Commentary on the Psalms (In Psalmos Davidis Expositio)

Above, in the preceding Psalm, a petition was made for the exaltation of the king; here, however, as one who has been heard, he foretells it. The title is: unto the end, a Psalm of David. This Psalm is therefore divided into two parts. In the first he foretells the exaltation of the king. In the second, the casting down of his enemies, at the word, let it be found. Concerning the first he does three things. First he foretells the joy of the king. Second, he sets down the cause of the joy, at the word, desire. And third, the merit of the cause, at the word, for the king hopes in the Lord. This Psalm is expounded of Christ, who is the king, and of David, who was his figure; and therefore it can be expounded of both — of Christ according to the truth, of David according to the figure. There is therefore a twofold joy: one from God, the other from the benefit of God. As to the first he says: O Lord God, the king — that is, Christ — shall rejoice in your strength, that is, in your divinity: Psalm 71: "Give your judgment to the king, O God." And he rejoiced then, when he conquered the devil, and death by his own death; and when he worked miracles, and when he ascended into heaven: Psalm 46: "God has ascended with jubilation"; Isaiah 23: "the king shall reign and shall be wise," and so on. 1 Corinthians 1: "Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God." Likewise, if it is said of David: O Lord God, the king — namely David and the other saints — shall rejoice in your strength: Song of Songs 1: "we will rejoice and be glad in you, mindful of your breasts." As to the second he says, "And in your salvation," etc., that is, over the obtaining of the salvation brought about through you. Christ especially will exult in this, that through him you save the human race: Luke 1: "he himself will save his people."

Desire. Here is set down the cause of the joy, which is the fulfillment of desire: Proverbs 13: "if desire is fulfilled, it delights the soul." As desire is related to joy, so is motion related to rest, to which one arrives through motion. Hence first is set down the fulfillment of the desire. Second is set down in what respects he fulfilled the desire, at the word, for you have anticipated. Now there is a twofold desire: one which is only in the heart, the other which is expressed by the mouth; and both are fulfilled, because God hears before he is prayed to. As to the first he says, "you have granted him the desire of his heart": Luke 22: "with desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you"; and this is said of any just man. As to the second he says, "and have not withheld the will of his lips," that is, what he expressed through his lips: you have not defrauded him, because you have heard him: Hebrews 5: "he was heard for his reverence"; Isaiah 46: "my counsel shall stand, and all my will shall be done."

For. Here he sets down the respects in which the desire is fulfilled. And first he speaks of the fulfillment of the desire of the heart. Second, of the fulfillment of the desire of prayer, which is the same as the desire of the lips, at the word, life. Now there is a twofold benefit; and therefore he first sets down the interior spiritual benefit, which is the benefit of grace: and as to this he says, "for you have anticipated him with blessings of sweetness." To bless is to speak good; and for God to speak is for him to act. Hence in the blessing of God is understood the infusion of goodness: Genesis 26: "I will bless you, and multiply your seed," etc. And Genesis 17: "I will bless him, and multiply him, and increase him greatly." This blessing, then, is sweet: Wisdom 12: "O how good and sweet is your spirit in us." Therefore, "in blessings of sweetness," that is, in the goods of grace, and in immunity from sins, "you have anticipated him" — that is, Christ — in time: because from the beginning of his conception he was full of all grace: John 1: "we saw him full of grace and truth, as it were the only-begotten of the Father"; because as soon as he was conceived he was united to the divine nature, and just as soon he was full of grace. Likewise, "you have anticipated him" in quantity: because before all others he received grace, and not according to measure. The saints also are said to be anticipated; 1 John 4: "not as though we had loved God, but because he first loved us"; Wisdom 6: "he anticipates those who desire him." And thus, in the figure of Christ, David was anticipated by a special grace: because he was anointed king while still a boy, before he himself thought about the kingdom. He shows the exterior benefit, saying, "you have set upon his head a crown of precious stone." If these words are referred to Christ, then the sense is: "you have set upon his head a crown of stone," etc., that is, you have made him king. Now the crown is a sign of royal dignity: because, as it is said in Isaiah 33, "they shall see the king in his beauty"; Song of Songs 3: "go forth, daughters of Sion, and see the king in the diadem with which his mother crowned him" — that is, divinity. For this reason he says, "of precious stone," that is, of divinity: because "his kingdom is not of this world," John 18; Jerome has "of pure gold," that is, of the purest; Apocalypse 6: "a crown was given to him." Or the crown of precious stone are the apostles: who are called precious stones on account of the preciousness of their doctrine: Apocalypse 12: "on his head" — namely Christ's — "a crown of twelve stars." Ecclesiasticus 25: "the crown of old men is much experience." Hence the company of the apostles is, as it were, the crown of Christ. Or, "you have set upon his head a crown," that is, the Church: Proverbs 12: "a loving woman" — that is, the Church — "is a crown to her husband" — that is, to Christ. Or this can be said of any saint: because the crown, or reward, is God himself: Isaiah 18: "in that day the Lord shall be a crown of glory." "Of stone," on account of solidity; "precious," because David according to the letter was crowned by God himself. Consequently he shows how the petition of his lips is fulfilled: hence he says, "he asked life of you," when he asked of you the resurrection: Psalm 40: "but you, O Lord, have mercy on me, and raise me up, and I will repay them." And this was given to him: Psalm 2: "ask of me, and I will give you the nations for an inheritance"; Luke 11: "everyone who asks receives." Likewise also any saint asks this, namely life, and especially eternal life: Psalm 26: "one thing I have asked of the Lord, this will I seek," etc.; and David likewise asks this. Second it is shown how the petition is fulfilled with respect to others; hence he says, "you have granted him," etc. He asked that his body, namely the Church, be preserved unto length of days: and this God granted him. Matthew, last chapter: "behold, I am with you even to the consummation of the age." David also asked this in 2 Kings 7: "moreover he has spoken concerning the house of his servant for a long time to come."

Great. Here is set down the consummation of goods: and concerning this he does two things. First he sets down the magnification of this king who was anticipated, in whom the blessing was begun. Second he explains the magnitude, at the word, glory and great beauty. He says that you have anticipated him, etc., but there is yet more: because his glory — namely, of Christ both as God and as man — is great in your salvation, that is, in the Word to whom human nature is united. Or, his glory is great among men: and this, in your salvation, because you raised him up: Hebrews 5: "in the days of his flesh, prayers and supplications," etc. Or his glory is great in your salvation, that is, in your help: in which it was ordained that he should have great glory; and he explains this as to three things. First by comparison to himself; and therefore he says, "you have set glory and great beauty upon him," which beauty indeed was set upon Christ in his resurrection, and glory in the admiration of others. Or, so that it be taken as the same thing, "you have set glory and great beauty upon him": Job 40: "surround yourself with beauty, and raise yourself on high, and be glorious." Second, in comparison to others; hence he says, "for you will make him a blessing forever and ever," because through him the blessing has been derived into all others: Genesis 22: "in your seed shall all nations be blessed." Third, in comparison to God; hence he says, "you will make him glad with joy in your countenance," that is, he makes Christ as man glad with everlasting gladness; and "in your countenance," that is, in the vision of your countenance: Psalm 15: "you will fill me with joy with your countenance." Or he set glory upon him when he gave his saints to work miracles: and this refers to Christ, because the whole was done for the glory of Christ, namely, that he blessed them, and that he led them on to the vision of himself: Isaiah 66: "you shall see, and your heart shall rejoice"; John 16: "your joy no one shall take from you."

For. Above, the Psalmist announced the exaltation of Christ the king; here, however, he declares the merit of this: and this merit is, that Christ, according as he is man, and every just man, places his hope in God alone: Jeremiah 17: "blessed is the man who hopes in the Lord, and the Lord will be his confidence." And therefore, because he hoped in the Lord, he shall not be moved: Psalm 124: "they who trust in the Lord," etc. Because hope in God is a firm foundation: 1 Maccabees 2: "all who hope in him do not grow weak." Therefore this is compared to an anchor. But it should be noted that there are three things which ought to move one to hope in the Lord. First, divine providence. A man is not accustomed to hope in those to whose care he does not belong. Now our care belongs to God; therefore he says, "he hopes in the Lord," whose office it is to govern. The second is mercy: Luke 1: "his mercy is from generation to generation." The third is power; and therefore he says, "of the Most High": Psalm 90: "he who dwells in the help of the Most High."

Let it be found. Above the Psalmist foretold the exaltation of the king; here, however, he treats of the casting down of his enemies: and concerning this he does two things. First he sets down the casting down of the enemies. Second he draws the conclusion, at the word, be exalted. Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth the punishment of the enemies. Second, their guilt, at the word, for, etc. Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets down the infliction of the punishment. Second, the punishment itself, at the word, you will make, etc. The inflicter of the punishment is the hand of God; hence he says, "let your hand be found by all your enemies." Jerome has, "let the hand of God's right hand find the enemies, hating them"; but this seems to be a repetition on the part of the Psalmist, because the hand and the right hand of God are the same thing, and "enemy" and "one who hates" are the same. And this is customary in the Psalms. Or, if a distinction is made, every right hand of his is a hand, but not every hand is a right hand. By the hand of God, therefore, is understood the operative power of God: and this is, as it were, a right hand by which he exalts the good in spiritual goods: Proverbs 3: "length of days is in his right hand." The left hand is that by which he punishes the wicked, and bestows temporal things. In the same place: "in his left hand are riches." He says therefore, "hand," that is, power, "shall be found," that is, shall deliver up according to his will, "all your enemies": Isaiah 9: "in all these things his fury is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still." And "right hand"; because the fact that God punishes the wicked pertains to the right hand, insofar as such punishment is ordered to the salvation of the elect. Thus, then, insofar as he punishes the wicked, it is called "hand"; and insofar as it is ordered to the good of the just, it is called "right hand." Or the right hand and the hand are Christ; hence, "your hand," that is, Christ, "shall be found," that is, shall be known unto good by those who are your friends, namely the Gentiles: Romans 10, Isaiah 65: "they have found me who did not seek me." Or unto evil, "shall be found," etc., that is, shall be known, "by your enemies," that is, by the Jews at the judgment, when he shall come to judgment: Luke 21: "they shall see the Son of Man coming," etc. And "your right hand," that is, your Son, "shall find," that is, shall punish, "all who hate you."

You will make. Here is set down the punishment of the enemies. And first as to the evils inflicted upon them; second as to the goods taken away from them, at the word, fruit. Now he sets down a threefold order of punishment: and if it is referred to the mystery it is clear, because in the future judgment there will be three things. First there will be a fire burning the surface of the world. Psalm 96: "he will inflame his enemies round about"; therefore he says, "you will make them as an oven of fire," namely, "in the time of your countenance," that is, of Christ, at which time he will appear for judgment. Psalm 16: "let my judgment come forth from your countenance," etc. And he says "as an oven," as it were oppressed with fire on every side. Matthew 6: "as the grass which is today, and tomorrow is cast into the oven." Or "as an oven," that is, containing fire within itself; and by this is understood the fire which the wicked will suffer inwardly from depraved desire and wrath. A good affection is a good fire: Lamentations 1: "from above he has sent fire into my bones," etc. An evil affection is an evil fire: Psalm 57: "fire fell upon them, and they saw not the sun," that is, they always burn in the conscience of their impiety. Hosea 7: "all adulterers are like an oven heated by the baker." All those are adulterers who join themselves inordinately to anything other than God. The baker is the devil, who supplies evil thoughts, just as the baker supplies wood. Lamentations, last chapter: "our skin was burned as an oven because of the violence of the storms of famine." And this, "in the time of your countenance," that is, in the time of your manifestation for judgment. Second is set down the arraignment of the judgment: in which he will reproach the impious with their sins, and will pronounce the sentence of damnation, whether vocally or mentally. And therefore "the Lord in his wrath shall trouble them," that is, he shall bring upon them the disturbance of sorrow for the evils inflicted and the goods taken away; third, they will be enveloped by fire: hence, "and fire shall devour them." Job 20: "fire shall devour them, which is not kindled," namely by human breath, but is kindled by divine power; hence Jerome has, "you have cast them down." All these things can well apply to David.

Fruit. Here is set down the privation of goods. Of the goods which men have in this world, some are those which men desire to enjoy in this life, and some they desire to leave behind them: and they shall lose both. And therefore as to the first he says, "you shall destroy their fruit from the earth," which they sought to enjoy. Wisdom 3: "vain is the hope," etc. Romans 6: "what fruit," etc. As to the second he says, "their seed," namely, shall perish, "from the sons of men," namely, from the fellowship of the saints. Isaiah 14: "I will destroy Babylon," etc.; and this happens for this reason, because, as it is said in Ecclesiasticus 14, every corruptible work shall fail in the end. Wisdom 3: "for the wicked nations are of a dire consummation," etc.

For. Here is set down the guilt of the sinners, and it is described as to two things. First as to the attempt of the deed; and as to this he says here, "for they turned aside," etc.: because although they were not able to accomplish it, nevertheless they attempted, as far as they could, to inflict evils. Psalm 34: "they repaid me evils." Or, "they turned aside," because they wished to bring upon others the evils that threatened themselves. For a twofold evil threatened the Jews: namely, the evil of punishment; and this they attempted to turn back upon Christ, when, lest the Romans should take away their dominion, they killed Christ. Second, the evil of guilt threatened them. John 8: "you are of your father the devil," and this they turned upon Christ when they said — John 8: "do we not say well," etc. They themselves were possessed by demons, and they imputed sin to Christ. Second is described the guilt of the Jews, or of sinners, as to the attempt of thought: hence he says, "they devised counsels," etc., that is, they devised how to destroy his faith. Jeremiah 11: "they devised a plan," etc. Of this wood it is said in Wisdom 14: "blessed is the wood by which righteousness is wrought"; "but they were not able to establish it," that is, they could not accomplish what they had devised. Isaiah 8: "take counsel together, and it shall be brought to nothing," etc. Why? Because "there is no counsel against the Lord," Proverbs 21. And he assigns the reason for this saying, why they were not able to establish a counsel against him, saying, "back." Jerome's text is plainer: "for you will make them the shoulder, the firmness of your borders against their face." It happens in two ways that enemies do not establish counsels against someone. In one way, if they are conquered by him. In the other way, if the borders of the enemies are made firm; and therefore he says, "they were not able to establish their counsel: for you will make them turn their back," that is, they will flee before you. Likewise, "the firmness of your borders against their face." This is understood spiritually of Christ, whose borders no one was able to break through. John 10: "no one shall snatch them out of my hand." And in our text it is read, "in your remnants you shall prepare their face," that is, against their face, according to the Gloss. Above, the Psalmist set down the future punishment of the wicked; here, however, he sets down their present punishment. And there is a twofold spiritual punishment, which is in the soul: namely, according to aversion from God, and according to conversion to evil. As to the first he says, "you, according to your providence, will make them turn their back." As to the second he says, "in your remnants you shall prepare their face." And this is expounded in many ways, according to the Gloss. In one way, of those things which Christ left behind, namely the temporal things which he despised. John 18: "my kingdom is not of this world"; because in the desire for temporal things you will abandon their face, that is, you will prepare their intention, so that on this account they should kill Christ, as when they said, John 11: "lest perhaps the Romans should come," etc. Or, "in their remnants," that is, the Gentiles whom you leave to be converted. Romans 15: "in him shall the Gentiles hope." "You shall prepare their face," that is, the knowledge of you, which belongs to them — that is, the Jews — that is, promised to them. Or the remnants of Christ are called the extremities of his life, that is, his passion and death; and in these was prepared their evil intention toward his passion. Or the preparation of the face unto good, that is, in the remnant of the Jews who will be converted. Romans 9: "the remnant shall be saved." And although they are set now as the back, nevertheless the remnant will be converted and will come to know.

Be exalted. Here is set down the conclusion. And first he asks for that which is on the part of God; second he promises that which is on our part. He says therefore, "be exalted, O Lord, in your strength," namely, so that in it the king may rejoice. Isaiah 26: "let your hand be exalted, that they may not see and be confounded." Yet according to the mystery, "be exalted," O Christ, in the resurrection, which will be "in your strength." John 10: "I have power to lay down my life, and to take it up again," through the resurrection and the ascension. "Be exalted," which will be in your strength. Isaiah 63: "marching in the greatness of his strength." And we "will sing," namely inwardly, and "will play," outwardly, "his powers." Or, "we will sing," that is, we will preach and announce the excellence of your power. 1 Peter 2: "that you may declare the virtues of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."