The Interpretation Timeline – Catholic Daily Mass

Thomas Aquinas Catholic

1225–1274

“In what precedes, it seems that treatment was first made of the tribulation which David endured from his son and from Saul; but here, in this third decade, the persecution is treated which he suffered from the whole people, who cast him off at Saul's command. This Psalm, therefore, is divided into three parts. In the first, the tribulation is narrated. In the second, prayer is poured out to God for deliverance; in the third, thanksgiving is set down. The second begins at Psalm 24: "To thee, O Lord, have I lifted up my soul"; the third there, "Bring to the Lord," Psalm 28. Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth the tribulation; second he shows how he is helped by God in the tribulation, there, Psalm 22: "The Lord ruleth me." As was said above, as in the other prophets, so here treatment is made of certain things then present insofar as they were a figure of Christ and pertained to prophecy itself. And therefore sometimes things are set down which pertain to Christ, which exceed, as it were, the force of the histories. And among others this Psalm especially treats of the Passion of Christ. And therefore here is its literal sense. Whence he especially uttered this Psalm in the Passion when he cried out, "Eli, Eli, lamma sabachthani," which is the same as "My God, my God," etc., as this Psalm begins. And therefore, although this Psalm is said figuratively of David, nevertheless it is especially referred literally to Christ. And in the Synod of Toledo a certain Theodore of Mopsuestia, who expounded this literally of David, was condemned, both for this and for many other things; and therefore it is to be expounded of Christ. It should be known that five Psalms treat at length of the Passion of Christ, of which this Psalm is the first. The others touch on the Passion of Christ more briefly. The second is "Judge, O Lord, them that harm me," Psalm 34. The third is there, "Hear, O God, my prayer, and despise not my supplication." The fourth, Psalm 68: "Save me, O God, for the waters are come in." The fifth, Psalm 108: "O God, be not thou silent in my praise." And this is because of the five wounds of Christ, or because of the five outpourings of blood. And there is one manner of proceeding in all of them, because they begin from a groan and end in the salvation of the peoples, because from the Passion salvation was made for all men. Jerome's title is: "For the victor, concerning the morning stag." In our text: "For the victor, concerning the taking up," or "concerning the morning hind." In this Psalm principally the Passion of Christ is treated. Secondly the resurrection is touched upon in it, because through it the Passion is given to be understood, and the Passion is ordered to the resurrection; as if I should say, "this man is manumitted," it is shown that he was a slave. Therefore this Psalm is David's, that is, Christ's. And it is "for the taking up," that is, the resurrection, and this was in the morning; whence "for the hind," that is, for human nature, or "for the morning stag," that is, Christ: Psalm 107: "I will rise early." But this title is given at the time when David was going as a fugitive, and hiding in the deserts like a stag. Whence above he said, Psalm 17: "and he hath made my feet like the feet of harts." Whence because of that tribulation which figured the Passion of Christ, this Psalm is entitled. Yet in this way it is better referred to Christ, so that by the stag is understood the human nature in Christ, because the stag passes through thorn-bushes without injury to its feet; thus Christ passed through this present life without stain to himself. Likewise the stag leaps very well: thus Christ ascended from the pit of death to the glory of the resurrection. And therefore it is called a stag, and called "morning," because he rose then. This Psalm is divided into three parts. In the first is set the complaint. In the second, the narration of the Passion, there, "But I am a worm." In the third is set the petition for deliverance, there, "But thou, O Lord, remove not thy help to a distance from me." Concerning the first he does three things. First is set the complaint or question. Second is set the exposition of the complaint, there, "far from my salvation." Third is set the reason for complaining, there, "But thou dwellest in the holy place." This is the Septuagint's translation. But in the Greek and in the Hebrew there is not "look upon me"; but it is thus: "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Because these words Christ spoke on the cross; but "look" was inserted. The petition, therefore, is set when he says, "My God, my God." Now "God" is repeated twice for greater certainty: Genesis 41: "that which thou sawest a second time, pertaining to the same matter, is a sign of firmness." "Look upon me," that is, have mercy on me: Psalm 24: "Look thou upon me, and have mercy on me, for I am alone," etc. "Why hast thou forsaken me?" These were the words of Christ on the cross. From these words Arius took occasion for his error: namely that in Christ's death the divinity was separated from the humanity. Whence concerning this, according to him, the Lord complains, saying, "why hast thou forsaken me." But this is erroneous. It should be known that someone is said to be forsaken by God when God is not present to him as he seems to be present when he protects him, and fulfills his petition: Jeremiah 20: "the Lord is with me as a strong warrior: therefore they that persecute me shall fall and be weak." And because Christ was not freed from bodily suffering when he was in the Passion, according to this he is said to be forsaken for a time, that is, exposed to the Passion: Romans 8: "spared not his own Son," etc. Likewise that petition, "Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me," as is said in Matthew 26, does not seem to have been fulfilled, because it was according to the flesh: Isaiah 34: "for a small moment have I forsaken thee," that is, exposed thee to the Passion; "and with great mercies will I gather thee," namely in the resurrection. And therefore he says, "why hast thou forsaken me?" that is, hast exposed me to the Passion. "Far from my salvation are the words of my sins." Here the complaint or question is expounded. And first in general. Second in particular, there, "My God, I will cry." He says therefore, "thou hast forsaken me." And this, because far are "the words of my sins" from "my salvation," that is, of me the true man, insofar as I have human nature: Psalm 118: "salvation is far from sinners." And these words, namely "thou hast forsaken," and "far," and "why," do not seem to be the words of a just man or of justice, but seem to be "the words of my sins," namely of a sinful man, that is, they show me not to be just, but a sinner. Whence Christ said these words in the person of the sinner, or of the Church. And this is one of the rules set above at the beginning of the Psalter, that those things which pertain to the members Christ says of himself, because Christ and the Church are as one mystical body; and therefore they speak as one person, and Christ transforms himself into the Church, and the Church into Christ: Romans 12: "we, being many, are one body in Christ." Now in the members of Christ, that is in the Church, there are sins or transgressions. But in the head, that is in Christ, there is no transgression, but a likeness of transgression: Romans 8: "God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and of sin, hath condemned sin"; 2 Corinthians 5: "him, who knew no sin, he hath made sin for us, that we might be made the justice of God in Christ." Now Christ, with the Passion imminent, prayed, "Father, if it be possible, let it pass," etc., Matthew 28. But these words of Christ praying can be expounded in two ways. In one way, that Christ uttered them as it were bearing the person of the weak, who are in the Church: because it would come to pass that some of his weak members, when the Passion was imminent to them, would be afraid. In another way, that he uttered this petition bearing the office of the weak flesh in Christ, which naturally fears and flees death. That which he asked to be delivered from, therefore, was the word either of the members in whom transgression is found, or of the flesh of Christ in which there is a likeness of transgression or of sin: and therefore he says, "the words," by which he sought to be delivered, which are "of my sins," that is, of the faithful, for whose sins I suffer; or they are of the weak flesh which has the likeness of transgression: far from bodily salvation, because the chalice, or the Passion, does not pass from me as I asked; as if he should say, I do not obtain the salvation I intend, if my petition which I ask were granted — "Father, let this chalice pass from me." And therefore Jerome's text has, "far from my salvation are the words of my groaning." Augustine expounds otherwise in the book On the Grace of the New Testament: these words by which I ask to be delivered from the Passion, and complain that I am forsaken to the Passion, are far from that salvation of mine which, as God, I ought to bring about. Matthew 1: "he himself shall save his people from their sins." And he assigns the reason why he is forsaken: for there is a twofold salvation: one bodily, which is common to men and beasts: Psalm 35: "Men and beasts thou wilt preserve, O Lord." The other spiritual and eternal; and this is proper to Christ: whence he says "mine," because the salvation of the New Testament was brought about through Christ: Isaiah 45: "Israel is saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation." And these differ, because the first was sought in the Old Testament; the second is sought in the New. Why then was he forsaken as capable of suffering? Because he himself came in the New Testament. And these words which he says here, "far from my salvation" — spiritual salvation — because they are for bodily salvation. "Far": Christ speaks in the person of sinners, who are sometimes forsaken by God because of sins: whence he says, "the words of my sins," that is, of sinners, are "far from salvation," spiritual salvation, because this is the reason why sinners are not saved, that they are sinners: John 9: "God heareth not sinners." Or according to Augustine, he speaks "from me," as if by forsaking me, thou hast made me far from my salvation, that is, bodily salvation: and these words are "of my sins." "God, [I will cry by day and thou wilt not hear]." These are pursued in particular. By "day and night" we can understand two things. In one way, literally, temporal day and night, and thus to cry out is to cry assiduously; whence he says, "thou wilt not hear," as if to say: although I cry assiduously, yet I am not heard. Jerome's text has, "and by night, and there is no silence for me," as if to say I am not silent, praying by day and by night. In another way, so that by "day" is understood prosperity, and by "night" adversity. And according to Augustine, the words which are said for bodily salvation are made "by day" for prosperous things; "by night," that adversity may be removed. Therefore Christ cries out by day, when he is in prosperity, and is not heard, because he asks that he not perish; and by night, that adversity may be removed, and it is not removed. But against this it is said of Christ (Hebrews 5) that he was heard, etc. And it must be said that prayer is an act of reason: whence every prayer of Christ proceeding from the judgment of reason was heard. It is otherwise with the prayer expressing the weakness of the passible nature and the proper motion of the members, because he himself did not wish this to be heard: John 12: "now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say, Father," etc. And why he was not heard in prosperous and adverse things, he shows: "and it shall not be reputed as folly to me," because this petition does not pertain to the salvation of the New Testament, which I intend, which is eternal salvation; but it pertains to the salvation of the Old Testament. That you may learn this wisdom, know that temporal salvation does not pertain to the New Testament, but to the Old. This is the wisdom which is folly among men: 1 Corinthians 4: "we are fools for Christ's sake"; likewise 1: "hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world," etc. "But thou..." Above was set the question of Christ inquiring into the cause of his Passion; here however he shows that a question of this kind is reasonable, and it is reasonable that he was forsaken. And first he says this is wonderful on God's part. Second he shows this by ancient experience, there, "in thee have they hoped." What is said here is referred in three ways to what precedes, according to three expositions. One is, that it is far from temporal salvation, and thus this division was made. Whence that is wonderful on God's part for two reasons. The first is, since God dwells in the saints, and does not defend them: Judith 6: "if the Lord is with us, why have all these evils befallen us? Where are his wonders which our fathers told us of?" And therefore he says, "but thou dwellest in the holy place": Jeremiah 14: "thou art in us, O Lord," but especially he dwells in Christ. Another reason is, that whatever good we have, all is unto the praise of God. And therefore if it goes well for us, God is the better praised by us. And therefore it follows, "the praise of Israel": Jeremiah 17: "heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for thou art my praise." According to another exposition: why hast thou forsaken me? Namely because "the words of my sins are far from my salvation," spiritually: but I cry out for the temporal: but thou who dwellest in the holy place, that thou mayest be "the praise of Israel," wilt not hear, because thou hearest not when one does not cry out for spiritual salvation. Or according to a third exposition, so that Christ speaks in the person of the sinner; as if he should say, therefore thou art far from my salvation, because thou dwellest not among sinners, but in the holy place. "In thee..." Here another reason is set which is taken from the ancient custom and experience by which the holy fathers were delivered from tribulations by invoking God; as is evident in Exodus 14, that they were delivered from the persecution of the Egyptians; and concerning Susanna who was delivered from the wicked sentence of the elders, Daniel 13; Daniel delivered from the mouth or the den of lions, Daniel 14. How then am I forsaken by thee, and not delivered from the Passion? He therefore does two things concerning this. First he makes mention of the evil of bodily affliction. Second, of the evil of confusion. As to the deliverance from the first evil, they did two things. First they hoped in him; whence he says, "in thee" — not in the world — "have our fathers hoped": Isaiah 26: "thou hast hoped in the Lord in eternity, in the Lord God who is mighty for ever," etc. "And thou hast delivered them"; and this is the fruit of hope, that thou hast delivered them. Second they cried out; whence he says, "they cried to thee," out of great affection of heart, "and were saved": Psalm 119: "when I was in trouble I cried to the Lord," etc. As to the second evil, namely confusion, he says, "in thee have they hoped, and they were not confounded." But against this: Daniel 3: "there is no confusion to them that trust in thee"; Romans 5: "hope confoundeth not." It must be said that the fathers belonged to the Old Testament, in which temporal things were given: and therefore, that he might show that divine providence disposes also temporal things, he delivers them also with a temporal deliverance. But Christ promises and gives spiritual things: and that he might show that temporal things are to be despised and eternal things to be hoped for, he did not will a temporal deliverance, according to reason; and yet some in the New Testament are delivered by temporal deliverances, and in the Old Testament some are trained by spiritual afflictions, so that God may be shown to be the author of both testaments. "But I..." Here he sets down his Passion. And first he sets forth the confusion which he suffered. Second he expounds it, there, "all they that saw me." Third he assigns its cause, there, "for thou art," etc. The first part can be read in two ways. In one way, that first he sets forth the likeness of the confusion. Second he expounds the reproach. He says therefore: those were delivered, but I have not been delivered from confusion; but I am vilely trampled as if I were a worm and not a man: Job 25: "man is rottenness, and the son of man a worm"; Lamentations 3: "I am made a derision to all my people, their song all the day." And how he expounds it: "the reproach of men, and the outcast of the people": Matthew 27: "they that passed by blasphemed him, saying, Vah, thou that destroyest the temple. And they that were crucified with him reviled him. He saved others, himself he cannot save." And John 19: "plaiting a crown of thorns," etc. And therefore, "I am made a reproach of men," in their words, as has been said, "and the outcast of the people," because they despised him, and because, him being rejected, they asked for Barabbas, Matthew 27. Lamentations 3: "thou hast set me in the midst of the peoples for a reproach." In the second way, that it pertains to Christ's dignity: for the worm is not generated by coition, but from the earth, by the heat alone of the heavenly sun. For he himself, as it were a most tender little worm of wood, as it is said, 2 Kings 23, thus Christ was from a virgin by the sole operation of the Holy Spirit: Psalm 84: "the Lord will give goodness, and our earth shall yield her fruit." Therefore he says, "but I am a worm and not a man," namely, only that, but also God. Or otherwise according to Augustine: by "man" is understood the old man, namely Adam, who was thus man such that he was not the son of man. By "worm" is understood Christ, who was thus man such that he was the son of man, that is, of the virgin: therefore he says, "I am a worm and not a man," namely rejoicing in temporal things, but the son of man rejoicing in spiritual things. "The outcast of the people" is not changed here. Consequently he sets down the derision: and first he shows how it is universal; second how it is manifold. That it is universal, he shows when he says, "all they that saw me have laughed me to scorn": Jeremiah 20: "all the day long every one jeered at me," because the people and the princes; and this distribution, "all," is understood of the whole people, namely the wicked part. That the mockery was manifold, he shows: because it was by words; whence he says, "they have spoken with the lips": Matthew 27: "they that passed by blasphemed him"; Isaiah 57: "against whom have you sported yourselves, and opened wide the mouth, and put out the tongue?"; Wisdom 2: "if he be the true son of God, let him receive him." Likewise by deeds: "and moved the head": Matthew 27: "wagging their heads" (namely in mockery) "and saying, he saved others," etc. "He hoped..." Here he shows what those words were which they spoke to his confusion: because first they reproached him with the hope which he had in God; whence he says, "he hoped in the Lord, let him deliver him": Matthew 27: "he trusted in God, let him deliver him if he will." As if to say: if he had hoped in the Lord, he would have delivered him: because it was said just above, "for our fathers hoped in thee, and thou didst deliver them." But they are deceived, because it is not understood of temporal salvation or deliverance. Second, they reproach Christ that he is not acceptable to God; whence he says, "let him save him, seeing he delighteth in him": Wisdom 2: "he calleth himself the son of God." "For..." Consequently the cause of the confusion is set down; and concerning this he does two things. First he sets down the cause. Second he breaks out into prayer, "depart not," etc. The cause of derision is wont to be folly. Whence temporal men reckon good men fools, because they do not trust in the world: Psalm 13: "you have confounded the counsel of the poor man, because the Lord is his hope." In this cause he does two things. First he sets down the divine benefit as motive for hoping. Second the hope itself, there, "my hope"; as if he should say: they deride me, because my hope is in thee; and therefore he says: "for thou art he that hast drawn me out of the womb of my mother." Here he first sets down what pertains to the head. Whatsoever things are born naturally and universally from the mother's womb are produced by divine power, and it is itself the cause of all: Galatians 1: "who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace." But he says singularly that Christ was drawn out of his mother's womb, because he was wonderfully conceived, and born without seed, the mother's integrity being preserved: this is the benefit, and from this hope follows: and concerning this he sets down three things. First the hope itself. Second its perfection. Third its reason. He says therefore, "my hope from the breasts of my mother": that is, thou art my hope from the time I am man and sucked the breasts of my mother: because when he was the Word with God, it was not fitting for him to hope: Psalm 70: "my hope from my youth." But against this: Christ from the instant of conception had the use of free will, therefore from then he hoped. I answer: it must be said that the breasts, that is, the milk of the breasts, was prepared at the same time in which he was conceived: whence the breasts are referred to the conception itself. "In thee have I been cast from the womb." Against this: if after he came forth from the womb, he was cast upon God, then before he came forth from the womb, he was not cast upon God. It must be said that he is cast upon another who does not lean upon himself, but upon that other: 1 Peter 5: "casting all your care upon him"; whence, "I have been cast from the womb," because I lean upon thee alone. And thus the perfection of hope is described. "From the womb..." Here the reason for the hope is set down: as if he should say: I have hoped in thee, because I have always had thee as God: Psalm 27: "in God hath my heart hoped, and I have been helped"; and therefore he says: "thou art my God from my mother's womb," that is, from the time I was made man, because before this, he who was the Son of God was not man. But if it is expounded of the members of Christ, the casting forth or drawing out is from one thing into another according to the flesh; but Christ always tended toward God. But he speaks of the members, which according to the flesh are always in the fleshly womb, namely worldly concupiscences; but through God they are drawn out from concupiscences of this kind, and cast upon God: so that they hope for and seek nothing but God. Consequently he concludes the prayer when he says, "depart not from me," namely in defending, either in me, or in my members, as regards spiritual things; as if he should say, "thou hast forsaken me," exposing me to bodily suffering. "Depart not from me," fostering me with spiritual help. "For..." This, according to Jerome, is the beginning of the following verse: and therefore it can, as has been said, suitably be read with what precedes; and also with what follows. And as Jerome says, it is read more suitably with what follows: for the Psalm, expounding the Passion in the person of the Lord, premises first a prayer; afterward the order of the Passion follows, there, "they have surrounded me," etc. Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth the prayer. Second he shows the necessity of praying, "for tribulation," etc. He says therefore, "thou art my God from my mother's womb," and therefore I pray, "depart not from me, for tribulation is very near." For these things must be understood as Christ speaking in the person of his members, that he might not forsake them in tribulations: 1 Corinthians 10: "God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able"; Psalm 70: "forsake me not, for my enemies have spoken against me, and they that watched my soul have consulted together." He does not say this, however, for himself. Now the necessity is twofold: the tribulation which is imminent, and the help which is lacking; whence he says: "tribulation is very near," namely in time: Matthew 26: "behold, the hour approacheth, and the Son of man shall be betrayed," etc. But it is objected, since these words are of Christ already existing on the cross, how does he say: "for tribulation is very near," etc.? We can say that David changes the tenses. Augustine solves it otherwise. Tribulation is sometimes near, sometimes remote. The sense of pain is in the soul: near to the soul is the body, remote are the external goods. When, therefore, the affliction is in external things, tribulation is not near; but when it is in one's own body, then it is near and very near; and it is impossible that a man should not feel it. Now Christ was afflicted in his own body: Psalm 114: "I found trouble and sorrow." Likewise help is lacking: "for there is none to help." And therefore prayer must be pressed on: Isaiah 63: "I looked about, and there was no helper; I sought, and there was none to give aid," because even the apostles, having forsaken him, fled. "They have surrounded..." Above the Psalmist showed, in the person of Christ, that his complaint or lament is reasonable, both on God's part and from the custom or experience of the ancients; here however he continues the order of the Passion as regards the affliction of the flesh. And he sets forth first the persecutors. Second the effect of the persecution, there, "like water." Third the manner of the persecution, there, "many dogs have encompassed me." First, therefore, the persecutors are introduced attacking by deed: of whom some are lesser, as the common people and the ministers; and as to these he says, "many calves have surrounded me": Ecclesiastes 1: "the number of fools is infinite." "They have surrounded me," because they had invaded from every side: Psalm 117: "they surrounded me like bees," etc. Some are greater; whence he says, "fat bulls have besieged me": Ecclesiasticus 6: "extol not thyself in the thoughts of thy soul like a bull, which through fatness and strength is not restrained by the yoke, and greatly begets, and grows proud." It is said that the bull is a melancholic animal, and for this reason retains anger for a long time. And just as the lesser have boldness because of their multitude, so the greater because of their riches. And therefore he says, "fat": Job 15: "he is armed with a fat neck." "They have besieged me": Job 19: "they have besieged my tabernacle round about." Consequently he sets down the persecutors rising up with the mouth; whence he says, "they have opened their mouths against me." And indeed in many ways, tempting him: Matthew 22: "why tempt you me, hypocrites?"; accusing, envying, seeking his death, saying, "Crucify": Lamentations 3: "my enemies have opened their mouths upon me." Consequently he applies a comparison, "as a lion ravening and roaring," to which they are compared on account of cruelty: Jeremiah 12: "my inheritance is become to me as a lion in the wood: it hath uttered its voice against me": for it is proper to the lion to roar when it has caught its prey: Amos 3: "will the lion's whelp cry out of his den, unless he have taken something?" And he says "ravening," lying in wait, and "roaring," openly seeking death: Ezekiel 22: "as a roaring lion ravening the prey, they have devoured souls." "Like..." Consequently he sets down the effect of the persecution. And first he sets forth this effect. Second he expounds it, there, "scattered." He says therefore, "they persecute me and do me harm," because as to bodily salvation they have completely prevailed: and therefore he says, "I am poured out like water." If oil is poured out, something remains in the vessel; if wine is poured out, at least the odor remains in the vessel; but of water nothing remains; as if he should say, I am completely poured out according to their opinion: 2 Kings 14: "like waters we slip away, which return not again upon the earth." Water is easily poured out and cast away: so I am poured out. Just as also the Jews sought not only to blot him out from off the earth, but also wished to destroy his fame. Or Christ is likened to water, because water washes; thus the Passion of Christ washes all sins and all filth: Apocalypse 1: "he loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood." Likewise water waters and makes fruitful: thus the Passion of Christ: Ecclesiasticus 24: "I said, I will water my garden," etc. And it brings forth the fruit of eternal life: Ecclesiasticus 24: "my flowers" (that is, of my Passion) "are the fruit of honor and riches." Likewise it makes a slippery path: thus the Passion of Christ disposes the Jews to a fall: 1 Corinthians 1: "but we preach Christ crucified: unto the Jews indeed a stumbling block, and unto the Gentiles foolishness: but unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." Consequently he expounds this effect: and therefore he says, "scattered are," etc.; as if he should say, whatever seemed strong in me is dissolved; whatever beautiful, has withered. And therefore he says, "scattered," etc. In man there is a twofold strength. One is bodily strength, and this consists in the bones and sinews; and as to this he says, "all my bones are scattered": as if he should say, all my bodily power has failed. Yet of Christ it is said spiritually: for the apostles, who are the bones of Christ, were scattered: Zechariah 13: "I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered." The other is the strength of the soul, which consists in the heart; whence he says, "my heart is become like melting wax." Augustine asks how this can be true of Christ the head: because this seems to arise from an excessive fear, which is not to be said of Christ: for although there was in him a natural fear, yet it was not so great that the heart should melt. And so it is understood of Christ not according to himself, but as regards the members, which indeed are the heart of Christ, whom he especially loves: Philippians 1: "because I have you in my heart." And it follows, "God is my witness, how I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ." These were the apostles who were bones for sustaining the weak in the Church, just as bones sustain the flesh: Romans 15: "we that are stronger ought to bear the infirmities of the weak." And their hearts were like melting wax. First by a bad melting through fear, as in the flight of the disciples: Matthew 26: "then, leaving him, all fled." And in the denial of Peter: Luke 22: "but he denied, saying: Man, I know not what thou sayest.." Second by a good melting, as in the conversion of the disciples, as is evident in Peter and Andrew. Or it must be said that the melting is also of love: Song of Songs 5: "my soul melted." A thing before it melts is hard and drawn together in itself; if it melts, it is diffused and tends from itself into another. Fear also sometimes hardens, namely when it is not great; and so it is also with love, because when love comes upon one, then a man tends toward another, which before was in itself. And concerning this melting it can also be expounded of Christ as he is the head: for this melting is both from the Holy Spirit, and is in the midst of the belly, that is, of the affections. Or by the heart of Christ is understood Sacred Scripture, which manifests the heart of Christ. This indeed was closed before the Passion, because it was obscure; but it is opened after the Passion, because those now understanding consider it, and discern how the prophecies are to be expounded. "Dried up..." Here he shows that whatever was beautiful in Christ vanished. Three things seemed to flourish in Christ before the Passion: the working of miracles, the eloquence of his teaching, the fame and glory among the peoples. Of the first, John 6: "a great multitude followed him, because they saw," etc. And this power dried up in the Passion, as to their opinion; whence they cried out, "he saved others," etc. "Dried up," that is, grew vile, as, etc. Or a potsherd, when it dries, hardens: thus in the Passion the power of Christ was hardened to sustain: Ecclesiasticus 27: "the furnace trieth the potter's vessels, and the trial of tribulation just men." Of the second, Matthew 7: "he was teaching them as one having power"; but in the Passion, "my tongue hath cleaved to my jaws," through silence: Ezekiel 3: "I will make thy tongue stick fast to the roof of thy mouth, and thou shalt be dumb." And this was done in the Passion, because he did not answer Herod: Luke 23: "Herod questioned him in many words. But he answered him nothing." Of the third, Matthew 21: "and a very great multitude spread their garments in the way: and others cut boughs from the trees," etc. Then was fulfilled what David had prophesied of Christ, saying (Psalm 117): "O Lord, save me: O Lord, give good success. Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord. The Lord is God, and he hath shone upon us." But in the Passion he grew vile; whence he says, "and thou hast brought me down into the dust of death," that is, thou hast made me suffer a vile death: Wisdom 2: "let us condemn him to a most shameful death." Or if it is referred to the members, "thou hast brought me down into the dust of death," that is, my members which are reduced to ashes, but not Christ. Or "into the dust," etc., that is, into the power of the Jews, who are like dust, etc. "For..." Here the manner of the Passion is set down. And first he sets down those things that were done before the crucifixion. Second, those that were done in the crucifixion itself. Third, those that were done after the crucifixion. Before the crucifixion two things were done. First he was taken; and as to this he says, "many dogs have encompassed me": Philippians 3: "beware of dogs, beware of evil workers"; Isaiah 56: "most impudent dogs, they never had enough." Likewise second, how he was mocked; whence he says, "the council of the malignant hath besieged me." Consequently he sets down those things that were done in the crucifixion itself. And first as to the piercing: "they have dug my hands and my feet," fastening them to the wood with thick nails: Zechariah 13: "what are these wounds in the midst of thy hands?" Likewise as to the stretching out he says, "they have numbered all my bones," that is, they made them numerable. "But they..." Here are set down the things that were done after the Passion; whence he says, "but they have looked and stared upon me," coming together for the spectacle, in order to mock: Luke 23: "the soldiers also mocked him, filling a sponge with vinegar, saying, if thou be the king of Israel, save thyself," etc. "And they have looked," namely to see what would become of me. "They parted my garments amongst them," which were several and divisible: "and upon my vesture," namely the seamless one, "they cast lots," and this they did either out of greed, or out of a certain mockery. By these divided garments the sacraments of the Church are signified; but by the vesture which is not divided, the unity of the Church is signified, which anyone believes he has; but only one has it, because there is only one unity of the Church: Song of Songs 6: "one is my dove, my perfect one." "But thou..." The Passion having been narrated, here he proceeds to prayer: and concerning this he does two things. First he asks for divine help. Second he asks for the fruit of the help granted, there, "I will declare thy name." Concerning the first he does two things. First he asks for divine help in general. Second by itself in particular, there, "deliver from the sword." Concerning the first he does two things. First he asks for the acceleration of help. Second, the necessity of help. He says therefore as to the first: thus they have done: "they have dug my hands and my feet," etc., but "thou, O Lord, remove not thy help to a distance from me," that is, delay not to grant to me, the man Christ, the help of the divinity; as if he should say: it was done, because he was freed from death through the glory of the resurrection, which was not delayed: for after three days he rose again. And Christ was rising again: 1 Corinthians 15: "Christ, rising again from the dead, the firstfruits of them that sleep"; Psalm 56: "I will rise early. Look towards my defense": as if he should say: thy help is necessary to me for this, namely for defense. "Protect me under the shadow of thy wings," etc. Defend me, namely against those persecuting unto death, and against the demons lest they detain me in limbo. Thus, therefore, he asked that his body not be dissolved into ashes, and that his soul not be detained in hell: Acts 2: "the sorrows of hell being loosed, according as it was impossible that he should be holden by it"; Psalm 37: "forsake me not," etc. "Deliver..." Here he expounds in particular from what he asks to be defended. And first against death. Second against the temptation of death, there, "from the hand of the dog." He says therefore, "look towards my defense," and O God, "deliver my soul," which they themselves seek, "from the sword," that is, from the blade that rages, being brandished. But against this: Christ was not killed by a sword, but by a lance; and by a lance too he was pierced after death. But it must be said that a sword by its sharpness divides: Hebrews 4: "more piercing than any two-edged sword, and reaching unto the division," etc.; and therefore because death divides soul from body, and father from son and conversely, and brother from brother, it is called a sword: Zechariah 13: "sword," that is, death, "awake against my shepherd"; and from this he is delivered in the resurrection. Or the sword is the tongue of the adversaries: Psalm 56: "their tongue a sharp sword." Or here Christ speaks for the members, of whom many were killed by the sword: Acts 12: "and he killed James the brother of John with the sword." "And my only one from the hand of the dog." Here he prays against temptations: and he describes them here in three ways as irrational, and this he does under the likeness of a dog, which barks before it perceives against whom it ought to bark, on account of its sudden anger; thus the Jews, before they knew why, barked against Christ, crying out: Philippians 3: "beware of dogs, beware of evil workers"; and above, "many dogs have surrounded me." This pertains especially against the Jews, who, barking against Christ, cried out, "Crucify, crucify," Luke 23. "Save me..." Here he describes them as cruel under the likeness of the lion, which is a cruel animal: and this is referred to Pilate, who exercises the power of a lion, that is, of the emperor, whom the Apostle calls a lion: 2 Timothy 4: "I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion." Or it is referred to the devil: 1 Peter, last chapter: "as a roaring lion, he goeth about seeking whom he may devour." "And my lowness from the horns of the unicorns." Here he describes them as proud: and it is referred to the princes of the priests and the scribes, who indeed are compared to the unicorn, designating pride: and this is indicated because it has one horn on its head, and is of such pride that it in no way suffers subjection, but as soon as it is captured it dies: Job 39: "shall the rhinoceros," that is, the unicorn, "be willing to serve thee, or will he stay," etc. And by this are signified the princes of the Jews who gloried singularly in the knowledge of God. And whoever singularly exalts himself is like the Pharisee: Luke 18: "I am not as the rest of men"; Psalm 74: "lift not up your horn on high." "I will declare..." Consequently he shows the fruit of divine help. And first he shows this as regards Christ himself. Second as regards others, there, "the poor shall eat." Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth a twofold fruit, namely of preaching and of praise. you that fear, etc. Concerning the first he sets down a twofold fruit from the deliverance of Christ. The first fruit of Christ was preaching throughout the whole world. He says therefore, "save me from the lion's mouth," etc., because saved and delivered from their jaws. "I will declare thy name to my brethren," that is, to the apostles; and this he did after the resurrection. Now the apostles are his brethren, both by the nature assumed, and by the grace of the calling to the apostolate: Romans 8: "whom he foreknew, he also predestinated to be made conformable to the image of his Son (...) and whom he predestinated, them he also called." But did he not declare the name of God before the Passion? Since he himself says, John 17: "Father, I have manifested thy name to men," etc. It must be said that he did indeed: but more fully after the Passion and resurrection. First indeed he declared it to the disciples with his own mouth, when he opened to them the sense that they might understand the Scriptures, Luke, last chapter. Second by giving them the Paraclete Spirit: John 16: "when the Paraclete, the spirit of truth, is come, he will teach you all truth"; and John 14: "when the Paraclete cometh, whom the Father will send," etc., "he will teach you all things." But most fully will he declare it when he will manifest his divinity in judgment: John 14: "I will manifest myself to him"; Luke 21: "then shall they see the son of man coming with great power and majesty." For then in the Son they will know the Father: John 14: "in that day you shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you." And this belongs to the Son alone, as he himself says, Matthew 11: "no one knoweth the Father but the Son." The second fruit of the deliverance of Christ was divine praise; whence he says, "in the midst of the church I will praise thee": Isaiah 42: "his praise from the ends of the earth." But he says, "in the midst of the church," which Augustine expounds thus, saying first thus. We call that "in the midst" which is in the open. In the Old Testament God was praised in secret, that is, in mysteries; but in the New he is praised in public, because in naked truth: 2 Corinthians 3: "but we, all beholding the glory of the Lord with open face, the veils being taken away." Sometimes we say that to be "in the midst" which is innermost. The innermost in the Church are perfect men, who especially praise God in the heart. "In the midst of the church I will praise thee," that is, in the doctors and perfect men. "You that..." He pursues each. And first the first. Second the second, there, "with thee." In the first he sets forth the whole preaching of the New Testament, how the name of the Lord is declared. And first he shows to what men are led in the New Testament. Second what is declared to them, there, "for he hath not despised." Men are led to three things in the New Testament: namely to confession of mouth, to seeking the glory of God, and to fearing God. As to the first he says, "you that fear the Lord, praise him." Now there is a twofold fear: one filial, which fears to offend God, and fears to be separated from him, and shows him reverence; and this is from charity. The other is servile fear, which fears only punishment; and this is not from charity: John 4: "charity casteth out fear." The old law was a law of fear; but the new is a law of love. You therefore who fear the Lord, that is, who fulfill the law out of fear, "praise him," because no one praises what he does not love; as if he should say: confess to him out of love: Psalm 116: "praise the Lord," etc. As to the second he says, "let all the seed of Jacob glorify him": 1 Corinthians 10: "whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do all to the glory of God." And he says "all the seed of Jacob," etc., because to the sons of Jacob, that is the Jews, the law of the Old Testament was given, in which human glory is promised; but in the New Testament the glory of God is promised. And he says "all," so as to include the sons of the promise who are reckoned in the seed, as is said in Galatians 3, namely the Gentiles. As to the third he says, "let all the seed of Israel fear him," with the fear of reverence which is with love: Deuteronomy 10: "and now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but that thou fear him, and walk in his ways?" Israel is the same as Jacob. "For..." Here it is shown what is announced to them, namely the power of Christ, according as he speaks in the person of Christ praying. Now sometimes one does not wish to hear prayers, namely when he does not wish to see the one for whom petition is made, or when he does not wish to see the one asking; sometimes even though he wishes to see the one asking, yet he does not wish to grant the petition: and this he excludes as to the first, when he says, "he hath not despised," as if by neglecting, "nor turned away his face from the supplication of the poor man," that is, the humility of him who has no hope in temporal things, that is, of Christ. The second he shows: "neither hath he turned away his face from me," as if not accepting me: Psalm 68: "turn not away thy face from thy servant," etc. The third when he says, "and when I cried to him he heard me," because the judge granted what I asked for myself and for mine: John 16: "if you ask the Father anything in my name, he will give it you"; Jonah 2: "I cried, and thou didst hear my voice." And note that before the Passion he says he suffered three things. For he says he was rejected: "I am a worm," etc. Forsaken: "why hast thou forsaken me?" Likewise he says he was not heard: "I will cry by day and thou wilt not hear"; and why? Because then he was speaking "the words of my sins," that is, pertaining to the weakness of the flesh, according to which temporal things are rather sought; but now, because through the resurrection he brought human nature to this condition, that it might seek spiritual things, he says the contrary. Because above he said, "I am a worm," etc., here he says, "he hath not despised me," etc. Above he said, "thou hast forsaken me," here he says, "neither hath he turned away his face from me." Above he said, "I will cry by day," here he says, "when I cried to him, he heard me." "With..." Above the Psalmist, in the person of Christ, promised two things he would say: namely the declaring of the divine name, and the praise of God. Of the first he has already spoken; here he treats of the second, namely of the divine praise. Concerning this he does two things. First he shows of what kind the praise of God is. Second, how he joins work to praise, there, "my vows," etc. He says therefore as to the first, "with thee is my praise." And this can be understood in two ways. In one way thus: my praise, by which I am praised, is with thee, not with men from whom I have no praise, but from thee: 2 Corinthians 10: "not he who commendeth himself is approved, but he whom God commendeth." In another way thus: "my praise," namely by which I praise thee, is with thee, not in the eyes of men: Ecclesiasticus 47: "with all his heart he praised God, and loved the Lord" — and this, "in a great church," gathered by me and in my name. "Great," by expansion: Isaiah 54: "enlarge the place of thy tent, and stretch out the skins of thy tabernacles." "Great," by power: Matthew 16: "upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose," etc. By dignity: Apocalypse 21: "the kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honor into it." Here he shows how he joins work to praise. The vow of Christ was that he would give himself for the salvation of the faithful: for he himself vowed this insofar as he was man: Psalm 39: "that I might do thy will, O my God, I have desired it." And this will of God is indeed our sanctification: John 6: "I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me." Christ paid these vows by giving himself to the Passion, and again when he gave his own body as food for the faithful; whence he says, "my vows," that is, sacrifices, "I will pay," on the altar of the cross and in the sacrifice of the faithful; and this I will do "in the sight of them that fear him": Ecclesiasticus 3: "he that feareth the Lord honoreth his parents." "The poor..." Here he consequently sets down the effect of the Passion which is toward others: and first he sets forth the diverse effects of the Passion; second he shows that they pertain to future times, there, "it shall be declared." Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth the effects pertaining to the apostles. Second he sets down such effects derived through the apostles to others, there, "they shall remember." To the apostles pertains the ministry of the Lord's sacrament: which is designated when he says, "the poor shall eat," that is, the humble, and those who despise the things of the world: Matthew 5: "blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." These shall eat the sacrifice, that is, the sacrament of the body and blood, sacramentally and spiritually. And from this a threefold effect follows: spiritual, namely satiety, praise, and life. As to the first he says, "and shall be filled," because their desire will be at rest in the fullness of graces which are acquired through this sacrament: Psalm 62: "let my soul be filled as with marrow and fatness." As to the second he says, "and they shall praise the Lord that seek him." Nor is it wonderful, because praise follows from gladness: Isaiah 51: "they shall come into Sion praising, and joy everlasting shall be upon their heads." Now the satiety of desire causes delight: Isaiah 55: "your soul shall be delighted in fatness," that is, spiritual fatness: Psalm 41: "with the voice of joy and praise, the noise of one feasting." But not just anyone praises God; but "they that seek him," that is, those who seek nothing else but Christ, or God: Isaiah 55: "seek God while he may be found; call upon him while he is near." As to the third he says, "their hearts shall live," etc. John 6: "if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever." And therefore he says, "shall live," as if to say: although they die in body, imitating the Lord's Passion, yet in heart they shall live: Psalm 68: "seek ye the Lord, and your soul shall live." "They shall remember..." Here he sets down the effects derived to others. And first commonly to all. Second as to the carnal, there, "have eaten." Third as to the spiritual, there, "and my soul." Now there is a threefold effect. The first is the divine knowledge to which the Gentiles came through the apostles. The second is the effect toward conversion to Christ. The third effect is manifested through the perfection of the work. As to the first he says, "they shall remember." A certain knowledge of God is naturally implanted in men; but they forget the Lord through sin: Deuteronomy 32: "thou hast forgotten the Lord thy creator." Now the Gentiles had had some knowledge of God, but had forgotten it because of sins; but through the apostles they were brought back to remembrance of the natural knowledge: Jeremiah 51: "remember the Lord afar off." As to the second he says, "and shall be converted to the Lord," namely through love. And this was done not only by the Jews, but "all the ends of the earth": Isaiah 21: "if you seek, seek: be converted, and come." And these two effects also pertain to the sacrament of the altar, which is a certain memorial of the Lord's Passion, as is said in 1 Corinthians 11. Therefore he says, "they shall remember," because the conversion of the soul to God is an effect of the sacrament of the altar: Psalm 22: "he hath brought me up on the water of refreshment," worshipping him not in ceremonies but "in his sight," namely with spiritual worship: John 4: "the true adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and in truth." "And all the kindreds of the Gentiles": Zephaniah 2: "the men of his own place shall adore him, all the islands of the Gentiles"; as it were, that it be understood that the Gentiles worshipped the God of Israel, and just as proselytes going to dwell with the Jews withdrew from their own place. "For..." Spiritual power over the whole world belongs to Christ: Daniel 7: "and he gave him power and honor and a kingdom," etc. And not only of the Jews, according to Isaiah 9: "upon the throne of David"; but he himself "shall have dominion over the Gentiles": Psalm 2: "ask of me, and I will give thee the Gentiles for thy inheritance." "They have eaten..." Here is set down the effect that followed as regards the carnal; and he sets down two things. First he sets down their good. Second he sets down their defect, there, "shall fall down in his sight," the carnal; and these received a twofold good: namely participation in the sacrament, and the veneration of God in worship. As to the first he says, "they have eaten," although unworthily, because they are carnal: 1 Corinthians 15: "flesh and blood shall not possess the kingdom of God." Of the good he said above that they shall be satisfied and shall praise the Lord, and shall live, because they venerate the sacrament through the faith which they have. But these, because they are the fat ones of the earth, that is, fixed in earthly things, that is, not raised up to spiritual things: "shall fall down in his sight," namely of God: Jeremiah 31: "I will fill the souls of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be filled with my good things." These are designated by the fat cows, Amos 4. Deuteronomy 32: "the beloved grew fat, and kicked," for "he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself," as is said in 1 Corinthians 11: and he says well, "all they that go down," that is, if any are submerged by affection into earthly things: because even though these seem to stand in the sight of men, yet in the sight of God they shall fall: Isaiah 8: "and very many of them shall stumble, and fall." Or, "shall fall down in his sight," that is, shall be prostrated before him, even the enemies, "all they that go down into the earth," that is, into the corruption of sin: Philippians 2: "in the name of Jesus every knee should bow." "And my soul..." Here the effect as to the spiritual is set down. The soul of Christ are those in whom the Holy Spirit rests, namely the spiritual, who stand in a twofold relation to God. First as to the heart, because they live for him, namely for God, or for Christ, Galatians 2: "I live," etc.; 2 Corinthians 5: "that they who live may not now live to themselves, but unto him who died for them." Second as to the work, "and my seed." Good seed are the sons of the kingdom; as if he should say: the sons of the kingdom whom I have sown have served God alone, because all the works which they did, they referred to his glory. "It shall be declared..." Here he expounds when it shall be done: because not in his own time, but in future times: and he sets down three things. First he foretells the preaching of the faith. Second, by whom it ought to be preached. Third, to whom it is preached. As to the first he says, "there shall be declared to the Lord a generation to come": and this can be expounded in two ways. In one way with Jerome; as if he should say, the generation to come shall be declared, that is, shall be evangelized. And to this end, that they might be converted to the Lord, or also it shall be declared passively; as if he should say, through the preaching of the apostles that generation shall be brought to the Lord: Matthew 11: "the poor have the gospel preached to them." Or thus: the good of the generation shall be declared by the angels to God himself; not that he is ignorant or in need of it, but that order might be preserved, as Dionysius says, and as is said, Tobit 12: "I am the angel Raphael, one of the seven who stand before the Lord." "And the heavens shall declare," that is, the heavenly apostles: Philippians 3: "our conversation is in heaven": "his justice," not human, but God's, which the Jews reject: Romans 10: "being ignorant of the justice of God, and seeking to establish their own justice," etc. To whom it shall be declared: "to a people that shall be born," by spiritual generation: John 3: "unless a man be born again," etc. Now this people is not reborn by human working, but by divine: John 1: "who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." And therefore he says, "which the Lord hath made": Psalm 99: "the Lord hath made us," etc.”

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Many calves have surrounded me: fat bulls have besieged me.

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