himself, he would apply to him whom he knoweth not...O sluggard, gather in summer while thou art able; winter will not suffer thee to gather, but to eat that which thou shalt have gathered. For how many men so suffer tribulation, that there is no opportunity either to read anything, or to hear anything, and they obtain 1 Prov vi. 6, xxx. 25.
* Or, " at home."
no admittance, perchance, to those that would comfort them. The ant hath remained in her nest, let her see if she hath gathered anything in summer, whereby she may recruit herself in winter.
4...There is a double interpretation, both must be given: " lighten," he saith, " Thy face upon us," show to us Thy countenance. For God doth not ever light His countenance, as if ever it had been without light: but He lighteth it upon us, so that what was hidden from us, is opened to us, and that which was, but to us was hidden, is unveiled upon us, that is, is lightened. Or else surely it is, " Thy image lighten upon us: " so that he said this, in "lighten Thy countenance upon us: " Thou hast imprinted Thy countenance upon us; Thou hast made us after Thine image and Thy likeness,3 Thou hast made us Thy coin; but Thine image' ought not in darkness to remain: send a ray of Thy wisdom, let it dispel our darkness, and let there shine in us Thy image; let us know ourselves to be Thine image, let us hear what hath been said in the Song of Songs, " If Thou shalt not have known Thyself, O Thou fair one among women." 4 For there is said to the Church, " If Thou shalt not have known Thyself." What is this? If Thou shalt not have known Thyself to have been made after the image of God. O Soul of the Church, precious, redeemed with the blood of the Lamb immaculate, observe of how great value Thou art, think what hath been given for Thee. Let us say, therefore, and let us long that He " may lighten His face upon us." We wear His face: in like manner as the faces of emperors are spoken of, truly a kind of sacred face is that of God in His own image: but unrighteous men know not in themselves the image of God. In order that the countenance of God may be lightened upon them, they ought to say what? " Thou shalt light my candle, O Lord my God, Thou shalt light my darkness." 5 I am in the darkness of sins, but by the ray of Thy wisdom dispelled be my darkness, may Thy countenance appear; and if perchance through me it appeareth somewhat deformed, by Thee be there reformed that which by Thee hath been formed.
5. "That we may know on earth Thy way " (ver. 2). "On earth," here, in this life, "we may know Thy way." What is, " Thy way "? That which leadeth to Thee. May we acknowledge whither we are going, acknowledge where we are as we go; neither in darkness we can do. Afar Thou art from men sojourning, a way to us Thou hast presented, through which we must return to Thee. " Let us acknowledge on earth Thy way." What is His way wherein we have desired, "That we may know on earth Thy 3 Gen. i. 26.
4 Song of Sol. i. 8.
s Ps. xviii. 28.
Psalm LXVII ] way "? We are going to enquire this ourselves, not of ourselves to learn it. We can learn of it from the Gospel: " I am the Way," ' the Lord saith: Christ hath said, " I am the Way." But dost thou fear lest thou stray? He hath added, "And the Truth." Who strayeth in the Truth? He strayeth that hath departed from the Truth. The Truth is Christ, the Way is Christ: walk therein. Dost thou fear le^t thou die before thou attain unto Him? " I am the Life: I am," He saith, " the Way and the Truth and the Life." As if He were saying, "What fearest thou? Through Me thou walkest, to Me thou walkest, in Me thou restest." What therefore meaneth, " We may know on earth Thy Way," but "we may know on earth Thy Christ"? But let the Psalm itself reply: lest ye think that out of other Scriptures there must be adduced testimony, which perchance is here wanting: by repetition he hath shown what signified, " That we may know on earth Thy Way: " and as if thou wast inquiring, " In what earth, what way? " " In all nations Thy Salvation." In what earth, thou art inquiring? Hear: "In all nations." What way art thou seeking? Hear: "Thy Salvation." Is not perchance Christ his Salvation? And what is that which the old Symeon hath said, that old man, I say, in the Gospel, preserved full of years even unto the infancy of the Word? 2 For that old man took in his hands the Infant Word of God. Would He that in the womb deigned to be, disdain to be in the hands of an old man? The Same was in the womb of the virgin, as was in the hands of the old man, a weak infant both within the bowels, and in the old man's hand, to give us strength, by whom were made all things; and if all things, even His very mother. He came humble, He came weak, but clothed with a weakness to be changed into strength,3 because " though He was crucified of weakness, yet He liveth of the virtue of God," * the Apostle saith. He was then in the hands of an old man. And what saith that old man? Rejoicing that now he must be loosed from this world, seeing how in his own hand was held He by whom and in whom his Salvation was upheld; he saith what? " Now Thou lettest go," he saith, " O Lord, Thy servant in peace, for mine eyes have seen Thy Salvation." 5 Therefore, " May God bless us, and have pity on us; may He lighten His countenance upon us, that we may know on earth Thy Way!" In what earth? " In all nations? " What Way? "Thy Salvation."
6. What followeth because the Salvation of God is known in all nations? " Let the peoples confess to Thee, O God " (ver. 3); "confess to 1 John xiv. 6. 2 Luke ii. 30.
3 Oxf. mss. add " into strength." * Luke ii. 29, 30.
* 2 Cor. xiii. 4.
Thee," he saith, " all peoples." There standeth forth a heretic, and he saith, In Africa I6 have peoples: and another from another quarter, And I in Galatia have peoples. Thou in Africa, he in Galatia: therefore I require one that hath them everywhere. Ye have indeed dared to exult at that voice, when ye heard, " Let the peoples confess to Thee, O God." Hear the following verse, how he speaketh not of a part: " Let there confess to Thee all peoples." Walk ye in the Way together with all nations; walk ye in the Way together with all peoples, O sons of peace, sons of the One Catholic Church,7 walk ye in the Way, seeing as ye walk. Wayfarers do this to beguile their toil. Sing ye in this Way; I implore you by that Same Way, sing ye in this Way: a new song sing ye, let no one there sing old ones: sing ye the love-songs of your fatherland, let no one sing old ones. New Way, new wayfarer, new song. Hear thou the Apostle exhorting thee to a new song: " Whatever therefore is in Christ is a new creature; old things have passed away, behold they have been made new." A new song sing ye in the way, which ye have learned " on the earth." In what earth? " In all nations." Therefore even the new song doth not belong to a part. He that in a part singeth, singeth an old song: whatever he please to sing, he singeth an old song, the old man singeth: divided he is, carnal he is. Truly in so far as carnal he is, so far he is old; and in so far as he is spiritual, so far new. See what saith the Apostle: " I could not speak to you as if to spiritual, but as if to carnal."8 Whence proveth he them carnal? " For while one saith, I am of Paul; but another, I of Apollos: are ye not," he saith, "carnal? " » Therefore in the Spirit a new song sing thou in the safe way. Just as wayfarers sing, and ofttimes in the night sing. Awful round about all things do sound, or rather they sound not around, but are still around; and the more still the more awful; nevertheless, even they that fear robbers do sing.10 How much more safely thou singest in Christ! That way hath no robber, unless thou by forsaking the way fallest in the hands of a robber...Why fear ye to confess, and in your confession to sing a new song together with all the earth; in all the earth, in Catholic peace, dost thou fear to confess to God, lest He condemn thee that hast confessed? If having not confessed thou liest concealed, having confessed thou wilt be condemned. Thou fearest to confess, that by not confessing canst not be concealed: thou 6 Oxf. MSS. " I too."
7 [i.e., the Nicene communion, in which Rome and Constantinople had co-equal dignities, — primacies of honour only, based on synodical concession to imperial capitals. On which see A. N. F. vol. viii. pp. 601-605, and pp. 641-644. — C] [Psalm LXVII.
wilt be condemned if thou hast held thy peace, that mightest have been delivered, by having confessed. " O God, confess to Thee all peoples." 7. And because this confession leadeth not to punishment, he continueth and saith, " Let the nations rejoice and exult " (ver. 4). If robbers after confession made do wail before man, let the faithful after confessing before God rejoice. If a man be judge, the torturer and his fear exact from a robber a confession: yea sometimes fear wringeth out confession, pain extorteth it: and he that waileth in tortures, but feareth to be killed if he confess, supporteth tortures as far as he is able: and if he shall have been overcome by pain, he giveth his voice for death. Nowise therefore is he joyful; nowise exulting: before he confesseth the claw teareth1 him; when he hath confessed, the executioner leadeth him along a condemned felon: wretched in every case. But " let the nations rejoice and exult." Whence? Through that same confession. Why? Because good He is to whom they confess: He exacteth confession, to the end that He may deliver the humble; He condemneth one not confessing, to the end that He may punish the proud. Therefore be thou sorrowful before thou confessest; after having confessed exult, now thou wilt be made whole. Thy conscience had gathered up evil humours, with boil it had swollen, it was torturing thee, it suffered thee not to rest: the Physician applieth the fomentations of words,2 and sometimes He lanceth it, He applieth the surgeon's knife by the chastisement of tribulation: do thou acknowledge the Physician's hand, confess thou, let every evil humour go forth and flow away in confession: now exult, now rejoice, that which remaineth will be easy to be made whole..." Let the nations rejoice and exult, for Thou judgest the peoples in equity." And that unrighteous men may not fear, he hath added, " and the nations on the earth Thou directest." Depraved were the nations and crooked were the nations, perverse were the nations; for the ill desert of their depravity, and crookedness and perverseness, the Judge's coming they feared: there cometh the hand of the same, it is stretched out mercifully to the peoples, they are guided in order that they may walk the straight way; why should they fear the Judge to come, that have first acknowledged Him for a Corrector? To His hand let them give up themselves, Himself guideth the nations on the earth. But guided nations are walking in the Truth, are exulting in Him, are doing good works; and if perchance there cometh in any water (for on sea they are sailing) through the very small holes, through 1 Exarat vnptla, perhaps the torture referred to in irAet/pds KaTafatpoprcc. S. Chrys. on Stat. Horn. xx. § 3, tr. p. 32a.
2 So Ben.; Oxf. MSS. /erramenta veriorum, the instruments of words."
the crevices into the hold, pumping it out by good works, lest by more and more coming it accumulate, and sink the ship, pumping it out daily, fasting, praying, doing almsdeeds, saying with pure heart, " Forgive us our debts, as also we forgive our debtors"3 — saying such words walk thou secure, and exult in the way, sing in the way. Do not fear the Judge: before thou wast a believer, thou didst find a Saviour. Thee ungodly He sought out that He might redeem, thee redeemed will He forsake so as to destroy? " And the nations on earth Thou directest."
8. He exulteth, rejoiceth, exhorteth, he repeated! those same verses in exhortation.4 " The earth hath given her fruit" (ver. 6). What fruit? " Let all peoples confess to Thee." Earth it was, of thorns it was full; there came the hand of One rooting them up, there came a calling by His majesty and mercy, the earth began to confess; now the earth giveth her fruit. Would she give her fruit unless first she were rained on? Would she give her fruit, unless first the mercy of God had come from above? Let them read to me, thou sayest, how the earth being rained upon gave her fruit. Hear of the Lord raining upon her: " Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." 5 He raineth, and that same rain is thunder; it terrifieth: fear thou Him thundering, and receive Him raining. Behold, after that voice of a thundering and raining God, after that voice let us see something out of the Gospel itself. Behold that harlot of ill fame in the city burst into a strange house into which she had not been invited by the host, but by One invited she had been called; 6 called 7 not with tongue, but by Grace. The sick woman knew that she had there a place, where she was aware that her Physician was sitting at meat. She has gone in, that was a sinner; she dareth not draw near save to the feet: she weepeth at His feet, she washeth with tears, she wipeth with hair, she anointeth with ointment. Why wonderest thou? The earth hath given her fruit.
This thing, I say, came to pass by the Lord raining there through His own mouth; there came to pass the things whereof we read in the.Gospel; and by His raining through His clouds, by the sending of the Apostles and by their preaching the truth, the earth more abundantly hath given her fruit, and that crop now hath filled the round world.
9. The fruit of the earth was first in Jerusalem. For from thence began the Church: there -came there the Holy Spirit, and filled full the holy men gathered together in one place; miracles were done, with the tongues of all men they spake.8 They were filled full of the Spirit of God, the 3 Matt, vi 3 Matt. iii. 2 7 Oxf. mss. repeat vocata * " Let the people confess," etc., ver. 5. 6 Luke vii. 37.
8 Acts ii. i, 4.
Psalm LXVIII.]
people were converted that were in that place, fearing and receiving the divine shower, by confession they brought forth so much fruit, that all their goods they brought together into a common stock, making distribution to the poor, in order that no one might call anything his own, but all things might be to them in common, and they might have one soul and one heart unto God.1 For there had been forgiven2 them the blood which they had shed, it had been forgiven them by the Lord pardoning, in order that now they might even learn to drink that which they had shed. Great in that place is the fruit: the earth hath given her fruit, both great fruit, and most excellent fruit. Ought by any means that earth alone to give her fruit? " May there bless us God, our God, may there bless us God " (ver. 7). Still may He bless us: for blessing in multiplication is wont most chiefly and properly to be perceived. Let us prove this in Genesis; see the works of God: God made light,3 and God made a division between light and darkness: the light He called day, and the darkness He called night. It is not said, He blessed the light. For the same light returneth and changeth by days and nights. He calleth the sky the firmament between waters and waters: it is not said, He blessed the sky: He severed the sea from the dry land, and named both, the dry land earth, and the gathering together of the waters sea: neither here is it said, God blessed...
10. How should we will that to us He come? By living well, by doing well. Let not things past please us; things present not hold us; let us not " close the ear " as it were with tail,4 let us not press down the ear on the ground; lest by things past we be kept back from hearing, lest by things present we be entangled and prevented from meditating on things future; let us reach forth unto those things which are before, let us forget things past.5 And that for which now we toil, for which now we groan, for which now we sigh, of which now we speak, which in part, however small soever, we perceive, and to receive are not able, we shall receive, we shall thoroughly enjoy in the resurrection of the just. Our youth shall be renewed as an eagle's,6 if only our old man we break 7 against the Rock of Christ. Whether those things be true, brethren, which are said of the serpent, or those which are said of the eagle, or whether it be rather a tale of men than truth, truth is nevertheless in the Scriptures, and not without reason the Scriptures have spoken of this: let us do whatever it signifieth, and not toil to discover how far that is true. Be thou such an one, as that thy youth may be able * Ps. ciii. 5.
7 On Ps. ciii. 5, infra, he says that the eagle is said to break off an excessive growth of the beak against a rock.
to be renewed as an eagle's. And know thou that it cannot be renewed, except thine old man on the Rock shall have been broken off: that is, except by the aid of the Rock, except by the aid of Christ, thou wilt not be able to be renewed. Do not thou because of the pleasantness of the past life be deaf to the word of God: do not by things present be so held and entangled, as to say, I have no leisure to read, I have no leisure to hear. This is to press down the ear upon the ground. Do thou therefore not be such an one: but be such an one as on the other side thou findest, that is, so that thou forget things past, unto things before reach thyself out, in order that thine old man on the Rock thou mayest break off. And if any comparisons shall have been made for thee, if thou hast found them in the Scriptures, believe: if thou shalt not have found them spoken of except by report," do not very much believe them.8 The thing itself perchance is so, perchance is not so. Do thou profit by it, let that comparison avail for thy salvation. Thou art unwilling to profit by this comparison, by some other profit, it mattereth not provided thou do it: and, being secure, wait for the Kingdom of God, lest thy prayer quarrel with thee. For, O Christian man, when thou sayest, Thy Kingdom come, how sayest thou, "Thy kingdom come"?9 Examine thy heart: see, behold, " Thy kingdom come: " He crieth out to thee, "I come:" dost thou not fear? Often we have told Your Love: both to preach the truth is nothing, if heart from tongue dissent: and to hear the truth is nothing, if fruit follow not hearing. From this place exalted as it were we are speaking to you: but how much we are beneath your feet in fear, God knoweth, who is gracious to the humble; for the voices of men praising do not give us so much pleasure as the devotion of men confessing, and the deeds of men now righteous. And how we have no pleasure but in your advances, but by those praises how much we are endangered, He knoweth, whom we pray to deliver us from all dangers, and to deign to know and crown us together with you, saved from every trial, in His Kingdom.
PSALM LXVIII.10 1. Of this Psalm, the title seemeth not to need operose discussion: for simple and easy it appeareth. For thus it standeth: " For the end, for David himself a Psalm of a Song." - But in many Psalms already we have reminded you what is " at the end: for the end of the Law is Christ forrighteousness to every man believing: "" He is the end which maketh perfect, not that 8 [The rule concerning the phcenix and other illustrations which, as such, were currc.it among the Fathers. — C] » Matt, vi, 10.,0 Lat. LXVII. » Rom. x. 4.
[Psalm LXVIII.
which consumeth or destroyeth. Nevertheless, if any one endeavoureth to inquire, what meaneth, " a Psalm of a Song: " why not either " Psalm " or " Song," but both; or what is the difference between Psalm of Song, and Song of Psalm, because even thus of some Psalms the titles are inscribed: he will find perchance something which we leave for men more acute and more at leisure than ourselves...
2. " Let God rise up, and let His enemies be scattered " (ver. i ). Already this hath come to pass, Christ hath risen up, " who is over all things, God blessed for ever," ' and His enemies have been dispersed through all nations, to wit, the Jews; in that very place, where they practised their enmities, being overthrown in war, and thence through all places dispersed: and now they hate, but fear, and in that very fear they do that which followeth, " And let them that hate Him flee from His face." The flight indeed of the mind is fear. For in carnal flight, whither flee they from the face of Him who everywhere showeth the efficacy 2 of His presence? " Whither shall I depart," saith he, " from Thy Spirit, and from Thy face whither shall I flee?"3 With mind, therefore, not with body, they flee; to wit, by being afraid, not by being hidden; and not from that face which they see not, but from that which they are compelled to see. For the face of Him hath His presence in His Church been called...
3. " As smoke faileth, let them fail " (ver. 2). For they lifted up themselves from the fires of their hatred unto the vapouring of pride, and against Heaven setting their mouth, and shouting, " Crucify, Crucify," 4 Him taken captive they derided, Him hanging they mocked: and being soon conquered by that very Person against whom they swelled victorious, they vanished away. " As wax melteth from the face of fire, so let sinners perish from the face of God." Though perchance in this passage he hath referred to those men, whose hard-heartedness in tears of penitence is dissolved: yet this also may be understood, that he threateneth future judgment; because though in this world like smoke, in lifting up themselves, that is, in priding themselves, they have melted away, there will come to them at the last final damnation, so that from His face they will perish for everlasting, when in His own glory He shall have appeared, like fire, for the punishment of the ungodly, and the light of the righteous.
4. " Lastly, there followeth, " And let just men be joyous, and exult in the sight of God, let them delight in gladness" (ver. 3). For then shall they hear, " Come, ye blessed of My Father, receive ye the kingdom." ' " Let them be joy- 1 Rom. ix. 5, 4 John xix. 6.
» Effcctum. 3 Matt. xxv. 34.
J Ps. cxxxix. 6.
ous," therefore, that have toiled, " and exult in the sight of God." For there will not be in this exultation, as though it were before men, any empty boasting; but (it will be) in the sight of Him who unerringly looketh into that which He hath granted. " Let them delight in gladness: " no longer exulting with trembling,6 as in this world, so long as " human life is a trial upon earth." 7 Secondly, he turneth himself to those very persons to whom he hath given so great hope, and to them while here living he speaketh and exhorteth: " Sing ye to God, psalm ye to His name " (ver. 4). Already on this subject in the exposition of the Title we have before spoken that which seemed meet. He singeth to God, that liveth to God: He psalmeth to His name, that worketh unto His Glory. In singing thus, in psalming thus, that is, by so living, by so working, " a way make ye to Him," he saith, " that hath ascended above the setting." A way make ye to Christ: so that through the beautiful feet of men telling good tidings,8 the hearts of men believing many have a way opened to Him. For the Same is He that hath ascended above the " setting: " either because the new life of one turned to Him receiveth Him not, except the old life shall have set by his renouncing this world, or because He ascended above the setting, when by rising again He conquered the downfall of the body. " For The Lord is His name." Which if they had known, the Lord of glory they never would have crucified.'
5. "Exult ye in the sight of Him," O ye to whom hath been said, " Sing ye to God, psalm ye to the name of Him, a way make ye to Him that hath ascended above the setting," also " exult in the sight of Him: " as if " sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing." IO For while ye make a way to Him, while ye prepare a way whereby He may come and possess the nations, ye are to suffer in the sight of men many sorrowful things. But not only faint not, but even exult, not in the sight of men, but in the sight of God. " In hope rejoicing, in tribulation enduring: " " "exult ye in the sight of Him." For they that in the sight of men trouble you, " shall be troubled by the face of Him, the Father of orphans and Judge of widows" (ver. 5). For desolate they suppose them to be, from whom ofttimes by the sword of the Word of God,2 both parents from sons, and husbands from wives, are severed: but persons destitute and widowed have the consolation " of the Father of orphans and Judge of widows: " they have the consolation of Him that say to Him, " For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord hath taken up 7 Job vii. 1, LXX. JO 2 Cor. vi. 10.
8 Isa. lii. 7. 11 Rom. xii. 13.
TSALM LXVIII.]
me:" ' and they that have hoped in the Lord, continuing in prayers by night and by day: 2 by whose face those men shall be troubled when they shall have seen themselves prevail nothing, for that the whole world hath gone away after Him.* For out of those orphans and widows, that is, persons destitute of partnership in this world's hope, the Lord for Himself doth build a Temple: whereof in continuation he saith, " The Lord is in His holy place."
6. For what is His place he hath disclosed, when he saith, " God that maketh to dwell men of one mood in a house" (ver. 6): men of one mind, of one sentiment: this is the holy place of the Lord. For when he had said, " The Lord is in His holy place: " as though we were inquiring in what place, since He is everywhere wholly, and no place of corporal space containeth Him; forthwith he hath subjoined somewhat, that we should not seek Him apart from ourselves, but rather being of one mood dwelling in a house, we should deserve that He also Himself deign to dwell among us. This is the holy place of the Lord, the thing that most men seek to have, a place where in prayer they may be hearkened unto...For as in a great house of a man, the Lord thereof doth not abide in every place whatsoever, but in some place doubtless more private and honourable: so God dwelleth not in all men that are in His house (for He dwelleth not in the vessels of dishonour), but His holy place are they whom " He maketh to dwell of one mood," or " of one manner, in a house." For what are called rpoiroi in Greek, by both modi and mores (moods and manners), in Latin may be interpreted. Nor hath the Greek writer, " Who maketh to dwell," but only "maketh to dwell." "The Lord," then, " is in His holy place."...
7. But to prove that by His Grace He buildeth to Himself this place, not for the sake of the merits preceding of those persons out of whom He buildeth it, see what followeth: " Who leadeth forth men fettered, in strength." For He looseth the heavy bonds of sins, wherewith they were fettered so that they could not walk in the way of the commandments: but He leadeth them forth " in strength," which before His Grace they had not. " Likewise men provoking that dwell in the tombs: " that is, every way dead, taken up with dead works. For these men provoke Him to anger by withstanding justice: for those fettered men perchance would walk, and are not able, and are praying of God that they may be able, and are saying to Him, " From my necessities lead me forth." ♦ By whom being heard, they give thanks, saying, "Thou hast broken asunder my bonds." 5 But 1 Ps. xxvii. 10. 4 Ps. xxv. 17.
3 John xii. ig.
these provoking men that dwell in the tombs, are of that kind, which in another passage the Scripture pointeth out, saying, " From a dead man, as from one that is not, confession perisheth."6 Whence there is this saying, "When a sinner shall have come into the depth of evil things, he despiseth." 1 For it is one thing to long for, another thing to fight against righteousness: one thing from evil to desire to be delivered, another thing one's evil doings to defend rather than to confess: both kinds nevertheless the Grace of Christ leadeth forth in strength. With what strength, but that wherewith against sin even unto blood they are to strive? For out of each kind are made meet persons, whereof to construct His holy place: those being loosened, these being raised to life. For even of the woman, whom Satan had bound for eighteen years, by His command He loosed the bonds; 8 and Lazarus' death by His voice He overcame.' He that hath done these things in bodies, is able to do more marvellous things in characters, and to make men of one mood to dwell in a house: " leading forth men fettered in strength, likewise men provoking that dwell in the tombs." '°