He that walketh without blemish, and worketh justice:

“In everything, therefore, good faith is seemly, justice is pleasing, due measure in equity is delightful. But what shall I say about contracts, and especially about the sale of land, or agreements or covenants? Are there not rules just for the purpose of shutting out all false deceit and to make him whose deceit is found out liable to double punishment? Everywhere, then, does regard for what is virtuous take the lead; it shuts out deceit, it expels fraud. Wherefore the prophet David has rightly stated his judgment in general, saying, "He has done no evil to his neighbor." Fraud, then, ought to be wanting not only in contracts, in which the defects of those things that are for sale are ordered to be recorded (which contracts, unless the vendor has mentioned the defects, are rendered void by an action for fraud, although he has conveyed them fully to the purchaser), but it ought also to be absent in all else. Candor must be shown, the truth must be made known.”

“Brothers, let us hear the Lord's answer to the question, an answer that shows the way to the heavenly tabernacle.… He who drives the tempter and his temptations far from his heart, defeats his malice and dashes his rising thoughts against the Rock Christ. He who fears the Lord without growing proud of his virtue and humbly acknowledges that what is good in him does not proceed from himself. He who gives God his due and with the prophet blesses the work of God in himself: "Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give the glory." The apostle Paul found nothing of his own to boast of in his preaching: "By the grace of God [says he] I am what I am," and again, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord."”

“He that walketh perfectly: – If תמים (perfect) is an adjective, his meaning is, One who walks in a perfect way, as, “He that walketh in a perfect way, he shall minister unto me” (ibid. 101:6); while if it is a noun, (it is used) as (in the passage) “if in truth and perfectness (בתמים)” (Judges 9:16). He means: He who walks in perfectness (integrity), as, “But as for me I will walk in mine integrity (בתמי)” (Ps. 26:11). But in either case the meaning is the same. The perfect is he who occupies himself in the affairs of this world in the way of perfectness (integrity), who does not engage his deepest purpose in (the prosecution of) worldly schemes. and worketh righteousness: – because he does all his works in righteousness. Now the laws of man, positive and negative, fall under three aspects: one concerned with deed, one with speech, and one with thought. Notice he has just mentioned (that concerned with) deed. and speaketh truth in his heart: – Now this one combines both speech and thought. He says that he speaketh truth, a lie will never be found in his words. And the truth he speaks with his mouth is in his heart, for he does not say one thing with his mouth and another in his heart; and as the words of his mouth are truth, so are the thoughts of his heart. And it is implied in this expression of his and speaketh truth in his heart that he carries into effect what he has purposed in his heart – i.e. to do good. And this, too, in the ordinary affairs of life, as though to say that there is no need to say that what he has actually said with his mouth he makes good; but even that what is in his mind only he brings to effect, and he makes truth his purpose. There is likewise also implied in it the greatness of God's existence and His unity, which is truth; and confessing (speaking) this with his mouth and thinking it in his heart (is calculated) to give him discernment in a wonderful way as wisdom teaches him.”

“Above, the Psalmist treated of the malice and deceit of his adversaries; here he treats of his own justice. And first he shows what kind of justice God accepts. Second, as if giving thanks, he shows what his own justice is, at the place, "preserve me." The title, "A Psalm of David." In this Psalm he does two things: for, existing as a priest before God, he consults God. First a question is posed. Second, the response, at the place, "he who walks without blemish." He therefore sets forth a twofold question: because there is a twofold state of the Church, present and future. The first is of those who are warring: Apocalypse 14: "Henceforth now the Spirit says that they may rest." And these two states were signified in the Old Testament. For first they had the tabernacle, Exodus 26, as long as they had wars and labors. 2 Kings 7: "It came to pass, when the Lord had given rest to David from all his enemies, that he said to Nathan: You see that I dwell in a house of cedar, and the ark of God is set in the midst of skins?" Afterward he made the temple, when he had peace. By the tabernacle is designated the Church militant, by the temple made on the mountain, the state of the future life; and therefore he says, "Who shall dwell in your tabernacle?" That is, in the present Church; as if he were to say: who is worthy to dwell? For sinners dwell there in number, not in merit. Jerome has, "Who shall sojourn?" Psalm 67: "He makes those of one mind to dwell in a house." The second question, "who shall rest on your holy mountain?" And it is called a holy mountain, because nothing there is defiled: Jeremiah 31: "May the Lord bless you, O beauty of justice, holy mountain"; Isaiah 35: "It shall be called the holy way"; Exodus 15: "You shall bring them in and plant them in the mountain of your inheritance, in your most firm habitation, which you have made, O Lord." "Who..." Here the response is set forth; and concerning this he does two things. First he commemorates the merits of those dwelling in the aforesaid places, namely in the tabernacle and on the holy mountain of God. Second, the reward, at the place, "he who does these things shall not be moved forever." Now he sets forth ten effects of the virtues. But the action of the virtuous man is considered in two ways. First by comparison to himself. Second by comparison to others. First he sets forth those things by which a man acts well in himself. Second, those by which he conducts himself well toward his neighbor, at the place, "nor has he done to his neighbor," etc. In himself, as to external things, in deed, and in speech. In deed, as to two things. First, that he flee evil; and therefore he says: "who walks without blemish." This life is a kind of road toward eternal life; and therefore he says, "walks," that is, journeys along the way: Psalm 41: "I shall go into the place of the tabernacle." Likewise Psalm 118: "Blessed are the undefiled in the way." "Without blemish," namely mortal, because venial sin does not, properly speaking, have blemish: Ecclesiasticus 31: "Blessed is the rich man that is found without blemish." But in Christ and in the Virgin Mary there was no blemish whatsoever, and to these is appropriated temperance, because it is against temperance that one is defiled. Second, that he do good; and therefore it follows, "and works justice," that is, those things to which justice inclines; and they are reduced to it insofar as it is a special virtue. In speech, first, that he do good; "who speaks the truth," that is, that he do good in his speech: Isaiah 33: "Who among you shall be able to dwell with the everlasting burnings? He who walks in justices, and speaks truth." And he says, "in his heart," against those who speak truth by chance, not from purpose: Proverbs 12: "The lip of truth shall be firm"; 1 Peter 2: "laying aside all guile and all deceit, as newborn infants." Second, that he avoid evil, namely deceitfulness: Jeremiah 9: "their tongue is a wounding arrow, it has spoken deceit." "Who has not done deceit in his tongue." Another reading has, "who is not glib in his tongue": Proverbs 25: "a city that lies open and without the compass of walls, is a man who cannot restrain his own spirit in speaking." Another reading, "and there is no accusation in his tongue"; because, namely, he is not a detractor and a reporter of tales; or because his words are not open to accusation: Ephesians 4: "let no evil speech proceed out of your mouth." "Nor has he done..." Above the Psalmist treated of the virtuous operation which God accepts, enumerating those things by which a man acts well in himself; but here he enumerates those things by which he conducts himself well toward his neighbor. And here, as regards his neighbor, he asks three things. First, that he not harm him. Second, that he not consent to one harming him: Romans 1: "they who do such things shall not obtain the kingdom of God; but they are worthy of death, not only they who do them, but they also who consent to them that do them." Third, that he not deceive him. He says, therefore, as to the first, "nor has he done evil to his neighbor," neither bodily nor spiritually: Romans 12: "rendering to no man evil for evil"; Galatians 6: "while we have time, let us work good." As to the second he says, "and has not taken up a reproach against his neighbors." Someone says something against another, but it is not to be tolerated; and therefore he says, "he has not taken up a reproach," namely then, when he who hears detracting words against someone, and from these detests the one of whom they are spoken, or even himself says them to others: Ecclesiasticus 19: "have you heard a word against your neighbor? let it die within you," etc. Ecclesiasticus 28: "hedge in your ears with thorns, and do not listen to a wicked tongue." Jerome: "if there is no listener, there is no detractor." Bernard: "which of these is more damnable, to detract or to listen to one detracting, I would not easily say": Proverbs 25: "the north wind scatters rain, and a sad face, a detracting tongue"; because, literally, the detractor stops when the hearer is saddened. "As nothing..." Here he shows that he does not despise. In man there are two things: namely vice and virtue. Vice is to be despised; and therefore he says, "the malignant one," insofar as he is such, "is brought to nothing," that is, is reckoned as nothing; and this is good: first, to remove envy: for sometimes some evil man is exalted: Jeremiah 12: "the way of the wicked prospers," etc. But because of this he ought in no way to reckon him great, but ought to despise him: 1 Maccabees 2: "the glory of a sinful man is dung and worms: today he is lifted up, and tomorrow he is not found, because he is turned back into his own earth, and his thought has perished." Or someone great intends to harm; but since he is malignant, despise him: because the disparagement of such men is the approval of our life: Psalm 26: "though hosts should stand together against me, my heart shall not fear," namely of sinners. But repute the virtuous man great; therefore he says, "but he glorifies them that fear the Lord": Ecclesiasticus 25: "how great is he that finds wisdom and knowledge, but there is none above him that fears the Lord." The Gloss expounds otherwise, "in his sight the malignant one is brought to nothing," that is, the Devil is bound by him: John 2: "you have overcome the wicked one," etc. The Lord glorifies them that fear the Lord, namely himself. But the first exposition is the more literal. Here he forbids that he deceive his neighbor. Now a neighbor is deceived in three ways. Namely in promises, and this through an oath; and therefore he says, "who swears," etc., that is, confirms in order to deceive, because he does not keep it: Zechariah 8: "love not a false oath"; Leviticus 14: "you shall not swear falsely by the name of your God, and you shall not pollute it." To swear does not pertain to virtue, but to keep the oath does. Likewise in contracts. Whence: "who has not put out his money to usury": Luke 6: "lend, hoping for nothing thereby: and has not taken bribes against the innocent": Proverbs 17: "the wicked man takes gifts out of the bosom," that is, of the Church, "to pervert the paths of judgment"; Deuteronomy 23 it is forbidden that it be given to a brother upon usury, because he sells what is not his, since he does not have the usufruct. Likewise in judgments, when he gives sentence against the innocent; and therefore he says, "and gifts": Isaiah 5: "woe to you that justify the wicked for gifts"; Job 19: "fire shall devour the tabernacles of them that love to take gifts." Consequently the reward is set forth. "He who does," that is, keeps, "these things," all the aforesaid: James 1: "be doers of the word"; Romans 2: "not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers": "shall not be moved forever," that is, he shall dwell here on my holy mountain: below, Psalm 124: "they that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion," etc. Psalm 54: "you shall never suffer the just to waver." Above, Psalm 15.”

“He that walketh uprightly,.... Or "perfectly" (e); see Gen 17:1; not so as to be without sin entirely, but as not to be chargeable with any notorious crime, and living in it; moreover, perfection and uprightness often signify sincerity, and the phrase here may design an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile; whose faith is unfeigned, whose love is without dissimulation, whose hope is without hypocrisy, and his whole conduct without fraud and deceit; likewise such an one may be said to walk uprightly who walks according to the truth of the Gospel, and by faith on Christ and in Christ, as he has received him; and such an one is fit to be a member of a Gospel church; and worketh righteousness; not in order to his justification before God; for not such an one, but he that trusts in the Lord for righteousness, shall inherit his holy mountain, Isa 57:12; but he that works the work of faith, and believes in the righteousness of Christ; who looks to it and receives it; that lays hold on it and pleads it as his justifying righteousness; he that does righteousness in this sense, is righteous as Christ is righteous, Jo1 3:7; and such an one is a proper person to dwell in his house; and who also by faith does works of righteousness, and whose life is a series and course of righteousness, as a fruit of his faith, and in consequence of his having laid hold on the righteousness of Christ; and speaketh the truth in his heart; receives Christ who is the truth, and the Gospel the word of truth into his heart, and makes an hearty profession of the same before men; and both speaks according to his light in the Scriptures of truth, whenever he speaks of divine things; and in common conversation speaks truth from his heart to his neighbour, and does not speak with a double heart, or say one thing with his mouth, and intend another in his heart; see Psa 12:2; or endeavour to deceive persons, and impose a falsehood on them, or tell them lies; for as such a person is not fit to dwell in a private house, or to be in a civil society, much less is he a proper person to be in the house of God. (e) "perfectus", Montanus, Gejerus,”