Psalms 77 · The Lantern

I will cry unto God with my voice: even unto God will I cry with my voice, and he shall hearken unto me.

In the time of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran and ceased not in the night-season; my soul refused comfort.

Prayers are recited early in the morning so that the first movements of the soul and the mind may be consecrated to God and that we may take up no other consideration before we have been cheered and heartened by the thought of God, as it is written: "I remembered God and was delighted," and that the body may not busy itself with tasks before we have fulfilled the words "To you…

Just now in that reading, which most recently sounded in your ears, what did you hear Thomas saying? I do not believe unless I touch. And the Lord to Thomas himself: Come, touch, put your hands into my side, and do not be unbelieving but believing. He said, If you think it too little that I offer myself to your eyes, I offer myself also to your hands.

In the second place, a saint's life must be pure, that is, everything must be done out of love for God, and not out of love for something else, since all love is suspect if it is not addressed to God. That is why Augustine — and also Bernard in a letter to a certain monk — write that the apostles' love for the bodily Christ prevented the coming of the Spirit.

When I am in heaviness, I will think upon God: when my heart is vexed, I will complain.

Thou boldest mine eyes waking: I am so feeble, that I cannot speak.

I have considered the days of old: and the years that are past.

I call to remembrance my song: and in the night I commune with mine own heart, and search out my spirit.

Will the Lord absent himself for ever: and will he be no more intreated?

Is his mercy clean gone for ever: and is his promise come utterly to an end for evermore?

Hath God forgotten to be gracious: and will he shut up his loving-kindness in displeasure?

And I said, It is mine own infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most Highest.

Sufficient defence has been offered on these points, and as for that which Eunomius says by way of calumny against our doctrine, that "Christ was emptied to become Himself" there has been sufficient discussion in what has been said above, where he has been shown to be attributing to our doctrine his own blasphemy.

"And I said." Now leaping over himself he hath said what? "Now I have begun," when I had gone out even from myself. Here henceforth there is no danger: for even to remain in myself, was danger.

I cannot express in words, most excellent son, how much I am delighted with thy work and thy life. For on hearing of the power of a new miracle in our days, to wit that the whole nation of the Goths has through thy Excellency been brought over from the error of Arian heresy to the firmness of a right faith, one is disposed to exclaim with the prophet, "This is the change wrough…

I will remember the works of the Lord: and call to mind thy wonders of old time.

I will think also of all thy works: and my talking shall be of thy doings.

Thy way, O God, is holy: who is so great a God as our God?

Thou art the God that doeth wonders: and hast declared thy power among the people.

Thou hast mightily delivered thy people: even the sons of Jacob and Joseph.

The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee, and were afraid: the depths also were troubled.

"When our Lord had arrived and had entered the boat with Simon, the wind abated." The Arian, therefore, who contradicts the birth [of the Lord] is also rejected, through the word that those who were in the boat spoke, "They came and worshiped him, and they were saying to him, 'You are indeed the Son of God.' " It is he of whom it is written, "The waters saw you and trembled, an…

Your lightnings shone upon the world: the apostolic preaching. The earth was moved and trembled. Unless our earth had been moved and troubled, we would not be Christians. The earth was moved and trembled. For the Spirit of the Lord rests upon no one, save upon him who is humble and quiet and trembles at his words.

And he continues how? "The waters have seen You, O God, and they have feared and the abysses have been troubled" [Psalm 77:16]. What are the waters? The peoples. What are these waters has been asked in the Apocalypse, [Revelation 17:15] the answer was, the peoples. There we find most clearly waters put by a figure for peoples.

The clouds poured out water, the air thundered: and thine arrows went abroad.

The voice of thy thunder was heard round about: the lightnings shone upon the ground; the earth was moved, and shook withal.

Thy way is in the sea, and thy paths in the great waters: and thy footsteps are not known.

Thou leddest thy people like sheep: by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Psalms77