Psalms 111 · The Lantern

Alleluja, reversionis Aggæi et Zachariæ. Beatus vir qui timet Dominum: in mandatis ejus volet nimis.

In the council of the upright, and in the great congregation, are the works of the Lord. He says "of the upright," meaning those who before were sinners, but now are righteous. For is it not a thing to marvel at, when we see that the elephant and the camel, and likewise the fly and the gnat, have the same power of movement, the same breath of life, and the same members?

"I will make confession unto You, O Lord," he says, "with my whole heart" [Psalm 111:1]. Confession is not always confession of sins, but the praise of God is poured forth in the devotion of confession. The former mourns, the latter rejoices: the former shows the wound to the physician, the latter gives thanks for health.

This counsel has been confirmed by the twelve Apostles and by the counsels of the Saints. From the Lamb proceed torches, and they are illuminations for manifesting the counsels.

Potens in terra erit semen ejus; generatio rectorum benedicetur.

Gloria et divitiæ in domo ejus, et justitia ejus manet in sæculum sæculi.

Exortum est in tenebris lumen rectis: misericors, et miserator, et justus.

Jucundus homo qui miseretur et commodat; disponet sermones suos in judicio:

quia in æternum non commovebitur.

In memoria æterna erit justus; ab auditione mala non timebit. Paratum cor ejus sperare in Domino,

confirmatum est cor ejus; non commovebitur donec despiciat inimicos suos.

Dispersit, dedit pauperibus; justitia ejus manet in sæculum sæculi: cornu ejus exaltabitur in gloria.

Peccator videbit, et irascetur; dentibus suis fremet et tabescet: desiderium peccatorum peribit.

It has also been a subject of discussion, how extremely frequent is the intercourse that heretics hold with magicians, with charlatans, with astrologers, with philosophers; and the reason is that they are people who devote themselves to curious questions. "Seek, and you shall find," is everywhere in their minds.

No one accomplishes these ten commandments by their own strength, unless assisted by the grace of God. If therefore no one fulfills the law by their own strength, unless God aids with His Spirit; now recall how the Holy Spirit is commended in the sevenfold number, just as the holy prophet says, that the man be filled with the Spirit of God, of wisdom and understanding, of couns…

The fear of God avails for obtaining the illumination of divine wisdom, because "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." For the fear of the Lord is the extrinsic principle of wisdom and the intrinsic principle and the complement of wisdom; because there is servile fear, and this is the initiator of wisdom, because, just as the needle introduces the thread and does no…

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