EXPOSITION ON PSALM CXXXVII
and showing the power of God extended over the whole earth. *Blessed is he who shall return to thee the retribution of thine, which thou didst return to us.* Another translation: *Which thou didst do for us.* B 9. *Blessed is he who shall take hold and dash thy little ones against the rock.*
A custom of the prophets. Although these words are full of wrath and carry with them vehement pain and punishment, they are nevertheless the words of the agitation of mind of the captives, who demand some great penalty and some horrendous and wondrous punishment. For prophets often speak many things not so much as if they were their own, but rather recounting the affections of others and bringing them into the midst. For if you seek the thought of the one who says,*If I have returned evil to those who return evil to me* (Ps. VII, 4), and one who surpasses the measure that was given to him by the law: yet when he narrates the perturbations of the souls of others, he describes anger and pain; this is what he has done now, bringing into the midst the desire of the Jews, whose anger proceeded even to the age of infancy. The New Testament is not like this, but we are commanded to feed our enemies, to give them food, and to pray for those who affect us with calamities. And we do this on account of the law that has been established for us. What, then, is this? *Unless your justice,* he says, *abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven* (Matt. V, 20). Let us therefore apply great zeal, and observe it all abundantly, that we may live henceforward on earth as if we were in heaven, and lead choirs with the angels. For thus we shall also obtain future goods, which may it be granted to us all to attain, by the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and empire for ever and ever. Amen.
ON PSALM CXXXVII
I shall pass over these things and come to that which follows. What does this mean, *And in the sight of the angels I will praise thee?* C Which, indeed, another interpreter said: *Freely, O God, I will sing to thee.* Another says, *In the sight of gods I will sing to thee.* If, therefore, he speaks of the angels who are in the heavens, what is said is of this kind: I will endeavor to sing with the angels, and to contend with them, and to lead the dance with the supernal powers. For even if I differ in nature, I will nevertheless contend with the alacrity of my mind, that I may be able to stand with them. But if we accept what was said from the interpretation of others, he seems to me to speak of the priests, that which is said of gods. For Scripture is wont to call the priest both an angel and a god: now indeed saying, *Thou shalt not speak evil of the gods, and the prince of thy people thou shalt not curse* (Exod. XXII, 28): and now, *The lips of the priests shall guard judgment, and from his mouth they shall seek justice, for he is the angel of the Lord Almighty* (Malach. II, 7). If therefore it is permitted to accept this in such a way, one ought to understand it thus: With the priests, they themselves beginning and leading the way, I will follow with the order that is right, and I will sing to thee: *For thou hast heard all the words of my mouth.* Have you seen the great thanksgiving? Have you seen the utmost attention? Not like certain D soft and dissolute persons, who are vehement before they receive, but who grow languid after they have received: but this man both presses on before he receives, and after he has received, he persists in continuously giving thanks. Hence, it is shown that he poured out pure and excellent prayers, from the fact that he was heard by God. For this most of all causes us to be heard, when our prayers are pleasing to Him.
—That we be heard by God is in our own power.
Whence it is also in our power to be heard. For when we seek what it is right for God to grant, when we do so with a ready mind, when we render ourselves worthy to receive, He hears the one who calls, and fulfills what is asked. 2. *I will worship towards thy holy temple.* This also is no small virtue, to be able to ascend to the temple, and while ascending to worship with a pure conscience. For it is not the bending of knees, nor entering in, that is sought, but to be inside with a sharp mind and an intent spirit, not by the body alone, but also by the mind: just as it is no small dignity to worship the God of all things as it behooves. For if this is considered an honor among kings, much more is it so in the case of the God of all. *And I will confess to thy name for thy mercy and thy truth.* What is this? I will give thee thanks, he says, because I have perceived thy great care for me. For I have not obtained the recovery of my country and the sight of the temple through my own righteous deeds, but through thy mercy and kindness. For these things I will worship thee, for these I will confess to thee, because when I was worthy of punishment and torture, and of living perpetually in a foreign land, thou didst quickly lead me back. *For thou hast magnified thy holy name above all.* What he says is of this kind: I will not give thanks only for benefits, but also for thy glory itself, which is ineffable, and for thy infinite magnificence, and thine inenarrable nature. For thou hast magnified, he says, *thy holy name above all:* that is, through the benefits, through the elements, through the things that are in the heavens, through the things upon the earth, through the punishments, through the things that are done against enemies, through the things done for friends. For there is no part of creation, both supernal and infernal, that does not emit a voice clearer than any trumpet, proclaiming the magnificence of thy name. Whether, therefore, you speak of angels, or archangels, or demons, or insensible elements, or stones, or seeds, or the sun, or the moon, or the earth, or the seas, or fish, or birds, or lakes, or fountains, or rivers: through all things thy name is shown to be great. Another, however, for *Thou hast magnified thy holy name above all*, says: *For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy names.* Another: *Thy utterance.* 3. *In what day soever I shall invoke thee, quickly hear me.* Another: *In what day soever I have invoked thee, thou hast heard me.* This also God promised, saying: *In what day soever thou shalt call upon me, I will hear thee, and I will say, Behold, while thou art yet speaking, I am present* (Isai. LVIII, 9). He himself, therefore, asks for this. For such are the souls that are affected by some pain: they wish to see themselves liberated from evils as quickly as possible. *Thou shalt multiply me in my soul with thy virtue.* Another: *Thou hast established virtues in my soul.* For what stands first,
A in place of *Hear me*, is *Thou heardest me*, another said. What then is the meaning of what has been said? High things are called *meteora* (lofty) from being raised up, and the swellings of the sea are its waves and elevations, from being raised up. Therefore, *Thou shalt multiply me* (polyoreseis) means *Thou shalt lift me up, thou shalt exalt me*. He has set this elsewhere also, saying: *According to thy height thou hast lifted up (epolyoresas) the sons of men*; that is, thou hast lifted, thou hast exalted. Thus, he also said, *Thou shalt multiply me* (polyoreseis me), to signify that *Thou shalt fill me with much gladness, and thou shalt make my soul lofty*, and, what is greatest of all, thou wilt not allow this elevation of mine and this gladness to become frail, but powerful and strong, firm and immovable. For this is what *Thou shalt multiply me in my soul with thy virtue* means. B 2. And what he says is this: With virtue thou shalt lift me up, with strength thou shalt exalt me, and thou shalt help me. Wherefore also another interpreter, manifesting the same thing, said, *Thou hast established virtues in my soul*. He said well, *in my soul*, which is most especially proper to God, even in afflictions to restore souls, just as also occurred in the case of the apostles. For being scourged they went back rejoicing; thus their soul was lifted up. This is most especially the work of God’s power; this most especially shows his strength, that in the midst of terrible things the soul should not be brought low. *Let all the kings of the earth confess to thee, O Lord, because they heard all the words of thy mouth.* See the thankfulness. For he is not content to thank him alone, but takes all those who hold power into participation of the thanksgiving, even them who possess diadems. For even if their authority and power is great, he says, yet all owe thanks to thee, even for those things which have happened to others. Wherefore also demonstrating this he added, *They heard all the words of thy mouth*. If then they would give thanks, they shall reap and gain great things from thence. For thy gifts are so set forth in the midst for all, that those who wish may share and enjoy them. And so, no kingdom can benefit them as much as hearing thy words. This is to them safety, this is strength, this is adornment, C this is comeliness, this is kingdom, this is the brightness and power of rule. *And let them sing in the ways of the Lord.* Another: *Let them celebrate the ways of the Lord.* If then, *In thy ways*, that is what was said, *In thy laws, in thy commandments*. But if, *Thy ways*, these thy accomplishments, he says: let them speak, let them hymn, let them proclaim—for this is what *celebrate* means. *Because great is the glory of the Lord*; that is, manifest to all, clear to all, evident to all, prepared for the benefits of all, having everyone bound to grace. D *Because the Lord is high, and looks upon lowly things.* High in nature, he says, high in essence. But here for now it is said more condescendingly for the healing of the Jewish [people], and more figuratively. The following part also corrects this, and leads even the humble hearer to a great conception. And what is this, *and he knows high things from afar*? For here the discourse is about foreknowledge, which is most especially proper to God’s power; wherefore also in the prophets he often talks, and from this he argues against those held fast by the error of idols. Another: *And he discerns the exalted from afar*. Another: *And the lofty*. For since he said, *The Lord is high, and looks upon lowly things*, he added, that *he knows high things from afar*, signifying that he does not know high things simply, but even from a long interval, that is, before they come to pass, before they are finished, before they come into action. *If I walk in the midst of affliction, thou shalt quicken me.* He did not say, *Thou shalt drive away the affliction*, but, *Staying in the very midst of terrible things thou shalt quicken me*; that is, thou wilt be able to save me having fallen into those dangers; which is indeed wonderful and paradoxical, that, with sorrows and those plotting surrounding me, he should place the one surrounded by them in safety. *And thou hast stretched out thy hands over the anger of my enemies.* Another: *Against the breathing of my enemies thou shalt stretch out (thy hands)*. You see that the power is greatest on both sides? For he says, with me being in the midst of terrible things, thou shalt be able to save, and them, being mad and raging and breathing fire, thou shalt be able to humble and suppress. *And thy right hand saved me.* Another: *And thy right hand shall save me*, that is, thy strength, thy power. For God is resourceful, and inventive, and capable of leading even from desperate situations to salvation. *The Lord shall recompense for me.* Another: *He shall complete*. Another: *He shall execute*, that is, he shall avenge himself upon the enemies. And he did not say, *He shall avenge*, but, *He shall recompense*, signifying that even if I am liable, he himself shall cast down and lay aside; for he is philanthropic. It is possible for this to be said also about those things done by Christ for us. For he himself recompensed for us. *O Lord, thy mercy is forever. Do not overlook the works of thy hands.* He sets these two grounds for obtaining philanthropy: one, that he is merciful, and good, and continuously merciful, so that his philanthropy is never interrupted or ceases, nor gives way; the other, that he is Creator and Maker. But just as we claim to be saved from these, so let us also show something worthy of the mercy. *For I will have mercy*, he says, *on whom I have mercy*. For mercy does not come simply, but it also has some discernment. For if it came simply, no one would have been punished. Wherefore let us do things worthy not only because we are being shown mercy, but also because we were made by God. For one fashioned by God, and having obtained such a Maker and King, ought to display a manner of life worthy of his care and of such providence. If we do these things, we shall attain the good things to come, which may it be granted to us all to attain, by the grace and philanthropy of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.