“If someone, hypothetically, should seem to believe in Jesus but should not believe that the God of the law and of the gospel is one, whose glory the heavens declare, since they were made by him, and the work of whose hands the firmament proclaims, since it is their work, this person would be deficient in the greatest article of faith.”

“This verse serves as a lesson on how the great work of God is declared. People who have been blinded in the eyes of their minds have expelled from the natural order the hidden and invisible divine essence, which is incorporeal and uncreated, and cannot be touched in any way or recognized with carnal eyes. With a godless and wicked mouth they say that there is no God, that nothing excellent of a corporeal nature exists beyond its temporary appearance, and that the whole universe came together in a certain momentary and accidental coalescence and gathering of parts that previously existed by chance and without purpose. Thus, it was necessary in the present work by means of a psalm that the writer should prove through plain demonstration God's omniscience and creative power. The nature of mortals is insignificant and fragile, the thoughts of people, foolish, and our reasoning uncertain. Therefore, we are no match for declaring the divine glory. For these worthy words and reflections about God cannot be proclaimed with human voices or with tongues or lips of flesh. If one who has the facility of a strong mind could hear that powerful and most worthy teaching that comes from the heavens, he would direct his mind and mount up to attend to those things, embracing them completely in himself, celebrating his Creator and the Maker of the universe with hymns and songs. For those heavens above us and those elements present in the firmament attest to a nature capable of being understood by and realized through the senses. They ascribe glory to God, not through any human language but through their adornment, by their very creation, through their ordered movement they teach his immeasurable majesty.… Whoever, therefore, thinks that such beauty and magnitude adorned itself or that the heavens created themselves, and then ascribes their harmonious and ordered motions to some process devoid of any divine power, is foolish and wicked. Therefore, those of sound mind confess that the part is a unified whole, and not only do they hear the cry of the heavens but also the proclamation from that very work together announcing glory to God, their Maker and Creator.”

“Creation … points to God as its Maker and Artificer, who reigns over creation and over all things, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; whom would-be philosophers turn from to worship and deify the creation that proceeded from him, which yet itself worships and confesses the Lord whom they deny on its account. For if people are awestruck at the parts of creation and think that they are gods, they might well be rebuked by the mutual dependence of those parts; which moreover makes known and witnesses to the Father of the Word, who is the Lord and Maker of these parts also, by the unbroken law of their obedience to him, as the divine law also says [in this verse of the psalm].… The proof of all this is not obscure but is clear enough in all conscience to those the eyes of whose understanding are not wholly disabled.”

“This nineteenth psalm is doctrinal: just as the fourth, also being doctrinal, censures those claiming that existing things do not benefit from providence, so too the present psalm levels an accusation against those who claim … that existing things were made by no one, instead coming to be by themselves. Necessarily following on this is the view that these things also do not merit providence: with no admission of the Creator, the provider is also not acknowledged by them, either.”

“As heaven is lighted with the splendor of the stars, so do people shine with the light of their good works, and their deeds shine before their Father in heaven. The one is the firmament of heaven on high; the other is a similar firmament of which it is said, "On this rock I will build my church." The one is a firmament of the elements, the other of virtues, and this last is more excellent.”

“How … do they declare it? Voice they have none; mouth they possess not; no tongue is theirs! How then do they declare? By means of the spectacle itself. For when you see the beauty, the breadth, the height, the position, the form, the stability thereof during so long a period; hearing as it were a voice, and being instructed by the spectacle, you adore him who created a body so fair and strange! The heavens may be silent, but the sight of them emits a voice that is louder than a trumpet's sound, instructing us not by the ear but through the medium of the eyes, for the latter is a sense which is more sure and more distinct than the former.”

“"The heavens tell out the glory of God" [Psalm 19:1]. The righteous Evangelists, in whom, as in the heavens, God dwells, set forth the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, or the glory wherewith the Son glorified the Father upon earth. "And the firmament shows forth the works of His hands." And the firmament shows forth the deeds of the Lord's power, that now made heaven by the assurance of the Holy Ghost, which before was earth by fear.”

“We learn three kinds of divine laws from blessed Paul. One unwritten kind he said was given to human beings in creation and nature: "From the creation of the world," he says, "his invisible attributes have been understood and seen in created things"; and again, "For when the Gentiles, who do not have the law, practice the obligations of the law instinctively, despite having no law they are a law to themselves." … Another law was provided in writing through the mighty Moses: "The Law was added because of transgressions," he says, "ordained through angels in the hand of a mediator." He knew also a third one imposed after these, the law of grace: "For the law of the Spirit of life," he says, "has set me free from the law of sin and death." Blessed David in this psalm teaches human beings the harmony between these, following the same order: first, the one the Creator preaches in creation; then the one given through Moses, instilling a greater knowledge of the Creator to those willing to attend; after that, the law of grace, perfectly purifying souls and freeing them from the present destruction. This in fact is the reason the psalm also refers us "to the end," naming the New Testament in the end.”

“All nature serves the Word of God for our instruction. Through all the turning points of the year, as if through the four Gospels, we learn from the unceasing trumpet both what we should preach and what we should do.… What is there through which the truth does not speak to us? Its voice is heard in the day, it is heard in the night, and the beauty of all things, established by the work of one God, does not cease to put into the ears of our hearts a ruling order, to let us see the "invisible things of God through those which have been made intelligible to us," and it is subject not to the creatures but to the Creator of all things.”

“And so, first of all there is the heavenly form. For Scripture makes use of all the heavens and the stars. Hence the Psalm: The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims His handiwork. And Ecclesiasticus: The clear vault of the sky shines forth like heaven itself, a vision of glory.”

“Above, the Psalmist gave thanks in many ways for benefits both given and hoped for; but here, from the consideration of those benefits, he rises to the praise of the Benefactor. The title is clear: "To the end, a Psalm of David." According to the letter it refers to David; but according to the mystery, to Christ, "to the end." This Psalm is divided into two parts. In the first, God is commended for his instruction by which he teaches us. And this in two ways. One is general, which applies equally to all, and this is manifested through his works: Rom. 1: "The invisible things of God are clearly seen, being understood through the things that are made." The other is special, through the giving of the law, which pertains only to the faithful. The second part begins at "The law of the Lord is unspotted." This Psalm is truly expounded of Christ, because the Apostle brings forward the authority of this passage for the mystery of Christ in Rom. 10: "Their sound has gone forth into all the earth," and so on. Nevertheless, just as the mysteries of Christ are sometimes represented figuratively in the figures of the Old Testament, so too they are sometimes figuratively foreshadowed in the figures of the works of the saints. And therefore this Psalm will first be expounded according to the figure, and secondly according to the truth. First he speaks of the heavens, then of the sun. By the heavens the apostles are understood; by the sun, Christ is understood: "In the sun." Concerning this he does two things. First he sets forth the teaching by which God instructs us through the heavens, however understood. Second, he excludes impediments to this teaching, at "Day to day utters speech," and so on. Two things are necessary to know about God. One is the glory of God, in which he is glorious. The second is his works. If we consider the corporeal heavens, they announce to us the glory of God, because in them there is a wondrous and ordered distinction, which is a certain overflow of that firmness of glory: Eccl. 43: "The beauty of heaven, the glory of the stars, the world on high shining forth, the Lord." And because "the sun giving light has looked upon all things, and the work of the Lord is full of his glory." And therefore these material heavens are understood to indicate to us the glory of God, not as living material things, as Rabbi Moses says, but in their beauty by which their Maker is much more clearly indicated. And the firmament shows us how magnificent God is. The firmament is called heaven, as it says in Gen. 1: "God called the firmament heaven." But according to the distinction, it is called heaven; and thus in the distinction of the heavens, divine wisdom appears. If the whole is taken together, it narrates his power. And therefore he says that the heavens declare, that is, manifest, the glory of God, and the firmament announces the works of his hands, through which works his power appears. But according to the truth, by the heavens the apostles are understood, in whom, as in heavens, God dwells. And they are called heavens because of the sublimity of their way of life: Phil. 3: "Our citizenship is in heaven." Likewise they are adorned with stars, because of the abundance of their many virtues: Eccl. 43: "The beauty of heaven, the glory of the stars": Is. 55: "As the heavens are exalted above the earth," and so on; because they are luminous through teaching and example: Mt. 5: "So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven." Because they revolve through obedience and the course of preaching: Sir. 24: "I alone have compassed the circuit of heaven, and I walked in the waves of the sea, and I penetrated the depths of the abyss, and I stood in every land, and in every people and in every nation I held the primacy." These declare the glory of God, namely of the Father, in which is Christ. And because Christ is equal to the Father, and that he is God, and that he freely forgives sins: Is. 52: "You were sold for nothing, and you shall be redeemed without money." Likewise the apostles are called the firmament, because they were strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit: Lk. 24: "Stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." And they announce the works of his hands, that is, the wonderful things that Christ did, namely his nativity, passion, resurrection, and ascension: Eccl. 42: "Has not God made the saints declare all his wonders?" Is. 12: "Announce this in all the earth." Ps. 95: "Announce his glory among the nations, his wonders among all peoples." Or, the heavens declare, because the heavens sent a new star, announcing the birth of the Savior: Mt. 2: "We saw his star in the east."”

“The days and the nights teach those people who desire to be taught what ineffable wisdom, what incomprehensible power God has, who has measured out the intervals of time for them. If there were no one who would determine the space and the intervals for the seasons, but they existed in a thoughtless and unconsidered way by chance, it would happen that the days would not be ordered in equal spaces through the ages and there would be a confusion of things, and likewise the times of the nights would pass by chance or happenstance. Even the state of related matters would be disordered because of thoughtless chance, and confusion would follow the confused matter; but … reason rules the right order, and wisdom administers harmony and order. There are mutual changes and alterations; for the days, as the nights yield, are longer, and then the nights claim their space, rightfully due and given mutually, having been increased by winter and season. These things, I say, are not only voiced, but as they announce the knowledge of God to people they declare that most wise order of all things constituted by God. So the voices of the days and nights, by their very work being done, call out to them who are able to hear as their teaching reaches all ears. And the universe that is inhabited by people is replete with songs of this type and like choruses.”

“Now, where there is order there is also proof of the one determining order, and there too denial of being self-made, since what is not done by anyone cannot show order. All these visible things surely illustrate order. So he is saying, "They announce some pattern and cry aloud the order of the orderer and the folly of the notion of being self-made."”

“"Day unto day utters word" [Psalm 19:2]. To the spiritual the Spirit gives out the fullness of the unchangeable Wisdom of God, the Word which in the beginning is God with God. [John 1:1] "And night unto night announces knowledge." And to the fleshly, as to those afar off, the mortality of the flesh, by conveying faith, announces future knowledge.”

“The ordained succession of night and day illustrates the boundaries set by the Creator … the visible things are inanimate, being a kind of mask that teaches everyone to be led from visible things to the invisible God and to offer singing to him … by putting forth neither words nor verbal expressions but the norm, and demonstrating their own order, they summon all land and sea to the divine singing.”

“The heavens recite the glory of God The Psalmist himself explains the matter: There is neither speech nor words. They do not speak with people but since “their line goes forth throughout the earth” and they give light to the people, thereby the creatures recite the glory of God and give thanks and bless [Him] for the luminaries. and the sky tells of the work of His hands The stars and planets, which are the work of the hands of the Holy One, blessed be He, and which are there, as it is stated (in Gen. 1:17): “And God placed them in the firmament of the heavens,” whence they proclaim His glory.”

“The heavens declare the glory of God: – There are interpreters (Targumist and others) who take this as like “Or speak to the earth,and it shall teach thee” (Job 12:8), and “Ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee” (ibid. 7); and so The heavens declare, for from the wonders and mighty works which man sees in the heavens he declares the glory of God. And this is what he (means when he) says: There is no speech nor words; Their voice cannot be heard, suggesting not that they declare in words, but from what man sees in them the sons of men declare the glory of God. We are able to explain declare with reference to the heavens and the firmament themselves, for by their course and circuit in an appointed order the glory of God – Blessed be He! – is seen; and that is the “declaring” and “telling,” on the analogy of “He sendeth out His commandment upon earth; His word runneth very swiftly.” (Ps. 147:15.) And when he says: There is no speech nor words (he means) no words like the words of men, but the work they do stands for the words, and constitutes the “declaring” and the “telling”; and so he says: And their speech to the end of the world. The great teacher of righteousness, the great sage our Rabbi Moses, has interpreted (Guide for the Perplexed, 2. 5) “declare” of the heavens, for his opinion and that of the Philosophers is that the spheres are living intelligences, serving God and praising Him with great praise, and singing His glory in great and mighty songs. And so he says: The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament telleth His handywork, notwithstanding that the “declaring” and the “telling” are not with mouth and tongue. This is what he (means when he) says: There is neither speech nor language; Their voice cannot be heard, but the “declaring” and the “telling” are to them like an image of the words and praises which a man forms in his mind without their actual issuing forth in speech. And the firmament telleth His handywork: – A repetition, for it is equivalent to The heavens declare the glory of God; for the heavens are called “firmament,” as it is said (Dan. 12:3) “as the brightness of the firmament” etc.; “and God set them in the firmament of the heavens” (Gen. 1:17); that is, according to the view of him who regards this as spoken with reference to the spheres. The learned Rabbi Abraham ben Ezra has expounded the firmament as meaning “the air.””

“In relation to unity, there are two testaments, the one giving birth into slavery and, the other, into freedom; the one of fear and the other of love, the one literal and the other spiritual, the one figurative and the other actual: and so these two times are distinguished as are the night and the day. Hence, in the Psalm: "Day pours out the word to day, and night to night imparts knowledge." During that night, the Law was like the moon, and according to Gregory the Fathers were like the stars. But when the Sun came, the day was light.”

“"Day." Here he excludes the impediment to teaching, and he excludes a threefold impediment. Sometimes teaching is impeded so that it cannot be learned because of time; sometimes because of the variety of languages; sometimes because of diversity of places. The first impediment concerns nighttime, for it is not a time for reading, since it is a time for resting; and according to different times it is fitting to teach and to learn. And first we must speak of material days that are caused according to nature from the motion of the heavens. And therefore it is necessary to consider not only the substance of the heavens but also the motion of the firmament; and thus wisdom must be understood in this alternation: Eccl. 33: "Why does one day surpass another day, and one light another light, and one year another year, from the sun? By the knowledge of the Lord they were distinguished," that is, disposed above. And therefore he says, "Day," succeeding, "to day utters speech," that is, the day of wisdom, that is, it manifests the order and goodness of divine wisdom, insofar as one day is greater than another, and so on. On one day the heat is greater than on another, and so with each. "And night." Above he showed divine wisdom and the order of divine disposition, because night succeeds night in an ordered way. And he says that day "utters," because the time of day is the time of speaking; and therefore it is the time of the word. For this reason he says, "utters speech." But nighttime is the time of meditation, because of quiet; and therefore in the quiet of the night a man meditates and discovers many things by which he becomes knowledgeable; and therefore it is the time of knowledge. And therefore he says, "And night," succeeding, "to night declares knowledge," that is, of God; because in one night there is a different disposition of time than in another; and all of this comes from the knowledge of God who disposes it. According to the truth, the apostles are called days. And this is what he says: "Day," that is, the apostles, "utters speech" of divine wisdom "to day," that is, to the perfect: 1 Cor. 2: "We speak wisdom among the perfect"; for not all things are preached to all, but clear things to the clear, holy things to the holy, great things to the great. Likewise the apostle, insofar as he is night, that is, living in the flesh and mortal, condescending to the weakness and ignorance of the unlearned, as night "declares knowledge to night," that is, to the perfect, but about human things: 1 Cor. 3: "I could not speak to you as to spiritual persons, but as to carnal. As little ones in Christ, I gave you milk to drink, not solid food." Or "day," that is, Gabriel, "utters speech to day," that is, proposes the word of the Savior to the Blessed Virgin; but "night," that is, the Devil, "declares knowledge to night," that is, to Eve: Gen. 3: "You shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."”

“Day to day utters speech The Creation is renewed from day to day. In the evening, the sun sets, and in the morning it rises. Thereby, the people utter sayings of praise throughout these days and nights, for they teach the people to praise and to give thanks. Menachem interprets [the word] יביע as an expression of a gushing fountain (מעין נובע). tells knowledge Heb. יחוה, an expression of telling.”

“Day to day uttereth speech, And night unto night sheweth knowledge. – יביע, uttereth, i.e. “speaks,” as “Behold, they utter (speak) (יביעון) ivith their mouth” (Ps. 59:8); “Let my lips utter (תנענה) praise” (ibid. 119:171). The interpretation of the verse is: To-day speaks for the sake of the day that comes after it, and to-night for the sake of the night which shall follow it; meaning, in the orderly sequence of the movements (of the heavenly bodies) by day and night as it has been since the six days of Creation, so it is now, and so it shall be for ever: nothing is changed or altered. If so, to-day tells for the sake of to-morrow, for it is certain that so it shall be.”

“Likewise, secondly, teaching is impeded by the variety of languages; but this teaching is not impeded thereby, because "there are no speeches nor languages" -- that is, whatever those tongues or nations may be, they can be instructed in divine wisdom and power, and this whether through the heavens or through the apostles. But according to the truth it must be said that "there are no speeches," and so on, "whose words are not heard," because the voices, or preaching, or teaching of the apostles is heard by everyone. But concerning the speech of the apostles there is a twofold opinion. For some say that the apostles spoke in one language but all others understood them. But against this is the Apostle in 1 Cor. 14: "I give thanks to my God that I speak in all your tongues." Hence "there are no speeches in which they are not heard to speak." Speeches signify principal languages, but discourses signify varieties of idioms in the same language. Or speeches are tongues; discourses are modes of speaking. Now there is a threefold mode of speaking: one humble, which we commonly use; another, when it is adorned; and another, when it is merely ornate. The first befits one who teaches. The second, one who persuades. The third, one who delights; and the apostles spoke in each of these modes: Is. 28: "In the speech of lips and in another tongue I will speak to this people."”

“Behold the Lord's greatness. "The sound of his teaching has gone out into every land." Our Lord Jesus has been spread out to the whole world, because he is God's power.… The power of the Lord and Savior is with those who are in Britain, separated from our world, and with those who are in Mauretania and with everyone under the sun who has believed in his name. Behold the Savior's greatness. It extends to all the world.”

“Yet, how can such declaring and showing forth be other than words, and how is it that no voice addresses itself to the ear? Is the prophet contradicting himself, or is he stating an impossibility, when he speaks of words without sound, and declaration without language and announcement without voice? Or, is there not rather the very perfection of truth in his teaching, which tells us, in the words that I have quoted, that the declaration of the heavens and the word shouted forth by the day, is no articulate voice or language of the lips but is a revelation of the power of God to those who are capable of hearing it, even though no voice is heard?… The very heavens, he says in displaying the wisdom of him who made them, all but shout aloud with a voice, and, though without voice, proclaim the wisdom of their Creator. For we can hear as it were words teaching us: "O mortals, when you gaze on us and behold our beauty and magnitude and this ceaseless revolution, with its well-ordered and harmonious motion, working in the same direction and in the same manner, turn your thoughts to him who presides over our system, and, by aid of the beauty that you see, imagine to yourselves the beauty of the invisible Archetype. For in us there is nothing without its Lord, nothing that moves of its own proper motion, but all that appears or that is conceivable in respect to us depends on a Power who is inscrutable and sublime." This is not given in articulate speech but by the things which are seen, and it instills into our minds the knowledge of divine power more than if speech proclaimed it with a voice.”

“The providence of God is clearer than the sun and its rays. On every occasion and in every place you will see clear and abundant evidence of this providence—in the desert, on cultivated and uncultivated land, on land and sea, wherever you go. This evidence is old and new. Voices are raised from every side that sound more clearly than the voices of our reason, and they tell of God's care to one who wishes to hear.… Our tongue is known only to those who share our language, not to those of other tongues; but the voice of creation is audible to all peoples who dwell in the inhabited world. Those of good judgment regard as sufficient God's proclamation, without the demonstration of deeds. It reveals not only his providence but also his abundant love for us; for he does not merely take thought for us but is also our lover, and he loves us boundlessly with an inconceivable love. It is a love that knows no emotion, but it is most warm and intense, noble, insoluble, unquenchable.”

“The Lord placed his own tabernacle in the sun. Not in that sun that, by arranging the days, directs the measure of the hours according to the seasons, but "the sun of righteousness," which, having been brought forth from the virginal womb in the splendor of eternal life has shone the true light to minds, and he has stepped forth from the Virgin just like the bridegroom from the bridal chamber. He rejoiced as a strong man running his course, and in every way he walked blameless on the way in the law of the Lord, having stepped forth from the highest heaven. Not from the seed of people, but from the word of the Father, who is in the highest of the heavens, his course is also the highest, not from the rising in the east, or as from the highest to the lowest points, but from highest to the highest and from excellence to excellence, and from the highest to the highest there will not be one who may hide himself from his heat.”

“Concerning the second allegory, about the blessed Virgin Mary, it is said in the Psalm: "He has pitched a tent there for the sun." Wherefore she is "as beautiful as the moon, as resplendent as the sun, as awe-inspiring as bannered troops." Hence she is a vessel able to contain light: "The sun, an admirable instrument, the work of the most High — shining gloriously in the firmament of heaven."”

“Likewise, an impediment to teaching is the diversity and remoteness of place, because teaching sometimes does not reach remote parts; but it is not so with this teaching, because "Their sound has gone forth into all the earth," namely of the heavens, or of the apostles, because everywhere is the teaching by which the heavens instruct. But it is better said of the apostles, because he says "has gone forth," not "they went forth" -- "the sound," that is, the fame, "and to the ends of the world their words." Is. 12: "Sing to the Lord, for he has done great things; announce this in all the earth": Mt. 28: "Going, teach all nations." And therefore he says, "To the ends of the world their words": because the sound reaches to remote places, and the words to nearby places. But it is not so with the apostles; rather, even the words, that is, the distinct sound, reached to the ends of the earth, whether by some prophecy or by the fame of miracles.”

“He it is who "comes forth as a bridegroom from his bridal chamber." For he [returns] even to the height; "since no one has ascended into heaven except him who has descended from heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven." He repeats this very same fact when he says, "Father, glorify me with the glory that I had with you before the world existed." If this Word descended from heaven as a bridegroom to take on our flesh, so that in taking flesh he might ascend again as Son of man to that place where, as Son of God, the Word had descended, then assuredly, because of a mutual bond, the flesh bears the Word of God, and the Son of God assumes the weakness of the flesh. He ascends with his spouse, the flesh, to the same place from which he had descended without the flesh and receives now that glory that he is shown to have had before the creation of the world. This proves, without the least doubt, that he is God. Nevertheless, since the world itself is said to have been created after him, it is evident that it was created through him. This fact itself gives proof of the glory and the authority of the divinity that is in him, through whom the world was made.”

“Consider the apt disposition of the sun, or rather of him whose ordering determined its course; how in summer it is higher in the heavens and makes the days longer, thereby giving people good time for their works, while in winter it contracts its course that the cold season might not be too long and that the nights, becoming longer, might serve as the repose of people and for the fruitfulness of the earth's products. See too how the days give way to each other in due order, lengthening in summer, growing shorter in winter, but in spring and autumn affording mutually equal intervals; and the nights likewise, so that the psalmist says, "Day pours out word to day, and night to night imparts knowledge." For to the heretics, who have no ears, they all but shout, and by their good order they say that there is no other God save their Creator, who fixed their bounds and laid out the universe.”

“The sun renders the day brighter, shedding its rays like flashing lights and day by day revealing its own beauty in full bloom: as soon as it appears at dawn, it awakes the whole human race to the discharge of their respective duties.… Do you see how [in the psalm] he revealed to us both the sun's beauty and its speed of movement? That is, in saying, "Its span extends from one corner of heaven right to the other corner of heaven," it indicated to us how in one moment of time it traverses the whole world and scatters its rays from end to end, making its great resources available. It not only supplies heat to the earth but also dries it up, and not only dries it up but enkindles it and supplies us with many different resources, so marvelous a body is it, quite beyond one's power to describe adequately. I mention this to you and sing the praises of this heavenly body so that you may not stop short there, dearly beloved, but proceed further and transfer your admiration to the Creator of the heavenly body. After all, the greater the sun is shown to be, so much the more marvelous is the revelation of the Creator.”

“"In the sun hath He set His tabernacle." Now that He might war against the powers of temporal error, the Lord, being about to send not peace but a sword on earth, in time, or in manifestation, set so to say His military dwelling, that is, the dispensation of His incarnation. "And He as a bridegroom coming forth out of His chamber" (ver. 5). And He, coming forth out of the Virgin's womb, where God was united to man's nature as a bridegroom to a bride. "Rejoiced as a giant to run His way." Rejoiced as One exceeding strong, and surpassing all other men in power incomparable, not to inhabit, but to run His way. For, "He stood not in the way of sinners."”

“The only-begotten God … has joined and united the divine and human nature in the unity of his person in such a way that they cannot in any way be separated from him. For in the one person of the only-begotten God, who "like a bridegroom comes out from his wedding canopy," the union of each nature remains inseparable.”

“Hence in the voice of this same Church it is said through Solomon, "Behold, he comes leaping upon the mountains and bounding over the hills." For she considered the heights of such great works and said, "Behold, he comes leaping upon the mountains." For in coming for our redemption, He made certain leaps, so to speak. Do you wish, dearest brothers, to recognize His very leaps? From heaven He came into the womb, from the womb He came into the manger, from the manger He came to the cross, from the cross He came into the tomb, from the tomb He returned to heaven. Behold, so that He might make us run after Him, the Truth made manifest through the flesh made certain leaps for us, because "He rejoiced as a giant to run His course," so that we might say to Him from the heart, "Draw us after You; we will run in the fragrance of Your ointments."”

“Their line goes forth throughout the earth The line of the heavens, which are stretched out over the face of the entire earth, and because of which their words are at the end of the world, for all speak of the wonders they see. for the sun He made [i.e.,] the Holy One, blessed be He. a tent therein In the heavens. From here it is derived that the sun is placed within its case. Tanchuma.”

“Their line is gone out through all the earth: – Their line, i.e. (the line) of their construction; and so (in the verse) “line upon line” (Is. 28:10), because the structure is made by stretching out the line. He means that the work of the spheres and constellations has gone out into all the earth. And so And their speech to the end of the world: – See, their works are their words. In them hath He set a tabernacle for the sun: – For the sun He hath set a tabernacle and a place in the spheres. The enumeration refers to the sun because he is the great light and because there obtains to men from him a greater benefit than from the rest of the stars through his light and heat, to men and to the rest of living things and to the plants. And when he says in them, he means in one of them, as he was buried “in (one of) the cities of Gilead” (Judges 12:7); and this (location) is the fourth of the seven spheres in which are the seven planets. He says in them, because these stars are fixed in the body of the spheres. And so it says (Gen. 1:17): “And God set them in the firmament of the heaven” and it does not say upon the firmament. And so, too, in the words of our Rabbis of blessed memory (Midrash Tanhuma, 2 Gen. v.), “The stars are fixed in the firmament like the nails which are fixed in a door.””

“Concerning the motion of the sun he says two things: "From the highest heaven." Note that he speaks of the heaven as it is in its motion, which is the end of the night and the beginning of the day. And insofar as it is the end of the night, it is nothing other than the going forth from the hidden into the manifest, because it does not rise as though it then begins to exist, but because it is then made manifest. And therefore he likens it to a bridegroom coming forth from his bridal chamber, because just as the bridegroom is hidden in the bridal chamber, so the sun is hidden at night. Therefore he says, "He as a bridegroom coming forth from his bridal chamber." But insofar as it is the beginning of the day, he sets forth four things: namely, its property or efficacy, its magnitude, its swiftness, and the regularity of its motion. Its property, because night indicates sadness, but the day makes joyful: Ps. 29: "In the evening weeping shall have place, and in the morning gladness." And therefore he says, "He has rejoiced." Its magnitude, because it is great among all particular corporeal things; and therefore he says, "As a giant." Its swiftness; hence he says, "To run." Its regularity; hence he says, "The way," because it does not deviate from the straightness of the way, as some planets do. His nativity is designated when it says, "He as a bridegroom coming forth from his bridal chamber." The bridal chamber is the virginal womb. From this he came forth as a bridegroom, because in that perpetual union he espoused human nature. Hence in death the divinity remained united to the soul and the body: Hos. 2: "I will espouse you to me in faithfulness." The course of his way is described by its joyfulness. Hence, "He has rejoiced," inwardly, namely with spiritual joy, which neither death nor any sadness in the sensory part could disturb, because even in his passion he enjoyed blessedness: Is. 42: "He shall not be sad nor troubled"; because from the sadness of the sensory part no sadness arose in the higher part; yet the whole suffered according as it was nature, but not according as it was turned toward God. Likewise it is described by its magnitude, because, "as a giant" of twofold substance, because of the divine nature in which he is great: Ps. 76: "Who is so great a God as," and so on, and of the human nature in which also he is great: Lk. 1: "He shall be great," and so on. By its swiftness, because he accomplished our salvation in a short time; hence he says, "To run the way": Acts 10: "He went about doing good and healing," as it were swiftly.”

“By heavenly power and co-operation, like a sun ray, the saving Word quickly illumined the whole earth. Straightway, in accordance with the divine Scripture, the voice of its inspired Evangelists and apostles "went forth to the whole earth and their words to the end of the world." And then in all the cities and villages, churches were quickly established, filled with multitudes of people, like a teeming threshing floor, and all those souls, bound through hereditary succession and original error by the ancient disease of idolatrous superstition, on being set free as it were from terrible masters and finding release from most difficult bondage by the power of Christ through both the teaching of his disciples and their wonderful works, rejected all demoniacal polytheism and confessed that there was one God alone, the Creator of all things, and this One they honored with the rites of true piety through inspired and rational worship that was implanted by our Savior in the life of people.”

“Christ fills his world with copious lights, since "his going out is from the end of heaven, and his circuit even to the end of it, and there is no one who can hide himself from his heat." Benignly he gives light to all, wishing not to repel the foolish but to correct them and desiring not to exclude the hard of heart from the church but to soften them. Hence … Christ in the Gospel invites them, saying, "Come to me, all you who labor, and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you, and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart."”

“"His going forth is from the highest heaven" [Psalm 19:6]. From the Father is His going forth, not that in time, but from everlasting, whereby He was born of the Father. "And His meeting is even to the height of heaven." And in the fullness of the Godhead He meets even to an equality with the Father. "And there is none that may hide himself from His heat." But whereas, "the Word was even made flesh, and dwelt in us," [John 1:14] assuming our mortality, He permitted no man to excuse himself from the shadow of death; for the heat of the Word penetrated even it.”

“As often as water is contracted by excessive cold, if the heat of the sun comes on it, it becomes melted; when the same sun departs, the water again becomes hard. Similarly the charity of many people freezes because of the excessive coldness of their sins, and they become as hard as ice; however, when the warmth of divine mercy comes on them again, they are melted. Surely that is the heat of which it is written, "Nothing escapes its heat."”

“And he is like a bridegroom coming forth from his chamber: – In the morning as he comes out in his brightness and beauty he is like a bridegroom coming forth from his chamber, for all rejoice before him; so of the sun, all rejoice at his light. And my revered father – may his memory be blessed! – has interpreted that the Psalmist compares him to a bridegroom coming forth from his chamber because the latter is longing to return to his bride, and so the sun returns each day to the place of his brightness. The text also likens him to a strong man, and says: He rejoiceth as a strong man to run his course: – because he does not stumble in his running. And he says, He rejoiceth as a strong man, for the strong man rejoices and is glad on going out to war. And so it says in mentioning the strength of a horse: “he rejoiceth in his strength: He goeth out to meet the armed men” (Job 39:21); so the sun rejoices in his going forth. His rising and shining and brightness are the rejoicing and gladness.”

“Likewise he explains this similitude when he says, "From the highest heaven." And what is said here can be understood in two ways. In one way, because there are two points according to the astronomers, namely the summit of the heavens, where the sun is when it is at midday, and the opposite point, which is the angle of the earth, where the sun is at midnight. And this is what he says, "His going forth is from the end of heaven," according to those who begin the day from midnight, "and his circuit even to the end thereof," with respect to the angle of heaven where it is at midday. But if it is referred to one high point, there is one point where the sun is at midday. And this is what he says, according to the astronomers who count more days from midday; as if to say: from the meridian point is his return, namely of the sun, to that same place: Eccl. 1: "The sun rises and sets, and returns to its place." His effect is manifested when he says, "And there is no one that can hide himself from his heat"; as if to say, the sun at its meridian so scorches the earth and is so hot that in some lands a man can scarcely endure: Eccl. 43: "At noon it scorches the earth, and who can withstand its burning heat?"”

“the sun is not said by them to ascend but to go out, for the scripture saith: The sun goeth out upon the earth, not goeth up; and again he says: From the end of heaven is his going forth, and at the end of heaven is his goal, Not a going up then—but if it is circular, it has not an end—for where are we to find an end of what is perfectly round?”

“"The law of the Lord is undefiled, converting souls" (ver. 7). The law of the Lord, therefore, is Himself who came to fulfil the law, not to destroy it; an undefiled law, "Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth," not oppressing souls with the yoke of bondage, but converting them to imitate Him in liberty. "The testimony of the Lord is sure, giving wisdom to babes." "The testimony of the Lord is sure;" for, "no man knoweth the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him," which things have been hidden from the wise and revealed to babes; for, "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble."”

“He calls the Mosaic law Law, testimony, judgments, command, decrees.… It is called Law in that it regulates and prescribes the best way of life; testimony in testifying against sinners and highlighting the punishment for transgression; judgments in teaching what is right, forbidding what is wrong and declaring virtuous people righteous; command in commanding what is to be done and giving orders authoritatively; decrees in revealing the divine verdicts and teaching what goods the observant will enjoy and to what punishments the transgressor will be consigned … the law of God, being free of every fault, corrects people's souls and makes them faultless; the testimony gives wisdom to the immature and simple by frightening them; the judgments gladden the heart by revealing the basis of judgment; the command gives light to the mind's eye, teaching what constitutes service to the God of all. While piety and the fear of God, in suggesting observance of these, procure enjoyment of the eternal good, it was right for him to speak of the fear of God as pure—that is, free from blame—for the reason that human fear is blameworthy, being synonymous with dread. Now, he called the decrees true and justified on account of their conferring on people both honors and warranted punishments. In conclusion, he said these are worth more than gold and precious stones and sweeter than honey—not to all human beings, however, but to those truly human, whose life is not comparable with the brute beasts.”

“and its circuit is to their ends The circuit of its orbit is from one end to the other. and none is hidden from its heat Had the sun been placed in the lowest sky, no man would be able to hide from its heat (Mid. Ps. 18:13) for the sun and the moon are in the second sky, as is stated (in Hagigah 12b): There are seven skies—Vilon, Rakia, Shehakim, Zevul, Machon, Ma’on, Aravothand he counts them in order: Vilon does not serve for anything; in Rakia are the sun, the moon, the stars, and the planets, etc.”

“His going forth is from the end of the heaven – i.e. from the east: And his circuit over the ends of it: – Over all the ends of the heaven is his course. And he says: And his circuit, the interpretation being “his round,” as “the cycle (round) of the year” (Exod. 34:22), because he goes round the (four) quarters and returns to the place of his rising, as Solomon says (Koh. 1:6): “He goeth toward the south and roundeth unto the north” because his course in a day is seen in the south quarter, and he proceeds to the west, and rounds the north quarter at night until he returns in the morning to the quarter from which he rose. And so, in the words of our Rabbis of blessed memory (Babli, 'Erubin 56a), “He proceeds towards the south by day and goes round to the north at night.” This, however, is in appearance only; for his course inclines toward the south side, but does not go to the angle of the south. But according to Astronomy, this is not said of the cycle of the day, but of the year, because he (the sun) inclines southwards in winter and to the north in summer, and this is apparent to the eyes and clear and certain. And so, in the words of our Rabbis of blessed memory, in the Chapters of Rabbi Eliezer (ch. 6): “He goes towards the south in the Tekuphah of Tisri and in the Tekuphah of Tebeth, and goes round to the north at the Tekuphah of Nisan and the Tekuphah of Tammuz.” And there is nothing hid from the heat thereof: – for it is the same sun in all the world, and that although he is not equally in every place. And he says: And there is nothing hid from the heat thereof, but does not say And there is nothing hid from the light thereof for man is able to hide from (the sun's) light, but not from his heat; even in his innermost chamber (the sun's) heat reaches him. And the learned Rabbi Abraham ben Ezra ex-pounds: And there is nothing hid from the heat thereof “for the sun gives heat in the world just as the heart produces warmth in the body, as Physiology proves; and he is (gives) life to all bodies.” If this is right, the interpretation will be: There is nothing hid from the benefit of his heat.”

“Scripture enlightens a posteriori through strict judgments. For God always imposes strict judgments upon transgressions of the precepts, as in the cases of Lucifer, Adam and his wife, the depraved upon whom came the flood, the prideful who built the tower of Babel, the Chananeans and Israel. Likewise, the New Testament is full of judgments. Now, the judgment follows the act, while the command precedes it. The judgment is related to the command: if you transgress it, you shall be punished. Unless you follow the guiding light, a sword shall pierce you. Hence the Psalm: Unless they be converted, God will sharpen His sword; He will bend and aim His bow, prepare His deadly weapons against them, and use fiery darts for arrows. The bow is the judgment of Scripture; the hardness of the wood, the Old Testament; the cord that bends the wood, the New Testament; the judgments, light or harsh, are the arrows. Hence again in the Psalm: The Law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul; the decree of the Lord is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple. The ordinances of the Lord are true, all of them just.”

“"The law." Above, the Psalmist treated of God's general instruction, which takes place through creatures; now he treats of the special instruction which takes place through legislation. And concerning this he does two things. First, he sets forth the commendation of the law. Second, he treats of the offenses committed against the law, at "Who can understand sins?" And fittingly, after the mysteries of the incarnation of Christ, he treats of the old law, which was fulfilled by Christ and the new law handed on. Concerning this he does two things. First, he shows the goodness or rectitude of the law. Second, its sweetness or lovableness, at "More to be desired." Concerning the first he does three things. First, he commends the law in general. Second, the things contained in the law, at "The testimony of the Lord." Third, he commends those things that are adjacent to the law, at "The fear of the Lord." Now it should be considered that he says two things about the law of the Lord: both that it is unspotted and that it converts. And this can refer to each law, namely the new and the old. And they are set in contrast to human law, in which certain unlawful things are permitted, such as usury and houses of prostitution; for it cannot correct all things. But the law of the Lord is not such; rather, it is unspotted, that is, excluding all evils: Ps. 11: "The words of the Lord are chaste words," and so on. Job 6: "You will not find iniquity on my tongue, nor will folly resound in my jaws." Likewise, human law does not extend itself except to those matters over which human judgment has competence, namely only to exterior things: 1 Sam. 16: "Man sees what appears, but God beholds the heart." And therefore human law restrains from exterior things, though divine law converts the heart to God. And therefore he says, "converting," not only exterior acts, but "souls." But the old law did this imperfectly, the new law perfectly, because the old law restrained through temporal punishments, which coerce the hand, but the new law restrains through eternal punishments, which coerce the heart. Now three things are contained in the law: testimonies, judgments, and precepts. Testimonies, because divine law necessarily proceeds upon certain matters of belief: Heb. 11: "He who comes to the Lord must believe." And therefore testimonies are necessary by which the right faith of a man may be tested; and so there are in it testimonies and ceremonies. And he says two things about them: that the testimonies or precepts have something trustworthy, and that they bestow wisdom. But human doctrines have something untrustworthy and do not bestow wisdom. Untrustworthy, because the ancients fabricated certain falsehoods in their laws, as seemed to them useful for the states: for example, that certain men were born from gods, so that they might conceive great spirits; and that those who governed well were transferred to the gods, so as to encourage good governance of the commonwealth. But the testimony of the Lord, that is, the doctrine or divine commandment, is trustworthy, that is, it has truth; but that other doctrine is false: Ps. 92: "Your testimonies, Lord, are made exceedingly credible." And this is because that law orders only the things of this present life; but divine law orders toward the future life. Rom. 8: "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come that shall be revealed in us." Testimonies are properly called those things in the law which generate the authority of the one commanding in the hearts of subjects, so that they obey the precepts -- such as that God is one, and that he is the Creator of heaven and earth, and things of this kind. And because the ceremonial precepts are owed solely from divine authority, they could be called testimonies; but the moral precepts are grounded in the obligation of every virtue; and the judicial precepts are grounded in obligation between men regarding contracts. Now that human law does not bestow wisdom: for there is some wisdom in human affairs, where there is some truth, such as philosophical wisdom; and there was a certain wisdom that the priests used in the temple, and this is false; and this was proposed to many. But that philosophical wisdom was proposed to few, whereas divine wisdom is proposed to little ones, that is, to the people: Deut. 4: "This is your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the peoples." Or, "to little ones," that is, to the humble: Mt. 11: "You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them to little ones."”

“"The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart" [Psalm 19:8]. All the statutes of the Lord are right in Him who taught not what He did not; that they who should imitate Him might rejoice in heart, in those things which they should do freely with love, not slavishly with fear. "The commandment of the Lord is lucid, enlightening the eyes." "The commandment of the Lord is lucid," with no veil of carnal observances, enlightening the sight of the inner man.”

“The law of the Lord is perfect That too illuminates like the sun, as is written at the end of the topic: “enlightening the eyes,” and Scripture states (in Prov. 6:23): “For a commandment is a candle and the Torah is light.” Another explanation: and none is hidden from its heat on the Day of Judgment, [as is stated in Malachi 3:19]: “And the sun that comes shall burn them up.” But the law of the Lord is perfect; it restores the soul to ways of life and it protects those who study it from that burning, as is stated (ibid. verse 20): “And the sun of mercy shall rise with healing...for you who fear My Name.” the testimony of the Lord is faithful It is faithful to testify for those who study it. restoring the soul It [the law] restores it [the soul] from the ways of death to the ways of life. The law, the testimony, the orders, the commandments, the fear, and the judgments total six, corresponding to the six orders of the Mishnah. Between each name [of God] are five words including the name itself, corresponding to the Five Books of the Pentateuch. And so [the Psalmist] concludes: “true, altogether just.” They are altogether devised with kindness and truth. making the simple one wise It gives wisdom to the simple.”

“The Law of the Lord: – Why does he join the idea of the Law with that of the sun? His meaning is, that as the heavens and the sun and the spheres are witnessing to and declaring the glory of God and His wisdom, so the Law and the Commandments which He has commanded His people Israel witness to His wisdom and uprightness, as it says (Deut. 4:8), “(What great nation is there) that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this Law?” And further he says that as the heavens and the sun benefit the world, and through them the world continues to exist, so is the Law, which is perfect and restores the soul, and upon which (depends) the preservation of the soul as the preservation of the world (depends) upon the sun; for the soul in the body is as a stranger in a foreign land who has none to help or assist him, for the agents which minister to the body are for the most part such as follow after the appetites, and she (the soul) is as a solitary one and captive amongst them. So also says Solomon, who compares her to a poor wise man (Koh. 9:15). And notice the Law restoreth the soul in that it teaches man the right way and draws him away from worldly desires and from many stumbling-blocks. And notice it restoreth the soul from captivity and confinement to her (rightful) birth and the place of her glory. And David declares in respect of the Law and the commandments and the judgments, their truth and uprightness. Now the Law (תורה, lit. teaching) is the orderly setting forth of the commandment with reference to the manner of its performance; and this (may be understood) from the general sense of such passages as “I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers (מורי)” (Prov. 5:13); “and to teach (להורת) He hath put in his heart” (Exod. 35:34); for (the Torah) teaches the ordering of a thing, as “the law (Torah) of the beast and of the fowl” (Lev. 11:46); “the law of the leper” (ibid. 14:2); “the law of her that beareth” (ibid. 12:7); “the law of him that hath an issue” (ibid. 15:32); “the law of the Nazirite” (Num. 6:21). Nevertheless the book (itself) is called by the name of the Law (Torah) from Genesis to Deuteronomy, as is written (Deut. 31:9): “And Moses wrote this Law”; “Take this book of the Law” (ibid. 26); (this is) because it narrates the history of Creation and also narrates the affairs of the Fathers; it likewise sets forth every single one of the things which teach about God: that He is the founder of the world, of His goodness and of the beings created by Him, and His providence in the case both of the good and the evil. He mentions the commandments also – that is, what God commanded (man) to do in the ways of the service of God and love of Him, as of a master who gives commandment to his servant. And the testimony – that is, what was testimony between Israel and God, that they had accepted Him for (their) God, and He had accepted them for a peculiar people; cf “the ark of the testimony” (Exod. 25:22); “the tent of the testimony” (Num. 17:23). For the commandments about which Israel received commands – these are the testimony, and also the tables which had on them the Ten Words, which contain (are) the whole Law entirely; and these Words were a great testimony to Israel when they saw His glory on Mount Sinai in the thunderings and lightning; and that great sight was the testimony to them and their children for ever. So also the observance of the Sabbath and the festivals is to them a testimony and a sign and memorial; the (year of) release also, and the jubilee – all is a testimony to them and their children for ever; as it says, “for all the earth is Mine” (Exod. 19:5); “they are My servants” (Lev. 25:55). He says: the precepts of the Lord in respect of the commandments of the understanding which God has ordained and put in the heart; and about these the understanding teaches. He says fear because it is the beginning of the commandments and their root; for the servant, unless he fear the master, will not do his behests, and perfect fear is in secret. He says also judgments – that is, the rules (that are to be observed) between a man and his fellow. Now it is to be noticed he has mentioned for us all the different kinds of commandments except “statutes” (חקים). The reason is that he applies to them (such epithets as) perfect, restoring the soul, sure, making wise the simple, right, rejoicing the heart, pure, enlightening the eyes, clean, true, righteous altogether, to be desired, and sweet; all which it is only admissible to apply to the commandments whose reason is clear and apparent; whereas the “statutes,” such as those regarding the eating of swine's flesh and wearing mixed stuffs and the like, whose reason is not clear to all how could it be said of them that they are to be desired, are sweet and pure? And although they are such to him to whom their reasonableness is apparent, yet this is not apparent to the great majority of men. And he says: is perfect: – because it is altogether complete; not one thing is lacking in it of all the things a man needs in this world and in the world to come. And he says: restoring the soul: – in the sense we have interpreted. He says also: The testimony of the Lord is sure: – for there is no falsehood in it; for the Glory rested on Israel in the sight of all Israel, there was none to contradict or gainsay. And he says: making wise the simple: – For all the things of the Tabernacle (embodied) wonderful wisdom; for no (mere) thing(s) were the lamp-stand and the altars and the curtains. And so all the things (sc. of the Tabernacle) entirely teach of wisdom, so that the wise call it (the Tabernacle) the middle world, for it is a likeness of the upper world and of the little (lower) world. So also the observance of the Sabbath is a (source of) great wisdom, for on its account man will investigate the question of the world's renewal and all the work of creation, and that (results in) Natural Science. It (Scripture) says also of the Law (Deut. 4:6): “for-this is your wisdom and your understanding in the eyes of all the people” etc. Again, it says (ibid.): “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” Yet although he distributes these attributes and says of the Law that it is perfect and restores the soul, and of the testimony that it is sure, making wise the simple, and similarly of the rest, all share the attributes. He does not apply this attribute to one (only); the same applies also to the other, except that each attribute is attached closely to the substantive nearest it; and that it is necessary to study it in the light of the attribute in accordance with the way we have interpreted and shall interpret.”

“"The justices of the Lord are right," that is, those judgments that are spoken of in Ex. 22: "He who has stolen an ox or a sheep," and so on. Is. 26: "The path of the just is straight for walking": Prov. 21: "It is joy for the just man to do justice, and dread for those who work iniquity." And he says two things about them: that they are right, and that they are joyful. Right, because they contain justice. What is right is called just: Prov. 8: "All my words are just, and there is nothing wicked or perverse in them; they are right to those who understand," and so on. Joyful, not harsh and disturbing, because they are mixed with equity; hence he says, "Rejoicing hearts," because of the equity and the hope of reward: Ps. 118: "I shall rejoice in your words." But the moral precepts are bright and illuminating; hence he says, "The commandment of the Lord is bright." It is called bright because it is manifest and evident in itself, as here: "You shall not kill," "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not steal," and similar things, which have clarity in themselves, that everyone is bound to observe, as Prov. 6 says: "The commandment is a lamp, and the law is a light." A precept is called that to which attention is directed according to the command of a superior; and it concerns things to be done, and imports a duty of acting in the one to whom it is commanded. This duty arises either from the divine rule which we are bound to follow -- and thus that falls under obligation without which the order of reason cannot be preserved; or it is a duty from the authority of the one commanding, whom we are bound to obey; or from the end, which we entirely desire, which is appointed for us -- and then that falls under precept without which we cannot maintain subjection to the one commanding, or without which we cannot attain the intended end. For a precept is so called as though "precisely taken," namely for acting -- as though we are precisely bound to do that. And therefore such a precept is "enlightening the eyes," namely of reason, which eyes are darkened by the desire for exterior things and the interior passions of concupiscence; and the precept of the Lord removes this, and therefore it is "enlightening the eyes." "Enlighten my eyes, lest I ever sleep in death," Ps. 12.”

“He recognises a twofold [element in faith], both the activity of him who believes, and the excellence of that which is believed according to its worth; since also righteousness is twofold, that which is out of love, and that from fear. Accordingly it is said, "The fear of the Lord is pure, remaining for ever and ever." For those that from fear turn to faith and righteousness, remain for ever. Now fear works abstinence from what is evil; but love exhorts to the doing of good, by building up to the point of spontaneousness; that one may hear from the Lord, "I call you no longer servants, but friends," and may now with confidence apply himself to prayer.”

“"The fear of the Lord is chaste, enduring for ever" [Psalm 19:9]. "The fear of the Lord;" not that distressing fear under the law, dreading exceedingly the withdrawal of temporal goods, by the love of which the soul commits fornication; but that chaste fear wherewith the Church, the more ardently she loves her Spouse, the more carefully does she take heed of offending Him, and therefore, "perfect love casts" not "out" this "fear," [1 John 4:18] but it endures for ever.”

“The fear of God is not an anxious confusion but an undaunted perseverance, a state that is not altered by any change in this life, but remains focused on the same thing with a sincere conscience. For human fear changes with time and is not holy, because it cannot be productive. But the fear of God does not have anything to do with the passions. For although one appropriately fears his Maker, he knows without a doubt that the one who judges him is merciful to those who seek him in prayer. Therefore whoever is known both to fear and to love his Judge lives in complete holiness. When love is combined with awe, it is the fear of the Lord, what is called reverence in secular terms.”

“The treasures of the Lord: – We should have interpreted פקודי as “commandments” in accordance with its Targum, only that he speaks afterwards of the commandment of the Lord; so we interpret פקודי here on the analogy of “And the food shall be for a store (פקדון)” (Gen. 41:36), where the meaning is that of treasuring and depositing. They are the things about which reason teaches. He says of them also that they are right: – There is in them no perversion nor crookedness, for if they were not so reason would not be teaching concerning them. And for this cause they rejoice the heart: – for the wise man rejoices over his understanding; and when it gains control over the body and leads it in the ways of understanding there is no joy in the world like that joy, which is the joy of the soul. For this reason he says rejoicing the heart, and does not say rejoicing “man,” for man rejoices in the lusts of the world; but the understanding – that is, the heart – rejoices only in the ways of understanding. And so it says (Ps. cxix. iii): “For they are the rejoicing of my heart.” And he says: The commandment of the Lord is pure: – Every single commandment wherever it is is pure and bright without any alloy: and it enlightens the eyes: – because people who are without the commandments walk in darkness, for the commandments give light to the heart and are the steps by which to ascend to the great Glory.”

“Scripture enlightens a posteriori through strict judgments. For God always imposes strict judgments upon transgressions of the precepts, as in the cases of Lucifer, Adam and his wife, the depraved upon whom came the flood, the prideful who built the tower of Babel, the Chananeans and Israel. Likewise, the New Testament is full of judgments. Now, the judgment follows the act, while the command precedes it. The judgment is related to the command: if you transgress it, you shall be punished. Unless you follow the guiding light, a sword shall pierce you. Hence the Psalm: Unless they be converted, God will sharpen His sword; He will bend and aim His bow, prepare His deadly weapons against them, and use fiery darts for arrows. The bow is the judgment of Scripture; the hardness of the wood, the Old Testament; the cord that bends the wood, the New Testament; the judgments, light or harsh, are the arrows. Hence again in the Psalm: The Law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul; the decree of the Lord is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple. The ordinances of the Lord are true, all of them just.”

“"The fear." Here he sets forth certain things that are adjacent to the law, of which one is on our part, namely fear, which leads us to observe the precepts: Eccl. 12: "Fear God and keep his commandments." And he says two things about this fear. First, he says it is holy. Second, he says it endures. Now all fear is caused by love, because a man fears to lose what he loves. And therefore, as there is a twofold love, so there is a twofold fear. There is a holy fear that is caused by holy love; and an unholy fear, caused by unholy love. Holy love is that by which God is loved: Rom. 5: "The charity of God is poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." This holy fear does three things. First, it fears to offend God. Second, it refuses to be separated from him. Third, it subjects itself to God through reverence. And this fear is called chaste and filial. Unholy fear is that which is caused by unholy love, which is of the world and of oneself. And from such unholy love a twofold unholy fear is caused: servile, which is from love of self; and worldly, which proceeds from love of the world: Mt. 10: "Do not fear those who kill the body," and so on. Concerning holy fear: Ps. 33: "Fear the Lord, all you his saints, for there is no want to those who fear him." Worldly fear does not endure except with the world; servile fear endures in the wicked forever; but holy fear endures in the good. Concerning this the Psalm says: "The fear of the Lord is holy, enduring forever and ever." But against this: "Perfect charity casts out fear," 1 Jn. 4. It must be said that charity expels servile fear; but filial fear endures in two ways, namely in the homeland. First, as to its reward: Ps. 9: "The patience of the poor shall not perish forever." Not that patience is there, because there is no tribulation, but its fruit endures; and so the fruit of fear endures: Sir. 1: "It shall be well with him who fears God in his last days, and on the day of his death he shall be blessed." Or it endures as to a certain act of its own: not that it fears to offend, because there it does not fear sin or separation, but as to reverence, because they will submit themselves to God and will not dare to make themselves equal to him: Job 26: "The pillars of heaven tremble and quake at his command." On God's part there is another thing, namely his judgment, which is called the execution of justice: Ps. 93: "Until justice be turned into judgment." And these are done insofar as he punishes or rewards. And therefore the judgments of the Lord are said to be "true, justified in themselves": true because of their rectitude, because in them there is always truth: Rom. 2: "The judgment of God is according to truth against those who do such things." For they do not follow human testimonies, but are "justified in themselves," because they either do not follow another higher law, but are justified in themselves; or because in themselves the very judgments of the Lord have evident justice: Ps. 36: "And he shall bring forth your justice as the light, and your judgment as the noonday."”

“"Sweet is the Word that gives us light, precious above gold and gems; it is to be desired above honey and the honey-comb." For how can it be other than desirable, since it has filled with light the mind which had been buried in darkness, and given keenness to the "light-bringing eyes" of the soul? For just as, had the sun not been in existence, night would have brooded over the universe notwithstanding the other luminaries of heaven; so, had we not known the Word, and been illuminated by Him; we should have been nowise different from fowls that are being fed, fattened in darkness, and nourished for death. Let us then admit the light, that we may admit God; let us admit the light, and become disciples to the Lord.”

“Renunciation [is] … the severance of the bonds of this material and transient life and freedom from human concerns, whereby we render ourselves more fit to set out on the road leading to God. It is the unhindered impulse toward the possession and enjoyment of inestimable goods, "more to be desired than gold and many precious stones." In short, it is the transference of the human heart to a heavenly mode of life, so that we can say, "But our conversation is in heaven." Also—and this is the chief point—it is the first step toward the likeness to Christ, who, being rich, became poor for our sake. Unless we attain to this likeness, it is impossible for us to achieve a way of life in accord with the gospel of Christ.”

“[The words of God, the prophet says,] are "desirable above gold and a very precious stone, and sweeter than honey and the honeycomb," but they are so only to those in sound health. Therefore he added, "For your servant keeps them." And elsewhere again, after saying that they are sweet, he added, "to my palate." "How sweet to my palate," he says, "are your promises." And he goes on to insist on their excellence by the words "sweeter than honey and the honeycomb to my mouth," because he was in very sound health. Well, then, let us not on our part approach these words in ill health, but let us receive nourishment from them, after having restored our souls to health.”

“"The judgments of the Lord are true, justified together." The judgments of Him, who "judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son," are justified in truth unchangeably. For neither in His threatenings nor His promises doth God deceive any man, nor can any withdraw either from the ungodly His punishment, or from the godly His reward. "To be desired more than gold, and much precious stone" (ver. 10). Whether it be "gold and stone itself much," or "much precious," or "much to be desired;" still, the judgments of God are to be desired more than the pomp of this world; by desire of which it is brought to pass that the judgments of God are not desired, but feared, or despised, or not believed. But if any be himself gold and precious stone, that he may not be consumed by fire, but received into the treasury of God, more than himself does he desire the judgments of God, whose will he preferreth to his own. "And sweeter than honey and the honey comb." And whether one be even now honey, who, disenthralled already from the chains of this life, is awaiting the day when he may come up to God's feast; or whether he be yet as the honey comb, wrapped about with this life as it were with wax, not mixed and become one with it, but filling it, needing some pressure of God's hand, not oppressing but expressing it, whereby from life temporal it may be strained out into life eternal: to such an one the judgments of God are sweeter than he himself is to himself, for that they are "sweeter than honey and the honey comb."”

“The fear of the Lord is clean: – with reference to the things a man does in secret or without their being known, like theft, or falsifying measures and weights, and such like; and these are the things about which it is said, “But thou shall fear thy God, I am the Lord” (Lev. 19:11, 12, 14, 32; 25:17, 36, 43). And the fear which is clean is without dross; for a man will refrain from performing wicked deeds which are public from fear of men; but such metal is not pure, for there is alloy in it; but if from performing secret things a man refrains by reason of the fear of God only, that fear is clean, for in it there is no alloy. And he says: enduring for ever: – because these are commandments which are limited as regards place and time, while the things which stand in the fear of the Lord endure for ever. They have no time-limit. Or he says endure for ever with reference to the whole Law, inasmuch as God did not appoint it for a time only, but it is for ever and ever. It is not as the unbelieving Nazarenes say when they assert that the Law which was given on Mount Sinai was valid only for a time, until the advent of Jesus the Nazarene; that unto his time it was carnal, while after his advent he commanded it to be understood spiritually; but their words are windy, empty, and vain. For the. commandments, which they say are figurative and not to be understood according to their literal sense, God enjoined explicitly and not by way of figure. Such being the case, no one would understand the rest of the commandments in a figurative sense, but according to their literal meaning; for if the commandments were figurative they would be uncertain; one would say that the hidden meaning is such and such, and another would say it is so and so; but the Scripture says (Deut. 30:11) “For this commandment which I command thee this day is not too hard for thee, neither is it far off.” And if there had been in the commandments hidden meanings, and if they were not to be understood in their literal sense, then they would be “hard ”and “far off.” The judgments of the Lord are true, righteous altogether: – Already we have interpreted the “judgments” as being the regulations (which govern the relations) between a man and his fellow, and they are all words of truth open to the eyes, and they are all righteous altogether in none of them is there injustice. There are some, however, who explain the reason for his juxtaposition of the Law and the sun as designed to shew the benefit derived from it (the Law) as greater than that of the sun; for there are some things which the sun injures, but the Law is beneficial in all matters, and therefore he says the Law of the Lord is perfect; it is complete, for in all the ways of this world and the world to come men find benefit in it. And he says restoring the soul, for as for the sun, when a man rests in its heat too much, he may be seized with a fatal illness, as it says of Jonah (4:8), “And the sun beat upon the head of Jonah that he fainted.” The Law, however, is not so, for it restoreth the soul to the body, which is preserved by it. It happens also sometimes that the sun enters into a man's brain and he goes mad; but the Law is not so, but giveth understanding to the simple. Also when a man remains (exposed) to the sun much, he is fearful of heat; but not so is it with the treasures of the Lord, for they rejoice the heart. As for the sun, when a man looks at its body intently his eyes grow dim, but it is not so with the commandment of the Lord, for it is pure, giving light to the eyes. The clouds conceal the sun; the fear of the Lord, however, is clean and bright, and nothing conceals nor hides it. The sun gives light by-day, but not by night; the fear of the Lord abideth for ever. The light and heat of the sun are not equal all through the day, for till midday it increases and from midday, and onwards it decreases; but it is not so with the judgments of the Lord, for they are true, righteous altogether, and do not contradict one another.”

“The commandments of God are irreproachable, because they contain nothing burdensome, but rather they are sweet. "More to be desired than gold and much precious stone, and sweeter than honey and the honeycomb." But we see that to an infected palate sweet food seems bitter; similarly, to a man of perverse will the commandments of God, which are easy and sweet, seem difficult.”

“"More to be desired." Above, the Psalmist commended the divine law as to its rectitude; here he commends it as to its sweetness and pleasantness. And concerning this he does two things. First, he sets forth its commendation. Second, he proves such a commendation, at "For your servant keeps them." He prefers the law, as to the desire of the soul, to all worldly things. Now in worldly things, exterior riches and bodily pleasures are desired. And the delight of the law of God is above these. As to the first, he says that these things which have been said are "more to be desired than gold": Prov. 8: "Wisdom is better than all the most precious riches, and nothing desirable can compare with it": Ps. 118: "I have loved your commandments above gold," and so on. And he touches on those two things that men desire; hence he says "gold," and pomp, hence "precious stone." Precious stones serve only for appearance; hence "much" can refer either to the stone or to "precious." Likewise, as to the second, he says, "And sweeter than honey and the honeycomb": Ps. 118: "How sweet are your words to my jaws, sweeter than honey to my mouth." He says "honey and honeycomb" with respect to bodily pleasures. Honey is extracted from wax, but the honeycomb is honey and wax together. Bodily pleasures are sometimes manifest, and so it is honey; sometimes they are hidden and sweeter, and so it is the honeycomb: Prov. 9: "Stolen waters are sweeter," and so on. Or, they are preferred to the honeycomb because of the Old Testament, in which the truth is in the figure like honey in the comb; and to honey because of the New Testament, where the truth is manifest. But are spiritual delights more delightful? It must be said that yes, and there is a threefold reason. First, on the part of the good that gives delight, which is a greater good, and from the cause of delight, which is a greater good, therefore more delightful. Second, on the part of the power that delights, because the intellectual power is stronger than the sensory power. Third, from the manner of the delights. Bodily delights consist in becoming and in motion, as in food and other things. But motion is something imperfect, and implies something future and past, because the whole is not had all at once. Spiritual delights, however, are not in motion, because they consist in loving and understanding the good, which is not in motion. But accidentally, those bodily delights are more desired, insofar as some abound in sense but are lacking in intellect. Or, holy men love the precepts of God more than themselves. And the saints are designated by gold and precious stone: 1 Cor. 3: "If anyone builds upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones." Likewise, by honey and honeycomb are signified those who are strangers to worldly things; but the honeycomb signifies those who still take delight in worldly things. And such people, because they are not entirely detached, love themselves more than the precepts; others love the precepts more than themselves.”

“More to be desired are they than gold: – He says that the words of the Law and the commandments are to be desired more than gold. Yea, than fine gold – that is, the good and purified gold; but this is (which is) superior (רב): – as “to every superior person (רב) of his house” (Esther 1:8) – because it is great in estimation and distinction. Or the interpretation of רב will be of number (much); and the sense of רב will then be applicable to both gold and fine gold, for men desire money, much gold and fine gold. There are interpreters (Ibn Ezra, and others beside him) who take פז as meaning precious stones, and these also man desires; but those who have understanding desire the Law and wisdom more. So also says Solomon (Prov. 3:15): “And none of the things thou canst desire are to be compared unto her.” For money is in this world and not in the world to come, while wisdom is both of this world and the world to come. And money is stolen, or man is robbed of it, or he loses it by sea or by land; but wisdom cannot be stolen nor taken in robbery, nor is it lost by those that possess it; money, on the other hand, if a man gives it away or trades with it, he has none left to give; but if a man teaches another wisdom it does not leave his hand, but he increases in wisdom. Behold, then, the words of the Law and wisdom are more to be desired hy the intelligent than gold, yea, than much fine gold. And (are) sweeter than honey and the honeycomb: – for honey is the food which is sweeter to man than any other; yet not-withstanding, if he continues to eat it, it does him harm and causes him to vomit; and food profits him (only) for the time being; but it is not so with wisdom, for, however much he increases therein, she will benefit him, and continue to benefit him for ever. And, as he says, they are to be desired. And by whom are they to be desired, and to whom are they sweet? To the wise and God-fearing. Therefore he says:”

“And he proves this in two ways. First, by experience. Second, from the effect. By experience, when he says, "For your servant keeps them"; as if to say: I can say they are sweet because I have tasted them, for I love them and experience them. No one can bear witness except he who experiences: Jn. 7: "If anyone is willing to do his will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it is from God or whether I speak of myself": Job 23: "My foot has followed his steps." From the effect, that is, from recompense, he proves the same when he says, "In keeping them there is great reward": Mt. 5: "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven." And he does not say "for keeping," but "in keeping them," because the very keeping of them is a great reward, namely the glory of the heart and its purity: 2 Cor. 1: "Our glory is this: the testimony of our conscience." And thus the law is commended for its honesty when he says, "in keeping them," and so on, because the honest is the same as virtue, and is desirable in itself.”

“Having given instruction in regard to devotion, at this point he proceeds to speak of the sins in respect of human beings and puts people on the alert so as to realize what is an involuntary sin and what voluntary, and how they differ from each other, and further into how many types involuntary sin is divided. He employs an admirable division, first dividing sin into two, voluntary and involuntary. After this he divides the involuntary sin into three, since for example we fall when compelled, or through weakness or when mislead; or we do something when an incident occurs that is more influential than good intentions, or we prove too weak to overcome the power of lust and fall into sin, or in many cases we make a judgment with the best of intentions but by some deception we are inveigled into doing the opposite.”

“So wicked and hard to cure and strong are those things possessed in the depths of our souls that it is not possible to rub them out and to remove them through human efforts and virtue alone unless through prayer we take the power of the Spirit as an ally and, in this way, conquer the evil that is playing the tyrant within us, as the Spirit teaches us through the voice of David: "Cleanse me from my unknown faults."”

“It is not my will to conceive sin; I do not want to entertain bad thoughts, and yet I do; I do not want to entertain evil, and, like a captive against my will, I am drawn into evil reflections. Because it is not in my power either to think or not to think evil, that is why I declare, "Surely they are wanton sins that come into my heart," but since I cannot seem to avoid them, I plead, "Cleanse me from my unknown faults." Unprovoked they come, but because I harbor them, I beg the Lord, "From wanton sin especially restrain your servant." Why am I saying all this? Because the prophet said, "I shall please the Lord"; not "I please" but "I shall please," for no matter how much I strive here, I cannot be a perfect man, a just man. Consequently, the apostle also says, "We know in part, and we prophesy in part," and "We see now through a mirror in an obscure manner."”

“"Who understands sins?" [Psalm 19:12.] But what sort of sweetness can there be in sins, where there is no understanding? For who can understand sins, which close the very eye, to which truth is pleasant, to which the judgments of God are desirable and sweet? Yea, as darkness closes the eye, so do sins the mind, and suffer it not to see either the light, or itself.”

“Although in any time there are many who lead an innocent life, and very many commend themselves to God by their habitual performance of good deeds, we should not however trust in the integrity of our conscience to such a point that we think that human weakness, living among scandals and temptations, can meet nothing that will harm it. The chief of prophets says, "Who will boast that they have pure hearts or that they are cleansed from sin?" [Here in this psalm] he says, "From my hidden faults cleanse me, O Lord, and from dangerous ones spare your servant."”

“Very often sins creep up on us through thoughts or desires or speech or action, as the result of necessity, through weakness or out of forgetfulness. If a person thinks only of serious sins and strives to resist only these but has little or no care about small sins, he incurs no less danger than if he committed more serious offenses. Therefore let us not think little of our sins because they are slight, but let us fear them because they are many. Drops of rain are small, but because they are very many, they fill rivers and submerge houses, and sometimes by their force they even carry off mountains. Concerning these it is written: "He who scorns little things will fall little by little"; and again: "Who can detect failings?" Who is there who guards his heart with such great vigilance that no idle word ever proceeds from his lips? However, an account must be rendered for this on the day of judgment. Who is there who does not lie?… Who is there from whose mouth an evil word does not sometimes issue?… Who could even count the sins that we consider small or almost nonexistent, even though sacred Scripture testifies that we are going to be severely punished for them? For this reason, with God's help and in accord with the text of Solomon, ["The just person falls seven times in a day and rises again,"] let us keep our hearts with all watchfulness.”

“Although there are three ways to transgress through human errors—by thought, word and deed, by condensing that boundless sea of transgressions into an abbreviated form—he testifies that transgression flows from two sources. Hidden sin is what is termed "original," in which we are conceived, born and sin with a secret desire. This happens when we covet the property of our neighbor, or desire to carry out vengeance on our enemies, or want to become more prominent than others, or seek more palatable food or similar desires which swell and steal on us in such a way that they escape the notice of many people before they take effect. If these sins do not become known to anyone, … we must still realize that there are many sins of which we are completely unaware, whose origins and deceptions we are not able to perceive. Therefore the text ought to be understood to refer to all sins when it says "Who can understand his sins?"”

“for in observing them there is great reward I was careful in its observance because of Your great good that You have hidden away, and according to this usage, עקב is like (Gen. 26:5): “because (עקב) Abraham hearkened to My voice.” Another explanation of עקב רב: The end of the Torah scholars is that they will come to greatness. עקב is an expression of the end, and there is a similar expression in the language of the Mishnah (Sotah 9:15): “At the end (בעקבות) of the exile, prior to the coming of the Messiah.””

“Moreover, by them is Thy servant warned: – meaning, I also am of them; although I am not among the wise, I am Thy servant and tremble at Thy commandments and am warned by them, and they are desired by and are sweet to me. Also I know that In keeping them there is great gain: – Apart from the sweetness and the pleasure the wise man finds in them, the wise soul would pine and be eager for wisdom, even though it had not this recompense, for it is the nature of the wise soul to long, for wisdom, just as it is natural for the soul to long for sweet food. Such being the case, the wise busy themselves in Torah-study and in wisdom by nature, although they do not look for recompense in it. And David says: In keeping them there is great gain – more even than the desire. For to me and to the wise who desire them there is still further in the observance of them great reward, because Thou dost deal bountifully with those who observe the commandments both in this world and in the world to come; but the real reward is for the world to come. Therefore the reward is called עקב רב for as the heel (עקב) is the end of the body, so the reward is the end of work, and man's work is not finished until the day of his death.”

“"Offenses." Here he prays concerning the offenses of those who transgress the law. And first he sets forth the hiddenness of sins. Second, he asks for their remission, at "From my hidden ones." Third, he sets forth the reason for the petition, at "If they shall not have dominion over me," and so on. He says therefore: we frequently offend against the law, but "Who can understand sins?" As if to say, no one. And this for three reasons. First, because sin blinds the eyes of the sinner, hence small sins are not easily discerned: Wis. 2: "Their own malice has blinded them." Second, because sins are many: Ps. 39: "Evils without number have surrounded me; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I was not able to see." Likewise, because of their subtlety: Ps. 39: "They are multiplied above the hairs of my head," from their subtlety. But he does not say "sins" but "offenses." There is a twofold kind of sin: namely, of transgression -- and this is more easily known, because a man knows he has done a wicked act. And also of omission -- and this is difficult to know, because these do not bind at all times, but according to place and time. And distinguish: when it is the proper place and time, it is difficult to affirm -- and when alms should be given, how and where, and so on. Then he sets forth the remission of sins. Now there is a twofold kind of sin. One takes its beginning from ourselves, and this is principally original sin, and those which proceed from the corruption of the fomes, such as sins of the flesh; and these stain the soul, because they join it to earthly things. And therefore he says, "From my hidden ones cleanse me," that is, those which proceed from a hidden root, or which are done in secret, or which arise from a secret will: Eph. 5: "The things that are done by them in secret, it is shameful even to speak of."”

“"Cleanse me, O Lord, from my secret faults." From the lusts which lie hidden in me, cleanse me, O Lord. "And from the" faults "of others preserve Your servant" [Psalm 19:13]. Let me not be led astray by others. For he is not a prey to the faults of others, who is cleansed from his own. Preserve therefore from the lusts of others, not the proud man, and him who would be his own master, but, Your servant. "If they get not the dominion over me, then shall I be undefiled." If neither my own secret sins, nor those of others, get the dominion over me, then shall I be undefiled. For there is no third source of sin, but one's own secret sin, by which the devil fell, and another's sin, by which man is seduced, so as by consenting to make it his own. "And I shall be cleansed from the great offense." What but pride? For there is none greater than apostasy from God, which is "the beginning of the pride of man." [Sirach 10:12] And he shall indeed be undefiled, who is free from this offense also; for this is the last to them who are returning to God, which was the first as they departed from Him.”

“Who can discern his errors? Clear Thou me from hidden faults. – It is true that my heart and will are directed towards Thy commandments, but this I ask of Thee, that Thou clear me from hidden faults, for his errors who can discern? for there is no one who knows and discerns all, for somewhere or other he errs and the matter is hidden from his eyes; and for this I make request, that Thou punish me not for my hidden faults, but that Thou clear me from them.”

“Sometimes they take their origin from another; therefore he says, "From those of others spare your servant." But is another's sin imputed to someone? Ezek. 18: "The soul that sins, it shall die." It must be said that it is not, when it is entirely another's. But when it passes to you by imitation: Sir. 13: "He who touches pitch shall be defiled by it." Or by persuasion, or by consent: Prov. 1: "My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent to them." Or by dissimulation at the due time and place, then it becomes your own and is imputed: Rom. 1: "Not only those who do such things are worthy of death, but also those who consent to those who do them." And this applies especially to prelates who knowingly overlook the crimes of their subjects. And he says, "Spare your servant," because these sins seem to come upon us from divine wrath, namely that such occasions of sin are given to us. Or, "from those of others," from proud men: Ps. 17: "The sons of strangers have lied to me."”

“The third division is one of praise that teaches the impossibility of the Law, and since through transgressing it more sin had appeared in the world, the grace of the gospel has been made complete; nor is anyone able to be freed from the filthiness of his thinking except through the advent of the Holy Spirit.”

“Also...from willful sins Heb. מזדים, from willful sins. then I will be perfect Heb. איתם will be perfect. The Sages said (Mid. Ps. 19:17, Lev. Rabbah 5:8): To what can David be compared? To a Cuthite who goes from door to door, and they are more cunning in this matter than any other people. “Give me a drink of water,” something that costs no money. After drinking, he says, “Perhaps you have a small onion?” After he gives it to him, he says, “Is there an onion without salt?” After he gives it to him, he says, “Give me a little bread, so that the onion does not harm me.” So did David say at first concerning the inadvertent sins, and then concerning the willful sins, and afterwards concerning the rebellious sins. פשעים are rebellious sins, with which one intends to provoke, and so Scripture says (II Kings 3:7): “The king of Moab rebelled (פשע) against me.””

“Keep back Thy servant also from sins of passion; Let them not have dominion over me: – I seek of Thee further a great request, greater than this I have asked, viz. that Thou hold me back from sins of passion, that they get not the rule over me and that my (evil) nature do not over-power me. For I am on the watch with all my strength, and do Thou assist me lest the evil impulse rule over me. For the Holy One – Blessed be He! – assists him whose heart is fixed, as He says to Abimelech (Gen. 20:6): “and I also withheld thee from sinning against Me.” (The word) זֵדִים is a noun, not an adjective; then זֵד (passion) will be a noun of the form of רֵאשׁ (poverty) in “poverty and riches” (Prov. 30:8) and of אֵל in “It is in the power (אֵל) of my hand” (Gen. 31:29). then shall I be perfect: – איתם (here) is written with yodh after aleph, but quiescent – as it compensates for the daghesh without yodh. Cf. (ימַּד in) “it cannot be measured (ימַּד)” (Hos. 2:1); (ימס in) “and every heart of man shall melt (ימס)” (Is. 13:7). There is in it also a hidden meaning, for the numerical value of yodh is ten, and in the Ten Words was the Law given, and they are its perfection and completeness. He says: then when Thou shalt clear me from my errors and help me so that sins of passion have not control over me, then I shall be perfect and whole. Then I shall be clear from great transgression: – פשׁע (transgression) is worse than זדון (passion); seeing that the sins of passion arise from his appetite in unchastity, he is a transgressor in so far as he acts wilfully; but רב פשע (great transgression) implies one who rebels against his Lord, whose command he despises, and he commits the transgression although he has no actual desire thereto. Also he who is habituated in sins of passion will fall into rebellion; therefore, says David: If Thou wilt clear me from my errors and help me against sins of passion so that they have not dominion over me – if so, I shall never be a wilful sinner; and if I am no longer a wilful sinner, surely I shall not be a transgressor (פושׁע); and this is what (he means when) he says: Then I shall be clear from great transgression. And the meaning of רב here is “great,” for the greatest of evil deeds and transgressions is rebellion. And after he has made this the subject of his prayer, he asks God to receive his prayer.”

“Then he sets forth what pertains to perfection in good. And first, of the mouth; hence he says, "And the words of my mouth shall be such as to please." As long as a man is in sins, his words do not please God: Sir. 15: "Praise is not fitting in the mouth of a sinner": Ps. 49: "But to the sinner God has said: Why do you declare my justices and take my covenant upon your lips?" Likewise, he sets forth the perfection of the heart, which requires the pleasure of God; hence he says, "And the meditation of my heart always in your sight," that is, before the angels; or, "you who see within and examine the conscience." And this I say because you, Lord, are my helper in doing good, and my redeemer from avoiding evils: Is. 44: "Return to me, for I have redeemed you."”

“"O Lord, my Helper, and my Redeemer." O Lord, my Helper, in my approach to You; for You are my Redeemer, that I might set out unto You: lest any attributing to his own wisdom his conversion to You, or to his own strength his attaining to You, should be rather driven back by You, who resistest the proud; for he is not cleansed from the great offense, nor pleasing in Your sight, who redeemest us that we may be converted, and helpest us that we may attain unto You.”

“May the words of my mouth be acceptable: – i.e. what I say before Thee with my mouth, and the meditation of my heart in Thy sight: – And what I do not say with my mouth, but think in my heart and thought is the meditation of the heart – even so, let them be acceptable. For man thinks in his heart many things which he cannot frame to speak thus with his lips, therefore David says (Ps. 51:17): “O Lord, open Thou my lips”; and Solomon says (Prov. 16:1): “but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.” O Lord, my Rock: – i.e. my Strength, in whom I put my trust in my requests, and my Redeemer: – from errors and sins of passion.”