Expositions on the Psalms
Digital Psalms version 2007
(public domain)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2
St. Aurelius Augustin on the Psalms
Compiled
from the public domain on the Internet with great thanks to the
work
of Harry Plantinga and the board of the Christian Classics Ethereal
Library,
an incredible useful digital library residing at
http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/NPNF1-08/TOC.htm
Also
New Advent at: http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/1801.htm
which
also has full text of many of the church fathers.
Augustine’s
commentary on Psalms has also been recently been published in
a
series of 3 volumes available at www.Amazon.com from New City Press,
2000-4
under the title Expositions of the Psalms (vols. 1-3) ed. by John
Rotelle,
Maria Boulding and Michael Fiedrowicz (ca. $16 paperback). It is
also
available in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers classic series of the
Church
Fathers.
published
by Eerdmans. The Greek font used is Greekth.ttf freely available
at:
http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/ted_hildebrandt/index.cfm
This
electronic version was compiled from online sources in January 2007
by
Ted Hildebrandt. – Enjoy.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table of
Contents: Augustine Psalms:
1,
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
11,
12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20,
21,
22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30,
31,
32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40,
41,
42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50,
51,
52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60,
61,
62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70,
71,
72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80,
81,
82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90,
91,
92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100,
101,
102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110,
111,
112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120,
121,
122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130,
131,
132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140,
141,
142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 1
4
Exposition
on Psalm 1
1.
"Blessed is the man that has not gone away in the counsel of the
ungodly" (ver.
1).
This is to be understood of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord
the
man that has not gone away in the counsel of the ungodly," as "the
man of
earth
did," 1 Corinthians 15:47 who consented to his wife deceived by the
serpent,
to
the transgressing the commandment of God. "Nor stood in the way of
sinners."
For
He came indeed in the way of sinners, by being born as sinners are; but He
"stood"
not therein, for that the enticements of the world held Him not. "And has
not
sat in the seat of pestilence." He willed not an earthly kingdom, with
pride,
which
is well taken for "the seat of pestilence;" for that there is hardly
any one
who
is free from the love of rule, and craves not human glory. For a
"pestilence" is
disease
widely spread, and involving all or nearly all. Yet "the seat of
pestilence"
may
be more appropriately understood of hurtful doctrine; "whose word spreads
as
a
canker." 2 Timothy 2:17 The order too of the words must be considered:
"went
away,
stood, sat." For he "went away," when he drew back from God. He
"stood,"
when
he took pleasure in sin. He "sat," when, confirmed in his pride, he
could not
go
back, unless set free by Him, who neither "has gone away in the counsel of
the
ungodly,
nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of pestilence."
2.
"But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law will he
meditate by day
and
by night (ver. 2). The law is not made for a righteous man," 1 Timothy 1:9
says
the Apostle. But it is one thing to be in the law, another under the law. Whoso
is
in the law, acts according to the law; whoso is under the law, is acted upon
according
to the law: the one therefore is free, the other a slave. Again, the law,
which
is written and imposed upon the servant, is one thing; the law, which is
mentally
discerned by him who needs not its "letter," is another thing.
"He will
meditate
by day and by night," is to be understood either as without ceasing; or
"by
day" in joy, "by night" in tribulations. For it is said,
"Abraham saw my day,
and
was glad:" John 8:5-6 and of tribulation it is said, "my reins also
have
instructed
me, even unto the night."
3.
"And he shall be like a tree planted hard by the running streams of
waters" (ver.
3);
that is either Very "Wisdom," Proverbs viii which vouchsafed to
assume man's
nature
for our salvation; that as man He might be "the tree planted hard by the
running
streams of waters;" for in this sense can that too be taken which is said
in
another
Psalm, "the
it
is said, "He shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost;" Matthew 3:11 and
again, "If
any
man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink;" John 7:37 and again,
"If you
knew
the gift of God, and who it is that asks water of you, you would have asked
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 1
5
of
Him, and He would have given you living water, of which whoso drinks shall
never
thirst, but it shall be made in him a well of water springing up into
everlasting
life." Or, "by the running streams of waters" may be by the sins
of the
people,
because first the waters are called "peoples" in the Apocalypse;
Revelation
17:15 and again, by "running stream" is not unreasonably understood
"fall,"
which has relation to sin. That "tree" then, that is, our Lord, from
the
running
streams of water, that is, from the sinful people's drawing them by the way
into
the roots of His discipline, will "bring forth fruit," that is, will
establish
Churches;
"in His season," that is, after He has been glorified by His
Resurrection
and
Ascension into heaven. For then, by the sending of the Holy Ghost to the
Apostles,
and by the confirming of their faith in Him, and their mission to the
world,
He made the Churches to "bring forth fruit." "His leaf also
shall not fall,"
that
is, His Word shall not be in vain. For, "all flesh is grass, and the glory
of man
as
the flower of grass; the grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of
the
Lord
abides for ever. Isaiah 40:6-8 And whatsoever He does shall prosper" that
is,
whatsoever
that tree shall bear; which all must be taken of fruit and leaves, that is,
deeds
and words.
4.
"The ungodly are not so," they are not so, "but are like the
dust which the wind
casts
forth from the face of the earth" (ver. 4). "The earth" is here
to be taken as
that
steadfastness in God, with a view to which it is said, "The Lord is the
portion
of
mine inheritance, yea, I have a goodly heritage." With a view to this it
is said,
"Wait
on the Lord and keep His ways, and He shall exalt you to inherit the
earth."
With
a view to this it is said, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit
the
earth."
Matthew 5:5 A comparison too is derived hence, for as this visible earth
supports
and contains the outer man, so that earth invisible the inner man. "From
the
face of" which "earth the wind casts forth the ungodly," that
is, pride, in that it
puffs
him up. On his guard against which he, who was inebriated by the richness
of
the house of the Lord, and drunken of the torrent stream of its pleasures,
says,
"Let
not the foot of pride come against me." From this earth pride cast forth
him
who
said, "I will place my seat in the north, and I will be like the Most
High."
Isaiah
14:13-14 From the face of the earth it cast forth him also who, after that he
had
consented and tasted of the forbidden tree that he might be as God, hid himself
from
the Face of God. Genesis 3:8 That his earth has reference to the inner man,
and
that man is cast forth thence by pride, may be particularly seen in that which
is
written,
"Why is earth and ashes proud? Because, in his life, he cast forth his
bowels."
Sirach 10:9 For, whence he has been cast forth, he is not unreasonably
said
to have cast forth himself.
5.
"Therefore the ungodly rise not in the judgment" (ver. 5):
"therefore," namely,
because
"as dust they are cast forth from the face of the earth." And well
did he
say
that this should be taken away from them, which in their pride they court,
namely,
that they may judge; so that this same idea is more clearly expressed in
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 1
6
the
following sentence, "nor sinners in the counsel of the righteous."
For it is usual
for
what goes before, to be thus repeated more clearly. So that by
"sinners" should
be
understood the "ungodly;" what is before "in the judgment,"
should be here "in
the
counsel of the righteous." Or if indeed the ungodly are one thing, and
sinners
another,
so that although every ungodly man is a sinner, yet every sinner is not
ungodly;
"The ungodly rise not in the judgment," that is, they shall rise
indeed, but
not
that they should be judged, for they are already appointed to most certain
punishment.
But "sinners" do not rise "in counsel of the just," that
is, that they
may
judge, but peradventure that they may be judged; so as of these it were said,
"The
fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide, he
shall
receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall then suffer loss:
but
he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."
6.
"For the Lord knows the way of the righteous" (ver. 6). As it is
said, medicine
knows
health, but knows not disease, and yet disease is recognised by the art of
medicine.
In like manner can it be said that "the Lord knows the way of the
righteous,"
but the way of the ungodly He knows not. Not that the Lord is ignorant
of
anything, and yet He says to sinners, "I never knew you." Matthew
7:23 "But
the
way of the ungodly shall perish;" is the same as if it were said, the way
of the
ungodly
the Lord knows not. But it is expressed more plainly that this should be
not
to be known of the Lord, namely, to "perish;" and this to be known of
the
Lord,
namely, to "abide;" so as that to be should appertain to the
knowledge of
God,
but to His not knowing not to be. For the Lord says, "I Am that I
Am," and,
"I
Am has sent me."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 2
7
Exposition
on Psalm 2
1.
"Why do the heathen rage, and the people meditate vain things?" (ver.
1). "The
kings
of the earth have stood up, and the rulers taken counsel together, against the
Lord,
and against His Christ" (ver. 2). It is said, "why?" as if it
were said, in vain.
For
what they wished, namely, Christ's destruction, they accomplished not; for this
is
spoken of our Lord's persecutors, of whom also mention is made in the Acts of
the
Apostles. Acts 4:26
2.
"Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yoke from us"
(ver. 3).
Although
it admits of another acceptation, yet is it more fitly understood as in the
person
of those who are said to "meditate vain things." So that "let us
break their
bonds
asunder, and cast away their yoke from us," may be, let us do our
endeavour,
that the Christian religion do not bind us, nor be imposed upon us.
3.
"He that dwells in the heavens shall laugh them to scorn, and the Lord
shall
have
them in derision" (ver. 4). The sentence is repeated; for "He who
dwells in
the
heavens," is afterwards put, "the Lord;" and for "shall
laugh them to scorn," is
afterwards
put, "shall have them in derision." Nothing of this however must be
taken
in a carnal sort, as if God either laughs with cheek, or derides with nostril;
but
it is to be understood of that power which He gives to His saints, that they
seeing
things to come, namely, that the Name and rule of Christ is to pervade
posterity
and possess all nations, should understand that those men "meditate a
vain
thing." For this power whereby these things are foreknown is God's
"laughter"
and "derision." "He that dwells in the heavens shall laugh them
to
scorn."
If by "heavens" we understand holy souls, by these God, as
foreknowing
what
is to come, will "laugh them to scorn, and have them in derision."
4.
"Then He shall speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore
displeasure"
(ver. 5). For showing more clearly how He will "speak unto them," he
added,
He will "vex them;" so that "in His wrath," is, "in
His sore displeasure."
But
by the "wrath and sore displeasure" of the Lord God must not be
understood
any
mental perturbation; but the might whereby He most justly avenges, by the
subjection
of all creation to His service. For that is to be observed and
remembered
which is written in the Wisdom of Solomon, "But You, Lord of
power,
judgest with tranquillity, and with great favour orderest us." Wisdom
12:18
The
"wrath" of God then is an emotion which is produced in the soul which
knows
the
law of God, when it sees this same law transgressed by the sinner. For by this
emotion
of righteous souls many things are avenged. Although the "wrath" of
God
can
be well understood of that darkening of the mind, which overtakes those who
transgress
the law of God.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 2
8
5.
"Yet am I set by Him as King upon Sion, His holy hill, preaching His
decree"
(ver.
6). This is clearly spoken in the Person of the very Lord our Saviour Christ.
But
if Sion signify, as some interpret, beholding, we must not understand it of
anything
rather than of the Church, where daily is the desire raised of beholding
the
bright glory of God, according to that of the Apostle, "but we with open
face
beholding
the glory of the Lord." 2 Corinthians 3:18 Therefore the meaning of this
is,
Yet I am set by Him as King over His holy Church; which for its eminence and
stability
He calls a mountain. "Yet I am set by Him as King." I, that is, whose
"bands"
they were meditating "to break asunder," and whose "yoke"
to "cast
away."
"Preaching His decree." Who does not see the meaning of this, seeing
it is
daily
practised?
6.
"The Lord has said unto me, You are My Son, today have I begotten
You" (ver.
7).
Although that day may also seem to be prophetically spoken of, on which Jesus
Christ
was born according to the flesh; and in eternity there is nothing past as if it
had
ceased to be, nor future as if it were not yet, but present only, since
whatever
is
eternal, always is; yet as "today" intimates presentiality, a divine
interpretation
is
given to that expression, "Today have I begotten You," whereby the
uncorrupt
and
Catholic faith proclaims the eternal generation of the power and Wisdom of
God,
who is the Only-begotten Son.
7.
"Ask of Me, and I shall give You the nations for Your inheritance"
(ver. 8). This
has
at once a temporal sense with reference to the Manhood which He took on
Himself,
who offered up Himself as a Sacrifice in the stead of all sacrifices, who
also
makes intercession for us; so that the words, "ask of Me," may be
referred to
all
this temporal dispensation, which has been instituted for mankind, namely, that
the
"nations" should be joined to the Name of Christ, and so be redeemed
from
death,
and possessed by God. "I shall give You the nations for Your
inheritance,"
which
so possess them for their salvation, and to bear unto You spiritual fruit.
"And
the uttermost parts of the earth for Your possession." The same repeated,
"The
uttermost parts of the earth," is put for "the nations;" but
more clearly, that
we
might understand all the nations. And "Your possession" stands for
"Your
inheritance."
8.
"You shall rule them with a rod of iron," with inflexible justice,
and "You shall
break
them like a potter's vessel" (ver. 9); that is, "You shall
break" in them
earthly
lusts, and the filthy doings of the old man, and whatsoever has been
derived
and inured from the sinful clay. "And now understand, you kings"
(ver.
10).
"And now;" that is, being now renewed, your covering of clay worn
out, that
is,
the carnal vessels of error which belong to your past life, "now
understand," ye
who
now are "kings;" that is, able now to govern all that is servile and
brutish in
you,
able now too to fight, not as "they who beat the air, but chastening your
bodies,
and bringing them into subjection." 1 Corinthians 9:26-27 "Be
instructed,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 2
9
all
you who judge the earth." This again is a repetition; "Be
instructed" is instead
of
"understand;" and "ye who judge the earth" instead of
"ye kings." For He
signifies
the spiritual by "those who judge the earth." For whatsoever we
judge, is
below
us; and whatsoever is below the spiritual man, is with good reason called
"the
earth;" because it is defiled with earthly corruption.
9.
"Serve the Lord with fear;" lest what is said, "You kings and
judges of the
earth,"
turn into pride: "And rejoice with trembling" (ver. 11). Very
excellently is
"rejoice"
added, lest "serve the Lord with fear" should seem to tend to misery.
But
again,
lest this same rejoicing should run on to unrestrained inconsiderateness,
there
is added "with trembling," that it might avail for a warning, and for
the
careful
guarding of holiness. It can also be taken thus, "And now ye kings
understand;"
that is, And now that I am set as King, be ye not sad, kings of the
earth,
as if your excellency were taken from you, but rather "understand and be
instructed."
For it is expedient for you, that you should be under Him, by whom
understanding
and instruction are given you. And this is expedient for you, that
you
lord it not with rashness, but that you "serve the Lord" of all
"with fear," and
"rejoice"
in bliss most sure and most pure, with all caution and carefulness, lest ye
fall
therefrom into pride.
10.
"Lay hold of discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry, and you
perish
from
the righteous way" (ver. 12). This is the same as, "understand,"
and, "be
instructed."
For to understand and be instructed, this is to lay hold of discipline.
Still
in that it is said, "lay hold of," it is plainly enough intimated
that there is some
protection
and defence against all things which might do hurt unless with so great
carefulness
it be laid hold of. "Lest at any time the Lord be angry," is
expressed
with
a doubt, not as regards the vision of the prophet to whom it is certain, but as
regards
those who are warned; for they, to whom it is not openly revealed, are
wont
to think with doubt of the anger of God. This then they ought to say to
themselves,
let us "lay hold of discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry, and
we
perish from the righteous way." Now, how "the Lord be angry" is
to be taken,
has
been said above. And "ye perish from the righteous way." This is a
great
punishment,
and dreaded by those who have had any perception of the sweetness
of
righteousness; for he who perishes from the way of righteousness, in much
misery
will wander through the ways of unrighteousness.
11.
"When His anger shall be shortly kindled, blessed are all they who put
their
trust
in Him;" that is, when the vengeance shall come which is prepared for the
ungodly
and for sinners, not only will it not light on those "who put their trust
in"
the
Lord, but it will even avail for the foundation and exaltation of a kingdom for
them.
For he said not, "When His anger shall be shortly kindled," safe
"are all they
who
put their trust in Him," as though they should have this only thereby, to
be
exempt
from punishment; but he said, "blessed;" in which there is the sum
and
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 2
10
accumulation
of all good things. Now the meaning of "shortly" I suppose to be
this,
that it will be something sudden, while sinners will deem it far off and long
to
come.
Psalm 3 11
Exposition
on Psalm 3
A
psalm of David, when he fled from the face of Absalom his son.
1.
The words, "I slept, and took rest; and rose, for the Lord will take me
up," lead
us
to believe that this Psalm is to be understood as in the Person of Christ; for
they
sound
more applicable to the Passion and Resurrection of our Lord, than to that
history
in which David's flight is described from the face of his rebellious son.
And,
since it is written of Christ's disciples, "The sons of the bridegroom
fast not
as
long as the bridegroom is with them;" Matthew 9:15 it is no wonder if by
his
undutiful
son be here meant that undutiful disciple who betrayed Him. From
whose
face although it may be understood historically that He fled, when on his
departure
He withdrew with the rest to the mountain; yet in a spiritual sense, when
the
Son of God, that is the Power and Wisdom of God, abandoned the mind of
Judas;
when the Devil wholly occupied him; as it is written, "The Devil entered
into
his heart," John 13:27 may it be well understood that Christ fled from his
face;
not that Christ gave place to the Devil, but that on Christ's departure the
Devil
took possession. Which departure, I suppose, is called a flight in this Psalm,
because
of its quickness; which is indicated also by the word of our Lord, saying,
"That
you do, do quickly." John 13:27 So even in common conversation we say of
anything
that does not come to mind, it has fled from me; and of a man of much
learning
we say, nothing flies from him. Wherefore truth fled from the mind of
Judas,
when it ceased to enlighten him. But Absalom, as some interpret, in the
Latin
tongue signifies, Patris pax, a father's peace. And it may seem strange,
whether
in the history of the kings, when Absalom carried on war against his
father;
or in the history of the New Testament, when Judas was the betrayer of our
Lord;
how "father's peace" can be understood. But both in the former place
they
who
read carefully, see that David in that war was at peace with his son, who even
with
sore grief lamented his death, saying, "O Absalom, my son, would God I had
died
for you!" 2 Samuel 18:33 And in the history of the New Testament by that
so
great
and so wonderful forbearance of our Lord; in that He bore so long with him
as
if good, when He was not ignorant of his thoughts; in that He admitted him to
the
Supper in which He committed and delivered to His disciples the figure of His
Body
and Blood; finally, in that He received the kiss of peace at the very time of
His
betrayal; it is easily understood how Christ showed peace to His betrayer,
although
he was laid waste by the intestine war of so abominable a device. And
therefore
is Absalom called "father's peace," because his father had the peace,
which
he had not.
2.
"O Lord, how are they multiplied that trouble me!" (ver. 1). So
multiplied
indeed
were they, that one even from the number of His disciples was not wanting,
who
was added to the number of His persecutors. "Many rise up against me; many
say
unto my soul, There is no salvation for him in his God" (ver. 2). It is
clear that
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 3
12
if
they had had any idea that He would rise again, assuredly they would not have
slain
Him. To this end are those speeches, "Let Him come down from the cross, if
He
be the Son of God;" and again, "He saved others, Himself He cannot
save."
Matthew
27:42 Therefore, neither would Judas have betrayed Him, if he had not
been
of the number of those who despised Christ, saying, "There is no salvation
for
Him in His God."
3.
"But You, O Lord, art my taker." It is said to God in the nature of
man, for the
taking
of man is, the Word made Flesh. "My glory." Even He calls God his
glory,
whom
the Word of God so took, that God became one with Him. Let the proud
learn,
who unwillingly hear, when it is said to them, "For what have you that
thou
did
not receive? Now if you received it, why do you glory as if you had not
received
it?" 1 Corinthians 4:7 "And the lifter up of my head" (ver. 3).
I think that
this
should be here taken of the human mind, which is not unreasonably called the
head
of the soul; which so inhered in, and in a sort coalesced with, the
supereminent
excellency of the Word taking man, that it was not laid aside by so
great
humiliation of the Passion.
4.
"With my voice have I cried unto the Lord" (ver. 4); that is, not
with the voice
of
the body, which is drawn out with the sound of the reverberation of the air;
but
with
the voice of the heart, which to men speaks not, but with God sounds as a cry.
By
this voice Susanna was heard; and with this voice the Lord Himself
commanded
that prayer should be made in closets, Matthew 6:6 that is, in the
recesses
of the heart noiselessly. Nor would one easily say that prayer is not made
with
this voice, if no sound of words is uttered from the body; since even when in
silence
we pray within the heart, if thoughts interpose alien from the mind of one
praying,
it cannot yet be said, "With my voice have I cried unto the Lord."
Nor is
this
rightly said, save when the soul alone, taking to itself nothing of the flesh,
and
nothing
of the aims of the flesh, in prayer, speaks to God, where He only hears.
But
even this is called a cry by reason of the strength of its intention. "And
He
heard
me out of His holy mountain." We have the Lord Himself called a mountain
by
the Prophet, as it is written, "The stone that was cut out without hands
grew to
the
size of a mountain." Daniel 2:34-35 But this cannot be taken of His
Person,
unless
peradventure He would speak thus, out of myself, as of His holy mountain
He
heard me, when He dwelt in me, that is, in this very mountain. But it is more
plain
and unembarrassed, if we understand that God out of His justice heard. For it
was
just that He should raise again from the dead the Innocent who was slain, and
to
whom evil had been recompensed for good, and that He should render to the
persecutor
a meet reward, who repaid Him evil for good. For we read, "Your
justice
is as the mountains of God."
5.
"I slept, and took rest" (ver. 5). It may be not unsuitably remarked,
that it is
expressly
said, "I," to signify that of His own Will He underwent death,
according
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 3
13
to
that, "Therefore does My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that
I
might
take it again. No man takes it from Me; I have power to lay it down, and I
have
power to take it again." John 10:17-18 Therefore, says He, you have not
taken
Me as though against My will, and slain Me; but "I slept, and took rest;
and
rose,
for the Lord will take me up." Scripture contains numberless instances of
sleep
being put for death; as the Apostle says, "I would not have you to be
ignorant,
brethren, concerning them which are asleep." Nor need we make any
question
why it is added, "took rest," seeing that it has already been said,
"I slept."
Repetitions
of this kind are usual in Scripture, as we have pointed out many in the
second
Psalm. But some copies have, "I slept, and was cast into a deep
sleep." And
different
copies express it differently, according to the possible renderings of the
Greek
words, egw de ekokoimhqhn kei upnwse. Unless perhaps sleeping may be
taken
of one dying, but sleep of one dead: so that sleeping may be the transition
into
sleep, as awakening is the transition into wakefulness. Let us not deem these
repetitions
in the sacred writings empty ornaments of speech. "I slept, and took
rest,"
is therefore well understood as "I gave Myself up to My Passion, and death
ensued."
"And I rose, for the Lord will take Me up." This is the more to be
remarked,
how that in one sentence the Psalmist has used a verb of past and future
time.
For he has said, both "I rose," which is the past, and "will
take Me up,"
which
is the future; seeing that assuredly the rising again could not be without that
taking
up. But in prophecy the future is well joined to the past, whereby both are
signified.
Since things which are prophesied of as yet to come in reference to time
are
future; but in reference to the knowledge of those who prophesy they are
already
to be viewed as done. Verbs of the present tense are also mixed in, which
shall
be treated of in their proper place when they occur.
6.
"I will not fear the thousands of people that surround me" (ver. 6).
It is written
in
the Gospels how great a multitude stood around Him as He was suffering, and
on
the cross. "Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God" (ver. 7). It is not
said to God,
"Arise,"
as if asleep or lying down, but it is usual in holy Scripture to attribute to
God
what He does in us; not indeed universally, but where it can be done suitably;
as
when He is said to speak, when by His gift Prophets speak, and Apostles, or
whatsoever
messengers of the truth. Hence that text, "Would you have proof of
Christ,
who speaks in me?" 2 Corinthians 13:3 For he does not say, of Christ, by
whose
enlightening or order I speak; but he attributes at once the speaking itself to
Him,
by whose gift he spoke.
7.
"Since You have smitten all who oppose me without a cause." It is not
to be
pointed
as if it were one sentence, "Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God; since You
have
smitten all who oppose me without a cause." For He did not therefore save
Him,
because He smote His enemies; but rather He being saved, He smote them.
Therefore
it belongs to what follows, so that the sense is this; "Since You have
smitten
all who oppose me without a cause, You have broken the teeth of the
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 3
14
sinners;"
that is, thereby have You broken the teeth of the sinners, since You have
smitten
all who oppose me. It is forsooth the punishment of the opposers, whereby
their
teeth have been broken, that is, the words of sinners rending with their
cursing
the Son of God, brought to nought, as it were to dust; so that we may
understand
"teeth" thus, as words of cursing. Of which teeth the Apostle speaks,
"If
you bite one another, take heed that you be not consumed one of another."
Galatians
5:15 The teeth of sinners can also be taken as the chiefs of sinners; by
whose
authority each one is cut off from the fellowship of godly livers, and as it
were
incorporated with evil livers. To these teeth are opposed the Church's teeth,
by
whose authority believers are cut off from the error of the Gentiles and
various
opinions,
and are translated into that fellowship which is the body of Christ. With
these
teeth Peter was told to eat the animals when they had been killed, that is, by
killing
in the Gentiles what they were, and changing them into what he was
himself.
Of these teeth too of the Church it is said, "Your teeth are as a flock of
shorn
sheep, coming up from the bath, whereof every one bears twins, and there is
not
one barren among them." These are they who prescribe rightly, and as they
prescribe,
live; who do what is written, "Let your works shine before men, that
they
may bless your Father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:16 For moved by their
authority,
they believe God who speaks and works through these men; and
separated
from the world, to which they were once conformed, they pass over into
the
members of the Church. And rightly therefore are they, through whom such
things
are done, called teeth like to shorn sheep; for they have laid aside the
burdens
of earthly cares, and coming up from the bath, from the washing away of
the
filth of the world by the Sacrament of Baptism, every one bears twins. For they
fulfil
the two commandments, of which it is said, "On these two commandments
hang
all the Law and the Prophets;" Matthew 22:40 loving God with all their
heart,
and with all their soul, and with all their mind, and their neighbour as
themselves.
"There is not one barren among them," for much fruit they render unto
God.
According to this sense then it is to be thus understood, "You have broken
the
teeth of the sinners," that is, You have brought the chiefs of the sinners
to
nought,
by smiting all who oppose Me without a cause. For the chiefs according to
the
Gospel history persecuted Him, while the lower people honoured Him.
8.
"Salvation is of the Lord; and upon Your people be Your blessing"
(ver. 8). In
one
sentence the Psalmist has enjoined men what to believe, and has prayed for
believers.
For when it is said, "Salvation is of the Lord," the words are
addressed
to
men. Nor does it follow, "And upon Your people" be "Your
blessing," in such
wise
as that the whole is spoken to men, but there is a change into prayer
addressed
to God Himself, for the very people to whom it was said, "Salvation is
of
the Lord." What else then does he say but this? Let no man presume on
himself,
seeing
that it is of the Lord to save from the death of sin; for, "Wretched man
that I
am,
who shall deliver me from the body of this death? The grace of God through
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm
3
15
Jesus
Christ our Lord." Romans 7:24-25 But do Thou, O Lord, bless Your people,
who
look for salvation from You.
9.
This Psalm can be taken as in the Person of Christ another way; which is that
whole
Christ should speak. I mean by whole, with His body, of which He is the
Head,
according to the Apostle, who says, "You are the body of Christ, and the
members."
1 Corinthians 12:27 He therefore is the Head of this body; wherefore in
another
place he says, "But doing the truth in love, we may increase in Him in all
things,
who is the Head, Christ, from whom the whole body is joined together and
compacted."
Ephesians 4:15-16 In the Prophet then at once, the Church, and her
Head
(the Church founded amidst the storms of persecution throughout the whole
world,
which we know already to have come to pass), speaks, "O Lord, how are
they
multiplied that trouble me! many rise up against me;" wishing to
exterminate
the
Christian name. "Many say unto my soul, There is no salvation for him in
his
God."
For they would not otherwise hope that they could destroy the Church,
branching
out so very far and wide, unless they believed that God had no care
thereof.
"But You, O Lord, art my taker;" in Christ of course. For into that
flesh
the
Church too has been taken by the Word, "who was made flesh, and dwelt in
us;"
John 1:14 for that "In heavenly places has He made us to sit together with
Him."
Ephesians 2:6 When the Head goes before, the other members will follow;
for,
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" Romans 8:35 Justly then
does
the Church say, "You are my taker. My glory;" for she does not
attribute her
excellency
to herself, seeing that she knows by whose grace and mercy she is what
she
is. "And the lifter up of my head," of Him, namely, who, "the
First-born from
the
dead," Colossians 1:18 ascended up into heaven. "With my voice have I
cried
unto
the Lord, and He heard me out of His holy mountain." This is the prayer of
all
the Saints, the odour of sweetness, which ascends up in the sight of the Lord.
For
now the Church is heard out of this mountain, which is also her head; or, out
of
that justice of God, by which both His elect are set free, and their
persecutors
punished.
Let the people of God also say, "I slept, and took rest; and rose, for the
Lord
will take me up;" that they may be joined, and cleave to their Head. For
to
this
people is it said, "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and
Christ
shall lay hold on you." Ephesians 5:14 Since they are taken out of
sinners,
of
whom it is said generally, "But they that sleep, sleep in the night."
Let them say
moreover,
"I will not fear the thousands of people that surround me;" of the
heathen
verily that compass me about to extinguish everywhere, if they could, the
Christian
name. But how should they be feared, when by the blood of the martyrs
in
Christ, as by oil, the ardour of love is inflamed? "Arise, O Lord, save
me, O my
God."
The body can address this to its own Head. For at His rising the body was
saved;
who "ascended up on high, led captivity captive, gave gifts unto
men." For
this
is said by the Prophet, in the secret purpose of God, until that ripe harvest
Matthew
9:37 which is spoken of in the Gospel, whose salvation is in His
Resurrection,
who vouchsafed to die for us, shed out our Lord to the earth. "Since
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 3
16
You
have smitten all who oppose me without a cause, You have broken the teeth
of
the sinners." Now while the Church has rule, the enemies of the Christian
name
are
smitten with confusion; and, whether their curses or their chiefs, brought to
nought.
Believe then, O man, that "salvation is of the Lord: and," Thou, O
Lord,
may
"Your blessing" be "upon Your people."
10.
Each one too of us may say, when a multitude of vices and lusts leads the
resisting
mind in the law of sin, "O Lord, how are they multiplied that trouble me!
many
rise up against me." And, since despair of recovery generally creeps in
through
the accumulation of vices, as though these same vices were mocking the
soul,
or even as though the Devil and his angels through their poisonous
suggestions
were at work to make us despair, it is said with great truth, "Many say
unto
my soul, There is no salvation for him in his God. But You, O Lord, art my
taker."
For this is our hope, that He has vouchsafed to take the nature of man in
Christ.
"My glory;" according to that rule, that no one should ascribe ought
to
himself.
"And the lifter up of my head;" either of Him, who is the Head of us
all,
or
of the spirit of each several one of us, which is the head of the soul and
body.
For
"the head of the woman is the man, and the head of the man is
Christ."
1
Corinthians 11:3 But the mind is lifted up, when it can be said already,
"With the
mind
I serve the law of God;" Romans 7:25 that the rest of man may be reduced
to
peaceable
submission, when in the resurrection of the flesh "death is swallowed up
in
victory." 1 Corinthians 15:54 "With my voice I have cried unto the
Lord;" with
that
most inward and intensive voice. "And He heard me out of His holy
mountain;"
Him, through whom He has succoured us, through whose mediation
He
hears us. "I slept, and took rest; and rose, for the Lord will take me
up." Who
of
the faithful is not able to say this, when he calls to mind the death of his
sins,
and
the gift of regeneration? "I will not fear the thousands of people that
surround
me."
Besides those which the Church universally has borne and bears, each one
also
has temptations, by which, when compassed about, he may speak these
words,
"Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God:" that is, make me to arise.
"Since You
have
smitten all who oppose me without a cause:" it is well in God's
determinate
purpose
said of the Devil and his angels; who rage not only against the whole
body
of Christ, but also against each one in particular. "You have broken the
teeth
of
the sinners." Each man has those that revile him, he has too the prime
authors of
vice,
who strive to cut him off from the body of Christ. But "salvation is of
the
Lord."
Pride is to be guarded against, and we must say, "My soul cleaved after
You."
"And upon Your people" be "Your blessing:" that is, upon
each one of us.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 4 17
Exposition on Psalm 4
To
the end, a psalm song to David.
1.
"Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that
believes."
Romans
10:4 For this "end" signifies perfection, not consumption. Now it may
be
a
question, whether every Song be a Psalm, or rather every Psalm a Song; whether
there
are some Songs which cannot be called Psalms, and some Psalms which
cannot
be called Songs. But the Scripture must be attended to, if haply
"Song" do
not
denote a joyful theme. But those are called Psalms which are sung to the
Psaltery;
which the history as a high mystery declares the Prophet David to have
used.
Of which matter this is not the place to discourse; for it requires prolonged
inquiry,
and much discussion. Now meanwhile we must look either for the words
of
the Lord Man after the Resurrection, or of man in the Church believing and
hoping
on Him.
2.
"When I called, the God of my righteousness heard me" (ver. 1). When
I called,
God
heard me, the Psalmist says, of whom is my righteousness. "In tribulation
You
have enlarged me." You have led me from the straits of sadness into the
broad
ways of joy. For, "tribulation and straitness is on every soul of man that
does
evil." Romans 2:9 But he who says, "We rejoice in tribulations,
knowing that
tribulation
works patience;" up to that where he says, "Because the love of God
is
shed
abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us;" he has no
straits
of heart, they be heaped on him outwardly by them that persecute him. Now
the
change of person, for that from the third person, where he says, "He
heard," he
passes
at once to the second, where he says, "You have enlarged me;" if it
be not
done
for the sake of variety and grace, it is strange why the Psalmist should first
wish
to declare to men that he had been heard, and afterwards address Him who
heard
him. Unless perchance, when he had declared how he was heard, in this very
enlargement
of heart he preferred to speak with God; that he might even in this
way
show what it is to be enlarged in heart, that is, to have God already shed
abroad
in the heart, with whom he might hold converse interiorly. Which is rightly
understood
as spoken in the person of him who, believing on Christ, has been
enlightened;
but in that of the very Lord Man, whom the Wisdom of God took, I
do
not see how this can be suitable. For He was never deserted by It. But as His
very
prayer against trouble is a sign rather of our infirmity, so also of that
sudden
enlargement
of heart the same Lord may speak for His faithful ones, whom He has
personated
also when He said, "I was an hungered, and you gave Me no meat; I
was
thirsty, and you gave Me no drink," Matthew 25:42 and so forth. Wherefore
here
also He can say, "You have enlarged me," for one of the least of His,
holding
converse
with God, whose "love" he has "shed abroad in his heart by the
Holy
Ghost,
which is given unto us." Romans 5:5 "Have mercy upon me and hear my
prayer."
Why does he again ask, when already he declared that he had been heard
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 4 18
and
enlarged? It is for our sakes, of whom it is said, "But if we hope for
that we
see
not, we wait in patience;" Romans 8:25 or is it, that in him who has
believed
that
which is begun may be perfected?
3.
"O you sons of men, how long heavy in heart" (ver. 2). Let your
error, says he,
have
lasted at least up to the coming of the Son of God; why then any longer are
you
heavy in heart? When will you make an end of crafty wiles, if now when the
truth
is present ye make it not? "Why do ye love vanity, and seek a lie?"
Why
would
ye be blessed by the lowest things? Truth alone, from which all things are
true,
makes blessed. For, "vanity is of deceivers, and all is vanity."
Ecclesiastes
1:2 "What profit has a man of all his labour, wherewith he labours
under
the sun?" Why then are you held back by the love of things temporal? Why
follow
ye after the last things, as though the first, which is vanity and a lie? For
you
would have them abide with you, which all pass away, as does a shadow.
4.
"And know ye that the Lord has magnified his Holy One" (ver. 3). Whom
but
Him,
whom He raised up from below, and placed in heaven at His right hand?
Therefore
does he chide mankind, that they would turn at length from the love of
this
world to Him. But if the addition of the conjunction (for he says, "and
know
ye")
is to any a difficulty, he may easily observe in Scripture that this manner of
speech
is usual in that language, in which the Prophets spoke. For you often find
this
beginning, "And" the Lord said unto him, "And" the word of
the Lord came to
him.
Which joining by a conjunction, when no sentence has gone before, to which
the
following one may be annexed, peradventure admirably conveys to us, that the
utterance
of the truth in words is connected with that vision which goes on in the
heart.
Although in this place it may be said, that the former sentence, "Why do
ye
love
vanity, and seek a lie?" is as if it were written, Do not love vanity, and
seek a
lie.
And being thus read, it follows in the most direct construction, "and know
ye
that
the Lord has magnified His Holy One." But the interposition of the
Diapsalma
forbids
our joining this sentence with the preceding one. For whether this be a
Hebrew
word, as some would have it, which means, so be it; or a Greek word,
which
marks a pause in the psalmody (so as that Psalma should be what is sung in
psalmody,
but Diapsalma an interval of silence in the psalmody; that as the
coupling
of voices in singing is called Sympsalma, so their separation Diapsalma,
where
a certain pause of interrupted continuity is marked): whether I say it be the
former,
or the latter, or something else, this at least is probable, that the sense
cannot
rightly be continued and joined, where the Diapsalma intervenes.
5.
"The Lord will hear me, when I cry unto Him." I believe that we are
here
warned,
that with great earnestness of heart, that is, with an inward and
incorporeal
cry, we should implore help of God. For as we must give thanks for
enlightenment
in this life, so must we pray for rest after this life. Wherefore in the
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 4
19
person,
either of the faithful preacher of the Gospel, or of our Lord Himself, it may
be
taken, as if it were written, the Lord will hear you, when you cry unto Him.
6.
"Be angry, and sin not" (ver. 4). For the thought occurred, Who is
worthy to be
heard?
or how shall the sinner not cry in vain unto the Lord? Therefore, "Be
angry,"
says he, "and sin not." Which may be taken two ways: either, even if
you
be
angry, do not sin; that is, even if there arise an emotion in the soul, which
now
by
reason of the punishment of sin is not in our power, at least let not the
reason
and
the mind, which is after God regenerated within, that with the mind we should
serve
the law of God, although with the flesh we as yet serve the law of sin,
Romans
7:25 consent thereunto; or, repent ye, that is, be ye angry with yourselves
for
your past sins, and henceforth cease to sin. "What you say in your
hearts:"
there
is understood, "say ye:" so that the complete sentence is, "What
ye say in
your
hearts, that say ye;" that is, be ye not the people of whom it is said,
"with
their
lips they honour Me, but their heart is far from
chambers
be ye pricked." This is what has been expressed already "in
heart." For
this
is the chamber, of which our Lord warns us, that we should pray within, with
closed
doors. Matthew 6:6 But, "be ye pricked," refers either to the pain of
repentance,
that the soul in punishment should prick itself, that it be not
condemned
and tormented in God's judgment; or, to arousing, that we should
awake
to behold the light of Christ, as if pricks were made use of. But some say
that
not, "be ye pricked," but, "be ye opened," is the better
reading; because in the
Greek
Psalter it is katanughte, which refers to that
enlargement of the heart, in
order
that the shedding abroad of love by the Holy Ghost may be received.
7.
"Offer the sacrifice of righteousness, and hope in the Lord" (ver.
5). He says the
same
in another Psalm, "the sacrifice for God is a troubled spirit."
Wherefore that
this
is the sacrifice of righteousness which is offered through repentance it is not
unreasonably
here understood. For what more righteous, than that each one should
be
angry with his own sins, rather than those of others, and that in
self-punishment
he
should sacrifice himself unto God? Or are righteous works after repentance the
sacrifice
of righteousness? For the interposition of Diapsalma not unreasonably
perhaps
intimates even a transition from the old life to the new life: that on the old
man
being destroyed or weakened by repentance, the sacrifice of righteousness,
according
to the regeneration of the new man, may be offered to God; when the
soul
now cleansed offers and places itself on the altar of faith, to be encompassed
by
heavenly fire, that is, by the Holy Ghost. So that this may be the meaning,
"Offer
the sacrifice of righteousness, and hope in the Lord;" that is, live
uprightly,
and
hope for the gift of the Holy Ghost, that the truth, in which you have
believed,
may
shine upon you.
8.
But yet, "hope in the Lord," is as yet expressed without explanation.
Now what
is
hoped for, but good things? But since each one would obtain from God that
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm
4
20
good,
which he loves; and they are not easy to be found who love interior goods,
that
is, which belong to the inward man, which alone should be loved, but the rest
are
to be used for necessity, not to be enjoyed for pleasure; excellently did he
subjoin,
when he had said, "hope in the Lord" (ver. 6), "Many say, Who
shows us
good
things?" This is the speech, and this the daily inquiry of all the foolish
and
unrighteous;
whether of those who long for the peace and quiet of a worldly life,
and
from the frowardness of mankind find it not; who even in their blindness dare
to
find fault with the order of events, when involved in their own deservings they
deem
the times worse than these which are past: or, of those who doubt and
despair
of that future life, which is promised us; who are often saying, Who knows
if
it's true? or, who ever came from below, to tell us this? Very exquisitely
then,
and
briefly, he shows (to those, that is, who have interior sight), what good
things
are
to be sought; answering their question, who say, "Who shows us good
things?"
"The
light of Your countenance," says he, "is stamped on us, O Lord."
This light is
the
whole and true good of man, which is seen not with the eye, but with the mind.
But
he says, "stamped on us," as a penny is stamped with the king's
image. For
man
was made after the image and likeness of God, Genesis 1:26 which he
defaced
by sin: therefore it is his true and eternal good, if by a new birth he be
stamped.
And I believe this to be the bearing of that which some understand
skilfully;
I mean, what the Lord said on seeing Cćsar's tribute money, "Render to
Cćsar
the things that are Cćsar's; and to God the things that are God's."
Matthew
22:21 As if He had said, In like manner as Cćsar exacts from you the
impression
of his image, so also does God: that as the tribute money is rendered to
him,
so should the soul to God, illumined and stamped with the light of His
countenance.
(Ver. 7.) "You have put gladness into my heart." Gladness then is not
to
be sought without by them, who, being still heavy in heart, "love vanity,
and
seek
a lie;" but within, where the light of God's countenance is stamped. For
Christ
dwells
in the inner man, Ephesians 3:16-17 as the Apostle says; for to Him does it
appertain
to see truth, since He has said, "I am the truth." John 14:6 And
again,
when
He spoke in the Apostle, saying, "Would you receive a proof of Christ, who
speaks
in me?" 2 Corinthians 13:3 He spoke not of course from without to him,
but
in his very heart, that is, in that chamber where we are to pray.
9.
But men (who doubtless are many) who follow after things temporal, know not
to
say anything else, than, "Who shows us good things?" when the true
and certain
good
within their very selves they cannot see. Of these accordingly is most justly
said,
what he adds next: "From the time of His corn, of wine, and oil, they have
been
multiplied." For the addition of His, is not superfluous. For the corn is
God's:
inasmuch
as He is "the living bread which came down from heaven." John 6:51
The
wine too is God's: for, "they shall be inebriated," he says,
"with the fatness of
your
house." The oil too is God's: of which it is said, "You have fattened
my head
with
oil." But those many, who say, "Who shows us good things?" and
who see
not
that the kingdom of heaven is within them: these, "from the time of His
corn,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 4
21
of
wine, and oil, are multiplied." For multiplication does not always betoken
plentifulness,
and not, generally, scantiness: when the soul, given up to temporal
pleasures,
burns ever with desire, and cannot be satisfied; and, distracted with
manifold
and anxious thought, is not permitted to see the simple good. Such is the
soul
of which it is said, "For the corruptible body presses down the soul, and
the
earthly
tabernacle weighs down the mind that muses on many things."
Wisdom
9:15 A soul like this, by the departure and succession of temporal goods,
that
is, "from the time of His corn, wine, and oil," filled with
numberless idle
fancies,
is so multiplied, that it cannot do that which is commanded, "Think on the
Lord
in goodness, and in simplicity of heart seek Him." Wisdom 1:1 For this
multiplicity
is strongly opposed to that simplicity. And therefore leaving these,
who
are many, multiplied, that is, by the desire of things temporal, and who say,
"Who
shows us good things?" which are to be sought not with the eyes without,
but
with simplicity of heart within, the faithful man rejoices and says, "In
peace,
together,
I will sleep, and take rest" (ver. 8). For such men justly hope for all
manner
of estrangement of mind from things mortal, and forgetfulness of this
world's
miseries; which is beautifully and prophetically signified under the name
of
sleep and rest, where the most perfect peace cannot be interrupted by any
tumult.
But this is not had now in this life, but is to be hoped for after this life.
This
even the words themselves, which are in the future tense, show us. For it is
not
said, either, I have slept, and taken rest; or, I do sleep, and take rest; but,
"I
will
sleep, and take rest." Then shall "this corruptible put on
incorruption, and this
mortal
shall put on immortality; then shall death be swallowed up in victory."
1
Corinthians 15:54 Hence it is said, "But if we hope for that we see not,
we wait
in
patience." Romans 8:25
10.
Wherefore, consistently with this, he adds the last words, and says,
"Since
Thou,
O Lord, in singleness hast made me dwell in hope." Here he does not say,
wilt
make; but, "hast made." In whom then this hope now is, there will be
assuredly
that which is hoped for. And well does he say, "in singleness." For
this
may
refer in opposition to those many, who being multiplied from the time of His
corn,
of wine, and oil, say, "Who shows us good things?" For this
multiplicity
perishes,
and singleness is observed among the saints: of whom it is said in the
Acts
of the Apostles, "and of the multitude of them that believed, there was
one
soul,
and one heart." Acts 4:32 In singleness, then, and simplicity, removed,
that
is,
from the multitude and crowd of things, that are born and die, we ought to be
lovers
of eternity, and unity, if we desire to cleave to the one God and our Lord.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 5
22
Exposition on
Psalm 5
1.
The title of the Psalm is, "For her who receives the inheritance."
The Church
then
is signified, who receives for her inheritance eternal life through our Lord
Jesus
Christ; that she may possess God Himself, in cleaving to whom she may be
blessed,
according to that, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the
earth."
Matthew
5:5 What earth, but that of which it is said, "You are my hope, my
portion
in the land of the living"? And again more clearly, "The Lord is the
portion
of
mine inheritance and of my cup." And conversely the word Church is said to
be
God's
inheritance according to that, "Ask of Me, and I shall give you the
heathen
for
your inheritance." Therefore is God said to be our inheritance, because He
feeds
and sustains us: and we are said to be God's inheritance, because He orders
and
rules us. Wherefore it is the voice of the Church in this Psalm called to her
inheritance,
that she too may herself become the inheritance of the Lord.
2.
"Hear my words, O Lord" (ver. 1). Being called she calls upon the
Lord; that the
same
Lord being her helper, she may pass through the wickedness of this world,
and
attain unto Him. "Understand my cry." The Psalmist well shows what
this cry
is;
how from within, from the chamber of the heart, without the body's utterance,
it
reaches
unto God: for the bodily voice is heard, but the spiritual is understood.
Although
this too may be God's hearing, not with carnal ear, but in the
omnipresence
of His Majesty.
3.
"Attend Thou to the voice of my supplication;" that is, to that
voice, which he
makes
request that God would understand: of which what the nature is, he has
already
intimated, when he said, "Understand my cry. Attend Thou to the voice of
my
supplication, my King, and my God" (ver. 2). Although both the Son is God,
and
the Father God, and the Father and the Son together One God; and if asked of
the
Holy Ghost, we must give no other answer than that He is God; and when the
Father,
and the Son, and the Holy Ghost are mentioned together, we must
understand
nothing else, than One God; nevertheless Scripture is wont to give the
appellation
of King to the Son. According then to that which is said, "By Me man
comes
to the Father," John 14:6 rightly is it first, "my King;" and
then, "my God."
And
yet has not the Psalmist said, Attend You; but, "Attend Thou." For
the
Catholic
faith preaches not two or three Gods, but the Very Trinity, One God. Not
that
the same Trinity can be together, now the Father, now the Son, now the Holy
Ghost,
as Sabellius believed: but that the Father must be none but the Father, and
the
Son none but the Son, and the Holy Ghost none but the Holy Ghost, and this
Trinity
but One God. Hence when the Apostle had said, "Of whom are all things,
by
whom are all things, in whom are all things," Romans 11:36 he is believed
to
have
conveyed an intimation of the Very Trinity; and yet he did not add, to Them
be
glory; but, "to Him be glory."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 5
23
4.
"Because I will pray unto You (ver. 3). O Lord, in the morning You will
hear
my
voice." What does that, which he said above, "Hear Thou," mean,
as if he
desired
to be heard immediately? But now he says, "in the morning You will
hear;"
not, hear Thou: and, "I will pray unto You;" not, I do pray unto You:
and, as
follows,
"in the morning I will stand by You, and will see;" not, I do stand
by You,
and
do see. Unless perhaps his former prayer marks the invocation itself: but being
in
darkness amidst the storms of this world, he perceives that he does not see
what
he
desires, and yet does not cease to hope, "For hope that is seen, is not
hope."
Romans
8:24 Nevertheless, he understands why he does not see, because the night
is
not yet past, that is, the darkness which our sins have merited. He says
therefore,
"Because
I will pray unto You, O Lord;" that is, because You are so mighty to
whom
I shall make my prayer, "in the morning You will hear my voice." You
are
not
He, he says, that can be seen by those, from whose eyes the night of sins is
not
yet
withdrawn: when the night then of my error is past, and the darkness gone,
which
by my sins I have brought upon myself, then "You will hear my voice."
Why
then did he say above not, "You will hear," but "hear
Thou"? Is it that after
the
Church cried out, "hear Thou," and was not heard, she perceived what
must
needs
pass away to enable her to be heard? Or is it that she was heard above, but
does
not yet understand that she was heard, because she does not yet see by whom
she
has been heard; and what she now says, "In the morning You will
hear," she
would
have thus taken, In the morning I shall understand that I have been heard?
Such
is that expression, "Arise, O Lord," that is, make me arise. But this
latter is
taken
of Christ's resurrection: but at all events that Scripture, "The Lord your
God
proves
you, that He may know whether ye love Him," Deuteronomy 13:3 cannot
be
taken in any other sense, than, that you by Him may know, and that it may be
made
evident to yourselves, what progress you have made in His love.
5.
"In the morning I will stand by You, and will see" (ver. 3). What is,
"I will
stand,"
but "I will not lie down"? Now what else is, to lie down, but to take
rest on
the
earth, which is a seeking happiness in earthly pleasures? "I will stand
by," he
says,
"and will see." We must not then cleave to things earthly, if we
would see
God,
who is beheld by a clean heart. "For You are not a God who hast pleasure
in
iniquity.
The malignant man shall not dwell near You, nor shall the unrighteous
abide
before Your eyes. You have hated all that work iniquity, You will destroy all
that
speak a lie. The man of blood, and the crafty man, the Lord will
abominate"
(vers.
4-6). Iniquity, malignity, lying, homicide, craft, and all the like, are the
night
of
which we speak: on the passing away of which, the morning dawns, that God
may
be seen. He has unfolded the reason, then, why he will stand by in the
morning,
and see: "For," he says, "You are not a God who hast pleasure in
iniquity."
For if He were a God who had pleasure in iniquity, He could be seen
even
by the iniquitous, so that He would not be seen in the morning, that is, when
the
night of iniquity is over.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm
5
24
6.
"The malignant man shall not dwell near You:" that is, he shall not
so see, as to
cleave
to You. Hence follows, "Nor shall the unrighteous abide before Your
eyes."
For
their eyes, that is, their mind is beaten back by the light of truth, because
of the
darkness
of their sins; by the habitual practice of which they are not able to sustain
the
brightness of right understanding. Therefore even they who see sometimes,
that
is, who understand the truth, are yet still unrighteous, they abide not therein
through
love of those things, which turn away from the truth. For they carry about
with
them their night, that is, not only the habit, but even the love, of sinning.
But
if
this night shall pass away, that is, if they shall cease to sin, and this love
and
habit
thereof be put to flight, the morning dawns, so that they not only understand,
but
also cleave to the truth.
7.
"You have hated all that work iniquity." God's hatred may be
understood from
that
form of expression, by which every sinner hates the truth. For it seems that
she
too hates those, whom she suffers not to abide in her. Now they do not abide,
who
cannot bear the truth. "You will destroy all that speak a lie." For
this is the
opposite
to truth. But lest any one should suppose that any substance or nature is
opposite
to truth, let him understand that "a lie" has relation to that which
is not,
not
to that which is. For if that which is be spoken, truth is spoken: but if that
which
is not be spoken, it is a lie. Therefore says he, "You will destroy all
that
speak
a lie;" because drawing back from that which is, they turn aside to that
which
is not. Many lies indeed seem to be for some one's safety or advantage,
spoken
not in malice, but in kindness: such was that of those midwives in Exodus,
Exodus
1:19 who gave a false report to Pharaoh, to the end that the infants of the
children
of
for
the disposition shown; since those who only lie in this way, will attain in
time
to
a freedom from all lying. For in those that are perfect, not even these lies
are
found.
For to these it is said, "Let there be in your mouth, yea, yea; nay, nay;
whatsoever
is more, is of evil." Matthew 5:37 Nor is it without reason written in
another
place, "The mouth that lies slays the soul:" Wisdom 1:11 lest any
should
imagine
that the perfect and spiritual man ought to lie for this temporal life, in the
death
of which no soul is slain, neither his own, nor another's. But since it is one
thing
to lie, another to conceal the truth (if indeed it be one thing to say what is
false,
another not to say what is true), if haply one does not wish to give a man up
even
to this visible death, he should be prepared to conceal what is true, not to
say
what
is false; so that he may neither give him up, nor yet lie, lest he slay his own
soul
for another's body. But if he cannot yet do this, let him at all events admit
only
lies of such necessity, that he may attain to be freed even from these, if they
alone
remain, and receive the strength of the Holy Ghost, whereby he may despise
all
that must be suffered for the truth's sake. In fine, there are two kinds of
lies, in
which
there is no great fault, and yet they are not without fault, either when we are
in
jest, or when we lie that we may do good. That first kind, in jest, is for this
reason
not very hurtful, because there is no deception. For he to whom it is said
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 5
25
knows
that it is said for the sake of the jest. But the second kind is for this
reason
the
more inoffensive, because it carries with it some kindly intention. And to say
truth,
that which has no duplicity, cannot even be called a lie. As if, for example, a
sword
be intrusted to any one, and he promises to return it, when he who intrusted
it
to him shall demand it: if he chance to require his sword when in a fit of
madness,
it is clear it must not be returned then, lest he kill either himself or
others,
until soundness of mind be restored to him. Here then is no duplicity,
because
he, to whom the sword was intrusted, when he promised that he would
return
it at the other's demand, did not imagine that he could require it when in a
fit
of madness. But even the Lord concealed the truth, when He said to the
disciples,
not yet strong enough, "I have many things to say unto you, but ye
cannot
bear them now:" John 16:12 and the Apostle Paul when he said, "I
could
not
speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal." 1 Corinthians 3:1
Whence
it
is clear that it is not blamable, sometimes not to speak what is true. But to
say
what
is false is not found to have been allowed to the perfect.
8.
"The man of blood, and the crafty man, the Lord will abominate." What
he said
above,
"You have hated all that work iniquity, You will destroy all that speak a
lie,"
may well seem to be repeated here: so that one may refer "the man of
blood"
to
"the worker of iniquity," and "the crafty man" to the
"lie." For it is craft, when
one
thing is done, another pretended. He used an apt word too, when he said,
"will
abominate."
For the disinherited are usually called abominated. Now this Psalm is,
"for
her who receives the inheritance;" and she adds the exulting joy of her
hope,
in
saying, "But I, in the multitude of Your mercy, will enter into Your
house" (ver.
7).
"In the multitude of mercy:" perhaps he means in the multitude of
perfected
and
blessed men, of whom that city shall consist, of which the Church is now in
travail,
and is bearing few by few. Now that many men regenerated and perfected,
are
rightly called the multitude of God's mercy, who can deny; when it is most
truly
said, "What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that
Thou
visitest
him? I will enter into Your house:" as a stone into a building, I suppose,
is
the
meaning. For what else is the house of God than the
it
is said, "for the
are"?
Of which building He is the cornerstone, Ephesians 2:20 whom the Power
and
Wisdom of God coeternal with the Father assumed.
9.
"I will worship at Your holy temple, in Your fear." "At the
temple," we
understand
as, "near" the temple. For he does not say, I will worship
"in" Your
holy
temple; but, "I will worship at Your holy temple." It must be
understood too
to
be spoken not of perfection, but of progress toward perfection: so that the
words,
"I will enter into Your house," should signify perfection. But that this
may
come
to a happy issue, "I will" first, he says, "worship at Your holy
temple." And
perhaps
on this account he added, "in Your fear;" which is a great defence to
those
that
are advancing toward salvation. But when any one shall have arrived there, in
Psalm 5
26
him
comes to pass that which is written, "perfect love casts out fear." 1
John 4:18
For
they do not fear Him who is now their friend, to whom it is said,
"henceforth I
will
not call you servants, but friends," John 15:15 when they have been
brought
through
to that which was promised.
10.
"O Lord, lead me forth in Your justice because of mine enemies" (ver.
8). He
has
here sufficiently plainly declared that he is on his onward road, that is, in
progress
toward perfection, not yet in perfection itself, when he desires eagerly
that
he may be led forth. But, "in Your justice," not in that which seems
so to men.
For
to return evil for evil seems justice: but it is not His justice of whom it is
said,
"He
makes His sun to rise on the good and on the evil:" for even when God
punishes
sinners, He does not inflict His evil on them, but leaves them to their
own
evil. "Behold," the Psalmist says, "he travailed with injustice,
he has
conceived
toil, and brought forth iniquity: he has opened a ditch, and dug it, and
has
fallen into the pit which he wrought: his pains shall be turned on his own
head,
and
his iniquity shall descend on his own pate." When then God punishes, He
punishes
as a judge those that transgress the law, not by bringing evil upon them
from
Himself, but driving them on to that which they have chosen, to fill up the
sum
of their misery. But man, when he returns evil for evil, does it with an evil
will:
and on this account is himself first evil, when he would punish evil.
11.
"Direct in Your sight my way." Nothing is clearer, than that he here
sets forth
that
time, in which he is journeying onward. For this is a way which is traversed
not
in any regions of the earth, but in the affections of the heart. "In Your
sight,"
he
says, "direct my way:" that is, where no man sees; who are not to be
trusted in
their
praise or blame. For they can in no wise judge of another man's conscience,
wherein
the way toward God is traversed. Hence it is added, "for truth is not in
their
mouth" (ver. 9). To whose judgment of course then there is no trusting,
and
therefore
must we fly within to conscience, and the sight of God. "Their heart is
vain."
How then can truth be in their mouth, whose heart is deceived by sin, and
the
punishment of sin? Whence men are called back by that voice, "Wherefore do
ye
love vanity, and seek a lie?"
12.
"Their throat is an open sepulchre." It may be referred to signify
gluttony, for
the
sake of which men very often lie by flattery. And admirably has he said,
"an
open
sepulchre:" for this gluttony is ever gaping with open mouth, not as
sepulchres,
which, on the reception of corpses, are closed up. This also may be
understood
hereby, that with lying and blind flattery men draw to themselves those
whom
they entice to sin; and as it were devour them, when they turn them to their
own
way of living. And when this happens to them, since by sin they die, those by
whom
they are led along, are rightly called open sepulchres: for themselves too are
in
a manner lifeless, being destitute of the life of truth; and they take in to
themselves
dead men, whom having slain by lying words and a vain heart, they
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 5
27
turn
unto themselves. "With their own tongues they dealt craftily:" that
is, with
evil
tongues. For this seems to be signified, when he says "their own."
For the evil
have
evil tongues, that is, they speak evil, when they speak craftily. To whom the
Lord
says, "How can you, being evil, speak good things?" Matthew 12:34
13.
"Judge them, O God: let them fall from their own thoughts" (ver. 10).
It is a
prophecy,
not a curse. For he does not wish that it should come to pass; but he
perceives
what will come to pass. For this happens to them, not because he
appears
to have wished for it, but because they are such as to deserve that it should
happen.
For so also what he says afterwards, "Let all that hope in You
rejoice," he
says
by way of prophecy; since he perceives that they will rejoice. Likewise is it
said
prophetically, "Stir up Your strength, and come:" for he saw that He
would
come.
Although the words, "Let them fall from their own thoughts," may be
taken
thus
also, that it may rather be believed to be a wish for their good by the Psalmist,
while
they fall from their evil thoughts, that is, that they may no more think evil.
But
what follows, "drive them out," forbids this interpretation. For it
can in no
wise
be taken in a favourable sense, that one is driven out by God. Wherefore it is
understood
to be said prophetically, and not of ill will; when this is said, which
must
necessarily happen to such as chose to persevere in those sins, which have
been
mentioned. "Let them," therefore, "fall from their own
thoughts," is, let them
fall
by their self-accusing thoughts, "their own conscience also bearing
witness,"
as
the Apostle says, "and their thoughts accusing or excusing, in the
revelation of
the
just judgment of God." Romans 2:15-16
14.
"According to the multitude of their ungodlinesses drive them out:"
that is,
drive
them out far away. For this is "according to the multitude of their
ungodlinesses,"
that they should be driven out far away. The ungodly then are
driven
out from that inheritance, which is possessed by knowing and seeing God:
as
diseased eyes are driven out from the shining of the light, when what is
gladness
to others is pain to them. Therefore these shall not stand in the morning,
and
see. And that expression is as great a punishment, as that which is said,
"But
for
me it is good to cleave to the Lord," is a great reward. To this
punishment is
opposed,
"Enter thou into the joy of Your Lord;" Matthew 25:21 for similar to
this
expulsion
is, "Cast him into outer darkness." Matthew 25:30
15.
"Since they have embittered You, O Lord: I am," says He, "the
Bread which
came
down from heaven;" John 6:51 again, "Labour for the meat which wasts
not;"
John 6:27 again, "Taste and see that the Lord is sweet." But to
sinners the
bread
of truth is bitter. Whence they hate the mouth of him that speaks the truth.
These
then have embittered God, who by sin have fallen into such a state of
sickliness,
that the food of truth, in which healthy souls delight, as if it were bitter
as
gall, they cannot bear.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 5
28
16.
"And let all rejoice that hope in You;" those of course to whose
taste the Lord
is
sweet. "They will exult for evermore, and You will dwell in them"
(ver. 11).
This
will be the exultation for evermore, when the just become the
and
He, their Indweller, will be their joy. "And all that love Your name shall
glory
in
You:" as when what they love is present for them to enjoy. And well is it
said,
"in
You," as if in possession of the inheritance, of which the title of the
Psalm
speaks:
when they too are His inheritance, which is intimated by, "You will dwell
in
them." From which good they are kept back, whom God, according to the
multitude
of their ungodlinesses, drives out.
17.
"For You will bless the just man" (ver. 12). This is blessing, to
glory in God,
and
to be inhabited by God. Such sanctification is given to the just. But that they
may
be justified, a calling goes before: which is not of merit, but of the grace of
God.
"For all have sinned, and want the glory of God." Romans 3:23
"For whom
He
called, them He also justified; and whom He justified, them He also
glorified."
Romans
8:30 Since then calling is not of our merit, but of the goodness and mercy
of
God, he went on to say, "O Lord, as with the shield of Your good will You
have
crowned
us." For God's good will goes before our good will, to call sinners to
repentance.
And these are the arms whereby the enemy is overcome, against
whom
it is said, "Who will bring accusation against God's elect?" Again,
"if God
be
for us, who can be against us? Who spared not His Only Son, but delivered
Him
up for us all." "For if, when we were enemies, Christ died for us;
much more
being
reconciled shall we be saved from wrath through Him." Romans 5:10 This is
that
unconquerable shield, whereby the enemy is driven back, when he suggests
despair
of our salvation through the multitude of tribulations and temptations.
18.
The whole contents of the Psalm, then, are a prayer that she may be heard,
from
the words, "hear my words, O Lord," unto, "my King, and my
God." Then
follows
a view of those things which hinder the sight of God, that is, a knowledge
that
she is heard, from the words, "because I shall pray unto You, O Lord, in
the
morning
You will hear my voice," unto, "the man of blood and the crafty man
the
Lord
will abominate." Thirdly, she hopes that she, who is to be the house of
God,
even
now begins to draw near to Him in fear, before that perfection which casts
out
fear, from the words, "but I in the multitude of Your mercy," unto,
"I will
worship
at Your holy temple in Your fear." Fourthly, as she is progressing and
advancing
amongst those very things which she feels to hinder her, she prays that
she
may be assisted within, where no man sees, lest she be turned aside by evil
tongues,
for the words, "O Lord, lead me forth in Your justice because of my
enemies,"
unto, "with their tongues they dealt craftily." Fifthly, is a
prophecy of
what
punishment awaits the ungodly, when the just man shall scarcely be saved;
and
of what reward the just shall obtain, who, when they were called, came, and
bore
all things manfully, till they were brought to the end, from the words,
"judge
them,
O God," unto the end of the Psalm.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 6
29
Exposition
on Psalm 6
To
the end, in the hymns of the eighth, a psalm to David.
1.
"Of the eighth," seems here obscure. For the rest of this title is
more clear. Now
it
has seemed to some to intimate the day of judgment, that is, the time of the
coming
of our Lord, when He will come to judge the quick and dead. Which
coming,
it is believed, is to be, after reckoning the years from Adam, seven
thousand
years: so as that seven thousand years should pass as seven days, and
afterwards
that time arrive as it were the eighth day. But since it has been said by
the
Lord, "It is not yours to know the times, which the Father has put in His
own
power:"
Acts 1:7 and, "But of the day and that hour knows no man, no, neither
angel,
nor Power, neither the Son, but the Father alone:" Mark 13:32 and again,
that
which is written, "that the day of the Lord comes as a thief," shows
clearly
enough
that no man should arrogate to himself the knowledge of that time, by any
computation
of years. For if that day is to come after seven thousand years, every
man
could learn its advent by reckoning the years. What comes then of the Son's
even
not knowing this? Which of course is said with this meaning, that men do not
learn
this by the Son, not that He by Himself does not know it: according to that
form
of speech, "the Lord your God tries you that He may know;"
Deuteronomy
13:3 that is, that He may make you know: and, "arise, O Lord;" that
is,
make us arise. When therefore the Son is thus said not to know this day; not
because
He knows it not, but because He causes those to know it not, for whom it
is
not expedient to know it, that is, He does not show it to them; what does that
strange
presumption mean, which, by a reckoning up of years, expects the day of
the
Lord as most certain after seven thousand years?
2.
Be we then willingly ignorant of that which the Lord would not have us know:
and
let us inquire what this title, "of the eighth," means. The day of
judgment may
indeed,
even without any rash computation of years, be understood by the eighth,
for
that immediately after the end of this world, life eternal being attained, the
souls
of the righteous will not then be subject unto times: and, since all times have
their
revolution in a repetition of those seven days, that peradventure is called the
eighth
day, which will not have this variety. There is another reason, which may
be
here not unreasonably accepted, why the judgment should be called the eighth,
because
it will take place after two generations, one relating to the body, the other
to
the soul. For from Adam unto Moses the human race lived of the body, that is,
according
to the flesh: which is called the outward and the old man, and to which
the
Old Testament was given, that it might prefigure the spiritual things to come
by
operations, albeit religious, yet carnal. Through this entire season, when men
lived
according to the body, "death reigned," as the Apostle says,
"even over those
that
had not sinned." Now it reigned "after the similitude of Adam's
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 6
30
transgression,"
Romans 5:14 as the same Apostle says; for it must be taken of the
period
up to Moses, up to which time the works of the law, that is, those
sacraments
of carnal observance, held even those bound, for the sake of a certain
mystery,
who were subject to the One God. But from the coming of the Lord, from
whom
there was a transition from the circumcision of the flesh to the circumcision
of
the heart, the call was made, that man should live according to the soul, that
is,
according
to the inner man, who is also called the "new man" Colossians 3:10 by
reason
of the new birth and the renewing of spiritual conversation. Now it is plain
that
the number four has relation to the body, from the four well known elements
of
which it consists, and the four qualities of dry, humid, warm, cold. Hence too
it
is
administered by four seasons, spring, summer, autumn, winter. All this is very
well
known. For of the number four relating to the body we have treated elsewhere
somewhat
subtly, but obscurely: which must be avoided in this discourse, which
we
would have accommodated to the unlearned. But that the number three has
relation
to the mind may be understood from this, that we are commanded to love
God
after a threefold manner, with the whole heart, with the whole soul, with the
whole
mind: of each of which severally we must treat, not in the Psalms, but in the
Gospels:
for the present, for proof of the relation of the number three to the mind, I
think
what has been said enough. Those numbers then of the body which have
relation
to the old man and the Old Testament, being past and gone, the numbers
too
of the soul, which have relation to the new man and the New Testament, being
past
and gone, a septenary so to say being passed; because everything is done in
time,
four having been distributed to the body, three to the mind; the eighth will
come,
the day of judgment: which assigning to deserts their due, will transfer at
once
the saint, not to temporal works, but to eternal life; but will condemn the
ungodly
to eternal punishment.
3.
In fear of which condemnation the Church prays in this Psalm, and says,
"Reprove
me not, O Lord, in Your anger" (ver. 1). The Apostle too mentions the
anger
of the judgment; "Thou treasurest up unto yourself," he says,
"anger against
the
day of the anger of the just judgment of God." Romans 2:5 In which he
would
not
be reproved, whosoever longs to be healed in this life. "Nor in Your rage
chasten
me." "Chasten," seems rather too mild a word; for it avails
toward
amendment.
For for him who is reproved, that is, accused, it is to be feared lest his
end
be condemnation. But since "rage" seems to be more than
"anger," it may be a
difficulty,
why that which is milder, namely, chastening, is joined to that which is
more
severe, namely, rage. But I suppose that one and the same thing is signified
by
the two words. For in the Greek qumoj, which is in the first
verse, means the
same
as orgh,
which is in the second verse. But when the Latins themselves too
wished
to use two distinct words, they looked out for what was akin to
"anger,"
and
"rage" was used. Hence copies vary. For in some "anger" is
found first, and
then
"rage:" in others, for "rage," "indignation" or
"choler" is used. But whatever
the
reading, it is an emotion of the soul urging to the infliction of punishment.
Yet
Psalm 6 31
this
emotion must not be attributed to God, as if to a soul, of whom it is said,
"but
Thou,
O Lord of power, judgest with tranquillity." Wisdom 12:18 Now that which
is
tranquil, is not disturbed. Disturbance then does not attach to God as judge:
but
what
is done by His ministers, in that it is done by His laws, is called His anger.
In
which
anger, the soul, which now prays, would not only not be reproved, but not
even
chastened, that is, amended or instructed. For in the Greek it is, Paideuhj,
that
is, instruct. Now in the day of judgment all are "reproved" that hold
not the
foundation,
which is Christ. But they are amended, that is, purged, who "upon this
foundation
build wood, hay, stubble. For they shall suffer loss, but shall be saved,
as
by fire." What then does he pray, who would not be either reproved or
amended
in
the anger of the Lord? what else but that he may be healed? For where sound
health
is, neither death is to be dreaded, nor the physician's hand with caustics or
the
knife.
4.
He proceeds accordingly to say, "Pity me, O Lord, for I am weak: heal me,
O
Lord,
for my bones are troubled" (ver. 2), that is, the support of my soul, or
strength:
for this is the meaning of "bones." The soul therefore says, that her
strength
is troubled, when she speaks of bones. For it is not to be supposed, that
the
soul has bones, such as we see in the body. Wherefore, what follows tends to
explain
it, "and my soul is troubled exceedingly" (ver. 3), lest because he
mentioned
bones, they should be understood as of the body. "And You, O Lord,
how
long?" Who does not see represented here a soul struggling with her
diseases;
but
long kept back by the physician, that she may be convinced what evils she has
plunged
herself into through sin? For what is easily healed, is not much avoided:
but
from the difficulty of the healing, there will be the more careful keeping of
recovered
health. God then, to whom it is said, "And You, O Lord, how long?"
must
not be deemed as if cruel: but as a kind convincer of the soul, what evil she
has
procured for herself. For this soul does not yet pray so perfectly, as that it
can
be
said to her, "Whilst you are yet speaking I will say, Behold, here I
am."
Isaiah
65:24 That she may at the same time also come to know, if they who do
turn
meet with so great difficulty, how great punishment is prepared for the
ungodly,
who will not turn to God: as it is written in another place, "If the
righteous
scarcely be saved, where shall the sinner and ungodly appear?"
1
Peter 4:18
5.
"Turn, O Lord, and deliver my soul" (ver. 4). Turning herself she
prays that God
too
would turn to her: as it is said, "Turn ye unto Me, and I will turn unto
you,
says
the Lord." Zechariah 1:3 Or is it to be understood according to that way
of
speaking,
"Turn, O Lord," that is make me turn, since the soul in this her
turning
feels
difficulty and toil? For our perfected turning finds God ready, as says the
Prophet,
"We shall find Him ready as the dawn." Since it was not His absence
who
is
everywhere present, but our turning away that made us lose Him; "He was in
this
world," it is said, "and the world was made by Him, and the world
knew Him
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 6
32
not."
John 1:10 If, then, He was in this world, and the world knew Him not, our
impurity
does not endure the sight of Him. But while we are turning ourselves,
that
is, by changing our old life are fashioning our spirit; we feel it hard and
toilsome
to be wrested back from the darkness of earthly lusts, to the serene and
quiet
and tranquillity of the divine light. And in such difficulty we say,
"Turn, O
Lord,"
that is, help us, that that turning may be perfected in us, which finds You
ready,
and offering Yourself for the fruition of them that love You. And hence
after
he said, "Turn, O Lord," he added, "and deliver my soul:"
cleaving as it were
to
the entanglements of this world, and suffering, in the very act of turning,
from
the
thorns, as it were, of rending and tearing desires. "Make me whole,"
he says,
"for
Your pity's sake." He knows that it is not of his own merits that he is
healed:
for
to him sinning, and transgressing a given command, was just condemnation
due.
Heal me therefore, he says, not for my merit's sake, but for Your pity's sake.
6.
"For in death there is no one that is mindful of You" (ver. 5). He
knows too that
now
is the time for turning unto God: for when this life shall have passed away,
there
remains but a retribution of our deserts. "But in hell who shall confess
to
You?"
Luke xvi That rich man, of whom the Lord speaks, who saw Lazarus in
rest,
but bewailed himself in torments, confessed in hell, yea so as to wish even to
have
his brethren warned, that they might keep themselves from sin, because of
the
punishment which is not believed to be in hell. Although therefore to no
purpose,
yet he confessed that those torments had deservedly lighted upon him;
since
he even wished his brethren to be instructed, lest they should fall into the
same.
What then is, "But in hell who will confess to You?" Is hell to be
understood
as that place, whither the ungodly will be cast down after the
judgment,
when by reason of that deeper darkness they will no more see any light
of
God, to whom they may confess anything? For as yet that rich man by raising
his
eyes, although a vast gulf lay between, could still see Lazarus established in
rest:
by comparing himself with whom, he was driven to a confession of his own
deserts.
It may be understood also, as if the Psalmist calls sin, that is committed in
contempt
of God's law, death: so as that we should give the name of death to the
sting
of death, because it procures death. "For the sting of death is sin."
1
Corinthians 15:56 In which death this is to be unmindful of God, to despise His
law
and commandments: so that by hell the Psalmist would mean that blindness of
soul
which overtakes and enwraps the sinner, that is, the dying. "As they did
not
think
good," the Apostle says, "to retain God in" their
"knowledge, God gave them
over
to a reprobate mind." Romans 1:28 From this death, and this hell, the soul
earnestly
prays that she may be kept safe, while she strives to turn to God, and
feels
her difficulties.
7.
Wherefore he goes on to say, "I have laboured in my groaning." And as
if this
availed
but little, he adds, "I will wash each night my couch" (ver. 6). That
is here
called
a couch, where the sick and weak soul rests, that is, in bodily gratification
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 6
33
and
in every worldly pleasure. Which pleasure, whoso endeavours to withdraw
himself
from it, washes with tears. For he sees that he already condemns carnal
lusts;
and yet his weakness is held by the pleasure, and willingly lies down therein,
from
whence none but the soul that is made whole can rise. As for what he says,
"each
night," he would perhaps have it taken thus: that he who, ready in spirit,
perceives
some light of truth, and yet, through weakness of the flesh, rests
sometime
in the pleasure of this world, is compelled to suffer as it were days and
nights
in an alternation of feeling: as when he says, "With the mind I serve the
law
of
God," he feels as it were day; again when he says, "but with the
flesh the law of
sin,"
Romans 7:25 he declines into night: until all night passes away, and that one
day
comes, of which it is said, "In the morning I will stand by You, and will
see."
For
then he will stand, but now he lies down, when he is on his couch; which he
will
wash each night, that with so great abundance of tears he may obtain the most
assured
remedy from the mercy of God. "I will drench my bed with tears." It
is a
repetition.
For when he says, "with tears," he shows with what meaning he said
above,
"I will wash." For we take "bed" here to be the same as
"couch" above.
Although,
"I will drench," is something more than, "I will wash:"
since anything
may
be washed superficially, but drenching penetrates to the more inward parts;
which
here signifies weeping to the very bottom of the heart. Now the variety of
tenses
which he uses; the past, when he said, "I have laboured in my
groaning;"
and
the future, when he said, "I will wash each night my couch;" the
future again,
"I
will drench my bed with tears;" this shows what every man ought to say to
himself,
when he labours in groaning to no purpose. As if he should say, It has not
profited
when I have done this, therefore I will do the other.
8.
"My eye is disordered by anger" (ver. 7): is it by his own, or God's
anger, in
which
he makes petition that he might not be reproved, or chastened? But if anger
in
that place intimate the day of judgment, how can it be understood now? Is it a
beginning
of it, that men here suffer pains and torments, and above all the loss of
the
understanding of the truth; as I have already quoted that which is said,
"God
gave
them over to a reprobate mind"? Romans 1:28 For such is the blindness of
the
mind. Whosoever is given over thereunto, is shut out from the interior light of
God:
but not wholly as yet, while he is in this life. For there is "outer
darkness,"
Matthew
25:30 which is understood to belong rather to the day of judgment; that
he
should rather be wholly without God, whosoever while there is time refuses
correction.
Now to be wholly without God, what else is it, but to be in extreme
blindness?
If indeed God "dwell in inaccessible light," 1 Timothy 6:16 whereinto
they
enter, to whom it is said, "Enter thou into the joy of your Lord." It
is then the
beginning
of this anger, which in this life every sinner suffers. In fear therefore of
the
day of judgment, he is in trial and grief; lest he be brought to that, the
disastrous
commencement of which he experiences now. And therefore he did not
say,
my eye is extinguished, but, "my eye is disordered by anger." But if
he mean
that
his eye is disordered by his own anger, there is no wonder either in this. For
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 6
34
hence
perhaps it is said, "Let not the sun go down upon your wrath;"
Ephesians
4:26 because the mind, which, from her own disorder, is not permitted
to
see God, supposes that the inner sun, that is, the wisdom of God, suffers as it
were
a setting in her.
9.
"I have grown old in all mine enemies." He had only spoken of anger
(if it were
yet
of his own anger that he spoke): but thinking on his other vices, he found that
he
was entrenched by them all. Which vices, as they belong to the old life and the
old
man, which we must put off, that we may put on the new man, Colossians 3:9-
10
it is well said, "I have grown old." But "in all mine
enemies," he means, either
amidst
these vices, or amidst men who will not be converted to God. For these,
even
if they know them not, even if they bear with them, even if they use the same
tables
and houses and cities, with no strife arising between them, and in frequent
converse
together with seeming concord: notwithstanding, by the contrariety of
their
aims, they are enemies to those who turn unto God. For seeing that the one
love
and desire this world, the others wish to be freed from this world, who sees
not
that the first are enemies to the last? For if they can, they draw the others
into
punishment
with them. And it is a great grace, to be conversant daily with their
words,
and not to depart from the way of God's commandments. For often the
mind
which is striving to go on to God-ward, being rudely handled in the very
road,
is alarmed; and generally fulfils not its good intent, lest it should offend
those
with whom it lives, who love and follow after other perishable and transient
goods.
From such every one that is whole is separated, not in space, but in soul.
For
the body is contained in space, but the soul's space is her affection.
10.
Wherefore after the labour, and groaning, and very frequent showers of tears,
since
that cannot be ineffectual, which is asked so earnestly of Him, who is the
Fountain
of all mercies, and it is most truly said, "the Lord is nigh unto them
that
are
of a broken heart:" after difficulties so great, the pious soul, by which
we may
also
understand the Church, intimating that she has been heard, see what she adds:
"Depart
from me, all you that work iniquity; for the Lord has heard the voice of
my
weeping" (ver. 8). It is either spoken prophetically, since they will depart,
that
is,
the ungodly will be separated from the righteous, when the day of judgment
arrives,
or, for this time present. For although both are equally found in the same
assemblies,
yet on the open floor the wheat is already separated from the chaff,
though
it be hid among the chaff. They can therefore be associated together, but
cannot
be carried away by the wind together.
11.
"For the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping; The Lord has heard my
supplication;
the Lord has received my prayer" (ver. 9). The frequent repetition of
the
same sentiments shows not, so to say, the necessities of the narrator, but the
warm
feeling of his joy. For they that rejoice are wont so to speak, as that it is
not
enough
for them to declare once for all the object of their joy. This is the fruit of
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm
6
35
that
groaning in which there is labour, and those tears with which the couch is
washed,
and bed drenched: for, "he that sows in tears, shall reap in joy:"
and,
"blessed
are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted."
12.
"Let all mine enemies be ashamed and vexed" (ver. 10). He said above,
"depart
from
me all you:" which can take place, as it has been explained, even in this
life:
but
as to what he says, "let them be ashamed and vexed," I do not see how
it can
happen,
save on that day when the rewards of the righteous and the punishments
of
the sinners shall be made manifest. For at present so far are the ungodly from
being
ashamed, that they do not cease to insult us. And for the most part their
mockings
are of such avail, that they make the weak to be ashamed of the name of
Christ.
Hence it is said, "Whosoever shall be ashamed of Me before men, of him
will
I be ashamed before My Father." But now whosoever would fulfil those
sublime
commands, to disperse, to give to the poor, that his righteousness may
endure
for ever; and selling all his earthly goods, and spending them on the needy,
would
follow Christ, saying, "We brought nothing into this world, and truly we
can
carry nothing out; having food and raiment, let us be therewith content;"
1
Timothy 6:7-8 incurs the profane raillery of those men, and by those who will
not
be made whole, is called mad; and often to avoid being so called by desperate
men,
he fears to do, and puts off that, which the most faithful and powerful of all
physicians
has ordered. It is not then at present that these can be ashamed, by
whom
we have to wish that we be not made ashamed, and so be either called back
from
our proposed journey, or hindered, or delayed. But the time will come when
they
shall be ashamed, saying as it is written, "These are they whom we had
sometimes
in derision, and a parable of reproach: we fools counted their life
madness,
and their end to be without honour: how are they numbered among the
children
of God, and their lot is among the saints? Therefore have we erred from
the
way of truth, and the light of righteousness has not shined into us, nor the
sun
risen
upon us: we have been filled with the way of wickedness and destruction,
and
have walked through rugged deserts, but the way of the Lord we have not
known.
What has pride profited us, or what has the vaunting of riches brought us?
All
those things are passed away like a shadow." Wisdom 5:3-9
13.
But as to what he says, "Let them be turned and confounded," who
would not
judge
it to be a most righteous punishment, that they should have a turning unto
confusion,
who would not have one unto salvation? After this he added,
"exceeding
quickly." For when the day of judgment shall have begun to be no
longer
looked for, when they shall have said, "Peace, then shall sudden
destruction
come
upon them." Now whensoever it come, that comes very quickly, of whose
coming
we give up all expectation; and nothing makes the length of this life be felt
but
the hope of living. For nothing seems more quick, than all that has already
passed
in it. When then the day of judgment shall come, then will sinners feel how
that
all the life which passes away is not long. Nor will that any way possibly
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 6
36
seem
to them to have come tardily, which shall have come without their desiring,
or
rather without their believing. Although it can too be taken in this place
thus,
that
inasmuch as God has heard, so to say, her groans, and her long and frequent
tears,
she may be understood to be freed from her sins, and to have tamed every
disordered
impulse of carnal affection: as she says, "Depart from me, all you that
work
iniquity, for the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping:" and when she
has
had
this happy issue, it is no marvel if she be already so perfect as to pray for
her
enemies.
The words then, "Let all mine enemies be ashamed, and vexed," may
have
this meaning; that they should repent of their sins, which cannot be effected
without
confusion and vexation. There is then nothing to hinder us from taking
what
follows too in this sense, "let them be turned and ashamed," that is,
let them
be
turned to God, and be ashamed that they sometime gloried in the former
darkness
of their sins; as the Apostle says, "For what glory had ye sometime in
those
things of which you are now ashamed?" Romans 6:21 But as to what he
added,
"exceeding quickly," it must be referred either to the warm affection
of her
wish,
or to the power of Christ; who converts to the faith of the Gospel in such
quick
time the nations, which in their idols' cause did persecute the Church.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 7
37
Exposition on Psalm 7
A
psalm to David himself, which he sung to the Lord, for the words of Chusi, son
of
Jemini.
1.
Now the story which gave occasion to this prophecy may be easily recognised
in
the second book of Kings. 2 Samuel 15:34-37 For there Chusi, the friend of
king
David, went over to the side of Absalom, his son, who was carrying on war
against
his father, for the purpose of discovering and reporting the designs which
he
was taking against his father, at the instigation of Achitophel, who had
revolted
from
David's friendship, and was instructing by his counsel, to the best of his
power,
the son against the father. But since it is not the story itself which is to be
the
subject of consideration in this Psalm, from which the prophet has taken a veil
of
mysteries, if we have passed over to Christ, let the veil be taken away.
2
Corinthians 3:16 And first let us inquire into the signification of the very
names,
what
it means. For there have not been wanting interpreters, who investigating
these
same words, not carnally according to the letter, but spiritually, declare to
us
that
Chusi should be interpreted silence; and Gemini, right-handed; Achitophel,
brother's
ruin. Among which interpretations, Judas, that traitor, again meets us,
that
Absalom should bear his image, according to that interpretation of it as a
father's
peace; in that his father was full of thoughts of peace toward him: although
he
in his guile had war in his heart, as was treated of in the third Psalm. Now as
we
find in the Gospels that the disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ are called
sons,
Matthew
9:15 so in the same Gospels we find they are called brethren also. For the
Lord
on the resurrection says, "Go and say to My brethren." John 20:17 And
the
Apostle
calls Him "the first begotten among many brethren." The ruin then of
that
disciple,
who betrayed Him, is rightly understood to be a brother's ruin, which we
said
is the interpretation of Achitophel. Now as to Chusi, from the interpretation
of
silence,
it is rightly understood that our Lord contended against that guile in
silence,
that is, in that most deep secret, whereby "blindness happened in part to
Gentiles
might enter in, and "so all
to
this profound secret and deep silence, he exclaimed, as if struck with a kind
of
awe
of its very depth, "O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge
of
God!
how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! For
who
has known the wind of the Lord, or who has been His counsellor?"
Romans
11:33-34 Thus that great silence he does not so much discover by
explanation,
as he sets forth its greatness in admiration. In this silence the Lord,
hiding
the sacrament of His adorable passion, turns the brother's voluntary ruin,
that
is, His betrayer's impious wickedness, into the order of His mercy and
providence:
that what he with perverse mind wrought for one Man's destruction,
He
might by providential overruling dispose for all men's salvation. The perfect
soul
then, which is already worthy to know the secret of God, sings a Psalm unto
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 7
38
the
Lord, she sings "for the words of Chusi," because she has attained to
know the
words
of that silence: for among unbelievers and persecutors there is that silence
and
secret. But among His own, to whom it is said, "Now I call you no more
servants;
for the servant knows not what his lord does; but I have called you
friends,
for all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you:
John
15:15 among His friends, I say, there is not the silence, but the words of the
silence,
that is, the meaning of that silence set forth and manifested. Which
silence,
that is, Chusi, is called the son of Gemini, that is, righthanded. For what
was
done for the Saints was not to be hidden from them. And yet He says, "Let
not
the
left hand know what the right hand does." Matthew 6:3 The perfect soul
then,
to
which that secret has been made known, sings in prophecy "for the words of
Chusi,"
that is, for the knowledge of that same secret. Which secret God at her
right
hand, that is, favourable and propitious unto her, has wrought. Wherefore this
silence
is called the Son of the right hand, which is, "Chusi, the son of
Gemini."
2.
"O Lord my God, in You have I hoped: save me from all them that persecute
me,
and deliver me" (ver. 1). As one to whom, already perfected, all the war
and
enmity
of vice being overcome, there remains no enemy but the envious devil, he
says,
"Save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me (ver. 2): lest at
any
time
he tear my soul as a lion." The Apostle says, "Your adversary the
devil, as a
roaring
lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour." 1 Peter 5:8 Therefore
when
the Psalmist said in the plural number, "Save me from all them that
persecute
me:" he afterwards introduced the singular, saying, "lest at any time
he
tear
my soul as a lion." For he does not say, lest at any time they tear: he
knew
what
enemy and violent adversary of the perfect soul remained. "Whilst there be
none
to redeem, nor to save:" that is, lest he tear me, while Thou redeemest
not,
nor
savest. For, if God redeem not, nor save, he tears.
3.
And that it might be clear that the already perfect soul, which is to be on her
guard
against the most insidious snares of the devil only, says this, see what
follows.
"O Lord my God, if I have done this" (ver. 3). What is it that he
calls
"this"?
Since he does not mention the sin by name, are we to understand sin
generally?
If this sense displease us, we may take that to be meant which follows:
as
if we had asked, what is this that you say, "this"? He answers,
"If there be
iniquity
in my hands." Now then it is clear that it is said of all sin, "If I
have repaid
them
that recompense me evil" (ver. 4). Which none can say with truth, but the
perfect.
For so the Lord says, "Be perfect, as your Father which is in heaven; who
makes
His sun to rise upon the good and the evil, and rains on the just and the
unjust."
Matthew 5:43, 45 He then who repays not them that recompense evil, is
perfect.
When therefore the perfect soul prays "for the words of Chusi, the son of
Jemini,"
that is, for the knowledge of that secret and silence, which the Lord,
favourable
to us and merciful, wrought for our salvation, so as to endure, and with
all
patience bear, the guiles of this betrayer: as if He should say to this perfect
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 7
39
soul,
explaining the design of this secret, For you ungodly and a sinner, that your
iniquities
might be washed away by My blood-shedding, in great silence and great
patience
I bore with My betrayer; will you not imitate me, that you too may not
repay
evil for evil? Considering then, and understanding what the Lord has done
for
him, and by His example going on to perfection, the Psalmist says, "If I
have
repaid
them that recompense me evil:" that is, if I have not done what You have
taught
me by Your example: "may I therefore fall by mine enemies empty." And
he
says well, not, If I have repaid them that do me evil; but, who "recompense."
For
who so recompenses, had received somewhat already. Now it is an instance of
greater
patience, not even to repay him evil, who after receiving benefits returns
evil
for good, than if without receiving any previous benefit he had had a mind to
injure.
If therefore he says, "I have repaid them that recompense me evil:"
that is,
If
I have not imitated You in that silence, that is, in Your patience, which You
have
wrought for me, "may I fall by mine enemies empty." For he is an
empty
boaster,
who, being himself a man, desires to avenge himself on a man; and while
he
openly seeks to overcome a man, is secretly himself overcome by the devil,
rendered
empty by vain and proud joy, because he could not, as it were, be
conquered.
The Psalmist knows then where a greater victory may be obtained, and
where
"the Father which sees in secret will reward." Matthew 6:6 Lest then
he
repay
them that recompense evil, he overcomes his anger rather than another man,
being
instructed too by those writings, wherein it is written, "Better is he
that
overcomes
his anger, than he that takes a city." Proverbs 16:32 "If I have
repaid
them
that recompense me evil, may I therefore fall by my enemies empty." He
seems
to swear by way of execration, which is the heaviest kind of oath, as when
one
says, If I have done so and so, may I suffer so and so. But swearing in a
swearer's
mouth is one thing, in a prophet's meaning another. For here he mentions
what
will really befall men who repay them that recompense evil; not what, as by
an
oath, he would imprecate on himself or any other.
4.
"Let the enemy" therefore "persecute my soul and take it"
(ver. 5). By again
naming
the enemy in the singular number, he more and more clearly points out
him
whom he spoke of above as a lion. For he persecutes the soul, and if he has
deceived
it, will take it. For the limit of men's rage is the destruction of the body;
but
the soul, after this visible death, they cannot keep in their power: whereas
whatever
souls the devil shall have taken by his persecutions, he will keep. "And
let
him tread my life upon the earth:" that is, by treading let him make my
life
earth,
that is to say, his food. For he is not only called a lion, but a serpent too,
to
whom
it was said, "Earth shall you eat." Genesis 3:14 And to the sinner
was it
said,
"Earth you are, and into earth shall you go." Genesis 3:19 "And
let him bring
down
my glory to the dust." This is that dust which "the wind casts forth
from the
face
of the earth," to wit, vain and silly boasting of the proud, puffed up,
not of
solid
weight, as a cloud of dust carried away by the wind. Justly then has he here
spoken
of the glory, which he would not have brought down to dust. For he would
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 7
40
have
it solidly established in conscience before God, where there is no boasting.
"He
that glories," says the Apostle, "let him glory in the Lord." 1
Corinthians 1:31
This
solidity is brought down to the dust if one through pride despising the secrecy
of
conscience, where God only proves a man, desires to glory before men. Hence
comes
what the Psalmist elsewhere says, "God shall bruise the bones of them that
please
men." Now he that has well learned or experienced the steps in overcoming
vices,
knows that this vice of empty glory is either alone, or more than all, to be
shunned
by the perfect. For that by which the soul first fell, she overcomes the
last.
"For the beginning of all sin is pride:" and again, "The
beginning of man's
pride
is to depart from God."
5.
"Arise, O Lord, in Your anger" (ver. 6). Why yet does he, who we say
is
perfect,
incite God to anger? Must we not see, whether he rather be not perfect,
who,
when he was being stoned, said, "O Lord, lay not this sin to their
charge"?
Acts
7:60 Or does the Psalmist pray thus not against men, but against the devil and
his
angels, whose possession sinners and the ungodly are? He then does not pray
against
him in wrath, but in mercy, whosoever prays that that possession may be
taken
from him by that Lord "who justifies the ungodly." Romans 4:5 For
when
the
ungodly is justified, from ungodly he is made just, and from being the
possession
of the devil he passes into the
punishment
that a possession, in which one longs to have rule, should be taken
away
from him: this punishment, that he should cease to possess those whom he
now
possesses, the Psalmist calls the anger of God against the devil. "Arise,
O
Lord;
in Your anger." "Arise" (he has used it as "appear"),
in words, that is, human
and
obscure; as though God sleeps, when He is unrecognised and hidden in His
secret
workings. "Be exalted in the borders of mine enemies." He means by
borders
the possession itself, in which he wishes that God should be exalted, that
is,
be honoured and glorified, rather than the devil, while the ungodly are justified
and
praise God. "And arise, O Lord my God, in the commandment that You have
given:"
that is, since You have enjoined humility, appear in humility; and first
fulfil
what You have enjoined; that men by Your example overcoming pride may
not
be possessed of the devil, who against Your commandments advised to pride,
saying,
"Eat, and your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods."
Genesis 3:5
6.
"And the congregation of the people shall surround You." This may be
understood
two ways. For the congregation of the people can be taken, either of
them
that believe, or of them that persecute, both of which took place in the same
humiliation
of our Lord: in contempt of which the multitude of them that persecute
surrounded
Him; concerning which it is said, "Why have the heathen raged, and
the
people meditated vain things?" But of them that believe through His
humiliation
the multitude so surrounded Him, that it could be said with the
greatest
truth, "blindness in part is happened unto
Gentiles
might come in:" Romans 11:25 and again, "Ask of me, and I will give
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 7 41
You
the Gentiles for Your inheritance, and the boundaries of the earth for Your
possession."
"And for their sakes return Thou on high:" that is, for the sake of
this
congregation
return Thou on high: which He is understood to have done by His
resurrection
and ascension into heaven. For being thus glorified He gave the Holy
Ghost,
which before His exaltation could not be given, as it is written in the
Gospel,
"for the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet
glorified."
John 7:39 Having then returned on high for the sake of the
congregation
of the people, He sent the Holy Ghost: by whom the preachers of the
Gospel
being filled, filled the whole world with Churches.
7.
It can be taken also in this sense: "Arise, O Lord, in Your anger, and be
exalted
in
the borders of mine enemies:" that is, arise in Your anger, and let not
mine
enemies
understand You; so that to "be exalted," should be this, become high,
that
You
may not be understood; which has reference to the silence spoken of above.
For
it is of this exaltation thus said in another Psalm, "And He ascended upon
Cherubim,
and flew:" and, "He made darkness His secret place." In which
exaltation,
or concealment, when for their sins' desert they shall not understand
You,
who shall crucify You, "the congregation" of believers "shall
surround You."
For
in His very humiliation He was exalted, that is, was not understood. So that,
"And
arise, O Lord my God, in the commandment that You have given:" may
have
reference to this, that is, when Thou showest Yourself, be high or deep that
mine
enemies may not understand You. Now sinners are the enemies of the just
man,
and the ungodly of the godly man. "And the congregation of the people
shall
surround
You:" that is, by this very circumstance, that those who crucify You
understand
You not, the Gentiles shall believe in You, and so "shall the
congregation
of the people surround You." But what follows, if this be the true
meaning,
has in it more pain, that it begins already to be perceived, than joy that it
is
understood. For it follows, "and for their sakes return Thou on
high," that is, and
for
the sake of this congregation of the human race, wherewith the Churches are
crowded,
return Thou on high, that is, again cease to be understood. What then is,
"and
for their sakes," but that this congregation too will offend You, so that
You
may
most truly foretell and say, "Thinkest Thou when the Son of man shall
come,
He
will find faith on the earth?" Luke 18:8 Again, of the false prophets, who
are
understood
to be heretics, He says, "Because of their iniquity the love of many
shall
wax cold." Matthew 24:12 Since then even in the Churches, that is, in that
congregation
of peoples and nations, where the Christian name has most widely
spread,
there shall be so great abundance of sinners, which is already, in great
measure,
perceived; is not that famine of the word Amos 8:11 here predicted,
which
has been threatened by another prophet also? Is it not too for this
congregation's
sake, who, by their sins, are estranging from themselves that light
of
truth, that God returns on high, that is, so that faith, pure and cleansed from
the
corruption
of all perverse opinions, is held and received, either not at all, or by the
very
few of whom it was said, "Blessed is he that shall endure to the end, the
same
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 7
42
shall
be saved"? Mark 13:13 Not without cause then is it said, "and for the
sake of
this"
congregation "return Thou on high:" that is, again withdraw into the
depth of
Your
secrecy, even for the sake of this congregation of the peoples, that has Your
name,
and does not Your deeds.
8.
But whether the former exposition of this place, or this last be the more
suitable,
without
prejudice to any one better, or equal, or as good, it follows very
consistently,
"the Lord judges the people." For whether He returned on high,
when,
after the resurrection, He ascended into heaven, well does it follow, "The
Lord
judges the people:" for that He will come from thence to judge the quick
and
the
dead. Or whether He return on high, when the understanding of the truth leaves
sinful
Christians, for that of His coming it has been said, "Do you think the Son
of
Man
on His coming will find faith on the earth?" Luke 18:8 "The
Lord" then
"judges
the people." What Lord, but Jesus Christ? "For the Father judges no
man,
but
has committed all judgment unto the Son." John 5:22 Wherefore this soul
which
prays perfectly, see how she fears not the day of judgment, and with a truly
secure
longing says in her prayer, "Your kingdom come: judge me," she says,
"O
Lord,
according to my righteousness." In the former Psalm a weak one was
entreating,
imploring rather the mercy of God, than mentioning any desert of his
own:
since the Son of God came "to call sinners to repentance." Matthew
9:13
Therefore
he had there said, "Save me, O Lord, for Your mercy's sake;" that is,
not
for
my desert's sake. But now, since being called he has held and kept the
commandments
which he received, he is bold to say, "Judge me, O Lord,
according
to my righteousness, and according to my harmlessness, that is upon
me."
This is true harmlessness, which harms not even an enemy. Accordingly,
well
does he require to be judged according to his harmlessness, who could say
with
truth, "If I have repaid them that recompense me evil." As for what
he added,
"that
is upon me," it can refer not only to harmlessness, but can be understood
also
with
reference to righteousness; that the sense should be this, Judge me, O Lord,
according
to my righteousness, and according to my harmlessness, which
righteousness
and harmlessness is upon me. By which addition he shows that this
very
thing, that the soul is righteous and harmless, she has not by herself, but by
God
who gives brightness and light. For of this he says in another Psalm,
"You, O
Lord,
wilt light my candle." And of John it is said, that "he was not the
light, but
bore
witness of the light." John 1:8 "He was a burning and shining
candle."
John
5:35 That light then, whence souls, as candles, are kindled, shines forth not
with
borrowed, but with original, brightness, which light is truth itself. It is
then so
said,
"According to my righteousness, and according to my harmlessness, that is
upon
me," as if a burning and shining candle should say, Judge me according to
the
flame which is upon me, that is, not that wherewith I am myself, but that
whereby
I shine enkindled of you.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 7
43
9.
"But let the wickedness of sinners be consummated" (ver. 9). He says,
"be
consummated,"
be completed, according to that in the Apocalypse, "Let the
righteous
become more righteous, and let the filthy be filthy still."
Revelation
22:11 For the wickedness of those men appears consummate, who
crucified
the Son of God; but greater is theirs who will not live uprightly, and hate
the
precepts of truth, for whom the Son of God was crucified. "Let the
wickedness
of
sinners," then he says, "be consummated," that is, arrive at the
height of
wickedness,
that just judgment may be able to come at once. But since it is not
only
said, "Let the filthy be filthy still;" but it is said also,
"Let the righteous
become
more righteous;" he joins on the words, "And You shall direct the
righteous,
O God, who searches the hearts and reins." How then can the righteous
be
directed but in secret? when even by means of those things which, in the
commencement
of the Christian ages, when as yet the saints were oppressed by the
persecution
of the men of this world, appeared marvellous to men, now that the
Christian
name has begun to be in such high dignity, hypocrisy, that is pretence,
has
increased; of those, I mean, who by the Christian profession had rather please
men
than God. How then is the righteous man directed in so great confusion of
pretence,
save while God searches the hearts and reins; seeing all men's thoughts,
which
are meant by the word heart; and their delights, which are understood by the
word
reins? For the delight in things temporal and earthly is rightly ascribed to
the
reins;
for that it is both the lower part of man, and that region where the pleasure
of
carnal generation dwells, through which man's nature is transferred into this
life
of
care, and deceiving joy, by the succession of the race. God then, searching our
heart,
and perceiving that it is there where our treasure is, that is, in heaven;
searching
also the reins, and perceiving that we do not assent to flesh and blood,
but
delight ourselves in the Lord, directs the righteous man in his inward
conscience
before Him, where no man sees, but He alone who perceives what each
man
thinks, and what delights each. For delight is the end of care; because to this
end
does each man strive by care and thought, that he may attain to his delight. He
therefore
sees our cares, who searches the heart. He sees too the ends of cares, that
is
delights, who narrowly searches the reins; that when He shall find that our
cares
incline
neither to the lust of the flesh, nor to the lust of the eyes, nor to the pride
of
life,
1 John 2:16 all which pass away as a shadow, but that they are raised upward
to
the joys of things eternal, which are spoilt by no change, He may direct the
righteous,
even He, the God who searches the hearts and reins. For our works,
which
we do in deeds and words, may be known unto men; but with what mind
they
are done, and to what end we would attain by means of them, He alone
knows,
the God who searches the hearts and reins.
10.
"My righteous help is from the Lord, who makes whole the upright in
heart"
(ver.
10). The offices of medicine are twofold, on the curing infirmity, the other
the
preserving health. According to the first it was said in the preceding Psalm,
"Have
mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak;" according to the second it is said in
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm
7
44
this
Psalm, "If there be iniquity in my hands, if I have repaid them that
recompense
me evil, may I therefore fall by my enemies empty." For there the
weak
prays that he may be delivered, here one already whole that he may not
change
for the worse. According to the one it is there said, "Make me whole for
Your
mercy's sake;" according to this other it is here said, "Judge me, O
Lord,
according
to my righteousness." For there he asks for a remedy to escape from
disease;
but here for protection from falling into disease. According to the former
it
is said, "Make me whole, O Lord, according to Your mercy:" according
to the
latter
it is said, "My righteous help is from the Lord, who makes whole the
upright
in
heart." Both the one and the other makes men whole; but the former removes
them
from sickness into health, the latter preserves them in this health. Therefore
there
the help is merciful, because the sinner has no desert, who as yet longs to be
justified,
"believing on Him who justifies the ungodly;" Romans 4:5 but here the
help
is righteous, because it is given to one already righteous. Let the sinner then
who
said, "I am weak," say in the first place, "Make me whole, O
Lord, for Your
mercy's
sake;" and here let the righteous man, who said, "If I have repaid
them
that
recompense me evil," say, "My righteous help is from the Lord, who
makes
whole
the upright in heart." For if he sets forth the medicine, by which we may
be
healed
when weak, how much more that by which we may be kept in health. For if
"while
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, how much more being now
justified
shall we be kept whole from wrath through Him." Romans 5:8-9
11.
"My righteous help is from the Lord, who makes whole the upright in
heart."
God,
who searches the hearts and reins, directs the righteous; but with righteous
help
makes He whole the upright in heart. He does not as He searches the hearts
and
reins, so make whole the upright in heart and reins; for the thoughts are both
bad
in a depraved heart, and good in an upright heart; but delights which are not
good
belong to the reins, for they are more low and earthly; but those that are good
not
to the reins, but to the heart itself. Wherefore men cannot be so called
upright
in
reins, as they are called upright in heart, since where the thought is, there
at
once
the delight is too; which cannot be, unless when things divine and eternal are
thought
of. "You have given," he says, "joy in my heart," when he
had said, "The
light
of Your countenance has been stamped on us, O Lord." For although the
phantoms
of things temporal, which the mind falsely pictures to itself, when tossed
by
vain and mortal hope, to vain imagination oftentimes bring a delirious and
maddened
joy; yet this delight must be attributed not to the heart, but to the reins;
for
all these imaginations have been drawn from lower, that is, earthly and carnal
things.
Hence it comes, that God, who searches the hearts and reins, and perceives
in
the heart upright thoughts, in the reins no delights, affords righteous help to
the
upright
in heart, where heavenly delights are coupled with clean thoughts. And
therefore
when in another Psalm he had said, "Moreover even to-night my reins
have
chided me;" he went on to say as touching help, "I foresaw the Lord
alway in
my
sight, for He is on my right hand, that I should not be moved." Where he
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 7
45
shows
that he suffered suggestions only from the reins, not delights as well; for he
had
suffered these, then he would of course be moved. But he said, "The Lord
is
on
my right hand, that I should not be moved;" and then he adds,
"Wherefore was
my
heart delighted;" that the reins should have been able to chide, not
delight him.
The
delight accordingly was produced not in the reins, but there, where against the
chiding
of the reins God was foreseen to be on the right hand, that is, in the heart.
12.
"God the righteous judge, strong (in endurance) and long-suffering"
(ver. 11).
What
God is judge, but the Lord, who judges the people? He is righteous; who
"shall
render to every man according to his works." Matthew 16:27 He is strong
(in
endurance); who, being most powerful, for our salvation bore even with
ungodly
persecutors. He is long-suffering; who did not immediately, after His
resurrection,
hurry away to punishment, even those that persecuted Him, but bore
with
them, that they might at length turn from that ungodliness to salvation: and
still
He bears with them, reserving the last penalty for the last judgment, and up to
this
present time inviting sinners to repentance. "Not bringing in anger every
day."
Perhaps
"bringing in anger" is a more significant expression than being angry
(and
so
we find it in the Greek copies); that the anger, whereby He punishes, should
not
be
in Him, but in the minds of those ministers who obey the commandments of
truth
through whom orders are given even to the lower ministries, who are called
angels
of wrath, to punish sin: whom even now the punishment of men delights
not
for justice' sake, in which they have no pleasure, but for malice' sake. God
then
does
not "bring in anger every day," that is, He does not collect His
ministers for
vengeance
every day. For now the patience of God invites to repentance: but in the
last
time, when men "through their hardness and impenitent heart shall have
treasured
up for themselves anger in the day of anger, and revelation of the
righteous
judgment of God, Romans 2:5 then He will brandish His sword."
13.
"Unless ye be converted," He says, "He will brandish His
sword" (ver. 12).
The
Lord Man Himself may be taken to be God's double-edged sword, that is, His
spear,
which at His first coming He will not brandish, but hides as it were in the
sheath
of humiliation: but He will brandish it, when at the second coming to judge
the
quick and dead, in the manifest splendour of His glory, He shall flash light on
His
righteous ones, and terror on the ungodly. For in other copies, instead of,
"He
shall
brandish His sword," it has been written, "He shall make bright His
spear:"
by
which word I think the last coming of the Lord's glory most appropriately
signified:
seeing that is understood of His person, which another Psalm has,
"Deliver,
O Lord, my soul from the ungodly, Your spear from the enemies of Your
hand.
He has bent His bow, and made it ready." The tenses of the words must not
be
altogether overlooked, how he has spoken of "the sword" in the
future, "He will
brandish;"
of "the bow" in the past, "He has bent:" and these words of
the past
tense
follow after.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 7 46
14.
"And in it He has prepared the instruments of death: He has wrought His
arrows
for the burning" (ver. 13). That bow then I would readily take to be the
Holy
Scripture, in which by the strength of the New Testament, as by a sort of
string,
the hardness of the Old has been bent and subdued. From thence the
Apostles
are sent forth like arrows, or divine preachings are shot. Which arrows
"He
has wrought for the burning," arrows, that is, whereby being stricken they
might
be inflamed with heavenly love. For by what other arrows was she stricken,
who
says, "Bring me into the house of wine, place me among perfumes, crowd me
among
honey, for I have been wounded with love"? By what other arrows is he
kindled,
who, desirous of returning to God, and coming back from wandering,
asks
for help against crafty tongues, and to whom it is said, "What shall be
given
you,
or what added to you against the crafty tongue? Sharp arrows of the mighty,
with
devastating coals:" that is, coals, whereby, when you are stricken and set
on
fire,
you may burn with so great love of the kingdom of heaven, as to despise the
tongues
of all that resist you, and would recall you from your purpose, and to
deride
their persecutions, saying, "Who shall separate me from the love of
Christ?
shall
tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or
sword?
For I am persuaded," he says, "that neither death, nor life, nor
angel, nor
principality,
nor things present, not things to come, nor power, nor height, nor
depth,
nor other creature, shall be able to separate me from the love of God, which
is
in Christ Jesus our Lord." Thus for the burning has He wrought His arrows.
For
in
the Greek copies it is found thus, "He has wrought His arrows for the
burning."
But
most of the Latin copies have "burning arrows." But whether the
arrows
themselves
burn, or make others burn, which of course they cannot do unless they
burn
themselves, the sense is complete.
15.
But since he has said that the Lord has prepared not arrows only, but
"instruments
of death" too, in the bow, it may be asked, what are "instruments of
death"?
Are they, per-adventure, heretics? For they too, out of the same bow, that
is,
out of the same Scriptures, light upon souls not to be inflamed with love but
destroyed
with poison: which does not happen but after their deserts: wherefore
even
this dispensation is to be assigned to the Divine Providence, not that it makes
men
sinners, but that it orders them after they have sinned. For through sin
reaching
them with an ill purpose, they are forced to understand them ill, that this
should
be itself the punishment of sin: by whose death, nevertheless, the sons of
the
Catholic Church are, as it were by certain thorns, so to say, aroused from
slumber,
and make progress toward the understanding of the holy Scriptures. "For
there
must be also heresies, that they which are approved," he says, "may
be made
manifest
among you:" 1 Corinthians 11:19 that is, among men, seeing they are
manifest
to God. Or has He haply ordained the same arrows to be at once
instruments
of death for the destruction of unbelievers, and wrought them burning,
or
for the burning, for the exercising of the faithful? For that is not false that
the
Apostle
says, "To the one we are the savour of life unto life, to the other the
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 7 47
savour
of death unto death; and who is sufficient for these things?"
2
Corinthians 2:16 It is no wonder then if the same Apostles be both instruments
of
death in those from whom they suffered persecution, and fiery arrows to
inflame
the hearts of believers.
16.
Now after this dispensation righteous judgment will come: of which the
Psalmist
so speaks, as that we may understand that each man's punishment is
wrought
out of his own sin, and his iniquity turned into vengeance: that we may
not
suppose that that tranquillity and ineffable light of God brings forth from
Itself
the
means of punishing sin; but that it so orders sins, that what have been
delights
to
man in sinning, should be instruments to the Lord avenging. "Behold,"
he says,
"he
has travailed with injustice." Now what had he conceived, that he should
travail
with injustice? "He has conceived," he says, "toil." Hence
then comes that,
"In
toil shall you eat your bread." Genesis 3:17 Hence too that, "Come
unto Me all
you
that toil and are heavy laden; for My yoke is easy, and My burden light."
For
toil
will never cease, except one love that which cannot be taken away against his
will.
For when those things are loved which we can lose against our will, we must
needs
toil for them most miserably; and to obtain them, amid the straitnesses of
earthly
cares, while each desires to snatch them for himself, and to be beforehand
with
another, or to wrest it from him, must scheme injustice. Duly then, and quite
in
order, has he travailed with injustice, who has conceived toil. Now he brings
forth
what, save that with which he has travailed, although he has not travailed
with
that which he conceived? For that is not born, which is not conceived; but
seed
is conceived, that which is formed from the seed is born. Toil is then the seed
of
iniquity, but sin the conception of toil, that is, that first sin, to
"depart from
God."
Sirach 10:12 He then has travailed with injustice, who has conceived toil.
"And
he has brought forth iniquity." "Iniquity" is the same as
"injustice:" he has
brought
forth then that with which he travailed. What follows next?
17.
"He has opened a ditch, and dug it" (ver. 15). To open a ditch is, in
earthly
matters,
that is, as it were in the earth, to prepare deceit, that another fall therein,
whom
the unrighteous man wishes to deceive. Now this ditch is opened when
consent
is given to the evil suggestion of earthly lusts: but it is dug when after
consent
we press on to actual work of deceit. But how can it be, that iniquity
should
rather hurt the righteous man against whom it proceeds, than the
unrighteous
heart whence it proceeds? Accordingly, the stealer of money, for
instance,
while he desires to inflict painful harm upon another, is himself maimed
by
the wound of avarice. Now who, even out of his right mind, sees not how great
is
the difference between these men, when one suffers the loss of money, the other
of
innocence? "He will fall" then "into the pit which he has
made." As it is said in
another
Psalm, "The Lord is known in executing judgments; the sinner is caught in
the
works of his own hands."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 7
48
18.
"His toil shall be turned on his head, and his iniquity shall descend on
his pate"
(ver.
16). For he had no mind to escape sin: but was brought under sin as a slave,
so
to say, as the Lord says, "Whosoever sinneth is a slave." John 8:34
His iniquity
then
will be upon him, when he is subject to his iniquity; for he could not say to
the
Lord, what the innocent and upright say, "My glory, and the lifter up of
my
head."
He then will be in such wise below, as that his iniquity may be above, and
descend
on him; for that it weighs him down and burdens him, and suffers him not
to
fly back to the rest of the saints. This occurs, when in an ill regulated man
reason
is a slave, and lust has dominion.
19.
"I will confess to the Lord according to His justice" (ver. 17). This
is not the
sinner's
confession: for he says this, who said above most truly, "If there be
iniquity
in my hands:" but it is a confession of God's justice, in which we speak
thus,
Verily, O Lord, You are just, in that Thou both so protectest the just, that
Thou
enlightenest them by Yourself; and so orderest sinners, that they be punished
not
by Yours, but by their own malice. This confession so praises the Lord, that
the
blasphemies of the ungodly can avail nothing, who, willing to excuse their evil
deeds,
are unwilling to attribute to their own fault that they sin, that is, are
unwilling
to attribute their fault to their fault. Accordingly they find either fortune
or
fate to accuse, or the devil, to whom He who made us has willed that it should
be
in our power to refuse consent: or they bring in another nature, which is not
of
God:
wretched waverers, and erring, rather than confessing to God, that He should
pardon
them. For it is not fit that any be pardoned, except he says, I have sinned.
He,
then, that sees the deserts of souls so ordered by God, that while each has his
own
given him, the fair beauty of the universe is in no part violated, in all
things
praises
God: and this is not the confession of sinners, but of the righteous. For it is
not
the sinner's confession when the Lord says, "I confess to You, O Lord of
heaven
and earth, because You have hid these things from the wise, and revealed
them
to babes." Matthew 11:25 Likewise in Ecclesiasticus it is said,
"Confess to
the
Lord in all His works: and in confession you shall say this, All the works of
the
Lord
are exceeding good." Which can be seen in this Psalm, if any one with a
pious
mind, by the Lord's help, distinguish between the rewards of the righteous
and
the penalties of the sinners, how that in these two the whole creation, which
God
made and rules, is adorned with a beauty wondrous and known to few. Thus
then
he says, "I will confess to the Lord according to His justice," as
one who saw
that
darkness was not made by God, but ordered nevertheless. For God said, "Let
light
be made, and light was made." Genesis 1:3 He did not say, Let darkness be
made,
and darkness was made: and yet He ordered it. And therefore it is said,
"God
divided between the light, and the darkness: and God called the light day,
and
the darkness He called night." Genesis 1:4-5 This is the distinction, He
made
the
one and ordered it: but the other He made not, but yet He ordered this too. But
now
that sins are signified by darkness, so is it seen in the Prophet, who says,
"And
your darkness shall be as the noon day:" Isaiah 5 8: 10 and in the
Apostle,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 7
49
who
says, "He that hates his brother is in darkness:" 1 John 2:11 and
above all that
text,
"Let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of
light."
Romans
13:12 Not that there is any nature of darkness. For all nature, in so far as
it
is nature, is compelled to be. Now being belongs to light: not being to
darkness.
He
then that leaves Him by whom he was made, and inclines to that whence he
was
made, that is, to nothing, is in this sin endarkened: and yet he does not
utterly
perish,
but he is ordered among the lowest things. Therefore after the Psalmist
said,
"I will confess unto the Lord:" that we might not understand it of
confession
of
sins, he adds lastly, "And I will sing to the name of the Lord most
high." Now
singing
has relation to joy, but repentance of sins to sadness.
20.
This Psalm can also be taken in the person of the Lord Man: if only that which
is
there spoken in humiliation be referred to our weakness, which He bore.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 8
50
Exposition on Psalm 8
To
the end, for the wine-presses, a psalm of David himself.
1.
He seems to say nothing of wine-presses in the text of the Psalm of which this
is
the
title. By which it appears, that one and the same thing is often signified in
Scripture
by many and various similitudes. We may then take wine-presses to be
Churches,
on the same principle by which we understand also by a threshing-floor
the
Church. For whether in the threshing-floor, or in the wine-press, there is
nothing
else done but the clearing the produce of its covering; which is necessary,
both
for its first growth and increase, and arrival at the maturity either of the
harvest
or the vintage. Of these coverings or supporters then; that is, of chaff, on
the
threshing-floor, the corn; and of husks, in the presses, the wine is stripped:
as
in
the Churches, from the multitude of worldly men, which is collected together
with
the good, for whose birth and adaptating to the divine word that multitude
was
necessary, this is effected, that by spiritual love they be separated through
the
operation
of God's ministers. For now so it is that the good are, for a time,
separated
from the bad, not in space, but in affection: although they have converse
together
in the Churches, as far as respects bodily presence. But another time will
come,
the corn will be stored up apart in the granaries, and the wine in the cellars.
"The
wheat," says he, "He will lay up in garners; but the chaff He will
burn with
fire
unquenchable." Luke 3:17 The same thing may be thus understood in another
similitude:
the wine He will lay up in cellars, but the husks He will cast forth to
cattle:
so that by the bellies of the cattle we may be allowed by way of similitude
to
understand the pains of hell.
2.
There is another interpretation concerning the wine-presses, yet still keeping
to
the
meaning of Churches. For even the Divine Word may be understood by the
grape:
for the Lord even has been called a Cluster of grapes; which they that were
sent
before by the people of
staff,
crucified as it were. Numbers 13:23 Accordingly, when the Divine Word
makes
use of, by the necessity of declaring Himself, the sound of the voice,
whereby
to convey Himself to the ears of the hearers; in the same sound of the
voice,
as it were in husks, knowledge, like the wine, is enclosed: and so this grape
comes
into the ears, as into the pressing machines of the wine-pressers. For there
the
separation is made, that the sound may reach as far as the ear; but knowledge
be
received in the memory of those that hear, as it were in a sort of vat; whence
it
passes
into discipline of the conversation and habit of mind, as from the vat into
the
cellar: where if it do not through negligence grow sour, it will acquire
soundness
by age. For it grew sour among the Jews, and this sour vinegar they
gave
the Lord to drink. John 19:29 For that wine, which from the produce of the
vine
of the New Testament the Lord is to drink with His saints in the kingdom of
His
Father, Matthew 26:29 must needs be most sweet and most sound.
Psalm 8
51
3.
"Wine-presses" are also usually taken for martyrdoms, as if when they
who
have
confessed the name of Christ have been trodden down by the blows of
persecution,
their mortal remains as husks remained on earth, but their souls
flowed
forth into the rest of a heavenly habitation. Nor yet by this interpretation do
we
depart from the fruitfulness of the Churches. It is sung then, "for the
wine-
presses,"
for the Church's establishment; when our Lord after His resurrection
ascended
into heaven. For then He sent the Holy Ghost: by whom the disciples
being
fulfilled preached with confidence the Word of God, that Churches might be
collected.
4.
Accordingly it is said, "O Lord, our Lord, how admirable is Your Name in
all
the
earth!" (ver. 1). I ask, how is His Name wonderful in all the earth? The
answer
is,
"For Your glory has been raised above the heavens." So that the
meaning is
this,
O Lord, who art our Lord, how do all that inhabit the earth admire You! for
Your
glory has been raised from earthly humiliation above the heavens. For hence
it
appeared who You were that descended, when it was by some seen, and by the
rest
believed, whither it was that You ascended.
5.
"Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings You have made perfect praise,
because
of Your enemies" (ver. 2). I cannot take babes and sucklings to be any
other
than those to whom the Apostle says, "As unto babes in Christ I have given
you
milk to drink, not meat." 1 Corinthians 3:1-2 Who were meant by those who
went
before the Lord praising Him, of whom the Lord Himself used this
testimony,
when He answered the Jews who bade Him rebuke them, "Have ye not
read,
out of the mouth of babes and sucklings You have made perfect praise?"
Matthew
21:16 Now with good reason He says not, You have made, but, "You
have
made perfect praise." For there are in the Churches also those who now no
more
drink milk, but eat meat: whom the same Apostle points out, saying, "We
speak
wisdom among them that are perfect;" 1 Corinthians 2:6 but not by those
only
are the Churches perfected; for if there were only these, little consideration
would
be had of the human race. But consideration is had, when they too, who are
not
as yet capable of the knowledge of things spiritual and eternal, are nourished
by
the faith of the temporal history, which for our salvation after the Patriarchs
and
Prophets was administered by the most excellent Power and Wisdom of God,
even
in the Sacrament of the assumed Manhood, in which there is salvation for
every
one that believes; to the end that moved by Its authority each one may obey
Its
precepts, whereby being purified and "rooted and grounded in love,"
he may be
able
to run with Saints, no more now a child in milk, but a young man in meat,
"to
comprehend
the breadth, the length, the height, and depth, to know also the
surpassing
knowledge of the love of Christ." Ephesians 3:17-19
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 8
52
6.
"Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings You have made perfect praise,
because
of Your enemies." By enemies to this dispensation, which has been
wrought
through Jesus Christ and Him crucified, we ought generally to understand
all
who forbid belief in things unknown, 1 Corinthians 2:6-10 and promise certain
knowledge:
as all heretics do, and they who in the superstition of the Gentiles are
called
philosophers. Not that the promise of knowledge is to be blamed; but
because
they deem the most healthful and necessary step of faith is to be
neglected,
by which we must needs ascend to something certain, which nothing
but
that which is eternal can be. Hence it appears that they do not possess even
this
knowledge,
which in contempt of faith they promise; seeing that they know not so
useful
and necessary a step thereof. "Out of the mouth," then "of babes
and
sucklings
You have made perfect praise," Thou, our Lord, declaring first by the
Apostle,
"Except ye believe, you shall not understand;" and saying by His own
mouth,
"Blessed are they that have not seen, and shall believe." John 20:29
"Because
of the enemies:" against whom too that is said, "I confess to You, O
Lord
of heaven and earth, because You have hid these things from the wise, and
revealed
them unto babes." Matthew 11:25 "From the wise," he says, not
the really
wise,
but those who deem themselves such. "That You may destroy the enemy and
the
defender." Whom but the heretic? For he is both an enemy and a defender,
who
when he would assault the Christian faith, seems to defend it. Although the
philosophers
too of this world may be well taken as the enemies and defenders:
forasmuch
as the Son of God is the Power and Wisdom of God by which every
one
is enlightened who is made wise by the truth: of which they profess
themselves
to be lovers, whence too their name of philosophers; and therefore they
seem
to defend it, while they are its enemies, since they cease not to recommend
noxious
superstitions, that the elements of this world should be worshipped and
revered.
7.
"For I shall see Your heavens, the works of Your fingers" (ver. 3).
We read that
the
law was written with the finger of God, and given through Moses, His holy
servant:
by which finger of God many understand the Holy Ghost. Wherefore if,
by
the fingers of God, we are right in understanding these same ministers filled
with
the Holy Ghost, by reason of this same Spirit which works in them, since by
them
all holy Scripture has been completed for us; we understand consistently
with
this, that, in this place, the books of both Testaments are called "the
heavens."
Now
it is said too of Moses himself, by the magicians of king Pharaoh, when they
were
conquered by him, "This is the finger of God." Exodus 8:19 And what
is
written,
"The heavens shall be rolled up as a book." Although it be said of
this
ćthereal
heaven, yet naturally, according to the same image, the heavens of books
are
named by allegory. "For I shall see," he says, "the heavens, the
works of Your
fingers:"
that is, I shall discern and understand the Scriptures, which Thou, by the
operation
of the Holy Ghost, hast written by Your ministers.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 8
53
8.
Accordingly the heavens named above also may be interpreted as the same
books,
where he says, "For Your glory has been raised above the heavens:" so
that
the
complete meaning should be this, "For Your glory has been raised above the
heavens;"
for Your glory has exceeded the declarations of all the Scriptures: "Out
of
the mouth of babes and sucklings You have made perfect praise," that they
should
begin by belief in the Scriptures, who would arrive at the knowledge of
Your
glory: which has been raised above the Scriptures, in that it passes by and
transcends
the announcements of all words and languages. Therefore has God
lowered
the Scriptures even to the capacity of babes and sucklings, as it is sung in
another
Psalm, "And He lowered the heaven, and came down:" and this did He
because
of the enemies, who through pride of talkativeness, being enemies of the
cross
of Christ, even when they do speak some truth, still cannot profit babes and
sucklings.
So is the enemy and defender destroyed, who, whether he seem to
defend
wisdom, or even the name of Christ, still, from the step of this faith,
assaults
that truth, which he so readily makes promise of. Whereby too he is
convicted
of not possessing it; since by assaulting the step thereof, namely faith,
he
knows not how one should mount up thereto. Hence then is the rash and blind
promiser
of truth, who is the enemy and defender, destroyed, when the heavens,
the
works of God's fingers, are seen, that is, when the Scriptures, brought down
even
to the slowness of babes, are understood; and by means of the lowness of the
faith
of the history, which was transacted in time, they raise them, well nurtured
and
strengthened, unto the grand height of the understanding of things eternal, up
to
those things which they establish. For these heavens, that is, these books, are
the
works
of God's fingers; for by the operation of the Holy Ghost in the Saints they
were
completed. For they that have regarded their own glory rather than man's
salvation,
have spoken without the Holy Ghost, in whom are the bowels of the
mercy
of God.
9.
"For I shall see the heavens, the works of Your fingers, the moon and the
stars,
which
You have ordained." The moon and stars are ordained in the heavens; since
both
the Church universal, to signify which the moon is often put, and Churches in
the
several places particularly, which I imagine to be intimated by the name of
stars,
are established in the same Scriptures, which we believe to be expressed by
the
word heavens. But why the moon justly signifies the Church, will be more
seasonably
considered in another Psalm, where it is said, "The sinners have bent
their
bow, that they may shoot in the obscure moon the upright in heart."
10.
"What is man, that You are mindful of him? or the son of man, that Thou
visitest
him?" (ver. 4). It may be asked, what distinction there is between man and
son
of man. For if there were none, it would not be expressed thus, "man, or
son of
man,"
disjunctively. For if it were written thus, "What is man, that You are
mindful
of him, and son of man, that Thou visitest him?" it might appear to be a
repetition
of the word "man." But now when the expression is, "man or son
of-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 8
54
man,"
a distinction is more clearly intimated. This is certainly to be remembered,
that
every son of man is a man; although every man cannot be taken to be a son of
man.
Adam, for instance, was a man, but not a son of man. Wherefore we may
from
hence consider and distinguish what is the difference in this place between
man
and son of man; namely, that they who bear the image of the earthy man, who
is
not a son of man, should be signified by the name of men; but that they who
bear
the image of the heavenly Man, 1 Corinthians 15:49 should be rather called
sons
of men; for the former again is called the old man and the latter the new; but
the
new is born of the old, since spiritual regeneration is begun by a change of an
earthy,
and worldly life; and therefore the latter is called son of man.
"Man" then
in
this place is earthy, but "son of man" heavenly; and the former is
far removed
from
God, but the latter present with God; and therefore is He mindful of the
former,
as in far distance from Him; but the latter He visits, with whom being
present
He enlightens him with His countenance. For "salvation is far from
sinners;"
and, "The light of Your countenance has been stamped upon us, O
Lord."
So
in another Psalm he says, that men in conjunction with beasts are made whole
together
with these beasts, not by any present inward illumination, but by the
multiplication
of the mercy of God, whereby His goodness reaches even to the
lowest
things; for the wholeness of carnal men is carnal, as of the beasts; but
separating
the sons of men from those whom being men he joined with cattle, he
proclaims
that they are made blessed, after a far more exalted method, by the
enlightening
of the truth itself, and by a certain inundation of the fountain of life.
For
he speaks thus: "Men and beasts You will make whole, O Lord, as Your
mercy
has been multiplied, O God. But the sons of men shall put their trust in the
covering
of Your wings. They shall be inebriated with the richness of Your house,
and
of the torrent of Your pleasures You shall make them drink. For with You is
the
fountain of life, and in Your light shall we see light. Extend Your mercy to
them
that know You." Through the multiplication of mercy then He is mindful of
man,
as of beasts; for that multiplied mercy reaches even to them that are afar off;
but
He visits the son of man, over whom, placed under the covering of His wings,
He
extends mercy, and in His light gives light, and makes him drink of His
pleasures,
and inebriates him with the richness of His house, to forget the sorrows
and
the wanderings of his former conversation. This son of man, that is, the new
man,
the repentance of the old man begets with pain and tears. He, though new, is
nevertheless
called yet carnal, while he is fed with milk; "I would not speak unto
you
as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal," says the Apostle. And to show that
they
were
already regenerate, he says, "As unto babes in Christ, I have given you
milk
to
drink, not meat." And when he relapses, as often happens, to the old life,
he
hears
in reproof that he is a man; "Are ye not men," he says, "and
walk as men?"
11.
Therefore was the son of man first visited in the person of the very Lord Man,
born
of the Virgin Mary. Of whom, by reason of the very weakness of the flesh,
which
the Wisdom of God vouchsafed to bear, and the humiliation of the Passion,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 8
55
it
is justly said, "You have lowered Him a little lower than the Angels"
(ver. 5).
But
that glorifying is added, in which He rose and ascended up into heaven;
"With
glory,"
he says, "and with honour have You crowned Him; and hast set Him over
the
works of Thine hands" (ver. 6). Since even Angels are the works of God's
hands,
even over Angels we understand the Only-begotten Son to have been set;
whom
we hear and believe, by the humiliation of the carnal generation and
passion,
to have been lowered a little lower than the Angels.
12.
"You have put," he says, "all things in subjection under His
feet." When he
says,
"all things," he excepts nothing. And that he might not be allowed to
understand
it otherwise, the Apostle enjoins it to be believed thus, when he says,
"He
being excepted which put all things under Him." 1 Corinthians 15:27 And to
the
Hebrews he uses this very testimony from this Psalm, when he would have it
to
be understood that all things are in such sort put under our Lord Jesus Christ,
as
that
nothing should be excepted. Hebrews 2:8 And yet he does not seem, as it
were,
to subjoin any great thing, when he says, "All sheep and oxen, yea,
moreover,
the beasts of the field, birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, which
walk
through the paths of the sea" (ver. 7). For, leaving the heavenly
excellencies
and
powers, and all the hosts of Angels, leaving even man himself, he seems to
have
put under Him the beasts merely; unless by sheep and oxen we understand
holy
souls, either yielding the fruit of innocence, or even working that the earth
may
bear fruit, that is, that earthly men may be regenerated unto spiritual
richness.
By
these holy souls then we ought to understand not those of men only, but of all
Angels
too, if we would gather from hence that all things are put under our Lord
Jesus
Christ. For there will be no creature that will not be put under Him, under
whom
the pre-eminent spirits, that I may so speak, are put. But whence shall we
prove
that sheep can be interpreted even, not of men, but of the blessed spirits of
the
angelical creatures on high? May we from the Lord's saying that He had left
ninety
and nine sheep in the mountains, that is, in the higher regions, and had
come
down for one? For if we take the one lost sheep to be the human soul in
Adam,
since Eve even was made out of his side, Genesis 2:21-22 for the spiritual
handling
and consideration of all which things this is not the time, it remains that,
by
the ninety and nine left in the mountains, spirits not human, but angelical,
should
be meant. For as regards the oxen, this sentence is easily despatched; since
men
themselves are for no other reason called oxen, but because by preaching the
Gospel
of the word of God they imitate Angels, as where it is said, "You shall
not
muzzle
the ox that treads out the corn." How much more easily then do we take
the
Angels themselves, the messengers of truth, to be oxen, when Evangelists by
the
participation of their title are called oxen? "You have put under"
therefore, he
says,
"all sheep and oxen," that is, all the holy spiritual creation; in
which we
include
that of holy men, who are in the Church, in those wine-presses to wit,
which
are intimated under the other similitude of the moon and stars.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 8
56
13.
"Yea moreover," says he, "the beasts of the field." The
addition of "moreover"
is
by no means idle. First, because by beasts of the plain may be understood both
sheep
and oxen: so that, if goats are the beasts of rocky and mountainous regions,
sheep
may be well taken to be the beasts of the field. Accordingly had it been
written
even thus, "all sheep and oxen and beasts of the field;" it might be
reasonably
asked what beasts of the plain meant, since even sheep and oxen could
be
taken as such. But the addition of "moreover" besides, obliges us,
beyond
question,
to recognise some difference or another. But under this word,
"moreover,"
not only "beasts of the field," but also "birds of the air, and
fish of the
sea,
which walk through the paths of the sea" (ver. 8), are to be taken in.
What is
then
this distinction? Call to mind the "wine-presses," holding husks and
wine; and
the
threshing-floor, containing chaff and corn; and the nets, in which were
enclosed
good fish and bad; and the ark of Noah, in which were both unclean and
clean
animals: and you will see that the Churches for a while, now in this time,
unto
the last time of judgment, contain not only sheep and oxen, that is, holy
laymen
and holy ministers, but "moreover beasts of the field, birds of the air,
and
birds
of the sea, that walk through the paths of the sea." For the beasts of the
field
were
very fitly understood, as men rejoicing in the pleasure of the flesh where they
mount
up to nothing high, nothing laborious. For the field is also "the broad
way,
that
leads to destruction:" Matthew 7:13 and in a field is Abel slain. Genesis
4:8
Wherefore
there is cause to fear, lest one coming down from the mountains of
God's
righteousness ("for your righteousness," he says, "is as the
mountains of
God")
making choice of the broad and easy paths of carnal pleasure, be slain by
the
devil. See now too "the birds of heaven," the proud, of whom it is
said, "They
have
set their mouth against the heaven." See how they are carried on high by
the
wind,
"who say, We will magnify our tongue, our lips are our own, who is our
Lord?"
Behold too the fish of the sea, that is, the curious; who walk through the
paths
of the sea, that is, search in the deep after the temporal things of this
world:
which,
like paths in the sea, vanish and perish, as quickly as the water comes
together
again after it has given room, in their passage, to ships, or to whatsoever
walks
or swims. For he said not merely, who walk the paths of the sea; but "walk
through,"
he said; showing the very determined earnestness of those who seek
after
vain and fleeting things. Now these three kinds of vice, namely, the pleasure
of
the flesh, and pride, and curiosity, include all sins. And they appear to me to
be
enumerated
by the Apostle John, when he says, "Love not the world; for all that is
in
the world is the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of
life."
1
John 2:15-16 For through the eyes especially prevails curiosity. To what the
rest
indeed
belong is clear. And that temptation of the Lord Man was threefold: by
food,
that is, by the lust of the flesh, where it is suggested, "command these
stones
that
they be made bread:" Matthew 4:3 by vain boasting, where, when stationed
on
a
mountain, all the kingdoms of this earth are shown Him, and promised if He
would
worship: Matthew 4:8-9 by curiosity, where, from the pinnacle of the
temple,
He is advised to cast Himself down, for the sake of trying whether He
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 8
57
would
be borne up by Angels. Matthew 4:6 And accordingly after that the enemy
could
prevail with Him by none of these temptations, this is said of him, "When
the
devil had ended all his temptation." Luke 4:13 With a reference then to
the
meaning
of the wine-presses, not only the wine, but the husks too are put under
His
feet; to wit, not only sheep and oxen, that is, the holy souls of believers,
either
in
the laity, or in the ministry; but moreover both beasts of pleasure, and birds
of
pride,
and fish of curiosity. All which classes of sinners we see mingled now in the
Churches
with the good and holy. May He work then in His Churches, and
separate
the wine from the husks: let us give heed, that we be wine, and sheep or
oxen;
not husks, or beasts of the field, or birds of heaven, or fish of the sea,
which
walk
through the paths of the sea. Not that these names can be understood and
explained
in this way only, but the explanation of them must be according to the
place
where they are found. For elsewhere they have other meanings. And this rule
must
be kept to in every allegory, that what is expressed by the similitude should
be
considered agreeably to the meaning of the particular place: for this is the
manner
of the Lord's and the Apostles' teaching. Let us repeat then the last verse,
which
is also put at the beginning of the Psalm, and let us praise God, saying,
"O
Lord
our Lord, how wonderful is Your name in all the earth!" For fitly, after
the
matter
of the discourse, is the return made to the heading, whither all that
discourse
must be referred.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm
9
58
Exposition on Psalm 9
1.
The inscription of this Psalm is, "To the end for the hidden things of the
Son, a
Psalm
of David himself." As to the hidden things of the Son there may be a
question:
but since he has not added whose, the very only-begotten Son of God
should
be understood. For where a Psalm has been inscribed of the son of David,
"When,"
he says, "he fled from the face of Absalom his son;" although his
name
even
was mentioned, and therefore there could be no obscurity as to whom it was
spoken
of: yet it is not merely said, from the face of son Absalom; but
"his" is
added.
But here both because "his" is not added, and much is said of the
Gentiles,
it
cannot properly be taken of Absalom. 2 Samuel xv For the war which that
abandoned
one waged with his father, no way relates to the Gentiles, since there
the
people of
for
the hidden things of the only-begotten Son of God. For the Lord Himself too,
when,
without addition, He uses the word Son, would have Himself, the Only-
begotten
to be understood; as where He says, "If the Son shall make you free, then
shall
you be free indeed." John 8:36 For He said not, the Son of God; but in
saying
merely,
Son, He gives us to understand whose Son it is. Which form of expression
nothing
admits of, save His excellency of whom we so speak, that, though we
name
Him not, He can be understood. For so we say, it rains, clears up, thunders,
and
such like expressions; and we do not add who does it all; for that the
excellency
of the doer spontaneously presents itself to all men's minds, and does
not
want words. What then are the hidden things of the Son? By which expression
we
must first understand that there are some things of the Son manifest, from
which
those are distinguished which are called hidden. Wherefore since we
believe
two advents of the Lord, one past, which the Jews understood not: the
other
future, which we both hope for; and since the one which the Jews understood
not,
profited the Gentiles; "For the hidden things of the Son" is not
unsuitably
understood
to be spoken of this advent, in which "blindness in part is happened to
For
notice of two judgments is conveyed to us throughout the Scriptures, if any
one
will give heed to them, one hidden, the other manifest. The hidden one is
passing
now, of which the Apostle Peter says, "The time is come that judgment
should
begin from the house of the Lord." 1 Peter 4:17 The hidden judgment
accordingly
is the pain, by which now each man is either exercised to purification,
or
warned to conversion, or if he despise the calling and discipline of God, is
blinded
unto damnation. But the manifest judgment is that in which the Lord, at
His
coming, will judge the quick and the dead, all men confessing that it is He by
whom
both rewards shall be assigned to the good, and punishments to the evil. But
then
that confession will avail, not to the remedy of evils, but to the accumulation
of
damnation. Of these two judgments, the one hidden, the other manifest, the
Lord
seems to me to have spoken, where He says, "Whoso believes in Me has
passed
from death unto life, and shall not come into judgment;" John 5:24 into
the
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 9
59
manifest
judgment, that is. For that which passes from death unto life by means of
some
affliction, whereby "He scourges every son whom He receives,"
Hebrews
12:6 is the hidden judgment. "But whoso believes not," says He,
"has
been
judged already:" John 3:18 that is, by this hidden judgment has been
already
prepared
for that manifest one. These two judgments we read of also in Wisdom,
whence
it is written, "Therefore unto them, as to children without the use of
reason,
You gave a judgment to mock them; But they that have not been corrected
by
this judgment have felt a judgment worthy of God." Wisdom 12:25-26 Whoso
then
are not corrected by this hidden judgment of God, shall most worthily be
punished
by that manifest one....
2.
"I will confess unto You, O Lord, with my whole heart" (ver. 1). He
does not,
with
a whole heart, confess unto God, who doubts of His Providence in any
particular:
but he who sees already the hidden things of the wisdom of God, how
great
is His invisible reward, who says, "We rejoice in tribulations;"
Romans 5:3
and
how all torments, which are inflicted on the body, are either for the
exercising
of
those that are converted to God, or for warning that they be converted, or for
just
preparation of the obdurate unto their last damnation: and so now all things
are
referred to the governance of Divine Providence, which fools think done as it
were
by chance and at random, and without any Divine ordering. "I will tell all
Your
marvels." He tells all God's marvels, who sees them performed not only
openly
on the body, but invisibly indeed too in the soul, but far more sublimely
and
excellently. For men earthly, and led wholly by the eye, marvel more that the
dead
Lazarus rose again in the body, than that Paul the persecutor rose again in
soul.
But since the visible miracle calls the soul to the light, but the invisible
enlightens
the soul that comes when called, he tells all God's marvels, who, by
believing
the visible, passes on to the understanding of the invisible.
3.
"I will be glad and exult in You" (ver. 2). Not any more in this
world, not in
pleasure
of bodily dalliance, not in relish of palate and tongue, not in sweetness of
perfumes,
not in joyousness of passing sounds, not in the variously coloured forms
of
figure, not in vanities of men's praise, not in wedlock and perishable
offspring,
not
in superfluity of temporal wealth, not in this world's getting, whether it
extend
over
place and space, or be prolonged in time's succession: but, "I will be
glad and
exult
in You," namely, in the hidden things of the Son, where "the light of
Your
countenance
has been stamped on us, O Lord:" for, "You will hide them," says
he,
"in
the hiding place of Your countenance." He then will be glad and exult in
You,
who
tells all Your marvels. And He will tell all Your marvels (since it is now
spoken
of prophetically), "who came not to do His own will, but the will of Him
who
sent Him." John 6:3 8
4.
For now the Person of the Lord begins to appear speaking in this Psalm. For it
follows,
"I will sing to Your Name, O Most High, in turning mine enemy
behind."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 9
60
His
enemy then, where was he turned back? Was it when it was said to him, "Get
behind,
Satan"? Matthew 16:23 For then he who by tempting desired to put
himself
before, was turned behind, by failing in deceiving Him who was tempted,
and
by availing nothing against Him. For earthly men are behind: but the heavenly
man
is preferred before, although he came after. For "the first man is of the
earth,
earthy:
the second Man is from heaven, heavenly." 1 Corinthians 15:47 But from
this
stock he came by whom it was said, "He who comes after me is preferred
before
me." John 1:15 And the Apostle forgets "those things that are behind,
and
reaches
forth unto those things that are before." Philippians 3:13 The enemy,
therefore,
was turned behind, after that he could not deceive the heavenly Man
being
tempted; and he turned himself to earthy men, where he can have
dominion
.... For in truth the devil is turned behind, even in the persecution of the
righteous,
and he, much more to their advantage, is a persecutor, than if he went
before
as a leader and a prince. We must sing then to the Name of the Most High
in
turning the enemy behind: since we ought to choose rather to fly from him as a
persecutor,
than to follow him as a leader. For we have whither we may fly and
hide
ourselves in the hidden things of the Son; seeing that "the Lord has been
made
a refuge for us."
5.
"They will be weakened, and perish from Your face" (ver. 3). Who will
be
weakened
and perish, but the unrighteous and ungodly? "They will be weakened,"
while
they shall avail nothing; "and they shall perish," because the
ungodly will
not
be; "from the face" of God, that is, from the knowledge of God, as he
perished
who
said, "But now I live not, but Christ lives in me." Galatians 2:20
But why will
the
ungodly "be weakened and perish from your face?" "Because,"
he says, "You
have
made my judgment, and my cause:" that is, the judgment in which I seemed
to
be judged, You have made mine; and the cause in which men condemned me
just
and innocent, You have made mine. For such things served Him for our
deliverance:
as sailors too call the wind theirs, which they take advantage of for
prosperous
sailing.
6.
"Thou sat on the throne Who judgest equity" (ver. 4). Whether the Son
say this
to
the Father, who said also, "You could have no power against Me, except it
were
given
you from above," John 19:11 referring this very thing, that the Judge of
men
was
judged for men's advantage, to the Father's equity and His own hidden things:
or
whether man say to God, "Thou sat on the throne Who judgest equity,"
giving
the
name of God's throne to his soul, so that his body may peradventure be the
earth,
which is called God's "footstool:" Isaiah 66:1 for "God was in
Christ,
reconciling
the world unto Himself:" 2 Corinthians 5:19 or whether the soul of the
Church,
perfect now and without spot and wrinkle, Ephesians 5:27 worthy, that is,
of
the hidden things of the Son, in that "the King has brought her into His
chamber,"
Song of Songs 1:4 say to her spouse, "Thou sat upon the throne Who
judgest
equity," in that You have risen from the dead, and ascended up into
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 9
61
heaven,
and sittest at the right hand of the Father: whichsoever, I say, of those
opinions,
whereunto this verse may be referred, is preferred, it transgresses not the
rule
of faith.
7.
"You have rebuked the heathen, and the ungodly has perished" (ver.
5). We take
this
to be more suitably said to the Lord Jesus Christ, than said by Him. For who
else
has rebuked the heathen, and the ungodly perished, save He, who after that He
ascended
up into heaven, sent the Holy Ghost, that, filled by Him, the Apostles
should
preach the word of God with boldness, and freely reprove men's sins? At
which
rebuke the ungodly perished; because the ungodly was justified and was
made
godly. "You have effaced their name for the world, and for the world's
world.
The name of the ungodly has been effaced. For they are not called ungodly
who
believe in the true God. Now their name is effaced "for the world,"
that is, as
long
as the course of the temporal world endures. "And for the world's
world."
What
is "the world's world," but that whose image and shadow, as it were,
this
world
possesses? For the change of seasons succeeding one another, while the
moon
is on the wane, and again on the increase, while the sun each year returns to
his
quarter, while spring, or summer, or autumn, or winter passes away only to
return,
is in some sort an imitation of eternity. But this world's world is that which
abides
in immutable eternity. As a verse in the mind, and a verse in the voice, the
former
is understood, the latter heard; and the former fashions the latter; and hence
the
former works in art and abides, the latter sounds in the air and passes away.
So
the
fashion of this changeable world is defined by that world unchangeable which
is
called the world's world. And hence the one abides in the art, that is, in the
Wisdom
and Power of God: but the other is made to pass in the governance of
creation.
If after all it be not a repetition, so that after it was said "for the
world,"
lest
it should be understood of this world that passes away, it were added "for
the
world's
world." For in the Greek copies it is thus, eid ton
aiwna, kai eij ton aipna ton aipnoj which the Latins have for the most rendered,
not, "for the
world,
and for the world's world;" but, "for ever, and for the world's
world," that in
the
words "for the world's world," the, words "for ever,"
should be explained. "The
name,"
then, "of the ungodly You have effaced for ever," for from henceforth
the
ungodly
shall never be. And if their name be not prolonged unto this world, much
less
unto the world's world.
8.
"The swords of the enemy have failed at the end" (ver. 6). Not
enemies in the
plural,
but this enemy in the singular. Now what enemy's swords have failed but
the
devil's? Now these are understood to be various erroneous opinions, whereby
as
with swords he destroys souls. In overcoming these swords, and in bringing
them
to failure, that sword is employed, of which it is said in the seventh Psalm,
"If
you be not converted, He will brandish His sword." And peradventure this
is
the
end, against which the swords of the enemy fail; since up to it they are of
some
avail.
Now it works secretly, but in the last judgment it will be brandished openly.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm
9
62
By
it the cities are destroyed. For so it follows, "The swords of the enemy
have
failed
at the end: and You have destroyed the cities." Cities indeed wherein the
devil
rules, where crafty and deceitful counsels hold, as it were, the place of a
court,
on which supremacy attend as officers and ministers the services of all the
members,
the eyes for curiosity, the ears for lasciviousness, or for whatsoever else
is
gladly listened to that bears on evil, the hands for rapine or any other
violence or
pollution
soever, and all the other members after this manner serving the
tyrannical
supremacy, that is, perverse counsels. Of this city the commonalty, as it
were,
are all soft affections and disturbing emotions of the mind, stirring up daily
seditions
in a man. So then where a king, where a court, where ministers, where
commonalty
are found, there is a city. Now again would such things be in bad
cities,
unless they were first in individual men, who are, as it were, the elements
and
seeds of cities. These cities He destroys, when on the prince being shut out
thence,
of whom it was said, "The prince of this world" has been "cast
out,"
John
12:31 these kingdoms are wasted by the word of truth, evil counsels are laid
to
sleep, vile affections tamed, the ministries of the members and senses taken
captive,
and transferred to the service of righteousness and good works: that as the
Apostle
says, "Sin should no more reign in" our "mortal body,"
Romans 6:12 and
so
forth. Then is the soul at peace, and the man is disposed to receive rest and
blessedness.
"Their memorial has perished with uproar:" with the uproar, that is,
of
the
ungodly. But it is said, "with uproar," either because when
ungodliness is
overturned,
there is uproar made: for none passes to the highest place, where there
is
the deepest silence, but he who with much uproar shall first have warred with
his
own vices: or "with uproar," is said, that the memory of the ungodly
should
perish
in the perishing even of the very uproar, in which ungodliness riots.
9.
"And the Lord abides for ever" (ver. 7). "Wherefore" then
"have the heathen
raged,
and the people imagined vain things against the Lord, and against His
anointed:"
for "the Lord abides for ever. He has prepared His seat in judgment,
and
He shall judge the world in equity." He prepared His seat when He was
judged.
For by that patience Man purchased heaven, and God in Man profited
believers.
And this is the Son's hidden judgment. But seeing He is also to come
openly
and in the sight of all to judge the quick and the dead, He has prepared His
seat
in the hidden judgment: and He shall also openly "judge the world in
equity:"
that
is, He shall distribute gifts proportioned to desert, setting the sheep on His
right
hand, and the goats on His left. Matthew 25:33 "He shall judge the people
with
justice"(ver. 8). This is the same as was said above, "He shall judge
the world
in
equity." Not as men judge who see not the heart, by whom very often worse
men
are acquitted than are condemned: but "in equity" and "with
justice" shall the
Lord
judge, "conscience bearing witness, and thoughts accusing, or else
excusing."
Romans
2:15
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm
9
63
10.
"And the Lord has become a refuge to the poor" (ver. 9). Whatsoever
be the
persecutions
of that enemy, who has been turned behind, what harm shall he do to
them
whose refuge the Lord has become? But this will be, if in this world, in
which
that one has an office of power, they shall choose to be poor, by loving
nothing
which either here leaves a man while he lives and loves, or is left by him
when
he dies. For to such a poor man has the Lord become a refuge, "an Helper
in
due
season, in tribulation." Lo, He makes poor, for "He scourges every
son whom
He
receives." Hebrews 12:6 For what "an Helper in due season" is,
he explained
by
adding "in tribulation." For the soul is not turned to God, save when
it is turned
away
from this world: nor is it more seasonably turned away from this world,
except
toils and pains be mingled with its trifling and hurtful and destructive
pleasures.
11.
"And let them who know Your Name, hope in You" (ver. 10), when they
shall
have
ceased hoping in wealth, and in the other enticements of this world. For the
soul
indeed that seeks where to fix her hope, when she is torn away from this
world,
the knowledge of God's Name seasonably receives. For the mere Name of
God
has now been published everywhere: but the knowledge of the name is, when
He
is known whose name it is. For the name is not a name for its own sake, but for
that
which it signifies. Now it has been said, "The Lord is His Name."
Wherefore
whoso
willingly submits himself to God as His servant, has known this name.
"And
let them who know Your Name hope in You" (ver. 10). Again, the Lord says
to
Moses, "I am That I am; and You shall say to the children of Israel, I Am,
has
sent
me." Exodus 3:14 "Let them" then "who know Your Name, hope
in You;"
that
they may not hope in those things which flow by in time's quick revolution,
having
nothing but "will be" and "has been." For what in them is
future, when it
arrives,
straightway becomes the past; it is awaited with eagerness, it is lost with
pain.
But in the nature of God nothing will be, as if it were not yet; or has been,
as
if
it were no longer: but there is only that which is, and this is eternity. Let
them
cease
then to hope in and love things temporal, and let them apply themselves to
hope
eternal, who know His name who said, "I am That I am;" and of whom it
was
said,
"I Am has sent me." Exodus 3:14 "For You have not forsaken them
that seek
You,
O Lord." Whoso seek Him, seek no more things transient and perishable;
"For
no man can serve two masters." Matthew 6:24
12.
"Sing to the Lord, who dwells in Sion" (ver. 11), is said to them,
whom the
Lord
forsakes not as they seek Him. He dwells in Sion, which is interpreted
watching,
and which bears the likeness of the Church that now is; as Jerusalem
bears
the likeness of the Church that is to come, that is, the city of Saints already
enjoying
life angelical; for Jerusalem is by interpretation the vision of peace. Now
watching
goes before vision, as this Church goes before that one which is
promised,
the city immortal and eternal. But in time it goes before, not in dignity:
because
more honourable is that whither we are striving to arrive, than what we
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 9
64
practise,
that we may attain to arrive; now we practise watching, that we may
arrive
at vision. But again this same Church which now is, unless the Lord inhabit
her,
the most earnest watching might run into any sort of error. And to this Church
it
was said, "For the
1
Corinthians 3:17 again, "that Christ may dwell in the inner man in your
hearts by
faith."
Ephesians 3:17 It is enjoined us then, that we sing to the Lord who dwells
in
Sion, that with one accord we praise the Lord, the Inhabitant of the Church.
"Show
forth His wonders among the heathen." It has both been done, and will not
cease
to be done.
13.
"For requiring their blood He has remembered" (ver. 12). As if they,
who were
sent
to preach the Gospel, should make answer to that injunction which has been
mentioned,
"Show forth His wonders among the heathen," and should say, "O
Lord,
who has believed our report?" Isaiah 53:1 and again, "For Your sake
we are
killed
all the day long;" the Psalmist suitably goes on to say, That Christians
not
without
great reward of eternity will die in persecution, "for requiring their
blood
He
has remembered." But why did he choose to say, "their blood"?
Was it, as if
one
of imperfect knowledge and less faith should ask, How will they "show them
forth,"
seeing that the infidelity of the heathen will rage against them; and he
should
be answered, "For requiring their blood He has remembered," that is,
the
last
judgment will come, in which both the glory of the slain and the punishment
of
the slayers shall be made manifest? But let no one suppose "He has
remembered"
to be so used, as though forgetfulness can attach to God; but since
the
judgment will be after a long interval, it is used in accordance with the
feeling
of
weak men, who think God has forgotten, because He does not act so speedily as
they
wish. To such is said what follows also, "He has not forgotten the cry of
the
poor:"
that is, He has not, as you suppose, forgotten. As if they should on hearing,
"He
has remembered," say, Then He had forgotten; No, "He has not
forgotten,"
says
the Psalmist, "the cry of the poor."
14.
But I ask, what is that cry of the poor, which God forgets not? Is it that cry,
the
words
whereof are these, "Pity me, O Lord, see my humiliation at the hands of my
enemies"?
(ver. 13). Why then did he not say, Pity "us" O Lord, see our
humiliation
at the hands of "our" enemies, as if many poor were crying; but as if
one,
Pity "me," O Lord? Is it because One intercedes for the Saints,
"who" first
"for
our sakes became poor, though He was rich;" 2 Corinthians 8:9 and it is He
who
says, "Who exaltest me from the gates of death (ver. 14), that I may
declare
all
Your praises in the gates of the daughter of Sion"? For man is exalted in
Him,
not
that Man only which He bears, which is the Head of the Church; but
whichsoever
one of us also is among the other members, and is exalted from all
depraved
desires; which are the gates of death, for that through them is the road to
death.
But the joy in the fruition is at once death itself, when one gains what he
has
in abandoned wilfulness coveted: for "coveting is the root of all
evil:"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 9
65
1
Timothy 6:10 and therefore is the gate of death, for "the widow that lives
in
pleasures
is dead." 1 Timothy 5:6 At which pleasures we arrive through desires as
it
were through the gates of death. But all highest purposes are the gates of the
daughter
of Sion, through which we come to the vision of peace in the Holy
Church
.... Or haply are the gates of death the bodily senses and eyes, which were
opened
when the man tasted of the forbidden tree, Genesis 3:7... and are the gates
of
the daughter of Sion the sacraments and beginnings of faith, which are opened
to
them that knock, that they may arrive at the hidden things of the Son?...
15.
Then follows, "I will exult for Your salvation:" that is, with
blessedness shall I
be
holden by Your salvation, which is our Lord Jesus Christ, the Power and
Wisdom
of God. Therefore says the Church, which is here in affliction and is
saved
by hope, as long as the hidden judgment of the Son is, in hope she says,
"I
will
exult for Your salvation:" for now she is worn down either by the roar of
violence
around her, or by the errors of the heathen. "The heathen are fixed in the
corruption,
which they made" (ver. 15). Consider ye how punishment is reserved
for
the sinner, out of his own works; and how they that have wished to persecute
the
Church, have been fixed in that corruption, which they thought to inflict. For
they
were desiring to kill the body, while they themselves were dying in soul.
"In
that
snare which they hid, has their foot been taken." The hidden snare is
crafty
devising.
The foot of the soul is well understood to be its love: which, when
depraved,
is called coveting or lust; but when upright, love or charity .... And the
Apostle
says, "That being rooted and grounded in love, you may be able to take
in."
Ephesians 3:17-18 The foot then of sinners, that is, their love, is taken in
the
snare,
which they hide: for when delight shall have followed on to deceitful
dealing,
when God shall have delivered them over to the lust of their heart; that
delight
at once binds them, that they dare not tear away their love thence and apply
it
to profitable objects; for when they shall make the attempt, they will be
pained
in
heart, as if desiring to free their foot from a fetter: and giving way under
this
pain
they refuse to withdraw from pernicious delights. "In the snare" then
"which
they
have hid," that is, in deceitful counsel, "their foot has been
taken," that is,
their
love, which through deceit attains to that vain joy whereby pain is purchased.
16.
"The Lord is known executing judgments" (ver. 16). These are God's
judgments.
Not from that tranquillity of His blessedness, nor from the secret
places
of wisdom, wherein blessed souls are received, is the sword, or fire, or wild
beast,
or any such thing brought forth, whereby sinners may be tormented: but
how
are they tormented, and how does the Lord do judgment? "In the
works," he
says,
"of his own hands has the sinner been caught."
17.
Here is interposed, "The song of the diapsalma" (ver. 16): as it were
the hidden
joy,
as far as we can imagine, of the separation which is now made, not in place,
but
in the affections of the heart, between sinners and the righteous, as of the
corn
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 9
66
from
the chaff, as yet on the floor. And then follows, "Let the sinners be
turned
into
hell" (ver. 17): that is, let them be given into their own hands, when
they are
spared,
and let them be ensnared in deadly delight. "All the nations that forget
God."
Because "when they did not think good to retain God in their knowledge,
God
gave them over to a reprobate mind." Romans 1:28
18.
"For there shall not be forgetfulness of the poor man to the end"
(ver. 18); who
now
seems to be in forgetfulness, when sinners are thought to flourish in this
world's
happiness, and the righteous to be in travail: but "the patience,"
says He,
"of
the poor shall not perish for ever." Wherefore there is need of patience
now to
bear
with the evil, who are already separated in will, till they be also separated
at
the
last judgment.
19.
"Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail" (ver. 19). The future judgment
is prayed
for:
but before it come, "Let the heathen," says he, "be judged in
Your sight:" that
is,
in secret; which is called in God's sight, with the knowledge of a few holy and
righteous
ones. "Place a lawgiver over them, O Lord." (ver. 20). He seems to me
to
point out Antichrist: of whom the Apostle says, "When the man of sin shall
be
revealed."
"Let the heathen know that they are men." That they who will be set
free
by the Son of God, and belong to the Son of Man, and be sons of men, that is,
new
men, may serve man, that is, the old man the sinner, "for that they are
men."
20.
And because it is believed that he is to arrive at so great a pitch of empty
glory,
and
he will be permitted to do so great things, both against all men and against
the
Saints
of God, that then some weak ones shall indeed think that God cares not for
human
affairs, the Psalmist interposing a diapsalma, adds as it were the voice of
men
groaning and asking why judgment is deferred.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 10
67
Exposition
on Psalm 10
"Why,
O Lord," says he, "have You withdrawn afar off?" (ver. 1). Then
he who
thus
inquired, as if all on a sudden he understood, or as if he asked, though he
knew,
that he might teach, adds, "Thou despisest in due seasons, in
tribulations:"
that
is, Thou despisest seasonably, and causest tribulations to inflame men's minds
with
longing for Your coming. For that fountain of life is sweeter to them that
have
much thirst. Therefore he hints the reason of the delay, saying, "Whilst
the
ungodly
vaunts himself, the poor man is inflamed" (ver. 2). Wondrous it is and
true
with what earnestness of good hope the little ones are inflamed unto an
upright
living by comparison with sinners. In which mystery it comes to pass, that
even
heresies are permitted to exist; not that heretics themselves wish this, but
because
Divine Providence works this result from their sins, which both makes
and
ordains the light; but orders only the darkness, that by comparison therewith
the
light may be more pleasant, as by comparison with heretics the discovery of
truth
is more sweet. For so, by this comparison, the approved, who are known to
God,
are made manifest among men.
1.
"They are taken in their thoughts, which they think:" that is, their
evil thoughts
become
chains to them. But how become they chains? "For the sinner is praised,"
says
he, "in the desires of his soul" (ver. 3). The tongues of flatterers
bind souls in
sin.
For there is pleasure in doing those things, in which not only is no reprover
feared,
but even an approver heard. "And he that does unrighteous deeds is
blessed."
Hence "are they taken in their thoughts, which they think."
2.
"The sinner has angered the Lord" (ver. 4). Let no one congratulate
the man that
prospers
in his way, to whose sins no avenger is nigh, and an approver is by. This
is
the greater anger of the Lord. For the sinner has angered the Lord, that he
should
suffer
these things, that is, should not suffer the scourging of correction. "The
sinner
has angered the Lord: according to the multitude of His anger He will not
search
it out." Great is His anger, when He searches not out, when He as it were
forgets
and marks not sin, and by fraud and wickedness man attains to riches and
honours:
which will especially be the case in that Antichrist, who will seem to
man
blessed to that degree, that he will even be thought God. But how great this
anger
of God is, we are taught by what follows.
3.
"God is not in his sight, his ways are polluted in all time" (ver.
5). He that
knows
what in the soul gives joy and gladness, knows how great an ill it is to be
abandoned
by the light of truth: since a great ill do men reckon the blindness of
their
bodily eyes, whereby this light is withdrawn. How great then the punishment
he
endures, who through the prosperous issue of his sins is brought to that pass,
that
God is not in his sight, and that his ways are polluted in all time, that is,
his
thoughts
and counsels are unclean! "Your judgments are taken away from his
Psalm 10
68
face."
For the mind conscious of evil, while it seems to itself to suffer no
punishment,
believes that God does not judge, and so are God's judgments taken
away
from its face; while this very thing is great condemnation. "And he shall
have
dominion over all his enemies." For so is it delivered, that he will
overcome
all
kings, and alone obtain the kingdom; since too according to the Apostle, who
preaches
concerning him, "He shall sit in the temple of God, exalting himself
above
all that is worshipped and that is called God."
4.
And seeing that being delivered over to the lust of his own heart, and
predestinated
to extreme condemnation, he is to come, by wicked arts, to that vain
and
empty height and rule; therefore it follows, "For he has said in his
heart, I
shall
not move from generation to generation without evil" (ver. 6): that is, my
fame
and my name will not pass from this generation to the generation of
posterity,
unless by evil arts I acquire so lofty a principality, that posterity cannot
be
silent concerning it. For a mind abandoned and void of good arts, and estranged
from
the light of righteousness, by bad arts devises a passage for itself to a fame
so
lasting,
as is celebrated even in posterity. And they that cannot be known for good,
desire
that men should speak of them even for ill, provided that their name spread
far
and wide. And this I think is here meant, "I shall not move from
generation to
generation
without evil." There is too another interpretation, if a mind vain and
full
of error supposes that it cannot come from the mortal generation to the
generation
of eternity, but by bad arts: which indeed was also reported of Simon,
when
he thought that he would gain heaven by wicked arts, and pass from the
human
generation to the generation divine by magic. Acts 8:9 Where then is the
wonder,
if that man of sin too, who is to fill up all the wickedness and
ungodliness,
which all false prophets have begun, and to do such "great signs; that,
if
it were possible, he should deceive the very elect," Matthew 24:24 shall
say in
his
heart, "I shall not move from generation to generation without evil"?
5.
"Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness and deceit" (ver. 7).
For it is a
great
curse to seek heaven by such abominable arts, and to get together such
earnings
for acquiring the eternal seat. But of this cursing his mouth is full. For
this
desire shall not take effect, but within his mouth only will avail to destroy
him,
who dared promise himself such things with bitterness and deceit, that is,
with
anger and insidiousness, whereby he is to bring over the multitude to his side.
"Under
his tongue is toil and grief." Nothing is more toilsome than
unrighteousness
and ungodliness: upon which toil follows grief; for that the toil is
not
only without fruit, but even unto destruction. Which toil and grief refer to
that
which
he has said in his heart, "I shall not be moved from generation to
generation
without
evil." And therefore, "under his tongue," not on his tongue,
because he
will
devise these things in silence, and to men will speak other things, that he may
appear
good and just, and a son of God.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 10
69
6.
"He lies in ambush with the rich" (ver. 8). What rich, but those whom
he will
load
with this world's gifts? And he is therefore said to lie in ambush with them,
because
he will display their false happiness to deceive men; who, when with a
perverted
will they desire to be such as they, and seek not the good things eternal,
will
fall into his snares. "That in the dark he may kill the innocent."
"In the dark," I
suppose,
is said, where it is not easily understood what should be sought, or what
avoided.
Now to kill the innocent, is of an innocent to make one guilty.
7.
"His eyes look against the poor," for he is chiefly to persecute the
righteous, of
whom
it is said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven"
Matthew 5:3 (ver. 9). "He lies in wait in a secret place, as a lion in his
den."
By a lion in a den, he means one in whom both violence and deceit will
work.
For the first persecution of the Church was violent, when by proscriptions,
by
torments, by murders, the Christians were compelled to sacrifice: another
persecution
is crafty, which is now conducted by heretics of any kind and false
brethren:
there remains a third, which is to come by Antichrist, than which there is
nothing
more perilous; for it will be at once violent and crafty. Violence he will
exert
in empire, craft in miracles. To the violence, the word "lion"
refers; to craft,
the
words "in his den." And these are again repeated with a change of
order. "He
lies
in wait," he says, "that he may catch the poor;" this has
reference to craft: but
what
follows, "To catch the poor while he draws him," is put to the score
of
violence.
For "draws" means, he brings him to himself by violence, by whatever
tortures
he can.
8.
Again, the two which follow are the same. "In his snare he will humble
him," is
craft
(ver. 10). "He shall decline and fall, while he shall have domination over
the
poor,"
is violence. For a "snare" naturally points to "lying in
wait:" but domination
most
openly conveys the idea of terror. And well does he say, "He will humble
him
in his snare." For when he shall begin to do those signs, the more
wonderful
they
shall appear to men, the more those Saints that shall be then will be despised,
and,
as it were, set at nought: he, whom they shall resist by righteousness and
innocence,
shall seem to overcome by the marvels that he does. But "he shall
decline
and fall, while he shall have domination over the poor;" that is, while he
shall
inflict whatsoever punishments he will upon the servants of God that resist
him.
9.
But how shall he decline, and fall? "For he has said in his heart, God has
forgotten;
He turns away His face, that He see not unto the end" (ver. 11). This is
declining,
and the most wretched fall, while the mind of a man prospers as it were
in
its iniquities, and thinks that it is spared; when it is being blinded, and
kept for
an
extreme and timely vengeance: of which the Psalmist now speaks: "Arise, O
Lord
God, let Your hand be exalted" (ver. 12): that is, let Your power be made
manifest.
Now he had said above, "Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail, let the
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 10
70
heathen
be judged in Your sight:" that is, in secret, where God alone sees. This
comes
to pass when the ungodly have arrived at what seems great happiness to
men:
over whom is placed a lawgiver, such as they had deserved to have, of whom
it
is said, "Place a lawgiver over them, O Lord, let the heathen know that
they are
men."
But now after that hidden punishment and vengeance it is said, "Arise, O
Lord
God, let Your hand be exalted;" not of course in secret, but now in glory
most
manifest. "That Thou forget not the poor unto the end;" that is, as
the
ungodly
think, who say, "God has forgotten, He turns away His face, that He
should
not see unto the end." Now they deny that God sees unto the end, who say
that
He cares not for things human and earthly, for the earth is as it were the end
of
things;
in that it is the last element, in which men labour in most orderly sort, but
they
cannot see the order of their labours, which specially belongs to the hidden
things
of the Son. The Church then labouring in such times, like a ship in great
waves
and tempests, awakes the Lord as if He were sleeping, that He should
command
the winds, and calm should be restored. Matthew 8:24-26 He says
therefore,
"Arise, O Lord God, let Your hand be exalted, that Thou forget not the
poor
unto the end."
10.
Accordingly understanding now the manifest judgment, and in exultation at it,
they
say, "Wherefore has the ungodly angered God?" (ver. 13); that is,
what has it
profited
him to do so great evil? "For he said in his heart, He will not require
it."
Then
follows, "For You see toil and considerest anger, to deliver them into
Thine
hands"
(ver. 14). This sentence looks for distinct explanation, wherein if there
shall
be error it becomes obscure. For thus has the ungodly said in his heart, God
will
not require it, as though God regarded toil and anger, to deliver them into His
hands;
that is, as though He feared toil and anger, and for this reason would spare
them,
lest their punishment be too burdensome to Him, or lest He should be
disturbed
by the storm of anger: as men generally act, excusing themselves of
vengeance,
to avoid toil or anger.
11.
"The poor has been left unto You." For therefore is he poor, that is,
has
despised
all the temporal goods of this world, that Thou only may be his hope.
"You
will be a helper to the orphan," that is, to him to whom his father this
world,
by
whom he was born after the flesh, dies, and who can already say, "The
world
has
been crucified unto me, and I unto the world." Galatians 6:14 For of such
orphans
God becomes the Father. The Lord teaches us in truth that His disciples
do
become orphans, to whom He says, "Call no man father on earth."
Matthew
23:9 Of which He first Himself gave an example in saying, "Who is my
mother,
and who my brethren?" Matthew 12:48 Whence some most mischievous
heretics
would assert that He had no mother; and they do not see that it follows
from
this, if they pay attention to these words, that neither had His disciples
fathers.
For as He said, "Who is my mother?" so He taught them, when He said,
"Call
no man your father on earth."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 10
71
12.
"Break the arm of the sinner and of the malicious" (ver. 15); of him,
namely,
of
whom it was said above, "He shall have dominion over all his
enemies." He
called
his power then, his arm; to which Christ's power is opposed, of which it is
said,
"Arise, O Lord God, let Your hand be exalted. His fault shall be required,
and
he shall not be found because of it;" that is he shall be judged for his
sins, and
himself
shall perish because of his sin. After this, what wonder if there follow,
"The
Lord shall reign for ever and world without end; ye heathen shall perish out
of
His earth"? (ver. 16). He uses heathen for sinners and ungodly.
13.
"The Lord has heard the longing of the poor" (ver. 17): that longing
wherewith
they
were burning, when in the straits and tribulations of this world they desired
the
day of the Lord. "Thine ear has heard the preparation of their
heart." This is the
preparation
of the heart, of which it is sung in another Psalm, "My heart is
prepared,
O God, my heart is prepared:" of which the Apostle says, "But if we
hope
for what we see not, we do with patience wait for it." Romans 8:25 Now, by
the
ear of God, we ought, according to a general rule of interpretation, to
understand
not a bodily member, but the power whereby He hears; and so (not to
repeat
this often) by whatever members of His are mentioned, which in us are
visible
and bodily, must be understood powers of operation. For we must not
suppose
it anything bodily, in that the Lord God hears not the sound of the voice,
but
the preparation of the heart.
14.
"To judge for the orphan and the humble" (ver. 18): that is, not for
him who is
conformed
to this world, nor for the proud. For it is one thing to judge the orphan,
another
to judge for the orphan. He judges the orphan even, who condemns him;
but
he judges for the orphan, who delivers sentence for him. "That man add not
further
to magnify himself upon earth." For they are men, of whom it was said,
"Place
a lawgiver over them, O Lord: let the heathen know that they are men." But
he
too, who in this same passage is understood to be placed over them, will be
man,
of whom it is now said, "That man add not further to magnify himself upon
earth:"
namely, when the Son of Man shall come to judge for the orphan, who has
put
off from himself the old man, and thus, as it were, buried his father.
15.
After the hidden things then of the Son, of which, in this Psalm, many things
have
been said, will come the manifest things of the Son, of which a little has been
now
said at the end of the same Psalm. But the title is given from the former,
which
here occupy the larger portion. Indeed, the very day of the Lord's advent
may
be rightly numbered among the hidden things of the Son, although the very
presence
of the Lord itself will be manifest. For of that day it is said, that no man
knows
it, neither angels, nor powers, nor the Son of man. Mark 13:32 What then
so
hidden, as that which is said to be hidden even to the Judge Himself, not as
regards
knowledge, but disclosure? But concerning the hidden things of the Son,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 10
72
even
if any one would not wish to understand the Son of God, but of David
himself,
to whose name the whole Psalter is attributed, for the Psalms we know are
called
the Psalms of David, let him give ear to those words in which it is said to
the
Lord, "Have mercy on us, O Son of David:" Matthew 20:30 and so even
in this
manner
let him understand the same Lord Christ, concerning whose hidden things
is
the inscription of this Psalm. For so likewise is it said by the Angel:
"God shall
give
unto Him the throne of His father David." Luke 1:32 Nor to this
understanding
of it is the sentence opposed in which the same Lord asks of the
Jews,
"If Christ be the Son of David, how then does he in spirit call Him Lord,
saying,
The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit on my right hand, until I put Your
enemies
under Your feet." Matthew 22:43-44 For it was said to the unskilled, who
although
they looked for Christ's coming, yet expected Him as man, not as the
Power
and Wisdom of God. He teaches then, in that place, the most true and pure
faith,
that He is both the Lord of king David, in that He is the Word in the
beginning,
God with God, John 1:1 by which all things were made; and Son, in
that
He was made to him of the seed of David according to the flesh. For He does
not
say, Christ is not David's Son, but if you already hold that He is his Son,
learn
how
He is his Lord: and do not hold in respect of Christ that He is the Son of Man,
for
so is He David's Son; Romans 1:3 and leave out that He is the Son of God, for
so
is He David's Lord.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm
11
73
Exposition on
Psalm 11
To
the end, a psalm of David himself.
1.
This title does not require a fresh consideration: for the meaning of, "to
the
end,"
has already been sufficiently handled. Let us then look to the text itself of
the
Psalm, which to me appears to be sung against the heretics, who, by rehearsing
and
exaggerating the sins of many in the Church, as if either all or the majority
among
themselves were righteous, strive to turn and snatch us away from the
breasts
of the one True Mother Church: affirming that Christ is with them, and
warning
us as if with piety and earnestness, that by passing over to them we may
go
over to Christ, whom they falsely declare they have. Now it is known that in
prophecy
Christ, among the many names in which notice of Him is conveyed in
allegory,
is also called a mountain. We must accordingly answer these people, and
say,
"I trust in the Lord: how say ye to my soul, Remove into the mountains as
a
sparrow?"
(ver. 1). I keep to one mountain wherein I trust, how say ye that I
should
pass over to you, as if there were many Christs? Or if through pride you
say
that you are mountains, I had indeed need to be a sparrow winged with the
powers
and commandments of God: but these very things hinder my flying to
these
mountains, and placing my trust in proud men. I have a house where I may
rest,
in that I trust in the Lord. For even "the sparrow has found her a
house," and,
"The
Lord has become a refuge to the poor." Let us say then with all
confidence,
lest
while we seek Christ among heretics we lose Him, "In the Lord I trust: how
say
ye to my soul, Remove into the mountains as a sparrow?"
2.
"For, lo, sinners have bent the bow, they have prepared their arrows in
the
quiver,
that they may in the obscure moon shoot at the upright in heart" (ver. 2).
These
be the terrors of those who threaten us as touching sinners, that we may pass
over
to them as the righteous. "Lo," they say, "the sinners have bent
the bow:" the
Scriptures,
I suppose, by carnal interpretation of which they emit envenomed
sentences
from them. "They have prepared their arrows in the quiver:" the same
words,
that is, which they will shoot out on the authority of Scripture, they have
prepared
in the secret place of the heart. "That they may in the obscure moon shoot
at
the upright in heart:" that when they see, from the Church's light being
obscured
by
the multitude of the unlearned and the carnal, that they cannot be convicted,
they
may corrupt good manners by evil communications. 1 Corinthians 15:33 But
against
all these terrors we must say, "In the Lord I trust."
3.
Now I remember that I promised to consider in this Psalm with what
suitableness
the moon signifies the Church. There are two probable opinions
concerning
the moon: but of these which is the true, I suppose it either impossible
or
very difficult for a man to decide. For when we ask whence the moon has her
light,
some say that it is her own, but that of her globe half is bright, and half
dark:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 11
74
and
when she revolves in her own orbit, that part wherein she is bright gradually
turns
towards the earth, so as that it may be seen by us; and that therefore at first
her
appearance is as if she were horned.... According to this opinion the moon in
allegory
signifies the Church, because in its spiritual part the Church is bright, but
in
its carnal part is dark: and sometimes the spiritual part is seen by good
works,
but
sometimes it lies hid in the conscience, and is known to God alone, since in
the
body
alone is it seen by men.... But according to the other opinion also the moon is
understood
to be the Church, because she has no light of her own, but is lighted by
the
only-begotten Son of God, who in many places of holy Scripture is
allegorically
called the Sun. Whom certain heretics being ignorant of, and not able
to
discern Him, endeavour to turn away the minds of the simple to this corporeal
and
visible sun, which is the common light of the flesh of men and flies, and some
they
do pervert, who as long as they cannot behold with the mind the inner light of
truth,
will not be content with the simple Catholic faith; which is the only safety to
babes,
and by which milk alone they can arrive in assured strength at the firm
support
of more solid food. Whichever then of these two opinions be the true, the
moon
in allegory is fitly understood as the Church. Or if in such difficulties as
these,
troublesome rather than edifying, there be either no satisfaction or no leisure
to
exercise the mind, or if the mind itself be not capable of it, it is sufficient
to
regard
the moon with ordinary eyes, and not to seek out obscure causes, but with
all
men to perceive her increasings and fulnesses and wanings; and if she wanes to
the
end that she may be renewed, even to this rude multitude she sets forth the
image
of the Church, in which the resurrection of the dead is believed.
4.
Next we must enquire, what in this Psalm is meant by "the obscure
moon," in
which
sinners have prepared to shoot at the upright in heart? For not in one way
only
may the moon be said to be obscure: for when her monthly course is finished,
and
when her brightness is interrupted by a cloud, and when she is eclipsed at the
full,
the moon may be called obscure. It may then be understood first of the
persecutors
of the Martyrs, for that they wished in the obscure moon to shoot at
the
upright in heart; whether it be yet in the time of the Church's youth, because
she
had not yet shone forth in greatness on the earth, and conquered the darkness
of
heathen superstitions; or by the tongues of blasphemers and such as defame the
Christian
name, when the earth was as it were beclouded, the moon, that is, the
Church,
could not be clearly seen; or when by the slaughter of the Martyrs
themselves
and so great effusion of blood, as by that eclipse and obscuration,
wherein
the moon seems to exhibit a bloody face, the weak were deterred from the
Christian
name; in which terror sinners shot out words crafty and sacrilegious to
pervert
even the upright in heart. And secondly, it can be understood of these
sinners,
whom the Church contains, because at that time, taking the opportunity of
this
moon's obscurity, they committed many crimes, which are now tauntingly
objected
to us by the heretics, whereas their founders are said to have been guilty
of
them. But howsoever that be which was done in the obscure moon, now that the
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 11
75
Catholic
name is spread and celebrated throughout the whole world, what concern
of
mine is it to be disturbed by things unknown? For "in the Lord I
trust;" nor do I
listen
to them that say to my soul, "Remove into the mountains as a sparrow. For,
lo,
sinners have bent the bow, that they may in the obscure moon shoot at the
upright
in heart." Or if the moon seem even now obscure to them, because they
would
make it uncertain which is the Catholic Church, and they strive to convict
her
by the sins of those many carnal men whom she contains; what concern is this
to
him, who says in truth, "In the Lord I trust"? By which word every
one shows
that
he is himself wheat, and endures the chaff with patience unto the time of
winnowing.
5.
"In the Lord," therefore, "I trust." Let them fear who
trust in man, and cannot
deny
that they are of man's party, by whose grey hairs they swear; and when in
conversation
it is demanded of them, of what communion they are, unless they say
that
they are of his party, they cannot be recognised.... Or perhaps you will say
that
it
is written, "You shall know them by their works"? Matthew 7:16 I see
indeed
marvellous
works the daily violences of the Circumcelliones, with the bishops and
presbyters
for their leaders, flying about in every direction, and calling their
terrible
clubs "
of
Macarius, respecting which they raise an invidious cry, most men have not seen
them,
and no one sees them now: and any Catholic who saw them could say, if he
wished
to be a servant of God, "In the Lord I trust."...
6.
Let the Catholic soul then say, "In the Lord I trust; how say ye to my
soul,
Remove
into the mountains as a sparrow? For, lo, the sinners have bent the bow,
they
have prepared their arrows in the quiver, that they may in the obscure moon
shoot
at the upright in heart:" and from them let her turn her speech to the
Lord
and
say, "For they have destroyed what You have perfected" (ver. 3). And
this let
her
say not against these only, but against all heretics. For they have all, as far
as
in
them lies, destroyed the praise which God has perfected out of the mouth of
babes
and sucklings, when they disturb the little ones with vain and scrupulous
questions,
and suffer them not to be nourished with the milk of faith. As if then it
were
said to this soul, why do they say to you, "Remove into the mountains as a
sparrow;"
why do they frighten you with sinners, who "have bent the bow, to
shoot
in the obscure moon at the upright in heart"? She answers, Therefore it is
they
frighten me, "because they have destroyed what You have perfected."
Where
but
in their conventicles, where they nourish not with milk, but kill with poison
the
babes
and ignorant of the interior light. "But what has the Just done?" If
Macarius,
if
Cćcilianus, offend you, what has Christ done to you, who said, "My peace I
give
unto you, My peace I leave with you;" John 14:27 which you with your
abominable
dissensions have violated? What has Christ done to you? who with
such
exceeding patience endured His betrayer, as to give to him, as to the other
Apostles,
the first Eucharist consecrated with His own hands, and blessed with His
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 11
76
own
mouth. What has Christ done to you? who sent this same betrayer, whom He
called
a devil, John 6:70 who before betraying the Lord could not show good faith
even
to the Lord's purse, John 12:6 with the other disciples to preach the kingdom
of
heaven; Matthew 10:5-7 that He might show that the gifts of God come to those
that
with faith receive them, though he, through whom they receive them, be such
as
Judas was.
7.
"The Lord is in His holy temple" (ver. 4), yea in such wise as the
Apostle says,
"For
the temple of God is holy, which" temple "you are." 1
Corinthians 3:17 "Now
if
any man shall violate the temple of God, him shall God destroy." He
violates the
temple
of God, who violates unity: for he "holds not the head, from which the
whole
body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies
according
to the working after the measure of every part makes increase of the
body
to the edifying of itself in love." The Lord is in this His holy temple;
which
consists
of His many members, fulfilling each his own separate duties, by love
built
up into one building. Which temple he violates, who for the sake of his own
pre-eminence
separates himself from the Catholic society. "The Lord is in His
holy
temple; the Lord, His seat is in heaven." If you take heaven to be the
just
man,
as you take the earth to be the sinner, to whom it was said, "Earth you
are,
and
unto earth shall you go;" Genesis 3:19 the words, "The Lord is in His
holy
temple"
you will understand to be repeated, while it is said, "The Lord, His seat
is
in
heaven."
8.
"His eyes look upon the poor." His to Whom the poor man has been
left, and
Who
has been made a refuge to the poor. And therefore all the seditions and
tumults
within these nets, Matthew 13:47 until they be drawn to shore, concerning
which
heretics upbraid us to their own ruin and our correction, are caused by those
men,
who will not be Christ's poor. But do they turn away God's eyes from such as
would
be so? "For His eyes look upon the poor." Is it to be feared lest, in
the
crowd
of the rich, He may not be able to see the few poor, whom He brings up in
safe
keeping in the bosom of the Catholic Church? "His eyelids question the
sons
of
men." Here by that rule I would wish to take "the sons of men"
of those that
from
old men have been regenerated by faith. For these, by certain obscure
passages
of Scripture, as it were the closed eyes of God, are exercised that they
may
seek: and again, by certain clear passages, as it were the open eyes of God,
are
enlightened that they may rejoice. And this frequent closing and opening in the
holy
Books are as it were the eyelids of God; which question, that is, which try the
"sons
of men;" who are neither wearied with the obscurity of the matter, but
exercised;
nor puffed up by knowledge, but confirmed.
9.
"The Lord questions the righteous and ungodly" (ver. 5). Why then do
we fear
lest
the ungodly should be any hurt to us, if so be they do with insincere heart
share
the sacraments with us, seeing that He "questions the righteous and the
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 11
77
ungodly."
"But whoso loves iniquity, hates his own soul:" that is, not him who
believes
God, and puts not his hope in man, but only his own soul does the lover
of
iniquity hurt.
10.
"He shall rain snares upon the sinners" (ver. 6). If by clouds are
understood
prophets
generally, whether good or bad, who are also called false prophets: false
prophets
are so ordered by the Lord God, that by them He may rain snares upon
sinners.
Matthew 24:24 For no one, but the sinner, falls into a following of them,
whether
by way of preparation for the last punishment, if he shall choose to
persevere
in sin; or to dissuade from pride, if in time he shall come to seek God
with
a more sincere intent. But if by clouds are understood good and true prophets
only;
by these too it is clear that God rains snares upon sinners, although by them
He
waters also the godly unto fruitfulness. "To some," says the Apostle,
"we are
the
savour of life unto life; to some the savour of death unto death."
2
Corinthians 2:16 For not prophets only, but all who with the word of God water
souls,
may be called clouds. Who when they are understood amiss, God rains
snares
upon sinners; but when they are understood aright, He makes the hearts of
the
godly and believing fruitful. As, for instance, the passage, "and they two
shall
be
in one flesh," Ephesians 5:31 if one interpret it with an eye to lust, He
rains a
snare
upon the sinner. But if you understand it, as he who says, "But I speak
concerning
Christ and the Church," Ephesians 5:32 He rains a shower on the
fertile
soil. Now both are effected by the same cloud, that is, holy Scripture. Again
the
Lord says, "Not that which goes into your mouth defiles you, but that
which
comes
out." Matthew 15:11 The sinner hears this, and makes ready his palate for
gluttony:
the righteous hears it, and is guarded against the superstitious distinction
in
meats. Here then also out of the same cloud of Scripture, according to the
several
desert of each, upon the sinner the rain of snares, upon the righteous the
rain
of fruitfulness, is poured.
11.
"Fire and brimstone and the blast of the tempest is the portion of their
cup."
This
is their punishment and end, by whom the name of God is blasphemed; that
first
they should be wasted by the fire of their own lusts, then by the ill savour of
their
evil deeds cast off from the company of the blessed, at last carried away and
overwhelmed
suffer penalties unspeakable. For this is the portion of their cup: as
of
the righteous, "Your cup inebriating how excellent is it! for they shall
be
inebriated
with the richness of Your house." Now I suppose a cup is mentioned for
this
reason, that we should not suppose that anything is done by God's providence,
even
in the very punishments of sinners, beyond moderation and measure. And
therefore
as if he were giving a reason why this should be, he added, "For the Lord
is
righteous, and has loved righteousnesses" (ver. 7). The plural not without
meaning,
but only because he speaks of men, is as that righteousnesses be
understood
to be used for righteous men. For in many righteous men there seem,
so
to say, to be righteousnesses, whereas there is one only righteousness of God
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 11 78
whereof
they all participate. Like as when one face looks upon many mirrors, what
in
it is one only, is by those many mirrors reflected manifoldly. Wherefore he
recurs
to the singular, saying, "His face has seen equity." Perhaps,
"His face has
seen
equity," is as if it were said, Equity has been seen in His face, that is,
in
knowledge
of Him. For God's face is the power by which He is made known to
them
that are worthy. Or at least, "His face has seen equity," because He
does not
allow
Himself to be known by the evil, but by the good; and this is equity.
12.
But if any one would understand the moon of the synagogue, let him refer the
Psalm
to the Lord's passion, and of the Jews say, "For they have destroyed what
You
have perfected;" and of the Lord Himself, "But what has the Just
done?"
whom
they accused as the destroyer of the Law: whose precepts, by their corrupt
living,
and by despising them, and by setting up their own, they had destroyed, so
that
the Lord Himself may speak as Man, as He is wont, saying, "In the Lord I
trust;
how say ye to my soul, Remove into the mountains as a sparrow?" by
reason,
that is, of the fear of those who desire to apprehend and crucify Him. Since
the
interpretation is not unreasonable of sinners wishing to "shoot at the
upright in
heart,"
that is, those who believed in Christ, "in the obscure moon," that
is, the
Synagogue
filled with sinners. To this too the words, "The Lord is in His holy
temple;
the Lord, His seat is in heaven," are suitable; that is, the Word in Man,
or
the
very Son of Man who is in heaven. John 3:13 "His eyes look upon the
poor;"
either
on to Him whom He assumed as God, or for whom He suffered as
"His
eyelids question the sons of men." The closing and opening of the eyes,
which
is probably meant by the word eyelids, we may take to be His death and
resurrection,
whereby He tried the sons of men His disciples, terrified at His
passion,
and gladdened by the resurrection. "The Lord questions the righteous and
ungodly,"
even now from out of Heaven governing the Church. "But whoso loves
iniquity,
hates his own soul." Why it is so, what follows teaches us. For "He
shall
rain
snares upon the sinners:" which is to be taken according to the exposition
above
given, and so on with all the rest to the end of the Psalm.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 12
79
Exposition on
Psalm 12
To
the end, for the eighth, a psalm of David.
1.
It has been said on the sixth Psalm, that "the eighth" may be taken
as the day of
judgment.
"For the eighth" may also be taken "for the eternal age;" for
that after
the
time present, which is a cycle of seven days, it shall be given to the Saints.
2.
"Save me, O Lord, for the holy has failed;" that is, is not found: as
we speak
when
we say, Corn fails, or, Money fails. "For the truths have been minished
from
among
the sons of men" (ver. 1). The truth is one, whereby holy souls are
enlightened:
but forasmuch as there are many souls, there may be said in them to
be
many truths: as in mirrors there are seen many reflections from one face.
3.
"He has talked vanity each man to his neighbour" (ver. 2). By
neighbour we
must
understand every man: for that there is no one with whom we should work
evil;
"and the love of our neighbour works no evil." Romans 13:10
"Deceitful lips,
with
a heart and a heart they have spoken evil things." The repetition,
"with a heart
and
a heart," signifies a double heart.
4.
"May the Lord destroy all deceitful lips" (ver. 3). He says
"all," that no one may
suppose
himself excepted: as the Apostle says, "Upon every soul of man that does
evil,
of the Jew first, and of the Greek." Romans 2:9 "The tongue speaking
great
things:"
the proud tongue.
5.
"Who have said, We will magnify our tongue, our lips are our own, who is
Lord
over
us?" (ver. 4). Proud hypocrites are meant, putting confidence in their
speech
to
deceive men, and not submitting themselves to God.
6.
"Because of the wretchedness of the needy and the sighing of the poor, now
I
will
arise, says the Lord" (ver. 5). For so the Lord Himself in the Gospel
pitied His
people,
because they had no ruler, when they could well obey. Whence too it is
said
in the Gospel, "The harvest is plenteous, but the labourers are few."
Matthew
9:37 But this must be taken as spoken in the person of God the Father,
who,
because of the needy and the poor, that is, who in need and poverty were
lacking
spiritual good things, vouchsafed to send His own Son. From thence
begins
His sermon on the mount to Matthew, where He says, "Blessed are the poor
in
spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3 "I will
place in
salvation."
He does not say what He would place: but, "in salvation," must be
understood
as, in Christ; according to that, "For my eyes have seen Your
salvation."
Luke 2:30 And hence He is understood to have placed in Him what
appertains
to the taking away the wretchedness of the needy, and the comforting
the
sighing of the poor. "I will deal confidently in Him:" according to
that in the
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 12
80
Gospel,
"For He taught them as one having authority, and not as their
scribes."
Matthew
7:29
7.
"The words of the Lord" are "pure words" (ver. 6). This is
in the person of the
Prophet
himself, "The words of the Lord" are "pure words." He says
"pure,"
without
the alloy of pretence. For many preach the truth impurely;
Philippians
1:16 for they sell it for the bribe of the advantages of this life. Of such
the
Apostle says, that they declared Christ not purely. "Silver tried by the
fire for
the
earth." These words of the Lord by means of tribulations approved to
sinners.
"Purified
seven times:" by the fear of God, by godliness, by knowledge, by might,
by
counsel, by understanding, by wisdom. Isaiah 11:2 For seven steps also of
beatitude
there are, which the Lord goes over, according to Matthew, in the same
sermon
which He spoke on the Mount, "Blessed" are "the poor in spirit,
blessed
the
meek, blessed they that mourn, blessed they which do hunger and thirst after
righteousness,
blessed the merciful, blessed the pure in heart, blessed the
peacemakers."
Matthew 5:3-9 Of which seven sentences, it may be observed how
all
that long sermon was spoken. For the eighth where it is said,
"Blessed" are
"they
which suffer persecution for righteousness' sake," Matthew 5:10 denotes
the
fire
itself, whereby the silver is proved seven times. And at the termination of
this
sermon
it is said, "For He taught them as one having authority, and not as their
scribes."
Matthew 7:29 Which refers to that which is said in this Psalm, "I deal
confidently
in Him."
8.
"You, O Lord, shall preserve us, and keep us from this generation to eternity"
(ver.
7): here as needy and poor, there as wealthy and rich.
9.
"The ungodly walk in a circle round about" (ver. 8): that is, in the
desire of
things
temporal, which revolves as a wheel in a repeated circle of seven days; and
therefore
they do not arrive at the eighth, that is, at eternity, for which this Psalm
is
entitled. So too it is said by Solomon, "For the wise king is the winnower
of the
ungodly,
and he brings on them the wheel of the wicked.—After Thine height You
have
multiplied the sons of men." For there is in temporal things too a
multiplication,
which turns away from the unity of God. Hence "the corruptible
body
weighs down the soul, and the earthy tabernacle presses down the mind that
muses
upon many things." Wisdom 9:15 But the righteous are multiplied
"after the
height
of God," when "they shall go from strength to strength."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 13
81
Exposition on Psalm 13
Unto
the end, a psalm of David.
1.
"For Christ is the end of the law to every one that believes." Romans
10:4 "How
long,
O Lord, will You forget me unto the end?" (ver. 1) that is, put me off as
to
spiritually
understanding Christ, who is the Wisdom of God, and the true end of all
the
aim of the soul. "How long dost Thou turn away Your face from me?" As
God
does
not forget, so neither does He turn His face away: but Scripture speaks after
our
manner. Now God is said to turn away His face, when He does not give to the
soul,
which as yet has not the pure eye of the mind, the knowledge of Himself.
2.
"How long shall I place counsel in my soul?" (ver. 2). There is no
need of
counsel
but in adversity. Therefore "How long shall I place counsel in my
soul?" is
as
if it were said, How long shall I be in adversity? Or at least it is an answer,
so
that
the meaning is this, So long, O Lord, will You forget me to the end, and so
long
turn away Your face from me, until I shall place counsel in my own soul: so
that
except a man place counsel in his own soul to work mercy perfectly, God will
not
direct him to the end, nor give him that full knowledge of Himself, which is
"face
to face." "Sorrow in my heart through the day?" How long shall I
have, is
understood.
And "through the day" signifies continuance, so that day is taken for
time:
from which as each one longs to be free, he has sorrow in his heart, making
entreaty
to rise to things eternal, and not endure man's day.
3.
"How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?" either the devil, or
carnal
habit.
4.
"Look on me, and hear me, O Lord my God" (ver. 3). "Look on
me," refers to
what
was said, "How long" dost "Thou turn away Your face from
me." "Hear,"
refers
to what was said, "How long will You forget me to the end? Lighten my
eyes,
that I sleep not in death." The eyes of the heart must be understood, that
they
be
not closed by the pleasurable eclipse of sin.
5.
"Lest at any time mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him" (ver.
4). The
devil's
mockery is to be feared. "They that trouble me will exult, if I be
moved;"
the
devil and his angels; who exulted not over that righteous man, Job, when they
troubled
him; because he was not moved, that is, did not draw back from the
steadfastness
of his faith. Job 2:3
6.
"But I have hoped in Your mercy" (ver. 5). Because this very thing,
that a man
be
not moved, and that he abide fixed in the Lord, he should not attribute to
self:
lest
when he glories that he has not been moved, he be moved by this very pride.
"My
heart shall exult in Your salvation;" in Christ, in the Wisdom of God.
"I will
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 13
82
sing
to the Lord who has given me good things;" spiritual good things, not
belonging
to man's day. "And I will chant to the name of the Lord most high"
(ver.
6);
that is, I give thanks with joy, and in most due order employ my body, which is
the
song of the spiritual soul. But if any distinction is to be marked here,
"I will
sing"
with the heart, "I will chant" with my works; "to the
Lord," that which He
alone
sees, but "to the name of the Lord," that which is known among men,
which
is
serviceable not for Him, but for us.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm
14
83
Exposition on
Psalm 14
To
the end, a psalm of David himself.
1.
What "to the end" means, must not be too often repeated. "For
Christ is the end
of
the law for righteousness to every one that believes;" Romans 10:4 as the
Apostle
says. We believe in Him, when we begin to enter on the good road: we
shall
see Him, when we shall get to the end. And therefore is He the end.
2.
"The fool has said in his heart, There is no God" (ver. 1). For not
even have
certain
sacrilegious and abominable philosophers, who entertain perverse and false
notions
of God, dared to say, "There is no God." Therefore it is, has said
"in his
heart;"
for that no one dares to say it, even if he has dared to think it. "They
are
corrupt,
and become abominable in their affections:" that is, while they love this
world
and love not God; these are the affections which corrupt the soul, and so
blind
it, that the fool can even say, "in his heart, There is no God. For as
they did
not
like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate
mind."
Romans 1:28 "There is none that does goodness, no not up to one."
"Up to
one,"
can be understood either with that one, so that no man be understood: or
besides
one, that the Lord Christ may be excepted. As we say, This field is up to
the
sea; we do not of course reckon the sea together with the field. And this is
the
better
interpretation, so that none be understood to have done goodness up to
Christ;
for that no man can do goodness, except He shall have shown it. And that
is
true; for until a man know the one God, he cannot do goodness.
3.
"The Lord from heaven looked out upon the sons of men, to see if there be
one
understanding,
or seeking after God" (ver. 2). It may be interpreted, upon the
Jews;
as he may have given them the more honourable name of the sons of men,
by
reason of their worship of the One God, in comparison with the Gentiles; of
whom
I suppose it was said above, "The fool has said in his heart, There is no
God,"
etc. Now the Lord looks out, that He may see, by His holy souls: which is
the
meaning of, "from heaven." For by Himself nothing is hid from Him.
4.
"All have gone out of the way, they have together become useless:"
that is, the
Jews
have become as the Gentiles, who were spoken of above. "There is none that
does
good, no not up to one" (ver. 3), must be interpreted as above.
"Their throat is
an
open sepulchre." Either the voracity of the ever open palate is signified:
or
allegorically
those who slay, and as it were devour those they have slain, into
whom
they instil the disorder of their own conversation. Like to which with the
contrary
meaning is that which was said to Peter, "Kill and eat;" Acts 10:13
that he
should
convert the Gentiles to his own faith and good conversation. "With their
tongues
they have dealt craftily." Flattery is the companion of the greedy and of
all
bad
men. "The poison of asps is under their lips." By "poison,"
he means deceit;
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm
14
84
and
"of asps," because they will not hear the precepts of the law, as
asps "will not
hear
the voice of the charmer;" which is said more clearly in another Psalm.
"Whose
mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:" this is, "the poison of
asps."
"Their
feet are swift to shed blood." He here shows forth the habit of ill doing.
"Destruction
and unhappiness" are "in their ways." For all the ways of evil
men
are
full of toil and misery. Hence the Lord cries out, "Come unto Me, all you
that
labour
and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. Take My yoke upon you, and
learn
of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart. For My yoke is easy and My
burden
light." Matthew 11:28-30 "And the way of peace have they not
known:"
that
way, namely, which the Lord, as I said, mentions, in the easy yoke and light
burden.
"There is no fear of God before their eyes." These do not say,
"There is no
God;"
but yet they do not fear God.
5.
"Shall not all, who work iniquity, know?" (ver. 4). He threatens the
judgment.
"Who
devour My people as the food of bread:" that is, daily. For the food of
bread
is
daily food. Now they devour the people, who serve their own ends out of them,
not
referring their ministry to the glory of God, and the salvation of those over
whom
they are.
6.
"They have not called upon the Lord." For he does not really call
upon Him,
who
longs for such things as are displeasing to Him. "There they trembled for
fear,
where
no fear was" (ver. 5): that is, for the loss of things temporal. For they
said,
"If
we let Him thus alone, all men will believe in Him; and the Romans will come,
and
take away both our place and nation." John 11:48 They feared to lose an
earthly
kingdom, where no fear was; and they lost the kingdom of heaven, which
they
ought to have feared. And this must be understood of all temporal goods, the
loss
of which when men fear, they come not to things eternal.
7.
"For God is in the just generation." It refers to what went before,
so that the
sense
is, "shall not all they that work iniquity know that the Lord is in the
just
generation;"
that is, He is not in them who love the world. For it is unjust to leave
the
Maker of the worlds, and "serve the creature more than the Creator."
Romans
1:25 You have shamed the counsel of the poor, for the Lord is his hope"
(ver.
6): that is, you have despised the humble coming of the Son of God, because
ye
saw not in Him the pomp of the world: that they, whom he was calling, should
put
their hope in God alone, not in the things that pass away.
8.
"Who will give salvation to Israel out of Sion?" (ver. 7). Who but He
whose
humiliation
you have despised? is understood. For He will come in glory to the
judgment
of the quick and the dead, and the kingdom of the just: that, forasmuch
as
in that humble coming "blindness has happened in part unto Israel, that
the
fulness
of the Gentiles might enter in," Romans 11:25 in that other should happen
what
follows, "and so all Israel should be saved." For the Apostle too
takes that
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 14
85
testimony
of Isaiah, where it is said, "There shall come out of Sion He who shall
turn
away ungodliness from Jacob:" Isaiah 59:20 for the Jews, as it is here,
"Who
shall
give salvation to Israel out of Sion?" "When the Lord shall turn away
the
captivity
of His people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad." It is a
repetition,
as is usual: for I suppose, "Israel shall be glad," is the same as,
"Jacob
shall
rejoice."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 15
86
Exposition
on Psalm 15
A
psalm of David himself.
1.
Touching this title there is no question. "O Lord who shall sojourn in
Your
tabernacle?"
(ver. 1). Although tabernacle be sometimes used even for an
everlasting
habitation: yet when tabernacle is taken in its proper meaning, it is a
thing
of war. Hence soldiers are called tent-fellows, as having their tents together.
This
sense is assisted by the words, "Who shall sojourn?" For we war with
the
devil
for a time, and then we need a tabernacle wherein we may refresh ourselves.
Which
specially points out the faith of the temporal Dispensation, which was
wrought
for us in time through the Incarnation of the Lord. "And who shall rest in
Your
holy mountain?" Here perhaps he signifies at once the eternal habitation
itself,
2 Corinthians 5:1-2 that we should understand by "mountain" the
supereminence
of the love of Christ in life eternal.
2.
"He who walks without stain, and works righteousness" (ver. 2). Here
he has
laid
down the proposition; in what follows he sets it forth in detail.
3.
"Who speaks the truth in his heart." For some have truth on their
lips, and not in
their
heart. As if one should deceitfully point out a road, knowing that there were
robbers
there, and should say, If you go this way, you will be safe from robbers;
and
it should turn out that in fact there were no robbers found there: he has
spoken
the
truth, but not in his heart. For he supposed it to be otherwise, and spoke the
truth
in ignorance. Therefore it is not enough to speak the truth, unless it be so
also
in
heart. "Who has practised no deceit in his tongue" (ver. 3). Deceit
is practised
with
the tongue, when one thing is professed with the mouth, another concealed in
the
breast. "Nor done evil to his neighbour." It is well known that by
"neighbour,"
every
man should be understood. "And has not entertained slander against his
neighbour,"
that is, has not readily or rashly given credence to an accuser.
4.
"The malicious one has been brought to nought in his sight" (ver. 4).
This is
perfection,
that the malicious one have no force against a man; and that this be "in
his
sight;" that is, that he know most surely that the malicious is not, save
when
the
mind turns itself away from the eternal and immutable form of her own
Creator
to the form of the creature, which was made out of nothing. "But those
that
fear the Lord, He glorifies:" the Lord Himself, that is. Now "the
fear of the
Lord
is the beginning of wisdom." As then the things above belong to the
perfect,
so
what he is now going to say belongs to beginners.
5.
"Who swears unto his neighbour, and deceives him not." "Who has
not given
his
money upon usury, and has not taken rewards against the innocent" (ver.
5).
These
are no great things: but he who is not able to do even this, much less able is
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 15
87
he
to speak the truth in his heart, and to practise no deceit in his tongue, but
as the
truth
is in the heart, so to profess and have it in his mouth, "yea, yea; nay,
nay;"
Matthew
5:37 and to do no evil to his neighbour, that is, to any man; and to
entertain
no slander against his neighbour: all which are the virtues of the perfect,
in
whose sight the malicious one has been brought to nought. Yet he concludes
even
these lesser things thus, "Whoso does these things shall not be moved for
ever:"
that is, he shall attain unto those greater things, wherein is great and
unshaken
stability. For even the very tenses are, perhaps not without cause, so
varied,
as that in the conclusion above the past tense should be used, but in this the
future.
For there it was said, "The malicious one has been brought to nought in
his
sight:"
but here, "shall not be moved for ever."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 16 88
Exposition
on Psalm 16
The
inscription of the title, of David himself.
1.
Our King in this Psalm speaks in the character of the human nature He assumed,
of
whom the royal title at the time of His passion was eminently set forth.
2.
Now He says as follows; "Preserve me, O Lord, for in You have I
hoped" (ver.
1):
"I have said to the Lord, You are my God, for Thou requirest not my
goods"
(ver.
2): for with my goods Thou dost not look to be made blessed.
3.
"To the saints who are on His earth" (ver. 3): to the saints who have
placed their
hope
in the land of the living, the citizens of the heavenly
spiritual
conversation is, by the anchor of hope, fixed in that country, which is
rightly
called God's earth; although as yet in this earth too they be conversant in
the
flesh. "He has wonderfully fulfilled all My wishes in them." To those
saints
then
He has wonderfully fulfilled all My wishes in their advancement, whereby
they
have perceived, how both the humanity of My divinity has profited them that
I
might die, and the divinity of the humanity that I might rise again.
4.
"Their infirmities have been multiplied" (ver. 4): their infirmities
have been
multiplied
not for their destruction, but that they might long for the Physician.
"Afterwards
they made haste." Accordingly after infirmities multiplied they made
haste,
that they might be healed. "I will not gather together their assemblies by
blood."
For their assemblies shall not be carnal, nor will I gather them together as
one
propitiated by the blood of cattle. Isaiah 1:11-12 "Nor will I be mindful
of
their
names within My lips." But by a spiritual change what they have been shall
be
forgotten; nor by Me shall they be any more called either sinners, or enemies,
or
men; but righteous, and My brethren, and sons of God through My peace.
5.
"The Lord is the portion of Mine inheritance, and of My cup" (ver.
5). For
together
with Me they shall possess the inheritance, the Lord Himself. Let others
choose
for themselves portions, earthly and temporal, to enjoy: the portion of the
Saints
is the Lord eternal. Let others drink of deadly pleasures, the portion of My
cup
is the Lord. In that I say, "Mine," I include the Church: for where
the Head is,
there
is the body also. For into the inheritance will I gather together their
assemblies,
and by the inebriation of the cup I will forget their old names. "You
are
He who will restore to Me My inheritance:" that to these too, whom I free,
may
be known "the glory wherein I was with You before the world was
made."
John
17:5 For You will not restore to Me that which I never lost, but You will
restore
to these, who have lost it, the knowledge of that glory: in whom because I
am,
You will restore to Me.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 16
89
6.
"The lines have fallen to me in glorious places" (ver. 6). The
boundaries of my
possession
have fallen in Your glory as it were by lot, like as God is the
possession
of the Priests and Levites. Numbers 18:20 "For Mine inheritance is
glorious
to Me." "For Mine inheritance is glorious," not to all, but to
them that see;
in
whom because I am, "it is to Me."
7.
"I will bless the Lord, who has given Me understanding" (ver. 7):
whereby this
inheritance
may be seen and possessed. "Yea moreover too even unto night my
reins
have chastened Me." Yea besides understanding, even unto death, My
inferior
part, the assumption of flesh, has instructed Me, that I might experience
the
darkness of mortality, which that understanding has not.
8.
"I foresaw the Lord in My sight always" (ver. 8). But coming into
things that
pass
away, I removed not My eye from Him who abides ever, foreseeing this, that
to
Him I should return after passing through the things temporal. "For He is
on My
right
hand, that I should not be moved." For He favours Me, that I should abide
fixedly
in Him.
9.
"Wherefore My heart was glad, and My tongue exulted" (ver. 9).
Wherefore
both
in My thoughts is gladness, and in my words exultation. "Moreover too My
flesh
shall rest in hope." Moreover too My flesh shall not fail unto
destruction, but
shall
sleep in hope of the resurrection.
10.
"For You will not leave My soul in hell" (ver. 10). For You will
neither give
My
soul for a possession to those parts below. "Neither will You grant Thine
Holy
One
to see corruption." Neither will You suffer that sanctified body, whereby
others
are to be also sanctified, to see corruption. "You have made known to Me
the
paths of life" (ver. 11). You have made known through Me the paths of
humiliation,
that men might return to life, from whence they fell through pride; in
whom
because I am, "You have made known to Me." "You will fill Me
with joy
with
Your countenance." You will fill them with joy, that they should seek
nothing
further,
when they shall see You "face to face;" in whom because I am,
"You will
fill
Me." "Pleasure is at Your right hand even to the end." Pleasure
is in Your
favour
and mercy in this life's journey, leading on even to the end of the glory of
Your
countenance.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 17
90
Exposition
on Psalm 17
A
prayer of David himself.
1.
This prayer must be assigned to the Person of the Lord, with the addition of
the
Church,
which is His body.
2.
"Hear My righteousness, O God, consider My supplication" (ver. 1).
"Hearken
unto
My prayer, not in deceitful lips:" not going forth to You in deceitful
lips. "Let
My
judgment from Your countenance go forth" (ver. 2). From the enlightening
of
the
knowledge of You, let Me judge truth. Or at least, let My judgment go forth,
not
in deceitful lips, from Your countenance, that is, that I may not in judging
utter
anything
else than I understand in You. "Let My eyes see equity:" the eyes, of
course,
of the heart.
3.
"You have proved and visited Mine heart in the night-season" (ver.
3). For this
Mine
heart has been proved by the visitation of tribulation. "You have examined
Me
by fire, and iniquity has not been found in Me." Now not night only, in
that it
is
wont to disturb, but fire also, in that it burns, is this tribulation to be
called;
whereby
when I was examined I was found righteous.
4.
"That My mouth may not speak the works of men" (ver. 4). That nothing
may
proceed
out of My mouth, but what relates to Your glory and praise; not to the
works
of men, which they do beside Your will. "Because of the words of Your
lips."
Because of the words of Your peace, or of Your prophets. "I have kept hard
ways."
I have kept the toilsome ways of human mortality and suffering.
5.
"To perfect My steps in Your paths" (ver. 5). That the love of the
Church might
be
perfected in the strait ways, whereby she arrives at Your rest. "That My
footsteps
be not moved." That the signs of My way, which, like footsteps, have
been
imprinted on the Sacraments and Apostolical writings, be not moved, that
they
may mark them who would follow Me. Or at least, that I may still abide
fixedly
in eternity, after that I have accomplished the hard ways, and have finished
My
steps in the straits of Your paths.
6.
"I have cried out, for You have heard Me, O God" (ver. 6). With a
free and
strong
effort have I directed My prayers unto You: for that I might have this
power,
You have heard Me when praying more weakly. "Incline Thine ear to Me,
and
hear My words." Let not Your hearing forsake My humiliation.
7.
"Make Your mercies marvellous" (ver. 7). Let not Your mercies be
disesteemed,
lest they be loved too little.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 17
91
8.
"Who savest them that hope in You from such as resist Your right
hand:" from
such
as resist the favour, whereby Thou favourest
apple
of Your eye" (ver. 8): which seems very little and minute: yet by it is
the
sight
of the eye directed, whereby the light is distinguished from the darkness; as
by
Christ's humanity, the divinity of the Judgment distinguishing between the
righteous
and sinners. "In the covering of Your wings protect Me." In the
defence
of
Your love and mercy protect
troubled
Me" (ver. 9).
9.
"Mine enemies have compassed about My soul;" "they have shut up
their own
fat"
(ver. 10). They have been covered with their own gross joy, after that their
desire
has been satiated with wickedness. "Their mouth has spoken pride."
And
therefore
their mouth spoke pride, in saying, "Hail, King of the Jews,"
Matthew
27:29 and other like words.
10.
"Casting Me forth they have now compassed Me about" (ver. 11).
Casting Me
forth
outside the city, they have now compassed Me about on the Cross. "Their
eyes
they have determined to turn down on the earth." The bent of their heart
they
have
determined to turn down on these earthly things: deeming Him, who was
slain,
to endure a mighty evil, and themselves, that slew Him, none.
11.
"As a lion ready for prey, have they taken Me" (ver. 12). They have
taken Me,
like
that adversary who "walks about, seeking whom he may devour." 1 Peter
5:8
"And
as a lion's whelp dwelling in secret places." And as his whelp, the people
to
whom
it was said, "You are of your father the devil:" John 8:44 meditating
on the
snares,
whereby they might circumvent and destroy the just One.
12.
"Arise, O Lord, prevent them, and cast them down" (ver. 13). Arise, O
Lord,
Thou
whom they suppose to be asleep, and regardless of men's iniquities; be they
blinded
before by their own malice, that vengeance may prevent their deed; and so
cast
them down.
13.
"Deliver My soul from the ungodly." Deliver My soul, by restoring Me
after
the
death, which the ungodly have inflicted on Me. "Your weapon: from the
enemies
of Your hand" (ver. 14). For My soul is Your weapon, which Your hand,
that
is, Your eternal Power, has taken to subdue thereby the kingdoms of iniquity,
and
divide the righteous from the ungodly. This weapon then "deliver from the
enemies
of Your hand," that is, of Your Power, that is, from Mine enemies.
"Destroy
them, O Lord, from off the earth, scatter them in their life." O Lord,
destroy
them from off the earth, which they inhabit, scatter them throughout the
world
in this life, which only they think their life, who despair of life eternal.
"And
by
Your hidden things their belly has been filled." Now not only this visible
punishment
shall overtake them, but also their memory has been filled with sins,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 17
92
which
as darkness are hidden from the light of Your truth, that they should forget
God.
"They have been filled with swine's flesh." They have been filled
with
uncleanness,
treading under foot the pearls of God's words. "And they have left the
rest
to their babes:" crying out, "This sin be upon us and upon our
children."
Matthew
27:25
14.
"But I shall appear in Your righteousness in Your sight" (ver. 15).
But I, Who
have
not appeared to them that, with their filthy and darkened heart, cannot see the
light
of wisdom, "I shall appear in Your righteousness in Your sight."
"I
shall be satiated, when Your glory shall be manifested." And when they
have
been
satiated with their uncleanness, that they could not know Me, I shall be
satiated,
when Your glory shall be manifested, in them that know Me. In that verse
indeed
where it is said, "filled with swine's flesh," some copies have,
"filled with
children:"
for from the ambiguity of the Greek a double interpretation has resulted.
Now
by "children" we understand works; and as by good children, good
works, so
by
evil, evil.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm
18
93
Exposition on
Psalm 18
To
the end, for the servant of the Lord, David himself.
1.
That is, for the strong of hand, Christ in His Manhood. "The words of this
song
which
he spoke to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him out of the
hands
of his enemies, and of the hand of Saul; and he said, On the day when the
Lord
delivered him out of the hands of his enemies and of the hand of Saul:"
namely,
the king of the Jews, whom they had demanded for themselves.
1
Samuel 8:5 For as "David" is said to be by interpretation, strong of
hand; so
"Saul"
is said to be demanding. Now it is well known, how that People demanded
for
themselves a king, and received him for their king, not according to the will
of
God,
but according to their own will.
2.
Christ, then, and the Church, that is, whole Christ, the Head and the Body,
says
here,
"I will love You, O Lord, My strength" (ver. 1). I will love You, O
Lord, by
whom
I am strong.
3.
"O Lord, My stay, and My refuge, and My deliverer" (ver. 2). O Lord,
who hast
stayed
Me, because I sought refuge with You: and I sought refuge, because You
have
delivered Me. "My God is My helper; and I will hope in Him." My God,
who
hast
first afforded me the help of Your call, that I might be able to hope in You.
"My
defender, and the horn of My salvation, and My redeemer." My defender,
because
I have not leant upon Myself, lifting up as it were the horn of pride
against
You; but have found You a horn indeed, that is, the sure height of
salvation:
and that I might find it, You redeemed Me.
4.
"With praise will I call upon the Lord, and I shall be safe from Mine
enemies"
(ver.
3). Seeking not My own but the Lord's glory, I will call upon Him, and there
shall
be no means whereby the errors of ungodliness can hurt Me.
5.
"The pains of death," that is, of the flesh, have "compassed Me
about. And the
overflowings
of ungodliness have troubled Me" (ver. 4). Ungodly troubles stirred
up
for a time, like torrents of rain which will soon subside, have come on to
trouble
Me.
6.
"The pains of hell compassed Me about" (ver. 5). Among those that
compassed
Me
about to destroy Me, were pains of envy, which work death, and lead on to the
hell
of sin. "The snares of death prevented Me." They prevented Me, so
that they
wished
to hurt Me first, which shall afterwards be recompensed unto them. Now
they
seize unto destruction such men as they have evilly persuaded by the boast of
righteousness:
in the name but not in the reality of which they glory against the
Gentiles.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 18 94
7.
"And in Mine oppression I called upon the Lord, and cried unto My God. And
He
heard My voice from His holy temple" (ver. 6). He heard from My heart,
wherein
He dwells, My voice. "And My cry in His sight entered into His ears;"
and
My cry, which I utter, not in the ears of men, but inwardly before Him
Himself,
"entered into His ears."
8.
"And the earth was moved and trembled" (ver. 7). When the Son of Man
was
thus
glorified, sinners were moved and trembled. "And the foundations of the
mountains
were troubled." And the hopes of the proud, which were in this life,
were
troubled. "And were moved, for God was angry with them." That is,
that the
hope
of temporal goods might have now no more establishment in the hearts of
men.
9.
"There went up smoke in His wrath" (ver. 8). The tearful supplication
of
penitents
went up, when they came to know God's threatenings against the
ungodly.
"And fire burns from His face." And the ardour of love after
repentance
burns
by the knowledge of Him. "Coals were kindled from Him." They, who
were
already
dead, abandoned by the fire of good desire and the light of righteousness,
and
who remained in coldness and darkness, re-enkindled and enlightened, have
come
to life again.
10.
"And He bowed the heaven, and came down" (ver. 9). And He humbled the
just
One, that He might descend to men's infirmity. "And darkness under His
feet."
And
the ungodly, who savour of things earthly, in the darkness of their own
malice,
knew not Him: for the earth under His feet is as it were His footstool.
11.
"And He mounted above the cherubim, and did fly" (ver. 10). And He
was
exalted
above the fulness of knowledge, that no man should come to Him but by
love:
for "love is the fulfilling of the law." Romans 13:10 And full soon
He
showed
to His lovers that He is incomprehensible, lest they should suppose that
He
is comprehended by corporeal imaginations. "He flew above the wings of the
winds."
But that swiftness, whereby He showed Himself to be incomprehensible,
is
above the powers of souls, whereon as upon wings they raise themselves from
earthly
fears into the air of liberty.
12.
"And has made darkness His hiding place" (ver. 11). And has settled
the
obscurity
of the Sacraments, and the hidden hope in the heart of believers, where
He
may lie hid, and not abandon them. In this darkness too, wherein "we yet
walk
by
faith, and not by sight," 2 Corinthians 5:7 as long as "we hope for
what we see
not,
and with patience wait for it." Romans 8:25 "Round about Him is His
tabernacle."
Yet they that believe Him turn to Him and encircle Him; for that He is
in
the midst of them, since He is equally the friend of all, in whom as in a
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm
18
95
tabernacle
He at this time dwells. "Dark water in clouds of air." Nor let any
one on
this
account, if he understand the Scripture, imagine that he is already in that
light,
which
will be when we shall have come out of faith into sight: for in the prophets
and
in all the preachers of the word of God there is obscure teaching.
13.
"In respect of the brightness in His sight" (ver. 12): in comparison
with the
brightness,
which is in the sight of His manifestation. "His clouds have passed
over."
The preachers of His word are not now bounded by the confines of Judća,
but
have passed over to the Gentiles. "Hail and coals of fire." Reproofs
are figured,
whereby,
as by hail, the hard hearts are bruised: but if a cultivated and genial soil,
that
is, a godly mind, receive them, the hail's hardness dissolves into water, that
is,
the
terror of the lightning-charged, and as it were frozen, reproof dissolves into
satisfying
doctrine; and hearts kindled by the fire of love revive. All these things
in
His clouds have passed over to the Gentiles.
14.
"And the Lord has thundered from heaven" (ver. 13). And in confidence
of the
Gospel
the Lord has sounded forth from the heart of the just One. "And the
Highest
gave His voice;" that we might entertain it, and in the depth of human
things,
might hear things heavenly.
15.
"And He sent out His arrows, and scattered them" (ver. 14). And He
sent out
Evangelists
traversing straight paths on the wings of strength, not in their own
power,
but His by whom they were sent. And "He scattered them," to whom they
were
sent, that to some of them they should be "the savour of life unto life,
to
others
the savour of death unto death." 2 Corinthians 2:16 "And He
multiplied
lightnings,
and troubled them." And He multiplied miracles, and troubled them.
16.
"And the fountains of water were seen. And the fountains of water
springing
up
into everlasting life," John 4:14 which were made in the preachers, were
seen.
"And
the foundations of the round world were revealed" (ver. 15). And the
Prophets,
who were not understood, and upon whom was to be built the world of
believers
in the Lord, were revealed. "At Your chiding, O Lord:" crying out,
"The
of
Your displeasure;" saying, "Except ye repent, you shall all likewise
perish."
Luke
13:5
17.
"He has sent down from on high, and has fetched Me (ver. 16): by calling
out
of
the Gentiles for an inheritance "a glorious Church, not having spot, or
wrinkle."
Ephesians
5:27 "He has taken Me out of the multitude of waters." He has taken
Me
out of the multitude of peoples.
18.
"He has delivered Me from My strongest enemies" (ver. 17). He has
delivered
Me
from Mine enemies, who prevailed to the afflicting and overturning of this
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm
18
96
temporal
life of Mine. "And from them which hate Me; for they are too strong for
Me:"
as long as I am under them knowing not God.
19.
"They have prevented Me in the day of My affliction" (ver. 18). They
have
first
injured Me, in the time when I am bearing a mortal and toilsome body. "And
the
Lord has become My stay." And since the stay of earthly pleasure was
disturbed
and torn up by the bitterness of misery, the Lord has become My stay.
20.
"And has brought Me forth into a broad place" (ver. 19). And since I
was
enduring
the straits of the flesh, He brought Me forth into the spiritual breadth of
faith.
"He has delivered Me, because He desired Me." Before that I desired
Him,
He
delivered Me from My most powerful enemies (who were envious of Me when
I
once desired Him), and from them that hated Me, because I do desire Him.
21.
"And the Lord shall reward Me according to My righteousness" (ver.
20). And
the
Lord shall reward Me according to the righteousness of My good will, who
first
showed mercy, before that I had the good will. "And according to the
cleanness
of My hands He will recompense Me." And according to the cleanness
of
My deeds He will recompense Me, who has given Me to do well by bringing
Me
forth into the broad place of faith.
22.
"Because I have kept the ways of the Lord" (ver. 21). That the
breadth of good
works,
that are by faith, and the long-suffering of perseverance should follow
after.
23.
"Nor have I walked impiously apart from My God." "For all His
judgments are
in
My sight" (ver. 22). "For" with persevering contemplation I
weigh "all His
judgments,"
that is, the rewards of the righteous, and the punishments of the
ungodly,
and the scourges of such as are to be chastened, and the trials of such as
are
to be proved. "And I have not cast out His righteousness from Me:" as
they do
that
faint under their burden of them, and return to their own vomit.
24.
"And I shall be undefiled with Him, and I shall keep Myself from Mine
iniquity"
(ver. 23).
25.
"And the Lord shall reward Me according to My righteousness (ver. 24).
Accordingly
not only for the breadth of faith, which works by love; but also for
the
length of perseverance, will the Lord reward Me according to My
righteousness.
"And according to the cleanness of My hands in the sight of His
eyes."
Not as men see, but "in the sight of His eyes." For "the things
that are seen
are
temporal; but the things that are not seen are eternal:" 2 Corinthians
4:18
whereto
the height of hope appertains.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 18
97
26.
"With the holy You shall be holy" (ver. 25). There is a hidden depth
also,
wherein
You are known to be holy with the holy, for that Thou makest holy. "And
with
the harmless You shall be harmless." For Thou harmest no man, but each one
is
bound by the bands of his own sins. Proverbs 5:22
27.
"And with the chosen You shall be chosen." (ver. 26). And by him whom
Thou
choosest,
You are chosen. "And with the froward You shall be froward." And with
the
froward Thou seemest froward: for they say, "The way of the Lord is not
right:"
Ezekiel 18:25 and their way is not right.
28.
"For You will make whole the humble people" (ver. 27). Now this seems
froward
to the froward, that You will make them whole that confess their sins.
"And
You will humble the eyes of the proud." But them that are "ignorant
of
God's
righteousness, and seek to establish their own," Romans 10:3 You will
humble.
29.
"For you will light My candle, O Lord" (ver. 28). For our light is
not from
ourselves;
but "You will light my candle, O Lord. O my God, You will enlighten
my
darkness." For we through our sins are darkness; but "You, O my God,
wilt
enlighten
my darkness."
30.
"For by You shall I be delivered from temptation" (ver. 29). For not
by myself,
but
by You, shall I be delivered from temptation. "And in my God shall I leap
over
the
wall." And not in myself, but in my God shall I leap over the wall, which
sin
has
raised between men and the heavenly
31.
"My God, His way is undefiled" (ver. 30). My God comes not unto men,
except
they shall have purified the way of faith, whereby He may come to them;
for
that "His way is undefiled." "The words of the Lord have been
proved by fire."
The
words of the Lord are tried by the fire of tribulation. "He is the
Protector of
them
that hope in Him." And all that hope not in themselves, but in Him, are
not
consumed
by that same tribulation. For hope follows faith.
32.
"For who is God, but the Lord?" (ver. 31) whom we serve. "And
who God, but
our
God?" And who is God, but the Lord? whom after good service we sons shall
possess
as the hoped-for inheritance.
33.
"God, who has girded me with strength" (ver. 32). God, who has girded
me
that
I might be strong, lest the loosely flowing folds of desire hinder my deeds and
steps.
"And has made my way undefiled." And has made the way of love,
whereby
I
may come to Him, undefiled, as the way of faith is undefiled, whereby He comes
to
me.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm
18
98
34.
"Who has made my feet perfect like harts' feet" (ver. 33). Who has
made my
love
perfect to surmount the thorny and dark entanglements of this world. "And
will
set me up on high." And will fix my aim on the heavenly habitation, that
"I
may
be filled with all the fulness of God." Ephesians 3:19
35.
"Who teaches my hands for battle" (ver. 34). Who teaches me to work
for the
overthrow
of mine enemies, who strive to shut the kingdom of heaven against us.
"And
You have made mine arms as a bow of steel." And You have made my
earnest
striving after good works unwearied.
36.
"And You have given me the defence of my salvation, and Your right hand
has
held
me up" (ver. 35). And the favour of Your grace has held me up. "And
Your
discipline
has directed me to the end." And Your correction, not suffering me to
wander
from the way, has directed me that whatsoever I do, I refer to that end,
whereby
I may cleave to You. "And this Your discipline, it shall teach me."
And
that
same correction of Thine shall teach me to attain to that, whereunto it has
directed
me.
37.
"You have enlarged my steps under me" (ver. 36). Nor shall the
straits of the
flesh
hinder me; for You have enlarged my love, working in gladness even with
these
mortal things and members which are under me. "And my footsteps have not
been
weakened." And either my goings, or the marks which I have imprinted for
the
imitation of those that follow, have not been weakened.
38.
"I will follow up mine enemies, and seize them" (ver. 37). I will
follow up my
carnal
affections, and will not be seized by them, but will seize them, so that they
may
be consumed. "And I will not turn, till they fail." And from this
purpose I will
not
turn myself to rest, till they fail who make a tumult about me.
39.
"I will break them, and they shall not be able to stand" (ver. 38):
and they shall
not
hold out against me. "They shall fall under my feet." When they are
cast down,
I
will place before me the loves whereby I walk for evermore.
40.
"And You have girded me with strength to the war" (ver. 39). And the
loose
desires
of my flesh have You bound up with strength, that in such a fight I may not
be
encumbered. "You have supplanted under me them that rose up against
me."
You
have caused them to be deceived, who followed upon me, that they should be
brought
under me, who desired to be over me.
41.
"And you have given mine enemies the back to me" (ver. 40). And you
have
turned
mine enemies, and hast made them to be a back to me, that is, to follow me.
"And
You have destroyed them that hate me." But such other of them as have
persisted
in hatred, You have destroyed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 18
99
42.
"They have cried out, and there was none to save them" (ver. 41). For
who can
save
them, whom You would not save? "To the Lord, and He did not hear
them."
Nor
did they cry out to any chance one, but to the Lord: and He did not judge them
worthy
of being heard, who depart not from their wickedness.
43.
"And I will beat them as small as dust before the face of the wind"
(ver. 42).
And
I will beat them small; for dry they are, receiving not the shower of God's
mercy;
that borne aloft and puffed up with pride they may be hurried along from
firm
and unshaken hope, and as it were from the earth's solidity and stability.
"As
the
clay of the streets I will destroy them." In their wanton and loose course
along
the
broad ways of perdition, which many walk, will I destroy them.
44.
"You will deliver Me from the contradictions of the people" (ver.
43). You will
deliver
Me from the contradictions of them who said, "If we send Him away, all
the
world will go after Him."
45.
"You shall make Me the head of the Gentiles. A people whom I have not
known
have served Me." The people of the Gentiles, whom in bodily presence I
have
not visited, have served Me. "At the hearing of the ear they have obeyed
Me"
(ver.
44). They have not seen Me with the eye: but, receiving my preachers, at the
hearing
of the ear they have obeyed Me.
46.
"The strange children have lied unto Me." Children, not to be called
Mine, but
rather
strange children, to whom it is rightly said, "You are of your father the
devil,"
John 8:44 have lied unto Me. "The strange children have waxen old"
(ver.
45).
The strange children, to whom for their renovation I brought the new
Testament,
have remained in the old man. "And they have halted from their own
paths."
And like those that are weak in one foot, for holding the old they have
rejected
the new Testament, they have become halt, even in their old Law, rather
following
their own traditions, than God's. For they brought frivolous charges of
unwashen
hands, Matthew 15:2 because such were the paths, which themselves
had
made and worn by long use, in wandering from the ways of God's commands.
47.
"The Lord lives, and blessed be my God." "But to be carnally
minded is
death:"
Romans 8:6 for "the Lord lives, and blessed be my God. And let the God
of
my salvation be exalted" (ver. 46). And let me not think after an earthly
fashion
of
the God of my salvation; nor look from Him for this earthly salvation, but that
on
high.
48.
"O God, who givest Me vengeance, and subduest the people under Me"
(ver.
47).
O God, who avengest Me by subduing the people under
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 18
100
from
My angry enemies:" the Jews crying out, "Crucify Him, Crucify
Him."
John
19:6
49.
"From them that rise up against Me You will exalt Me" (ver. 48). From
the
Jews
that rise up against Me in My passion, You will exalt Me in My resurrection.
"From
the unjust man You will deliver Me." From their unjust rule You will
deliver
Me.
50.
"For this cause will I confess to You among the Gentiles, O Lord"
(ver. 49).
For
this cause shall the Gentiles confess to You through Me, O Lord. "And I
will
sing
unto Your Name." And You shall be more widely known by My good deeds.
51.
"Magnifying the salvation of His King" (ver. 50). God, who magnifies,
so as to
make
wonderful, the salvation, which His Son gives to believers. "And showing
mercy
to His Christ:" God, who shows mercy to His Christ: "To David and to
His
seed
for evermore:" to the Deliverer Himself strong of hand, who has overcome
this
world; and to them whom, as believers in the Gospel, He has begotten for
evermore.
What things soever are spoken in this Psalm which cannot apply to the
Lord
Himself personally, that is to the Head of the Church, must be referred to the
Church.
For whole Christ speaks here, in whom are all His members.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm
19
101
Exposition on Psalm
19
To
the end, a psalm of David himself.
1.
It is a well-known title; nor does the Lord Jesus Christ say what follows, but
it
is
said of Him.
2.
"The heavens tell out the glory of God" (ver. 1). The righteous
Evangelists, in
whom,
as in the heavens, God dwells, set forth the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ,
or
the glory wherewith the Son glorified the Father upon earth. "And the
firmament
shows forth the works of His hands." And the firmament shows forth
the
deeds of the Lord's power, that now made heaven by the assurance of the Holy
Ghost,
which before was earth by fear.
3.
"Day unto day utters word" (ver. 2). To the spiritual the Spirit
gives out the
fulness
of the unchangeable Wisdom of God, the Word which in the beginning is
God
with God. John 1:1 "And night unto night announces knowledge." And to
the
fleshly,
as to those afar off, the mortality of the flesh, by conveying faith,
announces
future knowledge.
4.
"There is no speech nor language, in which their voices are not
heard" (ver. 3).
In
which the voices of the Evangelists have not been heard, seeing that the Gospel
was
preached in every tongue.
5.
"Their sound is gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends
of the
world"
(ver. 4).
6.
"In the sun has He set His tabernacle." Now that He might war against
the
powers
of temporal error, the Lord, being about to send not peace but a sword on
earth,
Matthew 10:34 in time, or in manifestation, set so to say His military
dwelling,
that is, the dispensation of His incarnation. "And He as a bridegroom
coming
forth out of His chamber" (ver. 5). And He, coming forth out of the
Virgin's
womb, where God was united to man's nature as a bridegroom to a bride.
"Rejoiced
as a giant to run His way." Rejoiced as One exceeding strong, and
surpassing
all other men in power incomparable, not to inhabit, but to run His
way.
For, "He stood not in the way of sinners."
7.
"His going forth is from the highest heaven" (ver. 6). From the
Father is His
going
forth, not that in time, but from everlasting, whereby He was born of the
Father.
"And His meeting is even to the height of heaven." And in the fulness
of
the
Godhead He meets even to an equality with the Father. "And there is none
that
may
hide himself from His heat." But whereas, "the Word was even made
flesh,
and
dwelt in us," John 1:14 assuming our mortality, He permitted no man to
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 19
102
excuse
himself from the shadow of death; for the heat of the Word penetrated even
it.
8.
"The law of the Lord is undefiled, converting souls" (ver. 7). The
law of the
Lord,
therefore, is Himself who came to fulfil the law, not to destroy it;
Matthew
5:17 an undefiled law, "Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His
mouth,"
1 Peter 2:22 not oppressing souls with the yoke of bondage, but
converting
them to imitate Him in liberty. "The testimony of the Lord is sure,
giving
wisdom to babes." "The testimony of the Lord is sure;" for,
"no man knows
the
Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him,"
Matthew
11:27 which things have been hidden from the wise and revealed to
babes;
Luke 10:21 for, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the
humble."
James
4:6
9.
"The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart" (ver. 8).
All the statutes
of
the Lord are right in Him who taught not what He did not; that they who should
imitate
Him might rejoice in heart, in those things which they should do freely
with
love, not slavishly with fear. "The commandment of the Lord is lucid,
enlightening
the eyes." "The commandment of the Lord is lucid," with no veil
of
carnal
observances, enlightening the sight of the inner man.
10.
"The fear of the Lord is chaste, enduring for ever" (ver. 9).
"The fear of the
Lord;"
not that distressing fear under the law, dreading exceedingly the
withdrawal
of temporal goods, by the love of which the soul commits fornication;
but
that chaste fear wherewith the Church, the more ardently she loves her Spouse,
the
more carefully does she take heed of offending Him, and therefore,
"perfect
love
casts" not "out" this "fear," 1 John 4:18 but it
endures for ever.
11.
"The judgments of the Lord are true, justified together." The
judgments of
Him,
who "judges no man, but has committed all judgment unto the Son,"
John
5:22 are justified in truth unchangeably. For neither in His threatenings nor
His
promises does God deceive any man, nor can any withdraw either from the
ungodly
His punishment, or from the godly His reward. "To be desired more than
gold,
and much precious stone" (ver. 10). Whether it be "gold and stone
itself
much,"
or "much precious," or "much to be desired;" still, the
judgments of God
are
to be desired more than the pomp of this world; by desire of which it is
brought
to pass that the judgments of God are not desired, but feared, or despised,
or
not believed. But if any be himself gold and precious stone, that he may not be
consumed
by fire, but received into the treasury of God, more than himself does he
desire
the judgments of God, whose will he preferrs to his own. "And sweeter than
honey
and the honey comb." And whether one be even now honey, who,
disenthralled
already from the chains of this life, is awaiting the day when he may
come
up to God's feast; or whether he be yet as the honey comb, wrapped about
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 19
103
with
this life as it were with wax, not mixed and become one with it, but filling
it,
needing
some pressure of God's hand, not oppressing but expressing it, whereby
from
life temporal it may be strained out into life eternal: to such an one the
judgments
of God are sweeter than he himself is to himself, for that they are
"sweeter
than honey and the honey comb."
12.
"For Your servant keeps them" (ver. 11). For to him who keeps them
not the
day
of the Lord is bitter. "In keeping them there is great reward." Not
in any
external
benefit, but in the thing itself, that God's judgments are kept, is there great
reward;
great because one rejoices therein.
13.
"Who understands sins?" (ver. 12.) But what sort of sweetness can
there be in
sins,
where there is no understanding? For who can understand sins, which close
the
very eye, to which truth is pleasant, to which the judgments of God are
desirable
and sweet? yea, as darkness closes the eye, so do sins the mind, and
suffer
it not to see either the light, or itself.
14.
"Cleanse me, O Lord, from my secret faults." From the lusts which lie
hid in
me,
cleanse me, O Lord. "And from the" faults "of others preserve
Your servant"
(ver.
13). Let me not be led astray by others. For he is not a prey to the faults of
others,
who is cleansed from his own. Preserve therefore from the lusts of others,
not
the proud man, and him who would be his own master, but, Your servant. "If
they
get not the dominion over me, then shall I be undefiled." If neither my
own
secret
sins, nor those of others, get the dominion over me, then shall I be
undefiled.
For there is no third source of sin, but one's own secret sin, by which
the
devil fell, and another's sin, by which man is seduced, so as by consenting to
make
it his own. "And I shall be cleansed from the great offence." What
but pride?
for
there is none greater than apostasy from God, which is "the beginning of
the
pride
of man." Sirach 10:12 And he shall indeed be undefiled, who is free from
this
offence also; for this is the last to them who are returning to God, which was
the
first as they departed from Him.
15.
"And the words of my mouth shall be pleasing, and the meditation of my
heart
is
always in Your sight" (ver. 14). The meditation of my heart is not after
the vain
glory
of pleasing men, for now there is pride no more, but in Your sight alway,
who
regardest a pure conscience. "O Lord, my Helper, and my Redeemer"
(ver.
15).
O Lord, my Helper, in my approach to You; for You are my Redeemer, that I
might
set out unto You: lest any attributing to his own wisdom his conversion to
You,
or to his own strength his attaining to You, should be rather driven back by
You,
who resistest the proud; for he is not cleansed from the great offence, nor
pleasing
in Your sight, who redeemest us that we may be converted, and helpest us
that
we may attain unto You.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 20
104
Exposition on
Psalm 20
To
the end, a psalm of David.
1.
This is a well-known title; and it is not Christ who speaks; but the prophet
speaks
to Christ, under the form of wishing, foretelling things to come.
2.
"The Lord hear You in the day of trouble" (ver. 1). The Lord hear You
in the
day
in which Thou said, "Father glorify Your Son." "The name of the
God of
Jacob
protect You." For to You belongs the younger people. Since "the elder
shall
serve
the younger."
3.
"Send You help from the Holy, and from Sion defend You" (ver. 2).
Making for
You
a sanctified Body, the Church, from watching safe, which waits when You
shall
come from the wedding.
4.
"Be mindful of all Your sacrifice" (ver. 3). Make us mindful of all
Your injuries
and
despiteful treatment, which You have borne for us. "And be Your whole
burnt
offering
made fat." And turn the cross, whereon You were wholly offered up to
God,
into the joy of the resurrection.
5.
"Diapsalma." The Lord render to You according to Thine Heart"
(ver. 4). The
Lord
render to You, not according to their heart, who thought by persecution they
could
destroy You; but according to Thine Heart, wherein Thou knew what profit
Your
passion would have. John 12:32 "And fulfil all Your counsel."
"And fulfil all
Your
counsel," not only that whereby Thou laid down Your life for Your friends,
John
15:13 that the corrupted grain might rise again to more abundance;
John
12:24 but that also whereby "blindness in part has happened unto
the
fulness of the Gentiles might enter in, and so all
Romans
11:25-26
6.
"We will exult in Your salvation" (ver. 5). We will exult in that
death will in no
wise
hurt You; for so You will also show that it cannot hurt us either. "And in
the
name
of the Lord our God will we be magnified." And the confession of Your
name
shall not only not destroy us, but shall even magnify us.
7.
"The Lord fulfil all Your petitions." The Lord fulfil not only the
petitions which
You
made on earth, but those also whereby Thou intercedest for us in heaven.
"Now
have I known that the Lord has saved his Christ" (ver. 6). Now has it been
shown
to me in prophecy, that the Lord will raise up His Christ again. "He will
hear
Him from His holy heaven." He will hear Him not from earth only, where He
prayed
to be glorified; John 17:1 but from heaven also, where interceding for us at
the
Right Hand of the Father, Hebrews 7:25 He has from thence shed abroad the
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 20
105
Holy
Spirit on them that believe in Him. "In strength is the safety of His
right
hand."
Our strength is in the safety of His favour, when even out of tribulation He
gives
help, that "when we are weak, then we may be strong." 2 Corinthians
12:10
"For
vain is" that "safety of man," which comes not of His right hand
but of His
left:
for thereby are they lifted up to great pride, whosoever in their sins have
secured
a temporal safety.
8.
"Some in chariots, and some in horses" (ver. 7). Some are drawn away
by the
ever
moving succession of temporal goods; and some are preferred to proud
honours,
and in them exult: "But we will exult in the name of the Lord our
God."
But
we, fixing our hope on things eternal, and not seeking our own glory, will
exult
in the name of the Lord our God.
9.
"They have been bound, and fallen" (ver. 8). And therefore were they
bound by
the
lust of temporal things, fearing to spare the Lord, lest they should lose their
place
by "the Romans:" John 11:48 and rushing violently on the stone of
offence
and
rock of stumbling, they fell from the heavenly hope: to whom the blindness in
part
of
establish
their own. "But we are risen, and stand upright." But we, that the
Gentile
people
might enter in, out of the stones raised up as children to Abraham,
Matthew
3:9 who followed not after righteousness, have attained to it, and are
risen;
Romans 9:30 and not by our own strength, but being justified by faith, we
stand
upright.
10.
"O Lord, save the King:" that He, who in His Passion has shown us an
example
of conflict, should also offer up our sacrifices, the Priest raised from the
dead,
and established in heaven. "And hear us in the day when we shall call on
You"
(ver. 9). And as He now offers for us, "hear us in the day when we shall
call
on
You."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm
21
106
Exposition on Psalm
21
To
the end, a psalm of David himself.
1.
The title is a familiar one; the Psalm is of Christ.
2.
"O Lord, the King shall rejoice in Your strength" (ver. 1). O Lord,
in Your
strength,
whereby the Word was made flesh, the Man Christ Jesus shall rejoice.
"And
shall exult exceedingly in Your salvation." And in that, whereby Thou
quickenest
all things, shall exult exceedingly.
3.
"You have given Him the desire of His soul" (ver. 2). He desired to
eat the
Passover,
Luke 22:15 and to lay down His life when He would, and again when
He
would to take it; and You have given it to Him. John 10:18 "And hast not
deprived
Him of the good pleasure of His lips." "My peace," says He,
"I leave
with
you:" John 14:27 and it was done.
4.
"For You have presented Him with the blessings of sweetness" (ver.
3). Because
He
had first quaffed the blessing of Your sweetness, the gall of our sins did not
hurt
Him. "Diapsalma. You have set a crown of precious stone on His Head."
At
the
beginning of His discoursing precious stones were brought, and compassed
Him
about; His disciples, from whom the commencement of His preaching should
be
made.
5.
"He asked life; and You gave Him:" He asked a resurrection, saying,
"Father,
glorify
Your Son;" John 17:1 and You gave it Him, "Length of days for ever
and
ever"
(ver. 4). The prolonged ages of this world which the Church was to have,
and
after them an eternity, world without end.
6.
"His glory is great in Your salvation" (ver. 5). Great indeed is His
glory in the
salvation,
whereby You have raised Him up again. "Glory and great honour shall
Thou
lay upon Him." But You shall yet add unto Him glory and great honour,
when
You shall place Him in heaven at Your right hand.
7.
"For You shall give Him blessing for ever and ever." This is the
blessing which
You
shall give Him for ever and ever: "You shall make Him glad in joy together
with
Your countenance" (ver. 6). According to His manhood, You shall make Him
glad
together with Your countenance, which He lifted up to You.
8.
"For the King hopes in the Lord." For the King is not proud, but
humble in
heart,
he hopes in the Lord. "And in the mercy of the Most Highest He shall not
be
moved"
(ver. 7). And in the mercy of the Most Highest His obedience even unto
the
death of the Cross shall not disturb His humility.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 21 107
9.
"Let Your hand be found by all Your enemies." Be Your power, O King,
when
Thou
comest to judgment, found by all Your enemies; who in Your humiliation
discerned
it not. "Let Your right hand find out all that hate You" (ver. 8).
Let the
glory,
wherein Thou reignest at the right hand of the Father, find out for
punishment
in the day of judgment all that hate You; for that now they have not
found
it.
10.
"You shall make them like a fiery oven:" You shall make them on fire
within,
by
the consciousness of their ungodliness: "In the time of Your
countenance:" in
the
time of Your manifestation. "The Lord shall trouble them in His wrath, and
the
fire
shall devour them" (ver. 9). And then, being troubled by the vengeance of
the
Lord,
after the accusation of their conscience, they shall be given up to eternal
fire,
to
be devoured.
11.
"Their fruit shall Thou destroy out of the earth." Their fruit,
because it is
earthly,
shall Thou destroy out of the earth. "And their seed from the sons of
men"
(ver.
10). And their works; or, whomsoever they have seduced, You shall not
reckon
among the sons of men, whom You have called into the everlasting
inheritance.
12.
"Because they turned evils against You." Now this punishment shall be
recompensed
to them, because the evils which they supposed to hang over them by
Your
reign, they turned against You to Your death. "They imagined a device,
which
they were not able to establish" (ver. 11). They imagined a device,
saying,
"It
is expedient that one die for all:" John 11:50 which they were not able to
establish,
not knowing what they said.
13.
"For You shall set them low." For You shall rank them among those
from
whom
in degradation and contempt You will turn away. "In Your leavings You
shall
make ready their countenance" (ver. 12). And in these things that Thou
leavest,
that is, in the desires of an earthly kingdom, You shall make ready their
shamelessness
for Your passion.
14.
"Be Thou exalted, O Lord, in Your strength" (ver. 13). Be Thou, Lord,
whom
in
humiliation they did not discern, exalted in Your strength, which they thought
weakness.
"We will sing and praise Your power." In heart and in deed we will
celebrate
and make known Your marvels.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 22 108
Exposition
on Psalm 22
To
the end, for the taking up of the morning, a psalm of David.
1.
"To the end," for His own resurrection, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself
speaks.
John
20:1-17 For in the morning on the first day of the week was His resurrection,
whereby
He was taken up, into eternal life, "Over whom death shall have no more
dominion."
Romans 6:9 Now what follows is spoken in the person of The
Crucified.
For from the head of this Psalm are the words, which He cried out,
while
hanging on the Cross, sustaining also the person of the old man, whose
mortality
He bare. For our old man was nailed together with Him to the Cross.
Romans
6:6
2.
"O God, my God, look upon me, why have You forsaken me far from my
salvation?"
(ver. 1). Far removed from my salvation: for "salvation is far from
sinners."
"The words of my sins." For these are not the words of righteousness,
but
of
my sins. For it is the old man nailed to the Cross that speaks, ignorant even
of
the
reason why God has forsaken him: or else it may be thus, The words of my
sins
are far from my salvation.
3.
"My God, I will cry unto You in the daytime, and You will not hear (ver.
2). My
God,
I will cry unto You in the prosperous circumstances of this life, that they be
not
changed; and You will not hear, because I shall cry unto You in the words of
my
sins. "And in the night-season, and not to my folly." And so in the
adversities
of
this life will I cry to You for prosperity; and in like manner You will not
hear.
And
this Thou doest not to my folly, but rather that I may have wisdom to know
what
You would have me cry for, not with the words of sins out of longing for life
temporal,
but with the words of turning to You for life eternal.
4.
"But Thou dwellest in the holy place, O Thou praise of
Thou
dwellest in the holy place, and therefore will not hear the unclean words of
sins.
The "praise" of him that sees You; not of him who has sought his own
praise
in
tasting of the forbidden fruit, that on the opening of his bodily eyes he
should
endeavour
to hide himself from Your sight.
5.
"Our Fathers hoped in You." All the righteous, namely, who sought not
their
own
praise, but Yours. "They hoped in You, and You delivered them" (ver.
4).
6.
"They cried unto You, and were saved." They cried unto You, not in
the words
of
sins, from which salvation is far; and therefore were they saved. "They
hoped in
You,
and were not confounded" (ver. 5). "They hoped in You," and
their hope did
not
deceive them. For they placed it not in themselves.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 2 109
7.
"But I am a worm, and no man" (ver. 6). But I, speaking now not in
the person
of
Adam, but I in My own person, Jesus Christ, was born without human
generation
in the flesh, that I might be as man beyond men; that so at least human
pride
might deign to imitate My humility. "The scorn of men, and outcast of the
people."
In which humility I was made the scorn of men, so as that it should be
said,
as a reproachful railing, "Be thou His disciple:" John 9:28 and that
the people
despise
Me.
8.
"All that saw Me laughed Me to scorn" (ver. 7). All that saw Me
derided Me.
"And
spoke with the lips, and shook the head." Matthew 27:39 And they spoke,
not
with the heart, but with the lips.
9.
For they shook their head in derision, saying, "He trusted in the Lord,
let Him
deliver
Him:" Matthew 27:43 "let Him save Him, since He desires Him"
(ver. 8).
These
were their words; but they were spoken "with the lips."
10.
"Since You are He who drew Me out of the womb" (ver. 9). Since You
are He
who
drew Me, not only out of that Virgin womb (for this is the law of all men's
birth,
that they be drawn out of the womb), but also out of the womb of the Jewish
nation;
by the darkness whereof he is covered, and not yet born into the light of
Christ,
whosoever places his salvation in the carnal observance of the Sabbath, and
of
circumcision, and the like. "My hope from My mother's breasts."
"My hope," O
God,
not from the time when I began to be fed by the milk of the Virgin's breasts;
for
it was even before; but from the breasts of the Synagogue, as I have said, out
of
the womb, You have drawn Me, that I should not suck in the customs of the
flesh.
11.
"I have been strengthened in You from the womb" (ver. 10). It is the
womb of
the
Synagogue, which did not carry Me, but threw Me out: but I fell not, for Thou
heldest
me. "From My mother's womb You are My God." "From My mother's
womb:
My mother's womb did not cause that, as a babe, I should be forgetful of
You.
12.
"You are My God," "depart not from Me; for trouble is hard at
hand" (ver. 11).
You
are, therefore, My God, depart not from Me; for trouble is nigh unto Me; for
it
is in My body. "For there is none to help." For who helps, if Thou
helpest not?
13.
"Many calves came about Me." The multitude of the wanton populace
came
about
oppression,
"closed Me in."
14.
"They opened their mouth upon Me" (ver. 13). They opened their mouth
upon
Me,
not out of Your Scripture, but of their own lusts. "As a ravening and
roaring
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 22 110
lion."
As a lion, whose ravening is, that I was taken and led; and whose roaring,
"Crucify,
Crucify." John 19:6
15.
"I was poured out like water, and all My bones were scattered" (ver.
14). "I
was
poured out like water," when My persecutors fell: and through fear, the
stays
of
My body, that is, the Church, My disciples were scattered from Me.
Matthew
26:56 "My heart became as melting wax, in the midst of my belly." My
wisdom,
which was written of Me in the sacred books, was, as if hard and shut up,
not
understood: but after that the fire of My Passion was applied, it was, as if
melted,
manifested, and entertained in the memory of My Church.
16.
"My strength dried up as a potsherd" (ver. 15). My strength dried up
by My
Passion;
not as hay, but a potsherd, which is made stronger by fire. "And My
tongue
cleaved to My jaws." And they, through whom I was soon to speak, kept
My
precepts in their hearts. "And You brought Me down to the dust of
death."
And
to the ungodly appointed to death, whom the wind casts forth as dust from the
face
of the earth, You brought Me down.
17.
"For many dogs came about Me" (ver. 16). For many came about Me
barking,
not
for truth, but for custom. "The council of the malignant came about Me."
The
council
of the malignant besieged
pierced
with nails My hands and feet.
18.
"They numbered distinctly all My bones" (ver. 17). They numbered
distinctly
all
My bones, while extended on the wood of the Cross. "Yea, these same
regarded,
and beheld Me." Yea, these same, that is, unchanged, regarded and
beheld
Me.
19.
"They divided My garments for themselves, and cast the lot upon My
vesture"
(ver.
18).
20.
"But You, O Lord, withhold not Your help far from Me" (ver. 19). But
You, O
Lord,
raise Me up again, not as the rest of men, at the end of the world, but
immediately.
"Look to My defence." "Look," that they in no wise hurt Me.
21.
"Deliver My soul from the sword." "Deliver My soul" from
the tongue of
dissension.
"And My only One from the hand of the dog" (ver. 20). And from the
power
of the people, barking after their custom, deliver My Church.
22.
"Save Me from the lion's mouth:" save Me from the mouth of the
kingdom of
this
world: "and my humility from the horns of the unicorns" (ver. 21).
And from
the
loftiness of the proud, exalting themselves to special pre-eminence, and
enduring
no partakers, save My humility.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 22
111
23.
"I will declare Your name to My brethren" (ver. 22). I will declare
Your name
to
the humble, and to My Brethren that love one another as they have been
beloved
by Me. John 17:6, 21 "In the midst of the Church will I sing of You."
In
the
midst of the Church will I with rejoicing preach You.
24.
"You that fear the Lord, praise Him." "You that fear the
Lord," seek not your
own
praise, but "praise Him." "All you seed of Jacob, magnify
Him" (ver. 23). All
you
seed of him whom the elder shall serve, magnify Him.
25.
"Let all the seed of
and
restored to the vision of God "fear Him." "Since He has not
despised, nor
disregarded
the prayer of the poor man" (ver. 24). Since He has not despised the
prayer,
not of him who, crying unto God in the words of sins was loath to overpass
a
vain life, but the prayer of the poor man, not swollen up with transitory
pomps.
"Nor
has He turned away His face from Me." As from him who said, I will cry
unto
You, but You will not hear. "And when I cried unto Him He heard Me."
26.
"With You is My praise" (ver. 25). For I seek not My own praise, John
8:50
for
You are My praise, who dwellest in the holy place; and, praise of
hear
The Holy One now beseeching You. "In the great Church I will confess
You."
In the Church of the whole world "I will confess You." "I will
offer My
vows
in the sight of them that fear Him." I will offer the sacraments of My
Body
and
Blood in the sight of them that fear Him.
27.
"The poor shall eat, and be filled" (ver. 26). The humble and the
despisers of
the
world shall eat, and imitate Me. For so they will neither desire this world's
abundance,
nor fear its want. "And they shall praise the Lord, who seek Him."
For
the
praise of the Lord is the pouring out of that fulness. "Their hearts shall
live for
ever
and ever." For that food is the food of the heart.
28.
"All the borders of the earth shall remember themselves, and be turned to
the
Lord"
(ver. 27). They shall remember themselves: for, by the Gentiles, born in
death
and bent on outward things, God had been forgotten; and then shall all the
borders
of the earth be turned to the Lord. "And all the kindreds of the nations
shall
worship in His sight." And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship
in
their
own consciences.
29.
"For the kingdom is the Lord's, and He shall rule over the nations"
(ver. 28).
For
the kingdom is the Lord's, not proud men's: and He shall rule over the nations.
30.
"All the rich of the earth have eaten, and worshipped" (ver. 29). The
rich of the
earth
too have eaten the Body of their Lord's humiliation, and though they have
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 22
112
not,
as the poor, been filled even to imitation, yet they have worshipped. "In
His
sight
shall fall all that descend to earth." For He alone sees how all they
fall, who
abandoning
a heavenly conversation, make choice, on earth, to appear happy to
men,
who see not their fall.
31.
"And My Soul shall live to Him." And My Soul, which in the contempt
of this
world
seems to men as it were to die, shall live, not to itself, but to Him.
"And My
seed
shall serve Him" (ver. 30). And My deeds, or they who through Me believe
in
Him,
shall serve Him.
32.
"The generation to come shall be declared to the Lord" (ver. 31). The
generation
of the New Testament shall be declared to the honour of the Lord.
"And
the heavens shall declare His righteousness." And the Evangelists shall
declare
His righteousness. "To a people that shall be born, whom the Lord has
made."
To a people that shall be born to the Lord through faith.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm
23
113
Exposition
on Psalm 23
A
psalm of David himself.
1.
The Church speaks to Christ: "The Lord feeds me, and I shall lack
nothing"
(ver.
1). The Lord Jesus Christ is my Shepherd, "and I shall lack nothing."
2.
"In a place of pasture there has He placed me" (ver. 2). In a place
of fresh
pasture,
leading me to faith, there has He placed me to be nourished. "By the water
of
refreshing has He brought me up." By the water of baptism, whereby they
are
refreshed
who have lost health and strength, has He brought me up.
3.
"He has converted my soul: He has led me forth in the paths of
righteousness,
for
His Name's sake" (ver. 3). He has brought me forth in the narrow ways,
wherein
few walk, of His righteousness; not for my merit's sake, but for His
Name's
sake.
4.
"Yea, though I walk in the midst of the shadow of death" (ver. 4).
Yea, though I
walk
in the midst of this life, which is the shadow of death. "I will fear no
evil, for
You
are with me." I will fear no evil, for Thou dwellest in my heart by faith:
and
You
are now with me, that after the shadow of death I too may be with You.
"Your
rod and Your staff, they have comforted me." Your discipline, like a rod
for
a
flock of sheep, and like a staff for children of some size, and growing out of
the
natural
into spiritual life, they have not been grievous to me; rather have they
comforted
me: because You are mindful of me.
5.
"You have prepared a table in my sight, against them that trouble me"
(ver. 5).
Now
after the rod, whereby, while a little one, and living the natural life, I was
brought
up among the flock in the pastures; after that rod, I say, when I began to
be
under the staff, You have prepared a table in my sight, that I should no more
be
fed
as a babe with milk, 1 Corinthians 3:2 but being older should take meat,
strengthened
against them that trouble me. "You have fattened my head with oil."
You
have gladdened my mind with spiritual joy. "And Your inebriating cup, how
excellent
is it!" And Your cup yielding forgetfulness of former vain delights, how
excellent
is it!
6.
"And Your mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:" that is, as
long as I
live
in this mortal life, not Yours, but mine. "That I may dwell in the house
of the
Lord
for length of days" (ver. 6). Now Your mercy shall follow me not here
only,
but
also that I may dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 24
114
Exposition
on Psalm 24
A
psalm of David himself, on the first day of the week.
1.
A Psalm of David himself, touching the glorifying and resurrection of the Lord,
which
took place early in the morning on the first day of the week, which is now
called
the Lord's Day.
2.
"The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof, the compass of the
world, and
all
they that dwell therein" (ver. 1); when the Lord, being glorified, is
announced
for
the believing of all nations; and the whole compass of the world becomes His
Church.
"He has founded it above the seas." He has most firmly established it
above
all the waves of this world, that they should be subdued by it, and should
not
hurt it. "And has prepared it above the rivers" (ver. 2). The rivers
flow into the
sea,
and men of lust lapse into the world: these also the Church, which, when
worldly
lusts have been conquered by the grace of God, has been prepared by love
for
the reception of immortality, subdues.
3.
"Who shall ascend into the mount of the Lord?" Who shall ascend to
the height
of
the righteousness of the Lord? "Or who shall stand in His holy
place?" (ver. 3).
Or
who shall abide in that place, whither He shall ascend, founded above the seas,
and
prepared above the rivers?
4.
"The innocent of hand, and the pure in heart" (ver. 4). Who then
shall ascend
thither,
and abide there, but the guiltless in deed, and pure in thought? "Who has
not
received his soul in vain." Who has not reckoned his soul among things
that
pass
away, but feeling it to be immortal, has longed for an eternity steadfast and
unchangeable.
"And has not sworn in deceit to his neighbour." And therefore
without
deceit, as things eternal are simple and undeceiving, has so behaved
himself
to his neighbour.
5.
"This man shall receive blessing from the Lord, and mercy from the God of
his
salvation"
(ver. 5).
6.
"This is the generation of them that seek the Lord" (ver. 6). For
thus are they
born
that seek Him. "Of them that seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Diapsalma."
Now
they seek the face of God, who gave the pre-eminence to the younger born.
Romans
9:12
7.
"Take away your gates, you princes" (ver. 7). All you, that seek rule
among
men,
remove, that they hinder not, the entrances which you have made, of desire
and
fear. "And be lifted up, you everlasting gates." And be lifted up,
you entrances
of
eternal life, of renunciation of the world, and conversion to God. "And
the King
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 24
115
of
glory shall come in." And the King, in whom we may glory without pride,
shall
come
in: who having overcome the gates of death, and having opened for Himself
the
heavenly places, fulfilled that which He said, "Be of good cheer, for I
have
overcome
the world." John 16:33
8.
"Who is this King of glory?" Mortal nature is awe-struck in wonder,
and asks,
"Who
is this King of glory?" "The Lord strong and mighty." He whom
you
deemed
weak and overwhelmed. "The Lord mighty in battle" (ver. 8). Handle
the
scars,
and you will find them made whole, and human weakness restored to
immortality.
The glorifying of the Lord, which was owing to earth, where It
warred
with death, has been paid.
9.
"Take away your gates, you princes." Let us go hence straightway into
heaven.
Again,
let the Prophet's trumpet cry aloud, "Take away too, you princes of the
air,
the
gates, which you have in the minds of men who 'worship the host of heaven.'"
2
Kings 17:16 "And be lifted up, you everlasting gates." And be lifted
up, you
doors
of everlasting righteousness, of love, and chastity, through which the soul
loves
the One True God, and goes not a-whoring with the many that are called
gods.
"And the King of glory shall come in" (ver. 9). "And the King of
glory shall
come
in," that He may at the right hand of the Father intercede for us.
10.
"Who is this King of glory?" What! do you too, prince of the power of
this air,
Ephesians
2:2 marvel and ask, "Who is this King of glory?" "The Lord of
powers,
He
is the King of glory" (ver. 10). Yea, His Body now quickened, He who was
tempted
marches above you; He who was tempted by the angel, the deceiver, goes
above
all angels. Let none of you put himself before us and stop our way, that he
may
be worshipped as a god by us: neither principality, nor angel, nor power,
separates
us from the love of Christ. Romans 8:39 It is good to trust in the Lord,
rather
than to trust in a prince; that he who glories, should glory in the Lord.
1
Corinthians 1:31 These indeed are powers in the administration of this world,
but
"the Lord of powers, He is the King of glory."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 25
116
Exposition
on Psalm 25
To
the end, a psalm of David himself.
1.
Christ speaks, but in the person of the Church: for what is said has reference
rather
to the Christian People turned unto God.
2.
"Unto You, O Lord, have I lift up my soul" (ver. 1): with spiritual
longing have
I
lift up the soul, that was trodden down on the earth with carnal longings.
"O my
God,
in You I trust, I shall not be ashamed" (ver. 2). O my God, from trusting
in
myself
I was brought even to this weakness of the flesh; and I who on abandoning
God
wished to be as God, fearing death from the smallest insect, was in derision
ashamed
for my pride; now, therefore, "in You I trust, I shall not be
ashamed."
3.
"And let not my enemies mock me." And let them not mock me, who by
ensnaring
me with serpent-like and secret suggestions, and prompting me with
"Well
done, well done," have brought me down to this. "For all that wait
upon
You
shall not be confounded" (ver. 3).
4.
"Let them be confounded who do vain things unrighteously." Let them
be
confounded
who act unrighteously for the acquiring things that pass away. "Make
Your
ways, O Lord, known to me, and teach me Your paths" (ver. 4): not those
which
are broad, and lead the many to destruction; Matthew 7:13 but Your paths,
narrow,
and known to few, teach Thou me.
5.
"In Your truth guide me:" avoiding error. "And teach me:"
for by myself I know
nothing,
but falsehood. "For You are the God of my salvation; and for You have I
waited
all the day" (ver. 5). For dismissed by You from
my
journey into a far country, Luke 15:13 I cannot by myself return, unless Thou
meetest
the wanderer: for my return has throughout the whole tract of this world's
time
waited for Your mercy.
6.
"Remember Your compassions, O Lord" (ver. 6). Remember the works of
Your
mercy,
O Lord; for men deem of You as though You had forgotten. "And that
Your
mercies are from eternity." And remember this, that Your mercies are from
eternity.
For Thou never wast without them, who hast subjected even sinful man to
vanity
indeed, but in hope; Romans 8:20 and not deprived him of so many and
great
consolations of Your creation.
7.
"Remember not the offences of my youth and of my ignorance" (ver. 7).
The
offences
of my presumptuous boldness and of my ignorance reserve not for
vengeance,
but let them be as if forgotten by You. "According to Your mercy, be
mindful
of me, O God." Be mindful indeed of me, not according to the anger of
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 25
117
which
I am worthy, but according to Your mercy which is worthy of You. "For
Your
goodness, O Lord." Not for my deservings, but for Your goodness, O Lord.
8.
"Gracious and upright is the Lord" (ver. 8). The Lord is gracious,
since even
sinners
and the ungodly He so pitied, as to forgive all that is past; but the Lord is
upright
too, who after the mercy of vocation and pardon, which is of grace without
merit,
will require merits meet for the last judgment. "Wherefore He will
establish
a
law for them that fail in the way." For He has first bestowed mercy to
bring them
into
the way.
9.
"He will guide the meek in judgment." He will guide the meek, and
will not
confound
in the judgment those that follow His will, and do not, in withstanding
It,
prefer their own. "The gentle He will teach His ways" (ver. 9). He
will teach
His
ways, not to those that desire to run before, as if they were better able to
rule
themselves;
but to those who do not exalt the neck, nor lift the heel, when the easy
yoke
and the light burden is laid upon them. Matthew 11:30
10.
"All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth" (ver. 10). And what
ways will
He
teach them, but mercy wherein He is placable, and truth wherein He is
incorrupt?
Whereof He has exhibited the one in forgiving sins, the other in judging
deserts.
And therefore "all the ways of the Lord" are the two advents of the
Son of
God,
the one in mercy, the other in judgment. He then attains unto Him holding on
His
ways, who seeing himself freed by no deserts of his own, lays pride aside, and
henceforward
bewares of the severity of His trial, having experienced the
clemency
of His help. "To them that seek His testament and His testimonies."
For
they
understand the Lord as merciful at His first advent, and as the Judge at His
second,
who in meekness and gentleness seek His testament, when with His Own
Blood
He redeemed us to a new life; and in the Prophets and Evangelists, His
testimonies.
11.
"For Your Name's sake, O Lord, You will be favourable to my sin; for it is
manifold"
(ver. 11). You have not only forgiven my sins, which I committed
before
I believed; but also to my sin, which is manifold, since even in the way
there
is no lack of stumbling, You will be made favourable by the sacrifice of a
troubled
spirit.
12.
"Who is the man that fears the Lord?" from which fear he begins to
come to
wisdom.
"He shall establish a law for him in the way, which he has chosen"
(ver.
12).
He shall establish a law for him in the way, which in his freedom he has
taken,
that he may not sin now with impunity.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 25
118
13.
"His soul shall dwell in good, and his seed shall, by inheritance, possess
the
earth"
(ver. 13). And his work shall possess the stable inheritance of a renewed
body.
14.
"The Lord is the stay of them that fear Him" (ver. 14). Fear seems to
belong to
the
weak, but the Lord is the stay of them that fear Him. And the Name of the
Lord,
which has been glorified throughout the whole world, is a stay to them that
fear
Him. "And His testament, that it may be manifested unto them." And He
makes
His testament to be manifested unto them, for the Gentiles and the bounds
of
the earth are Christ's inheritance.
15.
"My eyes are ever unto the Lord; for He shall pluck my feet out of the
snare"
(ver.
15). Nor would I fear the dangers of earth, while I look not upon the earth:
for
He upon whom I look, will pluck my feet out of the snare.
16.
"Look upon me, and have mercy upon me; for I am single and poor"
(ver. 16).
For
I am a single people, keeping the lowliness of Your single Church, which no
schisms
or heresies possess.
17.
"The tribulations of my heart have been multiplied" (ver. 17). The
tribulations
of
my heart have been multiplied by the abounding of iniquity and the waxing cold
of
love. Matthew 24:12 "O bring Thou me out of my necessities." Since I
must
needs
bear this, that by enduring unto the end I may be saved, bring Thou me out
of
my necessities.
18.
"See my humility and my travail" (ver. 18). See my humility, whereby
I never,
in
the boast of righteousness, break off from unity; and my travail, wherein I
bear
with
the unruly ones that are mingled with me. "And forgive all my sins."
And,
propitiated
by these sacrifices, forgive all my sins, not those only of youth and my
ignorance
before I believed, but those also which, living now by faith, I commit
through
infirmity, or the darkness of this life.
19.
"Consider mine enemies, how they are multiplied" (ver. 19). For not
only
without,
but even within, in the Church's very communion, they are not wanting.
"And
with an unrighteous hate they hate me." And they hate me who love them.
20.
"Keep my soul, and deliver me." Keep my soul, that I turn not aside
to imitate
them;
and draw me out from the confusion wherein they are mingled with me.
"Let
me not be confounded, for I have put my trust in You" (ver. 20). Let me
not
be
confounded, if haply they rise up against me: for not in myself, but in You
have
I
put my trust.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 25
119
21.
"The innocent and the upright have cleaved to me, for I have waited for
You,
O
Lord" (ver. 21). The innocent and the upright, not in bodily presence
only, as
the
evil, are mingled with me, but in the agreement of the heart in the same
innocence
and uprightness cleave to me: for I have not fallen away to imitate the
evil;
but I have waited for You, expecting the winnowing of Your last harvest.
22.
"Redeem
people,
O God," whom You have prepared to see You, out of his troubles, not
those
only which he bears without, but those also which he bears within.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 26
120
Exposition on Psalm 26
Of
David himself.
1.
It may be attributed to David himself, not the Mediator, the Man Christ Jesus,
but
the whole Church now perfectly established in Christ.
2.
"Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in my innocence" (ver. 1). Judge
me, O
Lord,
for, after the mercy which You first showed me, I have some desert of my
innocence,
the way whereof I have kept. "And trusting in the Lord I shall not be
moved."
And yet not even so trusting in myself, but in the Lord, I shall abide in
Him.
3.
"Prove me, O Lord, and try me" (ver. 2). Lest, however, any of my
secret sins
should
be hid from me, prove me, O Lord, and try me, making me known, not to
You
from whom nothing is hid, but to myself, and to men. "Burn my reins and my
heart."
Apply a remedial purgation, as it were fire, to my pleasures and thoughts.
"For
Your mercy is before my eyes" (ver. 3). For, that I be not consumed by
that
fire,
not my merits, but Your mercy, whereby You have brought me on to such a
life,
is before my eyes. "And I have been pleasing in Your truth." And
since my
own
falsehood has been displeasing to me, but Your truth pleasing, I have myself
been
pleasing also with it and in it.
4.
"I have not sat with the council of vanity" (ver. 4). I have not
chosen to give my
heart
to them who endeavour to provide, what is impossible, how they may be
blessed
in the enjoyment of things transitory. "And I will not enter in with them
that
work wickedly." And since this is the very cause of all wickedness,
therefore I
will
not have my conscience hid, with them that work wickedly.
5.
"I have hated the congregation of evil doers." But to arrive at this
council of
vanity,
congregations of evil doers are formed, which I have hated. "And I will
not
sit
with the ungodly" (ver. 5). And, therefore, with such a council, with the
ungodly,
I will not sit, that is, I will not place my consent. "And I will not sit
with
the
ungodly."
6.
"I will wash mine hands amid the innocent" (ver. 6). I will make
clean my
works
among the innocent: among the innocent will I wash mine hands, with
which
I shall embrace Your glorious gifts. "And I will compass Your altar, O
Lord."
7.
"That I may hear the voice of Your praise." That I may learn how to
praise You.
"And
that I may declare all Your wondrous works" (ver. 7). And after I have
learned,
I may set forth all Your wondrous works.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 26
121
8.
"O Lord, I have loved the beauty of Your house:" of Your Church.
"And the
place
of the habitation of Your glory" (ver. 8): where Thou dwellest, and art
glorified.
9.
"Destroy not my soul with the ungodly" (ver. 9). Destroy not then,
together with
them
that hate You, my soul, which has loved the beauty of Your house. "And my
life
with the men of blood." And with them that hate their neighbour. For Your
house
is beautified with the two commandments.
10.
"In whose hands is wickedness." Destroy me not then with the ungodly
and the
men
of blood, whose works are wicked. "Their right hand is full of gifts"
(ver. 10).
And
that which was given them to obtain eternal salvation, they have converted
into
the receiving this world's gifts, "supposing that godliness is a
trade."
1
Timothy 6:5
11.
"But I have walked in mine innocence: deliver me, and have mercy on
me"
(ver.
11). Let so great a price of my Lord's Blood avail for my complete
deliverance:
and in the dangers of this life let not Your mercy leave me.
12.
"My foot has stood in uprightness." My Love has not withdrawn from
Your
righteousness.
"In the Churches I will bless You, O Lord" (ver. 12). I will not hide
Your
blessing, O Lord, from those whom You have called; for next to the love of
You
I join the love of my neighbour.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 27
122
Exposition
on Psalm 27
Of
David himself, before he was anointed.
1.
Christ's young soldier speaks, on his coming to the faith. "The Lord is my
light,
and
my salvation: whom shall I fear?" (ver. 1). The Lord will give me both
knowledge
of Himself, and salvation: who shall take me from Him? "The Lord is
the
Protector of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?" The Lord will repel all
the
assaults
and snares of mine enemy: of no man shall I be afraid.
2.
"Whilst the guilty approach unto me to eat up my flesh" (ver. 2).
Whilst the
guilty
come near to recognise and insult me, that they may exalt themselves above
me
in my change for the better; that with their reviling tooth they may consume
not
me, but rather my fleshly desires. "Mine enemies who trouble me." Not
they
only
who trouble me, blaming me with a friendly intent, and wishing to recall me
from
my purpose, but mine enemies also. "They became weak, and fell."
Whilst
then
they do this with the desire of defending their own opinion, they became
weak
to believe better things, and began to hate the word of salvation, whereby I
do
what displeases them.
3.
"If camps stand together against me, my heart will not fear." But if
the
multitude
of gain-sayers conspire to stand together against me, my heart will not
fear,
so as to go over to their side. "If war rise up against me, in this will I
trust"
(ver.
3). If the persecution of this world arise against me, in this petition, which
I
am
pondering, will I place my hope.
4.
"One have I asked of the Lord, this will I require." For one petition
have I asked
the
Lord, this will I require. "That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all
the
days
of my life" (ver. 4). That as long as I am in this life, no adversities
may
exclude
me from the number of them who hold the unity and the truth of the
Lord's
faith throughout the world. "That I may contemplate the delight of the
Lord."
With this end, namely, that persevering in the faith, the delightsome vision
may
appear to me, which I may contemplate face to face. "And I shall be
protected,
His temple." And death being swallowed up in victory, I shall be
clothed
with immortality, being made His temple.
5.
"For He has hidden me in His tabernacle in the day of my evils" (ver.
5). For He
has
hidden me in the dispensation of His Incarnate Word in the time of
temptations,
to which my mortal life is exposed. "He has protected me in the
secret
place of His tabernacle." He has protected me, with the heart believing
unto
righteousness.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 27
123
6.
"On a rock has He exalted me." And that what I believed might be made
manifest
for salvation, He has made my confession to be conspicuous in His own
strength.
"And now, lo! He has exalted mine head above mine enemies" (ver. 6).
What
does He reserve for me at the last, when even now the body is dead because
of
sin, lo! I feel that my mind serves the law of God, and is not led captive
under
the
rebellious law of sin? "I have gone about, and have sacrificed in His
tabernacle
the
sacrifice of rejoicing." I have considered the circuit of the world,
believing on
Christ;
and in that for us God was humbled in time, I have praised Him with
rejoicing:
for with such sacrifice He is well pleased. "I will sing and give praises
to
the Lord." In heart and in deed I will be glad in the Lord.
7.
"Hear my voice, O Lord, wherewith I have cried unto You" (ver. 7).
Hear, Lord,
my
interior voice, which with a strong intention I have addressed to Your ears.
"Have
mercy upon me, and hear me." Have mercy upon me, and hear me therein.
8.
"My heart has said to You, I have sought Your countenance" (ver. 8).
For I have
not
exhibited myself to men; but in secret, where Thou alone hearest, my heart has
said
to You; I have not sought from You anything without You as a reward, but
Your
countenance. "Your countenance, O Lord, will I seek." In thus search
will I
perseveringly
persist: for not anything that is common, but Your countenance, O
Lord,
will I seek, that I may love You freely, since nothing more precious do I
find.
9.
"Turn not away Your face from me" (ver. 9): that I may find what I
seek. "Turn
not
aside in anger from Your servant:" lest, while seeking You, I fall in with
somewhat
else. For what is more grievous than this punishment to one who loves
and
seeks the truth of Your countenance? "Be Thou my Helper." How shall I
find
it,
if Thou help me not? "Leave me not, neither despise me, O God my
Saviour."
Scorn
not that a mortal dares to seek the Eternal; for Thou, God, dost heal the
wound
of my sin.
10.
"For my father and my mother have left me" "But the Lord took me
up." But
the
Lord, who can give me Himself, took me up.
11.
"Appoint me a law, O Lord, in Your way" (ver. 11). For me then who am
setting
out toward You, and commenting so great a profession, of arriving at
wisdom,
from fear, appoint, O Lord, a law in Your way, lest in my wandering
Your
rule abandon me. "And direct me in the right path because of mine
enemies."
And
direct me in the right way of its straits. For it is not enough to begin, since
enemies
cease not until the end is attained.
12.
"Deliver me not up unto the souls of them that trouble me" (ver. 12).
Suffer not
them
that trouble me to be satiated with my evils. "For unrighteous witnesses
have
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 27
124
risen
up against me." For there have risen up against me they that speak falsely
of
me,
to remove and call me back from You, as if I seek glory of men. "And
iniquity
has
lied unto itself." Therefore iniquity has been pleased with its own lie.
For me it
has
not moved, to whom because of this there has been promised a greater reward
in
heaven.
13.
"I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the
living" (ver. 13).
And
since my Lord has first suffered these things, if I too despise the tongues of
the
dying ("for the mouth that lies slays the soul" Wisdom 1:11), I
believe to see
the
good things of the Lord in the land of the living, where there is no place for
falsity.
14.
"Wait on the Lord, quit yourself like a man: and let your heart be strong,
yea
wait
on the Lord" (ver. 14). But when shall this be? It is arduous for a
mortal, it is
slow
to a lover: but listen to the voice, that deceives not, of him that says,
"Wait
on
the Lord." Endure the burning of the reins manfully, and the burning of
the
heart
stoutly. Think not that what thou dost not as yet receive is denied you. That
thou
faint not in despair, see how it is said, "Wait on the Lord."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 28
125
Exposition
on Psalm 28
Of
David himself.
1.
It is the Voice of the Mediator Himself, strong of hand in the conflict of the
Passion.
Now what He seems to wish for against His enemies, is not the wish of
malevolence,
but the declaration of their punishment; as in the Gospel,
Matthew
11:20-24 with the cities, in which though He had performed miracles, yet
they
had not believed on Him, He does not wish in any evil will what He says, but
predicts
what is impending over them.
2.
"Unto You, O Lord, have I cried; My God, be not silent from me" (ver.
1). Unto
You,
O Lord, have I cried; My God, separate not the unity of Your Word from that
which
as Man I am. "Lest at any time Thou be silent from me: and I shall be like
them
that go down into the pit." For from this, that the Eternity of Your Word
ceases
not to unite Itself to Me, it comes that I am not such a man as the rest of
men,
who are born into the deep misery of this world: where, as if You are silent,
Your
Word is not recognised. "Hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication, whist
I
pray
unto You, while I hold up my hands to Your holy temple" (ver. 2). Whilst I
am
crucified for their salvation, who on believing become Your holy temple.
3.
"Draw not My Soul away with sinners, and destroy me not with them that
work
iniquity,
with them that speak peace with their neighbours" (ver. 3). With them
that
say unto Me, "We know that You are a Master come from God." John 3:2
"But
evil in their hearts." But they speak evil in their hearts.
4.
"Give unto them according to their works" (ver. 4). Give unto them
according to
their
works, for this is just. "And according to the malice of their
affections." For
aiming
at evil, they cannot discover good. "According to the works of their hands
give
Thou unto them." Although what they have done may avail for salvation to
others,
yet give Thou unto them according to the works of their wills. "Pay them
their
recompense." Because, for the truth which they heard, they wished to
recompense
deceit; let their own deceit deceive them.
5.
"For they have not had understanding in the works of the Lord" (ver.
5). And
whence
is it clear that this has befallen them? From this forsooth, "for they
have
not
had understanding in the works of the Lord." This very thing, in truth,
has
been,
even now, their recompense, that in Him whom they tempted with malicious
intent
as a Man, they should not recognise God, with what design the Father sent
Him
in the Flesh. "And the works of His hands." Nor be moved by those
visible
works,
which are laid out before their very eyes. "You shall destroy them, and
not
build
them up." Let them do Me no hurt, nay, nor again in their endeavour to
raise
engines
against My Church, let them anything avail.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 28 126
6.
"Blessed be the Lord, for He has heard the voice of My prayer" (ver.
6).
7.
"The Lord My Helper and My Protector" (ver. 7). The Lord helping Me
in so
great
sufferings, and protecting Me with immortality in My resurrection. "In Him
has
My Heart trusted, and I have been helped." "And My Flesh has
flourished
again:"
that is, and My Flesh has risen again. "And of my will I will confess unto
Him."
Wherefore, the fear of death being now destroyed, not by the necessity of
fear
under the Law, but with a free will with the Law, shall they who believe in
Me,
confess unto Him; and because I am in them, I will confess.
8.
"The Lord is the strength of His people" (ver. 8). Not that people
"ignorant of
the
righteousness of God, and willing to establish their own." Romans 10:3 For
they
thought not themselves strong in themselves: for the Lord is the strength of
His
people, struggling in this life's difficulties with the devil. "And the
protector of
the
salvation of His Christ." That, having saved them by His Christ after the
strength
of war, He may protect them at the last with the immortality of peace.
9.
"Save Your people, and bless Your inheritance" (ver. 9). I intercede
therefore,
after
My Flesh has flourished again, because You have said, "Desire of Me, and I
will
give You the heathen for Your inheritance;" "Save Your people, and
bless
Your
inheritance:" for "all Mine are Yours." John 17:10 "And
rule them, and set
them
up even for ever." And rule them in this temporal life, and raise them
from
hence
into life eternal.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 29 127
Exposition
on Psalm 29
A
psalm of David himself, of the consummation of the tabernacle.
1.
A Psalm of the Mediator Himself, strong of hand, of the perfection of the
Church
in this world, where she wars in time against the devil.
2.
The Prophet speaks, "Bring unto the Lord, O you Sons of God, bring unto
the
Lord
the young of rams" (ver. 1). Bring unto the Lord yourselves, whom the
Apostles,
the leaders of the flocks, have begotten by the Gospel.
1
Corinthians 4:15 "Bring unto the Lord glory and honour" (ver. 2). By
your
works
let the Lord be glorified and honoured. "Bring unto the Lord glory to His
name."
Let Him be made known gloriously throughout the world. "Worship the
Lord
in His holy court." Worship the Lord in your heart enlarged and
sanctified.
For
you are His regal holy habitation.
3.
"The Voice of the Lord is upon the waters" (ver. 3). The Voice of
Christ is upon
the
peoples. "The God of majesty has thundered." The God of majesty, from
the
cloud
of the flesh, has awfully preached repentance. "The Lord is upon many
waters."
The Lord Jesus Himself, after that He sent forth His Voice upon the
peoples,
and struck them with awe, converted them to Himself, and dwelt in them.
4.
"The Voice of the Lord is in power" (ver. 4). The Voice of the Lord
now in
them
themselves, making them powerful. "The Voice of the Lord is in great
might."
The Voice of the Lord working great things in them.
5.
"The Voice of the Lord breaking the cedars" (ver. 5). The Voice of
the Lord
humbling
the proud in brokenness of heart. "The Lord shall break the cedars of
Libanus."
The Lord by repentance shall break them that are lifted on high by the
splendour
of earthly nobility, when to confound them He shall have "chosen the
base
things of this world," 1 Corinthians 1:28 in the which to display His
Divinity.
6.
"And shall bruise them as the calf of Libanus" (ver. 6). And when
their proud
exaltation
has been cut off, He will lay them low after the imitation of His Own
humility,
who like a calf was led to slaughter Isaiah 53:7 by the nobility of this
world.
"For the kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers agreed together
against
the
Lord, and against His Christ." "And the Beloved is as the young of
the
unicorns."
For even He the Beloved, and the Only One of the Father, "emptied
Himself"
of His glory; and was made man, Philippians 2:7 like a child of the Jews,
that
were "ignorant of God's righteousness," Romans 10:3 and proudly
boasting of
their
own righteousness as peculiarly theirs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 29
128
7.
"The Voice of the Lord cutting short the flame of fire" (ver. 7). The
Voice of the
Lord,
without any harm to Himself, passing through all the excited ardour of them
that
persecute Him, or dividing the furious rage of His persecutors, so that some
should
say, "Is not this haply the very Christ;" others, "Nay; but He
deceives the
people:"
John 7:41, 12 and so cutting short their mad tumult, as to pass some over
into
His love, and leave others in their malice.
8.
"The Voice of the Lord moving the wilderness" (ver. 8). The Voice of
the Lord
moving
to the faith the Gentiles once "without hope, and without God in the
world;"
Ephesians 2:12 where no prophet, no preacher of God's word, as it were,
no
man had dwelt. "And the Lord will move the desert of Cades." And then
the
Lord
will cause the holy word of His Scriptures to be fully known, which was
abandoned
by the Jews who understood it not.
9.
"The Voice of the Lord perfecting the stags" (ver. 9). For the Voice
of the Lord
has
first perfected them that overcame and repelled the envenomed tongues.
"And
will
reveal the woods." And then will He reveal to them the darknesses of the
Divine
books, and the shadowy depths of the mysteries, where they feed with
freedom.
"And in His temple does every man speak of His glory." And in His
Church
all born again to an eternal hope praise God, each for His own gift, which
He
has received from the Holy Spirit.
10.
"The Lord inhabites the deluge" (ver. 10). The Lord therefore first
inhabites
the
deluge of this world in His Saints, kept safely in the Church, as in the ark.
"And
the Lord shall sit a King for ever." And afterward He will sit reigning in
them
for ever.
11.
"The Lord will give strength to His people" (ver. 11). For the Lord
will give
strength
to His people fighting against the storms and whirlwinds of this world, for
peace
in this world He has not promised them. John 16:33 "The Lord will bless
His
people in peace." And the same Lord will bless His people, affording them
peace
in Himself; for, says He, "My peace I give unto you, My peace I leave with
you."
John 14:27
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 30 129
Exposition
on Psalm 30
To
the end, the psalm of the canticle of the dedication of the house, of David
himself.
1.
To the end, a Psalm of the joy of the Resurrection, and the change, the
renewing
of
the body to an immortal state, and not only of the Lord, but also of the whole
Church.
For in the former Psalm the tabernacle was finished, wherein we dwell in
the
time of war: but now the house is dedicated, which will abide in peace
everlasting.
2.
It is then whole Christ who speaks. "I will exalt You, O Lord, for You
have
taken
Me up" (ver. 1). I will praise Your high Majesty, O Lord, for You have
taken
Me up. "You have not made Mine enemies to rejoice over Me." And
those,
who
have so often endeavoured to oppress Me with various persecutions
throughout
the world, You have not made to rejoice over Me.
3.
"O Lord, My God, I have cried unto You, and You have healed Me" (ver.
2). O
Lord,
My God, I have cried unto You, and I no longer bear about a body enfeebled
and
sick by mortality.
4.
"O Lord, You have brought back My Soul from hell, and You have saved Me
from
them that go down into the pit" (ver. 3). You have saved Me from the
condition
of profound darkness, and the lowest slough of corruptible flesh.
5.
"Sing to the Lord, O you saints of His." The prophet seeing these
future things,
rejoices,
and says, "Sing to the Lord, O you saints of His. And make confession of
the
remembrance of His holiness" (ver. 4). And make confession to Him, that He
has
not forgotten the sanctification, wherewith He has sanctified you, although all
this
intermediate period belong to your desires.
6.
"For in His indignation is wrath" (ver. 5). For He has avenged
against you the
first
sin, for which you have paid by death. "And life in His will." And
life eternal,
whereunto
you could not return by any strength of your own, has He given,
because
He so would. "In the evening weeping will tarry." Evening began, when
the
light of wisdom withdrew from sinful man, when he was condemned to death:
from
this evening weeping will tarry, as long as God's people are, amid labours
and
temptations, awaiting the day of the Lord. "And exultation in the
morning."
Even
to the morning, when there will be the exultation of the resurrection, which
has
shone forth by anticipation in the morning resurrection of the Lord.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 30 130
7.
"But I said in my abundance, I shall not be moved for ever" (ver. 6).
But I, that
people
which was speaking from the first, said in mine abundance, suffering now
no
more any want, "I shall not be moved for ever."
8.
"O Lord, in Your will You have afforded strength unto my beauty"
(ver. 7). But
that
this my abundance, O Lord, is not of myself, but that in Your will You have
afforded
strength unto my beauty, I have learned from this, " You turned away
Your
Face from me, and I became troubled;" for You have sometimes turned away
Your
Face from the sinner, and I became troubled, when the illumination of Your
knowledge
withdrew from me.
9.
"Unto You, O Lord, will I cry, and unto my God will I pray" (ver. 8).
And
bringing
to mind that time of my trouble and misery, and as it were established
therein,
I hear the voice of Your First-Begotten, my Head, about to die for me, and
saying
"Unto You, O Lord, will I cry, and unto My God will I pray."
10.
"What profit" is there in the shedding of My blood, while I go down
to
corruption?
"Shall dust confess unto You?" For if I shall not rise immediately,
and
My
body shall become corrupt, "shall dust confess unto You?" that is,
the crowd
of
the ungodly, whom I shall justify by My resurrection? "Or declare Your
truth?"
Or
for the salvation of the rest declare Your truth?
11.
"The Lord has heard, and had mercy on Me, the Lord has become My
helper."
Nor
did "He suffer His holy One to see corruption" (ver. 10).
12.
"You have turned My mourning into joy to Me" (ver. 11). Whom I, the
Church,
having received, the First-Begotten from the dead, Revelation 1:5 now in
the
dedication of Your house, say, "You have turned my mourning into joy to
me.
You
have put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness." You have torn off
the
veil of my sins, the sadness of my mortality; and hast girded me with the first
robe,
with immortal gladness.
13.
"That my glory should sing unto You, and I should not be pricked"
(ver. 12).
That
now, not my humiliation, but my glory should not lament, but should sing
unto
You, for that now out of humiliation You have exalted me; and that I should
not
be pricked with the consciousness of sin, with the fear of death, with the fear
of
judgment. "O Lord, my God, I will confess unto You for ever." And
this is my
glory,
O Lord, my God, that I should confess unto You for ever, that I have
nothing
of myself, but that all my good is of You, who art "God, All in all."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 31
131
Exposition
on Psalm 31
To
the end, a psalm of David himself, an ecstasy.
1.
To the end a Psalm of David Himself, the Mediator strong of hand in
persecutions.
For the word ecstasy, which is added to the title, signifies a transport
of
the mind, which is produced either by a panic, or by some revelation. But in
this
Psalm
the panic of the people of God troubled by the persecution of all the
heathen,
and by the failing of faith throughout the world, is principally seen. But
first
the Mediator Himself speaks: then the People redeemed by His Blood gives
thanks:
at last in trouble it speaks at length, which is what belongs to the ecstasy;
but
the Person of the Prophet himself is twice interposed, near the end, and at the
end.
2.
"In You, O Lord, have I trusted, let Me not be put to confusion for
ever" (ver.
1).
In You, O Lord, have I trusted, let Me never be confounded, while they shall
insult
Me as one like other men. "In Your righteousness rescue Me, and deliver
Me."
And in Your righteousness rescue Me from the pit of death, and deliver Me
out
of their company.
3.
"Bend down Thine ear unto Me" (ver. 2). Hear Me in My humiliation,
nigh at
hand
unto Me. "Make haste to deliver Me." Defer not to the end of the
world, as
with
all who believe in Me, My separation from sinners. "Be unto Me a God who
protects
Me." Be unto Me God, and Protector. "And a house of refuge, that You
may
save Me." And as a house, wherein taking refuge I may be saved.
4.
"For You are My strength, and My refuge" (ver. 3). For You are unto
Me My
strength
to bear My persecutors, and My refuge to escape them. "And for Your
Name's
sake You shall be My guide, and shall nourish Me." And that by Me You
may
be known to all the Gentiles. I will in all things follow Your will; and, by
assembling,
by degrees, Saints unto Me, You shall fulfil My body, and My perfect
stature.
5.
"You shall bring Me out of this trap, which they have hidden for Me"
(ver. 4).
You
shall bring Me out of these snares, which they have hidden for Me. "For
You
are
My Protector."
6.
"Into Your hands I commend My Spirit" (ver. 5). To Your power I
commend
My
Spirit, soon to receive It back. "You have redeemed Me, O Lord God of
truth."
Let
the people too, redeemed by the Passion of their Lord, and joyful in the
glorifying
of their Head, say, "You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 31
132
7.
"Thou hatest them that hold to vanity uselessly" (ver. 6). Thou
hatest them that
hold
to the false happiness of the world. "But I have trusted in the
Lord."
8.
"I will be glad, and rejoice in Your mercy:" which does not deceive
me. "For
You
have regarded My humiliation:" wherein You have subjected me to vanity in
hope.
Romans 8:20 "You have saved my soul from necessities" (ver. 7). You
have
saved
my soul from the necessities of fear, that with a free love it may serve You.
9.
"And hast not shut me up into the hands of the enemy" (ver. 8). And
hast not
shut
me up, that I should have no opening for recovering unto liberty, and be given
over
for ever into the power of the devil, ensnaring me with the desire of this
life,
and
terrifying me with death. "You have set my feet in a large room." The
resurrection
of my Lord being known, and my own being promised me, my love,
having
been brought out of the straits of fear, walks abroad in continuance, into
the
expanse of liberty.
10.
"Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am troubled" (ver. 9). But what is
this
unlooked-for
cruelty of the persecutors, striking such dread into me? "Have mercy
on
me, O Lord." For I am now no more alarmed for death, but for torments and
tortures.
"My eye has been disordered by anger." I had my eye upon You, that
You
should
not abandon me: You are angry, and hast disordered it. "My soul, and my
belly."
By the same anger my soul has been disturbed, and my memory, whereby I
retained
what my God has suffered for me, and what He has promised me.
11.
"For my life has failed in pain" (ver 10). For my life is to confess
You, but it
failed
in pain, when the enemy had said, Let them be tortured until they deny Him.
"And
my years in groanings." The time that I pass in this world is not taken
away
from
me by death, but abides, and is spent in groanings. "My strength has been
weakened
by want." I want the health of this body, and racking pains come on me:
I
want the dissolution of the body, and death forbears to come: and in this want
my
confidence
has been weakened. "And my bones have been disturbed." And my
steadfastness
has been disturbed.
12.
"I have been made a reproach above all mine enemies" (ver 11). All
the
wicked
are my enemies; and nevertheless they for their wickednesses are tortured
only
till they confess: I then have overpassed their reproach, I, whose confession
death
does not follow, but racking pains follow upon it. "And to my neighbours
too
much." This has seemed too much to them, who were already drawing near to
know
You, and to hold the faith that I hold. "And a fear to mine
acquaintance."
And
into my very acquaintance I struck fear by the example of my dreadful
tribulation.
"They that did see me, fled without from me." Because they did not
understand
my inward and invisible hope, they fled from me into things outward
and
visible.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 31
133
13.
"I have been forgotten, as one dead from the heart" (ver. 12). And
they have
forgotten
me, as if I were dead from their hearts. "I have become as a lost
vessel."
I
have seemed to myself to be lost to all the Lord's service, living in this
world,
and
gaining none, when all were afraid to join themselves unto me.
14.
"For I have heard the rebuking of many dwelling by in a circuit"
(ver. 13). For
I
have heard many rebuking me, in the pilgrimage of this world near me, following
the
circuit of time, and refusing to return with me to the eternal country.
"Whilst
they
were assembling themselves together against me, they conspired that they
might
take my soul." That my soul, which should by death easily escape from
their
power,
might consent unto them, they imagined a device, whereby they would not
suffer
me even to die.
15.
"But I have hoped in You, O Lord; I have said, You are my God" (ver.
14). For
You
have not changed, that You should not save, Who dost correct.
16.
"In Your hands" are "my lots" (ver. 15). In Your power are
my lots. For I see
no
desert for which out of the universal ungodliness of the human race You have
elected
me particularly to salvation. And though there be with You some just and
secret
order in my election, yet I, from whom this is hid, have attained by lot unto
my
Lord's vesture. John 19:24 "Deliver me from the hands of mine enemies, and
from
them that persecute me."
17.
"Make Your Face to shine upon Your servant" (ver. 16). Make it known
to
men,
who do not think that I belong unto You, that Your Face is bent upon me,
and
that I serve You. "Save me in Your mercy."
18.
"O Lord, let me not be confounded, for I have called upon You" (ver.
17). O
Lord,
let me not be put to shame by those who insult me, for that I have called
upon
You. "Let the ungodly be ashamed, and be brought down to hell." Let
them
rather
who call upon stones be ashamed, and made to dwell with darkness.
19.
"Let the deceitful lips be made dumb" (ver. 18). In making known to
the
peoples
Your mysteries wrought in me, strike with dumb amazement the lips of
them
that invent falsehood of me. "Which speak iniquity against the Righteous,
in
pride
and contempt." Which speak iniquity against Christ, in their pride and
contempt
of Him as a crucified man.
20.
"How great" is "the multitude of Your sweetness, O Lord"
(ver. 19). Here the
Prophet
exclaims, having sight of all this, and admiring how manifoldly plenteous
is
Your sweetness, O Lord. "Which You have hid for them that fear You."
Even
those,
whom Thou correctest, Thou lovest much: but lest they should go on
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 31 134
negligently
from relaxed security, Thou hidest from them the sweetness of Your
love,
for whom it is profitable to fear You. "You have perfected it for them
that
hope
in You." But You have perfected this sweetness for them that hope in You.
For
Thou dost not withdraw from them what they look for perseveringly even unto
the
end. "In sight of the sons of men." For it does not escape the notice
of the sons
of
men, who now live no more after Adam, but after the Son of Man. "You will
hide
them in the hidden place of Your Countenance:" which seat You shall
preserve
for everlasting in the hidden place of the knowledge of You for them that
hope
in You. "From the troubling of men." So that now they suffer no more
trouble
from men.
21.
"You will protect them in Your tabernacle from the contradiction of
tongues"
(ver.
20). But here meanwhile while evil tongues murmur against them, saying,
Who
has come thence? You will protect them in the tabernacle, that of faith in
those
things, which the Lord wrought and endured for us in time.
22.
"Blessed be the Lord; for He has made His mercy marvellous, in the city of
compassing"
(ver. 21). Blessed be the Lord, for after the correction of the sharpest
persecutions
He has made His mercy marvellous to all throughout the world, in the
circuit
of human society.
23.
"I said in my ecstasy" (ver. 22). Whence that people again speaking
says, I said
in
my fear, when the heathen were raging horribly against me. "I have been
cast
forth
from the sight of Your eyes." For if You had regard to me, You would not
suffer
me to endure these things. "Therefore Thou heardest, O Lord, the voice of
my
prayer, when I cried unto You." Therefore putting a limit to correction,
and
showing
that I have part in Your care, Thou heardest, O Lord, the voice of my
prayer,
when I raised it high out of tribulation.
24.
"Love the Lord, all you His saints" (ver. 23). The Prophet again
exhorts,
having
sight of these things, and says, "Love the Lord, all you His saints; for
the
Lord
will require truth." Since "if the righteous shall scarcely be saved,
where
shall
the sinner and the ungodly appear?" 1 Peter 4:18 "And He will repay
them
that
do exceeding proudly." And He will repay them who even when conquered
are
not converted, because they are very proud.
25.
"Quit you like men, and let your heart be strengthened" (ver. 24):
working
good
without fainting, that you may reap in due season. "All you who trust in
the
Lord:"
that is, you who duly fear and worship Him, trust ye in the Lord.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 32
135
Exposition on
Psalm 32
To
David himself; for understanding.
1.
To David himself; for understanding; by which it is understood that not by the
merits
of works, but by the grace of God, man is delivered, confessing his sins.
2.
"Blessed are they whose unrighteousness is forgiven, and whose sins are
covered"
(ver. 1): and whose sins are buried in oblivion. "Blessed is the man to
whom
the Lord has not imputed sin, nor is there guile in his mouth" (ver. 2):
nor
has
he in his mouth boastings of righteousness, when his conscience is full of
sins.
3.
"Because I kept silence, my bones waxed old:" because I made not with
my
mouth
"confession unto salvation," Romans 10:10 all firmness in me has
grown
old
in infirmity. "Through my roaring all the day long" (ver. 3): when I
was
ungodly
and a blasphemer, crying against God, as though defending and excusing
my
sins.
4.
"Because day and night Your Hand was heavy upon me:" because, through
the
continual
punishment of Your scourges, "I was turned in misery, while a thorn was
fixed
through me" (ver. 4): I was made miserable by knowing my misery, being
pricked
with an evil conscience.
5.
"I acknowledged my sin, and my unrighteousness have I not hid:" that
is, my
unrighteousness
have I not concealed. "I said, I will confess against myself my
unrighteousness
to the Lord:" I said, I will confess, not against God (as in my
ungodly
crying, when I kept silence), but against myself, my unrighteousness to
the
Lord. "And Thou forgavest the iniquity of my heart" (ver. 5); hearing
the word
of
confession in the heart, before it was uttered with the voice.
6.
"For this shall every one that is holy pray unto You in an acceptable
time:" for
this
wickedness of heart shall every one that is righteous pray unto You. For not
by
their own merits will they be holy, but by that acceptable time, that is, at
His
coming,
who redeemed us from sin. "Nevertheless in the flood of great waters they
shall
not come nigh him" (ver. 6): nevertheless, let none think, when the end
has
come
suddenly, as in the days of Noah, Matthew 24:37-41 that there remains a
place
of confession, whereby he may draw nigh unto God.
7.
"You are my refuge from the pressures, which have compassed me
about:" You
are
my refuge from the pressure of my sins, which has compassed my heart. "O
Thou,
my Rejoicing, deliver me from them that compass me about" (ver. 7): in
You
is my joy: deliver me from the sorrow which my sins bring upon me.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 32
136
8.
Diapsalma. The answer of God: "I will give you understanding, and will set
you
in
the way in which you shall go;" I will give you understanding after
confession,
that
you depart not from the way in which you should go; lest you wish to be in
your
own power. "I will fix Mine Eyes upon you" (ver. 8); so will make
sure upon
you
My Love.
9.
"Be not ye like unto horse or mule, which have no understanding:" and
therefore
would govern themselves. But says the Prophet, "Hold in their jaws with
bit
and bridle." Do Thou then, O God, unto them "that will not come nigh
You"
(ver.
9), what man does to horse and mule, that by scourges Thou make them to
bear
Your rule.
10.
"Many are the scourges of the sinner:" much is he scourged, who,
confessing
not
his sins to God, would be his own ruler. "But he that trusts in the Lord,
mercy
compasses
him about" (ver. 10); but he that trusts in the Lord, and submits himself
to
His rule, mercy shall compass him about.
11.
"Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, you righteous:" be glad, and
rejoice, you
righteous,
not in yourselves, but in the Lord. "And glory, all you that are right in
heart"
(ver. 11): and glory in Him, all you who understand that it is right to be
subject
unto Him, that so ye may be placed above all things beside.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 33
137
Exposition
on Psalm 33
1.
"Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous:" rejoice, O you righteous, not
in
yourselves,
for that is not safe; but in the Lord. "For praise is comely to the
upright"
(ver. 1): these praise the Lord, who submit themselves unto the Lord; for
else
they are distorted and perverse.
2.
"Praise the Lord with harp:" praise the Lord, presenting unto Him
your bodies a
living
sacrifice. Romans 12:1 "Sing unto Him with the psaltery for ten
strings"
(ver.
2): let your members be servants to the love of God, and of your neighbour,
in
which are kept both the three and the seven commandments.
3.
"Sing unto Him a new song:" sing unto Him a song of the grace of
faith. "Sing
skilfully
unto Him with jubilation" (ver. 3): sing skillfully unto Him with
rejoicing.
4.
"For the Word of the Lord is right:" for the Word of the Lord is
right, to make
you
that which of yourselves ye cannot be. "And all His works are done in
faith"
(ver.
4): lest any think that by the merit of works he has arrived at faith, when in
faith
are done all the works which God Himself loves.
5.
"He loves Mercy and Judgment:" for He loves Mercy, which now He shows
first;
and Judgment, wherewith He exacts that which He has first shown. "The
earth
is full of the Mercy of the Lord" (ver. 5): throughout the whole world are
sins
forgiven unto men by the Mercy of the Lord.
6.
"By the Word of the Lord were the heavens made firm:" for not by
themselves,
but
by the Word of the Lord were the righteous made strong. "And all the
strength
of
them by the Breath of His Mouth" (ver. 6). And all their faith by His Holy
Spirit.
7.
"He gathers the waters of the sea together as into a bottle:" He
gathered the
people
of the world together, to confession of mortified sin, lest through pride they
flow
too freely. "He lays up the deep in storehouses" (ver. 7): and keeps
in them
His
secrets for riches.
8.
"Let all the earth fear the Lord:" let every sinner fear, that so he
may cease to
sin.
"Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him" (ver. 8):
not of the
terrors
of men, or of any creature, but of Him let them stand in awe.
9.
"For He spoke, and they were made:" for no other one made those
things which
are
to fear; but He spoke, and they were made. "He commanded, and they were
created"
(ver. 9): He commanded by His Word, and they were created.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 33
138
10.
"The Lord brings the counsel of the heathen to nought;" of them that
seek not
His
Kingdom, but kingdoms of their own. "He makes the devices of the people of
none
effect:" of them that covet earthly happiness. "And reproves the
counsels of
princes"
(ver. 10): of them that seek to rule over such peoples.
11.
"But the counsel of the Lord stands for ever;" but the counsel of the
Lord,
whereby
He makes none blessed but him that submits unto Himself, stands for
ever.
The thoughts of His Heart to all generations" (ver. 11): the thoughts of
His
Wisdom
are not mutable, but endure to all generations.
12.
"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord:" one nation is blessed,
belonging
to the heavenly city, which has not chosen save the Lord for their God:
"And
the people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance" (ver. 12): and
which
not of itself, but by the gift of God, has been chosen, that He by possessing
it
may not suffer it to be uncared for and miserable.
13.
"The Lord looks from Heaven; He beholds all the sons of men" (ver.
13). From
the
souls of the righteous, the Lord looks mercifully upon all who would rise to
newness
of life.
14.
"From His prepared habitation:" from His habitation of assumed
Humanity,
which
He prepared for Himself. "He looks upon all the inhabitants of the
earth"
(ver.
14): He looks mercifully upon all who live in the flesh, that He may be over
them
in ruling them.
15.
"He fashions their hearts singly:" He gives spiritually to their
hearts their
proper
gifts, so that neither the whole body may be eye, nor the whole hearing;
1
Corinthians 12:17 but that one in this manner, another in that manner, may be
incorporated
with Christ. "He understands all their works" (ver. 15). Before Him
are
all their works understood.
16.
"A king shall not be saved by much strength:" he shall not be saved
who rules
his
own flesh, if he presume much upon his own strength. "Neither shall a
giant be
saved
by much strength" (ver. 16): nor shall he be saved whoever wars against
the
habit
of his own lust, or against the devil and his angels, if he trust much to his
own
might.
17.
"A horse is a deceitful thing for safety:" he is deceived, who thinks
either that
through
men he gains salvation received among men, or that by the impetuosity of
his
own courage he is defended from destruction. "In the abundance of his
strength
shall
he not be saved" (ver. 17).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 33
139
18.
"Behold, the Eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear Him:" because
if thou
seek
salvation, behold, the love of the Lord is upon them that fear Him. "Upon
them
that hope in His mercy" (ver. 18): that hope not in their own strength,
but in
His
mercy.
19.
"To deliver their souls from death, and to keep them alive in famine"
(ver. 19).
To
give them the nourishment of the Word, and of Everlasting Truth, which they
lost
while presuming on their own strength, and therefore have not even their own
strength,
from lack of righteousness.
20.
"My soul shall be patient for the Lord:" that hereafter it may be
filled with
dainties
incorruptible, meanwhile, while here it remains, my soul shall be patient
for
the Lord. "For He is our Helper and Defender" (ver. 20): our Helper
He is,
while
we endeavour after Him; and our Defender, while we resist the adversary.
21.
"For our heart shall rejoice in Him:" for not in ourselves, wherein
without Him
there
is great need; but in Himself shall our heart rejoice. "And we have
trusted in
His
holy Name" (ver. 21); and therefore have we trusted that we shall come to
God,
because unto us absent has He sent, through faith, His own Name.
22.
"Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we have hoped in
You"
(ver.
22): let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us; for hope confounds not, because we
have
hoped in You.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 34
140
Exposition
on Psalm 34
A
psalm of David, when he changed his countenance before Abimelech, and he
sent
him away, and he departed.
1.
Because there was there a sacrifice after the order of Aaron, and afterwards He
of
His Own Body and Blood appointed a sacrifice after the order of Melchizedek;
He
changed then His Countenance in the Priesthood, and sent away the kingdom
of
the Jews, and came to the Gentiles. What then is, "He affected"? He
was full of
affection.
For what is so full of affection as the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who,
seeing our infirmity, that He might deliver us from everlasting death,
underwent
temporal death with such great injury and contumely? "And He
drummed:"
because a drum is not made, except when a skin is extended on wood;
and
David drummed, to signify that Christ should be crucified. But, "He
drummed
upon
the doors of the city:" what are "the doors of the city," but
our hearts which
we
had closed against Christ, who by the drum of His Cross has opened the hearts
of
mortal men? "And was carried in His Own Hands:" how "carried in
His Own
Hands"?
Because when He commended His Own Body and Blood, He took into
His
Hands that which the faithful know; and in a manner carried Himself, when
He
said, "This is My Body." Matthew 26:26 "And He fell down at the
doors of the
gate;"
that is, He humbled Himself. For this it is, to fall down even at the very
beginning
of our faith. For the door of the gate is the beginning of faith; whence
begins
the Church, and arrives at last even unto sight: that as it believes those
things
which it sees not, it may deserve to enjoy them, when it shall have begun to
see
face to face. So is the title of the Psalm; briefly we have heard it; let us
now
hear
the very words of Him that affects, and drums upon the doors of the city.
2.
"I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall be ever in my
mouth" (ver. 1).
So
speaks Christ, so also let a Christian speak; for a Christian is in the Body of
Christ;
and therefore was Christ made Man, that that Christian might be enabled to
be
an Angel, who says, "I will bless the Lord at all times." When shall
I "bless the
Lord"?
When He blesses you? When the goods of this world abound? When you
have
great abundance of corn, oil, and wine, of gold and silver, of servants and
cattle;
when this mortal health remains unwounded and sound; when all that are
born
to you grow up, nothing is withdrawn by immature death, happiness wholly
reigns
in your house, and all things overflow around you; then shall you bless the
Lord?
No; but "at all times." Therefore both then, and when according to
the time,
or
according to the scourges of our Lord God, these things are troubled, are taken
away,
are seldom born to you, and born pass away. For these things come to pass,
and
thence follows penury, need, labour, pain, and temptation. But you, who hast
sung,
"I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall be ever in my
mouth,"
both
when He gives them, bless; and when He takes them away, bless. For it is He
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 34
141
that
gives, it is He that takes away: but Himself from him that blesses Him He
takes
not away.
3.
But who is it that blesses the Lord at all times, except the humble in heart.
For
very
humility taught our Lord in His Own Body and Blood: because when He
commends
His Own Body and Blood, He commends His Humility, in that which
is
written in this history, in that seeming madness of David, which we have passed
by,
"And his spittle ran down over his beard." 1 Samuel 21:13 When the
Apostle
was
read, You heard the same spittle, but running down over the beard. One says
perhaps,
What spittle have we heard? Was it not read but now, where the Apostle
says,
"The Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom?" But now
it was
read,
"But we preach," says he, "Christ crucified" (for then He
drummed), "unto
the
Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which
are
called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the Power of God, and the Wisdom of
God.
Because the Foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the Weakness of God
is
stronger than men." 1 Corinthians 1:22-25 For spittle signifies
foolishness;
spittle
signifies weakness. But if the Foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the
Weakness
of God is stronger than men; let not the spittle as it were offend you, but
observe
that it runs down over the beard: for as by the spittle, weakness; so by the
beard,
strength is signified. He covered then His Strength by the body of His
Weakness,
and that which without was weak, appeared as it were in spittle; but
within
His Divine Strength was covered as a beard. Therefore humility is
commended
unto us. Be humble if you would bless the Lord at all times, and that
His
praise should be ever in your mouth....
4.
But wherefore does man bless the Lord at all times? Because he is humble.
What
is it to be humble? To take not praise unto himself. Who would himself be
praised,
is proud: who is not proud, is humble. Wouldest thou not then be proud?
That
you may be humble, say what is here written; "In the Lord shall my soul be
praised:
the humble shall hear thereof and be glad" (ver. 2). Those then who will
not
be praised in the Lord, are not humble, but fierce, rough, lifted up, proud.
Gentle
cattle would the Lord have; be thou the Lord's jumentum; that is, be thou
humble.
He sits upon you, He rules you: fear not lest you stumble, and fall
headlong:
that indeed is your infirmity; but consider Who sits upon you. You are
an
ass's colt, but you carry Christ. For even He on an ass's colt came into the
city;
and
that beast was gentle.... "Be not ye as the horse or as the mule, which
have no
understanding."
For horse and mule sometimes lift up their neck, and by their own
fierceness
throw off their rider. They are tamed with the bit, with bridle, with
stripes,
until they learn to submit, and to carry their master. But you, before your
jaws
are bruised with the bridle, be humble, and carry your Lord: wish not praise
for
yourself, but praised be He who sits upon you, and say thou, "In the Lord
shall
my
soul be praised; the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad."...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 34
142
5.
Now follows, "O magnify the Lord with me" (ver. 3). Who is this that
exhorts
us,
that we should magnify the Lord with him? Whoever, Brethren, is in the body
of
Christ, ought for this to labour, that the Lord may be magnified with him. For
he
loves the Lord, whoever he is. And how does he love Him? So as not to envy
his
fellow-lover .... Let them blush who so love God as to envy others. Abandoned
men
love a charioteer, and whoever loves a charioteer or hunter, wishes the whole
people
to love with him, and exhorts, saying, Love with me this pantomime, love
with
me this or that shame. He calls among the people that shame may be loved
with
him; and does not a Christian call in the Church, that the Truth of God may
be
loved with him? Stir up then love in yourselves, Brethren; and call to every
one
of
yours, and say, "O magnify the Lord with me." Let there be in you
that fervour.
Wherefore
are these things recited and explained? If you love God, bring quickly
to
the love of God all who are joined unto you, and all who are in your house; if
the
Body of Christ is loved by you, that is, if the unity of the Church, bring them
quickly
to enjoy, and say, "O magnify the Lord with me."
6.
"And let us exalt His Name together." What is, "let us exalt His
Name
together"?
That is, in one. For many copies so have it, "O magnify the Lord with
me;
and let us exalt His Name in one." Whether it be said,
"together," or "in one,"
it
is the same thing. Therefore bring quickly whom you can, by exhorting, by
transporting,
by beseeching, by disputing, by rendering a reason, with meekness,
with
gentleness. Bring them quickly unto love; that if they magnify the Lord, they
may
magnify Him in one....
7.
"I sought the Lord, and He heard me" (ver. 4). Where heard the Lord?
Within.
Where
gives He? Within. There you pray, there you are heard, there you are
blessed.
You have prayed, you are heard, you are blessed; and he knows not who
stands
by you: it is all carried on in secret, as the Lord says in the Gospel,
"Enter
into
your closet, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father which is
in
secret; and your Father which sees in secret, shall reward you openly."
Matthew
6:6 When therefore you enter into your chamber, you enter into your
heart.
Blessed are they who rejoice when they enter into their heart, and find
therein
nought of evil....
8.
"I sought the Lord, and He heard me." Who then are not heard, seek not
the
Lord.
Attend, Holy Brethren; he said not, I sought gold from the Lord, and He
heard
me; I sought from the Lord long life, and He heard me; I sought from the
Lord
this or that, and He heard me. It is one thing to seek anything from the Lord,
another
to seek the Lord Himself. "I sought" (says he) "the Lord, and He
heard
me."
But you, when you pray, saying, Kill that my enemy, seekest not the Lord,
but,
as it were, makest yourself a judge over your enemy, and makest your God an
executioner.
How do you know that he is not better than thou, whose death you
seek?
In that very thing haply he is, that he seeks not yours. Therefore seek not
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 34
143
from
the Lord anything without, but seek the Lord Himself, and He will hear you,
and
while thou yet speakest, He will say, "Lo, here I am." Isaiah
65:24...
9.
I have said who was the exhorter, namely, that lover who would not alone
embrace
what he loves, and says, "Approach unto Him, and be ye lightened"
(ver.
5).
For he says what he himself proved. For some spiritual person in the Body of
Christ,
or even our Lord Jesus Christ Himself according to the flesh, the Head
exhorting
His Own Members, says; what? "Approach unto Him, and be ye
lightened."
Or rather some spiritual Christian invites us to approach to our Lord
Jesus
Christ Himself. But let us approach to Him and be lightened; not as the Jews
approached
to Him, that they might be darkened; for they approached to Him that
they
might crucify Him: let us approach to Him that we may receive His Body and
Blood.
They by Him crucified were darkened; we by eating and drinking The
Crucified
are lightened. "Approach unto Him, and be ye lightened." Lo, this is
said
to
the Gentiles. Christ was crucified amid the Jews raging and seeing; the
Gentiles
were
absent; lo, they have approached who were in darkness, and they who saw
not
are lightened. Whereby approach the Gentiles? By following with faith, by
longing
with the heart, by running with charity. Your feet are your charity. Have
two
feet, be not lame. What are your two feet? The two commandments of love, of
your
God, and of your Neighbour. With these feet run thou unto God, approach
unto
Him, for He has both exhorted you to run, and has Himself shed His Own
Light,
as he has magnificently and divinely continued. "And your faces shall not
be
ashamed." "Approach" (says he) "unto Him, and be ye
lightened; and your
faces
shall not be ashamed." No face shall be ashamed but of the proud.
Wherefore?
Because he would be lifted up, and when he has suffered insult, or
ignominy,
or mischance in this world, or any affliction, he is ashamed. But fear
not
thou, approach unto Him, and you shall not be ashamed....
10.
As the Prophet testifies, "The poor man cried, and the Lord heard
him" (ver.
6).
He teaches you how you may be heard. Therefore are you not heard, because
you
are rich. Lest haply thou say, you cried and wast not heard, hear wherefore;
"The
poor man cried, and the Lord heard him." As poor cry thou, and the Lord
hears.
And how shall I cry as poor? By not, if you have anything, presuming
therefrom
upon your own strength: by understanding that you are needy; by
understanding
that so long are you poor, as you have not Him who makes you
rich.
But how did the Lord hear him? "And saved him out of all his
troubles." And
how
saves He men out of all their troubles? "The Angel of the Lord shall send
round
about them that fear Him, and shall deliver them" (ver. 7). So it is
written,
brethren,
not as some bad copies have it, "The Lord shall send His Angel round
about
them that fear Him, and He shall deliver them:" but thus, "The Angel
of the
Lord
shall send round about them that fear Him, and shall deliver them." Whom
called
He here the Angel of the Lord, who shall send round about them that fear
Him,
and shall deliver them? Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself is called in Prophecy,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 34
144
the
Angel of the great Counsel, the Messenger of the great Counsel; so the
Prophets
called Him. Even He then, the Angel of the great Counsel, that is, the
Messenger,
shall send unto them that fear the Lord, and shall deliver them. Fear
not
then lest you be hid: wheresoever you have feared the Lord, there does that
Angel
know you, who shall send to succour you, and shall deliver you.
11.
Now will He speak openly of the same Sacrament, whereby He was carried in
His
Own Hands. "O taste and see that the Lord is good" (ver. 8). Doth not
the
Psalm
now open itself, and show you that seeming insanity and constant madness,
the
same insanity and sober inebriety of that David, who in a figure showed I
know
not what, when in the person of king Achis they said to him, How is it?
When
the Lord said, "Except a man eat My Flesh and drink My Blood, he shall
have
no life in him"? John 6:53 And they in whom reigned Achis, that is, error
and
ignorance,
said; what said they? "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
John
6:52 If you are ignorant, "Taste and see that the Lord is good:" but
if you
understand
not, you are king Achis: David shall change His Countenance and shall
depart
from you, and shall quit you, and shall depart.
12.
"Blessed is the man that trusts in Him." Why needs this to be
explained at
length?
Whoever trusts not in the Lord, is miserable. Who is there that trusts not in
the
Lord? He that trusts in himself....
13.
"O fear the Lord, all you His saints, for there is no want to them that
fear Him"
(ver.
9). For many therefore will not fear God the Lord, lest they suffer hunger. It
is
said to them, Defraud not; and they say, Whence can I feed myself? No art can
be
without imposture; no business can be without fraud. But fraud God punishes:
fear
God. But if I should fear God, I shall not have whence to live. "O fear
the
Lord,
all you His saints, for there is no want to them that fear Him." He
promises
plenty
to him that trembles, and doubts, lest haply if he should fear God, he should
lose
things superfluous. The Lord fed you despising Him, and will He desert you
fearing
Him? Attend, and say not, Such an one is rich, and I am poor. I fear the
Lord,
he by not fearing how much has he gained, and I by fearing am bare! See
what
follows; "The rich do lack and suffer hunger, but they that seek the Lord
shall
not want any good thing" (ver. 10). If thou receive it according to the
letter,
He
seems to deceive you, for you see that many rich men that are wicked die in
their
riches, and are not made poor while they live; you see them grow old, and
come
even to the end of life amid great abundance and riches. You see their
funeral
pomp celebrated with great profusion, the man himself brought rich even
to
the sepulchre, having expired in beds of ivory, his family weeping around; and
you
say in your mind, if haply you know some both sins and crimes done by him: I
know
what things that man has done; lo, he has grown old, he has died in his bed,
his
friends follow him to the grave, his funeral is celebrated with all this pomp;
I
know
what he has done; the Scripture has deceived me, and has spoken falsely,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 34 145
where
I hear and sing; "The rich do lack and suffer hunger." When was this
man in
need?
when did he suffer hunger? "But they that seek the Lord shall not want any
good
thing." Daily I rise up to Church, daily I bend the knee, daily I seek the
Lord,
and
have nothing good: this man sought not the Lord, and he has died in the midst
of
all these good things! Thus thinking, the snare of offence chokes him; for he
seeks
mortal food on the earth, and seeks not a true reward in heaven, and so he
puts
his head into the devil's noose, his jaws are tied close, and the devil holds
him
fast
unto evil doing, that so he may imitate the evil men, whom he sees to die in
such
plenty.
14.
Therefore understand it not so .... When you are filled with spiritual riches,
can
you
be poor? And was he therefore rich, because he had a bed of ivory; and are
you
poor who hast the chamber of your heart filled with such jewelry of virtues,
justice,
truth, charity, faith, endurance? Unfold your riches, if you have them, and
compare
them with the riches of the rich. But such an one has found in the market
mules
of great value, and has bought them. If you could find faith to be sold, how
much
would you give for that, which God wills that you should have gratis, and
you
are ungrateful? Those rich then lack, they lack, and what is heavier, they lack
bread
.... For He has said, "I am the Living Bread which came down from
Heaven."
John
6:51 And again, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after
righteousness:
for they shall be filled." "But they that seek the Lord shall not
want
any
good thing:" but what manner of good, I have already said.
15.
"Come, you children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the
Lord"
(ver.
11). You think, brethren, that I say this: think that David says it; think that
an
Apostle
says it; nay think that our Lord Jesus Christ Himself says it; "Come, you
children,
hearken unto Me." Let us hearken unto Him together: hearken ye unto
Him
through us. For He would teach us; He the Humble, He that drums, He that
affects,
would teach us....
16.
"What man is he that desires life, and loves to see good days?" (ver.
12). He
asks
a question. Doth not every one among you answer, I? Is there any man among
you
that loves not life, that is, that desires not life, and loves not to see good
days?
Do
ye not daily thus murmur, and thus speak; How long shall we suffer these
things?
Daily are they worse and worse: in our fathers' time were days more
joyful,
were days better. O if you could ask those same, your fathers, in like
manner
would they murmur to you of their own days. Our fathers were happy,
miserable
are we, evil days have we: such an one ruled over us, we thought that
after
his death might some refreshing be given to us; worse things have come: O
God,
show unto us good days! "What man is he that desires life, and loves to
see
good
days?" Let him not seek here good days. A good thing he seeks, but not in
its
right
place does he seek it. As, if you should seek some righteous man in a
country,
wherein he lived not, it would be said to you, A good man you seek, a
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 34
146
great
man you seek, seek him still, but not here; in vain you seek him here, you
will
never find him. Good days you seek, together let us seek them, seek not
here
.... Read the Scriptures....
17.
Let not a Christian then murmur, let him see whose steps he follows: but if he
loves
good days, let him hearken unto Him teaching and saying, "Come, you
children,
hearken unto Me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord." What would
you?
Life and good days. Hear, and do. "Keep your tongue from evil" (ver.
13).
This
do. I will not, says a miserable man, I will not keep my tongue from evil, and
yet
I desire life and good days. If a workman of yours should say to you, I indeed
lay
waste this vineyard, yet I require of you my reward; you brought me to the
vineyard
to lop and prune it, I cut away all the useful wood, I will cut short also
the
very trunks of the vines, that you have thereon nothing to gather, and when I
have
done this, you shall repay to me my labour. Wouldest thou not call him mad?
Wouldest
thou not drive him from your house or ever he put his hand to the knife?
Such
are those men who would both do evil, and swear falsely, and speak
blasphemy
against God, and murmur, and defraud, and be drunken, and dispute,
and
commit adultery, and use charms, and consult diviners, and withal see good
days.
To such it is said, you can not doing ill seek a good reward. If you are
unjust,
shall
God also be unjust? What shall I do, then? What do you desire? Life I desire,
good
days I desire. "Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips that they speak
no
guile,"
that is, defraud not any, lie not to any.
18.
But what is, "Depart from evil"? (ver. 14). It is little that thou
injure none,
murder
none, steal not, commit not adultery, do no wrong, speak no false witness;
"Depart
from evil." When you have departed, you say, Now I am safe, I have done
all,
I shall have life, I shall see good days. Not only says he, "Depart from
evil,"
but
also, "and do good." It is nothing that thou spoil not: clothe the
naked. If you
have
not spoiled, you have declined from evil; but you will not do good, except
thou
receive the stranger into your house. So then depart from evil, as to do good.
"Seek
peace, and ensue it." He has not said, You shall have peace here; seek it,
and
ensue it. Whither shall I ensue it? Whither it has gone before. For the Lord is
our
peace, has risen again, and has ascended into Heaven. "Seek peace, and
ensue
it;"
because when thou also hast risen, this mortal shall be changed, and you shall
embrace
peace there where no man shall trouble you. For there is perfect peace,
where
you will not hunger....
19.
"The Eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous:" fear not then; labour;
the eyes
of
the Lord are upon you. "And His Ears are open unto their prayers"
(ver. 15).
What
would you more? If an householder in a great house should not hearken to a
servant
murmuring, he would complain, and say, What hardship do we here suffer,
and
none hears us. Can you say this of God, What hardships I suffer, and none
hears
me? If He heard me, haply, do you say, He would take away my tribulation:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 34
147
I
cry unto Him, and yet have tribulation. Only do thou hold fast His ways, and
when
you are in tribulation, He hears you. But He is a Physician, and still have
you
something of putrefaction; you cry out, but still He cuts, and takes not away
His
Hand, until He has cut as much as pleases Him. For that Physician is cruel
who
hears a man, and spares his wound and putrefaction. How do mothers rub
their
children in the baths for their health. Do not the little ones cry out in their
hands?
Are they then cruel because they spare not, nor hearken unto their tears?
Are
they not full of affection? And yet the children cry out, and are not spared.
So
our
God also is full of charity, but therefore seems He not to hear, that He may
spare
and heal us for everlasting.
20.
Haply say the wicked, I securely do evil, because the Eyes of the Lord are not
upon
me: God attends to the righteous, me He sees not, and whatever I do, I do
securely.
Immediately added the Holy Spirit, seeing the thoughts of men, and said,
"But
the Face of the Lord is against them that do evil; to cut off the remembrance
of
them from the earth" (ver. 16).
21.
"The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them, and delivered them out of
all
their
troubles" (ver. 17). Righteous were the Three Children; out of the furnace
cried
they unto the Lord, and in His praises their flames cooled. The flame could
not
approach nor hurt the innocent and righteous Children praising God, and He
delivered
them out of the fire. Daniel 3:28 Some one says, Lo, truly righteous
were
those who were heard, as it is written, "The righteous cried, and the Lord
heard
them, and delivered them out of all their troubles:" but I have cried, and
He
delivers
me not; either I am not righteous, or I do not the things which He
commands
me, or haply He sees me not. Fear not: only do what He commands;
and
if He deliver you not bodily, He will deliver you spiritually. For He who took
out
of the fire the Three Children, did He take out of the fire the Maccabees?
2
Maccabbees 7:3 Did not the first sing hymns in the flames, these last in the
flames
expire? The God of the Three Children, was not He the God also of the
Maccabees?
The one He delivered, the other He delivered not. Nay, He delivered
both:
but the Three Children He so delivered, that even the carnal were
confounded;
but the Maccabees therefore He delivered not so, that those who
persecuted
them should go into greater torments, while they thought that they had
overcome
God's Martyrs. He delivered Peter, when the Angel came unto him
being
in prison, and said, "Arise, and go forth," Acts 12:7 and suddenly
his chains
were
loosed, and he followed the Angel, and He delivered him. Had Peter lost
righteousness
when He delivered him not from the cross? Did He not deliver him
then?
Even then He delivered him. Did his long life make him unrighteous? Haply
He
heard him more at last than at first, when truly He delivered him out of all
his
troubles.
For when He first delivered him, how many things did he suffer
afterwards!
For thither He sent him at last, where he could have suffered no evil.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 34
148
22.
"The Lord is nigh unto them that have broken their heart; and saves such
as be
lowly
in spirit" (ver. 18). God is High: let a Christian be lowly. If he would
that
the
Most High God draw nigh unto him, let him be lowly. A great mystery,
Brethren.
God is above all: you raise yourself, and touchest not Him: thou
humblest
yourself, and He descends unto you. "Many are the troubles of the
righteous"
(ver. 19): does He say, "Therefore let Christians be righteous, therefore
let
them hear My Word, that they may suffer no tribulation? He promises not this;
but
says, "Many are the troubles of the righteous." Rather, if they be
unrighteous
they
have fewer troubles, if righteous they have many. But after few tribulations,
or
none, these shall come to tribulation everlasting, whence they shall never be
delivered:
but the righteous after many tribulations shall come to peace
everlasting,
where they shall never suffer any evil. "Many are the tribulations of
the
righteous: but the Lord delivers him out of all."
23.
"The Lord keeps all their bones: not one of them shall be broken"
(ver. 20):
this
also, Brethren, let us not receive carnally. Bones are the firm supports of the
faithful.
For as in flesh our bones give firmness, so in the heart of a Christian it is
faith
that gives firmness. The patience then which is in faith, is as the bones of
the
inner
man: this is that which cannot be broken. "The Lord keeps all their bones:
not
one of them shall be broken." If of our Lord God Jesus Christ he had said
this,
"The
Lord keeps all the bones of His Son; not one of them shall be broken;" as
is
prefigured
of Him also in another place, when the lamb was spoken of that should
be
slain, and it was said of it, "Neither shall you break a bone
thereof:"
Exodus
12:46 then was it fulfilled in the Lord, because when He hung upon the
Cross,
He expired before they came to the Cross, and found His Body lifeless
already,
and would not break His legs, that it might be fulfilled which was written.
John
19:33 But He gave this promise to other Christians also, "The Lord keeps
all
their
bones; not one of them shall be broken." Therefore, Brethren, if we see
any
Saint
suffer tribulation, and haply either by a Physician so cut, or by some
persecutor
so mangled, that his bones be broken; let us not say, This man was not
righteous,
for this has the Lord promised to His righteous, of whom He said, "The
Lord
keeps all their bones; not one of them shall be broken." Wouldest thou see
that
He spoke of other bones, those which we called the firm supports of faith, that
is,
patience and endurance in all tribulations? For these are the bones which are
not
broken. Hear, and see ye in the very Passion of our Lord, what I say. The Lord
was
in the middle Crucified; near Him were two thieves: the one mocked, the
other
believed: the one was condemned, the other justified: the one had his
punishment
both in this world, and that which shall be, but unto the other said the
Lord,
"Verily I say unto you, Today shall you be with Me in Paradise;"
Luke
23:43 and yet those who came broke not the bones of the Lord, but of the
thieves
they broke: as much were broken the bones of the thief who blasphemed,
as
of the thief who believed. Where then is that which is spoken, "The Lord
keeps
all
their bones; not one of them shall be broken"? Lo, unto whom He said,
"Today
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 34
149
shall
you be with Me in Paradise," could He keep all his bones? The Lord answers
you:
Yea, I kept them: for the firm support of his faith could not be broken by
those
blows whereby his legs were broken.
24.
"The death of sinners is the worst" (ver. 21). Attend, Brethren, for
the sake of
those
things which I said. Truly Great is the Lord, and His Mercy, truly Great is
He
who gave to us to eat His Body, wherein He suffered such great things, and His
Blood
to drink. How regards He them that think evil and say, "Such an one died
ill,
by beasts was he devoured: he was not a righteous man, therefore he perished
ill;
for else would he not have perished." Is he then righteous who dies in his
own
house
and in his own bed? This then (do you say) it is whereat I wonder; because I
know
the sins and the crimes of this same man, and yet he died well; in his own
house,
within his own doors, with no injury of travel, with none even in mature
age.
Hearken, "The death of sinners is worst." What seems to you a good
death, is
worst
if you could see within. You see him outwardly lying on his bed, do you see
him
inwardly carried to hell? Hearken, Brethren, and learn from the Gospel what
is
the "worst death" of sinners. Were there not two in that age, a rich
man who was
clothed
in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day; another a poor
man
who lay at his door full of sores, and the dogs came and licked his sores, and
he
desired to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table? Now it
came
to pass that the poor man died (righteous was that poor man), and was
carried
by Angels into Abraham's bosom. He who saw his body lying at the rich
man's
door, and no man to bury it, what haply said he? So die he who is my
enemy;
and whoever persecutes me, so may I see him. His body is accursed with
spitting,
his wounds stink; and yet in Abraham's bosom he rests. Luke 16:19-22 If
we
are Christians, let us believe: if we believe not, Brethren, let none feign
himself
a
Christian. Faith brings us to the end. As the Lord spoke these things, so are
they.
Doth
indeed an astrologer speak unto you, and it is true, and does Christ speak,
and
it is false? But by what sort of death died the rich man? What sort of death
must
it not be in purple and fine linen, how sumptuous, how pompous! What
funeral
ceremonies were there! In what spices was that body buried! And yet when
he
was in hell, being in torments, from the finger of that despised poor man he
desired
one drop of water to be poured upon his burning tongue, and obtained it
not.
Learn then what means, "The death of sinners is worst;" and ask not
beds
covered
with costly garments, and to have the flesh wrapped in many rich things,
friends
exhibiting a show of lamentation, a household beating their breasts, a
crowd
of attendants going before and following when the body is carried out,
marble
and gilded memorials. For if you ask those things, they answer you what is
false,
that of many not light sinners, but altogether wicked, the death is best, who
have
deserved to be so lamented, so embalmed, so covered, so carried out, so
entombed.
But ask the Gospel, and it will show to your faith the soul of the rich
man
burning in torments, which was nothing profited by all those honours and
obsequies,
which to his dead body the vanity of the living did afford.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 34
150
25.
But because there are many kinds of sinners, and not to be a sinner is
difficult,
or
perhaps in this life impossible, he added immediately, of what kind of sinners
the
death is worst. "And they that hate the righteous one" (says he)
"shall perish."
What
righteous one, but "Him that justifies the ungodly"? Romans 4:5 Whom,
but
our
Lord Jesus Christ, who is also "the propitiation for our sins"? 1
John 2:2 Who
then
hate Him, have the worst death; because they die in their sins, who are not
through
Him reconciled to our God. "For the Lord redeems the souls of His
servants."
But according to the soul is death to be understood either the worst or
best,
not according to bodily either dishonour, or honours which men see. "And
none
of them which trust in Him shall perish" (ver. 22); this is the manner of
human
righteousness, that mortal life, however advanced, because without sin it
cannot
be, in this perishes not, while it trusts in Him, in whom is remission of sins.
Amen.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm
35
151
Exposition
on Psalm 35
1.
...The title of it causes us no delay, for it is both brief, and to be
understood not
difficult,
especially to those nursed in the Church of God. For so it is, "To David
himself."
The Psalm then is to David himself: now David is interpreted, Strong in
hand,
or Desirable. The Psalm then is to the Strong in hand, and Desirable, to Him
who
for us has overcome death, who unto us has promised life: for in this is He
Strong
in hand, that He has overcome death for us; in this is He Desirable, that He
has
promised unto us life eternal. For what stronger than that Hand which touched
the
bier, and he that was dead rose up? Luke 7:14 What stronger than that Hand
which
overcame the world, not armed with steel, but pierced with wood? Or what
more
desirable than He, whom not having seen, the Martyrs wished even to die,
that
they might be worthy to come unto Him? Therefore is the Psalm unto Him: to
Him
let our heart, to Him our tongue sing worthily: if yet Himself shall deign to
give
somewhat to sing....
2.
"Judge Thou, O Lord" (says he), "them that hurt me, and fight
Thou against
them
that fight against me" (ver. 1). "If God be for us, who can be
against us?"
Romans
8:31 And whereby does God this for us? "Take hold" (says he) "of
arms
and
shield, and rise up to my help" (ver. 2). A great spectacle is it, to see
God
armed
for you. And what is His Shield, what are His Arms? "Lord," in
another
place
says the man who here also speaks, "as with the shield of Your good-will
have
You compassed us." But His Arms, wherewith He may not only us defend,
but
also strike His enemies, if we have well profited, shall we ourselves be. For
as
we
from Him have this, that we be armed, so is He armed from us. But He is
armed
from those whom He has made, we are armed with those things which we
have
received from Him who made us. These our arms the Apostle in a certain
place
calls, "The shield of Faith, the helmet of Salvation, and the sword of the
Spirit,
which is the Word of God." Ephesians 6:16-17 He has armed us with such
arms
as you have heard, arms admirable, and unconquered, insuperable and
shining;
spiritual truly and invisible, because we have to fight also against
invisible
enemies. If you see thine enemy, let thine arms be seen. We are armed
with
faith in those things which we see not, and we overthrow enemies whom we
see
not....
3.
"Pour forth the weapon, and stop the way against them that persecute
me" (ver.
3).
Who are they that persecute you? Haply your neighbour, or he whom you have
offended,
or to whom you have done wrong, or who would take away what is
yours,
or against whom you preach the truth, or whose sin you rebuke, or whom
living
ill by your well living you offend. There are indeed even these enemies to
us,
and they persecute us: but other enemies we are taught to know, those against
whom
we fight invisibly, of whom the Apostle warns us, saying, "We wrestle not
against
flesh and blood," Ephesians 6:12 that is, against men; not against those
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 35
152
whom
you see, but against those whom you see not; "against principalities,
against
powers,
against the rulers of the world, of this darkness."... "The whole
world lies
in
wickedness;" therefore the Apostle explained of what world they were
rulers, he
said,
"of this darkness." The rulers of this world, I say, are the rulers
of this
darkness....
4.
And what follows? "Let them be confounded and put to shame, that seek
after
my
soul" (ver. 4): for to this end they seek after it, to destroy it. For I
would that
they
would seek it for good! for in another Psalm he blames this in men, that there
was
none who would seek after his soul: "Refuge failed me: there was none that
would
seek after my soul." Who is this that says, "There was none that
would seek
after
my soul"? Is it haply He, of whom so long before it was predicted,
"They
pierced
My Hands and My Feet, they numbered all My Bones, they stared and
looked
upon Me, they have parted My Garments among them, and cast lots for My
Vesture"?
Now all these things were done before their eyes, and there was none
who
would seek after His Soul....
5.
...Many have been confounded to their health: many, put to shame, have passed
over
from the persecution of Christ to the society of His members with devoted
piety;
and this would not have been, had they not been confounded and put to
shame.
Therefore he wished well to them.... Let them not go before, but follow; let
them
not give counsel, but take it. For Peter would go before the Lord, when the
Lord
spoke of His future Passion: he would to Him as it were give counsel for His
health.
The sick man to the Saviour give counsel for His health! And what said he
to
the Lord, affirming that His future Passion? "Be it far from You, Lord. Be
gracious
to Yourself. This shall not be to You." He would go before that the Lord
might
follow; and what said He? "Get behind Me, Satan." Matthew 16:22-23 By
going
before you are Satan, by following you will be a disciple. The same then is
said
to these also, "Let them be turned back and brought to confusion that
think
evil
against me." For when they have begun to follow after, now they will not
think
evil against me, but desire my good.
6.
What of others? For all are not so conquered as to be converted and believe:
many
continue in obstinacy, many preserve in heart the spirit of going before, and
if
they exert it not, yet they labour with it, and finding opportunity bring it
forth.
Of
such, what follows? "Let them be as dust before the wind" (ver. 5).
"Not so are
the
ungodly, not so; but as the dust which the wind drives away from the face of
the
earth." The wind is temptation; the dust are the ungodly. When temptation
comes,
the dust is raised, it neither stands nor resists. "Let them be as dust
before
the
wind, and let the Angel of the Lord trouble them." "Let their way be
darkness
and
slipping" (ver. 6). A horrible way! Darkness alone who fears not? A
slippery
way
alone who avoids not? In a dark and slippery way how shall you go? where
set
foot? These two ills are the great punishments of men: darkness, ignorance; a
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 35
153
slippery
way, luxury. "And let the Angel of the Lord persecute them;" that
they be
not
able to stand. For any one in a dark and slippery way, when he sees that if he
move
his foot he will fall, and there is no light before his feet, haply resolves to
wait
until light come; but here is the Angel of the Lord persecuting them. These
things
he predicted would come upon them, not as though he wished them to
happen.
Although the Prophet in the Spirit of God so speaks these things, even as
God
does the same, with sure judgment, with a judgment good, righteous, holy,
tranquil;
not moved with wrath, not with bitter jealousy, not with desire of
wreaking
enmities, but of punishing wickedness with righteousness; nevertheless,
it
is a prophecy.
7.
But wherefore these so great evils? By what desert? Hear by what desert.
"For
without
cause have they hid for me the corruption of their trap" (ver. 7). For Him
that
is our Head, observe, the Jews did this: they hid the corruption of their trap.
For
whom hid they their trap? For Him who saw the hearts of those that hid. But
yet
was He among them like one ignorant, as though He were deceived, whereas
they
were in that deceived, that they thought Him to be deceived. For therefore
was
He as though deceived, living among them, because we among such as they
were
so to live, as to be without doubt deceived. He saw His betrayer, and chose
him
the more to a necessary work. By his evil He wrought a great good: and yet
among
the twelve was he chosen, lest even the small number of twelve should be
without
one evil. This was an example of patience to us, because it was necessary
that
we should live among the evil: it was necessary that we should endure the
evil,
either knowing them or knowing them not: an example of patience He gave
you
lest you should fail, when you have begun to live among the evil. And
because
that School of Christ in the twelve failed not, how much more ought we to
be
firm, when in the great Church is fulfilled what was predicted of the mixture
of
the
evil....
8.
But yet what is to be done? "Without a cause have they hid for me the
corruption
of their trap." What means, "Without a cause"? I have done them
no
evil,
I have hurt them not at all. "Vainly have they reviled my soul." What
is,
"Vainly"?
Speaking falsely, proving nothing. "Let a trap come upon them which
they
know not of" (ver. 8). A magnificent retribution, nothing more just! They
have
hidden a trap that I might know not: let a trap come upon them which they
know
not of. For I know of their trap. But what trap is coming upon them? That
which
they know not of. Let us hear, lest haply he speak of that. "Let a trap
come
upon
them, which they know not of." Perhaps that is one which they hid for him,
that
another which shall come upon themselves. Not so: but what? "The wicked
shall
be holden with the cords of his own sins." Proverbs 5:22 Thereby are they
deceived,
whereby they would deceive. Thence shall come mischief to them,
whence
they endeavoured mischief. For it follows, "And let the net which they
have
hidden catch themselves, and let them fall into their own trap." As if any
one
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 35
154
should
prepare a cup of poison for another, and forgetting should drink it up
himself:
or as if one should dig a pit, that his enemy might fall there into in the
darkness
and himself forgetting what he had dug, should first walk that way, and
fall
into it....
9.
This then for the wicked that would hurt me: what for me? "But my soul
shall
rejoice
in the Lord" (ver. 9); as in Him from whom it has heard, "I am your
salvation;"
as not seeking other riches from without; as not seeking to abound in
pleasures
and good things of earth; but loving freely the true Spouse, not from
Him
wishing to receive anything that may delight, but Him alone proposing to
itself,
by whom it may be delighted. For what better than God will be given unto
me?
God loves me: God loves you. See He has proposed to you, Ask what you
will.
Matthew 7:7 If the emperor should say to you, Ask what you will, what
commands,
what dignities, wouldest thou burst forth with! What great things
would
you propose to yourself, both to receive and to bestow! When God says
unto
you, Ask what you will, what will you ask? empty your mind, exert your
avarice,
stretch forward as far as possible, and enlarge your desire: it is not any
one,
but Almighty God that said, Ask what you will. If of possessions you are a
lover,
you will desire the whole earth, that all who are born may be your
husbandmen,
or your slaves. And what when you have possessed the whole earth?
You
will ask the sea, in which yet you can not live. In this greediness the fishes
will
have the better of you. But perhaps you will possess the islands. Pass over
these
also; ask the air although you can not fly; stretch your desire even unto the
heavens,
call your own the sun, the moon, and the stars, because He who made all
said,
Ask what you will: yet nothing will you find more precious, nothing will you
find
better, than Himself who made all things. Him seek, who made all things, and
in
Him and from Him shall you have all things which He made. All things are
precious,
because all are beautiful; but what more beautiful than He? Strong are
they;
but what stronger than He? And nothing would He give you rather than
Himself.
If anything better you have found, ask it. If thou ask anything else, you
will
do wrong to Him, and harm to yourself, by preferring to Him that which He
made,
when He would give to you Himself who made....
"But
my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; it shall rejoice in His salvation."
The
salvation
of God is Christ: "For my eyes have seen Your salvation." Luke 2:30
10.
"All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto You" (ver. 10). Who
can speak
anything
worthily of these words? I think them only to be pronounced, not to be
expounded.
Why do you seek this or that? What is like unto your Lord? Him have
you
before you. "The unrighteous have declared unto me delights, but not after
Your
law, O Lord!" Persecutors have been who have said, Worship Saturn,
worship
Mercury. I worship not idols (says he): "Lord, who is like unto You?
They
have eyes, and see not; ears have they, but they hear not." "Lord,
who is like
unto
You," who hast made the eye to see, the ear to hear? But I (says he)
worship
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 35
155
not
idols, for them a workman made. Worship a tree or mountain; did a workman
make
them also? Here too, Lord, who is like unto You? Earthly things are shown
unto
me; You are Creator of the earth. And from these haply they turn to the
higher
creation, and say to me, Worship the Moon, worship this Sun, who with his
light,
as a great lamp in the Heavens, makes the day. Here also I plainly say,
"Lord,
who is like unto You?" The Moon and the Stars You have made, the Sun to
rule
the day have You kindled, the Heavens have You framed together. There are
many
invisible things better. But haply here also it is said to me, Worship Angels,
adore
Angels. And here also will I say, "Lord, who is like unto You?" Even
the
Angels
You have created. The Angels are nothing, but by seeing You. It is better
with
them to possess You, than by worshipping them to fall from You.
11.
O Body of Christ, Holy Church, let all your bones say, "Lord, who is like
unto
you?"
And if the flesh under persecution has fallen away, let the bones say,
"Lord,
who
is like unto You?" For of the righteous it is said, "The Lord keeps
all their
bones;
not one of them shall be broken." Of how many righteous have the bones
under
persecution been broken? Finally, "The just shall live by faith," and
"Christ
justifies
the ungodly." Romans 4:5 But how justifies He any except believing and
confessing?
"For with the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the
mouth
confession is made unto salvation." Romans 10:10 Therefore also that
thief,
although
from His theft led to the judge, and from the judge to the cross, yet on the
very
cross was justified: with his heart he believed, with his mouth he confessed.
For
neither to a man unrighteous and not already justified, would the Lord have
said,
"Today shall you be with Me in Paradise," Luke 23:43 and yet his
bones
were
broken. For when they came to take down the bodies, by reason of the
approaching
Sabbath, the Lord was found already dead, and His Bones were not
broken.
John 19:33 But of those that yet lived, that they might be taken down, the
legs
were broken, that so from this pain having died, they might be buried. Were
then
of the one thief, who persisted in his ungodliness on the cross, the bones
broken,
and not also of the other who with his heart believed, and with his mouth
made
confession unto salvation? Where then is that which was said, "The Lord
keeps
all his bones; not one of them shall be broken;" except that in the Body
of
the
Lord the name of bones is given to all the righteous, the firm in heart, the
strong,
yielding to no persecutions, no temptations, so as to consent unto evil?...
12.
"Which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him; yea, the
poor
and
needy from him that spoils him."... Who that deliverest, but He who is
Strong
in
hand? Even that David shall deliver the poor from him that is too strong for
him.
For the devil was too strong for you, and held you, because he conquered
you,
when you consented unto him. But what has the Strong in hand done? "No
man
enters into a strong man's house, to spoil his goods, except he first bind the
strong
man." Matthew 12:29 By His own Power, most Holy, most Magnificent,
has
He bound the devil by pouring forth the weapon to stop the way against him,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 35
156
that
He may deliver the poor and needy, to whom there was no helper. For who is
your
helper but the Lord to whom you say, "O Lord, My Strength, and My
Redeemer."
If you will presume of your own strength, thereby will you fall,
whereof
you have presumed: if of another's, he would lord it over you, not succour
you.
He then alone is to be sought Who has redeemed them, and made them free,
and
has given His Blood to purchase them, and of His servants has made them His
Brethren....
13.
Let then our Head say, "False witnesses did rise up, they laid to My
charge
things
that I knew not" (ver. 11). But let us say to our Head, Lord, what knew
Thou
not? Did Thou indeed know not anything? Did You not know the hearts of
them
that charged You? Did You not foresee their deceits? Did You not give
Yourself
into their hands knowingly? Had You not come that You might suffer by
them?
What then knew Thou not? He knew not sin, and thereby He knew not sin,
not
by not judging, but by not committing. There are phrases of this kind also in
daily
use, as when you say of any one, He knows not to stand, that is, he does not
stand;
and, He knows not to do good, because he does not good; and, He knows
not
to do ill, because he does not ill.... What knew not Christ so much, as to
blaspheme?
Thereof was He called in question by His persecutors, and because He
spoke
truth, He was judged to have spoken blasphemy. Matthew 26:65 But by
whom?
By them of whom it follows, "They rewarded Me evil for good, and
barrenness
to My Soul" (ver. 12). I gave unto them fruitfulness, they rewarded Me
barrenness;
I gave life, they death; I honour, they dishonour; I medicine, they
wounds;
and in all these which they rewarded Me, was truly barrenness. This
barrenness
in the tree He cursed, when seeking fruit He found none.
Matthew
21:19 Leaves there were, and fruit there was not: words there were, and
deeds
there were not. See of words abundance, and of deeds barrenness. "Thou
that
preachest a man should not steal, stealest: thou that sayest a man should not
commit
adultery, committest adultery." Romans 2:21-22 Such were they who
charged
Christ with things that He knew not.
14.
"But I, when they troubled me, clothed myself with sackcloth, and humbled
my
soul with fasting, and my prayer shall return into my own bosom" (ver.
13)
... Brethren, if for some little space with pious curiosity we lift the veil,
and
search
with the intent eye of the heart the inner part of this Scripture, we find that
even
this the Lord did. Sackcloth, haply He calls His mortal flesh. Wherefore
Sackcloth?
For the likeness of sinful flesh. For the Apostle says, "God sent His
Son
in the likeness of sinful flesh, that through sin He might condemn sin in the
flesh:"
Romans 8:3 that is, He clothed His Own Son with sackcloth, that through
sackcloth
He might condemn the goats. Not that there was sin, I say not in the
Word
of God, but not even in that Holy Soul and Mind of a Man, which the Word
and
Wisdom of God had so joined to Himself as to be One Person. Nay, nor even
in
His very Body was any sin, but the likeness of sinful flesh there was in the
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 35
157
Lord;
because death is not but by sin, Romans 5:12 and surely that Body was
mortal.
For had It not been mortal, It had not died; had It not died, It had not risen
again;
had It not risen again, It had not showed us an example of eternal life. So
then
death, which is caused by sin, is called sin; as we say the Greek tongue, the
Latin
tongue, meaning not the very member of flesh, but that which is done by the
member
of flesh. For the tongue in our members is one among others, as the eyes,
nose,
ears, and the rest: but the Greek tongue is Greek words, not that the tongue is
words,
but that words are by the tongue.... So then the sin of the Lord is that which
was
caused by sin; because He assumed flesh, of the same lump which had
deserved
death by sin. For to speak more briefly, Mary who was of Adam died for
sin,
Adam died for sin, and the Flesh of the Lord which was of Mary died to put
away
sin. With this sackcloth the Lord clothed Himself, and therefore was He not
known,
because He lay hid under sackcloth. "When they," says He,
"troubled Me,
I
clothed Myself with sackcloth:" that is, they raged, I lay hid. For had He
not
willed
to lie hid neither could He have died, since in one moment of time one drop
only
of His Power, if indeed it is to be called a drop, He put forth, when they
wished
to seize Him, and at His one question, "Whom seek ye?" they all went
back
and fell to the ground. John 18:4, 6 Such power could He not have humbled
in
passion, if He had not lain hid under sackcloth.
15.
Again, if we have understood the sackcloth, how understand we the fasting?
Wished
Christ to eat, when He sought fruit on the tree, Mark 11:13 and if He had
found,
would He have eaten? Wished Christ to drink, when He said to the woman
of
Samaria, "Give Me to drink"? John 4:7 when He said on the Cross, "I
thirst"?
For
what hungered, for what thirsted Christ, but our good works? Because in them
that
crucified and persecuted Him He had found no good works, He fasted; for
they
rewarded barrenness to His soul. For what a fast was His, who found barely
one
thief, whom on the Cross He might taste! For the Apostles had fled, and had
hidden
themselves in the multitude. And even Peter, who even to the death of his
Lord
had promised to persevere, had now thrice denied Him, had now wept, and
still
lay hid in the multitude, still feared lest He should be known. Lastly, having
seen
Him dead, all of them despaired of their own safety and despairing He found
them,
after His resurrection, and when He spoke with them, found them grieving
and
mourning, no longer hoping anything .... In great fasting had the Lord
remained,
had He not refreshed them that He might feed on them. For He
refreshed
them, He comforted them, He confirmed them, and into His Own Body
converted
them. In this manner then was our Lord also in fasting.
16.
"And My prayer shall return into Mine Own Bosom." In the bosom of
this
verse
is plainly a great depth, and may the Lord grant that it be fathomable by us.
For
in the "bosom" a secret is understood. And we ourselves, Brethren,
are here
well
admonished to pray within our own bosom, where God sees, where God
hears,
where no human eye penetrates, where none sees but He who succours;
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 35
158
where
Susanna prayed, and her voice, though it was not heard by men, yet by God
was
heard.... We read also that in the mount Jesus prayed alone, Matthew 14:23
we
read that He passed the night in prayer, Luke 6:12 even at the time of His
Passion.
What then? "And My prayer shall return into Mine Own Bosom." I know
not
what better to understand concerning the Lord: take meanwhile what now
occurs;
perhaps something better will occur hereafter, either to me or to some
better:
"My prayer shall return into Mine Own Bosom:" this I understand to be
said,
because in His Own Bosom He had the Father. "For God was in Christ
reconciling
the world unto Himself." 2 Corinthians 5:19 In Himself He had Him to
whom
He prayed. He was not far from Him, for Himself had said, "I am in the
Father,
and the Father in Me." John 14:10 But because prayer rather belongs to
very
Man (for according as Christ is the Word, He prays not, but hears prayer; and
seeks
not to be succoured for Himself, but with the Father succours all): what is,
"My
prayer shall return into Mine Own Bosom," but in Me My Manhood invokes
in
Me My Godhead.
17.
"As a Neighbour, as our Brother, so I pleased Him: as one mourning and
sorrowful,
so I humbled myself" (ver. 14). Now looks He back to His Own Body:
let
us now look to this. When we rejoice in prayer, when our mind is calmed, not
by
the world's prosperity, but by the light of Truth: (who perceives this light,
knows
what I say, and he sees and acknowledges what is said, "As a Neighbour, as
our
Brother, so I pleased Him"): even then our soul pleases God, not placed
afar
off,
for, "In Him," says one, "we live and move and have our
being," Acts 17:28
but
as a Brother, as a Neighbour, as a Friend. But if it be not such that it can so
rejoice,
so shine, so approach, so cleave unto Him, and sees itself far off thence,
then
let it do what follows, "As one mourning and sorrowful, so I humbled
Myself.
As
our Brother, so I pleased Him," said He, drawing near; "As one
mourning and
sorrowful,
so I humbled Myself," said He, removed and set afar off.... Did not
Peter
draw near, when he said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living
God"?
And
yet the same man became afar off by saying, "Be it far from You, Lord;
this
shall
not be unto You." Lastly, what said He, his Neighbour, as it were, to him
drawing
near? "Blessed are you, Simon, Barjona." To him afar off, as it were,
and
unlike,
what said He? "Get behind Me, Satan." Matthew 16:16-23 To him drawing
near,
"Flesh and blood," says He, "has not revealed it unto you, but
My Father,
which
is in Heaven." His Light is shed over you, in His Light you shine. But
when
having
become afar off, he spoke against the Lord's Passion, which should be for
our
Salvation, "Thou savourest not," said He, "the things that be of
God, but those
that
be of men." One rightly placing together both of these says in a certain
Psalm,
"I
said in my ecstasy, I am cast off from before Thine Eyes." In my ecstasy,
would
he
not have said, had he not drawn near; for ecstasy is the transporting of the
mind.
He poured over himself his own soul, and drew near unto God; and through
some
cloud and weight of the flesh being again cast down to earth, and
recollecting
where he had been, and seeing where he was, he said, "I am cast off
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 35 159
from
before Thine Eyes." This then, "As a Neighbour, as our Brother, so I
pleased
Him,"
may He grant to be done in us; but when that is not, let even this be done,
"As
one mourning and sorrowful, so I humbled myself."
18.
"And against Me they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together"
(ver. 15),
against
Me only: they rejoicing, I sorrowful. But we heard just now in the Gospel,
"Blessed
are they that mourn." Matthew 5:5 If they are blessed that mourn,
miserable
are they that laugh. "Against Me they rejoiced, and gathered themselves
together:
scourges were gathered together against Me, and they knew not."
Because
they laid to My charge things that I knew not, they also knew not Whom
they
charged.
19.
"They tempted Me, and mocked Me with mocking" (ver. 16). That is,
they
derided
Me, they insulted Me; this of the Head, this of the Body. Consider,
Brethren,
the glory of the Church which now is; remember its past dishonours,
remember
how once were Christians everywhere put to flight, and wherever
found,
mocked, beaten, slain, exposed to beasts, burned, men rejoicing against
them.
As it was to the Head, so it is also to the Body. For as it was to the Lord on
the
Cross, so has it been to His Body in all that persecution which was made but
now:
nor even now cease the persecutions of the same. Wherever men find a
Christian,
they are wont to insult, to persecute, to deride him, to call him dull,
senseless,
of no spirit, of no knowledge. Do they what they will, Christ is in
Heaven:
do they what they will, He has honoured His punishment, already has He
fixed
His Cross in the foreheads of all; the ungodly is permitted to insult, to rage
he
is not permitted; but yet from that which the tongue utters, is understood what
he
bears in his heart: "They gnashed upon Me with their teeth."
20.
"Lord, when will You look on? Rescue My Soul from their deceits, My
Darling
from the lions" (ver. 17). For to us the time is slow; and in our person
is
this
said, "When will You look on?" that is, when shall we see vengeance
upon
those
who insult us? When shall the Judge, overcome by weariness, hear the
widow?
Luke 18:3 But our Judge, not from weariness, but from love, delays our
salvation;
from reason, not from need; not that He could not even now succour us,
but
that the number of us all may be filled up even to the end. And yet out of our
desire,
what do we say? "Lord, when will You look on? Rescue My Soul from
their
deceits, My Darling from the lions:" that is, My Church from raging
powers.
21.
Lastly, would you know what is that Darling? Read the words following: "I
will
confess unto You, O Lord, in the great Congregation; in a weighty people will
I
praise You" (ver. 18). Truly says He, "I will confess unto You:"
for confession is
made
in all the multitude, but not in all is God praised: the whole multitude hears
our
confession, but not in all the multitude is the praise of God. For in all the
whole
multitude, that is, in the Church which is spread abroad in the whole world,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 35
160
is
chaff, and wheat: the chaff flies, the wheat remains; therefore, "in a
weighty
people
will I praise You." In a weighty people, which the wind of temptation
carries
not away, in such is God praised. For in the chaff He is ever blasphemed....
22.
"Let not them that are Mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over Me:" for
they
rejoice
over Me because of My chaff. "Who hate Me without a cause;" that is,
whom
I never hurt; "winking with their eyes" (ver. 19): that is,
pretending
hypocrites,
"For they spoke indeed peace to Me" (ver. 20). What is, "winking
with
their
eyes"? Declaring by their looks, what they carry not in their heart. And
who
are
these "winking with their eyes"? "For they spoke indeed peace to
Me; and with
wrath
devised craftily." "Yea they opened their mouth wide against Me"
(ver. 21).
First
winking with their eyes, those lions sought to ravish and devour; first
fawning
they spoke peace, and then with wrath devised craftily. What peace spoke
they?
"Master, we know that Thou acceptest not man's person, and teachest the
way
of God in truth. Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cćsar, or not?" They
spoke
indeed
peace unto Me. What then? Did You not know them, and they deceived
You,
winking with their eyes? Truly He knew them; therefore said He, "Why do
you
tempt Me, you hypocrites?" Matthew 22:16-18 Afterward, "they opened
their
mouth
wide against Me," crying, "Crucify Him, Crucify Him! Luke 23:21 and
said,
Aha, Aha, our eyes have seen it." This, when they insulted Him, "Aha,
Aha,
Prophesy
unto us, Thou Christ." Matthew 26:68 As their peace was pretended
when
they tempted Him concerning the money, so now insulting was their praise.
"They
said, Aha, Aha, our eyes have seen it" (ver. 21): that is, Your deeds,
Your
miracles.
This Man is the Christ. "If He be the Christ, let Him come down from
the
Cross, and we will believe Him. He saved others, Himself He cannot save."
"Our
eyes have seen it." This is all whereof He boasted Himself, when "He
called
Himself
the Son of God." John 19:7 But the Lord was hanging patient upon the
Cross:
His power had He not lost, but He showed His patience. For what great
thing
was it for Him to come down from the Cross, who could afterward rise again
from
the sepulchre? But He seems to have yielded to His insulters; and this,
beloved,
that having risen again He should show Himself to His own, and not to
them,
and this is a great mystery; for His resurrection signified the New Life, but
the
New Life is known to His friends, not to His enemies.
23.
"This You have seen, O Lord; keep not silence" (ver. 22). What is,
"keep not
silence"?
Judge Thou. For of judgment is it said in a certain place, "I have kept
silence;
shall I keep silence for ever?" And of the delaying of judgment it is said
to
the
sinner, "These things have you done, and I kept silence;" "You
thought that I
was
altogether such an one as yourself." How keeps He silence, who speaks by
the
Prophets,
who speaks with His own mouth in the Gospel, who speaks by the
Evangelists,
who speaks by us, when we speak the truth? What then? He keeps
silence
from judgment, not from precept, not from doctrine. But this His judgment
the
Prophet in a manner invokes, and predicts: "You have seen, O Lord: keep
not
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 35
161
silence;"
that is, You will not keep silence, needs must that You will judge. "O
Lord,
be not far from Me." Until Your judgment come, be not far from Me, as You
have
promised, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."
24.
"Arise, Lord, and attend to My judgment" (ver. 23). To what judgment?
That
You
are in tribulation; that You are tormented with labours and pains? Do not
even
many wicked men suffer the same? To what judgment? Therefore are You
righteous,
because Thou sufferest these things? No: but what? "To My judgment."
What
follows? "Attend to My judgment; even to My cause, My God, and My
Lord."
Not to My punishment, but to My cause: not to that which the robber has in
common
with Me, but to that whereof is said, "Blessed are they which are
persecuted
for righteousness' sake." Matthew 5:10 For this cause is distinguished.
For
punishment is equal to good and bad. Therefore Martyrs, not the punishment,
but
the cause makes, for if punishment made Martyrs, all the mines would be full
of
Martyrs, every chain would drag Martyrs, all that are executed with the sword
would
be crowned. Therefore let the cause be distinguished; let none say, because
I
suffer, I am righteous. Because He who first suffered, suffered for
righteousness'
sake,
therefore He added a great exception, "Blessed are they which are
persecuted
for
righteousness' sake." For many having a good cause do persecution, and
many
having
a bad cause suffer persecution. For if persecution could not be done rightly,
it
had not been said in a certain Psalm, "Whoso privily slanders his
neighbour, him
did
I persecute."... Let none then say, I suffer persecution: let him not sift
the
punishment,
but prove the cause: lest if he prove not the cause, he be numbered
with
the ungodly. Therefore how watchfully, how excellently has This Man
recommended
Himself, "O Lord, attend to My judgment," not to My punishments;
"even
to My cause, My God, and My Lord."
25.
"Judge me, O Lord, according to My righteousness" (ver. 24); that is,
attend to
My
cause. Not according to My punishment, but "according to My righteousness,
O
Lord, My God," that is, according to this judge Thou Me. "And let
them not
rejoice
over Me;" that is, Mine enemies.
26.
"Let them not say in their heart, Aha, aha, so would we have it"
(ver. 25); that
is,
We have done what we could, we have slain him, we have taken him away.
"Let
them not say:" show them that they have done nothing. "Let them not
say,
We
have swallowed him up." Whence say those Martyrs, "If the Lord had
not
been
on our side, then they had swallowed us up quick." What is, "had
swallowed
us
up"? Had passed into their own body. For that you swallow up, which you
pass
into
your own body. The world would swallow you up; swallow thou the world,
pass
it into your own body: kill and eat. As it was said to Peter, "Kill and
eat;"
Acts
10:13 do thou kill in them what they are, make them what you are. But if
they
on the other hand persuade you to ungodliness, you are swallowed up by
them.
Not when they persecute you are you swallowed up by them, but when they
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 35
162
persuade
you to be what they are. "Let them not say, We have swallowed him
up."
Do
thou swallow up the body of Pagans. Why the body of Pagans? It would
swallow
you up. Do thou to it, what it would to you. Therefore perhaps that calf,
being
ground to powder, was cast into the water and given to the children of Israel
to
drink, Exodus 32:20 that so the body of ungodliness might be swallowed up by
Israel.
"Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at
mine
hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour" (ver. 26); so that we
may
swallow up them ashamed and brought to confusion. "Who speak evil against
me:"
let them be ashamed, let them be brought to confusion.
27.
What do you say now, the Head with the Members? "Let them shout for joy
and
be glad that favour My righteous cause:" who cleave to My Body. Yea, let
them
say "continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which has pleasure in the
prosperity
of His servant" (ver. 27). "And my tongue shall speak of Your
righteousness,
and of Your praise all the day long" (ver. 28). And whose tongue
endures
to speak the praise of God all the day long? See now I have made a
discourse
something longer; you are wearied. Who endures to praise God all the
day
long? I will suggest a remedy, whereby you may praise God all the day long if
you
will. Whatever you do, do well, and you have praised God. When you sing an
hymn,
you praise God, but what does your tongue, unless your heart also praise
Him?
Have you ceased from singing hymns, and departed, that you may refresh
yourself?
Be not drunken, and you have praised God. Do you go away to sleep?
Rise
not to do evil, and you have praised God. Do you transact business? Do no
wrong,
and you have praised God. Do you till your field? Raise not strife, and you
have
praised God. In the innocency of your works prepare yourself to praise God
all
the day long.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 36
163
Exposition on Psalm 36
1.
... "The ungodly has said in himself that he will sin: there is no fear of
God
before
his eyes" (ver. 1). Not of one man, but of a race of ungodly men he
speaks,
who
fight against their own selves, by not understanding, that so they may live
well;
not because they cannot, but because they will not. For it is one thing, when
one
endeavours to understand some thing, and through infirmity of flesh cannot;
as
says the Scripture in a certain place, "For the corruptible body presses
down the
soul,
and the earthly tabernacle weighs down the mind that muses upon many
things;"
but another when the human heart acts mischievously against itself, so
that
what it could understand, if it had but good will thereto, it understands not,
not
because
it is difficult, but because the will is contrary. But so it is when men love
their
own sins, and hate God's Commandments. For the Word of God is your
adversary,
if thou be a friend to your ungodliness; but if you are an adversary to
your
ungodliness, the Word of God is your friend, as well as the adversary of your
ungodliness....
2.
"For he has wrought deceitfully in His sight" (ver. 2). In whose
sight? In His,
whose
fear was not before the eyes of him that did work deceitfully. "To find
out
his
iniquity, and hate it." He wrought so as not to find it. For there are men
who as
it
were endeavour to seek out their iniquity, and fear to find it; because if they
should
find it, it is said to them, Depart from it: this you did before you knew; you
did
iniquity being in ignorance; God gives pardon: now you have discovered it,
forsake
it, that to your ignorance pardon may easily be given; and that with a clear
face
you may say to God, "Remember not the sins of my youth, and of my
ignorance."
Thus he seeks it, thus he fears lest he find it; for he seeks it deceitfully.
When
says a man, I knew not that it was sin? When he has seen that it is sin, and
ceases
to do the sin, which he did only because he was ignorant: such an one in
truth
would know his sin, to find it out, and hate it. But now many "work
deceitfully
to find out their iniquity:" they work not from their heart to find it out
and
hate it. But because in the very search after iniquity, there is deceit, in the
finding
it there will be defence of it. For when one has found his iniquity, lo now it
is
manifest to him that it is iniquity. Do it not, you say. And he who wrought
deceitfully
to find it out, now he has found, hates it not; for what says he? How
many
do this! Who is there that does it not? And will God destroy them all? Or at
least
he says this: if God would not these things to be done, would men live who
commit
the same? Do you see that you worked deceitfully to find out your
iniquity?
For if not deceitfully but sincerely you had wrought, you would now
have
found it out, and hated it; now you have found it out, and you defend it;
therefore
you worked deceitfully, when you sought it.
3.
"The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he would not understand,
that
he
might do good" (ver. 3). You see that he attributes that to the will: for
there are
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 36 164
men
who would understand and cannot, and there are men who would not
understand,
and therefore understand not. "He would not understand, that he might
do
good."
4.
"He has meditated iniquity on his bed." What said He, "On his
bed?" (ver. 4).
"The
ungodly has said in himself, that he will sin:" what above he said, in
himself,
that
here he said, "On his bed." Our bed is our heart: there we suffer the
tossing of
an
evil conscience; and there we rest when our conscience is good. Whoso loves
the
bed of his heart, let him do some good therein. There is our bed, where the
Lord
Jesus Christ commands us to pray. "Enter into your chamber, and shut your
door."
Matthew 6:6 What is, "Shut your door?" Expect not from God such
things
as
are without, but such as are within; "and your Father which sees in
secret, shall
reward
you openly." Who is he that shuts not the door? He who asks much from
God
such things, and in such wise directs all his prayers, that he may receive the
goods
that are of this world. Your door is open, the multitude sees when you pray.
What
is it to shut your door? To ask that of God, which God alone knows how He
gives.
What is that for which you pray, when you have shut the door? What "eye
has
not seen, nor ear heard, or has entered into the heart of man." And haply
it has
not
entered into your very bed, that is, into your heart. But God knows what He
will
give: but when shall it be? When the Lord shall be revealed, when the Judge
shall
appear....
5.
"He has set himself in every way that is not good." What is, "he
has set
himself"?
He has sinned perseveringly. Whence also of a certain pious and good
man
it is said, "He has not stood in the way of sinners." As this
"has not stood," so
that
"has set himself." "But wickedness has he not hated." There
is the end, there
the
fruit: if a man cannot but have wickedness, let him at least hate it. For when
you
hate it, it scarcely occurs to you to do any wickedness. For sin is in our
mortal
body,
but what says the Apostle? "Let not sin reign in your mortal body, that
you
should
obey it in the lusts thereof." Romans 6:12 When begins it not to be
therein?
When
that shall be fulfilled in us which he says, "When this corruptible shall
have
put
on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality."
1
Corinthians 15:54 Before this come to pass, there is a delighting in sin in the
body,
but greater is the delighting and the pleasure in the Word of Wisdom, in the
Commandment
of God. Overcome sin and the lust thereof. Sin and iniquity do
thou
hate, that you may join yourself to God, who hates it as well as thou. Now
being
joined in mind unto the Law of God, in mind you serve the Law of God.
And
if in the flesh thou therefore servest the law of sin, Romans 7:25 because
there
are in you certain carnal delightings, then will there be none when you shall
no
longer fight. It is one thing not to fight, and to be in true and lasting
peace;
another
to fight and overcome; another to fight and to be overcome; another not to
fight
at all, but to be carried away....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 36
165
6.
"Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens, and Your truth reaches even unto
the
clouds"
(ver. 5). I know not what Mercy of Him he means, which is in the
heavens.
For the Mercy of the Lord is also in the earth. You have it written, "The
earth
is full of the Mercy of the Lord." Of what Mercy then speaks He, when He
says,
"Your Mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens"? The gifts of God are partly
temporal
and earthly, partly eternal and heavenly. Whoso for this worships God,
that
he may receive those temporal and earthly goods, which are open to all, is
still
as
it were like the brutes: he enjoys indeed the Mercy of God, but not that which
is
excepted,
which shall not be given, save only to the righteous, to the holy, to the
good.
What are the gifts which abound to all? "He makes His sun to rise on the
evil
and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." Matthew
5:45
Who
has not this Mercy of God, first that he has being, that he is distinguished
from
the brutes, that he is a rational animal, so as to understand God; secondly,
that
he enjoys this light, this air, rain, fruits, diversity of seasons, and all the
earthly
comforts, health of body, the affection of friends, the safety of his family?
All
these are good, and they are God's gifts....
7.
But this man rightly understood what mercy he should pray for from God.
"Your
Mercy, O Lord, is in the Heavens; and Your Truth reaches even to the
clouds."
That is, the Mercy which Thou givest to Your Saints, is Heavenly, not
earthly;
is Eternal, not temporal. And how couldest Thou declare it unto men?
Because
"Your Truth reaches even unto the clouds." For who could know the
Heavenly
Mercy of God, unless God should declare it unto men? How did He
declare
it? By sending His truth even unto the clouds. What are the clouds? The
Preachers
of the Word of God .... Truth reached even to the clouds: therefore unto
us
could be declared the Mercy of God, which is in Heaven and not in earth. And
truly,
Brethren, the clouds are the Preachers of the Word of Truth. When God
threatens
through His Preachers, He thunders through the clouds. When God
works
miracles through His Preachers, He lightens through the clouds, He terrifies
through
the clouds, and waters by the rain. Those Preachers, then, by whom is
preached
the Gospel of God, are the clouds of God. Let us then hope for Mercy,
but
for that which is in the Heavens.
8.
"Your Righteousness is like the mountains of God: Your Judgments are a
great
deep"
(ver. 6). Who are the mountains of God? Those who are called clouds, the
same
are also the mountains of God. The great Preachers are the mountains of
God.
And as when the sun rises, he first clothes the mountains with light, and
thence
the light descends to the lowest parts of the earth: so our Lord Jesus Christ,
when
He came, first irradiated the height of the Apostles, first enlightened the
mountains,
and so His Light descended to the valley of the world. And therefore
says
He in a certain Psalm, "I lifted up my eyes unto the mountains, from
whence
comes
my help." But think not that the mountains themselves will give you help:
for
they receive what they may give, give not of their own. And if thou remain in
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 36
166
the
mountains, your hope will not be strong: but in Him who enlightens the
mountains,
ought to be your hope and presumption. Your help indeed will come to
you
through the mountains, because the Scriptures are administered to you through
the
mountains, through the great Preachers of the Truth: but fix not your hope in
them.
Hear what He says next following: "I lifted up my eyes unto the mountains,
from
whence comes my help." What then? Do the mountains give you help? No;
hear
what follows, "My help comes from the Lord, which made Heaven and
earth."
Through the mountains comes help, but not from the mountains. From
whom
then? "From the Lord, which made Heaven and earth."...
9.
"Your Judgments are like the great abyss." The abyss he calls the
depth of sin,
whither
every one comes by despising God; as in a certain place it is said, "God
gave
them over to their own hearts' lusts, to do the things which are not
convenient."
Romans 1:28 ... Because then they were proud and ungrateful, they
were
held worthy to be delivered up to the lusts of their own hearts, and became a
great
abyss, so that they not only sinned, but also worked craftily, lest they should
understand
their iniquity, and hate it. That is the depth of wickedness, to be
unwilling
to find it out and to hate it. But how one comes to that depth, see; "Your
Judgments
are the great abyss." As the mountains are by the Righteousness of
God,
who through His Grace become great: so also through His Judgments come
they
unto the depth, who sink lowest. By this then let the mountains delight you,
by
this turn away from the abyss, and turn yourself unto that, of which it is
said,
"My
help comes from the Lord." But whereby? "I have lifted up my eyes
unto the
mountains."
What means this? I will speak plainly. In the Church of God you find
an
abyss, you find also mountains; you find there but few good, because the
mountains
are few, the abyss broad; that is, you find many living ill after the wrath
of
God, because they have so worked that they are delivered up to the lusts of
their
own
heart; so now they defend their sins and confess them not; but say, Why?
What
have I done? Such an one did this, and such an one did that. Now will they
even
defend what the Divine Word reproves. This is the abyss. Therefore in a
certain
place Proverbs 18:3 says the Scripture (hear this abyss), "The sinner when
he
comes unto the depth of sin despises." See, "Your Judgments are like
the great
abyss."
But yet not are you a mountain; not yet are you in the abyss; fly from the
abyss,
tend towards the mountains; but yet remain not on the mountains. "For your
help
comes from the Lord, which made Heaven and earth."
10.
Because he said, Your Mercy is in the Heavens, that it may be known to be
also
on earth, he said, "O Lord, Thou savest man and beast, as Your Mercy is
multiplied,
O God" (ver. 7). Great is Your Mercy, and manifold is Your Mercy, O
God;
and that showest Thou both to man and beast. For from whom is the saving
of
men? From God. Is not the saving of beasts also from God? For He who made
man,
made also beasts; He who made both, saves both; but the saving of beasts is
temporal.
But there are who as a great thing ask this of God, which He has given
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 36 167
to
beasts. "Your Mercy, O God, is multiplied," so that not only unto
men, but unto
beasts
also is given the same saving which is given to men, a carnal and temporal
saving.
11.
Have not men then somewhat reserved with God, which beasts deserve not,
and
whereunto beasts arrive not? They have evidently. And where is that which
they
have. "The children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your
wings."
Attend,
my Beloved, to this most pleasant sentence; "Thou savest man and
beast."
First,
he spoke of "man and beast," then of "the children of men;"
as though "men"
were
one, "the children of men" other. Sometimes in Scripture children of
men is
said
generally of all men, sometimes in some proper manner, with some proper
signification,
so that not all men are understood; chiefly when there is a
distinction.
For not without reason is it here put; "O Lord, Thou savest man and
beast:
but the children of men;" as though setting aside the first, he keeps separate
the
children of men. Separate from whom? Not only from beasts, but also from
men,
who seek from God the saving of beasts, and desire this as a great thing.
Who
then are the children of men? Those who put their trust under the shadow of
His
wings. For those men together with beasts rejoice in possession, but the
children
of men rejoice in hope: those follow after present goods with beasts, these
hope
for future goods with Angels....
12.
"They shall be satiated with the fulness of Your House" (ver. 8). He
promises
us
some great thing. He would speak it, and He speaks it not. Can He not, or do
not
we receive it? I dare, my Brethren, to say, even of holy tongues and hearts, by
which
Truth is declared to us, that it can neither be spoken, which they declared,
nor
even thought of. For it is a great thing, and ineffable; and even they saw
through
a glass darkly, as says the Apostle, "For now we see through a glass
darkly;
but then face to face." 1 Corinthians 13:12 Lo, they who saw through a
glass
darkly, thus burst forth. What then shall we be, when we shall see face to
face?
That with which they travailed in heart, and could not with their tongue
bring
forth, that men might receive it. For what necessity was there that he should
say,
"They shall be satiated with the fulness of Your House"? He sought a
word
whereby
to express from human things what he would say; and because he saw
that
men drowning themselves in drunkenness receive indeed wine without
measure,
but lose their senses, he saw what to say; for when shall have been
received
that ineffable joy, then shall be lost in a manner the human soul, it shall
become
Divine, and be satiated with the fulness of God's House. Wherefore also in
another
Psalm it is said, "Your cup inebriating, how excellent is it!" With
this cup
were
the Martyrs satiated when going to their passion, they knew not their own.
What
so inebriated as not to know a wife weeping, not children, not parents? They
knew
them not, they thought not that they were before their eyes. Wonder not:
they
were inebriated. Wherewith were they so? Lo, they had received a cup
wherewith
they were satiated. Wherefore he also gives thanks to God, saying,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 36
168
"What
shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits towards me? I will take the
cup
of Salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord." Therefore, Brethren of
men,
let us be children and let us trust under the shadow of His wings and be
satiated
with the fulness of His House. As I could, I have spoken; and as far as I
can
I see; and how far I see, I cannot speak. "And of the torrent of Your
Pleasure
shall
Thou give them to drink." A torrent we call water coming with a flood.
There
will
be a flood of God's Mercy to overflow and inebriate those who now put their
trust
under the shadow of His wings. What is that Pleasure? As it were a torrent
inebriating
the thirsty. Let him then who thirsts now, lay up hope: whoso thirsts
now,
let him have hope; when inebriated, he shall have possession: before he have
possession,
let him thirst in hope. "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst
after
righteousness, for they shall be filled." Matthew 5:6
13.
With what fountain then will you be overflowed, and whence runs such a
torrent
of His Pleasure? "For with You," says he, "is the fountain of
Life." What is
the
fountain of Life, but Christ? He came to you in the flesh, that He might bedew
your
thirsty lips: He will satisfy you trusting, who bedewed you thirsting.
"For
with
You is the fountain of Life; in Your Light shall we see light" (ver. 9).
Here a
fountain
is one thing, light another: there not so. For that which is the Fountain,
the
same is also Light: and whatever you will you call It, for It is not what you
call
It:
for you can not find a fit name: for It remains not in one name. If you should
say,
that It is Light only, it would be said to you, Then without cause am I told to
hunger
and thirst, for who is there that eats light? It is said to me plainly,
directly,
"Blessed
are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." Matthew 5:6, 8 If It is
Light,
my eyes must I prepare. Prepare also lips; for That which is Light is also a
Fountain:
a Fountain, because It satisfies the thirsty: Light, because It enlightens
the
blind. Here sometimes, light is in one place, a fountain in another. For
sometimes
fountains run even in darkness; and sometimes in the desert you suffer
the
sun, findest no fountain: here then can these two be separated: there you shall
not
be wearied, for there is a Fountain; there you shall not be darkened, for there
is
Light.
14.
"Show forth Your Mercy unto them that know You; Your Righteousness to
them
that are of a right heart" (ver. 10). As I have said, Those are of a right
heart
who
follow in this life the Will of God. The will of God is sometimes that you
should
be whole, sometimes that you should be sick. If when you are whole God's
Will
be sweet, and when you are sick God's Will be bitter; you are not of a right
heart.
Wherefore? Because you will not make right your will according to God's
Will,
but wilt bend God's Will to yours. That is right, but you are crooked: your
will
must be made right to That, not That made crooked to you; and you will have
a
right heart. It is well with you in this world; be God blessed, who comforts
you:
it
goes hardly with you in this world; be God blessed, because He chastens and
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 36
169
proves
you; and so will you be of a right heart, saying, "I will bless the Lord
at all
times:
His Praise shall be ever in my mouth."
15.
"Let not the foot of pride come against me" (ver. 11). But now he
said, The
children
of men shall put their trust under the shadow of Your wings: they shall be
satiated
with the fulness of Your House. When one has begun to be plentifully
overflowed
with that Fountain, let him take heed lest he grow proud. For the same
was
not wanting to Adam, the first man: but the foot of pride came against him,
and
the hand of the sinner removed him, that is, the proud hand of the devil. As he
who
seduced him, said of himself, "I will sit in the sides of the north;"
Isaiah 14:13
so
he persuaded him, by saying, "Taste, and you shall be as gods." Genesis
3:5 By
pride
then have we so fallen as to arrive at this mortality. And because pride had
wounded
us, humility makes us whole. God came humbly, that from such great
wound
of pride He might heal man. He came, for "The Word was made Flesh, and
dwelt
among us." John 1:34 He was taken by the Jews; He was reviled of them.
You
heard when the Gospel was read, what they said, and to Whom they said,
"You
have a devil:" and He said not, You have a devil, for you are still in
your
sins,
and the devil possesses your hearts. He said not this, which if He had said, He
had
said truly: but it was not meet that He should say it, lest He should seem not
to
preach
Truth, but to retort evil speaking. He let go what He heard as though He
heard
it not. For a Physician was He, and to cure the madman had He come. As a
Physician
cares not what he may hear from the madman; but how the madman
may
recover and become sane; nor even if he receive a blow from the madman,
cares
he; but while he to him gives new wounds, he cures his old fever: so also the
Lord
came to the sick man, to the madman came He, that whatever He might hear,
whatever
He might suffer, He should despise; by this very thing teaching us
humility,
that being taught by humility, we might be healed from pride: from
which
he here prays to be delivered, saying, "Let not the foot of pride come
against
me; neither let the hand of the sinner remove me." For if the foot of
pride
come,
the hand of the sinner removes. What is the hand of the sinner? The
working
of him that advises ill. Have you become proud? Quickly he corrupts you
who
advises ill. Humbly fix yourself in God, and care not much what is said to
you.
Hence is that which is elsewhere spoken, "From my secret sins cleanse Thou
me;
and from others' sins also keep Your servant." What is, "From my
secret
sins"?
"Let not the foot of pride come against me." What is, "From
other men's
sins
also keep Your servant"? "Let not the hand of the wicked remove
me." Keep
that
which is within, and you shall not fear from without.
16.
But wherefore so greatly do you fear this? Because it is said, "Thereby
have
fallen
all that work iniquity" (ver. 12); so that they have come into that abyss
of
which
it is said, "Your judgments are like the great abyss:" so that they
have come
even
to that deep wherein sinners who despise have fallen. "Have fallen."
Whereby
did they first fall? By the foot of pride. Hear the foot of pride. "When
Psalm 36 170
they
knew God, they glorified Him not as God." Therefore came against them the
foot
of pride, whereby they came into the depth. "God gave them over to their
own
hearts'
lusts, to do those things which are not convenient." Romans 1:21-24 The
root
of sin, and the head of sin feared he who said, "Let not the foot of pride
come
against
me." Wherefore said he, "the foot"? Because by walking proudly
man
deserted
God, and departed from Him. His foot, called he his affection. "Let not
the
foot of pride come against me: let not the hand of the wicked remove me:"
that
is,
let not the works of the wicked remove me from You, that I should wish to
imitate
them. But wherefore said he this against pride, "Thereby have fallen all
that
work iniquity"? Because those who now are ungodly, have fallen by pride.
Therefore
when the Lord would caution His Church, He said, "It shall watch your
head,
and you shall watch his heel." Genesis 3:15 The serpent watches when the
foot
of pride may come against you, when you may fall, that he may cast you
down.
But watch thou his head: the beginning of all sin is pride. Sirach 10:13
"Thereby
have fallen all that work iniquity: they are driven out, and are not able to
stand."
He first, who in the Truth stood not, then, through him, they whom God
sent
out of Paradise. Whence he, the humble, who said that he was not worthy to
unloose
His shoe's latchet, is not driven out, but stands and hears Him, and
rejoices
greatly because of the Bridegroom's voice; not because of his own, lest the
foot
of pride come against him, and he be driven out, and be not able to stand....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 37
171
Exposition
on Psalm 37
On
the first part of the psalm.
1.
With terror do they hear of the coming of the last day, who will not be secure
by
living
well: and who fain would live ill, long. But it was for useful purposes that
God
willed that day to remain unknown; that the heart may be ever ready to expect
that
of which it knows it is to come, but knows not when it is to come. Seeing,
however,
that our Lord Jesus Christ was sent to us to be our "Master," He
said,
that
"of the day not even the Son of Man knew," Mark 13:32 because it was
not
part
of His office as our Master that through Him it should become known to us.
For
indeed the Father knows nothing that the Son knows not; since that is the Very
Knowledge
of the Father Itself, which is His Wisdom; now His Son, His Word, is
"His
Wisdom." But because it was not for our good to know that, which however
was
known to Him who came indeed to teach us, though not to teach us that which
it
was not good for us to know, He not only, as a Master, taught us something, but
also,
as a Master, left something untaught. For, as a Master, He knew how both to
teach
us what was good for us, and not to teach us what was injurious. Now thus,
according
to a certain form of speech, the Son is said not to know what He does
not
teach: that is, in the same way that we are daily in the habit of speaking, He
is
said
not to know what He causes us not to know....
2.
This it is that disturbs you who are a Christian; that you see men of bad lives
prospering,
and surrounded with abundance of things like these; you see them
sound
in health, distinguished with proud honours; you see their family unvisited
by
misfortune; the happiness of their relatives, the obsequious attendance of
their
dependants,
their most commanding influence, their life uninterrupted by any sad
event;
you see their characters most profligate, their external resources most
affluent;
and your heart says that there is no Divine judgment; that all things are
carried
to and fro by accidents, and blown about in disorderly and irregular
motions.
For if God, you say, regarded human affairs, would his iniquity flourish,
and
my innocence suffer? Every sickness of the soul has in Scripture its proper
remedy.
Let him then whose sickness is of that kind that he says in his heart things
like
these, let him drink this Psalm by way of potion....
3.
"Be not envious because of evil-doers, neither be envious against the
workers of
iniquity"
(ver. 1). "For they shall soon wither like the grass, and shall fade like
the
herbs
of the meadow" (ver. 2). That which to you seems long, is "soon"
in the
sight
of God. Conform you yourself to God; and it will be "soon" to you.
That
which
he here calls "grass," that we understand by the "herbs of the
meadow."
They
are some worthless things, occupying the surface only of the ground, they
have
no depth of root. In the winter then they are green; but when the summer sun
shall
begin to scorch, they will wither away. For now it is the season of winter.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 37
172
Your
glory does not as yet appear. But if your love has but a deep root, like that
of
many
trees during winter, the frost passes away, the summer (that is, the Day of
Judgment)
will come; then will the greenness of the grass wither away. Then will
the
glory of the trees appear. "For you" (says the Apostle) "are
dead,"
Colossians
3:3 even as trees seem to be in winter, as it were dead, as it were
withered.
What is our hope then, if we are dead? The root is within; where our root
is,
there is our life also, for there our love is fixed. "And your life is hid
with
Christ
in God." Colossians 3:3 When shall he wither who is thus rooted? But when
will
our spring be? When our summer? When will the honour of foliage clothe us
around,
and the fulness of fruit make us rich? When shall this come to pass? Hear
what
follows: "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall you also
appear
with Him in glory." And what then shall we do now? "Be not envious
because
of the evil-doers, neither be envious against the workers of iniquity. For
they
shall soon wither like the grass, and fade like the herb of the meadow."
4.
What should you do then? "Trust in the Lord" (ver. 3). For they too
trust, but
not
"in the Lord." Their hope is perishable. Their hope is short-lived,
frail,
fleeting,
transitory, baseless. "Trust thou in the Lord." "Behold,"
you say, "I do
trust;
what am I to do?"
"And
do good." Do not do that evil which you behold in those men, who are
prosperous
in wickedness. "Do good, and dwell in the land." Lest haply you
should
be doing good without "dwelling in the land." For it is the Church
that is
the
Lord's land. It is her whom He, the Father, the tiller of it, waters and
cultivates.
For
there are many that, as it were, do good works, but yet, in that they do not
"dwell
in the land," they do not belong to the husbandman. Therefore do thou your
good,
not outside of the land, but do thou "dwell in the land." And what
shall I
have?
"And
you shall be fed in its riches." What are the riches of that land? Her
riches
are
her Lord! Her riches are her God! He it is to whom it is said, "The Lord
is the
portion
of mine inheritance, and of my cup." In a late discourse we suggested to
you,
dearly beloved, that God is our possession, and that we are at the same time
God's
possession. Hear how that He is Himself the riches of that land.
"Delight
yourself in the Lord" (ver. 4). As if you had put the question, and had
said
"Show me the riches of that land, in which you bid me dwell," he
says,
"Delight
yourself in the Lord."
5.
"And He shall give you the desires of your heart." Understand in
their proper
signification,
"the desires of your heart." Distinguish the "desires of your
heart"
from
the desires of your flesh; distinguish as much as you can. It is not without a
meaning
that it is said in a certain Psalm, "God is" (the strength) "of
mine heart."
For
there it says in what follows: "And God is my portion for ever." For
instance:
One
labours under bodily blindness. He asks that he may receive his sight. Let him
ask
it; for God does that too, and gives those blessings also. But these things are
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 37
173
asked
for even by the wicked. This is a desire of the flesh. One is sick, and prays
to
be made sound. From the point of death he is restored to health. That too is a
desire
of the flesh, as are all of such a kind. What is "the desire of the
heart"? As
the
desire of the flesh is to wish to have one's eyesight restored, to enable him,
that
is,
to see that light, which can be seen by such eyes; so "the desire of the
heart"
relates
to a different sort of light. For, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for
they shall
see
God. Delight you yourself in the Lord; and He shall give you the desires of
your
heart."
6.
"Behold" (you say), "I do long after it, I do ask for it, I do
desire it. Shall I then
accomplish
it?" No. Who shall then? "Reveal your way unto the Lord: trust also
in
Him,
and He shall bring it to pass" (ver. 5). Mention to Him what you suffer,
mention
to Him what thou dost desire. For what is it that you suffer? "The flesh
lusts
against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh." Galatians 5:17 What
is it
then
that thou dost desire? "Wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from
the
body of this death?" Romans 7:24 And because it is He "Himself"
that "will
bring
it to pass," when you shall have "revealed your ways unto Him;"
hear what
follows:
"The grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord." What is it then
that He
is
to bring to pass, since it is said, "Reveal your way unto Him, and He will
bring
it
to pass"? What will He bring to pass?
"And
He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light" (ver. 6). For now,
"your
righteousness"
is hid. Now it is a thing of faith; not yet of sight. You believe
something
that you may do it. You do not yet see that in which you believe. But
when
you shall begin to see that, which you believed before, "your
righteousness
will
be brought forth to the light," because it is your faith that was your
righteousness.
For "the just lives by faith."
7.
"And He shall bring forth your judgment as the noon-day." That is to
say, "as
the
clear light." It was too little to say, "as the light." For we
call it "light" already,
even
when it but dawns: we call it light even while the sun is rising. But never is
the
light brighter than at mid-day. Therefore He will not only "bring forth
your
righteousness
as the light," but "your judgment shall be as the noon-day." For
now
do
you make your "judgment" to follow Christ. This is your purpose: this
is your
choice:
this is your "judgment."...
8.
"What should I do then?" Hear what "Submit you to the Lord, and
entreat Him"
(ver.
7). Be this your life, to obey His commandments. For this is to submit you to
Him;
and to entreat Him until He give you what He has promised. Let good works
"continue;"
let prayer "continue." For "men ought always to pray, and not to
faint."
Luke
18:1 Wherein do you show that you are "submitted to Him"? In doing
what
He
has commanded. But haply thou dost not receive your wages as yet, because as
yet
you are not able. For He is already able to give them; but you are not already
able
to receive them. Exercise you yourself in works. Labour in the vineyard; at
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 37
174
the
close of the day crave your wages. "Faithful is He" who brought you
into the
vineyard.
"Submit you to the Lord, and entreat Him."
9.
"See! I do so; I do 'submit to the Lord, and I do entreat.' But what do
you think?
That
neighbour of mine is a wicked man, living a bad life, and prosperous! His
thefts,
adulteries, robberies, are known to me. Lifted up above every one, proud,
and
raised on high by wickedness, he deigns not to notice me. In these
circumstances,
how shall I hold out with patience?" This is a sickness; drink, by
way
of remedy. "Fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his
way." He
prospers,
but it is "in his way:" you suffer, but it is in God's way! His
portion is
prosperity
on his way, misery on arriving at its end: yours, toil on the road,
happiness
in its termination. "The Lord knows the way of the righteous; and the
way
of the ungodly shall perish." Thou walkest those ways which "the Lord
knows,"
and if thou dost suffer toil in them, they do not deceive you. The "way of
the
ungodly" is but a transitory happiness; at the end of the way the
happiness is at
an
end also. Why? Because that way is "the broad road;" its termination
leads to
the
pit of hell. Now, your way is narrow; and "few there be" that enter
in through
it:
Matthew 7:13-14 but into how ample a field it comes at the last, you ought to
consider.
"Fret not yourself at him who prospers in his way; because of the man
who
brings wicked devices to pass."
"Cease
from anger, and forsake wrath" (ver. 8). Wherefore are you angry?
Wherefore
is it that, through that passion and indignation, thou dost blaspheme, or
almost
blaspheme? Against "the man who brings wicked devices to pass, cease
from
anger, and forsake wrath." Do you not know whither that wrath tempts you
on?
You are on the point of saying unto God, that He is unjust. It tends to that.
"Look!
why is that man prosperous, and this man in adversity?" Consider what
thought
it begets: stifle the wicked notion. "Cease from anger, and forsake
wrath:"
so
that now returning to your senses, you may say, "My eye is disturbed
because
of
wrath." What eye is that, but the eye of faith? To the eye of your faith I
appeal.
Thou
believed in Christ: why did you believe? What did He promise you? If it was
the
happiness of this world that Christ promised you, then murmur against Christ;
yes!
murmur against Him, when you see the wicked flourishing. What of
happiness
did He promise? What, save in the Resurrection of the Dead? But what
in
this life? That which was His portion. His portion, I say! Do you, servant and
disciple,
disdain what your Lord, what your Master bore?...
"For
evil-doers shall be cut off" (ver. 9). "But I see their
prosperity." Believe Him
who
says, "they shall be cut off;" Him who sees better than thou, since
His eye
anger
cannot cloud. "For evil-doers shall be cut off. But those that wait upon
the
Lord,"—not
upon any one that can deceive them; but verily on Him who is the
Truth
itself,—"But those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the
land."
What
"land," but that Jerusalem, with the love of which whosoever is
inflamed,
shall
come to peace at the last.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 37
175
10.
"But how long is the sinner to flourish? How long shall I have to
endure?" You
are
impatient; that which seems long to you, will soon come to pass. It is
infirmity
makes
that seem long, which is really short, as is found in the case of the longings
of
sick men. Nothing seems so long as the mixing of the potion for him when
thirsty.
For all that his attendants are making all speed, lest haply the patient be
angry;
"When will it be done? (he cries). When will it be drest? When will it be
served?"
Those who are waiting upon you are making haste, but your infirmity
fancies
that long which is being done with expedition. Behold ye, therefore, our
Physician
complying with the infirmity of the patient, saying, "How long shall I
have
to endure? How long will it be?"
"Yet
a little while, and the sinner shall not be" (ver. 10). Is it certainly
among
sinners,
and because of the sinner, that you murmur. "A little while, and he shall
not
be." Lest haply because I said, "They that wait upon the Lord, they
shall
inherit
the land," you should think that waiting to be of very long duration. Wait
"a
little
while," you shall receive without end what you wait for. A little while, a
moderate
space. Review the years from Adam's time up to this day; run through
the
Scriptures. It is almost yesterday that he fell from Paradise! So many ages
have
been
measured out, and unrolled. Where now are the past ages? Even so, however,
shall
the few which remain, pass away also. Had you been living throughout all
that
time, since Adam was banished from Paradise up to this present day, you
would
certainly see that the life, which had thus flown away, had not been of long
duration.
But how long is the duration of each individual's life? Add any number
of
years you please: prolong old age to its longest duration: what is it? Is it
not but
a
morning breeze? Be it so, however, that the Day of Judgment is far off, when
the
reward
of the righteous and of the unrighteous is to come: your last day at all
events
cannot be far off. Make yourself ready against this! For such as you shall
have
departed from this life, shall you be restored to the other. At the close of
that
short
life, you will not yet be, where the Saints shall be, to whom it shall be said,
"Come,
you blessed of My Father: inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
beginning
of the world." Matthew 25:34 You will not yet be there? Who does not
know
that? But you may already be there, where that beggar, once "covered with
sores,"
was seen at a distance, at rest, by that proud and unfruitful "rich
man" in
the
midst of his torments. Surely hid in that rest you wait in security for the Day
of
Judgment,
when you are to receive again a body, to be changed so as to be made
equal
to an Angel. How long then is that for which we are impatient, and are
saying,
"When will it come? Will it tarry long?" This our sons will say
hereafter,
and
our sons' sons will say too; and, though each one of these in succession will
say
this same thing, that "little while" that is yet to be, passes away,
as all that is
already
past has passed away already! O thou sick one! "Yet a little while, and
the
sinner
shall not be. Yea, you shall diligently consider his place, and you shall not
find
him."...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 37
176
11.
"But the meek shall inherit the land" (ver. 11). That land is the one
of which
we
have often spoken, the holy Jerusalem, which is to be released from these her
pilgrimages,
and to live for ever with God, and on God. Therefore, "They shall
inherit
the land." What shall be their delight? "And they shall delight
themselves
in
the abundance of peace." Let the ungodly man delight himself here in the
multitude
of his gold, in the multitude of his silver, in the multitude of his slaves,
in
the multitude, lastly, of his baths, his roses, his intoxicating wines, his
most
sumptuous
and luxurious banquets. Is this the power you envy? Is this the glory
that
delights you? Would not his fate be worthy to be deplored, even if he were to
be
so for ever? What shall be your delights? "And they shall delight
themselves in
the
abundance of peace." Peace shall be your gold. Peace shall be your silver.
Peace
shall be your lands. Peace shall be your life, your God Peace. Peace shall be
to
you whatsoever thou dost desire....
On
the Second Part of the Psalm.
1.
Then follow these words: "The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes
upon
him
with his teeth" (ver. 12): "But the Lord shall laugh at him"
(ver. 13). At
whom?
Surely at the sinner, "gnashing upon" the other "with his
teeth." But
wherefore
shall the Lord "laugh at him"? "For He foresees that his day is
coming."
He
seems indeed full of wrath, while, ignorant of the morrow that is in store for
him,
he is threatening the just. But the Lord beholds and "foresees his
day." "What
day?"
That in which "He will render to every man according to his works."
For he
is
"treasuring up unto himself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation
of the
just
judgment of God." Romans 2:6, 5 But it is the Lord that foresees it; thou
dost
not
foresee it. It has been revealed to you by Him who foresees it. You did not
know
of the "day of the unrighteous," in which he is to suffer punishment.
But He
who
knows it has revealed it to you. It is a main part of knowledge to join
yourself
to
Him who has knowledge. He has the eyes of knowledge: have thou the eyes of a
believing
mind. That which God "sees," be thou willing to believe. For the day
of
the
unjust, which God foresees, will come. What day is that? The day for all
vengeance!
For it is necessary that vengeance should be taken upon the ungodly,
that
vengeance be taken upon the unjust, whether he turn, or whether he turn not.
For
if he shall turn from his ways, that very thing, that his "injustice is
come to an
end,"
is the infliction of vengeance....
2.
"The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast
down
the
poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright heart" (ver. 14).
"Their
weapon
shall enter into their own heart" (ver. 15). It is an easy thing for his
weapon,
that is, his sword, to reach your body, even as the sword of the
persecutors
reached the body of the Martyrs, but when the body had been smitten,
"the
heart" remained unhurt; but his heart who "drew out the sword
against" the
body
of the just did not clearly remain unhurt. This is attested by this very Psalm.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 37
177
It
says, Their weapon, that is, "Their sword shall," not go into their
body, but,
"their
weapon shall go into their own heart." They would fain have slain him in
the
body.
Let them die the death of the soul. For those whose bodies they sought to
kill,
the Lord has freed from anxiety, saying, "Fear not them who kill the body,
but
cannot
kill the soul." Matthew 10:28...
3.
"And their bows shall be broken." What is meant by, "And their
bows shall be
broken"?
Their plots shall be frustrated. For above He had said, "The wicked have
drawn
out the sword and bent their bows." By the "drawing out of the
sword" he
would
have understood open hostility; but by the" bending of the bow,"
secret
conspiracies.
See! His sword destroys himself, and his laying of snares is
frustrated.
What is meant by frustrated? That it does no mischief to the righteous.
How
then, for instance (you ask), did it do no mischief to the man, whom it thus
stripped
of his goods, whom it reduced to straitened circumstances by taking away
his
possessions? He has still cause to sing, "A little that a righteous man
has, is
better
than great riches of the ungodly" (ver. 16).
4.
... "For the arms of the wicked shall be broken" (ver. 17). Now by
"their arms"
is
meant their power. What will he do in hell? Will it be what the rich man had to
do,
he who was wont "to fare sumptuously" in the upper world, and in hell
"was
tormented"?
Therefore their arms shall be broken; "but the Lord upholds the
righteous."
How does He "uphold" them? What says He unto them? Even what is
said
in another Psalm, "Wait on the Lord, be of good courage; and let your
heart
be
strengthened. Wait, I say, on the Lord." What is meant by this, "Wait
on the
Lord"?
Thou sufferest but for a time; you shall rest for ever: your trouble is short;
your
happiness is to be everlasting. It is but for "a little while" you
are to sorrow;
your
joy shall have no end. But in the midst of trouble does your "foot"
begin to
"slip"?
The example even of Christ's sufferings is set before you. Consider what
He
endured for you, in whom no cause was found why He should endure it? How
great
soever be your sufferings, you will not come to those insults, those
scourgings,
to that robe of shame, to that crown of thorns, and last of all to that
Cross,
which He endured; because that is now removed from the number of human
punishments.
For though under the ancients criminals were crucified, in the
present
day no one is crucified. It was honoured, and it came to an end. It came to
an
end as a punishment; it is continued in glory. It has removed from the place of
execution
to the foreheads of Emperors. He who has invested His very sufferings
with
such honour, what does He reserve for His faithful servants?...
5.
But observe whether that was fulfilled in his case which the Psalm now speaks
of.
"The Lord strengthens the righteous.—Not only so" (says that same
Paul, while
suffering
many evils), "but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation
works
patience, and patience experience; and experience hope; but hope makes not
ashamed,
because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 37
178
which
is given unto us." Romans 5:3-5 Justly is it said by him, now righteous,
now
"strengthened."
As therefore those who persecuted him did no harm to him, when
now
"strengthened," so neither did he himself do any harm to those whom
he
persecuted.
"But the Lord," he says, "strengthens the righteous."...
6.
Therefore "the Lord does strengthen the righteous." In what way does
He
strengthen
them? "The Lord knows the ways of the spotless ones" (ver. 18). When
they
suffer ills, they are believed to be walking ill ways by those who are
ignorant,
by
those who have not knowledge to discern "the ways of the spotless
ones." He
who
"knows those ways," knows by what way to lead His own, "them
that are
gentle,"
in the right way. Whence in another Psalm he said, "The meek shall He
guide
in judgment; them that are gentle will He teach His way." How, think you,
was
that beggar, who lay covered with sores before the rich man's door,
Luke
16:20 spurned by the passers by! How did they, probably, close their nostrils
and
spit at him! The Lord, however, knew how to reserve Paradise for him. How
did
they, on the other hand, desire for themselves the life of him who was
"clad in
purple
and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day!" Luke 16:19 But the
Lord,
who foresaw that man's "day coming," knew the torments, the torments
without
end, that were in store for him. Therefore "The Lord knows the ways of
the
upright."
7.
"And their inheritance shall be for ever" (ver. 18). This we hold by
faith. Doth
the
Lord too know it by faith? The Lord knows those things with as clear a
manifestation,
as we cannot speak of even when we shall be made equal to the
Angels.
For the things that shall be manifest to us, shall not be equally manifest to
us
as they are now to Him, who is incapable of change. Yet even of us ourselves
what
is said? "Beloved, now are we the sons of God: and it does not yet appear
what
we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him,
for
we shall see Him as He is." 1 John 3:2 There is therefore surely some
blissful
vision
reserved for us; and if it can be now in some measure conceived, "darkly
and
through a glass," 1 Corinthians 13:12 yet cannot we in any way express in
language
the ravishing beauty of that bliss, which God reserves for them that fear
Him,
which He consummates in those that hope in Him. It is for that destination
that
our hearts are being disciplined in all the troubles and trials of this life.
Wonder
not that it is in trouble that you are disciplined for it. It is for something
glorious
that you are being disciplined. Whence comes that speech of the now
strengthened
righteous man: "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to
be
compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us"? Romans 8:18 What is
that
promised glory to be, but to be made equal to the Angels and to see God?
How
great a benefit does he bestow on the blind man, who makes his eyes sound
so
as to be able to see the light of this life.... What reward then shall we give
unto
that
Physician who restores soundness to our inward eyes, to enable them to see a
certain
eternal Light, which is Himself?...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 37
179
8.
"They shall not be ashamed in the evil time" (ver. 19). In the day of
trouble, in
the
day of distress, they shall not be "ashamed," as he is ashamed whose
hope
deceives
him. Who is the man that is "ashamed"? He who says, "I have not
found
that
which I was in hopes of." Nor undeservedly either; for you hoped it from
yourself
or from man, your friend. But "cursed is he that puts his trust in
man."
You
are ashamed, because your hope has deceived you; your hope that was set on
a
lie. For "every man is a liar." But if thou dost place your hopes on
your God, you
are
not made "ashamed." For He in whom you have put your trust, cannot be
deceived.
Whence also the man whom we mentioned just above, the now
"strengthened"
righteous man, when fallen on an evil time, on the day of
tribulation,
what says he to show that he was not "ashamed"? "We glory in
tribulation;
knowing that tribulation works patience, and patience experience, and
experience
hope; but hope makes not ashamed." Whence is it that hope "makes not
ashamed"?
Because it is placed on God. Therefore follows immediately, "Because
the
love of God is spread in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, which is given unto
us."
Romans
5:3-5 The Holy Spirit has been given to us already: how should He
deceive
us, of whom we possess such an "earnest" already? "They shall
not be
ashamed
in the evil time, and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied."...
9.
"For the wicked shall perish. But the enemies of the Lord, when they shall
begin
to
glory, and to be lifted up, immediately shall consume away utterly, even as the
smoke"
(ver. 20). Recognise from the comparison itself the thing which he
intimates.
Smoke, breaking forth from the place where fire has been, rises up on
high,
and by the very act of rising up, it swells into a large volume: but the larger
that
volume is, the more unsubstantial does it become; for from that very largeness
of
volume, which has no foundation or consistency, but is merely loose, shifting
and
evanescent, it passes into air, and dissolves; so that you perceive its very
largeness
to have been fatal to it. For the higher it ascends, the farther it is
extended,
the wider the circumference which it spreads itself over, the thinner, and
the
more rare and wasting and evanescent does it become. "But the enemies of
the
Lord,
when they shall begin to glory, and to be lifted up, immediately shall
consume
away utterly even as the smoke." Of such as these was it said, "As
Jannes
and
Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the Truth; men of corrupt
minds,
reprobate concerning the faith." 2 Timothy 3:8 But how is it that they
resist
the
Truth, except by the vain inflation of their swelling pride, while they raise
themselves
up on high, as if great and righteous persons, though on the point of
passing
away into empty air? But what says he of them? As if speaking of smoke,
he
says, "They shall proceed no farther, for their folly shall be manifest
unto all
men,
even as theirs also was."...
10.
"The wicked borrows, and pays not again" (ver. 20). He receives, and
will not
repay.
What is it he will not repay? Thanksgiving. For what is it that God would
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 37
180
have
of you, what does He require of you, except that He may do you good? And
how
great are the benefits which the sinner has received, and which he will not
repay!
He has received the gift of being; he has received the gift of being a man;
and
of a being highly distinguished above the brutes; he has received the form of a
body,
and the distinction of the senses in the body, eyes for seeing, ears for
hearing,
the nostrils for smelling, the palate for tasting, the hands for touching, and
the
feet for walking; and even the very health and soundness of the body. But up
to
this point we have these things in common even with the brute; he has received
yet
more than this; a mind capable of understanding, capable of Truth, capable of
distinguishing
right from wrong; capable of seeking after, of longing for, its
Creator,
of praising Him, and fixing itself upon Him. All this the wicked man has
received
as well as others; but by not living well, he fails to repay that which he
owes.
Thus it is, "the wicked borrows, and pays not again:" he will not
requite
Him
from whom he has received; he will not return thanks; nay, he will even
render
evil for good, blasphemies, murmuring against God, indignation. Thus it is
that
he "borrows, and pays not again; but the righteous shows mercy, and
lends"
(ver.
21). The one therefore has nothing; the other has. See, on the one side,
destitution:
see, on the other, wealth. The one receives and "pays not again:" the
"other
shows mercy, and lends:" and he has more than enough. What if he is poor?
Even
so he is rich; do you but look at his riches with the eyes of Religion. For you
look
at the empty chest; but dost not look at the conscience, that is full of
God....
11.
"For such as shall bless Him shall inherit the land" (ver. 23), that
is, they shall
possess
that righteous One: the only One who both is truly righteous, and makes
righteous:
who both was poor in this world, and brought great riches to it,
wherewith
to make those rich whom He found poor. For it is He who has enriched
the
hearts of the poor with the Holy Spirit; and having emptied out their souls by
confession
of sins, has filled them with the richness of righteousness: He who was
able
to enrich the fisherman, who, by forsaking his nets, spurned what he
possessed
already, but sought to draw up what he possessed not. For "God has
chosen
the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty."
1
Corinthians 1:27 And it was not by an orator that He gained to Himself the
fisherman;
but by the fisherman that He gained to Himself the orator; by the
fisherman
that He gained the Senator; by the fisherman that He gained the
Emperor.
For "such as shall bless Him shall inherit the land;" they shall be
fellow-
heirs
with Him, in that "land of the living," of which it is said in
another Psalm,
"You
are my hope, my portion in the land of the living."...
12.
Observe what follows: "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord;
and
he
delights in His way" (ver. 23). That man may himself "delight in the
Lord's
way,"
his steps are ordered by the Lord Himself. For if the Lord did not order the
steps
of man, so crooked are they naturally, that they would always be going
through
crooked paths, and by pursuing crooked ways, would be unable to return
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm
37
181
again.
He however came, and called us, and redeemed us, and shed His blood; He
has
given this ransom; He has done this good, and suffered these evils. Consider
Him
in what He has done, He is God! Consider Him in what He has suffered, He
is
Man! Who is that God-Man? Had not you, O man, forsaken God, God would
not
have been made Man for you! For that was too little for you to requite, or for
Him
to bestow, that He had made you man; unless He Himself should become
Man
for you also. For it is He Himself that has "ordered our steps;" that
we should
"delight
in His way."...
13.
Now if man were to be through the whole of his life in toil, and in sufferings,
in
pain, in tortures, in prison, in scourgings, in hunger, and in thirst, every
day and
every
hour through the whole length of life, to the period of old age, yet the whole
life
of man is but a few days. That labour being over, there is to come the Eternal
Kingdom;
there is to come happiness without end; there is to come equality with
the
Angels; there is to come Christ's inheritance, and Christ, our "joint
Heir,"
Romans
8:17 is to come. How great is the labour, for which you receive so great a
recompense?
The Veterans who serve in the wars, and move in the midst of
wounds
for so many years, enter upon the military service from their youth, and
quit
it in old age: and to obtain a few days of repose in their old age, when age
itself
begins to weigh down those whom the wars do not break down, how great
hardships
do they endure; what marches, what frosts, what burning suns; what
privations,
what wounds, and what dangers! And while suffering all these things,
they
fix their thoughts on nothing but those few days of repose in old age, at which
they
know not whether they will ever arrive. Thus it is, the "steps of a good
man
are
ordered by the Lord, and he delights in His way." This is the point with
which
I
commenced. If you "delight in the way" of Christ, and art truly a
Christian (for
he
is a Christian indeed who does not despise the way of Christ, but
"delights in"
following
Christ's "way" through His sufferings), do not thou go by any other
way
than
that by which He Himself has also gone. It appears painful, but it is the very
way
of safety; another perhaps is delightful, but it is full of robbers. "And
he
delights
in His way."
14.
"Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds
his
hand"
(ver. 24). See what it is "to delight in" Christ's "way."
Should it happen that
he
suffers some tribulation; some forfeiture of honour, some affliction, some
loss,
some
contumely, or all those other accidents incident to mankind frequently in this
life,
he sets the Lord before him, what kind of trials He endured! and, "though
he
fall
he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholds his hand," because
He
has
suffered before him. For what should you fear, O man, whose steps are
ordered
so, that you should "delight in the way of the Lord"? What should you
fear?
Pain? Christ was scourged. Shouldest thou fear contumelies? He was
reproached
with, "You have a devil," who was Himself casting out the devils.
Haply
you fear faction, and the conspiracy of the wicked. Conspiracy was made
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 37
182
against
Him. You can not make clear the purity of your conscience in some
accusation,
and sufferest wrong and violence, because false witnesses are listened
to
against you. False witness was borne against Him first, not only before His
death,
but also after His resurrection....
On
the Third Part of the Psalm.
1.
"I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous
forsaken,
nor
his seed begging bread" (ver. 25).
If
it is spoken but in the person of one single individual, how long is the whole
life
of
one man? And what is there wonderful in the circumstance, that a single man,
fixed
in some one part of the earth, should not, throughout the whole space of his
life,
being so short as man's life is, have ever seen "the righteous forsaken,
nor his
seed
begging bread," although he may have advanced from youth to age. It is not
anything
worthy of marvel; for it might have happened, that before his lifetime
there
should have been some "righteous man seeking bread;" it might have
happened,
that there had been some one in some other part of the earth not where
he
himself was. Hear too another thing, which makes an impression upon us. Any
single
one among you (look you) who has now grown old, may perhaps, when,
looking
back upon the past course of his life, he turns over in his thoughts the
persons
whom he has known, not find any instance of a righteous man begging
bread,
or of his seed begging bread, suggest itself to him; but nevertheless he turns
to
the inspired Scriptures, and finds that righteous Abraham was straitened, and
suffered
hunger in his own country, and left that land for another; he finds too that
the
son of the very same man, Isaac, removed to other countries in search of bread,
for
the same cause of hunger. And how will it be true to say, "I have never
seen
the
righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread"? And if he finds this true
in
the
duration of his own life, he finds it is otherwise in the inspired writings,
which
are
more trustworthy than human life is.
2.
What are we to do then? Let us be seconded by your pious attention, so that we
may
discern the purpose of God in these verses of the Psalm, what it is He would
have
us understand by them. For there is a fear, lest any unstable person, not
capable
of understanding the Scriptures spiritually, should appeal to human
instances,
and should observe the virtuous servants of God to be sometimes in
some
necessity, and in want, so as to be compelled to beg bread: should
particularly
call to mind the Apostle Paul, who says, "In hunger and thirst; in cold
and
nakedness;" 2 Corinthians 11:27 and should stumble thereat, saying to
himself,
"Is that certainly true which I have been singing? Is that certainly true,
which
I have been sounding forth in so devout a voice, standing in church? 'I have
never
seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.'" Lest he should
say
in
his heart, "Scripture deceives us;" and all his limbs should be
paralyzed to good
works:
and when those limbs within him, those limbs of the inner man, shall have
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 37
183
been
paralyzed (which is the more fearful paralysis), he should henceforth leave
off
from good works, and say to himself, "Wherefore do I do good works?
Wherefore
do I break my bread to the hungry, and clothe the naked, and take
home
to mine house him who has no shelter, Isaiah 58:7 putting faith in that which
is
written? 'I have never seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging
bread;'
whereas
I see so many persons who live virtuously, yet for the most part suffering
from
hunger. But if perhaps I am in error in thinking the man who is living well,
and
the man who is living ill, to be both of them living well, and if God knows
him
to be otherwise; that is, knows him, whom I think just, to be unjust, what am I
to
make of Abraham's case, who is commended by Scripture itself as a righteous
person?
What am I to make of the Apostle Paul, who says, 'Be followers of me,
even
as I also am of Christ.' 1 Corinthians 11:1 What? that I should myself be in
evils
such as he endured, 'In hunger and thirst, in cold and nakedness'?"
2
Corinthians 11:27
3.
Whilst therefore he thus thinks, and while his limbs are paralyzed to the power
of
good works, can we, my brethren, as it were, lift up the sick of the palsy;
and,
as
it were, "lay open the roof" of this Scripture, and let him down
before the Lord.
Luke
5:19 For you observe that it is obscure. If obscure therefore, it is covered.
And
I behold a certain patient paralytic in mind, and I see this roof, and am
convinced
that Christ is concealed beneath the roof. Let me, as far as I am able, do
that
which was praised in those who opened the roof, and let down the sick of the
palsy
before Christ; that He might say unto him, "Son, be of good cheer, your
sins
be
forgiven you." Luke 5:20 For it was so that He made the inner man whole of
his
palsy, by loosing his sins, by binding fast his faith....
4.
But who is "the righteous" man, who "has never been seen
forsaken, nor his
seed
begging bread"? If you understand what is meant by "bread," you
understand
who
is meant by him. For the "bread" is the Word of God, which never
departs
from
the righteous man's mouth.... See now if "holy meditation does 'keep
you'" in
the
rumination of this bread, then "have you never seen the righteous
forsaken, nor
his
seed begging bread."
5.
"He is always merciful, and lends" (ver. 26). "Fśneratur"
is used in Latin
indeed,
both for him who lends, and for him who borrows. But in this passage the
meaning
is more plain, if we express it by "fśnerat." What matters it to us,
what
the
grammarians please to rule? It were better for us to be guilty of a barbarism,
so
that
you understand, than that in our propriety of speech ye be left unprovided.
Therefore,
that "righteous man is all day merciful, and (fśnerat) lends." Let
not
the
lenders of money on usury, however, rejoice. For we find it is a particular
kind
of
lender that is spoken of, as it was a particular kind of bread; that we may, in
all
passages,
"remove the roof," and find our way to Christ. I would not have you
be
lenders
of money on usury; and I would not have you be such for this reason,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 37
184
because
God would not have you.... Whence does it appear that God would not
have
it so? It is said in another place, "He that puts not out his money to
usury."
And
how detestable, odious, and execrable a thing it is, I believe that even
usurers
themselves
know. Again, on the other hand, I myself, nay rather our God Himself
bids
you be an usurer, and says to you, "Lend unto God." If you lend to
man, have
you
hope? and shall you not have hope, if you lend to God? If you have lent your
money
on usury to man, that is, if you have given the loan of your money to one,
from
whom you expect to receive something more than you have given, not in
money
only, but anything, whether it be wheat, or wine, or oil, or whatever else
you
please, if you expect to receive more than you have given, you are an usurer,
and
in this particular are not deserving of praise, but of censure. "What
then," you
say,
"am I to do, that I may 'lend' profitably?" Consider what the usurer
does. He
undoubtedly
desires to give a less sum, and to receive a larger; do thou this also;
give
thou a little, receive much. See how your principal grows, and increases!
Give
"things temporal," receive "things eternal:" give earth,
receive heaven! And
perhaps
you would say, "To whom shall I give them?" The self-same Lord, who
bade
you not lend on usury, comes forward as the Person to whom you should
lend
on usury! Hear from Scripture in what way you may "lend unto the
Lord."
"He
that has pity on the poor, lends unto the Lord." Proverbs 10:17 For the
Lord
wants
not anything of you. But you have one who needs somewhat of you: you
extend
it to him; he receives it. For the poor has nothing to return to you, and yet
he
would himself fain requite you, and finds nothing wherewith to do it: all that
remains
in his power is the good-will that desires to pray for you. Now when the
poor
man prays for you, he, as it were, says unto God, "Lord, I have borrowed
this;
be Thou surety for me." Then, though you have no bond on the poor man to
compel
his repayment, yet you have on a sponsible security. See, God from His
own
Scriptures says unto you; "Give it, and fear not; I repay it. It is to Me
you
give
it." In what way do those who make themselves sureties for others, express
themselves?
What is it that they say? "I repay it: I take it upon myself. It is to me
you
are giving it." Do we then suppose that God also says this, "I take
it on
Myself.
It is unto me you give it"? Assuredly, if Christ be God, of which there is
no
doubt, He has Himself said, "I was an hungred, and you gave Me meat."
Matthew
25:35 And when they said unto Him, "When saw we You hungry?"
Matthew
25:37 that He might show Himself to be the Surety for the poor, that He
answers
for all His members, that He is the Head, they the members, and that
when
the members receive, the Head receives also; He says, "Inasmuch as you
have
done it to one of the least of these that belong to Me, you have done it unto
Me."
Matthew 25:40 Come, thou covetous usurer, consider what you have given;
consider
what you are to receive. Had you given a small sum of money, and he to
whom
you had given it were to give you for that small sum a great villa, worth
incomparably
more money than you had given, how great thanks would you
render,
with how great joy would you be transported! Hear what possession He to
whom
you have been lending bestows. "Come, you blessed of My Father,
receive"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 37
185
Matthew
25:34—What? The same that they have given? God forbid! What you
gave
were earthly things, which, if you had not given them, would have become
corrupted
on earth. For what could you have made of them, if you had not given
them?
That which on earth would have been lost, has been preserved in heaven.
Therefore
what we are to receive is that which has been preserved. It is your desert
that
has been preserved, your desert has been made your treasure. For consider
what
it is that you are to receive. Receive—"the kingdom prepared for you from
the
foundation of the world." On the other hand, what shall be their sentence,
who
would
not "lend"? "Go ye into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil
and his
angels."
Matthew 25:41 And what is the kingdom which we receive called?
Consider
what follows: "And these shall go into everlasting burning; but the
righteous
into life eternal." Matthew 25:46 Make interest for this; purchase this.
Give
your money on usury to earn this. You have Christ throned in heaven,
begging
on earth. We have discovered in what way the righteous lends. "He is
alway
merciful, and lends."
6.
"And his seed is blessed." Here too let not any carnal notion suggest
itself. We
see
many of the sons of the righteous dying of hunger; in what sense then will his
seed
be blessed? His seed is that which remains of him afterwards; that wherewith
he
sowes here, and will hereafter reap. For the Apostle says, "Let us not be
weary
in
well-doing; for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. As we have
therefore
time,"
he says, "let us do good unto all men." Galatians 6:9-10 This is that
"seed"
of
yours which shall "be blessed." You commit it to the earth, and
gather ever so
much
more; and do you lose it in committing it to Christ? See it expressly termed
"seed"
by the Apostle, when he was speaking of alms. For this he says; "He which
sowes
sparingly, shall reap also sparingly; and he which sowes in blessings, shall
also
reap in blessings." 2 Corinthians 9:6...
7.
Observe therefore what follows, and be not slothful. "Depart from evil,
and do
good"
(ver. 27). Do not think it to be enough for you to do, if thou dost not strip
the
man who is already clothed. For in not stripping the man who is already
clothed,
you have indeed "departed from evil:" but do not be barren, and
wither.
So
choose not to strip the man who is clothed already, as to clothe the naked. For
this
is to "depart from evil, and to do good." And you will say,
"What advantage
am
I to derive from it?" He to whom you lend has already assured you of what
He
will
give you. He will give you everlasting life. Give to Him, and fear not! Hear
too
what follows: "Depart from evil, and do good, and dwell for
evermore." And
think
not when you give that no one sees you, or that God forsakes you, when
haply
after you have given to the poor, and some loss, or some sorrow for the
property
you have lost, should follow, and you should say to yourself, "What has it
profited
me to have done good works? I believe God does not love the men who
do
good." Whence comes that buzz, that subdued murmur among you, except that
those
expressions are very common? Each one of you at this present moment
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 37
186
recognises
these expressions, either in his own lips, or on those of his friend. May
God
destroy them; may He root out the thorns from His field; may He plant "the
good
seed," and "the tree bearing fruit"! For wherefore are you
afflicted, O man,
that
you have given some things away to the poor, and hast lost certain other
things?
Do you see not that it is what you have not given, that you have lost?
Wherefore
do you not attend to the voice of your God? Where is your faith?
wherefore
is it so fast asleep? Wake it up in your heart. Consider what the Lord
Himself
said unto you, while exhorting you to good works of this kind: "Provide
yourselves
bags which wax not old; a treasure in the heavens that fails not, where
no
thief approaches." Luke 12:33 Call this to mind therefore when you are
lamenting
over a loss. Wherefore do you lament, thou fool of little mind, or rather
of
unsound mind? Wherefore did you lose it, except that thou did not lend it to
Me?
Wherefore did you lose it? Who has carried it off? You will answer, "A
thief."
Was it not this, that I forewarned you of? that you should not lay it up
where
the thief could approach? If then he who has lost anything, grieves, let him
grieve
for this, that he did not lay it up there, whence it could not be lost.
8.
"For the Lord loves judgment, and forsakes not His Saints" (ver. 28).
When the
Saints
suffer affliction, think not that God does not judge, or does not judge
righteously.
Will He, who warns you to judge righteously, Himself judge
unrighteously?
He "loves judgment, and forsakes not His Saints." But (think) how
the
"life" of the Saints is "hid with Him," in such a manner,
that who now suffer
trouble
on earth, like trees in the winter-time, having no fruit and leaves, when He,
like
a newly-risen sun, shall have appeared, that which before was living in their
root,
will show itself forth in fruits. He does then "love judgment, and does
not
forsake
His Saints."...
9.
"But the unrighteous shall be punished; the seed of the wicked shall be
cut off."
Just
as the "seed of the" other "shall be blessed," so shall the
"seed of the wicked
be
cut off." For the "seed" of the wicked is the works of the
wicked. For again, on
the
other hand, we find the son of the wicked man flourish in the world, and
sometimes
become righteous, and flourish in Christ. Be careful therefore how you
take
it; that you may remove the covering, and make your way to Christ.
Luke
5:19 Do not take the text in a carnal sense; for you will be deceived. But
"the
seed
of the wicked"—all the works of the wicked—"will be cut off:"
they shall
have
no fruit. For they are effective indeed for a short time; afterwards they shall
seek
for them, and shall not find the reward of that which they have wrought. For
it
is the expression of those who lose what they have wrought, that text which
says,
"What has pride profited us, or what good has riches with our vaunting
brought
us? All those things are passed away like a shadow." Wisdom 5:8-9
"The
seed
of the wicked," then, "shall be cut off."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 37
187
10.
"The righteous shall inherit the land" (ver. 29). Here again let not
covetousness
steal
on you, nor promise you some great estate; hope not to find there, what you
are
commanded to despise in this world. That "land" in the text, is a
certain "land
of
the living," the kingdom of the Saints. Whence it is said: "You are
my hope, my
portion
in the land of the living." For if your life too is the same life as that
there
spoken
of, think what sort of "land" you are about to inherit. That is
"the land of
the
living;" this the land of those who are about to die: to receive again,
when
dead,
those whom it nourished when living. Such then as is that land, such shall
the
life itself be also: if the life be for ever, "the land" also is to
be thine "for ever."
And
how is "the land" to be thine "for ever"?
"And
they shall dwell therein" (it says) "for ever." It must
therefore be another
land,
where "they are to dwell therein for ever." For of this land (of this
earth) it is
said,
"Heaven and earth shall pass away." Matthew 24:35
11.
"The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom" (ver. 30). See here is
that
"bread."
Observe with what satisfaction this righteous man feeds upon it; how he
turns
wisdom over and over in his mouth. "And his tongue talks of
judgment."
"The
law of his God is in his heart" (ver. 31). Lest haply you should think him
to
have
that on his lips, which he has not in his heart, lest you should reckon him
among
those of whom it is said, "This people honour Me with their lips, but
their
heart
is far from Me." Isaiah 29:13 And of what use is this to him?
"And
none of his steps shall slide." The "word of God in the heart"
frees from the
snare;
the "word of God in the heart" delivers from the evil way; "the
word of God
in
the heart" delivers from "the slippery place." He is with you,
Whose word
departs
not from you. Now what evil does he suffer, whom God keeps? Thou
settest
a watchman in your vineyard, and feelest secure from thieves; and that
watchman
may sleep, and may himself fall, and may admit a thief. But "He who
keeps
Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." "The law of his God is in
his heart,
and
none of his steps shall slide." Let him therefore live free from fear; let
him live
free
from fear even in the midst of the wicked; free from fear even in the midst of
the
ungodly. For what evil can the ungodly or unrighteous man do to the
righteous?
Lo! see what follows.
"The
wicked watches the righteous, and seeks to slay him" (ver. 32). For he
says,
what
it was foretold in the book of Wisdom that he should say, "He is grievous
unto
us, even to behold; for his life is not like other men's." Wisdom 2:15
Therefore
he "seeks to slay him." What? Doth the Lord, who keeps him, who
dwells
with him, who departs not from his lips, from his heart, does He forsake
him?
What then becomes of what was said before: "And He forsakes not His
Saints"?
12.
"The wicked therefore watches the righteous, and seeks to slay him. But
the
Lord
will not leave him in his hands" (ver. 33). Wherefore then did He leave
the
Martyrs
in the hands of the ungodly? Wherefore did they do unto them
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 37
188
"whatsoever
they would"? Matthew 17:12 Some they slew with the sword; some
they
crucified; some they delivered to the beasts; some they burnt by fire; others
they
led about in chains, till wasted out by a long protracted decay. Assuredly
"the
Lord
forsakes not His Saints." He will not "leave him in his hands."
Lastly,
wherefore
did He leave His own Son in "the hands of the ungodly"? Here also, if
you
would have all the limbs of your inner man made strong, remove the covering
of
the roof, and find your way to the Lord. Hear what another Scripture,
foreseeing
our
Lord's future suffering at the hands of the ungodly, says. What says it?
"The
earth
is given into the hands of the wicked." Job 9:24 What is meant by
"earth"
being
"given into the hands of the ungodly"? The delivering of the flesh
into the
hands
of the persecutors. But God did not leave "His righteous One" there:
from
the
flesh, which was taken captive, He leads forth the soul unconquered....
"The
Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when there shall be
judgment
for him" (ver. 33). Some copies have it, "and when He shall judge
him,
there
shall be judgment for him." "For him," however, means when
sentence is
passed
upon him. For we can express ourselves so as to say to a person, "Judge
for
me,"
i.e. "hear my cause." When therefore God shall begin to hear the
cause of His
righteous
servant, since "we must all" be presented "before the tribunal
of Christ,"
and
stand before it to receive every one "the things he has done in this
body,"
2
Corinthians 5:10 whether good or evil, when therefore he shall have come to
that
Judgment,
He will not condemn him; though he may seem to be condemned in this
present
life by man. Even though the Proconsul may have passed sentence on
Cyprian,
yet the earthly seat of judgment is one thing, the heavenly tribunal is
another.
From the inferior tribunal he receives sentence of death; from the superior
one
a crown, "Nor will He condemn him when there shall be judgment for
him."
13.
"Wait on the Lord" (ver. 34). And while I am waiting upon Him, what
am I to
do?—"and
keep His ways." And if I keep them, what am I to receive? "And He
shall
exalt you to inherit the land." "What land"? Once more let not
any estate
suggest
itself to your mind:—the land of which it is said, "Come, you blessed of
My
Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the
world."
Matthew 25:34 What of those who have troubled us, in the midst of whom
we
have groaned, whose scandals we have patiently endured, for whom, while
they
were raging against us, we have prayed in vain? What will become of them?
What
follows? "When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it."...
"I
have seen the ungodly lifted up on high, and rising above the cedars of
Libanus"
(ver.
35). And suppose him to be "lifted up on high;" suppose him to be
towering
above
the "rest;" what follows?
"I
passed by, and, lo, he was not! I sought him, and his place could nowhere be
found!"
(ver. 36). Why was he "no more, and his place nowhere to be found"?
Because
you have "passed by." But if you are yet carnally-minded, and that
earthly
prosperity
appears to you to be true happiness, you have not yet "passed by"
him;
you
are either his fellow, or you are below him; go on, and pass him; and when
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 37
189
you
have made progress, and hast passed by him, you observe him by the eye of
faith;
you see his end, you say to yourself, "Lo! he who so swelled before, is
not!"
just
as if it were some smoke that thou were passing near to. For this too was said
above
in this very Psalm, "They shall consume and fade away as the
smoke."...
14.
"Keep innocency" (ver. 37); keep it even as you used to keep your
purse, when
thou
were covetous; even as you used to hold fast that purse, that it might not be
snatched
from your grasp by the thief, even so "keep innocency," lest that be
snatched
from your grasp by the devil. Be that your sure inheritance, of which the
rich
and the poor may both be sure. "Keep innocency." What does it profit
you to
gain
gold, and to lose innocence?
"Keep
innocency, and take heed unto the thing which is right." Keep thou your
eyes
"right," that you may see "the thing which is right;" not
perverted, wherewith
you
look upon the wicked; not distorted, so that God should appear to you
distorted
and wrong, in that He favours the wicked, and afflicts the faithful with
persecutions.
Do you not observe how distorted your vision is? Set right your
eyes,
and "behold the thing that is right." What "thing that is
right"? Take no heed
of
things present. And what will you see?
"For
there is a remainder for the man that makes peace." What is meant by
"there
is
a remainder"? When you are dead, you shall not be dead. This is the
meaning of
"there
is a remainder." He will still have something remaining to him, even after
this
life, that is to say, that "seed," which "shall be
blessed." Whence our Lord
says,
"He that believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live;" John
11:25—
"seeing
there is a remainder for the man that makes peace."
15.
"But the transgressors shall be destroyed in the self-same thing"
(ver. 38).
What
is meant by, "in the self-same thing"? It means for ever: or all
together in
one
and the same destruction.
"The
remainder of the wicked shall be cut off." Now there is "(a
remainder) for the
man
that makes peace:" they therefore who are not peace-makers are ungodly.
For,
"Blessed
are the peace-makers: for they shall be called the children of God."
Matthew
5:9
16.
"But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord, and He is their
strength in the
time
of trouble" (ver. 39). "And the Lord shall help them, and deliver
them; He
shall
deliver them from the sinners" (ver. 40). At present therefore let the
righteous
bear
with the sinner; let the wheat bear with the tares; let the grain bear with the
chaff:
for the time of separation will come, and the good seed shall be set apart
from
that which is to be consumed with fire. Matthew 13:30 The one will be
consigned
to the garner, the other to "everlasting burning;" for it was for
this
reason
that the just and the unjust were at the first together; that the one should
lay
a
stumbling-block, that the other should be proved; that afterwards the one
should
be
condemned, the other receive a crown....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 38
190
Exposition
on Psalm 38
A
psalm to David himself, on the remembrance of the Sabbath.
1.
What does this recollection of the Sabbath mean? What is this Sabbath? For it
is
with
groaning that he "calls it to recollection." You have both heard
already when
the
Psalm was read, and you will now hear it when we shall go over it, how great
is
his groaning, his mourning, his tears, his misery. But happy he who is wretched
after
this manner! Whence the Lord also in the Gospel Matthew 5:4 called some
who
mourn blessed. "How should he be blessed if he is a mourner? How blessed,
if
he is miserable?" Nay rather, he would be miserable, if he were not a
mourner.
Such
an one then let us understand here too, calling the Sabbath to remembrance
(viz.),
some mourner or other: and would that we were ourselves that "some one or
other"!
For there is here some person sorrowing, groaning, mourning, calling the
Sabbath
to remembrance. The Sabbath is rest. Doubtless he was in some
disquietude,
who with groaning was calling the Sabbath to remembrance....
2.
"O Lord, rebuke me not in Thine indignation; neither chasten me in Your
hot
displeasure"
(ver. 1). For it will be that some shall be chastened in God's "hot
displeasure,"
and rebuked in His "indignation." And haply not all who are
"rebuked"
will be "chastened;" yet are there some that are to be saved in the
chastening.
So it is to be indeed, because it is called "chastening," but yet it
shall
be
"so as by fire." But there are to be some who will be
"rebuked," and will not be
"corrected."
For he will at all events "rebuke" those to whom He will say, "I
was
an
hungred, and you gave me no meat." Matthew 25:42... "Neither chasten
me in
Your
hot displeasure;" so that You may cleanse me in this life, and make me
such,
that
I may after that stand in no need of the cleansing fire, for those "who
are to be
saved,
yet so as by fire." 1 Corinthians 3:15 Why? Why, but because they
"build
upon
the foundation, wood, stubble, and hay." Now they should build on it,
"gold,
silver,
and precious stones;" 1 Corinthians 3:12 and should have nothing to fear
from
either fire: not only that which is to consume the ungodly for ever, but also
that
which is to purge those who are to escape through the fire. For it is said,
"he
himself
shall be saved, yet so as by fire." And because it is said, "he shall
be
saved,"
that fire is thought lightly of. For all that, though we should be "saved
by
fire,"
yet will that fire be more grievous than anything that man can suffer in this
life
whatsoever....
3.
Now on what ground does this person pray that he may not be "rebuked in
indignation,
nor chastened in hot displeasure"? (He speaks) as if he would say
unto
God, "Since the things which I already suffer are many in number, I pray
You
let
them suffice;" and he begins to enumerate them, by way of satisfying God;
offering
what he suffers now, that he may not have to suffer worse evils hereafter.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 38
191
4.
"For Thine arrows stick fast in me, and Your hand presses me sore"
(ver. 2).
"There
is no soundness in my flesh, from the face of Your anger" (ver. 3). He has
now
begun telling these evils, which he is suffering here: and yet even this
already
was
from the wrath of the Lord, because it was of the vengeance of the Lord.
"Of
what
vengeance?" That which He took upon Adam. For think not that punishment
was
not inflicted upon him, or that God had said to no purpose, "You shall
surely
die;"
Genesis 2:17 or that we suffer anything in this life, except from that death
which
we earned by the original sin.... Whence then do His "arrows stick fast
in"
him?
The very punishment, the very vengeance, and haply the pains both of mind
and
of body, which it is necessary for us to suffer here, these he describes by
these
self-same
"arrows." For of these arrows holy Job also made mention, Job 6:4 and
said
that the arrows of the Lord stuck fast in him, while he was labouring under
those
pains. We are used, however, to call God's words also arrows; but could he
grieve
that he should be struck by these? The words of God are arrows, as it were,
that
inflame love, not pain .... We may then understand the "arrows sticking
fast,"
thus:
Your words are fixed fast in my heart; and by those words themselves is it
come
to pass, that I "called the Sabbath to remembrance:" and that very
remembrance
of the Sabbath, and the non-possession of it at present, prevents me
from
rejoicing at present; and causes me to acknowledge that there "is neither
health
in my very flesh," neither ought it to be so called when I compare this
sort
of
soundness to that soundness which I am to possess in the everlasting rest;
where
"this
corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on
immortality,"
1 Corinthians 15:53 and see that in comparison with that soundness
this
present kind is but sickness.
5.
"Neither is there any rest in my bones, from the face of my sin." It
is commonly
enquired,
of what person this is the speech; and some understand it to be Christ's,
on
account of some things which are here said of the Passion of Christ; to which
we
shall shortly come; and which we ourselves shall acknowledge to be spoken of
His
Passion. But how could He who had no sin, say, "There is no rest in my
bones,
from
the face of my sin."...For if we were to say that they are not the words
of
Christ,
those words, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" will also
not
be the words of Christ. For there too you have, "My God, My God, why have
You
forsaken Me?" "The words of mine offences are far from my
health." Just as
here
you have, "from the face of my sins," so there also you have,
"the words of
my
offences." And if Christ is, for all that, without "sin," and
without "offences,"
we
begin to think those words in the Psalm also not to be His. And it is
exceedingly
harsh and inconsistent that that Psalm should not relate to Christ,
where
we have His Passion as clearly laid open as if it were being read to us out of
the
Gospel. For there we have, "They parted My garments among them, and cast
lots
upon My vesture." Why should I mention that the first verse of that Psalm
was
pronounced
by the Lord Himself while hanging on the Cross, with His own
mouth,
saying, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" What did He
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 38
192
mean
to be inferred from it, but that the whole of that Psalm relates to Him, seeing
He
Himself, the Head of His Body, pronounced it in His own Person? Now when
it
goes on to say, "the words of mine offences," it is beyond a doubt
that they are
the
words of Christ. Whence then come "the sins," but from the Body,
which is the
Church?
Because both the Head and the Body of Christ are speaking. Why do they
speak
as if one person only? Because "they twain," as He has said,
"shall be one
flesh."
Genesis 2:24 "This" (says the Apostle) "is a great mystery; but
I speak
concerning
Christ and the Church."...For why should He not say, "my sins,"
who
said,
"I was an hungred, and you gave Me no meat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me
no
drink; I was a stranger, and you took Me not in. I was sick and in prison, and
you
visited Me not." Matthew 25:42-43 Assuredly the Lord was not in prison.
Why
should He not say this, to whom when it was said, "When saw we You a
hungred,
and thirsty, or in prison; and did not minister unto You?" He replied,
that
He
spoke thus in the person of His Body. "Inasmuch as you did it not unto one
of
the
least of Mine, you did it not unto Me." Matthew 25:44-45 Why should He not
say,
"from the face of my sins," who said to Saul, "Saul, Saul, why
do you
persecute
Me," Acts 9:4 who, however, being in Heaven, now suffered from no
persecutors?
But just as, in that passage, the Head spoke for the Body, so here too
the
Head speaks the words of the Body; while you hear at the same time the
accents
of the Head Itself also. Yet do not either, when you hear the voice of the
Body,
separate the Head from it; nor the Body, when you hear the voice of the
Head:
because "they are no more twain, but one flesh." Matthew 19:6
6.
"There is no soundness in my flesh from the face of your anger." But
perhaps
God
is unjustly angry with you, O Adam; unjustly angry with you, O son of man;
because
now brought to acknowledge that your punishment, now that you are a
man
that has been placed in Christ's Body, you have said, "There is no
soundness
in
my flesh from the face of Your anger." Declare the justice of God's anger:
lest
you
should seem to be excusing yourself, and accusing Him. Go on to tell whence
the
"anger" of the Lord proceeds. "There is no soundness in my flesh
from the face
of
Your anger; neither is there any rest in my bones." He repeats what he
said
before,
"There is no soundness in my flesh;" for, "There is no rest in
my bones," is
equivalent
to this. He does not however repeat "from the face of Your anger;"
but
states
the cause of the anger of God. "There is no rest in my bones from the face
of
my
sins."
7.
"For mine iniquities have lifted up my head; and are like a heavy burden
too
heavy
for me to bear" (ver. 4). Here too he has placed the cause first, and the
effect
afterwards.
What consequence followed, and from what cause, he has told us.
"Mine
iniquities have lift up mine head." For no one is proud but the
unrighteous
man,
whose head is lifted up. He is "lifted up," whose "head is
lifted up on high"
against
God. You heard when the lesson of the Book of Ecclesiasticus was read:
"The
beginning of pride is when a man departs from God." He who was the first
to
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 38
193
refuse
to listen to the Commandment, "his head iniquity lifted up" against
God.
And
because his iniquities have lifted up his head, what has God done unto him?
They
are "like a heavy burden, too heavy for me to bear"! It is the part
of levity to
lift
up the head, just as if he who lifts up his head had nothing to carry. Since
therefore
that which admits of being lifted up is light, it receives a weight by
which
it may be weighed down. For "his mischief returns upon his own head, and
his
violent dealing comes down upon his own pate." "They are like a heavy
burden,
too heavy for me to bear."
8.
"My wounds stink and are corrupt" (ver. 5). Now he who has wounds is
not
perfectly
sound. Add to this, that the wounds "stink and are corrupt."
Wherefore
do
they "stink"? Because they are "corrupt:" now in what way
this is explained in
reference
to human life, who does not understand? Let a man but have his soul's
sense
of smelling sound, he perceives how foully sins stink. The contrary to which
stink
of sin, is that savour of which the Apostle says, "We are the sweet savour
of
Christ
unto God, in every place, unto them which be saved." 2 Corinthians 2:15
But
whence is this, except from hope? Whence is this, but from our "calling
the
Sabbath
to remembrance"? For it is a different thing that we mourn over in this
life,
from that which we anticipate in the other. That which we mourn over is
stench,
that which we reckon upon is fragrance. Were there not therefore such a
perfume
as that to invite us, we should never call the Sabbath to remembrance. But
since,
by the Spirit, we have such a perfume, as to say to our Betrothed,
"Because
of
the savour of Your good ointments we will run after You;" Song of Songs
1:3-4
we
turn our senses away from our own unsavourinesses, and turning ourselves to
Him,
we gain some little breathing-time. But indeed, unless our evil deeds also did
smell
rank in our nostrils, we should never confess with those groans, "My
wounds
stink and are corrupt." And wherefore? "from the face of my
foolishness."
From
the same cause that he said before, "from the face of my sins;" from
that
same
cause he now says, "from the face of my foolishness."
9.
"I am troubled, I am bowed down even unto the end" (ver. 6).
Wherefore was he
"bowed
down"? Because he had been "lifted up." If you are "humble,
you shall be
exalted;"
if you exalt yourself, you shall be "bowed down;" for God will be at
no
loss
to find a weight wherewith to bow you down .... Let him groan on these
things;
that he may receive the other; let him "call the Sabbath to
remembrance,"
that
he may deserve to arrive at it. For that which the Jews used to celebrate was
but
a sign. Of what thing was it the sign? Of that which he calls to remembrance,
who
says, "I am troubled, and am bowed down even unto the end." What is
meant
by
even "unto the end"? Even to death.
"I
go mourning all the day long." "All day long," that is,
"without intermission."
By
"all the day long," he means, "all my life long." But from
what time has he
known
it? From the time that he began to "call the Sabbath to remembrance."
For
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 38
194
so
long as he "calls to remembrance" what he no longer possesses, would
you not
have
him "go mourning"? "All the day long have I gone mourning."
10.
"For my soul is filled with illusions, and there is no soundness in my
flesh"
(ver.
7). Where there is the whole man, there there is soul and flesh both. The
"soul
is filled with illusions;" the flesh has "no soundness." What
does there
remain
that can give joy? Is it not meet that one should "go mourning"?
"All the
day
long have I gone mourning." Let mourning be our portion, until our soul be
divested
of its illusions; and our body be clothed with soundness. For true
soundness
is no other than immortality. How great however are the soul's illusions,
were
I even to attempt to express, when would the time suffice me? For whose
soul
is not subject to them? There is a brief particular that I will remind you of,
to
show
how our soul is filled with illusions. The presence of those illusions
sometimes
scarcely permits us to pray. We know not how to think of material
objects
without images, and such as we do not wish, rush in upon the mind; and
we
wish to go from this one to that, and to quit that for another. And sometimes
you
wish to return to that which you were thinking of before, and to quit that
which
you are now thinking of; and a fresh one presents itself to you; you wish to
call
up again what you had forgotten; and it does not occur to you; and another
comes
instead which you would not have wished for. Where meanwhile was the
one
that you had forgotten? For why did it afterwards occur to you, when it had
ceased
to be sought after; whereas, while it was being sought for, innumerable
others,
which were not desired, presented themselves instead of it? I have stated a
fact
briefly; I have thrown out a kind of hint or suggestion to you, brethren,
taking
up
which, you may yourselves suggest the rest to yourselves, and discover what it
is
to mourn over the "illusions" of our "soul." He has
received therefore the
punishment
of illusion; he has forfeited Truth. For just as illusion is the soul's
punishment,
so is Truth its reward. But when we were set in the midst of these
illusions,
the Truth Itself came to us, and found us overwhelmed by illusions, took
upon
Itself our flesh, or rather took flesh from us; that is, from the human race.
He
manifested
himself to the eyes of the Flesh, that He might "by faith" heal those
to
whom
He was going to reveal the Truth hereafter, that Truth might be manifested
to
the now healed eye. For He is Himself "the Truth," John 14:6 which He
promised
unto us at that time, when His Flesh was to be seen by the eye, that the
foundation
might be laid of that Faith, of which the Truth was to be the reward.
For
it was not Himself that Christ showed forth on earth; but it was His Flesh that
He
showed. For had He showed Himself, the Jews would have seen and known
Him;
but had they "known Him, they would never have crucified the Lord of
Glory."
1 Corinthians 2:10 But perhaps His disciples saw Him, when they said
unto
Him, "Show us the Father, and it suffices us;" John 14:8 and He, to
show that
it
was not Himself that had been seen by them, added: "Have I been so long
with
you,
and have ye not known Me, Philip? He that sees Me, sees the Father also."
John
14:9 If then they saw Christ, wherefore did they yet seek for the Father? For
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 38
195
if
it were Christ whom they saw, they would have seen the Father also. They did
not
therefore yet see Christ, who desired that the Father should be shown unto
them.
To prove that they did not yet see Him, hear that, in another place, He
promised
it by way of reward, saying, "He who loves Me, keeps My
commandments;
and whoso loves Me, shall be loved of My Father; and I will love
Him
and" (as if it were said to Him, "what will You give unto him, as
Thou lovest
him?"
He says), "I will manifest Myself unto him." John 14:21 If then He
promises
this by way of a reward unto them that love Him, it is manifest that the
vision
of the Truth, promised to us, is of such a nature, that, when we have seen it,
we
shall no longer say, "My soul is filled with illusions."
11.
"I am become feeble, and am bowed down greatly" (ver. 8). He who
calls to
mind
the transcendent height of the Sabbath, sees how "greatly" he is
himself
"bowed
down." For he who cannot conceive what is that height of rest, sees not
where
he is at present. Therefore another Psalm has said, "I said in my trance,
I am
cast
out of the sight of Your eyes." For his mind being taken up thither, he
beheld
something
sublime; and was not yet entirely there, where what he beheld was; and
a
kind of flash, as it were, if one may so speak, of the Eternal Light having
glanced
upon
him, when he perceived that he was not yet arrived at this, which he was able
after
a sort to understand, he saw where he himself was, and how he was cramped
and
"bowed down" by human infirmities. And he says, "I said in my
trance, I am
cast
out of the sight of Your eyes." Such is that certain something which I saw
in
my
trance, that thence I perceive how far off I am, who am not already there. He
was
already there who said that he was "caught up into the third Heaven, and
there
heard
unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter." But he was
recalled
to us, in order that, as requiring to be made perfect, he might first mourn
his
infirmity, and afterwards be clothed with might. Yet encouraged for the
ministration
of his office by having seen somewhat of those things, he goes on
saying,
"I heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to
utter."
2
Corinthians 12:4 Now then what use is it for you to ask, either of me or of any
one,
the "things which it is not lawful for man to utter." If it was not
lawful for
him
to utter them, to whom is it lawful to hear them? Let us however lament and
groan
in Confession; let us own where we are; let us "call the Sabbath to
remembrance,"
and wait with patience for what He has promised, who has, in His
own
Person also, showed forth an example of patience to us. "I am become
feeble,
and
bowed down greatly."
12.
"I have roared with the groaning of my heart." You observe the
servants of
God
generally interceding with groaning; and the reason of it is asked, and there
is
nothing
apparent, but the groaning of some servant of God, if indeed it does find
its
way at all to the ears of a person placed near him. For there is a secret
groaning,
which
is not heard by man: yet if the thought of some strong desire has taken so
strong
hold of the heart, that the wound of the inner man finds expression in some
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 38
196
uttered
exclamation, the reason of it is asked; and a man says to himself,
"Perhaps
this
is the cause of his groaning;" and, "Perhaps this or that has
befallen him."
Who
can determine, but He in whose Eyes and Ears he groaned? Therefore he
says,
"I roared with the groaning of mine heart;" because if men ever hear
a man's
groanings,
they for the most part hear but the groaning of the flesh; they do not
hear
him who groans "with the groaning of his heart." Some one has carried
off his
goods;
he "roars," but not "with the groaning of his heart:"
another because he has
buried
his son, another his wife; another because his vineyard has been injured by
a
hailstorm; another because his cask has turned sour; another because some one
has
stolen his beast; another because he has suffered some loss; another because
he
fears some man who is his enemy: all these "roar" with the
"groaning of the
flesh."
The servant of God, however, because he "roars" from the recollection
of
the
Sabbath, where the Kingdom of God is, which flesh and blood shall not
possess,
says, "I have roared with the groaning of my heart."
13.
And who observed and noticed the cause of his groaning? "All my desire is
before
You" (ver. 9). For it is not before men who cannot see the heart, but it
is
before
You that all my desire is open! Let your desire be before Him; and "the
Father,
who sees in secret, shall reward you." Matthew 6:6 For it is your heart's
desire
that is your prayer; and if your desire continues uninterrupted, your prayer
continues
also. For not without a meaning did the Apostle say, "Pray without
ceasing."
Are we to be "without ceasing" bending the knee, prostrating the
body,
or
lifting up our hands, that he says, "Pray without ceasing"? Or if it
is in this
sense
that we say that we "pray," this, I believe, we cannot do
"without ceasing."
There
is another inward kind of prayer without ceasing, which is the desire of the
heart.
Whatever else you are doing, if you do but long for that Sabbath, you do not
cease
to pray. If you would never cease to pray, never cease to long after it. The
continuance
of your longing is the continuance of your prayer. You will be ceasing
to
speak, if you cease to long for it. Who are those who have ceased to speak?
They
of whom it is said, "Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall
wax
cold." Matthew 24:12 The freezing of charity is the silence of the heart;
the
burning
of charity is the cry of the heart. If love continues still you are still lifting
up
your voice; if you are always lifting up your voice, you are always longing
after
something;
if always longing for something absent, you are calling "the Sabbath
rest
to remembrance." And it is important you should understand too before whom
the
"roaring of your heart" is open. Now then consider what sort of
desires those
should
be, that are before the eyes of God. Should it be the desire for the death of
our
enemy? a thing which men flatter themselves they lawfully wish for? For
sometimes
we pray for what we ought not. Let us consider what they flatter
themselves
they pray for lawfully! For they pray that some person may die, and
his
inheritance come to them. But let those too, who pray for the death of their
enemies,
hear the Lord saying, "Pray for your enemies." Matthew 5:44 Let them
not
pray for this, that their enemies may die; but rather pray for this, that they
may
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 38
197
be
reclaimed; then will their enemies be dead; for from the time that they are
reclaimed,
henceforth they will be enemies no longer. "And all my desire is before
You."
What if we suppose that our desire is before Him, and that yet that very
"groaning"
is not before Him? How can that be, since our desire itself finds its
expression
in "groaning"? Therefore follows, "And my groaning is not hid
from
You."
From
You indeed it is not hid; but from many men it is hid. The servant of God
sometimes
seems to be saying in humility, "And my groaning is not hid from
You."
Sometimes also he seems to smile. Is then that longing dead in his heart? If
however
there is the desire within, there is the "groaning" also. It does not
always
find
its way to the ears of man; but it never ceases to sound in the ears of God.
14.
"My heart is troubled" (ver. 10). Wherefore is it troubled? "And
my courage
has
failed me." Generally something comes upon us on a sudden; the "heart
is
troubled;"
the earth quakes; thunder is sent from Heaven; a formidable attack is
made
upon us, or a horrible sound heard. Perhaps a lion is seen on the road; the
"heart
is troubled." Perhaps robbers lie in wait for us; the "heart is
troubled:" we
are
filled with a panic fear; from every quarter something excites anxiety.
Wherefore?
Because "my courage has failed me." For what would be feared, did
that
courage still remain unmoved? Whatever bad tidings were brought, whatever
threatened
us, whatever sound was heard, whatever were to fall, whatever
appeared
horrible, would inspire no terror. But whence that trouble? "My courage
fails
me." Wherefore has my courage failed me? "The light of my eyes also
is
gone
from me." Thus Adam also could not see "the light of his eyes."
For the
"light
of his eyes" was God Himself, whom when he had offended, he fled to the
shade,
and hid himself among the trees of Paradise. Genesis 3:8 He shrunk in
alarm
from the face of God: and sought the shelter of the trees; thenceforth among
the
trees he had no more "the light of his eyes," at which he had been
wont to
rejoice....
15.
"My lovers;" why should I henceforth speak of my enemies? "My
lovers and
my
neighbours drew nigh, and stood over against me" (ver. 11). Understand
this
that
he says, "Stood over against me." For if they stood over against me,
they fell
against
themselves. "My lovers and my neighbours drew nigh and stood over
against
me." Let us now recognise the words of the Head speaking; now let our
Head
in His Passion begin to dawn upon us. Yet again when the Head begins to
speak,
do not sever the Body from it. If the Head would not separate itself from
the
words of the Body, should the Body dare to separate itself from the sufferings
of
the Head? Do thou suffer in Christ's suffering: for Christ, as it were, sinned
in
your
infirmity. For just now He spoke of your sins, as if speaking in His own
Person,
and called them His own.... To those who wished to be near His exaltation,
yet
thought not of His humility, He answered and said to them, "Can ye drink
of
the
cup that I shall drink of?" Matthew 20:22 Those sufferings of the Lord
then are
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 38
198
our
sufferings also: and were each individual to serve God well, to keep faith
truly,
to
render to each their dues, and to conduct himself honestly among men, I should
like
to see if he does not suffer even that which Christ here details in the account
of
His Passion. "My lovers and my neighbours drew nigh, and stood over
against
me."
16.
"And my neighbours stood afar off." Who were the
"neighbours" that drew
nigh,
and who were those who stood afar off? The Jews were "neighbours"
because
"near kinsmen," they drew near even when they crucified Him: the
Apostles
also were His "neighbours;" and they also "stood afar off,"
that they
might
not have to suffer with Him. This may also be understood thus: "My
friends,"
that is, those who feigned themselves "My friends:" for they feigned
themselves
His friends, when they said, "We know that Thou teachest the way of
God
in truth;" Matthew 22:16 when they wished to try Him, whether tribute
ought
to
be paid to Cćsar; when He convinced them out of their own mouth, they wished
to
seem to be His friends. "But He needed not that any should testify of man,
for
He
Himself knew what was in man;" John 2:25 so that when they spoke unto Him
words
of friendship, He answered them, "Why do you tempt Me, you
hypocrites?"
Matthew
22:18 "My friends and my neighbours" then "drew near and stood
over
against
me, and my neighbours stood afar off." You understand what I said. I
called
those neighbours who "drew nigh," and at the same time "stood
afar off."
For
they "drew nigh" in the body, but "stood afar off" in their
heart. Who were in
the
body so near to Him as those who lifted Him on the Cross? Who in heart so as
those
who blasphemed Him? Hear this sort of distance described by the Prophet
Isaiah;
observe this nearness and distance at one and the same time. "This people
honours
Me with their lips:" behold, with their body they draw near; "but
their
heart
is far from Me." Isaiah 29:13 The same persons are at the same time
"near"
and
"afar off" also: with their lips they are near, in heart afar off.
However,
because
the Apostles also stood afar off, through fear, we understand it more
simply
and properly of them; so that we mean by it, that some drew near, and
others
stood afar off; since even Peter, who had followed more boldly than the
rest,
was still so far off, that being questioned and alarmed, he thrice denied the
Lord,
with whom he had promised to "be ready to die." Who afterwards that,
from
being
afar off, he might be made to draw nigh, heard after the resurrection the
question,
"Lovest thou Me?" and said, "I love You;" John 21:15 and by
so saying
was
brought "nigh," even as by denying Him, he had become "far
off;" till with the
threefold
confession of love, he had put away from him his threefold denial. "And
my
neighbours stood afar off."
17.
"They also that sought after my soul were preparing violence against
me" (ver.
12).
It is now plain who "sought after His soul;" viz. those who had not
His soul,
in
that they were not in His Body. They who were "seeking after His
soul," were
far
removed from His soul; but they were "seeking it" to destroy it. For
His soul
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 38
199
may
be "sought after" in a right way also. For in another passage He
finds fault
with
some persons, saying, "There is no man to care for My soul." He finds
fault
with
some for not seeking after His soul; and again, with others for seeking after
it.
Who is he that seeks after His soul in the right way? He who imitates His
sufferings.
Who are they that sought after His soul in the wrong way? Even those
who
"prepared violence against Him," and crucified Him.
18.
He goes on: "Those who sought after My faults had spoken vanity."
What is,
"sought
after My faults"? They sought after many things, and found them not.
Perhaps
He may have meant this: "They sought for criminal charges against
me."
For
they sought for somewhat to say against Him, and "they found not."
Matthew
26:60 For they were seeking to find evil things to say of "the Good;"
crimes
of the Innocent; When would they find such things in Him, who had no
sin?
But because they had to seek for sins in Him who had no sin, it remained for
them
to invent that which they could not find. Therefore, "those who sought
after
My
faults have spoken vanity," i.e., untruth, "and imagined deceit all
the day
long;"
that is, they meditated treachery without intermission. You know how
atrocious
false-witness was borne against the Lord, before He suffered. You know
how
atrocious false-witness was borne against Him, even after His resurrection.
For
those soldiers who watched His sepulchre of whom Isaiah spoke, "I will
appoint
the wicked for His burial" (for they were wicked men, and would not
speak
the truth, and being bribed they disseminated a lie), consider what
"vanity"
they
spoke. They also were examined, and they said, "While we slept, His
disciples
came and stole Him away." Matthew 28:13 This it is, "to speak
vanity."
For
if they were sleeping, how could they know what had been done?
19.
He says then, "But I as a deaf man heard not" (ver. 13). He who
replied not to
what
He heard, did, as it were, not hear them. "But I as a deaf man heard not.
And
I
was as a dumb man that opens not his mouth." And he repeats the same
things
again.
"And
I became as a man that hears not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs"
(ver.
14).
As if He had nothing to say unto them, as if He had nothing wherewith to
reproach
them. Had He not already reproached them for many things? Had He not
said
many things, and also said, "Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees,"
Matthew
23:13 and many things besides? Yet when He suffered, He said none of
these
things; not that He had not what to say, but He waited for them to fulfil all
things,
and that all the prophecies might be fulfilled of Him, of whom it had been
said,
"And as a sheep before her shearer is dumb, so opens He not His
mouth."
Isaiah
53:7 It behoved Him to be silent in His Passion, though not hereafter to be
silent
in Judgment. For He had come to be judged, then, who was hereafter
coming
to judge; and who was for this reason to come with great power to judge,
that
He had been judged in great humility.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 38
200
20.
"For in You, O Lord, do I hope; You will hear, O Lord, my God" (ver.
15). As
if
it were said to Him, "Why did you not open your mouth? Why did You not
say,
'Refrain'?
Why did You not rebuke the unrighteous, while hanging on the Cross?"
He
goes on and says, "For in You, O Lord, do I hope; Thou, O Lord my God,
wilt
hear."
He warns you what to do, should tribulation haply befall. For you seek to
defend
yourself, and perhaps your defence is not listened to by any one. Then are
you
confounded, as if you had lost your cause; because you have none to defend or
to
bear testimony in your favour. "Keep" but your "innocence"
within, where no
one
can pervert your cause. False-witness has prevailed against you before men.
Will
it then prevail before God, where your cause has to be pleaded? When God
shall
be Judge, there shall be no other witness than your own conscience. In the
presence
of a just judge, and of your own conscience, fear nothing but your own
cause.
If you have not a bad cause, you will have no accuser to dread; no false-
witness
to confute, nor witness to the truth to look for. Do but bring into court a
good
conscience, that you may say, "For in You, O Lord, do I hope; Thou, O Lord
my
God, wilt hear."
21.
"For I said, Let not mine enemies ever rejoice over me. And when my feet
slip,
they
magnify themselves against me" (ver. 16). Again He returns to the
infirmity
of
His Body: and again the Head takes heed of Its "feet." The Head is
not in such a
manner
in Heaven, as to forsake what It has on earth; He evidently sees and
observes
us. For sometimes, as is the way of this life, our feet are "turned aside,"
and
they slip by falling into some sin; there the tongues of the enemy rise up with
the
bitterest malignity. From this then we discern what they really had in view,
even
while they kept silence. Then they speak with an unsparing harshness;
rejoicing
to have discovered what they ought to have grieved for. "And I said, Lest
at
any time my adversaries should rejoice over me." I said this indeed; and
yet it
was
perhaps for my correction that You have caused them to "magnify themselves
against
me, when my feet slipped;" that is to say, when I stumbled, they were
elated,
and said many things. For pity, not insult, was due from them to the weak;
even
as the Apostle speaks: "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you
which
are
spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness;" and he combines
the
reason
why: "considering yourself also, lest you also be tempted." Galatians
6:1
Not
such as these were the persons of whom He speaks: "And when my feet
slipped,
they rejoiced greatly against me;" but they were such as those of whom
He
says elsewhere: "They that hate me will rejoice if I fall."
22.
"For I am prepared for the scourges" (ver. 17). Quite a magnificent
expression;
as
if He were saying, "It was even for this that I was born; that I might
suffer." For
He
was not to be born, but from Adam, to whom the scourge is due. But sinners
are
in this life sometimes not scourged at all, or are scourged less than their
deserts:
because the wickedness of their heart is given over as already desperate.
Those,
however, for whom eternal life is prepared, must needs be scourged in this
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 38 201
life:
for that sentence is true: "My son, faint not under the chastening of the
Lord,
neither
be weary when you are rebuked of Him." Proverbs 3:11 "For whom the
Lord
loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives."
Hebrews
12:6 Let not mine enemies therefore insult over me; let "them not
magnify
themselves;" and if my Father scourges me, "I am prepared for the
scourge;"
because there is an inheritance in store for me. You will not submit to
the
scourge: the inheritance is not bestowed upon you. For "every son"
must needs
be
scourged. So true it is that "every son" is scourged, that He spared
not even
Him
who had no sin. For "I am prepared for the scourges."
23.
"And my sorrow is continually before me." What "sorrow" is
that? Perhaps, a
sorrow
for my scourge. And, in good truth, my brethren, in good truth, let me say
unto
you, men do mourn for their scourges, not for the causes on account of which
they
are scourged. Not such was the person here. Listen, my brethren: If any
person
suffers any loss, he is more ready to say, "I did not deserve to suffer
it,"
than
to consider why he suffered it, mourning the loss of money, not mourning
over
that of righteousness. If you have sinned, mourn for the loss of your inward
treasure.
You have nothing in your house, but perhaps you are still more empty in
heart;
but if your heart is full of its Good, even your God, why do you not say,
"The
Lord gave, the Lord has taken away; as it pleased the Lord was it done.
Blessed
be the Name of the Lord." Job 1:21 Whence then was it that He was
grieving?
Was it for the "scourging" wherewith He was scourged? God forbid.
"And
my sorrow" (says He) "is continually before me." And as if we
were to say,
"What
sorrow? whence comes that sorrow?" he says: "For I declare mine
iniquity;
and
I will have a care for my sin" (ver. 18). See here the reason for the
sorrow! It
is
not a sorrow occasioned by the scourge; not one for the remedy, not for the
wound.
For the scourge is a remedy against sins. Hear, brethren; We are
Christians,
and yet if any one's son dies, he mourns for him but does not mourn for
him
if he sins. It is then, when he sees him sinning, that he ought to make
mourning
for him, to lament over him. It is then he should restrain him, and give
him
a rule to live by; should impose a discipline upon him: or if he has done so,
and
the other has not taken heed, then was the time when he ought to have been
mourned
over; then he was more fatally dead while living in luxury, than when, by
death,
he brought his luxury to its close: at that time, when he was doing such
things
in your house, he was not only "dead, but he stank also." John 11:39
These
things
were worthy to be lamented, the others were such as might well be endured;
those,
I say, were tolerable, these worthy to be mourned over. They were to be
mourned
over in the same way that you have heard this person mourn over them:
"For
I declare mine iniquity. I will have a care for my sin." Be not free from
anxiety
when you have confessed your sin, as if always able to confess your sin,
and
to commit it again. Do thou "declare your iniquity in such a manner, as to
have
a care for your sin." What is meant by "having a care of your
sin"? To have a
care
of your wound. If you were to say, "I will have a care of my wound,"
what
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 38
202
would
be meant by it, but I will do my endeavour to have it healed. For this is
"to
have
a care for one's sin," to be ever struggling, ever endeavouring, ever
exerting
one's
self, earnestly and zealously, to heal one's wound. Behold! you are from day
to
day mourning over your sins; but perhaps your tears indeed flow, but your
hands
are unemployed. Do alms, redeem your sins, let the poor rejoice of your
bounty,
that you also may rejoice of the Grace of God. He is in want; so are you in
want
also: he is in want at your hands; so are you also in want at God's hand. Do
you
despise one who needs your aid; and shall God not despise you when you
need
His? Do thou therefore supply the needs of him who is in want of your aid;
that
God may supply your needs within. This is the meaning of, "I will have a
care
for
my sin." I will do all that ought to be done, to blot out and to heal my
sin. "And
I
will have a care for my sin."
24.
"But mine enemies live" (ver. 19). They are well off: they rejoice in
worldly
prosperity,
while I am suffering, and "roaring with the groaning of my heart." In
what
way do His enemies "live," in that He has said of them already, that
they
have
"spoken vanity"? Hear in another Psalm also: "Whose sons are as
young
plants;
firmly rooted." But above He had said, "Whose mouth speaks vanity.
Their
daughters
polished after the similitude of a temple: their garners full bursting forth
more
and more; their cattle fat, their sheep fruitful, multiplying in their streets;
no
hedge
falling into ruin; no cry in their streets." "Mine enemies" then
"live." This is
their
life; this life they praise; this they set their hearts upon: this they hold
fast to
their
own ruin. For what follows? They pronounce "the people that is in such a
case"
blessed. But what do you say, who "hast a care for your sin"? What do
you
say,
who "confessest your iniquity"? He says, "Blessed is the people
whose God is
the
Lord."
"But
mine enemies live, and are strengthened against me, and they that hate me
wrongfully
are multiplied." What is "hate me wrongfully"? They hate me, who
wish
their good, whereas were they simply requiting evil for evil, they would not
be
righteous; were they not to requite with good the good done to them, they
would
be ungrateful: they, however, who "hate wrongfully," actually return
evil
for
good. Such were the Jews; Christ came unto them with good things; they
requited
Him evil for good. Beware, brethren, of this evil; it soon steals upon us.
Let
no one of you think himself to be far removed from the danger, because we
said,
"Such were the Jews." Should a brother, wishing your good, rebuke
you, and
you
hate him, you are like them. And observe, how easily, how soon it is
produced;
and avoid an evil so great, a sin so easily committed.
25.
"They also that render evil for good, were speaking evil of me, because I
have
pursued
the thing that is just" (ver. 20). Therefore was it that I was requited
evil
for
good. What is meant by "pursued after the thing that is just"? Not
forsaken it.
That
you might not always understand persecutio in a bad sense, He means by
persecutus
pursued after, thoroughly followed. "Because I have followed the thing
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 38
203
that
is just." Hear also our Head crying with a lamentable voice in His
Passion:
"And
they cast Me forth, Your Darling, even as a dead man in abomination." Was
it
not enough that He was "dead"? wherefore "in abomination"
also? Because He
was
crucified. For this death of the Cross was a great abomination in their eyes,
as
they
did not perceive that it was spoken in prophecy, "Cursed is every one that
hangs
on a tree." Deuteronomy 21:23 For He did not Himself bring death; but He
found
it here, propagated from the curse of the first man; and this same death of
ours,
which had originated in sin, He had taken upon Himself, and hung on the
Tree.
Lest therefore some persons should think (as some of the Heretics think),
that
our Lord Jesus Christ had only a false body of flesh; and that the death by
which
He made satisfaction on the Cross was not a real death, the Prophet notices
this,
and says, "Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree." He shows then
that the
Son
of God died a true death, the death which was due to mortal flesh: lest if He
were
not "accursed," you should think that He had not truly died. But
since that
death
was not an illusion, but had descended from that original stock, which had
been
derived from the curse, when He said, "You shall surely die:" Genesis
2:17
and
since a true death assuredly extended even to Him, that a true life might
extend
itself to us, the curse of death also did extend to Him, that the blessing of
life
might extend even unto us. "And they cast Me forth, Your Darling, even as
a
dead
man in abomination."
26.
"Forsake me not, O Lord; O my God, depart not from me" (ver. 21). Let
us
speak
in Him, let us speak through Him (for He Himself intercedes for us), and let
us
say, "Forsake me not, O Lord my God." And yet He had said, "My
God! My
God!
why have You forsaken Me?" Matthew 27:46 and He now says, "O My God,
depart
not from Me." If He does not forsake the body, did He forsake the Head?
Whose
words then are these but the First Man's? To show then that He carried
about
Him a true body of flesh derived from him, He says, "My God, My God
why
have You forsaken Me?" God had not forsaken Him. If He does not forsake
You,
who believest in Him, could the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, One
God,
forsake Christ? But He had transferred to Himself the person of the First
Man.
We know by the words of an Apostle, that "our old man is crucified with
Him."
Romans 6:6 We should not, however, be divested of our old nature, had He
not
been crucified "in weakness." For it was to this end that He came
that we may
be
renewed in Him, because it is by aspiration after Him, and by following the
example
of His suffering, that we are renewed. Therefore that was the cry of
infirmity;
that cry, I mean, in which it was said, "Why have You forsaken Me?"
Thence
was it said in that passage above, "the words of mine offences." As
if He
were
saying, These words are transferred to My Person from that of the sinner.
27.
"Depart not from me. Make haste to help me, Lord of my salvation"
(ver. 22).
This
is that very "salvation," Brethren, concerning which, as the Apostle
Peter
says,
"Prophets have enquired diligently," 1 Peter 1:10 and though they
have
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 38 204
enquired
diligently, yet have not found it. But they searched into it, and foretold of
it;
while we have come and have found what they sought for. And see, we
ourselves
too have not as yet received it; and after us shall others also be born, and
shall
find, what they also shall not receive, and shall pass away, that we may, all
of
us
together, receive the "penny of salvation in the end of the day,"
with the
Prophets,
the Patriarchs, and the Apostles. For you know that the hired servants, or
labourers,
were taken into the vineyard at different times; yet did they all receive
their
wages on an equal footing. Matthew 20:9 Apostles, then, and Prophets, and
Martyrs,
and ourselves also, and those who will follow us to the end of the world,
it
is in the End itself that we are to receive everlasting salvation; that
beholding the
face
of God, and contemplating His Glory, we may praise Him for ever, free from
imperfection,
free from any punishment of iniquity, free from every perversion of
sin:
praising Him; and no longer longing after Him, but now clinging to Him for
whom
we used to long to the very end, and in whom we did rejoice, in hope. For
we
shall be in that City, where God is our Bliss, God is our Light, God is our
Bread,
God is our Life; whatever good thing of ours there is, at being absent from
which
we now grieve, we shall find in Him. In Him will be that "rest,"
which
when
we "call to remembrance" now, we cannot choose but grieve. For that
is the
"Sabbath"
which we "call to remembrance;" in the recollection of which, so
great
things
have been said already; and so great things ought to be said by us also, and
ought
never to cease being said by us, not with our lips indeed, but in our heart:
for
therefore do our lips cease to speak, that we may cry out with our hearts.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 39 205
Exposition
on Psalm 39
1.
The title of this Psalm, which we have just chanted and proposed to discuss,
is,
"On
the end, for Idithun, a Psalm for David himself." Here then we must look
for,
and
must attend to, the words of a certain person who is called Idithun; and if
each
one
of ourselves may be Idithun, in that which he sings he recognises himself, and
hears
himself speak. For you may see who was called Idithun, according to the
ancient
descent of man; let us, however, understand what this name is translated,
and
seek to comprehend the Truth in the translation of the word. According
therefore
to what we have been able to discover by enquiry in those names which
have
been translated from the Hebrew tongue into the Latin, by those who study
the
sacred writings, Idithun being translated is "over-leaping them." Who
then is
this
person "over-leaping them"? or who those whom he has
"over-leaped"? ... For
there
are some persons, yet clinging to the earth, yet bowed down to the ground,
yet
setting their hearts on what is below, yet placing their hopes in things that
pass
away,
whom he who is called "over-leaping them" has
"over-leaped."
2.
You know that some of the Psalms are entitled, "Songs of Degrees;"
and in the
Greek
it is obvious enough what the word anabamwn means. For anabaqmoi
are
degrees (or steps) of them that ascend, not of them that descend. The Latin,
not
being
able to express it strictly, expresses it by the general term; and in that it
called
them "steps," left it undetermined, whether they were
"steps" of persons
ascending
or descending. But because there is no "speech or language where their
voices
are not heard among them," the earlier language explains the one which
comes
after it: and what was ambiguous in one is made certain in another. Just
then
as there the singer is some one who is "ascending," so here is it
some one
who
is "over-leaping. "...Let this Idithun come still to us, let him
"over-leap" those
whose
delight is in things below, and take delight in these things, and let him
rejoice
in the Word of the Lord; in the delight of the law of the Most High....
3.
"I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue"
(ver.
1)....
For it is not without reason that the tongue is set in a moist place, but
because
it
is so prone to slip. Perceiving therefore how hard it was for a man to be under
the
necessity of speaking, and not to say something that he will wish unsaid, and
filled
with disgust at these sins, he seeks to avoid the like. To this difficulty is
he
exposed
who is seeking to "leap beyond."... Although I have "leaped
beyond" the
pleasures
of earth, although the fleeting passions for things temporal ensnare me
not,
though now I despise these things below, and am rising up to better things
than
these, yet in these very better things the satisfaction of knowledge in the
sight
of
God is enough for me. Of what use is it for me to speak what is to be laid hold
of,
and to give a handle to cavillers? Therefore, "I said, I will take heed to
my
ways,
that I sin not with my tongue. I keep my mouth with a bridle." Wherefore
is
this?
Is it on account of the religious, the thoughtful, the faithful, the holy ones?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 39
206
God
forbid! These persons hear in such a manner, as to praise what they approve;
but
as for what they disapprove, perhaps, among much that they praise they rather
excuse
than cavil at it; on account of what persons then do you "take heed to
your
ways,"
and place a guard on your lips "that you may not sin with your
tongue"?
Hear:
it is, "While the wicked stands over against me." It is not "by
me" that he
takes
up his station, but "against me." Why?... Even the Lord Himself says,
"I have
yet
many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now." John 16:12 And
the
Apostle, "I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto
carnal."
1
Corinthians 3:1 Yet not as to persons to be despaired of, but as to those who
still
required
to be nourished. For he goes on to say, "As babes in Christ, I have fed
you
with milk, and not with meat; for hitherto ye were not able." Well, tell
it unto
us
even now. "Neither yet now are you able." 1 Corinthians 3:2 Be not
therefore
impatient
to hear that which as yet you are not capable of; but grow that you may
be
"able to bear it." It is thus we address the little one, who yet
requires to be fed
with
kindly milk in the bosom of Mother Church, and to be rendered meet for the
"strong
meat" of the Lord's Table. But what can I say even of that kind to the
sinner,
who "takes his stand against me," who either thinks or pretends
himself
capable
of what he "cannot bear;" so that when I say anything unto him, and
he
has
failed to comprehend it, he should not suppose that it was not he that had
failed
to comprehend, but I who had broken down. Therefore because of this
sinner,
who "takes up his stand against me, I keep my mouth as it were with a
bridle."
4.
"I became deaf, and was humbled, I held my peace from good" (ver. 2).
For this
person,
who is "leaping beyond," suffers some difficulty in a certain stage
to
which
he has already attained; and he desires to advance beyond, even from
thence,
to avoid this difficulty. I was afraid of committing a sin; so that I spoke
not;
that I imposed on myself the necessity of silence: for I had spoken thus,
"I
will
take heed to my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue." Whilst I was too
much
afraid of saying anything wrong, I kept silence from all that is good. For
whence
could I say good things, except that I heard them? "It is Thou that shall
make
me to hear of joy and gladness." And the "friend of the bridegroom
stands
and
hears Him, and rejoices on account of the bridegroom's voice," John 3:29
not
his
own. That he may speak true things, he hears what he is to say. For it is he
that
"speaks
a lie," that "speaks of his own." John 8:44... When therefore I
had "put a
bridle,"
as it were, "on my lips;" and constrained myself to silence, because
I saw
that
everywhere speech was dangerous, then, says he, that came to pass upon me,
which
I did not wish, "I became deaf, and was humbled;" not humbled myself,
but
was
humbled; "and I held my peace even from good." Whilst afraid of
saying any
evil,
I began to refrain from speaking what is good: and I condemned my
determination;
for "I was holding my peace even from what is good."
"And
my sorrow was stirred up again" (ver. 2). Inasmuch as I had found in
silence
a
kind of respite from a certain "sorrow," that had been inflicted upon
me by those
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 39
207
who
cavilled at my words, and found fault with me: and that sorrow that was
caused
by the cavillers, had ceased indeed; but when "I held my peace even from
good,
my sorrow was stirred up again." I began to be more grieved at having
refrained
from saying what I ought to have said, than I had before been grieved by
having
said what I ought not. "And my sorrow was stirred up again."
5.
"And while I was musing, the fire burned" (ver. 3)....I reflected on
the words of
my
Lord, "Thou wicked and slothful servant, you ought to have put My money to
the
exchangers, and I at My coming should receive it again with usury."
Matthew
25:26-27 And that which follows may God avert from those who are His
stewards!
Bind him hand and foot, and let him be cast into outer darkness;
Matthew
25:30 the servant, who was not a waster of his master's goods, so as to
destroy
them, but was slothful in laying them out to improve them. What ought
they
to expect, who have wasted them in luxury, if they are condemned who
through
slothfulness have kept them? "As I was musing, the fire burned." And
as
he
was in this state of wavering suspense, between speaking and holding his
peace,
between those who are prepared to cavil and those who are anxious to be
instructed,
... in this state of suspense, he prays for a better place, a place different
from
this his present stewardship, in which man is in such difficulty and in such
danger,
and sighing after a certain "end," when he was not to be subject to
these
things,
when the Lord is to say to the faithful dispenser, "Enter thou into the
joy of
your
Lord," Matthew 25:27 he says, "Then spoke I with my tongue." In
this
fluctuation,
in the midst of these dangers and these difficulties, because, that in
consequence
of the abundance of offences "the love of many is waxing cold,"
Matthew
24:12 although the law of the Lord inspires delight, in this fluctuation
then,
(I say), "then spoke I with my tongue." To whom? not to the hearer
whom I
would
fain instruct; but to Him who hears and takes heed also, by whom I would
fain
be instructed myself. "I spoke with my tongue" to Him, from whom I
inwardly
hear whatever I hear that is good or true.—What did You say?
"Lord,
make me to know mine end" (ver. 4). For some things I have passed by
already;
and I have arrived at a certain point, and that to which I have arrived is
better
than that from which I have advanced to this; but yet there remains a point,
which
has to be left behind. For we are not to remain here, where there are trials,
offences,
where we have to bear with persons who listen to us and cavil at us.
"Make
me to know mine end;" the end, from which I am still removed, not the
course
which is already before me.
6.
The "end" he speaks of, is that which the Apostle fixed his eye upon,
in his
course;
and made confession of his own infirmity, perceiving in himself a different
state
of things from that which he looked for elsewhere. For he says, "Not that
I
have
already attained, or am already perfect. Brethren, I count not myself to have
apprehended."
Philippians 3:12-13 And that you might not say, "If the Apostle has
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 39
208
not
apprehended, have I apprehended? If the Apostle is not perfect, am I
perfect?"...
7.
"And the number of my days, what it is." I ask of "the number of
my days, what
it
is." I can speak of "number" without number, and understand
"number without
number,"
in the same sense as "years without years" may be spoken of. For where
there
are years, there is a sort of "number" at all events, also. But yet,
"You are the
same,
and Your years shall not fail." "Make me to know the number of my
days;"
but
"to know what it is." What then? that number in which you are, think
you that
it
"is" not? Assuredly, if I weigh the matter well, it has no being; if
I linger behind,
it
has a sort of being; if I rise above it, it has none. If, shaking off the
trammels of
these
things, I contemplate things above, if I compare things that pass away with
those
that endure, I see what has a true being, and what rather seems to be, than
really
is. Should I say that these days of mine "are;" and shall I rashly
apply this
word
so full of meaning to this course of things passing away? To such a degree
have
I my own self almost ceased to "be, failing" as I am in my weakness,
that He
escaped
from my memory, who said, "I AM HE THAT IS." Exodus 3:14 Hath
then
any number of days any existence? In truth it has, and it is "number
without
end."...
Everything is swept on by a series of moments, fleeting by, one after the
other;
there is a torrent of existences ever flowing on and on; a "torrent,"
of which
He
"drank in the way," who has now "lift up His Head." These
days then have no
true
being; they are gone almost before they arrive; and when they are come, they
cannot
continue; they press upon one another, they follow the one the other, and
cannot
check themselves in their course. Of the past nothing is called back again;
what
is yet to be, is expected as something to pass away again: it is not as yet
possessed,
while as yet it is not arrived; it cannot be kept when once it has arrived.
He
asks then concerning "the number of his days, which is;" not that
which is
"not:"
and (which confounds me by a still greater and more perplexing difficulty)
at
once "is," and "is not." We can neither say that
"is," which does not continue;
nor
that it "is not," when it has come and is passing. It is that
absolute "IS," that
true
"IS," that "IS" in the true sense of the word, that I long
for; that "IS;" which
"is"
in that "Jerusalem" which is "the Bride" of my Lord;
Revelation 21:9 where
there
will not be death, there will not be failing; there will be a day that passes
not
away,
but continues: which has neither a yesterday to precede it, nor a tomorrow
pressing
close upon it. Revelation 21:25 This "number of my days, which is,"
this
(I
say), "make Thou me to know."
8.
"That I may know what is wanting to me." For while I am struggling
here, "this"
is
wanting unto me: and so long as it is wanting unto me, I do not call myself
perfect.
So long as I have not received it, I say, "not that I have already
attained,
either
am already perfect; but I am pressing towards the prize of God's high
calling."
This let me receive as the prize of my running the race! There will be a
certain
resting-place, to terminate my course; and in that resting-place there will
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 39
209
be
a Country, and no pilgrimage, no dissension, no temptation. Make me then to
know
"this number of my days, which is, that I may know what is wanting unto
me;"
because I am not there yet; lest I should be made proud of what I already am,
that
"I may be found in Him, not having my own righteousness." Philippians
3:9...
9.
"Behold, you have made my days old" (ver. 5). For these days are
"waxing old."
I
long for new days "that never shall wax old," that I may say,
"Old things have
passed
away; behold, things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17 Already new in
hope;
then in reality. For though, in hope and in faith, made new already, how
much
do we even now do after our old nature! For we are not so completely
"clothed
upon" with Christ, as not to bear about with us anything derived from
Adam.
Observe that Adam is "waxing old" within us, and Christ is being
"renewed"
in us. "Though our outward man is perishing, yet is our inward man
being
renewed day by day." 2 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore, while we fix our
thoughts
on sin, on mortality, on time, that is hastening by, on sorrow, and toil,
and
labour, on stages of life following each other in succession, and continuing
not,
passing on insensibly from infancy even to old age; while, I say, we fix our
eyes
on these things, let us see here "the old man," the "day that is
waxing old;"
the
Song that is out of date; the Old Testament; when however we turn to the inner
man,
to those things that are to be renewed in place of these which are to be
changed,
let us find the "new man," the "new day," the "new
song," the "New
Testament;"
and that "newness," let us so love, as to have no fears of its
"waxing
old."...
This man, therefore, who is hasting forward to those things which are new,
and
"reaching forward to those things which are before," says,
"Lord, make me to
know
mine end, and the number of my days, which really is, that I may know what
is
wanting unto me." See he still drags with him Adam; and even so he is
hasting
unto
Christ. "Behold," says he, "you have made my days old." It
is those days that
are
derived from Adam, those days, I say, that you have made old. They are
waxing
old day by day: and so waxing old, as to be at some day or other consumed
also.
"And my substance is as nothing before You." "Before You, O
Lord, my
substance
is as nothing." "Before You;" who seest this; and I too, when I
see it, see
it
only when "before You."
When
"before men" I see it not. For what shall I say? What words shall I
use to
show,
that which I now am is nothing in comparison of That which truly
"IS"? But
it
is within that it is said; it is within that it is felt, so far as it is felt.
"Before You,
O
Lord," where Your eyes are; and not where the eyes of men are. And where
Your
eyes are, what is the state of things? "That which I am is as
nothing."
10.
"But, verily, every man living is altogether vanity." "But,
verily." For what
was
he saying above? Behold, I have already "leaped beyond" all mortal
things,
and
despised things below, have trampled under foot the things of earth, have
soared
upwards to the delights of the law of the Lord, I have been afloat in the
dispensation
of the Lord, have yearned for that "End" which Itself is to know no
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 39
210
end,
have yearned for the number of my days that truly "is," because the
number
of
days like these has no real being. Behold, I am already such a one as this; I
have
already
overleaped so much; I am longing for those things which abide. "But
verily,"
in the state in which I am here, so long as I am here, so long as I am in this
world,
so long as I bear mortal flesh, so long as the life of man on earth is a trial,
so
long as I sigh among causes of offence, as long as while I "stand" I
am in "fear
lest
I fall," Job 3:25 as long as both my good and my ill hangs in uncertainty,
"every
man living is altogether vanity."...
11.
"Albeit man walks in the Image" (ver. 6). In what "Image,"
save that of Him
who
said, "Let Us make man in Our Image, after Our Likeness." Genesis
1:26
"Albeit
man walks in the Image." For the reason he says "albeit," is,
that this is
some
great thing. And this "albeit" is followed by
"nevertheless," that the "albeit"
which
you have already heard, should relate to what is beyond the sun; but this
"nevertheless,"
which is to follow, to what is "under the sun," and that the one
should
relate to the Truth, the other to "vanity." "Albeit," then,
"that man walks in
the
Image, nevertheless he is disquieted in vain." Hear the cause of his
"disquieting,"
and see if it be not a vain one; that you may trample it under foot,
that
you may "leap beyond it," and may dwell on high, where that
"vanity" is not.
What
"vanity" is that? "He heaps up riches, and knows not for whom he
may be
gathering
them together." O infatuated vanity! "Blessed is the man that makes
the
Lord
his trust, and has not respected vanities, nor lying deceits." To you
indeed, O
covetous
man, to you I seem to be out of my senses, these words appear to you to
be
"old wives' tales." For you, a man of great judgment, and of great
prudence, to
be
sure, are daily devising methods of acquiring money, by traffic, by
agriculture,
by
eloquence perhaps, by making yourself learned in the law, by warfare, perhaps
you
even add that of usury. Like a shrewd man as you are, you leave nothing
untried,
whereby you may pile coin on coin; and may store it up more carefully in
a
place of secrecy. You plunder others; you guard against the plunderer; you are
afraid
lest you should yourself suffer the wrong, that you yourself do; and even
what
you do suffer, does not correct you.... Examine your own heart, and that
prudence
of yours, which leads you to deride me, to think me out of my senses for
saying
these things: and tell me now, "You are heaping up treasures; for whom are
you
gathering them together?" I see what you would tell me; as if what you
would
say
had not occurred to the person described here; you will say, I am keeping them
for
my children? This is the voice of parental affection; the excuse of injustice.
"I
am
keeping them" (you say) "for my children." So then you are
keeping them for
your
children, are you? Did not Idithun then know this? Assuredly he did; but he
reckoned
it one of the things of the "old days," that have waxed old, and
therefore
he
despised it: because he was hastening on to the new "days."...
12.
For He, "by whom all things were made," Colossians 1:16 has built
"mansions"
for all of us: thither He would have that which we have go before us;
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 39
211
that
we may not lose it on earth. When, however, you have kept them on earth, tell
me
for whom you are to "gather them together"? You have children: add
one more
to
their number; and give something to Christ also. "He is disquieted in
vain."
13.
"And now" (ver. 7). "And now," says this Idithun,—looking
back on a certain
"vain"
show, and looking up to a certain Truth, standing midway where he has
something
beyond him, and something also behind him, having below him the
place
from which he took his spring, having above him that toward which he has
stretched
forth;—"And now," when I have "over-leaped" some things,
when I have
trampled
many things under foot, when I am no longer captivated by things
temporal;
even now, I am not perfect, "I have not yet apprehended."
Philippians
3:13 "For it is by hope that we are saved; but hope that is seen is not
hope;
for what a man sees, why does he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we
see
not, then do we with patience wait for it." Romans 8:24-25 Therefore he
says:
"And
now what wait I for? Is it not for the Lord?" He is my expectation, who
has
given
me all those things, that I might despise them. He will give unto me Himself
also,
even He who is above all, and "by whom all things were made,"
Colossians
1:16 and by whom I was made amongst all; even He, the Lord, is my
Expectation!
You see Idithun, brethren, you see in what way he waits for Him! Let
no
man therefore call himself perfect here; he deceives and imposes upon himself;
he
is beguiling himself, he cannot have perfection here, and what avails it that
he
should
lose humility?...
"And
my substance is ever before You." Already advancing, already tending
towards
Him, and to some extent already beginning to "be," still (he says)
"my
substance
is ever before You." Now that other substance is also before men. You
have
gold, silver, slaves, estates, trees, cattle, servants. These things are
visible
even
to men. There is a certain "substance that is ever before You."
14.
"Deliver me from all my transgressions" (ver. 8). I have
"over-leaped" a great
deal
of ground, a very great deal of ground already; but, "If we say that we
have
no
sin, we deceive ourselves, and the Truth is not in us." 1 John 1:8 I have
"over-
leaped"
a great deal: but still do I "beat my breast," and say, "Forgive
us our debts,
as
we forgive our debtors." Matthew 6:12 Thou therefore art "my
expectation!"
my
"End." For "Christ is the end of the Law unto righteousness,
unto every man
that
believes." Romans 10:4 From all mine offences: not only from those, that I
may
not relapse into those which I have already "over-leaped;" but from
all,
without
exception, of those on account of which I now beat my breast, and say,
"Forgive
us our debts." "Deliver me from all mine offences:" me being
thus
minded,
and holding fast what the Apostle said, "As many of us as be perfect, let
us
be thus minded." Philippians 3:15 For at the time that he said that he was
not
"already
perfect," he then immediately goes on and says, "As many of us as be
perfect,
let us be thus minded."...Are you then, O Apostle, not perfect, and are we
perfect?
But has it escaped you, that he did just now call himself "perfect"?
For he
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 39
212
does
not say, "As many of you as are perfect, be ye thus minded;" but
"As many of
us
as be perfect, let us be thus minded;" after having said a little before,
"Not that I
have
already attained; either am already perfect." In no other way then can you
be
perfect
in this life, than by knowing that you cannot be perfect in this life. This
then
will be your perfection, so to have "over-leaped" some things, as to
have still
some
point to which you are hastening on: so as to have something remaining, to
which
you will have to leap on, when everything else has been passed by. It is
such
faith as this that is secure; for whoever thinks that he has already attained,
is
"exalting
himself," so as to be "abased" hereafter. Luke 18:14...
15.
"You have made me the reproach of the foolish." You have so willed
it, that I
should
live among those, and preach the Truth among those, who love vanity; and
I
cannot but be a laughing-stock to them. "For we have been made a spectacle
unto
this
world, and unto angels, and unto men:" 1 Corinthians 4:9 to angels who
praise,
to men who censure, us; or rather to angels, some of whom praise, some of
whom
are censuring us: and to men also, some of whom are praising, and some
censuring
us .... Both the one and the other are arms to us: the one "on the right
hand,"
the other "on the left:" arms however they are both of them; both of
these
kinds
of arms, both those "on the right hand," and those "on the
left;" both those
who
praise, and those who censure; both those who pay us honour, and those who
heap
dishonour upon us; with both these kinds I contend against the devil; with
both
of these I smite him; I defeat him with prosperity, if I be not corrupted by
it;
by
adversity, if I am not broken in spirit by it.
16.
"I became dumb; and I opened not my mouth" (ver. 9). But it was to
guard
against
"the foolish man," that "I became dumb, and opened not my
mouth." For to
whom
should I tell what is going on within me? "For I will hear what the Lord
God
will speak in me; for He will speak peace unto His people." But
"There is no
peace,"
says the Lord, "to the wicked." Isaiah 48:22 "I was dumb, and
opened not
my
mouth; because it is Thou that made me." Was this the reason that you
opened
not
your mouth, "because God made you"? That is strange; for did not God
make
your
mouth, that you should speak? "He that planted the ear, does He not hear?
He
that
formed the eye, does He not see?" God has given you a mouth to speak with;
and
do you say, "I was dumb, and opened not my mouth, because You made
me"?
Or
does the clause, "Because You made me," belong to the verse that
follows?
"Remove
Your stroke away from me" (ver. 10). Because it is "Thou that hast
made
me,"
let it not be Your pleasure to destroy me utterly; scourge, so that I may be
made
better, not so that I faint; beat me, so that I may be beaten out to a greater
length
and breadth, not so that I may be ground to powder. "By the heaviness of
Your
hand I fainted in corrections." That is, I "fainted" while You
were correcting
me.
And what is meant by "correcting" me? except what follows.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 39
213
17.
"Thou with rebukes hast chastened man for iniquity; You have made my life
to
consume
away like a spider" (ver. 11). There is much that is discerned by this
Idithun;
by every one who discerns as he does; who overleaps as he does. For he
says,
that he has fainted in God's corrections; and would fain have the stroke
removed
away from him, "because it is He who made him." Let Him renew me,
who
also made me; let Him who created me, create me anew. But yet, Brethren,
do
we suppose that there was no cause for his fainting, so that he wishes to be
"renewed,"
to be "created anew"? It is "for iniquity," says he,
"that You have
chastened
man." All this, my having fainted, my being weak, my "crying out of
the
deep," all of this is because of "iniquity;" and in this You
have not condemned,
but
hast "chastened" me. "You have chastened man for sin." Hear
this more
plainly
from another Psalm: "It is good for me that You have afflicted me, that I
might
learn Your righteousness." I have been "afflicted," and at the
same time "it
is
good for me;" it is at once a punishment, and an act of favour. What has
He in
store
for us after punishment is over, who inflicts punishment itself by way of
favour?
For He it is of whom it was said, "I was brought low, and He made me
whole:"
and, "It is good for me that You have afflicted me, that I might learn
Your
righteousness."
"Thou chastenest man for iniquity." And that which is written,
"Thou
formest my grief in teaching me," could only be said unto God by one who
was
"leaping beyond" his fellows; "Thou formest my grief in teaching
me;" Thou
makest,
that is to say, a lesson for me out of my sorrow. It is Thou that formest
that
very grief itself; Thou dost not leave it unformed, but formest it; and that
grief,
that has been inflicted by You, when formed, will be a lesson unto me, that I
may
be set free by You. For the word finges is used in the sense of
"forming," as it
were
moulding, my grief; not in the sense of "feigning" it; in the same
way that
fingit
is applied to the artist, in the same sense that figulus is derived from
fingere.
Thou
therefore "hast chastened man for iniquity." I see myself in
afflictions; I see
myself
under punishment; and I see no unrighteousness in You. If I therefore am
under
punishment, and if there is no unrighteousness with You, it remains that
Thou
must have been "chastening man for iniquity."
18.
And by what means have You "chastened" him? Tell us, O Idithun, the
manner
of
your chastening; tell us in what way you have been "chastened."
"And You
have
made my life consume like a spider." This is the chastening! What consumes
away
sooner than the spider? I speak of the creature itself; though what can be
more
liable to "consume away" than the spider's webs? Observe too how
liable to
decay
is the creature itself. Do but set your finger lightly upon it, and it is a
ruin:
there
is nothing at all more easily destroyed. To such a state have You brought my
life,
by chastening me "because of iniquity." When chastening makes us
weak,
there
is a kind of strength that would be a fault .... It was by a kind of strength
that
man
offended, so as to require to be corrected by weakness: for it was by a certain
"pride"
that he offended; so as to require to be chastened by humility. All proud
persons
call themselves strong men. Therefore have many "come from the East
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 39
214
and
the West," and have attained "to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac,
and Jacob,
in
the kingdom of Heaven." Matthew 8:11 Wherefore was it that they so
attained?
Because
they would not be strong. What is meant by "would not be strong"?
They
were
afraid to presume of their own merits. They did not "go about to establish
their
own righteousness," that they might "submit themselves to the righteousness
of
God." Romans 10:3 ... Behold! you are mortal; and you bear about you a
body
of
flesh that is corrupting away: "And you shall fall like one of the
princes. You
shall
die like men," and shall fall like the devil. What good does the remedial
discipline
of mortality do you? The devil is proud, as not having a mortal body, as
being
an angel. But as for you, who have received a mortal body, and to whom
even
this does no good, so as to humble you by so great weakness, you shall
"fall
like
one of the princes." This then is the first grace of God's gift, to bring
us to the
confession
of our infirmity, that whatever good we can do, whatever ability we
have,
we may be that in Him; that "He that glories, may glory in the Lord."
1
Corinthians 1:31 "When I am weak," says he, "then am I
strong."
2
Corinthians 12:10
19.
"But surely every man living disquiets himself in vain." He returns
to what he
mentioned
a little before. Although he be improving here, yet for all that, "every
man
living disquiets himself in vain;" forasmuch as he lives in a state of
uncertainty.
For who has any assurance even of his own goodness? "He is
disquieted
in vain." Let him "cast upon the Lord the burden" of his care;
let him
cast
upon Him whatever causes him anxiety. "Let Him sustain you;" let Him
keep
you.
For on this earth what is there that is certain, except death? Consider the
whole
sum of all the good or the ill of this life, either those belonging to
righteousness,
or those belonging to unrighteousness; what is there that is certain
here,
except death? Have you been advancing in goodness? You know what you
are
today; what you will be tomorrow, you know not! Are you a sinner? you know
what
you are today; what you will be tomorrow, you know not! You hope for
wealth;
it is uncertain whether it will fall to your lot. You hope to have a wife; it
is
uncertain
whether you will obtain one, or what sort of one you will obtain. You
hope
for sons: it is uncertain whether they will be born to you. Are they born? it
is
uncertain
whether they will live: if they live, it is uncertain whether they will grow
up
in virtue, or whether they will fall away. Whichever way you turn, all is
uncertain,
death alone is certain. Are you poor? It is uncertain whether you will
grow
rich. Are you unlearned? It is uncertain whether you will become learned.
Are
you in feeble health, it is uncertain whether you will regain your strength.
Are
you
born? It is certain that you will die: and in this certainty of death itself,
the day
of
your death is uncertain. Amidst these uncertainties, where death alone is
certain,
while even of that the hour is uncertain, and while it alone is studiously
guarded
against, though at the same time it is in no way to be escaped, "every man
living
disquiets himself in vain."...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 39
215
20.
"Hear my prayer, O Lord" (ver. 12). Whereof shall I rejoice? Whereof
should I
groan?
I rejoice on account of what is past, I groan longing for these which are not
yet
come. "Hear my prayer, and give ear unto my cry. Hold not Your peace at my
tears."
For do I now no longer weep, because I have already "passed by," have
"left
behind" so great things as these? "Do I not weep much the more?"
For, "He
that
increases knowledge, increases sorrow." Ecclesiastes 1:18 The more I long
for
what
is not here, do I not so much the more groan for it until it comes? do I not so
much
the more weep until it comes?...
21.
"For I am a sojourner with You." But with whom am I a
"sojourner"? When I
was
with the devil, I was a "sojourner;" but then I had a bad host and
entertainer;
now,
however, I am with You; but I am a "sojourner" still. What is meant
by a
sojourner?
I am a "sojourner" in the place from which I am to remove; not in the
place
where I am to dwell for ever. The place where I am to abide for ever, should
be
rather called my home. In the place from which I am to remove I am a
"sojourner;"
but yet it is with my God that I am a sojourner, with whom I am
hereafter
to abide, when I have reached my home. But what home is that to which
you
are to remove from this estate of a sojourner? Recognise that home, of which
the
Apostle speaks, "We have an habitation of God, an house not made with
hands,
eternal in the Heavens." 2 Corinthians 5:1 If this house is eternal in the
Heavens,
when we have come to it, we shall not be sojourners any more. For how
should
you be a sojourner in an eternal home? But here, where the Master of the
house
is some day to say to you, "Remove," while you yourself know not when
He
will
say it, be thou in readiness. And by longing for your eternal home, you will be
keeping
yourself in readiness for it. And be not angry with Him, because He gives
you
notice to remove, when He Himself pleases. For He made no covenant with
you,
nor did He bind Himself by any engagement; nor did you enter upon the
tenancy
of this house on a certain stipulation for a definite term: you are to quit,
when
it is its Master's pleasure. For therefore is it that you now dwell there free
of
charge.
"For I am a sojourner with You, and a stranger." Therefore it is
there is my
country:
it is there is my home. "I am a sojourner with You, and a stranger."
Here
too
is understood "with You." For many are strangers with the devil: but
they who
have
already believed and are faithful, are, it is true, "strangers" as
yet, because
they
have not yet come to that country and to that home: but still they are
strangers
with
God. For so long as we are in the body, we are strangers from the Lord, and
we
desire, whether we are strangers, or abiding here, "we may be accepted
with
Him."
2 Corinthians 5:9 I am a "sojourner with You; and a stranger, as all my
fathers
were." If then I am as all my fathers were, shall I say that I will not
remove,
when they have removed? Am I to lodge here on other terms, than those
on
which they lodged here also?...
22.
"Grant me some remission, that I may be refreshed before I go hence"
(ver.
13).
Consider well, Idithun, consider what knots those are which you would have
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 39
216
"loosed"
unto you, that you might be "refreshed before you go hence." For you
have
certain fever-heats from which you would fain be refreshed, and you say,
"that
I may be refreshed," and "grant me a remission." What should He
remit, or
loosen
unto you, save that difficulty under which, and in consequence of which,
you
say, "Forgive us our debts. Grant me a remission before I go hence, and be
no
more."
Set me free from my sins, "before I go hence," that I may not go
hence
with
my sins. Remit them unto me, that I may be set at rest in my conscience, that
it
may be disburthened of its feverish anxiety, the anxiety with which "I am
sorry
for
my sin. Grant me a remission, that I may be refreshed" (before everything
else),
"before I go hence, and be no more." For if you grant me not a
"remission,
that
I may be refreshed," I shall "go and be no more." "Before I
go" thither, where
if
I go, I shall thenceforth "be no more. Grant me a remission, that I may be
refreshed."
A question has suggested itself, how he will be no more.... What is
meant
then by "shall be no more," unless Idithun is alluding to what is
true
"being,"
and what is not true "being." For he was beholding with the mind,
with
which
he could do so, with the "mind's eye," by which he was able to behold
it,
that
end, which he had desired to have shown unto him, saying, "Lord, make me
to
know
mine end." He was beholding "the number of his days, which truly
is;" and
he
observed that all that is below, in comparison of that true being, has no true
being.
For those things are permanent; these are subject to change; mortal, and
frail,
and the eternal suffering, though full of corruption, is for this very reason
not
to
be ended, that it may ever be being ended without end. He alluded therefore to
that
realm of bliss, to the happy country, to the happy home, where the Saints are
partakers
of eternal Life, and of Truth unchangeable; and he feared to "go"
where
that
is not, where there is no true being; longing to be there, where
"Being" in the
highest
sense is! It is on account of this contrast then, while standing midway
between
them, he says, "Grant me a remission, that I may be refreshed before I go
hence
and be no more." For if Thou "grantest me not a remission" of my
sins, I
shall
go from You unto all eternity! And from whom shall I go to all eternity?
From
Him who said, I Am HE that Am: from Him who said, "Say unto the
children
of Israel, I Am has sent me unto you." Exodus 3:14 He then who goes
from
Him, in the contrary direction, goes to non-existence....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 40
217
Exposition
on Psalm 40
1.
Of all those things which our Lord Jesus Christ has foretold, we know part to
have
been already accomplished, part we hope will be accomplished hereafter. All
of
them, however, will be fulfilled, because He is "the Truth" who
speaks them,
and
requires of us to be as "faithful," as He Himself speaks them
faithfully....
2.
Let us say then what this Psalm says. "I waited patiently for the
Lord" (ver. 1). I
waited
patiently for the promise of no mere mortal who can both deceive and be
himself
deceived: I waited for the consolation of no mere mortal, who may be
consumed
by sorrow of his own, before he gives me comfort. Should a brother
mortal
attempt to comfort me, when he himself is in sorrow likewise? Let us
mourn
in company; let us weep together, let us "wait patiently" together,
let us
join
our prayers together also. Whom did I wait for but for the Lord? The Lord,
who
though He puts off the fulfilment of His promises, yet never recalls them? He
will
make it good; assuredly He will make it good, because He has made many of
His
promises good already: and of God's truth we ought to have no fears, even if
as
yet He had made none of them good. Lo! let us henceforth think thus, "He
has
promised
us everything; He has not as yet given us possession of anything; He is a
sponsible
Promiser; a faithful Paymaster: do you but show yourself a dutiful
exactor
of what is promised; and if you be "weak," if you be one of the
little ones,
claim
the promise of His mercy. Do you not see tender lambs striking their dams'
teats
with their heads, in order that they may get their fill of milk?... "And He
took
heed
unto me, and heard my cry." He took heed to it, and He heard it. See you
have
not waited in vain. His eyes are over you. His ears turned towards you. For,
"the
eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their
cry."
What
then? Did He not see you, when you used to do evil and to blaspheme Him?
What
then becomes of what is said in that very Psalm, "The face of the Lord is
upon
them that do evil"? But for what end? "that He may cut off the
remembrance
of
them from the earth." Therefore, even when thou were wicked, He "took
heed
of
you;" but He "took no heed to you." So then to him who
"waited patiently for
the
Lord," it was not enough to say, "He took heed of me, He says,
"He took heed
to
me;" that is, He took heed by comforting me, that He might do me good.
What
was
it that He took heed to? "and He heard my cry."
3.
And what has He accomplished for you? What has He done for you? "He
brought
me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon
a
rock, and established my goings" (ver. 2). He has given us great blessings
already:
and still He is our debtor; but let him who has this part of the debt repaid
already,
believe that the rest will be also, seeing that he ought to have believed
even
before he received anything. Our Lord has employed facts themselves to
persuade
us, that He is a faithful promiser, a liberal giver. What then has He
already
done? "He has brought me out of a horrible pit." What horrible pit is
that?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 40
218
It
is the depth of iniquity, from the lusts of the flesh, for this is meant by
"the miry
clay."
Whence has He brought you out? Out of a certain deep, out of which you
cried
out in another Psalm, "Out of the deep have I called unto You, O
Lord." And
those
who are already "crying out of the deep," are not absolutely in the
lowest
deep:
the very act of crying is already lifting them up. There are some deeper in
the
deep, who do not even perceive themselves to be in the deep. Such are those
who
are proud despisers, not pious entreaters for pardon; not tearful criers for
mercy:
but such as Scripture thus describes. "The sinner when he comes into the
depth
of evil despises." Proverbs 18:3 For he is deeper in the deep, who is not
satisfied
with being a sinner, unless instead of confessing he even defends his sins.
But
he who has already "cried out of the deep," has already lifted up his
head in
order
that he might "cry out of the deep," has been heard already, and has
been
"brought
out of the horrible pit, and out of the mire and clay." He already has
faith,
which
he had not before; he has hope, which he was before without; he now walks
in
Christ, who before used to go astray in the devil. For on that account it is
that he
says,
"He has set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings." Now
"that
Rock
was Christ." 1 Corinthians 10:4 Supposing that we are "upon the
rock," and
that
our "goings are ordered," still it is necessary that we continue to
walk; that we
advance
to something farther. For what did the Apostle Paul say when now upon
the
Rock, when his "goings had now been established"? "Not as though
I had
already
attained, either were already perfect: Brethren, I count not myself to have
apprehended."
Philippians 3:12-13 What then has been done for you, if you have
not
apprehended? On what account do you return thanks, saying, "But I have
obtained
mercy"? 1 Timothy 1:13 Because his goings are now established,
because
he now walks on the Rock? ... Therefore, when he was saying, "I press
forward
toward the prize of my high calling," because "his feet were now set
on
the
Rock," and "his goings were ordered," because he was now walking
on the
right
way, he had something to return thanks for; something to ask for still;
returning
thanks for what he had received already, while he was claiming that
which
still remained due. For what things already received was he giving thanks?
For
the remission of sins, for the illumination of faith; for the strong support of
hope,
for the fire of charity. But in what respects had he still a claim of debt on
the
Lord?
"Henceforth," he says, "there is laid up for me a crown of
righteousness."
There
is therefore something due me still. What is it that is due? "A crown of
righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day." He
was
at first a loving Father to "bring him forth from the horrible pit;"
to forgive his
sins,
to rescue him from "the mire and clay;" hereafter he will be a
"righteous
Judge,"
requiting to him walking rightly, what He promised; to him (I say), unto
whom
He had at the first granted that power to walk rightly. He then as a
"righteous
Judge" will repay; but whom will he repay? "He that endures unto the
end,
the same shall be saved." Matthew 10:22
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 40
219
4.
"And He has put a new song in my mouth." What new song is this?
"Even a
hymn
unto our God" (ver. 3). Perhaps you used to sing hymns to strange gods;
old
hymns,
because they were uttered by the "old man," not by the "new
man;" let the
"new
man" be formed, and let him sing a "new song;" being himself
made "new,"
let
him love those "new" things by which he is himself made new. For what
is
more
Ancient than God, who is before all things, and is without end and without
beginning?
He becomes "new" to you, when you return to Him; because it was by
departing
from Him, that you had become old; and had said, "I have waxed old
because
of all mine enemies." We therefore utter "a hymn unto our God;"
and the
hymn
itself sets us free. "For I will call upon the Lord to praise Him, and I
will be
safe
from all mine enemies." For a hymn is a song of praise. Call on God to
"praise"
Him, not to find fault with Him....
5.
If haply any one asks, what person is speaking in this Psalm? I would say
briefly,
"It is Christ." But as you know, brethren, and as we must say
frequently,
Christ
sometimes speaks in His own Person, in the Person of our Head. For He
Himself
is "the Saviour of the Body." Ephesians 5:23 He is our Head; the Son
of
God,
who was born of the Virgin, suffered for us, "rose again for our
justification,"
sits "at the right hand of God," to "make intercession for
us:"
Romans
8:34 who is also to recompense to the evil and to the good, in the
judgment,
all the evil and the good that they have done. He deigned to be come
our
Head; to become "the Head of the Body," by taking of us that flesh in
which
He
should die for us; that flesh which He also raised up again for our sakes, that
in
that
flesh He might place before us an instance of the resurrection; that we might
learn
to hope for that of which we heretofore despaired, and might henceforth have
our
feet upon the rock, and might walk in Christ. He then sometimes speaks in the
name
of our Head; sometimes also He speaks of us who are His members. For
both
when He said, "I was an hungred, and you gave Me meat," Matthew 25:35
He
spoke on behalf of His members, not of Himself: and when He said, "Saul,
Saul,
why do you persecute Me?" Acts 9:4 the Head was crying on behalf of its
members:
and yet He did not say, "Why do you persecute My members?" but,
"Why
do you persecute Me?" If He suffers in us, then shall we also be crowned
in
Him.
Such is the love of Christ. What is there can be compared to this? This is the
thing
on account of which "He has put a hymn in our mouth," and this He
speaks
on
behalf of His members.
6.
"The just shall see, and shall fear, and shall trust in the Lord."
"The just shall
see."
Who are the just? The faithful; because it is "by faith that the just
shall live."
Habakkuk
2:4 For there is in the Church this order, some go before, others follow;
and
those who go before make themselves "an example" to those who follow;
and
those
who follow imitate those who go before. But do those then follow no one,
who
exhibit themselves as an ensample to them that come after? If they follow no
one
at all, they will fall into error. These persons then must themselves also
follow
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 40
220
some
one, that is, Christ Himself.... "The just," therefore, "shall
see, and shall
fear."
They see a narrow way on the one hand; on the other side, "a broad
road:"
on
this side they see few, on the other many. But you are a just man; count them
not,
but weigh them; bring "a just balance," not a "deceitful"
one: because you are
called
just. "The just shall see, and fear," applies to you. Count not
therefore the
multitudes
of men that are filling the "broad ways," that are to fill the circus
tomorrow;
celebrating with shouts the City's Anniversary, while they defile the
City
itself by evil living. Look not at them; they are many in number; and who can
count
them? But there are a few travelling along the narrow road. Bring forth the
balance,
I say. Weigh them; see what a quantity of chaff you lift up on the one
side,
against a few grains of corn on the other. Let this be done by "the
just," the
"believers,"
who are to follow. And what shall they who precede do? Let them not
be
proud, let them not "exalt themselves;" let them not deceive those
who follow
them.
How may they deceive those who follow them? By promising them
salvation
in themselves. What then ought those who follow to do? "The just shall
see,
and fear: and shall trust in the Lord;" not in those who go before them.
But
indeed
they fix their eyes on those who go before them, and follow and imitate
them;
but they do so, because they consider from Whom they have received the
grace
to go before them; and because they trust in Him. Although therefore they
make
these their models, they place their trust in Him from whom the others have
received
the grace whereby they are such as they are. "The just shall see it, and
fear,
and shall trust in the Lord." Just as in another Psalm, "I lift up my
eyes unto
the
hills," we understand by hills, all distinguished and great spiritual
persons in
the
Church; great in solidity, not by swollen inflation. By these it is that all
Scripture
has been dispensed unto us; they are the Prophets, they are the
Evangelists;
they are sound Doctors: to these "I lift up my eyes, from whence shall
come
my help." And lest you should think of mere human help, he goes on to say,
"My
help comes from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. The just shall see
it,
and fear, and shall trust in the Lord."...
7.
"Blessed is that man that makes the name of the Lord his trust, and has
not
respected
vanities or lying madnesses" (ver. 4). Behold the way by which you
would
fain have gone. Behold the "multitude that fill the Broad way." It is
not
without
reason "that" road leads to the amphitheatre. It is not without
reason it
leads
to Death. The "broad way" leads unto death, Matthew 7:13 its breadth
delights
for time: its end is straitness to all eternity. Aye; but the multitudes
murmur;
the multitudes are rejoicing together; the multitudes are hastening along;
the
multitudes are flocking together! Do not thou imitate them; do not turn aside
after
them: they are "vanities, and lying madnesses." Let the Lord your God
be
your
hope. Hope for nothing else from the Lord your God; but let the Lord your
God
Himself be thine hope. For many persons hope to obtain from God's hands
riches,
and many perishable and transitory honours; and, in short, anything else
they
hope to obtain at God's hands, except only God Himself. But do thou seek
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 40
221
after
your God Himself: nay, indeed, despising all things else, make your way unto
Him!
Forget other things, remember Him. Leave other things behind, and "press
forward"
Philippians 3:14 unto Him. Surely it is He Himself, who set you right,
when
turned away from the right path; who, now that you are set in the right path,
guides
you aright, who guides you to your destination. Let Him then be your hope,
who
both guides you, and guides you to your destination. Whither does worldly
covetousness
lead you? And to what point does it conduct you at the last? Thou at
first
desired a farm; then you would possess an estate; you would shut out your
neighbours;
having shut them out, you set your heart on the possessions of other
neighbours;
and extended your covetous desires till you had reached the shore:
arriving
at the shore, thou covetest the islands: having made the earth your own,
you
would haply seize upon heaven. Leave thou all your loves. He who made
heaven
and earth is more beautiful than all.
8.
"Blessed is the man that makes the name of the Lord his hope, and who has
not
regarded
vanities and lying madnesses." For whence is it that "madness"
is called
"lying"?
Insanity is a lying thing, even as it is sanity that sees the Truth. For what
you
see as good things, you are deceived; you are not in your sound senses: a
violent
fever has driven you to frenzy: that which you are in love with is not a
reality.
Thou applaudest the charioteer; you cheer the charioteer; you are madly in
love
with the charioteer. It is "vanity;" it is "a lying
madness." "It is 'not'" (he
cries).
"Nothing can be better; nothing more delightful." What can I do for
one in a
state
of high fever? Pray ye for such persons, if you have any feelings of
compassion
in you. For the physician himself also in a desperate case generally
turns
to those in the house, who stand around weeping; who are hanging on his
lips
to hear his opinion of the patient who is sick and in danger. The physician
stands
in a state of doubt: he sees not any good to promise; he fears to pronounce
evil,
lest he should excite alarm. He devises a thoroughly modest sentence: "The
good
God can do all things. Pray ye for him." Which then of these madmen shall
I
check?
Which of them will listen to me? Which of them would not call us
miserable?
Because they suppose us to have lost great and various pleasures, of
which
they are madly fond, in that we are not as madly in love with them as they
are:
and they do not see that they are "lying" pleasures.... "And has
not respected
vanities,
and lying madnesses." "Such a one has won," he cries; "he
harnessed
such
and such a horse," he proclaims aloud. He would fain be a kind of diviner;
he
aspires
to the honours of divination by abandoning the fountain of Divinity; and he
frequently
pronounces an opinion, and is frequently mistaken. Why is this? Even
because
they are "lying madnesses." But why is it that what they say
sometimes
comes
true? That they may lead astray the foolish ones; that by loving the
semblance
of truth there, they may fall into the snare of falsehood: let them be left
behind,
let them be "given over," let them be "cut off." If they
were members of
us,
they must be mortified. "Mortify," he says, "your members which
are upon the
earth."
Colossians 3:5 Let our God be our hope. He who made all things, is better
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 40 222
than
all! He who made what is beautiful, is more beautiful than all that is such. He
who
made whatever is mighty, is Himself mightier. He who made whatever is
great,
is Himself greater. He will be unto you everything that you love. Learn in
the
creature to love the Creator; and in the work Him who made it. Let not that
which
has been made by Him detain thine affections, so that you should lose Him
by
whom you yourself were made also. "Blessed," then, "is the man
that makes the
Name
of the Lord his trust, and has not respected vanities and lying
madnesses."...
9.
We will give him other sights in exchange for such sights as these. And what
sights
shall we present to the Christian, whom we would fain divert from those
sights?
I thank the Lord our God; He in the following verse of the Psalm has
shown
us what sights we ought to present and offer to spectators who would fain
have
sights to see? Let us now suppose him to be weaned from the circus, the
theatre,
the amphitheatre; let him be looking after, let him by all means be looking
after,
some sight to see; we do not leave him without a spectacle. What then shall
we
give in exchange for those? Hear what follows.
"Many,
O Lord my God, are the wonderful works which You have made" (ver. 5).
He
used to gaze at the "wonderful works" of man; let him now contemplate
the
wonderful
works of God. "Many are the wonderful works" that God "has
made."
Why
are they become vile in his eyes? He praises the charioteer guiding four
horses;
running all of them without fault and without stumbling. Perhaps the Lord
has
not made such "wonderful works" in things spiritual. Let him control
lust, let
him
control cowardice, let him control injustice, let him control imprudence, I
mean,
the passions which falling into excess produce those vices; let him control
these
and bring them into subjection, and let him hold the reins, and not suffer
himself
to be carried away; let him guide them the way he himself would have
them
go; let him not be forced away whither he would not. He used to applaud the
charioteer,
he himself shall be applauded for his own charioteering; he used to call
out
that the charioteer should be invested with a dress of honour; he shall himself
be
clothed with immortality. These are the spectacles, these the sights that God
exhibits
to us. He cries out of heaven, "My eyes are upon you. Strive, and 'I will'
assist
you; triumph, and I will crown you."
"And
in Your thought there is none that is like unto You." Now then look at the
actor!
For the man has by dint of great pains learned to walk upon a rope; and
hanging
there he holds you hanging in suspense. Turn to Him who exhibits
spectacles
far more wonderful. This man has learned to walk upon the rope; but
has
he caused another to walk on the sea? Forget now your theatre; behold our
Peter;
not a walker on the rope, but, so to speak, a walker on the sea. And do thou
also
walk on other waters (though not on those on which Peter walked, to
symbolize
a certain truth), for this world is a sea. It has a deleterious bitterness; it
has
the waves of tribulations, the tempests of temptations; it has men in it who,
like
fish, delight in their own ruin, and prey upon each other; walk thou here, set
thou
your foot on this. You would see sights; be yourself a "spectacle."
That your
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 40
223
spirit
may not sink, look on Him who goes before you, and says, "We have been
made
a spectacle unto this world, and unto angels, and unto men."
1
Corinthians 4:9 Tread thou on the waters; suffer not yourself to be drowned in
the
sea. You will not go there, you will not "tread it under foot,"
unless it be His
bidding,
who was Himself the first to walk upon the sea. For it was thus that Peter
spoke.
"If You are, bid me come unto You on the waters." Matthew 14:28 And
because
"He was," He heard him when praying; He granted his wish to him when
expressing
his desire; He raised him up when sinking. These are the "wonderful
works"
that the "Lord has made." Look on them; let faith be the eye of him
who
would
behold them. And do thou also likewise; for although the winds alarm you,
though
the waves rage against you, and though human frailty may have inspired
you
with some doubt of your salvation, you have it in your power to "cry
out," you
may
say "Lord, I perish." Matthew 14:30 He who bids you walk there,
suffers you
not
to perish. For in that thou now walkest "on the Rock," you fear not
even on the
sea!
If you are without "the Rock," you must sink in the sea; for the Rock
on
which
you must walk is such an one as is not sunk in the sea,
10.
Observe then the "wonderful works" of God. "I have declared, and
have
spoken;
they are multiplied beyond number." There is "a number," there
are some
over
and above the number. There is a fixed number that belongs to that heavenly
Jerusalem.
For "the Lord knows them that are His;" 2 Timothy 2:19 the Christians
that
fear Him, the Christians that believe, the Christians that keep the
commandments,
that walk in God's ways, that keep themselves from sins; that if
they
fall confess: they belong to "the number." But are they the only
ones? There
are
also some "beyond the number." For even if they be but a few (a few
in
comparison
of the numbers of the larger majority), with how great numbers are
our
Churches filled, crowded up to the very walls; to what a degree do they annoy
each
other by the pressure, and almost choke each other by their overflowing
numbers.
Again, out of these very same persons, when there is a public spectacle,
there
are numbers flocking to the amphitheatre; these are over and above "the
number."
But it is for this reason that we say this, that they may be in "the
number."
Not being present, they do not hear this from us; but when you have
gone
from hence, let them hear it from you. "I have declared," he says,
"and have
spoken."
It is Christ who speaks. "He has declared it," in His own Person, as
our
Head.
He has Himself declared it by His members. He Himself has sent those who
should
"declare" it; He Himself has sent the Apostles. "Their sound is
gone out
into
all lands, and their words unto the ends of the world." How great the
number
of
believers that are gathered together; how great the multitudes that flock
together;
many of them truly converted, many but in appearance: and those who
are
truly converted are the minority; those who are so but in appearance are the
majority:
because "they are multiplied beyond the number."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 40 224
11.
...These are the "wonderful works" of God; these are the
"thoughts" of God, to
which
"no man's thoughts are like;" that the lover of sight-seeing may be
weaned
from
curiosity: and with us may seek after those more excellent, those more
profitable
things, in which, when he shall have attained unto them, he will
rejoice....
12.
"Sacrifice and offering You did not desire" (ver. 6), says the Psalm
to God. For
the
men of old time, when as yet the true Sacrifice, which is known to the
faithful,
was
foreshown in figures, used to celebrate rites that were figures of the reality
that
was to be hereafter; many of them understanding their meaning; but more of
them
in ignorance of it. For the Prophets and the holy Patriarchs understood what
they
were celebrating; but the rest of the "stiff-necked people" were so
carnal, that
what
was done by them was but to symbolize the things that were to come
afterwards;
and it came to pass, when that first sacrifice was abolished; when the
burnt-offerings
of "rams, of goats, and of calves," and of other victims, had been
abolished,
"God did not desire them." Why did God not desire them? And why did
He
at the first desire them? Because all those things were, as it were, the words
of
a
person making a promise; and the expressions conveying a promise, when the
thing
that they promise is come, are no longer uttered.... Those sacrifices then, as
being
but expressions of a promise, have been abrogated. What is that which has
been
given as its fulfilment? That "Body;" which you know; which you do
not all
of
you know; which, of you who do know it, I pray God all may not know it unto
condemnation.
Observe the time when it was said; for the person is Christ our
Lord,
speaking at one time for His members, at another in His own person.
"Sacrifice
and offering," said He, "You did not desire." What then? Are we
left at
this
present time without a sacrifice? God forbid!
"But
a Body have You perfected for me." It was for this reason that You did not
desire
the others; that You might "perfect" this; before You
"perfected" this, You
desired
the others. The fulfilment of the promise has done away with the words
that
express the promise. For if they still hold out a promise, that which was
promised
is not yet fulfilled. This was promised by certain signs; the signs that
convey
the promise are done away; because the Substance that was promised is
come.
We are in this "Body." We are partakers of this "Body." We
know that
which
we ourselves receive; and you who know it not yet, will know it bye and
bye;
and when you come to know it, I pray ye may not receive it unto
condemnation.
"For he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation
unto
himself." 1 Corinthians 11:29 "A Body" has been
"perfected" for us; let us be
made
perfect in the Body.
13.
"Burnt-offerings also for sin have You not required." "Then said
I, Lo, I
come!"
(ver. 7). It is time that what "was promised should come;" because
the
signs,
by means of which they were promised, have been put away. And indeed,
Brethren,
observe these put away; those fulfilled. Let the Jewish nation at this time
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 40
225
show
me their priest, if they can! Where are their sacrifices? They are brought to
an
end; they are put away now. Should we at that time have rejected them? We do
reject
them now; because, if you chose to celebrate them now, it were
unseasonable;
unfitting at the time; incongruous. You are still making promises; I
have
already received! There has remained to them a certain thing for them to
celebrate;
that they might not remain altogether without a sign .... In such a case
then
are they; like Cain with his mark. The sacrifices, however, which used to be
performed
there, have been put away; and that which remained unto them for a
sign
like that of Cain, has by this time been fulfilled; and they know it not. They
slay
the Lamb; they eat the unleavened bread. "Christ has been sacrificed for
us, as
our
Passover." 1 Corinthians 5:7 Lo, in the sacrifice of Christ, I recognise
the
Lamb
that was slain! What of the unleavened bread? "Therefore," says he,
"let us
keep
the feast; not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of wickedness" (he
shows
what is meant by "old;" it is "stale" flour; it is sour),
"but in the unleavened
bread
of sincerity and truth." 1 Corinthians 5:8 They have continued in the
shade;
they
cannot abide the Sun of Glory. We are already in the light of day. We have
"the
Body" of Christ, we have the Blood of Christ. If we have a new life, let
us
"sing
a new song, even a hymn unto our God." "Burnt offerings for sin You
did
not
desire. Then said I, Lo, I come!"
14.
"In the head of the Book it is written of me, that I should fulfil Your
will: O
my
God, I am willing, and Your Law is within my heart" (ver. 8). Behold! He
turns
His regards to His members. Behold! He has Himself "fulfilled the
will" of
the
Father. But in what "beginning of a Book" is it written of Him?
Perhaps in the
beginning
of this Book of Psalms. For why should we seek far for it, or examine
into
other books for it? Behold! It is written in the beginning of this Book of
Psalms!
"His will is in the Law of the Lord;" that is, "'O my God, I am
willing,'
and
'Your Law is within my heart;'" that is the same as, "And in His Law
does he
meditate
day and night."
15.
"I have well declared Your righteousness in the great congregation"
(ver. 9).
He
now addresses His members. He is exhorting them to do what He has already
done.
He has "declared;" let us declare also. He has suffered; let us
"suffer with
Him."
He has been glorified; we shall be "glorified with Him." Romans 8:17
"I
have
declared Your righteousness in the great congregation." How great an one
is
that?
In all the world. How great is it? Even among all nations. Why among all
nations?
Because He is "the Seed of Abraham, in whom all nations shall be
blessed."
Genesis 22:18 Why among all nations? "Because their sound has gone
forth
into all lands." "Lo! I will not refrain my lips, O Lord, and that
You know."
My
lips speak; I will not "refrain" them from speaking. My lips indeed
sound
audibly
in the ears of men; but "You know" mine heart. "I will not
refrain my lips,
O
Lord; that You know." It is one thing that man hears; another that God
"knows."
That
the "declaring" of it should not be confined to the lips alone, and
that it might
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 40
226
not
be said of us, "Whatsoever things they say unto you, do; but do not after
their
works;"
Matthew 23:3 or lest it should be said to the people, "praising God with
their
lips, but not with their heart," "This people honours Me with their
lips, but
their
heart is far from Me;" Isaiah 29:31 do thou make audible confession with
your
lips; draw nigh with your heart also. "For with the heart man believes
unto
righteousness;
but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Romans
10:10 In case like unto which that thief was found, who, hanging on the
Cross
with the Lord, did on the Cross acknowledge the Lord. Others had refused
to
acknowledge Him while working miracles; this man acknowledged Him when
hanging
on the Cross. That thief had every other member pierced through; his
hands
were fastened by the nails; his feet were pierced also; his whole body was
fastened
to the tree; the body was not disengaged in its other members; the heart
and
the tongue were disengaged; "with the heart" he "believed; with
the tongue"
he
made "confession." "Remember me, O Lord," he said,
"when Thou comest into
Your
kingdom." He hoped for the coming of his salvation at a time far remote;
he
was
content to receive it after a long delay; his hope rested on an object far
remote.
The day, however, was not postponed! The answer was, "This day shall
you
be with Me in Paradise." Paradise has happy trees! This day have you been
with
Me on "the Tree" of the Cross. This day shall you be with Me on
"the Tree"
of
Salvation....
16.
"I have not hid my righteousness within my heart" (ver. 10). What is
meant by
"my
righteousness"? My faith. For, "the just shall live by faith."
As suppose the
persecutor
under threat of punishment, as they were once allowed to do, puts you
to
the question, "What are you? Pagan or Christian?" "A
Christian." That is his
"righteousness."
He believes; he "lives by faith." He does not "hide his
righteousness
within his heart." He has not said in his heart, "I do indeed believe
in
Christ;
but I will not tell what I believe to this persecutor, who is raging against
me,
and threatening me. My God knows that inwardly, within my heart, I do
believe.
He knows that I renounce Him not." Lo! you say that you have this
inwardly
within your heart! What have you upon your lips? "I am not a Christian."
Your
lips bear witness against your heart. "I have not hid my righteousness
within
my
heart."...
17.
"I have declared Your Truth and Your Salvation." I have declared Your
Christ.
This
is the meaning of, "I have declared Your Truth and Your Salvation."
How is
"Your
Truth" Christ? "I am the Truth." John 14:6 How is Christ
"His Salvation"?
Simeon
recognised the infant in His Mother's hands in the Temple, and said, "For
my
eyes have seen Your Salvation." Luke 2:30 The old man recognised the little
child;
the old man having himself "become a little child" in that infant,
having
been
renewed by faith. For he had received an oracle from God; and it said this,
"The
Lord had said unto him, that he was not to depart out of this life, until he
had
seen
the "Salvation of God." This "Salvation of God" it is a
good thing to have
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 40 227
shown
unto men; but let them cry, "Show us Your mercy, O Lord, and grant us
Your
Salvation."...
18.
"I have not concealed Your mercy and Your Truth from the great
congregation."
Let us be there; let us also be numbered among the members of this
Body:
let us not keep back "the mercy" of the Lord, and "the
Truth" of the Lord.
Wouldest
thou hear what "the mercy of the Lord" is? Depart from your sins; He
will
forgive your sins. Wouldest thou hear what "the truth" of the Lord
is? Hold
fast
righteousness. Your righteousness shall receive a crown. For mercy is
announced
to you now; "Truth" is to be shown unto you hereafter. For God is not
merciful
in such a way as not to be just, nor just in such a way as not to be
merciful.
Does that mercy seem to you an inconsiderable one? He will not impute
unto
you all your former sins: you have lived ill up to this present day; you are
still
living;
this day live well; then you will not "conceal" this
"mercy." If this is meant
by
"mercy," what is meant by "truth"?...
19.
"Remove not Thou Your mercies far from me, O Lord" (ver. 11). He is
turning
his
attention to the wounded members. Because I have not "concealed Your mercy
and
Your Truth from the great congregation," from the Unity of the Universal
Church,
look Thou on Your afflicted members, look on those who are guilty of
sins
of omission, and on those who are guilty of sins of commission: and withhold
not
Thou Your mercies. "Your mercy and Your Truth have continually preserved
me."
I should not dare to turn from my evil way, were I not assured of remission; I
could
not endure so as to persevere, if I were not assured of the fulfilment of Your
promise....
"Innumerable
evils have compassed me about" (ver. 12). Who can number sins?
Who
can count his own sins, and those of others? A burden under which he was
groaning,
who said, "Cleanse Thou me from my secret faults; and from the faults
of
others, spare Thou Your servant, O Lord." Our own are too little; those
"of
others"
are added to the burden. I fear for myself; I fear for a virtuous brother, I
have
to bear with a wicked brother; and under such burthen what shall we be, if
God's
mercy were to fail? "But You, Lord, remove not afar off." Be Thou
near
unto
us! To whom is the Lord near? "Even" unto them that "are of a
broken heart."
He
is far from the proud: He is near to the humble. "For though the Lord is
high,
yet
has He respect unto the lowly." But let not those that are proud think
themselves
to be unobserved: for the things that are high, He "beholds afar
off."
He
"beheld afar off" the Pharisee, who boasted himself; He was near at
hand to
succour
the Publican, who made confession. Luke 18:9-14 The one extolled his
own
merits, and concealed his wounds; the other boasted not of his merits, but laid
bare
his wounds. He came to the Physician; he knew that he was sick, and that he
required
to be made whole; he "dared not lift up his eyes to Heaven: he smote
upon
his breast." He spared not himself, that God might spare him; he
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 40
228
acknowledged
himself guilty, that God might "ignore" the charge against him. He
punished
himself, that God might free him from punishment....
20.
"Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I could not see."
There is a
something
for us "to see;" what prevents us so that we see it not? Is it not
iniquity?
From
beholding this light your eye is prevented perhaps by some humour
penetrating
into it; perhaps by smoke, or dust, or by something else that has been
thrown
into it: and you have not been able to raise your wounded eye to
contemplate
this light of day. What then? Will you be able to lift up your wounded
heart
unto God? Must it not be first healed, in order that you may see? Do you not
show
your pride, when you say, "First let me see, and then I will
believe"? Who is
there
who says this? For who that would fain see, says, "Let me see, and then I
will
believe"? I am about to manifest the Light unto you; or rather the Light
Itself
would
fain manifest Itself to you! To whom? It cannot manifest Itself to the blind.
He
does not see. Whence is it that he sees not? It is that the eye is clogged by
the
multitude
of sins....
21.
"They are more than the hairs of my head." He subjects the number of
the
"hairs
of his head" to calculation. Who is there can calculate the number of the
hairs
of his head? Much less can he tell the number of his sins, which exceed the
number
of the hairs of his head. They seem to be minute; but they are many in
number.
You have guarded against great ones; you do not now commit adultery,
or
murder; you do not plunder the property of others; you do not blaspheme; and
do
not bear false witness; those are the weightier kind of sins. You have guarded
against
great sins, what are you doing about your smaller ones? You have cast off
the
weight; beware lest the sand overwhelm you. "And my heart has forsaken
me."
What
wonder if your heart is forsaken by your God, when it is even
"forsaken" by
itself?
What is meant by "fails me," "forsakes me"? Is not capable
of knowing
itself.
He means this: "My heart has forsaken me." I would fain see God with
mine
heart,
and cannot from the multitude of my sins: that is not enough; mine heart
does
not even know itself. For no one thoroughly knows himself: let no one
presume
upon his own state. Was Peter able to comprehend with his own heart the
state
of his own heart, who said, "I will be with You even unto death"?
Luke 22:33
There
was a false presumption in the heart; there was lurking in that heart at the
same
time a real fear: and the heart was not able to comprehend the state of the
heart.
Its state was unknown to the sick heart itself: it was manifest to the
physician.
That which was foretold of him was fulfilled. God knew that in him
which
he knew not in himself: because his heart had forsaken him, his heart was
unknown
to his heart.
22.
"Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me" (ver. 13). As if he were saying,
"'If You
will,
You can make me clean.' Matthew 8:2 Be pleased to deliver me. O Lord,
look
upon me to help me." Look, that is, on the penitent members, members that
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 40
229
lie
in pain, members that are writhing under the instruments of the surgeon; but
still
in hope.
23.
"Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to
destroy
it" (ver. 14). For in a certain passage he makes an accusation, and says,
"I
looked
upon my right hand, and beheld; and there was no man who sought after
my
soul;" that is, there was no man to imitate Mine example. Christ in His
Passion
is
the Speaker. "I looked on my right hand," that is, not on the ungodly
Jews, but
on
My own right hand, the Apostles,—"and there was no man who sought after
My
soul." So thoroughly was there no man to "seek after My soul,"
that he who
had
presumed on his own strength, "denied My soul." But because a man's
soul is
sought
after in two ways, either in order that you may enjoy his society; or that
you
may persecute him; therefore he here speaks of others, whom he would have
"confounded
and ashamed," who are "seeking after his soul." But lest you
should
understand
it in the same way as when he complains of some who did not "seek
after
his soul," He adds, "to destroy it;" that is, they seek after my
soul in order to
my
death....
24.
"Let them be turned backward and put to shame that wish me evil."
"Turned
backwards."
Let us not take this in a bad sense. He wishes them well; and it is His
voice,
who said from the Cross, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what
they
do." Luke 23:34 Wherefore then does he say to them, that they should
return
"backwards"?
Because they who before were proud, so that they fell, are now
become
humble, so that they may rise again. For when they are before, they are
wishing
to take precedence of their Lord; to be better than He; but if they go
behind
Him, they acknowledge Him to be better than they; they acknowledge that
He
ought to go before; that He should precede, they follow. Thence He thus
rebukes
Peter giving Him evil counsel. For the Lord, when about to suffer for our
salvation,
also foretold what was to happen concerning that Passion itself; and
Peter
says, "Be it far from You," Matthew 16:22 "God forbid it!"
"This shall not
be!"
He would fain have gone before his Lord; would have given counsel to his
Master!
But the Lord, that He might make him not go before Him, but follow after
Him,
says, "Get behind, Satan!" It is for this reason He said
"Satan," because you
are
seeking to go before Him, whom you ought to follow; but if you are behind, if
thou
follow Him, you will henceforth not be "Satan." What then? "Upon
this Rock
I
will build My Church." Matthew 16:18...
25.
"Let them speedily bear away their own confusion, that say unto me, Well
done!
Well done!" (ver. 15). They praise you without reason. "A great man!
A
good
man! A man of education and of learning; but why a Christian?" They praise
those
things in you which you should wish not to be praised; they find fault with
that
at which you rejoice. But if perhaps you say, "What is it you praise in
me, O
man?
That I am a virtuous man? A just man? If you think this, Christ made me
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 40
230
this;
praise Him." But the other says, "Be it far from you. Do yourself no
wrong!
You
yourself made yourself such." "Let them be confounded who say unto
me,
Well
done! Well done!" And what follows?
"Let
all those that seek You, O Lord, rejoice and be glad" (ver. 16). Those who
"seek"
not me, but "You;" who say not to me, "Well done! Well done!"
but see me
"glory
in You," if I have anything whereof to glory; for "he who glories,
let him
glory
in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:31 "Let all those who seek You, Lord,
rejoice
and
be glad."
"And
say continually, the Lord be magnified." For even if the sinner becomes
righteous,
you should give the glory to "Him who justifies the ungodly."
Romans
4:5 Whether therefore it be a sinner, let Him be praised who calls him to
forgiveness;
or one already walking in the way of righteousness, let Him be
praised
who calls him to receive the crown! Let the Name of the Lord be
magnified
continually by "such as love Your salvation."
"But
I" (ver. 17). I for whom they were seeking evil, I whose "life they
were
seeking,
that they might take it away." But turn you to another description of
persons.
But I to whom they said, "Well done! Well done!" "I am poor and
needy."
There is nothing in me that may be praised as my own. Let Him rend my
sackcloth
in sunder, and cover me with His robe. For, "Now I live, not I myself;
but
Christ lives in me." Galatians 2:20 If it is Christ that "lives in
you," and all that
you
have is Christ's, and all that you are to have hereafter is Christ's also; what
are
you
in yourself? "I am poor and needy." Now I am not rich, because I am
not
proud.
He was rich who said, "Lord, I thank You that I am not as other men
are;"
Luke
18:11 but the publican was poor, who said, "Lord, be merciful to me a
sinner!"
The one was belching from his fulness; the other from want was crying
piteously,
"I am poor and needy!" And what would you do, O poor and needy
man?
Beg at God's door; "Knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Matthew
7:7—
"As
for me, I am poor and needy. Yet the Lord cares for me."—"Cast your
care
upon
the Lord, and He shall bring it to pass." What can you effect for yourself
by
taking
care what can you provide for yourself? Let Him who made you "care for
you."
He who cared for you before thou were, how shall He fail to have a care of
you,
now that you are what He would have you be? For now you are a believer,
now
you are walking in the "way of righteousness." Shall not He have a
care for
you,
who "makes His sun rise on the good and on the evil, and sends rain on the
just
and on the unjust"? Matthew 5:45...
"You
are my Help, and my Deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God" (ver. 17). He
is
calling upon God, imploring Him, fearing lest he should fall away: "Make
no
tarrying."
What is meant by "make no tarrying"? We lately read concerning the
days
of tribulation: "Unless those days should be shortened, there should no
flesh
be
saved." Matthew 24:22 The members of Christ—the Body of Christ extended
everywhere—are
asking of God, as one single person, one single poor man, and
beggar!
For He too was poor, who "though He was rich, yet became poor, that you
through
His poverty might be made rich." 2 Corinthians 8:9 It is He that makes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 40
231
rich
those who are the true poor; and makes poor those who are falsely rich. He
cries
unto Him; "From the end of the earth I cried unto You, when my heart was
in
heaviness."
There will come days of tribulations, and of greater tribulations; they
will
come even as the Scripture speaks: and as days advance, so are tribulations
increased
also. Let no one promise himself what the Gospel does not promise....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 41
232
Exposition
on Psalm 41
To
the people, on the Feast of the Martyrs.
1.
The solemn day of the Martyrs has dawned; therefore to the glory of the Passion
of
Christ, the Captain of Martyrs, who spared not Himself, ordering His soldiers
to
the
fight; but first fought, first conquered, that their fighting He might
encourage
by
His example, and aid with His majesty, and crown with His promise: let us hear
somewhat
from this Psalm pertaining to His Passion. I commend unto you
oftentimes,
nor grieve I to repeat, what for you is useful to retain, that our Lord
Jesus
Christ speaks often of Himself, that is, in His own Person, which is our
Head;
often in the person of His Body, which are we and His Church; but so that
the
words sound as from the mouth of one, that we may understand the Head and
the
Body to consist together in the unity of integrity, and not be separated the
one
from
the other; as in that marriage whereof it is said, "They two shall be one
flesh."
If then we acknowledge two in one flesh, let us acknowledge two in one
voice.
First, that which responding to the reader we have sung, though it be from
the
middle of the Psalm, from that I will take the beginning of this Sermon.
"Mine
enemies speak evil of Me, When He shall die, then shall His Name perish"
(ver.
5). This is the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ: but see if herein are not
understood
the members also. This was spoken also when our Lord Himself
walked
in the flesh here on earth .... When they saw the people go after Him, they
said,
"When He shall die, then shall His Name perish;" that is, when we
have slain
Him,
then shall His Name be no more in the earth, nor shall He seduce any, being
dead;
but by that very slaying of Him shall men understand, that He was but a man
whom
they followed, that there was in Him no hope of salvation, and shall desert
His
Name, and it shall no more be. He died, and His Name perished not, but His
Name
was sown as seed: He died, but He was a grain, which dying, the corn
immediately
sprang up. John 12:24 When glorified then was our Lord Jesus
Christ,
began they much more, and much more numerously to trust in Him; then
began
His members to hear what the Head had heard. Now then our Lord Jesus
Christ
being in heaven set down, and Himself in us labouring on earth, still spoke
His
enemies, "When He shall die, then shall His Name perish." For hence
stirred
up
the devil persecutions in the Church to destroy the Name of Christ. Unless
haply
ye think, brethren, that those Pagans, when they raged against Christians,
said
not this among themselves, "to blot out the Name of Christ from the
earth."
That
Christ might die again, not in the Head, but in His Body, were slain also the
Martyrs.
To the multiplying of the Church availed the Holy Blood poured forth, to
help
Its seminating came also the death of the Martyrs. "Precious in the sight
of
the
Lord is the death of His Saints." More and more were the Christians
multiplied,
nor was it fulfilled which spoke the enemies, "When He shall die, then
shall
His Name perish." Even now also is it spoken. Down sit the Pagans, and
compute
them the years, they hear their fanatics saying, A time shall come when
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 41
233
Christians
shall be none, and those idols must be worshipped as before they were
worshipped:
still say they, "When He shall die, then shall His Name perish."
Twice
conquered, now the third time be wise! Christ died, His Name has not
perished:
the Martyrs died, multiplied more is the Church, grows through all
nations
the Name of Christ. He who foretold of His own Death, and of His
Resurrection,
He who foretold of His Martyrs' death, and of their crown, He
Himself
foretold of His Church things yet to come, if truth He spoke twice, has He
the
third time lied? Vain then is what ye believe against Him; better is it that
you
believe
in Him, that you may "understand upon the needy and poor One;" that
"though
He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His
poverty
might be rich." 2 Corinthians 8:9...
2.
"Blessed is he that understands upon the needy and poor One: in the evil
day
shall
the Lord deliver him" (ver. 1). For the evil day will come: will thou,
nill
thou,
come it will: the Day of Judgment will come upon you, an evil day if thou
"understand
not the needy and poor." For what now you will not believe, shall be
made
manifest in the end. But neither shall you escape, when it shall be made
manifest,
because you believe not, when it is kept secret. Invited are you, what you
see
not to believe, lest when thou see, thou be put to the blush. "Understand
then
upon
the needy and poor One," that is, Christ: understand in Him the hidden
riches,
whom poor you see, "In Him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge."
Colossians 2:3 For thereby in the evil day shall He deliver you, in
that
He is God: but in that He is man, and that which in Him is human has raised
to
life, and changed for the better, He has lifted (you) to heaven. But He who is
God,
who would have one person in man and with man, could neither decrease nor
increase,
neither die nor rise again. He died out of man's infirmity, but God dies
not
.... But as we rightly say, Such a man died, though his soul dies not; so we
rightly
say, Christ died, though His Divinity dies not. Wherefore died? Because
needy
and poor. Let not His death offend you, and avert you from beholding His
Divinity.
"Blessed is he that understands upon the needy and poor One."
Consider
also
the poor, the needy, the hungry and thirsty, the naked, the sick, the
prisoners;
understand
also upon such poor, for if upon such thou understand, you understand
upon
Him who said, "I was an hungred, I was thirsty, I was a stranger, naked,
sick,
in
prison;" Matthew 25:35-36 so in the evil day shall the Lord deliver
you....
3.
"And deliver him not into the hand of his enemy" (ver. 2). The enemy
is the
devil.
Let none think of a man his enemy, when he hears these words. Haply one
thought
of his neighbour, of him who had a suit with him in court, of him who
would
take from him his own possession, of him who would force him to sell to
him
his house. Think not this; but that enemy think of, of whom said the Lord,
"an
enemy
has done this." Matthew 13:28 For He it is who suggests that for things
earthly
he be worshipped, for overthrow the Christian Name this enemy cannot.
For
he has seen himself conquered by the fame and praises of Christ, he has seen,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 41
234
whereas
he slew Christ's Martyrs, that they are crowned, he triumphed over. He
has
begun to be unable to persuade men that Christ is nought; and because by
reviling
Christ, he now with difficulty deceives, by lauding Christ, he endeavours
to
deceive. Before this what said he? Whom worship ye? A Jew, dead, crucified, a
man
of no moment, who could not even from himself drive away death. When
after
His Name he saw running the whole human race, saw that in the Name of the
Crucified
temples are thrown down, idols are broken, sacrifices abolished; and that
all
these things predicted in the Prophets are considered by men, by men with
wonder
astonished, and closing now their hearts against the reviling of Christ; he
clothes
himself with praise of Christ, and begins to deter from the faith in another
manner.
Great is the law of Christ, powerful is that law, divine, ineffable! but who
fulfills
it? In the name of our Saviour, "tread upon the lion and the dragon."
By
reviling
openly roared the lion; by lauding craftily lurks the dragon. Let them
come
to the faith, who doubted; and not say, Who fulfills it? If on their own
strength
they presume, they will not fulfil it. Presuming on the grace of God let
them
believe, presuming (on it) let them come; to be aided come, not to be judged.
So
live all the faithful in the Name of Christ, each one in his degree fulfilling
the
commands
of Christ, whether married, or celibates and virgins, they live as much
as
God grants them to live; neither presume they in their own strength, but know
that
in Him they ought to glory....
4.
"The Lord help him" (ver. 3). But when? Haply in heaven, haply in the
life
eternal,
that so it remain to worship the devil for earthly needs, for the necessities
of
this life. Far be it! You have "promise of the life that now is, and of
that which
is
to come." 1 Timothy 4:8 He came unto you on earth, by Whom were made
heaven
and earth. Consider then what He says, "The Lord help him, on his bed of
pain."
The bed of pain is the infirmity of the flesh; lest you should say, I cannot
hold,
and carry, and tie up my flesh; you are aided that you may. The Lord help
you
on your bed of pain. Your bed did carry you, you carried not your bed, but
wast
a paralytic inwardly; He comes who says to you, "Take up your bed, and go
your
way into your house." Mark 2:11 "The Lord help him on his bed of
pain."
Then
to the Lord Himself He turns, as though it were asked, Why then, since the
Lord
helps us, suffer we such great ills in this life, such great scandals, such
great
labours,
such disquiet from the flesh and the world? He turns to God, and as
though
explaining to us the counsel of His healing, He says, "You have turned all
his
bed in his infirmity." By the bed is understood anything earthly. Every
soul
that
is infirm in this life seeks for itself somewhat whereon to rest, because
intensity
of labour, and of the soul extended toward God, it can hardly endure
perpetually,
somewhat it seeks on earth whereon to rest, and in a manner with a
kind
of pausing to recline, as are those things which innocent ones love .... The
innocent
man rests in his house, his family, his wife, his children; in his poverty,
his
little farm, his orchard planted with his own hand, in some building fabricated
with
his own study; in these rest the innocent. But yet God willing us not to have
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 41
235
love
but of life eternal, even with these, though innocent delights, mixes
bitterness,
that
even in these we may suffer tribulation, and so He turns all our bed in our
infirmity.
"You have turned all his bed in his infirmity." Let him not then
complain,
when in these things which he has innocently, he suffers some
tribulations.
He is taught to love the better, by the bitterness of the worse; lest
going
a traveller to his country, he choose the inn instead of his own home.
5.
But why this? Because He "scourges every son whom He receives."
Hebrews
12:6 Why this? Because to men sinning was it said, "In the sweat of your
face
shall you eat bread." Genesis 3:19 Therefore because all these
chastisements,
in
which all our bed is turned in our infirmity, man ought to acknowledge that he
suffers
for sin; let him turn himself, and say what follows: "I said, Lord, be
merciful
unto me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against You" (ver. 4). O Lord,
by
tribulations do Thou exercise me; to be scourged You judge every son whom
You
will receive, who spared not even the Only-Begotten. He indeed without sin
was
scourged; but I say, "I have sinned against You."...
6.
"Mine enemies speak evil of Me, When He shall die, then shall His Name
perish"
(ver. 5). Of this we have already spoken, and from this began.
7.
"And entered in to see" (ver. 6). What Christ suffered, that suffers
also the
Church;
what the Head suffered, that suffer also the Members. "For the disciple is
not
above his Master, nor the servant above his Lord." Matthew 10:24...
If
to Christ's Members you belong, come within, cling to the Head. Endure the
tares
if you are wheat, endure the chaff if you are grain. Matthew 13:30 Endure the
bad
fish within the net if you are a good fish. Wherefore before the time of
winnowing
do you fly away? Wherefore before the time of harvest, do you root up
the
corn also with yourself? Wherefore before you have come to the shore, have
you
broken the nets? "They go abroad, and tell it."
8.
"All mine enemies whisper against Me unto the same thing" (ver. 7).
Against
Me
all unto the same thing. How much better with me unto the same thing, than
against
me "unto the same thing." What is, "Against me unto the same
thing"?
With
one counsel, with one conspiring. Christ then speaks unto you, You consent
against
Me, consent ye to Me: why against Me? wherefore not with Me? That
same
thing if you had always had, you had not divided you into schisms. For, says
the
Apostle, "I beseech you, brethren, that you all speak the same thing, and
that
there
be no division among you." 1 Corinthians 1:10 "All mine enemies
whisper
against
Me unto the same thing:" against Me do they "devise evil to Me."
To
themselves
rather, for "they have gathered iniquity to themselves;" but therefore
to
Me,
because by their intention they are to be weighed: for not because to do
nothing
was in their power, to do nothing was in their will. For the devil lusted to
extinguish
Christ, and Judas would slay Christ; yet Christ slain and rising again,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 41
236
we
are made alive, but to the devil and to Judas is rendered the reward of their
evil
will,
not of our salvation.... The intention wherewith they spoke, not what they
spoke,
did He consider, who related that they spoke evil of Him, "Against Me they
devised
evil to Me." And what evil to Christ, to the Martyrs what evil? All has
God
turned to good.
9.
"An ungodly word do they set forth against Me" (ver. 8). What sort of
ungodly
word?
Listen to the Head Itself. "Come, let us kill Him, and the inheritance
shall
be
ours." Mark 12:7 Fools! How shall the inheritance be yours? Because ye
killed
Him?
Lo! ye even killed Him; yet shall not the inheritance be yours. "Shall not
He
that
sleeps add this also, that He rise again"? When ye exulted that you had
slain
Him,
He slept; for He says in another Psalm, "I slept." They raged and
would slay
Me;
"I slept." If I had not willed, I had not even slept. "I
slept," because "I have
power
to lay down My life, and I have power to take it again." John 10:18
"I laid
Me
down and slept, and rose up again." Rage then the Jews; be "the earth
given
into
the hands of the wicked," Job 9:24 be the flesh left to the hands of
persecutors,
let them on wood suspend it, with nails transfix it, with a spear pierce
it.
"Shall He that sleeps, not add this, that He rise up again?"
Wherefore slept He?
Because
"Adam is the figure of Him that was to come." Romans 5:14 And Adam
slept,
when out of his side was made Eve. Genesis 2:21 Adam in the figure of
Christ,
Eve in the figure of the Church; whence she was called "the mother of all
living."
Genesis 3:20 When was Eve created? While Adam slept. When out of
Christ's
side flowed the Sacraments of the Church? While He slept upon the
Cross....
10.
"The man of My peace, in whom I trusted, which did eat of My bread, has
enlarged
his heel against Me" (ver. 9): has raised up his foot against Me: would
trample
upon Me. Who is this man of His peace? Judas. And in him did Christ
trust,
that He said, "in whom I trusted"? Did He not know him from the
beginning?
Did
He not before he was born know that he would be? Had He not said to all His
disciples,
"I have chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil"? John 6:70 How
then
trusted He in him, but that He is in His Members, and that because many
faithful
trusted in Judas, the Lord transferred this to Himself?..."The man of My
peace,
in whom I trusted, which did eat of My bread." How showed He him in His
Passion?
By the words of His prophecy: by the sop He marked Him out, that it
might
appear said of him, "Which did eat of My bread." John 13:26 Again,
when
he
came to betray Him, He granted him a kiss, Matthew 26:49 that it might appear
said
of him, "The man of My peace."
11.
"But You, O Lord, be merciful unto Me" (ver. 10). This is the person
of a
servant,
this is the person of the needy and poor: for, "Blessed is he that
understands
upon the needy and poor One." See, as it was spoken, "Be merciful
unto
Me, and raise Me up, and I will requite them," so is it done. For the Jews
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 41
237
slew
Christ, lest they should lose their place. John 11:48 Christ slain, they lost
their
place. Rooted out of the kingdom were they, dispersed were they. He, raised
up,
requited them tribulation, He requited them unto admonition, not yet unto
condemnation.
For the city wherein the people raged, as a ramping and a roaring
lion,
crying out, "Crucify Him, Crucify Him," Luke 23:21 the Jews rooted
out
therefrom,
has now Christians, by not one Jew is inhabited. There is planted the
Church
of Christ, whence were rooted out the thorns of the synagogue. For truly
this
fire blazed "as the fire of thorns." But the Lord was as a green
tree. This said
Himself,
when certain women mourned Christ as dying.... "For if they do these
things
in a green tree, what shall be done in a dry?" When can a green tree be
consumed
by the fire of thorns? For they blazed as fire among thorns. Fire
consumes
thorns, but whatsoever green tree it is applied to, is not easily
kindled....
Yet lest ye think that God the Father of Christ could raise up Christ, that
is,
the Flesh of His Son, and that Christ Himself, though He be the Word equal
with
the Father, could not raise up His own Flesh; hear out of the Gospel,
"Destroy
this
temple, and in three days I will raise it up." John 2:19 "But,"
said the
Evangelist
(lest even after this we should doubt), "He spoke of the temple of His
Body.
Raise Me up, and I will requite them."
12.
"By this I know that Thou favourest Me, that Mine enemies shall not
triumph
over
Me" (ver. 11.) Because the Jews did triumph, when they saw Christ
crucified;
they
thought that they had fulfilled their will to do Him hurt: the fruits of their
cruelty
they saw in effect, Christ hanging on the Cross: they shook their heads,
saying,
"If Thou be the Son of God, come down from the Cross." Matthew 27:39-
40
He came not down, who could; His Potency He showed not, but patience
taught.
For if, on their saying these things, He had come down from the Cross, He
would
have seemed as it were to yield to them insulting, and not being able to
endure
reproach, would have been believed conquered: more firm remained He
upon
the Cross, than they insulting; fixed was He, they wavering. For therefore
shook
they their heads, because to the true Head they adhered not. He taught us
plainly
patience. For mightier is that which He did, who would not do what the
Jews
challenged. For much mightier is it to rise from the sepulchre, than to come
down
from the Cross. "That Mine enemies shall not triumph over Me." They
triumphed
then at that time. Christ rose again, Christ was glorified. Now see they
in
His Name the human race converted: now let them insult, now shake the head:
rather
now let them fix the head, or if they shake the head, in wonder and
admiration
let them shake....
13.
"But as for Me, Thou upholdest Me, because of Mine innocence" (ver.
12).
Truly
innocence; integrity without sin, requiting without debt, scourging without
desert.
"Thou upholdest Me because of Mine innocence, and hast made Me strong
in
Your sight for ever." You have made Me strong for ever, You made Me weak
for
a time: You have made Me strong in Your sight, You made Me weak in sight
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 41
238
of
men. What then? Praise to Him, glory to Him. "Blessed be the Lord God of
Israel."
For He is the God of Israel, our God, the God of Jacob, the God of the
younger
son, the God of the younger people. Let none say, Of the Jews said He
this,
I am not Israel; rather the Jews are not Israel. For the elder son, he is the
elder
people
reprobated; the younger, the people beloved. "The elder shall serve the
younger:"
Genesis 25:13 now is it fulfilled: now, brethren, the Jews serve us, they
are
as our satchellers, we studying, they carry our books. Hear wherein the Jews
serve
us, and not without reason.... With them are the Law and the Prophets, in
which
Law, and in which Prophets, Christ is preached. When we have to do with
Pagans,
and show this coming to pass in the Church of Christ, which before was
predicted
of the Name of Christ, of the Head and Body of Christ, lest they think
that
we have forged these predictions, and from things which have happened, as
though
they were future, had made them up, we bring forth the books of the Jews.
The
Jews forsooth are our enemies, from an enemy's books convince we the
adversary
.... If any enemy clamour and say, "You for yourselves have forged
prophecies;"
be the books of the Jews brought forth, because the elder shall serve
the
younger. Therein let them read those predictions, which now we see fulfilled;
and
let us all say, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, from everlasting to
everlasting,
and all the people shall say, So be it, So be it."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 42
239
Exposition
on Psalm 42
1.
We have undertaken the exposition of a Psalm corresponding to your own
"longings,"
on which we propose to speak to you. For the Psalm itself begins with
a
certain pious "longing;" and he who sings so, says, "Like as the
hart desires the
water-brooks,
so longs my soul after You, O God" (ver. 1). Who is it then that
says
this? It is ourselves, if we be but willing! And why ask, who it is other than
yourself,
when it is in your power to be the thing which you are asking about? It is
not
however one individual, but it is "One Body;" but "Christ's Body
is the
Church."
Colossians 1:24 Such "longing" indeed is not found in all who enter
the
Church:
let all however who have "tasted" the sweetness "of the
Lord," and who
own
in Christ that for which they have a relish, think that they are not the only
ones;
but that there are such seeds scattered throughout "the field" of the
Lord, this
whole
earth: and that there is a certain Christian unity, whose voice thus speaks,
"Like
as the hart desires the water-brooks, so longs my soul after You, O God."
And
indeed it is not ill understood as the cry of those, who being as yet
Catechumens,
are hastening to the grace of the holy Font. On which account too
this
Psalm is ordinarily chanted on those occasions, that they may long for the
Fountain
of remission of sins, even "as the hart for the water-brooks." Let
this be
allowed;
and this meaning retain its place in the Church; a place both truthful and
sanctioned
by usage. Nevertheless, it appears to me, my brethren, that such "a
longing"
is not fully satisfied even in the faithful in Baptism: but that haply, if they
know
where they are sojourning, and whither they have to remove from hence,
their
"longing" is kindled in even greater intensity.
2.
The title then of it is, "On the end: a Psalm for understanding for the
sons of
Korah."
We have met with the sons of Korah in other titles of Psalms: and
remember
to have discussed and stated already the meaning of this name. Yet we
must
even now take notice of this title in such a way, that what we have said
already
should be no prejudice against our saying it again: for all were not present
in
every place where we said it. Now Korah may have been, as indeed he was, a
certain
definite person; and have had sons, who might be called "the sons of
Korah;"
let us however search for the secret of which this is the sacrament, that
this
name may bring to light the mystery with which it is pregnant. For there is
some
great mystery in the matter that the name "sons of Korah" is given to
Christians.
Why "sons of Korah"? They are "sons of the bridegroom, sons of
Christ."
Why then does "Korah" stand for Christ? Because "Korah" is
equivalent
to
"Calvaria."...Therefore, the "sons of the bridegroom," the
sons of His Passion,
the
sons redeemed by His Blood, the sons of His Cross, who bear on their
forehead
that which His enemies erected on Calvary, are called "the sons of
Korah;"
to them is this Psalm sung as a Psalm for "understanding." Let then
our
understanding
be roused: and if the Psalm be sung to us, let us follow it with our
"understanding."...Run
to the brooks; long after the water-brooks. "With God is
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm
42
240
the
fountain of Life;" a "fountain" that shall never be dried up: in
His "Light" is a
Light
that shall never be darkened. Long thou for this light: for a certain fountain,
a
certain light, such as your bodily eyes know not; a light to see which the
inward
eye
must be prepared; a fountain, to drink of which the inward thirst is to be
kindled.
Run to the fountain; long for the fountain; but do it not anyhow, be not
satisfied
with running like any ordinary animal; run thou "like the hart." What
is
meant
by "like the hart"? Let there be no sloth in your running; run with
all your
might:
long for the fountain with all your might. For we find in "the hart"
an
emblem
of swiftness.
3.
But perhaps Scripture meant us to consider in the stag not this point only, but
another
also. Hear what else there is in the hart. It destroys serpents, and after the
killing
of serpents, it is inflamed with thirst yet more violent; having destroyed
serpents,
it runs to "the water-brooks," with thirst more keen than before. The
serpents
are your vices, destroy the serpents of iniquity; then will you long yet
more
for "the Fountain of Truth." Perhaps avarice whispers in your ear
some dark
counsel,
hisses against the word of God, hisses against the commandment of God.
And
since it is said to you, "Disregard this or that thing," if thou
prefer working
iniquity
to despising some temporal good, you choose to be bitten by a serpent,
rather
than destroy it. Whilst, therefore, you are yet indulgent to your vice, your
covetousness
or your appetite, when am I to find in you "a longing" such as this,
that
might make you run to the water-brooks?...
4.
There is another point to be observed in the hart. It is reported of stags ...
that
when
they either wander in the herds, or when they are swimming to reach some
other
parts of the earth, that they support the burdens of their heads on each other,
in
such a manner as that one takes the lead, and others follow, resting their
heads
upon
him, as again others who follow do upon them, and others in succession to
the
very end of the herd; but the one who took the lead in bearing the burden of
their
heads, when tired, returns to the rear, and rests himself after his fatigue by
supporting
his head just as did the others; by thus supporting what is burdensome,
each
in turn, they both accomplish their journey, and do not abandon each other.
Are
they not a kind of "harts" that the Apostle addresses, saying,
"Bear ye one
another's
burdens, and so fulfil the Law of Christ"? Galatians 6:2...
5.
"My soul is thirsty for the living God" (ver. 2). What I am saying,
that "as the
hart
pants after the water-brooks, so longs my soul after You, O God," means
this,
"My
soul is thirsty for the living God." For what is it thirsty? "When
shall I come
and
appear before God?" This it is for which I am thirsty, to "come and
to appear
before
Him." I am thirsty in my pilgrimage, in my running; I shall be filled on
my
arrival.
But "When shall I come?" And this, which is soon in the sight of God,
is
late
to our "longing." "When shall I come and appear before
God?" This too
proceeds
from that "longing," of which in another place comes that cry,
"One
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 42
241
thing
have I desired of the Lord; that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the
house
of the Lord all the days of my life." Wherefore so? "That I may
behold" (he
says)
"the beauty of the Lord." "When shall I come and appear before
the
Lord?"...
6.
"My tears have been my meat day and night, while they daily say unto me,
Where
is your God?" (ver. 3). My tears (he says) have been not bitterness, but
"my
bread."
Those very tears were sweet unto me: being thirsty for that fountain,
inasmuch
as I was not as yet able to drink of it, I have eagerly made my tears my
meat.
For he said not, "My tears became my drink," lest he should seem to
have
longed
for them, as for "the water-brooks:" but, still retaining that thirst
wherewith
I
burn, and by which I am hurried away towards the water-brooks, "My tears
became
my meat," while I am not yet there. And assuredly he does but the more
thirst
for the water-brooks from making his tears his meat.... "And they daily
say
unto
me, Where is your God?" For if a Pagan should say this to me, I cannot
retort
it
upon him, saying, "Where is thine?" inasmuch as he points with his
finger to
some
stone, and says, "Lo, there is my God!" When I have laughed at the
stone,
and
he who pointed to it has been put to the blush, he raises his eyes from the
stone,
looks up to heaven, and perhaps says, pointing his finger to the Sun,
"Behold
there my God! Where, I pray, is your God?" He has found something to
point
out to the eyes of the flesh; whereas I, on my part, not that I have not a God
to
show to him, cannot show him what he has no eyes to see. For he indeed could
point
out to my bodily eyes his God, the Sun; but what eyes has he to which I
might
point out the Creator of the Sun?...
7.
"I thought on these things, and poured out my soul above myself"
(ver. 4).
When
would my soul attain to that object of its search, which is "above my
soul,"
if
my soul were not to "pour itself out above itself"? For were it to
rest in itself, it
would
not see anything else beyond itself; and in seeing itself, would not, for all
that,
see God. Let then my insulting enemies now say, "Where is your God?"
aye,
let
them say it! I, so long as I do not "see," so long as my happiness is
postponed,
make
my tears my "bread day and night." Let them still say, "Where is
your God?"
I
seek my God in every corporeal nature, terrestrial or celestial, and find Him
not:
I
seek His Substance in my own soul, and I find it not, yet still I have thought
on
these
things, and wishing to "see the invisible things of my God, being
understood
by
the things made," Romans 1:20 I have poured forth my soul above myself,
and
there
remains no longer any being for me to attain to, save my God. For it is
"there"
is the "house of my God." His dwelling-place is above my soul; from
thence
He beholds me; from thence He created me; from thence He directs me and
provides
for me; from thence he appeals to me, and calls me, and directs me; leads
me
in the way, and to the end of my way....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 42
242
8.
For when I was "pouring out my soul above myself," in order to reach
my God,
why
did I do so? "For I will go into the place of Your Tabernacle." For I
should be
in
error were I to seek for my God without "the place of His
tabernacle." "For I
will
go into the place of Your wonderful tabernacle, even unto the house of
God."
"I
will go," he says, "into the place of the wonderful tabernacle, even
unto the
house
of God!" For there are already many things that I admire in "the
tabernacle."
See
how great wonders I admire in the tabernacle! For God's tabernacle on earth is
the
faithful; I admire in them the obedience of even their bodily members: that in
them
"Sin does not reign so that they should obey its lusts; neither do they
yield
their
members instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; but unto the living God in
good
works." Romans 6:12-13 I admire the sight of the bodily members warring in
the
service of the soul that serves God .... And wonderful though the tabernacle
be,
yet
when I come to "the house of God," I am even struck dumb with
astonishment.
Of
that "house" he speaks in another Psalm, after he had put a certain
abstruse and
difficult
question to himself (viz., why is it that it generally goes well with the
wicked
on earth, and ill with the good?), saying, "I thought to know this; it is
too
painful
for me, until I go into the sanctuary of God, and understand of the last
things."
For it is there, in the sanctuary of God, in the house of God, is the fountain
of
"understanding." There he "understood of the last things;"
and solved the
question
concerning the prosperity of the unrighteous, and the sufferings of the
righteous.
How does he solve it? Why, that the wicked, when reprieved here, are
reserved
for punishments without end; and the good when they suffer here, are
being
tried in order that they may in the end obtain the inheritance. And it was in
the
sanctuary of God that he understood this, and "understood of the last
things."...For
he tells us of his progress, and of his guidance thither; as if we had
been
saying, "You are admiring the tabernacle here on earth; how came you to
the
sanctuary
of the house of God?" he says, "In the voice of joy and praise; the
sound
of
keeping holiday." Here, when men keep festival simply for their own
indulgence,
it is their custom to place musical instruments, or to station a chorus of
singers,
before their houses, or any kind of music that serves and allures to
wantonness.
And when these are heard, what do we passers by say? "What is
going
on here?" And we are told in answer, that it is some festival. "It is
a birthday
that
is being celebrated" (say they), "there is a marriage here;"
that those songs
may
not appear out of place, but the luxurious indulgence may be excused by the
festive
occasion. In the "house of God" there is a never-ending festival: for
there it
is
not an occasion celebrated once, and then to pass away. The angelic choir makes
an
eternal "holiday:" the presence of God's face, joy that never fails.
This is a
"holiday"
of such a kind, as neither to be opened by any dawn, nor terminated by
any
evening. From that everlasting perpetual festivity, a certain sweet and
melodious
strain strikes on the ears of the heart, provided only the world do not
drown
the sounds. As he walks in this tabernacle, and contemplates God's
wonderful
works for the redemption of the faithful, the sound of that festivity
charms
his ears, and bears the "hart" away to "the water-brooks."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 42
243
9.
But seeing, brethren, so long as "we are at home in this body, we are
absent
from
the Lord;" 2 Corinthians 5:6 and "the corruptible body presses down
the soul,
and
the earthly tabernacle weighs down the mind that muses on many things;"
Wisdom
9:15 even though we have some way or other dispersed the clouds, by
walking
as "longing" leads us on, and for a brief while have come within
reach of
that
sound, so that by an effort we may catch something from that "house of
God,"
yet
through the burden, so to speak, of our infirmity, we sink back to our usual
level,
and relapse to our ordinary state. And just as there we found cause for
rejoicing,
so here there will not be wanting an occasion for sorrow. For that hart
that
made "tears" its "bread day and night," borne along by
"longing to the water-
brooks"
(that is, to the spiritual delights of God), "pouring forth his soul above
himself,"
that he may attain to what is "above" his own soul, walking towards
"the
place
of the wonderful tabernacle, even unto the house of God," and led on by
the
sweetness
of that inward spiritual sound to feel contempt for all outward things,
and
be borne on to things spiritual, is but a mortal man still; is still groaning
here,
still
bearing about the frailty of flesh, still in peril in the midst of the
"offences"
Matthew
18:7 of this world. He therefore glances back to himself, as if he were
coming
from that world; and says to himself, now placed in the midst of these
sorrows,
comparing these with the things, to see which he had entered in there,
and
after seeing which he had come forth from thence;
"Why
art you cast down, O my soul, and why do you disquiet me?" (ver. 5). Lo,
we
have just now been gladdened by certain inward delights: with the mind's eye
we
have been able to behold, though but with a momentary glance, something not
susceptible
of change: why do you still "disquiet me, why are you" still
"cast
down"?
For thou dost not doubt of your God. For now you are not without
somewhat
to say to yourself, in answer to those who say, "Where is your God?"
I
have
now had the perception of something that is unchangeable; why do you
disquiet
me still?
"Hope
in God." Just as if his soul was silently replying to him, "Why do I
disquiet
you,
but because I am not yet there, where that delight is, to which I was, as it
were,
rapt for a moment? Am I already 'drinking' from this 'fountain' with nothing
to
fear?"... Still "Hope in God," is his answer to the soul that
disquiets him, and
would
fain account for her disquiet from the evils with which this world abounds.
In
the mean while dwell in hope: for "hope that is seen is not hope; but if
we hope
for
that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it." Romans 8:24-25
10.
"Hope in God." Why "hope"? "For I will confess unto
Him." What will you
"confess"?
"My God is the saving health of my countenance." My
"health" (my
salvation)
cannot be from myself; this it is that I will say, that I will
"confess." It is
my
God that is "the saving health of my countenance." For to account for
his fears,
in
the midst of those things, which he now knows, having come after a sort to the
"understanding"
of them, he has been looking behind him again in anxiety, lest the
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Psalm 42
244
enemy
be stealing upon him: he cannot yet say, "I am made whole every
whit."
For
having but "the first-fruits of the Spirit, we groan within ourselves;
waiting for
the
adoption, to wit, the redemption of the body." Romans 8:23 When that
"health"
(that
salvation) is perfected in us, then shall we be living in the house of God for
ever,
and praising for ever Him to whom it was said, "Blessed are they that
dwell
in
Your house, they will be praising You world without end." This is not so
yet,
because
the salvation which is promised, is not as yet in being; but it is "in
hope"
that
I confess unto God, and say, "My God is the saving health of my
countenance."
For it is "in hope" that "we are saved; but hope that is seen,
is not
hope."...
11.
"My soul is disquieted on account of myself" (ver. 6). Is it
disquieted on
account
of God? It is on my own account it is disquieted. By the Unchangeable it
was
revived; it is by the changeable it is disquieted. I know that the
righteousness
of
God remains; whether my own will remain steadfast, I know not. For I am
alarmed
by the Apostle's saying, "Let him that thinks he stands, take heed lest he
fall."
1 Corinthians 10:12 Therefore since "there is no soundness in me for
myself,"
there is no hope either for me of myself. "My soul is disquieted on
account
of myself."... "Therefore I remember You, O Lord, from the land of
Jordan,
and from the little hill of Hermon." From whence did I remember you?
From
the "little hill," and from the "land of Jordan." Perhaps
from Baptism, where
the
remission of sins is given. For no one runs to the remission of sins, except he
who
is dissatisfied with himself; no one runs to the remission of sins, but he who
confesses
himself a sinner; no one confesses himself a sinner, except by humbling
himself
before God. Therefore it is from "the land of Jordan I have remembered
you,
and from the hill;" observe, not "of the great hill," that you
may make of the