They were turned, he saith, into a crooked, or, as some copies have it, into a
perverse
bow.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v4
For thus also is solved this24,
no unimportant question, how it is written in the Proverbs,
when the Scripture was speaking of the way of iniquity, all Prov. 2, they that walk in her shall not return. For it hath been so ,9- spoken as if all ungodly men were to be despaired of: but
the Scripture did only commend grace ; for of himself man
is able to walk in that way, but is not able of himself to
return, except when called back by grace.
25. I say then of these crooked and embittering persons,
(ver. 40. ) How often they exasperated Him in the desert, and provoked Him to wrath in the waterless place ? (Ver. 41. ) And they turned themselves and tempted God, and exaspe rated the Holy One of Israel. He is repeating that same
unbelief of theirs, of which He had made mention
But the reason of the repetition is, in order that there may be mentioned also the plagues, which He inflicted on the Egyp tians for their sakes : all which things they certainly ought to have remembered, and not to be ungrateful. Lastly, there
followeth what? (Ver. 42. ) They remembered not His hands, f2
arise, and
I will
to
go Iuke16,
above.
42'
I will
my Father. Though the calling then and the inspiration was 18'
(58 The Plagues here described allegorically,
' in the day when He redeemed them from the hand of the troubler. And he beginneth to speak of what things He did to the Egyptians; (ver. 43. ) He set in Egypt His signs, and His prodigies in the plain of Thanis: (ver. 44. ) and He turned their ricers into blood, and their showers lest they should drink : or rather, the flowings of waters, as some do better understand by what is written in Greek, rci op-figri- jucru, which in Latin we call scaturigines, waters bubbling from beneath. (Ver. 45. ) He sent upon them the dog-fly, and it ate them up ; and the frog, and it destroyed them. (Ver. 46. ) And He gave their fruit to the mildew, and their labours to the locust. (Ver. 47. ) And He slew with hail their vineyards, and their mulberry trees withfrost. (Ver. 48. ) And He gave over to the hail their beasts of burden, and their
possessions to the fire. (Ver. 49 ) He sent upon them the anger of His indignation, indignation and anger and tribulation, a visitation through evil angels. (Ver. 50. ) He made a way to the course of His anger, and their beasts of burden He shut up in death. (Ver. 51 . ) And He smote every
first-born thing in the land of Egypt, the first-fruits of their labours m the tabernacles of Cham.
said,
26. All these punishments of the Egyptians may be ex plained by an allegorical interpretation, according as one shall have chosen to understand them, and to compare them to the things whereunto they must be referred. Which we too will endeavour to do ; and shall do it the more properly, the more we shall have been divinely aided. For to do this, those words of this Psalm do constrain us, wherein it was
I will declare pro positions Jrcm the beginning. For for this cause even some things have been here spoken of, which that they befel the Egyptians at all we read not, although all their plagues are
/ will open in parables my mouth,
most carefully related in Exodus according to their order; so that while that which is not there mentioned we are sure halh not been mentioned in the Psalm to no purpose, and we can interpret the same only figuratively, we may at the same time understand that even the rest of the things which it is evident did happen, were done or described for the sake of some figurative meaning. For the Scripture doth so do in many passages of the prophetic sayings. It speaketh of
some not being literal. Their interpretations. 69
something which in the doing of that thing, whereof it seemeth tJER- '- to make mention, is not found, nay even is found to have
been differently done; in order that hence it may be perceived
not to have spoken of that which might have been supposed,
but of that rather which ought to be more attended to: like
this passage is, He shall have dominion from sea even Ps. 72,8. unto sea, and from the river even unto the ends of the earth. Which thing it is evident was not fulfilled in the kingdom
of Solomon, whereof this Psalm might be thought to speak,
inasmuch as it was speaking of Christ the Lord. In the plagues therefore of the Egyptians, which are in the book which is called Exodus, where the Scripture hath been especially careful, that those things whereby they were afflicted should be all related in order, there is not found what this Psalm hath, and He gave to the mildew their
This also wherein, when he had said, and He gave
over to the hail their beasts, he hath added, and their pos
session to the fire: of the beasts slain with hail is read inExod. 9, Exodus; but how their possession was burned with fire, is20' not read at all. Although voices and fires do come together
with hail, just as thunderings do commonly accompany lightnings ; nevertheless, it is not written that any thing was
given over to the fire that it should be burned. Lastly, the
soft things which the hail could not hurt, are said not to
have been smitten, that is, hurt with hard blows ; which
things the locust devoured afterwards. Also that which is
here spoken of, and their mulberry trees with hoar-frost, is not in Exodus. For hoar-frost doth differ much from hail; for in the clear winter nights the earth is made white with hoar-frost.
27. What then those things do signify, let the interpreter say as he can, let reader and hearer judge as is just. The water turned into blood seemeth to me to signify a carnal view of the causes of things. Dog-fly, are the manners of dogs, who see not even their parents when first they are born. The frog is very talkative vanity. Mildew doth hurt secretly, which also some have interpreted by rust, others black mould :
fruits.
which evil thing to what vice is it more
compared, than to what doth shew itself least readily, like the trusting much in one's self? For it is a blighting air which
appropriately
70 Moralplagues answering to the outward.
Psai. m doth work this secretly among fruits: just like in morals,
1-. \\\ lIl
Gal g- secret pride, when a man thinketh himself to be somethmg, 3' though he is nothing. The locust is malice hurting with
The hail is iniquity taking away the goods of others; whence theft,
the mouth, that is, with unfaithful testimony.
do spring : but more by his wickedness the plunderer himself is plundered. The hoar
frost doth signify the fault wherein the love of one's neighbour by the darkness of foolishness, like as it were by the cold of night, is frozen up. But the fire, if here it is not that which is mentioned which was in the hail out of the lightning clouds,
forasmuch as he hath said here, He gave over their possession to the fire, where he implieth that a thing was burned, which by that fire we read not to have been done, --it seemeth to me, I say, to signify the savageness of wrath, whereby even man-slaying may be committed. But by the death of beasts
For con
robberies, and depredations
was figured, as far as I judge, the loss of chastity. cupiscence, whereby offspring do arise, we have in common with beasts. To have this therefore tamed and ordered, is the virtue of chastity. The death of the first-born things, is the patting off of the very justice whereby a man doth asso ciate with mankind. But whether the figurative significations of these things be so, or whether they are better understood in another way, whom would it not move, that with ten
the Egyptians are smitten, and with ten command ments the tables are inscribed, that thereby the people of
of
other three are commemorated, which are not there, that is to say, mildew, hoar-frost, and fire; not of lightning, but that whereunto their possession was given over, which is not read of in that place.
28. But it hath been clearly enough intimated, that by the judgment of God these things befel them through the in-
? Vid. Sermon on the Ten Plagues and Ten Commandments.
plagues
God should be ruled ? Concerning the comparing which one with the other, inasmuch as we have spoken else where, there is no need to load the exposition of this Psalm therewith : thus much we remind you, that here too, though not in the same order, yet ten plagues of the Egyptians are commemorated, forasmuch as in the place of three which are in Exodus and are not here, to wit, lice, boils, darkness;
How God employs even evil angels for good. 71 strumentality of evil angels, in this wicked world, as though Vrr.
49'
it were in Egypt and in the plain of Thanis, where we ought to be humble, until there come that world, wherein we may
earn to be exalted out of this humiliation.
in the Hebrew tongue doth signify darkness or tribulations,
in which tongue, Thanis1, as I have observed, is understood1 Oxf. to be humble commandment
therefore in this Psalm, while he was speaking of those very plagues, there hath been something inserted, which must not
be passed over cursorily : (ver. 49. ) He sent upon them, he
saith, the anger of His indignation, indignation and anger
and tribulation, an infliction through evil angels. Now that
the devil and his angels are so very evil, that for them ever
lasting fire is prepared, no believer is ignorant : but that there should be sent by means of them an infliction from the Lord
God upon certain whom He judgeth to be deserving of this punishment, seemeth to be a hard thing to those who are
little prone to consider, how the perfect justice of God doth
use well even evil things. For these indeed, as far as rcgard-
eth their substance, what other person but Himself hath
made ? But evil He hath not made them : yet He doth use
them, inasmuch as He is good, well, that is, conveniently
and justly : just as on the other hand unrighteous men do
use His good creatures in evil manner. God therefore doth
use evil angels not only to punish evil men, as in the case
of all those concerning whom the Psalm doth speak, as in
the case of king Achab, whom a spirit of lying by the will 1 Kings
'
of God did beguile, in order that he might fall in war: but also to prove and make manifest good men, as He did in the case of Job. But as far as regardeth that corporal matter of visible elements, I suppose that thereof angels both good and evil are able to make use, according to the power given to each : just as also men good and evil do use such things, as far as they are able, according to the measure of human inGrmity. For we use both earth and water, and air, and fire, not only in things necessary for our support, but also in many operations superfluous and playful, and marvellously artificial. For countless things, which are called
/Aii^av^ara, are mouldud out of these elements scientifically employed. But over these things angels have a far more
For even Egypt Concerning the evil angels Taphnii
Psalm i. xxvni.
Joh 1, 16
Joh l, "''
Epb. 2,
72 Satan's power against samts is by special permission.
extended power, both the good and the evil, though greater is thal wl1;c}1 g00d have ; but only so far as is com manded or permitted by the will and providence of God; on which terms also we have it. For not even in these cases are we able to do all that we will. But in a book the most unerring we read that the devil was able even to send fire from Heaven, to burn up with wonderful and awful fierceness so great a number of the cattle of a holy man : which thing no one of the faithful would dare per chance to ascribe to the devil, except it were read on the authority of Holy Scripture. But that man, being by the gift of God just and firm, and of godly knowledge, saith not, The Lord hath given, the devil hath taken away : but, The Lord hath given, the Lord hath taken away: very well knowing that even what the devil was able to do with these elements, he would still not have done to a servant of God, except at his Lord's will and permission ; he did confound the malice of the devil, forasmuch as he knew who it was that was making use thereof to prove him. In the sons then
of unbelief like as it were in his own slaves, he doth work, like men with their beasts, and even therewith only so far as is permitted by the just judgment of God. But it is one thing when his power is restrained from treating even his own as he pleases, by a greater power ; another thing when to him power is given even over those who are alien from him. Just as a man with his beast, as men understand doeth what he will, and yet doth not indeed, he be restrained by greater power: but with another man's beast to do something, he doth wait uutil power be given from him unto whom belongeth. In the former case the power which there was restrained, in the latter that which there was not conceded.
29. And such be the case, through evil angels God did inflict those plagues upon the Egyptians, shall we dare to say that the water also was turned into blood by means of those same angels, and that frogs were created by means of
F. xod. 8, the same, the like whereunto even the magicians of Pharaoh '' were able to make by their enchantments; so as that evil angels stood on both sides, on the one side afflicting them,
on the other side deceiving them, according to the judgmeut
if
if
is
is
a it
if
it,
Good angels execute some judgments on the wicked. 73
and dispensation1 of the most just and most omnipotent God, Verw Who doth justly make use of even the naughtiness of un-,^-
I dare not to say so. For whence was itdinance. that the magicians of Pharaoh could by no means make lice ? f^0^'^,
Was it not because even these same evil angels were not suffered to do this ? Or, to speak more truly, is not the cause hidden, and it doth exceed our powers of inquiry ? For if
we shall have supposed that God wrought those things by means of evil angels, because punishments were being in flicted, and not blessings- being bestowed, as though God
doth inflict punishments upon no one by means of good angels, but by means of those executioners as it were of the heavenly wrath; the consequence will be that we must believe that even Sodom was overthrown by means of evil angels, and that Abraham and Lot would seem to haveGen-19>> entertained under their roof evil angels ; the which, as being contrary to the most evident Scriptures, far be it that we should think. It is clear then that these things might have
been done to men by means of good and evil angels. What should be done or when it should be done doth escape me : but Him that doeth escapeth not, and him unto whom He shall have willed to reveal it. Nevertheless, as far as divine Scripture doth yield to our application thereto, on evil men that punishments are inflicted both by means of good angels, as upon the Sodomites, and by means of evil angels, as upon the Egyptians, we read: but that just men with corporal penances by means of good angels are tried and proved, doth not occur to me.
30. But as far as regardeth the present passage of this Psalm, those things which were marvellously formed out
of creatures, to evil angels we dare not ascribe we have
thing which without doubt we can ascribe to them; the dyings of the beasts, the dyings of the first-born, and this especially whence all these things proceeded, namely, the hardening of heart, so that they would not let go the people
of God. For when God said to make this most iniquitous Exod. 4, and malignant obstinacy, He maketh not by suggesting and inspiring, but by forsaking, so that they work in the sons of ph- unbelief that which God doth duly and justly permit. For
this also which Isaias the prophet saith, Lord, behold^64'
righteous men ?
it O
f 2,
a
is
;
if
it, it
74 Evil angels justly permitted to mislead bad men.
Psalm Tltou hast been angry, and we have sinned; therefore tee hxxV'"have gone astray, and we have become as it were unclean, all of us, must be understood in that manner. For there had
gone before something, whence God being most justly wroth took away His light from them, so that into sins, which can not be shewn not to be sins by any cunning excuses, the blindness of the human mind fell, by erring and straying from the path of righteousness. And with regard to what is
Ps. 106, written in another Psalm concerning those very Egyptians,
86'
how God turned their heart so that they hated His people, and wrought deceit unto His servants, God may well he believed to have done it by means of those evil angels, so that the already corrupt minds of the sons of unbelief should by means of those angels, unto whom the same vices are pleasing, be stirred up unto the hating of the people of God, and that those wonderful things should follow to terrify and amend good men. Moreover, those evil manners which we said were signified by these corporal plagues, on account of that which was said before, / will open in parabks my mouth, are most appropriately believed by means of evil angels to have been wrought in those that are made subject to them by Divine justice. For neither when that cometh to pass of which the apostle speaketh, God gave them over unto the lusts of their heart, that they should do things which are not convenient, can it be but that those evil angels dwell and rejoice therein, as in the matter of their own work: unto whom most justly is human naughtiness made subject, in all save those whom grace doth deliver. And for these things who is sufficient? Whence when he had said, He sent unto them the anger of His indignation, indignation and anger and tribulation, an infliction through evil angels; for this which he hath added, (ver. 50. ) a way He hath made
v. 2.
Rom. 1, 24.
2Cor. 2, 16'
for the path of His anger, whose eye, I pray, is sufficient to penetrate, so that it may understand and take in the sense lying hidden in so great a profundity ? For the path of the anger of God was that whereby He punished the ungodliness of the Egyptians with hidden justice : but for that same path He made a way, so that drawing them forth as it were from secret places by means of evil angels unto manifest offences, He most evidently inflicted punishment upon those that wero
Our spiritual passage into the promised land of Grace. 75
most evidently ungodly. From this power of evil angels Ver. nothing doth deliver man but the grace of God, whereof the62""68. Apostle speaketh, Who hath delivered us from the power of'Col. 1, darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of the
Son of His love : of which things that people did bear the figure, when they were delivered from the power of the Egyptians, and translated into the kingdom of the land of promise flowing with milk and honey, which doth signify the sweetness of grace.
31. The Psalm proceedeth then after the commemoration of the plagues of the Egyptians, and saith, (ver. 52. ) And He
took away like sheep His people, and He led them through like a flock in the desert. (Ver. 53. ) And He led them down in hope, and they feared not, and their enemies the sea covered. This cometh to pass to so much the greater good, as it is a more inward thing, wherein being delivered from the power of darkness, we are in mind translated into the Kingdom of God, and with respect to spiritual pastures we are made to become sheep of God, walking in this world as it were in a desert, inasmuch as to no one is our faith observable:
hath covered, He hath effaced them in baptism by the remission of sins.
3'2. In the next place there followeth, (ver. 54. ) And He
led them into the mountain of His sanctijication. How much
better into Holy Church ! The mountain ivhich His right
hand hath gotten. How much higher is the Church which
Christ hath gotten, concerning Whom has been said, " Andua. 63, to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? ' (Ver. 55. ) I-
And He cast forth from the face of them the nations. And1 >Oxf. from the face of His faithful. For nations in a manner are jjj^' the evil spirits of Gentile errors. And by lot He divided' He did unto them the land in the cord of distribution. And in us nations( all things one and the same Spirit doth work, dividing \ c0r.
12, ll"
whence saith the Apostle, Your life is hidden with Christ Col. 3, in God. But we are being led home in hope, For by gom g
hope we are saved. Nor ought we to fear. For, If God 6e24. for us, who can be against us? And our enemies the sea3i.
''
severally to every one as He willeth.
33. And He made to dwell in their tabernacles the
tribes of Israel. In the tabernacles, he saith, of the Gentiles
76 Israel, turning from God, forfeited His protection.
Psalm He made the tribes of Israel to dwell, which I think can i. xxvm. better be explained spiritually, inasmuch as unto celestial glory, whence sinning angels have been cast forth and cast
^\<j? $
down, by Christ's grace we are being uplifted. For that generation crooked and embittering, inasmuch as for these corporal blessings they put not off the coat of oldness, (ver. 56. ) Did tempt yet, and provoked the high God, and His testimonies they kept not : (ver. 57. ) and they turned them away, and they kept not the covenant, like their fathers. ^or un(*er a sort of covenant an(J decree they said, All things which our Lord God hath spoken we will do, and we will hear. It is a remarkable thing indeed which he saith, like their fathers : while throughout the whole text of the Psalm he was seeming to speak of the same men as it were, yet now it appeareth that the words did concern those who were already in the land of promise, and that the fathers spoken of were of those who did provoke in the desert.
34. Ver. 57.
They were turned, he saith, into a crooked, or, as some copies have it, into a perverse bow. But what this is doth better appear in that which followeth, where he saith, (ver. 58. ) And unto wrath they provoked Him with their hills. It doth signify that they leaped into idolatry. The bow then was perverted, not for the name of the Lord, but against the name of the Lord : Who said to the same
Exod. people, Thou shall have none other Gods hut Me. But by
20' 3'
the bow He doth signify the mind's intention. This same idea, lastly, more clearly working out, And in their graven idols, he saith, they provoked Him to indignation. .
35. Ver. 59. God heard, and He despised : that He gave heed and took vengeance. And unto nothing He brought Israel exceedingly. For when God despised, what were they who by God's help were what they were But doubtless he
commemorating the doing of that thing, when they were conquered by the Philistines in the time of Heli the priest,
Sam. and the Ark of the Lord was taken, and with great slaughter
? c10,
they were laid low. This that he speaketh of in ver. 60. And He rejected the tabernacle of Selom, His tabernacle, where He dwelled among men. He hath ele gantly explained why He rejected His tabernacle, when he saith, where He dwelled among men. When therefore
they
it is
l
is
?
is,
Their sufferings. His judgment on the enemy. 77
were not worthy for Him to dwell among, why should He Ver. not reject the tabernacle, which indeed not for Himself Ho
had established, but for their sakes, whom now He judged unworthy for Him to dwell among.
36. Ver. 61. And He gave over vnto captivity their virtue, and their beauty unto the hands ofthe enemy. The very Ark whereby they thought themselves invincible, and whereon they plumed themselves, he calleth their ' virtue' and 'beauty. ' Lastly, also afterward, when they were living ill, and boasting of the temple of the LIord, He doth terrify them by a Prophet,
saying, See ye what tabernacle.
have done to Selom, where was MyJer. 7, 12-
37. Ver. 62. And He ended with the sword His people, and His inheritance He despised. Their young men the fire devoured: that is, wrath. (Ver. 63. ) And their virgins mourned not. For not even for this was there leisure, in fear
of the foe.
38. Ver. 64. Their priests fell by the sword, and their
widows were not lamented. For there fell by the sword the
sons of Heli, of one of whom the wife being widowed, and l Sam. presently dying in child-birth, because of the same confusion ' could not be mourned with the distinction of a funeral.
89. Ver. 65. And the Lord was awakened as one sleeping.
For He seemeth to sleep, when He giveth His people into
the hands of those whom He hateth, when there is said to
them, " Where is thy God. " He was awakened, then, like one Ps. 42, sleeping, like a mighty man drunken with wine. No one3' would dare to say this of God, save His Spirit. For he hath spoken, as it seemeth to ungodly men reviling; as if like a drunken man He sleepeth long, when He succoureth not so
speedily as men think '. 1 40. Ver. 66. And He smote His enemies in the hinder parts: those, to wit, who were rejoicing that they were able
*^ere-
to take His Ark : for they were smitten in their back -parts. 1 S""1- Which seemeth to me to be a sign of that punishment, ' wherewith a man will be tortured, if he shall have looked
back upon things behind ; which, as sailh the Apostle, he Phil. 3, ought to value as dung. For they that do so receive the8' Testament of God, as that they put not off from them the
old vanity, are like the hostile nations, who did place the
78 Why ' Joseph" and ( Ephraini' are named as passed over.
Puam captured Ark of the Testament beside their own idols. And l! "m"-yet those old things even though these be unwilling do fall :
Is. 40, 6'
for all Jlesh is hay, and the glory 0/ man as the flower of hay. The hay hath dried up, and the flower hath fallen off: but the Ark of the Lord abideth for everlasting, to wit, the secret
testament of the kingdom of Heaven, where is the eternal Word of God. But ihey that have loved things behind, because of these very things most justly shall be tormented. For everlasting reproach He hath given to them.
41. Ver. 67. And He rejected, he sailh, the tabernacle of Joseph, and the tribe of Ephrcem He chose not. (Ver. 68. ) And He chose the tribe of Juda. He hath not said, He re-
Gen. 49, jected the tabernacle of Reuben, who was the first-born son of Jacob nor them that follow, and precede Juda in order of birth so that they being rejected and not chosen, the tribe of Juda was chosen. For might have been said that they were deservedly rejected because even in the blessing
Gen. 49, of Jacob wherewith he blessed his sons, he mentioneth their sins, and deeply abhorreth them though among them the tribe Exod. 2, of Levi merited to be the priestly tribe, whence also Moses
was. Nor hath he said, He rejected the tabernacle of Ben jamin, or the tribe of Benjamin He chose not, out of which Sam. king already had begun to be for thence there had been chosen Saul whence because of the very proximity of the
Sam. time, when he had been rejected and refused, and David
16, '
Gen. 41, because of his piety, chastity, wisdom, he was most justly
exalted and Ephraem by the blessing of his grandfather Gen. 48, Jacob was preferred before his elder brother: and yet God 19. rejected the tabernacle of Joseph, and the tribe of Ephraem
He chose not. In which place by these names of renowned merit, what else do we understand but that whole people with old cupidity requiring of the Lord earthly rewards,
40'
chosen, this might conveniently have been said but yet was not said but he hath named those especially who seemed to excel for more surpassing merits. For Joseph fed in Egypt his father and his brethren, and having been impiously sold,
and refused, but the tribe of Juda chosen not for the sake of the merits of that same Juda For far greater are the merits of Joseph, but by the tribe of Juda, inasmuch as thence arose Christ according to the flesh, the Scripture doth
rejected
?
;
1 9' 1 l?
'''
a
;:; ;
;
;
; it
;
The new Sanctuary, and Kingdom of David. 79
testify of the new people of Christ preferred before that old ? kr? people, the Lord opening in parables His mouth. Moreover, --'--- - thence also in that which followeth, the Mount Sion which
He chose, we do better understand the Church of Christ, not worshipping God for the sake of the carnal blessings of the present time, but from afar looking for future and eternal rewards with the eyes of faith: for Sion too is interpreted
a ' looking out. '
42. Lastly there followeth, (ver. 69. ) and He huilded like
as of unicorns His sanctification : or, as some interpreters
have made thereof a new word, His sanctifying'1. The uni-1 sancii. corns are rightly understood to be those, whose firm hope is^c""" uplifted unto thatIone thing, concerning which another Psalm
have sought the Lord, this I will require. Ps. 27, of
saith, One thing
But the sanctifying of God, according to the Apostle Peter,4,
is understood to be a holy people and a royal priesthood, l Pet. But that which followeth, in the land which He founded for2' 9' everlasting: which the Greek copies have eij tov aiwvct, whether
it be called by us for everlasting, or for an age, is at the
of the Latin translators ; forasmuch as it doth signify either: and therefore the latter is found in some Latin copies, the former in others. Some also have it in the plural, that for ages which in the Greek copies which we have had we have not found. But which of the faithful would doubt, that the Church, even though, some going, others coming, she doth pass out of this life in mortal manner, yet founded for everlasting
43. Ver. 70. And He chose David His servant. The tribe, say, of Juda, for the sake of David but David for the sake of Christ the tribe then of Juda for the sake of Christ. At
whose passing by blind men cried out, Have pity on us, Matt. Son of David: and forthwith by His pity they received light,20' 30, because true was the thing which they cried out. This then
the Apostle doth not cursorily speak of, but doth heedfully notice, writing to Timothy, Be thou mindful, that Christ Tim.
8-
pleasure
Jesus hath risen from the dead, of the seed of David, ac- cording to my Gospel, wherein suffer even unto bonds as an evil doer but the word of God not bound. Therefore the Saviour Himself, made according to the flesh of the seed of David, figured in this passage under the name of David,
is
;
I is
:
2' 2
:
1
?
is
is,
:
80 Christ, like David, went from following sheep.
Psalm the Lord opening in parables His mouth. And let it not move us, that when he had said, and He chose David, under which name he signified Christ, he hath added, His servant, not His Son. Yea even hence we may perceive, that not the substance of the Only-Begotten coeternal with the Father,
but the ' form of a servant' was taken of the seed of David. 44. Ver. 71. And He took him from the flocks of sheep, from behind the teeming sheep He received him : to feed
Jacob His servant, and Israel His inheritance. This David indeed, of whose seed the flesh of Christ is, from the pastoral care of cattle was translated to the kingdom of men : but our David, Jesus Himself, from men to men, from Jews to Gentiles, was yet according to the parable from sheep to sheep taken away and translated. For there are not now in that land Churches of Judcea in Christ, which belonged to them of the circumcision after the recent Passion andIRe-
made havoc, and in me they magnified the Lord. Already from hence those Churches of the circumcised people have passed away : and thus in Judaea, which now doth exist on the earth, there is not now Christ: He hath been removed thence, now He doth feed flocks of Gentiles. Truly from behind teeming sheep He hath been taken thence. For those former Churches were of such sort, as that of them it is said in the Song of Songs to the one Church which doth consist of many, that is, to the one flock, whereof the members are
Song of many flocks--of such, I say, it is said, Thy teeth--that Sol. 4, 2. ig, those whereby thou speakest, or by means whereof into Thy Body, like as it were by eating, Thou dost make others to pass; this then being signified by Thy teeth--are like a
' lava- flock of shorn ewes going up from the washing1, all of which cro do bear twins, and a barren one is not among them. For they Acts 2, then laid aside like as it were fleeces the burdens of the Acts 4 wor^>> when before the feet of the Apostles they laid the 34. 35. prices of their sold goods, going up from that Laver, concerning
which the apostle Peter doth admonish them, when they were troubled because they had shed the blood of Christ, and he
Gal, l, surrection of our Lord, of whom saith the Apostle, But
was 22' 23' unknown by face to the Churches of Judcea, which are in Christ, but thus much they heard, that he who sometime did persecute us, doth now preach the faith whereof sometime he
Gentiles in the Church are Christ's sheep, and Israel. 81
saith, Do ye penance, and let each one ofyou be baptized in Ver.
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and your sins shall be AJ^'2 ' forgiven you. But twins they begat, the works, to wit, of the 38.
two commandments of twin love, love of God, and love of
one's neighbour : whence a barren one there was not among
them. From behind these teeming sheep our David having
been taken, doth now feed other flocks among the Gentiles,
and those too 'Jacob' and ' Israel. ' For thus hath been said,
to feed Jacob His servant, and Israel His inheritance. For
not, because out of the Gentiles are these sheep, have they therefore been made alien from that seed, which is Jacob
and Israel. For the seed of Abraham is the seed of the promise, concerning which the Lord said to him, In Isaac Gen. 21, thy seed shall be called. Which the Apostle expounding 12- saith, Not the sons of the flesh, but the sons of promise are^? m-9' reckonedfor a seed. For out of the Gentiles were believers,
to whom he said, but if ye are of Christ, then Abraham's Gal. 3. seed ye are, according to the promise heirs. But in this which he saith, Jacob His servant and Israel His inheritance,
in its usual manner the Scripture hath repeated the same sentiment. Unless perchance any one be willing to make
such a distinction as this; viz. that in this time Jacob serveth ;
but he will be the eternal inheritance of God, at that time
when he shall see God face to face, whence he hath received Gen. 32, the name Israel.
45. Ver. 73. And He fed them, he saith, in the innocence of His heart. What can be more innocent than He, Who not only had not any sin whereby to be conquered, but even not any to conquer ? And in the understanding of His hands He led them home : or, as some copies have in the understandings of His hands. Any other man might suppose that would have been better had been said thus, " in innocence of hands and understanding of heart;" but He Who knew better than others what He spake, preferred to join with the heart innocence, and with the hands understanding.
It for this reason, as far as judge because many men think themselves innocent, who do not evil things because they fear lest they should suffer they shall have done them but they have the will to do them, they could with impunity. Such men may seem to have innocence of hands, but yet not
VOL. iv. o
;
is
it
I
if if
it
;
it,
82 By what ' understanding" our Lord leads His People.
Psalm that of heart. And what, I pray, or of what sort is that in- lxxv'"' nocence, if of heart it is not, where man was made after the Gen. 1, image of God ? But in this which he saith, in understanding
(or intelligence) of His hands He led them home, he seemeth to me to have spoken of that intelligence which He doth Himself make in believers : and so of His hands : for making doth belong to the hands, but in the sense wherein the hands of God may be understood ; for even Christ was a Man in such sort, that He was also God. This indeed that David, of whose seed He was, could not make in the people over whom he reigned as a man : but He doth make it, unto
Ps. 119, Whom rightly the faithful soul is able to say, Make me to
34,
understand, and I will search out Thy law. Henceforth that we may not stray from Him, while we confide in our own intelligence as if it were of ourselves ; to His hands let us subject ourselves by believing. May He make the same in us, in order that in the intelligence of His hands He may lead us home delivered from error, and bring us unto that place where we shall no longer be able to err ! This is the fruit of the people of God, who give heed to the law of God, and incline their ear unto the words of His mouth, in order that they may guide in Him their heart, and their spirit may be trusted with Him, lest they should be changed into 1 a generaU0n crooked and provoking. But all these things having been proclaimed to them, let them put their hope in God, not only for the present life, but also for life eternal, and not
only to receive the rewards of good works, but also for doing the good works themselves.
i ai. imitate
lTM.
PSALM LXXIX. EXPOSITION? .
1 Over the title of this Psalm, being so short and so simple, I think we need not tarry. But the prophecy which here we read sent before, we know to be evidently fulfilled.
? Pre>>ched after the Exposition of Psalm 78, referred to in ? . 8.
The Prophet may speak as in the times he foretells. 83
For when these things were being sung in the times of King Ver. David, nothing of such sort, by the hostility of the Gentiles, ----- as yet had befallen the city Jerusalem, nor ihe Temple of
God, which as yet was not even builded. For that after the
death of David hi3 son Salomon made a temple to God, who is ignorant? That is spoken of therefore as though past, which in the Spirit was seen to be future.
Ver. 1. O God, the Gentiles have come into Tliine inherit
ance. Under which form of expression this also was pro phesied of the Lord's Passion, They gave for My morsel gall, P*. 69, and in My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink ; and other 21 ' things which in the same Psalm, though having to come to
pass, are spoken of as having been done. Nor must this be wondered at, that these words are being spoken to God.
For they are not being represented to Him not knowing, by Whose revelation they are foreknown ; but the soul is speaking with God with that affection of godliness, of which
God knoweth\ For even the things which Angels proclaim
to men, they proclaim to them that know them not ; but the things which they proclaim to God, they proclaim to Him knowing, when they offer our prayersi and in ineffable manner consult the eternal Truth respecting their actions,
as an immutable law. And therefore this man of God is saying to God that which he is to learn of God, like a scholar to a master, not ignorant but judging ; and so either approving what he hath taught, or censuring what he hath not taught: especially because under the appearance of one praying, the Prophet is transforming into himself those who should be at the time when these things were to come to pass. But in praying it is customary to declare those things to God which He hath done in taking vengeance, and for a petition to be added, that henceforth He should pity and spare. In this
way here also by him the judgments are spoken of by whom they are foretold, as if they were being spoken of by those whom they befel, and the very lamentation and prayer is a prophecy.
no unimportant question, how it is written in the Proverbs,
when the Scripture was speaking of the way of iniquity, all Prov. 2, they that walk in her shall not return. For it hath been so ,9- spoken as if all ungodly men were to be despaired of: but
the Scripture did only commend grace ; for of himself man
is able to walk in that way, but is not able of himself to
return, except when called back by grace.
25. I say then of these crooked and embittering persons,
(ver. 40. ) How often they exasperated Him in the desert, and provoked Him to wrath in the waterless place ? (Ver. 41. ) And they turned themselves and tempted God, and exaspe rated the Holy One of Israel. He is repeating that same
unbelief of theirs, of which He had made mention
But the reason of the repetition is, in order that there may be mentioned also the plagues, which He inflicted on the Egyp tians for their sakes : all which things they certainly ought to have remembered, and not to be ungrateful. Lastly, there
followeth what? (Ver. 42. ) They remembered not His hands, f2
arise, and
I will
to
go Iuke16,
above.
42'
I will
my Father. Though the calling then and the inspiration was 18'
(58 The Plagues here described allegorically,
' in the day when He redeemed them from the hand of the troubler. And he beginneth to speak of what things He did to the Egyptians; (ver. 43. ) He set in Egypt His signs, and His prodigies in the plain of Thanis: (ver. 44. ) and He turned their ricers into blood, and their showers lest they should drink : or rather, the flowings of waters, as some do better understand by what is written in Greek, rci op-figri- jucru, which in Latin we call scaturigines, waters bubbling from beneath. (Ver. 45. ) He sent upon them the dog-fly, and it ate them up ; and the frog, and it destroyed them. (Ver. 46. ) And He gave their fruit to the mildew, and their labours to the locust. (Ver. 47. ) And He slew with hail their vineyards, and their mulberry trees withfrost. (Ver. 48. ) And He gave over to the hail their beasts of burden, and their
possessions to the fire. (Ver. 49 ) He sent upon them the anger of His indignation, indignation and anger and tribulation, a visitation through evil angels. (Ver. 50. ) He made a way to the course of His anger, and their beasts of burden He shut up in death. (Ver. 51 . ) And He smote every
first-born thing in the land of Egypt, the first-fruits of their labours m the tabernacles of Cham.
said,
26. All these punishments of the Egyptians may be ex plained by an allegorical interpretation, according as one shall have chosen to understand them, and to compare them to the things whereunto they must be referred. Which we too will endeavour to do ; and shall do it the more properly, the more we shall have been divinely aided. For to do this, those words of this Psalm do constrain us, wherein it was
I will declare pro positions Jrcm the beginning. For for this cause even some things have been here spoken of, which that they befel the Egyptians at all we read not, although all their plagues are
/ will open in parables my mouth,
most carefully related in Exodus according to their order; so that while that which is not there mentioned we are sure halh not been mentioned in the Psalm to no purpose, and we can interpret the same only figuratively, we may at the same time understand that even the rest of the things which it is evident did happen, were done or described for the sake of some figurative meaning. For the Scripture doth so do in many passages of the prophetic sayings. It speaketh of
some not being literal. Their interpretations. 69
something which in the doing of that thing, whereof it seemeth tJER- '- to make mention, is not found, nay even is found to have
been differently done; in order that hence it may be perceived
not to have spoken of that which might have been supposed,
but of that rather which ought to be more attended to: like
this passage is, He shall have dominion from sea even Ps. 72,8. unto sea, and from the river even unto the ends of the earth. Which thing it is evident was not fulfilled in the kingdom
of Solomon, whereof this Psalm might be thought to speak,
inasmuch as it was speaking of Christ the Lord. In the plagues therefore of the Egyptians, which are in the book which is called Exodus, where the Scripture hath been especially careful, that those things whereby they were afflicted should be all related in order, there is not found what this Psalm hath, and He gave to the mildew their
This also wherein, when he had said, and He gave
over to the hail their beasts, he hath added, and their pos
session to the fire: of the beasts slain with hail is read inExod. 9, Exodus; but how their possession was burned with fire, is20' not read at all. Although voices and fires do come together
with hail, just as thunderings do commonly accompany lightnings ; nevertheless, it is not written that any thing was
given over to the fire that it should be burned. Lastly, the
soft things which the hail could not hurt, are said not to
have been smitten, that is, hurt with hard blows ; which
things the locust devoured afterwards. Also that which is
here spoken of, and their mulberry trees with hoar-frost, is not in Exodus. For hoar-frost doth differ much from hail; for in the clear winter nights the earth is made white with hoar-frost.
27. What then those things do signify, let the interpreter say as he can, let reader and hearer judge as is just. The water turned into blood seemeth to me to signify a carnal view of the causes of things. Dog-fly, are the manners of dogs, who see not even their parents when first they are born. The frog is very talkative vanity. Mildew doth hurt secretly, which also some have interpreted by rust, others black mould :
fruits.
which evil thing to what vice is it more
compared, than to what doth shew itself least readily, like the trusting much in one's self? For it is a blighting air which
appropriately
70 Moralplagues answering to the outward.
Psai. m doth work this secretly among fruits: just like in morals,
1-. \\\ lIl
Gal g- secret pride, when a man thinketh himself to be somethmg, 3' though he is nothing. The locust is malice hurting with
The hail is iniquity taking away the goods of others; whence theft,
the mouth, that is, with unfaithful testimony.
do spring : but more by his wickedness the plunderer himself is plundered. The hoar
frost doth signify the fault wherein the love of one's neighbour by the darkness of foolishness, like as it were by the cold of night, is frozen up. But the fire, if here it is not that which is mentioned which was in the hail out of the lightning clouds,
forasmuch as he hath said here, He gave over their possession to the fire, where he implieth that a thing was burned, which by that fire we read not to have been done, --it seemeth to me, I say, to signify the savageness of wrath, whereby even man-slaying may be committed. But by the death of beasts
For con
robberies, and depredations
was figured, as far as I judge, the loss of chastity. cupiscence, whereby offspring do arise, we have in common with beasts. To have this therefore tamed and ordered, is the virtue of chastity. The death of the first-born things, is the patting off of the very justice whereby a man doth asso ciate with mankind. But whether the figurative significations of these things be so, or whether they are better understood in another way, whom would it not move, that with ten
the Egyptians are smitten, and with ten command ments the tables are inscribed, that thereby the people of
of
other three are commemorated, which are not there, that is to say, mildew, hoar-frost, and fire; not of lightning, but that whereunto their possession was given over, which is not read of in that place.
28. But it hath been clearly enough intimated, that by the judgment of God these things befel them through the in-
? Vid. Sermon on the Ten Plagues and Ten Commandments.
plagues
God should be ruled ? Concerning the comparing which one with the other, inasmuch as we have spoken else where, there is no need to load the exposition of this Psalm therewith : thus much we remind you, that here too, though not in the same order, yet ten plagues of the Egyptians are commemorated, forasmuch as in the place of three which are in Exodus and are not here, to wit, lice, boils, darkness;
How God employs even evil angels for good. 71 strumentality of evil angels, in this wicked world, as though Vrr.
49'
it were in Egypt and in the plain of Thanis, where we ought to be humble, until there come that world, wherein we may
earn to be exalted out of this humiliation.
in the Hebrew tongue doth signify darkness or tribulations,
in which tongue, Thanis1, as I have observed, is understood1 Oxf. to be humble commandment
therefore in this Psalm, while he was speaking of those very plagues, there hath been something inserted, which must not
be passed over cursorily : (ver. 49. ) He sent upon them, he
saith, the anger of His indignation, indignation and anger
and tribulation, an infliction through evil angels. Now that
the devil and his angels are so very evil, that for them ever
lasting fire is prepared, no believer is ignorant : but that there should be sent by means of them an infliction from the Lord
God upon certain whom He judgeth to be deserving of this punishment, seemeth to be a hard thing to those who are
little prone to consider, how the perfect justice of God doth
use well even evil things. For these indeed, as far as rcgard-
eth their substance, what other person but Himself hath
made ? But evil He hath not made them : yet He doth use
them, inasmuch as He is good, well, that is, conveniently
and justly : just as on the other hand unrighteous men do
use His good creatures in evil manner. God therefore doth
use evil angels not only to punish evil men, as in the case
of all those concerning whom the Psalm doth speak, as in
the case of king Achab, whom a spirit of lying by the will 1 Kings
'
of God did beguile, in order that he might fall in war: but also to prove and make manifest good men, as He did in the case of Job. But as far as regardeth that corporal matter of visible elements, I suppose that thereof angels both good and evil are able to make use, according to the power given to each : just as also men good and evil do use such things, as far as they are able, according to the measure of human inGrmity. For we use both earth and water, and air, and fire, not only in things necessary for our support, but also in many operations superfluous and playful, and marvellously artificial. For countless things, which are called
/Aii^av^ara, are mouldud out of these elements scientifically employed. But over these things angels have a far more
For even Egypt Concerning the evil angels Taphnii
Psalm i. xxvni.
Joh 1, 16
Joh l, "''
Epb. 2,
72 Satan's power against samts is by special permission.
extended power, both the good and the evil, though greater is thal wl1;c}1 g00d have ; but only so far as is com manded or permitted by the will and providence of God; on which terms also we have it. For not even in these cases are we able to do all that we will. But in a book the most unerring we read that the devil was able even to send fire from Heaven, to burn up with wonderful and awful fierceness so great a number of the cattle of a holy man : which thing no one of the faithful would dare per chance to ascribe to the devil, except it were read on the authority of Holy Scripture. But that man, being by the gift of God just and firm, and of godly knowledge, saith not, The Lord hath given, the devil hath taken away : but, The Lord hath given, the Lord hath taken away: very well knowing that even what the devil was able to do with these elements, he would still not have done to a servant of God, except at his Lord's will and permission ; he did confound the malice of the devil, forasmuch as he knew who it was that was making use thereof to prove him. In the sons then
of unbelief like as it were in his own slaves, he doth work, like men with their beasts, and even therewith only so far as is permitted by the just judgment of God. But it is one thing when his power is restrained from treating even his own as he pleases, by a greater power ; another thing when to him power is given even over those who are alien from him. Just as a man with his beast, as men understand doeth what he will, and yet doth not indeed, he be restrained by greater power: but with another man's beast to do something, he doth wait uutil power be given from him unto whom belongeth. In the former case the power which there was restrained, in the latter that which there was not conceded.
29. And such be the case, through evil angels God did inflict those plagues upon the Egyptians, shall we dare to say that the water also was turned into blood by means of those same angels, and that frogs were created by means of
F. xod. 8, the same, the like whereunto even the magicians of Pharaoh '' were able to make by their enchantments; so as that evil angels stood on both sides, on the one side afflicting them,
on the other side deceiving them, according to the judgmeut
if
if
is
is
a it
if
it,
Good angels execute some judgments on the wicked. 73
and dispensation1 of the most just and most omnipotent God, Verw Who doth justly make use of even the naughtiness of un-,^-
I dare not to say so. For whence was itdinance. that the magicians of Pharaoh could by no means make lice ? f^0^'^,
Was it not because even these same evil angels were not suffered to do this ? Or, to speak more truly, is not the cause hidden, and it doth exceed our powers of inquiry ? For if
we shall have supposed that God wrought those things by means of evil angels, because punishments were being in flicted, and not blessings- being bestowed, as though God
doth inflict punishments upon no one by means of good angels, but by means of those executioners as it were of the heavenly wrath; the consequence will be that we must believe that even Sodom was overthrown by means of evil angels, and that Abraham and Lot would seem to haveGen-19>> entertained under their roof evil angels ; the which, as being contrary to the most evident Scriptures, far be it that we should think. It is clear then that these things might have
been done to men by means of good and evil angels. What should be done or when it should be done doth escape me : but Him that doeth escapeth not, and him unto whom He shall have willed to reveal it. Nevertheless, as far as divine Scripture doth yield to our application thereto, on evil men that punishments are inflicted both by means of good angels, as upon the Sodomites, and by means of evil angels, as upon the Egyptians, we read: but that just men with corporal penances by means of good angels are tried and proved, doth not occur to me.
30. But as far as regardeth the present passage of this Psalm, those things which were marvellously formed out
of creatures, to evil angels we dare not ascribe we have
thing which without doubt we can ascribe to them; the dyings of the beasts, the dyings of the first-born, and this especially whence all these things proceeded, namely, the hardening of heart, so that they would not let go the people
of God. For when God said to make this most iniquitous Exod. 4, and malignant obstinacy, He maketh not by suggesting and inspiring, but by forsaking, so that they work in the sons of ph- unbelief that which God doth duly and justly permit. For
this also which Isaias the prophet saith, Lord, behold^64'
righteous men ?
it O
f 2,
a
is
;
if
it, it
74 Evil angels justly permitted to mislead bad men.
Psalm Tltou hast been angry, and we have sinned; therefore tee hxxV'"have gone astray, and we have become as it were unclean, all of us, must be understood in that manner. For there had
gone before something, whence God being most justly wroth took away His light from them, so that into sins, which can not be shewn not to be sins by any cunning excuses, the blindness of the human mind fell, by erring and straying from the path of righteousness. And with regard to what is
Ps. 106, written in another Psalm concerning those very Egyptians,
86'
how God turned their heart so that they hated His people, and wrought deceit unto His servants, God may well he believed to have done it by means of those evil angels, so that the already corrupt minds of the sons of unbelief should by means of those angels, unto whom the same vices are pleasing, be stirred up unto the hating of the people of God, and that those wonderful things should follow to terrify and amend good men. Moreover, those evil manners which we said were signified by these corporal plagues, on account of that which was said before, / will open in parabks my mouth, are most appropriately believed by means of evil angels to have been wrought in those that are made subject to them by Divine justice. For neither when that cometh to pass of which the apostle speaketh, God gave them over unto the lusts of their heart, that they should do things which are not convenient, can it be but that those evil angels dwell and rejoice therein, as in the matter of their own work: unto whom most justly is human naughtiness made subject, in all save those whom grace doth deliver. And for these things who is sufficient? Whence when he had said, He sent unto them the anger of His indignation, indignation and anger and tribulation, an infliction through evil angels; for this which he hath added, (ver. 50. ) a way He hath made
v. 2.
Rom. 1, 24.
2Cor. 2, 16'
for the path of His anger, whose eye, I pray, is sufficient to penetrate, so that it may understand and take in the sense lying hidden in so great a profundity ? For the path of the anger of God was that whereby He punished the ungodliness of the Egyptians with hidden justice : but for that same path He made a way, so that drawing them forth as it were from secret places by means of evil angels unto manifest offences, He most evidently inflicted punishment upon those that wero
Our spiritual passage into the promised land of Grace. 75
most evidently ungodly. From this power of evil angels Ver. nothing doth deliver man but the grace of God, whereof the62""68. Apostle speaketh, Who hath delivered us from the power of'Col. 1, darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of the
Son of His love : of which things that people did bear the figure, when they were delivered from the power of the Egyptians, and translated into the kingdom of the land of promise flowing with milk and honey, which doth signify the sweetness of grace.
31. The Psalm proceedeth then after the commemoration of the plagues of the Egyptians, and saith, (ver. 52. ) And He
took away like sheep His people, and He led them through like a flock in the desert. (Ver. 53. ) And He led them down in hope, and they feared not, and their enemies the sea covered. This cometh to pass to so much the greater good, as it is a more inward thing, wherein being delivered from the power of darkness, we are in mind translated into the Kingdom of God, and with respect to spiritual pastures we are made to become sheep of God, walking in this world as it were in a desert, inasmuch as to no one is our faith observable:
hath covered, He hath effaced them in baptism by the remission of sins.
3'2. In the next place there followeth, (ver. 54. ) And He
led them into the mountain of His sanctijication. How much
better into Holy Church ! The mountain ivhich His right
hand hath gotten. How much higher is the Church which
Christ hath gotten, concerning Whom has been said, " Andua. 63, to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? ' (Ver. 55. ) I-
And He cast forth from the face of them the nations. And1 >Oxf. from the face of His faithful. For nations in a manner are jjj^' the evil spirits of Gentile errors. And by lot He divided' He did unto them the land in the cord of distribution. And in us nations( all things one and the same Spirit doth work, dividing \ c0r.
12, ll"
whence saith the Apostle, Your life is hidden with Christ Col. 3, in God. But we are being led home in hope, For by gom g
hope we are saved. Nor ought we to fear. For, If God 6e24. for us, who can be against us? And our enemies the sea3i.
''
severally to every one as He willeth.
33. And He made to dwell in their tabernacles the
tribes of Israel. In the tabernacles, he saith, of the Gentiles
76 Israel, turning from God, forfeited His protection.
Psalm He made the tribes of Israel to dwell, which I think can i. xxvm. better be explained spiritually, inasmuch as unto celestial glory, whence sinning angels have been cast forth and cast
^\<j? $
down, by Christ's grace we are being uplifted. For that generation crooked and embittering, inasmuch as for these corporal blessings they put not off the coat of oldness, (ver. 56. ) Did tempt yet, and provoked the high God, and His testimonies they kept not : (ver. 57. ) and they turned them away, and they kept not the covenant, like their fathers. ^or un(*er a sort of covenant an(J decree they said, All things which our Lord God hath spoken we will do, and we will hear. It is a remarkable thing indeed which he saith, like their fathers : while throughout the whole text of the Psalm he was seeming to speak of the same men as it were, yet now it appeareth that the words did concern those who were already in the land of promise, and that the fathers spoken of were of those who did provoke in the desert.
34. Ver. 57.
They were turned, he saith, into a crooked, or, as some copies have it, into a perverse bow. But what this is doth better appear in that which followeth, where he saith, (ver. 58. ) And unto wrath they provoked Him with their hills. It doth signify that they leaped into idolatry. The bow then was perverted, not for the name of the Lord, but against the name of the Lord : Who said to the same
Exod. people, Thou shall have none other Gods hut Me. But by
20' 3'
the bow He doth signify the mind's intention. This same idea, lastly, more clearly working out, And in their graven idols, he saith, they provoked Him to indignation. .
35. Ver. 59. God heard, and He despised : that He gave heed and took vengeance. And unto nothing He brought Israel exceedingly. For when God despised, what were they who by God's help were what they were But doubtless he
commemorating the doing of that thing, when they were conquered by the Philistines in the time of Heli the priest,
Sam. and the Ark of the Lord was taken, and with great slaughter
? c10,
they were laid low. This that he speaketh of in ver. 60. And He rejected the tabernacle of Selom, His tabernacle, where He dwelled among men. He hath ele gantly explained why He rejected His tabernacle, when he saith, where He dwelled among men. When therefore
they
it is
l
is
?
is,
Their sufferings. His judgment on the enemy. 77
were not worthy for Him to dwell among, why should He Ver. not reject the tabernacle, which indeed not for Himself Ho
had established, but for their sakes, whom now He judged unworthy for Him to dwell among.
36. Ver. 61. And He gave over vnto captivity their virtue, and their beauty unto the hands ofthe enemy. The very Ark whereby they thought themselves invincible, and whereon they plumed themselves, he calleth their ' virtue' and 'beauty. ' Lastly, also afterward, when they were living ill, and boasting of the temple of the LIord, He doth terrify them by a Prophet,
saying, See ye what tabernacle.
have done to Selom, where was MyJer. 7, 12-
37. Ver. 62. And He ended with the sword His people, and His inheritance He despised. Their young men the fire devoured: that is, wrath. (Ver. 63. ) And their virgins mourned not. For not even for this was there leisure, in fear
of the foe.
38. Ver. 64. Their priests fell by the sword, and their
widows were not lamented. For there fell by the sword the
sons of Heli, of one of whom the wife being widowed, and l Sam. presently dying in child-birth, because of the same confusion ' could not be mourned with the distinction of a funeral.
89. Ver. 65. And the Lord was awakened as one sleeping.
For He seemeth to sleep, when He giveth His people into
the hands of those whom He hateth, when there is said to
them, " Where is thy God. " He was awakened, then, like one Ps. 42, sleeping, like a mighty man drunken with wine. No one3' would dare to say this of God, save His Spirit. For he hath spoken, as it seemeth to ungodly men reviling; as if like a drunken man He sleepeth long, when He succoureth not so
speedily as men think '. 1 40. Ver. 66. And He smote His enemies in the hinder parts: those, to wit, who were rejoicing that they were able
*^ere-
to take His Ark : for they were smitten in their back -parts. 1 S""1- Which seemeth to me to be a sign of that punishment, ' wherewith a man will be tortured, if he shall have looked
back upon things behind ; which, as sailh the Apostle, he Phil. 3, ought to value as dung. For they that do so receive the8' Testament of God, as that they put not off from them the
old vanity, are like the hostile nations, who did place the
78 Why ' Joseph" and ( Ephraini' are named as passed over.
Puam captured Ark of the Testament beside their own idols. And l! "m"-yet those old things even though these be unwilling do fall :
Is. 40, 6'
for all Jlesh is hay, and the glory 0/ man as the flower of hay. The hay hath dried up, and the flower hath fallen off: but the Ark of the Lord abideth for everlasting, to wit, the secret
testament of the kingdom of Heaven, where is the eternal Word of God. But ihey that have loved things behind, because of these very things most justly shall be tormented. For everlasting reproach He hath given to them.
41. Ver. 67. And He rejected, he sailh, the tabernacle of Joseph, and the tribe of Ephrcem He chose not. (Ver. 68. ) And He chose the tribe of Juda. He hath not said, He re-
Gen. 49, jected the tabernacle of Reuben, who was the first-born son of Jacob nor them that follow, and precede Juda in order of birth so that they being rejected and not chosen, the tribe of Juda was chosen. For might have been said that they were deservedly rejected because even in the blessing
Gen. 49, of Jacob wherewith he blessed his sons, he mentioneth their sins, and deeply abhorreth them though among them the tribe Exod. 2, of Levi merited to be the priestly tribe, whence also Moses
was. Nor hath he said, He rejected the tabernacle of Ben jamin, or the tribe of Benjamin He chose not, out of which Sam. king already had begun to be for thence there had been chosen Saul whence because of the very proximity of the
Sam. time, when he had been rejected and refused, and David
16, '
Gen. 41, because of his piety, chastity, wisdom, he was most justly
exalted and Ephraem by the blessing of his grandfather Gen. 48, Jacob was preferred before his elder brother: and yet God 19. rejected the tabernacle of Joseph, and the tribe of Ephraem
He chose not. In which place by these names of renowned merit, what else do we understand but that whole people with old cupidity requiring of the Lord earthly rewards,
40'
chosen, this might conveniently have been said but yet was not said but he hath named those especially who seemed to excel for more surpassing merits. For Joseph fed in Egypt his father and his brethren, and having been impiously sold,
and refused, but the tribe of Juda chosen not for the sake of the merits of that same Juda For far greater are the merits of Joseph, but by the tribe of Juda, inasmuch as thence arose Christ according to the flesh, the Scripture doth
rejected
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The new Sanctuary, and Kingdom of David. 79
testify of the new people of Christ preferred before that old ? kr? people, the Lord opening in parables His mouth. Moreover, --'--- - thence also in that which followeth, the Mount Sion which
He chose, we do better understand the Church of Christ, not worshipping God for the sake of the carnal blessings of the present time, but from afar looking for future and eternal rewards with the eyes of faith: for Sion too is interpreted
a ' looking out. '
42. Lastly there followeth, (ver. 69. ) and He huilded like
as of unicorns His sanctification : or, as some interpreters
have made thereof a new word, His sanctifying'1. The uni-1 sancii. corns are rightly understood to be those, whose firm hope is^c""" uplifted unto thatIone thing, concerning which another Psalm
have sought the Lord, this I will require. Ps. 27, of
saith, One thing
But the sanctifying of God, according to the Apostle Peter,4,
is understood to be a holy people and a royal priesthood, l Pet. But that which followeth, in the land which He founded for2' 9' everlasting: which the Greek copies have eij tov aiwvct, whether
it be called by us for everlasting, or for an age, is at the
of the Latin translators ; forasmuch as it doth signify either: and therefore the latter is found in some Latin copies, the former in others. Some also have it in the plural, that for ages which in the Greek copies which we have had we have not found. But which of the faithful would doubt, that the Church, even though, some going, others coming, she doth pass out of this life in mortal manner, yet founded for everlasting
43. Ver. 70. And He chose David His servant. The tribe, say, of Juda, for the sake of David but David for the sake of Christ the tribe then of Juda for the sake of Christ. At
whose passing by blind men cried out, Have pity on us, Matt. Son of David: and forthwith by His pity they received light,20' 30, because true was the thing which they cried out. This then
the Apostle doth not cursorily speak of, but doth heedfully notice, writing to Timothy, Be thou mindful, that Christ Tim.
8-
pleasure
Jesus hath risen from the dead, of the seed of David, ac- cording to my Gospel, wherein suffer even unto bonds as an evil doer but the word of God not bound. Therefore the Saviour Himself, made according to the flesh of the seed of David, figured in this passage under the name of David,
is
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80 Christ, like David, went from following sheep.
Psalm the Lord opening in parables His mouth. And let it not move us, that when he had said, and He chose David, under which name he signified Christ, he hath added, His servant, not His Son. Yea even hence we may perceive, that not the substance of the Only-Begotten coeternal with the Father,
but the ' form of a servant' was taken of the seed of David. 44. Ver. 71. And He took him from the flocks of sheep, from behind the teeming sheep He received him : to feed
Jacob His servant, and Israel His inheritance. This David indeed, of whose seed the flesh of Christ is, from the pastoral care of cattle was translated to the kingdom of men : but our David, Jesus Himself, from men to men, from Jews to Gentiles, was yet according to the parable from sheep to sheep taken away and translated. For there are not now in that land Churches of Judcea in Christ, which belonged to them of the circumcision after the recent Passion andIRe-
made havoc, and in me they magnified the Lord. Already from hence those Churches of the circumcised people have passed away : and thus in Judaea, which now doth exist on the earth, there is not now Christ: He hath been removed thence, now He doth feed flocks of Gentiles. Truly from behind teeming sheep He hath been taken thence. For those former Churches were of such sort, as that of them it is said in the Song of Songs to the one Church which doth consist of many, that is, to the one flock, whereof the members are
Song of many flocks--of such, I say, it is said, Thy teeth--that Sol. 4, 2. ig, those whereby thou speakest, or by means whereof into Thy Body, like as it were by eating, Thou dost make others to pass; this then being signified by Thy teeth--are like a
' lava- flock of shorn ewes going up from the washing1, all of which cro do bear twins, and a barren one is not among them. For they Acts 2, then laid aside like as it were fleeces the burdens of the Acts 4 wor^>> when before the feet of the Apostles they laid the 34. 35. prices of their sold goods, going up from that Laver, concerning
which the apostle Peter doth admonish them, when they were troubled because they had shed the blood of Christ, and he
Gal, l, surrection of our Lord, of whom saith the Apostle, But
was 22' 23' unknown by face to the Churches of Judcea, which are in Christ, but thus much they heard, that he who sometime did persecute us, doth now preach the faith whereof sometime he
Gentiles in the Church are Christ's sheep, and Israel. 81
saith, Do ye penance, and let each one ofyou be baptized in Ver.
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and your sins shall be AJ^'2 ' forgiven you. But twins they begat, the works, to wit, of the 38.
two commandments of twin love, love of God, and love of
one's neighbour : whence a barren one there was not among
them. From behind these teeming sheep our David having
been taken, doth now feed other flocks among the Gentiles,
and those too 'Jacob' and ' Israel. ' For thus hath been said,
to feed Jacob His servant, and Israel His inheritance. For
not, because out of the Gentiles are these sheep, have they therefore been made alien from that seed, which is Jacob
and Israel. For the seed of Abraham is the seed of the promise, concerning which the Lord said to him, In Isaac Gen. 21, thy seed shall be called. Which the Apostle expounding 12- saith, Not the sons of the flesh, but the sons of promise are^? m-9' reckonedfor a seed. For out of the Gentiles were believers,
to whom he said, but if ye are of Christ, then Abraham's Gal. 3. seed ye are, according to the promise heirs. But in this which he saith, Jacob His servant and Israel His inheritance,
in its usual manner the Scripture hath repeated the same sentiment. Unless perchance any one be willing to make
such a distinction as this; viz. that in this time Jacob serveth ;
but he will be the eternal inheritance of God, at that time
when he shall see God face to face, whence he hath received Gen. 32, the name Israel.
45. Ver. 73. And He fed them, he saith, in the innocence of His heart. What can be more innocent than He, Who not only had not any sin whereby to be conquered, but even not any to conquer ? And in the understanding of His hands He led them home : or, as some copies have in the understandings of His hands. Any other man might suppose that would have been better had been said thus, " in innocence of hands and understanding of heart;" but He Who knew better than others what He spake, preferred to join with the heart innocence, and with the hands understanding.
It for this reason, as far as judge because many men think themselves innocent, who do not evil things because they fear lest they should suffer they shall have done them but they have the will to do them, they could with impunity. Such men may seem to have innocence of hands, but yet not
VOL. iv. o
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82 By what ' understanding" our Lord leads His People.
Psalm that of heart. And what, I pray, or of what sort is that in- lxxv'"' nocence, if of heart it is not, where man was made after the Gen. 1, image of God ? But in this which he saith, in understanding
(or intelligence) of His hands He led them home, he seemeth to me to have spoken of that intelligence which He doth Himself make in believers : and so of His hands : for making doth belong to the hands, but in the sense wherein the hands of God may be understood ; for even Christ was a Man in such sort, that He was also God. This indeed that David, of whose seed He was, could not make in the people over whom he reigned as a man : but He doth make it, unto
Ps. 119, Whom rightly the faithful soul is able to say, Make me to
34,
understand, and I will search out Thy law. Henceforth that we may not stray from Him, while we confide in our own intelligence as if it were of ourselves ; to His hands let us subject ourselves by believing. May He make the same in us, in order that in the intelligence of His hands He may lead us home delivered from error, and bring us unto that place where we shall no longer be able to err ! This is the fruit of the people of God, who give heed to the law of God, and incline their ear unto the words of His mouth, in order that they may guide in Him their heart, and their spirit may be trusted with Him, lest they should be changed into 1 a generaU0n crooked and provoking. But all these things having been proclaimed to them, let them put their hope in God, not only for the present life, but also for life eternal, and not
only to receive the rewards of good works, but also for doing the good works themselves.
i ai. imitate
lTM.
PSALM LXXIX. EXPOSITION? .
1 Over the title of this Psalm, being so short and so simple, I think we need not tarry. But the prophecy which here we read sent before, we know to be evidently fulfilled.
? Pre>>ched after the Exposition of Psalm 78, referred to in ? . 8.
The Prophet may speak as in the times he foretells. 83
For when these things were being sung in the times of King Ver. David, nothing of such sort, by the hostility of the Gentiles, ----- as yet had befallen the city Jerusalem, nor ihe Temple of
God, which as yet was not even builded. For that after the
death of David hi3 son Salomon made a temple to God, who is ignorant? That is spoken of therefore as though past, which in the Spirit was seen to be future.
Ver. 1. O God, the Gentiles have come into Tliine inherit
ance. Under which form of expression this also was pro phesied of the Lord's Passion, They gave for My morsel gall, P*. 69, and in My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink ; and other 21 ' things which in the same Psalm, though having to come to
pass, are spoken of as having been done. Nor must this be wondered at, that these words are being spoken to God.
For they are not being represented to Him not knowing, by Whose revelation they are foreknown ; but the soul is speaking with God with that affection of godliness, of which
God knoweth\ For even the things which Angels proclaim
to men, they proclaim to them that know them not ; but the things which they proclaim to God, they proclaim to Him knowing, when they offer our prayersi and in ineffable manner consult the eternal Truth respecting their actions,
as an immutable law. And therefore this man of God is saying to God that which he is to learn of God, like a scholar to a master, not ignorant but judging ; and so either approving what he hath taught, or censuring what he hath not taught: especially because under the appearance of one praying, the Prophet is transforming into himself those who should be at the time when these things were to come to pass. But in praying it is customary to declare those things to God which He hath done in taking vengeance, and for a petition to be added, that henceforth He should pity and spare. In this
way here also by him the judgments are spoken of by whom they are foretold, as if they were being spoken of by those whom they befel, and the very lamentation and prayer is a prophecy.
