1 Hear my law, O my people: incline your ears unto the words of my mouth.
Jerome · AD 420 Divine Scripture commands that, when we have been invited to a rich man's banquet, we should with understanding put forth our hand to the dishes. And so for us too the banquet of Scriptures has been set out as a rich man's feast. We have come into a meadow; it has very many flowers: here the rose is red, there the lilies gleam white, there are flowers of every kind.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Hearken ye," He says, "My people, to My law" [Psalm 78:1]. Whom may we suppose to be here speaking, but God? For it was Himself that gave a law to His people, whom when delivered out of Egypt He gathered together, the which gathering together is properly named a Synagogue, which the word Asaph is interpreted to signify.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will declare hard sentences of old;
Matthew · AD 60 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. [Psalms 78:2]
Jerome · AD 420 "I will open my mouth in parables": to you I will open what is closed to the Jews; to you I will open my mouth in parables. "And without a parable," it says, "he did not speak to them"; but to his own disciples he unfolded the parables in private. "I will open my mouth in parables": what I speak to those others outwardly in parables, to you I will open up inwardly.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "I will open," he says, "in parables My mouth, I will declare propositions from the beginning" [Psalm 78:2]. From what beginning he means, is very evident in the words following.
3 Which we have heard and known: and such as our fathers have told us;
Pachomius the Great · AD 348 Instructed by the holy Scriptures and especially by the gospel, Pachomius endured many temptations from the demons. The holy Scriptures did not mention in detail the saints' struggle, since they used concise language in showing us the way to eternal life.
Jerome · AD 420 "How great the things we have heard and known." These little verses, from "Attend, my people, to my law" up to this verse, "I will utter propositions from the beginning," are spoken from the person of Christ; the Savior himself speaks. Now the remaining verses, up to the end of the psalm, we must take as from the person of the apostles.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "How great things we have heard, and have known them, and our fathers have told them to us." The Lord was speaking higher up. For of what other person could these words be thought to be, "Hearken ye, O My people, to My law"?
4 That we should not hide them from the children of the generations to come: but to shew the honour of the Lord, his mighty and wonderful works that he hath done.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "They have not been hidden from their sons in another generation." This is our generation wherein there hath been given to us regeneration.
5 He made a covenant with Jacob, and gave Israel a law: which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children;
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "How great things," he says, "He has commanded our fathers, to make the same known to their sons?" [Psalm 78:5]. These words do point out two peoples as it were, the one belonging to the Old Testament, the other to the New: for in that he says, he has implied that they received the commandments, "to make them known to their sons," but that they did not know or do them: but they…
6 That their posterity might know it: and the children which were yet unborn;
Jerome · AD 420 "The sons who shall be born and shall rise up, and shall tell them to their sons." "In place of your fathers, sons have been born to you." We are their sons. They told us, and we have told our sons: we are their sons. "That they might place their hope in God." That they might now no longer believe in idols, but believe in God.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "That another generation may know, sons who shall be born and shall rise up, and they may tell to their sons." These words do point out two peoples as it were, the one belonging to the Old Testament, the other to the New: for in that he saith, he hath implied that they received the commandments, "to make them known to their sons," but that they did not know or do them: but they…
7 To the intent that when they came up: they might shew their children the same;
Clement of Alexandria · AD 215 His righteousness cried, "If ye come straight to me, I also will come straight to you but if ye walk crooked, I also will walk crooked saith the Lord of hosts;" meaning by the crooked ways the chastisements of sinners.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "That they may put their hope in God, and may not forget the works of God, and may seek out His commandments" [Psalm 78:7].
8 That they might put their trust in God: and not to forget the works of God, but to keep his commandments;
Jerome · AD 420 "That they might not become like their fathers." That they might not murmur, as certain ones murmured in the desert and perished; that they might not murmur thus like the Jews, and perish in the desert. "A generation crooked and provoking." It is not I who say this: your own prophet says this about you.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "That they may not become, like their fathers, a crooked and embittering generation: a generation that hath not guided their heart, and the spirit thereof hath not been trusted with God" (ver. 8).
9 And not to be as their forefathers, a faithless and stubborn generation: a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit cleaveth not stedfastly unto God;
Jerome · AD 420 "The sons of Ephraim, bending and shooting the bow." O how great the mysteries, O how many the flowers! I say not a day, but a whole month cannot suffice for the understanding of this psalm. In individual words there are meanings. We have also a treasure in these earthen vessels.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Lastly, "The sons of Ephrem bending and shooting bows, have been turned back in the day of war" [Psalm 78:9]. Following after the law of righteousness, unto the law of righteousness they have not attained. [Romans 9:31] Why? Because they were not of faith.
10 Like as the children of Ephraim: who being harnessed, and carrying bows, turned themselves back in the day of battle.
Jerome · AD 420 "They did not keep the covenant of God, and in his law they were unwilling to walk, and they forgot his benefits." They rose up against him who regenerated them in baptism.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 But what that is which he saith, "they have been turned back in the day of war," the following words do teach, wherein he hath most clearly explained this: "they have not kept," he saith, "the testament of God, and in His law they would not walk." Behold what is, "they have been turned back in the day of war:" they have not kept the testament of God.
11 They kept not the covenant of God: and would not walk in his law;
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "And they forgat His benefits, and the wonderful works of Him which He showed to them; before their fathers the wonderful things which He did" [Psalm 78:11]. What this is, is not a question to be negligently passed over.
12 But forgat what he had done: and the wonderful works that he had shewed for them.
Jerome · AD 420 "Before their fathers the wonders which he did in the land of Egypt, in the field of Tanis: he split the sea and led them through; he set the waters as if in a wineskin, and led them down in a cloud by day." Let someone say: You do violence to Scripture: for it is said simply of the people of Israel, when they were led out of the land of Egypt, and therefore it is said accordin…
13 Marvellous things did he in the sight of our forefathers, in the land of Egypt: even in the field of Zoan.
Jerome · AD 420 "He split the sea and led them through." The Lord walked upon the sea, and calmed the waves of the sea, and led us through. "He split the sea and led them through." To this day, O faithful monk, when you are led out of Egypt, the sea is split, and thus you are led out. "He set the waters as if in a wineskin." In the Hebrew it does not have "wineskin," but "heap."
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 For He that "did burst asunder the sea and made them go through, did confine the waters as it were in bottles" [Psalm 78:13], in order that the water might stand up first as if it were shut in, is able by His grace to restrain the flowing and ebbing tides of carnal desires, when we renounce this world, so that all sins having been thoroughly washed away, as if they were enemies…
14 He divided the sea, and let them go through: he made the waters to stand on an heap.
Jerome · AD 420 "And he led them down in a cloud by day." "Behold, the Lord comes into Egypt upon a light cloud." By the light cloud we ought to understand either, properly, the body of the Savior, because it was light and weighed down by no sin; or certainly by the light cloud we ought to understand holy Mary, weighed down by no human seed.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 He that "led them home in the cloud of the day, and in the whole of the night in the illumination of fire" [Psalm 78:14], is able also spiritually to direct goings if faith cries to Him, "Direct my goings after Your word." Of Whom in another place is said, "For Himself shall make your courses right, and shall prolong your goings in peace" through Jesus Christ our Lord, whose Sa…
15 In the day-time also he led them with a cloud: and all the night through with a light of fire.
Jerome · AD 420 "He split the rock in the desert." The rock has been split for us in the wilderness. The rock was struck, and the waters flowed: that rock which says, "Whoever thirsts, let him come and drink"; from whose belly rivers flowed. "And he gave them water to drink as if from a great abyss." In the desert, where there was no water, an abundance of waters was made for us.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "He that burst asunder the rock in the desert, and gave them water as in a great deep" [Psalm 78:15]; "and brought out water from the rock, and brought down waters like rivers" [Psalm 78:16], is surely able upon thirsty faith to pour the gift of the Holy Spirit (the which gift the performance of that thing did spiritually signify), to pour, I say, from the Spiritual Rock that f…
16 He clave the hard rocks in the wilderness: and gave them drink thereof, as it had been out of the great depth.
17 He brought waters out of the stony rock: so that it gushed out like the rivers.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 And yet, "they," like a generation crooked and embittering, "added yet to sin against Him:" that is, not to believe. For this is the sin, whereof the Spirit doth convict the world, as the Lord saith, "Of sin indeed because they have not believed on Me." "And they exasperated the Most High in drought," which other copies have, "in a place without water," which is a more exact tr…
18 Yet for all this they sinned more against him: and provoked the most Highest in the wilderness.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "And they tempted God in their hearts, in order that they might seek morsels for their souls." It is one thing to ask in believing, another thing in tempting.
19 They tempted God in their hearts: and required meat for their lust.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 And that which in the wilderness seemed to the Jews marvellous, (they said at least, "Can He give bread also? or prepare a table in the wilderness?") this He shows forth in His works. With this view also He leads them into the wilderness, that the miracle might be very far beyond suspicion, and that no one might think that any village lying near contributed ought to the meal.
20 They spake against God also, saying: Shall God prepare a table in the wilderness?
21 He smote the stony rock indeed, that the waters gushed out, and the streams flowed withal: but can he give bread also, or provide flesh for his people?
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Wherefore the Lord heard, and He delayed, and fire was lighted in Jacob, and wrath went up into Israel." He hath explained what he hath called fire. He hath called anger fire: although in strict propriety fire did also burn up many men. What is therefore this that he saith, "The Lord heard, and He delayed"?
22 When the Lord heard this, he was wroth: so the fire was kindled in Jacob, and there came up heavy displeasure against Israel;
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Lastly, when both these things have been briefly touched, afterwards he is evidently following out the order of the narrative.
23 Because they believed not in God: and put not their trust in his help.
24 So he commanded the clouds above: and opened the doors of heaven.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Let us turn back to the one who performed these miracles. He is himself the bread that came down from heaven; but bread that nourishes and never diminishes; bread that can be eaten but cannot be eaten up. This bread was also signified by manna, of which it was said, "He gave them the bread of heaven; people ate the bread of angels. Who can the bread of heaven be, but Christ?
25 He rained down manna also upon them for to eat: and gave them food from heaven.
26 So man did eat angels food: for he sent them meat enough.
27 He caused the east-wind to blow under heaven: and through his power he brought in the south-west-wind.
28 He rained flesh upon them as thick as dust: and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea.
29 He let it fall among their tents: even round about their habitation.
30 So they did eat and were well filled, for he gave them their own desire: they were not disappointed of their lust.
31 But while the meat was yet in their mouths, the heavy wrath of God came upon them, and slew the wealthiest of them: yea, and smote down the chosen men that were in Israel.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 But as to unbelievers, being a crooked and embittering generation, as it were, while the morsel was yet in their mouths, "the anger of God went up upon them, and it slew among the most of them": that is, the most of them, or as some copies have it, "the fat ones of them," which however in the Greek copies which we had, we did not find.
32 But for all this they sinned yet more: and believed not his wondrous works.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 But the generation crooked and embittering, "in all these things sinned yet more, and they believed not in His wonderful works." "And in their days failed in vanity." Though they might, if they had believed have had days in truth without failing, with Him to whom hath been said, "Thy years shall not fail." Therefore, "their days failed in vanity, and their years with haste." Fo…
33 Therefore their days did he consume in vanity: and their years in trouble.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "And in their days failed in vanity." Though they might, if they had believed, have had days in truth without failing, with Him to whom has been said, "Your years shall not fail." Therefore, "their days failed in vanity, and their years with haste." For the whole life of mortal men is hastening, and that which seems to be longer is but a vapour of somewhat longer duration.
34 When he slew them, they sought him: and turned them early, and inquired after God.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Nevertheless, "when he slew them they sought Him:" not for the sake of eternal life, but fearing to end the vapour too soon. There sought Him then, not indeed those whom He had slain, but they that were afraid of being slain according to the example of them.
35 And they remembered that God was their strength: and that the high God was their redeemer.
36 Nevertheless, they did but flatter him with their mouth: and dissembled with him in their tongue.
Clement of Rome · AD 99 Let us cleave, therefore, to those who cultivate peace with godliness, and not to those who hypocritically profess to desire it.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Lastly, here let us see the words following: "And they loved Him," he says, "in their mouth, and in their tongue they lied unto Him" [Psalm 78:36]. "But their heart was not right with Him, and they were not counted faithful in His Testament" [Psalm 78:37].
37 For their heart was not whole with him: neither continued they stedfast in his covenant.
38 But he was so merciful, that he forgave their misdeeds: and destroyed them not.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "But He is Himself merciful, and will become propitious to their sins, and He will not destroy them. And He will abound to turn away His anger, and He will not kindle all his anger." By these words many men promise to themselves impunity for their iniquity from the Divine Mercy, even if they shall have persevered in being such, as that generation is described, "crooked and embi…
39 Yea, many a time turned he his wrath away: and would not suffer his whole displeasure to arise.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "And He remembered that they are flesh, a spirit going and not returning" [Psalm 78:39]. Therefore calling them and pitying them through His grace, He called them back Himself, because of themselves they could not return.
40 For he considered that they were but flesh: and that they were even a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 I say then of these crooked and embittering persons, "How often they exasperated Him in the desert, and provoked Him to wrath in the waterless place!" [Psalm 78:40]. "And they turned themselves and tempted God, and exasperated the Holy One of Israel" [Psalm 78:41]. He is repeating that same unbelief of theirs, of which He had made mention above.
41 Many a time did they provoke him in the wilderness: and grieved him in the desert.
42 They turned back, and tempted God: and moved the Holy One in Israel.
43 They thought not of his hand: and of the day when he delivered them from the hand of the enemy;
44 How he had wrought his miracles in Egypt: and his wonders in the field of Zoan.
45 He turned their waters into blood: so that they might not drink of the rivers.
Hippolytus of Rome · AD 235 "He destroyed their vine with hail, and their sycamines with frost." Now, just as, in consequence of an irregular mode of living, a deadly bilious humour may be formed in the inwards, which the physician by his art may bring on to be a sick-vomiting, without being himself chargeable with producing the sick humour in the man's body; for excess in diet was what produced it, while…
46 He sent lice among them, and devoured them up: and frogs to destroy them.
47 He gave their fruit unto the caterpillar: and their labour unto the grasshopper.
48 He destroyed their vines with hail-stones: and their mulberry-trees with the frost.
Hippolytus of Rome · AD 235 "He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their substance to the fire." Symmachus renders it: "Who gave up their cattle to the plague, and their possessions to birds." For, having met an overwhelming overthrow, they became a prey for carnivorous birds, But, according to the Seventy, the sense is not that the hail destroyed their cattle, and the fire the rest of their subst…
49 He smote their cattle also with hail-stones: and their flocks with hot thunderbolts.
Hippolytus of Rome · AD 235 "He discharged upon them the wrath of His anger;-anger, and wrath, and tribulation, a visitation by evil angels." Under anger, wrath, and tribulation, he intended bitter punishments; for God is without passion. And by anger you will understand the lesser penalties, and by wrath the greater, and by tribulation the greatest.
50 He cast upon them the furiousness of his wrath, anger, displeasure, and trouble: and sent evil angels among them.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 But as far as regards the present passage of this Psalm, if we dare not ascribe those things which were marvellously formed out of creatures, to evil angels; we have a thing which without doubt we can ascribe to them; the dyings of the beasts, the dyings of the first-born, and this especially whence all these things proceeded, namely, the hardening of heart, so that they would…
51 He made a way to his indignation, and spared not their soul from death: but gave their life over to the pestilence;
52 And smote all the first-born in Egypt: the most principal and mightiest in the dwellings of Ham.
Basil of Caesarea · AD 379 The Spirit speaks with the authority of the Lord: "The Spirit said to [Peter], 'Rise and go down, and accompany them without hesitation; for I have sent them.' " Are these the words of an abject inferior? "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." Does a slave give commands like this?
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 The Psalm proceedeth then after the commemoration of the plagues of the Egyptians and saith, "And He took away like sheep His people, and He led them through like a flock in the desert." This cometh to pass to so much the greater good, as it is a more inward thing, wherein being delivered from the power of darkness, we are in mind translated into the Kingdom of God, and with re…
53 But as for his own people, he led them forth like sheep: and carried them in the wilderness like a flock.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "And He led them down in hope, and they feared not, and their enemies the sea covered" [Psalm 78:53]. But we are being led home in hope, "For by hope we are saved." [Romans 8:24] Nor ought we to fear. For, "If God be for us, who can be against us?" [Romans 8:31] And our enemies the sea has covered, He has effaced them in baptism by the remission of sins.
54 He brought them out safely, that they should not fear: and overwhelmed their enemies with the sea.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 In the next place there followeth, "And He led them into the mountain of His sanctification." How much better into Holy Church! "The mountain which His right hand hath gotten." How much higher is the Church which Christ hath gotten, concerning whom has been said, "And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"
55 And brought them within the borders of his sanctuary: even to his mountain which he purchased with his right hand.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "And He cast forth from the face of them the nations." And from the face of His faithful. For nations in a manner are the evil spirits of Gentile errors. "And by lot He divided unto them the land in the cord of distribution." And in us "all things one and the same Spirit doth work, dividing severally to every one as He willeth."
56 He cast out the heathen also before them: caused their land to be divided among them for an heritage, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 For that generation crooked and embittering, inasmuch as for these corporal blessings they put not off the coat of oldness, "Did tempt" yet, "and provoked the high God, and His testimonies they kept not: and they turned them away, and they kept not the covenant, like their fathers." For under a sort of covenant and decree they said, "All things which our Lord God hath spoken we…
57 So they tempted and displeased the most high God: and kept not his testimonies;
58 But turned their backs, and fell away like their forefathers: starting aside like a broken bow.
59 For they grieved him with their hill-altars: and provoked him to displeasure with their images.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "God heard, and He despised:" that is, He gave heed and took vengeance. "And unto nothing He brought Israel exceedingly" [Psalm 78:60]. For when God despised, what were they who by God's help were what they were?
60 When God heard this, he was wroth: and took sore displeasure at Israel.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "And He rejected the tabernacle of Selom, His tabernacle, where He dwelled among men" [Psalm 78:61]. He has elegantly explained why He rejected His tabernacle, when he says, "where He dwelled among men." When therefore they were not worthy for Him to dwell among, why should He not reject the tabernacle, which indeed not for Himself He had established, but for their sakes, whom…
61 So that he forsook the tabernacle in Silo: even the tent that he had pitched among men.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "And He gave over unto captivity their strength, and their beauty unto the hands of the enemy." The very Ark whereby they thought themselves invincible, and whereon they plumed themselves, he calleth their "virtue" and "beauty." Lastly, also afterward, when they were living ill, and boasting of the temple of the Lord, He doth terrify them by a Prophet, saying, "See ye what I ha…
62 He delivered their power into captivity: and their beauty into the enemy's hand.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "And He ended with the sword His people, and His inheritance He despised" [Psalm 78:62].
63 He gave his people over also unto the sword: and was wroth with his inheritance.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Their young men the fire devoured:" that is, wrath. "And their virgins mourned not" [Psalm 78:63]. For not even for this was there leisure, in fear of the foe.
64 The fire consumed their young men: and their maidens were not given to marriage.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows were not lamented" [Psalm 78:64]. For there fell by the sword the sons of Heli, of one of whom the wife being widowed, and presently dying in child-birth, [1 Samuel 4:19] because of the same confusion could not be mourned with the distinction of a funeral.
65 Their priests were slain with the sword: and there were no widows to make lamentation.
Jerome · AD 420 [Daniel 9:14] "'And the Lord hath kept watch over the evil and hath brought it upon us...'" Whenever we are rebuked because of our sins, God is keeping watch over us and visiting us with chastenment. But whenever we are left alone by God and we do not suffer judgment but are unworthy of the Lord's rebuke, then He is said to slumber.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "And the Lord was awakened as one sleeping" [Psalm 78:65]. For He seems to sleep, when He gives His people into the hands of those whom He hates, when there is said to them, "Where is your God?" "He was awakened, then, like one sleeping, like a mighty man drunken with wine." No one would dare to say this of God, save His Spirit.
Theodoret of Cyrus · AD 458 The blessed David fell into several errors, which God, who wisely orders all things, has caused to be recorded for the good of them that were to come after. But it was not on their account that Absalom, parricide, murderer, impious and altogether vile, started his wild war against his father.
66 So the Lord awaked as one out of sleep: and like a giant refreshed with wine.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "And He smote His enemies in the hinder parts" [Psalm 78:66]: those, to wit, who were rejoicing that they were able to take His Ark: for they were smitten in their back-parts. [1 Samuel 5:6] Which seems to me to be a sign of that punishment, wherewith a man will be tortured, if he shall have looked back upon things behind; which, as says the Apostle, he ought to value as dung.
67 He smote his enemies in the hinder parts: and put them to a perpetual shame.
68 He refused the tabernacle of Joseph: and chose not the tribe of Ephraim;
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "And He rejected," he saith, "the tabernacle of Joseph, and the tribe of Ephraim He chose not" (ver. 68). "And He chose the tribe of Judah" (ver. 69). He hath not said, He rejected the tabernacle of Reuben, who was the first-born son of Jacob; nor them that follow, and precede Judah in order of birth; so that they being rejected and not chosen, the tribe of Judah was chosen.
69 But chose the tribe of Judah: even the hill of Sion which he loved.
70 And there he built his temple on high: and laid the foundation of it like the ground which he hath made continually.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Lastly there follows, "and He built like as of unicorns His sanctification" [Psalm 78:70]: or, as some interpreters have made thereof a new word, "His sanctifying." The unicorns are rightly understood to be those, whose firm hope is uplifted unto that one thing, concerning which another Psalm says, "One thing I have sought of the Lord, this I will require." But the sanctifying…
Philoxenus of Mabbug · AD 523 David sheweth in a psalm that he was chosen from a station which taught simplicity, for he was chosen from following the sheep, even as he himself confesseth and calleth to mind his election in one of his psalms, saying, "He chose David His servant, and took him from following a flock of sheep, and from after the ewes that gave suck."
71 He chose David also his servant: and took him away from the sheep-folds.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "And He chose David His servant" [Psalm 78:71]. The tribe, I say, of Judah, for the sake of David: but David for the sake of Christ: the tribe then of Judah for the sake of Christ. At whose passing by blind men cried out, "Have pity on us, Son of David:" [Matthew 20:30] and immediately by His pity they received light, because true was the thing which they cried out.
72 As he was following the ewes great with young ones he took him: that he might feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "And He took him from the flocks of sheep, from behind the teeming sheep He received him: to feed Jacob His servant, and Israel His inheritance" [Psalm 78:72].
Philoxenus of Mabbug · AD 523 And teaching that his kingdom also was governed by simplicity David saith, "He pastured them in the integrity of his heart," and it is manifest that integrity is simplicity.
73 So he fed them with a faithful and true heart: and ruled them prudently with all his power.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "And He fed them," he saith, "in the innocence of His heart" (ver. 73). What can be more innocent than He, who not only had not any sin whereby to be conquered, but even not any to conquer?