The fear of damnation, the love of justice.
What is it then so that I am found in him not having my own righteousness, and he added: which is from the law? I will say, if I can briefly; the giver of grace will perfect it in your hearts. What is it, unless because the Jews have even the law itself in such a way that they perform the works of the law out of fear of condemnation, not out of the fire of love? Therefore, what they did out of servile fear, they were slaves. But if you begin to do out of love what is written in the law: You shall not covet, where does this come from for you, unless the love of God is poured out in your heart, not from yourself, but through the Holy Spirit who has been given to you? Since God, separating a voluntary rain for his inheritance, and it was weakened, would hope for nothing from itself. For it was said to it: "Do," and it did; "Do not kill," and it did not kill; "Do not commit adultery with another's wife," and it did not commit adultery. It was said: "Do," and it did. It was said: "Love what you do," and it was weakened. You do not kill your enemy out of fear: if impunity were given, would you spare? Would you do what David did, to whom the Lord gave his enemy into his hands in such a way that he could do what he wanted with him? He chose to spare, he chose to spare, to whom it was allowed to kill with impunity. Therefore if impunity were granted to you for killing your enemy, would you spare? How would you spare him from dying, about whom you say: "Oh, if he would die"? Therefore the law imposed upon the servant fearing forbade the evil act, but did not eradicate the evil desire. You restrain yourself from the deed, but you have the desire to do it. Why do you have the desire to do it? Because you do not have the love of righteousness. Therefore what more is prohibited to you, is not. Love. What do I do, to love? Therefore out of love, because if you act out of fear, you do not love. Your righteousness will be your own, even if from the law, because you do not do what the law prohibits, yet it is your own: for you do it out of fear, not out of love. When will your righteousness not be your own? If it is from faith in Christ. For by believing in him you have obtained what he commands.
Faith asks that what is commanded be done.
Scripture of the present psalm attends to this. Does not God say: Turn to me? The Scriptures are full. Turn to me, turn to me. For the languor has begun to move. For what is meant by: Turn to me? It is not, - what is done easily -, that you were facing the west, now face the east. If only you do this inwardly, because this is not easy! You turn your body from one pivot to another, turn your heart from love to love. Turn to me: God shouts. The earth feared, lest it be condemned for not turning; it moved, so that it might be converted: languor did not follow, bread did not please the sick. Turn to me. The languor saw that it could not do what was ordered, and cried out through the prophet: Turn us, O God; faith entered the heart; it asked that what was commanded be done, it said: Turn us, O God. Because it was weakened, truly you perfected it, that I might be found in Him not having my own righteousness which is from the law, but the righteousness of Christ which is from faith. What is from faith? That which is obtained by asking, so much as could not be under the one commanding. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. This is the righteousness of faith which we preach; this is the living bread that came down from heaven, healing so that it may be eaten, strengthening because it is eaten, nourishing because it is desired, since it is said of Him to our soul, because He satisfies your desire with good things. Etc.