Commentary on the Psalms (In Psalmos Davidis Expositio)

"The fool has said." Above, the Psalmist argued the wickedness of sinners on the part of their affection for sin; here he argues their wickedness from their contempt of God. The title: "Unto the end, understanding, for David, for Amalech." The history of this is found in 1 Kings 17, when David, fleeing, came to Achis king of the Philistines, who gave him the city of Siceleg, and it happened that the Amalekites, while he was absent, burned the city; at length David pursued them and recovered the plunder. Mystically, by David is signified Christ; and as is said in the Gloss, the Amalekites were a people "lapping blood," and they signify Antichrist and his own, who lap carnal things with affection. Matthew 16: "flesh and blood," etc.: therefore, as their malice is thus interpreted, from this a reference is drawn to Christ. Augustine says "for maeleth," which is interpreted "grieving and travailing"; and it signifies the Church, of which John 16 says: "a woman, when she gives birth, has sorrow," etc.; and thus the Psalm is for the tribulations which the Church suffers on account of the evils of the world. And this, then, is "through Core," who was one of the chief singers; and thus this Psalm was sung by his ministry. Likewise it must be known that this Psalm has already been set down above at Psalm 13; yet it is not the same round, nor all the same verses, and there it is introduced on account of the first coming of Christ; here, on account of the coming of Christ to judgment.

And concerning this he does two things. First he sets down the malice of sinners. Second, the divine judgment is introduced, there: "the Lord from heaven." Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets down the root of the evil, namely contempt. Second he shows what follows from such a root, there: "they are corrupted."

It must be known that wisdom, if taken properly, differs from knowledge, because wisdom concerns the knowledge of divine things, knowledge concerns the knowledge of human things. The foolish man despises the knowledge of divine things. Job 21: "depart from us, and we do not wish to know your ways." Romans 1: "the foolish was darkened," etc. He said, then, "the fool"; that is, he despised God and the knowledge of God; and he did this in his heart, he said: "there is no God." On the contrary; Anselm says that no one can think that God does not exist. It must be said that something can be unknown to us in two ways: in one way, on account of itself; in another way, on account of us. In the first way, those things are unknown to us which have the least share of being, such as contingent things, prime matter, motion, and time. In the second way, those things are unknown to us which exceed our cognition. I say, then, that if we consider God according to Himself, thus He cannot be thought not to exist, and no proposition is better known than one whose predicate is included in the subject. The being of God is His essence, and therefore this proposition, "God exists," is most known through itself; yet as regards us, the essence of God is not known to us, but becomes known to us through His effects; and hence it is that whoever denies certain effects of God — for instance, the providence over good and evil men and universally over all things, and the miracles of God, and that He is not omnipotent — denies God, and says this in his heart; because it is from God that it is present in the heart of all that God exists, something which surely no one would wish; he who says that God does not exist is reckoned foolish. Or "the fool," that is, the Jew. Psalm: "understand, you fools"; because he said that Christ is not God. John 10: "you, being a man, make yourself God."

"They are corrupted." Here is the effect of their malice. Just as the fear, knowledge, and love of God is the principle of every good work, so, once the knowledge and love of God are taken away, all good life is taken away. And first he shows what follows as regards the working of evil; second, as regards the loss of good. There are two evils that follow. The first is that they are corrupted. The body is corrupted through the exhalation of natural heat and through the withdrawal of actual external heat. The natural heat of the human soul is God Himself; and therefore, as long as there is in the soul the knowledge of God, the soul retains its form which God impressed upon it, namely innocence and the divine image, but when this heat is exhaled, the actual heat is withdrawn — namely the heat of concupiscence and of fear — the soul is corrupted, and consequently it follows that many cast off from themselves the fear and love and knowledge of God, and are corrupted in uncleannesses; and therefore "they have become abominable in their iniquities." Hosea 9: "they have become abominable like the things they loved." And he says "iniquity," that is, on account of iniquities, and they also lose the good: "there is not one who does good." Jeremiah 4: "they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have not known."

"He looked down from heaven." Here is set down the judgment of God against the wicked. And first the consideration of the judge is introduced. Second is shown what the judge finds, namely that "all have gone astray." Third the sentence is added, "do they not know?" The reason why they deny God is that they believe that, because of His loftiness, God does not look upon the lowest things. Job 22: "Do you not think that God is higher than heaven?" etc. What do you say? "He judges through the darkness, He walks about the hinges of heaven, and does not consider our affairs." But it belongs to the perfection of His wisdom that He looks upon all things. Psalm: "Who is like the Lord our God, who dwells on high, and regards the lowly things in heaven and on earth?" And therefore he says that the Lord also "looked down from heaven," that is, He considers the sons of men from His loftiness. Ecclesiasticus 16: "For what is my soul in so immense a creation?" Proverbs 16: "All the ways of men are open to His eyes." Psalm: "The Lord looked down from heaven upon the earth." Or "from heaven," that is, from Christ. Or from the soul of the just man. "He inquires among the sons of men to see if there is one who understands, or who seeks God." There is a difference between God and man, because human judges inquire into what is done outwardly, but God looks into the heart. Psalm: "God searches the hearts and the reins."

"In heart." There are two things which must be done concerning God: namely, that the intellect be fixed inwardly on the knowledge of God, and that the affection tend toward God as toward its end. Hence he says that He looks down for this reason, to see if there is understanding. And if this is understood of the just man, He looks correcting him with gentleness; but if it is understood of the wicked man — as is said of him, "he was unwilling to understand, that he might act well" — then He is "seeking," namely, about to act so that he may come to Him. Psalm: "Seek the Lord, and he shall live," etc. But the Lord, looking down to see this, finds abundant malice.

"All have gone astray." And first he touches on the falling away from the root. Second he says what follows from this. And concerning this he expounds. He says, then: here He inquires, but finds that "all have gone astray, together they have become unprofitable"; and again, "there is none who does good." From the understanding and seeking of God all have withdrawn. Isaiah 53: "Each one has turned aside into his own way." From this it follows that they are unprofitable both to themselves and to others. For those who do not have the love of God do not have true faith; whatever works of the kind of good works such a one may do are unprofitable to him for the reward of eternal life. Therefore he says, "together they have become unprofitable," that is, they have done unprofitable works. 1 Corinthians 13: "If I distribute to feed the poor, etc.," etc. Isaiah 14: "Cast forth from your sepulcher," etc. And he explains how they are unprofitable, saying "there is none who does good," because those things which are not done by the power of faith and are not informed by the love of God are not good simply. Romans 14: "What is not of faith is dead." And that they have gone astray he shows when he says, "there is not even one," that is, not even one is found good. But is there then no one good at all in the universe? It must be said that, in one way, if it is referred to the assembly of the wicked, thus no one is good. In another way, universally: thus "there is not even one," that is, until Christ there is none who is good by his own power. Philippians 2: "God who works in us."

"Shall they not know," etc. Above the Psalmist introduced the judge looking upon iniquity and unprofitableness. Here he treats of the sentence of judgment. And first as regards the condemnation of the wicked. Second as regards the salvation of the good, there: "who shall give," etc. First he does two things. First he proposes a question. Second he clarifies what has been proposed, there: "because God shall scatter." Concerning the first he does two things. First he investigates the very defect of repentance. Second he assigns the merit of the punishment, there: "who work." Concerning the first it must be considered that it often happens that in a state of prosperity men do not recognize God, but through the punishments inflicted by God they are reminded that God exists — as if he were saying: and this is necessary on account of guilt. Psalm: "The Lord shall be known, executing judgments." And of this we have an example in Pharaoh. Exodus 5: "I do not know the Lord." And after the punishments were inflicted, the Egyptians said: "let us flee from Israel, for the Lord fights for them against us." Now it was said above that "the fool said, there is no God," and on account of this he says: "shall not all who work iniquity know" — at least through the punishments — that God exists? As if he were saying: yes, they shall know that no one can inflict punishments except God. And this is very necessary on account of the guilt which they have committed. And they have committed a twofold guilt: namely in deed and in affection. The guilt is the working of iniquity; and therefore he says, "who work iniquity." Iniquity properly is a sin against one's neighbor, because it is opposed to equity. He aggravates this guilt when he says: "who devour my people as food of bread." The food of bread is constant and delightful, as if he were saying: these persist delightfully in their malice and take delight in inflicting injuries. Micah 3: "They have eaten the flesh of my people, and their carcasses, and have taken away their goods." Jeremiah 50: "the first, the king of Assur."

As regards the effect he says, "they have not called upon God." Sinners are disordered in affection in two ways: first through contempt of God; second through disordered love for temporal things. As regards the first he says, "they have not called upon God," for two reasons. First, because they do not believe in God. Romans 10: "How shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed?" Second, because they believe themselves sufficient by themselves. Psalm: "our lips are our own." As regards the second he says, "there they trembled where there was no fear"; as if he were saying: for this reason they feared where there is nothing to be feared. By the word "there" he designates not a place but a cause. Hence Augustine says that fear is caused by love. These, namely the wicked, or sinners, have love for nothing but temporal things; and therefore they fear only temporal losses, that is, for that cause where there is none, that is, for what is not to be feared. Matthew 10: "Do not fear them," etc.; and therefore there is nothing to be feared in the loss of temporal things, because in them is not properly our true good, and it is certain that if we adhered to God, He would also give us this. Matthew 6: "Seek first the kingdom of God," etc.

"Because the Lord has scattered." Here he clarifies the question of how correction comes about, that is, through punishment. And he introduces a twofold punishment: namely interior and exterior. He shows the first when he says, "God has scattered the bones of them that please men," that is, of those who ultimately desire to please men. By "bones" is understood strength. Now all this strength is either corporeal — and this is consumed by God — or spiritual — and this is consumed through sin. These bones are the virtues of good men; hence on the cross the bones of Christ were not broken. But the bones of the thieves were broken. But he says, "of them that please men." Is it then wicked to please men? It seems not. 1 Corinthians 10: "Be without offense," etc. Likewise "I please all in all things," says the Apostle. It must be said that if someone wishes to please another for the sake of vainglory, or for the sake of having human glory, this is wicked in those who place their end in this, because such persons sin confidently in secret provided that they please others in the open. But sometimes someone wishes to please others in order to draw them to God; and thus such a pleasing is meritorious and good; and thus the Apostle wished us to please others, and thus he himself pleased. The contrary is set down as the exterior punishment: hence he says, "they are confounded," that is, let them be confounded, because their sins are uncovered. Job 20: "the heavens shall reveal his iniquity," because they have deceived, and because they shall lose the temporal things through which they believed they had happiness. Jeremiah 20: "they shall be greatly confounded." Jeremiah 17: "they shall be confounded who persecute me." And this they shall suffer "because God has despised them." Those are honored whom God loves. Psalm: "they are exceedingly honored," etc.; but those whom God has despised are confounded.

"Who shall give out of Sion?" Here he treats of the good. And first the question is proposed. Second, the response. The question is this: who, proceeding out of Sion, shall save Israel? Who? Christ, because salvation is from the Jews; therefore from Sion, that is, from the Jews, and from David, and from the upper room of Sion where the apostles received the Holy Spirit, there proceeded the preachers of salvation. And these none shall give but God. And how? "When he shall have converted the captivity of his people." For the faithful people was held in captivity, that is, in the prison of the Devil, which God converted when He released it. Psalm: "Turn back, O Lord, our captivity," etc. And what shall follow from this? Joy and gladness. Psalm: "When the Lord turned back the captivity of Sion, we became," etc. But there is a twofold state of the faithful: namely of struggle and of the crown, of merit and of reward; and in each there is joy. And the first is the joy of the participation of grace. Romans 13: "the kingdom is righteousness." And therefore he says, "Jacob shall rejoice." 1 Kings 2: "my heart has rejoiced," etc. In the reward there is joy, says the Gloss. Isaiah 35: "everlasting gladness," etc. And therefore he says, "Israel shall rejoice."