Before that I desired Him, He
delivered
Me from My most powerful enemies, (who were envious of Me when I once desired Him,) and from them that hated Me, because I do desire Him.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v1
Ver.
13.
Arise, O Lord, prevent them, and cast them down.
Arise, O Lord, Thou Whom they suppose to be asleep, and regardless of men's iniquities ; be they blinded before by their own malice, that vengeance may prevent their deed ; and so cast them down.
13. Deliver My soul from the ungodly. Deliver My soul, by restoring Me after the death, which the ungodly have inflicted on Me. Thy weapon (ver. 14. ) from the enemies of Thine hand. For My soul is Thy weapon, which Thy hand, that is, Thy eternal Power, hath taken to subdue thereby the
of iniquity, and divide the righteous from the ungodly. This weapon then deliver from the enemies of Thine
kingdoms
of Thy Power, that from Mine enemies. Lord, from off the earth, scatter them in Lord, destroy them from off the earth, which they inhabit, scatter them throughout the world in
this life, which only they think their life, who1 despair of Hfe'aL'be- eternal. And Thy hidden things their belly hath been^^'
hand, that Destroy them,
their life.
Now not only this visible punishment shall overtake them, but also their memory hath been filled with sins, which as darkness are hidden from the light of Thy truth, that they should forget God. They have been filled with swine's
They have been filled with uncleanness, treading
under foot the pearls of God's words. And they have left
the rest to their babes: crying out, This sin be upon us and Mat. 27, upon our children.
filled.
flesh.
i 2
by
is, OO
is,
? <<. T
secun- minem.
1 6 Good and evil satisfying. Names of David and Saul.
14. Ver. 15. But I shall appear in Thy righteousness in Thy sight. But I, Who have not appeared to them that, with
their filthy and darkened heart, can not see the light of wisdom, shall appear in Thy righteousness in Thy sight.
I
And when they have been satiated with their uncleanness, that they could not know Me, I shall be satiated, when Thy glory shall be manifested, in them that know Me. In that verse indeed where it is said, filled rnith swine's flesh, some copies have, filled with children : for from the ambiguity of the Greek* a double interpretation has resulted. Now by children we understand works; and as by good children, good works, so by, evil evil.
PSALM XVIII.
To the end, for the servant of the Lord, David himself.
That is, for the strong of hand, Christ in His Man- hood. The words of this song which he spoke to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him out of the hands of his enemies, and of the hand of Saul ; and he said, On the day when the Lord delivered him out of the hands of his enemies and of the hand of Saul: namely, the king of the Jews,
shall be satiated, when Thy
glory
shall be
manifested.
iSam. 8, whom they had demanded for themselves. For as David is said to be by interpretation, strong of hand ; so Saul, is said to be demanding. Now it is well known, how that People demanded for themselves a king, and received him for their king, not according to the will of God, but according to their
own will.
2. Christ, then, and the Church, that is, whole Christ, the
Head and the Body, saith here, (ver. will love Thee, Lord, My strength. will love Thee, Lord, by Whom
am strong.
3. Ver. 2. Lord, My stay, and My refuge, and My
deliverer. Lord, Who hast stayed Me, because
refuge with Thee and sought refuge, because Thou hast delivered Me. My God is My helper and will hope in Him. My God, Who hast first afforded me the help of Thy
tISt, bii, iii>>. Var. readings. Ben.
sought
*
O
O
;
1. ) I
:
I
I
O I
I
I
O
Christ, in His Church, finds God a sure Helper. 117
call, that I might be able to hope in Thee. My defender, Ver. and the horn of My salvation, and My redeemer. My de- l -- ' fender, because I have not leant upon Myself, lifting up as it
were the horn of pride against Thee ; but have found Thee
a horn indeed, that is, the sure height of salvation : and that I might find Thou redeemedst Me.
Ver. 3. With praise will call upon the Lord, and shall be safe from Mine enemies. Seeking not My own but the Lord's glory, will call upon Him, and there shall
be no means whereby the errors of ungodliness can hurt Me. Ver. 4. The pains of death, that of the flesh, have compassed Me about. And the overflowings of ungodliness
have troubled Me. Ungodly troubles1 stirred up for time, or like torrents of rain which will soon subside, have come on,c^owds? , to trouble Me.
Ver. 5. The pains ofhell compassed Me about. Among those that compassed Me about to destroy Me, were pains of envy, which work death, and lead on to the hell of sin. The snares ofdeath prevented Me. They prevented Me, so that they wished to hurt Me first, which shall afterwards be re compensed unto them. Now they seize unto destruction such men as they have evilly persuaded by the boast of righteous ness: in the name but not in the reality of which they glory against the Gentiles.
7. Ver. 6. And in Mine oppression called upon the Lord, and cried unto My God. And He heard My voice from His holy temple. He heard from My heart, wherein He dwelleth, My voice. And My cry in His sight entered
into His ears; and My cry, which utter, not in the ears of men but inwardly before Him Himself, entered into His ears.
8. Ver. 7. And the earth was moved and trembled. When the Son of Man was thus glorified, sinners were moved and trembled. And the foundations of the mountains were troubled. And the hopes of the proud, which were in this life, were troubled. And were moved, for God was wroth with them. That is, that the hope of temporal goods might have now no more establishment in the hearts of men.
9. Ver. 8. There went up smoke in His wrath.
tearful supplication of penitents went up, when they came to
The
I
I
I is,
I
6. 5. 4.
a l
it, I
Psalm
118 God, though above knowledge, dwells with His own in love.
know God's threatenings against the ungodly. And fire ' burnetil from His face. And the ardour of love after repentance burns by the knowledge of Him. Coals were kindledfrom Him. They, who were already dead, abandoned by the fire of good desire and the light of righteousness, and who remained in coldness and darkness, re-enkindled and
enlightened, have come to life again.
1 0. Ver. 9. And He bowed the heaven, and came down. And
He humbled the just One, that He might descend to men's infirmity. And darkness under His feet. And the ungodly, who savour of things earthly, in the darkness of their own malice, knew not Him: for the earth under His feet is as it were His footstool.
11. Ver. 10. And He mounted above the cherubim, and did fly. And He was exalted above the fulness of knowledge,
Rom. 13,that no man should come to Him but by love: for love is the fulfilling of the law. And full soon He shewed to His lovers that He is incomprehensible, lest they should suppose that He is comprehended by corporeal imagina tions. He flew above the wings of the winds. But that swiftness, whereby He shewed Himself to be incomprehen sible, is above the powers of souls, whereon as upon wings they raise themselves from earthly fears into the air of liberty.
12. Ver. 11. And hath made darkness His hiding place. And hath settled the obscurity of the Sacraments, and the hidden hope in the heart of believers, where He may lie hid,
2Cor. 5, and not abandon them. In this darkness too, wherein tre
Rom. 8 yet Kalk bg faith, and not by sight, as long as we hope for
25.
what we see not, and with patience waitfor it. Round about Him is His tabernacle. Yet they that believe Him turn to H im and encircle Him ; for that He is in the midst of them, since He is equally the friend of all, in whom as in a taber nacle He at this time dwells. Dark water in clouds of air. Nor let any one on this account, if he understand the Scrip ture, imagine that he is already in that light, which will be when we shall have come out of faith into sight : for in the prophets and in all the preachers of the word of God there is obscure teaching.
13. Ver. 12. In respect of the brightness in His sight: in comparison with the brightness, which is in the sight of
fountains of Grace, and foundations of Prophecy, revealed. 119
His manifestation. His clouds have passed over. The Vrr. preachers of His word are not now bounded by the confines I3~ of Judaea, but have passed over to the Gentiles. Hail and
coals offire. Reproofs are figured ', whereby, as by hail, the l read hard hearts are bruised: but if a cultivated and genial soil, Hg^tl that is, a godly mind, receive them, the hail's hardness dis-D,in8. , solves into water, that the terror of the charged
lightning-charged2, reproofs' and as were frozen, reproof dissolves into satisfying doc-3fl11gu"
trine and hearts kindled by the fire of love revive. All these things in His clouds have passed over to the Gentiles.
14. Ver. 13. And the Lord hath thundered from heaven. And in confidence of the Gospel the Lord hath sounded forth from the heart of the just One- And the Highest gave His voice that we might entertain and in the depth of human things, might hear things heavenly.
15. Ver. 14. And He sent out His arrows, and scattered
them. And He sent out Evangelists traversing
paths on the wings of strength, not in their own power, but
His by Whom they were sent. And He scattered them, to whom they were sent, that to some of them they should be
the savour of life unto life, to others the savour of death Cox. unto death. And He multiplied lightnings, and troubled '
them. And He multiplied miracles, and troubled them.
16. Ver. 15. And the fountains of water were seen.
And the fountains of water springing up into everlasting John
life, which were made in the preachers, were seen. And the 14. foundations of the round world were revealed. And the Prophets, who were not understood, and upon whom was to
be built the world of believers in the Lord, were revealed.
At Thy chiding, Lord: crying out, The kingdom of GWLukelo,
come nigh unto you. At the blasting of the breath Thy ' displeasure; saying, Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise Luke13, perish.
17. Ver. 16. He hath sent down from on high, and hath fetched Me: by calling out of the Gentiles for an inheritance
a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle. He Aw/AEph. taken Me out of the multitude of waters. He hath taken2 Me out of the multitude of peoples.
18. Ver. 17. He hath delivered Me from My strongest enemies. He hath delivered Me from Mine enemies, who
straight
5,
4,
2 %
is
of
O
;
;
it
it,
is,
120 Freedom of Faith. Gods judgment* kept ever in view.
Psalm prevailed lo the afflicting and overturning of this tem- XVIII-poral life of Mine. And from them which hate Me; for they are too strong for Me: as long as I am under them
knowing not God.
19. Ver. 18. They have prevented Me in the day of My
They have first injured Me, in the time when I am bearing a mortal and toilsome body. And the Lord hath become My stay. And since the stay of earthly pleasure was disturbed and torn up by the bitterness of misery, the Lord hath become My stay.
affliction.
20. Ver. 19. And hath brought Me forth into a broad place. And since I was enduring the straits of the flesh, He brought Me forth into the spiritual breadth of faith. He hath delivered Me, because He desired Me.
Before that I desired Him, He delivered Me from My most powerful enemies, (who were envious of Me when I once desired Him,) and from them that hated Me, because I do desire Him.
21. Ver. 20. And the Lord shall reward Me according to My righteousness. And the Lord shall reward Me accord ing to the righteousness of My good will, Who first shewed mercy, before that I had the good will. And according to the cleanness of My hands He will recompense Me. And according to the cleanness of My deeds He will recompense Me, Who hath given Me to do well by bringing Me forth into the broad place of faIith.
22. Ver. 21. Because
That the breadth of good works, that are by faith, and the long-suffering of pIerseverance should follow after.
23. Nor have
? Oxf. Ver. 2. 2. For all His judgments are1 in My sight. For with
? ^J t persevering contemplation I weigh all His judgments, that
ways. '
the rewards of the righteous, and the punishments of the ungodly, and the scourges of such as are to be chastened, and the trials of such as are to be proved. And have not cast out His righteousness from Me: as they do that faint under their burden of them, and return to their own vomit.
24. Ver. 23. And shall be undefiled with Him, and shall keep Myselffrom Mine iniquity.
25. Ver. 24. And the Lord shall reward Me according to My righteousness. Accordingly not only for the breadth of
have kept the ways
of
walked impiously apart My God. from
the Lord.
1
I I
is,
God the source of Holiness and Light, but to His own. 121
faith, which worketh by love; but also for the length of Ver. perseverance, will the Lord reward Me according to My 25--30 '- righteousness. And according to the cleanness of My hands
in the sight of His eyes. Not as men see, but in the sight
of His eyes. For the things that are seen are temporal; 2 Cor.
but the things that are not seen are eternal: whereto the4'18'
height of hope appertains.
26. Ver. 25. With the holy Thou shall be holy. There is
a hidden depth also, wherein Thou art known to be holy with the holy, for that Thou makest holy. And with the harmless Thou shall be harmless. For Thou harmest no man, but each one is bound by the bands of his own sins.
Prov. 5, 27. Ver. 26. And with the chosen Thou shalt be chosen. 22.
And by him whom Thou choosest, Thou art chosen. And with the froward Thou shalt be froward. And with the froward Thou seemest froward: for they say, The way of the Ezek.
Lord is not right: and their way is not right. 18' 25, 28. Ver. 27. For Thou will make whole the humble people.
Now this seems froward to the froward, that Thou wilt make
them whole that confess their sins. And Thou wilt humble
the eyes of the proud. But them that are ignorant of God's Rom.
''
righteousness, and seek to establish their own, Thou wilt humble.
29. Ver. 28. For thou will light My candle, O Lord. For our light is not from ourselves; but Thou will light my candle, O Lord. O my God, Thou wilt enlighten my dark ness. For we through our sins are darkness ; but, Thou, O my God, wilt enlighten my darkness. I
30. Ver. 29. For by Thee shall
temptation. For not by myself, but by Thee, shall delivered from temptation. And in my God shall
over the wall. And not in myself, but in my God shall I leap over the wall, which sin has raised between men and the heavenly Jerusalem.
31. Ver. 30. My God, His way is undefiled. My God cometh not unto men, except they shall have purified the way of faith, whereby He may come to them; for that His way is undefiled. The words of the Lord have been proved
The words of the Lord are tried by the fire of tribulation. He is the Protector of them that hope in Him.
by fire.
be delivered
II be
from leap
122 God gives strength, speed, valour, guidance, freedom.
Psalm And all that hope not in themselves, but in Him, are not ? _Xiy; consumed by that same tribulation. For hope followeth
faith.
32. Ver. SI. For Who is God, but the Lord? Whom we
serve. And Who God, but our God? And Who is God, but the Lord? Whom after good service we sons shall possess as the hoped for inheritance.
33. Ver. 32. God, Who hath girded me with strength. God, Who hath girded me that I might be strong, lest the loosely flowing folds of desire hinder my deeds and steps. And hath made my way undefiled. And hath made the way of love, whereby I may come to Him, undefiled, as the way of faith is undefiled, whereby He comes to me.
34. Ver. 33. Who hath made my feet perfect like harts'
Who hath made my love perfect to surmount the thorny and dark entanglements of this world. And will set me up on high. And wiil fix my aim on the heavenly
feet.
Ephes. habitation, that / may be filled with all the fulness of God. 3, 19. 35. Ver. 34. Who teacheth my hands for battle. Who
teacheth me to work for the overthrow of mine enemies, who strive to shut the kingdom of heaven against us. And Thou hast made mine arms as a bow of steel. And Thou
hast made my earnest striving after good works unwearied. 36. Ver. 35. And Thou hast given me the defence of my salvation, and Thy right hand hath held me up. And the
favour of Thy grace hath held me up. And Thy discipline hath directed me to the end. And Thy correction, not suffering me to wander from the way, hath directed me that whatsoever I do, I refer to that end, whereby I may cleave to Thee. And this Thy discipline, it shall teach me. And that same correction of Thine shall teach me to attain to
that, whereunto it hath directed me.
37. Ver. 36. Thou hast enlarged my steps under me.
Nor shall the straits of the flesh hinder me ; for Thou hast enlarged my love, working in gladness even with these mortal things and members which are under me. And my
footsteps have not been weakened. And either my goings, or the marks which I have imprinted for the imitation of those that follow, have not been weakened.
38. Ver. 37. / will follow up mine enemies, and seize
Enemies partly converted, partly overthroion. 123
them. I will follow up my carnal affections, and will not be Ver.
seized by them, but will seize them, so that they
be ? 8~**?
'seep. 83.
consumed. And
turn,
till
make a tumult about me.
Iwill not
may they fail. And from this purpose I will not turn myself to rest, till they fail who
/will break them, and
shall not be able
39. Ver. 38.
to stand: and they shall not hold out against me. They shall fall under my feet. When they are cast dowu, I will place before me the loves1 whereby I walk for evermore.
40. Ver. 39. And Thou hast girded me with strength
the war. And the loose desires of my flesh hast Thou sinners, bound up with strength, that in such a fight I may not be their'<<' encumbered. Thou hast supplanted under me them thatlove. '
rose up against me. Thou hast caused them to be deceived, who followed upon me, that they should be brought under me, who desired to be over me.
41. Ver. 40. And Thou hast given mine enemies the back to me. And Thou hast turned mine enemies, and hast made them to be a back to me, that is, to follow me. And Thou hast destroyed them that hate me. But such other of them, as have persisted in hatred, Thou hast destroyed.
44. Ver. 43. Thou wilt deliver Me from the contradictions
of the people. Thou wilt deliver Me from the contradictions
of them who said, If ice send Him away, all the world will Johnii,
o it.
*S; 12, go after Him. 19.
they
to^^lf
42. Ver. 41. They have cried out, and there was none to save them. For who can save them, whom Thou wouldest not save ? To the Lord, and He did not hear rItem. Nor did they cry out to any chance one, but to the Lord : and He did not judge them worthy of being heard, who depart not from their wickedness.
43. Ver. 42. And I will beat them as small as dust before the face of the wind. And I will beat them small; for dry they are, receiving not the shower of God's mercy; that borne aloft and puffed up with pride they may be hurried along from firm and unshaken hope, and as it were from the earth's solidity and stability. As the clay of the streets I will destroy them. In their wanton and loose course along the broad ways of perdition, which many walk, will I destroy them.
124 The ' strange children' offended at Christ, and confounded.
Psalm I the A 45. Thou shall make Me the head of Gentiles.
have not known have screed Me. The people of the Gentiles, whom in bodily presence I have not visited, have served Me. (Ver. 44. ) At the hearing of the ear they have obeyed Me.
13. Deliver My soul from the ungodly. Deliver My soul, by restoring Me after the death, which the ungodly have inflicted on Me. Thy weapon (ver. 14. ) from the enemies of Thine hand. For My soul is Thy weapon, which Thy hand, that is, Thy eternal Power, hath taken to subdue thereby the
of iniquity, and divide the righteous from the ungodly. This weapon then deliver from the enemies of Thine
kingdoms
of Thy Power, that from Mine enemies. Lord, from off the earth, scatter them in Lord, destroy them from off the earth, which they inhabit, scatter them throughout the world in
this life, which only they think their life, who1 despair of Hfe'aL'be- eternal. And Thy hidden things their belly hath been^^'
hand, that Destroy them,
their life.
Now not only this visible punishment shall overtake them, but also their memory hath been filled with sins, which as darkness are hidden from the light of Thy truth, that they should forget God. They have been filled with swine's
They have been filled with uncleanness, treading
under foot the pearls of God's words. And they have left
the rest to their babes: crying out, This sin be upon us and Mat. 27, upon our children.
filled.
flesh.
i 2
by
is, OO
is,
? <<. T
secun- minem.
1 6 Good and evil satisfying. Names of David and Saul.
14. Ver. 15. But I shall appear in Thy righteousness in Thy sight. But I, Who have not appeared to them that, with
their filthy and darkened heart, can not see the light of wisdom, shall appear in Thy righteousness in Thy sight.
I
And when they have been satiated with their uncleanness, that they could not know Me, I shall be satiated, when Thy glory shall be manifested, in them that know Me. In that verse indeed where it is said, filled rnith swine's flesh, some copies have, filled with children : for from the ambiguity of the Greek* a double interpretation has resulted. Now by children we understand works; and as by good children, good works, so by, evil evil.
PSALM XVIII.
To the end, for the servant of the Lord, David himself.
That is, for the strong of hand, Christ in His Man- hood. The words of this song which he spoke to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him out of the hands of his enemies, and of the hand of Saul ; and he said, On the day when the Lord delivered him out of the hands of his enemies and of the hand of Saul: namely, the king of the Jews,
shall be satiated, when Thy
glory
shall be
manifested.
iSam. 8, whom they had demanded for themselves. For as David is said to be by interpretation, strong of hand ; so Saul, is said to be demanding. Now it is well known, how that People demanded for themselves a king, and received him for their king, not according to the will of God, but according to their
own will.
2. Christ, then, and the Church, that is, whole Christ, the
Head and the Body, saith here, (ver. will love Thee, Lord, My strength. will love Thee, Lord, by Whom
am strong.
3. Ver. 2. Lord, My stay, and My refuge, and My
deliverer. Lord, Who hast stayed Me, because
refuge with Thee and sought refuge, because Thou hast delivered Me. My God is My helper and will hope in Him. My God, Who hast first afforded me the help of Thy
tISt, bii, iii>>. Var. readings. Ben.
sought
*
O
O
;
1. ) I
:
I
I
O I
I
I
O
Christ, in His Church, finds God a sure Helper. 117
call, that I might be able to hope in Thee. My defender, Ver. and the horn of My salvation, and My redeemer. My de- l -- ' fender, because I have not leant upon Myself, lifting up as it
were the horn of pride against Thee ; but have found Thee
a horn indeed, that is, the sure height of salvation : and that I might find Thou redeemedst Me.
Ver. 3. With praise will call upon the Lord, and shall be safe from Mine enemies. Seeking not My own but the Lord's glory, will call upon Him, and there shall
be no means whereby the errors of ungodliness can hurt Me. Ver. 4. The pains of death, that of the flesh, have compassed Me about. And the overflowings of ungodliness
have troubled Me. Ungodly troubles1 stirred up for time, or like torrents of rain which will soon subside, have come on,c^owds? , to trouble Me.
Ver. 5. The pains ofhell compassed Me about. Among those that compassed Me about to destroy Me, were pains of envy, which work death, and lead on to the hell of sin. The snares ofdeath prevented Me. They prevented Me, so that they wished to hurt Me first, which shall afterwards be re compensed unto them. Now they seize unto destruction such men as they have evilly persuaded by the boast of righteous ness: in the name but not in the reality of which they glory against the Gentiles.
7. Ver. 6. And in Mine oppression called upon the Lord, and cried unto My God. And He heard My voice from His holy temple. He heard from My heart, wherein He dwelleth, My voice. And My cry in His sight entered
into His ears; and My cry, which utter, not in the ears of men but inwardly before Him Himself, entered into His ears.
8. Ver. 7. And the earth was moved and trembled. When the Son of Man was thus glorified, sinners were moved and trembled. And the foundations of the mountains were troubled. And the hopes of the proud, which were in this life, were troubled. And were moved, for God was wroth with them. That is, that the hope of temporal goods might have now no more establishment in the hearts of men.
9. Ver. 8. There went up smoke in His wrath.
tearful supplication of penitents went up, when they came to
The
I
I
I is,
I
6. 5. 4.
a l
it, I
Psalm
118 God, though above knowledge, dwells with His own in love.
know God's threatenings against the ungodly. And fire ' burnetil from His face. And the ardour of love after repentance burns by the knowledge of Him. Coals were kindledfrom Him. They, who were already dead, abandoned by the fire of good desire and the light of righteousness, and who remained in coldness and darkness, re-enkindled and
enlightened, have come to life again.
1 0. Ver. 9. And He bowed the heaven, and came down. And
He humbled the just One, that He might descend to men's infirmity. And darkness under His feet. And the ungodly, who savour of things earthly, in the darkness of their own malice, knew not Him: for the earth under His feet is as it were His footstool.
11. Ver. 10. And He mounted above the cherubim, and did fly. And He was exalted above the fulness of knowledge,
Rom. 13,that no man should come to Him but by love: for love is the fulfilling of the law. And full soon He shewed to His lovers that He is incomprehensible, lest they should suppose that He is comprehended by corporeal imagina tions. He flew above the wings of the winds. But that swiftness, whereby He shewed Himself to be incomprehen sible, is above the powers of souls, whereon as upon wings they raise themselves from earthly fears into the air of liberty.
12. Ver. 11. And hath made darkness His hiding place. And hath settled the obscurity of the Sacraments, and the hidden hope in the heart of believers, where He may lie hid,
2Cor. 5, and not abandon them. In this darkness too, wherein tre
Rom. 8 yet Kalk bg faith, and not by sight, as long as we hope for
25.
what we see not, and with patience waitfor it. Round about Him is His tabernacle. Yet they that believe Him turn to H im and encircle Him ; for that He is in the midst of them, since He is equally the friend of all, in whom as in a taber nacle He at this time dwells. Dark water in clouds of air. Nor let any one on this account, if he understand the Scrip ture, imagine that he is already in that light, which will be when we shall have come out of faith into sight : for in the prophets and in all the preachers of the word of God there is obscure teaching.
13. Ver. 12. In respect of the brightness in His sight: in comparison with the brightness, which is in the sight of
fountains of Grace, and foundations of Prophecy, revealed. 119
His manifestation. His clouds have passed over. The Vrr. preachers of His word are not now bounded by the confines I3~ of Judaea, but have passed over to the Gentiles. Hail and
coals offire. Reproofs are figured ', whereby, as by hail, the l read hard hearts are bruised: but if a cultivated and genial soil, Hg^tl that is, a godly mind, receive them, the hail's hardness dis-D,in8. , solves into water, that the terror of the charged
lightning-charged2, reproofs' and as were frozen, reproof dissolves into satisfying doc-3fl11gu"
trine and hearts kindled by the fire of love revive. All these things in His clouds have passed over to the Gentiles.
14. Ver. 13. And the Lord hath thundered from heaven. And in confidence of the Gospel the Lord hath sounded forth from the heart of the just One- And the Highest gave His voice that we might entertain and in the depth of human things, might hear things heavenly.
15. Ver. 14. And He sent out His arrows, and scattered
them. And He sent out Evangelists traversing
paths on the wings of strength, not in their own power, but
His by Whom they were sent. And He scattered them, to whom they were sent, that to some of them they should be
the savour of life unto life, to others the savour of death Cox. unto death. And He multiplied lightnings, and troubled '
them. And He multiplied miracles, and troubled them.
16. Ver. 15. And the fountains of water were seen.
And the fountains of water springing up into everlasting John
life, which were made in the preachers, were seen. And the 14. foundations of the round world were revealed. And the Prophets, who were not understood, and upon whom was to
be built the world of believers in the Lord, were revealed.
At Thy chiding, Lord: crying out, The kingdom of GWLukelo,
come nigh unto you. At the blasting of the breath Thy ' displeasure; saying, Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise Luke13, perish.
17. Ver. 16. He hath sent down from on high, and hath fetched Me: by calling out of the Gentiles for an inheritance
a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle. He Aw/AEph. taken Me out of the multitude of waters. He hath taken2 Me out of the multitude of peoples.
18. Ver. 17. He hath delivered Me from My strongest enemies. He hath delivered Me from Mine enemies, who
straight
5,
4,
2 %
is
of
O
;
;
it
it,
is,
120 Freedom of Faith. Gods judgment* kept ever in view.
Psalm prevailed lo the afflicting and overturning of this tem- XVIII-poral life of Mine. And from them which hate Me; for they are too strong for Me: as long as I am under them
knowing not God.
19. Ver. 18. They have prevented Me in the day of My
They have first injured Me, in the time when I am bearing a mortal and toilsome body. And the Lord hath become My stay. And since the stay of earthly pleasure was disturbed and torn up by the bitterness of misery, the Lord hath become My stay.
affliction.
20. Ver. 19. And hath brought Me forth into a broad place. And since I was enduring the straits of the flesh, He brought Me forth into the spiritual breadth of faith. He hath delivered Me, because He desired Me.
Before that I desired Him, He delivered Me from My most powerful enemies, (who were envious of Me when I once desired Him,) and from them that hated Me, because I do desire Him.
21. Ver. 20. And the Lord shall reward Me according to My righteousness. And the Lord shall reward Me accord ing to the righteousness of My good will, Who first shewed mercy, before that I had the good will. And according to the cleanness of My hands He will recompense Me. And according to the cleanness of My deeds He will recompense Me, Who hath given Me to do well by bringing Me forth into the broad place of faIith.
22. Ver. 21. Because
That the breadth of good works, that are by faith, and the long-suffering of pIerseverance should follow after.
23. Nor have
? Oxf. Ver. 2. 2. For all His judgments are1 in My sight. For with
? ^J t persevering contemplation I weigh all His judgments, that
ways. '
the rewards of the righteous, and the punishments of the ungodly, and the scourges of such as are to be chastened, and the trials of such as are to be proved. And have not cast out His righteousness from Me: as they do that faint under their burden of them, and return to their own vomit.
24. Ver. 23. And shall be undefiled with Him, and shall keep Myselffrom Mine iniquity.
25. Ver. 24. And the Lord shall reward Me according to My righteousness. Accordingly not only for the breadth of
have kept the ways
of
walked impiously apart My God. from
the Lord.
1
I I
is,
God the source of Holiness and Light, but to His own. 121
faith, which worketh by love; but also for the length of Ver. perseverance, will the Lord reward Me according to My 25--30 '- righteousness. And according to the cleanness of My hands
in the sight of His eyes. Not as men see, but in the sight
of His eyes. For the things that are seen are temporal; 2 Cor.
but the things that are not seen are eternal: whereto the4'18'
height of hope appertains.
26. Ver. 25. With the holy Thou shall be holy. There is
a hidden depth also, wherein Thou art known to be holy with the holy, for that Thou makest holy. And with the harmless Thou shall be harmless. For Thou harmest no man, but each one is bound by the bands of his own sins.
Prov. 5, 27. Ver. 26. And with the chosen Thou shalt be chosen. 22.
And by him whom Thou choosest, Thou art chosen. And with the froward Thou shalt be froward. And with the froward Thou seemest froward: for they say, The way of the Ezek.
Lord is not right: and their way is not right. 18' 25, 28. Ver. 27. For Thou will make whole the humble people.
Now this seems froward to the froward, that Thou wilt make
them whole that confess their sins. And Thou wilt humble
the eyes of the proud. But them that are ignorant of God's Rom.
''
righteousness, and seek to establish their own, Thou wilt humble.
29. Ver. 28. For thou will light My candle, O Lord. For our light is not from ourselves; but Thou will light my candle, O Lord. O my God, Thou wilt enlighten my dark ness. For we through our sins are darkness ; but, Thou, O my God, wilt enlighten my darkness. I
30. Ver. 29. For by Thee shall
temptation. For not by myself, but by Thee, shall delivered from temptation. And in my God shall
over the wall. And not in myself, but in my God shall I leap over the wall, which sin has raised between men and the heavenly Jerusalem.
31. Ver. 30. My God, His way is undefiled. My God cometh not unto men, except they shall have purified the way of faith, whereby He may come to them; for that His way is undefiled. The words of the Lord have been proved
The words of the Lord are tried by the fire of tribulation. He is the Protector of them that hope in Him.
by fire.
be delivered
II be
from leap
122 God gives strength, speed, valour, guidance, freedom.
Psalm And all that hope not in themselves, but in Him, are not ? _Xiy; consumed by that same tribulation. For hope followeth
faith.
32. Ver. SI. For Who is God, but the Lord? Whom we
serve. And Who God, but our God? And Who is God, but the Lord? Whom after good service we sons shall possess as the hoped for inheritance.
33. Ver. 32. God, Who hath girded me with strength. God, Who hath girded me that I might be strong, lest the loosely flowing folds of desire hinder my deeds and steps. And hath made my way undefiled. And hath made the way of love, whereby I may come to Him, undefiled, as the way of faith is undefiled, whereby He comes to me.
34. Ver. 33. Who hath made my feet perfect like harts'
Who hath made my love perfect to surmount the thorny and dark entanglements of this world. And will set me up on high. And wiil fix my aim on the heavenly
feet.
Ephes. habitation, that / may be filled with all the fulness of God. 3, 19. 35. Ver. 34. Who teacheth my hands for battle. Who
teacheth me to work for the overthrow of mine enemies, who strive to shut the kingdom of heaven against us. And Thou hast made mine arms as a bow of steel. And Thou
hast made my earnest striving after good works unwearied. 36. Ver. 35. And Thou hast given me the defence of my salvation, and Thy right hand hath held me up. And the
favour of Thy grace hath held me up. And Thy discipline hath directed me to the end. And Thy correction, not suffering me to wander from the way, hath directed me that whatsoever I do, I refer to that end, whereby I may cleave to Thee. And this Thy discipline, it shall teach me. And that same correction of Thine shall teach me to attain to
that, whereunto it hath directed me.
37. Ver. 36. Thou hast enlarged my steps under me.
Nor shall the straits of the flesh hinder me ; for Thou hast enlarged my love, working in gladness even with these mortal things and members which are under me. And my
footsteps have not been weakened. And either my goings, or the marks which I have imprinted for the imitation of those that follow, have not been weakened.
38. Ver. 37. / will follow up mine enemies, and seize
Enemies partly converted, partly overthroion. 123
them. I will follow up my carnal affections, and will not be Ver.
seized by them, but will seize them, so that they
be ? 8~**?
'seep. 83.
consumed. And
turn,
till
make a tumult about me.
Iwill not
may they fail. And from this purpose I will not turn myself to rest, till they fail who
/will break them, and
shall not be able
39. Ver. 38.
to stand: and they shall not hold out against me. They shall fall under my feet. When they are cast dowu, I will place before me the loves1 whereby I walk for evermore.
40. Ver. 39. And Thou hast girded me with strength
the war. And the loose desires of my flesh hast Thou sinners, bound up with strength, that in such a fight I may not be their'<<' encumbered. Thou hast supplanted under me them thatlove. '
rose up against me. Thou hast caused them to be deceived, who followed upon me, that they should be brought under me, who desired to be over me.
41. Ver. 40. And Thou hast given mine enemies the back to me. And Thou hast turned mine enemies, and hast made them to be a back to me, that is, to follow me. And Thou hast destroyed them that hate me. But such other of them, as have persisted in hatred, Thou hast destroyed.
44. Ver. 43. Thou wilt deliver Me from the contradictions
of the people. Thou wilt deliver Me from the contradictions
of them who said, If ice send Him away, all the world will Johnii,
o it.
*S; 12, go after Him. 19.
they
to^^lf
42. Ver. 41. They have cried out, and there was none to save them. For who can save them, whom Thou wouldest not save ? To the Lord, and He did not hear rItem. Nor did they cry out to any chance one, but to the Lord : and He did not judge them worthy of being heard, who depart not from their wickedness.
43. Ver. 42. And I will beat them as small as dust before the face of the wind. And I will beat them small; for dry they are, receiving not the shower of God's mercy; that borne aloft and puffed up with pride they may be hurried along from firm and unshaken hope, and as it were from the earth's solidity and stability. As the clay of the streets I will destroy them. In their wanton and loose course along the broad ways of perdition, which many walk, will I destroy them.
124 The ' strange children' offended at Christ, and confounded.
Psalm I the A 45. Thou shall make Me the head of Gentiles.
have not known have screed Me. The people of the Gentiles, whom in bodily presence I have not visited, have served Me. (Ver. 44. ) At the hearing of the ear they have obeyed Me.
