8. In the second place now giving utterance to an evident prayer, whence it may be perceived that the calling to remembrance of former affliction is not by way of information but prayer; "How long," he saith, "O Lord, wilt Thou be angry, unto the end? shall Thy jealousy burn like fire?" (ver. 5). He is evidently asking God not to be angry unto the end, that is, that this so great oppression and tribulation and devastation may not continue even unto the end; but that He moderate His chastening, according to that which is said in another Psalm, "Thou shalt feed us with the bread of tears, and Thou shalt give us to drink of tears in measure."8 For the, "how long, O Lord, wilt Thou be angry, unto the end? " hath been spoken in the same sense as if it had been said, Be not, O Lord, angry unto the end. And in that which followeth, " shall Thy jealousy burn like fire?" both words must be understood, both, " how long," and, " unto the end: " just as if there had been said, how long shall there burn like fire Thy jealousy unto the end? For these two words must be understood in the same manner as that word which was used a little higher up. namely, " they-havemade." For while the former sentence hath, " they have made the dead bodies of Thy servants morsels for the fowls of heaven: " 9 this * [" With pious sacrilege a era 5 Oxf. mss. rep. " precious.'
7 Gal. iv. 26. » Ps. Ixxx. 5.
ve I stole.
'Dr. Young. — C] 6 Ps. cxvi. 15. 9 Ps. lxxix. 2.
Psalm LXXIX.]
word the latter sentence hath not, wherein is said, " the fleshes of Thy saints for the beasts of the earth; " but there is surely understood what the former hath, namely, " they have made."
Moreover, the anger and jealousy of God ' are not emotions of God; as some do charge upon the Scriptures which they do not understand: 2 but under the name of anger is to be understood the avenging of iniquity; under the name of jealousy, the exaction of chastity; that the soul may not despise the law of her Lord, and perish by departing in fornication from the Lord. These then in their actual operation in men's affliction are violent; but in the disposal of God they are calm, unto whom hath been said, " But Thou, O Lord of virtues, with calmness dost judge." 3 But it is clearly enough shown by these words, that for sins these tribulations do befall men, though they be faithful: although hence may bloom the Martyrs' glory by occasion of their patience, and the yoke of discipline godly endured as the scourge of the Lord. Of this the Maccabees amid sharp tortures,4 of this the three men amid flames innocuous,5 of this the holy Prophets in captivity, do testify. For although paternal correction most bravely and most godly they endure, yet they do not hide the fact, that these things have befallen them for the deservings of their sins.6...
9. But that which he addeth, " Pour forth Thine anger upon the nations which have not known Thee, and upon the kingdoms which have not called upon Thy name " (ver. 6); this too is a prophecy, not a wish. Not in the imprecation of malevolence are these words spoken, but foreseen by the Spirit they are predicted: just as in the case of Judas the traitor, the evil things which were to befall him have been so prophesied as if they were wished. For in like manner as the prophet doth not command Christ, though in the imperative mood he giveth utterance to what he saith, " Gird Thou Thy sword about Thy thigh, O Most Mighty: in Thy beauty and in Thy goodliness, both go on, and prosperously proceed, and reign:" 1 so he doth not wish, but doth prophesy, who saith, " Pour forth Thine anger upon the nations which have not known Thee." Which in his usual way he repeateth, saying, "And upon the kingdoms which have not called upon Thy name." For nations have been repeated in kingdoms: and that they have not known Him, hath been repeated in this, that they have not called upon His name. How then must be understood, what the Lord saith in the Gospel 8 concerning stripes, " the many and the few"? if greater the anger of God 1 The anfjer and jealousy of God. 2 Manichaeus.
5 Dan. iii. 21. 6 Ps. cxviii. 18; Heb. xii. 6.
is against the nations, which have not known the Lord? For in this which he saith, " Pour forth Thine anger," with this word he hafh clearly enough pointed out, how great anger he hath willed that there should be understood. Whence afterwards he saith, " Render to our neighbours seven times as much." ° Is it not that there is a great difference between servants, who, though they know not the will of their Lord, do yet call upon His name, and those that are aliens from the family of so great a Master, who are so ignorant of God, as that they do not even call upon God? For in place of Him they call upon either idols or demons, or any creature they choose; not the Creator, who is blessed for ever. For those persons, concerning whom he is prophesying this, he doth not even intimate to be so ignorant of the will of their God, as that still they fear the Lord Himself; but so ignorant of the Lord Himself, that they do not even call upon Him, and that they stand forth as enemies of His name. There is a great difference then between servants not knowing the will of their God, and yet living in His family and in His house, and enemies not only setting the will against knowing the Lord Himself, but also not calling upon His name, and even in His servants fighting against it.
10. Lastly, there followeth, " For they have eaten up Jacob, and his place they have made desolate " (ver. 7)...How we should view " the place " of Jacob, must be understood. For rather the place of Jacob may be supposed to be that city, wherein was also the Temple, whitherunto the whole of that nation for the purpose of sacrifice and worship, and to celebrate the Passover, the Lord had commanded to assemble. For if the assemblies of Christians, letted and suppressed by persecutors, has been what the Prophet would have to be understood, it would seem that he should have said, places made desolate, not place. Still we may take the singular number as put for the plural number; as dress for clothes, soldiery for soldiers, cattle for beasts: for many words are usually spoken in this manner, and not only in the mouths of vulgar speakers, but even in the eloquence of the most approved authorities. Nor to divine Scripture herself is this form of speech foreign. For,even she hath put frog for frogs, locust for locusts,10 and countless expressions of the like kind. But that which hath been said, " They have eaten up Jacob," the same is well understood, in that many men into their own evil-minded body, that is, into their own society, they have constrained to pass.
11...He subjoineth, " Remember not our iniquities of old " (ver. 8). He saith not by- 9 Ps. lxxix. 13.
10 Ps. lxxviii. 46.
3«4 [Psalm LXXIX.
gone, which might have even been recent; but " of old," that is, coming from parents. For to such iniquities judgment, not correction, is ■ owing. " Speedily let Thy mercies anticipate us." Anticipate, that is, at Thy judgment. For " mercy exalteth above in judgment." 2 Now there is "judgment without mercy," but to him that hath not showed mercy. But whereas he addeth, " for we have become exceeding poor: " unto this end he willeth that the mercies of God should be understood to anticipate us; that our own poverty, that is, weakness, by Him having mercy, should be aided to do His commandments, that we may not come to His judgment to be condemned.
12. Therefore there followeth, "Help us, O God, our healing3 One " (ver. 9). By this word which he saith, " our healing One," he doth sufficiently explain what sort of poverty he hath willed to be understood, in that which he had said, " for we have become exceeding poor." For it is that very sickness, to which a healer is necessary. But while he would have us to be aided, he is neither ungrateful to grace, nor doth he take away free-will. For he that is aided, doth also of himself something. He hath added also, " for the glory of Thy Name, O Lord, deliver us: " in order that he who glorieth, not in himself, but in the Lord may glory.4 " And merciful be Thou," he saith, " to our sins for Thy Name's sake: " not for our sake. For what else do our sins deserve, but due and condign punishments? But " merciful be Thou to our sins, for Thy Name's sake." Thus then Thou dost deliver us, that is, dost rescue us from evil things, while Thou dost both aid us to do justice, and art merciful to our sins, without which in this life we are not. For " in Thy sight shall no man living be justified." 5 But sin is iniquity.5 And "if Thou shalt have marked iniquities, who shall stand? " 7 13. But that which he addeth, "lest at any time they should say among the Gentiles, Where is their God?" (ver. 10) must be taken as rather for the Gentiles themselves. For to a bad end they come that have despaired of the true God, thinking that either He is not, or doth not help His own, and is not merciful to them. But this which followeth, " and that there may be known among the nations before our eyes the vengeance of the blood of Thy servants which hath been shed: " is either to be understood as of the time, when they believe in the true God that used to persecute His inheritance; because even that is vengeance, whereby is slain the fierce iniquity of them by the sword of the Word of God, concerning which hath been said, " Gird Thou 1 Al. "would be." z Jas. ii. 13.
3 Saluiarit.
Thy sword: " 8 or when obstinate enemies at the last are punished. For the corporal ills which they suffer in this world, they may have in common with good men. There is also another kind of vengeance j that wherein the Church's enlargement and fruitfulness in this world after so great persecutions, wherein they supposed she would utterly perish, the sinner and unbeliever and enemy seeth, and is angry; " with his teeth he shall gnash, and shall pine away."' For who would dare to deny that even this is a most heavy punishment? But I know not whether that which he saith, " before our eyes," is taken with sufficient elegance, if by this sort of punishment we understand that which is done in the inmost recesses of the heart, and doth torment even those who blandly smile at us, while by us there cannot be seen what they suffer in the inner man. But the fact, that whether in them believing their iniquity is slain, or whether the last punishment is rendered to them persevering in their naughtiness, without difficulty of doubtfulness is understood in the saying, " that there may be known before our eyes vengeance among the nations."
14. And this indeed, as we have said, is a prophecy, not a wish...And the Lord in the Gospel IO hath set before us the widow for an example, who longing to be avenged, did intercede with the unjust judge, who at length heard her, not as being guided by justice, but overcome with weariness: but this the Lord hath set before us, to show that much more the just God will speedily make the judgment of His elect, who cry unto Him day and night. Thence is also that cry of the Martyrs under the altar of God," that they may be avenged in the judgment of God. Where then is the, " Love your enemies, do good unto them that hate you, and pray for them that persecute you"?" Where is also the, " Not rendering evil for evil, nor cursing for cursing: " '3 and, " unto no man rendering evil for evil "?'*...For when the Lord was exhorting us to love enemies, He set before us the example of our Father, who is in Heaven, "who maketh His sun to rise upon good men and evil men, and raineth upon just men and unjust men: " '5 doth He yet therefore not chasten even by temporal correction, or not condemn at the last the 'obstinately hardened? Let therefore an enemy be so loved as that the Lord's justice whereby he is punished displease us not, and let the justice whereby he is punished so please us, as that the joy is not at his evil but at the good Judge. But a malevolent soul is sorrowful, if his enemy by being corrected shall have escaped punishment: and » Ps. xlv. 4. 11 Rev. vi. o. M Rom. xii. 17.
Psalm LXXIX.l when he seeth him punished, he is so glad that he is avenged, that he is not delighted with the justice of God, whom he loveth not, but with the misery of that man whom he hateth: and when he leaveth judgment to God, he hopeth that God will hurt more than he could hurt: and when he giveth food to his hungering enemy, and drink to him thirsty, he hath an evil-minded sense of that which is written, " For thus doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head." "...In such sort then under the appearance of one asking in this Psalm, future vengeance on the ungodly is prophesied of, as that we are to understand that holy men of God have loved their enemies, and have wished no one anything but good, which is godliness in this world, everlasting life in that to come; but in the punishments of evil men, they have taken pleasure not in the ills of them, but in God's good judgments; and wheresoever in the holy Scriptures we read of their hatreds against men, they were the hatreds of vices, which every man must needs hate in himself, if he loveth himself.
15. But now in that which followeth, "Let there come in before Thy sight," or, as some copies have it, " In Thy sight, the groans of the fettered: " not easily doth any one discover that the Saints were thrown into fetters by persecutors; and if this doth happen amid so great and manifold a variety of punishments, so rarely it doth happen, that it must not be believed that the prophet had chosen to allude to this especially in this verse. But, in fact, the fetters are the infirmity and the corruptibleness of the body, which do weigh down the soul. For by means of the frailty thereof, as a kind of material for certain pains and troubles, the persecutor might constrain her unto ungodliness. From these fetters the Apostle was longing to be unbound, and to be with Christ; 2 but to abide in the flesh was necessary for their sakes unto whom he was ministering the Gospel. Until then this corruptible put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality,3 like as it were with fetters, the weak flesh doth let the willing spirit.4 These fetters then not any do feel, but they that in themselves do groan being burthened, desiring to be clothed upon with the tabernacle which is from Heaven; 5 because both death is a terror, and mortal life is sorrow. In behalf of these men groaning the Prophet doth redouble his groaning, that their groaning may " come in in the sight of the Lord." They also may be understood to be fettered, who are enchained with the precepts of wisdom, the which being patiently supported are turned into ornaments: whence it hath been written, " Put thy feet into her fetters." 6 " According to the 1 Rom. xii. 20. * Matt. xxvi. 41.
greatness," he saith, " of Thy arm, receive Thou unto adoption the sons of them that are put to death: " 1 or, as is read in some copies, " Possess Thou sons by the death of the punished." 8 Wherein the Scripture seemeth to me to have sufficiently shown, what hath been the groan of the fettered, who for the name of Christ endured most grievous persecutions, which in this Psalm are most clearly prophesied. For being beset with divers sufferings, they used to pray for the Church, that their blood might not be without fruit to posterity; in order that the Lord's harvest might more abundantly flourish by the very means whereby enemies thought that she would perish. For " sons of them that were put to death " he hath called them who were not only not terrified by the sufferings of those that went before, but in Him for whose name they knew them to have suffered, being inflamed with their glory which did inspire them to the like, in most ample hosts they believed. Therefore he hath said, " According to the greatness of Thine arm." For so great a wonder followed in the case of Christian peoples, as they, who thought they would prevail aught by persecuting her, no wise believed would follow.
16. "Render," he saith, "to our neighbours seven times so much into their bosoms " (ver. 13). Not any evil things he is wishing, but things just he is foretelling and prophesying as to come. But in the number seven, that is, in sevenfold retribution, he would have the completeness of the punishment to be perceived, for with this number fulness is wont to be signified. Whence also there is this saying for the good, " He shall receive in this world seven times as much: " 9 which hath been put for all. "As if having nothing, and possessing all things." IO Of neighbours he is speaking, because amongst them dwelleth the Church even unto the day of severing: for not now is made the corporal separation. " Into their bosoms," he saith, as being now in secret, so that the vengeance which is now being executed in secret in this life, hereafter may be known among the nations before our eyes. For when a man is given over to a reprobate mind, in his inward bosom he is receiving what he deserveth of future punishments. " Their reproach wherewith they have reproached Thee, O Lord." This do Thou render to them sevenfold into their bosoms, that is, in return for this reproach, most fully do Thou rebuke them in their secret places. For in this they have reproached Thy Name, thinking to efface Thee from the earth in Thy servants.
7 Mortificatorum.
8 Piittitorum, but mss. ap. Ben. and Oxf. mortificatorum.
9 Mark x. 30. On Matt. xix. 20 there is a var. reading " manifold," but not • sevenfold." E. V. fl hundred-fold."
10 2 Cor. vi. 10.
[Psalm LXXX.
17. " But we Thy people " (ver. 14), must be taken generally of all the race of godly and true Christians. " We," then, whom they thought they had power to destroy, " Thy people, and the sheep of thy flock: " in order that he that glorieth may glory in the Lord,' " will confess to Thee for an age." But some copies have it, " will confess to Thee for everlasting." Out of a Greek ambiguity this diversity hath arisen. For that which the Greek hath, tk rov aiutva, may be interpreted both by "for everlasting," and " for an age; " but according to the context we must understand which is the better interpretation. The sense then of this passage seemeth to me to show, that we ought to say " for an age," that is, even unto the end of time.
But the following verse after the manner of the Scriptures, and especially of the Psalms, is a repetition of the former with the order changed, putting that before which in the former case was after, and that after which in the former case was before. For whereas in the former case there had been said, " we will confess to Thee," instead of the same herein hath been said, " We will proclaim Thy praise." And so whereas in the former case there had been said, " for an age," instead of the same herein hath been said, " for generation and generation." For this repetition of generation doth signify perpetuity: or, as some understand it, it is because there are two generations, an old and a new...But in many places of holy Scriptures we have already made known to you that confession is also put for praise: as in this passage it is, " These words ye shall say in confession, ' That the works of the Lord are very good.' " 2 And especially that which the Saviour Himself saith, who had not any sin at all, which by repentance to confess: " I confess to Thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to babes." » I have said this, in order that it may be more clearly perceived how in the expression, "We will proclaim Thy praise," the same hath been repeated as had been said higher up, " We will confess to Thee."
PSALM LXXX.* 1...If perchance things obscure demand the office of an interpreter, those things which are evident ought to require of me the office of a reader. The song here is of the Advent of the Lord and of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His vineyard. But the singer of the song is that Asaph, as far as doth appear, enlightened and converted, by whose name ye know the synagogue to be signified. Lastly, the title of the * Lat. LXXIX. A Sermon delivered to the people.
Psalm is: " For the end in behalf of them that shall be changed; " that is, for the better. For Christ, the end of the Law/ hath come on purpose that He should change men for the belter. And he addeth, " a testimony to Asaph himself." A good testimony of truth. Lastly, this testimony doth confess both Christ and the vineyard; that is, Head and Body, King and people, Shepherd and flock, and the entire mystery of all Scriptures, Christ and the Church. But the title of the Psalm doth conclude with, " for the Assyrians." The Assyrians are interpreted, " men guiding." Therefore it is no longer a generation which hath not guided the heart6 thereof, but now a generation guiding. Therefore hear we what he saith in this testimony.
2. What is, " Thou that feedest Israel, hearken, Thou that conducteth Joseph like sheep "? (ver. 1). He is being invoked to come, He is being expected until He come, He is being yearned for until He come. Therefore may He find " men guiding: " " Thou that conductest," he saith, " Joseph like sheep: " Joseph himself like sheep. Joseph himself are the sheep, and Joseph himself is a sheep. Observe Joseph; for although even the interpretation of his name doth aid us much, for it signifieth increase; and He came indeed in order that the grain given to death i might arise manifold; 8 that is, that the people of God might be increased..." Thou that sittest upon the Cherubin." Cherubin is the seat of the glory of God, and is interpreted the fulness of knowledge. There God sitteth in the fulness of knowledge. Though we understand the Cherubin to be the exalted powers and virtues of the heavens: yet, if thou wilt, thou wilt be Cherubin.9 For if Cherubin is the seat of God, hear what saith the Scripture: " The soul of a just man is the seat of wisdom." How, thou sayest, shall I be the fulness of knowledge? Who shall fulfil this?
Thou hast the means of fulfilling it: " The fulness of the Law is love." IO Do not run after many things, and strain thyself. The amplitude of the branches doth terrify thee: hold by the root, and of the greatness of the tree think not. Be there in thee love, and the fulness of knowledge must needs follow. For what doth he not know that knoweth love? Inasmuch as it hath been said, " God is love." " " Appear." For we went astray because Thou didst not appear. " Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasse " (ver. 2). Appear, I say, before the nation of the Jews, before the people of Israel. For there is Ephraim, there Manasses, there Benjamin. But to the interpretation let us look: Ephraim is fruit-bearing, 7 Morttfiintuin. B John xii. 24.
9 See St. Macarius, Horn. 1. I0 Rom. xiii 10.
» j John iv. 8.
Psalm LXXX.]
Benjamin son of right hand, Manasses one forgetful. Appear Thou then before one made fruitful, before a son of the right hand: appear Thou before one forgetful, in order that he may be no longer forgetful, but Thou mayest come into his mind that hast delivered him...For weak Thou wast when it was being said, " If Son of God He is, let Him come down from the Cross." ' Thou wast seeming to have no power: the persecutor had power over Thee: and Thou didst show this aforetime, for Jacob too himself prevailed in wrestling, a man with an angel. Would he at any time, except the angel had been willing? And man prevailed, and the angel was conquered: and victorious man holdeth the angel, and saith, " I will not let thee go, except thou shalt have blessed me." 2 A great sacrament! He both standeth conquered, and blesseth the conqueror. Conquered, because he willed it; in flesh weak, in majesty strong...Having been crucified of weakness, rise Thou in power: 3 " Stir up Thy power, and come Thou, to save us."
3. " O God, convert us." For averse we have been from Thee, and except Thou convert us, we shall not be converted. " And illumine Thy face, and we shall be saved" (ver. 3). Hath He anywise a darkened face? He hath not a darkened face, but He placed before it a cioud of flesh, and as it were a veil of weakness; and when He hung on the tree, He was not thought the Same as He was after to be acknowledged when He was sitting in Heaven. For thus it hath come to pass. Christ present on the earth, and doing miracles, Asaph knew not; but when He had died, after that He rose again, and ascended into Heaven, he knew Him. He was pricked to the heart, and he may have spoken 4 also of Him this testimony which now we acknowledge in this Psalm. Thou didst cover Thy face, and we were sick: illumine Thou the same, and we shall be whole.
4. " O Lord God of virtues, how long wilt Thou be angry with the prayer of Thy servant?" (ver. 4). Now Thy servant. Thou wast angry at the prayer of Thy enemy, wilt Thou still be angry with the prayer of Thy servant? Thou hast converted us, we know Thee, and wilt Thou still be angry with the prayer of Thy servant? Thou wilt evidently be angry, in fact, as a father correcting, not as a judge condemning. In such manner evidently Thou wilt be angry, because it hath been written, " My son, drawing near unto the service of God, stand thou in righteousness and in fear, and prepare thy soul for temptation." 5 Think not that now the wrath of God hath passed away, because 1 Matt, xxvii. 40. * Gen. xxxii. 26.
4 Oxf. MSS. " he spoke."
thou hast been converted. The wrath of God 6 hath passed away from thee, but only so that it condemn not for everlasting. But He scourgeth, He spareth not: because He scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.? If thou refusest to be scourged, why dost thou desire to be received? He scourgeth every son whom He receiveth. He who did not spare even His only Son, scourgeth every one. But nevertheless, " How long wilt Thou be angry with the prayer of Thy servant?" No longer thine enemy: but, "Thou wilt be angry with the prayer of Thy servant," how long? There followeth: "Thou wilt feed us with the bread of tears, and wilt give us to drink with tears in measure" (ver. 5). What is, " in measure "? Hear the Apostle: "Faithful is God, who doth not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able to bear."8 The measure is, according to your powers: the measure is, that thou be instructed, not that thou be crushed.
5. "Thou hast set us for a contradiction to our neighbours" (ver. 6). Evidently this did come to pass: for out of Asaph were chosen they that should go to the Gentiles and preach Christ, and should have it said to them, " Who is this proclaimer of new demons?"' "Thou hast set us for a contradiction to our neighbours." For they were preaching Him who was the subject of the contradiction. Whom did they preach? That after He was dead, Christ rose again. Who would hear this? Who would know this? It is a new thing. But signs did follow, and to an incredible thing miracles gave credibility. He was contradicted, but the contradictor was conquered, and from being a contradictor was made a believer. There, however, was a great flame: there the martyrs fed with the bread of tears, and given to drink in tears, but in measure, not more than they are able to bear; in order that after the measure of tears there should follow a crown of joys. " And our enemies have sneered at us." And where are they that sneered? For a long while it was said, Who are they that worship the Dead One, that adore the Crucified? For a long while so it was said. Where is the nose of them that sneered? Now do not they that censure flee into caves, that they may not be seen? Bat ye see what followeth: " O Lord God of virtues, convert us, and show Thy face, and we shall be whole" (ver. 7). "A vineyard out of Egypt Thou hast brought over, Thou hast cast out the nations, and hast planted her" (ver. 8). It was done, we know. How many nations were cast out? Amorites, Cethites, Jebusites, Gergesites, and Evites: after whose expulsion and overthrow, there was led in the people deliv-