Augustin on Psalms 25
25
(Ps 25)
1. Christ speaks, but in the person of the Church: for what is said has reference rather to the Christian People turned unto God.
2. "Unto Thee, O Lord, have I lift up my soul" (verse 1) : with spiritual longing have I lift up the soul, that was trodden down on the earth with carnal longings. "O my God, in Thee I trust, I shall not be ashamed" (verse 2). O my God, from trusting in myself I was brought even to this weakness of the flesh; and I who on abandoning God wished to be as God, fearing death from the smallest insect, was in derision ashamed for my pride ; now, therefore, "in Thee I trust, I shall not be ashamed."
1. Ps 25,1. - 2. Ps 25,2.
1. Ps 25,2.
3. "And let not my enemies mock me." And let them not mock me, who by ensnaring me with serpent-like and secret suggestions, and prompting me with "Well done, well done," have brought me down to this. "For all that wait upon Thee shall not be confounded" (verse 3).
4. "Let them be confounded who do vain things unrighteously." Let them be confounded who act unrighteously for the acquiring things that pass away. "Make Thy ways, O Lord, known to me, and teach me Thy paths" (verse 4): not those which are broad, and lead the many to destruction;(3) but Thy paths, narrow, and known to few, teach Thou me.
5. "In Thy truth guide me:" avoiding error. "And teach me:" for by myself I know nothing, but falsehood. "For Thou art the God of my salvation; and for Thee have I waited all the day" (verse 5). For dismissed by Thee from Paradise, and having taken my journey into a far country? I cannot by myself return, unless Thou meetest the wanderer: for my return hath throughout the whole tract of this world's time waited for Thy mercy.
6. "Remember Thy compassions, O Lord" (verse 6). Remember the works of Thy mercy, O Lord; for men deem of Thee as though Thou hadst forgotten. "And that Thy mercies are from eternity." And remember this, that Thy mercies are from eternity. For Thou never wast without them, who hast subjected even sinful man to vanity indeed, but in hope;(5) and not deprived him of so many and great consolations of Thy creation.
7. "Remember not the offences of my youth and of my ignorance" (verse 7). The offences of my presumptuous boldness and of my ignorance reserve not for vengeance, but let them be as if forgotten by Thee. "According to Thy mercy, be mindful of me, O God." Be mindful indeed of me, not according to the anger of which I am worthy, but according to Thy mercy which is worthy of Thee. "For Thy goodness, O Lord." Not for my deservings, but for Thy goodness, O Lord.
8. "Gracious and upright is the Lord" (verse 8). The Lord is gracious, since even sinners and the ungodly He so pitied, as to forgive all that is past; but the Lord is upright too, who after the mercy of vocation and pardon, which is of grace without merit, will require merits meet for the last judgment. "Wherefore He will establish a law for them that fail in the way." For He hath first bestowed mercy to bring them into the way.
1. Ps 25,3.- 2. Ps 25,4.- 3. Mt 7,13-14.- 4. Ps 25,5. - 5. Gn 3,13.- 6. Lc 15,17.- 7. Ps 24,6.- 8. Ps 24,7.- 9. Ps 24,8.
9. "He will guide the meek in judgment." He will guide the meek, and will not confound in the judgment those that follow His will, and do not, in withstanding It, prefer their own. "The gentle He will teach His ways" (verse 9). He will teach His ways, not to those that desire to run before, as if they were better able to rule themselves;but to those who do not exalt the neck, nor lift the heel, when the easy yoke and the light burden is laid upon them. (6)
10. "All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth" (verse 10). And what ways will He teach them, but mercy wherein He is placable, and truth wherein He is incorrupt? Whereof He hath exhibited the one in forgiving sins, the other in judging deserts. And therefore "all the ways of the Lord" are the two advents of the Son of God, the one in mercy, the other in judgment. He then attaineth unto Him holding on His ways, who seeing himself freed by no deserts of his own, lays pride aside, and henceforward bewares of the severity of His trial, having experienced the clemency of His help. "To them that seek His testament and His testimonies." For they understand the Lord as merciful at His first advent, and as the Judge at His second, who in meekness and gentleness seek His testament, when with His Own Blood He redeemed us to a new life; and in the Prophets and Evangelists, His testimonies.
11. "For Thy Name's sake, O Lord, Thou wilt be favourable to my sin; for it is manifold" (verse 11 ). Thou hast not only forgiven my sins, which I committed before I believed; but also to my sin, which is manifold, since even in the way there is no lack of stumbling, Thou wilt be made favourable by the sacrifice of a troubled spirit.(7)
1. Ps 25,9. - 2. Mt 11,30. - 3. Ps 25,10. - 4. Ps 25,11.
12. "Who is the man that feareth the Lord?" from which fear he begins to come to wisdom. "He shall establish a law for him in the way, which he hath chosen" (verse 12). He shall establish a law for him in the way, which in his freedom he has taken, that he may not sin now with impunity.
13. "His soul shall dwell in good, and his seed shall, by inheritance, possess the earth "(verse 13). And his work shall possess the stable inheritance of a renewed body.
14. "The Lord is the stay of them that fear Him" (verse 14). Fear seems to belong to the weak, but the Lord is the stay of them that fear Him. And the Name of the Lord, which hath been glorified throughout the whole world, is a stay to them that fear Him. "And His testament, that it may be manifested unto them." And He maketh His testament to be manifested unto them, for the Gentiles and the bounds of the earth are Christ's inheritance.
15. "Mine eyes are ever unto the Lord; for He shall pluck my feet out of the snare" (verse 15). Nor would I fear the dangers of earth, while I look not upon the earth: for He upon whom Look, will pluck my feet out of the snare.
16. "Look upon me, and have mercy upon me; for I am single and poor" (verse 16). For I am a single people, keeping the lowliness of Thy single Church, which no schisms or heresies possess.
17. "The tribulations of my heart have been multiplied" (verse 17). The tribulations of my heart have been multiplied by the abounding of iniquity and the waxing cold of love.(1) "O bring Thou me out of my necessities." Since I must needs bear this, that by enduring unto the end I may be saved, bring Thou me out of my necessities.
1. Ps 25,12. - 2. Ps 25,13. - 3. Ps 25,14. - 4. Ps 25,15. - 5. Ps 25,16. - 6. Ps 25,17. - 7. Mt 10,22.
18. "See my humility and my travail" (verse 18). See my humility, whereby I never, in the boast of righteousness, break off from unity; and my travail, wherein I bear with the unruly ones that are mingled with me. "And forgive all my sins." And, propitiated by these sacrifices, forgive all my sins, not those only of youth and my ignorance before I believed, but those also which, living now by faith, I commit through infirmity, or the darkness of this life.
19. "Consider mine enemies, how they are multiplied" (verse 19). For not only without, but even within, in the Church's very communion, they are not wanting. "And with an unrighteous hate they hate me." And they hate me who love them.
20. "Keep my soul, and deliver me." Keep my soul, that I turn not aside to imitate them; and draw me out from the confusion wherein they are mingled with me. "Let me not be confounded, for I have put my trust in Thee" (verse 20). Let me not be confounded, if haply they rise up against me: for not in myself, but in Thee have I put my trust.
21. "The innocent and the upright have cleaved to me, for I have waited for Thee, O Lord" (verse 21). The innocent and the upright, not in bodily presence only, as the evil, are mingled with me, but in the agreement of the heart in the same innocence and uprightness cleave to me: for I have not fallen away to imitate the evil; but I have waited for Thee, expecting the winnowing of Thy last harvest.(2)
22. "Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles" (verse 22). "Redeem Thy people, O God," whom Thou hast prepared to see Thee, out of his troubles, not those only which he bears without, but those also which he bears within.
1. Ps 25,18. - 2. Ps 25,19. - 3. Ps 25,20. - 4. Ps 25,21. - 5. Ps 25,22.
26
(Ps 26)
1. It may be attributed to David himself, not the Mediator, the Man Christ Jesus, but the whole Church now perfectly established in Christ.
2. "Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in my innocence" (verse 1). Judge me, O Lord, for, after the mercy which Thou first showedst(4) me, I have some desert of my innocence, the way whereof I have kept. "And trusting in the Lord I shall not be moved." And yet not even so trusting in myself, but in the Lord, I shall abide in Him.
3. "Prove me, O Lord, and try me" (verse 2). Lest, however, any of my secret sins should be hid from me, prove me, O Lord, and try me, making me known, not to Thee from whom nothing is hid, but to myself, and to men. "Burn my reins and my heart." Apply a remedial purgation, as it were fire, to my pleasures and thoughts. "For Thy mercy is before mine eyes" (verse 3). For, that I be not consumed by that fire, not my merits, but Thy mercy, whereby Thou hast brought me on to such a life, is before my eyes. "And I have been pleasing in Thy truth." And since my own falsehood hath been displeasing to me, but Thy truth pleasing, I have myself been pleasing also with it and in it.
4. "I have not sat with the council of vanity" (verse 4). I have not chosen to give my heart to them who endeavour to provide, what is impossible, how they may be blessed in the enjoyment of things transitory. "And I will not enter in with them that work wickedly." And since this is the very cause of all wickedness, therefore I will not have my conscience hid, with them that work wickedly.
1. Ps 26,1. - 2. Ps 26,1. - 3. Ps 26,2. -4. Ps 26,3. - 5. Ps 26,4.
5. "I have hated the congregation of evil doers." But to arrive at this council of vanity, congregations of evil doers are formed, which I have hated. "And I will not sit with the ungodly" (verse 5). And, therefore, with such a council, with the ungodly, I will not sit, that is, I will not place my consent.(1) "And I will not sit with the ungodly."
6. "I will wash mine hands amid the innocent" (verse 6). I will make clean my works among the innocent: among the innocent will I wash mine hands, with which I shall embrace Thy glorious gifts.(2) "And I will compass Thy altar, O Lord."(3)
7. "That I may hear the voice of Thy praise." That I may learn how to praise Thee. "And that I may declare all Thy wondrous works" (verse 7). And after I have learnt, I may set forth all Thy wondrous works.
8. "O Lord, I have loved the beauty of Thy house:" of Thy Church. "And the place of the habitation of Thy glory" (verse 8): where Thou dwellest, and art glorified.
9. "Destroy not my soul with the ungodly" (verse 9). Destroy not then, together with them that hate Thee, my soul, which hath loved the beauty of Thy house. "And my life with the men of blood." And with them that hate their neighbour. For Thy house is beautified with the two commandments.(4)
10. "In whose hands is wickedness." Destroy me not then with the ungodly and the men of blood, whose works are wicked. "Their right hand is full of gifts" (verse 10). And that which was given them to obtain eternal salvation, they have converted into the receiving this world's gifts, "supposing that godliness is a trade."(5)
1. Ps 26,5. - 2. Ps 26,6. - 3. Ps 26,7. - 4. Ps 26,8. - 5. Ps 26,9 - 6. Ps 26,10.
11. "But I have walked in mine innocence: deliver me, and have mercy on me" (verse 11). Let so great a price of my Lord's Blood avail for my complete deliverance: and in the dangers of this life let not Thy mercy leave me.
12. "My foot hath stood in uprightness." My Love hath not withdrawn from Thy righteousness. "In the Churches I will bless Thee, O Lord" (verse 12). I will not hide Thy blessing, O Lord, from those whom Thou hast called; for next to the love of Thee I join the love of my neighbour.
27 Ps 27
1. Christ's young soldier speaketh, on his coming to the faith. "The Lord is my light, and my salvation: whom shall I fear?" (verse 1). The Lord will give me both knowledge of Himself, and salvation: who shall take me from Him? "The Lord is the Protector of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?" The Lord will repel all the assaults and snares of mine enemy: of no man shall I be afraid.
2. "Whilst the guilty approach unto me to eat up my flesh" (verse 2). Whilst the guilty come near to recognise and insult me, that they may exalt themselves above me in my change for the better; that with their reviling tooth they may consume not me, but rather my fleshly desires. "Mine enemies who trouble me." Not they only who trouble me, blaming me with a friendly intent, and wishing to recall me from my purpose, but mine enemies also. "They became weak, and fell."(8) Whilst then they do this with the desire of defending their own opinion, they became weak to believe better things, and began to hate the word of salvation, whereby I do what displeases them.
3. "If camps stand together against me, my heart will not fear." But if the multitude of gain-sayers conspire to stand together against me, my heart will not fear, so as to go over to their side. "If war rise up against me, in this will I trust" (verse 3). If the persecution of this world arise against me, in this petition, which I am pondering, will I place my hope.
1. Ps 27,1 - 2. Ps 27,2 - 3. Ps 27,3 - 4. Ps 27,3 - 5. Ps 27,4
4. "One have I asked of the Lord, this will I require." For one petition have I asked the Lord, this will I require. "That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life" (verse 4). That as long as I am in this life, no adversities may exclude me from the number of them who hold the unity and the truth of the Lord's faith throughout the world. "That I may contemplate the delight of the Lord." With this end, namely, that persevering in the faith, the delightsome vision may appear to me, which I may contemplate face to face. "And I shall be protected, His temple." And death being swallowed up in victory, I shall be clothed with immortality, being made His temple.(9)
5. "For He hath hidden me in His tabernacle in the day of my evils" (verse 5). For He hath hidden me in the dispensation of His Incarnate Word in the time of temptations, to which my mortal life is exposed. "He hath protected me in the secret place of His tabernacle." He hath protected me, with the heart believing unto righteousness.
6. "On a rock hath He exalted me." And that what I believed might be made manifest for salvation, He hath made my confession to be conspicuous in His own strength. "And now, lo ! He hath exalted mine head above mine enemies" (verse 6). What doth He reserve for me at the last, when even now the body is dead because of sin, lo! I feel that my mind serves the law of God, and is not led captive under the rebellious law of sin? "I have gone about, and have sacrificed in His tabernacle the sacrifice of rejoicing." I have considered the circuit of the world, believing on Christ; and in that for us God was humbled in time, I have praised Him with rejoicing: for with such sacrifice He is well pleased. "I will sing and give praises to the Lord." In heart and in deed I will be glad in the Lord.
1. Ps 27,1 - 2. Ps 27,5.- 3. Rm 10,10.- 4. Rm 10,10 - 5. Ps 27,6 - 6. Rm 8,10. - 7. Ps 25,6.
7. "Hear my voice, O Lord, wherewith I have cried unto Thee" (verse 7). Hear, Lord, my interior voice, which with a strong intention I have addressed to Thy ears. "Have mercy upon me, and hear me." Have mercy upon me, and hear me therein.
8. "My heart hath said to Thee, I have sought Thy countenance" (verse 8). For I have not exhibited myself to men; but in secret, where Thou alone hearest, my heart hath said to Thee; I have not sought from Thee aught without Thee as a reward, but Thy countenance. "Thy countenance, O Lord, will I seek." In thus search will I perseveringly persist: for not aught that is common, but Thy countenance, O Lord, will I seek, that I may love Thee freely, since nothing more precious do I find.
9. "Turn not away Thy face from me" (verse 9 ): that I may find what I seek. "Turn not aside in anger from Thy servant:" lest, while seeking Thee, I fall in with somewhat else. For what is more grevous than this punishment to one who loveth and seeketh the truth of Thy countenance? "Be Thou my Helper." How shall I find it, if Thou help me not? "Leave me not, neither despise me, O God my Saviour." Scorn not that a mortal dares to seek the Eternal for Thou, God dost heal the wound of my sin.
10. "For my father and my mother have left me" (verse 10). For the kingdom of this world and the city of this world, of which I was born in time and mortality, have left me seeking Thee, and despising what they promised, since they could not give what I seek. "But the Lord took me up." But the Lord, who can give me Himself, took me up.
1. Ps 27,7.- 2. Ps 27,8. - 3. Ps 27,9. - 4. Ps 27,9. - 5. Ps 27,10. - 6. Ps 27,11.
11. "Appoint me a law, O Lord, in Thy way" (verse 11). For me then who am setting out toward Thee, and commenting so great a profession, of arriving at wisdom, from fear, appoint, O Lord, a law in Thy way, lest in my wandering Thy rule abandon me. "And direct me in the right path because of mine enemies." And direct me in the right way of its straits.For it is not enough to begin, since enemies cease not until the end is attained.
12. "Deliver me not up unto the souls of them that trouble me" (verse 12). Suffer not them that trouble me to be satiated with my evils. "For unrighteous witnesses have risen up against me." For there have risen up against me they that speak falsely of me, to remove and call me back from Thee, as if I seek glory of men. "And iniquity hath lied unto itself." Therefore iniquity hath been pleased with its own lie. For me it hath not moved, to whom because of this there hath been promised a greater reward in heaven.
13. "I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living" (verse 13). And since my Lord hath first suffered these things, if I too despise the tongues of the dying ("for the mouth that lieth slayeth the soul"(1)), I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living, where there is no place for falsity.
14. "Wait on the Lord, quit thyself like a man: and let thy heart be strong, yea wait on the Lord" (verse 14). But when shall this be? It is arduous for a mortal, it is flow to a lover: but listen to the voice, that deceiveth not, of him that saith, "Wait on the Lord." Endure the burning of the reins manfully, and the burning of the heart stoutly. Think not that what thou dost not as yet receive is denied thee. That thou faint not in despair, see how it is said, "Wait on the Lord."(2)
1. Ps 27,12.- 2. Ps 27,13. - 3. Sg 1,11.- 4. Ps 27,14.
28
(Ps 28)
1. It is the Voice of the Mediator Himself, strong of hand in the conflict of the Passion. Now what He seems to wish for against His enemies, is not the wish of malevolence, but the declaration of their punishment; as in the Gospel,(4) with the dries, in which though He had performed miracles, yet they had not beloved on Him, He doth not wish in any evil will what He sixth, but predicteth what is impending over them.
2. "Unto Thee, O Lord, have I cried;(5) My God, be not silent from me" (verse 1). Unto Thee, O Lord, have I cried; My God, separate not the unity of Thy Word from that which as Man I am. "Lest at any time Thou be silent form me: and I shall be like them that go down into the pit." For from this, that the Eternity of Thy Word ceaseth not to unite Itself to Me, it comes that I am not such a man as the rest of men, who are born into the deep misery of this world: where, as if Thou art silent, Thy Word is not recognised. "Hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication, whist I pray unto Thee, whilst I hold up my hands to Thy holy temple "(verse 2). Whilst I am crucified for their salvation, who on believing become Thy holy temple.
3. "Draw not My Soul away with sinners, and destroy me not with them that work iniquity, with them that speak peace with their neighbours" (verse 3). With them that say unto Me, "We know that Thou art a Master come from God."(1) "But evil in their hearts." But they speak evil in their hearts.
1. Mt 11,20. - 2. Ps 28,1 - 2. Ps 28,2. - 3. Ps 28,3. - 4. Jn 3,2.
4. "Give unto them according to their works" (verse 4). Give unto them according to their works, for this is just. "And according to the malice of their affections."(2) For aiming at evil, they cannot discover good. "According to the works of their hands give Thou unto them." Although what they have done may avail for salvation to others, yet give Thou unto them according to the works of their wills. "Pay them their recompense." Because, for the truth which they heard, they wished to recompense deceit; let their won deceit deceive them.
5. "For they have not had understanding in the works of the Lord" (verse 5 ). And whence is it clear that this hath befallen them? From this forsooth, "for they have not had understanding in the works of the Lord." This very thing, in truth, hath been, even now, their recompense, that in Him whom they tempted with malicious intent as a Man, they should not recognise God, with what design the Father sent Him in the Flesh. "And the works of His hands." Nor be moved by those visible works, which are laid out before their very eyes. "Thou shalt destroy them, and not build them up." Let them do Me no hurt, nay, nor again in their endeavour to raise engines against My Church, let them aught avail.
6. "Blessed be the Lord, for He hath heard the voice of My prayer" (verse 6).
7. "The Lord My Helper and My Protector" (verse 7). The Lord helping Me in so great sufferings, and protecting Me with immortality in My resurrection. "In Him hath My Heart trusted, and I have been helped." " And My Flesh hath flourished again:" that is, and My Flesh hath risen again. "And of my will I will confess unto Him." Wherefore, the fear of death being now destroyed, not by the necessity of fear under the Law, but with a free will with the Law, shall they who believe on Me, confess unto Him; and because I am in them, I will confess.
1. Ps 28,4. - 2. Ps 28,5. - 3. Ps 28,6. - 4. Ps 28,7.
8. " The Lord is the strength of His people" (verse 8). Not that people "ignorant of the righteousness of God, and willing to establish their own."(3) For they thought not themselves strong in themselves: for the Lord is the strength of His people, struggling in this life's difficulties with the devil. "And the protector of the salvation of His Christ." That, having saved them by His Christ after the strength of war, He may protect them at the last with the immortality of peace.
1. Ps 28,8. - 2. Rm 10,3.
9. "Save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance (verse 9). I intercede therefore, after My Mesh hath flourished again, because Thou hast said, "Desire of Me, and I will give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance;"(4) " Save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance:" for "all Mine are Thine."(5) "And rule them, and set them up even for even" And rule them in this temporal life, and raise them from hence into life eternal.
1. Ps 28,9. - 2. Ps 2,8. - 3. Da 17,10.
29 Ps 29
1. A Psalm of the Mediator Himself, strong of hand, of the perfection of the Church in this world, where she wars in time against the devil. 5. The Prophet speaks, "Bring unto the Lord,
2. O ye Sons of God, bring unto the Lord the young of rams" (verse 1). Bring unto the Lord yourselves, whom the Apostles, the leaders of the flocks, have begotten by the Gospel.(7) "Bring unto the Lord glory and honour" (verse 2). By your works let the Lord be glorified and honoured. "Bring unto the Lord glory to His name." Let Him be made known gloriously throughout the world. "Worship the Lord in His holy court." Worship the Lord in your heart enlarged and sanctified. For ye are His regal holy habitation
3. "The Voice of the Lord is upon the waters" (verse 3). The Voice of Christ is upon the people. "The God of majesty hath thundered. "The God of majesty, from the cloud of the flesh, hath awfully preached repentance. The Lord is upon many waters." The Lord Jesus Himself, after that He sent forth His Voice upon the people, and so.
1. Ps 29,1. - 2. Ps 29,1 - 3. Ps 29,2.
4. "The Voice of the Lord is in power" (verse 4). The Voice of the Lord now in them themselves, making them powerful. "The Voice of the Lord is in great might." The Voice of the Lord working great things in them.
5. "The Voice of the Lord breaking the cedars" (verse 5). The Voice of the Lord humbling the proud in brokenness of heart. "The Lord shall break the cedars of Libanus." The Lord by repentance shall break them that are lifted on high by the splendour of earthly nobility, when to confound them He shall have "chosen the base things of this world,"(1) in the which to display His Divinity.
6. "And shall bruise them as the calf of Libanus" (verse 6). And when their proud exaltation hath been cut off, He will lay them low after the imitation of His Own humility, who like a calf was led to slaughter(2) by the nobility of this world. "For the kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers agreed together against the Lord, and against His Christ."(3) "And the Beloved is as the young of the unicorns." For even He the Beloved, and the Only One of the Father, "emptied Himself" of His glory; and was made man,(4) like a child of the Jews, that were "ignorant of God's righteousness,"(5) and proudly boasting of their own righteousness as peculiarly theirs.
1. Ps 29,3 - 2. Ps 29,4. - 3. Ps 29,5. - 4. 1Co 1,28. - 5. Ps 29,6.
7. "The Voice of the Lord cutting short the flame of fire" (verse 7). The Voice of the Lord, without any harm to Himself, passing through all the excited ardour of them that persecute Him, or dividing the furious rage of His persecutors, so that some should say, "Is not this haply the very Christ;" others, "Nay; but He deceiveth the people:"(6) and so cutting short their mad tumult, as to pass some over into His love, and leave others in their malice.
8. "The Voice of the Lord moving the wilderness" (verse 8). The Voice of the Lord moving to the faith the Gentiles once "without hope, and without God in the world;"(7) where no prophet, no preacher of God's word, as it were, no man had dwelt. "And the Lord will move the desert of Cades." And then the Lord will cause the holy word of His Scriptures to be fully known, which was abandoned by the Jews who understood it not.
1. Rm 10,3.- 2. Ps 29,7.- 3. Jn 7,12.- 4. Ps 29,8. - 5. Ep 2,12.
9. "The Voice of the Lord perfecting the stags"(8) (verse 9). For the Voice of the Lord hath first perfected them that overcame and repelled the envonomed tongues.(9) "And will reveal the woods."And then will He reveal to them the darknesses of the Divine books, and the shadowy depths of the mysteries, where they feed with freedom. "And in His temple doth every man speak of His glory." And in His Church all born again to an eternal hope praise God, each for His own gift, which He hath received from the Holy Spirit.
10. "The Lord inhabiteth the deluge" (verse 10). The Lord therefore first inhabiteth the deluge of this world in His Saints,, kept safely in the Church, as in the ark. "And the Lord shall sit a King for everse" And afterward He will sit reigning in them for everse
11. "The Lord will give strength to His people"(10) (verse 11). For the Lord will give strength to His people fighting against the storms and whirlwinds of this world, for peace in this world He hath not promised them.(11) "The Lord will bless His people in peace." And the same Lord will bless His people, affording them peace in Himself; for, saith He, "My peace I give unto you, My peace I leave with you."(12)
1. Ps 29,9.- 2. Ps 29,10.- 3. Gn 7. - 4. Ps 29,11.- 5. Jn 14,27.
30
(Ps 30)
OF DAVID HIMSELF.
1. To the end, a Psalm of the joy of the Resurrection, and the change, the renewing of the body to an immortal state, and not only of the Lord, but also of the whole Church. For in the former Psalm the tabernacle was finished, wherein we dwell in the time of war: but now the house is dedicated, which will abide in peace everlasting.
1. Ps 30,1.
2. It is then whole Christ who speaketh. "I will exalt Thee, O Lord, for Thou hast taken Me up" (verse 1). I will praise Thy high Majesty, O Lord, for Thou hast taken Me up. "Thou hast not made Mine enemies to rejoice over Me." And those, who have so often endeavoured to oppress Me with various persecutions throughout the world, Thou hast not made to rejoice over Me.
3. "O Lord, My God, I have cried unto Thee, and Thou hast healed Me (verse 2). O Lord, My God, I have cried unto Thee, and I no longer hear about a body enfeebled and sick by mortality.
4. "O Lord, Thou hast brought back My Soul from hell, and Thou hast saved Me from them that go down into the pit" (verse 3). Thou hast saved Me from the condition of profound darkness, and the lowest slough of corruptible flesh.
5. "Sing to the Lord, O ye saints of His." The prophet seeing these future things, rejoiceth, and saith, "Sing to the Lord, O ye saints of His. And make confession of the remembrance of His holiness" (verse 4). And make confession to Him, that He hath not forgotten the sanctification, wherewith He hath sanctified you, although all this intermediate period belong to your desires.
6. "For in His indignation is wrath" (verse 5). For He hath avenged against you the first sin, for which you have paid by death. "And life in His will." And life eternal, whereunto you could not return by any strength of your own, hath He given, because He so would. "In the evening weeping will tarry." Evening began, when the light of wisdom withdrew from sinful man, when he was condemned to death: from this evening weeping will tarry, as long as God's people are, amid labours and temptations, awaiting the day of the Lord. "And exultation in the morning." Even to the morning, when there will be the exultation of the resurrection, which hath shone forth by anticipation in the morning resurrection of the Lord.
7. "But I said in my abundance, I shall not be moved for ever" (verse 6). But I, that people which was speaking from the first, said in mine abundance, suffering now no more any want, "I shall not be moved for everse"
1. Ps 30,2.- 2. Ps 30,3.- 3. Ps 30,4.- 4. Ps 30,5.- 5. Ps 30,6.
8. "O Lord, in Thy will Thou hast afforded strength unto my beauty" (verse 7). But that this my abundance, O Lord, is not of myself, but that in Thy will Thou hast afforded strength unto my beauty, I have learnt from this, "Thou turnedst away Thy Face from me, and I became troubled;" for Thou hast sometimes turned away Thy Face from the sinner, and I became troubled, when the illumination of Thy knowledge withdrew from me.
9. "Unto Thee, O Lord, will I cry, and unto my God will I pray" (verse 8). And bringing to mind that time of my trouble and misery, and as it were established therein, I hear the voice of Thy Firs-Begotten, my Head, about to die for me, and saying "Unto Thee, O Lord, will I cry, and unto My God will I pray."
10. "What profit" is there in the shedding of My blood, whilst I go down to corruption? "Shall dust confess unto Thee?" For if I shall not rise immediately, and My body shall become corrupt, "shall dust confess unto Thee?" that is, the crowd of the ungodly, whom I shall justify by My resurrection? "Or declare Thy truth?" Or for the salvation of the rest declare Thy truth?
11. "The Lord hath heard, and had mercy on Me, the Lord hath become My helper." Nor did "He suffer His holy One to see corruption "(1) (verse 10).
12. "Thou hast turned My mourning into joy to Me" (verse 11). Whom I, the Church, having received, the First-Begotten from the dead,(2) now in the dedication of Thine house, say, "Thou hast turned my mourning into joy to me. Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness." Thou hast torn off the veil of my sins, the sadness of my mortality; and hast girded me with the first robe, with immortal gladness.
13. "That my glory should sing unto Thee, and I should not be pricked" (verse 12). That now, not my humiliation, but my glory should not lament, but should sing unto Thee, for that now out of humiliation Thou hast exalted me; and that I should not be pricked with the consciousness of sin, with the fear of death, with the fear of judgment. "O Lord, my God, I will confess unto Thee for everse" And this is my glory, O Lord, my God, that I should confess unto Thee for ever, that I have nothing of myself, but that all my good is of Thee, who art "God, All in all."(3)
1. Ps 30,7 - 2. Ps 30,8.- 3. Ps 30,9.- 4. Ps 30,10.- 5. Ps 30,10 - 6. Ps 30,11. - 7. Ps 15,10. - 8. Ps 30,12.- 9. Ps 30,12. - 10. Ps 30,13.
Augustin on Psalms 25