Augustine of Hippo: "And the words of my mouth shall be pleasing, and the meditation of my heart is always in Your sight." The meditation of my heart is not after the vain glory of pleasing men, for now there is pride no more, but in Your sight always, who regardest a pure conscience. — Exposition on Psalms 19 Cassiodorus: He calls God his helper in good things and his redeemer from evil ones so that no one may attribute to his own merits what he has received through the generosity of heaven. — EXPOSITIONS OF THE Psalms 19:15 Jerome: The third division is one of praise that teaches the impossibility of the Law, and since through transgressing it more sin had appeared in the world, the grace of the gospel has been made complete; nor is anyone able to be freed from the filthiness of his thinking except through the advent of the Holy Spirit. — BRIEF COMMENTARY ON Psalms 19 Theodoret of Cyrus: [The psalm] instructs us first on creation and providence; in the middle, on the Law; and finally, on grace. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 19:9 Augustine of Hippo: "O Lord, my Helper, and my Redeemer." O Lord, my Helper, in my approach to You; for You are my Redeemer, that I might set out unto You: lest any attributing to his own wisdom his conversion to You, or to his own strength his attaining to You, should be rather driven back by You, who resistest the proud; for he is not cleansed from the great offense, nor pleasing in Your sight, who redeemest us that we may be converted, and helpest us that we may attain unto You. — Exposition on Psalms 19 Augustine of Hippo: "The Lord hear Thee in the day of trouble" (ver. 1). 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." — On the Psalms, Psalms 20 Cassiodorus: By saying "in the day of tribulation," he indicates a time of the most severe affliction in which we entreat the Lord with an intense longing. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 20:2 Eusebius of Caesarea: This entire psalm voices a prayer as spoken by holy people to the person of Christ. For since for our sakes and on our behalf he received insult when he became man, we are taught to join our prayers with his as he prays and supplicates the Father on our behalf, as one who repels both visible and invisible attacks against us. — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4:16.5 Augustine of Hippo: "Send You help from the Holy, and from Sion defend You" [Psalms 20:2]. Making for You a sanctified Body, the Church, from watching safe, which waits when You shall come from the wedding. — Exposition on Psalms 20 Augustine of Hippo: "Be mindful of all Your sacrifice" [Psalms 20:3]. Make us mindful of all Your injuries and despiteful treatment, which You have borne for us. "And be Your whole burnt offering made fat." And turn the cross, whereon You were wholly offered up to God, into the joy of the resurrection. — Exposition on Psalms 20 Augustine of Hippo: "Diapsalma." The Lord render to Thee according to Thine Heart" (ver. 4). 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 counsel." "And fulfil all Thy counsel," not only that whereby Thou didst lay down Thy life for Thy friends, that the corrupted grain might rise again to more abundance; but that also whereby "blindness in part hath happened unto Israel, that the fulness of the Gentiles might enter in, and so an Israel might be saved." — Exposition on Psalms 20 Augustine of Hippo: "We will exult in Your salvation" [Psalms 20:5]. We will exult in that death will in no wise hurt You; for so You will also show that it cannot hurt us either. "And in the name of the Lord our God will we be magnified." And the confession of Your name shall not only not destroy us, but shall even magnify us. — Exposition on Psalms 20 Evagrius Ponticus: People rejoice in riches, or in glory or in nobility of birth, but the righteous in the salvation of God. — NOTES ON THE PSALMS Augustine of Hippo: "The Lord fulfil all Your petitions." The Lord fulfil not only the petitions which You made on earth, but those also whereby Thou intercedest for us in heaven. "Now have I known that the Lord has saved his Christ" [Psalms 20:6]. Now has it been shown to me in prophecy, that the Lord will raise up His Christ again. "He will hear Him from His holy heaven." He will hear Him not from earth only, where He prayed to be glorified; [John 17:1] but from heaven also, where interceding for us at the Right Hand of the Father, [Hebrews 7:25] He has from thence shed abroad the Holy Spirit on them that believe in Him. "In strength is the safety of His right hand." Our strength is in the safety of His favour, when even out of tribulation He gives help, that "when we are weak, then we may be strong." [2 Corinthians 12:10] "For vain is" that "safety of man," which comes not of His right hand but of His left: for thereby are they lifted up to great pride, whosoever in their sins have secured a temporal safety. — Exposition on Psalms 20 Augustine of Hippo: Sometimes people run off to a mountain to pray, as though God will be able to hear them better from there. Do you want to make contact with God in your prayer? Humble yourself. But again, just because I have said, "Do you want to make contact with God? Humble yourself," do not take it literally and materialistically and go off down to underground vaults and there start beseeching God. Do not go seeking either caverns or mountains. Have lowliness in your heart, and God will give you all the high altitude you want. He will come to you and be with you in your bedroom. — SERMON 45:7 Cassiodorus: The salvation which he established is recognized as our power when it is neither diminished by diseases nor injured by pains. Such a salvation makes us powerful, since it protects us within its eternal existence. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 20:6-7 Augustine of Hippo: "Some in chariots, and some in horses" [Psalms 20:7]. Some are drawn away by the ever moving succession of temporal goods; and some are preferred to proud honours, and in them exult: "But we will exult in the name of the Lord our God." But we, fixing our hope on things eternal, and not seeking our own glory, will exult in the name of the Lord our God. — Exposition on Psalms 20 Cassiodorus: Among the ancients there were two types of triumphs: a greater one having to do with chariots, which was called a laureled triumph; the other, a lesser triumph, was called an ovation. But leaving such things to worldly people, he affirms that he has been exalted in the name of the Lord. For chariot and horse do not exalt, though they seem to glorify people with honors in this world. But it is the Lord's name which leads to eternal rewards. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 20:8 Theodoret of Cyrus: They trusted in horses and chariots, he is saying, and enjoyed no benefit from them but were caught up in unseen entanglements and collapsed. We, by contrast, invoked divine assistance, and won salvation in visible manner and emerged superior to the adversaries. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 20:4 Arnobius the Younger: We will rise upright as others are collapsing, because our King is saved, and arising from the dead he ascends into the heavens, and as he sits on the right hand of God the Father he hears us in the day we call him. To him be glory forever. Amen. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 20 Augustine of Hippo: "They have been bound, and fallen" [Psalms 20:8]. And therefore were they bound by the lust of temporal things, fearing to spare the Lord, lest they should lose their place by "the Romans:" [John 11:48] and rushing violently on the stone of offense and rock of stumbling, they fell from the heavenly hope: to whom the blindness in part of Israel has happened, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and wishing to establish their own. "But we are risen, and stand upright." But we, that the Gentile people might enter in, out of the stones raised up as children to Abraham, [Matthew 3:9] who followed not after righteousness, have attained to it, and are risen; [Romans 9:30] and not by our own strength, but being justified by faith, we stand upright. — Exposition on Psalms 20 Cassiodorus: Those who trust in human honors have been snared by their own perverse desires and have fallen into the pit of death. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 20:9 Cassiodorus: A Christian is said to rise in two senses; first, when he is freed by grace from the death of vices in this life and he continues in God's grace of justification.… Second, there is also the general resurrection at which the just will receive their eternal rewards. In this passage it is clear that both senses of resurrection are appropriate. For this reason, when he adds "we have been raised," it is because in any sort of resurrection the faithful arise from their humble status and are elevated to divine rewards. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 20:9 Eusebius of Caesarea: They say these things will happen in the time of the advent of that Savior. Then all the powers of the adversaries and those hidden and secret enemies of God who have turned their backs on the Savior will be laid low. All who receive that Savior will rise from the first fall. Therefore, Simeon says, "Behold, this child is destined to cause the rising and falling of many," namely, the ruin of his enemies and adversaries and the resurrection of those who, having fallen once, have been rescued by him. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 20:8-10 Augustine of Hippo: "O Lord, save the King:" that He, who in His Passion hath shown us an example of conflict, should also offer up our sacrifices, the Priest raised from the dead, and established in heaven. "And hear us in the day when we shall call on Thee" (ver. 9). And as He now offereth for us, "hear us in the day when we shall call on Thee." — Exposition on Psalms 20 Augustine of Hippo: "O Lord, the King shall rejoice in Your strength" [Psalms 21:1]. O Lord, in Your strength, whereby the Word was made flesh, the Man Christ Jesus shall rejoice. "And shall exult exceedingly in Your salvation." And in that, whereby Thou quickenest all things, shall exult exceedingly. — Exposition on Psalms 21 Cassiodorus: Our belief that there are two natures in Christ the Lord, one divine and one human, is a matter of salvation. These two natures endure without change in one person for ever. This statement of faith bears frequent repetition, because, when it is frequently heard and believed, it brings life. In the initial narrative of this psalm, the words of the prophet are directed toward God the Father concerning the Lord's incarnation. The second part describes his diverse virtues and glory, describing his life from the point at which he suffered until he attained the height and peak of all things by the Father's gracious gift. In the third, the same prophet turns to the Lord Christ, and here in the manner of those who make wishes, he asks that what he knows is to come will be done at the judgment. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 21:1 Eusebius of Caesarea: I think that these words had been prophesied by those who had spoken long before David. Since David had learned from the lofty oracles that those words were looking not only at the strength of his own salvation but also that which was going to come forth from his seed, concerning which he said he would rejoice and praise with enthusiasm. Having been assured of those things and the enemies having been thoroughly subjugated with mighty power, to you, God, the author of the victory, he grants the prize of his victory. And he rejoices and praises as he is snatched from the snares of the enemies, nor does he rejoice so much in his own deliverance as in that salvation sent from you. As he seeks your deliverance with lofty vows from his own lips, he will entreat you often for the advent of his deliverance; his prayer frequently uttered, he never fails in hope, nor will his request be in vain. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 21:2 Pseudo-Athanasius: Friends of David also delivered this psalm, as if he were now pleased for the salvation that was born from his seed for the world; this was a glorious crown for him, and length of days and glory and magnificence, and delight and joy and hope and unshakeable grace. — EXPOSITION ON Psalms 21 Augustine of Hippo: "You have given Him the desire of His soul" [Psalms 21:2]. He desired to eat the Passover, [Luke 22:15] and to lay down His life when He would, and again when He would to take it; and You have given it to Him. [John 10:18] "And hast not deprived Him of the good pleasure of His lips." "My peace," says He, "I leave with you:" [John 14:27] and it was done. — Exposition on Psalms 21 Eusebius of Caesarea: Having prophesied the promises made earlier to David, he then explains the reason why these things are going to happen. For what is that reason unless hope in God in which the one who has received mercy does not falter and in that very hope granted by God most high he does not waver from a firm and steady foundation? — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 21:3-7 Augustine of Hippo: "For You have presented Him with the blessings of sweetness" [Psalms 21:3]. Because He had first quaffed the blessing of Your sweetness, the gall of our sins did not hurt Him. " Diapsalma. You have set a crown of precious stone on His Head." At the beginning of His discoursing precious stones were brought, and compassed Him about; His disciples, from whom the commencement of His preaching should be made. — Exposition on Psalms 21 Augustine of Hippo: May God by all means turn away this folly of making ourselves first in His gifts, Himself last,—because "His mercy shall prevent me." And it is He to whom is faithfully and truthfully sung, "For Thou hast prevented him with the blessings of sweetness." And what is here more fitly understood than that very desire of good of which we are speaking? For good begins then to be longed for when it has begun to grow sweet. But when good is done by the fear of penalty, not by the love of righteousness good is not yet well done. Nor is that done in the heart which seems to be done in the act when a man would rather not do it if he could evade it with impunity. Therefore the "blessing of sweetness" is God's grace, by which is caused in us that what He prescribes to us delights us, and we desire it,—that is, we love it; in which if God does not precede us, not only is it not perfected, but it is not even begun, from us. For, if without Him we are able to do nothing actually, we are able neither to begin nor to perfect,—because to begin, it is said "His mercy shall prevent me;" to finish, it is said, "His mercy shall follow me." — AGAINST TWO LETTERS OF THE PELAGIANS 2:21 Cassiodorus: He indicates that humanity is ever adorned with the anticipatory grace of the Godhead, because no one offers anything to God first unless what is good is granted by a heavenly gift. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 21:4 Evagrius Ponticus: Christ is the crown of the rational nature. — NOTES ON THE PSALMS Jerome: The crown of the Lord is the church gathered from the various nations, about which Paul in the person of the believers says, "My joy and my crown." — BRIEF COMMENTARY ON Psalms 21 Arnobius the Younger: He sought life; he lived as a man. Having been limited in life, in death he received length of days not just to old age but to eternity. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 21 Augustine of Hippo: "He asked life; and You gave Him:" He asked a resurrection, saying, "Father, glorify Your Son;" [John 17:1] and You gave it Him, "Length of days for ever and ever" [Psalms 21:4]. The prolonged ages of this world which the Church was to have, and after them an eternity, world without end. — Exposition on Psalms 21 Irenaeus: "He asked life of Thee, and Thou gavest him length of days for ever and ever;" indicating that it is the Father of all who imparts continuance for ever and ever on those who are saved. For life does not arise from us, nor from our own nature; but it is bestowed according to the grace of God. And therefore he who shall preserve the life bestowed upon him, and give thanks to Him who imparted it, shall receive also length of days for ever and ever. But he who shall reject it, and prove himself ungrateful to his Maker, inasmuch as he has been created, and has not recognised Him who bestowed [the gift upon him], deprives himself of [the privilege of] continuance for ever and ever. — AGAINST HERESIES 2:34.3 Arnobius the Younger: Great is his glory. In what way is it great? Not in the assumption of deity but in the salvation of humanity. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 21 Augustine of Hippo: "His glory is great in Your salvation" [Psalms 21:5]. Great indeed is His glory in the salvation, whereby You have raised Him up again. "Glory and great honour shall Thou lay upon Him." But You shall yet add unto Him glory and great honour, when You shall place Him in heaven at Your right hand. — Exposition on Psalms 21 Augustine of Hippo: "For You shall give Him blessing for ever and ever." This is the blessing which You shall give Him for ever and ever: "You shall make Him glad in joy together with Your countenance" [Psalms 21:6]. According to His manhood, You shall make Him glad together with Your countenance, which He lifted up to You. — Exposition on Psalms 21 Arnobius the Younger: For that reason you placed glory and great honor on him, and you gave him eternal blessing, because he hoped in the Lord and in his mercy he was not deeply disturbed. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 21 Augustine of Hippo: "For the King hopes in the Lord." For the King is not proud, but humble in heart, he hopes in the Lord. "And in the mercy of the Most Highest He shall not be moved" [Psalms 21:7]. And in the mercy of the Most Highest His obedience even unto the death of the Cross shall not disturb His humility. — Exposition on Psalms 21 Arnobius the Younger: From the place [of exaltation] the Father says to his Son, "Let your hand be found by all your enemies; let your right, which received the nails on the cross, find those who hated you; discard them as earthen vessels in a fire in the time of your appearance. Then in your wrath you will throw them into disorder, and the fire will devour them." — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 21 Augustine of Hippo: "Let Your hand be found by all Your enemies." Be Your power, O King, when You come to judgment, found by all Your enemies; who in Your humiliation discerned it not. "Let Your right hand find out all that hate You" [Psalms 21:8]. Let the glory, wherein Thou reign at the right hand of the Father, find out for punishment in the day of judgment all that hate You; for that now they have not found it. — Exposition on Psalms 21 Cassiodorus: They are only called enemies as long as they are led astray by the devil's enticements. But when they return to Christ the Lord, they are called servants, children and friends. — EXPLANATIONS OF THE Psalms 21:9 Augustine of Hippo: "You shall make them like a fiery oven:" You shall make them on fire within, by the consciousness of their ungodliness: "In the time of Your countenance:" in the time of Your manifestation. "The Lord shall trouble them in His wrath, and the fire shall devour them" [Psalms 21:9]. And then, being troubled by the vengeance of the Lord, after the accusation of their conscience, they shall be given up to eternal fire, to be devoured. — Exposition on Psalms 21 Cassiodorus: An oven is a round structure made of bronze for baking bread.… Sinners are rightly compared with it, since at the coming judgment they will be tormented both with mental grief and with punitive pain, because with a stubborn mind they have lived in opposition to the Lord's laws. The time of the Lord's anger is the day of judgment when the Son of Man will be seen by all, but only the righteous will look on him also through the contemplation of his divinity.… Earlier, in praise for the Lord Christ, the psalmist described the honor and glory of Christ through the diverse character of his graces. Now … he says that his enemies will be afflicted with various punishments so that they might be rendered as disgusting as he is marvelous.… They will be sentenced to be devoured by undying flames. No delay accompanies the Lord's command, but as soon as he determines it, it is completed. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 21:10 Augustine of Hippo: "Their fruit shall You destroy out of the earth." Their fruit, because it is earthly, shall You destroy out of the earth. "And their seed from the sons of men" [Psalms 21:10]. And their works; or, whomsoever they have seduced, You shall not reckon among the sons of men, whom You have called into the everlasting inheritance. — Exposition on Psalms 21 Eusebius of Caesarea: But the seed of the godless and the fruit of the wicked are their words, teachings and unrighteous writings, which they have disseminated through people after they are forgotten. God, being good, scatters each one and destroys them from the midst so that neither the fruit nor the seed of the wicked remains. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 21:11 Augustine of Hippo: "Because they turned evils against You." Now this punishment shall be recompensed to them, because the evils which they supposed to hang over them by Your reign, they turned against You to Your death. "They imagined a device, which they were not able to establish" [Psalms 21:11]. They imagined a device, saying, "It is expedient that one die for all:" [John 11:50] which they were not able to establish, not knowing what they said. — Exposition on Psalms 21 Cassiodorus: To divert evils that loom over some people, we mean to push them aside to another place where there is no iniquity to punish. This is exactly what happened with the suffering of the Lord. For when the Jews believed that Roman power would be a threat to them if they had accepted the Lord Savior as King, it seemed right to them to divert those evils upon him which they believed would befall them when the Romans took up the role of avengers. "They came up with a plan" saying, "It is expedient that one man die for all." "But this they were not able to establish," that is, to complete according to their vow. For without knowing it, they spoke the truth. It was necessary that one should die for all. The truth was indeed uttered, but with an evil vow. Therefore they will suffer punishment for such a deed, because they did not have a pure conscience. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 21:12 Ambrose of Milan: "Turned away" [is] an expression properly applied to the sinner, for "Cain went out from the face of the Lord," and the psalmist says, "You will make them turn their back." One who is righteous does not turn away from the Lord but runs to meet him and says, "My eyes are ever toward the Lord." And when the Lord said, "Whom shall I send?" Isaiah offered himself of his own accord and said, "Behold, here I am." — On Joseph the Patriarch, Chapter 3 Augustine of Hippo: "For You shall set them low." For You shall rank them among those from whom in degradation and contempt You will turn away. "In Your leavings You shall make ready their countenance" [Psalms 21:12]. And in these things that Thou leavest, that is, in the desires of an earthly kingdom, You shall make ready their shamelessness for Your passion. — Exposition on Psalms 21 Augustine of Hippo: "Be Thou exalted, O Lord, in Your strength" [Psalms 21:13]. Be Thou, Lord, whom in humiliation they did not discern, exalted in Your strength, which they thought weakness. "We will sing and praise Your power." In heart and in deed we will celebrate and make known Your marvels. — Exposition on Psalms 21 Cassiodorus: To sing means to proclaim the words of the Lord with the mouth. To make music on the harp means to fulfill the divine commands faithfully through good works. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 21:14 Diodorus of Tarsus: Exalted though you are, then, you are shown to be more exalted through your power and in outdoing all the arrogant, as by inflicting the blow on them from on high. For this reason we shall not cease singing your praises always. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 21 Theodoret of Cyrus: Not for being lowly is God exalted, nor does he receive what he does not possess; instead, what he possesses he reveals … your exaltation is revealed in your ineffable power, which we shall continue to celebrate and sing, recounting your marvelous works. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 21:8 Ambrose of Milan: Seeing, then, that he took on himself a soul he also took the affections of a soul, for God could not have been distressed or have died in respect of his being God.… As being man, therefore, he speaks, bearing with him my terrors, for when we are in the midst of dangers we think ourself abandoned by God. As man, therefore, he is distressed, as man he weeps, as man he is crucified. — Exposition of the Christian Faith 2.7.56 Augustine of Hippo: "O God, my God, look upon me, why have You forsaken me far from my salvation?" [Psalms 22:1]. Far removed from my salvation: for "salvation is far from sinners." "The words of my sins." For these are not the words of righteousness, but of my sins. For it is the old man nailed to the Cross that speaks, ignorant even of the reason why God has forsaken him: or else it may be thus, The words of my sins are far from my salvation. — Exposition on Psalms 22 Cosmas Indicopleustes: Is that psalm then speaking of him where it says: Far from my safety, the words of my transgressions? No—that is out of harmony and at variance with divine scripture, and to cite such a passage as referring to Christ would be clear madness. — The Christian Topography, Book 5 Cyril of Alexandria: We confess that he, the Son begotten of God the Father and only-begotten God, though being incapable of suffering according to his own nature, suffered in his own flesh for our sake, according to the Scriptures. And he made his own the sufferings of his own flesh in his crucified body impassibly, for by the grace of God and for the sake of all he tasted death by having surrendered to it his own body although by nature he was life and was himself the resurrection. In order that by his ineffable power, after having trampled on death in his own flesh first, he might become "the firstborn from the dead" and "the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep" and in order that he might prepare the way for the rise to immortality for the nature of people, by the grace of God, as we said just now, for the sake of all he tasted death, but on the third day he came back to life after despoiling hell. — LETTER 17:11 Eusebius of Caesarea: It is to impel us to ask why the Father forsook him, that he says, "Why have you forsaken me?" The answer is, to ransom the whole human race, buying them with him precious blood from their former slavery to their invisible tyrants, the unclean demons and the rulers and spirits of evil. And the Father forsook him for another reason, namely, that the love of Christ himself for people might be set forth. For no one had power over his life, but he gave it willingly for people, as he teaches us himself in the words, "No one takes my life from me: I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again." — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 10:8.495-96 Gregory of Nazianzus: It was not he who was forsaken, either by the Father or by his own Godhead, as some have thought, as if it were afraid of the passion and therefore withdrew itself from him in his sufferings (for who compelled him either to be born on earth at all or to be lifted up on the cross?). But … he was in his own person representing us. For we were the forsaken and the despised, but now by the sufferings of him who could not suffer, we have been taken up and saved. Similarly, he makes his own our folly and our transgressions and says what follows in the psalm, for it is very evident that the twenty-second refers to Christ. — ON THE SON, THEOLOGICAL ORATION 4(30).5 Origen of Alexandria: Now about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying: Eli, Eli, lama sabacthani? that is: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? But those who were standing there and heard it said that this man is calling Elijah (27, 46. 47). It must be inquired, in a manner worthy of the Lord, what that great voice of Christ was—whether great by reason of things signifying great mysteries, or great by the sensible and bodily hearing of a great voice. But I think that every voice of Christ, the Son of God, is great, even if it be soft; and Scripture bears witness to this very thing especially in those places in which it wishes to raise up the hearer, so that he may pass beyond that which many are able to understand in such passages, and may not remain in it (although according to the simple understanding it may have in it some truth), so that he may be able to understand something in a manner worthy on account of the great voice of the Lord. Since, therefore, by these words he shows that there is something hidden and great, when he cries out to God, saying, why hast thou forsaken me, therefore it must be inquired what it is that was forsaken by God. Christ; for it is not permissible to believe that he lies when he says: why have you forsaken me. And some, out of a religious coloring on Jesus' behalf, and because they cannot explain what it means for Christ to be forsaken by God, suppose and say: it is indeed true what was said, yet it was said out of humility. But we, seeing him who had been established "in the form of God" descending from a greatness of this kind and emptying himself through this, that he "took on the form of a servant", and seeing in these things the will of him who sent him to such conditions, understand that, as regards those things in which there had been the form of the invisible God and the image according to the Father, he was forsaken by the Father when he "took on the form of a servant", and he was forsaken for the sake of men, so that he might take on such and so great things, so that he might come "even unto death", "and the death of the cross", which among men is seen to be the most shameful. For the extremity of his being forsaken came about when they crucified him and placed above his head, as if mocking him, letters saying: "this is Jesus the king of the Jews". And that too was an extremity of his being forsaken, that he was crucified among robbers, and that "those passing by blasphemed him, wagging their heads over him", and that the chief men with the scribes were saying: "he saved others, himself he cannot save", and still further that too, that "even the robbers reproached him" on the cross. Therefore you will be able clearly to understand what it is that he says: why hast thou forsaken me? — making a comparison of that glory which he had with the Father to the confusion which, despising it, he endured on the cross. For his throne was "as the sun in the sight of God, and as the perfect moon for ever; and his witness in heaven was faithful". But afterward, for those on whose behalf he says: why hast thou forsaken me, he added further, saying: "but thou hast repelled and brought to nothing, and hast put off thy Christ, thou hast overthrown the covenant of thy servant, thou hast profaned his holiness upon the earth", and the rest. And so long as there was light from the sun, even while enduring such great and such grievous things He did not say Why hast Thou forsaken Me?; but after He saw that darkness had come "over all the land of Judaea until the ninth hour," He said with His great voice Why hast Thou forsaken Me, wishing to show by these words this: that Thou hast forsaken Me willingly, Father, and hast delivered Me up, emptied out, to such calamities, in order that the people who had been held in honor with Thee might receive what it dared to do against Me — filling up the "measure of its fathers," and the things it did against the prophets — so that it might be deprived of the light of Thy watchful care and be brought into darkness, as though Thou, O God, wert now in no way present with them. But also for the salvation of the Gentiles Thou hast forsaken Me, that by the "trespass" of Israel there might come "the salvation of the Gentiles." Yet what so good a thing did those who believed from among the Gentiles do, that with My "precious blood" poured out upon the earth for them I should purchase them from the evil one who had held them fast? And why hast Thou "turned away Thy face, and I have become troubled," so that I say: "My soul is sorrowful even unto death"? Or what such worthy thing are those men going to do, for whom I suffer these things, that I should suffer these things for them? — even as the prophet also foretold beforehand concerning this very thing, as though crying out to Thee and saying: "What profit," Father, has been made to men "in My blood, while I go down into corruption? Shall the dust confess to Thee, or shall it declare Thy truth?" But perhaps also, seeing the sins of the men for whom He was suffering, He said: Why hast Thou forsaken Me, that I should become "like one who gathers stubble in the harvest, and like one who gleans grapes in the vintage, when there is no cluster to eat of the first-fruits?" And these things I say, "because the God-fearing man has perished from the earth, and there is none who sets right among men." Wherefore do not suppose that the Savior said these things after the manner of men, because of the calamity that had laid hold of Him upon the cross. For if thou takest it so, thou wilt not be one who hears the great voice in which He spoke these things, nor wilt thou seek things worthy of a divine voice. Therefore "the darkness indeed was made from the sixth hour over the whole earth until the ninth"; but before the ninth hour was ended, the Lord cried out about it with a loud voice, saying the things that are written, as if demanding that the sun of the earth should rise, dissolving in her the darkness of the three hours according to what we have set forth above. — COMMENTARY ON Matthew 135 Theodoret of Cyrus: Just as the one who was a fount of righteousness assumed our sin, and the one who was an ocean of blessing accepted a curse lying on us and scorning shame endured a cross, so too he uttered the words on our behalf. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 22:3 Augustine of Hippo: My God, I will cry unto You in the daytime, and You will not hear [Psalms 22:2]. My God, I will cry unto You in the prosperous circumstances of this life, that they be not changed; and You will not hear, because I shall cry unto You in the words of my sins. "And in the night-season, and not to my folly." And so in the adversities of this life will I cry to You for prosperity; and in like manner You will not hear. And this You do not to my folly, but rather that I may have wisdom to know what You would have me cry for, not with the words of sins out of longing for life temporal, but with the words of turning to You for life eternal. — Exposition on Psalms 22 Eusebius of Caesarea: He is surely showing his surprise here that the Father does not hear him; he regards it as something strange and unusual. But the Father reserved his hearing until the fit time that he should be heard. That time was the hour of dawn, of the resurrection from the dead, when to him it could be more justly said than to any, "In a time accepted I heard you, and in a day of salvation I succored you. Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 10:8.496 Augustine of Hippo: "But You dwell in the holy place, O Thou praise of Israel" [Psalms 22:3]. But You dwell in the holy place, and therefore will not hear the unclean words of sins. The "praise" of him that sees You; not of him who has sought his own praise in tasting of the forbidden fruit, that on the opening of his bodily eyes he should endeavour to hide himself from Your sight. — Exposition on Psalms 22 Augustine of Hippo: "Our Fathers hoped in You." All the righteous, namely, who sought not their own praise, but Yours. "They hoped in You, and You delivered them" [Psalms 22:4]. — Exposition on Psalms 22 Augustine of Hippo: "They cried unto You, and were saved." They cried unto You, not in the words of sins, from which salvation is far; and therefore were they saved. "They hoped in You, and were not confounded" [Psalms 22:5]. "They hoped in You," and their hope did not deceive them. For they placed it not in themselves. — Exposition on Psalms 22 Ambrose of Milan: He became all these things so that he might dull the sting of our death, that he might take away our state of slavery, that he might wipe away our curses, sins and reproaches. — Letter 46: To Sabinus Augustine of Hippo: "But I am a worm, and no man" [Psalms 22:6]. But I, speaking now not in the person of Adam, but I in My own person, Jesus Christ, was born without human generation in the flesh, that I might be as man beyond men; that so at least human pride might deign to imitate My humility. "The scorn of men, and outcast of the people." In which humility I was made the scorn of men, so as that it should be said, as a reproachful railing, "Be His disciple:" [John 9:28] and that the people despise Me. — Exposition on Psalms 22 Augustine of Hippo: Understand your God. That is what he is, this one so great and so small, "a worm and no man," and yet through him humankind was made. — SERMON 380:2 Clement of Rome: For Christ is of those who are humble-minded, and not of those who exalt themselves over His flock. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Sceptre of the majesty of God, did not come in the pomp of pride or arrogance, although He might have done so, but in a lowly condition, as the Holy Spirit had declared regarding Him. For He says, "Lord, who has believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? We have declared [our message] in His presence: He is, as it were, a child, and like a root in thirsty ground; He has no form nor glory, yea, we saw Him, and He had no form nor comeliness; but His form was without eminence, yea, deficient in comparison with the [ordinary] form of men. He is a man exposed to stripes and suffering, and acquainted with the endurance of grief: for His countenance was turned away; He was despised, and not esteemed. He bears our iniquities, and is in sorrow for our sakes; yet we supposed that [on His own account] He was exposed to labour, and stripes, and affliction. But He was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we were healed. All we, like sheep, have gone astray; [every] man has wandered in his own way; and the Lord has delivered Him up for our sins, while He in the midst of His sufferings opens not His mouth. He was brought as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before her shearer is dumb, so He opens not His mouth. In His humiliation His judgment was taken away; who shall declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth. For the transgressions of my people was He brought down to death. And I will give the wicked for His sepulchre, and the rich for His death, because He did no iniquity, neither was guile found in His mouth. And the Lord is pleased to purify him by stripes. If you make an offering for sin, your soul shall see a long-lived seed. And the Lord is pleased to relieve Him of the affliction of His soul, to show Him light, and to form Him with understanding, to justify the Just One who ministers well to many; and He Himself shall carry their sins. On this account He shall inherit many, and shall divide the spoil of the strong; because His soul was delivered to death, and He was reckoned among the transgressors, and He bare the sins of many, and for their sins was He delivered." [Isaiah 53:1-12] And again He says, "I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All that see me have derided me; they have spoken with their lips; they have wagged their head, [saying] He hoped in God, let Him deliver Him, let Him save Him, since He delights in Him." [Psalms 22:6-8] You see, beloved, what is the example which has been given us; for if the Lord thus humbled Himself, what shall we do who have through Him come under the yoke of His grace? — Clement's First Letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 16 Ephrem the Syrian: By the word worm did the Spirit foreshow him in a parable, because his generation was without marriage. — HYMNS ON THE NATIVITY 1 Eusebius of Caesarea: Wonder not if this was said of and fulfilled by the passion of the Savior, for even now he is a reproach among all people who have not yet received faith in him! — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 10:8.499 Origen of Alexandria: Whence the Savior himself speaks: "but I am a worm and not a man, the reproach of men and the outcast of the people". He saw in his mother's womb the uncleanness of bodies; walled about on this side and that by her inward parts, he endured the confinements of earthly dregs; whence he likens himself to a worm and says: "I am a worm and not a man". For man is wont to be born of male and female, but I was born not of male and female, according to the rite and nature of men, but after the pattern of the "worm", whose seed is not from elsewhere, but whose origin is in the very bodies, and from the very bodies, in which it grows together. — HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF Luke 14 Theodoret of Cyrus: I am like a worm, he is saying, seen to be worthless and become a laughingstock. Now, some claimed that by "worm" is suggested also the birth from a virgin, as it is not by intercourse that it comes into existence; but I believe only lowliness is indicated here. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 22:6 Augustine of Hippo: "All that saw Me laughed Me to scorn" [Psalms 22:7]. All that saw Me derided Me. "And spoke with the lips, and shook the head." [Matthew 27:39] And they spoke, not with the heart, but with the lips. — Exposition on Psalms 22 Cyril of Alexandria: Just as we say that the flesh became [the Word's] very own, in the same way the weakness of that flesh became his very own in an economic appropriation according to the terms of the unification. So, he is "made like his brothers in all things except sin alone." Do not be astonished if we say that he has made the weakness of the flesh his own along with the flesh itself. He even attributed to himself those external outrages that came on him from the roughness of the Jews, saying through the voice of the psalmist: "They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothes," and again: "All those who saw me sneered at me, they wagged their tongues, they shook their heads." — ON THE UNITY OF CHRIST Augustine of Hippo: For they shook their head in derision, saying, "He trusted in the Lord let Him deliver Him: let Him save Him, since He desireth Him" (ver. 8). These were their words; but they were spoken "with the lips." — Exposition on Psalms 22 Cassiodorus: These words are in fact specifically found in the Gospel, for when Christ was hanging on the cross, the Jews were saying: "He hoped in the Lord: let him deliver him now, if he wants him." O heavenly wholeness! Do we not here seem to be going through the Gospel rather than a psalm, since these things have been fulfilled with such accuracy that they seem to have been enacted rather than about to take place. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 22:9 Augustine of Hippo: "Since You are He who drew Me out of the womb" [Psalms 22:9]. Since You are He who drew Me, not only out of that Virgin womb (for this is the law of all men's birth, that they be drawn out of the womb), but also out of the womb of the Jewish nation; by the darkness whereof he is covered, and not yet born into the light of Christ, whosoever places his salvation in the carnal observance of the Sabbath, and of circumcision, and the like. "My hope from My mother's breasts." "My hope," O God, not from the time when I began to be fed by the milk of the Virgin's breasts; for it was even before; but from the breasts of the Synagogue, as I have said, out of the womb, You have drawn Me, that I should not suck in the customs of the flesh. — Exposition on Psalms 22 Ambrose of Milan: He and the Father are One, and the Father is his Father by possession of the same nature.… Speaking as the Son, he called God his father, and afterward, speaking as man, named him as God. Everywhere, indeed, we have witness in the Scriptures to show that Christ, in naming God as his God, does so as man. "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? And again: "From my mother's womb you are my God." In the former place he suffers as a man; in the latter it is a man who is brought forth from his mother's womb. And so when he says, "From my mother's womb you are my God," he means that he who was always his father is his God from the moment when he was brought forth from his mother's womb. — Exposition of the Christian Faith 1.14.91-92 Augustine of Hippo: "I have been strengthened in You from the womb" [Psalms 22:10]. It is the womb of the Synagogue, which did not carry Me, but threw Me out: but I fell not, for Thou heldest me. "From My mother's womb You are My God." From My mother's womb: My mother's womb did not cause that, as a babe, I should be forgetful of You. — Exposition on Psalms 22 Augustine of Hippo: "You are My God," "depart not from Me; for trouble is hard at hand" [Psalms 22:11]. You are, therefore, My God, depart not from Me; for trouble is near unto Me; for it is in My body. "For there is none to help." For who helps, if Thou helpest not? — Exposition on Psalms 22 Diodorus of Tarsus: He did well to focus his attention on providence in general, asking … "Who is the one who shaped me in the womb, who is the one who brought me from the womb, who is the one who nourished me at maternal breasts and brought me to this stage of life?" Having anticipated my needs and provided me with such benefits when I contributed nothing, then, will you now cut me adrift when I both perceive your kindness and am able to give thanks? What, then? "Do not keep your distance from me, because tribulation is nigh, because there is no one to help me": as you provided all these benefits … therefore, now too, when they all advance against me with intrigues and you are the only one left for my salvation, lend help. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 22 Eusebius of Caesarea: It is surely the very climax of affliction to have no helper. For Christ went for the salvation of the souls in hades that had so long awaited his arrival. He went down to shatter the gates of brass, and to break the iron bonds and to let them go free that before were prisoners in hades, which was indeed done, when many bodies of the saints that slept arose and entered with him into the true holy city of God. — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 10:8.501 Augustine of Hippo: "Many calves came about Me." The multitude of the wanton populace came about Me. "Fat bulls closed Me in" (ver. 12). And their leaders, glad at My oppression, "closed Me in." — Exposition on Psalms 22 Theodoret of Cyrus: The psalm describes in advance the attacks of the chief priests, the scribes and the Pharisees, who in imitation of the audacity of bulls and the frenzy of lions hemmed in Christ the Lord. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 22:8 Augustine of Hippo: "They opened their mouth upon Me" (ver. 13). 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." — Exposition on Psalms 22 Arnobius the Younger: As much as his brokenness seems without cure, so much more praiseworthy then is his recovery. And, likewise, the more the work of the potter is fired, the better and more solid will the work be found. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 22 Augustine of Hippo: "I was poured out like water, and all My bones were scattered" [Psalms 22:14]. "I was poured out like water," when My persecutors fell: and through fear, the stays of My body, that is, the Church, My disciples were scattered from Me. [Matthew 26:56] "My heart became as melting wax, in the midst of my belly." My wisdom, which was written of Me in the sacred books, was, as if hard and shut up, not understood: but after that the fire of My Passion was applied, it was, as if melted, manifested, and entertained in the memory of My Church. — Exposition on Psalms 22 Cyril of Jerusalem: You have often heard also the words of the psalm: "To the dust of death you have brought me down." Think also of the prophecy of Jacob in the Scriptures: "He lay down and couched as a lion, and as a lion's whelp; who will disturb him?" Similarly in Numbers: "Lying down he has slept as a lion, and as a lion's whelp." — Catechetical Lecture 14:3 Diodorus of Tarsus: He mentions what is typical of people worried and distressed: since all worry affects the heart, he did well to add "my heart was melted like wax," my mind having no stability or composure or sound hope; instead, under pressure from the threats and depressing expectations my thoughts dissolved like wax. Next, as happens also with those in distress, "my strength was dried up like a potsherd": all my condition left me, depression reducing me to great dryness. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 22 Origen of Alexandria: [We know] that even if … all the bones of Christ appear to be scattered in persecutions and afflictions by the plots of those who wage war against the unity of the temple by persecutions, the temple will be raised up and the body will arise on the third day. — COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF John 10:229 Augustine of Hippo: "My strength dried up as a potsherd" [Psalms 22:15]. My strength dried up by My Passion; not as hay, but a potsherd, which is made stronger by fire. "And My tongue cleaved to My jaws." And they, through whom I was soon to speak, kept My precepts in their hearts. "And You brought Me down to the dust of death." And to the ungodly appointed to death, whom the wind casts forth as dust from the face of the earth, You brought Me down. — Exposition on Psalms 22 Gregory the Dialogist: And so fire cooked the meats of our Lamb, because the very power of His passion rendered Him stronger for resurrection and strengthened Him for incorruption. For He who recovered from death—clearly His flesh was hardened by fire. Hence also through the Psalmist He says: "My strength has dried up like a potsherd." For what is a potsherd before fire except soft clay? But it is subjected to fire so that it may become solid. Therefore the strength of His humanity dried up like a potsherd, because from the fire of passion it grew into the power of incorruption. — Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 22 Gregory the Dialogist: Concerning which earthen vessel of His body, Wisdom Himself says: "My strength is dried up like a potsherd." For because a potsherd is hardened in fire, His strength dried up like a potsherd, because He strengthened the flesh He had assumed unto the glory of resurrection through the tribulation of His passion. — Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 34 Augustine of Hippo: "For many dogs came about Me" [Psalms 22:16]. For many came about Me barking, not for truth, but for custom. "The council of the malignant came about Me." The council of the malignant besieged Me. "They pierced My hands and feet." They pierced with nails My hands and feet. — Exposition on Psalms 22 Cassiodorus: This is what happened with the body of the Lord Savior: it was fastened with nails and pierced with a spear and thereby brought us a fruit which remains forever. For this reason, we are now not afraid to say that God suffered in the flesh, that God died for the salvation of all. So Father Augustine says admirably in his usual way: "It was an accustomed matter for humankind to die. But in order that this might not always hold sway among humankind, something new happened in that God died." So also the Apostle says: "But we preach Christ, and him crucified." So that you may not think that the Virgin's Son was somehow some other one, as some of those who are without reason do, he added: Christ, who is surely "the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength." For what seems so foolish or so weak to unbelievers as when they hear that God, the Son of God, was both crucified and buried? "But it pleased God through the foolishness of the proclamation to save believers." For the Lord's incarnation is the marvelous height of his mercy, an unimaginable gift, an incomprehensible mystery. From the same source, either salvation issues forth for those of the right mind or destruction is begotten for corrupted minds. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 22:17 Eusebius of Caesarea: The dogs that surrounded him and the council of the wicked were the rulers of the Jews, the scribes and high priests and the Pharisees, who spurred on the whole multitude to demand his blood against themselves and against their own children. Isaiah clearly calls them dogs when he says, "You are all foolish dogs, unable to bark." For when it was their duty, even if they could not acquire the character of shepherds, to protect like good sheepdogs their master's spiritual flock and the sheep of the house of Israel, and to warn by barking, and to fawn on their master and recognize him, and to guard the flock entrusted to them with all vigilance and to bark if necessary at enemies outside the fold, they preferred like senseless dogs, yes, like mad dogs, to drive the sheep wild by barking, so that the words aptly describe them that say, "Many dogs have surrounded me; the council of the wicked has hemmed me in." And all who even now conduct themselves like them in reviling and barking at the Christ of God in the same way may be reckoned their kin; yes, they who like those impious soldiers crucify the Son of God and put him to shame have a character very like theirs. Yes, all who today insult the body of Christ, that is, the church, and attempt to destroy the hands and feet and very bones are of their number. — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 10:8.505-6 Theodoret of Cyrus: After the passion those former "dogs" took on the status of children through faith, whereas those who once had enjoyed the care shown to children received the name of dogs for raging against the Lord.… Blessed Paul cries out about them, "Beware of the dogs, beware of the evildoers. Beware of mutilation." — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 22:10 Augustine of Hippo: "They numbered distinctly all My bones" [Psalms 22:17]. They numbered distinctly all My bones, while extended on the wood of the Cross. "Yea, these same regarded, and beheld Me." Yea, these same, that is, unchanged, regarded and beheld Me. — Exposition on Psalms 22 Augustine of Hippo: The passion of our Lord signifies our time, the period in which we weep here. Scourges, bonds, insults, spittle, a crown of thorns, wine mixed with gall, vinegar on a sponge, reviling, abuse, finally the cross itself, the sacred limbs hanging on the wood [of the cross]—what do all these sufferings signify for us except the period through which we are passing, the time of sorrow, the time of mortality, the time of trial? It is a foul period, but let that foulness of the dung be in the field, not in the house. Let grief arise on account of one's sins, not on account of frustrated desires. A foul period, if used to advantage, is a fertile period. What has a more unpleasant odor than a field that has been covered with dung? It was a beautiful field before it received this load of manure; it was first reduced to foulness so that it might come to fertility. Foulness, therefore, is a mark of this time; let that foulness, however, be for us a period of fertility. Furthermore, let us see with the prophet who says, "We have seen him." What is he like? "There is no beauty in him or comeliness." Why is this? Ask another prophet. "They have numbered all my bones." They have numbered his bones as he hung on the cross. A foul sight, the sight of one crucified; but that foulness produced beauty. What beauty? That of the resurrection, because he is "beautiful above the sons of people." — SERMON 254:5 Cassiodorus: They did not appear to have done something in passing or by chance. Instead, he says that they "looked carefully and stared," and their stony hearts were not softened by miracles. Great rocks were split and the earth shook, the sun hid itself in a cloak of darkness so as not to look upon such a great crime, and, how sad to say, their wickedness remained unshaken in their sacrilege, and their eyes unwavering. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 22:18 Ambrose of Milan: To God the things that are to come are present, and for him who foreknows all things, they are as though they were past and over; as it is written, "Who has made the things that are to be." — Exposition of the Christian Faith 1.15.97 Augustine of Hippo: "They divided My garments for themselves, and cast the lot upon My vesture" [Psalms 22:18]. — Exposition on Psalms 22 Eusebius of Caesarea: They divide his garments among them and cast lots on his vesture, when each individual tears and destroys the glory of his Word, I mean the words of the holy Scriptures, now this way, now that, and when they take up opinions about him from misleading schools of thought such as godless heretics invent. — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 10:8.506 John Chrysostom: The soldiers parted the garments, but not the coat. See the prophecies in every instance fulfilled by their wickednesses; for this also had been predicted of old; yet there were three crucified, but the matters of the prophecies were fulfilled in Him. For why did they not this in the case of the others, but in His case only? Consider too, I pray you, the exactness of the prophecy. For the Prophet saith not only, that they "parted," but that they "did not part." The rest therefore they divided, the coat they divided not, but committed the matter to a decision by lot. — HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF John 85 Maximus of Turin: These garments are the prophecies and readings of the heavenly Scriptures by which the mystery of Christ the Lord was announced.… The Savior's opponents, namely, the wicked heretics who daily lay their unholy hands upon him as the soldiers did, … divide these Scriptures for their own purpose and scatter the garments of the one body throughout the various members, and while they strip the Lord, they clothe him with their own teachings. — SERMON 29:4 Augustine of Hippo: "But You, O Lord, withhold not Your help far from Me" [Psalms 22:19]. But You, O Lord, raise Me up again, not as the rest of men, at the end of the world, but immediately. "Look to My defence." "Look," that they in no wise hurt Me. — Exposition on Psalms 22 Augustine of Hippo: "Deliver My soul from the sword." "Deliver My soul" from the tongue of dissension. "And My only One from the hand of the dog" [Psalms 22:20]. And from the power of the people, barking after their custom, deliver My Church. — Exposition on Psalms 22 Augustine of Hippo: Let each one also think this about his own life, that he may hate in it that private affection that is undoubtedly transitory and may love in it that union and sense of sharing of which it was said, "They had one soul and heart toward God." Thus, your soul is not your own but is shared by all the brothers whose souls are also yours, or, rather, whose souls form with yours not souls but one soul, the single soul of Christ, of which the psalm says that it is delivered from the hand of the dog. From this it is an easy step to contempt of death. — LETTER 243 Augustine of Hippo: "Save Me from the lion's mouth:" save Me from the mouth of the kingdom of this world: "and my humility from the horns of the unicorns" [Psalms 22:21]. And from the loftiness of the proud, exalting themselves to special pre-eminence, and enduring no partakers, save My humility. — Exposition on Psalms 22 Cosmas Indicopleustes: This animal is called the unicorn, but I cannot say that I have seen him. But I have seen four brazen figures of him set up in the four-towered palace of the King of Ethiopia. From these figures I have been able to draw him as you see. They speak of him as a terrible beast and quite invincible, and say that all his strength lies in his horn. When he finds himself pursued by many hunters and on the point of being caught, he springs up to the top of some precipice whence he throws himself down and in the descent turns a somersault so that the horn sustains all the shock of the fall, and he escapes unhurt. And scripture in like manner speaks concerning him, saying, Save me from the mouth of lions, and my humility from the horns of unicorns. And again: And he that is beloved as the son of unicorns; and again in the blessings of Balaam wherewith he blessed Israel, he says for the second time: God so led him out of Egypt even as the glory of the unicorn; thus bearing complete testimony to the strength, audacity, and glory of the animal. — The Christian Topography, Book 11 Ambrose of Milan: He is the Lord by nature but a brother by grace. — On the Blessings of the Patriarchs Augustine of Hippo: "I will declare Your name to My brethren" [Psalms 22:22]. I will declare Your name to the humble, and to My Brethren that love one another as they have been beloved by Me. [John 17:6, 21] "In the midst of the Church will I sing of You." In the midst of the Church will I with rejoicing preach You. — Exposition on Psalms 22 Eusebius of Caesarea: He says that he will tell the name of his Father first to the apostles, who he calls his brothers. And after them, with swift progress, he promises that he will teach the hymn of his Father to the church founded in his name throughout all the world. It is just as if some supreme teacher of philosophy should give a course of instruction in the midst of his pupils for them to hear and understand, that he in the midst of the church says, "I will hymn your praise," that the church, learning and hearing his words, might in fit manner sing back the praises, no longer of the demons but of the one almighty God, by him that preached him. — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 10:8.508 Augustine of Hippo: "You that fear the Lord, praise Him." "You that fear the Lord," seek not your own praise, but "praise Him." "All you seed of Jacob, magnify Him" [Psalms 22:23]. All you seed of him whom the elder shall serve, magnify Him. — Exposition on Psalms 22 Cassiodorus: Once the Lord's passion has been related a little more extensively, he moves on to the third section in order that their hearts may not be distraught by a lingering sadness. In this part, he addresses the faithful, so that they may praise him, recognizing his ordering of events, and in order that they may gather together to celebrate the proclamation of him with universal rejoicing. For through his suffering has come the salvation of the faithful and the life of the just. Now let us consider what a sweet emotion is demonstrated in the fear of the Lord. For human fear does not engender praise, but rather blame. But the fear of God, because it is just and right, produces praise, imparts love and kindles the warmth of love. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 22:24 Augustine of Hippo: "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." "Since He hath not despised, nor disregarded the prayer of the poor man" (ver. 24). Since He hath not despised the prayer, not of him who, crying unto God in the words of sins was loath to overpass a vain life, but the prayer of the poor man, not swollen up with transitory pomps. "Nor hath He turned away His face from Me." As from him who said, I will cry unto Thee, but Thou wilt not hear. "And when I cried unto Him He heard Me." — Exposition on Psalms 22 Bede: He does not reject or scorn the prayer of the poor when we entreat him for what he himself loves, but he graciously hears; and he will grant us to see his good things in the land of the living, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God throughout all ages of ages. — Homilies on the Gospels 2:25 Augustine of Hippo: "With You is My praise" [Psalms 22:25]. For I seek not My own praise, [John 8:50] for You are My praise, who dwellest in the holy place; and, praise of Israel, You hear The Holy One now beseeching You. "In the great Church I will confess You." In the Church of the whole world "I will confess You." "I will offer My vows in the sight of them that fear Him." I will offer the sacraments of My Body and Blood in the sight of them that fear Him. — Exposition on Psalms 22 Augustine of Hippo: He calls, however, "the circumcision of the heart" the will that is pure from all unlawful desire; which comes not from the letter, inculcating and threatening, but from the Spirit, assisting and healing. Such doers of the law have their praise therefore, not of men but of God, who by His grace provides the grounds on which they receive praise, of whom it is said, "My soul shall make her boast of the Lord;" and to whom it is said, "My praise shall be of Thee:" but those are not such who would have God praised because they are men; but themselves, because they are righteous. — ON THE SPIRIT AND THE LETTER 13 Augustine of Hippo: "The poor shall eat, and be filled" [Psalms 22:26]. The humble and the despisers of the world shall eat, and imitate Me. For so they will neither desire this world's abundance, nor fear its want. "And they shall praise the Lord, who seek Him." For the praise of the Lord is the pouring out of that fullness. "Their hearts shall live for ever and ever." For that food is the food of the heart. — Exposition on Psalms 22 Cassiodorus: Note that he wrote only the word poor to indicate those who despised the enticements of this world with the most lavish contempt; not the rich who are stuffed with the happiness of this world, but the poor, namely, those who hunger for God's kingdom.… The poor praise the Lord, while the rich exalt themselves. The rich collect earthly treasures, while the poor become rich with heavenly abundance. Their resources differ, and each has a completely different mindset. The rich acquire their wealth from this world, but the poor from God.… The poor possess what they could never lose; the rich cling to what not only the dead but even the living frequently lose. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 22:27 Clement of Alexandria: To inquire, respecting God, if it tends not to strife but to discovery, is salutary. For it is written in David, "The poor eat and shall be filled; and they shall praise the Lord that seek him. Your heart shall live forever." For they who seek him after the true search, praising the Lord, shall be filled with the gift that comes from God, that is, knowledge. And their soul shall live; for the soul is figuratively termed the heart, which ministers life: for by the Son is the Father known. — The Stromata Book 5 Augustine of Hippo: "All the borders of the earth shall remember themselves, and be turned to the Lord" [Psalms 22:27]. They shall remember themselves: for, by the Gentiles, born in death and bent on outward things, God had been forgotten; and then shall all the borders of the earth be turned to the Lord. "And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship in His sight." And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship in their own consciences. — Exposition on Psalms 22 Theodoret of Cyrus: Not one nation or even two, but countless numbers of all those in the world will run to him, and will enthusiastically receive the rays of the knowledge of God. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 22:16 Augustine of Hippo: "For the kingdom is the Lord's, and He shall rule over the nations" [Psalms 22:28]. For the kingdom is the Lord's, not proud men's: and He shall rule over the nations. — Exposition on Psalms 22 Cassiodorus: God will rule over the nations, for the kingdom belongs to the Lord. Kingdoms do not belong to the nations, but to the Lord, who by his own power both changes and retains kings. The one who is known to be the Lord of history must be worshiped everywhere. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 22:29 Eusebius of Caesarea: In these words he very aptly proclaims the glorious works after his resurrection, which are fulfilled in the calling of people from all nations and by the election of people from the ends of the earth, the results of which being visible to all eyes afford evidence of the truth of the words of the psalm. And we, too, are the poor, who like beggars in the things of God, the word of salvation nourishes with spiritual bread, the life-giving food of the soul, and affords eternal life. — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 10:8.510 Augustine of Hippo: "All the rich of the earth have eaten, and worshipped" [Psalms 22:29]. The rich of the earth too have eaten the Body of their Lord's humiliation, and though they have not, as the poor, been filled even to imitation, yet they have worshipped. "In His sight shall fall all that descend to earth." For He alone sees how all they fall, who abandoning a heavenly conversation, make choice, on earth, to appear happy to men, who see not their fall. — Exposition on Psalms 22 Philoxenus of Mabbug: And the nature of the fear of God is that it urgeth us [to do] one thing, and one thing only, for it stirreth us up to do all the commandments, and for this reason the Spirit of God desired to teach us the fear of God by the hand of all the Prophets. And the Prophet David himself said, "All those who pass over the earth shall fear the Lord, and all those who go down into the dust shall kneel [before Him]." — 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 7 -- Second Discourse on the Fear of God Augustine of Hippo: "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" [Psalms 22:30]. And My deeds, or they who through Me believe in Him, shall serve Him. — Exposition on Psalms 22 Augustine of Hippo: "The generation to come shall be declared to the Lord" [Psalms 22:31]. The generation of the New Testament shall be declared to the honour of the Lord. "And the heavens shall declare His righteousness." And the Evangelists shall declare His righteousness. "To a people that shall be born, whom the Lord has made." To a people that shall be born to the Lord through faith. — Exposition on Psalms 22 Bede: The saints who are aflame with desire for heavenly things are fittingly called "the heavens," as the psalmist says, "And the heavens will proclaim his justice to a people yet to be born," which is to say, "And the most illustrious teachers will proclaim, with mind, voice and action, his justice to a people, who, coming recently to the faith, desire to be born in him." — Homilies on the Gospels 2:17 Cassiodorus: The Son of God is the righteousness of the Father. Therefore this righteousness is to be proclaimed to the people who would believe in God, who forsake the death caused by sins and come over to life, who by God's kindness experience such a new birth through faith that they are counted worthy of living forever. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 22:32 Theodoret of Cyrus: We see none of this happening to David or to any of his successors. Only Christ the Lord, on the contrary, who is of David according to the flesh, God the Word who became man, who though of David's line took the form of a slave; he filled all earth and sea with the knowledge of God, after all, and persuaded those who were once in error and offered adoration to idols to adore the true God instead of false gods. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 22:18 Ambrose of Milan: How often have you heard Psalms 23 and not understood it! See how it is applicable to the heavenly sacraments: "The Lord feeds me, and I shall want nothing; he has set me in a place of pasture; he has brought me on the water of refreshment; he has converted my soul. He has led me on the paths of justice for his own name's sake. For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils, for you are with me.… Your rod is power, the staff suffering, that is, the eternal divinity of Christ, but also corporeal suffering; the one created, the other redeemed. You have prepared a table before me against them that afflict me. You have anointed my head with oil; and my chalice that inebriates me, how goodly it is!" — On the Sacraments, Book 5, Chapter 3 Arnobius the Younger: We have in the previous psalm the tribulation of the passion. In this one let us receive the joy of the resurrection. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 23 Augustine of Hippo: The Church speaks to Christ: "The Lord feedeth me, and I shall lack nothing" (ver. 1). The Lord Jesus Christ is my Shepherd, "and I shall lack nothing." — Exposition on Psalms 23 Augustine of Hippo: Therefore, He governs you, who carries you. For when you say, The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing of your own to trust in yourself. Therefore, be careful not to boast of your merits. For there were none, when the Lord came to lift you up. He found you naked, not clothed; wounded, not healthy; lying down, not standing; wandering, not returning. Beware of arrogance, beware; for He who mercifully lifted you from the earth half-dead, carries the humble, but hurls down the proud. When you say fearfully, and walk in innocence: The Lord is my shepherd; you will confidently add, and I shall not want. Because nothing is lacking to those who fear Him; and the Lord will not deprive of good those who walk in innocence. — SERMON 366:2 Cassiodorus: Throughout the entire psalm, the speaker is the most faithful Christian, who has been reborn through water and the Holy Spirit, for whom the old age of the first man has been set aside. He gives thanks that he has been brought from the dryness of sin to places of pasture and to restoring water through the Lord's generosity. We should also observe that, as he accepted the Ten Commandments of the Law, so here he rejoices that he has been enriched with ten kindnesses. These kindnesses are not related in separate verses, but are described briefly in phrases. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 23:1 Hippolytus of Rome: And, moreover, the ark made of imperishable wood was the Saviour Himself. For by this was signified the imperishable and incorruptible tabernacle of (the Lord) Himself, which gendered no corruption of sin. For the sinner, indeed, makes this confession: "My wounds stank, and were corrupt, because of my foolishness." But the Lord was without sin, made of imperishable wood, as regards His humanity; that is, of the virgin and the Holy Ghost inwardly, and outwardly of the word of God, like an ark overlaid with purest gold. — Fragments from Commentaries on Various Books of Scripture - On Psalm XXII. Or XXIII. Theodoret of Cyrus: Having said in the psalm before this, "The needy eat and will be filled, and those who seek him out will praise the Lord," and again, "All the prosperous of the earth ate and adored him," here he suggests the provider of such food and calls the feeder shepherd. This in fact is the name Christ the Lord also gave himself: "I am the good shepherd, I know my own, and I am known by my own." It is also what he called himself through the prophet Ezekiel. So here, too, all who enjoyed the saving food cry out, "The Lord shepherds me, and nothing will be wanting for me": this shepherd regales those shepherded by him with enjoyment of good things of all kinds. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 23:1 Arnobius the Younger: The Lord leads me. That is the word of the one who the church, settled in a place of pasture and drawn from the water of reflection, has received, the one who is made complete from the suffering of the Lord. When the stream flows, it pours forth from deep veins, there freshness, there pleasantness, there renewal. These things will happen to me because he has transformed my soul through his suffering. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 23 Augustine of Hippo: "In a place of pasture there has He placed me" [Psalms 23:2]. In a place of fresh pasture, leading me to faith, there has He placed me to be nourished. "By the water of refreshing has He brought me up." By the water of baptism, whereby they are refreshed who have lost health and strength, has He brought me up. — Exposition on Psalms 23 Augustine of Hippo: The pastures that this good shepherd has prepared for you, in which he has settled you for you to take your fill, are not various kinds of grasses and green things, among which some are sweet to the taste, some extremely bitter, which as the seasons succeed one another are sometimes there and sometimes not. Your pastures are the words of God and his commandments, and they have all been sown as sweet grasses. These pastures had been tasted by that man who said to God, "How sweet are your words to my palate, more so than honey and the honeycomb in my mouth!" — SERMON 366:3 Cassiodorus: "The water of refreshment" is the baptismal font through which the soul, barren because of the dryness of sin, is watered by divine gifts in order that it may produce good fruits. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 23:2 Theodoret of Cyrus: He hints at the water of rebirth, in which the baptized person longs for grace and sheds the old age of sin and is made young instead of being old. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 23:2 Augustine of Hippo: "He has converted my soul: He has led me forth in the paths of righteousness, for His Name's sake" [Psalms 23:3]. He has brought me forth in the narrow ways, wherein few walk, of His righteousness; not for my merit's sake, but for His Name's sake. — Exposition on Psalms 23 Augustine of Hippo: "He has converted my soul." This is a confession rightly to boast about.… You will make it truly … and with an unalterable conscience, if you say it, not on account of your merits but for the sake of his name. — SERMON 366:4 Augustine of Hippo: "Yea, though I walk in the midst of the shadow of death" [Psalms 23:4]. Yea, though I walk in the midst of this life, which is the shadow of death. "I will fear no evil, for You are with me." I will fear no evil, for You dwell in my heart by faith: and You are now with me, that after the shadow of death I too may be with You. "Your rod and Your staff, they have comforted me." Your discipline, like a rod for a flock of sheep, and like a staff for children of some size, and growing out of the natural into spiritual life, they have not been grievous to me; rather have they comforted me: because You are mindful of me. — Exposition on Psalms 23 Augustine of Hippo: As long as you remain in this present life, you are walking in the midst of vices, of worldly pressures, which are the shadow of death. Let Christ shine in your heart, who lights the lamp of our minds with the love of God and neighbor; and you will not fear any evils, since he is with you. — SERMON 366:5 Cassiodorus: The shadow of death … is the devil, who lays traps for us in secret so that, once we have been misled by the mists, we might fall headlong into eternal death. But this situation is not feared by the true believer, even if, while relying on divine mercy, he ventures to walk in the midst of these traps. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 23:4 Cassiodorus: The rod refers to the justice and strength of the Lord Savior, as he says in another psalm: "A rod of fairness is the rod of your kingdom." The staff evokes the notion of support for human beings. With the staff, the foot itself is planted securely and the whole body of those who lean on it with their weight from above is supported.… The faithful claim that they have found consolation in these two things.… There is no doubt that the staff brings consolation; it is always taken up to bring help for human weakness. What should we say about the rod, which strikes, beats and punishes our vices with the courtroom's severity? This too also clearly consoles the faithful when improvement results, and it leads people back to the Lord's path. It is appropriate to say that everything that helps us comforts us, even if something saddens us for the sake of correction. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 23:4 Evagrius Ponticus: One who cultivates pure prayer will hear noises, crashings, voices and tormenting screams that come from the demons; yet he will not suffer collapse or surrender his thoughts if he says to God, "I shall fear no evil, for you are with me." — CHAPTERS ON PRAYER 97 Jerome: He whom the Lord loves, he corrects. — BRIEF COMMENTARY ON Psalms 23 Origen of Alexandria: To walk in the midst of the shadow of death is not the same as to sit in the shadow of death; one who sits in the shadow of death is firmly fixed in that shadow and strengthened in evil. On account of this, he is in darkness and lacks mercy so that the light may rise for him. He who does not sit, but who passes or walks through the midst of the shadow of death, not standing and hurrying across, does not walk alone because the Lord goes through with him. — SELECTIONS FROM THE Psalms 23:4 Origen of Alexandria: Scripture is a witness that "rod" speaks of punishments and scourges. If you have sinned and you see the rod of God threatening you, know that the mercy of God will not be far from you. — SELECTIONS FROM THE Psalms 23:4 Theodoret of Cyrus: "Your rod and your staff comforted me": with one he supports my weakness, with the other he guides toward the right way. You would not be wrong, however, to apply this to the saving cross: by its seal and remembrance we are rid of the hostile demons and guided to the true path. This is the meaning of "your rod and your staff comforted me": the cross is assembled from two rods, with the upright staff confirming and directing those who believe in him and strengthening those who are weak, and using the crossbar as a rod against the demons. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 23:3 Ambrose of Milan: "You have prepared a banquet in my sight." This banquet consists of the living Bread, the Word of God. At this banquet there is the oil of sanctification, poured richly over the head of the just. This oil strengthens the inner senses. It does away with the oil of the sinner that fattens the head. In this banquet, too, you have the cup that inebriates: "how excellent" it is, or "how powerful," for the Greek has kratiston, meaning most mighty, strong or powerful. Surely it is a powerful cup that washes away every stain of sin. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "You have prepared a table in my sight, against them that trouble me" [Psalms 23:5]. Now after the rod, whereby, while a little one, and living the natural life, I was brought up among the flock in the pastures; after that rod, I say, when I began to be under the staff, You have prepared a table in my sight, that I should no more be fed as a babe with milk, [1 Corinthians 3:2] but being older should take meat, strengthened against them that trouble me. "You have fattened my head with oil." You have gladdened my mind with spiritual joy. "And Your inebriating cup, how excellent is it!" And Your cup yielding forgetfulness of former vain delights, how excellent is it! — Exposition on Psalms 23 Cassiodorus: The cup is … the Lord's blood, which inebriates in such a way that it heals the mind, restraining it from wrongs, not inducing it to sins. This intoxication renders us sober; this fullness empties us of evils. He who is not filled from this cup ends up hungry and in perpetual need. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 23:5 Cassiodorus: It is a blessed drunkenness, a fullness that brings salvation; the more abundantly it is consumed, the more apt it is to grant sobriety to the minds of the recipients. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 64(65).10 Cassiodorus: The head of the faithful is the Lord Christ; he is described rightly as anointed with oil, since he does not become dry by the dryness of the sinner. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 23:5 Cyprian: Since, then, neither the apostle himself nor an angel from heaven can preach or teach any otherwise than Christ has once taught and His apostles have announced, I wonder very much whence has originated this practice, that, contrary to evangelical and apostolical discipline, water is offered in some places in the Lord's cup, which water by itself cannot express the blood of Christ. The Holy Spirit also is not silent in the Psalms on the sacrament of this thing, when He makes mention of the Lord's cup, and says, "Thy inebriating cup, how excellent it is!" Now the cup which inebriates is assuredly mingled with wine, for water cannot inebriate anybody. And the cup of the Lord in such wise inebriates, as Noe also was intoxicated drinking wine, in Genesis. But because the intoxication of the Lord's cup and blood is not such as is the intoxication of the world's wine, since the Holy Spirit said in the Psalm, "Thy inebriating cup," He added, "how excellent it is," because doubtless the Lord's cup so inebriates them that drink, that it makes them sober; that it restores their minds to spiritual wisdom; that each one recovers from that flavour of the world to the understanding of God; and in the same way, that by that common wine the mind is dissolved, and the soul relaxed, and all sadness is laid aside, so, when the blood of the Lord and the cup of salvation have been drunk, the memory of the old man is laid aside, and there arises an oblivion of the former worldly conversation, and the sorrowful and sad breast which before was oppressed by tormenting sins is eased by the joy of the divine mercy; because that only is able to rejoice him who drinks in the Church which, when it is drunk, retains the Lord's truth. — Epistle LXII.11 Eusebius of Caesarea: In place of the ancient sacrifices and whole burnt offerings the incarnate presence of Christ … was offered. And this very thing he proclaims to his church as a great mystery expressed with prophetic voice.… As we have received a memorial of this offering that we celebrate on a table by means of symbols of his body and saving blood according to the laws of the new covenant, we are taught again by the prophet David to say, "You have prepared a table before me." … Here plainly the mystic chrism and the holy sacrifices of Christ's table are meant, by which we are taught to offer to almighty God through our great High Priest all through our life the celebration of our sacrifices, bloodless, reasonable and well-pleasing to him. — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 1:10.39 Fulgentius of Ruspe: The word cup is to be understood as the perfect grace of charity by which the strength for undergoing suffering for the name of Christ is infused. This is given in such a way that even if the opportunity by which anyone may undergo suffering for Christ is lacking, there is still such great strength in the heart by a divine gift that nothing is lacking for putting up with punishment, scorning life and undergoing death for the name of Christ. This is well understood in that text in the psalm where it is said, "My cup overflows," and he had just said before, "You anoint my head with oil." What must be understood by "head anointed with oil" except a mind strengthened by the gift of the Holy Spirit? The shining quality of this oil is the unconquerable fortitude of spiritual grace by which the holy drunkenness is poured into the inner depths of the heart so that every affection of the heart, overcome, is consigned to oblivion. Filled with this drunkenness, the spirit learns to rejoice always in the Lord and to consign to contempt whatever he loved in the world. We drink this drunkenness when, having received the Holy Spirit, we possess the grace of perfect charity that drives out fear. — LETTER 14:42 Origen of Alexandria: Just as certain rewards are given to the contender in mighty contests, so also in any trial, when that which afflicts is nearby and the powers of the adversaries bring tribulation, know that a spiritual and intellectual table is prepared on account of this trial. Therefore, however many times you will be afflicted, equally many times a spiritual table is placed before you. Fix firm your eyes attentive only to my tables, and, giving thanks, you may say with the apostle, "Not I alone, but we are made glorious in tribulation." — SELECTIONS FROM THE Psalms 23:5 Origen of Alexandria: This bread that God the Word declares is his body is the word that feeds souls, word proceeding from God the Word and bread from heavenly Bread. It has been placed on the table about which was written, "You have prepared a table in my sight against those who afflict me." And this drink that God the Word declares is his blood is the word that gives drink and wonderfully intoxicates the hearts of those who drink. This is the cup concerning which was written, "and your intoxicating cup, how glorious it is!" Also, this drink is the fruit of the true Vine, who said, "I am the true vine," and it is the blood of that Grape that produced this drink when it was cast into the winepress of the passion, just as the bread too is the word of Christ, made from that Wheat that "falling into the earth … produces much fruit." For God the Word was not saying that the visible bread that he was holding in his hands was his body, but rather the Word, in whose mystery the bread was to be broken. He was not saying that the visible drink was his blood, but the Word, in whose mystery the drink was to be poured out. For what else could the body and the blood of God the Word be except the Word that nourishes and the Word that "makes glad the heart"? — COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF Matthew 26:26-28 Theophilus of Alexandria: I am the true vine, … intoxicating like the most powerful antidote, joy, against the grief that sprouted in Adam. Behold, I have prepared a table for you over against those who afflict you. Opposite Eden I settled Adam, who had violated that celebrated place, that by his seeing the delight no longer permitted he might suffer a ceaselessly smoldering distress. Again, over against those who afflict you have I given you a table, life-giving and joy-creating, which offers in exchange for distress unspeakable joy before those who have envied you. Eat the bread that renews your nature. Drink the wine, the exultation of immortality. Eat the bread that purges away the old bitterness, and drink the wine that eases the pain of the wound. This is the healing of your nature; this is the punishment of the one who did the injury. — SERMON ON THE MYSTICAL SUPPER Ambrose of Milan: When do you not have something that you owe to God? Or when are you without a gift of God, since your daily enjoyment of living is from God? "For what have you, that you have not received?" Therefore, because you always receive, always call on God; and since what you have is from God, always acknowledge that you are his debtor. I prefer that you pay your debts rather through love than as one forced to do so. — ON THE DEATH OF THEODOSIUS 22 Arnobius the Younger: What he now has, let us look within the church. He has a rod with which he warns the delinquent ones. He has a staff by which he succors the penitent. He has a table where he gives bread to the believing. He has oil with which he anoints the head of those being present for freedom of conscience. He has a cup from which he will drink preaching the word in such a way that when it is the third hour of the day he is thought to be drunk in his preaching. He has mercy that follows him all the days of his life so he may dwell the length of his days in the house of the Lord, praising the Lord Jesus Christ who rules forever. Amen. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 23 Augustine of Hippo: "And Your mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:" that is, as long as I live in this mortal life, not Yours, but mine. "That I may dwell in the house of the Lord for length of days" [Psalms 23:6]. Now Your mercy shall follow me not here only, but also that I may dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. — Exposition on Psalms 23 Augustine of Hippo: In the sacred Eloquence we read, "His mercy goes before me," and, "His mercy shall follow me." It predisposes a person before he wills, to prompt his willing. It follows the act of willing, lest one's will be frustrated. Otherwise, why are we admonished to pray for our enemies, who are plainly not now willing to live piously, unless it is that God is even now at work in them and in their wills? Or again, why are we admonished to ask in order to receive, unless it is that he who grants us what we will is he through whom it comes to pass that we will? We pray for enemies, therefore, that the mercy of God should go before them, as it goes before us; we pray for ourselves that his mercy shall follow us. — ENCHRIDION 9:32 Cassiodorus: Even though the Lord's mercy always goes before us, he says here, "it will follow me." It follows, particularly to guard, but it goes in front to grant grace. For if it were merely following, no one would perceive the gifts that are granted. If it were only going in front, then no one would be able to preserve the gifts that had been received. For the ambushes that the devil prepares behind us are quite substantial, and unless the Lord's mercy follows, our human weakness is very easily deceived. For precisely when a person believes that he has moved beyond a vice, he is more easily deceived because of his unwary ignorance. For this reason, it is most essential both that the Lord's grace go before us and that his mercy follows us. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 23:6 Cassiodorus: For this is the final perfection of all good things.… "The house of the Lord indicates the Jerusalem to come, which endures "for the length of days," without uncertainty, for it is an enduring blessedness and a joy that never ends. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 23:6 Theodoret of Cyrus: Providing these good things is your ineffable lovingkindness, not awaiting our request but closely following us like fugitives, anticipating our needs, giving us a share in salvation, providing residence in the divine dwellings, one in the present life, one in the future. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 23:4 Augustine of Hippo: "The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof, the compass of the world, and all they that dwell therein" [Psalms 24:1]; when the Lord, being glorified, is announced for the believing of all nations; and the whole compass of the world becomes His Church. — Exposition on Psalms 24 Gregory of Nyssa: The foolish man thinks his own that which never belongs to him, ignorant seemingly in his greed that "the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof," for "God is king of all the earth." It is the passion of having which gives men a false title of lordship over that which can never belong to them. "The earth," says the wise Preacher, "abideth for ever," ministering to every generation, first one, then another, that is born upon it; but men, though they are so little even their own masters, that they are brought into life without knowing it by their Maker's will, and before they wish are withdrawn from it, nevertheless in their excessive vanity think that they are her lords; that they, now born, now dying, rule that which remains continually. — ON VIRGINITY 4 Pseudo-Athanasius: This verse teaches about God's kingdom to come, in which he will reign over all. And in order to make known that as maker and natural Lord he will reign over it, he said [in the next verse], "He is its foundations." — EXPOSITION ON Psalms 24 Theodoret of Cyrus: He is Lord of the whole world. He is its Lord, however, not by wresting authority or by depriving anyone else of lordship but by personally creating it and leading it from nonbeing into being. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 24:2 Augustine of Hippo: "He has founded it above the seas." He has most firmly established it above all the waves of this world, that they should be subdued by it, and should not hurt it. "And has prepared it above the rivers" [Psalms 24:2]. The rivers flow into the sea, and men of lust lapse into the world: these also the Church, which, when worldly lusts have been conquered by the grace of God, has been prepared by love for the reception of immortality, subdues. — Exposition on Psalms 24 Augustine of Hippo: "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?" [Psalms 24:3]. Or who shall abide in that place, whither He shall ascend, founded above the seas, and prepared above the rivers? — Exposition on Psalms 24 Cassiodorus: After he taught briefly that everything which the Lord created belongs to him, he now embarks on the second section with a question; he answers by telling what sort of people they ought to be who desire to say that they are his. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 24:3 Origen of Alexandria: I think that the discourse, wishing to show a general cleanness which is not only in acts but also in knowledge, says in the twenty-third Psalm: who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord, or who shall stand in his holy place? he that is innocent in hands and pure in heart, and in the Proverbs: who shall boast that he has a chaste heart? or who shall be confident that he is clean from sins? I therefore think that the one clean in heart and chaste in heart is no other than he who possesses a heart clean and chaste from every false dogma; so also I reckon him to be innocent in hands and clean from sins who is irreproachable in the acts of his life. And it must be known that (as regards the truth) it is impossible for anyone to be innocent in hands and clean from sins without being pure in heart and chaste from false dogmas; just as, on the contrary, it is impossible to be clean indeed and chaste in heart from false dogmas without being innocent in "hands" and clean from sins. For these follow one another mutually and are not separated from each other: a discourse clean in the soul and a life irreproachable. — COMMENTARY ON Matthew 33 Origen of Alexandria: Where should you stand, you who seek sanctification from God? The writer says, "You have established my feet on the rock." "Christ was the rock." Let us learn about the one who follows these promises. — SELECTIONS FROM THE Psalms 24:3 Augustine of Hippo: "The innocent of hand, and the pure in heart" [Psalms 24:4]. Who then shall ascend there, and abide there, but the guiltless in deed, and pure in thought? "Who has not received his soul in vain." Who has not reckoned his soul among things that pass away, but feeling it to be immortal, has longed for an eternity steadfast and unchangeable. "And has not sworn in deceit to his neighbour." And therefore without deceit, as things eternal are simple and undeceiving, has so behaved himself to his neighbour. — Exposition on Psalms 24 Callistus I of Rome: Let no one speak deceitfully to his neighbor. The mouth of the malevolent is a deep pit. The innocent person, while he believes easily, falls readily; but though he falls, he rises; and the shuffler, with all his arts, goes headlong to ruin, from which he can never rise or escape. Therefore let everyone weigh well his words, and let him not say to another what he would not say to himself. — EPISTLE 2:5 Cassiodorus: Truthful swearing is certainly not forbidden in the Old Testament, but since the cause of perjury often arises for human nature from the weakness of the mind, in the New Testament it states that it is more beneficial not to swear oaths at all.… One who is going to do something other than promised swears deceitfully, not believing that it is perjury to wickedly manipulate someone who makes the mistake of trusting him. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 24:4 Evagrius Ponticus: Truly Judas ascended onto the mountain of the Lord, but he did not stand in his holy place. He was not innocent in hands or pure in heart, but a thief who was taking the money. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 23[24].4 Theodoret of Cyrus: It is appropriate, he is saying, for him who desires to ascend that mountain both to purify his soul of idle thoughts and to keep his hands away from such pursuits. He put "hands" in place of pursuits, and by "heart" he implied desires: with the latter we form our intentions, and by the former we put them into action. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 24:4 Augustine of Hippo: "This man shall receive blessing from the Lord, and mercy from the God of his salvation" [Psalms 24:5]. — Exposition on Psalms 24 Cassiodorus: The one who will judge is the very one who blesses; the one who could have issued a sentence of incommutable damnation declares innocence. Therefore he wanted the value of the kindness to be acknowledged because of the worthiness of the one who overlooks offenses.… The blessing of acquittal follows mercy so that this blessing might be perceived to have come not through merits, but through the Lord's kindness. For there is no one who does not have need to be shown mercy. Transgressions are forgiven so that a crown may come, just as freedom will not be able to be granted until slavery has first been removed. Our savior is the Lord Christ by whom blessedness is bestowed and sins are loosened. What he said earlier should not disturb us: "He will receive blessing from the Lord"; later he added, "And mercy from God his savior," while in the order of things he pardons our sins first, and afterwards the gifts of his blessings follow. You often find that the order is varied so that mercy is placed first.… This figure is called anastrophe or an inversion, when we express a thought in a reversed order. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 24:5 Theodoret of Cyrus: Now, it was quite appropriate for him to associate mercy with blessing: even what are thought rewards are given to human beings only on account of divine lovingkindness. I mean, all the righteousness of human beings is not nearly sufficient for gifts bestowed by God and certainly not for those yet to come, which even surpass human imagining. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 24:4 Augustine of Hippo: "This is the generation of them that seek the Lord" [Psalms 24:6]. For thus are they born that seek Him. "Of them that seek the face of the God of Jacob. Diapsalma." Now they seek the face of God, who gave the pre-eminence to the younger born. [Romans 9:12] — Exposition on Psalms 24 Origen of Alexandria: No one seeking the face of God will see his face and live, … unless he or she has been changed. — SELECTIONS FROM THE Psalms 24:6 Arnobius the Younger: Now it is said to that one: Open the gates for your leaders. Cast away the example of Adam who is your leader according to the flesh, and lift up the eternal doors holding the powerful and mighty king of glory, powerful in battle, overcoming faults and their offsprings, worthless of spirit. Therefore, lift up the gates for your leaders. "Just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the heavenly man." — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 24 Athanasius of Alexandria: It was not the Word himself that needed an opening of the gates, being Lord of all; nor were any of his works closed to their maker; but we it was that needed it, whom he carried up by his own body. For as he offered it to death on behalf of all, so by it he once more made ready the way up into the heavens. — On the Incarnation of the Word 25 Athanasius of Alexandria: The Word, being the image of the Father and immortal, took the form of a servant, and as man he underwent death for us in his flesh, that thereby he might offer himself for us through death to the Father. Likewise also, as man, he is said because of us and for us to be highly exalted, that as by his death we all died in Christ, so again in Christ himself we might be highly exalted, being raised from the dead and ascending into heaven, "where the forerunner Jesus has entered for us, not into the figures of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us." But if no Christ has entered into heaven itself for us, even though he was previously and always Lord and Framer of the heavens, then it is for us, therefore, that the present exaltation is written. And as he himself, who sanctifies all, also says that he sanctifies himself to the Father for our sakes, not that the Word may become holy but that he himself may in himself sanctify all of us, in like manner we must take the present phrase, "He highly exalted him"—not that he himself needed to be exalted, for he is already the highest, but that he may become righteousness for us, and that we may be exalted in him and may enter the gates of heaven, which he has also opened for us, the forerunners saying, "Lift up your gates, O you rulers, and be lifted up, you everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in." For here also the gates were not shut on him who is the Lord and Maker of all, but because of us this too is written, to whom the door of paradise was shut. And therefore in a human relation, because of the flesh that he bore, it is said of him, "Lift up your gates," and "shall come in," as if a man were entering; but in a divine relation on the other hand it is said of him, since "the Word was God," that he is the "Lord" and the "King of glory." Such our exaltation the Spirit foreannounced in the eighty-ninth psalm, saying, "And in your righteousness shall they be exalted, for you are the glory of their strength." And if the Son is Righteousness, then he is not exalted because he himself was in need, but it is we who are exalted in that Righteousness, which is he. — Discourses Against the Arians 1.41 Augustine of Hippo: "Take away your gates, ye princes" (ver. 7). 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 conversion to God. "And the King of glory shall come in." And the King, in whom we may glory without pride, shall come in: who having overcome the gates of death, and having opened for Himself the heavenly places, fulfilled that which He said, "Be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world." — Exposition on Psalms 24 Gregory of Nazianzus: If he ascend up into heaven, ascend with him. Be one of those angels who escort him or one of those who receive him. Bid the gates be lifted up, or be made higher, that they may receive him, exalted after his passion. Answer to those who are in doubt because he bears up with him his body and the tokens of his passion, which he did not have when he came down, and who therefore, inquire, "Who is the King of glory?" that it is the Lord strong and mighty, as in all things that he has done from time to time and does, so now in his battle and triumph for the sake of humankind. And give to the those who doubt the question the twofold answer. And if they marvel and say as in Isaiah's drama who is this that comes from Edom and from the things of earth? Or how are the garments red of him that is without blood or body, as of one that treads in the full winepress? Set forth the beauty of the array of the body that suffered, adorned by the passion and made splendid by the Godhead, than which nothing can be more lovely or more beautiful. — ON HOLY EASTER, ORATION 45:25 Gregory the Dialogist: Gabriel, who is called the strength of God, is also sent to Mary. For he came to announce him who deigned to appear humble to conquer the powers of the air. Of whom it is said through the Psalmist: "Lift up your gates, O princes, and be lifted up, eternal gates, and the King of glory shall enter. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle." And again: "The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory." Therefore, he who was the Lord of hosts and mighty in battle, coming to wage war against the powers of the air, was to be announced through the strength of God. — Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 34 Hippolytus of Rome: He comes to the heavenly gates: angels accompany Him: and the gates of heaven were closed. For He has not yet ascended into heaven. Now first does He appear to the powers of heaven as flesh ascending. Therefore to these powers it is said by the angels, who are the couriers of the Saviour and Lord: "Lift up your gates, ye princes; and be lifted up, ye everlasting doors: and the King of glory shall come in. — Fragments from Commentaries on Various Books of Scripture - On Psalm XXIII. Or XXIV. Jerome: As our Lord ascends to the Father in triumph, he issues commands to the angels saying, "Open to me the gates of justice; I will enter them and give thanks to the Lord." These are the gates of which in the twenty-fourth psalm the angels were speaking while they were preparing for the entrance of the Lord: "Lift up, O gates, your lintels; reach up, you ancient portals, that the King of glory may come in!" Aptly are the gates commanded to lift up high and raise aloft their portals, since, in accordance with the dispensation and mystery of the flesh and in conformity with the victory of the cross, he reenters heaven mightier than he had come down on earth. "This gate is the Lord's; the just shall enter it." Through this gate, Peter has entered, and Paul, and all the apostles and martyrs, and today the saints continue to go in; through this gate, the thief was the first to pass with the Lord. Have faith, therefore, and be hopeful for your own entrance. — HOMILY 94, ON EASTER SUNDAY Justin Martyr: Solomon was not the Lord of hosts. But, when our Christ arose from the dead and ascended into heaven, the heavenly princes chosen by God were ordered to open the gates of heaven that the King of glory might enter and sit at the right hand of the Father until he makes his enemies his footstool. Now, when these heavenly princes saw that he was in appearance without beauty, honor or glory, and not recognizing him, they asked, "Who is this King of glory?" And the Holy Spirit, either in his own name or in the Father's, answered, "The Lord of hosts. He is the King of glory." But I am sure that everyone will admit that none of the gatekeepers of the temple at Jerusalem ever said of Solomon (though he was ever so glorious a king) or of the ark of testimony, "Who is this King of glory?" — Dialogue with Trypho, Chapter XXXVI Prudentius: Learn what our temple is, if you would know; It is one that no artisan has built, A structure not of riven fir or pine, Nor reared with blocks of quarried marble fair. Its massive weight no columns high support Beneath the arches of a gilded vault. By God's Word it was formed, not by his voice, But by the everlasting Word, the Word made flesh. This temple is eternal, without end, This you attacked with scourge and cross and gall. This temple was destroyed by bitter pains. Its form was fragile from the Mother's womb, But when brief death the Mother's part dissolved, The Father's might restored it in three days. You have beheld my saving temple rise On high, surrounded by an angel throng. The everlasting gates uphold its roof; Through lofty towers the glorious stairs arise, And at the top appears a shining path. — THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST 518-36 Tertullian: God spared not his own Son for you, letting him become a curse for us; for "cursed is he who hangs on a tree"; … that he might redeem us from our sins. The sun was darkened on the day of our redemption; hell lost its right to us, and we were enrolled for heaven. The eternal gates were lifted up that the King of glory, the Lord of might, might enter in, and humankind, born of the earth, destined for hell, was purchased for heaven. — ON FLIGHT IN TIME OF PERSECUTION 12:2 Theodoret of Cyrus: Let no one wonder, I ask you, on hearing of the ignorance of the invisible powers: they have neither advance knowledge nor complete knowledge—only the divine nature has that knowledge. Angels and archangels, however, and the other companies of the invisible powers know as much as they are taught, for which reason the divine apostle also, speaking of them, said, "So that to the principalities and authorities in the heavenly places the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known through the church." Now, if they came to learn the divine wisdom more precisely through the life of the church, there is nothing out of order for the powers on high to be ignorant even of the mystery of Christ's ascension when they see the human nature and do not perceive the divinity concealed in it.… No human being had ever passed through [the eternal gates]; but when God the Word became human and took up our first fruits, he both led the way up to heaven and took his place at the right hand of majesty in the highest places, above every principality, authority, dominion and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 24:6-7 Augustine of Hippo: "Who is this King of glory?" Mortal nature is awe-struck in wonder, and asks, "Who is this King of glory?" "The Lord strong and mighty." He whom you deemed weak and overwhelmed. "The Lord mighty in battle" [Psalms 24:8]. Handle the scars, and you will find them made whole, and human weakness restored to immortality. The glorifying of the Lord, which was owing to earth, where It warred with death, has been paid. — Exposition on Psalms 24 Eusebius of Caesarea: Lord of Sabaoth is translated "Lord of powers." And he is the captain of the powers of the Lord, whom also the divine powers salute as Lord of Sabaoth in Psalms 24, foretelling his return from earth to heaven.… In the Hebrew he is here again called Lord of Sabaoth. And since he is the King of glory, and by his sojourn here the whole earth would be filled with his glory, both in the psalm and in the prophecy the fulfillment is rightly placed in the present: in the prophecy in the words, "The whole earth is full of his glory," in the psalm at the beginning where it says, "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and all that dwell therein." — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 7:1.311-12 Gregory the Dialogist: Gabriel, who is called the strength of God, is also sent to Mary. For he came to announce him who deigned to appear humble to conquer the powers of the air. Of whom it is said through the Psalmist: "Lift up your gates, O princes, and be lifted up, eternal gates, and the King of glory shall enter. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle." And again: "The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory." Therefore, he who was the Lord of hosts and mighty in battle, coming to wage war against the powers of the air, was to be announced through the strength of God. — Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 34 Jerome: [Daniel 8:16-17] "And I heard the voice of a man in the midst of the Ulai, and he cried out and said: 'Gabriel, make this vision intelligible (Vulgate: make this man to understand the vision).' And he came and stood near to where I was standing." The Jews claim that this man who directed Gabriel to explain the vision to Daniel was Michael. Quite appropriately it was Gabriel, who has been put in charge of battles, to whom this duty was assigned, inasmuch as the vision had to do with battles and contests between kings and even between kingdoms themselves. For Gabriel is translated into our language as "the strength of, or the mighty one of, God." And so at that time also when the Lord was about to be born and to declare war against the demons and to triumph over the world, Gabriel came to Zacharias (Luke 1:11-20) and to Mary (Luke 1:26-27). And then we read in the Psalms concerning the Lord in His triumph: "Who is this king of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle; He is the King of glory" (Psalms 24:8). But whenever it is medicine or healing that is needed, it is Raphael who is sent, for his name is rendered as "the healing of," or "the medicine of God" - that is, if one cares to accept the authority of the Book of Tobias (Tobit 12:11-15). And then, when favorable promises are made to the people, and hilasmos, which we might render as "propitiation" or "expiation," is the thing required, then it is Michael who is directed to go, for his name means, "Who is like God?" Of course the significance of the name indicates the fact that the only true remedy is to be found in God. "And he said to me: 'Son of man, understand that in the time of the end the vision shall be fulfilled.'" Inasmuch as Ezekiel and Daniel and Zechariah behold themselves to be often in the company of angels, they were reminded of their frailty, lest they should be lifted up in pride and imagine themselves to partake of the nature or dignity of angels. Therefore they are addressed as sons of men, in order that they might realize that they are but human beings. — St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER EIGHT Tertullian: Christ must be understood to be an exterminator of spiritual foes, who wields spiritual arms and fights in spiritual strife.… It is of such a war as this that the psalm may evidently have spoken: "The Lord is strong, the Lord is mighty in battle." For with the last enemy death did he fight, and through the trophy of the cross he triumphed. — AGAINST MARCION 4.20 Augustine of Hippo: "Take away your gates, you princes." Let us go hence straightway into heaven. Again, let the Prophet's trumpet cry aloud, "Take away too, you princes of the air, the gates, which you have in the minds of men who 'worship the host of heaven.'" [2 Kings 17:16] "And be lifted up, you everlasting gates." And be lifted up, you doors of everlasting righteousness, of love, and chastity, through which the soul loves the One True God, and goes not a-whoring with the many that are called gods. "And the King of glory shall come in" [Psalms 24:9]. "And the King of glory shall come in," that He may at the right hand of the Father intercede for us. — Exposition on Psalms 24 Origen of Alexandria: But after he had destroyed his enemies through his passion, the Lord, who is mighty in battle and strong, … goes, bearing victory and trophies, with the body that arose from the dead.… Certain powers say, "Who is this that is coming from Edom, with scarlet garments from Bosra, so beautiful?" And those escorting him say to those stationed at the gates of heaven, "Lift up your gates, and the King of glory will come in." — COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF John 6:287-88 Arnobius the Younger: Who is the King of glory? Christ, the Son of God, he is the King of glory, casting off the prince of shame. He lifts high the eternal gates of the holy universal church, having cast down the temple of idols just as the gates of their prince the devil. If you should ask, "Who is that King of glory?" the apostle will answer, "The King of all for their salvation, Christ, Son of God, who rules forever." — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 24 Augustine of Hippo: "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" (ver. 10). Yea, His Body now quickened, He who was tempted marches above thee; He who was tempted by the angel, the deceiver, goes above all angels. Let none of you put himself before us and stop our way, that he may be worshipped as a god by us: neither principality, nor angel, nor power, separateth us from the love of Christ. It is good to trust in the Lord, rather than to trust in a prince; that he who glorieth, should glory in the Lord. These indeed are powers in the administration of this world, but "the Lord of powers, He is the King of glory." — Exposition on Psalms 24 Augustine of Hippo: But this is said twice in one and the same psalm: Lift up your gates, O princes; and be lifted up, O eternal gates, and the king of glory will enter in. And this very thing is repeated after the same words, as if it is thought superfluous and unnecessary. But in the repetition of the same words, observe the ends, and notice why it was said twice. For as if to the one who rises once, and to the one who ascends once, both the gates of hell and of heaven are opened twice. For it is a new thing, God present in the underworld: it is a new thing, man taken up to the heavens. At both times, in both places, the princes are frightened. Who is this king of glory? How do we discern this? Hear what is answered to both. To those asking it is said: The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. What battle? To undergo death for mortals, to suffer alone for all, to not resist omnipotence, and yet to conquer by dying. Therefore, this king of glory is great, even in the underworld. This is also repeated to the heavenly powers: Lift up your gates, O princes; and be lifted up, O eternal gates. Are not the eternal gates those of which Peter received the keys? But because he lifts up man with himself, there he is said as if not recognized: Who is this king of glory? But there, because he is no longer as a fighter, but as a victor, because he does not battle, but triumphs; there it is not answered: The Lord mighty in battle; but, The Lord of hosts, he is the king of glory. — SERMON 377:1 Bede: With the report of his resurrection, already accomplished, going ahead of him, the Lord of hosts and the King of glory himself at length appeared and made clear with what great might he had overcome the death he had temporarily tasted. — Homilies on the Gospels 2:9 Cassiodorus: He is the king of glory who makes glorious those who glorify him, as it is said by the Lord: "Those who glorify me, I will glorify." He allots power and strength and other gifts to each one as he desires. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 24:9 Gregory the Dialogist: Gabriel, who is called the strength of God, is also sent to Mary. For he came to announce him who deigned to appear humble to conquer the powers of the air. Of whom it is said through the Psalmist: "Lift up your gates, O princes, and be lifted up, eternal gates, and the King of glory shall enter. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle." And again: "The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory." Therefore, he who was the Lord of hosts and mighty in battle, coming to wage war against the powers of the air, was to be announced through the strength of God. — Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 34 Arnobius the Younger: From all earthly profit, from all the things of this world that seem good, raising my spirit, let me come to you, Lord; I have been lifted up, now not trusting in money, or house, or business, or military might or in my abilities, but I search while trusting in you, so that I will not be ashamed when I depart from this body.… I have lifted my spirit to you so that my spirit may dwell on good things. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 25 Augustine of Hippo: "Unto You, O Lord, have I lift up my soul" [Psalms 25:1]: with spiritual longing have I lift up the soul, that was trodden down on the earth with carnal longings. — Exposition on Psalms 25 Cassiodorus: This is the first psalm laid out by the Hebrew alphabet.… In the course of the whole book, there are two types of these psalms. The first is the type which is shown to contain the entire alphabet, as Psalms 111, 112 and 119.… The other type is the one that omits letters … such as the present psalm and Psalms 34, 37 and 145.… The alphabetic acrostics are not known as something unusual in the divine Scriptures, for Jeremiah also lamented the captivity of Jerusalem with a lament which repeated the alphabet four times. By doing this, he taught that the sacraments, which are the letters, also indicate for us the mysteries of heavenly matters.… In the entire psalm, the church prays in marvelous supplication, using the figure known as ethopoeia, that it might not appear in God's view to be despicable to its enemies. In the first part, the church asks that it may understand the Lord's instructions and ways. This section contains five letters of the alphabet which we noted. In the second part, the church requests the benefits that he has granted to the holy fathers from beginning of the world; in the third part, the church says that those who keep the Lord's commands are worthy of eternal rewards; it attests that it remains constantly in the same desire; this is where the psalm contains the remaining nine letters. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 25:1 Augustine of Hippo: "O my God, in Thee I trust, I shall not be ashamed" (ver. 2). O my God, from trusting in myself I was brought even to this weakness of the flesh; and I who on abandoning God wished to be as God, fearing death from the smallest insect, was in derision ashamed for my pride; now, therefore, "in Thee I trust, I shall not be ashamed." — Exposition on Psalms 25 Cassiodorus: Enemies laugh when they see that the trust of just people has not been fulfilled.… Laughter is most often a quality of someone of good will, but laughing at someone is always the mark of an enemy. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 25:2-3 Augustine of Hippo: "And let not my enemies mock me." And let them not mock me, who by ensnaring me with serpent-like and secret suggestions, and prompting me with "Well done, well done," have brought me down to this. "For all that wait upon You shall not be confounded" [Psalms 25:3]. — Exposition on Psalms 25 Cassiodorus: Waiting for God means waiting courageously during the suffering of evils so that when he comes in his judgment he may grant what the spirit of the devoted person was seeking. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 25:4 Theodoret of Cyrus: I have a sufficient basis for hope, he is saying, in those who already believe in you and enjoy your aid. You are in the habit of showing care for them, while confounding those given to lawlessness. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 25:2 Ambrose of Milan: Now the ways of the Lord are, we may say, certain courses taken in a good life, guided by Christ, who says, "I am the way, and the truth and the life." The way, then, is the surpassing power of God, for Christ is our way, and a good way, too, is he, a way that has opened the kingdom of heaven to believers. Moreover, the ways of the Lord are straight, as it is written: "Make your ways known to me, O Lord." Chastity is a way, faith is a way, abstinence is a way. There is, indeed, a way of virtue, and there is a way of wickedness; for it is written, "And see if there is any way of wickedness in me." — Exposition of the Christian Faith 3.7.51 Augustine of Hippo: "Let them be confounded who do vain things unrighteously." Let them be confounded who act unrighteously for the acquiring things that pass away. "Make Your ways, O Lord, known to me, and teach me Your paths" [Psalms 25:4]: not those which are broad, and lead the many to destruction; [Matthew 7:13] but Your paths, narrow, and known to few, teach Thou me. — Exposition on Psalms 25 Theodore of Mopsuestia: As he refers by "way" to people's actions and exploits (as in that verse, "I have run in the way of your commands," as if to say, I determined to do and observe your commands), so he calls God's "way" whatever God deigns to do by creating or arranging. So "teach me your paths" means "make me rejoice in your acting and planning." — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 25:4 Arnobius the Younger: Since as you lead, Lord, your ways to life are found, which you have walked, make them known to me, so that through those very ways I may walk, and teach me your paths so that I may proceed on them. And as I do this very thing you direct me in your truth and lead me, because you are my God of salvation. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 25 Augustine of Hippo: "In Your truth guide me:" avoiding error. "And teach me:" for by myself I know nothing, but falsehood. "For You are the God of my salvation; and for You have I waited all the day" [Psalms 25:5]. For dismissed by You from Paradise, and having taken my journey into a far country, [Luke 15:13] I cannot by myself return, unless Thou meetest the wanderer: for my return has throughout the whole tract of this world's time waited for Your mercy. — Exposition on Psalms 25 Cassiodorus: There are two things which make good Christians: first, that we believe that God is our Savior and, second, that we must wait for his reward throughout our entire life. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 25:5 Augustine of Hippo: "Remember Your compassions, O Lord" [Psalms 25:6]. Remember the works of Your mercy, O Lord; for men deem of You as though You had forgotten. "And that Your mercies are from eternity." And remember this, that Your mercies are from eternity. For Thou never wast without them, who hast subjected even sinful man to vanity indeed, but in hope; [Romans 8:20] and not deprived him of so many and great consolations of Your creation. — Exposition on Psalms 25 Cassiodorus: In these words, a very glorious and orthodox statement seems to shine upon us, that no one attains to God's grace by his own merits. For in speaking of God's mercies "which are from the beginning of the world," the church continuously praises the Lord as the dispenser of mercies who does not receive human good works as an earlier step, but first grants his own gifts. Certainly all heresies have been devised by a detestable notion. On this basis, we are given insight into how destructive the Pelagian evil is, because it is recognized how persistently it is refuted. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 25:6 Evagrius Ponticus: When people remember, they stir up within themselves the thoughts of things they had known before. But God, when he is mindful of the rational nature, is in that very nature. It is said that he is mindful of him into whom he comes. — NOTES ON THE PSALMS Augustine of Hippo: "Remember not the offenses of my youth and of my ignorance" [Psalms 25:7]. The offenses of my presumptuous boldness and of my ignorance reserve not for vengeance, but let them be as if forgotten by You. "According to Your mercy, be mindful of me, O God." Be mindful indeed of me, not according to the anger of which I am worthy, but according to Your mercy which is worthy of You. "For Your goodness, O Lord." Not for my deservings, but for Your goodness, O Lord. — Exposition on Psalms 25 Diodorus of Tarsus: By "youthful sin" he refers to the people's sins in Egypt, where they committed idolatry, remember. So now, he is saying, remember not those sins but your lovingkindness, by which even then you were kind to them in their ignorance and had mercy on them of your own accord even without being asked; and so now, too, exercise such care and lovingkindness for your own sake. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 25 Philoxenus of Mabbug: And again he saith, "Lead me, O Lord, in Thy fear and righteousness", and because he knew what the profit of the fear of God was, he asked it as a gift from God. For all the conversation of the soul which the fear of God leadeth standeth in righteousness. And again, when he [David] entreated God not to remember the sins of his youth, he was moved to make this request by the fear of God. — 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 7 -- Second Discourse on the Fear of God Theodoret of Cyrus: In those expressions what he was asking for was this: According to your great mercy, remember me; remember not my sin but me in loving fashion. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 25:3 Augustine of Hippo: "Gracious and upright is the Lord" [Psalms 25:8]. The Lord is gracious, since even sinners and the ungodly He so pitied, as to forgive all that is past; but the Lord is upright too, who after the mercy of vocation and pardon, which is of grace without merit, will require merits meet for the last judgment. "Wherefore He will establish a law for them that fail in the way." For He has first bestowed mercy to bring them into the way. — Exposition on Psalms 25 Cassiodorus: The Lord is sweet, because while he surpasses all in his kindnesses, he still waits for the sinner's conversion.… He is upright since, after frequent rebukes and very long periods of waiting, he opposes the wicked and humbles the proud and profane in order that they may at length become wise and regret that they have gone astray. That he established a law was surely in keeping with his sweetness and uprightness, for those whom he did not want to go astray, he preferred to correct through the proclamation of a law. But so that someone might not believe that this came as a punishment derived from God's harshness, he laid out the purpose of the law that was brought forth, its goodness and sweetness. "On the way," that is, in the present life, a law is established through which we are admonished to live righteously. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 25:8 Diodorus of Tarsus: How is it, if God is naturally loving and merciful, that he allowed some people to be subjected to punishments? David added "and upright" to bring out that justice accompanies goodness. He goes on, in fact, "Hence he will legislate for sinners in the way": for this reason, that justice also is an attribute of his, "he will legislate for sinners in the way," that is, he will correct sinners so as to bring them to uprightness. In regard to sinners, he is saying, God gives evidence of justice, whereas in regard to others it is goodness.… Nevertheless, whether people are punished or enjoy happy outcomes, they find everything happening to their own benefit, provided the mind is set on God and does not waver. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 25 Evagrius Ponticus: If someone has mastered irascibility, he has mastered the demons, but if someone is a slave to this passion, he is a complete … stranger to the ways of our Savior, since the Lord is said to teach the gentle his ways. — ON THOUGHTS 13 Theodore of Mopsuestia: Mercy is customary with God; righteousness is his constant concern. Often, in fact, he obscures sin with a show of his goodness, and he does not submit individuals' behavior to harsh scrutiny; rather, when he sees some people persisting in their errors without amendment, he applies the rigor of justice and chastises them for the purpose of correcting them, and by the bitterness of the blows he brings the errant ones back to a life of discipline. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 25:8 Augustine of Hippo: "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" [Psalms 25:9]. He will teach His ways, not to those that desire to run before, as if they were better able to rule themselves; but to those who do not exalt the neck, nor lift the heel, when the easy yoke and the light burden is laid upon them. [Matthew 11:30] — Exposition on Psalms 25 Cassiodorus: By using the term meek he excludes the proud and exalted.… "The mild" are just the opposite of the proud, who kick against the easy yoke and light burden with a freedom that does harm to them; God will teach those who do without grumbling what they know has been commanded. The distinction between mild and meek appears to be this: the meek are those who are not disturbed by the flame of fury, but they continue constantly with a gentleness of mind. But others are called mild (mansueti), as if they had been conditioned by the hand (manu sueti), that is, they endure injuries without returning evil for evil. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 25:9 Augustine of Hippo: "All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth" [Psalms 25:10]. And what ways will He teach them, but mercy wherein He is placable, and truth wherein He is incorrupt? Whereof He has exhibited the one in forgiving sins, the other in judging deserts. And therefore "all the ways of the Lord" are the two advents of the Son of God, the one in mercy, the other in judgment. He then attains unto Him holding on His ways, who seeing himself freed by no deserts of his own, lays pride aside, and henceforward bewares of the severity of His trial, having experienced the clemency of His help. "To them that seek His testament and His testimonies." For they understand the Lord as merciful at His first advent, and as the Judge at His second, who in meekness and gentleness seek His testament, when with His Own Blood He redeemed us to a new life; and in the Prophets and Evangelists, His testimonies. — Exposition on Psalms 25 Theodore of Mopsuestia: These are the ways of the Lord. Now, he habitually links truth and mercy, as if to say, this is God's work, this his way, this his action, to accord secure and true salvation to those he has chosen. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 25:10 Theodoret of Cyrus: Those constantly reared on the sacred Words have a precise knowledge from them that all the dispensations of God our Savior are tempered with mercy and truth: to some, who repent of sins committed, he extends mercy and pardon; others unconquered he proclaims and crowns as champions of virtue, giving his verdict with truth, while admittedly on those caught up in lawlessness and not taking advantage of repentance he inflicts punishments in terms of the standard of truth. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 25:5 Augustine of Hippo: "For Your Name's sake, O Lord, You will be favourable to my sin; for it is manifold" [Psalms 25:11]. You have not only forgiven my sins, which I committed before I believed; but also to my sin, which is manifold, since even in the way there is no lack of stumbling, You will be made favourable by the sacrifice of a troubled spirit. — Exposition on Psalms 25 Jerome: Although the mercy of God mitigated the truth of his judgment, nevertheless, because David was bold enough to make such statements, he was abandoned to his weakness for awhile, and, as you say, to the freedom of his will. — Against the Pelagians 2.19 Augustine of Hippo: "Who is the man that fears the Lord?" from which fear he begins to come to wisdom. "He shall establish a law for him in the way, which he has chosen" [Psalms 25:12]. He shall establish a law for him in the way, which in his freedom he has taken, that he may not sin now with impunity. — Exposition on Psalms 25 Cassiodorus: He now comes to the third section in which the psalmist discusses in detail who it is who fears the Lord or with what gift the Lord expresses his thanks. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 25:12 Augustine of Hippo: "His soul shall dwell in good, and his seed shall, by inheritance, possess the earth" [Psalms 25:13]. And his work shall possess the stable inheritance of a renewed body. — Exposition on Psalms 25 Cassiodorus: When the just have been stripped of their bodies, the perfect blessedness that is promised to the saints at the resurrection is not immediately granted; but it says that the soul is able "to dwell in good things," since even if those rewards have still been withheld, "which an eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have they entered into the human heart," they still feast on the most certain delight of the hope of their future reward. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 25:13 Pseudo-Athanasius: The person who fears the Lord, his seed—which is good works—will cause him to inherit the spiritual land, which he will acquire by humility and labor with the forgiveness of sins. — EXPOSITION ON Psalms 25 Augustine of Hippo: "The Lord is the stay of them that fear Him" [Psalms 25:14]. Fear seems to belong to the weak, but the Lord is the stay of them that fear Him. And the Name of the Lord, which has been glorified throughout the whole world, is a stay to them that fear Him. "And His testament, that it may be manifested unto them." And He makes His testament to be manifested unto them, for the Gentiles and the bounds of the earth are Christ's inheritance. — Exposition on Psalms 25 Cassiodorus: Fear of people imparts a lack of confidence, but fear of God provides support for hope. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 25:14 Augustine of Hippo: "My eyes are ever unto the Lord; for He shall pluck my feet out of the snare" [Psalms 25:15]. Nor would I fear the dangers of earth, while I look not upon the earth: for He upon whom I look, will pluck my feet out of the snare. — Exposition on Psalms 25 Cassiodorus: One who does not look at what is before his feet is likely to run into traps or to fall into the mouths of pits. But what is said here is amazing and true, that we walk cautiously and guide our feet, if we lift our eyes constantly to the Lord, since such looking makes us strangers to all stumbling. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 25:15 Evagrius Ponticus: One who says and does everything so that he may know God always has the eyes of his soul toward the Lord. If one does not receive the spirit of the adoption of the children, he is not made a brother of Christ, nor is the power of the holy made effectual in him; let him say that he is an only child and poor in riches having been deprived of knowledge. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 24[25].16 Augustine of Hippo: "Look upon me, and have mercy upon me; for I am single and poor" [Psalms 25:16]. For I am a single people, keeping the lowliness of Your single Church, which no schisms or heresies possess. — Exposition on Psalms 25 Augustine of Hippo: "The tribulations of my heart have been multiplied" [Psalms 25:17]. The tribulations of my heart have been multiplied by the abounding of iniquity and the waxing cold of love. [Matthew 24:12] "O bring Thou me out of my necessities." Since I must needs bear this, that by enduring unto the end I may be saved, bring Thou me out of my necessities. — Exposition on Psalms 25 Augustine of Hippo: "See my humility and my travail" [Psalms 25:18]. See my humility, whereby I never, in the boast of righteousness, break off from unity; and my travail, wherein I bear with the unruly ones that are mingled with me. "And forgive all my sins." And, propitiated by these sacrifices, forgive all my sins, not those only of youth and my ignorance before I believed, but those also which, living now by faith, I commit through infirmity, or the darkness of this life. — Exposition on Psalms 25 Augustine of Hippo: "Consider mine enemies, how they are multiplied" [Psalms 25:19]. For not only without, but even within, in the Church's very communion, they are not wanting. "And with an unrighteous hate they hate me." And they hate me who love them. — Exposition on Psalms 25 Cassiodorus: In saying "Look on my enemies," the church prays for them to return, because God converts without hesitation those on whom he looks, as in the Gospel the Lord looked at Peter in such a way that he wept.… One could believe that a few people might be disregarded, but the loss of many could not be endured without much grief. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 25:19 Augustine of Hippo: "Keep my soul, and deliver me." Keep my soul, that I turn not aside to imitate them; and draw me out from the confusion wherein they are mingled with me. "Let me not be confounded, for I have put my trust in You" [Psalms 25:20]. Let me not be confounded, if haply they rise up against me: for not in myself, but in You have I put my trust. — Exposition on Psalms 25 Evagrius Ponticus: Hope does not shame. She is the daughter of uprightness, and uprightness is the offspring of patience, and patience is birthed really in trials that the virtues receive from the enemy and by which the understanding of God is cut off. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 24[25].20 Augustine of Hippo: "The innocent and the upright have cleaved to me, for I have waited for You, O Lord" [Psalms 25:21]. The innocent and the upright, not in bodily presence only, as the evil, are mingled with me, but in the agreement of the heart in the same innocence and uprightness cleave to me: for I have not fallen away to imitate the evil; but I have waited for You, expecting the winnowing of Your last harvest. — Exposition on Psalms 25 Cassiodorus: The church says that the innocent and upright have clung to the church, because it waited for the Lord; it would not have been able to love such people, if the church itself were not appearing to take such strength for granted. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 25:21 Philoxenus of Mabbug: All those who were reared in the contemplative life, and who never went forth in the ways, or contended and conversed with the multitude, were found to be especially upright and simple, and the integrity which is born from righteousness was found in them, even as also the blessed David joineth integrity unto innocency in his words, "The innocent and upright have cleaved unto me because I waited for Thee." — 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 4 -- On Faith: First Discourse on Simplicity Philoxenus of Mabbug: And the blessed David said that the upright and men of integrity clave unto him, and it is well known that integrity is born of simplicity. Now my speech here referreth to the purity of spirit which ariseth in the soul after the flight of all wickedness; for the order of natural simplicity is one thing, and the order of purity of the spirit is another. The simplicity of nature is the beginning of the path of the doctrine of Christ, but purity of spirit is the end of the path of righteousness. And whosoever beginneth in simplicity endeth in purity, even also as the blessed Apostles, when they were chosen, at the beginning were simple men; but at the end of the dispensation after they had received the Holy Ghost, they were shewn to be pure men. Now purity is this: a man should by toil, and weariness, and striving against all hateful motions separate from him the filth of wickedness, and cast it away from him, and the purity and undefiledness of pure thoughts and of the thoughts which are moved by the Spirit, and are above all doubt, should abide in him. And simplicity is that which is not stirred up naturally in these thoughts; and that which simplicity distinguisheth not when it entereth, it must overcome in contest, and in wisdom must reject, and expel, and cast forth from the place of its purity. — 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 5 -- Second Discourse on Simplicity Theodore of Mopsuestia: Placing my hope in you, I took pains to be such a person that innocent people might associate with me and take pleasure in my company. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 25:21 Augustine of Hippo: "Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles" [Psalms 25:22]. "Redeem Your people, O God," whom You have prepared to see You, out of his troubles, not those only which he bears without, but those also which he bears within. — Exposition on Psalms 25 Theodoret of Cyrus: Prayer offered to God befits a king: it is appropriate for one appointed to rule to exercise complete care of his subjects. This is surely the reason that blessed David offered prayer not only for himself but also for a people entrusted to him, especially as the salvation of the one who reigns wisely and well constitutes the welfare of the whole people. The verse implies something else as well, however. Israel was divided, in the time of Saul, of Mephibosheth and of Absalom. Consequently, if I were to enjoy your aid, he is saying, and prove stronger than my adversaries, Israel itself would obtain peace by putting an end to civil strife and would revel in your good things. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 25:10 Arnobius the Younger: Two things give faith to the Christian, that he has the mercy of God before his eyes and that he accepts the truth of the universal faith. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 26 Augustine of Hippo: "Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in my innocence" [Psalms 26:1]. Judge me, O Lord, for, after the mercy which You first showed me, I have some desert of my innocence, the way whereof I have kept. "And trusting in the Lord I shall not be moved." And yet not even so trusting in myself, but in the Lord, I shall abide in Him. — Exposition on Psalms 26 Cassiodorus: The petition for judgment does indeed appear to be dangerous, but a separation from evil people is recognized to be an appropriate request from one who is well deserving. Therefore this request does not arise from the detestable pride in merits, but it is the just petition of a faithful servant, asking to be separated from the most vile in order not to have a portion with wicked people. A holy person asks for judgments to be made because of certainty in God's mercy, as the Apostle says: "As to the rest, a crown of righteousness has been set aside for me, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will grant to me on that day." The psalmist walks in innocence because he puts his hope in the Lord, as he says later; nor does he find confidence in his own powers, but in God's generosity. A fitting proof of this matter follows, for he maintains that he has not been weakened in his trust in the Lord. This is the "innocence" which he spoke about earlier, namely, his confidence in God's power that no weakness of sin is able to weigh him down. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 26:1 Theodore of Mopsuestia: It is not to be read, as some commentators claim, "Judge me, Lord," for if it is read "Judge me," it gives quite a different sense, as though to say, condemn me, as also in Psalms 5 he appealed in the words "Condemn them, Lord," which is not appropriate for a suppliant to ask for in his own case. So it is to be read as "Give me a just verdict" … because I did not swerve from my innocent purpose, nor did I have any doubts about the hope I placed in you. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 26:1 Theodoret of Cyrus: I appeal to you, O Lord, to act as judge of the justice of my cause: I know you are God, I placed my hopes in your providence, and I am confident I shall not fall into the hands of my pursuers. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 26:2 Augustine of Hippo: "Prove me, O Lord, and try me" [Psalms 26:2]. Lest, however, any of my secret sins should be hid from me, prove me, O Lord, and try me, making me known, not to You from whom nothing is hid, but to myself, and to men. "Burn my reins and my heart." Apply a remedial purgation, as it were fire, to my pleasures and thoughts. — Exposition on Psalms 26 Cassiodorus: "Prove and test" is not spoken presumptuously, but is made as a request for improvement. For when God examines and tests us, he makes us conscious of our sin and brings us to the fruition of repentance. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 26:2 Gregory the Dialogist: It follows: "And thus shall you eat it. You shall gird your loins." What is understood by the loins except the delight of the flesh? Hence the Psalmist also asks, saying: "Burn my loins." For if he had not known that the pleasure of lust resides in the loins, he would by no means have asked that they be burned. Hence, because the power of the devil has prevailed over the human race especially through lust, it is said of him by the voice of the Lord: "His power is in his loins." Therefore he who eats the Passover ought to have his loins girded, so that he who celebrates the solemnity of resurrection and incorruption may no longer be subject to corruption through any vices, may subdue pleasures, and may restrain the flesh from lust. — Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 22 Origen of Alexandria: If need be, we will not only partake of the blessings of life but bear its appointed sorrows as a trial to our souls. For in this way is divine Scripture accustomed to speak of human afflictions, by which, as gold is tried in the fire, so the human spirit is tried and is found to be worthy either of condemnation or of praise.… We are therefore prepared and are ready to say, "Try me, O Lord, and prove me; purge my reins and my heart." — AGAINST CELSUS 8:56 Philoxenus of Mabbug: And again David saith, "Examine me, O Lord, and try me, prove my reins and my heart." — 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 4 -- On Faith: First Discourse on Simplicity Augustine of Hippo: "For Your mercy is before my eyes" [Psalms 26:3]. For, that I be not consumed by that fire, not my merits, but Your mercy, whereby You have brought me on to such a life, is before my eyes. "And I have been pleasing in Your truth." And since my own falsehood has been displeasing to me, but Your truth pleasing, I have myself been pleasing also with it and in it. — Exposition on Psalms 26 Cassiodorus: He was not able to forget his mercy, for he is constantly aware that he is the recipient of help; the kindness that has been delivered to him always stands before his eyes.… "In your truth" stands for "In your Christ," for he is the one who says, "I am the way, the truth and the life." For he is not able to be pleasing to the Father, unless he has been strengthened by such faith. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 26:3 Evagrius Ponticus: If Christ our God is truth, as indeed he said, "I am the Truth" and if David in truth was pleasing to God, surely David was pleasing to God in God. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 25[26].3 Fulgentius of Ruspe: The grace of justification is given in the present time, but the grace of glorification is saved as a future grace. The one is of faith, the other of sight. Paul says that now "we walk by faith, not by sight." What the saints believe now, then they will see.… The just person living by faith says with trusting faith, "I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living." This, therefore, is the order of divine redemption and reward in humankind so that, having been justified, he believes now what, having been glorified, he will receive then. — LETTER TO MONIMUS 1:11.5 Jerome: He seeks justice so that he may tell of mercy. — BRIEF COMMENTARY ON Psalms 25[26] Augustine of Hippo: "I have not sat with the council of vanity" [Psalms 26:4]. I have not chosen to give my heart to them who endeavour to provide, what is impossible, how they may be blessed in the enjoyment of things transitory. "And I will not enter in with them that work wickedly." And since this is the very cause of all wickedness, therefore I will not have my conscience hid, with them that work wickedly. — Exposition on Psalms 26 Cassiodorus: Now he lists the things that he has accomplished through the Lord's kindness; such kindness is the basis of his claim that he was pleasing to God. "I have not sat in the council of vanity"; he does not agree to the deliberations of the wicked by any participation in their plan. It can happen that a holy person through some chance may come to the council of the wicked where inappropriate or empty matters are put forward. But while he is aware of these things, he does not sit comfortably with them nor does he tarry over them with any delight, but either he tries to argue against the proposals or he abandons them. So while he previously denied that he sat with the wicked, now he claims that he did not enter in with the most wicked. Earlier he avoided their deliberation, later he also abandoned their actions. "Going into" pertains to a wicked action, when something begins to be done heedlessly. "Going into" indicates the beginning of the activity that the holy person professes is foreign to his conscience. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 26:4 Augustine of Hippo: "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" [Psalms 26:5]. And, therefore, with such a council, with the ungodly, I will not sit, that is, I will not place my consent. "And I will not sit with the ungodly." — On the Psalms, Psalms 26 Caesarius of Arles: Do not be malicious toward one another, for the Lord detests this vice, as he says: "I hate the assembly of evildoers." Let us, then, amend vices of the flesh, dearly beloved, for the sake of beauty of soul, in which there is the image of Christ. I speak the truth, brothers, that if we want to observe all these things, we will also say to the one who is tempting us: Do not persuade me, devil, to defile the image of my God by listening to you. He suffered for me, he was covered with spittle for me, he was struck with blows on the cheek for me, he was scourged for me, he was hung on a cross for me. This the servant of God should say to his tempter: Truly you will not persuade me to do what you are urging. — SERMON 238:2 Cassiodorus: It would have been a lesser thing for a holy person to have avoided the wicked council if he had also hated the assembly of those who are deceptive in every way. Hatred indicates division, just as there is cooperation in love. Whereas he said earlier that he did not sit in the council of vanity, so now he professes that he does not sit with the wicked. Both of these groups should be forsaken completely. Some are vain and others are wicked. The vain are those who occupy themselves with ephemeral pursuits and spend their time in needless discussion. But the wicked are heretics who attempt to degrade the divine Scriptures by their treacherous questions, just as the apostle Peter says: "Distorting them to their own destruction and ruin." So he properly warns us to avoid both groups, for the former love empty things and later plant the spears of their depravity. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 26:5 Augustine of Hippo: "I will wash mine hands amid the innocent" [Psalms 26:6]. I will make clean my works among the innocent: among the innocent will I wash mine hands, with which I shall embrace Thy glorious gifts. "And I will compass Thy altar, O Lord." — On the Psalms, Psalms 26 Cassiodorus: Whoever purifies his deeds through his zeal for noble behavior washes his hands "among the innocent." He did well to add "among the innocent," for the guilty are also able to wash their hands, as Pontius Pilate did … when he polluted his soul by his foul betrayal of the Lord.… But whoever cleanses his deeds with the tears that render satisfaction washes his hands in the spiritual sense. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 26:6 Cyril of Jerusalem: You have seen the deacon who gives to the priest water to wash, and to the presbyters who stand around God's altar. He gave it not at all because of bodily defilement; it is not that, for we did not enter the church at first with defiled bodies. But the washing of hands is a symbol that you ought to be pure from all sinful and unlawful deeds; for since the hands are a symbol of action, by washing them, it is evident, we represent the purity and blamelessness of our conduct. Did you not hear the blessed David opening this very mystery and saying, "I will wash my hands in innocence, and so will I compass your altar, O Lord"? The washing therefore of hands is a symbol of immunity from sin. — MYSTAGOGICAL LECTURES 5:2 Evagrius Ponticus: Our mind is the rational altar on which we burn all irrational thoughts with the fire sent from the Father.… When the soul reflects on itself, it encompasses the altar of God, nor does it seek a corner of corruption.… Contemplation is the altar of corporeal and incorporeal things by which my mind is cleansed. One who embraces it, that is, learning, declares all the marvels of God. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 25[26].6 Augustine of Hippo: "That I may hear the voice of Your praise." That I may learn how to praise You. "And that I may declare all Your wondrous works" [Psalms 26:7]. And after I have learned, I may set forth all Your wondrous works. — Exposition on Psalms 26 Augustine of Hippo: "O Lord, I have loved the beauty of Your house:" of Your Church. "And the place of the habitation of Your glory" [Psalms 26:8]: where You dwell, and art glorified. — Exposition on Psalms 26 Cassiodorus: What he calls "the glory of your house" is not the beauty of walls or the most expensive table settings, but the most blessed quality of those actions in which the entire church rejoices: namely, the joyful singing of psalms, the holiness of prayers, the most humble devotion of Christian people. Earlier he spoke about the entire church, but now he comes to speak about the saints among whom the glory of God is known to dwell. The Apostle has this to say about them: "For the temple of God is holy—you are that temple." For by speaking of "dwelling place," he means the hidden place of the human heart. To this he makes the amazing addition "of your glory," for wherever God dwells, his glory is there, since he makes glorious whatever place he deems fit to inhabit, and the greatness of the guest house increases due to the merits of the guest. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 26:8 Augustine of Hippo: "Destroy not my soul with the ungodly" [Psalms 26:9]. Destroy not then, together with them that hate You, my soul, which has loved the beauty of Your house. "And my life with the men of blood." And with them that hate their neighbour. For Your house is beautified with the two commandments. — Exposition on Psalms 26 Augustine of Hippo: "In whose hands is wickedness." Destroy me not then with the ungodly and the men of blood, whose works are wicked. "Their right hand is full of gifts" [Psalms 26:10]. And that which was given them to obtain eternal salvation, they have converted into the receiving this world's gifts, "supposing that godliness is a trade." — On the Psalms, Psalms 26 Augustine of Hippo: "But I have walked in mine innocence: deliver me, and have mercy on me" [Psalms 26:11]. Let so great a price of my Lord's Blood avail for my complete deliverance: and in the dangers of this life let not Your mercy leave me. — Exposition on Psalms 26 Cassiodorus: "Redeem me," means, make me free through the precious blood of your first advent by which the world was delivered when it was being held subject to sins. "And have mercy on me," that is to say, in his world, where you pardon those who pray to you faithfully. — Explanation of the Psalms 26:11 Augustine of Hippo: "My foot has stood in uprightness." My Love has not withdrawn from Your righteousness. "In the Churches I will bless You, O Lord" [Psalms 26:12]. I will not hide Your blessing, O Lord, from those whom You have called; for next to the love of You I join the love of my neighbour. — Exposition on Psalms 26 Augustine of Hippo: Christ's young soldier speaks, on his coming to the faith. "The Lord is my light, and my salvation: whom shall I fear?" [Psalms 27:1]. The Lord will give me both knowledge of Himself, and salvation: who shall take me from Him? "The Lord is the Protector of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?" The Lord will repel all the assaults and snares of mine enemy: of no man shall I be afraid. — Exposition on Psalms 27 Cassiodorus: "Whom shall I fear" means "I will fear no one"; for the fear of the Lord has brought him to the point that he could not fear anyone else. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 27:2 Diodorus of Tarsus: Tribulation caused the Israelites to live in darkness, as it were, whereas the Lord's support proved a light and help to them. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 27 Gregory of Nyssa: Next he says, "Lightening souls with the light of knowledge." This grace also the doctrine of godliness ascribes alike to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. For He is called a light by David, and from thence the light of knowledge shines in them who are enlightened. — AGAINST EUNOMIUS 2:15 Leo the Great: In rendering service to the grace of God, we are not only made subject to our King through obedience but are even joined to him through the will. If we are of one mind with him (willing what he wills, disapproving of what he disapproves), he himself will bring us victory in all our battles. He who has given the "will" will bestow also the ability. In this way can we "cooperate" with his works, speaking that prophetic utterance in the exultation of faith: "The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defender of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid?" — SERMON 26:4.2 Origen of Alexandria: Christians have nothing to fear, even if demons should not be well-disposed to them; for they are protected by the supreme God, who is well pleased with their piety and who sets his divine angels to watch over those who are worthy of such guardianship, so that they can suffer nothing from demons. He who by his piety possesses the favor of the Most High, who has accepted the guidance of Jesus, the "angel of the great counsel," being well contented with the favor of God through Christ Jesus, may say with confidence that he has nothing to suffer from the whole host of demons. — AGAINST CELSUS 8:27 Ambrose of Milan: David says that he does not fear, because the enemy were eating up his flesh but not his soul. — Concerning Repentance 1.14.77 Augustine of Hippo: "Whilst the guilty approach unto me to eat up my flesh" [Psalms 27:2]. Whilst the guilty come near to recognise and insult me, that they may exalt themselves above me in my change for the better; that with their reviling tooth they may consume not me, but rather my fleshly desires. "Mine enemies who trouble me." Not they only who trouble me, blaming me with a friendly intent, and wishing to recall me from my purpose, but mine enemies also. "They became weak, and fell." Whilst then they do this with the desire of defending their own opinion, they became weak to believe better things, and began to hate the word of salvation, whereby I do what displeases them. — Exposition on Psalms 27 Diodorus of Tarsus: Having referred to the victory in the introduction, he states these two clauses by way of narrative; lest he seem to be giving thanks needlessly, he introduces as well the reason for thanksgiving in the words "When some enemies assembled against me who were so fierce and unrelenting as even to take a piece of me, as it were, then in particular I clearly sensed God's help, with their fall and our conquest." — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 27 Theodoret of Cyrus: Those who stole an advantage over me in their pursuit like wild animals and their attempts to make a meal of me while still alive, far from doing me any harm, were themselves the victims of total destruction. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 27:3 Augustine of Hippo: "If camps stand together against me, my heart will not fear." But if the multitude of gain-sayers conspire to stand together against me, my heart will not fear, so as to go over to their side. "If war rise up against me, in this will I trust" [Psalms 27:3]. If the persecution of this world arise against me, in this petition, which I am pondering, will I place my hope. — Exposition on Psalms 27 Evagrius Ponticus: One who follows the active life wages war by his own virtues with alien virtues. One who follows the contemplative life using true dogmas destroys every thought opposed to the knowledge of God. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 26[27].3 Origen of Alexandria: You see steadfastness and vigor of the soul that keeps the commandments of God and has the confidence of uncreated liberty. — HOMILIES ON Leviticus 16:6.1 Origen of Alexandria: It may be that these words are spoken by the prophet of no one else but the Savior, who feared no one because of the light and salvation given from the Father and who was afraid of no one because of the protection with which God shielded him. And his heart was not at all fearful when the entire host of Satan encamped against him. His heart, filled with sacred teachings, hoped in God when war rose up against him. — EXHORTATION TO MARTYDOM 29 Theodoret of Cyrus: Having such wonderful experience of assistance, he is saying, even should two or three times the number of enemies try to attack me, I would brave the difficulties, armed with this hope. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 27:3 Augustine of Hippo: "One have I asked of the Lord, this will I require." For one petition have I asked the Lord, this will I require. "That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life" [Psalms 27:4]. That as long as I am in this life, no adversities may exclude me from the number of them who hold the unity and the truth of the Lord's faith throughout the world. "That I may contemplate the delight of the Lord." With this end, namely, that persevering in the faith, the delightsome vision may appear to me, which I may contemplate face to face. "And I shall be protected, His temple." And death being swallowed up in victory, I shall be clothed with immortality, being made His temple. — Exposition on Psalms 27 Bede: Let us strive with all our strength of soul to arrive there. Let us make our way there by the inward affection of our heart. Let us long [to arrive] there. Let us beg all together, and let us beg individually, of the Maker of that house, that we may dwell in his house all days of our life. — Homilies on the Gospels 2:4 Bede: The Lord, born a human being among human beings, did what God, by divine inspiration through [his] angels, prescribed for human beings to do. He himself kept the law that he gave in order to show us, who are human beings pure and simple, that whatever God orders is to be observed in everything. Let us follow the path of his human way of life if we take delight in looking on the glory of his divinity, if we want to dwell in his eternal home in heaven all the days of our lives, if it delights [us] to see the Lord's will and to be shielded by his holy temple. And lest we be forever buffeted by the wind of wickedness, let us remember to frequent the house, the church of the present time, with the requisite offerings of pure petitions. — Homilies on the Gospels 1:19 Theodoret of Cyrus: Having enjoyed such beneficence, he is saying, I seek from my benefactor not wealth or influence, royalty or glory, but constant attendance in the divine temple, contemplation of the divine beauty there and inspection of everything happening in accordance with law. I have … already secured salvation from that source and escaped the hand of my pursuers. This the mighty David both asked for and received from the munificent God: he brought back the divine ark, erected another more wonderful tabernacle and assembled the different choirs of singers. You could gain a more precise knowledge of this from the books of Chronicles. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 27:4 Augustine of Hippo: "For He has hidden me in His tabernacle in the day of my evils" [Psalms 27:5]. For He has hidden me in the dispensation of His Incarnate Word in the time of temptations, to which my mortal life is exposed. "He has protected me in the secret place of His tabernacle." He has protected me, with the heart believing unto righteousness. — Exposition on Psalms 27 Augustine of Hippo: "On a rock has He exalted me." And that what I believed might be made manifest for salvation, He has made my confession to be conspicuous in His own strength. "And now, lo! He has exalted mine head above mine enemies" [Psalms 27:6]. What does He reserve for me at the last, when even now the body is dead because of sin, lo! I feel that my mind serves the law of God, and is not led captive under the rebellious law of sin? "I have gone about, and have sacrificed in His tabernacle the sacrifice of rejoicing." I have considered the circuit of the world, believing on Christ; and in that for us God was humbled in time, I have praised Him with rejoicing: for with such sacrifice He is well pleased. "I will sing and give praises to the Lord." In heart and in deed I will be glad in the Lord. — Exposition on Psalms 27 Bede: The Lord Christ is the head of all the saints, in himself always remaining equal and indivisible, to be sure, but distributing the grace of his Spirit to each one of those who are elect, according to their capacity for receiving. For this reason, not only to the whole church in general but also to each of its members in particular is it permissible to proclaim with confidence that prophetic [word]: "And now he has lifted up my head above my enemies." — On the Tabernacle 2:9 Diodorus of Tarsus: God takes more satisfaction in the praise in these sacrifices than in the slaughter of animals. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 27 Augustine of Hippo: "Hear my voice, O Lord, wherewith I have cried unto You" [Psalms 27:7]. Hear, Lord, my interior voice, which with a strong intention I have addressed to Your ears. "Have mercy upon me, and hear me." Have mercy upon me, and hear me therein. — Exposition on Psalms 27 Arnobius the Younger: In this place, the lover of God, not seeking any other type of purity but desiring the beauty of Christ alone, in those words which lovers are accustomed to say to those whom they love, cries out in the heart, "My heart says to you, as to your face, do not turn your face from me or turn away your servant in anger." I have done such things by which you, rightly angered, have turned away from me, having been justly angered by my desires, but be my merciful helper, do not turn away from me or look down on me, God of my salvation. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 27 Augustine of Hippo: "My heart has said to You, I have sought Your countenance" [Psalms 27:8]. For I have not exhibited myself to men; but in secret, where Thou alone hear, my heart has said to You; I have not sought from You anything without You as a reward, but Your countenance. "Your countenance, O Lord, will I seek." In thus search will I perseveringly persist: for not anything that is common, but Your countenance, O Lord, will I seek, that I may love You freely, since nothing more precious do I find. — Exposition on Psalms 27 Diodorus of Tarsus: What is it that I am asking? For you not to keep silent if ever I sin as a human being or dismiss without concern my situation, leaving me unschooled in better ways. Instead, correct and reform me in a loving way.… Do not put me beyond your care. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 27 Augustine of Hippo: "Turn not away Your face from me" [Psalms 27:9]: that I may find what I seek. "Turn not aside in anger from Your servant:" lest, while seeking You, I fall in with somewhat else. For what is more grievous than this punishment to one who loves and seeks the truth of Your countenance? "Be Thou my Helper." How shall I find it, if Thou help me not? "Leave me not, neither despise me, O God my Saviour." Scorn not that a mortal dares to seek the Eternal; for Thou, God, dost heal the wound of my sin. — Exposition on Psalms 27 Arnobius the Younger: Give the law to me concerning your way, show what you wish, what you do not wish, what you love, what you hate. I will offend if I do not learn what I ought. And since my enemies are eager for nothing other except that I would offend you, I ask this, that you direct me on the right way on account of my enemies. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 27 Augustine of Hippo: "Appoint me a law, O Lord, in Your way" [Psalms 27:11]. For me then who am setting out toward You, and commenting so great a profession, of arriving at wisdom, from fear, appoint, O Lord, a law in Your way, lest in my wandering Your rule abandon me. "And direct me in the right path because of mine enemies." And direct me in the right way of its straits. For it is not enough to begin, since enemies cease not until the end is attained. — Exposition on Psalms 27 Theodoret of Cyrus: In place of "Guide me by law," Aquila and Theodotion said, "Illuminate," whereas Symmachus has, "Give me a glimpse of your way." … Become for me in your own person both lawgiver and guide, giving me a glimpse of the path leading to you. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 27:7 Augustine of Hippo: "Deliver me not up unto the souls of them that trouble me" [Psalms 27:12]. 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 You, as if I seek glory of men. "And iniquity has lied unto itself." Therefore iniquity has been pleased with its own lie. For me it has not moved, to whom because of this there has been promised a greater reward in heaven. — Exposition on Psalms 27 Diodorus of Tarsus: You do two things at the same time, making me better and not giving the foe an occasion for taunting or for thinking that they will be able to harm me against your will. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 27 Augustine of Hippo: "I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living" [Psalms 27:13]. And since my Lord has first suffered these things, if I too despise the tongues of the dying ("for the mouth that lies slays the soul" [Wisdom 1:11]), I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living, where there is no place for falsity. — Exposition on Psalms 27 Augustine of Hippo: "Wait on the Lord, quit thyself like a man: and let thy heart be strong, yea wait on the Lord" [Psalms 27:14]. But when shall this be? It is arduous for a mortal, it is flow to a lover: but listen to the voice, that deceiveth not, of him that saith, "Wait on the Lord." Endure the burning of the reins manfully, and the burning of the heart stoutly. Think not that what thou dost not as yet receive is denied thee. That thou faint not in despair, see how it is said, "Wait on the Lord." — On the Psalms, Psalms 27 Cyril of Alexandria: Great and distinguished successes are brought to completion not without labors. No doubt it is necessary that for every good thing sweat must be caused first. And no wonder if we see that such occurs in great matters, since common and inferior ones are full of care and come to pass through labors. But even in labor we have learned to say, "Be strong, and be of stout heart and wait for the Lord." For we have taken heart that a glorious result attends zealous actions aimed at virtue, and we shall find that our reward from God is the gift of spiritual courage. — LETTER 25:1 Cyril of Jerusalem: [The Holy Spirit] is called Comforter, because he comforts and encourages us and "helps our weakness. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself pleads for us with unutterable groanings," that is, clearly, to God. Often a person for Christ's sake is treated with contumely and unjustly dishonored; martyrdom is at hand, tortures on every side, fire, swords, wild beasts and the abyss; but the Holy Spirit gently whispers, "Wait for the Lord," for your present sufferings are slight, while your rewards will be great; endure for a little while, and you will be with the angels forever. "The sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come that will be revealed in us." He portrays for the person the kingdom of heaven and even gives him a glimpse of the paradise of pleasure; and the martyrs, who must present their bodily countenances to their judges, are in spirit already in paradise, despise what appear to be hardships. — Catechetical Lecture 16:20 Evagrius Ponticus: The strong heart is that which is not filled with false doctrines or impure thoughts. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 26[27].14 Fulgentius of Ruspe: In your zeal for good works and your contempt of human praise, be careful lest you wish to assign the good that you do, not to the grace of God but to your own strength. Hold firmly that there can be no ability in you for good will or good works unless you received it by the free gift of divine mercy. Know, therefore, that it is God working in you both to will and to do, for a good will. Accordingly, work out your salvation in fear and trembling. Humble yourself in the sight of God that he may exalt you. Ask from him the beginning of a good will. Ask from him the effects of good works. Seek from him the gift of perseverance. Do not think at any time that you can either will or do anything good, once his assistance has ceased. Ask him to turn away your eyes lest they see vanity; ask him to show you the way in which you should walk; petition him to direct your steps according to his word and let no wickedness rule over you. Pray to him that he direct the works of your hands for you. "Be strong and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord." — LETTER 2:36 Theodoret of Cyrus: The mind adorned with virility, he is saying, and by means of it getting the better of the onset of misfortunes, is strengthened, and gains the victory and awaits the divine promises, to which it becomes the heir, the body also co-operating. Now, he calls the life looked forward to "land of the living" insofar as it is separated from death and free of corruption and sadness. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 27:8 Augustine of Hippo: "Unto You, O Lord, have I cried; My God, be not silent from me" [Psalms 28:1]. Unto You, O Lord, have I cried; My God, separate not the unity of Your Word from that which as Man I am. "Lest at any time Thou be silent from me: and I shall be like them that go down into the pit." For from this, that the Eternity of Your Word ceases not to unite Itself to Me, it comes that I am not such a man as the rest of men, who are born into the deep misery of this world: where, as if You are silent, Your Word is not recognised. — Exposition on Psalms 28 Diodorus of Tarsus: I shall attribute the fact of the victory not to my virtue but to you, the God who proved its source for me. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 28 Origen of Alexandria: Frequently, in Scripture, the righteous are said to have called out to God. Each one tries to beseech God with a cry, and I may say with an unusual cry. He goes to his bedroom closet, locks the door and calls out to God: "Do not be silent before me." It was written of Moses, Aaron and Joshua the son of Nun. Indeed, they were the worthy ones to whom God spoke. He spoke through the prophets whenever the people stood before God. Let us not think that God speaks to us externally, for those righteous thoughts that are in our hearts are the words we speak and the voice through which God speaks to us. Understand this when Scripture says that God spoke to this one or that. Thus Scripture testifies, "Blessed is the one whose help is from you.…" We have this help through which the word of God is received. Holy is that one … who hears the word of the Lord and does it. — SELECTIONS FROM THE Psalms 28:1 Theodoret of Cyrus: If you keep silence with me and deprive me of your help, I shall immediately be consigned to death, which he called "pit," since the grave is dug like a pit. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 28:1 Augustine of Hippo: "Hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication, whist I pray unto You, while I hold up my hands to Your holy temple" [Psalms 28:2]. Whilst I am crucified for their salvation, who on believing become Your holy temple. — Exposition on Psalms 28 Origen of Alexandria: Often, we communicate by the lifting of hands, as when Moses' arms were lifted up and Israel was victorious. When his hands were down, the Amalekites won.… Our hands are our deeds of piety. If we store treasures in heaven, we have hands lifted to God and overcome the enemy. When, therefore, I raise my hands to God, I lift my spirit to him through my uplifted hands. Amalek is conquered by me. So, it is needful to lift your hands to God. The temple of God is his glory. — SELECTIONS FROM THE Psalms 28:2 Theodoret of Cyrus: Though the temple was not yet built, he gives the name "temple" to the tabernacle in which he prayed, distant from it in body but directing his mind there. Likewise also when blessed Daniel in Babylon prayed, he opened the windows facing Jerusalem, not under the impression that God was confined there but from his knowledge that the divine manifestation occurred there. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 28:2 Augustine of Hippo: "Draw not My Soul away with sinners, and destroy me not with them that work iniquity, with them that speak peace with their neighbours" [Psalms 28:3]. With them that say unto Me, "We know that You are a Master come from God." [John 3:2] "But evil in their hearts." But they speak evil in their hearts. — Exposition on Psalms 28 Bede: It is good that the Spirit descended upon the Lord in the form of a dove, so that the faithful may learn that they cannot be filled with his Spirit unless they are simple, unless they possess true peace with their brothers, which is signified by the kiss of doves. Ravens also have kisses, but they tear flesh (which a dove does not do at all), signifying those "who speak peace with their neighbor, but wicked things are in their hearts." A dove, which by nature is innocent of the tearing of the flesh, most suitably fits those innocents who pursue peace and sanctity with everyone. — Homilies on the Gospels 1:15 Theodoret of Cyrus: The prayer of blessed David is to have no truck with those who practice duplicity: he calls abhorrent those who say one thing but mean another. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 28:2 Augustine of Hippo: "Give unto them according to their works" [Psalms 28:4]. Give unto them according to their works, for this is just. "And according to the malice of their affections." For aiming at evil, they cannot discover good. "According to the works of their hands give Thou unto them." Although what they have done may avail for salvation to others, yet give Thou unto them according to the works of their wills. "Pay them their recompense." Because, for the truth which they heard, they wished to recompense deceit; let their own deceit deceive them. — Exposition on Psalms 28 Jerome: Because they do not understand through blessings, they will understand through suffering. — BRIEF COMMENTARY ON Psalms 28 Theodoret of Cyrus: Let no one think, however, that the righteous person is cursing his enemies: the words are a mark not of cursing but of a just verdict. "Grant them their due repayment," he says, meaning, May they fall foul of their own schemes, which they hatch against one another. This is said also in the seventh psalm, "Their trouble will come back on their own head, and their wrong will come down on top of them." — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 28:3 Augustine of Hippo: "For they have not had understanding in the works of the Lord" [Psalms 28:5]. And whence is it clear that this has befallen them? From this forsooth, "for they have not had understanding in the works of the Lord." This very thing, in truth, has been, even now, their recompense, that in Him whom they tempted with malicious intent as a Man, they should not recognise God, with what design the Father sent Him in the Flesh. "And the works of His hands." Nor be moved by those visible works, which are laid out before their very eyes. "You shall destroy them, and not build them up." Let them do Me no hurt, nay, nor again in their endeavour to raise engines against My Church, let them anything avail. — Exposition on Psalms 28 Augustine of Hippo: "Blessed be the Lord, for He has heard the voice of My prayer" [Psalms 28:6]. — Exposition on Psalms 28 Augustine of Hippo: "The Lord My Helper and My Protector" [Psalms 28:7]. The Lord helping Me in so great sufferings, and protecting Me with immortality in My resurrection. "In Him has My Heart trusted, and I have been helped." "And My Flesh has flourished again:" that is, and My Flesh has risen again. "And of my will I will confess unto Him." Wherefore, the fear of death being now destroyed, not by the necessity of fear under the Law, but with a free will with the Law, shall they who believe in Me, confess unto Him; and because I am in them, I will confess. — Exposition on Psalms 28 Maximus of Turin: Take note of the expression he used. He does not say "flourished," but "flourished again," for nothing flourishes again unless it had flourished previously. The Lord's flesh flourished when he first came forth from the Virgin Mary's undefiled womb, just as Isaiah says: "A shoot will come forth from the root of Jesse, and a flower will come up from his root." It flourished again, when, after the flower of his body was cut down by the Jews, it sprouted forth from the tomb with the renewed glory of the resurrection. In the manner of a flower, it breathed forth at the same time a scent and the gleam of immortality on all people, circulating the scent of good works with its sweetness and demonstrating the incorruptibility of the eternal divinity with its gleam. — Sermon 55:2 Arnobius the Younger: All that he suffered, he suffered by his own will, as he said, "I have the power to lay down my spirit and to take it back."And he also said, freely I will confess him. He himself is the strength of his own people because he fulfills his words by his deeds. He said that he was going to suffer and he suffered, that he was going to die and he died, that he was going to arise and he arose from the dead, overcoming weakness of fear and giving strength to a most eager will. Because he is the protector of the salvation of his own anointed, because without a doubt he is "God in Christ, reconciling the World to himself,"27saving his own people by bringing deliverance to spirit and body, and by blessing the nations, his own inheritance, by freeing them from demonic subjection, so that the Son of God, with the Father and Holy Spirit, may extol them and rule forever. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 28 Augustine of Hippo: "The Lord is the strength of His people" [Psalms 28:8]. Not that people "ignorant of the righteousness of God, and willing to establish their own." [Romans 10:3] For they thought not themselves strong in themselves: for the Lord is the strength of His people, struggling in this life's difficulties with the devil. "And the protector of the salvation of His Christ." That, having saved them by His Christ after the strength of war, He may protect them at the last with the immortality of peace. — Exposition on Psalms 28 Augustine of Hippo: This does not refer to the people which was ignorant of God's righteousness and tried to establish its own. Rather, it refers to a different people that did not look to itself for its strength but knew instead that the Lord would be its strength as it contends with the devil in the difficulties of this life. — EXPLANATIONS OF THE Psalms 28:8 Eusebius of Caesarea: This teaches us that all the wonders of Christ written in the holy Scriptures, done for our salvation, whether teachings or writings, or the mysteries of his resurrection now referred to, were all done by the will and power of the Father defending his own Christ as with a shield in all his marvelous and saving words and works. — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4:16.185 Jerome: Whoever is baptized in Christ is his anointed. — BRIEF COMMENTARY ON Psalms 28 Augustine of Hippo: "Save Your people, and bless Your inheritance" [Psalms 28:9]. I intercede therefore, after My Flesh has flourished again, because You have said, "Desire of Me, and I will give You the heathen for Your inheritance;" "Save Your people, and bless Your inheritance:" for "all Mine are Yours." [John 17:10] "And rule them, and set them up even for ever." And rule them in this temporal life, and raise them from hence into life eternal. — Exposition on Psalms 28 Pseudo-Athanasius: He aids and saves the people that were anointed for inheritance and the priestly kingdom, and he tends and exalts them forever, showing us to be raised up and glorified in future infinite ages. — EXPOSITION ON Psalms 28 Theodoret of Cyrus: The prayer for the people befits the king as well: it is also admirable about mighty David that though pursued also by the people, who waged war on him along with Saul, he offered supplication on their behalf to God. He foresaw their future conversion, you see, and had regard not for the injustice but for the servitude to come. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 28:5 Augustine of Hippo: The Prophet speaks, "Bring unto the Lord, O you Sons of God, bring unto the Lord the young of rams" [Psalms 29:1]. Bring unto the Lord yourselves, whom the Apostles, the leaders of the flocks, have begotten by the Gospel. [1 Corinthians 4:15] — Exposition on Psalms 29 Basil of Caesarea: Everyone who discusses divine matters in an orderly way so as always to hold the correct opinion concerning the Father, the Godhead of the Only-begotten and the glory of the Holy Spirit, brings glory and honor to the Lord. And, because his providence penetrates even to the smallest things, he increases the glory who is able to give the reasons for which all things were created and for which they are preserved, and also for which, after this present stewardship, they will be brought to judgment. He who is able himself to contemplate each individual creature with clear and unconfused thoughts and, after having contemplated them himself, is able to present to others also the facts concerning the goodness of God and his just judgment, he is the one who brings glory and honor to the Lord and who lives a life in harmony with this contemplation. For, the light of such a person shines before others, since by word and work and through mighty deeds of every kind the Father in heaven is glorified. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 13:2 (Psalms 29) Bede: Surely the holy teachers are often understood by the word rams, since they are the leaders of flocks that follow the Lord. Hence the psalmist says in a pleasing manner: "Bring to the Lord, O children of God, bring to the Lord the offspring of rams," which is clearly to say, "Bring to the Lord, O angels of God to whom the responsibility for this task has been delegated, bring to the Lord in heaven the spirits of the faithful who, through imitation of the blessed apostles' life and faith, have proved worthy to become their offspring." — On the Tabernacle 2:4 Theodoret of Cyrus: You who are entrusted with the divine message, he is saying, and are called children of God, bear the divine message everywhere with all enthusiasm, transform those reared on nonsense into rational people and offer them first to God; then through them present the worship and the hymns, celebrating the benefactor in the divine dwellings. This resembles what was said by the Savior to the sacred apostles, "Go, make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 29:4 Augustine of Hippo: "Bring unto the Lord glory and honour" [Psalms 29:2]. By your works let the Lord be glorified and honoured. "Bring unto the Lord glory to His name." Let Him be made known gloriously throughout the world. "Worship the Lord in His holy court." Worship the Lord in your heart enlarged and sanctified. For you are His regal holy habitation. — Exposition on Psalms 29 Basil of Caesarea: Many assume an attitude of prayer, but they are not in the court because of the wandering of their mind and the distraction of their thoughts coming from vain solicitude.… He who makes his belly a god, or glory, or money, or anything else that he honors more than all things neither adores the Lord nor is in the holy court, even though he seems to be worthy of the visible assemblies. — HOMILIES on the Psalms 13:3 (Psalms 29) Pseudo-Athanasius: He commands us to worship the Lord in his holy court, teaching that it is not allowed to worship outside the church which holds the orthodox faith. — EXPOSITION ON Psalms 29 Arnobius the Younger: When Jesus was baptized, after the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit came down as a dove, the Father spoke over the waters saying, "You are my Son." The God of majesty thundered, that is, he spoke profoundly over the waters, that is, over the nations so that they would be made complete in virtue and in the magnificence of Christ Jesus. And each one stood apart from the rebellious and rejoiced. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 29 Augustine of Hippo: "The Voice of the Lord is upon the waters" [Psalms 29:3]. The Voice of Christ is upon the peoples. "The God of majesty has thundered." The God of majesty, from the cloud of the flesh, has awfully preached repentance. "The Lord is upon many waters." The Lord Jesus Himself, after that He sent forth His Voice upon the peoples, and struck them with awe, converted them to Himself, and dwelt in them. — Exposition on Psalms 29 Basil of Caesarea: The waters are also the saints, because rivers flow from within them, that is, spiritual teaching that refreshes the souls of the hearers. Again, they receive water that springs up to eternal life, wherefore it becomes in those who receive it rightly "a fountain of water, springing up unto life everlasting." On such waters, then, is the Lord. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 13:4 (Psalms 29) Theodoret of Cyrus: Now, the verse forecasts the voice emanating from heaven at the Jordan, "This is my Son, the Beloved, in whom I am well pleased." He called it "thunder" as coursing to the whole world through the sacred Gospels. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 29:4 Augustine of Hippo: "The Voice of the Lord is in power" [Psalms 29:4]. The Voice of the Lord now in them themselves, making them powerful. "The Voice of the Lord is in great might." The Voice of the Lord working great things in them. — Exposition on Psalms 29 Basil of Caesarea: The voice of the Lord is not in the weak and dissolute soul but in that which vigorously and powerfully achieves the good.… Magnificence is virtue extraordinarily great. One who performs great actions becomingly … hears himself called magnificent. When the soul is not enslaved by the pride of the flesh but assumes a greatness and dignity proper to it because of its awareness of its attributes received from God, in this soul is the voice of the Lord. Therefore, they who entertain noble thoughts of God, contemplating sublimely the reasons for creation, and being able to comprehend to a certain extent at least the goodness of God's providence, and who besides are unsparing in their expenditures and are munificent in supplying the needs of their brothers, these are the magnificent people in whom the voice of the Lord dwells.… No difficult conditions will grieve the magnificent person; nor, in short, will any suffering greatly trouble him, nor will the sins of paltry and contemptible little people move him, nor the impurity of the flesh humble him. He is almost inaccessible to the humiliating passions, which cannot even look on him because of the loftiness of his mind.… Those, then who give great glory to God, elevate his magnificence. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 13:4 (Psalms 29) Theodoret of Cyrus: From this he prophesies the power imparted to the apostles.… The narrative of the Acts also teaches us things in harmony with this: we learn from there how at his ascension Christ the Lord addressed his holy disciples in the words, "Stay in this city until you have been clothed with power from on high." Ten days later on the feast of Pentecost, "there came a sound from heaven like that of a violent wind blowing." … Now, he gives the name "voice" to the grace of the Spirit filling the apostles with power and might and rendering puny people magnificent. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 29:5 Augustine of Hippo: "The Voice of the Lord breaking the cedars" [Psalms 29:5]. The Voice of the Lord humbling the proud in brokenness of heart. "The Lord shall break the cedars of Libanus." The Lord by repentance shall break them that are lifted on high by the splendour of earthly nobility, when to confound them He shall have "chosen the base things of this world," [1 Corinthians 1:28] in the which to display His Divinity. — Exposition on Psalms 29 Basil of Caesarea: The cedar is at times praised by Scripture as a stable tree, free from decay, fragrant, and adequate for supplying shelter, but at times it is attacked as unfruitful and hard to bend, so that it offers a representation of impiety.… The Lord is said to break those vainly puffed up and magnifying themselves in the things of this world that are considered exalting, wealth, glory, power, beauty of body, influence or strength.… Just as the cedars, which are lofty in themselves, because they are produced on a high mountain become more conspicuous through the added height of the mountain, so also those leaning on the perishable things of the world are cedars indeed through their false glory and vanity of mind; and they are called cedars of Libanus because they are glorying in the elevation that belongs to another and are raised up to their false glory by the earth and earthly circumstance, as if by the summit of Libanus. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 13:5 (Psalms 29) Theodoret of Cyrus: He signals through these words the overthrow of the idols: since the idols' precincts in ancient times were on high places, providing no fruit to their worshipers, he likened them to "the cedars of Lebanon," which though lofty do not naturally bear edible fruit. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 29:5 Augustine of Hippo: "And shall bruise them as the calf of Libanus" [Psalms 29:6]. And when their proud exaltation has been cut off, He will lay them low after the imitation of His Own humility, who like a calf was led to slaughter [Isaiah 53:7] by the nobility of this world. "For the kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers agreed together against the Lord, and against His Christ." "And the Beloved is as the young of the unicorns." For even He the Beloved, and the Only One of the Father, "emptied Himself" of His glory; and was made man, [Philippians 2:7] like a child of the Jews, that were "ignorant of God's righteousness," [Romans 10:3] and proudly boasting of their own righteousness as peculiarly theirs. — Exposition on Psalms 29 Cosmas Indicopleustes: This animal is called the unicorn, but I cannot say that I have seen him. But I have seen four brazen figures of him set up in the four-towered palace of the King of Ethiopia. From these figures I have been able to draw him as you see. They speak of him as a terrible beast and quite invincible, and say that all his strength lies in his horn. When he finds himself pursued by many hunters and on the point of being caught, he springs up to the top of some precipice whence he throws himself down and in the descent turns a somersault so that the horn sustains all the shock of the fall, and he escapes unhurt. And scripture in like manner speaks concerning him, saying, Save me from the mouth of lions, and my humility from the horns of unicorns. And again: And he that is beloved as the son of unicorns; and again in the blessings of Balaam wherewith he blessed Israel, he says for the second time: God so led him out of Egypt even as the glory of the unicorn; thus bearing complete testimony to the strength, audacity, and glory of the animal. — The Christian Topography, Book 11 Theodoret of Cyrus: The people who believe, freed from that error [idolatry] and called beloved for that reason, will be invincible and unconquerable in being rid of polytheism and worshiping one Godhead. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 29:6 Augustine of Hippo: "The Voice of the Lord cutting short the flame of fire" [Psalms 29:7]. The Voice of the Lord, without any harm to Himself, passing through all the excited ardour of them that persecute Him, or dividing the furious rage of His persecutors, so that some should say, "Is not this haply the very Christ;" others, "Nay; but He deceives the people:" [John 7:41, 12] and so cutting short their mad tumult, as to pass some over into His love, and leave others in their malice. — Exposition on Psalms 29 Basil of Caesarea: Although fire seems to human intelligence to be incapable of being cut or divided, yet by the command of the Lord it is cut through and divided. I believe that the fire prepared in punishment for the devil and his angels is divided by the voice of the Lord, in order that, since there are two capacities in fire, the burning and the illuminating, the fierce and punitive part of the fire may wait for those who deserve to burn, while its illuminating and radiant part may be allotted for the enjoyment of those who are rejoicing. Therefore, the voice of the Lord divides the fire and allots it, so that the fire of punishment is dark, but the light of the state of rest remains unkindled. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 13:6 (Psalms 29) Evagrius Ponticus: The voice of the Lord extinguishes the burning arrows of evil. That voice is the spiritual teaching that calls the ones believing in Christ grounded in wisdom. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 28[29].7 Augustine of Hippo: "The Voice of the Lord moving the wilderness" [Psalms 29:8]. The Voice of the Lord moving to the faith the Gentiles once "without hope, and without God in the world;" [Ephesians 2:12] where no prophet, no preacher of God's word, as it were, no man had dwelt. "And the Lord will move the desert of Cades." And then the Lord will cause the holy word of His Scriptures to be fully known, which was abandoned by the Jews who understood it not. — Exposition on Psalms 29 Basil of Caesarea: The thick woods, the woody souls in which, like some wild beasts, the varied passions of sins lurk, are cleared out by that word, which is "keener than any two-edged sword." — HOMILIES on the Psalms 13:7 (Psalms 29) Jerome: The souls that were in the desert by yielding to faults are moved to words of repentance, so that leaving those faults they become the habitation of God. — BRIEF COMMENTARY ON Psalms 29 Jerome: The desert was the church that, at first, had no children. By the preaching of Christ, this wilderness "was shaken" and "came to labor and gave birth, and there was born in a single day an entire nation." She who before was called the "wilderness of Cades," the desert of holiness—inasmuch as she had been barren of virtues—begins "to bring forth stags" and send out in throngs holy people who kill the serpents on earth, contemptuous of their poisons. While they are running throughout the world proclaiming the gospel of Christ, "in his temple all say 'Glory' " to God! — HOMILY ON THE EPIPHANY AND Psalms 28 Augustine of Hippo: "The Voice of the Lord perfecting the stags" [Psalms 29:9]. For the Voice of the Lord has first perfected them that overcame and repelled the envenomed tongues. "And will reveal the woods." And then will He reveal to them the darknesses of the Divine books, and the shadowy depths of the mysteries, where they feed with freedom. "And in His temple does every man speak of His glory." And in His Church all born again to an eternal hope praise God, each for His own gift, which He has received from the Holy Spirit. — Exposition on Psalms 29 Basil of Caesarea: One who is in the temple of God does not speak out abuse or folly or words full of shameful matters, but "in his temple all shall speak his glory." … This one duty, referring glory to the Creator, belongs to every army of heavenly creatures. Every creature, whether silent or uttering sound, whether celestial or terrestrial, gives glory to the Creator. But wretched people who leave their homes and run to the temple, as if to enrich themselves somewhat, do not lend their ears to the words of God; they do not possess a knowledge of their nature; they are not distressed, although they have previously committed sin; they do not grieve at remembering their sins, nor do they fear the judgment; but, smiling and shaking hands with one another, they make the house of prayer a place of lengthy conversation, pretending not to hear the psalm that solemnly protests and says, "In the temple of God all shall speak his glory." You not only do not speak his glory, but you even become a hindrance to the other, turning his attention to yourself and drowning out the teaching of the spirit by your own clamor. See to it that you do not at some time leave condemned along with those blaspheming the name of God instead of receiving a reward for glorifying him. You have a psalm; you have a prophecy, the evangelical precepts, the preachings of the apostles. Let the tongue sing, let the mind interpret the meaning of what has been said, that you may sing with your spirit, that you may sing likewise with your mind. Not at all is God in need of glory, but he wishes you to be worthy of winning glory. Therefore, "what a person sows, he will also reap." Sow glorification, that you may reap crowns and honors and praises in the kingdom of heaven. This statement, "In his temple all shall speak his glory," was made not unfittingly in a digression, because some in the temple of God talk endlessly until their tongue aches; and these enter without profit. — HOMILY ON Psalms 13:8 (Psalms 29) Theodoret of Cyrus: Now, he called "woods" the idols' precincts as being utterly fruitless; these are the kinds of woods or coppices that the best woodcutters are accustomed to chop down, leaving the earth bare of them, and they plant fruitbearing trees and sow seeds of edible crops. The cultivators of the world did this, too: pulling up idols' precincts by the roots, they planted the divine churches in their place. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 29:8 Arnobius the Younger: The Lord lives in the flood, that is, in water that washes away faults, and in that same water, the King sits forever. There he gives strength to the people, the ones believing him. He blesses his people in peace. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 29 Augustine of Hippo: "The Lord inhabites the deluge" [Psalms 29:10]. The Lord therefore first inhabites the deluge of this world in His Saints, kept safely in the Church, as in the ark. "And the Lord shall sit a King for ever." And afterward He will sit reigning in them for ever. — Exposition on Psalms 29 Augustine of Hippo: Therefore, God dwells in each one singly as in his temples, and in all of them gathered together as in his temple. As long as this temple, like the ark of Noah, is tempest-tossed in this world, the words of the psalm are verified: "The Lord dwells in the flood," although, if we consider the many people of the faithful of all races whom the Apocalypse describes under the name of waters, they can also be appropriately meant by "the Lord dwells in the flood." But the psalm goes on: "And the Lord shall sit as king forever," doubtless in that very temple of his, established in eternal life after the tempest of this world. Thus, God, who is everywhere present and everywhere wholly present, does not dwell everywhere but only in his temple, to which, by his grace, he is kind and gracious, but in his indwelling he is received more fully by some, less by others. — LETTER 187:38 Basil of Caesarea: God sits in the soul that shines from its washing, as if he were making it a throne for himself. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 13:8 (Psalms 29) Pseudo-Athanasius: God dwells in the flood, that is, in the multitude of those who believed in Christ, who [as it says in the next verse] gives power to his people and blesses it in peace. For we are strengthened in Christ, who also gave us his peace. — EXPOSITION ON Psalms 29 Theodoret of Cyrus: He will build a world that is inundated with the torrent of iniquity, will restore it and will make it a new creation. Hence blessed Paul also cries aloud, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation." — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 29:9 Augustine of Hippo: "The Lord will give strength to His people" [Psalms 29:11]. For the Lord will give strength to His people fighting against the storms and whirlwinds of this world, for peace in this world He hath not promised them. "The Lord will bless His people in peace." And the same Lord will bless His people, affording them peace in Himself; for, saith He, "My peace I give unto you, My peace I leave with you." — On the Psalms, Psalms 29 Augustine of Hippo: It is then whole Christ who speaks. "I will exalt You, O Lord, for You have taken Me up" [Psalms 30:1]. I will praise Your high Majesty, O Lord, for You have taken Me up. "You have not made Mine enemies to rejoice over Me." And those, who have so often endeavoured to oppress Me with various persecutions throughout the world, You have not made to rejoice over Me. — Exposition on Psalms 30 Ambrose of Milan: For as much as someone directs their intention towards the Lord, they elevate the Lord even more, and they themselves are elevated. Hence, he says: I will exalt you, O Lord, for you have lifted me up. For the holy person exalts the Lord, while the sinner humbles Him. — On Isaac and the Soul, Chapter VII, 57 Augustine of Hippo: "O Lord, My God, I have cried unto You, and You have healed Me" [Psalms 30:2]. O Lord, My God, I have cried unto You, and I no longer bear about a body enfeebled and sick by mortality. — Exposition on Psalms 30 Theodoret of Cyrus: Human nature did not beseech God and look for reprieve from destruction; rather, it constantly fell to wailing and weeping, with death in view and no expectation of resurrection. Accordingly, the psalmist made mention of the tears and laments that occur with the sick and dying to show the ineffable lovingkindness of God … [by which,] without being invoked and seeing only the wailing, he took pity on what was happening and gave a reprieve from death. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 30:2 Augustine of Hippo: "O Lord, You have brought back My Soul from hell, and You have saved Me from them that go down into the pit" [Psalms 30:3]. You have saved Me from the condition of profound darkness, and the lowest slough of corruptible flesh. — Exposition on Psalms 30 Origen of Alexandria: No one is able to exalt God unless God has lifted him up. For we are lifted up on high through the cross of Christ, who said, "When I will have been lifted up, I will draw all to me." We exalt the Lord who himself exalted the Father, and as much as he has been in him, he shows the Father to the ones who believe. He teaches that there are certain invisible enemies of the human spirit who envy the salvation handed over to them by God. They lie in wait, and they observe whether an error, fall or mishap should happen, which, if it would, straightway they mock that salvation as if joyful with the wrongdoing, against which mockery he bears up with strength if they will see that salvation illuminated by divine steps. He thanks God because God did not allow him to be cast away but corrected him from his fall. One who realizes this clearly exalts God and protects the worthy teaching that comes from God. Such a person lives a life of wisdom and keeps his spirit in all excellence. He exalts the one who lives within him. — SELECTIONS FROM THE Psalms 30:2 Augustine of Hippo: "Sing to the Lord, O you saints of His." The prophet seeing these future things, rejoices, and says, "Sing to the Lord, O you saints of His. And make confession of the remembrance of His holiness" [Psalms 30:4]. And make confession to Him, that He has not forgotten the sanctification, wherewith He has sanctified you, although all this intermediate period belong to your desires. — Exposition on Psalms 30 Basil of Caesarea: One does not sing to the Lord by simply uttering the words of the psalm with his mouth, but all who send up the psalmody from a clean heart and who are holy, maintaining righteousness toward God, these are able to sing to God, harmoniously guided by the spiritual rhythms. How many stand there, coming from fornication? How many from theft? How many concealing in their hearts deceit? How many lying? They think they are singing, although in truth they are not singing. For the Scripture invites the saint to the singing of psalms. "A bad tree cannot bear good fruit," nor a bad heart utter words of life. Therefore, "make the tree good and its fruits good." Cleanse your hearts, in order that you may bear fruit in the spirit and may be able, after becoming saints, to sing psalms intelligently to the Lord. — HOMILIES on the Psalms 14:3 (Psalms 30) Evagrius Ponticus: All who are mindful of the mercy of God confess him. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 29[30].5 Arnobius the Younger: The world was cursed by the death of Adam, but life is revealed in the rising from the dead. Weeping will tarry till evening.… But we will have joy in the morning. In the early rising, as the shadows of the earth are ended and the time of morning rising arrives, the beauty of our faith stands. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 30 Augustine of Hippo: "For in His indignation is wrath" [Psalms 30:5]. For He has avenged against you the first sin, for which you have paid by death. "And life in His will." And life eternal, whereunto you could not return by any strength of your own, has He given, because He so would. "In the evening weeping will tarry." Evening began, when the light of wisdom withdrew from sinful man, when he was condemned to death: from this evening weeping will tarry, as long as God's people are, amid labours and temptations, awaiting the day of the Lord. "And exultation in the morning." Even to the morning, when there will be the exultation of the resurrection, which has shone forth by anticipation in the morning resurrection of the Lord. — Exposition on Psalms 30 Augustine of Hippo: We weep only until that morning of resurrection gladness, looking to the joy that blossomed in advance in the early-morning resurrection of the Lord. — EXPOSITION 1 OF Psalms 30:6 Evagrius Ponticus: In the same way that wrath arises from the indignation of God, so even life is generated from his will. If "life" indicates knowledge, … then wrath denotes lack of knowledge. Death is a turning from life. Wrath, then, indicates death, a deprivation of contemplation. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 29[30].6 Pseudo-Athanasius: In God's wrath is anger, but in his will is life, because his will is life.… He is led to anger because of our sin. And although mourning will continue all night, in the morning he makes for us a rejoicing, when through repentance we strip off the burden of evil. — EXPOSITION ON Psalms 30 Theodore of Mopsuestia: By "wrath" he refers to punishment and retribution, by "wrath" the divine Scripture meaning not only the initial response but also lasting anger. So by "wrath" he refers to the awful process of vengeance, and by "anger" the effect it rightly has on sinners, the terms being interchanged as usual.… He takes vengeance when angered and is beneficent by purpose and intention. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 30:6 Theodoret of Cyrus: Now, things turned out like this both in the case of Hezekiah and in the case of the salvation of everyone. After the Assyrians applied those awful threats and moved the city to weeping, they sustained the blow at night, and in the morning they filled with good cheer those whom they had forced to weep. The divine Isaiah brought Hezekiah the sentence of death in the evening, and towards morning brought him in turn the good news of life. And it happened likewise in the case of the salvation of everyone: the sacred apostles and the believers along with them lamented the passion of the Lord, but toward morning the women came and brought the joy of the resurrection. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 30:3 Augustine of Hippo: "But I said in my abundance, I shall not be moved for ever" [Psalms 30:6]. But I, that people which was speaking from the first, said in mine abundance, suffering now no more any want, "I shall not be moved for ever." — Exposition on Psalms 30 Basil of Caesarea: As the prosperity of a city is dependent on the supply of goods for sale in the market, and as we say that a country is prosperous that produces much fruit, so also there is a certain prosperity of the soul when it has been filled with works of every kind. It is necessary first for it to be laboriously cultivated and then to be enriched by the plentiful streams of heavenly waters, so as to bear fruit thirtyfold, sixtyfold and a hundredfold and to obtain the blessing that says, "Blessed shall be your barns and blessed your stores." One, therefore, who is conscious of his own constancy, will say with sure confidence and will strongly maintain that he will not be turned away by any opponent, like a full field that the Lord has blessed. — HOMILIES on the Psalms 14:5 (Psalms 30) Augustine of Hippo: "O Lord, in Your will You have afforded strength unto my beauty" [Psalms 30:7]. But that this my abundance, O Lord, is not of myself, but that in Your will You have afforded strength unto my beauty, I have learned from this, " You turned away Your Face from me, and I became troubled;" for You have sometimes turned away Your Face from the sinner, and I became troubled, when the illumination of Your knowledge withdrew from me. — Exposition on Psalms 30 Basil of Caesarea: They who are engaged in the examination of the reason for virtues have said that some of the virtues spring from contemplation and some are noncontemplative … beauty and strength are noncontemplative virtues since they follow from the contemplative.… But, for this, namely, that beauty may exist in the soul and also the power for the fulfillment of what is proper, we need divine grace.… For I was beautiful according to nature but weak, because I was dead by sin through the treachery of the serpent. To my beauty, then, which I received from you at the beginning of my creation, you added a strength that is appropriate for what is proper. Every soul is beautiful that is considered by the standard of its own virtues. But beauty, true and most lovely, that can be contemplated by him alone who has purified his mind, is that of the divine and blessed nature. One who gazes steadfastly at the splendor and graces of it receives some share from it, as if from an immersion tingeing his own face with a sort of brilliant radiance.… Moses also was made resplendent in face by receiving some share of beauty when he held converse with God. Therefore, one who is conscious of his own beauty utters this act of thanksgiving: "O Lord, in your favor, you gave strength to my beauty." — HOMILIES on the Psalms 14:5 (Psalms 30) Basil of Caesarea: God is said to turn away his face when in times of troubles he permits us to be delivered up to trials, in order that the strength of him who is struggling may be known.… We pray always for the face of God to shine on us, in order that we may be in a state becoming to a holy person, gentle and untroubled in every way, because of our readiness for the good. "I am ready," he says, "and am not troubled." — HOMILIES on the Psalms 14:6 (Psalms 30) Pseudo-Athanasius: Without your power I cannot rise from my fall. Bring it to pass that the grace of my soul shine out again, not averting your face as previously. — EXPOSITION ON Psalms 30 Augustine of Hippo: "Unto Thee, O Lord, will I cry, and unto my God will I pray" [Psalms 30:8]. 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 God will I pray." — Exposition on Psalms 30 Diodorus of Tarsus: I acknowledge the one responsible and shall not be reluctant to admit that all the good things I have are from you. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 30 Ambrose of Milan: It first predestined, then called; and those whom it called, it also justified; and those whom it justified, it also glorified. Will it be able to abandon those whom it has supported with such great benefits up to rewards? Among so many benefits of God, should we fear any accusations or traps from an accuser? But who would dare to accuse those chosen by divine judgment? Surely God the Father, who granted them, can revoke his gifts; and those whom he has adopted, can he cast them aside from the grace of paternal affection? But there is fear that the judge may be more severe. Consider who the judge is. Indeed, the Father has given all judgment to Christ. Therefore, can that very one condemn you, whom he redeemed from death, for whom he offered himself, and whose life he knows to be the reward of his own death? Will he not say: What is the benefit in my blood if I harm the one whom I myself saved? Then you consider the judge, but do not consider the advocate. Can he not pronounce a harsher sentence, who does not cease to intercede so that the grace of paternal reconciliation may be bestowed upon us? — On Jacob and the Blessed Life, Book I, Chapter VI, 26 Athanasius of Alexandria: The Lord's descent to earth was not useless, for it gained the whole world! Nevertheless, even after his coming in the flesh, sinners would rather be without his flesh than profit by it. You see, he took pleasure in our salvation and thought of it as a distinctive victory for himself. [By contrast], he considered our destruction a sad loss.… He praised those who doubled the grace he gave, both the one who made ten talents from five and the one who made four talents from two. Both of them had done the right thing and had profited from it. But he threw out the one who hid the talent. — FESTAL LETTERS 6:4-5 Augustine of Hippo: "The Lord has heard, and had mercy on Me, the Lord has become My helper." Nor did "He suffer His holy One to see corruption" [Psalms 30:10]. — Exposition on Psalms 30 Augustine of Hippo: "You have turned My mourning into joy to Me" [Psalms 30:11]. Whom I, the Church, having received, the First-Begotten from the dead, [Revelation 1:5] now in the dedication of Your house, say, "You have turned my mourning into joy to me. You have put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness." You have torn off the veil of my sins, the sadness of my mortality; and hast girded me with the first robe, with immortal gladness. — Exposition on Psalms 30 Basil of Caesarea: The joy of God is not found in just any soul but, if someone has mourned much and deeply his own sin with loud lamentations and continual weepings, as if he were bewailing his own death, the mourning of such a one is turned into joy.… The mourning garment, which he put on when bewailing his sin, is torn, and the tunic of joy is placed around him and the cloak of salvation, those bright wedding garments, with which if one is adorned, he will not be cast out from the bridal chamber. — HOMILIES on the Psalms 14:7 (Psalms 30) Evagrius Ponticus: Mourning turns to joy and the understanding of God to action. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 29[30].12 Augustine of Hippo: "That my glory should sing unto Thee, and I should not be pricked" [Psalms 30:12]. 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 the fear of death, with the fear of judgment. "O Lord, my God, I will confess unto Thee for ever." And this is my glory, O Lord, my God, that I should confess unto Thee for ever, that I have nothing of myself, but that all my good is of Thee, who art "God, All in all." — Exposition on Psalms 30 Basil of Caesarea: When you granted me pardon because of my repentance and led me back into glory, taking away the shame of my sins, for this I shall give praise to you for all eternity. In fact, what space of time could be so great, that it could produce in my soul forgetfulness of such mighty benefits? — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 14:8 (Psalms 30) Theodoret of Cyrus: We have a basis of high repute in the evidence given by the God of all of his great affection for us: "God so loved the world," Scripture says, "that he has given his only-begotten Son so that all who believe in him may not perish but have eternal life." "O Lord my God, I shall confess to you forever": not only in the present life but also after the resurrection I shall offer hymns to you, constantly recounting your extraordinary and ineffable gifts. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 30:6 Augustine of Hippo: "In You, O Lord, have I trusted, let Me not be put to confusion for ever" [Psalms 31:1]. In You, O Lord, have I trusted, let Me never be confounded, while they shall insult Me as one like other men. "In Your righteousness rescue Me, and deliver Me." And in Your righteousness rescue Me from the pit of death, and deliver Me out of their company. — Exposition on Psalms 31 Cassiodorus: He rightly made an appeal for the Lord's justice, since he knew that he would suffer at the hands of the unjust. What a truly amazing and divine exchange! He received death and gave salvation in return; he endured injuries and distributed honors; he took upon himself pain and conferred safety. He is both unique and fully devoted who offered sweet things when he received what was bitter. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:2 Evagrius Ponticus: Not only does God free us into righteousness but also into temperance, fortitude and love. He uses "righteousness" to embrace all virtues. Perhaps he understands "Christ" for "righteousness." "He is made wisdom to us by God and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption." — NOTES ON THE Psalms 30[31].2 Arnobius the Younger: God rescues and frees the one who puts his hope in him. He bends his ear to them, and he snatches them … so that they are saved. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 31:3 Augustine of Hippo: "Bend down Your ear unto Me" [Psalms 31:2]. Hear Me in My humiliation, near at hand unto Me. "Make haste to deliver Me." Defer not to the end of the world, as with all who believe in Me, My separation from sinners. "Be unto Me a God who protects Me." Be unto Me God, and Protector. "And a house of refuge, that You may save Me." And as a house, wherein taking refuge I may be saved. — Exposition on Psalms 31 Augustine of Hippo: "For You are My strength, and My refuge" [Psalms 31:3]. For You are unto Me My strength to bear My persecutors, and My refuge to escape them. "And for Your Name's sake You shall be My guide, and shall nourish Me." And that by Me You may be known to all the Gentiles. I will in all things follow Your will; and, by assembling, by degrees, Saints unto Me, You shall fulfil My body, and My perfect stature. — Exposition on Psalms 31 Evagrius Ponticus: He leads through right faith and works and nourishes through his own understanding. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 30[31].4 Theodoret of Cyrus: Now, through all the verses occurring here, at any rate, we learn the measure of his prudence: his appeal for divine assistance is made on the basis not of his own virtue but of God's name and of God's righteousness and because he hoped in him. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 31:3 Augustine of Hippo: "Thou shalt bring Me out of this trap, which they have hidden for Me." Thou shalt bring Me out of these snares, which they have hidden for Me. "For Thou art My Protector." — Exposition on Psalms 31 Cassiodorus: The snare was certainly hidden by the enemies, but there was not one which could be hidden from Christ, nor did he fall into death by being deceived, but consciously he accepted it in order to liberate us. So the Jews hid a trap for Christ because they believed that he was only a man, and they were devising a plan to destroy him by an ambush. So he says that he will be brought out, in other words, by the kindness of the resurrection he will be raised quickly to the heavenly realms. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:5 Theodoret of Cyrus: By this he indicated the plot of Ahithophel, which he put into operation against him, as we have spoken about previously. … After frequently encountering many disasters I was freed from them by your aid—thus I entrust my soul to your providence. He calls providence here once again "hands." — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 31:4 Augustine of Hippo: "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 Lord God of truth." — Exposition on Psalms 31 Cassiodorus: Let us consider why these words have been placed here which the Gospel text quotes.… Certainly so that you may recognize that here too he spoke who so many centuries later would speak the same words when fixed on the cross. "Into your hands" means "Into your truth" by which you always perform what is kind and just. In this way, he commends to the Father the inestimable treasure, namely, that soul that regularly carried out the Fathers desires in complete compliance with the Father's intention. It was therefore fitting that such a spirit be commended to such a great guardian. Next he testifies that he was redeemed. But let us examine at what price; it was the price which the Apostle indicates: "He emptied himself, taking on the form of a servant." You see how great the price was that he brought his majesty as low as human flesh, and he emptied himself in order that he might fill human things with heavenly things. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:6 Evagrius Ponticus: Here spirit indicates mind. The mind that clings to God is one spirit. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 30[31].6 Theodore of Mopsuestia: Now, it is to be noted that the Lord cited this verse when on the cross, not that it was said of him in prophetic manner, as some commentators think, but because these words suited him when exposed to the risk of death and passion. So he cited this verse at the time when his soul was separated from his body, and [he] rightly entrusted it to the Father so that he might restore it to his body when it was in need of it at the time of the resurrection. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 31:6 Augustine of Hippo: "Thou hatest them that hold to vanity uselessly." Thou hatest them that hold to the false happiness of the world. "But I have trusted in the Lord." — Exposition on Psalms 31 Cassiodorus: "I will hope in the Lord," in whom there is nothing empty, … but everything remains fixed and whole. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:7 Theodore of Mopsuestia: You hated them and rebuffed those paying constant attention to doing wrong; far from doing evil in the heat of passion, they involve themselves in the practice of evil as though an obligation (the sense of "paid constant attention"). By "futile things" he refers to the wrongdoing. By "in vain" he means that they got no benefit from their involvement in evildoing because of his hating and punishing them and not allowing them to bring to completion the object of their efforts. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 31:7 Augustine of Hippo: "I will be glad, and rejoice in Your mercy:" which does not deceive me. "For You have regarded My humiliation:" wherein You have subjected me to vanity in hope. [Romans 8:20] "You have saved my soul from necessities" [Psalms 31:7]. You have saved my soul from the necessities of fear, that with a free love it may serve You. — Exposition on Psalms 31 Cassiodorus: Let us give attention to the one who says that his humility was respected. It is he who both created heaven and earth and holds them intact, he whom the heavenly powers serve. But there was humility in the Most High for this reason, because also a true human nature was connected to him, made perfect from his very conception. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:8.31:8 Augustine of Hippo: "And hast not shut me up into the hands of the enemy" [Psalms 31:8]. And hast not shut me up, that I should have no opening for recovering unto liberty, and be given over for ever into the power of the devil, ensnaring me with the desire of this life, and terrifying me with death. "You have set my feet in a large room." The resurrection of my Lord being known, and my own being promised me, my love, having been brought out of the straits of fear, walks abroad in continuance, into the expanse of liberty. — Exposition on Psalms 31 Evagrius Ponticus: The reasons of temptation, when they are realized, provide a broad plane for the soul. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 30[31].9 Augustine of Hippo: "Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am troubled" [Psalms 31:9]. But what is this unlooked-for cruelty of the persecutors, striking such dread into me? "Have mercy on me, O Lord." For I am now no more alarmed for death, but for torments and tortures. "My eye has been disordered by anger." I had my eye upon You, that You should not abandon me: You are angry, and hast disordered it. "My soul, and my belly." By the same anger my soul has been disturbed, and my memory, whereby I retained what my God has suffered for me, and what He has promised me. — Exposition on Psalms 31 Cassiodorus: When the flesh perceived that dangers were looming, it was troubled by fear. Note that he frequently says that he was troubled, but nowhere indicates that he despaired. This was spoken by him in order that the heavenly Master might display this pattern for us to imitate. Distress seeks out the human race to foster a familiar relationship with God, but despair does not stem from divine holiness. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:10 Evagrius Ponticus: Nothing darkens the mind like unbridled wrath. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 30[31].10 John Cassian: The deadly poison of anger has to be utterly rooted out from the inmost corners of our soul. For as long as this remains in our hearts and blinds with its hurtful darkness the eye of the soul, we can neither acquire right judgment and discretion nor gain the insight that springs from an honest gaze or ripeness of counsel, nor can we be partakers of life, or retentive of righteousness or even have the capacity for spiritual and true light: "for," says one, "my eye is disturbed by reason of anger." — INSTITUTES 8:1 Augustine of Hippo: "For my life has failed in pain" [Psalms 31:10]. For my life is to confess You, but it failed in pain, when the enemy had said, Let them be tortured until they deny Him. "And my years in groanings." The time that I pass in this world is not taken away from me by death, but abides, and is spent in groanings. "My strength has been weakened by want." I want the health of this body, and racking pains come on me: I want the dissolution of the body, and death forbears to come: and in this want my confidence has been weakened. "And my bones have been disturbed." And my steadfastness has been disturbed. — Exposition on Psalms 31 Clement of Rome: Let your children take part in the instruction that is in Christ, let them learn how powerful with God is humility, how strong is a pure love, how the fear of him is beautiful and great and saves those who live in it in holiness with a pure mind. For he is a searcher of thoughts and desires; his breath is in us, and when he wills, he will take it away. — 1 CLEMENT 21 Augustine of Hippo: "I have been made a reproach above all mine enemies" [Psalms 31:11]. All the wicked are my enemies; and nevertheless they for their wickednesses are tortured only till they confess: I then have overpassed their reproach, I, whose confession death does not follow, but racking pains follow upon it. "And to my neighbours too much." This has seemed too much to them, who were already drawing near to know You, and to hold the faith that I hold. "And a fear to mine acquaintance." And into my very acquaintance I struck fear by the example of my dreadful tribulation. "They that did see me, fled without from me." Because they did not understand my inward and invisible hope, they fled from me into things outward and visible. — Exposition on Psalms 31 Cassiodorus: Christ the Lord, though innocent and undefiled, was being considered a disgrace among those who were desecrating themselves with wicked sin.… A disgrace indicates a terribly heinous act, what the evil Jews were convinced had been committed by our Lord Savior when they said: "This man is not from God, who does not keep the Sabbath," and elsewhere: "You are a Samaritan and have a demon." — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:12 Augustine of Hippo: "I have been forgotten, as one dead from the heart" [Psalms 31:12]. And they have forgotten me, as if I were dead from their hearts. "I have become as a lost vessel." I have seemed to myself to be lost to all the Lord's service, living in this world, and gaining none, when all were afraid to join themselves unto me. — Exposition on Psalms 31 Cassiodorus: Those who do not believe the Scriptures at all saw the Lord fixed on the cross and walked away from his divinity, anticipating that their expectation was ended by this death. Likewise heretics, who hear the divine Scriptures in the church and who see miracles, walk away from the church to hear wicked proclamations, fleeing from the truth in which they have little tolerance to continue on.… "A ruined vessel" is one that is broken and without purpose, and so it is always thrown away. So also Jesus, when he died, was considered by unbelievers to be like a broken vessel that should be thrown away. How could it be said more humbly than that the almighty Majesty be compared to fragile jars? But consider that it was those who were mad who thought about Christ this way. But there always existed in him a unique omnipotence and an amazing divine fullness. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:13-14 Theodoret of Cyrus: Everyone has given me up for lost, he is saying, like a vessel mislaid or a corpse occupying a tomb. He brought out the degree of forgetfulness by reference to the worthless vessel: just as when lost it vanishes from the memory of the losers for reason of its worthlessness, he is saying, so too am I in their estimation like someone nonexistent and have become deserving of no esteem. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 31:7 Augustine of Hippo: "For I have heard the rebuking of many dwelling by in a circuit" [Psalms 31:13]. For I have heard many rebuking me, in the pilgrimage of this world near me, following the circuit of time, and refusing to return with me to the eternal country. "Whilst they were assembling themselves together against me, they conspired that they might take my soul." That my soul, which should by death easily escape from their power, might consent unto them, they imagined a device, whereby they would not suffer me even to die. — Exposition on Psalms 31 Augustine of Hippo: "But I have hoped in You, O Lord; I have said, You are my God" [Psalms 31:14]. For You have not changed, that You should not save, Who dost correct. — Exposition on Psalms 31 Cassiodorus: The order of the words is wonderful and most holy. When his enemies … held on to a hope in their own strength, he says that he put his hope in the Lord, since he knew that their power was nothing and by the plots they were attempting they would kill themselves rather than him.… The Lord Christ says: "You are my God," but he says this from the perspective of the human nature that he assumed, which, as he says later, was subject both to time and to death. He does not, as his enemies were thinking, mention that his life was going to be ended by their persecution, but he commends the times of his life to the Lord. For we exist by his work as our Creator; we are enlivened as he determines; and we also pass on when he gives the command. For this reason, it is necessary that his hope be set on the Lord, for he knew that his life and his death were under God's control. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:15-16 Augustine of Hippo: "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 is hid, have attained by lot unto my Lord's vesture. "Deliver me from the hands of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me." — Exposition on Psalms 31 Diodorus of Tarsus: He says "my lot" in the sense of all my relief and all my tribulation. Since everyone has times when they are distressed and times when they are also made happy, he means, "my lot," the times allotted to me for being made glad and for being distressed, all these are "in your hands" and capable of being changed as you wish. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 31 Augustine of Hippo: "Make Thy Face to shine upon Thy servant." Make it known to men, who do not think that I belong unto Thee, that Thy Face is bent upon me, and that I serve Thee. "Save me in Thy mercy." — Exposition on Psalms 31 Diodorus of Tarsus: Since it seemed as though God had turned away from them and was angry with them, he asks for reconciliation: Only have regard to me, he is saying, and it is sufficient for my salvation. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 31 Pseudo-Athanasius: In this I trust, that I shall be saved if you make your face to shine on me, hiding your back from me. — EXPOSITION ON Psalms 31 Augustine of Hippo: "O Lord, let me not be confounded, for I have called upon You" [Psalms 31:17]. O Lord, let me not be put to shame by those who insult me, for that I have called upon You. "Let the ungodly be ashamed, and be brought down to hell." Let them rather who call upon stones be ashamed, and made to dwell with darkness. — Exposition on Psalms 31 Cassiodorus: In saying, "Save me in your mercy," he denies his own merit. He constantly repeats the same things in order to teach us, nor does he ever become weary of his beloved confession, because the sweetness of the truth does not become distasteful to him. He also adds: "Lord, may I not be put to shame, for I have called upon you." Wonderful and complete is this proclamation which contains both the petition of a humble person and the indestructible strength of one who believes. So he asks not he not be put to shame by God failing to answer his prayer. But how does he believe that he is heard? "For I have called on you." Calling upon the Lord in faith is an act which finds favor rather than insulting God, for the one who calls cannot at all be deceived, assuming that he is heard by God. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:18 Augustine of Hippo: "Let the deceitful lips be made dumb" [Psalms 31:18]. In making known to the peoples Your mysteries wrought in me, strike with dumb amazement the lips of them that invent falsehood of me. "Which speak iniquity against the Righteous, in pride and contempt." Which speak iniquity against Christ, in their pride and contempt of Him as a crucified man. — Exposition on Psalms 31 Evagrius Ponticus: One who speaks falsely receives mercy when he becomes silent. He gives up deceit. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 30[31].19 Augustine of Hippo: "How great" is "the multitude of Your sweetness, O Lord" [Psalms 31:19]. Here the Prophet exclaims, having sight of all this, and admiring how manifoldly plenteous is Your sweetness, O Lord. "Which You have hid for them that fear You." Even those, whom Thou correctest, You love much: but lest they should go on negligently from relaxed security, Thou hidest from them the sweetness of Your love, for whom it is profitable to fear You. "You have perfected it for them that hope in You." But You have perfected this sweetness for them that hope in You. For Thou dost not withdraw from them what they look for perseveringly even unto the end. "In sight of the sons of men." For it does not escape the notice of the sons of men, who now live no more after Adam, but after the Son of Man. "You will hide them in the hidden place of Your Countenance:" which seat You shall preserve for everlasting in the hidden place of the knowledge of You for them that hope in You. "From the troubling of men." So that now they suffer no more trouble from men. — Exposition on Psalms 31 Augustine of Hippo: "How abundant," says the Psalmist, "is the multitude of Thy goodness, O Lord, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee, and hast perfected for them that hope in Thee!" By the law we fear God; by faith we hope in God: but from those who fear punishment grace is hidden. And the soul which labours under this fear, since it has not conquered its evil concupiscence, and from which this fear, like a harsh master, has not departed,—let it flee by faith for refuge to the mercy of God, that He may give it what He commands, and may, by inspiring into it the sweetness of His grace through His Holy Spirit, cause the soul to delight more in what He teaches it, than it delights in what opposes His instruction. In this manner it is that the great abundance of His sweetness,—that is, the law of faith,—His love which is in our hearts, and shed abroad, is perfected in them that hope in Him, that good may be wrought by the soul, healed not by the fear of punishment, but by the love of righteousness. — ON THE SPIRIT AND THE LETTER 51 Cassiodorus: There is an abundance of sweetness, for the Lord's sweetness is expressed by the many benefits that he gives. He is sweet when he corrects, sweet when he pardons, and sweet when he promises eternal rewards to believers. But you must understand that he is only sweet to those who have acquired a taste for him. His sweetness cannot come to those who have not deserved to experience him. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:20 Cyril of Jerusalem: The sum of your sins does not surpass the magnitude of God's mercies. Your wounds are not beyond the healing skill of the great Physician. Only surrender to him with faith, tell the Physician of your malady. Repeat the words of David: "I said, I will confess against myself my iniquity to the Lord," and in like manner will be verified the second part of the verse: "And you forgave the wickedness of my heart." — Catechetical Lecture 2:6 Theodoret of Cyrus: Now, the verse has this sense: You hide the rewards and prizes for those who fear you, O Lord, many and great and marvelous though these are, and instead you allow them to struggle with sweat and tears. Yet there comes the time when you reveal the rewards, giving cheer to the athletes.… Then he described in detail the providence in their favor.… Your appearance suffices, he is saying (he calls it "presence"), for them to be freed from all human disturbance and commotion, and to conceal them as though admitted to the precincts of some tabernacle and render them invisible. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 31:10 Arnobius the Younger: Although the just suffer trials in this age, a greater sweetness awaits them, if they persevere to the future, which the Lord hides meanwhile for those who fear him. He does not wish to show it in this age, so he may complete it for the ones hoping in him in the presence of those who mock them. Now he hides them in the secret of his presence from the vexation of people.… Then he magnifies his mercy when he prepares a fortified city, which angels surround, the mother city of holy Jerusalem. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 31 Augustine of Hippo: "You will protect them in Your tabernacle from the contradiction of tongues" [Psalms 31:20]. But here meanwhile while evil tongues murmur against them, saying, Who has come thence? You will protect them in the tabernacle, that of faith in those things, which the Lord wrought and endured for us in time. — Exposition on Psalms 31 Gregory of Nyssa: God's abounding goodness aids us in a hidden way, and in the present life it is not clearly evident. For every objection of unbelievers would be removed, could we actually see what we only hope for. But our hopes await the ages to come, so that there may then be revealed what at present our faith alone apprehends. — ADDRESS ON RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION 17 Augustine of Hippo: "Blessed be the Lord; for He has made His mercy marvellous, in the city of compassing" [Psalms 31:21]. Blessed be the Lord, for after the correction of the sharpest persecutions He has made His mercy marvellous to all throughout the world, in the circuit of human society. — Exposition on Psalms 31 Cassiodorus: We should regard the "surrounded city" as the physical location of Jerusalem, which is set in the midst of the nations and is known to exist as the temple of God. The nations that are located around it were worthy to receive the precepts of the Christian teaching, as if the purest of springs opened itself up to them, and they were irrigated with the gifts of heavenly life. So in this city the Lord "has made his mercy wonderful," since it was there in fact that he deemed it fitting to teach, to perform miracles, and to suffer for human salvation. There too he revealed the glory of his resurrection, where he chose to make known such immense mysteries. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:21 Theodoret of Cyrus: He surrounded and enclosed me in his habitual lovingkindness, he is saying, as the inhabitants encircle a city with a strong rampart. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 31:11 Augustine of Hippo: "I said in my ecstasy" [Psalms 31:22]. Whence that people again speaking says, I said in my fear, when the heathen were raging horribly against me. "I have been cast forth from the sight of Your eyes." For if You had regard to me, You would not suffer me to endure these things. "Therefore You heard, O Lord, the voice of my prayer, when I cried unto You." Therefore putting a limit to correction, and showing that I have part in Your care, You heard, O Lord, the voice of my prayer, when I raised it high out of tribulation. — Exposition on Psalms 31 Hippolytus of Rome: The mercy of God is not so "marvellous" when it is shown in humbler cities as when it is shown in "a strong city," and for this reason "God is to be blessed." — Fragments from Commentaries on Various Books of Scripture - On Psalm XXXI. 22 Theodoret of Cyrus: This psalm is likely to have been spoken by blessed David at the time of being pursued by Absalom.… I thought that on falling into sin, he is saying, I was far from your care; but you took account of my humble words and did not despise me in my need. Now, he rightly called his sin "departure": after treading the way of righteousness he left it and turned aside; but he stumbled and fell foul of bloodthirsty brigands. This very thing reveals David's virtue: he was not in the habit of sinning, but departing a little from his chosen course he suffered that awful slide. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 31:1, 11 Augustine of Hippo: "Love the Lord, all you His saints" [Psalms 31:23]. The Prophet again exhorts, having sight of these things, and says, "Love the Lord, all you His saints; for the Lord will require truth." Since "if the righteous shall scarcely be saved, where shall the sinner and the ungodly appear?" [1 Peter 4:18] "And He will repay them that do exceeding proudly." And He will repay them who even when conquered are not converted, because they are very proud. — Exposition on Psalms 31 Cassiodorus: When he has completed a hymn on the kindnesses granted to him, he urges the saints to love the Lord, since his members love the Author of such a kindness when they recognize that it has been bestowed on their Head. "Love" he says, now as to his friends, not as if speaking to servants, for fear is characteristic of servants, but love characterizes the relationship between friends. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:24 Diodorus of Tarsus: He repays extraordinarily those who are guilty of arrogance so as to bring out that God loathes this transgression more than every other sin. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 31 Theodoret of Cyrus: You who pass through the present life with divine hope, strengthen your souls with bravery and heed the directions of the pilot, traveling wherever he leads. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 31:12 Arnobius the Younger: There will be a judgment in which the Lord will require truth and he will repay the haughty. Be strong; flag not; let your heart be comforted. Be secure, you who hope in the Lord. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 31 Augustine of Hippo: "Quit you like men, and let your heart be strengthened" [Psalms 31:24]: working good without fainting, that you may reap in due season. "All you who trust in the Lord:" that is, you who duly fear and worship Him, trust ye in the Lord. — Exposition on Psalms 31 Cassiodorus: This is the power of the entire psalm and in it the usefulness of the sacred passion is concentrated … namely, that they not be frightened by the sufferings predicted, but that the hearts of the faithful find strength for the glorious imitation that they knew had been introduced to provide the healing of salvation for the world.… So this is an appeal to good people not to withdraw themselves from their good intention because of the weakness of their flesh.… For in this way, the hearts of those who endure are strengthened, if they fortify their hope through the Lord's power. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:25 Ambrose of Milan: For some sins Thou dost wash away in the blood of Thy Son, others Thou dost remit unto us, that by good works and confession we may cover our errors. The expression therefore "that pardoneth iniquities", appertains to remission; because He takes them away altogether, so that the things which He remembers not are as though they did not exist. — Letter 70, To Horontianus Augustine of Hippo: "Blessed are they whose unrighteousness is forgiven, and whose sins are covered" [Psalms 32:1]: and whose sins are buried in oblivion. — Exposition on Psalms 32 Cyril of Jerusalem: May God at length grant you to see that night when darkness is turned into day, of which it was said "the darkness hides not from you, but the night shall shine as the day." Then let the gate of paradise be opened to each man and each woman among you. Then may you enjoy waters that bear Christ and have his sweet savor. Then may you receive his name of Christian, and the capacity for heavenly things. And even now, I pray you, lift up the eyes of your mind: take thought now of angelic choirs, and God the master of the universe enthroned, with his only-begotten Son sitting on his right hand, and his Spirit with him, while thrones and dominations do him service, and likewise each man and woman of you as being in a state of salvation. Even now imagine that your ears catch those lovely strains wherewith the angels acclaim you saved. "Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven and whose sins are covered" when, as stars of the church, you enter paradise with glorious body and radiant soul. — Catechetical Lectures, Prologue, 15 Philoxenus of Mabbug: And again, in another place, he [David] ascribeth blessedness to the man who feareth God, and he maketh known what good things the fear of God worketh in him that feareth [Him], saying, "Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord", and here the fearer of God is accounted blessed. And although our Lord ordained blessings for other things, the prophet David accounted blessed the fearer of the Lord. "Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the way of the wicked", and it is well known that he walketh not in the way of the wicked because he feareth God. And again he saith, "Blessed is the man whom Thou shalt correct, O Lord, and whom Thou shalt teach Thy law", and it is manifest that the fear of God teacheth the laws, and that the man who feareth confesseth his correction. And again he said, "Blessed are those who are without blemish in the way, and who walk in the law of the Lord", and here again the fear of the Lord preserveth [a man] from blemishes, and urgeth him to walk in the way of the law. And again he saith, "Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven, and whose sins are covered", and it is well known that here also the fear of God bringeth to repentance, through which the forgiveness of sins is given, and through the suffering and tears which are produced by the fear of God the form of a man's sins is covered before his eyes. And again he saith, "Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord, and who walketh in His ways", and here again the prophet David sheweth that a man walketh in the way of the commandments through the fear of God. And in another place he saith concerning him that feareth the Lord, "He taketh heed to the commandments which are given by the Lord." — 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 7 -- Second Discourse on the Fear of God Theodoret of Cyrus: I class as enviable and blessed those who by the Lord's lovingkindness receive forgiveness of sins apart from their works. To them, in fact, he exercises such generosity as not only to forgive them but also cover over their sins so that no trace of them remains. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 32:1 Augustine of Hippo: The person of God is one of that number of the blessed of whom it was foretold: "Blessed is the one to whom the Lord has not imputed sin, and in whose mouth is no guile." For he confesses even sins of the just, asserting that they rather put their hope in the mercy of God than trust in their own justice, and therefore there is no guile in his mouth, or, indeed, in the mouths of all those to whose truthful humility or humble truth he bears witness. — AGAINST JULIAN 2:8.29 Augustine of Hippo: "Blessed is the man to whom the Lord has not imputed sin, nor is there guile in his mouth" [Psalms 32:2]: nor has he in his mouth boastings of righteousness, when his conscience is full of sins. — Exposition on Psalms 32 Cassiodorus: Although he is a sinner, he does not proclaim that he is entirely holy; sin is a sickness by which humanity is grievously afflicted, but instead he acknowledges his transgressions and constantly perseveres in humble satisfaction. For the one who is not pleasing to himself is pleasing to the Lord. For when we find the fault in ourselves, the truth is spoken, but when we desire to praise ourselves, we speak what is false. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 32:2 Augustine of Hippo: "Because I kept silence, my bones waxed old:" because I made not with my mouth "confession unto salvation," [Romans 10:10] all firmness in me has grown old in infirmity. "Through my roaring all the day long" [Psalms 32:3]: when I was ungodly and a blasphemer, crying against God, as though defending and excusing my sins. — Exposition on Psalms 32 Cassiodorus: Let no one think that something that he hides away in the innermost parts of his conscience can be hidden from the Lord. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 32:3 Evagrius Ponticus: Strong spirits do not wax old from continual shouting to God, but they are renewed from day to day. From silence they wax old, entangling people who are corrupted through false desires. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 31[32].3 Augustine of Hippo: "Because day and night Your Hand was heavy upon me:" because, through the continual punishment of Your scourges, "I was turned in misery, while a thorn was fixed through me" [Psalms 32:4]: I was made miserable by knowing my misery, being pricked with an evil conscience. — Exposition on Psalms 32 Cassiodorus: The hand that applies the lashes is oppressive to the sinner, and the hand that avenges is heavy. "Day and night" indicate continuous time so that the hand which did not draw back from punishment was rightly felt to be heavy. He would not have experienced this type of humiliation with such a happy demeanor unless it had been the hand of the Godhead that had pressed upon him. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 32:4 Augustine of Hippo: "I acknowledged my sin, and my unrighteousness have I not hid:" that is, my unrighteousness have I not concealed. "I said, I will confess against myself my unrighteousness to the Lord:" I said, I will confess, not against God (as in my ungodly crying, when I kept silence), but against myself, my unrighteousness to the Lord. "And Thou forgavest the iniquity of my heart" [Psalms 32:5]; hearing the word of confession in the heart, before it was uttered with the voice. — Exposition on Psalms 32 Caesarius of Arles: Just as we can never be without the wounds of sins, so we should never lack the remedy of confession. God wants us to confess our sins, not because he himself cannot know them but because the devil longs to find something to charge us with before the tribunal of the eternal Judge and wants us to defend rather than to acknowledge our sins. Our God, on the contrary, because he is good and merciful, wants us to confess them in this world so we will not be confounded by them later on in the world to come. If we confess our sins, he spares us; if we acknowledge them, he forgives. — SERMON 59:1 Cassiodorus: Fools … think that God is unable to know what they are doing. In contrast, those who know that all things are known to him get down on their knees for humble confession and vows of repentance so that they may not experience a hostile Judge when they are able to have a merciful Advocate. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 32:5 Cassiodorus: He suddenly absolved his sins, for he judges the devoted prayer as if the work were already carried out. The penitent resolved in his heart that what he had done not be kept silent from the Lord. And then as if he had already made all of his sins known, he received forgiveness for everything that he wanted to confess. And rightly so, for the will alone either brings someone absolution or punishment. "I will pronounce," means, "I will confess publicly" in order that my pious and faithful confession may draw others to imitate this action. From this self-accusation follows the saving remedy, since the Judge spares the defendant when he does not spare himself. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 32:5 Diodorus of Tarsus: Just as I sinned and was punished, so I acknowledged it and was saved.… He wishes to bring out also the promptness of God's lovingkindness, saying, I shall confess, that is, I resolved to confess the fault to the Lord, and your pardon anticipated my confession. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 32 Evagrius Ponticus: A righteous person accuses himself at the beginning of his speech. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 31[32]: 5, 6 Evagrius Ponticus: Pray first to receive tears, so that through compunction you may be able to mollify the wildness that is in your soul, and, having confessed against yourself your transgression to the Lord, you may obtain forgiveness from him. — CHAPTERS ON PRAYER 5 Origen of Alexandria: There were evil thoughts in men, which were for this reason revealed, that, being brought out into the open, they might be destroyed and slain, and cease to be, being dead, and that he who died for us might slay them. For as long as the thoughts were hidden and not brought out into the open, it was impossible for them to be utterly slain. Hence we too, if we have sinned, ought to say: "I have made my sin known to you, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said: I will declare my injustice against myself to the Lord". For if we do this and reveal our sins not only to God but also to those who are able to heal our wounds and sins, our sins will be blotted out by him who says: "behold, I will blot out your iniquities like a cloud, and your sins like a mist". — HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF Luke 17 Theodoret of Cyrus: When David said, "I have sinned against the Lord," Nathan replied, "The Lord has put away your sin, you will not die." He did, however, threaten to fill his house with calamities of all kinds; here too likewise, "You put away the impiety of my sin": immediately after perpetrating such things, he is saying, I should have been consigned to death according to the law, but you applied your lovingkindness and did not so consign me, keeping my treatment to moderate censure. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 32:3 Augustine of Hippo: "For this shall every one that is holy pray unto You in an acceptable time:" for this wickedness of heart shall every one that is righteous pray unto You. For not by their own merits will they be holy, but by that acceptable time, that is, at His coming, who redeemed us from sin. "Nevertheless in the flood of great waters they shall not come near him" [Psalms 32:6]: nevertheless, let none think, when the end has come suddenly, as in the days of Noah, [Matthew 24:37-41] that there remains a place of confession, whereby he may draw near unto God. — Exposition on Psalms 32 Cassiodorus: One who is no stranger to sin ought to immerse himself in prayers of supplication. O saving medicine! To counteract the diseases of all sinners, various remedies are offered to the ill. But this is a single remedy; if it is taken with a pure mind, the poisons of all transgressions are overcome. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 32:6 Diodorus of Tarsus: Immediately after the sin is a fitting time for confession … since a sin that lingers is entrenched. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 32 Athanasius of Alexandria: He caused a light to shine at the prayer of the psalmist, who said, "My Joy, deliver me from those who surround me"; this being indeed true rejoicing, this being a true feast, even deliverance from wickedness, to which a person attains by thoroughly adopting an upright conversation and being approved in his mind of godly submission toward God. — FESTAL LETTERS 14:1 Augustine of Hippo: "You are my refuge from the pressures, which have compassed me about:" You are my refuge from the pressure of my sins, which has compassed my heart. "O Thou, my Rejoicing, deliver me from them that compass me about" [Psalms 32:7]: in You is my joy: deliver me from the sorrow which my sins bring upon me. — Exposition on Psalms 32 Cassiodorus: A refuge is a place to which one flees so that dangers may be avoided. But this man did not take flight to remote and solitary places, to the fortifications of the camps or to the help provided by men, but to God who was able to scatter the spiritual enemies encircling him. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 32:7 Jerome: [Daniel 11:1] "And from the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up that he might be strengthened and confirmed." Daniel implies, "From the first year of the reign of Darius, who overthrew the Chaldeans and delivered me from the hand of my enemies to the extent of his ability (for even his sealing of the pit of lions with his signet ring was for my protection, lest my adversaries should slay me), I for my part stood before God, and I besought God's mercy upon him, in view of the man's love for me, in order that either he or his kingdom might be strengthened and confirmed. And since I persevered in my prayer, I was answered by God and given to understand the following information. After all, it is a customary thing with the prophets to bring in new speakers abruptly and without warning. So it is in Psalm Thirty-one: for when the prophet has petitioned God and said: "Thou art my refuge from my tribulation which compassed me about; O Thou, who art my rejoicing, deliver me from those who now encompass me," then God is abruptly brought in as the speaker, replying, "I will give thee understanding, and I will instruct thee in this way in which thou shalt go; I will fasten Mine eyes upon thee" (Psalms 32:7-8). So also here, as the prophet relates, "From the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up and interceded that he might be strengthened and that his rule might be confirmed," God suddenly responds: — St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER ELEVEN Augustine of Hippo: Diapsalma. The answer of God: "I will give you understanding, and will set you in the way in which you shall go;" I will give you understanding after confession, that you depart not from the way in which you should go; lest you wish to be in your own power. "I will fix Mine Eyes upon you" [Psalms 32:8]; so will make sure upon you My Love. — Exposition on Psalms 32 Cassiodorus: You see here that sinners do not possess understanding except when the gracious Lord grants it to the converted, for understanding implies doing the right thing and directing one's prayers to the Lord's commands. This is the understanding which the psalm's heading indicates and that the Lord's power pours out in mercy on the penitent. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 32:8 Ambrose of Milan: Why do you dishonor yourself by indulging in physical allurements, while serving your belly and its passions? Why do you take away the understanding that the Creator has given you? Why do you compare yourself to animals, from which God wanted you to be separate, saying: Do not become like the horse and the mule, which have no understanding? — The Six Days of Creation, Book 6, Chapter 3, 10 Ambrose of Milan: Fools then are not free, for it is said to them, Be ye not like to horse and mule, which have no understanding, whose mouths must be held with bit and bridle lest they fall upon thee. Great plagues remain for the ungodly; for they have need of these, in order that their folly may be restrained. It is good discipline which requires this, not severity. Further, he that spareth his rod hateth his son: for a man's own sins scourge him still more severely. For heavy is the weight of crime, heavy the scourges of sin; they are heavy as a sore burthen, they inflict wounds upon the soul, and make the ulcers of the mind to stink. — Letter 37, To Simplician, 41 Arnobius the Younger: He gives instruction to us, and thus he teaches us on the way by which we walk so that he may fix his eyes upon us and so that we do not become as a horse or a mule. Those reluctant to draw near will have their jaws restrained with a rein of tribulation and a curb of judgment. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 32 Augustine of Hippo: "Be not ye like horse or mule, which have no understanding:" and therefore would govern themselves. But says the Prophet, "Hold in their jaws with bit and bridle." Do Thou then, O God, unto them "that will not come near You" [Psalms 32:9], what man does to horse and mule, that by scourges Thou make them to bear Your rule. — Exposition on Psalms 32 Augustine of Hippo: To have a soul and not to have an understanding, that is, not to use it or to live according to it, is a beast's life. For there is in us something bestial by which we live in the flesh, but it must be ruled by the understanding. For the understanding rules from above the impulses of the soul when it moves itself according to the flesh and desires to pour itself out immoderately into carnal delights. — TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF John 15:19.2 Caesarius of Arles: Our Lord admonishes us through the prophet: "Be not senseless like horses or mules." … As the ass or mule is tied to a grindstone with his bodily eyes weakened or closed with rages, so the dissipated soul has the eyes of its mind put out by the filth of its life, and through the errors of its thoughts is guided, as it were, around the turning millstone through laborious compassion, without its own sight and working with that of another. [A dissipated person] stands on the road of sinners, fettered with the bonds of his passions. He is his own prison, filled with the darkness of his error, stiff with the squalor of his conscience, enduring within himself the imprisonment of a mill. He turns the rock of his heart, which has been hardened by perseverance in iniquity, like a grindstone, making flour for his enemy out of the corrupt grain of his soul. — SERMON 120:3 Diodorus of Tarsus: The person with understanding and reason perceives the sin, whereas the one without understanding does not perceive it, not wanting to. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 32 Ephrem the Syrian: Then, as for the Gentiles who used to go after gods which were no gods, He Who was God went after them, and by His words, as by a bridle, turned them from many gods to the One. This is that Mighty One, Whose preaching became a bridle in the jaws of the Gentiles, and led them away from idols to Him that sent Him. — HOMILY ON OUR LORD 5:1 Evagrius Ponticus: He calls the irrational movement of spirit "horse" and "mule." Intellect is rational thinking and judgment. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 31[32].9 Pseudo-Athanasius: People have special need of [understanding], for when they have lost it, they become like horses and mules. Thus he says: I was turned to misery when thorns were thrust in me—that is, the sin that tormented him. On that account he says to God: I have shown you my sin, and my lawlessness I did not hide from you; and you removed my wickedness. The first duty of repentance is for a person to confess his sin, according to [the saying]: God will have mercy on him who confesses his sins and abandons them. — EXPOSITION ON Psalms 32 Arnobius the Younger: Many are the punishments of sinners, but those who hope in the Lord, he will surround with his mercy. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 32 Augustine of Hippo: "Many are the scourges of the sinner:" much is he scourged, who, confessing not his sins to God, would be his own ruler. "But he that trusts in the Lord, mercy compasses him about" [Psalms 32:10]; but he that trusts in the Lord, and submits himself to His rule, mercy shall compass him about. — Exposition on Psalms 32 Pseudo-Athanasius: Even if there are many scourges of the sinner, yet mercy will surround one who trusts in the Lord, and the just will rejoice because their boast is in the Lord. — EXPOSITION ON Psalms 32 Theodoret of Cyrus: All people, even if adorned with the works of virtue, stand in need of divine grace; hence the divine apostle also shouts aloud, "By grace you are saved through faith; this is not of your doing—it is God's gift." — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 32:6 Arnobius the Younger: You of good will come to the Lord. Rejoice and exalt in the Lord, you righteous ones, and glorify our Lord Jesus Christ in a right heart. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 32 Augustine of Hippo: "Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, you righteous:" be glad, and rejoice, you righteous, not in yourselves, but in the Lord. "And glory, all you that are right in heart" [Psalms 32:11]: and glory in Him, all you who understand that it is right to be subject unto Him, that so ye may be placed above all things beside. — Exposition on Psalms 32 Cassiodorus: The just should "be glad in the Lord," not in themselves, for one who rejoices in himself is deceived by a false presumption … but one who finds joy in the Lord enjoys perpetual delight. — Explanation of the Psalms 32:11 Theodoret of Cyrus: So let no one rejoice in his or her own achievements but rather exult in God and find satisfaction in that. This is in keeping with the apostolic statements, "Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord." — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 32:7 Augustine of Hippo: "Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous:" rejoice, O you righteous, not in yourselves, for that is not safe; but in the Lord. "For praise is comely to the upright" [Psalms 33:1]: these praise the Lord, who submit themselves unto the Lord; for else they are distorted and perverse. — Exposition on Psalms 33 Basil of Caesarea: "Rejoice," therefore, "in the Lord, O you righteous," not when the interests of your home are flourishing, not when you are in good health of body, not when your fields are filled with all sorts of fruits, but when you have the Lord—such immeasurable Beauty, Goodness, Wisdom. Let the joy that is in him suffice for you.… For the just person, the divine and heavenly joy is lasting, since the Holy Spirit dwells in him once and for all. "But the firstfruit of the Spirit is charity, joy, peace." Therefore, "rejoice in the Lord, O you just." The Lord is like a place capable of containing the just, and there is every reason for one who is in him to be delighted and to make merry. Moreover, the just person becomes a place for the Lord when he receives God in himself.… Let us, then, who are in the Lord and who, as much as we are able, observe closely his wonders, so draw joy to our hearts from the contemplation of them. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 15:1 (Psalms 33) Evagrius Ponticus: The Lord is wise, so by rejoicing in the Lord, the righteous rejoice in wisdom. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 32[33].1 Augustine of Hippo: "Praise the Lord with harp:" praise the Lord, presenting unto Him your bodies a living sacrifice. [Romans 12:1] "Sing unto Him with the psaltery for ten strings" [Psalms 33:2]: let your members be servants to the love of God, and of your neighbour, in which are kept both the three and the seven commandments. — Exposition on Psalms 33 Basil of Caesarea: It is necessary to praise the Lord on the harp; that is, to render harmoniously the actions of the body. Since, indeed, we sinned in the body, "when we yielded our members as slaves of sin, to lawlessness," let us give praise with our body, using the same instrument for the destruction of sin. Have you reviled? Bless. Have you defrauded? Make restitution. Have you been intoxicated? Fast. Have you made false pretensions? Be humble. Have you been envious? Console. Have you murdered? Bear witness, or afflict your body with the equivalent of martyrdom through confession. And then, after confession you are worthy to play for God on the ten-stringed psaltery. For it is necessary, first, to correct the actions of our body, so that we perform them harmoniously with the divine Word and thus mount up to the contemplation of things intellectual.… One, therefore, who observes all the precepts and makes, as it were, harmony and symphony from them, this one, I say, plays for God an a ten-stringed psaltery. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 15:2 (Psalms 33) Cassiodorus: The harp and the lute are within us, or rather, we ourselves are the instruments when in their likeness we sing by the Lord's grace through the quality of our actions. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 33:2 Augustine of Hippo: "Sing unto Him a new song:" sing unto Him a song of the grace of faith. "Sing skilfully unto Him with jubilation" [Psalms 33:3]: sing skillfully unto Him with rejoicing. — Exposition on Psalms 33 Basil of Caesarea: The loud noise is a certain inarticulate sound, when those who are fighting side by side in a war shout out in unison with each other. Sing, then, in harmony and in agreement and in union through charity. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 15:3 (Psalms 33) Augustine of Hippo: "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" [Psalms 33:4]: lest any think that by the merit of works he has arrived at faith, when in faith are done all the works which God Himself loves. — Exposition on Psalms 33 Basil of Caesarea: "If you see the heavens," he says, "and the order in them," they are a guide to faith, for through themselves they show the Craftsman; and, if you see the orderly arrangement about the earth, again through these things also your faith in God is increased. In fact, it is not by acquiring knowledge of God with our carnal eyes that we believe in him, but by the power of the mind we have perceived the invisible God through visible things. Therefore, "all his works are done with faithfulness." Even if you consider the stone, it also possesses a certain proof of the power of its Maker. Likewise, if you consider the ant or the gnat or the bee. Frequently in the smallest objects the wisdom of the Creator shines forth. He who unfolded the heavens and poured out the boundless expanses of the seas, he it is who hollowed out the very delicate sting of the bee like a tube, so that through it the poison might be poured out. Therefore "all his works are done with faithfulness." Do not say, "This happened by chance" and "that occurred accidentally." Nothing is casual, nothing indeterminate, nothing happens at random, nothing among things that exist is caused by chance. And do not say, "It is a bad mishap," or "it is an evil hour." These are the words of the untaught. "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And yet not one of them will fall" without the divine will. How many are the hairs of your head? Not one of them will be forgotten. Do you see the divine eye, how none of the least trifles escapes its glance? — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 15:3 (Psalms 33) Theodore of Mopsuestia: Everything done by [God] is firm and permanent. The insertion of both these phrases was necessary in the light of the foregoing: he had to recommend thanksgiving and show the justice of the victory and the permanence of the gift so that the thanksgiving and hymn singing to him would emerge as a response to both, the provision of just assistance and the gift of abiding beneficence. He is saying, then, that both these features characterize what is done by God, and if either is missing, the level of thanksgiving could be diminished. That is to say, if the assistance were unjust, it would not be appropriate to offer thanks on their behalf, even though thanks are due for what is received, or if it underwent rapid change, it thus would be unnecessary to give thanks for good things that do not last. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 33:4B Augustine of Hippo: "He loves Mercy and Judgment:" for He loves Mercy, which now He shows first; and Judgment, wherewith He exacts that which He has first shown. "The earth is full of the Mercy of the Lord" [Psalms 33:5]: throughout the whole world are sins forgiven unto men by the Mercy of the Lord. — Exposition on Psalms 33 Basil of Caesarea: The Judge wishes to have mercy on you and to share his own compassion.… But if he sees your heart unrepentant, your mind proud, your disbelief of the future life and your fearlessness of the judgment, then he desires the judgment for you, just as a reasonable and kind doctor tries at first with hot applications and soft poultices to reduce a tumor, but, when he sees that the mass is rigidly and obstinately resisting, casting away the olive oil and the gentle method of treatment, he prefers henceforth the use of the knife. Therefore, God loves mercy in the case of those repenting, but he also loves judgment in the case of the unyielding. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 15:3 (Psalms 33) Cassiodorus: He describes the Lord by telling what he has done or what he does every day. We say that we love the things in which we are often engaged. So here the Lord's love of mercy is celebrated in song … because he often imparts this mercy as a gift.… Since in this world he shows his love of mercy when he scatters it far and wide, when he bears with sinners, when he patiently waits for blasphemers, when he offers life to the unworthy and other similar acts that plainly ought to be attributed to divine compassion.… What follows is the statement that "the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord." It is just this mercy that preserves us when we are miserable, when we struggle in the battle because of the devil's attack, when we are distracted from the commands of heaven by the weakness of our flesh.… Therefore let us seek the mercy with which the entire world is filled. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 33:5 Diodorus of Tarsus: This is typical of God, both to show lovingkindness and to judge—to show lovingkindness for those who hope in him and to condemn those who trust in themselves. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 33 Hesychius of Jerusalem: He places kindness before judgment because God uses kindness, then judgment against those who continue in sin. — LARGE COMMENTARY ON Psalms 33:5 Theodore of Mopsuestia: Grace and righteousness are characteristic of what is done by God. In other words, he said that loving is characteristic of him, speaking perhaps excessively and meaning that not only does what has been done in the past have these two characteristics, but also he is very fond of doing such things as happen to have these two characteristics. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 33:5A Augustine of Hippo: "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" [Psalms 33:6]. And all their faith by His Holy Spirit. — Exposition on Psalms 33 Basil of Caesarea: Where are those who set at naught the Spirit? Where are those who separate it from the creative power? Where are those who dissever it from union with the Father and Son? Let them hear the psalm that says, "By the word of the Lord the heavens were established; and all the power of them by the spirit of his mouth." The term "Word" will not be considered as this common form of diction that consists of names and expressions; nor will the Spirit be considered as vapor poured out in the air but as the Word, which was in the beginning with God, and as the Holy Spirit, which has obtained appellation as its own. As, then, the Creator, the Word, firmly established the heavens, so the Spirit, which is from God, which proceeds from the Father, that is, which is from his mouth (that you may not judge that it is some external object or some creature but may glorify it as having its substance from God) brings with it all the powers in him.… Since, then, the Savior is the Word of the Lord and the Holy Spirit is the Spirit from his mouth, both joined with him in the creation of the heavens and the powers in them, and for this reason the statement was made: "By the word of the Lord the heavens were established; and all the power of them by the spirit of his mouth." For nothing is made holy except by the presence of the Spirit. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 15:4 (Psalms 33) Cassiodorus: If we examine the passage more carefully, he even indicates the holy Trinity here. For by using the term word he reveals the Son, by adding "of the Lord" he speaks of the Father, and with the phrase "by the spirit of his mouth" he surely wants the Holy Spirit to be understood, who proceeded from the Father before all time. And in order that you may understand the unity manifest in three persons, he refers to his mouth, rather than their mouths. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 33:6 Clement of Alexandria: Accordingly, with the utmost clearness and brevity, the prophetic word condemns this practice: "For all the gods of the nations are the images of demons; but God made the heavens, and what is in heaven." Some, however, who have fallen into error, I know not how, worship God's work instead of God Himself,-the sun and the moon, and the rest of the starry choir,-absurdly imagining these, which are but instruments for measuring time, to be gods; "for by His word they were established, and all their host by the breath of His mouth." — Exhortation to the Heathen Cosmas Indicopleustes ((quoting Severianus of Gabala, Hexaemeron)): By the word of the Lord were the heavens made solid; because made from the waters—for in no passage elsewhere is the [heaven] said to be solid; it is one thing to be made solid, and another to be solid. The expression being made solid is used when that which is rarified and attenuated becomes consolidated. — The Christian Topography, Book 10 Gregory the Dialogist: Concerning this Spirit it is written: "His Spirit has adorned the heavens." For the ornaments of the heavens are the virtues of those who preach. Paul enumerates these ornaments, saying: "To one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith in the same Spirit, to another the grace of healing in one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of speeches. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills." Therefore, as many as are the gifts of those who preach, so many are the ornaments of the heavens. Hence it is written again: "By the word of the Lord the heavens were established." For the Word of the Lord is the Son of the Father. But concerning these same heavens, namely the holy apostles, so that the entire holy Trinity might be shown to have worked together, it is suddenly added concerning the divinity of the Holy Spirit: "And by the breath of His mouth is all their power." Therefore the power of the heavens was received from the Spirit, because they would not have presumed to oppose the powers of this world unless the strength of the Holy Spirit had made them firm. — Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 30 Hilary of Poitiers: Is the preparation of the heaven an act of God within time; so that an impulse of thought suddenly surprised His mind, as though it had been previously dull and inert, and after the fashion of men He sought for materials and instruments for fashioning the heaven? Nay, the prophet's conception of the working of God is far different, when He says, By the word of the Lord were the heavens established, and all their power by the breath of His mouth. Yet the heavens needed the command of God, that they might be established; for their arrangement and excellence in this firm unshaken constitution, which they display, did not arise from the blending and commingling of some kind of matter, but from the breath of the mouth of God. — ON THE TRINITY 12:39 Irenaeus: The rule of truth which we hold, is, that there is one God Almighty, who made all things by His Word, and fashioned and formed, out of that which had no existence, all things which exist. Thus saith the Scripture, to that effect "By the Word of the Lord were the heavens established, and all the might of them, by the spirit of His mouth." And again, "All things were made by Him, and without Him was nothing made." There is no exception or deduction stated; but the Father made all things by Him, whether visible or invisible, objects of sense or of intelligence, temporal, on account of a certain character given them, or eternal; and these eternal things He did not make by angels, or by any powers separated from His Ennoea. For God needs none of all these things, but is He who, by His Word and Spirit, makes, and disposes, and governs all things, and commands all things into existence,-He who formed the world (for the world is of all),-He who fashioned man,-He [who] is the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, above whom there is no other God, nor initial principle, nor power, nor pleroma,-He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, as we shall prove. — AGAINST HERESIES 1:22.1 Jerome: The Trinity is clearly declared here: Lord, Word, Spirit of the Lord. — BRIEF COMMENTARY ON Psalms 33 Jerome: There is clear demonstration in this verse that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are the creators of all things. — HOMILY 87, ON John 1:1-14 John Damascene: Now a spirit that is sent, and acts, and strengthens and maintains is not breath that is dissipated any more than the mouth of God is a bodily member. Both in fact are to be understood as appropriately referring to God. — ORTHODOX FAITH 1:7 Nicetas of Remesiana: By the "word" we must here understand the Son, through whom, as St. John declares, "all things were made." And what is "the spirit of his mouth" if not the Spirit whom we believe to be holy? Thus, in one text, you have the Lord, the Word of the Lord and the Holy Spirit making the full mystery of the Trinity. — THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 7 Origen of Alexandria: Nothing in the Trinity can be called greater or less, for there is but one fount of deity, who upholds the universe by his word and reason and sanctifies "by the spirit of his mouth" all that is worthy of sanctification. — ON FIRST PRINCIPLES 1:3.7 Theodore of Mopsuestia: You see, when it says "mouth" in these cases, it intends to indicate an operation affecting visible creation, as when it also says "hand" and "feet" and the like. Elsewhere, too, Scripture says, "The mouth of the Lord said this," in the sense that God revealed what had been determined in our regard; nowhere does the divine Scripture by such corporeal expression describe the Lord's nature or the creation of invisible nature, such as angels and the like, as in our case it is in the habit of saying, "Your hands made me." So by "breath of his mouth" he means "by his decision." — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 33:6B Theodoret of Cyrus: Effort and time on the part of workers was not required: a word was sufficient for creating on his part. He said, Let a firmament be made, and so it was. Let lights be made in the firmament of heaven, and it was. Such is the surface meaning of the text. True theology, however, gives a glimpse of God the Word with the all-holy Spirit making the heavens and the heavenly powers. The inspired composition of the Old Testament anticipates the Gospel teaching: as the divinely inspired John, the son of thunder, taught the whole world, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; all things were made through him, and without him was made not one thing that was made." — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 33:4 Augustine of Hippo: "He gathers the waters of the sea together as into a bottle:" He gathered the people of the world together, to confession of mortified sin, lest through pride they flow too freely. "He lays up the deep in storehouses" [Psalms 33:7]: and keeps in them His secrets for riches. — Exposition on Psalms 33 Basil of Caesarea: The reasons according to which he dispenses all things individually are stored up only in the knowledge of God. In fact, we learned in another psalm, which said, "Thy judgments are a great deep," that the judgments made about each one are called a deep. Therefore, if you seek to know why the life of a sinner is continued but the days of sojourning of the just are cut short; why the unjust thrive but a just person is afflicted; why the young child is snatched away before coming to maturity; whence are wars; why there are shipwrecks, earthquakes, droughts, heavy rains; why things destructive of people are created; why one person is a slave, another free, one is rich, another is poor (and the difference in sins and in virtuous actions is great; she who was sold to a brothel keeper is in sin by force, but she who immediately obtained a good master grows up with virginity); why this one is treated with kindness and that one condemned; and what is the reward in the case of each of these from the Judge; taking all these questions into your mind, consider that the judgments of God are the depths and, because they are enclosed in the divine storehouses, are not easily grasped by those encountering them. To one who believes, a promise is given by God: "I will give you hidden treasures, unseen ones." When we have been deemed worthy of knowledge face to face, we shall see also the depths in the storehouses of God. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 15:5 (Psalms 33) Evagrius Ponticus: Praise is the movement of the spirit translated from ignorance to virtue and knowledge. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 32[33].8 Augustine of Hippo: "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" [Psalms 33:8]: not of the terrors of men, or of any creature, but of Him let them stand in awe. — Exposition on Psalms 33 Cassiodorus: The prophet rightly asks that all things be moved by the Lord, because everything that is arranged by his ordering is always applied to useful matters. But although he had earlier spoken about all things in a general way, he now turns his attention to people. Even though the universe needs to be administered by his command, the human race has the greatest need of such administration; the human race is known to be subject to acts of sin because it has become corrupted from its original nature because of vices that creep into it. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 33:8 Philoxenus of Mabbug: And again this Prophet [David] counselleth every man to draw nigh unto God in fear, and he entreated all creation to fear the Lord Who made it, saying, "Let all the earth fear the Lord, and let all the inhabitants of the world tremble before Him." For the word of the prophecy casteth fear and trembling upon all the inhabitants of the world, and it teacheth all created beings to come to God by this way. — 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 7 -- Second Discourse on the Fear of God Augustine of Hippo: "For He spoke, and they were made:" for no other one made those things which are to fear; but He spoke, and they were made. "He commanded, and they were created" [Psalms 33:9]: He commanded by His Word, and they were created. — Exposition on Psalms 33 Gregory of Nyssa: The psalm bids us to exult in the one who has come to earth from heaven, as in one who is set over the entirety, and who has brought the entirety into being from not being and who maintains all things in being, whose command becomes reality. For this is the meaning of the divine words, "He spoke, and they were made; he commanded, and they were created." — ON THE INSCRIPTIONS OF THE Psalms 2:8.79 Augustine of Hippo: "The Lord brings the counsel of the heathen to nought;" of them that seek not His Kingdom, but kingdoms of their own. "He makes the devices of the people of none effect:" of them that covet earthly happiness. "And reproves the counsels of princes" [Psalms 33:10]: of them that seek to rule over such peoples. — Exposition on Psalms 33 Basil of Caesarea: It is possible to refer these things to the time of Jesus' passion when they thought that they were crucifying the King of glory, but he through the economy of the cross was renewing humanity. For in the resurrection the counsel of nations, of Pilate and his soldiers, and of whoever was active in the matter of the cross was brought to nought; the counsels of the princes were rejected, and also those of the high priests and scribes and kings of the people. In fact, the resurrection destroyed their every device.… Therefore, when you hear someone making great threats and announcing that he will bring on you all sorts of ill treatment, losses, blows or death, look up to the Lord, who brings to nothing the counsels of nations and rejects the devices of the people. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 15:6 (Psalms 33) Evagrius Ponticus: The plans of the nations and the councils of the leaders and the understanding of the peoples are tested by the Lord as contrary to his will—who desires all people to come to salvation and truth. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 32[33].10 Augustine of Hippo: "But the counsel of the Lord stands for ever;" but the counsel of the Lord, whereby He makes none blessed but him that submits unto Himself, stands for ever. The thoughts of His Heart to all generations [Psalms 33:11]: the thoughts of His Wisdom are not mutable, but endure to all generations. — Exposition on Psalms 33 Cassiodorus: We properly understand his counsel as the secret of the incarnation, since it was known to have been granted in order to provide counsel for the human race. It is not undone in any age, but remains for eternity, because the triumphant death of the Lord forever abolished the destruction brought about by the devil. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 33:11 Fulgentius of Ruspe: There is no thought in him that varies with the passing of time nor, like human beings, did he think one way before he made the world, nor does he think another way after he made the world, nor will he think still another way after the appearance of this world has passed away; for the "counsel of the Lord stands forever." — BOOK TO VICTOR AGAINST THE SERMON OF FASTIDIOSUS THE ARIAN 6:1 Theodore of Mopsuestia: Even if a vast number were scheming, while God wanted the opposite, the vast number would be of no significance to the schemes. Even if rulers planned something, the object of their concern would come to nothing, and they would get no benefit from the government or the vast number of the subjects. Then the more important consideration.… Not only can [God] render the schemes of others ineffectual, but also he can bring great reliability to his own. Now, "thoughts of his heart" is a bodily expression by which he refers to God's determined limit and authoritative decree, as if to say, Such a decision of the Lord is irrevocable. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 33:10B, C-11 Augustine of Hippo: "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord:" one nation is blessed, belonging to the heavenly city, which has not chosen save the Lord for their God: "And the people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance" [Psalms 33:12]: and which not of itself, but by the gift of God, has been chosen, that He by possessing it may not suffer it to be uncared for and miserable. — Exposition on Psalms 33 Theodore of Mopsuestia: You the people chosen by him are fortunate for the reason that the Lord's kindness to you is unchanging. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 33:12 Theodoret of Cyrus: One should declare blessed, he is saying, not those priding themselves on their wealth but those trusting in God and enjoying aid from him. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 33:6 Augustine of Hippo: "The Lord looks from Heaven; He beholds all the sons of men" [Psalms 33:13]. From the souls of the righteous, the Lord looks mercifully upon all who would rise to newness of life. — Exposition on Psalms 33 Basil of Caesarea: Consider the lofty spectator; consider him who is bending down regarding the affairs of humankind. Wherever you may go, whatever you may do, whether in the darkness or in the daytime, you have the eye of God watching. "From his habitation that he has prepared." The gates are not being opened, the curtains are not being drawn together, the habitation of God is ready for viewing. He looks on all people. No one escapes his sight; no darkness, no concealing walls, nothing is a hindrance to the eyes of God. He is so far from failing to look on each individually that he even looks into the hearts, which he himself formed without any admixture of evil. God, the Creator of humankind, made the heart simple according to his saving image; but later we made it, by union with passions of the flesh, a complicated and manifold heart, destroying its likeness to God, its simplicity and its integrity. Since he is the Maker of hearts, therefore, he understands all our works. But we call both words and thoughts and, in general, every movement of a person, his works. With what feelings or for what purpose they are, whether to please people or to perform the duties of the commands given us by God, he alone knows, who understands all our works. Therefore, for every idle word we give an account. Even for a cup of cold water, we do not lose our reward, because the Lord understands all our works. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 15:8 (Psalms 33) Cassiodorus: A person does not look to the Lord, but the Lord looks to a person … for when it says "and he looks upon," it indicates the graces of the One who shows compassion, for we say that we look upon those to whom we claim that something has been bestowed. Consider that he does not say that sins were looked upon, but people. When he looks upon sins, he punishes, but when he focuses his attention on a person, then he pardons. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 33:13 Cassiodorus: As for the fact that he says, "And he has looked upon," he indicates the grace of the one who shows mercy. We say that they see that we look upon those to whom we declare that something has also been offered. And consider that he did not say that the sins were seen, but rather the sons of men were. For when God looks at their sins, he punishes them; when he looks at a person, he absolves them, just as he will say in Psalms 51, "Turn your face from my sins," and elsewhere, "Do not turn your face away from me." Thus, we must understand and retain this salutary distinction. — EXPOSITIONS OF THE Psalms 32:13 Augustine of Hippo: "From His prepared habitation:" from His habitation of assumed Humanity, which He prepared for Himself. "He looks upon all the inhabitants of the earth" [Psalms 33:14]: He looks mercifully upon all who live in the flesh, that He may be over them in ruling them. — Exposition on Psalms 33 Augustine of Hippo: "He fashions their hearts singly:" He gives spiritually to their hearts their proper gifts, so that neither the whole body may be eye, nor the whole hearing; [1 Corinthians 12:17] but that one in this manner, another in that manner, may be incorporated with Christ. "He understands all their works" [Psalms 33:15]. Before Him are all their works understood. — Exposition on Psalms 33 Cassiodorus: God has "fashioned the hearts" of those to him he has granted the gifts of his understanding. We say that modelers fashion, since they compose forms in accordance with the needs of their work. Likewise, the Lord also forms the minds of the just and sets them in order to guide them to the gifts of his mercy. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 33:15 Evagrius Ponticus: The demons do not know our hearts, as some people think, for the Lord alone is "knower of hearts," "who knows the mind of human beings" and "who alone fashioned their hearts." Rather, [demons] recognize the many mental representations that are in the heart on the basis of a word that is expressed and movements of the body. — ON THOUGHTS 37 John Chrysostom: Only [God] can cure our hearts, he who alone created our hearts and perceives all our deeds. He alone has the power to enter into our conscience, touch our thoughts and comfort our soul. And if he does not console our hearts, all that people may do is superfluous and unprofitable. Just as when God comforts and pacifies us again, even if people greatly disturb us with myriad troubles, they will be unable to injure us in anything, for when he strengthens our heart, no one is able to shake it. — HOMILIES ON REPENTANCE AND ALMSGIVING 4:3.17 Origen of Alexandria: When we fail to remember the one who formed each one of us in the womb, and formed all our hearts individually and understands all our works, we do not perceive that God is a helper of those who are lowly and inferior, a protector of the weak, a shelterer of those who have been given up in despair and Savior of those who have been given up as hopeless. — COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF John 13:168 Theodore of Mopsuestia: Some commentators thought that here blessed David means that he individually formed people's souls apart from their body, as though "hearts" meant "souls." Whether this is so or not (it is a topic requiring fuller treatment), here it does not have that sense. Rather, "their hearts" means "them," referring to the whole from the part. So "he forms them individually" means that none of humankind was in existence, as if to say, when they did not exist, he produced them. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 33:15 Theodore of Mopsuestia: Nothing done by human beings can escape [God's] attention, since he is the creator of the thoughts' inner chamber, namely, the heart. In fact, this was the meaning, completely consistent with what went before: Blessed are you who are devoted to him who conducts an examination of everything that is done; instead of anything escaping his notice, he has a precise knowledge of everything. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 33:15 Theodoret of Cyrus: The God of all looks down … not as ignorant and anxious to learn but as judging and sentencing. How could the one who made the soul be ignorant of its movements? — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 33:7 Augustine of Hippo: "A king shall not be saved by much strength:" he shall not be saved who rules his own flesh, if he presume much upon his own strength. "Neither shall a giant be saved by much strength" [Psalms 33:16]: nor shall he be saved whoever wars against the habit of his own lust, or against the devil and his angels, if he trust much to his own might. — Exposition on Psalms 33 Basil of Caesarea: All things that are at once human, when compared with the true power, are weakness and infirmity. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 15:9 (Psalms 33) Hesychius of Jerusalem: The king is not saved through much strength. In vain we care for the strength of the body, and we rashly judge our power from the ones near us, friends and money: for nothing except help sent from heaven is able to save us. Take the example from Goliath or Pharaoh. He, a giant, although he was the strongest, was overcome easily by the simple boy David. The other [Pharaoh] pursued Israel with large chariots and a multitude of horses; he has the sea for a grave. — LARGE COMMENTARY ON Psalms 33:16 Arnobius the Younger: You will not be safe any more than the man who trusted in his own horse, of whom it was sung, "He cast the horse and its rider into the sea." The horse failed to save him. And so even if you are a giant in courage you are not safe in your own strength. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 33 Augustine of Hippo: "A horse is a deceitful thing for safety:" he is deceived, who thinks either that through men he gains salvation received among men, or that by the impetuosity of his own courage he is defended from destruction. "In the abundance of his strength shall he not be saved" [Psalms 33:17]. — Exposition on Psalms 33 Arnobius the Younger: For the eyes of the Lord are not looking on those trusting in their own strength but those hoping in his mercy. He will snatch their spirits from death and shelter them. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 33 Augustine of Hippo: "Behold, the Eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear Him:" because if you seek salvation, behold, the love of the Lord is upon them that fear Him. "Upon them that hope in His mercy" [Psalms 33:18]: that hope not in their own strength, but in His mercy. — Exposition on Psalms 33 Basil of Caesarea: He who does not trust in his own good deeds or expect to be justified by his works has, as his only hope of salvation, the mercies of God. For, when he considers that the expression "Behold the Lord and his reward" refers to each according to his work, and when he ponders his own evil deeds, he fears the punishment and cowers beneath the threats. There is good hope that gazes steadfastly at the mercies and kindness of God lest it be swallowed up by grief. He hopes that his soul will be delivered from death and will be fed by him in famine. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 15:10 (Psalms 33) Salvian the Presbyter: God is said to watch over the just, that he may maintain and protect them. Watchfulness by his gracious divinity is the function of his relationship with people. — THE GOVERNANCE OF GOD 2:1 Augustine of Hippo: "To deliver their souls from death, and to keep them alive in famine" [Psalms 33:19]. To give them the nourishment of the Word, and of Everlasting Truth, which they lost while presuming on their own strength, and therefore have not even their own strength, from lack of righteousness. — Exposition on Psalms 33 Cassiodorus: These are the two prayers of the most faithful Christian: to be rescued from eternal death at the coming judgment and to spend time here with spiritual nourishment. The Lord rescues the souls of the just from death when he raises them from the power of the devil, when by his kindness he frees those held captive by sin. In hunger, he feeds them while they are in this world, when there is a lack of good things. He does not cease to nourish with spiritual food those whom he has redeemed. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 33:19 Pseudo-Athanasius: Those who fear him, those who hope for his mercy, he saves from spiritual death and nourishes in a spiritual way, that they may also say, "Let your mercy be on us, Lord, as we have hoped in you." — EXPOSITION ON Psalms 33 Augustine of Hippo: "My soul shall be patient for the Lord:" that hereafter it may be filled with dainties incorruptible, meanwhile, while here it remains, my soul shall be patient for the Lord. "For He is our Helper and Defender" [Psalms 33:20]: our Helper He is, while we endeavour after Him; and our Defender, while we resist the adversary. — Exposition on Psalms 33 Cassiodorus: When the psalmist says "he waits," he indicates the endurance of the Christian … since it is endurance that makes the martyrs glorious, that watches over the good things of our faith, that conquers everything that stands against us, not by fighting against God's will, but by enduring, not by complaining, but by giving thanks. Endurance suppresses deceptive luxury, it overcomes the heat of anger, it removes the jealousy that lays waste the human race, it renders people gentle, it smiles appropriately at the kind, and it sets the cleansed in good order for the rewards that are to come. Endurance wipes away the dregs of every pleasure; it makes souls appear bright. Through endurance we serve as God's soldiers, through it we conquer the devil, through it we arrive as the blessed to his heavenly kingdom, for it is written, "in your endurance you will gain possession of your souls." — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 33:20 Cassiodorus: The psalmist's word waits reflects the patience of the Christian.… Patience is what makes glorious martyrs, what guards the blessings of our faith, what conquers all adversity not by wrestling but by enduring, not by grumbling but by giving thanks. Patience represses the extravagance that beguiles us. It overcomes hot anger, it removes the envy that ravages the human race, it makes people gentle, it smiles becomingly on the kind, and it orders people who are cleansed to attain the rewards that are to come. Patience wipes away the dregs of all pleasure; patience makes souls pure. Through patience we soldier for Christ, through it we conquer the devil, through it we blessedly attain the kingdom of heaven. As Scripture says, "In your patience you shall possess your souls." — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 33:20 Theodore of Mopsuestia: [God] is always helping and providing us with salvation. The term "protector," you see, is a metaphor from those thrusting their own shields among the enemy and by protection from these often sheltering others and freeing them from every disaster. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 33:20A Arnobius the Younger: Even in this hour, we are hungry and thirsty and naked, yet our spirits act patiently and are not disturbed, for the Lord sustains us. He is our helper and protector, and, as it says in the heading of the psalm, we are commanded to "rejoice in the Lord, righteous ones, let your heart be joyful in him, and hope in his holy name." He brings his mercy over us as we hope in him. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 33 Augustine of Hippo: "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" [Psalms 33:21]; and therefore have we trusted that we shall come to God, because unto us absent has He sent, through faith, His own Name. — Exposition on Psalms 33 Evagrius Ponticus: The heart of the righteous does not delight in food and drink but in justice, knowledge and wisdom. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 32[33].20 Augustine of Hippo: "Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we have hoped in You" [Psalms 33:22]: let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us; for hope confounds not, because we have hoped in You. — Exposition on Psalms 33 Athanasius of Alexandria: The Lord loves thankful people. They never cease to praise him, and they regularly thank him. In both good times and bad times they offer praise and thanksgiving to God. They worship the Lord, the God of times, without regard to what the times are like. — FESTAL LETTERS 3:5 Augustine of Hippo: "I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall be ever in my mouth" [Psalms 34:1]. So speaks Christ, so also let a Christian speak; for a Christian is in the Body of Christ; and therefore was Christ made Man, that that Christian might be enabled to be an Angel, who says, "I will bless the Lord at all times." When shall I "bless the Lord"? When He blesses you? When the goods of this world abound? When you have great abundance of grain, oil, and wine, of gold and silver, of servants and cattle; when this mortal health remains unwounded and sound; when all that are born to you grow up, nothing is withdrawn by immature death, happiness wholly reigns in your house, and all things overflow around you; then shall you bless the Lord? No; but "at all times." Therefore both then, and when according to the time, or according to the scourges of our Lord God, these things are troubled, are taken away, are seldom born to you, and born pass away. For these things come to pass, and thence follows penury, need, labour, pain, and temptation. But you, who hast sung, "I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall be ever in my mouth," both when He gives them, bless; and when He takes them away, bless. For it is He that gives, it is He that takes away: but Himself from him that blesses Him He takes not away. — Exposition on Psalms 34 Basil of Caesarea: The prophet seems to promise something impossible. For how can the praise of God be always in a person's mouth? When he engages in the ordinary conversations pertaining to daily life, he does not have the praise of God in his mouth. When he sleeps, he will keep absolute silence. And how will the mouth of one who is eating and drinking produce praise? We answer to this that there is a certain spiritual mouth of the inner person by which he is fed when he partakes of the word of life, which is the bread that comes down from heaven. Concerning that mouth the prophet also says, "I opened my mouth and panted." The Lord even urges us to have it open wide so as to receive plentifully the food of truth. "Open your mouth wide," he says, "and I will fill it." The thought of God, therefore, having been once for all molded and, as it were, sealed in the authoritative part of the soul, can be called praise of God, since it is always present in the soul. Moreover, according to the counsel of the apostle, the zealous person can do all things for the glory of God, so that every act and every word and every work has in it power of praise. Whether the just person eats or drinks, he does all for the glory of God. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 16:1 (Psalms 34) Caesarius of Arles: Who is there who blesses the Lord at all times? The person whom good fortune does not corrupt or adversity frighten. This, then, is the first and real peace, to be at peace with God. When this has been accomplished, then we can also possess peace within ourselves. However, if a person is unwilling to have peace with God, he will not be able to possess peace with himself. — SERMON 166:4 Augustine of Hippo: 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; "In the Lord shall my soul be praised: the humble shall hear thereof and be glad" (ver. 2). Those then who will not be praised in the Lord, are not humble, but fierce, rough, lifted up, proud. Gentle cattle would the Lord have; be thou the Lord's jumentum; that is, be thou humble. He sitteth upon thee, He ruleth thee: fear not lest thou stumble, and fall headlong: that indeed is thy infirmity; but consider Who sitteth upon thee. Thou art an ass's colt, but thou carriest Christ. For even He on an ass's colt came into the city; and that beast was gentle. ..."Be not ye as the horse or as the mule, which have no understanding." For horse and mule sometimes lift up their neck, and by their own fierceness throw off their rider. They are tamed with the bit, with bridle, with stripes, until they learn to submit, and to carry their master. But thou, before thy jaws are bruised with the bridle, be humble, and carry thy Lord: wish not praise for thyself, but praised be He who sitteth upon thee, and say thou, "In the Lord shall my soul be praised; the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad." ... — Exposition on Psalms 34 Augustine of Hippo: Now followeth, "O magnify the Lord with me" (ver. 3). 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 doth he love Him? So as not to envy his fellow-lover. ...Let them blush who so love God as to envy others. Abandoned men love a charioteer, and whoever loveth a charioteer or hunter, wisheth the whole people to love with him, and exhorteth, saying, Love with me this pantomime, love with me this or that shame. He calleth among the people that shame may be loved with him; and doth not a Christian call in the Church, that the Truth of God may be loved with him? Stir up then love in yourselves, Brethren; and call to every one of yours, and say, "O magnify the Lord with me." Let there be in you that fervour. Wherefore are these things recited and explained? If ye love God, bring quickly to the love of God all who are joined unto you, and all who are in your house; if the Body of Christ is loved by you, that is, if the unity of the Church, bring them quickly to enjoy, and say, "O magnify the Lord with me." — Exposition on Psalms 34 Augustine of Hippo: "I sought the Lord, and He heard me" (ver. 4). 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 in secret, as the Lord saith in the Gospel, "Enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly." When therefore thou enterest into thy chamber, thou enterest into thy heart. Blessed are they who rejoice when they enter into their heart, and find therein nought of evil. ... "I sought the Lord, and He heard me." Who then are not heard, seek not the Lord. Attend, Holy Brethren; he said not, I sought gold from the Lord, and He heard me; I sought from the Lord long life, and He heard me; I sought from the Lord this or that, and He heard me. It is one thing to seek anything from the Lord, another to seek the Lord Himself. "I sought" (saith he) "the Lord, and He heard me." But thou, when thou prayest, saying, Kill that my enemy, seekest not the Lord, but, as it were, makest thyself a judge over thy enemy, and makest thy God an executioner. How knowest thou that he is not better than thou, whose death thou seekest? In that very thing haply he is, that he seeketh not thine. Therefore seek not from the Lord anything without, but seek the Lord Himself, and He will hear thee, and while thou yet speakest, He will say, "Lo, here I am." ... — Exposition on Psalms 34 Basil of Caesarea: The whole life of the just person is filled with affliction.… But God delivers his saints from their afflictions. Though he does not leave them without trial, yet he bestows on them patient endurance. For if "tribulation works out endurance, and endurance tries virtue," he who excludes tribulation from himself deprives himself of his tried virtue. As no one is crowned without an adversary, so also he cannot be declared tried except through tribulations. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 16:4 (Psalms 34) Cassiodorus: "I sought the Lord" not in the expansive space of lands nor through broad and expansive regions, but in the heart. If we reflect on his majesty there, we find it present in every way. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 34:5 Cassiodorus: By saying "from all," nothing is left which you might have suspected was still standing in opposition. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 34:5 Augustine of Hippo: I have said who was the exhorter, namely, that lover who would not alone embrace what he loveth, and saith, "Approach unto Him, and be ye lightened" (ver. 5). For he saith what he himself proved. For some spiritual person in the Body of Christ, or even our Lord Jesus Christ Himself according to the flesh, the Head exhorting His Own Members, saith; what? "Approach unto Him, and be ye lightened." Or rather some spiritual Christian inviteth us to approach to our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. But let us approach to Him and be lightened; not as the Jews approached to Him, that they might be darkened; for they approached to Him that they might crucify Him: let us approach to Him that we may receive His Body and Blood. They by Him crucified were darkened; we by eating and drinking The Crucified are lightened. "Approach unto Him, and be ye lightened." Lo, this is said to the Gentiles. Christ was crucified amid the Jews raging and seeing; the Gentiles were absent; lo, they have approached who were in darkness, and they who saw not are lightened. Whereby approach the Gentiles? By following with faith, by longing with the heart, by running with charity. Thy feet are thy charity. Have two feet, be not lame. What are thy two feet? The two commandments of love, of thy God, and of thy Neighbour. With these feet run thou unto God, approach unto Him, for He hath both exhorted thee to run, and hath Himself shed His Own Light, as he hath magnificently and divinely continued. "And your faces shall not be ashamed." "Approach" (saith he) "unto Him, and be ye lightened; and your faces shall not be ashamed." No face shall be ashamed but of the proud. Wherefore? Because he would be lifted up, and when he hath suffered insult, or ignominy, or mischance in this world, or any affliction, he is ashamed. But fear not thou, approach unto Him, and thou shalt not be ashamed. ... — Exposition on Psalms 34 Cassiodorus: His light is said to be inaccessible when the unique and omnipotent character of its substance is described. But when the grace of the holy Godhead pours itself forth, one both approaches him and is offered blessed illumination. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 34:6 Sahdona the Syrian: Let us therefore also gaze on God, raising up and exalting his holy name in praise. Let us take refuge with his purity by continual recollection of his name; let us sculpt out the beauty of our souls by gazing on the likeness of his glory, so that we may be seen to be glorious statues of his divinity within creation. — BOOK OF PERFECTION 2:62 Theodoret of Cyrus: Whoever approaches him in faith receives rays of intellectual light. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 34:4 Arnobius the Younger: Draw near to him who is pure of heart, draw near and be enlightened. Let your faces not be ashamed in their poverty. If you remember the wealth of the Lord of heaven and earth was made poor for the sake of your poverty, tried for the sake of our tribulation, you will not be ashamed, nor will you fail. For that poor one cries from the cross. Who is this poor one? He who, although rich, was made poor: "Made obedient even to the cross" so that he could free you from crosses. He shouted, and the Lord heard. He sent his angels to guard his body and removed the stone and snatched him from the tomb. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 34 Augustine of Hippo: As the Prophet testifies, "The poor man cried, and the Lord heard him" [Psalms 34:6]. He teaches you how you may be heard. Therefore are you not heard, because you are rich. Lest haply thou say, you cried and wast not heard, hear wherefore; "The poor man cried, and the Lord heard him." As poor cry thou, and the Lord hears. And how shall I cry as poor? By not, if you have anything, presuming therefrom upon your own strength: by understanding that you are needy; by understanding that so long are you poor, as you have not Him who makes you rich. But how did the Lord hear him? "And saved him out of all his troubles." And how saves He men out of all their troubles? "The Angel of the Lord shall send round about them that fear Him, and shall deliver them" [Psalms 34:7]. So it is written, brethren, not as some bad copies have it, "The Lord shall send His Angel round about them that fear Him, and He shall deliver them:" but thus, "The Angel of the Lord shall send round about them that fear Him, and shall deliver them." Whom called He here the Angel of the Lord, who shall send round about them that fear Him, and shall deliver them? Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself is called in Prophecy, the Angel of the great Counsel, the Messenger of the great Counsel; so the Prophets called Him. Even He then, the Angel of the great Counsel, that is, the Messenger, shall send unto them that fear the Lord, and shall deliver them. Fear not then lest you be hid: wheresoever you have feared the Lord, there does that Angel know you, who shall send to succour you, and shall deliver you. — Exposition on Psalms 34 Basil of Caesarea: Poverty is not always praiseworthy, but only that which is practiced intentionally according to the evangelical aim. Many are poor in their resources but very grasping in their intention; poverty does not save these; on the contrary, their intention condemns them. Accordingly, not he who is poor is by all means blessed, but he who has considered the command of Christ better than the treasures of the world. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 16:5 (Psalms 34) Cassiodorus: The word this indicates the person poor in spirit who is not only devoid of worldly riches, but also of abundant vices. This is the poor person who is enlightened as he approaches God, whose face does not blush, and his prayer is heard appropriately, leading to his salvation when he cries to the Lord; afterwards he comes forth not to be freed from a single affliction, but from all earthly distresses. This takes places regularly for the just when they yield their souls to holy conduct and are taken from the chaotic disaster of this world to lasting freedom from care. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 34:7 Diodorus of Tarsus: The one who was in need of everything and given up as lost by people implored God in a moment of tribulation, and the Lord heard him and saved him against the odds. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 34 Theodoret of Cyrus: Learn from my experience, he is saying, to trust in the God of all: though lowly and a mere shepherd, he accorded me his personal providence and rendered me superior to my enemies. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 34:4 Maximus of Turin: Christ is more capable of protecting his servants than the devil is capable of stirring up our enemies. For although the same devil gathers for himself hoards and arms them with cruel rage, they are still easily destroyed, because the Savior surrounds his people with his auxiliaries, for the prophet says: "The Angel of the Lord places himself in the midst of those who fear him, and he will rescue them." If the Angel of the Lord rescues those who fear him from dangers, one who fears the Savior is not able to fear the barbarian, nor is someone who has kept the commandments of Christ able to fear the attack of an enemy. The commandments of Christ are the armor of the Christian, and the fear of God drives the fear of the enemy from us. These are our weapons, with which the Savior has equipped us: prayer, mercy and fasting. For fasting guards us more effectively than a wall, mercy liberates us more easily than pillaging, and prayer can wound from a greater distance than an arrow. For an arrow hits the enemy only when he is close at hand, but prayer wounds the enemy even when he is positioned far away. — SERMON 83:1 Ambrose of Milan: In Christ we possess everything. Let every soul approach him, whether it is sick with the sins of the flesh, infixed by the nails of worldly desires, admittedly still imperfect, progressing by intense medication or already perfect in its many virtues. Everyone is in the Lord's power, and Christ is all things to us. If you desire to heal your wounds, he is your doctor; if you are on fire with fever, he is your fountain; if you are burdened with iniquity, he is your justification; if you need help, he is your strength; if you fear death, he is your life; if you desire heaven, he is your way; if you are fleeing from darkness, he is your light; if you are seeking food, he is your nourishment. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Happy is the one who takes refuge in him. — Concerning Virginity 16:99 Arnobius the Younger: Taste the body of life and see how sweet is the Lord. He has life in himself who eats his flesh and drinks his blood, and then he will be blessed. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 34 Augustine of Hippo: Now will He speak openly of the same Sacrament, whereby He was carried in His Own Hands. "O taste and see that the Lord is good" [Psalms 34:8]. Does not the Psalm now open itself, and show you that seeming insanity and constant madness, the same insanity and sober inebriety of that David, who in a figure showed I know not what, when in the person of king Achis they said to him, How is it? When the Lord said, "Except a man eat My Flesh and drink My Blood, he shall have no life in him"? [John 6:53] And they in whom reigned Achis, that is, error and ignorance, said; what said they? "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" [John 6:52] If you are ignorant, "Taste and see that the Lord is good:" but if you understand not, you are king Achis: David shall change His Countenance and shall depart from you, and shall quit you, and shall depart. — Exposition on Psalms 34 Basil of Caesarea: As the nature of honey can be described to the inexperienced not so much by speech as by the perception of it through taste, so the goodness of the heavenly Word cannot be clearly taught by doctrines, unless, examining to a greater extent the dogmas of truth, we are able to comprehend by our own experience the goodness of the Lord. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 16:6 (Psalms 34) Evagrius Ponticus: If we taste the Lord, we taste through faith. If he is good, it is through the knowledge of his goodness that we taste. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 33[34].9 Gregory the Dialogist: Spiritual delights, when not possessed, are treated with disgust, but when possessed they are desired; and the more they are hungered for by the one eating, the more they are also consumed by the one hungering. For spiritual delights increase desire in the mind while they satisfy, because the more their flavor is perceived, the more one recognizes what should be loved more eagerly. And therefore, when not possessed, they cannot be loved, because their flavor is unknown. For who is able to love what he does not know? Hence the Psalmist admonishes us, saying: "Taste and see that the Lord is sweet." As if he were saying openly: You do not know his sweetness if you do not taste it at all. But touch the food of life with the palate of your heart, so that by proving its sweetness you may be able to love it. — Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 36 Jerome: Just as the body dies unless it is given proper food, even so does the soul if it is not given spiritual food. Why am I making such a point of this? Because there are some who insist on saying, I have no need for sacred Scripture; the fear of God is enough for me. That is, therefore, precisely why we affirm that just as there are foods for the body, so there are, likewise, foods for the soul, namely, the sacred Scripture. — HOMILY ON Psalms 127[128] Leo the Great: God's people have spiritual feasts and pure delicacies that it is healthy for them to look for and laudable for them to desire, for the prophet says in praise of them, "Taste and see that the Lord is sweet." Whoever have touched with the taste of their hearts the sweetness of the justice and mercy of God, by which all his ordinances are carried out, and have drunk from the experiences of supernal joys never to be diminished by any pride, they will despise the corruptible and temporal good in their admiration of the eternal, and they will glow in that fire that the love of God kindles. As when cold is changed to warmth and night is changed to daylight, the Holy Spirit by one stroke in the hearts of the faithful takes away darkness and destroys sin. — SERMON 50:2 Origen of Alexandria: The outer man has a sense of taste; and the inner man too has a spiritual taste, of which it is said: "Taste and see how good the Lord is." — DIALOGUE WITH HERACLIDES Arnobius the Younger: Fear the Lord, all his saints, because the ones fearing him lack nothing—nothing of excellence in the present, nothing of perfection, nothing of future joy. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 34 Augustine of Hippo: "O fear the Lord, all you His saints, for there is no want to them that fear Him" [Psalms 34:9]. For many therefore will not fear God the Lord, lest they suffer hunger. It is said to them, Defraud not; and they say, Whence can I feed myself? No art can be without imposture; no business can be without fraud. But fraud God punishes: fear God. But if I should fear God, I shall not have whence to live. "O fear the Lord, all you His saints, for there is no want to them that fear Him." He promises plenty to him that trembles, and doubts, lest haply if he should fear God, he should lose things superfluous. The Lord fed you despising Him, and will He desert you fearing Him? Attend, and say not, Such an one is rich, and I am poor. I fear the Lord, he by not fearing how much has he gained, and I by fearing am bare! See what follows; "The rich do lack and suffer hunger, but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing" [Psalms 34:10]. If you receive it according to the letter, He seems to deceive you, for you see that many rich men that are wicked die in their riches, and are not made poor while they live; you see them grow old, and come even to the end of life amid great abundance and riches. You see their funeral pomp celebrated with great profusion, the man himself brought rich even to the sepulchre, having expired in beds of ivory, his family weeping around; and you say in your mind, if haply you know some both sins and crimes done by him: I know what things that man has done; lo, he has grown old, he has died in his bed, his friends follow him to the grave, his funeral is celebrated with all this pomp; I know what he has done; the Scripture has deceived me, and has spoken falsely, where I hear and sing; "The rich do lack and suffer hunger." When was this man in need? When did he suffer hunger? "But they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing." Daily I rise up to Church, daily I bend the knee, daily I seek the Lord, and have nothing good: this man sought not the Lord, and he has died in the midst of all these good things! Thus thinking, the snare of offense chokes him; for he seeks mortal food on the earth, and seeks not a true reward in heaven, and so he puts his head into the devil's noose, his jaws are tied close, and the devil holds him fast unto evil doing, that so he may imitate the evil men, whom he sees to die in such plenty. — Exposition on Psalms 34 Basil of Caesarea: Unless fear disciplines our life, it is impossible successfully to attain holiness in body.… In him who fears there is not want, that is, he is failing with regard to no virtue who is prevented by fear from every absurd act, since he falls short of nothing good that belongs to human nature. As he is not perfect in body who is lacking in any necessary part but is imperfect because of what he lacks, so also he who is disposed contemptuously about one of the commands, because he is wanting in it, is imperfect in that in which he lacks. But he who has assumed perfect fear and through piety shrinks beneath all things will commit no sin because he despises nothing; he will not experience any want because he will possess fear sufficiently in all things. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 16:6 (Psalms 34) Diodorus of Tarsus: It is not possible for the one who fears God and hopes in him to fail. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 34 Arnobius the Younger: The rich dwell in uncertainty concerning the things the world gives. The riches that God gives do not fail, but they remain because these riches arise in the fear of the Lord. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 34 Basil of Caesarea: Wealth is unstable and like a wave accustomed to change hither and thither by the violence of the wind.… God himself is absolute Good, and they who seek him will not be without him. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 16:7 (Psalms 34) Augustine of Hippo: "Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord" (ver. 11). 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 unto Him together: hearken ye unto Him through us. For He would teach us; He the Humble, He that drummeth, He that affecteth, would teach us. ... — Exposition on Psalms 34 Cassiodorus: This is not the fear that leads to dread, but the kind that leads to love. Fear of people is full of bitterness, but this fear is full of sweetness. The first compels us to slavery, but the second draws us toward freedom. Finally, the first fears confinement, but the second opens up the kingdom of heaven. So he rightly professes that this second type of fear is useful and we ought to learn it with an eager mind. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 34:12 Augustine of Hippo: "What man is he that desireth life, and loveth to see good days?" (ver. 12). He asketh a question. Doth not every one among you answer, 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 thus murmur, and thus speak; How long shall we suffer these things? Daily are they worse and worse: in our fathers' time were days more joyful, were days better. O if thou couldest ask those same, thy fathers, in like manner would they murmur to thee of their own days. Our fathers were happy, miserable are we, evil days have we: such an one ruled over us, we thought that after his death might some refreshing be given to us; worse things have come: O God, show unto us good days! "What man is he that desireth life, and loveth to see good days?" Let him not seek here good days. A good thing he seeketh, but not in its right place doth he seek it. As, if thou shouldest seek some righteous man in a country, wherein he lived not, it would be said to thee, A good man thou seekest, a great man thou seekest, seek him still, but not here; in vain thou seekest him here, thou wilt never find him. Good days thou seekest, together let us seek them, seek not here. ...Read the Scriptures. ... — Exposition on Psalms 34 Clement of Alexandria: But are ye so devoid of fear, or rather of faith, as not to believe the Lord Himself, or Paul, who in Christ's stead thus entreats: "Taste and see that Christ is God?" Faith will lead you in; experience will teach you; Scripture will train you, for it says, "Come hither, O children; listen to me, and I will teach you the fear of the Lord." Then, as to those who already believe, it briefly adds, "What man is he that desireth life, that loveth to see good days?" It is we, we shall say-we who are the devotees of good, we who eagerly desire good things. Hear, then, ye who are far off, hear ye who are near: the word has not been hidden from any; light is common, it shines "on all men." No one is a Cimmerian in respect to the word. Let us haste to salvation, to regeneration; let us who are many haste that we may be brought together into one love, according to the union of the essential unity; and let us, by being made good, conformably follow after union, seeking after the good Monad. — Exhortation to the Heathen Ambrose of Milan: If … anger has got the start, and has already taken possession of your mind and mounted into your heart, forsake not your ground. Your ground is patience, it is wisdom, it is reason, it is the allaying of indignation. And if the stubbornness of your opponent rouses you and his perverseness drives you to indignation: if you cannot calm your mind, check at least your tongue. For so it is written: "Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips that they speak no guile. Seek peace and pursue it." … First, then, calm your mind. If you cannot do this, put a restraint on your tongue. Last, do not neglect to seek for reconciliation. These ideas the speakers of the world have borrowed from us and have set down in their writings. But he who said it first has the credit of understanding its meaning. — On the Duties of the Clergy 1.21.92 Augustine of Hippo: Let not a Christian then murmur, let him see whose steps he follows: but if he loves good days, let him hearken unto Him teaching and saying, "Come, you children, hearken unto Me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord." What would you? Life and good days. Hear, and do. "Keep your tongue from evil" [Psalms 34:13]. This do. I will not, says a miserable man, I will not keep my tongue from evil, and yet I desire life and good days. If a workman of yours should say to you, I indeed lay waste this vineyard, yet I require of you my reward; you brought me to the vineyard to lop and prune it, I cut away all the useful wood, I will cut short also the very trunks of the vines, that you have thereon nothing to gather, and when I have done this, you shall repay to me my labour. Would you not call him mad? Would you not drive him from your house or ever he put his hand to the knife? Such are those men who would both do evil, and swear falsely, and speak blasphemy against God, and murmur, and defraud, and be drunken, and dispute, and commit adultery, and use charms, and consult diviners, and withal see good days. To such it is said, you can not doing ill seek a good reward. If you are unjust, shall God also be unjust? What shall I do, then? What do you desire? Life I desire, good days I desire. "Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips that they speak no guile," that is, defraud not any, lie not to any. — Exposition on Psalms 34 Basil of Caesarea: The most common and varied sin is that committed through the tongue. Were you provoked to anger? The tongue is already running on. Are you possessed by concupiscence? Before all things you have a tongue, a sort of pimp and promoter, as it were, assistant to the sin, subduing your neighbors by histrionic arts. Your tongue is also a weapon for your injustice, not uttering the words from the heart but bringing forth those inspired by deceit. But what need is there to put in words all the sins committed through the tongue? Our life is filled with faults due to the tongue. Obscenity, scurrility, foolish talk, unbecoming words, slanders, idle conversation, perjuries, false testimony, all these evils, and even more than these, are the work of the tongue. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 16:9 (Psalms 34) Bede: Let us restrain our tongues from evil, since they have been sanctified by our confession of faith. Let us fear to use that [same tongue] with which we bless our God and Father to curse human beings, who have been made according to God's likeness. — Homilies on the Gospels 2:6 John Chrysostom: Let us train therefore our tongue to speak good words. For "refrain," it is said, "your tongue from evil." For God gave it not that we should speak evil, that we should revile, that we should calumniate one another, but to sing hymns to God, to speak those things that "give grace to the hearers," things for edification, things for profit. — ON THE EPISTLE TO THE Hebrews 1:4 Augustine of Hippo: But what is, "Depart from evil"? (ver. 14). It is little that thou injure none, murder none, steal not, commit not adultery, do no wrong, speak no false witness; "Depart from evil." When thou hast departed, thou sayest, Now I am safe, I have done all, I shall have life, I shall see good days. Not only saith he, "Depart from evil," but also, "and do good." It is nothing that thou spoil not: clothe the naked. If thou hast not spoiled, thou hast declined from evil; but thou wilt not do good, except thou receive the stranger into thine house. So then depart from evil, as to do good. "Seek peace, and ensue it." He hath not said, Thou shalt have peace here; seek it, and ensue it. Whither shall I ensue it? Whither it hath gone before. For the Lord is our peace, hath risen again, and hath ascended into Heaven. "Seek peace, and ensue it;" because when thou also hast risen, this mortal shall be changed, and thou shall embrace peace there where no man shall trouble thee. For there is perfect peace, where thou wilt not hunger. ... — Exposition on Psalms 34 Basil of Caesarea: Mere abstinence from evil is not a characteristic of a perfect person, but for one recently instructed in basic principles it is fitting to turn aside from the impulse to evil and, being delivered from the habits of a depraved life as from a bad road, to pursue the performance of good. In fact, it is impossible to cling to the good unless one has withdrawn entirely and turned away from the evil, just as it is impossible to repair one's health unless one rids himself of the disease, or for one who has not completely checked a chill to be in a state of warmth; for, these are inadmissible to each other. So also, it is proper for one who intends to live a good life to depart from all connection with evil.… Yet, as long as we were bound to the flesh, we were yoked to many things that also troubled us. Seek, then, after peace, a release from the troubles of this world; possess a calm mind, a tranquil and unconfused state of soul that is neither agitated by the passions nor drawn aside by false doctrines that challenge by their persuasiveness to an assent, in order that you may obtain "the peace of God that surpasses all understanding and guards your heart." — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 16:10 (Psalms 34) Cassiodorus: To see good days it is insufficient simply to abstain from evil acts; our compassion must also compel us to perform good works. The first stage of virtue is not to covet what belongs to others, but then the higher stage is not to hold back our own possessions from those in need. In the first stage, we escape blame, but in the second we win the palm of compassion. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 34:15 Cyprian: The person of peace ought to seek and follow peace; he who knows and loves the bond of charity ought to restrain his tongue from the evil of dissension. Among his divine commands and salutary instructions the Lord now very near his passion added the following: "Peace I leave you, my peace I give you." This inheritance he gave us, all the gifts and rewards of his promise he assured us in the conservation of peace. If we are heirs of Christ, let us remain in the peace of Christ; if we are children of God, we ought to be peacemakers. "Blessed," he said, "are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God." The children of God should be peacemakers, gentle in heart, simple in speech, harmonious in affection, clinging to one another faithfully in the bonds of unanimity. — Treatise I. On the Unity of the Church 24 Philoxenus of Mabbug: The commandments which Jesus spake unto him, "Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, and Thou shalt not bear false witness," agree with the words of David, who said, "Depart from evil, and do good"; and with those which Paul spake, "Let not wickedness overcome you." And the commandments, "Honour thy father and thy mother," and, "That which is hateful unto thee, do not unto thy neighbour," agree with, "Do ye good," and, "Overcome evil with good." — 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 9 -- Second Discourse on Poverty Theodoret of Cyrus: The peaceable person entertains peace toward everyone, not purloining the neighbor's property furtively, not committing homicide, not undermining marriages, not speaking evil, not doing evil, doing favors, showing respect, sharing, lending support, sharing dangers and struggles—such is unalloyed love and genuine friendship. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 34:8 Augustine of Hippo: "The Eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous:" fear not then; labour; the eyes of the Lord are upon you. "And His Ears are open unto their prayers" [Psalms 34:15]. What would you more? If an householder in a great house should not hearken to a servant murmuring, he would complain, and say, What hardship do we here suffer, and none hears us. Can you say this of God, What hardships I suffer, and none hears me? If He heard me, haply, do you say, He would take away my tribulation: I cry unto Him, and yet have tribulation. Only do thou hold fast His ways, and when you are in tribulation, He hears you. But He is a Physician, and still have you something of putrefaction; you cry out, but still He cuts, and takes not away His Hand, until He has cut as much as pleases Him. For that Physician is cruel who hears a man, and spares his wound and putrefaction. How do mothers rub their children in the baths for their health. Do not the little ones cry out in their hands? Are they then cruel because they spare not, nor hearken unto their tears? Are they not full of affection? And yet the children cry out, and are not spared. So our God also is full of charity, but therefore seems He not to hear, that He may spare and heal us for everlasting. — Exposition on Psalms 34 Theodore of Mopsuestia: God takes care of the righteous (by "eyes" referring not simply to sight but also to what is done by God in beneficence and providence).… He also accepts their requests.… But he has an eye also for the wicked, though not in the same way as for the good. To what effect? "To destroy remembrance of them from the land": … God gives evidence of great care for the righteous, accepting their supplication while completely disregarding those guilty of wrong actions and inflicting destruction on them. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 34:16A-17B Augustine of Hippo: Haply say the wicked, I securely do evil, because the Eyes of the Lord are not upon me: God attends to the righteous, me He sees not, and whatever I do, I do securely. Immediately added the Holy Spirit, seeing the thoughts of men, and said, "But the Face of the Lord is against them that do evil; to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth" [Psalms 34:16]. — Exposition on Psalms 34 Cassiodorus: After explaining the grace toward the just, he now turns his attention to the punishment of the wicked.… Understand that he sees both groups, but his gaze results in a different outcome for each group; he looks at the just to hear them, but looks upon sinners to destroy them. When he says "from the earth," he means the future homeland, which only those who have pleased God will possess. The "remembrance" of the sinners will perish, because there will not be any recollection of them among the just.… Those who leave the Lord's memory surely go on to eternal punishments. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 34:17 Augustine of Hippo: "The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them, and delivered them out of all their troubles" [Psalms 34:17]. Righteous were the Three Children; out of the furnace cried they unto the Lord, and in His praises their flames cooled. The flame could not approach nor hurt the innocent and righteous Children praising God, and He delivered them out of the fire. [Daniel 3:28] Some one says, Lo, truly righteous were those who were heard, as it is written, "The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them, and delivered them out of all their troubles:" but I have cried, and He delivers me not; either I am not righteous, or I do not the things which He commands me, or haply He sees me not. Fear not: only do what He commands; and if He deliver you not bodily, He will deliver you spiritually. For He who took out of the fire the Three Children, did He take out of the fire the Maccabees? [2 Maccabbees 7:3] Did not the first sing hymns in the flames, these last in the flames expire? The God of the Three Children, was not He the God also of the Maccabees? The one He delivered, the other He delivered not. Nay, He delivered both: but the Three Children He so delivered, that even the carnal were confounded; but the Maccabees therefore He delivered not so, that those who persecuted them should go into greater torments, while they thought that they had overcome God's Martyrs. He delivered Peter, when the Angel came unto him being in prison, and said, "Arise, and go forth," [Acts 12:7] and suddenly his chains were loosed, and he followed the Angel, and He delivered him. Had Peter lost righteousness when He delivered him not from the cross? Did He not deliver him then? Even then He delivered him. Did his long life make him unrighteous? Haply He heard him more at last than at first, when truly He delivered him out of all his troubles. For when He first delivered him, how many things did he suffer afterwards! For there He sent him at last, where he could have suffered no evil. — Exposition on Psalms 34 Basil of Caesarea: The cry of the just is a spiritual one, having its loudness in the secret recess of the heart, able to reach even to the ears of God.… They sought after nothing petty, nothing earthly, nothing lowly. For this reason the Lord received their voice, and he delivered them from all their tribulations, not so much freeing them from their troubles as making them victorious over the circumstances. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 16:12 (Psalms 34) Cassiodorus: What then do we say about the martyrs, since it is well known that they were not freed from the torments of the tyrants? They were certainly set free when they were conducted to the kingdom of heaven; they were plainly released from all their troubles. For the cry of the just is always heard, not only for this life, but most of all for their eternal benefit. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 34:18 Augustine of Hippo: "The Lord is near unto them that have broken their heart; and saves such as be lowly in spirit" [Psalms 34:18]. God is High: let a Christian be lowly. If he would that the Most High God draw near unto him, let him be lowly. A great mystery, Brethren. God is above all: you raise yourself, and touchest not Him: you humble yourself, and He descends unto you. — Exposition on Psalms 34 Basil of Caesarea: He who has despised present things, and has given himself to the word of God and is using his mind for thoughts that are above and are more divine, he would be the one who has a contrite heart and has made it a sacrifice that is not despised by the Lord. For "a contrite and humbled heart, O God, you will not despise." … He who has no vanity and is not proud of anything human, he is the one who is contrite in heart and humble of spirit. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 16:12 (Psalms 34) Theodore of Mopsuestia: He did not apply the terms "lowly" and "contrite of heart" simply to those reduced to this condition from the disasters but to those in this condition by intent and resolve. Even if tested by disasters, on the basis of their lowliness of intent they thought that they received their just deserts, asked God with due reverence for help and received it by gift. So it is clear from this that even by saying above "let the gentle hear and be glad" he refers neither to those humbled of necessity by disasters nor to those in this condition by nature, whom the general run of good people like to think gentle, but to those in this condition in heart and purpose, who emerge by their zeal in bearing nobly the wrongs done them since they look to God for help. This, in fact, is gentleness, not being insensitive or keeping complete silence while ignoring sensation even in situations that are often unavoidable, when it is possible to effect a greater good. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 34:19B Augustine of Hippo: "Many are the troubles of the righteous" (ver. 19): doth He say, "Therefore let Christians be righteous, therefore let them hear My Word, that they may suffer no tribulation? He promiseth not this; but saith, "Many are the troubles of the righteous." Rather, if they be unrighteous they have fewer troubles, if righteous they have many. But after few tribulations, or none, these shall come to tribulation everlasting, whence they shall never be delivered: but the righteous after many tribulations shall come to peace everlasting, where they shall never suffer any evil. "Many are the tribulations of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of all." — Exposition on Psalms 34 Basil of Caesarea: He who says that affliction is not proper to the just says nothing else than that an adversary is not proper for the athlete. But what occasions for crowns will the athlete have who does not struggle? — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 16:12 (Psalms 34) Cassiodorus: The afflictions of the just are certainly many, for the devil pursues them with great power and people also often oppress them out of jealousy. The wicked can be afflicted sometimes too, if they suffer something adverse by themselves, but the just are oppressed both by their own sufferings and when they share in those of others through love. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 34:20 Jerome: One who does not suffer trial, therefore, is not just. — BRIEF COMMENTARY ON Psalms 34 Theodore of Mopsuestia: It often happens that the righteous are put to the test in extreme troubles and severe tribulations.… Even if they are tested by many troubles and many tribulations, God allowing this to their advantage, he nevertheless definitely frees them from the troubles, not allowing them to be overcome by the disasters in the end.… He rescues them after allowing the tribulations for a while to their advantage, keeps those in the midst of tribulations free from harm and preserves their strength completely. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 34:20-21 Theodoret of Cyrus: While God allows them to descend into the arena of tribulations, he comes to their assistance and renders them superior to the calamities besetting them, confirming their resolve and making it strong. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 34:10 Augustine of Hippo: "The Lord keeps all their bones: not one of them shall be broken" [Psalms 34:20]: this also, Brethren, let us not receive carnally. Bones are the firm supports of the faithful. For as in flesh our bones give firmness, so in the heart of a Christian it is faith that gives firmness. The patience then which is in faith, is as the bones of the inner man: this is that which cannot be broken. "The Lord keeps all their bones: not one of them shall be broken." If of our Lord God Jesus Christ he had said this, "The Lord keeps all the bones of His Son; not one of them shall be broken;" as is prefigured of Him also in another place, when the lamb was spoken of that should be slain, and it was said of it, "Neither shall you break a bone thereof:" [Exodus 12:46] then was it fulfilled in the Lord, because when He hung upon the Cross, He expired before they came to the Cross, and found His Body lifeless already, and would not break His legs, that it might be fulfilled which was written. [John 19:33] But He gave this promise to other Christians also, "The Lord keeps all their bones; not one of them shall be broken." Therefore, Brethren, if we see any Saint suffer tribulation, and haply either by a Physician so cut, or by some persecutor so mangled, that his bones be broken; let us not say, This man was not righteous, for this has the Lord promised to His righteous, of whom He said, "The Lord keeps all their bones; not one of them shall be broken." Would you see that He spoke of other bones, those which we called the firm supports of faith, that is, patience and endurance in all tribulations? For these are the bones which are not broken. Hear, and see ye in the very Passion of our Lord, what I say. The Lord was in the middle Crucified; near Him were two thieves: the one mocked, the other believed: the one was condemned, the other justified: the one had his punishment both in this world, and that which shall be, but unto the other said the Lord, "Verily I say unto you, Today shall you be with Me in Paradise;" [Luke 23:43] and yet those who came broke not the bones of the Lord, but of the thieves they broke: as much were broken the bones of the thief who blasphemed, as of the thief who believed. Where then is that which is spoken, "The Lord keeps all their bones; not one of them shall be broken"? Lo, unto whom He said, "Today shall you be with Me in Paradise," could He keep all his bones? The Lord answers you: Yea, I kept them: for the firm support of his faith could not be broken by those blows whereby his legs were broken. — Exposition on Psalms 34 Basil of Caesarea: There should also be certain bones of the inner person in which the bond of union and harmony of spiritual powers is collected. Just as the bones by their own firmness protect the tenderness of the flesh, so also in the church there are some who through their own constancy are able to carry the infirmities of the weak. And as the bones are joined to each other through articulations by sinews and fastenings that have grown on them, so also would be the bond of charity and peace, which achieves a certain natural junction and union of the spiritual bones in the church of God. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 16:13 (Psalms 34) Augustine of Hippo: "The death of sinners is the worst" [Psalms 34:21]. Attend, Brethren, for the sake of those things which I said. Truly Great is the Lord, and His Mercy, truly Great is He who gave to us to eat His Body, wherein He suffered such great things, and His Blood to drink. How regards He them that think evil and say, "Such an one died ill, by beasts was he devoured: he was not a righteous man, therefore he perished ill; for else would he not have perished." Is he then righteous who dies in his own house and in his own bed? This then (do you say) it is whereat I wonder; because I know the sins and the crimes of this same man, and yet he died well; in his own house, within his own doors, with no injury of travel, with none even in mature age. Hearken, "The death of sinners is worst." What seems to you a good death, is worst if you could see within. You see him outwardly lying on his bed, do you see him inwardly carried to hell? Hearken, Brethren, and learn from the Gospel what is the "worst death" of sinners. Were there not two in that age, a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day; another a poor man who lay at his door full of sores, and the dogs came and licked his sores, and he desired to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table? Now it came to pass that the poor man died (righteous was that poor man), and was carried by Angels into Abraham's bosom. He who saw his body lying at the rich man's door, and no man to bury it, what haply said he? So die he who is my enemy; and whoever persecutes me, so may I see him. His body is accursed with spitting, his wounds stink; and yet in Abraham's bosom he rests. [Luke 16:19-22] If we are Christians, let us believe: if we believe not, Brethren, let none feign himself a Christian. Faith brings us to the end. As the Lord spoke these things, so are they. Does indeed an astrologer speak unto you, and it is true, and does Christ speak, and it is false? But by what sort of death died the rich man? What sort of death must it not be in purple and fine linen, how sumptuous, how pompous! What funeral ceremonies were there! In what spices was that body buried! And yet when he was in hell, being in torments, from the finger of that despised poor man he desired one drop of water to be poured upon his burning tongue, and obtained it not. Learn then what means, "The death of sinners is worst;" and ask not beds covered with costly garments, and to have the flesh wrapped in many rich things, friends exhibiting a show of lamentation, a household beating their breasts, a crowd of attendants going before and following when the body is carried out, marble and gilded memorials. For if you ask those things, they answer you what is false, that of many not light sinners, but altogether wicked, the death is best, who have deserved to be so lamented, so embalmed, so covered, so carried out, so entombed. But ask the Gospel, and it will show to your faith the soul of the rich man burning in torments, which was nothing profited by all those honours and obsequies, which to his dead body the vanity of the living did afford. — Exposition on Psalms 34 Theodore of Mopsuestia: Not only do sinners meet such a fate, but also those hostile to the righteous will fall foul of troubles. Now, he says this to bring out the extent of the providence that God shows for the righteous. "Will come to grief" means that they will stumble, will trip up, will fail in their hostile intent against the righteous by being punished by God; "come to grief" meaning "missing the mark," which means failing to achieve a purpose and intent at odds with that prescribed—hence our calling a wrong action a sin as being at odds with the proper intention. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 34:22B Augustine of Hippo: But because there are many kinds of sinners, and not to be a sinner is difficult, or perhaps in this life impossible, he added immediately, of what kind of sinners the death is worst. "And they that hate the righteous one" (says he) "shall perish." What righteous one, but "Him that justifies the ungodly"? [Romans 4:5] Whom, but our Lord Jesus Christ, who is also "the propitiation for our sins"? [1 John 2:2] Who then hate Him, have the worst death; because they die in their sins, who are not through Him reconciled to our God. "For the Lord redeems the souls of His servants." But according to the soul is death to be understood either the worst or best, not according to bodily either dishonour, or honours which men see. "And none of them which trust in Him shall perish" [Psalms 34:22]; this is the manner of human righteousness, that mortal life, however advanced, because without sin it cannot be, in this perishes not, while it trusts in Him, in whom is remission of sins. Amen. — Exposition on Psalms 34 Cassiodorus: This psalm has certainly ended well in the hope of those who are good that, after forsaking the association of the wicked, they may instead reach toward the good things yet to come. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 34:23 Augustine of Hippo: "Judge Thou, O Lord" (saith he), "them that hurt me, and fight Thou against them that fight against me" (ver. 1). "If God be for us, who can be against us?" And whereby doth God this for us? "Take hold" (saith he) "of arms and shield, and rise up to my help" (ver. 2). A great spectacle is it, to see God armed for thee. And what is His Shield, what are His Arms? "Lord," in another place saith the man who here also speaketh, "as with the shield of Thy good-will hast Thou compassed us." But His Arms, wherewith He may not only us defend, but also strike His enemies, if we have well profited, shall we ourselves be. For as we from Him have this, that we be armed, so is He armed from us. But He is armed from those whom He hath made, we are armed with those things which we have received from Him who made us. These our arms the Apostle in a certain place calleth, "The shield of Faith, the helmet of Salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." He hath armed us with such arms as ye have heard, arms admirable, and unconquered, insuperable and shining; spiritual truly and invisible, because we have to fight also against invisible enemies. If thou seest thine enemy, let thine arms be seen. We are armed with faith in those things which we see not, and we overthrow enemies whom we see not. ... — Exposition on Psalms 35 Cassiodorus: This statement, as has been noted, refers to the devil and his followers.… For when he gives the command, "pray for your enemies," this statement does not apply to people. Thus, he asks that they be condemned whom he knows by virtue of his foreknowledge would not come to the remedies of repentance. For in what follows, when he turns his attention to people, he desires that they be converted, not that they perish. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 35:1 Evagrius Ponticus: He who conquers in war reduces the enemies to slavery: Christ has overcome the world. Hence, … all become his servants. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 34[35].2 Cassiodorus: Armor and shield are the very will of the Lord by which he protects someone in danger and fights back against his enemy. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 35:2 Pseudo-Athanasius: He indicates through the arms and shield and sword the chastising powers sent by God to help those who fear him. — EXPOSITION ON Psalms 35 Augustine of Hippo: "Pour forth the weapon, and stop the way against them that persecute me" (ver. 3). 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 whose sin thou rebukest, or whom living ill by thy well living thou offendest. There are indeed even these enemies to us, and they persecute us: but other enemies we are taught to know, those against whom we fight invisibly, of whom the Apostle warneth us, saying, "We wrestle not against flesh and blood," that is, against men; not against those whom ye see, but against those whom ye see not; "against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the world, of this darkness." ..."The whole world lieth in wickedness;" therefore the Apostle explained of what world they were rulers, he said, "of this darkness." The rulers of this world, I say, are the rulers of this darkness. ... — On the Psalms - Psalms 35 Augustine of Hippo: And what follows? "Let them be confounded and put to shame, that seek after my soul" (ver. 4): for to this end they seek after it, to destroy it. For I would that they would seek it for good! for in another Psalm he blameth this in men, that there was none who would seek after his soul: "Refuge failed me: there was none that would seek after my soul." Who is this that saith, "There was none that would seek after my soul"? Is it haply He, of whom so long before it was predicted, "They pierced My Hands and My Feet, they numbered all My Bones, they stared and looked upon Me, they have parted My Garments among them, and cast lots for My Vesture"? Now all these things were done before their eyes, and there was none who would seek after His Soul. ...Many have been confounded to their health: many, put to shame, have passed over from the persecution of Christ to the society of His members with devoted piety; and this would not have been, had they not been confounded and put to shame. Therefore he wished well to them. ...Let them not go before, but follow; let them not give counsel, but take it. For Peter would go before the Lord, when the Lord spake of His future Passion: he would to Him as it were give counsel for His health. The sick man to the Saviour give counsel for His health! And what said he to the Lord, affirming that His future Passion? "Be it far from Thee, Lord. Be gracious to Thyself. This shall not be to Thee." He would go before that the Lord might follow; and what said He? "Get thee behind Me, Satan." By going before thou art Satan, by following thou wilt be a disciple. The same then is said to these also, "Let them be turned back and brought to confusion that think evil against me." For when they have begun to follow after, now they will not think evil against me, but desire my good. — On the Psalms - Psalms 35 Augustine of Hippo: 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? "Let them be as dust before the wind" (ver. 5). "Not so are the ungodly, not so; but as the dust which the wind driveth away from the face of the earth." The wind is temptation; the dust are the ungodly. When temptation cometh, the dust is raised, it neither standeth nor resisteth. "Let them be as dust before the wind, and let the Angel of the Lord trouble them." — On the Psalms - Psalms 35 Cassiodorus: Dust is indeed an earthy yet very dry and thin substance, which cannot remain in its place when the wind blows, but is lifted into the flowing breezes. So also the desires of sinners, when they have been admonished by the inspiration of the truth, are lifted by the Lord's help from their earthly vices and brought to the heavenly virtues. So here the desire is expressed for evil people to come to heavenly life through a blessed improvement.… This angel afflicts the converted in order that they may be brought into that blessed homeland by the gift of humility. Such affliction is a kindness, since the desire is expressed that it may present itself as a great gift. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 35:5 Augustine of Hippo: "Let their way be darkness and slipping." A horrible way! Darkness alone who fears not? A slippery way alone who avoids not? In a dark and slippery way how shall you go? Where set foot? These two ills are the great punishments of men: darkness, ignorance; a slippery way, luxury. "And let the Angel of the Lord persecute them;" that they be not able to stand. For any one in a dark and slippery way, when he sees that if he move his foot he will fall, and there is no light before his feet, haply resolves to wait until light come; but here is the Angel of the Lord persecuting them. These things he predicted would come upon them, not as though he wished them to happen. Although the Prophet in the Spirit of God so speaks these things, even as God does the same, with sure judgment, with a judgment good, righteous, holy, tranquil; not moved with wrath, not with bitter jealousy, not with desire of wreaking enmities, but of punishing wickedness with righteousness; nevertheless, it is a prophecy. — Exposition on Psalms 35 Theodoret of Cyrus: Put them to flight, entrusting the pursuit to the unseen angels. This is the way we also find the Assyrians exterminated by an angel and the way the exterminator destroyed the firstborn of the Egyptians. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 35:3 Augustine of Hippo: But wherefore these so great evils? By what desert? Hear by what desert. "For without cause have they hid for me the corruption of their trap" (ver. 7). For Him that is our Head, observe, the Jews did this: they hid the corruption of their trap. For whom hid they their trap? For Him who saw the hearts of those that hid. But yet was He among them like one ignorant, as though He were deceived, whereas they were in that deceived, that they thought Him to be deceived. For therefore was He as though deceived, living among them, because we among such as they were so to live, as to be without doubt deceived. He saw His betrayer, and chose him the more to a necessary work. By his evil He wrought a great good: and yet among the twelve was he chosen, lest even the small number of twelve should be without one evil. This was an example of patience to us, because it was necessary that we should live among the evil: it was necessary that we should endure the evil, either knowing them or knowing them not: an example of patience He gave thee lest thou shouldest fail, when thou hast begun to live among the evil. And because that School of Christ in the twelve failed not, how much more ought we to be firm, when in the great Church is fulfilled what was predicted of the mixture of the evil. ...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. — On the Psalms - Psalms 35 Augustine of Hippo: 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. "Let a trap come upon them which they know not of" (ver. 8). A magnificent retribution, nothing more just! They have hidden a trap that I might know not: let a trap come upon them which they know not of. For I know of their trap. But what, trap is coming upon them? That which they know not of. Let us hear, lest haply he speak of that. "Let a trap come upon them, which they know not of." Perhaps that is one which they hid for him, that another which shall come upon themselves. Not so: but what? "The wicked shall be holden with the cords of his own sins." Thereby are they deceived, whereby they would deceive. Thence shall come mischief to them, whence they endeavoured mischief. For it follows, "And let the net which they have hidden catch themselves, and let them fall into their own trap." As if any one should prepare a cup of poison for another, and forgetting should drink it up himself: or as if one should dig a pit, that his enemy might fall thereinto in the darkness and himself forgetting what he had dug, should first walk that way, and fall into it... — Exposition on Psalms 35 Evagrius Ponticus: I think this speaks about the cross on which the devil falls unknowingly. For if he had known never would he have affixed the Lord of glory to the cross. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 34[35].8 Augustine of Hippo: This then for the wicked that would hurt me: what for me? "But my soul shall rejoice in the Lord" (ver. 9); as in Him from whom it 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 freely the true Spouse, not from Him wishing to receive aught that may delight, but Him alone proposing to itself, by whom it may be delighted. For what better than God will be given unto me? God loveth me: God loveth thee. See He hath proposed to thee, Ask what thou wilt. If the emperor should say to thee, Ask what thou wilt, what commands, what dignities, wouldest thou burst forth with! What great things wouldest thou propose to thyself, both to receive and to bestow! When God saith unto thee, Ask what thou wilt, what wilt thou ask? empty thy mind, exert thy avarice, stretch forward as far as possible, and enlarge thy desire: it is not any one, but Almighty God that said, Ask what thou wilt. If of possessions thou art a lover, thou wilt desire the whole earth, that all who are born may be thy husbandmen, or thy slaves. And what when thou hast possessed the whole earth? Thou wilt ask the sea, in which yet thou canst not live. In this greediness the fishes will have the better of thee. But perhaps thou wilt possess the islands. Pass over these also; ask the air although thou canst not fly; stretch thy desire even unto the heavens, call thine own the sun, the moon, and the stars, because He who made all said, Ask what thou wilt: yet nothing wilt thou find more precious, nothing wilt thou find better, than Himself who made all things. Him seek, who made all things, and in Him and from Him shalt thou have all things which He made. All things are precious, because all are beautiful; but what more beautiful than He? Strong are they; but what stronger than He? And nothing would He give thee rather than Himself. If aught better thou hast found, ask it. If thou ask aught else, thou wilt do wrong to Him, and harm to thyself, by preferring to Him that which He made, when He would give to thee Himself who made... "But my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; it shall rejoice in His salvation." The salvation of God is Christ: "For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation." — Exposition on Psalms 35 Augustine of Hippo: "All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like You" [Psalms 35:10]. Who can speak anything worthily of these words? I think them only to be pronounced, not to be expounded. Why do you seek this or that? What is like your Lord? Him have you before you. "The unrighteous have declared unto me delights, but not after Your law, O Lord!" Persecutors have been who have said, Worship Saturn, worship Mercury. I worship not idols (says he): "Lord, who is like You? They have eyes, and see not; ears have they, but they hear not." "Lord, who is like You," who hast made the eye to see, the ear to hear? But I (says he) worship not idols, for them a workman made. Worship a tree or mountain; did a workman make them also? Here too, Lord, who is like You? Earthly things are shown unto me; You are Creator of the earth. And from these haply they turn to the higher creation, and say to me, Worship the Moon, worship this Sun, who with his light, as a great lamp in the Heavens, makes the day. Here also I plainly say, "Lord, who is like You?" The Moon and the Stars You have made, the Sun to rule the day have You kindled, the Heavens have You framed together. There are many invisible things better. But haply here also it is said to me, Worship Angels, adore Angels. And here also will I say, "Lord, who is like You?" Even the Angels You have created. The Angels are nothing, but by seeing You. It is better with them to possess You, than by worshipping them to fall from You. — Exposition on Psalms 35 Cassiodorus: Bones must be understood as strength of spirit and steadfastness of mind. Such things are rightly compared with bones, for just as the body contains bones, so also these qualities strengthen holy desires. So only the bones, which mean firmness, could communicate this mystery, not flesh, which stands for slackness, for only strength of mind can speak such a song of praise. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 35:10 Origen of Alexandria: "All my bones will say: 'Lord, who is like Thee?'" Behold, bones that chatter, reason, hold forth, feel God — and this despite the insensitivity to which the physicians testify who saw through the bones of a patient, without his feeling anything under the action of the saw. "All my bones will say: 'Lord, who is like Thee?'" It is precisely the inner man who possesses all these bones. — DIALOGUE WITH HERACLIDES Theodore of Mopsuestia: I shall say no one is like you, he means, and shall confess you to be more powerful than everyone, even those considered strong and powerful; you are capable of rescuing the poor and insignificant and delivering them from their scheming against the odds.… You see, both the insignificance by comparison with him of the one who suffers and is rescued and also the might of the schemers brought out his greatness: the more effective the release from the schemers was shown to be, the more powerful did the one who effected it appear. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 35:10B, c Augustine of Hippo: Let then our Head say, "False witnesses did rise up, they laid to My charge things that I knew not" [Psalms 35:11]. But let us say to our Head, Lord, what knew Thou not? Did Thou indeed know not anything? Did You not know the hearts of them that charged You? Did You not foresee their deceits? Did You not give Yourself into their hands knowingly? Had You not come that You might suffer by them? What then knew Thou not? He knew not sin, and thereby He knew not sin, not by not judging, but by not committing. There are phrases of this kind also in daily use, as when you say of any one, He knows not to stand, that is, he does not stand; and, He knows not to do good, because he does not good; and, He knows not to do ill, because he does not ill....What knew not Christ so much, as to blaspheme? Thereof was He called in question by His persecutors, and because He spoke truth, He was judged to have spoken blasphemy. [Matthew 26:65] But by whom? By them of whom it follows, "They rewarded Me evil for good, and barrenness to My Soul" [Psalms 35:12]. I gave unto them fruitfulness, they rewarded Me barrenness; I gave life, they death; I honour, they dishonour; I medicine, they wounds; and in all these which they rewarded Me, was truly barrenness. This barrenness in the tree He cursed, when seeking fruit He found none. [Matthew 21:19] Leaves there were, and fruit there was not: words there were, and deeds there were not. See of words abundance, and of deeds barrenness. "Thou that preachest a man should not steal, stealest: thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, committest adultery." [Romans 2:21-22] Such were they who charged Christ with things that He knew not. — Exposition on Psalms 35 Pseudo-Athanasius: The person of Christ is introduced here, denounced and falsely accused at the tribunal of the chief priests when there rose up evil witnesses against him, and they repaid evil things for good and bereavement for his soul. They were called sons of God but acted wickedly against him. — EXPOSITION ON Psalms 35 Theodoret of Cyrus: When Saul under the influence of envy, remember, suspected him of plotting a coup and for that reason maintained a state of war, the slanderers (whom he calls false "witnesses") took occasion not to desist from spreading calumny against him. Some of these were Doeg, the Ziphites, and many others in addition to them. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 35:6 Evagrius Ponticus: Fruitless is the soul that births nothing good and does good for no one. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 34[35].12 Augustine of Hippo: "But I, when they troubled me, clothed myself with sackcloth, and humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer shall return into my own bosom" [Psalms 35:13]...Brethren, if for some little space with pious curiosity we lift the veil, and search with the intent eye of the heart the inner part of this Scripture, we find that even this the Lord did. Sackcloth, haply He calls His mortal flesh. Wherefore Sackcloth? For the likeness of sinful flesh. For the Apostle says, "God sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, that through sin He might condemn sin in the flesh:" [Romans 8:3] that is, He clothed His Own Son with sackcloth, that through sackcloth He might condemn the goats. Not that there was sin, I say not in the Word of God, but not even in that Holy Soul and Mind of a Man, which the Word and Wisdom of God had so joined to Himself as to be One Person. Nay, nor even in His very Body was any sin, but the likeness of sinful flesh there was in the Lord; because death is not but by sin, [Romans 5:12] and surely that Body was mortal. For had It not been mortal, It had not died; had It not died, It had not risen again; had It not risen again, It had not showed us an example of eternal life. So then death, which is caused by sin, is called sin; as we say the Greek tongue, the Latin tongue, meaning not the very member of flesh, but that which is done by the member of flesh. For the tongue in our members is one among others, as the eyes, nose, ears, and the rest: but the Greek tongue is Greek words, not that the tongue is words, but that words are by the tongue....So then the sin of the Lord is that which was caused by sin; because He assumed flesh, of the same lump which had deserved death by sin. For to speak more briefly, Mary who was of Adam died for sin, Adam died for sin, and the Flesh of the Lord which was of Mary died to put away sin. With this sackcloth the Lord clothed Himself, and therefore was He not known, because He lay hid under sackcloth. "When they," says He, "troubled Me, I clothed Myself with sackcloth:" that is, they raged, I lay hid. For had He not willed to lie hidden neither could He have died, since in one moment of time one drop only of His Power, if indeed it is to be called a drop, He put forth, when they wished to seize Him, and at His one question, "Whom do you seek?" they all went back and fell to the ground. [John 18:4, 6] Such power could He not have humbled in passion, if He had not lain hid under sackcloth. — Exposition on Psalms 35 Diodorus of Tarsus: Even if my prayer proved unacceptable to God and was sent back to me on account of the unworthiness of what I prayed for, I nevertheless did everything on my part with the purpose of obeying God. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 35 Augustine of Hippo: "As a Neighbour, as our Brother, so I pleased Him: as one mourning and sorrowful, so I humbled myself" (ver. 14). 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: (who perceiveth this light, knoweth what I say, and he seeth and acknowledgeth what is said, "As a Neighbour, as our Brother, so I pleased Him"): even then our soul pleaseth God, not placed afar off, for, "In Him," saith one, "we live and move and have our being," but as a Brother, as a Neighbour, as a Friend. But if it be not such that it can so rejoice, so shine, so approach, so cleave unto Him, and seeth itself far off thence, then let it do what followeth, "As one mourning and sorrowful, so I humbled Myself. As our Brother, so I pleased Him," said He, drawing near; "As one mourning and sorrowful, so I humbled Myself," said He, removed and set afar off. ...Did not Peter draw near, when he said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God"? And yet the same man became afar off by saying, "Be it far from Thee, Lord; this shall not be unto Thee." Lastly, what said He, his Neighbour, as it were, to him drawing near? "Blessed art thou, Simon, Barjona." To him afar off, as it were, and unlike, what said He? "Get thee behind Me, Satan." To him drawing near, "Flesh and blood," saith He, "hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father, which is in Heaven." His Light is shed over thee, in His Light thou shinest. But when having become afar off, he spake against the Lord's Passion, which should be for our Salvation, "Thou savourest not," said He, "the things that be of God, but those that be of men." One rightly placing together both of these saith in a certain Psalm, "I said in my ecstasy, I am cast off from before Thine Eyes." In my ecstasy, would he not have said, had he not drawn near; for ecstasy, is the transporting of the mind. He poured over himself his own soul, and drew near unto God; and through some cloud and weight of the flesh being again cast down to earth, and recollecting where he had been, and seeing where he was, he said, "I am cast off from before Thine Eyes." This then, "As a Neighbour, as our Brother, so I pleased Him," may He grant to be done in us; but when that is not, let even this be done, "As one mourning and sorrowful, so I humbled myself." — Exposition on Psalms 35 Augustine of Hippo: "And against Me they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together" [Psalms 35:15], against Me only: they rejoicing, I sorrowful. But we heard just now in the Gospel, "Blessed are they that mourn." [Matthew 5:5] If they are blessed that mourn, miserable are they that laugh. "Against Me they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: scourges were gathered together against Me, and they knew not." Because they laid to My charge things that I knew not, they also knew not Whom they charged. — Exposition on Psalms 35 Augustine of Hippo: "They tempted Me, and mocked Me with mocking" [Psalms 35:16]. That is, they derided Me, they insulted Me; this of the Head, this of the Body. Consider, Brethren, the glory of the Church which now is; remember its past dishonours, remember how once were Christians everywhere put to flight, and wherever found, mocked, beaten, slain, exposed to beasts, burned, men rejoicing against them. As it was to the Head, so it is also to the Body. For as it was to the Lord on the Cross, so has it been to His Body in all that persecution which was made but now: nor even now cease the persecutions of the same. Wherever men find a Christian, they are wont to insult, to persecute, to deride him, to call him dull, senseless, of no spirit, of no knowledge. Do they what they will, Christ is in Heaven: do they what they will, He hath honoured His punishment, already hath He fixed His Cross in the foreheads of all; the ungodly is permitted to insult, to rage he is not permitted; but yet from that which the tongue uttereth, is understood what he beareth in his heart: "They gnashed upon Me with their teeth." — Exposition on Psalms 35 Cassiodorus: This is what happens to savages when they are conquered by reason. When words fail them because of the truth, then they gnash their teeth and so communicate their desires by a silent threat. All of this is in the interest of a great act of building up the human race, so that its members may not count it a burden to suffer what they recognize that their own Head has endured. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 35:16 Hesychius of Jerusalem: Certain ones say the power of the teeth is the evil of speech. He wanted his Father to be a witness against those who blasphemed him. — LARGE COMMENTARY ON Psalms 35:16 Arnobius the Younger: So you will apply this to the suffering of the Lord so that then you may draw out the logic of the explanation having begun, because the passion of the Lord happens so that we may be built up. The more you cling to God, the more the demons beset you with floggings. They tempt you, mock you and gnash their teeth. You call out: Lord, look down and restore my spirit from their evil deeds, my very self from the lions. Our spirit is one in number and disposition. When, therefore, you restore it in good will and you free me from their evil deeds, then I will confess you in the great assembly and the great throng of people, not by summoning solemn processions or by playing roles, but by guarding your respect amongst serious people; in this there will be constant attention by me, and I will praise you before those same people. Therefore, let them not triumph, the evil ones who turn against me, who hate me and wink with indulgent eyes. As I have said, apply these things to the suffering of the Lord so that you do not thoroughly overlook the message of your edification. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 35 Augustine of Hippo: "Lord, when will You look on? Rescue My Soul from their deceits, My Darling from the lions" [Psalms 35:17]. For to us the time is slow; and in our person is this said, "When will You look on?" that is, when shall we see vengeance upon those who insult us? When shall the Judge, overcome by weariness, hear the widow? [Luke 18:3] But our Judge, not from weariness, but from love, delays our salvation; from reason, not from need; not that He could not even now succour us, but that the number of us all may be filled up even to the end. And yet out of our desire, what do we say? "Lord, when will You look on? Rescue My Soul from their deceits, My Darling from the lions:" that is, My Church from raging powers. — Exposition on Psalms 35 Theodoret of Cyrus: Now, he says this not by way of accusation but out of a longing for help. When will you appear, he is saying, and assist the wronged?… Render my soul proof against their machinations. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 35:9 Augustine of Hippo: Lastly, wouldest thou know what is that Darling? Read the words following: "I will confess unto Thee, O Lord, in the great Congregation; in a weighty people will I praise Thee" [Psalms 35:18]. Truly saith He, "I will confess unto Thee:" for confession is made in all the multitude, but not in all is God praised: the whole multitude heareth our confession, but not in all the multitude is the praise of God. For in all the whole multitude, that is, in the Church which is spread abroad in the whole world, is chaff, and wheat: the chaff flieth, the wheat remaineth; therefore, "in a weighty people will I praise Thee." In a weighty people, which the wind of temptation carries not away, in such is God praised. For in the chaff He is ever blasphemed. ... — Exposition on Psalms 35 Augustine of Hippo: "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" [Psalms 35:19]: that is, pretending hypocrites, "For they spake indeed peace to Me" [Psalms 35:20]. What is, "winking with their eyes"? Declaring by their looks, what they carry not in their heart. And who are these "winking with their eyes"? "For they spake indeed peace to Me; and with wrath devised craftily." ...What peace spake they? "Master, we know that Thou acceptest not man's person, and teachest the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?" They spake indeed peace unto Me. What then? Didst not Thou know them, and deceived they Thee, winking with their eyes? Truly He knew them; therefore said He, "Why tempt ye Me, ye hypocrites?" ... — Exposition on Psalms 35 Arnobius the Younger: Daily the demons speak peacefully to us. This peace is the fruit of lust, but through anger they devise deceits, just like sweet food on a hook in our sight—it is deadly to eat. They open wide their mouths against me, and lovers of this age daily commit unspeakable crimes, and nothing is thoroughly denounced by anyone. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 35 Theodore of Mopsuestia: They make a pretense by uttering words under the guise of peace, but in reality their words are completely full of anger and evil. All the words, in fact, were not of peace, though they seemed to give that impression; rather, they were spoken with complete viciousness under pretense, for they continued hatching plots and schemes against me, planning such things and turning them over in their soul. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 35:20 Augustine of Hippo: "Yea they opened their mouth wide against Me" [Psalms 35:21]. First winking with their eyes, those lions sought to ravish and devour; first fawning they spoke peace, and then with wrath devised craftily. Afterward, "they opened their mouth wide against Me," crying, "Crucify Him, Crucify Him! [Luke 23:21] and said, Aha, Aha, our eyes have seen it." This, when they insulted Him, "Aha, Aha, Prophesy unto us, Thou Christ." [Matthew 26:68] As their peace was pretended when they tempted Him concerning the money, so now insulting was their praise. "They said, Aha, Aha, our eyes have seen it" [Psalms 35:21]: that is, Your deeds, Your miracles. This Man is the Christ. "If He be the Christ, let Him come down from the Cross, and we will believe Him. He saved others, Himself He cannot save." "Our eyes have seen it." This is all whereof He boasted Himself, when "He called Himself the Son of God." [John 19:7] But the Lord was hanging patient upon the Cross: His power had He not lost, but He showed His patience. For what great thing was it for Him to come down from the Cross, who could afterward rise again from the sepulchre? But He seems to have yielded to His insulters; and this, beloved, that having risen again He should show Himself to His own, and not to them, and this is a great mystery; for His resurrection signified the New Life, but the New Life is known to His friends, not to His enemies. — Exposition on Psalms 35 Augustine of Hippo: "This Thou hast seen, O Lord; keep not silence" [Psalms 35:22]. What is, "keep not silence"? Judge Thou. For of judgment is it said in a certain place, "I have kept silence; shall I keep silence for ever?" And of the delaying of judgment it is said to the sinner, "These things hast thou done, and I kept silence;" "Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself." How keepeth He silence, who speaketh by the Prophets, who speaketh with His own mouth in the Gospel, who speaketh by the Evangelists, who speaketh by us, when we speak the truth? What then? He keepeth silence from judgment, not from precept, not from doctrine. But this His judgment the Prophet in a manner invoketh, and predicteth: "Thou hast seen, O Lord: keep not silence;" that is, Thou wilt not keep silence, needs must that Thou wilt judge. "O Lord, be not far from Me." Until Thy judgment come, be not far from Me, as Thou hast promised, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." — Exposition on Psalms 35 Cassiodorus: What a wonderful patience there was in him who was the greatest Majesty! Was he unable to descend alive from … the cross to put his enemies to shame, if after dying he rose from the tomb on the third day? But it was not suitable for the divine power to be moved by the words of those hurling insults, so that consequently they might blush even more when all the predictions were confirmed. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 35:21 Augustine of Hippo: "Arise, Lord, and attend to My judgment" [Psalms 35:23]. 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: but what? "To My judgment." What followeth? "Attend to My judgment; even to My cause, My God, and My Lord." Not to My punishment, but to My cause: not to that which the robber hath in common with Me, but to that whereof is said, "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake." For this cause is distinguished. For punishment is equal to good and bad. Therefore Martyrs, not the punishment, but the cause maketh, for if punishment made Martyrs, all the mines would be full of Martyrs, every chain would drag Martyrs, all that are executed with the sword would be crowned. Therefore let the cause be distinguished; let none say, because I suffer, I am righteous. Because He who first suffered, suffered for righteousness' sake, therefore He added a great exception, "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake." For many having a good cause do persecution, and many having a bad cause suffer persecution. For if persecution could not be done rightly, it had not been said in a certain Psalm, "Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him did I persecute." ...Let none then say, I suffer persecution: let him not sift the punishment, but prove the cause: lest if he prove not the cause, he be numbered with the ungodly. Therefore how watchfully, how excellently hath This Man recommended Himself, "O Lord, attend to My judgment," not to My punishments; "even to My cause, My God, and My Lord." — Exposition on Psalms 35 Cassiodorus: According to our human custom, one often says "arise" to one who is always awake and always attentive. Since he constantly reviews all things, he is regarded as having paid attention when he punishes. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 35:23 Diodorus of Tarsus: Since by his long-suffering he gives the impression of sleeping, as it were, he urges him to arise and deliver a verdict in his favor. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 35 Augustine of Hippo: "Judge me, O Lord, according to My righteousness" [Psalms 35:24]; that is, attend to My cause. Not according to My punishment, but "according to My righteousness, O Lord, My God," that is, according to this judge Thou Me. "And let them not rejoice over Me;" that is, Mine enemies. — Exposition on Psalms 35 Cassiodorus: Although he had the best case, since he had committed no sins, he still asks that he be judged in mercy to show us, who would not be able to carry out this activity as those without sin, an example of prayer. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 35:24 Augustine of Hippo: "Let them not say in their heart, Aha, aha, so would we have it" [Psalms 35:25]; that is, We have done what we could, we have slain him, we have taken him away. "Let them not say:" show them that they have done nothing. "Let them not say, We have swallowed him up." Whence say those Martyrs, "If the Lord had not been on our side, then they had swallowed us up quick." What is, "had swallowed us up"? Had passed into their own body. For that you swallow up, which you pass into your own body. The world would swallow you up; swallow thou the world, pass it into your own body: kill and eat. As it was said to Peter, "Kill and eat;" [Acts 10:13] do thou kill in them what they are, make them what you are. But if they on the other hand persuade you to ungodliness, you are swallowed up by them. Not when they persecute you are you swallowed up by them, but when they persuade you to be what they are. "Let them not say, We have swallowed him up." Do thou swallow up the body of Pagans. Why the body of Pagans? It would swallow you up. Do thou to it, what it would to you. Therefore perhaps that calf, being ground to powder, was cast into the water and given to the children of Israel to drink, [Exodus 32:20] that so the body of ungodliness might be swallowed up by Israel. — Exposition on Psalms 35 Augustine of Hippo: "Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour" [Psalms 35:26]; so that we may swallow up them ashamed and brought to confusion. "Who speak evil against me:" let them be ashamed, let them be brought to confusion. — Exposition on Psalms 35 Cassiodorus: One who blushes over his own acts is condemned by his own evaluation; one who is confined by the chain of embarrassment serves as his own tormentor. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 35:26 Evagrius Ponticus: Those who are baptized into Christ put on Christ; this is justice and wisdom. Those who are baptized into Satan are clothed in confusion and shame. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 34[35].26 Theodoret of Cyrus: Shame is fitting for those who mock their neighbor; thus the inspired author calls it down on their arrogance and boasting. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 35:12 Augustine of Hippo: What do you say now, the Head with the Members? "Let them shout for joy and be glad that favour My righteous cause:" who cleave to My Body. Yea, let them say "continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant" [Psalms 35:27]. "And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness, and of Your praise all the day long" [Psalms 35:28]. And whose tongue endures to speak the praise of God all the day long? See now I have made a discourse something longer; you are wearied. Who endures to praise God all the day long? I will suggest a remedy, whereby you may praise God all the day long if you will. Whatever you do, do well, and you have praised God. When you sing an hymn, you praise God, but what does your tongue, unless your heart also praise Him? Have you ceased from singing hymns, and departed, that you may refresh yourself? Be not drunken, and you have praised God. Do you go away to sleep? Rise not to do evil, and you have praised God. Do you transact business? Do no wrong, and you have praised God. Do you till your field? Raise not strife, and you have praised God. In the innocency of your works prepare yourself to praise God all the day long. — Exposition on Psalms 35 Augustine of Hippo: What sayest thou now, the Head with the Members? "Let them shout for joy and be glad that favour My righteous cause:" who cleave to My Body. Yea, let them say "continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of His servant." — On the Psalms - Psalms 35 Cassiodorus: Persecutors are accustomed to say "well done, well done, for our soul," because theirs is a joy for this life and a pleasure that does not last. But the blessed say "May the Lord always be exalted," which is eternal and enduring. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 35:27 Augustine of Hippo: "And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness, and of Your praise all the day long." And whose tongue endures to speak the praise of God all the day long? See now I have made a discourse something longer; you are wearied. Who endures to praise God all the day long? I will suggest a remedy, whereby you may praise God all the day long if you will. Whatever you do, do well, and you have praised God. When you sing an hymn, you praise God, but what does your tongue, unless your heart also praise Him? Have you ceased from singing hymns, and departed, that you may refresh yourself? Be not drunken, and you have praised God. Do you go away to sleep? Rise not to do evil, and you have praised God. Do you transact business? Do no wrong, and you have praised God. Do you till your field? Raise not strife, and you have praised God. In the innocency of your works prepare yourself to praise God all the day long. — Exposition on Psalms 35 Theodoret of Cyrus: While the psalm had this ending, therefore, I beseech those reading it not to incur even the slightest harm from the prayer of the righteous person or make it the occasion for curses against one's enemies. Instead, realize that the inspired author was adopting the way of life sanctioned by the Law, not by the Gospels. Now, the Law speaks plainly of loving the neighbor and hating the enemy. By contrast, Christ the Lord, to show virtue in its perfection, said, "It was said to those of old, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy, but I say to you. Love your enemies and bless those who persecute you." The divine apostle also said something in harmony with this, "Bless and do not curse." Looking at this difference, therefore, realize what is in keeping with the Law and what with grace. In particular, it was not to deliver a curse that David said this; rather, in inspired fashion he foretold what would clearly come to be. Now, for proof that in keeping with the gospel requirements even he did not take vengeance on those who wronged him, listen to him saying, "If I repaid in like fashion those rendering me evil, let me then end up empty-handed before my foes. Let my foe then hunt my soul down, apprehend it, trample my life in the ground and bury my glory in the dust." And he did not say this without doing it: he put his words into practice, and the actions are clearer than the words. Twice when he had his enemy in his hands, remember, he not only did not do away with him; … when he fell in battle, he wept bitterly over him, and the one who brought word of his death he dispatched for exulting and boasting of the execution. Now, I was obliged to recount these events because of those who boast and quote the case of the divine David so that they may have the best values of David as a beneficial model. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 35:13 Ambrose of Milan: The wicked person speaks, and the inner conscience is mangled. Every word he utters is laden with malice and trickery. Who undergoes punishment greater than that which he inflicts on himself, when every word he says is piercing him through and through? The serpent pours out his poison into others; the unjust pours it into himself. Whatever he spills forth, he is spilling into his own self. — COMMENTARY ON TWELVE Psalms 36:6 Ambrose of Milan: The wicked man said, in order to sin for himself. He did not express what he said, and therefore I think it should be understood thus: whatever the wicked man says, it is a sin. For every injustice is a sin, just as where there is a flawed instrument, how can the song not be flawed? The offspring of degenerate material is devoid of color. Therefore, whatever the wicked man speaks, it is iniquity, which is attributed to its author, just as it is a frequent saying that the offspring of a viper first splits its parent. Therefore, he sins against himself. I think nothing is said more sublime in this statement. In those who have claimed wisdom of the world for themselves, I have not read or learned anything like this. It is not surprising, since they have spoken with human intellect, that the Spirit of God, the Spirit of truth, has infused this: that the unjust man sins against himself, generates wounds for himself, and wounds himself. For just as thorns are born in the hands of a drunkard, as Scripture asserts: so also the unjust are born from words, which afflict the speaker. The unjust man speaks, and his inner conscience is wounded; for in every word he speaks, he is not free from deceit. For what punishment is heavier than his own, when he exacts punishment for every word? The serpent infuses poison into others, unjust to itself; for whatever it pours out is poured back upon it. Therefore, the unjust man is useless to others and harmful to himself; but the life of the just is fruitful for others and sweet for themselves. For Solomon says: "My son, if you are wise, you will be wise for yourself and for your neighbors; but if you are wicked, you alone will bear the evil." Therefore, we observe that justice is born more for the sake of others than for oneself: it expects the common good, not its own; and it considers the good of others as its own advantage. Blessed and illustrious justice, whose good benefits all: it often proceeds from one to many, and reaches everyone. Just is David, who spared his enemy and preferred his innocence over preserving his life; so that he would not seek retribution for the sake of the public, and so that he would not set an example for the prince to desire vengeance in all cases, since he himself took revenge on his assailant. Justus Abel, who considered the firstfruits of his sheep, which the Lord had given him, to be offered to the Lord; and therefore he pleased God more, because he did not delay and demonstrated devotion. But the wicked one could not bear this, a transgressor of justice, a root of iniquity; and therefore he killed his brother, because his offering had been approved by God more than his own. But he who was killed spoke to God in the voice of his blood, while the living one was rejected from the face of the Lord; and even though punishment did not yet come from the Lord, the conscience of his sins tormented him. The wretched man was hiding, trembling and fearing; and since there was still no executioner, his unjust life itself tortured him. He had received a sign, not so that he could enjoy the sweetness of life, but so that death would not take away his torment: so that he would suffer daily by fearing his executioner. Indeed, he had deserved that the executioner be restrained; but without any respite, he himself was his own executioner, he himself was the executioner. What punishment is greater than fearing that which you cannot avoid, and not being able to escape that which you have feared? Hence, David expresses beautifully the heavy burden of a guilty conscience, saying: "For I acknowledge my iniquity, and my sin is always before me" (Psalms 50:4). For the image of our sin is imposed upon us, and it does not allow its guilty one to be at peace, inflicting a miserable servitude upon him and dragging him into its own chains, so that he may not be able to free himself; for he willingly sold himself, although he was free to not accept the costs of his sins and to preserve the freedom of innocence. So while we pray, sin is poured out: when the senses of the body relax in sleep, sin returns. Our error always comes to us like a wicked tax collector, or like a dishonest moneylender meeting a debtor. Hence the Lord says: Whoever commits sin is the servant of sin (John 8:34). But the righteous person knows how to loosen the bonds of his sins, and does not wait for an accuser, but anticipates by confessing in order to alleviate every offense; so that the adversary may have nothing to accuse. And so Scripture says to you: The righteous at the beginning of his speech is an accuser of himself (Prov. XVIII, 17). For he takes away the voice of the adversary, and with a confession of his own sins, he binds them like teeth sharpened for the prey of accusation. Judas Iscariot said that he would betray him. What did he say: The one I shall kiss, he is: seize him (Matt. XXVI, 48). He said this, and he himself acted with his own mouth unto death. How many do we think there were in him who were torturers, that he himself burdened himself so heavily as the exactor of punishment, and strangled himself with a noose? The wicked man said that he sins for himself. The righteous man spoke: Behold, I, a sinner, have done evil, and what has this flock done? And all sin was forgiven. Thus the righteous man spoke, and it benefited him. Cain said: Am I my brother's keeper? and he lied to himself. Ananias said that he had brought forth the price of his sold land and he lied to himself, for he could have offered less without deception. Therefore, it says excellently: "And iniquity lies to itself" (Psalms 26:12). It lies to itself beforehand when it lies to its own destruction; it sins against itself when it robs itself of the sweetness of innocence. For what fruit is sweeter than the purity and simplicity of the heart? What food is more enjoyable than that which the mind, well aware of itself, and the conscience of the innocent, feasts upon? But indeed, iniquity weighs down the conscience like a leaden weight, as Scripture testifies (Zechariah 5:7). And rightfully does David say: As a heavy burden are they befallen upon me (Psalm. XXXVII, 5). And Solomon: As a sour grape to the teeth, and smoke to the eyes, so is iniquity to all those who use it (Prov. X, 26). A severe punishment which hinders food, obscures sight; and, what is worse, it casts a dark shadow over the eyes of the inner mind, so that the unjust cannot see what is true. Therefore, he who takes away from himself what is precious, sins against himself. Therefore the unjust man says that he may sin for himself. But the just man speaks in order to benefit others and himself; the former speaks for destruction, the latter speaks for salvation. But concerning the just and faithful, it is said: With the heart one believes unto justice, but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Rom. X, 10). His tongue wounds, but the tongue of the wise heals. Therefore, when David reproached King Saul for persecuting him to death, forgetting the favor and gratitude for saving him so many times, and seeking the life of him who had risked his own life for the king's safety, he said that the fruit of justice would not perish in him, who did not destroy his enemy, handed over to him by the Lord (I Sam. XXIV, 14). Injustice has enriched itself from the unjust, poison has been poured out by serpents, the poison and weapons of injustice have perished. Therefore, it is written: The unjust says to himself that he may sin. What did he say? I will set my throne above the clouds, and I will be like the Most High (Isaiah 14:14). The words have no effect, but they have sin. It is an empty pomp of boastfulness; but the spirit of pride, being criminal, does not fear to violate the divine majesty with reproach. For if any fear of God were within him, he would not have believed in his deceitful self in the full sight of God, as if God cannot know hidden things, He who is the searcher of souls. God watches over everything; nothing passes Him by, no one deceives Him: to Him all present things are like those which are going to happen, and hidden things are clear. Indeed, if that worldly sun often offers its light to closed dwellings; how much more so the highest, eternal God, who investigates and anticipates the secret interior of the human mind and every counsel of the Angels with His knowledge? What else does the unjust person do, except seek injustice for himself and hatred? — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Arnobius the Younger: There is no fear of God in the sight of one who sins against himself that he may find his own iniquity and hate it. He praises injustice as the unjust one is praised. He does not wish to understand good actions by which he will be made worthy in the recesses of his own heart. He meditates on evil as he draws near to the way that is not good, and he does not abhor evil. — COMMENARY ON THE Psalms 36 Augustine of Hippo: ..."The ungodly hath said in himself that he will sin: there is no fear of God before his eyes" (ver. 1). Not of one man, but of a race of ungodly men he speaketh, who fight against their own selves, by not understanding, that so they may live well; not because they cannot, but because they will not. For it is one thing, when one endeavours to understand some thing, and through infirmity of flesh cannot; as saith the Scripture in a certain place, "For the corruptible body presseth down the soul, and the earthly tabernacle weigheth down the mind that museth upon many things;" but another when the human heart acts mischievously against itself, so that what it could understand, if it had but good will thereto, it understandeth not, not because it is difficult, but because the will is contrary. But so it is when men love their own sins, and hate God's Commandments. For the Word of God is thy adversary, if thou be a friend to thy ungodliness; but if thou art an adversary to thy ungodliness, the Word of God is thy friend, as well as the adversary of thy ungodliness... — Exposition on Psalms 36 Cassiodorus: There are two types of sinners. One type believes the law, but is not strong enough to fulfill its commands because of the weakness of its flesh.… The other type is brash, beyond hope, blasphemous, for it makes plans for itself to commit sin by its free will. This type of sinner despises all things and it grumbles to itself, confident in the notion that God does not trouble himself with the affairs of mortals. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 36:2 Theodore of Mopsuestia: The lawbreaker thinks his sinning is [hidden] within—that is, he believes that he is escaping notice in sinning.… Now, it is typical of the person employing deceit to think that schemers escape notice, because they are always under that impression when they use flattering language; after all, unless they expected to escape notice, they would not have persisted in their deceitful pretense. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 36:2A Ambrose of Milan: For it is written: There is no fear of God before his eyes: because he hath dealt deceitfully before him, that he might find his iniquity unto hatred. For what did he find? For every one that asketh, receiveth: and he that seeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. But as commendable is he who finds the good he seeks, so elusive is he who labored to find the evil he sought; for our efforts should be directed towards good things, not towards wickedness and crime. What, then, is it but the utmost folly and madness, to seek hatred, to find injustice by means of greater arts, which no good person has ever sought? Therefore, let us consider how the wicked seek their own iniquity and hatred. Indeed, Herodias was married to the tetrarch of Philip in a legitimate union, abundant in royal wealth and power. She received Herod, who was traveling to Rome, as if he were her husband's brother, by the right of hospitality and kinship. After making a pact with him, she soon left her husband and exchanged the rights of her partnership. Did she not seek iniquity and hatred by deserting her marriage in order to find adultery? And because Saint John the Baptist consistently rebuked Herod for his unlawful marriage, saying to him: "It is not lawful for you to have her as a wife" (Mark 6:18), as she had left her lawful husband and had come together with her brother-in-law as if by law; the adulteress was moved to the extent that she wanted to kill him. But knowing that she could not easily persuade Herod to kill John, she devised a plan by which she could accomplish this. It was Herod's birthday, which he used to celebrate with excessive luxury, as is the custom for many kings. He adorned his daughter so that she might dance a royal pledge at the king's banquet. And when she pleased Herod, who should have displeased her uncle, she offered to him, that he might ask for whatever reward he wanted for the disgrace of her dancing. She consulted her mother, by whose prompting she demanded the head of John the Baptist. Herod, being overcome because he had bound himself by an oath to give whatever the girl would ask, ordered John to be killed, and his head to be brought. When it was brought, the girl gave it to her mother, and she carried it to her own mother. Therefore, it is true that injustice and hatred are required: since that woman, unable to obtain what she wanted through a simple request, devised a scheme of deceitful fraud. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "For he has wrought deceitfully in His sight" [Psalms 36:2]. In whose sight? In His, whose fear was not before the eyes of him that did work deceitfully. "To find out his iniquity, and hate it." He wrought so as not to find it. For there are men who as it were endeavour to seek out their iniquity, and fear to find it; because if they should find it, it is said to them, Depart from it: this you did before you knew; you did iniquity being in ignorance; God gives pardon: now you have discovered it, forsake it, that to your ignorance pardon may easily be given; and that with a clear face you may say to God, "Remember not the sins of my youth, and of my ignorance." Thus he seeks it, thus he fears lest he find it; for he seeks it deceitfully. When says a man, I knew not that it was sin? When he has seen that it is sin, and ceases to do the sin, which he did only because he was ignorant: such an one in truth would know his sin, to find it out, and hate it. But now many "work deceitfully to find out their iniquity:" they work not from their heart to find it out and hate it. But because in the very search after iniquity, there is deceit, in the finding it there will be defence of it. For when one has found his iniquity, lo now it is manifest to him that it is iniquity. Do it not, you say. And he who wrought deceitfully to find it out, now he has found, hates it not; for what says he? How many do this! Who is there that does it not? And will God destroy them all? Or at least he says this: if God would not these things to be done, would men live who commit the same? Do you see that you worked deceitfully to find out your iniquity? For if not deceitfully but sincerely you had wrought, you would now have found it out, and hated it; now you have found it out, and you defend it; therefore you worked deceitfully, when you sought it. — Exposition on Psalms 36 Theodore of Mopsuestia: If he had "the fear of God before his eyes," he would not have employed deceit in the belief that he was escaping our notice (realizing that it was not possible to escape God, everything being known to him, who knows and understands everything clearly). If he really had dread of the Lord, he would have shown much zeal in guarding against sin. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 36:3A Theodoret of Cyrus: He so distracts himself, he is saying, and banishes the fear of God from his own sight that his lawlessness, which in fact is obvious, is seen and discovered by everyone and thus attracts loathing. He has given himself unswervingly to lawlessness. Now, he adopts this ignorance so willingly that he is not prepared to assess what he has done or loathe his evil exploits. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 36:2 Ambrose of Milan: What shall I say about Judas the traitor, who sought after greed and found sacrilege, saying: What will you give me, and I will hand him over to you (Matt. XXVI, 15)? Not satisfied with looting the spoils of the poor, he reached the fullness of the gravest crimes by committing crimes, mixing the sacraments of charity with wicked acts, when he said: He whom I shall kiss, he is: hold him (Ibid., 48); so that there can be no doubt that what was said about him is true: The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit. She was giving kisses with her lips, she was pouring poison into their hearts; she was contemplating bitter punishments, she was offering a token of her favor. Indeed, a prophecy was made about him: He did not want to understand in order to do good; for he did not sin by nature, but by his own will. In the end, he was an Apostle, he heard daily divine commands, he learned the heavenly mystery; he could have understood in order to do good, if he had wanted. He saw the paralytics healed, the blind receive sight, the dead raised; should he not have understood that it was God who could perform such things? But he did not want to understand, because he was a greedy man and, focused on money, he turned away the power of his mind from knowing the divine. For every person who indulges in wickedness does not want to understand the commandments of heaven, lest they be turned away from their vices. See that person fleeing understanding, who says: Darkness covers me, and walls surround me: who knows if the Lord sees (Ecclesiasticus 23:26) ? They do not want to seek and find, that God sees and knows all things; lest they be held back from their wrongdoing. See King Ahab seeking Naboth's vineyard; know his response: Far be it from me to give up the inheritance of my fathers (1 Kings 21:3) . Should he not have understood that he was doing what was right? But he did not want to understand in order to do good and not seek what belongs to others. Should he not have understood that Elijah served God truly, when he saw that by the word of Elijah the heavens were shut for three years and six months; and that by his prayers rain was sent down to water the dry land? But he did not want to understand, lest he condemn their unfaithfulness and follow the faith. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he would not understand, that he might do good" (ver. 3). 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 not understand, that he might do good." — Exposition on Psalms 36 Ambrose of Milan: Moreover, he meditated wickedness in his bed, where he should have sought the truth. For in our beds, we should remorse our sins, not commit them by our very actions, as the Prophet says: "What you utter in your hearts, and in your beds you are remorseful." — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms, On Psalms 36, 16 Ambrose of Milan: Moreover, he meditated wickedness in his bed, where he should have sought the truth. For in our beds, we should remorse our sins, not commit them by our very actions, as the Prophet says: "What you utter in your hearts, and in your beds you are remorseful" (Psalm IV, 5). He stood, he said, on a path that was not good: but he did not have hatred for wickedness. For it is not without reason that he contemplates injustice, who stands on the path of error and loves wickedness, which he ought to hate. He said more, he stood; as if he had long been in the way of wickedness, by a long-standing station. For blessed is the one who has not stood on the path of sinners, not the one who does not cease to stand on it. And therefore, the first precepts are those of the holy prophet David, to flee from impiety, not to stand in sin, to meditate on the Law; so that you may understand what is good and distinguish between what is just and unjust. Therefore, in all things, the root of procreation must be observed, so that it is not contaminated with useless juice from the beginning, and the vices of the mind are much more serious than those of the branches. Therefore, above all else, we must be careful that the use of malice does not grow in human ingenuity, and that every generation degenerates; for a bad tree produces bad fruit. For if we often do what we do not want, and cannot avoid what we hate; and we do what we hate, either from the pleasure of wickedness or by the stealth of sin: how can we avoid what we love? We are constrained and unwilling; how can we not be held voluntary? Paul scarcely extricates himself from daily errors by struggling in debate, so that, having been freed from the chains of captivity, he might be preserved by the grace of Christ; and do you think that by assisting in sins you can attain the rewards of heavenly promises? The crown is sought through struggle, not through resistance; it is obtained through endeavor, not through opposition. Moreover, the support of divine mercy should be sought for those who strive, so that the crown of righteousness may be bestowed on them according to the merits of their labors. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "He hath meditated iniquity on his bed." What said He, "On his bed?" (ver. 4). "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 our conscience is good. Whoso loveth the bed of his heart, let him do some good therein. There is our bed, where the Lord Jesus Christ commands us to pray. "Enter into thy chamber, and shut thy door." What is, "Shut thy door?" Expect not from God such things as are without, but such as are within; "and thy Father which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly." Who is he that shutteth not the door? He who asketh much from God such things, and in such wise directeth all his prayers, that he may receive the goods that are of this world. Thy door is open, the multitude seeth when thou prayest. What is it to shut thy door? To ask that of God, which God alone knoweth how He giveth. What is that for which thou prayest, when thou hast shut the door? What "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, or hath entered into the heart of man." And haply it hath not entered into thy very bed, that is, into thy heart. But God knoweth what He will give: but when shall it be? When the Lord shall be revealed, when the Judge shall appear. ... "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 hated." There is the end, there the fruit: if a man cannot but have wickedness, let him at least hate it. For when thou hatest it, it scarcely occurs to thee to do any wickedness. For sin is in our mortal body, but what saith the Apostle? "Let not sin reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof." When beginneth it not to be therein? When that shall be fulfilled in us which he saith, "When this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality." Before this come to pass, there is a delighting in sin in the body, but greater is the delighting and the pleasure in the Word of Wisdom, in the Commandment of God. Overcome sin and the lust thereof. Sin and iniquity do thou hate, that thou mayest join thyself to God, who hateth it as well as thou. Now being joined in mind unto the Law of God, in mind thou servest the Law of God. And if in the flesh thou therefore servest the law of sin, because there are in thee certain carnal delightings, then will there be none when thou shalt no longer fight. It is one thing not to fight, and to be in true and lasting peace; another to fight and overcome; another to fight and to be overcome; another not to fight at all, but to be carried away. ... — Exposition on Psalms 36 Cassiodorus: He did not pass through this world's life like those who are confident that they have left it behind but have still remained in it and have become stuck in it. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 36:5 Ambrose of Milan: (Verses 5, 6.) Finally, let us consider what follows. 'O Lord,' he says, 'in heaven is your mercy, and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the deep abyss.' Did not Paul follow this passage to say: 'Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?' But thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom. 7:24-25). For when the human mind is troubled and we are weary from the difficulties and hardships of our struggles, we must seek the help of the Lord. Therefore, turning to the Lord, he invokes and implores Him to assist those who are laboring. Therefore, mercy must be sought from heaven, and the truth of God must be gathered from the oracles of the prophets, who, like clouds, cover the mysteries of divine knowledge. For God has placed darkness as His hiding place; so that you may first receive the rain of mystical fertility, and then, infused with heavenly dew, recognize the brightness of revealed light, so that you may say: From His fullness we have received (John 1:16). For who can easily comprehend the secrets of God, whose justice is like the mountains of God, or (as the Eagle has said) like strong mountains; because the precepts are full of strong virtue. Therefore, the Apostle, seeing that what he heard was sublime, says: O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are His judgments, and His ways unsearchable! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor (Romans 11:23-24)? Therefore, he compared the height of wealth to the height of mountains. Listen to which mountains. For the Son of God Himself is a great mountain (Isaiah 40:9); and therefore, ascend this mountain that proclaims the good news to Zion, so that you may be rooted and planted in Christ. The mountain is like the wisdom of God, the mountain is like righteousness, the mountain is like the knowledge of God, the mountain is like sanctification, the mountain is like redemption, the mountain is like resurrection. The Scriptures have shown us these mountains, which say: In Him you are in Christ Jesus, who has become wisdom for us from God, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption (I Cor. I, 30). And also because the Son of God became an angel to the angels, and a prophet to the prophets; whose judgments are like an abyss. Listen to this good news: One abyss calls upon another abyss in the voice of your waterfalls (Psal. XLI, 8); that is, the scripture of the Old Testament calls upon the arrangement of the New Testament for the completion of sanctification and the fullness of grace, with a certain sound and an overflow of spiritual abundance. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Ambrose of Milan: Therefore, mercy must be sought from heaven, and the truth of God must be gathered from the oracles of the prophets, who, like clouds, cover the mysteries of divine knowledge. For God has placed darkness as His hiding place; so that you may first receive the rain of mystical fertility, and then, infused with heavenly dew, recognize the brightness of revealed light, so that you may say: From His fullness we have received. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms, On Psalms 36, 18 Augustine of Hippo: "Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens, and Thy truth reacheth even unto the clouds" (ver. 5). 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 Mercy then speaketh He, when He saith, "Thy Mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens"? The gifts of God are partly temporal and earthly, partly eternal and heavenly. Whoso for this worshippeth God, that he may receive those temporal and earthly goods, which are open to all, is still as it were like the brutes: he enjoyeth indeed the Mercy of God, but not that which is excepted, which shall not be given, save only to the righteous, to the holy, to the good. What are the gifts which abound to all? "He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." Who hath not this Mercy of God, first that he hath being, that he is distinguished from the brutes, that he is a rational animal, so as to understand God; secondly, that he enjoys this light, this air, rain, fruits, diversity of seasons, and all the earthly comforts, health of body, the affection of friends, the safety of his family? All these are good, and they are God's gifts. ... 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 declare it unto men? Because "Thy Truth reacheth even unto the clouds." What are the clouds? The Preachers of the Word of God. ...Truth reached even to the clouds: therefore unto us could be declared the Mercy of God, which is in Heaven and not in earth. And truly, Brethren, the clouds are the Preachers of the Word of Truth. When God threateneth through His Preachers, He thunders through the clouds. When God worketh miracles through His Preachers, He lightneth through the clouds, He terrifieth through the clouds, and watereth by the rain. Those Preachers, then, by whom is preached the Gospel of God, are the clouds of God. Let us then hope for Mercy, but for that which is in the Heavens. — Exposition on Psalms 36 Caesarius of Arles: Mercy abides in heaven, but it is reached by the exercise of it on earth. — SERMON 25:1 Ambrose of Milan: You will save people and animals, O Lord; for you have multiplied your mercy, O God. What are people and animals? Some are rational, others irrational. Rational beings are subject to judgment, while irrational beings receive mercy. Some are ruled, others are nurtured. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Arnobius the Younger: The truth is Christ, whose justice is just like the mountains of God, whose judgments are an abyss, who saves people and beasts by his advent, that is, both Jews and Gentiles. For people who, being without hope, standing in the sin of Adam, hope in the protection of his wings, that is, in the expanse of his hands fixed on the cross. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 36 Augustine of Hippo: "Thy Righteousness is like the mountains of God: Thy Judgments are a great deep" (ver. 6). Who are the mountains of God? Those who are called clouds, the same are also the mountains of God. The great Preachers are the mountains of God. And as when the sun riseth, he first clothes the mountains with light, and thence the light descends to the lowest parts of the earth: so our Lord Jesus Christ, when He came, first irradiated the height of the Apostles, first enlightened the mountains, and so His Light descended to the valley of the world. And therefore saith He in a certain Psalm, "I lifted up mine eyes unto the mountains, from whence cometh my help." But think not that the mountains themselves will give thee help: for they receive what they may give, give not of their own. And if thou remain in the mountains, thy hope will not be strong: but in Him who enlighteneth the mountains, ought to be thy hope and presumption. Thy help indeed will come to thee through the mountains, because the Scriptures are administered to thee through the mountains, through the great Preachers of the Truth: but fix not thy hope in them. Hear what He saith next following: "I lifted up mine eyes unto the mountains, from whence cometh my help." What then? Do the mountains give thee help? No; hear what follows, "My help cometh from the Lord, which made Heaven and earth." Through the mountains cometh help, but not from the mountains. From whom then? "From the Lord, which made Heaven and earth." ... "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." ...Because then they were proud and ungrateful, they were held worthy to be delivered up to the lusts of their own hearts, and became a great abyss, so that they not only sinned, but also worked craftily, lest they should understand their iniquity, and hate it. That is the depth of wickedness, to be unwilling to find it out and to hate it. But how one cometh to that depth, see; "Thy Judgments are the great abyss." As the mountains are by the Righteousness of God, who through His Grace become great: so also through His Judgments come they unto the depth, who sink lowest. By this then let the mountains delight thee, by this turn away from the abyss, and turn thyself unto that, of which it is said, "My help cometh from the Lord." But whereby? "I have lifted up mine eyes unto the mountains." What meaneth this? I will speak plainly. In the Church of God thou findest an abyss, thou findest also mountains; thou findest there but few good, because the mountains are few, the abyss broad; that is, thou findest many living ill after the wrath of God, because they have so worked that they are delivered up to the lusts of their own heart; so now they defend their sins and confess them not; but say, Why? What have I done? Such an one did this, and such an one did that. Now will they even defend what the Divine Word reproves. This is the abyss. Therefore in a certain place saith the Scripture (hear this abyss), "The sinner when he cometh unto the depth of sin despiseth." See, "Thy Judgments are like the great abyss." But yet not art thou a mountain; not yet art thou in the abyss; fly from the abyss, tend towards the mountains; but yet remain not on the mountains. "For thy help cometh from the Lord, which made Heaven and earth." — Exposition on Psalms 36 Cassiodorus: An abyss is a depth of water that we can neither measure nor peer all the way into. Who could discern what lies within the deep ocean, or who could comprehend its broad-ranging spaces? So also we are neither able to embrace God's judgments with our mind, nor are we able to define them through some action of reason. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 36:7 Origen of Alexandria: Human beings, being ignorant of the judgments of God, which are "a great abyss," are accustomed to complain against God and to say, Why do unjust people and unjust robbers and impious and wicked ones suffer nothing adverse in this life but everything yields prosperity to them, honors, riches, power, health, and the health and strength of the body even serves them. On the contrary, innumerable tribulations come on the innocent and pious worshipers of God; they live rejected, humble, contemptible, under the blows of the powerful. Sometimes even more severe diseases dominate them in their body. But as I said, the ignorant complain about what order there is in the divine judgments. For however much more severely they want those to be punished whose power and iniquities they lament, there is that much greater necessity that the penalties be differed, that if they are not differed, … it is certain that they will be eternal and last forever. On the contrary, therefore, if they wanted good things to be given to the just and innocent in the present age, the good things themselves would also be temporal and would have to come to a quick end; but the more they are deferred into the future, by so much the more will they be perpetual and not know an end. — HOMILIES ON Leviticus 14:4.5 Theodore of Mopsuestia: His decisions and decrees, which he applies in judging and examining human beings, are immeasurable, like the deep. Thus, it is impossible to find out why he allows righteous people often to suffer at the hands of the unrighteous, as I find happening in my own case. While the fact that his care and providence for us is wonderful is clear from his never allowing our sufferings to be unbearable, I am unable to discover precisely why he does not leave us in perfect peace but permits us for a time to be pursued unjustly by them. Hence, "your judgments" strike me as more inaccessible than any "deep." — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 36:7B Theodoret of Cyrus: While those people turn their hand to such things as though no one were watching, you, Lord, possess immeasurable mercy, incalculable truth and righteousness comparable to the highest mountains. Now, your truth comes to human beings through the inspired authors as though through some clouds, regaling them with saving rain. "Your judgments are like the great deep": possessing such wonderful truth and righteousness, why you show long-suffering I do not know; your judgments resemble the impenetrable depths. That is to say, just as the bottom of the sea is beyond human vision, so an understanding of your judgments is beyond our grasp. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 36:4 Ambrose of Milan: But the sons of men will hope in the protection of your wings; that is, not the generation of vipers, but the sons of men who live in the image and likeness of God. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: Because he said, Your Mercy is in the Heavens, that it may be known to be also on earth, he said, "O Lord, You save man and beast, as Your Mercy is multiplied, O God" [Psalms 36:7]. Great is Your Mercy, and manifold is Your Mercy, O God; and that showest Thou both to man and beast. For from whom is the saving of men? From God. Is not the saving of beasts also from God? For He who made man, made also beasts; He who made both, saves both; but the saving of beasts is temporal. But there are who as a great thing ask this of God, which He has given to beasts. "Your Mercy, O God, is multiplied," so that not only unto men, but unto beasts also is given the same saving which is given to men, a carnal and temporal saving. — Exposition on Psalms 36 Pseudo-Athanasius: But people will hope in the shadow of your wings; that is, they have you as helper and protector, and they will be illuminated and spiritually refreshed by Christ—the true light and spring of life [who is] with you. — EXPOSITION ON Psalms 36 Ambrose of Milan: Therefore, the good drunkenness is that of a healing cup. But there is another drunkenness from an overflow of Scriptures. And there is another drunkenness through the infusion of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, those who spoke in different languages in the Acts of the Apostles, seemed to be full of new wine to those who were listening. Therefore, the house is the Church; abundance of the house, overflow of grace; a torrent of pleasure, the Holy Spirit. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms, On Psalms 36, 19 Ambrose of Milan: They will be intoxicated with the abundance of your house, and you will give them to drink from the torrent of your pleasure. They are not placed in pastures, but in banquets: for some are in the place of pastures, others in the privilege of sacraments. For the imperfect, there is the juice of milk; for the perfect, there is the table of refreshment, of which it is said: You have prepared a table before me (Psalms 23:5); in which there is living bread, that is, the Word of God; in which there is the oil of sanctification, with which the head of the just is anointed, and the inner sense is fortified, so that the oil of the sinner may be abolished; in which there is also a cup that intoxicates, how splendid, or how powerful! The Greek word κράτιστον can mean powerful, strong, or mighty; strong, in that it washes away vices and eliminates them. Therefore, the good drunkenness is that of a healing cup. But there is another drunkenness from an overflow of Scriptures. And there is another drunkenness through the infusion of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, those who spoke in different languages in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:13), seemed to be full of new wine to those who were listening. Therefore, the house is the Church; abundance of the house, overflow of grace; a torrent of pleasure, the Holy Spirit. And let not the name or manner of a torrent offend you, because sometimes it may be drier or more meager, so that its streams may cease. Our own stream has ceased, the spiritual stream of floodwaters has ceased at times among the people of the Jews. What shall I say? The stream has ceased; when the sea shall have ceased, as today's reading has taught us, with the Lord saying: Behold, with my rebuke I will make the sea desolate, and I will make their rivers a wilderness, and their fish shall dry up, so that the Jews, due to the dryness of their perfidy, cannot swim. Therefore, the torrent ceased because of the sacrileges of the Synagogue; for that people was dry in faith, barren in works, captive to sins. For what would flow to those who do not drink, but defile the sacred channels, when they kill the very source itself? The good torrent, which ceased for them, so that it might abound for us, and turn away the thirst of human desire, like a torrent in the south wind. Therefore, Scripture also says: Arise, north wind, and come, south wind (Song of Songs 4:16), which is accustomed to blow upon the little trees of paradise. We have spoken of the meaning and even of the expression, why has he said "torrent of pleasure" instead of "rivers of pleasure," as if from the torrent; unless it is because he wanted to express the greed of the drinkers, as if they wanted to drink the very torrent if they could? Perhaps this is the torrent of pleasure that we read about in Genesis (Gen. II, 10), the fountain that waters paradise and is divided into four rivers that surround the whole land. For from this source flow spiritual virtues: prudence, temperance, fortitude, justice. A good fountain of grace and splendor, of the same nature, whose river is spoken of in the following passage: The streams of the river make glad the city of God (Psalms 46:5). — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "They shall be satiated with the fulness of Thy House" (ver. 8). 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 neither be spoken, which they declared, nor even thought of. For it is a great thing, and ineffable; and even they saw through a glass darkly, as saith the Apostle, "For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face." Lo, they who saw through a glass darkly, thus burst forth. What then shall we be, when we shall see face to face? That with which they travailed in heart, and could not with their tongue bring forth, that men might receive it. For what necessity was there that he should say, "They shall be satiated with the fulness of Thy House"? He sought a word whereby to express from human things what he would say; and because he saw that men drowning themselves in drunkenness receive indeed wine without measure, but lose their senses, he saw what to say; for when shall have been received that ineffable joy, then shall be lost in a manner the human soul, it shall become Divine, and be satiated with the fulness of God's House. Wherefore also in another Psalm it is said, "Thy cup inebriating, how excellent is it!" With this cup were the Martyrs satiated when going to their passion, they knew not their own. What so inebriated as not to know a wife weeping, not children, not parents? They knew them not, they thought not that they were before their eyes. Wonder not: they were inebriated. Wherewith were they so? Lo, they had received a cup wherewith they were satiated. Wherefore he also gives thanks to God, saying, "What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits towards me? I will take the cup of Salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord." Therefore, Brethren of men, let us be children and let us trust under the shadow of His wings and be satiated with the fulness of His House. As I could, I have spoken; and as far as I can I see; and how far I see, I cannot speak. "And of the torrent of Thy Pleasure shalt Thou give them to drink." A torrent we call water coming with a flood. There will be a flood of God's Mercy to overflow and inebriate those who now put their trust under the shadow of His wings. What is that Pleasure? As it were a torrent inebriating the thirsty. Let him then who thirsts now, lay up hope: whoso thirsts now, let him have hope; when inebriated, he shall have possession: before he have possession, let him thirst in hope. "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." — Exposition on Psalms 36 Cassiodorus: "They will become inebriated," an expression that usually describes the corrupt habit of people who become inundated with too much wine and become sluggish by this affliction of their mind, is here directed to the situation of good people. So this heavenly inebriation blocks the remembrance of worldly matters and causes fleshly things to depart from the mind, just like the intoxication of wine separates our actions from our senses.… What an incredibly praiseworthy inebriation! This intoxication we must pursue in all our prayers as the source of moderation and for the soundness of mind that is acquired through it. This inebriation does not produce tipsiness, confusion, delirium or blackouts. But the healthier the soul becomes, the more it is filled with drunkenness. So let us consume this drink eagerly, not with our physical lips, but with the purest disposition of the heart. From this drink one does not receive temporal happiness, but rather the joys of eternal life. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 36:9, 13 John Chrysostom: The word for drunkenness, dearly beloved, is not always used in sacred Scripture for that failing only, but also for satiety.… Listen, after all, to David's words: "They will become intoxicated from the richness of your house," that is, they will be filled. [By contrast], those who give themselves up to drunkenness never have their fill; the more wine they imbibe, the more they burn with thirst, and indulgence proves to be a constant fueling of their thirst; by the time all that remains of the pleasure has disappeared, the thirst proves to be unquenchable and leads the victims of drunkenness to the very precipice. — HOMILIES ON Psalms 29:12 Ambrose of Milan: (Verses 9, 10.) Therefore, He fittingly substitutes: 'For with you is the fountain of life: and in your light we shall see light.' Extend your mercy to those who know you, and your righteousness to those who are upright in heart. Indeed, after the remembrance of heavenly benefits, gratitude is rightly ascribed to our Lord Jesus Christ, who, as the life-giving fountain of eternity, descended to earth to water the dryness of our hearts. The same is the brightness of the glory of God the Father, and the image of his substance; and therefore in his true light, which enlightens every man that comes into this world, we shall see, he says, the Father; because God is light. It is also rightly said: In your light we shall see light; according to that: He who sees me, sees also my Father (John 14:9). Therefore, with you, O Source of life, we shall see the Father present. For just as you, being the Word of God, were with the Father in the beginning: so the Father is always with you, who are in him. For indeed in Him is present that which is. But the coming of the Lord and Savior was prophesied, who, when He was about to come into the world, said: 'I and the Father are one' (John 10:30); that is, we are one light, just as we are one name. Through the unity of light and name, we are both one; indeed, the Trinity is one in the unity of substance, but with the distinction of each person. The Trinity signifies the distinction of persons, the unity signifies the power. It can also be said of the Father: 'For with you is the fountain of life,' that is, in you from whom life proceeded, there was the Word, and He always was, because He was with you. All things were made through him, and in him was life, and he has shown himself to us, so that the hearts of men may be illuminated with the knowledge of your majesty. Therefore, extend your mercy to those who know you. The prerogative is claimed so that those who have the merit of your knowledge may deserve mercy. Finally, we see the pursuit of knowledge supported even among the lowest of people, as the Lord says: I will remember Rahab and Babylon among those who know me (Psalms 86:4); that is, I will remember that prostitute Rahab and that state of confusion among those who know me, or among themselves; because that prostitute acknowledged me, whom the people did not acknowledge. Among those, therefore, who wrote to me, Rahab will be remembered, so that she may obtain a worthy reward of faith. Hence, in the Gospel we hear this saying: 'The prostitutes and the tax collectors will precede you into the kingdom of heaven' (Matt. 21:31). But because we are weak in carrying out [good works], although devoted to believing [in God], may you, extend your mercy to those who believe in you, so that our deeds may correspond to both devotion and faith; and may the weakness of this body not abandon the zeal of our mind, but rather may we glory in the very temptations and weaknesses in which the Apostle gloried, saying: 'I will most gladly glory in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me' (1 Cor. 12:9). — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Ambrose of Milan: But the coming of the Lord and Savior was prophesied, who, when He was about to come into the world, said: "I and the Father are one"; that is, we are one light, just as we are one name. Through the unity of light and name, we are both one; indeed, the Trinity is one in the unity of substance, but with the distinction of each person. The Trinity signifies the distinction of persons, the unity signifies the power. It can also be said of the Father: "For with you is the fountain of life," that is, in you from whom life proceeded, there was the Word, and He always was, because He was with you. All things were made through him, and in him was life, and he has shown himself to us, so that the hearts of men may be illuminated with the knowledge of your majesty. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms, On Psalms 36, 22 Athanasius of Alexandria ((as quoted by Theodoret of Cyrus, AD 466)): The bishops [at the Council of Nicea], having detected the Arians' deceitfulness in this matter, collected from Scripture those passages that say of Christ that he is the glory, the fountain, the stream and the express image of the person; and they quoted the following words: "In your light we shall see light"; and likewise, "I and the Father are one." They, then, with still greater clearness, briefly declared that the Son is of one substance [homoousios] with the Father; for this, indeed, is the signification of the passages that have been quoted. — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1:7 Augustine of Hippo: With what fountain then will you be overflowed, and whence runs such a torrent of His Pleasure? "For with You," says he, "is the fountain of Life." What is the fountain of Life, but Christ? He came to you in the flesh, that He might bedew your thirsty lips: He will satisfy you trusting, who bedewed you thirsting. "For with You is the fountain of Life; in Your Light shall we see light" [Psalms 36:9]. Here a fountain is one thing, light another: there not so. For that which is the Fountain, the same is also Light: and whatever you will you call It, for It is not what you call It: for you can not find a fit name: for It remains not in one name. If you should say, that It is Light only, it would be said to you, Then without cause am I told to hunger and thirst, for who is there that eats light? It is said to me plainly, directly, "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." [Matthew 5:6, 8] If It is Light, my eyes must I prepare. Prepare also lips; for That which is Light is also a Fountain: a Fountain, because It satisfies the thirsty: Light, because It enlightens the blind. Here sometimes, light is in one place, a fountain in another. For sometimes fountains run even in darkness; and sometimes in the desert you suffer the sun, findest no fountain: here then can these two be separated: there you shall not be wearied, for there is a Fountain; there you shall not be darkened, for there is Light. — Exposition on Psalms 36 Augustine of Hippo: Christ … is man and God. He prays as man and gives what he prays for as God. Now what you have to grasp is that he assigns everything to the Father for the simple reason that the Father is not from him, but he is from the Father. He gives everything to the fount from which he is derived. But he too is the fount born of the Father; he is himself the "fountain of life." So the Father as fount begot the fountain; fountain indeed begot fountain; but begetting fountain and begotten fountain are one fountain. Just as God begetting and God begotten, namely, the Son born of the Father, are one God. The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Father; the Father is not from the Son, the Son is from the Father; but still Father and Son are one thing … because of their inseparable divinity. — SERMON 217:1 Augustine of Hippo: Accordingly, what the soul supplies to the body, and what God supplies to the soul, are of a different kind: the soul quickens and is quickened. It quickens while dead, even if itself is not quickened. But when the word comes, and is poured into the hearers, and they not only hear, but are made obedient, the soul rises from its death to its life—that is, from unrighteousness, from folly, from ungodliness, to its God, who is to it wisdom, righteousness, light. Let it rise to Him, and be enlightened by Him. "Come near," saith he, "to Him." And what shall we have? "And be enlightened." If, therefore, by "coming to" ye are enlightened, and by "departing from" ye become darkened, your light was not in yourselves, but in your God. Come to Him that ye may rise again: if ye depart from Him, ye shall die. If by coming to Him ye live, and by departing from Him ye die, your life was not in yourselves. For the same is your life which is your light. "Because with Thee is the fountain of life, and in Thy light we shall see light." — Tractates on John 19 Caesarius of Arles: It is a good fountain that cools us after the heat of this life and with its flood tempers the aridity of our heart. — SERMON 170:3 Cassiodorus: In human usage, light and fountains are quite distinct, or rather, in opposition to one another, since a fountain snuffs out the light of flames. But with God, these two images find a unity even though whatever you might say about him is both true and also ultimately inadequate. We say that God is Light, because "he enlightens every person who comes into the world"; he is a Fountain, because he satisfies the hungry and empty.… This verse properly says about the Savior, "in your light we will see light"; namely, the light of the Father and of the Holy Spirit, since through the Son's preaching the entire Trinity was revealed to us. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 36:10 Evagrius Ponticus: Since the fount is life and life is Christ, the fount is Christ.… By meditating on what is made we will see Christ, and in understanding Christ, we will see God. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 35[36].10 Gregory of Nazianzus: And now we have both seen and proclaim concisely and simply the doctrine of God the Trinity, comprehending out of light [the Father], light [the Son], in light [the Spirit]. — ON THE HOLY SPIRIT, THEOLOGICAL ORATION 5(31).3 Jerome: The Light of the Father is Christ. In Christ we will see the light of the Holy Spirit in the light of the Father. — BRIEF COMMENTARY ON Psalms 36 Origen of Alexandria: What other light of God can we speak of, in which a person sees light, except God's spiritual power, which when it lightens a person causes him either to see clearly the truth of all things or to know God, who is called the truth? Such then is the meaning of the saying, "In your light shall we see light"; that is, in your word and your wisdom, which is your Son, in him shall we see you, the Father. — ON FIRST PRINCIPLES 1:1.1 Sahdona the Syrian: Without the light of the Scriptures we are unable to see God, who is Light, or his justice, which is filled with light. The effort involved in reading the Scriptures is thus greatly beneficial to us, all the more so since it causes us to become illumined in prayer. For anyone whose soul, after having labored in reading and been purified by spiritual meditation, is fervent with love for God will pray in a luminous manner when he turns to prayer.… His mind has labored in mediating on divine providence and so is filled with joy. In his soul he carries the model for virtue that he has received from training through the agency of the Spirit; he has depicted before his eyes, as though in a picture, the lovely beauty of the saints' way of life: wrapped up in reading about these things, he will exult over them and become fervent in spirit, so that the words of his Office and the incense of his prayer become illumined and pure, seeking that they flow out from the pure spring of his heart. — BOOK OF PERFECTION 2:50-51 Theodore of Mopsuestia: You flood us with life, abundantly supplying us with it from the great number and variety of what is given us by you for sustenance and life.… Without light we can see nothing that exists, for when we are deprived of light and plunged into darkness, we have no recognition of what is at hand; whereas when light is available, we see and discern by recognition. So for discerning other things we need light, whereas light itself requires nothing else any longer for our being able to see; instead, with the aid of light itself we succeed in seeing everything through light and discern everything, including even light itself.… His meaning was to present the utter generosity and abundance of God's gift—thus his mention of these two things in particular: the light (he made clear that from it he provided us both with existence itself and with sustenance) and enjoyment of the light, through which he conveyed the pleasure of life. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 36:10A, B Theodoret of Cyrus: Here he clearly reveals to us the mystery of the holy Trinity: he called the Only-begotten Word of God a "fountain of life." This is the name, too, remember, God personally gave himself through the prophet Jeremiah: "They have forsaken me, a fountain of living water, taken their leave and dug for themselves cracked cisterns incapable of holding water." So he says this fountain is in the presence of the Father, according to the following Gospel teaching: "I in the Father and the Father in me." "In your light we shall see light": Illumined by the all-holy Spirit we shall perceive the rays of your Only-begotten; Scripture says, "No one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit," and "God revealed to us through his Spirit." We have consequently come to a precise knowledge of the three persons in the one divinity through the inspired words. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 36:6 Augustine of Hippo: "Show forth Thy Mercy unto them that know Thee; Thy Righteousness to them that are of a right heart" (ver. 10). As I have said, Those are of a right heart who follow in this life the Will of God. The will of God is sometimes that thou shouldest be whole, sometimes that thou shouldest be sick. If when thou art whole God's Will be sweet, and when thou art sick God's Will be bitter; thou art not of a right heart. Wherefore? Because thou wilt not make right thy will according to God's Will, but wilt bend God's Will to thine. That is right, but thou art crooked: thy will must be made right to That, not That made crooked to thee; and thou wilt have a right heart. It is well with thee in this world; be God blessed, who comforteth thee: it goeth hardly with thee in this world; be God blessed, because He chasteneth and proveth thee; and so wilt thou be of a right heart, saying, "I will bless the Lord at all times: His Praise shall be ever in my mouth." — Exposition on Psalms 36 Augustine of Hippo: He does not, indeed, extend His mercy to them because they know Him, but that they may know Him; nor is it because they are upright in heart, but that they may become so, that He extends to them His righteousness, whereby He justifies the ungodly. This meditation does not elevate with pride: this sin arises when any man has too much confidence in himself, and makes himself the chief end of living. Impelled by this vain feeling, he departs from that fountain of life, from the draughts of which alone is imbibed the holiness which is itself the good life, and from that unchanging light, by sharing in which the reasonable soul is in a certain sense inflamed, and becomes itself a created and reflected luminary... — On the Spirit and the Letter, Chapter 11 Theodore of Mopsuestia: They were formed by you so as to be able, if they wished, both to know you and to hope in you, and to enjoy the good things stemming from this. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 36:11A Ambrose of Milan: (Verses 11, 12.) Therefore he added most beautifully, 'Let not the foot of pride come unto me, and let not the hand of sinners move me. There have they fallen, all that work iniquity. They are cast out, and could not stand.' Some above understand the torrent of your pleasures to be strength in temptations; as it is of martyrs, in whom it was pleasing unto God to exhibit to themselves the sweetness of a pleasant and acceptable contest. For if winters are taken symbolically for temptations, as the Lord admonishes us to pray that our flight be not in the winter, nor on the Sabbath, that is, either in temptation or in idleness; in winter however the torrent swells and becomes full and enlarges itself, and doubtless the torrent may be understood as representing a more severe temptation, such as is in persecutions. And therefore, he is rightly called a glowing furnace of pleasure, because where sin of persecution overflows, so does the grace of confession. See the virtue of prophetic distinction. Firstly, he exposed the unjust person who either in his heart or in his speech says that he sins for himself or sins against himself; for the Greek codex has ἐν ἑαυτῷ, which means 'in himself,' but not all [codices have this reading]. And perhaps for this reason, because the fool in his heart said that there is no God (Psalms 14:1). Lest perhaps the unjust person say within himself and sin within himself, although openly denying God is the mark of a madman; however, many people claim injustice as praise. For indeed, to seize, to harm even those who have not injured, and to deceive many is considered glorious for themselves. Therefore, first he exposed the life of the unjust, then joined the sacrament of divine knowledge; so that fearing God, we may avoid iniquity and injustice. He added a prayer, that he may deign to free his just ones from the company of the unjust; that in those who are in the world with a pure heart, divine justice may be extended, as a pious overseer; so that the invasion of sins might not creep upon us as enemies, and catch us sleeping. Therefore, we must be vigilant and always fortify the Lord's camp; for the enemy and adversary come at night, when the senses are held captive by sleep and the body is nourished by food. Let us pray that the justice of God may prevail in us, making us stronger in our weakness, so that each of us may say: When I am weak, then I am strong (II Cor. XII, 10). Then he also prays specifically for himself, that he may teach us how we should pray to the Lord: 'Let not the foot of pride come to me', that is, let me not fall into pride. Finally, elsewhere he remembers himself, saying: 'If I have not walked in greatness' (Psalms 130:1). Here he prayed, there he fulfilled: he would not have fulfilled, if he had not prayed. Pride must be avoided, for it even trips one up in prosperity. Finally, Adam fell more heavily in paradise than if he had fallen on earth. To fall from great heights is a precipice: to slip on level ground, it is called a stumble. Therefore, the foot of the proud errs, because it does not hold the head; for the eyes of the wise are in his head. It is not surprising, therefore, if the foot slips where the eye is not held. Let the eye go before, so that the foot may follow. For how would a traveler walk in darkness? The foot quickly stumbles in the night, if, as it were, the eye of the world, the moon, does not show the way. And you are in the night of the world, let the Church show you the way; let the sun of justice illuminate you from above, so that you may not fear falling. And because he had spoken of pride, he added: And let not the hand of sinners move me. For just as the limbs are of Christ, so the limbs are of the devil. Let not the hand of sinners move me, that is, let not their actions, which sin, move me from the station of justice. For often, when we see sinners abound in prosperous successes, we waver in our feelings, and as it were, we are torn away from the root of virtue by a kind of hand of sin. Therefore, we must be careful that the hand of the enemy does not uproot those whom the divine hand has planted in the house of God. This is beautifully said by one who is beaten by persecutors. However, those who are moved from their root, which they had already clung to in Christ, fall. Then he added: There they have fallen, those who work iniquity. What is this 'there'? Is it where pride is, where the hands of sinners are? Is it where they stood, where they were planted; did they fall there? Is it nearby, or in the immediate vicinity, as if in the very moment, in the very place? And it seems ambiguous. But elsewhere we are taught what is there, where it is said: There are pains like those of a woman in labor (Psalms 47:8). A good pain is the one that brings forth faith, by which Christ is formed and born in the Church. And elsewhere it says: I will remember Rahab and Babylon as those who know me. Indeed, foreigners, as well as Tyre and the people of Ethiopia, were there (Psalms 86:4); that is, where they knew me, where the foundations are in holy movements, there are also foreigners; because they also believed that they should believe in me. They fell there, where they should have stood firm; for in paradise Adam fell, and Christ came to ruin, and to resurrection, so that the ruin would be for the wicked: but the resurrection for the righteous and faithful. Finally, they were expelled; because unjust men could not stand in a holy place. Therefore, the Apostle said: And you, who stand, be careful not to fall (I Cor. X, 12). And surely he said this to the one who stood not with the body, but with faith. We can also understand in the future, there, as it is written: there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. XIII, 14); and: Naked I shall go there (Job. I, 21). What a brief conclusion at the end! 'I am not,' he says, 'proud, so that I may sin; I may not sin, so that I may not be moved, so that I may not fall; I may not fall, so that I may not be expelled, as Adam was expelled from paradise; because in him the first step of pride could not stand.' Pride cannot stand; and if it falls, it does not know how to rise again. And therefore, beautifully, he spoke in the previous passages about the proud: Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will trust in the name of our God and be magnified (Psalm XIX, 8); for this is stable, that is unfaithful. And he adds: They have been bound and have fallen; but we have risen and stood upright (Ibid. 9). And it is written in the book of the prophet Micah: Do not rejoice over me, my enemy, because I have fallen; but I will rise (Micah VII, 8). For we have fallen in this world, but in Christ we have risen: to whom be honor, glory, power, eternity both now and forever, and to all ages. Amen. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Ambrose of Milan: "Let not the foot of pride come to me", that is, let me not fall into pride. Finally, elsewhere he remembers himself, saying: "If I have not walked in greatness." Here he prayed, there he fulfilled: he would not have fulfilled, if he had not prayed. Pride must be avoided, for it even trips one up in prosperity. Finally, Adam fell more heavily in paradise than if he had fallen on earth. To fall from great heights is a precipice: to slip on level ground, it is called a stumble. Therefore, the foot of the proud errs, because it does not hold the head; for the eyes of the wise are in his head. It is not surprising, therefore, if the foot slips where the eye is not held. Let the eye go before, so that the foot may follow. For how would a traveler walk in darkness? The foot quickly stumbles in the night, if, as it were, the eye of the world, the moon, does not show the way. And you are in the night of the world, let the Church show you the way; let the sun of justice illuminate you from above, so that you may not fear falling. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms, On Psalms 36, 26 Ambrose of Milan: And because he had spoken of pride, he added: And let not the hand of sinners move me. For just as the limbs are of Christ, so the limbs are of the devil. Let not the hand of sinners move me, that is, let not their actions, which sin, move me from the station of justice. For often, when we see sinners abound in prosperous successes, we waver in our feelings, and as it were, we are torn away from the root of virtue by a kind of hand of sin. Therefore, we must be careful that the hand of the enemy does not uproot those whom the divine hand has planted in the house of God. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms, On Psalms 36, 27 Augustine of Hippo: "Let not the foot of pride come against me" [Psalms 36:11]. But now he said, The children of men shall put their trust under the shadow of Your wings: they shall be satiated with the fullness of Your House. When one has begun to be plentifully overflowed with that Fountain, let him take heed lest he grow proud. For the same was not wanting to Adam, the first man: but the foot of pride came against him, and the hand of the sinner removed him, that is, the proud hand of the devil. As he who seduced him, said of himself, "I will sit in the sides of the north;" [Isaiah 14:13] so he persuaded him, by saying, "Taste, and you shall be as gods." [Genesis 3:5] By pride then have we so fallen as to arrive at this mortality. And because pride had wounded us, humility makes us whole. God came humbly, that from such great wound of pride He might heal man. He came, for "The Word was made Flesh, and dwelt among us." [John 1:34] He was taken by the Jews; He was reviled of them. You heard when the Gospel was read, what they said, and to Whom they said, "You have a devil:" and He said not, You have a devil, for you are still in your sins, and the devil possesses your hearts. He said not this, which if He had said, He had said truly: but it was not meet that He should say it, lest He should seem not to preach Truth, but to retort evil speaking. He let go what He heard as though He heard it not. For a Physician was He, and to cure the madman had He come. As a Physician cares not what he may hear from the madman; but how the madman may recover and become sane; nor even if he receive a blow from the madman, cares he; but while he to him gives new wounds, he cures his old fever: so also the Lord came to the sick man, to the madman came He, that whatever He might hear, whatever He might suffer, He should despise; by this very thing teaching us humility, that being taught by humility, we might be healed from pride: from which he here prays to be delivered, saying, "Let not the foot of pride come against me; neither let the hand of the sinner remove me." For if the foot of pride come, the hand of the sinner removes. What is the hand of the sinner? The working of him that advises ill. Have you become proud? Quickly he corrupts you who advises ill. Humbly fix yourself in God, and care not much what is said to you. Hence is that which is elsewhere spoken, "From my secret sins cleanse Thou me; and from others' sins also keep Your servant." What is, "From my secret sins"? "Let not the foot of pride come against me." What is, "From other men's sins also keep Your servant"? "Let not the hand of the wicked remove me." Keep that which is within, and you shall not fear from without. — Exposition on Psalms 36 Augustine of Hippo: Advance on the road to sublimity by the footstep of humility. He himself exalts those who follow him humbly, who was not ashamed to descend to the fallen. — On Holy Virginity 52(53) Evagrius Ponticus: Pride is an unsound vehicle, and one who gets into it is quickly thrown. The humble person always stands firm, and the foot of pride will never trip him. — ON THE EIGHT THOUGHTS 8:13 Augustine of Hippo: But wherefore so greatly fearest thou this? Because it is said, "Thereby have fallen all that work iniquity" (ver. 12); so that they have come into that abyss of which it is said, "Thy judgments are like the great abyss:" so that they have come even to that deep wherein sinners who despise have fallen. "Have fallen." Whereby did they first fall? By the foot of pride. Hear the foot of pride. "When they knew God, they glorified Him not as God." Therefore came against them the foot of pride, whereby they came into the depth. "God gave them over to their own hearts' lusts, to do those things which are not convenient." The root of sin, and the head of sin feared he who said, "Let not the foot of pride come against me." Wherefore said he, "the foot"? Because by walking proudly man deserted God, and departed from Him. His foot, called he his affection. "Let not the foot of pride come against me: let not the hand of the wicked remove me:" that is, let not the works of the wicked remove me from Thee, that I should wish to imitate them. But wherefore said he this against pride, "Thereby have fallen all that work iniquity"? Because those who now are ungodly, have fallen by pride. Therefore when the Lord would caution His Church, He said, "It shall watch thy head, and thou shall watch his heel." The serpent watcheth when the foot of pride may come against thee, when thou mayest fall, that he may cast thee down. But watch thou his head: the beginning of all sin is pride. "Thereby have fallen all that work iniquity: they are driven out, and are not able to stand." He first, who in the Truth stood not, then, through him, they whom God sent out of Paradise. Whence he, the humble, who said that he was not worthy to unloose His shoe's latchet, is not driven out, but standeth and heareth Him, and rejoiceth greatly because of the Bridegroom's voice; not because of his own, lest the foot of pride come against him, and he be driven out, and be not able to stand... — Exposition on Psalms 36 Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 1) He says, 'Do not envy among the envious, nor have you imitated those who do evil.' First, let us learn what it means to imitate; the power of this word is less in Latin than in Greek. For we read both good imitation and bad imitation. Finally, the Apostle says, 'It is good to imitate good always' (Galatians 4:18). And he himself said above, 'They envy you not well, but they want to exclude you so that you may imitate them' (Ibid., 17). And again, he says: Covet earnestly the best gifts (I Cor. XII, 31). And to the Romans, you have. Therefore I say, have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid; but their fall is the salvation of the Gentiles, that they may be provoked to emulation (Rom. XI, 11). And further: For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office, if by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them (Ibid., 13); that is, I may provoke my flesh. Finally, the Greek has jealousy. For even here: do not be jealous of those who do evil; do not envy those who commit lawlessness; that is, do not stir up the wicked to jealousy, because they strive not for good, but for evil. What is it to stir up jealousy? For example, if we are able, let's open it up. There are certain intemperate women who disturb the hearts of other men's wives: when they have subjected them to their custom and shame, not satisfied to keep their own mistake a secret, they strive to publicly flaunt their disgrace before their spouses; so as to stir them up and inflame them with jealousy, seizing a certain triumph from the pain of their proven minds and the agitation. Not able to tolerate the shame of their husband's infidelity, they dissolve the bonds of marriage with satisfaction, or they argue in daily quarrels; and from competition comes discord, from disagreement comes division, whereby the entire household is disturbed. Therefore, learn from the example of a brazen woman, those are the most wicked and detestable tricks, to move one's soul with wicked jealousy: and know that jealousy is one thing, but envy is another. For this is a perverse emulation, which enters into the affection of good things: whereby also the Jew erred, who by a false and evil emulation departed from the right way of Evangelical discipline, as the Apostle says of himself (Phil. III, 6), that he persecuted the Church of Christ according to the emulation of the Law. Therefore, although our God was frequently offended by the ungrateful desires and complaints of the Jews, he nevertheless did not abandon the people he had once chosen and elected for himself; but the insolent harlot, the Synagogue, began to provoke him to bitter jealousy, mingling herself in the sacrileges of transgression. Finally, she said to the priest Aaron: Make gods for us to worship (Exodus 32:1); and they began to worship the head of a calf. And through a great song Moses, the Lord spoke in his mouth, saying: They have provoked me to jealousy with that which is not God, they have angered me with their vanities: and I will provoke them to jealousy with those which are not a people, I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation (Deut. XXXII, 21). Behold, how the Lord condemns the harlotry of the Synagogue, in order to turn their craftiness against them; and those who had been chosen by their Lord God, they refuted with grave sacrilege, choosing gods for themselves to worship: assuming for themselves the Church of the profane, which the people of the Jews, without Law and without grace, would lament over; and to that extent, they would be more provoked to jealousy by their actions being considered more base. Before, when that people did not have the Law, they only considered themselves chosen by the Lord. But when he noticed that a people gathered from the nations, who claimed the Law of the Lord, the oracles of the prophets, and the new Testament of the Lord, then he began to be tormented with excessive affection, after he realized that he had been rejected. Lastly, if he sees the ceremonies of the Gentiles, he is not moved; if he hears of the progress of the Church, he is tormented and tortured by miserable envy. Therefore, it is accomplished in Judea: And I will provoke them to jealousy in a nation that is not a nation. Moreover, the more severe torture is added to this distress, namely, that sinners from among the gentiles themselves seem to be preferred, who do not even elevate the name of any tribe or nation. For every congregation is accustomed to claim the name of its own region, like the Egyptians, Ethiopians, Syrians, Jews, Arabs, who prefer the name of their own province or territory: we, being gathered from diverse peoples, cannot claim the name of a single nation; and therefore, because we did not have a name on earth, we received one from heaven, that we should be called the people of Christ. But the Gentile thinks this is foolishness, while the Jew thinks it is disgraceful. Therefore, it is true what is written, that God has avenged His own insult by seeking a Church for Himself from a non-nation, and by preferring it to a foolish nation, an ancient and royal people. And what is that foolish nation that has been preferred? Listen to him who says: 'For God has chosen the foolish of the world to put to shame the wise' (1 Corinthians 1:27). And again: 'If any among you seems to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise' (1 Corinthians 3:18). Therefore, the Lord did not bring about a sharing of envy, in order that it might not be in the form of imitation, but rather in the punishment of wickedness. Finally, the Latin interpreter, wishing to make a distinction between the emulation of virtue and the emulation of offense, says: Are we emulating the Lord? (I Cor. X, 20) ? That is, are we causing offense to the Lord through our emulation, by consuming things that have been sacrificed to idols; just as the Jews, when they sacrificed to idols, provoked Him? But if the intention of stirring up emulation offends among humans, and often the person who is provoked is found to be superior, it is known that the incentive of emulation is for the sake of deception; it is foolishness to provoke divine majesty and to incur the offense of emulation, when there is no difficulty in seeking revenge. Therefore, we ought not to provide malicious opponents with stings to attack us, who, even when unprovoked, are incited by the goads of envy to harm us. Just as Cain killed his brother because his sacrifice was more acceptable than what Cain himself thought should have been offered. In this, Abel did not provoke Cain, but Cain, driven by wicked parricide, pursued the grace of preeminence. For Cain did not desire to overshadow his brother's sacrifice, but rather to preserve the discipline of sacrifice, so that he would not delay offering the first fruits through any laziness, nor violate them by appropriating them for his own use. Saul also attempted to kill David, the prophet and savior of the Israelites, who was exalted above himself in the conversation of young girls, with treacherous plots and a prepared spear; and he had almost shed the innocent blood of his own kin, if David had not evaded the blow with a twist of his bent body. How wicked was it, then, if the young girls said: 'Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands' (1 Samuel 18:7)? And how cruel was the envy of King Saul, who turned the innocent mistake of words into the destruction of the innocent! 'Nor should you, he says, have been jealous of those who do evil. He did not repeat what he had said, but changed it: it is one thing to be covetous, another to be jealous: covetousness has cunning, jealousy has simplicity. But even prudence itself must be simple and cautious, so that it knows what to beware of. For it was not said in vain: Be wise as serpents, and simple as doves (Matt. X, 16). Therefore, spiritual wisdom should be cautious, preserving salvation, unaware of deceit.' Spiritual simplicity must exist. However, it seems that Scripture has also made a distinction between emulation in another place, as it says: 'And Ephraim's envy shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off. Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim' (Isaiah 11:13). But elsewhere you have: 'Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church' (1 Corinthians 14:12). It uses 'emulators' for good things and imitators of good things, and 'emulator' for the crooked and envious. (Verse 2) First, do not provoke the wicked to the malice of envy; secondly, do not imitate those who do evil. For often, when the righteous see that some have sought wealth by deceit and cunning, and have attained to honors, they desire to follow their ways with deformed envy; so that they may attain wealth and honors by similar means, or defraud young girls in contracting marriage. For what profit is it, when wealth itself and all secular glory quickly wither like hay, and like the flowers of herbs they fade away in their very beauty? All flesh is grass, and all the glory of man is like the flower of the grass. Therefore, do not greatly desire things that cannot last forever, do not be envious and deceitful; do not be contentious and argumentative in zeal. Hence, the Eagle said: Do not contend with the wicked. Symmachus said: Do not strive. Also, do not be an imitator of wickedness and deceit; but be an imitator of the apostolic doctrine, the prophetic grace, and the virtue of the saints; so that you may bear fruit and store up a harvest of goodness, like Joseph, who by the abundance of grain excluded the hunger of prolonged barrenness: like Habakkuk, who, by bringing a meal to the reapers, was lifted up by an angel and travelled along an aerial path, and upon returning to the earth, amidst the fierce roars of lions, served a sweet feast to the godly prophet. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Ambrose of Milan: Not infrequently good people, seeing others arrive at riches and honors by fraud and trickery, become green with jealousy and want to imitate them. They, too, are tempted to attain riches and fame by similar tricks and malpractices.… Do not be an imitator of wrongdoing and fraud. Rather, be an imitator of apostolic doctrine, of prophetic grace and of the virtue of the saints. Then you will bear fruit and reap the harvest of your good deeds. — COMMENTARY ON TWELVE Psalms 37:11 Augustine of Hippo: "Be not envious because of evil-doers, neither be envious against the workers of iniquity" (ver. 1). "For they shall soon wither like the grass, and shall fade like the herbs of the meadow" (ver. 2). That which to thee seemeth long, is "soon" in the sight of God. Conform thou thyself to God; and it will be "soon" to thee. That which he here calls "grass," that we understand by the "herbs of the meadow." They are some worthless things, occupying the surface only of the ground, they have no depth of root. In the winter then they are green; but when the summer sun shall begin to scorch, they will wither away. For now it is the season of winter. Thy glory cloth not as yet appear. But if thy love hath but a deep root, like that of many trees during winter, the frost passes away, the summer (that is, the Day of Judgment) will come; then will the greenness of the grass wither away. Then will the glory of the trees appear. "For ye" (saith the Apostle) "are dead." even as trees seem to be in winter, as it were dead, as it were withered. What is our hope then, if we are dead? The root is within; where our root is, there is our life also, for there our love is fixed. "And your life is hid with Christ in God." When shall he wither who is thus rooted? But when will our spring be? When our summer? When will the honour of foliage clothe us around, and the fulness of fruit make us rich? When shall this come to pass? Hear what follows: "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory." And what then shall we do now? "Be not envious because of the evil-doers, neither be envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon wither like the grass, and fade like the herb of the meadow." — Exposition on Psalms 37 Diodorus of Tarsus: Being human, we are all irked by the prosperity of the affluent, especially when they are dishonest. So from the outset he immediately gives this exhortation: Do not imitate evildoers, even if they are rich, nor lawbreakers, even if from their wickedness they amass wealth. Why not? Because … though flourishing for a time, such people have a rapid end. He did well to compare them with flowers: they also delight the eye for a time but are unable to bear the heat and dry up at once. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 37 Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 3.) Therefore the Prophet rightly says: Hope in the Lord, and do good; and you shall inhabit the land, and shall be fed with its riches. What is the land that he advises to inhabit, if not your soul, which you should cultivate well, frequently plowing it with spiritual plows, so that it does not become overgrown with weeds? For a good farmer works his field with daily activity and diligent care, and protects his own fields; lest a wild boar from the forest devastate them, and a cunning thief snatch away the ripe fruits. Therefore, prepare your land so that when he comes who sows the word, he may find your soul ready; lest the seed fall upon the uncultivated soil of your heart and the birds of the sky come and devour what has been sown. So, listen to what is said: 'Behold, the sower went out to sow his field.' And as he sowed, some fell beside the path, some fell on rocky ground, and some fell on good soil... What falls on good soil are those who, with a good heart, hear the word and retain it, and produce fruit through patience. May your heart be a clean world, may your soul be clean, so that you can bring the fruit of goodness, that is, spiritual grace. For goodness is the fruit of the Holy Spirit; as it is written: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22). These are the fruits we are nourished by and satisfied with their abundance. On this earth, the righteous Noah planted that fruitful vine and drank from its fruit, and his heart was freed; when he clothed himself in the garment of admirable piety, his posterity was doubled by the virtue of his own deeds. Moreover, in another place the holy prophet demonstrated to us those riches in which he was rich in Christ, and which abounded in everything that leads to eternal life. And truly, who could be richer than one who is rich in the Lord, so that he can say: I have delighted in the way of your decrees as much as in all riches (Psalms 119:14)? For what could be lacking to a man who was enriched by heavenly oracles? And therefore, this psalm urges us to seek that eternal treasure and to find delight in its acquisition. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: What should you do then? "Trust in the Lord" [Psalms 37:3]. For they too trust, but not "in the Lord." Their hope is perishable. Their hope is short-lived, frail, fleeting, transitory, baseless. "Trust thou in the Lord." "Behold," you say, "I do trust; what am I to do?" "And do good." Do not do that evil which you behold in those men, who are prosperous in wickedness. "Do good, and dwell in the land." Lest haply you should be doing good without "dwelling in the land." For it is the Church that is the Lord's land. It is her whom He, the Father, the tiller of it, waters and cultivates. For there are many that, as it were, do good works, but yet, in that they do not "dwell in the land," they do not belong to the husbandman. Therefore do thou your good, not outside of the land, but do thou "dwell in the land." And what shall I have? "And you shall be fed in its riches." What are the riches of that land? Her riches are her Lord! Her riches are her God! He it is to whom it is said, "The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup." In a late discourse we suggested to you, dearly beloved, that God is our possession, and that we are at the same time God's possession. Hear how that He is Himself the riches of that land. — Exposition on Psalms 37 Origen of Alexandria: The "land" here indicates the heart of the listener and his soul. We are ordered, therefore, to indwell this land, that is, not to stray far from it, not to run to and fro, far and near, but to dwell and to stand firm within the bounds of our spirits and to consider the land very carefully and to become its tiller just as Noah was and to plant in it the vine and till the land that is within us, "to renew the fallowed ground of our spirits and sow not among the thorns." Namely, let us purge our spirit from faults, and let us refine rough and harsh ways with the gentleness and the imitation of Christ, and thus finally we may feed from its wealth. — HOMILY 1 ON Psalms 37:3 Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 4.) Therefore, he says: Delight in the Lord, and he will grant you the desires of your heart. Why did he not say 'your desires' but 'the desires of your heart'? For the desires of the external and internal man are not the same and not all of them are approved by Christ; because the law of the flesh often opposes to the rules of the spirit. But those desires that belong to the interior man, who is renewed by the Spirit, the Lord grants them to the petitioner with effect. Hence, he says elsewhere: May the Lord grant you according to your heart, and may he confirm all your desires (Psalms 19:5). He says to follow the heart, not the desire of the flesh; and he says that he should strengthen those desires which come from the deepest part of the heart, not those which are directed by the enticement and pleasures of the flesh. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "Delight thyself in the Lord" (ver. 4). As if thou hadst put the question, and hadst said "Show me the riches of that land, in which thou biddest me dwell", he says, "Delight thyself in the Lord." "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 Psalm, "God is" (the strength) "of mine heart." For there it says in what follows: "And God is my portion for ever." For instance: One labours under bodily blindness. He asks that he may receive his sight. Let him ask it; for God does that too, and gives those blessings also. But these things are asked for even by the wicked. This is a desire of the flesh. One is sick, and prays to be made sound. From the point of death he is restored to health. That too is a desire of the flesh, as are all of such a kind. What is "the desire of the heart"? As the desire of the flesh is to wish to have one's eyesight restored, to enable him, that is, to see that light, which can be seen by such eyes; so "the desire of the heart" relates to a different sort of light. For, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Delight thou thyself in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart." — ON THE PSALMS - Psalms 37 Origen of Alexandria: The expression "we have need" is applied to those things that are necessary for life. Consequently, applied to material things, it means that one does not need most things but only those of which Paul says, "but having food and clothing, we shall be satisfied with these things." Those things, [by contrast], that are accumulated in wealth and luxury are the result of abundance among those who live luxuriously. They are not considered to be necessary and absolutely essential but to be superfluous. So, therefore, there are also things that are necessary for us in the realm of divine matters, which bring us into life and cause us to be in the one who says, "I am the life." But what supersedes these things would be said to supersede need. It is said of such things, "Delight in the Lord, and he will give you the requests of your heart." These include all the things that are considered in relation to the paradise of luxury and in relation to wealth and glory, the things in the left hand of wisdom according to him who said, "For length of life and years of life are in her right hand, but in her left hand are wealth and glory." One would say that these go beyond necessity. — COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF John 32:106 Theodoret of Cyrus: In everything he taught the benefit of hope in God: the person hoping in God, he says, and fed by him will enjoy the goods supplied by him while those who find delightful constant converse with him will most of all attain them. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 37:2 Ambrose of Milan: (Vers. 5, 6.) Reveal your way to the Lord, and hope in Him, and He will act. And He will bring forth your righteousness like the light, and your justice like the noonday. This single verse declares what kind of person you should be. For who reveals their way, except those who confess to God, the arbiter of their hidden secrets within their heart? Reveal, blessed one, this is, open your conscience, so that it may not be burdened by the shadow or flesh of this world. For seeds, when they burst forth, if they are shaded, they become weak; exposed to the sun, they thrive. But what about the seeds themselves? The woody shade itself inhibits the young plants from reaching upward and prevents their branches from spreading out. Beautifully said: Disclose your way to the Lord, for the inclination of human nature covers our minds like a kind of veil; that we may not confess our sins to the Lord, who can heal our wounds: so that one may be ashamed to ask for medicine with his own mouth, lest his disgrace be exposed before others. Therefore, conscience presses upon itself, since it cannot hide; and it delays as long as the wound festers, so that it is revealed not by the healthiness of faith, but by the unhealable atrocity of the ulcer. 'Reveal,' he says, 'your way to the Lord'; that is, open your way, do not hide it, as Cain desired to hide; for everyone who does evil hates the light. David revealed his way, who said: 'I declare my works to the King' (Psalms 44:2). Open your mind, so that there is nothing to be afraid of being condemned. Paul also revealed: I am not aware of anything against me (I Cor. IV, 4). Let your actions, your life be such that your way may shine before your Father who is in heaven. But because the condition of every human being is subject to fragility, and it is not within our power to direct our own path at will; therefore, it says to you: Hope in the Lord, and He Himself will act; that is, to open your way, and not allow you to be such that you flee from the light while you are afraid to come forward, and love darkness so that you can hide your own wickedness, saying: Darkness covers me, who knows if the Most High sees (Eccli. XXIII, 6)? For how can one who is planning adultery, not seek out a suitable night for his temptations? And who thinks to employ a false witness to his deceit, who seeks to corrupt the judge in order to oppress the innocent, does he not explore the secret of wickedness? The thief lurks in the darkness of solitude, awaiting the shadows of the night to carry out his wickedness. Therefore, wickedness is darkness: God is light. Even if you wish to conceal your justice, God will bring it forth into the light; He does not allow judgment to remain hidden by which you have chosen what is good and rejected what is evil. Not only does your judgement shine; but it shines like midday. When the sun pours out its whole brightness, it is midday. It was midday when Joseph feasted with his brothers, not seeking revenge, but forgetting the wrong. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "Behold" (you say), "I do long after it, I do ask for it, I do desire it. Shall I then accomplish it?" No. Who shall then? "Reveal thy way unto the Lord: trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass" (ver. 5). Mention to Him what thou sufferest, mention to Him what thou dost desire. For what is it that thou sufferest? "The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh." What is it then that thou dost desire? "Wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" And because it is He "Himself" that "will bring it to pass," when thou shall have "revealed thy ways unto Him;" hear what follows: "The grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord." What is it then that He is to bring to pass, since it is said, "Reveal thy way unto Him, and He will bring it to pass"? What will He bring to pass? "And He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light" (ver. 6). For now, "thy righteousness" is hid. Now it is a thing of faith; not yet of sight. You believe something that you may do it. You do not yet see that in which you believe. But when thou shall begin to see that, which thou didst believe before, "thy righteousness will be brought forth to the light," because it is thy faith that was thy righteousness. For "the just lives by faith." "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. Therefore He will not only "bring forth thy righteousness as the light," but "thy judgment shall be as the noon-day." For now dost thou make thy "judgment" to follow Christ. This is thy purposé: this is thy choice: this is thy "judgment."... — ON THE PSALMS - Psalms 37 Augustine of Hippo: "Behold" (you say), "I do long after it, I do ask for it, I do desire it. Shall I then accomplish it?" No. Who shall then? "Reveal your way unto the Lord: trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass" [Psalms 37:5]. Mention to Him what you suffer, mention to Him what thou dost desire. For what is it that you suffer? "The flesh lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh." [Galatians 5:17] What is it then that you desire? "Wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" [Romans 7:24] And because it is He "Himself" that "will bring it to pass," when you shall have "revealed your ways unto Him;" hear what follows: "The grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord." What is it then that He is to bring to pass, since it is said, "Reveal your way unto Him, and He will bring it to pass"? What will He bring to pass? — Exposition on Psalms 37 Diodorus of Tarsus: Be sincere in pursuing good, not pretending to be honest while being evil; instead, be good openly and as it were without disguise so that God may openly repay you with good. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 37 Theodoret of Cyrus: Offer up to God, he is saying, both yourself and your actions, and expect grace from him; for his part he will bring forth a just verdict like a judge, will extol you and make you famous to the extent of being known to everyone, like the light at midday. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 37:2 Ambrose of Milan: God brings [justice] out into the light. He does not permit judgment to lie hidden. He reveals the good that you have chosen to do and the evil that you have refused to do. Not only does he make your judgment shine, but also he makes it shine like the sun at midday. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "And He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light" (ver. 6). For now, "thy righteousness" is hid. Now it is a thing of faith; not yet of sight. You believe something that you may do it. You do not yet see that in which you believe. But when thou shall begin to see that, which thou didst believe before, "thy righteousness will be brought forth to the light," because it is thy faith that was thy righteousness. For "the just lives by faith." "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. Therefore He will not only "bring forth thy righteousness as the light," but "thy judgment shall be as the noon-day." For now dost thou make thy "judgment" to follow Christ. This is thy purposé: this is thy choice: this is thy "judgment."... — ON THE PSALMS - Psalms 37 Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 7.) Be subject to the Lord and beseech Him. Not only should you be subject to God, but also beseech the Lord, so that you can fulfill your desire for submission, as it also says above: Reveal your way to the Lord and hope in Him. It is not only fitting to reveal your way; but also to hope in the Lord. However, submission should not be abject, lowly, but glorious and exalted; for he is subject to God who does the will of the Lord. Finally, who is ignorant that the wisdom of the mind is superior to the wisdom of the flesh? Indeed, the wisdom of the mind is subject to the law of God; the wisdom of the flesh is not subject. And the Apostle added: For it cannot be subject. (Rom. VIII, 7). Therefore, be subject, that is, draw near to Christ, so that you may fulfill the Law. Finally, Christ fulfilled the Law by doing the will of the Father. And therefore, the end of the Law is love, and the fullness is charity; because by loving the Father, he applied his entire affection to His will. Wherefore, for the glory of God, the Apostle said: When, however, all things shall have been subjected to Him, then shall He Himself also be subject to Him who subjected all things to Him, that God may be all in all (1 Cor. XV, 28). And of Himself He saith: For my soul hath been subject to God; for from Him is my salvation (Ps. LXI, 2). Moreover, for piety's sake Joseph and Mary were subject to His parents, not indeed through infirmity, but of their own will. But the greatest glory of Christ is that He should pour Himself into the hearts of all men, so that He may bring them back from impiety and infidelity to Himself, and make them subject unto Him. But when he has subjected all things to himself, when the fullness of the Gentiles has entered, and when all Israel has been saved, and when the whole world becomes one body in Christ; then he himself will be subject, offering his gift to God the Father, and acting as the high priest of all, and as if offering his body on heavenly altars, so that faith may be the sacrifice of all. Therefore, this subjection is an act of piety, because the Lord Jesus will be subject in his body, of which we are the body and members. Therefore, let man be subject to Christ, that is, subject to the wisdom of God, subject to the word, subject to justice, subject to virtue; for all these things are Christ. Let every man submit himself to God; for he teaches not one, but all, to subject their heart, to subject their soul, to subject their flesh, so that God may be all in all. Therefore, he is subject who is full of grace, and receives the yoke of Christ, and diligently and unwaveringly carries out the commands of the Lord; but without subjection, he who proudly exalts himself in vain, inflated with the feeling of his own flesh, insolent, deviating from the humble obedience and pious observance of the servitude that we owe by right to the eternal Author of nature. Finally, whoever is without sin is subject to Christ, for he has been redeemed by the Lord; but whoever is in sin cannot be called free, but rather a slave, whom heavy chains of sin hold fast. (Verse 7.) It follows: Do not be envious of him who is prospering on his way, doing wickedness. Clearly, here he is indicating what he previously understood: that we should not incite evil by being envious, nor imitate those who do wickedness. For it is not wickedness, but prosperous things that happen to those who do wickedness, that often tempt us to think that we should imitate them, saying that we can achieve their successes: Behold, they are sinners and abound in the world, they have obtained riches. And I said: So I have justified my heart in vain, and washed my hands among the innocent. And I was scourged all the day long (Psalms 72:12 et seq.). Therefore, if David was scourged, we must beware lest we also be scourged; and let it be said to us that riches, honors, power, seem to be arranged for this generation, as if the uncertain works of money, and the means of injustice, not as any rewards of virtue; and therefore let them come as a dream, and when you arise from the dream, let them fail you. When the athletes win, it is certain that they will be crowned, not before they win. We are in a struggle with the world. Win before the world, so that you may seek the crown. No one is crowned before completing the contest. Those who run in a race, do they receive a prize before they have run the race? How many in the front fall at the finish line and are cheated of their speed? Are you more acceptable to God than Paul? He, the vessel of election, the teacher of the Gentiles, never dared to demand a crown for himself in this world. Finally, listen to him saying: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day (2 Timothy 4:7-8). That same Paul, caught up to the third heaven, who heard things that cannot be told, whether in the body or out of the body, he does not know, God knows, and he testified as much (2 Corinthians 12:2). So, Paul says that on that day the crown will be given to him; are you here insisting that it be given to you? Therefore, prepare yourself for the contest. An athlete does not struggle only once, nor does a soldier fight only once, in order to fulfill their duties; and for you, the struggle is not with just one passion. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "What should I do then?" Hear what thou shouldest do. "Submit thee to the Lord, and entreat Him." Be this thy life, to obey His commandments. For this is to submit thee to Him; and to entreat Him until He give thee what He hath promised. Let good works "continue;" let prayer "continue." For "men ought always to pray, and not to faint." Wherein dost thou show that thou art "submitted to Him"? In doing what He hath commanded. But haply thou dost not receive thy wages as yet, because as yet thou art not able. For He is already able to give them; but thou art not already able to receive them. Exercise thou thyself in works. Labour in the vineyard; at the close of the day crave thy wages. "Faithful is He" who brought thee into the vineyard. "Submit thee to the Lord, and entreat Him." "See! I do so; I do 'submit to the Lord, and I do entreat.' But what do you think? That neighbour of mine is a wicked man, living a bad life, and prosperous! His thefts, adulteries, robberies, are known to me. Lifted up above every one, proud, and raised on high by wickedness, he deigns not to notice me. In these circumstances, how shall I hold out with patience?" This is a sickness; drink, by way of remedy. "Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way." He prospereth, but it is "in his way:" thou sufferest, but it is in God's way! His portion is prosperity on his way, misery on arriving at its end: yours, toil on the road, happiness in its termination. "The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous; and the way of the ungodly shall perish." Thou walkest those ways which "the Lord knoweth," and if thou dost suffer toil in them, they do not deceive thee. The "way of the ungodly" is but a transitory happiness; at the end of the way the happiness is at an end also. Why? Because that way is "the broad road;" its termination leads to the pit of hell. Now, thy way is narrow; and "few there be" that enter in through it: but into how ample a field it comes at the last, thou oughtest to consider. "Fret not thyself at him who prospereth in his way; because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass." — Exposition on Psalms 37 Theodoret of Cyrus: Even if you see one choosing wickedness and not deviating from his purpose but being borne downstream, do not be worried and concerned that no one is in control of the world. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 37:3 Ambrose of Milan: Anger destroys not just the ordinary run of people, but even the wise. David warns the wise, saying to them, "Cease from anger," for once that fire is set alight it will not cease until its flames have consumed you. "Leave aside," he says, "your rage." Here is his meaning: nature catches hold of you, it stirs up your feelings, you get excited about some fault, some slight that has offended you, you begin to rage but not to the point where you cannot stop. Drop it. Put an end to it, or it will drag you into sin. — COMMENTARY ON TWELVE Psalms 37:18 Ambrose of Milan: (Vers. 8). If you have overcome the previous passions, anger follows; and therefore Scripture says to you: Cease from anger, and forsake indignation. There are many vices that creep in upon the foolish. Anger is a heavy passion: it often ignites the unwilling; and it drags the willing into madness, so that he may destroy whom he thought to restrain. Stirred up, he often stabs the innocent with a sword. Many have killed friends and brothers out of indignation. Therefore, the wise man says: Anger destroys even the wise (Prov. XV, 1). It is the saying of Solomon, that anger not only destroys any men from among the crowd, but even the wise themselves. And David advises the wise man, saying: Cease from anger; lest when you are inflamed by it, it does not cease until its flame consumes you. Leave, he says, indignation; that is, nature carries you away, emotions move you, someone's fault or offense provokes you to be angry; but not always, so that you do not know how to control it: leave it, set a limit to it, lest it draw you into sin. This is what he said above: Be angry, and do not sin (Psalms 4:5). For he does not encourage you to be angry, but yields to the passion for a time; however, he provides a remedy so that the force of the wound does not spread for too long. Be angry, he says, for it is of your passion. For a physician does not immediately apply medicines to weakness; if pain is burning, he applies soothing remedies to alleviate the pain; if fever is raging, he waits for the right time for a remedy and often withholds drink from those who are thirsty. He does not say: Do not be feverish when the vapors of illness are boiling; but he says: Wait, the fever will cease, the agitation will subside. So also the Prophet could not say to man, whose flesh is excited by various diseases and passions of agitation: Do not be angry; but he says: Cease from anger, and leave off indignation, lest you sin; for anger is a great instigator of sin. Another physician also says: Let not the sun set upon your anger (Ephesians 4:26); lest while you delay for a long time, that one who is accustomed to arouse the heated body with sleep should come, and stir you up, and insert thoughts into you, and immerse himself in the secrets of your heart, saying: Take revenge for your injury, recognize yourself as a man: it belongs to feminine weakness, not to take vengeance. Therefore, the servant ought to have scorned you, the brother deceived you, the friend mocked you; and yet you do not avenge your own insult? It is necessary to proscribe, it is necessary to rise with a sword, and to resolve your pain with the death of your adversary. That man was brave who killed his enemy, deservedly he is praised; because he avenged himself in such a way that another who was ignorant of it might hear, and would not dare to inflict injury on him. By these goads he is further incited, further moved; so that what is written may be fulfilled: Anger destroys even the wise. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "Cease from anger, and forsake wrath." Wherefore art thou wroth? Wherefore is it that, through that passion and indignation, thou dost blaspheme, or almost blaspheme? Against "the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass, cease from anger, and forsake wrath." Knowest thou not whither that wrath tempts thee on? Thou art on the point of saying unto God, that He is unjust. It tends to that. "Look! why is that man prosperous, and this man in adversity?" Consider what thought it begets: stifle the wicked notion. "Cease from anger, and forsake wrath:" so that now returning to thy senses, thou mayest say, "Mine eye is disturbed because of wrath." What eye is that, but the eye of faith? To the eye of thy faith I appeal. Thou didst believe in Christ: why didst thou believe? What did He promise thee? If it was the happiness of this world that Christ promised thee, then murmur against Christ; yes! murmur against Him, when thou seest the wicked flourishing. What of happiness did He promise? What, save in the Resurrection of the Dead? But what in this life? That which was His portion. His portion, I say! Dost thou, servant and disciple, disdain what thy Lord, what thy Master bore? ... — Exposition on Psalms 37 Basil of Caesarea: If, by the prudent use of reason, you could cut away the bitter root of indignation, you would remove many other vices along with this, their source. Deceit, suspicion, faithlessness, malice, treachery, rashness, and a whole thicket of evils like these are offshoots of this vice.… It is a malady on the soul, a dark mist over the reason. It brings estrangement from God, forgetfulness of the ties of kindred, cause for a strife, a full measure of disaster. It is a wicked demon coming to birth in our very souls, taking prior possession of our interior, like a shameless tenant, and barring entrance to the Holy Spirit. — HOMILY AGAINST THOSE WHO ARE PRONE TO ANGER Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 9.) Therefore, do not listen to him, so that you do not act wickedly. For those who act wickedly will be exterminated. Those who do not have roots will be exterminated, like vegetables or hay. Let the weak eat vegetables, but you must plant a vine in your field, establish a vineyard. And if Ahab comes to you and says, 'Give me your vineyard so that I can plant vegetables', do not agree with him, so that he does not sow perishable things by your consent and cut off eternal things. Therefore, Nabuthe is considered among the saints because he believed that the inheritance of his ancestors should not even be given to the king; and he chose to be stoned rather than give his vineyard to plunder. The inheritance of our ancestors is true faith. There arose Arians, supported by royal power, who thought that the temple of the Lord should be handed over to them, threatening harsh punishments; but far be it from the mind of the Lord's servant to be more swayed by the fear of punishment than by the beauty of piety. Perfidy did not prevail, because faith resisted. There is also a certain vineyard in the hearts of the faithful, of which Isaiah says: The beloved has become a vine in a fruitful horn (Isaiah 5:1). The Lord planted this vineyard in our hearts; and therefore we read God saying: I have planted you a fruitful vine, all true (Jeremiah 2:21). Therefore, let no one take away this vine from the field of our soul, because it is blessed. Therefore, it is said of the saints: By the fruit of wheat, wine, and oil, they have multiplied (Psalms 4:8). It is good, therefore, to have within you wine overflowing; so that wine may flow into your vessel from the vineyard of Sorech, that intoxicating cup how splendid! For the vineyard of Sorech is the vineyard of new beginnings and new righteousness. Hence it is said to us: Sing to the Lord a new song, its beginning, magnify His name from the ends of the earth (Isaiah 42:10). May this vineyard, therefore, produce grapes and not iniquity. Therefore, the vineyard of the Jews has been abandoned because they have committed iniquity, as it is written (Isaiah 5:7), and not justice. Therefore, let us bear fruit in Christ, that we may deserve to endure. For those who sustain the Lord will possess the land: certainly the land of the living. There is a certain heavenly land, which bears fruit for the heavenly beings, of which it says: I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living (Psalm XXVI, 13). This earthly land provides sustenance to the stomach with much human labor; that land of the Lord produces fruit without any effort, in which the possession of the righteous is lasting and the inheritance of a pious mind. And it says rightly: But those who sustain the Lord will possess the land by inheritance. For this is the land that does not pass away; for heaven and earth will pass away, but the words of the Lord will not pass away. And therefore neither that intelligible land, in which those who preserve the words of the Lord are, will be able to pass away from paradise. Adam was placed in this land, in order to receive the fruit of eternal life; but because he did not want to preserve the words of the Lord, he did not deserve to remain in the possession that he had received. But whoever keeps the words of the Lord confidently says: I have waited with expectation for the Lord, and he has looked upon me. (Psalms 39:2) But Adam, since he did not wait for the Lord (for how could he wait who fled and was afraid to offer himself), therefore, the Lord did not deem him worthy to see him; for the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous. But he did not want to see him to the extent that he would ask, saying: Adam, where are you (Gen. III, 9)? One who is sought is considered absent. It is faith that presents us to God, and treachery that causes the wicked to be exiled. Therefore, no one is absent from God, except the one who has made himself absent. And so He says: Let it be done to you according to your faith (Matt. IX, 29); for he who does not know, will not be known. Therefore, Adam, as a sinner, could not keep his place. He was expelled from paradise and relegated to a castle, to do penance. He received a delay, so that he would not perish completely; so that Eve could be saved through the generation of children, the faith of holy Abel, the grace of the prophets, and the posterity of the Church. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "For evil-doers shall be cut off" [Psalms 37:9]. "But I see their prosperity." Believe Him who says, "they shall be cut off;" Him who sees better than thou, since His eye anger cannot cloud. "For evil-doers shall be cut off. But those that wait upon the Lord,"— not upon any one that can deceive them; but verily on Him who is the Truth itself—"But those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the land." What "land," but that Jerusalem, with the love of which whosoever is inflamed, shall come to peace at the last. — Exposition on Psalms 37 Clement of Rome: Therefore it is right and proper, brothers, that we should be obedient to God rather than follow those who in arrogance and unruliness have set themselves up as leaders in abominable jealousy. For we shall bring on us no common harm, but rather great peril, if we surrender ourselves recklessly to the purposes of people who launch out into strife and seditions, so as to estrange us from that which is right. Let us be good one toward another according to the compassion and sweetness of him that made us. — 1 CLEMENT 14 Evagrius Ponticus: Nothing else is destroyed but that which is cut off from God. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 36[37].9 Theodore of Mopsuestia: Do not consider blessed those people for being in a position even to do whatever they wish, nor with your eyes on their suffering no harsh fate decide to attempt at any time in your own case to do some wrong. "Because the evildoers will be wiped out": those guilty of wickedness will some day pay the full penalty and perish. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 37:8B-9A Theodoret of Cyrus: Instead of considering their prosperity, await their end, and you will see their ruin. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 37:3 Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 10.) But because he did not want to be redeemed through these means, and he believes he should persist in sin, of him the Prophet says: 'And yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: and thou shalt seek his place, and shalt not find it.' For how can he exist in the future, when the place of sin cannot endure? For this is the earth that opened its mouth to receive the blood of the innocent. And therefore in this earth is the place of sinners. The earth passes away, how then can the place of the sinner be found? I believe that the reason why God commanded there to be a firmament between the waters and the waters (Gen. I, 6) is so that He may discern sins from virtues; and the upper water, which praises the Lord, would remain free from error, while the lower water would be subject to sin. Indeed, the former sees God, but the latter does not: what is above the heavens sees Him; what is in the abyss does not. Hence it is also said: The waters saw you, O God, the waters saw you and trembled; the depths were troubled, the multitude of waters made a noise (Psal. LXXVI, 17). The abyss is disturbed by the deserving ones, upon which the deformed darkness lies, and therefore they cannot have peace. Hence, the legion of demons asked to be sent into the abyss, and they threw themselves into the waves with a great tumult (Matthew 8:31); in order to strangle the herd of pigs they had found. Therefore, sinners seek the abyss, where the darkness of shadows is. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "But how long is the sinner to flourish? How long shall I have to endure?" Thou art impatient; that which seems long to thee, will soon come to pass. It is infirmity makes that seem long, which is really short, as is found in the case of the longings of sick men. Nothing seems so long as the mixing of the potion for him when athirst. For all that his attendants are making all speed, lest haply the patient be angry; "When will it be done? (he cries). When will it be drest? When will it be served?" Those who are waiting upon you are making haste, but your infirmity fancies that long which is being done with expedition. Behold ye, therefore, our Physician complying with the infirmity of the patient, saying, "How long shall I have to endure? How long will it be?" "Yet a little while, and the sinner shall not be" (ver. 10). Is it certainly among sinners, and because of the sinner, that thou murmurest? "A little while, and he shall not be." Lest haply because I said, "They that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the land," thou shouldest think that waiting to be of very long duration. Wait "a little while," thou shalt receive without end what thou waitest for. A little while, a moderate space. Review the years from Adam's time up to this day; run through the Scriptures. It is almost yesterday that he fell from Paradise! So many ages have been measured out, and unrolled. Where now are the past ages? Even so, however, shall the few which remain, pass away also. Hadst thou been living throughout all that time, since Adam was banished from Paradise up to this present day, thou wouldest certainly see that the life, which had thus flown away, had not been of long duration. But how long is the duration of each individual's life? Add any number of years you please: prolong old age to its longest duration: what is it? Is it not but a morning breeze? Be it so, however, that the Day of Judgment is far off, when the reward of the righteous and of the unrighteous is to come: your last day at all events cannot be far off. Make thyself ready against this! For such as thou shall have departed from this life, shalt thou be restored to the other. At the close of that short life, you will not yet be, where the Saints shall be, to whom it shall be said, "Come, ye blessed of My Father: inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world." You will not yet be there? Who does not know that? But you may already be there, where that beggar, once "covered with sores," was seen at a distance, at rest, by that proud and unfruitful "rich man" in the midst of his torments. Surely hid in that rest thou waitest in security for the Day of Judgment, when thou art to receive again a body, to be changed so as to be made equal to an Angel. How long then is that for which we are impatient, and are saying, "When will it come? Will it tarry long?" This our sons will say hereafter, and our sons' sons will say too; and, though each one of these in succession will say this same thing, that "little while" that is yet to be, passes away, as all that is already past hath passed away already! O thou sick one! "Yet a little while, and the sinner shall not be. Yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and thou shalt not find him."... — Exposition on Psalms 37 Diodorus of Tarsus: The wicked not only grows rich but even plots against the righteous, God's permission causing both developments to go ahead; but let it not alarm you. God in his foreknowledge [is] aware of the fate of the wicked and [sees] the righteous person's endurance.… God looks ahead to [the wicked person's] fate and mocks his threats and his frenzy, aware as he is of the future. Thus in many cases when the wicked think they have gotten the better of the righteous, then it is that sudden ruin overtakes them when unexpected punishment is inflicted on them by God. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 37 Ambrose of Milan: It is their right to possess the land, for in them God finds rest. We see this from the words of divine prophecy spoken by Isaiah: "On whom shall I rest, if not on those who are poor and little and who tremble at my word?" Who are the meek? They are those not easily roused to wrath, not quick to quarrel. Anger does not trouble them, fierceness does not drive them mad, raging cruelty does not enflame them. While still in the body they loved the peace of the Lord better than wine, banquets and riches. They thought to give up bodily pleasures and delights to gain instead eternal grace; these are the people who "shall delight in abundance of peace." — COMMENTARY ON TWELVE Psalms 37:22 Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 11.) But the meek shall possess the land, and shall delight in the abundance of peace. They rightfully possess the land in which God himself rests; as was revealed by the divine oracle through Isaiah, saying: Upon whom shall I rest, if not upon the humble and quiet, and those who tremble at my words (Isaiah 66:2)? Who are the meek, if not those whom no stimulus of discord agitates, no anger disturbs, no cruelty inflames with rage? And therefore, because they loved not wines, nor feasts, nor riches, but the peace of the Lord, being established in the body; for that pleasure of bodily delights, which they thought themselves to be defrauded of, that they might obtain eternal grace, they shall be delighted in the multitude of peace, which our Lord Jesus bestowed on the human race in His days; as the prophecy, which has not lied, comprehends, asserting: In His days shall justice spring up, and abundance of peace, until the moon be taken away (Psalms 71:7). Therefore, what is the peace by which the people of all the churches have multiplied, if not the peace about which the Lord said: My peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you (John 14:27)? He gave peace, who calmed the wars of the souls. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "But the meek shall inherit the land" (ver. 11). That land is the one of which we have often spoken, the holy Jerusalem, which is to be released from these her pilgrimages, and to live for ever with God, and on God. Therefore, "They shall inherit the land." What shall be their delight? "And they shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." Let the ungodly man delight himself here in the multitude of his gold, in the multitude of his silver, in the multitude of his slaves, in the multitude, lastly, of his baths, his roses, his intoxicating wines, his most sumptuous and luxurious banquets. Is this the power thou enviest? Is this the glory that delights thee? Would not his fate be worthy to be deplored, even if he were to be so for ever? What shall be thy delights? "And they shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." Peace shall be thy gold. Peace shall be thy silver. Peace shall be thy lands. Peace shall be thy life, thy God Peace. Peace shall be to thee whatsoever thou dost desire.... — Exposition on Psalms 37 Cassiodorus: He says the meek will possess the Jerusalem to come, a city about which much has already been said; it is a city constantly filled with the sweetness of good things where its inhabitants do not earn their living through trade, but feed on delight in God. There no one works to live, but in quietness receives all that the blessed soul desires. There the eye of the heart is fattened by a blessed hunger. There the soul is restored by sight alone, since whatever pertains to its desire is granted to it in the contemplation of the Lord's face. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 37:11 Didache: But be thou meek, since the meek shall inherit the earth. Be long-suffering and pitiful and guileless and gentle and good and always trembling at the words which thou hast heard. Thou shalt not exalt thyself, nor give over-confidence to thy soul. Thy soul shall not be joined with lofty ones, but with just and lowly ones shall it have its intercourse. The workings that befall thee receive as good, knowing that apart from God nothing cometh to pass. — The Didache, Chapter 3 Ambrose of Milan: (Vers. 12, 13.) It follows: The sinner will observe the just and will gnash his teeth over him. But the Lord will deride him; for He sees that his day is coming. It is customary for one who is angry and seething to gnash his teeth: but the heart of the wicked also has its teeth, which are not accustomed to merely making noise, but to tearing. The sinner's traps, schemes, and wickedness are his teeth. Therefore, the sinner lies in wait for the just, because he envies him; for the life of the just rebukes the sinner, whom it silently condemns with greater authority than if it were to speak with a loud voice. But the righteous should not fear the clamor of the sinner, for wickedness cannot be everlasting. Temporary are the snares, but eternal are the fortresses of virtue. Death dissolves all power and deceit of the sinner. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Arnobius the Younger: Be careful, for daily the devil considers you and gnashes his teeth over you; but [as it says in the next verse] the Lord mocks him because he knows his day will come. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 37 Cassiodorus: When the wicked person sees someone working on developing good character, he feels convinced that he is being indicted personally. He gnashes his teeth and becomes outraged. If he cannot corrupt someone's character, then he immediately attempts to do away with his life. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 37:12 Cassiodorus: The way in which consolation is offered to us is amazing, for who should delight himself in the pompous display of one whose audacity he knows will soon perish? If we would rather not be disturbed by jealousy, then let us follow what the Lord does. Let us laugh at him whose downfall we foresee; let us regard the unhappy things which we possess as things that will perish in time. Let us believe these things with all tenacity, since they have been promised to us in truth. It will happen in the way described, that the sinner will depart under derision, although he once boasted in a happiness that was not to last. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 37:13 Augustine of Hippo: Then follow these words: "The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth" (ver. 12): "But the Lord shall laugh at him" (ver. 13). At whom? Surely at the sinner, "gnashing upon" the other "with his teeth." But wherefore shall the Lord "laugh at him"? "For He foreseeth that his day is coming." He seems indeed full of wrath, while, ignorant of the morrow that is in store for him, he is threatening the just. But the Lord beholds and "foresees his day." "What day?" That in which "He will render to every man according to his works." For he is "treasuring up unto himself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the just judgment of God." But it is the Lord that foresees it; thou dost not foresee it. It hath been revealed to thee by Him who foresees it. Thou didst not know of the "day of the unrighteous," in which he is to suffer punishment. But He who knows it hath revealed it to thee. It is a main part of knowledge to join thyself to Him who hath knowledge. He hath the eyes of knowledge: have thou the eyes of a believing mind. That which God "sees," be thou willing to believe. For the day of the unjust, which God foresees, will come. What day is that? The day for all vengeance! For it is necessary that vengeance should be taken upon the ungodly, that vengeance be taken upon the unjust, whether he turn, or whether he turn not. For if he shall turn from his ways, that very thing, that his "injustice is come to an end," is the infliction of vengeance.... — Exposition on Psalms 37 Ambrose of Milan: What is the sword of the wicked? It is the absolute opposite to the sword of the Holy Spirit.… God's Word is the sword of the Holy Spirit. But the sword of the wicked is the evil word.… Stupid and petulant speech issues from their mouths as from a scabbard, and would it not have been better to restrain it and bury it? In like manner the Word of the Lord is brought forth as a sword; so, too, the speech of the sinner, and the bow that they bend is their mind. The arrow that they shoot is the venomous word. Our arrow is Christ, the Word of God. — COMMENTARY ON TWELVE Psalms 37:24 Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 14.) Moreover, he adds: Behold, they have unsheathed the sword, sinners have bent their bow, to cast down the needy and the destitute. What is the sword of the sinner, if not the opposite of the sword of the Holy Spirit? Scripture has taught me this sword; the Apostle taught it, saying that we have the breastplate of righteousness, and the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:14 et seq.). Therefore, the word of God is the sword of the Holy Spirit. On the contrary, indeed, the sword of the most wicked spirit is the evil word. With this sword, the Apostle Peter struck Ananias and Sapphira with his words as if with a certain sword; with this sword, Paul took away the sight of Elymas who opposed his arguments and filled him with the darkness of blindness. Now consider to me, you sinning quarrelers, boasting in bitter insolence, and bringing forth reproaches of accusations; if you hear them, will you not say: Sinners have drawn their swords; when foul speech is brought forth from the mouth as if from a wanton sheath, which should have been restrained and hidden? Similarly as the sword is called the word of God, and the same is the speech of the sinner: so also the bow which sinners stretch, is their mind; and the arrow which they shoot, is a poisoned word. For as Christ is an arrow, who is the Word of God, of whom it is said: I have set thee as a chosen arrow (Isaiah 49:2), which is brought forth out of the quiver of God: so the arrows of the treacherous are, which being shot from a certain bow of wickedness, wound the unsuspecting innocent, unless their fiery darts are repelled by the shield of faith. And therefore, as a soldier, you must be anxious in battle; because the fight is not only against flesh and blood, but also against the spiritual wickedness that cannot be seen. May you have strong weapons from God, so that you can easily draw the arrows you want: so that the enemy cannot oppress you as a poor and unarmed person. Be strong in God, be rich in God, so that it can be said of you: The redemption of a man's soul, his riches (Prov. XIII, 8). With an abundance of the treasure of wisdom, be rich in word and good works, so that you may be fortified. Avoid the wealth of the sinner, lest they find a way to harm you. Be merciful, so that you may remain invulnerable or be able to heal yourself if you are wounded. There is also the poor person whom your adversaries want to wound, from that number of whom the Savior said: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3). — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright heart" (ver. 14). "Their weapon shall enter into their own heart" (ver. 15). It is an easy thing for his weapon, that is, his sword, to reach thy body, even as the sword of the persecutors reached the body of the Martyrs, but when the body had been smitten, "the heart" remained unhurt; but his heart who "drew out the sword against" the body of the just did not clearly remain unhurt. This is attested by this very Psalm. It saith, Their weapon, that is, "Their sword shall," not go into their body, but, "their weapon shall go into their own heart." They would fain have slain him in the body. Let them die the death of the soul. For those whose bodies they sought to kill, the Lord hath freed from anxiety, saying, "Fear not them who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul."... — Exposition on Psalms 37 Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 15.) And therefore the spear of sinners will enter into their hearts, and their bow will be broken. Just as peace returns to the servants of God from those who do not receive the blessed peace, so too the wickedness of sinners, with which they try to harm the righteous, will turn back to their own destruction; so that they may be killed by their own weapons and wounds. For often the javelins are thrown back upon those who threw them. This also happened in a recent war, when the unbelievers and sacrilegious attacked someone who trusted in the Lord and tried to take away his kingdom, threatening the churches of the Lord with cruel persecutions; so that suddenly a wind arose, which stripped the shields from the hands of the unbelievers, and turned the weapons and missiles against the army of the sinner. The enemy was still missing, and now they could not withstand the battles of the winds, and they were struck by their own spears. And what is worse, those wounds were not of the body, but of the mind; for they were losing heart, as they realized they were fighting against God. So they went out as provocateurs, and from the quiver of their own hearts they brought forth poisoned arrows of treachery against the Christian people; but their impiety turned back upon their own heads. Finally, they themselves are undone by their own treachery, and the Lord has dispersed the traps prepared for the faithful; so that not only could they not harm the pious, but they were exposed by their own resources and turned their weapons against the enemy. How much better would it have been if they had not drawn their sword from its sheath, that is, if they had not uttered impious words at all? For if everyone must give an account for idle talk, how much more will they atone for words of sacrilege with severe punishments? You have tested us with fire, says David (Ps. XVI, 3). Therefore, we will all be tested by fire. And Ezekiel says: Behold, the Lord Almighty is coming; and who will endure the day of his coming, or who will stand when he appears to us? For he will come like the fire of a refiner and like the lye of a launderer; and he will sit refining and purifying like gold and silver: and he will purify the sons of Levi and pour them out like gold and like silver, and they will offer sacrifice to the Lord in righteousness (Malachi III, 2 and 3). Therefore, the sons of Levi will be purified by fire, by the fire of Ezekiel, by the fire of Daniel. But although they will be tested by fire, they will still say: We have passed through fire and water (Ps. 65:12). Others will remain in the fire: the fire will rain on them, like the Hebrew boys who were thrown into the fiery furnace; but the avenging fire will consume the ministers of wickedness. Woe to me if my work should burn, and I suffer loss from this labor! And if the Lord will save His servants, we will be saved by faith, yet saved as if by fire; and even if we are not consumed, still we will be burned. However, how some remain in fire, others pass through, the divine Scripture teaches us in another place. Indeed, in the Red Sea the people of the Egyptians were submerged (Exod. XIV, 22 et seq.), but the people of the Hebrews passed through; Moses passed through, Pharaoh was precipitated: for graver sins had submerged him. In this manner sacrilegious individuals will be cast into the lake of burning fire, who have hurled proud insults at God. Let us therefore follow the pillar of fire placed here, which illuminates us while we are placed in this body, and shows us the way; so that in the future the cloud may cool the heat of the night for us: that we may be able to relieve the savage fires. But let us see what the Scripture says: 'Let the Lord break the bow of the wicked. But He placed His own bow in the clouds, so that the floods would cease and peace would be restored.' Therefore, let us believe that the adversary and wicked one extends his bow in order to disturb peaceful hearts, stir up storms, and incite winds. Let us pray, then, that our Lord God dissolve the bow of wickedness; let Him be present to His poor and needy, who, out of fear of God, have led themselves to believe that wealth should not be desired, the property of the less fortunate should not be seized, and the widows should not be robbed of their inheritance left by their ancestors. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Evagrius Ponticus: When one of the enemies approaches to wound you and you want to "turn his own sword back against his heart," according to the Scripture text, then do as we tell you. Distinguish within yourself the thought he has launched against you, as to what it is, how many elements it consists of and among these what sort of thing it is that most afflicts the mind.… As you engage in this careful examination, the thought will be destroyed and dissipate in its own consideration, and the demon will flee from you when your intellect has been raised to the heights by this knowledge. — ON THOUGHTS 19 Theodore of Mopsuestia: Even if the sinner tries to plot against the righteous person and is bent on carrying it through in every way, do not then grind your teeth at his going unpunished. God will spit on his plot, knowing that he will suffer sometime and that it is he who will sustain harm from his plot against the righteous. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 37:15 Ambrose of Milan: A person might be rich in disputation, as are certain irreligious philosophers of this world. They can discourse on the movement of the heavenly bodies, of the stars, of Jupiter and Saturn, on the generation of humankind, on the cult of idols, on geometry and dialectics. Those philosophers are therefore rich in eloquence, but in faith they are poor, and in truth they are needy. On the other hand, very often the Lord's priests are simple people. They are poor in eloquence but sublime in abstinence and virtue. Those philosophers utter falsehood to the multitude; these priests preach the faith to the few. Those others lose priests every day; but this poor priest adds whole peoples to the number of believers and to the church. Anyone who hears and sees the quality of their works will say, "Better is a little to the just than the great riches of the wicked." — COMMENTARY ON TWELVE Psalms 37:28 Ambrose of Milan: (Vers. 16.) It is better to be a little just, than to have many riches from the sins of the wicked. Therefore, riches are not condemned, but the riches of sinners; unless perhaps because a sinner said: All these things have been delivered to me, and I give them to whomever I wish (Luke 4:6). Furthermore, since riches inflame the torch of greed more, and each person desires greater things, they do not turn away from the paths of sin. Hence, the Savior said: Make friends for yourselves with the mammon of wickedness (Luke 16:9). For the census of wickedness is the one who is in the power of the devil, to whom he wants to give it. It can also be understood: It is better for the unjust to have little than for the wealthy sinners to have many riches; because there is one who is rich in words, like the philosophers of this world who discuss sacrilege, the movement of the stars, the star of Jupiter and Saturn, the generation of humans, the worship of idols, geometry, and dialectic. Therefore, philosophers are rich in speech, poor in faith, devoid of truth. And there are many simple priests of the Lord, poor in speech but exalted in abstinence and virtue. They speak deceit to many, while only a few affirm the faith; they lose their own priests daily, while this one gains the poor people for the Church, with a significant number of believers. Therefore, whoever hears these (priests) and sees the quality of their works, says: It is better to have little with righteousness, than great riches with many sins. Hence, Solomon derived that saying which he seemingly put forth as his own: From much talking, you will not escape sin (Proverbs 10:19). Therefore dialectic flows with an abundance of words, while piety preserves the fear of God. Thus, one should be sparing in words, rich in spirit, and more inclined to fear than to boast empty words. For fear is the discipline of wisdom: loquacity is the shipwreck of innocence and virtue, and an incentive to falling and fault. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "And their bows shall be broken." What is meant by, "And their bows shall be broken"? Their plots shall be frustrated. For above He had said, "The wicked have drawn out the sword and bent their bows." By the "drawing out of the sword" he would have understood open hostility; but by the" bending of the bow," secret conspiracies. See! His sword destroys himself, and his laying of snares is frustrated. What is meant by frustrated? That it does no mischief to the righteous. How then, for instance (you ask), did it do no mischief to the man, whom it thus stripped of his goods, whom it reduced to straitened circumstances by taking away his possessions? He has still cause to sing, "A little that a righteous man has, is better than great riches of the ungodly" [Psalms 37:16]. — Exposition on Psalms 37 Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 17.) For the arms, he says, of the sinners will be broken. So that their actions cannot bring any impediment to the righteous; so that the rod of the sinners is not left over the lot of the righteous. And Paul says: May God crush Satan under your feet (Rom. XVI, 20). For if his arm has been broken, he himself will be completely crushed, and his comments will be trampled upon, like the venom of a serpent. But the Lord strengthens the righteous, with the arm of the adversary broken. And therefore the righteous says: And you have confirmed your hand upon me (Ps. 37:3). And Job says: The hand of the Lord has touched me (Job 19:21). So the Lord sent his hand upon his servant, and he broke the hand of the sinner that he had sent against him with power. Thus the devil was deceived by his own words, who said: Stretch forth your hand against him, and let us see if he will not bless you to your face (Job 2:5). For he did not dare to say curses, but he left this to be understood. God sent his hand, and Job was strengthened. He began to bless, who was believed to curse; for he heals the righteous, when the divine hand touches, it does not harm. He sent his hand, and every spot of leprosy fled; he touched the eyes of the blind, and the blindness was removed, and the light of the eyes shone forth. Therefore, always seek to be strengthened, for even you who stand, see lest you fall. We must stand in order to be strengthened by the Lord. The world is slippery, we swiftly slide. Therefore, let us pray that the Lord deems us worthy to establish and strengthen us. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: ..."For the arms of the wicked shall be broken" (ver. 17). Now by "their arms" is meant their power. What will he do in hell? Will it be what the rich man had to do, he who was wont "to fare sumptuously" in the upper world, and in hell "was tormented"? Therefore their arms shall be broken; "but the Lord upholdeth the righteous." How does He "uphold" them? What saith He unto them? Even what is said in another Psalm, "Wait on the Lord, be of good courage; and let thine heart be strengthened. Wait, I say, on the Lord." What is meant by this, "Wait on the Lord"? Thou sufferest but for a time; thou shalt rest for ever: thy trouble is short; thy happiness is to be everlasting. It is but for "a little while" thou art to sorrow; thy joy shall have no end. But in the midst of trouble does thy "foot" begin to "slip"? The example even of Christ's sufferings is set before thee. Consider what He endured for thee, in whom no cause was found why He should endure it? How great soever be thy sufferings, thou wilt not come to those insults, those scourgings, to that robe of shame, to that crown of thorns, and last of all to that Cross, which He endured; because that is now removed from the number of human punishments. For though under the ancients criminals were crucified, in the present day no one is crucified. It was honoured, and it came to an end. It came to an end as a punishment; it is continued in glory. It hath removed from the place of execution to the foreheads of Emperors. He who hath invested His very sufferings with such honour, what doth He reserve for His faithful servants?... — Exposition on Psalms 37 Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 18, 19.) Do not think that the Lord does not know your way. If you are righteous, He knows. Believe what the Prophet says: The Lord knows the ways of the blameless; and their inheritance will be blameless. They will not be put to shame in times of trouble. Those who know the Lord are known by the Lord. He knows the righteous, He does not know the unjust; therefore He will say to the unjust: Depart from me, all you who practice iniquity: I do not know you (Matthew 7:23); that is, because you are unworthy of divine knowledge. I do not know you; because you yourselves desired not to know me. Your works do not know me, your deeds do not know me; even if you say that you know me, your sins convict you. Every sin is from evil: but whoever does not sin remains in me, this is written by John (1 John 3:6). What shall I say about the Lord, because he despises the wicked to know? Paul despises those who said: If anyone among you is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize what I write to you: but whoever does not recognize, shall not be recognized (1 Corinthians 14:37-38). And elsewhere it is written: The Lord knows those who are his (2 Timothy 2:19). Let us therefore be of the Lord, so that the Lord may recognize us, and let every one who invokes the name of the Lord turn away from iniquity. The Greek has: The Lord knows the days of the immaculates. For there are the days of Elijah, there are the days of Nebuchadnezzar; therefore the Gospel has: In the days of Elijah, when the heavens were closed (Luke IV, 25). It was a night for the faithless, but it was light for Elijah; the heavens were closed for the faithless, but they were open for Elijah; there was hunger for the faithless, but abundance for Elijah; for he could not hunger, to whom heavenly food was provided; nor did he hunger, who himself fed others. Therefore, for him it is a just day in darkness; because even light shines in darkness. And Joseph was in Egypt, and midday shone upon him; as it is said below: But to the sinner God said: why do you recount my justices (Ps. XLIX, 16)? Justice is light, because you have above: And he will bring forth your justice as the light (Ps. XXXVI, 6). Therefore, you have what may shine in you, if you follow justice. The day shines for you, the night shines for you; because to the faithful even the night will be illuminated like day. Therefore, the Lord knows the just, because he enlightens every man coming into this world (John 1:9), that is, the one who lives according to the image and likeness of God; the one who recognizes himself as a human being, in order to avoid the lust of horses, the madness of wild animals, the fear of rabbits, the deceit of foxes, the rapacity of wolves; the man who acts as if he has come into this world; who is not born of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, but of God. So you have come, do not stay, do not cling to earthly things. In order to know that the days are good, listen to what Abraham said: . . . he saw my day, and was glad (John 8:56) . Good is the day for those who know the good Son of God, and confess the Lord. And again he warns us to be careful, because there are evil days (Ephesians 5:16) . What are evil days? Those in which evil is certainly recognized, which comes from evil. Or perhaps the days of this age are evil; because the age is in the power of the evil one. But we also read after a hundred years, the day of evil: In the evil day the Lord will deliver him (Ps. 40:2), that is, on the day of judgment, evil indeed on account of the punishments of many. For it is necessary that the unjust be tormented, and the just suffer with them; because even the angels rejoice when one sinner is saved from death. Therefore, they suffer with him when he is punished; although elsewhere we have read: The just shall rejoice when he shall see the revenge (Ps. 57:11), which I reserve for its proper place; although frequently you may have heard why he rejoices; but let us not insert one occupation into another. The Lord knows the days of the immaculate, for by the grace of His immaculate innocence and fullness, He has mercy, He does not have mercy on the erring. They do not have a day, for they flee from the light, of whom it is beautifully said: Their days pass like a shadow (Psalms 143:4). Therefore, knowledge of God is a matter of worthiness, not of vision. His eyes are light: those whom He looks upon, He illuminates; and therefore, His eyes are the days of the just. Therefore, their inheritance will be eternal; because they sought eternal goods, not the fleeting benefits of inheritance. And they will not have anything to be ashamed of in the time of evil, that is, the celestial judgment: and in days of hunger they will be satisfied; because man does not live by bread alone, but by every word of God (Matthew 4:4). But who is this man? I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago (whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows) was caught up to the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2). Therefore, that person who is in Christ, who does not know himself to be in the flesh, who does not walk in the flesh but in the spirit; that person who is caught up not only to heaven, but even to the third heaven, is caught up to paradise, and hears secret words that are not lawful for a man to utter; who does not boast in his own virtues, but in his weaknesses: he does not live on bread alone, but on every word of God. For the Word of God is life, because the Word became flesh. Whereas the Evangelist excellently said: That which was made in him, is life. (John 1:14). The Alexandrians and Egyptians indeed read: All things were made through him, and without him, nothing was made that was made (John, 1); and with a distinction added, they subject: In him is life (John, 5). Let that distinction be preserved for the faithful: I am not afraid to read: What was made in him, is life; and the Arian has nothing to hold onto, because I do not consider his poisons, but recognize the custom of sacred reading. For He did not say: The Word was made before all beginning. He did not say: The Word was made; but if you desire to hear what He did say: The Word, He says, was with God. The Word was with God, which worked with Him, which ruled with Him. He did not say: The Word was made; but He said: God was the Word: and God is not made, but is the Maker and Creator. Open your ears, and hear: All things were made by Him, and without Him was made nothing. Do you learn to be the Son, in whom the fullness of divinity is? Open your ears a little more and listen to what he says: What has been made in him is life. In him, he says, it was made: the Word of God was not made. Or if this moves you to calumny, because he said: in him it was made; do you also calumniate God the Father, because the Son of God said: But whoever does the truth comes to the light, that their works may be manifested, because they are done in God (John 3:21)? But because David said, I will confess to you, O Lord, because you have heard me, and have become my salvation (Psalms 117:21); that is, you have turned to me for salvation, you have worked for my salvation. I could use other examples, but I do not want you to believe me; lest you think these are the arguments of cleverness, not the testimonies of truth. He himself is the thundering son, he himself who reclined on Christ's breast, he himself to whom the Lord did not keep his secrets silent, to whom Peter hinted to inquire about the Lord, and he inquired, and the Lord revealed; let him himself explain what he thought about what he said: That which was made in him is life. Therefore, listen to the interpreter, because he already guarded against your calumnies, Ariane: That which was from the beginning; and what we have heard, and seen with our eyes; what we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the Word of life, and life appeared (1 John 1:1). Therefore, the flesh that appeared in Christ, or Christ in the flesh, is our life in all things. His divinity is life; His eternity is life; His flesh is life; His passion is life. Hence Jeremiah also says: 'In His shadow we shall live' (Lamentations 4:20). The shadow of His wings, the shadow of the cross, is the shadow of His passion. His death is life; His wounds are life; His blood is life; His burial is life; His resurrection is life for all. Do you want to know that death is its own life? In death, he says, we are baptized with him... so that we may walk with him in the newness of life (Rom. VI, 3 and 4). And he himself said: Amen, amen I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it brings forth much fruit (John XII, 4 and 5). He himself, the grain, was loosened from us and died, so that he might bring forth much fruit in us. Therefore, death is the fruit of life. Whatever is done in him, is life. Flesh is made in him, is life; infancy is made in him, is life; judgment is made in him, is life; death is made in him, is life; forgiveness of sins is made in him, is life; wound is made in him, is life; illusion is made in him, is life; division is made in him, is life; burial is made in him, is life; resurrection is made in him, is life. See how great in Him there were made things which are the conversion of our life, so that what perished might be restored. At last, a sale was made in Him, it is life: a redemption was made in Him, it is life. For death He was sold by Judas, bought by the Jews for death, so that we might be redeemed by His precious blood unto life. This is the life which was made, this is the life which appeared, this is the life which we heard, this is the life which was with the Father; because He Himself, who was in the beginning, after, was born of a Virgin, so that He might be life to those who are to die. Let us explore this proposed place. What is a human in Christ? It is being made in Christ, in whom everything is made, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, all things were created through him and for him, and he is before all things, and in him all things hold together (Colossians 1:16-17), that is, in his power. Therefore, a human in Christ is one who is made in his image and likeness: a human in Christ is one who is entirely in Christ. For just as God, through the unity and fullness of divinity, the Father is the whole God in the Son, and the Son in the Father; so through intention and the affection of piety (as if for example, not for comparison), the whole man is in Christ; for whoever clings to the Lord is one spirit. Therefore, the man in Christ is not the earthly one, not the one of sin; but the man of Christ. What then moves: That which was done in him is life; if also the especially inner man, was made in him, crucified in him, renewed in him, buried in him, and buried with him, raised up in him? What moves, as I have said, is that it is written: That which was done in him, is life; when a man says: In God we will do our virtue (Psalms 59:14). If you ask what life is, if it is moved by what was done in him, understand. Indeed, life is the Church. It was done in him, in his side, Eva was resurrected in him. Eva, however, is life, that is, what was done; because Eva, who had perished, was saved through the Church, that is, through the generation of her children, as it is written (1 Timothy 2:15); because the heritage sobriety of the previous disobedient woman has repaired the offence. And even Paul himself was caught up to life, who before was a persecutor unto death. We have wandered too long, so that we may speak about that man who delivered not only bread, but also every word of God. Let us return to the psalm: Therefore the blameless shall not be put to shame on the day of judgment, and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Ambrose of Milan: The Lord knows the days of the immaculate, for by the grace of His immaculate innocence and fullness, He has mercy, He does not have mercy on the erring. They do not have a day, for they flee from the light, of whom it is beautifully said: Their days pass like a shadow. Therefore, knowledge of God is a matter of worthiness, not of vision. His eyes are light: those whom He looks upon, He illuminates; and therefore, His eyes are the days of the just. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms, On Psalms 37, 33 Augustine of Hippo: ..."The Lord knoweth the ways of the spotless ones" (ver. 18). When they suffer ills, they are believed to be walking ill ways by those who are ignorant, by those who have not knowledge to discern "the ways of the spotless ones." He who "knoweth those ways," knoweth by what way to lead His own, "them that are gentle," in the right way. Whence in another Psalm he said, "The meek shall He guide in judgment; them that are gentle will He teach His way." How, think you, was that beggar, who lay covered with sores before the rich man's door, spurned by the passers by! How did they, probably, close their nostrils and spit at him! The Lord, however, knew how to reserve Paradise for him. How did they, on the other hand, desire for themselves the life of him who was "clad in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day!" But the Lord, who foresaw that man's "day coming," knew the torments, the torments without end, that were in store for him. Therefore "The Lord knoweth the ways of the upright." "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, shall not be equally manifest to us as they are now to Him, who is incapable of change. Yet even of us ourselves what is said? "Beloved, now are we the sons of God: and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." There is therefore surely some blissful vision reserved for us; and if it can be now in some measure conceived, "darkly and through a glass," yet cannot we in any way express in language the ravishing beauty of that bliss, which God reserves for them that fear Him, which He consummates in those that hope in Him. It is for that destination that our hearts are being disciplined in all the troubles and trials of this life. Wonder not that it is in trouble that thou art disciplined for it. It is for something glorious that thou art being disciplined. Whence comes that speech of the now strengthened righteous man: "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us"? What is that promised glory to be, but to be made equal to the Angels and to see God? How great a benefit doth he bestow on the blind man, who makes his eyes sound so as to be able to see the light of this life. ...What reward then shall we give unto that Physician who restores soundness to our inward eyes, to enable them to see a certain eternal Light, which is Himself?... — Exposition on Psalms 37 Diodorus of Tarsus: "Knows" means makes his own, as in the first psalm, "Because the Lord knows the ways of the righteous," that is, makes them his own. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 37 Augustine of Hippo: "They shall not be ashamed in the evil time" (ver. 19). In the day of trouble, in the day of distress, they shall not be "ashamed," as he is ashamed whose hope deceives him. Who is the man that is "ashamed"? He who saith, "I have not found that which I was in hopes of." Nor undeservedly either; for thou didst hope it from thyself or from man, thy friend. But "cursed is he that putteth his trust in man." Thou art ashamed, because thy hope hath deceived thee; thy hope that was set on a lie. For "every man is a liar." But if thou dost place thy hopes on thy God, thou art not made "ashamed." For He in whom thou hast put thy trust, cannot be deceived. Whence also the man whom we mentioned just above, the now "strengthened" righteous man, when fallen on an evil time, on the day of tribulation, what saith he to show that he was not "ashamed"? "We glory in tribulation; knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope; but hope maketh not ashamed." Whence is it that hope "maketh not ashamed"? Because it is placed on God. Therefore follows immediately, "Because the love of God is spread in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, which is given unto us." The Holy Spirit hath been given to us already: how should He deceive us, of whom we possess such an "earnest" already? "They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied."... — Exposition on Psalms 37 Theodoret of Cyrus: Those choosing a blameless life enjoy providence completely; even if they encounter disasters, they will emerge superior to them; and when need becomes endemic, they will receive sufficiency from God, and in addition will enjoy everlasting goods. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 37:6 Ambrose of Milan: The Greek puts it more forcibly, showing that where a person appears honored and exalted, there, by his very own failure, he is brought to a halt. It is rather like the current of a river: you think that it flows past you more swiftly than it came and that, while you are waiting for the waters to flow toward you, they have already rushed past you even as you waited. — COMMENTARY ON TWELVE Psalms 37:39 Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 20.) They are gone like smoke that is gone. The Greek 'ἐξέλιπον' means, they have failed. You see someone suddenly come to power and receive honors; you regard them as lofty. You see another succeed them; don't you say about them: Where is the one who was honored and exalted? They have failed. Therefore, the Greek adds more; because where someone is believed to be honored and exalted, there they are surpassed by their own downfall; so that you may understand that the passing of rivers has passed sooner than it has come; and while you wait for what is to come, the currents have already flowed by. On the contrary, the humble and meek, while being subjected and oppressed by the rich, were exalted by their humility and suddenly shone forth. Therefore, Paul took pleasure in weaknesses, not in virtues. But let us consider, lest anyone think that he has boasted in revelations; and let us repeat them, so that he may defend himself as the teacher of humility. I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago, whether in the body I do not know, or outside of the body I do not know, God knows, who was caught up to the third heaven (2 Cor. XII, 2). He says that it was revealed to him fourteen years ago, and yet he kept and suppressed the revelation for so long; he would not have said it unless he had judged it useful for us to hear; lest we be exalted by revelations. For if Paul did not boast in such great grace, neither should we boast. Did the young man himself boast, should the old man boast? Then he could not deny being caught up to the third heaven; and yet he testified that he did not know whether he was caught up in the body or out of the body. Therefore, he does not boast about knowledge; but about ignorance, and he proclaims God's grace towards him. What belongs to knowledge, he denies; what belongs to charity, he confesses: for knowledge puffs up, but charity builds up. And again, he said of such a person who was caught up: in what way he was caught up, whether in the body or outside the body, he himself was uncertain. See the scale of wisdom. He established himself as one in Christ, and the other as himself, who says: I do not know. What is foreign, he exalts. What is his own, he humbles. And he heard, he says, unutterable words (1 Corinthians 12:4). He did not say: I heard, but he did not deny that another heard. Therefore, he preferred to indicate himself as a modest witness rather than a prophet, and he refused to appear as the arbiter of heavenly secrets. For it is the testimony of truth, not to shrink from boasting in deserved exaltation. Therefore, it is said: 'For this I will boast; but for myself, I will not boast.' (Ibid., 5). But what is it that he says he heard, a man, and that man in Christ, which is not lawful for a man to speak? How does this agree, that it was not lawful for a man to speak, which was lawful for a man to hear? If it is not lawful for the man who heard to speak, how was he trusted to hear what was not permitted to speak? What is this difference? If it was to another man who was external, how could a man know what it was not lawful for a man to hear? It seems that the grace of speaking did not fail that man who was in Christ, to whom it did not fail; but it failed in those who were listening, because they lacked the place, the time, and the merit. For he heard it in heaven; and therefore it was judged inappropriate for him to speak on earth what he had heard in heaven; for in this very earth is such a distinction, that what is sung in one region is not sung in another, as it is written: 'How shall we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land?' (Psalms 136:4) Finally, the Hebrews did not sing in the land of captivity, which they were accustomed to singing in their own country. This land of captivity is different from the land of liberty; the former is a land of sin, while the latter is a land of eternal peace. The former is earthly, while the latter is heavenly. Therefore, Paul now proclaims in heaven what he could not proclaim on earth; for the secrets of wisdom are to be spoken among the perfected. However, what does the mention of this revelation accomplish, except to teach that in revelations there should be no boasting, but in weaknesses; for weakness is both the medicine of revelation and the exercise of virtue? On the other hand, revelation is the slippery slope of pride; for the apostle Paul himself, who was caught up to the third heaven, received a thorn in the flesh, lest he should be exalted by the greatness of the revelation. Therefore, weakness comes to the rescue, lest grace should be turned into danger. Therefore, weakness is more useful than grace. This same weakness is also the workshop of virtue; as the Lord testified to the Apostle himself, because strength is perfected in weaknesses (II Cor. XII, 9). Finally, after the revelation, he asked for the remedy of health and did not obtain it; but in weakness, he did not seek a remedy, but completed his course and found the crown. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "For the wicked shall perish. But the enemies of the Lord, when they shall begin to glory, and to be lifted up, immediately shall consume away utterly, even as the smoke" (ver. 20). Recognise from the comparison itself the thing which he intimates. Smoke, breaking forth from the place where fire has been, rises up on high, and by the very act of rising up, it swells into a large volume: but the larger that volume is, the more unsubstantial does it become; for from that very largeness of volume, which has no foundation or consistency, but is merely loose, shifting and evanescent, it passes into air, and dissolves; so that you perceive its very largeness to have been fatal to it. For the higher it ascends, the farther it is extended, the wider the circumference which it spreads itself over, the thinner, and the more rare and wasting and evanescent does it become. "But the enemies of the Lord, when they shall begin to glory, and to be lifted up, immediately shall consume away utterly even as the smoke." Of such as these was it said, "As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the Truth; men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith." But how is it that they resist the Truth, except by the vain inflation of their swelling pride, while they raise themselves up on high, as if great and righteous persons, though on the point of passing away into empty air? But what saith he of them? As if speaking of smoke, he says, "They shall proceed no farther, for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, even as theirs also was."... — Exposition on Psalms 37 Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 21.) The sinner borrows and does not repay; but the righteous shows mercy and gives. This also applies to the person of Paul, because the righteous shows mercy and gives. See how he divides the Lord's words, see how he lends the Lord's silver. He received one mina and returned two; he received two and returned four; he received five and returned ten. He did not tie up in a handkerchief what he had received, but he spent it on moneylenders; and what he had spent, he received back with interest. And so he freed the one receiving from the greatest sin, lest the money of the Lord would perish with him; and he redeemed himself to be appointed over ten cities. Look in the letters for which are the ten cities that he mentions; although the apostles are not bound by a prescribed number, to whom it was said: Go throughout the whole world and preach the Gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). Therefore, he distributed the money of the Lord from Jerusalem through the East, Illyricum, and Italy. And lest anyone think that he was lending his own money, he testified that it was the Lord's money, saying: But to those who are joined in marriage, I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband (1 Corinthians 7:10). And elsewhere: Do you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me? (2 Corinthians 13:3). Finally, the king himself said this, in which he represents the Lord: You should have entrusted my money to the bankers. He said, 'my money', not yours. Therefore, he shows mercy and gives. How he gives, you may hear him saying: I teach through all the churches. But the sinner borrows and does not repay (I Cor. VII, 17). See the rich man lending, and not returning: the poor man receiving, and immediately rewarding, so that he may not be in another's debt for long. These are moral teachings. Now behold the mystic poor, that is, the simple and God-fearing one, who hears the word of chastity and keeps it; who hears of mercy and practices it; who hears of meekness and does not become angry. But that rich one, arrogant and proud, hears indeed, but rejects the words of God; who hears of the condemnation of lust and indulges in it even more. In the end, the Church fulfills what it has received, but the Synagogue does not fulfill it. Know the Church to be freed: (Jesus) says, 'They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word' (John 17:6). And elsewhere: 'For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me' (John 16:27). Therefore, the Church returned the money of charity that it received from the Lord, but the Synagogue did not return it. Therefore, it is said of the Jews: 'If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin' (John 15:24); because they have certainly heard and not believed. Therefore, it is proven that sinners have borrowed and not paid back. Thus, the sinner is always in need, while the righteous person abounds and gives, whose conscience is rich. Therefore, the Jews became poor in their wealth: The wealthy became poor and hungry (Psalms 33:11); However, the Christians have not lacked in the wealth of their simplicity. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "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 the sinner hath received, and which he will not repay! He hath received the gift of being; he hath received the gift of being a man; and of a being highly distinguished above the brutes; he hath received the form of a body, and the distinction of the senses in the body, eyes for seeing, ears for hearing, the nostrils for smelling, the palate for tasting, the hands for touching, and the feet for walking; and even the very health and soundness of the body. But up to this point we have these things in common even with the brute; he hath received yet more than this; a mind capable of understanding, capable of Truth, capable of distinguishing right from wrong; capable of seeking after, of longing for, its Creator, of praising Him, and fixing itself upon Him. All this the wicked man hath received as well as others; but by not living well, he fails to repay that which he owes. Thus it is, "the wicked borroweth, and payeth not again:" he will not requite Him from whom he hath received; he will not return thanks; nay, he will even render evil for good, blasphemies, murmuring against God, indignation. Thus it is that he "borroweth, and payeth not again; but the righteous showeth mercy, and lendeth" (ver. 21). The one therefore hath nothing; the other hath. See, on the one side, destitution: see, on the other, wealth. The one receiveth and "payeth not again:" the "other showeth mercy, and lendeth:" and he hath more than enough. What if he is poor? Even so he is rich; do you but look at his riches with the eyes of Religion. For thou lookest at the empty chest; but dost not look at the conscience, that is full of God.... — Exposition on Psalms 37 Theodoret of Cyrus: Saul was like that, ever the object of kindness at the hands of the divine David but reluctant to repay kindness with kindness; blessed David …, in imitation of his Lord, who makes his sun rise on wicked and good, continued showing kindness. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 37:7 Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 22.) Therefore, the righteous is good; and for this reason, Scripture adds: For those who bless him shall possess the land; but those who curse him shall be destroyed. How does the righteous possess the land, or what land, when Scripture says: Will you alone dwell on the earth? (Isaiah 5:8) And elsewhere: Woe to those who dwell on the earth (Revelation 8:13), which is a word of rebuke and curse. Therefore, whose blessed possession is the land? Not of that which is hidden in darkness and filled with bitterness: but of that which flows with honey and milk, that is, has the grace of sweetness, and the radiance of eternal light. Receive the sweetness of good honey; indeed, above honey: Pain and groaning and sadness will flee away (Isaiah 35:10); for the sweetness of grace will exclude the bitterness of human frailty. And elsewhere: And he will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more, nor mourning (Revelation 21:4). They will also receive the brightness of milk. And they will not need a lamp, nor the light of the sun; for the Lord himself will illuminate them, and they will reign forever and ever. Amen (Rev. XXIV, 5). There is also the mystical just one, who shows mercy and grants, who has given us all the words that He received from the Father, and has forgiven us the debt of our sins, and has paid for our debts with His own blood; so that we would not be in debt to another, but that the good creditor would have us in His own debt. And there is also that sinner who has gathered what he did not produce, and has borrowed what he did not possess, and does not want to give back what he received. Listen, for the devil has borrowed: 'To you,' he says, 'I will give all this power and their glory (because they have been given to me, and I give them to whom I want) if you will fall down and worship me' (Luke 4:6). Most wicked one, you have accepted for temptation, not for death; that is, you have accepted for the testing of God's servants, not for their annihilation; you have accepted for the worship of God, not for his denial; you have accepted secular things, why do you take away things that are eternal? you have accepted things of this world, why do you want to take away things that are of Christ? Give those things to whom you want, we do not envy. Why are the things we desire envied by you? You want to be worshipped, who are more wicked than all, and yet unworthy of service yourself. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 23.) The steps of a man are established by the Lord. The Greek word διαβήματα means 'steps' or 'transitions'. And therefore it is said to you: If you pass through water, rivers will not stop you (Isaiah 43:2). Therefore, cross over, do not hesitate; like a good traveler, when he comes to a sign on the road, he does not stop, but passes through; and you are on a journey, as long as you are in this course. If Paul had stopped, he would not have completed his race. See that he does not say: And you who stand, be careful not to fall (1 Corinthians 10:12). For surely the one who passes by cannot fear to fall. I saw, he said, the wicked exalted and lifted up above the cedars of Lebanon; and I passed by, and behold, he was no more (below verse 35). Therefore, seeing the wicked exalted, who did not stand, he did not stumble: if he had stood and marveled at him, and had followed him, he would have stumbled and fallen like a wicked person. Thus, when Moses saw the bush burning but not consumed, he said: I will go and see this great sight as I pass by (Exodus III, 3). He who passes from this world sees a great sight: he who breaks the chains of this bond by which we are bound to this body sees a great sight. Moses, as it is read in Exodus, sees many miracles: not so great does another see who is not in Exodus. The same Moses passed over: the people of the fathers also passed over, for they came out of the land of captivity. Therefore, their steps were directed by the Lord, to whom by night a pillar of fire shone, and by day a cloud; so that neither the heat of the day afflicted the travelers, nor did the darkness of the night bring hindrance to those journeying. And you deserve by your deeds and prayers that your steps may be directed by the Lord, and that your feet may not be moved; for it is written: As for me, my feet were almost moved; my steps had well nigh slipped (Psalms 73:2). It is also necessary to be careful not to forsake the straight path, and not to be deceived by the byways of crooked ways; therefore it is said: Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths (Isaiah 40:3). Let us therefore prepare the way for the Lord our God in our minds; let us make straight the paths of our souls, so that we may not stumble; let not our steps be poured out like the steps of Lot's wife, who looked behind her and could not keep her steps, but they were poured out, when suddenly she was turned into salt; let them not be poured out like the Egyptians, whose steps were swallowed up by the waves of the sea. Those Hebrews who were with Moses, because they sinned in the desert, fell the footprints, lest they enter the land of resurrection. Is it not also nicely said about these things, because their efforts have been wasted, the hopes of which have been dashed, their wishes have been abandoned. Consider, for example, someone who for several years has had a desire for righteousness, a commitment to chastity, an attentiveness to a more disciplined life, a devoted intention to servitude, and a diligent observance of duty; suddenly, however, they have changed, have departed from the monastery, have bid farewell to fasts, have renounced abstinence, have indulged in pleasures, and have pursued luxury. They recently left the monasteries and are now masters of luxury, spreaders of incontinence, inciters of impudence, detractors of modesty. Don't you nicely say about them: Their steps have been poured out, those whom it repented to have directed well? Therefore, they perform repentance of a new kind for virtues, and they do not act for sins. But they have gone out from us, says John, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us (I John II, 19). Therefore, they have condemned their own way, to whom it is fitting to say: O you who have forsaken the straight paths, by going into the ways of darkness; and you who rejoice in evil, and delight in wickedness, whose paths are crooked, and whose course is winding, like their slippery and winding master; why have you begun to hate the straight way, and forsaken the just counsel? (Prov. II, 13 et seq.) Has not the Lord directed you: but the one whom the Lord directs, will desire his way, as it is written, and will delight in his paths. Nevertheless, both can be understood: in this way there is a middle ground, namely that the person who is guided by the Lord will desire the Lord's way; because with Him as the guide, all labor is lightened, all obstacles are removed, incentives are provided: and the Lord Himself does not reject, but willingly accepts the path of the man whom He Himself has directed to virtue. Indeed, the steps of the man are beautifully said to be directed by the Lord; because it is not of one who is unwilling or running, but of one who is merciful, to keep the path without stumbling. For the one who plants and waters is nothing, but God who gives the increase. To Him alone belongs the glory of virtues. Finally, even the righteous person sometimes falls; but if they are truly righteous, when they fall, they will not be disturbed. Whatever pertains to condition falls; what pertains to righteousness rises again: because God does not forsake the righteous, but strengthens their hand. Why did he say hand and not foot? Unless perhaps because someone who falls does not slip more with their foot, but rather a weak person is often deceived on a slippery surface or stumbles upon a rock; but understand here the fall of the righteous person, that is, of the stronger one. Finally, concerning the people who struggle, if they bend a knee or stumble with a foot, they are considered defeated; but an athlete who has skill in wrestling, and wrestles for a crown, even willingly plants a knee in order to win; and if they stumble, they are not excluded; and if someone superior to them presses upon them, while still supporting themselves with their hands, they have the right to fight; and their prize is not taken away, unless they are thrown on their belly or stretched out by a bond of the arms. Hence frequent contests arise; because there are many types of falls that are both numerous and unknown to most. For their conditions are properly called ruins, for they are called πτώματα in Greek. Therefore, when it is squeezed and pressed, it often turns over and becomes above what it was below, and while the higher one rises, it knocks down the higher one: which the Scripture seems to signify when it says: You have turned all his bed in his sickness (Psalms 40:4). Therefore, it is said of him: When a good athlete falls, he will not be disturbed; for many want to be held back, so that they may conquer earlier, who presume about art. But even if someone, as I will use the very word, has been assigned both the first and second, he is not excluded; although it is sometimes possible for him to repair the struggle, and it often happens that he who has overcome in the second contest yields. Therefore, even if a just person has stumbled and fallen into an offense, let him not abandon the pursuit of devotion and faith, let him hold onto sobriety, let him practice repentance, let him often repair himself. Therefore, Peter asks: 'If my brother sins against me, how many times shall I forgive him? Up to seven times?' (Matthew 18:21-22). And the Lord replied: Not just seven times, but seventy-seven times. But so that you may know that we are athletes and are propelled, and others rush forward, and many are thrown down, listen to the one who says: The Lord upholds all who fall, and lifts up all who are cast down (Psalms 145:14). Therefore, David himself, or the one who spoke in the Prophet, says about himself: I was pushed hard, so that I was falling; but the Lord helped me (Psalms 118:13); for Jesus did not fall, but was pushed. For when he Himself raised the dead, how could He Himself be hindered? And indeed, when the just man falls, Scripture testifies that he can rise again, saying: Does not the one who falls, add that he may rise again; or the one who turns away, will he not return? Woe to those who turn away with shameless turning, says the Lord (Jeremiah VIII, 4 and 5). Indeed, may the champion of Christ be inescapable and unbeatable, and glorious in every age, in every kind of virtue, as he himself says: But in all things we overwhelmingly conquer through him who loved us (Rom. VIII, 37). What does 'in all things' mean? There are athletes who are called boys, youths, men; that is, παῖδες, ἐφήβοι, πύκται. Scripture also recognizes these ages in wrestlers, as David says: Do not turn your face away from your servant (Psal. LXVIII, 18); and I was young, and now I am old (Later in verse 25). And John also says: I write to you, children; because you have known the Father: I write to you, young men; because you have overcome the evil one: I write to you, fathers; because you have known him who is from the beginning. (1 John 2:12 et seq.) And writing to the fathers, he designates those who are mature in the process of faith and devotion. Therefore, these are virtues, not ages of weakness; for even a child is not without virtue, who has known the Father God of virtues. From that boy, these are the boys who, before knowing how to call their father or mother, received the virtue of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria. He himself is the boy who was born to us, the son who was given to us, whose authority is upon his shoulders. He taught us that childhood is a virtue, saying: Allow the children and do not hinder them from coming to me (Luke XVIII, 16). And elsewhere: Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like this boy, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew XVIII, 3). Moreover, it is often the case that boys surpass men in physical strength. And especially if we consider the age of boyhood, a boy cannot either know all the uses or withstand the force of resistance. Nevertheless, we know that frequently boys, whom they were not able to carry, they have conquered. Such is the strength of the soul that it excludes the weakness of age. However, as the boys are, so are the adolescents, that is, spiritual. The Scripture knows the young man Paul, now near to conversion (Acts VII, 57); it also knows Eutychus, a young man who, while listening attentively to Paul's speeches, fell asleep, fell from the third floor, and rose again (Acts XX, 9); it also knows John, the young man who reclined on Christ's chest (John XIII, 23), who was so brave that he did not fear persecution and overcame evil. Here is the boy who left his earthly father (Matthew 4:20), following the Father whom he knew to be eternal; as a young man, clothed in a linen garment, he followed the Lord during his Passion, having left behind everything that was his own (Mark 14:51); as he grew older, he came to know that the Word of God was always and forever in the beginning (John 1:1-2), and he proved it by remaining in Him. Scripture also teaches us about spiritual men, as the prophet Agabus says: 'This man, whose belt this is, the Jews will bind in Jerusalem' (Acts 21:11). And Festus says: 'There is a certain man left by Felix in custody' (Acts 25:14). Before his passion, Paul is said to be a young man, but in his passion he is referred to as a man who has finished the race and is now close to the crown. We have known the ages striving for faith and devotion, let us also understand the various types of individual contests. Let this also be taught to us by the content of Scripture.In this secular struggle, there are some who engage in a simple and legitimate kind of wrestling and contend only with the restraints of the body, not knowing how to strike, and are called wrestlers; others who mix the throwing of punches with the entanglement of limbs, with every right to strike themselves: these are called pammacharians, because they have power over every dispute and fight against them; others who contend against each other with gloves and whose heads are torn apart, are tormented: these are called boxers. Paul the Apostle underwent all these struggles, as he himself demonstrates. Therefore, he says: Because our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers and authorities, and (to use a summary) against spiritual wickedness (Ephesians VI, 12). In most Latin texts, the word used is 'colluctatio', while in all Greek texts it is written as 'πάλη', which in Greek means 'wrestling' and in Latin means 'struggle'. And truly it is a struggle; because flesh and blood, and spiritual wickedness, are overcome through patient endurance and bodily self-control, and through the moderation of the mind. Anger, rage, slaughter, weapons are the devils. Also, elsewhere it signifies that when he says: In more than enough afflictions, frequently in deaths (2 Corinthians 11:23). But in Jerusalem he was struck with fists; where when the soldiers intervened, the Jews sometimes stopped striking Paul, the high priest Ananias ordered those standing by to strike him on the mouth, to which the Apostle replied: God will begin to strike you, you whitewashed wall. And do you, sitting in judgment, judge me according to the law, and order me to be struck outside the law? Surely he knew how to answer, who struck the high priest with a heavier blow; for he himself was physically struck: he reported that he was struck in the soul by Christ. Also, writing in his first letter to the Corinthians, he says: Therefore I so run, not as uncertainly: so I fight, not as one beating the air. What he said in Latin, 'I fight,' he says in Greek, πυκτεύω. And truly, like a good athlete, he beat not the air but the aerial powers and the leaders of the Jews, because they did not have Jesus the Lord as their leader. In every struggle, therefore, the Apostle is proven, who also received the crown of completing the race. Hence, he himself says: I can do all things in him who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13). And Christ also has those who, in their youth, conquer those who are older; just as Daniel, a young boy filled with spirit, rebuked the elders of the Jews and threw them down to death. And he also has others who, before they were born, struggled in their mother's womb. Finally, Jacob supplanted his brother Esau and overcame evil; and thus he came out of the womb of his mother, showing the emblem of victory and turning the foot of the defeated elder brother. Jeremiah was sanctified and approved in the womb of his mother. John the Baptist knew that the Prince of human struggle and the rewarder of those who wrestled had not yet come, and leaping forth from the womb of his mother, he deserved the prize of devout confession. He was rightly designated for the crown even then, who before all others had offered his name to the struggle of faith in Christ and had proclaimed the virtue of his name. A good proclaimer, who stirred others to the contest. And truly a good proclaimer; who shouted with such a loud voice that the secrets of heaven echoed in response to his sound. What more can be said? He moved the earth, filled the heavens. And for this reason, He received the name of Voice, because the Sacred Word of God preceded, just as He Himself taught us, saying: I am the voice of one crying in the desert (John 1:23). Isaiah the prophet said this about Himself: He strengthened this proclamation (Isaiah 40:3). We have heard what the herald said: Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight (John 1:23). This is a unique and singular voice, so resounding that it is heard by all; so sweet that it soothes the hearts of all. Therefore, the Lord strengthened these athletes to win; for He never abandons His own and leaves them behind. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "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 naturally, that they would always be going through crooked paths, and by pursuing crooked ways, would be unable to return again. He however came, and called us, and redeemed us, and shed His blood; He hath given this ransom; He hath done this good, and suffered these evils. Consider Him in what He hath done, He is God! Consider Him in what He hath suffered, He is Man! Who is that God-Man? Hadst not thou, O man, forsaken God, God would not have been made Man for thee! For that was too little for thee to requite, or for Him to bestow, that He had made thee man; unless He Himself should become Man for thee also. For it is He Himself that hath "ordered our steps;" that we should "delight in His way." Now if man were to be through the whole of his life in toil, and in sufferings, in pain, in tortures, in prison, in scourgings, in hunger, and in thirst, every day and every hour through the whole length of life, to the period of old age, yet the whole life of man is but a few days. That labour being over, there is to come the Eternal Kingdom; there is to come happiness without end; there is to come equality with the Angels; there is to come Christ's inheritance, and Christ, our "joint Heir," is to come. How great is the labour, for which thou receivest so great a recompense? The Veterans who serve in the wars, and move in the midst of wounds for so many years, enter upon the military service from their youth, and quit it in old age: and to obtain a few days of repose in their old age, when age itself begins to weigh down those whom the wars do not break down, how great hardships do they endure; what marches, what frosts, what burning suns; what privations, what wounds, and what dangers! And while suffering all these things, they fix their thoughts on nothing but those few days of repose in old age, at which they know not whether they will ever arrive. Thus it is, the "steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delighteth in His way." This is the point with which I commenced. If thou dost "delight in the way" of Christ, and art truly a Christian (for he is a Christian indeed who does not despise the way of Christ, but "delighteth in" following Christ's "way" through His sufferings), do not thou go by any other way than that by which He Himself hath also gone. It appears painful, but it is the very way of safety; another perhaps is delightful, but it is full of robbers. "And he delighteth in His way." — ON THE PSALMS - Psalms 37 Fulgentius of Ruspe: God gives a new heart so that we may walk in his justifications that pertain to the beginning of a good will. He also gives that we may observe and do his judgments that pertain to the doing of good works. Thus we know both the will to do good and the ability to do good from God. David agrees completely with this, showing that by the command of divine generosity the grace of a good will is granted. — LETTER TO MONIMUS 1:8.3-9:1 Augustine of Hippo: "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 incident to mankind frequently in this life, he sets the Lord before him, what kind of trials He endured! and, "though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholdeth his hand," because He has suffered before him. For what shouldest thou fear, O man, whose steps are ordered so, that thou shouldest "delight in the way of the Lord"? What shouldest thou fear? Pain? Christ was scourged. Shouldest thou fear contumelies? He was reproached with, "Thou hast a devil," who was Himself casting out the devils. Haply thou fearest faction, and the conspiracy of the wicked. Conspiracy was made against Him. Thou canst not make clear the purity of thy conscience in some accusation, and sufferest wrong and violence, because false witnesses are listened to against thee. False witness was borne against Him first, not only before His death, but also after His resurrection... — ON THE PSALMS - Psalms 37 Theodoret of Cyrus: It is impossible for anyone to travel blamelessly the way of virtue without God's grace. He works in association with those who have this intent: for the acquisition of virtue there is need of human zeal and divine assistance at one and the same time. Thus, you see, even if the one traveling this path should slip, he will gain divine support. Likewise, when blessed David stumbled and ran the risk of coming to grief, he was borne up by divine grace. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 37:8 Ambrose of Milan: If you take it at face value, the meaning is obvious: in his own lifetime, David never saw the just forsaken. But a lifespan is brief, and the statement is moreover incredible. We have seen plenty of just people in this world who have been forsaken by people as soon as those just ones are persecuted by people in power. No one dares to go near them so long as they are subject to fear and injury. Remember what Job said: "My brothers have departed far from me, they recognize strangers more than they recognize me; my friends have become merciless and those who knew me once have forgotten even my name." As for David, not only was he deserted, but also he was even attacked by his friends and those closest to him by family ties: "My friends," he says, "and my neighbors have advanced against me." How, I ask, can David state that which is the exact opposite of this? We can only understand it in this sense: the just person, even if forsaken by the world, is not abandoned by the Lord. Even Job on his dunghill was not deserted by the Lord. In the council of the angels, the Lord had praised Job with his own voice; and he allowed him to be tempted only so that he might win the crown. He allowed Job's body to undergo severe testing, but he spared his life. — COMMENTARY ON TWELVE Psalms 37:8 Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 25.) And therefore the Prophet added: I was young, and I grew old: so the Latins have it; but some according to the Greeks have it: I was young, and indeed I grew old, and I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed seeking bread. Clearly, for those who want to understand, the meaning is evident, that during his lifetime David did not see the righteous forsaken. But this is both a short time and incredible; for we see many righteous people in the world being abandoned by others, when they are persecuted by some of the powerful; and no one dares to approach them, when they see them in fear or in injury. Where Job says: My brothers have gone far from me; they have ignored me more than strangers. My friends have become merciless; those who knew me have forgotten my name (Job 19:13). David also not only laments being abandoned, but also being attacked by his friends and neighbors: My friends and neighbors draw near against me, he says (Psalms 38:12). Therefore, if the righteous are found forsaken in this world, how can David say the opposite? Unless you understand that even though the righteous may be abandoned in the world, they are not abandoned by the Lord. For Job, even when he was in the dirt (Job 2:3), was not abandoned by the Lord, whom the Lord himself praised with his own voice in the council of angels, whom he allowed to be tested, so that he might be crowned; but the temptation was given to his body, and denied to his soul. Nor was David, to whom the kingdom was given to rule over the chosen people, abandoned: whom, driven away from the boundaries of his kingdom by murderous battles, he restored to the rights of victory. Likewise, Jacob, Elijah and Elisha, and John the Baptist, and others who wandered around in goat skins in deserts, and mountains, and caves, and holes in the earth, even though they seem to have endured many jeers and bitter tortures; nevertheless, they were not abandoned. Indeed, when Jacob fled with his brother and wandered alone through the desert, he fell asleep and upon waking saw a multitude of heavenly hosts. It is said: 'This place is called the camp of angels' (Genesis 32:2). It was not enough to call it a camp; but camps that would be fitting for such a multitude. Therefore, you see that he thought he was alone, and the camps of the heavenly army followed him; just as in the time of our fathers and Moses, so that they would not thirst in the desert, a rock (as it is written) followed them. For when we read in Exodus (Exod. XVII, 6) that when the people were thirsty, Moses struck the rock with his staff, and water flowed out, and the people of God drank; again we read in Leviticus, or in Numbers, that Moses again touched the rock with his staff (Num. XX, 11), and water gushed out for the fathers to drink; the Apostle has interpreted this brilliantly, saying: They drank from the rock that followed them; and the rock was Christ (I Cor. X, 4). Therefore, the Lord did not abandon those who were complaining, murmuring, and transgressing, but He followed them. What should I say about Elijah and Elisha, to whom horses and fiery chariots came from heaven as they were journeying through the desert? How was Elijah abandoned, who was invited by Christ (Matt. 17:3)? How was he abandoned on earth, but taken up to heaven? How was he needy, naked, and empty, but left the disciple with a double portion of the spirit; so that with one melody he gifted a river, made the Jordan flow backwards, fed the army of kings in the desert, and ministered to those who were thirsty? According to his will, cups flowed from the sky, and the dead rose again on earth. How was Elisha abandoned, who, surrounded by the Syrian army, was about to be taken captive to the king? But when his servant Gehazi said, 'Oh, my master, what shall we do?' Elisha replied, 'Don't be afraid, for there are more with us than with them.' And he said, 'Lord, open his eyes so that he may see.' And his eyes were opened, and he saw the mountain, full of countless horses and chariots of fire, surrounding them (2 Kings 6:16-17). Paul also, who said that he was tossed about by dangers at sea and dangers in the wilderness (2 Cor. XI, 26), nevertheless he himself testified, saying: If God is for us, who can be against us (Rom. VIII, 31)? Therefore, if he was abandoned and forsaken by men, he abounds and flourishes before God. For even Elijah was forsaken, so that he said: Lord, take my life (3 Kings XIX, 4); and yet he thrived before God, so that he was formidable in strength to those very kings. How could a young man like David come to understand this? For young men are more concerned with temporal things than with eternal things, because youth tends towards vice. But there are some who are old in their youth, and others who are young in their old age. Indeed, there are men whose minds are esteemed for the wisdom of the elderly, in whom old age is an untainted life, in whom gray wisdom flourishes: such was Jeremiah, who, when he mentioned his youthful age and excused himself for appearing unfit for the duty of preaching, the Lord said to him: Do not say: 'I am young'; for you shall go to all to whom I shall send you, and you shall speak (Jerem. 1, 7). So he did not consider him a young man whom he judged suitable for the grace of prophecy. Such was the young man David, who was renewed and blossomed again, as he himself said (Ps. 102:5), like the youth of an eagle. Therefore, it must be understood in this way: I was young; but sanctified, but placed as a prophet among the nations, so that I could already know the mysteries of the heavenly kingdom and consider the true rewards of justice: but I have not seen the righteous forsaken. Moreover, strengthened by experience and duty, I acquired the fruits of wisdom. The same grace seemed to stay with me in regards to justice. We have explained, as best we can, how he said: I was young; but how he added: Indeed, I have grown old, let us consider. Youth is good, but old age is better; for whoever perseveres until the end, he will be saved. Hence, it was not said lightly of the patriarch Abraham (Gen. XXV, 8) that he was nourished in good old age. And the old John began to write the Gospel, or the Epistles, who, when he refused to write as an apostle, wrote as an elder (Epist. II and III); nor is he esteemed any less, to whom a certain swan-like grace of old age is abundant. Writing to Philemon, he says: Since you are such a person as Paul, an old man, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus, I beseech you for my son whom I have begotten in my chains, Onesimus (Philem. 9-10). Therefore, willing to do the utmost for him, he compared him to the old man Paul, not to the young man; and there he gloried in being an old man, where he is now held in chains. And see the difference; the young man is spoken of in the sufferings of another, the old man in his own (Acts VII, 57). There, like a young man, he kept the Jewish garments; here, as an old man, he took off the garments of his body. In the end, Peter is said to be an old man there, where the struggle of his passion is: 'When you were younger,' he said, 'you used to dress yourself and go wherever you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.' He said this, indicating by what kind of death he would glorify God (John 21:18). Before the contest, a young man is called a young man, but in the contest an old man, who has fulfilled every contest. Therefore, David, that warrior in his youth, says this, peaceful in his old age: 'I was young, but I do not want you to still consider me young. For indeed, I have grown old and have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed seeking bread.' What is the seed of the just? The promises were made to Abraham and his seed; not to seeds, as in many; but as in one: And to thy seed, which is Christ (Galatians III, 16). Hear the seed of the just. My little children, of whom I am in labor again, until Christ be formed in you (Galatians IV, 19). And now, if any one coming from the Gentiles hears our word and the Lord should vouchsafe to help him, so that Christ be formed in his soul, where the birth of faith may be carried on, Christ shall be his seed. There, in both. Therefore Abraham was both the father of a generation according to the flesh, and he who first poured forth the word of the Lord in the hearts of the just. And therefore this seed of Abraham does not require these loaves which provide bodily nourishment, because it has the bread of justice, which descends from heaven (John 8:39). For just as those who do not do the works of Abraham are denied to be his children, so are they the seed of Abraham and are received among his children who perform his work. Indeed, the seed of Abraham was Elijah, to whom an angel provided nourishment, and he walked in the power of that food for forty days. He did not require the nourishment of this body, but the seed of Abraham, to whom bread was brought down from heaven. Finally, ravens provided him with daily feasts. Thus, he was in need of everything, having nothing of his own, and he was sent to give food to others. Indeed, the seed of Daniel, who, placed among lions, had bronze dishes filled with the meals of harvesters carried to him by the prophet Habakkuk. Therefore, this is the bread of angels, which humans have eaten; for it is written: 'Man ate the bread of angels' (Psalms 78:25). This is the bread about which David said: 'The Lord feeds me, and I lack nothing; he has placed me in a green pasture. He has led me to the water of refreshment' (Psalms 22:2). Good David taught me the bread of angels, and he himself taught me the water of refreshment. This spiritual refreshment is rest for the internal mind. Good water, which washes away sin, cleanses the inner being. Let us hear what this water is. If anyone is thirsty, let them come to me, and let them drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture says, rivers of living water will flow from within them. But he was speaking about the Spirit, whom those who were going to believe in him were about to receive. Therefore, the righteous person does not need this bread, nor water for refreshment, for the Holy Spirit is their rest and refreshment. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread" [Psalms 37:25]. If it is spoken but in the person of one single individual, how long is the whole life of one man? And what is there wonderful in the circumstance, that a single man, fixed in some one part of the earth, should not, throughout the whole space of his life, being so short as man's life is, have ever seen "the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread," although he may have advanced from youth to age. It is not anything worthy of marvel; for it might have happened, that before his lifetime there should have been some "righteous man seeking bread;" it might have happened, that there had been some one in some other part of the earth not where he himself was. Hear too another thing, which makes an impression upon us. Any single one among you (look you) who has now grown old, may perhaps, when, looking back upon the past course of his life, he turns over in his thoughts the persons whom he has known, not find any instance of a righteous man begging bread, or of his seed begging bread, suggest itself to him; but nevertheless he turns to the inspired Scriptures, and finds that righteous Abraham was straitened, and suffered hunger in his own country, and left that land for another; he finds too that the son of the very same man, Isaac, removed to other countries in search of bread, for the same cause of hunger. And how will it be true to say, "I have never seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread"? And if he finds this true in the duration of his own life, he finds it is otherwise in the inspired writings, which are more trustworthy than human life is. — Exposition on Psalms 37 Origen of Alexandria: They can never be oppressed by the fasting of famine whose bread is that "they should do the will of the Father who is in heaven" and whose soul that "bread that comes down from heaven" nourishes. — HOMILIES ON Psalms 16:3 Ambrose of Milan: There is money lent out at interest, and there is money lent in kindness. But the Lord expects a return. Money gets interest paid in cash. The grace of kindness wins an increase of faith. Lend out your faith generously to the Gentiles, and your grace will be multiplied. Do not go about borrowing like a pauper. Act like someone really rich and lend out so as to make great profit. Peter lent; Paul lent; John the Evangelist lent; and certainly they were not in want. What they lent was Christ's money; they were not charging high rates of interest. So lend and do not grow weary. — COMMENTARY ON TWELVE Psalms 37:62 Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 26.) But how can he be in need who has mercy and lends all day? What is it that the righteous person lends? Not bronze, not iron, not lead, but silver purified by fire. He brings this to the table of the Lord, and distributes it to those who seek it: to one person, to two, to five minas daily he distributes, and it never runs out. But we have heard that lending at interest is condemned in the Law, with Moses saying: You shall not lend at interest (Deuteronomy 23:19). There is a twofold division: one of money, the other of grace. Divide both; for it is written: If you offer rightly, but do not divide rightly, you have sinned: be still (Genesis IV, 7). And you divide rightly, so as not to sin. Let Moses himself teach you to divide, who admonished to divide rightly; that you may follow what Abel did, who divided rightly: and flee from what Cain the murderer did, who did not know how to divide rightly. Therefore the Holy Spirit divides divisions, who, dividing all things, gives to each according to his will: He as He wills, you as you are able, as you are capable with your talent. Divide when the Law speaks about money, and when it speaks about grace. For it is said to you: You shall lend to nations, whose Lord demands interest: but you shall not borrow (Deuteronomy XV, 6). There is both money of interest, and grace, whose Lord demands interest; money of interest has material wealth, grace bestows faith. Lend therefore faith to nations, so that grace may abound to you: but you, do not borrow as if needy, but as if rich and wealthy, lend with interest. Peter lent, Paul lent, John the Evangelist lent, both lent, and they did not need; that is, they lent Christ's money, they did not lend money for interest. So lend, and do not cease to lend. Do you hear what Scripture says: All day long he is gracious and lends. The righteous man lends during the day, the greedy person at night; for grace is of the light, but greed is of the darkness. And therefore, the seed of the lender's faith will be in blessing, surely having the reward of blessings. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "He is always merciful, and lendeth." "Foeneratur" is used in Latin indeed, both for him who lendeth, and for him who borroweth. But in this passage the meaning is more plain, if we express it by "foenerat." What matters it to us, what the grammarians please to rule? It were better for us to be guilty of a barbarism, so that ye understand, than that in our propriety of speech ye be left unprovided. Therefore, that "righteous man is all day merciful, and (foenerat) lendeth." Let not the lenders of money on usury, however, rejoice. For we find it is a particular kind of lender that is spoken of, as it was a particular kind of bread; that we may, in all passages, "remove the roof," and find our way to Christ. I would not have you be lenders of money on usury; and I would not have you be such for this reason, because God would not have you. ...Whence does it appear that God would not have it so? It is said in another place, "He that putteth not out his money to usury." And how detestable, odious, and execrable a thing it is, I believe that even usurers themselves know. Again, on the other hand, I myself, nay rather our God Himself bids thee be an usurer, and says to thee, "Lend unto God." If thou lendest to man, hast thou hope? and shalt thou not have hope, if thou lendest to God? If thou hast lent thy money on usury to man, that is, if thou hast given the loan of thy money to one, from whom thou dost expect to receive something more than thou hast given, not in money only, but anything, whether it be wheat, or wine, or oil, or whatever else you please, if you expect to receive more than you have given, you are an usurer, and in this particular are not deserving of praise, but of censure. "What then," you say, "am I to do, that I may 'lend' profitably?" Consider what the usurer does. He undoubtedly desires to give a less sum, and to receive a larger; do thou this also; give thou a little, receive much. See how thy principal grows, and increases! Give "things temporal," receive "things eternal:" give earth, receive heaven! And perhaps thou wouldest say, "To whom shall I give them?" The self-same Lord, who bade thee not lend on usury, comes forward as the Person to whom thou shouldest lend on usury! Hear from Scripture in what way thou mayest "lend unto the Lord." "He that hath pity on the poor, lendeth unto the Lord." For the Lord wanteth not aught of thee. But thou hast one who needs somewhat of thee: thou extendest it to him; he receives it. For the poor hath nothing to return to thee, and yet he would himself fain requite thee, and finds nothing wherewith to do it: all that remains in his power is the good-will that desires to pray for thee. Now when the poor man prays for thee, he, as it were, says unto God, "Lord, I have borrowed this; be Thou surety for me." Then, though you have no bond on the poor man to compel his repayment, yet you have on a sponsible security. See, God from His own Scriptures saith unto thee; "Give it, and fear not; I repay it. It is to Me thou givest it." In what way do those who make themselves sureties for others, express themselves? What is it that they say? "I repay it: I take it upon myself. It is to me you are giving it." Do we then suppose that God also says this, "I take it on Myself. It is unto me thou givest it"? Assuredly, if Christ be God, of which there is no doubt, He hath Himself said, "I was an hungred, and ye gave Me meat." And when they said unto Him, "When saw we Thee hungry?" that He might show Himself to be the Surety for the poor, that He answers for all His members, that He is the Head, they the members, and that when the members receive, the Head receiveth also; He says, "Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these that belong to Me, ye have done it unto Me." Come, thou covetous usurer, consider what thou hast given; consider what thou art to receive. Hadst thou given a small sum of money, and he to whom thou hadst given it were to give thee for that small sum a great villa, worth incomparably more money than thou hadst given, how great thanks wouldest thou render, with how great joy wouldest thou be transported! Hear what possession He to whom thou hast been lending bestows. "Come, ye blessed of My Father, receive"—What? The same that they have given? God forbid! What you gave were earthly things, which, if you had not given them, would have become corrupted on earth. For what could you have made of them, if you had not given them? That which on earth would have been lost, has been preserved in heaven. Therefore what we are to receive is that which hath been preserved. It is thy desert that hath been preserved, thy desert hath been made thy treasure. For consider what it is that thou art to receive. Receive—"the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." On the other hand, what shall be their sentence, who would not "lend"? "Go ye into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." And what is the kingdom which we receive called? Consider what follows: "And these shall go into everlasting burning; but the righteous into life eternal." Make interest for this; purchase this. Give your money on usury to earn this. You have Christ throned in heaven, begging on earth. We have discovered in what way the righteous lendeth. "He is alway merciful, and lendeth." "And his seed is blessed." Here too let not any carnal notion suggest itself. We see many of the sons of the righteous dying of hunger; in what sense then will his seed be blessed? His seed is that which remains of him afterwards that wherewith he soweth here, and will hereafter reap. For the Apostle says, "Let us not be weary in well-doing; for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. As we have therefore time," he says, "let us do good unto all men." This is that "seed" of thine which shall "be blessed." You commit it to the earth, and gather ever so much more; and dost thou lose it in committing it to Christ? See it expressly termed "seed" by the Apostle, when he was speaking of alms. For this he saith; "He which soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth in blessings, shall also reap in blessings."... — ON THE PSALMS - Psalms 37 Ambrose of Milan: Turn away from evil and do good; and dwell forever. These verses demonstrate that we belong to the Lord, and that he is the judge of our thoughts and actions, considering the merits of each individual. He does not act without judgment, but discerns between good and evil deeds. Therefore, it must be avoided and good must be done. Do not confuse good and evil; first, you must be free from sin; then, you must bear the fruits of innocence, so that you can be eternal. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: Observe therefore what follows, and be not slothful. "Depart from evil, and do good" [Psalms 37:27]. Do not think it to be enough for you to do, if you dost not strip the man who is already clothed. For in not stripping the man who is already clothed, you have indeed "departed from evil:" but do not be barren, and wither. So choose not to strip the man who is clothed already, as to clothe the naked. For this is to "depart from evil, and to do good." And you will say, "What advantage am I to derive from it?" He to whom you lend has already assured you of what He will give you. He will give you everlasting life. Give to Him, and fear not! Hear too what follows: "Depart from evil, and do good, and dwell for evermore." And think not when you give that no one sees you, or that God forsakes you, when haply after you have given to the poor, and some loss, or some sorrow for the property you have lost, should follow, and you should say to yourself, "What has it profited me to have done good works? I believe God does not love the men who do good." Whence comes that buzz, that subdued murmur among you, except that those expressions are very common? Each one of you at this present moment recognises these expressions, either in his own lips, or on those of his friend. May God destroy them; may He root out the thorns from His field; may He plant "the good seed," and "the tree bearing fruit"! For wherefore are you afflicted, O man, that you have given some things away to the poor, and hast lost certain other things? Do you see not that it is what you have not given, that you have lost? Wherefore do you not attend to the voice of your God? Where is your faith? Wherefore is it so fast asleep? Wake it up in your heart. Consider what the Lord Himself said unto you, while exhorting you to good works of this kind: "Provide yourselves bags which wax not old; a treasure in the heavens that fails not, where no thief approaches." [Luke 12:33] Call this to mind therefore when you are lamenting over a loss. Wherefore do you lament, thou fool of little mind, or rather of unsound mind? Wherefore did you lose it, except that thou did not lend it to Me? Wherefore did you lose it? Who has carried it off? You will answer, "A thief." Was it not this, that I forewarned you of? That you should not lay it up where the thief could approach? If then he who has lost anything, grieves, let him grieve for this, that he did not lay it up there, whence it could not be lost. — Exposition on Psalms 37 Desert Fathers: One of the hermits said, 'Unless you first hate, you cannot love. Unless you hate sin, you cannot live sinlessly. As it is written, "Depart from evil and do good" (Ps. 37:27). But perseverance is needed for this. Adam, even though he was in Paradise, disobeyed God's command while Job, who was living on a dung hill, kept it. It seems that God requires from us a good intention, that is, that we should fear him always.' — The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks Ambrose of Milan: For the Lord loves justice, and will not forsake his saints: they will be preserved forever. But the wicked will be punished, and the seed of the wicked will perish. The righteous will inherit the land, and dwell forever upon it. Do not think that your sins go unnoticed by God; for many fall in this way. He himself sees and condemns all things, and exterminates the seed of the wicked; indeed, the seed is not of physical generation, but of internal mind and succession of impiety (Job 1:1). For certainly Job, born of the seed of Esau, is testified in the Scripture. How then did the seed of Esau perish in Job, when he was such a great man, foreseeing the coming of the Lord to the earth, who would subdue the prince of this world, the devil? Therefore, this is questioned, lest evil be transferred to future generations. Christ works this through the sacrament of baptism, so that each person may put off what they were born with and put on what they are reborn with: so that they may become heirs not of their family, but of grace; so that they may acquire for themselves an eternal dwelling place. But whoever deserves to dwell in the world of ages, he himself shall honor God in the ages of ages. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not His Saints." When the Saints suffer affliction, think not that God doth not judge, or doth not judge righteously. Will He, who warns thee to judge righteously, Himself judge unrighteously? He "loveth judgment, and forsaketh not His Saints." But (think) how the "life" of the Saints is "hid with Him," in such a manner, that who now suffer trouble on earth, like trees in the winter-time, having no fruit and leaves, when He, like a newly-risen sun, shall have appeared, that which before was living in their root, will show itself forth in fruits. He does then "love judgment, and doth not forsake His Saints."... — ON THE PSALMS - Psalms 37 Cassiodorus: You observe here that what destroys a person itself perishes and only those things last which cause him to remain in the kingdom of God. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 37:28 Augustine of Hippo: "The righteous shall inherit the land." Here again let not covetousness steal on thee, nor promise thee some great estate; hope not to find there, what you are commanded to despise in this world. That "land" in the text, is a certain "land of the living," the kingdom of the Saints. Whence it is said: "Thou art my hope, my portion in the land of the living." For if thy life too is the same life as that there spoken of, think what sort of "land" thou art about to inherit. That is "the land of the living;" this the land of those who are about to die: to receive again, when dead, those whom it nourished when living. Such then as is that land, such shall the life itself be also: if the life be for ever, "the land" also is to be thine "for ever." And how is "the land" to be thine "for ever"? "And they shall dwell therein" (it says) "for ever." It must therefore be another land, where "they are to dwell therein for ever." For of this land (of this earth) it is said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away." — ON THE PSALMS - Psalms 37 Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 30 and following) When he established the just moral disciplines, to teach you what kind you ought to be, and what would be the perfect form of justice; he wants his mind to rise to wisdom and theorems; and arouse his intention, so that he may look at heavenly things with an attentive heart, and revolve the divine oracles within himself, and direct his affection towards those things which please God: let him meditate on the Law, and let no commandments of the Lord escape him; let him recognize the movement of the divine Sacrament. Finally, I saw in the teachings that the holy Prophet arose: The mouth of the just man will meditate wisdom, and his tongue will speak judgment. The law of God is in his heart; the Lord will not condemn him when he is judged. Wait for the Lord and keep his way; and he will exalt you to possess the land: when sinners are destroyed, you will see. I saw the wicked man exalted and lifted up above the cedars of Lebanon; and I passed by, and behold, he was no more; and I sought him, but his place was not found. Superior moral things, these are intelligible. For what is the just mouth that will contemplate wisdom, if not the inner man? For there are two men in each person: one inner, the other outer; the inner one thinks about things of the mind, speaks about things of the mind; the outer one about things of the body. However, the coming Lord united both; and he established two in one person; so that they would not oppose each other with conflicting movements, but rather be united to each other by the unity of their wills. Therefore, the mouth of the righteous will meditate wisdom. For now even the outer man of the righteous is transformed into the discipline of the inner man, and is conformed to its nature, and performs its duties, so that the flesh may meditate on what is of the inner mind. But lest this seem incredible to you, listen to the Apostle saying (Philippians 3:21) that the Lord Jesus transfigured the body of our lowliness, so that it would be conformed to the body of his glory. Who would dare to say that the flesh, assumed from the Virgin, generated by the Spirit of God coming upon Mary, was without sin, which in no way differed from the teachings of wisdom, and was devoid of the virtues of the inner man, and could not pass into his uses; since it was above man that the sick were healed by touching it, the blind had their sight restored, and the dead were raised? Therefore, it is fittingly written: the mouth of the righteous will meditate on wisdom; because the whole man is spiritual, not earthly: for as earthly, so also are earthly; and as heavenly, so also are heavenly. Therefore, let the earthly be absent, let the heavenly remain. And so, referring to the times of the Redeemer, the Prophet meditates, saying: although one out of many, he meditates and writes. And it does not deviate from sense; for the spirits of the prophets are close to the future as well as the present. Others think that the mouth speaks instead of the mind. But Solomon has beautifully explained this to us, saying: The account of the righteous is always wisdom; but the fool is like the moon that changes (Sirach 27:12); that is, he often varies and does not persist in his opinion, and seems to shed light in darkness but cannot hold it. Therefore, let the meditation of wisdom always be in your heart and on your lips, and let your tongue speak judgment, may the law of your God be in your heart. Therefore, Scripture says to you: Speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk on the road, when you lie down, and when you rise up (Deut. VI, 7). Let us therefore speak of the Lord Jesus; for He is Wisdom, He is the Word and the Word of God. For it is also written: Open your mouth with the word of God. He breathes it out, who resonates His words, and meditates on them. Let us always speak. When we speak of wisdom, He is: when we speak of virtue, He is: when we speak of justice, He is: when we speak of peace, He is: when we speak of truth, and life, and redemption, He is. Open your mouth to the word of God, it is written: you open, He will speak. Therefore David said: I will hear what the Lord will speak in me (Ps. LXXXIV, 9). And the Son of God Himself says: Open your mouth, and I will fill it (Ps. LXXX, 11). But not all can perceive the perfection of wisdom like Solomon; not all like Daniel. However, the spirit of wisdom is poured out on all according to their capacity, but on all who are faithful. If you believe, you have the spirit of wisdom; therefore, the Wise One says: 'I believed, therefore I spoke' (Ps. 116:10). When you believe, you will receive the grace of speaking. And the one who believes is redeemed; and the one who prays is redeemed: if they devoutly apply themselves to prayers, and are constant in prayer, let them precede the day, frequent the night, be the first to meet the morning sun, so that they may be enlightened by Christ himself before the earth by the rising of the sun; and the one who sings is redeemed; and the one who is contrite is redeemed. Therefore, always meditate, always speak of the things of God, sitting in the house. We can take the Church as our home, we can receive an interior home within ourselves, so that we may speak within ourselves. The judges sit in Jerusalem; the seats have been set in judgment; the council of judges also sat, and the books were opened. The prophecy says: And you, with counsel, do everything (Sirach 32:24). Judge with counsel about your actions, drink wine with counsel, speak with counsel; so that you may avoid sin, lest you fall through speaking too much. Speak while you are sitting, as if you were a judge: speak on the way, so that you may never be vacant. On the way, speak if you speak in Christ, for Christ is the way. Speak to yourself on the way, speak to Christ. Listen to how you speak to them. I want, he says, men to pray in every place, lifting up pure hands without anger and argument (I Tim. II, 8). Speak, O man, while you are sleeping, so that the sleep of death does not creep upon you. Listen to how you speak while sleeping: If I give sleep to my eyes and slumber to my eyelids; until I find a place for the Lord, a tabernacle for the God of Jacob (Ps. CXXXI, 4 and 5). Conquer nature by diligence, exclude bodily sleep. We cannot shape nature, but we can shape diligence. David was a man who indulged in some sleep during the night, but he excluded sleep by washing his bed every night and watering his couch with tears. Therefore, he was always mindful of his Lord on his bed, and he meditated on Him. He would rise early in the morning, and Christ would shine upon him in the darkness, saying: Rise, you who are sleeping (Ephesians 5:14). Not in all things is this grace, but it can be in many things with diligence. Therefore, do not expect Christ to awaken you; but rather awaken Christ. He awakens himself who thinks about him while sleeping. If you awaken him, he will also awaken you from sleep, resurrect you from death, saying to you: Rise from the dead (Ibid.). Therefore, when you rise or when you resurrect, speak to him, so that you fulfill what you are commanded. Hear how Christ awakens you. Your soul says: The voice of my brother knocks at the door (Song of Songs, 5:2); and Christ says: Open to me, my sister, my bride. Listen to how you awaken Christ. The soul says: I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, if you awaken and revive charity (Song of Songs, 3:5). Charity is Christ. Also listen to how you speak while sleeping: I sleep, but my heart keeps watch (Song of Songs, 5:2). These things collectively: raise your mind a little higher now. Speak while sitting in the house, in this earthly house of this habitation, which is dissolved, in which we are pilgrims from the Lord. For in this body we are placed, while we desire to put on more rather than to strip off, we are exiled from Christ, and we groan heavily. Therefore, sitting in this, confess your sins; because you sat, and did not stand, and did not say: Our feet were standing in your courts, O Jerusalem (Psalms 122:2). Speak more, and do not hide your sins; speak while sitting, so that you may hear the one speaking: 'Arise after you have sat, you who eat the bread of sorrow' (Psalms 126:2). Speak while walking on the way, that is, following the course of this life. Speak here, lest you remain silent there, as he remained silent who did not believe the angel of Christ at first; afterwards, however, when he believed, he regained his voice. Speak while sleeping and be at rest, buried in Christ; so that you may rise again with him in the newness of life. Speak even when buried in a tomb; as the souls of the saints spoke, seeking vengeance from the author of death. How long, O Lord, holy and true, will you not judge and avenge our blood (Rev. 6:10)? Speak finally when you rise; as he taught who said: I have slept and have rested and have risen; for the Lord will receive me (Psalms 3:6). And there, therefore: The mouth of the righteous will meditate on wisdom, until he reaches the higher secrets of the heavenly tabernacle, full of sacred joy and gladness; just as Scripture has taught us, with David saying: I have remembered these things, and I have poured out my soul upon myself; for I will enter into the place of the admirable tabernacle, even to the house of God. In the voice of exultation and confession the sound of feasting (Psalms 41:5). Therefore, both while sitting in this earthly house and when we go out and walk along the way, if we are worthy, we shall meet Christ when we are caught up and even speak while asleep. Take the third lifting up, by which the soul elevates itself to justice. For there is a certain spiritual sleep to be understood, about which Solomon says: 'If you sit down, you will sit without fear; if you sleep, you will rest sweetly, and you will not fear the terror that will come upon you, nor the attacks of the wicked that will come upon you' (Prov. III, 24 et seq.). You will rest sweetly and not fear the terror or the attacks of the wicked; if your tongue speaks the judgment of God, and you always keep that before your eyes; so that you leave no place for sin, and know that the price of sin is paid by the retribution of punishment. For he himself interpreted this in the ninetieth Psalm, saying: "You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow flying by day, nor the business wandering in darkness, nor the encounter and the midday demon. A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not approach you. Only with your eyes shall you consider, and you shall see the retribution of sinners" (Psalms 90, 5 and following). For when the just person speaks of the judgment of God, or when he speaks of what is just, and is full of true judgment, he does not speak with anger, nor with the affliction of a grieving soul, nor with sorrow, nor with any passion; but he speaks with truth, he speaks with equity, so that he does not lean towards affection, but rather weighs with a true examination what he speaks: for he judges what should be said, or not proclaimed. To what is that similar: The lips of the wise are bound by understanding (Prov. 15:7); because everything they say seems to correspond to true understanding, and by the prudence of their own understanding, they know what they ought to speak or be silent about: so that what should be kept silent is restrained by a certain confinement and binding of the lips; but in those things which ought to be spoken, the bonds of the lips are loosened. Therefore, he appropriately adds: The mouth of the righteous meditates wisdom; for through prolonged meditation, it will be able to have full judgment, which the righteous person will speak at the appropriate time; since he has seen face to face those things which are perfect. For now we cannot speak of those things which we do not comprehend. Nor did Paul presume to speak, who, caught up into paradise, heard secret things of heaven: but willing not to err in what he would say, he said: How incomprehensible are the judgments of God, and unsearchable his ways! (Rom. 11:33) But now, being freed from the body, perhaps he comprehends the kinds of unsearchable ways, and the judgments of God which are as deep as an abyss. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Ambrose of Milan: The just, when he speaks God's judgment or when he himself utters opinions that are just and full of wisdom, never speaks in an angry, passionate way. He does not speak in bitterness of soul; he does not speak from anguish, grievance or any passion. He simply speaks out the truth and states what is honest, just and fair. He weighs things not according to personal feelings but according to truth. He carefully considers what things should be said and what should not be said. He is like the one of whom it is said, "The lips of the wise shall be bound by good sense." All that the wise say will be seen to accord with sound common sense; and such people, guided by their own prudence, understand well when they ought to remain silent. Matters that ought to be kept silent they keep confined to their own bosom and imprisoned, so to speak, by tightly closed lips. But when something ought to be said, then they loosen the bonds of their lips and come out with what they must say. Therefore the prophet aptly said, "The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom." — COMMENTARY ON TWELVE Psalms 37:68 Ambrose of Milan: Let us speak the Lord Jesus, for he is wisdom. He is the Word, the very Word of God. Does not Scripture say, "Open your mouth to the word of God"? Echo his speech, meditate his words, and you will breathe Jesus. When we speak of wisdom, it is he.… When we speak of truth and life and redemption, it is he. — COMMENTARY ON TWELVE Psalms 37:65 Augustine of Hippo: "The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom" (ver. 30). See here is that "bread." Observe with what satisfaction this righteous man feedeth upon it; how he turns wisdom over and over in his mouth. "And his tongue talketh of judgment." — Exposition on Psalms 37 Ambrose of Milan: (Vers. 31.) Justice is still described and increased in form, as the Scripture says: The law of God is in his heart, and his steps will not be supplanted. In the heart of the righteous is the law of God. What law? Not written, but natural; for the law is not imposed on the just, but on the unjust. In his heart is the law, not superficially, as in the lips of the Jews; for it is believed in the heart for righteousness. He who believes, speaks; but he who speaks does not always believe. Finally, the people did not believe, of whom it is said: This people honors me with their lips; their heart, however, is far from me (Isaiah 29:13). Therefore, if the nations do what the law requires, they themselves are the law, knowing what they should follow or avoid. How much more faithful and just is the person who lives in the image and likeness of God, knowing how to discern the beautiful and the honorable, and using a legitimate guide of natural wisdom, so that its traces are not supplanted; just like Esau, whom his brother supplanted and made him fall due to his greed, and his traces were spilled unto death. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "The law of his God is in his heart" [Psalms 37:31]. Lest haply you should think him to have that on his lips, which he has not in his heart, lest you should reckon him among those of whom it is said, "This people honour Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me." [Isaiah 29:13] And of what use is this to him? "And none of his steps shall slide." The "word of God in the heart" frees from the snare; the "word of God in the heart" delivers from the evil way; "the word of God in the heart" delivers from "the slippery place." He is with you, Whose word departs not from you. Now what evil does he suffer, whom God keeps? Thou settest a watchman in your vineyard, and feelest secure from thieves; and that watchman may sleep, and may himself fall, and may admit a thief. But "He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." "The law of his God is in his heart, and none of his steps shall slide." Let him therefore live free from fear; let him live free from fear even in the midst of the wicked; free from fear even in the midst of the ungodly. For what evil can the ungodly or unrighteous man do to the righteous? Lo! see what follows. — Exposition on Psalms 37 Theodoret of Cyrus: It is fitting, the psalmist says, to carry around the divine sayings both on one's tongue and in one's mind and constantly give attention to them; learning in this way how to behave, the lover of virtue remains intrepid and unmoved, proof against efforts at overthrow. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 37:11 Ambrose of Milan: (Vers. 32, 33.) The more righteous someone is, the more their enemy plots against them; and therefore Scripture says: The sinner considers the just person and seeks to destroy them. But the Lord will not abandon them into their hands, nor will He condemn them when He judges. Therefore, when the sinner sees that the just person speaks in their mouth and meditates on wisdom in their heart, because they speak judgment on their tongue, because they keep the law of the Lord in their heart; the sinner tries to bring death of sin upon them, but the Lord protects them. And therefore we do not fear the snares of the sinner, for God is for us. If God is for us, who is against us? Therefore, God will not abandon his just one, nor will he condemn him when he is judged. For he is a true judge, and therefore justice cannot be in jeopardy. Hence, Aquila said: He will not condemn him when he is judged. Symmachus: He will not condemn when the just one is being judged. But because the Seventy men have thus set forth: When he shall be judged; we think that he refers to something else, because it is written: For the Lord himself shall come to judgment (Isaiah 3:14). But to what judgment? Hear him saying: Against you, you alone have I sinned, and done evil in your sight; that you may be justified in your words, and overcome when you are judged (Psalms 50:6). Therefore the Lord offers himself to be heard, that he may be judged by himself, so that he may overcome even more. How have I treated you? Hear, my people, what have I done to you? Or how have I made you weary? Answer me! For I brought you up from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery (Micah 6:3-4). And elsewhere: I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins; but you, remember me, and let us argue our case together (Isaiah 43:25-26). It is a serious judgement when the Lord demands to be judged by man. For what can you answer to Him, who has given you everything, who has placed you in charge of everything; who subjected the Egyptians to you, to whom you came as a guest, and afterwards drowned them in the sea. He destroyed your enemies and overthrew them, He created and established you, He redeemed you with His own blood; and yet you betray yourself to serve His enemy! He has forgiven you all your sins, and yet you commit even worse ones! He calls you, you will come to judgment, what will you answer to him, who unless he gives to you again, you are lost? And so, seeing this, the holy David, with this certain moral teaching, avoids judgment, and pleads for mercy, saying: And do not enter into judgment with your servant; for no one who lives will be justified in your sight (Ps. CXLII, 2). He confesses that he is placed in darkness like one dead of the world. Carefully, he said like one dead of the world, not dead; for those who die in Christ are not dead of the world; but those are dead of the world, who place their entire life that they lived in the world in destruction and death. And so, as if desperate for a remedy, he turns to saying: 'Hear me quickly, Lord; for my spirit has failed' (Ibid., 7). For such a judgment has failed in the offering presented to it, in which the truth should be examined rather than mercy conferred. However, the Lord is so merciful that even though no one is justified in His sight while living (for even the most righteous person is not free from sin; or whose life is such that it is deemed worthy of God's likeness?), nevertheless, one must be made in the image and likeness of God, just as God, who is without sin, is so too the one who is in His image, must be without sin. Therefore, what punishment is worthy for someone who has lost such great grace of the Lord's work and the likeness of divine beauty? But because he is merciful, even if he subjects himself to judgment; he does not judge the just, but the unjust. He spares the just, as if they were sinning due to the fragility of their condition: he punishes the unjust, as if he detests the ungrateful. Furthermore, even if you have many works of justice, do not be impatient and arrogant, so that you do not consider the rewards of justice in this age to be demanded, or lament that any adversity has befallen you undeservedly. For as long as you live, the struggle is owed to you, not the reward. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Ambrose of Milan: The sinner cannot stand the just person who speaks wisdom with his mouth and meditates on it in his heart. He sees this one keeping the law of the Lord in his heart, and he does all in his power to make him sin mortally. But the Lord watches over the just. We need not fear the snares laid for us by the sinner, because God is for us. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "The wicked watches the righteous, and seeks to slay him" [Psalms 37:32]. For he says, what it was foretold in the book of Wisdom that he should say, "He is grievous unto us, even to behold; for his life is not like other men's." [Wisdom 2:15] Therefore he "seeks to slay him." What? Does the Lord, who keeps him, who dwells with him, who departs not from his lips, from his heart, does He forsake him? What then becomes of what was said before: "And He forsakes not His Saints"? — Exposition on Psalms 37 Augustine of Hippo: "The wicked therefore watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him. But the Lord will not leave him in his hands" (ver. 33). Wherefore then did He leave the Martyrs in the hands of the ungodly? Wherefore did they do unto them "whatsoever they would"? Some they slew with the sword; some they crucified; some they delivered to the beasts; some they burnt by fire; others they led about in chains, till wasted out by a long protracted decay. Assuredly "the Lord forsaketh not His Saints." He will not "leave him in his hands." Lastly, wherefore did He leave His own Son in "the hands of the ungodly"? Here also, if thou wouldest have all the limbs of thy inner man made strong, remove the covering of the roof, and find thy way to the Lord. Hear what another Scripture, foreseeing our Lord's future suffering at the hands of the ungodly, saith. What saith it? "The earth is given into the hands of the wicked." What is meant by "earth" being "given into the hands of the ungodly"? The delivering of the flesh into the hands of the persecutors. But God did not leave "His righteous One" there: from the flesh, which was taken captive, He leads forth the soul unconquered. ... "The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when there shall be judgment for him" (ver. 33). Some copies have it, "and when He shall judge him, there shall be judgment for him." "For him," however, means when sentence is passed upon him. For we can express ourselves so as to say to a person, "Judge for me," i.e. "hear my cause." When therefore God shall begin to hear the cause of His righteous servant, since "we must all" be presented "before the tribunal of Christ," and stand before it to receive every one "the things he hath done in this body," whether good or evil, when therefore he shall have come to that Judgment, He will not condemn him; though he may seem to be condemned in this present life by man. Even though the Proconsul may have passed sentence on Cyprian, yet the earthly seat of judgment is one thing, the heavenly tribunal is another. From the inferior tribunal he receives sentence of death; from the superior one a crown, "Nor will He condemn him when there shall be judgment for him." — Exposition on Psalms 37 Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 34.) Therefore, wait either for a helper or for the Lord as a reward: And keep His ways; that is, to wait and to keep the commandments of the one whom you think you need to wait for. Even if you are worn out, even if you are troubled, even if you lose strength due to sickness, still wait for the Lord, and your hope will not be in vain. The Lord will come and exalt you, that you may possess the land as an inheritance. It is clear that the land is superior, not this earthly valley; but that which is the promise of eternity, in which whoever is established is exalted by the Lord. But you will see when sinners perish; then indeed there will be a reward for the righteous, when judgment is made about the wicked's merits. However, sinners do not perish in the same way. They perish for you beforehand, if you do not marvel at their power and wealth: if it does not move you when you learn that they abound in honors, children, and friends. For these things are of the world, and the world is subject to worldly malice: and the prince of the world favors those who serve him, according to that: 'All these things I will give you, if you fall down and worship me' (Matth. IV, 9). What do you seek for those things to be given to you, when the very impious one who gives cannot himself abide in them for long? He himself also passes away, so how can the things he has conferred not also pass away? Just maintain a steady mind, hold on to justice, let no one sway you, and you will see that there is nothing impious. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Arnobius the Younger: The law of God is in the heart [of the righteous person], and his step is not supplanted. The devil considers him and desires to humiliate him, but God does not abandon him or curse him when he is judged. Await the Lord and guard his ways so you may inherit the land; in time you will see sinners perish. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 37 Augustine of Hippo: "Wait on the Lord" (ver. 34). And while I am waiting upon Him, what am I to do?-"and keep His ways." And if I keep them, what am I to receive? "And He shall exalt thee to inherit the land." "What land"? Once more let not any estate suggest itself to your mind:-the land of which it is said, "Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." What of those who have troubled us, in the midst of whom we have groaned, whose scandals we have patiently endured, for whom, while they were raging against us, we have prayed in vain? What will become of them? What follows? "When the wicked are cut off, thou shall see it."... — Exposition on Psalms 37 Theodore of Mopsuestia: Since, then, God does not allow the righteous, even if vulnerable to sinners, to be subject completely to their verdict, do not be despondent if ever you fall foul of disaster; instead, expect help from God by observing his decrees and commands, being attentive to his good pleasure and not withdrawing from virtue on account of the hardships besetting you. "And he will exalt you to inherit the land": if you do this, he will shelter you, even if vulnerable to the sinner, and make you exalted by ensuring you secure occupancy of the land. "In the destruction of sinners you will see": not only will you be freed from their scheming, but also you will see them destroyed. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 37:34A-C Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 35.) Finally, listen to him saying: I saw the wicked one exalted and raised above the cedars of Lebanon. And I passed by, and behold, he was not. I saw him in this age, I saw with the eyes of the body; I also saw him boasting and exalting himself with his words, considering himself to be something, who is nothing. How does he exalt himself? I will set my throne above the clouds, and I will be like the Most High (Isaiah 14:14). He exalts himself so that you may see him exalted like the towering cedars of Lebanon: and they themselves are tall, and they are on the highest mountain. Therefore, those who are exalted are deservedly exalted, and the wicked, who establishes himself on that mountain about which it is written: If you have faith like a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain: Be lifted up and thrown into the sea (Matt. XVII, 19). To whom? To the devil, he says, from whom this man was possessed and oppressed, whom you marvel at being healed. Therefore, he has more love in Christ than power in the devil. You see the cedar on the highest mountain exalted; but it is broken by the wind, it is burned by fire, it is dissolved by age: so it is with the rich person in the world. It shines indeed with a certain brilliance of secular grace, like Mount Lebanon. It leans on the power of the world, rejoicing in wealth and riches. Something seems to be to you, before you say: \"I will go over and see\" (Exodus 3:3). For just as Moses passed over material things with his soul and mind, and saw God, so too, if you pass from here, lifting the footprint of your mind to the grace of God, you will see that He is nothing who seemed most powerful to himself in this land. Therefore, God, the Word, says to your soul, says to your mind: Come here from Lebanon, my bride, come here from Lebanon: you will pass over and go through. If you pass over worldly things, you will go through to paradise. Listen to the one passing by, Remember me, Lord, when you come into your kingdom. Listen again to the one passing through: Truly, truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. What is: Behold, it was not. In the beginning, indeed, the Word was. And whoever sees the Word, who is a partaker of the Word, indeed he himself is; because the Word of God always is, and the speech which is from Him is not: It is and it is not; but: It is; and it remains in the one who follows God. But whoever does not know the Word, he is not, because he does not adhere to Him who said: I am who I am (Exod. III, 14). But whoever adheres to Him, is one spirit. Wherever the spirit is, there is also life. Therefore Scripture says of God: 'Who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist' (Rom. 4:17); this means, he calls the nations that did not exist as his own people; for our ancestors were chosen by God. And elsewhere it is said: 'The Lord knows those who are his' (2 Tim. 2:19); he does not know those who are not his. And Esther says: 'Do not give your scepter to those who do not exist' (Esther 14:11). Therefore, the righteous man says rightly: And I passed by, and behold he was not; that is, I saw him exalted in the world before I considered that the world is nothing. But when I passed above the world in my mind, I saw that he who was before exalted in this world was no longer. And you, if you are just, pass from present things to those things which are to come, and present things will pass away from you. Heaven and earth will pass away; but my words will not pass away (Matt. XXIV, 35). Therefore, all things pass away for the just. The wicked passes away, similar to vanity, and his days pass like a shadow. Not only do present things pass away from the just; but also when they intend to reach those things which are to come, those present things already pass away. See how present things have passed away from the just. Indeed, in the time of the prophet David, there was the Synagogue, but there was not yet the Church from the Gentiles. And he speaks of the future as if it were present, saying: Bless our God, O nations (Psalms 65:8). Furthermore, he says: God has ascended in jubilation (Psalms 47:6). The times of deceit will pass, not by age, but by mindset. And he celebrated the resurrection of the Lord, which would come many centuries later, with devout faith, saying: Sing to our God, sing; sing to our King, sing (ibid., 7). As though it were of interest to Christ himself and the sacraments of the wedding union of the Church, it leaps and rejoices. It also expressed the reason for the celebration, saying: The Lord has reigned over all the earth (Ibid., 8). Therefore, if we pass by, and those things which are to come seem to have passed by us; just as if you pass by land while sailing, you also see it pass by, and as if it were departing from you. Often sailors, especially in a storm, flee from land; and yet when they flee from it, it seems rather to flee from the sailors. And if you flee from this world, it too will flee from you; if you pass by this earth, it too will pass by you. And you sail in this sea, and in this age you fluctuate; flee the earth, it has rocks, it has stones; as it is written: Cast stones from the path (Isaiah 62:10). If you hasten through this airy abyss to the port of divine will, you will see that all these things have passed by you. For what difference does it make whether they have passed by, or whether you judge that you have passed them by? There is another wicked one who appears exalted and elevated above the cedars of Lebanon; but if you pass by, he will not be, nor will you find his place. See to me a Jewish scribe returning the series of the old Scriptures, but not following; you hear that he gives it back with his lips, you wonder how learned he is. You ask what he believes: he answers according to the letter, he goes through the history. He seems to you to be exalted and elevated, if you consider the letter. Pass on to spiritual understanding, because the Law is spiritual; you see that he is nothing, then you say: I saw the wicked one exalted. ...and I passed by, and behold, he was not there; and I searched for him, and the place of him was not found. I searched for him where he should have been, where life is: I did not find him. He was not there, where life was; for he was dead, and therefore the place of him was not found. For what is the place of the dead, who was not, nor ever was? For he was not, who was in the letter; for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life. Therefore, I sought him, that I might find him: he did not present himself, that he might be found; that is, I wanted to convert him: he did not want to present himself to me, that he might be converted. I did what a seeker would do: he fled from that which should have returned. Finally, the soul that desires to be converted, seeks the Word; and when it finds it, it says: I have taken hold of him, and I will not let him go (Song of Solomon 3:4). That is, the Son of God, the Word of God. But the unjust person who refused to be healed, I sought him, and I did not find him; and therefore, do not imitate him. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Ambrose of Milan: You see a cedar raised to a great height on the loftiest peak, yet it can be shattered by the wind; it can be burned down by fire; it can grow old and decay. Such are the rich in this world. They make a grand display and shine, with a worldly sort of splendor, like Mount Lebanon. They are propped up by the powers of this world and positively exult in their money and their riches. To you the rich person seems to be something, that is, until you are able to say, "Passing over, I shall see." For just as Moses passed over, in mind and soul, material things and saw God; you, too, if you will only pass over from this place and lift up the footsteps of your mind to God's grace, will see that the rich person is nothing. Yes, nothing, even though in this world he appeared so high and mighty. — COMMENTARY ON TWELVE Psalms 37:77 Augustine of Hippo: "I have seen the ungodly lifted up on high, and rising above the cedars of Libanus" [Psalms 37:35]. And suppose him to be "lifted up on high;" suppose him to be towering above the "rest;" what follows? — Exposition on Psalms 37 Clement of Rome: It is right and holy therefore, men and brethren, rather to obey God than to follow those who, through pride and sedition, have become the leaders of a detestable emulation. For we shall incur no slight injury, but rather great danger, if we rashly yield ourselves to the inclinations of men who aim at exciting strife and tumults, so as to draw us away from what is good. Let us be kind one to another after the pattern of the tender mercy and benignity of our Creator. For it is written, "The kind-hearted shall inhabit the land, and the guiltless shall be left upon it, but transgressors shall be destroyed from off the face of it." [Proverbs 2:21-22] And again [the Scripture] saith, "I saw the ungodly highly exalted, and lifted up like the cedars of Lebanon: I passed by, and, behold, he was not; and I diligently sought his place, and could not find it. Preserve innocence, and look on equity: for there shall be a remnant to the peaceful man." [Psalms 37:35-37] — Clement's First Letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 14 Jerome: [Daniel 4:10] "'I saw, and behold there was a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was very great...'" It was not only of Nebuchadnezzar, King of the Chaldeans, but also of all impious men that the prophet says: "I beheld the impious man highly exalted and lifted up like the cedars of Lebanon" (Psalms 37:35). Such men are lifted up, not by the greatness of their virtues, but by their own pride; and for that reason they are cut down and fall into ruin. Therefore it is good to follow the teaching of our Lord in the Gospel: "Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart" (Matthew 11:29). But as for the fact that, according to Theodotion, he mentions his kutos or height - or else his kureia, as he himself later renders it, that is to say, his dominion (a word we have translated as "his appearance") - those same detractors of the historicity of this passage slanderously assert that Nebuchadnezzar's dominion never possessed the entire world. He did not rule over the Greeks or barbarians, or over all of the nations in the north and west, but only over the provinces of the East; that is to say, over Asia, not over Europe or Libya. Consequently all these slanders require to be understood as attributable to the devil, for actually we ourselves should accept all this as spoken by way of hyperbole, having in view the arrogance of the impious king, who in Isaiah (chap. 14) makes as great a boast as this, claiming that he possesses the very heaven itself, and the whole earth besides, as if it were a nest full of birds' eggs. — St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER FOUR Augustine of Hippo: "I passed by, and, lo, he was not! I sought him, and his place could nowhere be found!" (ver. 36). Why was he "no more, and his place nowhere to be found"? Because thou hast "passed by." But if thou art yet carnally-minded, and that earthly prosperity appears to thee to be true happiness, thou hast not yet "passed by" him; thou art either his fellow, or thou art below him; go on, and pass him; and when thou hast made progress, and hast passed by him, thou observest him by the eye of faith; thou seest his end, thou sayest to thyself, "Lo! he who so swelled before, is not!" just as if it were some smoke that thou wert passing near to. For this too was said above in this very Psalm, "They shall consume and fade away as the smoke." ... — Exposition on Psalms 37 Cassiodorus: One passes out of this world in two ways, either when it is left through a person's superior way of life, or when it is forsaken in the end by the dead. So the one who has passed on to God with a most holy way of life no longer sees a sinner as a powerful individual, since he sees everything in which humans boast as powerless.… This world is known as the place of sinners where they both carry out their wicked deeds and where their wealth, with all its transitory joy, is piled high. But this place is destroyed along with their prosperity, when the glory of the entire corruptible world is brought to an end. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 37:36 Ambrose of Milan: (V. 37.) Keep innocence, and see equity. Whoever keeps innocence, sees equity; for whoever is pure sees God, whose staff is upright, and upright is his justice; to turn away from those who turn to the pursuit of wickedness. Blessed is innocence, which sees God. Finally, others have added: Keep perfection; for he is perfect who knows no evil, nor does he know deceit. Therefore, it says: Keep perfection; for there are remnants for a peaceful man. Relics are said to be from the body of the dead, from his remains. They are called relics because after the death of a person, they appear to survive; for what remains are preserved for resurrection. Indeed, it is necessary for this corruptible to put on incorruption, and for this mortal to put on immortality. Therefore, relics are more so the hope of resurrection for a person, and the faith of conversion, and the grace of love; since the wicked do not rise to judgment; but the life of the Just is known to God, and is proven by the judgment of the Lord. To this place it beautifully applies, 'According to the election of grace, the remnant has been saved.' (Rom. 11:5). — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "Keep innocency" (ver. 37); keep it even as thou usedst to keep thy purse, when thou wert covetous; even as thou usedst to hold fast that purse, that it might not be snatched from thy grasp by the thief, even so "keep innocency," lest that be snatched from thy grasp by the devil. Be that thy sure inheritance, of which the rich and the poor may both be sure. "Keep innocency." What doth it profit thee to gain gold, and to lose innocence? "Keep innocency, and take heed unto the thing which is right." Keep thou thine eyes "right," that thou mayest see "the thing which is right;" not perverted, wherewith thou lookest upon the wicked; not distorted, so that God should appear to thee distorted and wrong, in that He favours the wicked, and afflicts the faithful with persecutions. Dost thou not observe how distorted thy vision is? Set right thine eyes, and "behold the thing that is right." What "thing that is right"? Take no heed of things present. And what wilt thou see? "For there is a remainder for the man that maketh peace." What is meant by "there is a remainder"? When thou art dead, thou shall not be dead. This is the meaning of "there is a remainder." He will still have something remaining to him, even after this life, that is to say, that "seed," which "shall be blessed." Whence our Lord saith, "He that believeth on Me, though he die, yet shall he live;" -"seeing there is a remainder for the man that maketh peace." — Exposition on Psalms 37 Ambrose of Milan: But the unjust will perish together; the remnants of the wicked will be destroyed. The remnants of the righteous are virtues; the remnants of the wicked are wickedness and the sin of treachery. They will be wiped away, so that they will not exist. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Arnobius the Younger: The wicked will perish when salvation comes to the just from God, their protector in time of tribulation. The Lord helps and frees them and snatches them from sinners and saves them since they hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 37 Augustine of Hippo: "But the transgressors shall be destroyed in the self-same thing" (ver. 38). What is meant by, "in the self-same thing"? It means for ever: or all together in one and the same destruction. "The remainder of the wicked shall be cut off." Now there is "(a remainder) for the man that maketh peace:" they therefore who are not peace-makers, are ungodly. For, "Blessed are the peace-makers: for they shall be called the children of God." — ON THE PSALMS - Psalms 37 Ambrose of Milan: To God alone, who remains forever, I entrust; to God alone who can forgive sins, I entrust my salvation. He will be my protector in time of trouble and will help and deliver me. He will snatch me away from sinful people when the hour comes for him to give judgment. He will save me because in him I have hoped. Only in him have I hoped. For he does not wish that we should serve both him and another. The one who serves God alone is set free; for God's is the praise and the glory. He alone is eternal. To him all honor and power from the beginning of the ages, and now, and always, and to all ages of ages. Amen. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Ambrose of Milan: The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; not from the world, not from an element. Heaven and earth will pass away. I do not entrust my salvation to heaven; because it too will pass away, for it is said of many heavens: They will perish, but you will remain. I entrust myself only to God, who remains, who can forgive sins; that He may be my protector in times of tribulation, that He may help me and deliver me, and snatch me from the sinners in the time of His judgment, and make me safe, for I have hoped in Him. In Him alone I have hoped; for He does not desire us to serve both Himself and others. He who serves Himself alone is liberated; for to Himself belongs praise, glory, and eternal power, both now and forever, and unto all ages of ages. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord, and He is their strength in the time of trouble" (ver. 39). "And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the sinners" (ver. 40). At present therefore let the righteous bear with the sinner; let the wheat bear with the tares; let the grain bear with the chaff: for the time of separation will come, and the good seed shall be set apart from that which is to be consumed with fire. The one will be consigned to the garner, the other to "everlasting burning;" for it was for this reason that the just and the unjust were at the first together; that the one should lay a stumbling-block, that the other should be proved; that afterwards the one should be condemned, the other receive a crown. ... — ON THE PSALMS - Psalms 37 Cassiodorus: Free to Hope. Cassiodorus: He also adds the reason for the liberation: it is because "they have hoped in him"—not because they have not sinned, but because they have placed their hope in the Lord's compassion. This can also be applied to the judgment, when he will deign to present an eternal reward to his saints. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 37:40 Theodoret of Cyrus: Those who practice righteousness … will enjoy divine aid and attain salvation, and by reason of placing complete hope in him, they will prevail over those endeavoring to wrong them. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 37:14 Ambrose of Milan: The prophet … acknowledges his fault, recognizes his wounds and asks to be cured. One who wants to be cured does not shrink from correction. Still, he does not want to be chastised in the fury of indignation but in the word of God. God's word is healing. As we read, "He sent his word and healed them." David does not want to be corrected in wrath but to be disciplined in doctrine. It is as though you were to ask the surgeon not to apply his knife to your wound but to pour in ointment. He begs for the remedy but not for the knife. There is pain but not beyond measure. The remedy stings, but the patient's blood does not flow. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Ambrose of Milan: (Vers. 1.) Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger; nor chasten me in your wrath. He who repents should be prepared to endure reproaches and suffer injuries; and not be disturbed if someone accuses him of his own sin. For if he himself must accuse himself, why does he not endure others accusing him? And if he should not fear being accused by a man, how much more by his Lord God, to whom we all, even in secret things, sin; since the condemnation of present things, especially the absolution of future things, is from Him. But those who are not condemned in this world, when they are not punished by men. Woe to me! if it is said of me: he has received his reward (Matthew 6:2). If a good deed is condemned by this judgment, how much more does the crime weigh down? For if mercy, thrown about with easy words, is robbed of eternal reward, how much more is the punishment of wickedness deferred by the bitter addition of interest? Therefore, he who repents should offer himself for punishment; so that he may be punished here by the Lord, and not be reserved for eternal torment: nor should he wait for the time, but rather confront divine indignation. See that his actions agreed with David's prayers. He had offended the Lord because he had ordered the people to be numbered. He anticipated the messenger of God with his confession, acknowledging that he had sinned greatly and foolishly. Not as if he were reminding the forgetful, but as if he were urging the one who hesitated, so that he would not delay the resolution of the offense any longer. 'I have sinned greatly,' he said, 'for I have done this thing' (1 Chronicles 21:8); and now, Lord, remove the iniquity of your servant. But how sins are removed, listen to the one who says: 'Her sin is forgiven; for she has received double from the hand of the Lord for all her sins' (Isaiah 40:2). Therefore, he does not demand that the sin be completely remitted; but rather that it be erased by a moderate solution; that is, that its memory be erased in the future. Finally, as if with the voice of an interrupter, the Lord, so that the punishment for the committed error would not be deferred, sent Nathan the prophet to him; and he came to the king and said to him: Choose what you want to happen: three years of famine over the land, or three months of fleeing from the face of your enemies and those pursuing you, or three days of death in the land. And now know, and see what I should answer to him who sent me (I Par. XXI, 11 and 12). See how God, as a teacher, moderates his anger, if we are not completely resistant to punishment; but let us request a method of alleviating, not avoiding, the penalty. He proposed three options, so that he could choose what he considered more moderate. Also, see how he provokes repentance; that we should offer ourselves to the offense: commanding the choice of punishment, so that a certain prerogative of choice is maintained in the punishment itself, and soothing the accused with this word. And David said to Nathan: I am in distress in these three, but I will fall more into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great, more than in the hands of men (1 Chronicles 21:13). Did he demand punishment for himself for the error? If he had, he would be blamed for impudence, for he would have been ungrateful for divine moderation. For a modest confession greatly supports the defendant; and the punishment we cannot avoid by defense, we lessen through shame. He chose not what was immune from punishment, but what he judged more moderately; so that he would entrust himself more to the kindness of God, who knows how to forgive, than to the power of men, who often exceed the measure of vengeance. Therefore, he has mercy on those who do not know how to err; he does not have mercy on those who are partakers of error. And the holy David's faith did not deceive him, but even in his offense, he obtained the grace of divine mercy. For he, who had determined to exercise death for three days on earth, did not allow even one day to pass by; but willingly granted a pardon until the hour of lunch, and, as I may use the word of Scripture, he repented of his wickedness (2 Samuel 24:16). See how Scripture exhorts you to not reject repentance, but to follow God, whom you ought to follow. He added well, above wickedness; because every revenge seems to be hard. Therefore even the day of judgment is called a bad day, from which blessed is the one who is freed by God; as it is written: In the bad day, the Lord will deliver him (Psalms 40:2). And the Lord said, saying, to the angel that he should spare there. Notice, however, that when the Lord wants to forgive, He gives grace and confidence to pray. And David saw the angel striking, and he said: Here I am; I have sinned, and I have done evil as a shepherd, and what have these done in this flock? Let your hand be upon me and upon the house of my father (I Chronicles 21:17). If the Lord had commanded the angel to spare, how then did the angel still strike, unless it is because the Lord, although he desires to forgive, desires to be asked for forgiveness, and in order to be asked, he acts? And no man would have seen the striking angel, unless the Lord had revealed the angel to his eyes. Hence, Elisha says: Lord, open the eyes of this boy, that he may see. And the eyes of the boy were opened, and he saw the mountain full of horses and chariots all around the prophet (II Kings 6:17). Do not be moved by the lowly appearance of a servant, compared to that of prophets or kings; for the appearance of horses and chariots is lower than the holiness of angels. And perhaps it may seem difficult to some who read hastily that David, humble in heart and meek, who spared his enemies, chose the death of the people rather than his own flight or hunger on the earth. He avoided the hunger of the people because it is considered more severe than the plague, which pollutes the sky and causes death. He did not request his own flight because of this; for the prophet could intercede for the people, as it happened: the people could not intercede for the prophet. For it is written: If the people should err, the priest shall pray for them; if the priest should err, who shall pray for him? Yet when he saw that the people were about to be killed, he offered himself to the striking angel, so that he himself would be struck instead of the people. It is even more that, not terrified by the appearance of the dead, he offered himself to the sword, rather than wishing for a discourse on the proposed condition. Therefore, he followed reason in his choice, and piety in his grief. But behold the grace of God, that he himself turned away from the intended condition. Is mercy a crime? For he threatens more and exacts less. He who keeps his promises in rewarding his rewards, in demanding punishments, violates the prescribed punishment. When he is angry with the guilty, he delays; when he takes pity, he hastens to absolve; he terrifies in order to correct; he admonishes in order to amend; he anticipates in order to forgive. Hence the Prophet also says of the Lord elsewhere: The cup in the Lord's hand is full of mixed wine. . . . but his dregs have not been poured out (Psalms 74:9). The cup is full for frightening, but it is not emptied for striking. The cup was full when death was commanded for three days, but the mercy of God intervened, the hand of the Angel held back before emptying that cup. But in order for you to know that the cup is a punishment or a sword, hear him saying: Take this cup of pure wine from my hand and make all the nations to which I send you drink from it, and they will vomit and act insane from the sight of the sword (Jeremiah 25:15-16). And it is said to Jerusalem: You have drunk the cup of wrath from the hand of the Lord; you have drunk the cup of ruin and have drained it, and there was no one to console you (Isaiah 51:17). Jerusalem has drunk the measure, which has sinned beyond measure: the Church of the Christians does not know how to drain the cup of wrath, but the anointed one has been drained: for whom Christ has emptied himself, so that he might be fragrant everywhere. This gift has been received from the hand of the Lord, but it does not know the cup of death. I choose two cups, one of death, the other of life. Christ emptied the cup of death with His blood; and He served a new cup, so that we may say: I will receive the cup of salvation (Psalms 115:13). The new cup is the Testament, which is poured out for the forgiveness of sins. This cup is poured out, and its dregs are not found, because it cleanses every offense. We have said how the Lord bends his anger in vengeance; let us declare how he anticipates our prayers in rewarding us, and let us teach by his example. Listen to the robber saying to the Lord: Remember me, Lord, when you come into your kingdom (Luke 23:42). The Lord answered: Amen I say to you, today you shall be with me in paradise. He was still asking that he be remembered when he would come into his kingdom; and although the Lord had not yet come, he was already giving him the heavenly kingdom. How swift is mercy! Slower is the fulfillment of the prayer than the reward for the one who gives. Therefore, David held moderation and did not ask for forgiveness, saying: Lord, do not accuse me in your anger, nor rebuke me in your fury. Fury in Greek is called θυμὸς, and it is the impulse of anger. This is what the Latin wanted to express: Neither in anger, nor in the very impulse of anger, do you accuse me or rebuke me. But rebuke is education. It is also said in Greek παίδευσις, about which it is said: Blessed is the man whom you have educated, O Lord (Psalms 93:13)! For indeed God is not open to passion, such as to become angry, since He is impassible; but because He vindicates, He appears to be angry. This appears to us; because we ourselves are accustomed to vindicate with emotion. However, often both men are found to vindicate without being moved; but to celebrate revenge with the utmost patience, to exercise torments. Therefore, why do you wonder in God, if you sometimes recognize this in man? We have already said that revenge is a form of anger. Finally, it has a use, so that we may say of anyone being punished, because it falls within the scope of the laws: not because it falls within the anger of the laws, but because it falls within the severity of the laws. Thus, in the same place, it says concerning the ten plagues of the Egyptians: He sent upon them his anger by evil angels (Psalms 77:49), that is, vengeance; for the law does not know how to be angry, but it knows how to be the minister of laws. Therefore, he who is the author of laws does not know how to be angry, to whom it is a desire to instill fear, not to punish. Therefore, imitate, O rulers, the divine example; so that you may be stricter in enacting laws, and merciful in exacting punishments. Let the severity of the laws restrain audacious insolence, and let the mercy of princes withdraw the guilty from punishment. Therefore, the Prophet recognizes his own fault, sees the wounds, and demands to be healed. He who wants to be healed does not shrink from being accused, but does not want to be accused in anger, but in the word of God. The word of God is healing. For we read thus: He sent forth his Word, and healed them (Psalms 107:20). He does not want to be educated in anger, but in doctrine; so that if you ask a doctor, he does not cut your wound, but applies medicine; he urges with the remedy, but does not cut. Finally, there is pain, but not beyond the measure of pain: it bites, but does not draw blood. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "O Lord, rebuke me not in Your indignation; neither chasten me in Your hot displeasure" [Psalms 38:1]. For it will be that some shall be chastened in God's "hot displeasure," and rebuked in His "indignation." And haply not all who are "rebuked" will be "chastened;" yet are there some that are to be saved in the chastening. So it is to be indeed, because it is called "chastening," but yet it shall be "so as by fire." But there are to be some who will be "rebuked," and will not be "corrected." For he will at all events "rebuke" those to whom He will say, "I was an hungred, and you gave me no meat." [Matthew 25:42] ... "Neither chasten me in Your hot displeasure;" so that You may cleanse me in this life, and make me such, that I may after that stand in no need of the cleansing fire, for those "who are to be saved, yet so as by fire." [1 Corinthians 3:15] Why? Why, but because they "build upon the foundation, wood, stubble, and hay." Now they should build on it, "gold, silver, and precious stones;" [1 Corinthians 3:12] and should have nothing to fear from either fire: not only that which is to consume the ungodly for ever, but also that which is to purge those who are to escape through the fire. For it is said, "he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire." And because it is said, "he shall be saved," that fire is thought lightly of. For all that, though we should be "saved by fire," yet will that fire be more grievous than anything that man can suffer in this life whatsoever.. .. — Exposition on Psalms 38 Theodoret of Cyrus: David made this beginning to the sixth psalm as well, asking to be disciplined in the manner of a surgeon, not a judge, and to be treated not with harsh remedies but with mild ones. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 38:2 Ambrose of Milan: We observe … that when Scripture speaks of "the Lord's hand," it refers to temptation that a person undergoes from the attacks of Satan.… When the devil wounds him, the arrows are the Lord's, and it is the Lord who has given Satan the power of hurting him.… There is, too, that … reason why the Lord gives power to the tempter; it is so that one's love might be tested by temptations. That is why there are persecutions, so that faith may shine out and virtue excel and the inner thoughts of one's heart may be made manifest to all. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 2.) And he added: Because your arrows have pierced me. He seems to be saying the same thing as the holy Job; but they are different. For he also says: The arrows of the Lord are in my body, the fury of which drinks my blood: when I begin to speak, they pierce me (Job 6:4). He complains about the wound of his body; here he deplores the wounds of his soul. And perhaps here he is repenting of sin: he pleads the cause of human weakness; and as an advocate of our frailty, he seeks the remedy of the Creator's work. Therefore he prays, and he intercedes. And for this reason, the pain of this one is more intense; because the wounds of the soul are more severe than those of the flesh. He says that the arrows of the Lord are in his own body, while this one laments those which are embedded; his blood is drunk, while this one's is spilled; he is pierced, while this one is wounded; the hand of God has touched him, while it is confirmed upon this one by the weight of the burden; he laments that his soul is filled with illusions, while this one laments his body with wounds. But the hand of God, we understand as the power of punishing. This hand punished the king of the Egyptians because of the injury to Abraham, for the attempted chastity of Sarah. This hand sank the chariots, horses, and people of the Egyptians in the deep of the Red Sea. This hand burdened the mind of king Saul, so that he hated the favor of his preserver; and for his transgression of heavenly authority, deserted by his companions and also forsaken by his sons who were killed, he turned his sword against himself, a spectacle nothing is more deformed than for a king, so that the captive old man would not live, surviving his sons and his kingdom. David, having experienced in himself and his children the one's incest, the other's parricide, lamented and wept both the disgrace of his offspring and the destruction of his piety, which is more serious for a devoted father. One of them, inflamed with desire for his sister, was driven to incest, while the other, armed with zeal for chastity, was driven to parricide. See how they have been ensnared in the most serious crimes by the closest bonds of virtue. Would that either he had not loved his sister, or this one had not sought revenge! Finally, even he himself, driven from the boundaries of his homeland by his son, fled from the enemy whom he desired to inherit: he feared to win, lest he be conquered at the expense of his piety. But perhaps someone may say: How can God's hand be in the act of murder or incest, when that work belongs to the enemy? Let us therefore understand that just as the devil wounds, the arrows of the Lord are said to wound. For we read this, that when the Lord turned to the devil in the council of the holy angels and spoke about his servant Job (Job 1:8 et seq.): that the envious one and adversary of the human race (for the praise of a lower substance is condemnation of the one who has been cast from a higher state) the devil replied, saying that Job did not worship the Lord gratuitously, who had been blessed by the will of God with abundance for all. But put forth your hand now, and touch all that he has, and see if he will not curse you to your face (Job 1:11). And God allowed the devil to have power, to stretch out his hand over all that Job possessed. After these events, when the holy Job remained unyielding in his strength, because Job was not moved by the death of his children or the loss of his possessions: the Lord again spoke to the devil, mocking him, that he had scattered all that Job had, and killed his children; yet he could not in any way move Job from his position of virtue. And he answered: Whatever a man has, he will give it for his soul. But put forth your hand, he said, and touch his flesh and bones (Job 2:4-5). And he took power again, to put his hand upon his body; but to keep his soul. And he poured out ulcers on the holy Job (Job 19:21), where is his going out from the Lord. Therefore, we understand that the hand of the Lord is said to be where the man is, the devil attacking, temptation. Indeed, Job said that the hand of the Lord is the one that touches him (Job 16:12), and he mentioned that the arrows of the Lord are the arrows of pirates. And he said, 'He has delivered me into the hands of the unjust' (ibid., 14). Therefore, he absolves himself, because when the devil wounds, the arrows belong to the Lord, who allowed the devil the power to wound. Finally, if you command that your servant be beaten, is he not considered beaten by you even if he is beaten by someone else standing by? And there is this reason; because the Lord gives power to the tempter, so that the affections of men may be tested in temptations. Therefore persecution occurs, so that faith may shine, virtue may excel, and the inner mind may be revealed to all. Therefore, temptation pierces the innermost part of a person like an arrow, and it is like the sword of God that examines the inner thoughts. And indeed, the sword is the powerful word of God, sharper than any sharp sword, as we hear in the saying of Simeon to Mary: 'And a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed' (Luke 2:35). For by the word of God, everything is revealed, in whose presence all things are naked and open. The soul itself seems to be, the innermost thoughts are revealed: and there is no creature finally, as the Scripture says (Heb. IV, 12 and 13), which hides itself from His knowledge. Therefore let us sell all things, in order to buy the word, and hide it in our hearts. Finally, the devil himself testifies that man gives everything he has for his own soul, and does not consider that price worthy of the redemption of one soul. Why do we spare our possessions, which the devil himself deems worthless for salvation? I have said too little for salvation, he also declares that it is too little for error. Finally, he says, 'All these things I will give you, if you fall down and worship me' (Matt. IV, 9). He showed not only the riches of the world, but also honors and kingdoms. It is agreed that the devil should be worshipped; how much should a Christian offer to be resurrected with Christ? But let us send the devil away like a goat sent into the desert; for he is not a faithful advocate of the truth; although sometimes he transforms himself into an angel of light. We have abundant testimonies from divine scriptures which teach us that nothing is more precious in a person than faith, and that there is no greater inheritance that can be offered to our salvation and soul. By faith, Abraham left his country (Gen. XII, 4 et seq.), his land, and even the neighbors whom he saw, and he followed the One whom he did not see as though he were seeing Him. Moses also esteemed the price of his soul greater than all the riches of Egypt (Heb. XI, 26). What lofty things shall I speak of? Rahab the harlot (Joshua 2, 4 et seq.) that foreigner from another age, nevertheless thought that her soul should be redeemed not only by the contempt of all that she possessed, but also by the perils of life: she denied the spies of Joshua to her fellow citizens who were searching for them; and she chose to hide the enemies of her homeland rather than betray them, the messengers of faith. Neither the threats of her fellow citizens, nor the perils of war, nor the burning of her homeland, nor the dangers to her own people frightened her. Learn, man, learn, Christian, how you should follow the true Jesus; when a woman despised all her possessions and followed Jesus in appearance because of the similarity of their names. Therefore, Solomon wisely said: The wealth of a man is the redemption of his soul (Prov. XIII, 8). So redeem your soul. Money is cheap, but it becomes precious through faith: it is cheap when accumulated, precious when dispersed; for it is written: He scattered, he gave to the poor: his righteousness endures forever (Psal. CXI, 9). Therefore, if you are such that you are able to despise not only all your possessions, but even your own flesh for the sake of justice, which is the most valuable possession (for a righteous person is rich), and although the rivers may enclose you on all sides, you cross over. For even if the Lord gives the power of temptation to you, He commands the devil to guard your soul himself, as it is written: 'That you may destroy the enemy and defender' (Psalms 8:3); for he tempts as an adversary, but defends as a servant. For it is written: And the unicorn will serve you (Job XXXIX, 9). He serves, indeed, who executes not what he wishes from his own will, but unwillingly obeys the imperial commands out of necessity. Consider the height of Christ, how He turned back against the devil the price of His own malice. He forces us to do what we hate: For what I wish, that I do not; but what I hate, that I do, as the Apostle said (Rom. VII, 15). The Lord repays him in the same way, as he often does not do what he wants; but he does what he hates. In conclusion, he keeps in check the soul that he wants to subdue. We condemn the corruption of the flesh, yet we follow it; like that widow who breaks her promise to her husband and then wants to remarry, which she had previously avoided (1 Timothy 5:20). He is an enemy to the saints, and a defender is employed, so that he may be punished even more; so that he who desires to harm may not dare to do so. And how much more bearable it is to love virtues, even if you cannot fulfill them, than to hate virtues, which you cannot harm. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "For Your arrows stick fast in me, and Your hand presses me sore" [Psalms 38:2]. "There is no soundness in my flesh, from the face of Your anger" [Psalms 38:3]. He has now begun telling these evils, which he is suffering here: and yet even this already was from the wrath of the Lord, because it was of the vengeance of the Lord. "Of what vengeance?" That which He took upon Adam. For think not that punishment was not inflicted upon him, or that God had said to no purpose, "You shall surely die;" [Genesis 2:17] or that we suffer anything in this life, except from that death which we earned by the original sin....Whence then do His "arrows stick fast in" him? The very punishment, the very vengeance, and haply the pains both of mind and of body, which it is necessary for us to suffer here, these he describes by these self-same "arrows." For of these arrows holy Job also made mention, [Job 6:4] and said that the arrows of the Lord stuck fast in him, while he was labouring under those pains. We are used, however, to call God's words also arrows; but could he grieve that he should be struck by these? The words of God are arrows, as it were, that inflame love, not pain....We may then understand the "arrows sticking fast," thus: Your words are fixed fast in my heart; and by those words themselves is it come to pass, that I "called the Sabbath to remembrance:" and that very remembrance of the Sabbath, and the non-possession of it at present, prevents me from rejoicing at present; and causes me to acknowledge that there "is neither health in my very flesh," neither ought it to be so called when I compare this sort of soundness to that soundness which I am to possess in the everlasting rest; where "this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality," [1 Corinthians 15:53] and see that in comparison with that soundness this present kind is but sickness. — Exposition on Psalms 38 Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 3.) There is no soundness in my flesh from the face of your anger. Isaiah explained this passage to us: We have sinned, and you are angry with us (Isaiah 64:5). But who can withstand the face of the Lord's anger? Perhaps he can, because the eyes of the Lord are on those who do evil (Psalms 34:17). For if the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, how can the Prophet be weakened by the face of God's anger? Therefore, consider this, which David himself said later: For you have delivered me from all my troubles; and my eye looks upon my enemies (Psalms 54:9). For just as He looks upon the good deeds of the righteous, so He also uncovers the hidden sins of the wicked. Unless, perhaps, you refer this to Christ, who was delivered from all those who oppressed Him, when He withdrew Himself from the Jewish people, who were constantly wearing Him down with sacrileges and daily impieties; and He called His enemies to His grace, whom the eye of God saw and loved. Therefore, because God is merciful, there is no reason for despair. Though He may be angered, He forgives; though He may strike, He heals; though He delivers the flesh to destruction, He saves the spirit. Therefore, do not fear the weakness of the flesh; for when the holy one is weak, he is stronger. But what does he mean when he says, 'There is no peace in my bones because of the face of my sins'? What are these bones; are they of the soul or of the body? But the care for bodily pain would not be so great if the soul did not also suffer; for it is the desire of the holy to have the flesh scourged for the sake of the soul, just as Paul himself scourged himself lest his teaching be discredited. There are certain inner bones of man, just as there are other members, the eyes of the mind, and the nostrils; as Job said, 'The divine spirit is in my nostrils' (Job. XXVII, 3). Therefore, there are also bones by which a certain bond of charity is formed. Hence, Adam said of the partner of charity and co-heir of the grace of life: 'This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh.' (Gen. II, 23). The Apostle, interpreting this, said: 'This is a great mystery; but I speak in Christ and in the Church.' (Ephes. V, 32). And who would doubt that the sacrament of Christ and the Church is not carnal but spiritual, since every good person is bound in that marriage not by the flesh but by the beauty of virtue? And should one love the character of morals in his wife, not mere physical satisfaction? Finally, listen, because he speaks not according to the flesh, but according to inner virtue: My mouth is not hidden, which you made in secret (Psalms 138:15). Therefore, virtue is not flesh, which knows the hidden things of God the Father. Therefore, there is no peace for the soul with virtues, when our sins come together before our eyes and pour into our minds. And this has been well interpreted by the chosen Doctor of the Gentiles, in the second letter to the Corinthians, saying: For even when we came to Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted in all things: fights outside, fears within (II Cor. VII, 5). The sins of the Macedonians troubled them; how much more do our own sins disturb each one of us, so that there can be no rest for us? Our greatest enemy is our own guilt, which disturbs the idle, afflicts the healthy, saddens the joyful, unsettles the peaceful, agitates the meek, and awakens the sleeping. We are guilty without an accuser, tormented without a torturer, bound without chains, and sold without a seller. As Scripture says, 'You were sold for your sins' (Isaiah 50:1). These, therefore, are the sins that are always against us, as the Prophet said, 'They have sold us and hold dominion over us' (Isaiah 3:12). The servant who is sold leaves with his previous service; to migrate to another Master: we neither remove the yoke of the past nor are we bent towards new sins. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Philoxenus of Mabbug: Whosoever feareth sleepeth not, and if he sleepeth, he seeth in his dream the cause of his fear; he eateth not, and he drinketh not, and if the force of natural craving compel him, fear is mingled with his meat and drink. Everything which attacketh the man who is filled with the fear of God abideth outside him, for fear keepeth fast hold upon the place of his understanding, and upon all the places of ingoing and outgoing of the city of his soul. Like the watchmen who stand by the gates of the city, even so doth fear keep fast hold upon the places of ingoing and outgoing of the soul, and it permitteth no act or thought to enter in or to go forth which it examineth not; for it neither permitteth any internal thought whatsoever to go forth, nor any external act that is not seemly to go in. And moreover this Prophet maketh known in other places the fear of God; "My flesh contracteth through fear of Thee, and I am afraid of Thy judgments." And again he saith, "I am like a wine skin in ice, but I have not forgotten Thy commandments." And again he saith, "Sorrow is in my heart all the day long. How long, O Lord, wilt thou turn Thy face from me? How long wilt Thou forget me, for ever? How long wilt Thou set trouble in my soul?" And again he saith, "Heal me, O Lord, for my bones tremble, and my soul is greatly moved. I am weary with my groaning; every night make I my bed to swim; and I water my couch with my tears. Mine eye hath become sick because of Thine anger"; now it is evident that all these things arose from [his] fear of God. And again he saith, "I roared by reason of the groaning of my heart"; and again he saith, "Lead me, O Lord, in Thy fear and righteousness"; and again he saith, "There is no soundness in my flesh before the fear of Thee, and there is no health in my bones in the presence of my sins. For my iniquities have gone over my head; and [they are] as a heavy burden heavy upon me. My wounds stink and are corrupt, and in the presence of my iniquities I tremble greatly. All the day long I walk in sadness. For my ankles are filled with trembling. I am much moved, and I am brought to great misery." And again he saith, "My heart is turned back, and my strength hath forsaken me; and the light of my eyes is no longer with me." And again he saith, "I kept silent, and I was sorrowful, and I was afflicted even from good; And my sickness was stirred. My heart became hot within me; and in my body the fire kindled." And again he saith, "I was dumb, and I opened not my mouth; because Thou didst it. I have come to an end because of [Thy] rebuke of my sins." — 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 7 -- Second Discourse on the Fear of God Ambrose of Milan: (Ver. 4.) And the Holy One groaned, saying: For my iniquities have overwhelmed my head: as a heavy burden they have been laid upon me; that is, my iniquities have surpassed my head, and they tower above me, crushing my senses; for the eyes of the wise are in their head. And therefore Nabal was a wicked and stubborn man; because his senses were obstructed by malice and wickedness. Therefore he could not accept the word of Abigail; but his heart hardened, and he lay like one infirm. But see to it that this is not the head about which the Apostle says (Colossians 2:19), for he does not hold fast to it, being inflated with the mind of the flesh. But this head is Christ; for Christ is the head of every man. This is the head which, through the joints and bands of the whole people, grows to the increase of God; for in all of us, Christ rises up through his individual members. Therefore, when our sins weigh us down, and we are depressed by the leaden weight of wickedness, let us break their chains and cast away their yoke from us, so that we can lift up the eyes of our mind and hear him saying: Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you (Matthew 11:28). Finally, Egypt was burdened by greed, money troubled the markets of the Ethiopians, as it is written: Egypt toiled, the markets of the Ethiopians, and the men of Saba, lofty men, will come over to you (Isaiah 45:14). Egypt toiled before knowing the truth: but now they no longer toil since they have turned to Christ. The willing men of Saba follow, who previously fled; for they are held by the bonds of charity, which are stronger than adamant. And beautifully it is applied to this place in Isaiah: Every head is in pain, and every heart is in sadness: from feet to head there is no wound, nor scar, nor plague with heat (Isaiah I, 5 and 6). For injustice boils, when it dominates, lifting itself up and occupying its place over our head, so that Christ the teacher of repentance does not hold him. These injustices have great power, if you consider that man of injustice, who is to come according to the works of Satan in every power, and signs, and deceitful wonders, and every kind of wickedness: whom the Apostle showed us to beware of (2 Thessalonians II, 9 and 10), because he will receive the work of error, so that the faithful may be proven, and the unfaithful may be judged. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Arnobius the Younger: "Our head is Christ." When we do something against his precepts, our iniquities go over our head, and we are pressed as a heavy burden on us. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 38 Augustine of Hippo: "For mine iniquities have lifted up my head; and are like a heavy burden too heavy for me to bear" (ver. 4). Here too he has placed the cause first, and the effect afterwards. What consequence followed, and from what cause, he has told us. "Mine iniquities have lift up mine head." For no one is proud but the unrighteous man, whose head is lifted up. He is "lifted up," whose "head is lifted up on high" against God. You heard when the lesson of the Book of Ecclesiasticus was read: "The beginning of pride is when a man departeth from God." He who was the first to refuse to listen to the Commandment, "his head iniquity lifted up" against God. And because his iniquities have lifted up his head, what hath God done unto him? They are "like a heavy burden, too heavy for me to bear"! It is the part of levity to lift up the head, just as if he who lifts up his head had nothing to carry. Since therefore that which admits of being lifted up is light, it receives a weight by which it may be weighed down. For "his mischief returns upon his own head, and his violent dealing comes down upon his own pate." "They are like a heavy burden, too heavy for me to bear." — Exposition on Psalms 38 Ambrose of Milan: Now look at some lascivious youth openly displaying his debauchery; his life is spent in love affairs; he lounges around like that rich man who was clothed in fine linen and purple; daily he enjoys the most sumptuous dinners; his pavements swim in wine; the ground is covered with flowers and strewn with fish bones; and the dining room is filled with the perfume of sweet-smelling incense. He is perfectly delighted with himself and flatters himself that he smells sweetly.… He does not know that his soul is bleeding and festering, and he will not accept that his wounds are foul-smelling.… But the holy prophet David found for himself a remedy of everlasting salvation. For he freely spoke of his own wounds and confessed that his sores were foul and festering because of his foolishness.… This world covers up its wounds and does not show them to the Lord. Better the foolishness that has eyes to see its sores than wisdom that has not. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 5.) Therefore, rightly placed under iniquities, and (what is worse) his own, he says that his scars have become corrupted and decayed from the face of his foolishness; because the remedy for lifting the burden of iniquities followed slowly. However, even Job, who with a holy razor shaved the pus from his sores, was deprived of health; and Lazarus, a poor man who lay at the rich man's gate, with dogs licking his wounds, was lifted from the stench of his scars and placed in Abraham's bosom by angels. So in the holy David there is hope for the remedy of health; for it is not fragrant ointments, but the stench of his wounds of sin that heal; and because he is afflicted and bent down by them, and not delighted. Look now at some lewd young man, and remarkably lustful, who spends his life in debauchery, lying in luxury like that rich man in fine linen and purple, and feasting splendidly every day, with wine-soaked floors beneath him, the ground covered with flowers and thorns, the dining rooms filled with the fumes of various incenses, thinking himself blessed and considering himself to smell good; even though he bears heavy and enduring wounds of his soul, and his corrupted blood flows, he does not perceive any stench from his scar. For he has obstructed his nostrils with filth, and he cannot say: The divine spirit, which is in my nostrils (Job. XXVII, 3). Therefore, that rich man could not find the remedy of salvation, but the poor man found it. Finally, one is in torment among the dead, the other in rest. Therefore, the holy prophet David also found the remedy for eternal salvation, who confessed the wounds of his soul and spoke of his own scars having decayed from the face of his folly. But there is also a folly that brings salvation to those who believe through the foolishness of preaching. Therefore, the prophet rejects the wisdom of this world, which is not known by God, with the Gospel spirit. It covers its wounds and does not reveal them to the Lord. Therefore, better is the foolishness that has eyes to see its own wounds than wisdom that does not have them. And therefore, with the gaze of his own foolishness, such a great king admits to being afflicted by miseries; so that he may find the remedy of repentance, which Judas, who possessed a field with the wages of iniquity, could not find. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "My wounds stink and are corrupt" [Psalms 38:5]. Now he who has wounds is not perfectly sound. Add to this, that the wounds "stink and are corrupt." Wherefore do they "stink"? Because they are "corrupt:" now in what way this is explained in reference to human life, who doth not understand? Let a man but have his soul's sense of smelling sound, he perceives how foully sins stink. The contrary to which stink of sin, is that savour of which the Apostle says, "We are the sweet savour of Christ unto God, in every place, unto them which be saved." But whence is this, except from hope? Whence is this, but from our "calling the Sabbath to remembrance"? For it is a different thing that we mourn over in this life, from that which we anticipate in the other. That which we mourn over is stench, that which we reckon upon is fragrance. Were there not therefore such a perfume as that to invite us, we should never call the Sabbath to remembrance. But since, by the Spirit, we have such a perfume, as to say to our Betrothed, "Because of the savour of Thy good ointments we will run after Thee;" we turn our senses away from our own unsavourinesses, and turning ourselves to Him, we gain some little breathing-time. But indeed, unless our evil deeds also did smell rank in our nostrils, we should never confess with those groans, "My wounds stink and are corrupt." And wherefore? "from the face of my foolishness." From the same cause that he said before, "from the face of my sins;" from that same cause he now says, "from the face of my foolishness." — Exposition on Psalms 38 Fulgentius of Ruspe: Let not earth and ashes glory because in its life it has abandoned its inmost thoughts; wounded, let it not exult as if healthy concerning that which it thinks healthy in itself. But with the humility of an afflicted heart, let it meditate on the rottenness of its wounds in order that, crying out with the prophet, "My wounds grow foul and fester because of my foolishness," it can receive healing from the divine piety, not of its own merits but by a free gift. For what does a person have that he has not received? But if he has received, why is he glorying as if he had not received? Therefore, God alone can give to all to whom he wishes the means by which true salvation can be acquired. He alone is able to safeguard what he has given in the one receiving. — LETTER 4:4 John Chrysostom: For nothing is more filthy, nothing more impure, than sin. Wherefore the Prophet declaring its nature cried out, "My wounds stink, and are corrupt." And if thou wilt fully learn how ill-savored sin is, consider it after it hath been done; when thou art delivered from the desire, when the fire no longer troubleth thee, then shalt thou see what sin is. Consider anger, when thou art calm; consider avarice, when thou dost not feel it. There is nothing more shameful, nothing more accursed, than rapine and avarice. — HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF John 52 John Chrysostom: But nothing is more offensive than the savor of sin, which made the Psalmist say, "My wounds stink and are corrupt." For sin is more foul than putrefaction itself. What, for instance, is more offensive than fornication? And if this is not perceived at the time of its commission, yet, after it is committed, its offensive nature, the impurity contracted in it, and the curse, and the abomination of it is perceived. So it is with all sin. Before it is committed it has something of pleasure, but after its commission, the pleasure ceases and fades away, and pain and shame succeed. But with righteousness it is the reverse. At the beginning it is attended with toil, but in the end with pleasure and repose. But even here, as in the one case the pleasure of sin is no pleasure, because of the expectation of disgrace and punishment, so in the other the toil is not felt as toil, by reason of the hope of reward. — HOMILIES ON 1 Timothy 2:11 Methodius of Olympus: For as the putrid humors and matter of flesh, and all those things that corrupt it, are driven out by salt, in the same manner all the irrational appetites … are banished from the body by divine teaching. For it must … be that the soul that is not sprinkled with the words of Christ, as with salt, should stink and breed worms, as King David, openly confessing with tears in the mountains, cried out, "My wounds stink and are corrupt," because he had not salted himself with the exercises of self-control and so subdued his carnal appetites, but [he] self-indulgently had yielded to them and became corrupted in adultery. — BANQUET OF THE TEN VIRGINS 1:1 Origen of Alexandria: And what does sin smell of? Concerning this the prophet says the following: "My wounds stink and fester because of my folly." — DIALOGUE WITH HERACLIDES Ambrose of Milan: I am afflicted and bowed down by miseries until the end; I go about in sorrow all day long. Until what end does he say he is bowed down? Is it the legitimate end of repentance? Or moreover, so that we may understand it mystically, until Christ, who is the end of the Law; who allowed himself to be scourged, allowed his body to be stoned to death? But those wounds emitted no smell of repentance, but rather the fragrance of all grace. Finally, death did not consume Him, as it does with other men; rather, the fountain of eternal life gushed forth, as Scripture teaches us, saying: "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation" (Isaiah 12:3). Therefore, water sprang forth from His wound, so that we might drink salvation. All sinners of the earth will drink, so that they may cast off their sins. Consider each detail. Christ was afflicted with miseries in order to make blessed those who were in misery. Let no one call him who is just miserable, for he himself said: You will make no one miserable (Isaiah 33:1). He was bent down so that we could be raised up; he was sad so that we could be made joyful; as it is written: For if I cause you sorrow, who then will make me glad, unless the one who is made sad by me (2 Corinthians 2:2). Therefore, whoever is made sad by the Lord Jesus Christ, he himself makes Christ glad; and he himself is made joyful by Christ. Therefore, we also recognize that we must not be satisfied with superficiality. Let us bend until the end, that is, not only having faith in Christ, but also enduring our sufferings, and let us rejoice in our sufferings, just as Christ rejoiced in his sufferings. He took them upon himself for his servants, so let us undergo them for the Lord. This, therefore, is the end. "I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, which is the Church, of which I have become a minister" (Colossians 1:24). We see what we must undertake, who have taken up the priestly ministry; that we ought to endure courageously not only the afflictions of the body for ourselves, but also for the Church of the Lord. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "I am troubled, I am bowed down even unto the end" [Psalms 38:6]. Wherefore was he "bowed down"? Because he had been "lifted up." If thou art "humble, thou shalt be exalted;" if thou exaltest thyself, thou shalt be "bowed down;" for God will be at no loss to find a weight wherewith to bow thee down. ...Let him groan on these things; that he may receive the other; let him "call the Sabbath to remembrance," that he may deserve to arrive at it. For that which the Jews used to celebrate was but a sign. Of what thing was it the sign? Of that which he calls to remembrance, who saith, "I am troubled, and am bowed down even unto the end." What is meant by even "unto the end"? Even to death. "I go mourning all the day long." "All day long," that is, "without intermission." By "all the day long," he means, "all my life long." But from what time hath he known it? From the time that he began to "call the Sabbath to remembrance." For so long as he "calls to remembrance" what he no longer possesses, wouldest thou not have him "go mourning"? "All the day long have I gone mourning." — Exposition on Psalms 38 Gregory of Nazianzus: The very best order of beginning every speech and action is to begin from God and to end in God. — IN DEFENSE OF HIS FLIGHT TO PONTUS, ORATION 2:1 Gregory the Dialogist: Well is it said of this our crookedness, as a type of the human race, through the Psalmist: I am bowed down and humiliated utterly. For having contemplated that man was created for gazing upon the heavenly light, but having been cast out on account of his sins, he carries the darkness of his own mind, does not seek heavenly things, attends to the lowest things, by no means desires celestial things, always turns earthly things over in his mind, and what he grieved concerning his race, he cried out in himself, saying: I am bowed down and humiliated utterly. For losing the contemplation of heavenly things, if man thought only of the necessities of the flesh, he would be bowed down and humiliated, but nevertheless not utterly. Therefore he whom not only necessity casts down from higher thoughts, but also illicit pleasure prostrates, is not only bowed down but utterly bowed down. — Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 31 Augustine of Hippo: "For my soul is filled with illusions, and there is no soundness in my flesh" [Psalms 38:7]. Where there is the whole man, there there is soul and flesh both. The "soul is filled with illusions;" the flesh hath "no soundness." What does there remain that can give joy? Is it not meet that one should "go mourning"? "All the day long have I gone mourning." Let mourning be our portion, until our soul be divested of its illusions; and our body be clothed with soundness. For true soundness is no other than immortality. How great however are the soul's illusions, were I even to attempt to express, when would the time suffice me? For whose soul is not subject to them? There is a brief particular that I will remind you of, to show how our soul is filled with illusions. The presence of those illusions sometimes scarcely permits us to pray. We know not how to think of material objects without images, and such as we do not wish, rush in upon the mind; and we wish to go from this one to that, and to quit that for another. And sometimes you wish to return to that which you were thinking of before, and to quit that which you are now thinking of; and a fresh one presents itself to you; you wish to call up again what you had forgotten; and it does not occur to you; and another comes instead which you would not have wished for. Where meanwhile was the one that you had forgotten? For why did it afterwards occur to you, when it had ceased to be sought after; whereas, while it was being sought for, innumerable others, which were not desired, presented themselves instead of it? I have stated a fact briefly; I have thrown out a kind of hint or suggestion to you, brethren, taking up which, you may yourselves suggest the rest to yourselves, and discover what it is to mourn over the "illusions" of our "soul." He hath received therefore the punishment of illusion; he hath forfeited Truth. For just as illusion is the soul's punishment, so is Truth its reward. But when we were set in the midst of these illusions, the Truth Itself came to us, and found us overwhelmed by illusions, took upon Itself our flesh, or rather took flesh from us; that is, from the human race. He manifested himself to the eyes of the Flesh, that He might "by faith" heal those to whom He was going to reveal the Truth hereafter, that Truth might be manifested to the now healed eye. For He is Himself "the Truth," which He promised unto us at that time, when His Flesh was to be seen by the eye, that the foundation might be laid of that Faith, of which the Truth was to be the reward. For it was not Himself that Christ showed forth on earth; but it was His Flesh that He showed. For had He showed Himself, the Jews would have seen and known Him; but had they "known Him, they would never have crucified the Lord of Glory." But perhaps His disciples saw Him, when they said unto Him, "Show us the Father, and it sufficeth us;" and He, to show that it was not Himself that had been seen by them, added: "Have I been so long with you, and have ye not known Me, Philip? He that seeth Me, seeth the Father also." If then they saw Christ, wherefore did they yet seek for the Father? For if it were Christ whom they saw, they would have seen the Father also. They did not therefore yet see Christ, who desired that the Father should be shown unto them. To prove that they did not yet see Him, hear that, in another place, He promised it by way of reward, saying, "He who loveth Me, keepeth My commandments; and whoso loveth Me, shall be loved of My Father; and I will love Him and" (as if it were said to Him, "what wilt Thou give unto him, as Thou lovest him?" He saith), "I will manifest Myself unto him." If then He promises this by way of a reward unto them that love Him, it is manifest that the vision of the Truth, promised to us, is of such a nature, that, when we have seen it, we shall no longer say, "My soul is filled with illusions." — Exposition on Psalms 38 Theodoret of Cyrus: So, he means, my handling of desire not fittingly but wastefully proved the cause of these troubles.… From that desire [as he says in the next verse] I garnered the fruit, which was my stooping to earth, he is saying, and constant bewailing on account of my heart's bitter pangs. For this reason I changed the force of desire and made it a minister to the divine will.… Since once I used it wrongly, I shall always apply it to the benefit of your commands. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 38:3-4 Augustine of Hippo: "I am become feeble, and am bowed down greatly" [Psalms 38:8]. He who calls to mind the transcendent height of the Sabbath, sees how "greatly" he is himself "bowed down." For he who cannot conceive what is that height of rest, sees not where he is at present. Therefore another Psalm hath said, "I said in my trance, I am cast out of the sight of Thine eyes." For his mind being taken up thither, he beheld something sublime; and was not yet entirely there, where what he beheld was; and a kind of flash, as it were, if one may so speak, of the Eternal Light having glanced upon him, when he perceived that he was not yet arrived at this, which he was able after a sort to understand, he saw where he himself was, and how he was cramped and "bowed down" by human infirmities. And he says, "I said in my trance, I am cast out of the sight of Thine eyes." Such is that certain something which I saw in my trance, that thence I perceive how far off I am, who am not already there. He was already there who said that he was "caught up into the third Heaven, and there heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter." But he was recalled to us, in order that, as requiring to be made perfect, he might first mourn his infirmity, and afterwards be clothed with might. Yet encouraged for the ministration of his office by having seen somewhat of those things, he goes on saying, "I heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter." Now then what use is it for you to ask, either of me or of any one, the "things which it is not lawful for man to utter." If it was not lawful for him to utter them, to whom is it lawful to hear them? Let us however lament and groan in Confession; let us own where we are; let us "call the Sabbath to remembrance," and wait with patience for what He has promised, who hath, in His own Person also, showed forth an example of patience to us. "I am become feeble, and bowed down greatly." — Exposition on Psalms 38 Philoxenus of Mabbug: Whosoever feareth sleepeth not, and if he sleepeth, he seeth in his dream the cause of his fear; he eateth not, and he drinketh not, and if the force of natural craving compel him, fear is mingled with his meat and drink. Everything which attacketh the man who is filled with the fear of God abideth outside him, for fear keepeth fast hold upon the place of his understanding, and upon all the places of ingoing and outgoing of the city of his soul. Like the watchmen who stand by the gates of the city, even so doth fear keep fast hold upon the places of ingoing and outgoing of the soul, and it permitteth no act or thought to enter in or to go forth which it examineth not; for it neither permitteth any internal thought whatsoever to go forth, nor any external act that is not seemly to go in. And moreover this Prophet maketh known in other places the fear of God; "My flesh contracteth through fear of Thee, and I am afraid of Thy judgments." And again he saith, "I am like a wine skin in ice, but I have not forgotten Thy commandments." And again he saith, "Sorrow is in my heart all the day long. How long, O Lord, wilt thou turn Thy face from me? How long wilt Thou forget me, for ever? How long wilt Thou set trouble in my soul?" And again he saith, "Heal me, O Lord, for my bones tremble, and my soul is greatly moved. I am weary with my groaning; every night make I my bed to swim; and I water my couch with my tears. Mine eye hath become sick because of Thine anger"; now it is evident that all these things arose from [his] fear of God. And again he saith, "I roared by reason of the groaning of my heart"; and again he saith, "Lead me, O Lord, in Thy fear and righteousness"; and again he saith, "There is no soundness in my flesh before the fear of Thee, and there is no health in my bones in the presence of my sins. For my iniquities have gone over my head; and [they are] as a heavy burden heavy upon me. My wounds stink and are corrupt, and in the presence of my iniquities I tremble greatly. All the day long I walk in sadness. For my ankles are filled with trembling. I am much moved, and I am brought to great misery." And again he saith, "My heart is turned back, and my strength hath forsaken me; and the light of my eyes is no longer with me." And again he saith, "I kept silent, and I was sorrowful, and I was afflicted even from good; And my sickness was stirred. My heart became hot within me; and in my body the fire kindled." And again he saith, "I was dumb, and I opened not my mouth; because Thou didst it. I have come to an end because of [Thy] rebuke of my sins." — 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 7 -- Second Discourse on the Fear of God Augustine of Hippo: And who observed and noticed the cause of his groaning? "All my desire is before You" [Psalms 38:9]. For it is not before men who cannot see the heart, but it is before You that all my desire is open! Let your desire be before Him; and "the Father, who sees in secret, shall reward you." [Matthew 6:6] For it is your heart's desire that is your prayer; and if your desire continues uninterrupted, your prayer continues also. For not without a meaning did the Apostle say, "Pray without ceasing." [1 Thessalonians 5:17] Are we to be "without ceasing" bending the knee, prostrating the body, or lifting up our hands, that he says, "Pray without ceasing"? Or if it is in this sense that we say that we "pray," this, I believe, we cannot do "without ceasing." There is another inward kind of prayer without ceasing, which is the desire of the heart. Whatever else you are doing, if you do but long for that Sabbath, you do not cease to pray. If you would never cease to pray, never cease to long after it. The continuance of your longing is the continuance of your prayer. You will be ceasing to speak, if you cease to long for it. Who are those who have ceased to speak? They of whom it is said, "Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." [Matthew 24:12] The freezing of charity is the silence of the heart; the burning of charity is the cry of the heart. If love continues still you are still lifting up your voice; if you are always lifting up your voice, you are always longing after something; if always longing for something absent, you are calling "the Sabbath rest to remembrance." And it is important you should understand too before whom the "roaring of your heart" is open. Now then consider what sort of desires those should be, that are before the eyes of God. Should it be the desire for the death of our enemy? A thing which men flatter themselves they lawfully wish for? For sometimes we pray for what we ought not. Let us consider what they flatter themselves they pray for lawfully! For they pray that some person may die, and his inheritance come to them. But let those too, who pray for the death of their enemies, hear the Lord saying, "Pray for your enemies." [Matthew 5:44] Let them not pray for this, that their enemies may die; but rather pray for this, that they may be reclaimed; then will their enemies be dead; for from the time that they are reclaimed, henceforth they will be enemies no longer. "And all my desire is before You." What if we suppose that our desire is before Him, and that yet that very "groaning" is not before Him? How can that be, since our desire itself finds its expression in "groaning"? Therefore follows, "And my groaning is not hid from You." From You indeed it is not hid; but from many men it is hid. The servant of God sometimes seems to be saying in humility, "And my groaning is not hid from You." Sometimes also he seems to smile. Is then that longing dead in his heart? If however there is the desire within, there is the "groaning" also. It does not always find its way to the ears of man; but it never ceases to sound in the ears of God. — Exposition on Psalms 38 Augustine of Hippo: "My heart is troubled." Wherefore is it troubled? "And my courage hath failed me." Generally something comes upon us on a sudden; the "heart is troubled;" the earth quakes; thunder is sent from Heaven; a formidable attack is made upon us, or a horrible sound heard. Perhaps a lion is seen on the road; the "heart is troubled." Perhaps robbers lie in wait for us; the "heart is troubled:" we are filled with a panic fear; from every quarter something excites anxiety. Wherefore? Because "my courage hath failed me." For what would be feared, did that courage still remain unmoved? Whatever bad tidings were brought, whatever threatened us, whatever sound was heard, whatever were to fall, whatever appeared horrible, would inspire no terror. But whence that trouble? "My courage faileth me." Wherefore hath my courage failed me? "The light of mine eyes also is gone from me." Thus Adam also could not see "the light of his eyes." For the "light of his eyes" was God Himself, whom when he had offended, he fled to the shade, and hid himself among the trees of Paradise. He shrunk in alarm from the face of God: and sought the shelter of the trees; thenceforth among the trees he had no more "the light of his eyes," at which he had been wont to rejoice. ... — Exposition on Psalms 38 Philoxenus of Mabbug: Whosoever feareth sleepeth not, and if he sleepeth, he seeth in his dream the cause of his fear; he eateth not, and he drinketh not, and if the force of natural craving compel him, fear is mingled with his meat and drink. Everything which attacketh the man who is filled with the fear of God abideth outside him, for fear keepeth fast hold upon the place of his understanding, and upon all the places of ingoing and outgoing of the city of his soul. Like the watchmen who stand by the gates of the city, even so doth fear keep fast hold upon the places of ingoing and outgoing of the soul, and it permitteth no act or thought to enter in or to go forth which it examineth not; for it neither permitteth any internal thought whatsoever to go forth, nor any external act that is not seemly to go in. And moreover this Prophet maketh known in other places the fear of God; "My flesh contracteth through fear of Thee, and I am afraid of Thy judgments." And again he saith, "I am like a wine skin in ice, but I have not forgotten Thy commandments." And again he saith, "Sorrow is in my heart all the day long. How long, O Lord, wilt thou turn Thy face from me? How long wilt Thou forget me, for ever? How long wilt Thou set trouble in my soul?" And again he saith, "Heal me, O Lord, for my bones tremble, and my soul is greatly moved. I am weary with my groaning; every night make I my bed to swim; and I water my couch with my tears. Mine eye hath become sick because of Thine anger"; now it is evident that all these things arose from [his] fear of God. And again he saith, "I roared by reason of the groaning of my heart"; and again he saith, "Lead me, O Lord, in Thy fear and righteousness"; and again he saith, "There is no soundness in my flesh before the fear of Thee, and there is no health in my bones in the presence of my sins. For my iniquities have gone over my head; and [they are] as a heavy burden heavy upon me. My wounds stink and are corrupt, and in the presence of my iniquities I tremble greatly. All the day long I walk in sadness. For my ankles are filled with trembling. I am much moved, and I am brought to great misery." And again he saith, "My heart is turned back, and my strength hath forsaken me; and the light of my eyes is no longer with me." And again he saith, "I kept silent, and I was sorrowful, and I was afflicted even from good; And my sickness was stirred. My heart became hot within me; and in my body the fire kindled." And again he saith, "I was dumb, and I opened not my mouth; because Thou didst it. I have come to an end because of [Thy] rebuke of my sins." — 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 7 -- Second Discourse on the Fear of God Theodoret of Cyrus: By these statements he implies two things: both the extraordinary degree of depression, by which the light does not even seem to be light, and the deprivation of divine care, which he rightly called "light of my eyes." — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 38:4 Ambrose of Milan: My friends and neighbors have approached me and stood against me. And my neighbors stood from afar. And those who sought my soul were causing violence. And those who intended harm to me spoke emptiness and deceit all day long. But I, like a deaf man, did not hear, and like a mute man who does not open his mouth. And I became like a man who does not hear and who does not have reproaches in his mouth. I see those who cleverly argue these things. To me, especially in this verse of the Lord, the following opinion seems to be held: because in the temptations of the enemy, even his own household becomes an enemy to man. Therefore, holy David confesses this purely, sincerely, and sorrowfully. For true pain is the confession of the inner heart; when all things are enumerated by which the secret depths of the mind are stung with the most bitter affection, and are exacerbated by domestic bitterness. Therefore, the Prophet laments that he is attacked by friends and neighbors, who certainly should not attack him, but rather help him. This certainly aligns with the complaint of the holy Job (Job. XVI, 2 et seq.); because he himself argued with those three consoling kings of evil, who brought him greater struggles, when they had come to console him out of friendship: which we certainly must be cautious about. For consolation should be gentle, not harsh, which would alleviate pain, temper fervor, rather than stir up agitation. Certainly let medicine itself teach us the remedies which it is accustomed to apply to severe wounds, in order to alleviate the pain. And therefore, wounds are first warmed, then they are incised, so that the hardness itself does not cause offense, and the incision does not aggravate the wound. Therefore, it is fitting for us to take great care, so that when we come to console, we do not speak easily or cursorily. Job was silent for seven days, his friends were silent, and they would not have spoken if Job had not burst out in pain. For it must be considered where to begin, so that your consolation does not offend in the very speech. Even silence itself is medicine, and being quick in speech wounds more. Why are you surprised if he wounds another, when he often wounds himself; because from excessive talking sin cannot escape? For if a doctor waits for the time of healing, so that the aids of medicine may be deferred until the diseases have settled; lest the illness, still bitter and immature, as they say, may resist the remedies of treatment, and may not be able to feel the benefit; how much more, then, it is fitting for us to inquire that medical speech may proceed from us in a timely manner, which seems not to ignite grief, but to soothe? The force of sorrow presses upon the heart of a distraught woman who has lost her husband or children through premature death. Why are you hurrying when she cannot hear you unless her grief subsides? We have often seen arguments arise from attempts at consolation. You came to grieve, not to argue. The order of conversation itself must be sought; so that you do not commit a sin before God while longing to console a person; so that when someone says to you, "Listen to this, and to many other things that are of no benefit," you may answer, "Listen to those who console the afflicted"; so that you do not turn the sorrow of another into a contest of empty disputation; so that you do not approach when you ought to stay away; so that you do approach and your words are not harsher. Finally, let the holy Job teach you what is said about such things: "Sudden and severe afflictions came upon me; robbers came at me from all sides. My brothers have left me, and they know me less than strangers do. My friends have become heartless." (Job 19:12 et seq.) Here, therefore, is the natural sense of even the holy prophet David; to lament being attacked by friends and abandoned by those close to him. But even the mystical does not reject the emotions of devotion, as he said for the angels, who pretend to fear the Lord; that they may deliver them from the temptations which they could not bear. So how far are they who are attributed to assistance? But they do not separate themselves, but he who is pressed by temptations thinks that they are far away, whom he desires to be closer to himself; and he thinks that they are pretending when they await the time of their emperor's command, who instructed his athlete to compete longer in order to conquer more gloriously. And it seems that this is more fitting for those who follow; because when the angels of protection relax their vigilance, the enemies lie in wait, seeking to find something harmful in his soul. Therefore, greater power is granted to them to tempt him with more severe temptation, when the guilt of the soul is found to be more serious. Hence, you have that which is said in the book of the Kings of King Ahab to Elijah: "You have found me," he said, when the Prophet strongly reproved him and declared death upon him. And Elijah responded: I have found; because you have done evil in the sight of the Lord (3 Kings 21:20). Therefore, you see that it is not to be taken lightly or without harm for kings or priests to commit injustice against the prophets of God; if there are no more serious sins in which they should be accused: but where there are more serious sins, there it does not seem that priests should be spared; so that they may be corrected with just rebukes. Nevertheless, David says in this place that they seem to have found nothing; and therefore his enemies have spoken vanity, because they have not found anything to speak the truth about. Or certainly, even though I have sinned, I was purging my sins with the pain of repentance. In this matter, they spoke deceitfully with me: to confuse me with reproach and to turn me away from conversion. And see that he may have felt this more, they sought his evils: but when they wanted to accuse, they were prevented; because he had already revealed his own wounds, being his own accuser; and therefore the force of their accusation was nullified: but their words were in vain, which could no longer harm the one who had already confessed his guilt. Therefore, excluded from the envy of accusation, they employed deceit; so that they would rise up, he says, and insult me, in order to provoke me to some disturbance: but seeing their deceit, I feigned not to hear, like a deaf person. Consider the power of speech. He did not say that I pretended not to hear what they were saying: but he said I did not hear; and he excluded the voice of the speaker from the intention of his mind: nor did he open his mouth, like a mute. Blessed is he who can have such virtue, that when provoked, he does not become angry, and when disturbed, he does not seek revenge. The enemies do this in order to provoke anger: they curse so that we may curse; they accuse so that we may accuse in return; they insult so that they may incite us to reciprocal abuse. Hence Peter, in his letter, put it beautifully concerning the Lord Jesus: "When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten" (1 Peter 2:23). Therefore, desiring to shape the principles of his own life in the likeness and image of the Lord, the righteous man, accused, remains silent; he forgives when he is harmed; he conceals when provoked; and he does not open his mouth. He imitates Him who, like a lamb led to the slaughter, does not open his mouth; and even though he could have something to say in response, he chooses to remain silent rather than speak. For when the Lord Jesus was truly accused, he remained silent; and when he was struck, he did not strike back. Finally, when he was struck, he replied: If I have spoken evil, testify of the evil; but if I have spoken well, why do you strike me? See how, as if truly weak and as if unable to defend himself, he spoke with a kind of childish affection: so, therefore, if you have something with which to refute the accuser, it would be better for you to remain silent; lest you reveal your agitation through the cycle of refutation. For it is better to conceal an injury than, when you expose it, seek revenge. Blessed is the dumb man, who does not know how to speak ill, from whose mouth a crime does not come out. This is truly a blessed dumb man, who, when silent, speaks within himself. The Lord gives me the tongue of instruction, so that I may know when it is necessary for me to speak. These are the things that Zacharias spoke within himself, when he had become mute: and truly because speaking had not benefited him, in order not to speak, he became mute; and in order to speak, he was heard by Christ. Finally, he wrote that Christ heard her; and she received a voice, which Christ granted; and she received grace, which she did not have before; so that she could prophesy about him, in whose commands she did not believe before. Why am I talking about the Lord of all powers, when the woman Susanna, not troubled by the weakness of her gender, when she realized that she had been subjected to the danger of death, let out a cry? She was accused, and she remained silent: she was led to death, and she covered herself in silence, so as not to expose her modesty. However, she spoke within herself to God, who heard her more when she was silent: if she had wanted to speak, perhaps she would not have been heard. And therefore you who intended to make satisfaction for your sins to the Lord your God, purify yourself inwardly with a sincere heart and behold Him who can wash away sins. He assists you who thinks you should be accused. Finally, when David was cursed and his commander Abishai wanted to avenge the king's injury, David said to him: Let him curse, for the Lord has told him to see my humility and repay me with good for this curse (2 Samuel 16:12). Do you see, therefore, that by assisting those who revile you, you may obtain that the Lord hear you, and forgive your sin? For since you should be your own accuser, and heap up offenses, and offer yourself to punishment, how can you deny what is objected against you? Repentance seeks patience, and patience mitigates great offenses. How can you be angry with others, when you yourself are guilty in your conscience? How can you be disturbed, when you should be pitiable? He who is accused, and (what is more) by himself, ought to heal his wounds, not wound another. No one heals themselves by injuring another. Doctor, heal yourself. If a doctor, how much more should they first heal themselves! You confess your sin and declare yourself a doctor for others: although what you twist is true, it is not the right time; for to the sinner God said: Why do you recount my injustices (Ps. XLIX, 16)? You usurp for yourself to argue about the Law, when you yourself have acted against the Law (Exod. XXIII, 1). Why do you waste time with tears? Why do you listen to or speak empty words when it is written: Do not receive empty hearing; when you read in the Gospel (Matthew 12:36) that judgment must be undergone for every idle word? Even if someone else speaks, be silent; even if someone else is insulted, close your ear. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "My lovers;" why should I henceforth speak of my enemies? "My lovers and my neighbours drew nigh, and stood over against me." Understand this that he saith, "Stood over against me." For if they stood over against me, they fell against themselves. "My lovers and my neighbours drew nigh and stood over against me." Let us now recognise the words of the Head speaking; now let our Head in His Passion begin to dawn upon us. Yet again when the Head begins to speak, do not sever the Body from it. If the Head would not separate itself from the words of the Body, should the Body dare to separate itself from the sufferings of the Head? Do thou suffer in Christ's suffering: for Christ, as it were, sinned in thy infirmity. For just now He spoke of thy sins, as if speaking in His own Person, and called them His own. ...To those who wished to be near His exaltation, yet thought not of His humility, He answered and said to them, "Can ye drink of the cup that I shall drink of?" Those sufferings of the Lord then are our sufferings also: and were each individual to serve God well, to keep faith truly, to render to each their dues, and to conduct himself honestly among men, I should like to see if he does not suffer even that which Christ here details in the account of His Passion. "My lovers and my neighbours drew nigh, and stood over against me." — Exposition on Psalms 38 Athanasius of Alexandria: People who cling to evil thoughts do not stand for truth but for falsehood. They do not stand for righteousness but for iniquity, because their tongue learns to speak lies. They have done evil, never pausing so that they could repent. Persevering with delight in wicked actions, they run to them without even looking back. They even tread underfoot the commandment about neighbors, and instead of loving them, they plot evil against them. As the ancient saint testifies, "Those who plot evil against me have spoken lies and plan treachery all day long." — FESTAL LETTERS 9:4 Augustine of Hippo: "They also that sought after my soul were preparing violence against me" [Psalms 38:12]. It is now plain who "sought after His soul;" viz. those who had not His soul, in that they were not in His Body. They who were "seeking after His soul," were far removed from His soul; but they were "seeking it" to destroy it. For His soul may be "sought after" in a right way also. For in another passage He finds fault with some persons, saying, "There is no man to care for My soul." He finds fault with some for not seeking after His soul; and again, with others for seeking after it. Who is he that seeks after His soul in the right way? He who imitates His sufferings. Who are they that sought after His soul in the wrong way? Even those who "prepared violence against Him," and crucified Him. — Exposition on Psalms 38 Ambrose of Milan: The just person will want to conform his life to the image and likeness of Jesus, and though accused, he will be silent; if he is hurt, he will forgive. Wrongs done to him he will cover up, not opening his mouth. In this way he will be imitating him who like a lamb was led to the slaughter, never opening his mouth. Though he could have made an answer, he preferred silence to speech. For the Lord Jesus was silent when they accused him, and when they struck him he did not strike back.… You too, my friend, if you are given cause to answer back with a sharp rebuke, be silent. It will be better so. If you answer back in the same tone as your aggressor, it could lead to uproar and loud wrangling. Better to hide the injury done to you than, by arguing back, to gain some point or other. Good is the dumb person who knows not how to speak evil and from whose lips no injurious words can pass. Truly blessed is this dumb person, for inwardly he is saying, "Lord, give me a learned tongue when it is my duty to break into speech." — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: He says then, "But I as a deaf man heard not" [Psalms 38:13]. He who replied not to what He heard, did, as it were, not hear them. "But I as a deaf man heard not. And I was as a dumb man that opens not his mouth." And he repeats the same things again. — Exposition on Psalms 38 Augustine of Hippo: "And I became as a man that hears not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs" [Psalms 38:14]. As if He had nothing to say unto them, as if He had nothing wherewith to reproach them. Had He not already reproached them for many things? Had He not said many things, and also said, "Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees," [Matthew 23:13] and many things besides? Yet when He suffered, He said none of these things; not that He had not what to say, but He waited for them to fulfil all things, and that all the prophecies might be fulfilled of Him, of whom it had been said, "And as a sheep before her shearer is dumb, so opens He not His mouth." [Isaiah 53:7] It behooved Him to be silent in His Passion, though not hereafter to be silent in Judgment. For He had come to be judged, then, who was hereafter coming to judge; and who was for this reason to come with great power to judge, that He had been judged in great humility. — Exposition on Psalms 38 John Cassian: You should walk as one that is deaf and dumb and blind, so that, putting aside the contemplation of him who has been rightly chosen by you as your model of perfection, you should be like one who is blind and not see any of those things that you find to be unedifying. Nor should you be influenced by the authority or fashion of those who do these things and give yourself up to what is worse and what you formerly condemned. If you hear anyone disobedient or insubordinate or disparaging another or doing anything different from what was taught to you, you should not go wrong and be led astray by such an example to imitate him, but, "like one who is deaf," as if you had never heard it, you should pass it all by. — INSTITUTES 4:41 Theodoret of Cyrus: History teaches this more clearly. Even when Absalom mounted a case against his father and drew to his side those who had lost cases in judgment, blessed David was long-suffering. When Shimei berated him with voice and hand upraised, he took the abuse in silence; and he forbade Abishai to try to exact justice against the culprit in the words, "Let him curse me because the Lord bade him curse David." — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 38:6 Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 15, 16.) David overcame his adversaries by remaining silent: and because he became like a mute, he received his voice; for when he turned to the Lord, he spoke, saying: Because I have hoped in you, Lord: you will hear me, Lord, my God. Because I have said, lest my enemies rejoice over me. Consider each detail: David was silent, the enemies spoke, they provoked him to speak. They said: Let us hear your voice. Within himself, he spoke silently: What need is there for them to hear these things, which cannot benefit them? In you, O Lord, I have hoped; to you alone I speak: you listen, who can hear. I have always asked of you, lest at any time my enemies might rejoice over me; for though I have sinned, you forgive the sin: though I have fallen, you raise me up, so that those who delight in the sins of others may not have a reason to rejoice. For we have gained more by our transgressions, since your grace makes us happier than our own innocence. We have this sentiment also in the book of the prophet Micah: Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; for though I have fallen, I will rise again (Micah 7:8). The ruin of weakness is not severe, if there is also not a desire to not rise from it. Have the will to rise, there is someone present who will make you rise. So David said in his heart, seeking to be heard by the Lord, and that his enemies would not exult over him: also asking that he would remain steadfast in his purpose of conversion, so that his adversaries, full of pride and boasting, would not speak against him; as those who desire to insult do. Although he may be moved like a man, he declares himself prepared for punishment, so that he may even atone for his error. Even though the lashes of the Lord cease, he still remembers being afflicted by his own pain; so that he may not find fault that he condemns, which a good confession has already anticipated. This is therefore what he says: And while my feet are being shaken, they have spoken greatly of me; because they are so ready for insults and ridicule, that in the shaking of my feet they had already prepared grandiloquence; or certainly like this: While my feet are being shaken, thinking that I would fall, they have already spoken proudly and grandiloquently. But nevertheless, because he himself in the later psalms said about his own feet being almost moved (Psalms 72:2), lest any doubt arise from this, consider that here we are taught the emotion of repentance, and there the notion of his error is excluded, that riches and greater success should not move us to wickedness. However, this kind of expression is found in the divine scriptures. For example, elsewhere it says: When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream (Psalms 126:1). Although a saint wants to prove himself not in the display of words, but in the power of the spirit. The meaning should always be considered, which even frequent translation from Hebrew to Greek, from Greek to Latin, tends to weaken. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "For in Thee, O Lord, do I hope; Thou wilt hear, O Lord, my God." As if it were said to Him, "Wherefore openedst thou not thy mouth? Wherefore didst Thou not say, 'Refrain'? Wherefore didst Thou not rebuke the unrighteous, while hanging on the Cross?" He goes on and says, "For in Thee, O Lord, do I hope; Thou, O Lord my God, wilt hear." He warns you what to do, should tribulation haply befall. For you seek to defend yourself, and perhaps your defence is not listened to by any one. Then are you confounded, as if you had lost your cause; because you have none to defend or to bear testimony in your favour. "Keep" but your "innocence" within, where no one can pervert thy cause. False-witness has prevailed against you before men. Will it then prevail before God, where your cause has to be pleaded? When God shall be Judge, there shall be no other witness than your own conscience. In the presence of a just judge, and of your own conscience, fear nothing but your own cause. If you have not a bad cause, you will have no accuser to dread; no false-witness to confute, nor witness to the truth to look for. Do but bring into court a good conscience, that you may say, "For in Thee, O Lord, do I hope; Thou, O Lord my God, wilt hear." — Exposition on Psalms 38 Cassiodorus: He always trusted in the Lord who is able to transform sorrow into joy. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 38:16 Augustine of Hippo: "For I said, Let not mine enemies ever rejoice over me. And when my feet slip, they magnify themselves against me" (ver. 16). Again He returns to the infirmity of His Body: and again the Head takes heed of Its "feet." The Head is not in such a manner in Heaven, as to forsake what It has on earth; He evidently sees and observes us. For sometimes, as is the way of this life, our feet are "turned aside," and they slip by falling into some sin; there the tongues of the enemy rise up with the bitterest malignity. From this then we discern what they really had in view, even while they kept silence. Then they speak with an unsparing harshness; rejoicing to have discovered what they ought to have grieved for. "And I said, Lest at any time my adversaries should rejoice over me." I said this indeed; and yet it was perhaps for my correction that Thou hast caused them to "magnify themselves against me, when my feet slipped;" that is to say, when I stumbled, they were elated, and said many things. For pity, not insult, was due from them to the weak; even as the Apostle speaks: "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness;" and he combines the reason why: "considering thyself also, lest thou also be tempted." Not such as these were the persons of whom He speaks: "And when my feet slipped, they rejoiced greatly against me;" but they were such as those of whom He says elsewhere: "They that hate me will rejoice if I fall." — Exposition on Psalms 38 Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 17.) Therefore, for all these things, a beautiful remedy is prepared in the form of a whip, and it offers itself to the Lord, so that it may bear the scourges that please God. I indeed choose the holy kind of whip that David endured with composure; but he chose it because the necessity of choosing one out of three conditions was commanded. However, where it is not commanded, the servant of God is prepared for everything, whether he undergoes bodily illness or flees from the face of the enemy, or experiences the death of his sons, whom he does not fear to send ahead; because he can receive it without being dismayed. For he also knows that if he were to be punished with temporal punishment here, it could alleviate the eternal punishment of torment in the future. Therefore, he begs that his petition be accepted, and that he himself be punished in order to be accepted; for the Lord disciplines every son whom he accepts. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "For I am prepared for the scourges" (ver. 17). Quite a magnificent expression; as if He were saying, "It was even for this that I was born; that I might suffer." For He was not to be born, but from Adam, to whom the scourge is due. But sinners are in this life sometimes not scourged at all, or are scourged less than their deserts: because the wickedness of their heart is given over as already desperate. Those, however, for whom eternal life is prepared, must needs be scourged in this life: for that sentence is true: "My son, faint not under the chastening of the Lord, neither be weary when thou art rebuked of Him." "For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth." Let not mine enemies therefore insult over me; let "them not magnify themselves;" and if my Father scourgeth me, "I am prepared for the scourge;" because there is an inheritance in store for me. Thou wilt not submit to the scourge: the inheritance is not bestowed upon thee. For "every son" must needs be scourged. So true it is that "every son" is scourged, that He spared not even Him who had no sin. For "I am prepared for the scourges." — Exposition on Psalms 38 Theodoret of Cyrus: Sin made me deserve whipping, he is saying; thus I submit myself to punishment. I long for treatment at your hands, pricked as I am by the pangs of sin. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 38:7 Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 18.) If you see your servant confessing his own sins and offering himself voluntarily to punishment, will you be moved, forgive him, and doubt the mercy of the Lord? The judge himself, who is not allowed to temper the sword in many cases because he serves the laws, can still grant a profit from punishments. And yet you hesitate about what you should ask from the Lord of the laws and the Author of mercy, to whom the law is a desire and the right to give. If, however, you ask for your sins to be forgiven, do not consider your honors or be ashamed of your friends, so that you do not seem to have deviated from your dignity. Friend of God, prophet of God, king chosen by God himself, and anointed to the kingdom, he willingly offered himself to the whips and was not ashamed: and are you ashamed? This modesty will not help you much when you come to the judgment of God; but you will repent of this shame when you find yourself not only in the presence of men, but also of Angels and all celestial Powers, and you begin to not deny your own sins. How will you excuse yourself when you have committed such great offenses? Do you pretend the weakness of your condition because no one is without sin? It will be answered to you: Therefore you should have repented, I had given a remedy, why did you reject it? Do you cover your shame because you are ashamed of your honors? He will say: If you are ashamed of me before your friends, then I will be ashamed of you before my Father, who is in heaven. Learn that it is true what is written, that shame leads to sin (Sirach 4:25). David placed his sorrow before him, so that he would never forget; David declared his own wickedness; David thought about his sin, not his riches; David did not hesitate to confess his sins, lest he be ashamed in my judgment: and you were ashamed? My servant Job is not at rest today, if he has blushed for his three friends the kings; and David himself, if he were ashamed to confess his own sins. Therefore, because he did not blush to reveal his sins to me, neither will I be ashamed to reveal my secrets to him. And because neither of them was ashamed to lay the price of their actions in my power, to commit themselves to my judgment and will; I will not be ashamed to call such servants friends, who have striven to do my will. Therefore, since they were previously in mourning, now in consolation; you, however, were previously in delights, now in sufferings. There is great chaos between you, so that neither their favor can reach you, nor your punishment can reach them. Therefore, do you hear what David says? Listen, while it is allowed for you to correct and improve: if you correct here, you will find rest here. Do not let the sweet things of the world and the pleasant delights of this age please you; for they are accustomed to move the unhappy heart. He did not seek the pleasures of being in power, but rather chose the death of the righteous over the life of the wicked. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "And my sorrow is continually before me." What "sorrow" is that? Perhaps, a sorrow for my scourge. And, in good truth, my brethren, in good truth, let me say unto you, men do mourn for their scourges, not for the causes on account of which they are scourged. Not such was the person here. Listen, my brethren: If any person suffers any loss, he is more ready to say, "I did not deserve to suffer it," than to consider why he suffered it, mourning the loss of money, not mourning over that of righteousness. If thou hast sinned, mourn for the loss of thy inward treasure. Thou hast nothing in thy house, but perhaps thou art still more empty in heart; but if thine heart is full of its Good, even thy God, why dost thou not say, "The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away; as it pleased the Lord was it done. Blessed be the Name of the Lord." Whence then was it that He was grieving? Was it for the "scourging" wherewith He was scourged? God forbid. "And my sorrow" (says He) "is continually before me." And as if we were to say, "What sorrow? whence comes that sorrow?" he says: "For I declare mine iniquity; and I will have a care for my sin" (ver. 18). See here the reason for the sorrow! It is not a sorrow occasioned by the scourge; not one for the remedy, not for the wound. For the scourge is a remedy against sins. Hear, brethren; We are Christians, and yet if any one's son dies, he mourns for him but does not mourn for him if he sins. It is then, when he sees him sinning, that he ought to make mourning for him, to lament over him. It is then he should restrain him, and give him a rule to live by; should impose a discipline upon him: or if he has done so, and the other has not taken heed, then was the time when he ought to have been mourned over; then he was more fatally dead whilst living in luxury, than when, by death, he brought his luxury to its close: at that time, when he was doing such things in thine house, he was not only "dead, but he stank also." These things were worthy to be lamented, the others were such as might well be endured; those, I say, were tolerable, these worthy to be mourned over. They were to be mourned over in the same way that you have heard this person mourn over them: "For I declare mine iniquity. I will have a care for my sin." Be not free from anxiety when you have confessed your sin, as if always able to confess thy sin, and to commit it again. Do thou "declare thine iniquity in such a manner, as to have a care for thy sin." What is meant by "having a care of thy sin"? To have a care of thy wound. If you were to say, "I will have a care of my wound," what would be meant by it, but I will do my endeavour to have it healed. For this is "to have a care for one's sin," to be ever struggling, ever endeavouring, ever exerting one's self, earnestly and zealously, to heal one's wound. Behold! thou art from day to day mourning over thy sins; but perhaps thy tears indeed flow, but thy hands are unemployed. Do alms, redeem thy sins, let the poor rejoice of thy bounty, that thou also mayest rejoice of the Grace of God. He is in want; so art thou in want also: he is in want at thy hands; so art thou also in want at God's hand. Dost thou despise one who needs thy aid; and shall God not despise thee when thou needest His? Do thou therefore supply the needs of him who is in want of thine aid; that God may supply thy needs within. This is the meaning of, "I will have a care for my sin." I will do all that ought to be done, to blot out and to heal my sin. "And I will have a care for my sin." — Exposition on Psalms 38 Ambrose of Milan: (Verses 19, 20.) My enemies, he says, are alive and they have become strong against me; and they have multiplied, those who hate me unjustly. They repay evil for good, they spoke ill of me; because I pursued justice. But how much more illustrious was he, who died daily, so that he might give life to his people: and he offered his body to the wounds of death; as he himself says: In deaths often (2 Corinthians 11:23)! For indeed death is a noble redemption of life, even of a life without color or innocence: but the outcome of death is in the hand of life. And for this reason, the Apostle preferred to die daily, in order to demonstrate the merit of his life. For it is written: Do not praise a man during his lifetime. For those who live, will die; and those who die, will rise again. Therefore, it is closer to salvation for one to die in order to rise again, than for one to live in order to die. But who is it that dies daily (Eccl. XI, 30), if not the one who carries the death of the Lord Jesus in his flesh, so that all his sins may die to Him? But the enemies of David were confirmed and multiplied in this age; but they are not a strong foundation, except for the one who is confirmed in Christ. Finally, those who hate the just one unjustly are confirmed in this age; therefore, it is not a just hatred, but an unjust one; since they unjustly hated. But see the distinction. In the latter passage it says: Those who hate me for no reason (Psalms 68:5); here it says: Those who hate me unjustly. But there, it is spoken from the person of Christ, here from his own person; where he speaks from the person of Christ, he is hated without cause: where he speaks from his own, it is unjustly. For a man may not suffer one particular wound, such as injustice, intemperance, or immodesty, but may be vulnerable to other wounds. But in Christ there could be no cause by which he could receive the wound of any sin, being free from fault, untouched by wrongdoing, and unsullied by vice. However, there are those who believe that both psalms were spoken from the perspective of Christ, who was satisfying the Father for our sins. Here, He was expressing His desire against justice, there against grace. And he adds well, to prove that he pursued unjustly: Since I have pursued justice. How great is the power of a word in the addition of one syllable, that it would deceive by saying pursued justice, not followed. For he who follows is nearer than he who follows, and closer than farther, and the succession of an heir is more than called accession. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "But mine enemies live" [Psalms 38:19]. They are well off: they rejoice in worldly prosperity, while I am suffering, and "roaring with the groaning of my heart." In what way do His enemies "live," in that He has said of them already, that they have "spoken vanity"? Hear in another Psalm also: "Whose sons are as young plants; firmly rooted." But above He had said, "Whose mouth speaks vanity. Their daughters polished after the similitude of a temple: their garners full bursting forth more and more; their cattle fat, their sheep fruitful, multiplying in their streets; no hedge falling into ruin; no cry in their streets." "Mine enemies" then "live." This is their life; this life they praise; this they set their hearts upon: this they hold fast to their own ruin. For what follows? They pronounce "the people that is in such a case" blessed. But what do you say, who "hast a care for your sin"? What do you say, who "confessest your iniquity"? He says, "Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord." "But mine enemies live, and are strengthened against me, and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied." What is "hate me wrongfully"? They hate me, who wish their good, whereas were they simply requiting evil for evil, they would not be righteous; were they not to requite with good the good done to them, they would be ungrateful: they, however, who "hate wrongfully," actually return evil for good. Such were the Jews; Christ came unto them with good things; they requited Him evil for good. Beware, brethren, of this evil; it soon steals upon us. Let no one of you think himself to be far removed from the danger, because we said, "Such were the Jews." Should a brother, wishing your good, rebuke you, and you hate him, you are like them. And observe, how easily, how soon it is produced; and avoid an evil so great, a sin so easily committed. — Exposition on Psalms 38 Augustine of Hippo: "They also that render evil for good, were speaking evil of me, because I have pursued the thing that is just" (ver. 20). Therefore was it that I was requited evil for good. What is meant by "pursued after the thing that is just"? Not forsaken it. That you might not always understand persecutio in a bad sense, He means by persecutus pursued after, thoroughly followed. "Because I have followed the thing that is just." Hear also our Head crying with a lamentable voice in His Passion: "And they cast Me forth, Thy Darling, even as a dead man in abomination." Was it not enough that He was "dead"? wherefore "in abomination" also? Because He was crucified. For this death of the Cross was a great abomination in their eyes, as they did not perceive that it was spoken in prophecy, "Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." For He did not Himself bring death; but He found it here, propagated from the curse of the first man; and this same death of ours, which had originated in sin, He had taken upon Himself, and hung on the Tree. Lest therefore some persons should think (as some of the Heretics think), that our Lord Jesus Christ had only a false body of flesh; and that the death by which He made satisfaction on the Cross was not a real death, the Prophet notices this, and says, "Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." He shows then that the Son of God died a true death, the death which was due to mortal flesh: lest if He were not "accursed," you should think that He had not truly died. But since that death was not an illusion, but had descended from that original stock, which had been derived from the curse, when He said, "Ye shall surely die:" and since a true death assuredly extended even to Him, that a true life might extend itself to us, the curse of death also did extend to Him, that the blessing of life might extend even unto us. "And they cast Me forth, Thy Darling, even as a dead man in abomination." — Exposition on Psalms 38 Ambrose of Milan: (Verse 21.) And yet, although he follows righteousness, he does not consider it to be of his own virtue, but of heavenly grace, if he is not forsaken by Christ; and for this reason he prays more earnestly, saying: Do not forsake me, O Lord my God; do not depart from me; that is, men have forsaken me, my friends have attacked the one who is dear to them: they have not drawn near. They fled from me as though I were dead, and they abhorred me; because I desired to confess my sins to you, and to confess; because I offered myself to be wounded by your scourges; because I chose the scars of wounds over the feasts of kings, and the boasting of rulers: you alone do not forsake me, you cleave to your servant, who raises up the needy from the earth, and lifts up the poor from the dunghill. Relying on your company, I will esteem myself more highly among the surrounding peoples. Indeed, my scars have healed, but I still long for the scars of your wounds, which are covered by healed injuries, so that no wound may appear later. Good are the scars of triumphant wounds, with which the victors of this earthly combat boast. How much more glorious are the wounds which, for the sake of faith and the glory of your name, appear to be exempt! This is the scar that opens heaven, acquires a kingdom, and finds immortality. Therefore, brothers, this is the blessed wound, because blessed are those who have washed their robes in their own blood. Thus the robe began to be of glory, the flesh of death (Romans 7:24): in which even Paul himself, chosen by God, was in danger unless he had asked to be delivered from this mortal body, as we read. And therefore, as we are in this body of death, let us pray that the good and beloved physician of God does not leave us, whom even the patriarch David prayed not to be separated from. Let us entrust ourselves to Him, prepared to be treated with whatever remedy He sees fit. No one tells their own body's physician how they should be treated. The physician knows what medicine is appropriate for each wound, by which festering sores should be amputated with a knife, lest the ruin spread to the entire body. If a doctor were to say to the sick person the type of medicine by which he ought to be cured, and if the sick person despise it, the doctor leaves and abandons the sick person. See him who desires to be cured, by acquiescing to every type of doctor; pay attention to the order. He first reveals his wounds to the doctor, and says: Treat me, but I beg you not in your anger, because my weaknesses cannot endure harsh medicine. The medicine of Christ is correction; for the Lord corrects whom He wishes to convert. Therefore Paul also says to the physician: Rebuke, exhort, rebuke (2 Timothy 4:2). So, one who asks to be rebuked does not refuse to be healed; rather, he wants to be relieved of the punishment so that he may not be rebuked in anger and be taken by the force of anger. And watch the process. First, seek to be accused; afterwards, to be corrected, which is greater. Then not only confess your sins, but also list them and accuse yourself; for you do not want your faults to be hidden. For just as fevers, when they are deep-rooted, cannot be alleviated; when they break out, they bring the hope of ending: so the disease of sins, while it is concealed, grows more intense; if it is revealed through confession, it evaporates. Therefore, a righteous accuser is at the beginning of discourse, before the contagion of the ulcer spreads internally; for the memory of sins burdens the conscience unless a remedy is sought. And if the doctor delays, the sick person should offer themselves so that they may be cut as quickly as possible; just as David offered himself in the lashes of the Lord saying: Render to me double the sins, as long as these are avenged; do not abandon me, do not turn your face away from me; do not disdain and recoil from the stench of my wounds. And Job, your servant, was struck with ulcers from his feet to his head, and he found a remedy for his health; although that wound was of virtue, this one of error. They celebrated wounds that doctors could not heal. You spoke, Lord, the mysteries of your sacraments, you revealed the venom of the serpent; and the wounds of your servant were healed by the medicine of your word alone, because you did not abandon him; and do not forsake me, Lord, do not depart from me. People have forsaken me; because my wounds disgust them, which I thought should be revealed to your mercy. They say: Leave us, for you are a sinner; depart, so that you do not defile us. But you, Lord, care and do not defile; you help and do not contaminate; for you are the God of my salvation, Lord, and your hand does not destroy, but is accustomed to heal. We have completed the psalm, along with its interpretation, a verse which some Greek manuscripts have, but not all the Latin ones. For before the next response, the verse is, 'And they cast me forth as a dead thing abhorred'; that is, those who repaid me evil for good. But you, O Lord, do not forsake me, nor depart from me; for this follows; that is: You do not forsake the one accustomed to caring for the dead and decaying. Finally, we have this in the Gospel. For when he had come to the tomb of Lazarus, and said, 'Take away the stone,' Martha said, 'Lord, by this time he stinketh, for he hath been dead four days.' Jesus saith to her, 'Said I not to thee, that if thou believe, thou shalt see the glory of God?' Then He cried with a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come forth.' And he that had been dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes. Let us therefore also believe, that our wounds may obtain the healing medicine of salvation, and future glory. Therefore, in prayers and supplications, when repentance is to be sought with sorrow and tears, so that we may deserve to see the glory of God. Let it not move you that grief, pain, and physical affliction are very severe passions; although they seem very severe, nevertheless such passions are unworthy of the coming glory, as the apostle Paul testifies to you (Rom. VIII, 18). Therefore, let us not be reluctant to bear lighter burdens here, so that there we may be able to obtain full praise and glory, bringing eternal rewards for temporal things through the Lord Jesus: to whom be praise, honor, glory, perpetuity from age to age, now and forever, and for all ages, Amen. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Ambrose of Milan: Lord, you heal and are not polluted; you help and are not contaminated; for you are a God who saves. Your hands, O Lord, do not lose those that are your own but heal them. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "Forsake me not, O Lord; O my God, depart not from me" [Psalms 38:21]. Let us speak in Him, let us speak through Him (for He Himself intercedes for us), and let us say, "Forsake me not, O Lord my God." And yet He had said, "My God! My God! Why have You forsaken Me?" [Matthew 27:46] and He now says, "O My God, depart not from Me." If He does not forsake the body, did He forsake the Head? Whose words then are these but the First Man's? To show then that He carried about Him a true body of flesh derived from him, He says, "My God, My God why have You forsaken Me?" God had not forsaken Him. If He does not forsake You, who believest in Him, could the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, One God, forsake Christ? But He had transferred to Himself the person of the First Man. We know by the words of an Apostle, that "our old man is crucified with Him." [Romans 6:6] We should not, however, be divested of our old nature, had He not been crucified "in weakness." For it was to this end that He came that we may be renewed in Him, because it is by aspiration after Him, and by following the example of His suffering, that we are renewed. Therefore that was the cry of infirmity; that cry, I mean, in which it was said, "Why have You forsaken Me?" Thence was it said in that passage above, "the words of mine offenses." As if He were saying, These words are transferred to My Person from that of the sinner. — Exposition on Psalms 38 Augustine of Hippo: "Depart not from me. Make haste to help me, Lord of my salvation" [Psalms 38:22]. This is that very "salvation," Brethren, concerning which, as the Apostle Peter says, "Prophets have enquired diligently," [1 Peter 1:10] and though they have enquired diligently, yet have not found it. But they searched into it, and foretold of it; while we have come and have found what they sought for. And see, we ourselves too have not as yet received it; and after us shall others also be born, and shall find, what they also shall not receive, and shall pass away, that we may, all of us together, receive the "penny of salvation in the end of the day," with the Prophets, the Patriarchs, and the Apostles. For you know that the hired servants, or labourers, were taken into the vineyard at different times; yet did they all receive their wages on an equal footing. [Matthew 20:9] Apostles, then, and Prophets, and Martyrs, and ourselves also, and those who will follow us to the end of the world, it is in the End itself that we are to receive everlasting salvation; that beholding the face of God, and contemplating His Glory, we may praise Him for ever, free from imperfection, free from any punishment of iniquity, free from every perversion of sin: praising Him; and no longer longing after Him, but now clinging to Him for whom we used to long to the very end, and in whom we did rejoice, in hope. For we shall be in that City, where God is our Bliss, God is our Light, God is our Bread, God is our Life; whatever good thing of ours there is, at being absent from which we now grieve, we shall find in Him. In Him will be that "rest," which when we "call to remembrance" now, we cannot choose but grieve. For that is the "Sabbath" which we "call to remembrance;" in the recollection of which, so great things have been said already; and so great things ought to be said by us also, and ought never to cease being said by us, not with our lips indeed, but in our heart: for therefore do our lips cease to speak, that we may cry out with our hearts. — Exposition on Psalms 38 Ambrose of Milan: Have no doubt about it, when people annoy and torment you when you are doing the right thing, those people are the lackeys of the wickedest sinner of all. They are slaves of the author of every evil deed. David saw this with prophetic eyes and recognized the face of the evil one. So he kept quiet. He had no wish whatever to do the will of the evil one. So he kept quiet. He had no wish whatever to do the will of him who ruins one's peace of mind. He simply said nothing. He closed his doors in silence; patience lay before him, and silence kept a sleepless vigil. No enemy could creep in, and from his cloistered lips no ambivalent speech, no heedless talk, could issue forth. Mightier far is the patient person who can govern himself than the valiant one who captures citadels. The just person is his own cloister; he is his own eternal guard. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue" [Psalms 39:1]. ...For it is not without reason that the tongue is set in a moist place, but because it is so prone to slip. Perceiving therefore how hard it was for a man to be under the necessity of speaking, and not to say something that he will wish unsaid, and filled with disgust at these sins, he seeks to avoid the like. To this difficulty is he exposed who is seeking to "leap beyond."... Although I have "leaped beyond" the pleasures of earth, although the fleeting passions for things temporal ensnare me not, though now I despise these things below, and am rising up to better things than these, yet in these very better things the satisfaction of knowledge in the sight of God is enough for me. Of what use is it for me to speak what is to be laid hold of, and to give a handle to cavillers? Therefore, "I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue. I keep my mouth with a bridle." Wherefore is this? Is it on account of the religious, the thoughtful, the faithful, the holy ones? God forbid! These persons hear in such a manner, as to praise what they approve; but as for what they disapprove, perhaps, among much that they praise they rather excuse than cavil at it; on account of what persons then dost thou "take heed to thy ways," and place a guard on thy lips "that thou mayest not sin with thy tongue"? Hear: it is, "While the wicked standeth over against me." It is not "by me" that he takes up his station, but "against me." Why?... Even the Lord Himself says, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now." And the Apostle, "I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal." Yet not as to persons to be despaired of, but as to those who still required to be nourished. For he goes on to say, "As babes in Christ, I have fed you with milk, and not with meat; for hitherto ye were not able." Well, tell it unto us even now. "Neither yet now are ye able." Be not therefore impatient to hear that which as yet thou art not capable of; but grow that thou mayest be "able to bear it." It is thus we address the little one, who yet requires to be fed with kindly milk in the bosom of Mother Church, and to be rendered meet for the "strong meat" of the Lord's Table. But what can I say even of that kind to the sinner, who "taketh his stand against me," who either thinks or pretends himself capable of what he "cannot bear;" so that when I say anything unto him, and he has failed to comprehend it, he should not suppose that it was not he that had failed to comprehend, but I who had broken down. Therefore because of this sinner, who "taketh up his stand against me, I keep my mouth as it were with a bridle." — Exposition on Psalms 39 Diodorus of Tarsus: "I said" [has] the sense, "I determined," his meaning being, I determined within myself not to sin against my oppressor simply in action but also not to say anything against him by word of mouth, especially since what is initially verbal abuse turns to physical abuse, and the person who is determined not to do physical harm ought not have recourse to verbal abuse. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 39 Origen of Alexandria: In these events one may understand as fulfilled the prophecy which says: "while the sinner stood against me, I was made dumb and was humbled and kept silent from good things", so that that sinner foretold in these words may be understood to be Caiaphas, who stood against Jesus. At the same time we learn also from this passage to despise the voices of slanderers and false witnesses, so that we neither hold them worthy of our reply, nor defend our own selves where the things said against us are not consistent. For what need is there to resist those who resist themselves by saying things contrary to themselves? Especially where it is a greater thing freely and bravely to be silent than to defend oneself without any profit, so that we may not be humbled by false witnesses and wicked slanderers. — COMMENTARY ON Matthew 109 Theodore of Mopsuestia: It is a universal custom to be upset when you see your plans at the mercy of sinners, and to be upset also at your own misfortunes, especially when you are badly treated by wrongdoers while conscious of your own virtuous behavior. The general run of people react to such developments by turning to criticism and displeasure with the God of all. Hence, blessed David says, "I shall guard my ways so as not to sin with my tongue": I kept my words to myself, that is, I made a decision and judgment to guard myself against any sin. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 39:2 Ambrose of Milan: If you know there is sin, be silent. Do not add to your guilt by denying it. If you are not aware of sin, be silent. You are secure in your innocence. The reports of other people cannot nail any sin to a conscience that knows itself to be innocent. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "I became deaf, and was humbled, I held my peace from good" (ver. 2). For this person, who is "leaping beyond," suffers some difficulty in a certain stage to which he hath already attained; and he desires to advance beyond, even from thence, to avoid this difficulty. I was afraid of committing a sin; so that I spoke not; that I imposed on myself the necessity of silence: for I had spoken thus, "I will take heed to my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue." Whilst I was too much afraid of saying anything wrong, I kept silence from all that is good. For whence could I say good things, except that I heard them? "It is Thou that shalt make me to hear of joy and gladness." And the "friend of the bridegroom standeth and heareth Him, and rejoiceth on account of the bridegroom's voice," not his own. That he may speak true things, he hears what he is to say. For it is he that "speaketh a lie," that "speaketh of his own." ... When therefore I had "put a bridle," as it were, "on my lips;" and constrained myself to silence, because I saw that everywhere speech was dangerous, then, says he, that came to pass upon me, which I did not wish, "I became deaf, and was humbled;" not humbled myself, but was humbled; "and I held my peace even from good." Whilst afraid of saying any evil, I began to refrain from speaking what is good: and I condemned my determination; for "I was holding my peace even from what is good." "And my sorrow was stirred up again" (ver. 2). Inasmuch as I had found in silence a kind of respite from a certain "sorrow," that had been inflicted upon me by those who cavilled at my words, and found fault with me: and that sorrow that was caused by the cavillers, had ceased indeed; but when "I held my peace even from good, my sorrow was stirred up again." I began to be more grieved at having refrained from saying what I ought to have said, than I had before been grieved by having said what I ought not. "And my sorrow was stirred up again." — Exposition on Psalms 39 Evagrius Ponticus: In temptation, good words flee from us and the spirit is silent. The soul speaks about those temptations that it recognizes and is silent about those it does not. In this place "good" indicates the virtues and knowledge that flee in the time of temptation. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 38[39].3 Hesychius of Jerusalem: When he was silent he ceased from good, that is, from the meditation of the Law, which is the teacher of good. When the grief of the sin renewed, the wound from sin became more serious, as when we lead others from meditation on the Law. It becomes a festering sore, having applied no medicine from divine precepts. And so he has not stood in silence, but when he had returned to his senses, he cast out that very thing bringing such harm to his spirit. He shows this by "my heart grew hot." — Large COMMENTARY ON Psalms 39:3 John Cassian: If insults are offered to you or to anyone else, or wrongs done, be immovable, and as far as an answer in retaliation is concerned, be silent "as one that is dumb," always singing in your heart this verse of the psalmist. — INSTITUTES 4:41 Philoxenus of Mabbug: Whosoever feareth sleepeth not, and if he sleepeth, he seeth in his dream the cause of his fear; he eateth not, and he drinketh not, and if the force of natural craving compel him, fear is mingled with his meat and drink. Everything which attacketh the man who is filled with the fear of God abideth outside him, for fear keepeth fast hold upon the place of his understanding, and upon all the places of ingoing and outgoing of the city of his soul. Like the watchmen who stand by the gates of the city, even so doth fear keep fast hold upon the places of ingoing and outgoing of the soul, and it permitteth no act or thought to enter in or to go forth which it examineth not; for it neither permitteth any internal thought whatsoever to go forth, nor any external act that is not seemly to go in. And moreover this Prophet maketh known in other places the fear of God; "My flesh contracteth through fear of Thee, and I am afraid of Thy judgments." And again he saith, "I am like a wine skin in ice, but I have not forgotten Thy commandments." And again he saith, "Sorrow is in my heart all the day long. How long, O Lord, wilt thou turn Thy face from me? How long wilt Thou forget me, for ever? How long wilt Thou set trouble in my soul?" And again he saith, "Heal me, O Lord, for my bones tremble, and my soul is greatly moved. I am weary with my groaning; every night make I my bed to swim; and I water my couch with my tears. Mine eye hath become sick because of Thine anger"; now it is evident that all these things arose from [his] fear of God. And again he saith, "I roared by reason of the groaning of my heart"; and again he saith, "Lead me, O Lord, in Thy fear and righteousness"; and again he saith, "There is no soundness in my flesh before the fear of Thee, and there is no health in my bones in the presence of my sins. For my iniquities have gone over my head; and [they are] as a heavy burden heavy upon me. My wounds stink and are corrupt, and in the presence of my iniquities I tremble greatly. All the day long I walk in sadness. For my ankles are filled with trembling. I am much moved, and I am brought to great misery." And again he saith, "My heart is turned back, and my strength hath forsaken me; and the light of my eyes is no longer with me." And again he saith, "I kept silent, and I was sorrowful, and I was afflicted even from good; And my sickness was stirred. My heart became hot within me; and in my body the fire kindled." And again he saith, "I was dumb, and I opened not my mouth; because Thou didst it. I have come to an end because of [Thy] rebuke of my sins." — 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 7 -- Second Discourse on the Fear of God Augustine of Hippo: "And while I was musing, the fire burned" [Psalms 39:3]....I reflected on the words of my Lord, "Thou wicked and slothful servant, you ought to have put My money to the exchangers, and I at My coming should receive it again with usury." [Matthew 25:26-27] And that which follows may God avert from those who are His stewards! Bind him hand and foot, and let him be cast into outer darkness; [Matthew 25:30] the servant, who was not a waster of his master's goods, so as to destroy them, but was slothful in laying them out to improve them. What ought they to expect, who have wasted them in luxury, if they are condemned who through slothfulness have kept them? "As I was musing, the fire burned." And as he was in this state of wavering suspense, between speaking and holding his peace, between those who are prepared to cavil and those who are anxious to be instructed,...in this state of suspense, he prays for a better place, a place different from this his present stewardship, in which man is in such difficulty and in such danger, and sighing after a certain "end," when he was not to be subject to these things, when the Lord is to say to the faithful dispenser, "Enter thou into the joy of your Lord," [Matthew 25:27] he says, "Then spoke I with my tongue." In this fluctuation, in the midst of these dangers and these difficulties, because, that in consequence of the abundance of offenses "the love of many is waxing cold," [Matthew 24:12] although the law of the Lord inspires delight, in this fluctuation then, (I say), "then spoke I with my tongue." To whom? Not to the hearer whom I would fain instruct; but to Him who hears and takes heed also, by whom I would fain be instructed myself. "I spoke with my tongue" to Him, from whom I inwardly hear whatever I hear that is good or true.— What did You say? — Exposition on Psalms 39 Origen of Alexandria: In the Gospel it was written, after the Lord spoke to Cleopas, "Was not our heart burning within us when he opened the Scriptures to us?" Where will you burn? Where will "the coals of fire" be found in you who are never set on fire by the declaration of the Lord, never inflamed by the words of the Holy Spirit? Hear also … David … saying, "My heart burned within me, and in my meditation fire became inflamed." From where do you glow? Where is the fire kindled in you? — HOMILIES ON Leviticus 9:9.7 Ambrose of Milan: It is not that he was enquiring about his own death—death is not the end of one who will rise again—but rather his enquiry concerned that end of which the apostle speaks: "Afterwards there will be the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God and the Father". … Evil will fade to nothingness, and eternal good will take its place.… That, surely, is the true end. It is not the end of one person alone, but the end of all. Why then does David say "my end"? But consider a moment who it is that is speaking. He speaks as humankind or as one representing men and sharing the same substance as they; he is one who stands for all, is in the likeness of all and is truly versed in that perfection that belongs to the consummate man. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "Lord, make me to know mine end" [Psalms 39:4]. For some things I have passed by already; and I have arrived at a certain point, and that to which I have arrived is better than that from which I have advanced to this; but yet there remains a point, which has to be left behind. For we are not to remain here, where there are trials, offenses, where we have to bear with persons who listen to us and cavil at us. "Make me to know mine end;" the end, from which I am still removed, not the course which is already before me. — Exposition on Psalms 39 Diodorus of Tarsus: Not even all the possessions amassed nor all humankind, if measured by their lifetime, from Adam to the last human being—not even this measure is anything in comparison with the measure of your life, Lord. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 39 Evagrius Ponticus: The end of the rational nature is the understanding of the holy Trinity. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 38[39].5 Ambrose of Milan: God, who knows precisely the allotted days of each one of us, regards nothing as immeasurable. His knowledge embraces the measure of all things. To him nothing is beyond his understanding, nothing is unweighed, nothing is unmeasured, nothing is unnumbered. He says, "The very hairs of your head have been numbered." … We know that God is said to have measured the heavens with the palm of his hand22—the palm, from thumb to little finger, being the span by which a thing is measured and its length ascertained. Those who accept this reading understand that our days are measured or numbered, and in that sense they are short. However, the all-knowing God has measured, as we said above, and fully comprehends the very heavens.… The prophet's days are not short but great, for God has measured them with the same palm as that with which he measured the heavens. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "Behold, thou hast made my days old" (ver. 5). For these days are "waxing old." I long for new days "that never shall wax old," that I may say, "Old things have passed away; behold, things are become new." Already new in hope; then in reality. For though, in hope and in faith, made new already, how much do we even now do after our old nature! For we are not so completely "clothed upon" with Christ, as not to bear about with us anything derived from Adam. Observe that Adam is "waxing old" within us, and Christ is being "renewed" in us. "Though our outward man is perishing, yet is our inward man being renewed day by day." Therefore, while we fix our thoughts on sin, on mortality, on time, that is hastening by, on sorrow, and toil, and labour, on stages of life following each other in succession, and continuing not, passing on insensibly from infancy even to old age; whilst, I say, we fix our eyes on these things, let us see here "the old man," the "day that is waxing old;" the Song that is out of date; the Old Testament; when however we turn to the inner man, to those things that are to be renewed in place of these which are to be changed, let us find the "new man," the "new day," the "new song," the "New Testament;" and that "newness," let us so love, as to have no fears of its "waxing old."... This man, therefore, who is hasting forward to those things which are new, and "reaching forward to those things which are before," says, "Lord, make me to know mine end, and the number of my days, which really is, that I may know what is wanting unto me." See he still drags with him Adam; and even so he is hasting unto Christ. "Behold," saith he, "thou hast made my days old." It is those days that are derived from Adam, those days, I say, that thou hast made old. They are waxing old day by day: and so waxing old, as to be at some day or other consumed also. "And my substance is as nothing before Thee." "Before Thee, O Lord, my substance is as nothing." "Before Thee;" who seest this; and I too, when I see it, see it only when "before Thee." When "before men" I see it not. For what shall I say? What words shall I use to show, that which I now am is nothing in comparison of That which truly "Is"? But it is within that it is said; it is within that it is felt, so far as it is felt. "Before Thee, O Lord," where Thine eyes are; and not where the eyes of men are. And where Thine eyes are, what is the state of things? "That which I am is as nothing." "But, verily, every man living is altogether vanity." "But, verily." For what was he saying above? Behold, I have already "leaped beyond" all mortal things, and despised things below, have trampled under foot the things of earth, have soared upwards to the delights of the law of the Lord, I have been afloat in the dispensation of the Lord, have yearned for that "End" which Itself is to know no end, have yearned for the number of my days that truly "is," because the number of days like these hath no real being. Behold, I am already such a one as this; I have already overleaped so much; I am longing for those things which abide. "But verily," in the state in which I am here, so long as I am here, so long as I am in this world, so long as I bear mortal flesh, so long as the life of man on earth is a trial, so long as I sigh among causes of offence, as long as while I "stand" I am in "fear lest I fall," as long as both my good and my ill hangs in uncertainty, "every man living is altogether vanity."... — Exposition on Psalms 39 Augustine of Hippo: The life of mortals is a hard cause. What else is it to be born here, except to enter into a laborious life? Of the greater future labor, the very crying of the infant is a witness. From this troublesome banquet no one excuses himself. We must drink what Adam has offered. We were made by the hands of truth, but because of sin, we were cast into days of vanity. We were made in the image of God, but we wore it down through the transgression of sin. Therefore, the psalm admonishes us about how we were made, and to where we have arrived. — Sermon 60 Gregory of Nazianzus: Such, brothers, is our life, we whose existence is so transitory. Such is the game we play on earth: we do not exist, and we are born, and being born we are dissolved. We are a fleeting dream, an apparition without substance, the flight of a bird that passes, a ship that leaves no trace on the sea. We are dust, a vapor, the morning dew, a flower growing but a moment and withering in a moment. "A person's days are as grass: as the flower of the field, so shall he flourish." Beautifully has holy David meditated on our weakness … and he defines the days of a person as the measure of a span. — ON HIS BROTHER ST. CAESARIUS, ORATION 7:19 Augustine of Hippo: "Albeit man walketh in the Image" [Psalms 39:6]. In what "Image," save that of Him who said, "Let Us make man in Our Image, after Our Likeness." "Albeit man walks in the Image." For the reason he says "albeit," is, that this is some great thing. And this "albeit" is followed by "nevertheless," that the "albeit" which you have already heard, should relate to what is beyond the sun; but this "nevertheless," which is to follow, to what is "under the sun," and that the one should relate to the Truth, the other to "vanity." "Albeit," then, "that man walketh in the Image, nevertheless he is disquieted in vain." Hear the cause of his "disquieting," and see if it be not a vain one; that thou mayest trample it under foot, that thou mayest "leap beyond it," and mayest dwell on high, where that "vanity" is not. What "vanity" is that? "He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not for whom he may be gathering them together." O infatuated vanity! "Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust, and hath not respected vanities, nor lying deceits." To you indeed, O covetous man, to you I seem to be out of my senses, these words appear to you to be "old wives' tales." For you, a man of great judgment, and of great prudence, to be sure, are daily devising methods of acquiring money, by traffic, by agriculture, by eloquence perhaps, by making yourself learned in the law, by warfare, perhaps you even add that of usury. Like a shrewd man as you are, you leave nothing untried, whereby you may pile coin on coin; and may store it up more carefully in a place of secrecy. You plunder others; you guard against the plunderer; you are afraid lest you should yourself suffer the wrong, that you yourself do; and even what you do suffer, does not correct you. ...Examine your own heart, and that prudence of yours, which leads you to deride me, to think me out of my senses for saying these things: and tell me now, "You are heaping up treasures; for whom are you gathering them together?" I see what you would tell me; as if what you would say had not occurred to the person described here; you will say, I am keeping them for my children? This is the voice of parental affection; the excuse of injustice. "I am keeping them" (you say) "for my children." So then you are keeping them for your children, are you? Did not Idithun then know this? Assuredly he did; but he reckoned it one of the things of the "old days," that have waxed old, and therefore he despised it: because he was hastening on to the new "days."... For He, "by whom all things were made," hath built "mansions" for all of us: thither He would have that which we have go before us; that we may not lose it on earth. When, however, you have kept them on earth, tell me for whom you are to "gather them together"? You have children: add one more to their number; and give something to Christ also. "He is disquieted in vain." — Exposition on Psalms 39 Ambrose of Milan: Our hope and our patience is Christ; he is our redemption; he is our expectation.… Look on us, Lord, when you come in judgment; let your mercy look on us.… In the power of your mercy lies the substance of our soul and life. We must not fear physical death; rather, we should fear him who can save or destroy our soul. Our soul's substance is that virtue that God has poured into hearts made in the image of himself. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "And now" [Psalms 39:7]. "And now," saith this Idithun,-looking back on a certain "vain" show, and looking up to a certain Truth, standing midway where he has something beyond him, and something also behind him, having below him the place from which he took his spring, having above him that toward which he has stretched forth;-"And now," when I have "over-leaped" some things, when I have trampled many things under foot, when I am no longer captivated by things temporal; even now, I am not perfect, "I have not yet apprehended." "For it is by hope that we are saved; but hope that is seen is not hope; for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it." Therefore he says: "And now what wait I for? Is it not for the Lord?" He is my expectation, who hath given me all those things, that I might despise them. He will give unto me Himself also, even He who is above all, and "by whom all things were made," and by whom I was made amongst all; even He, the Lord, is my Expectation! You see Idithun, brethren, you see in what way he waiteth for Him! Let no man therefore call himself perfect here; he deceives and imposes upon himself; he is beguiling himself, he cannot have perfection here, and what avails it that he should lose humility?... "And my substance is ever before Thee." Already advancing, already tending towards Him, and to some extent already beginning to "be," still (he says ) "my substance is ever before Thee." Now that other substance is also before men. You have gold, silver, slaves, estates, trees, cattle, servants. These things are visible even to men. There is a certain "substance that is ever before Thee." — Exposition on Psalms 39 Origen of Alexandria: We will have to say that if we give in to troubles, we do not believe in him insofar as he is endurance; and if we are weak, we have not believed in him insofar as he is strength. — COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF John 19:157 Ambrose of Milan: It is not merely one lapse that he is confessing, for he prays to be forgiven all his iniquities. He knows that without God's forgiveness no one can be saved. For we were born in sin. We have inherited a stain. Our human condition has a congenital tendency to sin. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "Deliver me from all my transgressions" [Psalms 39:8]. I have "over-leaped" a great deal of ground, a very great deal of ground already; but, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the Truth is not in us." I have "over-leaped" a great deal: but still do I "beat my breast," and say, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." Thou therefore art "my expectation!" my "End." For "Christ is the end of the Law unto righteousness, unto every man that believeth." From all mine offences: not only from those, that I may not relapse into those which I have already "over-leaped;" but from all, without exception, of those on account of which I now beat my breast, and say, "Forgive us our debts." "Deliver me from all mine offences:" me being thus minded, and holding fast what the Apostle said, "As many of us as be perfect, let us be thus minded." For at the time that he said that he was not "already perfect," he then immediately goes on and says, "As many of us as be perfect, let us be thus minded."... Art thou then, O Apostle, not perfect, and are we perfect? But hath it escaped you, that he did just now call himself "perfect"? For he does not say, "As many of you as are perfect, be ye thus minded;" but "As many of us as be perfect, let us be thus minded;" after having said a little before, "Not that I have already attained; either am already perfect." In no other way then can you be perfect in this life, than by knowing that you cannot be perfect in this life. This then will be your perfection, so to have "over-leaped" some things, as to have still some point to which you are hastening on: so as to have something remaining, to which you will have to leap on, when everything else has been passed by. It is such faith as this that is secure; for whoever thinks that he has already attained, is "exalting himself," so as to be "abused" hereafter. ... — Exposition on Psalms 39 Cassiodorus: Although this holy man was conducting himself in noble devotion, he still asks to be freed from all of his iniquities by the Lord's mercy. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 39:9 Augustine of Hippo: "I became dumb; and I opened not my mouth" [Psalms 39:9]. But it was to guard against "the foolish man," that "I became dumb, and opened not my mouth." For to whom should I tell what is going on within me? "For I will hear what the Lord God will speak in me; for He will speak peace unto His people." But "There is no peace," says the Lord, "to the wicked." [Isaiah 48:22] "I was dumb, and opened not my mouth; because it is Thou that made me." Was this the reason that you opened not your mouth, "because God made you"? That is strange; for did not God make your mouth, that you should speak? "He that planted the ear, does He not hear? He that formed the eye, does He not see?" God has given you a mouth to speak with; and do you say, "I was dumb, and opened not my mouth, because You made me"? Or does the clause, "Because You made me," belong to the verse that follows? — Exposition on Psalms 39 Diodorus of Tarsus: For my part, I realized that this happens to me with your permission, and I waited longer in the knowledge that I would receive help from the same quarter from which comes also the allowance of my suffering. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 39 Philoxenus of Mabbug: Whosoever feareth sleepeth not, and if he sleepeth, he seeth in his dream the cause of his fear; he eateth not, and he drinketh not, and if the force of natural craving compel him, fear is mingled with his meat and drink. Everything which attacketh the man who is filled with the fear of God abideth outside him, for fear keepeth fast hold upon the place of his understanding, and upon all the places of ingoing and outgoing of the city of his soul. Like the watchmen who stand by the gates of the city, even so doth fear keep fast hold upon the places of ingoing and outgoing of the soul, and it permitteth no act or thought to enter in or to go forth which it examineth not; for it neither permitteth any internal thought whatsoever to go forth, nor any external act that is not seemly to go in. And moreover this Prophet maketh known in other places the fear of God; "My flesh contracteth through fear of Thee, and I am afraid of Thy judgments." And again he saith, "I am like a wine skin in ice, but I have not forgotten Thy commandments." And again he saith, "Sorrow is in my heart all the day long. How long, O Lord, wilt thou turn Thy face from me? How long wilt Thou forget me, for ever? How long wilt Thou set trouble in my soul?" And again he saith, "Heal me, O Lord, for my bones tremble, and my soul is greatly moved. I am weary with my groaning; every night make I my bed to swim; and I water my couch with my tears. Mine eye hath become sick because of Thine anger"; now it is evident that all these things arose from [his] fear of God. And again he saith, "I roared by reason of the groaning of my heart"; and again he saith, "Lead me, O Lord, in Thy fear and righteousness"; and again he saith, "There is no soundness in my flesh before the fear of Thee, and there is no health in my bones in the presence of my sins. For my iniquities have gone over my head; and [they are] as a heavy burden heavy upon me. My wounds stink and are corrupt, and in the presence of my iniquities I tremble greatly. All the day long I walk in sadness. For my ankles are filled with trembling. I am much moved, and I am brought to great misery." And again he saith, "My heart is turned back, and my strength hath forsaken me; and the light of my eyes is no longer with me." And again he saith, "I kept silent, and I was sorrowful, and I was afflicted even from good; And my sickness was stirred. My heart became hot within me; and in my body the fire kindled." And again he saith, "I was dumb, and I opened not my mouth; because Thou didst it. I have come to an end because of [Thy] rebuke of my sins." — 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 7 -- Second Discourse on the Fear of God Ambrose of Milan: The strong hand strikes as though harshly, but it is swift to heal. If it is powerful to wound, it is also powerful when it comes to applying a remedy. As the Lord says, "I will strike, and I will heal." … This hand of the Lord took from Job all that he had and gave it all back again. In fact, he greatly added to Job's store of good things, even doubling what he had before. Do not be troubled because David says he has fainted. A person can faint and rise up stronger than before. "The Lord lifts up all that fall and sets up all that are cast down." Whoever is corrected will rise up with virtue. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "Remove Your stroke away from me" [Psalms 39:10]. Because it is "Thou that hast made me," let it not be Your pleasure to destroy me utterly; scourge, so that I may be made better, not so that I faint; beat me, so that I may be beaten out to a greater length and breadth, not so that I may be ground to powder. "By the heaviness of Your hand I fainted in corrections." That is, I "fainted" while You were correcting me. And what is meant by "correcting" me? Except what follows. — Exposition on Psalms 39 Augustine of Hippo: "Thou with rebukes hast chastened man for iniquity; Thou hast made my life to consume away like a spider" (ver. 11). There is much that is discerned by this Idithun; by every one who discerns as he does; who overleaps as he does. For he says, that he has fainted in God's corrections; and would fain have the stroke removed away from him, "because it is He who made him." Let Him renew me, who also made me; let Him who created me, create me anew. But yet, Brethren, do we suppose that there was no cause for his fainting, so that he wishes to be "renewed," to be "created anew"? It is "for iniquity," saith he, "that Thou hast chastened man." All this, my having fainted, my being weak, my "crying out of the deep," all of this is because of "iniquity;" and in this Thou hast not condemned, but hast "chastened" me. "Thou hast chastened man for sin." Hear this more plainly from another Psalm: "It is good for me that Thou hast afflicted me, that I might learn Thy righteousness." I have been "afflicted," and at the same time "it is good for me;" it is at once a punishment, and an act of favour. What hath He in store for us after punishment is over, who inflicts punishment itself by way of favour? For He it is of whom it was said, "I was brought low, and He made me whole:" and, "It is good for me that Thou hast afflicted me, that I might learn Thy righteousness." "Thou chastenest man for iniquity." And that which is written, "Thou formest my grief in teaching me," could only be said unto God by one who was "leaping beyond" his fellows; "Thou formest my grief in teaching me;" Thou makest, that is to say, a lesson for me out of my sorrow. It is Thou that formest that very grief itself; Thou dost not leave it unformed, but formest it; and that grief, that has been inflicted by Thee, when formed, will be a lesson unto me, that I may be set free by Thee. For the word finges is used in the sense of "forming," as it were moulding, my grief; not in the sense of "feigning" it; in the same way that fingit is applied to the artist, in the same sense that figulus is derived from fingere. Thou therefore "hast chastened man for iniquity." I see myself in afflictions; I see myself under punishment; and I see no unrighteousness in Thee. If I therefore am under punishment, and if there is no unrighteousness with Thee, it remains that Thou must have been "chastening man for iniquity." And by what means hast Thou "chastened" him? Tell us, O Idithun, the manner of thy chastening; tell us in what way thou hast been "chastened." "And Thou hast made my life consume like a spider." This is the chastening! What consumes away sooner than the spider? I speak of the creature itself; though what can be more liable to "consume away" than the spider's webs? Observe too how liable to decay is the creature itself. Do but set your finger lightly upon it, and it is a ruin: there is nothing at all more easily destroyed. To such a state hast Thou brought my life, by chastening me "because of iniquity." When chastening makes us weak, there is a kind of strength that would be a fault. ...It was by a kind of strength that man offended, so as to require to be corrected by weakness: for it was by a certain "pride" that he offended; so as to require to be chastened by humility. All proud persons call themselves strong men. Therefore have many "come from the East and the West," and have attained "to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of Heaven." Wherefore was it that they so attained? Because they would not be strong. What is meant by "would not be strong"? They were afraid to presume of their own merits. They did not "go about to establish their own righteousness," that they might "submit themselves to the righteousness of God." ...Behold! you are mortal; and you bear about you a body of flesh that is corrupting away: "And ye shall fall like one of the princes. Ye shall die like men," and shall fall like the devil. What good does the remedial discipline of mortality do you? The devil is proud, as not having a mortal body, as being an angel. But as for you, who have received a mortal body, and to whom even this does no good, so as to humble you by so great weakness, you shall "fall like one of the princes." This then is the first grace of God's gift, to bring us to the confession of our infirmity, that whatever good we can do, whatever ability we have, we may be that in Him; that "He that glorieth, may glory in the Lord." "When I am weak," saith he, "then am I strong." — Exposition on Psalms 39 Diodorus of Tarsus: I realize that all your scourging proves to be for a person's correction and betterment; it is not as though you were indifferent to human beings in allowing them to suffer, instead preferring to improve their souls. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 39 Theodore of Mopsuestia: So this is what should concern us, being rescued from sins and attaining reconciliation with you, which results in complete resolution of problems, and not taking pains over other things, which are futile and useless for the painstaker, never bringing one an outcome for the pains or providing one with lasting benefit from the pains. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 39:12c Augustine of Hippo: "Hear my prayer, O Lord" (ver. 12). Whereof shall I rejoice? Whereof should I groan? I rejoice on account of what is past, I groan longing for these which are not yet come. "Hear my prayer, and give ear unto my cry. Hold not Thy peace at my tears." For do I now no longer weep, because I have already "passed by," have "left behind" so great things as these? "Do I not weep much the more?" For, "He that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow." The more I long for what is not here, do I not so much the more groan for it until it comes? do I not so much the more weep until it comes?... "For I am a sojourner with Thee." But with whom am I a "sojourner"? When I was with the devil, I was a "sojourner;" but then I had a bad host and entertainer; now, however, I am with Thee; but I am a "sojourner" still. What is meant by a sojourner? I am a "sojourner" in the place from which I am to remove; not in the place where I am to dwell for ever. The place where I am to abide for ever, should be rather called my home. In the place from which I am to remove I am a "sojourner;" but yet it is with my God that I am a sojourner, with whom I am hereafter to abide, when I have reached my home. But what home is that to which you are to remove from this estate of a sojourner? Recognise that home, of which the Apostle speaks, "We have an habitation of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens." If this house is eternal in the Heavens, when we have come to it, we shall not be sojourners any more. For how should you be a sojourner in an eternal home? But here, where the Master of the house is some day to say to you, "Remove," while you yourself know not when He will say it, be thou in readiness. And by longing for your eternal home, you will be keeping yourself in readiness for it. And be not angry with Him, because He gives thee notice to remove, when He Himself pleases. For He made no covenant with thee, nor did He bind Himself by any engagement; nor didst thou enter upon the tenancy of this house on a certain stipulation for a definite term: thou art to quit, when it is its Master's pleasure. For therefore is it that you now dwell there free of charge. "For I am a sojourner with Thee, and a stranger." Therefore it is there is my country: it is there is my home. "I am a sojourner with Thee, and a stranger." Here too is understood "with Thee." For many are strangers with the devil: but they who have already believed and are faithful, are, it is true, "strangers" as yet, because they have not yet come to that country and to that home: but still they are strangers with God. For so long as we are in the body, we are strangers from the Lord, and we desire, whether we are strangers, or abiding here, "we may be accepted with Him." I am a "sojourner with Thee; and a stranger, as all my fathers were." If then I am as all my fathers were, shall I say that I will not remove, when they have removed? Am I to lodge here on other terms, than those on which they lodged here also?... — Exposition on Psalms 39 Jerome: What the psalmist means is: As long as I am in this body, I am unhappy. Who of us could say that? If we are octogenarians, we are afraid to die; if we are centenarians and sick besides, still we cling to life and beg for respite. Why do we do that? Because sin gnaws at our conscience. We know that if we leave our body, we are going not to Christ but to hell. On the contrary, what does the apostle say? "I desire to depart and to be with Christ." Give me freedom from anxiety, for after death I am going to be with Christ; even now I long to die. So our psalmist, because he is one who loves the Lord, cries: Unhappy man that I am, because my sojourn is prolonged! — HOMILY ON Psalms 119[120] Ambrose of Milan: Forgive me, so that I need no longer be a pilgrim and a wayfarer. Forgive me so that I may be called home from exile. If you forgive me, before I go from this place, I shall no longer be an exile and a pilgrim. Once you will have forgiven me, I will no longer be in foreign parts. I shall be a fellow citizen of your saints; I shall be with my ancestors, who were pilgrims before me and are now truly citizens. I shall be a member of God's household. I shall not dread punishment but shall merit grace through our Lord Jesus; with whom, Lord God, be praise to you, and honor and glory forever; now and always and for ages of ages. Amen. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "Grant me some remission, that I may be refreshed before I go hence" (ver. 13). Consider well, Idithun, consider what knots those are which thou wouldest have "loosed" unto thee, that thou mightest be "refreshed before thou goest hence." For thou hast certain fever-heats from which thou wouldest fain be refreshed, and thou sayest, "that I may be refreshed," and "grant me a remission." What should He remit, or loosen unto thee, save that difficulty under which, and in consequence of which, thou sayest, "Forgive us our debts. Grant me a remission before I go hence, and be no more." Set me free from my sins, "before I go hence," that I may not go hence with my sins. Remit them unto me, that I may be set at rest in my conscience, that it may be disburthened of its feverish anxiety, the anxiety with which "I am sorry for my sin. Grant me a remission, that I may be refreshed" (before everything else), "before I go hence, and be no more." For if thou grantest me not a "remission, that I may be refreshed," I shall "go and be no more." "Before I go" thither, where if I go, I shall thenceforth "be no more. Grant me a remission, that I may be refreshed." A question has suggested itself, how he will be no more. ...What is meant then by "shall be no more," unless Idithun is alluding to what is true "being," and what is not true "being." For he was beholding with the mind, with which he could do so, with the "mind's eye," by which he was able to behold it, that end, which he had desired to have shown unto him, saying, "Lord, make me to know mine end." He was beholding "the number of his days, which truly is;" and he observed that all that is below, in comparison of that true being, has no true being. For those things are permanent; these are subject to change; mortal, and frail, and the eternal suffering, though full of corruption, is for this very reason not to be ended, that it may ever be being ended without end. He alluded therefore to that realm of bliss, to the happy country, to the happy home, where the Saints are partakers of eternal Life, and of Truth unchangeable; and he feared to "go" where that is not, where there is no true being; longing to be there, where "Being" in the highest sense is! It is on account of this contrast then, while standing midway between them, he says, "Grant me a remission, that I may be refreshed before I go hence and be no more." For if Thou "grantest me not a remission" of my sins, I shall go from Thee unto all eternity! And from whom shall I go to all eternity? From Him who said, I Am He that Am: from Him who said, "Say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you." He then who goes from Him, in the contrary direction, goes to non-existence. ... — Exposition on Psalms 39 Jerome: Grant me a little time that I may repent for my sins, for in hell no one has the power to confess his sins. — HOMILY ON Psalms 103[104] Augustine of Hippo: Let us say then what this Psalm says. "I waited patiently for the Lord" [Psalms 40:1]. I waited patiently for the promise of no mere mortal who can both deceive and be himself deceived: I waited for the consolation of no mere mortal, who may be consumed by sorrow of his own, before he gives me comfort. Should a brother mortal attempt to comfort me, when he himself is in sorrow likewise? Let us mourn in company; let us weep together, let us "wait patiently" together, let us join our prayers together also. Whom did I wait for but for the Lord? The Lord, who though He puts off the fulfilment of His promises, yet never recalls them? He will make it good; assuredly He will make it good, because He has made many of His promises good already: and of God's truth we ought to have no fears, even if as yet He had made none of them good. Lo! let us henceforth think thus, "He has promised us everything; He has not as yet given us possession of anything; He is a sponsible Promiser; a faithful Paymaster: do you but show yourself a dutiful exactor of what is promised; and if you be "weak," if you be one of the little ones, claim the promise of His mercy. Do you not see tender lambs striking their dams' teats with their heads, in order that they may get their fill of milk? ..."And He took heed unto me, and heard my cry." He took heed to it, and He heard it. See thou hast not waited in vain. His eyes are over thee. His ears turned towards thee. For, "the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry." What then? Did He not see thee, when thou usedst to do evil and to blaspheme Him? What then becomes of what is said in that very Psalm, "The face of the Lord is upon them that do evil"? But for what end? "that He may cut off the remembrance of them from the earth." Therefore, even when thou wert wicked, He "took heed of thee;" but He "took no heed to thee." So then to him who "waited patiently for the Lord," it was not enough to say, "He took heed of me," He says, "He took heed to me;" that is, He took heed by comforting me, that He might do me good. What was it that He took heed to? "and He heard my cry." — Exposition on Psalms 40 Ambrose of Milan: Christ has heard the prayer of his own servants and has brought us out from the pit of misery and from the mire of dregs. We were drowning there; our whole flesh was clinging to the mire, trapped in the whirlpool of our sins. Our soul was powerless to save itself; fallen and ruined as it was by the multiplicity and dreadfulness of our offenses. Thanks be to the Lord Jesus, God's only Son, who came down from heaven to forgive us our sins. He came to save us from the pit and slime of this world, from the mud and mire of this earth, from this body doomed to death. In his own flesh he has restored our soul and steadied our tottering footsteps. Strengthened by God's Word and absolved through the cross of our Lord's body, we walk no longer in the shame and disfigurement of vice but in the forgiveness of sin. Rooted and built in Christ, David declares that the Lord has set his feet on a rock. As the apostle says, "They drank of the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ." May that rock, which follows those who thirst, confirm the weak and unsteady; may that water never be lacking to those who long for it; and may that firm foundation never be wanting to those in danger of falling. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: And what hath He accomplished for thee? What hath He done for thee? "He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings" (ver. 2). He hath given us great blessings already: and still He is our debtor; but let him who hath this part of the debt repaid already, believe that the rest will be also, seeing that he ought to have believed even before he received anything. Our Lord has employed facts themselves to persuade us, that He is a faithful promiser, a liberal giver. What then has He already done? "He has brought me out of a horrible pit." What horrible pit is that? It is the depth of iniquity, from the lusts of the flesh, for this is meant by "the miry clay." Whence hath He brought thee out? Out of a certain deep, out of which thou criedst out in another Psalm, "Out of the deep have I called unto Thee, O Lord." And those who are already "crying out of the deep," are not absolutely in the lowest deep: the very act of crying is already lifting them up. There are some deeper in the deep, who do not even perceive themselves to be in the deep. Such are those who are proud despisers, not pious entreaters for pardon; not tearful criers for mercy: but such as Scripture thus describes. "The sinner when he comes into the depth of evil despiseth." For he is deeper in the deep, who is not satisfied with being a sinner, unless instead of confessing he even defends his sins. But he who has already "cried out of the deep," hath already lifted up his head in order that he might "cry out of the deep," has been heard already, and has been "brought out of the horrible pit, and out of the mire and clay." He already has faith, which he had not before; he has hope, which he was before without; he now walks in Christ, who before used to go astray in the devil. For on that account it is that he says, "He hath set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings." Now "that Rock was Christ." Supposing that we are "upon the rock," and that our "goings are ordered," still it is necessary that we continue to walk; that we advance to something farther. For what did the Apostle Paul say when now upon the Rock, when his "goings had now been established"? "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended." What then has been done for thee, if thou hast not apprehended? On what account dost thou return thanks, saying, "But I have obtained mercy"? Because his goings are now established, because he now walks on the Rock?... Therefore, when he was saying, "I press forward toward the prize of my high calling," because "his feet were now set on the Rock," and "his goings were ordered," because he was now walking on the right way, he had something to return thanks for; something to ask for still; returning thanks for what he had received already, while he was claiming that which still remained due. For what things already received was he giving thanks? For the remission of sins, for the illumination of faith; for the strong support of hope, for the fire of charity. But in what respects had he still a claim of debt on the Lord? "Henceforth," he says, "there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness." There is therefore something due me still. What is it that is due? "A crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day." He was at first a loving Father to "bring him forth from the horrible pit;" to forgive his sins, to rescue him from "the mire and clay;" hereafter he will be a "righteous Judge," requiting to him walking rightly, what He promised; to him (I say), unto whom He had at the first granted that power to walk rightly. He then as a "righteous Judge" will repay; but whom will he repay? "He that endureth unto the end, the same shall be saved." — Exposition on Psalms 40 Cassiodorus: Just as the mud of a lake stinks and is heavy, so also the sins of people are like mud, causing people to shudder because of their smell and causing them to drown because of their weight. When we walk in the commandments of the Lord Christ, he sets our feet upon the Rock. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 40:3 Evagrius Ponticus: The pit of misery is evil and ignorance.… The rock is faith in Christ. "And he directs my steps" by actions and true teachings. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 39[40].3 Augustine of Hippo: "And He hath put a new song in my mouth." What new song is this? "Even a hymn unto our God" (ver. 3). Perhaps you used to sing hymns to strange gods; old hymns, because they were uttered by the "old man," not by the "new man;" let the "new man" be formed, and let him sing a "new song;" being himself made "new," let him love those "new" things by which he is himself made new. For what is more Ancient than God, who is before all things, and is without end and without beginning? He becomes "new" to thee, when thou returnest to Him; because it was by departing from Him, that thou hadst become old; and hadst said, "I have waxed old because of all mine enemies." We therefore utter "a hymn unto our God;" and the hymn itself sets us free. "For I will call upon the Lord to praise Him, and I will be safe from all mine enemies." For a hymn is a song of praise. Call on God to "praise" Him, not to find fault with Him. ... — Exposition on Psalms 40 Evagrius Ponticus: After we are made free from all unbridled emotion, we sing a new song, having been renewed in our home. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 39[40].4 Theodoret of Cyrus: In place of the impious worship of the idols I was taught to sing the praises of the true God and offer a song—not an old one but a new one, suited to the new favors. I no longer make supplication in dirges, you see; instead, I sing of the favors. So this is related, as I said, to the sufferings of David as a type and to the favors done to him. And it is related in particular to the human race sunken to the very depths of sin and consigned to death but retrieved through the incarnation of our Savior and given the hope of resurrection. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 40:3 Augustine of Hippo: "Blessed is that man that makes the name of the Lord his trust, and has not respected vanities or lying madnesses" [Psalms 40:4]. Behold the way by which you would fain have gone. Behold the "multitude that fill the Broad way." It is not without reason "that" road leads to the amphitheatre. It is not without reason it leads to Death. The "broad way" leads unto death, [Matthew 7:13] its breadth delights for time: its end is straitness to all eternity. Aye; but the multitudes murmur; the multitudes are rejoicing together; the multitudes are hastening along; the multitudes are flocking together! Do not thou imitate them; do not turn aside after them: they are "vanities, and lying madnesses." Let the Lord your God be your hope. Hope for nothing else from the Lord your God; but let the Lord your God Himself be your hope. For many persons hope to obtain from God's hands riches, and many perishable and transitory honours; and, in short, anything else they hope to obtain at God's hands, except only God Himself. But do thou seek after your God Himself: nay, indeed, despising all things else, make your way unto Him! Forget other things, remember Him. Leave other things behind, and "press forward" [Philippians 3:14] unto Him. Surely it is He Himself, who set you right, when turned away from the right path; who, now that you are set in the right path, guides you aright, who guides you to your destination. Let Him then be your hope, who both guides you, and guides you to your destination. Whither does worldly covetousness lead you? And to what point does it conduct you at the last? Thou at first desired a farm; then you would possess an estate; you would shut out your neighbours; having shut them out, you set your heart on the possessions of other neighbours; and extended your covetous desires till you had reached the shore: arriving at the shore, thou covet the islands: having made the earth your own, you would haply seize upon heaven. Leave thou all your loves. He who made heaven and earth is more beautiful than all. — Exposition on Psalms 40 Cassiodorus: Among other things, the Lord's name is eternal Savior. The one who puts his trust in the Lord's name is the one who believes that he must be saved by the Lord's grace rather than by his own merits. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 40:5 Augustine of Hippo: We will give him other sights in exchange for such sights as these. And what sights shall we present to the Christian, whom we would fain divert from those sights? I thank the Lord our God; He in the following verse of the Psalm hath shown us what sights we ought to present and offer to spectators who would fain have sights to see? Let us now suppose him to be weaned from the circus, the theatre, the amphitheatre; let him be looking after, let him by all means be looking after, some sight to see; we do not leave him without a spectacle. What then shall we give in exchange for those? Hear what follows. "Many, O Lord my God, are the wonderful works which Thou hast made" (ver. 5). He used to gaze at the "wonderful works" of man; let him now contemplate the wonderful works of God. "Many are the wonderful works" that God "has made." Why are they become vile in his eyes? He praises the charioteer guiding four horses; running all of them without fault and without stumbling. Perhaps the Lord has not made such "wonderful works" in things spiritual. Let him control lust, let him control cowardice, let him control injustice, let him control imprudence, I mean, the passions which falling into excess produce those vices; let him control these and bring them into subjection, and let him hold the reins, and not suffer himself to be carried away; let him guide them the way he himself would have them go; let him not be forced away whither he would not. He used to applaud the charioteer, he himself shall be applauded for his own charioteering; he used to call out that the charioteer should be invested with a dress of honour; he shall himself be clothed with immortality. These are the spectacles, these the sights that God exhibits to us. He cries out of heaven, "My eyes are upon you. Strive, and 'I will' assist you; triumph, and I will crown you." "And in Thy thought there is none that is like unto Thee." Now then look at the actor! For the man hath by dint of great pains learnt to walk upon a rope; and hanging there he holds thee hanging in suspense. Turn to Him who exhibits spectacles far more wonderful. This man hath learned to walk upon the rope; but hath he caused another to walk on the sea? Forget now thy theatre; behold our Peter; not a walker on the rope, but, so to speak, a walker on the sea. And do thou also walk on other waters (though not on those on which Peter walked, to symbolize a certain truth), for this world is a sea. It hath a deleterious bitterness; it hath the waves of tribulations, the tempests of temptations; it hath men in it who, like fish, delight in their own ruin, and prey upon each other; walk thou here, set thou thy foot on this. Thou wouldest see sights; be thyself a "spectacle." That thy spirit may not sink, look on Him who goes before thee, and says, "We have been made a spectacle unto this world, and unto angels, and unto men." Tread thou on the waters; suffer not thyself to be drowned in the sea. Thou wilt not go there, thou wilt not "tread it under foot," unless it be His bidding, who was Himself the first to walk upon the sea. For it was thus that Peter spoke. "If Thou art, bid me come unto Thee on the waters." And because "He was," He heard him when praying; He granted his wish to him when expressing his desire; He raised him up when sinking. These are the "wonderful works" that the "Lord hath made." Look on them; let faith be the eye of him who would behold them. And do thou also likewise; for although the winds alarm thee, though the waves rage against thee, and though human frailty may have inspired thee with some doubt of thy salvation, thou hast it in thy power to "cry out," thou mayest say "Lord, I perish." He who bids thee walk there, suffers thee not to perish. For in that thou now walkest "on the Rock," thou fearest not even on the sea! If thou art without "the Rock," thou must sink in the sea; for the Rock on which thou must walk is such an one as is not sunk in the sea, — Exposition on Psalms 40 Gregory the Dialogist: Hence through the Psalmist the Lord says: "I have declared and spoken, they have multiplied beyond number." For when the Lord calls, the faithful are multiplied beyond number, because sometimes even those come to faith who do not attain to the number of the elect. For here they are mingled with the faithful through confession, but because of their reprobate life they do not deserve to be numbered there in the lot of the faithful. — Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 19 Theodoret of Cyrus: The wonders performed by your power, he is saying, defy counting and all description: there is no one who can do the like. While your creation is great and beautiful, what you arrange time after time in your providence surpasses human praise—in Egypt, in the wilderness, in the case of Moses, in the case of Joshua, in the case of Samuel, and earlier instances than those, having to do with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the royalty Joseph gained through slavery, not to mention all the other cases individually. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 40:4 Augustine of Hippo: "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire" [Psalms 40:6], says the Psalm to God. For the men of old time, when as yet the true Sacrifice, which is known to the faithful, was foreshown in figures, used to celebrate rites that were figures of the reality that was to be hereafter; many of them understanding their meaning; but more of them in ignorance of it. For the Prophets and the holy Patriarchs understood what they were celebrating; but the rest of the "stiff-necked people" were so carnal, that what was done by them was but to symbolize the things that were to come afterwards; and it came to pass, when that first sacrifice was abolished; when the burnt-offerings of "rams, of goats, and of calves," and of other victims, had been abolished, "God did not desire them." Why did God not desire them? And why did He at the first desire them? Because all those things were, as it were, the words of a person making a promise; and the expressions conveying a promise, when the thing that they promise has come, are no longer uttered....Those sacrifices then, as being but expressions of a promise, have been abrogated. What is that which has been given as its fulfilment? That "Body;" which you know; which you do not all of you know; which, of you who do know it, I pray God all may not know it unto condemnation. Observe the time when it was said; for the person is Christ our Lord, speaking at one time for His members, at another in His own person. "Sacrifice and offering," said He, "You did not desire." What then? Are we left at this present time without a sacrifice? God forbid! "But a Body have You perfected for me." It was for this reason that You did not desire the others; that You might "perfect" this; before You "perfected" this, You desired the others. The fulfilment of the promise has done away with the words that express the promise. For if they still hold out a promise, that which was promised is not yet fulfilled. This was promised by certain signs; the signs that convey the promise are done away; because the Substance that was promised has come. We are in this "Body." We are partakers of this "Body." We know that which we ourselves receive; and you who know it not yet, will know it bye and bye; and when you come to know it, I pray ye may not receive it unto condemnation. "For he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation unto himself." [1 Corinthians 11:29] "A Body" has been "perfected" for us; let us be made perfect in the Body. — Exposition on Psalms 40 Hilary of Poitiers: [Christ] offered himself to the death of the accursed that he might break the curse of the Law, offering himself voluntarily a victim to God the Father, in order that by means of a voluntary victim the curse that attended the discontinuance of the regular victim might be removed. Now of this sacrifice mention is made in another passage of the psalms: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body have you prepared for me"; that is, by offering to God the Father, who refused the legal sacrifices, the acceptable offering of the body that he received. Of this offering the holy apostle thus speaks: "For this he did once for all when he offered himself up," securing complete salvation for the human race by the offering of this holy, perfect victim. — HOMILY ON Psalms 53(54).13 Arnobius the Younger: That is, it is written about me in the beginning of the Psalter: "Blessed is the man," so I may do your will. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 40 Augustine of Hippo: "Burnt-offerings also for sin hast Thou not required." "Then said I, Lo, I come!" [Psalms 40:7]. It is time that what "was promised should come;" because the signs, by means of which they were promised, have been put away. And indeed, Brethren, observe these put away; those fulfilled. Let the Jewish nation at this time show me their priest, if they can! Where are their sacrifices? They are brought to an end; they are put away now. Should we at that time have rejected them? We do reject them now; because, if you chose to celebrate them now, it were unseasonable; unfitting at the time; incongruous. You are still making promises; I have already received! There has remained to them a certain thing for them to celebrate; that they might not remain altogether without a sign. ...In such a case then are they; like Cain with his mark. The sacrifices, however, which used to be performed there, have been put away; and that which remained unto them for a sign like that of Cain, hath by this time been fulfilled; and they know it not. They slay the Lamb; they eat the unleavened bread. "Christ has been sacrificed for us, as our Passover." Lo, in the sacrifice of Christ, I recognise the Lamb that was slain! What of the unleavened bread? "Therefore," says he, "let us keep the feast; not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of wickedness" (he shows what is meant by "old;" it is "stale" flour; it is sour), "but in the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." They have continued in the shade; they cannot abide the Sun of Glory. We are already in the light of day. We have "the Body" of Christ, we have the Blood of Christ. If we have a new life, let us "sing a new song, even a hymn unto our God." "Burnt offerings for sin Thou didst not desire. Then said I, Lo, I come!" — Exposition on Psalms 40 Cassiodorus: This verse embraces the mysteries of the Old and New Testaments, for it says that at a later time God no longer accepted the sacrifices and offerings which were earlier being performed to honor him through the sacrifice of cattle which fed the priests. It is certainly true that he considered it fitting to accept these kinds of offerings, since there seemed to be a certain prefiguration of the body of Christ through them. But once the Messiah himself, the Lord Christ, who had been foretold, arrived and offered himself for us all as the compassionate Victim, it was unnecessary that such a preliminary figure as the Old Testament sacrifices still endure, now that the truth had reached fulfillment.… The body which was previously promised through the images of the sacrifices … was now fulfilled by his coming. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 40:7 Didymus the Blind: He calls the "roll of the book" every divinely inspired Scripture, both the legal and the prophetic. In these Scriptures things are written concerning the memory of the Savior among us. The psalmist calls it a roll because everything is summed up into one. — FRAGMENTS ON THE Psalms 40:8 Pseudo-Athanasius: Here the psalmist introduces the person of Christ, who says, By the will of the Father he came and completed the things that are written concerning him in the law and the prophets. And he declared his righteousness in a great church, which is in all peoples and is more excellent than that of the law. — EXPOSITION ON Psalms 40 Theodoret of Cyrus: The apostolic exhortation sings a similar note to this, "I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, the worship according to reason." In place of the rites of the Law, the Lord required us to consecrate our limbs. Now, seeing your grace, he says, I offered myself to you in the words "Here I am." This statement, of course, blessed Paul applies to Christ the Lord, and rightly so: he is our nature's first fruits, and it is fitting for him in the first place to speak for us and in himself to prefigure in type what is appropriate in our case. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 40:5 Ambrose of Milan: Because there is one will, there is one substance, there is inseparable majesty and the power of the Trinity. But there is another voice, that of the flesh; and yet, it too consents to God's will.… Christ accepted death and crucifixion so as to crucify the flesh. For my sake he took on himself the combat, so that he might conquer me. Though Christ's flesh was strong and not liable to sin, he nevertheless took on my sins. He took on my weaknesses and infirmities, though he himself was without infirmity.… He who is all pure took on our flesh to make it all pure. He, the immortal one, took on our flesh to make us immortal. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "In the head of the Book it is written of me, that I should fulfil Thy will: O my God, I am willing, and Thy Law is within my heart" [Psalms 40:8]. Behold! He turns His regards to His members. Behold! He hath Himself "fulfilled the will" of the Father. But in what "beginning of a Book" is it written of Him? Perhaps in the beginning of this Book of Psalms. For why should we seek far for it, or examine into other books for it? Behold! It is written in the beginning of this Book of Psalms! "His will is in the Law of the Lord;" that is, "`O my God, I am willing,' and `Thy Law is within my heart;'" that is the same as, "And in His Law doth he meditate day and night." — Exposition on Psalms 40 Jerome: Let the Jews perceive that they have not prevailed against me, but that it is your will that I suffer. Besides, I desired to suffer; that is why I say in my human nature: "To do your will, O my God, is my delight." It was your will and mine that I suffer; not their plottings and power did it, but you and I desired it. You, in truth, struck your Shepherd, and the sheep have been scattered.… That I suffer was your will and mine also. What you desired, I also desired. — HOMILY ON Psalms 108[109] Augustine of Hippo: "I have well declared Thy righteousness in the great congregation" [Psalms 40:9]. He now addresses His Members. He is exhorting them to do what He has already done. He has "declared;" let us declare also. He has suffered; let us "suffer with Him." He has been glorified; we shall be "glorified with Him." "I have declared Thy righteousness in the great congregation." How great an one is that? In all the world. How great is it? Even among all nations. Why among all nations? Because He is "the Seed of Abraham, in whom all nations shall be blessed." Why among all nations? "Because their sound hath gone forth into all lands." "Lo! I will not refrain my lips, O Lord, and that Thou knowest." My lips speak; I will not "refrain" them from speaking. My lips indeed sound audibly in the ears of men; but "Thou knowest" mine heart. "I will not refrain my lips, O Lord; that Thou knowest." It is one thing that man heareth; another that God "knoweth." That the "declaring" of it should not be confined to the lips alone, and that it might not be said of us, "Whatsoever things they say unto you, do; but do not after their works;" or lest it should be said to the people, "praising God with their lips, but not with their heart," "This people honoureth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me;" do thou make audible confession with thy lips; draw nigh with thine heart also. "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." In case like unto which that thief was found, who, hanging on the Cross with the Lord, did on the Cross acknowledge the Lord. Others had refused to acknowledge Him while working miracles; this man acknowledged Him when hanging on the Cross. That thief had every other member pierced through; his hands were fastened by the nails; his feet were pierced also; his whole body was fastened to the tree; the body was not disengaged in its other members; the heart and the tongue were disengaged; "with the heart" he "believed; with the tongue" he made "confession." "Remember me, O Lord," he said, "when Thou comest into Thy kingdom." He hoped for the coming of his salvation at a time far remote; he was content to receive it after a long delay; his hope rested on an object far remote. The day, however, was not postponed! The answer was, "This day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise." Paradise hath happy trees! This day hast thou been with Me on "the Tree" of the Cross. This day shalt thou be with Me on "the Tree" of Salvation. ... — Exposition on Psalms 40 John Chrysostom: What does he mean when he says, "I have declared your justice"? He did not simply say, "I have given," but "I have declared." What does this mean? That he has justified our race not by right actions, not by toils, not by barter and exchange but by grace alone. Paul, too, made this clear when he said, "But now the justice of God has been made manifest independently of the Law." But the justice of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ and not through any labor and suffering. — DISCOURSES AGAINST JUDAIZING CHRISTIANS 7:3.2 Theodoret of Cyrus: Blessed David promises to preach God's righteousness, the truth of inspired composition, the admirable salvation and immeasurable mercy in a great assembly gathered by divine grace throughout the whole world. And redeemed nature itself promises to give this response to its salvation by flocking to church, moving its lips in hymn singing, proclaiming God's righteous judgment, recounting his ineffable care and giving a glimpse of the truth of the inspired promises. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 40:7 Ambrose of Milan: A person can speak of his own justice without arrogance, … if he has faith in God and believes that on account of his faith he will be reckoned as just. … It was for this reason that Christ came, to establish faith and to grant us forgiveness of sin. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "I have not hid my righteousness within my heart" [Psalms 40:10]. What is meant by "my righteousness"? My faith. For, "the just shall live by faith." As suppose the persecutor under threat of punishment, as they were once allowed to do, puts you to the question, "What art thou? Pagan or Christian?" "A Christian." That is his "righteousness." He believeth; he "lives by faith." He doth not "hide his righteousness within his heart." He has not said in his heart, "I do indeed believe in Christ; but I will not tell what I believe to this persecutor, who is raging against me, and threatening me. My God knoweth that inwardly, within my heart, I do believe. He knoweth that I renounce Him not." Lo! you say that you have this inwardly within your heart! What have you upon your lips? "I am not a Christian." Your lips bear witness against your heart. "I have not hid my righteousness within my heart." ..."I have declared Thy Truth and Thy Salvation." I have declared Thy Christ. This is the meaning of, "I have declared Thy Truth and Thy Salvation." How is "Thy Truth" Christ? "I am the Truth." How is Christ "His Salvation"? Simeon recognised the infant in His Mother's hands in the Temple, and said, "For mine eyes have seen Thy Salvation." The old man recognised the little child; the old man having himself "become a little child" in that infant, having been renewed by faith. For he had received an oracle from God; and it said this, "The Lord had said unto him, that he was not to depart out of this life, until he had seen the "Salvation of God." This "Salvation of God" it is a good thing to have shown unto men; but let them cry, "Show us Thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us Thy Salvation." ..."I have not concealed Thy mercy and Thy Truth from the great congregation." Let us be there; let us also be numbered among the members of this Body: let us not keep back "the mercy" of the Lord, and "the Truth" of the Lord. Wouldest thou hear what "the mercy of the Lord" is? Depart from thy sins; He will forgive thy sins. Wouldest thou hear what "the truth" of the Lord is? Hold fast righteousness. Thy righteousness shall receive a crown. For mercy is announced to you now; "Truth" is to be shown unto thee hereafter. For God is not merciful in such a way as not to be just, nor just in such a way as not to be merciful. Does that mercy seem to thee an inconsiderable one? He will not impute unto thee all thy former sins: thou hast lived ill up to this present day; thou art still living; this day live well; then thou wilt not "conceal" this "mercy." If this is meant by "mercy," what is meant by "truth"? ... — Exposition on Psalms 40 Pseudo-Athanasius: [At this point in the psalm] he introduces the persons of those who believed from Israel; for he confesses to God that he did not remove his mercy from it but then and now saved and supported them. — EXPOSITION ON Psalms 40 Augustine of Hippo: "Remove not Thou Thy mercies far from me, O Lord" [Psalms 40:11]. He is turning his attention to the wounded members. Because I have not "concealed Thy mercy and Thy Truth from the great congregation," from the Unity of the Universal Church, look Thou on Thy afflicted members, look on those who are guilty of sins of omission, and on those who are guilty of sins of commission: and withhold not Thou Thy mercies. "Thy mercy and Thy Truth have continually preserved me." I should not dare to turn from my evil way, were I not assured of remission; I could not endure so as to persevere, if I were not assured of the fulfilment of Thy promise. ... — Exposition on Psalms 40 Cassiodorus: The "mercy" was that he saved human nature, wounded by the vice of transgression, by his holy incarnation; the "truth" was that through the blessing of the promised resurrection, he sits at the right hand of the Father and from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 40:12 Augustine of Hippo: "Innumerable evils have compassed me about" [Psalms 40:12]. Who can number sins? Who can count his own sins, and those of others? A burden under which he was groaning, who said, "Cleanse Thou me from my secret faults; and from the faults of others, spare Thou Thy servant, O Lord." Our own are too little; those "of others" are added to the burden. I fear for myself; I fear for a virtuous brother, I have to bear with a wicked brother; and under such burthen what shall we be, if God's mercy were to fail? "But Thou, Lord, remove not afar off." Be Thou near unto us! To whom is the Lord near? "Even" unto them that "are of a broken heart." He is far from the proud: He is near to the humble. "For though the Lord is high, yet hath He respect unto the lowly." But let not those that are proud think themselves to be unobserved: for the things that are high, He "beholdeth afar off." He "beheld afar off" the Pharisee, who boasted himself; He was near at hand to succour the Publican, who made confession. The one extolled his own merits, and concealed his wounds; the other boasted not of his merits, but laid bare his wounds. He came to the Physician; he knew that he was sick, and that he required to be made whole; he "dared not lift up his eyes to Heaven: he smote upon his breast." He spared not himself, that God might spare him; he acknowledged himself guilty, that God might "ignore" the charge against him. He punished himself, that God might free him from punishment. ..."Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I could not see." There is a something for us "to see;" what prevents us so that we see it not? Is it not iniquity? From beholding this light your eye is prevented perhaps by some humour penetrating into it; perhaps by smoke, or dust, or by something else that has been thrown into it: and you have not been able to raise your wounded eye to contemplate this light of day. What then? Will you be able to lift up your wounded heart unto God? Must it not be first healed, in order that thou mayest see? Do you not show your pride, when you say, "First let me see, and then I will believe"? Who is there who says this? For who that would fain see, says, "Let me see, and then I will believe"? I am about to manifest the Light unto thee; or rather the Light Itself would fain manifest Itself to thee! To whom? It cannot manifest Itself to the blind. He does not see. Whence is it that he seeth not? It is that the eye is clogged by the multitude of sins. ..."They are more than the hairs of my head." He subjects the number of the "hairs of his head" to calculation. Who is there can calculate the number of the hairs of his head? Much less can he tell the number of his sins, which exceed the number of the hairs of his head. They seem to be minute; but they are many in number. You have guarded against great ones; you do not now commit adultery, or murder; you do not plunder the property of others; you do not blaspheme; and do not bear false witness; those are the weightier kind of sins. You have guarded against great sins, what are you doing about your smaller ones? You have cast off the weight; beware lest the sand overwhelm you. "And my heart hath forsaken me." What wonder if thine heart is forsaken by thy God, when it is even "forsaken" by itself? What is meant by "faileth me," "forsaketh me"? Is not capable of knowing itself. He means this: "My heart hath forsaken me." I would fain see God with mine heart, and cannot from the multitude of my sins: that is not enough; mine heart does not even know itself. For no one thoroughly knows himself: let no one presume upon his own state. Was Peter able to comprehend with his own heart the state of his own heart, who said, "I will be with Thee even unto death"? There was a false presumption in the heart; there was lurking in that heart at the same time a real fear: and the heart was not able to comprehend the state of the heart. Its state was unknown to the sick heart itself: it was manifest to the physician. That which was foretold of him was fulfilled. God knew that in him which he knew not in himself: because his heart had forsaken him, his heart was unknown to his heart. — Exposition on Psalms 40 Theodoret of Cyrus: The church of God, buffeted by billows from the godless, in its struggles is not carried away but attributes developments to sins and failings and begs to enjoy assistance from the Savior. In a particular way, the church of God is not composed completely of perfect people; instead, it numbers also those addicted to sloth and inclined to the careless life, who choose to serve pleasure. Since it is one body, both features are displayed as in the case of one person. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 40:8 Augustine of Hippo: "Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me" [Psalms 40:13]. As if he were saying, "'If You will, You can make me clean.' [Matthew 8:2] Be pleased to deliver me. O Lord, look upon me to help me." Look, that is, on the penitent members, members that lie in pain, members that are writhing under the instruments of the surgeon; but still in hope. — Exposition on Psalms 40 Augustine of Hippo: "Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it" [Psalms 40:14]. For in a certain passage he makes an accusation, and says, "I looked upon my right hand, and beheld; and there was no man who sought after my soul;" that is, there was no man to imitate Mine example. Christ in His Passion is the Speaker. "I looked on my right hand," that is, not on the ungodly Jews, but on Mine own right hand, the Apostles,-"and there was no man who sought after My soul." So thoroughly was there no man to "seek after My soul," that he who had presumed on his own strength, "denied My soul." But because a man's soul is sought after in two ways, either in order that you may enjoy his society; or that you may persecute him; therefore he here speaks of others, whom he would have "confounded and ashamed," who are "seeking after his soul." But lest you should understand it in the same way as when he complains of some who did not "seek after his soul," He adds, "to destroy it;" that is, they seek after my soul in order to my death. ..."Let them be turned backward and put to shame that wish me evil." "Turned backwards." Let us not take this in a bad sense. He wishes them well; and it is His voice, who said from the Cross, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." Wherefore then doth he say to them, that they should return "backwards"? Because they who before were proud, so that they fell, are now become humble, so that they may rise again. For when they are before, they are wishing to take precedence of their Lord; to be better than He; but if they go behind Him, they acknowledge Him to be better than they; they acknowledge that He ought to go before; that He should precede they follow. Thence He thus rebukes Peter giving Him evil counsel. For the Lord, when about to suffer for our salvation, also foretold what was to happen concerning that Passion itself; and Peter says, "Be it far from Thee," "God forbid it!" "This shall not be!" He would fain have gone before his Lord; would have given counsel to his Master! But the Lord, that He might make him not go before Him, but follow after Him, says, "Get thee behind, Satan!" It is for this reason He said "Satan," because thou art seeking to go before Him, whom thou oughest to follow; but if thou art behind, if thou follow Him, thou wilt henceforth not be "Satan." What then? "Upon this Rock I will build My Church." ... — Exposition on Psalms 40 Augustine of Hippo: "Let them speedily bear away their own confusion, that say unto me, Well done! Well done!" [Psalms 40:15]. They praise you without reason. "A great man! A good man! A man of education and of learning; but why a Christian?" They praise those things in you which you should wish not to be praised; they find fault with that at which you rejoice. But if perhaps you say, "What is it you praise in me, O man? That I am a virtuous man? A just man? If you think this, Christ made me this; praise Him." But the other says, "Be it far from you. Do yourself no wrong! You yourself made yourself such." "Let them be confounded who say unto me, Well done! Well done!" And what follows? — Exposition on Psalms 40 Augustine of Hippo: "Let all those that seek Thee, O Lord, rejoice and be glad" (ver. 16). Those who "seek" not me, but "Thee;" who say not to me, "Well done! Well done!" but see me "glory in Thee," if I have anything whereof to glory; for "he who glories, let him glory in the Lord." "Let all those who seek Thee, Lord, rejoice and be glad." "And say continually, the Lord be magnified." For even if the sinner becometh righteous, thou shouldest give the glory to "Him who justifieth the ungodly." Whether therefore it be a sinner, let Him be praised who calls him to forgiveness; or one already walking in the way of righteousness, let Him be praised who calls him to receive the crown! Let the Name of the Lord be magnified continually by "such as love Thy salvation." — Exposition on Psalms 40 Augustine of Hippo: "But I" (ver. 17). I for whom they were seeking evil, I whose "life they were seeking, that they might take it away." But turn thee to another description of persons. But I to whom they said, "Well done! Well done!" "I am poor and needy." There is nothing in me that may be praised as mine own. Let Him rend my sackcloth in sunder, and cover me with His robe, For, "Now I live, not I myself; but Christ liveth in me." If it is Christ that "liveth in thee," and all that thou hast is Christ's, and all that thou art to have hereafter is Christ's also; what art thou in thyself? "I am poor and needy." Now I am not rich, because I am not proud. He was rich who said, "Lord, I thank Thee that I am not as other men are;" but the publican was poor, who said, "Lord, be merciful to me a sinner!" The one was belching from his fulness; the other from want was crying piteously, "I am poor and needy!" And what wouldest thou do, O poor and needy man? Beg at God's door; "Knock, and it shall be opened unto thee." -"As for me, I am poor and needy. Yet the Lord careth for me."-"Cast thy care upon the Lord, and He shall bring it to pass." What canst thou effect for thyself by taking care what canst thou provide for thyself? Let Him who made thee "care for thee." He who cared for thee before thou wert, how shall He fail to have a care of thee, now that thou art what He would have thee be? For now thou art a believer, now thou art walking in the "way of righteousness." Shall not He have a care for thee, who "maketh His sun rise on the good and on the evil, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust"? ... "Thou art my Help, and my Deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God" (ver. 17). He is calling upon God, imploring Him, fearing lest he should fall away: "Make no tarrying." What is meant by "make no tarrying"? We lately read concerning the days of tribulation: "Unless those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved." The members of Christ-the Body of Christ extended everywhere-are asking of God, as one single person, one single poor man, and beggar! For He too was poor, who "though He was rich, yet became poor, that ye through His poverty might be made rich." It is He that maketh rich those who are the true poor; and maketh poor those who are falsely rich. He crieth unto Him; "From the end of the earth I cried unto Thee, when my heart was in heaviness." There will come days of tribulations, and of greater tribulations; they will come even as the Scripture speaks: and as days advance, so are tribulations increased also. Let no one promise himself what the Gospel doth not promise. ... — Exposition on Psalms 40 John Cassian: Truly, what higher or holier poverty can there be than this, that a person knowing he is defenseless of his own, asks help for daily life from another's generosity and realizes his life and being to depend every moment on God's help. Such a one truly confesses himself "the beggar of the Lord," like the psalmist, who said, "I am a beggar and a poor man, and God helps me." — CONFERENCES 10:11 Ambrose of Milan: Faith comes first, and mercy comes second.… Happy, therefore, is the one who understands the poverty of Christ, his utter destitution. Christ, though he was very rich, became poor for us. In his kingdom, he was rich; in his flesh, he was poor, for he took on himself the flesh of the poor. We had indeed become very poor, because, by fraud practiced on us by the serpent, we lost the rich robes of virtue and were put out of paradise. We were thrown out of our native land and banished into exile. We were even stripped of clothing. Our lovely vesture of virtue that once covered our body was snatched from us by sin.… Have understanding as regards the poverty of Christ, so that you may be rich; understand his weakness and suffering, so that you may become strong and whole; understand his cross, so that you will never blush for it; understand his wound, so that your wounds may be cured; understand his death, so that you may gain eternal life; understand his tomb, so that you may discover the resurrection. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Ambrose of Milan: The day of judgment is bitter, and we dread it. There is no one to whom it does not appear evil, because it is fraught with terror. It is the day on which the Lord will judge not only what we did in public but even our most secret actions. On that day each of us will have to show clearly what we have done and what we have thought. Therefore many will be condemned, and few will win the crown. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms Augustine of Hippo: "Blessed is he that understandeth upon the needy and poor One: in the evil day shall the Lord deliver him" [Psalms 41:1]. For the evil day will come: will thou, hill thou, come it will: the Day of Judgment will come upon thee, an evil day if thou "understand not the needy and poor." For what now thou wilt not believe, shall be made manifest in the end. But neither shalt thou escape, when it shall be made manifest, because thou believest not, when it is kept secret. Invited art thou, what thou seest not to believe, lest when thou see, thou be put to the blush. "Understand then upon the needy and poor One," that is, Christ: understand in Him the hidden riches, whom poor thou seest. "In Him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." For thereby in the evil day shall He deliver thee, in that He is God: but in that He is man, and that which in Him is human hath raised to life, and changed for the better, He hath lifted (thee) to heaven. But He who is God, who would have one person in man and with man, could neither decrease nor increase, neither die nor rise again. He died out of man's infirmity, but God dieth not. ...But as we rightly say, Such a man died, though his soul dieth not; so we rightly say, Christ died, though His Divinity dieth not. Wherefore died? Because needy and poor. Let not His death offend thee, and avert thee from beholding His Divinity. "Blessed is he that understandeth upon the needy and poor One." Consider also the poor, the needy, the hungry and thirsty, the naked, the sick, the prisoners; understand also upon such poor, for if upon such thou understand, thou understandest upon Him who said, "I was an hungred, I was thirsty, I was a stranger, naked, sick, in prison;" so in the evil day shall the Lord deliver thee. ... — Exposition on Psalms 41 Cyprian: [One] will not be able to merit the mercy of God who himself has not been merciful, nor will [one] gain any request from the divine love by his prayers who has not been humane toward the prayer of the poor. — Treatise VIII. On Works and Alms 5 Diodorus of Tarsus: By "evil day" he refers not to it as naturally evil—a day not being evil by nature, since if it were, the day would transfer the responsibility to its creator. Instead, by "evil day" he refers to the one on which a person is enveloped in distress, affliction and pain or falls victim to illness or some other hazard. So he means, when such a day comes, God, who lends help, is not asleep. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 41 Gregory of Nyssa: The Word defines blessedness for us in another way than at the beginning. For in the first psalms, to depart from evil was blessed, but here to know the good more fully is pronounced blessed. Now the nature of the good … is the "only-begotten God," "who, though he was rich, for our sake became poor." The Word here predicts his "poverty" in the flesh, which is pointed out to us through the Gospel account, pronouncing the one who has recognized that "poverty" with understanding blessed. He was "poor" in relation to the "form of a servant" but blessed in relation to the nature of deity. For in the opening words of the psalm the Word calls him "needy and poor"; at the end of the section he says, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from eternity to eternity. So be it. So be it." — ON THE INSCRIPTIONS OF THE Psalms 2:12.157-58 Leo the Great: You should "recognize" Christ "in the needy" to the extent that your resources "allow." Christ our Lord gives testimony to the fact that he is the one whom we clothe, support and feed in them. That is how strongly he has recommended the poor to us. — SERMON 6:2 Theodoret of Cyrus: Though having lordship of visible and invisible things, he had nowhere to lay his head, was born of a virgin and through lack of bed was laid in a manger. Consequently, the inspired Word declares blessed the one able to understand this poverty and filled with zeal to sing the praises as far as possible of the one who accepted it. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 41:2 Valerian of Cimiez: Clearly, as often as we succor the wretched, we give to ourselves. The dispensing of our resources is our gain. For if you consider again the hope of future reward, whatever is given to the poor is reckoned as a profit. That is what the prophet states: "Blessed is he who understands concerning the needy and the poor: the Lord will deliver him in the evil day." — HOMILY 8:2 Augustine of Hippo: "And deliver him not into the hand of his enemy." The enemy is the devil. Let none think of a man his enemy, when he hears these words. Haply one thought of his neighbour, of him who had a suit with him in court, of him who would take from him his own possession, of him who would force him to sell to him his house. Think not this; but that enemy think of, of whom said the Lord, "an enemy hath done this." For He it is who suggests that for things earthly he be worshipped, for overthrow the Christian Name this enemy cannot. For he hath seen himself conquered by the fame and praises of Christ, he hath seen, whereas he slew Christ's Martyrs, that they are crowned, he triumphed over. He hath begun to be unable to persuade men that Christ is nought; and because by reviling Christ, he now with difficulty deceives, by lauding Christ, he endeavours to deceive. Before this what said he? Whom worship ye? A Jew, dead, crucified, a man of no moment, who could not even from himself drive away death. When after His Name he saw running the whole human race, saw that in the Name of the Crucified temples are thrown down, idols are broken, sacrifices abolished; and that all these things predicted in the Prophets are considered by men, by men with wonder astonished, and closing now their hearts against the reviling of Christ; he clothes himself with praise of Christ, and begins to deter from the faith in another manner. Great is the law of Christ, powerful is that law, divine, ineffable! but who fulfilleth it? In the name of our Saviour, "tread upon the lion and the dragon." By reviling openly roared the lion; by lauding craftily lurks the dragon. Let them come to the faith, who doubted; and not say, Who fulfilleth it? If on their own strength they presume, they will not fulfil it. Presuming on the grace of God let them believe, presuming (on it) let them come; to be aided come, not to be judged. So live all the faithful in the Name of Christ, each one in his degree fulfilling the commands of Christ, whether married, or celibates and virgins, they live as much as God granteth them to live; neither presume they in their own strength, but know that in Him they ought to glory... — Exposition on Psalms 41 Theodore of Mopsuestia: He comments on God's favors to him in different ways: he will give freedom from perils, he says, will closely guard him so that he will suffer nothing, provide him with life and make him appear as blessed by the vast number of favors in the sight of everyone. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 41:3A Augustine of Hippo: "The Lord help him" [Psalms 41:3]. But when? Haply in heaven, haply in the life eternal, that so it remain to worship the devil for earthly needs, for the necessities of this life. Far be it! You have "promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." [1 Timothy 4:8] He came unto you on earth, by Whom were made heaven and earth. Consider then what He says, "The Lord help him, on his bed of pain." The bed of pain is the infirmity of the flesh; lest you should say, I cannot hold, and carry, and tie up my flesh; you are aided that you may. The Lord help you on your bed of pain. Your bed did carry you, you carried not your bed, but wast a paralytic inwardly; He comes who says to you, "Take up your bed, and go your way into your house." [Mark 2:11] "The Lord help him on his bed of pain." Then to the Lord Himself He turns, as though it were asked, Why then, since the Lord helps us, suffer we such great ills in this life, such great scandals, such great labours, such disquiet from the flesh and the world? He turns to God, and as though explaining to us the counsel of His healing, He says, "You have turned all his bed in his infirmity." By the bed is understood anything earthly. Every soul that is infirm in this life seeks for itself somewhat whereon to rest, because intensity of labour, and of the soul extended toward God, it can hardly endure perpetually, somewhat it seeks on earth whereon to rest, and in a manner with a kind of pausing to recline, as are those things which innocent ones love....The innocent man rests in his house, his family, his wife, his children; in his poverty, his little farm, his orchard planted with his own hand, in some building fabricated with his own study; in these rest the innocent. But yet God willing us not to have love but of life eternal, even with these, though innocent delights, mixes bitterness, that even in these we may suffer tribulation, and so He turns all our bed in our infirmity. "You have turned all his bed in his infirmity." Let him not then complain, when in these things which he has innocently, he suffers some tribulations. He is taught to love the better, by the bitterness of the worse; lest going a traveller to his country, he choose the inn instead of his own home. — Exposition on Psalms 41 Hesychius of Jerusalem: May the Lord help him. That even in the present time the truth of these prophetic promises may be found. Many, laboring in sickness and disease, when they leave behind their own poor and needy works, are changed for the better. For if even on a future day judgment triumphs over mercy, what a marvel it would be, if also he would turn away by his rich mercy the death which we await, and he would restore strength? Surely this is the frailty of spirit, which is received in the inner man, wherein he has determined hands or the strength to do things. Even crippled knees are healed that were not strong before to walk on the way to life. Then the mercy bequeathed to the poor heals and revives the spirit held back by its grave disease of folly and brought to death from its sin. He, therefore, immediately added: "I said: Lord, have mercy on me, heal my soul, because I have sinned against you." — LARGE COMMENTARY ON Psalms 41:4 Maximus of Turin: We can call the members of our own bodies our beds, in which our souls repose so delightfully as if in a bed. I think that is what the holy prophet had in mind when he says: "You have turned his whole bed in his sickness." Blessed is he whose bed the Lord turns in his sickness in order that he who not long ago was prone to anger, an adulterer, wanton and full of every sin due to his weaknesses, becomes chaste, humble and modest when the Lord turns a body which was accustomed to evil. — SERMON 19:3 Augustine of Hippo: But why this? Because He "scourgeth every son whom He receiveth." Why this? Because to men sinning was it said, "In the sweat of thy face shall thou eat bread." Therefore because all these chastisements, in which all our bed is turned in our infirmity, man ought to acknowledge that he suffers for sin; let him turn himself, and say what follows: "I said, Lord, be merciful unto me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee." O Lord, by tribulations do Thou exercise me; to be scourged Thou judgest every son whom Thou wilt receive, who sparedst not even the Only-Begotten. He indeed without sin was scourged; but I say, "I have sinned against Thee."... — Exposition on Psalms 41 Augustine of Hippo: One says: "The devil made me do it"; another says: "Fortune made me do it"; another: "I was compelled by fate," no one to himself. When you wish to be your own excuser, your accuser triumphs over you. Do you wish to do what will cause your accuser, that is, the devil, to grieve and lament? Do what you heard, do what you learned, and say to your God: I said, O Lord, have mercy on me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against you. I, he says, I have said, not the devil, not fortune, not fate. I said: I do not excuse myself, but I accuse myself. I said, have mercy on me, heal my soul. Why is it sick? Because I have sinned against you. — Sermon 29 Augustine of Hippo: For just as we can strike and wound our own flesh whenever we wish, but seek a doctor to be healed, and we are not so healed by our own power as we are wounded by it, so the soul is sufficient for itself to sin, but implores God's healing right hand to heal what it has injured by sinning. Hence it says in another psalm: I said, O Lord, be merciful to me. Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You. To this, he adds: I said, O Lord, to show that the will and the choice to sin arise from the soul and are sufficient for it to destroy itself, but it belongs to God to seek what has perished and to save what has wounded itself. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. — Sermon 20 Caesarius of Arles: God will heal you if only you admit your wound. You lie under the physician's hands; patiently implore his aid. If he bathes or burns or cuts it, bear it calmly; do not even pay any attention to it, provided you are cured. Moreover, you will be cured if you present yourself to the doctor. Not that he does not see you hide, but confession is the very beginning of restoration to health. — SERMON 59:5 Caesarius of Arles: When sinners are rebuked for their crimes … they do not all accept it with humility and obedience. Many do not blush to reply with most insolent boldness, saying, Am I the only one who did this? Have not those people, and those, done similar things or worse? Do not even the clergy with major orders commit such sins? Unhappy soul! A crowd of miserable people is a comfort to you. Can the individual sinner be tormented any less if immense crowds of sinners begin to be tortured in eternal punishment with him? How much better it would be for each one to flee the evil of his sins and exclaim in humble confession, "I said, O Lord, be merciful to me. Heal my soul, for I have sinned against you," and, "I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me." For the good of his soul he should follow the examples of those who were honestly converted after many sins, rather than propose for imitation those who will suffer endless punishment after brief joy. — SERMON 5:2 Cassiodorus: Every sin is a sickness of the soul. As it grows stronger, the health of the inner person decreases. He who cried out to the Physician was aware of his illness, but in that understanding he was already healthy in so far as he recognized that he was weak. So he wishes for his soul to be healed, namely, by the forgiveness of sins. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 41:5 Theodoret of Cyrus: I am the one who is poor, he is saying, who embraced voluntary poverty, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, who makes my own the sufferings of human beings, who though having committed no sin offers the prayer for human nature as nature's firstfruits. It should be noted, however, that Symmachus said not "because I sinned against you" but "even if I sinned against you." — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 41:4 Augustine of Hippo: "Mine enemies speak evil of Me, When He shall die, then shall His Name perish" [Psalms 41:5]. Of this we have already spoken, and from this began. — Exposition on Psalms 41 Ambrose of Milan: Judas went out, and he spoke. He went out from the faith, he went out from the council and number of the apostles. He went out from Christ's banquet to the villainy of Satan; he went out from the grace that sanctifies to the noose that strangles. He went to speak vain things to infidels. He went outside, leaving behind the mysteries of life that lay within. He went out, for he had never known the mysteries that are contained in Scripture. — COMMENTARY ON TWELVE Psalms 41:17 Augustine of Hippo: "And entered in to see." What Christ suffered, that suffereth also the Church; what the Head suffered, that suffer also the Members. "For the disciple is not above his Master, nor the servant above his Lord." ... If to Christ's Members thou belongest, come within, cling to the Head. Endure the tares if thou art wheat, endure the chaff if thou art grain. Endure the bad fish within the net if thou art a good fish. Wherefore before the time of winnowing dost thou fly away? Wherefore before the time of harvest, dost thou root up the corn also with thyself? Wherefore before thou art come to the shore, hast thou broken the nets? "They go abroad, and tell it." — Exposition on Psalms 41 Theodoret of Cyrus: Now, the outcome of events testifies to these things: furtively they conversed together and looked for the way to implement the plot. Then they made a charge of overthrow, saying to Pilate, "He makes himself king and forbids us paying tribute to Caesar," which is what the prophecy says: "They set up a lawless plan against me." That is, they leveled a charge of lawlessness against me. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 41:5 Augustine of Hippo: "All mine enemies whisper against Me unto the same thing" [Psalms 41:7]. Against Me all unto the same thing. How much better with me unto the same thing, than against me "unto the same thing." What is, "Against me unto the same thing"? With one counsel, with one conspiring. Christ then speaks unto you, You consent against Me, consent ye to Me: why against Me? Wherefore not with Me? That same thing if you had always had, you had not divided you into schisms. For, says the Apostle, "I beseech you, brethren, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no division among you." [1 Corinthians 1:10] "All mine enemies whisper against Me unto the same thing:" against Me do they "devise evil to Me." To themselves rather, for "they have gathered iniquity to themselves;" but therefore to Me, because by their intention they are to be weighed: for not because to do nothing was in their power, to do nothing was in their will. For the devil lusted to extinguish Christ, and Judas would slay Christ; yet Christ slain and rising again, we are made alive, but to the devil and to Judas is rendered the reward of their evil will, not of our salvation....The intention wherewith they spoke, not what they spoke, did He consider, who related that they spoke evil of Him, "Against Me they devised evil to Me." And what evil to Christ, to the Martyrs what evil? All has God turned to good. — Exposition on Psalms 41 Augustine of Hippo: "An ungodly word do they set forth against Me" (ver. 8). What sort of ungodly word? Listen to the Head Itself. "Come, let us kill Him, and the inheritance shall be ours." Fools! How shall the inheritance be yours? Because ye killed Him? Lo! ye even killed Him; yet shall not the inheritance be yours. "Shall not He that sleepeth add this also, that He rise again"? When ye exulted that ye had slain Him, He slept; for He saith in another Psalm, "I slept." They raged and would slay Me; "I slept." If I had not willed, I had not even slept. "I slept," because "I have power to lay down My life, and I have power to take it again." "I laid Me down and slept, and rose up again." Rage then the Jews; be "the earth given into the hands of the wicked," be the flesh left to the hands of persecutors, let them on wood suspend it, with nails transfix it, with a spear pierce it. "Shall He that sleepeth, not add this, that He rise up again?" Wherefore slept He? Because "Adam is the figure of Him that was to come." And Adam slept, when out of his side was made Eve. Adam in the figure of Christ, Eve in the figure of the Church; whence she was called "the mother of all living." When was Eve created? While Adam slept. When out of Christ's side flowed the Sacraments of the Church? While He slept upon the Cross. — Exposition on Psalms 41 Ambrose of Milan: We need not imagine that Jesus did not know that Judas was going to betray him.… Of course Jesus knew it. But in order to emphasize how damnable was the deed, Jesus speaks of the hopes he had held regarding Judas' loyalty.… We come down more heavily on one in whom we say we had high hopes or great trust, if afterwards that person robs us of our hope and high opinion.… This is why Jesus says that he had hoped, it was as though he had a right to hope. For surely one would expect an apostle to lay aside his old ways and follow new and better ways. — COMMENTARY ON TWELVE Psalms 41:21-22 Augustine of Hippo: "The man of My peace, in whom I trusted, which did eat of My bread, hath enlarged his heel against Me" (ver. 9): hath raised up his foot against Me: would trample upon Me. Who is this man of His peace? Judas. And in him did Christ trust, that He said, "in whom I trusted"? Did He not know him from the beginning? Did He not before he was born know that he would be? Had He not said to all His disciples, "I have chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil"? How then trusted He in him, but that He is in His Members, and that because many faithful trusted in Judas, the Lord transferred this to Himself? ..."The man of My peace, in whom I trusted, which did eat of My bread." How showed He him in His Passion? By the words of His prophecy: by the sop He marked Him out, that it might appear said of him, "Which did eat of My bread." Again, when he came to betray Him, He granted him a kiss, that it might appear said of him, "The man of My peace." — Exposition on Psalms 41 Diodorus of Tarsus: The one who shared the same table with me and the same food proved to be a foe the more threatening the more he concealed his malice under his close relationship. The Lord also suffered this in the case of Judas: in that case, too, it was not someone from the outer group of disciples who concocted plots but one who gave the impression of being closely related and sharing with him table and food. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 41 Origen of Alexandria: Seeing them fearful about themselves, He pointed out the betrayer by the evidence of the prophetic voice that says: "he that eateth my bread with me hath magnified his supplanting against me"; for that saying does not differ from this which He says: he that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. But I suppose that He said this because He wished to make manifest the greatness of his malice, since the one whom He had received at the common table and who had eaten together with Him (perhaps because in the beginning he was acting well), this very man betrayed Jesus, who was embracing him with such great honors, and became mindful neither of the same salt nor of the table nor of the bread shared in common, but transgressing all those things for the promise of thirty coins he betrayed the bestower of such great goods. And this is truly the peculiar habit of exceedingly evil men, that after salt and bread they lie in wait for people — most of all when they have been harmed in nothing by those with whom they shared bread and salt. But if you can understand the spiritual table and the spiritual food and the Lord's supper, with all of which he had been made worthy by Christ, you will see more abundantly the multitude of his malice, in that he betrayed the Savior, his master and fellow-partaker of the divine table and cup (and this on the day of the Passover), remembering neither in bodily goods his master's love, nor in spiritual goods his teaching always shared without grudging. Such are all those in the Church who lie in wait for their brethren, with whom they have frequently been together at the same table of the body of Christ and at the same cup of His blood. — COMMENTARY ON Matthew 82 Arnobius the Younger: O Lord, as you have raised your Son from death, so lift me from sin. Lift me, and I will repay them. In this I know that you suffered for me so that my enemies may not rejoice over me. You have not refused even to die for me. I feared you lying in the tomb, but since you have arisen my enemy will not rejoice over me. You have sustained me on account of my innocence. The church speaks in the apostles and prophets because the farmers and fishermen raised up by God, not the philosophers and teachers, have built the church that God has confirmed in his sight forever. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 41 Augustine of Hippo: "But Thou, O Lord, be merciful unto Me" [Psalms 41:10]. This is the person of a servant, this is the person of the needy and poor for, "Blessed is he that understandeth upon the needy and poor One." See, as it was spoken, "Be merciful unto Me, and raise Me up, and I will requite them," so is it done. For the Jews slew Christ, lest they should lose their place. Christ slain, they lost their place. Rooted out of the kingdom were they, dispersed were they. He, raised up, requited them tribulation, He requited them unto admonition, not yet unto condemnation. For the city wherein the people raged, as a ramping and a roaring lion, crying out, "Crucify Him, Crucify Him," the Jews rooted out therefrom, hath now Christians, by not one Jew is inhabited. There is planted the Church of Christ, whence were rooted out the thorns of the synagogue. For truly this fire blazed "as the fire of thorns." But the Lord was as a green tree. This said Himself, when certain women mourned Christ as dying. ..."For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in a dry?" When can a green tree be consumed by the fire of thorns? For they blazed as fire among thorns. Fire consumeth thorns, but whatsoever green tree it is applied to, is not easily kindled. ...Yet lest ye think that God the Father of Christ could raise up Christ, that is, the Flesh of His Son, and that Christ Himself, though He be the Word equal with the Father, could not raise up His own Flesh; hear out of the Gospel, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." "But," said the Evangelist (lest even after this we should doubt), "He spake of the temple of His Body. Raise Me up, and I will requite them." — Exposition on Psalms 41 Augustine of Hippo: "By this I know that Thou favourest Me, that Mine enemies shall not triumph over Me." Because the Jews did triumph, when they saw Christ crucified; they thought that they had fulfilled their will to do Him hurt: the fruits of their cruelty they saw in effect, Christ hanging on the Cross: they shook their heads, saying, "If Thou be the Son of God, come down from the Cross." He came not down, who could; His Potency He showed not, but patience taught. For if, on their saying these things, He had come down from the Cross, He would have seemed as it were to yield to them insulting, and not being able to endure reproach, would have been believed conquered: more firm remained He upon the Cross, than they insulting; fixed was He, they wavering. For therefore shook they their heads, because to the true Head they adhered not. He taught us plainly patience. For mightier is that which He did, who would not do what the Jews challenged. For much mightier is it to rise from the sepulchre, than to come down from the Cross. "That Mine enemies shall not triumph over Me." They triumphed then at that time. Christ rose again, Christ was glorified. Now see they in His Name the human race converted: now let them insult, now shake the head: rather now let them fix the head, or if they shake the head, in wonder and admiration let them shake... — Exposition on Psalms 41 Diodorus of Tarsus: You notice that he hints more clearly at the repayment here in his mentioning, not vengeance by the wronged but personal disappointment by the frustrated, which resulted in their punishing themselves on seeing the one they envied held in high esteem. His meaning here is, in fact, Show, Lord, how you care for me by their not rejoicing in the vile hopes they have for me. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 41 Theodoret of Cyrus: All this was said on the part of the nature assumed, which was involved also in the passion.… Since, then, the assumed nature remained free of all wickedness, it was right for him to say, "But you supported me for my innocence and confirmed me in your presence forever": I received a stable unity, the combining was indivisible, the glory everlasting. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 41:7 Arnobius the Younger: Be not offended, careful reader, that we draw a mystical matter from a moral explanation. For just as the Pharisees beset Judas to betray the Lord by offering him his own safety to turn him over, so also unclean spirits beset my outer man which eats my bread and offer to it now money through greed, now luxury through desire, by which, if it accepts, it fails, and when it fails they drive him "to hang himself in a noose," that is, so that he despairs that he is able to be freed by repentance. But he says to them: He who sleeps, will he not arise?… Let us cease to harm ourselves, and let us be made innocent so that each one may say rightly to God: On account of my innocence you have sustained me, and you who had cast me away from your countenance because of sin, now through repentance strengthen me in your sight forever. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 41 Augustine of Hippo: "But as for Me, Thou upholdest Me, because of Mine innocence." Truly innocence; integrity without sin, requiting without debt, scourging without desert. "Thou upholdest Me because of Mine innocence, and hast made Me strong in Thy sight for ever." Thou hast made Me strong for ever, Thou madest Me weak for a time: Thou hast made Me strong in Thy sight, Thou madest Me weak in sight of men. What then? Praise to Him, glory to Him. "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel." For He is the God of Israel, our God, the God of Jacob, the God of the younger son, the God of the younger people. Let none say, Of the Jews said He this, I am not Israel; rather the Jews are not Israel. For the elder son, he is the elder people reprobated; the younger, the people beloved. "The elder shall serve the younger:" now is it fulfilled: now, brethren, the Jews serve us, they are as our satchellers, we studying, they carry our books. Hear wherein the Jews serve us, and not without reason. ...With them are the Law and the Prophets, in which. Law, and in which Prophets, Christ is preached. When we have to do with Pagans, and show this coming to pass in the Church of Christ, which before was predicted of the Name of Christ, of the Head and Body of Christ, lest they think that we have forged these predictions, and from things which have happened, as though they were future, had made them up, we bring forth the books of the Jews. The Jews forsooth are our enemies, from an enemy's books convince we the adversary. ...If any enemy clamour and say, "Ye for yourselves have forged prophecies;" be the books of the Jews brought forth, because the elder shall serve the younger. Therein let them read those predictions, which now we see fulfilled; and let us all say, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting, and all the people shall say, So be it, So be it." — Exposition on Psalms 41 Cassiodorus: What a truly holy innocence and simplicity, a truly blessed humility!.… He did not defend himself with any struggle. He was moving toward the cross with a peaceful spirit, going to die with a tranquil mind. He fulfilled all the words predicted by the prophets by his own undefiled integrity. He felt grief at the misfortunes of his persecutors, and when he was hung on the cross, he prayed for his enemies in an act of incredible mercy, for he had determined that all the faithful should also do this.… Now that he has laid aside the weakness inherent in a mortal body, the God-Man, one of two natures, also continues in these two distinct and complete natures in eternal glory. His name is above every name; his power commands heaven and earth. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 41:13 Ambrose of Milan: "So be it, so be it" is also an indication that you have reached the end of a book. The psalter appears to be divided into five books, and the first book ends with this psalm, namely, the forty-first. The forty-first psalm concludes very fittingly with the passion, just as the forty-day period of Lent concludes with the Lord's passion. This allows the second book to begin with the mysteries of regeneration. — COMMENTARY ON TWELVE Psalms 41:37 Augustine of Hippo: We have undertaken the exposition of a Psalm corresponding to your own "longings," on which we propose to speak to you. For the Psalm itself begins with a certain pious "longing;" and he who sings so, says, "Like as the hart desires the water-brooks, so longs my soul after You, O God" [Psalms 42:1]. Who is it then that says this? It is ourselves, if we be but willing! And why ask, who it is other than yourself, when it is in your power to be the thing which you are asking about? It is not however one individual, but it is "One Body;" but "Christ's Body is the Church." [Colossians 1:24] Such "longing" indeed is not found in all who enter the Church: let all however who have "tasted" the sweetness "of the Lord," and who own in Christ that for which they have a relish, think that they are not the only ones; but that there are such seeds scattered throughout "the field" of the Lord, this whole earth: and that there is a certain Christian unity, whose voice thus speaks, "Like as the hart desires the water-brooks, so longs my soul after You, O God." And indeed it is not ill understood as the cry of those, who being as yet Catechumens, are hastening to the grace of the holy Font. On which account too this Psalm is ordinarily chanted on those occasions, that they may long for the Fountain of remission of sins, even "as the hart for the water-brooks." Let this be allowed; and this meaning retain its place in the Church; a place both truthful and sanctioned by usage. Nevertheless, it appears to me, my brethren, that such "a longing" is not fully satisfied even in the faithful in Baptism: but that haply, if they know where they are sojourning, and whither they have to remove from hence, their "longing" is kindled in even greater intensity. — Exposition on Psalms 42 Desert Fathers: Poemen said, 'It is written, "Like as the hart longs for the waterbrooks, so longs my soul for you, O my God" (Ps. 42:1). Indeed, the harts in the desert eat many snakes and when their venom makes them burn with thirst they come to the waters to assuage their burning thirst. It is the same for monks: in the desert, they are burned by the poison of the demons and they long for Saturday and Sunday to come so that they can go to the springs of water, that is, to the Body and Blood of the Lord, to be purified from the poison of the evil ones.' — The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks Theodoret of Cyrus: I am longing and thirsting for the worship of my living God, he is saying. "To see the face of God" means worshiping him according to the Law, and such worship was confined to Jerusalem.… very appropriately do they name God "strong and living" as they take note of the lifeless and immobile idols of the Babylonians. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 42:2 Augustine of Hippo: "My soul is athirst for the living God" (ver. 2). What I am saying, that "as the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so longs my soul after Thee, O God," means this, "My soul is athirst for the living God." For what is it athirst? "When shall I come and appear before God?" This it is for which I am athirst, to "come and to appear before Him." I am athirst in my pilgrimage, in my running; I shall be filled on my arrival. But "When shall I come?" And this, which is soon in the sight of God, is late to our "longing." "When shall I come and appear before God?" This too proceeds from that "longing," of which in another place comes that cry, "One thing have I desired of the Lord; that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life." Wherefore so? "That I may behold" (he saith) "the beauty of the Lord." "When shall I come and appear before the Lord?"... — Exposition on Psalms 42 Cassiodorus: Christ the Lord is the fountain of waters from which flows everything that restores us. Flowing streams can often run dry, but a fountain is always supplied with water. So we are rightly invited to hurry to the liquid of the sacred source; there our desire is never able to experience thirst. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 42:2 Gregory of Nyssa: The person, however, who has once tasted virtue and has come to understand its nature by his own experience of the good is no longer the kind of person who must be dragged away from his passionate attachment to evil by necessity and warning and compelled to look to virtue. On the contrary, he has an excessive thirst for what is superior.… [He] "thirsts" for participation in God more than "the hart" longs for "the fountains of water." And it follows that the person who finds the fountain after this excessive thirst draws in as much water as the abundance of his desire draws off. But he who has received what he desired in himself is full of what he desired. For that which has become full is not again emptied on the model of physical satiety, nor does that which was drunk remain inactive in itself. In whomever the divine fountain has come into existence, it transforms the one who has embraced it to itself and imparts to this person a portion of its own power. — ON THE INSCRIPTIONS OF THE Psalms 1:5.40-41 Gregory the Dialogist: First, therefore, he is sought without being found, so that afterward, when found, he may be held more tightly. For holy desires, as we have said, grow by delay. But if they fail by delay, they were not desires. With this love burned whoever was able to reach the truth. Hence David says: "My soul has thirsted for the living God; when shall I come and appear before the face of God?" Hence he admonishes us, saying: "Seek his face always." Hence the prophet says: "My soul has desired you in the night, but also with my spirit in my inmost heart I will watch for you from early morning." Hence again the Church says in the Song of Songs: "I am wounded with love." For it is just that she should reach health from the sight of the physician, who bears the wound of love in her breast through the heat of her desire for him. Hence again she says: "My soul melted when the beloved spoke." For the mind of a person not seeking the form of its Creator is badly hardened, because it remains cold in itself. But if it has now begun to burn with desire to follow him whom it loves, melted by the fire of love it runs. It becomes anxious with desire, all things in the world that pleased grow worthless, there is nothing that delights outside the Creator, and things that formerly delighted the soul afterward become grievously burdensome. Nothing consoles its sadness, as long as he who is desired is not yet seen. The mind grieves, the very light is wearisome; and by such fire the rust of guilt is refined in the mind, and the kindled soul, as if in the manner of gold, because through use it lost its appearance, becomes bright through burning. — Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 25 Augustine of Hippo: "My tears have been my meat day and night, while they daily say unto me, Where is thy God?" (ver. 3). My tears (he saith) have been not bitterness, but "my bread." Those very tears were sweet unto me: being athirst for that fountain, inasmuch as I was not as yet able to drink of it, I have eagerly made my tears my meat. For he said not, "My tears became my drink," lest he should seem to have longed for them, as for "the water-brooks:" but, still retaining that thirst wherewith I burn, and by which I am hurried away towards the water-brooks, "My tears became my meat," whilst I am not yet there. And assuredly he does but the more thirst for the water-brooks from making his tears his meat. ..."And they daily say unto me, Where is thy God?" For if a Pagan should say this to me, I cannot retort it upon him, saying, "Where is thine?" inasmuch as he points with his finger to some stone, and says, "Lo, there is my God!" When I have laughed at the stone, and he who pointed to it has been put to the blush, he raises his eyes from the stone, looks up to heaven, and perhaps says, pointing his finger to the Sun, "Behold there my God! Where, I pray, is your God?" He has found something to point out to the eyes of the flesh; whereas I, on my part, not that I have not a God to show to him, cannot show him what he has no eyes to see. For he indeed could point out to my bodily eyes his God, the Sun; but what eyes hath he to which I might point out the Creator of the Sun?... — Exposition on Psalms 42 Evagrius Ponticus: Nothing nourishes like that which nourishes the spirit. Blessed are those who weep, for they will laugh. — NOTES ON THE PSALMS Evagrius Ponticus: Seeing that God is Creator, he is in everything made; seeing that he is excellence and wisdom, he is in all holy powers.… God is even in people sometimes in excellence, sometimes in accomplishment: it is of angels to behave always according to God; of demons, never; of people to behave sometimes rightly, sometimes not. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 41[42].4 John Cassian: There is a weeping that springs from contemplating eternal good and longing for future light, and tears of joy and desire cannot help but break out as the soul is athirst for the mighty living God. — CONFERENCES 9:29 Augustine of Hippo: "I thought on these things, and poured out my soul above myself" [Psalms 42:4]. When would my soul attain to that object of its search, which is "above my soul," if my soul were not to "pour itself out above itself"? For were it to rest in itself, it would not see anything else beyond itself; and in seeing itself, would not, for all that, see God. Let then my insulting enemies now say, "Where is your God?" aye, let them say it! I, so long as I do not "see," so long as my happiness is postponed, make my tears my "bread day and night." Let them still say, "Where is your God?" I seek my God in every corporeal nature, terrestrial or celestial, and find Him not: I seek His Substance in my own soul, and I find it not, yet still I have thought on these things, and wishing to "see the invisible things of my God, being understood by the things made," [Romans 1:20] I have poured forth my soul above myself, and there remains no longer any being for me to attain to, save my God. For it is "there" is the "house of my God." His dwelling-place is above my soul; from thence He beholds me; from thence He created me; from thence He directs me and provides for me; from thence he appeals to me, and calls me, and directs me; leads me in the way, and to the end of my way.. .. — Exposition on Psalms 42 Cassiodorus: Rejoicing refers to the singing of psalms, while confession must include lamentation over sins. The combination of these two things undoubtedly makes for a complete Christian.… What is sweeter and more salutary than to praise God and to continually accuse oneself. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 42:5 Theodoret of Cyrus: After the sad events, therefore, he proclaims pleasant ones and ahead of time teaches that they will quickly secure their recall, and with the guidance of God's grace, they will return to the land of their desire and will rebuild God's house, will celebrate the customary festivals and welcome into their ears the festive sound and spiritual melody. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 42:3 Ambrose of Milan: Troubled by the hazardous turnings of this world, David says, "Why are you sad, O soul, why do you trouble me? Hope in God, for I will give praise to him, the salvation of my countenance and my God." Therefore, when we are distressed and apprehensive, let hope strengthen us with the expectation of things that are to come. Look to each phrase individually. "Hope, for I will give praise," he says; not "I give praise," but "I will give praise." This means: I will give praise better at that time when I shall behold the glory of God with face unveiled and be transformed into the same image. As he was consoling himself, suddenly turning to himself, he says, "My soul is troubled within myself"; that is, I, who ought to strengthen others, am myself disturbed, and because I do not have strength of myself, let us receive it from the Creator. — THE PRAYER OF JOB AND DAVID 4:3.12-13 Arnobius the Younger: Do not be sad, spirit, but hope in the Lord because I confess to him. He is the Savior of my countenance, that is, my God is the restorer of his own image. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 42 Augustine of Hippo: But seeing, brethren, so long as "we are at home in this body, we are absent from the Lord;" [2 Corinthians 5:6] and "the corruptible body presseth down the soul, and the earthly tabernacle weigheth down the mind that museth on many things;" [Wisdom 9:15] even though we have some way or other dispersed the clouds, by walking as "longing" leads us on, and for a brief while have come within reach of that sound, so that by an effort we may catch something from that "house of God," yet through the burden, so to speak, of our infirmity, we sink back to our usual level, and relapse to our ordinary state. And just as there we found cause for rejoicing, so here there will not be wanting an occasion for sorrow. For that hart that made "tears" its "bread day and night," borne along by "longing to the water-brooks" (that is, to the spiritual delights of God), "pouring forth his soul above himself," that he may attain to what is "above" his own soul, walking towards "the place of the wonderful tabernacle, even unto the house of God," and led on by the sweetness of that inward spiritual sound to feel contempt for all outward things, and be borne on to things spiritual, is but a mortal man still; is still groaning here, still bearing about the frailty of flesh, still in peril in the midst of the "offences" [Matthew 18:7] of this world. He therefore glances back to himself, as if he were coming from that world; and says to himself, now placed in the midst of these sorrows, comparing these with the things, to see which he had entered in there, and after seeing which he had come forth from thence; "Why art thou cast down, O my soul, and why dost thou disquiet me?" Lo, we have just now been gladdened by certain inward delights: with the mind's eye we have been able to behold, though but with a momentary glance, something not susceptible of change: why dost thou still "disquiet me, why art thou" still "cast down"? For thou dost not doubt of thy God. For now thou art not without somewhat to say to thyself, in answer to those who say, "Where is thy God?" I have now had the perception of something that is unchangeable; why dost thou disquiet me still? "Hope in God." Just as if his soul was silently replying to him, "Why do I disquiet thee, but because I am not yet there, where that delight is, to which I was, as it were, rapt for a moment? Am I already 'drinking' from this 'fountain' with nothing to fear?" ...Still "Hope in God," is his answer to the soul that disquiets him, and would fain account for her disquiet from the evils with which this world abounds. In the mean while dwell in hope: for "hope that is seen is not hope; but if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it." [Romans 8:24-25] — On the Psalms, Psalms 42 Augustine of Hippo: "My soul is disquieted on account of myself." Is it disquieted on account of God? It is on my own account it is disquieted. By the Unchangeable it was revived; it is by the changeable it is disquieted. I know that the righteousness of God remaineth; whether my own will remain stedfast, I know not. For I am alarmed by the Apostle's saying, "Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall." [1 Corinthians 10:12] Therefore since "there is no soundness in me for myself," there is no hope either for me of myself. "My soul is disquieted on account of myself." ..."Therefore I remember Thee, O Lord, from the land of Jordan, and from the little hill of Hermon." From whence did I remember thee? From the "little hill," and from the "land of Jordan." Perhaps from Baptism, where the remission of sins is given. For no one runs to the remission of sins, except he who is dissatisfied with himself; no one runs to the remission of sins, but he who confesses himself a sinner; no one confesses himself a sinner, except by humbling himself before God. Therefore it is from "the land of Jordan I have remembered thee, and from the hill;" observe, not "of the great hill," that thou mayest make of the "little hill" a great one: for "whoso exalteth himself shall be abased, and whoso humbleth himself shall be exalted." If you would also ask the meanings of the names, Jordan means "their descent." Descend then, that thou mayest be "lifted up:" be not lifted up, lest thou be cast down. "And the little hill of Hermon." Hermon means "anathematizing." Anathematize thyself, by being displeased with thyself; for if thou art pleased with thyself, God will be displeased with thee. Because then God gives us all good things, because He Himself is good, not because we are worthy of it; because He is merciful, not because we have in anything deserved it; it is from "the land of Jordan, and from Hermon," that I remember thee. And because he so remembers with humility, he shall earn his exaltation to fruition, for he is not "exalted" in himself, who "glories in the Lord." — On the Psalms, Psalms 42 Cassiodorus: God is not to be sought from the height of arrogance, but the remembrance of him is found in situations of lowly humility. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 42:7 Evagrius Ponticus: When we come up against the demon of acedia, then with tears let us divide the soul and have one part offer consolation and the other receive consolation. And sowing within ourselves goodly hopes, let us chant with holy David this [verse]. — PRAKTIKOS 27 Ambrose of Milan: Listen to this: "Deep calls on deep at the voice of your floodgates." Scripture of the Old Testament calls on Scripture of the New Testament for the consummation of holiness and the fullness of grace; it calls with the voice of grace and the outflowing of spiritual abundance. — COMMENTARY ON TWELVE Psalms 36:18 Arnobius the Younger: When deep calls deep, the Son calls the Father from the depth of land and river, and you have opened the cataracts of heaven. As the Holy Spirit descends, the Father addresses the Son from the height of the heavens. When he calls from the deep to deep, the glory of the Lord comes to me. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 42 Augustine of Hippo: "Deep calleth unto deep with the voice of thy water-spouts." I may perhaps finish the Psalm, aided as I am by your attention, whose fervour I perceive. As for your fatigue in hearing, I am not greatly solicitous, since you see me also, who speak, toiling in the heat of these exertions. Assuredly it is from your seeing me labouring, that you labour with me: for I am labouring not for myself, but for you. "Deep calleth unto deep with the voice of thy water-spouts." It was God whom he addressed, who "remembered him from the land of Jordan and Hermon." It was in wonder and admiration he spake this: "Abyss calleth unto abyss with the voice of Thy water-spouts." What abyss is this that calls, and to what other abyss? Justly, because the "understanding" spoken of is an "abyss." For an "abyss" is a depth that cannot be reached or comprehended; and it is principally applied to a great body of water. For there is a "depth," a "profound," the bottom of which cannot be reached by sounding. Furthermore, it is said in a certain passage, "Thy judgments are a mighty abyss," Scripture meaning to suggest that the judgments of God are incomprehensible. What then is the "abyss" that calls, and to what other "abyss" does it call? If by "abyss" we understand a great depth, is not man's heart, do you not suppose, "an abyss"? For what is there more profound than that "abyss"? Men may speak, may be seen by the operations of their members, may be heard speaking in conversation: but whose thought is penetrated, whose heart seen into? What he is inwardly engaged on, what he is inwardly capable of, what he is inwardly doing or what purposing, what he is inwardly wishing to happen, or not to happen, who shall comprehend? I think an "abyss" may not unreasonably be understood of man, of whom it is said elsewhere, "Man shall come to a deep heart, and God shall be exalted." If man then is an "abyss," in what way doth "abyss" call on "abyss"? Does man "call on" man as God is called upon? No, but "calls on" is equivalent to "calls to him." For it was said of a certain person, he calls on death; that is, lives in such a way as to be inviting death; for there is no man at all who puts up a prayer, and calls expressly on death: but men by evil-living invite death. "Deep calls on deep," then, is, "man calls to man." Thus is it wisdom is learnt, and thus faith, when "man calls to man." The holy preachers of God's word call on the "deep:" are they not themselves "a deep" also?... — On the Psalms, Psalms 42 Augustine of Hippo: Therefore follows: "The Lord will commend His loving-kindness in the day-time; and in the night-time will He declare it" [Psalms 42:8]. In tribulation no man has leisure to hear: attend, when it is well with you; hear, when it is well with you; learn, when you are in tranquillity, the discipline of wisdom, and store up the word of God as you do food. For in tribulation every one must be profited by what he heard in the time of security. For in prosperity God "commends to you His mercy," in case thou serve Him faithfully, for He frees you from tribulation; but it is "in the night" only that He "declares" His mercy to you, which He "commended" to you by day. When tribulation shall actually come, He will not leave you destitute of His help; He will show you that which He commended to you in the daytime is true. For it is written in a certain passage, "The mercy of the Lord is seasonable in the time of affliction, as clouds of rain in the time of drought." "The Lord has commended His loving-kindness in the day-time, and in the night will He declare it." He does not show that He is your Helper, unless tribulation come, from whence you must be rescued by Him who promised it to you "in the day-time." Therefore we are warned to be like "the ant." For just as worldly prosperity is signified by "the day," adversity by the night, so again in another way worldly prosperity is expressed by "the summer," adversity by the winter. And what is it that the ant does? She lays up in summer what will be useful to her in winter. Whilst therefore it is summer, while it is well with you, while you are in tranquillity, hear the word of the Lord. For how can it be that in the midst of these tempests of the world, you should pass through the whole of that sea, without suffering? How could it happen? To what mortal's lot has it fallen? If even it has been the lot of any, that very calm is more to be dreaded. "The Lord has commended His loving-kindness in the day-time, and in the night-time will He declare it."..."There is with me prayer unto the God of my life." This I make my business here; I who am the "hart thirsting and longing for the water-brooks," calling to mind the sweetness of that strain, by which I was led on through the tabernacle even to the house of God; while this "corruptible body presses down the soul," [Wisdom 9:15] there is yet with me "prayer unto the God of my life." For in order to making supplication unto God, I have not to buy anything from places beyond the sea; or in order that He may hear me, have I to sail to bring from a distance frankincense and perfumes, or have I to bring "calf or ram from the flock." There is "with me prayer to the God of my life." I have within a victim to sacrifice; I have within an incense to place on the altar; I have within a sacrifice wherewith to propitiate my God. "The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit." What sacrifice of a "troubled spirit" I have within, hear. — Exposition on Psalms 42 Cassiodorus: It is precisely what is learned in quietness that is later manifested in distress. The words of the Law are learned in restful times, but their fruit is later displayed in affliction. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 42:9 Theodore of Mopsuestia: I considered further that though the impending troubles are so numerous, it is very easy for you to provide a solution; if by day you bid lovingkindness to be shown us—in other words, relief from the troubles to occur—it happens so quickly that immediately those in receipt of good things set about singing through the night and offering hymns of praise to you for what has happened. When God enjoins mercy by day, then, immediately by night "his song is with me," as if to say, So prompt will be the discharge of his command that, with his command given by day, it is possible for me to sing by night of the good things done to me. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 42:9A Augustine of Hippo: "I will say unto God, Thou art my lifter up. Why hast Thou forgotten me?" For I am suffering here, even as if Thou hadst forgotten me. But Thou art trying me, and I know that Thou dost but put off, not take utterly from me, what Thou hast promised me. But yet, "Why hast Thou forgotten me?" So cried our Head also, as if speaking in our name. "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?" I will say unto God, "Thou art my lifter up; why hast Thou forgotten me?" "Why hast Thou rejected me?" "Rejected" me, that is to say, from that height of the apprehension of the unchangeable Truth. "Why hast Thou rejected me?" Why, when already longing for those things, have I been cast down to these, by the weight and burden of my iniquity? This same voice in another passage said, "I said in my trance" (i.e., in my rapture, when he had seen some great thing or other), "I said in my trance, I am cast out of the sight of Thine eyes." For he compared these things in which he found himself, to those toward which he had been raised; and saw himself cast out far "from the sight of God's eyes," as he speaks even here, "Why hast Thou rejected me? Why go I mourning, while mine enemy troubleth me, while he breaketh my bones?" Even he, my tempter, the devil; while offences are everywhere on the increase, because of the abundance of which "the love of many is waxing cold." When we see the strong members of the Church generally giving way to the causes of offence, does not Christ's body say, "The enemy breaketh my bones"? For it is the strong members that are "the bones;" and sometimes even those that are strong sink under their temptations. For whosoever of the body of Christ considers this, does he not exclaim, with the voice of Christ's Body, "Why hast Thou rejected me? Why go I mourning, while mine enemy troubleth me, while he breaketh my bones?" — On the Psalms, Psalms 42 Augustine of Hippo: "They who trouble me cast me in the teeth." Again that voice! "While they say daily unto me, Where is your God?" [Psalms 42:10]. And it is principally in the temptations of the Church they say this, "Where is your God?" How much was this cast in the teeth of the Martyrs! Those men so patient and courageous for the name of Christ, how often was it said to them, "Where is your God?" "Let Him deliver you, if He can." For men saw their torments outwardly; they did not inwardly behold their crowns! "They who trouble me cast me in the teeth, while they say daily unto me, Where is your God?" And on this account, seeing "my soul is disquieted on account of myself," what else should I say unto it than those words: — Exposition on Psalms 42 Evagrius Ponticus: It is of the greatest ignorance to think that God is in a place. God does not stand in a place. He is free. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 41[42].11 Augustine of Hippo: "Why art thou cast down, O my soul; and why dost thou disquiet me?" (ver. 11). And, as it seems to answer, "Wouldest thou not have me disquiet thee, placed as I am here in so great evils? Wouldest thou have me not disquiet thee, panting as I am after what is good, thirsting and labouring as I am for it?" What should I say, but, "Hope thou in God; for I will yet confess unto Him" (ver. 11). He states the very words of that confession; he repeats the grounds on which he fortifies his hope. "He is the health of my countenance, and my God." — Exposition on Psalms 42 Diodorus of Tarsus: Pondering all this within myself, then, I was again encouraged not to be alarmed but to hope in God, who readily provides me with salvation and again makes me esteemed. Turning their thoughts over and over, sometimes in despair, sometimes in hope, is typical of people suffering. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 42 Jerome: When the inner person shows signs for a time of wavering between vice and virtue, say, "Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God." You must never let suggestions of evil grow on you or a babel of disorder win strength in your breast. Kill the enemy while he is small, and, that you may not have a crop of tares, nip the evil in the bud. — LETTER 22.6 Origen of Alexandria: I beseech you to remember in all your present contest the great reward laid up in heaven for those who are persecuted and reviled for righteousness' sake, and to be glad and leap for joy on account of the Son of man, just as the apostles once rejoiced when they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for his name. And if you should ever perceive your soul drawing back, let the mind of Christ, which is in us, say to it, when it wishes to trouble that mind as much as it can, "Why are you sorrowful, my soul, and why do you disquiet me? Hope in God, for I shall yet give him thanks." I pray that our souls may never be disquieted, and even more that in the presence of the tribunals and of the naked swords drawn against our necks they may be guarded by the peace of God, which passes all understanding, and may be quieted when they consider that those who are foreigners from the body are at home with the Lord of all. But if we are not so strong as always to preserve calm, at least let not the disquiet of the soul be poured forth or appear to strangers, so that we may have the opportunity of giving an apology to God, when we say to him, "My God, my soul is disquieted within me." — EXHORTATION TO MARTYRDOM 4 Theodore of Mopsuestia: "My personal savior is my God": I trusted that you would doubtless meet my request, since you personally are my salvation and my Lord (the term "personal savior" meaning "my support, my glory"—in other words, It is you yourself who provides me with this). — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 42:11C Theodoret of Cyrus: Do not despair of salvation, O soul, he is saying: you have God as Savior; in him you gain sound hope. Quench your discouragement and receive consolation. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 42:7 Augustine of Hippo: "Judge me, O Lord, and separate my cause from the ungodly nation." I do not dread Thy judgment, because I know Thy mercy. "Judge me, O God," he cries. Now, meanwhile, in this state of pilgrimage, Thou dost not yet separate my place, because I am to live together with the "tares" even to the time of the "harvest:" Thou dost not as yet separate my rain from theirs; my light from theirs: "separate my cause." Let a difference be made between him who believes in Thee, and him who believes not in Thee. Our infirmity is the same; but our consciences not the same: our sufferings the same; but our longings not the same. "The desire of the ungodly shall perish," but as to the desire of the righteous, we might well doubt, if He were not "sure" who promised. The object of our desires is He Himself, who promiseth: He will give us Himself, because He has already given Himself to us; He will give Himself in His immortality to us then immortal, even because He gave Himself in His mortality to us when mortal... — On the Psalms, Psalms 43 Augustine of Hippo: Sometimes judgment means punishment, sometimes it means discrimination. According to that mode of speech in which judgment means discrimination, "we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ that" a man "may there receive what things he has done in the body, whether it be good or ill." For this same is a discrimination, to distribute good things to the good, evil things to the evil. For if judgment were always to be taken in a bad sense, the psalm would not say, "Judge me, O God." Perhaps some one is surprised when he hears one say, "Judge me, O God." For man is wont to say, "Forgive me, O God;" "Spare me, O God." Who is it that says, "Judge me, O God"? Sometimes in the psalm this very verse even is placed in the pause, to be given out by the reader and responded by the people. Does it not perhaps strike some man's heart so much that he is afraid to sing and to say to God, "Judge me, O God"? And yet the people sing it with confidence, and do not imagine that they wish an evil thing in that which they have learned from the divine word; even if they do not well understand it, they believe that what they sing is something good. And yet even the psalm itself has not left a man without an insight into the meaning of it. For, going on, it shows in the words that follow what kind of judgment it spoke of; that it is not one of condemnation, but of discrimination. For saith it, "Judge me, O God." What means "Judge me, O God, and discern my cause from an unholy nation"? According to this judgment of discerning, then, "we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ." But again, according to the judgment of condemnation, "Whoso believeth in me is passed from death to life," and shall not come into judgment. — TRACTATES ON JOHN, Tractate 22 Theodoret of Cyrus: The psalm is without a title in the Hebrew for the reason of having a similar meaning to the preceding one. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 43:1 Augustine of Hippo: And since patience is needful in order to endure, until the harvest, a certain distinction without separation, if we may so speak (for they are together with us, and therefore not yet separated; the tares however being still tares, and the grain still grain, and therefore they are already distinct); since then a kind of strength is needful, which must be implored of Him who bids us to be strong, and without whose making us strong, we should not be what He bids us to be; of Him who said, "He that endures unto the end shall be saved," [Matthew 24:31] lest the soul's powers should be impaired in consequence of her ascribing any strength to herself, he subjoins immediately, "For Thou, O God, art my strength: why have You cast me off, and why go I mourning, while the enemy harasses me?" [Psalms 43:2]. I go mourning: the enemy is harassing me with daily temptations: inspiring either some unlawful love, or some ungrounded cause of fear; and the soul that fights against both of them, though not taken prisoner by them, yet being in danger from them, is contracted with sorrow, and says unto God, "Why?" Let her then ask of Him, and hear "Why?" For she is in the Psalm enquiring the cause of her dejection; saying, "Why have You cast me off? And why go I mourning?" Let her hear from Isaiah; let the lesson which has just been read, suggest itself to her. "The spirit shall go forth from me, and every breath have I made. For iniquity have I a little afflicted him; I hid my face from him, and he departed from me sorrowful in the ways of his heart." [Isaiah 57:16-17] Why then did you ask, "Why have You cast me off, and why go I mourning?" You have heard, it was "for iniquity." "Iniquity" is the cause of your mourning; let "Righteousness" be the cause of your rejoicing! You would sin; and yet you would fain not suffer; so that it was too little for you to be yourself unrighteous, without also wishing Him to be unrighteous, in that you would fain not be punished by Him. Consider a speech of a better kind in another Psalm. "It is good for me that You have humbled me, that I might learn Your righteousnesses." By being lifted up, I had learned my own iniquities; let me by being "humbled," learn "Your righteousnesses." "Why go I mourning, while the enemy harasses me?" You complain of the enemy. It is true he does harass you; but it was you who "gave place" [Ephesians 4:27] to him. And even now there is a course open to you; choose the course of prudence; admit your King, shut the tyrant out. — Exposition on Psalms 43 Arnobius the Younger: Send your light and overcome my shadows. Send your truth and conquer my lying. Your light and truth lead me to your holy mountain and into your tabernacle. When I draw near, you lead me to the altar of God, where, although old, I become as a youth. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 43 Augustine of Hippo: But in order that she may do this, hear what she says, what she supplicates, what she prays for. Pray thou for what thou hearest; pray for it when thou hearest it; let these words be the voice of us all: "O send out Thy Light and Thy Truth. They have led me, and brought me on unto Thy holy hill, and into Thy Tabernacles." For that very "Light" and "Truth" are indeed two in name; the reality expressed is but One. For what else is the "Light" of God, except the "Truth" of God? Or what else is the "Truth" of God, except the "Light" of God? And the one Person of Christ is both of these. "I am the Light of the world: he that believeth on Me, shall not walk in darkness." "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." He is Himself "the Light:" He is Himself "the Truth." Let Him come then and rescue us, and "separate at once our cause from the ungodly nation; let Him deliver us from the deceitful and unjust man," let him separate the wheat from the tares, for at the time of harvest He will Himself send His Angels, that they may "gather out of His kingdom all things that offend," and cast them into flaming fire, while they gather together the corn into the garner. He will send out His "Light," and His "Truth;" for that they have already "brought us and led us to His holy hill, and into His Tabernacles." We possess the "earnest;" we hope for the prize. "His holy Hill" is His holy Church. It is that mountain which, according to Daniel's vision, grew from a very small "stone," till it crushed the kingdoms of the earth; and grew to such a size, that it "filled the face of the earth." This is the "hill," from which he tells us that his prayer was heard, who says, "I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and He heard me out of His holy hill." Let no one of those that are without that mountain, hope to be heard unto eternal life. For many are heard in their prayers for many things. Let them not congratulate themselves on being heard; the devils were heard in their prayer, that they might be sent into the swine. Let us desire to be heard unto eternal life, by reason of our longing, through which we say, "Send out Thy Light and Thy Truth." That is a "Light" which requires the eye of the heart. For "Blessed" (He saith) "are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." We are now on His Hill, that is, in His Church, and in His Tabernacle. The "tabernacle" is for persons sojourning; the house, for those dwelling in one community. The tabernacle is also for those who are both from home, and also in a state of warfare. When thou hearest of a tabernacle, form a notion of a war; guard against an enemy. But what shall the house be? "Blessed are they that dwell in Thine house: they will be alway praising Thee." — Exposition on Psalms 43 Diodorus of Tarsus: Dispatch your reliable assistance (by "light" referring to the support, and by "truth" to its reliability) … so that your reliable help may conduct me to the holy places and your holy temple. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 43 Evagrius Ponticus: The holy mount of God is Christ. His tabernacle indwells the virtues of the righteous. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 42[43].3 Leo the Great: The beam that emanates from light does not come after the light. True light never lacks a beam, having it as part of its substance to shine, just as it always has it as part of its substance to exist. But the manifestation of this beam has been called a "sending," by which Christ appeared to the world. Although he filled all things with his invisible majesty, he came, nevertheless, to those who had not known him, as if from a very remote and deep seclusion. At that time, he took away the blindness of ignorance, as it has been written: "For those sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, a light has risen." Of course the light of truth has been sent out in prior ages to enlighten the holy fathers and prophets, as when David said, "Send out your light and your truth." Of course the divinity of the Son has made clear the works of his presence "in various ways and by many signs." Yet all these prefigurations and all these miracles bore testimony about that "sending" of which the apostle speaks: "When the fullness of time came, God sent his Son, made from a woman, made under the Law." — SERMON 25:3.2-4:1 Augustine of Hippo: Now then that we have been led on even to "the Tabernacle," and are placed on "His holy Hill," what hope do we carry with us? "Then will I go in unto the Altar of God." For there is a certain invisible Altar on high, which the unrighteous man approaches not. To that Altar he alone draws nigh, who draws nigh to this one without cause to fear. There he shall find his Life, who in this one "separates his cause." "And I will go in unto the Altar of God." From His holy Hill, and from His Tabernacle, from His Holy Church, I will go in unto the Altar of God on High. What manner of Sacrifice is there? He himself who goeth in is taken for a burnt-offering. "I will go in unto the Altar of God." What is the meaning of what he says, "The Altar of my God"? "Unto God, who makes glad my youth." Youth signifies newness: just as if he said, "Unto God, who makes glad my newness." It is He who makes glad my newness, who hath filled my old estate with mourning. For now "I go mourning" in oldness, then shall "I stand," exulting in newness! "Yea, upon the harp will I praise Thee, O God my God." What is the meaning of "praising on the harp," and praising on the psaltery? For he does not always do so with the harp, nor always with the psaltery. These two instruments of the musicians have each a distinct meaning of their own, worthy of our consideration and notice. They are both borne in the hands, and played by the touch; and they stand for certain bodily works of ours. Both are good, if one knows how to play the psaltery, or to play the harp. But since the psaltery is that instrument which has the shell (i.e. that drum, that hollow piece of wood, by straining on which the chords resound) on the upper part of it, whereas the harp has that same concave sounding-board on the lower part, there is to be a distinction made between our works, when they are "upon the harp," when "on the psaltery:" both however are acceptable to God, and grateful to His ear. When we do anything according to God's Commandments, obeying His commands and hearkening to Him, that we may fulfil His injunctions, when we are active and not passive, it is the psaltery that is playing. For so also do the Angels: for they have nothing to suffer. But when we suffer anything of tribulation, of trials, of offences on this earth (as we suffer only from the inferior part of ourselves; i.e. from the fact that we are mortal, that we owe somewhat of tribulation to our original cause, and also from the fact of our suffering much from those who are not "above"); this is "the harp." For there rises a sweet strain from that part of us which is "below:" we "suffer," and we strike the psaltery, or shall I rather say we sing and we strike the harp. ... — Exposition on Psalms 43 Augustine of Hippo: And again, in order that he may draw the sound from that sounding-board below, he addresses his soul: he says, "Why art thou sorrowful, O my soul, and why dost thou disquiet me?" I am in tribulations, in weariness, in mourning, "Why dost thou disquiet me, O my soul?" Who is the speaker, to whom is he speaking? That it is the soul to which he is speaking, everybody knows: for it is obvious: the appeal is addressed to it directly: "Why art thou sorrowful, O my soul, and why dost thou disquiet me?" The question is as to the speaker. It is not the flesh addressing the soul, surely, since the flesh cannot speak without the soul. For it is more appropriate for the soul to address the flesh, than for the flesh to address the soul. ...We perceive then that we have a certain part, in which is "the image of God;" viz. the mind and reason. It was that same mind that prayed for "God's Light" and "God's Truth." It is the same mind by which we apprehend right and wrong: it is by the same that we discern truth from falsehood. It is this same that we call "understanding;" which "understanding," indeed, is wanting to the brutes. And this "understanding" whoever neglects in himself, and holds it in less account than the other parts of his nature, and casts it off, just as if he had it not, is addressed in the Psalm, "Be ye not as the horse and the mule, which have no understanding." It is our "understanding" then that is addressing our soul. The latter is withered away from tribulations, worn out in anguish, made "sorrowful" in temptations, fainting in toils. The mind, catching a glimpse of Truth above, would fain rouse her spirits, and she says, "Why art thou sorrowful, O my soul?" ... — Exposition on Psalms 43 Diodorus of Tarsus: I shall console myself and … not allow myself to be alarmed by my thoughts but to hope in you, my God, to whom I should also give thanks, for from you it is also possible to hope for salvation. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 43 Theodoret of Cyrus: From this it is clear that both psalms have the same meaning. Those using them encourage themselves to have stronger hope, overcome the feeling of discouragement and await the salvation from God that will doubtless be given them. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 43:5 Augustine of Hippo: "O God, we have heard with our ears; our fathers have told us the work that You did in their days, and in the days of old" [Psalms 44:1]. Wondering wherefore, in these days, He has seemingly forsaken those whom it was His will to exercise in sufferings, they recall the past events which they have heard of from their fathers; as if they said, It is not of these things that we suffer, that our fathers told us! For in that other Psalm also, He said this, "Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and Thou delivered them. But I am a worm and no man; a reproach of men, and the outcast of the people." They trusted, and Thou delivered them; have I then hoped, and have You forsaken me? And have I believed upon You in vain? And is it in vain that my name has been written in Your Book, and Your name has been inscribed on me? What our fathers told us was this: — Exposition on Psalms 44 John Chrysostom: Listen to this, all you who are heedless of your children, who ignore their singing diabolical songs, while you pay no attention to the divine stories. Those people were not like that; on the contrary, they passed their life without interruption in stories of God's great deeds and achieved a double advantage. On the one hand, it was a good experience for them to keep in mind the divine favors, and they were the better for it; on the other, their offspring gained no little grounding in the knowledge of God from these stories, and were moved to imitation of virtue. For them, you see, books were the mouths of their forebears, and these stories were a feature of every study and every employment, nothing being more agreeable or more profitable. After all, if mere adventure stories, fables and fictions generally divert the listeners, much more do these stories reveal his beneficence, power, wisdom and care, stimulate the listener with enjoyment and make them more observant. You see, those who were present during the events and eyewitnesses passed them on for our hearing, and hearing is equally effective for faith development as sight. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 44:2 Prudentius: The majesty that with the Father dwelled, His spirit and thought, the way of his designs, Which made not by his hand or spoken word, Breathed from the Father's heart, declared his will. — THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST 90-93 Augustine of Hippo: "Your hand destroyed the nations; and You planted them: Thou weakened the peoples, and cast them out" [Psalms 44:2]. That is to say: "You drove out 'the peoples' from their own land, that You might bring 'them' in, and plant them; and might by Your mercy establish their kingdom." These are the things that we heard from our fathers. But perhaps it was because they were brave, were men of battle, were invincible, were well-disciplined, and warlike, that they could do these things. Far from it. This is not what our fathers told us; this is not what is contained in Scripture. But what does it say, but what follows? — Exposition on Psalms 44 John Chrysostom: So which triumphs is he recalling? Which successes? Some in Egypt, some in the desert, some in the land of promise, but especially those in the promised land.… They had no need of weapons; instead, they captured cities by a mere shout, and crossing the Jordan they overran the first city that stood in their way, Jericho, as though by dancing rather than fighting. I mean, they went out fitted with weapons not as if for battles but for a festival and dance, bearing arms for appearance's sake rather than security; wearing sacred robes and having the Levites preceding the army, they encircled the wall. It was a marvelous and extraordinary sight to see, so many thousands of soldiers marching in step and order, in silence and utter regularity, as though no one was about, with that daunting harmony of trumpets keeping everything in time. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 44:3 Theodoret of Cyrus: You, O Lord, he is saying, drove out from here the Canaanites along with the other nations, settling our ancestors in their place: it was not by trusting in strength or depending on armor that they emerged stronger that such people, but led by your grace they felled some and took others into slavery, since you accorded them a special relationship with you—the meaning of "you took delight in them." — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 44:2 Ambrose of Milan: Our ancestors, as heirs and next of kin of the patriarchs, were planted in the promised land. They did not gain this by any merits of their own. It was not Moses who led them in, for fear they should attribute it to the Law and not to grace. For the Law examines our merits; but grace looks to faith. How excellently the apostle has followed the faith of his ancestors when he says, "he that plants is nothing, he that waters is nothing. It is God who gives the increase." It was not Joshua, son of Nun, even though he led the people in and planted them—but God who gave the increase. To him first be the glory. — COMMENTARY ON TWELVE Psalms 44:12 Ambrose of Milan: When God is pleased with us, it is because he has given us the grace to be pleasing to him. Scripture teaches us that this is a gift specially bestowed on people in pure and utter kindness and not to be arrogantly usurped. — COMMENTARY ON TWELVE Psalms 44:13 Augustine of Hippo: "For they gat not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them; but Your right hand, and Your arm, and the light of Your countenance" [Psalms 44:3]. Your "right hand" is Your Power: Your "arm" is Your Son Himself. And "the light of Your countenance." What means this, but that You were present with them, in miracles of such a sort that Your presence was perceived. For when God's presence with us appears by any miracle, do we see His face with our own eyes? No. It is by the effect of the miracle He intimates to man His presence. In fact, what do all persons say, who express wonder at facts of this description? "I saw God present." "But Your right hand, and Your arm, and the light of Your countenance; because You pleased in them:" i.e. so dealt with them, that You were well-pleasing in them: that whoso considered how they were being dealt with, might say, that "God is with them of a truth;" and it is God that moves them. — Exposition on Psalms 44 Augustine of Hippo: "What? Was He then other than now He is?" Away with the supposition. For what follows? "You are Yourself my King and my God." [Psalms 44:4]. "You are Yourself;" for You are not changed. I see that the times are changed; but the Creator of times is unchanged. "You are Yourself my King and my God." You are wont to guide me: to govern me, to save me. "You who commandest salvation unto Jacob." What is, "You who commandest"? Even though in Your own proper Substance and Nature, in which You are whatsoever You are, You were hid from them; and though You did not converse with the fathers in that which You are in Yourself, so that they could see You "face to face," yet by any created being whatsoever "You command salvation unto Israel." For that sight of You "face to face" is reserved for those set free in the Resurrection. And the very "fathers" of the New Testament too, although they saw Your mysteries revealed, although they preached the secret things so revealed to them, nevertheless said that they themselves saw but "in a glass, darkly," but that "seeing face to face" [1 Corinthians 13:12] is reserved to a future time, when what the Apostle himself speaks of shall have come. "When Christ our life shall appear, then shall you also appear with Him in glory." [Colossians 3:4] It is against that time then that vision "face to face" is reserved for you, of which John also speaks: "Beloved, we are now the sons of God: and it does not yet appear what we shall be. We know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is." [1 John 3:2] Although then at that time our fathers saw You not as You are, "face to face," although that vision is reserved against the resurrection, yet, even though they were Angels who presented themselves, it is Thou, "Who commandest salvation unto Jacob." You are not only present by Your own Self; but by whatsoever created being You appeared, it is Thou that dost "command" by them, that which You do by Your own Self in order to the salvation of Your servants: but that which they do whom Thou "commandest" it, is done to procure the salvation of Your servants. Since then You are Yourself "my King and my God, and You command salvation unto Jacob," wherefore are we suffering these things? — Exposition on Psalms 44 Theodoret of Cyrus: You are the same even now, Lord, he is saying, ruling in similar fashion, overpowering in a similar fashion, exercising the same force, your nature undergoing no change. For you simply a word suffices for salvation: give the nod, and the people will enjoy it. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 44:3 Augustine of Hippo: But perhaps it is only what is past that has been described to us: but nothing of the kind is to be hoped for by us for the future. Nay indeed, it is still to be hoped for. "Through Thee will we winnow away our enemies" (ver. 5). Our fathers then have declared to us a work that Thou didst "in their days, and in the days of old," that Thy hand destroyed the Gentiles: that Thou "didst cast out the peoples; and didst plant them." Such was the past; but what is to be hereafter? "Through Thee we shall winnow away our enemies." A time will come, when all the enemies of Christians will be winnowed away like chaff, be blown like dust, and be cast off from the earth. ...Thus much of the future. — ON THE PSALMS, Psalms 44 Bede: In the Scriptures it is often the custom for horns to designate the eminence of faith and of the virtues with which we ought to strike out against and overcome the hostile advances of our ancient enemy, joining the prophet in saying to the Lord, "Through you we will fight against our enemies with the horn." — On the Tabernacle 3:11 Augustine of Hippo: Thus much of the future. "I will not trust in my bow," even as our fathers did not in "their sword. Neither shall my sword help me" [Psalms 44:6]. — Exposition on Psalms 44 Martin of Braga: Behold, this is the true and the Christian humility. In this you will best govern both yourself and those in your charge. In this you will be able to achieve victory over every vice, by attributing to God rather than to yourself the fact that you have won. The reason why our vices recover their strength at the very moment when they have almost been subdued is, in my opinion, only because we do not say to God what his warrior David said when fighting the wars of the Lord: "Through you," he said, "we have struck down our foes; and through your name we trample down our adversaries." And again: "No one prevails by his own strength. The Lord makes his adversary weak." But perhaps I shall receive the answer: "Are we then not to offer thanks to God, not to render praises?" I think so, but the trouble is that when we do it, we do it in words only, and inwardly: to God we offer thanks in private, to ourselves in public. We render praise to God on our lips, but to ourselves both on our lips and in our heart. This is what often raises up the enemy when he is already humbled, for the sin of our vanity is his strength. — EXHORTATION TO HUMILITY 6 Augustine of Hippo: "For Thou hast saved us from our enemies" [Psalms 44:7]. This too is spoken of the future under the figure of the past. But this is the reason that it is spoken of as if it were past, that it is as certain as if it were past. Give heed, wherefore many things are expressed by the Prophets as if they were past; whereas it is things future, not past facts that are the subject of prophecy. For the future Passion of our Lord Himself was foretold: and yet it says, "They pierced My hands and My feet. They told all My bones;" not, "They shall pierce," and "shall tell." "They looked and stared upon Me;" not "They shall look and stare upon Me." "They parted My garments among them." It does not say, "They shall part" them. All these things are expressed as if they were past, although they were yet to come: because to God things to come also are as certain as if they were past. ...It is for this reason, in consequence of their certainty, that those things which are yet future, are spoken of as if past. This it is then that we hope. For it is, "Thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us." — ON THE PSALMS, Psalms 44 Ambrose of Milan: The rich glory in their wealth; the luxurious in their dinner parties; the impure glory in night and darkness; the powerful glory in this life that has nights. But the just does not glory in this life but in the Lord God whom he strives to please in all that he does. — COMMENTARY ON TWELVE Psalms 44:23 Augustine of Hippo: "In God will we boast all the day long" [Psalms 44:8]. Observe how he intermingles words expressive of a future time, that you may perceive that what was spoken of before as in past time was foretold of future times. "In God will we boast all day long; and in Thy name will we confess for ever." What is, "We shall boast"? What, "We shall confess"? That Thou hast "saved us from our enemies;" that Thou art to give us an everlasting kingdom: that in us are to be fulfilled the words, "Blessed are they that dwell in Thine house: they will be always praising Thee." — ON THE PSALMS, Psalms 44 Evagrius Ponticus: Blessed is the one engaged in praise the whole day, namely, through his life, which lacks the uproar of emotions and is filled with an understanding of God. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 43[44].9 Augustine of Hippo: Since then we have the certainty that these things are to be hereafter, and since we have heard from our fathers that those we spoke of were in time past, what is our state at present? "But now Thou hast cast us off, and put us to shame" [Psalms 44:9]. Thou hast "put us to shame" not before our own consciences, but in the sight of men. For there was a time when Christians were persecuted; when in every place they were outcasts, when in every place it used to be said, "He is a Christian!" as if it conveyed an insult and reproach. Where then is He, "our God, our King," who "commands salvation unto Jacob"? Where is He who did all those works, which "our fathers have told us"? Where is He who is hereafter to do all those things which He revealed unto us by His Spirit? Is He changed? No. These things are done in order to "understanding, for the sons of Korah." For we ought to "understand" something of the reason, why He has willed we should suffer all these things in the mean time. What "all things"? "But now Thou hast cast us off and put us to shame: and goest not forth, O God, in our powers." We go forth to meet our enemies, and Thou goest not forth with us. We see them: they are very strong, and we are without strength. Where is that might of Thine? Where Thy "right hand," and Thy power? Where the sea dried up, and the Egyptian pursuers overwhelmed with the waves? Where Amalek's resistance subdued by the sign of the Cross? "And Thou, O God, goest not forth in our powers." — ON THE PSALMS, Psalms 44 Ambrose of Milan: One who is carried off by people is not necessarily conquered. Take, for example, Paul. He rejoices in his sufferings. He glories in being let out through a window and lowered in a basket. Look at holy Jeremiah, holy Ezekiel, holy Daniel. These were led into captivity and plundered by the Assyrians. But their own personal faith was never taken captive. They never sinned against the Lord's covenant. — COMMENTARY ON TWELVE Psalms 44:35 Augustine of Hippo: "You have turned us away backward in presence of our enemies" [Psalms 44:10], so that they are, as it were, before; we, behind; they are counted as conquerors, we as conquered. "And they which hate us spoiled for themselves." What did they "spoil" but ourselves? — Exposition on Psalms 44 Augustine of Hippo: "You have given us like sheep appointed for meat, and hast scattered us among the nations" [Psalms 44:11]. We have been "devoured" by "the nations." Those persons are meant, who, through their sufferings, have by process of assimilation, becomes part of the "body" of the Gentile world. For the Church mourns over them, as over members of her body, that have been devoured. — Exposition on Psalms 44 John Chrysostom: What is the meaning of "like sheep for slaughter"? Making us vulnerable to attack, presenting us as insignificant. Some sheep, you see, those suited to breeding are for purchase; others, … whether from age or sterility, are useful only for eating. And what was actually worse, their being scattered even among the nations, which was hardest of all for them, their not being able to observe the Law in all precision there and being divorced from their ancestral way of life. And not in one race, he is saying, but in all parts; we are on the verge of only one thing, and that is being abused, whereas we do not have the strength for taking vengeance or lifting a hand in resistance. This fate, you see, illustrates the likeness of sheep. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 44:7 Augustine of Hippo: "You have sold Your people for no price" [Psalms 44:12]. For we see whom You have made over; what You have received, we have not seen. "And there was no multitude in their jubilees." For when the Christians were flying before the pursuit of enemies, who were idolaters, were there then held any congregations and "jubilees" to the honour of God? Were those Hymns chanted in concert from the Churches of God, that are wont to be sung in concert in time of peace, and to be sounded in a sweet accord of the brotherhood in the ears of God? — Exposition on Psalms 44 John Chrysostom: It is our custom, remember, to give away even without cost things that are worthless and insignificant, whereas what we put great store by we sell at a high price, should we sell at all, but make available even gratis what we put little store by.… Now, if disposing of something below cost demonstrates its lack of value, much more so to take nothing for it, no charge. So this is what he is saying: just as if someone were to let their possessions go without charge, so you too allowed us to be of no value, you spurned us completely. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 44:7 Augustine of Hippo: "You made us a reproach to our neighbours; a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us" [Psalms 44:13]. — Exposition on Psalms 44 Augustine of Hippo: "You made us a similitude among the heathen" [Psalms 44:14]. What is meant by a "similitude"? It is when men in imprecating a curse make a "similitude" of his name whom they detest. "So may thou die;" "So may thou be punished!" What a number of such reproaches were then uttered! "So may thou be crucified!" Even in the present day there are not wanting enemies of Christ (those very Jews themselves), against whom whenever we defend Christ, they say unto us, "So may thou die as He did." For they would not have inflicted that kind of death had they not an intense horror of dying by such a death: or had they been able to comprehend what mystery was contained in it. When the ointment is applied to the eyes of the blind man, he does not see the eye-salve in the physician's hand. For the very Cross was made for the benefit even of the persecutors themselves. Hereby they were healed afterwards; and they believed in Him whom they themselves had slain. "You made us a similitude among the heathen; a shaking of the head among the peoples," a "shaking of the head" by way of insult. "They spoke with their lips, they shook the head." This they did to the Lord: this to all His Saints also, whom they were able to pursue, to lay hold of, to mock, to betray, to afflict, and to slay. — Exposition on Psalms 44 Augustine of Hippo: "My shame is continually before me; and the confusion of my face has covered me." "For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth": that is to say, from the voice of them that insult over me, and who make it a charge against me that I worship Thee, that I confess Thee! and who make it a charge against me that I bear that name by which all charges against me shall be blotted out. "For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth," that is, of him that speaketh against me. "By reason of the enemy and the persecutor." And what is the "understanding" conveyed here? Those things which are told us of the time past, will not be done in our case: those which are hoped for, as to be hereafter, are not as yet manifest. Those which are past, as the leading out of Thy people with great glory from Egypt; its deliverance from its persecutors; the guiding of it through the nations, the placing of it in the kingdom, whence the nations had been expelled. What are those to be hereafter? The leading of the people out of this Egypt of the world, when Christ, our "leader" shall appear in His glory: the placing of the Saints at His right hand; of the wicked at His left; the condemnation of the wicked with the devil to eternal punishment; the receiving of a kingdom from Christ with the Saints to last for ever. These are the things that are yet to be: the former are what are past. In the interval, what is to be our lot? Tribulations! "Why so?" That it may be seen with respect to the soul that worships God, to what extent it worships God; that it may be seen whether it worships Him "freely" from whom it received salvation "freely." ...What hast thou given unto God? Thou wert wicked, and thou wert redeemed! What hast thou given unto God? What is there that thou hast not "received" from Him "freely"? With reason is it named "grace," because it is bestowed (gratis, i.e.) freely. What is required of thee then is this, that thou too shouldest worship "Him freely;" not because He gives thee things temporal, but because He holds out to thee things eternal. ... — Exposition on Psalms 44 Augustine of Hippo: "All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten Thee." What is meant by, "have not forgotten Thee"? "Neither have we behaved ourselves frowardly in Thy covenant." — Exposition on Psalms 44 Augustine of Hippo: "Our heart has not turned back; and Thou hast turned aside our goings out of Thy way" (ver. 18). See here is "understanding," in that "our heart has not gone back;" that we have not "forgotten Thee, have not behaved frowardly in Thy covenant;" placed as we are in great tribulations, and persecutions of the Gentiles. "Thou hast turned aside our goings out of Thy way." Our "goings" were in the pleasures of the world; our "goings" were in the midst of temporal prosperities. Thou hast taken "our goings out of Thy way;" and hast shown us how "strait and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life." What is meant by, "hast turned aside our goings out of Thy way"? It is as if He said, "Ye are placed in the midst of tribulation; ye are suffering many things; ye have already lost many things that ye loved in this life: but I have not abandoned you on the way, the narrow way that I am teaching you. Ye were seeking "broad ways." What do I tell you? This is the way we go to everlasting life; by the way ye wish to walk, ye are going to death. How "broad and wide is the road that leads to destruction: and" how "many there be that find it! How strait and narrow the way that leadeth unto life, and" how "few there be" that walk therein! Who are the few? They who patiently endure tribulations, patiently endure temptations; who in all these troubles do not "fall away:" who do not rejoice in the word "for a season" only; and in the time of tribulation fade away, as on the sun's arising; but who have the "root" of "love," according to what we have lately heard read in the Gospel. ... — ON THE PSALMS, Psalms 44 Augustine of Hippo: "For Thou hast brought us low in the place of infirmity" (ver. 18): therefore Thou wilt exalt us in the place of strength. — ON THE PSALMS, Psalms 44 Augustine of Hippo: "And the shadow of death has covered us" [Psalms 44:19]. For this mortality of ours is but the "shadow" of death. The true death is condemnation with the devil. — Exposition on Psalms 44 Augustine of Hippo: "If we have forgotten the Name of our God." Here is the "understanding" of the "sons of Korah." "And stretched out our hands to a strange God" [Psalms 44:20]. — Exposition on Psalms 44 John Chrysostom: This is the mark of loyal servants, to persevere in serving their master despite their ill treatment.… This verse, too, teaches the listeners not to pretend but to serve God with their whole heart. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 44:8 Augustine of Hippo: "Shall not God search this out? For He knoweth the secrets of the heart" (ver. 21). He "knows," and yet He "searches them out"? If He knows the secrets of the heart, what do the words, "Shall not God search it out," do there? He "knows" it in Himself; He "searches it out" for our sakes. For it is for this reason God sometimes "searches a thing out;" and speaks of that becoming known to Himself, which He is Himself making known to thee. He is speaking of His own work, not of His knowledge. We commonly say, "A gladsome day," when it is fine. Yet is it the day itself that experiences delight? No: we speak of the day as gladsome, because it fills us with delight. And we speak of a "sullen sky." Not that there is any such feeling in the clouds, but because men are affected with sullenness at the sight of such an appearance of the skies, it is called sullen for this reason, that it makes us sullen. So also God is said to "know" when He causes us to know. God says to Abraham, "Now I know that thou fearest God." Did He then not know it before then? But Abraham did not know himself till then: for it was in that very trial he came to know himself. ...And God is said to "know" that which He had caused him to know. Did Peter know himself, when he said to the Physician, "I will be with Thee even unto death?" The Physician had felt his pulse, and knew what was going on within His patient's soul: the patient knew it not. The crisis of trial came; and the Physician approved the correctness of His opinion: the sick man gave up his presumption. Thus God at once "knows" it and "searches it out." "He knows it already. Why does He `search it out'?" For thy sake: that thou mayest come to know thine own self, and mayest return thanks to Him that made thee. "Shall not God search it out?" — ON THE PSALMS, Psalms 44 Diodorus of Tarsus: It is impossible for anyone transgressing the laws or planning to do so to escape your notice, Lord, because you so carefully occupy our minds. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 44 Pope Zephyrinus: To judge rashly of the secrets of another's heart is sin; and it is unjust to reprove him on suspicion whose works seem not other than good, since God alone is Judge of those things that are unknown to people. He alone "knows the secrets of the heart," and not another. — EPISTLES OF ZEPHYRINUS 1 Augustine of Hippo: "For, for Your sake we are killed all the day long: we are counted as sheep for the slaughter" [Psalms 44:22]. For you may see a man being put to death; you do not know why he is being put to death. God knows this. The thing in itself is hid. But some one will say to me, "See, he is detained in prison for the name of Christ, he is a confessor for the name of Christ." Why do not heretics also confess the name of Christ, and yet they do not die for His sake? Nay more; let me say it, in the Catholic Church itself, do you think there either are, or have been wanting persons such as would suffer for the sake of glory among men? Were there no such persons, the Apostle would not say, "Though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profits me nothing." [1 Corinthians 13:3] He knew therefore that there might be some persons, who did this not from "charity," but out of vainglory. It is therefore hid from us; God alone sees this; we cannot see it. He alone can judge of this, who "knows the secrets of the heart." "For," for Your sake "are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter." I have already mentioned that from hence the Apostle Paul had borrowed a text for the encouragement of the Martyrs: that they might not "faint in the tribulations" undergone by them for the name of Christ. — Exposition on Psalms 44 Augustine of Hippo: "Awake; why sleepest Thou, O Lord?" (ver. 23). Who is addressed, and who is the speaker? Would not he be more correctly said to sleep and slumber, who speaks such words as these? He replies to you, I know what I am saying: I know that "He that keepeth Israel doth not sleep:" but yet the Martyrs cry, "Awake; why sleepest Thou, O Lord?" O Lord Jesus, Thou wast slain; Thou didst "sleep" in Thy Passion; to us Thou hast now "awaked" from sleep. For "we" know that Thou hast now "awaked" again. To what purpose hast Thou awaked and risen again? The Gentiles that persecute us, think Thee to be dead; do not believe Thee to have risen again. "Arise Thou" then to them also! "Why sleepest Thou," though not to us, yet to them? For if they already believed Thee to have risen again, could they persecute us who believe in Thee? But why do they persecute? "Destroy, slay so and so, whoever have believed in Thee, such an one, who died an ill death!" As yet to them "Thou sleepest;" arise to them, that they may perceive that Thou hast "awaked" again; and may be at rest. Lastly, it has come to pass, while the Martyrs die, and say these things; while they sleep, and "awaken" Christ, truly dead in their sleepings, Christ has, in a certain sense, risen again in the Gentiles; i.e. it becomes believed, that He has risen again; so by degrees they themselves, becoming converted to Christ by believing, collected a numerous body: such as the persecutors dreaded; and the persecutions have come to an end. Why? Because Christ, who before was asleep to them, as not believing, bath risen in the Gentiles. "Arise, and cast us not off for ever!" — ON THE PSALMS, Psalms 44 Ambrose of Milan: We cannot see God's face. But there is a place where, by faith, God shows himself to us. The place is with God; and if we were to stand on the rock—that is, in awareness of this flesh and in firmness of faith—we will see as much as can be allowed to us to see. We cannot see the fullness, but we can, in a certain sense, drink in some remnant of his light. Moses did not see the full and entire divinity that dwells in Christ corporeally. But he saw the back of Christ. As man he saw his splendor, he saw the glory of his passion, he saw him draw back for us the bolts of the heavenly kingdom. — COMMENTARY ON TWELVE Psalms 44:91 Augustine of Hippo: "Wherefore hidest Thou Your face:" as if You were not present; as if you had forgotten us? "And forgettest our misery and trouble?" [Psalms 44:24]. — Exposition on Psalms 44 Augustine of Hippo: "For our soul is bowed down to the dust" (ver. 25). Where is it bowed down? "To the dust:" i.e. dust persecutes us. They persecute us, of whom Thou hast said, "The ungodly are not so; but are like the dust, which the wind driveth away from the face of the earth." "Our belly hath cleaved to the earth." He seems to me to have expressed the punishment of the extreme of humiliation, in which, when any one prostrates himself, "his belly cleaveth to the earth." For whosoever is humbled so as to be on his knees, has yet a lower degree of humiliation to which he can come: but he who is so humbled, that his "belly cleaveth to the ground," there is no farther humiliation for him. Should one wish to do still farther, it will, after that point, be not bowing him down, but crushing him. Perhaps then he may have meant this: We are "bowed down very low" in this dust; there is no farther point to which humiliation can go. Humiliation has now reached its highest point: let mercy then come also. ... — ON THE PSALMS, Psalms 44 Augustine of Hippo: "Arise, O Lord, help us" [Psalms 44:26]. And indeed, dearly beloved, He has arisen and helped us. For when he awoke (i.e. when He arose again, and became known to the Gentiles) on the cessation of persecutions, even those who had cleaved to the earth were raised up from the earth, and on performing penance, have been restored to Christ's body, feeble and imperfect though they were: so that in them was fulfilled the text, "Your eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect; and in Your book shall they all be written." "Arise, O Lord, help us, and redeem us for Your Name's sake;" that is to say, freely; for Your Name's sake, not for the sake of my merits: because You have vouchsafed to do it, not because I am worthy that You should do it unto me. For this very thing, that "we have not forgotten You;" that "our heart has not gone back;" that we "have not stretched out our hands to any strange god;" how should we have been able to achieve, except with Your help? How should we have strength for it, except through Your appealing to us within, exhorting us, and not forsaking us? Whether then we suffer in tribulations, or rejoice in prosperities, redeem Thou us, not for our merits, but for Your Name's sake. — Exposition on Psalms 44 Diodorus of Tarsus: If we are judged unworthy of gaining mercy for all these things mentioned, he is saying, nevertheless be faithful to yourself; Lord, on account of your name conferred on us, free us from the enemy. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 44 John Chrysostom: See how they concluded the discourse: despite their countless good deeds, on what grounds did they appeal to be saved? On the mercy, the lovingkindness, the name of God. Do you see the humility and contrite heart? On what grounds do they appeal to be saved? Lovingkindness, mercy: as though bereft of good deeds, as though not having any claim on salvation, despite being in a position to take pride in so many troubles and dangers, they referred everything to God. Let us, too, living in the age of grace, imitate them and offer up glory to God, to whom be the glory for ages of ages. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 44:9 Theodoret of Cyrus: Now, all this the grace of the Spirit foretold, teaching those who would experience those troubles to bear nobly what befell them and request relief from them from the God of all. Those remarkable people did exactly that: with their words they appeased God, led by him they routed the enemy, and they recovered their former freedom for their fellow citizens. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 44:10 Alexander of Alexandria: Who that hears these words of the Gospel, "the only-begotten Son;" and, "by Him were all things made," will not hate those who declare He is one of the things made? For how can He be one of the things made by Him? or how shall He be the only-begotten who, as they say, is reckoned with all the rest, if indeed He is a thing made and created? And how can He be made of things which are not, when the Father says, "My heart belched forth a good Word;" and, "From the womb, before the morning have I begotten Thee?" Or how is He unlike to the substance of the Father, who is the perfect image and brightness of the Father, and who says, "He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father?" — EPISTLES ON THE ARIAN HERESY 2:3 Ambrose of Milan: The Son lives by the Father, because he is the Son begotten of the Father; by the Father, because he is of one substance with the Father; by the Father, because he is the Word given forth from the heart of the Father, because he came forth from the Father, because he is begotten of the "bowels of the Father," because the Father is the fountain and root of the Son's being. — Exposition of the Christian Faith 4.10.133 Augustine of Hippo: "Mine heart hath uttered a good word" [Psalms 45:1]. Who is the speaker? The Father, or the Prophet? For some understand it to be the Person of the Father, which says, "Mine heart hath uttered a good word," intimating to us a certain unspeakable generation. Lest you should haply think something to have been taken unto Him, out of which God should beget the Son (just as man takes something to himself out of which he begets children, that is to say, an union of marriage, without which man cannot beget offspring), lest then you should think that God stood in need of any nuptial union, to beget "the Son," he says, "Mine heart hath uttered a good word." This very day thine heart, O man, begets a counsel, and requires no wife: by the counsel, so born of thine heart, thou buildest something or other, and before that building subsists, the design subsists; and that which thou art about to produce, exists already in that by which thou art going to produce it; and thou praisest the fabric that as yet is not existing, not yet in the visible form of a building, but on the projecting of a design: nor does any one else praise thy design, unless either thou showest it to him, or he sees what thou hast done. If then by the Word "all things were made," and the Word is of God, consider the fabric reared by the Word, and learn from that building to admire His counsels! What manner of Word is that by which heaven and earth were made; and all the splendour of the heavens; all the fertility of the earth; the expanse of the sea; the wide diffusion of air; the brightness of the constellations; the light of sun and moon? These are visible things: rise above these also; think of the Angels, "Principalities, Thrones, Dominions, and Powers." All were made by Him. How then were these good things made? Because there was "uttered forth 'a good Word,'" by which they were to be made... — ON THE PSALMS, Psalms 45 Eusebius of Caesarea: It seems right for me to add what I am accustomed to quote in every question that is debated about his Godhead, that reverent saying: "Who shall declare his generation?" … For such expressions are connected with mental imagery alone and are accordingly subject to the laws of metaphor. And so the words "My heart has produced a good word" may be explained as referring to the constitution and coming into being of the primal Word, since it would not be right to suppose any heart, save one that we can understand to be spiritual, to exist in the case of the supreme God. — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4:15.180 John Chrysostom: The inspired authors were not like the seers. In their case, after all, when the demon takes possession of their soul, it cripples their mind and clouds their reasoning, and so they utter everything without their mind understanding anything of what is said; rather, it is like a flute sounding without a musician to play a tune. This was said also by a philosopher of theirs in these words, "Just like the soothsayers and seers saying many things without knowing anything of what they say." The Holy Spirit, [by contrast], does not act like that; instead, he allows the heart to know what is said. I mean, if the psalmist did not know, how could he have said "good news"? The demon, you see, being enemy and foe, commits an assault on human nature; the Holy Spirit, by contrast, being caring and beneficent, renders those who receive him sharers in his purposes, and with them understanding him he reveals what he has to tell. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 45:1 John Chrysostom: The one who speaks from his own resources, you see, hesitates and thinks twice about the efforts he makes, handicapped in his composition by ignorance, error and uncertainty, and there are many things that undermine the speed of his utterance. When on the contrary it is the Spirit who moves the mind, there is no obstacle. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 45:2 Augustine of Hippo: Lo! now then that Word, so uttered, Eternal, the Co-eternal Offspring of the Eternal, will come as "the Bridegroom;" "Fairer than the children of men" (ver. 2). "Than the children of men." I ask, why not than the Angels also? Why did he say, "than the children of men," except because He was Man? Lest you should think "the Man Christ" to be any ordinary man, he says, "Fairer than the children of men." Even though Himself "Man," He is "fairer than the children of men;" though among the children of men, "fairer than the children of men:" though of the children of men, "fairer than the children of men." "Grace is shed abroad on Thy lips." "The Law was given by Moses. Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ." ... — Exposition on Psalms 45 Diodorus of Tarsus: After mentioning the glory, here he mentions its effect, namely, that you were invested with such persuasion as even to attract disciples merely by your lips: the extraordinary degree of wisdom required no great number of words for persuading. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 45 Gregory of Nazianzus: He had no form or comeliness in the eyes of the Jews, but to David he is fairer than the children of people. And on the mountain he was bright as the lightning and became more luminous than the sun, initiating us into the mystery of the future. — ON THE SON, THEOLOGICAL ORATION 3(29).19 John Chrysostom: How, then, does another inspired author say, "We saw him: he had no form or beauty; instead, his form was dishonorable, of no importance beside human beings." He is not speaking about deformity—God forbid—but about an object of scorn. You see, once having deigned to become human, he went through every demeaning experience, not choosing a queen for his mother, not placed in a bed of gold at the time of swaddling clothes but in a manger, not reared in an affluent home but in an artisan's humble dwelling. Again, when he picked disciples, he did not pick orators and philosophers and kings but fishermen and tax collectors. He shared this simple life, not owning a house, or clad in rich clothing or enjoying similar fare, but nourished at others' expense, insulted, scorned, driven out, pursued. Now, he did this to trample underfoot human conceit in fine style. So, since he did not fit himself out in any pomp or circumstance or attach to himself hangers on or bodyguards, but went about at times alone, like any ordinary person, thus that author said, "We saw him, and he had no form or beauty," whereas the psalmist says, "Comely to behold beyond all human beings," suggesting grace, wisdom, teaching, miracles. Then to underline the comeliness he says, "Grace streamed out on your lips." — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 45:2 Origen of Alexandria: Now a proof that "grace was poured on his lips" is the fact that although the time he spent in teaching was short, … the world has been filled with this teaching and with the religion that came through him. For there has arisen "in his days" "righteousness and an abundance of peace" lasting until the consummation. — ON FIRST PRINCIPLES 4:1.5 Augustine of Hippo: "Gird Thy sword upon Thy thigh, O most Mighty" (ver. 3). What is meant by "Thy sword, but "Thy word"? It was by that sword He scattered His enemies; by that sword he divided the son from the father, "the daughter from the mother, the daughter-in-law from the mother-in-law." We read these words in the Gospel, "I came not to send peace, but a sword." And, "In one house shall five be divided against each other; three against two, and two against three;" i.e. "the father against the son, the daughter against the mother, the daughter-in-law against the mother-in-law." By what "sword," but that which Christ brought, was this division wrought? And indeed, my brethren, we see this exemplified daily. Some young man is minded to give himself up to God's service; his father is opposed to it; they are "divided against each other:" the one promises an earthly inheritance, the other loves an heavenly; the one promises one thing, the other prefers another. The father should not think himself wronged: God alone is preferred to him. And yet he is at strife with the son, who would fain give himself to God's service. But the spiritual sword is mightier to separate them, than the ties of carnal nature to bind them together. This happens also in the case of a mother against her daughter; still more also in that of a daughter-in-law against a mother-in-law. For sometimes in one house mother-in-law and daughter-in law are found orthodox and heretical respectively. And where that sword is forcibly felt, we do not dread the repetition of Baptism. Could daughter be divided against mother; and could not daughter-in-law be divided against mother-in-law? ... What does he mean to express by the "thigh"? The flesh. Whence those words, "A prince shall not depart from Judah; and a lawgiver from his thighs"? Did not Abraham himself (to whom was promised the seed in which "all the nations of the earth were to be blessed"), when he sent his servant to seek and to bring home a wife for his son, being by faith fully persuaded, that in that, so to speak, contemptible seed was contained the great Name; that is, that the Son of God was to come of the seed of Abraham, out of all the children of men; did not he, I say, cause his servant to swear unto him in this manner, saying, "Put thy hand under my thigh," and so swear; as if he had said, "Put thy hand on the altar, or on the Gospel, or on the Prophet, or on any holy thing." "Put" (he says) "thy hand under my thigh;" having full confidence, not ashamed of it as unseemly, but understanding therein a truth. ... — Exposition on Psalms 45 Evagrius Ponticus: The sword separates the spirit from evil and the mind from ignorance, destroying the old man and making him new in Christ. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 44[45].4 Hesychius of Jerusalem: By "sword" he means the cross, using it just like a sword. He hangs amid two enemies, namely, the devil and death. By "thigh" he means the flesh, using the part for the whole.… He says the cross girds itself with the flesh, being powerful in appearance and beauty, so that by this (i.e., his humanity) he takes up our suffering; and by that (i.e., his divinity) he overcomes suffering, as if to have no part in it. We may be able to understand appearance and beauty as mercy. For there is nothing so fitting of God than to deliver his special creation. And "bend the bow" against the enemies, and "prosper" the faithful, and "rule" everywhere, so you may subdue the enemies; you may crown the faithful, because this is fitting of a judge and king. — LARGE COMMENTARY ON Psalms 45:5 John Chrysostom: These terms, you see, signify his operations.… I mean, just as Scripture says God gets angry, not to attribute passion to him but to indicate through this expression his action of punishing and thus make an impression on more materialistic people, so too by mentioning weapons it suggests this. After all, since we are punished not through ourselves but by other instruments, in his wish to demonstrate God's power to punish he indicates it in terms familiar to us … so that we may gain a more vivid impression of his punishing.… Why, then, does he say this here? In these rather materialistic terms he shows his operation, through which he set the world on its course, through which he brought the war to an end and set up the trophy. It was a harsh war, after all, more bitter than all wars, not against savages in battle but against the demons exercising their wiles and destroying the whole world. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 45:5 Tertullian: I, on my part, now wish to engage with you in a discussion on the allegorical expressions of the apostle. What figures of speech could the novel god have found in the prophets (fit for himself)? "He led captivity captive," says the apostle. With what arms? In what conflicts? From the devastation of what country? From the overthrow of what city? What women, what children, what princes did the Conqueror throw into chains? For when by David Christ is sung as "girded with His sword upon His thigh," or by Isaiah as "taking away the spoils of Samaria and the power of Damascus," you make Him out to be really and truly a warrior confest to the eye. Learn then now, that His is a spiritual armour and warfare, since you have already discovered that the captivity is spiritual, in order that you may further learn that this also belongs to Him. — The Five Books Against Marcion, Book V, Chapter XVIII Theodoret of Cyrus: After describing his charm and wisdom, he gives us a glimpse of both his power and his accouterments, which he used to wipe out his adversaries, teaching us the baffling character of it all. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 45:4 Augustine of Hippo: What does he mean to express by the "thigh"? The flesh. Whence those words, "A prince shall not depart from Judah; and a lawgiver from his thighs"? Did not Abraham himself (to whom was promised the seed in which "all the nations of the earth were to be blessed"), when he sent his servant to seek and to bring home a wife for his son, being by faith fully persuaded, that in that, so to speak, contemptible seed was contained the great Name; that is, that the Son of God was to come of the seed of Abraham, out of all the children of men; did not he, I say, cause his servant to swear unto him in this manner, saying, "Put your hand under my thigh," [Genesis 24:2] and so swear; as if he had said, "Put your hand on the altar, or on the Gospel, or on the Prophet, or on any holy thing." "Put" (he says) "your hand under my thigh;" having full confidence, not ashamed of it as unseemly, but understanding therein a truth. "With Your beauty and Your glory." Take to You that righteousness, in which You are at all times beautiful and glorious. "And speed on, and proceed prosperously, and reign" [Psalms 45:4]. Do we not see it so? Is it not already come to pass? He has "sped on; has proceeded prosperously, and He reigns;" all nations are subdued unto Him. What a thing was it to see that "in the Spirit," of which same thing it is now in our power to experience in the reality! At the time when these words were said, Christ did not yet "reign" thus; had not yet sped on, nor "proceeded prosperously." They were then being preached, they have now been fulfilled: in many things we have God's promise fulfilled already; in some few we have to claim its fulfilment yet. — Exposition on Psalms 45 John Chrysostom: All other people, you see, exercise royal power by making war so as to gain cities or wealth, or because of enmities or vainglory. God, by contrast, acts not for any of these things but for the sake of truth, to plant it on earth; and for the sake of gentleness, to make those who are more savage than wild beasts become gentle; and for the sake of righteousness, to make those who are in thrall to lawlessness become righteous, first from grace, and second from good deeds. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 45:6 John Chrysostom: What was being achieved was in fact fearful and productive of terror: death was destroyed, hell was broken asunder, paradise was opened, heaven was thrown open, demons were shackled, the lower regions were mingled with the upper, God became human, a human being is seated on the kingly throne, hope in resurrection dawned, expectation reached beyond death, ineffable good things were enjoyed, and all other good things he achieved by his coming.… The Septuagint, [by contrast], reads, "Your right hand will guide you in marvelous fashion," that is to say, we should marvel not only at what is achieved but at the fact that it is achieved in surprising fashion: through death is death destroyed, through a curse is a curse lifted and blessing bestowed, through eating were we lately expelled, through eating we have once again been admitted. A maiden expelled us from paradise, through a maiden we find eternal life. What was the means of our being condemned becomes the means of our being crowned. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 45:7 Theodore of Mopsuestia: It is therefore clear from this that he is not speaking of a human being as king: no human being exercises such zeal for bringing about the kingdom in himself and uses weapons and all such things so as to teach gentleness to his own; on the contrary, he is concerned to gain power, and wipe out the opposition and in every way make his own people fearsome to the enemy. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 45:5B Theodore of Mopsuestia: To what human being would he apply this achievement or the magnitude of what is described? To whom would he apply the verse "Your right hand will guide you in marvelous fashion" when the divine Scripture consistently says of all the righteous that it is with God's help that they acquire strength? — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 45:7A Augustine of Hippo: "Your arrows are sharp, are most powerful" [Psalms 45:5]; words that pierce the heart, that kindle love. Whence in the Song of Songs it is said, "I am wounded with love." [Song of Songs 2:5] For she speaks of being "wounded with love;" that is, of being in love, of being inflamed with passion, of sighing for the Bridegroom, from whom she received the arrow of the Word. "Your arrows are sharp, are most powerful;" both piercing, and effective; "sharp, most powerful." "The peoples shall fall under You." Who have "fallen"? They who were "wounded" have also "fallen." We see the nations subdued unto Christ; we do not see them "fall." He explains where they "fall," viz. "in the heart." It was there they lifted themselves up against Christ, there they "fall" down before Christ. Saul was a blasphemer of Christ: he was then lifted up, he prays to Christ, "he is fallen," he is prostrate before Him: the enemy of Christ is slain, that the disciple of Christ may live! By an arrow launched from heaven, Saul (not as yet Paul, but still Saul), still lifted up, still not yet prostrate, is wounded in "the heart:" he received the arrow, he fell "in heart." For though he fell prostrate on his face, it was not there that he fell down in heart: but it was there where he said aloud, "Lord, what dost Thou bid me do?" [Acts 9:6] But just now thou were going to bind the Christians, and to bring them to punishment: and now you say unto Christ, "What dost Thou bid me do?" O arrow sharp and most mighty, by whose stroke "Saul" fell, so as to become "Paul." As it was with him, so was it also with "the peoples;" consider the nations, observe their subjection unto Christ. "The peoples" (then) "shall fall under You in the heart of the King's enemies;" that is, in the heart of Your enemies. For it is Him that he calls King, Him that he recognises as King. "The peoples shall fall under You in the heart of the King's enemies." They were "enemies" before; they have been stricken by your arrows: they have fallen before You. Out of enemies they have been made friends: the enemies are dead, the friends survive. This is the meaning of, "for those which shall be changed." We are seeking to "understand" each single word, and each separate verse; yet so far only are we to seek for their "understanding," as to leave no one to doubt that they are spoken of Christ. — Exposition on Psalms 45 Basil of Caesarea: The sharp arrows of the Mighty One are the well-aimed words that touch the hearts of the hearers, striking and wounding their keenly perceptive souls. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 17:6 (Psalms 45) Diodorus of Tarsus: His meaning is, direct well-aimed words, like arrows, at the hearts of the listeners, and as a result all peoples will be subjected to you as well (using a metaphor of people wounding with arrows and subjecting the wounded). He means, your arrows are so effective that not only will they subject disciples but also fall on enemies and bring them into subjection. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 45 John Chrysostom: Do you see the successful outcome of the war? The submission of those previously rebellious? The instruction? The catechesis? Their very fall and submission to him, you see, are for everyone the basis and foundation of their exaltation. In fact, having delivered them from their folly and empty conceit and from the demons' error, he subjected them to himself. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 45:7 Athanasius of Alexandria: Even before he became man, he was King and Lord everlasting, being image and word of the Father. — Discourses Against the Arians 2.13 Augustine of Hippo: "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever" (ver. 6). Because God has "'blessed Thee' for ever," on account of the "grace poured over Thy lips." Now the throne of the Jewish Kingdom was a temporal one; belonging to those who were under the Law, not to those who were under "grace:" He came to "redeem those who were under the Law," and to place them under "Grace." His "Throne is for ever and ever." Why? for that first throne of the Kingdom was but a temporal one: whence then have we a "throne for ever and ever"? Because it is God's throne. O divine Attribute of Eternity! for God could not have a temporal throne. "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever-a sceptre of direction is the sceptre of Thy Kingdom." "The sceptre of direction" is that which directs mankind: they were before crooked, distorted; they sought to reign for themselves: they loved themselves, loved their own evil deeds: they submitted not their own will to God; but would fain have bent God's will to conformity with their own lusts. For the sinner and the unrighteous man is generally angry with God, because it rains not! and yet would have God not be angry with himself, because he is profligate. And it is pretty much for this very reason that men daily sit, to dispute against God: "This is what He ought to have done: this He has not well done." Thou forsooth seest what thou doest; He knows not what He does! It is thou that art crooked! His ways are right. When wilt thou make the crooked coincide with the straight? It cannot be made to coincide with it. Just as if you were to place a crooked stick on a level pavement; it does not join on to it; it does not cohere; it does not fit into the pavement. The pavement is even in every part: but that is crooked; it does not fit into that which is level. The will of God then is "equal," thine own is "crooked:" it is because thou canst not be conformed unto it, that it seems "crooked" unto thee: rule thou thyself by it; seek not to bend it to thine own will: for thou canst not accomplish it; that is at all times "straight"! Wouldest thou abide in Him? "Correct thou thyself;" so will the sceptre of Him who rules thee, be unto thee "a rule of direction." Thence is He also called King,s from "ruling." For that is no "ruler" that does not correct. Hereunto is our King a King of "right ones." Just as He is a Priest (Sacerdos) by sanctifying us, so is He our King, our Ruler, by "ruling" us. ... — Exposition on Psalms 45 Basil of Caesarea: That is to say, your kingdom is beyond the ages and older than all thought. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 17:7 (Psalms 45) Cosmas Indicopleustes: To whom again the blessed Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrews bears witness in these words: And of the Son he saith, thy throne, O God! is for ever and ever; the sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Having said this concerning his divinity, he forthwith speaks of his humanity and says: Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity, wherefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. For it is not his divinity which is anointed on account of his loving righteousness and hating iniquity, nor is it in any case anointed, nor has it another God [for fellow], for God exists by himself. But it is his humanity which is anointed with the oil of gladness (by which is meant, with the Holy Spirit) above its fellows—that is, above all the anointed. For his divinity has no other fellow, for God is one, the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, but the humanity of Christ has for its fellows all men, especially those who have been anointed. For by reason that the humanity of Christ was anointed above all others, since it was anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power, a distinction accorded to none of the others who were anointed, he used the words: Above all thy fellows. The whole psalm, moreover, he wrote with reference to Christ and the Church, speaking of the one as a royal bridegroom and of the other as a royal bride. — The Christian Topography, Book 5 John Chrysostom: By "throne" here he means not simply throne but kingship. He calls it eternal here, but elsewhere elevated: "I saw the Lord seated on an elevated throne," Scripture says. And again: "Because your throne is elevated." Another author … contemplates him seated on a throne of glory, whereas David presents also a throne of lovingkindness: "Mercy and judgment the foundation of his throne." Now, all of these references are to his kingship, that it is everlasting (this is the meaning of "for ages of ages"), that it is in high esteem, that it is elevated, that it is powerful and mighty. Also that it has no beginning, when he says, "Your kingdom a kingdom of all ages." — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 45:8 Theodore of Mopsuestia: Immediately he proceeded to say also "a rod of equity," which suggests correctness and justice in prosecution. Such an expression, however, seems not applicable to a human being—at least such an expression occurs nowhere in reference to a human being—whereas it is applicable to God, of whom he says also in another place, "He will judge the world in righteousness; he will judge peoples in rectitude," and elsewhere, "Good and upright is the Lord," and "Because the word of the Lord is upright." — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 45:7B Theodoret of Cyrus: The prophetic word afterwards teaches the nature of God the Word incarnate himself … that he is God and eternal king, not having had a beginning and not due to have an end. This is what "forever" suggests. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 45:5 Arnobius the Younger: God anoints him before his own people with the oil of joy. Just as he appeared before humankind incarnate and perfect, Christ appeared anointed with oil before all Christians. There were many righteous people from Abel to Christ, but none born of a virgin, none of this appearance, this form. Who is like our God among the children of God? Let us, children pleasing to him, listen to this one, anointed with oil of anointing, as angels worshiped, the stars sang out and the prophets prophesied. As John was fearing, the skies opened, the Father called from heaven, and the Spirit descended from the heavens and remained on him. It is Christ, the first before the partakers who share this name. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 45 Athanasius of Alexandria: He is here "anointed," not that he may become God, for he was so even before, or that he may become King, for he had the kingdom eternally, existing as God's image, as the sacred Oracle shows; but for our sake is this written. — Discourses Against the Arians 1.46 Athanasius of Alexandria: The word therefore does not imply the reward of virtue or conduct in the Word but the reason why he came down to us. It indicates that the Spirit's anointing took place in him for our sakes. For he does not say, "Therefore he anointed you so that you will be God or King or Son or Word," for he was already such before and is forever …; but rather, "Since you are God and King, therefore you were anointed, since none but you could unite humanity to the Holy Spirit, you the image of the Father, in which we were made in the beginning; for even the Spirit is yours." For the nature of things originate could give no warranty for this, angels having transgressed and people disobeyed. Therefore there was need of God; and the Word is God, that he himself might set free those who had come under a curse. If then he was of nothing, he would not have been the Christ or Anointed, being one among others and having fellowship as the rest. But, since he is God, being the Son of God, and is everlasting King and exists as radiance and expression of the Father, therefore he is rightly the expected Christ, whom the Father announces to humankind, by revelation to his holy prophets; that as through him we have come to be, so also in him all people might be redeemed from their sins and by him all things might be ruled. And this is the reason for the anointing that took place in him, and of the incarnate presence of the Word, which the psalmist foreseeing, celebrates, first his Godhead and kingdom, which is the Father's, in these tones, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom"; then announces his descent to us thus, "Wherefore God, even your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows." — Discourses Against the Arians 1.49 Augustine of Hippo: "You have loved righteousness, and hated iniquity" [Psalms 45:7]. See there "the rod of direction" described. "You have loved righteousness, and hated iniquity." Draw near to that "rod;" let Christ be your King: let Him "rule" you with that rod, not crush you with it. For that rod is "a rod of iron;" an inflexible rod. "You shall rule them with a rod of iron: and break them in pieces like a potter's vessel." Some He rules; others He "breaks in pieces:" He "rules" them that are spiritual: He "breaks in pieces" them that are carnal....Would He so loudly declare that He was about to smite you, if He wished to smite you? He is then holding back His hand from the punishment of your offenses; but do not thou hold back. Turn you yourself to the punishment of your offenses: for unpunished offenses cannot be: punishment therefore must be executed either by yourself, or by Him: do thou then plead guilty, that He may reprieve you. Consider an instance in that penitential Psalm: "Hide Your face from my sins." Did he mean "from me"? No: for in another passage he says plainly, "Hide not Your face from me." "Turn" then "Your face from my sins." I would have You not see my sins. For God's "seeing" is animadverting upon. Hence too a Judge is said to "animadvert" on that which he punishes; i.e. to turn his mind on it, to bend it thereon, even to the punishment of it, inasmuch as he is the Judge. So too is God a Judge. "Turn Thou Your face from my sins." But you yourself, if you would have God turn "His face" from them, turn not your own face from them. Observe how he proposes this to God in that very Psalm: "I acknowledge," he says, "my transgression, and my sin is ever before me." He would fain have that which he wishes to be ever before his own eyes, not be before God's eyes. Let no one flatter himself with fond hopes of God's mercy. His sceptre is "a sceptre of righteousness." Do we say that God is not merciful? What can exceed His mercy, who shows such forbearance to sinners; who takes no account of the past in all that turn unto Him? So love thou Him for His mercy, as still to wish that He should be truthful. For mercy cannot strip Him of His attribute of justice: nor justice of that of mercy. Meanwhile during the time that He postpones your punishment, do not thou postpone it. — Exposition on Psalms 45 Basil of Caesarea: Let no one be misled by the fact of the apostle's frequently omitting the name of the Father and of the Holy Spirit when making mention of baptism, or on this account imagine that the invocation of the names is not observed. "As many of you," he says, "as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ;" and again, "As many of you as were baptized into Christ were baptized into his death." For the naming of Christ is the confession of the whole, shewing forth as it does the God who gave, the Son who received, and the Spirit who is, the unction. So we have learned from Peter, in the Acts, of "Jesus of Nazareth whom God anointed with the Holy Ghost;" and in Isaiah, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me;" and the Psalmist, "Therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows." — On The Holy Spirit Basil of Caesarea: The flesh of the Lord was anointed with the true anointing, by the coming of the Holy Spirit into it, which was called "the oil of gladness." And he was anointed above his fellows; that is to say, all people who are members of Christ. Therefore, a certain partial sharing of the Spirit was given to them, but the Holy Spirit descending on the Son of God, as John says, "abode on him." — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 17:8 (Psalms 45) Bede: God, his God, has anointed him with the oil of gladness above his companions in order that he may deign to make us also companions of that anointing of his, that is, sharers of spiritual grace. — Homilies on the Gospels 1:25 Bede: He himself promised the favor of the same holy anointing to his companions, … that is, to the faithful; and he sent what he had promised, as we know, not long after. — Homilies on the Gospels 2:15 Cyril of Jerusalem: Christ was not anointed by people with oil or material ointment, but the Father, having before appointed him to be the Savior of the whole world, anointed him with the Holy Spirit.… As he was anointed with an ideal oil of gladness, that is, with the Holy Spirit, called oil of gladness, because he is the author of spiritual gladness, so you were anointed with ointment, having been made partakers and "fellows of Christ." — Catechetical Lecture 21:2 Eusebius of Caesarea: This ointment mentioned was nothing common or earthly, nothing resembling that ordained by the Mosaic law, fashioned of corruptible matter, with which it was the custom to anoint Hebrew priests and kings. — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 5:2.217 Gregory the Dialogist: He was anointed above His fellows, because all we men first exist as sinners, and afterwards are sanctified through the unction of the Holy Spirit. But He Who, existing as God before the ages, was conceived as man through the Holy Spirit in the Virgin's womb at the end of the ages, was there anointed by the same Spirit, even where He was conceived. Nor was He first conceived and afterwards anointed; but to be conceived by the Holy Spirit of the flesh of the Virgin was itself to be anointed by the Holy Spirit. — Register of Epistles, Book 11, Epistle 67 Irenaeus: "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; the sceptre of Thy kingdom is a right sceptre. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity: therefore God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee." For the Spirit designates both [of them] by the name of God-both Him who is anointed as Son, and Him who does anoint, that is, the Father. — AGAINST HERESIES 3:6.1 Jerome: You have been anointed with the oil of gladness above your fellow people, above your apostles. You possess the font of unction; they, the drops. — HOMILY ON Psalms 132[133] John Chrysostom: Christ, to be sure, was nowhere anointed with oil but with the Holy Spirit. For this reason he added "beyond your companions" to indicate this very fact, that no one was like him. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 45:9 Justin Martyr: These words also show clearly that he who did all things [God the Father] testified that he [Jesus] is to be worshiped both as God and Christ. — Dialogue with Trypho, Chapter LXIII Theodore of Mopsuestia: On the one hand, he separated the natures by uttering definite statements of different ideas (there being a great difference between "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever" and "Hence, God your God anointed you"), and on the other hand, he gave a glimpse of the union by saying this of one person. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 45:8B Theodoret of Cyrus: He was also anointed in the all-holy Spirit, not as God but as a human being: as God he was of one being with the Spirit, whereas as a human being he receives the gifts of the Spirit like a kind of anointing. Thus he "loved righteousness and hated lawlessness": this is a matter of intentional choice, not of natural power, whereas as God he has "a rod of equity as the rod of his kingship." — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 45:6 Augustine of Hippo: "Out of Your garments is the smell of myrrh, amber, and cassia" [Psalms 45:8]. Out of Your garments is perceived the smell of fragrant odours. By His garments are meant His Saints, His elect, His whole Church, which he shows forth, as His garment, so to speak; His robe "without spot and wrinkle," [Ephesians 5:27] which on account of its spots He has "washed" in His blood; on account of its "wrinkles" extended on His Cross. Hence the sweet savour which is signified by certain perfumes there mentioned. Hear Paul, that "least of the Apostles" (that "hem of that garment," which the woman with the issue of blood touched, and was healed), hear him saying: "We are a sweet savour of Christ, in every place, both in them that are saved, and in them that perish." [2 Corinthians 2:14-15] He did not say, "We are a sweet savour in them that are saved, and a foul savour in them that are lost:" but, as far as relates to ourselves, "we are a sweet savour both in them that are saved, and in them that perish."...They who loved him were saved by the odour of "sweet savour;" they who envied him, perished by means of that "sweet savour." To them that perished then he was not a foul "savour," but a "sweet savour." For it was for this very reason they the more envied him, the more excellent that grace was which reigned in him: for no man envies him who is unhappy. He then was glorious in the preaching of God's Word, and in regulating his life according to the rule of that "rod of direction;" and he was loved by those who loved Christ in him, who followed after and pursued the odour of sweet savour; who loved the friend of the bridegroom: that is to say, by the Bride Herself, who says in the Song of Songs, "We will run after the sweet savour of your perfumes." But the others, the more they beheld him invested with the glory of the preaching of the Gospel, and of an irreproachable life, were so much the more tortured with envy, and found that sweet savour prove death to them. — Exposition on Psalms 45 Basil of Caesarea: The sweet odor of Christ gives forth the fragrance of myrrh because of his passion, and of aloes because he did not remain motionless and inactive for three days and three nights but descended to the lower world to distribute the graces of the resurrection.… And it breathes forth the fragrance of cassia, a very delicate and fragrant bark, … because of the suffering of the cross undertaken in kindness to every creature. Therefore, you have myrrh because of burial; aloes, because of the passage down to the lower world (since every drop is borne downward); and cassia, because of the dispensation of the flesh on the wood.… And these aromatic herbs, he says, are not sparingly present in the garments of Christ (that is to say, the parable of the sermons and the preparation of the doctrines) but are brought from all the buildings. He says that the largest of the dwellings are houses and that these are constructed of ivory, because the prophet is teaching, I think, the wealth of the love of Christ for the world. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 17:9 (Psalms 45) Diodorus of Tarsus: By "buildings" he means houses, and by "ivory" the splendor of the houses, by this implying the churches. So his intention is to say that after the death of Christ splendid and beautiful temples will be erected to him, like the churches to be seen in our day. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 45 John Chrysostom: Just as on hearing reference to bow and sword and all those similar things you do not take them in a material way, so on hearing mention of myrrh and cassia you would not think of them in a material way but at an intellectual level. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 45:10 Theodore of Mopsuestia: In his wish to imply both the passion and the glory of the passion he says "myrrh, resin, and cassia from your garments," suggesting by "myrrh" the passion, and by mention of "resin and cassia" implying the fragrance and splendor of the passion, as if to say, Even the passion itself, which affects your temple, will be accompanied by great fragrance and glory, with the result that the fragrance from it will spread to the whole world, as the apostle also says: "We are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing." Now, he did well to mention "myrrh" and associate it with the phrase "from your garments" for us to understand the divinity to be free of suffering. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 45:9A Augustine of Hippo: What a nuptial song! Behold in the midst of songs full of rejoicing, comes forth the Bride herself. For the Bridegroom was coming. It was He who was being described: it was on Him all our attention was fixed. "Upon Your right hand stood the Queen" [Psalms 45:9]. She which stands on the left is no Queen. For there will be one standing on "the left" also, to whom it will be said, "Go into everlasting fire." [Matthew 25:41] But she shall stand on the right hand, to whom it will be said, "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." [Matthew 25:34] On Your right hand stood the Queen, "in a vesture of gold, clothed about with various colours." What is the vesture of this Queen? It is one both precious, and also of various colours: it is the mysteries of doctrine in all the various tongues: one African, one Syrian, one Greek, one Hebrew, one this, and one that; it is these languages that produce the various colours of this vesture. But just as all the various colours of the vesture blend together in the one vesture, so do all the languages in one and the same faith. In that vesture, let there be diversity, let there be no rent. See we have "understood" the various colours of the diversity of tongues; and the vesture to refer to unity: but in that diversity itself, what is meant by the "gold"? Wisdom itself. Let there be any diversity of tongues you please, but there is but one "gold" that is preached of: not a different gold, but a different form of that gold. For it is the same Wisdom, the same doctrine and discipline that every language preaches. In the languages there is diversity; gold in the thoughts. — Exposition on Psalms 45 Basil of Caesarea: The queen … is the soul that is joined with the Word, its Bridegroom; not subjected by sin but sharing the kingdom of Christ, it stands on the right hand of the Savior in gilded clothing, that is to say, adorning itself charmingly and religiously with spiritual doctrines, interwoven and varied. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 17:9 (Psalms 45) Jerome: What can be fairer than a soul that is called the daughter of God and that seeks for itself no outward adorning. She believes in Christ, and dowered with this hope of greatness, makes her way to her spouse, for Christ is at once her bridegroom and her Lord. — LETTER 54.3 Theodore of Mopsuestia: The church is in attendance on you, he is saying, on your right; that is, it will always be assembled for you. The church is always assembled in union with him both in purpose and in the grace of rebirth, just as members and body are with the head, as the apostle says in one place, "You are the body of Christ and individually members of it." … For this reason, "at your right hand" was well put, as if to say by way of underlining the honor stemming from the more important member. [The church] is in attendance on you, enjoying the greatest honor from you.… clothed in much adornment. So while it was vouchsafed the dignity of sonship and called and made body of Christ, it was clothed in the greatest adornment, the beauty of the spiritual graces: the marvels performed through the saints were like a kind of golden and marvelous adornment, bringing splendor to the believers in Christ, who composed the church. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 45:10A-C Augustine of Hippo: The Prophet addresses this Queen (for he delights in singing to her), and moreover each one of us, provided, however, we know where we are, and endeavour to belong to that body, and do belong to it in faith and hope, being united in the membership of Christ. For it is us whom he addresses, saying, "Hearken, O daughter, and behold" [Psalms 45:10], as being one of the "Fathers" (for they are "daughters of kings"), although it be a Prophet, or although it be an Apostle that is addressing her; addressing her, as a daughter, for we are accustomed to speak in this way, "Our fathers the Prophets, our fathers the Apostles;" if we address them as "fathers," they may address us as children: and it is one father's voice addressing one daughter. "Hearken, O daughter, and see." "Hear" first; afterward "see." For they came to us with the Gospel; and that has been preached to us, which as yet we do not see, and which on hearing of it we believed, which by believing it, we shall come to see: even as the Bridegroom Himself speaks in the Prophet, "A people whom I have not known served me. In the hearing of me with the ear it obeyed me." What is meant by on "hearing of me with the ear"? That they did not "see." The Jews saw Him, and crucified Him; the Gentiles saw Him not, and believed. Let the Queen who comes from the Gentiles come in "the vesture of gold, clothed with various colours;" let her come from among the Gentiles clad in all languages, in the unity of Wisdom: let it be said unto her, "Hearken, O daughter, and see." If you will not hear, you shall not "see."... "And incline your ear." It is not enough to "hearken;" hearken with humility: bow down your ear. "Forget also your own people, and your father's house." There was a certain "people," and a certain house of your father, in which you were born, the people of Babylon, having the devil for your king. Whencesoever the Gentiles came, they came from their father the devil; but they have renounced their sonship to the devil. "Forget also your own people, and your father's house." He, in making you a sinner, begot you loathsome: the Other, in that "He justifies the ungodly," [Romans 4:5] begets you again in beauty. — Exposition on Psalms 45 Diodorus of Tarsus: The church was formed from pagans and Jews, so he does well to say "Forget your people and your father's house," meaning idolatry and observance of the law, practicing instead a new life by grace. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 45 Augustine of Hippo: "For the King has greatly desired your beauty" [Psalms 45:11]. What "beauty" is that, save that which is His own work? "Greatly desired the beauty"— Of whom? Of her the sinner, the unrighteous, the ungodly, such as she was with her "father," the devil, and among her own "people"? No, but hers of whom it is said, "Who is this that comes up made white?" She was not white then at the first, but was "made" white afterwards. For "though your sins shall be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow." [Isaiah 1:18] "The king has greatly desired your beauty." What King is this? "For He is the Lord your God." Now consider whether you ought not to forego that your father, and your own people, and to come to this King, who is your God? Your God is "your King," your "King" is also your Bridegroom. Thou weddest to your King, who is your God: being endowed by Him, being adorned by Him; redeemed by Him, and healed by Him. Whatever you have, wherewith to be pleasing to Him, you have from Him. — Exposition on Psalms 45 Cyril of Alexandria: By progressing in virtue and attaining to better things, "reaching forth to those things that are before," according to the word of the blessed Paul, we rise ever to … spiritual beauty, so that to us too it may be said hereafter, "The king greatly desired your beauty." — GLAPHYRA ON THE PENTATEUCH 49:21-26 Fulgentius of Ruspe: Do not seek to please the eyes of human beings but seek not to offend the eyes of Christ. Let him see in you what he loves; let him find what he gave; let him recognize that by which he is delighted. "The king will desire your beauty," but "all the glory of the king's daughter is within." — LETTER 2:25 Irenaeus: How, then, shall he be a God, who has not as yet been made a man? Or how can he be perfect who was but lately created? How, again, can he be immortal, who in his mortal nature did not obey his Maker? For it must be that thou, at the outset, shouldest hold the rank of a man, and then afterwards partake of the glory of God. For thou dost not make God, but God thee. If, then, thou art God's workmanship, await the hand of thy Maker which creates everything in due time; in due time as far as thou art concerned, whose creation is being carried out. Offer to Him thy heart in a soft and tractable state, and preserve the form in which the Creator has fashioned thee, having moisture in thyself, lest, by becoming hardened, thou lose the impressions of His fingers. But by preserving the framework thou shalt ascend to that which is perfect, for the moist clay which is in thee is hidden [there] by the workmanship of God. His hand fashioned thy substance; He will cover thee over [too] within and without with pure gold and silver, and He will adorn thee to such a degree, that even "the King Himself shall have pleasure in thy beauty." But if thou, being obstinately hardened, dost reject the operation of His skill, and show thyself ungrateful towards Him, because thou weft created a [mere] man, by becoming thus ungrateful to God, thou hast at once lost both His workmanship and life. For creation is an attribute of the goodness of God but to be created is that of human nature. If then, thou shalt deliver up to Him what is thine that is, faith towards Him and subjection, thou shalt receive His handiwork, and shall be a perfect work of God. — AGAINST HERESIES 4:39.2 John Chrysostom: The reference is not to beauty of body, since he says it arises from obedience to him. Obedience, however, gives rise not to beauty of body but to beauty of soul. If you do this, he says, note, then you will be beautiful, then you will be desirable to the groom. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 45:11 Augustine of Hippo: "And the daughters of Tyre shall worship Him with gifts" [Psalms 45:12]. It is that selfsame "King, who is thy God," that the daughters of Tyre shall worship with gifts. The daughters of Tyre are the daughters of the Gentiles; the part standing for the whole. Tyre, a city bordering on this country, where the prophecy was delivered, typified the nations that were to believe in Christ. Thence came that Canaanitish woman, who was at first called "a dog;" for that ye may know that she was from thence, the Gospel speaks thus. "He departed into the parts of Tyre and Sidon, and behold a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts," with all the rest that is related there. She who at first, at the house of her "father," and among her "own people," was but "a dog," who by coming to, and crying after that "King," was made beautiful by believing in Him, what did she obtain to hear? "O woman, great is thy faith." "The King has greatly desired thy beauty. And the daughters of Tyre shall worship with gifts." With what gifts? Even so would this King be approached, and would have His treasuries filled: and it is He Himself who has given us that wherewith they may be filled, and may be filled by you. Let them come (He says) and "worship Him with gifts." What is meant by "with gifts"? ..."Give alms, and all things are clean unto you." Come with gifts to Him that saith, "I will have mercy rather than sacrifice." To that Temple that existed aforetime as a shadow of that which was to come, they used to come with bulls, and rams, and goats, with every different kind of animal for sacrifice: that with that blood one thing should be done, and another be typified by it. Now that very blood, which all these things used to figure, hath come: the King Himself hath come, and He Himself would have your "gifts." What gifts? Alms. For He Himself will judge hereafter, and will Himself hereafter account "gifts" to certain persons. "Come" (He says), "ye blessed of My Father." Why? "I was an hungred, and ye gave Me meat," etc. These are the gifts with which the daughters of Tyre worship the King; for when they said, "When saw we Thee?" He who is at once above and below (whence those "ascending" and "descending" are spoken of), said, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of Mine, ye have done it unto Me." — ON THE PSALMS, Psalms 45 John Chrysostom: The inspired author, forebearing to mention the whole world, refers to the neighboring city, which at that time was in the grip of impiety, the devil's stronghold, with an awful reputation for extravagance, and he thus implies the whole from the part. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 45:11 Augustine of Hippo: "All the glory of her, the King's daughter, is from within" (ver. 13). Not only is her robe, outwardly, "of gold, and of divers colours;" but He who loved her beauty, knew her to be also beautiful within. What are those inward charms? Those of conscience. It is there Christ sees; it is there Christ loves her: it is there He addresses her, there punishes, there crowns. Let then thine alms be done in secret; for "all the glory of her, the King's daughter, is from within." — Exposition on Psalms 45 Basil of Caesarea: The spiritual garment is woven when the attendant action is interwoven with the word of doctrine. In fact, just as a bodily garment is woven when the woof is interwoven with the warp, so when the word is antecedent, if actions in accordance with the word should be produced, there would be made a certain most magnificent garment for the soul that possesses a life of virtue attained by word and action. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 17:11 (Psalms 45) Gregory of Nazianzus: The visible beauty is not hidden, but that which is unseen is visible to God. All the glory of the king's daughter is within, clothed with golden fringes, embroidered whether by actions or by contemplation. — On the words of the Gospel, 'WHEN JESUS HAD FINISHED THESE SAYINGS,' ORATION 37:10 Jerome: [Daniel 10:16] "O my lord, at the sight of thee my joints are loosed..." Theodotion interprets it this way, in accordance with what we read in the One Hundred and Second Psalm: "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name." (Psalms 103:1) For our inward nature must direct its gaze without, before we deserve to behold a vision of God; and when we actually have beheld a vision of God, then our inward nature is converted within us and we become wholly of the number of those concerning whom it is written in another Psalm: "All the glory of the daughter of kings is within, in golden borders" (Psalms 45:13). — St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER TEN Methodius of Olympus: The queen who, chosen out of many, stands at the right hand of God, clothed in the golden ornament of virtue, whose beauty the King desired, is, as I said, the undefiled and blessed flesh, which the Word himself carried into the heavens and presented at the right hand of God, "wrought about with many colors," that is, in the pursuits of immortality, which he calls symbolically golden fringes. This garment is variegated and woven of various virtues, as chastity, prudence, faith, love, patience, and other good things, which, covering as they do the unseemliness of the flesh, adorn humankind with a golden ornament. — BANQUET OF THE TEN VIRGINS 7:8 Theodore of Mopsuestia: By "within" he refers to the mind, and the words can refer only to not bodily beauty but virtue of soul. This, in fact, is the true glory of the devout, purity of conscience, for which they will be utterly conspicuous in the judge's sight. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 45:14A Theodoret of Cyrus: Within, he is saying, she has the comeliness of virtue and is resplendent with the manifold gifts of the Holy Spirit. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 45:10 Augustine of Hippo: "With fringes of gold, clothed with divers colours" (ver. 14). Her beauty is from within; yet in the "fringes of gold" is the diversity of languages: the beauty of doctrine. What do these avail, if them be not that beauty "from within"? "The virgins shall be brought unto the King after her." It has been fulfilled indeed. The Church has believed; the Church has been formed throughout all nations. And to what a degree do virgins now seek to find favour in the eyes of that King! Whence are they moved to do so? Even because the Church preceded them. "The virgins shall be brought unto the King after her. Her near kinswomen shall be brought unto Thee." For they that are brought unto Him are not strangers, but her "near kinswomen," that belong to her. And because he had said, "unto the King," he says, turning the discourse to Him, "her near kinswomen shall be brought unto Thee." — Exposition on Psalms 45 Augustine of Hippo: "With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought and shall be led into the Temple of the King" (ver. 15). The "Temple of the King" is the Church itself: it is the Church itself that enters into "the Temple of the King." Whereof is that Temple constructed? Of the men who enter the Temple? Who but God's "faithful" ones are its "living stones"? "They shall be led into the Temple of the King." For there are virgins without the Temple of the King, the nuns among the heretics: they are virgins, it is true; but what will that profit them, unless they be led into the "Temple of the King"? The "Temple of the King" is in unity: the "Temple of the King" is not ruinous, is not rent asunder, is not divided. The cement of those living stones is "charity." — Exposition on Psalms 45 Augustine of Hippo: "Instead of thy fathers, children are born to thee" (ver. 16). Nothing can be more manifest. Now consider the "Temple of the King" itself, for it is on its behalf he speaks, on account of the unity of the body that is spread throughout all the world: for those very persons who have chosen to be virgins, cannot find favour with the King unless they be led into the Temple of the King. "Instead of thy fathers, are thy children born to thee." It was the Apostles begat thee: they were "sent:" they were the preachers: they are "the fathers." But was it possible for them to be with us in the body for ever? Although one of them said, "I desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better: to abide in the flesh is necessary for your sakes." It is true he said this, but how long was it possible for him to remain here? Could it be till this present time, could it be to all futurity? Is the Church then left desolate by their departure? God forbid. "Instead of thy fathers, children have been born to thee." What is that? The Apostles were sent to thee as "fathers," instead of the Apostles sons have been born to thee: there have been appointed Bishops. For in the present day, whence do the Bishops, throughout all the world, derive their origin? The Church itself calls them fathers; the Church itself brought them forth, and placed them on the thrones of "the fathers." Think not thyself abandoned then, because thou seest not Peter, nor seest Paul: seest not those through whom thou wert born. Out of thine own offspring has a body of "fathers" been raised up to thee. "Instead of thy fathers, have children been born to thee." Observe how widely diffused is the "Temple of the King," that "the virgins that are not led to the Temple of the King," may know that they have nothing to do with that marriage. "Thou shall make them princes over all the earth." This is the Universal Church: her children have been made "princes over all the earth:" her children have been appointed instead of the "fathers." Let those who are cut off own the truth of this, let them come to the One Body: let them be led into the Temple of the King. God hath established His Temple everywhere: hath laid everywhere "the foundations of the Prophets and Apostles." The Church has brought "forth sons;" has made them "instead of her fathers" to be "princes over all the earth." — Exposition on Psalms 45 Irenaeus: For this reason did the Lord declare that the first should in truth be last, and the last first. And the prophet, too, indicates the same, saying, "instead of fathers, children have been born unto thee." For the Lord, having been born "the First-begotten of the dead," and receiving into His bosom the ancient fathers, has regenerated them into the life of God, He having been made Himself the beginning of those that live, as Adam became the beginning of those who die. Wherefore also Luke, commencing the genealogy with the Lord, carried it back to Adam, indicating that it was He who regenerated them into the Gospel of life, and not they Him. — AGAINST HERESIES 3:22.4 John Chrysostom: The apostles, you recall, traversed the whole world and became rulers more masterful than all other rulers, more powerful than emperors. Emperors, after all, are in power while alive but on their death are no more, whereas the apostles exercise power at their death. And while emperors' laws are in force within their own boundaries, the fishermen's commands extend to every part of the world. The Roman emperor cannot legislate for the Persians, nor the Persian for the Romans, whereas these Palestinians passed laws for Persians, Romans, Thracians, Scythians, Indians, Moors and the whole world. The laws remained in force not only while they were alive but also after their death; and those subject to them would prefer to lose their life rather than abjure those laws. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 45:13 Augustine of Hippo: "They shall be mindful of thy name in every generation and generation; therefore shall the peoples confess unto Thee" (ver. 17). What does it profit then to "confess" indeed and yet to confess out of "the Temple"? What does it profit to pray, and yet not to pray on the Mount? "I cried," says he, "unto the Lord with my voice: and He heard me out of His holy hill." Out of what "hill"? Out of that of which it is said, "A city set upon a hill cannot be hid." Of what "hill"? Out of that hill which Daniel saw "grow out of a small stone, and break all the kingdoms of the earth; and cover all the face of the earth." There let him pray, who hopes to receive: there let him ask, who would have his prayer heard: there let him confess, who wishes to be pardoned. "Therefore shall the peoples confess unto thee for ever, world without end." For in that eternal life it is true indeed there will no longer be the mourning over sins: but yet in the praises of God by that everlasting City which is above, there will not be wanting a perpetual confession of the greatness of that happiness. For to that City itself, to which another Psalm sings, "Glorious things are spoken of thee, O City of God," to her who is the very Bride of Christ, the very Queen, a "King's daughter, and a King's consort;" ...the peoples shall for this very cause confess even to herself; the hearts of all, now enlightened by perfect charity, being laid bare, and made manifest, that she may know the whole of herself most completely, who here is, in many parts of her, unknown to herself. ... — Exposition on Psalms 45 John Chrysostom: Where he began, there he concluded—in Christ.… Because you have achieved so much, you have appointed such rulers, you have driven out evil, you have planted virtue, you have plighted your troth to our nature, you have performed these wonderful good things. All the world will offer you hymns of praise, not for a short time, not for ten, not twenty, not a hundred years, or in one part of the world, but earth and sea, both inhabited and uninhabited, will sing praise for all time, giving thanks for all the good things accomplished. For all these good things let us too give thanks to the loving Christ, through whom and with whom be the glory to the Father, together with Holy Spirit, now and forever, for ages of ages. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 45:13 Arnobius the Younger: When in tears and tribulation you pour out a prayer to God, be secure, for God becomes a refuge to you and becomes your strength. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 46 Augustine of Hippo: "Our God is a refuge and strength" [Psalms 46:1]. There are some refuges wherein is no strength, whereto when any flees, he is more weakened than strengthened. Thou fleest, for example, to some one greater in the world, that you may make yourself a powerful friend; this seems to you a refuge. Yet so great are this world's uncertainties, and so frequent grow the ruins of the powerful day by day, that when to such refuge you have come, you begin to fear more than ever therein....Our refuge is not such, but our refuge is strength. When there we have fled, we shall be firm. — Exposition on Psalms 46 Basil of Caesarea: Do not flee what you do not need to flee, and do not have recourse to him to whom it is unnecessary. But one thing you must flee: sin; and one refuge from evil must be sought: God. Do not trust in princes; do not be exalted in the uncertainty of wealth; do not be proud of bodily strength; do not pursue the splendor of human glory. None of these things saves you; all are transient, all are deceptive. There is one refuge, God.… God is the true aid for the righteous. Just as a certain general, equipped with a noble, heavy-armed force, is always ready to give help to an oppressed district, so God is our helper and an ally to everyone who is waging war against the wiliness of the devil, and he sends out ministering spirits for the safety of those who are in need. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 18:1-2 (Psalms 46) John Chrysostom: He does not prevent tribulations coming, but he is at hand when they come, making us tried and tested … providing greater encouragement from the assistance than the pain from the tribulations. The assistance he provides us with, you see, is not simply as much as the nature of the troubles requires but much more. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 46:1 Theodoret of Cyrus: After the previous psalm prophesied about the church's being composed from godless nations and becoming a queen, and showed her sons to be made princes of the whole earth, here it gives a glimpse of the disturbances that occurred in the beginning of the preaching, with uprisings developing and opposing the believers. Then it foreshadows in word how the ranks of the persecuted would be protected by hope in God and scorn the waves crashing around them: with the God of all as strong rampart, he is saying, we shall not notice the tribulations of all kinds. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 46:2 Augustine of Hippo: Now then, such security received, what say they? "Therefore will not we fear, when the earth shall be confounded" [Psalms 46:2]. Just before anxious, suddenly secure; out of too great tribulations set in great tranquillity. For in them Christ was sleeping, therefore were they tossed: Christ awoke (as but now we heard out of the Gospel), He commanded the winds, and they were still. [Matthew 8:24-26] Since Christ is in each man's heart by faith, it is signified to us, that his heart as a ship in this world's tempest is tossed, who forgets his faith: as though Christ sleeping it is tossed, but Christ awaking comes tranquillity. Nay, the Lord Himself, what said He? "Where is your faith?" [Luke 8:25] Christ aroused, aroused up faith, that what had been done in the ship, might be done in their hearts. "A helper in tribulations, which found us out too much." He caused that therein should be great tranquillity. — Exposition on Psalms 46 John Chrysostom: Everything he shakes, he rocks, he moves when he wishes, so easy and trouble-free is everything for him.… So great is his power, you see, that he simply nods and all this happens. So how can we be afraid when we have such a Lord? — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 46:1 Augustine of Hippo: "The waters thereof roared, and were troubled" [Psalms 46:3]: when the Gospel was preached, "What is this? He seems to be a setter forth of strange gods:" [Acts 17:18] this the Athenians; but the Ephesians, with what tumult would they have slain the Apostles, when in the theatre, for their goddess Diana, they made such an uproar, as to be shouting, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!" [Acts 19:34] Amidst which waves and roaring of the sea, feared not they who to that refuge had fled. Nay, the Apostle Paul would enter in to the theatre, and was kept back by the disciples, because it was necessary that he should still abide in the flesh for their sakes. But yet, "the waters thereof roared, and were troubled: the mountains shook at the mightiness thereof." Whose might? The sea's? Or rather God's, of whom was said, "refuge and strength, a helper in tribulations, which have found us out too much?" For shaken were the mountains, that is, the powers of this world. For one thing are the mountains of God, another the mountains of the world: the mountains of the world, they whose head is the devil, the mountains of God, they whose Head is Christ. But by these mountains were shaken those mountains. Then gave they their voices against Christians, when the mountains were shaken, the waters roaring; for the mountains were shaken, and there was made a great earthquake, with quaking of the sea. But against whom this? Against the City founded upon a rock. The waters roar, the mountains shake, the Gospel being preached. What then, the City of God? Hear what follows. — Exposition on Psalms 46 Augustine of Hippo: "The streams of the river make glad the City of God" [Psalms 46:4]. When the mountains shake, when the sea rages, God deserts not His City, by the streams of the river. What are these streams of the river? That overflowing of the Holy Spirit, of which the Lord said, "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. He that believes in Me, out of his bosom shall flow rivers of living water." [John 7:37-38] These rivers then flowed out of the bosom of Paul, Peter, John, the other Apostles, the other faithful Evangelists. Since these rivers flowed from one river, many "streams of the river make glad the City of God." For that you might know this to be said of the Holy Spirit, in the same Gospel next said the Evangelist, "But this spoke He of the Spirit, which they that were to believe in Him should receive. For the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified." [John 7:39] Jesus being glorified after His Resurrection, glorified after His Ascension, on the day of Pentecost came the Holy Spirit, and filled the believers, [Acts 2:1-2] who spoke with tongues, and began to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. Hence was the City of God made glad, while the sea was troubled by the roaring of its waters, while the mountains were confounded, asking what they should do, how drive out the new doctrine, how root out the race of Christians from the earth. Against whom? Against the streams of the river making glad the City of God. For thereby showed He of what river He spoke; that He signified the Holy Spirit, by "the streams of the river make glad the City of God." And what follows? "The Most High has sanctified His tabernacle:" since then there follows the mention of Sanctification, it is manifest that these streams of the river are to be understood of the Holy Spirit, by whom is sanctified every godly soul believing in Christ, that it may be made a citizen of the City of God. — Exposition on Psalms 46 Basil of Caesarea: Some give the definition that a city is an established community, administered according to law. And the definition that has been handed down of the city is in harmony with the celestial city, Jerusalem above. For there it is a community of the first-born who have been enrolled in heaven, and this is established because of the unchanging manner of life of the saints, and it is administered according to the heavenly law. Therefore, it is not the privilege of human nature to learn the arrangement of that city and all its adornment. Those are the things "eye has not seen nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the human heart, what things God has prepared for those who love him," but there are myriads of angels there, and an assembly of saints and a church of the firstborn that are enrolled in heaven. Concerning that David said, "Glorious things are said of you, O city of God." To that city through Isaiah God has promised, "I will make you to be an everlasting glory, a joy unto generation and generation, and there shall not be wasting nor destruction in your borders, and salvation shall possess your walls." Therefore, having raised the eyes of your soul, seek, in a manner worthy of things above, what pertains to the city of God. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 18:4 (Psalms 46) Evagrius Ponticus: The city of God, or the church, is the reasonable spirit. The flowing of the river is the gifts of the Spirit. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 45[46].5 John Chrysostom: As a river divided into countless tributaries waters the surrounding land, so God's providence flows everywhere, spreading copiously, advancing in a rush and covering everything. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 46:1 Theodoret of Cyrus: He gave the name "river" here to the preaching of the gospel and "city" to the way of life of God-fearing people, watered by the streams of the river to the point of fruitfulness. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 46:5 Ambrose of Milan: By his resurrection at dawn, the Lord confers on us wonderful and heavenly helps. His resurrection dispelled the night and poured on us the light of day. As Scripture says, "Rise, O sleeper; arise from the dead, and Christ shall enlighten you." Consider here a mystery. Christ suffered in the evening, and according to the Old Law, the lamb is slain at evening. … In the evening of this world, when the light is failing, he is killed. All this world would have been shrouded by even greater and more horrid darkness only that Christ came to us from heaven. He, the eternal light, came to us from heaven to restore to the human race the age of innocence. The Lord Jesus suffered, and by his blood forgave us our sins. The light of a pure conscience shone out and a day of spiritual grace dawned with splendor. — COMMENTARY ON TWELVE Psalms 46:14 Arnobius the Younger: The Hebrew says God will help the city at early dawn, that is, when the shadows of sinners pass across the flowings of the river, God, who is light, gives the beginning of light to its heart, and he helps the spirit that says, Lord, be our strength, our helper, God of Jacob. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 46 Augustine of Hippo: "God is in the midst of her: she shall not be moved" [Psalms 46:5]. Let the sea rage, the mountains shake; "God is in the midst of her: she shall not be moved." What is, "in the midst of her"? That God stands in any one place, and they surround Him who believe in Him? Then is God circumscribed by place; and broad that which surrounds, narrow that which is surrounded? God forbid. No such thing imagine of God, who is contained in no place, whose seat is the conscience of the godly: and so is God's seat in the hearts of men, that if man fall from God, God in Himself abides, not falls like one not finding where to be. For rather does He lift up you, that you may be in Him, than so lean upon you, as if you withdraw yourself, to fall. Himself if He withdraw, fall will you: yourself if you withdraw, fall will not He. What then is, "God is in the midst of her"? It signifies that God is equal to all, and accepts not persons. For as that which is in the middle has equal distances to all the boundaries, so God is said to be in the middle, because He consults equally for all. "God is in the midst of her: she shall not be moved." Wherefore shall she not be moved? Because God is in the midst of her. He is "the Helper in tribulations that have found us out too much. God shall help her with His Countenance." What is, "with His Countenance"? With manifestation of Himself. How manifests God Himself, so as that we see His Countenance? I have already told you; you have learned God's Presence; we have learned it through His works. When from Him we receive any help so that we cannot at all doubt that it was granted to us by the Lord, then God's Countenance is with us. — Exposition on Psalms 46 Basil of Caesarea: Since God is in the midst of the city, he will give it stability, providing assistance for it at the first break of dawn … sending out equal rays of his providence from all sides to the limits of the world. Preserving the justice of God, he apportions the same measure of goodness to all.… Now, the perceptible sun produces among us the early morning when it rises above the horizon opposite us, and the Sun of justice produces the early morning in our soul by the rising of the spiritual light, making day in him who admits it. "At night" means we are in this time of ignorance. Therefore, having opened wide our mind, let us receive "the brightness of his glory," and let us be brightly illumined by the everlasting Light, "God will help it in the morning early." … For those on whom the spiritual light will rise, when the darkness that comes from ignorance and wickedness is destroyed, early morning will be at hand. Since, then, light has come into the world in order that he who walks about in it may not stumble, his help is able to cause the early morning … who on the third day, early on the morning of the resurrection, gained the victory through death. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 18:5 (Psalms 46) John Chrysostom: He who is in fact so exalted, uncircumscribed by place, the ineffable being, deigned to call our city his dwelling and sustains it from every quarter. This, you see, is the meaning of "in her midst," as elsewhere also he says, "Behold, I am with you." He supports it on all sides; thus not only will the city come to no harm, but it will not even be shaken. The reason is that it enjoys the most prompt assistance, which is ever ready and prepared; this, you see, is the meaning of "as day dawns," not pending or delayed but ever fresh and abounding, and at the appropriate time. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 46:2 Theodore of Mopsuestia: He was not in one part of the city and cut off from another but "in its midst," surrounding it all, protecting it all equally from the foe. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 46:6A Ambrose of Milan: Sin is a heavy kingdom, and it subjects to a heavy servitude the souls of all sinners. "Whoever commits sin is the slave of sin." The kingdom of sin is the kingdom of death, and for a long time it held sway over all the earth.… The truth came, the figure ceased. Life came, the kingdom of death vanished. Forgiveness of sin came, and the chains of sin were undone.… The cult of idols and the enticement of sin began to diminish with the preaching and doctrine of the gospel. Perfidy bowed its head, and faith began to reign in the hearts of the nations. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms, On Psalms 46 Augustine of Hippo: "The heathen are troubled" [Psalms 46:6]. And how troubled? Why troubled? To cast down the City of God, in the midst whereof is God? To overthrow the tabernacle sanctified, which God helps with His Countenance? No: with a wholesome trouble are the heathen now troubled. For what follows? "And the kingdoms are bowed." Bowed, says He, are the kingdoms; not now erected that they may rage, but bowed that they may adore. When were the kingdoms bowed? When that came to pass which was predicted in another Psalm, "All kings shall fall down before Him, all nations shall serve Him." What cause made the kingdoms to bow? Hear the cause. "The Most High gave His Voice, and the earth was moved." The fanatics of idolatry, like frogs in the marshes, clamoured, the more tumultuously, the more sordidly, in filth and mire. And what is the brawling of frogs to the thunder of the clouds? For out of them "the Most High gave His Voice, and the earth was moved:" He thundered out of His clouds. And what are His clouds? His Apostles, His preachers, by whom He thundered in precepts, lightened in miracles. The same are clouds who are also mountains: mountains for their height and firmness, clouds for their rain and fruitfulness. For these clouds watered the earth, of which it was said, "The Most High gave His Voice, and the earth was moved." For it is of those clouds that He threatens a certain barren vineyard, whence the mountains were carried into the heart of the sea; "I will command," says He, "the clouds that they rain no rain upon it." [Isaiah 5:6] This was fulfilled in that which I have mentioned, when the mountains were carried into the heart of the sea; when it was said, "It was necessary that the word of God should have been spoken first to you; but seeing ye put it from you, we turn to the Gentiles;" [Acts 13:46] then was fulfilled, "I will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it." The nation of the Jews has just so remained as a fleece dry upon the ground. For this, you know, happened in a certain miracle, the ground was dry, the fleece only was wet, yet rain in the fleece appeared not. [Judges 6:36-40] So also the mystery of the New Testament appeared not in the nation of the Jews. What there was the fleece, is here the veil. For in the fleece was veiled the mystery. But on the ground, in all the nations open lies Christ's Gospel; the rain is manifest, the Grace of Christ is bare, for it is not covered with a veil. But that the rain might come out of it, the fleece was pressed. For by pressure they from themselves excluded Christ, and the Lord now from His clouds rains on the ground, the fleece has remained dry. But of them then "the Most High gave His Voice," out of those clouds; by which Voice the kingdoms were bowed and worshipped. — Exposition on Psalms 46 Augustine of Hippo: "The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our taker up" (ver. 7). Not any man, not any power, not, in short, Angel, or any creature either earthly or heavenly, but "the Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our taker up." He who sent Angels, came after Angels, came that Angels might serve Him, came that men He might make equal to Angels. Mighty Grace! If God be for us, who can be against us? "The Lord of Hosts is with us." What Lord of Hosts is with us? "If" (I say) "God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all; how hath He not with Him also freely given us all things." Therefore be we secure, in tranquillity of heart nourish we a good conscience with the Bread of the Lord. "The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our taker up." However great be thy infirmity, see who taketh thee up. One is sick, a physician is called to him. His own taken-up, the Physician calleth the sick man. Who hath taken him up? Even He. A great hope of salvation; a great Physician hath taken him up. What Physician? Every Physician save He is man: every Physician who cometh to a sick man, another day can be made sick, beside Him. "The God of Jacob is our taker up." Make thyself altogether as a little child, such as are taken up by their parents. For those not taken up, are exposed; those taken up are nursed. Thinkest thou God hath so taken thee up, as when an infant thy mother took thee up? Not so, but to eternity. For thy voice is in that Psalm, "My father and my mother forsake me, but the Lord hath taken me up." — Exposition on Psalms 46 Basil of Caesarea: Our protector, he says, is not another God besides him who was handed down by the prophets. But [he is] the God of Jacob, who spoke in an oracle to his servant, "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 18:6 (Psalms 46) Augustine of Hippo: "Come and see the works of the Lord" [Psalms 46:8]. Now of this taking up, what has the Lord done? Consider the whole world, come and see. For if you come not, you see not; if you see not, you believe not; if you believe not, you stand afar off: if you believek, you come; if you believek, you see. For how came we to that mountain? Not on foot? Is it by ship? Is it on the wing? Is it on horses? For all that pertain to space and place, be not concerned, trouble not yourself, He comes to you. For out of a small stone He has grown, and become a great mountain, so that He has filled all the face of the earth. Why then would you by land come to Him, who fills all lands? Lo, He has already come: watch thou. By growing He wakes even sleepers; if yet there is not in them so deep sleep, as that they be hardened even against the mountain coming; but they hear, "Awake, you that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light." [Ephesians 5:14] For it was a great thing for the Jews to see the stone. For the stone was yet small: and small they deservedly despised it, and despising they stumbled, and stumbling they were broken; remains that they be ground to powder. For so was it said of the stone, "Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder." [Luke 20:18] It is one thing to be broken, another to be ground to powder. To be broken is less than to be ground to powder: but none grinds He coming exalted, save whom He broke lying low. For now before His coming He lay low before the Jews, and they stumbled at Him, and were broken; hereafter shall He come in His Judgment, glorious and exalted, great and powerful, not weak to be judged, but strong to judge, and grind to powder those who were broken stumbling at Him. For "A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense," [1 Peter 2:8] is He to them that believe not. Therefore, brethren, no wonder if the Jews acknowledged not Him, whom as a small stone lying before their feet they despised. They are to be wondered at, who even now so great a mountain will not acknowledge. The Jews at a small stone by not seeing stumbled; the heretics stumble at a mountain. For now that stone has grown, now say we unto them, Lo, now is fulfilled the prophecy of Daniel, "The stone that was small became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth." [Daniel 2:35] Wherefore stumble ye at Him, and go not rather up to Him? Who is so blind as to stumble at a mountain? Came He to you that you should have whereat to stumble, and not have whereto to go up? "Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord." [Isaiah 2:3] Isaiah says this: "Come ye, and let us go up." What is, "Come ye, and let us go up"? "Come ye," is, Believe ye. "Let us go up," is, Let us profit. But they will neither come, nor go up, nor believe, nor profit. They bark against the mountain. Even now by so often stumbling on Him they are broken, and will not go up, choosing always to stumble. Say we to them, "Come ye, and see the works of the Lord:" what "prodigies He has set forth through the earth." Prodigies are called, because they portend something, those signs of miracles which were done when the world believed. And what thereafter came to pass, and what did they portend? — Exposition on Psalms 46 Basil of Caesarea: Just as … great distances make the perception of visible objects dim, but a nearer approach offers a clear knowledge of the objects seen, so also in the case of objects of contemplation in the mind, he who has not drawn near to God is not able to see his works with the pure eyes of his mind. Therefore, "Come," first approach, then see the works of the Lord, which are prodigious and admirable.… He who has heard the call and has approached and cleaves to the One commanding will see him who through the cross made all things peaceful "whether on the earth or in the heavens." — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 18:7 (Psalms 46) John Chrysostom: Since the weak prevailed over the strong, the few over the many, the powerless over the powerful, and the outcome defied expectations, rightly does he call them "marvels" for happening to everyone's surprise and being spread everywhere on earth. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 46:2 Augustine of Hippo: "He makes wars to cease unto the end of the earth" [Psalms 46:9]. This not yet see we fulfilled: yet are there wars, wars among nations for sovereignty; among sects, among Jews, Pagans, Christians, heretics, are wars, frequent wars, some for the truth, some for falsehood contending. Not yet then is this fulfilled, "He makes wars to cease unto the end of the earth;" but haply it shall be fulfilled. Or is it now also fulfilled? In some it is fulfilled; in the wheat it is fulfilled, in the tares it is not yet fulfilled. What is this then, "He makes wars to cease unto the end of the earth"? Wars He calls whereby it is warred against God. But who wars against God? Ungodliness. And what to God can ungodliness do? Nothing. What does an earthen vessel dashed against the rock, however vehemently dashed? With so much greater harm to itself it comes, with how much the greater force it comes. These wars were great, frequent were they. Against God fought ungodliness, and earthen vessels were dashed in pieces, even men by presuming on themselves, by too much prevailing by their own strength. This is that, the shield whereof Job also named concerning one ungodly. "He runs against God, upon the stiff neck of his shield." [Job 15:26] What is, "upon the stiff neck of his shield"? Presuming too much upon his own protection. Were they such who said, "God is our refuge and strength, a Helper in tribulations which have found us out too much"? Or in another Psalm, "For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me." When one learns that in himself he is nothing, and help in himself has none, arms in him are broken in pieces, wars are made to cease. Such wars then destroyed that Voice of the Most High out of His holy clouds, whereby the earth was moved, and the kingdoms were bowed. These wars has He made to cease unto the end of the earth. "He shall break the bow, and dash in pieces the arms, and burn the shield with fire." Bow, arms, shield, fire. The bow is plots; arms, public warfare; shields, vain presuming of self-protection: the fire wherewith they are burned, is that whereof the Lord said, "I have come to send fire on the earth;" [Luke 12:49] of which fire says the Psalm, "There is nothing hid from the heat thereof." This fire burning, no arms of ungodliness shall remain in us, needs must all be broken, dashed in pieces, burned. Remain thou unharmed, not having any help of your own; and the more weak you are, having no arms your own, the more He takes you up, of whom it is said, "The God of Jacob is our taker up."...But when God takes us up, does He send us away unarmed? He arms us, but with other arms, arms Evangelical, arms of truth, continence, salvation, faith, hope, charity. These arms shall we have, but not of ourselves: but the arms which of ourselves we had, are burnt up: yet if by that fire of the Holy Spirit we are kindled, whereof it is said, "He shall burn the shields with fire;" you, who wished to be powerful in yourself, has God made weak, that He may make you strong in Him, because in yourself you were made weak. — Exposition on Psalms 46 Diodorus of Tarsus: He it is who routs all the enemy when he wishes and brings peace to the earth to the degree he wants.… He is the God who does away with the enemy with their own weapons when he wishes. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 46 Evagrius Ponticus: In this place the writer understands the worst habits and wicked thoughts in the words of bow, weapons and bucklers. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 45[46].10 Augustine of Hippo: What then follows? "Be still." To what purpose? "And see that I am God" [Psalms 46:10]. That is, Not ye, but I am God. I created, I create anew; I formed, I form anew; I made, I make anew. If you could not make yourself, how can you make yourself anew? This sees not the contentious tumult of man's soul; to which contentious tumult is it said, "Be still." That is, restrain your souls from contradiction. Do not argue, and, as it were, arm against God. Else yet live your arms, not yet burned up with fire. But if they are burned, "Be still;" because you have not wherewith to fight. But if you be still in yourselves, and from Me seek all, who before presumed on yourselves, then shall you "see that I am God." "I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." Just before I said, by the name of earth is signified the nation of the Jews, by the name of sea the other nations. The mountains were carried into the heart of the sea; the nations are troubled, the kingdoms are bowed; the Most High gave His Voice, and the earth was moved. — Exposition on Psalms 46 Bede: When the labors and hardships of this age come to an end, and our debts, [that is] all our faults, have been forgiven, the entire people of the elect will rejoice eternally in the sole contemplation of the divine vision, and that most longed-for command of our Lord and Savior will be fulfilled: "Be still and see that I am God." — Homilies on the Gospels 2:17 Desert Fathers: Poemen said, 'Whatever hardship comes upon you, it can be overcome by silence.' — The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks Origen of Alexandria: It is not possible to know him if one has not become still and purified one's mind. — COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF John 19:17 Augustine of Hippo: "The Lord of Hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our taker up" (ver. 11). Miracles are done among the heathen, full filled is the faith of the heathen; burned are the arms of human presumption. Still are they, in tranquillity of heart, to acknowledge God the Author of all their gifts. And after this glorifying, doth He yet desert the people of the Jews? of which saith the Apostle, "I say unto you, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened unto Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." That is, until the mountains be carried hither, the clouds rain here, the Lord here bows the kingdoms with His thunder, "until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." And what thereafter? "And so all Israel shall be saved." Therefore, here too observing the same order, "I will be exalted" (saith He) "among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth;" that is, both in the sea, and in the earth, that now might all say what followeth: "the God of Jacob is our taker up." — Exposition on Psalms 46 John Chrysostom: This, then, is God, everywhere mighty, everywhere exalted; this is God who takes his place with us always. Have no fear, then, be not disturbed, having an invincible Master as we do, to whom all honor and glory is fitting, together with the peerless Father and his vivifying Spirit, now and forever, and for ages of ages. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 46:3 Arnobius the Younger: Just as there is wailing by all the nations in the coming of the devil as we have heard the voice calling from heaven, "woe to land and sea, for the devil has been cast on you," so in the coming of our Jesus, there is joy: "all nations, clap your hands." — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 47 Augustine of Hippo: "O clap your hands, all ye nations." Were the people of the Jews all the nations? No, but blindness in part is happened to Israel, that senseless children might cry, "Calve," "Calve;" and so the Lord might be crucified in the place of Calvary, that by His Blood shed He might redeem the Gentiles, and that might be fulfilled which saith the Apostle, "Blindness in part is happened unto Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." Let them insult, then, the vain, and foolish, and senseless, and say, "Calve," "Calve;" but ye redeemed by His Blood which was shed in the place of Calvary, say, "O clap your hands, all ye nations;" because to you hath come down the Grace of God. "O clap your hands." What is "O clap"? Rejoice. But wherefore with the hands? Because with good works. Do not rejoice with the mouth while idle with the hands. If ye rejoice, "clap your hands." The hands of the nations let Him see, who joys hath deigned to give them. What is, the hands of the nations? The acts of them doing good works. "O clap your hands, all ye nations; shout unto God with the voice of triumph." Both with voice and with hands. If with the voice only it is not well, because the hands are slow; if only with the hands it is not well, because the tongue is mute. Agree together must the hands and tongue. Let this confess, these work. "Shout unto God with the voice of triumph." — ON THE PSALMS - Psalms 47 John Chrysostom: With hands that were previously defiled, accursed, daily stained with blood in the impure sacrifices in which you took the lives of your children, performed shameful rites and went beyond the limits of nature itself, with these hands now clap. "Shout to God in a voice of happiness." With that tongue by which you tasted accursed things, by which you uttered blasphemous words, with that tongue shout a victory ode.… You have mounted above heavens and the heavens of heavens and have taken your place at the royal throne itself. Accordingly, "Shout to God," that is, offer thanksgiving to him, the victory to him, the trophy to him. The conflict is not human or the battle physical, nor is the contest over any earthly concern but over the heavens and those in the heavens. He personally conducted this war and gave us a share in the victory. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 47:1-2 Augustine of Hippo: "For the Lord Most High is terrible" [Psalms 47:2]. The Most High in descending made like one ludicrous, by ascending into Heaven is made terrible. "A great King over all the earth." Not only over the Jews; for over them also He is King. For of them also the Apostles believed and of them many thousands of men sold their goods, and laid the price at the Apostles' feet, [Acts 4:34] and in them was fulfilled what in the title of the Cross was written, "The King of the Jews." [Matthew 27:37] For He is King also of the Jews. But "of the Jews" is little. "O clap your hands, all you nations: for God is the King of all the earth." For it suffices not Him to have under Him one nation: therefore such great price gave He out of His side, as to buy the whole world. — Exposition on Psalms 47 Diodorus of Tarsus: He became manifest in the events themselves, by which he routed those harassing the godly and proved superior to their scheme, fearsome to the enemy and, in short, king like no other on earth, since he is also Lord of all. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 47 John Chrysostom: When you hear that your Lord was impaled, that he was hanged on the cross, that he was buried, that he descended to the lower parts of the earth, do not be discouraged or troubled: he is most high, and by nature most high. What is most high by nature would never change its exaltation, nor would it become lowly; rather, even in his lowliness his exaltation remains and is revealed. For even in his dying he then most of all demonstrated his power over death. "The light shines in the darkness," Scripture says, "and the darkness did not overcome it." That was the way his elevation appeared in his lowliness.… At that time the sun diverted its rays, rocks were split, the veil torn, the earth disturbed, Judas expired, Pilate and his wife scared, the judge himself on the defensive. So when you hear that he was bound and scourged, do not be disturbed; rather, see him giving evidence of his might even in bondage. He said, "Whom do you seek?" and hurled them on their back. Do you see how he is fearsome, working such marvels by voice and nod alone? — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 47:2 John Chrysostom: This is really a great king, one who rids the world of error, and in a short space of time installs truth and abolishes the devil's tyranny, who was a great king even before there were subjects, having the might of his rule not in slaves, nor in pomp and circumstance but in nature itself.… This is a great king, the one whose dignity is not from without, who depends on no one for his kingship, who does all he wishes.… He chose his subjects in such a way as to persuade them to surrender their spirit rather than disregard what was commanded. Whereas the king enjoys the esteem of his subjects themselves, he by contrast provides the subjects with esteem; thus one is only a name, the other is reality. A great king is the one who made the whole world heaven, caused savages to have sound values and persuaded them to imitate angels. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 47:3 Arnobius the Younger: When did he subject people under our feet? When he chose his inheritance for us from the person of Mary, whom the Holy Spirit chose. Then, he ascended with a shout and voice of trumpet.… Glory to God on high, angels tell the shepherds. Behold, the Lord rules over every nation. The Lord sits on his holy seat. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 47 Augustine of Hippo: "He has subdued the people under us, and the nations under our feet" [Psalms 47:3]. Which subdued, and to whom? Who are they that speak? Haply Jews? Surely, if Apostles; surely, if Saints. For under these God has subdued the people and the nations, that today are they honoured among the nations, who by their own citizens earned to be slain: as their Lord was slain by His citizens, and is honoured among the nations; was crucified by His own, is adored by aliens, but those by a price made His own. For therefore bought He us, that aliens from Him we might not be. Do you think then these are the words of Apostles, "He has subdued the people under us, and the nations under our feet"? I know not. Strange that Apostles should speak so proudly, as to rejoice that the nations were put under their feet, that is, Christians under the feet of Apostles. For they rejoice that we are with them under the feet of Him who died for us. For under Paul's feet ran they, who would be of Paul, to whom He said, "Was Paul crucified for you?" [1 Corinthians 1:13] What then here, what are we to understand? "He has subdued the people under us, and the nations under our feet." All pertaining to Christ's inheritance are among "all the nations," and all not pertaining to Christ's inheritance are among "all the nations:" and you see so exalted in Christ's Name is Christ's Church, that all not yet believing in Christ lie under the feet of Christians. For what numbers now run to the Church; not yet being Christians, they ask aid of the Church; to be succoured by us temporally they are willing, though eternally to reign with us as yet they are unwilling. When all seek aid of the Church, even they who are not yet in the Church, has He not "subdued the people under us, and the nations under our feet"? — Exposition on Psalms 47 John Chrysostom: What a marvel! He convinced those who crucified him to bow down in worship; those who mocked and blasphemed, those addicted to idol worship he taught to let their souls yield to his will. This transformation, you see, was not of the apostles' doing but done by him who led the way before them and moved their spirit. I mean, how could a fisherman or a builder have so changed the world had not the words of this person cleared all these obstacles? Sorcerers and tyrants and demagogues and philosophers and all their opponents they scared away like grains of dust and dissipated like smoke. In this way they spread the light of truth, employing not weapons or abundance of wealth but simple speech—or, rather, the speech was not simple but more potent than any action. So how? They called on the name of the crucified, and death skulked away, demons were put to flight, diseases were cured, bodily disfigurement righted, wickedness dispelled, dangers dissipated and the elements transformed.… He it was who removed the obstacles as he went before them; he himself smoothed out problems and made difficult things easy. And yet everything was beset by conflicts, everything with snares and hazards, no foothold or places to stand firm, all havens obstructed, every house shut, the ears of all stopped. Nevertheless, as soon as they entered and spoke, all strongholds of the enemy fell, with the result that they even surrendered their souls and then withstood countless dangers for the sake of what they had been told. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 47:3-4 Augustine of Hippo: "He has chosen an inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob, whom He loved" [Psalms 47:4]. A certain beauty of Jacob He has chosen for our inheritance. Esau and Jacob were two brothers; in their mother's womb both struggled, and by this struggle their mother's bowels were shaken; and while they two were yet therein, the younger was elected and preferred to the elder, and it was said, "Two peoples are in your womb, and the elder shall serve the younger." [Genesis 25:23] Among all nations is the elder, among all nations the younger; but the younger is in good Christians, elect, godly, faithful; the elder in the proud, unworthy, sinful, stubborn, defending rather than confessing their sins: as was also the very people of the Jews, "being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness." [Romans 10:3] But for that it is said, "The elder shall serve the younger;" it is manifest that under the godly are subdued the ungodly, under the humble are subdued the proud. Esau was born first, and Jacob was born last; but he who was last born, was preferred to the first-born, who through gluttony lost his birthright. So you have it written, [Genesis 25:30-34] He longed for the pottage, and his brother said to him, If you will that I give it you, give me your birthright. He loved more that which carnally he desired, than that which spiritually by being born first he had earned: and he laid aside his birthright, that he might eat lentils. But lentils we find to be the food of the Egyptians, for there it abounds in Egypt. Whence is so magnified the lentil of Alexandria, that it comes even to our country, as if here grew no lentil. Therefore by desiring Egyptian food he lost his birthright. So also the people of the Jews, of whom it is said, "in their hearts they turned back again into Egypt." [Acts 7:39] They desired in a manner the lentil, and lost their birthright. — Exposition on Psalms 47 John Chrysostom: Someone may be bewildered and uncertain, and say, "So how is it that the Jews do not believe today?" … Listen to what follows; he added, "the beauty of Jacob, which he loved." Here in fact he seems to me to be referring to the believers, as Paul indicated in saying, "It is not, however, as though the word of God had failed: not all of Israel belong to Israel; … it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise who are counted as descendants." Now, the believers are rightly spoken of as the people's beauty; what could be more appealing, after all, than those who have come to faith? — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 47:5 Origen of Alexandria: But what does it profit me, if the seed of Abraham, "which is Christ," should possess "the cities of his enemies for an inheritance" and should not possess my city? If in my city, that is, in my soul, which is "the city of the great king," neither his laws nor his ordinances should be observed? What does it profit me that he has subjected the whole world and possesses the cities of his enemies if he should not also conquer his enemies in me, if he should not destroy "the law that is in my members fighting against the law of my mind and that leads me captive in the law of sin"? So, therefore, let each one of us do what is necessary that Christ may also conquer the enemies in his soul and in his body, and, subjecting and triumphing over them, may possess the city even of his soul. — HOMILIES ON Psalms 9:3 Theodoret of Cyrus: The God of all, who subjected kings to us and gave us control of all the nations, and in addition to that entrusts the beauty and excellence of Jacob to us—not all the Jewish people, who are named for Jacob, in fact, but "the beauty of Jacob," the excellence and the elite of Jacob, those adorned with faith, who accepted the message without delay, who submitted to the sweet yoke of the Savior. These, you see, he both "chose" and "loved," and to them he entrusted the apostolic governance. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 47:2 Augustine of Hippo: "God is gone up with jubilation." Even He our God, the Lord Christ, is gone up with jubilation; "the Lord with the sound of a trumpet." "Is gone up:" whither, save where we know? Whither the Jews followed Him not, even with their eyes. For exalted on the Cross they mocked Him, ascending into Heaven they did not see Him. "God hath gone up with jubilation." What is jubilation, but admiration of joy which cannot be expressed in words? As the disciples in joy admired, seeing Him go into Heaven, whom they had mourned dead; truly for the joy, words sufficed not: remained to jubilate what none could express. There was also the voice of the trumpet, the voice of Angels. For it is said, "Lift up thy voice like a trumpet." Angels preached the ascension of the Lord: they saw the Disciples, their Lord ascending, tarrying, admiring, confounded, nothing speaking, but in heart jubilant: and now was the sound of the trumpet in the clear voice of the Angels, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into Heaven? this is Jesus." As if they knew not that it was the same Jesus. Had they not just before seen Him before them? Had they not heard Him speaking with them? Nay, they not only saw the figure of Him present, but handled also His limbs. Of themselves then knew they not, that it was the same Jesus? But they being by very admiration, from joy of jubilation, as it were transported in mind, the Angels said, "that same is Jesus." As though they said, If ye believe Him, this is that same Jesus, whom crucified, your feet stumbled, whom dead and buried, ye thought your hope lost. Lo, this is the same Jesus. He hath gone up before you, "He shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into Heaven." His Body is removed indeed from your eyes, but God is not separated from your hearts: see Him going up, believe on Him absent, hope for Him coming; but yet through His secret Mercy, feel Him present. For He who ascended into Heaven that He might be removed from your eyes, promised unto you, saying, "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." Justly then the Apostle so addressed us, "The Lord is at hand; be careful for nothing." Christ sitteth above the Heavens; the Heavens are far off, He who there sitteth is near... — ON THE PSALMS - Psalms 47 Bede: He ascended with a shout of jubilation, since he sought heaven as the disciples rejoiced in the glory of his being lifted up. He ascended with the sound of the trumpet, since he went up to the throne of his heavenly kingdom as the angels heralded his return to judge the living and the dead. — Homilies on the Gospels 2:15 Gregory the Dialogist: For on account of this very lifting up of our flesh, blessed Job figuratively calls the Lord a bird. For since he saw that Judea would not understand the mystery of His Ascension, he pronounced sentence on their unbelief, saying, "The bird knew not the path." For the Lord was rightly called a bird, because He raised His fleshly body to the heavens. Whoever did not believe that He ascended to heaven did not know the path of this bird. Concerning this solemnity it is said through the Psalmist, "Your magnificence is exalted above the heavens." Concerning this again he says, "God ascended with jubilation, and the Lord with the sound of the trumpet." Concerning this again he says, "Ascending on high, He led captivity captive, He gave gifts to men." For ascending on high, He led captivity captive, because He absorbed our corruption by the power of His incorruption. And He gave gifts to men, because, sending the Spirit from above, to one He granted the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge, to another the grace of powers, to another the grace of healings, to another kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of speeches. — Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 29 Augustine of Hippo: "Sing praises to our God, sing praises." Whom as Man mocked they, who from God were alienated. "Sing praises to our God." For He is not Man only, but God. Man of the seed of David, God the Lord of David, of the Jews having flesh. "Whose" (saith the Apostle) "are the fathers, of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came." Of the Jews then is Christ, but according to the flesh. But who is this Christ who is of the Jews according to the flesh? "Who is over all, God blessed for ever." God before the flesh, God in the flesh, God with the flesh. Nor only God before the flesh, but God before the earth whence flesh was made; nor only God before the earth whereof flesh was made, but even God before the Heaven which was first made; God before the day which was first made; God before Angels; the same Christ is God: for "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." — ON THE PSALMS - Psalms 47 Augustine of Hippo: "For God is the King of all the earth" [Psalms 47:7]. What? And before was He not God of all the earth? Is He not God of both heaven and earth, since by Him surely were all things made? Who can say that He is not his God? But not all men acknowledged Him their God; and where He was acknowledged, there only, so to say, He was God. "In Judah is God known." Not yet was it said to the sons of Korah, "O clap your hands, all you nations." For that God known in Judah, is King of all the earth: now by all He is acknowledged, for that is fulfilled which Isaiah says, "He is your God who has delivered you, the God of the whole earth shall He be called." [Isaiah 54:5] "Sing ye praises with understanding." He teaches us and warns us to sing praises with understanding, not to seek the sound of the ear, but the light of the heart. The Gentiles, whence you were called that you might be Christians, adored gods made with hands, and sang praises to them, but not with understanding. If they had sung with understanding, they had not adored stones. When a man sensible sang to a stone insensible, did he sing with understanding? But now, brethren, we see not with our eyes Whom we adore, and yet correctly we adore. Much more is God commended to us, that with our eyes we see Him not. If with our eyes we saw Him, haply we might despise. For even Christ seen, the Jews despised; unseen, the Gentiles adored. — Exposition on Psalms 47 Caesarius of Arles: Let us, too, lift up our voices by singing or praying in church, so that our adversary, the devil, may depart in confusion at the holy sound. If not in deed, then surely in thought or word the devil usually creeps up to those who are silent or speak of idle, useless matters. When they are singing or praying he can in no way take advantage by his cunning of those whom he sees engaged mentally or vocally in God's praises. — SERMON 80:2 Diodorus of Tarsus: Since he had said "king," he went on to say, not only ours but of "all the earth": the one responsible for some people conquering and others being conquered, as he wishes, no matter from what quarter they mount their charge, how could he not be confessed as king of all? The phrase "sing with understanding" means with a sense of what has been done and keeping in mind the achievements. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 47 Evagrius Ponticus: Pray as is fitting and without trouble, practice psalmody with understanding and harmony, and you will be like a young eagle soaring in the heights. — CHAPTERS ON PRAYER 82 Nicetas of Remesiana: We must sing with our intelligences; not only with the spirit (in the sense of sound of our voice) but also with our mind. We must think about what we are singing, lest we lose by distracting talk and extraneous thoughts the fruit of our effort. The sound and melody of our singing must be suitably religious. It must not be melodramatic but a revelation of the true Christianity within. It must have nothing theatrical about it but should move us to sorrow for our sins. Of course, you must all sing in harmony, without discordant notes. One of you should not linger unreasonably on the notes while his neighbor is going too fast; nor should one of you sing too low while another is raising his voice. Each one should be asked to contribute his part in humility to the volume of the choir as a whole. No one should sing unbecomingly louder or slower than the rest, as though for vain ostentation or out of human respect. The whole service must be carried out in the presence of God, not with a view to pleasing people. — LITURGICAL SINGING 13 Augustine of Hippo: "God shall reign over all nations" [Psalms 47:8]. Who reigned over one nation, "shall reign" (says He) "over all nations." When this was said, God reigned over one nation. It was a prophecy, the thing was not yet shown. Thanks be to God, we now see fulfilled what before was prophesied. A written promise God sent unto us before the time, the time fulfilled He has repaid us. "God shall reign over all nations," is a promise. "God sits upon His Holy Seat." What then was promised to come, now being fulfilled, is acknowledged and held. "God sits upon His Holy Seat." What is His Holy Seat? Haply says one, The Heavens, and he understands well. For Christ has gone up, [Acts 1:2] as we know, with the Body, wherein He was crucified, and sits at the right hand of the Father; thence we expect Him to come to judge the quick and the dead. [2 Timothy 4:1] "God sits upon His Holy Seat." The Heavens are His Holy Seat. Will you also be His Seat? Think not that you can not be; prepare for Him a place in your heart. He comes, and willingly sits. The same Christ is surely "the Power of God, and the Wisdom of God:" [1 Corinthians 1:24] and what says the Scripture of Wisdom Herself? The soul of the righteous is the seat of Wisdom. [Wisdom 7:27] If then the soul of the righteous is the seat of Wisdom, be your soul righteous, and you shall be a royal seat of Wisdom. And truly, brethren, all men who live well, who act well, converse in godly charity, does not God sit in them, and Himself command? Your soul obeys God sitting in it, and itself commands the members. For your soul commands your members, that so may move the foot, the hand, the eye, the ear, and itself commands the members as its servants, but yet itself serves its Lord sitting within. It cannot well rule its inferior, unless its superior it have not disdained to serve. — Exposition on Psalms 47 Evagrius Ponticus: The throne of God is Christ. The throne of Christ is the reasonable nature. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 46[47].9 Augustine of Hippo: "The princes of the peoples are gathered together unto the God of Abraham" [Psalms 47:9]. The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. [Exodus 3:6] True it is, God said this, and thereupon the Jews prided themselves, and said, "We are Abraham's children;" [John 8:33] priding themselves in their father's name, carrying his flesh, not holding his faith; by seed cleaving to Him, in manners degenerating. But the Lord, what said He to them so priding themselves? "If you are Abraham's children, do the works of Abraham." [John 8:39] Again..."The princes of the peoples:" the princes of the nations: not the princes of one people, but the princes of all people have "gathered together unto the God of Abraham." Of these princes was that Centurion too, of whom but now when the Gospel was read ye heard. For he was a Centurion having honour and power among men, he was a prince among the princes of the peoples. Christ coming to him, he sent his friends to meet Him, nay unto Christ truly passing over to him he sent his friends, and asked that He would heal his servant who was dangerously sick. And when the Lord would come, he sent to Him this message: "I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof, but say in a word only, and my servant shall be healed." "For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers." [Luke 7:6-7] See how he kept his rank! First he mentioned that he was under another, and afterwards that another was under him. I am under authority, and I am in authority; both under some I am, and over some I am....As though he said, If I being set under authority command those who are under me, You who is set under no man's authority, canst not Thou command Your creature, since all things were made by You, and without You was nothing made. "Say," then, said he, "in a word, and my servant shall be healed. For I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof."...Admiring at his faith, Jesus reprobates the Jews' misbelief. For sound to themselves they seemed, whereas they were dangerously sick, when their Physician not knowing they slew. Therefore when He reprobated, and repudiated their pride what said he? "I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and west," not belonging to the kindred of Israel: many shall come to whom He said, "O clap your hands, all you nations;" "and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven." Abraham begot them not of his own flesh; yet shall they come and sit down with him in the kingdom of heaven, and be his sons. Whereby his sons? Not as born of his flesh, but by following his faith. "But the children of the kingdom," that is, the Jews, "shall be cast into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." [Matthew 8:12] They shall be condemned to outer darkness who are born of the flesh of Abraham, and they shall sit down with him in the kingdom of heaven, who have imitated Abraham's faith. — Exposition on Psalms 47 John Chrysostom: Here he shows the extent of the gospel's influence, reaching not only simple people but even the very wearers of the crown and those seated on a royal throne. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 47:6 Theodoret of Cyrus: The promises to the patriarch Abraham, he is saying, took effect. Now the Lord of all promised to bless all the nations in his progeny. Accordingly, both these nations and their rulers abandoned their ancestral gods and are assembled with the God of Abraham, and they call this God theirs. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 47:5 Ambrose of Milan: He is everywhere great and powerful, but our narrow mind cannot take in the greatness of his divine power and grace. The closer our knowledge gets to God, the more wonderful his majesty appears to be. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms, On Psalms 48 Augustine of Hippo: "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised" [Psalms 48:1]....That is, "in the city of our God, in His holy mountain." This is the city set upon an hill, which cannot be hid: this is the candle which is not hidden under a bushel, [Matthew 5:14-15] to all known, to all proclaimed. Yet are not all men citizens thereof, but they in whom "great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised." What then is that city: let us see whether perhaps, since it is said, "In the city of our God, in His holy mountain," we ought not to enquire for this mountain where also we may be heard....What then is that mountain, brethren? One is it with great care to be enquired for, with great solicitude investigated, with labour also to be occupied and ascended. But if in any part of the earth it is, what shall we do? Shall we go abroad out of our own country, that to that mountain we may arrive? Nay, then we are abroad, when in it we are not. For that is our city, if we are members of the King, who is the head of the same city....For there was a certain corner-stone contemptible, whereat the Jews stumbled, [Romans 9:32] cut out of a certain mountain without hands, that is, coming of the kingdom of the Jews without hands, because human operation went not with Mary of whom was born Christ. [Matthew 1:16] But if that stone, when the Jews stumbled thereat, had remained there, you had not had whither to ascend. But what was done? What says the prophecy of Daniel? What but that the stone grew, and became a great mountain? How great? So that it filled the whole face of the earth. [Daniel 2:35] By growing, then, and by filling the whole face of the earth, that mountain came to us. Why then seek we the mountain as though absent, and not as being present ascend to it; that in us the Lord may be "great, and greatly to be praised"? — Exposition on Psalms 48 John Chrysostom: While they say "great," they do not go so far as to say how great; no one knows that, after all, so he added as well, "and highly to be praised." There is no limit, you see, to his greatness. What it means, however, is something like this: It is necessary to praise him and sing to him alone, and this to an extraordinary degree; but the need is to sing his praises both for this infinite and incomprehensible greatness of his being and for the excess of his beneficence to us. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 48:1 Theodoret of Cyrus: Often the divine Scripture gives the name "city" not to the building but to the way of life. Accordingly, here too he says the Lord of all was shown to be great through the things done by him in connection with his city, which the elevation of its teachings rendered illustrious as though located on a lofty and mighty hill. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 48:1 Ambrose of Milan: Truly the Lord is called great. For consider, he has poured exaltation and joy over all the orb of this earth where previously the land produced the most dreadful growth of sin; he has made joyful the earth that once abounded in sorrow, tears and groans. Now our conscience is set free from sin and can rejoice. Before this it was unhappy, it was drowned in the whirlpool of its own sin; but now, through the goodness and kindness of Christ, it is absolved from all error. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms, On Psalms 48 Augustine of Hippo: Further, ...when he had said, "in the city of our God, in His holy mountain," what added he? "Spreading abroad the joys of the whole earth, the mountains of Sion" (ver. 2). Sion is one mountain, why then "mountains"? Is it that to Sion belonged also those which came from the other side, so as to meet together on the Corner Stone, and become two walls, as it were two mountains, one of the circumcision, the other of the uncircumcision; one of the Jews, the other of the Gentiles: no longer adverse, although diverse, because from different sides, now in the corner not even diverse. "For He is our peace, who hath made both one." The same Corner Stone "which the builders rejected, is become the Head Stone of the corner." The mountain hath joined in itself two mountains; one house there is, and two houses; two, because coming from different sides; one, because of the Corner Stone, wherein both are joined together. Hear also this, "the mountains of Sion: the sides of the North are the city of the great King." ...See the Gentiles; "the sides of the North:" the sides of the North are joined to the city of the great King. The North is wont to be contrary to Sion: Sion forsooth is in the South, the North over against the South. Who is the North, but He who said, "I will sit in the sides of the North, I will be like the Most High"? The devil had held dominion over the ungodly, and possessed the nations serving images, adoring demons; and all whatsoever there was of human kind anywhere throughout the world, by cleaving to Him, had become North. But since He who binds the strong man, taketh away his goods, and maketh them His own goods; men delivered from infidelity and superstition of devils, believing in Christ, are fitted on to that city, have met in the corner that wall that cometh from the circumcision, and that was made the city of the great King, which had been the sides of the North. Therefore also in another Scripture is it said, "Out of the North come clouds of golden colour: great is the glory and honour of the Almighty." For great is the glory of the physician, when from being despaired of the sick recovers. "Out of the North come clouds," and not black clouds, not dark clouds, not lowering, but "of golden colour." Whence but by grace illumined through Christ? See, "the sides of the North are the city of the great King."... — On the Psalms, Psalms 48 Evagrius Ponticus: Joy is rooted in Christ.… His root is God the Word, which is in himself. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 47[48].3 John Chrysostom: For what reason, tell me, does he now mention the north and describe to us the location of the place? Because from that quarter war generally broke out with the invasion of savages, and generally the inspired authors mention it, calling it "from the north," and speak in terms of a cauldron boiling from that direction.… This city generally vulnerable from that quarter you made impregnable. In other words, just as if someone were to say about the body, "That weak part I made stronger," he too is suggesting the same in this verse in the words, "The quarters from which come wailing and weeping," the basis of disasters, these parts run over with satisfaction, with tranquility; [the place from which] come threats and fears and dangers, [from them come] delight and happiness. No one any longer fears that northern part of creation, no one is anguished, no one is suspicious. All enjoy happiness, for you root it in satisfaction. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 48:1 Theodoret of Cyrus: On the one hand, there is one church throughout all land and sea; thus we say in prayer, For the holy, single, universal and apostolic church, from one end of the world to the other. On the other hand, it is also divided into cities, towns and villages, which the inspired Word called "buildings." As each city is composed of different houses and yet is called one city, so there are countless churches that defy numbering, both on islands and on continents, but all constitute one by being united in the common harmony of the true teachings. In these the God of all became apparent. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 48:3 Augustine of Hippo: "For, lo, the kings of the earth are gathered together" [Psalms 48:4]. Behold now those sides of the North, see how they come, see how they say, "Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord: and He will teach us His way, and we will walk in it." [Isaiah 2:3] "And have come together in one." In what one, but that "corner-stone"? [Ephesians 2:20] — Exposition on Psalms 48 John Chrysostom: At this point he is describing a harsh war concerted from every direction and a famous victory. You see, after he said that God comes to [the city's] aid and gives evidence of great care, he then shows also how he came to its aid. When countless nations made an attack (this he suggests, note, in mentioning the great number of kings), and not simply an attack but concerted and combined, such extraordinary developments occurred that they departed, marveling at the surprising turn of events.… Thus it is clear that instead of the war being conducted in terms of human logic, it was God whose tactics directed the fighting, who not only depressed the enemies' spirits but also shook their resolve by causing distress in their ranks and prompting an unspeakable fear in them. It was the same as if a great fleet had assembled and an unfavorable wind came on them and smashed the ships, sank the triremes and instilled instant disorder. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 48:2 Arnobius of Sicca: This, I say, is man's real death, when souls that know not God shall be consumed in long-protracted torment with raging fire, into which certain fiercely cruel beings shall cast them, who were unknown before Christ and brought to light only by his wisdom. — Against the Heathen Book 2 Arnobius the Younger: As he is recognized, the kings of the earth are disturbed. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 48 Augustine of Hippo: "They saw it, and so they marvelled" [Psalms 48:4]. After their marvelling at the miracles and glory of Christ, what followed? "They were troubled, they were moved" [Psalms 48:5], "trembling took hold upon them." Whence took trembling hold upon them, but from the consciousness of sins? Let them run then, king after a king; kings, let them acknowledge the King. Therefore says He elsewhere, "Yet have I been set by Him a King upon His holy hill of Sion."...A King then was heard of, set up in Sion, to Him were delivered possessions even to the uttermost parts of the earth. Kings behooved to fear lest they should lose the kingdom, lest the kingdom be taken from them. As wretched Herod feared, and for the Child slew the children. [Matthew 2:16] But fearing to lose his kingdom, he deserved not to know the King. Would that he too had adored the King with the Magi: not by ill-seeking the kingdom, slain the Innocents, and perished guilty. For as concerning him, he destroyed the Innocents: but as for Christ, even a Child, the children dying for Him did He crown. Therefore behooved kings to fear when it was said, "Yet have I been set a King by Him upon His holy hill of Sion," and inheritance to the uttermost parts of the earth shall He give Him, who set Him up King....Thence also this is said to them, "Understand now therefore, O you kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice unto Him with trembling." And what did they? "There pains as of a woman in travail." What are the pains "as of a woman in travail," but the pangs of a penitent? See the same conception of pain and travail: "Of Your fear" (says Isaiah) "we have conceived, we have travailed of the Spirit of salvation." [Isaiah 26:17-18] So then the kings conceived from the fear of Christ, that by travailing they brought forth salvation by believing on Him whom they had feared. "There pains as of a woman in travail:" when of travail you hear, expect a birth. The old man travails, but the new man is born. — Exposition on Psalms 48 Augustine of Hippo: "With a strong wind You shall break the ships of Tarshish" [Psalms 48:6]. Briefly understood, this is, You shall overthrow the pride of the nations. But where in this history is mentioned the overthrowing of the pride of the nations? Because of "the ships of Tarshish." Learned men have enquired for Tarshish a city, that is, what city was signified by this name: and to some it has seemed that Cilicia is called Tarshish, because its metropolis is called Tarsus. Of which city was the Apostle Paul, being born in Tarsus of Cilicia. [Acts 21:39] But some have understood by it Carthage, being haply sometimes so named, or in some language so signified. For in the Prophet Isaiah it is thus found: "Howl, you ships of Carthage." But in Ezekiel by some interpreters the word is translated Carthage, by some Tarshish: and from this diversity it can be understood that the same which was called Carthage, is called Tharsus. But it is manifest, that in the beginning of its reign Carthage flourished with ships, and so flourished, that among other nations they excelled in trafficking and navigation. For when Dido, flying from her brother, escaped to the parts of Africa, where she built Carthage, the ships which had been prepared for commerce in his country she had taken with her for her flight, the princes of the country consenting to it; and the same ships also when Carthage was built failed not in traffic. And hence that city became too proud, so that justly by its ships may be understood the pride of the nations, presuming on things uncertain, as on the breath of the winds. Now let none presume on full sails, and on the seeming fair state of this life, as of the sea. Be our foundation in Sion: there ought we to be established, not to be "carried about with every wind of doctrine." [Ephesians 4:14] Whoso then by the uncertain things of this life had been puffed up, let them be overthrown, and be all the pride of the nations subjected to Christ, who shall "with a strong wind break all the ships of Tarshish:" not of any city, but of "Tarshish." How "with a strong wind"? With very strong fear. For so all pride feared Him that shall judge, as on Him humble to believe, lest Him exalted it should fear. — Exposition on Psalms 48 Jerome: [Daniel 10:6] "And his body was like chrysolite." For "chrysolite," one of the twelve gems inserted in the oracular breastplate of the high priest, the Hebrew has trs'ys (tharsis) , a word which Theodotion and Symmachus simply left unchanged in transcription; but the Septuagint called it "the sea," according to the usage in the Psalms: "With a violent gale Thou dashest the ships of Tharsis in pieces," i.e., "the ships of the sea" (Psalms 48:7). Jonah, also, was desirous of fleeing, not to Tarsus, the Cilician city (as most people suppose, substituting one letter for another), nor to some region in India (as Josephus imagines), but simply out to the high seas in general (Jonah 1:3). — St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER TEN Ambrose of Milan: Outside the city, we have heard. Inside the city, we have seen. God is the eternal light of this city. The light of day shines there without the sun we know in this world, and of the moon there is no need. The foundation of this city belongs not to time but to eternity. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms, On Psalms 48 Augustine of Hippo: "As we have heard, so have we seen" [Psalms 48:7]. Blessed Church! At one time you have heard, at another time you have seen. She heard in promises, sees in performance: heard in Prophecy, sees in the Gospel. For all things which are now fulfilled were before prophesied. Lift up your eyes then, and stretch them over the world; see now His "inheritance even to the uttermost parts of the earth:" see now is fulfilled what was said, "All kings shall fall down before Him: all nations shall serve Him:" see fulfilled what was said, "Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and Your glory above all the earth." See Him whose feet and hands were pierced with nails, whose bones hanging on the tree were counted, upon whose vesture lots were cast: [Matthew 27:35] see reigning whom they saw hanging; see sitting in Heaven [Matthew 26:64] whom they despised walking on earth: see thus fulfilled, "All the ends of the earth shall remember, and turn to the Lord, and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before Him." Seeing all this, exclaim with joy, "As we have heard, so have we seen." Justly the Church herself is so called out of the Gentiles....They to whom the Prophets were not sent, first heard and understood the Prophets: they who first heard not, afterwards hearing marvelled. They remained behind to whom they were sent, carrying the books, understanding not the truth: having the tables of the Testament, and not holding the inheritance. But we,..."As we have heard, so have we seen." And where do you hear? Where do you see? "In the city of the Lord of Hosts, in the city of our God. God has founded it for ever." Let not heretics insult, divided into parties, let them not exalt themselves who say, "Lo, here is Christ, or lo, there." [Matthew 24:23] Whoso says, "Lo, here is Christ, or lo, there," invites to parties. Unity God promised. The kings are gathered together in one, not dissipated through schisms. But haply that city which has held the world, shall sometime be overthrown? Far be the thought! "God has founded it for ever." If then God has founded it for ever, why do you fear lest the firmament should fall? — Exposition on Psalms 48 John Chrysostom: So what did he hear, and what did he see? That the grace of God renders the city stronger and intact. This, in fact, is its foundation, this its strength, this makes it impregnable—not human aid and help, or the power of weapons or towers and ramparts. What instead? God rules it as his own. This most of all it was, in fact, that they should have been taught, and towards this the inspired author constantly urges them. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 48:3 Ambrose of Milan: God's true temple is the body of Christ, and in that body lies the purification of all our sins. Truly, that flesh is God's temple, and in it there is no contagion of sin. On the contrary, it was itself the sacrifice that takes away the sin of all the world. That flesh is indeed God's temple, and in it shone God's image. In it there dwelled the fullness of divinity in a bodily manner, for Christ is himself that fullness.… In that temple, the psalmist tells us, "we have received your mercy." … Just as Christ is redemption, so too he is mercy. No greater mercy can there be than that he should offer himself as a victim for our crimes. He sacrificed himself to wash the world clean in his blood, for in no other way could our sin be abolished. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms, On Psalms 48 Augustine of Hippo: "We have received Thy mercy, O God, in the midst of Thy people" (ver. 8). Who have received, and where received? Hath not the same Thy people received Thy mercy. If Thy people hath received Thy mercy, how then, "in the midst of Thy people"? As if they who received were one party, they in the midst of whom they received another. A great mystery, but yet well known. When hence also, that is, out of these verses, hath been extracted and brought forth what ye know; it will be not ruder, but sweeter. Now forsooth all are reckoned the people of God, who carry His Sacraments, but not all belong to His Mercy. All forsooth receiving the Sacrament of the Baptism of Christ, are called Christians, but not all live worthily of that Sacrament. There are some of whom saith the Apostle, "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof." Yet on account of this form of godliness they are named among God's people. As to the floor, until the corn is threshed, belongs not the wheat only, but the chaff. But will it also belong to the garner? In the midst then of an evil people is a good people, which hath received the Mercy of God. He liveth worthily of the Mercy of God who heareth, and holdeth, and doeth what the Apostle saith, "We beseech you that ye receive not the Grace of God in vain." Whoso then receiveth not the Grace of God in vain, the same receiveth not only the Sacrament, but also the Mercy of God as well....So those who have the Sacraments, and have not good manners, are both said to be of God, and not of God; are both said to be His, and to be strangers: His because of His own Sacraments, strangers because of their own vice. So also strange daughters: daughters, because of the form of godliness; strange, because of their loss of virtue. Be the lily there; let it receive the Mercy of God: hold fast the root of a good flower, be not ungrateful for soft rain coming from heaven. Be thorns ungrateful, let them grow by the showers: for the fire they grow, not for the garner. In the midst of Thy people not receiving Thy mercy, we have received Thy mercy. For "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not," yet, in the midst of them, "as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God."... — On the Psalms, Psalms 48 Augustine of Hippo: For when he had said, "We have received Your mercy in the midst of Your people," he signified that there is a people not receiving the mercy of God, in the midst of whom some do receive the mercy of God: and then lest it should occur to men that there are so few, as to be nearly none, how did He console them in the words following? "According to Your Name, O God, so is Your praise unto the ends of the earth" [Psalms 48:9]. What is this? ...That is, as You are known through all the earth, so You are also praised through all the earth, nor are there wanting who now praise You through all the earth. But they praise You who live well. For, "According to Your Name, O God, so is Your praise," not in a part, but "unto the ends of the earth." "Your right hand is full of righteousness." That is, many are they also who shall stand at Your right hand. Not only shall they be many who shall stand at Your left hand, but there also shall be a full heap set at Your right hand. — Exposition on Psalms 48 Evagrius Ponticus: The right hand of God is Christ, who is filled with righteousness and from his fullness we receive everything. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 47[48].11 John Chrysostom: As it belongs to fire to heat, to the sun to give light, just so as well the role of benefactor belongs to him—not in the same manner, however, but even much more. Thus he spoke also this way, "Your right hand is filled with righteousness," suggesting abundance, relation to his being. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 48:3 Arnobius the Younger: Let Mount Zion rejoice; let the church rejoice; the daughters of Judah rejoice. You have judged all the spirits from the womb of the church, so that you may yoke the devil and may free the souls of people. Now, O freed spirits, encompass your mother Zion, whom you have followed; tell his mercy to the towers. In the towers they defend the city and resist the enemies. Place your hearts in his strength. Consider with what strength he fights for you …, so you may tell later generations. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 48 Augustine of Hippo: "Let mount Zion rejoice, and the daughters of Judah be glad, because of Your judgments, O Lord" [Psalms 48:10]. O mount Zion, O daughters of Judah, you labour now among tares, among chaff, among thorns ye labour: yet be glad because of God's judgments. God errs not in judgment. Live ye separate, though separate you were not born; not vainly has a voice gone forth from your mouth and heart, "Destroy not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men." He shall winnow with such art, carrying in His hand a fan, that not one grain of wheat shall fall into the heap of chaff prepared to be burned, nor one beard of chaff pass to the heap to be laid up in the garner. [Matthew 3:12] Be glad, O you daughters of Judæa, because of the judgments of God that errs not, and do not yet judge rashly. To you let it belong to collect, to Him let it belong to separate. But think not that the "daughters of Judah" are Jews. Judah is confession; all the sons of confession are all the sons of Judah. For "salvation is of the Jews," [John 4:22] is nothing else than that Christ is of the Jews. This says also the Apostle, "He is not a Jew which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew which is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God." [Romans 2:28-29] Be such a Jew; glory in the circumcision of the heart, though you have not the circumcision of the flesh. Let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of Your judgments, O Lord. — Exposition on Psalms 48 Ambrose of Milan: Those who have wisely surrounded Zion and embraced it spiritually climb up onto its towers. There they tell of it to those not able to ascend its turrets.… Always the insidious foe has his eye on it, to see if he can approach and capture it. For Satan has his armies, and with them he lays siege to souls. He has siege engines that he moves up close to the walls so as to take its towers by force. But you, says the psalm, must preach from the towers.… Preach, proclaim, without intermission, without end. Your enemy does not sleep; he goes round like a raging animal seeking someone to devour. Keep singing the praises of the Lord, for he can smash the lion's teeth and break his jaw to pieces. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms, On Psalms 48 Augustine of Hippo: "Walk about Zion, and embrace her" [Psalms 48:11]. Be it said to them who live ill, in the midst of whom is the people, which has received the mercy of God. In the midst of you is a people living well, "Walk about Zion." But how? "embrace her." Not with scandals, but with love go round about her: that so those who live well in the midst of you ye may imitate, and by imitation of them, be incorporate with Christ, whose members they are. "Walk about Zion, go round about her: speak in the towers thereof." In the height of her bulwarks, set forth the praises thereof. — Exposition on Psalms 48 Clement of Alexandria: Thence now, by knowledge collecting materials to be the food of contemplation, having embraced nobly the magnitude of knowledge, he advances to the holy recompense of translation hence. For he has heard the Psalm which says: "Encircle Zion, and encompass it, tell upon its towers." For it intimates, I think, those who have sublimely embraced the Word, so as to become lofty towers, and to stand firmly in faith and knowledge. — The Stromata Book 7 Theodoret of Cyrus: He calls the godly form of government "Zion," that is, the church throughout the world, and "its towers" those devoted to virtue and imitating on earth the way of life of the angels, encircling and protecting it like towers. "Buildings" likewise, as we have said before, the churches divided among the cities, towns and villages: he speaks of them as one and many. So the inspired word, the grace of the all-holy Spirit, urges those to whom the saving message was entrusted to go around and move about, both to strengthen the towers with teaching and confirm its other force, and in addition to this to apportion care of the churches, as we have already remarked on the forty-fifth psalm. He urges it here, too: "take its buildings one by one," so that one may care for this church and another for that, and be in charge of each by way of cultivating and exercising due care. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 48:6 Augustine of Hippo: "Set your hearts upon her might." Not that ye may have the form of godliness, deny the power thereof, but, "upon her might set your hearts. Speak ye in her towers." What is the might of this city? Whoso would understand the might of this city, let him understand the force of love. That is a virtue which none conquereth. Love's flame no waves of the world, no streams of temptation, extinguish. Of this it is said, "Love is strong as death." For as when death cometh, it cannot be resisted; by whatever arts, whatever medicines, you meet it; the violence of death can none avoid who is born mortal; so against the violence of love can the world do nothing. For from the contrary the similitude is made of death; for as death is most violent to take away, so love is most violent to save. Through love many have died to the world, to live to God; by this love inflamed, the martyrs, not pretenders, not puffed up by vain-glory, not such as they of whom it is written, "Though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing," but men whom truly a love of Christ and of the truth led on to this passion; what to them were the temptations of the tormentors? Greater violence had the eyes of their weeping friends, than the persecutions of enemies. For how many were held by their children, that they might not suffer? to how many did their wives fall upon their knees, that they might not be left widows? How many have their parents forbidden to die; as we know and read in the Passion of the Blessed Perpetua! All this was done; but tears, however great, and with whatever force flowing, when did they extinguish the ardour of love? This is the might of Sion, to whom elsewhere it is said, "Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces." — ON THE PSALMS - Psalms 48 John Chrysostom: The psalmist exhorts the people, "Behold this city." … Understand something from … its structure, its beauty, its fame, so as to learn from this God's power, how he made the lost city more mighty, and recount to your progeny God's power and the enduring course of his providence; his care of us, his leadership and shepherding last forever. Stories of this to those who come after will, in fact, prove an occasion for great advance in wisdom, a basis for more precise knowledge of God and a study of virtue. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 48:3 Theodoret of Cyrus: Each generation has to pass on to the next what we have received from the former so that the saving message may pass to all generations, and all people know that he is our God and Lord, good shepherd, everlasting. Since he said, "take its buildings one by one," and entrusted to them the task of shepherding, of necessity he taught that there is one good shepherd, who laid down his life for the sheep, shepherding forever, and shepherding not only the sheep but also those called pastors of the sheep. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 48:7 Augustine of Hippo: Tell what? "For this is God, even our God." The earth was seen, the earth's Creator was not seen; the flesh was held, God in the flesh was not acknowledged. For the flesh was held by those from whom had been taken the same flesh, for of the seed of Abraham was the Virgin Mary. At the flesh they stayed, the Divinity they did not understand. O Apostles, O mighty city, preach thou on the towers, and say, "This is God, even our God." So, even so as He was despised, as He lay a stone before the feet of the stumbling, that He might humble the hearts of the confessing; even so, "This is God, even our God." Certainly He was seen, as was said, "Afterward did He show Himself upon earth, and conversed with men." "This is God, even our God." He is also Man, and who is there will know Him? "This is God, even our God." But haply for a time as the false gods. For because they can be called gods, but cannot be so, for a time they are even called so. For what saith the Prophet, or what warneth He to be said to them? This shall ye say to them, "The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from those that are under the heavens." He is not such a god: for our God is above all gods. Above all what gods? "For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens." The same then is our God. "This is God, even our God." For how long? "For ever and ever: He shall rule us for ever." If He is our God, He is also our King. He protecteth us, being our God, lest we die; He ruleth us, being our King, lest we fall. But by ruling us He doth not break us; for whom He ruleth not, He breaketh. "Thou shalt rule them," saith He, "with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." But there are whom He ruleth not; these He spareth not, as a potter's vessel dashing them in pieces. By Him then let us wish to be ruled and delivered, "for He is our God for ever and ever, and He shall rule us for ever." — ON THE PSALMS - Psalms 48 Ambrose of Milan: In the very beginning of this psalm we hear the voice of the Lord of salvation inviting the Gentiles into his church. He calls on them to renounce error, to follow truth, to fulfill the duties of love and adoration. The hearts of these people were infected by the Serpent's venom, passed down from generation to generation, and their inclination was toward sin. So long as they despair of pardon, they cannot be called back. But the Lord promises a remedy, and out of the greatness and kindness of his heart he freely assures them of forgiveness.… All, without exception, are invited to grace. Without having to pay any ransom money they are redeemed from sin, and they grasp the fruit of eternal life. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms, On Psalms 49 Arnobius the Younger: The voice of Christ alone, "without exception" calls all as one, rich and poor, noble and base. He invites all living on the earth, equally, as the opening of the psalm says, showing that he is to be feared by us on the evil day. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 49 Augustine of Hippo: ..."Hear ye these things, all ye nations" (ver. 1). Not then you only who are here. For of what power is our voice so to cry out, as that all nations may hear? For Our Lord Jesus Christ hath proclaimed it through the Apostles, hath proclaimed it in so many tongues that He sent; and we see this Psalm, which before was only repeated in one nation, in the Synagogue of the Jews, now repeated throughout the whole world, throughout all Churches; and that fulfilled which is here spoken of, "Hear ye these words, all ye nations." ...Of whom ye are: "With ears ponder, all ye that dwell in the world." This He seemeth to have repeated a second time, lest to have said "hear," before, were too little. What I say, he saith, "hear, with ears ponder," that is, hear not cursorily. What is, "with ears ponder"? It is what the Lord said, "he that hath ears to hear, let him hear:" for as all who were in His presence must have had ears, what ears did He require save those of the heart, when He said, "he that hath ears to hear, let him hear"? The same ears also this Psalm doth smite. "With ears ponder, all ye that dwell in the world." Perhaps there is here some distinction. We ought not indeed to narrow our view, but there is no harm in explaining even this view of the sense. Perhaps there is some difference between the saying, "all nations," and the saying, "all ye that dwell in the world." For perchance he would have us understand the expression, "dwell in," with a further meaning, so as to take all nations for all the wicked, but the dwellers of the world all the just. For he doth inhabit who is not held fast: but he that is occupied is inhabited, and doth not inhabit. Just as he doth possess whatever he hath, who is master of his property: but a master is one who is not held in the meshes of covetousness: while he that is held fast by covetousness is the possessed, and not the possessor.... Therefore let even the ungodly hear: "Hear ye this, all ye nations." Let the just also hear, who have not heard to no purpose, and who rather rule the world than are ruled by the world: "with ears ponder, all ye that dwell in the world." — On the Psalms, Psalms 49 Basil of Caesarea: He who is assembling and summoning all by the proclamation is the Paraclete, the Spirit of truth, who brings together through prophets and apostles those who are saved.… The sharing of the summons is a uniting in peace, so that those who were, up to this time, opposed to each other because of customs might, through gathering together, become habituated to each other in love. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 19:1 (Psalms 49) Ambrose of Milan: Both rich and poor together are called to a single vocation and invited to a certain humility and equality. The rich are not to turn up their noses at the poor, and the poor are not to be jealous of the rich. One grace joins both together. The Lord, though he was rich, became poor, so as to be Savior of poor and rich alike. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms, On Psalms 49 Augustine of Hippo: And again he says, "both all you earthborn, and sons of men" [Psalms 49:2]. The expression "earthborn" refers to sinners; the expression "sons of men" to the faithful and righteous. You see then that this distinction is observed. Who are the "earthborn"? The children of the earth. Who are the children of the earth? They who desire earthly inheritances. Who are the "sons of men"? They who appertain to the Son of Man. We have already before explained this distinction to your Sanctity, and have concluded that Adam was a man, but not the son of man; that Christ was the Son of Man, but was God also. For whosoever pertain to Adam, are "earthborn:" whosoever pertain to Christ, are "sons of men." Nevertheless, let all hear, I withhold my discourse from no one. If one is "earthborn," let him hear, because of the judgment: another is a "son of man," let him hear for the kingdom's sake. "The rich and poor together." Again, the same words are repeated. The expression "rich" refers to the "earthborn;" but the word "poor" to the "sons of men." By the "rich" understand the proud, by the "poor" the humble....He says in another Psalm, "The poor shall eat and be satisfied." How has he commended the poor? "The poor shall eat and be satisfied." What eat they? That Food which the faithful know. How shall they be satisfied? By imitating the Passion of their Lord, and not without cause receiving their recompense. "The poor shall eat and be satisfied, and they shall praise the Lord who seek Him." What of the rich? Even they eat. But how eat they? "All the rich upon the earth have eaten and worshipped." He said not, "Have eaten and are satisfied;" but, "have eaten and worshipped." They worship God indeed, but they will not display brotherly humaneness. These eat and worship; those eat and are filled: yet both eat. Of the eater what he eats is required: let him not be forbidden by the distributor to eat, but let him be admonished to fear him who does require his account. Let these words then be heard by sinners and righteous, nations, and those who inhabit the world, "earthborn and sons of men, the rich and the poor together:" not divided, not separated. That is for the time of the harvest to do, the hand of the winnower will effect that. [Matthew 3:12] Now together let rich and poor hear, let goats and sheep feed in the same pasture, until He come who shall separate the one on His right hand, the other on His left. [Matthew 25:32] Let them all hear together the teacher, lest separated from one another they hear the voice of the Judge. — Exposition on Psalms 49 John Chrysostom: The inspired author is now on the point of telling us some great and ineffable truths. I mean, he would not have summoned those in all parts of the earth to listen, nor would he have set up the gallery of the world, were he not about to utter something great and famous and worthy of a gathering of such magnitude.… So since he called together the whole race to a hearing, let us too assuredly attend, and see what the psalmist wishes to say, this champion of the whole human race. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 49:1 Theodoret of Cyrus: All people, listen to my words, city dwellers and country people, more refined and more rustic, all in common and also individuals.… Let nature in general hear my words, and each one reap the benefit for themselves.… Let those abounding in wealth and those caught up in poverty accept the exhortation alike, the word of instruction respecting no difference between wealth and poverty. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 49:3 Augustine of Hippo: And what is it they are now to hear? "My mouth shall speak of wisdom, and the meditation of my heart understanding" (ver. 3). And this repetition is perhaps made, lest perchance if he had said only "my mouth," thou shouldest suppose that one spake to thee who had understanding but in his lips. For many have understanding in their lips, but have not in their heart, of whom the Scripture saith, "This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." What saith he then who speaketh to thee? when he hath said, "My mouth shall speak of wisdom," in order that thou mayest know that what is poured forth from the mouth floweth from the bottom of the heart, he hath added, "And the meditation of my heart of understanding." — ON THE PSALMS - Psalms 49 Diodorus of Tarsus: All wisdom comes to be known by reflection and dissemination. So his meaning is, I deliberate on some wise ideas, and with the intention of disseminating them I want you all to be hearers of what is said by me. Hence his reference to "pondering," for each person to realize that far from coming to instruction by accident, they are brought to learn by deep pondering and much practical experience. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 49 Origen of Alexandria: If the meditation is wisdom, what will the message be? When the meditation of the heart is wisdom, wicked thoughts will not come within it, nor is a place given to the devil or those things that defile people. — SELECTIONS FROM THE Psalms 49:4-5 Ambrose of Milan: The Lord opens up a theme or problem that has been closed when he finds an apt organ and a chosen instrument. Call it a harp. Such as this was Paul. He rang out the sweet canticle of grace, awaking all the strings of his harp in harmonious sound; plucking the inner chords by grace of the Holy Spirit and playing in ringing tones both interiorly and exteriorly.… Excellent harp, where a person's life is in tune with his faith, and his flesh with his soul. Sweet harp, where discipline of lifestyle sings a canticle. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms, On Psalms 49 Augustine of Hippo: "I will incline mine ear to the parable, I will show my proposition upon the harp" [Psalms 49:4]....And why "to a parable"? Because "now we see through a glass darkly," [1 Corinthians 13:12] as says the Apostle; "while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord." [2 Corinthians 5:6] For our vision is not yet that face to face, where there are no longer parables, where there no longer are riddles and comparisons. Whatever now we understand we behold through riddles. A riddle is a dark parable which it is hard to understand. Howsoever a man may cultivate his heart and apply himself to apprehend mysteries, so long as we see through the corruption of this flesh, we see but in part....But as He was seen by those who believed, and by those who crucified Him, when He was judged; so will He be seen, when He shall have begun to be judge, both by those whom He shall condemn, and by those whom He shall crown. But that vision of divinity, which He has promised to them that love Him, when He says, "He that loves Me shall be loved of My Father, and he that loves Me keeps My commandments, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him:" [John 14:21] this the ungodly shall not see. This manifestation is in a certain way familiar: He keeps it for His own, He will not show it to the ungodly. Of what sort is the vision itself? Of what sort is Christ? Equal to the Father. Of what sort is Christ? "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." [John 1:1] For this vision we sigh now, and groan so long as we sojourn here; to this vision we shall be brought home at the last, this vision now we see but darkly. If then we see now darkly, let us "incline our ear to the parable," and then let us "show our proposition upon the harp:" let us hear what we say, do what we enjoin. — Exposition on Psalms 49 Basil of Caesarea: The things that I teach, he says, from the Spirit, these I proclaim to you, saying nothing of my own, nothing human; but, since I have been listening to the propositions of the Spirit, who hands down in mystery to us the wisdom of God, I am opening for you and am making manifest the proposition; moreover, I am opening not otherwise than through psaltery. The psaltery is a musical instrument that gives out its sounds harmoniously with the melody of the voice. Accordingly, the rational psaltery is opened especially at that time when actions in harmony with the words are displayed. And he is a spiritual psaltery who has acted and has taught. He it is who opens the proposition in the psalms, setting forth the possibility of the teaching from his own example.… There is nothing incongruous or out of tune in his life. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 19:2 (Psalms 49) Evagrius Ponticus: One who is in a calm spirit sings psalms. Through psalms he opens teaching. Through tranquility of spirit he understands teaching. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 48[49].4, 5 John Chrysostom: The term "parable" or "proverb" has many meanings. A parable is a saying, an example, a reproach, as when he says, "You have made us a parable among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples." A parable is also a riddle, which many call a question, suggesting something not immediately clear from the words but containing a meaning hidden within.… A parable also means a comparison: "He proposed another parable to them, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is like a man sowing good seed.' " A parable also means a figure of speech: "Son of man, tell them this proverb: The great eagle, the one with big wings," meaning by eagle the king. A parable also means a type, or likeness, as Paul also shows in the words "By faith he sacrificed Isaac … whence also in figure he received him back," that is, in type and in likeness. What then, does the "parable" mean to him here? It seems to me to refer to the narration.… The parable, you see, sorts out the worthy listener from the unworthy: whereas the worthy takes steps to find the meaning, the unworthy bypasses it.… Do you see the introduction he fashioned? He summoned the world, he abrogated inequality in lifestyle, called their attention to their nature, repressed their arrogance, promised to say something great and noble, denied he was saying anything of his own but what he had heard from him, hinted there was deep obscurity in the message, thus making them more attentive. He promised to teach us spiritual wisdom, on which he had meditated unceasingly. So let us pay attention and not pass it by. If in fact the message is wise, a parable, a riddle, there is need of a mind on the alert. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 49:2-3 Theodoret of Cyrus: The words put forward by me are full of wisdom, he is saying, but I learned them by submitting my hearing to the words hidden in the depths. And what I learned through hearing I put forward through the organ of the tongue. Now, he means to say, I utter nothing of my own; rather, I am an instrument of divine grace. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 49:4 Augustine of Hippo: And what has he said? "And wherefore shall I fear in the evil day? The iniquity of my heel shall compass me" [Psalms 49:5]. He begins something obscurely. Therefore he ought the rather to fear if the iniquity of his heel shall compass him. Nay, for let not man fear, he says, who has not power to escape. For example, he who fears death, what shall he do to escape death? Let him tell me how he is to escape what Adam owes, he who is born of Adam. But let him consider that he is born of Adam, and has followed Christ, and ought to pay what Adam owes, and obtain what Christ has promised. Therefore, he who fears death can no wise escape: but he who fears the damnation which the ungodly shall hear, "Go ye into everlasting fire," [Matthew 25:41] has an escape. Let him not fear then. For why should he fear? Will the iniquity of his heel compass him? If then he avoid "the iniquity of his heel," and walk in the ways of God, he shall not come to the evil day: the evil day, the last day, shall not be evil to him....Now while they live, let them take heed to themselves, let them put away iniquity from their heel: let them walk in that way, let them walk in the way of which He says Himself, "I am the way, the truth, and the life:" [John 14:6] and let them not fear in the evil day, for He gives them safety who became "The Way." Therefore let them avoid the iniquity of their heel. With the heel a man slips. Let your Love observe. What was said by God to the Serpent? "She shall mark your head, and you shall mark her heel." The devil marks your heel, in order that when you slip he may overthrow you. He marks your heel, do thou mark his head. What is his head? The beginning of an evil suggestion. When he begins to suggest evil thoughts, then you thrust him away before pleasure arises, and consent follows; and so shall you avoid his head, and he shall not grasp your heel. But wherefore said He this to Eve? Because through the flesh man does slip. Our flesh is an Eve within us. "He that loves his wife," he says, "loves himself." What means "himself"? He continues, and says, "For no man ever yet has hated his own flesh." [Ephesians 5:28-29] Because then the devil would make us slip through the flesh, just as he made that man Adam to slip, through Eve; Eve is bidden to mark the head of the devil, because the devil marks her heel. "If then the iniquity of our heel shall compass us, why fear we in the evil day," since being converted to Christ we are able not to do iniquity; and there will be nothing to compass us, and we shall joy and not sorrow in the last day? — Exposition on Psalms 49 John Chrysostom: It strikes many people, in fact, as extremely strange and intriguing to say there is nothing to fear in the troubles of life. What, therefore, should I fear, he asks, in the evil day? One thing only, the risk of the lawlessness of my way and my life surrounding me.… Those who fear it will never fear anything else; instead, they will mock the goods of this life and scorn its troubles, that fear alone making their mind tremble. Nothing, you see, nothing else is fearsome for the person possessed of this fear, not even death, the very acme of fearsome things apart from this alone.… The person afraid only of that, and of nothing else, will be like an angel; there is, in fact, nothing else to be afraid of, if one fears that, as one should fear it—just as the one not fearing it is exposed to many fearsome things. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 49:3-4 Theodoret of Cyrus: I fear and dread the day of retribution, on which the righteous Judge will repay everyone according to their works. Now, aware of this, keep such fear before your eyes in your own case.… But if you were to inquire why I am afraid, listen closely: it is an evil day, about which countless declamations are made in the inspired Scriptures. The cause of my fear is the life of lawlessness, through which I strayed from the straight and narrow. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 49:5 Augustine of Hippo: But who are they whom the "iniquity of their heel shall compass"? "They who trust in their virtue, and in the abundance of their riches do glory" [Psalms 49:6]. Therefore such sins will I avoid, and the "iniquity of my heel" shall never compass me. What is avoiding such sins? Let us not trust in our own virtue, let us not glory in the abundance of our own riches, but let us glory in Him who has promised to us, being humble, exaltation, and has threatened condemnation to men exalted; and then iniquity of our heel shall never compass us. — Exposition on Psalms 49 Basil of Caesarea: Even if he seems to be one of the very powerful people in this life, even if he is surrounded with a great number of possessions, these words teach him to descend from such a notion and to humble himself under the mighty hand of God. … Not even the soul is complete in itself for salvation.… Every human soul has bowed down under the evil yoke of slavery imposed by the common enemy of all and, being deprived of the very freedom that it received from the Creator, has been led captive through sin. Every captive has need of ransoms for his freedom. Now, neither a brother can ransom his brother, nor can anyone ransom himself, because he who is ransoming must be much better than he who has been overcome and is now a slave. But, actually, no one has the power with respect to God to make atonement for a sinner, since he himself is liable for sin. "All have sinned and have need of the glory of God. They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" our Lord. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 19:3 (Psalms 49) Ambrose of Milan: Just as there is one God, "so too there is only one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." He is unique. He alone redeems humankind. He goes far beyond brotherly love, for he sheds his own blood for strangers. None other could offer him for his brother. To redeem us from sin, he did not spare his own body "but gave himself as redemption for all." … Why, you might ask, is Christ the only one who redeems? I reply that no one has love equal to his; no one but he can lay down his life for his little servants; no one can equal him in innocence and integrity. For we are all under sin; in Adam's fall we all had fallen. No one could be chosen as our redeemer except the One who was in no way subject to the ancient sin. It follows that by "the man" we must understand the Lord Jesus. He took on himself the human condition, to crucify in his own flesh our sin and so blot out in his blood the handwriting of the charge that had been made against our whole race. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms, On Psalms 49 Augustine of Hippo: There are some who rely on their friends, others rely on their virtue, others on their riches. This is the presumption of mankind which relieth not on God. He hath spoken of virtue, he hath spoken of riches, he speaketh of friends. "Brother redeemeth not, shall man redeem?" (ver. 7). Dost thou expect that man shall redeem thee from the wrath to come? If brother redeem thee not, shall man redeem thee? Who is the brother, who if He hath not redeemed thee, no man will redeem? It is He who said after His resurrection, "Go, tell My brethren." Our Brother He hath willed to be: and when we say to God, "Our Father," this is manifested in us. For he that saith to God, "Our Father;" saith to Christ, "Brother." Therefore let him that hath God for his Father and Christ for his Brother, not fear in the evil day. "For the iniquity of his heel shall not compass him;" for he relieth not on his virtue, nor glorieth in the abundance of his riches, nor vaunteth himself of his powerful friends. Let him rely on Him who died for him, that he might not die eternally: who for his sake was humbled, in order that he might be exalted; who sought him ungodly, in order that He might be sought by him faithful. Therefore if He redeem not, shall man redeem? Shall any man redeem, if the Son of man redeem not? If Christ redeem not, shall Adam redeem? "Brother redeemeth not, shall man redeem?" — ON THE PSALMS - Psalms 49 Basil of Caesarea: In fact, what can one find great enough that he may give it for the ransom of his soul? But one thing was found worth as much as all people together. This was given for the price of ransom for our souls, the holy and highly honored blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he poured out for all of us; therefore, we were bought at a great price. If, then, a brother does not redeem, will a man redeem? But if man cannot redeem us, he who redeems us is not a man. Now, do not assume, because he sojourned with us "in the likeness of sinful flesh," that our Lord is only man, failing to discern the power of the divinity, who had no need to give God a ransom for himself or to redeem his own soul because "he did no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth." No one is sufficient to redeem himself, unless he comes who turns away the captivity of the people, not with ransoms or with gifts, as it is written in Isaiah, but in his own blood.… He does not need a ransom, but he himself is the propitiation. — HOMILY ON Psalms 19:4 (Psalms 49) Diodorus of Tarsus: This alone—namely, sin—is not up for sale, nor does it get help from family connections, as elsewhere also the Lord says that even if Noah, Daniel and Job were to rise up, they would not save their children from their crimes. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 49 Theodoret of Cyrus: Now, you need to understand that virtue and godliness neither of forebears nor brothers is of benefit to those lacking them, nor is it possible after departure from here to buy salvation with money. It is in the present life, you see, as a sage says, "one's own wealth is his ransom." — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 49:6 Augustine of Hippo: "He shall not give to God his propitiation, and the price of the redemption of his soul" (ver. 8). He trusteth in his virtue, and in the abundance of his riches doth glory, who "shall not give to God his propitiation:" that is, satisfaction whereby he may prevail with God for his sins: "nor the price of the redemption of his soul," who relieth on his virtue, and on his friends, and on his riches. But who are they that give the price of the redemption of their souls? They to whom the Lord saith, "Make to yourselves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness, that they may receive you into everlasting habitations." They give the price of the redemption of their soul who cease not to do almsdeeds. So those whom the Apostle chargeth by Timothy he would not have to be proud, lest they should glory in the abundance of their riches. Lastly, what they possessed he would not have to grow old in their hands: but that something should be made of it to be for the price of the redemption of their souls. For he saith, "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded: nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy." And as if they had said, "What shall we then make of our riches?" he continueth, "Let them be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate," and they will not lose that. How know we? Hear what followeth. "Let them lay up for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on the true life." So shall they give the price of the redemption of their soul. And our Lord counselleth this: "Make for yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where thief approacheth not, neither moth corrupteth." God would not have thee lose thy wealth, but He hath given thee counsel to change the place thereof. Let your love understand. Suppose thy friend were just now to enter thy house, and find thou hadst placed thy store of grain in a damp place, and he knew the natural proneness of grain to decay, which thou perchance knewest not, he would give thee counsel of this sort, saying, "Brother, thou art losing what with great toil thou hast gathered, thou hast placed it in a damp place, in a few days this grain will decay." "And what am I to do, brother?" "Raise it into a higher place." Thou wouldest hearken to thy friend suggesting that thou shouldest raise grain from a lower to a higher chamber, and dost thou not hearken to Christ charging thee to lift thy treasure from earth to heaven, where not what thou keepest in store may be paid to thee, but that thou mayest keep in store earth, mayest receive heaven, mayest keep in store things mortal, mayest receive things everlasting, that while thou lendest Christ to receive at thy hands but a small loan upon earth, He may repay thee a great recompense in Heaven? Nevertheless, they whom "the iniquity of their heel shall compass," because they trust in their virtue, and in the abundance of their riches do glory, and rely on human friends who are able to help them in nothing, "shall not give to God their propitiation, and the price of the redemption of their souls." — ON THE PSALMS - Psalms 49 John Chrysostom: Just as a parent would not choose a house in preference to his child, just so God would not choose the world in preference to the soul.… Do you want to learn how great the price for our souls? The Only-begotten, intending to redeem us, gave not the world, not a human being, not land, not sea, but his precious blood. Thus Paul too said, "A price has been paid for you; do not become people's slaves." Do you see the greatness of the price?… Do you see how elevated the soul's dignity? Consequently, never despise the soul nor make it captive. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 49:5 Theodore of Mopsuestia: Sin is worse than everything; it is this that must be feared, not the possibility of being in need of money, since a person who is rich and in the grip of a multitude of sins is in real difficulty and does not find release from the troubles.… Nor can he then himself by paying money to God prevail on him to desist from punishment; nor does he succeed in redeeming his soul, weighed down as it is with sin. And so sin is worse than anything, since no one who is weighed down by it and is consequently the object of punishment by God can be freed from danger. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 49:6B-9 Augustine of Hippo: And what has he said of such a man? "Yea, he has laboured for ever, and shall live till the end" [Psalms 49:9]. His labour shall be without end, his life shall have an end. Wherefore says he, "He shall live till the end"? Because such men think life to be nought but daily enjoyments. So when many poor and needy men of our times, unstable, and not looking to what God does promise them for their labours, see rich men in daily feastings, in the splendour and glitter of gold and of silver, they say what? "These are the only people; they really live!" This is a saying, be it said no longer: we both warn you, and it remains to warn you, that it be said by fewer persons than it would be said, if we had not warned you. For we do not presume to say that we so say these words, as that it be not said, but that it be said by fewer persons: for it will be said even unto the end of the world. It is too little that he says, "he lives;" he adds and says, he thunders, do you think that he alone lives? Let him live! His life will be ended: because he gives not the price of the redemption of his soul, his life will end, his labour will not end. "He laboured for ever, and shall live till the end." How shall he live till the end? As he lived that was "clothed with purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day," [Luke 16:19] who, being proud and puffed up, spurned the man full of sores lying before his gate, whose sores the dogs licked, and who longed for the crumbs which fell from his table. What did those riches profit him? Both changed places: the one was borne from the rich man's gate into Abraham's bosom, the other from his rich feasts was cast into the fire; the one was in peace, the other burned; the one was sated, the other thirsted; the one had laboured till the end, but he lived for ever; the other had lived till the end, but he laboured for ever. And what did it profit the rich man, who asked, while lying in torments in hell, that a drop of water should be poured upon his tongue from the finger of Lazarus, saying, "For I am burning here in this flame," [Luke 16:24] and it was not granted to him? One longed for the drop from the finger, as the other had for the crumbs from the rich man's table; but the labour of the one is ended, and the life of the other is ended: the labour of this is for ever, the life of that is for ever. We who labour perchance here on the earth, have not our life here: and shall not be so placed hereafter, for our life shall be Christ for ever: while they who "will" have their life here, shall labour for ever and live till the end. — Exposition on Psalms 49 Ambrose of Milan: A fool has no discernment, and his thoughts are stupid. The unwise person can think, but what he thinks is bad: "The unwise person has said that there is no God." He is culpably wicked because he knows what goodness is. Yet, though he knows it, he commits iniquity in the evil of his own heart. He is also dishonest. Again, not because he does not know what honesty is but because he is so twisted that he would wish to destroy honesty. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms, On Psalms 49 Arnobius the Younger: All those great, wise and outspoken will die, not only the foolish and those who gather riches. They are unwilling to have mercy on the ones in need, and they leave their riches behind for others. Although they have many houses, their tombs are their house for eternity. Wretched person. He does not understand that while he is in this body he begins to die. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 49 Augustine of Hippo: "For he shall not see death, though he shall have seen wise men dying" (ver. 10). The man who laboured for ever and shall live till the end, "shall not see death, though he shall have seen wise men dying." What is this? He shall not comprehend what death is, whenever he shall have seen wise men dying. For he saith to himself, "this fellow, for all he was wise and dwelled with wisdom and worshipped God with piety, is he not dead? Therefore I will enjoy myself while I live; for if they that are wise in other respects, could do anything, they would not have died." Just as the Jews saw Christ hanging on the Cross and despised Him, saying, "If this Man were the Son of God, He would come down from the Cross:" not seeing what death is. If they had seen what death is; if they had seen, I say, He died for a time, that He might live again for ever: they lived for a time, that they might die for ever. But because they saw Him dying, they saw not death, that is to say, they understood not what was very death. What say they even in Wisdom? "Let us condemn Him with a most shameful death, for by His own sayings He shall be respected;" for if he is indeed the Son of God, He will deliver Him from the hands of His adversaries: He will not suffer His Son to die, if He is truly His Son. But when they saw themselves insulting Him upon the Cross, and Him not descending from the Cross, they said, He was indeed but a Man. Thus was it spoken: and surely He could have come down from the Cross, He that could rise again from the tomb: but He taught us to bear with those who insult us; He taught us to be patient of the tongues of men, to drink now the cup of bitterness, and afterwards to receive everlasting salvation.... — On the Psalms, Psalms 49 Augustine of Hippo: But do those same aliens indeed serve them who are called their own? Hear in what they serve them, observe how they are ridiculed: why hath he said, "to strangers"? Because they can do them no good. Nevertheless, wherein do they seem to themselves to do good? "And their tombs shall be their house for ever" (ver. 11). Now because these tombs are erected, the tombs are a house. For often thou hearest a rich man saying, I have a house of marble which I must quit, and I think not for myself of an eternal house, where I shall alway be. When he thinketh to make for himself a monument of marble or of sculpture, he is deeming as it were of an eternal house: as if therein this rich man would abide! If he would abide there, he would not burn in hell. We must consider that the place where the spirit of an evil doer abideth, is not where the mortal body is laid: but "their tombs shall be their house for ever. Their dwelling places are from generation to generation." "Dwelling places" are wherein they abode for a season: "house" is wherein they will abide as it were for ever, that is to say, their tombs. Thus they leave their dwelling places, where they abode while they lived, to their families, and they pass as it were to everlasting houses, to their tombs. What profit to them are "their dwelling places, from generation to generation"? Now suppose a generation and generation are sons, grandsons there will be, and great grandsons; what do their dwelling places, what do they profit them? What? Hear: "they shall invoke their names in their lands." What is this? They shall take bread and wine to their tombs, and there they shall invoke the names of the dead. Dost thou consider how loudly was invoked the name of the rich man after his death, when men drank them drunk at his monument, and there came down not one drop upon his own burning tongue? Men minister to their own belly, not to the ghosts of their friends. The souls of the dead nothing doth reach, but what they have done of themselves while alive: but if they have done nought of themselves while alive, nothing doth reach them dead. But what do the survivors? They will but "invoke their names in their lands." — On the Psalms, Psalms 49 Basil of Caesarea: One who is dead through sins does not dwell in a house but a sepulcher, since his soul is dead.… The thoroughly depraved person dwells in a sepulcher and does not even lay down a foundation of penance because of his dead works, but he is "like a whited sepulcher, which outwardly is very conspicuous but inwardly is full of dead men's bones and of all uncleanness." Therefore, when such a one speaks, he does not open his mouth in the word of God, but he has an open sepulcher as his throat. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 19:6 (Psalms 49) Theodoret of Cyrus: Bereft not only of wisdom but also of influence and all affluence, they will meet their end, dispatched from their lavish homes to graves and forced to occupy them forever. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 49:8 Augustine of Hippo: "And man though he was in honour perceived not, he was compared to the beasts without sense, and was made like to them." ...They ought, on the contrary, to have made ready for themselves an eternal house in good works, to have made ready for themselves everlasting life, to have sent before them expenditure, to have followed their works, to have ministered to a needy companion, to have given to him with whom they were walking, not to have despised Christ covered with sores before their gate, who hath said, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me." However, "man being in honour hath not understood." What is, "being in honour"? Being made after the image and likeness of God, man is preferred to beasts. For God hath not so made man as He made a beast: but God hath made man for beasts to minister to: is it to his strength then, and not to his understanding? Nay. But he "understood not;" and he who was made after the image of God, "is compared to the beasts without sense, and is made like unto them." Whence it is said elsewhere, "Be ye not like to horse and mule, in which there is no understanding." — Exposition on Psalms 49 Augustine of Hippo: For as a snake does not creep on with open steps, but advances by the very minutest efforts of its several scales; so the slippery motion of falling away [from what is good] takes possession of the negligent only gradually, and beginning from a perverse desire for the likeness of God, arrives in the end at the likeness of beasts. Hence it is that being naked of their first garment, they earned by mortality coats of skins. For the true honor of man is the image and likeness of God, which is not preserved except it be in relation to Him by whom it is impressed. The less therefore that one loves what is one's own, the more one cleaves to God. But through the desire of making trial of his own power, man by his own bidding falls down to himself as to a sort of intermediate grade. And so, while he wishes to be as God is, that is, under no one, he is thrust on, even from his own middle grade, by way of punishment, to that which is lowest, that is, to those things in which beasts delight: and thus, while his honor is the likeness of God, but his dishonor is the likeness of the beast, "Man being in honor abideth not: he is compared to the beasts that are foolish, and is made like to them." By what path, then, could he pass so great a distance from the highest to the lowest, except through his own intermediate grade? For when he neglects the love of wisdom, which remains always after the same fashion, and lusts after knowledge by experiment upon things temporal and mutable, that knowledge puffeth up, it does not edify: so the mind is overweighed and thrust out, as it were, by its own weight from blessedness; and learns by its own punishment, through that trial of its own intermediateness, what the difference is between the good it has abandoned and the bad to which it has committed itself; and having thrown away and destroyed its strength, it cannot return, unless by the grace of its Maker calling it to repentance, and forgiving its sins. For who will deliver the unhappy soul from the body of this death, unless the grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord? — On The Trinity, Book 12 Augustine of Hippo: With regard, however, to the passage in the inspired psalm, "Man, being in honour, understandeth not; he is compared to the senseless cattle, and is like unto them;" read and understand these words, that you may rather with a humble spirit guard against the opprobrium yourself, than arrogantly throw it out against another person. The passage applies to those who regard only that as a life worth living which they live in the flesh-having no hope after death-just like "cattle;" it has no reference to those who never deny their knowledge of what they actually know, and always acknowledge their ignorance of what they really do not know; who, in point of fact, are aware of their weakness, rather than confident of their strength. — On the Soul and Its Origin, Book 4 Basil of Caesarea: Humankind, then, having been advanced above other created things in honor, did not understand and neglected to follow God and to become like the Creator. Becoming a slave of the passions of the flesh, "he is compared with senseless beasts and is become like them": now he is like an amorous horse that neighs after his neighbor's wife, now like a ravenous wolf, lying in wait for strangers, but at another time, because of his deceit toward his brother, he makes himself like the villainous fox. Truly, there is excessive folly and beast-like lack of reason, that he, made according to the image of the Creator, neither perceives his own constitution from the beginning, nor even wishes to understand such great dispensations that were made for his sake, at least, to learn his own dignity from them, but that he is unmindful of the fact that, throwing aside the image of the heavenly, he has taken up the image of the earthly. In order that he might not remain in sin, for his sake "The Word was made flesh and dwelled among us," and he humbled himself to such an extent as to become "obedient to death, even to death on a cross." — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 19:8 (Psalms 49) Ephrem the Syrian: David wept for Adam, at how he fell from that royal abode to the abode of wild animals. Because he went astray through a beast he became like the beasts. He ate, together with them as a result of the curse, grass and roots, and he died, becoming their peer. Blessed is he who set him apart from the wild animals again. — HYMNS ON PARADISE 13:5 Isaac of Nineveh: The honour belonging to rational nature is the discernment that tells good from evil, and those who have destroyed it are justly compared to "mindless cattle," which have no rational and discerning faculty. — ASCETICAL HOMILIES 47 Theodore of Mopsuestia: Despite having so much enjoyment in the present life, possessing many natural advantages by comparison with other living creatures and enjoying a great number of gifts, they did not understand the greatness of the honor conferred on them by God; instead, by their insensitivity to the possession of their attributes they are no different from cattle, which possess no intelligence.… While giving little heed to thanking the giver, they live a heedless life and grow old in their sins. Thus, they also are the objects of a rigorous verdict from God. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 49:13 Augustine of Hippo: "This their own way is an offense to them" [Psalms 49:13]. Be it an offense to them, not to you. But when will it be so to you too? If you think such men to be blessed. If you perceive that they be not blessed, their own way will be an offense to themselves; not to Christ, not to His Body, not to His members. "And afterwards they shall bless with their mouth." What means, "Afterwards they shall bless with their mouth"? Though they have become such, that they seek nothing but temporal goods, yet they become hypocrites: and when they bless God, with lips they bless, and not with heart. Christians like these, when to them eternal life is commended, and they are told, that in the name of Christ they ought to be despisers of riches, do make grimaces in their hearts: and if they dare not do it with open face, lest they blush, or lest they should be rebuked by men, yet they do it in heart, and scorn; and there remains in their mouth blessing, and in their heart cursing. The Second Part. — Exposition on Psalms 49 Fulgentius of Ruspe: Those boast of the abundance of their riches who love their riches in such a way that they place their ultimate happiness in them. They trust in their own strength who scorn riches in such a way that they attribute this contempt to their own strength. Both types are proud; the former, because they trust in their wealth, not in God; the latter, because they wish to attribute the fact that they spurn riches to themselves, not to God; the former, because they love badly that which cannot be loved well; the latter because they do not spurn well that which can be spurned well; and for this reason, the former do evil badly, the latter do good badly. — LETTER 6:7 Theodore of Mopsuestia: He uses "this" as a demonstrative, meaning, Such behavior is responsible for their troubles, and their heedless enjoyment of God's good things inevitably brings down on them God's punishment.… Even when those forebears who were in receipt of riches suffer retribution and just punishment from God, people after them do not come to their senses; on the contrary, they are pleased with the words and actions of the others and hasten to imitate them, acting in similar fashion regarding wealth and the good things of this life, giving too little heed to virtue to be brought around by the punishment of their predecessors. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 49:14A-B Augustine of Hippo: "Like sheep laid in hell, death is their shepherd." Whose? Of those whose way is a stumbling-block to themselves. Whose? Of those who mind only things present, while they think not of things future: of those who think not of any life, but of that which must be called death. Not without cause, then, like sheep in hell, have they death to their shepherd. What meaneth, "they have death to their shepherd"? For is death either some thing or some power? Yea, death is either the separation of the soul from the body, or a separation of the soul from God, and that indeed which men fear is the separation of the soul from the body: but the real death, which men do not fear, is the separation of the soul from God. And ofttimes when men fear that which doth separate the soul from the body, they fall into that wherein the soul is separated from God. This then is death. But how is "death their shepherd"? If Christ is life, the devil is death. But we read in many places in Scripture, how that Christ is life. But the devil is death, not because he is himself death, but because through him is death. For whether that (death) wherein Adam fell was given man to drink by the persuasion of him: or whether that wherein the soul is separated from the body, still they have him for the author thereof, who first falling through pride envied him who stood, and overthrew him who stood with an invisible death, in order that he might have to pay the visible death. They who belong to him have death to their shepherd: but we who think of future immortality, and not without reason do wear the sign of the Cross of Christ on the forehead, have no shepherd but life. Of unbelievers death is the shepherd, of believers life is the shepherd. If then in hell are the sheep, whose shepherd is death, in heaven are the sheep, whose shepherd is life. What then? Are we now in heaven? In heaven we are by faith. For if not in heaven, where is the "Lift up your heart"? If not in heaven, whence with the Apostle Paul, "For our conversation is in heaven"? In body we walk on earth, in heart we dwell in heaven. We dwell there, if thither we send anything which holdeth us there. For no one dwelleth in heart, save where thought is: but there his thought is, where his treasure is. He hath treasured on earth, his heart doth not withdraw from earth: he hath treasured in heaven, his heart from heaven doth not come down: for the Lord saith plainly, "Where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also." — Exposition on Psalms 49 Isaac of Nineveh: They will be withdrawn from the comely glory of their nature, and their bodies will become a desolate place. Recollect at all times that lamentable sight of corruption, that formless dispersion of your senses, that ruin of the edifice of your body, and how your wholesome constitution will become mud in Sheol. Blessed is the man who greets the recollection of this destruction with joy! Blessed is he who with good hope awaits that deed so replete with mystery wherein is concealed the wonder of the Creator's power! — ASCETICAL HOMILIES 64 John Chrysostom: The manner in which they will be cut down, in which they will perish suddenly and betake themselves to hell with ease, with facility, unexpectedly, effortlessly, is the manner in which sheep are cut down. This is death, or, rather, their fate is much worse than death: after such an end undying death will take possession of them, and thus it will not be into Abraham's bosom they will be seen to repair nor to any place other than hell, the name for retribution, for punishment, for utter destruction. Their end here is vile and despicable, and their sojourn there nothing but punishment. This is the way we, too, customarily speak of those easily lost: Led like sheep to the slaughter. After all, since they lived like brutes, they also die like brutes, with no optimism for the future—and not only that, but that they have come to a bad end … completely under the control of ruin. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 49:9 Augustine of Hippo: "Nevertheless, God shall redeem my soul." Behold the voice of one hoping in the future: "Nevertheless, God shall redeem my soul." Perhaps it is the voice of one still wishing to be relieved from oppression. Some one is in prison, he saith, "God shall redeem my soul:" some one is in bond, "God shall redeem my soul:" some one is suffering peril by sea, is being tossed by waves and raging tempests, what saith he? "God shall redeem my soul." They would be delivered for the sake of this life. Not such is the voice of this man. Hear what followeth: "God shall redeem my soul from the hand of hell, when He shall have received me." He is speaking of this redemption, which Christ now showeth in Himself. For He hath descended into hell, and hath ascended into heaven. What we have seen in the Head we have found in the Body. For what we have believed in the Head, they that have seen, have themselves told us, and by ourselves we have seen: "For we are" all "one body." But are they better that hear, we worse to whom it hath been told? Not so saith The Life Itself, Our Shepherd Himself. For He rebuketh a certain disciple of His, doubting and desiring to handle His scars, and when he had handled the scars and had cried out, saying, "My Lord and my God," seeing His disciple doubting, and looking to the whole world about to believe, "Because thou hast seen Me," He saith, "thou hast believed: blessed are they that see not, and believe." "But God shall redeem my soul from the land of hell, when He hath received me." Here then what? Labour, oppression, tribulation, temptation: expect nothing else. Where joy? In future hope. ... — Exposition on Psalms 49 John Chrysostom: Now we walk through faith, not through sight, but then face to face. With the soul ransomed, the body too will share the good things. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 49:10 Theodore of Mopsuestia: God is able to pluck one from the midst of death even if it seems already to have taken hold (the phrase "from the hand of hades" meaning, Even if it has one in its grasp, it is possible and very easy for God to snatch one away). — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 49:16 Augustine of Hippo: ...Perchance thy heart saith, Wretch that I am, I suppose to no purpose I have believed, God doth not regard things human. God therefore doth awaken us: and He saith what? "Fear not, though a man have become rich." For why didst thou fear, because a man hath become rich? Thou didst fear that thou hadst believed to no purpose, that perchance thou shouldest have lost the labour for thy faith, and the hope of thy conversion: because perchance there hath come in thy way gain with guilt, and thou couldest have been rich, if thou hadst seized upon that same gain with the guilt, and neededst not have laboured; and thou, remembering what God hath threatened, hast refrained from guilt, and hast contemned the gain: thou seest another man that hath made gain by guilt, and hath suffered no harm; and thou fearest to be good. "Fear not," saith the Spirit of God to thee, "though a man shall have become rich." Wouldest thou not have eyes but for things present? Things future He hath promised, who hath risen again; peace in this world, and repose in this life, He hath not promised. Every man doth seek repose; a good thing he is seeking, but not in the proper region thereof he is seeking it. There is no peace in this life; in Heaven hath been promised that which on earth we are seeking: in the world to come hath been promised that which in this world we are seeking. — Exposition on Psalms 49 Basil of Caesarea: When you see the unjust becoming rich and the just poor, do not fear for yourself; do not be dismayed in mind, as if the providence of God is nowhere looking on human affairs, or perhaps, somewhere there is a divine watchfulness, but it does not reach to places near the earth, so as to watch over our affairs; for, if there were a providence, it would be apportioning to each person what is proper to him, so that the just, who understand how to use wealth, would be rich, but the wicked, who have wealth as the instrument of their wickedness, would be poor.… Now, since there are many who have such notions and who, because of the apparent inconsistency of the distribution of the fortunes of life, assume that the world is not the work of providence, the Scripture addresses these to calm their uninstructed emotion.… Do not be faint about present affairs, but await that blessed and everlasting life. Then you will see that poverty and contempt and the lack of luxuries befall the just person for his good. And do not be troubled now about imagined good things, as though they were unjustly divided. You will hear how it will be said to a certain rich man, "You in your lifetime have received good things," but to the poor person that he receives evils in his life. As a consequence, therefore, the latter is consoled, but the former suffers pain. — HOMILIES ON THE Psalms 19:10 (Psalms 49) Theodoret of Cyrus: After this he provides explanation and advice for those condemned to a life of poverty and worn out through the arrogance of the rich.… Do not consider present prosperity any great thing, he is saying: wealth that catches all eyes is not lasting; those who raise their eyebrows and are puffed up at it will shortly after leave it all behind and be dispatched to death. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 49:11 Ambrose of Milan: Do not be troubled when you hear that the glory of someone's house has increased. Think deeply about it, and you will see that a house is empty if it is not filled with faith.… Adam, by his ruin, left us void and empty, but Christ's grace has filled the void. Christ emptied himself so that the fullness of virtue might live in human flesh. — Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms, On Psalms 49 Augustine of Hippo: "Fear not, though a man be made rich, and though the glory of his house be multiplied." Wherefore "fear not"? "For when he shall die, he shall not receive anything." Thou seest him living, consider him dying. Thou markest what he hath here, mark what he taketh with him. What doth he take with him? He hath store of gold, he hath store of silver, numerous estates, slaves: he dieth, these remain, he knoweth not for whom. For though he leaveth them for whom he will, he keepeth them not for whom he will. For many have gained even what was not left them, and many have lost what was left them. All these things then remain, and he taketh with him what? Perhaps some one saith, He taketh that with him in which he is wound, and that which is expended upon him for a costly and marble tomb. to erect a monument, this he taketh with him. I say, not even this. For these things are presented to him without his feeling them. If thou deckest a man sleeping and not awake, he hath the decorations with him on the couch perhaps the decorations are resting upon the body of him as he lieth, and perhaps he seeth himself in tatters during sleep. What he feeleth is more to him than what he feeleth not Though even this when he shall have awaked will not be: yet to him sleeping, that which he saw in sleep was more than that which he felt not. Why then, brethren, should men say to themselves, Let money be spent at my death: why do I leave my heirs rich? Many things will they have of mine, let me too have something of my own for my body. What shall a dead body have? what shall rotting flesh have? what shall flesh not feeling have? If that rich man had anything, whose tongue was dry, then man hath something of his own. My brethren, do we read in the Gospel, that this rich man appeared in the fire with all-silken and fine-linen coverings? Was he of such sort in hell as he was in feastings at table? When he thirsted and desired a drop, all those things were not there. Therefore man carrieth not with him anything, nor doth the dead take with him that which the burial taketh. For where feeling is, there is the man; where is no feeling, the man is not. There lieth fallen the vessel which contained the man, the house which held the man. The body let us call the house, the spirit let us call the inhabitant of the house. The spirit is tormented in hell: what doth it profit him, that the body lieth in spices and perfumes, wound in costly linens? just as if the master of the house should be sent into banishment, and thou shouldest garnish the walls of his house. He in banishment is in need, and doth faint with hunger, he scarce findeth to himself one hovel where he may snatch a sleep, and thou sayest, "Happy is he, for his house hath been garnished." Who would not judge that thou wast either jesting or wast mad? Thou dost garnish the body, the spirit is tormented. Give something to the spirit, and ye have given something to the dead man. But what wilt thou give him, when he desired one drop, and received not? For the man scorned to send before him anything. Wherefore scorned? "because this their way is a stumbling-block to them." He minded not any but the present life, he thought not but how he might be buried, wound in costly vestments. His soul was taken from him, as the Lord saith: "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be taken from thee, and whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?" And that is fulfilled which this Psalm saith: "Fear not, though a man be made rich, and though the glory of his house be multiplied: for when he shall die he shall not receive anything, nor shall his glory descend together with him." — Exposition on Psalms 49 Diodorus of Tarsus: Even if rich in this life, he will not for this reason prove to be blessed after death as well. On the contrary, then, he will leave it all behind and thus present himself naked at the judge's tribunal. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 49 John Chrysostom: He did not say, note, "when their glory is increased," but "the glory of their house." All these things that I enumerated, after all—fountains, walkways and baths, gold and silver, horses and mules, carpets and clothes—are the glory of the house, not of the person living in the house. A person's glory, in fact, is virtue, which takes the journey from here with its possessor. A house's glory, by contrast, itself remains here, or rather, far even from remaining, it disappears along with the house, doing no good to the one who lived in it. It did not belong to him, after all. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 49:11 Augustine of Hippo: Let your love observe: "For his soul shall be blessed in his life" (ver. 18). As long as he lived he did well for himself. This all men say, but say falsely. It is a blessing from the mind of the blesser, not from the truth itself. For what sayest thou? Because he ate and drank, because he did what he chose, because he feasted sumptuously, therefore he did well with himself. I say, he did ill for himself. Not I say, but Christ. He did ill for himself. For that rich man, when he feasted sumptuously every day, was supposed to do well with himself: but when he began to burn in hell, then that which was supposed to be well was found to be ill. For what he had eaten with men above, he digested in hell beneath. Unrighteousness I mean, brethren, on which he used to feast. He used to eat costly banquets with the mouth of flesh, with his heart's mouth he used to eat unrighteousness. What he ate with his heart's mouth with men above, this he digested amid those punishments in the places beneath. And verily he had eaten for a time, he digested ill for everlasting. Is then unrighteousness eaten? perhaps some one saith: what is it that he saith? Unrighteousness eaten? It is not I that say: hear the Scripture: "As a sour grape is vexation to the teeth, and smoke to the eyes, so is unrighteousness to them that use it." For he that shall have eaten unrighteousness, that is, he that shall have had unrighteousness wilfully, shall not be able to eat righteousness. For righteousness is bread. Who is bread? "I am the living bread which came down from heaven." Himself is the bread of our heart. ...Is then even righteousness eaten? If it were not eaten, the Lord would not have said, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness." Therefore "since his soul shall be blessed in life," in life it "shall" be blessed, in death it shall be tormented. ... — ON THE PSALMS - Psalms 49 John Chrysostom: Since, you see, this is a particular object of interest for the rich—flattery in the marketplace, attention from the populace, public commendation, tributes teeming with hypocrisy, cutting a fine figure at spectacles, applauded at banquets and in the courts, being on everybody's lips, thought to be conscientious—note how this in turn he prunes away in time. "In their lifetime," he says, note; that is, this publicity and being spoken well of lasts for this life, but it disappears along with everything else, being impermanent and perishable. Even when it comes from a display put on by the flatterers, after his death it is reversed when the mask of fear is stripped away. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 49:11 Augustine of Hippo: "He shall enter even unto the generations of his fathers" (ver. 19): that is, he shall imitate his fathers. For the unrighteous, that now are, have brothers, have fathers. Unrighteous men of old, are the fathers of the present; and they that are now unrighteous, are the fathers of unrighteous posterity: just as the fathers of the righteous, the righteous of old, are the fathers of the righteous that now are; and they that now are, are the fathers of them that are to be. The Holy Spirit hath willed to show that righteousness is not evil when men murmur against her: but these men have their father from the beginning, even to the generation of their fathers. Two men Adam begat, and in one was unrighteousness, in one was righteousness: unrighteousness in Cain, righteousness in Abel. Unrighteousness seemed to prevail over righteousness, because Cain unrighteous slew Abel righteous in the night. Is it so in the morning? Nay, "but the righteous shall reign over them in the morning." The morning shall come, and it shall be seen where Abel is, and where Cain. So all men who are after Cain, and so all who are after Abel, even unto the end of the world. "He shall enter even unto the generations of his fathers: even to eternity he shall not see light." Because even when he was here, he was in darkness, taking pleasure in false goods, and not loving real goods: even so he shall go hence into hell: from the darkness of his dreams the darkness of torments shall receive him. Therefore, "even to eternity he shall not see light." — ON THE PSALMS - Psalms 49 Augustine of Hippo: But wherefore this? What he has written in the middle of the Psalm, the same also he has writ at the end: "Man, though he was in honour, understood not, was compared to the beasts without sense, and was made like to them" [Psalms 49:20]. But you, brethren, consider that you be men made after the image and likeness of God. The image [Genesis 1:26] of God is within, is not in the body; is not in these ears which you see, and eyes, and nostrils, and palate, and hands, and feet; but is made nevertheless: wherein is the intellect, wherein is the mind, wherein the power of discovering truth, wherein is faith, wherein is your hope, wherein your charity, there God has His Image: there at least ye perceive and see that these things pass away; for so he has said in another Psalm, "Though man walks in an image, yet he is disquieted in vain: he heaps up treasures, and knows not for whom he shall gather them." Be not disquieted, for of whatsoever kind these things be, they are transitory, if you are men who being in honour understand. For if being men in honour ye understand not, you are compared to the beasts without sense, and are made like to them. — Exposition on Psalms 49 Augustine of Hippo: "The God," therefore, "of gods, the Lord has spoken" [Psalms 50:1]. Hath spoken many ways. By Angels He has Himself spoken, by Prophets He has Himself spoken, by His own mouth He has Himself spoken, by His faithful He does Himself speak, by our lowliness, when we say anything true, He does Himself speak. See then, by speaking diversely, many ways, by many vessels, by many instruments, yet He does Himself sound everywhere, by touching, moulding, inspiring: see what He has done. For "He has spoken, and has called the world." What world? Africa, perhaps! For the sake of those that say, the Church of Christ is the portion of Donatus. Africa indeed alone He has not called, but even Africa He has not severed. For He that "has called the world from the rising of the sun unto the going down," leaving out no parts that He has not called, in His calling has found Africa. Let it rejoice therefore in unity, not pride itself in division. We say well, that the voice of the God of gods has come even into Africa, has not stayed in Africa. For "He has called the world from the rising of the sun unto the going down." There is no place where may lurk the conspiracies of heretics, they have no place wherein they may hide themselves under the shadow of falsehood; for "there is none that can hide himself from the heat thereof." He that has called the world, has called even the whole world: He that has called the world, has called as much as He has formed. Why do false christs and false prophets rise up against me? Why is it that they strive to ensnare me with captious words, saying, "Lo! Here is Christ, Lo! He is there!" [Matthew 24:23] I hear not them that point out portions: the God of gods has pointed out the whole: "He" that "has called the world from the rising of the sun unto the going down," has redeemed the whole; but has condemned them that lay false claim to portions. — Exposition on Psalms 50 Cassiodorus: "The Lord, the God of gods, has spoken and called the earth from the rising of the sun until its setting." The power of the Lord is proclaimed in advance so that no one might believe that his incarnation ought to be deemed as being of moderate import and so that the depravity of all unbelief may be removed. Human beings who receive the grace of the divine majesty for their good conduct are called "gods," just as he says in another psalm, "I have said, 'You are gods and children of the Most High.' " Therefore, they are called "children," just as they are called "gods," because grace, not nature, offers each title. But the God of the gods is the Lord Christ, for he himself (along with the Father and the Holy Spirit) is truly called God of the gods. Nonetheless, the name "God of gods" does not altogether belong to the Divinity, but as we have already said, human language cannot indicate his exalted stature beyond this. — EXPOSITIONS OF THE Psalms 49:1 Eusebius of Caesarea: Here the divine prediction clearly prophesies that God will come manifestly, meaning none other but the Word of God. And it shows the reason of his coming, again emphasizing the calling of all nations of the world. For it says, "he has called the earth from the rising of the sun to the setting"; and it teaches that the rejection of the outward worship according to the Mosaic law will follow hard after his manifestation and the calling of the Gentiles, a worship that actually ceased after the manifestation of the Word of God to all people. For from that day to this all people throughout all the world have been called, and all the nations of the east and west. And the former worship has ceased and been abolished, all people being called to worship according to the new covenant of the preaching of the gospel, and not according to the law of Moses. We might also apply these prophecies to our Savior's second and glorious coming. — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6:3.261-62 Augustine of Hippo: But we have heard the world called from the rising of the sun unto the going down: whence does He begin to call, who has called? This thing also hear ye: "Out of Sion is the semblance of His beauty" [Psalms 50:2]. Evidently the Psalm does agree with the Gospel, which says, "Throughout all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." [Luke 24:47] Hear, "Throughout all nations:" He has called the world from the rising of the sun unto the going down. Hear, "Beginning at Jerusalem:" "Out of Sion is the semblance of His beauty." Therefore, "He has called the world from the rising of the sun unto the going down," agrees with the words of the Lord, who says, "It behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day; and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name throughout all nations." [Luke 24:46-47] For all nations are from the rising of the sun unto the going down. But that, "Out of Sion is the semblance of His beauty." that thence begins the beauty of His Gospel, that thence He began to be preached, being "beautiful in form beyond the sons of men," agrees with the words of the Lord, who says, "Beginning at Jerusalem." New things are in tune with old, old things with new: the two Seraphim say to one another, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth." [Isaiah 6:3] The two Testaments are both in tune, and the two Testaments have one voice: let the voice of the Testaments in tune be heard, not that of pretenders disinherited. This thing then has the God of gods done, "He has called the world from the rising of the sun unto the going down, His semblance going before out of Sion." For in that place were His disciples, [Acts 1:4] who received the Holy Ghost sent from heaven on the fiftieth day after His resurrection. Thence the Gospel, thence the preaching, thence the whole world filled, and that in the Grace of Faith. — Exposition on Psalms 50 Evagrius Ponticus: Our God will come openly. Our God is Christ. Christ will come openly in the flesh. We, therefore, understand that openly means "in the flesh." And this flesh is perceived by the senses. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 49[50].3 John Chrysostom: His charm, in fact, was evident from [Zion] even in the Old Testament. I mean, the temple, the Holy of Holies, all the worship and the living of the old legislation, the multitude of priests, sacrifices, whole burnt offerings, sacred hymns and psalmody and everything stemming from it—the type of things to come from this was sketched out ahead of time. But when the reality arrived, it took its beginning from there as well. From there shone out the cross.… There occurred the resurrection, there the ascension, there the prelude and commencement of our salvation, there the ineffable teachings began to be proclaimed. There the Father was first revealed, the Only-begotten known and the wonderful grace of the Spirit given. And there the apostles took the first steps of preaching about spiritual matters, about the gifts, the powers, the promise of good things to come. Considering all this, the inspired author calls it his maturity. God's beautiful maturity, you see, is his goodness and lovingkindness and his beneficence to all people. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 50:1 Arnobius the Younger: He will surely come openly to judge the age through fire. Fire will burn in his countenance, and around him will be strong storms. Then apostles, martyrs and teachers will be gathered, those who have ordained his covenant over sacrifices. These will become the apostles, teachers and advisors in the present. These are the "heavens" who proclaim the glory of God. Then when God begins to judge they announce his righteousness and his mercy. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 50 Augustine of Hippo: "And a mighty tempest round about Him" (ver. 3). "A mighty tempest," in order to winnow so great a floor. In this tempest shall be that winnowing whereby from the saints shall be put away everything impure, from the faithful every unreality; from godly men and them that fear the Word of God, every scorner and every proud man. For now a sort of mixture doth lie there, from the rising of the sun unto the going down. Let us see then how He will do that is to come, what He will do with that tempest which "shall be a mighty tempest round about Him." Doubtless this tempest is to make a sort of separation. It is that separation which they waited not for, who brake the nets, before they came to land. But in this separation there is made a sort of distinction between good men and bad men. There be some that now follow Christ with lightened shoulders without the load of the world's cares, who have not heard in vain, "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shall have treasure in heaven: and come, follow Me;" to which sort is said, "Ye shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Some then shall be judging with the Lord: but others to be judged, but to be placed on the right hand. For that there will be certain judging with the Lord, we have most evident testimony, which I have but now quoted: "Ye shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." ... — Exposition on Psalms 50 Diodorus of Tarsus: He presents his whole discourse as if God personally were present and judging, thus his addition of "he will not keep silence," that is, he will choose to judge the judges in no other way than by personal inspection and as though by his very presence. Then, to bring out that he arrives in retribution and as a cause of deep fear, attended by sanctions like bodyguards, he goes on, "A fire will burn in his presence, with a severe storm around him": just as the rulers of the earth have heralds going ahead to inspire submission with their shouting, so too God comes in person with fire going ahead and a severe storm to inspire fear in those due to be judged. By "storm" he refers to a power capable of drawing down to hades. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 50 Irenaeus: For the Creator of the world is truly the Word of God: and this is our Lord, who in the last times was made man, existing in this world, and who in an invisible manner contains all things created, and is inherent in the entire creation, since the Word of God governs and arranges all things; and therefore He came to His own in a visible manner, and was made flesh, and hung upon the tree, that He might sum up all things in Himself. ... For it is He who has power from the Father over all things, since He is the Word of God, and very man, communicating with invisible beings after the manner of the intellect, and appointing a law observable to the outward senses, that all things should continue each in its own order; and He reigns manifestly over things visible and pertaining to men; and brings in just judgment and worthy upon all; as David also, clearly pointing to this, says, "Our God shall openly come, and will not keep silence." Then he shows also the judgment which is brought in by Him, saying, "A fire shall burn in His sight, and a strong tempest shall rage round about Him. He shall call upon the heaven from above, and the earth, to judge His people." — AGAINST HERESIES 5:18.3 Theodoret of Cyrus: Do not think the second coming will be like his first: at that time he concealed his characteristic magnificence in lowliness and poverty, whereas in this case he will reveal plainly to everyone his lordship and kingship, no longer employing long-suffering but judging justly. As he said, "he will not keep silence. A fire will burn in his presence, with a severe storm around him." Blessed Daniel had a vision of this: "A river of fire," he says, "was flowing in front of him, his throne a fiery flame, its wheels flaming fire." — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 50:2 Augustine of Hippo: Since then it is evident, that many are to judge with the Lord, but that others are to be judged, not however on equality, but according to their deserts; He will come with all His Angels, when before Him shall be gathered all nations, and among all the Angels are to be reckoned those that have been made so perfect, that sitting upon twelve thrones they judge the twelve tribes of Israel. For men are called Angels: the Apostle saith of himself, "As an angel of God ye received me." Of John Baptist it is said, "Behold, I send My Angel before Thy face, that shall prepare Thy Way before Thee." Therefore, coming with all Angels, together with Him He shall have the Saints also. For plainly saith Isaias also, "He shall come to judgment with the elders of the people." Those "elders of the people," then, those but now named Angels, those thousands of many men made perfect coming from the whole world, are called Heaven. But the others are called earth, yet fruitful. Which is the earth that is fruitful? That which is to be set on the right hand, unto which it shall be said, "I was an hungred, and ye gave Me to eat:" truly fruitful earth in which the Apostle doth joy, when they sent to him to supply his necessities: "Not because I ask a gift," he saith, "but I require fruit." And he giveth thanks, saying, "Because at length ye have budded forth again to be thoughtful for me." He saith, "Ye have budded forth again," as to trees which had withered away with a kind of barrenness. Therefore the Lord coming to judgment (that we may now hear the Psalm, brethren), He will do what? "He will call the heaven from above" (ver. 4). The heaven, all the Saints, those made perfect that shall judge, them He shall call from above, to be sitters with Him to judge the twelve tribes of Israel. For how shall "He call the heaven from above," when the heaven is always above? But those that He here calleth heaven, the same elsewhere He calleth heavens. What heavens? That tell out the glory of God: for, "The heavens tell out the glory of God:" whereof is said, "Into all the earth their sound hath gone forth, and into the ends of the world their words." For see the Lord severing in judgment: "He shall call the heaven from above and the earth, to sever His people." From whom but from evil men? Of whom here afterwards no mention is made, now as it were condemned to punishment. See these good men, and distinguish. "He shall call the heaven from above, and the earth, to sever His people." He calleth the earth also, not however to be associated, but to be dissociated. For at first He called them together, "when the God of gods spake and called the world from the rising of the sun unto the going down," He had not yet severed: those servants had been sent to bid to the marriage, who had gathered good and bad. But when the God of gods shall come manifest and shall not keep silence, He shall so call the "heaven from above" that it may judge with Him. For what the heaven is, the heavens themselves are; just as what the earth is, the lands themselves, just as what the Church is, the Churches themselves: "He shall call the heaven from above, and the earth, to sever His people." Now with the heaven He severeth the earth, that is, the heaven with Him doth sever the earth. How doth He sever the earth? In such sort that He setteth on the right hand some, others on the left. But to the earth severed, He saith what? "Come, ye blessed of My Father, receive the kingdom which was prepared for you from the beginning of the world. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me to eat," and so forth. But they say, "When saw we Thee an hungred?" And He, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of Mine, ye have done it unto Me." "He shall call therefore the heaven from above, and the earth, to sever His people." — Exposition on Psalms 50 Diodorus of Tarsus: On arriving in an obvious manner, then, with fire and storm as his bodyguards, God will summon everyone from all quarters as if to appoint those present as witnesses of the judgment. So whom does he summon? The heavenly powers from on high (the sense of "above") and the whole "earth" from below, and he will hold court on them. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 50 Augustine of Hippo: "Gather to Him His righteous" [Psalms 50:5]. The voice divine and prophetic, seeing future things as if present doth exhort the Angels gathering. For He shall send His Angels, and before Him shall be gathered all nations. Gather to Him His righteous. What righteous men save those that live of faith and do works of mercy? For those works are works of righteousness. Thou hast the Gospel: "Beware of doing your righteousness before men to be seen of them." And as if it were inquired, What righteousness? "When therefore thou doest alms," He saith. Therefore alms He hath signified to be works of righteousness. Those very persons gather for His righteous: gather those that have had compassion on the "needy," that have considered the needy and poor: gather them, "The Lord preserve them, and make them to live;" "Gather to Him His righteous: who order His covenant above sacrifices:" that is, who think of His promises above those things which they work. For those things are sacrifices, God saying, "I will have mercy more than sacrifice." "Who keep His covenant more than sacrifice." — Exposition on Psalms 50 Augustine of Hippo: "And the Heaven shall declare His righteousness" [Psalms 50:6]. Truly this righteousness of God to us the "heavens have declared," the Evangelists have foretold. Through them we have heard that some will be on the right hand, to whom the Householder says, "Come, you blessed of My Father, receive." [Matthew 25:34] Receive what? "A kingdom." In return for what thing? "I was an hungred, and you gave Me to eat." What so valueless, what so earthly, as to break bread to the hungry? At so much is valued the kingdom of heaven. "Break your bread to the hungry, and the needy without covering bring into your house; if you see one naked, clothe him." [Isaiah 58:7] If you have not the means of breaking bread, hast not house into which you may bring, hast not garment wherewith you may cover: give a cup of cold water, [Matthew 10:42] cast two mites into the treasury. [Mark 12:42] As much the widow does buy with two mites, as Peter buys, by leaving the nets, [Matthew 4:20] as Zacchæus buys by giving half his goods. [Luke 19:8] Of so much worth is all that you have. "The heavens shall declare His righteousness, for God is Judge." Truly judge not confounding but severing. For "the Lord knows them that are His." [2 Timothy 2:19] Even if grains lie hidden in the chaff, they are known to the husbandman. Let no one fear that he is a grain even among the chaff; the eyes of our winnower are not deceived. Fear not lest that tempest, which shall be round about Him, should confound you with chaff. Certainly mighty will be the tempest; yet not one grain will it sweep from the side of the grain to the chaff: because not any rustic with three-pronged fork, but God, Three in One, is Judge. And the heavens shall declare His righteousness: for God is Judge. Let heavens go, let the heavens tell, into every land let their sound go out, and unto the ends of the world their words: and let that body say, "From the ends of the world unto You have I cried, when my heart was in heaviness." For now mingled it groans, divided it shall rejoice. Let it cry then and say, "Destroy not my soul with ungodly men, and with men of blood my life." He destroys not together, because God is Judge. Let it cry to Him and say, "Judge me, O Lord, and sever my cause from the nation unholy:" let it say, He shall do it: there shall be gathered to Him His righteous ones. He has called the earth that He may sever His people. — Exposition on Psalms 50 Augustine of Hippo: "Hear, my people, and I will speak to thee" [Psalms 50:7]. He shall come and shall not keep silence; see how that even now, if ye hear, He is not silent. Hear, my people, and I will speak to thee. For if thou hearest not, I will not speak to thee. "Hear, and I will speak to thee." For if thou hearest not, even though I shall speak, it will not be to thee. When then shall I speak to thee? If thou hearest. When hearest thou? If thou art my people. For, "Hear, my people:" thou hearest not if thou art an alien people. "Hear, my people, and I will speak to thee: Israel, and I will testify to thee." ...For "Thy God," is properly said to that man whom God doth keep more as one of His family, as though in His household, as though in His peculiar: "Thy God am I." What wilt thou more? Requirest thou a reward from God, so that God may give thee something; so that what He hath given thee may be thine own? Behold God Himself, who shall give, is thine own. What richer than He? Gifts thou wast desiring, thou hast the Giver Himself. "God, thy God, I am." — Exposition on Psalms 50 Augustine of Hippo: What He requireth of man, let us see; what tribute our God, our Emperor and our King doth enjoin us; since He hath willed to be our King, and hath willed us to be His province? Let us hear His injunctions. Let not a poor man tremble beneath the injunction of God: what God enjoineth to be given to Himself, He doth Himself first give that enjoineth: be ye only devoted. God doth not exact what He hath not given, and to all men hath given what He doth exact. For what doth He exact? Let us hear now: "I will not reprove thee because of thy sacrifices" [Psalms 50:8]. I will not say to thee, Wherefore hast thou not slain for me a fat bull? why hast thou not selected the best he-goat from thy flock? Wherefore doth that ram amble among thy sheep, and is not laid upon mine altar? I will not say, Examine thy fields and thy pen and thy walls, seeking what thou mayest give Me. "I will not reprove thee because of thy sacrifices." — Exposition on Psalms 50 John Chrysostom: On this score the other inspired authors leveled their accusations, remember, that they had bypassed the more important element of virtue and were resting their hope of salvation in these things.… Yet many are the words spoken about sacrifices, whereas the law about them was passed not because his wish was preeminently for such things but because he was showing considerateness for their limitations.… God should be worshiped, after all, not with fumes and smells but with an impeccable lifestyle, not bodily but of the mind. The demons of the foreigners were not inclined this way, however; rather, they even looked for these things. A poet of the Greeks even seems to be suggesting as much in saying, "It is by the will of the gods, you see, we obtain this portion." But our God is not like that: whereas those gods thirsted for human blood and in their desire to lead them into this bloodguiltiness constantly made such demands, our God by contrast wanted to remove them gradually even from the slaughter of brute beasts and so employed this considerateness in allowing sacrifices so as to abolish sacrifices. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 50:4 Theodoret of Cyrus: I do not accuse you of neglect of sacrifices, he is saying: you offer them continually; rather, I urge you not to confine righteousness to them. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 50:4 Augustine of Hippo: As yet that Israel perchance doth not understand what are the holocausts thereof which He hath in His sight always, and is still thinking of oxen, of sheep, of he-goats: let it not so think: "I will not accept calves of thy house." Holocausts I named; at once in mind and thought to earthly flocks thou wast running, therefrom thou wast selecting for Me some fat thing: "I will not accept calves of thy house." He is foretelling the New Testament, wherein all those sacrifices have ceased. For they were then foretelling a certain Sacrifice which was to be, with the Blood whereof we should be cleansed. "I will not accept calves of thy house, nor he-goats of thy flocks." — Exposition on Psalms 50 Augustine of Hippo: What then: Dost Thou not accept my sacrifices? "But thy holocausts are always in My sight." Certain holocausts concerning which it is said in another Psalm, "If Thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would surely have given, with holocausts Thou wilt not be delighted:" and again he turneth himself, "Sacrifice to God is a troubled spirit, a heart broken and humbled God doth not despise." Which be then holocausts that He despiseth not? Which holocausts that are always in His sight? "Kindly, O Lord," he saith, "deal in Thy good will with Sion, and be the walls of Jerusalem builded, then shall Thou accept the sacrifice of righteousness, oblations, and holocausts." He saith that certain holocausts God will accept. But what is a holocaust? A whole consumed with fire: causis is burning, holon is whole: but a "holocaust" is a whole consumed with fire. There is a certain fire of most burning love: be the mind inflamed with love, let the same love hurry off the limbs to its use, let it not allow them to serve cupidity, in order that we may wholly glow with fire of divine love that will offer to God a holocaust. Such "holocausts of thine are in My sight always." — Exposition on Psalms 50 Hesychius of Jerusalem: The Jews, hearing these things, did not believe, and they doubted they were able to happen. Now the word is proven. They no longer have the place of their sacrifice, since the temple has been destroyed, the altar collapsed and all their administration carried away, even the city overturned, in which it was necessary to sacrifice according to law. — Large COMMENTARY ON Psalms 50:8 Augustine of Hippo: "For mine are all the beasts of the wood" [Psalms 50:10]. Why should I ask of you what I have made? Is it more yours, to whom I have given it to possess, than Mine, who have made it? "For mine are all the beasts of the wood." But perchance that Israel says, The beasts are God's, those wild beasts which I enclose not in my pen, which I bind not to my stall; but this ox and sheep and he-goat— these are my own. "Cattle on the mountain, and oxen." Mine are those which you possess not, Mine are these which you possess. For if you are My servant, the whole of your property is Mine. For it cannot be, that is the property of the master which the servant has gotten to himself, and yet that not be the property of the Master which the Master Himself has created for the servant. Therefore Mine are the beasts of the wood which you have not taken; Mine are also the cattle on the mountains which are yours, and the oxen which are at your stall: all are My own, for I have created them. — Exposition on Psalms 50 Evagrius Ponticus: All created things are under the providence of God. Does not even one sparrow fall without the Father who is in heaven knowing? — NOTES ON THE Psalms 49[50].10 Augustine of Hippo: "I know all the winged creatures of heaven" [Psalms 50:11]. How does He know? He has weighed them, has counted. Which of us knows all the winged creatures of heaven? But even though to some man God give knowledge of all the winged creatures of heaven, He does not Himself know in the same manner as He gives man to know. One thing is God's knowledge, another man's: in like manner as there is one possession of God's, another of man's: that is, God's possessing is one thing, man's another. For what you possess you have not wholly in your power, or else your ox, so long as it lives, is in your power; so as that it either die not, or be not to be fed. With whom there is the highest power, there is highest and most secret cognition. Let us ascribe this to God, while praising God. Let us not dare to say, How knows God? Do not, I pray you, brethren, of me expect this, that I should unfold to you, how God does know: this only I say, He does not so know as a man, He does not so know as an Angel: and how He knows I dare not say, because also I cannot ken. One thing, nevertheless, I ken, that even before all the winged creatures of heaven were, God knew that which He was to create. What is that knowledge? O man, you begin to see, after that you had been formed, after that you had received sense of seeing. These fowls sprung of the water at the word of God, saying, "Let the waters bring forth fowls." [Genesis 1:20] Whereby did God know the things which He commanded the water to bear forth? Now surely He knew what He had created, and before He created He knew. So great then is the knowledge of God, so that with Himself they were in a certain ineffable manner before they were created: and of you does He expect to receive what He had, before He created? "I know all the winged creatures of heaven," which thou to Me canst not give. The things which you were about to slay for Me, I know all: not because I made I know, but in order that I might make. "And the beauty of the field is with Me." The fairness of the field, the abundance of all things engendering upon earth, "is with Me," He says. How with Him? Were they so, even before they were made? Yea, for with Him were all things to come, and with Him are all things by-gone: things to come in such sort, that there be not withdrawn from Him all things by-gone. With Him are all things by a certain cognition of the ineffable wisdom of God residing in the Word, and the Word Himself is all things. Is not the beauty of the field in a manner with Him, inasmuch as He is everywhere, and Himself has said, "Heaven and earth I fill"? [Jeremiah 23:24] What with Him is not, of whom it is said, "If I shall have ascended into heaven, You are there; and if I shall have descended into hell, You are present"? With Him is the whole: but it is not so with Him as that He does suffer any contamination from those things which He has created, or any want of them. For with you, perchance, is a pillar near which you are standing, and when you are weary, you lean against it. You need that which is with you, God needs not the field which is which Him. With Him is field, with Him beauty of earth, with Him beauty of heaven, with Him all winged creatures, because He is Himself everywhere. And wherefore are all things near Him? Because even before that all things were, or were created, to Him were known all things. — Exposition on Psalms 50 Augustine of Hippo: Who can explain, who expound that which is said to Him in another Psalm, "For my goods You need not"? He has said that He needs not from us any necessary thing. "If I shall be hungry, I will not tell you" [Psalms 50:12]. He that keeps Israel shall neither hunger nor thirst, nor be weary, nor fall asleep. But, lo! According to your carnality I speak: because you will suffer hunger when you have not eaten, perhaps you think even God does hunger that He may eat. Even though He shall be hungry, He tells not you: all things are before Him, whence He will He takes what is needful for Him. These words are said to convince little understanding; not that God has declared His hunger. Though for our sake this God of gods deigned even to hunger. He came to hunger, and to fill; He came to thirst, and give drink; He came to be clothed with mortality, and to clothe with immortality; He came poor, to make rich. For He lost not His riches by taking to Him our poverty, for, "In him are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden." [Colossians 2:3] "If I shall be hungry, I will not tell you. For Mine is the whole world, and the fullness thereof." Do not then labour to find what to give Me, without whom I have what I will. — Exposition on Psalms 50 John Chrysostom: Though I am Lord and Master of everything, I am ready to accept from you what is mine so as to win you over to love of me. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 50:4 Tertullian: Although he had respect to the offerings of Abel and smelled a sweet savor from the whole burnt offering of Noah, yet what pleasure could he receive from the flesh of sheep or the odor of burning victims? And yet the simple and God-fearing mind of those who offered what they were receiving from God, both in the way of food and of a sweet smell, was favorably accepted before God, in the sense of respectful homage to God, who did not so much want what was offered as that which prompted the offering. — AGAINST MARCION 2.22 Augustine of Hippo: Why then dost still think of thy flocks? "Shall I eat the flesh of bulls, or shall I drink the blood of he-goats?" Ye have heard what of us He requireth not, who willeth to enjoin us somewhat. If of such things ye were thinking, now withdraw your thoughts from such things: think not to offer God any such thing. If thou hast a fat bull, kill for the poor: let them eat the flesh of bulls, though they shall not drink the blood of he-goats. Which, when thou shalt have done, He will account it to thee, that hath said, "If I shall be hungry, I will not tell thee:" and He shall say to thee, "I was hungry, and thou gavest Me to eat." "Shall I eat the flesh of bulls, or shall I drink the blood of he-goats?" — Exposition on Psalms 50 Augustine of Hippo: Say then, Lord our God, what do You enjoin your people, Your Israel? "Immolate to God the sacrifice of praise" [Psalms 50:14]. Let us also say to Him, "In me, O God, are your vows, which I will render of prose to You." I had feared lest You might enjoin something which would be out of my power, which I was counting to be in my pen, and but now perchance it had been taken away by a thief. What do You enjoin me? "Immolate to God the sacrifice of praise." Let me revert to myself, wherein I may find what I may immolate: let me revert to myself; in myself may I find immolation of praise: be Your altar my conscience. We are without anxiety, we go not into Arabia in quest of frankincense: not any bags of covetous dealer do we sift: God requires of us the sacrifice of praise. Zacchæus had the sacrifice of praise in his patrimony; [Luke 19:8] the widow had it in her bag; [Mark 12:42] some poor host or other has had it in his jar: another neither in patrimony, nor in bag, nor in jar, has had anything, had it wholly in his heart: salvation was to the house of Zacchæus; and more this poor widow cast in than those rich men: this man, that does offer a cup of cold water, shall not lose his reward: [Matthew 10:42] but there is even "peace on earth to men of good will." [Luke 2:14] "Immolate to God the sacrifice of praise." O sacrifice gratuitous, by grace given! I have not indeed bought this to offer, but You have given: for not even this should I have had. And this is the immolation of the sacrifice of praise, to render thanks to Him from whom you have whatever of good you have, and by whose mercy is forgiven you whatsoever of evil of yours you have. "Immolate to God the sacrifice of praise: and render to the Highest your prayers." With this odour the Lord is well pleased. — Exposition on Psalms 50 Clement of Rome: The Master, brothers, has need of nothing at all. He desires not anything of anyone, save to confess to him. — 1 CLEMENT 52 Diodorus of Tarsus: This is what I need, for you to be grateful, offering thanks and praise for what you receive from me—not because I need this, but out of longing for you to be appreciative, so that I may have occasion to give you further favors. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 50 Hesychius of Jerusalem: Be as companions of angels. Imitate the seraphim in glory. Tell the glory of God to the heavens; offer the burnt offering while one praises God continuously. Perhaps "sacrifice of praise" means "virtues" through which God is praised, that is, blessed and glorified, especially when he said to the apostles, "Let your light shine before all people." — LARGE COMMENTARY ON Psalms 50:14 John Chrysostom: Praise, in fact, is nothing other than commendation, glory and blessing. So let your life be of such a kind as to bless your Master, and you have performed the perfect sacrifice. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 50:5 Pseudo-Augustine: God desires and seeks nothing more from us than that, through our actions, his name is magnified by all, as it is written: "Offer to God the sacrifice of praise." This is the sacrifice that God seeks and loves in preference to all victims, namely, that through the works of our justice, his name may be glorified everywhere and that, by the actions and works of his servants, he may be proved to be the true God. They love God in truth who perform only actions by which his name may be glorified. — ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE 9 Theodore of Mopsuestia: Offer me this sacrifice of praise. That is, offer yourself as a victim to me, taking pains to live in thanksgiving to me and devoting yourself totally to me.… Pray always to me about everything; render me this and perform it. The phrase "pray to me about everything" means, consider me responsible for all your good things, and receive from me all that is at any time good, no one being able to pray unless persuaded of this.… It will be no idle conjecture for you, since with this attitude you will, even if calling in the midst of afflictions, be heard and will attain what you aspire to, and so will take occasion from the beneficence to give even greater glory. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 50:14A-15 Augustine of Hippo: "And call thou upon Me in the day of your tribulation: and I will draw you forth, and you shall glorify Me" [Psalms 50:15]. For thou oughtest not to rely on your powers, all your aids are deceitful. "Upon Me call thou in the day of tribulation: I will draw you forth, and you shall glorify Me." For to this end I have allowed the day of tribulation to come to you: because perchance if you were not troubled, you would not call on Me: but when you are troubled, you call on Me; when you call upon Me, I will draw you forth; when I shall draw you forth, you shall glorify Me, that you may no more depart from Me. A certain man had grown dull and cold in fervour of prayer, and said, "Tribulation and grief I found, and on the Name of the Lord I called." He found tribulation as it were some profitable thing; he had rotted in the slough of his sins; now he had continued without feeling, he found tribulation to be a sort of caustic and cutting. "I found," he says, "tribulation and grief, and on the Name of the Lord I called." And truly, brethren, tribulations are known to all men. Behold those afflictions that abound in mankind; one afflicted with loss bewails; another smitten with bereavement mourns; another exiled from country grieves and desires to return, deeming sojourning intolerable; another's vineyard is hailed upon, he observes his labours and all his toil spent in vain. When can a human being not be made sad? An enemy he finds in a friend. What greater misery in mankind? These things all men do deplore and grieve at, and these are tribulations: in all these they call upon the Lord, and they do rightly. Let them call upon God, He is able either to teach how it must be borne, or to heal it when borne. He knows how not to suffer us to be tried above that we are able to bear. [1 Corinthians 10:13] Let us call upon God even in those tribulations: but these tribulations do find us; as in another Psalm is written, "Helper in tribulations which have found us too much:" there is a certain tribulation which we ought to find. Let such tribulations find us: there is a certain tribulation which we ought to seek and to find. What is that? The above-named felicity in this world, abundance of temporal things: that is not indeed tribulation, these are the solaces of our tribulation. Of what tribulation? Of our sojourning. For the very fact that we are not yet with God, the very fact that we are living amid trials and difficulties, that we cannot be without fear, is tribulation: for there is not that peace which is promised us. He that shall not have found this tribulation in his sojourning, does not think of going home to his father-land. This is tribulation, brethren. Surely now we do good works, when we deal bread to the hungry, home to the stranger, and the like: tribulation even this is. For we find pitiful objects upon whom we show pity; and the pitiful case of pitiful objects makes us compassionate. How much better now would it be with you in that place, where you find no hungry man whom you may feed, where you find no stranger whom you may take in, no naked man whom you may cover, no sick man whom you may visit, no litigant whom you may set at one! For all things in that place are most high, are true, are holy, are everlasting. Our bread in that place is righteousness, our drink there is wisdom, our garment there is immortality, our house is everlasting in the heavens, our steadfastness is immortality: does sickness come over? Does weariness weigh down to sleep? No death, no litigation: there peace, quiet, joy, righteousness. No enemy has entrance, no friend falls away. What is the quiet there? If we think and observe where we are, and where He that cannot lie has promised that we are to be, from His very promise we find in what tribulation we are. This tribulation none finds, but he that shall have sought it. You are whole, see if you are miserable; for it is easy for him that is sick to find himself miserable: when you are whole, see if you are miserable; that you are not yet with God. "Tribulation and grief I found, and on the Name of the Lord I called." "Immolate," therefore, "to God the sacrifice of praise." Praise Him promising, praise Him calling, praise Him exhorting, praise Him helping: and understand in what tribulation you are placed. Call upon (Him), you shall be drawn forth, you shall glorify, shall abide. — Exposition on Psalms 50 Athanasius of Alexandria: And although, again, he conceal his natural falsehood, and pretend to speak truth with his lips; yet are we 'not ignorant of his devices,' but are able to answer him in the words spoken by the Spirit against him; 'But unto the ungodly, said God, why dost thou preach My laws?' and, 'Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner.' For even though he speak the truth, the deceiver is not worthy of credit. — LETTER TO THE BISHOPS OF EGYPT 3 Augustine of Hippo: But see what followeth, my brethren. For now some one or other, because God had said to him, "Immolate to God the sacrifice of praise," and had enjoined in a manner this tribute, did meditate to himself and said, I will rise daily, I will proceed to Church, I will say one hymn at matins, another at vespers, a third or fourth in my house, daily I do sacrifice the sacrifice of praise, and immolate to my God. Well thou doest indeed, if thou doest this: but take heed, lest now thou be careless, because now thou doest this: and perchance thy tongue bless God, and thy life curse God. O my people, saith to thee the God of gods, the Lord that spake, "calling the earth from the rising of the sun unto the setting," though yet thou art placed amid the tares, "Immolate the sacrifice of praise to thy God, and render to Him thy prayers:" but take heed lest thou live ill, and chant well. Wherefore this? For, "Unto the sinner, saith God, why dost thou tell out My judgments, and takest My Covenant in thy mouth?" Ye see, brethren, with what trembling we say these words. We take the Covenant of God in our mouth, and we say these words. We take the Covenant of God in our mouth, and we preach to you the instruction and judgment of God. And what saith God to the sinner? "Why dost thou?" Doth He then forbid preachers that be sinners? And where is that, "What they say do, but what they do, do not"? Where is that, "Whether in truth or on occasion Christ be preached"? But these words were said, lest they should fear that hear, from whomsoever it be that they hear: not that they should be without care that speak good words, and do evil deeds. Now therefore, brethren, ye are without care: if ye hear good words ye hear God, through whomsoever it be that ye may hear. But God would not dismiss without reproof them that speak: lest with their speaking alone, without care for themselves they should slumber in evil life, and say to themselves, "For God will not consign us to perdition, through whose mouth He has willed that so many good words should be spoken to His people." Nay, but hear what thou speakest, whoever thou art that speakest: and thou that writ be heard thyself, first hear thyself; and speak what a certain man doth speak in another Psalm, "I will hear what in me speaketh the Lord God, for He shall speak peace to His people." What am I then, that hear not what in me He speaketh, and will that other hear what through me He speaketh? I will hear first, will hear, and chiefly I will hear what speaketh in me the Lord God, for He shall speak peace to His people. Let me hear, and "chasten my body, and to servitude subject it, lest perchance to others preaching, myself be found a cast-away." "Why dost thou tell out my judgments?" Wherefore to thee what profiteth not thee? He admonisheth him to hear: not to lay down preaching, but to take up obedience. "But thou, why dost thou take My Covenant in they mouth?" — Exposition on Psalms 50 Gregory the Dialogist: For often the tongue of preachers is restrained because of their own wickedness; but often indeed it happens through the fault of those subject to them that the word of preaching is withdrawn from those who are in charge. Indeed the tongue of preachers is restrained because of their own wickedness, as the Psalmist says: "But to the sinner God said: Why do you declare my justices?" And again, because of the fault of those subject to them, the voice of preachers is forbidden, as the Lord says to Ezekiel: "I will make your tongue cleave to your palate, and you shall be mute, and not as a man who rebukes, because it is a provoking house." As if he were to say openly: Therefore the word of preaching is taken from you, because while the people provoke me in their actions, they are not worthy to receive the exhortation of truth. From whose fault, therefore, the word is withdrawn from the preacher is not easily known. But it is known most certainly that the silence of the Pastor sometimes harms himself, but always harms those subject to him. — Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 17 Philoxenus of Mabbug: If a man is constant in reading, and in hearing, and in the meditation of the word of God, and yet perfecteth not by his reading the labour of works, against this man hath the Spirit of God spoken by the hand of the blessed David, rebuking and reproving his wickedness, and restraining him from taking even the Holy Book into his polluted hands, saying, "For to the sinner speaketh God, What hast thou to do with the books of My commandments, that thou hast taken My covenant in thy mouth? Thou hast hated My instruction, and thou hast cast My words behind thee," together with the other things which are written after these. Now as for the man who is constant in reading and remote from deeds, his reading is his own condemnation, and he is the more deserving of judgment, in that while he listeneth every day, he mocketh and is contemptuous every day, and he is thenceforth like a dead man and a corpse which hath no feeling, for if ten thousand trumpets and horns were to blow in the ear of a dead man he would not hear them; even thus is the soul which is dead in sins. — 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 1 -- Prologue Theodore of Mopsuestia: The fact, he is saying, that you take pains to read the law, mouth the words of its stipulations, and listen carefully to its being read is no excuse. It only sets me more against you, your knowing the law, listening to the commandments and putting them on your lips while in practice pursuing the opposite, the result being that the reading is useless for you. Instead, listening to me when I speak and give commands in the law is an insult to me when there is utter neglect of me in practice. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 50:16 Augustine of Hippo: "But thou hatest instruction." Thou hatest discipline. When I spare, thou singest and praisest: when I chasten, thou murmurest: as though, when I spare, I am thy God: and, when I chasten, I am not thy God. "I rebuke and chasten those whom I love." "But thou hatest instruction: and hast thrown My sayings behind thee." The words that are said through thee, thou throwest behind thee. "And thou hast thrown My sayings behind thee:" to a place where they may not be seen by thee, but may load thee. "And thou hast thrown My sayings behind thee." — Exposition on Psalms 50 Evagrius Ponticus: Discipline is the moderation of the emotions. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 49[50].17 John Chrysostom: Not only do you not show any benefit from the teaching of the law, but even what you have by nature you have mutilated. The reasoning for what should be done and should not be done is set within us by nature, but you rejected it and had no recollection of it. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 50:7 Philoxenus of Mabbug: If a man is constant in reading, and in hearing, and in the meditation of the word of God, and yet perfecteth not by his reading the labour of works, against this man hath the Spirit of God spoken by the hand of the blessed David, rebuking and reproving his wickedness, and restraining him from taking even the Holy Book into his polluted hands, saying, "For to the sinner speaketh God, What hast thou to do with the books of My commandments, that thou hast taken My covenant in thy mouth? Thou hast hated My instruction, and thou hast cast My words behind thee," together with the other things which are written after these. Now as for the man who is constant in reading and remote from deeds, his reading is his own condemnation, and he is the more deserving of judgment, in that while he listeneth every day, he mocketh and is contemptuous every day, and he is thenceforth like a dead man and a corpse which hath no feeling, for if ten thousand trumpets and horns were to blow in the ear of a dead man he would not hear them; even thus is the soul which is dead in sins. — 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 1 -- Prologue Augustine of Hippo: "If thou sawest a thief, thou didst consent unto him, and with adulterers thou didst make thy portion." Lest perchance thou shouldest say, I have not committed theft, I have not committed adultery. What if he pleased thee that hath committed? Hast thou not with the very pleasing consented? Hast thou not by approval made thy portion with him that hath committed? For this is, brethren, to consent with a thief, and to make with an adulterer thy portion: for even if thou committest not, and approvest what is committed, thou art an accessory in the deed: for "the sinner is praised in the longings of his soul, and he that doeth iniquity shall be blessed." Thou doest not evil things, thou praisest evil-doers. For is this a small evil? "Thou didst make thy portion with adulterers." — Exposition on Psalms 50 Cyprian: To neglect these things any further, and to persevere in the former error, what is it else than to fall under the Lord's rebuke, who in the l psalm reproveth, and says, "What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant into thy mouth, seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee? When thou sawest a thief, thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers." For to declare the righteousness and the covenant of the Lord, and not to do the same that the Lord did, what else is it than to cast away His words and to despise the Lord's instruction, to commit not earthly, but spiritual thefts and adulteries? While any one is stealing from evangelical truth the words and doings of our Lord, he is corrupting and adulterating the divine precepts, as it is written in Jeremiah. He says, "What is the chaff to the wheat? Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, who steal my words every one from his neighbour, and cause my people to err by their lies and by their lightness." Also in the same prophet, in another place, He says, "She committed adultery with stocks and stones, and yet for all this she turned not unto me." That this theft and adultery may not fall unto us also, we ought to be anxiously careful, and fearfully and religiously to watch. — Epistle LXII John Chrysostom: Most people, after all, do not simply give a verdict on their behavior from their own judgment but are also corrupted by the support of others. If sinners see everyone opposed, they believe they have committed some great crime; but if they see them not only showing no anger or irritation but exhibiting tolerance and joining forces with them, the tribunal of their conscience is then corrupted because the verdict of the majority supports their corrupt attitude. So what crime will they not attempt? When, on the contrary, will they condemn themselves and give up sinning unscrupulously? Thus it is essential that, in the case of people committing sin, they condemn themselves (this, you see, being the path to refraining from wickedness), and even if not practicing good, commend the good. The path to performance, after all, is willingness. Yet in this case, since there have been accomplices in crime, it is appropriate to apply the goad with great severity. After all, if evil flourishes to this extent even when reproved, and virtue, even when commended, has difficulty summoning its practitioners to the effort required, what would happen if these conditions did not apply? — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 50:7 Augustine of Hippo: "Thy mouth hath abounded in malice, and thy tongue hath embraced deceit." Of the malevolence and deceit, brethren, of certain men he speaketh, who by adulation, though they know what they hear to be evil, yet lest they offend those from whom they hear, not only by not reproving but by holding their peace do consent. Too little is it, that they do not say, Thou hast done evil: but they even say, Thou hast done even well: and they know it to be evil: but their mouth aboundeth in malice, and their tongue embraceth deceit. Deceit is a sort of guile in words, of uttering one thing, thinking another. He saith not, thy tongue hath committed deceit or perpetrated deceit, but in order to point out to thee a kind of pleasure taken in the very evil doing, He hath said, "Hath embraced." It is too little that thou doest it, thou art delighted too; thou praisest openly, thou laughest to thyself. Thou dost push to destruction a man heedlessly putting forth his faults, and knowing not whether they be faults: thou that knowest it to be a fault, sayest not, "Whither art thou rushing?" If thou wert to see him heedlessly walk in the dark, where thou knewest a well to be, and wert to hold thy peace, of what sort wouldest thou be? wouldest thou not be set down for an enemy of his life? And yet if he were to fall into a well, not in soul but in body he would die. He doth fall headlong into his vices, he doth expose before thee his evil doings: thou knowest them to be evil, and praisest and laughest to thyself. Oh that at length he were to be turned to God at whom thou laughest, and whom thou wouldest not reprove, and that he were to say, "Let them be confounded that say to me, Well, well." — Exposition on Psalms 50 Augustine of Hippo: "Sitting against thy brother thou didst detract" (ver. 20). And this "sitting" doth belong to that whereof he hath spoken above in, "hath embraced." For he that doeth anything while standing or passing along, doth it not with pleasure: but if he for this purpose sitteth, how much leisure doth he seek out to do it! That very evil detraction thou wast making with diligence, thou wast making sitting; thou wouldest thereon be wholly engaged; thou wast embracing thy evil, thou wast kissing thy craftiness. "And against thy mother's son thou didst lay a stumbling-block." Who is "mother's son"? Is it not brother? He would repeat then the same that he had said above, "thy brother." Hath he intimated that any distinction must be perceived by us? Evidently, brethren, I think a distinction must be made. Brother against brother doth detract, for example's sake, as though for instance one strong, and now a doctor and scholar of some weight, doth detract from his brother, one perchance that is teaching well and walking well: but another is weak, against him he layeth a stumbling-block by detracting from the former. For when the good are detracted from by those that seem to be of some weight and to be learned, the weak fall upon the stumbling-block, who as yet know not how to judge. Therefore this weak one is called "mother's son," not yet father's, still needing milk, and hanging on the breast. He is borne as yet in the bosom of his mother the Church, he is not strong enough to draw near to the solid food of his Father's table, but from the mother's breast he draweth sustenance, unskilled in judging, inasmuch as yet he is animal and carnal. "For the spiritual man judgeth all things," but "the animal man perceiveth not those things which are of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him." To such men saith the Apostle, "I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as to babes in Christ I gave you milk to drink, not meat; for ye were not able, but not even now are ye able." A mother I have been to you: as is said in another place, "I became a babe among you, even as a nurse cherishing her own children." Not a nurse nursing children of others, but a nurse cherishing her own children. For there are mothers who when they have borne give to nurses: they that have borne cherish not their children, because they have given them to be nursed; but those that cherish, cherish not their own, but those of others: but he himself had borne, he was himself cherishing, to no nurse did commit what he had borne; for he had said, "Of whom I travail again until Christ be formed in you." He did cherish them, and gave milk. But there were some as it were learned and spiritual men who detracted from Paul. "His letters indeed, say they, are weighty and powerful; but the presence of his body weak, and speech contemptible:" he saith himself in his Epistle, that certain his detractors had said these words. They were sitting, and were detracting against their brother, and against that their mother's son, to be fed with milk, they were laying a stumbling-block. "And against thy mother's son thou didst lay a stumbling-block." — Exposition on Psalms 50 John Chrysostom: But you suffered wrong at his hands: why, then, do wrong to yourself? Those who take revenge, after all, strike themselves with a sword. I mean, if you want to do yourself a favor and have revenge on him, speak well of the wrongdoer; in this way you will turn many people into accusers in your place and earn yourself a great reward, whereas if you speak ill of him, you will not be believed, being suspected of bias. And so the results of your exertion go in the opposite direction: whereas you are anxious to undermine his reputation, the opposite happens; it is by commendation, not accusation, that this happens, you see. You bring yourself into disrepute, while your shafts in his direction are wide of the mark. Bias in fact is the impression on the mind of the listeners, not allowing your words to gain entry to their ears. The same thing happens as in judicial objections: when someone raises an objection to evidence in court, the whole process is put on hold. Exactly so, in this instance, suspicion of bias prevents the case becoming admissible. Do not speak ill, accordingly, in case the black mark attaches to you, and instead of preparing mud with clay and bricks, you weave for him wreaths from roses, violets and other flowers. And do not bear dung in your mouth, like beetles (this is what slanderers do, you know: they are the first to be affected by the stench), but bear flowers, like the bees, and make honeycombs like them, and be gentle to everybody. Everyone feels revulsion for slanderers like a bad smell, as if they were some bloodsucker, fed on others' problems like a beetle on dung; with the person bearing a word of commendation, on the other hand, everyone associates like a member of their own body, their own brother, their son, their father. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 50:10 Augustine of Hippo: "These things hast thou done, and I held my tongue" (ver. 21). Therefore the Lord our God shall come, and shall not keep silence. Now, "These things hast thou done, and I held my tongue." What is, "I held my tongue"? From vengeance I have desisted, my severity I have deferred, patience to thee I have prolonged, thy repentance I have long looked for..."Thou hast imagined iniquity, that I shall be like unto thee;" Thou hast imagined that I shall be like unto thee, while thou wilt not be like unto Me. For, "Be ye," he saith, "perfect, even as your Father, which is in the heavens, who maketh His sun to rise on the good and evil." Him thou wouldest not copy, who giveth good things even to evil men, insomuch that sitting thou dost detract even from good men. "I will reprove thee," when "God manifest shall come, our God, and shall not keep silence," "I will reprove thee." And what to thee shall I do in reproving thee? what to thee shall I do? Now thyself thou seest not, I will make thee see thyself. Because if thou shouldest see thyself, and shouldest displease thyself, thou wouldest please Me: but because not seeing thyself thou hast pleased thyself, thou wilt displease both Me and thyself; Me when thou shalt be judged; thyself when thou shalt burn. But what to thee shall I do? He saith. "I will set thee before thy face." For why wouldest thou escape thyself? At thy back thou art to thyself, thou seest not thyself: I make thee see thyself: what behind thy back thou hast put, before thy face will I put; thou shalt see thy uncleanness, not that thou mayest amend, but that thou mayest blush... — Exposition on Psalms 50 Cyril of Jerusalem: The Savior comes again, but not to be judged again, for he will pass judgment on those who passed judgment on him, and he who aforetime kept silence as they judged him now reminds those lawless people who did their outrageous deeds to him on the cross and says, "These things have you done, and I kept silence." He adapted himself when he came then and taught people by persuasion, but this time it is they who will be forced to bow to his rule, whether they will or no. — Catechetical Lecture 15:1 Jerome: Beware also of a blabbing tongue and of itching ears. Neither detract from others nor listen to detractors.… Keep your tongue from caviling, and watch over your words. Know that in judging others you are passing sentence on yourself and that you are yourself guilty of the faults that you blame in them. It is no excuse to say, "If others tell me things, I cannot be rude to them." No one cares to speak to an unwilling listener. An arrow never lodges in a stone: often it recoils on the shooter of it. Let the detractor learn from your unwillingness to listen not to be so ready to detract. — LETTER 52.14 Theodoret of Cyrus: I saw these crimes committed by you, I practiced long-suffering, I waited for your repentance. But you took even my long-suffering as an excuse for impiety, guessing that I was pleased with your lawlessness and would not inflict punishment.… Since you were not cured by the mild remedy of long-suffering, I shall prepare more painful ones for you and apply burning by censure. Now, this is in keeping with those words of the apostle, "Do you not realize that the goodness of God leads you in the direction of repentance, but by your obduracy and unrepentant heart you store up for yourself wrath on the day of wrath, revelation and just judgment of God, who will repay everyone according to their works." — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 50:7 Augustine of Hippo: But, "understand these things, ye that forget God" (ver. 22). See how He crieth, and keepeth not silence, spareth not. Thou hadst forgotten the Lord, didst not think of thy evil life. Perceive how thou hast forgotten the Lord. "Lest at length He seize like a lion, and there be none to deliver." What is "like a lion"? Like a brave one, like a mighty one, like him whom none can withstand. To this he made reference when he said, "Lion." For it is used for praise, it is used also for showing evil. The devil hath been called lion: "Your adversary," He saith, "like a roaring lion, goeth about seeking whom He may devour." May it not be that whereas he hath been called lion because of savage fierceness, Christ hath been called Lion for wondrous mightiness? And where is that, "The Lion hath prevailed of the tribe of Judah?" ... — Exposition on Psalms 50 Theodoret of Cyrus: Give careful thought, he is saying, to each of my words; and you who suffer forgetfulness of God—forgetfulness of God being a source of sin—cure your wounds with the remedies of repentance before you are carried off by death, which like a lion falls on human beings, no one capable of checking its fierce assault. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 50:8 Augustine of Hippo: "Sacrifice of praise shall glorify Me" [Psalms 50:23]. How shall "sacrifice of praise glorify Me"? Assuredly sacrifice of praise does no wise profit evil men, because they take Your Covenant in their mouth, and do damnable things that displease Your eyes. Straightway, he says, even to them this I say, "Sacrifice of praise shall glorify Me." For if you live ill and speakest good words, not yet do you praise: but again, if, when you begin to live well, to your merits thou dost ascribe your living well, not yet do you praise....Therefore the Publican went down justified, rather than that Pharisee. Therefore hear ye that live well, hear ye that live ill: "Sacrifice of praise shall glorify Me." No one offers Me this sacrifice, and is evil. I say not, Let there not offer Me this any one that is evil; but no one does offer Me this, that is evil. For he that praises, is good: because if he praises, he does also live well, because if he praises, not only with tongue he praises, but life also with tongue does agree. — Exposition on Psalms 50 Clement of Rome: Let us … earnestly strive to be found in the number of those that wait for him, in order that we may share in his promised gifts. But how, beloved, shall this be done? If our understanding is fixed by faith toward God; if we earnestly seek the things that are pleasing and acceptable to him; if we do the things that are in harmony with his blameless will; and if we follow the way of truth, casting away from us all unrighteousness and iniquity, along with all covetousness, strife, evil practices, deceit, whispering and evil speaking, all hatred of God, pride and haughtiness, vainglory and ambition. For they that do such things are hateful to God; and not only they that do them, but also those that take pleasure in them that do them. — 1 CLEMENT 35 Origen of Alexandria: Who among us is of such measure and kind to offer to God "salutary sacrifices" and a "sacrifice of praise"? I believe that one to be a person who praises God in all his actions and fulfills through him what our Lord and Savior says: "That people may see your good works and praise your Father who is in heaven." Therefore, this one offered "a sacrifice of praise" for whose deeds, doctrine, word, habits and discipline, God is praised and blessed. Just as, on the contrary, there are those of whom it is said, "Through you my name is blasphemed among the Gentiles." — HOMILIES ON Leviticus 5:7.2 Augustine of Hippo: Hear therefore these words, and say thou with him: "Have pity upon me, O God, after Thy great mercy" [Psalms 51:1]. He that imploreth great mercy, confesseth great misery. Let them seek a little mercy of Thee, that have sinned in ignorance: "Have pity," he saith, "upon me, after Thy great mercy." Relieve a deep wound after Thy great healing. Deep is what I have, but in the Almighty I take refuge. Of my own so deadly wound I should despair, unless I could find so great a Physician. "Have pity upon me, O God, after Thy great mercy: and after the multitude of Thy pities, blot out my iniquity." What he saith, "Blot out my iniquity," is this, "Have pity upon me, O God." And what he saith, "After the multitude of Thy pities," is this, "After Thy great mercy." Because great is the mercy, many are the mercies; and of Thy great mercy, many are Thy pitying. Thou dost regard mockers to amend them, dost regard ignorant men to teach them, dost regard men confessing to pardon. Did he this in ignorance? A certain man had done some, aye many evil things he had done; "Mercy," he saith, "I obtained, because ignorant I did it in unbelief." This David could not say, "Ignorant I did it." For he was not ignorant how very evil a thing was the touching of another's wife, and how very evil a thing was the killing of the husband, who knew not of it, and was not even angered. They obtain therefore the mercy of the Lord that have in ignorance done it; and they that have knowing done it, obtain not any mercy it may chance, but "great mercy." — Exposition on Psalms 51 Desert Fathers: Some monks called Euchites, or 'men of prayer', once came to Lucius in the ninth region of Alexandria. He asked them, 'What manual work do you do?' They said, 'We do not work with our hands. We obey St Paul's command and pray without ceasing' (1 Thess. 5:17). He said to them, 'Don't you eat?' They said, 'Yes, we do.' He said to them: 'When you are eating who prays for you?' Then he asked them, 'Don't you sleep?' They said, 'Yes, we do.' He said, 'Who prays for you while you are asleep?' and they could not answer him. Then he said to them, 'I may be wrong, brothers, but it seems to me that you don't do what you say. I will show you how I pray without ceasing although I work with my hands. With God's help, I sit down with a few palm leaves, and plait them, and say, 'Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great mercy: and according to the multitude of thy mercies do away with mine iniquity' (Ps. 51:1). He asked them, 'Is that prayer, or not?' They said, 'It's prayer all right.' He said, 'When I spend all day working and praying in my heart, I make about sixteen pence. Two of these I put outside the door, and with the rest I buy food. Whoever finds the two pennies outside the door prays for me while I am eating and sleeping: and so by God's grace I fulfil the text, "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17).' — The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks Fulgentius of Ruspe: Finally, holy David successfully gained divine mercy because, having been converted by the humility of a contrite heart, he condemned the evil he had done by acknowledging it and did not put off punishment by doing penance for the lust of the evil deed he had fallen into; because, if he had not punished the cause of the guilt in which he was held, without a doubt he would have been punished. Having been converted to penance, he acknowledged his crime, fearing lest he would have to acknowledge the penalty by being condemned. By doing penance, he punished himself by acknowledging what he wanted to be overlooked by the Lord in himself. Finally, since he said, "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin." Immediately following this he added, "For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me." He acknowledged his sin, not that by sinning he might increase it the more, but that by repenting, he might wash it away; and so the domination of sin, which blameworthy enjoyment had brought in, true conversion removed. And because David, converted with all his heart, groaned, he was immediately saved and thus in him was fulfilled what is commanded through the prophet: "If you are converted and groan, you will be saved." — ON THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS 1:12.3 Jerome: Psalms 50 [51] shows the complete repentance of a sinner when David, who had gone into Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite and was rebuked by the prophet Nathan, said, "I have sinned." Immediately he deserved to hear "The Lord has removed your sin from you." For he, who had added homicide to adultery and was moved to tears, said, "God, have compassion on me according to your great pity, and according to the multitude of your mercies take away my iniquity." Since a great sin needed great mercy, he added, "Wash me completely from my iniquity, and my offense is always before me. I have sinned against you only"—for a king did not fear anyone else—"and I have done evil in your sight so that you will be justified in your speaking and you overcome when you judge." "For God has included all things under sin so that he may be merciful to all." He made so much progress that he who a little earlier had been a penitent sinner became a master and was able to say, "I will teach the unjust your ways, and sinners will be converted to you." Since confession and beauty are before God, the one who confesses his sins and says, "My wounds have been destroyed and become putrefied," changes the foulness of his wounds into a healthy state. But "he who hides his sins will not prosper." — LETTER 122.3 John Chrysostom: Beloved, let us praise her, through whom we have been saved. Let us love her; let us prefer her to wealth. Let us have a merciful soul apart from wealth. Nothing is more characteristic of a Christian than mercy. There is nothing that unbelievers and all people are so amazed at as when we are merciful. For we ourselves are often in need of this mercy and say to God, "Have mercy on us according to the greatness of your mercy." Let us begin first ourselves; yet we do not begin first. For he has already shown his mercy that he has toward us. But, beloved, let us follow second. For if people have mercy on one who was merciful, even if he has committed countless sins, God is much more merciful. — ON THE EPISTLE TO THE Hebrews 32:3 Augustine of Hippo: "More and more wash me from mine unrighteousness" [Psalms 51:2]. What is, "More and more wash"? One much stained. More and more wash the sins of one knowing. Thou that hast washed off the sins of one ignorant. Not even thus is it to be despaired of Your mercy. "And from my delinquency purge Thou me." According to the manner in which He is physician, offer a recompense. He is God, offer sacrifice. What will you give that you may be purged? For see upon whom you call, upon a Just One you call. He hates sins, if He is just; He takes vengeance upon sins, if He is just; you will not be able to take away from the Lord God His justice: entreat mercy, but observe the justice: there is mercy to pardon the sinner, there is justice to punish the sin. What then? Thou ask mercy; shall sin unpunished abide? Let David answer, let those that have fallen answer, answer with David, and say, No, Lord, no sin of mine shall be unpunished; I know the justice of Him whose mercy I ask: it shall not be unpunished, but for this reason I will not that Thou punish me, because I punish my sin: for this reason I beg that Thou pardon, because I acknowledge. — Exposition on Psalms 51 Augustine of Hippo: "For mine iniquity I acknowledge, and my delinquency is before me ever" (ver. 3). I have not put behind my back what I have done, I look not at others, forgetful of myself, I pretend not to pull out a straw from my brother's eye, when there is a beam in my eye; my sin is before me, not behind me. For it was behind me when to me was sent the Prophet, and set before me the parable of the poor man's sheep. For saith Nathan the Prophet to David, "There was a certain rich man having very many sheep; but a poor man his neighbour had one little ewe sheep, which in his bosom and of his own food he was feeding: there came a stranger to the rich man, nothing from his flock he took, for the lithe ewe sheep of the poor man his neighbour he lusted; her he slew for the stranger: what doth he deserve?" But the other being angry doth pronounce sentence: then the king, evidently knowing not wherein he had been taken, declared the rich man deserving of death, and that the sheep be restored fourfold. Most sternly and most justly. But his sin was not yet before him, behind his back was what he had done: his own iniquity he did not yet acknowledge, and therefore another's he did not pardon. But the Prophet, being for this purpose sent, took from his back the sin, and before his eyes placed it, so that he might see that sentence so stern to have been pronounced against himself. For cutting and healing his heart's wound, he made a lancet of his tongue. ... — Exposition on Psalms 51 Augustine of Hippo: Singing to the Lord, we have asked Him to turn away His face from our sins, and to blot out all our crimes. But you can notice, Brothers, that in the same psalm we have heard: For I acknowledge my iniquity, and my sin is ever before me. However, it is said to God elsewhere: Do not turn away your face from me, to whom we have said: Turn your face away from my sins. While therefore man and sinner are one person, man says: Do not turn away your face from me, the sinner says: Turn your face away from my sins. This is thus said: Do not turn away your face from the one whom you have made, turn your face away from what I have done. Your eye, he says, distinguishes both, lest the nature perish because of the vice. You have made something, and I have made something. What you have made is called nature; what I have done is called vice. Let the vice be healed, so that nature may be preserved. — Sermon 19 Pachomius the Great: As the holy old man Pachomius was journeying to his own monastery and had come near the desert called Amnon, legions of demons rose both on his right hand and on his left, some following him and others running in front of him, saying, "Behold the blessed man of God." They were doing this, wishing to sow vainglory in him. But he knew their cunning, and the more they shouted, the more he cried out to God, confessing his sins. And undoing the demons' cunning, he spoke out to them, saying, "O wicked ones! You cannot carry me away with you into vainglory, for I know my failures, for which I ought to weep constantly over eternal punishment. I have therefore no need of your false speech and guileful deceit, for your work is the destruction of the soul. And I am not carried away by your praises, for I know the cunning of your unholy minds." And although holy Pachomius said these things to them, they did not stop their shamelessness; they followed alongside the blessed man until he drew near his monastery. — PARALIPOMENA 8:14 Ambrose of Milan: "I [the prodigal son] have sinned," he says, "against heaven and before you." He confesses what is clearly a sin to death, that you may not think that any one doing penance is rightly shut out from pardon. For one who has sinned against heaven has sinned either against the kingdom of heaven or against his own soul, which is a sin to death, and against God, to whom alone is said: "Against you only have I sinned and done evil before you." — Concerning Repentance 2.3.17 Augustine of Hippo: "Against You alone have I sinned, and before You an evil thing have I done" [Psalms 51:4]. What is this? For before men was not another's wife debauched and husband slain? Did not all men know what David had done? [2 Samuel 11:4, 15] What is, "Against You alone have I sinned, and before You an evil thing have I done." Because You alone are without sin. He is a just punisher that has nothing in Him to be punished; He is a just reprover that has nothing in Him to be reproved. "That you may be justified in Your sayings, and conquer when You are judged." To whom he speaks, brethren, to whom he speaks, is difficult to understand. To God surely he speaks, and it is evident that God the Father is not judged. What is, "And conquer when You are judged"? He sees the future Judge to be judged, one just by sinners to be judged, and therein conquering, because in Him was nothing to be judged. For alone among men could truly say the God-Man, "If you have found in Me sin, say." [John 8:46] But perchance there was what escaped men, and they found not what was really there, but was not manifest. In another place [John 14:30] He says, "Behold there comes the Prince of the world," being an acute observer of all sins; "Behold," He says, "there comes the Prince of this world," with death afflicting sinners, presiding over death: for, "By the malice of the devil death came into the world." [Wisdom 2:24] "Behold," He says, "there comes the Prince of the world:"— He said these words close upon His Passion:— "and in Me he shall find nothing," nothing of sin, nothing worthy of death, nothing worthy of condemnation. And as if it were said to Him, Why then do You die? He continues and says, "But that all men may know that I do the will of My Father; arise, let us go hence." I suffer, He says, undeserving, for men deserving, in order that them I may make deserving of My Life, for whom I undeservedly suffer their death. To Him then, having no sin, says on the present occasion the Prophet David, "Against You only have I sinned, and before You an evil thing have I done, that You may be justified in Your sayings, and conquer when You are judged." For Thou overcomest all men, all judges; and he that deems himself just, before You is unjust: Thou alone justly judgest, having been unjustly judged, That hast power to lay down Your life, and hast power again to take it. [John 10:18] Thou conquerest, then, when You are judged. All men Thou overcomest, because You are more than men, and by You were men made. — Exposition on Psalms 51 Augustine of Hippo: "For, behold, in iniquities I was conceived" [Psalms 51:5]. As though he were saying, They are conquered that have done what thou, David, hast done: for this is not a little evil and little sin, to wit, adultery and man-slaying. What of them that from the day that they were born of their mother's womb, have done no such thing? Even to them do you ascribe some sins, in order that He may conquer all men when He begins to be judged. David has taken upon him the person of mankind, and has heeded the bonds of all men, has considered the offspring of death, has adverted to the origin of iniquity, and he says, "For, behold, in iniquities I was conceived." Was David born of adultery; being born of Jesse, [1 Samuel 16:18] a righteous man, and his own wife? What is it that he says himself to have been in iniquity conceived, except that iniquity is drawn from Adam? Even the very bond of death, with iniquity itself is engrained? No man is born without bringing punishment, bringing desert of punishment. A Prophet says also in another place, "No one is clean in Your sight, not even an infant, whose life is of one day upon earth." For we know both by the Baptism of Christ that sins are loosed, and that the Baptism of Christ avails the remission of sins. If infants are every way innocent, why do mothers run with them when sick to the Church? What by that Baptism, what by that remission is put away? An innocent one I see that rather weeps than is angry. What does Baptism wash off? What does that Grace loose? There is loosed the offspring of sin. For if that infant could speak to you, it would say, and if it had the understanding which David had, it would answer you, Why do you heed me, an infant? Thou dost not indeed see my actions: but I in iniquity have been conceived, "And in sins has my mother nourished me in the womb." Apart from this bond of mortal concupiscence was Christ born without a male, of a virgin conceiving by the Holy Ghost. He cannot be said to have been conceived in iniquity, it cannot be said, In sins His mother nourished Him in the womb, to whom was said, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon you, and the Virtue of the Highest shall overshadow you." [Luke 1:35] It is not therefore because it is sin to have to do with wives that men are conceived in iniquity, and in sins nourished in the womb by their mother; but because that which is made is surely made of flesh deserving punishment. For the punishment of the flesh is death, and surely there is in it liability to death itself. Whence the Apostle spoke not of the body as if to die, but as if dead: "The body indeed is dead," he says, "because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness." [Romans 8:10] How then without bond of sin is born that which is conceived and sown of a body dead because of sin? This chaste operation in a married person has not sin, but the origin of sin draws with it condign punishment. For there is no husband that, because he is an husband, is not subject to death, or that is subject to death for any other reason but because of sin. For even the Lord was subject to death, but not on account of sin: He took upon Him our punishment, and so looses our guilt. With reason then, "In Adam all die, but in Christ shall all be made alive." [1 Corinthians 15:22] For, "Through one man," says the Apostle, "sin has entered into this world, and through sin death, and so has passed unto all men, in that all have sinned." [Romans 5:12] Definite is the sentence: "In Adam," he says, "all have sinned." Alone then could such an infant be innocent, as has not been born of the work of Adam. — Exposition on Psalms 51 Augustine of Hippo: So it is because of this quite unique innocence that the psalm says, "Against you alone have I sinned and done what is evil in your presence, that you may be justified in your words and may overcome when you are judged," because he could find not a hint of evil in you [Jesus Christ]. Why could he find it in you, though, O human race? Because it goes on to say, "For I myself was conceived in iniquity, and in sins did my mother conceive me." It is David saying this. Inquire how David was born; you will discover that it was of a lawful wife, not of adultery. So in terms of what sort of propagation does he say "I was conceived in iniquity"? It can only be that there is here a kind of propagation or transmission of death, which every person contracts who is born of the union of man and woman. — SERMON 170:4 Jerome: But we, according to the epistle of James, "all stumble in many things," and "no one is pure from sin, no not if his life is but a day long." For who will boast "that he has a clean heart? or who will be sure that he is pure from sin?" And we are held guilty after the likeness of Adam's transgression. Hence David says, "Behold, I was shaped in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." And the blessed Job, "Even if I were righteous, my mouth will speak wickedness; even if I were perfect, I will be found guilty. If I wash myself with soap and make my hands ever so clean, yet you will plunge me in the ditch, and even my own clothes will abhor me." — Against Jovinianus 2.2 Jerome: I need not go through the lives of the saints or call attention to the moles and blemishes that mark the fairest skins. Many of our writers, it is true, unwisely take this course; however, a few sentences of Scripture will dispose alike of the heretics and the philosophers. What does Paul say? "For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all"; and in another place, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." The preacher also who is the mouthpiece of the divine Wisdom freely protests and says, "There is not a just person on earth, that does good and sins not," and again, "When your people sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin," and "who can say, I have made my heart clean?" and "none is clean from stain, not even if his life on earth has been but for one day." David insists on the same thing when he says, "Behold, I was shaped in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me"; and in another psalm, "in your sight shall no man living be justified." This last passage they try to explain away from motives of reverence, arguing that the meaning is that no human being is perfect in comparison with God. Yet the Scripture does not say, "in comparison with you no one living shall be justified" but "in your sight no one living shall be justified." And when it says "in your sight" it means that those who seem holy to people are by no means holy to God in his fuller knowledge. For "man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." But if in the sight of God who sees all things and to whom the secrets of the heart lie open no one is just; then these heretics, instead of adding to human dignity, clearly take away from God's power. I might bring together many other passages of Scripture of the same import; but were I to do so, I should exceed the limits not of a letter but of a volume. — LETTER 133.2 Origen of Alexandria: Celsus has not explained how error accompanies the "becoming," or product of generation; nor has he expressed himself with sufficient clearness to enable us to compare his ideas with ours, and to pass judgment on them. But the prophets, who have given some wise suggestions on the subject of things produced by generation, tell us that a sacrifice for sin was offered even for new-born infants, as not being free from sin. They say, "I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me;" also, "They are estranged from the womb;" which is followed by the singular expression, "They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies." — AGAINST CELSUS 7:50 Augustine of Hippo: "For, behold, truth You have loved: uncertain and hidden things of Your wisdom, You have manifested to me" [Psalms 51:6]. That is, You have not left unpunished even the sins of those whom Thou dost pardon. "Truth You have loved:" so mercy You have granted first, as that You should also preserve truth. Thou pardonest one confessing, pardonest, but only if he punishes himself: so there are preserved mercy and truth: mercy because man is set free; truth, because sin is punished. "Uncertain and hidden things of Your wisdom You have manifested to me." What "hidden things"? What "uncertain things"? Because God pardons even such. Nothing is so hidden, nothing so uncertain. For this uncertainty the Ninevites repented, for they said, though after the threatenings of the Prophet, though after that cry, "Three days and Nineve shall be overthrown:" [Jonah 3:4] they said to themselves, Mercy must be implored; they said in this sort reasoning among themselves, "Who knows whether God may turn for the better His sentence, and have pity?" [Jonah 3:9] It was "uncertain," when it is said, "Who knows?" on an uncertainty they did repent, certain mercy they earned: they prostrated them in tears, in fastings, in sackcloth and ashes they prostrated them, groaned, wept, God spared. Nineve stood: was Nineve overthrown? One way indeed it seems to men, and another way it seemed to God. But I think that it was fulfilled that the Prophet had foretold. Regard what Nineve was, and see how it was overthrown; overthrown in evil, built in good; just as Saul the persecutor was overthrown, Paul the preacher built. [Acts 9:4] Who would not say that this city, in which we now are, was happily overthrown, if all those madmen, leaving their triflings, were to run together to the Church with contrite heart, and were to call upon God's mercy for their past doings? Should we not say, Where is that Carthage? Because there is not what there was, it is overthrown: but if there is what there was not, it is built. So is said to Jeremiah, "Behold, I will give to you to root up, to dig under, to overthrow, to destroy," and again, "to build, and to plant." [Jeremiah 1:10] Thence is that voice of the Lord, "I will smite and I will heal." [Deuteronomy 32:39] He smites the rottenness of the deed, He heals the pain of the wound. Physicians do thus when they cut; they smite and heal; they arm themselves in order to strike, they carry steel, and come to cure. But because great were the sins of the Ninevites, they said, "Who knows?" This uncertainty had God disclosed to His servant David. For when he had said, before the Prophet standing and convicting him, "I have sinned:" straightway he heard from the Prophet, that is, from the Spirit of God which was in the Prophet, "Your sin is put away from you." [2 Samuel 12:13] "Uncertain and hidden things" of His wisdom He manifested to him. — Exposition on Psalms 51 Ambrose of Milan: After this white robes were given to you as a sign that you were putting off the covering of sins and putting on the chaste veil of innocence, of which the prophet said, "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed; wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow." For one who is baptized is seen to be purified according to the law and according to the gospel: according to the law, because Moses sprinkled the blood of the lamb with a bunch of hyssop; according to the gospel, because Christ's garments were white as snow, when in the Gospel he showed forth the glory of his resurrection. One, then, whose guilt is forgiven is made whiter than snow. Thus God said through Isaiah: "Though your sins are as scarlet, I will make them white as snow." — On the Mysteries 7:34 Augustine of Hippo: "You shall sprinkle me," he says, "with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed" [Psalms 51:7]. Hyssop we know to be a herb humble but healing: to the rock it is said to adhere with roots. Thence in a mystery the similitude of cleansing the heart has been taken. Do thou also take hold, with the root of your love, on your Rock: be humble in your humble God, in order that you may be exalted in your glorified God. You shall be sprinkled with hyssop, the humility of Christ shall cleanse you. Despise not the herb, attend to the efficacy of the medicine. Something further I will say, which we are wont to hear from physicians, or to experience in sick persons. Hyssop, they say, is proper for purging the lungs. In the lung is wont to be noted pride: for there is inflation, there breathing. It was said of Saul the persecutor as of Saul the proud, that he was going to bind Christians, breathing slaughter: [Acts 9:1] he was breathing out slaughter, breathing out blood, his lung not yet cleansed. Hear also in this place one humbled, because with hyssop purged: "You shall wash me," that is, shall cleanse me: "and above snow I shall be whitened." "Although," he says, "your sins shall have been like scarlet, like snow I will whiten." [Isaiah 1:18] Out of such men Christ does present to Himself a vesture without spot and wrinkle. [Ephesians 5:27] Further, His vesture on the mount, which shone forth like whitened snow, [Matthew 17:2] signified the Church cleansed from every spot of sin. — Exposition on Psalms 51 Augustine of Hippo: But where is humility from hyssop? Hear what followeth: "To my hearing Thou shall give exultation and gladness, and bones humbled shall exult" (ver. 8). I will rejoice in hearing Thee, not in speaking against Thee. Thou hast sinned, why defendest thou thyself? Thou wilt speak: suffer thou; hear, yield to divine words, lest thou be put to confusion, and be still more wounded: sin hath been committed, be it not defended: to confession let it come, not to defence. Thou engagest thyself as defender of thy sin, thou art conquered: no innocent patron hast thou engaged, thy defence is not profitable to thee. For who art thou that defendest thyself? Thou art meet to accuse thyself. Say not, either, "I have done nothing;" or, "What great thing have I done?" or, "Other men as well have done." If in doing sin thou sayest thou hast done nothing, thou wilt be nothing, thou wilt receive nothing: God is ready to give indulgence, thou closest the door against thyself: He is ready to give, do not oppose the bar of defence, but open the bosom of confession. "To my hearing Thou shall give exultation and gladness." ... — Exposition on Psalms 51 Augustine of Hippo: "Turn Thou away Your face from my sins, and all mine iniquities blot out" [Psalms 51:9]. For now bones humbled exult, now with hyssop cleansed, humble I have become. "Turn Thou away Your face," not from me, but "from my sins." For in another place praying he says, "Turn not away Your face from me." He that would not that God's face be turned away from himself, would that God's face be turned away from his sins. For to sin, when God turns not Himself away, he adverts: if he adverts, he animadverts. "And all mine iniquities blot out." He is busied with that capital sin: he reckons on more, he would have all his iniquities to be blotted out: he relies on the Physician's hand, on that "great mercy," upon which he has called in the beginning of the Psalm: "All mine iniquities blot out." God turns away His face, and so blots out; by "turning away" His face, sins He blots out. By "turning towards," He writes them. You have heard of Him blotting out by turning away, hear of Him by turning towards, doing what? "But the countenance of the Lord is upon men doing evil things, that He may destroy from the earth the remembrance of them:" He shall destroy the remembrance of them, not by "blotting out their sins." But here he does ask what? "Turn away Your face from my sins." Well he asks. For he himself does not turn away his face from his own sins, saying, "For my sin I acknowledge." With reason you ask and well ask, that God turn away from your sin, if you from thence dost not turn away your face: but if you set your sin at your back, God does there set His face. Do thou turn sin before your face, if you will that God thence turn away His face; and then safely you ask, and He hears. — Exposition on Psalms 51 Augustine of Hippo: So all past sins are forgiven people on conversion; but for the rest of this life there are certain grave and deadly sins, from which one can be released only by the most vehement and distressing humbling of the heart and contrition of spirit and the pain of repentance. These are forgiven through the keys of the church. If you start judging yourself, you see, if you start being displeased with yourself, God will come along to show you mercy. If you are willing to punish yourself, he will spare you. In fact, all who repent and do penance well are punishing themselves. They have to be severe with themselves, so that God may be lenient with them. As David says, "Turn your face away from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities." But on what terms? He says in the same psalm, "Since I acknowledge my iniquity, and my sin is always before me." So if you acknowledge it, God overlooks it. — SERMON 278:12 Augustine of Hippo: God does not listen to sinners. When he was beating his breast, he was punishing his sins; when he was punishing his sins, he was associating himself with God as judge. God, you see, hates sins; if you too hate them, you are beginning to join God, so that you can say to him, "Turn your face away from my sins." Turn your face away—but from what? From my sins. "Do not turn your face away from me." What's the meaning of "your face from my sins"? Don't see them, don't look at them; overlook them instead, so that you can pardon me. — SERMON 136A.2 Augustine of Hippo: "A clean heart create in me, O God" (ver. 10). "Create"—he meant to say, "as it were begin something new." But, because repentant he was praying (that had committed some sin, which before he had committed, he was more innocent), after what manner he hath said "create" he showeth. "And a right spirit renew in my inner parts." By my doing, he saith, the uprightness of my spirit hath been made old and bowed. For he saith in another Psalm, "They have bowed my soul." And when a man doth make himself stoop unto earthly lusts, he is "bowed" in a manner, but when he is made erect for things above, upright is his heart made, in order that God may be good to him. For, "How good is the God of Israel to the upright of heart!" Moreover, brethren, listen. Sometimes God in this world chastiseth for his sin him that He pardoneth in the world to come. For even to David himself, to whom it had been already said by the Prophet, "Thy sin is put away," there happened certain things which God had threatened for that very sin. For his son Abessalom against him waged bloody war, and many ways humbled his father. He was walking in grief, in the tribulation of his humiliation, so resigned to God, that, ascribing to Him all that was just, he confessed that he was suffering nothing underservedly, having now an heart upright, to which God was not displeasing. A slanderous person and one throwing in his teeth harsh curses he patiently heard, one of the soldiers on the opposite side, that were with his unnatural son. And when he was heaping curses upon the king, one of the companions of David, enraged, would have gone and smitten him; but he is kept back by David. And he is kept back how? For that he said, God sent him to curse me. Acknowledging his guilt he embraced his penance, seeking glory not his own, praising the Lord in that good which he had, praising the Lord in that which he was suffering, "blessing the Lord alway, ever His praise was in his mouth." Such are all the upright in heart: not those crooked persons who think themselves upright and God crooked: who when they do any evil thing, rejoice; when they suffer any evil thing, blaspheme; nay, if set in tribulation and scourging, they say from their distorted heart, "O God, what have I done to Thee?" Truly it is because they have done nothing to God, for they have done all to themselves. "And an upright spirit, renew in my inner parts." — Exposition on Psalms 51 Augustine of Hippo: We are then truly free when God ordereth our lives, that is, formeth and createth us not as men—this he hath already done—but also as good men, which he is now doing by his grace, that we may indeed be new creatures in Christ Jesus. Accordingly, the prayer: "Create in me a clean heart, O God." This does not mean, as far as the natural human heart is concerned, that God hath not already created this. — Enchiridion 9:31 Basil of Caesarea: We shall now examine what kinds of ideas about the Spirit we hold in common, as well as those that we have gathered from the Scriptures or received from the unwritten tradition of the Fathers. First of all, who can listen to the Spirit's titles and not be lifted up in his soul? Whose thoughts would not be raised to contemplate the supreme nature? He is called the Spirit of God, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, right Spirit, willing Spirit. His first and most proper title is Holy Spirit, a name most especially appropriate to everything that is incorporeal, purely immaterial and indivisible. — ON THE HOLY SPIRIT 9:22 Bede: Let us call to mind that he promised that [Jesus] would send the grace of the Spirit to his disciples, and he did send it. And let us take care with all watchfulness, lest by our seductive thoughts we grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom we have been sealed for the day of redemption. For so it is written, "The Holy Spirit will flee the pretense of discipline, and will remove himself from thoughts that are without understanding." When the psalmist was burning with the desire to receive this Spirit, he providently sought first [to have] the guest chamber of a clean heart in which he could receive him, and so at length [he] sought the entry of so great a guest. "Create a clean heart in me, O God," he said, "renew an upright spirit in my inmost parts." He entreated that first a clean heart be created in him and then that an upright spirit be renewed in his inmost parts, because he knew that an upright spirit could have no place in a defiled heart. — Homilies on the Gospels 2:11 Bede: It is only by participation in the divine goodness that a rational creature is recognized as being capable of becoming good. Hence the Lord also bears witness by a benevolent promise that "your Father from heaven will give his good Spirit to those who ask him." This is to point out that those who of themselves are evil can become good through receiving the gift of the Spirit. He pledged that his good Spirit would be given by the Father to those asking for him, because whether we desire to secure faith, hope and charity, or any other heavenly goods at all, they are not bestowed on us in any other way than by the gift of the Holy Spirit. So it is that the same Spirit, in Isaiah, is named the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and fortitude, the Spirit of knowledge and piety, the Spirit of the fear of the Lord; and in another place, the Spirit of love and peace [and] the Spirit of grace and prayers. Undoubtedly whatever good we truly have, whatever we do well, this we receive from the lavishness of the same Spirit. When a prophet who understood this was seeking purity of heart, saying, "Create a pure heart in me, O Lord," he immediately added, "Renew a steadfast spirit within me." If the steadfast Spirit of the Lord does not fill our innermost being, we have no pure heart where he may abide. When in his eager longing for an advance in good for his work he had said, "Lord, I have had recourse to you, teach me to do your will," he at once showed in what way he had to secure this when he went on, "Let your good Spirit lead me into the right way." — Homilies on the Gospels 2:14 Callistus I of Rome: People are in error who think that the priests of the Lord, after a lapse, although they may have exhibited true repentance, are not capable of ministering to the Lord and engaging their honorable offices, even though they may lead a good life thereafter and perform their priesthood correctly. Individuals who hold this opinion are not only in error but also seem to argue and act in opposition to the power of the keys committed to the church, of which it is said, "Whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." In short, this opinion either is not the Lord's or it is true. Be that as it may, we believe without hesitation that both the priests of the Lord and other believers may return to their place of honor after a proper satisfaction for their error, as the Lord testifies through his prophet: "Shall he who falls not also rise again? and shall he who turns away not return?" In another passage the Lord says, "I desire not the death of the sinner, but that he may turn and live." The prophet David, on his repentance, said, "Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with your free Spirit." And he indeed, after his repentance, taught others also and offered sacrifice to God, giving thereby an example to the teachers of the holy church, that if they have fallen and thereafter have exhibited a right repentance to God, they may do both things in like manner. For he taught when he said, "I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will be converted to you." And he offered sacrifice for himself when he said, "The sacrifice for God is a broken spirit." For the prophet, seeing his own transgressions purged by repentance, had no doubt as to healing those of others by preaching and by making offering to God. Thus the shedding of tears moves the mind's feeling (passionem). And when the satisfaction is made good, the mind is turned aside from anger. For how does that person think that mercy will be shown to himself, who does not forgive his neighbor? If offences abound, then, let mercy also abound; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plentiful redemption. — EPISTLE 2:6 Gregory of Nazianzus: In addition to what has already been said, those who cleanse the head, which is the seat of knowledge, would do well to hold fast to Christ as their head. It is from him that the entire body is joined together and reconciled. And to cast aside our sin which arises and to seek to surpass the better part. It is also good that they should cleanse the shoulder so that it will be able to bear the cross of Christ, which is not borne easily by everyone. It is also good to consecrate the hands and the feet—the hands so that they may be lifted up in every holy place and grasp the teachings of Christ lest the Lord be angered at any time and to believe the Word by living it as when it was given into the hand of the prophet; the feet so that they will not be quick to shed blood or rush into evil but that they may be ready to hurry to the gospel and to their high calling and to receive Christ, who washes and purifies them. If anyone is clean in his stomach, which is able to hold and digest the food of the Word, he should not make a god of nourishment and meat that perishes; rather he should especially reduce its size so that he may receive the Word of the Lord in its very midst and to grieve deeply over the failing of Israel. I also find the heart and the inward parts worthy of honor. David convinced me of this when he asked that a clean heart be created within him and a right spirit be consecrated in his innermost being—by this I think he clearly means his mind and its emotions or thoughts. — ON HOLY BAPTISM, ORATION 40:39 Hippolytus of Rome: This is the Spirit that at the beginning "moved upon the thee of the waters; " by whom the world moves; by whom creation consists, and all things have life; who also wrought mightily in the prophets, and descended in flight upon Christ. This is the Spirit that was given to the apostles in the form of fiery tongues. This is the Spirit that David sought when he said, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." Of this Spirit Gabriel also spoke to the Virgin, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee." By this Spirit Peter spake that blessed word, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." By this Spirit the rock of the Church was stablished. This is the Spirit, the Comforter, that is sent because of thee, that He may show thee to be the Son of God. — Hippolytus Dogmatical and Historical Fragments - The Discourse on the Holy Theophany John Chrysostom: It would be better to be defiled with unclean mud than with sins. A person who is defiled with mud can wash it off in a short time and become like one who had never fallen into that mire at all. But one who has fallen into the deep pit of sin has contracted a defilement that is not cleansed by water but needs a long period of time, strict repentance, tears and lamentations and more wailing—and that more fervent than we show at the loss of one of our dearest friends. For this defilement attaches to us from without, wherefore we also quickly put it away, but the other is generated from within, where it is more difficult to wash it off and to cleanse ourselves from it. "For from the heart" (it is said) "proceed evil thoughts, fornications, adulteries, thefts, false witnesses." Thus, the prophet also said, "Create in me a clean heart, O God." And another prophet said, "Wash your heart from wickedness, O Jerusalem." (You see that it is both our [work] and God's.) And again, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." — ON THE EPISTLE TO THE Hebrews 12:7 Philoxenus of Mabbug: And that also which was said by the Lord unto Samuel, "I have found a man according to My heart," testified unto the purity of David's heart, and it is well known that simplicity is born of purity of heart. And again David himself asked in prayer, "Create in me a clean heart, O God." — 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 4 -- On Faith: First Discourse on Simplicity Augustine of Hippo: "Cast me not forth from Thy face" (ver. 11). Turn away Thy face from my sins: and "cast me not forth from Thy face." Whose face he feareth, upon the face of the Same he calleth. "And Thy Holy Spirit take not away from me." For in one confessing there is the Holy Spirit. Even now, to the gift of the Holy Spirit it belongeth, that what thou hast done displeaseth thee. The unclean spirit sins do please; the Holy One they displease. Though then thou still implore pardon, yet thou art joined to God on the other part, because the evil thing that thou hast committed displeaseth thee: for the same thing displeaseth both thee and Him. Now, to assail thy fever, ye are two, thou and the Physician. For the reason that there cannot be confession of sin and punishment of sin in a man of himself: when one is angry with himself, and is displeasing to himself, then it is not without the gift of the Holy Spirit, nor doth he say, Thy Holy Spirit give to me, but, "Take not away from me." — Exposition on Psalms 51 Augustine of Hippo: "Give back to me the exultation of Your salvation" [Psalms 51:12]. "Give back" what I had; what by sinning I had lost: to wit, of Your Christ. For who without Him can be made whole? Because even before that He was Son of Mary, "In the beginning He was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God;" [John 1:1] and so, by the holy fathers a future dispensation of flesh taken upon Him, was looked for; as is believed by us to have been done. Times are changed, not faith. "And with Principal Spirit confirm me." Some have here understood the Trinity in God, Itself God; the dispensation of Flesh being excepted therefrom: since it is written, "God is a Spirit." [John 4:24] For that which is not body, and yet is, seems to exist in such sort as that it is spirit. Therefore some understand here the Trinity spoken of: "In upright Spirit," the Son; in "Holy Spirit," Holy Ghost; in "Principal Spirit," Father. It is not any heretical opinion, therefore, whether this be so, or whether "upright Spirit" He would have to be taken of man himself (when He says, "An upright spirit renew in my inner parts"), which I have bowed and distorted by sinning, so that in that case the Holy Spirit be Himself the Principal Spirit: which also he would not have to be taken away from him, and thereby would have himself to be confirmed therein. — Exposition on Psalms 51 Jerome: "The one who says, I know him, and does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, in him the love of God has been truly perfected. By this we know that we are in him; he who says that he abides in him ought himself also to walk as he walked." My reason for telling you, little children, that everyone who is born of God does not sin, is that you should not sin and that you should know that as long as you do not sin you abide in the birth that God has given you. Truly, they who abide in that birth cannot sin. "For what does light have in common with darkness? Or Christ with Belial?" As day is distinct from night, so righteousness and unrighteousness, sin and good works, Christ and Antichrist cannot blend. If we give Christ a lodging place in our hearts, we banish the devil therefrom. If we sin and the devil enters through the gate of sin, Christ will immediately withdraw. Hence David after sinning says, "Restore to me the joy of your salvation," that is, the joy that he had lost by sinning. — Against Jovinianus 2.2 Augustine of Hippo: But see what he annexeth: "With Principal Spirit," he saith, "confirm Thou me." Wherein "confirm"? Because Thou hast pardoned me, because I am secure, that what Thou hast forgiven is not to be ascribed, on this being made secure and with this grace confirmed, therefore I am not ungrateful. But I shall do what? "I would teach unrighteous men Thy ways" (ver. 13). Being myself of the unrighteous (that is, one that was myself an unrighteous man, now no longer unrighteous; the Holy Spirit not having been taken away from me, and I being confirmed with Principal Spirit). "I would teach unrighteous men Thy ways." What ways wilt thou teach unrighteous men? "And ungodly men to Thee shall be converted." If David's sin is counted for ungodliness, let not ungodly men despair of themselves, forasmuch as God hath spared an ungodly man; but let them take heed that to Him they be converted, that His ways they learn. But if David's deed is not counted for ungodliness, but this is properly call ungodliness, namely, to apostatize from God, not to worship one God, or never to have worshipped, or to have forsaken, Him whom one did worship, then what he saith hath the force of superabundance, "And ungodly men shall to Thee be converted." So full art thou of the fatness of mercy, that for those converted to Thee, not only sinners of any sort, but even ungodly, there is no cause for despair. Wherefore? That believing on Him that justifieth an ungodly man, their faith may be counted for righteousness. — Exposition on Psalms 51 Augustine of Hippo: And what Christ worked in Paul, making him from a persecutor into a preacher, how much this may contribute to human salvation, let the Apostle himself speak that no one conscious of great sins may despair of God's mercy. Human speech, he says, is worthy of full acceptance, because Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners, among whom I am the first. But for this reason, I received mercy, that in me first Christ Jesus might show all long-suffering, as a pattern for those who are going to believe in Him for eternal life. Who, then, being inspired by such a great example, could despair of salvation under the hand of the Almighty Physician, considering that he who once ravaged the faith he now preaches, not only escaped the punishment of the persecutor but also deserved the crown of the teacher, and whose blood he sought in his members to shed in his rage, he poured out his own blood in faith for His name? Therefore, Rome has the head of the nations, two lights of the nations kindled by Him who illuminates every man coming into this world: one, in which God elevated humble weakness; the other, in which He healed condemnable sin. In the one, let us learn not to boast; in the other, not to despair. How briefly the great examples set before us teach, how beneficial they are; which we should always remember, and in their praise magnify the true light. Therefore, let no one exalt himself in the lofty status of this world: Peter was a fisherman. Let no one flee from God's mercy by thinking of their own sinfulness: Paul was a persecutor. The former says: The Lord became a refuge for the poor; the latter says: I will teach the wicked Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You. — Sermon 381 Augustine of Hippo: "Deliver me from bloods, O God, God of my health" (ver. 14). The Latin translator hath expressed, though by a word not Latin, yet an accuracy from the Greek. For we all know that in Latin, sanguines (bloods) are not spoken of, nor yet sanguina (bloods in the neuter), nevertheless because the Greek translator hath thus used the plural number, not without reason, but because he found this in the original language the Hebrew, a godly translator hath preferred to use a word not Latin, rather than one not exact. Wherefore then hath he said in the plural number, "From bloods"? In many bloods, as in the origin of the sinful flesh, many sins he would have to be understood. The Apostle having regard to the very sins which come of the corruption of flesh and blood, saith, "Flesh and blood shall not possess the kingdom of God." For doubtless, after the true faith of the same Apostle, that flesh shall rise again and shall itself gain incorruption, as He saith Himself, "This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality." Because then this corruption is of sin, by the name thereof sins are called. In like manner as both that morsel of flesh and member which playeth in the mouth when we articulate words is called a tongue, and that is called a tongue which by the tongue is made, so we call one tongue the Greek, another the Latin; for the flesh is not diverse, but the sound. In the same manner, then, as the speech which is made by the tongue is called a tongue; so also the iniquity which is made by blood is called blood. Heeding, then, his many iniquities, as in the expression above, "And all my iniquities blot out," and ascribing them to the corruption of flesh and blood, "Free me," he saith, "from bloods:" that is, free me from iniquities, cleanse me from all corruption. ...Not yet is the substance, but certain hope. "And my tongue shall exult of Thy righteousness." — Exposition on Psalms 51 Augustine of Hippo: "O Lord, my lips You shall open, and my mouth shall tell of Your praise" [Psalms 51:15]. "Your praise," because I have been created: "Your praise," because sinning I have not been forsaken: "Your praise," because I have been admonished to confess: "Your praise," because in order that I might be secured I have been cleansed. — Exposition on Psalms 51 Augustine of Hippo: Do you wish to appease God? Know what you do with yourself, so that God may be appeased with you. Note in the same psalm; for it is read there: Because if you had desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it; with burnt offerings you will not be delighting. Therefore will you be without sacrifice? Will you offer nothing, appeasing God with no offering? What did you say? If you had desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it; you will not be delighting in burnt offerings. Follow, and listen, and say: A sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit, a contrite and humbled heart God does not spurn. Having cast away those things you used to offer, you have found what to offer. ...Therefore, when holy David thus said: Because if you had desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it; with burnt offerings you will not be delighting, then those sacrifices were offered to God, which are not offered now. Therefore, when he was singing, he was prophesying, rejecting the present and foreseeing the future. With burnt offerings, he says, you will not be delighting. Therefore, when you will not be delighting in burnt offerings, will you remain without sacrifice? By no means. A sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit; a contrite and humbled heart God does not spurn. You have what to offer. Do not inspect the flock, do not prepare ships and journey to distant provinces from where to bring spices. Seek in your heart what is pleasing to God. The heart must be crushed. Do you fear lest it perish being crushed? There you have: Create in me a clean heart, O God. Therefore, that a clean heart may be created, the unclean must be crushed. — Sermon 19:3 Augustine of Hippo: How close is God's mercy to the one confessing! For God is not far from the broken-hearted; for it is written: "The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart." Therefore, this one had already broken his heart in the region of want; for he had returned to his heart to break it; he had left his heart in pride, he had returned to his heart in wrath. He was angry at himself to punish himself, but his own evil; deserving his father's good, he had returned. He said in his anger, as it is said: "Be angry, and do not sin." For every penitent is angry with himself; because he is angry, he punishes himself. Hence all those moves in the penitent, who truly repents, who truly grieves; hence the tearing of hair, hence the wearing of sackcloth, hence the beating of the breast. Surely all these are signs of a man raging against himself and being angry at himself. What the hand does outwardly, the conscience does inwardly; in thoughts it strikes itself, beats itself, and, to say it more truly, kills itself. For by killing himself, he offers a sacrifice to God, a contrite spirit; "a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." Therefore, breaking his heart, humbling, striking, killing his heart. — Sermon 112A:5 Augustine of Hippo: Nevertheless, no matter how great our crimes, their forgiveness should never be despaired of in holy Church for those who truly repent, each according to the measure of his sin. And, in the act of repentance, where a crime has been committed of such gravity as also to cut off the sinner from the body of Christ, we should not consider the measure of time as much as the measure of sorrow. For, "a contrite and humbled heart God will not despise." — Enchiridion 17:65 Augustine of Hippo: "Because if Thou hadst willed sacrifice, I would have given it surely" (ver. 16). David was living at that time when sacrifices of victim animals were offered to God, and he saw these times that were to be. Do we not perceive ourselves in these words? Those sacrifices were figurative, foretelling the One Saving Sacrifice. Not even we have been left without a Sacrifice to offer to God. For hear what he saith, having a concern for his sin, and wishing the evil thing which he hath done to be forgiven him: "If Thou hadst willed;" he saith, "sacrifice, I would have given it surely. With holocausts Thou wilt not be delighted." Nothing shall we therefore offer? So shall we come to God? And whence shall we propitiate Him? Offer; certainly in thyself thou hast what thou mayest offer. Do not from without fetch frankincense, but say, "In me are, O God, Thy vows, which I will render of praise to Thee." Do not from without seek cattle to slay, thou hast in thyself what thou mayest kill. "Sacrifice to God is a spirit troubled, a heart contrite and humbled God despiseth not" (ver. 17). Utterly he despiseth bull, he-goat, ram: now is not the time that these should be offered. They were offered when they indicated something, when they promised something; when the things promised come, the promises are taken away. "A heart contrite and humbled God despiseth not." Ye know that God is high: if thou shalt have made thyself high, He will be from thee; if thou shalt have humbled thyself, He will draw near to thee. — Exposition on Psalms 51 Epistle of Barnabas: To us, then, He declares, "A sacrifice [pleasing] to God is a broken spirit; a smell of sweet savour to the Lord is a heart that glorifieth Him that made it." We ought therefore, brethren, carefully to inquire concerning our salvation, lest the wicked one, having made his entrance by deceit, should hurl us forth from our [true] life. — The Epistle of Barnabas, Chapter II Gregory of Nazianzus: I have not yet alluded to the true and first wisdom, for which our wonderful husbandman and shepherd is conspicuous. The first wisdom is a life worthy of praise, in which a person keeps himself pure for God or is purified for him who is all-pure and all-luminous. God demands of us, as his only sacrifice, purification—that is, a contrite heart, the sacrifice of praise, a new creation in Christ, the new man, and the like, as the Scripture loves to call it. — ON HIS FATHER'S SILENCE, ORATION 16:2 John Chrysostom: Other things too must be added to humbleness of mind if it be such as the blessed David knew, when he said, "A broken and a contrite heart God will not despise." For that which is broken does not rise up, does not strike, but is ready to be ill-treated and itself riseth not up. Such is contrition of heart: though it be insulted, though it be evil entreated, it is quiet, and is not eager for vengeance. — ON THE EPISTLE TO THE Hebrews 9:8 John Chrysostom: But how shall a man find grace with God? How else, except by lowliness of mind? "For God," saith one, "resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble; and, the sacrifice of God is a broken spirit, and a heart that is brought low God will not despise." For if with men humility is so lovely, much more with God. Thus both they of the Gentiles found grace and the Jews no other way fell from grace; "for they were not subject unto the righteousness of God." The lowly man of whom I am speaking, is pleasing and delightful to all men, and dwells in continual peace, and hath in him no ground for contentions. For though you insult him, though you abuse him, whatsoever you say, he will be silent and will bear it meekly, and will have so great peace towards all men as one cannot even describe. Yea, and with God also. For the commandments of God are to be at peace with men: and thus our whole life is made prosperous, through peace one with another. — HOMILIES ON 1 Corinthians 1:4 Augustine of Hippo: See who this is: David as one man was seeming to implore; see ye here our image and the type of the Church. "Deal kindly, O Lord, in Your good will with Sion" [Psalms 51:18]. With this Sion deal kindly. What is Sion? A city holy. What is a city holy? That which cannot be hidden, being upon a mountain established. Sion in prospect, because it has prospect of something which it hopes for. For Sion is interpreted "prospect," and Jerusalem, "vision of peace." You perceive then yourselves to be in Sion and in Jerusalem, if being sure ye look for hope that is to be, and if you have peace with God. "And be the walls of Jerusalem built." "Deal kindly, O Lord, in Your good will with Sion, and be the walls of Jerusalem built." For not to herself let Sion ascribe her merits: do Thou with her deal kindly, "Be the walls of Jerusalem built:" be the battlements of our immortality laid, in faith and hope and charity. — Exposition on Psalms 51 Augustine of Hippo: "Then Thou shalt accept the sacrifice of righteousness" (ver. 19). But now sacrifice for iniquity, to wit, a spirit troubled, and a heart humbled; then the sacrifice of righteousness, praises alone. For, "Blessed they that dwell in Thy house, for ever and ever they shall praise Thee:" for this is the sacrifice of righteousness. "Oblations and holocausts." What are "holocausts"? A whole victim by fire consumed. When a whole beast was laid upon the altar with fire to be consumed, it was called a holocaust. May divine fire take us up whole, and that fervour catch us whole. What fervour? "Neither is there that hideth himself from the heat thereof." What fervour? That whereof speaketh the Apostle: "In spirit fervent." Be not merely our soul taken up by that divine fire of wisdom, but also our body; that it may earn their immortality; so be it lifted up for a holocaust, that death be swallowed into victory. "Oblations and holocausts." "Then shall they lay upon thine altar calves." Whence "calves"? What shall He therein choose? Will it be the innocence of the new age, or necks freed from the yoke of the law? ... — Exposition on Psalms 51 Augustine of Hippo: "Why doth he glory in malice that is mighty?" (ver. 1). Observe, my brethren, the glorying of malignity, the glorying of evil men. Where is glorying? "Why doth he glory in malice that is mighty?" That is, he that in malice is mighty, why doth he glory? There is need that a man be mighty, but in goodness, not in malice. Is it any great thing to glory in malice? To build a house doth belong to few men, any ignorant man you please can pull down. To sow wheat, to dress the crop, to wait until it ripen, and in that fruit on which one has laboured to rejoice, doth belong to few men: with one spark any man you please can burn all the crop. To breed an infant, when born to feed him, to educate, to bring him on to youth's estate, is a great task: to kill him in one moment of time any one you please is able. Therefore those things which are done for destruction, are most easily done. "He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord:" he that glorieth, let him glory in goodness. Thou gloriest, because thou art mighty in evil. What art thou about to do, O mighty man, what art thou about to do, boasting thyself much? Thou art about to kill a man: this thing also a scorpion, this also one fever, this also a poisonous fungus can do. To this is thy mightiness reduced, that it be made equal to a poisonous fungus? This therefore do the good citizens of Jerusalem, who not in malice but in goodness glory: firstly, that not in themselves, but in the Lord they glory. Secondly, that those things which make for edification they earnestly do, and do such things as are strong to abide: but things which make for destruction they may do, for the discipline of men advancing, not for the oppression of the innocent. To this mightiness then that earthly body being compared, why may it not hear out of these words, "Why doth he glory in malice that is mighty?" — Exposition on Psalms 52 Eusebius of Caesarea: The 33rd Psalm was spoken by David when he "changed his countenance before Abimelech, and he sent him away, and he left." The current Psalm would be the one following that Psalm in historical sequence. For the Scripture says in Kingdoms, "And one of the servants of Saul was there that day." And this indicates the time at which David came into the house of Abimelech and ate the "loaves of offering," receiving them from the high priest. For at the very same point in time, Doeg the Syrian, the tender of Saul's mules, came to Saul and said, "I have seen the son of Jesse having come to Nob, to Abimelech the son of Ahitub, the priest, and all the sons of his father; and he inquired on his behalf through God, and he gave him provisions. And the king sent someone to call Abimelech the priest, and all the sons of his father, the priests of the Lord in Nob, and they all came before the king," at which point, on Saul's order, this same Doeg put to death the priests of the Lord—"305 men who bore the ephod, and he smote the city of Nob with the edge of the sword, including men and women, infants and babies, and calves and donkeys and sheep." So when David learned that this had been done in this way, he uttered the words before us, which contain neither an ode, nor a hymn, nor anything else of that sort. For how, in the face of the disaster that happened to so many priests, could he have sung odes of theirs and psalms? Hence, nothing of the kind is written as epigraph, but it was only said "to the end" and "of understanding": ["To the end,"] since the final elements of his words recount the good things, when he says, "But I am like a fruitful olive tree," etc.; and ["of understanding," since discerning] the meaning of the words put forth here requires the understanding that comes from God. Now then, when he was with Abimelech and tasted the priestly nourishment, he changed his "taste"—or his "ways," according to the interpretation of the others—and raised blessings and thanksgivings to God, saying: "I will bless the Lord at all times; the praise of him is always in my mouth," etc. But now, when he had learned of the actions of Doeg the slanderer—how he had destroyed so many priests, doing a diabolical deed—he marshalled the words of the present passage as though against him... — Commentary on the Psalms, On Psalms 51 (52) Augustine of Hippo: "In iniquity the whole day upon injustice has your tongue thought" [Psalms 52:2]: that is, in the whole of time, without weariness, without intermission, without cessation. And when you do not, you think, so that when anything of evil is away from your hands, from your heart it is not away; either you do an evil thing, or while you can not do, you say an evil thing, that is, thou evil-speakest: or when not even this you can do, you will and thinkest an evil thing. "The whole day," then, that is, without intermission. We expect punishment to this man. Is he to himself a small punishment? Thou threatenest him: thou, when you threaten him, wilt send him whither? Unto evil? Send him away unto himself. In order that you may vent much rage, you are going to give him into the power of beasts: unto himself he is worse than beasts. For a beast can mangle his body: of himself he cannot leave his heart whole. Within, against himself he does rage of himself, and do you from without seek for stripes? Nay, pray God for him, that he may be set free from himself. Nevertheless in this Psalm, my brethren, there is not a prayer for evil men, or against evil men, but a prophecy of what is to result to evil men. Think not therefore that the Psalm of ill-will says anything: for it is said in the spirit of prophecy. — Exposition on Psalms 52 Eusebius of Caesarea: The material we have before us was spoken much earlier in time than the history pertaining to the 50th Psalm. For [the history of Doeg] took place, and [the words] were spoken, while Saul was still alive, and before David's kingship. Many long years later, after the death of Saul, and at the end of his own kingship, David made the confession contained in the 50th Psalm, which he placed before [the 51st] because of its connection to the 49th Psalm, as I have already shown. Those Psalms, 20 in number, from 51 to 70, with epigraphs "of David," took their subject-matter from a different point of origin: indeed, they appear to have been spoken while Saul was still alive, before David reigned. For the one before us now was spoken while Saul was still alive, "when Doeg the Idumaean came and reported to Saul…'David came to the house of Abimelech.'" But the 53rd Psalm too was spoken "when the Ziphites came and told Saul, 'Look--is not David hidden with us?'" Also, the 55th Psalm has this epigraph: "When the Philistines seized him in Gath"—and this period too precedes David's kingship, while Saul still survived alive. And the 56th Psalm gives the epigraph: "Of David, when he was running away from Saul into the cave." In the same way also, the 58th Psalm says [in the epigraph], "When Saul sent, and guarded his house, in order to kill him." The 59th Psalm, however, even though it was spoken after the death of Saul, when David was now king, still preceded the actions relating to Uriah. This is indicated by the heading, which shows the time period involved by saying, "When he set on fire Mesopotamia of Syria, and Syria Soba, and Joab returned and smote the Ravine of Salt—twelve thousand." And this chronologically precedes the confession expressed in the 50th Psalm. Furthermore, the 62nd Psalm was spoken by David "when he was in the desert of Idumaea," while Saul was still living. Consider how more or less the majority of the second part of the book of the Psalms of David (apart from the 50th) include those which were spoken by him before the period of his actions pertaining to Uriah. The first part of the same book, however, from the first Psalm to the 40th, [seemed to] contradict that order; for that part included those dating after the confession of the 50th Psalm. The third Psalm, then, was spoken by David "when he was running away from Absalom his son." And he was fleeing from his son after the events connected to Uriah. But also in the sixth Psalm, he was mourning for the same actions, saying, "I grew tired in my groaning; I shall wash my bed every night—with my tears I shall moisten my mattress." And the seventh Psalm, spoken "for the words of Cush the son of Iamin," would belong to the same time period. Moreover, also the 17th Psalm has been proved to have been spoken at the end of David's life. But also the 37th Psalm, with the epigraph "for remembrance," having the same train of thought as the sixth, begins with the same words, saying, "Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger, and do not correct me in your wrath." And going forward, he makes the same confession as that in the 50th Psalm, besides other passages, also when he says, "For my transgressions have gone over my head…My wounds stank and decayed before my foolishness." And if you bring together [these indications] for yourself, you will discover that the majority of the Psalms in the first part were spoken after the time period of the history relating to Uriah, whereas those following the 50th Psalm precede [David's] actions regarding Uriah chronologically. Why in the world, then, were the first ones in chronological sequence not put in first place—and instead, those which were spoken first, while Saul was still living, are in the second part of the Psalms—and those which are chronologically last are in the first part? I think they have this arrangement so that the discourse would not move from the better to the worse; for the phrase, "to the end, lest you be destroyed," appears to have been observed also in the case of the Psalms' arrangement. For this reason, the gloomier material was placed first, so that the nicer / more useful material would be kept for second, the worse things being hidden and made to disappear by the appearance of the better ones in second place. And it is likely that David wished to draw a veil over his fault afterwards by means of his prior good deeds. And someone might say that he arranged his confessions first in accordance with tremendous piety, because "the righteous one is his own accuser in the opening prosecution" But since so many things about the arrangement apparent [in the book of Psalms] have been laid bare for you, it is now time to pass on also to the words of Psalm 51 that are before us. Well then, he writes the words in question after learning what Doeg the Syrian had brought about by means of his slanders against David. Therefore he speaks as though addressing him: "Why do you boast in wickedness, you powerful one?"—or as though addressing the devil, who was at work in him. For he was not unaware of the one who was opposing him at all times and always fighting against him, at one time through Saul, in the current instance through Doeg, and at other times in different ways through different people. So then, the one who is powerless and weak and slight in wickedness, when the better character prevails in him, since he is feebler in wickedness, will hide himself as he sins and is pricked by his conscience, and will repent, and devise for himself a remedy for his own wickedness using confession and true repentance. The one who is powerful in wickedness, however, goes crazy and boasts over it, as though he were making himself more majestic by a great good deed. And the passage before us appears to me to be describing the character that is the opposite of the one that made the prior confession in the 50th Psalm. For in that Psalm, after slipping once into wickedness, he repented in the end and wore himself out with confession, and lamentation over his own evil deeds. — Commentary on the Psalms: Ps. 51 (52) Augustine of Hippo: There follows then what? All your might and all your thought of iniquity all the day, and meditation of malignity in your tongue without intermission, has performed what, done what? "As with a sharp razor you have done deceit" [Psalms 52:3]. See what do evil men to Saints, they scrape their hair. What is it that I have said? If there be such citizens of Jerusalem, that hear the voice of their Lord, of their King, saying, "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul:" that hear the voice which but now from the Gospel has been read, "What does it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and of himself make wreck:" [Matthew 16:26] they despise all present good things, and above all life itself. And what is Doeg's razor to do to a man on this earth meditating on the kingdom of heaven, and about to be in the kingdom of heaven, having with him God, and about to abide with God? What is that razor to do? Hair it is to scrape, it is to make a man bald. And this belongs to Christ, who in the Place of a Skull was crucified. [Matthew 27:33] It makes also the son of Core, which is interpreted baldness. [1 Chronicles 6:22] For this hair signifies a superfluity of things temporal. Which hairs indeed are not made by God superfluously on the body of men, but for a sort of ornament: yet because without feeling they are cut off, they that cleave to the Lord with their heart, so have these earthly things as they have hair. But sometimes even something of good with "hair" is wrought, when you break bread to the hungry, the poor without roof you bring into your house; if you shall have seen one naked, you cover him: [Isaiah 58:7] lastly, the Martyrs themselves also imitating the Lord, blood for the Church shedding, hearing that voice, "As Christ laid down His life for us, so also ought we also to lay down for the brethren," [1 John 3:16] in a certain way with their hair did good to us, that is, with those things which that razor can lop off or scrape. But that therefore even with the very hair some good can be done, even that woman a sinner intimated, who, when she had wept over the feet of the Lord, with her hair wiped what with tears she wetted. [Luke 7:38] Signifying what? That when you shall have pitied any one, you ought to relieve him also if you can. For when you have pity, you shed as it were tears: when you relieve, you wipe with hair. And if this to any one, how much more to the feet of the Lord. The feet of the Lord are what? The holy Evangelists, whereof is said, "How beautiful are the feet of them that tell of peace, that tell of good things!" Therefore like a razor let Doeg whet his tongue, let him whet deceit as much as he may: he will take away superfluous temporal things; will he necessary things everlasting? — Exposition on Psalms 52 Augustine of Hippo: "You have loved malice above benignity" [Psalms 52:4]. Before you was benignity; herself you should have loved. For you were not going to expend anything, nor were you going to fetch something to love by a distant voyage. Benignity is before you, iniquity before you: compare and choose. But perchance you have an eye wherewith you see malignity, and hast no eye wherewith you see benignity. Woe to the iniquitous heart. What is worse, it does turn away itself, that it may not see what it is able to see. For what of such has been said in another place? "He would not understand that he might do good." For it is not said, he could not: but "he would not," he says, "understand that he might do good," he closed his eyes from present light. And what follows? "Of iniquity he has meditated in his bed;" that is, in the inner secrecy of his heart. Some reproach of this kind is heaped upon this Doeg the Edomite, a malignant body, a motion of earth, not abiding, not heavenly. "You have loved malignity above benignity." For will you know how an evil man does see both, and the former he does rather choose, from the other does turn himself away? Wherefore does he cry out when he suffers anything unjustly? Wherefore does he then exaggerate as much as he can the iniquity, and praise benignity, censuring him that has wrought in him malignity above benignity? Be he then a rule to himself for seeing: out of himself he shall be judged. Moreover, if he do what is written, "You shall love your neighbour as yourself;" [Matthew 22:39] and, "Whatsoever good things you will that men should do unto you, these also do ye do unto them:" [Matthew 7:12] at home he has means of knowing, because what on himself he will not have to be done, he ought not to do to another. "You have loved malice above benignity." Iniquitously, inordinately, perversely you would raise water above oil: the water will be sunk, the oil will remain above. You would under darkness place a light: the darkness will be put to flight, the light will remain. Above heaven you would place earth, by its weight the earth will fall into its place. Thou therefore will be sunk by loving malice above benignity. For never will malice overcome benignity. "You have loved malice above benignity: iniquity more than to speak of equity." Before you is equity, before you is iniquity: one tongue you have, whither you will you turn it: wherefore then rather to iniquity and not to equity? Food of bitterness do you not give to your belly, and food of iniquity do you give to your malignant tongue? As you choose whereon to live, so choose what you may speak. Thou preferrest iniquity to equity, and preferrest malice to benignity; thou indeed preferrest, but above what can ever be but benignity and equity? But you, by placing yourself in a manner upon those things which it is necessary should go beneath, will not make them to be above good things, but thou with them will be sunk unto evil things. — Exposition on Psalms 52 Gregory of Nazianzus: The old confusion of tongues was beneficial when people, who were of one language in wickedness and impiety, just as some still are, were building the tower. But by the confusion of their language, the unity of their intention was broken up and their undertaking destroyed. Much more worthy of praise is the present miraculous unity of language [at Pentecost]. Being poured from one Spirit on many people, it brings them again into harmony. And there is a diversity of gifts, which stands in need of yet another gift to discern which is the best, where all are praiseworthy. That division also might be called noble of which David says, "Confuse the wicked, O Lord, confound their speech." Why? Because "you love every harmful word, O you deceitful tongue!" Here he very expressly indicts the tongues of the present day that sever the Godhead. — ON PENTECOST, ORATION 41:16 Augustine of Hippo: Because of this there follows in the Psalm, "You have loved all words of sinking under" [Psalms 52:5]. Rescue therefore yourself, if you can, from sinking under. From shipwreck you are fleeing, and dost embrace lead! If you will not sink, catch at a plank, be borne on wood, let the Cross carry you through. But now because you are a Doeg the Edomite, a "motion," and "of earth," you do what? "You have loved all words of sinking-under, a tongue deceitful." This has preceded, words of sinking-under have followed a tongue deceitful. What is a tongue deceitful? A minister of guile is a tongue deceitful, of men bearing one thing in heart, another thing from mouth bringing forth. But in these is overthrowing, in these sinking under. — Exposition on Psalms 52 Eusebius of Caesarea: And he will scrape you away from the tent, and will uproot you from the land of the living forever—so that the righteous, when they see it, will be afraid and will mock him, saying, "Look! a man who did not set God before himself as his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his wealth, and empowered himself in his own disaster!" And this was said as though to Doeg, who was a Syrian by descent, but lived in the midst of Israel—and, I suppose, perhaps even entered the tabernacle of God along with the multitude, pretending to be pious. But it was also said to everyone who is powerful in wickedness, who uses his tongue instead of a sword for the destruction of souls: the "farmer of souls" would pluck him out just like some bitter and destructive root, even if he seems for some brief time to have been planted in the tabernacle of God and in his Church. Such a person, after being plucked out and cast away far from the tabernacle of the holy, will lie as a pitiable spectacle for the benefit and chastening of those who see him—they will take in with their eyes the severe judgment of God against such a person and will make every effort and guard themselves against falling into a similar situation. Later, when they recall with their memory the former boasting of the one who was powerful in wickedness, his grandeur and arrogance, but also see the humiliation and destruction that pursued him after that, they will consider him a laughing-stock, considering how he has fallen so low from such a height. And they will accept the judgment of God, confessing that it is righteous. Then, they will also go through the reasons why the impious one has suffered these things and justify God's judgment. For he ought not to have been haughty-minded over riches, nor to have been exalted over the vanity of the present life, but to have made God alone his hope and help, and not to have wavered in this hope. But he abandoned the good anchor of his own soul, and by hanging his hopes on vain wealth he made himself a joke, incurring nothing more than laughter for his vain and thoughtless boastfulness. — Commentary on the Psalms: Ps. 51 (52) Augustine of Hippo: "Wherefore God shall destroy you at the end" [Psalms 52:6]: though now you seem to flourish like grass in the field before the heat of the sun. For, "All flesh is grass, and the brightness of man as the bloom of grass: the grass has withered, and the bloom has fallen down: but the word of the Lord abides for everlasting." [Isaiah 40:6-8] Behold that to which you may bind yourself, to what "abides for everlasting." For if to grass, and to the bloom of grass, you shall have bound yourself, since the grass shall wither, and the bloom shall fall down, "God shall destroy you at the end:" and if not now, certainly at the end He shall destroy, when that winnowing shall have come, and the heap of chaff from the solid grain shall have been separated. Is not the solid grain for the barns, and the chaff for the fire? Shall not the whole of that Doeg stand at the left hand, when the Lord is to say, "Go ye into fire everlasting, which has been prepared for the devil and his angels"? [Matthew 25:41] Therefore "God shall destroy at the end: shall pluck you out, and shall remove you from your dwelling." Now then this Doeg the Edomite is in a dwelling: "But a servant abides not in the house for ever." [John 8:35] Even he works something of good, even if not with his doings, at least with the words of God, so that in the Church, when he "seeks his own," [Philippians 2:21] he would say, at least, those things which are of Christ. "But He shall remove you from your dwelling." "Verily, verily, I say unto you, they have received their reward." [Matthew 6:2] "And your root from the land of the living." Therefore in the land of the living we ought to have root. Be our root there. Out of sight is the root: fruits may be seen, root cannot be seen. Our root is our love, our fruits are our works: it is needful that your works proceed from love, then is your root in the land of the living. Then shall be rooted up that Doeg, nor any wise shall he be able there to abide, because neither more deeply there has he fixed a root: [Matthew 13:5] but it shall be with him in like manner as it is with those seeds on the rock, which even if a root they throw out, yet, because moisture they have not, with the risen sun immediately do wither. But, on the other hand, they that fix a root more deeply, hear from the Apostle what? "I bow my knees for you to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you may be in love rooted and grounded." And because there now is root, "That ye may be able," he says, "to comprehend what is the height, and breadth, and length, and depth: to know also the supereminent knowledge of the love of Christ, that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God." Of such fruits so great a root is worthy, being so single, so budding, for buddings so deeply grounded. But truly this man's root shall be rooted up from the land of the living. — Exposition on Psalms 52 Augustine of Hippo: "And the just shall see, and shall fear; and over him they shall laugh" (ver. 7). Shall fear when? Shall laugh when? Let us therefore understand, and make a distinction between those two times of fearing and laughing, which have their several uses. For so long as we are in this world, not yet must we laugh, lest hereafter we mourn. We have read what is reserved at the end for this Doeg, we have read and because we understand and believe, we see but fear. This, therefore, hath been said, "The just shall see, and shall fear." So long as we see what will result at the end to evil men, wherefore do we fear? Because the Apostle hath said, "In fear and trembling work out your own salvation:" because it hath been said in a Psalm, "Serve the Lord in fear, and exult unto Him with trembling." Wherefore "with fear"? "Wherefore let him that thinketh himself to stand, see that he fall not." Wherefore "with trembling"? Because he saith in another place: "Brethren, if a man shall have been overtaken in any delinquency, ye that are spiritual instruct such sort in the spirit of gentleness; heeding thyself, lest thou also be tempted." Therefore, the just that are now, that live of faith, so see this Doeg, what to him is to result, that nevertheless they fear also for themselves: for what they are to-day, they know; what to-morrow they are to be, they know not. Now, therefore, "The just shall see, and they shall fear." But when shall they laugh? When iniquity shall have passed over; when it shall have flown over; as now to a great degree hath flown over the time uncertain; when shall have been put to flight the darkness of this world, wherein now we walk not but by the lamp of the Scriptures, and therefore fear as though in night. For we walk by prophecy; whereof saith the Apostle Peter, "We have a more sure prophetic word, to which giving heed ye do well, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day shine, and the day-star arise in your hearts." So long then as by a lamp we walk, it is needful that with fear we should live. But when shall have come our day, that is, the manifestation of Christ, whereof the same Apostle saith, "When Christ shall have appeared, your life, then ye also shall appear with Himself in glory," then the just shall laugh at that Doeg. ... — Exposition on Psalms 52 Eusebius of Caesarea: And this was said as though to Doeg, who was a Syrian by descent, but lived in the midst of Israel—and, I suppose, perhaps even entered the tabernacle of God along with the multitude, pretending to be pious. But it was also said to everyone who is powerful in wickedness, who uses his tongue instead of a sword for the destruction of souls: the "farmer of souls" would pluck him out just like some bitter and destructive root, even if he seems for some brief time to have been planted in the tabernacle of God and in his Church. Such a person, after being plucked out and cast away far from the tabernacle of the holy, will lie as a pitiable spectacle for the benefit and chastening of those who see him—they will take in with their eyes the severe judgment of God against such a person and will make every effort and guard themselves against falling into a similar situation. Later, when they recall with their memory the former boasting of the one who was powerful in wickedness, his grandeur and arrogance, but also see the humiliation and destruction that pursued him after that, they will consider him a laughing-stock, considering how he has fallen so low from such a height. And they will accept the judgment of God, confessing that it is righteous. Then, they will also go through the reasons why the impious one has suffered these things and justify God's judgment. For he ought not to have been haughty-minded over riches, nor to have been exalted over the vanity of the present life, but to have made God alone his hope and help, and not to have wavered in this hope. But he abandoned the good anchor of his own soul, and by hanging his hopes on vain wealth he made himself a joke, incurring nothing more than laughter for his vain and thoughtless boastfulness. — Commentary on the Psalms, On Psalms 51 (52) Augustine of Hippo: But what shall they then say that shall laugh? "And over him they shall laugh; and shall say, Behold a man that hath not set God for his helper" (ver. 8). See ye the body earthly! "As much as thou shalt have, so great shalt thou be," is a proverb of covetous men, of grasping men, of men oppressing the innocent, of men seizing upon other men's goods, of men denying things entrusted to their care. Of what sort is this proverb? "As much as thou shalt have, so great shalt thou be;" that is, as much as thou shall have had of money, as much as thou shalt have gotten, by so much the more mighty shall thou be. "Behold a man that hath not set God for his helper, but hath trusted in the multitude of his riches." Let not a poor man, one perchance that is evil, say, I am not of this body. For he hath heard the Prophet saying, "He hath trusted in the multitude of his riches:" forthwith if he is poor, he heedeth his rags, he hath observed near him perchance a rich man among the people of God more richly apparelled, and he saith in his heart, Of this man he speaketh; doth he speak of me? Do not thence except thyself, do not separate thyself, unless thou shalt have seen and feared, in order that thou mayest hereafter laugh. For what doth it profit thee, if thou dost want means, and thou burnest with cupidity? When our Lord Jesus Christ to that rich man that was grieved, and that was departing from Him, had said, "Go, sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shall have treasure in heaven, and come follow Me:" and great hopelessness for rich men foretold, so that He said, more easily could a camel pass through the eye of a needle, than a rich man enter into the kingdom of Heaven, were not forthwith the disciples grieved, saying with themselves, "Who shall be able to be saved?" Therefore when they were saying, "Who shall be able to be saved?" did they think of the few rich men, did there escape them so great a multitude of poor men? Could they not say to themselves, If it is hard, aye an impossible thing, that rich men should enter into the kingdom of heaven, as it is impossible that a camel should enter through the eye of a needle, let all poor men enter into the kingdom of heaven, be the rich alone shut out? For how few are the rich men? But of poor men are thousands innumerable. For not the coats are we to look upon in the kingdom of heaven; but for every one's garment shall be reckoned the effulgence of righteousness: there shall be therefore poor men equal to Angels of God, clothed with the stoles of immortality, they shall shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father: what reason is there for us about a few rich men to be concerned, or distressed? This thought not the Apostles; but when the Lord had spoken this, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven:" they saying to themselves, "Who shall be able to be saved," meant what? Not means, but desires; for they saw even poor men themselves, even if not having money, yet to have covetousness. And that ye may know, that not money in a rich man, but covetousness is condemned, attend to what I say; Thou observest that rich man standing near thee, and perchance in him is money, and is not covetousness; in thee is not money, and is covetousness. A poor man full of sores, full of woe, licked by dogs, having no help, having no morsel, not having perchance a mere garment, was borne by the Angels unto Abraham's bosom. Ho! being a poor man, art thou glad now; for are even sores by thee to be desired? Is not thy patrimony soundness? There is not in this Lazarus the merit of poverty, but that of godliness. For thou seest who was borne up, thou seest not whither he was borne up. Who was borne up by Angels? A poor man, full of woe, full of sores. Whither was he borne up? Unto Abraham's bosom. Read the Scriptures, and thou shall find Abraham to have been a rich man. In order that thou mayest know, that not riches are blamed; Abraham had much gold, silver, cattle, household, was a rich man, and unto his bosom Lazarus, a poor man, was borne up. Unto bosom of rich man, poor man: are not rather both unto God rich men, both in cupidity poor men? ... — Exposition on Psalms 52 Cyril of Jerusalem: You are being armed not with perishable but with spiritual weapons. The paradise in which you are being planted is the soul's paradise, wherein you will be named with a name you did not have before. You were a catechumen till now, but now you are to be called believer. Henceforth you are transplanted among the olives of that paradise or are being grafted on a good olive tree being taken from a wild olive. You pass from sins to righteousness, from defilements to purity. You are becoming part of the holy Vine. If, then, you abide in the Vine, you grow into a fruitful branch; but if you do not so abide, you will be burned up in the fire. Let us therefore bring forth worthy fruit. For let not that come about, that there should happen to us what happened to the barren fig tree in the Gospel. Let not Jesus come in these days and utter the curse on the fruitless; instead may all of you say, "I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; my trust is in the tender mercy of God, forever and ever"; not a material olive tree but a spiritual and glorious one. It is God who plants and waters, but it is yours to bear fruit; God's to bestow the gift, and yours to receive it and keep it forever. But do not esteem the gift lightly because it is given freely. Rather, receive it reverently and guard it with care. — Catechetical Lecture 1:4 Eusebius of Caesarea: From what I have said already, we have learned what sort of end the one who is powerful in wickedness will obtain. But as for me, says David, since I have been taught this by the Holy Spirit, I would never be exalted over abundance of wealth, nor over the vanity of mortal life. For "vanity of vanities, all is vanity." But also, as I flee from the path of the one who is powerful in wickedness, I would not sharpen my tongue and my words for the destruction of others, but rather for the benefit of souls and the service of the words of salvation. And in my other actions too, I would become so flourishing and fruitful that my soul would be compared with an ever-flourishing and richly fruitful plant that has been planted in the house of God. For this reason, I say: "But I am like a fruitful olive tree in the house of God"—or, according to Symmachus' translation: "But I am like a flourishing olive tree in the house of God." For I did not turn away at all from the house of God; rather, after being planted inside it, as it were in God's own garden, and while enjoying the streams of the spring in the house of God, I became richly fruitful and ever-flourishing, in accordance with the pattern of the planted olive tree that has been received among the ever-flourishing [plants]. But observe that when David said this, he was not in Jerusalem, which the Jewish people considered to be the house of God—for it had not yet been built; and neither was he in the tabernacle built by Moses, which did still exist at that time among the Jews. For when he was fleeing from Saul, he passed his time among others—and yet he did indeed know that he had been planted in the house of God, since he understood the "house of God" to be the pious way of life. And because he was fruitful—not bearing bitter fruits but sweet fruits full of compassion, he was rightly compared to a fruitful olive tree: the pattern signifying mercy towards one's neighbors and compassion toward all. Therefore, since he was overflowing with this sort of good things, he logically added, "I have put my hope in the mercy of God forever, even forever and ever." Now, he pointed out that the end of the one who is powerful in wickedness is uprooting and destruction. For it was necessary for the root that bears bitter fruit to be †------ off† by the wise farmer of the universe. But David, like a fruitful olive tree in the house of God, put his hope in the mercy of God for ever, even forever and ever, procuring for himself immortality and eternal life on the basis of his good hope, from which he will never fall away. For according to the Apostle, "hope does not put us to shame." — Commentary on the Psalms, On Psalms 51 (52) Origen of Alexandria: But do you want me to show you from the Scriptures that trees or wood are given the name of individual virtues, which we mentioned above? I turn to the most wise Solomon as a witness when he said about wisdom, "The tree of life is for all who embrace it." Therefore, if "wisdom is the tree of life," without a doubt, there is another tree of prudence, another of knowledge and another of justice. For logically it is not said that only wisdom, of all the virtues, was worthy to be called "the tree of life" but that the other virtues did not receive names of similar sort. Therefore, "the trees of the field will give their fruit." This is what I believe the blessed David also understood about himself when he said, "But I am as a fruitful olive tree in the house of God." From this he clearly shows that the olive tree designates a just and holy person. — HOMILIES ON Leviticus 16:4.3 Augustine of Hippo: Therefore that man having been condemned that "has trusted in the multitude of his riches, and has prevailed in his vanity:" for what more vain, than he that thinks coin more to avail than God? Therefore that man having been condemned that said, blessed of the people to whom these things are: thou that sayest, "Blessed the people of whom is the Lord their own God," dost think of yourself what? dost hope for yourself what? "But I;" now at length hear that body: "But I am like an olive, fruit-bearing in the house of God" [Psalms 52:9]. Not one man speaks, but that olive fruit-bearing, whence have been pruned the proud branches, and the humble wild olive graffed in. [Romans 11:17] "Like an olive, fruit-bearing in the house of God, I have trusted in the mercy of God." He did what? "In the multitude of his riches:" therefore his root shall be plucked out from the land of the living. "But I," because "like an olive, fruit-bearing in the house of God," the root whereof is nourished, is not rooted out, "have trusted in the mercy of God." But perchance now? For even herein men err sometimes. God indeed they worship, and are not now like to that Doeg: but though on God they rely, it is for temporal things nevertheless; so that they say to themselves, I worship my God, who will make me rich upon earth, who to me will give sons, who to me will give a wife. Such things indeed gives none but God, but God would not have Himself for the sake of such things to be loved. For to this end oftentimes those things He gives even to evil men, in order that some other thing good men of Him may learn to seek. In what manner then do you say, "I have trusted in the mercy of God"? Perchance for obtaining temporal things? Nay but, "For everlasting and world without end." The expression, "For everlasting," he willed to repeat by adding, "world without end," in order that by there repeating he might affirm how rooted he was in the love of the kingdom of heaven, and in the hope of everlasting felicity. — Exposition on Psalms 52 Eusebius of Caesarea: Now, he pointed out that the end of the one who is powerful in wickedness is uprooting and destruction. For it was necessary for the root that bears bitter fruit to be †------ off† by the wise farmer of the universe. But David, like a fruitful olive tree in the house of God, put his hope in the mercy of God for ever, even forever and ever, procuring for himself immortality and eternal life on the basis of his good hope, from which he will never fall away. For according to the Apostle, "hope does not put us to shame." Then, having sketched out good hopes for himself as it were on the basis of good fruits, he attributes the responsibility [for all this] to the provider of all good things, saying: "I shall praise you forever, because you did [this]." For (he says) I did not make myself like a fruitful olive tree, but rather, you did. For grace comes from you. And so I will never cease from the knowledge of your grace, and from praising you; having once put my hope in the mercy of God, "I shall patiently await his name." For once the foundation of good hope has been established, we need patience. Therefore, he says, "I shall patiently await your name, because it is beneficial before your holy ones"—or, according to Symmachus' translation: "…because your name is good in front of your holy ones." Knowing, therefore, that it is good, and productive of good—not for those who are powerful in wickedness nor for those who are to be cast out from among the living, but to the holy ones, he quite rightly said, "I shall patiently await your name," being hopeful that I will never fall out of your mercy. In this way, I have put my hope in him forever, even for ever and ever. — Commentary on the Psalms, On Psalms 51 (52)