Commentary on the Psalms (In Psalmos Davidis Expositio)

In the preceding Psalm the Psalmist implored the help of God against the persecutions of sinners; but here he describes the wickedness of sinners. The title is, unto the end, for the servant of God. And this is new, that he says, for the servant of God. He is a faithful servant who does not usurp to himself the good things of his lord, and does not turn back his own evils upon his lord. For there are some who turn back their sins upon God, saying that they sin of necessity, and who claim their good things for themselves, saying that they have them from their own power. David does the contrary; and concerning this he does two things. First he makes mention of the evils that are in us from ourselves. Second, of the good things that are in us from God, at the words, Lord, in heaven. Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets down the root of evil. Second he sets down the progress of evil from that root, at the words, the words of his mouth. The root of evil is the purpose. Therefore first the evil purpose is set forth. Second he sets down its cause, at the words, there is no fear. Third he proves it, at the words, for he has dealt deceitfully. As the Philosopher says in Ethics 3, one man does an unjust thing and does not act unjustly as a matter of character; another does it and acts unjustly as a matter of character, but is not an unjust man; another does it, acts unjustly as a matter of character, and is an unjust man. The first is done by him who keeps another's thing which he believes to be his own. The second is done by him who acts unjustly not from a settled disposition but from passion, and when the passion ceases he restores the thing that belongs to another. The third is done by him who acts unjustly out of set purpose; and therefore he says, the unjust man has said, that is, he has deliberated of set purpose, that he should sin in himself: because it is in his own power to purpose to sin, not in the fate of the stars: Ecclesiasticus 15, God from the beginning established man, and left him in the hand of his own counsel; but the unchecked progress of sinning comes from the fact that the impediment to sin is removed. Now it is said that sin is against the Holy Spirit when one sins from settled malice; and this is when the impediment is removed. This impediment, then, the fear of the Lord removes: Proverbs 16, by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil; Job 15, insofar as it is in you, you have made void fear, and have taken away prayers, and so on. And therefore he says, there is no fear of God before their eyes. Fear is in the affection, but the cause of fear is in the eyes, from the fact that they do not consider the judgment of God: Daniel 13, they turned away their eyes, that they might not look upon heaven; but the cause is, for he has dealt deceitfully. When someone does something hateful to a king in the king's own eyes, it is a sign that he does not fear him; so the sinner, when he commits sin before God, who sees all things, it is a sign that he does not fear God, because in his sight, namely God's, he has dealt deceitfully, that is, he has practiced deceit: Hebrews 4, all things are naked and open to his eyes. And he says, deceitfully, because he brings forth one thing outwardly and pretends another: Psalm 5, the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man; Job 36, hypocrites and crafty men provoke the wrath of God. And therefore, that his iniquity may be found unto hatred, that is, let his iniquity be such that God holds it in hatred. And this is a sign that God hates such hypocrites, because in the Gospels God inveighs much against hypocrites. Another reading has, in his own sight, that he might see his iniquity and hate it. It happens that someone examines his own conscience in order to find his iniquity and hate it. Often in this he acts fraudulently, because he does not examine well, but makes light of grave matters and makes grave what is light. And therefore he says, he has dealt deceitfully in his own sight, that is, in his conscience; because if he had faithfully hated his iniquity, he would have examined it. Or, according to the same sense, in his own sight, namely God's, that is, in Sacred Scripture, which they do not attend to according to its truth and that of the Holy Spirit, but they act deceitfully; and this is because they do not find their iniquity. Consequently he sets down the progress from the root. And first he sets down the sins of the mouth. Second, those of the heart and of the deed. Man commits sin by mouth in two ways: either by open malice, when he lies openly; and this is what he says, the words of his mouth are iniquity: Job 6, you will not find iniquity in my mouth. Or by hidden fraud; and this is deceit: Jeremiah 9, their tongue is a wounding arrow, it has spoken deceit. In the heart one sins in two ways: through contempt of the good, and through zeal for evil. It happens that one sins through weakness, another through ignorance. But when the ignorance is affected, then it is a grave sin: Job 21, we desire not the knowledge of your ways. And therefore he says, he would not understand, that he might do well, whence he was willing to understand curious things, but not so as to do well: Jeremiah 4, they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have not known. Likewise sometimes a man commits sin out of zeal for malice; hence he says, he has meditated iniquity on his bed, that is, in his heart. Or on his bed, that is, when he lies hidden in secret: Proverbs 24, the thought of the fool is sin and abomination. He has stood. Here he sets down what is committed in deed. And first he sets down cooperation toward evil. Second, that he does not hinder evil. As to the first he says, he has stood by every way that is not good, that is, he lives by and favors every evil way, or evil work: Psalm 2, the kings of the earth stood up together. As to the second he says, but evil he has not hated: Psalm 51, you have loved malice above goodness, iniquity, and so on. Job 20, when evil was sweet in his mouth, he hid it under his tongue.

Lord. Here he shows what he has received from God. And first he enumerates the good things themselves. Second he asks that they be given to him, at the words, extend. Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth the cause of the good things which he has received from God. Second he enumerates the good things themselves, at the words, men and beasts. And first he sets down the commendation of the cause. Second he sets forth the depth of the effects, at the words, your judgments. Whatever God does in us is either from justice, or from mercy, or from truth. From justice, when he renders according to merits. From truth, when he renders what he has promised. From mercy, when he exceeds merits and promises. Let us prove these three. The justice of God is high, because no one merits so much that God does not render more. Truth is higher, because God promises and pays what we have never merited, such as the Incarnation, and other things that pertain to the mystery of redemption. But mercy is highest of all, because he bestows things which we cannot even conceive: 1 Corinthians 2, eye has not seen, and so on. And therefore he compares justice to mountains, truth to clouds, which are higher, and mercy to the heavens, which are above all things. He says, Lord, in heaven is your mercy, which is the cause of all my good things, is in heaven: Psalm 144, his mercies are above all, and so on; Isaiah 63, I will remember the mercies of the Lord. And your truth reaches even to the clouds. Your justice is like the mountains of God. All these things are said according to their effects, because according to essence they are the same. Mystically, by these three the just are understood, because in the just themselves are found justice, truth, and mercy. The just are signified by heaven on account of reward and charity: Matthew 5, your reward is abundant in the heavens. Likewise in them mercy shines forth most of all, because they are wholly delivered from every tribulation. We, however, are still in tribulations. By the clouds are understood the teachers: Isaiah 5, I will command my clouds not to rain a shower upon it. And in them shines forth the truth which they make manifest. By the mountains are understood holy men. And what follows from all these things? That these judgments are a great abyss, that is, incomprehensible: Romans 2, how incomprehensible are his judgments, and so on.

Men. Above, the Psalmist commended the justice, truth, and mercy of God, and his judgments, from which good things come to us; here, however, he enumerates those good things: and concerning this he does two things. First he calls to mind the good things which he commonly bestows on every creature. Second, the good things proper to the rational creature which he confers, at the words, but the children of men. Concerning the first he does two things. First he calls to mind what commonly comes from God. Second he rises into admiration of divine mercy, at the words, how you have multiplied. I say, then, that your mercy is great, and from it you save men and beasts, that is, rational and irrational creatures. Or by men are understood the just, by beasts the sinners themselves, who are saved with temporal salvation by God: Matthew 5, he sends rain upon the just and the unjust; Psalm 48, man, when he was in honor, did not understand, and so on. And this salvation is common to all in two respects: namely in the health of the body: Ecclesiasticus 30, there is no reckoning above the reckoning of health of body; and in the provision of things: 4 Kings 6, save me, O king. Who said, may the Lord not save you. Whence can I save you? From the barn floor, or from the winepress? Consequently he admires the divine mercy, at the words, how you have multiplied. Namely, how greatly you have multiplied your mercy, namely that you save not only men, but also beasts. Or, that you have care not only for the just, but also for sinners, as regards the temporal goods which you multiply in them: Jerome has, how precious, and so on. For great is the mercy of God, that he saves all; great also, because he gives to each one more than he has merited: Psalm 85, your mercy is great toward me.

But the children. Here he sets down the spiritual goods, which are three: trust, spiritual refreshment, and intelligible knowledge; and these correspond to the grades of beings. Of beings, some merely exist, some exist and live, some, along with this, also understand; and among beings the rational creature partakes of a certain eternity, because the rational soul does not perish. And therefore he says, the children of men, that is, the children of God through Christ; or the children of men, understood generally as all men. They shall hope under the covert of your wings. And he speaks metaphorically. A hen protects her chicks with her wings lest they be killed; so God himself protects the rational creature with spiritual protection lest it fail, especially in the soul: Matthew 23, how often would I have gathered your children, and so on; Isaiah 49, he has protected me under the covering of his hand. Or, under the covert, that is, in spiritual protection. And thus the two wings are the teaching of the New and the Old Testament. Likewise those who live here below are fed with a special refreshment. And first he sets down the refreshment itself. Second he sets down its cause, at the words, with you. Spiritual refreshment consists in two things: namely in the gifts of God, and in his sweetness. As to the first he says, they shall be inebriated with the plenty of your house. The house is the Church: 1 Timothy 3, that you may know how you ought to behave yourself in the house of God. And this house, which is now on earth, will one day be transferred into the heavens: Psalm 121, we shall go rejoicing into the house of the Lord. In both there is a plenty of the gifts of God; but in this Church it is imperfect, while in the other it is the most perfect abundance of all good things, and with this spiritual men are satisfied: Psalm 64, we shall be filled with the good things of your house. And what is more, they are inebriated, inasmuch as their desires are fulfilled beyond every measure of merit; for inebriation is a certain excess: Isaiah 64, that eye has not seen, and so on; Song of Songs 5, be inebriated, my dearly beloved. And those who are drunk are not in themselves, but outside themselves. So those who are filled with spiritual gifts, their whole intention is carried toward God: Philippians 3, our conversation is in heaven. And they are refreshed not only by gifts, but also by the love of God: Job 22, then you will abound with delights toward the Almighty, and you will lift up your face to God. And therefore he says, as to the second, and you shall make them drink of the torrent of your pleasure. This is the love of the Holy Spirit, which makes an onrush in the soul, like a torrent: Isaiah 59, like a violent river, which the spirit of the Lord drives. And it is called of pleasure, because it produces pleasure and sweetness in the soul: Wisdom 12, O how good and sweet is your spirit, Lord, within us. And with this drink the good are made to drink: 1 Corinthians 10, they drank the same spiritual drink. Or, of the torrent of your pleasure, namely of God, which is called a torrent: Proverbs 18, an overflowing torrent, a fountain of wisdom; because his will is so efficacious that it cannot be resisted, no more than a torrent can: Romans 9, who resists his will? Now the matter of such refreshment is this, that they are joined to the fountain: and just as those who held their mouth to a fountain of wine would become inebriated, so those who hold their mouth, that is, their desire, to the fountain of life and sweetness, become inebriated: 1 Corinthians 2, but another is drunk. And thus they are made inebriated, because with you is the fountain of life. If this is referred to Christ, the sense is thus, with you, that is, you are the fountain of life. But if it is referred to the Father, the sense is thus, with you is the fountain of life, that is, your Word, which gives life to all things. It is with you. John 1, the Word was with God; Jeremiah 2, they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and so on. He who is truly the fountain of life, that is, of spiritual goods, from which all things are given life. The second is intelligible knowledge, in which men, or rational creatures, partake. Therefore he says.

And in your light. There are two privileges of the rational creature. One, that the rational creature sees in the light of God, and because other animals do not see in the light of God, therefore he says, in your light. This is not to be understood of the light created by God, because that is what is meant by what is said in Genesis 1, let there be light. But in your light, namely that by which you yourself shine, which is the likeness of your substance. Brute animals do not partake of this light; but the rational creature partakes of it first in natural knowledge: for natural reason in man is nothing other than the refulgence of divine clarity in the soul, on account of which clarity he is made to the image of God: Psalm 4, the light of your countenance, O Lord, is signed upon us. The second is the light of grace: Ephesians 5, arise, you who sleep, and so on. The third is the light of glory: Isaiah 60, arise, be enlightened, Jerusalem, for your light has come, and so on. Or, in your light, that is, in Christ, who is light of light: and thus it is the light which is true God. Christ, then, is light insofar as he proceeds from the Father; he is the fountain of life insofar as he is the principle of the life-giving Spirit. The other privilege is that only the rational creature sees this light; whence he says, we shall see light. This light is either created truth, that is, Christ according as he is man; or it is uncreated truth, by which we know certain true things. For spiritual light is truth: because just as by light something is known insofar as it is bright, so it is known insofar as it is true. Brute animals well know certain true things, for instance, this is sweet; but they do not know the truth of this proposition, this is true, because this consists in the equation of this intellect to the thing, which brutes cannot do. Therefore brutes do not have created light. Likewise, neither do they have uncreated light, because only man was made to see God through faith and through hope; and just as now we see through faith in a light, so we shall see him in his very likeness, when we shall be in our homeland.

Extend your mercy. Here he turns himself to prayer, and asks for the mercy of God. And first he asks a petition as regards others. Second as regards himself, at the words, let not the foot come to me. He asks two things, according to the two kinds of men who dwell in the house of the Lord: for some know God through faith; some, also, being justified, cling to him. Those, then, who do not know God, are not in his house; but those who have faith can be subject to sin, and therefore he asks mercy for them: hence he says, O Lord, to those who know you, namely through faith, and he calls this knowledge "science" on account of a certain firm adherence: extend to these, that is, enlarge and extend your mercy to them, having mercy on their sins: Isaiah 27, it is not a people of understanding; Jeremiah 9, in this let him who glories glory, to know and understand me. But to those who are upright of heart, that is, who have an upright heart and are confirmed to you through charity, extend to them, that is, enlarge your justice, that is, the crown which they have merited, because these already merit the crown: 2 Timothy 4, henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of justice, and so on. And therefore he asks just things for them. For himself he asks two things. First he asks to be preserved from sin, and this by removing two causes of sin. One is interior: and this is pride, which is the beginning of all sin; hence he says, let not the foot of pride come to me, that is, let the inclination to pride be removed from me: Ecclesiasticus 23, give me not the haughtiness of my eyes. The other cause is exterior, when one is incited by someone to sin: Psalm 18, and from strangers spare your servant. And therefore he says, let not the hand of the sinner move me, that is, let not inducements and promises and blandishments lead me to sin.

There they have fallen. Here the reason for the petition is set down: and it is twofold. First, because from this foot comes the fall: just as when someone falls on account of a foot which he has bad; and therefore he says, there, that is, on the foot of pride. They have fallen. Behold, the beginning of all sin is pride, Ecclesiasticus 10. For man sins in this, that he is not contained under the rule of the divine law. But from pride arrogance comes forth: 1 Corinthians 10, let him who thinks he stands, that is, through pride, take heed lest he fall. And he says, who work, not who have worked, because someone sometimes sins from weakness, or ignorance, and this one does not persist; but he who sins from pride, this one persists: because Proverbs 2, they rejoice when they have done evil, and exult in the worst things. Likewise another cause is the impulse of another; whence he says, they are cast out, that is, driven, while they vainly exalt themselves, as Lucifer was cast out of heaven, and man through pride was cast out of Paradise. Nor could they stand: Job 18, he shall drive him from light into darkness, and so on. But humility makes one stand: Psalm 121, our feet were standing, and so on.