Expositions on the Book of Psalms

Chapter 1

1. BLESSED is the man that hath not gone away in the counsel of the

ungodly. 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 serp

Chapter 2

2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law will he

meditate by day and by night.* 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

Chapter 3

3. And he shall be like a tree planted hard by the running streams of

waters;* 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 whi

Chapter 4

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. 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.

Chapter 5

5. Therefore the ungodly rise not in the judgment: 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 -- 15 of 2861 -- their pride they court, namely, that they may judge: so that this

Chapter 6

6. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous. 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.

Chapter 7

1. Why do the heathen rage, and the people meditate vain things?

The kings of the earth have stood up, and the rulers taken counsel together, against the Lord, and against His Christ. It is said, why? as if it were said, in vain. For what they wished, namely, Christ's destruction, the

Chapter 8

2. Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yoke from

us. 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,

Chapter 9

3. He that dwelleth in the heavens shall laugh them to scorn, and the

Lord shall have them in derision. 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 t

Chapter 10

4. Then He shall speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His

sore displeasure. For shewing more clearly how He will speak unto them, he added, He will vex them; so that in His wrath, is, in His sore -- 17 of 2861 -- displeasure. But by the wrath and sore displeasure of the Lord

Chapter 11

5. Yet am I set by Him as King upon Sion, His holy hill, preaching

His decree. 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 any thing rather than of the Church, where daily is th

Chapter 12

6. The Lord hath said unto me, Thou art My Son, to-day have I

begotten Thee. Although that day may also seem to be prophetically spoken of, on which Jesus Christ was born according to the flesh; yet as to-day intimates presentiality, (and in eternity there is nothing past as if it

Chapter 13

7. Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the nations for Thine inheritance.

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

Chapter 14

8. Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron, with inflexible justice, and

Thou shalt break them like a potter's vessel; 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, y

Chapter 15

9. Serve the Lord with fear; lest what is said, Ye kings and judges of

the earth, turn into pride: And rejoice with trembling. 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 -- 19 of 2861

Chapter 16

10. Lay hold of discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry, and ye

perish from the righteous way. 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 inti

Chapter 17

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 founda

Chapter 18

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 descri

Chapter 19

2. O Lord, how are they multiplied that trouble me! 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.

Chapter 20

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 -- 22 of 2861 -- became one with Him. Let the proud learn, who unwillingly hear, when it

Chapter 21

4. With my voice have I cried unto the Lord; 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 thi

Chapter 22

5. I slept, and took rest. 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

Chapter 23

6. I will not fear the thousands of people that surround me. 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 -- 24 of 2861 -- God. It is not said to God, Arise, as if asleep or lying down, but it i

Chapter 24

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 be

Chapter 25

8. Salvation is of the Lord; and upon Thy people be Thy blessing. 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 bles

Chapter 26

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 -- 26 of 2861 -

Chapter 27

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

Chapter 28

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

Chapter 29

2. Ver. 1. When I called, the God of my righteousness heard me.

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

Chapter 30

3. Ver. 2. O ye sons of men, how long heavy in heart. 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 vanit

Chapter 31

4. Ver. 3. And know ye that the Lord hath magnified His Holy One.

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 conjuncti

Chapter 32

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 thi

Chapter 33

6. Ver. 4. Be ye angry, and sin not. 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

Chapter 34

7. Ver. 5.* Offer the sacrifice of righteousness, and hope in the Lord.

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 mo

Chapter 35

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

Chapter 36

9. But men (who doubtless are many) who follow after things

temporal, know not to say aught else, than, who sheweth 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

Chapter 37

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 -- 35 of 2861 -- hope now is, there will be assuredly that which is hoped for. And

Chapter 38

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 me

Chapter 39

2. Ver. 1. Hear my words, O Lord. 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 shews what this cry is; how from within, from the chamber of the hea

Chapter 40

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, (ver. 2.) Understand my cry. Attend Thou to the voice of my supplication, my King, and my God. Alth

Chapter 41

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 -- 37 of 2861 --

Chapter 42

5. In the morning I will stand by Thee, and will see. 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

Chapter 43

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 habi

Chapter 44

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 des

Chapter 45

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

Chapter 46

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

Chapter 47

10. Ver. 8. O Lord, lead me forth in Thy justice because of mine

enemies. 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 justic

Chapter 48

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 ma

Chapter 49

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 c

Chapter 50

13. Ver. 10. Judge them, O God: let them fall from their own

thoughts. 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

Chapter 51

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 knowi

Chapter 52

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 speaket

Chapter 53

16. Ver. 11. 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. This will be the exultation for evermore, when the just become the Temple of God, and He, their Indweller, will be their joy. And

Chapter 54

17. Ver. 12. For Thou wilt bless the just man. 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 glor

Chapter 55

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

Chapter 56

1. OF the eighth, seems here obscure. For the rest of this title is more

clear. Now it has seemed to some to intimate the day of judgment, that is, the time of the coming of our Lord, when He will come to judge the quick and dead. Which coming, it is believed, is to be, after reckoning the ye

Chapter 57

2. Be we then willingly ignorant of that which the Lord would not

have us know: and let us inquire what this title, of the eighth, means. The day of judgment may indeed, even without any rash computation of years, be understood by the eighth, for that immediately after the end of this

Chapter 58

3. In fear of which condemnation the Church prays in this Psalm,

and says, (ver. 1.) Reprove me not, O Lord, in Thine anger. The Apostle too mentions the anger of the judgment;* Thou treasurest up unto thyself, he says, anger against the day of the anger of the just judgment of God. I

Chapter 59

4. He proceeds accordingly to say, (ver. 2.) Pity me, O Lord, for I am

weak: heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled, that is, the support of my soul, or strength: for this is the meaning of bones. The soul therefore says, that her strength is troubled, when she speaks of bones. For it i

Chapter 60

5. Ver. 4. Turn, O Lord, and deliver my soul. Turning herself she

prays that God too would turn to her: as it is said, Turn ye unto Me, and I will turn unto you, saith the Lord.* Or is it to be understood according to that way of speaking, Turn, O Lord, that is, make me turn, since the

Chapter 61

6. Ver. 5. For in death there is no one that is mindful of Thee. He

knows too that now is the time for turning unto God: for when this life shall have passed away, there remaineth but a retribution of our deserts.* But in hell who shall confess to Thee? That rich man, of whom the Lord sp

Chapter 62

7. Wherefore he goes on to say, (ver. 6.) I have laboured in my

groaning. And as if this availed but little, he adds, I will wash each night my couch. That is here called a couch, where the sick and weak soul rests, that is, in bodily gratification and in every worldly pleasure. Whic

Chapter 63

8. Ver. 7. Mine eye is disordered by anger: is it by his own, or God's

anger, in which he maketh petition that he might not be reproved, or chastened? But if anger in that place intimate the day of judgment, how can it be understood now? Is it a beginning of it, that men here suffer pains a

Chapter 64

9. I have grown old in all mine enemies. He had only spoken of

anger, (if it were yet of his own anger that he spoke:) but thinking on his other vices, he found that he was entrenched by them all.* Which vices, as they belong to the old life and the old man, which we must put off, t

Chapter 65

10. Wherefore after the labour, and groaning, and very frequent

showers of tears, since that cannot be ineffectual, which is asked so earnestly of Him, Who is the Fountain of all mercies, and it is most truly said,* the Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart: after difficu

Chapter 66

11. For the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping; (ver. 9.) The

Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord hath received my prayer. The frequent repetition of the same sentiments shews not, so to say, the necessities of the narrator, but the warm feeling of his joy. For they that rejo

Chapter 67

12. Ver. 10. Let all mine enemies be ashamed and vexed. He said

above, depart from me all ye: which can take place, as it has been explained, even in this life: but as to what he says, let them be ashamed and vexed, I do not see how it can happen, save on that day -- 54 of 2861 --

Chapter 68

13. But as to what he says, Let them be turned and confounded. Who

would not judge it to be a most righteous punishment, that they should have a turning unto confusion, who would not have one unto salvation? After this he added, exceeding quickly. For when the day of judgment shall have

Chapter 69

1. Now the story,* which gave occasion to this prophecy, may be

easily recognised in the second book of Kings. For there Chusi, the friend of king David, went over to the side of Abessalon, his son, who was carrying on war against his father, for the purpose of discovering and report

Chapter 70

2. Ver. 1. O Lord my God, in Thee have I hoped: save me from all

them that persecute me, and deliver me. As one to whom, already perfected, all the war and enmity of vice being overcome, there remaineth no enemy but the envious devil, he says, Save me from all them that persecute me,

Chapter 71

3. And that it might be clear that the already perfect soul, which is to

be on her guard against the most insidious snares of the devil only, says this, see what follows, (ver. 3.) O Lord my God, if I have done this. What is it that he calls this? Since he does not mention the sin by name, ar

Chapter 72

4. Ver. 5. Let the enemy therefore persecute my soul and take it. By

again naming the enemy in the singular number, he more and more clearly points out him, whom he spoke of above as a lion. For he persecutes the soul, and if he has deceived it, will take it. For the limit of men's rage i

Chapter 73

5. Ver. 6. Arise, O Lord, in Thine anger. Why yet does he, who we say

is perfect, incite God to anger? Must we not see, whether he rather be not perfect, who, when he was being stoned, said, O Lord, lay not this sin to their charge?* Or does the Psalmist pray thus not against men, but agai

Chapter 74

6. And the congregation of the people shall surround Thee. This may

be understood two ways. For the congregation of the people can be taken, either of them that believe, or of them that persecute, both of which took place in the same humiliation of our Lord: in contempt of which the mult

Chapter 75

7. It can be taken also in this sense: Arise, O Lord, in Thine anger,

and be exalted in the borders of mine enemies: that is, arise in Thine anger, and let not mine enemies understand Thee; so that to be exalted, should be this, become high, that Thou mayest not be understood; which has re

Chapter 76

8. But whether the former exposition of this place, or this last be the

more suitable, without prejudice to any one better, or equal, or as good, it follows very consistently, the Lord judgeth the people. For whether He returned on high, when, after the resurrection, He ascended into heaven,

Chapter 77

9. Ver. 9. But let the wickedness of sinners be consummated. He

says, be consummated, be completed, according to that in the Apocalypse,* Let the righteous become more righteous, and let the filthy be filthy still. For the wickedness of those men appears consummate, who crucified the

Chapter 78

10. Ver. 10. My righteous help is from the Lord, Who maketh whole

the upright in heart. The offices of medicine are twofold, one the curing infirmity, the other the preserving health. According to the first it was said in the preceding Psalm, Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak;* a

Chapter 79

11. My righteous help is from the Lord, Who maketh whole the

upright in heart. God, Who searcheth the hearts and reins, directeth the righteous; but with righteous help maketh He whole the upright in heart. He doth not as He searcheth the hearts and reins, so make whole the uprigh

Chapter 80

12. Ver. 11. God the righteous judge, strong (in endurance) and long-

suffering. What God is judge, but the Lord, Who judgeth the people? He is righteous;* Who shall render to every man according to his works. He is strong; (in endurance) Who, being most powerful, for our salvation bore ev

Chapter 81

13. Ver. 12. Unless ye be converted, He says, He will brandish His

sword. The Lord Man Himself may be taken to be God's double- edged sword, that is, His spear, which at His first coming He will not brandish, but hideth as it were in the sheath of humiliation: but He will brandish it, w

Chapter 82

14. Ver. 13. And in it He hath prepared the instruments of death: He

hath wrought His arrows for the burning. That bow then I would readily take to be the Holy Scripture, in which by the strength of the New Testament, as by a sort of string, the hardness of the Old has been bent and subdu

Chapter 83

15. But since he has said that the Lord has prepared not arrows only,

but instruments of death too, in the bow, it may be asked, what are "instruments of death?" Are they, peradventure, heretics? For they too, out of the same bow, that is, out of the same Scriptures, light upon souls not t

Chapter 84

16. Now after this dispensation righteous judgment will come: of

which the Psalmist so speaks, as that we may understand that each man's punishment is wrought out of his own sin, and his iniquity turned into vengeance: that we may not suppose that that tranquillity and ineffable light

Chapter 85

17. Ver. 15. He hath opened a ditch, and digged it. To open a ditch, is,

in earthly matters, that is, as it were in the earth, to prepare deceit, -- 71 of 2861 -- that another fall therein, whom the unrighteous man wishes to deceive. Now this ditch is opened, when consent is given to the ev

Chapter 86

18. Ver. 16. His toil shall be turned on his head, and his iniquity shall

descend on his pate. For he had no mind to escape sin: but was brought under sin as a slave, so to say, as the Lord saith, Whosoever sinneth is a slave.* His iniquity then will be upon him, when he is subject to his iniq

Chapter 87

19. Ver. 17. I will confess to the Lord according to His justice. This is

not the sinner's confession: for he says this, who said above most truly, If there be iniquity in my hands: but it is a confession of God's justice, in which we speak thus, Verily, O Lord, Thou art just, in that Thou bot

Chapter 88

1. He seems to say nothing of wine-presses in the text of the Psalm, of

which this is the title. By which it appears, that one and the same thing is often signified in Scripture by many and various similitudes. We may then take wine-presses to be Churches, on the same principle by which we u

Chapter 89

2. There is another interpretation concerning the wine-presses, yet

still keeping to the meaning of Churches. For even the Divine Word may be understood by the grape: for the Lord even has been called a Cluster of grapes; Which they that were sent before by the people of Israel brought f

Chapter 90

4. Accordingly it is said, (ver. 1.) O Lord, our Lord, how admirable is

Thy Name in all the earth! I ask, how is His Name wonderful in all the earth? The answer is, For Thy glory has been raised above the heavens. So that the meaning is this, O Lord, Who art our Lord, how do all that inhabit

Chapter 91

5. Ver. 2. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast made

perfect praise, because of Thine enemies. I cannot take babes and sucklings to be any other, than those to whom the Apostle says,* As unto babes in Christ I have given you milk to drink, not meat. Who were meant by those

Chapter 92

6. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast made perfect

praise, because of Thine enemies. By enemies to this dispensation,* which has been wrought through Jesus Christ and Him crucified, we ought generally to understand all who forbid belief in things unknown, and promise cer

Chapter 93

7. Ver. 3. For I shall see Thy heavens, the works of Thy fingers. We

read that the law was written with the finger of God, and given through Moses His holy servant:* by which finger of God many understand the Holy Ghost. Wherefore if, by the fingers of God,* we are right in understanding

Chapter 94

8. Accordingly the heavens named above also may be interpreted as

the same books, where he says, For Thy glory hath been raised above the heavens: so that the complete meaning should be this, For Thy glory hath been raised above the heavens; for thy glory hath exceeded the declarations

Chapter 95

9. For I shall see the heavens, the works of Thy fingers, the moon and

the stars, which Thou hast ordained. The moon and stars are ordained in the heavens; since both the Church universal, to signify which the moon is often put, and Churches in the several places particularly, which I imagi

Chapter 96

10. Ver. 4. What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? or the son of

man, that Thou visitest him? It may be asked, what distinction there is between man and son of man. For if there were none, it would not be expressed thus, man, or son of man, disjunctively. For if it were written thus,

Chapter 97

11. Therefore was the son of man first visited in the person of the very

Lord Man, born of the Virgin Mary. Of Whom, by reason of the very weakness of the flesh, which the Wisdom of God vouchsafed to bear, and the humiliation of the Passion, it is justly said, (ver. 5.) Thou hast lowered Him

Chapter 98

12. Thou hast put, he says, all things in subjection under His feet.

When he says, all things, he excepts nothing. And that he might not be allowed to understand it otherwise, the Apostle enjoins it to be believed thus,* when he says, He being excepted Which put all things under Him.* And

Chapter 99

13. Yea moreover, saith he, the beasts of the field. The addition of

moreover is by no means idle. First, because by beasts of the plain, may be understood both sheep and oxen: so that, if goats are the beasts of rocky and mountainous regions, sheep may be well taken to be the beasts of t

Chapter 100

1. The inscription of this Psalm is, To the end for the hidden things of

the Son, a Psalm of David himself. As to the hidden things of the Son there may be a question: but since he has not added whose, the very only-begotten Son of God should be understood. For where a Psalm has been inscribe

Chapter 101

2. I will confess unto Thee, O Lord, with my whole heart. He doth

not, with a whole heart, confess unto God, who doubteth of His Providence in any particular: but he who sees already the hidden -- 86 of 2861 -- things of the wisdom of God, how great is His invisible reward, who saith

Chapter 102

3. I will be glad and exult in Thee. Not any more in this world, not in

pleasure of bodily dalliance, not in relish of palate and tongue, not in sweetness of perfumes, not in joyousness of passing sounds, not in the variously coloured forms of figure, not in vanities of men's praise, not in

Chapter 103

4. For now the Person of the Lord begins to appear speaking in this

Psalm. For it follows, I will sing to Thy Name, O Most High, in turning mine enemy behind. His enemy then, where was he turned back? Was it when it was said to him,* Get thee behind, Satan? For -- 87 of 2861 -- then he

Chapter 104

5. They will be weakened, and perish from Thy face. Who will be

weakened and perish, but the unrighteous and ungodly? They will be weakened, while they shall avail nothing; and they shall perish, because the ungodly will not be; from the face of God, that is, from the knowledge of Go

Chapter 105

6. Thou satest on the throne Who judgest equity. Whether the Son

say this to the Father, Who said also, Thou couldest have no power against Me,* except it were given thee from above, referring this very thing, that the Judge of men was judged for men's advantage, to the Father's equit

Chapter 106

7. Thou hast rebuked the heathen, and the ungodly hath perished.

We take this to be more suitably said to the Lord Jesus Christ, than said by Him. For Who else hath rebuked the heathen, and the ungodly perished, save He, Who after that He ascended up into heaven, sent the Holy Ghost,

Chapter 107

8. The swords of the enemy have failed at the end. Not enemies in

the plural, but this enemy in the singular. Now what enemy's swords have failed but the devil's? Now these are understood to be divers erroneous opinions, whereby as with swords he destroys souls. In overcoming these swo

Chapter 108

9. And the Lord abideth for ever.* Wherefore then have the heathen

raged, and the people imagined vain things against the Lord, and against His Anointed: for the Lord abideth for ever. He hath prepared His seat in judgment, and He shall judge the world in equity. He prepared His seat, w

Chapter 109

10. And the Lord hath become a refuge to the poor. Whatsoever be

the persecutions of that enemy, who hath been turned behind, what harm shall he do to them whose refuge the Lord hath become? But this will be, if in this world, in which that one has an office of power, they shall choos

Chapter 110

11. Ver. 10. And let them who know Thy Name, hope in Thee, when

they shall have ceased hoping in wealth, and in the other enticements of this world. For the soul indeed that seeketh where to fix her hope, when she is torn away from this world, the knowledge of God's Name seasonably r

Chapter 111

12. Ver. 11. Sing to the Lord, Who dwelleth in Sion, is said to them,

whom the Lord forsakes not as they seek Him.* He dwelleth in Sion, which is interpreted watching, and which beareth the likeness of the Church that now is; as Jerusalem beareth the likeness of the Church that is to come,

Chapter 112

13. Ver. 12. For requiring their blood He hath remembered. As if

they, who were sent to preach the Gospel, should make answer to -- 93 of 2861 -- that injunction which has been mentioned, Shew forth His wonders among the heathen, and should say, O Lord, who hath believed our report?

Chapter 113

14. But I ask, what is that cry of the poor, which God forgetteth not?

Is it that cry, the words whereof are these, (ver. 13.) Pity me, O Lord, see my humiliation at the hands of my enemies? Why then did he not say, Pity us, O Lord, see our humiliation at the hands of our enemies, as if man

Chapter 114

15. Then follows, I will exult for Thy salvation: that is, with

blessedness shall I be holden by Thy salvation, which is our Lord Jesus Christ, the Power and Wisdom of God. Therefore says the Church, which is here in affliction and is saved by hope, as long as the hidden judgment of

Chapter 115

16. Ver. 16. The Lord is known executing judgments. These are God's

judgments. Not from that tranquillity of His blessedness, nor from the secret places of wisdom, wherein blessed souls are received, is the sword, or fire, or wild beast, or any such thing brought forth, whereby sinners m

Chapter 116

17. Here is interposed, The song of the diapsalma: as it were the

hidden joy, as far as we can imagine, of the separation which is now -- 96 of 2861 -- made, not in place, but in the affections of the heart, between sinners and the righteous, as of the corn from the chaff, as yet on

Chapter 117

18. Ver. 18. For there shall not be forgetfulness of the poor man to

the end: who now seems to be in forgetfulness, when sinners are thought to flourish in this world's happiness, and the righteous to be in travail: but the patience, saith He, of the poor shall not perish for ever. Wheref

Chapter 118

19. Ver. 19. Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail. The future judgment is

prayed for: but before it come, Let the heathen, saith he, be judged in Thy sight: that is, in secret; which is called in God's sight, with the knowledge of a few holy and righteous ones. (Ver. 20.) Place a lawgiver over

Chapter 119

20. And because it is believed that he is to arrive at so great a pitch of

empty glory, and he will be permitted to do so great things, both against all men and against the Saints of God, that then some weak ones shall indeed think that God cares not for human affairs, the Psalmist interposing

Chapter 120

21. They are taken in their thoughts, which they think: that is, their

evil thoughts become chains to them. But how become they chains? (ver. 3.) For the sinner is praised, saith he, in the desires of his soul. The tongues of flatterers bind souls in sin. For there is pleasure in doing thos

Chapter 121

22. Ver. 4. The sinner hath angered the Lord. Let no one congratulate

the man, that prospers in his way, to whose sins no avenger is nigh, and an approver is by. This is the greater anger of the Lord. For the sinner hath angered the Lord, that he should suffer these things, that is, should

Chapter 122

23. God is not in his sight, (ver. 5.) his ways are polluted in all time.

He that knows what in the soul gives joy and gladness, knows how great an ill it is to be abandoned by the light of truth: since a great ill do men reckon the blindness of their bodily eyes, whereby this light is withdra

Chapter 123

24. And seeing that being delivered over to the lust of his own heart,

and predestinated to extreme condemnation, he is to come, by wicked arts, to that vain and empty height and rule; therefore it follows, (ver. 6.) For he hath said in his heart, I shall not move from generation to generat

Chapter 124

26. Ver. 8. He lieth in ambush with the rich. What rich, but those

whom he will load with this world's gifts? And he is therefore said to lie in ambush with them, because he will display their false happiness to deceive men; who, when with a perverted will they desire to be such as they

Chapter 125

27. His eyes look against the poor, for he is chiefly to persecute the

righteous, of whom it is said,* Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (ver. 9.) He lieth in wait in a secret place, as a lion in his den. By a lion in a den, he means one, in whom both viol

Chapter 126

28. Again, the two which follow are the same. Ver. 10. In his snare he

will humble him, is craft. He shall decline and fall, whilst he shall have domination over the poor, is violence. For a snare naturally points to lying in wait: but domination most openly conveys the idea of terror. And

Chapter 127

29. But how shall he decline, and fall? (ver. 11.) For he hath said in

his heart, God hath forgotten; He turneth away His face, that He see not unto the end. This is declining, and the most wretched fall, while the mind of a man prospers as it were in its iniquities, and thinks that it is s

Chapter 128

30. Accordingly understanding now the manifest judgment, and in

exultation at it, they say, (ver. 13.) Wherefore hath the ungodly angered God? that is, what hath it profited him to do so great evil? For he said in his heart, He will not require it. Then follows, (ver. 14.) For Thou s

Chapter 129

31. The poor hath been left unto Thee. For therefore is he poor, that

is, hath despised all the temporal goods of this world, that Thou only mayest be his hope. Thou wilt be a helper to the orphan, that is, to him to whom his father this world, by whom he was born after the flesh, dies, an

Chapter 130

32. Ver. 15. Break the arm of the sinner and of the malicious; of him,

namely, of whom it was said above, He shall have dominion over all his enemies. He called his power then, his arm; to which Christ's power is opposed, of which it is said, Arise, O Lord God, let Thine hand be exalted. Hi

Chapter 131

33. Ver. 17. The Lord hath heard the longing of the poor: that longing

wherewith they were burning, when in the straits and tribulations of this world they desired the day of the Lord. Thine ear hath heard the -- 103 of 2861 -- preparation of their heart. This is the preparation of the he

Chapter 132

34. Ver. 18. To judge for the orphan and the humble: that is, not for

him who is conformed to this world, nor for the proud. For it is one thing to judge the orphan, another to judge for the orphan. He judges the orphan even, who condemns him; but he judges for the orphan, who delivers sen

Chapter 133

35. After the hidden things then of the Son, of which, in this Psalm,

many things have been said, will come the manifest things of the Son, of which a little has been now said at the end of the same Psalm. But the title is given from the former, which here occupy the larger portion. Indeed

Chapter 134

1. THIS title does not require a fresh consideration: for the meaning

of,* to the end, has already been sufficiently handled. Let us then look to the text itself of the Psalm, which to me appears to be sung against the heretics, who, by rehearsing and exaggerating the sins of -- 105 of 28

Chapter 135

2. Ver. 2. For, lo, sinners have bent the bow, they have prepared their

arrows in the quiver, that they may in the obscure moon shoot at the upright in heart. These be the terrors of those who threaten us as touching sinners, that we may pass over to them as the righteous. Lo, they say, the

Chapter 136

3. Now I remember that I promised to consider in this Psalm with

what suitableness the moon signifies the Church. There are two probable opinions concerning the moon:* but of these which is the true, I suppose it either impossible or very difficult for a man to decide. For when we ask

Chapter 137

4. Next we must enquire, what in this Psalm is meant by, the obscure

moon, in which sinners have prepared to shoot at the upright in heart? For not in one way only may the moon be said to be obscure: for when her monthly course is finished, and when her brightness is interrupted by a clou

Chapter 138

5. In the Lord, therefore, I trust. Let them fear who trust in man, and

cannot deny that they are of man's party, by whose grey hairs they swear; and when in conversation it is demanded of them, of what communion they are, unless they say that they are of his party, they cannot be recognised

Chapter 139

6. Let the Catholic soul then say, In the Lord I trust; how say ye to

my soul, Remove into the mountains as a sparrow? For, lo, the sinners have bent the bow, they have prepared their arrows in the quiver, that they may in the obscure moon shoot at the upright in heart: and from them let h

Chapter 140

7. Ver. 4. The Lord is in His holy temple, yea in such wise as the

Apostle saith, For the temple of God is holy,* which temple ye are. Now if any man shall violate the temple of God, him shall God destroy. He violateth the temple of God, who violateth unity:* for he holdeth not the head

Chapter 141

8. His eyes look upon the poor.* His to Whom the poor man hath

been left,* and Who hath been made a refuge to the poor.* And therefore all the seditions and tumults within these nets, until they be drawn to shore, concerning which heretics upbraid us to their own ruin and our correc

Chapter 142

9. Ver. 5. The Lord questioneth the righteous and ungodly. Why then

do we fear lest the ungodly should be any hurt to us, if so be they do with insincere heart share the sacraments with us, seeing that He questioneth the righteous and the ungodly. But whoso loveth iniquity, hateth his ow

Chapter 143

10. Ver. 6. He shall rain snares upon the sinners. If by clouds are

understood prophets generally, whether good or bad, who are also called false prophets:* false prophets are so ordered by the Lord God, that by them He may rain snares upon sinners. For no one, but the sinner, falls into

Chapter 144

11. Fire and brimstone and the blast of the tempest is the portion of

their cup. This is their punishment and end, by whom the name of God is blasphemed; that first they should be wasted by the fire of their own lusts, then by the ill savour of their evil deeds cast off from the company of

Chapter 145

12. But if any one would understand the moon of the synagogue, let

him refer the Psalm to the Lord's passion, and of the Jews say,* For they have destroyed what Thou hast perfected; and of the Lord Himself, But what hath the Just done? Whom they accused as the destroyer of the Law: Whos

Chapter 146

1. IT has been said on the sixth Psalm, that 'the eighth' may be taken

as the day of judgment. For the eighth may also be taken 'for the eternal age;' for that after the time present, which is a cycle of seven days, it shall be given to the Saints.

Chapter 147

2. Ver. 1. Save me, O Lord, for the holy hath failed; that is, is not

found: as we speak when we say, Corn fails, or, Money fails. For the truths have been minished from among the sons of men. The truth is one, whereby holy souls are enlightened: but forasmuch as there are many souls, ther

Chapter 148

3. Ver. 2. He hath talked vanity each man to his neighbour. By

neighbour we must understand every man: for that there is no one with whom we should work evil;* and the love of our neighbour worketh no evil. Deceitful lips, with a heart and a heart they have spoken evil things. The r

Chapter 149

6. Ver. 5. Because of the wretchedness of the needy and the sighing of

the poor, now I will arise, saith the Lord. For so the Lord Himself in the Gospel pitied His people, because they had no ruler, when they could well obey. Whence too it is said in the Gospel, The harvest is plenteous,* b

Chapter 150

7. Ver. 6. The words of the Lord are pure words. This is in the person

of the Prophet himself, The words of the Lord are pure words. He says pure, without the alloy of pretence. For many preach the truth impurely; for they sell it for the bribe of the advantages of this life.* Of such the A

Chapter 151

9. Ver. 8. The ungodly walk in a circle round about: that is, in the

desire of things temporal, which revolves as a wheel in a repeated circle of seven days; and therefore they do not arrive at the eighth, that is, at eternity, for which this Psalm is entitled. So too it is said by Solomo

Chapter 152

1. For Christ is the end of the law to every one that believeth.* (Ver.

1.) How long, O Lord, wilt Thou forget me unto the end? that is, put me off as to spiritually understanding Christ, Who is the Wisdom of God, and the true end of all the aim of the soul. How long dost Thou turn away Thy

Chapter 153

2. Ver. 2. How long shall I place counsel in my soul? There is no need

of counsel but in adversity. Therefore, How long shall I place counsel in my soul? is as if it were said, How long shall I be in adversity? Or at least it is an answer, so that the meaning is this, So long, O Lord, wilt

Chapter 154

4. Ver. 3. Look on me, and hear me, O Lord my God. Look on me,

refers to what was said, How long dost Thou turn away Thy face from me. Hear, refers to what was said, How long wilt Thou forget me to the end? Lighten mine eyes, that I sleep not in death. The eyes of the heart must be

Chapter 155

5. Ver. 4. Lest at any time mine enemy say, I have prevailed against

him. The devil's mockery is to be feared. They that trouble me will exult, if I be moved; the devil and his angels; who exulted not over that righteous man, Job, when they troubled him;* because he was not moved, that is

Chapter 156

6. Ver. 5. But I have hoped in Thy mercy. Because this very thing,

that a man be not moved, and that he abide fixed in the Lord, he should not attribute to self: lest when he glories that he hath not been moved, he be moved by this very pride. My heart shall exult in Thy salvation; in C

Chapter 157

1. What to the end means, must not be too often repeated. For Christ

is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth;* as the Apostle saith. We believe on Him, when we begin to enter on the good road: we shall see Him, when we shall get to the end. And therefore is He

Chapter 158

2. Ver. 1. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. For not

even have certain sacrilegious and abominable philosophers, who entertain perverse and false notions of God, dared to say, There is no God. Therefore it is, hath said in his heart; for that no one dares to say it, even i

Chapter 159

3. Ver. 2. The Lord from heaven looked out upon the sons of men, to

see if there be one understanding, or seeking after God. It may be interpreted, upon the Jews; as he may have given them the more honourable name of the sons of men, by reason of their worship of the One God, in comparis

Chapter 160

4. Ver. 3. All have gone out of the way, they have together become

useless: that is, the Jews have become as the Gentiles, who were spoken of above, There is none that doeth good, no not up to one: must be interpreted as above. Their throat is an open sepulchre. Either the voracity of t

Chapter 161

5. Ver. 4. Shall not all, who work iniquity, know? He threatens the

judgment. Who devour My people as the food of bread: that is, daily. For the food of bread is daily food. Now they devour the people, who serve their own ends out of them, not referring their ministry to the glory of God

Chapter 162

6. They have not called upon the Lord. For he doth not really call

upon Him, who longs for such things as are displeasing to Him. (Ver. 5.) There they trembled for fear, where no fear was: that is, for the loss of things temporal. For they said,* If we let Him thus alone, all men will b

Chapter 163

7. For God is in the just generation. [It refers to what went before, so

that the sense is, 'shall not all they that work iniquity know that the Lord is in the just generation;'] that is, He is not in them who love the world. For it is unjust to leave the Maker of the worlds,* and serve the c

Chapter 164

8. Ver. 7. Who will give salvation to Israel out of Sion? Who but He

Whose humiliation ye have despised? is understood. For He will come in glory to the judgment of the quick and the dead, and the kingdom of the just: that, forasmuch as in that humble coming blindness hath happened in par

Chapter 165

1. Touching this title there is no question. (Ver. 1.) O Lord, who shall

sojourn in Thy tabernacle? Although tabernacle be sometimes used even for an everlasting habitation: yet when tabernacle is taken in its proper meaning, it is a thing of war. Hence soldiers are called tent- fellows, as h

Chapter 166

3. Who speaketh the truth in his heart. For some have truth on their

lips, and not in their heart. As if one should deceitfully point out a road, knowing that there were robbers there, and should say, If you go this way, you will be safe from robbers; and it should turn out that in fact t

Chapter 167

4. Ver. 4. The malicious one hath been brought to nought in his sight.

This is perfection, that the malicious one have no force against a man; and that this be in his sight; that is, that he know most surely that the malicious is not, save when the mind turns itself away from the eternal an

Chapter 168

5. Who sweareth unto his neighbour, and deceiveth him not. (Ver. 5.)

Who hath not given his money upon usury, and hath not taken rewards against the innocent. These are no great things: but he who is not able to do even this, much less able is he to speak the truth in -- 124 of 2861 --

Chapter 169

3. Ver. 3. To the saints who are on His earth: to the saints who have

placed their hope in the land of the living, the citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem, whose spiritual conversation is, by the anchor of hope, fixed in that country, which is rightly called God's earth; although as -- 125

Chapter 170

4. Ver. 4. Their infirmities have been multiplied: their infirmities

have been multiplied not for their destruction, but that they might long for the Physician. Afterwards they made haste. Accordingly after infirmities multiplied they made haste, that they might be healed. I will not gath

Chapter 171

5. Ver. 5. The Lord is the portion of Mine inheritance, and of My cup.

For together with Me they shall possess the inheritance, the Lord Himself. Let others choose for themselves portions, earthly and temporal, to enjoy: the portion of the Saints is the Lord eternal. Let others drink of dea

Chapter 172

6. Ver. 6. The lines have fallen to me in glorious places. The

boundaries of my possession have fallen in Thy glory as it were by -- 126 of 2861 -- lot,* like as God is the possession of the Priests and Levites. For Mine inheritance is glorious to Me. For Mine inheritance is glori

Chapter 173

7. Ver. 7. I will bless the Lord, Who hath given Me understanding:

whereby this inheritance may be seen and possessed. Yea moreover too even unto night my reins have chastened Me. Yea besides understanding, even unto death, My inferior part, the assumption of flesh, hath instructed Me,

Chapter 174

8. Ver. 8. I foresaw the Lord in My sight always. But coming into

things that pass away, I removed not Mine eye from Him Who abideth ever, foreseeing this, that to Him I should return after passing through the things temporal. For He is on My right hand, that I should not be moved. For

Chapter 175

9. Ver. 9. Wherefore My heart was glad, and My tongue exulted.

Wherefore both in My thoughts is gladness, and in my words exultation. Moreover too My flesh shall rest in hope. Moreover too My flesh shall not fail unto destruction, but shall sleep in hope of the resurrection.

Chapter 176

10. Ver. 10. For Thou wilt not leave My soul in hell. For Thou wilt

neither give My soul for a possession to those parts below. Neither wilt Thou grant Thine Holy One to see corruption. Neither wilt Thou suffer that sanctified body, whereby others are to be also sanctified, to see corrup

Chapter 177

2. Ver. 1. Hear My righteousness, O God, consider My supplication.

Hearken unto My prayer, not in deceitful lips: not going forth to Thee in deceitful lips. (Ver. 2.) Let My judgment from Thy countenance go forth. From the enlightening of the knowledge of Thee, let Me judge truth. Or at

Chapter 178

3. Ver. 3. Thou hast proved and visited Mine heart in the night-

season. For this Mine heart hath been proved by the visitation of tribulation. Thou hast examined Me by fire, and iniquity hath not been found in Me. Now not night only, in that it is wont to disturb, but fire also, in t

Chapter 179

4. That My mouth may not speak (ver. 4.) the works of men. That

nothing may proceed out of My mouth, but what relates to Thy glory and praise; not to the works of men, which they do beside Thy will. Because of the words of Thy lips.* Because of the words of Thy peace, -- 128 of 2861

Chapter 180

5. Ver. 5. To perfect My steps in Thy paths. That the love of the

Church might be perfected in the strait ways, whereby she arrives at Thy rest. That My footsteps be not moved. That the signs of My way, which, like footsteps, have been imprinted on the Sacraments and Apostolical writin

Chapter 181

6. Ver 6. I have cried out, for Thou hast heard Me, O God. With a free

and strong effort have I directed My prayers unto Thee: for that I might have this power, Thou hast heard Me when praying more weakly. Incline Thine ear to Me, and hear My words. Let not Thy hearing forsake My humiliatio

Chapter 182

8. Who savest them that hope in Thee from such as resist Thy right

hand: from such as resist the favour, whereby Thou favourest Me. (Ver. 8.) Keep Me, O Lord, as the apple of Thine eye: which seems very little and minute: yet by it is the sight of the eye directed, whereby the light is

Chapter 183

9. Mine enemies have compassed about My soul; (ver. 10.) they have

shut up their own fat. They have been covered with their own gross joy, after that their desire hath been satiated with wickedness. Their mouth hath spoken pride. And therefore their mouth spoke pride,* in saying, Hail,

Chapter 184

10. Ver. 11. Casting Me forth they have now compassed Me about.

Casting Me forth outside the city, they have now compassed Me about on the Cross. Their eyes they have determined to turn down on the earth. The bent of their heart they have determined to turn down on these earthly thin

Chapter 185

11. Ver. 12. As a lion ready for prey, have they taken Me. They have

taken Me,* like that adversary who walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. And as a lion's whelp dwelling in secret places. And as his whelp, the people to whom it was said, Ye are of your father the devil:* meditatin

Chapter 186

13. Deliver My soul from the ungodly. Deliver My soul, by restoring

Me after the death, which the ungodly have inflicted on Me. Thy weapon (ver. 14.) from the enemies of Thine hand. For My soul is Thy weapon, which Thy hand, that is, Thy eternal Power, hath taken to subdue thereby the ki

Chapter 187

14. Ver. 15. But I shall appear in Thy righteousness in Thy sight. But

I, Who have not appeared to them that, with their filthy and darkened heart, can not see the light of wisdom, shall appear in Thy righteousness in Thy sight. I shall be satiated, when Thy glory shall be manifested. And w

Chapter 188

3. Ver. 2. O Lord, My stay, and My refuge, and My deliverer. O Lord,

Who hast stayed Me, because I sought refuge with Thee: and I sought refuge, because Thou hast delivered Me. My God is My helper; and I will hope in Him. My God, Who hast first afforded me the help of Thy call, that I mig

Chapter 189

6. Ver. 5. The pains of hell compassed Me about. Among those that

compassed Me about to destroy Me, were pains of envy, which work death, and lead on to the hell of sin. The snares of death prevented Me. They prevented Me, so that they wished to hurt Me first, which shall afterwards be

Chapter 190

7. Ver. 6. And in Mine oppression I called upon the Lord, and cried

unto My God. And He heard My voice from His holy temple. He heard from My heart, wherein He dwelleth, My voice. And My cry in -- 132 of 2861 -- His sight entered into His ears; and My cry, which I utter, not in the ear

Chapter 191

8. Ver. 7. And the earth was moved and trembled. When the Son of

Man was thus glorified, sinners were moved and trembled. And the foundations of the mountains were troubled. And the hopes of the proud, which were in this life, were troubled. And were moved, for God was wroth with them

Chapter 192

9. Ver. 8. There went up smoke in His wrath. The tearful supplication

of penitents went up, when they came to know God's threatenings against the ungodly. And fire burneth from His face. And the ardour of love after repentance burns by the knowledge of Him. Coals were kindled from Him. The

Chapter 193

10. Ver. 9. And He bowed the heaven, and came down. And He

humbled the just One, that He might descend to men's infirmity. And darkness under His feet. And the ungodly, who savour of things earthly, in the darkness of their own malice, knew not Him: for the earth under His feet

Chapter 194

11. Ver. 10. And He mounted above the cherubim, and did fly. And

He was exalted above the fulness of knowledge, that no man should come to Him but by love:* for love is the fulfilling of the law. And full soon He shewed to His lovers that He is incomprehensible, lest they should suppo

Chapter 195

12. Ver. 11. And hath made darkness His hiding place. And hath

settled the obscurity of the Sacraments, and the hidden hope in the heart of believers, where He may lie hid, and not abandon them.* In this darkness too, wherein we yet walk by faith,* and not by sight, as long as we ho

Chapter 196

13. Ver. 12. In respect of the brightness in His sight: in comparison

with the brightness, which is in the sight of His manifestation. His clouds have passed over. The preachers of His word are not now bounded by the confines of Judæa, but have passed over to the Gentiles. Hail and coals o

Chapter 197

14. Ver. 13. And the Lord hath thundered from heaven. And in

confidence of the Gospel the Lord hath sounded forth from the heart of the just One. And the Highest gave His voice; that we might entertain it, and in the depth of human things, might hear things heavenly.

Chapter 198

15. Ver. 14. And He sent out His arrows, and scattered them. And He

sent out Evangelists traversing straight paths on the wings of strength, not in their own power, but His by Whom they were sent. And He scattered them, to whom they were sent, that to some of -- 134 of 2861 -- them the

Chapter 199

16. Ver. 15. And the fountains of water were seen. And the fountains

of water springing up into everlasting life, which were made in the preachers, were seen.* And the foundations of the round world were revealed. And the Prophets, who were not understood, and upon whom was to be built th

Chapter 200

17. Ver. 16. He hath sent down from on high, and hath fetched Me: by

calling out of the Gentiles for an inheritance a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle.* He hath taken Me out of the multitude of waters. He hath taken Me out of the multitude of peoples.

Chapter 201

18. Ver. 17. He hath delivered Me from My strongest enemies. He

hath delivered Me from Mine enemies, who prevailed to the afflicting and overturning of this temporal life of Mine. And from them which hate Me; for they are too strong for Me: as long as I am under them knowing not God.

Chapter 202

19. Ver. 18. They have prevented Me in the day of My affliction. They

have first injured Me, in the time when I am bearing a mortal and toilsome body. And the Lord hath become My stay. And since the stay of earthly pleasure was disturbed and torn up by the bitterness of misery, the Lord ha

Chapter 203

20. Ver. 19. And hath brought Me forth into a broad place. And since

I was enduring the straits of the flesh, He brought Me forth into the spiritual breadth of faith. He hath delivered Me, because He desired Me. Before that I desired Him, He delivered Me from My most powerful enemies, (wh

Chapter 204

21. Ver. 20. And the Lord shall reward Me according to My

righteousness. And the Lord shall reward Me according to the righteousness of My good will, Who first shewed mercy, before that I had the good will. And according to the cleanness of My hands He will recompense Me. And a

Chapter 205

23. Nor have I walked impiously apart from My God. Ver. 22. For all

His judgments are in My sight. For with persevering contemplation I weigh all His judgments, that is, the rewards of the righteous, and the punishments of the ungodly, and the scourges of such as are to be chastened, and

Chapter 206

25. Ver. 24. And the Lord shall reward Me according to My

righteousness. Accordingly not only for the breadth of faith, which worketh by love; but also for the length of perseverance, will the Lord reward Me according to My righteousness. And according to the cleanness of My ha

Chapter 207

26. Ver. 25. With the holy Thou shalt be holy. There is a hidden

depth also, wherein Thou art known to be holy with the holy, for that Thou makest holy. And with the harmless Thou shalt be harmless. -- 136 of 2861 -- For Thou harmest no man, but each one is bound by the bands of his

Chapter 208

27. Ver. 26. And with the chosen Thou shalt be chosen. And by him

whom Thou choosest, Thou art chosen. And with the froward Thou shalt be froward. And with the froward Thou seemest froward:* for they say, The way of the Lord is not right: and their way is not right.

Chapter 209

28. Ver. 27. For Thou wilt make whole the humble people. Now this

seems froward to the froward, that Thou wilt make them whole that confess their sins. And Thou wilt humble the eyes of the proud.* But them that are ignorant of God's righteousness, and seek to establish their own, Thou

Chapter 210

29. Ver. 28. For thou wilt light My candle, O Lord. For our light is

not from ourselves; but Thou wilt light my candle, O Lord. O my God, Thou wilt enlighten my darkness. For we through our sins are darkness; but, Thou, O my God, wilt enlighten my darkness.

Chapter 211

30. Ver. 29. For by Thee shall I be delivered from temptation. For not

by myself, but by Thee, shall I be delivered from temptation. And in my God shall I leap over the wall. And not in myself, but in my God shall I leap over the wall, which sin has raised between men and the heavenly Jerus

Chapter 212

31. Ver. 30. My God, His way is undefiled. My God cometh not unto

men, except they shall have purified the way of faith, whereby He may come to them; for that His way is undefiled. The words of the Lord have been proved by fire. The words of the Lord are tried by the fire of tribulatio

Chapter 213

33. Ver. 32. God, Who hath girded me with strength. God, Who hath

girded me that I might be strong, lest the loosely flowing folds of desire hinder my deeds and steps. And hath made my way undefiled. And hath made the way of love, whereby I may come to Him, undefiled, as the way of fai

Chapter 214

34. Ver. 33. Who hath made my feet perfect like harts' feet. Who hath

made my love perfect to surmount the thorny and dark entanglements of this world. And will set me up on high. And will fix my aim on the heavenly habitation, that I may be filled with all the fulness of God.*

Chapter 215

35. Ver. 34. Who teacheth my hands for battle. Who teacheth me to

work for the overthrow of mine enemies, who strive to shut the kingdom of heaven against us. And Thou hast made mine arms as a bow of steel. And Thou hast made my earnest striving after good works unwearied.

Chapter 216

36. Ver. 35. And Thou hast given me the defence of my salvation, and

Thy right hand hath held me up. And the favour of Thy grace hath held me up. And Thy discipline hath directed me to the end. And Thy correction, not suffering me to wander from the way, hath directed me that whatsoever I

Chapter 217

37. Ver. 36. Thou hast enlarged my steps under me. Nor shall the

straits of the flesh hinder me; for Thou hast enlarged my love, working in gladness even with these mortal things and members which are under me. And my footsteps have not been weakened. And either my goings, or the mark

Chapter 218

38. Ver. 37. I will follow up mine enemies, and seize them. I will

follow up my carnal affections, and will not be seized by them, but -- 138 of 2861 -- will seize them, so that they may be consumed. And I will not turn, till they fail. And from this purpose I will not turn myself to

Chapter 219

40. Ver. 39. And Thou hast girded me with strength to the war. And

the loose desires of my flesh hast Thou bound up with strength, that in such a fight I may not be encumbered. Thou hast supplanted under me them that rose up against me. Thou hast caused them to be deceived, who followed

Chapter 220

41. Ver. 40. And Thou hast given mine enemies the back to me. And

Thou hast turned mine enemies, and hast made them to be a back to me, that is, to follow me. And Thou hast destroyed them that hate me. But such other of them, as have persisted in hatred, Thou hast destroyed.

Chapter 221

42. Ver. 41. They have cried out, and there was none to save them.

For who can save them, whom Thou wouldest not save? To the Lord, and He did not hear them. Nor did they cry out to any chance one, but to the Lord: and He did not judge them worthy of being heard, who depart not from the

Chapter 222

43. Ver. 42. And I will beat them as small as dust before the face of

the wind. And I will beat them small; for dry they are, receiving not the shower of God's mercy; that borne aloft and puffed up with pride they may be hurried along from firm and unshaken hope, and as it were from the ea

Chapter 223

45. Thou shalt make Me the head of the Gentiles. A people whom I

have not known have served Me. The people of the Gentiles, whom in bodily presence I have not visited, have served Me. (Ver. 44.) At the hearing of the ear they have obeyed Me. They have not seen Me with the eye: but, re

Chapter 224

46. The strange children have lied unto Me. Children, not to be called

Mine, but rather strange children, to whom it is rightly said,* Ye are of your father the devil, have lied unto Me. (Ver. 45.) The strange children have waxen old. The strange children, to whom for their renovation I bro

Chapter 225

47. Ver. 46. The Lord liveth, and blessed be my God. But to be

carnally minded is death:* for the Lord liveth, and blessed be my God. And let the God of my salvation be exalted. And let me not think after an earthly fashion of the God of my salvation; nor look from Him for this eart

Chapter 226

51. Ver. 50. Magnifying the salvation of His King. God, Who

magnifieth, so as to make wonderful, the salvation, which His Son giveth to believers. And shewing mercy to His Christ: God, Who sheweth mercy to His Christ: To David and to His seed for evermore: to the Deliverer Himsel

Chapter 227

2. Ver. 1. The heavens tell out the glory of God. The righteous

Evangelists, in whom, as in the heavens, God dwelleth, set forth the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, or the glory wherewith the Son glorified the Father upon earth. And the firmament sheweth forth the works of His hands.

Chapter 228

3. Ver. 2. Day unto day uttereth word. To the spiritual the Spirit

giveth out the fulness of the unchangeable Wisdom of God, the Word which in the beginning is God with God.* And night unto night announceth knowledge. And to the fleshly, as to those afar off, the mortality of the flesh,

Chapter 229

6. In the sun hath He set His tabernacle. Now that He might war

against the powers of temporal error, the Lord, being about to send not peace but a sword on earth,* in time, or in manifestation,* set so to say His military dwelling, that is, the dispensation of His incarnation. (Ver.

Chapter 230

7. Ver. 6. His going forth is from the highest heaven. From the Father

is His going forth, not that in time, but from everlasting, whereby He was born of the Father. And His meeting is even to the height of -- 142 of 2861 -- heaven. And in the fulness of the Godhead He meets even to an eq

Chapter 231

8. Ver. 7. The law of the Lord is undefiled, converting souls.* The law

of the Lord, therefore, is Himself Who came to fulfil the law, not to destroy it; an undefiled law, Who did no sin,* neither was guile found in His mouth, not oppressing souls with the yoke of bondage, but converting the

Chapter 232

9. Ver. 8. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. All

the statutes of the Lord are right in Him Who taught not what He did not; that they who should imitate Him might rejoice in heart, in those things which they should do freely with love, not slavishly with fear. The comma

Chapter 233

10. Ver. 9. The fear of the Lord is chaste, enduring for ever. The fear

of the Lord; not that distressing fear under the law, dreading exceedingly the withdrawal of temporal goods, by the love of which the soul commits fornication; but that chaste fear wherewith the Church, the more ardently

Chapter 234

11. The judgments of the Lord are true, justified together. The

judgments of Him, Who judgeth no man,* but hath committed all -- 143 of 2861 -- judgment unto the Son, are justified in truth unchangeably. For neither in His threatenings or His promises doth God deceive any man, nor

Chapter 235

12. Ver. 11. For Thy servant keepeth them. For to him who keepeth

them not the day of the Lord is bitter. In keeping them there is great reward. Not in any external benefit, but in the thing itself, that God's judgments are kept, is there great reward; great because one rejoiceth there

Chapter 236

13. Ver. 12. Who understandeth sins? But what sort of sweetness can

there be in sins, where there is no understanding? For who can understand sins, which close the very eye, to which truth is pleasant, to which the judgments of God are desirable and sweet? yea, as darkness closes the eye

Chapter 237

14. Cleanse me, O Lord, from my secret faults. From the lusts which

lie hid in me, cleanse me, O Lord. (Ver. 13.) And from the faults of others preserve Thy servant. Let me not be led astray by others. For he is not a prey to the faults of others, who is cleansed from his own. Preserve t

Chapter 238

15. Ver. 14. And the words of my mouth shall be pleasing, and the

meditation of my heart is always in Thy sight. The meditation of my heart is not after the vain glory of pleasing men, for now there is pride no more, but in Thy sight alway, Who regardest a pure conscience. O Lord, my H

Chapter 239

1. As we have intreated the Lord to cleanse us from our own secret

faults, and preserve His servants from those of others, we ought to -- 145 of 2861 -- understand the meaning of this, that we may sing with man's intelligence, and not as it were with the voice of birds. For black- bir

Chapter 240

2. For the canticle is of Christ, as evidently appears from that passage

where it is written,* He as a Bridegroom coming forth out of His chamber. For who is the Bridegroom, but He to whom has been betrothed by the Apostle that virgin, for whom the chaste friend of the bridegroom chastely fea

Chapter 241

3. And the firmament sheweth the works of His hands. What was

before said, the glory of God, is here repeated, the works of His hands. What are the works of His hands? It is not, as some think, that God made all things by the Word, and man, as more excellent than all other things,

Chapter 242

4. Ver. 2. Day unto day uttereth a word, and night unto night

sheweth knowledge. What is this? Perhaps it is plain and evident what day unto day uttereth a word is, evident and plain as if by day. But what night unto night sheweth knowledge is, is obscure as if by night. Day unto d

Chapter 243

5. Ver. 3. There is no speech nor language in which their voices are

not heard. Whose, but of those heavens which declare the glory of God? There is no speech, nor language, in which their voices are not heard. Read the Acts of the Apostles, how,* when the Holy Ghost came upon them, they

Chapter 244

6. In the sun hath He set His tabernacle. His Church, that is, in open

sight, not in secret, not that it should lie hid, not veiled as it were;* lest haply as veiled it should light upon the flocks of the heretics. It is said again to one in holy Scripture,* For thou didst this secretly, th

Chapter 245

7. Now wouldest thou hear what course He swiftly ran? (Ver. 6.) His

going forth is from the highest heaven, and His meeting even to the height thereof. But after that He went forth thence, and returned on His backward course, He sent His Spirit.* There appeared to them, upon whom He came

Chapter 246

9. Ver. 8. The statutes of the Lord are right, not terrifying, but

rejoicing the heart. This is the Holy Ghost. The commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes; not dulling them, the eyes, not of the flesh, but of the heart, not of the outer, but of the inner man. This is th

Chapter 247

10. Ver. 9. The fear of the Lord; not a slavish fear, but chaste, loving

freely, not fearing to be punished by Him at Whom it is alarmed, but to be separated from Him Whom it loves. This is chaste fear, not which perfect love casteth out, but enduring for ever. This is the Holy Ghost, that is

Chapter 248

11. Ver. 10. To be desired more than gold, and much precious stone.

Either much gold, or much precious, or much to be desired; much any way, with the heretic little. They do not love together with us, yet with us they confess Christ. This same Christ Whom with me thou dost confess, Him l

Chapter 249

12. Ver. 11. For Thy servant also keepeth them. How sweet they are

Thy servant proves by keeping them, not by talking. Thy servant keepeth them, for that they are both at present sweet, and healthful for time to come; for in keeping them there is great reward. But enamoured of his strif

Chapter 250

13. Ver. 12. For,* Who understandeth sins? Father, forgive them, for

they know not what they do. Therefore, saith he, he is a servant who keepeth this sweetness, the pleasantness of charity, the love of unity. I, he says, myself who keep it, entreat Thee, (for who understandeth sins?) les

Chapter 251

14. If they get not the dominion over me, then shall I be undefiled. If

they get not the dominion over me, mine own secret sins and the sins of others, then shall I be undefiled. This is no daring reliance on his own strength, but he entreats the Lord to fulfil it; to Whom it is said in anot

Chapter 252

15. But if, he says, they get not the dominion over me, then shall I be

undefiled, and cleansed from the great offence. What offence, do we suppose? What is that great offence? Perchance it is other than that I -- 154 of 2861 -- am about to mention, yet I will not conceal what I think. I d

Chapter 253

16. Ver. 14. And hereby shall the words of my mouth, and the

meditation of my heart, be pleasing in Thy sight alway. For if I be not cleansed from this great offence, my words will be pleasing in the -- 155 of 2861 -- sight of men, not in Thy sight. The proud soul would be pleas

Chapter 254

2. Ver. 1. The Lord hear Thee in the day of trouble. The Lord hear

Thee in the day in which Thou saidst, Father glorify Thy Son. The name of the God of Jacob protect Thee.* For to Thee belongeth the younger people. Since the elder shall serve the younger.

Chapter 255

4. Ver. 3. Be mindful of all Thy sacrifice. Make us mindful of all Thy

injuries and despiteful treatment, which Thou hast borne for us. And be Thy whole burnt offering made fat. And turn the cross, whereon Thou wast wholly offered up to God, into the joy of the resurrection.

Chapter 256

5. Diapsalma. (Ver. 4.) The Lord render to Thee according to Thine

Heart. The Lord render to Thee, not according to their heart, who thought by persecution they could destroy Thee; but according to Thine Heart, Wherein Thou knewest what profit Thy passion would have.* And fulfil all Thy

Chapter 257

6. Ver. 5. We will exult in Thy salvation. We will exult in that death

will in no wise hurt Thee; for so Thou wilt also shew that it cannot hurt us either. And in the name of the Lord our God will we be magnified. And the confession of Thy name shall not only not destroy us, but shall even

Chapter 258

7. The Lord fulfil all Thy petitions. The Lord fulfil not only the

petitions which Thou madest on earth, but those also whereby Thou intercedest for us in heaven. (Ver. 6.) Now have I known that the Lord hath saved His Christ. Now hath it been shewn to me in prophecy, that the Lord will

Chapter 259

8. Ver. 7. Some in chariots, and some in horses. Some are drawn

away by the ever moving succession of temporal goods; and some are preferred to proud honours, and in them exult: But we will exult in the name of the Lord our God. But we fixing our hope on things eternal, and not seeki

Chapter 260

9. Ver. 8. They have been bound, and fallen. And therefore were they

bound by the lust of temporal things, fearing to spare the Lord,* lest they should lose their place by the Romans: and rushing violently on the stone of offence and rock of stumbling, they fell from the heavenly hope: to

Chapter 261

10. Ver. 9. O Lord, save the King: that He, Who in His Passion hath

shewn us an example of conflict, should also offer up our sacrifices, the Priest raised from the dead, and established in heaven. And hear us in the day when we shall call on Thee. And as He now offereth for us, hear us

Chapter 262

3. Ver. 2. Thou hast given Him the desire of His soul. He desired to

eat the Passover,* and to lay down His life when He would, and again when He would to take it;* and Thou hast given it to Him.* And hast not deprived Him of the good pleasure of His lips. My peace, saith He, I leave with

Chapter 263

4. Ver. 3. For Thou hast presented Him with the blessings of

sweetness. Because He had first quaffed the blessing of Thy sweetness, the gall of our sins did not hurt Him. Diapsalma. Thou hast set a crown of precious stone on His Head.* At the beginning of His discoursing precious

Chapter 264

5. Ver. 4. He asked life; and Thou gavest Him: He asked a

resurrection,* saying, Father, glorify Thy Son; and Thou gavest it Him, Length of days for ever and ever. The prolonged ages of this world which the Church was to have, and after them an eternity, world without end.

Chapter 265

6. Ver. 5. His glory is great in Thy salvation. Great indeed is His glory

in the salvation, whereby Thou hast raised Him up again. Glory and great honour shalt Thou lay upon Him. But Thou shalt yet add unto Him glory and great honour, when Thou shalt place Him in heaven at Thy right hand.

Chapter 266

7. Ver. 6. For Thou shalt give Him blessing for ever and ever. This is

the blessing which Thou shalt give Him for ever and ever: Thou shalt make Him glad in joy together with Thy countenance. According to -- 159 of 2861 -- His manhood, Thou shalt make Him glad together with Thy countenanc

Chapter 267

8. Ver. 7. For the King hopeth in the Lord. For the King is not proud,

but humble in heart, he hopeth in the Lord. And in the mercy of the Most Highest He shall not be moved. And in the mercy of the Most Highest His obedience even unto the death of the Cross shall not disturb His humility.

Chapter 268

9. Ver. 8. Let Thy hand be found by all Thine enemies. Be Thy power,

O King, when Thou comest to judgment, found by all Thine enemies; who in Thy humiliation discerned it not. Let Thy right hand find out all that hate Thee. Let the glory, wherein Thou reignest at the right hand of the Fat

Chapter 269

10. Ver. 9. Thou shalt make them like a fiery oven: Thou shalt make

them on fire within, by the consciousness of their ungodliness: In the time of Thy countenance: in the time of Thy manifestation. The Lord shall trouble them in His wrath, and the fire shall devour them. And then, being

Chapter 270

11. Ver. 10. Their fruit shalt Thou destroy out of the earth. Their fruit,

because it is earthly, shalt Thou destroy out of the earth. And their seed from the sons of men. And their works; or, whomsoever they have seduced, Thou shalt not reckon among the sons of men, whom Thou hast called into

Chapter 271

12. Ver. 11. Because they turned evils against Thee. Now this

punishment shall be recompensed to them, because the evils which they supposed to hang over them by Thy reign, they turned against Thee to Thy death. They imagined a device, which they were not able to establish. They im

Chapter 272

13. Ver. 12. For Thou shalt set them low. For Thou shalt rank them

among those from whom in degradation and contempt Thou wilt turn away. In Thy leavings Thou shalt make ready their countenance. And in these things that Thou leavest, that is, in the desires of an earthly kingdom, Thou s

Chapter 273

14. Ver. 13. Be Thou exalted, O Lord, in Thy strength. Be Thou, Lord,

Whom in humiliation they did not discern, exalted in Thy strength, which they thought weakness. We will sing and praise Thy power. In heart and in deed we will celebrate and make known Thy marvels. PSALM 22* FIRST EXPOSI

Chapter 274

1. To the end, for His own resurrection, the Lord Jesus Christ

Himself speaketh.* For in the morning on the first day of the week was His resurrection, whereby He was taken up,* into eternal life, Over whom death shall have no more dominion. Now what follows is spoken in the person

Chapter 275

2. Ver. 1. O God, my God, look upon me, why hast Thou forsaken me

far from my salvation? Far removed from my salvation: for salvation is far from sinners.* The words of my sins. For these are not the words of righteousness, but of my sins. For it is the old man nailed to the Cross that

Chapter 276

3. Ver. 2. My God, I will cry unto Thee in the day-time, and Thou wilt

not hear. My God, I will cry unto Thee in the prosperous circumstances of this life, that they be not changed; and Thou wilt not hear, because I shall cry unto Thee in the words of my sins. And in the night-season, and n

Chapter 277

4. Ver. 3. But Thou dwellest in the holy place, O Thou praise of Israel.

But Thou dwellest in the holy place, and therefore wilt not hear the unclean words of sins. The praise of him that seeth Thee; not of him, who hath sought his own praise in tasting of the forbidden fruit, that on the ope

Chapter 278

6. Ver. 5. They cried unto Thee, and were saved. They cried unto

Thee, not in the words of sins, from which salvation is far; and therefore were they saved. They hoped in Thee, and were not confounded. They hoped in Thee, and their hope did not deceive them. For they placed it not in

Chapter 279

7. Ver. 6. But I am a worm, and no man. But I, speaking now not in

the person of Adam, but I in My own person, Jesus Christ, was born without human generation in the flesh, that I might be as man beyond men; that so at least human pride might deign to imitate My humility. The scorn of m

Chapter 280

10. Ver. 9. Since Thou art He Who drew Me out of the womb. Since

Thou art He Who drew Me, not only out of that Virgin womb, (for this is the law of all men's birth, that they be drawn out of the womb,) but also out of the womb of the Jewish nation; by the darkness whereof he is covere

Chapter 281

11. Ver. 10. I have been strengthened in Thee from the womb. It is the

womb of the Synagogue, which did not carry Me, but threw Me out: but I fell not, for Thou heldest me. From My mother's womb Thou art My God. From My mother's womb: My mother's womb did not cause that, as a babe, I should

Chapter 282

12. Thou art My God, (ver. 11.) depart not from Me; for trouble is

hard at hand. Thou art, therefore, My God, depart not from Me; for trouble is nigh unto Me; for it is in My body. For there is none to help. For who helpeth, if Thou helpest not?

Chapter 283

14. Ver. 13. They opened their mouth upon Me. They opened their

mouth upon Me, not out of Thy Scripture, but of their own lusts. As a ravening and roaring lion. As a lion, whose ravening is, that I was taken and led; and whose roaring, Crucify, Crucify.*

Chapter 284

15. Ver. 14. I was poured out like water, and all My bones were

scattered. I was poured out like water, when My persecutors fell: and through fear, the stays of My body, that is, the Church, My disciples were scattered from Me.* My heart became as melting wax, in the midst of my bell

Chapter 285

16. Ver. 15. My strength dried up as a potsherd. My strength dried up

by My Passion; not as hay, but a potsherd, which is made stronger by fire. And My tongue cleaved to My jaws. And they, through whom I was soon to speak, kept My precepts in their hearts. And Thou broughtest Me down to th

Chapter 286

17. Ver. 16. For many dogs came about Me. For many came about Me

barking, not for truth, but for custom. The council of the malignant came about Me. [The council of the malignant besieged Me.] They pierced My hands and feet. They pierced with nails My hands and feet. -- 164 of 2861 -

Chapter 287

23. Ver. 22. I will declare Thy name to My brethren. I will declare

Thy name to the humble, and to My Brethren that love one another as they have been beloved by Me.* In the midst of the Church will I sing of Thee. In the midst of the Church will I with rejoicing preach Thee.

Chapter 288

25. Let all the seed of Israel fear Him. Let all who have been born to a

new life, and restored to the vision of God fear Him. (Ver. 24.) Since He hath not despised, nor disregarded the prayer of the poor man. -- 165 of 2861 -- Since He hath not despised the prayer, not of him who, crying u

Chapter 289

26. Ver. 25. With Thee is My praise. For I seek not Mine own praise,*

for Thou art My praise, Who dwellest in the holy place; and, praise of Israel, Thou hearest The Holy One now beseeching Thee. In the great Church I will confess Thee. In the Church of the whole world I will confess Thee.

Chapter 290

27. Ver. 26. The poor shall eat, and be filled. The humble and the

despisers of the world shall eat, and imitate Me. For so they will neither desire this world's abundance, nor fear its want. And they shall praise the Lord, who seek Him. For the praise of the Lord is the pouring out of

Chapter 291

28. Ver. 27. All the borders of the earth shall remember themselves,

and be turned to the Lord. They shall remember themselves: for, by the Gentiles, born in death and bent on outward things, God had been forgotten; and then shall all the borders of the earth be turned to the Lord. And al

Chapter 292

30. Ver. 29. All the rich of the earth have eaten, and worshipped. The

rich of the earth too have eaten the Body of their Lord's humiliation, -- 166 of 2861 -- and though they have not, as the poor, been filled even to imitation, yet they have worshipped. In His sight shall fall all that

Chapter 293

31. And My Soul shall live to Him. And My Soul, Which in the

contempt of this world seems to men as it were to die, shall live, not to itself, but to Him. And My seed shall serve Him. (Ver. 30.) And My deeds, or they who through Me believe on Him, shall serve Him.

Chapter 294

32. Ver. 31. The generation to come shall be declared to the Lord.

The generation of the New Testament shall be declared to the honour of the Lord. And the heavens shall declare His righteousness. And the Evangelists shall declare His righteousness. To a people that shall be born, whom

Chapter 295

1. What God would not have passed over in silence in His Scripture,

must not either by us be passed over in silence, and by you must be heard. The Lord's Passion, as we know, happened once:* for once hath Christ died, the Just for the unjust. And we know, and are sure, and hold fast with

Chapter 296

2. The words which we have just heard, brethren, where shall we

place them? O that they could be written with our tears. Who was the woman who came in with the ointment? Of what was she the type? was she not of the Church? Whereof was that ointment the figure? was it not of that swee

Chapter 297

3. Ver. 1. O God, My God, look upon Me: why hast Thou forsaken

Me? This first verse we heard on the Cross, where the Lord said, Eli, Eli, that is, My God, My God,* lama sabachthani? which is, why hast Thou forsaken Me? The Evangelist hath interpreted this, and said that He spoke in

Chapter 298

4. Ver. 2. My God, I will cry unto Thee in the day-time, and Thou wilt

not hear: and in the night-season, and not to my folly. He spake of course of me, of thee, of such an one. For He bare His Body, that is, the Church. Unless haply ye think,* brethren, that when the Lord said, Father, if

Chapter 299

5. Ver. 3. But Thou dwellest in the holy place, O Thou praise of

Israel.* Thou dwellest in them, whom Thou hast sanctified, and whom Thou makest to understand, that some to their profit Thou hearest not, and some to their condemnation Thou hearest. To his profit, Paul was not heard; t

Chapter 300

6. And see what he says: (ver. 4.) Our fathers hoped in Thee, they

hoped, and Thou didst deliver them. We know, and read how many of our fathers God hath delivered who hoped in Him. He delivered the whole people of Israel out of the land of Egypt; He delivered the -- 171 of 2861 -- th

Chapter 301

7. Ver. 6. But I am a worm, and no man. A worm, and no man; for

man is a worm also: but He is a worm and no man. How no man? Because God. Why then did He so abase Himself as to say, a worm? Is it because a worm is born of the flesh without coition, as Christ of the Virgin Mary? Both

Chapter 302

8. A scorn of men, and the outcast of the people. Consider how great

things He suffered. Now that we may speak of the Passion, and that we may approach it with the greater grief, consider first how great things He suffers, and then consider wherefore. For what was the fruit thereof? Lo, o

Chapter 303

9. Ver. 7. All that saw Me laughed Me to scorn; they spake with the

lips, and shook the head. (Ver. 8.) He trusted in the Lord, let Him deliver Him; let Him save Him, since He desireth Him. But why said they this? Because He was made man, they said it as against a man.

Chapter 304

10. Ver. 9. Since Thou art He Who drew Me out of the womb. Would

they ever say this to That, Which in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God? For that Word, by Which all things were made, was not drawn out of the womb, save that the Word was made flesh, and dwelt in us.

Chapter 305

11. Ver. 10. I was cast upon Thee from the womb. That is, that Thou

only shouldest be My hope, now as man, now as weak, now the Word made Flesh. From My mother's womb Thou art My God. Not from Thyself My God, for from Thyself My Father; but from My mother's womb My God.

Chapter 306

15. Ver. 14. I was poured out like water, and all My Bones were

scattered. He calleth His strong ones His Bones. For bones are strong in the body. When did He scatter His Bones? When He said to them, Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. Then scattered He His stron

Chapter 307

16. Ver. 15. My strength dried up as a potsherd. Gloriously expressed;

for, My name has been made stronger by tribulation. For as a potsherd is before the fire soft, after the fire hard; so the Lord's name was before the Passion despised, after the Passion it is honoured. And My tongue clea

Chapter 308

17. For many dogs came about Me: the council of the malignant ones

came about Me. See here the very Gospel. They pierced My hands and My feet.* Then were the wounds made, the scars whereof the doubting disciple handled, the same who said, Unless I shall put my fingers into the scars of

Chapter 309

19. Yea, they regarded, and beheld Me. They regarded, and

understood not: they beheld, and saw not. They lifted up their eyes to the flesh, not their heart unto the Word. (Ver. 18.) They divided My garments for themselves. His garments, His Sacraments. Mark, brethren, His garme

Chapter 310

21. Ver. 20. Deliver My soul from the sword (framea): that is, from

death. For framea is a sword, and by a sword He would have us understand death. And Thine Only One from the hand of the dog. My soul, Mine Only One, the Head, and the Body. By Only One, He meant, the Church. From the han

Chapter 311

22. Ver. 21. Save Me from the lion's mouth. You know who is the

roaring lion going about,* and seeking whom he may devour. And -- 175 of 2861 -- My humility from the horns of the unicorns. By unicorns, He would mean only the proud; therefore He added, My humility.

Chapter 312

23. You have heard what His sufferings were, and what He prayed,

that He might be delivered from them: let us now give heed to the wherefore He suffered. Now then, brethren, consider: whoso is not in that lot, for which Christ suffered, wherefore is he a Christian? Lo, we know what He

Chapter 313

24. Ver. 23. Ye that fear the Lord, praise Him. Wheresoever God is

feared and praised, there is the Church of Christ. See, my brethren, whether in these days throughout the whole world it is said without a cause, Amen and Hallelujah. Is not God feared there? Is not God praised there? Do

Chapter 314

25. Let all the seed of Israel fear Him. Let them still say, "We are the

seed of Israel:" let us allow them, let them say it. (Ver. 24.) Since He hath not despised nor disregarded the prayer of the poor. What poor? Not they that rely upon themselves. Let us see, whether they be poor, who say,

Chapter 315

26. Ver. 25. With Thee is My praise. With God He hath put His

praise: He hath taught us not to rely on man. Let them still say what they will. Already indeed they begin to burn, the fire begins to draw nigh:* there is none may hide himself from the heat thereof. But let them still

Chapter 316

27. Let us see, let us hear the Lord further: I will offer my vows in the

sight of them that fear Him. What are His vows? The sacrifice which He offered to God. Know ye what sacrifice? The faithful know the vows which He offered in the sight of them that fear Him. For there follows, (ver. 26.)

Chapter 317

28. Now then give heed. The Lord hath suffered; all that ye have

heard hath the Lord suffered. We ask, why He suffered? and He begins to declare it: I will declare Thy name to My brethren; in the midst of the Church will I sing of Thee. But they still say, "This is the Church." Let al

Chapter 318

29. I appeal to you: I am unwilling to enlarge upon this, lest it should

be said, that my words are of any influence: attend to the Psalm, read the Psalm. Lo, Christ hath suffered, His Blood hath been shed: lo, -- 179 of 2861 -- our Redeemer; lo, our Price. Let me be told, what hath He boug

Chapter 319

30. Whether they have any thing yet to allege, I know not: let them

contend with the Scriptures, not with us. See the volume itself, let them contend against it. Where is their saying, "We preserved the Scriptures from being burnt?" They have been preserved, whereby thou mayest be burnt2

Chapter 320

31. But ye again because ye would possess your goods privately, and

not in common unity, and with Christ, (for ye wish to rule on earth yourselves, not to reign with Him in heaven,) ye have your own houses. And sometimes we come to them, saying, "Let us seek the truth, let us find the tr

Chapter 321

32. We have spoken at great length, Brethren; but let not that, which

is read to-day, depart from your recollection. Lo, I repeat it, and often must it be repeated: by this very day, that is, by the mysteries of this day, I adjure you that it go not out of your hearts, All the borders of t

Chapter 322

2. Ver. 2. In a place of pasture there hath He placed me. In a place of

fresh pasture, leading me to faith, there hath He placed me to be nourished. By the water of refreshing hath He brought me up. By the water of baptism, whereby they are refreshed who have lost health and strength, hath H

Chapter 323

4. Ver. 4. Yea, though I walk in the midst of the shadow of death. Yea,

though I walk in the midst of this life, which is the shadow of death. I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me. I will fear no evil, for Thou dwellest in my heart by faith: and Thou art now with me, that after the shad

Chapter 324

5. Ver. 5. Thou hast prepared a table in my sight, against them that

trouble me. Now after the rod, whereby, whilst a little one, and living the natural life, I was brought up among the flock in the pastures; after that rod, I say, when I began to be under the staff, Thou hast prepared a

Chapter 325

6. Ver. 6. And Thy mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: that

is, as long as I live in this mortal life, not Thine, but mine. That I may dwell in the house of the Lord for length of days. Now Thy mercy shall follow me not here only, but also that I may dwell in the house of the Lor

Chapter 326

2. Ver. 1. The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof, the

compass of the world, and all they that dwell therein: when the Lord, being glorified, is announced for the believing of all nations; and the whole compass of the world becomes His Church. (Ver. 2.) He hath founded it ab

Chapter 327

3. Ver. 3. Who shall ascend into the mount of the Lord? Who shall

ascend to the height of the righteousness of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His holy place? Or who shall abide in that place, whither He shall ascend, founded above the seas, and prepared above the rivers?

Chapter 328

4. Ver. 4. The innocent of hand, and the pure in heart. Who then

shall ascend thither, and abide there, but the guiltless in deed, and pure in thought? Who hath not received his soul in vain. Who hath not reckoned his soul among things that pass away, but feeling it to be immortal, ha

Chapter 329

7. Ver. 7. Take away your gates, ye princes. All ye, that seek rule

among men, remove, that they hinder not, the entrances which ye have made, of desire and fear. And be ye lift up, ye everlasting gates. And be ye lift up, ye entrances of eternal life, of renunciation of the world, and c

Chapter 330

8. Ver. 8. Who is this King of glory? Mortal nature is awe-struck in

wonder, and asks, Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty. He, Whom thou didst deem weak and overwhelmed. The Lord mighty in battle. Handle the scars, and thou wilt find them -- 187 of 2861 -- made whole,

Chapter 331

9. Ver. 9. Take away your gates, ye princes. Let us go hence

straightway into heaven. Again, let the Prophet's trumpet cry aloud, "Take away too, ye princes of the air, the gates,* which ye have in the minds of men who worship the host of heaven." And be ye lift up, ye everlasting

Chapter 332

10. Ver. 10. Who is this King of glory? What! dost thou too, prince of

the power of this air, marvel and ask,* Who is this King of glory? The Lord of powers, He is the King of glory. Yea, His Body now quickened, He Who was tempted marches above thee; He Who was tempted by the angel, the dec

Chapter 333

2. Ver. 1. Unto Thee, O Lord, have I lift up my soul: with spiritual

longing have I lift up the soul, that was trodden down on the earth with carnal longings. (Ver. 2.) O my God, in Thee I trust, I shall not be ashamed. O my God, from trusting in myself I was brought even to this weakness

Chapter 334

4. Let them be confounded who do vain things unrighteously. Let

them be confounded who act unrighteously for the acquiring things that pass away. (Ver. 4.) Make Thy ways, O Lord, known to me, and teach me Thy paths:* not those which are broad, and lead the many to destruction; but Th

Chapter 335

5. Ver. 5. In Thy truth guide me: avoiding error. And teach me: for by

myself I know nothing, but falsehood. For Thou art the God of my salvation; and for Thee have I waited all the day.* For dismissed by Thee from Paradise, and having taken my journey into a far country, I cannot by myself

Chapter 336

6. Ver. 6. Remember Thy compassions, O Lord. Remember the works

of Thy mercy, O Lord; for men deem of Thee as though Thou hadst forgotten. And that Thy mercies are from eternity. And remember this, that Thy mercies are from eternity. For Thou never wast without -- 189 of 2861 -- th

Chapter 337

7. Ver. 7. Remember not the offences of my youth, and of my

ignorance. The offences of my presumptuous boldness and of my ignorance reserve not for vengeance, but let them be as if forgotten by Thee. According to Thy mercy, be mindful of me, O God. Be mindful indeed of me, not ac

Chapter 338

8. Ver. 8. Gracious and upright is the Lord. The Lord is gracious,

since even sinners and the ungodly He so pitied, as to forgive all that is past; but the Lord is upright too, Who after the mercy of vocation and pardon, which is of grace without merit, will require merits meet for the

Chapter 339

9. Ver. 9. He will guide the meek in judgment. He will guide the

meek, and will not confound in the judgment those, that follow His will, and do not, in withstanding It, prefer their own. The gentle He will teach His ways. He will teach His ways, not to those that desire to run before

Chapter 340

10. Ver. 10. All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth. And what

ways will He teach them, but mercy wherein He is placable, and truth wherein He is incorrupt? Whereof He hath exhibited the one in forgiving sins, the other in judging deserts. And therefore 'all the ways of the Lord' ar

Chapter 341

11. Ver. 11. For Thy Name's sake, O Lord, Thou wilt be favourable to

my sin; for it is manifold. Thou hast not only forgiven my sins, which I committed before I believed; but also to my sin, which is manifold, since even in the way there is no lack of stumbling, Thou wilt be made favourab

Chapter 342

12. Ver. 12. Who is the man, that feareth the Lord? from which fear

he begins to come to wisdom. He shall establish a law for him in the way, which he hath chosen. He shall establish a law for him in the way, which in his freedom he has taken, that he may not sin now with impunity.

Chapter 343

14. Ver. 14. The Lord is the stay of them that fear Him. Fear seems to

belong to the weak, but the Lord is the stay of them that fear Him. And the Name of the Lord, which hath been glorified throughout the whole world, is a stay to them that fear Him. And His testament, that it may be manif

Chapter 344

15. Ver. 15. Mine eyes are ever unto the Lord; for He shall pluck my

feet out of the snare. Nor would I fear the dangers of earth, while I look not upon the earth: for He, upon Whom I look, will pluck my feet out of the snare. -- 191 of 2861 --

Chapter 345

17. Ver. 17. The tribulations of my heart have been multiplied. The

tribulations of my heart have been multiplied by the abounding of iniquity and the waxing cold of love.* O bring Thou me out of my necessities. Since I must needs bear this, that by enduring unto the end I may be saved,

Chapter 346

18. Ver. 18. See my humility and my travail. See my humility,

whereby I never, in the boast of righteousness, break off from unity; and my travail, wherein I bear with the unruly ones that are mingled with me. And forgive all my sins. And, propitiated by these sacrifices, forgive a

Chapter 347

20. Ver. 20. Keep my soul, and deliver me. Keep my soul, that I turn

not aside to imitate them; and draw me out from the confusion wherein they are mingled with me. Let me not be confounded, for I have put my trust in Thee. Let me not be confounded, if haply they rise up against me: for n

Chapter 348

21. Ver. 21. The innocent and the upright have cleaved to me, for I

have waited for Thee, O Lord. The innocent and the upright, not in bodily presence only, as the evil, are mingled with me, but in the agreement of the heart in the same innocence and uprightness cleave to me: for I have

Chapter 349

22. Ver. 22. Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles. Redeem

Thy people, O God, whom Thou hast prepared to see Thee, out of his troubles, not those only which he bears without, but those also which he bears within. PSALM 26* FIRST EXPOSITION Of David himself.

Chapter 350

2. Ver. 1. Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in my innocence.

Judge me, O Lord, for, after the mercy which Thou first shewedst me, I have some desert of my innocence, the way whereof I have kept. And trusting in the Lord I shall not be moved. And yet not even so trusting in myself,

Chapter 351

3. Ver. 2. Prove me, O Lord, and try me. Lest, however, any of my

secret sins should be hid from me, prove me, O Lord, and try me, making me known, not to Thee from Whom nothing is hid, but to myself, and to men. Burn my reins and my heart. Apply a remedial purgation, as it were fire,

Chapter 352

4. Ver. 4. I have not sat with the council of vanity. I have not chosen

to give my heart to them who endeavour to provide, what is impossible, how they may be blessed in the enjoyment of things transitory. And I will not enter in with them that work wickedly. And since this is the very cause

Chapter 353

5. Ver. 5. I have hated the congregation of evil doers. But to arrive at

this council of vanity, congregations of evil doers are formed, which I have hated. And I will not sit with the ungodly. And, therefore, with such a council, with the ungodly, I will not sit, that is, I will not place my

Chapter 354

9. Ver. 9. Destroy not my soul with the ungodly. Destroy not then,

together with them that hate Thee, my soul, which hath loved the beauty of Thy house. And my life with the men of blood. And with them that hate their neighbour. For Thy house is beautified with the two commandments.

Chapter 355

10. Ver. 10. In whose hands is wickedness. Destroy me not then with

the ungodly and the men of blood, whose works are wicked. Their -- 194 of 2861 -- right hand is full of gifts. And that which was given them to obtain eternal salvation, they have converted into the receiving this worl

Chapter 356

12. Ver. 12. My foot hath stood in uprightness. My love hath not

withdrawn from Thy righteousness. In the Churches I will bless Thee, O Lord. I will not hide Thy blessing, O Lord, from those whom Thou hast called; for next to the love of Thee I join the love of my neighbour. SECOND EX

Chapter 357

1. When the Apostle Paul was being read, ye heard, as we did, holy

Brethren:* As, saith he, the truth is in Jesus, that ye lay aside after the former conversation the old man, who is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; but be ye renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put ye on th

Chapter 358

2. But let not any one of you, Brethren, imagine that truth must be

spoken with a Christian, and falsehood with a pagan. Speak with thy neighbour. He is thy neighbour, who is with thee a child of Adam and Eve. We are all neighbours by the lot of our earthly birth: but brethren after anot

Chapter 359

3. Attend then to what follows in the putting on the new man, and

putting off the old man. Laying aside, saith he, lying, speak ye the truth, every one with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not. If thou art angry with thy servant, because he hath s

Chapter 360

4. To this too, perhaps, refers what ye have heard in the Gospel.* The

ship was in jeopardy in the lake, and Jesus was asleep. We too are sailing through a lake, so to say, and there is no want of wind and tempest: our ship is almost filled through the daily temptations of this life. And wh

Chapter 361

5. But let us examine the Psalm somewhat more carefully, because

when any one hath made progress in the Church, he must needs endure evil men in the Church. But the man who is such does not recognise them, although many evil men murmur against the evil, just as one man in health bears

Chapter 362

6. Ver. 1. Judge me, O Lord. It is a serious and seemingly perilous

wish, which he expresses for himself, that he may be judged. What is to be judged, which he wishes? He wishes to be separated from the evil. In another place he clearly speaks of this judgment of separation:* Judge me, O

Chapter 363

7. There follows, (ver. 2.) Prove me, O Lord, and try me; burn my

reins, and my heart. What is, Burn my reins, and my heart? Burn my delights, burn my thoughts, (He hath used heart for thoughts, and reins for delights,) lest I should think any evil, lest any evil should delight me. But

Chapter 364

8. Therefore there follows, (ver. 3.) For Thy mercy is before mine

eyes, and I have been pleasing in Thy truth. That is, I have not been pleasing in man's sight, but I have been pleasing unto Thee within, where Thou seest: and I care not, if I be displeasing where men see, as the Apostl

Chapter 365

9. Ver. 4. I have not sat, saith he, with the council of vanity. Give

heed, holy Brethren, to what this, I have not sat, is. According as God seeth, he saith, I have not sat. Sometimes thou art not in the council, yet thou sittest there. For instance, thou dost not sit in the theatre, but

Chapter 366

10. Ver. 6. I will wash mine hands in innocency; not with this visible

water. Thou dost wash the hands, when thou dost think piously of thy works, and innocently in God's sight; for there is an altar too in God's sight, whereunto the Priest hath entered,* Who first offered Himself up for us

Chapter 367

11. For this follows, (ver. 7.) That I may hear the voice of praise, and

declare all Thy wondrous works. What is, That I may hear the voice of praise? He means, That I may understand. For this is to hear before God, not as these sounds, which many hear, and many do not. How many are there hea

Chapter 368

12. And now see, Brethren, see that lover of God, who relieth on God,

placed among the evil, entreating God that he be not destroyed with the evil, for that God erreth not in judgment. For, when thou seest men have entered into one place, thou thinkest their merits equal: but God is not de

Chapter 369

13. Ver. 10. In whose hands are wickednesses, their right hand is full

of gifts. Gifts are not only money, not only gold and silver, not only presents; nor do all who receive these, receive gifts. For sometimes they are received by the Church. Yea, moreover, Peter received such; the Lord re

Chapter 370

14. How then does he conclude? In the Churches I will bless Thee, O

Lord. That is, in the Churches I will not bless myself, as if certain of men, but I will bless Thee in my works. For this it is to bless God in the Churches, Brethren, so to live that God may be blessed by each man's con

Chapter 371

1. CHRIST'S young soldier speaketh, on his coming to the faith. (Ver.

1.) The Lord is my light, and my salvation: whom shall I fear? The Lord will give me both knowledge of Himself, and salvation: who -- 207 of 2861 -- shall take me from Him? The Lord is the Protector of my life: of whom

Chapter 372

2. Ver. 2. Whilst the guilty approach unto me to eat up my flesh.

Whilst the guilty come near to recognise and insult me, that they may exalt themselves above me in my change for the better; that with their reviling tooth they may consume not me, but rather my fleshly desires. Mine ene

Chapter 373

3. Ver. 3. If camps stand together against me, my heart will not fear.

But if the multitude of gainsayers conspire to stand together against me, my heart will not fear, so as to go over to their side. If war rise up against me, in this will I trust. If the persecution of this world arise ag

Chapter 374

4. Ver. 4. One have I asked of the Lord, this will I require. For one

petition have I asked of the Lord, this will I require. That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. That as long as I am in this life, no adversities may exclude me from the number of them, who hol

Chapter 375

5. Ver. 5. For He hath hidden me in His tabernacle in the day of my

evils. For He hath hidden me in the dispensation of His Incarnate Word in the time of temptations, to which my mortal life is exposed. -- 208 of 2861 -- He hath protected me in the secret place of His tabernacle. He ha

Chapter 376

6. On a rock hath He exalted me. And that what I believed might be

made manifest for salvation, He hath made my confession to be conspicuous in His own strength. (Ver. 6.) And now, lo! He hath exalted mine head above mine enemies. What doth He reserve for me at the last, when even now t

Chapter 377

8. Ver. 8. My heart hath said to Thee, I have sought Thy

countenance. For I have not exhibited myself to men; but in secret, where Thou alone hearest, my heart hath said to Thee; I have not sought from Thee ought without Thee as a reward, but Thy countenance. Thy countenance,

Chapter 378

9. Ver. 9. Turn not away Thy face from me: that I may find what I

seek. Turn not aside in anger from Thy servant: lest, while seeking Thee, I fall in with somewhat else. For what is more grievous than this punishment to one who loveth and seeketh the truth of Thy countenance? Be Thou m

Chapter 379

10. Ver. 10. For my father and my mother have left me. For the

kingdom of this world and the city of this world, of which I was born in time and mortality, have left me seeking Thee, and despising what they promised, since they could not give what I seek. But the Lord took me up. Bu

Chapter 380

11. Ver. 11. Appoint me a law, O Lord, in Thy way. For me then who

am setting out toward Thee, and commencing so great a profession, of arriving at wisdom, from fear, appoint, O Lord, a law in Thy way, lest in my wandering Thy rule abandon me. And direct me in the right path because of

Chapter 381

12. Ver. 12. Deliver me not up unto the souls of them that trouble me.

Suffer not them that trouble me to be satiated with my evils. For unrighteous witnesses have risen up against me. For there have risen up against me they that speak falsely of me, to remove and call me back from Thee, as

Chapter 382

13. Ver. 13. I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of

the living. And since my Lord hath first suffered these things,* if I too despise the tongues of the dying, (for the mouth that lieth slayeth the soul,) I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the liv

Chapter 383

14. Ver. 14. Wait on the Lord, quit thyself like a man: and let thy

heart be strong, yea wait on the Lord. But when shall this be? It is arduous for a mortal, it is slow to a lover: but listen to the voice, that deceiveth not, of him that saith, wait on the Lord. Endure the -- 210 of 28

Chapter 384

1. THE Lord our God in addressing and consoling us, whom sooth He

regards as eating our bread by His Own righteous judgment in the sweat of our face,* vouchsafes to speak to us out of ourselves, to shew us that He is not only our Creator, but also our Indweller. These words of the Psal

Chapter 385

2. A Psalm of David before he was anointed. Thus runs the title of the

Psalm, A Psalm of David before he was anointed, that is, before he received unction. For he was anointed as a king. And the king was then anointed alone, and also the priest:* these two persons were anointed at that time

Chapter 386

3. See what he says: (ver. 1.) The Lord is my light and my salvation:

whom shall I fear? He enlightens me, let darkness vanish: He saves me, let weakness vanish: walking in the light with firmness, whom shall I fear? For God giveth not such salvation, as can be wrested by any one; nor is H

Chapter 387

4. Ver. 2. Whilst the guilty approach unto me to eat up my flesh:

mine enemies who trouble me became weak and fell. I, therefore, what shall I fear, or whom shall I fear? Of whom shall I be afraid, or of what shall I be afraid? They who persecute me, they are weakened, they fall. Now w

Chapter 388

5. Now how great confidence there should be in him, who speaks

thus, do ye hear; (ver. 3.) If camps stand together against me, mine heart shall not fear. Camps are well defended, but what stronger defence than God? If war rise up against me. What can war do to me? Can it take away m

Chapter 389

6. If war rise up against me, in this will I trust. In what? (Ver. 4.)

One, saith he, have I asked of the Lord. He named some boon in the feminine gender, as if he had said, One petition. And as we are in the habit of saying in conversation for instance, 'Duas habes,' (in the feminine,) and

Chapter 390

7. Now what we shall do in that house, you have clearly expressed in

another Psalm:* Blessed are they that dwell in Thine house; they will be praising Thee for ever. On fire, if we may so say, with this desire, and boiling with this love, he longs to dwell all the days of his life in the

Chapter 391

8. And because, in these earthly habitations, men are charmed with

divers delights and pleasures, and every one wishes to dwell in that house, where he will have nothing to offend his mind, and have many things to delight him; but if those things which did delight are withdrawn, the man

Chapter 392

9. See why I wish to dwell, saith he, in the house of the Lord all the

days of my life. I have told you why, That I may contemplate the delight of the Lord. But, that I may always contemplate, that no annoyance may befal me in my contemplation, no temptation turn me aside, no power of any h

Chapter 393

10. But why doth He make this good for us unto the end? (ver. 5.) For

He hath hidden me in His tabernacle in the day of my evils. My dwelling, then, shall be in His house all the days of my life to this end, that I may contemplate the delight of the Lord, and be protected, His temple. But

Chapter 394

11. Would ye know that he is speaking of this?* The Rock assuredly is

Christ. Hear what follows, For He hath hidden me in His tabernacle in the days of my evils: He hath protected me in the secret of His tabernacle. You were asking what is the secret of the tabernacle: hear what follows: O

Chapter 395

12. I have gone about, and have sacrificed in His tabernacle the

victim of rejoicing. We sacrifice the victim of rejoicing, we sacrifice the victim of gladness, the victim of thankfulness, the victim of -- 219 of 2861 -- thanksgiving, which cannot be explained in words. But we sacri

Chapter 396

13. There is another interpretation also, which seems to me to have a

closer reference to the context of the Psalm. For since he had said that he was exalted on the Rock, which is Christ; and that his Head, which is Christ, was exalted above his enemies; he would have it understood that he

Chapter 397

14. I will sing and give praises to the Lord. We shall be in safety, and

sing in safety, and give praise in safety, when we shall contemplate the delight of the Lord, and shall be protected as His temple in that incorruption,* when death shall be swallowed up in victory. But what now? For tho

Chapter 398

15. Hear why he makes this petition: (ver. 8.) My heart hath said to

Thee, I have sought Thy countenance. This then is what he said a little before, That I may contemplate the delight of the Lord. My heart hath said to Thee, I have sought Thy countenance. If our joy were in this visible s

Chapter 399

16. My heart hath said unto Thee, I have sought Thy countenance;

Thy countenance, O Lord, will I seek. I have made one petition of the Lord, this will I seek, Thy countenance. Turn not away Thy face from me. How he hath planted himself in that one petition! Wouldest thou obtain thy re

Chapter 400

17. Be Thou my helper: leave me not. For, lo, I am in the way, I have

made the one petition of Thee, to dwell in Thy house all the days of my life, to contemplate Thy delight, and be protected as Thy temple: this is my one petition: but that I may attain unto it, I am in the way. Peradvent

Chapter 401

18. Ver. 10. For my father and my mother have left me. He hath

made himself a babe unto God: he hath made Him Father, he hath made Him Mother. He is Father, in that He made, in that He calleth, in that He ordereth, in that He ruleth him: Mother, in that He cherisheth, in that He nou

Chapter 402

19. For by whom, even with respect to this world, is aught given to

man, but by God? Or what is taken away from man, except He order, or permit, Who gave it? But vain men imagine, that those spirits, whom they adore, give it: and sometimes they say to themselves, God is necessary for lif

Chapter 403

20. Now then he hath been taken up by the Lord, having abandoned

that city, and its ruler the devil, for the devil is the ruler of the ungodly, the ruler of the world, of this darkness. What darkness? Sinners, unbelievers. Whence the Apostle saith to them that now -- 225 of 2861 --

Chapter 404

21. Ver. 12. Deliver me not up unto the souls of them that trouble me:

that is, let me not consent to them that trouble me. For if thou shalt consent to him that troubleth thee, unto his soul, he will not, so to say, devour thy flesh, but by a perverted will he will eat up thy soul. Deliver

Chapter 405

22. He returns to that one petition after these dangers, after toils,

after difficulties, amid the hands of them that persecute and trouble him, gasping, panting, travailing, yet stedfast, and assured while He upholdeth, helpeth, guideth, ruleth; yet, after that going about and rejoicing,

Chapter 406

23. And what doth He say, Who hath appointed him a law? Let us

hear the Voice of the Lord too exhorting us from on high, consoling us; His Voice Whom we have for father and mother, who have left us: let us hear His Voice. For He hath heard our groans, He hath seen our deep sighs, He

Chapter 407

1. IT is the Voice of the Mediator Himself, strong of hand in the

conflict of the Passion. Now what He seems to wish for against His enemies, is not the wish of malevolence, but the declaration of their punishment;* as in the Gospel, with the cities, in which though He had performed mi

Chapter 408

2. Ver. 1. Unto Thee, O Lord, have I cried; My God, be not silent from

me. Unto Thee, O Lord, have I cried; My God, separate not the unity of Thy Word from that which as Man I am. Lest at any time Thou be silent from me: and I shall be like them that go down into the pit. For from this, tha

Chapter 409

3. Ver. 3. Draw not My Soul away with sinners, and destroy me not

with them that work iniquity, with them that speak peace with their neighbours. With them that say unto Me, We know that Thou art a Master come from God.* But evil in their hearts. But they speak evil in their hearts.

Chapter 410

4. Ver. 4. Give unto them according to their works. Give unto them

according to their works, for this is just. And according to the malice of their affections. For aiming at evil, they cannot discover good. According to the works of their hands give Thou unto them. Although what they ha

Chapter 411

5. Ver. 5. For they have not had understanding in the works of the

Lord. And whence is it clear that this hath befallen them? From this forsooth, for they have not had understanding in the works of the Lord. This very thing, in truth, hath been, even now, their recompense, that in Him W

Chapter 412

7. Ver. 7. The Lord My Helper and My Protector. The Lord helping

Me in so great sufferings, and protecting Me with immortality in My resurrection. In Him hath My Heart trusted, and I have been helped. And My Flesh hath flourished again: that is, and My Flesh hath risen again. And of m

Chapter 413

8. Ver. 8. The Lord is the strength of His people. Not that people

ignorant of the righteousness of God,* and willing to establish their own. For they thought not themselves strong in themselves: for the Lord is the strength of His people, struggling in this life's difficulties with the

Chapter 414

9. Ver. 9. Save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance. I intercede

therefore, after My Flesh hath flourished again, because Thou hast said, Desire of Me,* and I will give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, Save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance:* for all Mine are Thine. And r

Chapter 415

2. The Prophet speaks, (ver. 1.) Bring unto the Lord, O ye Sons of

God, bring unto the Lord the young of rams. Bring unto the Lord yourselves, whom the Apostles, the leaders of the flocks, have begotten by the Gospel.* (Ver. 2.) Bring unto the Lord glory and honour. By your works let th

Chapter 416

3. Ver. 3. The Voice of the Lord is upon the waters. The Voice of

Christ is upon the peoples. The God of majesty hath thundered. The God of majesty, from the cloud of the flesh, hath awfully preached repentance. The Lord is upon many waters. The Lord Jesus Himself, -- 231 of 2861 --

Chapter 417

5. Ver. 5. The Voice of the Lord breaking the cedars. The Voice of the

Lord humbling the proud in brokenness of heart. The Lord shall break the cedars of Libanus. The Lord by repentance shall break them that are lifted on high by the splendour of earthly nobility, when to confound them He s

Chapter 418

6. Ver. 6. And shall bruise them as the calf of Libanus. And when

their proud exaltation hath been cut off, He will lay them low after the imitation of His Own humility, Who like a calf was led to slaughter by the nobility of this world.* For the kings of the earth stood up,* and the r

Chapter 419

7. Ver. 7. The Voice of the Lord cutting short the flame of fire. The

Voice of the Lord, without any harm to Himself, passing through all the excited ardour of them that persecute Him, or dividing the furious rage of His persecutors, so that some should say, Is not this haply the very Chri

Chapter 420

8. Ver. 8. The Voice of the Lord moving the wilderness. The Voice of

the Lord moving to the faith the Gentiles once without hope, and -- 232 of 2861 -- without God in the world;* where no prophet, no preacher of God's word, as it were, no man had dwelt. And the Lord will move the desert

Chapter 421

9. Ver. 9. The Voice of the Lord perfecting the stags. For the Voice of

the Lord hath first perfected them that overcame and repelled the envenomed tongues. And will reveal the woods. And then will He reveal to them the darknesses of the Divine books, and the shadowy depths of the mysteries,

Chapter 422

10. Ver. 10. The Lord inhabiteth the deluge. The Lord therefore first

inhabiteth the deluge of this world in His Saints, kept safely in the Church, as in the ark. And the Lord shall sit a King for ever. And afterward He will sit reigning in them for ever.

Chapter 423

11. Ver. 11. The Lord will give strength to His people. For the Lord

will give strength to His people fighting against the storms and whirlwinds of this world, for peace in this world He hath not promised them.* The Lord will bless His people in peace. And the same Lord will bless His peo

Chapter 424

1. TO the end, a Psalm of the joy of the Resurrection, and the change,

the renewing of the body to an immortal state, and not only of the Lord, but also of the whole Church. For in the former Psalm the tabernacle was finished, wherein we dwell in the time of war: but now the house is dedica

Chapter 425

2. It is then whole Christ Who speaketh. (Ver. 1.) I will exalt Thee, O

Lord, for Thou hast taken Me up. I will praise Thy high Majesty, O Lord, for Thou hast taken Me up. Thou hast not made Mine enemies to rejoice over Me. And those, who have so often endeavoured to oppress Me with various

Chapter 426

5. Ver. 4. Sing to the Lord, O ye saints of His. The prophet seeing

these future things, rejoiceth, and saith, Sing to the Lord, O ye saints of His. And make confession of the remembrance of His holiness. And make confession to Him, that He hath not forgotten the sanctification, wherewit

Chapter 427

6. Ver. 5. For in His indignation is wrath. For He hath avenged

against you the first sin, for which you have paid by death. And life in His will And life eternal, whereunto you could not return by any strength of your own, hath He given, because He so would. In the evening weeping w

Chapter 428

8. Ver. 7. O Lord, in Thy will Thou hast afforded strength unto my

beauty. But that this my abundance, O Lord, is not of myself, but that in Thy will Thou hast afforded strength unto my beauty, I have learnt from this, Thou turnedst away Thy Face from me, and I became troubled; for Thou

Chapter 429

9. Ver. 8. Unto Thee, O Lord, will I cry, and unto my God will I pray.

And bringing to mind that time of my trouble and misery, and as it were established therein, I hear the voice of Thy First-Begotten, my Head, about to die for me, and saying, Unto Thee, O Lord, will I cry, and unto My Go

Chapter 430

10. Ver. 9. What profit is there in My blood, whilst I go down to

corruption? What profit is there in the shedding of My blood, whilst I go down to corruption? Shall dust confess unto Thee? For if I shall not rise immediately, and My body shall become corrupt, shall dust confess unto T

Chapter 431

12. Ver. 11. Thou hast turned My mourning into joy to Me. Whom I,

the Church, having received, the First-Begotten from the dead,* now in the dedication of Thine house, say, Thou hast turned my mourning into joy to me. Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness. Thou ha

Chapter 432

13. Ver. 12. That my glory should sing unto Thee, and I should not be

pricked. That now, not my humiliation, but my glory should not lament, but should sing unto Thee, for that now out of humiliation Thou hast exalted me; and that I should not be pricked with the consciousness of sin, with

Chapter 433

1. THIS truly have we sung: (ver. 1.) I will magnify Thee, O Lord, for

Thou hast taken me up, and hast not made mine enemies to rejoice over me. If we shall know from the holy Scriptures who our enemies are, we recognise the truth of this Canticle: but if the wisdom of the flesh deceive us,

Chapter 434

2. Nor have I said this without reason. Ye should know, holy

Brethren, that there existed a certain heresy, or haply that the remains are still found of certain men, who were called Apollinarians. For some of them said that the Man, which the Wisdom of God assumed, (and in which H

Chapter 435

3. There have not been wanting some others too, proceeding from

this same error, to say not only that That Man, Christ the Mediator -- 239 of 2861 -- between God and men, had no mind, but no principle of life either: but they have said merely, He was the Word and Flesh, and no huma

Chapter 436

4. What then? Because the Lord was made weak for thee, O man,

who hearest me, compare not thyself with God. For thou art a creature, He thy Creator. And compare not thyself with That Man, because thy God, and the Word the Son of God, was Man for thee: but prefer That Man to thyself

Chapter 437

5. Perhaps this is not the voice of our Lord Jesus Christ, but of man

as such, of the universal Church of the Christian People: for that all men are in Christ one Man, and the unity of Christians is one Man. Perhaps Man as such, that is, the very unity of Christians saith, I will magnify T

Chapter 438

6. We shall understand this, if we look first to the title of the Psalm.

This is, To the end, a Psalm of the canticle of the dedication of the house, of David himself. In this title lies all the expectation, and the whole mystery of the solution of this difficulty. The house will sometime be

Chapter 439

7. Accordingly the Lord Himself, the Judge of quick and dead,

standing before a human judge, affording us a pattern of humility and patience, not conquered, but exhibiting to the soldier an example for fighting, when the judge was threatening,* and swelling with pride, and saying,

Chapter 440

8. What follows then, Brethren, because the enemies have done so

great things against Christians, and have exulted, and rejoiced over them? But when will it appear, that they have not really rejoiced over them? When they shall be confounded, and these shall rejoice at the coming of th

Chapter 441

9. Nevertheless, Brethren, before the day of the dedication of the

house come, let us consider that our Head hath already been dedicated: already hath the dedication of the house taken place in the Head, as the dedication of the foundation. The Head is above, the foundation below: may w

Chapter 442

10. Christ then is the Foundation. As I said, our Head hath been

dedicated, the Head is Itself the Foundation. But a foundation is usually below, and a head above. May you, holy brethren, understand my words: peradventure I shall explain this in the Name of Christ. Weights are of two

Chapter 443

11. I will exalt Thee, O Lord, for Thou hast taken Me up, and hast not

made Mine enemies to rejoice over Me. What enemies? The Jews? In the dedication of the foundation let us understand the very dedication of the future house: for what is now said in the person of the Foundation, will then

Chapter 444

12. Ver. 2. O Lord, My God, I have cried unto Thee, and Thou hast

healed Me. The Lord prayed in the mount before His Passion, He healed Him. Healed Whom? Him, Who was never sick, the Word God, the Word the Divinity? No, but He bore the death of flesh, He bore thy wound, being about to

Chapter 445

13. Ver. 3. O Lord, Thou hast brought back My Soul from hell. This

needs no explanation. Thou hast saved Me from them that go down into the pit. Who are they that go down into the pit? All sinners who sink into the deep. For the pit is the depth of this world. What is this depth of the

Chapter 446

14. Ver. 4. Sing to the Lord, O ye saints of His. Since your Head hath

risen, all ye other members hope for that, which ye see in the Head: all ye other members hope for that, which ye have believed in the Head. It is a true and ancient proverb, Where the head is, there are the other member

Chapter 447

15. Ver. 5. For in His indignation is wrath,* and life in His will.

Wrath in indignation against the sinner: In the day that ye shall eat, ye shall surely die. They touched, they died, having been dismissed from Paradise, for in His indignation is wrath: but not without hope, for there i

Chapter 448

16. In the evening weeping will tarry. Fear not, for that he had said to

us, Sing; and here is groaning: in singing exultation, in prayer groaning. Groan for things present, sing for things to come; pray for what is here, sing for what is hoped. In the evening weeping will tarry. What is, In

Chapter 449

17. Ver. 6. But I said in my abundance, I shall not be moved for ever.

In what abundance, hath man said, I shall not be moved for ever? We understand, Brethren, the character of man in his humiliation. Who hath abundance here? Not one. What is man's abundance? Care, calamity. But the rich h

Chapter 450

18. But since the Lord had said truly, that He would take away from

the proud, what He had given to the humble, when He created him; -- 249 of 2861 -- the Psalmist proceeds, and says, (ver. 7.) O Lord, in Thy will Thou hast afforded strength unto my beauty: that is, since I was not goo

Chapter 451

19. What follows now is in the Person of the Lord, of our Foundation

Himself. (Ver. 9.) What profit is there in My blood, whilst I go down to corruption? What then doth He pray for? That He may rise again. For if I shall go down, saith He, to corruption, if My Flesh shall be so corrupted,

Chapter 452

21. Listen now to the resurrection itself! (Ver. 11.) Thou hast turned

My mourning into joy to Me, Thou hast rent off My sackcloth, and -- 250 of 2861 -- girded Me with gladness. What is sackcloth? Mortality. Sackcloth is made of goats and kids, and goats and kids are set among sinners.*

Chapter 453

22. Ver. 12. That My glory should sing unto Thee, and I should not be

pricked. As it is in the Head, so in the body. What is, I should not be pricked? I should die no more. For He was pricked, when He hung on the Cross, He was smitten with a spear. Our Head therefore saith, that I should n

Chapter 454

1. TO the end a Psalm of David Himself, the Mediator strong of hand

in persecutions. For the word ecstasy, which is added to the title, signifies a transport of the mind, which is produced either by a panic, or by some revelation. But in this Psalm the panic of the people of God troubled

Chapter 455

2. Ver. 1. In Thee, O Lord, have I trusted, let Me not be put to

confusion for ever. In Thee, O Lord, have I trusted, let Me never be confounded, whilst they shall insult Me as one like other men. In Thy righteousness rescue Me, and deliver Me. And in Thy righteousness rescue Me from

Chapter 456

3. Ver. 2. Bend down Thine ear unto Me. Hear Me in My humiliation,

nigh at hand unto Me. Make haste to deliver Me. Defer not to the end of the world, as with all who believe on Me, My separation from -- 252 of 2861 -- sinners. Be unto Me a God Who protecteth Me. Be unto Me God, and Pr

Chapter 457

4. Ver. 3. For Thou art My strength, and My refuge. For Thou art

unto Me My strength to bear My persecutors, and My refuge to escape them. And for Thy Name's sake Thou shalt be My guide, and shalt nourish Me. And that by Me Thou mayest be known to all the Gentiles, I will in all thing

Chapter 458

6. Ver. 5. Into Thy hands I commend My Spirit. To Thy power I

commend My Spirit, soon to receive It back. Thou hast redeemed Me, O Lord God of truth. Let the people too, redeemed by the Passion of their Lord, and joyful in the glorifying of their Head, say, Thou hast redeemed me, O

Chapter 459

8. Ver. 7. I will be glad, and rejoice in Thy mercy: which doth not

deceive me.* For Thou hast regarded My humiliation: wherein Thou hast subjected me to vanity in hope. Thou hast saved my soul from necessities. Thou hast saved my soul from the necessities of fear, that with a free love

Chapter 460

9. Ver. 8. And hast not shut me up into the hands of the enemy. And

hast not shut me up, that I should have no opening for recovering unto liberty, and be given over for ever into the power of the devil, ensnaring me with the desire of this life, and terrifying me with death. Thou hast s

Chapter 461

10. Ver. 9. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am troubled. But what is

this unlooked for cruelty of the persecutors, striking such dread into me? Have mercy on me, O Lord. For I am now no more alarmed for death, but for torments and tortures. Mine eye hath been disordered by anger. I had mi

Chapter 462

11. Ver. 10. For my life hath failed in pain. For my life is to confess

Thee, but it failed in pain, when the enemy had said, Let them be tortured until they deny Him. And my years in groanings. The time that I pass in this world is not taken away from me by death, but abides, and is spent i

Chapter 463

12. Ver. 11. I have been made a reproach above all mine enemies. All

the wicked are my enemies; and nevertheless they for their wickednesses are tortured only till they confess: I then have overpassed their reproach, I, whose confession death doth not follow, but racking pains follow upon

Chapter 464

13. Ver. 12. I have been forgotten, as one dead from the heart. And

they have forgotten me, as if I were dead from their hearts. I have become as a lost vessel. I have seemed to myself to be lost to all the Lord's service, living in this world, and gaining none, when all were afraid to j

Chapter 465

14. Ver. 13. For I have heard the rebuking of many dwelling by in a

circuit. For I have heard many rebuking me, in the pilgrimage of this world near me, following the circuit of time, and refusing to return with me to the eternal country. Whilst they were assembling themselves together a

Chapter 466

16. Ver. 15. In Thy hands are my lots. In Thy power are my lots. For I

see no desert, for which out of the universal ungodliness of the human race Thou hast elected me particularly to salvation. And though there be with Thee some just and secret order in my election, yet I, from whom this i

Chapter 467

18. Ver. 17. O Lord, let me not be confounded, for I have called upon

Thee. O Lord, let me not be put to shame by those who insult me, for that I have called upon Thee. Let the ungodly be ashamed, and be brought down to hell. Let them rather who call upon stones be ashamed, and made to dwe

Chapter 468

19. Ver. 18. Let the deceitful lips be made dumb. In making known to

the peoples Thy mysteries wrought in me, strike with dumb amazement the lips of them that invent falsehood of me. Which speak iniquity against the Righteous, in pride and contempt. Which speak iniquity against Christ, in

Chapter 469

20. Ver. 19. How great is the multitude of Thy sweetness, O Lord.

Here the Prophet exclaims, having sight of all this, and admiring how manifoldly plenteous is Thy sweetness, O Lord. Which Thou hast hid for them that fear Thee. Even those, whom Thou correctest, Thou lovest much: but le

Chapter 470

21. Ver. 20. Thou wilt protect them in Thy tabernacle from the

contradiction of tongues. But here meanwhile whilst evil tongues murmur against them, saying, Who hath known this? or, Who hath come thence? Thou wilt protect them in the tabernacle, that of faith in those things, which

Chapter 471

22. Ver. 21. Blessed be the Lord; for He hath made His mercy

marvellous, in the city of compassing. Blessed be the Lord, for after the correction of the sharpest persecutions He hath made His mercy marvellous to all throughout the world, in the circuit of human society. -- 256 of

Chapter 472

23. Ver. 22. I said in my ecstasy. Whence that people again speaking

saith, I said in my fear, when the heathen were raging horribly against me. I have been cast forth from the sight of Thine eyes. For if Thou hadst regard to me, Thou wouldest not suffer me to endure these things. Therefo

Chapter 473

24. Ver. 23. Love the Lord, all ye His saints. The Prophet again

exhorts, having sight of these things, and saith, Love the Lord, all ye His saints; for the Lord will require truth.* Since if the righteous shall scarcely be saved, where shall the sinner and the ungodly appear?—And He

Chapter 474

25. Ver. 24. Quit you like men, and let your heart be strengthened:

working good without fainting, that ye may reap in due season. All ye who trust in the Lord: that is, ye who duly fear and worship Him, trust ye in the Lord. SECOND EXPOSITION SERMON I

Chapter 475

1. LET us investigate, as we best can, the hidden things of this Psalm,

which we have just sung, and let us offer to your ears and minds a discourse framed upon it. Its title is, To the end, a psalm of David himself, an ecstasy. What, to the end, is, we know, if we know Christ. For the Apost

Chapter 476

2. A psalm to David, an ecstasy. The word ecstasy is Greek; in Latin,

as far as we can understand it, it may be expressed in one word, if it be called a transport, (excessus.) For a transport of the mind is properly and usually called an ecstasy. Now by transport of the mind two things are

Chapter 477

3. But if this ecstasy is to be understood as panic, the context of the

Psalm will not be wanting to this signification of the word either. For he seems to be about to speak of suffering, in which there is panic. But whose panic? Christ's, in that he said, To the end, and we understand Chris

Chapter 478

4. Here then Christ speaketh in the Prophet: I venture to say, Christ

speaketh. The Psalmist will say some things in this Psalm, which may seem as if they could not apply to Christ, to that excellency of our Head,* and especially to That Word Which was in the beginning God with God: nor pe

Chapter 479

5. Therefore in whatever ecstasy he speaketh, whether in panic or

transport of the mind, what is said is suitable. Let us speak in the Body of Christ, let us all speak as one, for that all are oneness; let us say, In Thee, O Lord, have I trusted, let me not be confounded for ever. That

Chapter 480

6. And in Thy Righteousness rescue me, and deliver me. For if Thou

lookest to my righteousness, Thou condemnest me. In Thy Righteousness rescue me. For there is a righteousness of God, which becomes ours too, when it is given to us. Now it is therefore called God's Righteousness, that m

Chapter 481

7. Ver. 2. Bend down Thine ear unto me. God did this, when He sent

Christ Himself unto us. He sent Him to us, Who bending His Head wrote with His Finger on the earth,* when the adulterous woman was brought before Him to be punished. But He had before bent Himself to the earth, that is,

Chapter 482

8. Make haste to deliver me. For he is heard in this, when he saith,

Make haste. For for this purpose this word was used, that thou mayest understand how that all this age, which seems to us while it is passing long, is but a moment. That is not long, which hath an end. The period from Ad

Chapter 483

9. Ver. 3. For Thou art my strength and my refuge; and for Thy

Name's sake Thou shalt be my guide, and shalt nourish me. Not for my merit's sake, but for Thy Name's sake, that Thou mayest be glorified, not because I am worthy. Thou shalt be my guide, that I go not astray from Thee;

Chapter 484

10. Thou shalt bring me out of this trap, which they have hidden for

me. Now is suffering intimated, Thou shalt bring me out of this trap which they have hidden for me. Nor is it that suffering only, wherewith our Lord Jesus Christ suffered; the devil hath spread his trap even unto the en

Chapter 485

11. Let us listen to the words of the Lord, which He spake on the

Cross, Into Thy hands I commend My spirit. At least when we meet in the Gospel with His words from this Psalm, let us not doubt that He Himself hath spoken here.* We have this in the Gospel: He said, (ver. 5.) Into Thy h

Chapter 486

12. Ver. 6. Thou hatest them that hold to vanity uselessly. Who holds

to vanity? He that by fear of death dieth. For by fear of death he lieth, and dieth before he dies, who therefore lied that he might live. Thou wouldest lie that thou mayest not die: thou both liest, and diest; and -- 2

Chapter 487

13. Ver. 7. I will be glad, and rejoice in Thy mercy, not in mine own

righteousness. For Thou hast regarded my humiliation, Thou hast saved my soul from necessities, and hast not shut me up into the hands of the enemy. What are the necessities, from which we wish our soul to be saved? Who

Chapter 488

14. Ver. 8. And Thou hast not shut me up into the hands of the

enemy. Not thy neighbour, not thy partner, not him with whom thou hast been on service, and injured him, or it may be in thine own city hast done wrong to: for these are such as we ought to pray for. We -- 270 of 2861 -

Chapter 489

15. Thou hast set my feet in a large room. But yet, the way is narrow:

it is narrow to the toiling, broad to the loving. The same way which is narrow, is made broad. In a large room, saith he, Thou hast set my feet, that my feet straitened for room should not knock against each other, and b

Chapter 490

16. Ver. 9. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am troubled; mine eye

hath been disordered by anger, my soul, and my belly. For my life hath failed in pain, and my years in groanings. Let this suffice you, dearly beloved: with the help of the Lord, we will perhaps fulfil our engagement, th

Chapter 491

1. LET our attention turn again to the rest of the Psalm, and let us

recognise ourselves in the words of the Prophet. For if we look into ourselves in the time of tribulation, we shall rejoice in the time of retribution. I set forth to you, dearly beloved, when I was expounding the first

Chapter 492

2. We ask, whence comes this trouble, since a little before he seemed

to rejoice in his deliverance, through a certain righteousness poured in upon him bountifully by the gift of God, and room thereby made -- 272 of 2861 -- for his feet in the expanse of charity. Whence then is this trou

Chapter 493

numbers swelled, by whom the Churches throughout Easter are so

crammed, that the confined space of the walls cannot contain the crowds of them. Now how should he not be troubled for this multitude, when he seeth those very same filling the theatres and amphitheatres, who a little be

Chapter 494

3. Give heed accordingly to the Psalmist, situated, as it appears to

me, in this trouble. When as being in trouble he ought as it were to grieve, (for trouble hath a suitable partner in grief,) he declares that he is angry in trouble, and saith, Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in troub

Chapter 495

4. But for this anger, there is cause for fear, lest it be so great, as to be

turned into hatred. For anger is not yet hatred. For thou art angry with thy son, thou dost not hate the child; thou art keeping his inheritance for him, who is sensible of thine anger; and therefore thou art angry, lest

Chapter 496

5. Ver. 10. For my life hath failed in pain, and my years in

groanings.* My life hath failed in pain, he saith. Now we live, saith the Apostle, if ye stand fast in the Lord. Whosoever are perfect through the Gospel and the grace of God, live not here but for others; for their life

Chapter 497

6. Ver. 11. I have been made a reproach above all mine enemies, and

to my neighbours too much, and fear to mine acquaintance. I have been made a reproach above all mine enemies. Who are the Church's enemies? Heathens? Jews? Bad Christians live worse than all. Would ye see how bad Christi

Chapter 498

7. I have been made a fear to mine acquaintance. What is so much to

be feared? I have been made, saith he, a fear to mine acquaintance. What is so much to be feared, as when a man sees many living evilly, and those of whom good was hoped found in many evil practices? He fears lest all, w

Chapter 499

8. They that did see me, fled without from me. It were pardonable, if

they that did not see me, had fled without from me; for even they that did see me, fled without from me. But if they that did not see me, have fled without from me; (and it must not be said, they fled without, for they w

Chapter 500

9. For example I will mention one instance: Abraham was our father

not by reason of carnal propagation, but of the imitation of faith. Righteous and well-pleasing to God, by faith he begat a son, Isaac, who had been promised to him, of Sarah his wife being barren, in his old age: this s

Chapter 501

10. Ver. 12. I have been forgotten, as one dead from the heart. I have

been forgotten, I have fallen into oblivion, they that saw me have forgotten me; they have forgotten me, and so forgotten me as if I were dead from their hearts. I have been forgotten, as one dead from the heart. I have

Chapter 502

11. Ver. 13. For I have heard the rebuking of many dwelling by in a

circle. Many dwell by in my circle, and blame me daily. How many evil words do they speak against wicked Christians—evil words which reach to all Christians. For does he, who speaks evil of, or blames, Christians, does h

Chapter 503

12. But I, amidst those reproaches, amidst those scandals, amidst

those evils, amidst these seductions, ungodlinesses without and perversenesses within, when I was looking for righteous men and seeking whom to imitate, and there were none, what did I do? what counsel did I find? (Ver.

Chapter 504

13. Ver. 15. In Thy Hands are my lots. Not in hands of men, but in

Thy Hands. What are these lots? How lots? When we hear the word lots, we must not look out for lot-diviners. For the lot is no evil thing, but it is an event, in human doubt, indicating the Divine will. For so the Apostl

Chapter 505

14. Mark therefore, dearly Beloved, see, how this very thing is

confirmed by the Apostle Peter. When that Simon, the sorcerer, having been baptized by Philip, continued with him,* believing the Divine miracles which were performed in his sight; the Apostles came to Samaria, where thi

Chapter 506

1. THE remainder of this Psalm, on which we have already delivered

two discourses, is somewhat more than a third part of it, and we see that to-day our task must be fulfilled. Wherefore I beg of you, dearly Beloved, to be content that we do not dwell on the plainer words of it, that tho

Chapter 507

2. Ver. 15. Deliver me from the hands of mine enemies and from

them that persecute me. Let us say this, yea let each one, for his own enemies, say this. For good it is, and we ought to pray that God would deliver us from the hands of our enemies. But we must understand for what enem

Chapter 508

3. Ver. 16. Make Thy Face to shine upon Thy servant; save me in Thy

mercy. We were saying before, if such of you as were present, dearly beloved, remember yesterday's discourse, that those are the greatest persecutors of the Church who being Christians will not live good lives. For throu

Chapter 509

4. Ver. 17. O Lord, let me not be confounded, for I have called upon

Thee. He hath pleaded a weighty cause, Let me not be confounded, for I have called upon Thee. Wouldest Thou that he should be confounded who hath called upon Thee? Wouldest Thou it should be said, Where is He in Whom he

Chapter 510

5. Ver. 18. Let the deceitful lips be made dumb, which speak iniquity

against the Righteous in pride and contempt. This Righteous One is Christ. Many lips speak iniquity against Him in pride and contempt. How in pride and contempt? Because He, Who came in such humility, appeared contemptib

Chapter 511

6. Wherefore see what follows, for that the deceitful lips shall be

made dumb, which speak iniquity against the Righteous in pride and contempt. The Psalmist, who thus lamenteth, hath given heed, he hath seen the good things of God within in the spirit, hath seen these good things which

Chapter 512

7. But Thou hast perfected it for them that hope in Thee in sight of

the sons of men. Not "Thou hast perfected it in sight of the sons of men," but, "for those that hope in Thee in sight of the sons of men;" that is, Thou hast perfected Thy sweetness for those that hope in Thee in sight o

Chapter 513

8. Ver. 20. Thou wilt hide them in the hidden place of Thy

Countenance. What is this place? He said not, Thou wilt hide them in Thy heaven; he said not, Thou wilt hide them in paradise; he said not, Thou wilt hide them in Abraham's bosom. For the future places of the Saints are

Chapter 514

9. Ver. 21. Blessed be the Lord, for He hath made His mercy

marvellous in the city of compassing. What is the city of compassing? In Judæa alone were God's people placed, as it were, in the midst of the world, where the praises of God were celebrated, and sacrifices offered unto

Chapter 515

10. Ver. 22. I said in my ecstasy. Call to remembrance the title of the

Psalm. See here is that ecstasy. Mark what he saith, I said, saith he, in my ecstasy, I have been cast forth from the sight of Thine Eyes. I said in my panic, that is, I said in my ecstasy. He saw that he was panic-struc

Chapter 516

11. Now then that he made trial, to what doth he exhort us? (Ver. 23.)

Love the Lord, all ye His Saints. As if he should say, Trust me, I have made trial of it; I have had tribulations, I have called upon Him, and have not been deceived; I have hoped in God, and have not been confounded; He

Chapter 517

12. For the Lord will require truth. You know that now many evil

doers are seen; you know that now they are puffed up in their vanities: the Lord will require truth. And He will repay them that do exceeding proudly. Bear with them until you bear them to their graves, endure them until

Chapter 518

13. Love the Lord, all ye His Saints, for the Lord will require truth,

and will repay them that do exceeding proudly. But when will He repay? O that He would repay now, now would I see these men abased, and laid low! Hear what follows, Quit you like men. Do not hang down the weary hands in

Chapter 519

2. Ver. 1. Blessed are they whose unrighteousness is forgiven, and

whose sins are covered: and whose sins are buried in oblivion. (Ver. 2.) Blessed is the man to whom the Lord hath not imputed sin, nor is there guile in his mouth: nor has he in his mouth boastings of righteousness, when

Chapter 520

3. Ver. 3. Because I kept silence, my bones waxed old: because I

made not with my mouth confession unto salvation, all firmness in me has grown old in infirmity.* Through my roaring all the day long: when I was ungodly and a blasphemer, crying against God, as though defending and excu

Chapter 521

5. Ver. 5. I acknowledged my sin, and my unrighteousness have I not

hid: that is, my unrighteousness have I not concealed. I said, I will confess against myself my unrighteousness to the Lord: I said, I will confess, not against God, (as in my ungodly crying, when I kept silence,) but ag

Chapter 522

6. Ver. 6. For this shall every one that is holy pray unto Thee in an

acceptable time: for this wickedness of heart shall every one that is righteous pray unto Thee. For not by their own merits will they be holy, but by that acceptable time, that is, at His coming, Who redeemed us from sin

Chapter 523

7. Ver. 7. Thou art my refuge from the pressures, which have

compassed me about: Thou art my refuge from the pressure of my sins, which hath compassed my heart. O Thou, my Rejoicing, deliver me from them that compass me about: in Thee is my joy: deliver me from the sorrow, which m

Chapter 524

8. Diapsalma. The answer of God: (ver. 8.) I will give thee

understanding, and will set thee in the way, in which thou shalt go; I will give thee understanding after confession, that thou depart not from the way, in which thou shouldest go; lest thou wish to be in thine own power

Chapter 525

9. Ver. 9. Be not ye like unto horse or mule, which have no

understanding: and therefore would govern themselves. But saith the Prophet, Hold in their jaws with bit and bridle. Do Thou then, O God, unto them, that will not come nigh Thee, what man doth to horse and mule, that by

Chapter 526

10. Ver. 10. Many are the scourges of the sinner: much is he

scourged, who, confessing not his sins to God, would be his own ruler. But he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy compasseth him about; but he that trusteth in the Lord, and submitteth himself to His rule, mercy shall compa

Chapter 527

11. Ver. 11. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: be glad, and

rejoice, ye righteous, not in yourselves, but in the Lord. And glory, all ye that are right in heart: and glory in Him, all ye who understand that it is right to be subject unto Him, that so ye may be placed above all th

Chapter 528

1. A Psalm of the Grace of God, and of our justification, by no merits

of ours preceding, but by the Mercy of our Lord God preventing us, highly commended by the mouth of the Apostle,* as the lesson preceding this Psalm hath conveyed unto all, is undertaken by my weakness to be handled toge

Chapter 529

2. Now that this Psalm doth relate to that grace whereby we are

Christians, the Apostle Paul hath testified; wherefore we have chosen to have that very lesson read unto you. This shewed the Apostle, when he was commending the righteousness which is by faith, against those who boasted

Chapter 530

3. But whoever hears this, Not by works, but by faith, must beware of

that gulf, of which I spoke. Thou seest then that by faith, not by works, is Abraham justified; therefore (sayest thou) I will do what I will, because, though I have not good works, but only trust in God, that is counted

Chapter 531

4. What then? Ought no works to be placed before faith, so that

before faith one may be said to do good works? (No,) for those very good works, so called, before faith, although they may seem to men worthy of praise, are nothing worth. To me they seem to be such, as great strength, a

Chapter 532

5. Therefore, Brethren, by faith was Abraham justified; but if works

did not precede his faith, yet they followed it. For can thy faith be barren? If thou art not barren, thy faith is not barren. Thou hast believed somewhat of evil, and in the fire of thy evil hast burned up the root of t

Chapter 533

6. How then saith the Apostle,* that man is justified without works,

by faith;* when in another place he saith, Faith which worketh by love? Let us then oppose not the Apostle James to Paul, but Paul himself to Paul, and say unto him, Here thou permittest us in some wise to sin with impun

Chapter 534

7. What then? Who are blessed? Not they in whom God findeth no

sin, for He findeth it in all; For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. If, then, sins are found in all,* it remains that none are blessed, but they whose sins are forgiven. This, then, hath the Apostle t

Chapter 535

8. Attend ye then; otherwise by misunderstanding ye will plunge

yourselves into that gulf of sinning with impunity; but I am free, as the Apostle himself was, from all who misunderstood him, free. For they misunderstood him wilfully; lest good works should follow. Be not ye, my Breth

Chapter 536

9. Ver. 1, 2. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin

is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. Now the Psalm beginneth, and therewith beginneth understanding. Understanding then or intelligence is this,

Chapter 537

10. And in whose spirit there is no guile. But they truly who will not

confess their sins, labour in vain in defence of their sins. And the -- 309 of 2861 -- more they labour in defence of their sins, boasting their own merits, seeing not their own iniquities, the more their strength and

Chapter 538

11. Attend, Brethren; for wherefore the Lord began to speak that

same parable, the Evangelist hath premised. For when Christ had said, When the Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth? then, lest there should arise certain heretics, who, considering and thinking the whole

Chapter 539

12. Attend, therefore, dearly Beloved. I said that the Publican dared

not lift up his eyes to Heaven. Why looked he not to Heaven? Because he looked to himself. He looked to himself, that he might first displease himself, and so please God. But thou boastest thyself, thou upliftest thy nec

Chapter 540

13. Consider then, Brethren, what this man said, (ver. 3.) When I

kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. What is this? It seems as it were contradictory, When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring. If through his roaring, how kept he silen

Chapter 541

14. Ver. 2–4. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not

iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night Thy Hand was heavy upon me. What is, Thy Hand was heavy upon me? A great mat

Chapter 542

15. Ver. 4. Because day and night Thy Hand was heavy upon me, I

was turned in misery, until a thorn was fixed through me. By the very aggravation of Thy Hand, by very humiliation, I was turned in misery, I was made miserable, a thorn was fixed through me, my conscience was pricked. W

Chapter 543

16. But this sufficed not; he said not only, I will confess my

transgression unto the Lord: he said with good cause, I will confess against myself; and this makes a difference. For many confess their transgressions, but against the Lord God Himself: when they are found in sin they s

Chapter 544

17. Ver. 6. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto Thee in an

acceptable time. At what time? For this. For what? For ungodliness. For what? Even for the pardon of sins. For this shall every one that is -- 315 of 2861 -- godly pray unto Thee in an acceptable time. Therefore shall

Chapter 545

18. Surely in the floods of waters they shall not come nigh unto Him.

Unto Him. Unto whom? Unto God; for he is wont to change the person; as it is written, Salvation belongeth unto the Lord:* Thy blessing is upon Thy people. He saith not, Salvation belongeth unto the Lord, and His blessing

Chapter 546

19. But what? Art thou, who art even justified, still in the midst of

those waters? On every side, my Brethren, even when we are confessing our sins, roar around us the waters of that flood. We are not indeed in the flood, but we are surrounded by the flood. They press upon us, but overwhe

Chapter 547

20. O Thou, My Rejoicing, deliver me. If already thou rejoicest, why

wouldest thou be delivered? O Thou, My Rejoicing, deliver me. I hear the voice of joy, O Thou, My Rejoicing; I hear a groan, deliver me. Thou rejoicest and groanest. True, saith he, I both rejoice and groan; I rejoice in

Chapter 548

21. The answer of God, (ver. 8.) I will give thee understanding. The

Psalm indeed is for understanding. I will give thee understanding, and set thee in the way in which thou shalt go. What is, I will set thee in the way in which thou shalt go? Not that thou mayest stand still therein, but

Chapter 549

22. To this man promised He understanding, and His protection:

now turneth He to the proud, who defend their sins, and sheweth unto us, what is true understanding. (Ver. 9.) Be not ye as the horse or as the mule, which have no understanding. The horse and mule are of uplifted neck.

Chapter 550

23. Ver. 10. Many are the scourges of the sinner. It is no wonder if

after the applying of the bit and bridle, there follow scourges; for the beast desired to be untamed: he is tamed with bridle and scourge; and I wish he may be throughly tamed! for there is fear lest by too much resistin

Chapter 551

24. What then is the conclusion? (ver. 11.) Be glad in the Lord, and

rejoice, ye righteous. O ye who rejoice in yourselves! O ye ungodly, O ye proud, who rejoice in yourselves! now believe ye on Him that justifieth the ungodly, and let your faith be counted for righteousness. Be glad in t

Chapter 552

25. And glory all ye that are right in heart. What is, Right in heart?

Not resisting God. Attend, my Beloved, and understand the right heart. I speak briefly, but yet a thing of all the most to be commended. And God be thanked, that it cometh at the end, that so it may remain fixed in your

Chapter 553

26. So then is the right heart, Brethren. Let every man to

whomsoever any thing happens say, The Lord gave,* and the Lord hath taken away. Lo, this is a right heart. As the Lord pleased, so is it done. Blessed be the Name of the Lord. Who hath taken away? What hath He taken away

Chapter 554

1. Ver. 1. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: rejoice, O ye righteous,

not in yourselves, for that is not safe; but in the Lord. For praise is comely to the upright: these praise the Lord, who submit themselves unto the Lord; for else they are distorted and perverse.

Chapter 555

2. Ver. 2. Praise the Lord with harp: praise the Lord, presenting unto

Him your bodies a living sacrifice.* Sing unto Him with the psaltery of ten strings: let your members be servants to the love of God, and of your neighbour, in which are kept both the three and the seven commandments.

Chapter 556

4. Ver. 4. For the Word of the Lord is right: for the Word of the Lord

is right, to make you that which of yourselves ye cannot be. And all His works are done in faith: lest any think that by the merit of works he hath arrived at faith, when in faith are done all the works which God Himself

Chapter 557

5. Ver. 5. He loveth Mercy and Judgment: for He loveth Mercy,

which now He sheweth first; and Judgment, wherewith He exacteth that which He hath first shewn. The earth is full of the Mercy of the Lord: throughout the whole world are sins forgiven unto men by the Mercy of the Lord.

Chapter 558

6. Ver. 6. By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made firm: for

not by themselves, but by the Word of the Lord were the righteous made strong. And all the strength of them by the Breath of His Mouth. And all their faith by His Holy Spirit.

Chapter 559

7. Ver. 7. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as into a bottle:

He gathereth the people of the world together, to confession of mortified sin, lest through pride they flow too freely. He layeth up the deep in storehouses: and keepeth in them His secrets for riches.

Chapter 560

8. Ver. 8. Let all the earth fear the Lord: let every sinner fear, that so

he may cease to sin. Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him: not of the terrors of men, or of any creature, but of Him let them stand in awe.

Chapter 561

10. Ver. 10. The Lord bringeth the counsel of the Heathen to nought;

of them that seek not His Kingdom, but kingdoms of their own. He maketh the devices of the people of none effect: of them that covet earthly happiness. And reproveth the counsels of princes: of them that seek to rule ove

Chapter 562

11. Ver. 11. But the counsel of the Lord standeth for ever; but the

counsel of the Lord, whereby He maketh none blessed but him that submitteth unto Himself, standeth for ever. The thoughts of His Heart to all generations: the thoughts of His Wisdom are not mutable, but endure to all gen

Chapter 563

12. Ver. 12. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord: one nation is

blessed, belonging to the heavenly city, which hath not chosen save the Lord for their God: And the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance: and which not of itself, but by the gift of God, hath -- 326 of 286

Chapter 564

14. Ver. 14. From His prepared habitation: from His habitation of

assumed Humanity, which He prepared for Himself. He looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth: He looketh mercifully upon all who live in the flesh, that He may be over them in ruling them.

Chapter 565

15. Ver. 15. He fashioneth their hearts singly: He giveth spiritually to

their hearts their proper gifts, so that neither the whole body may be eye, nor the whole hearing;* but that one in this manner, another in that manner, may be incorporated with Christ. He understandeth all their works.

Chapter 566

16. Ver. 16. A king shall not be saved by much strength: he shall not

be saved who ruleth his own flesh, if he presume much upon his own strength. Neither shall a giant be saved by much strength: nor shall he be saved whoever warreth against the habit of his own lust, or against the devil

Chapter 567

17. Ver. 17. A horse is a deceitful thing for safety: he is deceived, who

thinketh either that through men he gaineth salvation received among men, or that by the impetuosity of his own courage he is defended from destruction. In the abundance of his strength shall he not be saved.

Chapter 568

18. Ver. 18. Behold, the Eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear

Him: because if thou seek salvation, behold, the love of the Lord is upon them that fear Him. Upon them that hope in His mercy: that hope not in their own strength, but in His mercy.

Chapter 569

19. Ver. 19. To deliver their souls from death, and to keep them alive

in famine. To give them the nourishment of the Word, and of -- 327 of 2861 -- Everlasting Truth, which they lost while presuming on their own strength, and therefore have not even their own strength, from lack of right

Chapter 570

20. Ver. 20. My soul shall be patient for the Lord: that hereafter it

may be filled with dainties incorruptible, meanwhile, whilst here it remaineth, my soul shall be patient for the Lord. For He is our Helper and Defender: our Helper He is, while we endeavour after Him; and our Defender,

Chapter 571

21. Ver. 21. For our heart shall rejoice in Him: for not in ourselves,

wherein without Him there is great need; but in Himself shall our heart rejoice. And we have trusted in His holy Name: and therefore have we trusted that we shall come to God, because unto us absent hath He sent, through

Chapter 572

1. This Psalm admonishes us to rejoice in the Lord. It is entitled, Of

David himself. Whoever then belong to the most holy seed of David, let them hearken to their own words, and speak their own words, and let them rejoice in the Lord. But thus it begins, (ver. 1.) Rejoice in the Lord, O ye

Chapter 573

2. Therefore when he had said, Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous;

because to rejoice in Him except by praising Him we cannot, and we praise One Whom we please the more, the more He pleaseth us; For praise, saith he, is comely to the upright. Who are the upright? They who direct their h

Chapter 574

3. But if thou art crooked, thou praisest God when it is well with thee,

blasphemest when it is ill: which ill indeed, if it be just, is not ill; but just it is, since it is done by Him, Who can do nothing unjust: and so thou wilt be a foolish boy in the house of thy father, loving thy father

Chapter 575

4. Therefore, ye righteous upright, rejoice in the Lord; for your praise

is comely. Let none say, Who am I, that am righteous? or, When am I righteous? Cast not yourselves away, and despair not of yourselves. Ye are men, in the image of God were ye created: He Who made you men, for you also w

Chapter 576

5. Hath not the institution of these Vigils in the name of Christ

brought it to pass that harps should be banished out of this place? And, lo, the same are bid to sound. Praise the Lord, saith he, with harp; sing unto Him with the psaltery of ten strings. Let none turn his heart to ins

Chapter 577

6. But now, when thou considerest the superior gifts of God, what

Commandments He hath given thee, with what heavenly doctrine He hath imbued thee, what things He hath commanded thee from above, from the fountain of His Truth; turn also to the psaltery, sing unto the Lord with a psalte

Chapter 578

7. And what is righteousness herself like? Who painteth her? What

beauty hath the Wisdom of God? Through her are all things beautiful, that are pleasant to the eyes: her to see, her to embrace, our hearts must be cleansed, her lovers we profess ourselves; herself so dresseth us that we

Chapter 579

8. Ver. 3. Sing unto Him a new song. Put off oldness: ye know the

new song. A new man, a New Testament, a new song. A new song belongeth not to men that are old: none learn that but new men, renewed through Grace from oldness, and belonging now to the New Testament, which is the kingdo

Chapter 580

9. Ver. 4. For the Word of the Lord is right, and all His works are

done in faith. In that even wherein He displeaseth the not right, He is right.* And all His works done in faith.* Let thy works be done in faith, for The just shall live by faith; and Faith worketh by love.* Let thy work

Chapter 581

10. Ver. 5. He loveth Mercy and Judgment. Do thou the same,

because He doth. Observe ye both Mercy and Judgment. The time of Mercy is now, the time of Judgment shall be hereafter. Whence is it now the time of Mercy? He calleth those but now averted, He forgiveth sin to them conve

Chapter 582

11. But think not, Brethren, that these two can in any wise be

separated, the one from the other, in God. They do indeed seem somewhat contrary to each other; as if one who is Merciful could not observe Judgment; and one who is tenacious of Judgment, would forget Mercy. But God is O

Chapter 583

12. Thou hast heard how God sheweth Mercy and Judgment, do thou

also shew Mercy and Judgment. Do these things perhaps belong unto God; do they not belong unto man? If they belonged not unto man, the Lord would not have said to the Pharisees,* Ye have omitted the weightier matters of

Chapter 584

1. BOTH in preaching and hearing the Word of Truth is labour; and

this labour, my Brethren, we bear with patience, if we remember the Lord's sentence, and our condition. For from the very first beginning of our race hath man heard, and that not from man that deceiveth, nor from the dev

Chapter 585

2. Now thus begins the part which remaineth, which but now we

sang, (ver. 5.) The earth is full of the Mercy of the Lord. (Ver. 6.) By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made firm. For it is the same thing, By the voice of the Lord were the Heavens established. He had said above

Chapter 586

3. I would not then that thou shouldest say unto me, Whence receive

I? Whither go I? Remember what Thou hast sung, The earth is full of the Mercy of the Lord. Where is not the Gospel now preached? Where is the Word of the Lord silent? Where doth Salvation not work? It needs but that thou

Chapter 587

4. The earth is full of the Mercy of the Lord. What of the Heavens?

Hear what of the Heavens. For they want not Mercy, where is no misery. On earth aboundeth the misery of man, more aboundeth the mercy of the Lord. With the misery of man the earth is full, and with the Mercy of the Lord

Chapter 588

5. See now, my Brethren, the works of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

are the same. For it ought not to be negligently passed over, by reason of certain unrighteous discerners, and troublesome confounders. For out of both cometh evil. They confound, by ill discerning, the creature with the

Chapter 589

6. Now, my Brethren, excepting those superior Heavens, unknown to

us on earth, labouring and seeking after them as we may by human conjectures; excepting then those Heavens, concerning which, how they be one above another, and how many they be, or in what manner they be distinguished,

Chapter 590

7. When then it had been said, The earth is full of the Mercy of the

Lord; as if thou hadst asked, Whence is the earth made full of the Mercy of the Lord? First were the Heavens sent to scatter the Mercy of the Lord over the earth, and that too over the whole earth. For see what is elsewh

Chapter 591

8. And how dared those same Heavens to go with confidence, of

weak men to be made Heavens, except that by the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made firm. Whence could sheep among wolves have such strength, except that by the Breath of His Mouth were all the strength of them. Behol

Chapter 592

9. These things were done. The Apostles were sent; they endured

pressures. Do we now bear as great to hear this Word, as they to sow it? No. Will then, Brethren, our labour be unfruitful? No. I see your thronging together, but ye also see my sweat.* If we suffer, we shall also reign

Chapter 593

10. Because then the salt sea-water, which hath remained, dares not

now to rage against Christians, but grinds to itself a secret murmur, and within the mortal skin roars the confined saltness; see what follows, (ver. 7.) He gathereth the waters of the sea together as into a bottle. Sinc

Chapter 594

11. Let us remember then, Brethren, now at this time, in which the

water of the sea has been gathered as into a bottle, that there is not wanting to God, whence He may bring forth somewhat, wherewith to amend us, when we have need of amendment. For therefore it follows, He layeth up the

Chapter 595

12. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world

stand in awe of Him. Let them not fear another instead of Him. Of -- 348 of 2861 -- Him let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe. Doth a wild beast rage? Fear God. Doth a serpent lie in wait? Fear God. Doth ma

Chapter 596

19. But now have evil kings ceased, they are made good: they too

have believed; the sign of Christ's Cross now bear they in their forehead, a sign more precious than any jewel of a diadem: they who raged, are destroyed. But who hath done this? Haply thou, that thou mayest extol thysel

Chapter 597

14. Ver. 11. The Counsel of the Lord standeth for ever; the Thoughts

of His Heart to all generations. It is a repetition of the same sentence. What before he called, The Counsel, that he calleth afterwards, The Thoughts of His Heart. And whereas above he saith, standeth for ever, so after

Chapter 598

15. But what is this? Blessed is the nation. Who is there that hearing

this, doth not rouse himself? For all love blessedness; and therein are men perverse, that wicked they would be, miserable they would not: and though misery is the inseparable companion of wickedness, they perversely not

Chapter 599

16. Consider now the Heavens and the earth: let not beautiful bodies

so please thee, that by them thou wish to be blessed. In the soul is what thou seekest. For thou wouldest be blessed: enquire thou what is better than thy soul itself. For since there are two things, that is, soul and bo

Chapter 600

17. Ver. 12. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. The Lord our

God! For of whom is He not God? Not surely of all in the same manner. Ours is He more; ours, who live by Him as by our bread. Let Him be our inheritance, our possession. Do we haply speak rashly in making God our possess

Chapter 601

18. Therefore by this shall we be blessed, by possessing God. What

then? Shall we possess Him, and will not He possess us?* Whence then Esaias, Lord, possess us? Therefore He possesseth us, and is possessed, and all for our sakes. For not as He, that we may be blessed in Him, is possess

Chapter 602

19. Ver. 13. The Lord looketh from heaven, He beholdeth all the sons

of men. All in this place so receive as to understand all of that nation who possess that inheritance, or who are that inheritance. For they themselves are God's inheritance. Even all of them hath the Lord looked upon fr

Chapter 603

20. Ver. 14. From His prepared habitation: from that which He hath

prepared for Himself. He looked upon us from the Apostles, He looketh upon us from the preachers of the Truth, He looked upon us from the Angels, whom He sent unto us. All these are His house, all these are His habitatio

Chapter 604

21. Ver. 15. He hath fashioned their hearts singly. By the hand of His

grace; by the hand of His mercy, He hath fashioned hearts, He formed our hearts, He fashioned them singly, giving to us as it were single hearts, which yet destroy not unity. As all our members are formed singly, have th

Chapter 605

22. He understandeth all their works. What is understandeth? Seeth

in secret and inwardly; thou hast in a certain Psalm, Understand my crying.* For there is no such need as of words, that any thing may come to the Ears of God. Seeing in secret is called understanding. He spoke more expr

Chapter 606

23. Ver. 16. A king shall not be saved by much strength. Unto the

Lord must we all, in God are we all. Be God thy hope, be God thy strength, be God thy firmness; thy supplication let Him be, thy praise let Him be, thy end in which thou rest, let Him be; thy succour when thou labourest,

Chapter 607

24. But he hath a horse, large, spirited, strong, swift: can he if any

evil threaten, deliver him quickly out of danger? Let him not be deceived, let him hear what followeth. (Ver. 17.) A horse is a deceitful thing for safety. Understood ye what was said, A horse is a deceitful thing for sa

Chapter 608

25. Ver. 19. To deliver their souls from death. He promiseth eternal

life. What in this our travel? doth He desert us? See what follows: And to keep them alive in famine. The time of famine is now, the time of plenty shall be hereafter. He who in the famine of this corruption deserteth us

Chapter 609

26. But for endurance of travel, while there is famine, and while we

wait by the way to be refreshed, lest we faint; what is imposed upon us? or what ought we to profess? (Ver. 20.) Our soul shall be patient for the Lord. Securely shall it wait for Him mercifully promising, mercifully and

Chapter 610

27. And what when thou hast endured, when thou hast been patient,

when thou hast come even to the end, what shall be given thee? for what reward dost thou endure? why dost thou so long suffer such hardships? (Ver. 21.) For our heart shall rejoice in Him, and we have trusted in His Holy

Chapter 611

28. He hath exhorted to all things, he hath filled us with the joy of

hope, he hath proposed to us what we should love, in what only and by what only we should presume; after this cometh a prayer short and salutary. (Ver. 22.) Let Thy Mercy, O Lord, be upon us. And upon what merit? accordi

Chapter 612

29. Therefore, Brethren, above all things I exhort you to this charity,

not only towards yourselves, but also toward those who are without, whether they be still Pagans, not yet believing in Christ, or divided from us, with us confessing The Head, though severed from The Body. Let us lament

Chapter 613

1. THIS Psalm seems indeed to have nothing obscure or that needs

an expounder in its text; but its title makes us attentive, and requires that we should knock. But as it is here written, that Blessed is the man who trusteth in Him. let us all hope that He will open to us knocking. For

Chapter 614

2. For so is the Title of the Psalm, A Psalm of David, when he

changed his countenance before Abimelech, and he sent him away, and he departed. We seek in the Scriptures, according to the histories which we have written concerning David, when this was done; as when we find the title

Chapter 615

3. Surely, Brethren, ye see the depth of mysteries. If it be not

mysterious that Goliath was slain by a stripling, it is not mysterious that he changed his countenance, and affected, and drummed, and fell down before the doors of the city, and the doors of the gate, and the spittle ra

Chapter 616

4. Attend with me; for all, that I have now said, belongs as it were to

the hand of the knocker; the door is not yet opened. I knocked, when I said these things; ye also knocked, when ye heard these things. Let us still knock by praying, that the Lord may open unto us. We have the interpreta

Chapter 617

5. But there was before, as ye know, the sacrifice of the Jews, after

the order of Aaron, with victims of cattle; and that too was a mystery; not yet was the sacrifice of the Body and Blood of the Lord, which the faithful know, and those who have read the Gospel; which sacrifice is now dif

Chapter 618

6. Therefore was the sacrifice of Aaron taken away, and began the

Sacrifice after the order of Melchizedek. Therefore some one, I know not who, changed his countenance. Who is this some one, I know not who? It should not be said, I know not who, for our Lord Jesus Christ is well known.

Chapter 619

7. Therefore He changed His Countenance before Abimelech. What

is, before Abimelech? Before the kingdom of His Father. What is, before the kingdom of His Father? Before the Jews. And He sent him away, and He departed. Whom did He send away? Even the people of the Jews He sent away,

Chapter 620

8. How then He quitted king Achis, hear now, my Brethren. I said

that Achis is interpreted, How is it? Recollect the Gospel; when our Lord Jesus Christ spoke concerning His Body,* He said, Except a man eat My Flesh, and drink My Blood, he shall have no life in him. For My Flesh is mea

Chapter 621

9. Now must we enquire what that also may be, He affected, and

drummed upon the doors. Not without reason is it said, He fell down at the doors of the gate: not without reason is it said, His spittle ran down upon His beard; these things are not said in vain. With the wages of under

Chapter 622

10. And was carried in His Own Hands: how indeed this could be

done in case of a man, who, Brethren, can understand? For who is carried in 'his own hands?' In the hands of others can a man be carried, in his own hands is no man carried. How this may be understood of David according

Chapter 623

11. What is it that, His spittle ran down over His beard? For in this,

He changed His Countenance before Abimelech, or Achis, and He quitted him, and He departed; those that understood not, He quitted. To whom went He? To the Gentiles. Therefore let us understand, what they could not. The s

Chapter 624

2. I said that it was written in the Book of Kings, that David, when he

fled from Saul, would be hid with a certain king of Gath named Achis; but when his glory had been made known there, lest, through envy, the same king, to whom he had fled, should contrive any thing against him, he feigne

Chapter 625

3. Ver. 1. I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall be ever in

my mouth. So speaketh Christ, so also let a Christian speak; for a Christian is in the Body of Christ; and therefore was Christ made Man, that that Christian might be enabled to be an Angel, who saith, I will bless the L

Chapter 626

4. But who is it that blesseth the Lord at all times, except the humble

in heart. For very humility taught our Lord in His Own Body and Blood: because when He commendeth His Own Body and Blood, He commendeth His Humility, in that which is written in this history, in that seeming madness of D

Chapter 627

5. But wherefore doth man bless the Lord at all times? Because he is

humble. What is it to be humble? To take not praise unto himself. Who would himself be praised, is proud: who is not proud, is humble. Wouldest thou not then be proud? That thou mayest be humble, say what is here written

Chapter 628

6. Now followeth, (ver. 3.) O magnify the Lord with me. Who is this

that exhorteth us, that we should magnify the Lord with him? Whoever, Brethren, is in the body of Christ, ought for this to labour, that the Lord may be magnified with him. For he loveth the Lord, whoever he is. And how

Chapter 629

7. And let us exalt His Name together. What is, let us exalt His Name

together? That is, in one. For many copies so have it, O magnify the Lord with me; and let us exalt His Name in one. Whether it be said, together, or in one, it is the same thing. Therefore bring quickly whom ye can, by

Chapter 630

8. Ver. 4. I sought the Lord, and He heard me. Where heard the

Lord? Within. Where giveth He? Within. There thou prayest, there thou art heard, there thou art blessed. Thou hast prayed, thou art heard, thou art blessed; and he knoweth not who standeth by thee: it is all carried on i

Chapter 631

9. I sought the Lord, and He heard me. Who then are not heard, seek

not the Lord. Attend, Holy Brethren; he said not, I sought gold from the Lord, and He heard me; I sought from the Lord long life, and He heard me; I sought from the Lord this or that, and He heard me. It is -- 379 of 28

Chapter 632

10. I have said who was the exhorter, namely, that lover, who would

not alone embrace what he loveth, and saith, (ver. 5.) Approach unto Him, and be ye lightened. For he saith what he himself proved. For some spiritual person in the Body of Christ, or even our Lord Jesus Christ Himself a

Chapter 633

11. But saith some one, How shall I approach unto Him? With so

great evils, so great sins am I burdened; so great crimes cry out from my conscience; how can I dare to approach unto God? How? If thou humble thyself through penance. But I am ashamed, sayest thou, to do penance. Approa

Chapter 634

12. Now will He speak openly of the same Sacrament, whereby He

was carried in His Own Hands. (Ver. 8.) O taste and see that the Lord is good. Doth not the Psalm now open itself, and shew thee that seeming insanity and constant madness, the same insanity and sober inebriety of that D

Chapter 635

13. Blessed is the man that trusteth in Him. Why needeth this to be

explained at length? Whoever trusteth not in the Lord, is miserable. Who is there that trusteth not in the Lord? He that trusteth in himself. Sometimes, which is even worse, (my Brethren, attend,) sometimes men trust not

Chapter 636

14. Ver. 9. O fear the Lord, all ye His saints, for there is no want to

them that fear Him. For many therefore will not fear God the Lord, lest they suffer hunger. It is said to them, Defraud not; and they say, Whence can I feed myself? No art can be without imposture; no business can be wit

Chapter 637

15. Therefore understand it not so. And how shall I understand it? Of

spiritual goods. But where are they? They are not seen with the eyes, but with the heart. I see not those same goods. He seeth them who loveth. Righteousness I see not. No, for it is not gold, nor is it silver. If it wer

Chapter 638

16. Ver. 11. Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the

fear of the Lord. Ye think, brethren, that I say this: think that David saith it; think that an Apostle saith it; nay think that our Lord Jesus Christ Himself saith it; Come, ye children, hearken unto Me. Let us hearken

Chapter 639

17. Ver. 12. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth to see good

days? He asketh a question. Doth not every one among you answer, -- 385 of 2861 -- I? Is there any man among you that loveth not life, that is, that desireth not life, and loveth not to see good days? Do ye not daily t

Chapter 640

18. Let not a Christian then murmur, let him see whose steps he

followeth: but if he loveth good days, let him hearken unto Him teaching and saying, Come, ye children, hearken unto Me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What wouldest thou? Life and good days. Hear, and do. (Ver.

Chapter 641

19. But what is, Depart from evil? It is little that thou injure none,

murder none, steal not, commit not adultery, do no wrong, speak no false witness; Depart from evil. When thou hast departed, thou sayest, Now I am safe, I have done all, I shall have life, I shall see good days. Not only

Chapter 642

20. Ver. 15. The Eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous: fear not

then; labour; the eyes of the Lord are upon thee. And His Ears are open unto their prayers. What wouldest thou more? If an householder in a great house should not hearken to a servant -- 388 of 2861 -- murmuring, he wo

Chapter 643

21. The Eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His Ears are

open unto their prayers. Haply say the wicked, I securely do evil, because the Eyes of the Lord are not upon me: God attendeth to the righteous, me He seeth not, and whatever I do, I do securely. Immediately added the Ho

Chapter 644

22. Ver. 17. The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them, and

delivered them out of all their troubles. Righteous were the Three Children; out of the furnace cried they unto the Lord, and in His praises their flames cooled. The flame could not approach nor hurt the innocent and rig

Chapter 645

23. Ver. 18. The Lord is nigh unto them that have broken their heart;

and saveth such as be lowly in spirit. God is High: let a Christian be lowly. If he would that the Most High God draw nigh unto him, let him be lowly. A great mystery, Brethren. God is above all: thou raisest thyself, an

Chapter 646

24. Ver. 20. The Lord keepeth all their bones: not one of them shall

be broken: this also, Brethren, let us not receive carnally. Bones are the firm supports of the faithful. For as in flesh our bones give firmness, so in the heart of a Christian it is faith that gives firmness. The patie

Chapter 647

25. Ver. 21. The death of sinners is the worst. Attend, Brethren, for

the sake of those things which I said. Truly Great is the Lord, and His Mercy, truly Great is He Who gave to us to eat His Body, wherein He suffered such great things, and His Blood to drink. How regardeth He them that t

Chapter 648

26. But because there are many kinds of sinners, and not to be a

sinner is difficult, or perhaps in this life impossible, he added immediately, of what kind of sinners the death is worst. And they that hate the righteous one (saith he) shall perish. What righteous one, but Him that ju

Chapter 649

2. Ver. 1. Judge Thou, O Lord, (saith he,) them that hurt me, and

fight Thou against them that fight against me.* "If God be for us, who can be against us?" And whereby doth God this for us? (Ver. 2.) Take hold (saith he) of arms and shield, and rise up to my help. A great spectacle is

Chapter 650

3. Let Him then rise up, for so is He called on, let Him take hold of

His Arms, let Him rise up for our help. Whence He should rise up, is said unto Him also in another place in these very words, Rise up: why sleepest Thou, O Lord?* And when He is said to sleep, we sleep; and when He is sa

Chapter 651

4. Ver. 3. Pour forth the weapon, and stop the way against them that

persecute me. Who are they that persecute thee? Haply thy neighbour, or he whom thou hast offended, or to whom thou hast done wrong, or who would take away what is thine, or against whom thou preachest the truth, or whos

Chapter 652

5. And whence shall these be righteous? Or what say the enemies

who persecute us? Those invisible enemies, what say they? Say they nothing? Most of all is it suggested to the human heart, by the enemies who invisibly fight against it, that God is not our helper; that so seeking other

Chapter 653

6. And what follows? (Ver. 4.) Let them be confounded and put to

shame, that seek after my soul: for to this end they seek after it, to destroy it. For I would that they would seek it for good! for in another Psalm he blameth this in men, that there was none who would seek after his s

Chapter 654

7. There are who say, God the Good, the Great, the Most High, the

Invisible, the Eternal, the Incorruptible, will indeed give unto us eternal life, and that incorruption which He hath promised in the resurrection; but these worldly and temporal things belong to devils, and to those rul

Chapter 655

8. Let them be confounded and put to shame, that seek after my soul.

Look to men.* Pray (saith He) for your enemies. But here it is a prophecy: and those things which are said under the figure of wishing are to be explained in the sense of prophesying. Let this be done, or that be done, i

Chapter 656

9. What of others? For all are not so conquered as to be converted

and believe: many continue in obstinacy, many preserve in heart the spirit of going before, and if they exert it not, yet they labour with it, and finding opportunity bring it forth.* Of such, what followeth? (Ver. 5.) L

Chapter 657

10. But wherefore these so great evils? By what desert? Hear by what

desert. (Ver. 7.) For without cause have they hid for me the corruption of their trap. For Him that is our Head, observe, the Jews -- 402 of 2861 -- did this: they hid the corruption of their trap. For whom hid they th

Chapter 658

11. But yet what is to be done? Without a cause have they hid for me

the corruption of their trap. What meaneth, Without a cause? I have done them no evil, I have hurt them not at all. Vainly have they reviled my soul. What is, Vainly? Speaking falsely, proving nothing. (Ver. 8.) Let a tr

Chapter 659

12. This then for the wicked that would hurt me: what for me? (Ver.

9.) But my soul shall rejoice in the Lord; as in Him from Whom it hath heard, I am thy salvation; as not seeking other riches from without; as not seeking to abound in pleasures and good things of earth; but loving freel

Chapter 660

13. Ver. 10. All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto Thee? Who

can speak any thing worthily of these words? I think them only to be pronounced, not to be expounded. Why seekest thou this or that? What is like unto thy Lord? Him hast thou before thee. All my bones shall say, Lord, wh

Chapter 661

14. All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto Thee? O Body of

Christ, Holy Church, let all thy bones say, Lord, who is like unto Thee? And if the flesh under persecution hath fallen away, let the bones say, Lord, who is like unto Thee?* For of the righteous it is said, The Lord kee

Chapter 662

15. Which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him;

yea, the poor and needy from him that spoileth him. Thus far has the Psalm been read to-day; thus far is it to be handled; lest that come to disgust, which hath been said, while we wish to say other things. Let this then

Chapter 663

2. Let then our Head say, (ver. 11.) False witnesses did rise up, they

laid to My charge things that I knew not. But let us say to our Head, Lord, what knewest Thou not? Didst Thou indeed know not any thing? Didst Thou not know the hearts of them that charged Thee? Didst Thou not foresee th

Chapter 664

3. Ver. 13. But I, when they troubled me, clothed myself with

sackcloth, and humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer shall return into mine own bosom. We are taught indeed, Brethren,* that we belong to the Body of Christ, that we are members of Christ; and we are admonished in

Chapter 665

4. I clothed Myself with sackcloth, and humbled My Soul with

fasting. Again, if we have understood the sackcloth, how understand we the fasting? Wished Christ to eat, when He sought fruit on the tree, and if He had found,* would He have eaten? Wished Christ to drink, when He said

Chapter 666

5. And My prayer shall return into Mine Own Bosom. In the bosom

of this verse is plainly a great depth, and may the Lord grant that it be fathomable by us. For in the 'bosom' a secret is understood. And we ourselves, Brethren, are here well admonished to pray within our own bosom, wh

Chapter 667

6. Ver. 14. As a Neighbour, as our Brother, so I pleased Him: as one

mourning and sorrowful, so I humbled myself. Now looketh He back to His Own Body: let us now look to this. When we rejoice in prayer, when our mind is calmed, not by the world's prosperity, but by the light of Truth: (wh

Chapter 668

7. Ver. 15. And against Me they rejoiced, and gathered themselves

together, against Me only: they rejoicing, I sorrowful.* But we heard just now in the Gospel, Blessed are they that mourn. If they are blessed that mourn, miserable are they that laugh. Against Me they rejoiced, and gath

Chapter 669

8. Ver. 16. They tempted Me, and mocked Me with mocking. That is,

they derided Me, they insulted Me; this of the Head, this of the Body. Consider, Brethren, the glory of the Church which now is; remember its past dishonours, remember how once were Christians every where put to flight,

Chapter 670

9. Ver. 17. Lord, when wilt Thou look on? Rescue My Soul from their

deceits, My Darling from the lions. For to us the time is slow; and in -- 416 of 2861 -- our person is this said, When wilt Thou look on? that is, when shall we see vengeance upon those who insult us?* When shall the J

Chapter 671

10. Lastly, wouldest thou know what is that Darling? Read the words

following: (ver. 18.) I will confess unto Thee, O Lord, in the great Congregation; in a weighty people will I praise Thee. Truly saith He, I will confess unto Thee in the great Congregation; in a weighty people will I pr

Chapter 672

11. Ver. 19. Let not them that are Mine enemies wrongfully rejoice

over Me: for they rejoice over Me because of My chaff. Who hate Me without a cause; that is, whom I never hurt; winking with their eyes: -- 417 of 2861 -- that is, pretending hypocrites, (Ver. 20.) For they spake indee

Chapter 673

12. Ver. 22. This Thou hast seen, O Lord; keep not silence. What is,

keep not silence? Judge Thou. For of judgment is it said in a certain place, I have kept silence;* shall I keep silence for ever? And of the delaying of judgment it is said to the sinner, These things hast thou done,* an

Chapter 674

13. Ver. 23. Arise, Lord, and attend to My judgment. To what

judgment? That Thou art in tribulation; that Thou art tormented with labours and pains? Do not even many wicked men suffer the same? To what judgment? Therefore art Thou righteous, because Thou sufferest these things? No

Chapter 675

15. And let them not rejoice over Me; that is, Mine enemies. (Ver.

25.) Let them not say in their heart, Aha, aha, so would we have it; that is, We have done what we could, we have slain him, we have taken him away. Let them not say: shew them that they have done nothing. Let them not s

Chapter 676

16. What sayest thou now, the Head with the Members? (Ver. 27.)

Let them shout for joy and be glad that favour My righteous cause: who cleave to My Body. Yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, Which hath pleasure in the prosperity of His servant. (Ver. 28.) And My

Chapter 677

2. But doth he who purposeth to sin, say this in public, and not

rather in himself? Why in himself? Because no man seeth him. What then, because man seeth not in the heart, wherein he saith to himself that he will sin, doth not God see therein? God doth see therein. But what followeth

Chapter 678

3. Therefore he meditateth deceits, and then followeth,—(Doth it

haply escape him that God seeth there? The very thing is declared which I was beginning to speak of: it doth escape him, but of his own will, because he wrought against himself, not willing to understand.) (Ver. 2.) For

Chapter 679

4. Ver. 3. The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he would

not understand, that he might do good. Ye see that he attributeth that to the will: for there are men who would understand and cannot, and there are men who would not understand, and therefore understand not. He would no

Chapter 680

5. Ver. 4. He hath meditated iniquity on his bed. What said He, On

his bed? The ungodly hath said in himself, that he will sin: what above he said, in himself, that here he said, On his bed. Our bed is our heart: there we suffer the tossing of an evil conscience; and there we rest when

Chapter 681

6. He hath set himself in every way that is not good. What is, he hath

set himself? He hath sinned perseveringly. Whence also of a certain pious and good man it is said,* He hath not stood in the way of sinners. As this hath not stood, so that hath set himself. But wickedness hath he not ha

Chapter 682

7. Ver. 5. Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens, and Thy truth

reacheth even unto the clouds. I know not what Mercy of Him he meaneth, which is in the heavens. For the Mercy of the Lord is also in the earth. Thou hast it written, The earth is full of the Mercy of the Lord.* Of what

Chapter 683

8. But this man rightly understood what mercy he should pray for

from God. Thy Mercy, O Lord, is in the Heavens; and Thy Truth reacheth even to the clouds. That is, the Mercy which Thou givest to Thy Saints, is Heavenly, not earthly; is Eternal, not temporal. And how couldest Thou dec

Chapter 684

9. Ver. 6. Thy Righteousness is like the mountains of God: Thy

Judgments are a great deep. Who are the mountains of God. Those who are called clouds, the same are also the mountains of God. The great Preachers are the mountains of God. And as when the sun riseth, he first clothes th

Chapter 685

10. Thy Judgments are like the great abyss. The abyss he calleth the

depth of sin, whither every one cometh by despising God;* as in a certain place it is said, God gave them over to their own hearts' lusts, to do the things which are not convenient. Attend, my Beloved. This is a great ma

Chapter 686

11. O Lord, Thou shalt save man and beast, (ver. 7.) as Thy Mercy is

multiplied, O God. Because he said, Thy Mercy is in the Heavens, -- 432 of 2861 -- that it may be known to be also on earth, he said, O Lord, Thou savest man and beast, as Thy Mercy is multiplied, O God. Great is Thy M

Chapter 687

12. Have not men then somewhat reserved with God, which beasts

deserve not, and whereunto beasts arrive not? They have evidently. And where is that which they have. The children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings. Attend, my Beloved, to this most pleasant sentence:

Chapter 688

13. For that people also desired earthly goods; the kingdom of

Jerusalem, the subjection of their enemies, abundance of fruits, their own health, their childrens' health. Such things they desired, and such things they received; under the Law were they kept. They desired from God goo

Chapter 689

14. Ver. 8. They shall be drunken with the fulness of Thy House. He

promiseth us some great thing. He would speak it, and He speaketh it not. Can He not, or do not we receive it? I dare, my Brethren, to say, even of holy tongues and hearts, by which Truth is declared to us, that it can n

Chapter 690

15. With what fountain then wilt thou be overflowed, and whence

runneth such a torrent of His Pleasure? (Ver. 9.) For with Thee, saith he, is the fountain of Life. What is the fountain of Life, but Christ? He came to thee in the flesh, that He might bedew thy thirsty lips: He will sa

Chapter 691

16. Ver. 10. Shew forth Thy Mercy unto them that know Thee; Thy

Righteousness to them that are of a right heart. As I have said, Those are of a right heart, who follow in this life the Will of God. The Will of God is sometimes that thou shouldest be whole, sometimes that thou shoulde

Chapter 692

17. Ver. 11. Let not the foot of pride come against me. But now he

said, The children of men shall put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings: they shall be drunken with the fulness of Thy House. When one hath begun to be plentifully overflowed with that Fountain, let him take heed l

Chapter 693

18. But wherefore so greatly fearest thou this? Because it is said, (ver.

12.) Thereby have fallen all that work iniquity; so that they have come into that abyss, of which it is said, Thy judgments are like the great abyss: so that they have come even to that deep wherein -- 438 of 2861 -- s

Chapter 694

2. Now that in every sort of life that hath any kind of professed

object, not all are found good, not all are reprobates, appears from this, that of certain classes of persons, which we have just now heard set forth in the Gospel by comparisons, it is thus concluded:* One shall be take

Chapter 695

3. But, in truth, this it is that disturbs you who are a Christian; that

you see men of bad lives prospering, and surrounded with abundance of things like these; you see them sound in health, distinguished with proud honours; you see their family unvisited by misfortune; the happiness of thei

Chapter 696

4. What shouldest thou do then? (Ver. 3.) Trust in the Lord. For they

too trust, but not in the Lord. Their hope is perishable. Their hope is short-lived, frail, fleeting, transitory, baseless. Trust thou in the Lord. "Behold," thou sayest, "I do trust; what am I to do?" And do good. Do no

Chapter 697

5. And He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Understand in

their proper signification, the desires of thine heart. Distinguish the desires of thine heart from the desires of thy flesh; distinguish as much as thou canst. It is not without a meaning that it is said in a certain Ps

Chapter 698

7. And He shall bring forth thy judgment as the noon-day. That is to

say, "as the clear light." It was too little to say, as the light. For we call it "light" already, even when it but dawns: we call it light even while the sun is rising. But never is the light brighter than at mid-day. T

Chapter 699

12. Ver. 11. But the meek shall inherit the land. That land is the one

of which we have often spoken, the holy Jerusalem, which is to be released from these her pilgrimages, and to live for ever with God, and on God. Therefore, They shall inherit the land. What shall be their delight? And t

Chapter 700

2. Turn back then to the Psalm. The first part of it hath been already

handled. Then follow these words: (ver. 12.) The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth: (Ver. 13.) But the Lord shall laugh at him. At whom? Surely at the sinner, gnashing upon the other

Chapter 701

3. What? Does the unrighteous man's injustice hurt thee, and not

hurt him? How can it be, that the iniquity, which goes forth by his wrath and his indignation to harm thee, should not lay waste his very self within him, before it comes forth to attack thee? Thy body is oppressed by ad

Chapter 702

4. But the wicked are powerful: they engage in many undertakings,

they have at their command the means to effect their purposes, and activity in executing them; their command is followed by obedience. But shall it be always so? Ver. 17. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken. Now b

Chapter 703

5. But we are bound to wish even for those by whom we are scourged,

that they may be converted, and may themselves be scourged. For it was so that He chastened His faithful servants, Who had once made Saul to be His scourge; and afterwards converted Saul himself. And when the Lord said t

Chapter 704

6. But observe whether that was fulfilled in his case which the Psalm

now speaks of. The Lord strengtheneth the righteous.—Not only so, (saith that same Paul, whilst suffering many evils,) but we glory in tribulations also:* knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experienc

Chapter 705

7. Therefore, the Lord does strengthen the righteous. In what way

does He strengthen them? (Ver. 18.) The Lord knoweth the ways of the spotless ones. When they suffer ills, they are believed to be -- 461 of 2861 -- walking ill ways by those who are ignorant, by those who have not kno

Chapter 706

8. Ver. 18. And their inheritance shall be for ever. This we hold by

faith. Doth the Lord too know it by faith? The Lord knoweth those things with as clear a manifestation, as we cannot speak of even when we shall be made equal to the Angels. For the things that shall be manifest to us, s

Chapter 707

9. Ver. 19. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time. What is meant

by, shall not be ashamed in the evil time. In the day of trouble, in the day of distress, they shall not be ashamed, as he is ashamed whose hope deceives him. Who is the man that is ashamed? He who saith, "I have not fou

Chapter 708

10. But what is the wicked man to do when he begins to suffer

tribulation? Without he hath nothing; all hath been taken from him: in his conscience he finds no comfort, He hath not whither to go forth out of himself, that is full of trouble; he hath not whither to retire within him

Chapter 709

11. Thus a certain person had come over to us from the party of

Donatus, having been accused and excommunicated by those of his own sect, seeking to find here, what he had lost there. But because he could not be received, except in that place in which it was right he should be receiv

Chapter 710

12. Ver. 20. For the wicked shall perish. But the enemies of the Lord,

when they shall begin to glory, and to be lifted up, immediately shall consume away utterly, even as the smoke. Recognise from the comparison itself the thing which he intimates. Smoke, breaking forth from the place wher

Chapter 711

13. Ver. 20. The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again. He

receiveth, and will not repay. What is it he will not repay? Thanksgiving. For what is it that God would have of thee, what doth He require of thee, except that He may do thee good? And how great are the benefits, which

Chapter 712

14. Ver. 22. For such as shall bless Him shall inherit the land, that is,

they shall possess that righteous One: the only One, Who both is truly righteous, and maketh righteous: Who both was poor in this world, and brought great riches to it, wherewith to make those rich whom He found poor. Fo

Chapter 713

15. Ver. 23. Observe what follows: The steps of a good man are

ordered by the Lord; and he delighteth in His way. That man may himself 'delight in the Lord's way,' his steps are ordered by the Lord Himself? For if the Lord did not order the steps of man, so crooked are they naturall

Chapter 714

16. Now that thou art following the way of Christ, promise not thyself

prosperity in the world. He walked through painful paths; but He promised great rewards. Follow thou Him; consider not only the way by which thou art to go, but also the destination at which thou art to arrive. Thou wilt

Chapter 715

17. Ver. 24. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the

Lord upholdeth his hand. See what it is to delight in Christ's way. Should it happen that he suffers some tribulation; some forfeiture of honour, some affliction, some loss, some contumely, or all those other accidents,

Chapter 716

18. So is it also with these children of those men, as ye remember,

and we (the occasion having offered itself) must not omit to mention. For the more anxious we are for their salvation, the more are we bound to dwell upon their inconsistency. Behold! Christ's Body has to endure false wi

Chapter 717

19. And yet he says, "Let the sentence pronounced by our Fathers

against Cæcilian have weight." Why should it have weight? "Because they were Bishops that pronounced it." Let that too then have authority against you, which was pronounced by Maximianus's partizans. For previously, as I

Chapter 718

22. Now here they dare to say, 'But we who passed sentence against

the Maximianists were more numerous than they.' Let your sentence then be valid against Felician, and theirs against Cæcilian will be valid also. When they held a council at Bagai, they condemned Felician among the rest.

Chapter 719

numbers make valid, let the Donatists bow to the Church Universal. I

think nothing can be fairer. 'The Maximianists are few.' 'Aye, but their sentence of condemnation was passed first. A convicted party -- 483 of 2861 -- cannot convict. If you think this, how could you, condemned as you

Chapter 720

23. But you contend with the Maximianists on the score of numbers.

As I said, I am in your favour. Three hundred and ten are more than one hundred, or as many as there were of them, who, on the side of Maximianus, condemned Primianus. And think you that the thousands of Bishops througho

Chapter 721

2. What are we to do then? Let us be seconded by your pious

attention, so that we may discern the purpose of God in these verses of the Psalm, what it is He would have us understand by them. For there is a fear, lest any unstable person, not capable of understanding the Scripture

Chapter 722

3. Whilst therefore he thus thinks, and whilst his limbs are paralyzed

to the power of good works, can we, my brethren, as it were, lift up the sick of the palsy; and, as it were,* 'lay open the roof' of this Scripture, and let him down before the Lord. For you observe that it is obscure. I

Chapter 723

4. For in His body, which is the Church, the Lord Himself hath 'been

young' indeed in the first ages; and, lo! He hath now grown old. You -- 488 of 2861 -- know and acknowledge, and understand, that in this body ye are placed; and ye so believe, that Christ is our Head; that we are the