(Verse 13, 14.) It follows: But for my innocence you have received me and have confirmed me in your sight forever. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from eternity to eternity. Let it be, let it be. The innocent harms no one, sins against no one. Therefore, without sin, without deceit, Christ is marked by the authority of divine Scripture. This is therefore declared here, where it says: But for my innocence you have received me. But what does "susceptio" signify? For we also read elsewhere: You have taken me out of the womb of my mother (Psalm 138, 13). Therefore, because the world is born from every conception of human generation, he who is born of the Spirit and the Virgin was taken by the Father; because there was no customary bodily generation to stain his origin. He was taken as he rose again; because no offense of falling tarnished him. He returned immaculate to the Father, from whom he departed immaculate; when he descended to earth. Where the Father says to him, 'You are my Son, today I have begotten you' (Psalm 2:7); this means, I recognize in you the privilege of my generation, which no stain of sin could defile. You have lived among sinners, you have borne the sins of all, you have become sin for all, you have become a curse for all; but no taint of sin could pass onto you. Thus you have lived among sinners, as if you were among angels. You made the earth to be what the heavens are; so that there you would remove sin. Today I have begotten you, in whom I am well pleased. You have proven yourself to be the Son, who fulfilled the Father's will in all things. Today I have begotten you, in whom I recognize the light of the spotless offspring. Yesterday and today you are the same, and forever. There is no night in you, for you are all day. Well confirmed in the sight of the Father, you are said to be eternal; for you are always with the Father: truly in his sight, whose splendor is glory, and the image of his substance. But just as the Father is pleased with the Son, so also the Son blesses the Father. For the Father honors the Son, and the Son honors the Father.
Blessed is the Lord God of Israel; that is, the God of a people who see, who both believe in their Lord and God. From age to age: let it be done, let it be done. In Hebrew it is said: Amen, amen; as those who have read the book written in Hebrew letters assert. In Greek, in this place, it is said γένοιτο, γένοιτο: which means, Let it be done, let it be done. This word has various meanings, sometimes as a command, sometimes as a prayer, sometimes as a confirmation of something: it is a command when the superior determines for the inferior what should be done or followed: it is a prayer, as in this: Let your will be done (Matthew 6:10); for no one commands God, but pours out a prayer: it is a confirmation when a prophet, or a priest, or a saint blesses, and the people respond: Let it be done, let it be done. Therefore, this seems to me more of a confirmation of blessing than a prayer or supplication, especially because it is a repetition of the speech itself. And it seems that the Hebrew language has changed, but the same meaning is expressed. For just as when a priest blesses, the people respond with 'amen', confirming the blessing to themselves, which the priest prays for from the Lord on behalf of the people, so in the psalm the response is: 'Let it be done, let it be done', as if saying: 'Amen, amen'. The word 'Amen', however, clearly indicates confirmation in the Gospel, where the Lord, confirming his own words, says: 'Amen, I say to you' (Matthew 19:23). But the major force is when the word is repeated; which we more frequently find in the book of the Gospel according to John; because he himself spoke especially about heavenly and profound mysteries; as it is written: Amen, amen I say to you; unless one is born again of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God (John 3:5). And elsewhere: Amen, amen I say to you; if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you (John 16:23). There are plenty of examples, but if anyone seeks the rest, they will find them.
Also an indication is given of the finished book: Let it be done, let it be done. For the psalter is seen to be divided into five books. The first book is finished with this psalm, that is, the fortieth. And beautifully, up to the passion of the Savior, the fortieth psalm is included, which would give an end to the book, since the passion of the Lord is the end of Lent: so that the second book would begin with the mysteries of renewal, which book, being about lent, includes more perfect sacraments. For it foreshadows the sacraments of baptism, when it says: 'As the deer longs for the fountains of water' (Psalm 41:2); and the rest of the saints who have reached the heavenly tabernacle; and the descent of the Holy Spirit, when the grace of the Spirit was poured out in a voice of heavenly waterfalls; for the Spirit was carried by great power, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:2); and the entrance of the renewed man to the altar; and the ascent of the Savior; and the sanctification of the proposed virginity. This book ends with the seventy-first psalm, in which the peaceful kingdom of Christ is proclaimed to be spread throughout the entire world by prophetic discourse, as well as the forgiveness of sins. After he had preceded with the blessing of the Lord, he added: And let the whole earth be filled with his glory: Let it be, let it be (Psalm 71, 19). The third book also ends with the eighty-eighth psalm; and there it says: Blessed be the Lord forever: Let it be, let it be (Psalm 88, 53). The fourth book ends with the one hundred fifth psalm, where it says: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from eternity to eternity; and let all the people say: Amen, amen (Psalm 105, 48). The fifth book also comes to an end; where the Prophet says with this word: Let every spirit praise the Lord (Psalm 150, 6).
But perhaps it may again trouble you how I assert that there are five books when there is only one Psalter. But also, there is only one Gospel, and we cannot deny that there are four books. However, we have already indicated that there is one Gospel elsewhere (Book 1 in Luke, in the preface), if I am not mistaken; and if it is demanded again, we can easily explain, since the Savior has said: Amen I say to you, wherever this Gospel is preached (Matthew 26:13). And the Apostle says, 'I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ' (Galatians 1:6-7). And elsewhere he declares, 'Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you' (1 Corinthians 15:1). And you will find nowhere else four books that pertain to this Body, except the Gospel. Finally, because the psalms also form one body, Scripture says, 'On the ten-stringed harp, with the full sound of the lyre' (Psalm 92:4). But again, because there are five books, he said elsewhere: In the vessels of the Psalms (Psal. LXX, 22).
But beautifully five books and one Psalter; because a man is vivified by the five exterior senses: and again that hidden man of our heart is consummated by the five spiritual senses, who alone is found rich before God by the testimony of Peter the Apostle (1 Peter 3:4). He who has, he says, ears for hearing, let him hear (Luke 8:8). You have five senses. And just as there are those who have eyes and do not see; so there are those who are thought to see more than those who do not have eyes. And so the prophets were called seers, even those who did not see with their eyes. Also that sweet fragrance, of which the Apostle said: We are the sweet fragrance of Christ to God (2 Corinthians 2:15). Therefore Job also says: And the divine Spirit, which is in my nostrils (Job 27:3). Therefore, the same fragrance of Christ is the Holy Spirit to God; because there is one fragrance of the Trinity. And there is also inner food, of which the Lord said: My food is to do the will of my Father who is in heaven (John 4:34). There is also an interior touch, by which that woman in the Gospel who had been flowing blood for twelve years touched Christ, and had not received healing from physicians; but she received it from Christ. It is a touch of faith, as often as Christ is touched. Finally, men did not see her, but Jesus saw her, and he testified that he had seen her, saying: Someone touched me; for I also knew that power had gone out from me (Luke 8:46). Knowledge of Christ is the obtaining of health. Therefore, since it is evident that man possesses ten senses, David, who both sang outwardly and inwardly, outwardly with his body and inwardly with his heart, says in the psalm: 'I will sing to you on the ten-stringed harp.' (Psalm 143:9).
Therefore, the Psalter is a person perfected in Christ; in whom, just as the threads of the strings of a harp are skillfully interwoven, so too the virtuous deeds of those who live in harmony resound, so that they can say: I will praise you, O God, on the holy harp of Israel; my lips will rejoice when I sing to you, and my soul, which you have redeemed (Psalm 70:24-25). Paul says of himself: Outside are battles, within are fears (2 Corinthians 7:5). He rejoices both inwardly and outwardly: but the former is still in the struggle, the latter in peace; because he knew that he had deserved the redemption of his soul. The one who sings is in joy: the one who wrestles is in worry. But even Paul knew how to sing: but he still reserved himself for the right times, when he would be more fully proven, in order to sing; and therefore he said: I will pray in spirit, I will pray in mind: I will sing in spirit, I will sing in mind (I Cor. XIV, 15).
And because he demonstrated the twofold duty of chanting, Scripture also teaches that there is a twofold voice, as the Prophet says: With my voice I cried out to the Lord, and my voice cried out to God, and he listened to me (Psalm 76:2). What is mine? For he could have said: I cried out to the Lord. But what is our voice? Unless it is the one that is better, which does not know how to err? For we fall into sin from excessive talking, and we cannot avoid it. That voice of the Prophet is the one that reaches God, the one that cried out to the Lord when Moses was silent. It is the same voice that Anna also cried out with in her prayers, even though she did not move the lips of her mouth, and she obtained a son, whom she had not obtained for a long time, when she cried out with the voice of her body. About this voice, the Lord said: But you, when you pray, go into your room, and closing the door, pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you (Matt. 6:6). What does 'will reward' mean? It means that He will grant what you pleaded for, what you prayed for. For just as sinners receive their sins doubled from the hand of the Lord, so on the contrary, the righteous receive their own requests with heartfelt affection. Listen to how they receive them. Your prayer ascends to God and descends to you. Hence, in the Psalm, we read: 'And my prayer shall turn into my bosom' (Ps. XXXIV, 13), that is, it shall bring forth fruit for the one who asks. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who has revealed such great mysteries to us: from age to age, that is, from infinity to infinity: Let it be done, let it be done.
On Psalm 44, Commentary
(Verse 1.) The title of this psalm is: To the end, for the sons of Core, understanding. In which the mysteries of the Lord's Passion, Baptism, and entrance to the most holy altar are recounted, the holy prophet David teaches how Christ exercises his athlete, whose name is held in the contest of the saints. For just as without our effort, not by works but by faith through his grace, he has granted us forgiveness of sins and generously admitted us to seek the crown, and has not allowed our previous sins to harm us, by which we would be judged unworthy in such a great contest (for discipline of life is also sought even in those who undergo this cleansing contest), so again this psalm reminds us that many and weighty contests are set before us, so that no one is crowned except the one who has competed lawfully. Therefore, we must fight against the allurements of this flesh and the heat of the blood: we must fight against spiritual wickedness. No one has a more serious domestic adversary; no one is more harmful than that enemy to whom the power of heavenly substance supports. When I say no one, remember the divine discourse in which the Lord said: Among those born of women, no one is greater than John the Baptist (Matthew 11:11). For he who is born of a Virgin is above all. And so, we fear no one who has Christ; for if Christ is for us, who can be against us? Let us strive, therefore, to the end; that, with all things removed that fought against the will of Jesus and the Lord in our former body, we may serve with true exercises of virtue, serving our God and Lord alone. For this is the end, as it is written: Christ is the firstfruits . . . . . then the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God and the Father; when he has destroyed every Principality and Power and Virtue. . . . so that death might be destroyed forever (1 Corinthians 15:23 et seq.), and we may begin to be subject to God, maintaining the heavenly kingdom within us, where it existed before the flood of sins.
Therefore, rightly so, the psalm is inscribed to the sons of Korah, so that in understanding it, not ordinary hearing but spiritual understanding may operate. Finally, Aquila placed the psalm in the discipline. And therefore Scripture says to you: Give your heart to discipline; and prepare your ears for words of understanding (Prov. 23:12). And elsewhere: Love wisdom and discipline (Prov. 1:3). Wisdom is that which overflows with intelligence: discipline is a certain disposition of nature combined with the form of virtues, and confirmed by the judgment of the mind through the teachings of knowledge. It is also through the understanding of obscure speech and the wisdom of words, as well as the riddles of Proverbs, that Scripture teaches us. By its authority, we gather that these are the main virtues of wisdom: because wisdom always gives birth like a fruitful mother, discipline is like a strict teacher, understanding is like a diligent seeker who finds, and it searches for true justice and judgment.
Let us learn these sacred testimonies of reading. Wisdom says: I am like a fountain in paradise, I said: I will water my garden . . . and still I will pour forth doctrine like prophecy (Eccli. XXIV, 41, 42 and 46). For wisdom instills into the mind of man, good senses, as a pious mother. Also, receive the testimonies of discipline: My son, do not neglect the discipline of God, and do not be discouraged when He corrects you (Prov. III, 11 and 12); for whom God loves, He corrects. Indeed, discipline is severe in reprimanding, but sweet in correcting; so that we may not wander and go astray, but be received by Christ. For undisciplined behavior wanders, as it is written. But for the sake of preservation, discipline is established here. However, just like wisdom, discipline is called both perfect and imperfect by the same name: but when they are called without any qualification, either discipline or wisdom, they receive the definition of perfection. Therefore, undisciplined knowledge flows away, but disciplined knowledge does not flow away. The same Scripture also defines intellect, because a good intellect is for all who make use of it (Psalm CX, 10): but an intellect, since it has grace of wisdom and order of discipline in itself; surely we are taught that both wisdom and discipline are good for those who carry out their teachings in their ministries. We have spoken about the title, let us adore the psalm.
(Verse 2.) We have heard, O God, with our ears; thus Symmachus [says]: Theodotion [has] spoken in our ears; just as also the Seventy. What does he mean by saying, with our ears? And if it were not enough to say, we have heard, certainly if this had pleased [him]: With our ears we have heard, it was full. Therefore, when it is added, our [ears], what does this mean; except that you understand those [things] to be ours, which are of the mind; and those [things] to be better, than those [that are] of this body? And therefore, as it were speaking of another, the same Prophet here says: I will not fear what flesh can do unto me (Psalm 55:5). And elsewhere: I cried unto the Lord with my voice, even unto God with my voice, and He gave ear unto me (Psalm 76:2). That voice of mine which is heard by Christ is not that which resounds in public. Therefore, He does not desire as His own that which is corruptible and earthly, who remembers that he was created in the image and likeness of God. Finally, Scripture teaches us that man was first formed in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), and afterwards made from clay (Genesis 2:7). Therefore, as a superior (for the superior is older), and as the ruler and governor of this corporeal soul, the power says: 'With our ears we have heard.' Who is this, if not the one of whom it is said: 'He who has ears to hear, let him hear' (Luke 8:8)? For there are those who have ears but cannot hear the mysteries, of whom Jesus speaks in the Revelation of John: 'Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons' (Revelation 22:15); for the desire for wickedness and the corrosion of money block the ear from hearing. Let us therefore consider what they say they have heard, or from whom they say they have heard.
And our fathers, he said, have announced to us. Who are these fathers of ours? The inscription says that the psalm was written by the sons of Korah, so that it may be sung by them, who had received the gift of singing and had been appointed to this office. But Korah and Dathan and Abiram, along with others who rose up against Moses and Aaron in rebellious zeal, were swallowed up by the earth in the desert and killed. With them dead, who were the other fathers of their sons who could announce the wonderful works of the Lord? For wisdom does not enter a malicious soul. If therefore fathers have not announced to their sons, much less strangers, who have avoided the offspring of traitors. So who are these fathers? See lest they are those of whom it is said: Ask your father, he himself will tell you (Deut. XXXII, 7). Ask when you read Paul: or if you do not read, and something moves you, seek in him. For he is the good father, who can teach and form in us the Lord Jesus; as he himself testified, saying: My little children, whom I bear; until Christ is formed in you (Galat. IV, 19). John the Evangelist shows you these fathers, saying: I say to you, fathers, who have known him who is from the beginning (1 John 2:13). These are the fathers, whose old age is blameless. Therefore, place your finger on your mouth in the assembly of elders, so that you may hear what is profitable for you, and may know the sacraments of eternal life: lest, being an insolent novice, you disrupt the teachers, and presume to speak before you have learned. Therefore, let us hear what these fathers have proclaimed to the children of Core.
He said: I will do a work in the days of old. Let us inquire which are those days in which God has done great and wonderful things. And the Scripture teaches us that there are some notable days in which divine deeds have shone forth: when it is said that the sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes. And it will be, whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved (Joel 2:31-32). For on this very day Christ rose from the dead, and therefore it is specifically said of him: This is the day which the Lord has made: let us rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24). Since God has made all the days, this day, however, has been given the prerogative of divine work above the others, by which all sin is taken away. But other days belong to sin. Therefore, this is the day which the sun of righteousness has illumined. For even it is accustomed to have its rising and setting. And it is written: 'In his days shall righteousness flourish' (Psalm 72:7). Therefore there are days of Christ in which righteousness has arisen: there are days of Christ in which abundance of peace has arisen: there are days of Christ in which wisdom has arisen. Hear how wisdom arises: 'If any man among you seem to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise' (1 Corinthians 3:18). And thus Wisdom says, which has chosen the foolishness of this world: 'The Lord created me the beginning of his ways in his works' (Proverbs 8:22). For just as in the days of King Uzziah and in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, wickedness arose and captivity reigned; so in the days of the Lord Jesus, faith arose, which spreads the splendor of its brightness and light throughout the whole world. For what days are better than those in which the vision of God has shone upon us, as Jacob said? For it is written: I have seen God face to face, and my soul has been saved. And immediately the sun arose for him (Genesis 32:30-31). Who is this sun, if not the one who made the day shine with righteousness, on which Christ was born from the Virgin? Jacob saw it in a vision and said that he has seen God: in truth, the Jews saw and did not believe. Therefore, their days were shortened, while ours were illuminated; because their days were lacking, ours were approaching. Hence, the holy David, escaping Jewish blindness, said: Do not lead me into the half of my days (Psalm 101, 25). For this day of the Lord is great and shining, not indeed by the length of time, but by the clarity of justice or grace. Therefore there are half days, in which the days are shortened by the darkness of impiety and the filth of perfidy, in which the sun sets upon the prophets (Micah 3:6), as it is written. For just as the sun rises for the just, so it sets for the unbelievers.
But this happens because the Lord says: For the sake of the elect, the days will be shortened (Matthew 24:22). And it seems contrary, unless you carefully take notice and repeat the preceding words; for the Lord says: Then if anyone says to you: Look, here is the Christ, or, Look, there he is, do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise, and they will perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if it were possible, even the elect (Ibid., 23 and 24). And so, in order that the chosen ones may not be deceived, the Lord warns what must be followed; that we may not be captivated by the words of false prophets, nor deceived by any of their miraculous actions: but then we may believe that Christ is coming, when the days of full righteousness begin to shine forth. For Christ will be revealed with the full brightness of His majesty; and just as lightning comes forth from the east and spreads its light throughout the entire world unto the west: so also will the Son of Man, coming with His angels, illuminate this world; that every man may believe and every flesh may be saved. Therefore, let us not believe in the Antichrist, about whom false prophets will say: This is Christ; for the days of treachery will be the days of the Antichrist. Let us not believe those who say: Christ is in the desert, Christ is in the inner chambers; for now all things are full of Christ, where Christ begins to approach. But when we see the deeds that Christ predicted in his Gospel, then let us believe in his coming; lest while we seek the true light, we fall into the darkness of unbelief.
Therefore, the signs of perfidy must be looked out for, by which the days are shortened and diminished. For the sun will be darkened, stars will fall, that is, the just of God; for they shine like stars in the sky. When you see these things, still believe in the delay of Christ; for where Christ is, there is a clearer faith: where Antichrist is, there are half-days; concerning which, surely David the prophet would not complain if it seemed to refer to the brevity of time; since he himself has said elsewhere: Alas for me, because my sojourning has been prolonged (Ps. 119:5)! For how could he mourn either the celestial dwelling that was delayed and settled upon, or this earthly dwelling that was limited, when he had previously asked not to be brought through the half of his days; since the brevity of days seemed to bring a shortcut to the swift course of that progression? From this it is concluded and that which he says: Honor your father and mother, so that you may be long-lived upon the earth (Exod. XX, 12); how should we understand it? For many who honor, are often quickly snatched away, so that they die in their premature age: many also who show less deference to their parents, enjoy the long-lasting rewards of old age; and unless we receive that longevity of life as a support for eternal life, the Scripture is found to be lacking aid of truth. Where the Greek expressed it more explicitly: That you may be of many days, that is, πολυήμερος. For whoever diligently keeps the pious cult's duty, is alien to the darkness of night and turns in the light of days. And therefore, whoever reads Deuteronomy: Let him read it, he says, all the days of his life (Deut. XVII, 19); not only at night, but during the day; because the day shines for the reader the mysteries of truth and oracles of divine piety. Let us consider the following.
(Verse 3.) Your hand has scattered the nations and planted them: You have afflicted peoples and driven them out. Indeed, we know that the Lord has uprooted and overthrown many nations, so that the people of the Jews might find possession for themselves, the lands of which the Lord declared He would give to the descendants of Abraham. But when this psalm announces the Gospel of the Lord and the times of His coming, it does not seem to me to recount what has been done by the Jews, but rather to indicate what will happen in the future, as the people of the nations would believe. Therefore, it confirms the trust of the Church before it proclaims, and it enumerates the victories of its piety: which did not expel nations with its arm or with its sword, and did not scatter hostile troops in battle, but peacefully and faithfully possessed the lands of its enemies without any bloodshed; for it is faith alone that fought. And therefore, it deserved triumphs that would not be recalled by treachery, but increased; because the Church of the Lord is not conquered by its persecutions, but proven. So let us understand which peoples the Church has conquered. I speak of ancient names, but new mysteries. There are the Canaanites, the Khetites, and the Amorites, the Perizzites, or the Kerethites, whose names we will explain later. However, these are not only the names of peoples; they also represent the weaknesses of human passions, the motives of sinful actions, and the disgrace of sins. Therefore, the first thing is that in Christ, man has subdued himself and conquered himself, in order to live for himself. For he lives for himself who lives for God; so that he may live the eternal life of Christ. Therefore, the people of the Church did not fight with military weapons and iron weapons, as the people of the Jews fought. The former fought in form, we fight in spirit: the former fought against foreigners, we ourselves have war within us; and therefore, we must first conquer the passions of our own bodies.
Listen to the apostle Paul fighting against the Canaanite nation: 'I see,' he says, 'a law in my flesh fighting against the law of my mind and making me a captive to the law of sin' (Romans VII, 23). Now our flesh rises up, now it falls. It lifts up the mind, it casts down the power; and where it sees itself pressed, it abandons constancy and is led to subjection under the law of sin, so that it may abandon faith, succumb to treachery, and, lacking the rule of Chastity, yield to falsehood, serve crime, and acquiesce in error; and speak bitter words for sweet, like the Amorite. For faith is sweet, but treacherous is perfidy. Therefore, Peter expressed excellently what faith is by saying: Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we believe (John VI, 69 and 70); so how can you command us to leave you? Captivated by the sweetness of heavenly words, he did not want to depart from Christ. But whoever denies Christ, he himself separates or is separated from Christ. Neither the cunning disputations of the Amorites, which through philosophy deceive some with falsehood: nor the vile rejection of the Jebusites, who submit themselves and lay down their secular course, which cannot be eternal; but falls at the gates of death, of which the exalted Prophet David rejoices (Psalm IX, 15): nor the Cinaeans, who are possessed by their wealth; with an insatiable covetous desire: nor the Cenezeans, who think that possession in riches is eternal, and establish their vain hope in perishable things, and boast in empty opinion: nor the Raphaim, who profess to bring medicines to others, when they cannot cure their own wounds; and therefore if anyone seeks refuge with such a physician, it is necessary that he first consume all his wealth before receiving the benefit of health; as that woman in the Gospel (Luke VIII, 43 and 44) who for twelve years could not stop the flow of carnal pleasures until she turned to Christ. For it is understood that no physician is perfect unless he has come down from heaven, of whom it is said: He sent his word and healed them (Psalm 107:20); and it is noted about him: Behold I have put my words in your mouth, and I have set you this day over nations and kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to build, and to plant (Jeremiah 1:9-10). For although God frequently spoke through the prophets, he spoke more explicitly in his Son, who, expressing all the power of the Father, said: My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me (John 7:16). Therefore, it was not Jeremiah, who took exile during the time of captivity, but the Lord Jesus eradicated from the inner depths of people's hearts the vices of the Gentiles, the perfidy of nations, and the corrupt opinions of deceitful thoughts, and completely abolished all traces of iniquity. Then He later infused faith and the discipline of self-control, so that the sacraments of virtues would not grow in the vessel of corruption through a confusion of vices.
Hence the Apostle rightly says to you: But death reigned from Adam to Moses (Rom. 5:14). Who is Moses, if not the Law; for he is the interpreter of the Law: but the end of the Law is Christ Jesus. Therefore, sin reigned in this world, and in sin there is a severe and intolerable punishment for sin. Moses indeed taught us to lift our hands to the Lord, establishing the discipline of devout worship. He taught how Amalek, the deceitful speaker, could be overcome; so that we may lift our customs and actions to Christ, and thus be able to destroy disbelief: but if we were to abandon our soul, incline our desire, and turn away from the pursuit of self-control, so that empty persuasion overcame us; there would be no future remedy, unless Jesus, having now raised the arms of Moses, as if to raise the weakness of the Law, sustained us with His mercy. But the assistance of the Law was still weak; unless Jesus himself had come to the earth, who would take our weaknesses upon himself, whom alone our sins could not burden, nor could his hands be inclined: who humbled himself even unto death, and death on a cross, in which, stretching out his hands, he raised up the entire world that was perishing: he lifted up those who were lying down, and drew to himself the faith of all nations, saying to the man: Today you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43). This is therefore to uproot and plant; so that vices may be eradicated and better things may be planted in the hearts of each person. Concerning this, Moses beautifully says in the song of Exodus: Leading them and planting them on the mountain of your inheritance, in your prepared dwelling place (Exod. XV, 17); asking that the Lord may lead his people into that lofty garden of virtue and wisdom, and that they may be planted there in his works, and be instructed in the heavenly teachings, and that in it a dwelling place for his sanctification may be prepared: not by right of inheritance, nor by our own merit or contemplation, but by his grace the Lord is pleased to confer this. For how, when we could not remain, could we return there; unless we were supported by the privilege of eternal redemption?
(Verse 4.) And therefore the Prophet rightly said: 'For they did not possess the land by their sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thy arm, and the light of thy countenance; because thou wast pleased with them.' So, what land is there that is not captured by might, not possessed by sword, except the land of promise, of which the same Prophet himself said: 'I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living' (Psalm 26:13)? Therefore, his possession is not undeservedly so splendid, in which the adversities of the world do not dominate, but the eternal goods of the Lord bear fruit. And so it is not acquired by the sword, but possessed by gentleness, as the Lord Jesus testified, saying: Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:4). Therefore, let no one be contentious, arrogant, or proud; but meek and humble in heart, who claims nothing for himself but refers everything to grace: let him not boast in his own strength, but believe that he is protected by the right hand of God, saying: The right hand of the Lord has done mightily, the right hand of the Lord has exalted me (Psalm 118:16). Also, the sword of God should be remembered as being saved, and also being illuminated by the face of the omnipotent God, in whom Christ is protector, right hand, defender, and sword. Hence, Simeon said to Mary: And a sword shall pierce your own soul (Luke 2:35). For the sword is the Word of God, which passes through even the divisions of the soul and thoughts, sharper than any sword, so that no hidden knowledge may escape it. Christ is also the radiance of the Father's glory, and therefore he says: Whoever sees me, sees the Father (John 14:9); as the splendor of his glory, and the image of his substance. Therefore, all things should rightly be referred to him. Moses himself, Aaron himself, and even the Fathers themselves consecrated everything they had done, so that they might triumph over their enemies. For it was not in his own confidence that Joshua said, 'Sun, stand still over Gibeon' (Joshua 10:12), but because he presumed in Christ, whom he recognized as the leader of the heavenly army, and he worshipped him humbly. Therefore, he deserved to eradicate wild nations and to lead the people of the Fathers into the promised land; because he attributed nothing to his own works, believing that the works of men are unworthy of such heavenly glory, which the Lord established to be conferred more out of his mercy than for the contemplation of our deeds, on those who believe in him. And so Abraham eagerly believed in God, so that he might find the grace of justification with him, which he would place as the reward of his work; for the gifts of the giver are more abundant than the wages of the worker. Therefore, the Lord responded to those who envied the equality of the reward: 'Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?' (Matthew 20:15) Our fathers, as close relatives and heirs of the patriarchs, planted in the land of promise, did not claim this by their own merits. Therefore, neither did Moses bring them in, so that it might not be considered to be of the Law, but of grace; for the Law examines merits, but grace regards faith. Hence, following the faith of the fathers, the Apostle excellently says: 'So then neither is he that planteth any thing, nor he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase' (1 Corinthians 3:7). For it was not Joshua, who brought them in, nor he who planted them; but God, who gave increase to the people, has the principality of glory.
And let it not move you because it was said above: Your hand has destroyed the nations, and you have planted them (Psalm 43:3). For from this you gather that not everyone who plants or waters gives increase, but whoever can give increase, can also plant; just as it is said that the Lord planted the nations. For He Himself planted, who gave the fruit of His planting; but in those who by faith in Christ deserved to please the Lord, to whom alone it is said by the Father God: You are my Son, in you I am well pleased (Mark 1:11). Therefore, those who are participants in Christ receive the grace of pleasing Him. And beautifully He says: 'It pleased you in them;' so that it may seem that distance is preserved by right. For rightly God is pleased in the Son; because He is equal to the Father and is not found lacking in any way, because He pleases by divine right of nature and unity of substance. And rightly the Father is pleased in the Son; because the Father is honored in the Son, just as in the Father is the Son. But in us, God is pleased; because He himself has given to us, so that we may be able to please Him. But even this gift, given specifically to man, Scripture teaches us not to use arrogantly. For it is fitting that those whom He made in His own likeness should please God and that those who were created in His image should possess the privilege of heavenly grace. Therefore, God is pleased with His own image, and He is pleased with those who resemble Him. In them, He bestows His gift and His grace, which will be revealed in its perfection when that perfect state arrives. For when it is revealed who we truly are, we will be like Him, as it is written (1 John 3:2).
(v. 5) Therefore, those who presume not in their own strength, that is, in their own works, but in the grace of God; believing that it is not their own actions that justify each individual, but rather ready faith, say to the Lord: You are my King and my God, who commands the salvation of Jacob. It is not a casual statement to say: You are my King. Not just anyone says this, but rather someone in whom God is King. And where God reigns, sin does not reign; for God does not share His kingdom with evil. But who says 'my God,' except the one who exhibits to him a fullness of reverence and affectionate piety? For it is rightly said, 'I am your God.' Moreover, when Thomas himself touched with his own hand the side of Christ and found indisputable proof of the resurrection, he answered: 'My Lord and my God' (John 20:28). Lord, because he redeemed his servants; God, because he not only rose again, but also raised himself up. But God has entrusted salutations to Jacob; because in every prayer there is salvation: in every dwelling there is also salvation: salvation in the ministries of angels, who are appointed for the protection of human beings. Therefore, by the command of God, salvation is bestowed upon man, not by his own operation. For God preferred that salvation should be sought for by man through faith rather than works, lest anyone should boast in his deeds and incur sin. But whoever boasts in the Lord acquires the fruit of piety and avoids the crime of boasting.
(Verse 6.) Therefore, this is the one who can say: 'We will crush our enemies with your horn.' What does it mean to crush with a horn? The Lord has given horns to many animals so that they can defend themselves against attacks from wild beasts. Therefore, the ox often resists the lion and crushes the bear; even the timid deer defends itself with its horns. The ram also fights off wolves with its horns. Therefore, animals that have horns are said to crush with them. But man does not have horns. So how does he fan? From where? See what the Scripture says: 'In you,' it says, 'we will fan our enemies with horns.' You are our horn, Lord Jesus; and thus, just as we do not rely on our own strength, we also do not have the power to fan with our own horns, but in Christ. For faith has its own horns, which it borrows from Christ. Indeed, we do not read in vain in the blessings of Moses: 'May he come over the head of Joseph like the vision in the burning bush, glorified among his brothers as the firstborn: the beauty of his appearance is like a bull, his horns like the horns of a unicorn; in them, he will fan the nations together to the ends of the earth.' These are the ten thousand of Ephraim, and these are the thousands of Manasseh (Deut. XXXIII, 16 and 17). Who was seen in the bush by Moses, if not the firstborn Son of God, who said: I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob (Exod. III, 6). Therefore, he appeared in human form; because he was coming to be seen by all. Therefore, the bush was burning, and yet not consumed; because he arranged to burn up in the fire of self-discipline the earth which was generating thorns and thistles for us, instead of wasting it away in the agony of death. Where the Prophet says: Burn my kidneys and my heart (Psalm XXV, 2). Therefore, he revealed a certain indication of future corporeal splendor, by which this flesh would shine through resurrection. For what did the harmless fire signify, if not the lights of those who rise again? Hence the Apostle presumes to say, as one star differs from another in brightness, so does the resurrection of the dead (I Cor. XV, 41 and 42). Therefore, he says, let it come upon the head of Joseph; to exalt the head of his people: let it also come upon the crown; to walk upon the crown of hair, cutting off the excesses of sins, sanctifying the ornaments of virtues.
He was glorified among his brothers; as he himself says: I will proclaim your name to my brothers (Psalm 21:23). What greater glory is there than to pour forth the knowledge of divinity into the hearts of nations? Joseph saw in a vision that his brothers would bow down to him, and even the sun and moon with the stars. That bundle of his is understood as a figure of the flesh; for all flesh is grass. Our flesh received this grass, so that it might bring forth its own wheat and the fruit of resurrection. Do you seek evidence? Listen to him saying about himself: Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit (John 12:21). Furthermore, so you know that Moses speaks about the Son of God, he says: He was glorified among his brothers as the firstborn (Deuteronomy 33:17). Indeed, Joseph was not the firstborn among the sons of Jacob, but Reuben was; for Joseph came after many. But he is called the firstborn, who was to come and gather the peoples of the nations.
Hence Scripture rightly says: 'The beauty of its bulls' (ibid.). For just as a bull leads a herd, so Christ led the people of the nations to the Church, and brought them into pasture; so that he could say: 'He has placed me in a pasture where there is grazing; beside refreshing water he has set me' (Psalm 22:2-3). The herds followed this bull's beauty according to the limits of our frailty, so that they could obtain eternal life. This bull has bellowed, and death has fled. The lion roars, and who does not fear? Truly the greatest victim is a bull; as we gather testimonies from adversaries (Virg. lib. II Georg.). For what victim is greater than the one that cleansed the sin of the whole world with its own blood? Listen, for even the holy Prophet Jacob speaks of the bull himself; when he revealed the passion of the Lord, whom the Jews later persecuted. In his fury, he says, they have struck down the bull (Gen. XLIX, 6). And to make it clear that he was speaking about the Jews, he added: 'I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel' (Ibid., 7). Here is the man who wrestled with Jacob, and touched his thigh, by which touch the nerve of the Patriarch was stunned: signifying that from his succession according to the flesh, he himself would come who would be undermined by the Jewish people in the passion of his body. Not understanding this mystery, they decided not to eat the nerve, sons of Israel. And therefore they deceived themselves of the redemption of the sacred blood, also rejecting the benefits of the saving passion, so that they would not deserve eternal life; for it is written: Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, you will not have life in yourselves. But whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood, will have eternal life (John 6:54-55). Take another thing. What is a nerve, but that by which the whole body is connected? The Church of Christ is the body, which is bound together by the bond of charity. What else did the Jews break in Christ, except the bond of charity? Peter is rightly chosen as a priest; he bound himself with the triple spirit of divine charity.