benedictio, when there is agreement between words and life, and by your works you bring glory to God who created you, as the Gospel intends, saying: "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 5:16). A 3. "May the Lord bless you from Zion, he who made heaven and earth." This is to say: If you do these things, you will also obtain God’s blessing, if you keep vigil, if you pray holily, if you are worthy to stand in the house of the Lord, if you have rendered yourself a suitable temple. Having therefore used the exhortation that was necessary, he concludes his prayer with a benediction. For this is the work of an excellent teacher, both to uplift the listener with counsel and to confirm him with prayers, and to render him robust. What is meant by his saying, "From Zion"? The name was desirable to them, and all the sacred rites were performed there; and therefore he prays that they might recover the former state of religion, and perform those sacred rites, and obtain this blessing. Then, lifting them up to higher doctrines, and teaching that God is everywhere, but that he had commanded the temple to be built on account of their infirmity, and that he ought to be invoked from everywhere, he added, "He who made heaven and earth."
B Prayers are to be offered everywhere. But they indeed invoked him there at that time, whereas we may do so in every place, in every field, in the house, in the marketplace, in solitude, in a ship, in an inn, and wherever we may be. For prayers are not forbidden by place, provided there are morals that harmonize with the prayers. After we have therefore conducted ourselves rightly in this matter, let us invoke God everywhere, and he will be present, and will help us, and will make whatever is difficult for us easy and expeditious, and will deem us worthy of future blessings: which may it be granted to us all to attain, by the grace and kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and power now and always, and for ever and ever. Amen.
ON PSALM CXXXIV
1. "Praise the name of the Lord, praise, O servants, the Lord." 2. "You who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God." 3. "Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good."
1. Again he exhorts to this sacrifice, which is performed through praises. For this is a sacrifice and offering to God. And therefore he says elsewhere: "I will praise the name of my God with a song, I will magnify him with praise; and it will please God more than a young bull, putting forth horns and hoofs" (Ps. 68:31-32). He makes constant mention of the place and the courts, fixing them to the place and not permitting them to recoil; C since, from the beginning, he had also ordered it to be built for this purpose, that all impiety and idols might be taken away, that all might be gathered into one place, and not wander about freely and unrestrainedly, nor usurp groves, fountains, mountains, and hills and turn them into an occasion of impiety, sacrificing there and making libations on high places. Wherefore he also condemns to death him who sacrifices outside the temple, saying: "Who has not offered in the tabernacle, and has sacrificed, blood shall be imputed to him" (Lev. 17:4). For this reason he gathers them from everywhere into one place, so that those listening might conduct themselves modestly and temperately, and abstain from false and erroneous thinking. D He 388 commands them, however, to sing, to psalm, and to praise, because the praises of God were an occasion of piety for them, while they contained the ancient narratives, namely, those things which were done in Egypt, which were done in the wilderness, which were done in the land of promise, how the law was given, what things happened on Mount Sinai, and what wars they waged: and at the same time God was honored with praise, and those who sang received an argument of doctrine, which both composed their life and led them to perfect dogmas. "Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good." Another says: "Because he is kind." What is most to be desired by those who hear, this he puts constantly: humanity, mercy, kindness.
The power of the psalms. The election of the Jewish people.
"Sing to his name, for it is sweet." He says this, showing that the thing itself has a certain pleasure of its own, along with utility. Its primary gain is also to say hymns to God, to purge the soul, to lift the thought on high, to learn true and accurate dogmas, to philosophize about things present and future. It has with these, through the melody, much pleasure, some consolation and recreation, and it renders the one who sings venerable. That it makes men such is clear from the fact that one interpreter says, "Because it is comely"; the other, "Because it is sweet." But both speak truthfully. For even if he who sings is a thousand times dissolute, while he reveres the psalm, he lulls the tyranny of his licentiousness; even if he is oppressed by innumerable evils, and is occupied by a sickness of the soul, while he is soothed by the pleasure, he lifts the soul, raises the thought, and exalts the mind on high. 4. "For Jacob the Lord chose for himself, Israel for his possession." He does not speak of benefits which are common to them with others, but what is their own and special. What then was this? That the Lord chose this people, and dedicated it to himself, and showed a certain peculiar benevolence toward them before others. And the prophets do this everywhere, composing their many sayings from the benefits conferred upon them. What is it, however, "For his possession"? For riches, for resources. For even if the people is small, he chose them as if they were riches, attending not to paucity, but to virtue, to which wishing to lead them, he chose them, namely, because other men do not provide him with as many riches as this people, so that this proceeded both from the benevolence of him who chose him, and for their instruction. For Paul also is accustomed to call the salvation of men riches, as when he says, "The same Lord, who is rich to all, and over all who call upon him" (Rom. 10:12). And again, "To his own master he stands, or falls" (Rom. 14:4). You see how he shows God’s benevolence, providence, care, and affection toward them, when he called them his possession. By both these, therefore, he shows an exceptional providence toward them, that he chose them, and that he inAcites men to praise him; and for this reason, beginning, he said, Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good.
For I have known that the Lord is great. Lo, he sets forth another reason for praising. Tell me, then: you have known, but do the others not know? They know, but not as I do. For it is the part of the most holy men, and of those who have attained a higher state, to know his greatness more accurately—not in its entirety, for this is impossible, but more clearly than others. And our Lord is above all gods. Lo, he says, the one who said that the Lord is great, and that you have known, proceeding, he lowers the discourse, and compares him to others, and by way of comparison gives him the preeminence. By no means, he says, but he was speaking to the weakness of those who were hearing at that time, bit by bit leading them upward to this. For this is not highly indicative of greatness, to be called "greater than God" and to be above those who are gods; but, as I have already said, he shares the discourse in the lowliness of the hearers, leading them up by degrees. For it was desirable that they should hear this for the time being, and be persuaded.
B 2. Since he transcends all things incomparably, he shows this by the things that follow, setting forth a most great proof of his power, and showing that even the former things were spoken on account of the weakness of the hearers. It is for this reason that, when he is making an affirmation, he speaks of small things; but when he is constructing and demonstrating and providing proof of his greatness, he sets forth great things. What, then, does he set forth after this, which is worthy of him and belongs to God alone? See, for he adds: All things whatsoever the Lord willed, he did in heaven and in earth, in the seas, and in all the abysses. Have you seen an all-powerful strength? Have you seen the fountain of life? Have you seen an invincible force? Have you seen an incomparable preeminence? Have you seen authority hindered nowhere? Have you seen that all things are easy and light for him? For, he says, all things whatsoever he willed, he did. Tell me also where? In heaven and in earth. That is to say, not here only, but also in heaven. Not in heaven only, but also in earth. Not in earth only, but also in the seas and in all the abysses. For by "abyss" he means that which is below the earth, just as by saying "in heaven," he means that which is above the heavens. By these, and so many of them, nowhere is his will hindered, but he attains all things. And wonder of wonders: he who made them did not do so with exertion, nor with labor, nor by command, but by his will; for he only willed, and the work followed. Do you see how he has presented both the ease, and the abundance of the created things, and the unhindered authority? Then, leaving off speaking of the heaven and the sea, he puts forward the things within them, and not even all the things within them, but having passed over the things in the heaven, although they are more wondrous, he speaks of the things around the heaven. Why so? Because the former, even if they were great, were unknown to the many; but these, even if they were lesser, were nevertheless visible, and had all men as spectators. Since, therefore, the speech was for him to men who were not so much instructed by faith to have an understanding of the unseen, as guided by the things that are seen, he proceeds from this point to weave the discourse, and he begins the instruction, doing himself what he exhorted others to do. What is this? To praise God from his works, and to offer up praises to him, learning each of the things that have been made, and glorifying him for each. For since he was exhorting to praise God, he said continuously, Praise the name of the Lord, praise, O servants, the Lord; he shows also how one must praise, going through the body of creation, and C wondering at and being struck with awe at [his] wisdom, providence, power, and guardianship. From this we learn that this sea of ours is not "one" that is alone, but that there are many and various [seas], and infinite deeps. For he said, In the seas and in all the abysses. For the Caspian, and the Indian, and the Red [Sea] are almost divided from this one, and the Ocean surrounds them from without. Bringing up clouds from the ends of the earth. Another says, "Raising up." A different one, "Drawing up from the extremities." Another, "From the ends." This was also said in Job: Binding up the water in his clouds ([Job 26:8]). And Solomon: Holding the water in a garment ([Prov. 30:4]). But this one does not say this, but something else that is wondrous. What is this? That air, being thicker, is carried with an upward movement, and is sustained, and the heavy [water] ascends, moving along a contrary path. It is wondrous, therefore, that water should be contained in it, but much more wondrous that it should be contained and carried on that which is light; and what is even more paradoxical: that the water contained by that air, when it flows out of the cloud, is no longer held by the air that follows it, and is contained, but flows away from everywhere, and is carried down to the earth. And yet, if this were contained by nature, it ought to be contained also in the air. Just as if someone were to leave a skin filled with water in the air, and it were then carried by the air, the water contained inside would have been carried along, having leaked from the skin; so it is logical that this should happen here as well. But since all things are full of wonder, and the things that happen are paradoxical, all these things come to be beyond logic, beyond reason. For truly, that which is contained in the air of the cloud is not contained in the air that is after it. Do you see the paradox, and how, having set forth what seems to be more deficient than the others, he showed that it is wondrous? Then he also shows another wonder, saying, From the ends of the earth. For they do not merely go up, but they also travel, and not wherever they appear do they release the rain, but having often passed by many regions, they produce rain elsewhere, and having bypassed cities and nations. This, then, is not the only wonder, that they are brought up, but that they also travel, as if in upper chambers, carrying the weight of such great waters.
3. He made lightnings for rain. See another paradox again, and contrary natures coming together. For there is nothing more fiery than lightning, nor anything colder than waters, but yet these are mixed. And they are not confused, nor are they commingled, but each preserves its own D boundaries. For fire remaining in water,
neither does this dry up that, nor does that extinguish this. And yet the lightning is sharper than the solar fire, and more brilliant, and cuts and divides more than it does. The sense of sight bears witness to this, for it encounters the rays of the sun constantly; but it cannot endure the onset of the lightning even for a moment. And the sun traverses the heaven throughout the whole day; but the lightning does so in the shortest moment of time across the entire world, just as Christ also testifies, saying: As the lightning cometh out of the east, and appeareth even unto the west (Matt. XXIV, 27). B Who bringeth the winds out of his treasures. This is again another species of nature, which affords us no small use, but so much that it contributes greatly to our life, and refreshes and cools bodies exhausted by labor, and makes the air lighter. For this is the task of the winds: to stir up and ventilate the air, lest, if it be stationary, it should be corrupted; to ripen fruits, to nourish bodies. But what, someone might say, of their use in navigation, the times in which they arise in a certain and fixed order, and yield to one another in turn, leading dances on the sea and transporting sailors? For one transmits, and another receives, and they travel contrary paths and serve, and their struggle is likewise useful for our life. And countless other functions of the winds might be mentioned. But the Prophet, omitting all these and leaving them for the listener to gather, points out the ease of their creation. For what he said, *Out of his treasures*, does not mean that there are some storehouses of the winds, but indicates the ease of the One who established them, and how prompt and ready the creature is. For just as he who has [goods] in a treasury brings everything forth securely and when he wishes, so also the Creator of the universe established everything with ease and delivered it to nature. Do you see how great a difference there is in the air as well, just as there are many changes in water and fire? For of waters, some are of fountains, others of the sea, others are aerial, others are in the clouds, others are celestial, others are above the heavens, others are subterranean. And in the case of fire: this one is in the sun, that one in the moon, another in the stars, another in the lightning, another in the air, another that is formed of wood, which is among us, and that which is in lamps, another from the earth: for often such a fire is produced from the earth, like fountains of water; another which is formed by clashing stones, another which is in the boughs of trees, which themselves also clash; another, moreover, in thunderbolts. So also in the air: this one is thicker, which is around us, that one more subtle; but that which is higher is more igneous. Of the winds also there are many differences: this one is more subtle, that one thicker; another colder, another drier; another more humid, another hotter. Moreover, the air and the clouds—the former is slower, the latter proceeds more rapidly, just as if it were a horseman. So also in the clouds and winds: these are like urns and vessels for water, such that they are sometimes full of waters, sometimes are carried empty; others, however, are like a fan. But you, considering these and their diversity and variety, marvel at the Creator. C 8. Who smote the firstborn of Egypt. After he spoke of general matters, and showed the providence of God over the entire world—through lightnings, through winds, through the air, through clouds, through rains—and refuted the trifles of those who say that providence reaches only as far as the moon, he approaches the particular things, namely those which happened to the Jews singly and privately. For that the earth, and the heaven, and all things that are visible, perceive the kindness of God, he shows from the things which have been said; but in order to make the Jews mindful and grateful, he recounts also the particular things, showing the God of the universe, and the one who has care for all things, to have bestowed certain peculiar benefits upon them. Although the things which were happening to them were also, in turn, general. For the fact that they themselves were chosen from the others, this caused them to be emulated: which Paul also signifies, saying, Through their transgression salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy (Rom. XI, 11). For just as a father, when his children depart from him, takes one of them and makes him sit upon his knees—but he does not do this for the sake of the one, but much more for the sake of the others, so that, moved by that honor, they might run to the father, to feel the same indulgence—so also God did to the Jews. For taking them not upon his knees, but upon his arms, as the prophet says, and upon his back (Osee XI, 3), he bestows those things which are to be desired by them: a temple, sacrifices, and what they sought with greater care, helps in war, victories, trophies, the abundance of earthly things, and the fertility of fruits. By these things he instructs and adorns them, and leads others to emulation. But since they were going to be wicked if he were forever to flatter them, he moderates them also through punishments. For great is the wisdom of God, and in the most difficult matters he finds a path and an outcome. 4. Providence of God pertains to all. Look at the prudence of the Prophet, who led the discourse from general matters to these: for lest any fool should think God’s providence is concerned [only] with particulars, when he comes to the general, then he touches also these, saying: Who smote the firstborn of Egypt. Do these not seem to you to have been done more for the sake of the Jews? If, therefore, I shall show that these things also were done for the sake of others, what will those say who babble that the providence of God does not pertain to the universe at all? How, then, can this be shown? Surely the sentence pronounced by God, which signifies this, is sufficient, and says: That I may show my power in thee, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth (Exod. IX, 16; Rom. IX, 17). Did you see that that death was a gospel, and that that plague divinely sent was a preaching, as one which permeated everywhere and preached the power of God? Therefore, he has care of the entire world, even when he administers the affairs of the Jews. And yet he declared his power also in the past, as in Joseph, as in Abraham, but now, however, more openly. How? Then indeed by a benefit: now, however, by a plague: and he does not intermit, as I have often said, to show himself constantly and in every generation, D and to render himself manifest through works. But he does not always do this in the same way, but variously and
through times of plenty; but after these things, through the successive plagues. A Since, therefore, they were judging God as powerless, and were killing the first-born themselves, and had stained the river with blood, he shows them also at that very time, through more obscure means, his power. For the midwives of the Egyptians, having despised those commands of theirs, and having bypassed the harsh decree of the king, enjoyed much prosperity. Both of these things were of God’s providence: both to show women to be braver than those who wear diadems, and to pay them rewards, and to increase them greatly in number. For, "He made houses for the midwives" (Exod. 1. 20) means that their lineage was extended; for through those things by which they did good to the Jews, through these they received their rewards from God. Since, therefore, they did not kill their children, God also granted them many children. B But since they remained disposed in lack of feeling, he brought a sharper blow, and the inhabited world was learning, and the Egyptians were learning; and the former from hearing, but the latter in their own sufferings, and by sight, and by experience, were seeing the power of God. For this reason he even foretold it to them, so that the plague might not be thought to be of some chance occurrence and of automatic death. What then has been said elsewhere concerning the Savior, this truly can also be said here. What is this? "And rule in the midst of your enemies" (Ps. 109. 2). For he did not lead them out into a desert, nor somewhere else, but brought the plague in the very city. And see, C indeed, even in the plague, benevolence. For he began first from the cattle, and then proceeded to the humans. Who then would not admire the power, how he brought all things in one moment of time, the sparing, the ineffable wisdom? For neither did he strike that first plague, wishing to correct them through other means, nor, when he struck, did he strike without warning. Why so? So that he might discipline them with words, and they might not come to the experience of the deeds; nor, again, since they were not corrected, did he allow the plague to become ambiguous. For, so that no one might think it automatic or a disease, or a pestilence coming on, see how many things happen. First, that in one night all. Second, that all the first-born. For if it were a pestilence, it would not have touched only all the first-born, and spared the second; but it would have come upon all indiscriminately. D Third, that if it were a pestilence, it would not have spared the Jews at all, and touched only the Egyptians, but it would have worked much more upon those bodies, those worn out by toil and hardship and so many evils, those in poverty and famine to such an extent brought to ruin; not the royal ones, nor those in high positions, those enjoying much immunity, and partaking of much care. If it were a pestilence, it would not have come on all at once, but displaying all the preliminaries of the coming first. But now these things happen at once, so that the ingratitude of the Egyptians might be tested.
[The text continues:]
B And why should He not benefit these as well? Because most men are accustomed to acknowledge God when struck rather than when beneficially treated. For that He did not wish to punish them, see how He is constantly delaying, restraining the blows, and by both means demonstrating His power and His kindness. And yet it would have sufficed after the first, second, and third [plague], as though they were suffering from an incurable disease, to destroy them utterly. But He did not wish to, but even though He foresaw the future, and that they would not be better after the fifth, sixth, or tenth, He did not cease doing what was His own part; from which it is right to admire His power, His care, His wisdom, and His goodness to the highest degree. His power, because He struck; His care, because He restrained; His wisdom, because, knowing the future, He did what was His part—which is also of the greatest kindness, that He begins from the smaller things, from those that are not endowed with reason. But proceeding, He even touched the king himself, which also made it most widely proclaimed that these things were happening. For the things that befall a private man are likely to remain hidden; but when it is a notable man who receives the blow, nothing prevents the matter from being heard everywhere.
Having therefore said the cause for why He struck, he also says the blows. But neither does he recount them in detail, nor trace them individually; but having signified them with one word, he passes them by, saying, "He sent signs and wonders in the midst of thee, O Egypt." Next, He again leads the people out of Egypt into the desert, everywhere showing that He is not a God of only a part, nor does He hold dominion over one region only, but over the whole world. Wherefore he added, saying:
10. "Who smote many nations, and slew strong kings," offering in various ways throughout the way pledges of His power, and in teaching them, leading them through the things themselves. For also through the former wars He taught them not the nature of the air, not the power of the elements, nor anything else of that kind, but the sovereign hand which was leading them, to wage war for them; and He showed each through the other, the things done in Egypt by those done in the wilderness, and those done in the wilderness by those done in Egypt. For when they were putting the enemies to rout without arms, battle-array, and war, He was clearly showing them that even in Egypt He had no need of elements to move them against them, but, wishing to show His power in various and different ways, He used the creatures for these ends.
... [he] pursues cities, neither insisting on specific details nor narrating the battles bit by bit, but again with great spirit passes by the countless swarms of miracles. For although He could have lingered and amplified that tragedy, He does not do this; but since a vast multitude of things done by God offered itself, He pursues them all by passing over them. And yet they were armed, and lived in fortified cities, and were skilled in military matters and the marshalling of the phalanx; but these were exiles, unskilled in war, delivered from long slavery and protracted tyranny, consumed by hunger and hardships, and exposed to all for the receiving of injury—yet with that hand leading, they were the most powerful of all.
C ...to have; but they were more powerful than all because of the army leading them.
5. But the war was also just. For they themselves did not fall, but provided the cause for others, blocking their path, which was of extreme inhumanity—that He did not leave them to enter into war against the Edomites. For so that they would not, trusting in silence, attack again later, but might know with whom they ought to wage war, and from whom they ought to abstain, He does this in the wilderness, establishing the law for them through the things themselves, how they ought to behave toward those who encountered them. "And all the kingdoms of Canaan." Did you see from these that the whole world is being taught? For just as fire [consumes] thorns, so did they invade all, and no one was able to withstand them. Hear, therefore, what Balaam says, who had learned not from the prophets, nor from Moses, but from the things themselves: "This is the nation that licks up all the earth" (Num. 22:4). Did you see the properly spoken metaphor? He did not say, "Which wages war, which pours out and overturns," but, "Which licks up," wishing to show how easily victory is brought forth by them and how, without blood, trophies are erected by them, and at their mere incursion the enemies are put to flight. They have no need, he says, of an instructed phalanx, nor that a battle be joined, but only to invade is sufficient, and all things yield to them.
For He did not only bring it about so that they might conquer by the law of war and an arranged phalanx—that no one might attribute what was happening to them—but He was moving the elements of the world against them; and therefore He was first casting down and troubling their minds, and hail falling killed many, and the sun stood still, and protracted the war further, and many such wonderful things were done, and the sound of trumpets more vehement than fire rushing into towers brought down the walls. But this was useful to both. For both they were learning that the war is not waged by men; and these were being taught to look to God, and never to boast about the things done, nor to take on great spirits, but to behave themselves honestly and modestly. For to have conquered in this way brought them greater ornament than merely to have conquered, as [it] rendered them splendid, and taught modesty: splendid indeed, because they had such a commander; modest, however, because they were not puffed up by their own illustrious deeds.
12. "And gave their land [for] an inheritance, an inheritance to Israel His people." This also is a greatest miracle, that not only could they expel, but they could also occupy the land, and divide the cities—which also provided them with great pleasure, great ornament, great joy. But this is also of God’s power. For it is no small thing to have occupied the land of enemies, but for this also there is need of great help from God.
13. "O Lord, Thy name [is] to eternity, and Thy memorial to generation and generation." Another, "The remembrance of Thee." Here he interrupts the series of the prayer with glorification, which the saints are always accustomed to do. For after they begin to say something about the miracles of God, they do not come to the end until, having glorified and praised God above the things mentioned, they fulfill their own desire. Which also Paul does everywhere; and in the beginning... D
of his Epistles, as when he says to the Churches of Galatia: "Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins according to the will of God and our Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen" (Gal. 1:3-5). And in that to the Romans: "Whose is the adoption, and the glory, and the service, and the promise, whose are the fathers, and from whom is Christ according to the flesh, who is over all God blessed for ever. Amen" (Rom. 9:4-5). And again elsewhere: "Now to the King of ages, immortal, invisible, only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen" (1 Tim. 1:17). Thus indeed the prophet here also, having pondered the providence of God in all things, the plague in Egypt, the benefits shown in the wilderness, the varied and diverse ones brought to the Jews, and those on their behalf against the enemies, and being inflamed by his unspeakable loving-kindness, offered up a doxology, saying: "Lord, thy name is for ever, and thy memorial unto generation and generation." That is, your glory is continuous. For nothing damages it, nothing interrupts it, but it always is, and remains untroubled, immutable, flourishing, and blooming. What is "Thy memorial unto generation and generation"? The memory, he says, of you is endless and has no limit. "For the Lord shall judge his people, and shall be comforted in his servants" (Ps. 134:14). Both of these can be said of the people: that he will exact justice, and after that he will rest and restore them; or, dividing them, "shall be comforted" refers to the people, and "shall judge" refers to the enemies. That is, he will restore—for this is what "shall be comforted" means—and he will judge the enemies, that is, he will exact justice on their behalf. A 7. Then, since he could not speak of their right deeds in life, he uses these titles—the name of "people" and the name of "servants." But having said "shall be comforted," he shows the reconciliation of God's loving-kindness, not of their merit. For where there is comfort, there is need of forgiveness; and where there is need of forgiveness, it is a time not for worthiness of achievements, but for loving-kindness. Since, therefore, he said above, "Thy memorial unto generation and generation," and they alone of other nations at that time invoked God for themselves, he hints at something of this kind through this and says that the salvation on behalf of the people shows the glory which is among many concerning you. For the glory naturally inherent in him remains undiminished, indestructible, and unchangeable, even if there is no one to worship him; but the good reputation among many will also be made manifest from our salvation, once we have recovered the city, and the sanctuary, and the temple, and have again arrived at our former way of life.
"The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the works of the hands of men" (Ps. 134:15). Since at the beginning he said, "And our Lord is above all gods," and seemed to introduce some superiority by way of comparison because of the weakness of the hearers, see how he intensifies this in his discourse. For starting from the power of God, and having spoken B of things in heaven, things in earth, things in the abysses, things concerning the Jews, things on their own land, things on the foreign land, things concerning the enemies, things concerning the nations, C and then having reminded them of his goodness, his loving-kindness, his guardianship, his wisdom, his power, and having shown that he is God over everything and provides for the universe, he proceeds to ridicule the weakness of the idols, and straightway from their very nature he uses his discourse to attack; or rather, he even brings their very name into the accusation. For an idol is nothing other than something inert and worthless, and a name for intensified weakness. Therefore he begins from there, saying: "The idols of the nations are silver and gold." Firstly, that it is an idol; secondly, that it is inanimate and dumb matter; thirdly, that being an idol, they have the small, and weak, and worthless qualities not only from themselves, but also from men. Wherefore he also added, "Works of the hands of men," which is the greatest accusation against those who worship them: that having themselves been the cause of their very existence, they have their hopes of salvation in them. D "They have a mouth, but they will not speak; they have eyes, but they will not see; they have ears, but they will not hear; for there is no spirit in their mouth. Let those who make them become like them, and all who trust in them" (Ps. 134:16-18). "They have a mouth," he says, "but they will not speak." Did you see how he intensifies the ridicule and exposes the deception? For since demons often move them, he strips away the hypocrisy and the drama, showing that "there is no spirit in their mouth." And for what reason does the evil demon not act without them, nor speak? Because the steles of the idols are types of these things—fornication, adultery, and countless evils—educating those who are deceived, through the sight of the statues, to imitate the deeds of which the idols are the forms. He frequents and sits by, moving them and deceiving. Then again he moves another form of ridicule, saying, "Let those who make them become like them." Consider how great the gods are, whose likeness is set in the order of a curse! But things of our own are not so. For the final end of virtue, and that which makes one rise to the very summit of goods, is to be made like God, so far as is possible for us. But with them, he says, the worship and the gods are such that the likeness to them is in the order of the ultimate curse. So that through the fact that they are inanimate matter, and through the fact that they are made by those who worship them, and through the fact that they are idols of shame, and through the fact that they are senselessly lying there, and through the fact that he added the likeness to them in the order of a curse—through all these the excess of the error is shown. Having, therefore, spoken of their weakness, the deception, the wickedness of the demons, the folly of those who make them, and having quickly departed from them, he concludes the discourse with a doxology, no longer recounting matters concerning God, but, as if having clearly proved them, he demands the good words from those who enjoy his benefits, on all that is acknowledged; for which reason he calls all to a doxology, saying thus: "House of Israel, bless the Lord. House of Aaron, bless the Lord."