[87007] "Deliver." Here the Psalmist presents a petition for the whole people; hence he says, "Deliver, O God, Israel," that is, that people, or those whom you have predestined to see God, "from all their tribulations." And this will be perfectly in the homeland, when what is said in Rev. 21 will be fulfilled: "God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more mourning nor crying," etc.
Commentary on Psalm 25
[87008] Above, the Psalmist set forth a prayer against tribulations; here, however, so that his prayer may be more acceptable, he puts forward his own justice. The title is straightforward, because it is not new. Concerning this, therefore, the Psalmist does two things. First he sets forth his whole intention in general. Second he explains it in particular, at "I have not sat with the council." Concerning the first he does three things. First he asks for judgment. Second he alleges his justice, at "Because I." Third he excuses any presumption, at "Because your mercy." David, from his own person or from the person of a just man, seeing himself mixed in with sinners in place -- if not in merit -- asks to be distinguished from them; hence he says, "O Lord, judge," that is, distinguish me from them. But against this: "Enter not into judgment with your servant, because no one living shall be justified in your sight" (Ps. 142). I respond. It must be said that there is a twofold judgment, namely of severity and strictness: and this judgment he does not seek, because no one could bear it; the other is a judgment of mercy and examination: and this he seeks: Jer. 10: "Correct me, O Lord, but in judgment and not in your fury," that is, of severity. And he proposes his innocence; and therefore he says, "Because I have walked in my innocence," that is, I have advanced in my innocence, or "I have entered," because our life is a kind of journey. Prov. 4: "I will lead you through the paths of equity, which when you have entered," etc. And this "in my innocence," which I propose to maintain: Job 22: "The innocent shall be saved, and he shall be saved by the cleanness of his hands." "I shall not be weakened": Jerome has "I shall not fail," namely in maintaining this innocence: Job 27: "Until I fail, I will not depart from it": and this I shall do, not in my own strength but by confidence in divine help, because "trusting in the Lord I shall not be weakened": 1 Mac. 2: "All who hope in him do not grow weak." But against this: this seems to be presumption: Job 9: "If I try to justify myself, my own mouth will condemn me." I respond. It must be said that the allegation of innocence can sometimes proceed from pride, when someone attributes it to himself, and this is evil; sometimes from divine mercy, and this is good; and therefore he adds, "Because your mercy." But how do you know that you are innocent? "Prove me, O Lord," you know this. And he sets forth three things: namely, proof, tribulation, and temptation. The second follows from the first, the third from the second. He says, therefore, "O Lord, prove me," not so that you may learn something about me from this, but so that you may show it to others. A person is best proved through temptation, which is the taking of experience: temptation is the receiving of experience about what one does not know; proof, however, is the manifestation of virtue about what one does know. And therefore he says, "Try me," namely for this purpose, that I may appear tested to myself and to others: for God does not tempt to evil: Jas. 1: "God is not a tempter of evils"; but he is said to tempt when certain things are shown through immense difficulty. This temptation, moreover, is done through fire, as it is said in Wis. 3: "As gold in the furnace he has tried them." And therefore he says, "Burn my loins and my heart," that is, send tribulations, through which it may be clear what is in my heart and loins. To the heart is attributed thought, to the loins pleasure. And this appears through tribulations; because those who delight in earthly things are greatly disturbed when they lose them, but not those who do not delight in them. Or it can be referred to the fire of the Holy Spirit: Lk. 12: "I have come to cast fire upon the earth": as if to say, lest I fail in tribulations, apply your help, send the fire which may burn away whatever is carnal in my pleasures and whatever is vain in my thoughts.
[87009] "Because." Here he excuses himself in two ways for asking to be tried. First from his thought, because he thinks of God's mercy, when he says, "Because your mercy is before my eyes"; as if to say, I ask to be tried because I trust in your mercy, which always provides a way out with the temptation: Is. 63: "I will remember the mercies of the Lord, the praise of the Lord for all the things the Lord has rendered to me." Likewise from the love of justice. "And I have been well pleased in your truth," that is, if you punish me for my sins, it pleases me; if I am tried, I know that you will reward me.
[87010] "I have not." Here he explains his intention in particular. And first he sets forth his innocence. Second he sets forth his petition, at "Do not destroy me with the wicked, O God." He shows, therefore, his innocence. And first by his withdrawal from evil. Second by his approach to good, at "I will wash." Now there is a threefold kind of evil, according to three sins. For sin is either against God, or against neighbor, or against oneself. Against oneself are sins of vanity, by which a man vainly delights in earthly things; and of these he says, "I have not sat with the council of vanity"; as if to say, I do not claim that in some way I was never with them, because it cannot happen that a man never takes vain delight in earthly things; but he says, "I have not sat": Tob. 3: "I never mixed myself with those who play; nor have I made myself a companion of those who walk in levity." Sins against neighbor are sins generated through action; hence he says, "And with those who do iniquitous things I will not enter," that is, not only have I not sat, etc., but I have not even entered, that is, in no way have I mixed myself with them: Prov. 1: "My son, if sinners entice you, do not walk with them." Likewise, the aforesaid sins are thought in the heart; hence he says, "I have hated the assembly of evildoers," that is, the congregation of the malicious: Ps. 118: "I have hated the wicked," that is, their fault and iniquity. Third, he sets forth sin against God, which is impiety; and therefore he says, "And with the wicked," that is, heretics and schismatics, "I will not sit," that is, I will not share in their doctrines: Heb. 13: "Do not be led away by various and strange doctrines."
[87011] "I will wash." Above, the Psalmist showed his innocence by the fact that he separated himself from evil; here, however, he shows it by the fact that he applies himself to good. And because the goods whose application makes us just are divine goods, therefore he speaks of his application to them. Concerning this he does two things. First he sets forth his effort. Second, its effect, at "O Lord, I have loved the beauty of your house." Concerning the first, he does three things. First he proposes his disposition for divine worship. Second he sets forth the divine worship itself, at "I will go round about." Third, the fruit, at "That I may hear the voice of praise." The disposition is formed through purity and innocence: Ps. 14: "Lord, who shall dwell in your tabernacle?" etc. Ps. 23: "The innocent in hands and clean of heart." And therefore, that he may approach in purity, he treats of purity. He says, therefore, "I will wash my hands among the innocent," that is, my works, which are principally washed by God through the grace he infuses: Ps. 50: "Wash me yet more, O Lord, from my iniquity," etc. Likewise they are washed by us through penance: Is. 1: "Wash yourselves, be clean," etc. "I will wash," therefore, that is, I will apply penance so that they may be washed. And this "among the innocent," because from companionship manners are formed: Ps. 17: "With the innocent you shall be innocent," etc. And thus washed, I shall approach divine worship. "And I will go round about your altar, O Lord." Here he speaks of the material altar, and it is said, "I will go round about your altar, O Lord," because he either prays or stands near it; Sir. 50, concerning Simon the high priest: "He himself standing beside the altar." And therefore the priest when he approaches the sacrament says "I will wash," etc. Or it can be understood of the spiritual altar. The altar is in the temple: and just as there is a threefold temple, so there is a threefold altar. The first is the just man: 1 Cor. 6: "Do you not know that your members are the temple of the Holy Spirit?" The altar of this temple is the heart: Lev. 6: "The fire," namely of charity, "shall burn always on the altar," that is, in the heart. This altar we ought to go round about, or stand near, that is, adorn, always returning to Christ: Prov. 4: "With all watchfulness keep your heart, because life proceeds from it." Another temple is the Church: and the altar of this temple is Christ: Heb. 13: "We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat." Or faith. And this we ought to go round about, so that with our whole heart we may be around him. The third temple is God himself: Rev. 21: "I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty is its temple," etc.; and the altar of this temple is the mercy of God. And this we ought to go round about with the desire of the mind: Ps. 144: "The Lord is sweet to all, and his mercies are above all his works." Consequently he shows the fruit: and there is a twofold fruit, namely to hear and to narrate; hence he says, "That I may hear the voice of praise." And this literally around the material altar, because this sacrifice is most acceptable to God: Ps. 49: "The sacrifice of praise shall honor me." Likewise, the praise which the Holy Spirit speaks in us: Ps. 84: "I will hear what the Lord God speaks in me." Likewise, in heaven: Is. 35: "Joy and gladness," etc. Or "that I may hear the voice of praise," that is, of Christ praising me: and this will be at the judgment when he shall say, "I was hungry," etc. (Mt. 25). But Rev. 22 says: "Let him who hears say: Come." Hence we hear so that we may tell others: Is. 21: "What I have heard from the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, I have announced to you." And therefore he adds, "That I may declare all your wonderful works": Sir. 42: "Did not God make his saints declare," etc. And he says "all your wonderful works," as to affection or endeavor, not as to effect, because he is greater than all praise.
[87012] "O Lord." Here he shows the affection he has for divine worship, which, to be fitting, ought to be an affection of love. For this reason he says, "O Lord, I have loved the beauty of your house." Dionysius says: "The good and the beautiful is lovable to all." Hence every man loves what is beautiful: the carnal love carnal beauty, the spiritual love spiritual beauty, and this is the beauty of the house of God: Num. 24: "How beautiful are your tabernacles, O Jacob, and your tents, O Israel! As woody valleys, as watered gardens near the rivers, as tabernacles which the Lord has fashioned." This beauty, moreover, is the beauty of good works, or of divine gifts, or of the saints themselves; because all of these are, as it were, a certain adornment of the house of God. All of these, therefore, I have loved, so that they might make me fit for the beauty of the house of God. Thus, therefore, the affection is shown, because it is love, and beauty, and adornment. But it should be known that this beauty comes from God's dwelling in it; just as a house is not beautiful unless it is inhabited: hence I have loved me so that you may dwell in me, or I have loved the fatherland so that I may dwell there or may tend toward it. And therefore he says, "And the place where your glory dwells": and all of these -- that is, good works, the gifts of God, and the saints themselves -- are the beauty of the house of God, insofar as divine grace, which beautifies like light, shines in them, as Ambrose says, because without light all things are ugly: Ez. 43: "The glory of the Lord entered through the gate."
[87013] "Do not destroy." Here he explains the petition for judgment that he seeks: and he explains what kind of judgment he sought: and he asks two things. First he asks to be separated from evils that may come in the future. Second, from evils he suffers in the present, at "Redeem me." First, therefore, he sets forth the petition. Where it should be known that punishment is reserved by God for two kinds of men: namely those who are wicked or sinners against God: Ez. 18: "The wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him." And therefore he says, "Do not destroy," etc.: as if to say, if I am afflicted here and suffer earthly evils with the wicked, nevertheless do not destroy my soul with them. Likewise, punishment is reserved for the wicked against their neighbor: therefore he says, "And with men of blood, my life": Ps. 54: "Men of blood and deceit." Here are counted all who offend against their neighbor, in whatever way. There is, moreover, a threefold blood. One which is caused by food and drink: hence food and drink is called the blood of the poor: Sir. 34: "The bread of the needy is the life of the poor man; he who defrauds him is a man of blood." The second is the blood of a man; and this the murderer sheds. The third is the blood of seed for the preservation of the species, and this the fornicator sheds, because he does not act for the sake of offspring. "In whose hands are iniquities"; as if to say, I ask this, namely to be separated from them then, because now I am separated in manner of life and conduct, because "iniquities are in their hands," namely, they are very prone to evil: Prov. 1: "Their feet run to evil and hasten to shed blood": Is. 59: "Works of iniquity are in their hands." Likewise there is the inclination of their affections to worldly things; hence he says, "Their right hand is filled with bribes": Job 15: "Fire shall devour the tents of those who gladly accept bribes." Or "their right hand is filled with bribes"; as if to say, although they are wicked, yet you give them temporal things, and in these consists their reward: Mt. 6: "They have received their reward." Consequently he describes himself, saying, "But I have walked in my innocence"; as if to say, I ask this so that, just as you prepare evils for them, so you may prepare goods for me, as Ps. 83 says: "He will not deprive of good things those who walk in innocence." Consequently he asks to be freed from present evils. The evils that befall a man can be twofold; for they are either external evils, and from these he asks to be redeemed: hence he says, "Redeem me," as a slave from the evils that oppress me. Or concerning the redemption of the human race. Or they are interior evils, and from these he asks to be freed; hence he says, "Have mercy on me," because mercy properly regards interior evil: Prov. 14: "Sin makes peoples wretched."
[87014] "For my foot." Here is set forth the reason why he asks this; and it is twofold. One is from the past, which is the rectitude of life; hence he says, "My foot," that is, my affection or my progress, "has stood in the right path." Likewise, concerning the future, "I propose always to serve you"; hence he says, "In the churches I will bless you, O Lord," that is, before many: Ps. 39: "I have announced your justice in the great church." And he says in the plural, on account of the multitude of particular churches, as it is said in Rev. 3.
Commentary on Psalm 26
[87015] Having presented the prayer, the Psalmist here consequently speaks of the confidence conceived from prayer. And concerning this he does two things. First, he presents the confidence conceived. Second, he prays again that he not fail in his confidence, at "To you, O Lord." The title: "Unto the end, a Psalm before he was anointed." It should be noted that, as the Gloss explains at greater length, David was anointed king three times. First by Samuel, 1 Sam. 16. And then he was not yet king, but had the sign of kingship. "Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers," etc. And then "the spirit of the Lord was directed upon David," because from that point he was a prophet, according to Jerome and Josephus. Second in Hebron, 2 Sam. 2: "The men of Judah came and anointed David king over the house of Judah." Third, after Ishbosheth the son of Saul was killed, he reigned over all Israel, 2 Sam. 8. These two anointings were counted as one, because both were for obtaining the actual dignity of the kingdom. In the first he suffered persecution from Saul, but after the second and third he reigned in peace. But against this there is the case of Absalom. I reply that he did not suffer persecution from foreigners, but from Absalom and Ziba; and therefore he composed this Psalm before the second anointing. Better, however, it seems to refer to Christ with the two anointings in the new covenant: namely of king and priest. And Christ was anointed with the oil of the Holy Spirit: Ps. 44: "God has anointed you," etc., as king and priest. And this anointing is derived even to us: Ps. 132: "Like the ointment on the head that descends upon the beard, the beard of Aaron": Jn. 1: "From his fullness we have all received." Therefore we are first anointed with the priestly anointing as a figure of the future kingdom; for we shall be kings and free. And because we still suffer enemies, afterward we shall be anointed with the twofold actual glory: namely the robe of glory of the soul and of the body. Christ, however, was first anointed with the anointing of grace, then of glory. This Psalm is therefore divided into three parts. In the first he presents the confidence conceived in God. In the second he shows the desire arising from confidence, at "One thing I have asked." In the third he presents the fulfillment of his desire, at "Hear, O Lord." Concerning the first he does three things. First, he commemorates the benefits bestowed on him by God, on account of which he does not fear but is secure. Second, he commemorates the obstacles prepared for enemies by God, at "When the wicked draw near." Third, he shows the confidence he has from God, at "If armies should stand." It should be noted, moreover, that one is sometimes stirred to fear by an interior cause and sometimes by an exterior cause. First, therefore, he presents the remedy against the first cause. Second, against the second, at "The Lord is the protector." Now there is a twofold intrinsic cause of fear: ignorance and weakness; hence in darkness there is more to fear. The second cause of fear is weakness; and against these the remedy is from God. Against the first is illumination; hence he says, "The Lord is my light": Mic. 7: "When I sit in darkness, the Lord is my light." Against the second is salvation; hence there follows, "and my salvation": Ps. 61: "In God is my salvation and my glory; God is my help, and my hope is in God." And therefore he shows his confidence: "Whom shall I fear," being so illuminated? Is. 51: "Who are you that you should fear a mortal man, and the son of man who withers like grass?" Rom. 8: "God who justifies, who is he that shall condemn? And if God is for us, who is against us?" The extrinsic cause is a man who opposes; but still there is nothing to fear, because the Lord sets himself against them like a shield; hence he says, "The Lord is the protector of my life": Gen. 15: "I am your protector and your exceedingly great reward." And therefore he says, "Of whom shall I be afraid?" If "of whom" is taken in the masculine, then the sense is, of what man? If in the neuter, of what thing? And thus nothing is to be feared, neither man nor any thing. "When the wicked draw near to me." And because it could be said that God is the illuminator even of enemies, therefore removing this he says that God resists them. And first he describes their attempt. Second, he presents the obstacle that befalls them, at "They themselves were weakened and fell." Concerning the first he does three things. First, he presents their presumptuous assault. Second, their perverse act. Third, their malignant effect. As to the first he says, "When the wicked draw near to me," that is, having the intention of harming, "upon me," that is, setting themselves above me: Lam. 1: "Her foes have become the head, her enemies have prospered, because the Lord has spoken against her for the multitude of her iniquities; her little ones have been led into captivity before the face," etc. As to the second, namely that they might grievously afflict, "to eat my flesh," that is, my carnal life: Prov. 1: "Let us swallow him alive and whole, as the underworld does": Mic. 3: "They ate the flesh of my people, and flayed their skin from them." Or, so that the word "to" is taken consecutively, the sense being: let them eat my flesh, that is, my carnalities; because when the wicked persecute the good, the wicked themselves, that is, the persecutors, intend one thing, namely bodily harm--and according to this is the first exposition--while God, permitting this, intends another, namely purgation from all carnality; and thus the second exposition. And in this manner the Apostle says, Gal. 5: "Those who belong to Christ have crucified their flesh with its vices and concupiscences." As to the third he says, "Those who trouble me, my enemies": Ps. 12: "Those who trouble me will rejoice if I am moved." "They themselves were weakened," because they were unable to fulfill their purpose, "and fell," because they were overcome and swallowed up: Jer. 20: "The Lord is with me as a mighty warrior; therefore those who persecute me will fall and will be weakened."
[87016] "If armies should stand." A man ought to have security in two respects. First, in the preparation of evils. Second, in their endurance, at "I shall rise up." He says therefore: the Lord is thus my light, because enemies fall before me. The Gloss says: "If armies should stand against me," camps are where soldiers have stood; "my heart shall not fear." As long as a man is in camp, he does not fight but plans and deliberates for fighting. By "camps" are understood the counsels and conspiracies of the wicked against someone. 2 Kgs. 19: "The angel of the Lord struck the camp of the Assyrians": Ex. 14: "It happened in the morning watch, and behold, the Lord rose above the camps and struck them." "My heart shall not fear," because the Lord is with me: Job 17: "Place me beside you, and let any man's hand fight against me." But "if battle should rise up against me," that is, if they should already attack me and fight against me, though they be many, "in this I shall hope": because as it is said in 1 Macc. 3: "Victory in battle is not in the multitude of the army, but strength comes from heaven." For it is the custom of friends to help their friends when they are attacked by enemies: Ps. 93: "Your consolations have gladdened my soul."
[87017] "One thing I have asked." Above, the Psalmist presented the confidence conceived from prayer; here, however, he presents the desire that arises from this confidence. And concerning this he does two things. First, he proposes the desire. Second, he assigns the cause of the desire, at "For he has hidden me." Concerning the first he does three things. First, he describes the quality of the desire. Second, the thing itself that is desired, at "That I may dwell." Third, the intention of the end, at "That I may see the will." The quality of the desire, therefore, consists in two things: namely in unity and solicitude; and both pertain to the perfection of the desire. For the perfection of the desire depends on the perfection of its cause, namely love, which, when it is perfect, first gathers all powers into one and moves them toward the beloved. For it is, according to Augustine, the weight of the one who loves. A heavy thing tends toward one place without wavering, but not so if the thing is not well weighted; but divine love makes the whole person tend toward God without wavering: Ps. 72: "What have I in heaven, and besides you what do I desire upon earth?" Gregory says: the force of love multiplies the zeal of inquiry. This is what Anna the prophetess did, who did not depart from the temple, serving with fasts and prayers night and day. And therefore it is said, Lk. 10: "One thing is necessary"; hence he says, "One thing I have asked," that is, one thing, or one petition. 1 Kgs. 2: "One small petition I beg of you; do not turn away my face." Second, he is solicitous, since love is like a goad and a fire: Song 8: "Its lamps are lamps of fire": 2 Cor. 5: "The love of God urges us." Hence he says, "This I will seek": Is. 21: "If you seek, seek": Mt. 7: "Seek and you shall find." Next, the thing sought is presented; hence he says, "That I may dwell in the house of the Lord." The spiritual house of the Lord is twofold; and a third is material, namely the Church building, in which it is salutary to abide: Gen. 28: "This is nothing other than the house of God and the gate of heaven"; for in it the spirit of a person is stirred to devotion. The spiritual house of God is the Church Militant: 1 Tim. 3: "That you may know how to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth." The other is the Church Triumphant: 2 Cor. 5: "If our earthly house of this dwelling is dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, but eternal in the heavens." Therefore this can be understood of both, because this house is the way to that one and its gate. Ps. 117: "This is the gate of the Lord; the just shall enter through it." And therefore it is desirable to dwell in this house, namely the Church. And this "all the days of my life," that is, until the end: Ps. 131: "This is my rest forever and ever; here I will dwell, for I have chosen it." Now one dwells in the house of God through faith and charity and conformity of good works: Ps. 67: "He who makes those of one manner to dwell in a house." And it is praiseworthy that one always dwell in it and not be separated from it. Now a person is separated from the Church through sin, through excommunication, and through schism or heresy. He therefore who dwells in it until the end, that is, in this Church, will dwell in that one in perpetuity: Ps. 83: "Blessed are those who dwell in your house, O Lord." Here consequently the intention is presented, namely "that I may see," etc. And he sets forth two things: "That I may see the delight of the Lord, and visit his temple." Another reading has, "that I may continually dwell." Jerome has, "and see the beauty of the Lord." As a reward, according to Augustine: Jn. 17: "This is eternal life, that they may know," etc. Three things are to be desired in that vision, which a person naturally desires to see. First, beautiful things. The highest beauty is in God himself, because beauty consists in comeliness; and God is the very form informing all things; therefore he says, according to one reading, "that I may see the delights of the Lord": Wis. 13: "If they were delighted by their beauty and took them for gods, let them know how much more beautiful than these is their Lord; for the author of beauty fashioned all these things." Second, delightful things, and fleeing from sadness; and therefore the second reading has, "that I may contemplate the delights of the Lord," that is, the goodness of God, in which there is supreme delight: Ps. 15: "Delights at your right hand forevermore." Third, the disposition of things. Hence it is very delightful to know the knowledge of all things that are in the world; and therefore to see the disposition of divine providence is most delightful. And therefore he says, "That I may see the will of the Lord," that is, the plan willed and disposed by God: Rom. 12: "That you may discern what is the will of God, the good, the well-pleasing, and the perfect." These things we have in this life imperfectly and through faith; but in the future house we shall have them perfectly, where the saints contemplate God face to face: 2 Cor. 3: "We, with unveiled face beholding the glory of the Lord," etc. The saints, therefore, who are in the homeland direct their contemplation to God himself and also to the things that are ordered to God himself; and therefore he says, "That I may visit his temple," that is, frequently see the temple, that is, the humanity of Christ: Jn. 2: "He was speaking of the temple of his body." Or, "that I may visit," or see the very ordering of the Church: 1 Cor. 3: "The temple of God is holy, which you are." Likewise, the disposition of the whole world; therefore in the Hebrew Psalm there is found "and at dawn," that is, at dawn to remain: Ps. 5: "In the morning I shall stand before you."
[87018] "For he has hidden me." Here the reason for the desire of dwelling in the house of God is assigned; as if to say, why do you so greatly ask to dwell in the house of God? The reason is from benefits received. And concerning this he does two things. Because first he presents the benefits themselves. Second, he adds recompense, at "I went around." Concerning the first he does two things. First, he presents the benefit of protection from evil. Second, the benefit of promotion to good, at "On a rock you have exalted me." Concerning the first he does two things. First, he proposes the benefit. Second, he shows its necessity, at "In the day of evils." He says therefore: why do you ask to dwell in the house of the Lord? The reason, namely, is that "he has hidden me in his tabernacle." And according to the letter, 1 Sam. 24, when David fled to the safer places of En-gedi and hid himself there. Hence he speaks in the person of one fleeing and hiding in some place. According to the letter, the tabernacle was the place where those who prayed were protected by divine help, and especially in the Holy of Holies, where the propitiatory was, and thus they called the tabernacle the very defense of God: as in Ps. 90 it is said: "He will overshadow you with his shoulders, and under his wings you shall hope," etc. Deut. 32: "He spread his wings and took them up and carried them on his shoulders." But mystically the tabernacle can be called the assumed humanity, or the flesh of Christ, in which he has hidden us through faith and hope: Col. 3: "Your life is hidden in God." Or otherwise, the tabernacle is called the whole ordering of the Church; and in both of these the just person is hidden, because in this tabernacle certain things lie hidden beneath what is manifest: the hidden things are the invisible and spiritual, where the good abide. But the wicked abide in external things: Is. 4: "The tabernacle shall be for a shade in the daytime from the heat." But what did this hiding confer? Indeed, it was necessary for me "in the day of evils," or of all those evils that then threatened. And it is similar to this: because when enemies or tribulation threatens, only those who are found within the city will be saved; so in tribulation those perish who have their affections set upon external things, because when tribulation comes regarding those things, such people are disturbed. Therefore God himself, or Christ, or the mind of the just hides: Mt. 6: "Your Father who sees in secret will repay you."
[87019] "On a rock." Here he proposes another benefit of promotion to good, and it is twofold. One of exaltation with regard to himself. The second with regard to enemies, at "Now he has exalted my head." He says therefore, "On a rock you have exalted me." According to the letter he alludes to the things that happened around him; because when he suffered persecution, he went through impassable rocks, 1 Sam. 24; but when he escaped, "then he exalted my heart above my enemies." But mystically it is explained: "On a rock he has exalted me," that is, in Christ; 1 Cor. 10: "And the rock was Christ." Or, "on a rock," that is, in God: 2 Sam. 22: "The Lord is my rock": Ps. 60: "When my heart was in anguish, on a rock you exalted me." "And now he has exalted": as if to say, I did this in hope, but now in reality. "You have exalted my head," that is, my mind, "above my enemies," that is, above all my appetites: Gen. 4: "Its desire shall be under you."
[87020] "I went around." Here the recompense for the benefit is presented; and he sets forth two things. First, sacrifice, and "he offered." Second, a canticle. According to Jerome, it is connected with the preceding: "above my enemies, and they are round about us." "I went around," that is, I stood about offering devout prayers for them: Ps. 108: "Instead of loving me, they detracted from me," etc. Sir. 50: "And he, standing around the altar," etc. Likewise, it belongs to a valiant soldier to go around and protect the camp, as it is said of Judah in 1 Macc. 3: "He protected the camp with his sword"; hence "I went around," that is, I protected. Or, this going around refers to contemplation. A circle has two properties among other figures. One is that it is more capacious than others. The other is that it is entirely uniform without an angle, and this befits contemplation. First, as to its capacity, because one is then said to go around contemplating when he contemplates all things that are to be considered; hence he says, "I went around," that is, I considered all your gifts and the benefits of the Church. Blessed Dionysius posited a threefold motion: namely circular, straight, and oblique. By the straight motion something always moves non-uniformly, because it always has a different distance; and therefore in contemplation the motion is straight when one moves from one thing to another considering the course of things. By circular motion one moves in contemplation when the conception of the soul is uniform; and then it is called circular, when it draws the soul back from things. And first it is gathered into itself, then it is united to spiritual things, and then it ascends to the contemplation of the one God. Oblique motion is composed of both: when one proceeds from the consideration of creatures but orders this toward the consideration of God. And therefore he says, "I went around," as to uniformity: Ezek. 1: "This was the appearance of the splendor round about." "And I offered." Now there is a twofold sacrifice: namely the interior, by which a person gives his mind to God. Ps. 50: "A sacrifice to God" (that is, acceptable to God) "is a troubled spirit." And every exterior sacrifice is ordered to represent that interior one; hence Augustine says: when you offer this exterior thing, it is to represent your mind to God. But because every representation is made through certain signs, among which words hold the first place, therefore among sacrifices the sacrifice of praise seems to have preeminence: Ps. 49: "The sacrifice of praise shall honor me"; hence he says, "I offered in his tabernacle a victim," not of cattle, but rather "a victim of jubilation," that is, of divine praise. And with this jubilation "I will sing" to you, namely a canticle, both of joy of mind and of uprightness of work: Ps. 107: "My heart is ready." "I will sing"; as if to say, I have a heart ready to serve you with joy of mind: Ps. 99: "Serve the Lord with gladness."
[87021] "Hear." Above, the Psalmist presented his desire; here he bursts forth to seek the thing desired. And concerning this he does three things. First, he asks to be heard. Second, he proposes the petition, at "My heart has said to you." Third, he shows the confidence he has of being heard, at "I believe I shall see the good things of the Lord." In order that he may be heard, therefore, he brings forward two reasons. One from his own devotion. The other from his misery. Devotion is the cause by which one is heard by God. Devotion is a cry of the heart that stirs God to listen. And therefore he says, "Hear": because "I have cried out," not exteriorly but interiorly: Jas. 5: "Their cry has entered the ears of the Lord of hosts." Likewise, our misery provokes God to hear us: Ex. 3: "Seeing I have seen the affliction of my people, and I have come down to deliver them"; hence he says, "Have mercy on me and hear me"; as if to say, I know myself to be wretched and my wretchedness, hence it is yours to have mercy: Jdt. 9: "Hear me, a wretch, who am praying."
[87022] "My heart has said to you." Here he presents the petitions. And first he asks for the vision of the divine face. Second, divine help, at "You are my helper." Third, direction on his way, at "Establish a law for me, O Lord." Concerning the first he shows that regarding the thing sought he has a great desire, both intimate, anxious, and constant. Intimate, because "my heart has said to you." Sometimes a person asks something with his mouth, but his heart turns to other things: Mt. 7: "Not everyone who says to me, Lord," etc. Is. 29: "This people honors me with their lips," etc. But when the petition is from the intimate desire of the heart, then it is acceptable to God, but then not only the mouth but the heart asks: 2 Sam. 7: "Your servant has found his heart to pray this prayer to you": Ps. 118: "I cried out with my whole heart." He says he has an anxious and fitting desire when he says, "My face has sought you," etc. It happens sometimes that a desire is intimate and quiet and does not greatly seek; but when it is anxious, then it truly seeks; hence he says, "It has sought you," that is, frequently and diligently it has sought. And this also shows a fitting desire: because an image is not perfected unless it reaches the exemplar to which it was made; hence he says, "My face has sought you." The interior face of a person is that in which the interior sight resides, that is, the soul or rational mind, and this, namely my face, which was made in your image, has sought you. Hence it cannot be reformed and perfected unless it is joined to you, O Lord. Hence, just as everything seeks its perfection, so our mind seeks God. And he shows that it is constant, because "I will seek," that is, again and again I will seek: Is. 21: "If you seek, seek": Mt. 7: "Seek and you shall find." This is proper to one who loves, to seek often the beloved thing. And what he seeks, he shows when he says, "Your face, O Lord, I will seek." This Moses was asking, Ex. 33: "Show me your face." And the Lord did not immediately show it, but said, "I will show you all good": Lk. 10: "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see." And therefore David was not without hope, but still sought; hence elsewhere he says, "Show us your face," etc. Job 33: "He will pray to his God, and God will be gracious to him, and he will see his face with joy."
[87023] "Do not turn away." Here he proposes a threefold petition. And first he asks not to be deprived of the thing desired. Second, he asks that the cause by which he could be deprived be removed. Third, he asks to be directed on the way, at "Establish a law." He says therefore, "Your face, O Lord, I will seek." And I pray, "Do not turn your face from me"; as if to say, as a man turns away from a man when he does not wish to hear him. But it is otherwise in God than in man. For a man who turns his face away changes. But God himself is immutable; yet he is said to turn his face away insofar as we turn away and are changed. And by the fact that in our heart some veil arises by which we are rendered unfit to see his face. And therefore the reading of Jerome has, "Do not hide": Is. 8: "I will wait for the Lord who hides his face from the house of Jacob." The cause of the turning away, however, is the anger of God as punishment for sin. And this turning away is the greatest of punishments; and this is what he says, "And do not turn aside in anger from your servant," that is, do not be angry with me in this, that you turn your face from me. And he says, "in anger": because sometimes he turns aside in mercy, namely when he does not look upon sins: Ps. 50: "Turn your face from my sins." Sometimes he turns aside in providence, namely when he permits someone to fall so that he may rise more strongly, "because for those who love God all things work together for good," Rom. 8.
[87024] "My helper." Here he asks for divine help in things to be done before he comes to the face, lest he be impeded from the vision of the face. And first he presents the petition. Second, the reason for what has been said, at "For my father." He therefore asks for divine help saying: I ask to see your face, but I cannot arrive at this on my own; therefore, "you be my helper," so that I may reach this: Ps. 120: "My help is from the Lord." But on the surface this reading does not seem correct, because it seems better to say, "You are my helper," and thus it is found in the Hebrew, namely "you have been my help." And according to this he commemorates a benefit; as if to say, you have been my helper. Therefore henceforth "do not abandon me." And he asks that two things be removed, namely abandonment itself and interior contempt: for if a person is left to himself, he perishes. Hos. 13: "Your destruction, O Israel, is from yourself." Now someone abandons another because he despises him. And God despises us because we are fragile by nature and corrupted by guilt; and therefore he says, "Do not despise me, O God." And why this? Because you created me and you are "my savior," that is, you have saved me. For no one despises his own works: Ps. 137: "Do not despise the works of your hands." Next the reason for what has been said is presented; hence there follows, "For my father and my mother have abandoned me, but the Lord has taken me up"; as if to say, because I have found you as helper when all others fail, do not despise me. And thus first he presents the failure of human help. Second, he presents divine help. This text is read in two ways. In one way, of David literally, as is found in the history of 1 Sam. 16: when David was anointed, Jesse presented his older sons; but the Lord chose David, because Samuel requested him. Or it can be read in the person of a just man, because literally, for one hoping in the Lord all human help fails: Job 19: "My relatives have abandoned me, and those who knew me have forgotten me." Sir. 51: "I was looking about for help from men, and there was none." But the Lord has taken him up and takes him into his care, and this is better: Ps. 64: "Blessed is the one whom you have chosen and taken up," etc. Mystically, however, "my father," that is, Adam, "and my mother," that is, Eve, "have abandoned me," that is, exposed me to desolation through sin. Or, "my father," that is, the Devil, because he was my father in the state of sin--he has abandoned me, because he has no power over me--"my mother," Babylon, "have abandoned me," that is, despised me. And this because "the Lord has taken me up."
[87025] "Establish a law." Above, the Psalmist presented two petitions: the first was for the vision of the divine face; the second for the help of divine protection; here, however, he presents another petition for the direction of his way. And concerning this he does two things. First, he presents the petition. Second, he shows the necessity, at "Because of my enemies." Concerning the first he does two things. First, he presents the petition for a law. Second, he asks for direction in the things that belong to the law, at "And direct." He had said above, "One thing," etc.; and what this is he explained, namely to see your face. And because to this vision, since it is arduous, one arrives by a certain arduous way, through which no one goes without the help of God, he asks that it be granted: Ps. 83: "Blessed is the man whose help is from you, for they shall go from strength to strength." Because indeed he who goes by an unknown way needs a guide, he asks for one, saying, "Establish a law for me, O Lord, in your way"; as if to say, it falls to me to ascend by the way, in which I ask that you establish a law for me. A law is a rule of things to be done. On this way one proceeds through acts of the virtues; and therefore a law is necessary, which is the rule of human acts; as if to say, give me a rule for how I should walk. Jerome has it thus: "The Lord has illuminated the way for me": Prov. 6: "The commandment is a lamp, and the law is a light." To give a law is to illuminate. But sometimes one knows in general what is to be done, but does not know in particular, especially because of deceivers. And against this he asks, saying, "Direct me in the right path": Is. 26: "The path of the just is straight; the way of the just is straight to walk upon." And this "because of my enemies." This is the reason why he asks to be directed in the right path. Because he who knows the way, and the way is straight, proceeds securely if he does not encounter an adversary; but when he encounters his enemy or adversary, he needs protection and direction: Ps. 141: "In this way in which I was walking, they hid a snare for me." These enemies of ours are the concupiscences of the flesh, evil desires, demons, wicked men, or sinners, who obstruct the way of going to God.
[87026] "Do not hand me over." Here he explains what has been said; and he says two things. First, he asks to be freed from the danger of enemies. Second, he shows that he has enemies, at "For they have risen up." He says therefore, "Do not hand me over to the souls of those who trouble me"; as if to say, I ask to be so directed on the way that I do not fall into the power of enemies. And he does not say "into their hands," but "into their souls," that is, into their wills. For it happens that the saints are handed over into the hands of enemies, because "the earth is given into the hands of the wicked," as is said in Job 9. But not into their souls; because their will is to drag them to evil, but God does not permit this: Sir. 18: "If you grant your soul its concupiscences, it will make you a joy to your enemies." "For they have risen up." Here he shows that he has enemies. And first he presents their attempt. Second, their failure. He says, "Because of my enemies," and this because "unjust witnesses have risen up against me." These words are explained in three ways: historically, allegorically, and morally. Historically, because literally certain wicked witnesses spoke falsely against David, namely Doeg the Edomite, who accused the priest and David, and others. Allegorically, of Christ, against whom unjust witnesses rose up accusing him: Mt. 26: "At last there came," etc. Morally, because against every just person false witnesses sometimes arise as false teachers, attempting by their doctrine to make others deviate from the right way: Is. 5: "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil." Likewise, flatterers are called false witnesses: Is. 3: "O my people, those who call you blessed themselves deceive you": Prov. 19: "A false witness shall not go unpunished." "And iniquity has lied to itself." Here he presents their failure. These words, as they are placed here, can be understood in three ways. In one way thus: a person is said to speak to himself when he alone understands his words, but when speaking to others, he does not: 1 Cor. 14: "He who speaks in a tongue speaks to himself and to God, not to men." And thus the sense is: there are false witnesses, and they speak a lie and persuade; but their iniquity has lied to itself; as if to say, not to me, because I do not acquiesce to them. Or, "iniquity has lied to itself," that is, to its own harm; because from their lie, what they intended has brought evil upon themselves: Sir. 27: "He who lays a snare for others will perish in it." Or, "iniquity has lied," etc., because they did not achieve the effect of what they proposed to do to me and to other just men: Job 5: "He frustrates the counsels of the wicked." Jerome has, "openly," etc., that is, they spoke openly against me.
[87027] "I believe I shall see." Here he presents his hope concerning being heard. And first he presents the hope that he himself has. Second, he exhorts others to the same, at "Wait for the Lord." His petition was that he might see God; and therefore he says, "I believe," that is, I have firm confidence, "that I shall see the good things of the Lord," that is, see God face to face: Job 19: "I know that my Redeemer lives," etc., "and in my flesh I shall see God." Hence he does not say "see the Lord," but "the good things of the Lord"; which can be understood in two ways. Either "the good things of the Lord," that is, from the Lord, and thus it is not taken here. Or "good things," that is, which are in the Lord; and in this way it is taken here: for all these things are in him as in their first source, and are the same as he is: Wis. 7: "All good things came to me together with her," etc. And where? "In the land of the living." The vision of God is eternal life, as is said in Jn. 17. This land is the land of the dying; because just as the earth is receptive with respect to the heaven that makes it fruitful, so the life of the blessed is immediately perfected by God.
[87028] "Wait for the Lord." Here he leads others to waiting, when he says, "Wait for the Lord": Is. 30: "Blessed are all who wait for him." And while you wait, have confidence in action; hence he says, "Act manfully," namely interiorly and exteriorly: Is. 35: "Strengthen the feeble hands." And he says this first, because "he who perseveres to the end shall be saved." Hence, "sustain the Lord," namely doing whatever good things, even if they appear adverse: Sir. 2: "Woe to those who have lost patience, and who have forsaken right ways and have turned aside into crooked ways." Or, "sustain the Lord," that is, wait for the Lord. And then he repeats for greater certitude.
Commentary on Psalm 27