Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms by Saint Ambrose, Bishop of Milan.

Latin Text from public domain Migne Editors, Patrologiae Cursus Completus.

Translated into English using ChatGPT.

Table of Contents On Psalm 1 Preface Commentary On Psalm 36 Preface Commentary On Psalm 37 Preface Commentary On Psalm 38 Preface Commentary On Psalm 39, Commentary On Psalm 40, Commentary On Psalm 41, Commentary On Psalm 44, Commentary On Psalm 46 Preface Commentary On Psalm 48, Commentary On Psalm 49, Commentary On Psalm 62, Commentary

On Psalm 1

Preface

Since God has set forth the highest incentive to virtue to be the enjoyment of future blessedness, the devil also devised a powerful spur of delight in error. The first indication of both viewpoints is Adam, the first of the human race, placed by God in the paradise of pleasure so that he might enjoy eternal delight and be incited to virtuousness for the sake of future offspring. For it was not unknown to God that he would allow a place for error, and that he must propose hope of salvation to others, by which they would strive to restore the lost human seat to the race. And by the same likeness of the serpent which foreshadowed the enticement of pleasure, being deceived by the persuasion of his wife. Therefore, with the opportunity presented, the adversary worked death for me through pleasure. So what was given to me for life by divine grace became death for me, and the enemy had an easier agreement with man; for he presented a false appearance of nature to bring about the fall. For his works pleased the Lord: the beginnings of nature pleased him, which the Lord, seeing, said: Very good (Gen. 1:31).

The Angels praise the Lord, the Powers of Heaven sing to Him, and before Him the beginning of the world, the Cherubim and Seraphim, with the sweetness of their melodious voices, say: Holy, holy, holy (Isaiah VI, 3). Countless thousands of angels stand by, and a great multitude of elders sings together like the voices of many waters, chanting Alleluia (Rev. XIX, 1 et seq.). The very axis of heaven carries a more explicit message, revolving with a certain perpetual harmony, so that its sound is heard in the furthest parts of the earth, where there are certain secrets of nature. And it does not seem contrary to the use of nature; since a sound sent forth from the woods or mountains results in a more pleasing applause, and that which they have received is returned with a sweeter sound. Nature even finds in the very rocks and stones something to delight in. The sight of some delights, the use of others, or simply their charm. Even wild animals and birds are soothed by the delight of a more pleasant or more melodious voice. Even to suckling infants, either severity is a terror or gentleness a pleasure. Therefore, it is a natural pleasure.

Therefore, even the holy David, who perceived from where man came and by what deceit he was cast down (for if he had held fast to the grace of that eternal and heavenly delight infused into him by the Lord, he would not have lost it, being captivated by worldly enticements, nor would he have undergone the injuries of such miserable afflictions), he therefore, striving to restore and reform that gift of singing, established for us a heavenly model of conduct.

Indeed, although all divine Scripture breathes forth the grace of God, the book of Psalms is particularly sweet; for Moses himself, who described the deeds of the ancestors in plain language, when he led the people of the fathers across the Red Sea with memorable admiration, beholding Pharaoh the king and his forces engulfed, raising his own genius to greater things (because he had achieved greater things by his own strength), sang a triumphal song to the Lord (Exodus 15:1 and following). Maria also took up the tambourine, encouraging the others, saying: Let us sing to the Lord; for he has been gloriously honored; he has thrown horse and rider into the sea (Exodus 15:20). Likewise, when Moses had read the law of the Lord, so that its memory might be fixed in the hearts of those who heard, he spoke through a canticle, saying: Listen, heavens, and I will speak; let my teaching come down like rain, my words descend like the dew, like showers on the grass, like snow on the earth (Deuteronomy 32:1 and following).

Therefore, God is delighted not only to be praised by a song but also to be reconciled by it. Therefore, Moses used a song most especially when he testified to heaven and earth, so that the world would eagerly listen to the sound of heavenly grace singing its salvation, and the sweetness of the sacredness would endure forever in the hearts of human beings by the observance of the Law. Finally, the tablets of the Law were broken and shattered by the indignation of Moses before they were confirmed by a song. But when they were consecrated by such a seal, human anger had no place, because sanctification excluded it from the sanctuary. Therefore, the song of the Lord, soft as dew, descends from heaven, and the faith of men, like grass, is infused with a certain spiritual grace. These two songs, therefore, like the two eyes of the world, the lights of heaven, illuminate the whole body of his work.

But indeed David was chosen by the Lord for this task as the one who excelled in what is rare in others: to shine constantly and consistently in this work. We read one song in the book of Judges (Judges 5:2ff), the rest, following the custom of history, having been recounted, in which the deeds of our ancestors are expressed. Isaiah also wrote one song (Isaiah 12:1ff), by which he sweetly comforted the hearts of readers; in the rest, he resounded with the terrifying trumpet of reproof. They could not even object to that song, those who persecuted him unto death because of other things he said. One from Daniel (Dan. III, 52 et seq.), one from Habakkuk (Habakkuk III, 2 et seq.). Solomon himself, though he is said to have sung countless songs, left one behind that the Church has received, the Song of Songs. Therefore, in the others, it is possible to notice individual songs.

History instructs, Law teaches, prophecy announces, correction chastises, morality persuades: in the book of Psalms is the progress of everyone, and a certain remedy for human salvation. Whoever reads it, has with which he can heal his own wounds of passion with a special remedy. Whoever wants to see, as in a common gymnasium of souls, and in a certain stadium of virtues, finding prepared different kinds of contests, let him choose for himself what he deems himself more fit for, so that he more easily reaches the crown. If someone wishes to recount the deeds of their ancestors and desires to imitate them, they will find the entire series of their father's history contained within a single psalm (Psalm 77:8 et seq.). In this way, they acquire a treasury of memory through the economy of reading. Those things which are explained more briefly also seem easier. Furthermore, consider the magnitude of how it distinguishes the opposing errors in a short span of time and interweaves a second act of reconciliation, so that you may simultaneously understand the weight of offense caused by disbelief and what prompt faith contributes. If someone wants to explore the power of the law, which is completely bound by love (for whoever loves their neighbor has fulfilled the law), let them read in the Psalms with what affection of love they defended themselves against the reproach of the whole people, exposing themselves to serious dangers alone; in which they will recognize the glory of charity not unequal to the triumph of virtue. If someone fears harsh rebukes, let them hear the one who says: Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath (Psalm 6:2); and let them learn how they should temper the criticism of an angry judge. If anyone wishes to learn an example of patience, let them read in the psalms: 'If I have repaid those who did evil to me' (Psalm 7:5); and let them take note that the Gospel precept foresaw this in spirit and surpassed it in virtue. You have, therefore, that proverbial saying: 'The patient man is a physician of the heart' (Proverbs 14:30). If anyone also wishes to be fortified against the assaults of spiritual wickedness, what more should they know than to sing psalms to themselves? David, when he was younger, used to play the harp; and he would drive away the evil spirit of Saul, who had previously tormented him.

But what shall I say of the virtue of prophecy? What others have announced through enigmas, seems to be openly and clearly promised to this man alone, that the Lord Jesus would be born from his seed, as the Lord said to him: 'Of the fruit of your body I will set upon your throne' (Psalm 131:11). Therefore, in the psalms, not only is Jesus born to us, but He also undergoes that saving passion of the body, rests, rises again, ascends to heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. What no one of human beings dared to say, this Prophet alone proclaimed, and afterwards the Lord himself preached in the Gospel (Luke 24:44).

Furthermore, all the writers of the psalms have presented examples in their writings, either from the sayings of those who came before: the psalms have nothing except what is their own. What, therefore, could be more pleasing than a psalm? As David himself beautifully said: 'Praise, he said, because the psalm is good: let it be enjoyable and fitting praise to our God' (Psalm 146:1). And truly; for a psalm is the blessing of the people, the praise of God, the praise of the people, the applause of all, the speech of all, the voice of the Church, the melodious confession of faith, the devoutness full of authority, the joy of freedom, the joyful shout, the result of joy. It mitigates anger, abdicates worry, and alleviates sorrow. It serves as nightly armor, daily instruction; a shield in fear, a festival in sanctity, an image of tranquility, a pledge of peace and harmony, like a lyre combining diverse and disparate voices into one melody. At the dawn of the day, it resounds with a psalm, and it echoes a psalm at sunset.

The Apostle commands women to be silent in the Church; even the psalm itself proclaims: this is sweet to every age, this is suitable for both sexes. The old sing it, having laid aside the severity of old age; the veterans respond to it with joy in their hearts; the youths sing it without envy for sensuality; the adolescents sing it without danger and temptation of a loose age and attraction to pleasure; the young maidens themselves sing it without the expense of matronly modesty; the little girls, with sobriety and gravity, sing a hymn to God without any loss of modesty; and the afflicted intone it with the sweetness of their softened voices. This tenacious boyhood, this joyful childhood, delights in learning what others decline. This is a certain game of greater progress in education, which is taught with seriousness. How much effort is made in the Church to achieve silence when readings are read? If one speaks, everyone interrupts; when a psalm is read, he is the one who creates silence. Everyone speaks, and no one interrupts. The psalm resounds with the authority of kings. David rejoiced to be seen in this ministry. The psalm is sung by emperors, praised by the people. Each one strives to shout out what is beneficial for all. The psalm is sung at home, recited outside. It is received without labor, preserved with pleasure; the psalm brings together those who disagree, unites those who are divided, reconciles those who are offended. For who would not forgive him, with whom he has sent forth one voice to God? Truly a great bond of unity, for the entire number of the people to come together in one chorus! The strings of the lyres may be different, but the harmony is one. In the fewest strings, the fingers of the artist often make mistakes; but in the people, the artistic spirit does not know how to make mistakes. The Psalm is the exchange of nocturnal work, the reward of daytime rest, the instruction for beginners, the confirmation for the accomplished. It is the ministry of angels, the heavenly army, the spiritual sacrifice. The Psalm and the stones respond: the Psalm is sung, and even the stony hearts are softened. We see the cruel being made to weep, the merciless being forced to bend.

The teaching contends with grace in the psalm. It is sung for delight, and learned for instruction. For the more violent precepts do not endure; but that which you have perceived with sweetness, once infused, is not accustomed to slip away from the depths of the heart. What is it that does not occur to you while reading the Psalms? In them, I read a Song for the Beloved, and I am inflamed by the desire for holy love (Psalm 44:1); in them, I recognize the winepresses of the divine mystery (Psalm 8:1 and elsewhere); in them, I recount the grace of revelations, the testimonies of the resurrection, and the enumeration of promises (Psalm 50:3 and following); in them, I learn to avoid sin, and unlearn to be ashamed of repentance for my sins. So great a king, so great a prophet has provoked me with his own example, that I either strive to lessen a committed sin, or guard against one not committed.

Therefore, what is a psalm but an instrument of virtues, which the venerable Prophet, playing with the plectrum of the Holy Spirit, made heavenly sounds resonate on earth? At the same time, when he played on strings and chords, that is, on the remains of dead voices, he directed the song of divine praise to heavenly things; he certainly taught us first to die to sin, and then only in this body to discern the diverse works of virtues, by which the grace of our devotion would reach the Lord; so that with our minds fixed on heavenly things, no earthly desire for vices would find its way in, and our souls would shine with the sweetness of heavenly grace. Therefore, deservedly, the Lord, praising the servant of the great duty, said: I have found David according to my heart.

They also say that those who play the lyre are more skilled at singing inwardly, as the fables tell of the lyre player Aspendius; they also say that the reasons for the melodies and certain rhythmic constraints are in the upper part of the harp. Therefore, David taught us to sing inwardly, to sing with the soul, just as Paul sang, saying: I will pray with the spirit, I will pray with the mind; I will sing with the spirit, I will sing with the mind (1 Corinthians 14:15), and to shape our lives and actions with a view to higher things, so that the pleasure of sweetness does not arouse bodily passions, by which our soul is not redeemed but burdened; for the holy Prophet, remembering himself singing for the redemption of his soul, said: I will sing to you on the lyre, O Holy Israel: my lips will rejoice when I sing to you; and my soul, which you have redeemed (Psalm 70:22). But now let us begin the preludes of this psalm that has been proposed to us.

Commentary

(Vers. 1) "Blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the wicked." How fitting, how opportune a beginning! For just as those who have undertaken some solemnity of a contest usually propose a prize to be displayed, boast of the honor of the crown, so that they may gather with greater enthusiasm for the competition and strive with more determined effort: in the same way, our Lord Jesus has set forth the glory of the heavenly kingdom, the grace of perpetual rest, the blessedness of eternal life as incentives for human virtue. Moreover, when the emperor advances to war, he promises a donative to the soldiers, as well as promotions in military ranks, so that the hope of rewards may assuage their labors and conceal the fear of danger. Like a herald, therefore, of a great emperor, the holy David exhorts the soldiers, calling them athletes and expressing the reward, saying: Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked. He begins with the reward, in order to elevate the weight of the future contest; he sends forth the reward, so that each person, leaping over the anxieties and labors of present affairs in their heart, may eagerly strive to obtain the blessedness of the future. Blessed, he said, is the man. What more could be given to a man, than that nothing more could be given to God by Apostolic authority (I Tim. VI, 15 and 16)? For blessed indeed, and the only one powerful, and king of kings, and lord of lords, God is called. He alone is powerful, he alone is king of kings, he alone is lord of lords, yet he does not exceed the power of blessedness. He has given us a common partnership in his name, which is considered worthy of divine honor.

Let us now consider in what manner the Blessed man spoke, and not only the Blessed men: since both sexes are called to grace. Did he exclude women from the fellowship of beatitude because he called only the man blessed? Far be it; for God did not exclude females from the fellowship of creation, because he created the man first. For God said: Let us make man in our image, and after our likeness... And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (Genesis 1:26-27). In man, both are represented: in man, the sex is expressed. But just as when the word "man" is used, both are included: so when the word "man" is mentioned, the woman of whom that man is the husband is understood. Furthermore, She shall be called Woman, for she was taken out of Man (Genesis 2:23). Also, it is added that when the nature of two things is the same, their actions cannot be distinct: and when their work is equal, surely their reward is equal as well. Therefore, Scripture does not omit the partner of the union when it speaks of man, for it also does not remain silent about the partner of nature when it speaks of human. Therefore, just as there we read of man being made, and although there is one nature, we cannot deny that the principal sex was created first: so here, when we read of man, we also recognize the female sex as the principal part. Therefore, the studies of virtue are equal, because the prerogative of creation is equal. But why do you debate about gender, when it is not the struggles of the body, but of the soul, that require attention, which do not have a gender? Therefore, do not discern honor there, do not distribute rewards, where gender is not discerned. However, do not be careless if the one who was first called to exercise was the one who fell last. The one who started poorly should follow, not lead; so that she may be more modest after the experience. Eve deviated from the order of nature, she should have waited for the one who came before. The clever serpent began from behind; therefore the Prophet turns back to the higher one, assuredly one who would not have fallen unless he had followed from behind.

Finally, he called us back from falling before he challenged us to the palm of victory. Blessed, he said, is the man who has not gone in the counsel of the wicked. See where you are called blessed, O man: not in wealth, not in power and honors, not in noble birth, or in beauty and attractiveness, not in bodily health, in which there is no good of nature; finally, they not only have an easy change into opposites, but also serve as a means of sin for those who do not know how to use them. For who is righteous for the sake of money? Who is humble in positions of power? Who is merciful for the sake of nobility? Who is pure for the sake of appearance? These allurements are more for sin than fruitful for the progress of virtue.

What does he then want to say that he preferred to say: He did not leave, and he did not stand, as if from the past; when he could say: Blessed is the man who does not go in the counsel of the wicked, and does not stand in the way of sinners, and does not sit in the seat of the pestilent? See the doctrine; for he is not immediately blessed who is not wicked or a sinner, because of the uncertainty of the outcome. For it is not written in vain: Before death do not praise anyone (Ecclus. 11:30). Therefore, as long as someone is in this life, they cannot be praised with a definite statement, since they can still fall into error; however, the person who concludes life without stumbling is rightly considered blessed, as they enjoy the company of the blessed.

But perhaps you will say: By what reason, then, did he elsewhere say: Blessed is he that understandeth concerning the needy and the poor (Ps. XL, 1)? For he did not say blessed is he that understands, but that one who understands; because those who do good, in the very work and by which they are tested, find the reward of their work in that same work. Indeed, the blessed fruit is the good deed of conscience. However, those who restrain themselves from evil are not immediately blessed if they have deviated from fault once or twice, but if they are able to avoid the contagion of sin throughout their whole life.

Now it occurs, why he prefers to say 'blessed' not he who has fulfilled some duty of piety, but he who has restrained himself from the plan of the impious. For it seems that he is more praiseworthy who has fulfilled the duty of virtue than he who has escaped sin. For neither an ox, nor a horse, nor a stone have been accustomed to be in sin, or to sit on the throne of pestilence. But those things do not have the fruit of blessedness, which do not have the sense of virtue. But how do they reach the reward of the law, who do not have the intention of following the law? Therefore, I see the proposed opinion concerning rational beings, that is, concerning us. But for us, the beginning of goods is the abstaining from sins; for we read: Turn away from evil, and do good (Psalm 36, 27). For this is the order of discipline, that you strive from lower things to more perfect ones; lest you be frightened by the weight of greater things, which you should be provoked to from the beginning of lighter things. The Scripture teaches us that the ladder is like a scale of piety (Gen. XXVIII, 12), through which holy Jacob, a man of discipline, saw the angels of the Lord ascending and descending. He was presented to us as an example, so that we may know that we should gradually advance in virtue through him, and thus be able to strive from the lowest to the highest, if we progress step by step from small things to those that appear higher in the human nature. Always keep these scales in front of you. Do not be afraid, oh man, to climb these steps of discipline. The first step is close to the ground, the next is similar to the previous one. Thus, one ascends to the highest through equal steps. Do not despise, oh man, that first step as if it were the lowest. That first ascent separates you from the earth; you tread the air where you have lifted your foot from the ground. Placed in virtue, you rise when you leave the earth; you leave the earth if you turn away from sin. Therefore, the beginning of the journey to virtue is to abstain from sin.

But so that we may know that this teaching is of doctrine, listen to the Law saying: You shall not commit adultery, you shall not commit murder (Exodus XX, 14 and 15); for these precepts seemed to be appropriate for the imperfect. Finally, the Lord Jesus himself, knowing the imperfect, answered him who asked by what works one might attain eternal life: You shall not commit adultery, you shall not commit murder, you shall not steal, etc. (Matthew XIX, 18). Then, to the one who said that he had done all these things, He added more perfect things, saying: Sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven (Ibid., 21). And He taught that there is such a difference between avoiding evil and imitating good, that he rejected the latter, who considered the former easy for himself. But because he had not yet attained the former, he was unable to adapt himself to the latter. For if he had loved his neighbor, he could have provided assistance to the poor out of his own inheritance. Therefore, ascend the first step of the Law, so that you may reach the celestial summit of the Gospel. Hence, I believe that, as if placed under the Law, the holy Prophet warns more against following the customs of the Law in the first psalm rather than proposing to follow them. However, in the fortieth psalm (Psalm 40:1 et seq.), which is written from the perspective of the Savior, the exhortation is more about virtue rather than the suppression of error; for it speaks of the passion of the Savior (Ibid., 6 et seq.). And therefore, as we can understand, the dispenser of the Gospel also, when we heard Him say, 'Blessed are the merciful' (Matthew 5:7); and in the psalm of His own passion, and in the Gospel, He crowned mercy. But let us now adore the explanation of the psalm, and let us examine the prophetic power.

"Blessed is the man, he says, who has not walked in the counsel of the wicked, and has not stood in the way of sinners, and has not sat in the seat of the pestilence." We can say that there are three kinds of sins, which are here thought to be expressed, thought, action, and persistence; and that he is called blessed who has not even thought what is evil. For how can he be blessed, who is to be condemned on the day of judgment by his accusing thoughts? Even if he deceived a man, escaped the witness, evaded the accuser, he will not be able to avoid being his own accuser, whom he should fear the most; because he will have both the accuser and the confessing defendant. Therefore, blessed is he who has not even thought of what is evil, and has not committed sin (for sometimes we sin without even thinking; for we do not escape sin by much speaking), and has not persisted in sin. Or like this: blessed is he who has not even thought of what would be an error, or has not remained in that thought, or certainly has not persisted in those thoughts that he has recognized as full of error. But whether these things are rightly understood, whoever reads them will judge. For someone who has once thought evil, should not have remained in it, nor persisted. But even if he did not persist, he could not be blessed; because he stayed in what he thought wickedly. Even if he did not stay, nevertheless, by the very fact that he thought evil, whether he has the fruit of blessedness, he should seek a compassionate interpreter. Finally, because no one can say that he has a pure heart, even if the thought is venial, is the action of sins venial? Finally, if someone has a venerable station, is it also full of blessedness because they did not persist in crime? Then, how could someone who did not even think about wicked things, continue to sin or persist? In order for someone to be blessed, they must rightly observe these three things, but the order is different. First, they must not persist in sin; second, they must not stand in it; third, they must not think that it is an error. For someone who did not persist, they could still stand; for someone who did not stand, they could still think; but for someone who did not even think, they are truly blessed.

Therefore, I also thought that another tradition should not be neglected, in which we assert that three degrees are made in a straight line: that one who wants to be blessed should not go in the counsel of the wicked, that is, should not walk in their thoughts; secondly, should not stand in the way of sinners; thirdly, should not sit in the seat of pestilence. Therefore, you who have become a Christian in the Church, or who strive for grace, abstain from the counsels of the wicked, so that you can say: Do not destroy my soul with the wicked, O God, and my life with bloodthirsty men (Psalm 25:9). And do not think about wicked things. What are those things, except those that are conceived against God's will? First, our duty is towards God; second, towards our parents. Indeed, the enemy often inserts different thoughts in our minds, and therefore the Prophet wisely believed that thoughts, rather than sudden inspirations, should be held accountable for wrongdoing. So, have you refrained from the counsels of the wicked? Rightly so, but you are not immediately blessed. Also, be careful not to stand in the path of sinners.

How often are the words of divine Scripture set forth? Indeed, because we are all under sin, it is not required of you beyond nature that you do not sin; for even an infant of one day is not without sin; but that you do not remain in sin in a certain prolonged state. Not all are wicked; therefore you are called back from all impious thoughts and associations; but all are sinners; therefore you are admonished to stop sinning. If there has been a lapse of youth, the process of maturity should correct it. Therefore, do not have involvement in more serious matters, do not stand in lighter matters. You have this also said by the Lord in Isaiah: Go out of Babylon, fleeing from the Chaldeans (Isaiah 48:20): this means: And if you entered into the confusion of vices, go out. It was not necessary to enter; but you entered, compelled by the law of the flesh, and being captivated by the law of sin, go out, leave or rather, free yourself from heavy servitude. You could not refrain from entering into sin due to your weakness: sobriety to exit from sin is given to you. Therefore, leave Babylon, fleeing from the Chaldeans. Babylon is confusion, which does not maintain the order of virtues; for, confused by allurements, we commit sins. The Chaldeans are those who, with a vain zeal for superstition, explore the courses of the stars and sow the errors of wicked paganism. Flee from them, lest they capture you, lest they ensnare you with the heavy noose of captivity. Abraham was a Chaldean, but he fled from the Chaldeans and before the Law; you were born under the Law, flee from the wicked. He rejected the inheritance of his fathers, in order to possess the inheritance of faith; you abandon the succession of the body, acquire the inheritance of devotion.

But if you do not remain in sin, you are not blessed in this way; you still have something that you should lack. There are many temptations, many deviations from virtue: the heavy allurements of pleasures, the heavy fuel of avarice, the desire for power, the ambition for honor, which, like a certain poison, corrupt the minds of men and contaminate their souls with the poisonous decay of vices. This is the seat of pestilence on which the Scribes and Pharisees sat, who impose heavy burdens on men, but they themselves do not want to move them with their finger. He expelled from the temple of the Savior their chairs those who boasted of their honor, sought for primacy in honor; those who used priesthood or the honor of primacy for profit; those who, indulging in gluttony, did not observe the proper restraint of abstinence. This is the true pestilence. Finally, the sons of Eli were sons of pestilence. In this certain seat of vices, Scripture prohibits us from bending our neck and reclining the strength of the whole body. Therefore, pay attention to the characteristics.

"And he did not stand in the way of sinners, and he did not sit in the seat of the pestilence." The path of this life, the course, is not in doubt; for the Scripture itself says: In the way in which I walked, they hid a snare for me (Psalm 141:4) . And: Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are with him on the way (Matthew 5:25) . Indeed, since we run the course of this life, we have a path on which we walk daily, until we reach the end. Although we do not appear to go bodily, we are progressing. For just as those who are sleeping in ships are carried by the winds into port; although there is no sensation of sailing for those who are resting, nonetheless the course urges them to the end and impels them unknowingly: so as the span of our life flows by, each one is led by the hidden course to his own end. Hence it is said: Rise, you who sleep (Ephesians 5:14); for you are sleeping, and your time is passing: and see lest while you sleep for a long time, time may pass by. Therefore, even if you sleep, your heart remains awake, your heart does not strike. If your heart is not idle, your time is not idle. You are on a journey, oh man, walk so that you may arrive; lest the night overtake you on the way, lest the days of life be consumed before you hasten the progress of virtue. You are a traveler of this life; everything passes, everything happens after you. You see everything on this path, and you pass by. You have seen the beauty of trees, the greenness of plants, the purity of springs, and whatever else delights the eyes; it was pleasant to behold, it delighted to pay attention for a while; while you paid attention, you passed by. Again while you walk, you came across a rocky and rugged path, hollows of cliffs, steep mountains, dense forests. You grew tired, yet you continued on. Such is life, in which neither the prosperous moments last, nor the adversities endure. Therefore, do not let the favorable circumstances lift you up, or the adversities break you, or the pleasing things delay you, or the sad things hold you back. Always hurry towards the end, hurry so that you may arrive. However, choose the path before you run.

There are two ways: one of the righteous, the other of sinners; one of equity, the other of iniquity, of which the Prophet said: And see if there be in me the way of iniquity (Psalm 138:24). Therefore, not only is our life a way, but even in our very life there is either the way of virtue or the way of iniquity. Beware, therefore, that greed does not place its steps in you, and that you become a path of crime; that neither dishonesty, nor lust, become a path worn down by those who travel the way of iniquity and vices. It is allowed for you to choose whom you will follow, either the just or the unjust. The path of the just is narrower, the path of the unjust wider: the former is narrower in its sobriety, the latter wider in its drunkenness, so as to be able to contain those who are wavering; the latter has the allurements of this world, the former has the rewards of the future. In the former, the fruits are more immediate, in the latter, hope is slower; for those things which are sweet do not delay long expectation, but have an immediate fulfillment; but that which is serious is sought through labor, because it is scarcely grasped by a blessed thought; for no eye has seen, nor ear heard, what God has prepared for those who love Him. We often find it difficult to believe things we cannot see: and so the soul is restless, and it turns its thoughts here and there like eyes. Then there occur to it various kinds of things, and they overwhelm it. If it aims at eternal things, it chooses virtue; if at present things, it sets pleasure before everything. A grievous and unjust struggle against the pleasures of the present; here is liberty in one's desires, there slavery in wrongs, doing what you do not wish, and refraining from what you desire; here feasting, there fasting; here intemperance in joys, there perseverance in tears; here dancing, there prayer; here sweet songs, there mournful groanings. Indeed it is written: The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools (Ecclesiastes 7:5-6). But few hear these words, and even fewer follow them. People are more attracted to the sweet sin that gratifies the desires of the hearer in the present, than to the sad virtue that encompasses the hope of faith, as if wrapped in a bitter shell of toil. Blessed and marvelous, therefore, is he who, situated in the choice of such paths, has not been swayed by the allurements of pleasure; so that he may establish his step above treacherous and perverse ways. It is not said to him: Woe to you who have forsaken the straight paths, by going on the ways of darkness! (Eccl. VIII, 16)!

Therefore, we know what the path of sin is, in which the Prophet warns us not to stand; but also Ecclesiastes teaches, who says: Do not stand in evil speech, that is, do not persist in evil words, likewise in disapproved actions. As for how to stand in good, the same holy Prophet instructs, saying: Our feet were standing in your courts, O Jerusalem. (Psalm 122:2) Standing is required in Jerusalem, fleeing from Babylon. And to Moses it is said: But you stand with me (Deut. V, 31), who fled from Egypt, and stood with the Lord. And in the Gospel (Matt. XX, 9), those who stood until the eleventh hour received equal pay for their work. And the virgins who stood until the arrival of the bridegroom deserved to enter together into the wedding feast; but those who left and returned afterwards are excluded by the authority of the Lord's sentence (Matt. XXV, 10). Therefore, we have learned not to stand in the path of sinners, but to stand in the duty of virtue; for it is written: But you stand by faith (Rom. XI, 20).

Now let us consider what it is: And he did not sit on the chair of pestilence. And indeed, we have stated that not a simple assembly in such a throne as is used, should be criticized. For what fault would envy have? But since the eyes of the Lord are always upon the faithful of the earth; placed as if under the sight of an emperor, and like being placed in a certain ministry, we ought to stand. A soldier stands in readiness, he does not sit; a soldier in arms does not turn back, but rather rouses and raises up. And so it is said to the soldiers of Christ: Behold now, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, who stand in the house of the Lord (Ps. 133:1). But on the contrary, wickedness sits on a leaden weight, because it is fixed in sin and cannot separate itself from it. Indeed, those who are deeply rooted in error and eagerly cling to vices are said to sit, because they do not want to rise or listen to the one who says: Arise, after thou hast sat down (Ps. 126:2). Finally, this Prophet himself elsewhere says: 'Princes sat and spoke against me' (Psalm 119:23). Do we not know that such a powerful force is the long-standing habit of sinning, that it excludes nature, which although it is curable for salvation, is found to be incurable by the passage of time with unhealed wounds? Therefore, let us not remain in vice; but let each person, even if they were, leap away from sin, as it is written (Proverbs 5:3) about the woman of the streets. Do not fix your gaze on it, but leap away, do not delay; may they find you leaping when the years of youth pass by. But, what is more serious, many are not ashamed of indulging in bodily pleasure even in old age, and they have led a spotted life up to the age of senility. For the disease of lust is conceived in the innermost viscera, and with the passing of time it accumulates. Therefore, beware of the wicked counsels, do not let such thoughts penetrate your mind; lest it be said of you: Has anyone put fire into their bosom, and their clothes were not burned (Prov. VI, 2)? For surely he who once kindles the flame of a burning crime in the bosom of his mind will quickly set fire to the clothing of his own body. And just as a fire, leaping onto a pile of straw, clings and remains until it consumes everything it has seized, so too a tiny spark of sin, if it has been ignited by the fuel of vices, stirs up a great conflagration. Therefore, do not remain in sin. Finally, you have placed your foot above the abyss of guilt, quickly remove it; lest pollution rise above your sole and, being easily deceived by a fall, you remain in the mud.

Therefore, vices must first be avoided, lest they then give way to more serious ones. For just as those who roll in mud, the more they roll, the more they become dirty; so too, those who once besmear themselves with the filth of wickedness, unless they quickly leap out, bring upon themselves a heavier cloud of disgrace with each passing day of their muddy conversation. And so, a foul odor from that land and a destructive whirlpool contracts a certain pestilence of souls, and with the breath of healthy thoughts corrupted, a pitiable plague of boiling passions rages. Hence a deadly virus infects the minds, hence sickness creeps upon the bodies, weakness upon the souls. For there is an evil weakness, the weakness of error, the weakness of greed, the weakness of insatiable desire. These are the riches, as Ecclesiastes says: There is an evil weakness that I have seen under the sun, that riches are kept to the harm of those who possess them (Ecclesiastes 5:12). Tell me, O Ecclesiastes, what is the cause of this evil weakness? He will answer, because greedy hope devours many. Insatiable greed is the voracity of desire. He who desires silver does not know satisfaction. Wealth stretches, but does not fill. And even if someone is satiated with riches, there is no one to allow him to sleep. Indeed, all his days are in darkness, sorrow, anger, weakness, and rage. How can one sleep, who is preoccupied with guarding gold? Who frets about profit, calculates interest, and counts his money? Therefore, illness is an evil that takes away the good tranquility of the mind. Illness is a bad thing, luxury, lust, desire, pleasure, secular ambition, which quickly corrupts the health of sobriety. Ultimately, all the corruption in this world is a pestilence. Therefore, do not touch it, do not defile it. It is a plague, it contaminates; it is a disease, it pollutes. Do not taste the things that are all for corruption through their very use, as the Apostle said (Colossians 2:21-22), who also proclaims elsewhere: The root of all evil is greed (1 Timothy 6:10); it causes illnesses, it inserts pains. Finally, those who desire it, subject themselves to many pains (Ibid.). This is a pestilence, which often makes warm things neither warm nor cold, but rather lukewarm, which Jesus will vomit out of his mouth because of their serious sins. This is what provokes not only some, but all sicknesses. Every head in pain, every heart in sadness (Isaiah 1:5-6). From head to toe, ulcers of sins. Every head is in pain, when those who are wise are valued here, they are tormented by greed; for the mind of the wise is in their head. This can also be applied to the leaders of the Church: Every heart is in sorrow, when we understand earthly things, and we bury the sharpness of our heart in bodily pleasures. Hence the Lord says (Ezekiel 11:19) to those like this, that He will give them a heart of flesh.

A vile disease of diseases creeps from the feet to the head, when they suffer from contagion, when they share with others, if anyone is deprived of the fulfillment of desire, a widow cannot conquer her modesty, invade her land; and everyone with difficulty transfers their illnesses to one another. How often do the elderly groan because they cannot drink for a long time? How often do they grieve because they have ceased to be prostitutes, when they have the desire to be prostitutes? How often are virtues of drunken people a disgrace in stories, sins praised, chastity mocked, continence laughed at, mercy made a mockery! These are the diseases that spread their evils to many. From a few corrupt individuals, it reaches everyone. They sit in councils, undermining the sober ones, belching out their drunkenness; they sit in taverns, fighting over drunkenness. Among them is a harlot, full of wine, smiling at one, burning another, and inflaming everyone with the fire of lust. If a modest person passes by, they blush and criticize them; if someone is immoral, they are praised by everyone and, like a disease, they pass into the souls of individuals. For he who is notorious in wickedness, leads many into the imitation of error. So while they imitate another's sin, they commit their own evil. Do not sit among those whom the holy Prophet fled. Imitate him, fleeing for sure, not sitting, who says: I do not sit in the council of the wicked, and I will not enter with those who do evil (Psalm 26:4). By what reason did you flee from them, David, explain to us. Show us these parts, so that we too can flee from them, lest we become infected by their contagion: They are corrupt, he says, and have become abominable. There is none who does good, not even one (Psalm 14:1). Therefore, generally speaking, this can be referred to all those who are wicked; specifically, it can be referred to those who mock good things, which Aquila called τίς trashtalkers, because these people are truly sick, who by mocking the good, cause a great deal of confusion in the minds and corrupt the souls. How many things the blessed man said that one should abstain from! And he even adds more.

(Verse 2.) "But in the law of the Lord was his will, and in his law he shall meditate day and night"; that is, blessed is he who does these things with counsel, reason, prudence; for even a small child can abstain from those things which have been said, not by virtue, but by impossibility and ignorance of sinning. Even an irrational beast can comply, to which there is no power of counsel, no sense of error. Therefore, this is the fourth thing that follows, in which the definition of a blessed man is distinguished from a beast; because a wise man is subject to the law by will, not by necessity. For it matters greatly; because in willingness, there is the reward of fruit; in necessity, there is the obedience of dispensation. For thus the Apostle taught us, saying: If I do this willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of stewardship is entrusted to me (I Cor. IX, 17). But the proper order is that you should first love the law, and secondly meditate upon it. Whoever loves, fulfills the commandments of the law willingly; whoever fears, observes them against their will. We have also received this teaching of God's justice in the Law. For it is written: Hear, O Israel: The Lord thy God is one God (Deut. VI, 4). And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thy heart, and thou shalt tell them to thy children, and thou shalt speak of them sitting in thy house, and walking on thy journey, and lying down, and rising up. And thou shalt bind them as a sign on thy hand, and they shall be as frontlets before thy eyes: and thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates (Ibid., 5-9). And below: And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to love the Lord your God and walk in all his ways (Deut. 10:12)? Wisdom also says: Desire therefore my words, love them, and you will have discipline (Wis. 6:12). Wisdom is clear and never fades, and it is easily seen by those who love her, and found by those who seek her. Therefore, we are lawfully taught by the holy Prophet to have the will in the Law and meditation according to the Law. The will in the Law is present not only in intention, but also in action. The first is the will, the second is the operation. Finally, the Lord responded to the one who said to Him: 'If you wish, you can make me clean', 'I will, be clean' (Matthew 8:2-3), in order to demonstrate that our actions should be preceded by a prior will. Ultimately, the law seeks volunteers because the law of the Lord is blameless, converting the soul. However, no one turns unless they turn by their own will. But the volunteer hides and steals the meaning of work.

Therefore, day and night he meditates on the Law; in which the intention of reading is not so much required as the affection for keeping the Law. For he fully meditates who is his own law, having the Law written in his heart. However, the eagle set the day only, not the night. Not so much differing from others, as referring to something else; because whoever meditates on the Law is always in the light, he does not have night. For the work of whomsoever shines, he cannot certainly walk in darkness; because his justice shines like light. Let our life meditate on the Law, let our conversation meditate, let our actions meditate, let our understanding meditate on the mysteries of heaven. For the Law is an example and a shadow of heavenly things, a shadow of future goods, which he who believes in the Law recognizes in the Gospel. Let him meditate in darkness and in light, that is, in adversity and in prosperity. For the law commands that you love your Lord. Whoever loves, in every state, must keep the affection of lasting love. A father loves his son, he loves him even when he rebukes him, he loves him even when he beats him with a stick; for whoever spares his stick, hates his son. The Lord also chastises us, and loves us. Therefore, even when we commit worthy discipline, he still loves us, for he also receives the offender. For the Lord chastises every son he receives. And when you are chastised, love; for you are chastised so that you may be received. For what great thing is it, if you then love the Lord your God, when you have abundance of all things, when you enjoy your desires, when you rejoice in honors, riches, and children. And we are accustomed to show gratitude to the person from whom we have received a favor. Finally, when Job was praised by heavenly judgment, the devil said this (Job, 1, 10 and 11): It is not surprising if he is grateful to God, to whom so great prosperity is present; but it is to be proved then, if he loses all these and performs the duty of a pious worshiper. Therefore, the first virtue is that you are not broken by adversity, nor are you elated by success. The Law teaches you not to relax your purpose in affliction, nor to assume despair; you should not say, 'My strength and my power have brought me this' (Deuteronomy 8:17), but rather recognize that everything is to be attributed to divine mercy.

Isaiah cries out: The one who is in distress will not be put to shame until the time comes (Isaiah VIII, 22). Drink this first (Isaiah IX, 1). What is this, drink this first? Let us separate the mystical, pursue the moral teachings that the letter instructs. Because of serious errors, serious contritions and vexations of the people are said to come; and it is necessary for them to precede, so that mercy may follow. So drink first the tribulation; for through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God; drink, so that the sense of tribulation may be poured into your innermost being: drink with patient affection, mourning the pain. For when you have turned in lamentation, then will you reconcile the offended Lord to yourself. Therefore, drink this first, that you may be in sorrow and distress. Quickly, joy pours forth error. The people, having become fat and thickened, rise up to play, and they turn away from the Lord. It profits you to have a contrite heart. Drink this first, that your sacrifice may be accepted by the Lord. Let the Apostle teach you what this is: Drink this first, that is, the cup of tribulation. For tribulation produces patience. (Rom. 5:3-4) There cannot be patience unless there was first tribulation. Tribulation, it is said, produces patience, and patience produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. And hope does not disappoint. Drink first from the cup of tribulation, so that afterwards the drinks of many virtues may be served to you. And to show you that tribulation is drunk, you heard the Prophet say today: You have given us to drink the wine of compunction. (Psalm 59:5). And in the following he says: And you will give us drink with tears, in measure (Psalm 79:6). In measure he seeks drink, not beyond measure, lest he be unable to bear it. Finally, with what great affection he prayed for this, he approved by his own example, who mingled his drink with weeping (Psalm 101:10), so that the mercy of the Lord might incline towards him.

Therefore, drink this first, so that you may drink the second (for this is the time to insert the mystical). Drink the first Old Testament, so that you may drink the New Testament. Unless you drink the first, you will not be able to drink the second. Drink the first, so that you may quench your thirst; drink the second, so that you may obtain the satisfaction of drinking. In the Old Testament there is compunction, in the New there is joy. See how the Lord has opposed the arts of the devil for his servants. He deceived one with the food of deceit, in order to deceive all in one; but Jesus, with the food of salvation, redeemed all, in order to reform even him who had been deceived. He devised the golden cup of Babylon so that whoever drank more would thirst more; and because the drink could not be pleasing, he lured them to drink with a price of gold. He served his own wine, for which he also sought the approval of metals. But truly the Lord Jesus poured out water from a rock, and all drank. Those who drank in a figure were satisfied; those who drank in truth were intoxicated. Good drunkenness, which would pour forth joy, not bring confusion; good drunkenness, which would establish the step of a sober mind; good drunkenness, which would bestow the gift of eternal life. Therefore, drink this cup of which the Prophet said: 'And thy cup which inebriateth, how goodly is it!' (Psalm 22:5) And let it not trouble you that the golden cup belongs to Babylon; for you also drink the cup of wisdom, which is more precious than gold and silver. Therefore, drink both the cup of the Old and the New Testament; for in both you drink Christ. Drink Christ, for He is the vine; drink Christ, for He is the rock that gushed forth water; drink Christ, for He is the fountain of life; drink Christ, for He is the river, whose torrents gladden the city of God; drink Christ, for He is peace; drink Christ, for from His womb flow rivers of living water; drink Christ, that you may drink the blood by which you were redeemed; drink Christ, that you may drink His words; His words are the Old Testament, His words are the New Testament. The divine Scripture is drunk, and the divine Scripture is devoured when the juice of the eternal word descends into the veins of the mind and the powers of the soul. Finally, man does not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. Drink this word, but drink in its proper order. First, drink in the Old Testament: quickly drink, and then in the New Testament. And as he himself hastens, he says: Galilee of the Gentiles and parts of Judea, people who walk in darkness, see a great light; you who dwell in the region of death, a light will shine upon you (Isaiah 9:1-2). So drink quickly, so that a great light may shine upon you; not an everyday light, nor a light of the day, nor of the sun, nor of the moon; but that light which excludes the shadow of death. For those who are in the shadow of death cannot see the light of the sun and the day. And as if to someone inquiring from you about such great splendor, such great grace, it responds: For a child has been born to us, a son has been given to us (Isaiah, 6). The child, because he has been born of a Virgin; the son, because he has been born of God, is the author of such a great light. A child is born to us. To us who believe; not to the Jews who did not believe; to us, not to the heretics; to us, not to the Manicheans; he is born to us, because the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; he is born to us, because he took flesh from the Virgin, because a man is born from Mary. Flesh is born to us, the Word is given. What is ours is born among us: what is above us is given to us.

We have strayed far enough, as we think, but not without purpose; to show that even in troubles we must love the Lord and not turn away from Him, since often tribulation follows joy, and joy follows tribulation. Finally, blessed is the one who is not broken by tribulation and follows the law.

(Verse 3.) And it shall be like a tree that is planted by the courses of water, which will yield its fruit in its season. And its leaf shall not wither, and whatever it does, it shall prosper. What is this blessedness that is compared to the tree, unless we understand it to be in paradise, that blessed place, the tree of life produced from the earth in the midst of other trees? Among many trees that were beautiful to behold and good for food, even this tree was produced from the earth, and it was in the midst of paradise, so that the other trees flourished with its greenness. What we call this wood, except by which salvation comes to us? And rightly this earth produced it, because the Virgin gave birth to him, who was earth according to the Author's sentence, which was spoken to him: You are dust, and to dust you shall return (Gen. III, 19). It is also beautifully read among other woods; either because it was among the apostles who were learning, or because it was in the midst of the mind and heart, as he himself said: There is one among you whom you do not know (John I, 26). And elsewhere he says: 'But I am in your midst' (Luke 22:27). Finally, he also said about Solomon himself: 'The tree of life is for all who grasp it' (Proverbs 3:18). Therefore, blessed is the one who imitates the Lord Jesus, who is the tree of life, the tree of wisdom, planted in the womb of the Virgin by the will of the Father. It is planted by him to remain forever, in order to bear fruit in its season. For this plantation, which had the richness of spiritual grace within itself, could not wither. Finally, Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan. These are the waters that are spoken of in the Gospel: 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.' He said this about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were going to receive. (John 7:38).

There is also another tradition, because there are waters which Jeremiah prohibits us from drinking, saying: What have you to do with the way of Egypt, that you may drink the water of Geon (Jeremiah II, 18)? There is also the Tigris river flowing past the Assyrians. There is also the Euphrates flowing into Babylon. There is also the Phison, which in Latin interpretation is called commutation of mouths, encircling the land of Evilath, where there is gold, and the gold of that land is good; and the carbuncle stone, and the green stone. Deservedly there, the exchange was made, so that the faithfulness of promises is not held; but deceit is in their mouth, where there is good gold; for greed breaks faith, and does not hold the simplicity of words. Precious ornaments also change the mind and soul; so that there is one thing in the heart, another in speech. In those regions, the Jews were captives of the rivers, taken to Egypt, and to the Assyrians, and to the Babylonians, where they sat upon the banks of the river Babylon, and wept for their sorrow; and as the Prophet himself testifies (Psal. CXXXVI, 1 et seq.); there they hung up their instruments, and cast away all joy, where they endured more severe things. Finally, the remaining ten tribes were led to the Assyrians; however, the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, because of a more serious crime, went to Babylon. For the daughter of the priest who committed adultery was punished more severely than the others, for she stained the honor of the priestly lineage with shameful disgrace.

Just as they were in very serious temptations, so our Savior subjected Himself to many temptations, so that He would not pass over any of our struggles. Therefore, it is rightly said that He was planted beside the course of these rivers, not in their courses, so that you might understand that He was near, not immersed. This was His first encounter with flesh and blood. Finally, He says: Father, remove this cup from Me; yet not what I want, but what You want (Matthew 26:39). There was the temptation of riches, when all the kingdoms of the earth offered themselves as enemies if the Lord would worship him by bowing down. There are the courses of two rivers, the Gihon and the Pison. He struggled against the princes of the world: there was in his very passion a contest against the tempters, whom the Hebrew interpretation calls Persians, who presented false testimonies. Against those who said, 'Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe him' (Mark 15:32), which the devil suggested. You have the rivers Tigris and Euphrates.

However, the Apostle also includes that there is a fourfold struggle for us, saying: For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world's rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens (Ephesians 6:12). These are the rivers that flow out of paradise. Therefore, I believe that anyone who desires to return to paradise must cross these courses of water. The same holy Prophet expressed this not idly, demonstrating that those who would undergo all temptations should already owe themselves the rest of paradise. Thus he says: My eyes descended because of the course of waters (Psalm CXVIII, 136). For just as there is a fiery sword at the entrance to paradise, so that whoever returns may return through fire, burning his sins, testing his gold: so the one who returns, returns through these courses. And the saints rightly say: We passed through fire and water (Psalm LXV, 12). Regarding those journeys, Isaiah says: 'If you pass through water, the rivers will not overwhelm you' (Isaiah 43:2). Which rivers? Listen to David speaking about those who hasten to paradise: 'Perhaps our soul would have passed through intolerable water' (Psalm 124:5).

Although some interpret these four temptations as follows: You shall walk upon the asp and the basilisk, and you shall trample upon the lion and the dragon (Psalm 90:13). That He walked in His incarnation, trampled in His passion, or may trample in the handing over of the kingdom, which He will hand over to the Father, when He will have emptied all principality. But the Eagle beautifully said that which has been transplanted, that is, transferred, because He was first planted in the Virgin, then transferred to paradise; just as He said to the thief: Amen, I say to you, today you shall be with Me in paradise (Luke 23:43).

Therefore, this tree will bear fruit in its season. Earthly trees are said to not bear fruit, but to bear; but the tree of life and wisdom bears fruit, that is, it bestows and gives. Again, this comes to mind: If the tree is wisdom, why will it bear fruit in its season, and not always? So that it may not be burdensome for us to think this of Christ; but you, who have read that the Lord will set a faithful and prudent steward (Luke XII, 42) over His household, to give them their measure of wheat in due season, in due season, not always, surely should not be disturbed. Wisdom can always bear fruit; but because it is wisdom, it should give wisely, distributing prudently, if ever we are deserving or able to receive full measure. Just as in this final time it will bear fruit, so too will it provide good fruit among the nations; so that we may be able to attain and preserve fellowship in his resurrection. Now we are unable, we cannot endure this hateful age. For here there is corruption, and we must be cautious not to corrupt the good fruit that the tree of life would bring; because now we are corrupt, but there we will be incorruptible: when the dead, he says, will rise incorruptible, and we will be changed. For it is necessary that this corruptible be clothed with incorruption, and this mortal be clothed with immortality (1 Cor. XV, 52 and 53). Therefore, what profit is it for someone who is dying to receive what death will take away from him? Therefore, wisdom knows at what time it should give to whom, which never loses a leaf of its own tree. And so, let us consider what the fruit of wisdom is, that we may contemplate its leaf.

The fruit is internal; the leaf by which the fruit is either protected from the heat of the sun or from the cold. The fruit appears to be faith, peace, doctrine, the excellence of true knowledge, good intention, the reasoning of mysteries. A good life preserves these fruits: even if it perceives evil, it loses them. But God said to the sinner: 'Why do you declare my justices?' (Psalms 49:16) In the mystical sense, the fruit is, in the moral sense, the leaf through the contemplation of heavenly mysteries. For virtues without faith are like leaves; they may appear green, but they cannot be of any benefit. They are blown by the wind because they have no foundation. As much as the Gentiles possess mercy, they possess sobriety; but they do not have fruit because they do not have faith! Leaves quickly fall when the wind blows. And some Jews have chastity, practice reading diligently, and have great diligence; but they are without fruit and are like leaves. These are perhaps the leaves that Jesus found on that fig tree, but he did not find any fruit (Matthew 21:19).

The mystical [sacraments] save and free [us] from death; however, moral virtues are ornaments of beauty, not aids to redemption. Moreover, the Lord Himself teaches that mystical [sacraments] excel moral virtues in His Gospel, saying about Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to His word, while Martha was busy with her service and complained that her sister did not help her in serving at the table: Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her (Luke 10:41-42). If she who served at the table of Christ did not contribute to hearing the word she eagerly desired, to whom can we contribute our diligent efforts to attain eternal knowledge? And yet, let neither our faith lack in her service, nor our knowledge lack in operation like Mary's, so that neither the leaves are without fruit, nor the fruit is unprotected by natural safeguards, and be exposed to harm.

We can also understand this, that Adam and Eve clothed themselves with leaves, seeking earthly garments, because the resurrection of the Lord's body was being prophesied; for the flesh, which had previously been accustomed to perish instead of the leaves, would not perish in Christ; and all the righteous, who, according to the Gospel, were born of the Virgin to imitate the tree of wisdom in their lives and actions. For the Greek says, 'Will he not give his fruit?' which can be translated as 'Will the blessed one not give fruit?', in Greek; but in Latin it is said thus: because the blessed one will give fruit, namely in his resurrection, when he is able to give perpetually. And so it may be understood, that the fruit of it shall be above the wood, referring to the cross, upon which all things shall prosper. In which there is clear evidence that this is said about the Savior. For only His actions can be praised in all things and have prosperous outcomes. But the eagle shall be guided, He says: which also seems to refer to any man whom the Lord directs with heavenly favor. For the steps of a man are directed by the Lord, and the prophet David requested that his prayer be directed in the sight of God (Psalm 140:2). But the Lord himself directed his works so that they were not bent by any twist of error.

(Verse 4.) It follows: Not so the wicked, not so; but like dust which the wind drives away from the face of the earth; this is, not so as the blessed man, who is blessed because he has not walked in the counsel of the wicked, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of scoffers, desiring to corrupt by either believing or living wrongly; who has delight in the Law and meditates on it; or, as the eagle set forth, he will resound in the Law: so that he may resound the precepts of the Law in his life, and his behavior may be like theirs, whose sound has gone out into all the earth. Perhaps here the sound of human teaching may go out; but there, where it is given to be seen face to face, a fuller expression of the word is seemingly made. Therefore, not like that blessed one who will do these things, who will be like a planted tree, all his deeds will prosper, so will the wicked be. Therefore, he repeated, either the one who wrote, or the one who added afterwards (as some think), by repeating the sentence he may become more confirmed, saying: Not so the wicked, not so, who will be like dust; for they are earthly, and just as dust is thrown away by the wind, so will they be thrown away and scattered by the Holy Spirit, who breathes upon the fertile and fruitful soul like the southern wind used to do.


It is said of this wind in the Song of Songs: Come, O south wind (Cant. IV, 16), that the tenderness of the softer air may relax the fields of our hearts, which were closed by the harsh winter frost and denied the embrace of welcoming seeds. It is good for us that this wind may blow, which may safely guide the ships carrying the necessary provisions for Solomon to his temple into the harbor. But this wind blows only when that heavy wind, the north wind, ceases to blow. Therefore, either the Church or the pious soul says: Arise, north wind, and come, south wind (ibid.); this means: You, north wind, withdraw, and you, south wind, come: blow upon my garden that the flowers may not be scattered but preserved. Therefore, the soul full of the flowers of piety has a garden, or itself is the garden, which bears fruit; the soul that is open to impiety has dust, which is barren of fruit. Indeed, the Lord made that one fruitful; but it gathered for itself the dust of impiety.


Why do you boast, oh full of impiety? Is it because you are powerful in honors and abundant in wealth? Don't you realize that you are dust, and you will be scattered and dispersed? I have seen, he says, the wicked man exalted and lifted up like the cedars of Lebanon; and I passed by, and behold, he was no more (Psal. XXXVI, 35 and 36). Why do you glory in the fact that many services surround you, many friends cover your sides, and numerous horses follow you, of which you explain to us the lineage, as if it were the race of your ancestors. You prefer wealth, because you feed your companions at feasts. I wish you would feed the needy; I wish you were not ministers of jokes, but supporters of wishes. You boast that you immediately yield to someone who is promising, and people avoid you like a wild animal or a beast. Do you think these things are anything? Don't you hear that they pass by everyone like a shadow? What use are consular robes, or triumphal cloaks shining with gold? You will leave naked: no one will recognize you as a consul there. What use are countless possessions? They are public, not yours. Today you hold them, tomorrow another does. When you leave, another enters. Hardly have you moved your foot, another puts in a step. How many were there before you, how many will rule after you, and do you think this to be private? Whom have riches ever redeemed from death? Nay, whom have riches not compelled to death? Whom have wealth recalled from the underworld? Whom has power excused from punishment? Dust is wickedness, as the dust is the power of the wicked: it brings darkness, it cannot give salvation. As soon as a strong wind begins to blow, it scatters and dissolves it: it disturbs the air, it lays bare the ground; as dust is thrown, it vanishes like smoke, it melts like wax.

Hence many have raised the question, whether divine Scripture seems to assert that nature will perish; especially because elsewhere it says: I will crush them like dust before the wind, and like mud on the streets I will wipe them out (Psalm 17:43); and elsewhere: Behold, all adversaries will be put to shame and will be ashamed; for they will be as if they were not (Isaiah 41:11). Therefore, first I ask, do they think impiety is according to nature or beyond nature? If they claim to follow nature, it is certain that their opinion is wrong. After all, let them say whether sin is in accordance with nature or not. But it is certain that to sin is to deviate from what is according to nature. What, therefore, is so absurd as to say that it seems less wicked to be a sinner than impious; when it is most bitter of all, whatever seems to be an offense against God? But if to act impiously is not contrary to nature, then to live impiously according to nature is not to be considered a sin, nor worthy of reproach; for no one is reproached who acts according to nature. Therefore it is concluded that impiety is beyond nature. So how does scripture bring about the destruction of customs, of natures that will be destroyed, that is, perishable natures, when impiety is not natural but beyond nature? For what does not have something, does not lose it: nor can that substance perish, which was not. For even a disturbed dust is either transformed into the substance of water, or into air, or into fire, that is, it often seems to transition into another nature. Therefore, it does not perish into nothingness, but it transitions into something else.

What therefore prevents that even he who is crushed by the power and reason of the word, like dust, is not dissipated into nothingness, but transformed for the better; so that he becomes a spiritual man from the earthly, and so that the clay of the streets is erased in such a way that whatever is rough and dirty is removed, and whatever is smooth and clean remains? And what he says about the adversaries of Jerusalem: They are as if they are not; surely he could have said: They will not be. But when he says: They will be confounded and they will reverence; surely you understand that they will exist in substance, and in the progress of conversion, but they will not be adversaries as they were. And so, due to the lack of wickedness, they will not be, they will be changed with faith and devotion. Furthermore, elsewhere it is said from the perspective of a sinner: 'And I will bear the wrath of God, because I have sinned, until he justifies my judgment' (Micah 7:9). For God, desiring to convert the sinner, punishes and burns them in order to purify them. Hence it is said: 'And he will bring me into the light' (ibid.). For even fire burns and melts wax, in order to purify it; and we are tested by fire; and smoke is purified when all material is consumed, and it does not pass through its nature. And so, the soul, purified from every stain, aims at what is lacking, not at what is not. Hence Balaam says: 'Let my soul die the death of the just' (Numbers 23:10), meaning that his fall and certain wicked uses should die, and that he should become accustomed to the life of the just; for God desires all things to be saved. Thus Solomon also says: 'God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living' (Wisdom 1:13). He made the soul to exist; he created man for incorruption, whom he made in his own image. But men, deviating from the gift of nature, have rendered themselves subject to death, so that they may be corrupted like earthly beings. But God compels through tribulations to repentance, so that through repentance that evil accident of wickedness may be burned up and consumed, and perish; and that place of the soul, which was the possession of the accident of impiety, may be open for the reception of virtue and grace. It is certain, however, that the nature of the soul is precious, which, made in the likeness of God, admits the reception of all virtue; since it is not deprived of the fellowship of heavenly knowledge.


Now we think that what is constantly in everyone's mouth is left over, through which reason God, by whose will not even the most worthless sparrow falls, and before whom the hairs of the head are numbered, said through Isaiah: Thus all nations will be like a drop from a bucket, and like a speck of dust on the scales, and they will be valued like spit (Isaiah 40:15). So all nations will perish like a drop from a bucket, and like spit they will perish, and they will be of no use. But you, who know that our God did not consider the nations worthless, as he said to Abraham: All nations will be blessed through you (Gen. XII, 3); and as he spoke to the Son through David: I will give you the nations as your inheritance (Psal. II, 8); and further: All nations will serve him (Psal. LXXI, 11); you who have read that God offered his Son for the salvation of all nations, in order to save sinners (Rom. VIII, 32); you should consider the power of divine sentiment in this passage. For through the contemplation of the celestial creatures, which are many (just as the sky, which is many times greater than the earth, is considered by most to be a mere point in comparison to the sky), the nations were estimated as drops from a bucket, of which the whole fullness belongs. From that heavenly fullness, therefore, the nations are estimated as drops falling down. For how could they seem great, when the very earth in which the nations exist is a small part of the world, and the incline of the scales, by which God has worked all things, is so slight that the nations are like a small portion? At the same time, recognize through this scale that God has created all things with justice, and in the very nations there is naturally something in which justice seems to have even a small amount, and that the spit itself exists as an inner portion of the universality of the whole body.


Therefore, here mercy is preached more, because the one who comes to seek what was lost did not despise that drop of water as insignificant, and he lifted the moment of the scale; and giving him the substance of a good body with his spit, he deigned that all nations be gathered into one body of the Church. However, among the nations and Israel, it can by no means be said that they are devoid of God's divine justice; for Moses himself said of Israel: Behold, a wise people, and tenacious of discipline, a great nation (Deut. IV, 6). And so that you may know that above our merit God's goodness has overflowed, the Apostle, interpreting this prophetic passage, said: God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all (Rom. 11:32-33). And he added: Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them? (Rom. 11:34-35). But the Prophet, introducing this passage, says: Thus all nations have been esteemed as a drop from a bucket (Is. 40:15), and the rest, so that you may know that this understanding agrees with the Apostolic interpretation.

But what is more evident than this, that it does not seem to bring about perishable natures, since the holy Prophet himself has subjected: For the wicked do not rise again in judgment. For he did not say: They do not rise again; but he says: They do rise again, but not in judgment. However, whoever rises again, is indeed and remains; but because he did not believe in Christ, he has already been judged; and therefore he does not come into judgment, whom the punishment of judgment already completed remains. And concerning the resurrection, there are indeed many testimonies in the divine Scriptures, which we have not overlooked in the books of consolation and resurrection. But regarding what it says: The wicked do not rise again in judgment; according to the Gospel, this is an absolute statement, because not everyone will be judged. However, the Apostle says: For we must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil (2 Cor. 5:10). Many people think that these things are contradictory; and they do not realize that the Savior spoke about the faithless and impious, those who did not believe in the Lord Jesus. For He said: 'Whoever believes in me will not be judged, but whoever does not believe has already been judged, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.' This is the judgment, because the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light; for their deeds were evil. (John 3:18, 19). Therefore it is clear about whom it has been said, that is, about those who have not believed in the Lord Jesus. The Apostle, though he said 'all', certainly spoke about those who have believed, but they will render an account of their own actions on the day of judgment. Moreover, he himself elsewhere says (Rom. II, 15) that the testimony of our conscience will be revealed on the day of judgment, when our thoughts will either accuse or defend ourselves, as it is written, and the hidden secrets of the heart will be revealed. But what is clearer than this, which he says elsewhere: 'We shall all rise again, but we shall not all be changed.' (I Cor. XV, 15) For the just shall be changed into incorruption, while the truth of the body remains. Daniel also says: 'Judgment has sat, and the books have been opened.' (Dan. VII, 10) He therefore shows that there will be future judgment, especially when elsewhere he says the same: 'Many who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some unto life eternal, and others unto everlasting reproach and confusion; and they that understand shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and many of the just as the stars forever and ever.' (Dan. XII, 2 and 3)


What is this judgment of sitting judges, and what is it but the open book of our conscience, containing the series of our sins? Although it is despicable to consider this as if it were a judgment similar to human judgment. Christ's judgment is different, where conscience itself reveals itself, which cannot hide from the judge of hidden things: where thoughts shine forth before Him, who still says to those who think: Why do you think evil in your hearts (Matthew 9:4)? When he was speaking to the Jews, he used to say to everyone, lest anyone should think that hidden things could deceive him, lest anyone should think that a witness of hidden error could escape with closed walls. And so the Evangelist also testifies, saying: But Jesus knew their thoughts. How then does he say: The books are open? Surely not written in ink, but by the traces of sins, and the contamination of crimes. The book of your conscience will be opened, the book of your heart will be opened, our fault will be recited. There is a book where there is a tablet; rather, there are books inscribed where there are inscribed tablets, which are inscribed by the Holy Spirit with the Apostolic teaching, as we read, with Paul saying: You are our epistle... inscribed not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God: not on stone tablets, but on fleshy tablets of the heart (II Cor. III, 2 and 3). Therefore, these tablets of the heart, inscribed with the Holy Spirit, will be recited. If you do well, Scripture will remain. See that you do not take away the grace of the Holy Spirit; see that you do not erase, and write down your crimes with ink, lest the day of judgment come, and the Judge say: Let the books be read, let the tablets of his deeds be read; and let Him say to you: I wrote your tablets, why did you destroy my marks? I wrote my gifts, how did you destroy my offerings and write down your insults? Have you not read that I write? Have I not said to you through the mouth of my Prophet: My tongue is the pen of a swift scribe (Psalm 44:2); but judgment belongs to the Word.


Therefore, many who have slept in the tomb will rise from the earth, those who have done good to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment (John 5:28-29). What Daniel says, 'to eternal life,' the Savior says, 'to the resurrection of life.' Likewise, what Daniel says, 'to shame and everlasting contempt,' the Savior says, 'to the resurrection of judgment.' Therefore, it is not profitable for us to come to judgment, nor is it profitable not to come; lest we appear to be condemned or bear the weight of judgment in this contamination of vices. The prophet asks that the Lord not enter into judgment with his servant (Psalm 142:2); how much more should we fear the judgment of the Lord? Consider that the merciful Lord will forgive: how much will be revealed that I thought was hidden? What shame, what embarrassment will there be for me, when the one whom I claimed to teach others, I myself am found guilty in that very thing in which I was accusing others?

And therefore, since both the Savior and John in the Apocalypse spoke of two kinds of resurrection, and John said, 'Blessed is he who has a part in the first resurrection' (Rev. 20:6), these indeed come to grace without judgment. But those who do not come to the first resurrection, but are reserved for the second, will be burned until they fulfill the time between the first and second resurrection, or if they do not fulfill it, they will remain longer in punishment. Therefore, let us pray that in the first resurrection we may deserve to have a share. There are those who rose in the passion of Christ; and these are clearly blessed, who received the grace of Christ and heard His voice, of which it is written: The hour is coming when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live (John 5:25). And: They entered the holy city (Matthew 27:53). I think that it signifies more the heavenly city than this earthly Jerusalem, which He left, reproached, because they have entered into this one by foot, but into that heavenly one by merits.


But let us also beware that we rise from this earthly tomb. There are those who, while alive, are surrounded and filled with the dead, whose throat is a grave, not the words of life, but of death. If we rise here from the dead, we will also rise there. If we are not dry bones here, but have received the dew of the Word, the moisture of the Holy Spirit, we shall live there. Thus, Jesus will raise us here with His mighty voice, as He raised Lazarus, and through His disciples He will loose us from the chains of death and lead us into Bethany, where Lazarus was, that is, the house of obedience. And He will invite us to His banquet here, and there we shall recline with Him, and there we shall always feast with Him, and there the perfume, which only the betrayer lamented being wasted, will be fragrant to us.


(Verse 5.) Therefore the wicked do not rise in judgment. That is, they do not rise to share in the fate of those who will be judged; nor do sinners rise in the council of the righteous. You see that the wicked arise, but they do not rise in the judgment of the righteous, because sinners, though they do not rise in the council of the righteous, do rise in judgment. Hence, those who have believed well and have also put their faith into action will not be judged, but will rise in the council of the righteous. But sinners who cannot rise among the righteous will rise in judgment. You have two orders. The third remains for the impious, since they did not believe and have already been judged; and therefore they do not arise in judgment, but for punishment: for they loved darkness more than light (John 3:19); and therefore their judgment is punishment, and perhaps the punishment of darkness. And it could indeed be understood that those who have evil deeds, believing nevertheless in Christ, desiring indeed to live rightly; but being overcome by the allurements of sin, they loved darkness more than light: that is, they loved both, but darkness more. But because he warned about those who did not believe, I think that it should be understood that they loved darkness, and not light; for light is Christ. Therefore, those who did not believe in the light are absurd to be believed to have loved the light, which they did not know. For they did not know, nor did they understand, they walk in darkness, as it is written (Psalm 81:5).

(Verse 6.) It follows: For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, and the way of the wicked shall perish. Pay attention to the meaning: The wicked do not rise in judgment, for the Lord knows the way of the righteous. Certainly He knows their ways, whose steps are directed by the Lord. They are the steps of men who are guided by the Lord. They are guided by the Lord and the ways of man. The Lord knows these ways, which are straight and tend toward that life of which it is said: I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). This is the good way: but the way of the world is crooked. It does not deign to know that way. For it recognizes those who are its own, who do its works: but to those who do wickedness, the Lord says: Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity, I do not know you (Luke 13:27). They are not unknown due to ignorance, but because they are unworthy of the knowledge of God.

However, he said beautifully: 'And the way of the wicked shall perish.' Latinus separated 'iter' to mean 'way' and as if distinguished 'iter' from 'via'; but the Greek said 'via' in both cases. However, Latinus did not speak in vain, for the Lord said: 'I am the way,' he did not say: 'I am the journey.' But he said the 'way' of the wicked shall perish, not the wicked themselves. He preserves the substance of those who, if they convert, will lose only the way of wickedness, which neither was nor will be from the beginning. Therefore, what is accidental perishes: what is substantial remains. But the wicked perish in such a way as it is said: The soul that sins, it shall die (Ezekiel XVIII, 4); so that by the sting of sin, they do not perish by the dissolution of their entire substance.

On Psalm 36

Preface

The Prophet, in the following psalm, states what should be the form of the just by expressing the form of the unjust beforehand. For we cannot know what the form of justice is unless we know what the image of injustice is; they are indeed opposed and contradictory to each other. For in one there is a simple disposition of nature, in the other there is deceitful cunning of wickedness; one presents the images of virtues, the other presents the transactions of vices. Moreover, reason itself teaches that this order is appropriate; and if testimonies are to be taken from opposites, the very teachers of philosophy have confessed as they follow. But who would doubt that David lived long before the times of Plato, whom not only his teacher, but not even his ancestors' ancestors could see: since David lived at the beginning of the kingdom of the Jews (which spread through countless cycles of years), while Plato lived after the times of captivity, when the kingdom of his people had already been dissolved. Therefore, he himself, who holds the primacy in all secular wisdom, when he said that the form of justice cannot be understood without first examining the series of injustice, gave the example that those who want to seek gold must first cover themselves in mud. Therefore, gold is justice, iniquity is mud. And what has been said before by our own is not doubtful, as it is written: I will destroy them as the mud of the streets (Psalm XVII, 43). And truly mud; because it contaminates those who approach it. Let us flee from injustice, lest we be polluted by filthy dirt, and not only our external feet, but, what is more serious, our minds be submerged in its whirlpool. And indeed philosophy claims to seek gold; but it churns the mud, which seeks divinity in statues; but the potter's vessels will be shattered by a rod. We seek gold, with which we may cleanse our bodies, bearing the mortification of Jesus Christ in our bodies; so that the life of Jesus Christ may be manifested in our bodies. Good gold, the blood of Christ, rich in value, abundant for washing away every sin. We have spoken of the order, let us consider the title.

(Verse 1.) To the end, he says, a psalm of David, the servant of the Lord. In the entire body of the Psalter, this is the only title that testifies that David wrote this psalm as the servant of the Lord. Who is this servant of the Lord, let us see: what does the series of psalms signify: to whom is this psalm addressed? Let us hear to whom he speaks: O Lord, he says, your mercy is in the heavens, and your truth reaches to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God, your judgments are a great abyss (Psalm 35, 6-7). To whom does this refer, if not to the Son of God? For these things are not of human, but of divine power. But what does it mean that the title of this psalm is declared to the servant of the Lord (Ps. LXXXIX, 1), when he preferred the prayer of Moses, the man of God, to be called the servant of the Lord in the later title? I do not understand what the intention of the Prophet was, or rather of the Lord Savior himself, who spoke through the Prophet. Truly, his judgments are very deep, so that he would reserve honor to the servant and attribute the condition of servitude to himself. I seem to understand, I seem to have learned something about spiritual grace. Against injustice, as we have said, this psalm is written: and therefore the injustice of the faithless is even more burdened, who refused to receive Christ Jesus the Lord, when he undertook slavery for them. For what is more unjust than for the ungrateful to have received such great benefits, so that those to whom he gave salvation would shed his blood? Lastly, elsewhere when he spoke about his passion, in order to heap up the hatred of Jewish impiety, he said thus: Do not turn your face away from your servant, for I am in distress, answer me quickly... (Psalm 68, 18). I am poor and in sorrow (Ibid., 30).

Come, Paul, interpret for us, by what reason the Lord of heaven and earth declared himself poor, and what this poverty is. You certainly said that he is rich: how is the same person both rich and poor? Let us hear the testimony of Paul. You know, he says, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; that for your sakes he became poor, though he was rich; so that through his poverty you might be enriched (2 Corinthians 8:9). Come also, Isaiah, interpret for us how Christ, who is accustomed to heal the pains of wounds, declared himself in pain. The doctor came to care for the sick: what did he himself have to complain about? Let us also hear the testimony of Isaiah. He said, 'He suffers for us,' and we thought that he was in pain (Is. 53:4). The doctor expressed empathy, for even though he himself had no wounds to complain about, he still had compassion for the wounded. Therefore, in this psalm, the Lord reproaches the Jews, saying, 'I am poor because of you, I am in pain for you, and yet you raised impious hands against me, saying: Let us kill the righteous one, for he is useless to us' (Wis. 2:12). Let us put wood into his bread (Jeremiah 11:19). He spoke well of bread in place of his flesh. He brought nourishment, they gave punishment in return for kindness. It is not surprising, therefore, that those who denied themselves the food of eternal life are hungry. They also cleverly combined these two things: Let us put wood into his bread. The Jews did not know what they were saying, and they were speaking a mystery. The Cross of Christ gave us Paradise. This is the wood that the Lord showed to Adam, saying that from the tree of life, which was in the middle of Paradise, it was to be eaten; but not from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam erred, did not keep the commandment, tasted the forbidden fruit. Through the wood we began to hunger; because his flesh received nourishment. Therefore the Lord joined flesh and wood in Christ, so that ancient hunger would cease and life would be restored. Blessed is the wood of the Lord, which crucified all sins. Blessed is the flesh of the Lord, which provided food for all!

Therefore, concerning poverty and the pain of the Lord, we have brought forth suitable testimonies of the saints, of whom one saw and spoke, and the other was chosen to speak. Therefore, let us again bring forth testimonies of those who have been proven, concerning the servitude of the Lord; indeed, his own words that he spoke about himself in both. Let us therefore hear what he says: Thus says the Lord, who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to gather Jacob and Israel to him (Isaiah 49:5). Therefore, we warn that because of the gathering of the people, he undertook the form of servitude. Do you hear, O Jews, and you report insults of grace; and you attribute this to treachery, for which you should have believed more. He came to call you, and you revile him. He said he is a servant from the womb. Listen, O Arians, from which womb: go back a little above: From the womb, he says, of my mother, the Lord called my name (Psalm 49:1). Let us hear what his name is, by which the Father called him. Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel, which means, God is with us (Isaiah VII, 14; Matthew I, 23). For what other name is there for the Son of God but Christ? Take another. Indeed, Gabriel said to Joseph concerning Mary: She shall bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus (Ibid., 21). Receive the voice of God: And you, Bethlehem in Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people (Micah V, 2). Behold the mystery: from the womb of the Virgin came forth both servant and Lord; the servant to work, the Lord to command; in order to establish the kingdom of God in the minds of men. Both are one, not one from the Father and another from the Virgin; but the same who existed before the ages from the Father, He himself later assumed flesh from the Virgin. Therefore, He is called both servant and Lord: servant for our sake; but by the unity of divine substance, God from God, Prince from Prince, equal from the equal; for He did not beget something inferior, in which He Himself remembered to take pleasure (Matthew 3:17).

Great, he says, is the name given to you, O my son, as you establish the Twelve Tribes of Jacob. He preserves everywhere the words of his own dignity. Great God, and great child: he does not lose the name of his greatness even in his flesh, of whom there is no end to his greatness. And rightly secure, when he was in the form of God, as the Apostle says, he did not consider it robbery to be equal with God: but he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and found in appearance as a man: he humbled himself, becoming obedient even to death, death on a cross (Philippians 2:6 et seq.). Here is therefore the equal of God the Son, here the form of a servant in flesh assumed, here death tasted, whose greatness has no end; for the end of the Law is Christ for righteousness to all who believe: that in Him we may all believe, and adore Him with inward affection. Good servitude, which has made all free: good servitude, which has acquired a name above every name: good humility, which has made it so that at His name every knee should bow, of those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth; and every tongue should confess that Jesus the Lord is in the glory of God the Father. Therefore, this psalm is directed towards the end that we may also be servants of righteousness, not proud towards arrogance. For service is the reward of freedom; arrogance, however, is the reward of death. But now let us adore the very sequence of the psalm.

Commentary

(Verse 2.) 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. (From Tobit, chapter 12, number 41, and below in Psalm 37, number 8). 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 (Prov. XXVI, 9): 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.' (Prov. 9:12).


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' (Psalm 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' (Psalm 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?


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.

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.

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.


(Verses 6, 7.) 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.


(Verse 8, 9.) You will save people and animals, O Lord; for you have multiplied your mercy, O God. But the children of men will hope in the protection of your wings. They will be intoxicated with the abundance of your house, and you will give them to drink from the torrent of your pleasure. 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. Therefore he adds: 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; 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 (Psalm 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 (Psalm 46:5).

(Verses 10, 11.) 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 (Psalm 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).


(Verses 12, 13.) 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 (Psalm 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' (Psalm 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 (Psalm 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 (Psalm 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.

On Psalm 37

Preface

All divine Scripture, whether natural, mystical, or moral. Natural in Genesis, in which it is explained how the heavens, seas, and earth were made, and how this world is structured. Mystical in Leviticus, where the priestly mystery is understood. Moral in Deuteronomy, where human life is shaped according to the precepts of the Law. Hence, three of Solomon's books seem to have been selected from many: Ecclesiastes for natural matters, Song of Songs for mystical matters, Proverbs for moral matters.

However, because the body of all the psalms is one, nothing in them is divided and distinct; but as reason presented itself, no teaching of this kind has been interrupted. For it comprehends the natural world very clearly, speaking of Angels and Virtues, and the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the light of the sky of skies, and the water that is above the heavens: for He Himself spoke, and they were made, He Himself commanded, and they were created. He established it forever, he set a precept, which will not pass away (Psalm 32:9 and 148:6). And he spoke of mysteries, when he wrote about hidden things, the anointed oil of sacred unction, and the completion of the Tabernacle (Psalm 88:21 and 45:5). By their manifold grace; for the Lord has spoken in many and various ways through the Prophets. For he also foretold the coming of the Son of God, the High Priest, and that he would suffer for us, and cleanse our sins with his blood, as the title 'Pro torcularibus' (Psalm 8 and others) declares; and the psalm of resurrection (Psalm 65) expressed his resurrection, and another title afterward indicated that his land is restored (Psalm 96), and also the transformation of all things in the sacraments of faith. And he wove together more about morals, and demonstrated various kinds of virtues, and gave precepts for living, by which he healed the wounds of our errors, renewed human morals, and changed our innermost feelings; as the thirty-third Psalm teaches, which even the holy Peter affixed to our hearts as a remedy in his epistle (1 Peter 3:11); and this is the one that is set before us in today's reading. For among these ethicists those are found: but that one is more extensive, which is called thirty-sixth. For, although that one is very sweet and clear, this one is even sweeter; since that one taught me to restrain my tongue from evil, this one to cease from anger, to leave behind indignation. That one taught to speak without deceit, this one taught to be gentle, who demonstrated the rewards of gentleness. What greater aids are there for the human heart than gentleness and simplicity: by which all pain of received injury is alleviated and every stain of crime is excluded?

So let us apply medicine to these wounds, that we may cure ourselves; lest if we wish to say that we are able to cure others, it be said to us: Physician, heal yourself (Luke 4:23). Therefore, what is also common not only to physicians, but also to the general public; that while few may practice medicine, many may claim to know some of its remedies: or that we, even though not physicians, should offer a remedy to those in need using someone else's medicine. Let the wealthy employ a teacher, the poor a servant. Let the one who reaches the highest point take from himself; let the one who desires things more level feed himself on the slope, like a little child. Let the one who fears the river drink from the stream; and let the one who fears the deep swim to the shore. Moreover, in the higher psalm (Psalm 35), the holy David beautifully describes the life of the unjust, here the life of the just; there the unjust are exposed, here the just are established; there the unjust sins against himself, here he even takes away the sins of others. And therefore let us consider that justice is the first remedy.

Commentary

(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.

(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 (Psalm 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.

(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 (Psalm 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.

(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' (Psalm 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.

(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 (Psalm 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.

(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 (Psalm 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.

(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 (Psalm 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. (Psalm 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.

(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.

(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 (Psalm 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.

(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.

(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).


(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.


(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.

(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.

(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 (Psalm 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 (Psalm 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 (Psalm 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.

(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?' (Psalm 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.

(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 (Psalm 33:11); However, the Christians have not lacked in the wealth of their simplicity.

(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.


(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 (Psalm 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 (Psalm 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 (Psalm 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 (Psalm 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.

(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 (Psalm 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' (Psalm 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' (Psalm 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.


(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.


(Verses 27, 28, 29.) Turn away from evil and do good; and dwell forever. 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. 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. 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.

(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 (Psalm 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' (Psalm 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 (Psalm 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 (Psalm 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” (Psalm 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.


(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.


(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 (Psalm 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.

(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.

(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 (Psalm 65:8). Furthermore, he says: God has ascended in jubilation (Psalm 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.

(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).

(Verse 38.) 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.

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.

On Psalm 38

Preface

About Repentance, I have already written two small books, and I think I should write again. First, because it is useful to ask for the forgiveness of sins daily; then because in those two books there is an exhortation to repentance and progress, if it is done; but now how repentance should be done must be expressed; for it is of no benefit to act, unless it is done as it should be. In this, the holy David proposed for us a model to follow, who seems to me to have tasted sin in order to teach how sin could be wiped away. For indeed, where did medicine arise, if not from a wound? While the earliest ages of humanity teach others what has been beneficial to themselves, and how they have healed their own wounds, they show others; practice has made the art, and illness the teacher. For it is the first and most reliable school of medicine, which experience, not conjecture, has formed. Therefore, those doctors are first called empirics from experience, and the other schools are derived from them, and they have taken some use of their virtue from it. But what is more powerful for encouraging repentance than what the holy prophet David has taught us, to repent of our sins? For who would refuse to humble themselves before God, when even the king himself humbled himself? Or who would doubt to afflict their soul, when such a great prophet has afflicted himself, paying the price of tears for the redemption of sin? And although he has spread the precepts of repentance throughout all his writings (for which of his Psalms is not a remedy for the conscience of a sinner; when elsewhere he shows how he was moved, and elsewhere how he was disturbed, so as not only to show how wounds should be healed, but also how they should be avoided, and teach us by his own example?) But who, however strong, can claim to stand, when he has fallen? Yet in the 37th psalm, he expressed a greater force of inner sorrow and lamentable lamentation.

(Verse 1.) Finally, at the beginning, the title itself reminds us that such precepts are to be formulated; for we read as follows: ‘For a remembrance,’ he says, ‘of the sabbath day, a psalm of David.’ For the definition of penance is full remembrance of sins; so that each person may chastise his sins with the scourge of daily discourse, and condemn the vices committed by himself. For we are taught as follows, with the Lord himself saying: ‘Tell me your iniquities, that you may be justified.’ (Isaiah 43:26). And the Apostle says: 'With the mouth confession is made unto salvation' (Rom. X, 10). But perhaps it may cause perplexity because he did not say the remembrance of sins, but of the Sabbath day, or (as another has it) of Sabbaths (Exod. XX, 8 et seq.). But what is the Sabbath, but the rest of future things, the solace of present things, by which the Law commands men's works to rest and their burdens to be put away? And what are heavier burdens than our sins? Let these be put away on the Sabbath days, that is, in the time of this present life. For in seven days the whole week is concluded, in six days that world was formed, on the seventh day the Lord rested from his work, he who rests in our gentleness, as he himself said: On whom shall I rest, except on the humble and gentle? (Isaiah 66:2) Therefore, free yourself from every Sabbath and lighten the burden of your errors; so that you may deserve to attain the secure rest of that future Sabbath. For if you bear heavy sins here, you will not have rest there. Therefore, free your mind, reject all that burdens and oppresses your conscience, lest your flight be hindered by winter or the Sabbath: this life is one of labor, while the next is one of rest. May the completion of this present age find you lighter, so that burdened by sins you may not be unable to flee. Anticipate, so that you may take the lead. The world flees, he who is not bound by the allurements of the world, who is detached from all its concerns. Flee also the coming wrath, that is, the day of judgment. He who repents will escape; for thus did John the Baptist declare, saying: You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore, produce fruits worthy of repentance (Matthew 3:7-8).

You heard today that John was baptizing in Aenon, near Salim. (John 3:23). Aenon is called the eye of punishments; Salim itself ascending; this is its interpretation. Therefore, whoever chooses to be baptized foresees punishments; and for this reason, he seeks refuge in the sacrament of baptism, so that he may lay down all sin, lest he begin to be subject to punishments. And perhaps it is he who foresees punishments who is baptized with the baptism of repentance; but truly, he who is baptized in Christ looks to the grace. Therefore the baptism of John is the eye of punishments; the baptism of Christ is the eye of graces. Although John was baptizing in Aenon, he was baptizing near the ascending; for this has the interpretation that it is called Salim himself ascending. Therefore he was next to Christ, who announced his coming. For the Son of Man who descended from heaven is also the one who ascended to heaven, in order to fulfill all things. But because such are the heavenly things, so are the heavenly ones; and he ascended to heaven, who, laying aside earthly things, is buried in Christ; so that he may rise again with Christ from the death of sin to the newness of life and the participation in inheritance; so that he may become, as it is written: the heir of God, the co-heir of Christ (Rom. 8:17).

Therefore, true medicine is to do penance: which is rightly preached when the physician comes from heaven, who does not aggravate the wounds, but heals them. A good physician, who taught us how to seek remedies for our earthly body; when the flower of healing herbs sprouted for us, which condemned sin in the flesh. Therefore, flesh became the antidote, which was previously the poison of sin: because it was the temptation of sins. Listen to how the flesh of God becomes an antidote: The Word became flesh (John 1:14); He put His hand into the den of vipers, He expelled the venom, He removed sin; that is, He condemned sin in the flesh.

And in order that this may be more fully considered, let us recapitulate the very chapter of the Apostle. For it is written thus: 'God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, condemned sin in the flesh, that the justification of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit' (Rom. VIII, 3 et 4). Therefore the Son of God came in the likeness of sinful flesh: not of course in the likeness of flesh, who assumed true flesh; but in the likeness of sinful flesh, that is, of sinful flesh. For our flesh, the flesh tainted by sin, had been fashioned by deceit and poisoned by the venom of the serpent. Once it became subject to sin, it became the flesh of death, for it was indebted to death. Christ, in his own flesh, assumed the likeness of this condemned and prejudiced flesh. Although he took on the natural substance of this flesh, he did not take on any contamination: he was not conceived in iniquity and born in sin. He was not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man; he was born of the Holy Spirit from the Virgin. What, then, is it? He condemned sin in the flesh, not sin in likeness of flesh, but because our sins Christ received not by use, but by quality: not by fault, but by sacrament of His mercy; and [thereby] He was made sin for us, who Himself did no sin. Indeed, also because He condemned sin in this flesh of sin, that is, in our flesh which is subject and prejudiced by this, teaching how we, being placed in the flesh, should not walk according to the flesh, but according to the spirit? For to walk according to the flesh is sin; for it lives by luxury, and pleasures, and debaucheries, and carnal desires, those who live according to the wisdom of the flesh; for the wisdom of the flesh is hostile to God: therefore those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Therefore sin condemns from sin those who live according to the spirit, devoting themselves completely to God, and intent on heavenly oracles: for this reason Christ came, so that he might do not his own, that is, the flesh's, will, but God's will. Therefore, if anyone follows Him, in order to do what pleases God and restrain the desires of the flesh, they are an imitator of Christ.

What we have felt, we have expressed. Whoever reads, choose what you will follow. There is no error where there is a simple affection of piety, and every faithful sentiment. Christ condemned sin by taking on the likeness of sinful flesh, in order to abolish the sins of our flesh. He condemned sin in order to crucify our sins in his own flesh; He himself became sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him, who were captive to death and prey of the serpent. Therefore, this is an act of mercy, not of judgment. Through this sin, the eternal God absolves us, who did not spare his own Son, but made him sin for us. Then Christ condemned sin in the flesh, which had a certain judgmental power and authoritative censor, hated the vices that he used to love, and detested impurity, which he considered as pleasure. He separates himself from lust, renounces desires, rejects crimes and offenses, repels greed, which effeminates the strength of the flesh. I become an imitator of Christ for you, and I myself condemn sin in the flesh. Thus, I run, he says, not as if uncertainly, thus I fight, not as one beating the air: but I chastise my body and bring it into servitude; lest when I have preached to others, I myself become reprobate (2 Cor. 9:26-27).

We have not wandered in vain, as I believe; for this also belonged to the healing of mankind. Considering this medicine, God commanded this earth to produce the healing juices of herbs and trees, by which wounds of the flesh could be treated; and in the same way, He filled the series of divine Scriptures with helpful teachings, by which the infirmity of the soul could be healed. Therefore, how serious is it that dumb animals know how to heal themselves and seek healing herbs for their wounds, without rejecting them; and yet human industry does not seek those things, for which even a physician is sent, who could demonstrate the seeds of healing in the ancient Scriptures and introduce new ones as well? How many healthy things, then, are considered harmful in passing? Let's take examples from the earth itself.

The serpent nourishes poison, it has harmful bites, it wounds the flesh; but even in its venom, you will find an antidote if you seek it. Finally, its flesh is burned, from which the theriac is made, by which the power of the poison is accustomed to be dulled, so that it cannot harm. Therefore, it is not the fault of the earth that gives birth to the serpent, but rather the one who does not know how to beware of the serpent. The serpent itself can be beneficial to you if you understand; indeed, if you do not despise the advice of the physician. Learn to imitate him whom you think should be avoided. Be, he says, wise like serpents, and innocent like doves (Matt. X, 16). Preserve your head like a serpent; and if you are torn apart in your whole body, you will revive. Your head is Christ, because he himself is the head of the man: if you keep the faith, even if you are dead like a serpent, you will rise again. Imitate the serpent, who sheds its outer skin, in order to be renewed on the inside: imitate the serpent, who vomits up its venom. Blessed are you if you vomit out your evil thoughts and cast off the poisons of your malice. It is a widely known saying, supported by the authority of writers, that a female snake, hissing at a snake approaching her in the water, agrees to mate; she, concerned for her own safety, promises with the law of her desired sexual encounter that she will use her own body if the snake vomits out its venom; and, once captured, she is ordered to obey, to lay down her weapons, and to insert her own head into its mouth; and when the custom begins to warm up, either by some force of nature or by the heat of passion, the female tightens her mouth around the head and presses the bites of desire with kisses, and thus the snake's head is severed.

Will you not recognize in the nature of the serpent the mystery of faith? That serpent in paradise first provoked the woman to the crime of adultery; but when its venom was poured out into this world, the offspring of that woman, by the deceit of the parent and the many tricks of the serpent, stripped it of its weapons and cut off its head. If the poisons prevail and the sin in which the sting of death is hidden overcomes you, imitate the example of physicians so that the serpent may die for you either early or late. You shall crush its venom and break apart its body, and you shall know that it is to be tempered with healing juices; so that not only will it lose its power and poison, but it will also become a remedy for poison. However, that intelligible serpent dies for you if you die to sin, and your sins die for you. Thus its venom is crushed if your actions cause you remorse: thus its every poison is destroyed if you cover it with good deeds, and temper the committed crime with faithful confession. Listen how the virtue of the dragon itself is crushed. Crush, he says, God will crush Satan under your feet (Rom. 16:20). First crush your heart, where the dragon's lair was; so that he may not find a place to dwell: crush the flesh of the dragon: his flesh is our sins. Therefore, God says to you: The nations feast upon him (Job 40:25). And further, he says: Death goes before him: The flesh of his body cleaves to him (Job 41:13-14). For as the saints, the body and members are of Christ; so the sinners who do not forsake sin, but cleave to sin, are the body of the dragon and its members. Therefore, we feast on the body of Christ; but they feast on the body of the dragon: we feast, who strive to cleave to Christ, daily remission and forgiveness of sins; but they, who daily connect sins to sins, feast on the continuation of wickedness and crimes.

Therefore, crush those meats, and sprinkle over them the bruising of your heart; then pour Jordan's water over all those things. For the descent and ascent of Jordan is, for whoever descends into the sacred font, also ascends, seeking what is above. For he descends into the death of Christ, who is baptized in Christ, and ascends into his resurrection. But if you have already been baptized and have erred, pour the water of tears, not false but true; so that from the depths you may cry out to the Lord your God, and it may be said of you: A voice was heard in Rama, weeping and much wailing, Rachel weeping for her children, and she was unwilling to be consoled, for they are not (Jeremiah 31:15). Rachel is the Church, in which the people of God are blessed: she weeps for you, she deplores your sins, and she weeps greatly; so that she easily does not accept consolation, just as those who grieve greatly. Therefore, she did not want to be comforted; because who you were, you ceased to be. But with this perseverance of grief and weeping, let her obtain to say: My son was dead, and now he is alive again; he was lost, and now he is found (Luke 15:32). Or perhaps Rachel did not want to be comforted by the children of Judah; because they are not the ones she had certainly conceived in order to exist. And therefore they did not receive consolation, as Herod killed the little children; because they did not believe in the coming of Jesus, fulfilling the measure of their wickedness, so as to kill the little ones and murder the Son of the Virgin. Therefore the Church of the Lord did not want to console the Jews, because they are not (believers); but in Christians who have been gathered from the nations, it feasts and rejoices; because they have become (believers), who were not (before).

Therefore you sent the water of the Jordan, the water of grace; drink this first: you sent the water of tears, the water of repentance; this is the second cup, so that you may first be restored. Drink the water from your vessels, drink the water from your tears, so that you may say: 'And my drink was mingled with weeping' (Psalm 101:10). Your weeping, therefore, is your drink; and your tears, your food. 'My tears have been my bread' (Psalm 41:4), he says. If tears are bread, you have food for the conversion of sin, according to what you read in the Gospel: 'For he to whom more is forgiven, loves more' (Luke 7:47). Where we often see some who were negligent before becoming Christians, after committing some sin, become more diligent and through repentance become perfect. Just as conversion is a remedy for sin, so is a remedy for poison. Listen to this remedy: The righteous at the beginning of speech accuses himself (Prov. XVIII, 17). The poison is sin; the remedy is the accusation of one's own crime: the poison is iniquity; confession is the remedy for the fall. And therefore true remedy from poison exists, if you confess your injustices, so that you may be justified.

But now let us adore the psalm, so that it may teach us how penance should be done. And so it begins:

Commentary

(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 (Psalm 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 (Psalm 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 (Psalm 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 (Psalm 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 (Psalm 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 (Psalm 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.

(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' (Psalm 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.

(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 (Psalm 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 (Psalm 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 (Psalm 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.

(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.


(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.

(Verse 6.) 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. But David added the afflictions of the soul.

(Verse 7, 8, 9, 10.) Finally, He Himself says: Since my soul is filled with illusions and there is no health in my body. I am bent and greatly humiliated; I roar with the groaning of my heart. And before You, all my desires and groans are not hidden. My heart is troubled, and my strength has deserted me, and the light of my eyes is not with me. Therefore, we understand that the labor of the soul is greater than that of the body. Finally, understand by what illusions the soul is filled, namely that in temptations the devil seems to mock and insult her as if she were seriously suffering. However, Symmachus says that the loins, in which the seeds of human generation are located, are the area. Therefore, the Wisdom of God commands you to have your loins girded (Luke 12:35), so that your chastity may not be dissolved. Finally, so that you may know that in the loins there are stirrings of lust, which are often stirred up by the devil; when he strives to scatter the members of Christ, and to make them the members of a harlot: Behold, he says, his strength is in his loins, and his power is in his belly (Job 40:11). In the loins of the man, semen is produced; in the womb, however, of the woman. Therefore, the devil tricks in these matters, in order to commit adultery, incest, and fornication. And thus, the one who commits fornication, sins in their own body, not outside the body. First, because the flesh becomes weak, which is dissolved by lust, and does not preserve the restraints of chastity; then, because the seeds that should be used for the purpose of procreating offspring, instead, cause contamination of the body, rather than the fruit of posterity. Hence, therefore, they are called illusions perhaps, because in these the heat of the body often deceives without the frequency of intercourse. Hence the Seventy interpret the illusions of souls, because the devil, by deceiving the affections of someone, strives in vain to exhaust his strength and empty his virtue, and dissolve his fortitude. Therefore, elsewhere it is said: And my reins have been loosened (Psalm 72:21). In this, the blessed Apostle confirms us, that we should not fear the illusions of the soul or the weakness of the flesh, because Christ is the power of both our soul and body, who cares for the sick, as a physician: He strengthens the weak, as the strength of all. Finally, even though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16).

Therefore, the holy David, exhausted and worn down by the illusions of his soul, had bowed down and humbled himself excessively. Not because he would give a place to the sins that were overwhelming him, as we have said, or yield to the enemy, who teaches him in the later verses that he should not yield, saying: How maliciously has the enemy operated against your holy ones, and those who hated you have boasted in the midst of your feast? They have set up their signs as signs; and I have not known them as being on the way above the highest point. They cut down its doors with axes, as in a forest of trees (Psalm 73:3 and following). They set up the signs of their wickedness above the highest point against my enemies (what is the highest point but your head, where your senses are, where Christ is Wisdom); I did not acknowledge, that is, I did not agree with or consent to them, and I adhered to the judgment of my own thoughts. Hence you have elsewhere: I did not acknowledge the wicked word; and: I did not recognize the wicked ones who turned away from me (Psalm 101:3-4). Finally, when Christ knows everything, he does not know sin; for he knows what is his own, that is, what belongs to virtues, not what belongs to vices. Therefore, Scripture says to you: The Lord knows those who are his (2 Timothy 2:19). But to the wicked it says: Depart from me, for I do not know you (Luke 13:27). And through Jeremiah it spoke, saying: I was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and I did not know (Jeremiah 11:19). How did he not know what he had predicted in advance? But I did not know, he said, their thoughts, their malice. I do not want to know what belongs to blood. Finally, I will not gather their assemblies about blood (Ps. 15:4); and: I blot out their iniquities, and I do not remember (Is. 43:25). I do not want to know what he will delay to come. I did not know which woods would burn, nor what is placed in a pile of woods, or straw, or hay, so that the flame may consume them more quickly with their sustenance. I want to know those things that endure, so that they may receive the reward of their labors: I want to know those things that are built above the foundation, so that they may be improved; not those things that are on the way, where passers-by may destroy them: I want to know those things that are vines, those certain trees that bear fruit, not those that are gathered into bundles and prepared for burning; that is, I am not an arbiter and associate to those things that are perishable. Therefore, it is not the association with something, but the criminal association that is at fault.


But by what reason did he not know those who boast in unfruitful and fragile things? Because they overturn the faithful souls' entrances with their evil deeds and the axes of their iniquity, and they tear apart the gateways of the pious mind with cruel actions, so that Christ may not enter through them. However, each person must guard their gates and doors, so that when Christ comes and knocks, the ministering powers that go before and run ahead may say: Take up your gates, O rulers, and be lifted up, O everlasting doors (Ps. 38:7). Truly, those princes who have governed themselves well, Christ has entered into their souls. It is also similar to what Solomon said: If the spirit of one who has power rises against you, do not leave your place; for carefulness mitigates great offenses. For diligence and trust hold a higher position, while treachery holds a lower one. Therefore, let good diligence rise to you, which excludes the snares of the enemy and removes sin, so that the malice of the one who has power may not be able to harm you. The Preacher sees this wickedness under the sun, that is, in this world, from where also Scripture mentioned this place under the sun. Therefore, he saw under the sun, not above the sun, where the peace of angels is, or the holiness of heavenly powers. Or perhaps he said under the sun of iniquity; for the devil presides over wickedness, Christ over virtues. Therefore, in order to conquer the spirit possessing power, which he received for a time, David bent himself in prayer, bending his neck like a circle, and humbled himself in prayers; for the prayer of the humble penetrates the clouds, and surpasses the heights of the elements, so that it may approach Christ.


And he roared from the groan of his heart. He roars, who expresses groanings alone, not words. Therefore, this is that glorious prayer, when the Spirit intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings (Rom. VIII, 26), as the chosen vessel affirmed. This is the groaning which God does not despise, who does not despise a younger servant orphaned by his father, nor a widow, if she pours out speech.

Therefore, the Apostle of the Holy Spirit sets forth a sign of mourning before all things, as we read. Finally, let us guard the gate of our souls, so that the entrance of our confession may not be split apart by the axes of excessive talk. Let nothing unusual and arrogant come forth from our mouth; let us not lift up a light axe or a hammer, which do not enter into the Church of the Lord. Close the gate when you pray, so that an evil spirit may not enter there and extort sin, where we desire to gain the profit of piety. He who prays like this, his anguish is not hidden from the Lord. Indeed, the anguish of the holy Peter was recognized and heard when he wept bitterly. Surely, it is not the bitter tears that are mourned, but the bitter emotion that pours them out. In the treacherous Ahab, the anguish would have found grace, if not for the lingering envy that multiplied the offense. For it is not a superficial lament that is preached, but one that leads to conversion. It is written: If you lament and turn back, you will be saved.


Let us also present before the Lord all our desires: What is desire? For desire is the longing for a good thing: With desire, I have desired to eat this Passover with you (Luke 22:15); and: As the deer longs for streams of water (Psalm 42:2). But I believe that one who repents, who afflicts himself, should not enumerate his own good deeds, but his committed sins. In conclusion, I think we are taught by those verses, in which it says: O God, I will recount my life to you: You have put my tears in your sight (Psalm 55:9). For it does not announce a life as innocent, where tears are shed, which usually undertake a mission for sins. Unless perhaps we understand it this way, that even if someone is innocent, they cannot be secure, having daily struggles against very serious enemies; and therefore, although this consciousness may be joyful, the battle is still lamentable. So, next to these verses, we can understand concupiscence more than desire; for the Greek word used is ἐπιθυμία, which means concupiscence, but desire is called ἐπιθυμία. But concupiscence is spoken of both in good and in evil. It longed, and my soul failed within the courts of the Lord (Ps. LXXXIII, 13), for good; but in the Law it is different: For I would not have known concupiscence, if the Law had not said: Thou shalt not covet (Rom. VII, 7), certainly for evil. Finally, let the subject teach us that, by occasion received, sin worketh every concupiscence in the affection of man through the commandment. However, we can understand it in this way: Before you I place all desire; this is to make manifest to you what I desire to obtain; so that it may seem to be referred to the order of petitions, not to vainglory. For boasting is unwelcome even in the innocent, but supplication is praiseworthy in the sinner.

The Prophet also added that when his heart is troubled, his strength will abandon him. It is a great danger if the heart is agitated, for we believe in righteousness. However, just as in great dangers of illness, if pain is felt and its sensation expressed, the remedy of salvation is revealed (for it is more bearable to feel pain than to not feel pain; for feeling pain is a sign of still living, while the absence of pain is an indication of nearing death), so too does the heart demonstrate signs of salvation when it acknowledges the causes of its disturbance. Finally, David's heart was disturbed by Nabal, a wicked man, but he found grace when Abigail intervened to calm his anger and receive his blessing. However, Nabal, with a hard and stubborn heart, could not bear his wife's words, and he was struck dumbfounded and fell into death.

But what strength forsakes the Prophet? Is it of the flesh or of the mind? If it is of the flesh, then the health is not to be despaired of. For strength is perfected in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). The arbiter and combatant, who was skilled in the struggle of the mind and body, greatly debated this matter; he restrained both competitions in order to restrain the flesh; if he saw it stronger, he would not let the mind be led captive into the law of sin. Therefore, he called back the flesh, but joined strength to the mind; thus, he deserves to reach the crown. Therefore, the Prophet says this: If the strength of the flesh has left, the strength of the mind has prevailed. And if we understand that the strength of the mind has deserted, it is not surprising that in the most serious temptations, with a troubled heart, a person thinks they have been deserted by the strength of their mind. Let the Lord himself teach you, saying: My strength and my praise is the Lord (Psalm 117:14). Therefore, he was seeking the Lord, and because of this, he believed that he deserved not to be deserted, and thought that he should be sought after more often. And wherever he wavered, he thought that he had been deserted. Thus the Apostles wake him who is sleeping, not because they believed that he had fallen asleep. Thus Elisha (to use the examples of those who came before) said, 'Where is the God of Elijah?' (2 Kings 2:14) Not because he thought God was absent, but because he sought His presence in His blessings. Thus Jeremiah followed Him as a physician, saying 'Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved.' I have not labored after you. (Jeremiah 17:14) Thus the Church seeks God in the Song of Songs, and asks the daughters of Jerusalem to awaken love (Cant. 3:5). She seeks to find Him, whom she holds in her love, and never feels His absence. Therefore, David did not complain to Christ that he was deserted; but he judged that in His presence, he could not be disturbed.

Finally, so that you may know Christ more deeply, he added: And the light of my eyes is not with me. Who is the true light of all, if not Christ Jesus, of whom John says: He was the true light, which enlightens every man coming into this world (John 1:9); for he is the one who illuminates both the eyes of the body and the gaze of the mind? Let us therefore pray that he may always pour out his light upon us and always be with us, as he was with David; and for this reason, David dared to say: For with you is the fountain of life, and in your light we shall see light (Psalm 36:10). He had certainly seen a great light like a prophet: let his lamp shine for us, so that we may not go astray. And the lamp is the Word, just as the true light is the Word, which illuminates the whole world. Finally, let your Word be a lamp for my feet, O Lord (Psalm 118:15). And the prophet also sought that lamp, not a lantern. But John found and revealed that lamp, while the persecutor came and revealed the lantern; for a lantern has the light enclosed, not free. The Jew is like a lamp under a bushel, or torches under a veil, which can be seen but not seeing: but we, with the unveiled face, behold the eternal glory of the Lord, to be transformed from glory to glory by the Spirit. Therefore, a crowd of persecutors came with lanterns; and therefore their eyes could not see the light enclosed in them. They came with torches, which have more darkness in the smoke than brightness in the light. Finally, they were accustomed to burning the corpses of the dead with torches. Therefore, the Jews themselves were carrying torches, who were persecuting the author of salvation. They came with weapons, indicating by their weapons that they would die by the hand of the Romans until the destruction of the whole city and temple, who rejected the peace of the Lord.

(Verse 11, 12, 13, 14.) 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.

(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 (Psalm 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 (Psalm 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.

(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.

(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.

(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 (Psalm 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.

(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.

On Psalm 39, Commentary

On Psalm 39, Commentary. Title: For the end, a song for Idithun, of David himself.

(Preface.) In the previous psalm, the form of penitence is expressed: in this following psalm, the form of patience is signified. David wrote this psalm, and he gave it to Idithum, a man skilled in Levitical and priestly teachings, to be sung, who, before the ark of the Lord, the most skillful of all, sang the series of psalms. Therefore, because it was not Idithum who wrote this psalm, but the prophet David, and he gave it to Idithum, a skilled man in singing, to be sung, it is inscribed with this title. Moreover, there were also others in secular writings who were writing, others who were performing on stage, either songs, or comedies, or tragedies. And those indeed were demanding the Olympic crown: wherefore their writings bear witness, in the end, to the hymn ἐπινίκιον; but David, who was not seeking these fading crowns, but that incorruptible and undefiled inheritance of heavenly rewards, desired with devout affection not a hymn of victory ἐπινίκιον; but he wrote for the One who imparts victory to those who believe in Him, who is the end of all that we ask for with a pious mind. Whether you seek wisdom, or strive for virtue, or pursue truth, or follow the path of justice, or hope for resurrection, in all things you must follow Christ, who is the power of God and wisdom, the truth, the way, justice, and resurrection. To whom, then, do you strive, if not to the perfection of all things and the highest virtue? And therefore, it says to you: Come, follow me (Matthew 19:21); that is, so that you may deserve to attain the perfection of virtues. Therefore, whoever follows Christ must imitate Him according to their ability, so that they may contemplate His teachings and the divine examples of His actions.

And therefore David meditated within himself, because he believed that Christ spoke in him, so that when others troubled him and tried to provoke him to argument, he would endure with patience, avoiding the desire to quarrel, from which empty noise and quarrels often arise. And so, many, envying the virtues of holy David, who believed he should be led away from his purpose of gentleness and humility, frequently attacked him; and even the spiritual wickedness itself, especially those in heavenly places, against whom it is a serious struggle for the just, tried to stir up in him the ministers of their wickedness, so that amid the frequent struggles and tumult of debates, no word of offense would escape him. The holy Prophet chose to remain silent. O strong shield of careful defense, silence! O most faithful foundation of stability, in which if anyone is able to stand, they cannot fear the slippery words! For many, even with a stable heart, have fallen often due to the error of fluctuating speech. Therefore, seeing himself tempted by such snares and the empty noise of those who argue, the Prophet kept silent within himself, imposing upon himself the law of silence; and when he remained silent, his adversaries mocked him and provoked him to speak something; such are the usual disputes and speeches of insolent individuals. Answer us, if you presume to be equal: you see that you are defeated and have nothing to report; when he saw himself almost compelled to respond to the voice of insults, he called himself back, in order to speak in his heart.


(Verse 1) I said, I will guard my ways; that I may not sin with my tongue. I set a guard to my mouth, while the wicked man stood against me; that is, I proposed, confirmed, commanded myself, I spoke to my heart: I will guard my ways. If I had spoken such things to another, my speech should stand; how much more ought that which I myself established to be steadfast! If anyone deceives another, it is disgraceful; if anyone deceives a neighbor, it is serious; how much more serious, therefore, if anyone thinks that he should defraud himself of what he has promised to himself, so that he himself is considered unfaithful by his own judgment and contemptible. To whom therefore can one appear suitable, who is considered cheap by themselves? Let us therefore maintain the steadfastness of our souls; lest our lips, in their haste to speak, burst forth into offense. And Job conquered his affliction with silence, and surpassed his endurance with quietness. The flesh is not easily trusted: we would have been victorious if Eve had remained silent. Therefore, that first sin originated from the voice, and that wicked and cunning serpent tempted us beforehand by means of the voice. And I wish either Adam had been deaf or Eve had been dumb: the former, so that he wouldn't hear the voice of his wife; the latter, so that she wouldn't speak to her husband and transfer the serpent's venom into the man through the ministry of her slippery voice. Cain, too, although he violated the human nature by committing parricide and erased the impious laws of piety; yet he added sacrilege to his wickedness through his voice, denying the death of his slain brother to God. What shall I say about each one individually? The chosen people themselves, whom silent Moses opened the sea for by the command of the Lord, murmured ungratefully against the heavenly blessings, thereby incurring divine offense. Then he rejected Moses, the leader himself, and the unusual journey, and asked his brother Aaron to make gods for himself to worship.

Therefore, considering these dangers of speech, I said: 'I will guard my ways.' So what are these ways of man that must be greatly guarded against, lest they stumble upon anything more serious? Such a great Prophet prompts us to consider more carefully. His son Solomon, the insightful interpreter of his father's mind, also urges us to examine more discerningly, for he wrote: 'Three things are beyond my understanding, and a fourth I do not know.' The footprint of a flying eagle, and the track of a serpent on a rock, and the paths of a ship on the open sea, and the ways of a man in his youth. Such is the way of an adulterous woman, who, after acting, says that she has done nothing wrong. (Prov. XXX, 18 et seq). Therefore, she said that three things were impossible for her to understand, and the fourth, that he, possessing the seal of wisdom among men, did not recognize, namely the path of a man in his youth. Therefore, how can the recognition of these things, which can be either inexplicable or difficult, be easily their custody? Hence, David himself rightfully offered not a defense of the sins of his youth, but a plea for forgetfulness. 'Do not remember,' he said, 'the sins of my youth and my ignorance' (Psalm 24:7). Therefore, it is not without reason that Solomon said he did not know what his father, in whom the greater grace of God was, testified that he did not know. And perhaps the sins of youth are attributed to the heat of the flesh, but ignorance to a slip of words, which are often poured out not according to our intention, but with a certain impetuosity and rapidity of speech; knowing this to be dangerous, the Prophet says: I believed and therefore I spoke (Psalm 115:1). Therefore, the voice is safe above the foundation of virtue; without foundation, it is slippery. Therefore, as a chosen interpreter of the divine Scriptures, he rebuked with a kind of trumpet sound: With the heart one believes unto justice; but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:10). Faith of the believers is the principal, confession is the execution.

Therefore, let us hear how the holy prophet David has set forth or for what reason he keeps his ways: 'That I sin not with my tongue,' he says. If the Prophet takes care of this, do you not take care? If he fears this, in what grace of God was he speaking, do you not fear, who do not shun words of error and take pleasure in theatrical conversations? Do you not fear, to whom it is written in the Gospel (Matthew 12:36) that you will give account for every idle word? If there is danger in idle talk, how much more in criminal talk! Not everything that is idle is criminal, but everything that is unfruitful is dangerous and to be rooted out; for every tree that does not bear fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. When the mind is disturbed, it is agitated by opposing stimuli, by those that hinder, mock, accuse; words of disturbance escape; therefore, silence is both safe and appropriate, for it preserves caution with gravity. For what are our lips but our own chains? Indeed, each person is bound by the chains of their own lips. Therefore, the wise person remains silent in time, and considers within themselves when they should speak. This is exemplified by Solomon himself: The lips of the wise are bound by understanding (Prov. 15:7). So when you see impudent mockers, a wise person keeping silent, say: This person has bound their lips with understanding; this is wisely remaining silent, lest they be bound by the chains of their own lips. He has set a guard at the entrance of his mouth, he has adorned his ears with thorns, he has put a bolt on the gates of his mouth, he keeps the treasure of his heart and the silver of his speech, so that when necessary, he may bring it forth examined and purified; lest anyone first become a thief in his heart or an agitator break in, and drag captive those to whom he may sell his wicked deeds.

Judas was contemplating selling Christ, but he was being recalled by such great grace of the Lord and certain consolations of paternal pity, by which his fury was softened: and he would not have burst forth into his wicked act, unless an adversary had sunk into his heart, because he thought he was deceiving Christ. Therefore, do not doubt that when some are troublesome to you and you wish to preserve justice, they are ministers of that most wicked sinner, who is the author of all crimes. David was seeing with prophetic eyes, he recognized his figure; therefore he remained silent, so as not to do the will of the one who desires to disturb his emotion. He suppressed his voice, closed his gates in silence, exhibited patience towards him, and kept watch over his silence; so that the enemy does not creep in, so that no wandering and careless speech comes out from the confines of his mouth. Therefore, the one who restrains himself is stronger than one who conquers cities. Just himself is his own cloister, himself the ever-watchful guardian.

When he therefore pretended to himself, he spoke in his heart: I have set a guard to my mouth, when the sinner stood against me. The enemy is always present, because he always lies in wait. Even if you do not see him, he is present: even if you do not feel him, he attacks. If you do not see, believe the one who sees: The sinner stands against me, he says. Whoever sees his own sin, also sees the sinner mocking himself in the things he has done. But whoever foresees the sinner, can avoid sin. David saw that the sinner was opposing him; when Shimei cursed and threw stones at his king, and cried out: 'Get out, you man of blood!' (2 Samuel 16:7). For David would not have been so unyielding, that he would not have been moved by the reverence for such a great king, nor feared his armed army, since one of his soldiers could have killed the reviler; but the devil had made him insane, who drove him towards death. Therefore, David fought more against the instigator than he pursued the servant. For what is great, to be vindicated, of a weak man, whom another was urging on to madness, in whose death the sinner would have had the effect of his will? The devil is overcome not by the sword, but by the word of God: therefore let the tongue of man be silent, let the Word of God speak. Finally, even Christ was silent when he stood before the judgment of Pilate, in order to give us an example of silence; for the tongue of the body is prone to error, inclined to fall. But there are those who speak when they are silent, like Moses who stood amazed and silent, to whom God said when he was silent: Why do you cry out to me? Like Susanna, who remained silent in her troubles, and the Lord heard her. So even if the word of God is in you, and you remain silent in the word of God, and silently cry out, so that you may be heard by Christ.

Therefore, meditate on the things of Christ, which the prophet David meditated upon, in which Christ spoke before in this psalm that he himself was meditating upon. For it is written: 'But as for me, when they were troubling me in some way, I clothed myself in sackcloth; and I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer shall be turned to my bosom.' (Psalm 34:13) What does 'in some way' mean? It means that at that time either an inappropriate conversation slips out or a feeling is stirred up; when either we are in some pain and sadness, or our soul becomes sick with indignation, or it is hindered by certain worries, or it is preoccupied with disputes. Who, therefore, are troublesome? First, understand about the author of sin himself and his angels; then, about those who prefer to be followers of him rather than Christ. The wife is driven, as in the case of holy Job (Job II, 10 and elsewhere): friend, as is manifested in that very book; son, like Absalom; servant, freedman, household member; because even the enemies of a man are his own household members, in order to torment him individually. Therefore, what remedy is there against such afflictions of the soul, if not patience, if not silence? And, what is more serious, he provokes you more, who has made use of your favors: and among those very individuals, he irritates you more, who owes you more; by which you are moved more by the bitterness of an ungrateful person, or the indignity of some worthless individual.

Therefore, the just man, even if his friend is insolent to him, grieves for his friend; because his friend falls for this reason, because he is driven by a tempter. If he grieves for his friend, much more for his wife, for his son: if he also experiences them insolent to himself; and if his brother vexes him, like Esau against holy Jacob, he grieves and seeks to reconcile with his brother, or to flee from his presence, as Rebecca advised, so that he would not find any opportunity for harm in his brother's anger; and if his neighbor or household member grieves, he grieves; and if a minister or freeman or slave, he bears it patiently, and in all these things he is silent: so as not to respond to the one by whom he sees himself being driven. So let someone be reproached from the household? He grieves and keeps silent; let a freedman be reproached? He keeps silent; let a slave be reproached? He keeps silent. Thus, the one who extends the snare of his soul through the bait of his voice is defeated. Therefore, keep silent when someone unworthy is reproached; keep silent when your servant, especially your own, conducts himself shamefully; and say in your heart: I am silent. But don't you remain silent, O Lord (Psalm 34:22); and add: Do not depart from me, as the prophet David said; that is, do not abandon me in the face of my attackers alone. For he is not alone, to whom God is present. Take testimony. Behold, he says, the hour is coming, that each one of you may be dispersed in his own, and you may leave me alone; but I am not alone, since the Father is with me (John XVI, 32).

Therefore the just man remains silent against those who insult him, the just man prays. Listen to the just man praying: They were speaking ill of me in order to make me hated: but I was praying (Psalm 108:4). The just man blesses those who curse him; as the apostles did, as Paul asserts, saying: We are cursed, and we bless (1 Corinthians 4:13). The just man loves his enemies. See how he is taught to gradually ascend through each step to the increase of virtues, as the Lord says: Love your enemies (Matthew 5:44). Justus prays for those who slander him; for the Lord has commanded us, adding: Do good to those who hate you, pray for those who slander and persecute you (cf. Matthew 5:44). He is truly just in all things, he who observes and keeps these commandments. First, because he remains silent and does not respond to his enemies; then because he prays, which means he is not idle in his feelings. And he who prays, prays for good things, not for things that can harm his enemy. Therefore, it is better to pray than to remain silent. The righteous blesses those who curse him. This is even greater than praying for oneself; for he blesses himself, whom he does not fear, and even him whom he used to fear. The righteous loves his enemy. Loving is greater than blessing; because the love of the mind is greater than the grace of speech. The righteous does good to the one whose desires he hates. The righteous prays for those who slander. Good is love, and good is piety: both are of God, and both are God; because love is God, as John said in his epistle (1 John 4:16). Therefore, both have been joined together: Love your enemies... and pray for those who slander and persecute you. The fullness of the Law is charity: but the fullness of the Gospel also commands us to pray for those who slander and persecute us, so that we may ask for forgiveness for their sins; just as by divine judgment, the holy chosen Job, through his prayer, rightly wiped away the offense of those slandering kings (Job 42:8).

Therefore, even if you are weak, pray; even if you are strong, pray. Pray for yourself when you are weak, pray for your enemy when you are strong. Prayer is a good shield for weakness. You pray, and the Lord protects. Prayer is also a good shield for triumph, so that you may defend yourself against your enemy whom you are able to strike, lest they be slain by anyone, and (what is greater) by Christ, who said: 'Vengeance is mine, and I will repay' (Rom. XII, 19). This is the prayer that turns into the lap of the petitioner, bearing fruit from those things which he desires to obtain; so that the gifts may flow back into his soul and mind, which he requested from the Lord; just as in the following passage the same prophet taught you, saying: 'So will I bless you in my life, and in your name I will lift up my hands.' As my soul is filled with fatness and abundance (Psalm 62:5-6). He himself is the bosom of the soul, the secret of its prayer, the innermost receptacles of its recurring desires. Hence, the just are said to rest in Abraham's bosom, that is, in his grace, in his rest, in his tranquility, who have clothed themselves with a faith conformable to him and have performed the same will in good works (Luke 16:22).

But perhaps someone may wonder, when the Lord said through the mouth of David, that he humbled his soul in fasting (Ps. 34:13); how then does David say later: If I did not feel humbly, but I exalted my soul (Ps. 130:2). But let him consider that one thing pertains to the wisdom of the mind, another to the humility of the heart: the wisdom of the mind is sublime; but the wisdom of the flesh should not be puffed up. Therefore, David humbled himself in fasting, in order to teach and correct the swelling of our flesh. The Prophet exalted his soul through the sublime grace of God; for whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted (Luke 14:11). It is not only the proud who are pushed down, and the humble who are raised up with worthy rewards, as it should be understood first: but because the word of God is sharp on all sides, like a sword that is sharp on both sides, I believe it can be understood that whoever exalts himself knows how to humble himself, and whoever knows how to humble himself also knows how to exalt himself. Finally, Paul shows, saying: 'I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound' (Philippians 4:11). Therefore, David too, by not thinking humbly of Christ, exalted his soul, which the Arians humble and cast down; and by exalting his soul, he expressed with devout affection the strength of reason, the grace of faith, and the virtue of humility.

(Verse 3) Therefore, he said: I kept silent and humbled myself and remained silent before the wicked; for he knew when he should humble himself and when he should remain silent. He kept silent so that he would not contend with those who rebuked him: he humbled himself to remove the arrogance of the proud, or to teach them by his own example how they should humble themselves; he remained silent before the righteous, for a good conscience does not need the defense of words, which relies on its own testimony, being its own judge. And so the just one says: Who will contradict me, or who will resist me? (Isaiah 50:8) And Paul says: For it is a very small thing to me that I should be judged by you, or by a human court. (1 Corinthians 4:3) The just one is content with his own judgment against slanderers and sinners, but he reserves the judgment of his own merits to Christ. Therefore, he added: The one who judges me is the Lord. (Ibid., 4) He has chosen a most perfect judge, who is not deceived by any fraud, so that nothing hidden may escape him, and no slip of weak condition may offend him; one who knows how to forgive weakness. Therefore, silence is useful in all things. If you acknowledge a sin, be silent, so as not to exaggerate it by denying it; if you do not acknowledge it, be silent in the confidence of your innocence. Other people's words cannot attach blame which your own conscience does not accept.

Following: And my pain is renewed. Still in a lower degree of virtue, he brings forth these words, that the pain is renewed for himself by the objection of past sins, which seemed to have been wiped away by forgetfulness, or covered by the compensation of good deeds. Finally, in the later part as if stronger, he says: They saw me, and shook their heads (Ps. 108:25); because they threatened, and could not harm. And he added: They curse, and you bless (Ibid. 28). And because he speaks as if stronger, he disregards the injury or shame, for which the Lord's blessing would abound for all. Therefore, in this 38th psalm, as if in a kind of meditation, not yet placed in the perfection of virtue in every way, he says to himself that his pain has been renewed. For the strongest does not know the feeling of a scar being offended, nor can he fear a wound who is stronger. In the very struggle of fighters, it is often the case that the stronger one waits to be provoked by a blow from the weaker, so that he may be provoked to retaliate more fiercely; thus, strengthened by excessive training and endurance, as if immune to pain, he cannot feel the blow, but instead laughs when struck and initiates the attack when provoked. But if the lower part, by chance, receives a blow on the covered scar of an old wound, it feels the pain renewed. So it is with one who is accused of higher sins, which he has properly grieved and mourned; in order to cover the scar of his own sins, he may apply fitting satisfaction. If one is perfect, he remains silent against those who reproach him, with no pain renewed; for even if he has sinned, he is secure because the gifts of God are without repentance; and therefore, what God has once given, He is not accustomed to undo or renew, as He Himself has said: I am, I am He who blots out iniquities, and I will not remember (Isaiah 43:25). But if one is imperfect and forgetful of heavenly precepts, the pain is repaired for him like a torn scar.

(Verse 4.) My heart burned within me, and in my meditation a fire will be kindled. More serious wounds, as we know, are healed with a caustic medicine or with the application of fire. Therefore, a wise man is his own doctor: yet even though he is a doctor, he heals his own wound. And so, if he is not fully perfected in the state of unharmed health, his heart is inflamed, he has a fever, he becomes ignited by insults. And if he remains silent, he is consumed within himself. If a stone is rubbed against a stone, it produces fire; likewise, a good conscience is ignited by a sense of shame, if the memory of one's own sins is renewed to it. And in the very meditation, the fire blazes. It is not a bad fire that burns, but does not consume. Such is the fire of God that Moses saw in the burning bush; when the bush was burning, but not consumed. Therefore, there is a fire that diminishes sin and consumes guilt with its burning. There is also a fire that is kindled by the meditations on heavenly scriptures; just like the one Jeremiah speaks of: 'And there was a fire burning in my bones (Jeremiah 20:9).' But they were conferring together, and discussing the things that had taken place. And it happened that, while they were talking and debating with one another, Jesus himself approached and began to walk with them. But their eyes were held back, so that they might not recognize him. And he said to them: 'What are these discourses that you hold with one another while you are walking, and are sad?' And one of them, whose name was Cleophas, responding, said to him: 'You alone, as a sojourner in Jerusalem, have not known the things that have happened in these days?' And he said to them: 'What things?' And they said to him: 'About Jesus of Nazareth, who was a man, a prophet, powerful in deed and word before God and all the people. And how our high priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. But we were hoping that he would be the Redeemer of Israel. And now, aside from all this, today is the third day since these things have happened. Moreover, even some women from our group have disturbed us. They went to the tomb before sunrise, and, not finding his body, they returned, saying that they even saw a vision of Angels, who say that he is alive. And some of our people went to the tomb. And it was just as the women had said. But they did not find him.'

(Verse 5.) I have spoken in my own language: make my end known to me, O Lord, and the number of my days, that I may know what is lacking to me. A good fire, which enabled the Prophet to speak. And see that he himself is not the fire that appeared, when on the day of Pentecost, the disciples were gathered together in one place, a great force of the Holy Spirit fell upon them, and they spoke in various tongues. For it is written: Because their tongues were seen as dispersed fire (Acts 2:3). So here is the one who said to Jeremiah: Behold, I put my words in your mouth like fire (Jerem. V, 14). And thus David also received the tongue of fire, so that he could speak with the fervor of divine knowledge: Make my end known to me, O Lord. He is not inquiring about his death (for this is not the end for one who will be resurrected), but rather about that end about which the Apostle spoke (I Cor. XV, 24 et seq.): For that end, when the Lord Jesus hands over the kingdom to God the Father, and when all Principalities and Powers are abolished, and when the last death of all humankind is destroyed, so that evil may cease and eternal goods may succeed. And therefore it is said: 'Pain, sadness, and groaning flee' (Isaiah 35:10). This was the purpose in men, as Paul says: 'And who is there to make me glad but the one who is made sad by me' (2 Corinthians 2:2)? By reproving pain, sadness, and groaning, he incited them to repentance, so that they might obtain irrevocable forgiveness and salvation, for which God would not repent. Therefore, he is the true purpose, who will not be the purpose of just one, but of all. So how did he speak of my end? But consider who is speaking. Surely a man, either one of a community of beings, or because he is described as conforming to the pattern of the universe and being trained to the perfection of a completed man.

And so he added that he wanted to know the number of days that is, so that he knows what is lacking for himself. Certainly, what is lacking for perfection, not for the life of this body for which the prophet David desired to be completed, saying: Woe is me! because my sojourn is prolonged, and I have dwelt with the inhabitants of Cedar (Psal. CXIX, 5). Indeed, he wanted to know the number of days, but not also of nights. For here there are days and nights: but there, there are only days, there is perpetual and lasting light. And therefore he added: He who is, says he, not he who passes by. For heaven and earth will pass away, but faith remains, and the day of Christ; because yesterday and today he himself is, and for ages. But regard what number he seeks, take. In my Father's house, says he, there are many dwelling places (John 14:2). Therefore the Lord Jesus gives each one a place, that is, a dwelling suitable for the merits of each. For each one in its order. Therefore he went before, so that he might prepare a place in himself for those who believe. And he also said: If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also: and where I go, you know, and the way you know (John 14:3-4). Therefore, it is the way by which the risen Christ ascended. And indeed, he ascended above all the heavens to the seat of God: but men ascend from the first heaven to the second, and from there to the third, and so on through the distinctions to the seventh heaven, and those who deserve it ascend to the very expanse and summit of the heavens. If therefore the number of roads is, and the number of houses; surely the number of days is, through which one reaches the height of the sky.

(Verse 6.) Behold, you have made my days old: Another hath made my days new. If we follow the Septuagint version, we understand the old days; that is, we understand them according to the old man, who is nailed to the cross. Therefore, the old days have passed away, and the new have come. For one day is the day of man, another is the day of Christ, which Abraham saw and rejoiced; concerning which David also says: this is the day which the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24). Therefore, on the Lord's day, the holy one rejoices in the new day, in which God the Lord has shone upon us and has given new light to those who have been reformed into a blameless and whole life. Therefore, the righteous man says confidently about the new light and grace of God (Apoc. XXI, 1, and XXII, 5): 'There will be for me a new heaven, and a new earth, and a new light. For there, neither a lamp nor the light of the sun or moon will shine, but the Lord will enlighten upon His people.' Therefore, I have desired that, I have longed for that; and therefore, I have not sought the day of man.

But if we receive the exercise of the palaestra, from the name we understand it to be full of struggle and labor; because the palaestrae are called the wrestlers in the contest, who wrestle for the crown. Therefore, because our struggle is not only against flesh and blood, but also against spiritual wickedness in heavenly things, our days, that is, of this life, are in labor and sorrow. Hence, in the following, he says: Our years will meditate like a spider: the days of our years in them are seventy years. But if among the powerful, eighty years, and the majority of them labor and pain (Psalm 89, 9 and 10). Therefore, the apostle Paul labored more abundantly than the other apostles, so that by competing legitimately, he could reach the crown he desired.

But nevertheless, because the measurements of architects are said to be the footprints by which buildings are measured in order to determine the number or size of the space, as well as the location where the buildings are to be placed; and also because God, speaking through Isaiah, says: 'Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, measured the heavens with a span, and calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Who has weighed the mountains in scales?' (Isa. XL, 12). Let us see if perhaps this meaning must be inferred from this statement, because God has knowledge of the days of all: to whom nothing is immense, who comprehends all things with a certain measure of His own knowledge, and to whom nothing is immeasurable, nothing unexamined and innumerable, who says: 'But even the hairs of your head are all numbered' (Luke XII, 7). Therefore, the Prophet says: Behold, you have known my days; my daily actions do not pass you by; you have placed my sins before your eyes: and therefore my substance is as nothing before you. For what is man, if not because you are mindful of him? Man has become like vanity. Man is in sin: and if he has any goodness and virtue, he is rightly preferred to other earthly animals, and excels in the sight of animals over which he is placed; but in the sight of God, his substance is as nothing. And elsewhere it is said: For no living man will be justified in your presence (Psalm 143:2). Which Symmachus expressed more clearly, saying: And my life is like nothing before you.

However, there are those who believe that the days are called short because Symmachus used the word σπιθαμὰς, which means palm. And because God measures the heavens by palm (as it is written in Isaiah XL, 12), they are considered to be called short, since the knowledge of God can be understood through measurement, as we mentioned before. But this celestial knowledge is such that everything has been made according to measure. Therefore, the days of the prophets can be understood not as short, but as great, which God measured with the palm with which he measured the heavens. For he would not call the days of his life short, who later said: Alas, my sojourning is prolonged (Psalm 119:5), unless perhaps because of the sins of men, God made the days of this life shorter, which used to extend to nine hundred and seventy years but now is confined within the cycle of one hundred years. Therefore, this should be understood: Behold, you have known my days subject to sin; for the days of this life, which are subject to sin, are brief: but the days of eternal life are without end.

But certainly in this way (for it is our duty to seek the truth by argument, yours to choose what you follow): You said, so that sin would not increase, you shortened the days of human life in which we live on this earth; and yet even though the end of sins is more mature in this brief course of this life, the speed of death makes my substance as nothing before you; because although we have been made in the image and likeness of God, we are burdened by some earthly contagion in this body: which would not burden us if we were more inclined to put off the old man when we put on grace, rather than wanting to put on the old man; the old man would also bring us less trouble if we were stripped, than if we were clothed with it. For what we strip off, we cast away; what we put on, we assume. And therefore we groan and labor, until this mortal vestment of the old man, and the result of error, is absorbed by the newness of his spiritual life; so that if many honeycombs are placed above poison, the venom of the poison is eradicated with difficulty and too late. Even water, when mingled with the gall of poison, struggles for a long time, if it does not expel it, but absorbs it. Therefore, there is laborious penance, there is sweet grace; because sin is stripped off where there is grace: it is absorbed where there is penance; it is remitted there, it is concealed here. And therefore it is written: Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered (Psalm 32:1).

(Verse 7.) And he paused for a short while, sighing over the misery of human condition; because he had said: However, all is vanity, every living person. And after a pause, with renewed spirit, he says: Although man walks in the image of God; yet he is troubled in vain: he hoards, and does not know for whom he gathers these things. See how he tempered the harshness of his statement: afterwards he completes the reasoning of his voice. He tempered it by saying: Because man walks in the image of God. Blessed is the man who walks in the likeness of God through faith; blessed is he who has faith in you; even more blessed if he does not have greed. Another good of the mind is eternal, another is the vain fire of carnal desire. Faith wages war for God; greed tempts. The latter gathers what is profitable for itself, the former what is beneficial for others. What, therefore, is so vain as to not know for whom it labors as an heir? For who knows if a son or a proper grandson will survive for himself? Often either in a will written on tombstone tablets, the heir precedes the testator with a fatal ambit, or the surviving heir absorbs the inheritance, or the luxurious person squanders it, or the most foolish person does not protect it, or the outlaw loses it. If you see someone diligently amassing wealth, say to him: Vanity disturbs him: he hoards and does not know for whom he collects. For he cannot take with him what he possesses; and when he dies, he will leave his wealth to others. The enemy frequently succeeds and is ungrateful, and the successor insults the one who has departed. The one whom he loved, this one pursues; the one whom he nurtured, this one sells.

However, the Greek does not have: In the image of God; but only: In the image. In which image then does man walk? He surely walks in the image in whose likeness he was made; that is, in the image of God. But the image of God is Christ; who is the splendor of glory, and the image of his substance. Therefore, Christ, the image of God, came to earth; so that we would no longer walk in the shadow, but in the image. For in Christ, the image, walks he who follows the Gospel. Therefore, he says to his disciple: 'Go behind me (Mark 8:33), so that you may follow me.' Therefore, the people of the Jews went astray because they walked in the shadow. Therefore, the Christian people do not go astray because they walk in the image, having the sun of righteousness shining upon them. A good image, not painted with deceitful wax, but expressed in the fullness of divinity. In this image, both the Father and the Son are seen together, because through both of them the unity of operation shines forth. Although Christ has already risen, his image is still shown to us in the Gospel (John XI, 44). I read that he raised Lazarus; and I believe it is the work of the Father and the Son. The Son called, the Father heard, and Lazarus walked. I read that even the demons confessed to him; they confessed to the Father as well, for they prayed to the Son of God; they confessed to him, too, for they were cast out by him. For it is written: But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you(Matthew XII, 27).

First, therefore, the shadow preceded, then the image, and finally the truth. The shadow is in the Law, the image in the Gospel, and the truth in the celestial. The shadow of the Gospel and the congregation of the Church is in the Law, the image of the future truth in the Gospel, and the truth in the judgment of God. Therefore, what is now celebrated in the Church was their shadow in the words of the prophets: shadow in the flood, shadow in the Red Sea; when our fathers were baptized in the cloud and in the sea: shadow in the rock that flowed with water, and the people followed. Was not that in the shadow the sacrament of this sacred mystery? Was not in the shadow the water from the rock, like blood from Christ, which followed the fleeing people, that they might drink and not thirst: that they might be redeemed and not perish? But now the shadow of night and the darkness of the Jews has departed, the day approaches for the Church. We now see the good things in an image, and we hold the goods of an image. We have seen the High Priest coming to us, we have seen and heard him offering his blood for us: we follow, as we are able, as priests; that we may offer sacrifice for the people: although weak by merit, yet honorable by sacrifice; for although Christ is not now seen offering, yet he is offered on earth when the body of Christ is offered: in fact, he himself is made manifest in us, whose word sanctifies the sacrifice which is offered. And indeed, He Himself intercedes for us with the Father; but now we do not see Him; then we shall see, when the image has passed away, the truth has come. Then, not through a mirror, but face to face, those things which are perfect will be seen.

Ascend therefore, O man, into heaven, and you will see those things whose shadow or image were here. You will see them not in part, not in riddles, but in their fullness; not in veils, but in light. You will see the true light, the eternal and everlasting High Priest; of whom you saw here images, Peter, Paul, John, James, Matthew, Thomas. You will see the perfect man, no longer in image, but in truth; for as he is heavenly, so too will he be heavenly. Certainly they themselves now have glory and beauty, now in the grace of resurrection; not in the body of death, and the deformity of corruption.

Beware of carrying the image of the earthly, where the light of the celestial is. Here, if someone has the image of a tyrant who has already been defeated, he is rightly condemned. How do you bring the image of an enemy and adversary into the city of the true emperor, unless to condemn yourself? And if you want to bring the image of the earthly, the prince of this world will contradict you and say: This image is mine, and what you offer belongs to me. What will you do when he catches you and tells you: Greed is mine, ambition is mine, wealth is mine, of which I recognize the image in you? For he is indeed an adversary and defender. And if you were like Jacob, you would say that Laban transforms himself into an angel of light: Recognize if you find anything of yours in me (Gen. XXXI, 32). Then he will search, and not finding anything, he will be confounded and depart; because you have hidden and obliterated all the images of vices. Blessed is he who can say: The prince of this world will come, and he will find nothing in me (John XIV, 30). For he seeks what is his own, not what belongs to Christ. Therefore, if you follow the things that are of Christ, do not be eager for the riches that you did not have, but increase the ones you did; and let the poor feel rich in you. Bring the needy into your house, break bread for the hungry, and clothe the naked; so that a treasure may be stored in heaven for you, which will pass with you. Christ became poor, even though he was rich, so that he may make us rich through his poverty. Therefore, do not be troubled in vain because of riches, do not be awakened from sleep, do not think about how to protect your money, how to increase your wealth, how to go out at night, how to guard the judge's house; so that you may plunder what belongs to others, bring a lawsuit against the poor, fear the tax collector: this anxiety is pointless.

(Verse 8.) And therefore the righteous one said: And now, what is my expectation? Is it not the Lord? And my substance is before you. Our hope and patience is Christ: he himself has become our redemption, he himself is our expectation; so that we may each say: I have waited for the Lord with expectation, and he looked upon me (Psalm 39:2). Therefore, look upon us in your judgment. Let your mercy look upon us; so that we who despair of our own merit may be liberated through your mercy, in whose power is the substance of our souls and lives. And therefore we do not fear the death of the body; but rather him who has the power to either save or destroy our soul: whose substance is strength, which God has poured into human hearts to resemble his own.

(Verse 9.) Therefore, whoever possesses this substance of their soul, says: Deliver me from all my iniquities. He confesses not the falling of one sin, but prays to be absolved from all his iniquities. For he knows that unless the Lord forgives, no one can be saved, whoever is born under sin, whom the very inheritance of a guilty condition has bound to fault.

You have given me opprobrium, he says, to the foolish one. Who is foolish, if not he who commits sin and chooses evil over good? Therefore, the one who is the author of sins is even more foolish than his servant. When we sin, we are handed over to the reproach of the adversary, so that he may accuse and betray us as an enemy on the day of judgment. Therefore, let us embrace the reproach of the cross of Christ, which Moses embraced and preferred to the royal treasures of Egypt; and thus, it is not handed over to the foolish one in reproach. Others have books: Do not hand over disgrace to the foolish me. But David has that custom more, that he confesses more his own disgraces and sins, and does not blush at his own sins and disgraces, who knows in confession there is forgiveness, and in the condemnation of his sin there is justice.

(Verse 10.) Finally, from what follows, this meaning is made clear; because he adds: I was silent, and did not open my mouth; for you made me; that means, you made me a reproach to the foolish, therefore I was silent and did not open my mouth, lest I contract even greater sins. I recognized your will, that I should be ashamed for a time, and afterwards become saved by asking for forgiveness. Therefore, reproach is sometimes beneficial. For even the destruction of the flesh itself is beneficial; as the Apostle testifies, saying: I delivered him unto the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (I Cor. V, 5) Moreover, David himself testified that reproach is advantageous, saying to Abessam: Let Jeminaeus curse me, for the Lord has said to him: let him see my humility, and let the Lord repay me good for this curse. (II Reg. XVI, 11 and 12) And indeed the Lord saw his reproach, as he went weeping and barefoot, with his head covered; and he removed his reproach. It is clear, therefore, that when David was given into reproach, and he was humiliated, and he satisfied the Lord with bare feet, and he did not strike back at the one throwing stones, and he did not permit revenge on the one cursing, and after these things he was restored to his kingdom with full integrity; because both reproach is from the Lord, and it is more beneficial to endure reproach than to refute it. Finally, victory followed. Therefore, shame is beneficial. But what is it that he added: 'Because you made me?' Doesn't he say that he remained silent and did not open his mouth: because he knew the will of the Lord? Therefore, he patiently endured, in order to satisfy the Lord through shame for sin.

(Verse 11.) And hence he adds: Remove from me your plagues (Psalm 38:18). How does this fit together? In the previous psalm, he offered himself to the scourges, here he asks for the scourges to be removed from him; unless it is because he has already released his sins twice from the hand of the Lord, by blushing and enduring reproaches? The compunctions of his heart are both the whips of his thoughts and the rebukes. But let us see if he said this before God to be the substance of his soul; because the adversary would not attack it unless he had received power from the Lord; for what the Lord has done, he also protects. Finally, the angel is around the man, who pretends that no one can harm him. The angel does not leave unless ordered by the Lord to fight his champion. Therefore, as the substance of the Lord, he presumes that forgiveness for his own iniquities can be granted by his Creator; and therefore he asks, for he knows his Author is merciful. Then, because he has been given in disgrace, he does not resist; but he allows the sinner to oppose him, and the consciousness of his substance, which is good, remains silent, and he is able to restrain the ferocity of the body, so that virtue may succeed and guilt may be put aside. Finally, because he is made by the Lord, he confidently believes that he can be gifted with sin, he who could sustain the strength of the Lord's hand.

And this is certainly the nature of good substance, even if it says that it has failed from the strength of the hand of the Lord. The strong hand strikes like ill, but heals quickly: what is strong for the wound is also strong for the remedy. Therefore, Job himself says: I will strike, and I will heal (Deut. 32:39); so that he may not remember the wound, who has escaped being healed. In conclusion, the hand of the Lord took away all things from the holy Job, and represented them all; indeed, it increased everything in abundance, so that it multiplied what was lost. Do not be disturbed that he said he failed. He who fails, rises stronger; for the Lord supports all who fall, and corrects all who are cast down. For with strength rises whoever is corrected. Paul failed in the strength of this hand. The persecutor fell, and the preacher of the Gospel rose. This is what he says: \"I have failed in the strength of your hand.\

(Verse 12.) And he added: In rebukes you have instructed man in wickedness: and you have made his soul to waste away like a spider. The Greek [version] says 'ὑπὲρ ἀνομίας', which means 'for iniquity'; and it puts the whole verse as 'ἐν ἐλεγμοῖς ὑπὲρ ἀνομίας ἑπαίδευσας ἄνθρωπον', which means 'In rebukes for iniquity you have instructed man.' Therefore the wise man said: 'Who will give me the scourge of my thoughts...' (Sirach 23:2) and 'the seal of my lips' (Sirach 22:33)? In order to mortify his own heart with his own thoughts, and to seal his own lips; by which he might diminish his former sins, and not renew them by speaking; by which he might be instructed by his own reproaches, and put on exercises of virtue. But the soul wastes away when sin is diminished: or when the soul wastes away, guilt is laid aside: it becomes clogged, when sins are accumulated. Whence the Lord says concerning sinners: My Spirit shall not remain in these men forever; for they are flesh (Gen. 6:3). And elsewhere the Scripture says: 'The heart of this people has become dull' (Acts 28:27). Therefore, Jeremiah first saw a nut-bearing staff, then a boiling pot, so that the soul of the beginning prophet might waste away; in order that guilt might depart, grace might approach. But why first the staff, then the pot? Because the one who is not corrected by the staff is thrown into the pot, so that he may burn and waste away. And therefore it is said to the prophet Ezekiel: 'Take for yourself a frying pan.' . . : and you shall bear the iniquities of the house of Israel . . . . and you shall complete them, and they shall waste away, he says, in their iniquities (Ezek. 4:3 and following). And elsewhere in the same book, the Lord says: But I will make a great fire, and multiply the woods, and kindle the fire; so that the flesh melts, and the broth decreases (Ezek. 24:9 and 10). By these testimonies it is signified that the souls of the faithless may waste away with the fire being applied; so that they may cast off the thickness of a certain carnal moisture. Therefore, the frying pan and souls of sinners are sent; so that a certain flesh of sin, which had obscured the strength of the soul and mind, may flow down; and as if by a certain right, it had infused the soul with the enticements of desires. Therefore, certain frying pans await us; therefore, let us grind up straw here, so that it becomes fine, and deposits all the hardness and greasiness of a certain carnal ploughland: which those who have luxuriated in this life endure; and they believed more in the mockery of disgrace than in any works of virtues to be practiced by themselves in the Jewish manner. For Jacob has become fat, and has grown thick, and has risen to play: whom that play has led from the truth of faith into the error of betrayal. Therefore, rightly did Paul chastise his body, lest he feed the body of sin; for by indulging, we make the members of sin, but by sobriety, the members of righteousness. Therefore, it is not nature, but fault that commits the crime.

Nor let us pursue empty and futile things again, so that we may not be judged as weaving a spider's web, because sins can have no substance of perpetuity. Therefore, when you see some people striving to enlarge their possessions, to accumulate power, and to seek honors, you shall say what Isaiah said: 'They weave the spider's web in all the days of one; which cannot be long-lasting; but it is quickly torn apart, and all of its work is dissolved.' (Isaiah 59:5). For no solid foundation is placed above; but it is suspended in a vacuum. Nothing loose, nothing soft, befits a true soldier of Christ; for behold, those who are dressed in soft clothing are in the houses of kings. All cunning and industrious people seem greedy. What is more cunning, what is more diligent than a spider, which always focuses on its work day and night, and completes its attire without any expense or cost? But everything it has done is vain. Such is every man who does not establish his work on the foundation of Christ. He is vain both by night and by day, and he himself is troubled; often the very spiders in the midst of their wickedness, in the collapse of their work, throw him into confusion.

(Verse 13.) And therefore the wise person who recognizes the vanity of this world does not pray for the prolonged use of this life; but hastens to those eternal things and desires to be freed from the labor and pain of this body; as the Prophet is known to have desired, saying: Hear, O Lord, my prayer and my supplication; receive with your ears my tears. Do not ignore me, for I am a stranger and sojourner before you on earth, like all my fathers. One is a resident, another is a stranger, another is a neighbor. A resident is someone who is from a place and inhabits that place: a stranger is someone who comes from elsewhere: a neighbor is someone who temporarily dwells, and changes with the passing years. This is what David says: I am a stranger with you, while I am on earth: I am not now a resident of your paradise. From this he explains by adding: And a wanderer; like all my fathers. This was also revealed by the apostle Paul, asserting that when we are in this body, we are strangers to the Lord (II Cor. V, 7); for although faith is within us, yet we walk by faith, not by appearance, that is, not face to face, as if present; for we still walk in riddles, not in truth. Finally he added: We dare, therefore, to journey more in our body, and to draw near to the Lord. We dare because of presumption in God's faith, not because of audacity; and we agree, that is, we willingly acquiesce and desire, not depending primarily on the authority of our own judgment: we want what we desire to be true; so that we may draw near to the Lord, from whom it seems to us that the distance of the future and the present separates us. Therefore, we dare to be present; and therefore he says: We strive (Ibid., 9). You understand the word of one who is still trying to arrive, not of the one who has arrived. Therefore, in this discourse, the affect is shown, not the effect. Finally, question the witness of his own sermon; rather, hear him doubting when he says: Therefore, we strive, whether absent or present, to please him (Ibid.): absent still by faith, present by appearance. Hence it can be understood that both here and there it pleases our judge, and we also desire it to please our redeemer of our souls. For it is necessary for us to appear before him, so that each one may attain the deserved outcome of their deeds through the examination of fate: either the just in rest, or the wicked in torment. Therefore, shed tears; for when a stranger comes to the land, he is delayed and separated from his homeland through long exile. Now consider for me that Adam, expelled from paradise, was relegated to a castle, looking back at where he had fallen, weeping abundantly; for he remembers what he has lost and where he has fallen. And let us therefore give thanks to God, who has freed us from perpetual exile, opening the door through which we may return to our homeland. Hence the Apostle presumes to say: Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God (Ephesians 2:19).

(Verse 14.) Desiring to receive this, David said before Christ came to earth: Forgive me, so that I may be refreshed before I go, and I will not be anymore; that is, forgive me here, where I have sinned. Unless you forgive me here, I will not be able to find the rest of forgiveness there; for what remains bound on earth will remain bound in heaven, and what has been loosed on earth will be loosed in heaven. For the prophet and preacher foresaw, with an evangelical spirit, the indulgences of the Lord for the gathering of the Church; and the Lord revealed these things to be preached to the apostles. Indeed, this was an ancient sentiment, that whoever bound himself on earth would depart from the body as a captive. Therefore the Lord, because he was about to give judgment, granted to the apostles the power of remitting sins, to be exercised in righteousness; lest, if they were left unsolved, they should long remain secure. Finally, listen to Him saying: I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven (Matthew 16:19). He says to you, I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, so that you may both loose and bind. Novatian did not hear this, but the Church of God heard it; therefore he is in a state of falling away, we are in a state of forgiveness; he is in impenitence, we are in grace. What is said to Peter, is said to the apostles. We do not exercise authority, but we serve under authority; so that when the Lord comes and finds those who should have been released still bound, he might be angered against the steward who kept bound the servants whom the Lord had ordered to be released, for he who knows his master's will and does not do it, will be beaten severely; but he who does not know and does things deserving punishment, will be beaten less severely (Luke 12:47).


Therefore, David rightly asks to be forgiven because he knew that he was not one of those who were given the priesthood according to Aaron, but it was reserved for the Gospel. Therefore, whoever is not forgiven is in exile, enduring the injustice of wandering. So forgiveness must be sought here. For it is said: Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh (Luke 6:21): this is the place where forgiveness must be sought. Let us therefore lament on earth, so that we may deserve indulgence. Unless sin is forgiven here, we will not have rest: if there is no rest, there will be no eternal life: if there is no eternal life, we will not exist. Therefore, he asks for forgiveness before he goes, so that he may be. For if forgiveness is not granted, he says, I will not be with those who deserve to ascend to paradise. But whoever is not, will be consumed with those descending into the abyss, who has been abandoned in chains and prison.


Therefore, he does not definitively say, 'I will not be'; because elsewhere he says, 'I will sing to you on the lyre, O holy God of Israel. My lips will rejoice when I sing to you, and my soul which you have redeemed' (Psalm 70:22-23). Therefore, he assumes redemption. And elsewhere, listen to him saying, 'I will please the Lord in the land of the living' (Psalm 114:9). Therefore, he assumes to please. It can also be understood in this way; because he said, 'I am a stranger with you on earth, and a sojourner, like all my fathers; and therefore forgive me, so that I may cease to be a stranger: forgive me the exile to which I have been banished.' If you forgive before I leave here, I will no longer be an exile and a stranger. For when you forgive, I will no longer be a stranger; but I will be a citizen of your holy ones. I will be with my fathers, who themselves were once strangers but are now citizens. I will be a member of God's household, so that I may not fear punishment and may deserve grace: through our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom be praise, honor, glory, eternity, with the Holy Spirit from age to age, now and forever, and for all ages to come. Amen.

On Psalm 40, Commentary

In the earlier psalms, he preached repentance; then he spoke about his patience and the disturbance of man. But in the thirty-ninth psalm, he announces the new Testament; for the one who repents of his sins waits. But it is not enough to wait, but to have waited; for no one will be saved unless they persevere until the end.

(Vers. 2, 3.) Therefore, he added: I have waited with expectation for the Lord. Where is this spoken, if not in the Gospel? in which the one who was awaited has already come to us: in which the shadow of the Law no longer darkens us, but the truth shines forth; because Christ has shone, who has heard the prayers of his own, and has brought us out of the pit of misery and the mud of filth; where we were already sunk in the whirlpool of our sins, and our whole being was stuck, and our spirit could not free itself, overcome by the multitude of shameful stains. Therefore, thanks be to the Lord Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, our redeemer, who came down from heaven to forgive us all our sins; that he might deliver us from the pit and mire of this world, and from a certain filthy swamp of the earth, and establish the inner footprints of our souls in his own flesh; that, strengthened in the word of God, and freed through the sufferings of the Lord's body on the cross, we may now walk not in the disgrace of shame, but in the forgiveness of sin. So, confirmed and rooted in Christ, he remembers the footsteps of his feet placed on the rock. From whence the Apostle says: 'And they drank of the spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ' (1 Corinthians 10:4). The rock, because it follows the thirsty, strengthens the faltering; lest water should fail to the thirsty, a support to the faltering.

(Verse 4.) Therefore, Lord Jesus, as I awaited, you finally came, you directed my steps in the Gospel, you put into my mouth a new song, which is the New Testament. Rejoicing, we now sing a hymn to our God, because we have come to know the precepts of new virtues; that we may leave all our own things behind, following Christ, and love our enemies. We have also adopted new customs; that for those who persecute us, we may offer prayer to the Lord. Behold, we bless those who curse us. We do not boast of our works or hide our sins. We also reject the customs of the angels regarding marriage.

(Verse 5.) What more can be said? The blessed man has been made out of that miserable sinner, no longer looking back at the various vanities of this world. Vanity of vanities, all is vanity (Ecclesiastes 1:2), this whole world is. just as the wise Solomon said. For what is it but vain to follow things that cannot endure; and everything passes away like a shadow? False insanities, or the conflicts of wars, where so much blood is shed for temporary possession: or the dissensions of theatrical contentions: or the fervent studies of the Circus: or the deadly doctrine of heretics: or the pretended actions of heavenly oracles in the manner of pseudo-prophets, consisting of arranged words. For thus says the prophet: Blessed is the man whose name of the Lord is his hope: and who does not look towards vanities and false insanities.

So there are true insanities, and perhaps also of prophets who, in a state of mental excess, prophesied, filled with the Spirit of God, so that they seemed to be insane to some; while being forgetful of their own salvation, mostly naked and barefoot, like the holy Isaiah, they would run through the people, shouting not what they themselves wanted, but what they were commanded by the Lord. From these things, therefore, it is understood that the remedy of salvation has shone forth; for the one who was awaited is present.


Adam waited for him, having been cast out of paradise; that he may be freed from prolonged exile. Noah, the righteous one, waited for him, who was reserved for the future generations; that from him the seeds of righteousness may sprout in men. He himself thought him to be the author of the public salvation, who deserved to survive the flood. He himself, the prince of wisdom, who cultivated the vine and became intoxicated with its fruit. For what is the vine if not wisdom? As David, the heavenly interpreter of the oracle, revealed to us, saying: Your wife is like a flourishing vine in the sides of your house (Psalm 137:3). Therefore, because in him was the fullness of wisdom, which was expected in Christ, who, newly filled with the sacrament of wisdom, which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, hastened to bring to us an unheard-of mystery, so that he might lie naked and the cups of overflowing wisdom might pour forth: so that, having forgotten our former ways, we might rise to new customs and a new sobriety of life; whereby, through the foolishness of preaching, God might be recognized, whom this world did not know through wisdom. Finally, in that image of the sleeping and naked father, who laughed at foolishness, he is cursed: those who have worshipped have obtained the grace of blessing. And therefore, those who have believed that the death of the only-begotten Son of God, the Father and Creator of all, is to be presented as a stumbling block or reproach to our faith, are held bound by the chains of their sins to perpetual torment of curse; but those who accept it for the absolution of the whole human race are supported by the protection of eternal virtue. For the cross of Christ is a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks, as the Apostle said (I Cor. I, 23 et seq.): but to us who believe in the Lord Jesus, it is the power of God and wisdom.

He was expected in Moses when he had dried up and crossed the waves of the sea, and opened a path in the waves of the sea that was impossible for human strength to open on land: the rock followed him and he plowed the waters, so that he could satisfy the innermost parts of the thirsty fathers in the middle of the desert.

He was awaited, and as Aaron, the high priest, stood in the midst of the living and the dead: and he established the serpent as the remedy for death; so that the destruction would not pass from the dead bodies to the living. For what is so fitting for Christ as to stand as an advocatebefore God the Father for the people, to offer his own death for all, to ward off death, and to restore life to those who are perishing?

He was expected both in Joshua the son of Nun, and he certainly came, who received both his power and his name, in order to lead the people into the land of promise, and to be truly called by the name of Jesus. He dried up the streams, turned a river into its source, set the sun still, until he might fully complete victory in power. But he was still a figure, not the reality. Finally, the true leader of the heavenly army shone forth for him, and Joshua the son of Nun worshiped him; although he had not yet stood in bodily form, but had still come in a figure.


So when did the true one arrive? Listen to what he says: I have announced and spoken: they have multiplied beyond number. You did not desire sacrifice and offering, but you perfected a body for me. Then I said, behold, I come. In the head of the book it is written about me that I should do your will: my God, I have desired it. What is clearer than the fact that with the gift of his Gospel, the true Jesus has come to us? He himself spoke, and countless peoples of believers gathered, who scarcely believed individually before. He himself came in the flesh, and the sacrifice of the Jews ceased. The offering for sin ceased, because the one who forgives sins had come. There was no need for the remedy of the Law, where the Author of the Law was present.

In the head of the Book it is written about me. Surely it is written about Christ in the beginning of the Old Testament that He would come, in order to do the will of God the Father in the redemption of mankind; when it was written that He formed Eve in the likeness of the Church for the assistance of man. For what can be our protection in this weakness of the body and the disturbance of this world, except for the grace of the Church alone, by which we are redeemed, and our faith, by which we live? In the head of the Book it is written: 'Bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.' Because of this, a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh (Gen. II, 23, 24). Who is this who spoke, or about whom is this mystery? Listen to the one who says: 'This is a great mystery; but I speak in reference to Christ and the Church' (Ephes. V, 32). Therefore, he also warns that a man should love his wife in this way, just as Christ loves the Church; for we are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones (Ibid., 25). Therefore, what greater salvation is there than to be with Christ and to adhere to Him in a certain unity of the body, in which there is neither any stain nor the distortion of sin?

It is written in the Book that Abel's offering pleased God, while Cain's offering displeased Him (Gen. IV, 4 and 5). Did not the Lord Jesus clearly signify that He Himself would be offered for us, in order to consecrate the grace of the new sacrifice in His passion and to abolish the ritual of the murderous people? And what is more explicit than the fact that the son was offered by the holy Patriarch and a ram was sacrificed? Does it not clearly show that the flesh of man, which is common to all earthly animals, will not be subject to the sacred wound of the passion of the only-begotten Son of God?


It is written in the head of the Book, that a man will come who will command celestial powers (Gen. XXVIII, 12). It was fulfilled, when the Lord Jesus came to earth, and angels ministered to him; as he himself deigned to say: From this you will see the heavens open, and the angels of God ascending and descending to the Son of Man (John I, 51).

It is written in the chapter of the Book: 'A lamb without blemish, perfect, mature, male, one year old, will be for you; and all the synagogue will kill him.' (Exodus 12:5). Who is this lamb, you heard him saying: 'Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sin of the world.' (John 1:29). This is he who was killed by all the people of the Jews: whom they still persecute with hostile hatred. And indeed it was necessary for him to die for all; so that through his cross there might be forgiveness of sins, and his blood might wash away the defilements of the world: but woe to those who have denied the author of their own salvation! You have made a plan, he says, but not for me (Isaiah 30:1). How could he prove patricide, if he did not approve of the plan? And yet, what great piety! Indeed, he abhorred the plan; but if they were to turn around, he would not deny a remedy.

It is written also, not only in the head but in the whole constitution of the Law, that a man will come to preserve the human race, who would want everything that God would want. Hence you understand that it is of the same divinity, who is of the same will. Hence he also came willingly to the sacrifice of his passion, and rightly predicted: I will willingly offer sacrifice to you (Psalm 53:8).

But perhaps you will say: How then did He say in the Gospel: 'Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not as I will, but as you will' (Matthew 26:39)? And indeed, it seems that there is a difference of wills. But we understand that one thing is expressed according to the unity of divinity, where He says: 'I and the Father are one' (John 10:30); and another thing is spoken according to the affection of the human, which implies that it should be handled with caution, and not presumed that it cannot be easily fulfilled; lest, while seeking a reward, one falls into sacrilege. Where he says: When they persecute you in this city, flee into another (Matthew X, 23). Therefore, rightly, even though he was about to undergo bodily suffering here, he began to be sad and mournful, and, having taken Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he said: My soul is sad (Matthew XXVI, 38), before he issued the command and afterwards added: Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (ibid., 41). You see him everywhere speaking as a man, praying as a man, being sad as a man, and saying as a man: My Father, if it is possible (Matthew X, 23). That which is certainly not impossible for God; but it is for man to doubt, for God to confirm. Therefore, He chose those who would be more ready, as if they were selected witnesses of His final judgment, who would acknowledge the mystery of His words. In the end, others were sleeping, while these alone kept watch with faithful minds. Hence, even through Jeremiah, before assuming a body, He Himself says: 'I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter; I did not know' (Jeremiah 11:19). What is there that Wisdom of God does not know, who is always in the secret of the Father? And therefore the Son of God explained everything, because the wisdom of God himself is the Son of God. How did he know that he was to be led like a lamb, and where he was to be led, he confesses that he did not know? Or how does he say in the earlier passage through the mouth of David: My God, my God, look upon me: why have you forsaken me? How is the Son forsaken by the Father, who says: And I am not alone; because the Father is with me? And elsewhere: I was handed over and did not come out? And elsewhere: I have risen up, and I am still with you (Psalm 138:8), unless you understand it in the sense that some people think they are abandoned by their Lord when they are in danger. Finally, listen to what follows: Far from my salvation, are the words of my sins (Psalm 22:2); that is, there are words of sins and there are the sacraments of eternal salvation. The words do not hinder the power: the divine substance is supported by its own strength. Man is seen, man is heard, God is recognized in his works. And yet about this man it is said: He is a man, and who will know him (Jerem. XVII, 9)? What is, who? Not that no one, but that rare one, that wise one; as that: Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord? Who shall be wise and understand these things (Ose. XIV, 10)? Finally elsewhere: An silly man does not know these things, and a fool does not understand them (Psal. XCI, 7). And so when you read the Gospel, know as a wise man and not as a fool what you read: let the brightness of eternal Wisdom enlighten you. Indeed, they are words; but they cleanse, and they illuminate, and they strengthen, and they give life. Therefore Peter says: Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we will not leave you. (John 6:69).

Finally, as we have mentioned, speaking in human terms, a little later he said: Behold, the hour is at hand when the Son of Man will be handed over into the hands of sinners (Matth. XXVI, 45). And to Judas, who was kissing him, he said: Judas, with a kiss you betray the Son of Man; that is, you infuse poison with a kiss, by which the grace of charity is poured out: a kiss that is a sign of sacred peace: a kiss by which faithful friendship is confirmed: a kiss by which holy faith is marked. Therefore, do you hand over with danger this kiss, which because of the exchange of kisses you should venerate? And do you hand over the son of man, a man who descended from heaven for the salvation of mankind? For it is written: The Son of Man who is in heaven, he is the one who descended from heaven (John 3:13). You hand over the Son of Man, who made you, a sinner, an apostle. You hand over the Son of Man, who came to cleanse all sins with his blood. I do not deny the kiss: you yourself seem to be the one who violated the sanctity of the kiss. Have you not read that the wounds of a friend are more useful than the voluntary kisses of an enemy (Prov. 27:6)? And it is not without reason that Judas was struck by a weapon of such great dignity, as if he had been struck by lightning. In the end, he could not bear the patience of the Lord, who had betrayed his majesty, so much so that he himself could not wash away the guilt of such a great crime. Therefore, he left and returned the money; that is, he condemned his own greed, the author of such impiety, and repaid the price of treachery to the synagogue. The traitor is not excused, who could not find a place for repentance; but the sacrilege of the Jews is piled up, who are also accused by the words of the traitor. He acknowledged his crime, saying that he delivered innocent blood: they received the price of wickedness and pursued the prince of justice with more bitter zeal. Therefore the thief crucified is absolved to the eternal condemnation of all these; because he acknowledged Christ in his sufferings, whom these did not acknowledge in their benefits; and he confessed his sin to Christ, who knew how to forgive; because on his cross he mentally beheld the kingdom of the Lord, which Judas could not see at the supper of Christ. Therefore, the voice of the thief followed this heavenly saying: Amen, amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43). You rejoiced, O dragon, because you had stolen the apostle from Christ: you have lost more than you have taken away, for you see the thief being translated into paradise. There is no one who can be excluded, when the thief, your servant, was received; he has arrived at the place from which you yourself were cast down.

We have explained these things because of that verse, where he said, 'To do your will, O my God, I desired; that is, there is one will of divinity in me and you, Father.' And because there is one will, there is one substance; as well as inseparable majesty and power of the Trinity. But the voice of the flesh is different, yet she herself consented to the will of God, saying, 'Not what I will, but what you will.' (Mark 14:37). And elsewhere, 'If this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.' (Matthew 26:42). The common feeling is to fear death, which Christ undertook; so that he may crucify, as he was crucified, both sin and flesh; for he struggled for me, to conquer for me. Although the flesh of Christ is strong and not subject to sin; nevertheless, he assumed sins: he assumed weaknesses, although he had nothing to grieve about. Finally, listen to him saying, that he grieves for us (Isaiah 53:4) . . . until he brings forth justice in truth (Isaiah 42:4) . For he did not assume a different flesh, but this one; as the Apostle teaches, saying: For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality (1 Corinthians 15:53) . Although He was born of a Virgin and the Holy Spirit, He is nevertheless the Son of man, because the Virgin is a human. And therefore what is born of flesh is flesh: and He who is born of a human is called a human, the mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

Therefore, He took on this incorruptible flesh so that He could make it incorruptible, and immortal so that He could make it immortal. So if anyone follows Him, they will clothe themselves with immortality. If anyone does His will, they will not die forever; but Christ says to them: 'Today you will be with Me in paradise' (Luke 23:43). What does 'today' mean? It means that you have passed from night to light, you will be with Me in the eternal light. Do not fear the darkness, for you have been embraced by everlasting light. He also beautifully added: 'You will be with me in paradise' (Ibid.); that is, do not doubt the flesh, and you saw me in the flesh: do not be afraid, lest you also fall from paradise, as Adam fell; but hear this: as long as you are with me, you cannot fall. Flesh fell in paradise before it was taken up by Christ. You will be received where he also was received; for he did not lie when he said: 'I want them to be with me where I am' (John 17:24). The shepherd will not depart from his flocks, even though you can no longer fear the wolf in paradise, to whom it was said: I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven (Luke 10:18). Therefore, before the consummation, the adversary is cast down into fire and bound with eternal chains, so that you may no longer fear any ambushes.

And when Adam fell, he was deceived by the serpent, and he was estranged from his wife. Therefore, there will no longer be marriages in paradise, but all will be without the celebration of weddings, like angels in heaven. Adam did not say to himself: You will be with me, because he knew that he would fall in order to be redeemed by Christ. Blessed is the fall that is repaired for the better. Therefore, the righteous shepherd, the good merchant, did not abandon his flock and his own merchandise. Indeed, there will still be a battle with the serpent in paradise with the angels until it is cast down, but whoever is with Christ will not be afraid. Adam was not with Christ, when he was deceived. For if he had been with Christ and had remained in his precept, he certainly could not have perished. He did not remain in Christ, because he did not remain in his word. Finally, hear, who remains in Christ. If you remain, he says, in me and my words remain in you; whatever you desire, you shall ask for, and it shall be done for you (John 15:7). And further: If you keep my commandments, you shall remain in my love (Ibid., 10). You want to know why Adam was not with Christ? The Lord said to him: Adam, where are you (Gen. III, 9)? Surely he wouldn't have said 'where are you' if he knew that Adam remained in himself. But let us hear who made him absent. They hid themselves, he says, both from the face of the Lord (Ibid., 8). Christ sees all, but whoever hides himself, is hidden; because he who is ignorant, is ignored. For the Lord knows those who are his own. He wants all those whom He has founded and created to be His own. I hope, O man, that you do not flee and do not hide yourself from Christ! He even seeks those who flee and does not want those who are hidden to perish, but he cries out saying: Adam, where are you? That is, O man, where are you? I placed you in the light, you sought darkness.

Finally, in paradise, where the day was always morning, it became evening; for all sins are dark. Therefore, you have (Ibid., 8), because they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the evening in paradise. At the same time, understand the mystery. You have erred in the morning; you will be set free in the evening. How can there be evening where Christ is? For although His throne is above the heaven of heavens, yet Christ is in His saints. So how can there be evening where God is, when God is light? Finally, while Saul was on his journey, a light shone forth when Christ appeared to him. Therefore, even though the light of God was shining, the persecutor was blinded. Why then was he blinded, if not because he did not recognize Christ? For if he had recognized the arbiter of light, he would not have lost the light of his eyes. Finally, when he recognized, he received. It is evident that he did not recognize Christ, who, upon hearing the voice saying, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?' (Acts 9:4), responded, 'Who are you, Lord?' (Ibid., 5). He would not have asked who it was, if he had known. And so the Lord, as if he did not know, says: I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute. It is hard for you to kick against the goad. And he said: Lord, what should I do? See the consistency of the teachings on both sides. The doctor threatens in order to correct; he frightens in order to heal: the patient first seeks the person of the doctor, if he may presume that the doctor is capable of healing him; when he has heard the author of the medicine, he asks for the remedy, and finds salvation. Finally, as he approached, he not only expelled his blindness, but also received the light that he had not had, in order to see Christ, whom he had not seen before.

(Vers. 10, 11.) But let us examine the following verses; repeating the same verse, from which the treatise seems to be: Behold, I come to do your will: O God, I desired, and your law is in the midst of my heart. I have proclaimed your righteousness in the great assembly: behold, I will not restrain my lips, Lord, you know. I have not hidden your righteousness in my heart. Therefore, from the previous verse we understand: Behold, I come not only to do your will, but also your law is in the midst of my heart. Others have: In the midst of my belly. For the belly is both physical and mental, which conceives the seeds of sensations; about which Isaiah said: In the womb we receive, and bring forth the spirit of salvation (Isaiah 26:18). This womb also gave birth to Paul, who said: My little children, whom I travail in birth until Christ be formed in you (Galatians 4:19). Therefore, Christ is not formed in a physical womb, but in the womb of the soul. This womb the Apostle begot; as it is written: I have begotten you through the Gospel (1 Corinthians 4:15). Therefore, some people are well off: In the middle of the heart; others: In the middle of the belly; so that you may understand the interior of man's belly, which is considered to be in the middle of the heart: in which we observe the prescriptions of natural law; which is not only kept, but also made in our hearts. Hence it is written, for not only the hearers of the law are righteous in the sight of God; but also the doers of the law shall be justified (Rom. II, 13). There are indeed those who naturally do the things that are of the law; just as the nations that do not hear the law and the law is to themselves, who preserve the known precepts of the law. Therefore, just as Christ has taken on our human nature in this place, He has made Himself the representative of the gathered people, in order to say that He fulfills the law in the midst of His heart. Indeed, He has fulfilled the law of the nations which the people did not hear, so that they may recognize Christ, whom the people of the Jews, who received the law, did not receive and did not consider worthwhile to know. For it is written: 'The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's crib; but Israel does not know me.' (Isaiah 1:3). Therefore, the belly of the believers is where the Holy Spirit has worked and is accustomed to filling with spiritual seed; as the Lord Jesus testifies in the Gospel, saying: 'Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water' (John 7:38). These rivers are those rivers of which we read: 'The streams of the river make glad the city of God' (Psalm 46:4). Therefore, it is well said of those from whom these spiritual rivers flow: 'The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice' (Psalm 93:4). The rivers will raise their waves from the voice of the spiritual waters, which praise God above the heavens.

Whoever lifts up his voice, he can say: I have proclaimed your righteousness in the great Church. Why did he add great, except because it was not great before? What is great, except gathered from the parts of the whole world; when from the east and west, north and south, peoples of the nations are called? However, elsewhere we read of the great Church: I will confess to you, O Lord, in the great Church: I will praise you among the heavy people (Psalm 34:18). There, therefore, is a great Church, where the people are serious; that is, not restless and mobile, who sat down to eat and drink, and rose to play. The serious people are those who keep faith with their God and who are not changed by any levity: neither do they waver and fluctuate, but are grounded in charity in Christ; so that they can say: For I am confident that neither death, nor sword, nor tribulation can separate me from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus (Rom. VIII, 35 et seq.).


But whoever proclaims in the Church with great power does not hide the justice of God in his heart; but he exalts his voice, announcing Christ. His heart does not fear preaching him before the people, nor is he ashamed of his cross; but he boasts in the passion of the Lord. He does not follow the letter of the Law, but he reveals the deep mysteries by which he reveals the glory of the Lord Jesus: whom the Law signified was to come to the Church, which is to be gathered. Therefore, faith is justice. Finally, Abraham believed in God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. Behold, I will not restrain my lips, O Lord, you have known (Gen. XV, 6). Likewise elsewhere: You have perceived my sitting down and my rising up (Psalm CXXXVIII, 2).

To the Father he says: I have not hidden my justice in my heart; I have spoken your truth and your salvation. This entire psalm is spoken from the perspective of Christ; therefore he says my justice, although no one can arrogantly speak of their own justice, he who believes in God confesses that his faith is considered justice for himself. He loves truth and mercy, he who proclaims true faith and forgives sins. Therefore Christ came, in order to establish faith and grant forgiveness of sins.


(Verse 15.) And because we have said that this whole psalm is from the perspective of the Savior; lest the Apollinarians say: 'Behold, you have prepared a body for me' (Psalm verse 7), but not also a soul; let them hear in the later verses of this psalm, saying: 'Let them be confounded and ashamed together, that seek after my soul, to destroy it.'

These are the things which we have considered more difficult in this psalm: the rest is straightforward and easy, and we do not think it requires interpretation; when they occur in the Treatise, we will address them more accurately in another psalm in which they seem to be repeated, with the favor of our Lord Jesus: to whom be praise, honor, glory, perpetuity from age to age, now and always, and for all ages of ages. Amen.

On Psalm 41, Commentary

(Verse 1) In a good order, he who said in the previous psalm: Behold, I come (Psalm 39:9); in this, he has already come and suffered. And for this reason, the fortieth psalm is inscribed, because the Lord Jesus fasted for forty days, to complete the number of man who had perished, to perfection. For just as through the desire for forbidden fruit he had lost grace, so through fasting his virtue had to be restored; that he who had perished in Adam might be restored in Christ. Therefore, in conclusion, because He is the end of our hope, we direct our efforts towards Him, we offer our prayers to Him, because He is the fullness, He is the completion of all things, He is the sum of all virtues. Therefore, to Him David; as if to Him alone, who in His flesh alone took upon Himself our sins, who alone, as the Lamb of God, took away the sin of the whole world, who alone abolished the handwriting of the decree through the shedding of His blood, and took it away from our midst, and nailed it to the cross: as if a wise man knowing how to solve the ancient sin of the world: as if redemption, how to renew man from his guilt: as if sanctification, how to sanctify him to grace. Here, therefore, is the title, this is the beginning.

(Verse 2.) Blessed is he who understands the poor and needy. Open your ears, you who begin to understand the mysteries of the Lord's passion. Therefore it is said to you: He who has ears to hear, let him hear (Luke 8:8). Therefore, the Lord touched the ears and lips of the deaf and mute in the Gospel (Mark 7:16), so that he might know what he should hear in mystery, what he should also speak, and when he should speak. For it is not written in vain: The Lord has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him that is weary (Isaiah 50:4). Therefore, you should know what you hear, know what you should speak, know also when you should speak.

Listen then to the one saying: Blessed is he who understands the needy and the poor. Truly blessed is he who has compassion on the poor, who supplies their needs, who knows what evils poverty brings to the needy: but what does this introduction signify in the Passion of the Lord? It is indeed true that He suffered for the poor; but nevertheless He Himself rebuked Judas for saying about that ointment which Mary had poured on the feet of Christ: This could have been sold for three hundred denarii, and given to the poor (Mark 14:5). The other apostles also had the same opinion, but with a different motive: he did it out of greed, they did it out of mercy; for Judas looked out for theft, while the disciples took care of the nourishment of the poor. To all of them he replied: Let her alone, that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you have always with you, but me you do not always have (John 12:7-8).

Therefore, another blessed person must be understood here, who understands the poor. He speaks about faith here, and elsewhere about mercy. Therefore, faith comes first, mercy second. With faith, precious mercy; without faith, naked; without faith, unstable. For faith is the stable foundation of all virtues. Therefore, blessed is the one who understands the poverty and destitution of Christ, who became poor for our sake, even though he was rich: rich in the kingdom, poor in flesh; because he took on this flesh of the poor. For we have become exceedingly poor, having lost the precious garments of virtue through the deceit of the serpent, excluded from paradise, expelled from our homeland, exiled into exile, and even stripped of the covering of the body itself, which previously protected the boundaries of virtues, afterwards revealing our sins. Therefore, if he was needy and poor in flesh, surely he was also needy and poor in the suffering of this flesh. So, he did not suffer in his wealth, but in our poverty. And so, not the fullness of divinity, which dwells bodily in him, as Scripture testifies (Colossians 2:9), but the flesh suffered. Understand this, pursue this, hold onto this, lest it be said to you: He did not want to understand about the beggar and the poor man. For if you doubt here, you certainly cannot doubt in that psalm, which is spoken against the betrayal of Judah in the person of the Savior, in which he says: And he pursued the poor and needy man (Psalm 109:16). Therefore, understand the poverty of Christ, so that you may become rich; understand his weakness, so that you may receive strength; understand his cross, so that you may not be ashamed; understand his wounds, so that you may heal your own wounds; understand his death, so that you may obtain eternal life; understand his burial, so that you may find resurrection.

But perhaps you will say: How can Christ be rich in poverty? Although my intelligence may fail me, divine assistance does not fail in the reading of the Scriptures, for the Apostle says: For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that being rich he became poor for your sakes; that through his poverty you might be rich (2 Corinthians 8:9). So what is this poverty that makes us rich? Let us consider it, let us focus on the sacred Sacrament itself. What can be purer and simpler than that? No one is drenched with the blood of bulls, as the sacrifices of the Gentiles are said to be; no sinner is washed with the blood of goats and rams (for no one is purified in this way; flesh is washed, not guilt diluted), but with water, as Isaiah says (Isaiah 12:3), with joy from the springs of the Savior; and a heavenly table is prepared before you, and what a splendid intoxicating cup it is (Psalm 22:5)! These are the riches of simplicity, in which is the precious poverty of Christ. Poverty is good in character; hence the Lord said: Blessed are the poor in spirit (Matt. 5:3). And in the Psalms we find that the Lord will save the humble in spirit (Psalm 33:19). There is also abundant poverty in humble fellowship, if faith abounds. Hence the Apostle says: And their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their simplicity (2 Cor. 8:2).

But so that we may understand it also from other words of his, because he himself said that he was poor, we have it written elsewhere: I am poor and sorrowful (Ps. LXVIII, 30); that is, because he sorrows for us, as we read (Isaiah LIII, 4), for he had nothing in himself for which to sorrow. Therefore, just as he sorrows for us, as Isaiah interpreted, who saw him in the spirit: he was certainly sorrowful for us; according to which he called his soul sorrowful even unto death, yet not because of death; and he called his flesh weak, which was subject to the weakness of death; so that he might break the sting of death, by which he would free us on the day of judgment, which he rightly called evil, not superficially.


Verse 2: For thus he weaves it: In the day of evil the Lord will deliver him; for what seems bitter, tends to assign punishment to many. For the way of virtue is narrow, the path of sin is wide; therefore fewer walk in virtue, more are involved in wickedness. Hence it happens that the number of those who will receive the rewards of recompense is inferior to those who will endure the heavy burden of punishment for their serious sins. As if grieving, therefore, he spoke of the evil day of judgment. For if angels rejoice at the forgiveness of one sinner, how much more will men be tormented at the condemnation of such great men! And he grieves well for that lost sheep, which he himself carried on his shoulders and brought back to his fold. The Son of God speaks with our affection; for to us the day of judgment is bitter, which we fear. To everyone it appears evil, because it is full of terror: in which God judges not only the outward actions of man, but also the hidden thoughts: in which each person is forced to reveal what he has done, or what he has felt. Therefore, many are condemned, few are crowned. But even those who are crowned will mourn, for the righteous will be crowned: the righteous, however, regards the suffering of their brother as their own. And who am I to judge those by whom a man will be admitted to the councils of angels? Let us listen to the Lord's sentence: He says, 'The hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear the voice of the Son of Man; and those who have done good, will come forth unto the resurrection of life, but those who have done evil, unto the resurrection of condemnation' (John 5:28-29). Therefore, those who have done evil will be judged. And for this reason, a day of evil and adversity is called by the judge himself, so that you may know that he himself shows compassion for us in the Gospel, as he has shown compassion for the prophets.

But we can also understand it like this: In a bad day, that is, in an evil time; for the world is situated in evil. And therefore the days of this world are evil, and its malice abounds. It is no small thing to be freed from the snares of the sinner. Whoever is freed from sin here will be freed from punishment there, and will not be able to undergo the severity of judgment.

(Verse 3) And therefore, daily vows and prayers are necessary, as well as the intercession of the high priest, of whom John the Evangelist says: We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 John 2:2). So our advocate, and the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, prays for those who understand and believe in Christ, saying: May the Lord protect him, and keep him alive, and make him blessed. May He preserve from danger, revive as if placed in the darkness of death, and deign to make blessed by the addition of good works.

And he cleanses, he says, his life on earth (Ibid). He added well, on earth; because unless he is cleansed here, he cannot be clean there. Or certainly in this way: Let him cleanse on earth. For how can someone be clean in mud; when the earth smears him? Therefore, the hand of the Lord is necessary, who made the body out of earth; so that she may deign to cleanse herself.

(Ver. 3.) And he shall not deliver him into the hands of his enemy. Who is the enemy, if not that lion who goes about roaring, seeking whom he may devour? Others have it in Greek: And he shall not deliver him to the souls of his enemies. Souls are put for hands, because the souls of enemies lie in wait for the good things of the soul, and endeavor to overthrow the just with their devices. They are also called souls for men. All the souls seventy, which went down into Egypt (Gen. 46:27). Therefore, David chose to entrust himself to the power of God rather than the snares of his enemies, who were ignorant of sparing him of their own accord.

(Verse 4.) It follows: May the Lord bring aid to him upon the bed of his suffering: you have turned all his bed in his sickness. What is the bed of suffering, if not the flesh of infirmity? And it is well called the bed of suffering, because it is the body of death, from which the Apostle begs to be liberated (Rom. VII, 24); so that he may be able to rise up as from a certain tomb, in which the sick soul lays, and as if lying down in a bed. Symmachus called it bed of misery, Aquila called it bed of misery: the Seventy translators thought it should be called bed of suffering more explicitly. Therefore, these verses should be used among those who are held back by the infirmity of the body, so that they may have the medicine of God by which they may deserve to be healed. Therefore, the bed of the soul is weak flesh, for which our soul sympathizes with its illness. If it has the Lord as its helper, it says to him: Rise, take up your bed, and go to your house (Luke 5:24). Strengthened by the word of God, the sick person rises and takes up the bed on which they were lying, and returns to their former state of health. This is to return home, in order to live in a residence of robust health. The one who lives governs: the one who governs has the favor of virtue supporting him. But the Lord also turns every bed in the weakness of the sick person, to whom he deigns to be present. What is turned, changes its state, either from health to sickness, or from sickness to health. Therefore, the one who is ill turns himself towards the remedy of health.

Thus, therefore, the Lord Jesus, although he was wounded for our sins, yet he did not remain in that weakness; but he turned himself for the better for the salvation of all. Therefore, weakness was dissolved by passion, death by resurrection. Just as he turned himself for the redemption of peoples, and did not feel the sting of death or the weakness of wounds: so he who believes in him, even if seriously ill, in order to free from death, turns to life. Therefore he assumed the weakness of all humanity in his own weakness. For he took on the weaknesses of all in his flesh, he raised himself on the cross, and he turned the weaknesses of all in the weakness of his own body. Hence Isaiah says: By his bruising we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). Wrestlers have this skill, to submit themselves to those they engage and wrestle with, so that they may appear to be able to be overcome; and suddenly when they are considered to be conquered, they throw them down, and with a certain skill they maneuver themselves to pour out over their opponent. The one who was carried falls, and he who was carrying, is found to be superior, so that he may lay low the pressing one. Therefore, in the spiritual arena, the Lord Jesus, taking up our burdens, subjected himself in that encounter of his passion. And in the appearance of weakness, so that the adversary would judge him to be an equal to other men, whom he could easily overcome, he laid aside the weapons of divinity and assumed the cover of humanity. The tempter approached, confident in victory: he wanted to wound him with a soldier's spear in his side, considering that he could be overthrown through his side, just like Adam. But the Lord Jesus, wounded in the side, brought forth life from the wound, abolished all sin, cast down the adversary, from whom he snatched the death of the robber; and in that death, in the burial of his own body, when he was considered oppressed, he triumphed by his own power: the adversary fell, the Lord arose.

(Verse 5.) It follows: I said: Lord, have mercy on me: heal my soul, for I have sinned against you. This can be said from the perspective of King David, who, seeing in the spirit such great victory and grace of Christ, asks that in that remission of all sins he may also have mercy on himself; for even though he is bound by human laws as a king, he knows himself to be subject to God for his sins. Therefore, he confesses his sin; so that he may receive forgiveness and find the gift of general indulgence. It can also be expressed from the perspective of the Savior, who asks for God's mercy for us and said that he had sinned because he became sin for us. At the same time, he teaches us that when we are engaged in a struggle against the enemies of God, we should implore God's help: we should confess our sins, and especially when we are pressed and wearied, when we prostrate ourselves with pain and bitterness, so that we may not be seen to be silent; so that the remedy may be quickly applied to our wounds and that we may resist the adversary when healed. How can a wounded person engage in combat? From where do we learn that we are wounded by the thorns of our sins? The wound seeks a physician, and the physician demands confession.

(Verse 6.) Here the Savior begins to reveal more and more the mystery of his passion, which is without a doubt in agreement with the Gospel. For the Jews cursed him, sought his death, plotted against him, and were unable to bear the ever-increasing glory of his works. Therefore, this prophecy announces what was fulfilled in the Gospel: 'My enemies have spoken evil against me: When will he die, and his name perish?' Those who believed that the author of life could die were foolish: but their prayers were destroyed by the Church, believing that even after death, according to the condition of the body, his name would increase; and therefore it sang to Him, saying: I will remember Your name in every generation and generation (Psalm 44:18). It repeated: Your name is poured out like ointment (Song of Songs 1:3). Those who presume that you can die will die: I will not die, for I know you to be the judge of life, the author of salvation. For we know that at the time of his passion and resurrection, the disciples were gathered together in prayer; when Mary Magdalene announced to them that the Lord had risen, and when the Lord appeared to them in his resurrected body, even though the door was locked, when Thomas saw his wounds and believed. Therefore, the Jews were insulting him as if he were dead, but the Lord revealed himself to the apostles as being alive. So when the Jews were saying, 'Look, the whole world has gone after him' (John 12:19), when they were saying that he was misleading the people with his miracles, what else were they saying except, 'When will he die, and his name will perish?' And so in his passion they cried out: Take him away, take him away from the earth: crucify him, crucify him (John 19:15). What they asked for happened, he was lifted up from the earth, he rose again, ascended into heaven, and restored his kingdom over us from the seats of paradise.

(Verse 7.) The prophecy concerning the clear traitor Judas is hidden in these verses that follow: And he went out to see, speaking in vain: his heart gathered iniquity to itself. He went out and spoke. Thus it is distinguished in Greek codices. Therefore, Judas went in seeking to betray the Savior, to see what he was doing, or what he was saying; so that he could capture Him in speech and report to the Jews. But he found nothing, for he understood nothing. Scripture says well that when someone departs from Jesus' teaching and abandons his instructions, he is not within with Jesus. He desired to enter, but he could not penetrate because his own treachery excluded him. For every unchaste person, or greedy person, or impure person (which is idolatry), does not inherit the kingdom of Christ and God. Therefore, not only was he attempting to enter and not entering, but he also desired to see and did not see. Finally, Jesus spoke in parables, but Judas did not listen. Finally, he did not see the divine mysteries; for not everyone hears the word of God, even though they appear to hear it. For if everyone heard, Jesus would not say: He who has ears to hear, let him hear (Luke VIII, 8). And because he did not listen, he could not see, and he spoke false things instead of true things, and he thought that he deceived Jesus by saying: This could have been sold, and given to the poor (Matthew XXVI, 9); when he provided for his own thefts, not for the poor, calling Jesus 'rabbi'. For how was he calling the teacher by whose instruction he was going astray; and whose heart (into which the devil had submerged himself) he was gathering to himself and increasing iniquities? For he was unrighteous to himself, unjust to himself, he was sinning against himself, who was plotting deceit within himself, who could not hide. For Jesus was not going around in circles, who was willingly being betrayed and was testifying: One of you will betray me (John 13:21). Finally, Judas confessed, saying: Am I the one, Rabbi? And the Lord said: You have said it (Matthew 26:25). And Judas did not understand it in such a way that he would be recognized. For if he had understood, he would not have betrayed.

But nevertheless, he went out and spoke. A suitable verse against those who betray someone's secret. He said beautifully: He went out; for outside are wolves, outside are thieves: inside Moses in the cloud with Jesus, outside are the Jews: inside Zacharias the priest in the temple, outside is the multitude: inside the Holy Spirit in our hearts cries out to the Father, outside our adversary prowls like a lion for plunder: outside are unbelievers, inside are believers. And so God will judge those who are outside, but Christ absolves those who are inside. Therefore, Judas went out and spoke. He went out from faith, he went out from the council and number of the apostles; he went out from the banquet of Christ to the robbery of the devil; he went out from the grace of sanctification to the snare of death, he who spoke empty words to the faithless; he went out, leaving behind the mysteries of internal life; he went out, not knowing the inner teachings of Scripture. For if he had known, he would have understood the saying: Does a sleeper not add that he may rise? He would have also understood this: But you, a man of one mind, my guide and my familiar, who always took sweet foods with me, we walked in the house of the Lord with consent (Psalm 54:14-15). Therefore, he did not understand this psalm, the 118th, nor others, nor other testimonies of the Scriptures. About whom John, the good Evangelist, says, and to the rest of the unbelievers: They went out from us, but they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would have remained with us. (1 John 2:19).

(Verse 8.) Therefore, the traitor did not remain with the apostles, who went out and whispered with the unfaithful. The divine Scripture uses this word, showing that perfidy is without authority, as it fears what it speaks and is detected. But to the faithful it is said: 'Lift up your voice with strength' (Isaiah 58:1). Behold, in this is Judas the apostle fallen, who was sent to preach the faith to the nations with a full proclamation of authority, so that he whispered to the plotters of his master, which he feared would be heard. Did he not condemn himself by his own judgment? But he was ashamed to be heard because he did not fear to do it: he was ashamed; because he was considering evils against the author of his life, sanctification, and honor: nor did he repay grace with kindness, but he attributed evil to his benefactor for his goods; which even worldly men are accustomed to condemn: he was ashamed to be found ungrateful, he was ashamed to be seen as greedy; when he sacrificed his own salvation for money: he was ashamed to be seen as treacherous. Similarly, the Jews who opposed the master of faith were suborning false witnesses, so that they would say that he had preached that the temple of God, which Solomon built, should be destroyed; when he had actually meant the temple of his own body: 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up' (John 2:19); truly, those who were excluded from the knowledge of the celestial Word were outside.

(Verse 9.) They have set forth a wicked word against me; that is, unlawful, and contrary to law and divine right, they have proposed speech, making agreements with me about human blood, which Judas most wickedly sold: the Jews also believed that it should be bought with no less wickedness, vain men; as if to one who is sleeping, he says, it does not add that he may rise (Ibid.). Let us consider what adjection is.

It is natural for all earthly living creatures, both birds of the sky and fish of the sea, to be born and to die. But to man, whom God has made more precious than the other creatures of the earth, He has bestowed this special grace, that he may revive after death. This addition, therefore, is said for the renewal of a higher life. Finally, when the Lord had commanded Hezekiah the king, after telling him that his time of life was fulfilled, and had ordered him through Isaiah to arrange his house because he was going to die, and Hezekiah had prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly, the Lord, moved by pity, commanded him: 'Behold, I will add fifteen years to your time' (Isaiah 38:5). And elsewhere, Saint David says: \"You will add days upon days to the king's years\" (Psalm 60:7). Therefore, it is found that something can be added to man, but nothing can be added to God. For it is written: \"There is no adding or subtracting, in which all things are perfect and complete\" (Sirach 28:5). Even though Christ rose from the dead, certainly in what He assumed, He rose, in which nothing could be taken away or added to the fullness of His divinity. For God is incorporeal and immortal, whose supreme nature and plenitude of virtues is signified without any addition of flesh. But the flesh is part of the dispensation in Christ, which he took on with the title of mercy and the right of piety, in order to redeem the captive, cleanse the contaminated, and resurrect the dead. And it is rightly said: Can one who sleeps not add that he may rise again? He did not say, he does not add; but, he will not add that he may rise again; because he, as the Son of God, resurrected himself; as we have said above that he said to the Jews: Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up (John 2:19). The flesh received the assumption, as if taken from man, received from the Virgin: but as if God himself worked the assumption, who rose by his own power; so that he might be the operator of his own resurrection. But in order that you may understand that both the Father and the Son, and the Son himself, have risen, acknowledge that operation to have been of divine power; because the power of the Father and Son is one, and their operation is common; since the substance of the Trinity is one and the same.


(Verse 10.) But why do I accuse others (says the Lord Jesus)? What is so surprising if the people did not recognize me and condemned me to the cross, when my apostle demanded the reward for betraying me, when my companion sold my death? Indeed, the man of my peace, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has greatly exceeded me in treachery. Some think that Judas should be excused because he returned the money he received as payment for betraying me, but behold, beyond the condemnation of the Jews' unfaithfulness; for to whom more is given, more is required of him. What, he says, should I complain about others? The man of my peace, to whom I had given my peace, wanted to leave my peace, when he had handed me over to my persecutors and deceived me, in whom I had hoped. Did he not know that a traitor would arise, about whom he had previously said: 'One of you will betray me' (John 13:21)? (He said this about Judas, as it is written in the Gospel.) Of course he knew; but he said that he had hoped for a greater condemnation of him because of his faith. The eagle, relying on me, said: Symmachus placed; I trusted. For we weigh more heavily on the one in whom we say we have placed the most hope or trust; if afterwards he disappoints our hope and opinion.

At the same time, it shows the extent of divine sanctification, which excludes evil and corrects corrupted nature, if a better plan is implemented. How many conversions do we know of? Zacchaeus, the tax collector, was transformed and turned away from his greedy pursuits. Afterward, he repaid his past errors fourfold, condemned his own greed, renounced his former profits, and compensated the poor if the tax collector was lacking. The thief himself changed his wickedness for a better purpose, he recognized Christ on the cross, confessed him as the Son of God, and proclaimed him king with his own voice. At that time, many of the righteous were wavering, and the apostles certainly hid themselves; even the executioner, the centurion, did not deny. What about the time of the Gospel? Rahab was a prostitute, who sustained herself through treachery and indulgence; yet when she saw the spies that Jesus had sent, she embraced faith; and in the face of impending danger, she preserved righteousness; she did not betray those received, but protected them with faithful kindness. Therefore, he says that he hoped as if he had presumed by right that, if the apostle had set aside higher things, he would pursue better things. And he, who had received the task of sanctifying others, should himself keep the grace of sanctity, and adhere to the duties of sincerity. 'Well,' he says, 'I have hoped, because God has given man the power of choice to follow what he wishes. I have placed before you good and evil. If you choose evil, it is not nature that is at fault, but the inclination of the one who chooses.' If everyone is condemned who has chosen evil, what shall we say about Judas, who betrayed the one with whom he was enjoying a delightful meal?

He who ate, he said, has enlarged supplantation above me. What is it that he added, my breads? He could have said: He who ate with me; unless you understand that which is special to Christ, that is, the heavenly food of the Word; for man does not live by bread alone, but by every word of God (Matthew 4:4). In another place he says: You always took sweet food with me (Psalm 54:15). We use these verses well against those who believe they must be killed, with whom they seem to have feasted. The Gentiles are said to guard this, usually their enemies, even thieves; so that they spare those with whom they remember having shared a meal: even wild animals themselves become tame through the companionship of fodder. Therefore, because of this kind of affection of conviviality, if we consider the words, he did not speak of sweet food in vain. For how can sweet foods be sweet if they quickly spoil? But see that he did not speak the words of life as sweet foods. For no bitterness corrupts these foods, no taint of death contaminates them. And so he always said. For no one could always eat. However, we can always abide by the word of God, both by night and by day, if we meditate on the law of God day and night.

What is also, ampliavit? The Greek word ἐμεγάλυνεν means, to magnify. Both were explained to us by the Lord, which could move us, saying in the Gospel: 'He who eats bread with me, has lifted up his heel against me' (John 13:18). Let us consider from where this discourse was taken. 'We were,' he says, 'unbelieving, wandering, serving desires and pleasures' (Titus 3:3). Let us admit our error, that we may be washed away. And I saw a young boy, when he had thrown down his opponent, strike him in the forehead with his heel: which was a sign because he insulted the defeated. This is what he says: He magnified the deceit against me; by this word he declared the boasting of the one insulting. Therefore, Judas also lifted his heel against Christ when he betrayed him; but he did not lift it with impunity. Yet Adam still lifts his heel, which was wounded by the serpent. And certainly Christ washed his feet. He had heard him say: The one who is bathed does not need anything except to wash his feet; but he is completely clean (John 13:10). But what grace had cleansed, treachery had defiled. Judas, therefore, lifted his heel to wound. Truly, he did not hold his head who lifted his heel upon Christ. Adam lifted himself up, this one upon Christ; and therefore the serpent wounded him more grievously than the others. He lifted his heel, who extended a deceitful kiss, with which he intended to overthrow the author; and therefore it is written in the Prophet: He has magnified a cunning device against me. Esau also said about his brother: He has tricked me twice (Gen. XXVII, 36). The one who tricks, commits deceit, in order to elude or wound his opponent. Therefore, Judas is also said to have tricked; because he inflicted a wound with his kiss, which served as a sign to the persecutors of the Savior's betrayal. He tricked, therefore, like a serpent; because a serpent injects venom with its mouth, and wounds with its fangs on the heel. And indeed, he wounded not the divinity of Christ, but the furthest part of his body, the heel. Judas also lifted up his heel like an insolent and proud wrestler, intending to strike the head of the Savior: but he could not strike the head of Christ, because the head of Christ is God. He indeed bound his own head with the twisted knot of a shameful noose, in order to deprive himself of the remedy of salvation.

See if you can fit that which the holy patriarch Jacob said in Genesis when he prophesied about his sons: 'Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel; let Dan be a serpent by the roadside, a viper along the path, that bites the horse's heels so that its rider falls backward; let Dan hope for salvation from the LORD.' (Gen. XLIX, 16 et 17). We do indeed read that Samson from the tribe of Dan was a judge in Israel (Judges XIII, 25), but another one is signified here, who will arise from that tribe and afflict the people with punishments for their sacrilegious impiety. That Antichrist, who will sit in the temple as if he were God, truly has a judgment that has an interpretation; for Dan signifies judgment. And he said well, because he will judge his people, who will be subject to eternal punishment; for he who does not believe is already judged: but he who believes will not be judged; because he believes in the Son of God as the redeemer of his soul. And therefore, as a book of judgment says: He who judges me is the Lord (1 Corinthians 4:4). Therefore, he will judge the people of impiety, not the common people; for it is those who fall into the ruin of treachery that are judged, not those who rise in the freedom of faith.

Therefore, he will sit in the road and lie in wait on the path like a serpent; to wound those who pass by, and bite at our heels; for he cannot wound the soul of the faithful. On which road will he sit, and on which path; except those whom Christ the Lord, as we read, called the people of the nations to his supper saying: Go out into the roads and along the hedges, and compel them to enter; so that my house may be filled (Luke 14:23). And since it is read that Judas also surpassed Christ in deception, it seems that in this place he himself is marked, as having bitten the heel of the horse on which Christ the Lord was riding. Hence it is said: Your horses will be swift (Hab. 3:8); that is, his flesh was going to bear the sin of the whole world, so that salvation would succeed destruction, and eternal life would succeed death. Therefore, the horse alone, which took on the sins of the whole world and carried our burdens and was not weary, was wounded. The horse was wounded, which did not know how to incline to the fury of lust. And therefore, perhaps to John the Evangelist, heaven was opened, and a white horse appeared, on which sat one with diadems on his head, and on his thigh was written a name: King of kings, and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16). It was white because it was immaculate, having known no stains of sin. For if lust is dark, sanctity shines and sparkles brightly. Thus, this horse is wounded, but not hindered. Finally, having risen from the tomb with the very wound, he ran to heaven above all angels and archangels, faster than all the heavenly host, found above even the fiery horses on which Elijah was taken up. And rightly faster, who ascended above all heavens, and above the heaven of heavens to the seat of almighty God, and sits; as Scripture teaches us, saying: You shall see the Son of man seated at the right hand of power (Mark XIV, 62).


This is the horse that was shown in the likeness and presence of Machabees, which the leader of that celestial militia sat upon, shining with golden armor. He looted from Heliodorus, the plunderer of the widow's possessions, all the sacred treasures entrusted to his care, and he struck him down and defeated him, and afterwards, at the entreaties of Onias the priest, he restored them for vital use. Truly, in him the golden weapons gleamed, because he alone sat on this horse and conquered, in which no one innocent of wrongdoing escaped. Not Enoch, who was taken, so that wickedness might not change his heart: not Abraham, not Isaac, not Jacob, not Moses. For all were under sin, all were under death. Finally, death reigned from Adam to Moses. He alone is the one who did not sin: he alone is Christ who took away the sin of the world, who said to death: Where is your victory, death? Where is your sting? (I Cor. XV, 55)?

How then did Judas magnify his treachery, and the knight fell backwards? What he did to Judas, he did deceitfully; what he did to Christ, he willingly suffered. Often we see the stronger one wanting to strike; so that when he is provoked more sharply, he rises up more vehemently. Therefore, the serpent bit the horse's heel, and vomited the venom of its deceit: the knight willingly threw himself down, willingly fell; so that he could lift us up. But what does Scripture say: And the knight shall fall backwards (Gen. XLIX, 17) ? Why backwards, except to rule those following behind? Peter was going backwards, to whom he said: Go behind me (Mark 8:33). The apostles and other disciples were behind. Therefore, he fell backwards; because he saves those upon whom he falls. For everyone who falls upon this stone, he says, will be broken: but upon whomsoever he shall fall, he will cleanse him (Luke 20:18). Others have, he will winnow him; others, he will crush. For he who winnows the fruit, cleanses it from chaff; he who crushes something, reduces it to dust; so that the softness of the dust, either by a salutary cup or by any other use of medicine, may profit without any disturbance. Hence we conclude that caution must be exercised, so that anyone who has once been received through baptism by Christ may not separate himself from His body, that is, be expelled from the Church; for it is the ruin of eternal death. But the one who comes to believe in Christ, let him find his death, let his cross bear him, let the nail pierce him, let his blood be shed, let his burial cover him, let the grace of the resurrection raise him up, awaken him from sleep, vivify him from death: I say, let him be freed from the world, cleansed from sin, healed from wounds, softened from the hardness of impiety, melted into the meekness of piety, so that with a circumcised heart, he may receive that uncircumscribed and incomprehensible spirit, drink the cup of eternal salvation. The knight fell backward.

Receive and another thing, why did he fall backwards and not forward? After him everyone, no one before him. He fell therefore not for himself, but for everyone; so that by falling he might soften the hardness of our hearts. He fell upon Adam, whom he was seeking to find. He sought him in the past; so that the good shepherd could place him on his shoulders, and in his redemption carry him with himself to paradise.

But perhaps you will say: Even the persecutors fell backward. For it is written (John 18:6) that the chief priests, whom the traitor Judas had brought, and the others who had come to arrest the Lord Jesus, went backward and fell to the ground. This is what I also say, because He wanted to fall upon sinners, not upon the righteous; for the righteous do not need a physician, but sinners do. If the shadow of the apostles healed, how much more does the flesh of Christ, when it touches, defend from death! Finally, he touched the leper and cleansed him immediately. So that you may know, whoever is reading, that he wanted to save even his persecutors, interrogate the witness of Christ. For when Peter accused the Jews of killing the Prince of Life, he showed them the remedy: that they should repent, have their sins forgiven, and deserve mercy. Why do you doubt that he fell in order to be resurrected, when he himself said, 'I will strike and heal' (Deuteronomy 32:39)? However, pay attention to the difference in wording. In Genesis it is said: The horseman shall fall backward, awaiting salvation from the Lord (Gen. XLIX, 17); that is, he does not turn his eyes away, his action does not turn his own mind back, he claims the prerogative of his resurrection, and resurrects himself by divine power. But here it is said: They went backward and fell to the ground (John XVIII, 6). He who is earthly falls to the ground, he who is heavenly clings to heaven. And if the body falls, virtue does not fall: nor does it focus on those things that are its own, but on those things that are always aimed upward; for it always looks to the Father, so that it may fulfill His will concerning us. If only they had not turned backwards, but instead received Christ! just as Joseph received Him and buried Him in a new tomb. He who is faithful does not fall to the earth; he who is unfaithful falls and descends to the lower parts of the earth; as it is written: They shall go down into hell while still alive (Psalm 54:16). Therefore, the persecutor falls upon the earth and descends into hell: Christ is above those who will rise again, Christ is above the rock, Christ is above the Church. Listen to how he falls upon the Church. Peter was behind, and he followed him as he was led from the Jews to the house of Caiphas, the leader of the Synagogue. He is Peter to whom He said: You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church (Matthew 16:18). Where Peter is, there is the Church; where the Church is, there is no death, but eternal life. And therefore he added: And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it: and I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 16:18-19). Blessed Peter, to whom the gate of hell did not prevail, did not close himself off from the gate of heaven; but on the contrary, he destroyed the gates of hell and opened up the gates of heaven. Thus, being set on earth, he opened heaven and closed hell.

It may also be applicable to this place that the Samaritan did not pass by the wounded man descending from Jericho, but took care of him, healing his wounds by pouring oil and wine on them, and placed him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn. Why do you hesitate about a good horse, when you read about a good animal? When you read about that one entering Jerusalem, and many and numerous horsemen with chariots and carts? Do not be moved by what you have done: some rely on chariots, others on horses; but we rely on the name of the Lord our God. They are bound and have fallen (Psal. XIX, 8 and 9). But Elijah did not fall, he entered on a chariot; where the name of God is, no one is bound, but all are set free. In the name of our God, the poor and the rich are safe; the noble and the ignoble; the weak and the powerful. Wealth does not prejudice faith; but we must know how to use our wealth.


(Verse 11.) And therefore, having the name of God within Himself, He says: But you, O Lord, have mercy on me, and resurrect me, and I will repay them. Certainly, He does not say this as if doubting the resurrection, who had the power to say: Destroy this temple, and in three days I will resurrect it (John 2:19); but He gives a form to man, that he may hope for mercy from God and resurrection from God. Furthermore, He does not ask to be resurrected Himself; rather, He asks to be resurrected in the place of Judas, so that the number of apostles may be complete. For indeed, because it was necessary that the son of perdition perish, so that Scripture would be fulfilled; it was fitting that the son of salvation be substituted in his place. Take a third instance. He demands to be resurrected, that is, his body: but the body of Christ is the Church. And because Judas was a figure of the faithless people of the Jews, who either bought or sold Christ for money (which those do who value money more than religion), he signifies the Church, which will rise again with favor after the destruction of the people in faith. And the Song of Songs says: If you have stirred up and revived love (Cant. II, 7) ; when seeking Christ in the young men, because Christ is love.

But when He says, 'I will repay them,' we understand that those who prosper in the processes of the Church will be tormented, and then they will know what the punishment of perfidy is, when they realize the splendor of faith and grace. Or it is because the Lord is good, who could say: 'They repaid me evil for good' (Psalms 34:12). And the word 'repayment' is in the middle, either in good or in evil: He says that He will repay in good because although blindness will happen to part of Israel, when the fullness of the Gentiles enters, then all Israel will be saved by the mercy of Christ.


(Verse 12.) And he subjected: In this I have known that you desired me; for my enemy will not rejoice over me. Earlier, he spoke of his passion as a man: now he reveals his majesty, that he alone, without sin, he whom the sinner could not approach, he alone whom the Father loved as his only Son. So why did the enemy not rejoice over him? Because although he endured death for us, he also rose; and he himself triumphed over the enemy, whose victory he destroyed, and he broke the sting of death. And we, although we may be sad in this world, and in our mourning and the contrition of our hearts and souls, let our enemy rejoice; yet when we rise, we destroy his joy. And thus Micah said: Do not rejoice over me, my enemy, for I have fallen; but I shall rise (Micah 7:8). Therefore, there is resurrection because all the enemy's bonds are loosed, and every triumph is abolished.

(Verse 13, 14.) It follows: But for my innocence you have received me and have confirmed me in your sight forever. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from eternity to eternity. Let it be, let it be. The innocent harms no one, sins against no one. Therefore, without sin, without deceit, Christ is marked by the authority of divine Scripture. This is therefore declared here, where it says: But for my innocence you have received me. But what does "susceptio" signify? For we also read elsewhere: You have taken me out of the womb of my mother (Psalm 138, 13). Therefore, because the world is born from every conception of human generation, he who is born of the Spirit and the Virgin was taken by the Father; because there was no customary bodily generation to stain his origin. He was taken as he rose again; because no offense of falling tarnished him. He returned immaculate to the Father, from whom he departed immaculate; when he descended to earth. Where the Father says to him, 'You are my Son, today I have begotten you' (Psalm 2:7); this means, I recognize in you the privilege of my generation, which no stain of sin could defile. You have lived among sinners, you have borne the sins of all, you have become sin for all, you have become a curse for all; but no taint of sin could pass onto you. Thus you have lived among sinners, as if you were among angels. You made the earth to be what the heavens are; so that there you would remove sin. Today I have begotten you, in whom I am well pleased. You have proven yourself to be the Son, who fulfilled the Father's will in all things. Today I have begotten you, in whom I recognize the light of the spotless offspring. Yesterday and today you are the same, and forever. There is no night in you, for you are all day. Well confirmed in the sight of the Father, you are said to be eternal; for you are always with the Father: truly in his sight, whose splendor is glory, and the image of his substance. But just as the Father is pleased with the Son, so also the Son blesses the Father. For the Father honors the Son, and the Son honors the Father.

Blessed is the Lord God of Israel; that is, the God of a people who see, who both believe in their Lord and God. From age to age: let it be done, let it be done. In Hebrew it is said: Amen, amen; as those who have read the book written in Hebrew letters assert. In Greek, in this place, it is said γένοιτο, γένοιτο: which means, Let it be done, let it be done. This word has various meanings, sometimes as a command, sometimes as a prayer, sometimes as a confirmation of something: it is a command when the superior determines for the inferior what should be done or followed: it is a prayer, as in this: Let your will be done (Matthew 6:10); for no one commands God, but pours out a prayer: it is a confirmation when a prophet, or a priest, or a saint blesses, and the people respond: Let it be done, let it be done. Therefore, this seems to me more of a confirmation of blessing than a prayer or supplication, especially because it is a repetition of the speech itself. And it seems that the Hebrew language has changed, but the same meaning is expressed. For just as when a priest blesses, the people respond with 'amen', confirming the blessing to themselves, which the priest prays for from the Lord on behalf of the people, so in the psalm the response is: 'Let it be done, let it be done', as if saying: 'Amen, amen'. The word 'Amen', however, clearly indicates confirmation in the Gospel, where the Lord, confirming his own words, says: 'Amen, I say to you' (Matthew 19:23). But the major force is when the word is repeated; which we more frequently find in the book of the Gospel according to John; because he himself spoke especially about heavenly and profound mysteries; as it is written: Amen, amen I say to you; unless one is born again of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God (John 3:5). And elsewhere: Amen, amen I say to you; if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you (John 16:23). There are plenty of examples, but if anyone seeks the rest, they will find them.

Also an indication is given of the finished book: Let it be done, let it be done. For the psalter is seen to be divided into five books. The first book is finished with this psalm, that is, the fortieth. And beautifully, up to the passion of the Savior, the fortieth psalm is included, which would give an end to the book, since the passion of the Lord is the end of Lent: so that the second book would begin with the mysteries of renewal, which book, being about lent, includes more perfect sacraments. For it foreshadows the sacraments of baptism, when it says: 'As the deer longs for the fountains of water' (Psalm 41:2); and the rest of the saints who have reached the heavenly tabernacle; and the descent of the Holy Spirit, when the grace of the Spirit was poured out in a voice of heavenly waterfalls; for the Spirit was carried by great power, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:2); and the entrance of the renewed man to the altar; and the ascent of the Savior; and the sanctification of the proposed virginity. This book ends with the seventy-first psalm, in which the peaceful kingdom of Christ is proclaimed to be spread throughout the entire world by prophetic discourse, as well as the forgiveness of sins. After he had preceded with the blessing of the Lord, he added: And let the whole earth be filled with his glory: Let it be, let it be (Psalm 71, 19). The third book also ends with the eighty-eighth psalm; and there it says: Blessed be the Lord forever: Let it be, let it be (Psalm 88, 53). The fourth book ends with the one hundred fifth psalm, where it says: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from eternity to eternity; and let all the people say: Amen, amen (Psalm 105, 48). The fifth book also comes to an end; where the Prophet says with this word: Let every spirit praise the Lord (Psalm 150, 6).

But perhaps it may again trouble you how I assert that there are five books when there is only one Psalter. But also, there is only one Gospel, and we cannot deny that there are four books. However, we have already indicated that there is one Gospel elsewhere (Book 1 in Luke, in the preface), if I am not mistaken; and if it is demanded again, we can easily explain, since the Savior has said: Amen I say to you, wherever this Gospel is preached (Matthew 26:13). And the Apostle says, 'I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ' (Galatians 1:6-7). And elsewhere he declares, 'Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you' (1 Corinthians 15:1). And you will find nowhere else four books that pertain to this Body, except the Gospel. Finally, because the psalms also form one body, Scripture says, 'On the ten-stringed harp, with the full sound of the lyre' (Psalm 92:4). But again, because there are five books, he said elsewhere: In the vessels of the Psalms (Psal. LXX, 22).

But beautifully five books and one Psalter; because a man is vivified by the five exterior senses: and again that hidden man of our heart is consummated by the five spiritual senses, who alone is found rich before God by the testimony of Peter the Apostle (1 Peter 3:4). He who has, he says, ears for hearing, let him hear (Luke 8:8). You have five senses. And just as there are those who have eyes and do not see; so there are those who are thought to see more than those who do not have eyes. And so the prophets were called seers, even those who did not see with their eyes. Also that sweet fragrance, of which the Apostle said: We are the sweet fragrance of Christ to God (2 Corinthians 2:15). Therefore Job also says: And the divine Spirit, which is in my nostrils (Job 27:3). Therefore, the same fragrance of Christ is the Holy Spirit to God; because there is one fragrance of the Trinity. And there is also inner food, of which the Lord said: My food is to do the will of my Father who is in heaven (John 4:34). There is also an interior touch, by which that woman in the Gospel who had been flowing blood for twelve years touched Christ, and had not received healing from physicians; but she received it from Christ. It is a touch of faith, as often as Christ is touched. Finally, men did not see her, but Jesus saw her, and he testified that he had seen her, saying: Someone touched me; for I also knew that power had gone out from me (Luke 8:46). Knowledge of Christ is the obtaining of health. Therefore, since it is evident that man possesses ten senses, David, who both sang outwardly and inwardly, outwardly with his body and inwardly with his heart, says in the psalm: 'I will sing to you on the ten-stringed harp.' (Psalm 143:9).

Therefore, the Psalter is a person perfected in Christ; in whom, just as the threads of the strings of a harp are skillfully interwoven, so too the virtuous deeds of those who live in harmony resound, so that they can say: I will praise you, O God, on the holy harp of Israel; my lips will rejoice when I sing to you, and my soul, which you have redeemed (Psalm 70:24-25). Paul says of himself: Outside are battles, within are fears (2 Corinthians 7:5). He rejoices both inwardly and outwardly: but the former is still in the struggle, the latter in peace; because he knew that he had deserved the redemption of his soul. The one who sings is in joy: the one who wrestles is in worry. But even Paul knew how to sing: but he still reserved himself for the right times, when he would be more fully proven, in order to sing; and therefore he said: I will pray in spirit, I will pray in mind: I will sing in spirit, I will sing in mind (I Cor. XIV, 15).

And because he demonstrated the twofold duty of chanting, Scripture also teaches that there is a twofold voice, as the Prophet says: With my voice I cried out to the Lord, and my voice cried out to God, and he listened to me (Psalm 76:2). What is mine? For he could have said: I cried out to the Lord. But what is our voice? Unless it is the one that is better, which does not know how to err? For we fall into sin from excessive talking, and we cannot avoid it. That voice of the Prophet is the one that reaches God, the one that cried out to the Lord when Moses was silent. It is the same voice that Anna also cried out with in her prayers, even though she did not move the lips of her mouth, and she obtained a son, whom she had not obtained for a long time, when she cried out with the voice of her body. About this voice, the Lord said: But you, when you pray, go into your room, and closing the door, pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you (Matt. 6:6). What does 'will reward' mean? It means that He will grant what you pleaded for, what you prayed for. For just as sinners receive their sins doubled from the hand of the Lord, so on the contrary, the righteous receive their own requests with heartfelt affection. Listen to how they receive them. Your prayer ascends to God and descends to you. Hence, in the Psalm, we read: 'And my prayer shall turn into my bosom' (Ps. XXXIV, 13), that is, it shall bring forth fruit for the one who asks. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who has revealed such great mysteries to us: from age to age, that is, from infinity to infinity: Let it be done, let it be done.

On Psalm 44, Commentary

(Verse 1.) The title of this psalm is: To the end, for the sons of Core, understanding. In which the mysteries of the Lord's Passion, Baptism, and entrance to the most holy altar are recounted, the holy prophet David teaches how Christ exercises his athlete, whose name is held in the contest of the saints. For just as without our effort, not by works but by faith through his grace, he has granted us forgiveness of sins and generously admitted us to seek the crown, and has not allowed our previous sins to harm us, by which we would be judged unworthy in such a great contest (for discipline of life is also sought even in those who undergo this cleansing contest), so again this psalm reminds us that many and weighty contests are set before us, so that no one is crowned except the one who has competed lawfully. Therefore, we must fight against the allurements of this flesh and the heat of the blood: we must fight against spiritual wickedness. No one has a more serious domestic adversary; no one is more harmful than that enemy to whom the power of heavenly substance supports. When I say no one, remember the divine discourse in which the Lord said: Among those born of women, no one is greater than John the Baptist (Matthew 11:11). For he who is born of a Virgin is above all. And so, we fear no one who has Christ; for if Christ is for us, who can be against us? Let us strive, therefore, to the end; that, with all things removed that fought against the will of Jesus and the Lord in our former body, we may serve with true exercises of virtue, serving our God and Lord alone. For this is the end, as it is written: Christ is the firstfruits . . . . . then the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God and the Father; when he has destroyed every Principality and Power and Virtue. . . . so that death might be destroyed forever (1 Corinthians 15:23 et seq.), and we may begin to be subject to God, maintaining the heavenly kingdom within us, where it existed before the flood of sins.

Therefore, rightly so, the psalm is inscribed to the sons of Korah, so that in understanding it, not ordinary hearing but spiritual understanding may operate. Finally, Aquila placed the psalm in the discipline. And therefore Scripture says to you: Give your heart to discipline; and prepare your ears for words of understanding (Prov. 23:12). And elsewhere: Love wisdom and discipline (Prov. 1:3). Wisdom is that which overflows with intelligence: discipline is a certain disposition of nature combined with the form of virtues, and confirmed by the judgment of the mind through the teachings of knowledge. It is also through the understanding of obscure speech and the wisdom of words, as well as the riddles of Proverbs, that Scripture teaches us. By its authority, we gather that these are the main virtues of wisdom: because wisdom always gives birth like a fruitful mother, discipline is like a strict teacher, understanding is like a diligent seeker who finds, and it searches for true justice and judgment.

Let us learn these sacred testimonies of reading. Wisdom says: I am like a fountain in paradise, I said: I will water my garden . . . and still I will pour forth doctrine like prophecy (Eccli. XXIV, 41, 42 and 46). For wisdom instills into the mind of man, good senses, as a pious mother. Also, receive the testimonies of discipline: My son, do not neglect the discipline of God, and do not be discouraged when He corrects you (Prov. III, 11 and 12); for whom God loves, He corrects. Indeed, discipline is severe in reprimanding, but sweet in correcting; so that we may not wander and go astray, but be received by Christ. For undisciplined behavior wanders, as it is written. But for the sake of preservation, discipline is established here. However, just like wisdom, discipline is called both perfect and imperfect by the same name: but when they are called without any qualification, either discipline or wisdom, they receive the definition of perfection. Therefore, undisciplined knowledge flows away, but disciplined knowledge does not flow away. The same Scripture also defines intellect, because a good intellect is for all who make use of it (Psalm CX, 10): but an intellect, since it has grace of wisdom and order of discipline in itself; surely we are taught that both wisdom and discipline are good for those who carry out their teachings in their ministries. We have spoken about the title, let us adore the psalm.


(Verse 2.) We have heard, O God, with our ears; thus Symmachus [says]: Theodotion [has] spoken in our ears; just as also the Seventy. What does he mean by saying, with our ears? And if it were not enough to say, we have heard, certainly if this had pleased [him]: With our ears we have heard, it was full. Therefore, when it is added, our [ears], what does this mean; except that you understand those [things] to be ours, which are of the mind; and those [things] to be better, than those [that are] of this body? And therefore, as it were speaking of another, the same Prophet here says: I will not fear what flesh can do unto me (Psalm 55:5). And elsewhere: I cried unto the Lord with my voice, even unto God with my voice, and He gave ear unto me (Psalm 76:2). That voice of mine which is heard by Christ is not that which resounds in public. Therefore, He does not desire as His own that which is corruptible and earthly, who remembers that he was created in the image and likeness of God. Finally, Scripture teaches us that man was first formed in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), and afterwards made from clay (Genesis 2:7). Therefore, as a superior (for the superior is older), and as the ruler and governor of this corporeal soul, the power says: 'With our ears we have heard.' Who is this, if not the one of whom it is said: 'He who has ears to hear, let him hear' (Luke 8:8)? For there are those who have ears but cannot hear the mysteries, of whom Jesus speaks in the Revelation of John: 'Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons' (Revelation 22:15); for the desire for wickedness and the corrosion of money block the ear from hearing. Let us therefore consider what they say they have heard, or from whom they say they have heard.

And our fathers, he said, have announced to us. Who are these fathers of ours? The inscription says that the psalm was written by the sons of Korah, so that it may be sung by them, who had received the gift of singing and had been appointed to this office. But Korah and Dathan and Abiram, along with others who rose up against Moses and Aaron in rebellious zeal, were swallowed up by the earth in the desert and killed. With them dead, who were the other fathers of their sons who could announce the wonderful works of the Lord? For wisdom does not enter a malicious soul. If therefore fathers have not announced to their sons, much less strangers, who have avoided the offspring of traitors. So who are these fathers? See lest they are those of whom it is said: Ask your father, he himself will tell you (Deut. XXXII, 7). Ask when you read Paul: or if you do not read, and something moves you, seek in him. For he is the good father, who can teach and form in us the Lord Jesus; as he himself testified, saying: My little children, whom I bear; until Christ is formed in you (Galat. IV, 19). John the Evangelist shows you these fathers, saying: I say to you, fathers, who have known him who is from the beginning (1 John 2:13). These are the fathers, whose old age is blameless. Therefore, place your finger on your mouth in the assembly of elders, so that you may hear what is profitable for you, and may know the sacraments of eternal life: lest, being an insolent novice, you disrupt the teachers, and presume to speak before you have learned. Therefore, let us hear what these fathers have proclaimed to the children of Core.


He said: I will do a work in the days of old. Let us inquire which are those days in which God has done great and wonderful things. And the Scripture teaches us that there are some notable days in which divine deeds have shone forth: when it is said that the sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes. And it will be, whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved (Joel 2:31-32). For on this very day Christ rose from the dead, and therefore it is specifically said of him: This is the day which the Lord has made: let us rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24). Since God has made all the days, this day, however, has been given the prerogative of divine work above the others, by which all sin is taken away. But other days belong to sin. Therefore, this is the day which the sun of righteousness has illumined. For even it is accustomed to have its rising and setting. And it is written: 'In his days shall righteousness flourish' (Psalm 72:7). Therefore there are days of Christ in which righteousness has arisen: there are days of Christ in which abundance of peace has arisen: there are days of Christ in which wisdom has arisen. Hear how wisdom arises: 'If any man among you seem to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise' (1 Corinthians 3:18). And thus Wisdom says, which has chosen the foolishness of this world: 'The Lord created me the beginning of his ways in his works' (Proverbs 8:22). For just as in the days of King Uzziah and in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, wickedness arose and captivity reigned; so in the days of the Lord Jesus, faith arose, which spreads the splendor of its brightness and light throughout the whole world. For what days are better than those in which the vision of God has shone upon us, as Jacob said? For it is written: I have seen God face to face, and my soul has been saved. And immediately the sun arose for him (Genesis 32:30-31). Who is this sun, if not the one who made the day shine with righteousness, on which Christ was born from the Virgin? Jacob saw it in a vision and said that he has seen God: in truth, the Jews saw and did not believe. Therefore, their days were shortened, while ours were illuminated; because their days were lacking, ours were approaching. Hence, the holy David, escaping Jewish blindness, said: Do not lead me into the half of my days (Psalm 101, 25). For this day of the Lord is great and shining, not indeed by the length of time, but by the clarity of justice or grace. Therefore there are half days, in which the days are shortened by the darkness of impiety and the filth of perfidy, in which the sun sets upon the prophets (Micah 3:6), as it is written. For just as the sun rises for the just, so it sets for the unbelievers.

But this happens because the Lord says: For the sake of the elect, the days will be shortened (Matthew 24:22). And it seems contrary, unless you carefully take notice and repeat the preceding words; for the Lord says: Then if anyone says to you: Look, here is the Christ, or, Look, there he is, do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise, and they will perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if it were possible, even the elect (Ibid., 23 and 24). And so, in order that the chosen ones may not be deceived, the Lord warns what must be followed; that we may not be captivated by the words of false prophets, nor deceived by any of their miraculous actions: but then we may believe that Christ is coming, when the days of full righteousness begin to shine forth. For Christ will be revealed with the full brightness of His majesty; and just as lightning comes forth from the east and spreads its light throughout the entire world unto the west: so also will the Son of Man, coming with His angels, illuminate this world; that every man may believe and every flesh may be saved. Therefore, let us not believe in the Antichrist, about whom false prophets will say: This is Christ; for the days of treachery will be the days of the Antichrist. Let us not believe those who say: Christ is in the desert, Christ is in the inner chambers; for now all things are full of Christ, where Christ begins to approach. But when we see the deeds that Christ predicted in his Gospel, then let us believe in his coming; lest while we seek the true light, we fall into the darkness of unbelief.


Therefore, the signs of perfidy must be looked out for, by which the days are shortened and diminished. For the sun will be darkened, stars will fall, that is, the just of God; for they shine like stars in the sky. When you see these things, still believe in the delay of Christ; for where Christ is, there is a clearer faith: where Antichrist is, there are half-days; concerning which, surely David the prophet would not complain if it seemed to refer to the brevity of time; since he himself has said elsewhere: Alas for me, because my sojourning has been prolonged (Ps. 119:5)! For how could he mourn either the celestial dwelling that was delayed and settled upon, or this earthly dwelling that was limited, when he had previously asked not to be brought through the half of his days; since the brevity of days seemed to bring a shortcut to the swift course of that progression? From this it is concluded and that which he says: Honor your father and mother, so that you may be long-lived upon the earth (Exod. XX, 12); how should we understand it? For many who honor, are often quickly snatched away, so that they die in their premature age: many also who show less deference to their parents, enjoy the long-lasting rewards of old age; and unless we receive that longevity of life as a support for eternal life, the Scripture is found to be lacking aid of truth. Where the Greek expressed it more explicitly: That you may be of many days, that is, πολυήμερος. For whoever diligently keeps the pious cult's duty, is alien to the darkness of night and turns in the light of days. And therefore, whoever reads Deuteronomy: Let him read it, he says, all the days of his life (Deut. XVII, 19); not only at night, but during the day; because the day shines for the reader the mysteries of truth and oracles of divine piety. Let us consider the following.


(Verse 3.) Your hand has scattered the nations and planted them: You have afflicted peoples and driven them out. Indeed, we know that the Lord has uprooted and overthrown many nations, so that the people of the Jews might find possession for themselves, the lands of which the Lord declared He would give to the descendants of Abraham. But when this psalm announces the Gospel of the Lord and the times of His coming, it does not seem to me to recount what has been done by the Jews, but rather to indicate what will happen in the future, as the people of the nations would believe. Therefore, it confirms the trust of the Church before it proclaims, and it enumerates the victories of its piety: which did not expel nations with its arm or with its sword, and did not scatter hostile troops in battle, but peacefully and faithfully possessed the lands of its enemies without any bloodshed; for it is faith alone that fought. And therefore, it deserved triumphs that would not be recalled by treachery, but increased; because the Church of the Lord is not conquered by its persecutions, but proven. So let us understand which peoples the Church has conquered. I speak of ancient names, but new mysteries. There are the Canaanites, the Khetites, and the Amorites, the Perizzites, or the Kerethites, whose names we will explain later. However, these are not only the names of peoples; they also represent the weaknesses of human passions, the motives of sinful actions, and the disgrace of sins. Therefore, the first thing is that in Christ, man has subdued himself and conquered himself, in order to live for himself. For he lives for himself who lives for God; so that he may live the eternal life of Christ. Therefore, the people of the Church did not fight with military weapons and iron weapons, as the people of the Jews fought. The former fought in form, we fight in spirit: the former fought against foreigners, we ourselves have war within us; and therefore, we must first conquer the passions of our own bodies.

Listen to the apostle Paul fighting against the Canaanite nation: 'I see,' he says, 'a law in my flesh fighting against the law of my mind and making me a captive to the law of sin' (Romans VII, 23). Now our flesh rises up, now it falls. It lifts up the mind, it casts down the power; and where it sees itself pressed, it abandons constancy and is led to subjection under the law of sin, so that it may abandon faith, succumb to treachery, and, lacking the rule of Chastity, yield to falsehood, serve crime, and acquiesce in error; and speak bitter words for sweet, like the Amorite. For faith is sweet, but treacherous is perfidy. Therefore, Peter expressed excellently what faith is by saying: Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we believe (John VI, 69 and 70); so how can you command us to leave you? Captivated by the sweetness of heavenly words, he did not want to depart from Christ. But whoever denies Christ, he himself separates or is separated from Christ. Neither the cunning disputations of the Amorites, which through philosophy deceive some with falsehood: nor the vile rejection of the Jebusites, who submit themselves and lay down their secular course, which cannot be eternal; but falls at the gates of death, of which the exalted Prophet David rejoices (Psalm IX, 15): nor the Cinaeans, who are possessed by their wealth; with an insatiable covetous desire: nor the Cenezeans, who think that possession in riches is eternal, and establish their vain hope in perishable things, and boast in empty opinion: nor the Raphaim, who profess to bring medicines to others, when they cannot cure their own wounds; and therefore if anyone seeks refuge with such a physician, it is necessary that he first consume all his wealth before receiving the benefit of health; as that woman in the Gospel (Luke VIII, 43 and 44) who for twelve years could not stop the flow of carnal pleasures until she turned to Christ. For it is understood that no physician is perfect unless he has come down from heaven, of whom it is said: He sent his word and healed them (Psalm 107:20); and it is noted about him: Behold I have put my words in your mouth, and I have set you this day over nations and kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to build, and to plant (Jeremiah 1:9-10). For although God frequently spoke through the prophets, he spoke more explicitly in his Son, who, expressing all the power of the Father, said: My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me (John 7:16). Therefore, it was not Jeremiah, who took exile during the time of captivity, but the Lord Jesus eradicated from the inner depths of people's hearts the vices of the Gentiles, the perfidy of nations, and the corrupt opinions of deceitful thoughts, and completely abolished all traces of iniquity. Then He later infused faith and the discipline of self-control, so that the sacraments of virtues would not grow in the vessel of corruption through a confusion of vices.

Hence the Apostle rightly says to you: But death reigned from Adam to Moses (Rom. 5:14). Who is Moses, if not the Law; for he is the interpreter of the Law: but the end of the Law is Christ Jesus. Therefore, sin reigned in this world, and in sin there is a severe and intolerable punishment for sin. Moses indeed taught us to lift our hands to the Lord, establishing the discipline of devout worship. He taught how Amalek, the deceitful speaker, could be overcome; so that we may lift our customs and actions to Christ, and thus be able to destroy disbelief: but if we were to abandon our soul, incline our desire, and turn away from the pursuit of self-control, so that empty persuasion overcame us; there would be no future remedy, unless Jesus, having now raised the arms of Moses, as if to raise the weakness of the Law, sustained us with His mercy. But the assistance of the Law was still weak; unless Jesus himself had come to the earth, who would take our weaknesses upon himself, whom alone our sins could not burden, nor could his hands be inclined: who humbled himself even unto death, and death on a cross, in which, stretching out his hands, he raised up the entire world that was perishing: he lifted up those who were lying down, and drew to himself the faith of all nations, saying to the man: Today you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43). This is therefore to uproot and plant; so that vices may be eradicated and better things may be planted in the hearts of each person. Concerning this, Moses beautifully says in the song of Exodus: Leading them and planting them on the mountain of your inheritance, in your prepared dwelling place (Exod. XV, 17); asking that the Lord may lead his people into that lofty garden of virtue and wisdom, and that they may be planted there in his works, and be instructed in the heavenly teachings, and that in it a dwelling place for his sanctification may be prepared: not by right of inheritance, nor by our own merit or contemplation, but by his grace the Lord is pleased to confer this. For how, when we could not remain, could we return there; unless we were supported by the privilege of eternal redemption?

(Verse 4.) And therefore the Prophet rightly said: 'For they did not possess the land by their sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thy arm, and the light of thy countenance; because thou wast pleased with them.' So, what land is there that is not captured by might, not possessed by sword, except the land of promise, of which the same Prophet himself said: 'I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living' (Psalm 26:13)? Therefore, his possession is not undeservedly so splendid, in which the adversities of the world do not dominate, but the eternal goods of the Lord bear fruit. And so it is not acquired by the sword, but possessed by gentleness, as the Lord Jesus testified, saying: Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:4). Therefore, let no one be contentious, arrogant, or proud; but meek and humble in heart, who claims nothing for himself but refers everything to grace: let him not boast in his own strength, but believe that he is protected by the right hand of God, saying: The right hand of the Lord has done mightily, the right hand of the Lord has exalted me (Psalm 118:16). Also, the sword of God should be remembered as being saved, and also being illuminated by the face of the omnipotent God, in whom Christ is protector, right hand, defender, and sword. Hence, Simeon said to Mary: And a sword shall pierce your own soul (Luke 2:35). For the sword is the Word of God, which passes through even the divisions of the soul and thoughts, sharper than any sword, so that no hidden knowledge may escape it. Christ is also the radiance of the Father's glory, and therefore he says: Whoever sees me, sees the Father (John 14:9); as the splendor of his glory, and the image of his substance. Therefore, all things should rightly be referred to him. Moses himself, Aaron himself, and even the Fathers themselves consecrated everything they had done, so that they might triumph over their enemies. For it was not in his own confidence that Joshua said, 'Sun, stand still over Gibeon' (Joshua 10:12), but because he presumed in Christ, whom he recognized as the leader of the heavenly army, and he worshipped him humbly. Therefore, he deserved to eradicate wild nations and to lead the people of the Fathers into the promised land; because he attributed nothing to his own works, believing that the works of men are unworthy of such heavenly glory, which the Lord established to be conferred more out of his mercy than for the contemplation of our deeds, on those who believe in him. And so Abraham eagerly believed in God, so that he might find the grace of justification with him, which he would place as the reward of his work; for the gifts of the giver are more abundant than the wages of the worker. Therefore, the Lord responded to those who envied the equality of the reward: 'Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?' (Matthew 20:15) Our fathers, as close relatives and heirs of the patriarchs, planted in the land of promise, did not claim this by their own merits. Therefore, neither did Moses bring them in, so that it might not be considered to be of the Law, but of grace; for the Law examines merits, but grace regards faith. Hence, following the faith of the fathers, the Apostle excellently says: 'So then neither is he that planteth any thing, nor he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase' (1 Corinthians 3:7). For it was not Joshua, who brought them in, nor he who planted them; but God, who gave increase to the people, has the principality of glory.

And let it not move you because it was said above: Your hand has destroyed the nations, and you have planted them (Psalm 43:3). For from this you gather that not everyone who plants or waters gives increase, but whoever can give increase, can also plant; just as it is said that the Lord planted the nations. For He Himself planted, who gave the fruit of His planting; but in those who by faith in Christ deserved to please the Lord, to whom alone it is said by the Father God: You are my Son, in you I am well pleased (Mark 1:11). Therefore, those who are participants in Christ receive the grace of pleasing Him. And beautifully He says: 'It pleased you in them;' so that it may seem that distance is preserved by right. For rightly God is pleased in the Son; because He is equal to the Father and is not found lacking in any way, because He pleases by divine right of nature and unity of substance. And rightly the Father is pleased in the Son; because the Father is honored in the Son, just as in the Father is the Son. But in us, God is pleased; because He himself has given to us, so that we may be able to please Him. But even this gift, given specifically to man, Scripture teaches us not to use arrogantly. For it is fitting that those whom He made in His own likeness should please God and that those who were created in His image should possess the privilege of heavenly grace. Therefore, God is pleased with His own image, and He is pleased with those who resemble Him. In them, He bestows His gift and His grace, which will be revealed in its perfection when that perfect state arrives. For when it is revealed who we truly are, we will be like Him, as it is written (1 John 3:2).


(v. 5) Therefore, those who presume not in their own strength, that is, in their own works, but in the grace of God; believing that it is not their own actions that justify each individual, but rather ready faith, say to the Lord: You are my King and my God, who commands the salvation of Jacob. It is not a casual statement to say: You are my King. Not just anyone says this, but rather someone in whom God is King. And where God reigns, sin does not reign; for God does not share His kingdom with evil. But who says 'my God,' except the one who exhibits to him a fullness of reverence and affectionate piety? For it is rightly said, 'I am your God.' Moreover, when Thomas himself touched with his own hand the side of Christ and found indisputable proof of the resurrection, he answered: 'My Lord and my God' (John 20:28). Lord, because he redeemed his servants; God, because he not only rose again, but also raised himself up. But God has entrusted salutations to Jacob; because in every prayer there is salvation: in every dwelling there is also salvation: salvation in the ministries of angels, who are appointed for the protection of human beings. Therefore, by the command of God, salvation is bestowed upon man, not by his own operation. For God preferred that salvation should be sought for by man through faith rather than works, lest anyone should boast in his deeds and incur sin. But whoever boasts in the Lord acquires the fruit of piety and avoids the crime of boasting.


(Verse 6.) Therefore, this is the one who can say: 'We will crush our enemies with your horn.' What does it mean to crush with a horn? The Lord has given horns to many animals so that they can defend themselves against attacks from wild beasts. Therefore, the ox often resists the lion and crushes the bear; even the timid deer defends itself with its horns. The ram also fights off wolves with its horns. Therefore, animals that have horns are said to crush with them. But man does not have horns. So how does he fan? From where? See what the Scripture says: 'In you,' it says, 'we will fan our enemies with horns.' You are our horn, Lord Jesus; and thus, just as we do not rely on our own strength, we also do not have the power to fan with our own horns, but in Christ. For faith has its own horns, which it borrows from Christ. Indeed, we do not read in vain in the blessings of Moses: 'May he come over the head of Joseph like the vision in the burning bush, glorified among his brothers as the firstborn: the beauty of his appearance is like a bull, his horns like the horns of a unicorn; in them, he will fan the nations together to the ends of the earth.' These are the ten thousand of Ephraim, and these are the thousands of Manasseh (Deut. XXXIII, 16 and 17). Who was seen in the bush by Moses, if not the firstborn Son of God, who said: I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob (Exod. III, 6). Therefore, he appeared in human form; because he was coming to be seen by all. Therefore, the bush was burning, and yet not consumed; because he arranged to burn up in the fire of self-discipline the earth which was generating thorns and thistles for us, instead of wasting it away in the agony of death. Where the Prophet says: Burn my kidneys and my heart (Psalm XXV, 2). Therefore, he revealed a certain indication of future corporeal splendor, by which this flesh would shine through resurrection. For what did the harmless fire signify, if not the lights of those who rise again? Hence the Apostle presumes to say, as one star differs from another in brightness, so does the resurrection of the dead (I Cor. XV, 41 and 42). Therefore, he says, let it come upon the head of Joseph; to exalt the head of his people: let it also come upon the crown; to walk upon the crown of hair, cutting off the excesses of sins, sanctifying the ornaments of virtues.


He was glorified among his brothers; as he himself says: I will proclaim your name to my brothers (Psalm 21:23). What greater glory is there than to pour forth the knowledge of divinity into the hearts of nations? Joseph saw in a vision that his brothers would bow down to him, and even the sun and moon with the stars. That bundle of his is understood as a figure of the flesh; for all flesh is grass. Our flesh received this grass, so that it might bring forth its own wheat and the fruit of resurrection. Do you seek evidence? Listen to him saying about himself: Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit (John 12:21). Furthermore, so you know that Moses speaks about the Son of God, he says: He was glorified among his brothers as the firstborn (Deuteronomy 33:17). Indeed, Joseph was not the firstborn among the sons of Jacob, but Reuben was; for Joseph came after many. But he is called the firstborn, who was to come and gather the peoples of the nations.


Hence Scripture rightly says: 'The beauty of its bulls' (ibid.). For just as a bull leads a herd, so Christ led the people of the nations to the Church, and brought them into pasture; so that he could say: 'He has placed me in a pasture where there is grazing; beside refreshing water he has set me' (Psalm 22:2-3). The herds followed this bull's beauty according to the limits of our frailty, so that they could obtain eternal life. This bull has bellowed, and death has fled. The lion roars, and who does not fear? Truly the greatest victim is a bull; as we gather testimonies from adversaries (Virg. lib. II Georg.). For what victim is greater than the one that cleansed the sin of the whole world with its own blood? Listen, for even the holy Prophet Jacob speaks of the bull himself; when he revealed the passion of the Lord, whom the Jews later persecuted. In his fury, he says, they have struck down the bull (Gen. XLIX, 6). And to make it clear that he was speaking about the Jews, he added: 'I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel' (Ibid., 7). Here is the man who wrestled with Jacob, and touched his thigh, by which touch the nerve of the Patriarch was stunned: signifying that from his succession according to the flesh, he himself would come who would be undermined by the Jewish people in the passion of his body. Not understanding this mystery, they decided not to eat the nerve, sons of Israel. And therefore they deceived themselves of the redemption of the sacred blood, also rejecting the benefits of the saving passion, so that they would not deserve eternal life; for it is written: Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, you will not have life in yourselves. But whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood, will have eternal life (John 6:54-55). Take another thing. What is a nerve, but that by which the whole body is connected? The Church of Christ is the body, which is bound together by the bond of charity. What else did the Jews break in Christ, except the bond of charity? Peter is rightly chosen as a priest; he bound himself with the triple spirit of divine charity.

Receive still, that Moses himself signified. He added: Horns of a unicorn, the horns of it: in them the nations shall be scattered (Deut. XXXIII, 17). But do not fear because he scatters; for he has said: I will strike and I will heal (Deut. XXXII, 39). Good horns, with which he encloses the circle of the earth: good horns, with which he scatters our adversary the lion: good horns, with which he makes us unable to fear the horns of the adversary; for even Satan has his horns, as Daniel testifies, saying: I saw and that horn, which made war with the holy ones: and it prevailed against them until the Ancient of Days came (Dan. VII, 21 and 22). This is the Ancient of Days. For who is the unicorn, if not the only begotten Son of God, and the only Word of God, which was in the beginning with the Father? This Word has mortified and vivified the people of the Gentiles with its horn; so that there may be ten thousand Ephraims unto the ends of the earth, and unto a thousand Manassehs: in order that the people of the nations, who would believe in him and fill the whole world, might believe also afterwards the people of the Jews, turned from oblivion to grace. For he who converts to Christ so late has forgotten his own salvation. Therefore, Saul among thousands, David among ten thousands; because he is harsh with few, gentle with many.

However, I do not deny, if anyone interprets it as if it were said to Joseph: His firstborn bull is his glory (Deut. 33:17); and thus he thinks it should be distinguished, because he gave horns to his holy ones: For he exalted the horn of his people (Psalm 148:14). And Anna, the mother of the prophet Samuel, says: My heart rejoices in the Lord; my horn is exalted in my God (1 Samuel 2:1). Certainly, Joseph also had spiritual horns in the Lord. So let Joseph be accepted insofar as he is a figure of Christ, to whom it is said, 'Joseph, my son, has been made great, my younger son, return to me' (Gen. XLIX, 22). For it is not Joseph who returns to Jacob, but Christ who has been resurrected from the dead returns to the Father God; as it is written: 'His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it' (Psal. XVIII, 7). Let it be understood, however, that in the case of Joseph, 'Return to me' means that the people return to the land of the Canaanites, in which the patriarchs had previously dwelled. Where Isaac says to Jacob: 'You shall not take a wife from the daughters of the Canaanites' (Gen. XXVIII, 1); and he sends him to Mesopotamia to find a wife for himself there. Did the lords of the arrows plot against him? Was he blessed throughout the whole world solely because of the blessing of his mother's womb, and not the Lord Jesus, whom the Virgin bore? And therefore, he is blessed not only above men, but also above angels and archangels, and above all the heights of the heavenly powers; as the Scripture testifies, saying: 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord: The Lord God has shone upon us' (Psal. CXVII, 26 and 27): For the Lord God himself is the King of kings, and the Lord of lords in those things which are held in heaven.' Because of these horns of the Lord Jesus, and of David singing with the sound of the horn trumpet (Psalm 97:6), it is heard from Christ: and Moses taught (Numbers 10:10) that the rituals of sacrifices are to be celebrated with the sound of the trumpet; as it is also written: Trumpet at the beginning of the month (Psalm 80:4). Who is this for, if not for us? For the ancients used to observe the months from the beginning of the moon. But the Church is the moon, which is exalted with spiritual and Evangelical preaching in abundance of peace, as the Prophet said (Psalm 71:7). Therefore, in Christ, we will scatter our enemies like chaff.

And in His name let us reject those who rise up against us. What is a name except that by which each individual is properly identified, which is not common with others? For man is a common noun; unless you add the one who is called, it cannot be defined. Therefore, a name is the uniqueness of each individual, by which it can be understood. Hence, I believe that when Moses desired to know the proper name of God, and something about Him that was not common with the celestial powers, he asked, 'What is your name?' (Exod. III, 13). Finally, God, knowing his mind, did not respond with a name, but with a matter; that is to say, he expressed a thing, not a designation, by saying: I am what I am (Ibid., 14); for nothing is so proper to God as to always exist. Therefore, because they deny that Christ is coeternal with the Father, let them see that they deny God, whose property it is to always exist and never not to have existed. By this knowledge of divine property, Moses wanted to reject those rising up against him: or, as Aquila and Symmachus said, to trample on those resisting him like serpents and scorpions, which the Lord also says in the Gospel (Luke 10:19) must be crushed under our spiritual footsteps, so that they cannot hinder our path leading to the secrets of paradise. Therefore, we have within us the desire for divine knowledge: we have the Word of God, which is the name of the Father. This is truly the property of God, because He is the Father of Christ: and therefore He comes in the name of the Father, who came to do the will of the Father. And so He says: I came in the name of the Father, and you did not receive Me: if another comes in his own name, you will receive him (John 5:4); indicating that the Jews would believe in the Antichrist, who they refused to believe in Christ. Therefore, those who believe in Christ do not trust in their bow or sword, but place their hope of victory in his name.

(Verse 7.) And therefore he says: I will not hope in my bow: and my sword will not save me. But if hope is to be placed in a bow, surely hope is to be placed in the bow of God, which he placed in the clouds; so that the human race would cease to fear the flood. This bow protects us, with which bow he also hurls arrows, with which he strikes our enemies and adversaries.

(Vers. 8, 9.) And he says: For you have saved us from those who afflict us: and you have confounded those who hate us. In God we shall praise all day long: and in your name we shall confess forever. Listen to how he delivers us; for the arrows that he shoots from heaven penetrate the innermost parts of our land; so that all earthly movement may perish and be at rest, as he says later: You have shot forth judgment from heaven: the earth trembled and was still (Psalm 75:9). So we are set free when hostile and opposing powers are confounded; when the wisdom of this fleshly nature is put to shame by heavenly commands and is confounded by the blush of its own sins; when the adulterer is consumed by the flames of his own lust and the fire of his insane love; when the greedy person is consumed by the ardor of immoderate desire, desiring more the more he seizes what belongs to others; when the drunkard is consumed by drunkenness, and the criminal is confounded by his wickedness, both being greatly confounded here; but much more will they be confounded when they see the saints of the Lord rising again, and that Gospel saying of the Lord will be fulfilled: Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall rise, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt (John 5:28-29).


So when they have begun to be raised up to everlasting confusion, the holy one of the Lord says: In God we will be praised all day long; and in your name we will confess forever. The wealthy man is praised for his riches, the luxurious man for his feasts, the adulterer for his nights, the powerful man for this life which has nights; but the holy one will be praised not in this life, but in God; he who has strived to please the Lord in all things, who can say: The Lord is my strength and my praise (Psalm 117:14). He will be praised all day long; because he acted honorably and did not hide his deeds and crimes, but revealed them to the eternal king, walking in the light, not in darkness and secrets. Therefore, the Apostle says: Let us walk honorably in the daylight (Rom. XIII, 13); that is, not in gluttony and carousing, not in bed chambers and immorality, in which a wicked person thinks he is hidden by walls, so that he can escape the knowledge of God; for before God, the shameful deeds of all are uncovered, and the hidden sins of humanity cannot escape divine knowledge. Therefore, the saint will be praised in the future; for he sought not the praise of the present, but the grace of the future.

However, consider the distance. Here, while he is in the Lord, he is praised: there, he will be praised in the Lord, and for a short time he will receive the reward of eternity. But the eagle has said: In the Lord we will glory all day long. Symmachus says: We will sing a hymn to God all day long. The agreement of all is such that we never cease in the praises of God, whether by singing a hymn or by singing the divine glory in all moments. For whoever sings a hymn, does so with a pure heart and spiritually, and excludes all kinds of human passions; so that he is not hindered in his duty by any sadness, by the bitterness of any pain, so that his feelings are not aroused: but by singing a hymn to God, he remains immovable and irrevocable; just like David himself who says: I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise is always in my mouth (Psalm 33:2); and like Job, who, after losing his sons, having all his possessions taken away and destroyed, says: The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. ... blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 1:21) .

(Verse 10.) But now you have rejected and disgraced us. And God will not go forward with our powers. For even the holy David says in another place: For the Lord will not reject his people (Psalm 94:14); how can he say here: You have rejected us; especially when he speaks of the people, to whom he enumerates no small tokens of their own virtue? For it is not insignificant to say that storms and various temptations have come upon them, and they have forgotten their Lord God, and have acted unjustly in his testament (Verse 19 below), and the other things that follow. And furthermore, the holy Apostle interprets (Rom. X), and says that the Lord has not rejected his people to the extent that he made it speak: 'All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people' (Isa. LXV, 2). Supported by the authority of this word, he says: I say, therefore: Has God rejected his inheritance? By no means. For I too am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin (Rom. XI, 1). God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. But it can be said in this place that he did not reject the people because the remnant chosen by grace was saved. And it seems that in a few cases he did not reject the people; although not the whole people, he rejected many of them. Hence, he added by stating God's response, that he has not only preserved a few people, but also left for himself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal (ibid., 4). Truly, this saying was spoken by the Apostle according to the Gospel; for the Lord had gone to the Gentiles: but divine response refers to a time of zealous, still fervent faith; when even the grace of the prophets overflowed to the people of the Jews. Therefore, if during the time of Elijah the Lord denied having rejected the people; much more so during the time of David, or the sons of Korah, when the faith of the chosen people still shone forth.

However, let us also examine the holy David himself, how the Lord did not reject his people. For since he is a God who draws near, not one who distances Himself, as the scripture of the old Testament says (Jeremiah 23:23); certainly, He who draws near does not reject. For it is a characteristic of divine mercy that there is no one for whom there is cause for death, and He considers all to be redeemable. But see that it is not he who distances himself from the Lord who is rejected, as David says: For behold, those who distance themselves from You will perish: You have destroyed everyone who commits adultery with You (Psalm 73:27). What is happening, they fornicate without you? Because they mock their own depravity, they leave you and stray from your teachings. Ultimately, elsewhere it is written: But God shall judge adulterers and will disperse them from Himself (Hebrews 13:4). Therefore, you have rejected, that is, by alienating yourself, you have lost them. Therefore, whoever separates themselves from the Lord, they shall be separated from the Lord; and whoever does not know the Lord, the Lord will not know them; and whoever is ignorant, they shall be ignored; as the Lord Himself said: Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity, I do not know you (Matthew 7:23). For he does not consider it worthy to know the ministers of injustice and the authors of iniquity. Therefore, the sinner is not repelled; because he repels himself. Thus, he says in this manner: But now you have repelled and confused us.

However, the verse that follows explains how God repels. For He says, 'You will not progress, God, in our virtues.' When God does not assist, He seems to repel. For each one who does not feel the help of divinity to be conferred upon them, they think themselves rejected and abandoned. But what does it mean when it says, 'You will not progress, God?' And what does it mean when God is sometimes said to progress, or to go out, or to rise, or to descend? For God does not move corporeally, nor does He exit from any place, nor does He pass to another, who is above all things; nor does He truly rise, as if He were lying in some bed, or sitting physically in some seat; but these things are said so that you may understand when and to whom the words "to go out" and "to rise" are spoken. For we read in this very psalm: Rise up, why do you sleep, O Lord? (Psalm 44:23) And it should be considered lest it seem that God is sleeping due to our unworthy actions; as we read in the Gospel, when the apostles were still imperfect, that Jesus Christ was sleeping (Matthew 8:24). But when they were struck with fear of shipwreck and dread, they awakened Christ who was sleeping (Ibid., 25). Therefore, the Lord Jesus sleeps with the faithless, and watches with the faithful.

Finally, even the faithful person enters into God, and it seems that God departs from the negligent. Certainly, the Lord attracts those who are imperfect and still weak to Himself; as you have read the saying: Draw us, we will run after the scent of your ointments (Song of Songs 1:3). But truly, Moses, who was already stronger and chosen by the Lord, is mentioned as ascending and entering into his Lord God, as it is written: Because Moses ascended the mountain, and the mountain was surrounded by light, and the majesty of the Lord descended upon Mount Sinai, and it was covered by a cloud for six days; and on the seventh day, the Lord called Moses from the midst of the cloud. But the appearance of the majesty of the Lord was like a burning fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the children of Israel. And Moses entered into the midst of the cloud (Exodus 24:15 and following). Just as Moses entered into the cloud here, where he was first called to the mountain by the Lord, so in later times, when he himself entered into his tabernacle, a pillar of cloud would descend to him and stand at the door of the tabernacle; and all the people would stand and worship, each at the door of his own tabernacle. But the Lord was in the cloud; for he had placed darkness as his hiding place (Exodus 33:9 and 10). So that you may know, however, that it is said concerning the Lord: 'And the Lord spoke, saying to Moses' (Exodus 33:1). Moreover, the fact that the tent of Moses is mentioned as being placed outside the camp in order to meet God does not seem to be contradictory; for whoever seeks God enters as if into God, and with their whole mind enters into knowledge of Him.

Therefore, the just one enters to the Lord; just as Moses entered into the cloud: and in the cloud is God. Finally: Behold, the Lord comes in a light cloud (Isaiah XIX, 1). And in the Gospel it is written: But when thou prayest, enter into thy chamber, and having shut the door, pray to thy Father in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret, will repay thee (Matthew VI, 6). Therefore, God is inside, as if in your own chamber. Also, hear in another place, that God is inside. Behold, he says, the Lord will go forth from his place, and will come down and ascend upon the high places of the earth, and the mountains will be moved under him, and the valleys will melt (Micah 1:3-4). Scripture says this: and already then it signified that he would forsake the people of Judah and pass over to the Gentiles. Finally, we find it expressed in this psalm, when David says: And he himself, like a bridegroom coming forth from his chamber, rejoiced as a giant to run his course (Psalm 19:6).


Therefore, we find that God goes forth from certain species or enters into them; just as the Lord Jesus says that He comes to the man who fears Him. 'Behold,' He says, 'I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me' (Rev. 3:20). Therefore, we have said these things because the Prophet says: 'You have rejected us, and will not go forth, O God, with our armies'.


However, let us also take this into consideration: that God made progress in the virtues of the Jews when Joshua, the leader of the heavenly army, worshipped him. And so, without using weapons, he conquered and destroyed the city of Jericho, which had very strong walls. For when God made progress in the virtues of his servants, victory followed. For an angel made progress toward Hezekiah's prayers and struck down countless armies of the Assyrians. But sometimes the Lord abandons those whom He wishes to be crowned in battle, as if for a time; so that they may conquer with faith, and devotion may not be weakened by success and prosperity. Finally, often those who have fallen in the course of prosperity and the enjoyment of good fortune are corrected by adversity. Therefore, we frequently find that the Jews, after experiencing victory, have fallen, and after being subjected to servitude, have been corrected; because they have caused God to return to them through prayers and lamentations.

And hence also what was said according to the human, and the human affection, is not opposed to this sentence; because the Lord said: God, my God, look upon me; why have you forsaken me (Psalms 21:2)? Not that the Lord was forsaken, who also said elsewhere: I am not alone, because the Father is with me (John 16:32); but because according to the flesh of man and his affection, which is placed in a grave struggle, he seems forsaken by the Lord. Finally, Scripture says not in vain (Luke IV, 13), because after the first temptation the devil departed from him until a time, that is, until the contest; for when the great contest of the sacred passion came, the adversary again succeeded in his temptations: but when a man is as though in doubt, he thinks that he has been deserted by his God. But we understand this according to the affectation of the flesh; for a man seems to himself to be forsaken, whose process Christ accomplished in his body: so also by his divinity he knew that he was never forsaken by the Father; for he himself said: I am in the Father, and the Father in me (John XIV, 10), and only he did not abandon himself.


(Verse 11.) He also added this verse: 'You have turned us back from the enemy.' It is not good for one who turns back, because no one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62). Finally, Lot's wife, because she looked back, could not reach the top of the mountain, that is, she could not attain higher things; but she was turned into salt, which quickly dissolves and cannot have lasting use. So are those who follow temporal things, and do not follow eternal things; and they are deceived by their own foolishness, and they cannot have the grace of things to come. However, there are those who forget the things that are above, and they reach back to previous things in order to be able to obtain reward. And it is said to Peter, 'Get behind me, Satan' (Mark 8:33), so that he may be provoked to something better. And in the order of numbers, the one who comes after Christ is prior. Therefore, we are ahead of our enemies, because they afflict us and they persecute us. You wanted us to look back and reflect, in order to reach higher, always keeping ahead, pursuing our enemies and desiring to surpass them.

Finally, Theodotion has it this way, just as the Seventy men; that is, how this verse is translated. Aquila has: You have turned us back from the oppressor. Symmachus: You have set us as the last ones against every adversary. What are contrary to us, except the pleasures of this age, and full of delights and lasciviousness, and what are incentives to luxury? Lot's wife was deceived; because she had behind her the luxury of the Sodomites, and the allurements of that region. Where have you been deceived? Because you looked back. And so, do not look back at your enemies, for God has placed you as the last in the world. Or: Whoever makes themselves the lowest, does not turn back; but always looks forward. But in order for you to know who your enemies are, listen to what is said: Listen, Israel . . . . What is it that you are in the land of your enemies . . . . You are defiled with the dead (Baruch 3: 9, 10, and 11)? But who is your enemy and adversary, other than the prince of this world and his companions, who persecuted the Lord Jesus even to the cross, ignorant of his power? For if they had known, they would never have crucified the Lord of majesty. Therefore, even though you are the last, do not follow your enemies; but follow the Lord Jesus and his cross with joy, and persist in his footsteps. For whoever follows Christ does not look back; that is, to the luxuries and enticements of sin; and therefore, he can say with the saints: Our heart has not turned back (Psalm 44:19). Hence it is understood that even one who is first among his enemies becomes the last and the least in his heart if he looks back at them and focuses more on carnal desires than spiritual ones. The one who is the last can also be the first in heart; if he considers the things that are in heaven, and not the things that are on earth. Listen, because the last one in the world is among the first with Christ. I think that God shows us, the apostles, as the last ones, as if destined to death; so that we may be a spectacle to this world, both to angels and to humans (1 Corinthians 4:9). He called himself the last, and yet showed that he was also the first, when he said: But our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20).


(Verse 12.) It follows: And those who hated us plundered for themselves. You have given us as sheep for food; and you have scattered us among nations. Perhaps you wonder why those who speak, as we have said, have the greatest constancy of faith in later times, say here that they were plundered by those who hated them: but do not let these things frighten you. For many are plundered here; and yet their merits cannot be separated from Christ. The apostles were taken away, they were beaten with rods, they were thrown into prison, they were separated from one another, and yet they remained with Christ: in fact, by the very fact that they were taken away by the faithless, their merits increased, and grace was increased in heaven. For not immediately is one who is plundered by humans also conquered. See the apostle Paul rejoicing in his dangers: see his glory, that he was let down through a window in a basket. See how the holy Jeremiah, the holy Ezekiel, the holy Daniel, when led into captivity and plundered by the Assyrians, nevertheless endured no captivity of their own faith; nor did they transgress the Testament of the Lord, who kept even in captivity the divine precepts of the law, nor did they think that anything contrary to the institution of their ancestors should be appropriated from the forbidden foods.


Therefore, Theodotion said well: And those who hated us exulted over us; for the insult of enemies does not bring harm to good minds, nor does the plunder of enemies. And for this reason, the saint says, who is certain that plunder cannot harm him: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Tribulation, or distress? and so on: But in all these things we overcome and conquer through him who loved us: knowing that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor Principalities, nor present things, nor future things ... . . . so that we may be separated from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. VIII, 35 et seq.). Therefore, whoever is such, is not separated from Christ. Hence, even if he is physically torn apart, he is still spiritually free: and he is not only not subject to being torn apart, but he even seeks out praiseworthy plunder; just like those of whom it is written: From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful people lay hold of it (Matthew XI, 12). Victor is therefore the one who, being placed in earthly captivity, does not know how to be a captive to treachery; not only does he not steal what is excellent, but he himself steals what is eternal.

There are also those who become sheep of the pasture. Our Lord Jesus Christ is good because he became the lamb of our feast. Do you ask how he became so? Listen to the one saying: Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed (I Cor. V, 7). And consider how our ancestors, in the form of sheep being torn apart, ate the lamb, signifying the passion of the Lord Jesus, whose sacrament we partake of daily. Therefore, through this very lamb, flocks of pastures were made, as the Eagle said: or, flocks for food, as Theodotion spoke: or, grazing for those who eat, as Symmachus said. But a good feast is not only not to be feared by the saints, but also desirable. For otherwise, one cannot enter the kingdom of heaven; as the Lord himself said: Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you will not have eternal life (John 6:54). It is therefore proven that our Lord is the food, the feast, or the nourishment of those who eat; as he himself says: I am the living bread that came down from heaven (Ibid., 51).


And so that you may know that all these things were done for our sake, from the time he descended, the holy one says: We are all one bread (I Cor. X, 17). Therefore, let us not be afraid, for we have become sheep of the food. For just as the flesh and blood of the Lord redeemed us, so too did Peter endure many things for the Church. The holy apostle Paul and the other apostles also endured many things; they were beaten with rods, stoned, thrown into prison. For it was through endurance of injuries and the experience of dangers that the people of the Lord were established, and the Church attained growth; while others hastened to martyrdom, seeing that through those sufferings nothing had been lacking in the virtues of the apostles; but also because of this brief life, immortality was sought by them.

Which is also shown by the following verse, because they said: And among the nations you scattered us. Similarly, Theodotion said: But Eagle and Symmachus: Among the nations, or among the nations you scattered us. For the holy apostles were sent to the nations, and they were scattered among the nations, just as the holy prophets, of whom we have spoken above; so that through that scattering, the fruits might grow in abundance. For just as our Lord Jesus Christ fell like a grain into the earth, and he died, in order to bring forth much fruit: so too the holy apostles were scattered, in order to bring forth good seed among the nations; so that the fruit of the nations might sprout forth in their likeness. Finally, the Scripture says that the Lord said: 'I have sent you in order that you may go and bear much fruit, and that your fruit may remain' (John 15:16). Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ became like a seed, as it was said to Abraham: 'And to your seed' (Genesis 17:8), which is Christ. Christ is the seed of all. And for this reason, he allowed himself to fall and be scattered, in order to transform our humble body to be like his glorious body. Therefore, this saving seed sprouted for all men, and from it, in the likeness of Himself, were formed as it were the seeds of the holy apostles, sent through various places and dispersed, so that the peoples gathered in the field of the Church might shine forth with diverse fruits throughout the entire world. Therefore, these dispersals are called, just as in later times David also says the same thing: 'The Lord building up Jerusalem, and gathering together the dispersed of Israel' (Psalm 146:2). For they were scattered in order to produce new fruits, and afterward they were brought into the storehouses of the Church like new wheat.

However, this dispersal does not occur in lower things; that is, not on earth, but in heaven. Finally, the precepts of the Law confirm this, by which the Lord says: If your dispersal will be from the highest heaven even to the highest heaven, from there I will gather you, says the Lord (Deut. XXX, 4). What is the dispersal from the highest heaven even to the highest heaven? Who is this great one, who could be so widely spread? If it is a human, they are born on earth: they begin not from the highest, but from the lowest. If these things move and disturb you, return to the words of that holy prophet, and listen to who he is, the one who has made such fertile fields on this earth that their fruits reach the heavenly abodes. He is the bridegroom who, like a giant, runs through this entire path, impassable for others, passable for himself. And from him, the path began to be passable for mortals, although they would have to ascend. However, he himself alone would descend first, so that later his saints would deserve to ascend. Therefore, listen how the dissemination has been from the highest heaven to the highest heaven. From the highest heaven, it is said, came its going forth, and its circuit extends to the highest heaven (Psalm XVIII, 7). To whom can this be attributed? Moses barely ascended to the top of Mount Sinai, and this was because he was called by the Lord and was encouraged by a heavenly voice. Who could descend from the highest heaven except Christ, who both descended to the earth and remained in heaven? For no one ascends to heaven, except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man who is in heaven (John 3:13). Therefore, you see that when he both descended and ascended, he himself was and remained in heaven. For he himself said: I fill heaven and earth, says the Lord (Jeremiah 23:24). He is the one who is in heaven. This is enough to be said about the dispersal.

Moreover, what He says, 'You have tested us,' although it differs in wording, agrees in meaning. For just as those who have been scattered have been proven, so also those who have been tested have deserved to come to the test. For just as wheat, when it is winnowed and separated from the chaff, is clean, if it has not been winnowed, it cannot be clean; but the chaff remains compact and mixed together: so also a person, unless he has been winnowed by temptations, cannot separate fragile things, like chaff, from himself. Also to Peter it is said: Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not. (Luke 22:31-32). See what he saith, and understand. Peter is sifted, that he may be compelled to deny Christ. He fell into temptations, and spake as it were full of chaff: but he spake with the word, that his love might be more firmly grounded. Finally he wept, and washed away his chaff, and by those temptations deserved that Christ should intercede for him. How much greater is the protection than the temptation of that disturbance? And so he acquired more than he suffered; for he acquired Christ as his protector. However, the adversary is forced to tempt the holy ones of the Lord to their own losses. For while he tempts, he makes them better; so that the one who is tempted can also instruct others, who seemed weak to himself. Finally, Peter is placed in charge of the Church, after he was tempted by the devil. Therefore, by this it signifies that the Lord knows what it is that afterwards he chose him as shepherd of his flock. For to him he said: But you, once converted, strengthen your brothers (ibid., 32). Therefore, the holy apostle Peter turned to good fruit, and he was threshed like wheat, so that he himself would be one bread with the saints of the Lord, which would be our nourishment. For as we read about the actions of Peter, we come to know the teachings of Peter, and it becomes the nourishment for our eternal life and salvation.


(Verse 13.) You have sold your people without price, he said. It seems that buying and selling is a kind of equal contract: but nevertheless, if you consider the feelings of the buyer and the seller, each one sells himself cheaper and buys things that please him. For example, besides those people who engage in the business of selling slaves, no one easily sells unless it is someone whom they dislike, and whom they consider unfit for their use. And again, each person desires to buy someone whom they judge to be suitable for their utility or service. But even those who engage in the buying and selling of slaves regard their own profit; indeed, they value the slaves they sell so cheaply that they are even worth less to them than money: and often they prefer to keep those whom they have considered more capable for their business than to sell them.

So God therefore sold to a lower price, He bought at a higher price. He sold the people of the Jews, not by the harshness of God, but by their own fault; to whom it is rightly said: Behold, you have been sold by your sins, and I have dismissed your mother because of your iniquities (Isaiah 50:1). Thus, the people of the Jews, sold in this manner, were bought by the Christian people: the former sold by sin, the latter bought by blood. Hence Peter says: You were bought with a price, not with corruptible silver or gold. . . . but with precious blood (1 Peter 1:18-19). Who is the precious blood, if not the blood of that immaculate Lamb, that is, our Lord Jesus Christ? Therefore, without price is the Jewish people, but precious is the Christian people. The former has no price, because it has sin; the latter is valued, to whom sin is forgiven. Hence it is rightly said to the sons of the Church: You were bought at a price, do not become slaves of men (1 Corinthians 7:23). If you are told, do not become a servant of men, and lose your own freedom; much more are you told, do not become a servant of sin. And again, do not become a servant of the serpent, the enemy and adversary: but serve only the Lord, who redeemed you with his own love; for he is the redemption of his own servants.

Therefore, the Lord does not sell a good servant, but only a bad one. For although Joseph was sold, the Prophet did not say: Joseph was sold by the Lord; but: Joseph was sold into slavery (Psal. 104:17), whom his own brothers sold: whom the Lord, however, redeemed from slavery in the likeness of his own passion, and restored to grace. So, his brothers sold him and took the money: but the Lord not only set him free, but also enriched him with dignity. But the scripture shows that there was a figure of the Lord Jesus in it, which says: My son, zeal has consumed me . . . . return to me (Gen. XLIX, 22). And elsewhere: The firstborn of his bull is his glory (Deut. XXXIII, 17); because God the Father has exalted the horn of his Christ.

Therefore, whoever is sold is worthless and without price; as if he were not more, than if he were. Hence, even the Eagle said: You have given up your people, so that they should not be. And Symmachus: You have given up your people without substance. For there are not those who are rejected by Christ: but there are those who are chosen by the Lord; because the Lord has called those things that are not as things that are: and the chosen nations of the Gentiles have been called; so that the perfidy of the Jews might be destroyed. Therefore, that people was handed over into nothingness; because they were sold by their sin; for they have no substance of guilt.

Therefore I think it is said: And there was not a multitude in their commutations; that is, he dispersed us freely among the nations. For you do not receive anything in exchange, so that you may deliver the soul of a man; for nothing is more pleasing to you than the conversion of the soul. But if it refuses to be converted, it betrays itself to nothingness; so that it may be enslaved to sin and crime. Therefore, you have sold the degenerate people without price and without exchange. Hence, in the later passage he says: For there is no commutation for them (Psalm 54:20). Why is there no change for them? Because, he says, they did not fear God. (Ibid.)

However, the reason why the people of error did not have a change of understanding is this: because a person cannot redeem their soul with silver, gold, or possessions. For what exchange will they give for their soul, since those things are temporary or perishable, while the soul remains either for reward or punishment? However, that exchange was not even for the impious, which will happen in the resurrection, as the Apostle says: We will all rise again, but not all of us will be changed (1 Corinthians 15:51). It can also be understood thus, that although few of the redeemed deserved to be changed, like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, the change itself did not come to all. There is also this, that there is not a multitude in the changes of grave sins; according to what is written, that the sins of some men are manifest, going before unto judgment: but some also follow after (1 Timothy 5:24). Those sins that are grave and manifest go before, and are undoubtedly submerged: but those that are lighter are often relieved by good works. For blessed are those whose sins are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. But where sin abounds, no exchange of good works is revoked.

Therefore, even if someone is redeemed from the people of the Jews, they are not redeemed because they had a high value of themselves, nor because they had a great number in their exchange, but they are redeemed freely; as the Apostle teaches, saying: The remnant chosen by grace have been saved (Rom. XI, 5). Where there is grace, it is not by merit of works, nor by justification of virtues, but by the generosity of the giver, and by the choice of the redeemer; as Scripture also teaches you, with the apostle Paul saying: But if it is by grace, it is no longer by works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace (Ibid., 6). What then is it that Israel was seeking, but did not obtain? The reason why they did not obtain it is because they sought it by works, not by faith. They were looking for justification based on their own efforts and boasting in their works. But they did not bring forth faith and did not recognize God's grace. And so, the chosen ones obtained what they were seeking, because they listened to the calling and received the coming of Christ.

(Verse 14.) Therefore, deservedly in the person of that people it is said: You have made us a reproach to our neighbors, a laughingstock and a mockery to those around us. Who are these neighbors, and how they seem to belong to the vicinity of the people of Israel, is not easily discerned; if a spiritual vicinity is sought, having a certain light of knowledge to investigate the mystery of Christ: especially since in the very book of Solomon, which is called Ecclesiastes, we have learned that the more wisdom is sought, the deeper it is judged. For it is written: I said, I will seek wisdom, and she has been far off from me, greater than it was; and in deepness who shall find her? (Ecclesiastes 7:24-25). Hence, doubt arises in me to search into the mysteries of the Scripture divinely breathed, and to examine its teachings, which he was able to do fittingly, who spoke wisdom among the perfect. I see the perfect ones, and I justly call them perfect, since I see you have trained faculties for the discernment of good and evil; yet even he himself who knew how to receive solid food, sought for assistances, that the word of the Lord might run swiftly in him (2 Thessalonians 3:1). Nor could he even use this without prayer, so that his praise would be pleasing to God (Ps. 146:1); for it is not the assertion of one who uses, but of one who prays.

However, let us not seem to have completely escaped, let us consider who were the neighboring tribes of the Jews. For let us recount the old, the Philistines were considered neighbors to the tribe of Judah: and on the other side, the tribe of Reuben approached. Likewise, the Ammonites were in the wilderness, and those who were in the territories of Tyre and Sidon were connected to Galilee; that is, the tribe of Zebulun and the tribe of Naphtali, which were in Galilee; as Isaiah said: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, by way of the sea beyond the Jordan (Isaiah 9:1). Where can someone gather what special virtue belonged to each individual tribe, so that they could be joined with certain neighboring tribes; so that gradually even knowledge of celestial sacraments could be infused into the nations? This can certainly be understood from that Canaanite woman who came out from her own territory to meet the Lord Jesus passing by, and having set aside her idols, worshipped the true author of salvation: to whom our Lord Jesus Christ gave testimony that her faith was great. Indeed, the grace of the Gospel was shining brightly, as was the light of the majestic presence. However, because she went out willingly and sought mercy, and confessed the Lord with humble voice, and persevered in her own clamor of request, this woman of such kind received a significant privilege. She was the first to go out from the nations of the Gentiles and, through her persistent supplication, deserved to bear witness to the greatness of the Lord.


In fact, in this matter I have observed that some people have had doubts about what he means when he says, 'I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel' (Matt. 15:24), as if the Lord seems to have sought the nobility of the chosen race to save souls, who came to redeem everyone. But he deigned to show the purpose, which he did not want to refute those whom he had chosen first; and yet he sought to recall the straying and wandering ones with a certain paternal affection. But when they themselves had abandoned their true author, knowing themselves to be the God of mountains, not of valleys, and the kingdom of heaven not despised by those who compel, but gradually turned towards the gentiles; so that both the affection of the nations would be proven greater, and the stubbornness of those condemned by their own merit.

What then does he mean when he says: It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs (Matt. XV, 26)? Indeed, he called the Israelites, that is, the people of Judah, the children; but he called the people of the nations the little dogs. So what then? Is it the rich or nobles who are more worthy to receive the heavenly sacraments, and not those who strive more fervently to attain knowledge of the heavenly mystery with a pious mind? And if anyone among the Israelites is lax and negligent, or stubborn, and rejects the words of God: but the Canaanite who eagerly desires to concentrate his mind on acquiring the sacraments; is he more deserving to be preferred than the one who shows zeal, rather than the one who shows diligence? Not at all. And therefore it is necessary to carefully consider what he meant when he said: 'It is not right to take the bread of the children and throw it to the dogs,' to which the Canaanite woman replied: 'Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table' (Ibid., 27); he praised her earnestness and humility, which did not presume to claim deep wisdom for herself from the beginning, even though she had already come from the borders of Tyre and Sidon: but she believed that she could gather some crumbs of the saving word that fell from their master's table. For whoever diligently and subtly examines the words of Scripture, is accustomed to reach the depth of mysteries. Therefore, it is said to him: Great is your faith: let it be done to you as you wish (Ibid., 28); that is, let the door of the word be opened to you, and let the healing mystery of eternal life shine forth.

Therefore, let the one who is near, go out and desire to see Christ, and cry out in prayer; just as that Canaanite woman went out from her borders, saw Christ, and cried out with constant voice, so that she might obtain his mercy. Therefore, let the believing Canaanite be a reproach to the Jew, because he himself did not believe: and let him grieve and be mocked by those who are around, and let him groan.

And this prophecy seems to be about the nations that will believe, especially when the following things show this, because it says: You have made us like the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples; because the salvation of the nations is the result of the transgression of the Jews; and the things that happened to them in figure, we have learned have come to our understanding, as the Apostle testifies (I Cor. X, 11). And truly they have been put to shame among the nations; because the nations have preferred the shame of the Lord's cross to all worldly wealth. But whoever considered that cross as a reproach, and as if shunned a reproach, truly remained in perpetual reproach. However, because they do not seem according to the flesh to be Israelites, who could say: We have not acted unjustly in the Testament of the Lord (Below, verse 19): nor has their heart turned back from the Lord; see lest they remember themselves as having been placed in a circle of illusion and mockery, of whom the Lord says: Many calves have surrounded me (Psalm 22:13). For persecutors have surrounded him, when according to the counsel of his own will he underwent suffering. Hence elsewhere it says: They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the Lord I have taken vengeance on them (Psalm 117:11). Therefore, it is better to tread the straight path, on which evildoers cannot walk. They quickly fall because they do not walk in the right direction. Hence, when they wanted to apprehend Jesus the Lord, when he looked at them, they fell. Therefore, for those who are accustomed to walk around, the Lord has appointed an angel to drive away enemies who lie in wait behind. Thus, the angel of the Lord surrounds and protects those who fear Him. For the wicked walk around, as it is written (Psalm 11:9). Therefore, observe the difference. The wicked walk around, but the angel surrounds those who do not walk around; and therefore, he surrounds in order to rescue the righteous from the snares of their persecutors. The spiritual Israelites therefore seem to be those who speak these things, because they have been subjected to the temptations of the world and have been a reproach to their neighbors; that is, those who did not inhabit their homeland of Jerusalem. They were also subject to spiritual illusions and powers, against which the righteous are accustomed to struggle. Finally, let history teach you that the Jews who were taken to Babylon, although they seemed to be subjected because of their sins, were nevertheless much better off than the Gentiles. For the worst were those around them who insulted them, while they themselves were burdened with serious sins.

Therefore, the first understanding to be applied is that of the captive fathers, whom the Assyrians insulted, mocking them in Babylon: over whom that most wicked king Nebuchadnezzar ruled. The second understanding should be referred to higher things, because the cruelest king is the devil himself: he is the Assyrian Nebuchadnezzar, who is accustomed to laying snares for the good, in order to lead them into sin through the allurements of the flesh. Therefore, pay attention to this king in the place where the Apostle says: I see a law in my members against the law of my mind, leading me captive to the law of sin (Rom. 7:23); that is, in that law of carnal allurements. The lion is an adversary, who attacks the vulnerable and wearies the just. Hence the eagle beautifully put it: You have placed contempt and pomp upon those who are in our midst. Thus they were considered despicable, who have become a spectacle to this world, both to angels and to humans; for even though they do not sin against God in the Testament, nor are they swayed by the allurements of the flesh from the Lord; yet they seem to be carried about and despised as if in some kind of parade: since sinners are accustomed to insulting the humility of the just; so that they may consider the cross of the Lord-Savior a reproach, and the humility of the just. Finally, as if on a theater stage, the Apostle says: 'I am pleased with insults, with hardships, with persecutions, with difficulties' (2 Corinthians 12:10). In these things, he finds pleasure, considering everything that belongs to the world as a loss, in order to gain Christ, seeking only life and death: for him, to live is Christ and to die is gain, so that he may be found in Christ.

(Verse 15.) Furthermore, these Israelites add, saying: You have made us a proverb among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples. To which nations have you made us, if not to those who do not believe? For the things that happened to the Jews have been made in the likeness of a figure, so that it became a type and figure of the destruction of the Jews, and from that likeness, through a proverb, we seek a solution to our present [situation], so that we may be able to avoid their examples. Then, because all Jewish matters are like parables; that is, like images needing interpretation. Finally, the Lord spoke to the Jews in parables, so that the ignorant would not understand, but the wise would understand; as the Apostles understood and asked the Lord about what they were moved by. However, the Jews neither understood, nor desired to learn what they did not understand.

Take this parable. Abraham therefore had two sons: one by a slave woman, and one by a free woman (Gal. IV, 22). The Jew did not understand this except according to the literal sense. He did not know which of the two sons would inherit the father's estate; because he was inclined to the flesh. The parable needed an explanation. The Doctor of the Gentiles came, and the faith of the nations, and he understood that those two women are two Testaments: one from Mount Sinai, which brought forth the people of the Jews in servitude, which is Hagar (Ibid., 24). And therefore Sinai, because it signifies the measurement through interpretation: and the measurement of the Law is, but grace is superabundant. Sinai is also called wages, and it is suitable for the Jewish people, who sought to justify themselves by the wages of works, which they preferred to the grace of faith. Therefore, what was under the Law, Jerusalem served with her children: but what is above, Jerusalem is free. And therefore Sarah, who is called the principal, has freedom; because her prince is just and blameless. Therefore, from the two Testaments there are two peoples: one of the Jews, the other of the nations that believed in Christ. The Jews, who did not believe, are in bondage; he himself was born according to the flesh, because he interpreted the divine Scripture according to the flesh and according to the letter, not according to the spirit. But he who was born of the free woman is through the promise; that is, the one whom the promise is based on faith, he is the son of the Church, holding the freedom of grace for whom the Church says: 'Cast out the bondwoman and her son; for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with my son Isaac' (Gen. XXI, 16). And the Apostle says: Therefore, brethren, we are not the handmaids of the son, but free (Galatians 4:31). This is therefore the solution; because what the Jew did not know, the faith of the gentiles has solved, infused in the minds of the nations by the teacher Paul. Therefore, their deeds are a parable for us.

But the Lord also said: I became a parable to them; those who sit at the gate were working against me (Psalm 68:12 and 13). He became a parable; for you say, he said, 'Physician, heal yourself' (Luke 4:23). He became a parable; for he rebuked those sitting at the gate; for at the end, we should not be idle, but active. Therefore it is written: see to it that your flight does not happen in winter or on the Sabbath (Matthew 24:20); that is, not in leisure, but in business. Therefore, the blind Jews were sitting; because they were unable to stand, they did not know the true courts of Jerusalem; for if they had known that Jerusalem, they would have sought it. So, these weary ones were sitting at the gate. Not only did they sit, but they also hated the Lord who rebuked them at the gates. For at the gate was the one who was about to undergo the passion of his own body, through which he would depart from the earth and return to heaven. He was at the gate when he said: Walk while you have the light (John 12:35). What then is this: 'I have become to them as a parable' (Psalm 68:12), unless because the end of the Law is Christ, and His death has revealed the mysteries of the prophets; and those things which were previously unknown to the Jews when they were prophesied, have now been manifested through the achievement of the Lord's Passion? 'I have become to them as a parable,' because He presented Himself to them as humble, offering Himself to them, not avoiding their seditions, and leading them to the time of His favor; that He might die for all men, and by His blood the human race might be purified.


Likewise, it is written in the parable: You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain (Deut. XXV, 4). The Apostle explains this parable, saying: Does God take care for oxen? Or does he say it for our sake? For our sake, it was written. Who plows, except in hope of sharing in the crop? (I Cor. IX, 9 et 10). So, as good farmers, where our earthly land has been plowed because of hope, let us sow not carnal but spiritual things: because corruption comes from carnal things, and eternal life is acquired from spiritual things. Therefore, the type and figure of the deeds of our ancestors are known to us. The written law is like a figure written in our hearts, so that for us it is a certain image of things to come, not the truth itself. Therefore, the law is like a figure to us: the Gospel is like the light and seal of truth.

Therefore, in the parable, the Lord showed Himself to the Jews: but they did not understand the parable; because they did not receive the physician who would heal the souls of the laboring and absolve them from every sickness and inequality of infirmity. He also became a parable, because He took on flesh, which the Jews crucified, not understanding the spiritual parable. For they did not understand to the extent that when they crucified the author of life, and saw the Savior's flesh hanging on the cross, they nodded their heads. For if they had understood, certainly they would not have insulted, but groaned. And yet the motion of the head itself yielded to them in likeness; so that it did not signify what they were feeling, but what they were declaring as mysteries. For they, insulting the Lord according to the common practice, moved their head; just as those who desire to insult the just, if perhaps they see them wearied in this world, move their head.

This agitation of the head has a twofold interpretation. For those who move their head seem to be reproachful according to the authority of Scripture, as Matthew says: 'Those who passed by blasphemed the Lord Jesus, moving their heads' (Matt. 27:39). And Mark: 'Those who passed by' (Mark 15:29). But the reason why those who pass by are considered reproachful is taught by the Prophet himself, who says about the vineyard of Sabaoth: 'All who pass by plunder it' (Psalm 79:13). Finally, the following verse signifies this: 'The wild boar out of the wood hath rooted it up, and the wild beasts of the field have devoured it' (Ps. 79:14). And in the later part it says: 'Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the LORD be upon you' (Ps. 129:8); for whoever passes by and does not stand in the house of the LORD does not give his blessing. Therefore, the Jews shook their head at the Lord Jesus, so that they might pass by him, who could not have the firm and sure foundation of faith. But they moved their heads, whose head should have been Christ, whom they should not have moved and cast down by the perfidy of the Jews. But because the members did not suffer themselves to be Christ's, therefore their head was not Christ. The Law was not their head either, for they were stripped of it and by the Law of the nations. The word of God was not their head for they had lost the prophets and did not have the apostles. Let this be said about this reprehensible shaking of the head. However, even a mild concussion is to be condemned: it is reprehensible for the Jews, but commendable for the people of the nations. For what is the head, if not the place where the senses reside? Indeed, the eyes of the wise are in their head; they must be moved, that is, the senses of your mind, so that they do not become sluggish due to any dullness. Therefore, move your prudence, move your wisdom, move your thoughts through the comparison of heavenly words, and through the discussion of prophetic words, so that you do not sin against the Testament of God, but rather may your faith be strong. For there are heretics who move their senses, in order to arouse disbelief, not faith.

But now it must be said more explicitly about the shaking of the head itself, which is placed in the likeness of the people. Who is the head of the people other than Christ? For the head of a woman is the man, and the head of a man is Christ. But even the Law is the head of a woman in an intelligible sense. Finally, under the Law, the people of the Jews are like a woman under a man; because Law is called νόμος in Greek; and therefore the Synagogue is joined to the Law as to a male, but to the physical Law, not the spiritual one; that is, to the rite of the Jewish Law, to which it is bound by the chains of marriage, unknowing the legitimate sacraments. But if the law, that is, the embodiment of the law, is dead; then the people, like a widow, may lawfully marry a second husband, who has risen from the dead. This woman is also the head of the Gospel. Hence, some mystically interpreted that, after the Jewish rite has been put to death, they wanted her to marry the Gospel as a brother of the deceased, because the law had announced the Gospel. Therefore, the first husband is the law, and the second husband is the sacraments of the Gospel. For there are, as it were, two marriages, there are two Testaments. One marriage is the old Testament, which is dissolved by the death of the previous husband. And therefore that woman to whom the Law is dead rightly enters into a second marriage, that is, the new Testament. Thus, through two brothers, one is joined, to whom the former sins die, and the better sacraments are renewed afterwards. This the Apostle clearly explained to us, saying: For the woman who is under a man, while the man is alive, is bound by the law; that is, by the law of her husband, so that she owes him chastity: But if her husband dies, she is released from the law of the husband; that is, so that she may marry whomever she wishes, as long as her husband is dead; because while the husband is alive, he says, she will be called an adulteress if she is joined to another man: But if her husband dies, she is freed from the law of the husband, so that she is not an adulteress, if she is with another man (Rom. VII, 2 and 3). This sacrament also pertains to Christ and the Church, as he demonstrated elsewhere because it is a great sacrament (Ephesians 5:32). He also did not overlook this, saying: Therefore, my brothers, you also have been made dead to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, who has been raised from the dead (Romans 7:4). How have you been made dead to the Law unless that the shadow of the Law may die for you when you approach the heavenly sacraments? For you should not approach the Gospel in any other way, unless freed from the impediments of bodily interpretation. Moreover, it is adultery to mix truth with falsehood: but spiritual chastity, if your soul, stripped of all hindrances of erroneous knowledge, approaches the word of God without blemish. Therefore, just as Christ is the head of the Church, so the Law is the head of the Synagogue; that is to say, for those who are under the Law, for whom the Apostle made himself under the Law, although he was not under the Law; in order to benefit those who are under the Law. And again, he became a teacher of the Gentiles, as if he himself were without the Law; in order to win over those who were without the Law to Christ. But he said beautifully that without the Law of God, he would not exist, and he would remain in the Law of Christ (1 Corinthians, IX, 21).

But the head of the Synagogue was not from the beginning; for Christ was the head of the old Synagogue, which Moses founded and established. Finally, listen to him saying that it was founded by the word of the Lord. By faith, he said, Moses, when he had become great, denied that he was the king's grandson. For he preferred to sympathize with the afflicted rather than to enjoy temporary pleasures; and he valued greater riches and preferred them to the treasures of Egypt, which were a reproach to Christ. For he looked at the reward of God's promises (Heb. XI, 24 et seq.), which is the grace of resurrection. But when the Word of God died for the unbelievers because of the treachery of the Jews, and was expelled from the hearts of the Jews, the spiritual understanding of the law died, and the Synagogue entered into a carnal ritual and a perfidious observance. But that was not the sobriety of spiritual marriage, but the adultery of chastity. Therefore, the Synagogue could not be free, for she had married wrongly and did not believe in the future resurrection of Christ. Hence, the Church married her well, to whom Christ, according to the sacramental dispensation, died according to the flesh, so that the Jewish soul that was previously bound by sin would be absolved from the bond of transgressions through the death of Christ. A woman is not permitted to marry another man, unless her husband is dead; that is, unless she has been freed from the bond of lawful love. But if her husband is dead, she is free.

Indeed, he was bound by the Law to marry his deceased brother's wife; if the husband left no offspring (Deuteronomy 25:5). This bond was more a result of the letter of the law than of spiritual grace. Ultimately, it was at the will of the deceased brother whether or not he wanted his wife to be taken by his brother to raise up offspring for him. Therefore, he was commanded to loosen his sandal, to indicate that he was stripped of the bond of their union, which he had demonstrated to be foreign to his own preference. For it is written, that a man was loosing his shoe and giving it to his neighbor, saying: This shall be a testimony in Israel. And his neighbor said: Take, and acquire it for yourself. And he was loosing his shoe. The bystanders also said: May the Lord give you a wife, who may enter into your house, as Rachel and Leah, who both built the house of Israel, and may they do power in Ephrata (Ruth 4:7, 8, 11). But this was binding upon the Jew by the interpretation of the letter. But it was a figure, because Christ was to come into the world, who would raise up the seed of the dead people. Justly a brother: because it was said: I will declare your name to my brethren (Psalm 21:23); and: Whose are the fathers, and from whom Christ according to the flesh (Romans 9:5). Or because the Gospel would work the restoration of the dead Law in future generations; so that the seed which the Law had not left, the content of the Gospel might raise up.


No wonder, therefore, if they have moved their head by a wrong interpretation; so that they themselves would disturb the wisdom, the author of their salvation: or certainly by moving their head, the cause of the head's disturbance would not be insignificant; but for the people. This disturbance of the head happened: since their sound went forth into all the earth; so that the whole earth would become the Lord's, and the kingdom of the Lord would be among the nations. Hence, it also says in the following: The Lord reigns, let the people be angry: who sits upon the Cherubim, let the earth be moved (Psalm 98:1). What the eagle beautifully interpreted, so as to say 'ἀλάλαγμα', is the transmutation, which is from place to place, from Judea to the nations of the world. This can clearly be shown from the reading that is in the Gospel, as to how the Law has been moved, as the Scripture says: 'the scribes and Pharisees sit on the chair of Moses.' Therefore, all that they tell you, observe and do, but do not do according to their works, for they say and do not do. But they tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. (Matthew 23:2 et seq.)

What is it, the scribes sit; unless because it is written? Hence, even in Greek, they are called γραμματεῖς, scribes, who follow the interpretation of letters, not the understanding of the spirit; for the letter kills. Therefore, following the killing letter, and resonating with the same appellation, they are scribes: but the Pharisees, that is, those who are divided from the unity of truth, are also scribes; for "phar" means division. But the Pharisees divide the words of the Law in this way, so that they resonate and meditate on them; but they do not see the spiritual mysteries of the Law and the sacraments. For if the Law is spiritual, surely the precepts of the Law are spiritual, and its works are spiritual. Therefore, those who teach what Moses wrote bind heavy burdens to the physical aspects of the Law (for the things that are contrary to the yoke of Christ are heavy), and through their misguided doctrine, they impose heavy burdens on the ears of those who listen, which they themselves do not even want to move, so that they may be moved from the physical aspects of the Law to the spiritual words of Scripture. For it must be understood that they do not want to move those things by their own finger; that is, they do not transfer themselves to spiritual understanding with a small point and moment. Hence also is that which is written: But if I by the finger of God cast out devils (Luke 11:20). What the finger is, the Scripture itself interprets, which says in another Gospel book: But if I by the Spirit of God cast out devils (Matthew 12:28). Therefore the finger of God is the Spirit of God; for God is a Spirit, and has nothing corporal in His substance, but is entirely Spirit. Therefore, by the Spirit of God, he casts out the demon, he who casts out by the finger of God. Hence, even the holy David says: 'For I will see your heavens, the works of your fingers' (Psalm 8:4). That is to say, the works of your Spirit are the heavens, as it is also written: 'By the word of the Lord the heavens were made firm, and by the breath of his mouth all their host' (Psalm 33:6).

To conclude the argument, the scribes and Pharisees have no relevance to the inner person, who is made in the image and likeness of God; so in what he thinks and meditates, he should think more about spiritual things than about carnal things. Therefore, they try to refer everything to that external, earthly person: and that is why all their works are such that they seem good to people; not to please the Father, who sees in secret. They are indeed afraid to reveal their works.

This, therefore, is the shaking of the head that has been made among the people; or, as Aquila and Symmachus said, among the nations; for all nations have moved their head, in order to interpret the Law spiritually. Let no one think that they can be saved according to the letter of the Law; for the letter of the Law brings a curse: the Spirit brings a blessing. No one can be justified by the works of the Law; for all who are under the letter are under a curse. Therefore, let all flee from the curse of the Law, and let them take refuge in the grace of blessing; so that they may have the blessing in heavenly things, in Christ Jesus, who died for us, so that faith may pass on to the Gentiles: who, though he was a man before the Synagogue, did not abandon it, and he redeemed us; for he did not abandon it, so that the remnant may be saved: he redeemed us by choosing the peoples of the nations. Therefore, this election of the Gentiles is the salvation of the Jews; for the remnant was saved not by their own works, but by the election of grace. Therefore, it is the grace of Christ that both redeemed us and revived the remains. However, a commotion of the head was made among the Gentiles: but from this commotion, the Jews bore the grace of significant change, and their remains were saved.

(Verse 16.) It follows: All day my modesty is against me: and the shame of my face covered me. What is it that sometimes in the person of one, sometimes in the person of many, this psalm is said here? For from the beginning it began with many, as it is: O God, we have heard with our ears, and the rest that follow (Above, verse 2 et seq.). Then he says: You are my king, and my God. Again: In you we will vanquish our enemies. And afterwards: For I do not hope in my bow; and: In God we will be praised all day; and: All day long my shame is against me. What does this change, which is frequently repeated in the psalms, mean; as it says in Psalm 108: Do not keep silent, O God of my praise, for the mouth of the sinner and the mouth of the deceitful one are open against me. Does this apply to one person or to many? They have spoken against me with a deceitful tongue. ...and they have set hatred in place of my love (Ibid., 3 and 5). Then of one: Appoint him a sinner (Ibid., 6). This seems in the 108th Psalm to be referring one thing to the Jewish people, another to the traitor Judas. When spoken in the plural, it refers to the people; when spoken in the singular, it refers to Judas. Likewise, we can say that when spoken in the plural, it refers to the saints; when spoken in the singular, it refers to our Lord Jesus Christ; because it can be understood as speaking for many in the Prophet, and speaking for himself. And therefore he said: My shame is against me; which is called 'ἐντροπή;' But 'ἐντροπή' is when someone wants to instill shame in someone, so that they may change their purpose, as it is written: 'Come down from the cross, and we will believe in you: He trusts in God, let God deliver him now' (Matthew 27:42-43). But he beautifully says: All day; because the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ brought light to the world. Therefore, the Day of the Incarnation is the same of which the Lord says: 'Walk while you have the light' (John 12:35); and: 'Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day' (John 8:56). Therefore, this bashfulness contains confusion within itself. Hence also Symmachus says: All day long, he says, my confusion is against me. But what is the confusion of Christ, if not the cross; on which he hung naked? And rightly so, all day long; for from the moment he was affixed to the cross, darkness occurred until the ninth hour, and after the ninth hour, light shone until evening. This day is the first of three. However, the chorus of the saints can speak both in the plural about themselves, and singularly; for the chorus has the nature of a single person, but it consists of multiple individuals; just as it is written: This people honors me with their lips; but their heart is far from me (Isaiah 29:13).


But what is the confusion that covered the Lord Jesus, when sins cause confusion; for they are the ones that cover the sinner: but if he does not commit sin, does this mean that he does not commit sin? But just as there is a confusion that leads to sin, so there is a confusion that abolishes sin; such is the confusion of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which sins are cleansed. There is also every good confusion that you endure for the sake of Christ's name, and it is exceedingly glorious; for example, if in persecution the law is that a Christian be beaten, lose dignity, be deprived of privilege, and be led into chains. This confusion, though it does not have privilege, has the glory of a pious confession. And it is also the confusion of Christ, as he himself says: Whoever is ashamed of me before men, I will also be ashamed of him before my Father who is in heaven (Matthew X, 33). Therefore, a good confusion. However, for many, this confusion of Christ is bitter; that is, for those who do not believe, it is unpleasant, but for those who believe, it is joyful.

(Verse 17.) So if you want, understand the confusion of Christ in his cross, which seemed to be a confusion to the Jews who insulted him; as if Christ would be ashamed in the work in which he was working for public salvation; or even this confusion, which seemed to be thrown at him, by the voice of the reproachful and reviling person; by the face of the enemy and persecutor. For he was ashamed that his chosen people had fallen in this way, and he was confounded in them before the Father, whose end had come; for the Father was present to the Son, from whom the Son can never be separated. And therefore the Father was listening to him saying to the Jews: Behold, your house will be left deserted to you (Matth. XXIII, 38).

But there are those who even boast in their confusion; just like those of whom the Apostle says: Their glory is in their shame (Philippians 3:19); their glory is contrary to the glory of Christ, who embraced the cross and did not shy away from shame. We should not fear this confusion, nor avoid it out of fear or disdain; lest it bring sin upon us, which can bring the grace of life. For there is also glory in confusion, like when you encounter many pagans or philosophers, and they throw the cross of Christ at you, and you cannot respond with words, and no one hears the words of salvation you are declaring, that is confusion; but it comes from the voice of reproach and opposition, from the face of the enemy and persecutor. And therefore do not respond foolishly to his foolishness: be like a mute and silent man, and as if not hearing the words of those who insult and slander; not because you are unable to respond, but because you should not respond. For there is a time for everything: a time to be silent, and a time to speak. It is necessary to be silent when you do not find a ready listener: it is necessary to speak when the Lord grants the tongue of instruction; so that your speech may have an effect on the emotions of those who hear. But how can he listen to you who speaks against you, because he does not want to hear your beneficial speech? Or how can he acquiesce to you, who is a persecutor and wants to seek revenge on you? Or, as Aquila and Symmachus said, how can he avenge and punish you, because it seems that the inheritance of Christ has been transferred to the Gentiles? Therefore, this confusion is far from the confusion and disgrace of the sinner. For the conscience of that person is enlightened, who has not forgotten his God; their conscience is confused, whose mind is clouded and disturbed by the memory of their sins.


(Verses 18, 19, 20.) And therefore, being well aware, they say: All these things have come upon us, and we have not forgotten you, and we have not acted unjustly in your covenant. And our hearts have not turned back, and you have turned our paths from your way. The last verse seems to not agree with the previous ones. For how have those who have been overtaken by no forgetfulness of divinity, no consciousness of injustice, and no negligence turned aside? But if you consider that the righteous person barely escapes, you will understand without a doubt that even they sometimes falter in their footsteps, and the author of their downfall seems to be God; for the righteous themselves often suffer temptations, so that they may be tested and trained by them. But who is so strong that they are not moved at all by temptation, unless the Lord, their helper, comes to their aid? Even the prophet David himself was troubled, for he said in his abundance: I shall not be moved forever. (Psalm 29:7). But who is that person whom neither the place of affliction, nor the corruption of the earth can move? When the divine sentence has not exempted anyone who is immune from the exercise and fatigue of this earth, to whom it was said: Cursed is the ground in all your works . . . thorns and thistles it shall bring forth (Gen. III, 7, 18). Indeed, Paul himself, a chosen vessel of the Lord, absolved from the curse of the old sentence by the passion of the Lord Jesus, nonetheless deeply lamented being led captive under the law of sin, and found no one except Christ from whom he could be set free: when the law of his body and the shadow of death oppressed him.


We have stated the idea: but it is necessary for us to consider more explicitly which place is the source of affliction. Whether it is this world, which is placed in evil: or truly our flesh, in which our soul is humbled, while it descends into the fellowship of this flesh: or the adversities with which we are exercised, being constituted in this body, in which we groan burdened; which we do not want to be stripped of, but clothed with? For it is a heavy labor while we wait for this mortal (body) to be swallowed up by life, from which we must strip ourselves; for it is stripped with less labor than it is swallowed up. See to it that this variety does not strip itself, and expect to be absorbed by life. Grace strips, penitence absorbs: sublimity strips the mind, diligence absorbs. How, then, can you doubt that this place of affliction exists, when the body is a place of death, in which even the shadow of death covers us? And therefore, we must always turn to that light, which is the word of God; so that we may know how to direct the paths of our souls and the footsteps of our inner mind, so that the light of our souls may dispel the bodily darkness.


However, the beautiful interpretation of Aquila teaches us how we should understand the place of affliction when he says: For you have humbled us in the place of the sirens. So that it is not the flesh that is at fault, or nature, but those things that have made the flesh corruptible. Finally, the divine Scripture made mention of the sirens a second time (Isaiah XIII, 21) and a third time (Micah I, 9), and the history of the Gentiles reports that they were certain maidens who, with the sweetness of their own voices, the enchantments of their singing, and the desire to be heard, enticed sailors sailing toward the shore: and it is said that the ancient tradition handed down to posterity that they used to make shipwreck in a rocky place when they followed the allurements of the voice (Homer, Odyssey). But the interpretation of these things is this: the pleasure of the voice, and a certain flattery. And so, the pleasure of the world delights us with a certain carnal flattery in order to deceive. Therefore, there was no fault in that place, but the sweet sound that made the roughness of the shore not be avoided: likewise, there is no fault in the flesh; but those things by which the flesh is tempted and tossed. Finally, the sea, if the storm is absent, is calm: if the tempest rages, it is dangerous.


And the opinion of the seventy men seems to agree with these sentiments, as they say that it is written: 'For you have humbled us'. The testimonies of this interpretation are to be sought from divine Scriptures. For it is written in Deuteronomy: 'If you go forth to battle against your enemies, and the Lord your God delivers them into your hands, and you take their spoils, and in the spoil you see a good-looking woman, and you desire her and will lie with her' (Deut. XXI, 10 and 11). And below: If you do not want her afterwards, you shall dismiss her free... because you have humiliated her (Ibid., 14). Therefore, you see that she has been humiliated not by her own nature, but by the one who has taken away her integrity of modesty. Humiliation, therefore, is the work by which this flesh, become the body of sin, is both the place and cause of affliction. Again elsewhere: If a virgin is betrothed to a man and another man finds her sleeping with her in the city, both of them shall be brought to the gate of their city and stoned to death: and the young woman shall die because she did not cry out in the city or call for help. And the man, he says, because he has humiliated the woman of his neighbor (Deut. XXII, 23 and 24). And here is the same reason for this discourse, that it may be said that she was humiliated by her corruptor. You also have a third testimony about this matter, and more if you seek. However, listen to the same book: If anyone finds a virgin who is not betrothed, and lies with her by force, and is found, the one who lay with her shall give to the father of the young woman fifty denarii, and she shall be his wife, because he has humiliated her. He shall not be able to divorce her all his life, because he has humiliated her (Ibid., 28, and 29). The same argument is repeated so that you understand that it is not the condition of the flesh that seems to humble us, but rather guilt.

However, we cannot deny that the flesh is humbled and weakened in its very nature, by its very allurements, and by its own fragility which is exposed to error. Although it was not deceived by a mediocre serpent, it had, nevertheless, a considerable grace before sin was found in it: Adam was in the sight of God, he flourished in paradise, he shone with heavenly grace, and he spoke with God. Have you ever read about him being humbled before, except after the transgression had humbled him? The heritage of which defect he transmitted to us; so that, being placed in this body, we do not want to wander away from the body, and to be present to God. And therefore we humble our soul which strives to lift itself up to God: but this corruptible body weighs down the soul, and earthly dwellings prevail, so that the devoted mind frequently leans towards the world, and cannot subject itself to God, because the wisdom of the flesh is ignorant of the submission of itself, which involves our desire.


Saying these things about us, what can we say about the flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ? Who certainly took on the truth of this flesh and therefore humbled himself even to death, death on a cross (Phil. 2:8). Pay careful attention and consider each thing. See that he willingly took on this form of our body and the servitude of your obedience, being made in the likeness of men: not in the likeness of flesh, but in the likeness of sinful men; for every man is under sin. Therefore, he was found in the likeness of a man; as it is written of him: And he is a man, and who will know him (Jerem. XVII, 9)? Man according to the flesh, but beyond man according to his work. As a man, he humbled himself (Phil. II, 8); because God came to them who had been humbled, to set them free. Therefore, he humbled himself for us. Therefore, his body is not a body of death; indeed, it is a body of life: nor his flesh, a shadow of death; indeed, it is the brightness of glory: nor in him is there a place of affliction; indeed, in that body there is grace and consolation for all. He humbled himself so that you may learn what humility is. Finally, listen to him saying: Learn from me because I am gentle and humble in heart (Matthew 11:29). He humbled himself so that you may be exalted; for whoever humbles himself will be exalted. But not all who are humble will be exalted; for many are humbled by their own wrongdoing to their downfall. The Lord humbled himself even to death; so that he may be exalted from the gates of death.

Behold, see the grace of Christ, see His blessings. After Christ came, this flesh, which was the shadow of death, began to shine through the grace of the Lord and have its own light; hence it is said: The lamp of your body is your eye (Matthew 6:22). But see of which eye it is said; not the outer one, but the inner one: If your eye is single, your whole body will be full of light (ibid.) Indeed, the eye is internal, which illuminates the whole body of a person. The eye is also internal, which removes blindness from the whole body; for it is written: But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be in darkness (Ibid., 23). You see in one person where darkness is born, where light arises. Therefore, you are to yourself either darkness or light. Darkness is the corruption, the darkness of sins; light is innocence. Therefore, you are to yourself either the author of injustice or of grace: divine operation does not err. The light is within you; because your infancy is innocent. The mind of man is pure before the slippery adolescence, and the error of youth. Therefore, you have made darkness for yourself instead of light. Ultimately, the same eye, that is, the sense of man, is dark in the sinner, bright in the innocent.

And let us not overlook what Symmachus says: You have afflicted us in a deserted place. Therefore we are afflicted because at times we are deprived of heavenly protection, and this region is under a curse, or on the slippery slope of secular matters. Moreover, our Lord Jesus Christ had not yet blessed his land; and therefore they labored, not directing the gaze of their spiritual eyes towards the light of his mercy. And then because the pleasure and delight of the world frequently creep in (Hom., Odys., M). Where we must not bind ourselves and be bound by the chains of that man, nor close our ears with wax: but turn away whenever someone thinks that something contrary or adverse to our benefit is to be criticized; lest in that conversation the shadow of death covers us: and if something of that sort is put forth, nevertheless we must insert the word of God, which illuminates the eyes of our mind with the brilliance of debate.

(Verses 21, 22.) It follows: If we have forgotten the name of our God, and if we have stretched out our hands to foreign gods. Will not God require these things? The eagle will investigate them, he said. Will Symmachus find them? For he knows the secrets of the heart. For your sake we are being put to death all day long: we are reckoned as sheep for slaughter. What does it mean when it says: God will require it? As if God does not require it, he is ignorant: and thus God will require your forgetfulness which has crept in, in order to remove every trace of it. And so Aquila said: He will investigate these things. For certainly one who knows the hidden secrets of the heart, how does he seek, to whom even the things that are internal are manifest? Indeed, before God the conscience of each person reveals itself, and the thought of a person either condemns or clears them. Finally, Aquila said the visions of the heart because he sees our heart, and every thought of our heart is readily available to God, and the image of our thoughts shines before Him. Aquila said it well: In you we die, because to die in Christ is both difficult and glorious; and in him dies the one who is crowned with a sacred passion for his name. But why are you surprised that this verse, which seeks God, reveals the secrets of the heart; when elsewhere you read that God is the searcher of hearts? Why are you also surprised if the majesty of the divine substance cannot be explained by our words, as the Apostle says: Do not judge before the time, until the Lord comes who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts; and then praise will come to each person from God? We often read the darkness of the heart in the place of crime; in fact, almost everywhere. Therefore, see to it that those things are not hidden darkness, which are the hidden things of the heart; and for this reason they have received the name of darkness, because they are not detected by others, but they remain concealed. And for this reason, it is said that the Lord on the day of judgment will bring to light the hidden things of darkness; because the heart of each person will be revealed, which was hidden before: indeed known only to Christ, who, knowing the grace of His judgment, says: There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed (Matthew 10:26).


However, there are many things that we suppress out of modesty and keep silently in ourselves in order to fulfill the heavenly commandment, so that we do not seem to boast about things that are ours and begin to lose the fruit of them by making them known. However, there are secrets of wisdom that the apostle Paul heard when he was caught up in paradise. And because it was not permissible for a man to speak of them, he kept them to himself. Not because he envied others the use or favor of them, but because it was not lawful for a man to speak, perhaps it would not have been beneficial for a man to hear. These things the Lord will enlighten at the time when the time for enlightening these secrets arrives. See also in the Gospel, where it is said: 'There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be made known' (Ibid.). However, this supports the higher interpretation, that both refer to good things; for it is written: 'The Lord knows those who are his' (2 Timothy 2:19). Therefore, he knows his own, and he knows those who know God; but he is unaware of those who are ignorant of God; for the one who is ignorant will himself be ignorant. Therefore, the Lord recognizes those things that are good: those things that are full of divine knowledge, those things that are hidden wisdom, the Lord knows them. But he detests those things that are full of wickedness and sin.

Finally, if you consider the character of those individuals whom no forgetfulness of divine worship separated, who stretched out their hands to a foreign god and refused to open their souls, you will understand that in their hidden works there were no crimes, but rather things that belonged to innocence. For they were afflicted by death for the sake of the worship of God, and all day long they were engaged in death, just as Paul also was engaged, who says: 'I die daily by your glory' (1 Corinthians 15:31). And truly, Paul died daily according to the flesh, in fastings, in shipwrecks, in various dangers, in miseries: but he did not completely die. His outer man died, but his inner man was renewed: and therefore he did not fail, even though he was pressed by so many dangers; because although his outer man was corrupted, his inner man was renewed day by day; because the faith and grace of each person illuminates his day's work. Where Paul the Apostle did not know night; because the one who is renewed is always in the light. Do you not see in the light, the one who contains the love of Christ within himself? And therefore, being secure in sacrifice, he does not shy away from hardship: neither any persecution, nor hunger, nor sword can separate him from Christ the Lord, whom the bonds of divine love bind.

(Verse 23.) Meanwhile, however, the human mind is disturbed even in good works and is shaken by temptations. Yet it is also the way of the righteous to ask for help when they see themselves being tempted; just as the apostles did in the Gospel (Matthew 8:25) when Jesus was sleeping in the boat, fearing the stormy waves, they woke up the Lord Jesus to drive away their fear. Don't the holy apostles seem to have said these verses to you: Arise, why do You sleep, Lord? Arise, and do not repel until the end. Certainly, although in appearance the letter may seem different, the meaning agrees. And truly, even though our Lord Jesus Christ was arranged in a body, he did not sleep in such a way that he was unaware of the storm of the sea and the rising tempest of the winds, as the knowledge of it exceeded the depth of sleep. He slept in body, but was watchful in his power. And that arrangement was such that the Son of God, the Word of God, ascended into the boat; his disciples also ascended together: whom he did not allow to be remiss and negligent, as if secure from the presence and favor of the Lord, he composed himself in the sleep of the body. Therefore, in that dream-like appearance, by sleeping on this earth, He was showing the Word of God to His apostles. Yet His power and providence were awake, which stirred up a storm in the sea, so that the ship was nearly engulfed by the rising waves: by this, the disciples, troubled by the storm, would be able to determine whether they were being supported by a helpful plan or whether they were exceeding the remedy. But for those for whom Jesus was not sleeping, faith was awake: and therefore, when they arose, they awakened the Lord Jesus, saying: Lord, save us, we are perishing (Matthew 8:25).


See if also that differs from the Gospel, which we read about Jonah (Jonah, 1:5), who was sleeping in the belly of the ship and snoring: in which a figure of the sacred passion preceded. For just as Jonah was sleeping in the ship and snoring, feeling secure as if he did not fear being caught; so our Lord Jesus Christ, who fulfilled that figure with the sacrament of his death, slept in the ship during the time of the Gospel: and just as he was in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights; so the Son of Man was in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights in the passion of his own body. When he had awakened himself from death, and had relaxed the sleep of his body, in order to rise again for the salvation of all, he visited his Disciples. This is therefore the true Jonah, who offered his soul as redemption for us. Therefore he was lifted up and sent into the sea, so that he might be received and devoured by the whale, in whose belly he might empty his bowels. Concerning this whale it is said, listen to Job saying: 'Who, he says, can deliver the great whale captive?' (Job 3). Who is this? Surely you know, when you have read that our Lord Jesus Christ led captivity captive; for having defeated the adversary and enemy, we who were captives have begun to possess freedom through Christ (Ephesians 4:8).

Finally, the very speech of Saint Jonah teaches that the mysteries of the Lord's Passion are to be understood, when he says: 'I cried out to my Lord in my distress, and he heard me from the belly of Sheol (Jonah 2:3).' Do you see that he said Sheol, not the sea? For the Lord descended not into the sea, but into Sheol, so that those who were in the depths might be released from eternal bondage. Indeed, many of them also rose from the dead. Now, what were the rivers that surrounded Jonah, or from which abyss did Jonah say: 'The depths closed in around me, seaweed was wrapped around my head; I sank down to the very roots of the mountains, I went down to the land whose bars closed behind me forever (Ibid., 6-7)'? Certainly this does not fit with Jonah's story, and it is appropriate. But the Son of God descended into the cracks of the mountains, when he descended into the tomb; for Joseph himself, as the Gospel teaches (Matthew 27:60), placed him in his new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock, and rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb. Finally, in another book it says: He placed him, it says, in a hewn tomb, in which no one had yet been placed (John 19:41).


But who is there, who with a voice of praise and confession has offered a sacrifice to the Lord; except the Prince of all priests, who both made vows for all and fulfilled them? For he alone had the power of accomplishing what he had intended. For as Jonah was sent into the sea, and the sea was calmed by his presence; so our Lord Jesus Christ came into this world, to reconcile the world, and to bring peace to all things, whether earthly or heavenly. Therefore, he redeemed all mankind by his adventure; and he incited them to the worship of God through his deeds, when he raised the dead, healed the sick, and instilled the fear of God in human hearts. He is the one who sacrificed a saving sacrifice to the Lord for us, and offered worthy offerings of our conversion to God; he is the one who slept and woke up.

Therefore, care must be taken not to sleep among sinners; for he seems to sleep to those among whom he does not rise, and whom he repels to the end. But who is it who is repelled, unless he who is a wanderer from the Lord, because he does not wander from the body? For how can those who are in the flesh please God? And therefore, let us not be in the flesh, but in spirit: let us cleave to the Lord Jesus, who in the eighty-eighth psalm says that he was repelled for us. But you have cast off and rejected, you have been angry with your anointed one. You have renounced the covenant with your servant and have defiled his crown in the dust. You have broken through all his walls and reduced his strongholds to ruins. All who pass by have plundered him; he has become the scorn of his neighbors. You have exalted the right hand of his foes; you have made all his enemies rejoice. You have turned back the edge of his sword and have not supported him in battle. You have put an end to his splendor and cast his throne to the ground. You have cut short the days of his youth; you have covered him with a mantle of shame. How long, Lord? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire? Remember how fleeting is my life. For what futility you have created all humanity! Who can live and not see death, or who can escape the power of the grave? Lord, where is your former great love, which in your faithfulness you swore to David?


(Verse 24.) It follows: Why do you turn your face away? We think that God turns his face away from us when we are in any afflictions; so that darkness is poured out on our feelings, by which we are hindered from drinking in the brightness of truth with our eyes. For if God attends to our nature, and deigns to visit our mind, let us be certain that no thing can cast a shadow over us. For if the face of a man shines more than the other parts of the body, and whoever we look at, we either recognize an unknown person or recognize a known person, whom our sight does not allow to be hidden; how much more does the face of God, whom he gazes upon, illuminate! About which as his other things are; and also this is a notable saying of the holy Apostle, who is truly the interpreter of Christ, so that he may infuse him into our minds with a more fitting meaning and language; where he says: For God, who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (II Cor. IV, 6). Therefore, where Christ is shining in us, we have heard. For He is the eternal radiance of souls, which the Father sent to the earth so that, illuminated by His countenance, we may be able to gaze upon eternal and heavenly things, who previously were held in earthly darkness. Why should I speak about Christ when even the Apostle Peter said to that man born crippled from his mother's womb, 'Look at us' (Acts 3:4); and he looked at Peter and was illuminated by the grace of faith? For he would not have received the remedy of health, unless he had faithfully believed. Therefore, when there was such glory in the apostles, Zacchaeus, hearing that the Lord Jesus was passing by, climbed up into a tree; because he was small and unable to see him in the crowd. He saw Christ, and found light. He saw him, and returned what he had previously taken from others. Therefore, they rightly say: Why do you turn your face away?

Or perhaps for this reason it is said that his advent kept delaying, because he was making the desire for Christ grow. For he himself is the face of the Father, who is the image and glory of God. Certainly, if we do not receive this sacrament of his incarnation, they rightly use that saying, the saints saying: 'Why do you turn your face away?' that is: 'Even if you turn away, Lord, your face from us, the light of your face is still sealed in us, Lord.' We hold it in our hearts, and it shines with intimate affection; for no one can stand, if you turn your face away. For all things wait upon you to give them food in due season. You give it to them, and they gather it: when you open your hand, they are filled with good things. But if you turn away your face, they shall be troubled: you will take away their breath, and they shall fail, and shall return to their dust. You will send forth your spirit, and they shall be created: and you shall renew the face of the earth (Psalm 103, 27 et seq.). Do you recognize the food that God provides for mankind? He himself is the food which our Lord, the only-begotten Son, feasts upon according to the will of the Father; as he himself says: 'My food is to do the will of my Father, who is in heaven.' (John 4:34). This food is beneficial to us, and all things of God are beneficial.

You hear certain members of God, recognize their virtues. For his hand, indeed, is the fullness of goodness: his face is the enlightenment of the mind. And therefore let us always hope in him, direct our prayers and all our endeavors towards him: let us not despair, even if we cannot see him corporally; for Moses did not despair, to whom it was said: You cannot see my face; for man shall not see my face and live. And he added: Behold, there is a place with me, you shall stand on the rock: and when my glory passes by, I will put you in a cave of the rock, and cover you with my hand, until I pass by; and I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back parts: but you shall not be able to see my face. Therefore, the face of God does not appear to be from man. Yet there is a place where God shows himself through faith to man. This place is with God, and therefore if we stand on the rock, that is, in the conscience of this flesh, and in the firmness of faith; although we cannot see the fullness of it, we will draw as much as we can, like remnants of its light. For even Moses did not see the entire fullness of his divinity, which dwells bodily in Christ: but he saw the latter things of Christ, he saw his splendor as a man, he saw the glory of his passion, through which he opened the heavenly kingdom to us.


However, Eagle: Why do you hide your face, he set; but also the others, which seems to agree with the words of Moses, who says: Show yourself to me (Exodus XXXIII, 13), as if he were saying: Do not hide your face from me, but rather show it to one who desires to see.

And he added: Forget, he said, our poverty and our tribulation. About what poverty does the holy Prophet say that it has come into forgetfulness of God? Or what is this poverty, over which our God and Lord complains that it has fallen out of memory? This poverty is not idle; unless perhaps it has what it is accustomed to have, a protector God and a rewarder. For if there is a poverty for which the kingdom of heaven is open, rightly do they consider that their poverty has fallen out of divine senses, who wept over their humiliated soul in the dust, and said that their belly clings to the earth. But those who cling to the earth, seem to be deprived of divine protection. So, listen to what this poverty is: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3). Therefore, if blessed poverty is the one that opens up heaven, let us neglect these earthly riches and avoid material excess. Let us follow in the footsteps of the apostles, before whose feet each person would contribute from the price of their own land, so that it would be distributed to the poor. Therefore, these holy men had begun to practice this evangelical poverty long before; and that is why they said: You will forget our poverty. This is similar to that apostolic saying: Behold, we have left everything and followed you (Matthew 19:27). Poverty, therefore, is a good thing that comes from piety and is embraced through the exercise of virtues.

They lament not only their poverty but also their tribulation having come into oblivion of God. Good are the tribulations that are proper to the righteous, who endure them not for their own merits but for piety's sake: in which the righteous is not worn down but enlarged, as the holy Prophet declares, saying: In tribulation thou hast enlarged me (Psalm 4:2). And the Lord Jesus Himself says: In my distress I called upon the Lord, and He heard me and brought me into a large place (Psalm 118:5). He enlarged the holy apostle Paul when He took away the light of his eyes; for in this way he confessed Christ, whom he had previously denied. Therefore, he deserved to be a vessel of election. Finally, so that you may know that the Lord Jesus enlarged Paul, listen to the Apostle himself saying: 'Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians, our heart is enlarged' (2 Corinthians 6:11). Therefore, open your mouth, confess Christ; for He is fullness: where there is fullness, there is also width. And like a good teacher who would wish to have equal disciples, he also encouraged us to expand, saying: Expand yourselves also (II Cor. VI, 13).

But when God expands somewhere in tribulation; then the breadth of the heart will become like the innumerable sand of the sea. What is this breadth? Listen to the holy Solomon saying: I wished, and understanding was given to me; and I called upon, and the spirit of wisdom came upon me (Wisdom 7:7). For in order to receive wisdom from God, he asked not for riches, nor nobility, nor power; but he asked for wisdom, and in that he found all that he did not even ask for. Where the Scripture says that such was the breadth of his heart, as the innumerable sand of the sea (3 Kings 4:29). Hence, to perceive this breadth, he says, knowing about himself: In the breadth of your heart, describe it (Proverbs 7:3). And therefore, let the one who has wisdom not hold it in secret, not for a moment; but let him proclaim it with authority, everywhere that he feels it.

However, Symmachus regarded affliction as tribulation. Whether it be affliction or tribulation, it is necessary for us to remain in the Lord and not depart from Him; for with the Lord as our leader and helper, we can endure any struggle courageously. But if we neglect the Lord and distance ourselves from Him, we create a stronger adversary for ourselves.

On Psalm 46

Preface

(Verse 1.) The title of this psalm is inscribed as follows: To the end, for the sons of Korah, for hidden things, a psalm of David himself. What does 'for hidden things' mean? It means that David had knowledge of hidden things through the revelation of the Lord Jesus, as the holy Prophet also mentions in the fiftieth psalm, saying: 'You have revealed to me the uncertain and hidden things of your wisdom' (Psalm 50:8). But what these hidden things are, we learn in the holy Gospel, where the Son of God says that the mysteries of wisdom are hidden from the wise and revealed to the little ones (Matthew 11:25). These are those things, if I am not mistaken, which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have they entered into the heart of man: which the Lord has prepared for those who love Him. Therefore, let us hide the secrets of wisdom in the hidden depths of our hearts, and not disclose them rashly to anyone; unless it be to companions of the sacraments, whom the Lord has called to his grace, for he desires to be sought in secret; for he alone knows the hidden and secret things.

Finally, the Lord Jesus himself wanted to go up the mountain to receive the Law, only with Moses, but not without Jesus. He also revealed the glory of his resurrection to Peter, John, and James alone out of the whole number of disciples (Matthew 17:1). Thus, he wanted his hidden mystery to be a secret, and he frequently warned them not to easily announce what they had seen so that no weaker person would encounter a stumbling block and would not be able to draw the power of the sacraments with a wavering mind. Finally, Peter himself did not know what to say, who believed that three tabernacles should be made for the Lord and his servants. Then he could not endure the brightness of the glory of the transfiguring Lord: but he fell to the ground, James and John the sons of thunder fell, and a cloud covered them; and they could not rise until Jesus came, touched them, and commanded them to rise and to cast away fear. Therefore, they entered into the cloud, so that they might know hidden and secret things; and there they heard the voice of God saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: him, listen to. What is this, This is my beloved son? This is, do not be mistaken, Simon, that you think the Son of God is to be compared to the servants: This is my Son; not the son of Moses, not the son of Elijah; although the one opened the sea, the other closed the sky. For in the word of the Lord, both have overcome the nature of the elements: but they provided a ministry, he is the one who solidified the waters, closed the sky with dryness, and when he wanted to, he turned it into rain. Where the testimony of the resurrection is accepted, the ministries of the servants are present; where the glory of the risen Lord is shown, the splendor is hidden from the servants. For the rising sun covers the very spheres of the stars, and all their lights disappear beneath the worldly sun. So how could the carnal stars be seen under the eternal sun of righteousness and that divine radiance? Where, then, are those lights that were shining before your eyes with a certain miracle? Darkness is all things in comparison to eternal light. Others hasten to please God in their ministries: He alone is the true and eternal light, in whom the Father is pleased, or in whom it is pleasing to me; may whatever He has done be mine, and may whatever I have done be considered the work of the Son. Hear Himself saying: I and the Father are one (John X, 30). He did not say: I and Moses are one. He did not say that He and Elijah have any share in divine glory. What three tabernacles do you prepare? This tabernacle does not have its place on earth, but in heaven. The apostles heard and fell down in fear and confusion. The Lord came and lifted them up, and commanded them not to tell anyone what they had seen.

Therefore, keep your secrets hidden for this person to whom David entrusted his secrets, saying: Cleanse me, O Lord, from my hidden sins (Psalm XVIII, 13). The receptacles in which the hidden mysteries of piety are found must be cleansed. And therefore, it is said to you: Drink water from your vessels and from the fountains of your wells... and let your waters overflow in the streets, so that you may be cleansed by a flowing fountain (Proverbs V, 15 and 16). Therefore, it is said to you: Let your wine vats overflow (Proverbs III, 10). Therefore it is said: In tribulation you have called upon me, and I have delivered you; I have heard you in the hidden tempest: I have tested you at the water of contradiction (Psalm 80:8). For there is a certain fierce storm within the hearts in times of trouble, when there are external battles and internal fears. The water of contradiction is when our thoughts fluctuate like the heat of a bitter salt, and they are not calmed by any stable definition in the depths of our minds. Then the storm in secret, then the water of contradiction, which can only be calmed by the word of Christ, by which he forgives our sins, as he himself deigned to say: 'Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you' (John 15:3). Speak, Lord Jesus: your word is medicine, your word is light, your word is the cleansing of our pollution, your word is a fountain. You speak, and guilt is washed away.


And because the word of God is spoken of in reference to the hiddenness of the storm and the water of contradiction, everything has been done for us. He became flesh in order to preserve flesh; he became water in order to temper the water of contradiction with his grace and remove the bitterness of impiety. And so it is written: The word is high, deep in the heart of man (Prov. 20:5). Somewhere there is a word, elsewhere there is again counsel; for there is good counsel where there is the word of God, which is good. And that is why the Law says to you: Pay attention to yourself, lest an evil word be in your heart (Deut. XV, 9); and Jesus says: Why do you think evil things in your hearts (Matth. IX, 4)? For God sent His Word to heal man, not to destroy him. This Word is medicine, not punishment. Let this Word be in your heart and on your lips: let this Word be in secret where the devil lies in wait: let the Word enter, let the devil exit. For if the devil creeps in, Christ withdraws; just as He withdrew from Judas after the devil immersed himself in his heart. And so you should say: Cleanse me, Lord, from my hidden sins, lest the devil lie in wait in hidden places, like a lion in its den. But if you faithfully and piously keep Christ's secrets, the devil will not find a place to ambush. Therefore, in the ninth psalm, David, writing about the secret sacraments of the Lord, which are the conversion of sinners, the calling of the Gentiles, the kingdom of God, the preparation of the heart, the judgment of the poor, and the nourishment of the needy, says that the adversary must be exterminated from the secrets and hidden places of your heart, so that he does not sit in secret with the desire to kill the innocent. Therefore, it is said to you: Enter into your room, and with the door closed, pray to your Father in secret (Matt. VI, 6). Let your prayer descend there, where the one who searches the hidden things may hear it: there let him find your patience, either for the purpose of concealing an offense or avoiding boasting; for a wise man conceals his own offense. There is the hiding place of wisdom; for he has set darkness as his hiding place (Psalm XVII, 12). The wicked shall seek me, and shall not find me (Prov. I, 28).


Therefore Abraham dug a well, so that he could find water: therefore Isaac dug a well: therefore the Lord Jesus sat at the well; and there was the well of Jacob. He sat at the well, so that you might seek. There is a well where Christ is. The well is for those who seek the overflowing water; through which all the sins of the flesh may be washed away or the fires extinguished. Therefore, this is the height of the wisdom and knowledge of God; that the evil may not find it, the good may seek it, and they may engage in the pursuit and meditation of acquiring it. Do you want to know how true it is? Listen to the words of wisdom itself: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you (Luke XI, 9). Therefore, knock on the door; for Christ is the door: knock on the door of the Word; so that the mystery of Christ may be opened to you for speaking, and hidden treasures of wisdom in Christ may be found. In Him is our wisdom, in Him our life is hidden; as Paul affirms (Colossians III, 3), who was caught up to the third heaven to hear what is not permitted for a man to speak. How much hidden knowledge there is! It is allowed for a man to know, but not to speak. To know is life, to speak is death.

Therefore, the knowledgeable ones understand that the purpose of hidden things, which is called σκοπὸς in Greek, is this: so that even the unworthy may not grasp the discipline of wisdom, and those who desire it may strive to attain the knowledge of divine sacraments through the merits of life and faith, and they sweat through daily exercises in order to merit the fruit of their intention. Let us read the ninth psalm and the forty-fifth more carefully, so that we may comprehend the hidden wisdom in faithful understanding. For they alone have surpassed others in regards to hidden matters. But now we worship the psalm.

Commentary

Our God is our refuge and strength. What does 'our' mean? It means the ones who believe in you. Similarly in another place: O Lord, you have become our refuge (Psalm 89:1). To us, the ones who believe, not the unbelievers; to us, the ones who seek, not those who flee from the truth. For only someone who puts their hope for salvation in the protection of God alone can say this. Therefore, you have become our refuge, our refuge and strength, who we are from the peoples of the nations. The Jews rejected you, the Jews received you not; and for this reason you turned to the Gentiles, you called us, and became our refuge, and you are our strength. Do you want to know what has been said about us who are from the Gentiles? The cross of the Lord is an offense to the Jews, foolishness to the Greeks; but to us, it is the power and wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:18). And further: But by him you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom to us from God (ibid., 30). Certainly, Paul did not speak about the Jews or the Gentiles, but about those who were converted to the Lord Jesus and preached the author of their salvation. So, have you taken refuge in Christ? Do not abandon the foundation, do not forsake your confirmer; so that he who has received you may himself protect you, and as a faithful merchant of our souls, recognize his own reward.

(Verse 2.) Helper in tribulations which have found us too much. He responded very well to both, so that in the tribulations which have found us too much, and helper too much can be understood. For as much as greater the tribulations may be, so much greater and more intense aids are necessary for us. And therefore, it often happens that in more serious and harsh battles we are crowned: because through more frequent tears, groans, and prayers, we obtain the eternal help of divinity.


(Verse 3.) From which it happens that we do not fear, when our land is troubled and mountains are moved; for if God is for us, who can be against us? We cannot fear the weaknesses of this flesh, which is broken by fear and dread, inflamed by desires, softened by indulgence, weakened by pleasures, vaporized by fevers, tormented by pain, and exhausted by afflictions. Or when those mountains are moved into the heart of the sea, of which the Savior said: If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will not only do what is done to the fig tree; but even if you say to this mountain: Be lifted up and thrown into the sea; it will be nothing impossible for you (Matthew 21:21). This mountain sent itself into the heart of Judah, and it troubled his mind with a heavy storm, agitating it with various waves of passions. For just as the soul is compared to the fertility of the land, abundant in good works and the fruits of devotion and faith, like the scent of Jacob, like the scent of a full field; so too is his soul portrayed by the turbulence of the stormy sea, which cannot be at peace and is stirred up by bitter thoughts. Finally, even with his kiss, the Lord Jesus did not temper the bitterness of Judas the betrayer. The traitor received a kiss, poured out poison, inflicted death: whose sting indeed Christ blunted, but the traitor alone did not escape. And to make this kind of mountain manifest to us, also elsewhere when he had commanded a demon to come out of a man, and the apostles asked why they themselves could not cast it out, he said: This kind cannot be driven out except by prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:20). And he added: If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,’ and it will move, hand-signifying which mountain that would be, which perfect faith could transfer. For perfect faith is compared to a grain of mustard seed, as the Apostle says: If I have all faith, so that I could move mountains, but do not have charity, it profits me nothing (I Cor. XIII, 2).

(Verse 4.) There are also those who distinguish it thus: And the mountains are moved; so that it follows: The waters sounded in the recesses of the sea, and its waters were troubled: the mountains were troubled by its strength. Not good are the waters that sound, and are troubled, and cannot give drink. Better are those that pass through; as it is written: The waters shall pass through the midst of the mountains, and all the beasts of the field shall drink thereof: the wild asses shall expect in their thirst (Psalm 103:10-11). Finally, when the legion of demons requested and received the power to enter into pigs, with great force it threw itself into the sea (Luke 8:32): and those waters of its flock were disturbed by their precipitous descent. Elsewhere also the same prophet David has thus written: The waters saw you, O God, the waters saw you and were afraid (Psalm 76:17); that is, the good virtues, which are peaceful with the knowledge of the heavenly Word, are not terrible with noise and tumult. But what does it say about wicked virtues? And the depths are troubled, a multitude of the sound of waters (Ibid., 17 and 18). The depths do not see God, and therefore they are always subject to disturbances. And it explained what the depths are. A multitude, it says, of the sound of waters. For even that beast, the Antichrist, ascended from the depths, in order to fight against Elijah and Enoch, and John, who were sent to the earth for the testimony of the Lord Jesus, as we read in the Apocalypse of John: to whom was given a mouth speaking great things, so that it might sound forth against God full of the blasphemies and sacrileges of fury (Apoc. XIII, 5 and following).


Therefore, the waters rumbled, that is, the unclean spirits, when they were disturbed, seeing the works of God, fearing judgment as the approach of the coming of the Lord of salvation. The waters also rumbled and were disturbed in the passion of the Lord. Therefore it is said: Why do the nations rage, and the peoples meditate on vain things (Ps. II, 1)? And elsewhere the Scripture says: Their memory has perished with noise (Ps. IX, 8). The devil seeks noise, Christ seeks silence. Finally, just as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth (Isaiah 53:7). And elsewhere: He will not cry out or raise his voice, nor make his voice heard in the street (Isaiah 42:2-3)... until he brings forth justice to victory (Matthew 12:19-20). What is this if not victory over the serpent? In this strength of the Son of God, the mountains were shaken; when the devil and his servants saw the dead rising. These are the mountains that are disturbed: those mountains that are transferred into paradise, of which it is said: Today you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43). And another to whom it is said: So I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me (John 21:23). And Enoch who was taken up; so that the wickedness of the world would not be changed.

After the passion of the Lord, what else should follow except that a river flowed from the body of the Lord: when water and blood flowed from His side, which rejoiced the souls of all; for by that river, the sin of the whole world was washed away. There is also a river that flowed from Eden and went around the whole earth, the Word of God by which the intelligible paradise is watered, and every soul is called to the grace of Christ, as the Word of God Himself says: If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. To whom I shall give the water of life, rivers of living water shall flow from his belly (John 7:38-39). For from that one Word of God flow the four rivers of prudence and fortitude, temperance and justice. For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another faith in the same Spirit, to another the grace of healings in one Spirit, to another the working of miracles... For the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one as He desires (1 Corinthians 12:9ff). These are the impetuosity of the river, when it flows into the favor of the ministry of operation and virtue through spontaneous division.

Therefore, that city through which God dwells is irrigated by the waters of the heavenly river; and the tabernacle of the Most High is sanctified, every soul that is inhabited by Christ; or that body which the Virgin generated, of whom the angel Gabriel said: And what will be born of you will be called the Holy Son of the living God (Luke 1:35). A good tabernacle, which no sins could overshadow. An admirable temple of God, and a heavenly hall, which could not be corrupted when it was loosed, but within three days it rose again, resurrected by the same one who seemed dead. It is no wonder, when God was in the midst of his city, that he was not moved, either because the Son of God was not moved by the fall of any sin or stumbled by the offense of any error, or wavered by the impulse of bodily temptation; or because he did not leave his soul by the grace of God, but remained inseparable in it, which remained immaculate from all the pollution of sin. Hence, the Son of God said to the Father: You will not abandon my soul to hell (Psalm 16:10). Therefore, because sin did not reside in him in the flesh, he said divinely: I am in the Father and the Father is in me (John 14:10). And elsewhere: I was handed over and did not go out (Psalm 87:9). He did not go out from him, to whom he later said: I have risen and I am still with you (Psalm 138:18). But when someone sins more gravely, God is moved in him, so that he may pass from him. Hence, he was seen walking with Adam who sinned, and standing with Stephen; because the former fell into transgression, the latter was crowned in martyrdom. And in the book of Zachariah it is written: The Lord walked in the turmoil of His wrath (Zach. IX, 14). Similarly, it is said in the Gospel to the Jews: Behold, your house will be left to you desolate (Matth. XXIII, 38). For the Lord has forsaken the Jews, and immediately the ruin of the Synagogue followed. If Christ had not forsaken it, the final destruction would never have followed. Therefore, we have opened what was said: God will not be moved in its midst.


It follows: God will help her at dawn. By this it is signified that the morning resurrection brings us the assistance of heavenly help, which drives away the night and restores the day, as the Scripture says: Arise, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine upon you (Ephesians 5:14). But consider the mystery. Christ suffered in the evening; therefore, according to the Law, the great Passover is celebrated in the evening (Exodus 12:6). He rose in the morning; for it is written: Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the entrance (John 20:1). At evening the world is set, with the light fading; for this whole world was in darkness, and would have been wrapped in even greater depths of darkness, had not Christ come to us from heaven as eternal light, to restore the times of innocence to the human race. Therefore, the Lord Jesus suffered and with his own blood forgave our sins, a purer light shone on our conscience, and the day of spiritual grace shone forth. Hence the Apostle says: The night is gone, the day has drawn near (Rom. XIII, 12). Therefore, we have woken up and will no longer sleep. We put on the garment of light, not returning to the dark attire of conversation and worldly desires. We bid farewell to feasts and pleasures that belong to the night and choose sobriety, through which Jacob found the primacy he did not possess.

It is found in other codices as well: God will help her with his countenance. What this also signifies, let the Prophet himself teach us. For he himself said later on: Show your face, and we shall be saved (Psalm 79:4). Therefore, the appearance of God is our salvation, and in his countenance is our assistance. The divine Scripture declares how great this power is, which God showed by regarding the gifts of Abel, but he did not regard the gifts of Cain (Genesis 4:4-5); and therefore Cain was sorrowful, because he knew that his sacrifice was displeasing to God, while his brother's pleased Him. And that which is chanted today in the responsory of the psalm contributes greatly to our assertion: I have waited for the Lord, and he has looked upon me (Psalm 39:2). He who the Lord looks upon, he saves. Finally, in the passion of the Lord, when Peter wavered in speech but not in mind (although Peter's wavering speech is more faithful than the teaching of many), Christ looked upon him, and Peter wept; by this, he washed away his own error. Thus, whoever he appeared to deny with his voice, he confessed with tears.

The nations were troubled, the kingdoms were shaken: the Most High gave his voice, and the earth moved. At the coming of the Lord, the opposing powers with their legion were troubled, commanded to leave human bodies, and pleaded to be sent into the pigs. With the wicked powers troubled, the worshippers of idols had to be troubled as well, and the kingdom of sin had to be shaken. For it was a heavy kingdom that had subjected the minds of all sinners to itself in heavy servitude; for whoever commits sin is a slave to sin. But the kingdom of sin is the kingdom of death, which prevailed for a long time throughout the world. Hence the Apostle says: But death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin, in the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the future (Rom. 5:14). Truth has come, the figure has ceased: life has come, the kingdom of death has disappeared: the forgiveness of sins has come, and the bonds of sin have been loosened. Even lighter offenses were bound by the bonds of death in the past, but after the coming of the Lord, even more serious sins have been forgiven. Therefore, the kingdoms of spiritual wickedness, which are in the heavens, were inclined; because the worship of idols, and the enticement of sin, began to diminish by the preaching of the Gospel doctrine. The perfidy was inclined after faith began to reign in the hearts of the nations. The kingdoms of sin are inclined, as it is read: Let not sin reign in your mortal body (Rom. VI, 12). All the kingdoms of perfidy were inclined by the voice of the Lord, saying: Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you (Matt. XI, 28).


The Most High gave this voice, and all the peoples of the nations followed him, fleeing the harsh kingdoms of sin, and the everlasting horror of death, and the intolerable servitude of all crimes; when he promised rest to the weary, forgiveness to captives, and freedom to the enslaved; and, shaking off the iron yoke of the Babylonian king, he would place his sweet yoke on the necks of the faithful; so that the empty necks of the pagans would not be bound again by the chains of their wickedness. For indeed Christ frees those whom He binds, and He releases those whom He restrains. Furthermore, whoever is called a servant by the Lord is a freedman of the Lord; and whoever is called a freedman is a servant of Christ. Therefore, in his chains, Paul boasts, saying: Paul, a prisoner of Jesus (Ephesians 3:1). What is an insult under others, is glory under Christ. The Lord gave His voice in His passion, and all the elements trembled, the whole earth was shaken (Psalm 23:1); so that the rites of the Gentiles would be dissolved, and the land of the Lord and its fullness would be established, as it is written; the forerunners of the faith, and the sacrificial ceremony of impiety, were put to an end, and the practice of devotion and the study of piety were abolished. The Lord gives His voice daily, and it resounds in the hearts of each individual; so that all earthly things depart from one who believes well with affection, and all the inner senses of their souls are moved from error, from the corruption of luxury and dissolution, to the knowledge of heavenly sacraments, and the pursuit of chastity; from wickedness to virtuous confession.

(Verse 8.) Therefore, he says that those who are on earth were moved, either because all men were on earth, in whom there was earthly corruption; because they did not know how to raise and lift up the eyes of their minds to the sublime grace of heaven; nor could they say: God of hosts is with us; with whom there was only the instigator of downfall, and the author of error. But after the voice of the Lord resounded in the Gospel, the Prophet dares to say: God of hosts is with us. He speaks well; God of hosts is with us; he who believes that the Virgin received and gave birth. We dare to say as well; God of hosts is with us; after Emmanuel, that is, God began to be with us. Wherever Emmanuel is, there is God of hosts with us.

Our God Jacob is our protector. Therefore, let us imitate the patriarch Jacob, his fragrance, his virtue, his labor. Just as we must do the works of Abraham in order to be rightly called his children, so too must we undergo the exertions and struggles of the holy Jacob, so that the God of Jacob may be believed to be our God. For if we do not recognize in ourselves the zeal for his works and faith, either because we cannot equal him or because we underestimate the efforts of his work and faith, how will God, as if he were Jacob, deign to help us?


(v. 9) While he was saying these things, behold, through the Holy Spirit, a present image of future things was infused into him; and seeing, from the heavy disturbance of wars, peace spread throughout the whole world in the coming of the Savior Lord, he cries out to all, saying: Come and see the works of the Lord, which He has placed as prodigies upon the earth. Come, it pertains to the congregation: See, it pertains to intention, and the desire to know the truth. See, he says, the works of the Lord full of miracles, in which are the signs of great powers. Finally, τέρατα is said in Greek, admiranda is said in Latin. Therefore, do not receive the works of the Lord as if they were of prodigious horror, but as if they were full of admiration. He has set them splendidly upon the earth; that is, in the earth.

(Verse 10.) Removing wars up to the ends of the earth, he will shatter and break the bow: and he will burn shields with fire. And truly before the Roman empire spread, not only were the kings of individual cities fighting against it; but the Romans themselves were frequently worn down by civil wars. Marius fought against Cinna. On both sides Roman blood was spilled. Sulla rose up, and as the victorious Marius again stirred up civil wars. Lepidus and Sertorius presented themselves as rebels against the Roman Empire. Caesar pursued Pompey and incited the fury of the Gauls against the Roman army. After defeating the elder Pompey, he conquered the younger Pompey in the regions of Spain. Shall I speak of the Triumvirs who turned from enemies to friends, and from friends to hostile uprisings: even the seas stained with the blood of Romans in the Battle of Actium? And so it happened that, weary of civil wars, the Roman Empire was transferred to Julius Augustus; and thus internal conflicts were pacified. However, this achieved the result that the apostles were rightly sent throughout the whole world, with the Lord Jesus saying: Go and teach all nations (Matthew 28:19). Indeed, even kingdoms closed off by barbaric mountains opened to them, such as India to Thomas and Persia to Matthew. But nevertheless, as they travelled through more and more regions of the earth, at the dawn of the Church the power of the Roman Empire spread throughout the entire world and brought together the minds of dissenters and the divisions of lands through the gift of peace. All men have learned to live under one empire of the earth, to confess the empire of one almighty God with faithful speech.

Therefore, he has taken away wars even to the ends of the earth; which fact is not doubtful. But see that wars of weakness may not have taken away, which are in the hearts of the wavering. For whoever has passed over earthly things, no longer says: Outside are battles, inside are fears (2 Corinthians 7:5); but he says: But our behavior is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). Therefore, pass through the world, so that you may begin to be above the world; for περάσαι is to pass over or, to speak more clearly, to cross over. Therefore the Lord abolished the wars which were causing us spiritual wickedness: and having defeated the devil, he left his peace to us. He broke the bow from which the fiery arrows of the enemy were scattered: and he burned the shields of treachery with fire, so that the shield of faith might remain inviolable.

(Verse 11.) 'Vacate, inquit, et videte, quia ego sum Dominus.' Vox Domini post bella sedata: Vacate, ut nulla animarum sit occupatio; ne offusio saecularium perturbationum internae oculum mentis obducat. Vacate, inquit, ab erroribus, vacate a perturbationibus, vacate a peccatis; quia omnis qui peccat, non vidit Deum, nec cognovit eum (I Joan. III, 6) ; sicut in Epistola sua dixit Joannes Evangelista.' Therefore, leave the pursuit of knowledge of divinity: do not be occupied with earthly works. Therefore, the king of Egypt commanded an increase in the number of bricks and other burdens on the Israelites; so that they would not recognize God and devote themselves to sacred worship, Moses and Aaron were offended by the voice of the holy ones, who said: Let the people of God go, that we may go and serve the Lord our God (Exod. 5:6ff).

I will be exalted among the nations, and I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord was exalted in the highest, that is, in the angels and archangels, in the patriarchs and prophets, who perceived lofty things about Him and did not compare Him to earthly images and idols. But He was not exalted among the peoples of the nations, who seemed to seek their God in caves and dens. Finally, Mary Magdalene is reproached for weeping for Christ as if He were dead, and searching for Him as if He were buried in the tomb. Wherefore, Christ said to her: Mary, why do you weep? Whom are you seeking? (John 20:15) Is it not the one who can be taken away? She heard his voice and recognized him, and she wanted to touch him; and the Lord said: Do not touch me (Ibid., 17), for you think that I am dead. I am going to the Father. Are you astonished that you did not find him in the tomb, whom the heavens await? Or perhaps it is reproved, because only perfect faith touches Christ; just as the woman with an issue of blood touched him with faith. Then the Master said: 'Someone touched me; I feel power going out from me' (Luke 8:46). With these words, she recognized in herself that she had been healed by the power that had gone out from him; and immediately she confessed within herself that she had touched the Lord. Then the Lord said: 'Your faith has saved you; go in peace' (Ibid., 48). But the Lord was exalted on earth, as he himself said: 'When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself' (John 12:32). Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

(Verse 12.) And he repeats, saying: God of hosts is with us, our refuge is the God of Jacob. Repetition is confirmation. Or because not only when he was born of the Virgin, did God become with us; but also after the resurrection, he himself said: Behold I am with you. . . . even to the consummation of the world (Matt. XXVIII, 20). To whom is honor and glory, perpetuity from ages, and now, and always, and forever and ever. Amen.

On Psalm 48, Commentary

(Verse 1.) This is the title: A psalm of a song for the sons of Korah, the second of the Sabbath (Psalm 42 et seq.). The good sons of Korah, already approved in previous psalms, because they composed a spiritual psalter in themselves with appropriate thoughts and reflections suitable for the study of virtues, and, being vigilant, they were worthy to draw the secrets of heavenly mysteries for the knowledge of divinity. And so, since they had received the duty and office of singing the psalms before the ark of the Lord daily, the chosen ones seem to have been appointed to sing the psalm of the canticle especially on the second Sabbath. For it seemed fitting to those to whom it was committed, that they should sing with their own voice the ascension of the Lord rising from the depths; it was necessary for them to celebrate the day of the resurrection itself with their own gift and ministry. For what is the second Sabbath, if not the Sunday which follows the Sabbath? But this day of the Sabbath was later in the order of days, prior in sanctification of the Law. But when the end of the Law came, which is Christ Jesus (for Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes) and through his resurrection he sanctified the eighth day: the first became the same as the eighth, and the eighth became the same as the first: having privilege in the order of numbers, and sanctity in the resurrection of the Lord. Hence, we also read in the Gospel 'second-first' Sabbath (Luke 6:1), which is said in Latin 'secundo-primum'. For when the Lord's day began to excel, on which the Lord rose again, the first day of the week, which was the first day, began to be considered the second. For the first rest ceased, the second followed. Therefore, the Apostle also wrote to the Hebrews, saying: There remains, therefore, a rest for the people of God on the next day. Let us therefore hasten to enter into that rest (Heb. IV, 8, 9 and 11).

Therefore true rest is now not in the cessation of work, but in the time of resurrection. And so those who observed the solemnity of the Sabbath according to the Law, called it the one Sabbath, as if there were only one Sabbath and not another. But we who have embraced the spiritual observance and desire to shape our military service in the likeness and rest of God, and to display our ministry in that heavenly city where there is not an example or a shadow, but truth, we call it the first Sabbath, as it is written: 'Now late on the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week' (Matt. XXVIII, 1). But nothing is more beautiful, nothing is more expressive. Before the resurrection, he called it the Sabbath, after the resurrection, he named it the first Sabbath. John the Evangelist also says: On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early in the morning, while it was still dark (John 20:1). Darkness for a time, light in grace. But they express it more clearly according to the Gospel, as if the veil had been thrown off. Now David, under the Law, observed the proper measure of the appointed song and did not suppress the mystery, so as to indicate the second day of the week, the Lord's day; thus he believed that the order of numbers was observed among the Jews, and recognized the revelation of the spiritual sacrament. Therefore, let us listen to what he says, who sings to God on the second day of the sabbath.

(Verse 2.) 'Great,' he says, 'is the Lord and highly to be praised, in the city of our God, in his holy place. Therefore, is not God great and praiseworthy everywhere? Indeed, he is great and mighty everywhere; but the narrow mind cannot comprehend the greatness of his divine power and grace. However, the closer our knowledge is to God, the more excellent his majesty appears to us. Finally, Thomas, who previously said: 'Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will not believe' (John 20:25); where he put his finger and recognized the evidence of his resurrection, marveling within himself at the grace of God: 'My Lord and my God,' he said (Ibid., 28). Then, therefore, he confessed most fully his divinity and dominion, where he did not doubt that he had risen from the dead. Finally, in Zion it is fitting to sing a hymn to God, and a vow is fulfilled to him in Jerusalem. So what is surprising if in the heavenly city, and in that supreme and ethereal place, his power is preached more vehemently?

(Verse 3.) He added: Spreading joy to the whole earth. And truly he is called great, who has spread joy over this earth where the seeds of intolerable sins once sprouted, where there was sorrow and mourning and groaning, he has spread joy throughout the whole world. Therefore, the conscience of mankind, which previously mourned, submerged in the depths of their sins, now rejoices, freed from the fear of all sins through the mercy of Christ and the remission of all sins. Therefore, it is fitting, as we have understood it, that we say; but because we find in some old copies: 'Shall I rejoice with all the earth?'. This means in Latin 'a good root rejoicing of the whole earth': we perceive the same sense; because the divine gifts of God the Father are praised in us, who has given us a rejoicing rooted in goodness, namely Jesus Christ, the true and most fruitful vine, from which celestial sacraments flow; in which there is everlasting and enduring joy, so that all sin may be washed away and the inner conscience may be cleansed: and we know that the phrase is appropriate; because we rejoice with a well-rooted joy, we who rejoice in Christ. For the joy of the world is temporary, but the joy of those who rejoice in the Lord is everlasting.

(Verse 4.) Mount Zion, the sides of the north, the city of the great King. God will be known in her palaces, when He shall take her. Why there is rejoicing in all the earth is clearly expressed; because the Lord Jesus has gathered to Himself the Church from sinners. Therefore, those who were on the sides of the north, that is, the companions and adherents of the devil, to whom it is said: Arise, north wind, and come, south wind (Song of Solomon 4:16); have become faithful to Christ. For it is of them that it is said: Those who trust in the Lord, as Mount Zion (Psalm 124:1). Therefore, Mount Zion has become through the grace of Christ and the sacrament of baptism. The harsh wind of the north is comprehensible, which previously moved the most severe storms and tempests with human passions: it began to lose its own (power), which afflicted strangers. It had overthrown the entire nation of the Jews, it held all nations bound by its own authority, they were its sides; that is, they aspired with it. For just as we call the guards and companions of a prince his sides, and just as a woman is the side of a man, because she is joined to him in obedient companionship, so the sides were the devils, who did his will. Therefore, now they are the mountain of Zion, who gaze upon the eternal God, and they direct their attention day and night. See for me that Paul, when he was persecuting the Church of the Lord, was the side of the north: now see, when it is read in the Church, that the mountain is the watchtower, through which we know and see the glory of Christ. And because the Greek word for mountains is ὄρη, see how the hills of Christ's servants are. The hills are around him (Ibid., 2); in them is the Church of the Lord, which is the city of the great King. Also, because the Lord suffered in Venerarius according to the direction of the heavens; which was a place on the north side. But there is also Mount Zion, there is Jerusalem which is on earth.

See that this is not also understood, that the congregation of the people of God, which was connected to the north by fault, has become the Church of Christ by grace; so that now it is called not Synagogue, but the Church of Christ. And because the remnants of the Jews have been saved by the election of grace, in them God is known, in Peter, Paul, John, James, who are weighty and lofty men as foundations and summits of the Church. Like firm foundations, which no strong blasts of the north wind have shaken; but they have kept the foundation of faith immovable, so that the whole Church would not totter: like lofty summits, which have raised the peak of its turrets with the strength of their virtue. For just as the builder is known in his works, and the architect in his buildings; so even if you do not hear the name, you can still recognize the artist from the quality of the works (and what wonder is it with human things, when we understand the invisible things of the eternal Creator through the things that have been made, even though He is not seen by us), thus God is recognized as the inhabitant of lofty and great houses (which houses we are, if we firmly hold onto the foundation of liberty and glory until the end), as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob. For he himself, the true God, who established such men by the training of his precepts. Therefore, just as he demonstrated himself to be God to them forever, so, he says, when he receives the city of the great King, he will infuse the reception of his knowledge with its steps: so that they may become teachable of God, who have both heard his command and thought it should be carried out; lest they degenerate from the house built by him on the firmness of the rock.

(Vers. 5, 6.) This, he says, seeing, the kings of the earth are gathered together, and have passed into one. They, seeing then, were amazed. The good kings who can provide rulers of their own bodies, flowing from the very origin and institution of the patriarch Abraham, who taught that sin can be overcome. Therefore the true king, who did not know how to be guilty of wickedness, in whom the allure of fault and error could not reign. Hence it is also said to this kind of man by the sons of Heth: You are a king from God to us (Gen. 23:6). Therefore, the kings of the earth, who ruled over the flesh, gathered together; so that they would be one in heart and one in spirit, as we read: 'For the multitude of believers had one soul and one heart, and there was no separation among them' (Acts 4:32). These are the ones who passed into one not so much a location, but into the same affection and purpose. For it is said, 'Pass over, sit down' (Luke 17:7). For it is not of moderate virtue to pass from the wicked to the honorable, from the earthly to the eternal, and to change the habit of a carnal life, to abolish all its customs, to assume new manners, and to twist the entire state of the old conversation. And it is rightly said to him: If you pass through water, I am with you (Isaiah 43:2). God is with the one who passes, not with the one who stays behind.

So those who were previously at odds with themselves, when they came together in harmony of mind and purpose, and peace was restored which made them one, and enmities were dissolved by the destruction of the middle wall of partition in their flesh: they were amazed, either at the one who is distinguished in his steps, or at men being converted in such a way; that those who previously served the devil, now serve the Lord Jesus with the righteousness of duty. And because the kings of their bodies, having experienced a significant amount of labor within themselves (for it is not easy or mediocre to conquer the mind, to cut off desires, to tame the lasciviousness of the flesh, to turn away from lust, which even resisted Paul, so that it would bind him as a captive to the law of sin) just as they marveled at the grace in those who had advanced in virtue, so too they were moved so that no one would fall back into vices, having been cast down from the higher peak of virtues. For human condition is inclined and changeable in either direction; so that wherever it intends, it inclines and tends either towards the pursuits of virtues, or towards the allurements of vices.

And for this reason they were greatly moved with affection; so that a trembling seized them from fear, considering that which is written: For in the places of the wicked the just shall groan (Prov. 28:28). Finally, see for yourself Peter weeping bitterly, because error had come upon him; and how the weakness of his body had bent the strength of his mind: and deservedly reproached by Christ for presuming constancy, and not considering the frailty of his nature. And indeed here he corrected the error through grace; but Judas remained in his crime, persevered in his groaning. He was righteous when he was connected with the number of the apostles: but because he was tripped up by the devil, he now laments and groans in wicked places; which shows that from grace he fell back into punishment. Therefore, such men as Judas, the betrayer, or Saul, who was called by the Lord his God to the kingdom, even strong men trembled when they fell.


(Vers. 7.) Finally, considering how the struggle would come to an end, how great the tribulations of the righteous, how great the anxieties, what kind of adversary, how great the fight of long labor, how great the bitterness of the appointed terror, what bonds of self-restraint, what scourges of conscience, they were greatly disturbed; lest anyone yield to such great labors of a stricter life, or to sorrows. For there are indeed bitter and heavy sorrows there; that is, in the Church, in that city of the great King, there are sorrows, like those of a woman in childbirth, until Christ is formed in us. For even Paul was not without pain when he saw a slower progress in the foolish Galatians in his teaching. And so he said: My little children, for whom I am again in the pain of childbirth until Christ is formed in you (Galatians 4:19). The Lord also testifies in the Gospel that the pains of childbirth are severe; as He says: When a woman is in labor, she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a human being has been born into the world (John 16:21). Therefore, it is a great labor to acquire Christ for oneself; lest, without a guide, one wavers like a ship in the turbulent waves of this world. Finally, the apostles were sad when Christ reminded them that he would return to the Father, for they thought that they would be left without a leader. Christ is joy. He is the child whom he himself gave birth to, who received the spirit of salvation in the womb of his mind. The one who brings forth and nourishes rejoices; the one who gives birth is shaken and pierced.


It is good that you both give birth to him and nourish him. Do not cook a lamb in its mother's milk (Exod. XXIII, 19), so that it may not be said to you: Woe to those who are pregnant and nursing (Matth. XXIV, 19). For Christ was born of Mary, so that you may acknowledge him, as the ox acknowledged its owner, and know that he created you and possessed your ancestors. Do not nourish him as though he were a little child, but rather as though he were the true and perfect God to be worshipped, known from the true and perfect God. Thus the Magus worshiped him, so as not to cook a lamb in the milk of his mother; but as if he were worshiping the eternal God. Finally, in order to find him, he looked up at the sky. Therefore, he did not seek on earth the one whom a shining star showed from heaven. That is why Mary did not give birth to him, but bore him, because she knew that the Lord and the Savior were to be born from her, as she herself testifies, saying: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior (Luke 1:46-47). Therefore there are pains like those of a woman in labor. The pain is like that of giving birth, the pain is like that of breastfeeding, which you must have in perfect form from the beginning.

(Verse 8.) And therefore many are severely troubled, as the verse signifies, which follows: With a vehement spirit you will crush the ships of Tarshish. For while the servants of God desire to reach the perfection of faith, they mortify their bodies, correcting them more strictly, and reducing them to the service of servitude, so that they may not be rejected who have already been proven. And they do this with a strong and vehement Holy Spirit. For the Spirit is a spirit of counsel and power, so that by excessive abstinence they may weaken their bodies, by which they empty themselves of all its pleasures; so that it may be said to them: Strengthen yourselves, weak hands, and feeble knees (Isaiah 35:3). For when someone is released from this earthly structure, then they rise stronger to eternal life. I would be lying, unless Scripture supports it, which says: 'To be released and to be with Christ is much better' (Philippians 1:23). What is released begins to be with Christ. And elsewhere: 'The time of my release is at hand' (2 Timothy 4:6). Therefore, whoever has contemplated dissolving themselves through abstinence will not be afraid of the day of their passion.


And rightly does he call the Holy Spirit a strong wind, about to speak of ships. He says that ships are bodies that are being moved by the restless waves of various passions, and they are quickly sunk unless they have a pilot. Hence he also says elsewhere: Those who go down to the sea in ships (Ps. CVI, 23). But they navigate well, who carry the cross of Christ as a tree in the ships, and from there they explore the blasts of the winds, so that they may direct their bodies towards the grace of the Holy Spirit, safe and secure on the Lord's wood; nor do they allow their ships to wander with the restless waves over the seas, but they strive towards the port of salvation and the completion of their course by directing it; so that they may gain a faithful station, from which they can repair their courses that have been dissolved in the resurrection, where they cannot fear shipwreck.


And therefore let us consider this grace carefully, let us be its spies, let us explore it, so that our bodies may become ships of Tharsis. For the flesh is brought into servitude when we strive for the grace of God, so that we may follow what is bitter for a time, such as fasting, not what is sweet and voluntary. Tharsis, therefore, is the lookout of grace, the intelligible city, like the superior Zion. Jonas hastened towards it. Scripture says of it that Josaphat was allied with Uzziah the king, and it pleased them to make ships and go to him in Tharsis. But because he allied himself with the wicked, a prophet was sent to him, who told him: The Lord has destroyed your work, and your ships have been broken, and they could not go to Tarshish (2 Chronicles 20:35-37). This signifies that the bodies of those who transgress God's commandments cannot attain the completion of grace. However, to Solomon, being a wise and peaceful man, ships from Tarshish came with gold and silver, and ivory tusks, without any offense, and he himself sent them there. For he had with King Hiram a spiritual commerce of sacred negotiation and a mutual affection of harmonious grace. Therefore, those who possess royal authority use these ships to restrain physical violence, seeing that they have been transformed from corruptible into incorruptible, shining with the highest light of grace from their blemishes, renewed from their dissolution and decay, living from the dead, rising from the buried. They commemorate these things in public discourse.


(Verse 9.) As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God: God hath founded it for ever. We have heard, we have seen, outside the city, in the city, whose God is eternal light, the day shines without the worldly sun, the moon is not sought after: its foundation is not temporal, but eternal.

(Verse 10.) He says, “We have received, O God, your mercy in the midst of your temple.” If it is said about the Son of God, we understand the temple in this way, according as he himself said about his body, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). Truly, the body of Christ is the temple of God, in which is the purification of our sins. Truly, that flesh is the temple of God in which there could be no contamination of sin; but for the sin of the whole world, it was itself the sacrifice. Truly that flesh was the temple of God, in which the image of God shone forth, and in bodily form the fullness of divinity dwelled; for Christ himself is the fullness. Therefore, it is said to him: We have received, O God, your mercy in the midst of your temple. What does this mean, except what he said: There stands one among you whom you do not know (John 1:26); that is, he is in your midst, and he is not seen? But if it is referred to the Father, what does it mean: In the midst of your temple; except that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself?


Therefore, in that temple we received, he says, your mercy; that is, the Word that was made flesh and dwelt among us. Just as Christ is redemption, so is mercy. But what greater mercy than that he offered himself to be immolated for our sins; to cleanse the world with his own blood, which sin could not be abolished in any other way? For if the Apostle said of holy men: You are the temple of God, and the Holy Spirit dwells in you (1 Cor. 3:16); how much more can I say that the flesh of the Lord Jesus is the Temple of God, who is always read as being full of the Holy Spirit, and he himself testifies, saying: I feel virtue has gone out from me (Luke 8:46); which virtue healed all bitter wounds. And that can also be understood what he said, that he took upon himself the mercy of God with the people in the midst of his temple; for he himself founded his Church, and propagated it forever; for he truly bestowed this grace upon his people with his only-begotten Son, whom he also showed to be the builder, saying: He will build me a city (Isaiah 45:13); which, spread throughout the whole world, made the whole earth full of his praise and name. For as it is written: The earth is full of his praise (Habakkuk 3:3); so it is written: He has been given a name above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that the Lord Jesus is in the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-11).

(Verse 11.) Hence the Prophet said correctly: According to your name, O God, so is your praise to the ends of the earth: your right hand is full of justice. It is not surprising that the right hand of God is full of justice, for he is the right hand of God. Moreover, the power of God is the same as the justice of God; so, by knowing that he is full of the justice of God, you should understand that he possesses the fullness of justice that the Father has; and by understanding that the power and justice of God the Father and the wisdom are read, you should not perceive anything different in him from the divine majesty; instead, you should recognize that he has received everything from the Father, and that the Son is the splendor of all the Father's glory, and the exact representation of his essence: he has expressed the Father in such a way that the whole Father is in him, just as the whole Son is in the Father.


(Verse 12.) And because the Prophet saw in spirit that the praises of Christ should be proclaimed throughout the earth, he exhorts us to joy and worship of His name as a kind of conclusion to the discourse he began, saying: Let Mount Zion rejoice; that is, those who trust in the Lord, as he subsequently interpreted, saying: They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, etc. (Psalm 124:1). The Lord Jesus Himself, who is the mountain and height of His Church, which contemplates Christ with its whole affection, rejoices in its faith and devotion which have pleased God, for the faithless have been rejected. Therefore, this can also be understood devoutly, since he himself is the highest mountain above all, onto which he is commanded to ascend who preaches the faith, with the Scripture saying: 'Ascend to the high mountain, you who preach good news to Zion' (Isaiah 40:9).

Let the souls confessing to You rejoice, he says. They themselves are the daughters of that Judea in which God is well known. For that Judea, which is in the flesh or in writing, did not know the Lord. For if she had known, she would have also received him. But she did not know him, whom she did not receive, and she rejected his judgments: about which he reminds them that they do not originate from Father Abraham, but from the seed of the devil, because every sin is the seed of the enemy. However, the daughters of confession do not commit sin, but they overshadow. Therefore blessed are those whose sins are forgiven. And rightly will the daughters of confession rejoice because of the judgments of the Lord, when they have come to know His judgments and ways, which in this age are inscrutable and unsearchable to men: and when they have begun to behold the truth face to face, then those things which now appear inscrutable, they will comprehend, and they will rejoice in their understanding.

(Verse 13.) Surround, he says, Zion, and embrace her: narrate in her towers. Those who understand Zion, surround her, and embrace her with their senses; so that they may hold onto her and not let her go, lest the discipline of virtue may be taken away from them. Therefore, she says in the Canticles: I have taken hold of him, and I will not let him go (Cant. III, 4); she who sought the wisdom of God, and embraced the justice of God with the arms of charity, and with certain arms of faith and devotion; for he himself is the embrace of a pious mind. Therefore, let us also comprehend as much as we can the internal mysteries of truth, and let us write them down and engrave them in our senses, and the power of the heavenly oracle: which, in order to attain, that skilled Moses ascended, in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, unto the mountain and entered into the cloud; so that he may know the hidden and secret things, with Jesus as his companion; for no one can understand uncertain wisdom and hidden things without the true Jesus. And thus in the form of Jesus of Nave, the true Savior, his coming was signified, through whom all the teachable ones of God would be made, who would open the Law and reveal the Gospel.

Therefore, those who surround Zion with their prudence, and embrace understanding as they ascend its towers, reveal from above what must be done or guarded against by those who cannot ascend its towers. For the city of God is fortified; and elsewhere the Lord says: 'Behold, I have painted your walls, O Jerusalem.' (Isaiah 49:16) It is marked with towers that the adversary may be detected if he should approach. He has his armies, which he is accustomed to gain possession of the souls of God, to bring forth machines; so that he may be able to overcome fortified towers. But you, he says, preach about the towers; for there is abundance in the towers of Jerusalem. Preach righteousness, warn of the watchfulness; for wisdom is sung in the end, and is preached in the highest walls. And elsewhere he says again: I have set watchmen on your walls, they will not keep silent day or night to the end (Isaiah 62:6). Therefore, narrate without interruption, without end. The adversary is awake, prowling, and with savage rage seeks whom he may devour. Therefore, the Lord must always be praised, who crushes the teeth of lions and breaks their jaws, so that they cannot harm us.

(Verse 14, 15.) He says, 'Set your hearts on his power,' that is, to understand his power; and distribute his steps, so that you may recount them to another generation. For this is God, our God forever and ever; he will rule us forever. The Greek word 'βάρεις' means high and towering houses; hence, when the Prophet spoke of the city of God and its inhabitants, he said, 'Distribute its steps,' that is, its lofty and sublime dwellings in the heavens. It teaches that the order of merits must be observed. For each person is in their own order (John XIV, 2). Therefore, the Lord says to the Disciples that He is going and preparing dwellings; so that each person may obtain dwellings suitable for the account of their merits, in which they may enjoy eternal rest.

There are also lofty and profound teachings, in which are hidden the mysteries of piety and the principles of heavenly discourse. Divide these, he says, and distribute them according to the capacity of each individual, as much as each person can comprehend with their own intellect. For Paul did not argue the same things to everyone. To some, he preached nothing but Christ Jesus, and him crucified, not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and power; but to the mature, he spoke wisdom; for the whole populace cannot grasp the wisdom hidden in mystery.


Therefore, Christ hid it so that fools may not understand it, and the wise may seek it more earnestly; and they may proclaim it to the next generation, which would be more perfect in spirit by virtue; because the previous generation, due to its weak faith, could not understand the sacraments of perfect wisdom. And therefore, it sought a sign and rejected the truth; when in fact, it is not the truth of the sign, but the sign of the truth. Hence, the Lord responded to him: An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign; and a sign shall not be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah (Matthew 12:39). To argue against the perfidy of the Jews, the example of Jonah is brought forth; because the people of Nineveh believed the sign, and thought they should follow the preaching of Jonah, who had been in the belly of the whale: but the Jews did not believe even after the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, who rose from the heart of the earth after three days, and lives and reigns forever. Amen.

On Psalm 49, Commentary

On the Psalm XLVIII, Commentary. The title of this is: To the end, for the sons of Kore, a Psalm of David.

(Verses 1, 2.) Listen to these things, all you nations; listen with your ears, all you who inhabit the earth. In the very beginning, we recognize the voice of the Lord calling the nations to the Church for salvation; so that they may renounce error, follow truth, and acknowledge the gift of pious worship. But because the hearts of the human race were infected by the poisons of the serpent's venom, and their conscience, being subject to sin, despaired of forgiveness and could not call itself back, He promises a remedy, freely offering indulgence through the abundance of His own mercy; so that the guilty one may not fear, but rather rejoice in being aware that he renders the service of slavery to a good master, who knows how to forgive sins and honor virtues. Finally, with the same series of calling, the Lord also urges us in the Gospel, saying: Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart (Matthew 11:28-29). Then he mentions that his yoke is easy, and his burden is light; for whoever despairs of the medicine will not be able to be cured. And therefore gentleness is pleasing to all, which heals the wounds of inward souls.


Therefore, he came to the sick, coming as a doctor, who would cure our serious ulcers; he presents remedies, so that people may see and come together with diligent faithfulness for the cure of salvation. Thus, that woman in the Gospel deserved health, who suffered from a flow of blood for twelve years. She heard that the doctor had come and hastened to touch, saying: If I touch his garment, I will be saved (Matthew 9:20-21). She said this within herself, and Christ heard it: and she touched the garment, and power came forth from the Savior, which cured the sick, strengthened the weak, stopped the flow, and demonstrated piety. Likewise, here also, He calls all people to the fountain of wisdom and prudence: He promises redemption to all, so that no one may be afraid, no one may despair, where no one is excluded; but every soul is invited to grace, so that it may be redeemed from sin without cost, and may obtain the fruit of eternal life.

Here is the meaning of the psalm, which we will arrange in its proper order, when we have explained the power and quality of the previous words. For the nations are commanded to listen, and the inhabitants of the earth to perceive with their ears. Surely it is the world of the earth, of which it was said above: The Lord's is the earth and its fullness: the world and those who dwell in it. He himself has founded it upon the seas: and has prepared it upon the rivers. (Psalm 24:1-2) What the Greeks call 'οἰκουμένην' is the inhabited world because it is inhabited by Christ, as he himself said: 'For I will dwell in them'; for he dwells in order to fill what appeared empty. What, therefore, is 'οἰκουμένη'; if not the holy Church, the temple of God, and the dwelling place of Christ? The Latins also fittingly, though using a different language, called it the orbis terrae, for just as the wheel rolls in a circle without any obstacle to its course, so the lives of the saints, who are inhabited by the Spirit, revolve in a circle.


Therefore, the Church is founded in tribulations, in storms and tempests, in worries and sorrows, and is prepared in adverse circumstances and in rivers. In which rivers? Hear the one who says: The rivers lifted up their voice (Psalm 93:3). Hear also in the Gospel: Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture says, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. Now he said this about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive (John 7:38-39). Therefore the Church is prepared in these rivers, in which the grace of God flows. These are the rivers that receive the word of God with their ears and speak; so they pour the word into the hearts of each individual. And so the Scripture makes a distinction by saying: Listen to these things, all nations: hear with your ears, all who dwell on the earth. Everyone can hear, but not everyone can perceive with their ears, unless they are the chosen ones of God. And so the Savior says: Who has ears to hear, let him hear (Luke 8:8). He speaks of those spiritual ears of the inner man, whose nostrils we also read, as Job says: The divine spirit is in my nostrils (Job 27:3). Not all men have these ears and these nostrils. For the form of the body is one thing, the grace of the spirit another. The spiritual man hears and judges all things, but the animal man does not perceive what belongs to the Spirit of God. For the former is earthly, the latter heavenly.

(Verse 3.) And so he added: Both those born of the earth and of men: both rich and poor, in order to call everyone. Who is born of the earth, if not the son of man? Who is spiritual, if not the Son of God? The former is conceived from blood and generated through the pleasure of flesh and man; the latter is born from God. One is rich in every word and knowledge; the other is poor, yet rich in grace, because he cried out in poverty and the Lord heard him. On the contrary, both the rich are in pride and the poor are in humility. All are called to the Church, so that all may be redeemed by Christ. The sick find a doctor; the healthy acquire wisdom; the captive redeems, the free rewards. The divine Scripture builds up everyone. In it, each person finds what heals their wounds or confirms their merits. But at the same time, the calling of the rich and the poor together provokes us to a certain humility and equality, so that the rich does not scorn the poor and the poor does not envy the rich. Rather, both are united by the same grace, because the Lord became poor, though he was rich, so that he could be the Savior of both the poor and the rich.


(Verse 4.) And it weaves together: My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall be understanding. Truly all are called, because the fountain of wisdom abounds for all, and it cannot be compared to a monetary treasure, which is declared more precious than all treasures. Therefore, neither the rich turn away, nor the poor are excluded; for wisdom does not discriminate based on wealth, but on desires. He is more suitable who is more passionate, and closest in discipline. But if the meditation of the heart speaks of prudence, how much more perfect is doctrine! Then we are admonished not to give forth a tumultuous speech but, through the exercise of meditation, to examine in the balance of our inner mind what is to be said. For it is written elsewhere: A deceitful balance is not good (Prov. 20:23).

(Verse 5.) I will incline my ear to a proverb: I will open my proposition in the psaltery. An attentive listener understands, and bends his ear to comprehend the figures of the parables. The Savior Himself calls His ear, which He has for hearing. The Lord also opens His closed proposition; when He has found a fitting instrument and a chosen vessel, which He calls a psaltery: of which Paul, the sweet chant of grace, produced a melody by all his strings sounding together, with the inner string struck by the plectrum of the Holy Spirit, and the outer one being plucked, so that both tongue and mind could pray. And so he says: I will pray with the spirit, I will pray also with the mind: I will sing with the spirit, I will sing also with the mind (I Cor. XIV, 15). Therefore, Christ promises such a man long before, through whom He would reveal hidden things and open the mysteries of prophetic speech veiled in darkness. The psaltery is good, when it agrees with the life of faith, and it is a flesh of the soul, the will aspiring to virtue. This is the sweet psaltery, where the discipline of living is melodious; that what is written may be fulfilled: The tongue of the mute shall be clear (Isaiah XXXIII, 6).


(Verse 6.) It follows: Why should I fear in the day of evil? The wickedness of my heel surrounds me. This means that when my mouth speaks wisdom, and the meditation of my heart provides prudence, I am afraid of what I can do on the day of judgment; unless perhaps the wickedness of my heel needs to be washed away. (Compare Augustine, Against Julian, Book 1, Chapter 3). Our wickedness is one thing, the wickedness of our heels is another, in which Adam was wounded by the tooth of the serpent, and he left behind to his human descendants an inherited liability through his own wound, so that we all limp because of that wound. Where the Lord washed the feet of the disciples, so that he might wash away the poison of the serpent: and Peter is reproved because he made excuses, not wanting the Lord to wash his feet. Therefore it was said to him: Unless I wash your feet, you will not have a share with me (John 13:8). When he heard this, he offered not only his feet, but also his hands to be washed. To whom the Lord responded: He who is bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet: but he is clean overall (Ibid., 10).


Therefore David says: My iniquities have overwhelmed my head (Psalm 38:5); he who knew himself to be conceived in iniquity and born in sin from his mother. But the Lord, who had no sins of his own and did not know his own iniquities, says: The iniquity of my heel will surround me; that is, the iniquity of Adam, not mine. But that cannot be a terror to me; for on the day of judgment, our own sins, not the crimes of others, will be punished in us. Hence I think that the slipperiness of the heel in committing wrongdoing is more culpable than the guilt of any offense we have committed. And rightly the Lord, who has taken on everything for our sake, says: 'Let us wash our feet, so that we may remove the slipperiness of the heel; may this be a trustworthy foundation for virtues, and may no one falter due to the error of their father, who is prepared to stand by his own purpose: and may no one fear the slippery inheritance, who desires to hold onto the path of virtue.' Therefore, the iniquity of our heel is the transgression of Adam, through which he fell into contempt and disregard for heavenly commandments.

There is also the wickedness of the heel, the betrayal of Judas must be considered. The heel, because it is written: 'He who eats bread with me, lifts his heel against me' (Psalm 38:12)'. And there he said 'his heel', and here he said 'my heel'. His heel, because Christ is without wickedness, but this is the wickedness of the traitor: my heel, as Christ calls Judas the last part of his body, of which we are the body and members. The apostles are the more excellent and active members of Christ: Judas is the heel, like the farthest part of the body that is subject to the serpent, and is open to injury. First, therefore, the heel of Adam, second the heel of Judas. The former was the downfall of the whole inheritance, the latter of the traitor alone, who could not entangle the inheritance; for we are now not of the flesh, but of the Redeemer's inheritance, as the Scripture says: The inheritance is for those who believe in the Lord (Isaiah 54:17).

There is also that wickedness of his heel, which surrounded Christ: 'They surrounded me, they surrounded me,' he says, 'and in the name of the Lord I avenged myself upon them.' (Psalm 117:11) His heel is the Synagogue, the beauty and glory of his face is the Church; as it is written: 'The Lord has reigned, he has put on beauty.' (Psalm 92:1)

(Verse 7.) Therefore, they are the heel of whom it is said: Those who trust in their own strength, and those who boast in the abundance of their riches. The rich have become poor and hungry (Psalm 33:11). This is said of the Jews. But also, all those who live in luxury and do not submit to Christ are the heel. But these are general things that are widely known. However, he specifically spoke of Judas, the traitor, who seemed strong and rich in the glory of his apostleship.


(Vers. 8, 9.) Finally, the sermon about the Passion of the Lord is woven together. The brother does not redeem, a man will redeem; nor will he give his propitiation to God, and the price of redeeming his soul; that is, why should I fear daily evils? For what can harm me, who not only do not need a redeemer, but I myself am the redeemer of all? Shall I make others free, and tremble for myself? Behold, I will make all things new, which are above the affection of mere brotherhood and piety. The brother who cannot redeem himself from the same mother's womb due to the weakness of his nature, will be redeemed by man. But that man of whom it is written: 'The Lord will send a man who will save them' (Isaiah 19:20); who himself said: 'You seek to kill Me, a man who has spoken the truth to you' (John 8:40). But even though he is a man, who will know him? Why will no one know him? For just as there is one God, so there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. He is the only one who redeemed man, overcoming his brothers with compassion; for he poured out his own blood for others, which no one can offer for his brother. Therefore, he did not spare his own body in order to redeem us from sin: and he gave himself as redemption for all; as the true witness, the apostle Paul, affirmed, saying: I speak the truth, I do not lie (Rom. IX, 1). But why will he alone redeem here? Because no one can equal him in piety, to the extent that he would lay down his life for his slaves; no one in integrity; for all are under sin, all subject to the fall of Adam. Only the Redeemer is chosen, who cannot be subject to the old sin. Therefore, let us understand through the man, the Lord Jesus, who assumed human condition, that he crucified the sin of all in his flesh, and erased the handwriting of all with his own blood.


But perhaps you will say: How can it be denied that the brother will be redeemed, when he himself said: I will tell your name to my brothers (Ps. 21:23) ? But not as a brother to us, but as Christ Jesus, in whom God was; he forgave our sins. For it is written: God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself (2 Cor. 5:19) . In that Christ Jesus, of whom it is only said: The Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14) . Therefore, he dwelt in us not as a brother, but as a Lord, when he dwelt in flesh. Therefore, since he reconciled the world to God, certainly he himself did not need reconciliation. For how could he propitiate God for his own sin, when he knew no sins? Lastly, when the Jews asked for a didrachma, which was given for sin according to the Law, he said to Peter: Simon, do the kings of the earth take tribute or taxes from their own sons, or from strangers? Peter answered: from strangers. To whom the Lord said: Therefore the sons are free. But lest we give them offense . . . cast a hook, and take up the fish that first comes up; and when you have opened its mouth, you shall find a piece of money: that take, and give it for me and for you (Matthew 17:24 et seq.). It shows that he does not need to offer propitiation for his sins; for he was not a slave of sin, but was free from every error as the Son of God. For the son, being free, is a slave in debt. Therefore, that free person is free from all and does not pay the price of redemption for his own soul, the price of whose blood could abound to redeem all the sins of the whole world. Rightly, therefore, he sets others free, who owes nothing for himself.

(Verse 10.) I will add more. Not only should Christ not pay the price for His own redemption or atonement for sin, but also if you consider any faithful person, it can be understood that they should not seek their own atonement; for Christ is the atonement for all, and He is the redemption of all. For if the blood of any person is sufficient for their own redemption, when Christ has shed His own blood for the redemption of all? Is there, therefore, anyone's blood that can be compared to the blood of Christ? Or is there any man so powerful that he can offer a propitiation for himself beyond the propitiation that Christ offered in himself, who alone reconciled the world to God through his blood? What greater sacrifice, what more excellent offering, what better advocate than the one who became a plea for the sins of all and gave his life for our redemption? Therefore, the propitiation or redemption of individuals is not sought; for the price of all is the blood of Christ, by which the Lord Jesus redeemed us, who alone reconciled the Father: and he labored until the end; because he himself undertook our labor, saying: Come to me, all you who labor... and I will refresh you (Matthew 11:28). See the one laboring: I have labored groaning, my throat has become hoarse (Psalm 69:4). And elsewhere: Issachar desired what is good, resting among the strong. And below: He placed his shoulder to the work, and became a farmer (Gen. XLIX, 14 and 15). Therefore, man will no longer offer his propitiation or redemption; for he has been once cleansed of sin by the blood of Christ. However, he will labor to keep the commandments of living and not deviate from heavenly mandates. While he lives, let him be in labor and persevere in it, so that he may live until the end, lest he himself die a death, since he has already been redeemed from death.


(V. 11.) But whoever keeps the commandments of life will not see destruction, when they see those who appeared to be the most wise and prudent in this world dying. This specifically applies to the scribes and Pharisees, who claim seats of authority in the synagogues, as if they were the rulers of wisdom. They truly labor in vain, thinking that they will be set free by a silver coin, while they despise the spiritual price of their soul and reject the unique sacrifice of the Lord's body through an empty interpretation of the Law, refusing the sacrament of baptism. For the blood of goats and bulls can never take away sins; but it is the blood of Christ that redeems us all, as prefigured in Leviticus. It is not by the payment of a didrachma, but by the price of His blood alone that we are set free.

Therefore, let us be teachable by God, so that none of us may experience eternal damnation on that day when the wise of this world or the leaders of the Jews will be condemned to everlasting death, while the foolish and the stupid perish together. They are not the same. The foolish one is he who understands nothing and comprehends folly; the stupid one is he who understands wrongly. The stupid one says there is no God. Just as the wicked one, not because he is ignorant of justice, but because of the wickedness of his own heart, commits unjust deeds: he is also called wicked because he wants to destroy goodness through his malice, not because he is unaware of goodness. Therefore, when the foolish and ignorant perish, they leave behind their riches to strangers; for they cannot find a deserving and rightful heir to their folly and wickedness. For the rightful heirs say: 'Because we are children of God.' But if we are children, then we are also heirs: heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, so that we may also be glorified together (Rom. VIII, 16 and 17). Therefore, the foolish do not have riches, because they do not have an inheritance. They do not have untrustworthy wealth, nor possessions; for to the faithful, the whole world is a possession. They do not have inheritance, for the inheritance is only for those who believe in the Lord. But they have their own wealth. Therefore, the greedy person says: I have no place to gather my fruits (Luke 12:17); for the true fruits, but the fruits of the greedy person, is money. And the Lord says to the greedy person: Go, sell your possessions . . . and come; follow me (Matthew 19:21). For an inherited estate is not a perfect good, but these are ill-gotten gains that are acquired through some profit. Sell, he says, what you think is yours; even though they are not yours, because they pass to others just like a river: and follow me, so that you may recognize the immortal good. Therefore, the wise are led to destruction, to whom God hides the things that He revealed to little ones. They will perish together, and in the same place there will be both the fool and the ignorant, and they will leave their wealth to strangers; because wickedness does not find a legitimate successor.


(Verse 12.) And their graves shall be their houses forever, their dwelling places to all generations. They have named lands after themselves. Everywhere Scripture considers graves as worthless, compared to those who are degenerate and greedy for this life. Their throat is an open sepulcher (Psalms 5:11). Therefore, they live for the present and not for eternity; their graves are their houses. For the houses of the righteous are not on earth, but in heaven, as the Apostle taught, saying: But our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). It is our home, which is the house of Christ. Therefore, Scripture says: 'And Moses indeed was faithful over his whole house as a servant, to bear witness to those things which were to be spoken: but Christ as the Son in his own house' (Heb. III, 5 et 6). Hence, for the pious, the Church is their home, and heaven is their homeland. Therefore, the just man says: 'I am a stranger with you and a sojourner, as all my fathers were' (Psal. XXXVIII, 13). For the indulgent, their home is a tomb. Indeed, they live as if in a tomb, those who can say: 'Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die' (Isaiah 22:13), having no view of resurrection before their eyes. Therefore, they adhere and cling to their own tombs, because they did not believe that they could be raised. Therefore, their dwelling is in their own burial place, and their tent is in the earthly generation and progeny; they leave worms as heirs to their body, so that only their memory remains here, and cannot pass into eternity.


Finally, their names are written in their own lands; because their works are corruptible and earthly. And therefore their names are written where they preferred to live. But to those who have elevated their works, it is said to them: Do not rejoice, because demons are subject to you; but rejoice, because your names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20). Hence, let us understand that the Lord does not accuse them in vain, who built themselves tombs or adorned the tombs of the prophets (Matthew 23:28). For the Jews are condemned, who offered earthly consolations, not eternal rewards, to the prophets they had killed. Therefore, he prohibits his disciple from burying his father (Matthew 8:22) because he should be continuously focused on the eternal Father. And it is written in the book of Isaiah: 'What, you ask, have you built and torn down your tomb for yourself?' (Isaiah 22:16) And Mary is criticized for seeking Christ in the tomb. Leave the tombs which they left, who, hearing the voice of the Lord, rose from the graves in His passion. Do not dwell among the dead, who are alive. Hear the voice of Jesus, the one who resurrects: Rise, you who sleep, and rise from the dead; so that the light of Christ may be poured out upon you (Ephesians 5:14). The other light is His Holy Spirit, which shone like fire upon the holy apostles in the dispersion of tongues.

(Verses 13, 14.) It follows: When a man is honored, he does not understand; he is compared to the beasts that are without understanding; and he becomes like them. This is their way, it becomes a stumbling block to them; and afterwards they will please with their mouth. Because the man did not understand, when he was honored (and honor consists in this, that he was made in the image of God, he became capable of reason), he was compared to the beasts, which do not have understanding; but he who understood, is compared to the angels. And therefore, here he is magnified by the clarity of good works: he is esteemed like a horse neighing at the filthiness of living, which brings stumbling blocks to those who live in wickedness and obscenity. For the foolishness of a man contaminates his ways. But such men live according to their own desires, which create stumbling blocks, and they will please themselves with their mouth, but not in their heart. For they are not good, of whom it is said: They blessed with their mouth, and cursed with their heart (Psalm 62:5). And it is also a response to those who have written in their books as follows: And afterwards, they will bless with their mouth. For your word is near, and it should be in your mouth and in your heart.

(Verse 15.) As sheep are led down to hell: death shall feed on them. And the just shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their help shall decay in hell, from their glory. Christ who did not wish to feed them, shall feed them with death. Who then would abandon the good shepherd, who lays down his own life for his sheep, because the care of his flock belongs to him? Or who would choose the hired death, which is repaid with the reward of the worst deeds? At the same time, know, O man, that Christ is the true shepherd, who feeds his own unto life. Death has entered, which leads strangers to ruin, and devours those whom it can prevail against because of their wickedness. While it is permitted to exert power and accumulate wealth in this life, so as to boast over others at home: in the resurrection there will be servitude, when the morning light shines upon the righteous: whose figure is that the lord Jacob is placed before his brother. And so, a miserable servitude, that at the time when others are called to the glory of splendor and light, the glory of these people fades and is consumed in the darkness of hell. And rightly it is said about them: They were expelled from their honor and glory; for this glory is temporal.

But God will free, he says, my soul from the hand of hell; when he shall take it. He says this well, who knew that his soul was not to be abandoned in hell. For he descended, in order to set free the captives from the jaws of hell, not to remain captive among them.

(Verse 17.) Therefore, since these things that are in this world cannot pass with us; therefore it is said to you: Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich, and when the glory of his house is multiplied. Because when he dies, he will not take everything with him, nor will the glory of his house descend with him. Do not be afraid of riches, and the power of the rich, and the worldly glory; for those things are transient, and they depart more quickly than they came. This world is a dream: you wake up, and it disappears; for whoever can sleep off the intoxication of this world and assume the sobriety of virtue, despises these things and considers money worthless. And do not be afraid when you hear of the multiplied glory of some powerful person's house. Look carefully, and it is empty, having nothing in itself of the fullness of faith. And what shall I say about the world? It was completely empty before Christ filled it with believers. And so it is written: He will judge among the nations, he will fill ruins (Psalm 109:6). For what else was there in this world before, except the ruin of faithlessness? What is ruin? Listen to him saying: Where there is ruin, there also are eagles (Matthew 24:28); that is, where there is ruin, there is also resurrection. Ruin is emptiness of stability; resurrection is fullness of life. And so, that ruin of Adam emptied us, but the grace of Christ filled us. That is why he emptied himself; so that he could fill us, and dwell in the flesh of man, the fullness of power. Know what is ruin. While a person is alive, they are infused with spirit: when they have died, surely the spirit of this vital life is empty. The loss of spiritual grace makes it even more empty, which grace is accustomed to filling; so that we can say: For we have all received from his fullness, and grace for grace (John 1:16). It is said of another: I have labored in vain (Isaiah 49:4): but the righteous are like the fragrance of a full field.


(Verse 18.) But what is not empty, that which is worldly and secular; when he rightly said, who with sober virtue despised this world: naked I was born, naked I will die (Job 1:21)? Can anyone take with them what they possess? This person leaves behind everything, enters the tomb alone, and his rich tomb is empty, which the earth itself couldn't contain. Hence it is said: Will you alone dwell on the earth? Does the glory of his house or wealth descend into that tomb (Isaiah 5:8)? See the power of Scripture. The glory of the world does not descend with the sinner, but the glory of virtue ascends with the innocent. And to put it more succinctly, the glory of a man will ascend with the one ascending; it will not descend with the one descending. That which is of grace and virtue will ascend. One ascends to paradise, one descends to hell. Descending, it says, the living descend into hell (Psalm 54:16). Therefore, Lazarus, the poor man, was lifted up by angels into Abraham's bosom. The rich man, who lived in luxury, lifted up his eyes in hell and begged Abraham to send the poor man to him, so that he could touch his tongue with his finger, and thus find some relief in the midst of the great burning. See this poor man, abundantly blessed with all good things, surrounded by the blissful rest of the holy Patriarchs. See this empty man, who seemed to abound in everything in this world, whose soul was blessed in his life: but now, in death, he is tormented and without strength (Luke 16:22 and following).


(Verse 19.) Hence it follows beautifully: For his soul will be blessed in his own life: he will give thanks to you when you do good to him. They will bless him, he says, with an earthly blessing. Foolish men, who consider the present, not the future. His followers and sycophants will bless him. He himself also considers himself blessed if he seizes some desired field. He confesses to God when good things succeed for him in this world; but when adverse things happen, he curses with an impious mouth. Therefore he says this, because the secular man does not give thanks when placed in poverty and adversity; but the just man, on the other hand, blesses the Lord with grateful affection in difficulties. Lastly, the devil says to God: What is surprising, if Job blesses you? He has everything in abundance. But send, he says, your hand, and touch what he possesses, let us see if he will bless you to your face (Job 1:11). And the Lord gave him the power to take away those things that belonged to this world; he would pour out the ulcerous severity of his flesh. Nevertheless, Job blessed saying: The Lord gave, the Lord took away... blessed be the name of the Lord (Ibid., 21).

(Verses 20, 21.) He shall go on to his fathers' generation: he shall never see light. When a man is in honor, yet does not understand, he is compared to the senseless beasts and becomes like them. Therefore, it is said, he shall go on to his fathers' generation. The Lord declared, saying: You are of your father the devil (John 8:44). There are also those fathers of whom it is said: Let the dead bury their own dead (Matthew 8:22). Therefore, the Moabites were forbidden to enter the Church of the Lord for three or four generations (Deut. 23:3), so that their children, due to the sins of their fathers, would enter into the same generation whose deeds and customs they imitated. Hence it is written: The children of adulterers will come to a complete end (Wisdom 3:16). Therefore, whoever does not follow the Father who is in heaven, but instead follows the earthly corruption, enters into the lineage of an earthly father. For as earthly, so are the earthly ones; so that his earthly life is without rest after death. He will not see eternal light forever; because he sought after worldly things. However, he who has followed Christ's glory, who has desired that light which enlightens every person coming into this world, will find and see eternal light; because Christ has redeemed him from death.

Then therefore he will think with himself, that when he was in honor, he did not understand; and therefore he will be similar to the beasts, who ought to be similar to the angels, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: to whom is honor, glory, perpetuity from ages, and now, and always, and unto all ages of ages. Amen.

On Psalm 62, Commentary

On the Psalm LXI, Commentary. Title: To the end, for Idithun, a Psalm by David himself.

In this treatise on the psalm, Blessed Ambrose strongly reproaches the unfaithfulness and impiety of the tyrant Maximus, who dared to deceive and kill his lord Emperor Gratian through fraud and deceit. He declares that the emperor dwells in the Lord's sanctuary and rests on his mountain.

(Verse 1.) It is the unquestioned custom of all of us to hurry toward the end, and we want to know the sum of what we have read or seen and heard. Hence the title itself does not allow us to be idle, nor does it let the indication of common desire pass by our resting ears. For among other things, although it shines forth even in other things, in this kind of psalm a divine oracle shines forth. Hence let us consider more diligently what the end is; for the end is called τέλος, and the sum of the thing we want to explain. Christ is called the end because he is the end of the Law; as it is written: Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes (Rom. X, 4). He is also called the end because he is the beginning and the end. Therefore, those psalms which are titled: To the end; are either about Christ or are of Christ himself: about Christ, when he is proclaimed; of Christ himself, when he proclaims himself, and promises to come to the earth and deigns to reveal to us the future passion of his own body.


And so they are inscribed on the title themselves, as if truly David, the ministries of the prophetic mouth of the Lord, are assigned through him, by whom the office of the human voice reproved the heavenly and divine sentence resounded.

And rightly, the introduction is given for Idithun, who was a prophet, and sang the psalms with his six sons, as if a certain preface; because it was fitting for him to prophesy, who, being appointed in the ministry of singing, spoke divine oracles with a human voice. And because the passion of the Lord's body was to be undertaken for the purpose of abolishing the error of the whole world, although the diligence of the person whose name it is was approved, it expressed a more commendable education of the people. And so, we hear him speaking.

(Verse 2) Will not my soul be subject to God? Our Lord Jesus, taking on the flesh of man in order to cleanse it in himself, first had to abolish the contamination of ancient sin. For because guilt had crept in through disobedience, while divine commands were transgressed, he had to reform obedience above all, in order to exclude the seedbed of error. For the sin had originated from there: and therefore, like a good physician, he had to first cut off the roots of the ulcer, so that the healing remedy of medicines could be felt by the mouth of the wound. For in vain have you healed the scar if the inner infections spread; rather the wound worsens if it is closed on the outside, while the virus boils within. For what good is it to forgive sin if the desire for sinning remains? This was not healing the scar, but rather closing it off. Therefore, He wanted to cleanse the wound in order to heal the desire; so that no trace of disobedience would remain. He Himself took on obedience, in order to impart it to us. For it was necessary that just as many were made sinners through the disobedience of one man, so also many would be made righteous through the obedience of one man.


Hence, it greatly indicates an error on their part who assert that the flesh of man was assumed by Christ but deny the affect: and, on the contrary, go against the counsel of our Lord Jesus, who take away man from man; for man cannot exist without the affect. For the flesh, without the affect, is immune to both reward and fault. Therefore, it was necessary for it to assume and heal that from whence the fault had flowed; so that it might close the source of the error and the gates of a certain breaking forth of sin. Where could I recognize the Lord Jesus today, whose flesh I do not see, but read about his suffering? Where, I ask, could I recognize him as a man; unless he had hungered, unless he had thirsted, unless he had wept, unless he had said: My soul is sorrowful even unto death (Matthew 26:38)? Finally, it is written: He is a man, and who will know him (Jeremiah 17:9)? But a man is recognized by these things, who is esteemed above men by divine works. And so, he himself wanted to be believed as a man, even though he was God; so that he might call himself a man, saying: Why do you seek to kill me, a man who has spoken the truth to you (John 8:40)? Not only a man, but also the Son of Man, as he says: Who do men say that the Son of Man is (Matthew 16:13)? Therefore, he was declared to hold the highest faith, who both knew the Son of God and did not deny being a man. Therefore, he is both one, inseparable in number, and recognizable in the distinction of his works, not in the variety of his person. For it is not one from the Father and another from Mary, but he who was from the Father took flesh from the Virgin: he assumed our affections from our mother, in order to take upon himself our weaknesses. Hence the Prophet says: 'Surely he has borne our griefs' (Isaiah 53:4). How could he suffer with my pain if he did not assume my flesh? He says, 'He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief' (ibid., 3).


And so He was weakened like a man, He suffered like a man; and we considered Him to be a man acquainted with sorrows: but He, like a conqueror of weaknesses, not conquered by weaknesses, grieved for us, not for Himself; and He was weakened not because of His own, but because of our sins, in order to heal us with His bruises. What indeed is man in affliction, and knowing how to bear infirmity; unless he had compassion for afflictions? Or how would He know how to bear infirmity, if He had excluded the sense of weakness? For what we carry, we endure as a burden. He therefore took on our sins, so that he might carry them; he also took on them, so that he might cleanse them. Finally, it is written: And he himself cleansed their sins. Therefore, he will possess many through inheritance, and will divide the spoils of the strong. There is indeed a greater triumph where the internal mind is cleansed. Therefore, what he carries pertains to remission; what he cleanses, to correction. He therefore took on our compassion, he also took on our submission. For whatever subjects all things to itself, is its own: what is subject, is ours. Therefore he says: Will not my soul be subject to God? Soul, he says, is subject, not divinity; subject soul, not the power of God. For the power of God is not subject to power; but it uses the unity and partnership of power. That is subject, which is often changed by the frailty of human condition, not that which cannot be changed. The soul sympathizes with the flesh, and the flesh with the soul, which are joined together in a certain union. That which is sad is subject; for it is written: My soul is sorrowful even unto death. That which is subject is what is assumed, not born of God the Father: although this subjection is not in the nature of weakness, but in the exercise of virtue; rather a temporary dispensation than a perpetual enslavement. Hence he also says: Will not my soul be subject to God?

Why did he say he would be, if the subjection is eternal? But because the Son of God who was speaking is eternal, and yet he took on a soul in time; therefore, he speaks of the future subjection of his soul. Through this obedience, through this humility; which, however, were not undertaken due to weakness of power, but for the purpose of teaching discipline. For the Lord Jesus Himself, when he was in the form of God, did not consider robbery to be equal with God; but he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and being found in appearance as a man: he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death (Philippians 2:6-8). As the Apostle says, not desiring to declare a perpetual and everlasting subjection, but to explain the temporal subjection that He assumed with flesh and laid down with the servitude of His own body. Similarly, it is written in Hebrews: For when He presented an example, saying, 'You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek,' Paul added the following: In the days of His flesh, He offered up prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered and, once made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 5:6-10). Therefore, the Apostle clearly proclaims that this obedience and humility were not of divinity, but of the flesh. For what is learned is temporal. Therefore, as a man, He learned obedience from what He suffered, so that He may be perfected in the flesh and through the obedience, the cause of eternal salvation may be transmitted to us. For it was through the inheritance of disobedience that the first Adam, who became the cause of death, came into existence.


Therefore, subjecting the authority of human virtue is a diminution of power, not divine. For if they say that the Son is lesser and unequal to the Father because he was subject to God the Father, does that mean that the mother is also lesser because she was subject to the father? It is written about Joseph and Mary: 'And he was subject to them' (Luke 2:51). But piety is not a detriment to us, but an increase, through which the Lord Jesus has infused faith and grace in all of us, so that he may make us faithful in spirit and subject to God the Father. And therefore, with a new and profound purpose, the Apostle says that he himself will be subject to the Father in us, when in all there is the fullness of faith and a certain unity of devotion. For now, as long as we disagree in our opinions, we in a way diminish the kingdom of Christ; because not all things have yet been subjected to Him, whose kingdom is unity. But when all things are subjected to Him, then He Himself will also be subject to Him who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all (1 Corinthians 15:28); as it is written. Now indeed he is above all in power, but it is necessary for him to be in all things by will: for he desires, when he has knowledge of all things in us, that they be full of himself and empty of sins. Therefore he is not yet subject to the Father; because Christ is not yet all things and in all things: but when Christ is all things and in all things, then God will be all things and in all things. From this it is understood that the kingdom of the Father and the Son is one, and also of the Holy Spirit; because whoever receives the Son, receives also the Father, receives also the Holy Spirit; for there is one power, one grace, one operation of the Trinity.


And the Lord rightly added: For from him is my salvation. As if to say: Do not be troubled because I said that my soul will be subject to God. The soul will be subject, which is a part of you: but my salvation is from him; that is, because I am always from the Father and in the Father. For I came from the Father into this world: although you see a man, believe that he is the Son of God. But when the Paraclete whom I will send to you from my Father comes, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from my Father, he will bear witness about me (John 15:26). And the Son proceeds from the Father, and the Spirit proceeds from Him. Therefore, there is no doubt about the unity of divinity. And so, David desired that this salvation of God be given to us; for He himself is the eternal life, if we know both the true God the Father and the Son, who came for our certain salvation. But He did not consider equality with God to be robbery. He separates the assertion of His divinity and represents the role of human dispensation.


Therefore he added immediately: For indeed he is my God, my helper, my defender: I shall not be moved any longer. These things, of course, are spoken as if by a man; because in God we ought to place our hope, we are not easily shaken: although in what he said, I shall not be moved any longer; he shows himself to have the divine insignia of power. For elsewhere you have him saying: Yet once more I will shake the earth (Haggai 2:7). He shook it with the flood, when all flesh perished except that which was in Noah's ark: he shook it when Sodom and Gomorrah were consumed by sacred fire. These are signs of divine wrath. But because the Lord chose to save the human race rather than destroy it, he will no longer be moved to anger, for he came to show mercy: he came to redeem us with his blood, not to spill ours. He came to offer himself for us, like a good merchant preserving his own merchandise through the suffering of his own body.

(Verse 4.) And when He said this, He lifted up His eyes and saw both the persecutors from this side and the spiritual wickednesses gathering together on the other side, and He said: How long will you rush upon man, killing all, that is, why do you hasten to destroy the human race? Do you not know that I have come for the redemption of all? I have offered myself for all, that I might protect all by my offering. Therefore, we accept man either for the entire human multitude, or if we accept him for one, we understand him as the same person. You rush upon man, but because you cannot rush upon God above; just as it says elsewhere: Why do you seek to kill me, a man? (John 8:40). For divinity could not be subject to death, but human nature was. So if you rush upon me and want to arrest me, why do you want to kill those who are with me? It is enough for you to have the one you seek. I do not seek a partner in suffering, for I do not need the help of anyone for the salvation of all. I do not require an envoy, nor do I send a messenger; but I myself have presented myself as a messenger to those who do not seek me: I have surrendered myself to those who do not apprehend me, in order to free those who had been trapped in the snares of death. So you rush in as if to an inclined wall and a shaken wall, unaware that I came not to tilt the wall or shake the wall, but to dissolve. For I came to bring peace, to make both one; and by dissolving the middle wall of the partition that separated flesh and soul, so that they could not feel as one: and therefore the flesh resisted the soul, and could not be subject to its authority; because it could not obey its commands due to the obstacle of the wall.


Therefore, the law of the flesh was opposed to the law of the mind. This wall of ancient enmities, like a barrier, the Lord Jesus removed and made the meetings of the mind and the flesh accessible; so that, coming together as one, they would pursue that which was beneficial to both. Therefore, the wall is a certain height of sins. Hence, Paul says to the high priest of the Jews: God will begin to strike you, you whitewashed wall (Acts 23:3); for the wall is built of mud and cement. Hence the Egyptians built cities when the Jews were forced to make bricks. In Egypt, clay was made, and the people of God worked sin there. Therefore, God groaned, therefore He was heard and freed from sin. Therefore, the Law was given, the promised grace; so that the Law would cut sin in part, and grace would give everything.

(Verse 5.) And when these things were brought to us, when these things were endured for us, we rejected his price. Hence he says: Yet they thought to reject my price; when Judas, the betrayer, returned the price, the Jews refused to put it in the treasury, saying: It is not lawful for us to put it in the treasury, for it is the price of blood (Matth. XXVII, 6). Here the betrayer is condemned by his own judgement, who returned the price he received, weak as a witness to holy office, but strong as a witness to his crime. For each person is a more severe accuser of oneself, and carries within themselves an inexcusable sentence. The leaders of the synagogue condemn themselves by their own judgment. They claim that the price of blood they have given is the cause of accusation, and they accuse themselves of restoring it. For if it should not have been received, it should not have been paid. And I wish they had either not given it, or because they had given it, had not received it. For they have rejected what they did not want to put in a chest, and instead they bought a field with it for the burial of foreigners. Therefore, deservedly the Gentiles, for whom the burial of Him who was bought by the death of Christ has profited, are no longer strangers and foreigners: but have become citizens of the saints, and domestics of God; because they are buried with the Son of God: but the Jews who rejected the price of His passion, wander away from Christ. It is more tolerable for them, even in this, as a traitor, that they confess their error: but they aggravate their crime by making excuses. For confession is more modest after the offense. Therefore, they shamelessly rejected the confession of the common sacrilege, saying, 'What does it matter to us? You seem (to be)'. For what did the traitor say, except this: 'I have sinned in handing over innocent blood'? The crime of the one who hands over, how could it not be a sin for the one who receives it? Since evil is connected to evil, so that they would wickedly kill the one whom they had wickedly acquired.

I ran, he said, in thirst. Indeed, it is true that our Lord Jesus thirsted. Blessed is the Lord's thirst; for he thirsted for us, especially in his passion. Finally, he said: I thirst (John 19:28). So he was thirsty when from his side he poured out the streams of living water to quench the thirst of all. Finally, it is written: Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water (John 7:38). But in Greek, it is in the middle, because it signifies both singular and plural number. Therefore I also ran; and they ran, as we can understand from the Greek. Now we have explained what it means to run, namely, to hasten to receive the thirst of all, so that I may satisfy all with the abundance of the everlasting fountain (for whoever I give water to will not thirst, neither now, nor in the future, as it was said to the Samaritan woman); now let us explain what it means: They ran in thirst. This means that they hastened to dry up the living fountain of their own disbelief, denying it eternal moisture; just as the Lord himself says: They have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and have made for themselves broken cisterns. It is not surprising that they were thirsty, who could not hold the water of the eternal fountain through the leaks of their slippery treachery. Therefore, they were thirsty because they deprived themselves of the spiritual drink, which they had drawn from the giving rock. Hence, Symmachus also says: 'They blessed their own deceit,' that is, they found pleasure in falsehood, when they presented falsities as truths. Every lie has thirst, truth has abundance, which persists forever.

And how quickly he proved, that they ran in falsehood! With their mouth, he said, they blessed, and with their heart, they cursed. Miserable thirst of traitors, who held one thing in their heart and spoke another with their mouth. But where faith overflows with abundance, it is believed in the heart for righteousness, and confession is made with the mouth for salvation. However, the series of the Passion shows how they blessed with their mouth and cursed with their heart, when they said: Let him come down from the cross and we will believe in him (Matthew 15:32). Fools! He rose from the dead, and they did not believe; how then would they have believed if He had descended from the cross? He hoped in the Lord, let Him deliver him; let Him save him, since He desires him (Psalm 22:9); for those who were mocking rather than wishing were saying these things, and they were asking whether He was the Son of God, speaking with peaceful words but thinking in their hearts of sacrilegious accusation.

But these are mystical, let us come to the moral. Indeed, since Christ is desired not once, He was desired once in His body which He received in the Virgin, He is desired frequently in that body which is the Church; for we are the body of Christ and its members. He is also desired in each of His holy and innocent ones who have dedicated themselves to the Lord.

We remember someone (Gratian commands) recently desired by everyone, abandoned and betrayed by his own: who, once placed on the platform of power, suddenly lacking the obedience he had inherited from those very people, began to be pressed upon, with death approaching, with no helper, no longer with any ally of his own, no companion. What else can he say, except that what he had received from the very person to whom he had devoted himself: Shall not my soul be subject to God? This is what you are pursuing; why are you going mad; why are you insulting? You can kill the flesh, but you cannot kill the soul. You can take away the life of the body, but you cannot extinguish its merit. For it is written: Do not fear those who can kill the flesh, but cannot kill the soul; but rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:28). Therefore, the soul that is subject to God is not subject to human power; for it hopes for the fruit of eternal life from Him, and the help of perpetual salvation. Therefore, the one to whom I have surrendered myself will defend and save me from being killed, and will resurrect the dead, and will avenge the one who has been killed. The righteous has been taken away, so that wickedness does not change his heart. Therefore, this death is more of an escape from sin than a loss for the one who is dying.

For He Himself is my God, my helper, my defender; I shall not be moved. Those who waver are shaken, because they flow away from the certain position of their integrity and innocence. Once placed upon the rock of Christ, one should not have a slippery footprint, but should maintain the firmness of their own condition. Hence, one is said to be immovable, who keeps an immovable will, and carries out some intention with a faithful intent of the mind. For we also read the unchangeable will of God, as you have in Hebrews: In which God, being willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed an oath. (Hebrews 6:17). Therefore, the unchangeable will of God is rightly not moved by the allurements of any sin. But men are changeable, prone to sinning, and easy to wander. In fact, it is said of the Jews: And they that passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads. (Matthew 27:39). And the Lord himself says in the psalm: All who saw me, despised me: they spoke with their lips and shook their heads (Ps. XXI, 8). Christ is the head of all. Therefore, it is better for Christ to remain in us, than for any disturbance of ours to shake him. Hence the Jews, shaking their heads, said: Take away from the earth such a man (Act. XXII, 22). The Gerasenes begged him to depart from their borders (Luke, VIII, 37): but the Church held onto him and did not let him go. Therefore, she who held him possesses: those who moved cannot possess. But the evangelist rightly says that when passing by, they moved their heads (Matthew 27:39): passing by, not standing. We stand in holy courts, we pass by in streets. The priest passed by, the Levite passed by; he stood, who cared for the inflicted wounds. And therefore, those who were passing by did not say: 'The Lord's blessing be upon you, we bless you from the house of the Lord' (Psalm 128:8); for those who bless are standing, not passing by. And finally, they pass by the vineyard whose protective walls have been torn down, and they vandalize it, not staying there. As they pass by, they hiss, just as we read in the Lamentations of Jeremiah: 'All who pass by on the road hold their hands against you; they hiss and shake their heads at Daughter Jerusalem' (Lam. 2:15). Therefore, the priest could not be crowned, he could not be promoted, because they passed by, and they passed by like a shadow. However, Stephen was crowned with martyrdom because he saw the Lord Jesus standing, immovable, not passing by. Therefore, Stephen, being firm in faith, saw Christ being firm: he was not moved by any fear of death. Stephen did not move, Christ did not move. The sons of the betrayer were moved, of whom it is said: Let his sons be moved and beg (Psalm 108:10). For he who is moved needs a physician. The helpless sinner is rich, the just man is rich; for he who always seeks the Lord is never lacking in goodness.

And because of this, the saying came about, which he said: 'I shall not be moved anymore'; which shows that to be moved towards fault, David himself declares, saying: 'He has set my soul unto life, and has not allowed my feet to be moved' (Psalm 65:9). Therefore, to the holy one, it is said by the Lord our God: 'But you stand here with me' (Deuteronomy 5:31); for whoever is close to God cannot be near to a fall. For every fault has the habit of throwing the mind off its place like an opponent's attack, and moving it from its proper state, which seems to be drawn either from an enemy or from a struggle. Anger disturbs, desire inflames, envy incites, greed tortures, fear overthrows, grief afflicts. And it has been said by the Lord Jesus to Peter: Come behind me (Mark 8:33). He did not say: Come behind (for he said this to the devil alone) but: Come behind me; for there is no going back for the one who is after Christ. But because Peter was erring, as the Lord himself says to him: Because you do not understand the things of God, but the things of men (Mark 8:33); therefore come after me, so that you may begin to perceive not human, but divine things. So here the just one must be taken from the earth, saying: I will not be moved anymore. For it is far better to be dissolved and to be with Christ (Philippians 1:23). For the person who has begun to be with Christ will not be able to err, because death is not the end of nature for the just, but of sin.

Meanwhile, among the voices, he suddenly sees the pursuing troops, and being in danger himself, he is not concerned about himself; but about those whom he wanted to free, he says: How long will you rush upon a man, killing everyone (above, verse 4)? If you seek me, why do you want to kill others? I offer myself for many; because for all, only he himself could offer himself, who is the author of all things. Therefore, the follower of Him whom he was following says (John 18:8-9): If you seek me, let these go away; so that the word which Jesus said may be fulfilled: For I have not lost any of them except one (for this sentence of the Lord is recorded in another book); however, he who perished more by his own will than by my severity, says, was punished. And when I offer myself willingly, you rush upon me and attack me like a leaning wall and a tottering fence (Psalm verse 4); that is, the apex of the noble seat once august, and the strong wall of the empire once surrounding the entire Roman world, like a leaning wall or a crumbling wall.

But be this as it may, they sought my death, they sought my destruction, saying: Let us take away the just one, let us take away the merciful one; for he is burdensome to us even to behold. And they thought it necessary to wound my reputation, to harm my chastity with false accusations; for this is what they: They planned to reject my worth; for our worth is purity, which separates us from animals and unites us with angels. Our worth is mercy, which, when bestowed upon the needy, redeems us from death. Our price is the faith, which has acquired all men, deceived and oppressed by the error and servitude of the Gentiles, to Christ. Our price is good reputation; for the worth of each of us is valued by the series of our merits. Our price is cleanliness and simplicity; for it is written: The possession of the upright is precious (Prov. XII, 27); for nothing is more precious than a simple man. Hence the Apostle beautifully said: He abounded, he said, in the riches of his simplicity (II Cor. VIII, 2). For what is richer than simplicity? It is like a good father who has enough for himself, content with his own purity, not seeking what is another's, nor gnawing at it; but he fashions others about himself. Indeed, simplicity believes every word, and does not often change itself into various arts; unlike cunning, which, in order to be cautious, fears everything and does not trust itself with its own plans: it turns its own opinions. However, simplicity does not know how to fear anything new. Therefore, they attempted to reject the value of the just in this kind; although it can also be understood that they were receiving its gold in their hands, they were repelling it from their innermost hearts, clinging to the prey and denying faith.


And he says: I ran in thirst; because he sought faith, and could not find it, deserted by his companions, abandoned by his own. Thus we read in the Gospel that the Lord Jesus both hungered and thirsted (Matthew 4:2 and John 19:28); when he hungered, it seemed he thirsted for our faith, he thirsted for our deeds, he seemed to seek what is alien. Or, if we refer it to the thirst of the body, how great an indignity he speaks of: I ran in thirst? That is: I thirsted, while others belched out my wine; and from that high seat of power and royal wealth, I was led down to the lowest depths of thirst and plebeian wretchedness.


And because the Greek word ἔδραμον means both 'I ran' in the singular and 'they ran' in the plural, it can also be understood in this way: They ran with thirst, their throats being parched from excessive heat of my blood. Just as there is a thirst for faith, there is also a thirst for unfaithfulness. The righteous thirsts for that, who says: My soul thirsts for you, O God (Psalm 42:3). The wicked thirsts for that, whose tongue has withered from thirst. How much did that person thirst who, while sitting at a banquet, sought to plot the death of an innocent guest of Augustus, at meals and drinks? Did it not seem to you, impious one, that while you were eating, you were preparing a slaughter, because human bones crackled under your teeth? When you drank wine and contemplated murder, as you poured the innocent one's blood into those cups? Indeed, someone was not only far from imitation, but also from divine reading, so that it would not come to your mind that verse from the Psalms: But you, man of like soul with me, my guide and my familiar friend, who together with me didst get sweet sustenance (Ps. 54:14-15). And that other, of whom the Lord Jesus himself speaks in the Gospel: He who eats bread with me, shall lift up his heel against me.

What should I do to you, Ephraim; what should I do to you, Judah (Hos. VI, 4)? You have left us many heirs of your betrayal and deceit; for this can also be directed to the betrayer Judas through apostrophe. You have betrayed life, kingdom, and the Lord. But Jesus the Lord is betrayed once in himself, often in his servants. For whatever you have done to the least of these, you have done to me, he says (Matt. XXV, 40). You have accepted the entrusted chests and money of the poor, he has taken the entrusted provinces for himself. You, the apostle, received honor; he, the soldier, obtained dignity; and the other, the administrator, acquired power. I enumerate his honors in order to magnify his crime. Both of you violated the fellowship of the banquet: you, however, arose from the banquet to treachery, he to murder; that is, you, though in wickedness, are more cautious, for you denied what you believed to be the death that you were about to inflict on the Lord whom you were betraying, and you rejected the payment; so that the reward of the crime of parricide might not seem to remain with you. He not only held onto the money that was given, but he also extorted money that was not offered for his act of treachery. Not only was he not deceived by someone else's lie, but he deceived others with his own lie in order to kill. And when that person refused the banquet, who saw himself to be destroyed, this person offered a pledge; lest any part of his crime be lost to him. Finally, the money of the previous traitor was used for the burial of foreigners: this person denied complete burial to his own leader.

And there was not lacking someone who washed his hands saying: I am innocent of the blood of this just man (Matthew 27, 24); in which Pilate did not cleanse himself, but polluted himself: and got entangled, did not disentangle himself. For although there is no weight in the judgments of the lost, there is nevertheless a greater bond in confessions. For he does not absolve the just by a sentence not his own, but by his own life: the unjust more vehemently bind themselves with their own words, who cannot bind others. Yet, lest it should seem that this man also lacked his own confession, he swore in order to commit perjury. He washed his hands when he touched the Gospel: so that no example would be lacking. He washed his hands with water, in order to defile more quickly with the blood of the innocent. Nor was Herod absent, whom the other Pilate believed he would please if he had destined the captured prince. What shall I also say, that he also put on a stained garment to mock: afterwards he was clothed in a royal robe to die; so that he would not appear to have lost the due honor? For although he perished by his crime, he still retained the right of the power granted to him, even when dead, from those very people by whom it was denied, either by service or consent.


A funeral procession was added to this great crime; but the one who impatiently lamented those things, having learned what was being prepared, rightly rebuked the proud conqueror, saying that such things were not inflicted upon tyrants, but rather upon kings. Thus, terrified by the horror of the crime, he put aside the preparations for the most wicked crime. Nor was he lacking a petitioner for burial, although that Joseph who was called just was lacking. But Maximus, much more cruel, far denied it, because Pilate himself could not take it away. In which the humanity of the murderer was lacking, yet grace was not lacking to the innocent: and with patience assumed for a time, revenge was temporarily postponed.

(Verse 6, 7.) Therefore he says: Nevertheless, my soul is subject to God; for from him comes my endurance. For he is my God and my savior, my protector, I will not depart. This means, has the denial of burial for my body taken away the eternal dwelling of rest from me? I have my dwelling place in the tabernacle of the Lord, and I will rest on his holy mountain. I will not depart through human wickedness; for I have been welcomed by the favor of the Lord; for neither death, nor the sword, nor tribulation can separate me from the love of Christ. For it is not the innocent who leave the tents of the righteous, but the sinner. The heirs of Judah the traitor migrate, of whom and their likes it is rightly said: Let his children be unsettled and beg; let them be cast out from their dwellings (Ps. 108, 10).

What is well and truly attributed to the Lord Jesus Christ, who, when he descended into the earth to be crucified, to be buried; did not depart from the Father, but remained in the Father. I was handed over, and did not go out (Ps. LXXXVII, 9). Nor did he lay aside what he was, but preserved it: nor did he cease to be in the form of God, but persevered: not changing the glory of God by assuming a body, but by remaining, he acquired triumph, and lost no power. Where He Himself says: 'From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power' (Mark 14:62).

(Verse 9.) He addresses the assembled nations and the individuals acquired for the Father, with his own blood, urging them to faith, saying: Have hope in him, all the assemblies of my people; that is, not only Israel, but all, he says: not only the remnants, but also the fullness of the nations: not only the Gentiles, but also Israel; for when the fullness of the Gentiles enters, then all Israel will be saved. Who can comprehend divine mysteries? Their multitude is so great that rightfully Paul admires and rightfully says: O the depth of the riches of wisdom and knowledge of God (Rom. XI, 33)! The nations were rejected so that Israel might be chosen; Israel then became blind because of the calling of the nations, and the remaining blind Israelites were saved according to the election of grace, after the fullness of the nations had come in. Thus, the fault of Israel benefited the nations: the faith of the nations freed the people of Israel.

Pour out, he says, your hearts before him. Whoever puts on faith must first take off deceit, empty his heart of every stain of wickedness; so that his heart may become capable of spiritual grace. Therefore the Apostle says: Be renewed in the spirit of your mind (Ephesians IV, 23). For when old wickedness is poured out, new grace is received, by which each person is renewed. Therefore the Son of God says: Pour out your hearts before him; because he knew that the Father would say: I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh (Joel II, 28). There is also that tradition, that we should seem to pour out our heart when we open to someone all our thoughts and the desires of our heart. Therefore, let us cast our thoughts upon God, and let us believe that nothing can be hidden from Him. We pour out our heart before Him, when we unburden human disputes.

(Verse 10.) However, the vain sons of men: the deceitful sons of men weigh out in balances to deceive. If the vain sons of men and the deceitful sons of men can be sons of God, who were not born of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man; but were born of God. For the sons of men seem to themselves to weigh equity and with the severity of harsh judgment examine justice, harsh to others, lenient to themselves, wicked in deeds, censorious in speech. Where Solomon says: 'An abomination to the Lord is a double weight, and a deceitful scale is not good' (Prov. XX, 23). In this, he signifies those who meditate on robbery with insatiable hearts, and present a facade of sobriety. Such are the scribes of the Jews, who impose heavy burdens of stricter observance on others, not having a right yoke for their own souls; but being bent by inclined iniquity: they themselves are the deserters of their own precepts. Therefore, avarice is found to be like the root of all vices, which is the head of iniquity and the fuel: which a man, renouncing the world and buried with Christ through the sacrament of baptism, who has died to the world, ought to avoid and flee from.


(Verse 11.) Do not, he says, hope in wickedness, and do not covet robbery: if riches flow, do not set your heart on them. You see that they abound, but you do not see that they overflow? You are born naked, you will die naked. What do you seek to receive that you cannot take with you? The flowing things are the ones you marvel at: how they come, they also pass and recede. Only the Jordan river turned back, into which you descended: it reminds you to return to the very source and origin of nature, which brought you forth naked, unadorned with clothing; that you may learn not to seek excess. What you are ashamed of, being naked, is taught by fault, not by nature. For there would be no shame in the genitals if there were no fault. For no other animals dress to cover themselves, nor do they dress to protect themselves. Everything is sufficiently guarded by the covering of its own nature. But while we seek superfluous things, we have lost the covering of nature, we have lost common right. And therefore in this psalm is ascribed teachable instruction; because either Judith, or himself by her name, he instructed, by spiritual exercise, in undergoing temptations, so that when someone is in distress, he may submit himself to God; and if he has sinned before, may cease from sinning and not be moved by recurring error.


(Verse 12.) God spoke once, I heard these two things. God spoke once, and more was heard; because he did not speak by means of letters and syllables. He spoke in enigmas, he spoke through visions, he spoke through the divisions of grace, he spoke through the Spirit of each individual. But we speak many things, and are hardly heard. God spoke once in the Law, he spoke the same things again in the Gospel. Or perhaps, as I think, because he spoke in many ways through the prophets, but finally he spoke through his Son. He spoke once, when he spoke in the Son; and they also heard those things which were not heard before by those to whom he had spoken through the prophets. Therefore, he spoke once in the new Testament, and the old Testament was heard, which was not heard before; because the Lord himself said of the people of the Jews: They will see, and not see: they will hear, and not hear (Mark 4:12). They will hear with their bodily ears, but they will not hear with the hearing of the mind.


Therefore, to us, that is, to the Church, He spoke once, and there were two things heard; for we have heard and understood what they did not understand, who have read: those who have heard have not heard. For Christ alone opened the human ear to the knowledge of mysteries; He alone unlocked the seal of the books, and unraveled the enigmas of the prophets.

(Vers. 13.) Therefore, He Himself will render to each one according to his works, in which He also includes the quality of the works; so that He may either restore the rewards of many and better ones according to the merits of individuals, or, on the other hand, burden us by both the number and severity of our merits.

The first part of the fourteenth book of Tomi.