Psalms 4 · The Lantern

The title of the fourthe salm. `To the victorie in orguns; the salm of Dauid.

Whanne Y inwardli clepid, God of my riytwisnesse herde me; in tribulacioun thou hast alargid to me.

David seems to be speaking here of those who, when being tested and put through various trials, would rather do anything than find refuge in God. Why is it necessary, he asks, to be disturbed and upset at the conditions of the times? What makes you hand yourselves over to vanity, you heavy-hearted people? Why do you seek lies and leave the truth behind?

"Futile" is the word used of that thing that is empty, when there is something in name but nothing in substance. The Greeks have many names for their gods but not a trace of substance; so too in many other matters: wealth has a name but not a trace of substance; glory has a name but not a trace of substance; power has a name, and the name remains unsupported by fact.

Then when he says, "O sons," etc., he turns to the exhortation of others: and concerning this he does two things. First he rebukes sinners; second he exhorts them to amendment, at "And know," etc. Concerning the first he does two things.

Haue thou mercy on me; and here thou my preier. Sones of men, hou long ben ye of heuy herte? whi louen ye vanite, and seken a leesyng?

Here is the great cry that reaches up to God. It is not that cry people make resulting from some intense release of air, but it is the pure and untouched outpouring of the words of the inner mind, which extend even to God.

When there is a burdensome care, however many times I call out to God, he does not delay to hear me: this establishes, therefore, as an example to me and others, his providence.

Second, when he says, "And know," he exhorts sinners to amendment: and concerning this he does three things. First he recalls the benefits shown to himself. Second he exhorts them to return to God, at "Be angry," etc. Third he shows his preeminence over them in goods, at "You have given gladness," etc. He says, therefore, "And know," etc.

And wite ye, that the Lord hath maad merueilous his hooli man; the Lord schal here me, whanne Y schal crye to hym.

Be ye wrothe, and nyle ye do synne; `and for tho thingis whiche ye seien in youre hertis and in youre beddis, be ye compunct.

If you wish to explain what it is to hope in everything, we are going to say that it is nothing other than to become an heir of the kingdom of heaven, to receive comfort, to be called the children of God, to see God, to be satisfied by the righteousness for which one hungers and thirsts, to enjoy his abundant mercy and to live in all the things which the true God and our Lord a…

"Offer the sacrifice of righteousness, and hope in the Lord" [Psalm 4:5]. He says the same in another Psalm, "the sacrifice for God is a troubled spirit." Wherefore that this is the sacrifice of righteousness which is offered through repentance it is not unreasonably here understood.

Consequently, he exhorts them to do good. And first he directs them concerning the principle of good, because "offer the sacrifice of justice"; as if to say, namely be contrite. In Lev. 4, it is commanded that they offer a sacrifice for sins. But the Lord does not care much about such things. Ps.

Sacrifie ye `the sacrifice of riytfulnesse, and hope ye in the Lord; many seien, Who schewide goodis to vs?

Indeed, in the same way the rays of the sun touch the face of one who looks at it, and in fact it is impossible for one who stands near to the sun not to feel it, so also it must be understood that the individual who is fully a partaker of God is the one who has meditated on the law of the holy word and who has surrendered his mind to understanding God.

But yet, "hope in the Lord," is as yet expressed without explanation. Now what is hoped for, but good things? But since each one would obtain from God that good, which he loves; and they are not easy to be found who love interior goods, that is, which belong to the inward man, which alone should be loved, but the rest are to be used for necessity, not to be enjoyed for pleasure…

Then when he says, "Many," he raises the question which the "many," that is, the foolish, ask: and they say, "Who shows us good things?" As if to say: how can we know what these sacrifices acceptable to God are?

Lord, the liyt of thi cheer is markid on vs; thou hast youe gladnesse in myn herte.

The meaning of this little verse is consistent with the verses that precede it. For what else is the light of the countenance of the Lord over his righteous ones than a heart full of joy? That very thing which we feel through the sensation of joy becomes a partaker of his divinity when it contemplates God.

[Psalm 4:7] "You have put gladness into my heart." Gladness then is not to be sought without by them, who, being still heavy in heart, "love vanity, and seek a lie;" but within, where the light of God's countenance is stamped.

Then when he says, "You have given," he sets forth his preeminence over those sinners in goods: as if they were saying to him, you exhort us regarding your benefits, but we have everything; therefore he compares temporal things with spiritual things. And first he sets forth the spiritual; second the temporal, at "From the fruit," etc.

Thei ben multiplied of the fruit of whete, and of wyn; and of her oile.

Even if grief, calamities, temptations, disasters are not lacking to me in this present life, nevertheless there is a future time for me in which I will depart from the body and sleep in peace.

But men (who doubtless are many) who follow after things temporal, know not to say anything else, than, "Who shows us good things?" when the true and certain good within their very selves they cannot see.

Then when he says, "In peace," he sets forth the preeminence of spiritual things; as if to say, what among these excels? The certain gladness of the heart. And this is clear for a twofold reason. First, because this good will be eternal, but that is temporal; second, because it is one and simple, while that is manifold.

In pees in the same thing; Y schal slepe, and take reste.

For thou, Lord; hast set me syngulerli in hope.

Psalms4