ON PSALM CXLIII
1. Blessed be the Lord my God, who teaches my hands for battle, my fingers for war.
1. What are you saying? Is God a teacher of warfare, of fighting, and of battle array? Most certainly; nor would anyone be mistaken in attributing the victory in these matters to Him. For this is what “who teaches my hands” means: He is the one who causes me to overcome my enemies, to prevail, to set up a trophy. For when he struck down Goliath, He was the cause of the victory; and when he accomplished many wars and erected trophies, and captured certain enemy cities together with their inhabitants, He was the one who caused him to prevail. Therefore, singing, he said: “The Lord is strong and mighty, the Lord is mighty in war” (Ps. 82. 3) A. And in the time of Moses, too, He did many such things.
Yet there is also another war, more grievous than this, where we have the greatest need of help from above, when we are arrayed against the opposing powers. That we have a war against these, hear Paul saying: “For our struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness of this age” (Eph. 6. 12). It is more grievous because the hosts are of a different nature, and that one invisible, and because the struggle is not about small matters, but about salvation and destruction. Here, one cannot see those who are being slaughtered, nor foresee the time, nor the difficulty, nor the place, nor anything else of that sort. For even in the marketplace, and at home, whether playing or relaxing, these hosts attack; so that one must be fortified and awake at all times. For this war knows no truce, nor does it have heralds, nor ambassadors, nor anything else of that kind, but the battle is unproclaimed; therefore, one must indeed be fortified on all sides and strongly nourished. The food for this war, and the weapons of such soldiers, is the hearing of the divine Scriptures. He who does not enjoy this wastes away from hunger. “For I will give them,” He says, “not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the word of the Lord” (Amos 8. 11).
Therefore, here too, just as in sensible wars, there is a need for help from above. “For a king is not saved by much power,” he says, “and a giant will not be saved in the multitude of his strength. A horse is a false thing for safety, and in the multitude of his power he will not be saved” (Ps. 32. 16, 17). Thus, indeed, many defeated their enemies, with prayers preceding them, which cast down the enemy hosts. “My mercy and my refuge, my helper and my deliverer.” Does he again ask to be saved from philanthropy? Or rather, he hints at something else here. For by this he shows and says that I would not even be worthy of mercy unless He himself inclined. “He himself is my mercy,” he says; I did not possess it by my works. For even if it is mercy, it does not come upon all without discrimination; for “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion” (Rom. 9. 15). It is necessary, therefore, if we are to be shown mercy, to provide the starting points from within ourselves for such philanthropy. B Have you seen a contrite soul? Have you seen a grateful mind, and how he attributes everything to the philanthropic God? “My helper, and my deliverer, my protector, and I have hoped in Him.” Constantly he turns the hope which is in Him, teaching everyone not to be drowned by dire calamities, but even in the midst of misfortunes to be expectant there, and not to despair or be slack. For He himself is my helper and my deliverer. So that even if He does not help or deliver at the very first outbreak of calamities, one ought to be confident. For if He is the helper, He will deliver everyone from dire straits. For hope is especially present when, though visible things plunge one into despair, this hope prepares one to be confident regarding the future.
“Who brings my people into subjection under me.” He spoke well thus. For even here there is a need for help from above, so that subjects may yield, and not cause sedition, nor rise up. It is not, therefore, in the subjection of enemies and foes only, but also in that of one’s own people, that we have great need of help from above. For this also is a great thing, to manage one’s own people well, and it is no less than overcoming enemies. Many, indeed, have often set up trophies in wars, but in peace have been cut to pieces, not knowing how to hold the reins of those they ruled. It is not, therefore, in the power of the kingdom that the subjection of the camps consists, but in the help of God. And just as victories over enemies come from this, so also do the subjections of one’s own.
“O Lord, what is man, that Thou hast been made known to him? or son of man, that Thou considerest him?” Another says: "What is man, that Thou shouldst know him?" Another: "That You make Yourself known to him?" It is necessary, therefore, that he who is to know God be something great—or rather, he who is to be known by Him; and not only this one, but also that one to whom God is about to make Himself known. Therefore, the Seventy said most excellently, “Thou hast been made known to him,” showing that we did not find Him, but He was found. C For He did not say: What is man who has known You, but, What is man, that Thou hast been made known to him?
2. Therefore, Paul also constantly turns this up and down, saying: “Then I shall know even as I have been known” (1 Cor. 13. 12). And Christ Himself: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you” (John 15. 16). And elsewhere Paul again: “If anyone loves God, this one is known by Him” (1 Cor. 8. 5). For this reason, he also constantly calls himself called up and down, showing that he did not run to Him, but was called first. Thus also he says elsewhere: “I press on, if I may lay hold, for which I was also laid hold of” (Phil. 3. 12). He did not say, I laid hold, but, “I was laid hold of.” How, then, does he say here, “What is man?” And yet another says: “Man is great, and a merciful man is precious” (Prov. 20. 6). And another: “In the image of God He made him” (Gen. 1. 27). For he received the stewardship of the entire creation. But there are some, of whom the... D
heretical children are so maddened, that they overstep their own measures and suffer from the ultimate ignorance, professing to know things that are above themselves; for there is ignorance *in* knowledge, and knowledge *in* ignorance; and, if you wish, let us test this on sensible things. Tell me, I pray, if someone were to say he could measure the sea and know how many gallons it contains, is he not the one who most of all is ignorant of what the sea is? But the one who says he does not know, yet asserts that its number is infinite, is the one who best knows what the sea is. What follows, then, regarding God? A If someone says, “I have seen God,” and “I have apprehended Him with my eyes,” is he not the one who most of all does not know God? For he calls that which is invisible visible, and, by the addition of knowledge, he even strips away that which can be [truly] held. But if someone were to say that He is not under the gaze, and that no one can see Him, is he not the one who knows best? And what if one were to say that He is incomprehensible, but another says He is comprehensible; is not the one [who says He is incomprehensible] the one who is ignorant, while the other is the one who knows? Do you not see that Paul also follows this path, saying, *We know in part and we prophesy in part* (1 Cor. 13. 9)? Consider how many and how great the things are that have been done, so that we might learn, not what the substance of God is, but *that* God is. This, therefore, is what Paul says: *For it is necessary for the one approaching God to believe that He is* (Heb. 11. 6). All creation proclaims this: *“For from the greatness,”* he says, *“and the beauty of created things, the Creator is known by proportion”* (Wis. 13. 5), as well as the very constitution of man, the honors given by Him, the punishments, the benefits, the plans for governing [the world] which were predicted through the prophets, and the various miracles. After these, the Only-Begotten Himself came and fulfilled that marvelous and awesome economy. And yet there are some who have not yet learned what is manifest, and you say that you can, by your own reasoning, comprehend what His substance is? “Do you then ignore God?” he says. *Far from it;* but I know indeed that He is, and I know that He is kind, good, and merciful, provident, and caring for all things, and whatever else the Scriptures have said; B but what the substance of God is, I do not know. Even Adam thought he could find more, being persuaded by the devil, and he lost even what he had. This is what also happens to these men, while they are led by human reasonings and do not listen to the Lord giving wisdom, *and from His face are knowledge and understanding* (Prov. 2. 6). They do not listen to Paul saying, *God has revealed them to us through the Spirit* (1 Cor. 2. 10), and *destroying reasonings and every height that sets itself against the knowledge of God* (2 Cor. 10. 5). And another wise man says, *The reasonings of mortals are timid and their inventions are unstable* (Wis. 9. 14).
Yet, I do not even say this to express that infinite magnitude; or rather, not even when I say *that*, am I speaking in a manner worthy of God; but I know not how I should speak, for not even if we call Him “great” do we speak properly. But since we cannot speak otherwise, I have used such words as were permitted. For when I call Him the Highest, I do not circumscribe Him in a place, but I show the height and majesty of His nature, which is diffused everywhere and pervades all things. And for this reason it says, *What is man, that You have made Yourself known to him?* For He made him humble, and bestowed great things upon him, lest he be exalted, since the vileness of nature brings a great necessity to behave with moderation. *Or the son of man, that You account him?* Have you seen how great the majesty of God’s nature is? C *Man has been made like to vanity* (Ps. 143. 4). Another interpreter, however, said *to vapor*. Vanity, however, signifies nothing else than that he is frail, temporary, and of short life. In this place, it deals with the body. And for that reason Abraham said, *“But I am earth and ashes”* (Gen. 18. 27); and Isaiah, *“All flesh is grass, and all its glory as the flower of grass”* (Is. 40. 6). What is, *“Has been made like to vanity”*? To nothing, he says: for of human affairs, nothing is firm or stable, but all things pass away and run on. *His days pass away like a shadow;* that is, not even when they are present do they have any force, but they fly away quickly.
3. And consider this in the affairs of these men themselves, in those who are thought to be in offices, who are carried in chariots, who exercise magistracies, who cast into prison and scourge. For how do those men differ from a shadow, not only at the time of death, but even before death? For whenever they lay down their magistracies, all those things utterly perish and fly away: but true things are those [that exist] after we depart from here; then the true account will be rendered, and true will be the punishments and the good things likewise; and the Judge is He who can be deceived the least. The things that happen here are like children playing. For he who judges today is judged tomorrow, and frequent and numerous are the changes of things, and the crossings-over are unequal.
*“O Lord, incline Your heavens and descend. Touch the mountains and they shall smoke”* (Ps. 143. 5). Another says, *“When You inclined Your heavens and descended and touched the mountains, they smoked.”* And what is this sequence of words? Great, indeed, and which coheres strongly with what came before. For since he spoke about human vileness and showed how man is by nature nothing, here he again restrains and represses the arrogance of the puffed-up through the things he subjoined, saying essentially this: It was necessary indeed for them to perceive from themselves the vileness of nature, and not to be pleased with themselves or to assume a lofty spirit; but since they do not, show through Your deeds to what great humility their affairs have been returned.
*“O Lord, incline Your heavens and descend.”* He says this, not because God descends—for how would He descend, who is present everywhere?—but so that through such human expressions D He might strike the duller [minds] of the hearers, and discourse about things that are more human. Since...
the touch, even if it seems a great thing, is yet far inferior to the dignity of God. For God has no need of touch to make the mountains smoke—nay, not even of a nod, but only of His will and purpose. Having then spoken concerning the lowliness of man, he speaks also concerning the power of God, as it is possible for a man to speak; for even these things fall far short of that majesty. A *Flash forth lightning and scatter them; send forth your arrows and trouble them.* By lightning here and arrows, he does not mean this physical lightning, nor these [physical] arrows, but he calls punishments by these names, persuading the scorner and the one who has grown lax, from things already known, to tremble, fear, and submit. For if one cannot endure lightning, even though it is not sent for punishment, if He should wish to stir up His punishing power, who shall stand? And the arrows of God are famines, and pestilences, and thunderbolts, and manifold punishments. B *Send forth your hand from on high; deliver me, and rescue me out of many waters, from the hand of strange children.* For the power of God is prepared not only to punish, but also to save. By hand here, he means help and alliance; wherefore he did not say, *Extend*, but *Send forth*, indicating this: if he also says anywhere, *Extend*, it hints at the same thing again. And by waters he calls the disorderly, confused, incursion of the enemies, which is carried along with great force. That the discourse is not about water is clear from what follows: *From the hand*, he says, *of strange children.* It seems to me that he calls *strange children* here those who are estranged from the truth. For just as we account the faithful as our own and as brothers, so do we account the unbelievers as strangers; and by this especially we recognize the kinsman and the stranger. For he is a kinsman who subscribes to the same Father as I and partakes of the same table, rather than he who is a kinsman by birth; for this law of kinship is more precise, just as the estrangement from those who are of opposite [convictions] is plainer than that which is by birth. Do not, therefore, look at this, that we are under the same heaven and inhabit the same world; for I seek another communion, and one above the heaven. There is our citizenship and our life: *For our life*, he says, *is hidden with Christ in God* (Col. 3:3). For we do not dwell upon the earth, but have migrated to the city above. We have another true light, another fatherland, and other citizens and kinsmen. Wherefore Paul also said: *Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens of the saints* (Eph. 2:19). How then, he says, did Christ call the Samaritan a neighbor, even though there was a great distance [between them]? But not according to the law of nature. When, therefore, it is necessary to show kindness, let every man be near to you; but when the word of truth is to be exercised, recognize who is your own and who is a stranger. Even if you have a brother by the same father and mother, and he does not communicate with you according to the law of the truth, let him be to you more barbarous than a Scythian; and even if he be a Scythian or a Sauromatian, if he knows the precision of the doctrines and believes this which you yourself believe, he is more akin and nearer than he who released the same birth-pangs with you; and let us distinguish the barbarian and the one who is not such from this, not from the language, nor from the lineage, but from the judgment and the soul. C For this is most truly a human being, when he possesses the precision of doctrines and a philosophic life.
4. But let us see henceforth how the prophet describes these strangers, saying: *Rescue me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth has spoken vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of iniquity.* Do you see whom he calls strangers? Those who live in wickedness, those who love iniquity, those who utter foolish things, those who say nothing useful. Recognize then the strangers from their mouth, from their works; just as Christ also says: *From their fruits you shall know them* (Matt. 7:16). For just as in military camps many watchwords and signs are given, so that if ever a battle should occur by night, or dust should arise to obscure the night, or any other confusion and disturbance should take place, someone may not see his own as an enemy, nor the opponent as his own; so also here the prophet gives you watchwords, through which you will be able to recognize the kinsman and the stranger, such as from what he utters, from what he does, saying: *Whose mouth has spoken vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of iniquity.* For even now there is war and combat, and a most grievous night-battle, with demons attacking, with desires plotting, with reasonings rising up. There are among those initiated watchwords and symbols; and if we should wish, being in doubt whether someone is uninitiated or initiated, we learn by asking these things. D *Their right hand is a right hand of iniquity.* What then could be more grievous than this, when we turn to plotting that which was given for help? For we have right hands for this purpose, that we may defend both ourselves and others who are wronged, that we may destroy lawlessness, that we may become a harbor and a refuge for those who are oppressed. What excuse, therefore, could they have who do not use this weapon for the salvation of others, but for their own destruction? *O God, I will sing a new song to you.* What is this sequence again? Great, in fact, even here. Since he said, *Send forth your hand*, and, *Deliver me*, and, *Scatter them*, he promises also to repay the Author of his alliance with a reward, which brings no advantage to Him, but brings profit to the one offering the reward. What is this? *O God, I will sing a new song to you.* And if this is a small thing compared to the magnitude of the benefit, yet it is what he possessed. Since we also, from the poor and those who possess nothing, seek nothing else but praise and gratitude. But we [seek it] that we may become more radiant; but God [asks for it], not because He has need, but that He may make the singers themselves more radiant, and by this again may benefit them. *Upon a psaltery of ten strings I will sing to you*; that is, I will give you thanks. But at that time there were instruments through which they offered their songs; now, however, instead of instruments, it is possible to use the body. For it is possible to sing through the eyes, not only through the tongue, and through the hands, and through the feet, and through the hearing. For when each of these
EXPOSITION ON PSALM CXLIV
to make those who sing it more brilliant, and by that means to bestow a benefit upon them again. *In a psaltery of ten strings I will sing to thee*; that is, I will give thee thanks. But then truly there were instruments through which songs were emitted; now, however, instead of instruments, we can use the body. For we can sing not just with the tongue, but with the eyes, with the hands, with the feet, and with the ears. For when each of these does those things which bring glory and honor to God—namely, when the eye does not look licentiously, when the hands extend not to rapine but to almsgiving, when the ears are prepared to receive psalms and spiritual discourses, when the feet run to the church, when the heart constructs no guile but is full of love—the limbs of the body become a psaltery and a cithara, and they sing a new song, not by words alone, but by the deeds themselves. For it is not the multitude of soldiers nor satellites and bodyguards A that are accustomed to save, but the help of God. *Who redempit*, he says, *David his servant*. Speaking in common, he now speaks of himself, and he does not say, "Who hath redeemed," but, "Who redeems," showing His perpetual providence. After praying and suppliants requesting to be liberated from wicked men, he says thus: 11. *Rescue me from the malignant sword, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth hath spoken vanity, and their right hand is the right hand of iniquity.*
12. *Whose sons are as new plantations in their youth.* He describes here worldly prosperities and riches; and he places first that which is primary: having children who are flourishing and exulting in their youth, and of both sexes. He therefore added: *Their daughters are adorned, embellished as the likeness of a temple.* Here, along with youth, he shows much luxury, he describes their ribbons and womanly adornment, things which indeed arise from great prosperity. Then, what seems to be secondary, though perhaps it is now primary, he describes riches again, saying: *From this to that.* What is, *Eructantia ex hoc in illud* (pouring forth from this to that)? Narrow storehouses, he says, cannot contain the riches. *Their sheep are fruitful, abundant in their goings forth. 14. Their oxen are fat.* This also did not seem to be a small happiness. For among the ancients, riches were situated in these things—in herds, flocks, and seeds—before today’s sloth and softness were invented. *There is no ruin of the wall, nor passage.* This is: In cultivating fields, great care, diligence, and study are applied, since the fruits are luxuriant, the hedges stand, the vineyard is planted and fortified on all sides. *Nor crying in their streets.* Another says: *In their courtyards.* Another kind of prosperity, but not acquired with whatever wealth: namely, peace, tranquility, and security; no one who lays snares, no one who wages war, but neither any tumult, nor perturbation. 15. *They have called the people blessed that hath these things.* Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord. B Have you seen the virtue of the man? After he brought up all riches, and pursued them with words, and then brought forth the judgment of the common people concerning them, nothing human happens to him, nor does he judge them to be blessed who possess these things, but, passing all these by, he extends his blessedness to the true treasure. Others, he says, have called those blessed who have these things: but I judge the people blessed, *whose God is the Lord*: by this one thing showing all happiness, all plenteousness of good things, all wealth. For those things flow past and pass away, but this blessedness remains perpetually; while, instead of sheep, children, oxen, a fence, and a vineyard, the blessedness of God is destined to be riches, security, and an inexpugnable wall. When therefore you hear these things, let none of you be perturbed by them, but, passing by the shadows, apprehend the truth. For he said previously that man is like to vanity, and his days pass away as a shadow. If, therefore, you see some who abound in all these things living in wickedness, even if the whole world judges them blessed, you judge them to be unhappy and miserable; but those who have dedicated themselves to God, deem them happy and blessed. Let us all seek those riches that are always ours, and this blessedness, so that we may obtain both present and future good things, by the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and empire, into the ages of ages. Amen.
ON PSALM CXLIV
*I will exalt thee, my God, O King; and I will bless thy name for ever, and for ever and ever.*
1. This Psalm is worthy of being attended to with care. For it consists of those words which those who are initiated into our mysteries sing assiduously, saying: *The eyes of all hope in thee, and thou givest them their food in due season* (v. 15). For he who has been made a son, and enjoys the spiritual table, would C fittingly bring glory to his father. *A son*, he says, *honoreth his father, and a servant his master* (Mal. i, 6). You have been made a son, and you enjoy the spiritual table, eating the flesh and blood of Him who regenerated you: therefore render thanks for such a benefit, and bring glory and honor to Him who provided these things, and when reading the words, compose your mind to those things which are being said; and when you say, *I will exalt thee, my God, my King*, show great familiarity and conjunction, so that God may also say of you, as He did of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: *I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob* (Exod. iii, 6). For if you say, *My God* and *my King*, and do not say it with your voice alone, but also show this love, He Himself will also say these things of you: *My servant and my famulus*—which was also said concerning Moses. *And I will bless thy name for ever, and for ever and ever.* Have you seen how he shows the preludes of the future life? But he shows a blessing here, not one that is made through words, but one through the deeds themselves. So therefore D [[alt-version omitted]]