Homily 44, on Psalm 131
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).
Remember, O Lord, David and all his meekness. Many suppose, from what is written in the Gospel — "Have mercy on us, Son of David," which the blind men who were sitting in Jericho said — that this David, whose name means "strong of hand," is referred to the Lord Savior. But if in this psalm we should choose to interpret it, as they judge, it does great harm to our understanding. For if this that is said, Remember, O Lord, David and all his meekness, they refer to Christ, then how does Christ say, as though about someone else, "Until I find a place for the Lord, a tabernacle for the God of Jacob: behold, we heard of it in Ephrata, we found it in the fields of the wood"? And how is it said, "For the sake of David your servant, turn not away the face of your Christ"? The order does not stand. For if David, as they think, is Christ, then we begin to understand it thus: For the sake of Christ your servant, turn not away the face of your Christ. This I say against those who in this passage interpret David as Christ. Not that we deny that David may be interpreted as Christ according to the character of the passages: but in this passage the sense does not admit it. And I will tell you why they go astray: because it is written, Remember, O Lord, David and all his meekness; and the Lord says in the Gospel, "Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart" — with pious sense indeed, but in their error they here interpret David as Christ, and refer his meekness to Christ. Let us therefore interpret this psalm of David, so that he who is born of David may truly be understood as Christ. Then, see the order. For since the psalm is long, and we have already said many things, we ought briefly to touch upon the meanings, not to dispute at greater length: so that the prudent hearer may, from the things we have said, understand for himself even those things we do not say.
As he swore to the Lord, he vowed a vow to the God of Jacob. In the Hebrew it does not have cos, that is, "as," nor is that the sense; but it has os, that is, "who," and the sense is: Remember, O Lord, David and all his meekness, who swore to the Lord, vowed a vow to the God of Jacob. And this I think was done not so much by a fault of the seventy translators as by an error of the copyists.
If I shall enter into the tabernacle of my house. David says this: I seek no other rest but Christ, who is to be born of my seed, that is, whom you promised would be born of my loins.
If I shall give sleep to my eyes, and slumber to my eyelids, And rest to my temples, until I find a place for the Lord, a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. Many think this is said of the Church: but to me it seems to be said not so much of the Church as of holy Mary. Then it is said: Behold, we heard of it in Ephrata, we found it in the fields of the wood. Let us read the holy Scriptures, and both by day and by night let us sift each single syllable and letter. Let someone say concerning Ephrata: here he said Bethlehem. For we read in Genesis: "He came into Bethlehem, this is Ephrata." This is said of Jacob, when his wife Rachel died, that is, in Ephrata. But let us see why Ephrata received its name. For it is written in Chronicles that Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, had for her husband Hur — not Ur, but Hur. And afterward the lineage is described, and it is said: "Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, this is Ephrata." This is written in the books of Chronicles: seek and you will find. And so this Ephrata too received its name from that Ephrata. Perhaps it seems to someone not to be true, because it is new: but I refer him to the authority of the book.
Behold, we heard of it in Ephrata. In the Hebrew it does not have "it," but has "him": that is, that one who is to be born of the seed of David. We heard of him in Ephrata: which the sense is about Mary. But we can also understand it simply, since Ephrata is called Bethlehem, and Christ was born in Bethlehem. Happy therefore the place, which so long a time before was sung by the voice of the prophets. All holy places indeed are venerable, both where he was born, and where he was crucified, and where he rose again, and where he ascended a victor to the heavens; but this place is properly more venerable. See how great is the mercy of God. Here a little one is born, an infant is laid in a manger: "for there was no room for them in the inn." O monk, the Lord is born on earth, and has no cell of his own: there was no room for him in the inn. The whole human race had a place: and the Lord, who was to be born on earth, had no place. He found no place among men, he found none in Plato, none in Aristotle; but in a manger, among the beasts of burden and the dumb animals, and among all who are simple and innocent. Whence the Lord also says in the Gospel: "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air nests where they may rest: but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head."