Thomas Aquinas, on Ps 11:1

“Unto the end; for the octave, a psalm for David.”

“In the preceding decade the Psalmist treated of the persecution that he himself suffered from his son Absalom, through which was prefigured the persecution that Christ would suffer from Judas. In this second decade, however, as appears from the titles of certain Psalms, he treats of the persecution he suffered from Saul, through which was prefigured the persecution that Christ would suffer from the chief priests. This decade is divided into two parts. In the first he asks to be delivered from enemies. In the second, already delivered, he prays for his own exaltation, in the Psalm "May the Lord hear you," which indeed fits historically with David, because upon the death of Saul, David was advanced to king; and as to the mystery, it fits Christ, whose kingdom was established in His death. Phil. 2: "Therefore, because He became obedient to the Father even unto death, God exalted Him." In the first part he does two things. First he asks for deliverance. Second, he gives thanks for deliverance, and this in Psalm 17: "I will love you." Concerning the first he does three things. First he magnifies the malice of the persecutors. Second, he commemorates his own justice, at "Lord, who shall dwell." Third, on account of his justice he asks for the efficacy of being heard, at "hear, O Lord," etc. Concerning the first he does two things. First he reproves the deceitfulness of his adversaries. Second, he argues their iniquity, at "the fool has said." Concerning the first he does two things. First he commemorates their deceitfulness. Second, he asks for divine light, lest he be ensnared by them, at "how long, O Lord." This also fits well historically with David, against whom Saul proceeded deceitfully. He prefixes to this Psalm the title: "unto the end, for the octave, a Psalm of David," which has been explained above. Concerning the first he does three things. First he describes the commemoration of their deceitfulness; second, he asks for their destruction, at "may the Lord destroy"; third, he sets forth the reason for being heard, at "because of the misery," etc. Concerning the first he does two things. First he describes their deficiency; second, he adds a sign of the deficiency, at "they have spoken vain things." Concerning the first, it should be known that David, considering the malice of his adversary growing stronger against him, as though stupefied, first has recourse to divine help, saying, "O Lord, save me." And rightly so, because apart from Him there is no savior, as is said in Is. 45. Second, he enumerates their deficiencies. Now two things preserve a man from evil: namely, the fear of God -- Sir. 2: "He who fears God will keep His commandments" -- and the love of truth; because right works are called true, as if in conformity with a rule, and if they are not right, they pertain to disgrace. For some, even if they do not avoid evils through fear of God, are nevertheless restrained from them through fear of disgrace. But some fear neither disgrace; hence it is said in Lk. 18 of a certain man "who feared neither God nor respected any man." And the Psalmist excludes both of these from his adversaries. First, the fear of God, when he says, "because the holy one has failed"; for holiness consists in the fear and worship of God. Hence things dedicated to divine worship are called holy. As if to say: there is not found in this world a man who fears God. Mic. 7: "The holy one has perished from the earth, and there is no upright one among men." Second, he excludes the love of truth, when he says, "because truths are diminished." But the question must be asked: why does he say "truths" in the plural? Hos. 4: "There is no truth of God in the land." To which it must be said that there is one primordial truth, which is in the divine intellect. Jn. 14: "I am the way, the truth, and the life." But just as from one face of a man diverse likenesses are reflected in different mirrors, and similarly in one broken mirror, so in different souls diverse truths are reflected from the one divine truth. And similarly in one soul, because it does not attain to the simplicity of the divine but is composed of that by which it exists and what it is, there appear from that one truth by which the holy soul is illuminated diverse truths. These truths, when the soul departs from God through sins, are diminished. Or it must be said that he says "truths" on account of the threefold created truth that is in the saints: namely, truth of life, of which Is. 38 says: "Remember how I walked before you in truth." Truth of doctrine: Mt. 22: "We know that you are truthful and teach the way of God in truth." And truth of justice, of which Ex. 18 says: "Provide from among all the people capable men who fear God, in whom there is truth." This Psalm seems to speak of this truth, namely, the truth of justice, from which Saul had departed when he unjustly persecuted David. It must be said, therefore, that such truths have been diminished not from themselves, but "from among the children of men," through whose sins they are corrupted. And indeed the truth of life is diminished when good is judged to be evil. The truth of doctrine, when light is called darkness. The truth of justice, when bitter is judged sweet, and conversely. Is. 5: "Woe to you who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter." He says that holiness fails, because since it comes from God through grace, it is immediately taken away by a single mortal sin. But truth is diminished, as it were, gradually. Jerome has: "because the merciful one has failed, and because the faithful are diminished," because mercy and justice are required toward neighbor. Prov. 20: "But a faithful man, who shall find?"”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.