Expositions on the Psalms 1 part 4/23

He speaks of the patriarchs and the prophets as his fathers according to the flesh.

[Our fathers hoped in you,

but also those who, according to the flesh, came before me, that is, the prophets, waited expectantly on you, awaiting my shining forth, and were not disappointed of their hope;

likewise also the patriarchs.] 'But I am a worm, and not a man,'

He teaches us to be humble-minded, especially those who draw near to God.

'A reproach of men, and despised of the people.'

The evangelist clearly says that these things were done to him at the time of the cross:

at which time those who passed by wagged their heads at him, and blasphemed him, saying:

'If you are the Son of God, save yourself.'

'For you are he who drew me out of the womb.'

He says this, since he became man according to the good pleasure of the Father.

'For when,' he says, 'the fullness of time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman.'

For he also inscribes his own Father as his hope, and says this as a man:

For since God drew Christ alone forth out of Mary, while other men are not drawn out but come forth [in the ordinary way],

for it says, "Esau came forth, and his skin was hairy."

"Upon thee was I cast from the womb, from my mother's belly," etc.

Again he prays as if from the person of [his] humanity,

for the whole company of his disciples has forsaken him.

Then he foretells the several forms of the affliction:

"Many calves have encircled me."

By this he means the rulers of the Jews.

"I am poured out like water, and all my bones are scattered."

By his bones he means the holy mystagogues [the apostles];

for if the Church is his body, then those who hold it together might reasonably be understood as bones.

For we have heard from the evangelist that, when he was seized by the cohort of soldiers, the disciples were scattered.

The bones of wisdom are the holy doctrines of the Church, which at the Passover the Jews were commanded by law not to break;

for it says, "You shall not break a bone of him."

"My heart has become like melting wax."

What is spoken here is characteristic of grief:

"He began to be sorrowful and troubled."

He grieved both for the Jewish nation and for the traitor, because indeed they were being carried off to destruction on account of their impiety toward him.

"And all my bones were scattered."

"It has been dispersed," he says, "and scattered" — those who formerly, standing in the order of bones, made up the company gathered about the Teacher;

for the disciples abandoned him and fled, imitating water let loose across a plain. "My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my throat."

By these words he signifies the thirst that befell him on the precious cross, when, having asked to drink, they brought him vinegar mixed with gall.

"And my tongue cleaves to my throat." "And you have brought me down into the dust of death."

For by the grace of God he tasted death on behalf of everyone.

For Christ was brought down not into death itself, but into the dust of death;

for his soul was not left in Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.

"For many dogs have encircled me."

Again he signifies the rulers.

"They pierced my hands and my feet."

"They numbered all my bones."

They probably felt over his whole body and measured each of the bones, in order to see where they ought to drive the nails.

"They gazed and stared at me."

He says this on account of the scarlet cloak, the crown woven of thorns, and the reed used in place of a scepter.

These things are clearly written in the Gospels.

"But you, O Lord, do not remove your help far from me."

He turns his words into prayer.

"With you helping and sustaining me," he says, "rising on the third day I will show their plot to be in vain." He became for us a pattern of how, in temptations, one must call upon God, and not fall into despondency, nor be weakened by afflictions.

"Deliver my soul from the sword."

By these he signifies the wickedness and folly of the Jews — through the sword, and the paw of the dog, and the lion, and the horns of the unicorns.

"And my only-begotten [soul] from the paw of the dog."

The effects that come from this dog he calls its "paw," and he also calls him a dog;

for it says, "It is not good to take the bread of the children and cast it to the little dogs."

The sword might also be the devil, who is always attempting to wound;

and he calls his soul "only-begotten" because it is set apart and separated from all other souls;

for all those other souls have known sin, but that soul did not;

and also because it alone always has union, according to hypostasis, with the flesh of God the Word;

for Christ is one, out of two opposites, perfect God and perfect man.

But upon those other souls he visits only at intervals.

Perhaps he also calls the Church, standing by him, "only-begotten," because she has neither spot nor wrinkle, being made complete from the blameless, surpassing the sixty queens and eighty concubines. "Save me from the mouth of the lion, and my lowliness from the horns of the unicorns."

"In the midst of the Church I will hymn you."

For he was teaching us [to know] the Father, who is God by nature and in truth, and consubstantial with him.

Again, as man, he is united [to the Father] through the Church.

"You who fear the Lord, praise him;"

"all you seed of Jacob, glorify him."

For since the Church is composed both of Gentiles and of Jews, he rouses both the one and the other to the hymn;

naming the one group after their forefather, Jacob and Israel, and the other after virtue, since virtue suffices to adorn them in place of lineage.

Thus it was also customary to call those Gentiles who came over to the Law "Jews."

And the narrative of Acts teaches us this too; for the divine Apostle, addressing the assembly, spoke thus:

"Men of Israel, and you who fear the Lord among you."

He clearly teaches what the Only-begotten accomplished for us through himself.

"From you comes my praise." By "praise" he means the doxology;

and it is possible to see this doxology as coming from the Father, at the time when a voice came from above, saying:

"I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again."

Or [it means] that, just as I made you manifest to men, so you likewise altogether render to me the same honor, at one time saying:

and at another time revealing it to Peter and to the rest. "I will pay my vows."

In divine Scripture, "vow" is the name given to a promise.

Therefore the fulfillment of obedience rendered by the Son to the Father, even unto death, should likewise be understood as this — the vow having been paid by him to the Father.

"Vow" is the name given by divine Scripture to a promise;

therefore the fulfillment of obedience rendered by the Son to the Father, this too even unto the death of the flesh, [is likewise to be understood as the payment of the vow].

In the same way this may be understood — the prayer having been rendered by him to the Father.] 'The poor shall eat, and be satisfied.'

By these words is signified the proclamation of the calling of the nations.

'And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before him.'

He is said to reign over those upon the earth — although as God he is king of all — because he turned them from the error of the demons to faith in him, and to gratitude and righteousness.

'For the kingdom is the Lord's, and he is master over the nations.'

For God is not the God of the Jews only, as they suppose, but the maker of the whole of human nature.

This the Apostle also says:

'Is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also.'

'Since God is one, who will justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith.'

'All the fat ones of the earth have eaten and worshipped.'

Clearly meaning the spiritual food.

He calls them 'fat' because of the well-nourished richness of the divine oracles.

'Before him shall fall down all who go down to the earth.'

He says this because those who believe bow the knee to him.

But these who believed were formerly such [as go down to the earth].

'Those who go down to the earth':

that is, those who had fallen into ruin and corruption, because they did not know the Lord.

'And my soul lives for him, and my seed shall serve him.'

For holy and blameless was the life of Christ, which he lived in the flesh upon the earth.

For he alone did no sin, although he became as we are, and took on flesh prone to sin.

And the 'seed of God' would be understood as those who through him have been called by faith.

'There shall be declared to the Lord a generation to come.'

These words also signify concerning the nations.

'To a people that shall be born, whom the Lord has made.'

Similar is the saying, 'Not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, but they were born of God.'

The present psalm is sung in the person of the nations, rejoicing that the Lord shepherds them.

Indeed they also describe the mystical feast which he who shepherds them has set before them.

Those who are shepherded by him think great things concerning the Lord.

'In a place of green pasture, there he has made me to dwell.'

'He has made me to dwell in the beauty of the grass' — he means the spiritual grass.

'He nourished me beside the water of rest.'

The 'water of rest' would be understood as that of holy baptism, since it wipes away the burden of sins.

[These things, he says, he provided for me, having first cared for my soul, and having turned me back from the trackless way to travel the straight road.] 'He has converted my soul.'

...having turned my soul from the devil to himself, he guided me by his commandments from death to life.

[As one who formerly was forsaking his own soul, but through the aforementioned food took himself up again, and turning back from death, he says:

'He has turned my soul unto the paths of righteousness.'

By this he means the doctrines of the gospel.

'Though I walk in the midst of the shadow of death' — as spoken to the Father.

He says that Christ himself is the rod of power, and the glorious rod, and the rod of majesty.

As a rod disciplines, so also the practical life teaches moderation of the passions.] By this he means the doctrines of the gospel.

'Your rod and your staff, they have comforted me.'

'The Lord shall send forth to you the rod of power out of Zion.'

'And a glorious rod, and a most great rod.'

The 'rod' is the disciplining power;

and the 'staff' is the support given through exhortation.

'You have anointed my head with oil.'

And this is the mystical chrism.

'And your cup which inebriates me.'

Again he speaks of the mystical joy.

'And your mercy shall follow me all the days [of my life].'

For those who partake of all the things aforementioned shall be continually in the mercy of God;

and indeed they shall also dwell in his house.

['You have prepared a table before me...'

The present psalm proclaims to us the ascension of the Lord, and the teaching given to the nations;

how they too might become worthy of the heavenly tabernacles.

'The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.'

Through these words he proclaims the kingdom which the only-begotten Word of God, having come to dwell among us, exercised over the nations.

'He himself has founded it upon the seas.'

So that none of his enemies might suppose that the earth belongs to Satan, and that Christ has only now come to reign over it, for this reason he demonstrates Christ to be its maker; and at the same time he shows his power, in that so great a mass as the earth is established upon the waters.

'And he has established it upon the rivers.'

[For then the Church receives a firm foundation, when, though waves assail her, she remains unshaken in the faith. 'And upon the rivers':

so that rivers might make their outlets unhindered, mountains and groves of life be allotted, and regions and plains be set apart for men for dwellings and farming.] 'Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord?' After setting forth the faith, he goes on to expound the teaching of works, so that we who hear might, through both, attain to the true inheritance.

'He who is innocent in hands and pure in heart.'

Concerning this it has been spoken in the fourteenth psalm.

'Who has not lifted up his soul unto vanity.'

By 'vanity' he means haughtiness of mind.

'And has not sworn deceitfully to his neighbor.'

Such a one, who has become innocent in hands and pure in heart, and has not sworn deceitfully, he promises will receive gifts from God, namely blessing and mercy.

'This is the generation of them that seek the Lord.'

He means the generation that has kept the aforementioned things.

Lift up your gates, O rulers.

The angels who ministered to the Savior on earth, as he is taken up, signal to the heavenly powers to open the gates.

[The Lord, strong and mighty,

But the powers are astonished, seeing him with flesh animated by a rational soul.

Therefore they also inquire.] 'Who is this King of glory?' Let the powers above ask this, astounded at the paradox of the dispensation.

The Lord of hosts, he himself is the King of glory.

The angels who ascended with him initiate those above into the mystery, namely that he who trampled underfoot the enemies—the intelligible ones, that is—he himself is the Lord of hosts.

In the present psalm the persona of each of those who have been called is introduced;

that is, of those who have been gathered together to be directed toward the spiritual life,

these words must be spoken.

To you, O Lord, I have lifted up my soul.

He says this as one who has already turned away from idolatry.

Let not my enemies laugh me to scorn.

The enemy is the devil, together with the demons and the impious men.

Perhaps he also foresees the incarnation of the Savior, after which the enemies' mockery [laughter] has ceased.

[I became to the lawless as one without law,

for this 'lawlessness' did not occur in vain.] For indeed all who wait for you shall not be put to shame.

From the case of those who have already trusted in God and become illustrious—because they possessed confidence—he affirms strongly that prayer is granted.

Let those who transgress in vain be put to shame.

He says these things concerning those who are still held fast in idolatry.

[Let those who transgress be put to shame — as compared with those who have already trusted in God and become illustrious, because they had confidence that their prayer would be obtained.

The lawless boast of their own strength in vain.

These things concern those still held fast in idolatry.] Make known to me your ways, O Lord.

He means the doctrines of the Gospel.

Guide me in your truth.

He says this as one who has not yet attained to the truth.

And teach me, for you are God my Savior.

Since the prophet, not yet knowing the ways of the Lord, nor taught to walk in his paths, and as one not yet guided to the truth of God, nor taught concerning God as Savior, prays in this way — who would not tremble at the word: 'Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight'? 'Remember not the sins of my youth and my ignorances.'

By 'youth' he means folly.

And the clear instance of folly is the time of their idolatry.

And otherwise, he means the sins of the people in Egypt;

for indeed they practiced idolatry there.

Do not, therefore, remember those sins now, but remember instead the loving-kindness by which you also, at that time, showed kindness and had mercy on them though they were ignorant.

For your goodness' sake, O Lord.

For it is not on account of my own worthiness, but on account of your loving-kindness, that I beseech to obtain this.

he will show sinners the way,

All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth.

For those who are continually nourished in the divine words learn precisely through them that all the dispensations of Christ our Savior and God are blended together with mercy and truth;

for to those who repent of the wrongs they have committed he extends mercy and forgiveness, while he proclaims the unconquered athletes of virtue and crowns them, rendering his verdict together with truth;

and indeed, upon those who have lived in company with lawlessness and have not availed themselves of repentance, he brings punishments according to the standards of truth.

[And his seed shall inherit the land.

The deeds, he says, which became the means by which he inherits the intelligible land, will indeed become the seed of good men, by which he refers to those who are begotten according to God.

and his covenant shall make them known.

And what will it make known? Nothing other than the way of salvation.

For every legislation of God, he says, looks to this: to make the good enjoy the very things which they chose beforehand.

The troubles of my heart are multiplied.

By many pains, he says, I am surrounded on every side.

Therefore, weighing this my humiliation and affliction against my transgressions, grant remission, and bestow forgiveness.

Bring me out of my distresses.

Behold my humiliation and my toil.

but indeed, [he says this] to bring forward the toil that comes through works.

Look upon my enemies, for they are multiplied.

And from the injustice of the enemies he calls God forth to mercy.

And this is characteristic of virtue: to hate the company of the base, but to hold as intimates and friends those who honor equity and practice uprightness;

The persona is introduced of those who have believed in Christ, disowning and vehemently protesting any part in the fellowship of the Jews who conspired together against the Lord and against his Christ.

Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in my innocence.

He calls 'innocence' the not having taken part in the baseness and the madness of the Jews.

And trusting in the Lord, I shall not waver.

I shall have, he says, a firm standing, having entrusted my hopes of salvation to you.

If you should examine the depths of my soul, he says, you will find that all the toil of my mind rests solely upon your mercy.

And in doing this I shall be well-pleasing before you, having loved your truth.

I have not sat with the council of vanity.

Clearly, before him who knows how to examine the hearts, he denies any part in the council of the most lawless rulers of the Jewish nation.

I will wash my hands among the innocent.

I shall be clean, he says, of their murderous deeds.

And I will go about your altar, O Lord.

Clearly in these words he proclaims the rational worship.

O Lord, I have loved the beauty of your house.

[I long, he says, to see the divine house, the one radiating your grace.] The beauty of the house is those who are distinguished in the Church through godliness.

Do not destroy my soul together with the ungodly.

He prays that he might be outside the punishment laid up for the Jews.

"In whose hands are iniquities; their right hand is filled with bribes."

Either because they themselves pervert justice by bribes, or because they bought off the betrayer with gifts;

or because they were being swept away into iniquity;

for this reason they filled their right hand with bribes.

The psalm contains instruction concerning enemies — from whom he has already received deliverance, known to be from God — together with a petition for further blessings accompanied by thanksgiving.

The phrase "before he was anointed" signifies this: that having foreseen by the divine Spirit that he would indeed be anointed king, yet would fall into trials, he affirms that, girding his loins with courage, he will withstand the dangers exceedingly well.

"The Lord is my light and my Savior; whom shall I fear?" Having taken courage in the light of the Lord, he greatly overpowers the opposing forces.

"Being illumined by you," he says, "I despise all my adversaries together."

"When evildoers drew near against me."

"They approached," he says, "wishing to destroy me, but they suffered what they had hoped to do."

"That I may dwell in the house of the Lord."

For indeed the request has become fitting for a saint, and worthy to be granted by God.

"That I may behold the delightfulness of the Lord."

"In this house," he says, "I pray to dwell continually, in which I also obtained salvation."

Paul clearly affirms that the rock was Christ.

He clearly proclaims the worship expressed in "Holy, holy, holy."

"Hear, O Lord, my voice."

Instead of: "I give thanks to you for what is past, and I will make petition for what is to come."

"Give me a law, O Lord, in your way."

He prays that the gospel law might be laid bare to him;

for he himself was also the straight way.

"And injustice has lied to itself."

That is, the injustice waged against us has grown weak.

"I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."

He sings the present psalm in the person of those who believed in Christ, calling upon God in supplication for help;

and at the same time it contains a condemnation of the madness of the Jews, and a prayer to be separated from their worse portion.

"To you, O Lord, I will cry."

"and I shall be made like those who go down into the pit."

It is the custom of divine Scripture to call Hades a "pit."

"Do not drag me away together with sinners."

By "sinners" he means the nation of the Jews, according to what was said to them by the Savior:

"Unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins."

And they themselves were also working iniquity, in that they killed the innocent and righteous one, whom the law did not command to be killed.

"Who speak peace with their neighbors."

He says this: that while calling the Savior "teacher" and "good," they were plotting evil against him.

"Because they did not understand the works of the Lord."

Instead of: "They were not willing," he says, "to accept their own salvation."

In these words he clearly proclaims the resurrection.

"And the protector of the saving acts of his Anointed."

Here by "Christ" he means the people anointed into a royal priesthood.

"The Lord himself," he says, "protects, so as to save the people anointed through him and unto him."

"And shepherd them, and lift them up forever."

For he himself will shepherd us, having sent to us, in his own place and as himself, the Paraclete.

And indeed he also lifts them up, that is, he makes them exalted for the ages to come, which have no end.

The present psalm is sung as those of Israel are being cast out, while the nations are being brought in to take their place.

This is also shown by the title, which says, "Of the departure of the tabernacle," clearly signifying to us their departure.

"Bring to the Lord, O sons of God."

By "sons of God" he means the holy apostles; for he taught them to say:

"Our Father, who art in heaven."

"Bring to the Lord the offspring of rams."

By "the offspring of rams" he signifies those called through them, the apostles, out of the Jewish nation into faith in the Lord;

or also those who believed from among the Gentiles, inasmuch as they were born of irrational fathers.

"Bring to the Lord glory and honor."

"So that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father."

And "honor," again, is given by pursuing good deeds, according to what is said:

"Honor the Lord from your righteous labors."

"Worship the Lord in his holy court."

By these words he clearly exhorts us that one must not worship outside the Church.

He says this because of the assemblies of those of heterodox belief.

Worship ought not to be performed outside the Church, but must be carried out within the very court of God.

"Do not," he says, "devise for yourselves private courts and assemblies;"

"The voice of the Lord is upon the waters."

By "waters" he means the multitudes of those being saved through them, the apostles.

The saints are "waters," wherefore "rivers shall flow out of their belly";

that is, spiritual teaching, by which they water those who hear.

The Lord, then, is upon such waters.

But according to the literal sense, Elijah, after the drought, heard the sound of many waters.

He means the voice that occurred at the Jordan, uttered by God the Father, saying:

"This is my beloved Son" — a voice which he also likens to thunder: "The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars."

By 'cedars' in these words he means the opposing powers.

'And the Lord shall break in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.'

He means by 'cedars of Lebanon' the exalted ones of the Jewish people, because in the divine Scripture Jerusalem is often called 'Lebanon.'

'And he shall break them small, like the calf of Lebanon.'

'The calf' signifies the altar.

'And the beloved is as the offspring of unicorns.'

'The beloved one,' he says—that is, the choir of the apostles—has become the offspring of the unicorns.

[The unicorns are] the holy prophets and patriarchs, whose sons the holy apostles are;

because they have their horn and their strength in God alone.

'The voice of the Lord divides the flame of fire.'

He signifies that very promise which he promised to the saints, saying:

'And if you pass through the midst of fire, the fire shall not burn you.'

'The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness.'

Here 'shaking' is again spoken with reference to being made widely known, as in: 'When Jesus had entered, the whole city was shaken.'

By 'wilderness' he means the Church from the Gentiles, which was formerly desolate of the knowledge of God.

'And the Lord shall shake the wilderness of Kadesh.'

And the holy Church of Christ is understood in: 'The voice of the Lord perfects the hinds, and he shall lay bare the forests.'

'Perfecting' is used in place of 'preparing.'

For he himself, having prepared the holy apostles, sent them forth, according to: 'Go, make disciples of all nations.'

[And in his temple everyone says, 'Glory.'

The Lord, having prepared the holy apostles, sent them out, so as to drive away the demons and lead the nations to the knowledge of God.] The Lord shall inhabit the flood;

By 'flood' he means the multitude of believers, according to what is said: 'The whole earth was filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as much water covers the sea.'

'And the Lord shall sit as king forever;'

similar to: 'For to him every knee shall bow.'

'The Lord shall give strength to his people.'

'I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me.'

'The Lord shall bless his people with peace.'

Similar to: 'My peace I give to you, my peace I leave with you.'

It concerns the dedication of the house—either of the Church, or the time when, our outward man being corrupted, the inward man is renewed.

He sings this psalm after being delivered from sin, as though his soul had been renewed through repentance—the soul which was formerly also the house of the Holy Spirit.

And he sings also on behalf of forgiveness, offering up thanksgiving, and praying that he himself may remain secure regarding what is to come, and giving instruction to others—that if ever such a thing should happen, they should lift up prayers to God.

'I will exalt you, O Lord, for you have taken me up.'

'You have saved me from those who go down into the pit.'

'And give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.' It is fitting, he says, to intensify our hymns, being mindful of God's loving-kindness.

'For there is wrath in his anger.'

Not that he wills to do this;

but each one brings this upon himself through sin.

For his will is life.

'In the evening weeping shall lodge.'

By these things is signified the ease with which repentance may be accomplished.

For there is no multitude of sins so great which repentance does not quickly bring forth into rejoicing.

'But I said in my prosperity:'

He states the cause of his fall.

'Since,' he says, 'I thought great things of myself in prosperity, for this reason I have been troubled.'

This happened to me not because you thrust me away, but only because you turned away your face.

Since, then, without your strength we cannot even stand, once again accomplishing your will, cause the beauty of my soul to shine forth.

This also Adam hoped for while he lived in paradise before the deception, and also Hezekiah after he had conquered the Assyrian; and the book of Chronicles teaches this clearly, saying that the heart of Hezekiah the king was lifted up.

'To you, O Lord, will I cry.'

But in my going down to corruption there would be no benefit at all, neither to me, nor to others.

For I would be deprived of the life that comes from you;

and others would in no way obtain salvation through me.

For having regained my former glory, it is through that glory that I speak to you, not with any evil conscience;

He called mourning 'sackcloth,' since it was customary for those in mourning to make use of sackcloth as well.

For the sackcloth signifies wickedness and ignorance;

since it is also made from the hair of the goats that stand on the left, and of the scapegoat.

He sings the present psalm as one still in repentance because of sin, and asking to be freed from it.

Yet nevertheless, as one already heard, he also offers up thanksgiving;

and indeed he also relates the things that happened to him during the time of his repentance.

'Ecstasy' signifies to us nothing other than sin itself, on account of which the soul was, as it were, put out of its right senses;

and as no longer hoping for restoration, and clearly saying:

'But I said in my alarm:'