And this
expedient
for you, that ye lord not with rashness, but that ye serve the Lord of all with fear, and rejoice in bliss most sure and
it
if
I
is
is
is
is
is
is
it is
:
is
is ;;
it
it is
;
;
is
is,
is
;
is,
8 Judgment of ungodly, not safety only, but bliss of the godly.
it
if
I
is
is
is
is
is
is
it is
:
is
is ;;
it
it is
;
;
is
is,
is
;
is,
8 Judgment of ungodly, not safety only, but bliss of the godly.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v1
Perhaps the errors of translation in the existing versions may have led the Fathers to adopt rules of inter pretation ranging too far from the simple and literal; but having such translations, they could hardly use them other wise.
Meanwhile St.
Augustine will be found to excel in the intense apprehension of those great truths which pervade
the whole of Sacred Writ, and in the vivid and powerful exposition of what bears upon them. It is hardly possible to read his practical and forcible applications of Holy Scrip ture, without feeling those truths by the faith of which we ought to live brought home to the heart in a wonderful
VI PREFACE.
manner. His was a mind that strove earnestly to solve the great problems of human life, and after exhausting the re sources, and discovering the emptiness, of erroneous systems, found truth and rest at last in Catholic Christianity, in the religion of the Bible as expounded by St. Ambrose. And though we must look to his Confessions for the full view of all his cravings after real good, and their ultimate satis faction, yet throughout his works we have the benefit of the earnestness with which he sought to feed on the ' sincere
milk of the word. '
His mystical and allegorical interpretation, in spite of
occasional mistakes, which belong rather to the translation than to himself, will be found in general of great value. It is to a considerable extent systematic, and the same inter pretation of the same symbols is repeated throughout the
work, and is indeed often common to him with other Fathers. The ' feet' taken for the affections, ' clouds' for the Apostles, and many other instances, are of very frequent occurrence. And it is evident that a few such general inter pretations must be a great help to those who wish to make an allegorical use of those portions of Holy Scripture, which are adapted for it. Nor are they adhered to with such strictness as to deprive the reader of the benefit of other explanations, where it appears that some other metaphor or allegory was intended. Both St. Augustine and St. Gregory acknowledge, and at times impress on their readers, that metaphorical language is used in Holy Scripture with
various meanings under the same symbol.
The discourses on the Psalms are not carried throughout
on the same plan, but still are tolerably complete as a commentary, since the longer expositions furnish the means of filling out the shorter notices, in thought at least, to the attentive reader of the whole. They were not delivered continuously, nor all at the same place. Occasionally the
PREFACE. VH
Author is led by the circumstances of the time into long discussions of a controversial character, especially with respect to the Donatists, against whose narrow and exclusive views he urges strongly the prophecies relating to the universality of the Church. Occasionally a Psalm is first reviewed briefly, so as to give a general clue to its inter
pretation, and then enlarged upon in several discourses.
For the present Translation, as far as the first thirty Psalms,
the Editors are indebted to a friend who conceals his name ; for the remainder of the Volume, with part of the next which is to appear, to the Rev. J. Tweed, M. A. of Exeter College, Oxford. It is hoped that the whole of St. Augustine on the Psalms may come out in Volumes at intervals not much
exceeding half a year.
Oxford,
S. Augustine of Canterbury, 1847.
C. M.
AUGUSTINE THE PSALMS.
ST.
ON
PSALM I.
1. Blessed is the man that hath not gone away in the counsel of the ungodly. This is to be understood of our
Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord Man. Blessed is the man thati Cor. hath not gone away in the counsel of the ungodly, as the man 18' of earth did, who consented to his wife deceived by the serpent, to the transgressing the commandment of God.
Nor stood in the way of sinners. For He came indeed in
the way of sinners, by being born as sinners are; but He stood not therein, for that the enticements of the world held
Him not. And hath not sat in the seat of pestilence. He willed not an earthly kingdom, with pride, which is well
taken for the seat of pestilence ; for that there is hardly any
one who is free from the love of rule, and craves not human
For ^pestilence is disease widely spread, and involving
all or nearly all. Yet the seat of pestilence may be more2Tim. 2,
glory.
understood of hurtful doctrine ; whose word spreadeth as a canker. The order too of the words must be considered: went away, stood, sat. For he went away, when he drew back from God. He stood, when he took pleasure in sin. He sat, when, confirmed in his pride, he
? 'Homine Dominico. ' This term as applied to our Lord St. August, disallows in bis Retractat. i. 19.
appropriately
2 Our Lord the Tree of Life ; waters, peoples ;
could not go back, unless set free by Him, Who neither hath gone away in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way ofsinners, nor sat in the seat ofpestilence.
2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His iTim. l, law will he meditate by day and by night. The law is not made for a righteous man, says the Apostle. But it is one thing to be in the law, another under the law. Whoso is in the law, acteth according to the law ; whoso is under the law, is acted upon according to the law : the one therefore is free, the other a slave. Again, the law, which is written and imposed upon the servant, is one thing; the law, which is mentally discerned by him who needeth not its letter, is another thing. He will meditate by day and by night, is to be understood either as without ceasing ; or by day in joy, John 8, by night in tribulations. For it is said, Abraham saw my ps6j6 j day, and u. as glad: and of tribulation it is said, my reins also
have instructed me, even unto the night.
3. And he shall be like a tree planted hard by the running
Prov. 8. streams of waters; that is either, Very Wisdom, Which vouch safed to assume man's nature for our salvation ; that as man He might be the tree planted hard by the running streams of waters ; for in this sense can that too be taken which is said
PB. 65,9. in another Psalm, the river of God is full of water. Or, by Matt. 3, the Holy Ghost, of Whom it is said, He shall baptize you in John 7 the Holy Ghost; and again, Ifany man thirst, let him come 37. unto Me, and drink; and again, If thou knewest the gift of to. 14. ' God, and Who it is that asketh water of thee, thou wouldest
have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water, of which whoso drinketh shall never thirst, but it shall be made in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. Or, by the running streams of waters may be by the sins of the people, because first the waters are
Rev. 17, called peoples in the Apocalypse; and again, by running stream is not unreasonably understood fall, which hath relation to sin. That tree then, that is, our Lord, from the running streams of water, that is, from the sinful people's drawing them by the way into the roots of His discipline, will bring forth fruit, that will establish Churches; in
His season, that after He hath been glorified by His Resurrection and Ascension into heaven. For then, by the
is,
is,
earth, (in a good sense,) stedfastness in God. 3
sending of the Holy Ghost to the Apostles, and by the confirming of their faith in Him, and their mission to the world, He made the Churches to bring forth fruit. His
leaf also shall not fall, that is, His Word shall not be in l,. vain. For, all flesh is grass, and the glory of man as the ~4o,
flower of grass; the grass withereth, and the flower falleth, ' but the word of the Lord abideth for ever. And whatsoever
He doeth shall prosper, that is, whatsoever that tree shall bear ; which all must be taken of fruit and leaves, that is, deeds and words.
4. The ungodly are not so, they are not so, but are like the dust which the wind casteth forth from the face of the earth. The earth is here to be taken as that stedfastness in God,
with a view to which itI
of mine inheritance, yea,
view to this it is said, Wait on the Lord and keep His ways, Ps. 37,
'
is said, The Lord is the portionPe. ie,
have a goodly heritage. With a
and He shall exalt thee to inherit the earth. With a view
to this it is said, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit Matt. 5, the earth. A comparison too is derived hence, for as this
visible earth supports and contains the outer man, so that
earth invisible the inner man. From the face of which
earth the wind casteth forth the ungodly, that is, pride, in that
it puffeth him up. On his guard against which he, who was inebriated by the richness of the house of the Lord, and drunken of the torrent stream of its pleasures, saith, Let not Pa? 36, the foot of pride come against me. From this earth pride
cast forth him who said, / will place my seat in the north, Is. 14, and
earth it cast forth him also who, after that he had consented
and tasted of the forbidden tree that he might be as God,
hid himself from the Face of God. That this earth hasGen. 3,8. reference to the inner man, and that manb is cast forth
thence by pride, may be particularly seen in that which
is written, Why is earth and ashes proud? Because, in hisEcc\as.
Iwill be like the Most High. From the face of the
life, he cast forth his bowels. For, whence he hath been cast forth, he is not unreasonably said to have cast forth himself.
5. Therefore the ungodly rise not in the judgment: there fore, namely, because as dust they are cast forth from the
b Oxf. Mas. ' the inner man. ' b2
'
4 To be hnoion of God, is to abide ; not to be known, to perish.
face of the earth. And well did he say that this should be taken away from them, which in their pride they court, namely, that they may judge : so that this same idea is more clearly expressed in the following sentence, nor sinners in
the counsel of the righteous. For it is usual for what goes before % to be thus repeated more clearly. So that by sinners should be understood the ungodly; what is before in the
judgment, should be here in the counsel of the righteous. Or if indeed the ungodly are one thing, and sinners another, so that although every ungodly man is a sinner, yet every sinner is not ungodly ; The ungodly rise not in the judgment, that is, they shall rise indeed, but not that they should be
judged, for they are already appointed to most certain punishment. But sinners do not rise in the counsel of the just, that is, that they may judge, but peradventure that they may be judged; so as of these it were said, The fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall then suffer loss: but he himself shall be
saved; yet so as by fire.
6. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous. As it
is said, medicine knows health, but knows not disease, and yet disease is recognised by the art of medicine. In like manner can it be said that the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly He knoweth not. Not that the Lord is ignorant of any thing, and yet He says
Mat. 7, to sinners, I never knew you. But the way of the ungodly shall perish; is the same as if it were said, the way of the ungodly the Lord knoweth not. But it is expressed more plainly that this should be not to be known of the Lord, namely, to perish; and this to be known of the Lord, namely, to abide; so as that to be should appertain to the knowledge of God, but to His not knowing not to be. For
Exod. 3, the Lord sailh, / AM that 14.
I AM, and, / AM hath sent me.
PSALM II.
1 . Why do the heathen rage, and the people meditate vain things ? The kings of the earth have stood up, and the rulers taken counsel together, against the Lord, and against
* Oxf. Mas. ' what is darkly said. '
Wrath, S;c. of God, the Miyht whereby He justly punishes. 5
His Christ. It is said, why? as if it were said, in vain. For what they wished, namely, Christ's destruction, they
accomplished not ; for this is spoken of our Lord's perse
cutors, of whom also mention is made in the Acts of the Acts 4, Apostles.
2. Lei us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yoke from us. Although it admits of another acceptation, yet is it more fitly understood as in the person of those, who are said to meditate vain things. So that let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yoke from us, may be, let us do our endeavour, that the Christian religion do not
bind us, nor be imposed upon us.
3. He that dwelleth in the heavens shall laugh them to
scorn, and the Lord shall have them in derision. The sentence is repeated ; for He who dwelleth in the heavens, is afterwards put, the Lord; and for shall laugh them to scorn, is afterwards put, shall have them in derision. Nothing of this however must be taken in a carnal sort, as if God either laugheth with cheek, or derideth with nostril ; but it is to be understood of that power which He giveth to His saints,
that they seeing things to come, namely, that the Name and rule of Christ is to pervade posterity and possess all nations, should understand that those men meditate a vain thing. For this power whereby these things are foreknown is God's laughter and derision. He that dwelleth in the heavens shall laugh them to scorn. If by heavens we understand holy souls, by these God, as foreknowing what is to come, will laugh them to scorn, and have them in derision.
4. Then He shall speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure. For shewing more clearly how He will speak unto them, he added, He will vex them ;
so that in His wrath, in His sore displeasure. But by the wrath and sore displeasure of the Lord God must not be understood any mental perturbation; but the might whereby He most justly avengeth, by the subjection of all creation to
His service. For that to be observed and remembered
which written in the Wisdom of Solomon, But Thou, LordyjWA of power, judgest with tranquillity, and with great favour 12, 18- orderest us. The wrath of God then an emotion which produced in the soul which knoweth the law of God, when
is
is
is
is
is,
6 To-Day have Ibegotten Thee, the Eternal Generation ofthe Son .
it sees this same law transgressed by the sinner. For by this emotion of righteous souls many things are avenged. Although the wrath of God can be well understood of that darkening of the mind, which overtakes those who transgress the law of God.
I
hill, preaching His decree. This is clearly spoken in the Person of the very Lord our Saviour Christ. But if Sion signify, as some interpret, beholding, we must not understand it of any thing rather than of the Church, where daily is the desire raised of beholding the bright glory of God, according
5. Yet am
set by Him as King upon Sion, His holy
2 Cor. 3, to that of the Apostle, but we with open face beholding the glory of the Lord. Therefore the meaning of this Yet am set by Him as King over His holy Church which for its eminence and stability He calleth mountain. Yet am set by Him as King. that is, whose bands they were
meditating to break asunder, and whose yoke to cast away.
Preaching His decree. Who doth not see the meaning of
this, seeing daily practised
6. The Lord hath said unto me, Thou art My Son, to-day
have begotten Thee. Although that day may also seem to be prophetically spoken of, on which Jesus Christ was born according to the flesh yet as to-day intimates presentiality, (and in eternity there nothing past as had ceased to be, nor future as were not yet, but present only; since whatever eternal, always is,) divine interpretation
given to that expression, To-day have begotten Thee, whereby the uncorrupt and Catholic faith proclaims the eternal generation of the Power and Wisdom of God, Who
the Only-begotten Son.
7. Ask of Me, and shall give Thee the nations for Thine inheritance. This has at once temporal sense with reference to the Manhood which He took on Himself, Who offered up Himself as Sacrifice in the stead of all sacrifices, Who also maketh intercession for us so that the words, ask of Me, may be referred to all this temporal dis pensation, which has been instituted for mankind, namely, that the nations should be joined to the Name of Christ, and so be redeemed from death, and possessed by God. shall give Thee the nations for Thine inheritance, which so possess
/
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is,
;
;
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a
?
is is
I I
is I
it is
a
a
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it
if ; it is
I,
if
Man's old nature broken like vessel ofclay, to be remade. 7
them for their salvation, and to bear unto Thee spiritual fruit. And the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession.
The same repeated, The uttermost parts of the earth, is put
for the nations;
all the nations. And inheritance.
but more clearly, that we might understand Thy possession stands for Thine
8. Thou shall rule them with a rod of iron, with inflexible justice, and Thou shall break them like a potter's vessel; that Thou shall break in them earthly lusts, and the filthy
doings of the old man, and whatsoever hath been derived and inured from the sinful clay. And now understand, ye kings. And now; that is, being now renewed, your covering of clay worn out, that
the carnal vessels of error, which belong to your past life, now understand, ye who now are kings; that is, able now to govern all that servile and
brutish in you, able now too to fight, not as they who beat iCor. 9, the air, but chastening your bodies, and bringing them into 26' subjection. Be instructed, all ye who judge the earth. This
again a repetition; Be instructed instead of understand
and ye who judge the earth instead of ye kings. For He signifies the spiritual by those who judge the earth. For whatsoever we judge, below us and whatsoever below the spiritual man, with good reason called the earth because defiled with earthly corruption.
9. Serve the Lord with fear lest what said, Ye kings and judges of the earth, turn into pride And rejoice with trembling. Very excellently rejoice added, lest serve the Lord with fear should seem to tend to misery. But again, lest this same rejoicing should run on to unrestrained in- considerateness, there added with trembling, that might avail for a warning, and for the careful guarding of holiness. It can also be taken thus, And now ye kings understand that is, And now that am set as King, be ye not sad, kings of the earth, as your excellency were taken from you, but rather understand and be instructed. For expedient for you, that ye should be under Him, by Whom under standing and instruction are given you.
And this expedient for you, that ye lord not with rashness, but that ye serve the Lord of all with fear, and rejoice in bliss most sure and
it
if
I
is
is
is
is
is
is
it is
:
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is ;;
it
it is
;
;
is
is,
is
;
is,
8 Judgment of ungodly, not safety only, but bliss of the godly.
most pure, with all caution and carefulness, lest ye fall therefrom into pride.
10. Lay hold of discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry, and ye perish from the righteous way. This is the same as, understand, and, be instructed. For to understand and be instructed, this is to lay hold of discipline. Still in that it is said, lay hold of, it is plainly enough intimated that there is some protection and defence against all things which
might do hurt unless with so great carefulness it be laid hold of. Lest at any time the Lord be angry, is expressed with a doubt, not as regards the vision of the prophet to whom it is certain, but as regards those who are warned ; for they, to whom it is not openly revealed, are wont to think with doubt of the anger of God. This then they ought to say to themselves, let us lay hold of discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry, and we perish from the righteous way. Now, how the Lord be angry is to be taken, has been said above. And ye perish from the righteous way. This is a great punishment, and dreaded by those who have had any perception of the sweetness of righteousness ; for he who perisheth from the way of righteousness, in much misery will wander through the ways of unrighteousness.
11. When His anger shall be shortly kindled, blessed are all they who put their trust in Him ; that when the
vengeance shall come which
and for sinners, not only will
their trust in the Lord, but
foundation and exaltation of kingdom for them. For he said not, When His anger shall be shortly kindled, safe are all they who put their trust in Him, as though they should have this only thereby, to be exempt from punishment but he said, blessed in which there the sum and accumulation of all good things. Now the meaning of shortly suppose to be this, that will be something sudden, whilst sinners
will deem far off and long to come.
prepared for the ungodly not light on those who put will even avail for the
it
;
it
is
a itis it
I
;
is,
Pa. 3, prophetic of the Passion and Resurrection of the Lord. 9
PSALM III.
A I'salm of David, when he fled from the face of Abestalon hit ton.
1 . The words, I slept, and took rest ; and rose for the Lord
will take me up, lead us to believe that this Psalm is to be understood as in the Person of Christ ; for they sound more applicable to the Passion and Resurrection of our Lord, than
to that history in which David's flight is described from the
face of his rebellious son. And, since it is written of Christ's disciples, T7ie sons of the bridegroom fast not as long as /AeMatt. 9' bridegroom is with them ; it is no wonder if by his undutiful1 1 impim son be here meant, that undutiful1 disciple who betrayed
Him. From whose face although it may be understood historically that He fled, when on his departure He withdrew
with the rest to the mountain ; yet in a spiritual sense, when
the Son of God, that is the Power and Wisdom of God, abandoned the mind of Judas ; when the Devil wholly
him; as it is written, The Devil entered into Ms Johnl3, heart, may it be well understood that Christ fled from his
face ; not that Christ gave place to the Devil, but that on Christ's departure the Devil took possession. Which de parture, I suppose, is called a flight in this Psalm, because
of its quickness ; which is indicated also by the word of our
Lord, saying, That thou doest, do quickly. So even inJohnl3, common conversation we say of any thing that does not cometomind,ithasfledfromme; andofamanofmuch learning we say, nothing flies from him. Wherefore truth
fled from the mind of Judas, when it ceased to enlighten
him. But Absalom, as some interpret, in the Latin tongue
occupied
Patris pax, a father's peace. And it may seem strange, whether in the history of the kings, when Absalom carried on war against his father ; or in the history of the
New Testament, when Judas was the betrayer of our Lord ;
how " father's peace" can be understood. But both in the former place they who read carefully, see that David in that
war was at peace with his son, who even with sore grief lamented his death, saying, O Absalom, my son, would God2 S*TM.
signifies,
/ had died for thee ! And in the history of the New Testament by that so great and so wonderful forbearance of
10 Xfs meekness to Judas: asMan, God Hisglory, much moreour's.
our Lord ; in that He bore so long with him as if good, when He was not ignorant of his thoughts ; in that He admitted him to the Supper in which He committed and delivered to His disciples the figure of His Body and Blood ; finally, in that He received the kiss of peace at the very time of His betrayal ; it is easily understood how Christ shewed peace to His betrayer, although he was laid waste by the intestine war of so abominable a device. And therefore is Absalom called "father's peace," because his father had the peace, which he had not.
2. O Lord, how are they multiplied that trouble me! So multiplied indeed were they, that one even from the number of His disciples was not wanting, who was added to the number of His persecutors. Many r ise up against me ; many say unto my soul, There is no salvation for him in his God. It is clear that if they had had any idea that He would rise again, assuredly they would not have slain Him.
Mat. 27, To this end are those speeches, Let Him come down from
42.
18us. ceptor
l Cor. 4, 7'
the cross, if He be the Son of God ; and again, He saved others, Himself He cannot save. Therefore, neither would Judas have betrayed Him, if he had not been of the number of those who despised Christ, saying, There is no salvation
for Him in His God.
3. ButThou,OLord,artmytaker'. Itissaidto Godin
tne nature of man, for the taking of man is, the Word made Flesh. My glory. Even He calls God his glory, whom the Word of God so took, that God became one with Him. Let the proud learn, who unwillingly hear, when it is said to them, For what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it ? And the lifter up of my head. I think that this should be here taken of the human mind, which is not unreasonably called the head of the soul ; which so inhered in, and in a sort coalesced with, the supereminent excellency of the Word taking man, that it was not laid aside by so great humiliationI of the Passion.
cried unto the Lord ;
4. With my voice have
not with the voice of the body, which is drawn out with the sound of the reverberation of the air ; but with the voice of the heart, which to men speaks not, but with God sounds as
that is,
The voice ofthe heart cries to God.
11
a cry. By this voice Susanna was heard; and with thisSus. 44. voice the Lord Himself commanded that prayer should begIatt"6' made in closets, that is, in the recesses of the heart noise
lessly. Nor would one easily say that prayer is not made
with this voice, if no sound of words is uttered from the body ; since even when in silence we pray within the heart, if thoughts interpose alien from the mind Iof one praying, it cannot yet be said, With my voice have the
cried unto Lord. Nor is this rightly said, save when the soul alone,
taking to itself nothing of the flesh, and nothing of the aims of
the flesh, in prayer, speaks to God, where He only hears. But
even this is called a cry by reason of the strength of its intention. And He heard me out of His holy mountain.
We have the Lord Himself called a mountain by the Prophet,
as it is written, The stone that was cut out without hands Dan. 2,
grew to the size of a mountain. But this cannot be taken
of His Person, unless peradventure He would speak thus, out
of myself, as of His holy mountain He heard me, when He
dwelt in me, that is, in this very mountain. But it is more
plain and unembarrassed, if we understand that God out of
His justice heard. For it was just, that He should raise
again from the dead the Innocent Who was slain, and to Whom evil had been recompensed for good, and that He should render to the persecutor a meet reward, who repaid
Him evil for good. For we read, Thy justice is as thePs. 36,6.
mount/ains of God.
slept, and took rest*. It may be not unsuitably
5.
remarked, that it is expressly said, I, to signify that of His
own Will He underwent death, according to that, IJotmio,
doth My Father love Me, because
might take it again. No maIn taketh it from Me ;
have have power to take it again. Therefore, saith He, you have not taken Me as though
power to lay it down, and
against My will, and slain Me ; but / slept, and took rest;
and rose, for the Lord will take me up. Scripture contains numberless instances of sleep being put for death ; as the Apostle says, / would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, l ThesB. concerning them which are asleep. Nor need we make any *' 13. question, why it is added, took rest, seeing that it has already been said, / slept. Repetitions of this kind are
b Ego dormivi, et somnum cepi. Tn the Hebrew also, /is emphatic.
Therefore I lay down My life, Ithat
8'
5"
12 Our future present to God.
usual in Scripture, as we have pointed out many in the second Psalm. But some copies have, / slept, and was cast into a deep sleep c. And different copies express it differently, according to the possible renderings of the Greek words, iyai
1 dor- Is ixoift. ^v xa) virvuxra. Unless perhaps sleeping1 may be j<<0mnns taken of one dying, but sleep* of one dead : so that sleeping may be the transition into sleep, as awakening is the transition into wakefulness. Let us not deem these repetitions in the
2 Cor.
6.
me. It is written in the Gospels how great a multitude stood around Him as He was suffering, and on the cross. Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God. It is not said to God, Arise, as if asleep or lying down, but it is usual in holy Scripture to attribute to God what He doeth in us ; not indeed universally, but where it can be done suitably; as
when He is said to speak, when by His gift Prophets speak, and Apostles, or whatsoever messengers of the truth. Hence that text, Would you have proof of Christ, Who speaketh in me ? For he doth not say, of Christ, by Whose enlightening or order I speak ; but he attributes at once the speaking
itself to Him, by Whose gift he spake.
7. Since Thou hast smitten all who oppose me without a
cause. It is not to be pointed as if it were one sentence, Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God; since Thou hast smitten
' Dormivi, ct soporatus sum.
sacred writings empty ornaments of speech. /
slept, and took rest, is therefore well understood as I gave Myself up
"I to My Passion, and death ensued. " And
for
the Lord trill take Me up. This is the more to be remarked,
how that in one sentence the Psalmist has used a verb of past and future time. For he has said, both / rose, which is the past, and will take Me up, which is the future ; seeing that assuredly the rising again could not be without that taking up. But in prophecy the future is well joined to the past, whereby both are signified. Since things which are prophesied of as yet to come in reference to time are future ; but in reference to the knowledge of those who prophesy they are already to be viewed as done. Verbs of the present tense are also mixed in, which shall be treated of in their proper place when they occur.
/ will not the thousands that surround fear of people
rose,
Teeth symbols of destruction to good or ill. 13
all who oppose me without a cause. For He did not there
fore save Him, because He smote His enemies; but rather
He being saved, He smote them. Therefore it belongs to
what follows, so that the sense is this ; Since Thou hast smitten all who oppose me without a cause, Thou hast broken
the teeth of the sinners ; that is, thereby hast Thou broken
the teeth of the sinners, since Thou hast smitten all who oppose me. It is forsooth the punishment of the opposers, whereby their teeth have been broken, that is, the words of sinners rending with their cursing the Son of God, brought
to nought, as it were to dust ; so that we may understand
teeth thus, as words of cursing. Of1 which teeth the Apostle1 Oxf. speaks, If yc bile one another, take heed that ye be not, Tje",
consumed one of another. The teeth of sinners can also beGa1. 5, taken as the chiefs of sinners ; by whose authority each one
is cut off from the fellowship of godly livers, and as it were incorporated with evil livers. To these teeth are opposed
the Church's teeth, by whose authority believers are cut off from the error of the Gentiles and divers opinions, and are translated into that fellowship which is the body of Christ. With these teeth Peter was told to eat the animals when they had been killed, that is, by killing in the Gentiles what they were, and changing them into what he was himself. Of these teeth too of the Church it is said, Thy teeth are as a Sol.
flock of shorn sheep, coming upfront the bath, whereof every 2? n^' 6 ' one beareth twins, and there is not one barren among them.
These are they who prescribe rightly, and as they prescribe,
live; who do what is written, Let your works shine before Matt. 5, men, that they may bless your Father which is in heaven.
For moved by their authority, they believe God Who speaketh
and worketh through these men ; and separated from the
world, to which they were once conformed, they pass over
into the members of the Church. And rightly therefore are
they, through whom such things are done, called teeth like
to shorn sheep ; for they have laid aside the burdens of earthly cares, and coming up from the bath, from the washing
away of the filth of the world by the Sacrament of Baptism,
every one beareth twins. For they fulfil the two command
ments, of which it is said, On these two commandments hang Mat. 22, all the Law and the Prophets ; loving God with all their40.
Bom. 24. 25.
Cor. 12, 27.
flh'
14 Psalms prophetic of Christ include His Body the Church.
heart, and with all their soul, and with all their mind, and their neighbour as themselves. There is not one barren among them, for much fruit they render unto God. Ac cording to this sense then it is to be thus understood, Thou hast broken the teeth of the sinners, that Thou hast brought the chiefs of the sinners to nought, by smiting all who oppose Me without cause. For the chiefs according to the Gospel history persecuted Him, whilst the lower people honoured Him.
8. Salvation the Lord and upon Thy people be Thy blessing. In one sentence the Psalmist has enjoined men what to believe, and has prayed for believers. For when
said, Salvation of the Lord, the words are addressed to men. Nor does follow, And upon Thy people be Thy blessing, in such wise as that the whole spoken to men, but there a change into prayer addressed to God Himself, for the very people to whom was said, Salvation the Lord. What else then doth he say but this Let no man presume on himself, seeing that of the Lord to save from the death of sin for, Wretched man that am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death The grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. But do Thou, Lord, bless Thy people, who look for salvation from Thee.
9. This Psalm can be taken as in the Person of Christ another way; which that whole Christ should speak. mean by whole, with His body, of which He the Head, according to the Apostle, who says, Ye are the body of
Christ, and the members. He therefore the Head of this body wherefore in another place he saith, But doing the truth in love, we may increase in Him in all things, Who is the Head, Christ, from Whom the whole body is joined together and compacted. In the Prophet then at once the Church, and her Head, (the Church founded amidst the storms of persecution throughout the whole world, which we know already to have come to pass,) speaks, Lord, how are they multiplied that trouble me many rise up against me wishing to exterminate the Christian name. Many say unto my soul, There is no salvation for him in his God.
For they would not otherwise hope that they could destroy the Church, branching out so very far and wide, unless they
;
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it is
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1 4,
7,
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; is
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it is
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is
Ps. 3. expounded of the Church.
15
believed that God had no care thereof. But Thou, O Lord,
art my taker ; in Christ of course. For into that flesh1 the'homine Church too hath been taken bv the Word, Who was marfeJohn1,
flcsh, and dwelt in us ; for that, In heavenly places hath /feEph. 2 made us to sit together with Him. When the Head goes6. before, the other members will follow ; for, Who shallViom. S, separate us from the love of Christ? Justly then does the3"' Church say, Thou art my taker. My glory ; for she doth
not attribute her excellency to herself, seeing that she
knoweth by Whose grace and mercy she is what she is.
And the lifter up of my head, of Him, namely, Who, the Co]. I,
first-born I the dead, ascended into heaven. With 18' from up
cried unto the Lord, and He heard me out
my voice have
of His holy mountain. This is the prayer of all the Saints,
the odour of sweetness, which ascends up in the sight of the
Lord. For now the Church is heard out of this mountain, which is also her head ; or, out of that justice of God, by
which both His elect are set free, and their persecutors punished. Let the people of God also say, / slept, and
took rest; and rose, for the Lord will take me up; that they
may be joined, and cleave to their Head. For to this people is it said, Awake thou that steepest, and arise from Eph. 5, the dead, and Christ shall lay hold on thee. Since they are
taken out of sinners, of whom it is said generally, But they l Thess.
/ will not fear the thousands of people that surround me ; of the heathen verily that compass me about to extinguish every where, if they could, the Christian name. But how should
they be feared, when by the blood of the martyrs in Christ,
as by oil, the ardour of love is inflamed ? Arise, O Lord,
save me, O my God. The body can address this to its own
Head. For at His rising the body was saved ; Who ascended up on high, led captivity captive, gave gifts untoEfs. 4, men. For this is said by the Prophet, in the secret purpose of ps ^ God1, until that ripe harvest which is spoken of in the Gospel, 18. whose salvation is in His Resurrection, Who vouchsafed to destTna- die for us, shed out our Lord to the earth. Since Thou hast ^0Jie. smitten all who oppose me without a cause, Thou hast37. broken the teeth of the sinners. Now while the Church hath
rule, the enemies of the Christian name are smitten with
that sleep, sleep in the night. Let them say moreover,
'
l Cor.
16 Ps. 3. includes the strife of each soul with Satan.
confusion ; and, whether their curses or their chiefs, brought to nought. Believe then, O man, that salvation is of the Lord: and, Thou, O Lord, may Thy blessing be upon Thy people.
10. Each one too of us may say, when a multitude of vices and lusts leads the resisting mind in the law of sin, O Lord, how are they multiplied that trouble me! many rise up against me. And, since despair of recovery generally creeps in through the accumulation of vices, as though these same vices were mocking the soul, or even as though the Devil and his angels through their poisonous suggestions were at work to make us despair, it is said with great truth, Many say unto my soul, There is no salvation for him in his
God. But Thou, O Lord, art my taker. For this is our
hope, that He hath vouchsafed to take the nature of man in
Christ. My glory; according to that rule, that no one
should ascribe ought to himself.
the whole of Sacred Writ, and in the vivid and powerful exposition of what bears upon them. It is hardly possible to read his practical and forcible applications of Holy Scrip ture, without feeling those truths by the faith of which we ought to live brought home to the heart in a wonderful
VI PREFACE.
manner. His was a mind that strove earnestly to solve the great problems of human life, and after exhausting the re sources, and discovering the emptiness, of erroneous systems, found truth and rest at last in Catholic Christianity, in the religion of the Bible as expounded by St. Ambrose. And though we must look to his Confessions for the full view of all his cravings after real good, and their ultimate satis faction, yet throughout his works we have the benefit of the earnestness with which he sought to feed on the ' sincere
milk of the word. '
His mystical and allegorical interpretation, in spite of
occasional mistakes, which belong rather to the translation than to himself, will be found in general of great value. It is to a considerable extent systematic, and the same inter pretation of the same symbols is repeated throughout the
work, and is indeed often common to him with other Fathers. The ' feet' taken for the affections, ' clouds' for the Apostles, and many other instances, are of very frequent occurrence. And it is evident that a few such general inter pretations must be a great help to those who wish to make an allegorical use of those portions of Holy Scripture, which are adapted for it. Nor are they adhered to with such strictness as to deprive the reader of the benefit of other explanations, where it appears that some other metaphor or allegory was intended. Both St. Augustine and St. Gregory acknowledge, and at times impress on their readers, that metaphorical language is used in Holy Scripture with
various meanings under the same symbol.
The discourses on the Psalms are not carried throughout
on the same plan, but still are tolerably complete as a commentary, since the longer expositions furnish the means of filling out the shorter notices, in thought at least, to the attentive reader of the whole. They were not delivered continuously, nor all at the same place. Occasionally the
PREFACE. VH
Author is led by the circumstances of the time into long discussions of a controversial character, especially with respect to the Donatists, against whose narrow and exclusive views he urges strongly the prophecies relating to the universality of the Church. Occasionally a Psalm is first reviewed briefly, so as to give a general clue to its inter
pretation, and then enlarged upon in several discourses.
For the present Translation, as far as the first thirty Psalms,
the Editors are indebted to a friend who conceals his name ; for the remainder of the Volume, with part of the next which is to appear, to the Rev. J. Tweed, M. A. of Exeter College, Oxford. It is hoped that the whole of St. Augustine on the Psalms may come out in Volumes at intervals not much
exceeding half a year.
Oxford,
S. Augustine of Canterbury, 1847.
C. M.
AUGUSTINE THE PSALMS.
ST.
ON
PSALM I.
1. Blessed is the man that hath not gone away in the counsel of the ungodly. This is to be understood of our
Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord Man. Blessed is the man thati Cor. hath not gone away in the counsel of the ungodly, as the man 18' of earth did, who consented to his wife deceived by the serpent, to the transgressing the commandment of God.
Nor stood in the way of sinners. For He came indeed in
the way of sinners, by being born as sinners are; but He stood not therein, for that the enticements of the world held
Him not. And hath not sat in the seat of pestilence. He willed not an earthly kingdom, with pride, which is well
taken for the seat of pestilence ; for that there is hardly any
one who is free from the love of rule, and craves not human
For ^pestilence is disease widely spread, and involving
all or nearly all. Yet the seat of pestilence may be more2Tim. 2,
glory.
understood of hurtful doctrine ; whose word spreadeth as a canker. The order too of the words must be considered: went away, stood, sat. For he went away, when he drew back from God. He stood, when he took pleasure in sin. He sat, when, confirmed in his pride, he
? 'Homine Dominico. ' This term as applied to our Lord St. August, disallows in bis Retractat. i. 19.
appropriately
2 Our Lord the Tree of Life ; waters, peoples ;
could not go back, unless set free by Him, Who neither hath gone away in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way ofsinners, nor sat in the seat ofpestilence.
2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His iTim. l, law will he meditate by day and by night. The law is not made for a righteous man, says the Apostle. But it is one thing to be in the law, another under the law. Whoso is in the law, acteth according to the law ; whoso is under the law, is acted upon according to the law : the one therefore is free, the other a slave. Again, the law, which is written and imposed upon the servant, is one thing; the law, which is mentally discerned by him who needeth not its letter, is another thing. He will meditate by day and by night, is to be understood either as without ceasing ; or by day in joy, John 8, by night in tribulations. For it is said, Abraham saw my ps6j6 j day, and u. as glad: and of tribulation it is said, my reins also
have instructed me, even unto the night.
3. And he shall be like a tree planted hard by the running
Prov. 8. streams of waters; that is either, Very Wisdom, Which vouch safed to assume man's nature for our salvation ; that as man He might be the tree planted hard by the running streams of waters ; for in this sense can that too be taken which is said
PB. 65,9. in another Psalm, the river of God is full of water. Or, by Matt. 3, the Holy Ghost, of Whom it is said, He shall baptize you in John 7 the Holy Ghost; and again, Ifany man thirst, let him come 37. unto Me, and drink; and again, If thou knewest the gift of to. 14. ' God, and Who it is that asketh water of thee, thou wouldest
have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water, of which whoso drinketh shall never thirst, but it shall be made in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. Or, by the running streams of waters may be by the sins of the people, because first the waters are
Rev. 17, called peoples in the Apocalypse; and again, by running stream is not unreasonably understood fall, which hath relation to sin. That tree then, that is, our Lord, from the running streams of water, that is, from the sinful people's drawing them by the way into the roots of His discipline, will bring forth fruit, that will establish Churches; in
His season, that after He hath been glorified by His Resurrection and Ascension into heaven. For then, by the
is,
is,
earth, (in a good sense,) stedfastness in God. 3
sending of the Holy Ghost to the Apostles, and by the confirming of their faith in Him, and their mission to the world, He made the Churches to bring forth fruit. His
leaf also shall not fall, that is, His Word shall not be in l,. vain. For, all flesh is grass, and the glory of man as the ~4o,
flower of grass; the grass withereth, and the flower falleth, ' but the word of the Lord abideth for ever. And whatsoever
He doeth shall prosper, that is, whatsoever that tree shall bear ; which all must be taken of fruit and leaves, that is, deeds and words.
4. The ungodly are not so, they are not so, but are like the dust which the wind casteth forth from the face of the earth. The earth is here to be taken as that stedfastness in God,
with a view to which itI
of mine inheritance, yea,
view to this it is said, Wait on the Lord and keep His ways, Ps. 37,
'
is said, The Lord is the portionPe. ie,
have a goodly heritage. With a
and He shall exalt thee to inherit the earth. With a view
to this it is said, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit Matt. 5, the earth. A comparison too is derived hence, for as this
visible earth supports and contains the outer man, so that
earth invisible the inner man. From the face of which
earth the wind casteth forth the ungodly, that is, pride, in that
it puffeth him up. On his guard against which he, who was inebriated by the richness of the house of the Lord, and drunken of the torrent stream of its pleasures, saith, Let not Pa? 36, the foot of pride come against me. From this earth pride
cast forth him who said, / will place my seat in the north, Is. 14, and
earth it cast forth him also who, after that he had consented
and tasted of the forbidden tree that he might be as God,
hid himself from the Face of God. That this earth hasGen. 3,8. reference to the inner man, and that manb is cast forth
thence by pride, may be particularly seen in that which
is written, Why is earth and ashes proud? Because, in hisEcc\as.
Iwill be like the Most High. From the face of the
life, he cast forth his bowels. For, whence he hath been cast forth, he is not unreasonably said to have cast forth himself.
5. Therefore the ungodly rise not in the judgment: there fore, namely, because as dust they are cast forth from the
b Oxf. Mas. ' the inner man. ' b2
'
4 To be hnoion of God, is to abide ; not to be known, to perish.
face of the earth. And well did he say that this should be taken away from them, which in their pride they court, namely, that they may judge : so that this same idea is more clearly expressed in the following sentence, nor sinners in
the counsel of the righteous. For it is usual for what goes before % to be thus repeated more clearly. So that by sinners should be understood the ungodly; what is before in the
judgment, should be here in the counsel of the righteous. Or if indeed the ungodly are one thing, and sinners another, so that although every ungodly man is a sinner, yet every sinner is not ungodly ; The ungodly rise not in the judgment, that is, they shall rise indeed, but not that they should be
judged, for they are already appointed to most certain punishment. But sinners do not rise in the counsel of the just, that is, that they may judge, but peradventure that they may be judged; so as of these it were said, The fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall then suffer loss: but he himself shall be
saved; yet so as by fire.
6. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous. As it
is said, medicine knows health, but knows not disease, and yet disease is recognised by the art of medicine. In like manner can it be said that the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly He knoweth not. Not that the Lord is ignorant of any thing, and yet He says
Mat. 7, to sinners, I never knew you. But the way of the ungodly shall perish; is the same as if it were said, the way of the ungodly the Lord knoweth not. But it is expressed more plainly that this should be not to be known of the Lord, namely, to perish; and this to be known of the Lord, namely, to abide; so as that to be should appertain to the knowledge of God, but to His not knowing not to be. For
Exod. 3, the Lord sailh, / AM that 14.
I AM, and, / AM hath sent me.
PSALM II.
1 . Why do the heathen rage, and the people meditate vain things ? The kings of the earth have stood up, and the rulers taken counsel together, against the Lord, and against
* Oxf. Mas. ' what is darkly said. '
Wrath, S;c. of God, the Miyht whereby He justly punishes. 5
His Christ. It is said, why? as if it were said, in vain. For what they wished, namely, Christ's destruction, they
accomplished not ; for this is spoken of our Lord's perse
cutors, of whom also mention is made in the Acts of the Acts 4, Apostles.
2. Lei us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yoke from us. Although it admits of another acceptation, yet is it more fitly understood as in the person of those, who are said to meditate vain things. So that let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yoke from us, may be, let us do our endeavour, that the Christian religion do not
bind us, nor be imposed upon us.
3. He that dwelleth in the heavens shall laugh them to
scorn, and the Lord shall have them in derision. The sentence is repeated ; for He who dwelleth in the heavens, is afterwards put, the Lord; and for shall laugh them to scorn, is afterwards put, shall have them in derision. Nothing of this however must be taken in a carnal sort, as if God either laugheth with cheek, or derideth with nostril ; but it is to be understood of that power which He giveth to His saints,
that they seeing things to come, namely, that the Name and rule of Christ is to pervade posterity and possess all nations, should understand that those men meditate a vain thing. For this power whereby these things are foreknown is God's laughter and derision. He that dwelleth in the heavens shall laugh them to scorn. If by heavens we understand holy souls, by these God, as foreknowing what is to come, will laugh them to scorn, and have them in derision.
4. Then He shall speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure. For shewing more clearly how He will speak unto them, he added, He will vex them ;
so that in His wrath, in His sore displeasure. But by the wrath and sore displeasure of the Lord God must not be understood any mental perturbation; but the might whereby He most justly avengeth, by the subjection of all creation to
His service. For that to be observed and remembered
which written in the Wisdom of Solomon, But Thou, LordyjWA of power, judgest with tranquillity, and with great favour 12, 18- orderest us. The wrath of God then an emotion which produced in the soul which knoweth the law of God, when
is
is
is
is
is,
6 To-Day have Ibegotten Thee, the Eternal Generation ofthe Son .
it sees this same law transgressed by the sinner. For by this emotion of righteous souls many things are avenged. Although the wrath of God can be well understood of that darkening of the mind, which overtakes those who transgress the law of God.
I
hill, preaching His decree. This is clearly spoken in the Person of the very Lord our Saviour Christ. But if Sion signify, as some interpret, beholding, we must not understand it of any thing rather than of the Church, where daily is the desire raised of beholding the bright glory of God, according
5. Yet am
set by Him as King upon Sion, His holy
2 Cor. 3, to that of the Apostle, but we with open face beholding the glory of the Lord. Therefore the meaning of this Yet am set by Him as King over His holy Church which for its eminence and stability He calleth mountain. Yet am set by Him as King. that is, whose bands they were
meditating to break asunder, and whose yoke to cast away.
Preaching His decree. Who doth not see the meaning of
this, seeing daily practised
6. The Lord hath said unto me, Thou art My Son, to-day
have begotten Thee. Although that day may also seem to be prophetically spoken of, on which Jesus Christ was born according to the flesh yet as to-day intimates presentiality, (and in eternity there nothing past as had ceased to be, nor future as were not yet, but present only; since whatever eternal, always is,) divine interpretation
given to that expression, To-day have begotten Thee, whereby the uncorrupt and Catholic faith proclaims the eternal generation of the Power and Wisdom of God, Who
the Only-begotten Son.
7. Ask of Me, and shall give Thee the nations for Thine inheritance. This has at once temporal sense with reference to the Manhood which He took on Himself, Who offered up Himself as Sacrifice in the stead of all sacrifices, Who also maketh intercession for us so that the words, ask of Me, may be referred to all this temporal dis pensation, which has been instituted for mankind, namely, that the nations should be joined to the Name of Christ, and so be redeemed from death, and possessed by God. shall give Thee the nations for Thine inheritance, which so possess
/
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is,
;
;
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is I
it is
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if ; it is
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Man's old nature broken like vessel ofclay, to be remade. 7
them for their salvation, and to bear unto Thee spiritual fruit. And the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession.
The same repeated, The uttermost parts of the earth, is put
for the nations;
all the nations. And inheritance.
but more clearly, that we might understand Thy possession stands for Thine
8. Thou shall rule them with a rod of iron, with inflexible justice, and Thou shall break them like a potter's vessel; that Thou shall break in them earthly lusts, and the filthy
doings of the old man, and whatsoever hath been derived and inured from the sinful clay. And now understand, ye kings. And now; that is, being now renewed, your covering of clay worn out, that
the carnal vessels of error, which belong to your past life, now understand, ye who now are kings; that is, able now to govern all that servile and
brutish in you, able now too to fight, not as they who beat iCor. 9, the air, but chastening your bodies, and bringing them into 26' subjection. Be instructed, all ye who judge the earth. This
again a repetition; Be instructed instead of understand
and ye who judge the earth instead of ye kings. For He signifies the spiritual by those who judge the earth. For whatsoever we judge, below us and whatsoever below the spiritual man, with good reason called the earth because defiled with earthly corruption.
9. Serve the Lord with fear lest what said, Ye kings and judges of the earth, turn into pride And rejoice with trembling. Very excellently rejoice added, lest serve the Lord with fear should seem to tend to misery. But again, lest this same rejoicing should run on to unrestrained in- considerateness, there added with trembling, that might avail for a warning, and for the careful guarding of holiness. It can also be taken thus, And now ye kings understand that is, And now that am set as King, be ye not sad, kings of the earth, as your excellency were taken from you, but rather understand and be instructed. For expedient for you, that ye should be under Him, by Whom under standing and instruction are given you.
And this expedient for you, that ye lord not with rashness, but that ye serve the Lord of all with fear, and rejoice in bliss most sure and
it
if
I
is
is
is
is
is
is
it is
:
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it is
;
;
is
is,
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;
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8 Judgment of ungodly, not safety only, but bliss of the godly.
most pure, with all caution and carefulness, lest ye fall therefrom into pride.
10. Lay hold of discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry, and ye perish from the righteous way. This is the same as, understand, and, be instructed. For to understand and be instructed, this is to lay hold of discipline. Still in that it is said, lay hold of, it is plainly enough intimated that there is some protection and defence against all things which
might do hurt unless with so great carefulness it be laid hold of. Lest at any time the Lord be angry, is expressed with a doubt, not as regards the vision of the prophet to whom it is certain, but as regards those who are warned ; for they, to whom it is not openly revealed, are wont to think with doubt of the anger of God. This then they ought to say to themselves, let us lay hold of discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry, and we perish from the righteous way. Now, how the Lord be angry is to be taken, has been said above. And ye perish from the righteous way. This is a great punishment, and dreaded by those who have had any perception of the sweetness of righteousness ; for he who perisheth from the way of righteousness, in much misery will wander through the ways of unrighteousness.
11. When His anger shall be shortly kindled, blessed are all they who put their trust in Him ; that when the
vengeance shall come which
and for sinners, not only will
their trust in the Lord, but
foundation and exaltation of kingdom for them. For he said not, When His anger shall be shortly kindled, safe are all they who put their trust in Him, as though they should have this only thereby, to be exempt from punishment but he said, blessed in which there the sum and accumulation of all good things. Now the meaning of shortly suppose to be this, that will be something sudden, whilst sinners
will deem far off and long to come.
prepared for the ungodly not light on those who put will even avail for the
it
;
it
is
a itis it
I
;
is,
Pa. 3, prophetic of the Passion and Resurrection of the Lord. 9
PSALM III.
A I'salm of David, when he fled from the face of Abestalon hit ton.
1 . The words, I slept, and took rest ; and rose for the Lord
will take me up, lead us to believe that this Psalm is to be understood as in the Person of Christ ; for they sound more applicable to the Passion and Resurrection of our Lord, than
to that history in which David's flight is described from the
face of his rebellious son. And, since it is written of Christ's disciples, T7ie sons of the bridegroom fast not as long as /AeMatt. 9' bridegroom is with them ; it is no wonder if by his undutiful1 1 impim son be here meant, that undutiful1 disciple who betrayed
Him. From whose face although it may be understood historically that He fled, when on his departure He withdrew
with the rest to the mountain ; yet in a spiritual sense, when
the Son of God, that is the Power and Wisdom of God, abandoned the mind of Judas ; when the Devil wholly
him; as it is written, The Devil entered into Ms Johnl3, heart, may it be well understood that Christ fled from his
face ; not that Christ gave place to the Devil, but that on Christ's departure the Devil took possession. Which de parture, I suppose, is called a flight in this Psalm, because
of its quickness ; which is indicated also by the word of our
Lord, saying, That thou doest, do quickly. So even inJohnl3, common conversation we say of any thing that does not cometomind,ithasfledfromme; andofamanofmuch learning we say, nothing flies from him. Wherefore truth
fled from the mind of Judas, when it ceased to enlighten
him. But Absalom, as some interpret, in the Latin tongue
occupied
Patris pax, a father's peace. And it may seem strange, whether in the history of the kings, when Absalom carried on war against his father ; or in the history of the
New Testament, when Judas was the betrayer of our Lord ;
how " father's peace" can be understood. But both in the former place they who read carefully, see that David in that
war was at peace with his son, who even with sore grief lamented his death, saying, O Absalom, my son, would God2 S*TM.
signifies,
/ had died for thee ! And in the history of the New Testament by that so great and so wonderful forbearance of
10 Xfs meekness to Judas: asMan, God Hisglory, much moreour's.
our Lord ; in that He bore so long with him as if good, when He was not ignorant of his thoughts ; in that He admitted him to the Supper in which He committed and delivered to His disciples the figure of His Body and Blood ; finally, in that He received the kiss of peace at the very time of His betrayal ; it is easily understood how Christ shewed peace to His betrayer, although he was laid waste by the intestine war of so abominable a device. And therefore is Absalom called "father's peace," because his father had the peace, which he had not.
2. O Lord, how are they multiplied that trouble me! So multiplied indeed were they, that one even from the number of His disciples was not wanting, who was added to the number of His persecutors. Many r ise up against me ; many say unto my soul, There is no salvation for him in his God. It is clear that if they had had any idea that He would rise again, assuredly they would not have slain Him.
Mat. 27, To this end are those speeches, Let Him come down from
42.
18us. ceptor
l Cor. 4, 7'
the cross, if He be the Son of God ; and again, He saved others, Himself He cannot save. Therefore, neither would Judas have betrayed Him, if he had not been of the number of those who despised Christ, saying, There is no salvation
for Him in His God.
3. ButThou,OLord,artmytaker'. Itissaidto Godin
tne nature of man, for the taking of man is, the Word made Flesh. My glory. Even He calls God his glory, whom the Word of God so took, that God became one with Him. Let the proud learn, who unwillingly hear, when it is said to them, For what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it ? And the lifter up of my head. I think that this should be here taken of the human mind, which is not unreasonably called the head of the soul ; which so inhered in, and in a sort coalesced with, the supereminent excellency of the Word taking man, that it was not laid aside by so great humiliationI of the Passion.
cried unto the Lord ;
4. With my voice have
not with the voice of the body, which is drawn out with the sound of the reverberation of the air ; but with the voice of the heart, which to men speaks not, but with God sounds as
that is,
The voice ofthe heart cries to God.
11
a cry. By this voice Susanna was heard; and with thisSus. 44. voice the Lord Himself commanded that prayer should begIatt"6' made in closets, that is, in the recesses of the heart noise
lessly. Nor would one easily say that prayer is not made
with this voice, if no sound of words is uttered from the body ; since even when in silence we pray within the heart, if thoughts interpose alien from the mind Iof one praying, it cannot yet be said, With my voice have the
cried unto Lord. Nor is this rightly said, save when the soul alone,
taking to itself nothing of the flesh, and nothing of the aims of
the flesh, in prayer, speaks to God, where He only hears. But
even this is called a cry by reason of the strength of its intention. And He heard me out of His holy mountain.
We have the Lord Himself called a mountain by the Prophet,
as it is written, The stone that was cut out without hands Dan. 2,
grew to the size of a mountain. But this cannot be taken
of His Person, unless peradventure He would speak thus, out
of myself, as of His holy mountain He heard me, when He
dwelt in me, that is, in this very mountain. But it is more
plain and unembarrassed, if we understand that God out of
His justice heard. For it was just, that He should raise
again from the dead the Innocent Who was slain, and to Whom evil had been recompensed for good, and that He should render to the persecutor a meet reward, who repaid
Him evil for good. For we read, Thy justice is as thePs. 36,6.
mount/ains of God.
slept, and took rest*. It may be not unsuitably
5.
remarked, that it is expressly said, I, to signify that of His
own Will He underwent death, according to that, IJotmio,
doth My Father love Me, because
might take it again. No maIn taketh it from Me ;
have have power to take it again. Therefore, saith He, you have not taken Me as though
power to lay it down, and
against My will, and slain Me ; but / slept, and took rest;
and rose, for the Lord will take me up. Scripture contains numberless instances of sleep being put for death ; as the Apostle says, / would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, l ThesB. concerning them which are asleep. Nor need we make any *' 13. question, why it is added, took rest, seeing that it has already been said, / slept. Repetitions of this kind are
b Ego dormivi, et somnum cepi. Tn the Hebrew also, /is emphatic.
Therefore I lay down My life, Ithat
8'
5"
12 Our future present to God.
usual in Scripture, as we have pointed out many in the second Psalm. But some copies have, / slept, and was cast into a deep sleep c. And different copies express it differently, according to the possible renderings of the Greek words, iyai
1 dor- Is ixoift. ^v xa) virvuxra. Unless perhaps sleeping1 may be j<<0mnns taken of one dying, but sleep* of one dead : so that sleeping may be the transition into sleep, as awakening is the transition into wakefulness. Let us not deem these repetitions in the
2 Cor.
6.
me. It is written in the Gospels how great a multitude stood around Him as He was suffering, and on the cross. Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God. It is not said to God, Arise, as if asleep or lying down, but it is usual in holy Scripture to attribute to God what He doeth in us ; not indeed universally, but where it can be done suitably; as
when He is said to speak, when by His gift Prophets speak, and Apostles, or whatsoever messengers of the truth. Hence that text, Would you have proof of Christ, Who speaketh in me ? For he doth not say, of Christ, by Whose enlightening or order I speak ; but he attributes at once the speaking
itself to Him, by Whose gift he spake.
7. Since Thou hast smitten all who oppose me without a
cause. It is not to be pointed as if it were one sentence, Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God; since Thou hast smitten
' Dormivi, ct soporatus sum.
sacred writings empty ornaments of speech. /
slept, and took rest, is therefore well understood as I gave Myself up
"I to My Passion, and death ensued. " And
for
the Lord trill take Me up. This is the more to be remarked,
how that in one sentence the Psalmist has used a verb of past and future time. For he has said, both / rose, which is the past, and will take Me up, which is the future ; seeing that assuredly the rising again could not be without that taking up. But in prophecy the future is well joined to the past, whereby both are signified. Since things which are prophesied of as yet to come in reference to time are future ; but in reference to the knowledge of those who prophesy they are already to be viewed as done. Verbs of the present tense are also mixed in, which shall be treated of in their proper place when they occur.
/ will not the thousands that surround fear of people
rose,
Teeth symbols of destruction to good or ill. 13
all who oppose me without a cause. For He did not there
fore save Him, because He smote His enemies; but rather
He being saved, He smote them. Therefore it belongs to
what follows, so that the sense is this ; Since Thou hast smitten all who oppose me without a cause, Thou hast broken
the teeth of the sinners ; that is, thereby hast Thou broken
the teeth of the sinners, since Thou hast smitten all who oppose me. It is forsooth the punishment of the opposers, whereby their teeth have been broken, that is, the words of sinners rending with their cursing the Son of God, brought
to nought, as it were to dust ; so that we may understand
teeth thus, as words of cursing. Of1 which teeth the Apostle1 Oxf. speaks, If yc bile one another, take heed that ye be not, Tje",
consumed one of another. The teeth of sinners can also beGa1. 5, taken as the chiefs of sinners ; by whose authority each one
is cut off from the fellowship of godly livers, and as it were incorporated with evil livers. To these teeth are opposed
the Church's teeth, by whose authority believers are cut off from the error of the Gentiles and divers opinions, and are translated into that fellowship which is the body of Christ. With these teeth Peter was told to eat the animals when they had been killed, that is, by killing in the Gentiles what they were, and changing them into what he was himself. Of these teeth too of the Church it is said, Thy teeth are as a Sol.
flock of shorn sheep, coming upfront the bath, whereof every 2? n^' 6 ' one beareth twins, and there is not one barren among them.
These are they who prescribe rightly, and as they prescribe,
live; who do what is written, Let your works shine before Matt. 5, men, that they may bless your Father which is in heaven.
For moved by their authority, they believe God Who speaketh
and worketh through these men ; and separated from the
world, to which they were once conformed, they pass over
into the members of the Church. And rightly therefore are
they, through whom such things are done, called teeth like
to shorn sheep ; for they have laid aside the burdens of earthly cares, and coming up from the bath, from the washing
away of the filth of the world by the Sacrament of Baptism,
every one beareth twins. For they fulfil the two command
ments, of which it is said, On these two commandments hang Mat. 22, all the Law and the Prophets ; loving God with all their40.
Bom. 24. 25.
Cor. 12, 27.
flh'
14 Psalms prophetic of Christ include His Body the Church.
heart, and with all their soul, and with all their mind, and their neighbour as themselves. There is not one barren among them, for much fruit they render unto God. Ac cording to this sense then it is to be thus understood, Thou hast broken the teeth of the sinners, that Thou hast brought the chiefs of the sinners to nought, by smiting all who oppose Me without cause. For the chiefs according to the Gospel history persecuted Him, whilst the lower people honoured Him.
8. Salvation the Lord and upon Thy people be Thy blessing. In one sentence the Psalmist has enjoined men what to believe, and has prayed for believers. For when
said, Salvation of the Lord, the words are addressed to men. Nor does follow, And upon Thy people be Thy blessing, in such wise as that the whole spoken to men, but there a change into prayer addressed to God Himself, for the very people to whom was said, Salvation the Lord. What else then doth he say but this Let no man presume on himself, seeing that of the Lord to save from the death of sin for, Wretched man that am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death The grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. But do Thou, Lord, bless Thy people, who look for salvation from Thee.
9. This Psalm can be taken as in the Person of Christ another way; which that whole Christ should speak. mean by whole, with His body, of which He the Head, according to the Apostle, who says, Ye are the body of
Christ, and the members. He therefore the Head of this body wherefore in another place he saith, But doing the truth in love, we may increase in Him in all things, Who is the Head, Christ, from Whom the whole body is joined together and compacted. In the Prophet then at once the Church, and her Head, (the Church founded amidst the storms of persecution throughout the whole world, which we know already to have come to pass,) speaks, Lord, how are they multiplied that trouble me many rise up against me wishing to exterminate the Christian name. Many say unto my soul, There is no salvation for him in his God.
For they would not otherwise hope that they could destroy the Church, branching out so very far and wide, unless they
;
!
it is
O
is
is,
;
1 4,
7,
is
?
is I
is ?
is
; is
O
I it
it is
of
a
it ;
is of
is
Ps. 3. expounded of the Church.
15
believed that God had no care thereof. But Thou, O Lord,
art my taker ; in Christ of course. For into that flesh1 the'homine Church too hath been taken bv the Word, Who was marfeJohn1,
flcsh, and dwelt in us ; for that, In heavenly places hath /feEph. 2 made us to sit together with Him. When the Head goes6. before, the other members will follow ; for, Who shallViom. S, separate us from the love of Christ? Justly then does the3"' Church say, Thou art my taker. My glory ; for she doth
not attribute her excellency to herself, seeing that she
knoweth by Whose grace and mercy she is what she is.
And the lifter up of my head, of Him, namely, Who, the Co]. I,
first-born I the dead, ascended into heaven. With 18' from up
cried unto the Lord, and He heard me out
my voice have
of His holy mountain. This is the prayer of all the Saints,
the odour of sweetness, which ascends up in the sight of the
Lord. For now the Church is heard out of this mountain, which is also her head ; or, out of that justice of God, by
which both His elect are set free, and their persecutors punished. Let the people of God also say, / slept, and
took rest; and rose, for the Lord will take me up; that they
may be joined, and cleave to their Head. For to this people is it said, Awake thou that steepest, and arise from Eph. 5, the dead, and Christ shall lay hold on thee. Since they are
taken out of sinners, of whom it is said generally, But they l Thess.
/ will not fear the thousands of people that surround me ; of the heathen verily that compass me about to extinguish every where, if they could, the Christian name. But how should
they be feared, when by the blood of the martyrs in Christ,
as by oil, the ardour of love is inflamed ? Arise, O Lord,
save me, O my God. The body can address this to its own
Head. For at His rising the body was saved ; Who ascended up on high, led captivity captive, gave gifts untoEfs. 4, men. For this is said by the Prophet, in the secret purpose of ps ^ God1, until that ripe harvest which is spoken of in the Gospel, 18. whose salvation is in His Resurrection, Who vouchsafed to destTna- die for us, shed out our Lord to the earth. Since Thou hast ^0Jie. smitten all who oppose me without a cause, Thou hast37. broken the teeth of the sinners. Now while the Church hath
rule, the enemies of the Christian name are smitten with
that sleep, sleep in the night. Let them say moreover,
'
l Cor.
16 Ps. 3. includes the strife of each soul with Satan.
confusion ; and, whether their curses or their chiefs, brought to nought. Believe then, O man, that salvation is of the Lord: and, Thou, O Lord, may Thy blessing be upon Thy people.
10. Each one too of us may say, when a multitude of vices and lusts leads the resisting mind in the law of sin, O Lord, how are they multiplied that trouble me! many rise up against me. And, since despair of recovery generally creeps in through the accumulation of vices, as though these same vices were mocking the soul, or even as though the Devil and his angels through their poisonous suggestions were at work to make us despair, it is said with great truth, Many say unto my soul, There is no salvation for him in his
God. But Thou, O Lord, art my taker. For this is our
hope, that He hath vouchsafed to take the nature of man in
Christ. My glory; according to that rule, that no one
should ascribe ought to himself.
