PSALTER MEDITATIONS
PSALMS 1-5
{IUXTA HEBRAICA} {IUXTA SEPTUAGINTA} {DOUAY-RHEIMS}
PSALM 1
1 Beatus vir qui non abiit in consilio impiorum, et in via peccatorum non stetit, in cathedra derisorum non sedit;
1 Beatus vir qui non abiit in consilio impiorum, et in via peccatorum non stetit, et in cathedra pestilentiae non sedit;
1 Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the chair of pestilence;
2 sed in lege Domini voluntas eius, et in lege eius meditabitur die ac nocte.
2 sed in lege Domini voluntas eius, et in lege eius meditabitur die ac nocte.
2 but his will is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he shall meditate day and night.
3 Et erit tamquam lignum transplantatum iuxta rivulos aquarum, quod fructum suum dabit in tempore suo: et folium eius non defluet; et omne quod fecerit prosperabitur.
3 Et erit tamquam lignum quod plantatum est secus decursus aquarum, quod fructum suum dabit in tempore suo: et folium eius non defluet; et omnia quaecumque faciet prosperabuntur.
3 And he shall be like a tree which is planted near the running waters, which shall bring forth its fruit, in due season. And his leaf shall not fall off: and all whatsoever he shall do shall prosper.
4 Non sic impii, sed tamquam pulvis quem proicit ventus.
4 Non sic impii, non sic; sed tamquam pulvis quem proicit ventus a facie terrae.
5 Not so the wicked, not so: but like the dust, which the wind driveth from the face of the earth.
5 Propterea non resurgent impii in iudicio, neque peccatores in congregatione iustorum:
5 Ideo non resurgent impii in iudicio, neque peccatores in consilio iustorum:
5 Therefore the wicked shall not rise again in judgment: nor sinners in the council of the just.
6 quoniam novit Dominus viam iustorum, et iter impiorum peribit.
6 quoniam novit Dominus viam iustorum, et iter impiorum peribit.
6 for the Lord knoweth the way of the just: and the way of the wicked shall perish.
ST. AUGUSTINE'S EXPOSITION OF PSALM 1
PSALM I
1. “Blessed is the man that hath not gone away in the counsel of the ungodly” (ver. 1). This is to be understood of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord Man. “Blessed is the man that hath not gone away in the counsel of the ungodly,” as “the man of earth did,” who consented to his wife deceived by the serpent, to the transgressing the commandment of God. “Nor stood in the way of sinners.” For He came indeed in the way of sinners, by being born as sinners are; but He “stood” not therein, for that the enticements of the world held Him not. “And hath not sat in the seat of pestilence.” He willed not an earthly kingdom, with pride, which is well taken for “the seat of pestilence;” for that there is hardly any one who is free from the love of rule, and craves not human 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 spreadeth as a canker.” The order too of the words must be considered: “went away, stood, sat.” For he “went away,” when he drew back from God. He “stood,” when he took pleasure in sin. He “sat,” when, confirmed in his pride, he could not go back, unless set free by Him, who neither “hath gone away in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way 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,” says the Apostle. But it is one thing to be in the law, another under the law. Whoso is in the law, acteth according to the law; whoso is under the law, is acted upon according to the law: the one therefore is free, the other a slave. Again, the law, which is written and imposed upon the servant, is one thing; the law, which is mentally discerned by him who needeth not its “letter,” is another thing. “He will meditate by day and by night,” is to be understood either as without ceasing; or “by day” in joy, “by night” in tribulations. For it is said, “Abraham saw my day, and was glad:” and of tribulation it is said, “my reins also have instructed me, even unto the night.”
3. “And he shall be like a tree planted hard by the running streams of waters” (ver. 3); that is either Very “Wisdom,” 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 river of God is full of water.” Or by the Holy Ghost, of whom it is said, “He shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost;” and again, “If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink;” and again, “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that asketh water of thee, thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water, of which whoso drinketh shall never thirst, but it shall be made in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” Or, “by the running streams of waters” may be by the sins of the people, because first the waters are called “peoples” in the Apocalypse; and again, by “running stream” is not unreasonably understood “fall,” which hath relation to sin. That “tree” then, that is, our Lord, from the running streams of water, that is, from the sinful people’s drawing them by the way into the roots of His discipline, will “bring forth fruit,” that is, will establish Churches; “in His season,” that is, after He hath 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 withereth, and the flower falleth, but the word of the Lord abideth for ever. And whatsoever He doeth shall prosper” that is, whatsoever that tree shall bear; which all must be taken of fruit and leaves, that is, deeds and words.
4. “The ungodly are not so,” they are not so, “but are like the dust which the wind casteth forth from the face of the earth” (ver. 4). “The earth” is here to be taken as that stedfastness 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 thee to inherit the earth.” With a view to this it is said, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” A comparison too is derived hence, for as this visible earth supports and contains the outer man, so that earth invisible the inner man. “From the face of” which “earth the wind casteth forth the ungodly,” that is, pride, in that it puffeth him up. On his guard against which he, who was inebriated by the richness of the house of the Lord, and drunken of the torrent stream of its pleasures, saith, “Let not 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.” 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. 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.” For, whence he hath been cast forth, he is not unreasonably said to have cast forth himself.
5. “Therefore the ungodly rise not in the judgment” (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 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 knoweth 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 knoweth the way of the righteous,” but the way of the ungodly He knoweth not. Not that the Lord is ignorant of anything, and yet He says to sinners, “I never knew you.” “But the way of the ungodly shall perish;” is the same as if it were said, the way of the ungodly the Lord knoweth not. But it is expressed more plainly that this should be not to be known of the Lord, namely, to “perish;” and this to be known of the Lord, namely, to “abide;” so as that to be should appertain to the knowledge of God, but to His not knowing not to be. For the Lord saith, “I Am that I Am,” and, “I Am hath sent me.”
1. “Blessed is the man that hath not gone away in the counsel of the ungodly” (ver. 1). This is to be understood of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord Man. “Blessed is the man that hath not gone away in the counsel of the ungodly,” as “the man of earth did,” who consented to his wife deceived by the serpent, to the transgressing the commandment of God. “Nor stood in the way of sinners.” For He came indeed in the way of sinners, by being born as sinners are; but He “stood” not therein, for that the enticements of the world held Him not. “And hath not sat in the seat of pestilence.” He willed not an earthly kingdom, with pride, which is well taken for “the seat of pestilence;” for that there is hardly any one who is free from the love of rule, and craves not human 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 spreadeth as a canker.” The order too of the words must be considered: “went away, stood, sat.” For he “went away,” when he drew back from God. He “stood,” when he took pleasure in sin. He “sat,” when, confirmed in his pride, he could not go back, unless set free by Him, who neither “hath gone away in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way 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,” says the Apostle. But it is one thing to be in the law, another under the law. Whoso is in the law, acteth according to the law; whoso is under the law, is acted upon according to the law: the one therefore is free, the other a slave. Again, the law, which is written and imposed upon the servant, is one thing; the law, which is mentally discerned by him who needeth not its “letter,” is another thing. “He will meditate by day and by night,” is to be understood either as without ceasing; or “by day” in joy, “by night” in tribulations. For it is said, “Abraham saw my day, and was glad:” and of tribulation it is said, “my reins also have instructed me, even unto the night.”
3. “And he shall be like a tree planted hard by the running streams of waters” (ver. 3); that is either Very “Wisdom,” 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 river of God is full of water.” Or by the Holy Ghost, of whom it is said, “He shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost;” and again, “If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink;” and again, “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that asketh water of thee, thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water, of which whoso drinketh shall never thirst, but it shall be made in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” Or, “by the running streams of waters” may be by the sins of the people, because first the waters are called “peoples” in the Apocalypse; and again, by “running stream” is not unreasonably understood “fall,” which hath relation to sin. That “tree” then, that is, our Lord, from the running streams of water, that is, from the sinful people’s drawing them by the way into the roots of His discipline, will “bring forth fruit,” that is, will establish Churches; “in His season,” that is, after He hath 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 withereth, and the flower falleth, but the word of the Lord abideth for ever. And whatsoever He doeth shall prosper” that is, whatsoever that tree shall bear; which all must be taken of fruit and leaves, that is, deeds and words.
4. “The ungodly are not so,” they are not so, “but are like the dust which the wind casteth forth from the face of the earth” (ver. 4). “The earth” is here to be taken as that stedfastness 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 thee to inherit the earth.” With a view to this it is said, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” A comparison too is derived hence, for as this visible earth supports and contains the outer man, so that earth invisible the inner man. “From the face of” which “earth the wind casteth forth the ungodly,” that is, pride, in that it puffeth him up. On his guard against which he, who was inebriated by the richness of the house of the Lord, and drunken of the torrent stream of its pleasures, saith, “Let not 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.” 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. 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.” For, whence he hath been cast forth, he is not unreasonably said to have cast forth himself.
5. “Therefore the ungodly rise not in the judgment” (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 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 knoweth 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 knoweth the way of the righteous,” but the way of the ungodly He knoweth not. Not that the Lord is ignorant of anything, and yet He says to sinners, “I never knew you.” “But the way of the ungodly shall perish;” is the same as if it were said, the way of the ungodly the Lord knoweth not. But it is expressed more plainly that this should be not to be known of the Lord, namely, to “perish;” and this to be known of the Lord, namely, to “abide;” so as that to be should appertain to the knowledge of God, but to His not knowing not to be. For the Lord saith, “I Am that I Am,” and, “I Am hath sent me.”
PSALM 2
Psalmus David
1 Quare turbabuntur gentes, et tribus meditabuntur inania?
1 Quare fremuerunt gentes, et populi meditati sunt inania?
1 Why have the Gentiles raged, and the people devised vain things?
2 Consurgent reges terrae, et principes tractabunt pariter adversum Dominum, et adversum christum eius.
2 Adstiterunt reges terrae, et principes convenerunt in unum adversus Dominum, et adversus christum eius.
2 The kings of the earth stood up, and the princes met together, against the Lord, and against his Christ.
3 Disrumpamus vincula eorum, et proiciamus a nobis laqueos eorum.
3 Disrumpamus vincula eorum, et proiciamus a nobis iugum ipsorum.
3 Let us break their bonds asunder: and let us cast away their yoke from us.
4 Habitator caeli ridebit, Dominus subsannabit eos.
4 Qui habitat in caelis inridebit eos, et Dominus subsannabit eos.
4 He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh at them: and the Lord shall deride them.
5 Tunc loquetur ad eos in ira sua, et in furore suo conturbabit eos.
5 Tunc loquetur ad eos in ira sua, et in furore suo conturbabit eos.
5 Then shall he speak to them in his anger, and trouble them in his rage.
6 Ego autem orditus sum regem meum super Sion, montem sanctum suum, adnuntiabo Dei praeceptum.
6 Ego autem constitutus sum rex ab eo super Sion, montem sanctum eius, praedicans praeceptum eius.
6 But I am appointed king by him over Sion, his holy mountain, preaching his commandment.
7 Dominus dixit ad me: filius meus es tu; ego hodie genui te.
7 Dominus dixit ad me: filius meus es tu; ego hodie genui te.
7 The Lord hath said to me: Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee.
8 Postula a me, et dabo tibi gentes hereditatem tuam, et possessionem tuam terminos terrae.
8 Postula a me, et dabo tibi gentes hereditatem tuam, et possessionem tuam terminos terrae.
8 Ask of me, and I will give thee the Gentiles for thy inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession.
9 Pasces eos in virga ferrea, ut vas figuli conteres eos.
9 Reges eos in virga ferrea, tamquam vas figuli confringes eos.
9 Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron, and shalt break them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
10 Nunc, ergo reges, intellegite; erudimini, iudices terrae.
10 Et nunc, reges, intellegite; erudimini, qui iudicatis terram.
10 And now, O ye kings, understand: receive instruction, you that judge the earth.
11 Servite Domino in timore, et exultate in tremore.
11 Servite Domino in timore, et exultate ei in tremore.
11 Serve ye the Lord with fear: and rejoice unto him with trembling.
12 Adorate pure ne forte, irascatur et pereatis de via.
12 Adprehendite disciplinam, nequando irascatur Dominus et pereatis de via iusta.
12 Embrace discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry, and you perish from the just way.
13 Cum exarserit post paululum furor eius, beati omnes qui sperant in eum.
13 Cum exarserit in brevi ira eius, beati omnes qui confidunt in eo.
13 When his wrath shall be kindled in a short time, blessed are all they that trust in him.
ST. AUGUSTINE'S 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.
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 dwelleth 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 dwelleth in the heavens,” is afterwards put, “the Lord;” and for “shall laugh them to scorn,” is afterwards put, “shall have them in derision.” Nothing of this however must be taken in a carnal sort, as if God either laugheth with cheek, or derideth with nostril; but it is to be understood of that power which He giveth to His saints, that they seeing things to come, namely, that the Name and rule of Christ is to pervade posterity and possess all nations, should understand that those men “meditate a vain thing.” For this power whereby these things are foreknown is God’s “laughter” and “derision.” “He that dwelleth in the heavens shall laugh them to scorn.” If by “heavens” we understand holy souls, by these God, as foreknowing what is to come, will “laugh them to scorn, and have them in derision.”
4. “Then He shall speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure” (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 avengeth, 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 Thou, Lord of power, judgest with tranquillity, and with great favour orderest us.” The “wrath” of God then is an emotion which is produced in the soul which knoweth 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.
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.” 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 calleth 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 doth not see the meaning of this, seeing it is daily practised?
6. “The Lord hath said unto me, Thou art My Son, to-day have I begotten Thee” (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, “To-day have I begotten Thee,” 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 Thee the nations for Thine 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 maketh 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 Thee the nations for Thine inheritance,” which so possess them for their salvation, and to bear unto Thee spiritual fruit. “And the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession.” The same repeated, “The uttermost parts of the earth,” is put for “the nations;” but more clearly, that we might understand all the nations. And “Thy possession” stands for “Thine inheritance.”
8. “Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron,” with inflexible justice, and “Thou shalt break them like a potter’s vessel” (ver. 9); that is, “Thou shalt break” in them earthly lusts, and the filthy doings of the old man, and whatsoever hath been derived and inured from the sinful clay. “And now understand, ye kings” (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.” “Be instructed, all ye 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, “Ye 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 ye should be under Him, by whom understanding and instruction are given you. And this is expedient for you, that ye lord it not with rashness, but that ye “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 ye 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 perisheth from the way of righteousness, in much misery will wander through the ways of unrighteousness.
11. “When His anger shall be shortly kindled, blessed are all they who put their trust in Him;” that 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 accumulation of all good things. Now the meaning of “shortly” I suppose to be this, that it will be something sudden, whilst sinners will deem it far off and long to come.
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 dwelleth 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 dwelleth in the heavens,” is afterwards put, “the Lord;” and for “shall laugh them to scorn,” is afterwards put, “shall have them in derision.” Nothing of this however must be taken in a carnal sort, as if God either laugheth with cheek, or derideth with nostril; but it is to be understood of that power which He giveth to His saints, that they seeing things to come, namely, that the Name and rule of Christ is to pervade posterity and possess all nations, should understand that those men “meditate a vain thing.” For this power whereby these things are foreknown is God’s “laughter” and “derision.” “He that dwelleth in the heavens shall laugh them to scorn.” If by “heavens” we understand holy souls, by these God, as foreknowing what is to come, will “laugh them to scorn, and have them in derision.”
4. “Then He shall speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure” (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 avengeth, 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 Thou, Lord of power, judgest with tranquillity, and with great favour orderest us.” The “wrath” of God then is an emotion which is produced in the soul which knoweth 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.
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.” 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 calleth 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 doth not see the meaning of this, seeing it is daily practised?
6. “The Lord hath said unto me, Thou art My Son, to-day have I begotten Thee” (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, “To-day have I begotten Thee,” 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 Thee the nations for Thine 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 maketh 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 Thee the nations for Thine inheritance,” which so possess them for their salvation, and to bear unto Thee spiritual fruit. “And the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession.” The same repeated, “The uttermost parts of the earth,” is put for “the nations;” but more clearly, that we might understand all the nations. And “Thy possession” stands for “Thine inheritance.”
8. “Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron,” with inflexible justice, and “Thou shalt break them like a potter’s vessel” (ver. 9); that is, “Thou shalt break” in them earthly lusts, and the filthy doings of the old man, and whatsoever hath been derived and inured from the sinful clay. “And now understand, ye kings” (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.” “Be instructed, all ye 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, “Ye 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 ye should be under Him, by whom understanding and instruction are given you. And this is expedient for you, that ye lord it not with rashness, but that ye “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 ye 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 perisheth from the way of righteousness, in much misery will wander through the ways of unrighteousness.
11. “When His anger shall be shortly kindled, blessed are all they who put their trust in Him;” that 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 accumulation of all good things. Now the meaning of “shortly” I suppose to be this, that it will be something sudden, whilst sinners will deem it far off and long to come.
PSALM III
A psalm of David, when he fled from the face of Absalom.
1 Domine, quare multiplicati sunt hostes mei? multi consurgunt adversus me;
1 Domine, quid multiplicati sunt qui tribulant me? multi insurgunt adversum me;
1 Why, O Lord, are they multiplied that afflict me? many are they who rise up against me.
2 Multi dicunt animae meae; Non est salus huic in Deo semper.
2 Multi dicunt animae meae; Non est salus ipsi in Deo eius.
2 Many say to my soul: There is no salvation for him in his God.
3 Tu autem Domine, clipeus circa me, gloria mea, et exaltans caput meum.
3 Tu autem Domine, susceptor meus es, gloria mea, et exaltans caput meum.
3 But thou, O Lord, art my protector, my glory, and the lifter up of my head.
5 Voce mea ad Dominum clamabo; et exaudiet me de monte sancto suo semper.
5 Voce mea ad Dominum clamavi; et exaudivit me de monte sancto suo.
5 I have cried to the Lord with my voice: and he hath heard me from his holy hill.
6 Ego dormivi, et soporatus: sum evigilavi, quia Dominus sustentavit me.
6 Ego dormivi, et soporatus: sum exsurrexi, quia Dominus suscipiet me.
6 I have slept and have taken my rest: and I have risen up, because the Lord hath protected me.
7 Non timebo milia populi quae circumdederunt me; surge Domine, salvum me fac, Deus meus.
7 Non timebo milia populi circumdantis me; exsurge Domine, salvum me fac, Deus meus.
7 I will not fear thousands of the people surrounding me: arise, O Lord; save me, O my God.
8 Quia percussisti omnium inimicorum meorum maxillam; dentes impiorum confregisti.
8 Quoniam tu percussisti omnes adversantes mihi sine causa; dentes peccatorum contrivisti.
8 For thou hast struck all them who are my adversaries without cause: thou hast broken the teeth of sinners.
9 Domini est salus; super populum tuum benedictio tua semper.
9 Domini est salus; et super populum tuum benedictio tua.
9 Salvation is of the Lord: and thy blessing is upon thy people.
A psalm of David, when he fled from the face of Absalom.
1 Domine, quare multiplicati sunt hostes mei? multi consurgunt adversus me;
1 Domine, quid multiplicati sunt qui tribulant me? multi insurgunt adversum me;
1 Why, O Lord, are they multiplied that afflict me? many are they who rise up against me.
2 Multi dicunt animae meae; Non est salus huic in Deo semper.
2 Multi dicunt animae meae; Non est salus ipsi in Deo eius.
2 Many say to my soul: There is no salvation for him in his God.
3 Tu autem Domine, clipeus circa me, gloria mea, et exaltans caput meum.
3 Tu autem Domine, susceptor meus es, gloria mea, et exaltans caput meum.
3 But thou, O Lord, art my protector, my glory, and the lifter up of my head.
5 Voce mea ad Dominum clamabo; et exaudiet me de monte sancto suo semper.
5 Voce mea ad Dominum clamavi; et exaudivit me de monte sancto suo.
5 I have cried to the Lord with my voice: and he hath heard me from his holy hill.
6 Ego dormivi, et soporatus: sum evigilavi, quia Dominus sustentavit me.
6 Ego dormivi, et soporatus: sum exsurrexi, quia Dominus suscipiet me.
6 I have slept and have taken my rest: and I have risen up, because the Lord hath protected me.
7 Non timebo milia populi quae circumdederunt me; surge Domine, salvum me fac, Deus meus.
7 Non timebo milia populi circumdantis me; exsurge Domine, salvum me fac, Deus meus.
7 I will not fear thousands of the people surrounding me: arise, O Lord; save me, O my God.
8 Quia percussisti omnium inimicorum meorum maxillam; dentes impiorum confregisti.
8 Quoniam tu percussisti omnes adversantes mihi sine causa; dentes peccatorum contrivisti.
8 For thou hast struck all them who are my adversaries without cause: thou hast broken the teeth of sinners.
9 Domini est salus; super populum tuum benedictio tua semper.
9 Domini est salus; et super populum tuum benedictio tua.
9 Salvation is of the Lord: and thy blessing is upon thy people.
ST. AUGUSTINE'S EXPOSITION ON PSALM 3
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;” 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,” 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 thou doest, do quickly.” 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 thee!” 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 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.” 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 Thou, 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 hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?” “And the lifter up of my head” (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, 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.” But this cannot be taken of His Person, unless peradventure He would speak thus, out of myself, as of His holy mountain He heard me, when He dwelt in me, that is, in this very mountain. But it is more plain and unembarrassed, if we understand that God out of His justice heard. For it was just that He should raise again from the dead the Innocent who was slain, and to whom evil had been recompensed for good, and that He should render to the persecutor a meet reward, who repaid Him evil for good. For we read, “Thy justice is as 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 to that, “Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me; I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.” Therefore, saith 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, ego d? ekoimethen kai hupnosa. 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 doeth in us; not indeed universally, but where it can be done suitably; as when He is said to speak, when by His gift Prophets speak, and Apostles, or whatsoever messengers of the truth. Hence that text, “Would you have proof of Christ, who speaketh in me?” For he doth not say, of Christ, by whose enlightening or order I speak; but he attributes at once the speaking itself to Him, by whose gift he spake.
7. “Since Thou hast smitten all who oppose me without a cause.” It is not to be pointed as if it were one sentence, “Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God; since Thou hast smitten 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 Thou hast smitten all who oppose me without a cause, Thou hast broken the teeth of the sinners;” that is, thereby hast Thou broken the teeth of the sinners, since Thou hast smitten all who oppose me. It is forsooth the punishment of the opposers, whereby their teeth have been broken, that is, the words of sinners rending with their cursing the Son of God, brought to nought, as it were to dust; so that we may understand “teeth” thus, as words of cursing. Of which teeth the Apostle speaks, “If ye bite one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.” 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 divers opinions, and are translated into that fellowship which is the body of Christ. With these teeth Peter was told to eat the animals when they had been killed, that is, by killing in the Gentiles what they were, and changing them into what he was himself. Of these teeth too of the Church it is said, “Thy teeth are as a flock of shorn sheep, coming up from the bath, whereof every one beareth twins, and there is not one barren among them.” These are they who prescribe rightly, and as they prescribe, live; who do what is written, “Let your works shine before men, that they may bless your Father which is in heaven.” For moved by their authority, they believe God who speaketh and worketh through these men; and separated from the world, to which they were once conformed, they pass over into the members of the Church. And rightly therefore are they, through whom such things are done, called teeth like to shorn sheep; for they have laid aside the burdens of earthly cares, and coming up from the bath, from the washing away of the filth of the world by the Sacrament of Baptism, every one beareth twins. For they fulfil the two commandments, of which it is said, “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets;” 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, “Thou hast broken the teeth of the sinners,” that is, Thou hast 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, whilst the lower people honoured Him.
8. “Salvation is of the Lord; and upon Thy people be Thy 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 Thy people” be “Thy 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 doth 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 Jesus Christ our Lord.” But do Thou, O Lord, bless Thy people, who look for salvation from Thee.
9. This Psalm can be taken as in the Person of Christ another way; which 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, “Ye are the body of Christ, and the members.” He therefore is the Head of this body; wherefore in another place he saith, “But doing the truth in love, we may increase in Him in all things, who is the Head, Christ, from whom the whole body is joined together and compacted.” In the Prophet then at once, the Church, and her Head (the Church founded amidst the storms of persecution throughout the whole world, which we know already to have come to pass), speaks, “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 Thou, O Lord, art my taker;” in Christ of course. For into that flesh the Church too hath been taken by the Word, “who was made flesh, and dwelt in us;” for that “In heavenly places hath He made us to sit together with Him.” When the Head goes before, the other members will follow; for, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” Justly then does the Church say, “Thou art my taker. My glory;” for she doth not attribute her excellency to herself, seeing that she knoweth by whose grace and mercy she is what she is. “And the lifter up of my head,” of Him, namely, who, “the First-born from the dead,” 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 thee.” 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 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 Thou hast smitten all who oppose me without a cause, Thou hast broken the teeth of the sinners.” Now while the Church hath 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 “Thy blessing” be “upon Thy people.”
10. Each one too of us may say, when a multitude of vices and lusts leads the resisting mind in the law of sin, “O Lord, how are they multiplied that trouble me! many rise up against me.” And, since despair of recovery generally creeps in through the accumulation of vices, as though these same vices were mocking the soul, or even as though the Devil and his angels through their poisonous suggestions were at work to make us despair, it is said with great truth, “Many say unto my soul, There is no salvation for him in his God. But Thou, O Lord, art my taker.” For this is our hope, that He hath vouchsafed to take the nature of man in Christ. “My glory;” according to that rule, that no one should ascribe ought to himself. “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.” But the mind is lifted up, when it can be said already, “With the mind I serve the law of God;” that the rest of man may be reduced to peaceable submission, when in the resurrection of the flesh “death is swallowed up in victory.” “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 hath succoured us, through whose mediation He heareth 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 hath borne and beareth, each one also hath 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 Thou hast 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. “Thou hast broken the teeth of the sinners.” Each man hath those that revile him, he hath 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 Thee.” “And upon Thy people” be “Thy blessing:” that is, upon each one of us.
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 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.” 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 Thou, 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 hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?” “And the lifter up of my head” (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, 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.” But this cannot be taken of His Person, unless peradventure He would speak thus, out of myself, as of His holy mountain He heard me, when He dwelt in me, that is, in this very mountain. But it is more plain and unembarrassed, if we understand that God out of His justice heard. For it was just that He should raise again from the dead the Innocent who was slain, and to whom evil had been recompensed for good, and that He should render to the persecutor a meet reward, who repaid Him evil for good. For we read, “Thy justice is as 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 to that, “Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me; I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.” Therefore, saith 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, ego d? ekoimethen kai hupnosa. 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 doeth in us; not indeed universally, but where it can be done suitably; as when He is said to speak, when by His gift Prophets speak, and Apostles, or whatsoever messengers of the truth. Hence that text, “Would you have proof of Christ, who speaketh in me?” For he doth not say, of Christ, by whose enlightening or order I speak; but he attributes at once the speaking itself to Him, by whose gift he spake.
7. “Since Thou hast smitten all who oppose me without a cause.” It is not to be pointed as if it were one sentence, “Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God; since Thou hast smitten 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 Thou hast smitten all who oppose me without a cause, Thou hast broken the teeth of the sinners;” that is, thereby hast Thou broken the teeth of the sinners, since Thou hast smitten all who oppose me. It is forsooth the punishment of the opposers, whereby their teeth have been broken, that is, the words of sinners rending with their cursing the Son of God, brought to nought, as it were to dust; so that we may understand “teeth” thus, as words of cursing. Of which teeth the Apostle speaks, “If ye bite one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.” 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 divers opinions, and are translated into that fellowship which is the body of Christ. With these teeth Peter was told to eat the animals when they had been killed, that is, by killing in the Gentiles what they were, and changing them into what he was himself. Of these teeth too of the Church it is said, “Thy teeth are as a flock of shorn sheep, coming up from the bath, whereof every one beareth twins, and there is not one barren among them.” These are they who prescribe rightly, and as they prescribe, live; who do what is written, “Let your works shine before men, that they may bless your Father which is in heaven.” For moved by their authority, they believe God who speaketh and worketh through these men; and separated from the world, to which they were once conformed, they pass over into the members of the Church. And rightly therefore are they, through whom such things are done, called teeth like to shorn sheep; for they have laid aside the burdens of earthly cares, and coming up from the bath, from the washing away of the filth of the world by the Sacrament of Baptism, every one beareth twins. For they fulfil the two commandments, of which it is said, “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets;” 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, “Thou hast broken the teeth of the sinners,” that is, Thou hast 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, whilst the lower people honoured Him.
8. “Salvation is of the Lord; and upon Thy people be Thy 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 Thy people” be “Thy 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 doth 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 Jesus Christ our Lord.” But do Thou, O Lord, bless Thy people, who look for salvation from Thee.
9. This Psalm can be taken as in the Person of Christ another way; which 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, “Ye are the body of Christ, and the members.” He therefore is the Head of this body; wherefore in another place he saith, “But doing the truth in love, we may increase in Him in all things, who is the Head, Christ, from whom the whole body is joined together and compacted.” In the Prophet then at once, the Church, and her Head (the Church founded amidst the storms of persecution throughout the whole world, which we know already to have come to pass), speaks, “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 Thou, O Lord, art my taker;” in Christ of course. For into that flesh the Church too hath been taken by the Word, “who was made flesh, and dwelt in us;” for that “In heavenly places hath He made us to sit together with Him.” When the Head goes before, the other members will follow; for, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” Justly then does the Church say, “Thou art my taker. My glory;” for she doth not attribute her excellency to herself, seeing that she knoweth by whose grace and mercy she is what she is. “And the lifter up of my head,” of Him, namely, who, “the First-born from the dead,” 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 thee.” 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 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 Thou hast smitten all who oppose me without a cause, Thou hast broken the teeth of the sinners.” Now while the Church hath 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 “Thy blessing” be “upon Thy people.”
10. Each one too of us may say, when a multitude of vices and lusts leads the resisting mind in the law of sin, “O Lord, how are they multiplied that trouble me! many rise up against me.” And, since despair of recovery generally creeps in through the accumulation of vices, as though these same vices were mocking the soul, or even as though the Devil and his angels through their poisonous suggestions were at work to make us despair, it is said with great truth, “Many say unto my soul, There is no salvation for him in his God. But Thou, O Lord, art my taker.” For this is our hope, that He hath vouchsafed to take the nature of man in Christ. “My glory;” according to that rule, that no one should ascribe ought to himself. “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.” But the mind is lifted up, when it can be said already, “With the mind I serve the law of God;” that the rest of man may be reduced to peaceable submission, when in the resurrection of the flesh “death is swallowed up in victory.” “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 hath succoured us, through whose mediation He heareth 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 hath borne and beareth, each one also hath 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 Thou hast 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. “Thou hast broken the teeth of the sinners.” Each man hath those that revile him, he hath 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 Thee.” “And upon Thy people” be “Thy blessing:” that is, upon each one of us.
PSALM 4
Unto the end, in verses. As palm of David.
1 Victori in psalmis canticum David
1 In finem in carminibus psalmus David
1 Unto the end, in verses. A psalm for David.
2 Invocante me exaudi me Deus iustitiae meae, in tribulatione dilatasti mihi.
Miserere mei et exaudi orationem meam.
2 Cum invocarem exaudivit me Deus iustitiae meae, in tribulatione dilatasti mihi.
Miserere mei et exaudi orationem meam.
2 When I called upon him, the God of my justice heard me: when I was in distress, thou hast enlarged me. Have mercy on me: and hear my prayer.
3 Filii viri usquequo incliti mei ignominiose? Diligitis vanitatem quaerentes mendacium semper?
3 Filii hominum, usquequo gravi corde? Ut quid diligitis vanitatem, et quaeritis mendacium?
3 O ye sons of men, how long will you be dull of heart? why do you love vanity, and seek after lying?
4 Et cognoscite quoniam mirabilem reddidit Dominus sanctum suum; Dominus exaudiet cum clamavero ad eum.
4 Et scitote quoniam mirificavit Dominus sanctum suum; Dominus exaudiet me cum clamavero ad eum.
4 Know ye also that the Lord hath made his holy one wonderful: the Lord will hear me when I shall cry unto him.
5 Irascimini, et nolite peccare, loquimini in cordibus vestris; super cubilia vestra et tacete semper.
5 Irascimini, et nolite peccare, quae dicitis in cordibus vestris; in cubilibus vestris conpungimini.
5 Be ye angry, and sin not: the things you say in your hearts, be sorry for them upon your beds.
6 Sacrificate sacrificium iustitiae, et fidite in Domino. Multi dicunt: quis ostendit nobis bonum?
6 Sacrificate sacrificium iustitiae, et sperate in Domino. Multi dicunt: quis ostendet nobis bona?
6 Offer up the sacrifice of justice, and trust in the Lord: many say, Who sheweth us good things?
7 Leva super nos lucem vultus tui, Domine: dedisti laetitiam in corde meo.
7 Signatum est super nos lumen vultus tui, Domine: dedisti laetitiam in corde meo.
7 The light of thy countenance, O Lord, is signed upon us: thou hast given gladness in my heart.
8 In tempore frumentum, et vinum, eorum multiplicata sunt.
8 A fructu frumenti, et vini, et olei sui, multiplicati sunt.
8 By the fruit of their corn, their wine, and oil, they rest.
9 In pace simul requiescam, et dormiam;
9 In pace in id ipsum dormiam, et requiescam;
9 In peace in the self same I will sleep, and I will rest;
10 quia tu, Domine, specialiter securum habitare fecisti me.
10 quoniam tu, Domine, singulariter in spe constituisti me.
10 for thou, O Lord, singularly hast settled me in hope.
Unto the end, in verses. As palm of David.
1 Victori in psalmis canticum David
1 In finem in carminibus psalmus David
1 Unto the end, in verses. A psalm for David.
2 Invocante me exaudi me Deus iustitiae meae, in tribulatione dilatasti mihi.
Miserere mei et exaudi orationem meam.
2 Cum invocarem exaudivit me Deus iustitiae meae, in tribulatione dilatasti mihi.
Miserere mei et exaudi orationem meam.
2 When I called upon him, the God of my justice heard me: when I was in distress, thou hast enlarged me. Have mercy on me: and hear my prayer.
3 Filii viri usquequo incliti mei ignominiose? Diligitis vanitatem quaerentes mendacium semper?
3 Filii hominum, usquequo gravi corde? Ut quid diligitis vanitatem, et quaeritis mendacium?
3 O ye sons of men, how long will you be dull of heart? why do you love vanity, and seek after lying?
4 Et cognoscite quoniam mirabilem reddidit Dominus sanctum suum; Dominus exaudiet cum clamavero ad eum.
4 Et scitote quoniam mirificavit Dominus sanctum suum; Dominus exaudiet me cum clamavero ad eum.
4 Know ye also that the Lord hath made his holy one wonderful: the Lord will hear me when I shall cry unto him.
5 Irascimini, et nolite peccare, loquimini in cordibus vestris; super cubilia vestra et tacete semper.
5 Irascimini, et nolite peccare, quae dicitis in cordibus vestris; in cubilibus vestris conpungimini.
5 Be ye angry, and sin not: the things you say in your hearts, be sorry for them upon your beds.
6 Sacrificate sacrificium iustitiae, et fidite in Domino. Multi dicunt: quis ostendit nobis bonum?
6 Sacrificate sacrificium iustitiae, et sperate in Domino. Multi dicunt: quis ostendet nobis bona?
6 Offer up the sacrifice of justice, and trust in the Lord: many say, Who sheweth us good things?
7 Leva super nos lucem vultus tui, Domine: dedisti laetitiam in corde meo.
7 Signatum est super nos lumen vultus tui, Domine: dedisti laetitiam in corde meo.
7 The light of thy countenance, O Lord, is signed upon us: thou hast given gladness in my heart.
8 In tempore frumentum, et vinum, eorum multiplicata sunt.
8 A fructu frumenti, et vini, et olei sui, multiplicati sunt.
8 By the fruit of their corn, their wine, and oil, they rest.
9 In pace simul requiescam, et dormiam;
9 In pace in id ipsum dormiam, et requiescam;
9 In peace in the self same I will sleep, and I will rest;
10 quia tu, Domine, specialiter securum habitare fecisti me.
10 quoniam tu, Domine, singulariter in spe constituisti me.
10 for thou, O Lord, singularly hast settled me in hope.
ST. AUGUSTINE'S EXPOSITION ON PSALM 4
1. “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” 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 Thou hast enlarged me.” Thou hast led me from the straits of sadness into the broad ways of joy. For, “tribulation and straitness is on every soul of man that doeth evil.” But he who says, “We rejoice in tribulations, knowing that tribulation worketh 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 hath 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, “Thou hast 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 ye gave Me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no drink,” and so forth. Wherefore here also He can say, “Thou hast 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.” “Have mercy upon me and hear my prayer.” Why does he again ask, when already he declared that he had been heard 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;” or is it, that in him who has believed that which is begun may be perfected?
3. “O ye 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 ye heavy in heart? When will ye 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, maketh blessed. For, “vanity is of deceivers, and all is vanity.” “What profit hath a man of all his labour, wherewith he laboureth under the sun?” Why then are ye 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 doth a shadow.
4. “And know ye that the Lord hath magnified his Holy One” (ver. 3). Whom but Him, whom He raised up from below, and placed in heaven at His right hand? Therefore doth 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 hath 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 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 ye 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 ye angry,” saith he, “and sin not.” Which may be taken two ways: either, even if ye 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, 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 Me. In your 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. 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 katanugete, 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 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 showeth 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 showeth us good things?” “The light of Thy countenance,” saith 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, 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 Caesar’s tribute money, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.” As if He had said, In like manner as Caesar 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.) “Thou hast 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 dwelleth in the inner man, as the Apostle says; for to Him doth it appertain to see truth, since He hath said, “I am the truth.” And again, when He spake in the Apostle, saying, “Would you receive a proof of Christ, who speaketh in me?” He spake 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 aught else, than, “Who showeth 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.” The wine too is God’s: for, “they shall be inebriated,” he says, “with the fatness of thine house.” The oil too is God’s: of which it is said, “Thou hast fattened my head with oil.” But those many, who say, “Who showeth us good things?” and who see not that the kingdom of heaven is within them: these, “from the time of His corn, 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 presseth down the soul, and the earthly tabernacle weigheth down the mind that museth on many things.” 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.” 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 showeth 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.” Hence it is said, “But if we hope for that we see not, we wait in patience.”
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 showeth 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.” 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.
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 Thou hast enlarged me.” Thou hast led me from the straits of sadness into the broad ways of joy. For, “tribulation and straitness is on every soul of man that doeth evil.” But he who says, “We rejoice in tribulations, knowing that tribulation worketh 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 hath 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, “Thou hast 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 ye gave Me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no drink,” and so forth. Wherefore here also He can say, “Thou hast 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.” “Have mercy upon me and hear my prayer.” Why does he again ask, when already he declared that he had been heard 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;” or is it, that in him who has believed that which is begun may be perfected?
3. “O ye 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 ye heavy in heart? When will ye 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, maketh blessed. For, “vanity is of deceivers, and all is vanity.” “What profit hath a man of all his labour, wherewith he laboureth under the sun?” Why then are ye 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 doth a shadow.
4. “And know ye that the Lord hath magnified his Holy One” (ver. 3). Whom but Him, whom He raised up from below, and placed in heaven at His right hand? Therefore doth 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 hath 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 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 ye 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 ye angry,” saith he, “and sin not.” Which may be taken two ways: either, even if ye 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, 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 Me. In your 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. 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 katanugete, 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 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 showeth 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 showeth us good things?” “The light of Thy countenance,” saith 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, 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 Caesar’s tribute money, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.” As if He had said, In like manner as Caesar 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.) “Thou hast 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 dwelleth in the inner man, as the Apostle says; for to Him doth it appertain to see truth, since He hath said, “I am the truth.” And again, when He spake in the Apostle, saying, “Would you receive a proof of Christ, who speaketh in me?” He spake 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 aught else, than, “Who showeth 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.” The wine too is God’s: for, “they shall be inebriated,” he says, “with the fatness of thine house.” The oil too is God’s: of which it is said, “Thou hast fattened my head with oil.” But those many, who say, “Who showeth us good things?” and who see not that the kingdom of heaven is within them: these, “from the time of His corn, 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 presseth down the soul, and the earthly tabernacle weigheth down the mind that museth on many things.” 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.” 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 showeth 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.” Hence it is said, “But if we hope for that we see not, we wait in patience.”
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 showeth 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.” 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
Unto the end, for her that obtaineth the inheritance.
A psalm for David.
2 Verba mea audi, Domine, intellege murmur meum.
2 Verba mea auribus percipe, Domine; intellege clamorem meum.
2 Give ear, O Lord, to my words, understand my cry.
3 Rex meus et Deus meus.
3 Intende voci orationis meae, rex meus et Deus meus.
3 Hearken to the voice of my prayer, O my King and my God.
4 quia te deprecor, Domine: mane audies vocem meam.
4 quoniam ad te orabo, Domine: mane exaudies vocem meam.
4 For to thee will I pray: O Lord, in the morning thou shalt hear my voice.
5 Mane praeparabor ad te, et contemplabor quoniam non es deus volens iniquitatem tu.
5 Mane adstabo tibi, et videbo quoniam non deus volens iniquitatem tu es.
5 In the morning I will stand before thee, and I will see: because thou art not a God that willest iniquity.
6 Nec habitabit iuxta te malignus, non stabunt iniqui in conspectu oculorum tuorum.
6 Neque habitabit iuxta te malignus, neque permanebunt iniusti ante oculos tuos.
6 Neither shall the wicked dwell near thee: nor shall the unjust abide before thy eyes.
7 Odisti omnes operantes iniquitatem; perdes loquentes mendacium.
Virum sanguinum et dolosum abominabitur Dominus.
7 Odisti omnes qui operantur iniquitatem; perdes omnes qui loquuntur mendacium.
Virum sanguinum et dolosum abominabitur Dominus.
7 Thou hatest all the workers of iniquity: thou wilt destroy all that speak a lie.
The bloody and the deceitful man the Lord will abhor.
8 Ego autem in multitudine misericordiae tuae introibo in domum tuam;
adorabo in templo sancto tuo in timore tuo.
8 Ego autem in multitudine misericordiae tuae introibo in domum tuam;
adorabo ad templum sanctum tuum in timore tuo.
8 But as for me in the multitude of thy mercy, I will come into thy house;
I will worship towards thy holy temple, in thy fear.
9 Domine, deduc me in iustitia tua; propter insidiatores meos, dirige ante faciem meam viam tuam.
9 Domine, deduc me in iustitia tua; propter inimicos meos, dirige in conspectu meo viam tuam.
9 Conduct me, O Lord, in thy justice: because of my enemies, direct my way in thy sight.
10 non est enim in ore eorum rectum; interiora eorum insidiae.
10 quoniam non est in ore eorum veritas; cor eorum vanum est.
10 For there is no truth in their mouth: their heart is vain.
11 Sepulchrum patens guttur eorum; linguam suam levificant: condemna eos, Deus. Decidant a consiliis suis; iuxta multitudinem scelerum eorum expelle eos, quoniam provocaverunt te.
11 Sepulchrum patens est guttur eorum; linguis suis dolose agebant: iudica illos, Deus. Decidant a cogitationibus suis; secundum multitudinem impietatum eorum expelle eos, quoniam inritaverunt te Domine.
11 Their throat is an open sepulchre: they dealt deceitfully with their tongues: judge them,
O God. Let them fall from their devices: according to the multitude of their wickednesses cast them out: for they have provoked thee, O Lord.
12 Et laetentur omnes qui sperant in te; in perpetuum laudabunt,
et proteges eos et laetabuntur in te qui diligunt nomen tuum,
12 Et laetentur omnes qui sperant in te; in aeternum exultabunt, et habitabis in eis.
Et gloriabuntur in te omnes qui diligunt nomen tuum,
12 But let all them be glad that hope in thee: they shall rejoice for ever,
and thou shalt dwell in them. And all they that love thy name shall glory in thee,
13 quia tu benedices iusto. Domine, ut scuto placabilitatis coronabis eum.
13 quoniam tu benedices iusto. Domine, ut scuto bonae voluntatis coronasti nos.
13 for thou wilt bless the just. O Lord, thou hast crowned us, as with a shield of thy good will.
PSALM 5
Unto the end, for her that obtaineth the inheritance.
A psalm for David.
2 Verba mea audi, Domine, intellege murmur meum.
2 Verba mea auribus percipe, Domine; intellege clamorem meum.
2 Give ear, O Lord, to my words, understand my cry.
3 Rex meus et Deus meus.
3 Intende voci orationis meae, rex meus et Deus meus.
3 Hearken to the voice of my prayer, O my King and my God.
4 quia te deprecor, Domine: mane audies vocem meam.
4 quoniam ad te orabo, Domine: mane exaudies vocem meam.
4 For to thee will I pray: O Lord, in the morning thou shalt hear my voice.
5 Mane praeparabor ad te, et contemplabor quoniam non es deus volens iniquitatem tu.
5 Mane adstabo tibi, et videbo quoniam non deus volens iniquitatem tu es.
5 In the morning I will stand before thee, and I will see: because thou art not a God that willest iniquity.
6 Nec habitabit iuxta te malignus, non stabunt iniqui in conspectu oculorum tuorum.
6 Neque habitabit iuxta te malignus, neque permanebunt iniusti ante oculos tuos.
6 Neither shall the wicked dwell near thee: nor shall the unjust abide before thy eyes.
7 Odisti omnes operantes iniquitatem; perdes loquentes mendacium.
Virum sanguinum et dolosum abominabitur Dominus.
7 Odisti omnes qui operantur iniquitatem; perdes omnes qui loquuntur mendacium.
Virum sanguinum et dolosum abominabitur Dominus.
7 Thou hatest all the workers of iniquity: thou wilt destroy all that speak a lie.
The bloody and the deceitful man the Lord will abhor.
8 Ego autem in multitudine misericordiae tuae introibo in domum tuam;
adorabo in templo sancto tuo in timore tuo.
8 Ego autem in multitudine misericordiae tuae introibo in domum tuam;
adorabo ad templum sanctum tuum in timore tuo.
8 But as for me in the multitude of thy mercy, I will come into thy house;
I will worship towards thy holy temple, in thy fear.
9 Domine, deduc me in iustitia tua; propter insidiatores meos, dirige ante faciem meam viam tuam.
9 Domine, deduc me in iustitia tua; propter inimicos meos, dirige in conspectu meo viam tuam.
9 Conduct me, O Lord, in thy justice: because of my enemies, direct my way in thy sight.
10 non est enim in ore eorum rectum; interiora eorum insidiae.
10 quoniam non est in ore eorum veritas; cor eorum vanum est.
10 For there is no truth in their mouth: their heart is vain.
11 Sepulchrum patens guttur eorum; linguam suam levificant: condemna eos, Deus. Decidant a consiliis suis; iuxta multitudinem scelerum eorum expelle eos, quoniam provocaverunt te.
11 Sepulchrum patens est guttur eorum; linguis suis dolose agebant: iudica illos, Deus. Decidant a cogitationibus suis; secundum multitudinem impietatum eorum expelle eos, quoniam inritaverunt te Domine.
11 Their throat is an open sepulchre: they dealt deceitfully with their tongues: judge them,
O God. Let them fall from their devices: according to the multitude of their wickednesses cast them out: for they have provoked thee, O Lord.
12 Et laetentur omnes qui sperant in te; in perpetuum laudabunt,
et proteges eos et laetabuntur in te qui diligunt nomen tuum,
12 Et laetentur omnes qui sperant in te; in aeternum exultabunt, et habitabis in eis.
Et gloriabuntur in te omnes qui diligunt nomen tuum,
12 But let all them be glad that hope in thee: they shall rejoice for ever,
and thou shalt dwell in them. And all they that love thy name shall glory in thee,
13 quia tu benedices iusto. Domine, ut scuto placabilitatis coronabis eum.
13 quoniam tu benedices iusto. Domine, ut scuto bonae voluntatis coronasti nos.
13 for thou wilt bless the just. O Lord, thou hast crowned us, as with a shield of thy good will.
ST. AUGUSTINE'S EXPOSITION ON PSALM 5
1. The title of the Psalm is, “For her who receiveth the inheritance.” The Church then is signified, who receiveth 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.” What earth, but that of which it is said, “Thou art 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 thee the heathen for thine inheritance.” Therefore is God said to be our inheritance, because He feedeth and sustaineth us: and we are said to be God’s inheritance, because He ordereth and ruleth 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 calleth 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 maketh request that God would understand: of which what the nature is, he hath 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 cometh to the Father,” rightly is it first, “my King;” and then, “my God.” And yet has not the Psalmist said, Attend Ye; 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,” 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.”
4. “Because I will pray unto Thee (ver. 3). O Lord, in the morning Thou wilt hear my voice.” What does that, which he said above, “Hear Thou,” mean, as if he desired to be heard immediately? But now he saith, “in the morning Thou wilt hear;” not, hear Thou: and, “I will pray unto Thee;” not, I do pray unto Thee: and, as follows, “in the morning I will stand by Thee, and will see;” not, I do stand by Thee, 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.” 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 Thee, O Lord;” that is, because Thou art so mighty to whom I shall make my prayer, “in the morning Thou wilt hear my voice.” Thou art 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 “Thou wilt hear my voice.” Why then did he say above not, “Thou wilt 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 doth not yet understand that she was heard, because she doth not yet see by whom she hath been heard; and what she now says, “In the morning Thou wilt 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 proveth you, that He may know whether ye love Him,” cannot be taken in any other sense, than, that ye by Him may know, and that it may be made evident to yourselves, what progress ye have made in His love.
5. “In the morning I will stand by Thee, 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 Thou art not a God who hast pleasure in iniquity. The malignant man shall not dwell near Thee, nor shall the unrighteous abide before Thine eyes. Thou hast hated all that work iniquity, Thou wilt 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, “Thou art 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.
6. “The malignant man shall not dwell near Thee:” that is, he shall not so see, as to cleave to Thee. Hence follows, “Nor shall the unrighteous abide before Thine 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. “Thou hast 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. “Thou wilt 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 saith he, “Thou wilt 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, who gave a false report to Pharaoh, to the end that the infants of the children of Israel might not be slain. But even these are praised not for the fact, but 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.” Nor is it without reason written in another place, “The mouth that lieth slayeth the soul:” 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 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:” and the Apostle Paul when he said, “I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal.” 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, “Thou hast hated all that work iniquity, Thou wilt 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 receiveth the inheritance;” and she adds the exulting joy of her hope, in saying, “But I, in the multitude of Thy mercy, will enter into Thine 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 Thou art mindful of him, or the son of man that Thou visitest him? I will enter into Thine house:” as a stone into a building, I suppose, is the meaning. For what else is the house of God than the Temple of God, of which it is said, “for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are”? Of which building He is the cornerstone, whom the Power and Wisdom of God coeternal with the Father assumed.
9. “I will worship at Thy holy temple, in Thy fear.” “At the temple,” we understand as, “near” the temple. For he does not say, I will worship “in” Thy holy temple; but, “I will worship at Thy 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 Thine house,” should signify perfection. But that this may come to a happy issue, “I will” first, he says, “worship at Thy holy temple.” And perhaps on this account he added, “in Thy fear;” which is a great defence to those that are advancing toward salvation. But when any one shall have arrived there, in him comes to pass that which is written, “perfect love casteth out fear.” 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,” when they have been brought through to that which was promised.
10. “O Lord, lead me forth in Thy 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 Thy 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 maketh 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 hath conceived toil, and brought forth iniquity: he hath opened a ditch, and digged it, and hath 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 Thy 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 Thy 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 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 saith, “How can ye, being evil, speak good things?”
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 Thee rejoice,” he says by way of prophecy; since he perceives that they will rejoice. Likewise is it said prophetically, “Stir up Thy 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, whilst 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.”
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 Thy Lord;” for similar to this expulsion is, “Cast him into outer darkness.”
15. “Since they have embittered Thee, O Lord: I am,” saith He, “the Bread which came down from heaven;” again, “Labour for the meat which wasteth not;” 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 speaketh 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.
16. “And let all rejoice that hope in Thee;” those of course to whose taste the Lord is sweet. “They will exult for evermore, and Thou wilt dwell in them” (ver. 11). This will be the exultation for evermore, when the just become the Temple of God, and He, their Indweller, will be their joy. “And all that love Thy name shall glory in Thee:” as when what they love is present for them to enjoy. And well is it said, “in Thee,” 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, “Thou wilt dwell in them.” From which good they are kept back, whom God, according to the multitude of their ungodlinesses, driveth out.
17. “For Thou wilt 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.” “For whom He called, them He also justified; and whom He justified, them He also glorified.” 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 Thy good will Thou hast 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.” 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 Thee, O Lord, in the morning Thou wilt 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 casteth out fear, from the words, “but I in the multitude of Thy mercy,” unto, “I will worship at Thy holy temple in Thy 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 seeth, lest she be turned aside by evil tongues, for the words, “O Lord, lead me forth in Thy 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.
2. “Hear my words, O Lord” (ver. 1). Being called she calleth 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 maketh request that God would understand: of which what the nature is, he hath 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 cometh to the Father,” rightly is it first, “my King;” and then, “my God.” And yet has not the Psalmist said, Attend Ye; 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,” 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.”
4. “Because I will pray unto Thee (ver. 3). O Lord, in the morning Thou wilt hear my voice.” What does that, which he said above, “Hear Thou,” mean, as if he desired to be heard immediately? But now he saith, “in the morning Thou wilt hear;” not, hear Thou: and, “I will pray unto Thee;” not, I do pray unto Thee: and, as follows, “in the morning I will stand by Thee, and will see;” not, I do stand by Thee, 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.” 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 Thee, O Lord;” that is, because Thou art so mighty to whom I shall make my prayer, “in the morning Thou wilt hear my voice.” Thou art 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 “Thou wilt hear my voice.” Why then did he say above not, “Thou wilt 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 doth not yet understand that she was heard, because she doth not yet see by whom she hath been heard; and what she now says, “In the morning Thou wilt 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 proveth you, that He may know whether ye love Him,” cannot be taken in any other sense, than, that ye by Him may know, and that it may be made evident to yourselves, what progress ye have made in His love.
5. “In the morning I will stand by Thee, 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 Thou art not a God who hast pleasure in iniquity. The malignant man shall not dwell near Thee, nor shall the unrighteous abide before Thine eyes. Thou hast hated all that work iniquity, Thou wilt 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, “Thou art 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.
6. “The malignant man shall not dwell near Thee:” that is, he shall not so see, as to cleave to Thee. Hence follows, “Nor shall the unrighteous abide before Thine 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. “Thou hast 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. “Thou wilt 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 saith he, “Thou wilt 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, who gave a false report to Pharaoh, to the end that the infants of the children of Israel might not be slain. But even these are praised not for the fact, but 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.” Nor is it without reason written in another place, “The mouth that lieth slayeth the soul:” 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 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:” and the Apostle Paul when he said, “I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal.” 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, “Thou hast hated all that work iniquity, Thou wilt 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 receiveth the inheritance;” and she adds the exulting joy of her hope, in saying, “But I, in the multitude of Thy mercy, will enter into Thine 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 Thou art mindful of him, or the son of man that Thou visitest him? I will enter into Thine house:” as a stone into a building, I suppose, is the meaning. For what else is the house of God than the Temple of God, of which it is said, “for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are”? Of which building He is the cornerstone, whom the Power and Wisdom of God coeternal with the Father assumed.
9. “I will worship at Thy holy temple, in Thy fear.” “At the temple,” we understand as, “near” the temple. For he does not say, I will worship “in” Thy holy temple; but, “I will worship at Thy 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 Thine house,” should signify perfection. But that this may come to a happy issue, “I will” first, he says, “worship at Thy holy temple.” And perhaps on this account he added, “in Thy fear;” which is a great defence to those that are advancing toward salvation. But when any one shall have arrived there, in him comes to pass that which is written, “perfect love casteth out fear.” 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,” when they have been brought through to that which was promised.
10. “O Lord, lead me forth in Thy 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 Thy 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 maketh 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 hath conceived toil, and brought forth iniquity: he hath opened a ditch, and digged it, and hath 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 Thy 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 Thy 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 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 saith, “How can ye, being evil, speak good things?”
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 Thee rejoice,” he says by way of prophecy; since he perceives that they will rejoice. Likewise is it said prophetically, “Stir up Thy 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, whilst 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.”
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 Thy Lord;” for similar to this expulsion is, “Cast him into outer darkness.”
15. “Since they have embittered Thee, O Lord: I am,” saith He, “the Bread which came down from heaven;” again, “Labour for the meat which wasteth not;” 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 speaketh 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.
16. “And let all rejoice that hope in Thee;” those of course to whose taste the Lord is sweet. “They will exult for evermore, and Thou wilt dwell in them” (ver. 11). This will be the exultation for evermore, when the just become the Temple of God, and He, their Indweller, will be their joy. “And all that love Thy name shall glory in Thee:” as when what they love is present for them to enjoy. And well is it said, “in Thee,” 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, “Thou wilt dwell in them.” From which good they are kept back, whom God, according to the multitude of their ungodlinesses, driveth out.
17. “For Thou wilt 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.” “For whom He called, them He also justified; and whom He justified, them He also glorified.” 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 Thy good will Thou hast 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.” 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 Thee, O Lord, in the morning Thou wilt 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 casteth out fear, from the words, “but I in the multitude of Thy mercy,” unto, “I will worship at Thy holy temple in Thy 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 seeth, lest she be turned aside by evil tongues, for the words, “O Lord, lead me forth in Thy 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
ST. AUGUSTINE'S EXPOSITION ON PSALM 6