Commentary on the Psalms (In Psalmos Davidis Expositio)

In the preceding Psalm David narrated his desire; but now he applies prayer to the fulfilling of his desire. And first he sets forth the prayer; second, its effect, at the words "why are you sad." Concerning the first he does two things: first he proposes the prayer in general; second, in particular, at "from the unjust man." And first he asks for judgment; second, for the effect of judgment. He asks, therefore, "Judge me, O God." But this seems to be a matter of presumption, since he himself says, "Enter not into judgment," etc. (Psalm 142).

I answer that it must be said that there is a twofold judgment: namely, of severity, and of mercy or equity. The first is when only the deed is attended to and not the condition of the person; and this is to be feared. Of this he speaks in Psalm 142: "Enter not into judgment," etc., because our righteousness is as nothing in the sight of God, as is said in Isaiah 64; and this judgment is without mercy, as is said in James 2. The second is when not only the nature of the deed but the condition of the person is considered. Psalm 102: "The Lord has had mercy on those who fear him, for he himself has known our frame." And this is what he asks for.

Or otherwise: there is a twofold judgment, namely of discussion, when merits are examined; and this he does not ask for here, because such discussion is to be feared, Job 9: "I feared all my works, knowing that you do not spare the offender." The other is of discernment, that is, of separation from the wicked; and this he does ask for, and therefore he adds, "and discern my cause." And this is referred to the present state; and thus we ask to be discerned from the wicked, if not in place, at least in cause. For many things are common to us and to them, since place is a matter of the chance of fortune, but cause is not, because the good and the wicked use the same things differently: for in adversities the good glow through patience, while the wicked smoke through impatience. But if we refer this to the future judgment, we ask to be distinguished, because the cause of the wicked will be judged unto condemnation, that of the good unto salvation.

In particular, however, he asks to be judged with respect to two things: namely, with respect to liberation from evil, and with respect to advancement in good. He asks, therefore, to be freed from evil, whether present or future; hence he says, "from the unjust and deceitful man deliver me." The unjust man is called the Devil. Matthew 13: "an enemy man has done this." Or another man, a seducer, or any unjust man whatsoever. And he is called unjust who intends injustice openly, but deceitful on account of hidden fraud. Proverbs 12: "deceit is in the heart of those who devise evils." From these, then, one is freed in two ways: in one way, so as not to be seduced by hidden deceit; in another way, so as not to be oppressed by adversity, "for you are my God."

Here is set forth the reason for liberation, and it is twofold: one on the part of God, who is able; hence he says, "you are my strength." Isaiah 12: "the Lord is my strength and my praise." And he is called our strength effectively, because it is from him. Isaiah 40: "who gives power to the weary, and to those who have no strength he multiplies might." The other reason is on his own part, namely, of the evils which he suffers. Certain evils we suffer only in opinion, because when we are in adversities we seem to be rejected by God; hence he says, "why have you rejected me?" But "the Lord will not reject his people" (Psalm 94); and so this evil is only supposed. The other evil is real; hence follows, "why do I go about sad?" Sad, that is, either with the sadness of the world, which works death; and so the sense is: "why do I go about sad" — namely, temporally — "while the enemy," an evil man, "afflicts me," temporally. Or, "I go about sad" with a good sadness, which works repentance unto salvation; and thus the sense is, "why do I go about sad" only so much, since joy too must be joined to repentance.

"Send forth." Here he sets forth advancement in good. And first he asks for the divine goods by which he is advanced; second he asks for advancement by means of them. He asks, however, for two goods: light and truth. One arrives at God by the steps of the mind, and through knowledge. Hebrews 4: "entrance is promised to those who believe." Two things are necessary for knowledge: namely, light, and the thing known. Ephesians 5: "everything that is made manifest is light." And therefore he asks for two things, namely light and truth, to which by myself I am not able to come; and therefore he says, "send forth your light and your truth." Light and truth are the same thing here, since they are taken for Christ: "send forth your light," that is, Christ. John 1: "it was the true light," etc. "And your truth," because Christ himself is the truth. John 14: "I am the way, the truth, and the life"; as if he were to say: God the Father, send forth Christ. Or light here is taken for the law, since Proverbs 6: "the commandment of the Lord is a lamp, and the law is light." And "truth," that is, the New Testament.

Consequently advancement in good is set forth. And he sets forth first the direction in approaching, at "these have led me," namely, light and truth have led me to you. Or, "they have led me," that is, they have drawn me away from evils, and have led me into your holy mountain and into your tabernacles. This prayer answers to the desire of the preceding Psalm, "I shall pass over into the place," etc. And because this is still not enough, I ask to be led by God to the mountain, etc. Jerusalem was at the foot of the mountain on the northern side; and so those who went there arrived first at the mountain, second they went to the dwelling, third to the place of sacrifice, namely the altar. And even there my spirit does not rest, but ascends to God; and therefore he says, "they have led me into your holy mountain, and into your tabernacles," that is, to the dwelling. And again it does not rest there, but goes to the house of God, that is, to the altar. Therefore he says, "I shall enter unto the altar of God"; and it does not rest there, lest he seem an idolater, but goes on to God, "who gives joy to my youth."

Mystically, however, by the mountain and by the tabernacle the present Church is designated, or the heavenly Church; as if he were to say: they have led me into your Church. Isaiah 2: "the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be prepared on the top of the mountains," etc. And "tabernacles," that is, the diverse dwellings of the saints, which are a kind of sojournings upon the earth; Hebrews 11. And this Church is called the gate of heaven. Genesis 28: "this is nothing else but the house of God and the gate of heaven." And therefore it is also called the altar of God, that is, God himself. Revelation 21: "God himself is the temple," because all spiritual sacrifices are to be offered in God, not in an earthly thing. And there will be joy there. Isaiah 66: "you shall see, and your heart shall rejoice." Matthew 25: "enter into the joy of your lord." And therefore he says, "he gives joy to my youth," that is, there will be renewal and youth there, because, as is said in Ephesians 4, "we shall all appear unto the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ"; and therefore he says "youth." Psalm 102: "your youth shall be renewed like the eagle's." And priests say this Psalm when they approach the altar, because these two things, namely joy and renewal, are necessary for those who wish to approach the heavenly altar. Leviticus 10: "how could he eat or please the Lord in the ceremonies with a mournful mind?" Likewise there is no oldness of sin there. 1 John 2: "I write to you, young men."

Or all that has been said is referred to the heavenly homeland, in which we ought to stand in desire, and toward which we ought to proceed desirously; and this he designates when he says, "into your holy mountain." Exodus 15: "you shall bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of your inheritance," because there is stability of state there. Likewise there is fellowship of the saints there; hence he says, "and into your tabernacles." Numbers 24: "how beautiful are your tabernacles, O Jacob," etc. Psalm 83: "how beloved are your tabernacles, O Lord of hosts." And they are called tabernacles because, although men are citizens according to grace, yet according to the condition of human nature they are sojourners there. Third, the altar designates the humanity of Christ. Isaiah 33: "they shall see the king in his beauty." And Christ is called the altar of God. Hebrews, last chapter: "we have an altar, from which those who serve the tabernacle have no power to eat," because just as all carnal sacrifices were offered on the altar, so all prayers are offered through Christ; hence every prayer is concluded, "through Christ our Lord." But because there is no rest in the humanity, therefore it further tends toward the divinity; hence he says, "to God," etc. Job 22: "you shall abound in delights over the Almighty, and shall lift up your face to God."

The effect of prayer is the confession of praise; hence he says, "I shall confess to you on the harp, O God"; and he says this on account of affection, since Isaiah 51: "joy and gladness shall be found in her." And he says "on the harp," to distinguish it from the psaltery, because the psaltery sounds from above, but the harp from below; hence, "I shall confess on the harp," because we have been freed from the evils of the world; and "on the psaltery," because we have obtained those heavenly joys.

"Why are you sad," etc. All that follows has been expounded above, in the preceding Psalm.