Thomas Aquinas

Above, the Psalmist described divine justice and showed that he kept it; here he sets forth a prayer in which he asks to be heard, on account of justice. The title is, "A prayer of David." And this is the first Psalm to be entitled from prayer, because this psalm is wholly a prayer; and therefore it begins with prayer, because among tribulations prayer is a singular refuge. Psalm 108: "but I was praying." This Psalm, then, is divided into two parts. In the first he prays for his own stability; in the second he asks for deliverance from evil, at the words, "I have cried." Concerning the first he does two things. First he asks to be heard; second he sets forth his petition, at the words, "from your countenance." Now it must be considered that in being heard there is a threefold degree. First, he to whom the petition is made hears the words. Second, he attends to the sense. Third, he fulfills the petition. First, therefore, he asks to be heard, saying, "hear," and so on. Daniel 9: "Hear, O Lord God, the prayer of your servant." Second, in being heard he sets down the merit of the petitioner; and therefore he says, "my justice," as if to say: in me there is merit that you should hear me. The Gloss: "Justice has a voice with God, by which it penetrates heaven." James, last chapter: "The persevering prayer of a just man avails much." John 9: "God does not hear sinners; but if any man be a worshipper of God, him he hears." Second, he asks that God attend to the sense of the prayer: "attend to my supplication." The Gloss says: the supplication, which is for the removal of evils. Another reading has, "attend to my songs," as if to spiritual understanding: Psalm 129: "Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication." Third, that he hear the words of the one praying; and therefore he says, "give ear to my prayer," which proceeds not from "deceitful lips," but from simple ones: Isaiah 53: "there was no deceit in his mouth." But since God hears all things, why is it said that he hears some things and not others? Wisdom 1: "the holy spirit of discipline will flee from the deceitful, and will withdraw itself from thoughts that are without understanding." God is not said to hear except true words, and not those that proceed from deceitful lips; and therefore he says, "not in deceitful lips." Psalm 11: "deceitful lips, in the heart," etc. And thus the deceitful is understood in two ways: namely, feigning with respect to the mouth, and with respect to the deed, when the deed does not agree with the mouth. The Pharisee who said, Luke 18: "I am not as the rest of men," etc., was not heard; but the other, who prayed not with deceitful lips but rightly, was heard, because he went down to his house justified. The Gloss: deceitful lips are those of them who say "Lord, Lord," and do not do the will of my Father.

"From your countenance." A judge does not pronounce sentence except after hearing the petition and examining the case. And therefore here he sets down the petition, and asks for three things. First, the sentence. Second, the examination of the case, at "you have proved." Third, the quality of the sentence, "perfect." Concerning the first he does two things. First he asks for judgment. Second, for its tempering, at "your eyes." He says, therefore, "from your countenance," that is, from your knowledge: "let my judgment come forth," that is, for me: Jeremiah 10: "Correct me, O Lord, but yet with judgment, and not in your fury, lest perhaps you bring me to nothing." But here he asks not for a judgment of severity — Isaiah 64: "all your righteousnesses are as a filthy rag" — but of equity, according as human nature can bear; and therefore he says, "let your eyes behold the things that are equitable," that is, judge a judgment of equity: Isaiah 11: "he shall judge in equity for the meek of the earth"; Job 22: "let him bring equity against me, and my judgment shall come to victory"; as if to say: I do not ask for judgment, because my case has been examined by you. That his case has been examined before him, he shows when he says, "you have proved," etc. And first he sets down the order of the examination; second he sets forth what has been found, "and iniquity has not been found." He says, therefore, "you have proved my heart." There is a difference between proving and examining: proving seeks the reason of the deed, examining seeks the deed itself. Now the reason of the deed touches more the heart, but the deed touches more the body. He says, therefore, "you have proved my heart," that is, you have shown it proved, that it has not been disturbed on account of the tribulations that I suffer. When God examines, he does three things: he proves, he visits, and he examines. He proves when he judges whether one has rectitude of heart; for if one does not have it, he does not trouble to examine; but when one has it, it needs to be examined whether it has firmness: Jeremiah 17: "I am the Lord who searches the heart and proves the reins, who gives to every one according to his way" — but this examination is hard and strong, so that no one could sustain it unless helped by him: Job 6: "What is my strength, that I can hold out? Or what is my end, that I should keep patience? Neither my strength nor my flesh is of brass." And therefore he first sets down the visitation, Psalm 88: "I will visit with a rod," either by helping or by correcting.

"You have visited in the night." But by "night" one may also understand "fire," because both disturb the soul: Job 30: "in the night my bone is pierced with sorrows"; and a burning does the same thing. Or "night," that is, by the failing of spiritual understanding. Sometimes one has a right heart, and temptation and negligence come upon him; and this is "in the night"; and in this the Lord visits by helping against temptations, and shakes off negligence and gives comfort: Psalm 49: "when my strength shall fail, do not forsake me." Or "night," that is, quiet and silence, and then he visits through consolations: Matthew 25: "at midnight there was a cry made: behold, the bridegroom comes." "You have examined by fire," that is, by tribulation; because then it appears whether one is a good friend, and does not withdraw: Ecclesiasticus 6: "there is a friend for his own occasion, and he will not abide in the day of your trouble." Now through this examination innocence and perfection are found, because he examines whether innocence is found in him. And this is indeed found in him. And first he sets down his innocence; second, his perfection, at "iniquity has not been found in me." But against this: 1 John 1: "if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us"; and Proverbs 20: "who can say, my heart is clean?" Ecclesiastes 7: "there is no just man on earth who does good and does not sin." The Gloss: "not even an infant of one day." It must be said that he speaks of the iniquity of sin by which in tribulation one withdraws from God. The perfection of innocence is found in him to such an extent that "my mouth has not spoken the works of men," that is, sin; as if to say: not only in the heart, but not even in his mouth is there iniquity: Job 6: "you shall not find iniquity in my tongue, neither shall iniquity sound in my jaws"; Ephesians 4: "let no evil speech proceed from your mouth." Or thus: "iniquity has not been found in me, so that my mouth does not speak," when afterward follows, "the works of men," etc.; as if to say: you have seen that in me there is no iniquity, and this — because it does not become me to say it — yet you have seen it. Proverbs 27: "let another praise you, and not your own mouth: a stranger, and not your own lips." Jerome has it thus: "you have proved my heart, you have visited it in the night; you have tried me as by fire, and you have not found my thoughts to rise up to my mouth"; as if to say: the disturbance did not proceed so far as to come from the heart to the mouth through murmurings. Second, he explains by what fire he was examined, when he says, "on account of the words of your lips I have kept hard ways." Hard ways are adversities; and this I have endured, "on account of the words of your lips," that is, in order to keep your words, or to announce your words: Jeremiah 20: "the word of the Lord is made a reproach, and a derision." Jerome has, "broad ways." Robbers seek byways in which to lie hidden; so did David, when Saul pursued him: Psalm 17: "he has made my feet like the feet of harts." Spiritually this is said of Christ, punished among robbers as a malefactor: John 18: "if he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up to you." If you begin the verse there, "on account of the works of men I have kept hard ways," you would say that the hard ways are the works of men: Proverbs 4: "I will show you the way of wisdom, I will lead you by the paths of equity, which when you shall have entered," etc. Consequently he determines what he asks: "perfect my goings in your paths," namely, the paths of justice: Job 4: "where is your fortitude, your patience, and the perfection of your ways?" And this, so that my footsteps, that is, my affections, may not be moved from your commandments. Or Christ asks on behalf of the Church, that its goings be made perfect, and that its footsteps, that is, its sacraments, not be moved. Likewise, since habits are generated from acts, the acts leave footsteps in the will. Or, according to the letter, David asks that he not be cast headlong from the precipices through which he passed while fleeing Saul: 1 Kings 24: "Saul followed him over the most rugged rocks." Another reading has: "sustain my goings in my paths, and let not my footsteps slip." Or, that Christ, according as he is man, be made perfect forever in the glory of the divinity: John 17: "glorify me, Father, with yourself, with the glory which I had before the world was."

"I." Above the Psalmist asked to be established in good; here, however, he asks to be delivered from evil, and concerning this he does three things. First, he asks to be heard in his petition. Second, he sets it down, at "make your mercies wonderful." Third, he manifests the hearing of his petition, at "but I." Concerning the first he does two things. First, he sets forth the hope he has conceived of God. Second, from this he asks to be heard, at "incline your ear." He says, therefore, "I have cried." The order seems reversed, since it would seem more fitting to say, "because I have cried, you have heard me." And therefore it is explained in three ways. In one way, according to the Gloss: "I have cried" — in a cry the intention of the mind is stronger, and free. Those, then, cry out who pray with great devotion and freedom of heart. And whence comes this? "Because you have heard me," namely by giving freedom. Gregory: "God hears no one except him whom he inspires to pray," namely the soul, through some devotion: Psalm 118: "my soul has coveted to long," etc. In another way, according to Augustine, Book 10 of the City of God, that the word "because" does not designate a cause but a sign; as if to say: this is a sign that I have cried, because you have heard me. In a third way: because when one is heard once, he asks again more confidently. And therefore he says, "because you have heard me, I have cried." Jerome has, "plainly, because you have heard me." Scripture always joins these two, crying out and being heard, because he who cries out in this way is heard: Jonah 2, "I cried out of my affliction to the Lord, and he heard me"; Psalm 141: "I have cried to you, I have said, you are," etc. Consequently he asks to be heard. And since he who hears first listens, therefore he says, "incline" — unless the Lord is in a high place, it is necessary that he incline his ear to hear him who is below. The Lord sits in his majesty; and if he wished to deal with us according to the height of his justice, we would not be saved, because, Isaiah 64, "all your righteousnesses are as a filthy rag." And therefore it is necessary that he incline, and then hear: Daniel 9: "Incline, O Lord, your ear, and hear."

"Make wonderful." Here the petition is set down, and it is twofold. The first concerns his own deliverance. The second, the casting down of his enemies, "arise, O Lord, disappoint him." Concerning the first he does two things. First he asks for deliverance. Second he adds the necessity of deliverance, at "my enemies." Concerning the first he does three things. First he asks for mercy. Second, for salvation, at "who saves." Third, for the manner of deliverance, at "keep me as the apple of your eye." He says, therefore, "make wonderful." That one be delivered from a small enemy is not a marvel; but when one is delivered from a very great evil, or enemy, this is a marvel; and this he asks: "make wonderful," that is, deliver me marvelously. And this not according to the judgment of man, but "according to your mercy": Ecclesiasticus 36: "renew signs, and work new miracles; glorify your hand and your right arm; raise up indignation, and pour out wrath; take away the adversary, and crush the enemy." And the reason for this is, because it is your own and proper work. "You who save those who hope in you": Ecclesiasticus 2: "no one has hoped in the Lord, and been confounded." And you save "from those who resist your right hand." The right hand of God, or his power, is that which operates spiritually in good things: Proverbs 3: "length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory." Those are said to resist the right hand of God who are demons or sinners who impede spiritual things. Or the right hand of God is said to be Christ: Psalm 117: "the right hand of God has wrought strength." Whom the Jews resist, by contradicting his teaching: John 7: "how does this man know letters, having never learned?" and by detracting from his work: John 9: "this man is not from God, who does not keep the sabbath"; Luke 11: "he casts out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of the devils." But there is a question against the Psalm (Psalm 75): "you are terrible, and who shall resist you?" No one, then, can contradict his will: Job 9: "God, whose wrath no one can resist." And it must be said that no one can efficaciously resist him, but one can have the will or purpose of resisting. Consequently he sets down the manner of deliverance, because it is diligent and safe; therefore he says, "keep me as the apple of your eye." The apple of the eye is guarded with diligence, because nothing that could harm it is allowed to approach; so also God does in the keeping of his servant: Deuteronomy 32: "he led him about, and taught him, and kept him as the apple of his eye"; Zechariah 2: "he who touches you, touches the apple of my eye." Or, according to the Gloss, the apple of the eye is said to be Christ directing us: Ecclesiasticus 3 — the visual power is in the pupil by which we discern good from evil, and Christ discerns the faithful from the unfaithful, and the good from the wicked; to manifest this diligent keeping, a twofold metaphor is used, namely of shadow and of wings. For shadow refreshes from heat, so also the protection of God refreshes by giving security. Likewise, a hen guards her chicks with her wings against the kite; so also God, with his wings, which are charity and mercy, defends the just from the rapacity of demons. Matthew 23: "how often would I have gathered you together, as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not?" By these wings, then, God raises us up to the heights: Psalm 88: "mercy and truth shall go before your face; blessed the people," etc. Jeremiah 31: "I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore having pity I have drawn you." Or the apple of the eye is said to be the soul; because just as the pupil, which is in the middle of the eye, is surrounded by many membranes for its defense, and a man puts forth his hand, and almost everything he has, so that it not be harmed, so ought man to do for his soul: Job 2: "skin for skin," etc.; because, as it is said in Mark 8, "what does it profit a man if he gain the whole world," and lose his soul, etc. Or, "keep me as the apple of the eye," that is, as Christ, "protect me under the shadow of your wings," that is, under the guardianship of the angels: Psalm 90: "he has given his angels charge over you," etc. Or the two wings are the two arms of Christ extended on the cross: Deuteronomy 32: "he spread his wings, and took them, and carried them on his shoulders." Consequently he shows from whom it is fitting to be delivered, namely "from the face of the wicked who have afflicted me," that is, from the power and presence of demons, or of false brothers. 2 Corinthians 11: "in perils from false brethren." "Who have afflicted me," with temptations and persecutions. Exodus 1: "the Egyptians hated the children of Israel, and afflicted them, mocking them." Thus we ought to ask to be delivered from sin: Ecclesiasticus 21: "flee from sin as from the face of a serpent."

"My enemies." Here he sets down the necessity of deliverance, and concerning this he does two things. First he sets forth the affliction he suffers. Second, the likeness of the affliction, at "they have taken hold of me." Concerning the first he does two things. First he states the affliction. Second, the manner of the affliction, at "their fat," etc. He says, therefore, "my enemies" — demons, or sins — afflict me in such a way that "they have surrounded my soul," that is, they so enclose me on every side that I find no way of deliverance. And he says "soul," because they seek nothing but the soul. Bodily enemies seek to take away life; but spiritual enemies seek the soul. Or it can be understood of Christ, whose soul the Jews surrounded with their malice; Psalm 117: "they surrounded me like bees," etc. Likewise Psalm 21: "many dogs have surrounded me; the council of the malignant has besieged me." Consequently he sets down the manner; whence he says, "their fat." Fat in Scripture is taken sometimes in a good sense, sometimes in a bad sense. In a good sense, according as it signifies devotion of mind: Psalm 62: "let my soul be filled as with fatness and marrow." In a bad sense: first, according as it signifies wickedness of heart; second, of mouth; third, of deed; and thus it designates detestable malice: Job 21: "the bowels of the wicked are full of fat, and his bones are drenched with marrow." And this is manifold. Sometimes it is delight in the sin that they commit: Proverbs 2: "who are glad when they have done evil, and rejoice in the most wicked things." Likewise pride and falsity: Job 11: "a vain man is lifted up into pride, and thinks himself born free like a wild ass's colt." Likewise, carnal sense. He says, therefore, "their fat," that is, carnal sense, or pride, or delight — "they have shut up," in themselves, so that they do not receive spiritual sense. Jerome has, "in their fat," that is, in the abundance of temporal things and secular power, "they have shut me up." Second, as to the mouth, because "their mouth has spoken pride." And this was when the Jews spoke against Christ: Matthew 27: "if you are the king of Israel," etc. Third, as to deed. And first he shows how they proceed to the deed; second, the cause of this, at "their eyes." Now in the working he sets down two things: first, the failing; second, the eagerness to harm; and yet when one holds in contempt, he is not eager to harm; and therefore he says, "casting me forth," that is, despising me: Isaiah 33: "he has cast down the cities, he has not regarded men," and yet "they have surrounded me on every side with solicitude." And this the Jews did to Christ, when they cast him outside the city: Luke 2: "and they surrounded me," gathering together for a spectacle, to mock, as in Acts 7. And the reason for this is, because they look not to God but to earthly things: Psalm 3: "there is no salvation for him in his God." "They have set their eyes to bow down to the earth," that is, sinners have set the intention of their heart to bow down to the earth, with deliberation and delay: Proverbs 17: "the eyes of fools," that is, of sinners, "are in the ends of the earth," and therefore they do not receive the light of grace: Ecclesiastes 2: "the eyes of the wise man are in his head; the fool," that is, the sinner, "walks in darkness," that is, in sins. Daniel 13: "they turned away their eyes, that they might not look up to heaven." And this literally happened among the Jews, when they said, John 11: "lest perhaps the Romans come, and take away our place and nation." Or "to the earth," that is, to the flesh of Christ, whose weakness alone they considered, and not his divinity; as if to say, "they have set their eyes," etc. On purpose the likeness is set down as to violence, because "like a lion ready for its prey, they have taken hold of me," either by God, or by Pilate's soldiers; as to fraudulence, because "like the lion's whelp dwelling in secret places." A lion attacks in the open field; but its whelp, lurking in secret, eats or seizes the stolen prey: Matthew 26. For he was betrayed with a kiss, seized by night, condemned by false witnesses, and the prince of priests tore his garments.

"Arise." Here he sets down another petition, that is, the casting down of his enemies; and he sets down three things. First, the petition. Second, its exposition, at "deliver my soul." Third, the reason for the petition, at "from your hidden ones." Concerning the first he does two things. First he asks for the hiding of aid. Second, the destruction of the adversary. He says, therefore: you seem to sleep while you allow me to be afflicted, but, "arise, O Lord, disappoint him," that you may come to my aid more quickly than he can do harm; "and supplant him," that is, cunningly bring him down: Job 5: "who catches the wise in their own craftiness"; Proverbs 19: "the craftiness of a man supplants his steps." "Supplant him," in two respects: namely, in my deliverance; and as to this he says, "deliver my soul from the wicked one," because he persecutes me against justice, and therefore he is wicked: Psalm 42: "deliver me from the unjust and deceitful man." And the reason for this is, because my soul is his sword, that is, a sword sharp on both sides, by which the devil was destroyed. And this is properly said of the soul of Christ: Isaiah 27: "in that day the Lord shall visit with his hard and strong sword upon Leviathan." He says, "your sword from the enemies of your hand," supply "deliver": Psalm 66: "attend to my soul, and deliver it." Or, "deliver your sword from the enemies," that is, take away the sword and the power which they have from you: Wisdom 6: "power is given to you by God." And the will which they have of themselves: Zechariah 13: "sword, arise against my shepherd." Or, "supplant them," in their frustration, "and deliver my soul from the enemies of your hand," that is, of Christ your Son; for the Son is called the hand of the Father: Deuteronomy 32: "I will lift up my hand to heaven," that is, my Son. "Lord, divide them from a few of the earth"; because on this account they persecute me, that they may establish their own kingdom. There is a twofold reading here: in the Roman Psalter it is thus, "O Lord, disperse them in their life"; as if to say, they have their eyes on the earth, and therefore they do evil deeds; but do you exclude them from the earth which you gave them. But how? Are they to go into one place? No, but disperse them throughout the whole world. The other reading, "Lord, dismiss them from a few of the earth"; as if to say: divide them from the earth, and "from a few," that is, from the fellowship of the elect, "in their life," that is, while they live. Or, because it is read that, when the destruction was imminent, they were warned by an angel that the faithful should withdraw and go into the kingdom of Agrippa. And therefore, "divide them from the few," that is, the Christians, who were preserved. "Their belly is filled from your hidden things," that is, from unconfessed sins: Proverbs 28: "he who hides his sins shall not prosper"; Job 31: "if I have hidden my sin as man does, and concealed my iniquity in my bosom." Or here the reason for the petition is set down, and this reason is twofold: namely, because it can be referred either to sins, or to the benefits for which they are ungrateful. If in the first way, thus: first he sets down the abundance of sins. If in the second way, he shows how the benefits of God were passed on to their sons. He says, therefore, as to the first, "their belly is filled from your hidden things," that is, from the sins which are hidden from themselves — not because he does not see them, but because he does not wish to see them: Habakkuk 1: "your eyes are clean, O Lord, so that you cannot look upon evil, and you cannot look upon iniquity." "Their belly is filled," that is, their conscience, or their memory, or carnal concupiscence, or sensuality. "They are filled with sons," that is, with sins, or evil works. Evil works are called the sons of evil men, just as good works are the sons of good men. Another reading has, "they are filled with swine's flesh," that is, with the filth of sins; and this is an explanation of what he says, "from your hidden things"; "and they have divided their leavings to their little ones," as if to say, they are passed on to their sons, who imitated their sins: Wisdom 4: "for from the wicked all children that are born are witnesses of wickedness against their parents in their trial." Or, "they are filled with sons," that is, for the benefit of their sons, "and they have divided their leavings to their little ones," who bound them to sin, as far as was in their power: Matthew 27: "his blood be upon us and upon our children." Or, "they are filled with sons," that is, in place of sons; as if: they are so filled with sins that it sufficed for themselves and their sons; that is, the remaining sins which they themselves did not commit, they left to be committed by their sons. If in the second way, thus they received two benefits. First, spiritual things, namely the Law. And therefore he says, "their belly is filled from your hidden things," namely of your wisdom, that is, their carnal sense: Psalm 147: "he has not done in like manner to every nation." Second, temporal goods, because "they are filled with sons," and, what is more, they left these things to them. Jerome's reading has, from that place, "deliver my soul from the wicked one," as though the wicked one were your sword: Isaiah 10: "woe to Assur, the rod of fury, from the men of your hand, who are dead in the depths, whose portion is in this life"; as if to say, "deliver my soul from the wicked one," that is, from Saul, and "from the men of your hand," who contradict your hand, "who are dead in the depths," that is, in sin, "whose portion is in this life," namely this one, whose belly has been filled, etc. Saul, according to the Gloss, signifies death; and just as, with Saul dead, David reigned in peace, so Christ, having conquered death, reigns after his resurrection.

"I." Here he shows the hope of his being heard, and he sets down two things: namely, the justice which he has, and the vision of God. And these follow one from the other, because through justice one arrives at the vision of God: Psalm 14: "who shall dwell in your tabernacle," etc.? "He who walks without blemish, and works justice." Another reading, "but I in justice shall behold your face," and therefore "I shall appear in your sight," that is, I shall come to see you; "and I shall be satisfied when your glory shall appear," that is, when I shall see you, I shall be filled with all good things: Psalm 102: "who satisfies your desire with good things," namely your glory, in which all good things are. Those others are satisfied "with swine's flesh," according to the Septuagint. Our reading says, "in the land of the saints," etc. Isaiah 26: "let the wicked be taken away, that he may not see the glory of God. But I shall be satisfied": Jeremiah 3: "when he shall appear, we shall be like him."