of Judas, Hushai of Christ's silence. 45
when they were persecuting the Lord, that the fulness of the Title. Gentiles might enter in, and so all Israel might be saved. When
the Apostle came to this profound secret and deep silence,
he exclaimed, as if struck with a kind of awe of its very depth,
0 the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of'Rom. God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways34]
past finding out ! For who hath known the mind of the Lord, cr who hath been His counsellor? Thus that great silence he does not so much discover by explanation, as he sets forth its greatness in admiration. In this silence the Lord hiding the sacrament of His adorable passion, turns the brother's voluntary ruin, that is, His betrayer's impious
wickedness, into the order of His mercy and providence : that what he with perverse mind wrought for one Man's destruction, He might by providential overruling dispose for all men's salvation. The perfect soul then, which is already worthy to know the secret of God, sings a Psalm unto the Lord, she sings for the words of Chusi, because she has
attained to know the words of that silence : for among unbelievers and persecutors there is that silence and secret.
But among His own, to whom it is said, Now I call you John
15'
no more servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lordI
15' have called you friends, all things that
I
have heard of My Father I
doeth; but for
have made known unto you: among His friends, I say, there is not the silence, but the words of the silence, that is, the meaning of that silence set forth and manifested. Which silence, that is, Chusi, is called the son of Gemini, that is, righthanded. For what was done
for the Saints was not to be hidden from them. And yet
He saith, Let not the left hand know what the right handj,iatt. 6, doeth. The perfect soul then, to which that secret has been3- made known, sings in prophecy for the words of Chusi, that
is, for the knowledge of that same secret. Which secret
God at her right hand, that is, favourable0 and propitious
unto her, has wrought. Wherefore this silence is called the
son of the right hand, which is, Chusi, the sIon of Gemini.
2. Ver. 1 . O Lord my God, in Thee have
from all them that persecute me, and deliver me. As one to
c It is difficult to preserve in translation the double meaning of dexter as righthanded and favourable.
hoped : save me
46 Satan the sole remaining enemy of the perfect.
Psalm whom, already perfected, all the war and enmity of vice -- being overcome, there remaineth no enemy but the envious devil, he says, Save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me : (ver. 2. ) lest at any time he tear my soul as a lion. The Apostle says, Your adversary the devil, as a roaring
i ? et
lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. There fore when the Psalmist said in the plural number, Save me
from all them that persecute me: he afterwards introduced the singular, saying, lest at any time he tear my soul as a lion. For he does not say, lest at any time they tear : he knew what enemy and violent adversary of the perfect soul remained.
Whilst there be none to redeem, nor to save: that lest he tear me, whilst Thou redeemest not, nor savest. For, God redeem not, nor save, he tears.
3. And that might be clear that the already perfect soul, which to be on her guard against the most insidious snares of the devil only, says this, see what follows, (ver. 3. ) O Lord my God, have done this. What that he calls this Since he does not mention the sin by name, are we to under stand sin generally? If this sense displease us, we may take that to be meant which follows as we had asked, what this that you say, this? He answers, Ifthere be iniquity in my hands. Now then is clear that said of all sin,
If
Matt. Lord says, Be ye perfect, as your Father Which is in heaven
43. 45.
jyfro maIceth His sun to rise upon the good and the evil, and raineth on the just and the unjust. He then who repayeth not them that recompense evil, perfect. When therefore the perfect soul prays for the words Chusi, the son ofJemini, that for the knowledge of that secret and silence, which the Lord, favourable to us and merciful, wrought for our salvation, so as to endure, and with all patience bear, the guiles of this betrayer: as He should say to this perfect soul, explaining the design of this secret, For thee ungodly and sinner, that thine iniquities might be washed away by My blood-shedding, in great silence and great
have repaid them that me evil. recompense
(ver. 4. )
Which none can say with truth, but the perfect. For so the
bore with My betrayer wilt not thou imitate me, that thou too mayest not repay evil for evil? Consider
patience
ing" then, and understanding what the Lord has done for
I
a
is
;
if
if
it
I is,
I
it if
is of
it is
5,
it
; is?
:
is, if
is
Prophetic imprecation on such as return evil. 47
him, and by His example going on to perfection, theVBB. 5. Psalmist says, If I have repaid them that recompense me
evil : that is, if I have not done what Thou hast taught me
by Thy example : may I therefore fall by mine enemies
empty. And he says well, not, If I have repaid them that do me evil ; but, who recompense. For whoso recompenseth, had received somewhat already. Now it is an instance of greater patience, not even to repay him evil, who after receiving benefits returns evil for good, than if without receiving any previous benefit he had had a mind to injure.
/
evil: that is, If I have not imitated Thee in that silence,
If therefore he says,
have repaid them that recompense me
that is, in Thy patience, which Thou hast wrought for me,
I
boaster, who, being himself a man, desires to avenge himself on a man ; and whilst he openly seeks to overcome a man, is secretly himself overcome by the devil, rendered empty by vain and proud joy, because he could not, as it were, be
fall
conquered.
by mine enemies empty. For he is an empty
may
evil, may
therefore fall
ty.
The Psalmist knows then where a greater
victory may be obtained, and where the Father which Matt. 6,
seeth in secret will reward. Lest then he repay them that '
recompense evil, he overcomes his anger rather than another
man, being instructed too by those writings, wherein it is
written, better is heIthat overcometh his anger, than he that Pro'. l6,
If
taketh a ciI
have repaid them that recompense me
by my enemies empty. He seems to swear by way of execration, which is the heaviest kind of oath, as when one says, If I have done so and so, may I
suffer so and so. But swearing in a swearer's mouth is one thing, in a prophet's meaning another. For here he men tions what will really befal men, who repay them that recompense evil; not what, as by an oath, he would imprecate on himself or any other.
4. Ver. 5. Let the enemy therefore persecute my soul and take it. By again naming the enemy in the singular number, he more and more clearly points out him, whom he spoke of above as a lion. For he persecutes the soul, and if he has deceived will take it. For the limit of men's rage the destruction of the body but the soul, after this visible death, they cannot keep in their power: whereas whatever souls
;
it,
is
48 Emptiness and sad end ofglorying in man's praise.
Psalm the devil shall have taken by his persecutions, he will keep. '--And let him tread my life upon the earth: that is, by
treading let him make my life earth, that is to say, his food.
For he is not only called a lion, but a serpent too, to whom Gen. 3, it was said, Earth shall thou eat. And to the sinner
"
Apostle, let him glory in the Lord. This solidity is brought down to the dust, ifone through pride despising the secresy of conscience, where God only proves a man, desires to glory before men. Hence comes what the Psalmist elsewhere
was it said, Earth thou art, and into earth shall thou go.
lb. 19.
And let him bring down my glory to the dust. This is
Ps. l,4. that dust, which the wind casteth forth from the face of the earth, to wit, vain and silly boasting of the proud, puffed up, not of solid weight, as a cloud of dust carried away by the wind. Justly then has he here spoken of the glory, which he would not have brought down to dust. For he would have it solidly established in conscience before God,
1 Cor. 1, where there is no boasting. He that glorieth, saith the
Ps. 53,5. says, God shall bruise the bones of them that please men. Now he that has well learnt or experienced the steps in overcoming vices, knows that this vice of empty glory is either alone, or more than all, to be shunned by the perfect. For that by which the soul first fell, she overcomes the last.
^ccl"s. For the beginning of all sin is pride: and again, the begin-
12. '
Acts 7,
ning of man's pride is to depart from God.
5. Ver. 6. Arise, O Lord, in Tliine anger. Why yet does
he, who we say is perfect, incite God to anger? Must we not see, whether he rather be not perfect, who, when he was being stoned, said, O Lord, lay not this sin to their charge? Or does the Psalmist pray thus not against men, but against the devil and his angels, whose possession sinners and the ungodly are ? He then does not pray against him in wrath, but in mercy, whosoever prays that that possession may be
Rom. 4, taken from him by that Lord Who justifieth the ungodly. For when the ungodly is justified, from ungodly he is made
just, and from being the possession of the devil he passes into the temple of God. And since it is a punishment, that a possession, in which one longs to have rule, should be taken away from him : this punishment, that he should cease to possess those whom he now possesses, the Psalmist calls the
Christ exalted ; the People gathered round Him. 49
anger of God against the devil. Arise, O Lord, in Thine Vrr. anger. Arise, (he has used it as "appear,") in words, tW 10.
human and obscure; as though God sleeps, when He unrecognised and hidden in His secret workings. Be exalted in the borders of mine enemies. He means by borders the possession itself, in which he wishes that God should be exalted, that be honoured and glorified, rather than the devil, while the ungodly are justified and praise
God. And arise, Lord my God, in the commandment
that Thou hast given: that is, since Thou hast enjoined humility, appear in humility and first fulfil what Thou hast enjoined; that men by Thy example overcoming pride may
not be possessed of the devil, who against Thy command
ments advised to pride, saying, Eat, and your eyes shall be Gen. 3,5. opened, and ye shall be as Gods.
6. And the congregation of the people shall surround Tliee. This may be understood two ways. For the congre gation of the people can be taken, either of them that believe,
or of them that persecute, both of which took place in the same humiliation of our Lord in contempt of which the multitude of them that persecute surrounded Him con cerning which said, Why have the heathen raged,Ps. and the people meditated vain things But of them
that believe through His humiliation the multitude so sur rounded Him, that could be said with the greatest truth, blindness in part happened unto Israel, that the fulness Rom.
of the Gentiles might come in: and again, Ask of me, and /", trill give Thee the Gentiles for Thine inheritance, and the boundaries the earth for Thy possession. And for their sakes return Thou on high that is, for the sake of this con gregation return Thou on high which He understood to have done by His resurrection and ascension into heaven. For being thus glorified He gave the Holy Ghost, Which
2*?
before His exaltation could not be given, as written in
the Gospel,/or the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because j0hD that Jesus was not yet glorified. Having then returned on 39- high for the sake of the congregation of the people, He sent
the Holy Ghost: by Whom the preachers of the Gospel being filled, filled the whole world with Churches.
7. can be taken also in this sense Arise, Lord, in
E
;
It
:
O
7,
2, i.
is is
?
it
: :
is,
of
is it
it
is O
;
:
is is,
50 Hiding of Christ from sinners, even in His own Church,
Psalm Thine anger, and be exalted in the borders of mine enemies: - that is, arise in Thine anger, and let not mine enemies understand Thee; so that to be exalted, should be this, become high*, that Thou mayest not be understood;
which has reference to the silence spoken of above. For it Ps. 18, is of this exaltation thus said in another Psalm, And He ascended upon Cherubim, and flew: and, He made darkness
His secret place. In which exaltation, or concealment, when for their sins' desert they shall not understand Thee, who shall crucify Thee, the congregation of believers shall surround Thee. For in His very humiliation He was exalted, that was not understood. So that, And arise, O Lord my God, in the commandment that Thou hast given:
may have reference to this, that is, when Thou shewest Thyself, be high or deep that mine enemies may not understand Thee. Now sinners are the enemies of the
just man, and the ungodly of the godly man. And the con gregation of the people shall surround Thce: that is, by this very circumstance, that those who crucify Thee under stand Thee not, the Gentiles shall believe on Thee, and so shall the congregation of the people surround Thee. But what follows, this be the true meaning, has in more pain, that begins already to be perceived, than joy that is understood. For follows, and for their sokes return Thou on high, that is, and for the sake of this congregation of the human race, wherewith the Churches are crowded, return Thou on high, that is, again cease to be understood.
What then is, and for their sakes, but that this congregation too will offend Thee, so that Thou mayest most truly foretel
Lukei8,and say, Thinkest Thou when the Son of Man shall come,
8. He trillfindfaith on the earth Again, ofthe false prophets, Mat. 24, who are understood to be heretics, He says, Because of
their iniquity the love many shall wax cold. Since then
even in the Churches, that is, in that
peoples and nations, where the Christian name has most widely spread, there shall be so great abundance of sinners, which already, in great measure, perceived; not that famine of the word here predicted, which has been threat-
Amos
served in translation.
altus. Its twofold meaning of high and deep not capable of being pre
congregation of
is
8, ?
is
it
is
it it
of
?
if it
is,
Our Lord's coming to Judgment longedfor by the upright. 51
ened by another prophet also ? Is it not too for this congre- Vb>>. gation's sake, who, by theirsins,are estranging from themselves 10' - the light of truth, that God returns on high, that so that
faith, pure and cleansed from the corruption of all perverse opinions, held and received, either not at all, or by the
very few of whom was said, Blessed is he that shall Mark endure to the end, the same shall be saved? Not without cause then said, and for the sake this congregation return Thou on high: that is, again withdraw into the depth
of Thy secrecy, even for the sake of this congregation of the peoples, that hath Thy name, and doeth not Thy deeds.
8. But whether the former exposition of this place, or this last be the more suitable, without prejudice to any one better, or equal, or as good, follows very consistently, the
Lord judgeth the people. For whether He returned on
high, when, after the resurrection, He ascended into heaven,
well does follow, The Lord judgeth the people: for that
He will come from thence to judge the quick and the dead.
Or whether He return on high, when the understanding of
the truth leaves sinful Christians, for that of His coming
has been said, Thinkestthou the Son of Man on His coming Lukels, will find faith on the earth The Lord then judgeth the 8.
people. What Lord, but Jesus Christ? For the Father John judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto
the Son. Wherefore this soul which prayeth perfectly,
see how she fears not the day of judgment, and with a truly secure longing says in her prayer, Thy kingdom come: judge
me, she says, Lord, according to my righteousness. In
the former Psalm weak one was entreating, imploring rather the mercy of God, than mentioning any desert of his
own since the Son of God came to call sinners to repent- Matt. ance. Therefore he had there said, Save me, O Lord, for p^
But*,
have repaid them that recompense me evil. e2
Thy mercy's sake; that not for my desert's sake.
now, since being called he hath held and kept the command ments which he received, he bold to say, Judge me, Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to my harmlessness, that upon me. This true harmlessness, which harms not even an enemy. Accordingly, well does he require to be judged according to his harmlessness, who could
say with truth, If
I
O is a
it
it
is
of
is, is
?
it
:
O it
6
9, 5,
it
is is
'
is,
52 Man's righteousness is by grace. Wickedness consummated.
Psai. m As for what he added, that is upon me, it can refer not only , to harmlessness, but can be understood also with reference to righteousness ; that the sense should be this, Judge me,
0 Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to my harmlessness, which righteousness and harmlessness is upon me. By which addition he shews that this very thing, that the soul is righteous and harmless, she has not by herself, but by God Who giveth brightness and light. For of this
Ps. 18, he says in another Psalm, Thou, O Lord, wilt light my
John l 8-
35.
'
candle. And of John it is said, that he was not the light, but bore witness of the light. He was a burning and shining candle. That light then, whence souls, as candles, are kindled, shines forth not with borrowed, but with original, brightness, which light is truth itself. It is then so said, According to my righteousness, and according to my harm lessness, that is upon me, as if a burning and shining candle should say, Judge me acccording to the flame which is upon
1 al. that me, that is, not that wherewith ' I am myself, but that whereby 1 shine enkindled of thee.
9. Ver. 9. But let the wickedness of sinners be con summated. He says, be consummated, be completed, ac- Rev. 22, cording to that in the Apocalypse, Let the righteous become
more righteous, and let the filthy be filthy still. For the wickedness of those men appears consummate, who crucified the Son of God ; but greater is theirs who will not live uprightly, and hate the precepts of truth, for whom the Son of God was crucified. Let the wickedness of sinners, then he says, be consummated, that is, arrive at the height of wickedness, that just judgment may be able to come at once. But since it is not only said, Let the filthy be filthy still ; but it is said also, Let the righteous become more righteous ; he joins on the words, And Thou shalt direct the righteous, 0 God, Who searcheth the hearts and reins. How then can the righteous be directed but in secret? when even by means of those things which, in the commencement of the Christian ages, when as yet the saints were oppressed by the persecu tion of the men of this world, appeared marvellous to men, now that the Christian name has begun to be in such high dignity, hypocrisy, that is pretence, has increased ; of those, 1 mean, who by the Christian profession had rather please
God, searching hearts and reins, guides His oum. His healing. 53
men than God. How then is the righteous man directed in Ver. so great confusion of pretence, save whilst God searcheth the ------ hearts and reins ; seeing all men's thoughts, which are meant
by the word heart ; and their delights, which are understood
by the word reins ? For the delight in things temporal and earthly is rightly ascribed to the reins ; for that it is both the lower part of man, and that region where the pleasure of carnal generation dwells, through which man's nature is transferred into this life of care, and deceiving joy, by the succession of the race. God then, searching our heart, and perceiving that it is there where our treasure is, that is, in heaven ; searching also the reins, and perceiving that we do not assent to flesh and blood, but delight ourselves in the Lord, directs the righteous man in his inward conscience before Him, where no man seeth, but He alone Who per- ceiveth what each man thinketh, and what delighteth each. For delight is the end of care ; because to this end does each man strive by care and thought, that he may attain to his delight. He therefore seeth our cares, Who searcheth the
heart. He seeth too the ends of cares, that is delights, Who narrowly searcheth the reins ; that when He shall find that
our cares incline neither to the lust of the flesh, nor to the l John
O Id lust of the eyes, nor to the pride of life, all which pass away '
as a shadow, but that they are raised upward to the joys of things eternal, which are spoilt by no change, He may direct
the righteous, even He, the God Who searcheth the hearts and reins. For our works, which we do in deeds and words, may be known unto men ; but with what mind they are done, and to what end we would attain by means of them, He alone knoweth, the God Who searcheth the hearts and reins.
10. Ver. 10. My righteous help is from the Lord, Who maketh whole the upright in heart. The offices of medicine are twofold, one the curing infirmity, the other the preserving health. According to the first it was saidIin the preceding
Psalm, Have mercy on me, O Lord, for
am weak} ac-Ps. 6,2.
I is said in this Psalm, If there be cording to the second it
in my hands, iniquity I if
have repaid them that recompense
therefore ' fall
i
by my enemies empty. For al. de-
me evil, may
there the weak prays that he may be delivered, here one terv^dly already whole that he may not change for the worse. Ac-
54 Preserving mercy for the Righteous. Uprightness in heart.
Psalm cording to the one it is there said, Make me whole for Thy
JJIl mercy's
sake ; according to this other it is here said, Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness. For there he asks for a remedy to escape from disease ; but here for pro tection from falling into disease. According to the former it is said, Make me whole, O Lord, according to Thy mercy : according to the latter it is said, My righteous help is from the Lord, Who maketh whole the upright in heart. Both the one and the other maketh men whole ; but the former removes them from sickness into health, the latter preserves them in this health. Therefore there the help is merciful, because the sinner hath no desert, who as yet longeth to be
Rom. 4, justified, believing on Him Who justifieth the ungodly ; but here the help is righteous, because it is given to one already righteous. Let the sinner then who said, / am weak, say in the first place, Make me whole, O Lord, for thy mIercy's sake ; and here let the righteous man, who said, If have repaid them that recompense me evil, say, My righteous help is from the Lord, Who maketh whole the upright in heart. For if he sets forth the medicine, by which we may be healed when weak, how much more that, by which we may be kept
Rom. 5, in health. For if while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, how much more being now justified shall we be kept whole from wrath through Him.
11. My righteous help is from the Lord, Who maketh whole the upright in heart. God, Who searcheth the hearts and reins, directeth the righteous ; but with righteous help maketh He whole the upright in heart. He doth not as He searcheth the hearts and reins, so make whole the upright in heart and reins ; for the thoughts are both bad in a depraved heart, and good in an upright heart ; but delights which are not good belong to the reins, for they are more low and earthly ; but those that are good not to the reins, but to the heart itself. Wherefore men cannot be so called upright in reins, as they are called upright in heart, since where the thought is, there at once the delight is too ; which cannot be, unless when things divine and eternal are
Ps. 4.
