Homily 3, on Psalm 7
Latin source: Germanus Morin (ed.), Sancti Hieronymi Presbyteri Tractatus sive Homiliae in Psalmos , Anecdota Maredsolana III (Maredsoli, 1897) — public domain. Psalm numbering follows the Septuagint/Vulgate (Morin).
Names are imposed on individual things, so that from the names the things themselves may be known: so too the psalms have been prefaced with titles, so that from the titles the psalms themselves may be understood. The fifth psalm is prefaced with this title: 'Unto the end, for her that obtaineth the inheritance.' The sixth psalm is prefaced with this title: 'Unto the end, in hymns, for the octave, a psalm of David.' In the fifth it is said, 'For her that obtaineth the inheritance'; in the sixth it is said, 'For the octave.' But in the seventh — since it too was sung under the alleluia, since on that other Lord's day the sixth psalm was read, and we were unable, on account of illness, to interpret it — but now the seventh psalm has been read. It has, moreover, a title of this sort: 'A psalm of David, which he sang to the Lord for the words of Chusi the son of Jemini.' See the mysteries. Have these things, then, been written without a cause? In the fifth it is said, 'For her that obtaineth the inheritance'; in the sixth it is said, 'For the octave'; in the seventh it is said, 'For the words of Chusi the son of Jemini.' You see, then, how great are the mysteries woven together here.
'For her that obtaineth the inheritance' — since in the fifth psalm we discussed, interpreting that the psalm had been sung in the person of the Church, which has obtained the inheritance of Christ. But the sixth pertains properly to the resurrection of the Lord, which is the eighth day. For we have both a first day and an eighth day. For on the eighth day we received the kingdom of heaven. The eighth day is after the sabbath, the first at the beginning. It would take long, if we now wished to speak about the number eight: how there are eight beatitudes in Matthew; how in the hundred and eighteenth psalm each letter has eight verses; how there are fifteen psalms of degrees, how they are seven and eight; how Ecclesiastes too says, 'Give a portion to seven, and give a portion to eight'; how the eastern gate in Ezekiel has seven steps and eight steps. It would take long to tell how David too was the eighth of the sons of Jesse, who received the kingdom. This is what is now said, 'For the octave': for on the eighth we received the kingdom of heaven. Whence he says: 'O Lord, rebuke me not in thy fury, neither chastise me in thy wrath.' But since we cannot interpret both psalms equally together, it is enough for us to have discussed the title of the sixth psalm.
Now let us come to the beginning of the seventh, which begins thus: 'A psalm of David, which he sang to the Lord for the words of Chusi the son of Jemini.' I know that many men, and certainly most learned ones, have interpreted this title in this way. At that time, they say, when Absalom rose up against David his father (I beg you to listen more patiently: for we wish to interpret the Scriptures, not to declaim) — at that time, therefore, when Absalom rose up against David, one of David's friends, by name Chusi, wished to go with David, but David sent him back to Absalom, that he might scatter the counsels of Ahithophel. At the time when Ahithophel gave counsel that Absalom should at once pursue David unprepared and kill him, Chusi then gave counsel and scattered the counsel of Ahithophel. And this Chusi himself sent a messenger to David, saying: Thus and thus is Absalom making ready; and David began to flee and to prepare himself. At the time when Chusi sent the words to David, David sang this psalm to the Lord, because the counsels of Ahithophel had been scattered. This they say, and indeed they have expounded it reasonably. But let us read the Scriptures carefully: for there it is written thus, that this Chusi is the son of Arachi. Then that Chusi is written with a different letter in Kingdoms: there Chusi is written with SAMECH, but here Chusi is written with the letter SIN. Then that Chusi is the son of Arachi; whence many of the Greeks, not knowing, read: 'Chusi the friend of David.' It is not so in the Hebrew, but it stands written thus: 'Chusi the son of Arachi, the friend of David.' You see, then, that the Greeks err even in the reading.
It is therefore most manifest, according to the rule of the Scriptures, that that Chusi is the son of Arachi. But this Chusi is called Jemini. Since we said that that Chusi was the son of Arachi, who is this Jemini? And we ought, comparing spiritual things with spiritual, to find the rule of this name. Where do we find 'Jemini' in the Scriptures? It is doubtful to no one that there is one tribe of the twelve, by name Benjamin. Now Benjamin is interpreted 'son of the right hand.' For at the time when Rachel died in Ephrata (we see the tomb with our own eyes, we do not seek examples elsewhere); at that time, therefore, when Rachel was dying, 'She bore,' it says, 'an infant, and the women — or she herself who was dying — called his name Benoni, that is, son of my sorrow.' But on the contrary Jacob the father turned the mother's sorrow into glory, and does not call him Benoni, that is, son of my sorrow, but Benjamin, that is, son of the right hand, that is, of my strength. Benjamin, therefore, is a name composed of two parts, of 'son' and of 'right hand': for BEN means 'son,' JAMIN means 'right hand.' Let us know, therefore, that the tribe of Benjamin is always called Jemini. We read in the book of Kingdoms, at the time when it is written concerning Saul: 'And behold,' it says, 'a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by name Saul; the son,' it says, 'of Cis, son of Abiel, son of Jethra, son of Jether, son of Gera, son of Jemini.' And immediately there he is called a Jeminean man, that is, of the Jeminean tribe, that is, of the tribe of Benjamin. Let us give yet another testimony, lest we be able to doubt. That Shimei, who on the Mount of Olives at the time when David was fleeing his son Absalom — Scripture says this: 'And behold,' it says, 'Shimei of the kindred of Saul, of the tribe of Benjamin. And he threw,' it says, 'stones at David, and said: Get out, get out, thou man of blood.' At the time when one of his captains, by name Abishai, says, 'I will go,' he says, 'and kill him,' what does David say to him? 'What is there between me and you, sons of Zeruiah? Behold,' he says, 'he who came forth from my loins fights against me: and do you marvel that the son of Jemini, that is, of the tribe of Benjamin, of the tribe of Saul, who was my enemy?' Why have I said all this? To show that Jemini is the tribe of Benjamin.
We have said who Benjamin is, we have said the name of the father: let us see who Chusi the son of Jemini is. Chus in the Hebrew tongue is interpreted 'Ethiopian,' that is, black and dark, who has such a soul as he has a body, of whom Jeremiah says: 'If the Ethiopian will change his skin, or the leopard his spots.' So this Chusi signifies his black and Ethiopian enemy, Saul. And he says this: As the Ethiopian cannot change his skin, so this man too cannot change his character. Twice he came into my hands, I could have killed him. Whose blood I could have shed, I wished rather to overcome him by kindness; but his malice cannot be conquered. For just as the Ethiopian's skin cannot be changed, so too his malice cannot be changed. Finally, what does he say? 'O Lord my God, if I have done this' — that is, if I have done him any evil. 'If there be iniquity in my hands, if I have rendered evils to them that repaid me.' See what he says: I rendered good things for evils, he evil things for good things. It is manifest, therefore, that the psalm is against Saul, and he gives thanks to God, and prays for his help, that he may not fall into the hands of Saul.
'O Lord my God, in thee have I hoped.' I have not hoped in my sword, I have not hoped in my strength: but I have hoped in thy help. 'Lest at any time he seize my soul like a lion.' This fits Saul, it does not fit Absalom. For how could he call Absalom a lion, of whom he says, 'Spare my boy Absalom'? If there he calls him a boy, and as it were a little child and one that knows nothing, how here does he proclaim him a lion? This, so far, according to the history. And there are many things that might be said, and the whole psalm can be interpreted historically in the person of Saul. But since it is our concern to interpret not only according to the history, but according to the spiritual understanding, we interpret this Chusi the Ethiopian as none other than the devil. It is asked how this Chusi is the son of Jemini, how the devil, an Ethiopian, is the son of the right hand. That he is an Ethiopian, is by his own fault; that he is the son of the right hand, is because he was created by God. Rightly is it said of him: 'Lest at any time he seize my soul like a lion.' 'Our adversary the devil, like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may seize.'
'O Lord my God, if I have done this.' 'Behold, the prince of this world comes, and finds nothing in me.' 'If there be iniquity in my hands.' 'Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.' 'If I have rendered evils to them that repaid me.' They say, 'Crucify, crucify such a one'; I say, 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.' 'Let the enemy pursue my soul, and take it.' 'The last enemy, death, is destroyed.' 'And let him tread down my life into the earth.' Life cannot be trodden down. 'And let him bring down my glory into the dust.' 'If,' he says, 'I have rendered evils to my enemies for evils, may I not rise again.' 'Arise, O Lord, in thy wrath.' Since they did not perceive thee through kindnesses, let them perceive thee through anger. 'Be exalted in the borders of my enemies.' He prays for his enemies, that he may be exalted in the borders of his enemies. For when they have ceased to be enemies, then thou, O Lord, wilt be exalted in them.
'Arise, O Lord my God, in the precept which thou hast commanded, and a congregation of peoples shall surround thee.' This we say, this believing we speak. For the persons are always changing in the psalms. It would be a great matter now, if we wished to say in the psalms into how many and how great persons they change. 'Arise, O Lord my God, in the precept which thou hast commanded.' This we say: For us thou hast suffered, for us thou hast been crucified; arise and save us. We seem to do violence to the Scripture; but the things that follow free us from this reproach. For what follows? 'And a congregation of peoples shall surround thee.' Therefore arise, that a very great multitude may believe in thee. For when thou hast arisen, what else do we pray? Return to the Father. 'And for her sake return on high.' For whose sake? For the congregation of peoples. That thou didst die, thou didst die for us; that thou didst rise again, thou didst rise for us; that thou didst ascend to the Father, ascend for us. 'And for her sake return on high.' 'No man ascends into heaven, save he that descended from heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven.'
'Judge me, O Lord, according to my justice, and according to my innocence upon me.' This David cannot say; this fits properly the Saviour, who did not sin. 'Let the wickedness of sinners be consummated, and thou shalt direct the just.' My justice cannot be directed, unless their iniquity — namely, of the Jews — be fulfilled.
'Unless ye be converted, he will brandish his sword.' This passage admits a twofold understanding. For many think it is said of God, so that, for example's sake, it is said to sinners. And what does it say? 'Unless ye be converted, he will brandish his sword': that is, unless ye do penance, the Lord will strike you with his sword. But let us see whether the things that follow can be fitted to the person of the Lord. 'He hath bent his bow, and made it ready.' This can be said of God. 'And in it he hath prepared the vessels of death.' This is difficult, for the Lord does not have vessels of death, but vessels of life; but this too can somehow be understood of the person of the Saviour. But that which follows, 'Behold, he hath been in labour with injustice, and hath conceived sorrow and brought forth iniquity, he hath opened a pit and dug it out,' cannot at all be taken of God. We are compelled, therefore, by necessity, on account of the things that follow which are harsher and more arrogant, not to understand of God, 'Unless ye be converted, he will brandish his sword.'
And so many say that this is said of the devil; that is, unless ye be converted, unless ye do penance, ye will be in his power. 'He hath bent his bow, and made it ready.' The devil always has his bow ready, he shoots arrows with which to strike us. 'And in it he hath prepared the vessels of death.' They fit the person of the devil. 'He hath made his arrows for them that burn.' Beautifully he said, 'for them that burn': for those whose hearts burn with lust and passions, these have been conquered by the devil. 'He hath made his arrows for them that burn.' Beautifully he said 'for them that burn'; he did not say 'for those about to burn,' that is, those who are about to burn with his arrows; but whosoever's hearts he sees burning, those he strikes. The Apostle too says that the devil has burning arrows. 'Behold, he hath been in labour with injustice: he hath conceived sorrow, and brought forth iniquity.' Such a mother, such a father is the devil: thus he conceives, thus he is in labour, thus he nurses, thus he exalts. 'He hath opened a pit and dug it out, and he is fallen into the ditch which he made.' The pit is the devil's own, which is also the ditch. 'He hath opened a pit': but since it cannot hold water, according to Jeremiah, therefore his pit has been turned into a ditch. 'He hath opened a pit, and dug it out.' All the conventicles of heretics are ditches of the devil.
'His sorrow shall be turned upon his own head, and his iniquity shall come down upon his own crown.' Just as if someone throws a stone on high, and is not careful, and the stone comes down upon his head, he is wounded by his own wound; so too the devil is slain by his own pride, he exalts himself and falls in ruin. 'His sorrow shall be turned upon his own head.' The devil now wishes to lift up his head, but cannot. Why can he not lift up his head? Because his sorrow is turned upon his head, and presses him down. The devil (understand, O mystical reader, according to the rule of the Scriptures) is read in Genesis to be himself the snake, himself the serpent in paradise, himself the serpent who spoke to Eve, who reigns on the earth. He is called a snake, because he clings wholly to the earth. Other animals, though they walk on the earth, yet do not have their whole body lying on the earth; though they have feet on the earth, yet they have another part of the body upward. But the devil, that is, the serpent and the old snake, according to Isaiah, is wholly on the earth: he has both his head and the rest of his body level with the ground. Why do I say all this? Because other animals (understand, O prudent reader), though they cling to the earth, yet desire to withdraw from the earth: but the devil has his head and his tail and his whole middle part clinging to the earth. 'His sorrow shall be turned upon his own head, and his iniquity shall come down upon his own crown.' See what he says: both upon his head, and upon the crown of the head. But since iniquity presses both his head and his crown, where is the devil's repentance? This is the devil's end: 'His sorrow shall be turned upon his own head, and his iniquity shall come down upon his own crown.' Beautifully he said, 'shall come down': for the everlasting punishment will come to him from heaven.
He shall be condemned in this way. But we who have believed in Christ, who received the inheritance in the fifth psalm; who in the octave, that is, on the day of resurrection, say, 'O Lord, rebuke me not in thy fury, neither chastise me in thy wrath'; since Chus, that is, our Ethiopian, is himself the lion of whom it was said, 'Lest at any time he seize my soul like a lion'; who bent his bow and made it ready, and in it prepared the vessels of death that he might slay us; since he conceived sorrow and brought forth iniquity, opened a pit and dug it out, and fell into the ditch which he made, [and] was cast into gehenna; therefore his sorrow shall be turned upon his own head, and his iniquity shall come down upon his own crown: since he has been thus punished according to his desert, let us say, 'I will confess to the Lord according to his justice, and I will sing to the name of the Lord most high.' Beautifully he said, 'most high': for as much as the devil has been humbled, so much the Lord has been exalted.