Who redeemeth thy life from destruction: who crowneth thee with mercy and compassion.

“"Who redeemeth thy life from corruption" (ver. 4). Behold, "the body which is corrupted, weigheth down the soul." The soul then hath life in a corruptible body. What sort of life? It suffereth burdens, it beareth weights. How great obstacles are there to thinking of God Himself, as it is right that men should think of God, as if interrupting us from the necessity of human corruption? how many influences recall us, how many interrupt, how many withdraw the mind when fixed on high? what a crowd of illusions, what tribes of suggestions? All this in the human heart, as it were, teemeth with the worms of human corruption. We have set forth the greatness of the disease, let us also praise the Physician. Shall not He then heal thee, who made thee such as to be in health, hadst thou chosen to keep the law of health which thou hadst received? ...First think of thine own health. Sometimes a man is stricken in his own house, on his bed, with a more than usually manifest disorder; although this disorder too, which men dislike to contemplate, be plain; yet each man may be attacked with that sickness for which human physicians are sought, and may gasp with fever in his bed; perhaps he may wish to consider of his domestic affairs, to make some order or disposition relating to his estate or his house; at once he is recalled from such cares by the anxiety of his friends, plainly expressed around him, and he is advised to dismiss these subjects, and first to take thought for his health. This then is addressed unto thee, and to all men: if thou art not sick, think of other things: if thy very infirmity prove thee sick, first take heed of thy health. Christ is thy health: think therefore of Christ. Receive the cup of His saving Health, "who healeth all thine infirmities;" if thou shall choose, thou shall gain this Health. ...For thy life hath been redeemed from corruption: rest secure now: the contract of good faith hath been entered upon; no man deceives, no man circumvents, no man oppresses, thy Redeemer. He hath here made a barter, He hath already paid the price, He hath poured forth His blood. The only Son of God, I say, hath shed His blood for us: O soul, raise thyself, thou art of so great price. ..."He redeemeth thy life from corruption."”

“Finally, after redemption from all corruption, what remains except the crown of righteousness? Certainly, it remains, but even in it or under it, let there not be a swollen head, so that it may receive the crown. Listen, attend to the Psalm, how that crown does not want a swollen head. When it said: Who redeems your life from corruption; who crowns you, it says. And here you would have said: It crowns you, my merits confess, my virtue has done this: it is rendered as due, not given as a gift. Rather, listen to the Psalm. For you also say this: Every man is a liar. Listen to what God says: Who crowns you with compassion and mercy. He crowns you from His mercy, He crowns you from His compassion. For you were not worthy to be called, and when called to be justified, and when justified to be glorified. The remnants have been saved by the election of grace. But if by grace, it is no longer out of works: otherwise grace is no longer grace. For to him who works, the reward is not reckoned according to grace, but according to debt. The Apostle speaks: Not according to grace, but according to debt. However, He crowns you in compassion and mercy: and if your merits have preceded, God says to you: Examine your merits well, and you will see that they are my gifts.”