Tractates on the Psalms 118.11.1–118.12.15

It belongs to human nature that, when it cannot obtain what it desires, it is held by faintness of mind through the continual longing of desire. And it is easy to know this from the very movements of our feelings, into how great faintness of mind we are brought by waiting for those we long for. So the prophet, whose every expectation is toward God, whose every desire is in his commandments, speaks and says: "My soul has fainted for your salvation, and I hope in your word." He has no other things to occupy his desire, and the longing of a holy man has no room for the things of the world. So he fainted in the desire for salvation, and fainted because he believes in God's words: for the end of the law is Christ Jesus, and he it is of whom Moses and the prophets wrote. And he is salvation by the very name by which he is called Jesus. For Jesus in the Hebrew language is "salvation"; and the angel teaches this very thing speaking to Joseph, when he says: "And you shall call his name Jesus; for he will save his people." So the cause of his faintness is the desire for salvation. And the origin of the desire is this, that he hopes in God's words. For our salvation is Jesus, who was both desired and born. But we must understand what follows the faintness of the desiring soul.

"My eyes have fainted for your word: when will you encourage me?" So the faintness of the eyes follows the faintness of the soul. But as we have treated of the nature of the soul's faintness, let us see what the faintness of the eyes usually is. Picture, then, waiting, either the wife of a man who is travelling abroad, or the father of a son long absent, whom he thinks will return at any time: will he not always look intently along that road by which he thinks he will come? Will not the gaze and sight of his eyes fail in waiting for that very sight? The Lord testifies to these desires in the prophets, when he says: "Truly I say to you, many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and to hear what you hear." So the prophet faints both in mind and in eyes.

But these eyes of the prophet, although they desired to see the Lord, are not the eyes of the body; for they speak and wait, and this gazing and speech belong to the mind rather than to the body. For they say: "When will you encourage me?" He knows that the saints resting in the underworld desire this encouragement. He knows, as the apostle Peter testifies, that when the Lord descended into the underworld, encouragement was preached even to those who were in prison and had once been unbelieving in the days of Noah. So for these words of God he fainted with speaking eyes, awaiting the Lord announced by God's words not so much by bodily sight as by the contemplation of soul and mind.

Then follows: "Because I have become like a wineskin in the frost, I have not forgotten your justifications." This is a cause of a new kind, that he has not forgotten God's justifications because he has become like a wineskin in the frost. And if we measure the matter by the ears alone, the prophet's saying will be thought empty and ridiculous. But he remembers that bodies are called wineskins, as the Lord says in the gospels: "No one," he says, "puts new wine into old wineskins." And there is no doubt that by wineskins he meant bodies grown old in their sins. But through the pursuit of self-control the bodies of the faithful grow cold, and with the heat of the inner nature extinguished they will be cold wineskins, which, although they grow hot within by the nature of seething vices, yet without stiffen through patience as through frost. So in this coldness of bodies we cannot be forgetful of God's justifications. But whoever is hot with a full wineskin through the burning of vices and does not grow cold through fear of God and religion must forget God. The saint will not be able to forget these things, since, like a wineskin stiffening outwardly in the frost, he is cold against the instigation of all inward desires.

Then follows: "How many are the days of your servant? When will you execute judgment for me on those who persecute me?" The prophet is not unaware that the judgment is after the end of the age, since he says: "Therefore the impious do not rise in the judgment, nor sinners in the council of the righteous." Why then does he now pray for judgment to be made on his persecutors? Certainly not that judgment which he remembers is to come in the age of the resurrection, since he knows that he now has few days in bodily life. For he says thus: "How many are the days of your servant?" When he says "how many," he knows they are not many. And above he had said that he was like a wineskin in the frost. So because he is of few days, he desires judgment to be made on those who persecute him, that is, on the devil and his ministers. For they are spiritual beings in the heavenly places. But the devil too is to be judged in the age of the resurrection. So since he himself is of few days, he desires this judgment to be made, namely that, being completely holy and perfectly pleasing to the Lord, he may crush the devil within himself, crush the powers that oppose him and are hostile to his faith, and subdue the spiritual wickednesses. So he does not yet trust in the firmness of his nature, though he is already cold like a wineskin, but prays that by God's mercy there may be judgment on his enemies. The Lord gave this power of judgment to his apostles, saying: "Behold, I have given you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy." The prophet had not yet heard this voice of the Lord abiding in the body; but he prays that this power be given him, that such a judgment be established for him against his persecutors. For he is tempted on every side: since the material of vices is inborn in him through the nature of the body and the devil tries to kindle it with the heat of desire, and since he suffers the impious voices of the irreligious, and the profane disputations and mad speeches of the nations against God.

Therefore in what follows he says: "The wicked told me of exercises, but not as your law." For how many there are who claim to teach certain rules of human life, while they kindle toward the virtues of the world the efforts of our soul that would more rightly serve God! How many too there are who, lying that they have knowledge of the divine Scriptures, preach perverse doctrines! But the prophet, knowing that the perfect learning of human teaching lies in God's law, says: "The wicked told me of exercises, but not as your law." For those who preach these things are wicked. And God's voice forbade the sinner to tell the holy words, because the iniquity of a teaching does not admit the truth. For God said to the sinner: "Why do you declare my righteous acts and take my covenant in your mouth? But you have hated discipline and cast my words behind you." So the prophet does not bear these exercises, knowing that nothing is to be compared to the telling of the law.

Then he added: "All your judgments are truth; the wicked have persecuted me; help me." Whoever persecutes the just must persecute wickedly, because wickedness is the effect of unjust action. The apostle too knows this wickedness of persecutions, when he says: "All who wish to live devoutly in Christ will suffer persecution." For many are the tribulations of the righteous. Now Satan harasses, now his ministers attack, now the pretense of false brothers creeps in to do harm by the art of harassment. But the prophet, who remembers that God's commandments are truth, bears the persecution of unjust wickedness with a faithful mind. And because he knows that persecution is the proof of faith, he does not pray for it to be removed from him; but he asks to be helped in it, and he prays for the aid and help of God, not ignorant of this gospel saying: "Whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me."

Truth, then, is in God's precepts. Truth has nothing false, nothing uncertain, nothing imperfect. But persecution directed at the just is wicked. For wickedness must hate truth; but help for truth comes from God. He remembers that these troubles from persecutors are heavy, but because they are useful to the just, he does not think they should be removed. For peace is dangerous for faith, and those on careless watch are easy prey. But a man exercised in wars is not soon caught by tricks; and there is need of a glorious contest for a crown to be awarded. For this reason he does not pray for the cause of the contest to be taken from him, but for help to conquer to be granted.

He remembers that he is in no light battle of temptations. For there follows: "They almost finished me on the earth; but I did not forsake your commandments." Unjust persecutions brought the prophet almost to the end of his faith, namely those we mentioned above, the spiritual powers in the heavenly places, which urge us to bodily vices by the enticements of desires they thrust upon us. So the prophet was almost finished on the earth, that is, cast down into the vices and sins of bodies. For as there is a finishing of good things, so also of evil. But though these most destructive enemies and persecutors assailed him, he did not forsake God's commandments; and though weakened by the frailty of his nature, he remains in God's precepts, remaining in God's commandments all the more gloriously as the weakness of his nature is greater.

Then he concludes in his manner of modesty and hope, saying: "According to your mercy give me life, and I will keep the testimonies of your mouth." He prays to be given life as one not yet living, and he promises to keep the testimonies of God's mouth as though he does not keep them now. But though he lives in the body, he looks for the life not of this age; and though he keeps God's testimonies in the law, yet he promises to keep the testimonies of God's mouth, which, renewed by the gospel precepts, make complete by the sanctification of faith alone those who abstain not only from adultery but also from the desire for adultery: through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the mouth and right hand and power and wisdom of God, blessed for ever and ever. Amen.

It does not befit the prophet's discourse to linger on lowly and common things, but always to treat lofty things worthy of God, and in such a way that, while it trains us in the observance of innocence, it also raises the lowliness of our mind to the understanding of divine and invisible mysteries. Nor indeed would human weakness carry itself into heavenly knowledge unless, God granting the gift of knowledge through the teaching of the Spirit, it were trained to the knowledge even of an inscrutable nature. So the prophet, wishing to make us excellent and complete and worthy of God, and knowing that it is laid up for human hope that it should come into heavenly glory if it kept discipline, began thus: "For ever, Lord, your word abides in heaven."

He says "in heaven" because he knows that on earth, because of falsehood, it does not abide. And how it abides in heaven is seen by the very faith of contemplation, as it were. There is no transgression there, no change, no weakness, no idleness. Let us look at the yearly course of the sun and the monthly return of the moon, and the stations or turnings or changes of the stars: are they not held within their bounds and fixed limits and decreed alternations? Nothing there is changed, nothing put off, nothing neglected; but it remains in the law of its establishment and perseveres in unwearying service.

But the prophet kept this distinction of things that will end and of offices, saying: "For ever, Lord, your word abides in heaven." Certain Latin translators rendered this with an ambiguous and less proper meaning. For what with them is εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα was translated among us "eternal, Lord." It can be taken so as to mean that what is eternal ends with no end. But saeculum, which is αἰών in Greek, is contained within the space of a defined time. For he does not say "into eternity" nor "for ever and ever," but "for the age your word abides." He knows that after this age heaven and earth pass away, as the Lord says: "Truly I say to you, heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." He remembers too that this age will pass away, so that there may be a new heaven and a new earth. Therefore he says: "For the age, Lord, your word abides in heaven": because after this age, when heaven passes away, it will not be necessary for this word established in the creatures, which await the revelation of the sons of God, to abide.

But it is not for that reason that the word of God is never on earth, although the prophet declares only that it abides in heaven. For there is none of us who does not sometimes feel the gift of spiritual grace, who does not at some time have God's word in him, when he is sober, when calm, when continent, when kindly, when merciful: for when we are in these things, God's word abides in us, while we serve his precepts of good things. But when the movements of troubled feelings creep in, when care for money comes on, when the heat of shameful desire is kindled, when anger is stirred, when drunkenness is longed for, God's word no longer abides in us. But it is in those who, according to the apostle, having put off the old man with his sins, put on the new, who, having died with Christ and been buried with him, have already risen into newness and been seated in the heavenly places, who, having left the image of the earthly, bear the image of the heavenly: in these, as in heaven, God's word abides, in whom this word is not offended by anger, drunkenness, hatred, unbelief, lusts. For even if it sometimes abides, it does not bear these insults to its dwelling so as to remain always within. If the vices mentioned are always in us, it will not even deign to visit the polluted dwellings of our bodies.

But it is near to each one, as it is said: for the word of God stands at the door and knocks at the door of our soul and says: "Behold, standing before the door I knock; if anyone opens the door to me, I will come in to him." So it always wants to come in; but it is shut out by us so that it does not come in. For through these vices of the body we close the entrance of our soul. If the soul begins to open, all things being cleansed, at once it will come in, like the sun, which is kept from coming in when the shutters of the window are closed, but is let in wholly when they are open. It is always ready to give light, but the house itself shuts out the light by barring its entrances. For the word of God is the sun of righteousness standing by each one to come in, and it does not delay to pour in its light when it finds an entrance. So this word of God abides in the heavens through the unwearying obedience of heavenly things. By this example we must believe that God's word abides also in the saints, who are heavenly according to the image.

"Your truth is to generation and generation." This verse that follows confirms the twofold understanding of our sense, by which we think that God's word abides both in heaven and in holy men. For he does not say "to generation of generation" or "from generations of generations," but "to generation and generation is your truth." He mentions each generation in a simple meaning. So there are two generations in two peoples, of which one is of the law and the prophets, the other of the gospels and the apostles. God's truth, then, abides in these two generations alone. But when the former generation had God's truth within it, no other had it then. For there were many generations of nations and peoples. And now, since this same generation proved unworthy to have God's truth in it, no other generation has this same truth of God besides the one that believed the gospels.

Then follows: "You founded the earth, and it will abide." It would have suited the order for the earth to be named next after heaven; but I think this middle part, namely "your truth is to generation and generation," came between for this reason, that the twofold understanding of heaven, in which God's word abides, might be confirmed. Now, then, the order is kept as though unbroken, since after heaven, in which the word of God abides, the earth that was founded will abide. And indeed this may perhaps be understood as said also of this earth, which, founded, abides, which according to Solomon God founded by wisdom: since, though it is laid over the nature of the waters and floats on an unstable element spread beneath it, yet it was so founded by the wisdom, power, and Spirit of God that it abides. But to me the prophetic word seems also to have spoken of the earth of the human body, which was so founded that the word of God may abide in it as in heaven. For heaven will pass away; and how will this earth, once founded, abide? Unless perhaps, founded in this age, it is to abide only in it, that is, abide according to the constitution of this age. But if it is to abide, by which word it is meant to abide for ever, it must be believed that the earth founded and abiding is that of those generations for whom, because of God's truth abiding in them, the heavenly glory of these now earthly bodies is being prepared. And this can be understood more fully from the following verse.

For he says: "By your ordinance the day continues, for all things serve you." This day which now is does not continue, being taken away by the coming of night. Or if he had spoken of the times of this day, it would have been fitting to mention the night too, which persists by God's ordinance just as the day does. But because day is light, and every holy man is the light of this world, the day of this light is believed without doubt to continue by God's ordinance and to be going to continue, because all things serve God. For now not all things serve God. Do sinners too serve God? Do those also serve who are still to be put under the footstool of the Lord's feet? For David said: "The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet." And according to the apostle: "He must reign until he puts his enemies under his feet." So the day, that is, the light of the saints, will then abide, when all things serve God.

And these things we have recalled according to the prophetic and apostolic teaching, so that, although in the present sayings the time of future goods is understood to be signified, in which there will be both a new heaven and a new earth and the glory of bodies to be changed, and, when the nights of earthly vices are abolished, the day of our light will answer to our hope and expectation; yet all the creations of this world too may testify to the magnificence of God by the unchangeable order of their offices, since all things are so established, founded, and set that they persevere in the perpetual courses, in which they will remain, of the times appointed from the beginning.

But the prophet asks to continue like the day, and remembers that he is now the servant of his Lord, saying: "Unless your law had been my meditation, I would perhaps have perished in my humiliation." We have often noted that humiliation means this: when the soul is subjected to temptations and, left to its weakness, is made lowly. So the law is his meditation; and had it not been his meditation, he might perhaps have perished in humiliation. So meditation on God's law is not to be abandoned when we are afflicted; but when we are harassed by various weaknesses of body and amid the wars of persecutions, the meditation on the law must be constant in us. Though fires burn for the destruction of faith, though scourges tear, to the peril of our safety, bodies redeemed by God, even to extract a confession of impiety, we must still remember the prophetic saying, so as to be his companions. Let us too, enduring and conquering, say: "Unless your law had been my meditation, I would perhaps have perished in my humiliation." And the prophet recalled the blessedness of this meditation already at the beginning of the Psalms, saying: "Blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the impious, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of pestilence; but his will was in the law of the Lord, and on his law he will meditate day and night." And truly blessed will be whoever meditates on God's law, by which meditation he will be preserved even in the humiliation of tribulations.

Then follows: "For ever I will not forget your justifications, because in them you have given me life." The prophet knows, according to the apostle, that Christ is the end of the law, in which the observance of the justifications was established; he knows too that the law is for those who will believe, he knows that the righteous man lives by faith, he knows that the law is spiritual, he knows that whoever does the things that are in the law will live by them; and therefore he says: "For ever I will not forget your justifications, because in them you have given me life": so that, although the gospel faith is to be preached when the works of the law are finished, yet he may not be unmindful of the justifications of the law, which were a beginning for him, because the justification of the law is the beginning of justification and of faith.

Steadfastly, since no forgetfulness of God's justifications can creep upon him, he professed what follows, saying: "I am yours; save me, because I have sought out your justifications." The voice of this profession does not suit everyone, and rare is the one who dares to call himself God's. He will certainly dare who said, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain," and, "I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me." And those who are like this faith will not shamelessly confess that they are God's. This voice belongs to a soul always intent on God; this is the work of one unmoved, of fasting, of almsgiving. For how will one profess that he is God's who burns with lust, is quick to anger, anxious for gain, thirsty for drunkenness, empty in pursuit of worldly glory? He will rather belong to these, not to God. For in whom these vices of passion abound, how will he not belong to those whom he serves? Many are the gods of the nations; but for Paul there is one God, from whom are all things, and one Lord, our Jesus, through whom are all things. So the prophet steadfastly confesses that he belongs to him whom alone he serves; and because he is his, he prays to be saved. And he is his because he seeks out his justifications. While others seek the glory of the world, others fields, houses, money, he seeks out God's righteous acts and glories that he is God's.

But there is great hatred of the irreligious toward such pious and religious men. And the prophet knows that whoever professes himself God's is hateful either to men of the world or to the devil and his ministers. He teaches this too in the following verse, in which he says: "Sinners waited for me to destroy me; I have understood your testimonies." The devil's or his ministers' fight is to take away all the glory of the faithful man and not to let him remain in God's portion, but to take him into the fellowship of their own damnation. So a long and lasting battle is fought against the prophet's faith. But he, mindful of God's commandments and understanding his testimonies, resisted and persevered. And he frustrated the hope of those who waited for his destruction in no other way than by understanding that his teaching lay in God's testimonies. But it is hard and difficult to understand God's testimonies, and the understanding of them goes beyond the knowledge of present learning. We already treated of testimonies at the beginning of the psalm. For through these present testimonies of the law the knowledge of the eternal testimonies is granted. And the following verse shows this very thing.

"Of all consummation I have seen the end." We have often noted that satisfaction cannot be given from the Latin translation. For the force of this saying as expressed in Greek is different; for it is thus: πάσης συντελείας εἶδον πέρας. What is named among the Greeks is beyond the end of appointed things and is not held by anything so as to cease, but goes beyond every limit with an unbounded meaning. But what is written among us as "end" is thought to be contained within the end that is meant. But the prophet, who does not understand the testimonies of the law as bodily or earthly, looks beyond every consummation, according to the Greek meaning. He knows that there is a consummation of the times of the law, when after the fullness of times God was to be seen in a body; but he sees beyond this consummation; for he sees the time of hope. And the consummation of this too is not unknown to him; for he stretches his eyes beyond it. For he also sees the consummation of the resurrection; and he knows that there is an order of change appointed, as the apostle says: "But each in his own order," and again: "All indeed will rise, but not all will be changed." He knows too the days of the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we shall be carried into the kingdom of God the Father and transferred into those unsearchable judgments of God. He knows too that there is a time of judgment. And it was granted him to know this from the breadth of God's commandments, because the divine word has spread itself into the teaching of knowledge.

For he says: "Your commandment is exceedingly broad." It is plainly broad, whether because it stretches the knowledge of human ignorance into the infinite, or because there are many ways in which God's precepts are obeyed and he is pleased, according to the divisions and gifts of graces. For not all things are expected from all, nor can all fulfil all things to the full measure of pleasing. One pleases by fasting, another wins favor by simplicity of faith, another redeems his vices by almsgiving, another completes himself by love; just as to one the power of healing is granted, to another the knowledge of prophecy is given, to another firmness of faith, to another wisdom and knowledge. So God's commandment is broad and spreads into all kinds of our hope, so that it is not hard, if the will is there, to obey God's precept, since it is broad and spread out for pleasing by the variety of religion. And not only broad, but exceedingly broad: the infinity of its breadth being shown by this very addition. Amen.