57. (Verse 46.) Your mercy, O Lord, fills the earth; teach me your justifications. How is the mercy of the Lord filling the earth, if not through the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, which the Prophet, foreseeing as future, celebrates as if already promised? For to the prophets, who foresee things to come, it is like remembering things that have already happened to them in the future. Therefore, the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord, because forgiveness of sins is given to all. Above all the sun is commanded to rise. And indeed this sun rises daily above all. But that mystical sun of justice rises for all, came for all, suffered for all, and rose again for all: and indeed he suffered so that he might take away the sin of the world. But if anyone does not believe in Christ, he defrauds himself of the general benefit: just as if anyone were to shut out the rays of the sun by closing the windows, the sun does not cease to rise for all, because he has defrauded himself of its warmth: but it preserves its prerogative as the sun; what is foolish excludes the grace of its shared light from itself. Above all, it is raining, and this is attributed to divine mercy; because it rains on the just and the unjust. Or certainly it can be interpreted in this way, that the earth is full of divine mercy; because the earth is the Lord's, and its fullness... He himself founded it upon the seas, and prepared it upon the rivers (Psalm 24:1-2). Indeed, through the Church, the mercy of the Lord has been spread to all nations, and the faith has been spread to all nations.
Perhaps you would say: Why was it not said that heaven is full of the mercy of the Lord? It is because there are also spiritual evils in the heavenly realms, but they do not pertain to the common right of God's indulgence and the forgiveness of sins, for which eternal fire is kept. And those things that belong to the heavenly powers or ministries, although they are supported by the help of the Lord, do not require as much of His mercy as those things that are lower and earthly; for they are not clothed in the envelope of the flesh, in which lies the frequent allure of error. And so the same Prophet says in the preceding [passage], “The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, but the earth he has given to the sons of men.” Therefore, the heavens are purer and more cleansed from every stain of sin and far more separate from that which is described as “the birds of the heavens.” For this heaven is called, as it were, a middle place between the heavenly and earthly, wherein there are also spiritual wickednesses against the heavenly [beings]. For in that [book], not in an appellative [sense], but in true [sense] of heaven, even if we have read about the devil being present in the assembly of God’s angels, I believe that he did not work any temptations of wickedness. Finally, it is written that the angels loved the daughters of men (Gen. VI, 2); because the prince of this world is held captive to earthly enticements and his ministers, in whom spiritual wickedness is imbued with certain poisons of this flesh and is infected with human crimes. Therefore, the Lord says in his Gospel: Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). It is not the same there to unjustly drive away a neighbor from his possession or defraud a widow of her inheritance with tricks, or to exclude minors from their rightful share, or to enclose within wood or any image of silver, gold, or bronze a kind of heavenly power. These things, being full of the greatest sacrilege, are vacant in heaven and frequent on earth. For by the word of the Lord the heavens were made firm (Psalm 32:6), not the earth.
And therefore the justifications of God are desired to be taught by the Lord Himself; because it is difficult to find a teacher on earth who can teach those things that he himself has not seen. Therefore, the Prophet hastens with deep affection to that teacher who alone is the true master. For how can a man teach as true something he does not know, when he himself is a liar? And rightly does the Lord say that no one on earth should call anyone his teacher, for there is one master of all. And how could David seek another teacher, when he himself said about God: He who teaches knowledge to man (Psalm 93:10)? But God teaches and enlightens the minds of each individual, and pours forth the brightness of knowledge, if you open the doors of your heart and receive the brightness of heavenly grace. When you doubt, inquire diligently; for he who seeks, finds, and to him who knocks, it shall be opened. There is much obscurity in the prophetic scriptures: but if you knock with the hand of your mind on the door of the Scriptures, and diligently examine the hidden things, you will gradually begin to gather the meaning of the words; and it shall be opened to you not by another, but by the Word of God, about whom you have read in the Revelation, that the Lamb opened the sealed book, which no one else could open; because only the Lord Jesus in his Gospel revealed the enigmas of the prophets and the mysteries of the Law: he alone brought the key of knowledge, and gave us the power to open.
They say that they possess the key to knowledge, but they do not; for if they had it, they would enter, they would recognize the innermost secrets of the Scriptures. But now: Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, who have taken away the key to knowledge, and yet you yourselves do not enter, and you hinder those who are entering (Luke 11:52). For how can you possess the key to knowledge, when you deny the author of knowledge? And therefore, David, turning to Him, says: Teach me, he says, your justifications; for you are true justice. You teach what is wisely said; because you are wisdom. You open my heart; because you have opened the book. You open that door which is in heaven; because you yourself are the gate. Through you, if anyone enters, they will possess that eternal kingdom. Through you, if anyone enters, they will not be deceived; because whoever enters the dwelling of truth cannot be deceived.
Sermon 9. Theth.
The ninth letter is Theth, which means exclusion. What is exclusion? Is it like someone being excluded from a house and thrown out of a hospice: so whoever is excluded from God's kingdom is deprived of its goods; just as those excluded virgins who did not bring oil with them; and when the Bridegroom came, their lamps went out, and while they were busy buying oil and lighting their lamps, they made a delay, and they are said to be excluded when the Bridegroom has already entered and they desire to enter (Matthew 25:2, 3 ff.)? I do not think so. For how could it be said that the holy Prophet was cast down from the good and excluded from the kingdom of God: 'You have made gladness with your servant'? Neither does it seem that the merit of the Prophet admits this understanding, nor the sequence of subjects. Do you hear him saying: 'You are sweet, O Lord, and in your gladness teach me your justifications' (Inf. verse 68)? Do you hear him saying: 'Your law of your mouth is good to me, more than a thousand gold and silver' (Ibid., 72)? And can you tell me what is excluded from the kingdom, which is not excluded from the Law? So what do we understand? The interpretation is unclear, and the words seem to obscure the meaning of the message.
They call it the merit of the Prophet, they call it his grace, they call it the series of his subjects, in order to extract something of higher understanding; and it happens in time that sometimes we are excluded from the good. For it is written: Perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). And generally, indeed, love excludes fear. Just as a soldier who loves the emperor, does not fear the wars undertaken for the emperor; just as a slave who loves his master, even though he is sent through difficult and dangerous paths, yet he despises all dangers for the love of his master; and if someone were to seek the master, he would not hesitate to offer himself; just as someone who desires to see his children who are across the sea, does not fear shipwrecks, but enters the waves of the sea out of love for his children, and undergoes the uncertain dangers of sailing: but desires for his children alleviate the fear of danger. How beautiful it is also said about the martyrs, who truly fight for Christ, who, not fearing persecutions, claws, swords, and fires, offered themselves to hostile kings. Indeed, they excluded the fear of punishments that they could have with the love of martyrdom.
But we can also confirm that this sense of interpretation is from the book of Lamentations of Jeremiah. For it is also written there under this letter: The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. It is good to wait and hope for the salvation of God. It is good for a man to bear the yoke from his youth: he will sit alone and be silent, because he has borne the yoke. (Lamentations 3:25-27). What do these things indicate other than that this interpretation seems to be a good explanation? Who indeed can sustain the Lord, unless with the ardor of charity? Who hopes, unless he desires and loves what he hopes for? For what we hope for, we wait for with patience. Therefore, he who hopes, sustains; he who sustains, certainly excludes the affect of impatience. Who carries a heavy yoke from his youth, unless he renounces pleasures and flees from luxury? Who sits alone, unless he excludes all the tumult of worldly pleasures? Therefore, he will be able to fear nothing, because the power of fear has been absorbed by the grace of charity.
There is another person who is excluded from the good, just as he who is removed from the midst of the people by Apostolic authority, because he has done evil work and has been handed over to destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved (1 Corinthians 5:5). From this we understand that the one who is commanded to do penance is excluded from the good, so that he may be humbled and his heart may be contrite. For these are usually the means of reconciliation.
5. Moreover, even the writings of Jeremiah seem to convey this under this letter. For we read about earthly Jerusalem: Its filth lies before its feet. It did not remember its last days, and it fell severely; there is no one to console it. See, Lord, its humiliation; for the enemy has been magnified (Lam. 1:9). And because Jerusalem was thus humiliated, it is rightly said to her afterwards: Your iniquity has failed, daughter of Zion (Lam. 4:22). And everyone who does penance and sheds tears for their own sins is blessed: Your iniquity has ceased. Elsewhere under this letter Jeremiah says: Those wounded by the sword were better off than those wounded by hunger. They were driven away from the birthplace of the fields. (Ibid., 9). Therefore, we are pricked when we do penance for our sins. We are also pricked by the remembrance of our sins. Hence, the prophet David says: What you say in your hearts, and are pricked in your beds (Psalm IV, 5). However, whoever is remorseful undoubtedly excludes the pleasure of error; and whoever repents excludes shame; and he separates the embarrassment of confessing his crime in order to find hope for the recovery of salvation. And deservedly David himself, when he knew his error, said, 'I have sinned, O Lord' (2 Samuel 12:13). Such a great king, such a great prophet did not hesitate to confess his own sin, and therefore it was said to him, 'The Lord has taken away your sin' (ibid.).
6. (Verse 65.) Therefore, with sin removed, he says, 'You have brought joy to your servant, Lord, as you promised.' Many things in this world seem pleasant that are not, many things seem sweet, many are very good. Luxuries seem enjoyable: but when they are exhausted, they become bitter to the inheritance. Sweet desire, when it is fervent: but the same is horrible and abominable when it is revealed. Sweet feasts, when they are consumed: but foul when they are digested. Many good things in this world, as long as we live, are valued; because they are useful to us, such as money, gold, silver, possessions: the same cannot benefit the deceased: they are all left behind here. Moreover, who dies with greater grief, when he mourns that he is being deprived of these resources. Therefore, true joy does not exist, unless it is according to the word of God; so that one may rejoice in being fortified by the supports of good merits and virtues.
7. David delights in this joy or goodness; because he carried and endured the heavy yoke from his youth, and he expected the grace of the Lord in himself, not seizing it, who often had the opportunity to kill King Saul, yet he preferred to wait for the Lord's time to assume the kingdom, rather than take it by killing the king. God is always good: therefore Paul also says: See therefore the goodness and severity of God (Rom. XI, 22); for goodness is for all, severity is for a few. Finally, the same Apostle adds: On those indeed who have fallen, severity: but on you, goodness (Ibid.). For if they had not fallen, they would surely also have enjoyed the goodness of God. For you are good for this reason, because you endure: but if you do not endure in goodness, you too will fall away. Therefore, God does not cease to be good because you have sinned and are in need of severity. For the severity of God also reverts to goodness: so that each person, corrected, may reform their ways and return to the path of virtue and good conduct. Finally, the Apostle teaches about those who have fallen: If they do not remain in unbelief, they will be grafted in. For God is able to graft them in again (ibid., 23); so that just as dried-up branches can produce good fruits when grafted with certain shoots, so can people bear the fruits of merits. You may accuse the physician of cruelty because he believed that the rotten fibers of wounds should be cut with a knife; or because he burned harmful and serpentine ulcers with fire so that the poison would not spread further; or because the teacher whipped the lazy student to instill fear and diligence in him. For it is the lover's role to chastise, not to curse; and therefore it is an act of goodness, not of cruelty. Therefore, the Lord is always good, both when He forgives wickedness and when He punishes sins. For the Lord chastises those whom He loves. (Hebrews XII, 6).
David was also punished. Finally, he said: And I was scourged all day long (Psal. 72:14). But the wise man who understood that punishment to be for his own benefit said: You have done good to your servant, O Lord, according to your word; that is, even though that punishment seemed bitter to me for a time, to me according to the flesh, to me according to the sorrow of the body; nevertheless, according to your word, that punishment brought forth the fruit of goodness. I understand that chastisement to have been beneficial to me, that through that chastisement I have been turned away from vices, that through that chastisement nothing immoral has remained in me for long, that through that chastisement of the Lord nothing has been permitted to my adversary, nothing to death. Finally, the Lord has chastised me, and has not delivered me to death (Psalm 118:18), as the Prophet himself has mentioned. For he is chastised who is received; but those who are not received are not corrected. For in the labors of men, they are not, and they will not be scourged with men (Ps. 72:5). Therefore, he says above: How good is God to those who are upright in heart (Ibid., 1)! Therefore, he is good to all; because he desires all to have an upright heart. But whoever turns their heart away, they themselves turn away from the grace of divine goodness.
9. (Verse 66.) It follows: Teach me joy, and discipline, and knowledge; for I have believed in your commandments. According to the Apostle, we understand χρηστόν as good, because he said: See therefore the goodness of the Lord (Rom. XI, 22). According to the Gospel, we receive χρηστόν as sweet. For he said: Take my yoke . . . for it is light, and my burden, for it is sweet (Matt. XI, 29 et 30). For he said, τὸ φορτίον μου χρηστόν. Therefore, he rightly seeks to be taught the goodness of God by himself, lest anyone who receives God as good in a perfunctory manner, perseveres in errors, knowing that through the mercy of God forgiveness can be given for his sins; for even though the Lord may grant indulgence, a sinful life always clings to crimes. Therefore, this common goodness is not enough: but one that always seeks improvement through discipline.
And therefore, whoever understands that the goodness of God is lofty, desires to be taught discipline as well. For many are turned away from the study of discipline because they consider it severe and sad; but a more discerning mind understands that if discipline is sad for a time, it becomes pleasant in later times. But there is discipline or correction that is more severe: there is also discipline that is more moderate. It is more moderate, of which the Lord says: I will chastise them with the hearing of their tribulation (Hos. VII, 12). And there is a more severe correction which is in anger and fury. Therefore, fleeing from that correction, David says: Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger, nor chastise me in your wrath (Psalm 6:2). And Jeremiah: Correct us, Lord, in judgement, and not in wrath (Jeremiah 10:24). Therefore, every discipline, even if it has bitterness for a time, has disturbance; afterwards, however, it is accustomed to produce peaceful fruits.
11. But he who seeks to be taught virtue and discipline must also seek to be taught knowledge. For without knowledge, discipline is burdensome, correction is burdensome. Let Solomon teach you what knowledge is, who says of our Lord God: For he hath given me the true knowledge of the things that are (Wisdom 7:17). And elsewhere the same Prophet says: He that teacheth man knowledge (Psalm 93:10). But he who seeks knowledge believes in the commandments of God.
But it is one thing to believe in the commandments of God, and another thing to believe in the commandments themselves. For he who believes in the commandments of God quickly becomes one who is in the commandments of God, and lives by them. Therefore, knowledge is acquired through faith, and discipline through knowledge. For that which we know can please God, our very way of life delights in it. Finally, it is written: But our conversation is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). Knowledge preceded, and conversation followed. We have said to believe in the commandments of God. But to believe in the commandments of God is to be in them, and to believe that they are true commandments. For if you do not believe in the commandments of God, you will not be able to have knowledge of them, which we are taught through the commandments of God.
13. (Verse 67.) The third verse follows: Before I humbled myself, I kept your word. Another edition has: Before I humbled myself, I did not know. Therefore, some people think that the soul of man says this: Before I humbled myself, so that I could enter into this clay of the body, I did not know your commandments which I had not read. But because the Church follows the opinions of the seventy men more, and this sense is clearer, and it does not admit any offense that could move some doubt; therefore let us accept humbled, said in this way, because it seems to be humbled by sin. For temptation often arises because of sin. Finally, Adam and Eve were certainly cast down after their fault. Therefore, sin is for the sake of our humility or humiliation. For I am not fleeing from this. For from adversity, humility can often be understood, as it is written: It is good for me that you have humbled me, that I may learn your commandments. And: Unless your law were my meditation, then perhaps I would perish in my humility. And: I am humbled greatly (Psalm 141, 7). Here, therefore, he shows that humility arises from sin. And because sin came first, therefore he shows himself humbled, that is, worn down by temptations and adversities, and delivered to anxieties: just as that person who was handed over by Paul to the destruction of the flesh was surely humbled; so that afterwards he could merit reconciliation (1 Corinthians 5, 5).
14. But although this humility, that is, as it were, a kind of abasement, is not a virtue of perturbation; nevertheless, it often generates virtue: and it becomes not a punishment, but a remedy for the offender. For if you attribute to your sins what you have been humiliated for, whatever happens, you turn it back on yourself, and you begin to be just from being guilty, because you condemn yourself. For a just accuser is at the beginning of his speech (Prov. XVIII, 17). And you cannot judge yourself unworthy through humility, since you recognize your own errors, in which by blushing you are not indeed exalted, but humbled. You see, therefore, that you have been humbled because you have sinned and have not kept the commandments of God. Therefore, be more diligent in keeping them so that you do not sin again. Do not let yourself be consumed by sorrow because you have been cast down, and let your downfall become an opportunity for correction. For just as gold is tested in the furnace, so man is tested in temptations. You see what the Prophet says: 'Before I was humbled, I sinned.' Therefore, he was rightly handed over to temptations because he was sinning. However, he was sinning because he did not hold onto the word of God. But then he found the order of correction from which the fault had arisen. He began to be subject to divine speech, and the fault ceased.
15. (Version 68.) The fourth verse follows: You are good, O Lord, and in your goodness teach me your statutes. The secular discipline also received it, so that each one may praise their own judge. Hence the Apostle, following the order of divine Scriptures, when he stated his case, began as follows: Concerning all the things I am accused of, King Agrippa, by the Jews, I consider myself fortunate about these matters, as I begin to give an account before you (Acts 26:2). And below: Do you believe the prophets, King Agrippa? I know that you believe. Therefore if men are praised, among whom the praise of others is often praised: how much more should each person strive to win God's favor, so that they may say: You are good, Lord. For if someone says this to a man, to remind him that perhaps he is not good; by the preaching of goodness itself, even he becomes milder, and casts off the terror of harsh feelings: how much more must praise be given to God, who unless He were good, could anyone stand upon the earth? But it is proper to God to be good. Moreover, in the Gospel you have, 'A good tree produces good fruits' (Matthew 7:17). Its fruits are angels: its fruits are humans, that is, rational and holy, if they keep the commandments of the Lord. Its fruits are those born on earth: its fruits are the virtues of humans. Therefore, a good tree rightfully produces good fruits. Therefore, let the root be praised first, so that the fruits can be tested. But the Lord Jesus also says elsewhere: And your Father, who is good, will give good things to those who ask him. (Ibid., 11).
16. But although God is good, whose bitter things are even more helpful (for they are not applied to harm, but to correct), nevertheless it is asked that in his goodness he may teach us his justices. Consider a doctor applying helpful medicines to wounds; yet those that sting the poison of ulcers, or certainly cutting off putrefied flesh with a knife; even though the doctor himself is good, because he works for the patient's benefit and does what he knows will be helpful: nevertheless, because the patient either does not want or cannot endure pain due to the weakness of his condition, he asks the doctor to treat him with a certain goodness and sweetness, not applying the harshness of medicines, not cutting the fibers of wounds with a knife; or if he cannot do otherwise, to act with moderation and mitigate the force of pain with a certain subtlety. And for this reason, in the goodness of the Gospel, the justifications of God are taught better than in the severity of the Law. However, the work of justice is justification. Therefore, it is written that the Pharisees did not want to justify themselves, not being baptized with the baptism of John (Luke 7:30). For in that they did not make justification, because they did not want to perform repentance for their sins, which the Prophet desires to do in goodness, so that forgiveness of sins may be granted to them without the severity of condemnation, but with the grace of forgiveness.
17. (Verse 69.) It follows: The wickedness of the proud has multiplied upon me: but I will diligently seek your commandments with all my heart. The more someone desires to serve God, the more they arouse adversaries within themselves. And just like a strong athlete desiring to receive the crown of righteousness, they provoke and incite many who envy our progress. This is also evident in the following verses. I was peaceful with those who hated peace, says David. However, his tranquility did not benefit anything; instead, it would calm those who hated peace and suppress their desires. When I spoke to them, they would attack me without reason, meaning that even though they had no cause to attack, they did not stop their desire to attack. Thus, spiritual wickedness or people multiply, and their iniquity surpasses the righteous. For example, if a just person loses their son, which often happens in the course of life, or if they lose their inheritance, or if they suffer various adversities or physical illnesses, then the proud say: Where is their justice? Where is mercy? Behold, because he is thus punished: behold, because his innocence profits him nothing. And so, for the sake of extracting an example of this life, three friends of Job, with the appearance of sanctity but the malice of enemies, heaped serious reproaches upon him, reproaching him with great insults; and those who had come to console began to insult.
18. But the righteous man is not moved by these things, and therefore neither was Job broken. Finally, in the loss of his children and his possessions, he said: The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away... blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 1:21). Therefore, even in adversity, let us say: You have done good to your servant (Psalm 119:65). For the Lord can change for the better what has been done, as we have the holy example of Job (Job 42:10 et seq.); and he can restore what has been lost. Can someone generate better ones even after losing their children? Is it difficult for God to give better things? Even if He doesn't give anything, it is still just to consider this, in case the future wicked ones have been snatched away, so that their hearts may not be changed by their malice. Similarly, in regards to inheritance, it is as if we don't see that many are led into danger of salvation due to the wealth of their inheritance, and that the abundance of riches is the cause of sinning for many. For he who does not have anything to give cannot be blamed for not giving; but he who has something to give and does not give, certainly begins to be liable to sin.
19. (Vers. 70.) It follows: Their heart is curdled like milk; I, however, meditate on your law. The heart of the holy ones is refined; the heart of the proud is curdled. For just as milk by nature is pure, beautiful, and sincere, but curdles through corruption, so the nature of the human mind and heart is pure, sincere, and clear before it curdles through the admixture of vices. For curdled milk forms a certain concretion, lacking the same sweetness and grace. Thus, those people who, before, preferred the appearance of diligence, grace, and charm of words, untainted by envy; if they begin to envy, their heart solidifies into a vice, and the sweetness of friendship becomes bitterness of malice, and a certain unpleasant dread of envy arises. Therefore, the heart is solidified through pride and envy, which corrupt the gentleness of nature, flowing with benevolence, by the concretion of malice. Therefore, the heart of the wicked solidifies: but the just person is humbled, pondering the precepts of the Law, which holds the mastery of humility.
20. (Verse 71.) And therefore he added: It is good for me that you have humbled me, so that I may learn your statutes. The Apostle followed this: I please myself, he says, in weaknesses, in insults, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses (II Cor. I, XII, 10) . For when he is pleased with weaknesses, and his spirit is not broken, and he does not yield to injury, he learns the justification of God and deserves, and fulfills. Therefore here, you have humbled me, that is, you have exercised with various temptations and difficulties. Which Augustine also wrote, it benefited me that I was afflicted, so that I would learn your justifications. Therefore, let the one who is humiliated not be discouraged or broken in spirit, but rather let them progress by humbling themselves; let them soften the proud with their humility, confuse the insolent with the severity of their manners, break the insolent with their patience, and sometimes redirect the greedy from the intention of argument through equanimity of loss. For thus you have read, that wisdom is justified by her children (Luke 7:35), while Christ offers himself to punishment, endures injustice, does not retreat from insults, nor turns his face away from the shame of spitting; and therefore, he taught everyone with his patience and healed them with his compassion.