Psalms 45 · The Lantern

The title of the five and fourtithe salm. To the ouercomere, the song of the sones `of Chore, `for yongthis.

Who that hears these words of the Gospel, "the only-begotten Son;" and, "by Him were all things made," will not hate those who declare He is one of the things made? For how can He be one of the things made by Him? or how shall He be the only-begotten who, as they say, is reckoned with all the rest, if indeed He is a thing made and created?

The inspired authors were not like the seers. In their case, after all, when the demon takes possession of their soul, it cripples their mind and clouds their reasoning, and so they utter everything without their mind understanding anything of what is said; rather, it is like a flute sounding without a musician to play a tune.

Above, the Psalmist proposed a prayer for the adversity of the kingdom and the king; here he sets forth, as it were, the glory of the king and the kingdom from the divine benefit. And first, he sets forth the divine benefit. Second, he invites other nations from this example to serve God, at "all peoples." Regarding the first, he does two things.

Oure God, thou art refuyt, and vertu; helpere in tribulacions, that han founde vs greetly.

Now a proof that "grace was poured on his lips" is the fact that although the time he spent in teaching was short, … the world has been filled with this teaching and with the religion that came through him. For there has arisen "in his days" "righteousness and an abundance of peace" lasting until the consummation.

Lo! now then that Word, so uttered, Eternal, the Co-eternal Offspring of the Eternal, will come as "the Bridegroom;" "Fairer than the children of men" (ver. 2). "Than the children of men." I ask, why not than the Angels also? Why did he say, "than the children of men," except because He was Man?

"Beautiful in form above the sons of men." With the prologue set forth according to one sense, or the divinity of Christ according to another sense, here is set forth the commendation of Christ according to his humanity.

Therfor we schulen not drede, while the erthe schal be troblid; and the hillis schulen be borun ouer in to the herte of the see.

I, on my part, now wish to engage with you in a discussion on the allegorical expressions of the apostle. What figures of speech could the novel god have found in the prophets (fit for himself)? "He led captivity captive," says the apostle. With what arms? In what conflicts? From the devastation of what country? From the overthrow of what city?

"Gird Thy sword upon Thy thigh, O most Mighty" (ver. 3). What is meant by "Thy sword, but "Thy word"? It was by that sword He scattered His enemies; by that sword he divided the son from the father, "the daughter from the mother, the daughter-in-law from the mother-in-law." We read these words in the Gospel, "I came not to send peace, but a sword." And, "In one house shall five…

"Gird your sword upon your thigh." Here he is described as powerful in valor. And first, his warlike virtue is set forth. Second, his progress in battle, at "attend." Third, the effect, at "and your right hand shall lead you." Warlike virtue consists in natural strength and the preparation of arms.

The watris of hem sowneden, and weren troblid; hillis weren troblid togidere in the strengthe of hym.

What was being achieved was in fact fearful and productive of terror: death was destroyed, hell was broken asunder, paradise was opened, heaven was thrown open, demons were shackled, the lower regions were mingled with the upper, God became human, a human being is seated on the kingly throne, hope in resurrection dawned, expectation reached beyond death, ineffable good things w…

What does he mean to express by the "thigh"? The flesh. Whence those words, "A prince shall not depart from Judah; and a lawgiver from his thighs"?

"Attend, proceed prosperously." The Psalmist above set forth, in commendation of Christ, the strength and preparation of the king; here he treats of his progress; and regarding this he does two things. First, he sets forth the progress of the king.

The feersnesse of flood makith glad the citee of God; the hiyeste God hath halewid his tabernacle.

The sharp arrows of the Mighty One are the well-aimed words that touch the hearts of the hearers, striking and wounding their keenly perceptive souls.

Do you see the successful outcome of the war? The submission of those previously rebellious? The instruction? The catechesis? Their very fall and submission to him, you see, are for everyone the basis and foundation of their exaltation. In fact, having delivered them from their folly and empty conceit and from the demons' error, he subjected them to himself.

"Your arrows are sharp"; as if to say: therefore your right hand shall prepare a way for you, because your arrows are sharp. And here the power of arms and their effect are set forth. The arms of Christ are arrows, which are the words of Christ, which are called arrows for three reasons. First, because an arrow penetrates to the heart with its sharpness. Hos.

God in the myddis therof schal not be moued; God schal helpe it eerli in the grey morewtid.

For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

Immediately he proceeded to say also "a rod of equity," which suggests correctness and justice in prosecution. Such an expression, however, seems not applicable to a human being—at least such an expression occurs nowhere in reference to a human being—whereas it is applicable to God, of whom he says also in another place, "He will judge the world in righteousness; he will judge…

"Your throne, O God, is forever and ever." Above, the Psalmist commended Christ for his graciousness and warlike virtue; here he commends him for his judicial power. And first, he describes his judicial power.

Hethene men weren disturblid togidere, and rewmes weren bowid doun; God yaf his vois, the erthe was moued.

The Lord of vertues is with vs; God of Jacob is oure vptakere.

The sweet odor of Christ gives forth the fragrance of myrrh because of his passion, and of aloes because he did not remain motionless and inactive for three days and three nights but descended to the lower world to distribute the graces of the resurrection.… And it breathes forth the fragrance of cassia, a very delicate and fragrant bark, … because of the suffering of the cross…

In his wish to imply both the passion and the glory of the passion he says "myrrh, resin, and cassia from your garments," suggesting by "myrrh" the passion, and by mention of "resin and cassia" implying the fragrance and splendor of the passion, as if to say, Even the passion itself, which affects your temple, will be accompanied by great fragrance and glory, with the result th…

"Myrrh and gutta." Here he treats of the delights of the king, and he describes these delights from four things: from clothing, from dwelling, from attendance, and from marriage. Of the first, he says, "Myrrh and gutta and cassia from your garments." The garments of Christ can be twofold: namely, his body. Is.

Come ye, and se the werkis of the Lord; whiche wondris he hath set on the erthe.

The queen … is the soul that is joined with the Word, its Bridegroom; not subjected by sin but sharing the kingdom of Christ, it stands on the right hand of the Savior in gilded clothing, that is to say, adorning itself charmingly and religiously with spiritual doctrines, interwoven and varied.

The church is in attendance on you, he is saying, on your right; that is, it will always be assembled for you. The church is always assembled in union with him both in purpose and in the grace of rebirth, just as members and body are with the head, as the apostle says in one place, "You are the body of Christ and individually members of it." … For this reason, "at your right ha…

"The queen stood." Above, the Psalmist praised Christ for graciousness, warlike virtue, and delights; here he praises him for his bride, whom he describes in four respects: as to the presence of the bridegroom, as to her dignity, as to her glory, and as to her adornment. The bride of Christ is the Church; the brides of a king are called queens.

He doynge awei batels til to the ende of the lond; schal al to-brese bouwe, and schal breke togidere armuris, and schal brenne scheldis bi fier.

The church was formed from pagans and Jews, so he does well to say "Forget your people and your father's house," meaning idolatry and observance of the law, practicing instead a new life by grace.

But we have witness too from the Father, how lovingly and how courteously he gives her the name of daughter, and nevertheless invites her as his daughter-in-law to the sweet caresses of his Son: "Listen, daughter, pay careful attention: forget your nation and your ancestral home, then the king will fall in love with your beauty." See then from whom this bride demands a kiss.

"Hear, O daughter." Here the bride is commended in four ways: for her beauty; for the excellence of her glory, at "all her glory." For her company, at "they shall be brought." And for her offspring, at "instead of your fathers." Regarding the first, he does two things. First, he sets forth how she acquires beauty or graciousness.

Yyue ye tent, and se ye, that Y am God; Y schal be enhaunsid among hethene men; and Y schal be enhaunsid in erthe.

How, then, shall he be a God, who has not as yet been made a man? Or how can he be perfect who was but lately created? How, again, can he be immortal, who in his mortal nature did not obey his Maker? For it must be that thou, at the outset, shouldest hold the rank of a man, and then afterwards partake of the glory of God. For thou dost not make God, but God thee.

By progressing in virtue and attaining to better things, "reaching forth to those things that are before," according to the word of the blessed Paul, we rise ever to … spiritual beauty, so that to us too it may be said hereafter, "The king greatly desired your beauty."

"And the king shall desire your beauty." Here he promises the bride the graciousness of the king. First, from the king, and this is love. Second, from the people, and this is honor, at "they shall entreat your countenance." He therefore promises the love of the king and shows the dignity of the king.

The Lord of vertues is with vs; God of Jacob is oure vptakere.

Psalms45