EXPOSITION ON PSALM CXXIX
A 4. Out of the depths I have cried to you, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice.
1. *The depth of prayer.* — What is, *Out of the depths*? He did not say simply, "From the mouth," nor simply, "From the tongue"—for the words of an erring mind are poured out—but, "From a most deep heart, with much eagerness and readiness, from the very depths of the mind." Such are the souls of those who are afflicted: they rouse up their whole heart, calling upon God with much compunction; and for this reason, they are heard. Such prayers have great power, so that they are neither overturned nor shaken, even if the devil attacks with great violence. For just as a strong tree, which sends its roots deep into the earth and grips its folds, resists every violence of the winds, whereas that which lies upon the surface is disturbed by a small breeze and lies uprooted upon the ground; so too, those prayers which ascend from beneath and are rooted in the depths, even if unnumbered thoughts come, and even if the whole host of the devil arrives, remain stretched out and unyielding, and are not overturned. But those which proceed from the mouth and lips, and do not ascend from beneath, cannot even rise to God because of the sloth of the one approaching. For one who is such is overturned by any noise at all; B even by a clamor, he is led away from his supplication; and the mouth leads, but the heart is empty and the mind is desolate. But the saints did not pray in this way, but with such intensity that they even bowed their whole body. Thus, blessed Elijah, when praying, first sought solitude, then, having placed his head between his knees and burning himself with great heat, he thus sent forth his prayers. And if you wish to see him standing upright in prayer, look again at him stretched out towards heaven, and so stretched out that he even brought down fire from above. Thus also, when he wished to raise the widow's son, having strained his whole self, he worked that resurrection, not broken, nor yawning as we do, but warmed by the readiness of his prayer.
But why do I speak of Elijah and those saints? I have often seen women, because of a husband away abroad or a sick child, praying thus from the depths, and sending forth such fountains of tears, that they finally attained the goal of their prayer. If women are so warmed in prayers for a child or a husband abroad, what pardon will a man have if he is softened and languid when his soul is wasted? For this reason, we often pray and depart empty again. Hear how Anna prayed from the depths, what fountains of tears she sent forth, how she was raised up by the prayer. For one who prays in this way, even before receiving what he asks for, reaps great good from the prayer itself, putting down all passions, softening anger, expelling envy, melting away desire, withering the love of worldly things, and standing in great calm, finally ascends into heaven itself. For just as rain falling on hard ground, or fire on iron, softens it; so too does such prayer, more violent than fire and better than rain, soften and moisten the hardness of the mind resulting from the passions. For the soul is indeed soft and malleable, but just as the water of the Danube often suffers, becoming petrified by the cold, so does our soul, hardened by sin and much sloth, become like a stone. We therefore need much heat to soften what is hard. This, prayer especially accomplishes. When, therefore, you engage in prayer, do not seek only to receive what you ask for, but also how you might make your soul better in the prayer itself. For this C too is the work of prayer. One who prays in this way becomes superior to worldly things, is winged in his mind, makes his reasoning light, and is overtaken by none of the passions. *Out of the depths I have cried to you, O Lord.* He places two things here: both "Out of the depths," and "cried"—by *cry* meaning not the tone of the voice, but the disposition of the mind. *Lord, hear my voice.* From this we learn two things: that it is not possible to obtain things from God unconditionally, unless our own part is fulfilled; for this reason he says first, *Out of the depths I have cried*, and then, *Hear*. Next, that prayer which is stretched out and full of the compunction of tears has great power to persuade God to assent to what is said. For as if he had accomplished something great, and fulfilled his own duty, he thus added: *Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.* By *ears* he means the faculty of hearing; and again he says *voice*, not alluding to the tone of the breath or the cry, but to the strained disposition. *If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who shall stand?* For so that no one might say, "Being a sinner, and full of unnumbered evils, I am unable to approach and pray and call upon God," by removing this excuse he says: *If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who shall stand?* For *who* here means "there is no one." For it is not, it is not possible for anyone who renders an account of his deeds with exactitude to ever attain mercy and philanthropy.
2. And we say these things, not casting souls into sloth, but comforting those who fall into despair. For who will boast of having a pure heart, or who will be bold enough to be clean from sins? And why do I speak of others? For if I bring Paul into the middle, and wish to demand of him an exact examination of what happened, he will not be able to stand. For what will he be able to say? He read the prophets with precision, being a zealot of the law of his fathers, he saw signs being performed, and yet remained persecuting, and did not change beforehand until he enjoyed that wonderful vision and heard the terrifying voice; but before this, he remained confounding and confusing everything. But yet, all those D things—
A he passed over, and deemed him worthy of great grace. What of that coryphaeus, Peter? After innumerable signs and miracles, and such great admonition and exhortation, did He not point out that he had fallen into that most grievous lapse? Yet even that He passed over, and appointed him the first of the apostles. Therefore He said: "Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail" (Luc. 22. 31. 32). Furthermore, after these things, if He does not come to judge with mercy and clemency, but strictly exacts an account, He will surely find everyone guilty and liable. B Therefore Paul also said: "I am not aware of anything against myself, yet I am not thereby acquitted" (1 Cor. 4. 4). "If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, Lord." The repetition is not without purpose, nor beside the mark, but of one admiring and struck by His immense clemency, and infinite majesty, and the vast ocean of His goodness. "Who shall stand?" He did not say, "Who shall escape?" but, "Who shall stand?" signifying that one would not even be able to remain upright. C 4. "Because with You there is propitiation." What is, "With You there is propitiation"? It means, not in our own good deeds, but in Your goodness does it lie to escape punishment. For that we should escape the judgment lies in Your clemency; but if we have not obtained that, our own works do not suffice to rescue us from the wrath to come. "I am He who blots out your iniquities" (Isai. 43. 25). That is, this is My own, of My goodness, of My clemency. For what is yours is never sufficient to deliver you from punishment, unless My clemency is added. And again: "I uphold you. For the sake of Your name I have waited for You, O Lord. My soul has waited for Your word" (Isai. 46. 4). 5. "My soul has hoped in the Lord." Another says: "Because of Your law." Another, again: "That Your word may be known." What he says is of this kind: Because of your clemency, because of Your name, because of Your law, I have awaited salvation; for if I had looked to my own deeds, I would have long since despaired, long since cast away all confidence; D but now, attending to Your law and Your word, I conceive a good hope. What word? The word of clemency; for He Himself is the one who says: "As the heaven is distant from the earth, so are My counsels distant from your counsel, and My ways from your ways" (Isai. 55. 9). "As the height of heaven from the earth, the Lord has strengthened His mercy upon those who fear Him" (Ps. 102. 11). And again: "As far as the east is from the west, He has removed our iniquities from us" (Ibid. v. 12). This means: I have not only saved those who acted rightly, but I have also spared sinners, and shown what patronage I afford you amid your offenses, and what care I take of you. Another says: "That You may be terrible," I have awaited the Lord. Terrible to whom? To the enemies, the plotters, to those who are hostile to me. What is it again, "Because of Your name"? Although, he says, I am a sinner and full of innumerable evils, yet I knew that, lest Your name be profaned, You would by no means disregard us as we perish. Which He Himself also said in Ezekiel: "I do not do it for your sake, but for My name's sake, that it may not be profaned among the nations" (Ezech. 36. 22). This is to say: We indeed are not worthy to be saved, nor are we led by anything in our own deeds to any good hope, but we expect to be preserved because of Your name, and that is the hope of salvation left to us. Another: "Because of fear I have waited for the Lord." Another: "Because of the law I have waited for the Lord. My soul has waited in Your word." Another: "My soul has awaited His word." Another: "My soul has waited, and I have awaited His word." This means: From the promises and frequent assurances concerning His kindness and clemency, I have kept a sacred anchor, and have not cast away hope for my salvation. 6. "From the morning watch until night let Israel hope in the Lord." All of life, he says, is this; every day and night. For there is nothing better for salvation than to look to Him perpetually, and to hang upon that hope, even if countless things happen that impel us to despair. This is the unbroken wall, the invincible fortification, the inexpugnable tower. Even if matters threaten death, danger, and destruction, do not cease to hope in God, and to await His salvation. To Him all things are easy and ready, and he will find a way out even in the most difficult and obstructed circumstances. Do not, therefore, expect aid to be present to you only if favorable matters abound: but then most of all, when the waves are greatest, and the storm is violent, and the extreme danger is imminent. For then especially does God show His power. This, therefore, is what it means: One must hope in God perpetually, for the whole time of life. 7. "Because with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption. 8. And He Himself shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities." What is, "With the Lord there is mercy"? A fountain and treasure, he says, of clemency is there, perpetually gushing. But where there is mercy, there also is redemption: and not only redemption, but much and plenteous, and an immense ocean of clemency. Therefore, even if we are betrayed by our sins, we must not give way, nor despair. For where there is mercy and clemency, the accounts of transgressions are not exacted so strictly, as the Judge, because of great mercy and a strong propensity toward clemency, passes over much. Such is God: inclined and prone to constant pity and forgiveness. "And He Himself shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities." If, therefore, the magnitude of His clemency is so diffused everywhere, it is clear that He will save His people, and deliver them not only from punishment, but also from sins. Knowing these things, therefore, let us persevere in praying and entreating, and let us never desist, whether we have received or whether we have not received. For the Lord is good, and when He is Lord, that is...