il, one in the Body of Christ, leaning on his Head, for He
2'J'
is meek and lowly in heart, Enter not into judgment with Thy servant.
2'J'
is meek and lowly in heart, Enter not into judgment with Thy servant.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v6
The name of confession then is well known in regard of sins, let us seek for confession of praise.
Where do we find it?
Thou hast in Scripture,
Eeelus. And thou shalt say in confession, All the works of the Lord 3tJ " are exceeding good. Here then confession is of praise.
Elsewhere the Lord Himself saith, / confess
to Thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. What did He confess?
Could it be sins? So then Christ's confession was praise. Hear further His praise of the Father: Because Thou hast
hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast re vealed them unto babes. Since then after these straitenings of corruption we shall dwell in the house of God, our whole life will be nothing save praise of God. It has often already been set forth to you, that when need departeth, all works of need come to an end, for there we shall have nought to do. I say not day and night, for there is no night there, but all the day, since it is one day, we shall have nought to do there, save to praise Him Whom we love, because
then we shall also see Him. Now we long for Him Whom we see not, and praise Him; then, when we see Him Whom we love, how shall we praise Him ? There will be praise without end, because there will be love without end. Since then thus we shall be employed there, therefore, bring my soul out of prison, that it may give thanks to Thy Name.
Ps. 84,4. For, blessed are they that dwell in Thy house, for they shall be alway praising Thee. Now the prison hindereth, because the corruptible body weigheth down the soul. It is not the body that weigheth down the soul, (for then too we shall have the body,) but the corruptible body. It is not
the body then that maketh the prison, but the corruption. Bring my soul out ofprison, that it may give thanks to Thy
David a type of Christ. 279
Name. Now the words which follow seem to come from Ver. the Head, our Lord Jesus Christ. And they are the same ---- as yesterday's last words. Yesterday's last words, if ye
am alone, until I
/
what are the last words ? The righteous shall sustain me,
remember, were,
until thou recompense me.
PSALM CXLIII.
A Sermon to the People.
1. Of the Psalm which we have chanted, I will speak to you, beloved, what the Lord shall give me. Yesterday we treated of a shorter Psalm, but the length of time gave us opportunity for saying much even on few verses: now, since the Psalm is longer, we ought not to delay so long on each several verse, lest perchance the Lord grant us not the power to go through the whole.
2. The title of the Psalm is, To David himself, when ^t<<2Sam. son was pursuing him. We know from the Books of Kings15- that this happened: that Absalom arose in hostility to
his father; that he waged against him not only civil, but
even domestic war: that David, not evilly despairing, but reverently humbled, received the discipline at the Lord's hand, endured the medicine, not returning evil for evil ; but had a heart prepared to follow the Lord's will. Thus praiseworthy was that David : but we must recognise here another David, truly ' strong in hand,' which is the explanation of David, even our Lord Jesus Christ. For all those events of past time were figures of things to come ; nor needs it long time to commend to you, what ye have often heard, and very well remember. Let us seek then in this Psalm our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, announcing Himself beforehand in His prophecy, and foretelling what should happen at this time by things which were done long ago. For He Himself foretold Himself in the Prophets: for He is the Word of God. Nor did they say ought of this kind, save when filled
with the Word of God. They announced then Christ, being filled with Christ, they went before Him about to come, and He deserted not them going before. Let us learn then how
pass
over.
And here
Lat. CxlrI.
280 Chtist born in Sion, yet the Founder of Sion.
P*alm Christ too was persecuted by His son : for sons He had i/att-'g o^ wnom He said, The children of the bride fast not while JS. the bridegroom is with them : but when the bridegroom is
taken away from them, then shall the children of the bridegroom fast. ' The sons of the bridegroom then are the
Apostles, and the persecutor among these was Judas the devil. In this Psalm then Christ is about to foretel His Passion : let us listen.
3. But we again call your attention, beloved, to this, not as teaching you what ye know not, but reminding you of what ye know, that our Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of
H'im. 2, His Body, that He is the one Mediator between God and
R< v. 12 man, the Man Jesus, born of a Virgin, as it were in solitude,
? \6. ,. as we have heard in the Revelation. In solitude1, as I
tudine, lJt. 2, 9.
think, because He alone has been so born. Him did that
Dat'o o woman bear, to rule the nations with a rod of iron ; and
Ps. 87, '''
f
the woman is the ancient city of God, of which is said in the
Psalm, Glorious things are spoken of thee, thou city of God. This city hath its beginning even from Abel, as the evil city hath from Cain. That then is the ancient city of God, ever enduring earth, hoping for heaven, which is also called Jerusalem and Sion. Truly of One born in Sion and yet Founder of Sion itself is said in another Psalm, Sion, My Mother, a man shall say. What man ? And a man was born in her, and Himself the Most High hath founded her. In short, in Sion He was made Man, but as Man He was made humble, and He also, the Most High, founded that city in which He was made Man. Therefore was that
Rev. 12, woman also clothed with the sun, even with the Sun of
l*
Righteousness, Whom the wicked know not; who shall say in the end, Therefore have we erred from the way of truth, and the Light of Righteousness hath not shone unto us, and the Sun of Righteousness was not upon us. There is then a Sun of Righteousness, which shineth not on the wicked.
Matt. 5, Vet the sun of this world He maketh to rise on the evil
4 ''
and the good. Therefore was she both clothed with the sun, and bore in her womb a male child, being about to bring forth. He it was that both buildeth Sion, and is born in Sion ; and that woman, the City of God, was pro tected by His Light, with Whose Flesh she was preguant
Christ and His Members one: He suffer eth in them. 281
Rightly too had she the moon under her feet, because by Ver. virtue she trampled under foot the mortality of flesh which ----- waxeth and waneth.
The Lord Jesus Christ then is both Head and Body ; for He willed to speak in us, Who deigned to die for us; He hath made us His members. Sometimes then He speaketh in the person of His members, sometimes in His own person, as our Head. He hath somewhat which He can say without us, wc nought which we can say without Him. The Apostle
saith, That I
Christ, in my Jlesh. That 1 may fill up, he saith, what i<< Col. lacking of the afflictions, not mine own, but Christ's, in the2** flesh, no longer Christ's, but mine. Christ, saith he, still suffereth affliction, not in His own Flesh, wherein He hath ascended into heaven, but in my flesh, which yet toileth on earth. Christ, saith he, suffereth affliction in my flesh: for
may up what is lacking fill
of
the
afflictions of
1,
I that live, but Christ liveth in me. Did Gal. 2, not Christ Himself suffer affliction in His members too, 20'
that is, in His faithful ones, Saul upon earth could not persecute Christ seated in heaven. Finally, he openly setteth this forth in a certain place, and saith, As the body is
one and hath many members, and all the members of the
body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. He saith
not, ' so also is Christ* and His Body,' but 'as there is one
body and many members, so also is Christ. ' The whole
then is Christ. And because the whole is Christ, therefore
doth the Head call from heaven, Saul, Saul, why perseculest Acts 9, thou Me. Remember this, and commit to your memory,4'
and keep it entirely fixed there, as children of the Church's training and of the Catholic Faith, that ye may perceive
Christ to be the Head and Body, and the same Christ to be
also the Word of God, the Only-begotten, equal to the Father, and so may see how great is the Grace whereby ye pertain to God, that He has willed to be one with us, Who is
one with the Father. How, one with the Father? / and
the Father are one. How, one with us? He saith not, johnio, says the Apostle, Unto seeds, as of many; but as of one,30.
And to Thy Seed, Which is Christ. But some one will say, ' If Christ be the seed of Abraham, are we so also? ' Remember
* Some Mss. read, Ita et Christi; so also is Christ's, i. e. Christ's Body.
it is no longer
282 Judas a type offalse brethren.
J'salm that Christ is Abraham's Seed ; and accordingly, if we also ,," . o are the seed of Abraham, we also are Christ. As there is one 27. body and many members, so also is Christ. And, as many of
you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Now Christ is the Seed of Abraham ; nor can we gainsay the clear words of the Apostle, Thy Seed, which is Christ. See
Gal. 3, now what he saith to us, If ye be Christ's, then are ye
,"sacra- Abraham's seed. Great then is that mystery1, they twain
TMTMtuTM"<</<rt// Ibe oneflesh. Great, saith the Apostle, is this mystery ;
24. ' but speak concerning Christ and the Church. Christ and
Eph. 5,
John 1, not also the Word; we are not also God in the beginning
1"
with God; we are not also He by Whom all things were made. He cometh to the Flesh, and there Christ is both Himself and we. Let us not wonder then in the Psalms: for He saith many things in the character of the Head, many in the character of the members, and He so speaketh, as though their whole were one person. Nor wonder thou that there are two in one voice, if there be two in one flesh.
4. Judas is the son of the Bridegroom persecuting the Bridegroom. Did this merely happen then, or was it set forth beforehand as a pattern of what was to come? For the Church was destined to endure many false brethren, so that still and even unto the end that Bridegroom is perse-
Qhurch are two in one flesh. The two ye must refer
to the wideness apart of His Majesty from us. For we are
P<<. 55, cuted by His son. For if an enemy had upbraided me, verily I should have borne it, saith He ; and if he who hated me had spoken great things over me, verily I should have hid myself from him. Who is the enemy? who is he that hated me ? He who saith, ' Who is Christ ? Christ was a man : He neither could live, when He willed to live, and He died,' say they, ' against His will; conquered, crucified, slain. ' They are enemies who say such things as this. 'He is an open enemy,' saith Christ; 'he hateth Me; he openly declareth his hostility to Me ; him it is easy either to
bear or to shun. What do I with Absalom ? what do I with Judas ? what with false brethren ? what with evil sons, who yet are sons, who do not against us blaspheme Christ, but with us worship Him, and in us persecute Him P Of these He goeth on to speak in the same Psalm. Another it was
True righteousness, God's, not our own. 283
easy to bear, him who hated me, or else to hide myself from Veil him. For thou hidest thyself from a Pagan, by entering the --- Church. But when there also thou findest what thou fearest,
what good to seek where to hide thyself? Lastly, that very
same Apostle, who groaneth in perils among false brethren, 2Cor. 1l, saith, without were figh tings, within were fears. If thenjeor. 7 he who hated me had spoken great things over me, verilg J5- should have hid myself from him: but thou, man of one
mind --of one mind, he saith, as though one in Christ. The Church then hath what to bear without, what to groan over within : yet it is to consider both those without and those within, enemies; those without more easily to be shunned, those within with more difficulty to be borne.
5. Let then our Lord speak ; let Christ with us, whole Christ, speak. Lord, hear my prayer, receive with Thine ears ver. 1. my entreaty. 'Hear' and 'receive with ears' are the same thing. It is repetition, it is confirmation. In Thy truth hear me,
in Thy righteousness. Take it not without emphasis when it
is said, in Thy righteousness. For it is a commendation of grace, that none of us think his righteousness his own. For
this is the righteousness of God, which God hath given thee
to possess. For what saith the Apostle of them, who would
boast of their own righteousness? 1 bear them witn ess, Rom. 10, saith he, that they have a zeal of God. Speaking of the2'
Jews, he saith, they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. What is, not according to knowledge? For
what knowledge dost thou commend as useful ? Is it that which, when it is alone, puff'eth up, which, unless it be accompanied with charity, edifieth not ? Verily not this : but
the knowledge which is the companion of charity, the mistress of humility. See whether it be this : They have a
zeal of God, saith he, but not according to knowledge. Let
him expound to us what knowledge he meaneth: they, being Rom. 10, ignorant of the righteousness of God, and going about to3' establish their own righteousness, have not submitted them
selves to the righteousness of God. Who then are they who go about to establish their own righteousness ? They who impute to themselves whatever they have done well; what ever ill, to God ; entirely perversely. Then only will they be right, when they have changed this. Thou art perverse,
284 None righteous in God's sight.
Psaim because thou imputest what thou hast done ill to God, what cxi. iii. wel| to ^hysglf. tnou w;lt De right, when thou imputest what thou hast done ill to thyself, what well to God. For thou wouldest not from being ungodly live righteously, save by
Rom. 4, having been justified by Him Who justifieth the ungodly. Therefore he saith, Hear me in Thy truth, in Thy righteous-
Pail 3, ness, not in mine own ; that I may
>>er. 2.
in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is of faith. Behold, in Thy righteousness hear
me. For when I look upon myself, nought else do I find mine own, save sin.
6. And enter not into judgment with Thy servant. Who are willing to enter into judgment with Him, save they who, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, go about to
be
found
laa. 58, establish their own ? Wherefore have we fasted, and Thou 1 hast not seen ; wherefore have we afflicted our souls, and Thou takest no knowledge ? As though they would say, 'We have done what Thou hast commanded, wherefore dost Thou not render to us what Thou hast promised ? ' God an-
swereth thee: I will give to thee to receive what I have
1 have given thee that thou shouldest do that whereby thou mayest receive. Finally, to such proud ones Jer. 2, the Prophet speaketh ; Wherefore will ye plead with Me ? 2! ' ye have all transgressed against Me, saith the Lord. Why will ye enter into judgment with Me, and recount your own
righteousnesses ? Recount your righteousnesses ; I know your wickednesses. How shall I there approve righteousness, where I shall condemn pride ? Rightly saith that humble
Mat.
il, one in the Body of Christ, leaning on his Head, for He
2'J'
is meek and lowly in heart, Enter not into judgment with Thy servant. Let us not strive together, I desire not to plead with Thee, so that to set forth my righteousness Thou
convict me of mine iniquity : enter not into judgment with Thy servant. Wherefore this ? wherefore feareth he ? For before Thee every one living shall not be justified. Every one living ; living, that is, here, living in the flesh, living in expectation of death ; born a man ; deriving his life of man ; sprung from Adam, a living Adam ; every one thus living may perhaps be justified before himself, but not
before Thee. How before himself? By pleasing himself,
promised:
Even Apostles bidden to pray for forgiveness. 285
displeasing Thee: but, before Thee every one living shall Ver. not be justified. Enter not then into judgment with me, ------ O Lord my God. How straight soever I seem to myself,
Thou bringest forth a standard from Thy store-house, Thou
fittest me to and am found crooked. Enter not into judgment with Thy servant. Well said, with Thy servant. It unworthy of Thee to enter into judgment with Thy servant, or even with Thy friend for Thou
wouldest not say, say unto you, My friends, hadst not Thou Matt. Thyself made them of servants to become friends. Though 40* Thou callest me friend, confess myself a servant. need Thy pity return from running from Thee seek peace.
am not worthy to be called Thy son. Enter not into Lukeis, judgment with Thy servant, for in Thy sight every one
living shall not be justified. Judge none blessed before his Ecclus. death; no one living whatever. What of the rams them-*' selves, what of the Apostles themselves, of whose offspring
said, Bring the young rams unto the Lord Of these Paul, who calleth not himself perfect, not as though
had already attained, either were already
Finally, brethren, that ye may perceive at once, they learnt to pray what we pray to them was given the pattern
of prayer by the heavenly Counsellor. After this manner, Matt. saith He, pray ye. And have set down certain things first,9"
He laid down this too to be said by our rams, the leaders of the sheep, the chief members of the Shepherd and Gatherer1 of Con- the one flock even they learnt to say, Forgive us our debts, torus*'
as we too forgive our debtors. They said not, Thanks be to
Thee, Who hast forgiven us our debts, as we too forgive our stores, debtors,' but, Forgive, as we forgive. ' But surely the faith- J^erm" ful prayed then, surely the Apostles prayed then, for thisib- 12. Lord's Prayer was given rather to the faithful. If those
debts only were meant which are forgiven by Baptism,
would befit catechumens rather to say, Forgive us our debts.
Let the Apostles then say, yea let them say, Forgive us our
debts, as we too forgive our debtors. And when said to
them, Wherefore say ye this what are your debts let
them answer, for in Thy sight every one living shall not be
justified.
7. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul: he huthyer.
perfect.
3.
'
is
it is
I
? '
it
?
'
;
; I
:
? of
'
;I
;
6,
5,
it
it
Jit / is
is /
it,
I I
is
? 2m Christ died, the Innocent for the guilty.
Psalm humbled my life on the earth. Here we speak, here our cxliir. IIeaj Speaketh for us: for the enemy hath persecuted my soul. Manifestly both the devil persecuted the Soul of Christ and Judas the Soul of his Master : and now too the
same devil remaineth to persecute the Body of Christ, and one Judas succeedeth another. There lacketh not then of whom the Body too may say, For the enemy hath perse cuted my soul: he hath humbled my life on the earth. He hath humbled, saith he, my life on the earth. In
Ps. 57. another place it is said, They bowed down my soul. For what doth each one who persecuteth ns endeavour save to make us abandon our heavenly hope, and savour of the earth, yield to our persecutor, and love earthly things ? They indeed, as far as in them lies, do this : yet let not this
Col. 3, befall us to whom it is said, If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Seek those things which are above, not those which are on earth, for ye are dead. For in
God's sight every one living shall not be justified. They then, either openly raging, or secretly laying snares, en deavour to bring our life to the earth. Against them let us
Phil. 3, watch ; that we may be able to say, Our conversation is in
"
heaven. The enemy, saith he, hath humbled my life upon earth.
8. They have laid me in dark places, as the dead of the world. This ye hear more readily from the Head ; this ye perceive more readily in the Head. For He died indeed for us, yet was He not one of the dead of the world. For who are the dead of the world ? And how was not He one of the dead of the world ? The dead of the world are those who have died of their own desert, receiving the reward of iniquity, deriving death from the sin transmissed to them;
Pt. 51,5. according as it is said, For I
was conceived in iniquity, and in sin did my mother cherish me in her womb. But He
came by a Virgin, taking to Him Flesh pure itself, purify ing others. But they who thought Him a sinner, looked on Him as one of the dead of the world. But He, Who said in another Psalm, / paid them the things that I
never took, John u, and Who said in the Gospel, Behold, the prince of this world 30' 81" cometh, the captain of death, the persuader to evil deeds, the
We too were partakers of His Sufferings. 287
executor of punishment, saith, Behold he cometh, and shall Vfr. find nothing in Me. What shall find nothing in Me *' -
No fault, nothing for which ought to die. But that all, saith He, may know that do the will of My Father, arise, let us go hence. In dying, saith He, do the will of My Father, but am not deserving of death. Nought have
done wherefore should die, yet Mine own doing
that die, that by the death of an innocent One, they may
be freed who had wherefore they should die. They set me
in dark places, as though in Hades, as though the tomb,
as though in His very Passion, as the dead of the world,
even Him they set, Who saith, am become like one that P* ^8, hath no help, free among the dead. What is, free Where fore,^^? Because every one that doeth sin the servant John
of sin. Finally, He would not free from bonds, were He34' not free from bonds Himself. He, Himself free, slew death, bound bondage, led captivity captive, and they set Him in dark places as the dead the world.
8. And My Spirit within me, saith We, suffered weariness, ver. 4. Remember, My soul exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. Mat. 26, Here we see one voice. Do we not see plainly the transition28, from the Head to the members, from the members to the
Head My Spirit within Me, saith He, hath suffered weariness. Here we recognise, My soul exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. But we too were there. For
He transfigured in Himself the body our humiliation, Phil. that may be fashioned like unto the Body His glory
and our old man crucified with Him. My heart in Me Rom. is troubled. In Me, He saith, not in others. For they forsook Me, they who had clung to Me left Me, and because
they saw Me die, they thought that was somewhat else,
and were beaten by the thief, who believed, when they failed.
10. Then he goes to the members. have called to tnindvei. 5. the days of old. Did He call to mind the days of old,
by Whom every day was made No, but the body speaketh,
each one who has been justified by His grace, who dwelleth in Him in love and devout humility, speaketh and saith,
have called to mind the days of old, have meditated upon all Thy works plainly because Thou hast made all
:
is
I I
1I
/ I
I
is it
?
of II
/ is,
*
; '
?
G,
:t,
8,
it
?
I
of
is
is
?
in
'*
of
1
is
288 Our good works, God's work in us.
Psalm things good, and nothing would have stood fast, which was cl<l'n- not established by Thee. Thy creation is made a spectacle
I have sought in the work the Artificer, in all that is made the Maker. Wherefore this, to what purpose this, save that he might understand, that whatever there
Rom. 10, was of good in himself was made by Him ; lest, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and going about to establish his own righteousness, he should not submit himself to the righteousness of God: that those words above, in Thy Truth and in Thy Righteousness, might suit him ? In all the works of God then, and in meditation on all the works of God, he introduceth grace, he commendeth grace, he boasteth that he hath found grace, the grace whereby we are saved without price ; for without price we are saved. Why boastest thou of thine own righteousness? why liftest thou up thyself, being ignorant of the righteousness of God? Perchance thou gavest somewhat to be saved? What gavest thou to be made a man ? Look back then upon the Framer of thy life, the Author of thy substance, of
Phil. 2, I2' 13-
unto me :
thy righteousness,
and of thy salvation : meditate upon the
works of His hands, for the righteousness too which is in
thee, thou wilt find to pertain to His hand. Hear the
Eph. 2, Apostle teaching thee this, not of works, he saith, lest any
9' 10.
should boast. Have we no good works ? Plainly we have : but see what follows ; for we are His workmanship, saith he. We are His workmanship : perhaps in thus speaking of workmanship, he meant to mention the nature whereby we are men? Evidently not: he was speaking of works. Not, saith he, of works, lest any should boast. But let us not make conjectures; let the text go on, for we are His work manship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Think not then that thou thyself doest any thing, save in so far as thou art evil. Turn thee from thine own work, to His work Who made thee; He fashioneth thee, and let Him refashion what He had fashioned, and thou hast destroyed. For that thou art, He hath wrought ; that thou art good, if good thou art, He worketh. Work out your own salvation, saith the Apostle, with fear and trembling. If we do work out our own salvation, wherefore with fear, wherefore with trembling, when what we work is in our own power? Hear wherefore
Our souls need to be watered by God's grace. 289
with fear and trembling: for it is God that worketh in you Vrr. both to will and to do, of His good pleasure. Therefore
with fear and trembling, that it may delight our Maker to
work in the lowly valley. For so doth He work, as it were,
in that which is cast down, Who judgeth I theP*- no, among
nations, and repaireth that which hath fallen. meditated on the works of Thine hands. I have seen then and looked into Thy works, that nothing good can there be in us, unless it be wrought by Thee, Who hast made us.
11. And what did I w hen I saw that every good gift and Jam. l, every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the 17, Father of lights, with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning ? When I saw this, I turned me from
the evil work which I had wrought in myself, and
forth my hands unto Thee. 1 stretched forth, saith he, my hands to Thee: my soul is as a land without water to Thee. Rain upon me, saith he, to bring forth from me good fruit.
For the Lord shall give sweetness, that our land may give her Ps. 85, fruit. I have stretched forth my hands to Thee; my soul is as 12"
a land without water, not to me, but, to Thee. I can thirst
for Thee, I cannot water myself. My soul is as a land without water to Thee ; for, my soul is athiisl for the living pa. 42,
God. When shall I come to Him, save when He hath2* come to me? My soul is athirst for the living God; for,
my soul is as a land without water to Thee. The sea aboundeth, floodeth, is full, floweth: but it is bitter. The
water is separated, my dry soul hath appeared: water for Gen. 1,9.
my soul is as a land without water to Thee.
12. Speedily hear me, Lord. For what need of delay tover.
inflame my thirst, when already thirst so eagerly Thou didst delay the rain, that might drink and imbibe, not reject, Thy inflowing. If then Thou didst for this cause delay, now give for, my soul as a land without water to Thee. Speedily hear me, Lord: my spirit hath failed. Let Thy Spirit fill me, for my spirit hath failed me. This
the reason why Thou shouldest speedily hear me, because
my spirit hath failed me. am now become poor in spirit, Matt. make Thou me blessed in the kingdom heaven. For he3-
in whom his own spirit liveth, proud, puffed up with
his own spirit against God. Let that happen in him to his
VOL. vi.
/
stretched ver. 6.
have
I u
OI
is
is
I
is of
5,
7.
is
;
?
it,
290 God's Face turned from the proud: and so they perish.
Psalm good which elsewhere is written, Thou shalt take away their p*l|"4' spirit, and they shall fail, and be turned to their dust; that 29. they may confess, and say, Remember that we are but dust. Ps. 103, Ijut when lney nave sa\^ Remember that we are but dust, then let them say, my soul is as a land without water to Thee. For what is so much a land without water, as dust? But
do Thou speedily hear me, O God, rain on me, strengthen
me, that I be not dust which the wind driveth away from the Pa. l, 4. face of the earth . Speedily hear me, O God; my spirit hath failed: let not my need suffer longer delay. Thou hast taken
away my spirit, that I might fail, and be turned to dust, and
say unto Thee, my soul is as a land without water to Thee: P*. 104, do Thou also what followeth in that Psalm, Thou shall send
30
2Cor. 5, renew the face of the earth. If any one be in Christ, he is
17-
a new creature; old things are passed away: old things are passed away in his spirit, they are made new in Thy Spirit.
13. Turn not Thou away Thy Face from me. Thou didst turn it away from me when proud. For once I was
Ps. 69, 15.
forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created, and Thou shalt
P<<. 30, full, and in fulness I was
I in I
6' 7'
my
/said, Ishall never be moved.
puffed up. Once my fulness
said in
not be moved, knowing not Thy Righteousness, and esta
blishing mine own ; but Thou, LorId, in Thy Will hast
didst turn away Thy Face from me, and I was troubled. After this trouble, whereinto I was cast, because Thou didst turn away Thy Face, after the weariness of my spirit, after my heart was troubled within me, because Thou didst turn away Thy Face, then became I like a land without water to Thee: turn not Thou away Thy Face. Thou turnedst itawayfrommewhenproud; giveitbacktomenow1am humble. Turn not away Thy Face from me, because, if Thou turn it away, / shall be like to them that go down into the pit. What that go down into the pit When the sinner has come into the depth of sins, he will shew con tempt.
Eeelus. And thou shalt say in confession, All the works of the Lord 3tJ " are exceeding good. Here then confession is of praise.
Elsewhere the Lord Himself saith, / confess
to Thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. What did He confess?
Could it be sins? So then Christ's confession was praise. Hear further His praise of the Father: Because Thou hast
hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast re vealed them unto babes. Since then after these straitenings of corruption we shall dwell in the house of God, our whole life will be nothing save praise of God. It has often already been set forth to you, that when need departeth, all works of need come to an end, for there we shall have nought to do. I say not day and night, for there is no night there, but all the day, since it is one day, we shall have nought to do there, save to praise Him Whom we love, because
then we shall also see Him. Now we long for Him Whom we see not, and praise Him; then, when we see Him Whom we love, how shall we praise Him ? There will be praise without end, because there will be love without end. Since then thus we shall be employed there, therefore, bring my soul out of prison, that it may give thanks to Thy Name.
Ps. 84,4. For, blessed are they that dwell in Thy house, for they shall be alway praising Thee. Now the prison hindereth, because the corruptible body weigheth down the soul. It is not the body that weigheth down the soul, (for then too we shall have the body,) but the corruptible body. It is not
the body then that maketh the prison, but the corruption. Bring my soul out ofprison, that it may give thanks to Thy
David a type of Christ. 279
Name. Now the words which follow seem to come from Ver. the Head, our Lord Jesus Christ. And they are the same ---- as yesterday's last words. Yesterday's last words, if ye
am alone, until I
/
what are the last words ? The righteous shall sustain me,
remember, were,
until thou recompense me.
PSALM CXLIII.
A Sermon to the People.
1. Of the Psalm which we have chanted, I will speak to you, beloved, what the Lord shall give me. Yesterday we treated of a shorter Psalm, but the length of time gave us opportunity for saying much even on few verses: now, since the Psalm is longer, we ought not to delay so long on each several verse, lest perchance the Lord grant us not the power to go through the whole.
2. The title of the Psalm is, To David himself, when ^t<<2Sam. son was pursuing him. We know from the Books of Kings15- that this happened: that Absalom arose in hostility to
his father; that he waged against him not only civil, but
even domestic war: that David, not evilly despairing, but reverently humbled, received the discipline at the Lord's hand, endured the medicine, not returning evil for evil ; but had a heart prepared to follow the Lord's will. Thus praiseworthy was that David : but we must recognise here another David, truly ' strong in hand,' which is the explanation of David, even our Lord Jesus Christ. For all those events of past time were figures of things to come ; nor needs it long time to commend to you, what ye have often heard, and very well remember. Let us seek then in this Psalm our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, announcing Himself beforehand in His prophecy, and foretelling what should happen at this time by things which were done long ago. For He Himself foretold Himself in the Prophets: for He is the Word of God. Nor did they say ought of this kind, save when filled
with the Word of God. They announced then Christ, being filled with Christ, they went before Him about to come, and He deserted not them going before. Let us learn then how
pass
over.
And here
Lat. CxlrI.
280 Chtist born in Sion, yet the Founder of Sion.
P*alm Christ too was persecuted by His son : for sons He had i/att-'g o^ wnom He said, The children of the bride fast not while JS. the bridegroom is with them : but when the bridegroom is
taken away from them, then shall the children of the bridegroom fast. ' The sons of the bridegroom then are the
Apostles, and the persecutor among these was Judas the devil. In this Psalm then Christ is about to foretel His Passion : let us listen.
3. But we again call your attention, beloved, to this, not as teaching you what ye know not, but reminding you of what ye know, that our Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of
H'im. 2, His Body, that He is the one Mediator between God and
R< v. 12 man, the Man Jesus, born of a Virgin, as it were in solitude,
? \6. ,. as we have heard in the Revelation. In solitude1, as I
tudine, lJt. 2, 9.
think, because He alone has been so born. Him did that
Dat'o o woman bear, to rule the nations with a rod of iron ; and
Ps. 87, '''
f
the woman is the ancient city of God, of which is said in the
Psalm, Glorious things are spoken of thee, thou city of God. This city hath its beginning even from Abel, as the evil city hath from Cain. That then is the ancient city of God, ever enduring earth, hoping for heaven, which is also called Jerusalem and Sion. Truly of One born in Sion and yet Founder of Sion itself is said in another Psalm, Sion, My Mother, a man shall say. What man ? And a man was born in her, and Himself the Most High hath founded her. In short, in Sion He was made Man, but as Man He was made humble, and He also, the Most High, founded that city in which He was made Man. Therefore was that
Rev. 12, woman also clothed with the sun, even with the Sun of
l*
Righteousness, Whom the wicked know not; who shall say in the end, Therefore have we erred from the way of truth, and the Light of Righteousness hath not shone unto us, and the Sun of Righteousness was not upon us. There is then a Sun of Righteousness, which shineth not on the wicked.
Matt. 5, Vet the sun of this world He maketh to rise on the evil
4 ''
and the good. Therefore was she both clothed with the sun, and bore in her womb a male child, being about to bring forth. He it was that both buildeth Sion, and is born in Sion ; and that woman, the City of God, was pro tected by His Light, with Whose Flesh she was preguant
Christ and His Members one: He suffer eth in them. 281
Rightly too had she the moon under her feet, because by Ver. virtue she trampled under foot the mortality of flesh which ----- waxeth and waneth.
The Lord Jesus Christ then is both Head and Body ; for He willed to speak in us, Who deigned to die for us; He hath made us His members. Sometimes then He speaketh in the person of His members, sometimes in His own person, as our Head. He hath somewhat which He can say without us, wc nought which we can say without Him. The Apostle
saith, That I
Christ, in my Jlesh. That 1 may fill up, he saith, what i<< Col. lacking of the afflictions, not mine own, but Christ's, in the2** flesh, no longer Christ's, but mine. Christ, saith he, still suffereth affliction, not in His own Flesh, wherein He hath ascended into heaven, but in my flesh, which yet toileth on earth. Christ, saith he, suffereth affliction in my flesh: for
may up what is lacking fill
of
the
afflictions of
1,
I that live, but Christ liveth in me. Did Gal. 2, not Christ Himself suffer affliction in His members too, 20'
that is, in His faithful ones, Saul upon earth could not persecute Christ seated in heaven. Finally, he openly setteth this forth in a certain place, and saith, As the body is
one and hath many members, and all the members of the
body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. He saith
not, ' so also is Christ* and His Body,' but 'as there is one
body and many members, so also is Christ. ' The whole
then is Christ. And because the whole is Christ, therefore
doth the Head call from heaven, Saul, Saul, why perseculest Acts 9, thou Me. Remember this, and commit to your memory,4'
and keep it entirely fixed there, as children of the Church's training and of the Catholic Faith, that ye may perceive
Christ to be the Head and Body, and the same Christ to be
also the Word of God, the Only-begotten, equal to the Father, and so may see how great is the Grace whereby ye pertain to God, that He has willed to be one with us, Who is
one with the Father. How, one with the Father? / and
the Father are one. How, one with us? He saith not, johnio, says the Apostle, Unto seeds, as of many; but as of one,30.
And to Thy Seed, Which is Christ. But some one will say, ' If Christ be the seed of Abraham, are we so also? ' Remember
* Some Mss. read, Ita et Christi; so also is Christ's, i. e. Christ's Body.
it is no longer
282 Judas a type offalse brethren.
J'salm that Christ is Abraham's Seed ; and accordingly, if we also ,," . o are the seed of Abraham, we also are Christ. As there is one 27. body and many members, so also is Christ. And, as many of
you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Now Christ is the Seed of Abraham ; nor can we gainsay the clear words of the Apostle, Thy Seed, which is Christ. See
Gal. 3, now what he saith to us, If ye be Christ's, then are ye
,"sacra- Abraham's seed. Great then is that mystery1, they twain
TMTMtuTM"<</<rt// Ibe oneflesh. Great, saith the Apostle, is this mystery ;
24. ' but speak concerning Christ and the Church. Christ and
Eph. 5,
John 1, not also the Word; we are not also God in the beginning
1"
with God; we are not also He by Whom all things were made. He cometh to the Flesh, and there Christ is both Himself and we. Let us not wonder then in the Psalms: for He saith many things in the character of the Head, many in the character of the members, and He so speaketh, as though their whole were one person. Nor wonder thou that there are two in one voice, if there be two in one flesh.
4. Judas is the son of the Bridegroom persecuting the Bridegroom. Did this merely happen then, or was it set forth beforehand as a pattern of what was to come? For the Church was destined to endure many false brethren, so that still and even unto the end that Bridegroom is perse-
Qhurch are two in one flesh. The two ye must refer
to the wideness apart of His Majesty from us. For we are
P<<. 55, cuted by His son. For if an enemy had upbraided me, verily I should have borne it, saith He ; and if he who hated me had spoken great things over me, verily I should have hid myself from him. Who is the enemy? who is he that hated me ? He who saith, ' Who is Christ ? Christ was a man : He neither could live, when He willed to live, and He died,' say they, ' against His will; conquered, crucified, slain. ' They are enemies who say such things as this. 'He is an open enemy,' saith Christ; 'he hateth Me; he openly declareth his hostility to Me ; him it is easy either to
bear or to shun. What do I with Absalom ? what do I with Judas ? what with false brethren ? what with evil sons, who yet are sons, who do not against us blaspheme Christ, but with us worship Him, and in us persecute Him P Of these He goeth on to speak in the same Psalm. Another it was
True righteousness, God's, not our own. 283
easy to bear, him who hated me, or else to hide myself from Veil him. For thou hidest thyself from a Pagan, by entering the --- Church. But when there also thou findest what thou fearest,
what good to seek where to hide thyself? Lastly, that very
same Apostle, who groaneth in perils among false brethren, 2Cor. 1l, saith, without were figh tings, within were fears. If thenjeor. 7 he who hated me had spoken great things over me, verilg J5- should have hid myself from him: but thou, man of one
mind --of one mind, he saith, as though one in Christ. The Church then hath what to bear without, what to groan over within : yet it is to consider both those without and those within, enemies; those without more easily to be shunned, those within with more difficulty to be borne.
5. Let then our Lord speak ; let Christ with us, whole Christ, speak. Lord, hear my prayer, receive with Thine ears ver. 1. my entreaty. 'Hear' and 'receive with ears' are the same thing. It is repetition, it is confirmation. In Thy truth hear me,
in Thy righteousness. Take it not without emphasis when it
is said, in Thy righteousness. For it is a commendation of grace, that none of us think his righteousness his own. For
this is the righteousness of God, which God hath given thee
to possess. For what saith the Apostle of them, who would
boast of their own righteousness? 1 bear them witn ess, Rom. 10, saith he, that they have a zeal of God. Speaking of the2'
Jews, he saith, they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. What is, not according to knowledge? For
what knowledge dost thou commend as useful ? Is it that which, when it is alone, puff'eth up, which, unless it be accompanied with charity, edifieth not ? Verily not this : but
the knowledge which is the companion of charity, the mistress of humility. See whether it be this : They have a
zeal of God, saith he, but not according to knowledge. Let
him expound to us what knowledge he meaneth: they, being Rom. 10, ignorant of the righteousness of God, and going about to3' establish their own righteousness, have not submitted them
selves to the righteousness of God. Who then are they who go about to establish their own righteousness ? They who impute to themselves whatever they have done well; what ever ill, to God ; entirely perversely. Then only will they be right, when they have changed this. Thou art perverse,
284 None righteous in God's sight.
Psaim because thou imputest what thou hast done ill to God, what cxi. iii. wel| to ^hysglf. tnou w;lt De right, when thou imputest what thou hast done ill to thyself, what well to God. For thou wouldest not from being ungodly live righteously, save by
Rom. 4, having been justified by Him Who justifieth the ungodly. Therefore he saith, Hear me in Thy truth, in Thy righteous-
Pail 3, ness, not in mine own ; that I may
>>er. 2.
in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is of faith. Behold, in Thy righteousness hear
me. For when I look upon myself, nought else do I find mine own, save sin.
6. And enter not into judgment with Thy servant. Who are willing to enter into judgment with Him, save they who, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, go about to
be
found
laa. 58, establish their own ? Wherefore have we fasted, and Thou 1 hast not seen ; wherefore have we afflicted our souls, and Thou takest no knowledge ? As though they would say, 'We have done what Thou hast commanded, wherefore dost Thou not render to us what Thou hast promised ? ' God an-
swereth thee: I will give to thee to receive what I have
1 have given thee that thou shouldest do that whereby thou mayest receive. Finally, to such proud ones Jer. 2, the Prophet speaketh ; Wherefore will ye plead with Me ? 2! ' ye have all transgressed against Me, saith the Lord. Why will ye enter into judgment with Me, and recount your own
righteousnesses ? Recount your righteousnesses ; I know your wickednesses. How shall I there approve righteousness, where I shall condemn pride ? Rightly saith that humble
Mat.
il, one in the Body of Christ, leaning on his Head, for He
2'J'
is meek and lowly in heart, Enter not into judgment with Thy servant. Let us not strive together, I desire not to plead with Thee, so that to set forth my righteousness Thou
convict me of mine iniquity : enter not into judgment with Thy servant. Wherefore this ? wherefore feareth he ? For before Thee every one living shall not be justified. Every one living ; living, that is, here, living in the flesh, living in expectation of death ; born a man ; deriving his life of man ; sprung from Adam, a living Adam ; every one thus living may perhaps be justified before himself, but not
before Thee. How before himself? By pleasing himself,
promised:
Even Apostles bidden to pray for forgiveness. 285
displeasing Thee: but, before Thee every one living shall Ver. not be justified. Enter not then into judgment with me, ------ O Lord my God. How straight soever I seem to myself,
Thou bringest forth a standard from Thy store-house, Thou
fittest me to and am found crooked. Enter not into judgment with Thy servant. Well said, with Thy servant. It unworthy of Thee to enter into judgment with Thy servant, or even with Thy friend for Thou
wouldest not say, say unto you, My friends, hadst not Thou Matt. Thyself made them of servants to become friends. Though 40* Thou callest me friend, confess myself a servant. need Thy pity return from running from Thee seek peace.
am not worthy to be called Thy son. Enter not into Lukeis, judgment with Thy servant, for in Thy sight every one
living shall not be justified. Judge none blessed before his Ecclus. death; no one living whatever. What of the rams them-*' selves, what of the Apostles themselves, of whose offspring
said, Bring the young rams unto the Lord Of these Paul, who calleth not himself perfect, not as though
had already attained, either were already
Finally, brethren, that ye may perceive at once, they learnt to pray what we pray to them was given the pattern
of prayer by the heavenly Counsellor. After this manner, Matt. saith He, pray ye. And have set down certain things first,9"
He laid down this too to be said by our rams, the leaders of the sheep, the chief members of the Shepherd and Gatherer1 of Con- the one flock even they learnt to say, Forgive us our debts, torus*'
as we too forgive our debtors. They said not, Thanks be to
Thee, Who hast forgiven us our debts, as we too forgive our stores, debtors,' but, Forgive, as we forgive. ' But surely the faith- J^erm" ful prayed then, surely the Apostles prayed then, for thisib- 12. Lord's Prayer was given rather to the faithful. If those
debts only were meant which are forgiven by Baptism,
would befit catechumens rather to say, Forgive us our debts.
Let the Apostles then say, yea let them say, Forgive us our
debts, as we too forgive our debtors. And when said to
them, Wherefore say ye this what are your debts let
them answer, for in Thy sight every one living shall not be
justified.
7. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul: he huthyer.
perfect.
3.
'
is
it is
I
? '
it
?
'
;
; I
:
? of
'
;I
;
6,
5,
it
it
Jit / is
is /
it,
I I
is
? 2m Christ died, the Innocent for the guilty.
Psalm humbled my life on the earth. Here we speak, here our cxliir. IIeaj Speaketh for us: for the enemy hath persecuted my soul. Manifestly both the devil persecuted the Soul of Christ and Judas the Soul of his Master : and now too the
same devil remaineth to persecute the Body of Christ, and one Judas succeedeth another. There lacketh not then of whom the Body too may say, For the enemy hath perse cuted my soul: he hath humbled my life on the earth. He hath humbled, saith he, my life on the earth. In
Ps. 57. another place it is said, They bowed down my soul. For what doth each one who persecuteth ns endeavour save to make us abandon our heavenly hope, and savour of the earth, yield to our persecutor, and love earthly things ? They indeed, as far as in them lies, do this : yet let not this
Col. 3, befall us to whom it is said, If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Seek those things which are above, not those which are on earth, for ye are dead. For in
God's sight every one living shall not be justified. They then, either openly raging, or secretly laying snares, en deavour to bring our life to the earth. Against them let us
Phil. 3, watch ; that we may be able to say, Our conversation is in
"
heaven. The enemy, saith he, hath humbled my life upon earth.
8. They have laid me in dark places, as the dead of the world. This ye hear more readily from the Head ; this ye perceive more readily in the Head. For He died indeed for us, yet was He not one of the dead of the world. For who are the dead of the world ? And how was not He one of the dead of the world ? The dead of the world are those who have died of their own desert, receiving the reward of iniquity, deriving death from the sin transmissed to them;
Pt. 51,5. according as it is said, For I
was conceived in iniquity, and in sin did my mother cherish me in her womb. But He
came by a Virgin, taking to Him Flesh pure itself, purify ing others. But they who thought Him a sinner, looked on Him as one of the dead of the world. But He, Who said in another Psalm, / paid them the things that I
never took, John u, and Who said in the Gospel, Behold, the prince of this world 30' 81" cometh, the captain of death, the persuader to evil deeds, the
We too were partakers of His Sufferings. 287
executor of punishment, saith, Behold he cometh, and shall Vfr. find nothing in Me. What shall find nothing in Me *' -
No fault, nothing for which ought to die. But that all, saith He, may know that do the will of My Father, arise, let us go hence. In dying, saith He, do the will of My Father, but am not deserving of death. Nought have
done wherefore should die, yet Mine own doing
that die, that by the death of an innocent One, they may
be freed who had wherefore they should die. They set me
in dark places, as though in Hades, as though the tomb,
as though in His very Passion, as the dead of the world,
even Him they set, Who saith, am become like one that P* ^8, hath no help, free among the dead. What is, free Where fore,^^? Because every one that doeth sin the servant John
of sin. Finally, He would not free from bonds, were He34' not free from bonds Himself. He, Himself free, slew death, bound bondage, led captivity captive, and they set Him in dark places as the dead the world.
8. And My Spirit within me, saith We, suffered weariness, ver. 4. Remember, My soul exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. Mat. 26, Here we see one voice. Do we not see plainly the transition28, from the Head to the members, from the members to the
Head My Spirit within Me, saith He, hath suffered weariness. Here we recognise, My soul exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. But we too were there. For
He transfigured in Himself the body our humiliation, Phil. that may be fashioned like unto the Body His glory
and our old man crucified with Him. My heart in Me Rom. is troubled. In Me, He saith, not in others. For they forsook Me, they who had clung to Me left Me, and because
they saw Me die, they thought that was somewhat else,
and were beaten by the thief, who believed, when they failed.
10. Then he goes to the members. have called to tnindvei. 5. the days of old. Did He call to mind the days of old,
by Whom every day was made No, but the body speaketh,
each one who has been justified by His grace, who dwelleth in Him in love and devout humility, speaketh and saith,
have called to mind the days of old, have meditated upon all Thy works plainly because Thou hast made all
:
is
I I
1I
/ I
I
is it
?
of II
/ is,
*
; '
?
G,
:t,
8,
it
?
I
of
is
is
?
in
'*
of
1
is
288 Our good works, God's work in us.
Psalm things good, and nothing would have stood fast, which was cl<l'n- not established by Thee. Thy creation is made a spectacle
I have sought in the work the Artificer, in all that is made the Maker. Wherefore this, to what purpose this, save that he might understand, that whatever there
Rom. 10, was of good in himself was made by Him ; lest, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and going about to establish his own righteousness, he should not submit himself to the righteousness of God: that those words above, in Thy Truth and in Thy Righteousness, might suit him ? In all the works of God then, and in meditation on all the works of God, he introduceth grace, he commendeth grace, he boasteth that he hath found grace, the grace whereby we are saved without price ; for without price we are saved. Why boastest thou of thine own righteousness? why liftest thou up thyself, being ignorant of the righteousness of God? Perchance thou gavest somewhat to be saved? What gavest thou to be made a man ? Look back then upon the Framer of thy life, the Author of thy substance, of
Phil. 2, I2' 13-
unto me :
thy righteousness,
and of thy salvation : meditate upon the
works of His hands, for the righteousness too which is in
thee, thou wilt find to pertain to His hand. Hear the
Eph. 2, Apostle teaching thee this, not of works, he saith, lest any
9' 10.
should boast. Have we no good works ? Plainly we have : but see what follows ; for we are His workmanship, saith he. We are His workmanship : perhaps in thus speaking of workmanship, he meant to mention the nature whereby we are men? Evidently not: he was speaking of works. Not, saith he, of works, lest any should boast. But let us not make conjectures; let the text go on, for we are His work manship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Think not then that thou thyself doest any thing, save in so far as thou art evil. Turn thee from thine own work, to His work Who made thee; He fashioneth thee, and let Him refashion what He had fashioned, and thou hast destroyed. For that thou art, He hath wrought ; that thou art good, if good thou art, He worketh. Work out your own salvation, saith the Apostle, with fear and trembling. If we do work out our own salvation, wherefore with fear, wherefore with trembling, when what we work is in our own power? Hear wherefore
Our souls need to be watered by God's grace. 289
with fear and trembling: for it is God that worketh in you Vrr. both to will and to do, of His good pleasure. Therefore
with fear and trembling, that it may delight our Maker to
work in the lowly valley. For so doth He work, as it were,
in that which is cast down, Who judgeth I theP*- no, among
nations, and repaireth that which hath fallen. meditated on the works of Thine hands. I have seen then and looked into Thy works, that nothing good can there be in us, unless it be wrought by Thee, Who hast made us.
11. And what did I w hen I saw that every good gift and Jam. l, every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the 17, Father of lights, with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning ? When I saw this, I turned me from
the evil work which I had wrought in myself, and
forth my hands unto Thee. 1 stretched forth, saith he, my hands to Thee: my soul is as a land without water to Thee. Rain upon me, saith he, to bring forth from me good fruit.
For the Lord shall give sweetness, that our land may give her Ps. 85, fruit. I have stretched forth my hands to Thee; my soul is as 12"
a land without water, not to me, but, to Thee. I can thirst
for Thee, I cannot water myself. My soul is as a land without water to Thee ; for, my soul is athiisl for the living pa. 42,
God. When shall I come to Him, save when He hath2* come to me? My soul is athirst for the living God; for,
my soul is as a land without water to Thee. The sea aboundeth, floodeth, is full, floweth: but it is bitter. The
water is separated, my dry soul hath appeared: water for Gen. 1,9.
my soul is as a land without water to Thee.
12. Speedily hear me, Lord. For what need of delay tover.
inflame my thirst, when already thirst so eagerly Thou didst delay the rain, that might drink and imbibe, not reject, Thy inflowing. If then Thou didst for this cause delay, now give for, my soul as a land without water to Thee. Speedily hear me, Lord: my spirit hath failed. Let Thy Spirit fill me, for my spirit hath failed me. This
the reason why Thou shouldest speedily hear me, because
my spirit hath failed me. am now become poor in spirit, Matt. make Thou me blessed in the kingdom heaven. For he3-
in whom his own spirit liveth, proud, puffed up with
his own spirit against God. Let that happen in him to his
VOL. vi.
/
stretched ver. 6.
have
I u
OI
is
is
I
is of
5,
7.
is
;
?
it,
290 God's Face turned from the proud: and so they perish.
Psalm good which elsewhere is written, Thou shalt take away their p*l|"4' spirit, and they shall fail, and be turned to their dust; that 29. they may confess, and say, Remember that we are but dust. Ps. 103, Ijut when lney nave sa\^ Remember that we are but dust, then let them say, my soul is as a land without water to Thee. For what is so much a land without water, as dust? But
do Thou speedily hear me, O God, rain on me, strengthen
me, that I be not dust which the wind driveth away from the Pa. l, 4. face of the earth . Speedily hear me, O God; my spirit hath failed: let not my need suffer longer delay. Thou hast taken
away my spirit, that I might fail, and be turned to dust, and
say unto Thee, my soul is as a land without water to Thee: P*. 104, do Thou also what followeth in that Psalm, Thou shall send
30
2Cor. 5, renew the face of the earth. If any one be in Christ, he is
17-
a new creature; old things are passed away: old things are passed away in his spirit, they are made new in Thy Spirit.
13. Turn not Thou away Thy Face from me. Thou didst turn it away from me when proud. For once I was
Ps. 69, 15.
forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created, and Thou shalt
P<<. 30, full, and in fulness I was
I in I
6' 7'
my
/said, Ishall never be moved.
puffed up. Once my fulness
said in
not be moved, knowing not Thy Righteousness, and esta
blishing mine own ; but Thou, LorId, in Thy Will hast
didst turn away Thy Face from me, and I was troubled. After this trouble, whereinto I was cast, because Thou didst turn away Thy Face, after the weariness of my spirit, after my heart was troubled within me, because Thou didst turn away Thy Face, then became I like a land without water to Thee: turn not Thou away Thy Face. Thou turnedst itawayfrommewhenproud; giveitbacktomenow1am humble. Turn not away Thy Face from me, because, if Thou turn it away, / shall be like to them that go down into the pit. What that go down into the pit When the sinner has come into the depth of sins, he will shew con tempt.
