12. Nevertheless, let him point out to us, why the body of Christ, the holy Church, the people of adoption, suffered such indignities. "The Lord," he saith, " hast chastened and corrected me, but He hath not given me over unto death " (ver. 18). Let not then the boastful wicked imagine that aught hath been permitted to their power: they would not have that power, were it not given them from above. Oft doth the father of a family command his sons to be corrected by the most worthless slaves; though he designeth the heritage for the former, fetters for the latter.
6 Hss.facicntes* Edd. impatientex.
Psalm CXVIII.]
What is that heritage? Is it of gold, or silver, or jewels, or farms, or pleasant estates? Consider how we enter into it: and learn what it is.
13. " Open me," he saith, " the gates of righteousness" (ver. 19). Behold, we have heard of the gates. What is within? "That I may," he saith, " go into them, and give thanks unto the Lord." This is the confession of praise full of wonder, " even unto the house of God, in the voice of joy and confession of praise, among such as keep holiday: " ' this is the everlasting bliss of the righteous, whereby they are blessed who dwell in the Lord's house, praising Him for evermore.2 14. But consider how the gates of righteousness are entered into. " These are the gates of the Lord" he saith, "the righteous shall enter into them" (ver. 20). At least let no wicked man enter there, that Jerusalem which receiveth not one uncircumcised, where it is said, " Without are dogs." 3 Be it enough, that in my long pilgrimage " I have had my habitation among the tents of Kedar: " 4 I endured even unto the end the intercourse of the wicked, but " these are the gates of the Lord: the righteous shall enter into them."
15. "I will confess unto Thee, O Lord, for Thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation " (ver. 21). How often is that confession proved to be one of praise, that doth not point out wounds to the physician, but giveth thanks for the health it hath received. But the Physician Himself is the Salvation.
16. But who is this whom we speak of? "The Stone which the builders rejected" (ver. 22); for, " It hath become the head Stone of the corner; " to " make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that He might reconcile both unto God in one body; " s circumcision, to wit, and uncircumcision.
1 7. " By the Lord was it made unto it " (ver. 23): that is, it is made into the head stone of the corner by the Lord. For although He would not have become this, had He not suffered: yet He became not this through those from whom He suffered. For they who were building, refused Him: but in the edifice which the Lord was secretly raising, that was made the head stone of the corner which they rejected. " And it is marvellous in our eyes: " in the eyes of the inner man, in the eyes of those that believe, those that hope, those that love; not in the carnal eyes of those who, through scorning Him as if He were a man, rejected Him.
1 8. "This is the day which the Lord hath made" (ver. 24). This man remembereth that he had said in former Psalms, " Since He hath inclined His ear unto me, therefore will I call upon ' Ps. xlii. 4. * Pi. cxx. 5.
3 Rev. xxii. 15.
Him as long as I live; " 6 making mention of his old days; whence he now saith, " This is the day which the Lord hath made; " that is, wherein He hath given me Salvation. This is the day whereof He said, " In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of Salvation have I helped thee; " 1 that is, a day wherein He, the Mediator, hath become the head Stone of the corner. " Let us rejoice," therefore, " and be glad in Him."
19. "Save me now, O Lord: prosper Thou well my way, O Lord" (ver. 25). Because it is the day of Salvation, " save me: " because we, returning from a long pilgrimage, are separated from those who hated peace, with whom we were peaceful, and who, when we spoke to them, made war upon us without a cause; " prosper well our way " as we return, since Thou hast become our Way.
20. " Blessed be He that cometh in the Name of the Lord" (ver. 26). Cursed, therefore, is he that cometh in his own name; as He saith in the Gospel: " if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive." 8 " We have blessed you out of the house of God." I believe that these are the words of the great to the little, of those great ones, to wit, who in spirit commune with God the Word, who is with God, as they may in this life; and yet temper their discourse for the sake of the little ones, so that they may sincerely say what the Apostle saith: " For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. For the love of Christ constraineth us."'9 They bless the little children from the inner house of the Lord, where that praise faileth not age after age: consider therefore what they proclaim from thence.'0 21. "God is the Lord, who hath showed us light" (ver. 27). That Lord, who came in the Lord's Name, whom the builders refused, and who became the head Stone of the corner," that "Mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ," l2 is God, He is equal with the Father, He hath showed us light, that we might understand what we believed, and declare it to you who understand it not as yet, but already believe it. But that ye also may understand, " Declare a holy day in full assemblies, even unto the horns of" the altar; " that is, even unto the inner house of God, from which we have blessed you, where are the high places of the altar. " Declare a holy day," not in a slothful manner, but " in full assemblies" (ver. 28). For this is the voice of joyfulness among those that keep holy day, who 8 John v. 43.
6 Ps. cxiv. a. 7 Isa. xlix. 8.
9 2 Cor. v. 13, 14.
10 [Contrary to all his habitual usage, our author fails to note just here what is written in St. Matt. xxi. 15, 16, concerning this Paschal Psalm, and the hosannas. of children in the temple. — C] [Psalm CXIX.
walk " in the place of the wonderful tabernacle, even unto the house of God." ' For if there be there the spiritual sacrifice, the everlasting sacrifice of praise, both the Priest is everlasting, and the peaceful mind of the righteous an everlasting altar...
22. And what shall we sing there, save His praises? What else shall we say there, save, "Thou art my God, and I will confess unto Thee; Thou art my God, and I will praise Thee. I will confess unto Thee, for Thou hast heard me, and art become my Salvation." We will not say these things in loud words; but the love that abideth in Him of itself crieth out in these words, and these words are love itself. Thus, as he began with praise, so he endeth: " Confess unto the Lofd, for He is gracious, and His mercy endureth for ever" (ver. 29). With this the Psalm commenceth, with this it endeth; since, as from the commencement which we have left behind, so in the end, whither we are returning, there is not anything that can more profitably please us, than the praise of God, and Allelujah evermore.
PSALM CXIX.'
Altph.
i. From its commencement, dearly beloved, doth this great Psalm exhort us unto bliss, which there is no one who desireth not...And therefore this is the lesson which he teacheth, who saith, "Blessed are those that are undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord " (ver. 1 ). As much as to say, I know what thou wishest, thou art seeking bliss: if then thou wouldest be blessed, be undefiled. For the former all desire, the latter fear: yet without it, what all wish cannot be attained. But where will any one be undefiled, save in the way? In what way, save in the law of the Lord?...• Ps. xlii. 4.
2 Lat. CXVIII. [The author says: " Preface. — I have expounded all the rest of the Psalms, which we know the Book of the Psalms containeth, which by the custom of the Church is styled the Psalter, partly by preaching among the people, partly by dictations, as well as I, by the Lord's help, was able: but I put off the CXIXth Psalm, as well on account of its well-known length, as on account of its depth being fathomable by few. And when my brethren deeply regretted that the exposition of this Psalm alone, so far as pertainetn to the Psalms of the same volume, was wanting to my works, and strongly pressed me to pay this debt, I yielded not to them, though they long entreated and solicited me; because as often as I began to reflect upon it, it always exceeded the utmost stretch of my powers.
For in proportion as it seemeth more open, so much the more deep doth it appear to me; so that I cannot show how deep it is. For in others, which are understood with difficulty, although the sense lie hid in obscurity, yet the obscurity itself appeareth; but in this, not even this is the case: since it is superficially such, that it seemeth not to need an expositor, but only a reader and listener. And now that at length I approach its interpretation, 1 am utterly ignorant what I can achieve tn it: nevertheless, I hope that God will atd me with His Presence, that I may effect something. For thus He hath done in all those which, though at first they seemed to me difficult, and almost impracticable, I have succeeded in adequately expounding. But I decided to do this by means of sermons, which might be delivered among the people, such as the Greeks term oniAiai. For this is, I think, more equitable, that the assemblies of the Church be not defrauded of the comprehension of this Psalm, by the singing of which, as much as by that of others, they are wont to be charmed. But let the preface end here: we must now speak of the Psalm itself, to which we have thought it right to make this Preface.** — C.J 2. Listen now to what he addeth: " Blessed are they that keep His testimonies, and seek Him with their whole heart" (ver. 2). No other class of the blessed seemeth to me to be mentioned in these words, than that which has been already spoken of. For to examine into the testimonies of the Lord, and to seek Him with all the heart, this is to be undefiled in the way, this is to walk in the law of the Lord. He then goeth on to say, " For they who do wickedness, shall not walk in His ways" (ver. 3). And yet we know that the workers of wickedness do search the testimonies of the Lord for this reason, that they prefer being learned to being righteous: we know that others also search the testimonies of the Lord, not because they are already living well, but that they may know how they ought to live. Such then do not as yet walk undefiled in the law of the Lord, and for this reason are not as yet blessed...
3. It is written, and is read, and is true, in this Psalm, that " They who do wickedness, walk not in His ways" (ver. 3). But we must endeavour, with the help of God, " in " whose " hand are both we and our words," 3 that what is rightly said, by not being rightly understood, may not confuse the reader or hearer. For we must beware, lest all the Saints, whose words these are, " If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; " 4 may either not be thought to walk in the ways of the Lord, since sin is wickedness, and " they who do wickedness, walk not in His ways; " or, because it is not doubtful that they walk in the ways of the Lord, may be thought to have no sin, which is beyond doubt false. For it is not said merely for the sake of avoiding arrogance and pride. Otherwise it would not be added, " And the truth is not in us; " but it would be said, Humility is not in us: especially because the following words throw a clearer light on the meaning, and remove all the causes of doubt. For when the blessed John had said this, he added, " If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 5...
4. What meaneth, " Thou hast charged that we shall keep Thy commandments too much "? (ver. 4). Is it, " Thou hast charged too much "? or, "to keep too much"? Whichever of these we understand, the sense seems contrary to that memorable and noble sentiment which the Greeks praise in their wise men, and which the Latins agree in praising. " Do nothing too much."6...But the Latin language some- 6 Terence, Andria, v. 34. "This Greek sentiment does not contain a word answering to that which is here read: for there, aval* is used, which is nimis; but here <r<f>oipa, which is equivalent to valdi, very much. But sometimes, as we have said, we And minis used, and use it ourselves, for what means valdi." — The Author.
Psalm CXIX.]
56i times uses the word nimis in such a sense, that we find it in the holy Scripture, and employ it in our discourses, as signifying, very much. In this passage, " Thou hast charged that we keep Thy commandments too much," we simply understand very much, if we understand rightly; and if we say to any very dear friend, I love you too much, we do not wish to be understood to mean more than is fitting, but very much.
5. "O that," he saith, " my ways were made so direct, that I might keep Thy statutes " (ver. 5). Thou indeed hast charged: O that I could realize what thou hast charged. When thou hearest, " O that," recognise the words of one wishing; and having recognised the expression of a wish, lay aside the pride of presumption. For who saith that he desireth what he hath in such a manner in his power, that without need of any help he can do it? Therefore if man desireth what God chargeth, God must be prayed to grant Himself what He enjoineth...6. " So shall I not be confounded, while I have respect unto all Thy commandments " (ver. 6). We ought to look upon the commandments of God, whether when they are read, or when they are recalled to memory, as a looking-glass, as the Apostle James saith.' This man wisheth himself to be such, that he may regard as in a mirror the commandments of God, and may not be confounded; because he chooses not merely to be a hearer of them, but a doer. On this account he desireth that his ways may be made direct to keep the statutes of God. How to be made direct, save by the grace of God? Otherwise he will find in the law of God not a source of rejoicing, but of confusion, if he hath chosen to look into commandments, which he doth not.
7. " I will confess unto Thee," he saith, " O Lord, in the directing of my heart; in that I shall have learned the judgments of Thy righteousness " (ver. 7). This is not the confession of sins, but of praise; as He also saith in whom there was no sin, " I will confess unto Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth; " 2 and as it is written in the Book of Ecclesiasticus, " Thus shalt thou say in confession, of all the works of God, that they are very good." 3 " I will confess unto Thee," he saith, " in the directing of my heart." Indeed, if my ways are made straight, I will confess unto Thee, since Thou hast done it, and this is Thy praise, and not mine...8. Next he addeth: " I will keep Thy ordinances" (ver. 8)...But what is it that followeth? " O forsake me not even exceedingly! " 1 Tas. i. 23-95 2 Matt xi. 25.
or, as some copies have it, " even too much," instead of, " even exceedingly." 4 But since God had left the world to the desert of sins, He would have forsaken it " even exceedingly," if so powerful a cure had not supported it, that is, the grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ; but now, according to this prayer of the body of Christ, He forsook it not "even exceedingly;" for, " God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself." 5...Beth.
Beth.
9. "Wherewithal shall a young man correct his way? even by keeping Thy words" (ver. 9). He questioneth himself, and answereth himself. " Wherewithal? " So far it is a question: next cometh the answer, " even by keeping Thy words." But in this place the keeping of the words of God, must be understood as the obeying His commandments in deed: for they are kept in memory in vain, if they are not kept in life also. But what is meant by " young man " here? For he might have said, wherewithal shall any one (Jwmo) correct his way? or, wherewithal shall a man (yir) correct his way? which is usually put by the Scriptures in such a way, that the whole human race is understood...But in this passage he saith neither any one, nor a man, but, "a young man." Is then an old man to be despaired of? or doth an old man correct his way by any other means than by ruling himself after God's word? Or is it perhaps an admonition at what age we ought chiefly to correct our way; according to what is elsewhere written, " My son, gather instruction from thy youth up: so shalt thou find wisdom till thy gray hairs." 6 There is another mode of interpreting it, by recognising in the expression the younger son in the Gospel,? who returned to himself, and said, " I will arise and go to my father." 8 Wherewithal did he correct his way, save by ruling himself after the words of God, which he desired as one longing for his father's bread...
10. "With my whole heart," he saith, "have I sought thee; O repel me not from Thy commandments " (ver. 10). Behold, he prayeth that he may be aided to keep the words of God, wherewith he had said that the young man corrected his way. For this is the meaning^of the words, " O repel me not from Thy commandments: " for what is it to be repelled of God, save not to be aided? For human infirmity is not equal to obeying His righteous and exalted commandments, unless His love doth prevent * "For the same Greek word is here too, namely, a4>65pa: as though he wished himself to be forsaken of God, but not ' even exceedingly.' " — T/te author.
7 Luke xv. 12, etc.
8 Luke xv. 18.
[Psalm CXIX.
and aid. But those whom He aideth not, these He is justly said to repel...
11. " Thy words have I hid within my heart, that I may not sin against Thee" (ver. n). He at once sought the Divine aid, lest the words of God might be hidden without fruit in his heart, unless works of righteousness followed. For after saying this, he added, " Blessed art Thou, O Lord, teach me Thy righteousnesses." (ver. 12). "Teach me," he saith, as they learn who do them; not as they who merely remember them, that they may have somewhat to speak of. Why then doth he say, " Teach me Thy righteousnesses," save because he wisheth to learn them by deeds, not by speaking or retaining them in his memory? Since then, as it is read in another Psalm, " He shall give blessing, who gave the law; " ' therefore, " Blessed art Thou, O Lord," he saith, " O teach me Thy righteousness." For because I have hidden Thy words in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee, Thou hast given a law; give also the blessing of Thy grace, that by doing right I may learn what Thou by teaching hast commanded...
12. " With my lips have I been telling of all the judgments of Thy mouth" (ver. 13); that is, I have kept silent nothing of Thy judgments, which Thou didst will should become known to me through Thy words, but I have been telling of all of them without exception with my lips. This he seemeth to me to signify, since he saith not, all Thy judgments, but, " all the judgments of Thy mouth; " that is, which Thou hast revealed unto me: that by His mouth we may understand His word, which He hath discovered unto us in many revelations of the Saints, and in the two Testaments; all which judgments the Church ceaseth not to declare at all times with her lips.
13. " I have had as great delight in the way of Thy testimonies, as in all manner of riches " (ver. 14). We understand that there is no more speedy, no more sure, no shorter, no higher way of the testimonies of God than Christ, " in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." ' Thence he saith that he hath had as great delight in this way, as in all riches. Those are the testimonies, by which He deigneth to prove unto us how much He loveth us.3...14. "I will talk of Thy commandments, and have respect unto Thy ways " 4 (ver. 15). And thus the Church doth exercise herself in the commandments of God, by speaking in the copious 1 Ps. lxxxiv. 6. " The rain also," etc.
* [He says: "The Greek word is, at>o\tax*)<ru, which the Latin translators have rendered sometimes hy ' talking,' sometimes by ' being exercised in: ' and these seem different from one anoth r: but if the exercise of the understanding be understood, with a certain delight in uttering, they are connected with one another, and one thing, in a manner, is made up of both, so that talking is not foreign to tins sort of exercise, made up ,"-C.j disputations of the learned against all the enemies of the Christian and Catholic faith; which are fruitful to those who compose them, if nothing but the ways of the Lord is regarded in them; but " All the ways of the Lord are," as it is written, " mercy and truth; " 5 the fulness of which both is found in Christ. Through this sweet exercise is gained also what he subjoineth: " My meditation shall be in Thy statutes, and I will not forget Thy word" (ver. 16). "My meditation " shall be therein, that I may not forget them. Thus the blessed man in the first Psalm " shall meditate in the law " of the Lord " day and night." 6...Gimel.
Gimel.
15. He had said, "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? Even by keeping Thy words." Behold he now more openly asketh aid that he may do this: " Reward," he saith, " Thy servant: let me live, and keep Thy word " (ver. 17)...It is this reward that he asketh, who saith, " Reward Thy servant." For there are four modes of reward: either ( 1 ) evil for evil, as God will reward everlasting fire to the unrighteous; or (2) good for good, as He will reward an everlasting kingdom to the righteous; or (3) good for evil, as Christ by grace justifieth the ungodly; or (4) evil for good, as Judas and the Jews through their wickedness persecuted Christ. Of these four modes of reward, the first two belong to justice, whereby evil is rewarded for evil, good for good; the third to mercy, whereby good is rewarded for evil; the fourth God knoweth not, for to none doth He reward evil for good. But that which I have placed third in order, is in the first instance necessary: for unless God rewarded good for evil, there would be none to whom He could reward good for good...16. Nowhere then let human pride raise itself up: God giveth good rewards unto His own gifts...1 7. " Open Thou mine eyes, and I will consider wondrous things of Thy law" (ver. 18). What he addeth, " I am a lodger upon earth " (ver. 19): or, as some copies read, "I am a sojourner upon earth, O hide not Thy commandments from me," hath the same meaning...
18. Here an important question ariseth respecting the soul. For the words, I am a sojourner, or lodger, or stranger upon earth,' cannot seem to have been said in reference to the body, since the body derives its origin from 5 Ps xxvi. 9. 6 Ps. xxv. ro.
? [He says: "The Greek word wopotxo? is variously rendered by our translators, incoln, iHaitih'ttus, or advena. Lodycrs (inquJltHi) who have no house of their own, dwell in another man's: but sojourners (incolcr), or strangers {advenes), aie spoken of as foreigners (advtlttitii)," — C] Psalm CXIX] Psalm CXIX] the earth. But in this most profound question I dare not define anything. For if it might justly have been said in respect of the soul (which God forbid we should suppose derived from the earth), "I am a lodger," or "stranger upon earth; " or in reference to the whole man, since he was at one time an inhabitant of Paradise, where he who spake these words was not; or, what is more free from all controversy, if it be not every man who could say this, but one to whom an everlasting country hath been promised in heaven: this I know, " that the life of man on earth is a temptation; " ■ and that " there is a heavy yoke upon the sons of Adam." 2 But it pleaseth me more to discuss the question in accordance with this construction, that we say we are tenants or strangers upon earth, because we have found our country above, whence we have received a pledge, and where when we have arrived we shall never depart.'...19. Those whose conversation 4 is in heaven, as far as they abide here conversant, are in truth strangers. Let them pray therefore that the commandments of God may not be hidden from them, whereby they may be freed from this temporary sojourn, by loving God, with whom they will be for evermore; and by loving their neighbour, that he may be there where they also themselves will be.
20. But what is loved by loving, if love itself be not loved? Whence by consequence that stranger upon earth, after praying that the commandments of God might, not be hidden from him, wherein love is enjoined either solely or principally; declareth that he desireth to have a love for love itself, saying, " My soul hath coveted to have a desire ahvay after Thy judgments" (ver. 20). This coveting is worthy of praise, not of condemnation...21. But he saith not, " coveteth," only; but, " My soul hath coveted to desire Thy judgments." For there is no obstacle to possessing the judgments of God, save that they are not desired, while love hath no warmth toward winning them, though their light is so clear and shining...22. "Thou hast rebuked the proud: and cursed are they that do err from Thy commandments " (ver. 21). For the proud err from the commandments of God. For it is one thing not to fulfil the commandments of God through infirmity or ignorance; another to err from them through pride; as they have done, who have begotten us in our mortal state unto these evils...But consider now, after saying, " Thou hast rebuked the proud," he saith not, Cursed are they that have erred from Thy commandments; so that only that sin of the first men should Job vii. i.
3 IHere follows a homily, accordingly. — C.J 4 Citizenship. Philip, iti. 19, 30.
* Ecclus. xl. 1.
come into the mind; but he saith, " Cursed are they that do err." For it was needful that all might be terrified by that example, that they might not err from the divine commandments, and by loving righteousness in all time, recover in the toil of this world, what we lost in the pleasure of Paradise.
23. "O turn from me shame and rebuke; for I have sought out Thy testimonies " (ver. 22). Testimonies are called in Greek /jLaprvpta, which word we now use for the Latin word: whence those who on account of their testimony to Christ have been brought low by various sufferings, and have contended unto death for the truth, are not called testes, but by the Greek term Martyrs.5 Since then ye hear in this term one more familiar and grateful, let us take these words as if it.were said, " O turn from me shame and rebuke; because I have sought out Thy martyrdoms." When the body of Christ speaketh thus, doth it consider it any punishment to hear rebuke and shame from the ungodly and the proud, since it rather reacheth the crown by this means? Why then doth it pray that it should be removed from it as something heavy and insupportable, save because, as I said, it prayeth for its very enemies, to whom it seeth it is destructive, to cast the holy name of Christ as a reproach to Christians...For my enemies, whom Thou enjoinest to be loved by me, who more and more die and are lost, when they despise Thy martyrdoms and accuse them in me, will indeed be recalled to life and be found, if they reverence Thy martyrdoms in me. Thus it hath happened: this we see. Behold, martyrdom in the name of Christ, both with men and in this world, is not only not a disgrace, but a great ornament: behold, not only in the sight of the Lord, but in the sight of men, " precious is the death of His Saints; " 6 behold, His martyrs are not only not despised, but honoured with great distinctions...
24. " Princes also did sit and speak against me: but Thy servant is exercised in Thy statutes " (ver. 23). Thou who desirest to know what sort of exercise this was, understand what he hath added, " For Thy testimonies are my meditation, and Thy statutes are my counsellors" (ver. 24). Remember what I have above instructed you, that testimonies are acts of martyrdom. Remember that among the statutes of the Lord there is none more difficult and more worthy of admiration, than that every man should love his enemies.7 Thus then the body of Christ was exercised, so that it meditated on the acts of martyrdom that testified of Him, and loved those from whom, while they rebuked and despised the Church for these very martyrdoms, she suffered persecutions...s Either word means ' 6 Ps. cxvi. 15.
7 Matt. v. 44.
[Psalm CXIX.
Daleth.
25. " My soul cleaveth to the pavement: O quicken Thou me according to Thy word " (ver. 25). What meaneth, "My soul cleaveth to the pavement, O quicken Thou me according to Thy word "?...If we look upon the whole world as one great house, we see that the heavens represent its vaulting, the earth therefore will be its pavement. He wisheth thereforeto be rescued from earthly things, and to say with the Apostle, " Our conversation ' is in heaven." To cling therefore to earthly things is the soul's death; the contrary of which evil, life is prayed for, when he saith, " O quicken Thou me."
26...The body itself also, because it is of the earth, is reasonably understood by the word pavement; since, because it is still corruptible and weigheth down the soul,2 we justly groan while in it, and say unto God, " O quicken Thou me." For we shall not be without our bodies when we shall be for evermore with the Lord; 3 but then, because they will not be corruptible, nor will they weigh down our souls, if we view it strictly, we shall not cleave unto them, but they rather unto us, and we unto God...27. For what he was by himself, he confesseth in the following words: " I have acknowledged my ways, and Thou heardest me" (ver. 26). Some copies indeed read, " Thy ways: " but more, and the best Greek, read " my ways," that is, evil ways. For he seemeth to me to say this; I have confessed my sins, and Thou hast heard me; that is, so that Thou wouldest remit them. " 0 teach me Thy statutes." I have acknowledged my ways: Thou hast blotted them out: teach me Thine. So teach me, that I may act; not merely that I may know how I ought to act. For as it is said of the Lord, that He knew not sin,4 and it is understood, that He did no sin; so also he ought truly to be said to know righteousness, who doeth it. This is the prayer of one who is improving...
28. Finally he addeth, " Intimate to me the way of Thy righteousness" (ver. 27); or, as some copies have it, " instruct me; " which is expressed more closely from the Greek, " Make me to understand the way of Thy righteousnesses; so shall I be exercised in Thy wondrous things." These higher commandments, which he desireth to understand by edification, he calleth the wondrous things of God. There are then some righteousnesses of God so wondrous, that human weakness may be believed incapable of fulfilling them by those who have not tried. Whence the Psalmist, struggling and wearied with the difficulty of obeying them, saith, " My soul hath slumbered for very heaviness: O stab- » Wisd. ix. 15.
lish Thou me with Thy word! " (ver. 28). What meaneth, hath slumbered? save that he hath cooled in the hope which he had entertained of being able to reach them. But, he addeth, " Stablish Thou me with Thy word: " that I may not by slumbering fall away from those duties which I feel that I have already attained: stablish Thou me therefore in those words of Thine that I already hold, that I may be able to reach unto others through edification.
29. "Take Thou from me the way of iniquity " (ver. 29). And since the law of works hath entered in, that sin might abound; s he addeth, "And pity me according to Thy law." By what law, save by the law of faith? Hear the Apostle: "Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works. Nay: but by the law of faith."6 This is the law of faith, whereby we believe and pray that it may be granted us through grace; that we may effect that which we cannot fulfil through ourselves; that we may not, ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish our own, fail to submit ourselves unto the righteousness of God.7