St. Augustine: Expositions on the Psalms

[Stone]

Exposition on Psalm 11
Taken from here.

To the end, a psalm of David himself.

1. This title does not require a fresh consideration: for the meaning of, to the end, has already been sufficiently handled. Let us then look to the text itself of the Psalm, which to me appears to be sung against the heretics, who, by rehearsing and exaggerating the sins of many in the Church, as if either all or the majority among themselves were righteous, strive to turn and snatch us away from the breasts of the one True Mother Church: affirming that Christ is with them, and warning us as if with piety and earnestness, that by passing over to them we may go over to Christ, whom they falsely declare they have. Now it is known that in prophecy Christ, among the many names in which notice of Him is conveyed in allegory, is also called a mountain. We must accordingly answer these people, and say, I trust in the Lord: how say ye to my soul, Remove into the mountains as a sparrow? Psalm 10:1. I keep to one mountain wherein I trust, how say ye that I should pass over to you, as if there were many Christs? Or if through pride you say that you are mountains, I had indeed need to be a sparrow winged with the powers and commandments of God: but these very things hinder my flying to these mountains, and placing my trust in proud men. I have a house where I may rest, in that I trust in the Lord. For even the sparrow has found her a house, and, The Lord has become a refuge to the poor. Let us say then with all confidence, lest while we seek Christ among heretics we lose Him, In the Lord I trust: how say ye to my soul, Remove into the mountains as a sparrow?

2. For, lo, sinners have bent the bow, they have prepared their arrows in the quiver, that they may in the obscure moon shoot at the upright in heart Psalm 10:2. These be the terrors of those who threaten us as touching sinners, that we may pass over to them as the righteous. Lo, they say, the sinners have bent the bow: the Scriptures, I suppose, by carnal interpretation of which they emit envenomed sentences from them. They have prepared their arrows in the quiver: the same words, that is, which they will shoot out on the authority of Scripture, they have prepared in the secret place of the heart. That they may in the obscure moon shoot at the upright in heart: that when they see, from the Church's light being obscured by the multitude of the unlearned and the carnal, that they cannot be convicted, they may corrupt good manners by evil communications. 1 Corinthians 15:33 But against all these terrors we must say, In the Lord I trust.

3. Now I remember that I promised to consider in this Psalm with what suitableness the moon signifies the Church. There are two probable opinions concerning the moon: but of these which is the true, I suppose it either impossible or very difficult for a man to decide. For when we ask whence the moon has her light, some say that it is her own, but that of her globe half is bright, and half dark: and when she revolves in her own orbit, that part wherein she is bright gradually turns towards the earth, so as that it may be seen by us; and that therefore at first her appearance is as if she were horned....According to this opinion the moon in allegory signifies the Church, because in its spiritual part the Church is bright, but in its carnal part is dark: and sometimes the spiritual part is seen by good works, but sometimes it lies hid in the conscience, and is known to God alone, since in the body alone is it seen by men....But according to the other opinion also the moon is understood to be the Church, because she has no light of her own, but is lighted by the only-begotten Son of God, who in many places of holy Scripture is allegorically called the Sun. Whom certain heretics being ignorant of, and not able to discern Him, endeavour to turn away the minds of the simple to this corporeal and visible sun, which is the common light of the flesh of men and flies, and some they do pervert, who as long as they cannot behold with the mind the inner light of truth, will not be content with the simple Catholic faith; which is the only safety to babes, and by which milk alone they can arrive in assured strength at the firm support of more solid food. Whichever then of these two opinions be the true, the moon in allegory is fitly understood as the Church. Or if in such difficulties as these, troublesome rather than edifying, there be either no satisfaction or no leisure to exercise the mind, or if the mind itself be not capable of it, it is sufficient to regard the moon with ordinary eyes, and not to seek out obscure causes, but with all men to perceive her increasings and fulnesses and wanings; and if she wanes to the end that she may be renewed, even to this rude multitude she sets forth the image of the Church, in which the resurrection of the dead is believed.

4. Next we must enquire, what in this Psalm is meant by the obscure moon, in which sinners have prepared to shoot at the upright in heart? For not in one way only may the moon be said to be obscure: for when her monthly course is finished, and when her brightness is interrupted by a cloud, and when she is eclipsed at the full, the moon may be called obscure. It may then be understood first of the persecutors of the Martyrs, for that they wished in the obscure moon to shoot at the upright in heart; whether it be yet in the time of the Church's youth, because she had not yet shone forth in greatness on the earth, and conquered the darkness of heathen superstitions; or by the tongues of blasphemers and such as defame the Christian name, when the earth was as it were beclouded, the moon, that is, the Church, could not be clearly seen; or when by the slaughter of the Martyrs themselves and so great effusion of blood, as by that eclipse and obscuration, wherein the moon seems to exhibit a bloody face, the weak were deterred from the Christian name; in which terror sinners shot out words crafty and sacrilegious to pervert even the upright in heart. And secondly, it can be understood of these sinners, whom the Church contains, because at that time, taking the opportunity of this moon's obscurity, they committed many crimes, which are now tauntingly objected to us by the heretics, whereas their founders are said to have been guilty of them. But howsoever that be which was done in the obscure moon, now that the Catholic name is spread and celebrated throughout the whole world, what concern of mine is it to be disturbed by things unknown? For in the Lord I trust; nor do I listen to them that say to my soul, Remove into the mountains as a sparrow. For, lo, sinners have bent the bow, that they may in the obscure moon shoot at the upright in heart. Or if the moon seem even now obscure to them, because they would make it uncertain which is the Catholic Church, and they strive to convict her by the sins of those many carnal men whom she contains; what concern is this to him, who says in truth, In the Lord I trust? By which word every one shows that he is himself wheat, and endures the chaff with patience unto the time of winnowing.

5. In the Lord, therefore, I trust. Let them fear who trust in man, and cannot deny that they are of man's party, by whose grey hairs they swear; and when in conversation it is demanded of them, of what communion they are, unless they say that they are of his party, they cannot be recognised....Or perhaps you will say that it is written, You shall know them by their works? Matthew 7:16 I see indeed marvellous works the daily violences of the Circumcelliones, with the bishops and presbyters for their leaders, flying about in every direction, and calling their terrible clubs Israels; which men now living daily see and feel. But for the times of Macarius, respecting which they raise an invidious cry, most men have not seen them, and no one sees them now: and any Catholic who saw them could say, if he wished to be a servant of God, In the Lord I trust....

6. Let the Catholic soul then say, In the Lord I trust; how say ye to my soul, Remove into the mountains as a sparrow? For, lo, the sinners have bent the bow, they have prepared their arrows in the quiver, that they may in the obscure moon shoot at the upright in heart: and from them let her turn her speech to the Lord and say, For they have destroyed what You have perfected Psalm 10:3. And this let her say not against these only, but against all heretics. For they have all, as far as in them lies, destroyed the praise which God has perfected out of the mouth of babes and sucklings, when they disturb the little ones with vain and scrupulous questions, and suffer them not to be nourished with the milk of faith. As if then it were said to this soul, why do they say to you, Remove into the mountains as a sparrow; why do they frighten you with sinners, who have bent the bow, to shoot in the obscure moon at the upright in heart? She answers, Therefore it is they frighten me, because they have destroyed what You have perfected. Where but in their conventicles, where they nourish not with milk, but kill with poison the babes and ignorant of the interior light. But what has the Just done? If Macarius, if Cæcilianus, offend you, what has Christ done to you, who said, My peace I give unto you, My peace I leave with you; John 14:27 which you with your abominable dissensions have violated? What has Christ done to you? Who with such exceeding patience endured His betrayer, as to give to him, as to the other Apostles, the first Eucharist consecrated with His own hands, and blessed with His own mouth. What has Christ done to you? Who sent this same betrayer, whom He called a devil, John 6:70 who before betraying the Lord could not show good faith even to the Lord's purse, John 12:6 with the other disciples to preach the kingdom of heaven; Matthew 10:5-7 that He might show that the gifts of God come to those that with faith receive them, though he, through whom they receive them, be such as Judas was.

7. The Lord is in His holy temple Psalm 10:4, yea in such wise as the Apostle says, For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. 1 Corinthians 3:17 Now if any man shall violate the temple of God, him shall God destroy. He violates the temple of God, who violates unity: for he holds not the head, from which the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies according to the working after the measure of every part makes increase of the body to the edifying of itself in love. The Lord is in this His holy temple; which consists of His many members, fulfilling each his own separate duties, by love built up into one building. Which temple he violates, who for the sake of his own pre-eminence separates himself from the Catholic society. The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord, His seat is in heaven. If you take heaven to be the just man, as you take the earth to be the sinner, to whom it was said, Earth you are, and unto earth shall you go; Genesis 3:19 the words, The Lord is in His holy temple you will understand to be repeated, while it is said, The Lord, His seat is in heaven.

8. His eyes look upon the poor. His to Whom the poor man has been left, and Who has been made a refuge to the poor. And therefore all the seditions and tumults within these nets, Matthew 13:47 until they be drawn to shore, concerning which heretics upbraid us to their own ruin and our correction, are caused by those men, who will not be Christ's poor. But do they turn away God's eyes from such as would be so? For His eyes look upon the poor. Is it to be feared lest, in the crowd of the rich, He may not be able to see the few poor, whom He brings up in safe keeping in the bosom of the Catholic Church? His eyelids question the sons of men. Here by that rule I would wish to take the sons of men visitest him?" and Psalm 9:20, § 19, on the words, "Let the heathen know that they are men."}--> of those that from old men have been regenerated by faith. For these, by certain obscure passages of Scripture, as it were the closed eyes of God, are exercised that they may seek: and again, by certain clear passages, as it were the open eyes of God, are enlightened that they may rejoice. And this frequent closing and opening in the holy Books are as it were the eyelids of God; which question, that is, which try the sons of men; who are neither wearied with the obscurity of the matter, but exercised; nor puffed up by knowledge, but confirmed.

9. The Lord questions the righteous and ungodly Psalm 10:5. Why then do we fear lest the ungodly should be any hurt to us, if so be they do with insincere heart share the sacraments with us, seeing that He questions the righteous and the ungodly. But whoever loves iniquity, hates his own soul: that is, not him who believes God, and puts not his hope in man, but only his own soul does the lover of iniquity hurt.

10. He shall rain snares upon the sinners Psalm 10:6. If by clouds are understood prophets generally, whether good or bad, who are also called false prophets: false prophets are so ordered by the Lord God, that by them He may rain snares upon sinners. Matthew 24:24 For no one, but the sinner, falls into a following of them, whether by way of preparation for the last punishment, if he shall choose to persevere in sin; or to dissuade from pride, if in time he shall come to seek God with a more sincere intent. But if by clouds are understood good and true prophets only; by these too it is clear that God rains snares upon sinners, although by them He waters also the godly unto fruitfulness. To some, says the Apostle, we are the savour of life unto life; to some the savour of death unto death. 2 Corinthians 2:16 For not prophets only, but all who with the word of God water souls, may be called clouds. Who when they are understood amiss, God rains snares upon sinners; but when they are understood aright, He makes the hearts of the godly and believing fruitful. As, for instance, the passage, and they two shall be in one flesh, Ephesians 5:31 if one interpret it with an eye to lust, He rains a snare upon the sinner. But if you understand it, as he who says, But I speak concerning Christ and the Church, Ephesians 5:32 He rains a shower on the fertile soil. Now both are effected by the same cloud, that is, holy Scripture. Again the Lord says, Not that which goes into your mouth defiles you, but that which comes out. Matthew 15:11 The sinner hears this, and makes ready his palate for gluttony: the righteous hears it, and is guarded against the superstitious distinction in meats. Here then also out of the same cloud of Scripture, according to the several desert of each, upon the sinner the rain of snares, upon the righteous the rain of fruitfulness, is poured.

11. Fire and brimstone and the blast of the tempest is the portion of their cup. This is their punishment and end, by whom the name of God is blasphemed; that first they should be wasted by the fire of their own lusts, then by the ill savour of their evil deeds cast off from the company of the blessed, at last carried away and overwhelmed suffer penalties unspeakable. For this is the portion of their cup: as of the righteous, Your cup inebriating how excellent is it! For they shall be inebriated with the richness of Your house. Now I suppose a cup is mentioned for this reason, that we should not suppose that anything is done by God's providence, even in the very punishments of sinners, beyond moderation and measure. And therefore as if he were giving a reason why this should be, he added, For the Lord is righteous, and has loved righteousnesses Psalm 10:7. The plural not without meaning, but only because he speaks of men, is as that righteousnesses be understood to be used for righteous men. For in many righteous men there seem, so to say, to be righteousnesses, whereas there is one only righteousness of God whereof they all participate. Like as when one face looks upon many mirrors, what in it is one only, is by those many mirrors reflected manifoldly. Wherefore he recurs to the singular, saying, His face has seen equity. Perhaps, His face has seen equity, is as if it were said, Equity has been seen in His face, that is, in knowledge of Him. For God's face is the power by which He is made known to them that are worthy. Or at least, His face has seen equity, because He does not allow Himself to be known by the evil, but by the good; and this is equity.

12. But if any one would understand the moon of the synagogue, let him refer the Psalm to the Lord's passion, and of the Jews say, For they have destroyed what You have perfected; and of the Lord Himself, But what has the Just done? whom they accused as the destroyer of the Law: whose precepts, by their corrupt living, and by despising them, and by setting up their own, they had destroyed, so that the Lord Himself may speak as Man, as He is wont, saying, In the Lord I trust; how say ye to my soul, Remove into the mountains as a sparrow? by reason, that is, of the fear of those who desire to apprehend and crucify Him. Since the interpretation is not unreasonable of sinners wishing to shoot at the upright in heart, that is, those who believed in Christ, in the obscure moon, that is, the Synagogue filled with sinners. To this too the words, The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord, His seat is in heaven, are suitable; that is, the Word in Man, or the very Son of Man who is in heaven. John 3:13 His eyes look upon the poor; either on to Him whom He assumed as God, or for whom He suffered as Man. His eyelids question the sons of men. The closing and opening of the eyes, which is probably meant by the word eyelids, we may take to be His death and resurrection, whereby He tried the sons of men His disciples, terrified at His passion, and gladdened by the resurrection. The Lord questions the righteous and ungodly, even now from out of Heaven governing the Church. But whoever loves iniquity, hates his own soul. Why it is so, what follows teaches us. For He shall rain snares upon the sinners: which is to be taken according to the exposition above given, and so on with all the rest to the end of the Psalm.

[Stone]

Exposition on Psalm 12
Taken from here.

To the end, for the eighth, a psalm of David.

1. It has been said on the sixth Psalm, that the eighth may be taken as the day of judgment. For the eighth may also be taken for the eternal age; for that after the time present, which is a cycle of seven days, it shall be given to the Saints.

2. Save me, O Lord, for the holy has failed; that is, is not found: as we speak when we say, Grain fails, or, Money fails. For the truths have been minished from among the sons of men Psalm 11:1. The truth is one, whereby holy souls are enlightened: but forasmuch as there are many souls, there may be said in them to be many truths: as in mirrors there are seen many reflections from one face.

3. He has talked vanity each man to his neighbour Psalm 11:2. By neighbour we must understand every man: for that there is no one with whom we should work evil; and the love of our neighbour works no evil. Romans 13:10 Deceitful lips, with a heart and a heart they have spoken evil things. The repetition, with a heart and a heart, signifies a double heart.

4. May the Lord destroy all deceitful lips Psalm 11:3. He says all, that no one may suppose himself excepted: as the Apostle says, Upon every soul of man that does evil, of the Jew first, and of the Greek. Romans 2:9 The tongue speaking great things: the proud tongue.

5. Who have said, We will magnify our tongue, our lips are our own, who is Lord over us? Psalm 11:4. Proud hypocrites are meant, putting confidence in their speech to deceive men, and not submitting themselves to God.

6. Because of the wretchedness of the needy and the sighing of the poor, now I will arise, says the Lord Psalm 11:5. For so the Lord Himself in the Gospel pitied His people, because they had no ruler, when they could well obey. Whence too it is said in the Gospel, The harvest is plenteous, but the labourers are few. Matthew 9:37 But this must be taken as spoken in the person of God the Father, who, because of the needy and the poor, that is, who in need and poverty were lacking spiritual good things, vouchsafed to send His own Son. From thence begins His sermon on the mount to Matthew, where He says, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3 I will place in salvation. He does not say what He would place: but, in salvation, must be understood as, in Christ; according to that, For my eyes have seen Your salvation. Luke 2:30 And hence He is understood to have placed in Him what appertains to the taking away the wretchedness of the needy, and the comforting the sighing of the poor. I will deal confidently in Him: according to that in the Gospel, For He taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes. Matthew 7:29

7. The words of the Lord are pure words Psalm 11:6. This is in the person of the Prophet himself, The words of the Lord are pure words. He says pure, without the alloy of pretence. For many preach the truth impurely; Philippians 1:16 for they sell it for the bribe of the advantages of this life. Of such the Apostle says, that they declared Christ not purely. Silver tried by the fire for the earth. These words of the Lord by means of tribulations approved to sinners. Purified seven times: by the fear of God, by godliness, by knowledge, by might, by counsel, by understanding, by wisdom. Isaiah 11:2 For seven steps also of beatitude there are, which the Lord goes over, according to Matthew, in the same sermon which He spoke on the Mount, Blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed the meek, blessed they that mourn, blessed they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, blessed the merciful, blessed the pure in heart, blessed the peacemakers. Matthew 5:3-9 Of which seven sentences, it may be observed how all that long sermon was spoken. For the eighth where it is said, Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousness' sake, Matthew 5:10 denotes the fire itself, whereby the silver is proved seven times. And at the termination of this sermon it is said, For He taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes. Matthew 7:29 Which refers to that which is said in this Psalm, I deal confidently in Him.

8. You, O Lord, shall preserve us, and keep us from this generation to eternity Psalm 11:7: here as needy and poor, there as wealthy and rich.

9. The ungodly walk in a circle round about Psalm 11:8: that is, in the desire of things temporal, which revolves as a wheel in a repeated circle of seven days; and therefore they do not arrive at the eighth, that is, at eternity, for which this Psalm is entitled. So too it is said by Solomon, For the wise king is the winnower of the ungodly, and he brings on them the wheel of the wicked.— After Your height You have multiplied the sons of men. For there is in temporal things too a multiplication, which turns away from the unity of God. Hence the corruptible body weighs down the soul, and the earthy tabernacle presses down the mind that muses upon many things. Wisdom 9:15 But the righteous are multiplied after the height of God, when they shall go from strength to strength."

[Stone]

Exposition on Psalm 13
Taken from here.

Unto the end, a psalm of David.

1. For Christ is the end of the law to every one that believes. Romans 10:4 How long, O Lord, will You forget me unto the end? Psalm 12:1 that is, put me off as to spiritually understanding Christ, who is the Wisdom of God, and the true end of all the aim of the soul. How long will You turn away Your face from me? As God does not forget, so neither does He turn His face away: but Scripture speaks after our manner. Now God is said to turn away His face, when He does not give to the soul, which as yet has not the pure eye of the mind, the knowledge of Himself.

2. How long shall I place counsel in my soul? Psalm 12:2. There is no need of counsel but in adversity. Therefore How long shall I place counsel in my soul? is as if it were said, How long shall I be in adversity? Or at least it is an answer, so that the meaning is this, So long, O Lord, will You forget me to the end, and so long turn away Your face from me, until I shall place counsel in my own soul: so that except a man place counsel in his own soul to work mercy perfectly, God will not direct him to the end, nor give him that full knowledge of Himself, which is face to face. Sorrow in my heart through the day? How long shall I have, is understood. And through the day signifies continuance, so that day is taken for time: from which as each one longs to be free, he has sorrow in his heart, making entreaty to rise to things eternal, and not endure man's day.

3. How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? either the devil, or carnal habit.

4. Look on me, and hear me, O Lord my God Psalm 12:3. Look on me, refers to what was said, How long dost Thou turn away Your face from me. Hear, refers to what was said, How long will You forget me to the end? Lighten my eyes, that I sleep not in death. The eyes of the heart must be understood, that they be not closed by the pleasurable eclipse of sin.

5. Lest at any time mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him Psalm 12:4. The devil's mockery is to be feared. They that trouble me will exult, if I be moved; the devil and his angels; who exulted not over that righteous man, Job, when they troubled him; because he was not moved, that is, did not draw back from the steadfastness of his faith. Job 2:3

6. But I have hoped in Your mercy Psalm 12:5. Because this very thing, that a man be not moved, and that he abide fixed in the Lord, he should not attribute to self: lest when he glories that he has not been moved, he be moved by this very pride. My heart shall exult in Your salvation; in Christ, in the Wisdom of God. I will sing to the Lord who has given me good things; spiritual good things, not belonging to man's day. And I will chant to the name of the Lord most high Psalm 12:6; that is, I give thanks with joy, and in most due order employ my body, which is the song of the spiritual soul. But if any distinction is to be marked here, I will sing with the heart, I will chant with my works; to the Lord, that which He alone sees, but to the name of the Lord, that which is known among men, which is serviceable not for Him, but for us.

[Stone]

Exposition on Psalm 14
Taken from here.

To the end, a psalm of David himself.

1. What to the end means, must not be too often repeated. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes; Romans 10:4 as the Apostle says. We believe in Him, when we begin to enter on the good road: we shall see Him, when we shall get to the end. And therefore is He the end.

2. The fool has said in his heart, There is no God Psalm 13:1. For not even have certain sacrilegious and abominable philosophers, who entertain perverse and false notions of God, dared to say, There is no God. Therefore it is, has said in his heart; for that no one dares to say it, even if he has dared to think it. They are corrupt, and become abominable in their affections: that is, while they love this world and love not God; these are the affections which corrupt the soul, and so blind it, that the fool can even say, in his heart, There is no God. For as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind. Romans 1:28 There is none that does goodness, no not up to one. Up to one, can be understood either with that one, so that no man be understood: or besides one, that the Lord Christ may be excepted. As we say, This field is up to the sea; we do not of course reckon the sea together with the field. And this is the better interpretation, so that none be understood to have done goodness up to Christ; for that no man can do goodness, except He shall have shown it. And that is true; for until a man know the one God, he cannot do goodness.

3. The Lord from heaven looked out upon the sons of men, to see if there be one understanding, or seeking after God Psalm 13:2. It may be interpreted, upon the Jews; as he may have given them the more honourable name of the sons of men, by reason of their worship of the One God, in comparison with the Gentiles; of whom I suppose it was said above, The fool has said in his heart, There is no God, etc. Now the Lord looks out, that He may see, by His holy souls: which is the meaning of, from heaven. For by Himself nothing is hid from Him.

4. All have gone out of the way, they have together become useless: that is, the Jews have become as the Gentiles, who were spoken of above. There is none that does good, no not up to one Psalm 13:3, must be interpreted as above. Their throat is an open sepulchre. Either the voracity of the ever open palate is signified: or allegorically those who slay, and as it were devour those they have slain, into whom they instil the disorder of their own conversation. Like to which with the contrary meaning is that which was said to Peter, Kill and eat; Acts 10:13 that he should convert the Gentiles to his own faith and good conversation. With their tongues they have dealt craftily. Flattery is the companion of the greedy and of all bad men. The poison of asps is under their lips. By poison, he means deceit; and of asps, because they will not hear the precepts of the law, as asps will not hear the voice of the charmer; which is said more clearly in another Psalm. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: this is, the poison of asps. Their feet are swift to shed blood. He here shows forth the habit of ill doing. Destruction and unhappiness are in their ways. For all the ways of evil men are full of toil and misery. Hence the Lord cries out, Come unto Me, all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart. For My yoke is easy and My burden light. Matthew 11:28-30 And the way of peace have they not known: that way, namely, which the Lord, as I said, mentions, in the easy yoke and light burden. There is no fear of God before their eyes. These do not say, There is no God; but yet they do not fear God.

5. Shall not all, who work iniquity, know? Psalm 13:4. He threatens the judgment. Who devour My people as the food of bread: that is, daily. For the food of bread is daily food. Now they devour the people, who serve their own ends out of them, not referring their ministry to the glory of God, and the salvation of those over whom they are.

6. They have not called upon the Lord. For he does not really call upon Him, who longs for such things as are displeasing to Him. There they trembled for fear, where no fear was Psalm 13:5: that is, for the loss of things temporal. For they said, If we let Him thus alone, all men will believe in Him; and the Romans will come, and take away both our place and nation. John 11:48 They feared to lose an earthly kingdom, where no fear was; and they lost the kingdom of heaven, which they ought to have feared. And this must be understood of all temporal goods, the loss of which when men fear, they come not to things eternal.

7. For God is in the just generation. It refers to what went before, so that the sense is, shall not all they that work iniquity know that the Lord is in the just generation; that is, He is not in them who love the world. For it is unjust to leave the Maker of the worlds, and serve the creature more than the Creator. Romans 1:25 You have shamed the counsel of the poor, for the Lord is his hope Psalm 13:6: that is, you have despised the humble coming of the Son of God, because ye saw not in Him the pomp of the world: that they, whom he was calling, should put their hope in God alone, not in the things that pass away.

8. Who will give salvation to Israel out of Sion? Psalm 13:7. Who but He whose humiliation you have despised? Is understood. For He will come in glory to the judgment of the quick and the dead, and the kingdom of the just: that, forasmuch as in that humble coming blindness has happened in part unto Israel, that the fullness of the Gentiles might enter in, Romans 11:25 in that other should happen what follows, and so all Israel should be saved. For the Apostle too takes that testimony of Isaiah, where it is said, There shall come out of Sion He who shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: Isaiah 59:20 for the Jews, as it is here, Who shall give salvation to Israel out of Sion? When the Lord shall turn away the captivity of His people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad. It is a repetition, as is usual: for I suppose, Israel shall be glad, is the same as, Jacob shall rejoice.

[Stone]

Exposition on Psalm 15
Taken from here.

A psalm of David himself.

1. Touching this title there is no question. O Lord who shall sojourn in Your tabernacle? Psalm 14:1. Although tabernacle be sometimes used even for an everlasting habitation: yet when tabernacle is taken in its proper meaning, it is a thing of war. Hence soldiers are called tent-fellows, as having their tents together. This sense is assisted by the words, Who shall sojourn? For we war with the devil for a time, and then we need a tabernacle wherein we may refresh ourselves. Which specially points out the faith of the temporal Dispensation, which was wrought for us in time through the Incarnation of the Lord. And who shall rest in Your holy mountain? Here perhaps he signifies at once the eternal habitation itself, 2 Corinthians 5:1-2 that we should understand by mountain the supereminence of the love of Christ in life eternal.

2. He who walks without stain, and works righteousness Psalm 14:2. Here he has laid down the proposition; in what follows he sets it forth in detail.

3. Who speaks the truth in his heart. For some have truth on their lips, and not in their heart. As if one should deceitfully point out a road, knowing that there were robbers there, and should say, If you go this way, you will be safe from robbers; and it should turn out that in fact there were no robbers found there: he has spoken the truth, but not in his heart. For he supposed it to be otherwise, and spoke the truth in ignorance. Therefore it is not enough to speak the truth, unless it be so also in heart. Who has practised no deceit in his tongue Psalm 14:3. Deceit is practised with the tongue, when one thing is professed with the mouth, another concealed in the breast. Nor done evil to his neighbour. It is well known that by neighbour, every man should be understood. And has not entertained slander against his neighbour, that is, has not readily or rashly given credence to an accuser.

4. The malicious one has been brought to nought in his sight Psalm 14:4. This is perfection, that the malicious one have no force against a man; and that this be in his sight; that is, that he know most surely that the malicious is not, save when the mind turns itself away from the eternal and immutable form of her own Creator to the form of the creature, which was made out of nothing. But those that fear the Lord, He glorifies: the Lord Himself, that is. Now the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. As then the things above belong to the perfect, so what he is now going to say belongs to beginners.

5. Who swears unto his neighbour, and deceives him not. Who has not given his money upon usury, and has not taken rewards against the innocent Psalm 14:5. These are no great things: but he who is not able to do even this, much less able is he to speak the truth in his heart, and to practise no deceit in his tongue, but as the truth is in the heart, so to profess and have it in his mouth, yea, yea; nay, nay; Matthew 5:37 and to do no evil to his neighbour, that is, to any man; and to entertain no slander against his neighbour: all which are the virtues of the perfect, in whose sight the malicious one has been brought to nought. Yet he concludes even these lesser things thus, Whoever does these things shall not be moved for ever: that is, he shall attain unto those greater things, wherein is great and unshaken stability. For even the very tenses are, perhaps not without cause, so varied, as that in the conclusion above the past tense should be used, but in this the future. For there it was said, The malicious one has been brought to nought in his sight: but here, shall not be moved forever.

[Stone]

Exposition on Psalm 16
Taken from here.

The inscription of the title, of David himself.

1. Our King in this Psalm speaks in the character of the human nature He assumed, of whom the royal title at the time of His passion was eminently set forth.

2. Now He says as follows; Preserve me, O Lord, for in You have I hoped Psalm 15:1: I have said to the Lord, You are my God, for You require not my goods Psalm 15:2: for with my goods Thou dost not look to be made blessed.

3. To the saints who are on His earth Psalm 15:3: to the saints who have placed their hope in the land of the living, the citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem, whose spiritual conversation is, by the anchor of hope, fixed in that country, which is rightly called God's earth; although as yet in this earth too they be conversant in the flesh. He has wonderfully fulfilled all My wishes in them. To those saints then He has wonderfully fulfilled all My wishes in their advancement, whereby they have perceived, how both the humanity of My divinity has profited them that I might die, and the divinity of the humanity that I might rise again.

4. Their infirmities have been multiplied Psalm 15:4: their infirmities have been multiplied not for their destruction, but that they might long for the Physician. Afterwards they made haste. Accordingly after infirmities multiplied they made haste, that they might be healed. I will not gather together their assemblies by blood. For their assemblies shall not be carnal, nor will I gather them together as one propitiated by the blood of cattle. Isaiah 1:11-12 Nor will I be mindful of their names within My lips. But by a spiritual change what they have been shall be forgotten; nor by Me shall they be any more called either sinners, or enemies, or men; but righteous, and My brethren, and sons of God through My peace.

5. The Lord is the portion of Mine inheritance, and of My cup Psalm 15:5. For together with Me they shall possess the inheritance, the Lord Himself. Let others choose for themselves portions, earthly and temporal, to enjoy: the portion of the Saints is the Lord eternal. Let others drink of deadly pleasures, the portion of My cup is the Lord. In that I say, Mine, I include the Church: for where the Head is, there is the body also. For into the inheritance will I gather together their assemblies, and by the inebriation of the cup I will forget their old names. You are He who will restore to Me My inheritance: that to these too, whom I free, may be known the glory wherein I was with You before the world was made. John 17:5 For You will not restore to Me that which I never lost, but You will restore to these, who have lost it, the knowledge of that glory: in whom because I am, You will restore to Me.

6. The lines have fallen to me in glorious places Psalm 15:6. The boundaries of my possession have fallen in Your glory as it were by lot, like as God is the possession of the Priests and Levites. Numbers 18:20 For Mine inheritance is glorious to Me. For Mine inheritance is glorious, not to all, but to them that see; in whom because I am, it is to Me.

7. I will bless the Lord, who has given Me understanding Psalm 15:7: whereby this inheritance may be seen and possessed. Yea moreover too even unto night my reins have chastened Me. Yea besides understanding, even unto death, My inferior part, the assumption of flesh, has instructed Me, that I might experience the darkness of mortality, which that understanding has not.

8. I foresaw the Lord in My sight always Psalm 15:8. But coming into things that pass away, I removed not My eye from Him who abides ever, foreseeing this, that to Him I should return after passing through the things temporal. For He is on My right hand, that I should not be moved. For He favours Me, that I should abide fixedly in Him.

9. Wherefore My heart was glad, and My tongue exulted Psalm 15:9. Wherefore both in My thoughts is gladness, and in my words exultation. Moreover too My flesh shall rest in hope. Moreover too My flesh shall not fail unto destruction, but shall sleep in hope of the resurrection.

10. For You will not leave My soul in hell Psalm 15:10. For You will neither give My soul for a possession to those parts below. Neither will You grant Your Holy One to see corruption. Neither will You suffer that sanctified body, whereby others are to be also sanctified, to see corruption. You have made known to Me the paths of life Psalm 15:11. You have made known through Me the paths of humiliation, that men might return to life, from whence they fell through pride; in whom because I am, You have made known to Me. You will fill Me with joy with Your countenance. You will fill them with joy, that they should seek nothing further, when they shall see You face to face; in whom because I am, You will fill Me. Pleasure is at Your right hand even to the end. Pleasure is in Your favour and mercy in this life's journey, leading on even to the end of the glory of Your countenance.

[Stone]

Exposition on Psalm 17
Taken from here.

A prayer of David himself.

1. This prayer must be assigned to the Person of the Lord, with the addition of the Church, which is His body.

2. Hear My righteousness, O God, consider My supplication Psalm 16:1. Hearken unto My prayer, not in deceitful lips: not going forth to You in deceitful lips. Let My judgment from Your countenance go forth Psalm 16:2. From the enlightening of the knowledge of You, let Me judge truth. Or at least, let My judgment go forth, not in deceitful lips, from Your countenance, that is, that I may not in judging utter anything else than I understand in You. Let My eyes see equity: the eyes, of course, of the heart.

3. You have proved and visited Mine heart in the night-season Psalm 16:3. For this Mine heart has been proved by the visitation of tribulation. You have examined Me by fire, and iniquity has not been found in Me. Now not night only, in that it is wont to disturb, but fire also, in that it burns, is this tribulation to be called; whereby when I was examined I was found righteous.

4. That My mouth may not speak the works of men Psalm 16:4. That nothing may proceed out of My mouth, but what relates to Your glory and praise; not to the works of men, which they do beside Your will. Because of the words of Your lips. Because of the words of Your peace, or of Your prophets. I have kept hard ways. I have kept the toilsome ways of human mortality and suffering.

5. To perfect My steps in Your paths Psalm 16:5. That the love of the Church might be perfected in the strait ways, whereby she arrives at Your rest. That My footsteps be not moved. That the signs of My way, which, like footsteps, have been imprinted on the Sacraments and Apostolical writings, be not moved, that they may mark them who would follow Me. Or at least, that I may still abide fixedly in eternity, after that I have accomplished the hard ways, and have finished My steps in the straits of Your paths.

6. I have cried out, for You have heard Me, O God Psalm 16:6. With a free and strong effort have I directed My prayers unto You: for that I might have this power, You have heard Me when praying more weakly. Incline Your ear to Me, and hear My words. Let not Your hearing forsake My humiliation.

7. Make Your mercies marvellous Psalm 16:7. Let not Your mercies be disesteemed, lest they be loved too little.

8. Who savest them that hope in You from such as resist Your right hand: from such as resist the favour, whereby You favour Me. Keep Me, O Lord, as the apple of Your eye Psalm 16:8: which seems very little and minute: yet by it is the sight of the eye directed, whereby the light is distinguished from the darkness; as by Christ's humanity, the divinity of the Judgment distinguishing between the righteous and sinners. In the covering of Your wings protect Me. In the defense of Your love and mercy protect Me. From the face of the ungodly who have troubled Me Psalm 16:9.

9. Mine enemies have compassed about My soul; they have shut up their own fat Psalm 16:10. They have been covered with their own gross joy, after that their desire has been satiated with wickedness. Their mouth has spoken pride. And therefore their mouth spoke pride, in saying, Hail, King of the Jews, Matthew 27:29 and other like words.

10. Casting Me forth they have now compassed Me about Psalm 16:11. Casting Me forth outside the city, they have now compassed Me about on the Cross. Their eyes they have determined to turn down on the earth. The bent of their heart they have determined to turn down on these earthly things: deeming Him, who was slain, to endure a mighty evil, and themselves, that slew Him, none.

11. As a lion ready for prey, have they taken Me Psalm 16:12. They have taken Me, like that adversary who walks about, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8 And as a lion's cub dwelling in secret places. And as his cub, the people to whom it was said, You are of your father the devil: John 8:44 meditating on the snares, whereby they might circumvent and destroy the just One.

12. Arise, O Lord, prevent them, and cast them down Psalm 16:13. Arise, O Lord, Thou whom they suppose to be asleep, and regardless of men's iniquities; be they blinded before by their own malice, that vengeance may prevent their deed; and so cast them down.

13. Deliver My soul from the ungodly. Deliver My soul, by restoring Me after the death, which the ungodly have inflicted on Me. Your weapon: from the enemies of Your hand Psalm 16:14. For My soul is Your weapon, which Your hand, that is, Your eternal Power, has taken to subdue thereby the kingdoms of iniquity, and divide the righteous from the ungodly. This weapon then deliver from the enemies of Your hand, that is, of Your Power, that is, from Mine enemies. Destroy them, O Lord, from off the earth, scatter them in their life. O Lord, destroy them from off the earth, which they inhabit, scatter them throughout the world in this life, which only they think their life, who despair of life eternal. And by Your hidden things their belly has been filled. Now not only this visible punishment shall overtake them, but also their memory has been filled with sins, which as darkness are hidden from the light of Your truth, that they should forget God. They have been filled with swine's flesh. They have been filled with uncleanness, treading under foot the pearls of God's words. And they have left the rest to their babes: crying out, This sin be upon us and upon our children. Matthew 27:25

14. But I shall appear in Your righteousness in Your sight Psalm 16:15. But I, Who have not appeared to them that, with their filthy and darkened heart, cannot see the light of wisdom, I shall appear in Your righteousness in Your sight.

I shall be satiated, when Your glory shall be manifested. And when they have been satiated with their uncleanness, that they could not know Me, I shall be satiated, when Your glory shall be manifested, in them that know Me. In that verse indeed where it is said, filled with swine's flesh, some copies have, filled with children: for from the ambiguity of the Greek a double interpretation has resulted. Now by children we understand works; and as by good children, good works, so by evil, evil.

[Stone]

Exposition on Psalm 18
Taken from here.

To the end, for the servant of the Lord, David himself.

1. That is, for the strong of hand, Christ in His Manhood. The words of this song which he spoke to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him out of the hands of his enemies, and of the hand of Saul; and he said, On the day when the Lord delivered him out of the hands of his enemies and of the hand of Saul: namely, the king of the Jews, whom they had demanded for themselves. 1 Samuel 8:5 For as David is said to be by interpretation, strong of hand; so Saul is said to be demanding. Now it is well known, how that People demanded for themselves a king, and received him for their king, not according to the will of God, but according to their own will.

2. Christ, then, and the Church, that is, whole Christ, the Head and the Body, says here, I will love You, O Lord, My strength Psalm 17:1. I will love You, O Lord, by whom I am strong.

3. O Lord, My stay, and My refuge, and My deliverer Psalm 17:2. O Lord, who hast stayed Me, because I sought refuge with You: and I sought refuge, because You have delivered Me. My God is My helper; and I will hope in Him. My God, who hast first afforded me the help of Your call, that I might be able to hope in You. My defender, and the horn of My salvation, and My redeemer. My defender, because I have not leant upon Myself, lifting up as it were the horn of pride against You; but have found You a horn indeed, that is, the sure height of salvation: and that I might find it, You redeemed Me.

4. With praise will I call upon the Lord, and I shall be safe from Mine enemies Psalm 17:3. Seeking not My own but the Lord's glory, I will call upon Him, and there shall be no means whereby the errors of ungodliness can hurt Me.

5. The pains of death, that is, of the flesh, have compassed Me about. And the overflowings of ungodliness have troubled Me Psalm 17:4. Ungodly troubles stirred up for a time, like torrents of rain which will soon subside, have come on to trouble Me.

6. The pains of hell compassed Me about Psalm 17:5. Among those that compassed Me about to destroy Me, were pains of envy, which work death, and lead on to the hell of sin. The snares of death prevented Me. They prevented Me, so that they wished to hurt Me first, which shall afterwards be recompensed unto them. Now they seize unto destruction such men as they have evilly persuaded by the boast of righteousness: in the name but not in the reality of which they glory against the Gentiles.

7. And in Mine oppression I called upon the Lord, and cried unto My God. And He heard My voice from His holy temple Psalm 17:6. He heard from My heart, wherein He dwells, My voice. And My cry in His sight entered into His ears; and My cry, which I utter, not in the ears of men, but inwardly before Him Himself, entered into His ears.

8. And the earth was moved and trembled Psalm 17:7. When the Son of Man was thus glorified, sinners were moved and trembled. And the foundations of the mountains were troubled. And the hopes of the proud, which were in this life, were troubled. And were moved, for God was angry with them. That is, that the hope of temporal goods might have now no more establishment in the hearts of men.

9. There went up smoke in His wrath Psalm 17:8. The tearful supplication of penitents went up, when they came to know God's threatenings against the ungodly. And fire burns from His face. And the ardour of love after repentance burns by the knowledge of Him. Coals were kindled from Him. They, who were already dead, abandoned by the fire of good desire and the light of righteousness, and who remained in coldness and darkness, re-enkindled and enlightened, have come to life again.

10. And He bowed the heaven, and came down Psalm 17:9. And He humbled the just One, that He might descend to men's infirmity. And darkness under His feet. And the ungodly, who savour of things earthly, in the darkness of their own malice, knew not Him: for the earth under His feet is as it were His footstool.

11. And He mounted above the cherubim, and did fly Psalm 17:10. And He was exalted above the fullness of knowledge, that no man should come to Him but by love: for love is the fulfilling of the law. Romans 13:10 And full soon He showed to His lovers that He is incomprehensible, lest they should suppose that He is comprehended by corporeal imaginations. He flew above the wings of the winds. But that swiftness, whereby He showed Himself to be incomprehensible, is above the powers of souls, whereon as upon wings they raise themselves from earthly fears into the air of liberty.

12. And has made darkness His hiding place Psalm 17:11. And has settled the obscurity of the Sacraments, and the hidden hope in the heart of believers, where He may lie hidden, and not abandon them. In this darkness too, wherein we yet walk by faith, and not by sight, 2 Corinthians 5:7 as long as we hope for what we see not, and with patience wait for it. Romans 8:25 Round about Him is His tabernacle. Yet they that believe Him turn to Him and encircle Him; for that He is in the midst of them, since He is equally the friend of all, in whom as in a tabernacle He at this time dwells. Dark water in clouds of air. Nor let any one on this account, if he understand the Scripture, imagine that he is already in that light, which will be when we shall have come out of faith into sight: for in the prophets and in all the preachers of the word of God there is obscure teaching.

13. In respect of the brightness in His sight Psalm 17:12: in comparison with the brightness, which is in the sight of His manifestation. His clouds have passed over. The preachers of His word are not now bounded by the confines of Judæa, but have passed over to the Gentiles. Hail and coals of fire. Reproofs are figured, whereby, as by hail, the hard hearts are bruised: but if a cultivated and genial soil, that is, a godly mind, receive them, the hail's hardness dissolves into water, that is, the terror of the lightning-charged, and as it were frozen, reproof dissolves into satisfying doctrine; and hearts kindled by the fire of love revive. All these things in His clouds have passed over to the Gentiles.

14. And the Lord has thundered from heaven Psalm 17:13. And in confidence of the Gospel the Lord has sounded forth from the heart of the just One. And the Highest gave His voice; that we might entertain it, and in the depth of human things, might hear things heavenly.

15. And He sent out His arrows, and scattered them Psalm 17:14. And He sent out Evangelists traversing straight paths on the wings of strength, not in their own power, but His by whom they were sent. And He scattered them, to whom they were sent, that to some of them they should be the savour of life unto life, to others the savour of death unto death. 2 Corinthians 2:16 And He multiplied lightnings, and troubled them. And He multiplied miracles, and troubled them.

16. And the fountains of water were seen. And the fountains of water springing up into everlasting life, John 4:14 which were made in the preachers, were seen. And the foundations of the round world were revealed Psalm 17:15. And the Prophets, who were not understood, and upon whom was to be built the world of believers in the Lord, were revealed. At Your chiding, O Lord: crying out, The kingdom of God has come near unto you. Luke 10:9 At the blasting of the breath of Your displeasure; saying, Unless you repent, you shall all likewise perish. Luke 13:5

17. He has sent down from on high, and has fetched Me Psalm 17:16: by calling out of the Gentiles for an inheritance a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle. Ephesians 5:27 He has taken Me out of the multitude of waters. He has taken Me out of the multitude of peoples.

18. He has delivered Me from My strongest enemies Psalm 17:17. He has delivered Me from Mine enemies, who prevailed to the afflicting and overturning of this temporal life of Mine. And from them which hate Me; for they are too strong for Me: as long as I am under them knowing not God.

19. They have prevented Me in the day of My affliction Psalm 17:18. They have first injured Me, in the time when I am bearing a mortal and toilsome body. And the Lord has become My stay. And since the stay of earthly pleasure was disturbed and torn up by the bitterness of misery, the Lord has become My stay.

20. And has brought Me forth into a broad place Psalm 17:19. And since I was enduring the straits of the flesh, He brought Me forth into the spiritual breadth of faith. He has delivered Me, because He desired Me. Before that I desired Him, He delivered Me from My most powerful enemies (who were envious of Me when I once desired Him), and from them that hated Me, because I do desire Him.

21. And the Lord shall reward Me according to My righteousness Psalm 17:20. And the Lord shall reward Me according to the righteousness of My good will, who first showed mercy, before that I had the good will. And according to the cleanness of My hands He will recompense Me. And according to the cleanness of My deeds He will recompense Me, who has given Me to do well by bringing Me forth into the broad place of faith.

22. Because I have kept the ways of the Lord Psalm 17:21. That the breadth of good works, that are by faith, and the long-suffering of perseverance should follow after.

23. Nor have I walked impiously apart from My God. For all His judgments are in My sight Psalm 17:22. For with persevering contemplation I weigh all His judgments, that is, the rewards of the righteous, and the punishments of the ungodly, and the scourges of such as are to be chastened, and the trials of such as are to be proved. And I have not cast out His righteousness from Me: as they do that faint under their burden of them, and return to their own vomit.

24. And I shall be undefiled with Him, and I shall keep Myself from Mine iniquity Psalm 17:23.

25. And the Lord shall reward Me according to My righteousness Psalm 17:24. Accordingly not only for the breadth of faith, which works by love; but also for the length of perseverance, will the Lord reward Me according to My righteousness. And according to the cleanness of My hands in the sight of His eyes. Not as men see, but in the sight of His eyes. For the things that are seen are temporal; but the things that are not seen are eternal: 2 Corinthians 4:18 whereto the height of hope appertains.

26. With the holy You shall be holy Psalm 17:25. There is a hidden depth also, wherein You are known to be holy with the holy, for that You make holy. And with the harmless You shall be harmless. For Thou harmest no man, but each one is bound by the bands of his own sins. Proverbs 5:22

27. And with the chosen You shall be chosen. Psalm 17:26. And by him whom You choose, You are chosen. And with the froward You shall be froward. And with the froward Thou seemest froward: for they say, The way of the Lord is not right: Ezekiel 18:25 and their way is not right.

28. For You will make whole the humble people Psalm 17:27. Now this seems froward to the froward, that You will make whole those who confess their sins. And You will humble the eyes of the proud. But them that are ignorant of God's righteousness, and seek to establish their own, Romans 10:3 You will humble.

29. For you will light My candle, O Lord Psalm 17:28. For our light is not from ourselves; but You will light my candle, O Lord. O my God, You will enlighten my darkness. For we through our sins are darkness; but You, O my God, will enlighten my darkness.

30. For by You shall I be delivered from temptation Psalm 17:29. For not by myself, but by You, shall I be delivered from temptation. And in my God shall I leap over the wall. And not in myself, but in my God shall I leap over the wall, which sin has raised between men and the heavenly Jerusalem.

31. My God, His way is undefiled Psalm 17:30. My God comes not unto men, except they shall have purified the way of faith, whereby He may come to them; for that His way is undefiled. The words of the Lord have been proved by fire. The words of the Lord are tried by the fire of tribulation. He is the Protector of them that hope in Him. And all that hope not in themselves, but in Him, are not consumed by that same tribulation. For hope follows faith.

32. For who is God, but the Lord? Psalm 17:31 whom we serve. And who God, but our God? And who is God, but the Lord? Whom after good service we sons shall possess as the hoped-for inheritance.

33. God, who has girded me with strength Psalm 17:32. God, who has girded me that I might be strong, lest the loosely flowing folds of desire hinder my deeds and steps. And has made my way undefiled. And has made the way of love, whereby I may come to Him, undefiled, as the way of faith is undefiled, whereby He comes to me.

34. Who has made my feet perfect like harts' feet Psalm 17:33. Who has made my love perfect to surmount the thorny and dark entanglements of this world. And will set me up on high. And will fix my aim on the heavenly habitation, that I may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:19

35. Who teaches my hands for battle Psalm 17:34. Who teaches me to work for the overthrow of mine enemies, who strive to shut the kingdom of heaven against us. And You have made mine arms as a bow of steel. And You have made my earnest striving after good works unwearied.

36. And You have given me the defense of my salvation, and Your right hand has held me up Psalm 17:35. And the favour of Your grace has held me up. And Your discipline has directed me to the end. And Your correction, not suffering me to wander from the way, has directed me that whatsoever I do, I refer to that end, whereby I may cleave to You. And this Your discipline, it shall teach me. And that same correction of Yours shall teach me to attain to that, whereunto it has directed me.

37. You have enlarged my steps under me Psalm 17:36. Nor shall the straits of the flesh hinder me; for You have enlarged my love, working in gladness even with these mortal things and members which are under me. And my footsteps have not been weakened. And either my goings, or the marks which I have imprinted for the imitation of those that follow, have not been weakened.

38. I will follow up mine enemies, and seize them Psalm 17:37. I will follow up my carnal affections, and will not be seized by them, but will seize them, so that they may be consumed. And I will not turn, till they fail. And from this purpose I will not turn myself to rest, till they fail who make a tumult about me.

39. I will break them, and they shall not be able to stand Psalm 17:38: and they shall not hold out against me. They shall fall under my feet. When they are cast down, I will place before me the loves whereby I walk for evermore.

40. And You have girded me with strength to the war Psalm 17:39. And the loose desires of my flesh have You bound up with strength, that in such a fight I may not be encumbered. You have supplanted under me them that rose up against me. You have caused them to be deceived, who followed upon me, that they should be brought under me, who desired to be over me.

41. And you have given mine enemies the back to me Psalm 17:40. And you have turned mine enemies, and hast made them to be a back to me, that is, to follow me. And You have destroyed them that hate me. But such other of them as have persisted in hatred, You have destroyed.

42. They have cried out, and there was none to save them Psalm 17:41. For who can save them, whom You would not save? To the Lord, and He did not hear them. Nor did they cry out to any chance one, but to the Lord: and He did not judge them worthy of being heard, who depart not from their wickedness.

43. And I will beat them as small as dust before the face of the wind Psalm 17:42. And I will beat them small; for dry they are, receiving not the shower of God's mercy; that borne aloft and puffed up with pride they may be hurried along from firm and unshaken hope, and as it were from the earth's solidity and stability. As the clay of the streets I will destroy them. In their wanton and loose course along the broad ways of perdition, which many walk, will I destroy them.

44. You will deliver Me from the contradictions of the people Psalm 17:43. You will deliver Me from the contradictions of them who said, If we send Him away, all the world will go after Him.

45. You shall make Me the head of the Gentiles. A people whom I have not known have served Me. The people of the Gentiles, whom in bodily presence I have not visited, have served Me. At the hearing of the ear they have obeyed Me Psalm 17:44. They have not seen Me with the eye: but, receiving my preachers, at the hearing of the ear they have obeyed Me.

46. The strange children have lied unto Me. Children, not to be called Mine, but rather strange children, to whom it is rightly said, You are of your father the devil, John 8:44 have lied unto Me. The strange children have waxen old Psalm 17:45. The strange children, to whom for their renovation I brought the new Testament, have remained in the old man. And they have halted from their own paths. And like those that are weak in one foot, for holding the old they have rejected the new Testament, they have become halt, even in their old Law, rather following their own traditions, than God's. For they brought frivolous charges of unwashen hands, Matthew 15:2 because such were the paths, which themselves had made and worn by long use, in wandering from the ways of God's commands.

47. The Lord lives, and blessed be my God. But to be carnally minded is death: Romans 8:6 for the Lord lives, and blessed be my God. And let the God of my salvation be exalted Psalm 17:46. And let me not think after an earthly fashion of the God of my salvation; nor look from Him for this earthly salvation, but that on high.

48. O God, who givest Me vengeance, and subduest the people under Me Psalm 17:47. O God, who avengest Me by subduing the people under Me. My Deliverer from My angry enemies: the Jews crying out, Crucify Him, Crucify Him. John 19:6

49. From them that rise up against Me You will exalt Me Psalm 17:48. From the Jews that rise up against Me in My passion, You will exalt Me in My resurrection. From the unjust man You will deliver Me. From their unjust rule You will deliver Me.

50. For this cause will I confess to You among the Gentiles, O Lord Psalm 17:49. For this cause shall the Gentiles confess to You through Me, O Lord. And I will sing unto Your Name. And You shall be more widely known by My good deeds.

51. Magnifying the salvation of His King Psalm 17:50. God, who magnifies, so as to make wonderful, the salvation, which His Son gives to believers. And showing mercy to His Christ: God, who shows mercy to His Christ: To David and to His seed for evermore: to the Deliverer Himself strong of hand, who has overcome this world; and to them whom, as believers in the Gospel, He has begotten for evermore. Whatever things are spoken in this Psalm which cannot apply to the Lord Himself personally, that is to the Head of the Church, must be referred to the Church. For whole Christ speaks here, in whom are all His members.

[Stone]

Exposition on Psalm 19
Taken from here.

To the end, a psalm of David himself.

1. It is a well-known title; nor does the Lord Jesus Christ say what follows, but it is said of Him.

2. The heavens tell out the glory of God Psalm 18:1. The righteous Evangelists, in whom, as in the heavens, God dwells, set forth the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, or the glory wherewith the Son glorified the Father upon earth. And the firmament shows forth the works of His hands. And the firmament shows forth the deeds of the Lord's power, that now made heaven by the assurance of the Holy Ghost, which before was earth by fear.

3. Day unto day utters word Psalm 18:2. To the spiritual the Spirit gives out the fullness of the unchangeable Wisdom of God, the Word which in the beginning is God with God. John 1:1 And night unto night announces knowledge. And to the fleshly, as to those afar off, the mortality of the flesh, by conveying faith, announces future knowledge.

4. There is no speech nor language, in which their voices are not heard Psalm 18:3. In which the voices of the Evangelists have not been heard, seeing that the Gospel was preached in every tongue.

5. Their sound is gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world Psalm 18:4.

6. In the sun has He set His tabernacle. Now that He might war against the powers of temporal error, the Lord, being about to send not peace but a sword on earth, Matthew 10:34 in time, or in manifestation, set so to say His military dwelling, that is, the dispensation of His incarnation. And He as a bridegroom coming forth out of His chamber Psalm 18:5. And He, coming forth out of the Virgin's womb, where God was united to man's nature as a bridegroom to a bride. Rejoiced as a giant to run His way. Rejoiced as One exceeding strong, and surpassing all other men in power incomparable, not to inhabit, but to run His way. For, He stood not in the way of sinners.

7. His going forth is from the highest heaven Psalm 18:6. From the Father is His going forth, not that in time, but from everlasting, whereby He was born of the Father. And His meeting is even to the height of heaven. And in the fullness of the Godhead He meets even to an equality with the Father. And there is none that may hide himself from His heat. But whereas, the Word was even made flesh, and dwelt in us, John 1:14 assuming our mortality, He permitted no man to excuse himself from the shadow of death; for the heat of the Word penetrated even it.

8. The law of the Lord is undefiled, converting souls Psalm 18:7. The law of the Lord, therefore, is Himself who came to fulfil the law, not to destroy it; Matthew 5:17 an undefiled law, Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth, 1 Peter 2:22 not oppressing souls with the yoke of bondage, but converting them to imitate Him in liberty. The testimony of the Lord is sure, giving wisdom to babes. The testimony of the Lord is sure; for, no man knows the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him, Matthew 11:27 which things have been hidden from the wise and revealed to babes; Luke 10:21 for, God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. James 4:6

9. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart Psalm 18:8. All the statutes of the Lord are right in Him who taught not what He did not; that they who should imitate Him might rejoice in heart, in those things which they should do freely with love, not slavishly with fear. The commandment of the Lord is lucid, enlightening the eyes. The commandment of the Lord is lucid, with no veil of carnal observances, enlightening the sight of the inner man.

10. The fear of the Lord is chaste, enduring for ever Psalm 18:9. The fear of the Lord; not that distressing fear under the law, dreading exceedingly the withdrawal of temporal goods, by the love of which the soul commits fornication; but that chaste fear wherewith the Church, the more ardently she loves her Spouse, the more carefully does she take heed of offending Him, and therefore, perfect love casts not out this fear, 1 John 4:18 but it endures forever.

11. The judgments of the Lord are true, justified together. The judgments of Him, who judges no man, but has committed all judgment unto the Son, John 5:22 are justified in truth unchangeably. For neither in His threatenings nor His promises does God deceive any man, nor can any withdraw either from the ungodly His punishment, or from the godly His reward. To be desired more than gold, and much precious stone Psalm 18:10. Whether it be gold and stone itself much, or much precious, or much to be desired; still, the judgments of God are to be desired more than the pomp of this world; by desire of which it is brought to pass that the judgments of God are not desired, but feared, or despised, or not believed. But if any be himself gold and precious stone, that he may not be consumed by fire, but received into the treasury of God, more than himself does he desire the judgments of God, whose will he preferrs to his own. And sweeter than honey and the honey comb. And whether one be even now honey, who, disenthralled already from the chains of this life, is awaiting the day when he may come up to God's feast; or whether he be yet as the honey comb, wrapped about with this life as it were with wax, not mixed and become one with it, but filling it, needing some pressure of God's hand, not oppressing but expressing it, whereby from life temporal it may be strained out into life eternal: to such an one the judgments of God are sweeter than he himself is to himself, for that they are sweeter than honey and the honey comb.

12. For Your servant keeps them Psalm 18:11. For to him who keeps them not the day of the Lord is bitter. In keeping them there is great reward. Not in any external benefit, but in the thing itself, that God's judgments are kept, is there great reward; great because one rejoices therein.

13. Who understands sins? Psalm 18:12. But what sort of sweetness can there be in sins, where there is no understanding? For who can understand sins, which close the very eye, to which truth is pleasant, to which the judgments of God are desirable and sweet? Yea, as darkness closes the eye, so do sins the mind, and suffer it not to see either the light, or itself.

14. Cleanse me, O Lord, from my secret faults. From the lusts which lie hidden in me, cleanse me, O Lord. And from the faults of others preserve Your servant Psalm 18:13. Let me not be led astray by others. For he is not a prey to the faults of others, who is cleansed from his own. Preserve therefore from the lusts of others, not the proud man, and him who would be his own master, but, Your servant. If they get not the dominion over me, then shall I be undefiled. If neither my own secret sins, nor those of others, get the dominion over me, then shall I be undefiled. For there is no third source of sin, but one's own secret sin, by which the devil fell, and another's sin, by which man is seduced, so as by consenting to make it his own. And I shall be cleansed from the great offense. What but pride? For there is none greater than apostasy from God, which is the beginning of the pride of man. Sirach 10:12 And he shall indeed be undefiled, who is free from this offense also; for this is the last to them who are returning to God, which was the first as they departed from Him.

15. And the words of my mouth shall be pleasing, and the meditation of my heart is always in Your sight Psalm 18:14. The meditation of my heart is not after the vain glory of pleasing men, for now there is pride no more, but in Your sight always, who regardest a pure conscience. O Lord, my Helper, and my Redeemer Psalm 18:15. O Lord, my Helper, in my approach to You; for You are my Redeemer, that I might set out unto You: lest any attributing to his own wisdom his conversion to You, or to his own strength his attaining to You, should be rather driven back by You, who resistest the proud; for he is not cleansed from the great offense, nor pleasing in Your sight, who redeemest us that we may be converted, and helpest us that we may attain unto You.