(NOTE: The electronic text obtained from The Electronic Bible Society was 
not completely corrected. EWTN has corrected all discovered errors.)

Transliteration of Greek words: All phonetical except: w = omega; h serves 
three puposes: 1. = Eta; 2. = rough breathing, when appearing initially 
before a vowel; 3. = in the aspirated letters theta = th, phi = ph, chi = 
ch. Accents are given immediately after their corresponding vowels: acute = 
' , grave = `, circumflex = ^. The character ' doubles as an apostrophe, 
when necessary.


ST. AUGUSTIN

EXPOSITIONS ON THE BOOK OF PSALMS.

[Translated by the Rev. J. E. Tweed, M.A., chaplain of Christ Church, 
Oxford; T. Scratton, Esq., M.A., of Christ Church; the Rev. H.M. Wilkins, 
M.A., of Merton College, Oxford; ?the Rev. Charles Marriot, of Oriel 
College; ?the Rev. H. Walford, Vice-Principal of St. Edmund's Hall; at 
least one anonymous contributor. Abridged from the six volumes of the Oxford 
Series by A. Cleveland Coxe, D.D.]

PSALMS 125-139: FROM THE 5TH BOOK OF THE PSALMS.


PSALM CXXV.(2)

    1. This Psalm, belonging to the number of the Songs of Degrees, 
teacheth us, while we ascend and raise our minds unto the Lord our God in 
loving charity and piety, not to fix our gaze upon men who are prosperous 
in this world, with a happiness that is false and unstable, and altogether 
seductive; where they cherish nothing save pride, and their heart freezeth 
up against God, and is made hard against the shower of His grace, so that 
it beareth not fruit. ...

    2. "They that put their trust in the Lord shall be even as the mount 
Sion: they shall not be removed for ever" (ver. 1).

    3. Who are these? "They shall stand fast for ever, who dwell in 
Jerusalem" (ver. 2). If we understand this earthly Jerusalem, all who dwelt 
therein have been excluded by wars and by the destruction of the city: thou 
now seekest a Jew in the city of Jerusalem, and findest him not. Why then 
will "they that dwell in Jerusalem not be moved for ever," save because 
there is another Jerusalem, of which ye are wont to hear much? She is our 
mother, for whom we sigh and groan in this pilgrimage, that we may return 
unto her. ...  They then who dwell therein "shall never be moved." But they 
who dwelt in that earthly Jerusalem, have been moved; first in heart, 
afterwards by exile. When they were moved in heart and fell, then they 
crucified the King of the heavenly Jerusalem herself; they were already 
spiritually without, and shut out of doors their very King. For they cast 
Him out without their city, anti crucified Him without.(1) He too cast them 
out of His city, that is, of the everlasting Jerusalem, the Mother of us 
all, who is in Heaven.

    4. What is this Jerusalem? He briefly describes it. "The mountains 
stand around Jerusalem" (ver. 2). Is it anything great, that we are in a 
city surrounded by mountains? Is this the whole of our happiness, that we 
shall have a city which mountains surround? Do we not know what mountains 
are? or what are mountains save swellings of the earth? Different then from 
these are those mountains that we love, lofty mountains, preachers of 
truth, whether Angels, or Apostles, or Prophets. They stand around 
Jerusalem; they surround her, and, as it were, form a wall for her. Of 
these lovely and delightful mountains Scripture constantly speaketh. ...  
They are the mountains of whom we sing: "I lifted up mine eyes unto the 
mountains, from whence my help shall come:"(2) because in this life we have 
help from the holy Scriptures.(3) And through the mountains that receive 
peace, the little hills received righteousness: for what saith he of the 
mountains themselves? He said not, they have peace from themselves, or they 
make peace, or generate peace; but, they receive peace. The Lord is the 
source, whence they receive peace. So therefore lift up thine eyes to the 
mountains for the sake of peace, that thy help may come from the Lord, who 
hath made heaven and earth. Again, the Holy Spirit mentioning these 
mountains saith this: "Thou dost light them wonderfully from Thy 
everlasting mountains."(4) He said not, the mountains light them: but, Thou 
lightest them from Thy everlasting mountains: through those mountains whom 
Thou hast willed to be everlasting, preaching the Gospel, Thou lighting 
them, not the mountains. Such then are the "mountains that stand around 
Jerusalem."

    5. And that ye may know what sort of mountains these be that stand 
around Jerusalem; where Scripture hath mentioned good mountains, very 
rarely, and hardly, and perhaps never, doth it fail instantly to mention 
the Lord also, or allude to Him at the same moment, that our hopes rest not 
in the mountains. ... Lest thou again shouldest tarry in the mountains, he 
at once addeth," Even so the Lord standeth round about His people:" that 
thy hope might not lie in the mountains, but in Him who lighteth the 
mountains.(5) For when He dwelleth in the mountains, that is, in the 
Saints, He Himself is round about His people; and He hath Himself walled 
His people with a spiritual fortification, that it may not be moved for 
evermore. But when Scripture speaketh of evil mountains, it addeth not the 
Lord unto them. Such mountains, we have already told you often, signify 
certain mighty, but evil, souls. For ye are not to suppose, brethren, that 
heresies could be produced through any little souls. None save great men 
have been the authors of heresies; but in proportion as they were mighty, 
so were they evil, mountains. For they were not such mountains as would 
receive peace, that the hills might receive righteousness; but they 
received dissension from their father the devil. There were therefore 
mountains: beware thou fly not to such mountains. For men will come, and 
say unto thee, There is a great hero, there is a great man! How great was 
that Donatus! How great is Maximian! and a certain Photinus, what a great 
man he was! And Arius too, how illustrious he was! All these I have 
mentioned are mountains, but mountains that cause shipwreck.(6) ...

    6. But love such mountains, in whom the Lord is. Then do those very 
mountains love thee, if thou hast not placed hope in them.(5) See, 
brethren, what the mountains of God are. Thence they are so called in 
another passage: "Thy righteousness is like the mountains of God."(1) Not 
their righteousness, but "Thy righteousness." Hear that great mountain the 
Apostle. "That I may be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, 
which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ."(2) But 
they who have chosen to be mountains through their own righteousness, as 
certain Jews or Pharisees their rulers, are thus blamed: "Being ignorant of 
God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, 
they have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."(3) But 
they who have submitted themselves are exalted in such a manner as to be 
humble. In that they are great, they are mountains; in that they submit 
themselves unto God, they are valleys: and in that they have the capacity 
of piety, they receive the plenteousness of peace, and transmit the copious 
irrigation to the hills, only beware, at present, what mountains thou 
lovest. If thou wish to be loved by good mountains, place not thy trust 
even in good mountains. For how great a mountain was Paul? where is one 
like him found? We speak of the greatness of men. Can any one readily be 
found of so great grace? Nevertheless, he feared lest that bird should 
place trust in him: and what doth he say: "Was Paul crucified for you?"(4) 
But lift up your eyes unto the mountains, whence help may come unto you: 
for, "I have planted, Apollos hath watered:" but, your help cometh from the 
Lord, who hath made Heaven and earth; for, "God gave the increase."(5) "The 
mountains," therefore, "stand around Jerusalem." But as "the mountains 
stand around Jerusalem, even so standeth the Lord round about His people, 
from this time forth for evermore." If therefore the mountains stand around 
Jerusalem, and the Lord standeth round about His people, the Lord bindeth 
His people into one bond of love and peace, so that they who trust in the 
Lord, like the mount Sion, may not be moved for evermore: and this is, 
"from this time forth for evermore."

    7. "For the Lord will not leave the rod of the ungodly upon the lot of 
the righteous, lest the righteous put forth their hands unto wickedness" 
(ver. 3). At present indeed the righteous suffer in some measure, and at 
present the unrighteous sometimes tyrannize over the righteous. In what 
ways? Sometimes the unrighteous arrive at worldly honours: when they have 
arrived at them, and have been made either judges or kings; for God doth 
this for the discipline of His folk, for the discipline of His people; the 
honour due to their power must needs be shown them. For thus hath God 
ordained His Church, that every power ordained in the world may have 
honour, and sometimes from those who are better than those in power. For 
the sake of illustration I take one instance; hence calculate the grades of 
all powers. The primary and every day relation of authority between man and 
man is that between master and slave. Almost all houses have a power of 
this sort. There are masters, there are also slaves; these are different 
names, but men and men are equal names.(6) And what saith the Apostle, 
teaching that slaves are subject to their masters? "Servants, be obedient 
to them that are your masters according to the flesh:" for there is a 
Master according to the Spirit. He is the true and everlasting Master; but 
those temporal masters are for a time only. When thou walkest in the way, 
when thou livest in this life, Christ doth not wish to make thee proud. It 
hath been thy lot to become a Christian, and to have a man for thy master: 
thou wast not made a Christian, that thou mightest disdain to be a servant. 
For when by Christ's command thou servest a man, thou servest not the man, 
but Him who commanded thee. He saith this also: "Servants, be obedient to 
them that are your masters according to the flesh."(7) Behold, he hath not 
made men free from being servants, but good servants from bad servants. How 
much do the rich owe to Christ, who orders their house for them! so that if 
thou hast had an unbelieving servant, suppose Christ convert him, and say 
not to him, Leave thy master, thou hast now known Him who is thy true 
Master: he perhaps is ungodly and unjust, thou art now faithful and 
righteous: it is unworthy that a righteous and faithful man should serve an 
unjust and unbelieving master. He spoke not thus unto him,  but rather, 
Serve him: and to confirm the servant, added, Serve as I served; I before 
thee served the unjust. ... If the Lord of heaven and earth, through whom 
all things were created, served the unworthy, asked mercy for His furious 
persecutors, and, as it were, showed Himself as their Physician at His 
Advent (for physicians also, better both in art and health, serve the 
sick): how much more ought not a man to disdain, with his whole mind, and 
his whole good will, with his whole love to serve even a bad master! 
Behold, a better serveth an inferior, but for a season. Understand what I 
have said of the master and slave, to be true also of powers and kings, of 
all the exalted stations of this world. For sometimes they are good powers, 
and fear God; sometimes they fear not God. Julian was an infidel Emperor, 
an apostate, a wicked man, an idolater; Christian soldiers served an 
infidel Emperor; when they came to the cause of Christ, they acknowledged 
Him only who was in heaven. If he called upon them at any time to worship 
idols, to offer incense; they preferred God to him: but whenever he 
commanded them to deploy into line, to march against this or that nation, 
they at once obeyed. They distinguished their everlasting from their 
temporal master; and yet they were, for the sake of their everlasting 
Master, submissive to their temporal master.

    8. But will it be thus always, that the ungodly have power over the 
righteous? It will not be so. The rod of the ungodly is felt for a season 
upon the lot of the righteous; but it is not left there, it will not be 
there for ever. A time will come, when Christ, appearing in his glory, 
shall gather all nations before Him.(1) And thou wilt see there many slaves 
among the sheep, and many masters among the goats; and again many masters 
among the sheep, many slaves among the goats. For all slaves are not good--
do not infer this from the consolation we have given to servants--nor are 
all masters evil, because we have thus repressed the pride of masters. 
There are good masters who believe, and there are evil: there are good 
servants who believe, and there are evil. But as long as good servants 
serve evil masters, let them endure for a season. "For God will not leave 
the rod of the ungodly upon the lot of the righteous." Why will He not? 
"Lest the righteous put forth their hand unto wickedness:" that the 
righteous may endure for a season the domination of the ungodly, and may 
understand that this is not for ever, but may prepare themselves to possess 
their everlasting heritage. ...

    9. And he therefore addeth, "Do well, O Lord, unto those that are good 
and true of heart" (ver. 4). They who are fight in heart, of whom I was 
speaking a little before,--they who follow the will of God, not their own 
will,--reflect upon this. But they who wish to follow God, allow Him to go 
before, and themselves to follow; not themselves to go before, and Him to 
follow; and in all things they find Him good, whether chastening, or 
consoling, or exercising, or crowning, or cleansing, or enlightening; as 
the Apostle saith, "We know that all things work together for good to them 
that love God."(2)

    10. Whence the Psalmist at once addeth: "As  for such as turn aside, 
the Lord shall lead them forth unto strangling with the workers of 
unrighteousness" (ver. 5): that is, those whose deeds they have imitated; 
because they took delight in their present pleasures, and did not believe 
in their punishments to come. What then shall they have, who are righteous 
in heart,  and who turn not back? Let us now come to the heritage itself, 
brethren, for we are sons. What shall we possess? What is our heritage? 
what is our country: what is it called? Peace. In this we salute you, this 
we announce to you,  this the mountains receive, and the little hills 
receive as righteousness.(3) Peace is Christ: "for He is our peace, who 
hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition 
between us."(4) Since we are sons, we shall have an inheritance. And what 
shall this inheritance be called, but peace? And consider that they who 
love not peace are disinherited. Now they who divide unity, love not peace. 
Peace is the possession of the pious, the possession of heirs. And who are 
heirs? Sons. ... Since then Christ the Son of God is peace, He therefore 
came to gather together His own, and to separate them from the wicked. From 
what wicked men? From those who hate Jerusalem, who hate peace, who wish to 
tear unity asunder, who believe not peace, who preach a false peace to the 
people, and have it not. To whom answer is made, when they say,(5) "Peace 
be with you," "And with thy spirit:" but they speak falsely, and they hear 
falsely. Unto whom do they say, Peace be with you? To those whom they 
separate from the peace of the whole earth. And unto whom is it said, "And 
with thy spirit"? To those who embrace dissensions, and who hate peace. For 
if peace were in their spirit, would they not love unity, and leave 
dissensions? Speaking then false words, they hear false words. Let us speak 
true words, and hear true words. Let us be Israel, and let us embrace 
peace; for Jerusalem is a vision of peace, and we are Israel, "and peace is 
upon Israel."

PSALM CXXVI.(6)

    1. ... How man had come into captivity, let us ask the Apostle Paul. 
... For he saith: "For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am carnal, 
sold under sin."(7) Behold whence we became captives; because we were sold 
trader sin. Who sold us? We ourselves, who consented to the seducer. We 
could sell ourselves; we could not redeem ourselves. We sold ourselves by 
consent of sin, we are redeemed in the faith of righteousness. For innocent 
blood was given for us, that we might be redeemed. Whatsoever blood he shed 
in persecuting the righteous, what kind of blood did he shed? Righteous 
men's blood, indeed, he shed; they were Prophets, righteous men, our 
fathers, and Martyrs. Whose blood he shed, yet all coming of the offspring 
of sin. One blood he shed of Him who was not justified,(8) but born 
righteous: by shedding that blood, he lost those whom he held. For they for 
whom innocent blood was given were redeemed, and, turned back from their 
captivity, they sing this Psalm.

    2. "When the Lord turned back the captivity of Sion, we became as those 
that are comforted" (ver. 1). He meant by this to say, we became joyful. 
When? "When the Lord turned back the captivity of Sion." What is Sion? 
Jerusalem, the same is also the eternal Sion. How is Sion eternal, how is 
Sion captive? In angels eternal, in men captive. For not all the citizens 
of that city are captives, but those who are away from thence, they are 
captives. Man was a citizen of Jerusalem, but sold under sin he became a 
pilgrim. Of his progeny was born the human race, and the captivity of Sion 
filled all lands. And how is this captivity of Sion a shadow of that 
Jerusalem? The shadow of that Sion, which was granted to the Jews, in an 
image, in a figure, was in captivity in Babylonia, and after seventy years 
that people turned back to its own city.(1) ... But when all time is past, 
then we return to our country, as after seventy years that people returned 
from the Babylonish captivity, for Babylon is this world; since Babylon is 
interpreted "confusion." ... So then this whole life of human affairs is 
confusion, which belongeth not unto God. In this confusion, in this 
Babylonish land, Sion is held captive. But "the Lord hath turned back the 
captivity of Sion." "And we became," he saith, "as those that are 
comforted." That is, we rejoiced as receiving consolation. Consolation is 
not save for the unhappy, consolation is not save for them that groan, that 
mourn. Wherefore, "as those that are comforted," except because we are 
still mourning? We mourn for our present lot, we are comforted in hope: 
when the present is passed by, of our mourning will come everlasting joy, 
when there will be no need of consolation, because we shall be wounded with 
no distress. But wherefore saith he "as" those that are comforted, and 
saith not comforted? This word "as," is not always put for likeness: when 
we say "As," it sometimes refers to the actual case, sometimes to likeness: 
here it is with reference to the actual case. ... Walk therefore in Christ, 
and sing rejoicing, sing as one that is comforted; because He went before 
thee who hath commanded thee to follow Him.

    3. "Then was our mouth filled with joy, and our tongue with exultation" 
(ver. 2). That mouth, brethren, which we have in our body, how is it 
"filled with joy"? It useth not to be "filled," save with meat, or drink, 
or some such thing put into the mouth. Sometimes our mouth is filled; and 
it is more that we say. to your holiness? when we have our mouth full, we 
cannot speak. But we have a mouth within, that is, in the heart, whence 
whatsoever proceedeth, if it is evil, defileth us, if it is good, cleanseth 
us. For concerning this very mouth ye heard when the Gospel was read. For 
the Jews reproached the Lord, because His disciples ate with unwashen 
hands.(3) They reproached who had cleanness without; and within were full 
of stains. They reproached, whose righteousness was only in the eyes of 
men. But the Lord sought our inward cleanness, which if we have, the 
outside must needs be clean also. "Cleanse," He saith, "the inside," and 
"the outside shall be clean also."(4)

    4. But let us return to what was just now read from the Gospel, 
relating to the verse before us, "Our mouth was filled with joy, and our 
tongue with delight:" for we are inquiring what mouth and what tongue. 
Listen, beloved brethren. The Lord was scoffed at, because His disciples 
ate with unwashed hands. The Lord answered them as was fitting, and said 
unto the crowds whom He had called unto Him, "Hear ye all, and understand: 
not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh 
out of the mouth, this defileth a man."(5) What is this? when He said, what 
goeth into the mouth, He meant only the mouth of the body. For meat goeth 
in, and meats defile not a man; because, "All things are clean to the 
clean;" and, "every creature of God is good, and none to be refused, if it 
be received with thanksgiving."(6) ...

    5. Guard the mouth of thy heart from evil, and thou wilt be innocent: 
the tongue of thy body will be innocent, thy hands will be innocent; even 
thy feet will be innocent, thy eyes, thy ears, will be innocent; all thy 
members will serve under righteousness, because a righteous commander hath 
thy heart. "Then shall they say among the heathen, the Lord hath done great 
things for them."

    6. "Yea, the Lord hath done great things for us already, whereof we 
rejoice" (ver.3). Consider, my brethren, if Sion doth not at present say 
this among the heathen, throughout the whole world; consider if men are not 
running unto the Church. In the whole world our redemption is received; 
Amen is answered. The dwellers in Jerusalem, therefore, captive, destined 
to return, pilgrims, sighing for their country, speak thus among the 
heathen. What do they say? "The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof 
we rejoice." Have they done anything for themselves? They have done ill 
with themselves, for they have sold themselves under sin. The Redeemer 
came, and did the good things for them.

    7. "Turn our captivity, O Lord, as the torrents in the south" (ver. 4). 
Consider, my brethren, what this meaneth. ... As torrents are turned in the 
south, so turn our captivity. In a certain passage Scripture saith, in 
admonishing us concerning good works, "Thy sins also shall melt away, even 
as the ice in fair warm weather."(1) Our sins therefore bound us. How? As 
the cold bindeth the water that it run not. Bound with the frost of our 
sins, we have frozen. But the south wind is a warm wind: when the south 
wind blows, the ice melts, and the torrents are filled. Now winter streams 
are called torrents; for filled with sudden rains they run with great 
force. We had therefore become frozen in captivity; our sins bound us: the 
south wind the Holy Spirit hath blown: our sins are forgiven us, we are 
released from the frost of iniquity; as the ice in fair weather, our sins 
are melted. Let us run unto our country, as the torrents in the south. ...

    8. For the next words are, "They that sow in tears, shall reap in 
joy"(ver. 5). In this life, which is full of tears, let us sow. What shall 
we sow? Good works. Works of mercy are our seeds: of which seeds the 
Apostle saith, "Let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we 
shall reap if we faint not."(2) Speaking therefore of almsgiving itself, 
what saith he? "This I say; he that soweth sparingly, shall reap also 
sparingly."(3) He therefore who soweth plentifully, shall reap plentifully: 
he who soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly: and he that soweth 
nothing, shall reap nothing. Why do ye long for ample estates, where ye may 
sow plentifully? There is not a wider field on which ye can sow than 
Christ, who hath willed that we should sow in Himself. Your soil is the 
Church; sow as much as ye can. But thou hast not enough to do this. Hast 
thou the will?(4) As what thou hadst would be nothing, if thou hadst not a 
good will; so do not despond, because thou hast not, if thou hast a good 
will. For what dost thou sow? Mercy. And what wilt  thou reap? Peace. Said 
the Angels, Peace on  earth unto rich men? No, but, "Peace on earth unto 
men of a good will."(5) Zacchaeus had a strong will, Zacchaeus had great 
charity.(6) ... Did then that widow who cast her two farthings into the 
treasury, sow little? Nay, as much as Zacchaeus. For she had narrower 
means, but an equal will. She gave her two mites(7) with as good a will as 
Zacchaeus gave the half of his patrimony. If thou consider what they gave, 
thou wilt find their gifts different; if thou look to the source, thou wilt 
find them equal; she gave whatever she had, and he gave what he had. ... 
But if they are beggars whose profession is asking alms, in trouble they 
also have what to bestow upon one another. God hath not so forsaken them, 
but that they have wherein they may be tried by their bestowing of alms. 
This man cannot walk; he who can walk, lendeth his feet to the lame; he who 
seeth, lendeth his eyes to the blind; and he who is young and sound, 
lendeth his strength to the old or the infirm, carrieth him: the one is 
poor, the other is rich.

     9. Sometimes also the rich man is found to be poor, and something is 
bestowed upon him by the poor. Somebody cometh to a river, so much the more 
delicate as he is more rich; he cannot pass over: if he were to pass over 
with bare limbs, he would catch cold, would be ill, would die: a poor man 
more active in body cometh up: he carries the rich man over; he giveth alms 
unto the rich. Think not therefore those only poor, who have not money. 
...Thus love ye, thus be ye affectioned unto one another. Attend not solely 
to yourselves: but to those who are in want around you. But because these 
things take place in this life with troubles and cares, faint not. Ye sow 
in tears, ye shall reap in joy.

    10. How, my brethren? When the farmer goeth forth with the plough, 
carrying seed, is not the wind sometimes keen, and doth not the shower 
sometimes deter him? He looketh to the sky, seeth it lowering, shivers with 
cold, nevertheless goeth forth, and soweth. For he feareth lest while he is 
observing the foul weather, and awaiting sunshine, the time may pass away, 
and he may not find anything to reap. Put not off, my brethren; sow in 
wintry weather, sow good works, even while ye weep; for, "They that sow in 
tears, shall reap in joy." They sow their seed, good will, and good works. 
"They went on their way and wept, casting their seed" (ver. 6). Why did 
they weep? Because they were among the miserable, and were themselves 
miserable. It is better, my brethren, that no man should be miserable, than 
that thou shouldest do alms. ... Nevertheless, as long as there are objects 
for its exercise, let us not fail amid those troubles to sow our seed. 
Although we sow in tears, yet shall we reap in joy. For in that 
resurrection of the dead, each man shall receive his own sheaves, that is, 
the produce of his seed, the crown of joys and of delight. Then will there 
be a joyous triumph, when we shall laugh at death, wherein we groaned 
before: then shall they say to death, "O death, where is thy strife? O 
death, where is thy sting?"(8) But why do they now rejoice? Because. "they 
bring their sheaves with them."

    11. In this Psalm we have chiefly exhorted you to do deeds of alms, 
because it is thence that we ascend; and ye see that he who ascendeth, 
singeth the song of steps. Remember: do not love to descend, instead of to 
ascend, but reflect upon your ascent: because he who descended from 
Jerusalem to Jericho fell among thieves.(1) ... The Samaritan as He passed 
by slighted us not: He healed us, He raised us upon His beast, upon His 
flesh; He led us to she inn, that is, the Church; He entrusted us to the 
host, that is, to the Apostle; He gave two pence, whereby we might be 
healed,(2) the love of God, and the love of our neighbour. The Apostle 
spent more; for, though it was allowed unto all the Apostles to receive, as 
Christ's soldiers, pay from Christ's subjects,(3) that Apostle, 
nevertheless, toiled with his own hands, and excused the subjects the 
maintenance owing to him.(4) All this hath already happened: if we have 
descended, and have been wounded; let us asscend, let us sing, and make 
progress, in order that we may arrive.

PSALM CXXVII.(5)

    1. Among all the Songs entitled the Song of degrees, this Psalm hath a 
further addition in the title, that it is "Solomon's." For thus it is 
entitled, "A Song of degrees of Solomon. It hath therefore aroused our 
attention, and caused us to enquire the reason of this addition, "of 
Solomon." For it is needless to repeat explanations of the other words, 
Song of degrees. ... Solomon was in his time David's son, a great man, 
through whom many holy precepts and healthful admonitions and divine 
mysteries have been wrought by the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures. Solomon 
himself was a lover of women, and was rejected by God: and this lust was so 
great a snare unto him, that he was induced by women even to sacrifice to 
idols,(6) as Scripture witnesseth concerning him. But if, by his fall what 
was delivered through him were blotted out, it would be judged that he had 
himself delivered these precepts, and not that they were delivered through 
him. The mercy of God, therefore, and His Spirit, excellently wrought that 
whatever of good was declared through Solomon, might be attributed unto 
God; and the man's sin, unto the man. What marvel that Solomon fell among 
God's people? Did not Adam fall in Paradise? Did not an angel fall from 
heaven, and become the devil? We are thereby taught, that no hope must be 
placed in any among men. ... The name of Solomon is interpreted to mean 
peacemaker: now Christ is the True Peacemaker, of whom the Apostle saith, 
"He is our Peace, who hath made both one."(7) ... Since, therefore, He is 
the true Solomon; for that Solomon was the figure of this Peace maker, when 
he built the temple; that thou mayest not think he who built the house unto 
God was the true Solomon, Scripture showing unto thee another Solomon, thus 
commences this Psalm: "Except the Lord build the house, their labour is but 
lost that build it" (ver. 1). The Lord, therefore, buildeth the house, the 
Lord Jesus Christ buildeth His own house. Many toil in building: but, 
except He build, "their labour is but lost that build it." Who are they who 
toil in building it? All who preach the word of God in the Church, the 
ministers of God's mysteries. We are all running, we are all toiling, we 
are all building now; and before us others have run, toiled, and built: 
but" except the Lord build, their labour is but lost." Thus the Apostles 
seeing some fall bewailed these men, in that they had laboured in vain for 
them.(8) We, therefore, speak without, He buildeth within. We can observe 
with what attention ye hear us; He alone who knoweth your thoughts, knoweth 
what ye think. He Himself buildeth, He Himself admonisheth, He Himself 
openeth the understanding, He Himself kindleth your understanding unto 
faith; nevertheless, we also toil like workmen; but, "except the Lord 
build," etc.

    2. But that which is the house of God is also a city. For the house of 
God is the people of God; for the house of God is the temple of God. ... 
This is Jerusalem: she hath guards: as she hath builders, labouring at her 
building up, so also hath she guards. To this guardianship these words of 
the Apostle relate: "I fear, lest by any means your minds should be 
corrupted from the simplicity which is in Christ."(9) He was guarding the 
Church. He kept watch, to the utmost of his power, over those over whom he 
was set. The Bishops also do this. For a higher place was for this reason 
given the Bishops, that they might be themselves the superintendents and as 
it were the guardians of the people. For the Greek word Episcopus, and the 
vernacular Superintendent, are the same; for the Bishop superintends, in 
that he looks over. As a higher place is assigned to the vinedresser in the 
charge of the vineyard, so also to the Bishops a more exalted station is 
alloted. And a perilous account is rendered of this high station, except we 
stand here with a heart that causeth us to stand beneath your feet in 
humility, and pray for you, that He who knoweth your minds may be Himself 
your keeper. Since we can see you both coming in and going out; but we are 
so unable to see what are the thoughts of your hearts, that we cannot even 
see what ye do in your houses.

How then can we guard you? As men: as far as we are able, as far as we have 
received power. And because we guard you like men, and cannot guard you 
perfectly, shall ye therefore remain without a keeper? Far be it! For where 
is He of whom it is said, "Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman 
waketh but in vain?" (ver. 1). We are watchful on our guard, but vain in 
our watchfulness, except He who seeth your thoughts guard you. He keepeth 
guard while ye are awake, He keepeth guard also whilst ye are asleep. For 
He hath once slept on the Cross, and hath risen again; He no longer 
sleepeth. Be ye Israel: for "the Keeper of Israel neither sleepeth nor 
slumbereth."(1) Yea, brethren, if we wish to be kept beneath the shadow of 
God's wings, let us be Israel. For we guard you in our office of stewards; 
but we wish to be guarded together with you. We are as it were shepherds 
unto you; but beneath that Shepherd we are fellow-sheep with you. We are as 
it were your teachers from this station; but beneath Him, the One Master, 
we are schoolfellows with you in this school.

     3. If we wish to be guarded by Him who was humbled for our sakes, and 
who was exalted to keep us, let us be humble. Let no one assume anything 
unto himself. No man hath any good, except he hath received it from Him who 
alone is good. But he who chooseth to arrogate wisdom unto himself, is a 
fool. Let him be humble, that wisdom may come, and may enlighten him. But 
if, before wisdom cometh unto him, he imagine that he is wise; he riseth 
before light, and walketh in darkness. What doth he hear in this Psalm? "It 
is but lost labour that ye haste to rise up before dawn" (ver. 2). What 
meaneth this? If ye arise before light ariseth, ye must needs lose your 
labour, because ye will be in the dark. Our light, Christ, hath arisen; it 
is good for thee to rise after Christ, not to rise before Christ. Who rise 
before Christ? They who choose to prefer themselves to Christ. And who are 
they who wish to prefer themselves to Christ? They who wish to be exalted 
here, where He was humble. Let them, therefore, be humble here, if they 
wish to be exalted there, where Christ is exalted .... The Lord recalled 
the sons of Zebedee to humility, and said unto them, "Are ye able to drink 
of the cup that I shall drink of?"(2) I came to be humble: and are ye 
wishing to be exalted before Me? The way I go, do ye follow, He saith. For 
if ye choose to go this way where I do not go, your labour is lost, in 
rising before dawn. Peter too had risen before the light, when he wished to 
give the Lord advice, deterring Him from suffering for us .... But what did 
our Lord do? He caused him to rise after the Light: "Get thee behind Me, 
Satan."(3) He was Satan, because he wished to rise before Light. "Get thee 
behind Me:" that I may precede, thou mayest follow: where I go, there thou 
mayest go; and mayest not wish to lead Me, where thou wouldest go....

    4. And as if thou shouldest say, When shall we rise? we are ordered now 
to sit: when will be our rising? When the Lord's was. Look unto Him, who 
went before thee: for if thou heedest not Him, "it is lost labour for thee 
to rise before dawn." When was He raised? When He had died. Hope therefore 
for thine uplifting after thy death: have hope in the resurrection of the 
dead, because He rose again and ascended. But where did He sleep? On the 
Cross. When He slept on the Cross, He bore a sign, yea, He fulfilled what 
had been signified in Adam: for when Adam was asleep, a rib was drawn from 
him and Eve was created;(4) so also while the Lord slept on the Cross, His 
side was transfixed with a spear, and the Sacraments flowed forth,(5)  
whence the Church was born. For the Church the Lord's Bride was created 
from His side, as Eve was created from the side of Adam. But as she was 
made from his side no otherwise than while sleeping, so the Church was 
created from His side no otherwise than while dying. If therefore He rose 
not from the dead save when He had died, dost thou hope for exaltation save 
after this life? But that this Psalm might teach thee, in case thou 
shouldest ask, When shall I rise? perhaps before I have sat down? he 
addeth, "When He hath given His beloved sleep" (ver. 3 ). God giveth this 
when His beloved have fallen asleep; then His beloved, that is, Christ's, 
shall rise. For all indeed shall rise, but not as His beloved. There is a 
resurrection of all the dead; but what saith the Apostle? "We shall all 
rise, but we shall not all be changed."(6) They rise unto punishment: we 
rise as our Lord rose, that we may follow our Head, if we are members of 
Him. .. Hope for such a resurrection; and for the sake of this be a 
Christian, not for the sake of this world's happiness. For if thou wish to 
be a Christian for the sake of this world's happiness, since He thy Light 
sought not worldly happiness; thou art wishing to rise before the light; 
thou must needs continue in darkness. Be changed, follow thy Light; rise 
where(7) He rose again: first sit down, and thus rise, "when He giveth His 
beloved sleep."

    5. As if thou shouldest ask again, who are the beloved? "Lo, children, 
(he reward of the fruit of the womb, are an heritage of the Lord-(8) (ver. 
3). Since he saith, "fruit of the womb," these children have been born in 
travail. There is a certain woman, in whom what was said unto Eve," in 
sorrow shalt thou bring forth children," is shown after a spiritual manner. 
The Church beareth children, the Bride of Christ; and if she beareth them, 
she travaileth of them. In figure of her, Eve was called also "the Mother 
of all living."(1) He who said, "My little children, of whom I travail in 
birth again, until Christ be formed in you,"(2) was amongst the members of 
her who travaileth. But she travailed not in vain, nor brought forth in 
vain: there will be a holy seed at the resurrection of the dead: the 
righteous who are at present scattered over the whole world shall abound. 
The Church groaneth for them, the Church travaileth of them; but in that 
resurrection of the dead, the offspring of the Church shall appear, pain 
and groaning shall pass away ....

    6. "Like as the arrows in the hand of the mighty one, even so are the 
children of those that are shot out" (ver. 4). Whence hath sprung this 
heritage, brethren? Whence hath sprung so numerous a heritage? Some have 
been shot out from the Lord's hand, as arrows, and have gone far, and have 
filled the whole earth, whence the Saints spring. For this is the heritage 
whereof it is said, "Desire of Me, and I shall give thee the heathen for 
thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy 
possession."(3) And how doth this possession extend and increase unto the 
world's uttermost parts? Because, "like as the arrows in the hand of the 
mighty one," etc. Arrows are shot forth from the bow, and the stronger the 
arm which hath sent it forth, the farther flieth the arrow. But what is 
stronger than the darting of the Lord? From His bow He sendeth forth His 
Apostles: there could not be a spot left where an arrow shot by so strong 
an arm would not reach; it hath reached Unto the uttermost parts of the 
earth. The reason it went no farther was, that there were no more of the 
human race beyond. For He hath such strength, that even if there were a 
spot beyond, whither the arrow could fly, He would dart the arrow thither. 
Such are the children of those who are shot forth as they that are shot 
forth.(4)...

    7. Perhaps the Apostles themselves are styled the sons of those who 
have been shaken out, the sons of the Prophets. For the Prophets comprised 
closed and covered mysteries: they were shaken, that they might come forth 
thence manifestly .... Except the prophecy involved were sifted with 
diligence, would the concealed meanings come forth unto us? All these 
meanings were therefore closed before the Lord's advent. The Lord came, and 
shook out these hidden meanings, and they were made manifest; the Prophets 
were shaken out, and the Apostles were born. Since then they were born of 
the Prophets who had been shaken out, the Apostles are sons of those that 
were shaken out. They, placed as the arrows in the hand of the giant, have 
reached the uttermost parts of the earth.... The Apostles the sons of the 
Prophets have been like as the arrows in the hand of a mighty one. If He is 
mighty, He hath shaken them out with a mighty hand; if He hath shaken them 
out with a mighty hand, they whom He hath shaken forth have arrived even at 
the uttermost parts of the earth.

    8. "Blessed is the man who hath filled his desire from them" (ver. 5). 
Well, my brethren, who filleth his desire from them? Who loveth not the 
world. He who is filled with the desire of the world, hath no room for that 
to enter which they have preached. Pour forth what thou carriest, and 
become fit for that which thou hast not. That is, thou desirest riches: 
thou canst not fill thy desire from them: thou desirest honours upon earth, 
thou desirest those things which God hath given even unto beasts of burden, 
that is, temporal pleasure, bodily health, and the like; thou wilt not 
fulfil thy desire from them.... "He shall not be ashamed, when he speaketh 
with his enemies in the gate." Brethren, let us speak in the gate, that is, 
let all know what we speak. For he who chooseth not to speak in the gate, 
wisheth what he speaketh to be hidden, and perhaps wisheth it to be hidden 
for this reason, that it is evil. If he be confident, let him speak in the 
gate; as it is said of Wisdom, "She crieth at the gates, at the entry of 
the city."(5) As long as they hold unto righteousness in innocency, they 
shall not be ashamed: this is to preach at the gate. And who is he who 
preacheth at the gate? He who preacheth in Christ; because Christ is the 
gate whereby we enter into that city.(6) ... They, therefore, who speak 
against Christ, are without the gate; because they seek their own honours, 
not those of Christ. But he who preacheth in the gate, seeketh Christ's 
honour, not his own: and, therefore, he who preacheth in the gate, saith, 
Trust not in me; for ye will not enter through me, but through the gate. 
While they who wish men to trust in themselves, wish them not to enter 
through the gate: it is no marvel if the gate be closed against them, and 
if they vainly knock for it to be opened.(7)

PSALM CXXVIII.(1)

    1. Felix the Martyr,(2) truly Felix, i.e. "Happy" both in his name and 
his crown, whose birthday this is, despised the world. Was he, because he 
feared the Lord, thence happy, thence blessed, because his wife was as a 
fruitful vine upon the earth, and his children stood around his table? All 
these blessings he hath perfectly, but in the Body of Him who is here 
described; and, because he understood them in this sense, he scorned things 
present, that he might receive things future. Ye are aware, brethren, that 
he suffered not the death that other martyrs suffered. For he confessed, 
and was set aside for torments; on another day his body was discovered 
lifeless. They had closed the prison to his body, not to his spirit. The 
executioners found him gone; when they were preparing to torture, they 
spent their rage for nought. He was lying dead, without sense to them, that 
he might not be tortured; with sense with God, that he might be crowned. 
Whence was he also happy, brethren, not only in. name, but in the reward of 
everlasting life, if he loved these things.

    2. "Blessed are all they that fear the Lord, and walk in His ways" 
(ver. 1). He speaketh to many; but since these many are one in Christ, in 
the next words he speaketh in the singular: "For thou shall eat the labours 
of thy fruits." ... When I speak of Christians in the plural, I understand 
one in the One Christ. Ye are therefore many, and ye are one; we are many, 
and we are one. How are we many, and yet one? Because we cling unto Him 
whose members we are; and since our Head is in heaven, that His members may 
follow...Let us therefore so hear this Psalm, as considering it to be 
spoken of Christ: and all of us who cling unto the Body of Christ, and have 
been made members of Christ, walk in the ways of the Lord; and let us fear 
the Lord with a chaste fear, with a fear that abideth for ever ....

    3. "Thou shalt eat the labours of thy fruits" (ver. 2). And ye, O thou, 
ye many who are One, "Thou shall eat of the labours of thy fruits." He 
seemeth to speak perversely to those who understand not: for he should have 
said, thou shall eat the fruit of thy labours For many eat the fruit of 
their labours. They labour in the vineyard; they eat not the to; itself; 
but what ariseth from their labour they eat. They labour about trees that 
bear fruit who would eat labours? But the fruit of these labours, the 
produce of these trees; it is this that delighteth the husbandman. What 
meaneth, "Thou shall eat the labours of thy fruits "? At present we have 
toils: the fruits will come afterwards. But since their labours themselves 
are not without joy, on account of the hope whereof we have a little before 
spoken, "Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation;"(3) at present those 
very labours delight us, and make us joyful in hope. If therefore our toil 
has been what could be eaten, and could also delight us; what will be the 
fruit of our labour when eaten? "They who went weeping on their way, 
scattering their seed,"(4) did eat their labours; with how much greater 
pleasure will they eat the fruits of their labours, who "shall come again 
with joy, bearing their sheaves with them "? "Blessed art thou, and well 
shall it be with ... thee." "Blessed art thou," is of the present: "well 
shall it be with bee," is of the future. When thou eatest the labours of 
thy fruits, "blessed art thou;" when thou hast reached the fruit of thy 
labours, "well shall it be with thee." What hath he said? For if it be well 
with thee, thou wilt be happy: and if thou wilt be happy, thou wilt also 
have all well with thee. But there is a difference between hope and 
attainment. If hope be so sweet, how much sweeter will reality be?

    4. Let us now come to the words, "Thy wife" (ver. 3): it is said unto 
Christ. His wife, therefore, is the Church: His Church, His wife, we 
ourselves are. "As a fruitful vineyard." But in whom is the vineyard 
fruitful? For we see many barren ones entering those walls; we see that 
many intemperate, usurious persons, slave dealers, enter these walls, and 
such as resort to fortune-tellers, go to enchanters and enchantresses when 
they have a headache. Is this the fruitfulness of the vine? Is this the 
fecundity of the wife? It is not. These are thorns, but the vineyard is not 
everywhere thorny. It hath a certain fruitfulness, and is a fruitful vine; 
but in whom? "Upon the sides of thy house." Not all are called the sides of 
the house. For I ask what are the sides. What shall I say? Are they walls, 
strong stones, as it were? If he were speaking of this bodily tenement, we 
should perhaps understand this by sides. We mean by the sides of the house, 
those who cling unto Christ. ...

    5. "Thy children." The wife and the children are the same. In these 
carnal marriages and wedlocks, the wife is one, the children other: in the 
Church, she who is the wife, is the  children also. For the Apostles 
belonged to the Church, and were among the members of the Church. They were 
therefore in His wife, and were His wife according to their own portion 
which they held in His members. Why then is it said concerning them, "When 
the Bridegroom shall be taken from them, then shall the children of the 
Bridegroom fast"?(1) She who is the wife, then, is the children also. I 
speak a wonderful thing, my brethren. In the words of the Lord, we find the 
Church to be both His brethren, and His sisters, and His mother.(2) ... For 
Mary was among the sides of His House, and His relatives coming of the 
kindred of the Virgin Mary, who believed on Him, were among the sides of 
His House; not in respect of their carnal consanguinity, but inasmuch as 
they heard the Word of God, and obeyed it. ... He added; "For whosoever 
shall do the will of My Father which is in heaven, the same is My brother, 
and sister, and mother."(3) "Brother," perhaps, on account of the male sex 
whom the Church hath: "sister," on account of the women whom Christ hath 
here in His members. How "mother," save that Christ Himself is in those 
Christians, whom the Church daily bringeth forth Christians through 
baptism? In those therefore in whom thou understandest the wife, in them 
thou understandest the mother, in them the children.

    6. ... Such children ought therefore to be "around" the Lord's" table, 
like olive-branches."(4) A complete Vine it is, a great bliss: who would 
now refuse to be there? When thou seest any blasphemer have a wife, 
children, grandchildren, and thyself perchance without them, envy them not; 
discern that the promise hath been fulfilled in thee also, but spiritually. 
If therefore we have, why have we? Because we fear the Lord. "Lo, thus 
shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord" (ver. 4). He is the man, 
who is also the men; and the men are one man; because many are one, because 
Christ is One.

    7. "The Lord from out of Sion bless thee: and mayest thou see thee good 
things that are of Jerusalem" (ver. 5). Even to the birds was it said, "Be 
fruitful and multiply."(5) Dost thou wish to hold as a great blessing what 
was given unto birds? Who can be ignorant, that it was given indeed by the 
voice of God? But use these goods, if thou receive them; and rather think 
how thou mayest nourish those who have been born, than that others may be 
born. For it is not happiness to have children, but to have good ones. 
Labour in the task of nourishing them, if they be born; but if they be not 
born, give thanks unto God ....Thy children are infants: thou dost caress 
the infants: the infants caress thee: do they abide thus? But thou wishest 
they may grow, thou wishest that their age may increase. But consider that 
when one age cometh, another dieth. When boyhood cometh, infancy dieth; 
when youth cometh, boyhood dieth: when manhood cometh, youth dieth; when 
old age cometh, manhood dieth: when death cometh, all age dieth. As many 
successions of ages as thou wishest for, so many deaths of ages dost thou 
wish for. These things therefore "are" not. Finally, are children born unto 
thee to share life with thee on earth, or rather to shut thee out and to 
succeed thee? Rejoicest thou in those born to exclude thee? Boys when born 
speak somewhat like this to their parents: "Now then, begin to think of 
removing hence, let us too play our parts on the stage." For the whole life 
of temptation in the human race is a stage play;(6) for it is said, "Every 
man living is altogether vanity."(7) Nevertheless, if we rejoice in 
children who will succeed us; how much must we rejoice in children with 
whom we shall remain, and in that Father for whom we are born, who will not 
die, but that we may evermore live with Him? These are the good things of 
Jerusalem: for they "are." And how long shall I see the good things of 
Jerusalem? "All thy life long." If thy life be for ever, thou wilt see the 
good things of Jerusalem for evermore. ...

    8. For, "if in this life only," saith the Apostle, "we have hope in 
Christ, we are of all men most miserable." s For what reason were the 
Martyrs condemned to beasts? What is that good? Can it be declared? by what 
means, or what tongue can tell it? or what ears can hear it? That indeed, 
"Neither ear hath heard, nor hath it entered into man's heart:"(9) only let 
us love, only let us grow in grace: ye see, then, that battles are not 
wanting, and that we fight with our lusts. We fight outwardly with 
unbelieving and disobedient men; we fight inwardly with carnal suggestions 
and perturbations: we everywhere as yet fight.... What sort of peace then 
is this? One from Jerusalem, for Jerusalem is interpreted, A vision of 
Peace. Thus then "mayest thou see the good things that are of Jerusalem," 
and that, "all thy life long--and mayest thou see," not only thy children, 
but, "thy children's children." What meaneth, Thy children? Thy works which 
thou here dost. Who are thy children's children? The fruits of thy works. 
Thou givest alms: these are thy children: for the sake of thine alms thou 
receivest everlasting life, these are thy children's children. "Mayest thou 
see thy children's children;" and there shall be "peace upon Israel" (ver. 
6), the last words of the Psalm ....

PSALM CXXIX.10

    1. The Psalm which we have sung is short: but as it is written in the 
Gospel of Zacchaeus that he was "little of stature,"(1) but mighty in 
works; as it is written of that widow who cast two mites into the treasury, 
little was the money, but great was her charity;(2) thus also this Psalm, 
if thou count the words, is short; if thou weigh the sentiments, is great. 
... Let the Spirit of God speak, let It speak to us, let It sing to us; 
whether we wish or wish not to dance, let It sing. For as he who danceth, 
moveth his limbs to the time; so they who dance according to the 
commandment of God, in their works obey the sound. What therefore saith the 
Lord in the Gospel to those who refuse to do this? "We have piped unto you, 
and ye have not danced: we have mourned unto you, and ye have not 
lamented."(3) Let Him therefore sing; we trust in God's mercy, for there 
will be those by whom He consoleth us. For they who are obstinate, 
continuing in wickedness, although they hear the Word of God, by their 
offences daily disturb the Church. Of such this Psalm speaketh; for thus it 
beginneth.

    5. "Many a time have they fought against me from my youth up" (ver. 1). 
The Church speaketh of those whom She endureth: and as if it were asked, 
"Is it now?" The Church is of ancient birth: since saints have been so 
called, the Church hath been on earth. At one time the Church was in Abel 
only, and he was fought against by his wicked and lost brother Cain.(4) At 
one time the Church was in Enoch alone: and he was translated from the 
unrighteous.(5) At one time the Church was in the house of Noah alone, and 
endured all who perished by the flood, and the ark alone swam upon the 
waves, and escaped to shore.(6) At one time the Church was in Abraham 
alone, and we know what he endured from the wicked. The Church was in his 
brother's son, Lot, alone, and in his house, in Sodore, and he endured the 
iniquities and perversities of Sodom, until God freed him from amidst 
them.(7) The Church also began to exist in the people of Israel: She 
endured Pharaoh and the Egyptians. The number of the saints began to be 
also in the Church, that is, in the people of Israel; Moses and the rest of 
the saints endured the wicked Jews, the people of Israel. We come unto our 
Lord Jesus Christ: the Gospel was preached in the Psalms.(8) ... For this 
reason, lest the Church wonder now, or lest any one wonder in the Church, 
who wisheth to be a good member of the Church, let him hear the Church 
herself his Mother saying to him, Marvel not at these things, my son: "Many 
a time have they fought against me from my youth up."

    3. "Now may Israel say." She now seemeth to be speaking of herself: for 
she seemed not to have commenced herself, but to have answered. But to whom 
hath she replied? To them that think and say, How great evils do we endure, 
how great are the scandals that every day thicken, as the wicked enter into 
the Church, and we have to endure them? But let the Church reply through 
some, that is, through the voice of the stronger, let her reply to the 
complaints of the weak, and let the stable confirm the unstable, and the 
full-grown the infant, and let the Church say, "Many a time have they vexed 
me from my youth up" (ver. 2). Let the Church say this: let her not fear 
it. For what is the meaning of this addition, "From my youth up," after the 
words, "Many a time have they fought against me "? At present the old age 
of the Church is assailed: but let her not fear. Hath she then failed to 
arrive at old age, because they have not ceased to fight against her from 
her youth up? have they been able to blot her out? Let Israel comfort 
herself, let the Church console herself with past examples. Why have they 
fought against me?"For they could not prevail against me."

    4. "Upon my back have sinners built; they have done their iniquity afar 
off (ver. 3). Why have they fought against me? Because "they could not 
prevail upon me." What is this? They could not build upon me. I consented 
not with them unto sin. For every wicked man persecuteth the good on this 
account, because the good man consenteth not with him to evil. Suppose he 
do some evil, and the Bishop censure him not, the Bishop is a good man: 
suppose the Bishop censure him, the Bishop is a bad man. Suppose he carry 
off anything, let the man robbed be silent, he is a good man: let him only 
speak and rebuke, even though he doth not reclaim his goods, he is 
everything bad. He is bad then who blameth the robber, and he is good who 
robbeth! ... Heed not that such an one speaketh to thee: it is a  wicked 
man through whom It speaketh to thee;  but the word of God, that speaketh 
to thee, is  not wicked.(9) Accuse God: accuse Him, if thou canst!

    5. Thou accusest a man of avarice, and he  accuseth God on the ground 
that He made gold.  Be not covetous. And God, thou repliest, should  not 
make gold. This now remaineth, because  thou canst not restrain thine evil 
deeds, thou  accusest the good works of God: the Creator  and Architect of 
the world displeaseth thee. He  ought not to make the sun either; for many 
contend concerning the lights of their windows, and drag each other before 
courts of law. O if we could restrain our vices! for all things are good, 
because a good God made all things: and His works praise Him, when their 
goodness is considered by him who hath the spirit of considering them, the 
spirit of piety and wisdom.(1) ...

    6. Lend not money at interest. Thou accusest Scripture which saith, "He 
that hath not given his money upon usury."(2) I wrote not this: it went not 
forth first from my mouth: hear God. He replieth: let not the clergy lend 
upon usury. Perchance he who speaketh to thee, lendeth not at interest: but 
if he do so lend, suppose that he doth so lend; doth He who speaketh 
through him lend at interest? If he doth what he enjoineth thee, and thou 
dost it not; thou wilt go into the flame, he into the kingdom. If he doth 
not what he enjoineth thee, and equally with thee doth evil deeds, and 
preaches duties which he doth not; ye will both equally go into the flames. 
The hay will burn; but "the word of the Lord abideth for evermore."(3) ...

    7. "The righteous Lord shall hew the necks of the sinners" (ver. 4) 
....Which of us doth not fix his eyes upon the earth, like the Publican, 
and say, "Lord, be merciful unto me a sinner"?(4) If therefore all are 
sinners, and none is found without sin; all must fear the sword that hangs 
above their neck, because "the righteous Lord shall hew the necks of the 
sinners." I do not imagine, my brethren, of all sinners; but in the member 
which He striketh, He marks what sinners He striketh. For it is not said, 
The righteous Lord will hew the hands of the sinners; or their feet; but 
because proud sinners were meant to be understood, and all proud men carry 
lofty necks, and not only do evil deeds, but even refuse to acknowledge 
them to be such, and when they are rebuked, justify themselves:(5) ... as 
it is written in Job (he was speaking of an ungodly sinner), "he runneth 
against God, even upon his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers; 
"(6) so he here nameth the neck, because it is thus thou exaltest thyself, 
and dost not fix thine eyes upon the ground, and beat thy breast. Thou 
shouldest cry unto Him, as it is cried in another Psalm, "I said, Lord, be 
merciful unto me, for I have sinned against Thee."(7) Since thou dost not 
choose to say this, but justifiest thy deeds against the Word of God; what 
followeth in Scripture cometh upon thee: the righteous Lord shall hew the 
necks of sinners.

    8. "Let them be confounded and turned backward, as many as have evil 
will at Sion" (ver. 5). They who hate Sion, hate the Church: Sion is the 
Church. And they who hypocritically enter into the Church, hate the Church. 
They who refuse to keep the Word of God, hate the Church: "Upon my back 
have they built:" what will the Church do, save endure the burden even unto 
the end?

    9. But what saith he of them? The next words are, "Let them be even as 
the grass of the house tops: that withereth before it be plucked up" (ver. 
6). The grass of the house tops is that which groweth on house tops, on a 
tiled roof: it is seen on high, and hath not a root. How much better would 
it be if it grew lower, and how much more joyfully would it bloom? As it 
is, it riseth higher to a quicker withering. It hath not yet been plucked 
up, yet hath it withered: not yet have they received sentence from the 
judgment of God, and already they have not the sap of bloom. Observe their 
works, and see that they have withered. ... The reapers will come, but they 
fill not their sheaves from these. For the reapers will come, and will 
gather the wheat into the barn, and will bind the tares together, and cast 
them into the fire. Thus also is the grass of the house tops cleared off, 
and whatever is plucked from it, is thrown into the fire; because it had 
withered even before it was plucked up. The reaper filleth not his hands 
thence. His next words are, "Whereof the reaper filleth not his hand; 
neither he that bindeth up the sheaves his bosom" (ver. 7). And, "the 
reapers are the angels,"(8) the Lord saith.

    10. "So that they who go by say not so much as, The blessing of the 
Lord be upon you we have blessed you in the name of the Lord" (ver. 8). For 
ye know, brethren, when men pass by others at work, it is customary to 
address them, "The blessing of the Lord be upon you."(9) And this was 
especially the custom in the Jewish nation. No one passed by and saw any 
one doing any work in the field, or in the vineyard, or in harvest, or 
anything of the sort; it was not lawful to pass by without a blessing .... 
Who are the passers by? They who have already passed hence to their country 
through this road, that is, through this life: the Apostles were passers by 
in this life, the Prophets were passers by. Whom did the Prophets and 
Apostles bless? Those in whom they saw the root of charity? But those whom 
they found lifted on high on their house tops, and proud in the bosses of 
their bucklers, they declared against these what they were doomed to 
become, but they gave them no blessing. Ye therefore who read in the 
Scriptures, find all those wicked men whom the Church beareth, who are 
declared cursed, pertain unto Antichrist, pertain unto the devil, pertain 
to the chaff, pertain to the tares .... But they who say, None save God 
sanctifieth, l nor is any man good save by the gift of God; they bless in 
the name of the Lord, not in their own name: because they are the friends 
of the bridegroom,' they refuse to be adulterers of the bride.

PSALM CXXX.(2)

    1. "Out of the deep have I called unto Thee, O Lord: Lord, hear my 
voice" (ver. 1). Jonas cried from the deep; from the whale's belly.(3) He 
was not only beneath the waves, but also in the entrails of the beast; 
nevertheless, those waves and that body prevented not his prayer from 
reaching God, and the beast's belly could not contain the voice of his 
prayer. It penetrated all things, it burst through all things, it reached 
the ears of God: if indeed we ought to say that, bursting through all 
things, it reached the ears of God, since the ears of God were in the heart 
of him who prayed. For where hath not he God present, whose voice is 
faithful? Nevertheless, we also ought to understand from what deep we cry 
unto the Lord. For this mortal life is our deep. Whoever hath understood 
himself to be in the deep, crieth out, groaneth, sigheth, until he be 
delivered from the deep, and come unto Him who sitteth above all the deeps. 
... For they are very deep in the deep, who do not even cry from the deep. 
The Scripture saith, "When the wicked hath reached the depth of evils, he 
despiseth."(4) Now consider, brethren, what sort of deep that is, where God 
is despised. When each man seeth himself overwhelmed with daily sins, 
pressed down by heaps and weights, so to speak, of iniquities: if it be 
said unto him, Pray unto God, he laughs. In what manner? He first saith, If 
crimes were displeasing unto God, should I live? If God regarded human 
affairs, considering the great crimes which I have committed, should I not 
only live, but be prosperous? For this is wont to happen to those who are 
far in the deep, and are prosperous in their iniquities: and they are the 
more plunged in the deep, in proportion as they seem to be more happy; for 
a deceitful happiness is itself a greater unhappiness. ...

    2. "Lord, hear my voice. O let Thine ears consider well the voice of my 
complaint" (ver. 2). Whence doth he cry? From the deep. Who is it then who 
crieth? A sinner. And with what hope doth he cry? Because He who came to 
absolve from sins, gave hope even to the sinner down in the deep. What 
therefore followeth after these words: "If Thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to 
mark what is amiss, O Lord, who may abide it?" (ver. 3). So, he hath 
disclosed from what deep he cried out. For he crieth beneath the weights 
and billows of his iniquities ....He said not, I may not abide it: but, 
"who may abide it?" For he saw that nigh the whole of human life on every 
side was ever bayed at by its sins, that all consciences were accused by 
their thoughts, that a clean heart trusting in its own righteousness could 
not be found.

    3. But wherefore is there hope? "For there is propitiation with Thee" 
(ver. 4). And what is this propitiation, except sacrifice? And what is 
sacrifice, save that which hath been offered for us? The pouring forth of 
innocent blood blotted out all the sins of the guilty: so great a price 
paid down redeemed all captives from the hand of the enemy who captured 
them. "With Thee," then, "there is propitiation." For if there were not 
mercy with Thee, if Thou chosest to be Judge only, and didst refuse to be 
merciful, Thou wouldest mark all our iniquities, and search after them. Who 
could abide this? Who could stand before Thee, and say, I am innocent? Who 
could stand in Thy judgment? There is therefore one hope: "for the sake of 
Thy law have I borne Thee, O Lord." What law? That which made men guilty. 
For a "law, holy, just, and good,"(5) was given to the Jews; but its effect 
was to make them guilty. A law was not given that could give life,(6) but 
which might show his sins to the sinner. For the sinner had forgotten 
himself, and saw not himself; the law was given him, that he might see 
himself. The law made him guilty, the Lawgiver freed him: for the Lawgiver 
is the Supreme Power.(7) ... There is therefore a law of the mercy of God, 
a law of the propitiation of God.(8) The one was a law of fear, the other 
is a law of love. The law of love giveth forgiveness to sins, blotteth out 
the past, warneth concerning the future; forsaketh not its companion by the 
way, becometh a companion to him whom it leadeth on the way. But it is 
needful to agree with the adversary, whilst thou art with him in the 
way.(9) For the Word of God is thine adversary, as long as thou dost not 
agree with it. But thou agreest, when it has begun to be thy delight to do 
what God's Word commandeth. Then he who was thine adversary becometh thy 
friend: so, when the way is finished, there will be none to deliver thee to 
the Judge. Therefore, "For the.sake of Thy law I have waited for Thee, O 
Lord," because thou hast condescended to bring in a law of mercy, to 
forgive me all my sins, to give me for the future warnings that I may not 
offend. ... "For the sake," therefore," of" this "law I have waited for 
Thee, O Lord." I have waited until Thou mayest come and free me from all 
need, for in my very need Thou hast not forsaken the law of mercy. ... "My 
soul hath waited for Thy word." ...

    4. We therefore trust without fear on the word of Him who cannot 
deceive. "My soul hath trusted in the Lord, from the morning watch even 
unto night" (ver. 5). This morning watch is the end of night. We must 
therefore understand it so that we may not suppose we are to trust in the 
Lord for one day only. What do you conceive to be the sense, then, 
brethren? The words mean this: that the Lord, through whom our sins have 
been remitted, arose from the dead at the morning watch, so that we may 
hope that what went before in the Lord will take place in us. For our sins 
have been already forgiven: but we have not yet risen again: if we have not 
risen again, not as yet hath that taken place in us which went before in 
our Head. What went before in our Head? Because the flesh of that Head rose 
again; did the Spirit of that Head die? What had died in Him, rose again. 
Now He arose on the third day; and the Lord as it were thus speaketh to us: 
What ye have seen in Me, hope for in yourselves; that is, because I have 
risen from the dead, ye also shall rise again.

    5. But there are who say, Behold, the Lord hath risen again; but must I 
hope on that account that I also may rise again? Certainly, on that 
account: for the Lord rose again in that which He assumed from thee. For He 
would not rise again, save He had died; and He could not have died, except 
He bore the flesh. What did the Lord assume from thee? The flesh. What was 
He that came Himself? The Word of God, who was before all things, through 
whom all things were made. But that He might receive something from thee, 
"The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us."(1) He received from thee, what 
He might offer for thee; as the priest receiveth from thee, what he may 
offer for thee, when thou wishest to appease God for thy sins. It hath 
already been done, it hath been done thus. Our Priest received from us what 
He might offer for us: for He received flesh from us, in the flesh itself 
He was made a victim, He was made a holocaust, He was made a sacrifice. In 
the Passion He was made a sacrifice; in the Resurrection He renewed that 
which was slain, and offered it as His first-fruits unto God, and saith 
unto thee, All that is thine is now consecrated: since such first-fruits 
have been offered unto God from thee; hope therefore that that will take 
place in thyself which went before in thy first-fruits.

    6. Since He then rose with the morning watch, our soul began to hope 
from hence: and how far? "Even unto night;" until we die; for all our 
carnal death is as it were sleep. ...

    7. And he returns to this," From the morning watch let Israel hope in 
the Lord." Not only "let Israel hope," but "from the morning watch let 
Israel hope." Do I then blame the hope of the world, when it is placed in 
the Lord? No; but there is another hope belonging to Israel. Let not Israel 
hope for riches as his highest good, not for health of body, not for 
abundance of earthly things: he will indeed have to suffer tribulation 
here, if it should be his lot to suffer any troubles for the sake of the 
truth. ...

    8. "For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous 
redemption" (ver. 7). Admirable! This could not have been better said in 
its own place, on account of the words, "From the morning watch." 
Wherefore? Because the Lord rose again from the morning watch; and the body 
ought to hope for that which went before in the Head. But, lest this 
thought should be suggested: The Head might rise again, because It was not 
weighed down with sins, there was no sin in Him; what shall we do? Shall we 
hope for such a resurrection, as went before in the Lord, whilst we are 
weighed down by our sins? But see what followeth: "And He shall redeem 
Israel from all his sins" (ver. 8). Though therefore he was weighed down 
with his sins, the mercy of God is present to him. For this reason, He went 
before without sin, that He may blot out the sins of those that follow Him. 
Trust not in yourselves, but trust from the morning watch. ...

PSALM CXXXI.(2)

    1. In this Psalm, the humility of one that is a servant of God and 
faithful is commended unto us, by whose voice it is sung; which is the 
whole body of Christ.(3) For we have often warned you, beloved, that it 
ought not to be received as the voice of one man singing, but of all who 
are in Christ's Body. And since all are in His Body, as it were one man 
speaketh: and he is one who also is many. ... Now he prayeth in the temple 
of God, who prayeth in the peace of the Church, in the unity of Christ's 
Body; which Body of Christ consisteth of many who believe in the whole 
world: and therefore he who prayeth in the temple, is heard. For he prayeth 
in the spirit and in truth,(4) who prayeth in the peace of the Church; not 
in that temple, wherein was the figure. ...

    2. "Lord, my heart is not lifted up" (ver. 1). He hath offered a 
sacrifice. Whence do we prove that he hath offered a sacrifice? Because 
humility of heart is a sacrifice. ... If there is no sacrifice, there is no 
Priest. But if we have a High Priest in Heaven, who intercedeth with the 
Father for us (for He hath entered into the Holy of Holies, within the 
veil), ... we are safe, for we have a Priest; let us offer our sacrifice 
there. Let us consider what sacrifice we ought to offer; for God is not 
pleased with burnt-offerings, as ye have heard in the Psalm. But in that 
place he next showeth what he offereth: "The sacrifice of God is a troubled 
spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, shall Thou not despise.(1)

    3. "Lord, my heart was not lifted up, neither were mine eyes raised on 
high" (ver. 1); "I have not exercised myself in great matters, nor in 
wonderful things which are too high for me" (ver. 2). Let this be more 
plainly spoken and heard. I have not been proud: I have not wished to be 
known among men as for wondrous powers; nor have I sought anything beyond 
my strength, whereby I might boast myself among the ignorant. As that Simon 
the sorcerer wished to advance into wonders above himself, on that account 
the power of the Apostles more pleased him, than the righteousness of 
Christians. ... What is above my strength, he saith, I have not sought; I 
have not stretched myself out there, I have not chosen to be magnified 
there. How deeply this self-exaltation in the abundance of graces is to be 
feared, that no man may pride himself in the gift of God, but may rather 
preserve humility, and may do what is written: "The greater thou art, the 
more humble thyself, and thou shall find favour before the Lord:"(2) how 
deeply pride in God's gift should be feared, we must again and again 
impress upon you. ...

    4. "If I had not lowly thoughts, but have lifted up my soul, as one 
taken from his mother's breast, such the reward for my soul" (ver. 2). He 
seemeth as it were to have bound himself by a curse: ... as though he had 
been going to say, Let it so happen to me. "As one taken away from his 
mother's breast, may be my soul's reward." Ye know that the Apostle saith 
to some weak brethren, "I have fed you with milk, and not with meat; for 
hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able."(3) 
There are weak persons who are not fit for strong meat; they wish to grasp 
at that which they cannot receive: and if they ever do receive, or seem to 
themselves to receive what they have not received, they are puffed up 
thereby, and become proud thereupon; they seem to themselves wise men. Now 
this happeneth to all heretics; who since they were animal and carnal, by 
defending their depraved opinions, which they could not see to be false, 
were shut out of the Catholic Church. ...

    5. Another opinion indeed hath been entertained, and another sense in 
these words. ... It has been evidently explained, my brethren, where God 
would have us to be humble, where lofty. Humble, in order to provide 
against pride; lofty, to take in wisdom. Feed upon milk, that thou mayest 
be nourished; be nourished, so that thou mayest grow; grow, so that thou 
mayest eat bread. But when thou hast begun to eat bread, thou wilt be 
weaned, that is, thou wilt no longer have need of milk, but of solid food. 
This he seemeth to have meant: "If I had not lowly thoughts, but have 
lifted up my soul:" that is, if I was not an infant in mind, I was in 
wickedness. In this sense, he said before, "Lord, my heart was not lifted 
up, nor mine eyes raised on high: I do not exercise myself in great 
matters, nor in wonderful things above me." Behold, in wickedness I am an 
infant. But since I am not an infant in understanding, "If I had not lowly 
thoughts, but have lifted up my soul," may that reward be mine which is 
given unto the infant that is weaned from his mother, that I may at length 
be able to eat bread.

    6. This interpretation, also, brethren, displeaseth me not, since it 
doth not militate against the faith. Yet I cannot but remark that it is not 
only said, "As one taken away from milk, such may be my soul's reward;" but 
with this addition, "As one taken away from milk when upon his mother's 
breast, such may be my soul's reward." Here there is somewhat that induces 
me to consider it a curse. For it is not an infant, but a grown child that 
is taken away from milk; he who is weak in his earliest infancy, which is 
his true infancy, is upon his mother's breast: if perchance he hath been 
taken away from the milk, he perisheth. It is not without a reason then 
that it is added, "Upon his mother's breast." For all may be weaned by 
growing. He who groweth, and is thus taken away from milk, it is good for 
him; but hurtful for him who is still upon his mother's breast. We must 
therefore beware, my brethren, and be fearful, lest any one be taken away 
from milk before his time. ... Let him not therefore wish to lift up his 
soul, when perchance he is not fit to take meat, but let him fulfil the 
commandments of humility. He hath wherein he may exercise himself: let him 
believe in Christ, that he may understand Christ. He cannot see the Word, 
he cannot understand the equality of the Word with the Father, he cannot as 
yet see the equality of the Holy Spirit with the Father and the Word; let 
him believe this, and suck it. He is safe, because, when he hath grown, he 
will eat, which he could not do before he grew by sucking: and he hath a 
point to stretch towards. Seek not out the things that are too hard for 
thee, and search not the things that are above thy strength; that is, 
things which thou art not as yet fit to understand. And what am I to do? 
thou repliest. Shall I remain thus? "But what things the Lord hath 
commanded thee, think thereupon always."(1) What hath the Lord commanded 
thee? Do works of mercy, part not with the peace of the Church, place not 
thy trust in man, tempt not God by longing for miracles. ...

    7. For if ye be not exalted, if ye raise not your heart on high, if ye 
tread not in great matters that are too high for you, but preserve 
humility, God will reveal unto you what ye are otherwise minded in.(2) But 
if ye choose to defend this very thing, which ye are otherwise minded 
about, and with pertinacity assert it, and against the peace of the Church; 
this curse which he hath described is entailed upon you; when ye are upon 
your mother's breast, and are removed away from the milk, ye shall die of 
hunger apart from your mother's breast. But if ye continue in Catholic 
peace, if perchance ye are in anything otherwise minded than ye ought to 
be, God will reveal it to you, if ye be humble. Wherefore? Because "God 
resisteth the proud, and giveth grace unto the humble."(3)

    8. This Psalm therefore concludeth to this purpose: "O Israel, trust in 
the Lord, from this time forth and even unto eternity"(4) (ver. 3). But the 
word seculum doth not always mean this world, but sometimes eternity; since 
eternity is understood in two ways; until eternity, that is, either 
evermore without end, or until we arrive at eternity. How then is it to be 
understood here? Until we arrive at eternity, let us trust in the Lord God; 
because when we have reached eternity, there will be no longer hope, but 
the thing itself will be ours.

PSALM CXXXII.(5)

    1. It was right indeed, most beloved, that we should rather hear our 
Brother,(6) my colleague, when present before all of us. And just now he 
refused not, but put us off; for he extorted from me that he might now 
listen to me, on the condition that I also may listen to him, for in 
charity itself we are all listening unto Him, who is our One Master in 
heaven. Attend therefore to the Psalm, entitled A Song of Degrees; 
considerably longer than the rest under the same title. Let us not 
therefore linger, save where necessity shall compel us: that we may, if the 
Lord permit, explain the whole. For ye also ought not to hear everything as 
men untaught; ye ought in some degree to aid us from your past listenings, 
so that it may not be needful that everything should be declared to you as 
though new.(7)

    2. "Lord, remember David, and all his meekness" (ver. 1). David 
according to the truth of history was one man, king of Israel, son of 
Jesse. He was indeed meek, as the Divine Scriptures themselves mark and 
command him, and so meek that he did not even render evil for evil to his 
persecutor Saul. He preserved towards him so great humility, that he 
acknowledged him a king, and himself a dog: and answered the king not 
proudly nor rudely, though he was more powerful in God; but he rather 
endeavoured to appease him by humility, than to provoke him by pride. Saul 
was even given into his power, and this by the Lord God, that he might do 
to him what he listed: but since he was not commanded to slay him, but had 
it only placed in his power (now a man is permitted to use his power), he 
rather turned towards mercy what God gave him. ... The humility of David is 
therefore commended, the meekness of David is commended; and it is said to 
God, "Lord, remember David, and all his meekness." For what purpose? "How 
he sware unto the Lord, and vowed a vow unto the Almighty God of Jacob" 
(ver. 2). Therefore remember for this, that he may fulfil what he hath 
promised. David himself vowed as though he had it in his power, and he 
prayeth God to fulfil his vow: there is devotion in the vow, but there is 
humility in the prayer. Let no one presume to think he fulfilled by his own 
strength what he hath vowed. He who exhorteth thee to vow, Himself aideth 
thee to fulfil. Let us therefore see what he vowed, and hence we comprehend 
how David should be understood in a figure. "David" is interpreted, "Strong 
of hand," for he was a great warrior. Trusting indeed in the Lord his God, 
he despatched all wars, he laid low all his enemies, God helping him, 
according to the dispensation of that kingdom; prefiguring nevertheless 
some One strong of hand to destroy His enemies, the devil and his angels. 
These enemies the Church warreth against, and conquereth. ... What then 
doth he mean, "How he sware," etc.? Let us see what vow is this. We can 
offer God nothing more pleasing than to swear.(8) Now to swear is to 
promise firmly.(9) Consider this vow, that is, with what ardour he vowed 
what he vowed, with what love, with what longing; nevertheless, he prayeth 
the Lord to fulfil it in these words, "O Lord, remember David, and all his 
meekness." In this temper he vowed his vow, and there should be a house of 
God: "I will not come within the tabernacle of mine house, nor climb up 
into my bed" (ver. 3). "I will not suffer mine eyes to sleep, nor mine 
eyelids to slumber" (ver. 4). This seemeth not enough; he adds, "Neither 
the temples of my head to take any rest, until I find out a place for the 
Lord; an habitation for the God of Jacob" (ver. 5). Where did he seek a 
place for the Lord? If he was meek, he sought it in himself. For how is one 
a place for the Lord? Hear the Prophet: "Upon whom shall My Spirit rest? 
Even upon him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My 
words."(1) Dost thou wish to be a place for the Lord? Be thou poor in 
spirit, and contrite, and trembling at the word of God, and thou wilt 
thyself be made what thou seekest. For if what thou seekest be not realized 
in thyself, what doth it profit thee in another. ...

    3. How many thousands believed, my brethren, when they laid down the 
price of their possessions at the Apostles' feet! But what saith Scripture 
of them? Surely they are become a temple of God; not only each respectively 
a temple of God, but also all a temple of God together. They have therefore 
become a place for the Lord. And that ye may know that one place is made 
for the Lord in all, Scripture saith, They were of one heart and one soul 
toward God.(2) But many, so as not to make a place for the Lord, seek their 
own things, love their own things, delight in their own power, are greedy 
for their private interests. Whereas he who wisheth to make a place for the 
Lord, should rejoice not in his private, but the common good. ...

    4. Let us therefore, brethren, abstain from the possession of private 
property; or from the love of it, if we may not from its possession; and we 
make a place for the Lord. It is too much for me, saith some one. But 
consider who thou art, who art about to make a place for the Lord. If any 
senator wished to be entertained at your house, I say not senator, the 
deputy of some great man of this world, and should say, something offends 
me in thy house; though thou shouldest love it, thou wouldest remove it, 
nevertheless, lest thou shouldest offend him, whose friendship thou wast 
courting. And what doth man's friendship profit thee? ... Desire the 
friendship of Christ without fear: He wishes to be entertained at thy 
house; make room for Him. What is, make room for Him? Love not thyself, 
love Him. If thou love thyself, thou shuttest the door against Him; if thou 
love Him, thou openest unto Him: and if thou open and He enter, thou shalt 
not be lost by loving thyself, but shalt find thyself with Him who loveth 
thee. ...

    5. "Lo, we heard of the same at Ephrata" (ver. 6). What? A place for 
the Lord. "We heard of it at Ephrata: and found it in the plains of the 
forests."(3) Did he hear it where he found it? or did he hear it in one 
place, find it in another? Let us therefore enquire what Ephrata is, where 
he heard it; let us also enquire what mean the plains of the forests, where 
he found it. Ephrata, a Hebrew word, is rendered in Latin by Speculum,(4) 
as the translators of Hebrew words in the Scriptures have handed down to 
us, that we might understand them. They have translated from Hebrew into 
Greek, and from Greek we have versions into Latin. For there have been who 
watched in the Scriptures. If therefore Ephrata meaneth a mirror, that 
house which was found in the woodland plains, was heard of in a mirror. A 
mirror hath an image: all prophecy is an image of things future. The future 
house of God, therefore, was declared in the image of prophecy. "We have 
found it in the plains of the forests." What are the "plains of the 
forests"?(5) Saltus is not here used in its common sense, as a plot of 
ground of so many hundred acres;(6) saltus properly signifies a spot as yet 
untilled and woody. For some copies read, in the plains of the wood. What 
then were the woodland plains, save nations yet untilled? what were they, 
save regions yet covered with the thorns of idolatry? Thus, though there 
were thorns of idolatry there, still we find a place for the Lord there, a 
tabernacle for the God of Jacob. What was declared in the image to the 
Jews, was manifested in the faith of the Gentiles.

    6. "We will go into His tabernacles" (ver. 7). Whose? Those of the Lord 
God of Jacob. They who enter to dwell therein, are the very same who enter 
that they may be dwelt in. Thou enterest into thy house, that thou mayest 
dwell therein; into the house of God, that thou mayest be dwelt in. For the 
Lord is better, and when He hath begun to dwell in thee, He will make thee 
happy. For if thou be not dwelt in by Him, thou wilt be miserable. That son 
who said, "Father, give me the portion of the goods," etc.,(7) wished to be 
his own master. It was well kept in his father's hands, that it might not 
be wasted with harlots. He received it, it was given into his own power; 
going to a far country, he squandered it all with harlots. At length he 
suffered hunger, he remembered his father; he returned, that he might be 
satisfied with bread. Enter therefore, that thou mayest be dwelt in; and 
mayest be not thine own, so to speak, but His: "We will go into His 
tabernacles. We will worship on the spot where His feet stood." Whose feet? 
The Lord's, or those of the house of the Lord itself? For that is the 
Lord's house, wherein he saith He ought to be worshipped. Beside His house, 
the Lord heareth not unto eternal life; for he belongeth to God's house, 
who hath in charity been built in with living stones. But he who hath not 
charity, falleth; and while he falls, the house stands. ...

    7. But if ye incline to understand it of the house itself, where the 
feet of that house have stood; let thy feet stand in Christ. They will then 
stand, if thou shall persevere in Christ. For what is said of the devil? 
"He was a murderer from the beginning, and stood not in the truth."(1) The 
feet of the devil therefore stood not. Also what saith he of the proud? "O 
let not the foot of pride come against me; and let not the hand of the 
ungodly cast me down. There are they fallen, all that work wickedness: they 
are cast down, and were not able to stand."(2) That then is the house of 
God, whose feet stand. Whence John rejoicing, saith: what? "He that hath 
the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom standeth and 
heareth him." If he stand not, he heareth him not. Justly he standeth, 
because "he rejoiceth on account of the bridegroom's voice." Now therefore 
ye see why they fell, who rejoice because of their own voice.(3) That 
friend of the Bridegroom said, "The same is He which baptizeth."(4) Some 
say, We baptize: rejoicing in their own voice, they could not stand; and 
belong not to that house of which it is said, "where His feet stood."

    8. "Arise, O Lord, into Thy resting place" (ver. 8). He saith unto the 
Lord sleeping, "Arise." Ye know already who slept, and who rose again. ... 
"Thou, and the ark of Thy sanctification:" that is, Arise, that the ark of 
Thy sanctification, which Thou hast sanctified, may arise also. He is our 
Head; His ark is His Church: He arose first, the Church will arise also. 
The body would not dare to promise itself resurrection, save the Head arose 
first. The Body of Christ, that was born of Mary, hath been understood by 
some to be the ark of sanctification; so that the words mean, Arise with 
Thy Body, that they who believe not may handle.

    9. "Let Thy priests be clothed with righteousness, and let Thy saints 
sing with joyfulness" (ver. 9). When Thou risest from the dead, and goest 
unto Thy Father, let that royal Priesthood be clothed with faith, since 
"the righteous liveth by faith;"(5) and, receiving the pledge of the Holy 
Spirit, let the members rejoice in the hope of resurrection, which went 
before in the Head: for to them the Apostle saith, "Rejoicing in hope."(6)

    10. "For Thy servant David's sake, turn not away the face of Thine 
Anointed" (ver. 10). These words are addressed unto God the Father. "For 
Thy servant David's sake, turn not away the face of Thine Anointed." The 
Lord was crucified in Judaea; He was crucified by the Jews; harassed by 
them, He slept. He arose to judge those among whose savage hands He slept: 
and He saith elsewhere, "Raise Thou Me up again, and I shall reward 
them."(7) He both hath rewarded them, and will reward them. The Jews well 
know themselves how great were their sufferings after the Lord's death. 
They were all expelled from the very city, where they slew Him. What then? 
have all perished even from the root of David and from the tribe of Judah? 
No: for some of that stock believed, and in fact many thousands of men of 
that stock believed, and this after the Lord's resurrection. They raged and 
crucified Him: and afterwards began to see miracles wrought in the Name of 
Him Crucified; and they trembled still more that His Name should have so 
much power, since when in their hands He seemed unable to work any; and 
pricked at heart, at length believing that there was some hidden divinity 
in Him whom they had believed like other men, and asking counsel of the 
Apostles, they were answered, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in 
the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ."(8) Since then Christ arose to judge 
those by whom He had been crucified, and turned away His Presence from the 
Jews, turning His Presence towards the Gentiles; God is, as it seemeth, 
besought in behalf of the remnant of Israel; and it is said unto Him, "For 
Thy servant David's sake, turn not away the presence of Thine Anointed." If 
the chaff be condemned, let the wheat be gathered together. May the remnant 
be saved, as Isaiah saith, "And the remnant hath" clearly "been saved:"(9) 
for out of them were the twelve Apostles, out of them more than five 
hundred brethren, to whom the Lord showed Himself after His 
Resurrection:(10) out of their number were so many thousands baptized,(11) 
who laid the price of their possessions at the Apostles' feet. Thus then 
was fulfilled the prayer here made to God: "For Thy servant David's sake, 
turn not away the presence of Thine Anointed."

    11. "The Lord hath made a faithful oath unto David, and He shall not 
repent "(ver. 11). What meaneth, "hath made an oath"? Hath confirmed a 
promise through Himself. What meaneth, "He shall not repent"? He will not 
change. For God suffereth not the pain of repentance, nor is He deceived in 
any matter, so that He would wish to correct that wherein He hath erred. 
But as when a man repents of anything, he wisheth to change what he hath 
done; thus where thou hearest that God repenteth, look for an actual 
change. God doth it differently from thee, although He calleth it by the 
name of repentance; for thou dost it, because thou hadst erred; while He 
doth it, because He avengeth, or freeth. He changed Saul's kingdom, when He 
repented, as it is said: and in the very passage where the Scripture saith, 
"It repented Him;" it is said a little after, "for He is not a man that He 
should repent."(1) When therefore He changeth His works through His 
immutable counsel, He is said to repent on account of this very change, not 
of His counsel, but of His work. But He promised this so as not to change 
it. Just as this passage also saith: "The Lord sware, and will not repent, 
Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedec;"(2) so also 
since this was promised so that it should not be changed, because it must 
needs happen and be permanent; he saith, "The Lord hath made a faithful 
oath unto David, and He shall not repent; Of the fruit of thy body shall I 
set upon thy seat." He might have said, "of the fruit of thy loins," 
wherefore did He choose to say, "Of the fruit of thy body"? Had He said 
that also, it would have been true; but He chose to say with a further 
meaning, Ex fructu ventris, because Christ was born of a woman without the 
man.

    12. What then? "The Lord hath made a faithful oath unto David, and He 
shall not shrink from it; Of the fruit of thy body shall I set upon thy 
seat. If thy children will keep My covenant and My testimonies that I shall 
learn them, their children also shall sit upon thy seat for evermore" (ver. 
12). If thy children keep My covenant, their children also shall sit for 
evermore. The parents establish a desert on behalf of their children. What 
if his children should keep the covenant, and their children should not 
keep it? Why is the happiness of the children promised in relation to their 
parents' deservings? For what saith He, "If thy children will keep My 
covenant, their children also shall sit for evermore"--He saith not, if thy 
children keep My covenant, they shall sit upon thy seat; and if their 
children keep My covenant, they also shall sit upon thy seat: but he saith, 
"If thy children keep My covenant, their children also shall sit upon thy 
seat for evermore"--except because He here wished their fruit to be 
understood by their children? "If thy children," He saith, "will keep My 
covenant, and if thy children shall keep My testimonies that I shall learn 
them; their children also shall sit upon thy seat:" that is, this will be 
their fruit, that they sit upon thy seat. For in this life, brethren, do 
all of us who labour in Christ, all of us who tremble at His words, who in 
any way endeavour to execute His will, and groan while we pray His help 
that we may fulfil what He commandeth; do we already sit in those seats of 
bliss which are promised us? No: but holding His commandments, we hope this 
will come to pass. This hope is spoken of under the figure of sons; because 
sons are the hope of man living in this life, sons are his fruit. For this 
reason also men, when excusing their avarice, allege that they are 
reserving for their children what they hoard up; and, unwilling to give to 
the destitute, excuse themselves under the name of piety, because their 
children are their hope. For all men who live according to this world, 
declare it to be their hope, to be fathers of children they may leave 
behind them. Thus then He describes hope generally under the name of 
children, and saith, "If thy children will keep My covenant and My 
testimonies that I shall learn them, their children also shall sit upon thy 
seat for evermore:" that is, they shall have such fruits, that their hope 
shall not deceive them, that they may come there where they hope to come. 
At present therefore they are as fathers, men of hope for the future; but 
when they have attained what they hope, they are children; because they 
have brought forth and produced in their works that which they gain. And 
this is preserved unto them for the future,(3) because futurity(4) itself 
commonly signifieth children.

    13. Or if thou understand actual men to be meant by children, the 
words, "If thy children will keep My covenant and My testimonies that I 
shall teach them," may mean, "If thy children will keep My covenant and 
testimonies that I shall teach them, and their children also;" that is, if 
they too keep My covenant; so that here thou must make a slight pause, and 
then infer that "they shall sit upon thy seat for evermore;" that is, both 
thy children and their children, but all if they keep My covenant. What 
then, if they keep it not? Hath the promise of God failed? No: but it is 
said and promised for this reason, that God foresaw: what, save that they 
would believe? But that no man should as it were threaten God's promises, 
and prefer to place in his own power the fulfilment of what God promised: 
for this reason he saith, "He made an oath:" whereby he showeth that it 
will without doubt take place. How then hath He said here, "If they will 
keep My covenant"? Glory not in the promises, and leave out thy failing to 
keep the covenant. Then wilt thou be the son of David, if thou shalt keep 
the covenant; but if thou dost not keep it, thou wilt not be David's son. 
God promised to the sons of David. Say not, I am David's son if thou 
degenerate. If the Jews, who were born of this very stock, say not this 
(nay, they say it, but they are under a delusion. For the Lord saith 
openly, "If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of 
Abraham."(1) He thereby denied them to be children, because they did not 
the works), how do we call ourselves David's children, who are not of his 
race according to the flesh? It follows then that we are not children, save 
by imitating his faith, save by worshipping God, as he worshipped. If 
therefore what thou hopest not through descent, thou wilt not endeavour to 
obtain by works; how shall the sitting upon David's seat be fulfilled in 
thee? And if it shall not be fulfilled in thee, thinkest thou that it shall 
not be fulfilled at all? And how hath He found it in the woodland tracts? 
and how did His feet stand? Whatsoever then thou mayest be, that house will 
stand.

    14. "For the Lord hath chosen Sion to be an habitation for Himself" 
(ver. 13). Sion is the Church Herself; She is also that Jerusalem unto 
whose peace we are running, who is in pilgrimage not in the Angels, but in 
us, who in her better part waiteth for the part that will return; whence 
letters have come unto us, which are every day read. This city is that very 
Sion, whom the Lord hath chosen.

    15. "This shall be My rest for ever"(ver. 14). These are the words of 
God. "My rest:" I rest there. How greatly doth God love us, brethren, 
since, because we rest, He saith that He also resteth! For He is not 
sometimes Himself disturbed, nor doth He rest as we do; but He saith that 
He resteth there, because we shall have rest in Him. "Here will I dwell: 
for I have a delight therein."

    16. "I will bless her widow with blessings, and will satisfy her poor 
with bread" (ver. 15). Every soul that is aware that it is bereft of all 
help, save of God alone, is widowed. For how doth the Apostle describe a 
widow? "She that is a widow indeed and desolate, trusteth in God."(2) He 
was speaking of those whom we all call Widows in the Church. He saith, "She 
that liveth in pleasure, is dead while she liveth;" and he numbereth her 
not among the widows. But in describing true widows, what saith he? "She 
that is a widow indeed and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in 
supplications and prayers night and day." Here he addeth, "but she that 
liveth in pleasure, is dead while she liveth." What then makes a widow? 
That she hath no aid from any other source, save from God alone. They that 
have husbands, take pride in the protection of their husbands: widows seem 
desolate, and their aid is a stronger one. The whole Church therefore is 
one widow, whether in men or in women, in married men or married women, in 
young men or in old, or in virgins: the whole Church is one widow, desolate 
in this world, if she feel this, if she is aware of her widowhood: for then 
is help at hand for her. Do ye not recognise this widow in the Gospel, my 
brethren, when the Lord declared "that men ought always to pray and not to 
faint"? "There was in a city a judge," He said, "which feared not God, 
neither regarded man. And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto 
him day by day, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary." The widow, by daily 
importunity, prevailed with him: for the judge said within himself, "Though 
I fear not God; neither regard man, yet because this woman troubleth me, I 
will avenge her."(3) If the wicked judge heard the widow, that he might not 
be molested; heareth not God His Church, whom He exhorteth to pray?

    17. Also, "I will satisfy her poor with bread;" what meaneth this, 
brethren? Let us be poor, and we shall then be satisfied. Many who trust in 
the world, and are proud, are Christians; they worship Christ, but are not 
satisfied; for they have been satisfied, and abound in their pride. Of such 
it is said, "Our soul is filled with the scornful reproof of the wealthy, 
and with the despitefulness of the proud:"(4) these have abundance, and 
therefore eat, but are not satisfied. And what is said of them in the 
Psalm? "All such as be fat upon the earth have eaten and worshipped."(5) 
They worship Christ, they venerate Christ, they pray unto Christ; but they 
are not satisfied with His wisdom and righteousness. Wherefore? Because 
they are not poor. For the poor, that is the humble in heart, the more they 
hunger, the more they eat; and the more empty they are of the world, the 
more hungry they are. He who is full refuseth whatsoever thou wilt give 
him, because he is full. Give me one who hungereth; give me one of whom it 
is said, "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for 
they shall be filled:"(6) and these will be the poor of whom he hath just 
said, "And will satisfy her poor with bread." For in the very Psalm where 
it is said, "All such as be fat upon the earth have eaten and worshipped;" 
this is said of the poor also, and exactly in the same manner as in this 
Psalm, "The poor shall eat, and be satisfied: they that seek after the Lord 
shall praise Him."(1) Where it is said, "All such as be fat upon earth have 
eaten and worshipped: "it is said, "the poor shall eat, and be satisfied." 
Why, when the rich are said to have worshipped, are they not said to be 
satisfied; yet when the poor are mentioned, they are said to be satisfied? 
And whence are they satisfied? What is the nature, brethren, of this 
satisfying? God Himself is their bread. The bread came down upon the earth, 
that He might become milk unto us; and said to His own," I am the Living 
Bread which came down from heaven."(2) Hence these words in the Psalm, "The 
poor shall eat, and be satisfied." From what source shall they be 
satisfied? Hear what followeth: "And they that seek after the Lord shall 
praise Him."

    18. Be ye therefore poor, be ye among the members of that widow, let 
your help be solely in God alone. Money is nought; not thence will ye have 
aid. Many have been cast headlong down for money's sake, many have perished 
on account of money; many for the sake of their riches have been marked out 
by plunderers; they would have been safe, had they not had what made men 
hunt for them. Many have presumed in their more powerful friends: they in 
whom they presumed have fallen, and have involved in their ruin those who 
trusted in them. Look back upon the instances to be seen in the human race. 
Is it anything singular that I am telling you? We speak these things not 
only from these Scriptures; read them in the whole world. Take heed that ye 
presume not in money, in a friend, in the honour and the boasting of the 
world. Take away all these things: but if thou hast them, thank God if thou 
despisest them. But if thou art puffed up by them; think not when thou wilt 
be the prey of men; already art thou the Devil's prey. But if thou ham not 
trusted in these things, thou wilt be among the members of that widow, who 
is the Church, of whom it is said, "I will bless her widow with blessings;" 
thou wilt also be poor, and one of those of whom it is said, "And will-
satisfy her poor with bread."

    19. Sometimes, however, and we must not pass over this without mention, 
thou findest a poor man proud, and a rich man humble: we daily endure such 
persons. Thou hearest a poor man groaning beneath a rich man, and when the 
more powerful rich man presseth upon him, then thou seest him humble: 
sometimes not even then, but even then proud; whence thou seest what he 
would have been, had he any property. God's poor one is therefore poor in 
spirit, not in his purse. Sometimes a man goeth forth having a full house, 
rich lands, many estates, much gold and silver; he knoweth that he must not 
trust in these, he humbleth himself before God, he doth good with them; 
thus his heart is raised unto God, so that he is aware that not only do 
riches themselves profit him nothing, but that they even impede his feet, 
save He rule them, and aid them: and he is counted among the poor who are 
satisfied with bread. Thou findest another a proud beggar, or not proud 
only because he hath nothing, nevertheless seeking whereby he may be puffed 
up. God doth not heed the means a man hath, but the wish he hath, and 
judgeth him according to his wish for temporal blessings, not according to 
the means which it is not his lot to have. Whence the Apostle saith of the 
rich, "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not 
highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who 
giveth us richly all things to enjoy." What therefore should they do with 
their riches? He goeth on to say: "That they be rich in good works, ready 
to distribute, willing to communicate." And see that they are poor in this 
world: "Laying up in store for themselves," he addeth, "a good foundation 
against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life."(3) When 
they have laid hold of eternal life, then will they be rich; but since they 
have it not as yet, they should know that they are poor. Thus it is that 
God counteth among His poor all the humble in heart, who are established in 
that twofold charity,(4) whatever they may have in this world--among His 
poor, whom He satisfieth with bread.

    20. "I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall 
rejoice and sing" (ver. 16). We are now at the end of the Psalm; attend for 
a short space, Beloved. "I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her 
saints shall rejoice and sing." Who is our salvation, save our Christ? What 
meaneth, therefore, "I will clothe her priests with salvation"? "As many of 
you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ."(5) "And her 
saints shall rejoice and sing." Whence shall they rejoice and sing? Because 
they have been clothed with salvation: not in themselves. For they have 
become light, but in the Lord; for they were darkness before.(6) Therefore 
he hath added, "There will I raise up the horn of David" (ver. 17): this 
will be David's height, that trust be put in Christ. For horn signifieth 
height: and what sort of height? Not carnal. Therefore, while all the bones 
are wrapped up in flesh, the horn goeth beyond the flesh. Spiritual 
altitude is a horn. But what is spiritual loftiness, save to trust in 
Christ? not to say, It is my work, I baptize;(1) but, "He it is who 
baptizeth."(2) There is the horn of David: and that ye may know that there 
is the horn of David, heed what followeth: "I have ordained a lantern for 
mine Anointed." What is a lantern? Ye already know the Lord's words 
concerning John: "He was a burning and a shining light."(3) And what saith 
John? "He it is who baptizeth." Herein therefore shall the saints rejoice, 
herein the priests shall rejoice: because all that is good in themselves, 
is not of themselves, but of Him who hath the power of baptizing. 
Fearlessly therefore doth every one who hath received baptism come unto His 
temple; because it is not man's, but His who made the horn of David to 
flourish.

    21. "Upon Him shall My sanctification flourish" (ver. 18). Upon whom? 
Upon Mine Anointed. For when He saith, "Mine anointed," it is the voice of 
the Father, who saith, "I will bless her widow with blessings, and will 
satisfy her poor with bread. I will clothe her priests with salvation, and 
her saints shall rejoice and sing." He who saith, "There will I raise up 
the horn of David," is God. He Himself saith," I have ordained a lantern 
for Mine Anointed," because Christ is both ours and the Father's: He is our 
Christ, when He saveth us and ruleth us, as He is also our Lord: He is the 
Son of the Father, but both our Christ and the Father's. For if He were not 
the Father's Christ, it would not be said above, "For Thy servant David's 
sake, turn not Thou away the presence of Thine Anointed." "Upon Him shall 
My sanctification flourish." It flourisheth upon Christ. Let none of men 
assume this to himself, that he himself sanctifieth: otherwise it will not 
be true, "Upon Him shall My sanctification flourish." The glory of 
sanctification shall flourish. The sanctification of Christ therefore in 
Christ Himself, is the power of the sanctification of God in Christ. In 
that he saith, "shall flourish," he refers to His glory: for when trees 
flourish, then are they beautiful. Sanctification therefore is in Baptism: 
thence it flourisheth, and is brightened. Why hath the world yielded to 
this beauty? Because it flourisheth in Christ; for, put it in man's power, 
and how doth it then flourish? since "all flesh in grass, and all the 
goodliness thereof as the flower of the grass."

PSALM CXXXIII.(4)

    1. This is a short Psalm, but one well known and quoted. "Behold, how 
good and how pleasant is it, that brethren should dwell together in unity" 
(ver. 1). So sweet is that sound, that even they who know not the Psalter, 
sing that verse. ...

    2. For these same words of the Psalter, this sweet sound, that honeyed 
melody, as well of the mind as of the hymn, did even beget the Monasteries. 
By this sound were stirred up the brethren who longed to dwell together. 
This verse was their trumpet. It sounded through the whole earth, and they 
who had been divided, were gathered together. The summons of God, the 
summons of the Holy Spirit, the summons of the Prophets, were not heard in 
Judah, yet were heard through the whole world. They were deaf to that 
sound, amid whom it was sung; they were found with their ears open, of whom 
it was said, "They shall see him, who were not told of him; they shall 
understand who heard not."(5) Yet, most beloved, if we reflect, the very 
blessing hath sprung from that wall(6) of circumcision. For have all the 
Jews perished? and whence were the Apostles, the sons of the Prophets, the 
sons of the exiles?(7) He speaks as to them who know. Whence those five 
hundred, who saw the Lord after His resurrection, whom the Apostle Paul 
commemorates?(8) Whence those hundred and twenty,(9) who were together in 
one place after the resurrection of the Lord, and His ascension into 
heaven, on whom when gathered into one place the Holy Spirit descended on 
the day of Pentecost, sent down from heaven, sent, even as He was 
promised?(10) All were from thence, and they first dwelt together in unity; 
who sold all they had, and laid the price of their goods at the Apostles' 
feet, as is read in the Acts of the Apostles.(11) And distribution was made 
to each  one as he had need,(12) and none called anything his own, but they 
had all things common. And what is "together in unity"? They had, he says, 
one mind and one heart God-wards.(13) So they were the first who heard, 
Behold how good and how pleasant is it, that brethren dwell together. They 
were the first to hear, but heard it not alone. ...

    3. From the words of this Psalm was taken the name of Monks, that no 
one may reproach you who are Catholics by reason of the name. When you with 
justice reproach heretics by reason of the Circelliones,(14) that they may 
be saved by shame, they reproach you on the score of the Monks. ...

    4. Moreover, beloved, there are they who are false Monks, and we know 
men of this kind; but the pious brotherhood is not annulled, because of 
them who profess to be what they are not. There are false Monks, as there 
are false men among the Clergy, and among the faithful.(1) ...

    5. Since the Psalm says, "Behold, how good and how pleasant is it, that 
brethren should dwell together in one," why then should we not call Monks 
so? for Monos(2) is one. Not one in any  manner, for a man in a crowd is 
one, but though he can be called one along with others, he cannot be Monos, 
that is, alone, for Monos means "one alone." They then who thus live 
together as to make one man, so that they really possess what is written, 
"one mind and one heart,"(3) many bodies, but not many minds; many bodies, 
but not many hearts; can rightly be called Monos, that is, one alone.(4) 
...

    6. Let the Psalm tell us what they are like. "As the ointment on the 
head, which descended to the beard, to Aaron's beard, which descended to 
the fringe of his garment" (ver. 2). What was Aaron? A priest. Who is a 
priest, except that one Priest, who entered into the Holy of Holies? Who is 
that priest, save Him, who was at once Victim and Priest? save Him who when 
he found nothing clean in the world to offer, offered Himself? The ointment 
is on his head, because Christ is one whole with the Church, but the 
ointment comes from the head. Our Head is Christ crucified and buried; He 
rose again, and ascended into heaven; and the Holy Spirit came from the 
head. Whither? To the beard. The beard signifies the courageous; the beard 
distinguishes the grown men, the earnest, the active, the vigorous. So that 
when we describe such, we say, he is a bearded man. Thus that ointment 
descended first upon the Apostles, descended upon those who bore the first 
assaults of the world, and therefore the Holy Spirit descended on them. For 
they who first began to dwell together in unity, suffered persecution. but 
because the ointment descended to the beard, they suffered, but were not 
conquered. ...

    7. "As the dew of Hermon, which fell upon the hills of Sion" (ver. 3). 
He would have it understood, my brethren, that it is of God's grace that 
brethren dwell together in unity. ...

    8. But ye should know what Hermon is. It is a mountain far distant from 
Jerusalem, that is, from Sion. And so it is strange that he says thus: As 
the dew of Hermon, which fell upon the mountains of Sion, since mount 
Hermon is far distant from Jerusalem, for it is said to be over Jordan. Let 
us then seek out some interpretation of Hermon. The word is Hebrew, and we 
learn its meaning from them who know that language. Hermon is said to mean, 
a light set on a high place. For from Christ comes the dew. No light is set 
on a high place, save Christ. How is He set on high? First on the cross, 
afterwards in heaven. Set on high on the cross when He was humbled; 
humbled, but His humiliation could not but be high. The ministry of man 
grew less and less, as was signified in John; the ministry of God in our 
Lord Jesus Christ increased, as was shown at their birth. The former was 
born, as the tradition of the Church shows, on the 24th of June, when the 
days begin to shorten. The Lord was born on the 25th of December, when the 
days begin to lengthen. Here John himself confessing, "He must increase, 
but I must decrease."(5) And the passion of each shows this. The Lord was 
exalted on the cross; John was diminished by beheading. Thus the light set 
on high is Christ, whence is the dew of Hermon. ... But if he have the dew 
of Hermon, which fell on the hill of Sion, he is quiet, peaceable, humble, 
submissive, pouring forth prayer in place of murmuring. For murmurers are 
admirably described in a certain passage of the Scriptures, "The heart of a 
fool is as the wheel of a cart."(6) What is the meaning of "the heart of a 
fool is as the wheel of a cart"? It carries hay, and creaks. The wheel of a 
cart cannot cease from creaking. Thus there are many brethren, who do not 
dwell together, save in the body. But who are they who dwell together? They 
of whom it is said, "And they had one mind and one heart towards God."(3)

    9. "Because there the Lord commanded blessing." Where did He command 
it? Among the brethren who dwell together. There He enjoined blessing, 
there they who dwell with one heart bless God. For thou blessest not God in 
division of heart. ... Art thou straitened on earth? Depart, have thy 
habitation in heaven. How shall I, a man clothed in flesh, enslaved to the 
flesh, thou wilt say, have my habitation in heaven. First go in heart, 
whither thou wouldest follow in the body. Do not hear, "Lift up your 
hearts," with a deaf ear. Keep thy heart lifted up, and no one will 
straiten thee in heaven.

PSALM CXXXIV.(1)

    1. "Behold, now, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord" (ver. 
1), "who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our 
God" (ver. 2). Why has he added, "in the courts"? Courts mean the wider 
spaces of a house. He who stands in the courts is not straitened, is not 
confined, in some fashion is enlarged. Remain in this enlargement, and thou 
canst love thy enemy, because thou lovest not things in which an enemy 
could straiten thee. How canst thou be understood to stand in the courts? 
Stand in charity, and thou standest in the courts.Breadth lies in charity, 
straitness in hatred.

    2. "Lift up your hands by night in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord" 
(ver. 2). It is easy to bless by day. What is "by day"? In prosperity. For 
night is a sad thing, day a cheerful. When it is well with thee, thou dost 
bless the Lord. Thy son was sick, and he is made whole, thou dost bless the 
Lord. Thy son was sick, perchance thou hast sought an astrologer, a 
soothsayer, perchance a curse against the Lord has come, not from thy 
tongue, but from thy deeds, from thy deeds and thy life. Boast not, because 
thou blessest with thy tongue, if thou cursest with thy life. Wherefore 
bless ye the Lord. When? By night. When did Job bless? When it was a sad 
night. All was taken away which he possessed; the children for whom his 
goods were stored were taken away. How sad was his night! Let us however 
see whether he blesseth not in the night. "The Lord gave, the Lord hath 
taken away; it is as the Lord willed; blessed be the name of the Lord."(2) 
And black was the night. ...

    3. "The Lord out of Zion bless thee, who made heaven and earth" (ver. 
3). He exhorts many to bless, and Himself blesseth one, because He maketh 
one out of many, since "it is good and pleasant for brethren to dwell 
together in one."(3) It is a plural number, brethren, and yet singular, to 
dwell together in one. Let none of you say, It cometh not to me. Knowest 
thou of whom he speaks, "the Lord bless thee out of Zion." He blessed one. 
Be one,(4) and the blessing cometh to thee.

PSALM CXXXV.(5)

    1. Very pleasant ought it be to us, and we should rejoice because it is 
pleasant, to which this Psalm exhorteth us. For it says, "Praise the name 
of the Lord" (ver. 1). And it forthwith appends the reason, why it is just 
to praise the name of the Lord. "Praise the Lord, ye servants." What more 
just? what more worthy? what more thankful? ... For if He teaches His own 
servants who have deserved well of Him, the preachers of His Word, the 
rulers of His Church, the worshippers of His name, the obeyers of His 
command, that in their own conscience they should possess the sweetness of 
their life, lest they be corrupted by the praise or disheartened by the 
reproach of men; how much the more is He above all, the unchangeable One, 
who teacheth these things, neither the greater if thou praisest, or the 
less if thou reproachest. ... For ye will do nothing out of place, by 
praising your Lord, as servants. And if ye were to be for ever only 
servants, ye ought to praise the Lord; how much more ought ye servants to 
praise the Lord, that ye may hereafter gain the privilege of sons?

    2. ... Therefore, "Ye who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts 
of the house of our God, praise the Lord" (ver. 2). Be thankful; ye were 
without, and ye stand within. Since then ye stand, is it a small thing for 
you to think where He should be praised, who raised you when you were cast 
down, and caused you to stand in His house, to know Him, and to praise Him? 
Is it a small boon, that we stand in the house of the Lord? ... If one 
thinks of this, and is not unthankful, he will utterly despise himself in 
comparison with the love of his Lord, who hath done so great things for 
him. And since he hath nothing wherewith to repay God for so great 
benefits, what remains for him but to give Him thanks, not to repay Him? It 
belongs to the very act of thanksgiving, to "receive the cup of the Lord, 
and to call upon His name."(6) For what can the servant repay the Lord for 
all that He hath given him?(7)

    3. What reason shall I give why you should praise Him? "Because the 
Lord is good" (ver. 3). Briefly in one word is here explained the praise of 
the Lord our God. "The Lord is good;" good, not in the same manner as the 
things which He here made are good. For God made all things very good;(8) 
not only good, but also very good. He made the sky and earth, and all 
things which are in them good, and He made them very good. If He made all 
these things good, of what sort is He who made them? ...

    4. How far can we speak of His goodness? Who can conceive in his heart, 
or apprehend how good the Lord is? Let us however return to ourselves, and 
in us recognise Him, and praise the Maker in His works, because we are not 
fit to contemplate Him Himself. And in hope that we may be able to 
contemplate Him, when our heart hath been purified by faith, that hereafter 
it may rejoice in the Truth; now as He cannot be seen by us, let us look at 
His works, that we may not live without praising Him. So I(1) have said, 
"Praise the Lord, for He is good; sing praises unto His Name, for He is 
sweet. ... He is Mediator, and thereupon is sweet. What is sweeter than 
angels' food? How can God not be sweet, since man ate angels' food? For men 
and angels live not on different meat. That is truth, that is wisdom, that 
is the goodness of God, but thou canst not enjoy it in like wise with the 
angels. ... That man might eat angels' food, the Creator of the angels was 
made man.(2) If ye taste, sing praises; if ye have tasted how sweet the 
Lord is, sing praises; if that which ye have tasted has a good savour, 
praise it; who is so unthankful to cook or purveyor, as not to return 
thanks by praising what he tastes, if he be pleased by any food. If we are 
not silent on such occasions, shall we be silent concerning Him, who has 
given us all things? ...

    5. "For the Lord hath chosen Jacob to Himself, Israel for His own 
possession" (ver. 4). ... Let not Jacob therefore extol himself, let him 
not boast himself, or ascribe it to his own merits. He was known before, 
predestinated before, elected before, not elected for his own merits, but 
found out, and gifted with life by the grace of God. So with all the 
Gentiles; for how did the wild-olive deserve, that it should be grafted in, 
from the bitterness of its berries, the barrenness of its wildness? It was 
the wood of the wilderness, not of the Lord's field, and yet He of His 
mercy grafted the wild-olive into the (true) olive. But up to this time the 
wild-olive was not grafted in.

    6. ... "Because," says he," I know that the Lord is great, and our God 
is above all gods" (ver. 5). If we should say to him, we ask thee, explain 
to us His greatness; would he not perchance answer us, He whom I see is not 
so very great, if He be able to be expounded by me. Let him then return to 
His works, and tell us. Let him hold in his conscience the greatness of 
God, which he has seen, which he has committed to our faith, whither he 
could not lead our eyes, and enumerate some of the things which the Lord 
hath done here; that unto us, who cannot see His greatness as he can, He 
may become sweet through the works of His which we can comprehend. ...

    7. "All whatsoever the Lord willed, He made in the heaven, and in the 
earth, in the sea, and in all its deep places" (ver. 6). Who can comprehend 
these things? Who can enumerate the works of the Lord in the heaven and 
earth, in the sea, and in all deep places? Yet if we cannot comprehend them 
all, we