Commentary on the Psalms (In Psalmos Davidis Expositio)

Above, the Psalmist showed his desire for God; but here he proceeds to pray, against the affliction of the whole people. The title: "Unto the end, a psalm of understanding for the sons of Core." The sons of Core are the sons of the passion of Christ, and these are properly the martyrs, because they imitate Christ. 1 Peter 2: "Christ suffered for us," and so on. And therefore this properly belongs to the martyrs. It is true that all goods, temporal and spiritual, are given by God. Temporal goods are the lesser goods, but spiritual goods are the greater. A father gives small things to small children, but gives great things to those who are grown. And so God does; for when men were in the state of little children, he gave them small things, that is, temporal things, as is clear in the Old Testament. Galatians 3: "They were as little children under a schoolmaster," that is, under the observances of the law. Isaiah 1: "If you be willing and will hearken to me, you shall eat the good things of the land." But now to those who are perfect, under the New Testament, temporal things are not promised, but hard afflictions, and this under the hope of spiritual things. Luke 6: "Blessed shall you be when men shall hate you," and so on. And so the intention is first to draw back the men of the New Testament from the appetite for earthly prosperity promised in the Old Testament. This psalm, therefore, is divided into three parts. First it treats of past prosperity. Second, of present adversity, at "But now thou hast cast us off." Third, help is sought against these adversities, at "Arise." Concerning the first, he does two things: first he enumerates the benefits conferred on the ancients; second he shows that he has hope of greater things, at "Thou art thyself." Concerning the first he does three things: first he sets forth the hearing of the benefits; second, of the time, at "The work which thou hast wrought"; third he sets down the benefit itself, at "Thy hand." Concerning the first he first sets forth the manner of hearing; second, from whom they heard. He premises, however, the invocation of the divine name, when he says, "O God." And this psalm proceeds by way of prayer, which is the ascent of the mind to God; or because in this psalm he treats of prosperous and adverse things. In adversity man has regard to God as to a defender: Psalm 109: "To the Lord when I was in trouble," and so on. In prosperity he invokes God with joy: Ecclesiasticus 26, as one who thirsts, with joy enters unto the fountain.

"We have heard." Hearing is necessary for wisdom: Ecclesiasticus 6: "If thou love to hear, thou shalt be wise," and it is necessary even for the wise man: Proverbs 1: "A wise man hearing shall be wiser." Likewise it is necessary for anyone whatever, because no one is sufficient to think out by himself all the things that pertain to wisdom, and therefore no one is so wise that he does not need to be instructed by another; for if he hears good things, he is helped by receiving them, and if he hears evil things, he is helped by coming to know better things. "With our ears." He hears with his own ears who hears with ears subject to reason. Whence man is called man insofar as he has reason. When the ears are subject to reason, they are human; when they are not subjected to reason, they are brutish. Luke 8: "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear," that is, let him consider. "Our fathers have declared to us." Here he shows that he heard from those who wished to teach the truth, because they are fathers: Deuteronomy 32: "Ask thy fathers," and so on. Likewise from those who were able to teach the truth, because they are ancient: Job 12: "In the ancient is wisdom." "The work thou hast wrought in their days." Here he sets down the time in which he heard these things. Certain benefits are ancient, which they themselves saw: whence he says, "and in the ancient days."

"Thy hand." Here he sets down the benefit itself. Second, he sets down the order of the benefit, and the cause of the benefit. In a benefit we consider the work, and the fruit of the work. The work is of divine power, because he drove out the nations before them; whence he says, "thy hand," that is, thy power. For by members in God is signified the action which we exercise by them. "Thou hast destroyed the nations," that is, thou hast destroyed even bodily those dwelling in the land of promise: Psalm 58: "Scatter them by thy power." The fruit is that they succeeded in their place: Job 34: "He shall crush many and innumerable, and shall make others to stand up in their stead." For this reason he says, "and thou hast planted them": Exodus 15: "Thou wilt bring them in and plant them," and so on. What is planted takes root, so as to bear fruit: Isaiah 5: "I looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes." "Thou hast afflicted the peoples." Here is the manner and order of the benefit, because it was not destroyed at once, for the land would have been left untilled, and the wild beasts would have multiplied; and therefore he consumed them little by little; whence he says, "thou hast afflicted the peoples," both by wars, and by beasts, and by hornets: Joshua 24: "I sent hornets before you." Wisdom 12: "Thou didst send wasps, forerunners of thy army." "And thou hast cast them out," afflicting them thus little by little: Psalm 77: "He cast out the nations before their face."

"For not by their own sword did they possess the land." Here the cause of the benefit is set down. And first he excludes the presumed cause; second he sets down the true cause. The presumed cause could be the strength of the people, that they themselves had driven them out; and therefore, removing this, he says, "not by their own sword," and so on. There is a twofold strength of man: one is from experience of arms, and this he excludes, "not by their own sword did they possess the land": Judith 7: "The children of Israel do not trust," and so on, and it follows there: "they conquered not with the sword." The other is natural strength; and this he excludes, saying, "neither did their own arm save them," that is, their own power: Psalm 32: "A king is not saved by a great army." Deuteronomy 32: "Lest they should say, our hand is exalted, and not the Lord hath done all these things." The true cause is that it was done by God; whence he says, "but thy right hand," and so on. And he sets down four things: three pertaining to the execution, the fourth pertaining to the effect. If a king wishes to help someone, he does three things for him. First he grants him favor; second he lends the help of his own work; third he gives counsel in directing him. So did God do for them. First he was favorable to them, and gave them prosperity, and this is signified in the right hand, by which prosperity is signified: Exodus 15: "Thy right hand is magnified." Likewise he gave them help, and this is signified in the arm: Luke 2: "He hath shown might in his arm." Third, he directed them, at "and the light of thy countenance," that is, proceeding directly from thy providence. The fourth pertains to the effect: "because thou wast well pleased with them," as if to say: why did he do these things for us? Was it perhaps on account of our merits? No. Deuteronomy 9: "Say not in thy heart, when the Lord thy God shall have destroyed them in thy sight, for my justice hath the Lord brought me in to possess this land." But this was on account of the grace of God. "Because thou wast well pleased," etc.; that is, it was thy pleasure, O God, in them: Matthew 11, "For so it hath seemed good in thy sight."

"Thou art thyself." Here is set down the hope which he has of a greater benefit, which arises from hope in God himself. And therefore he does three things. First he sets forth the cause of hope; second, confidence, at "in thee our enemies"; third, thanksgiving, at "in God we will glory." Concerning the first he does three things. First he sets down the immutability of God; second, his governance; third, the experience of divine help. He shows the immutability of God, because God did this for the fathers, and again, because his power is not diminished, and therefore he can do even greater things for us; whence he says, "thou art the same, my king and my God," who art not diminished. Likewise the care of man belongs to thee now just as it did then; whence he says: "my king," who defendest and governest, and "my God," who providest for me: Deuteronomy 6: "Hear, O Israel," and so on. Therefore I trust just as they trusted. Likewise, from experience, because thou alone art he who savest; whence he says, "who commandest the saving of Jacob." And he says this, because formerly he saved through others, but here he himself alone saves: Isaiah 25: "Behold this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will come and save us."

"In thee we will push down our enemies." Here he sets down the confidence which he has in God. And first he proposes what he hopes for; second he shows that he attributes it to God; third he sets down the cause. He hopes for help against enemies, against whom he has a twofold help: one, that he may overcome the enemy; and as to this he says, "in thee," that is, in thy power, not in ours, "we will push with the horn," that is, our enemies, whether in the present or in the future. And he says "horn" by way of likeness, because the power of attack in an ox is in the horn. And he says "we will push," because on the threshing floor the chaff is separated from the wheat; just as in judgment the wicked will be taken away, and the good will remain. The other help is that he not be overcome by the enemy; and as to this he says, "in thy name we will despise them that rise up against us," that is, by thy power we will despise all our enemies in the future, or in the present, because they were able to do us no harm.

"For not." In the preceding verse the Psalmist set down the hope of driving back enemies; here, however, he shows the reason for what was said, namely that he said, "in thee our enemies," and so he shows that he does not hope in himself: for, "neither in my bow." For in 1 Kings 2 it is said: "the bow of the mighty is overcome." Likewise he does not hope even in the sword; whence, "and my sword shall not save me": Psalm 36: "let their sword be broken." For with these two one fights: namely with the bow against those who are distant; whence by the bow is designated the cunning of man by which man provides for himself in the future, as if to say: I do not hope in my own foresight. With the sword one fights against those who are near, in which power is designated, as if to say: neither do I hope in my own power, but in thee. Whence hast thou this hope? From God. And he shows it by experience. "For thou hast saved us from them that afflict us," either in the present, because although they harm us bodily, yet they cannot harm us spiritually; or in the future. The saints are afflicted in two ways: sometimes in bodily things, by words or deeds: 1 Kings 1: "her rival also afflicted her." Sometimes they are afflicted spiritually, when those who dwell among them sin. And from these afflictions they are freed by God. "And thou hast put them to shame that hated us," in that they cannot achieve their purpose against us; and they are put to shame here, and will be put to shame in the future: Isaiah 41: "Behold all that fight against thee shall be confounded and ashamed."

"In God." Here is set down the giving of thanks. And first he sets down the praise by which they themselves will be praised; second he sets down the praise by which they themselves will praise: for in the first they will praise and be praised; therefore he says, "all the day," that is, unto eternity: and this praise is holy, because it is not in themselves, but in God: Jeremiah 17: "thou art my praise": Psalm 150: "praise the Lord in his saints." Likewise it will be continuous, because "all the day," that is, of eternity: Psalm 83: "for better is one day in thy courts above thousands"; they will be praised, I say, by Christ: Matthew 10: "he that shall confess me, him will I confess before my Father," that is, I will praise him before my Father. Jerome has, "in God they will praise," because the saints in their homeland will praise God, considering his goodness, and will give thanks, acknowledging his benefits.

"But now." Here he sets down the adversity of the saints of the New Testament. And first he sets down the adversity which they suffer. Second he sets down their patience and firmness, at "all these things have come upon us." Concerning the adversity of the saints, he first touches on the cause of the adversity, namely the withdrawal of divine help. Second he touches on the order, at "thou hast turned us back." A holy man has three things in God: namely, refuge: Psalm 89: "Lord, thou hast been our refuge"; Proverbs 18: "the name of the Lord is a strong tower; the just runneth to it, and shall be exalted." Second, he has glory in God: Psalm 3: "thou art my glory." Third, help itself: Psalm 120: "my help is from the Lord." But sometimes in outward things it seems that man does not have refuge in God, and therefore he says, "but now thou hast cast us off," because formerly thou wast a refuge, and this insofar as thou dost not defend us from the one attacking; Lamentations 2: "the Lord hath cast off his altar," yet he did not cast them off as to interior things, "because the Lord will not cast off his people," Psalm 94. Likewise, "thou art not my glory, because thou hast put us to shame"; thou seemest to confound us in outward things, when thou permittest our confusion. Likewise thou wast wont to counsel and help, but now thou dost not, because "thou goest not out, O God, in our armies." And he speaks in the manner of a leader. It was the custom in the Old Testament that when God helped a people fighting, then God went forth before the people: Habakkuk 3: "thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people," and so on. This, however, does not signify local motion in God, but the process of his providence toward exterior things. Now God does not go forth, in that he permits us to succumb to our enemies. And this he does in order to draw us away from earthly things, because if there were always prosperity in temporal matters, man would serve God for their sake. And if this were our intention, it would be frustrated in these things. Therefore, so that our love may not be mercenary, and our intention may not be referred to bodily things, he withdraws this from his friends.

"Thou hast turned us." Here is set down the order of the adversity of holy men, as to two things: namely as to the consolation which they do not have, and as to the affliction which they suffer. Men who go to war flee, are taken captive, are killed, are scattered, and are sold. As to the first, he says: "thou hast turned us back after our enemies," that is, thou hast made us flee: Deuteronomy 28: "thou shalt go out one way against them," namely the enemies, "and flee seven ways." This pertains especially to the holy martyrs, because in persecution some, not able to endure, turned away from the faith: 2 Peter 2: "it had been better for them not to have known the way of justice, than after they have known it, to turn back." Some fled: Matthew 10: "when they persecute you in one city, flee into another." As to the second he says, "and they that hated us plundered for themselves": Tobit 3: "we are given up to spoil"; Isaiah 42: "and this people hath been made a robbery and a spoil." This also happened to the saints: because some were plundered by the devil, namely those who denied the faith; likewise some were captured by enemies who were fleeing. As to the third he says, "we are made a reproach," and this because they killed us bodily. As to the fourth he says, "and thou hast scattered us among the nations," because to the letter this happened to the Jews: Deuteronomy 28: "you shall be scattered into every wind," and so on; likewise the holy martyrs were scattered. As to the fifth he says, "thou hast sold thy people without a price," because thus the martyrs were slain without a price, namely a great one. In which it is shown that they were held cheap; Isaiah 52: "you were sold for nothing, and there was no great number in the exchange for you." Jerome has, "thou hast not gained by usury." The usurer gives a little, and receives much; as if to say: there are not many who gained thereby, because few were then converted; whence more died than were converted. Or, "there was no great number," of others who at their death sang psalms to God: Lamentations 1: "the ways of Sion mourn, because there are none that come to the solemnity."

"Thou hast made us." Above, the Psalmist set down the oppression of the saints; here, however, he sets down their being held cheap: and first he sets down the being held cheap which they suffered outwardly. Second he shows what results from this in the heart, at "all the day my confusion." Concerning the first he sets down the process of being held cheap on the part of the vileness of men, and on the part of the vileness of the matter. On the part of the vileness of men, it is that first reproach is spoken to someone, namely that he is a thief or an adulterer. Second, he suffers this in derision. Third, it grows into a byword, that is, into infamy. On the part of the persons, because first it comes from his own companion; second it passes to others; third it is spread abroad. And this he says as to the first: "we are made a reproach to our neighbors," that is, to brothers and kinsmen, because the saints were called sacrilegious, murderers, or other such things. And this mockery is done by a nod: whence he says, "a scorn"; and by word, whence he says, "and a derision." Scorn is when someone mocks with wrinkled nose. Derision is when one speaks, with sport or gladness, things that pertain to reproach: Jeremiah 20: "I am become a derision all the day, everyone mocketh me." And he says, "to them that are round about us," as if to say: not only to our neighbors, but we are now handed over to others also, unto our reproach and shame. So too were the holy martyrs derided by all: 1 Corinthians 4: "we are made as the refuse of this world." As to the third they are mocked, because men speak of them as they sing; whence he says, "thou hast made us a byword among the nations." When evil is inflicted on someone, it is turned into a proverb, and it is said, may this happen to you as to such a one. And thus he who is treated badly is made a reproach. Perhaps some said, may this happen to you as it did to Lawrence, and others; and therefore he says, "thou hast made us a byword among the nations," that is, an example of evil and reproach: Job 17: "he hath made me as it were a byword of the people, and I am an example before them": 3 Kings 9: "this house shall become a byword." Likewise this is done by deed and nod; whence he says, "a shaking of the head among the peoples": Matthew 27: "they that passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads"; Psalm 21: "they have spoken with the lips, and wagged the head." Or, "thou hast made us," that is, into the likeness of Christ, that is, thou hast made us to suffer this, which Christ suffered; as if to say: just as the nations wagged their heads at Christ, blaspheming, so they have done to us.

"All the day." Here he treats of what arises in the heart from outward reproach. And first he sets down shame. Second he adds the cause, at "at the voice." First he sets down shame, and says, "all the day my shame is before me," that is, it is continually in my sight. Or, "against me," that is, against that which is owed to me, namely the honor which is owed to the virtuous. Shame, according to the Philosopher, is fear of what is base. Now baseness is twofold. The first is according to truth, and this is the baseness of sin; and shame concerning such a thing does not fall upon the virtuous, because they have no consciousness in themselves of sin about which they could be ashamed; but it falls upon the wicked: Romans 6: "what fruit had you then in those things, of which you are now ashamed?" The other baseness is according to estimation, namely that one suffers outwardly abject things or reproaches, and this is found even in perfect men, and of this he speaks here, "all the day," and so on. The sign of shame is redness in the face. Shame is fear of confusion, and this passion stirs the vital spirits, and therefore the blood is altered. And the shameless are pale, and the ashamed are red. Yet the fearful, who fear death, become pale, but not those who fear reproach. And the reason is: because nature withdraws itself to the place where there is a defect; whence when it fears for life, the blood and spirits withdraw to the principle of life, namely the heart. But when it fears something exterior, the spirits and blood withdraw to the exterior parts. He says, therefore, "and the shame of my face hath covered me," that is, it has clothed my countenance with redness. And he says "the shame of my face," because it is born in the face; but when it is so great that it covers the whole body, it is caused by trampling underfoot and vilification. As to the second he says, "at the voice of him that reproacheth." Reproach is when an insult is cast into someone's face: Psalm 100: "all the day they reproached me," and so on. Detraction is secret backbiting: Ecclesiastes 10: "if a serpent bite in silence, he is nothing better that backbiteth secretly." So it happened to the saints in the time of persecution: for the greatest persecutor caused wicked women to be apprehended, and to confess that Christians had done evil things with them; whence he says, "at the voice of him that reproacheth." They also reproached Christ, both in himself and in his members. And therefore he says, "at the face of the enemy and persecutor." And therefore he says "enemy," because hatred is the cause of persecution.: 1 Corinthians 4: "we suffer persecution, for the sake of justice, and we endure it."

"All these things." Here he shows their perseverance in good. And he sets forth their stability in two things. Man ought to persist in those things which pertain to faith, and in good work. And he says that on account of all these things which have come upon us, that is, on account of all the aforesaid adversities, they neither abandoned faith in their heart; whence he says, "and we have not forgotten thee": Psalm 87: "all thy waves," and so on. Nor did they abandon divine worship; whence there follows, "and we have not done wickedly in thy covenant," that is, neither have we abandoned the knowledge which we have of thee through faith; nor thy covenant. The covenant of God is the pact entered into with him in the Law and in Baptism; whence he who acts against the observance of divine worship then commits iniquity against the covenant of God. And this the martyrs did not do. Jerome has, "and we have not lied against thee," namely because they did not offend against him even in word: Ecclesiasticus 11: "stand fast in thy covenant." Likewise they are steadfast in the good works of justice, which proceed from an upright heart; and therefore he says, "our heart hath not turned back," through the abandonment of charity: Luke 9: "no man putting his hand to the plough," and so on; Isaiah 1: "they are alienated, and gone backward," namely sinners. But the charity of the martyrs was in no way diminished, as to the works themselves. And he says, "neither hast thou turned aside our steps from thy way," as if to say: thou hast not permitted our actions to turn aside from the way of thy justice: Isaiah 30: "this is the way, walk ye in it." Or, "thou hast turned aside," according to another reading, "our paths," that is, they are our paths, to which our nature of itself leads us, namely according to concupiscence. And thus, because it leads to the ways of our own heart, in which one ought not to walk, thou hast driven back such ways from thy way.

"For." Above the Psalmist set down the evils which the saints suffer, and their constancy; here, however, he gives the reason for what has been said. And this can be joined with what precedes in two ways, according to the two senses given at "thou hast turned aside our paths," that is, the ways by which we seek the things that are of the flesh; and according to this it is joined thus, as if to say: thou hast not permitted us to turn aside into the things that are of the flesh, "because thou hast humbled us in the place of affliction," that is, of the world: Ecclesiastes 1: "I have seen all things that are done under the sun, and behold all is vanity." And in this God humbles the saints in two ways: namely by the humiliation of virtue: Psalm 34: "I humbled my soul with fasting"; and by the humiliation of coercion: Psalm 104: "they humbled in fetters," and so on. As to the second he says, "and the shadow of death hath covered us," that is, the token of future death: for the shadow goes before, and afterward we have the reality of death. Or, "the shadow of death," that is, sinners who are in darkness, and have subjected us to themselves and to their servitude: Job 28: "the stone of darkness, and the shadow of death, the stream shall divide from the wayfaring people."

"If we have forgotten." Here he proves what he said. And first he proposes it. Second he sets down the divine judgment. Third, evident proof. He says, therefore: I said, we have not forgotten thee, and so on. And so he proposes, "if we have forgotten the name of our God," "if," that is, we have not. Likewise, "if we have spread forth our hands to a strange god," namely strange to the nature of the Godhead, and to the rite of the Jews; as if to say: if we pray to them as gods, which would be to act unjustly against the covenant of God. And if we had done this, God's judgment would seek it out. And God's judgment is sufficient to seek this out; whence he says: "shall not God search out these things?" As if to say: yes indeed, because he himself knows all things; whence it follows: "for he knoweth the secrets of the heart." Jeremiah 17: "the heart of man is perverse and unsearchable, and who can know it?" As if to say: God alone. Likewise he proves this by evident proof: because if they had wished to withdraw, the saints would suffer no evils in this world, as they now suffer. And first he sets down the reason why they suffer, because the cause makes the martyr, and therefore he says, "because for thy sake we are killed all the day": 1 Peter 4: "let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or a railer, or a coveter of other men's things; but if as a Christian, let him not be ashamed." Second he sets down the evils which they suffer, and first he shows these to be evils from the gravity of the punishment, from its continuity, and from opinion. The gravity of those punishing, because "we are killed." The continuity, because "all the day": 1 Corinthians 14: "I die daily, for your glory." The opinion, because they believed they were killing them not as blessed, but as evil and worthy of death; and therefore he says, "we are esteemed as sheep for the slaughter." For the benefit of men, or for the patience of the martyrs; as if to say: why are we killed all the day, and yet we do not cry out, but endure as sheep led to the slaughter? So too was it with Christ.

"Arise, why sleepest thou, O Lord?" Here he calls upon the help of God. And first is set down the question of one wondering. Second, the petition for divine help. We wonder, therefore, why he permits his saints to be so afflicted. And this can be either from a defect of will, or of knowledge. That he should not will it happens in two ways: either on account of sloth, or on account of contempt. As to the first he says, "why sleepest thou, O Lord?" as if to say, dost thou perhaps permit us to be afflicted on account of sloth? And he is said to sleep on account of the effect: Psalm 120: "behold he shall neither slumber nor sleep, that keepeth Israel." As to the second he says, "and cast us not off unto the end," namely finally, even though thou mayest seem to have cast us off for a time. And this is said of Christ, that it may be our word; as if to say: thou hast hidden thyself, and thou hast not yet arisen in the faith of the nations. Arise in them, and we shall not be driven back by them. "Why turnest thou thy face away?" A defect of knowledge happens in two ways: either because he does not see, and therefore he says, "thou turnest away." When God helps, he seems to look upon; when he does not, he seems to turn away: Exodus 3: "seeing I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt," and so on; Psalm 26: "turn not away thy face from me." Or, "why turnest thou away thy face," so that nevertheless we do not see; for if we saw, we would not suffer any evil. Or because he has forgotten. And therefore he says, "forgettest thou our want and our trouble?" Here he enumerates the evils which we suffer. And there is a threefold evil: in outward things, in body, and in soul. As to the first he says: "thou forgettest our want," because to the letter they were poor on account of goods taken away: Hebrews 10: "you took with joy the being stripped of your own goods." As to the second he says, "our trouble," because "many are the tribulations of the just," Psalm 33. As to the third he says, "because our soul is humbled down to the dust." Some are humbled in mind, some in body, some in the inward spirit. And therefore he says: "our belly cleaveth to the earth." And he puts the belly for the whole body. Or what he says, "our soul is humbled down to the dust," refers to the effect in spiritual things: because "our soul," that is, the thought of the soul, thinks earthly things: Isaiah 29: "thou shalt speak out of the earth, and thy speech shall be heard out of the ground." And "our belly," that is, our sensuality, cleaves wholly to the earth; or otherwise. "Because our soul is humbled," etc., that is, the more perfect among us are humbled, "down to the dust," that is, by the sinner: Psalm 1: "like the dust which the wind driveth away," and so on. Likewise, "our belly," that is, the weak among us have cleaved to earthly men, because they fell away from the faith. Against forgetfulness he says, "help us." Against the sleeping he says, "arise." Against the evils he says, "and redeem us for thy name's sake."