Psalms 9 · The Lantern

In finem, pro occultis filii. Psalmus David.

Joshua the son of Nun was fighting in the desert, and as Moses prayed he kept prevailing: the one man fought, the other by his prayer conquered. So too do I, according to that which is written, 'Open your mouth, and I will fill it': I indeed seem to be the one speaking, but there are others by whose prayers I speak.

It is characteristic of the perfect to dedicate their whole heart to God and to consecrate their whole mind to him. "You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart," Scripture says, "with your whole soul, with your whole strength and with your whole mind." Those who divide their thoughts between mammon and God, between Christ and gold, between the present and the future…

Above, in the preceding Psalm, he gave thanks for benefits bestowed upon the whole human race; but in this Psalm he specifically gives thanks for the benefit bestowed upon himself in the destruction of his enemies. And this is clear from the title according to Jerome, which is as follows: "To the victor, for the death of the son, a canticle of David," etc.

Confitebor tibi, Domine, in toto corde meo; narrabo omnia mirabilia tua.

This … is pleasure properly speaking; at least as far as all other things are concerned, they are pleasure in name only, bereft of substance.

"I will be glad and exult in Thee" (ver. 2). Not any more in this world, not in pleasure of bodily dalliance, not in relish of palate and tongue, not in sweetness of perfumes, not in joyousness of passing sounds, not in the variously coloured forms of figure, not in vanities of men's praise, not in wedlock and perishable offspring, not in superfluity of temporal wealth, not in…

"I will be glad." Here he gives thanks as regards the heart. Some narrate their goods to others and rejoice in themselves, like sinners. Lk. 18, of the Pharisee who said: "I thank you that I am not," etc. But this man rejoices in God always. Sir.

Lætabor et exsultabo in te; psallam nomini tuo, Altissime.

In convertendo inimicum meum retrorsum; infirmabuntur, et peribunt a facie tua.

Quoniam fecisti judicium meum et causam meam; sedisti super thronum, qui judicas justitiam.

Increpasti gentes, et periit impius: nomen eorum delesti in æternum, et in sæculum sæculi.

Once someone knocked at the door of my cell. And when I went out, I saw someone who seemed massive and tall. When I asked, "Who are you?" he said, "I am Satan." I said, "What are you doing here?" And he asked, "Why do the monks and all the other Christians censure me without cause?

[The godless one] was stripped of his own weapons, having no supporters of his godlessness; instead, those who appointed themselves his instruments have now changed sides and taken up the fight against him.

"Their memory has perished." Here is set forth the manner in which he perished; this is explained in two ways. "It has perished," that is, their memory and their noise perish together. The wicked make noise by shaking kingdoms and destroying cities: Ezek.

Inimici defecerunt frameæ in finem, et civitates eorum destruxisti. Periit memoria eorum cum sonitu;

et Dominus in æternum permanet. Paravit in judicio thronum suum,

These words warn that we must withdraw from evil and impiety and pursue excellence and righteousness. For who being prudent, if he believes this, would not fear that he might fall into the hands of judgment and rightly and properly so on account of his own blameworthy conduct and wicked thoughts? Indeed, under such judgment he will not avoid the curse.

While the general judgment is reserved for that time, the particular is for this; after all, he puts many things into effect here and now lest the heedless form the impression that present realities do not fall under his providence. If, on the contrary, not everyone receives their crown in this life, do not be surprised.

He also says that it is universal; hence he says, "He shall judge the whole world," and not the Jews alone. Gen. 18: "Far be it from you, Lord, to destroy the just with the wicked." Also, that it is just; hence he says, "in equity, he shall judge the peoples in justice." He says two things: namely equity and justice, because justice involves the execution of things that are jus…

et ipse judicabit orbem terræ in æquitate: judicabit populos in justitia.

Et factus est Dominus refugium pauperi; adjutor in opportunitatibus, in tribulatione.

Those who have a perfect knowledge of your name trust in no other thing. They are not abandoned by God. This word must be understood with wisdom and reverence, considering that one should not think that the person who lives rightly in his daily affairs is abandoned by God. One who thinks thus is deceived. Indeed, several of the impious have thus believed.

"And let them who know Thy Name, hope in Thee" [Psalm 9:10], when they shall have ceased hoping in wealth, and in the other enticements of this world. For the soul indeed that seeketh where to fix her hope, when she is torn away from this world, the knowledge of God's Name seasonably receives.

"And let them hope." Above, the Psalmist set forth the deed for which he gave thanks and the authority of the doer; here he sets forth the fruit of the deed. And first, as regards others; second, as regards himself, at "Have mercy on me, Lord, see," etc. First, he sets forth a threefold fruit in others. The first is knowledge, or confidence in the name of God.

Et sperent in te qui noverunt nomen tuum, quoniam non dereliquisti quærentes te, Domine.

Those who are wild in respect of faith and polluted in life, not purified by the righteousness that is according to the law, are called wild beasts. But changed from wild beasts by the faith of the Lord, they become people of God, advancing from the wish to change to the fact.

"Sing to the Lord, who dwells in Sion" [Psalm 9:11], is said to them, whom the Lord forsakes not as they seek Him. He dwells in Sion, which is interpreted watching, and which bears the likeness of the Church that now is; as Jerusalem bears the likeness of the Church that is to come, that is, the city of Saints already enjoying life angelical; for Jerusalem is by interpretation…

Third, he leads to the second fruit, namely to joy. "Sing psalms to the Lord who dwells in Zion." The Lord is said to dwell in a place not corporally: 2 Sam. 6: David placed the ark in Zion; but according to truth he dwells in the Church. Zion is interpreted as "watchtower," and in the Church we contemplate eternal things.

Psallite Domino qui habitat in Sion; annuntiate inter gentes studia ejus:

For He promised to confess before His Father those who should confess His name before men; but declared that He would deny those who should deny Him, and would be ashamed of those who should be ashamed to confess Him.

"For requiring their blood He hath remembered" [Psalm 9:12]. As if they, who were sent to preach the Gospel, should make answer to that injunction which has been mentioned, "Show forth His wonders among the heathen," and should say, "O Lord, who hath believed our report?" and again, "For Thy sake we are killed all the day long;" the Psalmist suitably goes on to say, That Christ…

Third, he leads to the third fruit, "announce." 1 Pet. 4: "Each one, as he has received grace, administering it to one another." And therefore first he induces that they ought to announce.

quoniam requirens sanguinem eorum recordatus est; non est oblitus clamorem pauperum.

For one who lives in this type of death and in the lusts of the world, with a depressed spirit, if he will perceive a sense of his own wrongdoing and the nature of divine goodness, let him say in the manner of a prayer: "Have mercy on me and see my humility," which I suffer from my enemies. They have humiliated me, drawing me down.

But I ask, what is that cry of the poor, which God forgetteth not? Is it that cry, the words whereof are these, "Pity me, O Lord, see my humiliation at the hands of my enemies"? [Psalm 9:13]. Why then did he not say, Pity "us" O Lord, see our humiliation at the hands of "our" enemies, as if many poor were crying; but as if one, Pity "me," O Lord?

"Have mercy." Here he sets forth the fruit as regards himself. And first, he commemorates the benefit. Second, he sets forth the fruit, at "that I may announce," etc. The benefit is twofold: one future, the other already received. "Who exalts," etc. First, he does two things. First, he sets forth the mercy. Second, the motive for mercy. The future benefit is mercy.

Miserere mei, Domine: vide humilitatem meam de inimicis meis,

In the Psalms the prophet gives thanks saying, "He who lifts me up from the gates of death that I may declare all your praises in the gates of the daughter of Zion." And from this we learn that it is never possible for anyone to be fit to declare the praises of God, unless he has been lifted up from the gates of death and has come to the gates of Zion.

"I will rejoice in your salvation." This is my crown, this my diadem, erecting a trophy thanks to you, enjoying salvation thanks to you. Let us too in this manner seek not to be saved at any price, not to be freed at any price and in any fashion but in God's way.

"I will exult." Having set forth one fruit, namely the preaching of divine praise, here he sets forth the second, namely spiritual joy from God. And first, he sets forth his own exultation.

qui exaltas me de portis mortis, ut annuntiem omnes laudationes tuas in portis filiæ Sion:

exultabo in salutari tuo. Infixæ sunt gentes in interitu quem fecerunt; in laqueo isto quem absconderunt comprehensus est pes eorum.

For if the whole psalm is called a song because of its tone and force, then the term "song" would be placed at the beginning of [the psalm], as it is in a number of psalms. But here it is otherwise, and after the diapsalma he begins the song; the title is placed between the diapsalma and song. It is reasonable, therefore, that the following has the sense of a psalm.

"The Lord is known executing judgments" [Psalm 9:16]. These are God's judgments. Not from that tranquillity of His blessedness, nor from the secret places of wisdom, wherein blessed souls are received, is the sword, or fire, or wild beast, or any such thing brought forth, whereby sinners may be tormented: but how are they tormented, and how does the Lord do judgment?

The truth of this judgment will be fulfilled when the Lord at last executes his judgments in plain sight, when sinners are handed over to eternal torment. Because they have the freedom to commit offenses in this life, some may think that these acts will escape punishment.

Cognoscetur Dominus judicia faciens; in operibus manuum suarum comprehensus est peccator.

And already clearly David, bearing testimony to the truth, sings, "Let sinners be turned into Hades, and all the nations that forget God." They forget, plainly, Him whom they formerly remembered, and dismiss Him whom they knew previous to forgetting Him. There was then a dim knowledge of God also among the nations.

When, by faith and knowledge, the Lord's people have embraced true life, they surely receive the joy of heaven. The wicked, however, since they do not care about the Lord's life, are rightly deprived of its blessings.

"Let them be turned back." Above, the Psalmist treated the judgment of God with regard to his own adversaries; here he pursues it with regard to the whole human race, and with regard to the evils done everywhere by sinners; and regarding this he does two things. First, by way of prayer, he foretells the judgment of God against the wicked.

Convertantur peccatores in infernum, omnes gentes quæ obliviscuntur Deum.

In this life the wicked are raised up, in no sense comprehending their own wicked wrongdoing. But there will be a time of the judgment of God in which the crime that they have admitted will be overturned [in hades, when they are about to receive punishments; LXX].

Let Christian kindness overflow in you, dearly beloved. As you desire the recurring seasons of the year to be filled with fruit, so let your hearts be generous in feeding the poor. Assuredly, God … could produce the necessary materials for them, since all things are his. He could distribute so much goods to them that they would need nothing from your generosity.

On the part of the just, there is another cause which demands vengeance upon sinners. Now among the just there are two things which demand vengeance: namely temporal abasement and spiritual virtue.

Quoniam non in finem oblivio erit pauperis; patientia pauperum non peribit in finem.

"Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail" [Psalm 9:19]. The future judgment is prayed for: but before it come, "Let the heathen," says he, "be judged in Your sight:" that is, in secret; which is called in God's sight, with the knowledge of a few holy and righteous ones.

When the prophet was discussing the end of the world, through the illumination of his heart he foresaw the coming of the Antichrist. Terrified by the magnitude of the danger, he shouted out with a loud voice, "Arise, O Lord, let not humankind prevail." For the Antichrist is certainly the most wicked man and one which human nature is not able to withstand.

Consequently, when he says, "Arise," he foretells the divine judgment; and regarding this he does three things. First, he rouses the judge. Second, he implores judgment. Third, he shows the fruits of judgment.

Exsurge, Domine; non confortetur homo: judicentur gentes in conspectu tuo.

Constitue, Domine, legislatorem super eos, ut sciant gentes quoniam homines sunt.

Ut quid, Domine, recessisti longe; despicis in opportunitatibus, in tribulatione?

Dum superbit impius, incenditur pauper: comprehenduntur in consiliis quibus cogitant.

Quoniam laudatur peccator in desideriis animæ suæ, et iniquus benedicitur.

Exacerbavit Dominum peccator: secundum multitudinem iræ suæ, non quæret.

Non est Deus in conspectu ejus; inquinatæ sunt viæ illius in omni tempore. Auferuntur judicia tua a facie ejus; omnium inimicorum suorum dominabitur.

Dixit enim in corde suo: Non movebor a generatione in generationem, sine malo.

Cujus maledictione os plenum est, et amaritudine, et dolo; sub lingua ejus labor et dolor.

Sedet in insidiis cum divitibus in occultis, ut interficiat innocentem.

Oculi ejus in pauperem respiciunt; insidiatur in abscondito, quasi leo in spelunca sua. Insidiatur ut rapiat pauperem; rapere pauperem dum attrahit eum.

In laqueo suo humiliabit eum; inclinabit se, et cadet cum dominatus fuerit pauperum.

Dixit enim in corde suo: Oblitus est Deus; avertit faciem suam, ne videat in finem.

Exsurge, Domine Deus, exaltetur manus tua; ne obliviscaris pauperum.

Propter quid irritavit impius Deum? dixit enim in corde suo: Non requiret.

Vides, quoniam tu laborem et dolorem consideras, ut tradas eos in manus tuas. Tibi derelictus est pauper; orphano tu eris adjutor.

Contere brachium peccatoris et maligni; quæretur peccatum illius, et non invenietur.

Dominus regnabit in æternum, et in sæculum sæculi; peribitis, gentes, de terra illius.

Desiderium pauperum exaudivit Dominus; præparationem cordis eorum audivit auris tua:

judicare pupillo et humili, ut non apponat ultra magnificare se homo super terram.

Psalms9