Commentary on the Psalms (In Psalmos Davidis Expositio)

In the preceding Psalm the prophet exhorted others to acts of thanksgiving; but here he himself gives thanks. The title: "A Psalm of a canticle, at the dedication of the house of David." As was said above, they are called "Psalms of a canticle" because first there was singing, and afterward the Psalm followed, as it were a Psalm following upon a canticle. But we read that David did not dedicate a house to God, because he was forbidden by the Lord through Nathan, 2 Kings 7. But here it is not called "the house of the Lord," but "of David." We read in 2 Kings 5 that after the death of Saul he took Jerusalem, and there made his house. And it is customary that when someone enters a house, he holds a solemnity. And it could be said that this Psalm was then sung by David himself, when he first entered that new house to dwell there. However, it is better understood as referring to the mystery of the house of David, that is, of Christ, who is the head and body of the Church. And this same thing is called a tabernacle. Above it was said, "for the completion of the tabernacle"; but here, "at the dedication of the house." The tabernacle belongs to those who are in warfare, and thus the present Church is called a tabernacle. Revelation 21: "Behold the tabernacle of God with men," etc. The house belongs to those who are at rest, and thus the Church awaits the rest of the homeland: Psalm 121: "We shall go into the house of the Lord." Each of these has its construction, which was in the ordaining of his incarnation, and its dedication, which was in the resurrection, when the body of Christ was clothed with the glory of immortality. Upon the body of Christ it is continually being built, and through the conversion of the faithful it will be dedicated, when it will be in glory.

This Psalm is divided into two parts. In the first, he recalls in general the benefits for which he gives thanks. Second, in particular, at the place, "But I said." Concerning the first he does two things. First he gives thanks for his own benefits. Second he invites others to give thanks for the common benefits, at the place, "Sing to the Lord, O ye his saints." Concerning the first he does three things. First he sets down the act of thanksgiving. Second he recalls the benefits, at the place, "for thou hast upheld me." Third he explains, at the place, "O Lord my God." He says therefore, "Lord, I will extol thee," not by making thee higher, but by confessing and praising thy loftiness: Ecclesiasticus 43: "Blessing the Lord, extol him as much as you can." And he assigns two benefits on account of which he extols him: one on the part of God, and the other on the part of his enemies, and the second is the effect of the first. On the part of God, because "thou hast upheld me" into thy protection, when he chose him and protected him, as is found in 1 Kings 16, down to the end. Or, God upholds the just when he unites to himself those who cling to him through the union of charity. But he united the man Christ to himself by taking him up into a perfect unity: Psalm 3: "But thou, O Lord, art my protector," etc. On the part of his enemies: because, "thou hast not delighted..." For this is not a small thing, that enemies should rejoice over one, since they do not rejoice except over his evil, and no one desires evil except for one he hates: Ecclesiasticus 18: "If thou grant to thy soul its desires, it will make thee a joy to thy enemies." But it is certain that David did not become a joy to his enemies, because Saul did not attain his purpose regarding him. But concerning Christ it does not seem so: Matthew 27: "for they insulted him now crucified, saying, Vah, thou that destroyest the temple of God," etc. Likewise, the wicked also insult just men, and rejoice over them: Job 30: "Young men in years deride me, now I am turned into their song, and am become a byword to them." But it must be said that if for an hour the Jews rejoiced over Christ, nevertheless not finally, for when Christ rose again his name prevailed all the more: Micah 7: "Rejoice not, thou my enemy, over me, because I am fallen; I shall arise."

Then when he says, "O Lord my God," he shows how he was set free. And first from interior evils. Second from exterior ones, at the place, "Lord, thou hast brought." The interior evil is infirmity, whether bodily or spiritual. These two could be present in David and in us, but in Christ only the bodily, on account of his passibility; and therefore he says, "I cried," namely David: Psalm 119: "To the Lord, when I was in trouble, I cried." Likewise Christ cried out, even though inasmuch as he is God he is the hearer of prayer: Hebrews 5: "with a strong cry and tears," etc. There follows, "and thou hast healed me." He says this because David was healed from both infirmities; but Christ he healed from bodily passibility only. Consequently he says he was freed from exterior evils, "Lord, thou hast brought forth." And first from those that were imminent. Second from those from which he was preserved, at the place, "thou hast saved." He says therefore, "Lord, thou hast brought forth," etc.; this cannot be understood literally of David, because he had not been rescued from Hell when he composed this Psalm. It can be understood of him metaphorically, as though he had been freed from mortal danger. But literally it is understood of Christ, whose soul was brought forth from Hell by God: Psalm 15: "Thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell." Likewise it applies to those who through Christ have been raised up: Zechariah 9: "But thou by the blood of thy testament hast sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water." Second he says he was preserved from mortal danger, when he adds, "thou hast saved me from them that go down into the pit." Literally, the "pit" is taken for a hollow, for it was the custom of antiquity that men were buried in deep hollows: "thou hast saved me," he says, "from them that go down into the pit," as if to say, thou hast freed me from the dangers of death. But of Christ it is expounded best, because by the "pit" is understood eternal damnation; for although Christ descended into Hell, he did not descend there as unto damnation, but in order to free those who were in the pit; as if to say, thou hast granted me not to be made like those who go down into the pit: Psalm 87: "I am become as a man without help, free among the dead." Or, "into the pit," that is, into sin, for he was immune from sin.

Then when he says, "Sing to the Lord, O ye his saints," etc., he first leads others to an act of thanksgiving. Second he recalls the benefits, at the place, "for wrath is in his indignation." Where he does two things: for first he shows who they are who owe thanks to God. Second, for what, at the place, "give praise." He says therefore, "sing." Behold how it is "a Psalm of a canticle." "Sing," I say, you saints, because Ecclesiasticus 15: "Praise is not beautiful in the mouth of a sinner"; Revelation 19: "Give praise to our God, all ye his saints." But concerning what? "Give praise," giving thanks, "to the remembrance of his holiness." In one way "remembrance" can be understood as meaning that God is mindful of us: Jeremiah 2: "I have remembered thee," etc. And he says, "of his holiness." And this can be understood in two ways: either because this remembrance arises from his holiness, that is, from his mercy and goodness — Leviticus 11: "Be ye holy, because I am holy" — or because he is mindful of us in order to sanctify us: Leviticus 20: "I am the Lord who sanctify you." In another way, "of remembrance," namely ours, because we call to mind the holiness of God, as if to say, give praise by calling to mind his holiness: Isaiah 63: "I will remember the tender mercies of the Lord."

Second, when he says, "for wrath," he recalls the benefits shown to all. Where he does two things. First he sets forth these benefits, which pertain to God's clemency. Second he shows a sign of his clemency, at the place, "in the evening." He says therefore, "for wrath," etc. The mercy of God is not without justice; therefore he first sets down justice. Second, mercy: justice, when he says, "for wrath." Here "wrath" is taken for the effect of wrath, that is, for vengeance; but "indignation" is taken not for a stirring of anger in God, but for the justice of God, according to which he abhors the wicked man, for Wisdom 14: "the wicked man and his wickedness are alike hateful to God"; as if to say, "in his indignation," that is, in the justice of God judging sins in wrath, that is, in vengeance. Jerome, more plainly: "for his wrath is but for a moment," as if to say, if at any time he is angry with his own, this is for correction, for a brief time: Isaiah 54: "In a moment of indignation I hid," etc.; Ezekiel 18: "I desire not the death of the sinner that dieth." Jerome: "life in his good pleasure," as if to say, he punishes for a moment, and afterward becomes propitious again, and restores life: Job 5: "He striketh, and his hands heal." He shows a sign of his clemency and mercy according to the letter, when he adds, "in the evening it shall tarry," as if to say, in a short time the Lord leads from sorrow to consolation, for if someone is sad in the evening, in the morning he will be joyful. A threefold reason can be assigned why sadness is present in the evening, and joy in the morning. One is from the exterior disposition: because the evening is the beginning of darkness, which saddens, but the morning, of light, which gladdens; hence the blind, that they might rejoice, sing: Tobit 5: "What manner of joy shall be to me, who sit in darkness, and do not see the light of heaven?" Second, from an interior cause: morning is the hour of blood, in which man is disposed to joy; evening is the hour of melancholy, in which man is disposed to sadness. Third, from the nature of sleep: for sleep is the rest of animals, hence sadness is quieted through sleep. Mystically the letter is plain: because at the evening of the Lord's burial there was sadness, since the faithful still wept over the death of Christ. But at the morning, on account of the news of the resurrection, there was joy. If it be referred to the whole human race, then thus: "in the evening," that is, the sin of the first parent, there was sadness, because, as is found in Genesis 3, Adam sinned after midday, the sun already inclining toward its setting. And this weeping cannot be called brief, because even after the restoration of grace its remnants remain. But in the morning, that is, in Christ, there is joy. Or, in the evening, when spiritual light begins to fail in man, then in him is weeping; but when it shines forth again in him, then there is joy: Psalm 5: "In the morning I will stand before thee, and will see."

"But I said in my abundance." Above he gave thanks for the divine benefits; here, however, he pursues the whole order of how he attained this. Where he does three things. First he sets down the process of his being set right. Second, his recourse to prayer, "to thee, O Lord, will I cry." Third he shows the hearing of his prayer, at the place, "the Lord heard." According to the Gloss, these first things are understood of Christ, and of any man whatsoever. And first let us explain how they are understood of any man: Ecclesiasticus 10: "Pride is the beginning of all sin." And therefore in the process of his being set right, first is set down the presumption of those who trust in themselves. Second, the falseness of the presumption, at the place, "Lord, in thy will." Third, the punishment of the presumption, at the place, "thou didst turn away thy face from me." He says therefore, "I said" — that is, I presumed in my heart — "in my abundance," of bodily prosperity: "I shall not be moved," that is, I shall not fail: Revelation 18: "I sit a queen," etc.; Ecclesiasticus 11: "In the day of good things be not unmindful," etc. Or "in abundance," of spiritual goods, as Adam was in Paradise: Ezekiel 28: "full of wisdom, perfect in beauty, in the delights." And in this abundance they say, "I shall not be moved." Against which it is said, 1 Corinthians 10: "he that thinketh himself to stand, let him take heed lest he fall."

He shows the falseness of the presumption when he says, "Lord, in thy will," etc. The beauty of man temporally is temporal prosperity; therefore it is compared to a flower: Isaiah 40: "All flesh is grass." But this beauty by its own nature does not have strength beyond measure, as is found in James 1: "As the flower of grass shall he pass away. For the sun rose with a burning heat, and parched the grass, and the flower thereof fell, and the beauty of the shape thereof perished: so also shall the rich man," etc. But whence does it have strength and firmness and constancy? Certainly, from the will of God. And therefore he said — but presumptuously — "I shall not be moved." But it is not so; rather, as long as it pleased thee, "thou didst grant strength to my beauty." Rightly "forever," because these things are eternal for the saints in the homeland; but here, according to his will. Likewise "beauty" can be taken for spiritual power: Proverbs, last chapter: "strength and beauty," etc. Here too, by its own nature, it is not strong, for "we have this beauty in earthen vessels," 2 Corinthians 4; Luke, last chapter: "sit ye in the city, till you be endued with power from on high." And therefore he says, "thou didst grant strength to my beauty," but "in thy will": Romans 9: "he hath mercy on whom he will." And this he proves by the effect: because "when thou didst turn away thy face," I perished. Now God is said to turn away his face from man, either so as not to see him, or so as not to be seen by him. But he sees all with a simple vision and knowledge, but some with a vision of mercy: Psalm 24: "Look thou upon me, and have mercy on me." Thou hast therefore turned away thy face from me, lest thou have mercy on me. And immediately, "I became troubled," either spiritually by falling into sin, or temporally into adversity. Or, "thou didst turn away thy face," so as not to be seen by me — and this seems to be the sense of Jerome's text. In whatever adversities, the strength of man is to have his eyes toward God: Psalm 76: "I remembered God, and was delighted." Thou didst turn away, therefore, that I should not see. "And I became troubled." But if it be expounded of Christ, then in this, "I said," not indeed presumptuously, but with certainty of knowledge, "in my abundance," that is, of virtues and graces: John 1: "we saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only-begotten of the Father." "I shall not be moved" from the will of God: John 8: "I do always the things that please him." And this, because "thou didst grant strength to my beauty," namely of working miracles, and of resisting adversaries: Romans 1: "predestined the Son of God in power." And this is evident: because "when thou didst turn away thy face from me" — in the passion: Psalm 21: "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me" — "I became troubled," not in reason, but in sensuality: John 12: "Now is my soul troubled."

"To thee." Consequently he has recourse to prayer when he says, "to thee, O Lord, will I cry," etc. And first he sets down the prayer. Second he assigns the reason, at the place, "what profit." Third he shows the hearing of the prayer, at the place, "the Lord heard." Concerning the first he does two things, for first he prays for the removal of evil. Second, for the attaining of good, at the place, "and I will make supplication to my God." He says therefore, "to thee, O Lord, will I cry," so that "cry" is understood as the prayer that is made for the removal of evil — in Christ, of the passion; in the sinner, of sin; in man, of adversity. "And I will make supplication to my God." Supplication is on account of a good to be given: to Christ, namely, glory; to the sinner, grace; to the afflicted man, prosperity. Or, "cry" may be referred to the affliction of the heart, "supplication" to the persistence of prayer: James, last chapter: "the continual supplication of a just man availeth much."

Then when he says, "what profit is there in the blood," he assigns the reason in two ways. And first in general. Second in particular, at the place, "shall dust confess to thee." He says therefore, "what profit"? If it be expounded of Christ, in the blood of Christ there was the greatest profit: Matthew 26: "shall be shed for many unto the remission of sins." But if he had not been quickly raised up again, but his resurrection had been delayed until the end of the world, there would have been no profit in it, or even if by then his body had been wholly corrupted. But did the passion suffice for salvation? Yes. But if this had not been — namely that he had not risen, and quickly — his divinity would not have been believed, and thus men would not have obtained the profit. In particular he shows it, saying, "shall dust confess to thee." "Dust" is spoken of in two ways. In one way "dust" is understood of sinners: Psalm 1: "like the dust which the wind driveth from the face of the earth." Through the death of Christ, sinners, who are dust, attained to two goods after the resurrection: namely, that they should confess their sins: Acts 2: "having heard these things, they were pricked in their heart," etc. And therefore he says, "shall dust confess to thee?" — namely the sinner — "if I go down into" the corruption of decay; as if to say, no. The other good is the confession of the truth of the faith; hence, "or shall it declare thy truth?" Or, will dust dissolved from the body now be the matter, so that through the apostles the peoples might confess the truth to thee, or the apostles themselves confess thy truth? If it be expounded of man, then thus: "shall it confess" — that is, if I die, I shall not be able to praise thee.

Third, when he says, "the Lord heard," he shows the hearing of his prayer. And first the hearing is set down. Second, the manner of the hearing, at the place, "and had mercy." Third, the fruit, "that my glory may sing to thee." He says therefore, "the Lord heard," etc. He had said above, "I will cry"; but here he says he was heard, for "the Lord heard," because he did hear: Isaiah, the second-to-last chapter: "and it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will hear; while they are yet speaking, I will hear"; John 11: "Father, I give thee thanks that thou hast heard me; and I knew that thou hearest me always." Then the manner is set down: "and hath had mercy on me." And first he shows the manner itself. Second he explains, at the place, "thou hast turned," etc. The Gloss says: "I will cry" against evils, and "I will make supplication" for goods, and in both I am heard. For as to the first, "he hath had mercy on me," by removing every evil of punishment. As to the second, "the Lord is become my helper." And that I attained the glory of immortality: Psalm 27: "my helper and my protector; in him hath my heart confided, and I have been helped. And my flesh hath flourished again." He explains the manner, when he says, "thou hast turned." According as he speaks of Christ, he says two things. For first is shown the change from evils to good, as to interior things. Second, as to exterior things, at the place, "thou hast cut." Christ had mourning in himself at the time of his passion, for "my soul is sorrowful," etc., Matthew 26. And in his own, John 16: "for you shall lament and weep," etc. "Thou hast turned" this mourning, he says, "into joy" of the resurrection. As to himself: Psalm 20: "In thy strength, O Lord, the king shall joy," namely Christ. As to his own: for "the disciples were glad, when they saw the Lord," John 20. Second is shown the change made from evils to goods as to exterior things: because, "thou hast cut." Sackcloth is a rough garment, and is placed upon the loins in time of sorrow, and is made of the hair of goats. Thus sackcloth is the flesh of Christ, according as it has the likeness of sinful flesh. For goats and kids signify sinners, because they were offered for sins, as is found in the Gloss. "Thou hast cut my sackcloth" — that is, thou didst permit it to be torn by the nails and the spear — and thou didst restore to me immortality; and therefore he says, "thou hast girded me." Or, of any just man whatsoever can be understood the mourning changed into joy: John 16: "your sorrow shall be turned into joy"; Tobit 3: "after lamentation and weeping, thou pourest in exultation."

Then when he says, "that my glory may sing," the fruit of the hearing of his prayer is set down. Now the fruit is the glory of God; and that it may redound to the glory of God can be understood in two ways: either of the glory of the resurrection of Christ, or of the glory of the saints; hence he says, "my glory" — given to me in the resurrection, or to be given to the saints in the homeland — "may sing to thee," that is, may be my praise to thee: John 17: "that thy Son may glorify thee"; and that this may be forever; hence he says, "O Lord my God, I will give praise to thee for ever": Psalm 83: "Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they shall praise thee for ever and ever."