Expositions on the Book of Psalms 115
115.1 Psalm CXV PL 36, 1490
1. “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy Name give the praise” (ver. 1). For that grace of the water that gushed from the rock (“now that rock was Christ”), was not given on the score of works that had gone before, but of His mercy “that justifieth the ungodly.” For “Christ died for sinners,” that men might not seek any glory of their own, but in the Lord’s Name.
Notissimum arbitror esse Sanctitati vestrae quod ait Apostolus, «Non enim omnium est fides» ; et quod major esse soleat infidelium multitudo, non ignoratis: propter quod dicitur, «Domine, quis» «credidit auditui nostro» ? Inter quos etiam illi numerantur, de quibus dicit idem apostolus, «Omnes sua quaerunt, non quae Jesu Christi» : quos alio loco dicit non ex veritate, sed ex occasione praedicare verbum Dei, non caste , id est, non ex animo purae et sincerae charitatis. Aliud enim sentiebant, quod in eorum moribus apparebat; et aliud praedicabant, ut sancto nomine placerent hominibus: nam de his iterum dicit, «Neque enim isti Deo serviunt, sed suo ventri» . Quos tamen Christum annuntiare permittit. Quamvis enim ea potius crederent quae ipsi faciebant, ut morerentur: ea tamen praedicabant, quae si alii credentes facerent, salvarentur; non enim aliud annuntiabant praeter regulam fidei. Eos quippe excludit Apostolus, dicens: «Si quis vobis annuntiaverit praeter id quod accepistis, anathema sit» . Illi non Christum annuntiant qui annuntiant falsitatem; quia Christus veritas est . De istis autem dicit quod Christum annuntient; sed non caste, id est, non animo simplici et puro, et fide sincera quae per dilectionem operatur : terrenis quippe cupiditatibus consulentes, regnum coelorum annuntiabant, habentes in pectore falsitatem, in lingua veritatem. Sciens itaque Apostolus etiam per Judam evangelizantem credentes esse liberatos, istos quoque ita permittit: «Sive,» inquit, «occasione, sive veritate Christus annuntietur» . Veritatem quippe annuntiabant, etiamsi non veritate, id est non vero animo. Isti loquuntur quod non credunt, et ideo reprobati sunt; quamvis sint utiles eis quos instruit Dominus, dicens: «Quae dicunt, facite; quae autem faciunt, facere nolite: dicunt enim, et non faciunt» . Unde, nisi quia utilia non credunt esse quae dicunt? Sunt autem alii qui credunt, et non loquuntur quod credunt, vel pigritia, vel timore. Nam et ille servus quamvis talentum habuerit, tamen quia erogare noluit, audit a Domino judice: «Serve nequam et piger.» Et alio Evangelii loco dictum est quod multi ex principibus Judaeorum credidissent in eum, sed non eum confitebantur, ne expellerentur de synagogis; sed etiam ipsi reprehensi atque improbati sunt: sequitur enim Evangelista dicens, «Amaverunt enim gloriam hominum magis quam Dei» . Si ergo et illi qui verum quod loquuntur non credunt, et illi qui verum quod credunt non loquuntur, merito reprobantur; quis erit servus vere dicendus fidelis, nisi ille cui dicitur: «Euge, serve bone, quoniam in modico fuisti fidelis, supra multa te constituam; intra in gaudium domini tui?» Talis itaque servus nec antequam credat loquitur, nec cum crediderit tacet; ne vel sic eroget ut ipse non habeat, vel quod habet non erogando non habeat. Sic enim dictum est: «Qui habet, dabitur ei; qui autem non habet, et quod habet auferetur ab eo» .
115.2 PL 36, 1491
2. “For Thy loving mercy, and for Thy truth’s sake” (ver. 2). Observe how often these two qualities, loving mercy and truth, are joined together in the holy Scriptures. For in His loving mercy He called sinners, and in His truth He judgeth those who when called refused to come. “That the heathen may not say, Where is now their God?” For at the last, His loving mercy and truth will shine forth, when “the sign of the Son of man shall appear in heaven, and then shall all tribes of the earth cry woe;” nor shall they then say, “Where is their God?” when He is no longer preached unto them to be believed in, but displayed before them to be trembled at.
[«vers.» 10.] Dicat ergo iste bonus servus cantans «Alleluia,» id est, sacrificans Domino sacrificium laudis, a quo auditurus est, «Intra in gaudium Domini tui;» exsultet, et dicat, «Credidi, propter quod locutus sum:» hoc est, perfecte credidi. Non enim perfecte credunt qui quod credunt loqui nolunt: ad ipsam enim fidem pertinet etiam illud credere quod dictum est, «Qui me confessus fuerit coram hominibus, confitebor eum coram Angelis Dei» . Ex hoc enim est appellatus fidelis ille servus, non tantum quia accepit, sed quia impendit atque lucratus est. Ita et hoc loco non ait, Credidi, et locutus sum; sed propter hoc dicit se locutum esse, quia credidit. Simul enim credidit, et quod praemium loquendo sperare, et quam poenam tacendo timere deberet. «Credidi,» inquit, «propter quod locutus sum. Ego autem humiliatus sum nimis.» Passus est enim multas tribulationes, propter verbum quod fideliter tenebat, fideliter impendebat; et humiliatus est nimis: quod illi timuerunt qui «amaverunt gloriam hominum magis quam Dei.» Sed quid est, «Ego autem?» Diceret potius, Credidi, propter quod et locutus sum, et humiliatus sum nimis: cur addidit, «Ego autem,» nisi quia homo humiliari potest ab eis qui veritati contradicunt, non ipsa veritas quam credit et loquitur? Unde et Apostolus, cum de catena sua diceret: «Sed sermo,» inquit, «Dei non est alligatus» . Sic et iste, quia ipsa est una persona sanctorum testium, hoc est, martyrum Dei, «Credidi,» inquit, «propter quod locutus sum. Ego autem,» non illud quod credidi, non sermo quem protuli; sed «Ego humiliatus sum nimis.»
115.3 PL 36, 1492
3. “As for our God, He is in heaven above” (ver. 3). Not in heaven, where they see the sun and moon, works of God which they adore, but “in heaven above,” which overpasseth all heavenly and earthly bodies. Nor is our God in heaven in such a sense, as to dread a fall that should deprive Him of His throne, if heaven were withdrawn from under Him. “In heaven and earth He hath made whatsoever pleased Him.” Nor doth He stand in need of His own works, as if He had place in them where He might abide; but endureth in His own eternity, wherein He abideth and hath done whatsoever pleased Him, both in heaven and earth; for they did not support Him, as a condition of their being created by Him: since, unless they had been created, they could not have supported Him. Therefore, in whatsoever He Himself dwelleth, He, so to speak, containeth this as in need of Himself, He is not contained by this as if He needed it. Or it may be thus understood: “In heaven and in earth He hath done whatsoever pleased Him,” whether among the higher or the lower orders of His people, He hath made His grace His free gift, that no man may boast in the merits of his own works.…
[«vers. 11.] Ego autem dixi in ecstasi mea, Omnis homo mendax.» Ecstasin pavorem dicit, quem comminantibus persecutoribus, et impendentibus passionibus cruciatus aut mortis, humana infirmitas patitur. Hoc enim intelligimus, quia in isto psalmo vox martyrum apparet. Nam et alio modo dicitur ecstasis, cum mens non pavore alienatur, sed aliqua inspiratione revelationis assumitur. «Ego autem dixi in ecstasi mea, Omnis homo mendax.» Conterritus enim respexit infirmitatem suam, et vidit non de se sibi esse praesumendum. Quantum enim ad ipsum hominem pertinet, mendax est: sed gratia Dei verax effectus est, ne pressuris inimicorum cedens non loqueretur quod crediderat, sed negaret; sicut Petro accidit, quoniam de se praesumpserat, et docendus erat de homine non esse praesumendum. Et si de homine non debet quisque praesumere, utique nec de seipso; quia homo est. Bene ergo iste vidit in pavore suo omnem hominem esse mendacem; quia et illi qui nullo pavore vanescunt, ne persequentibus cedendo mentiantur, muneribus Dei tales sunt, non viribus suis. Proinde verissime dictum est, «Omnis homo mendax;» sed Deus verax, qui ait: «Ego dixi, Dii estis, et filii Altissimi omnes: vos autem sicut homines moriemini, et sicut unus ex principibus cadetis» . Consolatur humiles, et implet eos non solum fide credendae, sed etiam fiducia praedicandae veritatis, si perseveranter subdantur Deo, nec imitentur unum ex principibus diabolum, qui in veritate non stetit, et cecidit. Si enim omnis homo mendax, in tantum non erunt mendaces, in quantum non erunt homines; quoniam dii erunt, et filii Altissimi.
115.4 PL 36, 1492
4. “Their idols,” he saith, “are silver and gold, even the work of men’s hands” (ver. 4). That is, although we cannot display our God to your carnal eyes, whom ye ought to recognise through his works; yet be not seduced by your vain pretences, because ye can point with the finger to, the objects of your worship. For it were much worthier for you not to have what to point to, than that your hearts’ blindness should be displayed in what is exhibited to these eyes by you: for what do ye exhibit, save gold and silver? They have indeed both bronze, and wood, and earthenware idols, and of different materials of this description; but the Holy Spirit preferred mentioning the more precious material, because when every man hath blushed for that which he sets more by, he is much more easily turned away from the worship of meaner objects. For it is said in another passage of Scripture concerning the worshippers of images, “Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth.” But lest that man who speaketh thus not to a stone or stock, but to gold and silver, seem wiser to himself; let him look this way, let him turn hitherwards the ear of his heart: “The idols of the Gentiles are gold and silver.” Nothing mean and contemptible is here mentioned: and indeed to that mind which is not earth, both gold and silver is earth, but more beautiful and brilliant, more solid and firm. Employ not then the hands of men, to create a false Deity out of that metal which a true God hath created; nay, a false man, whom thou mayest worship for a true God.…
[«vers.» 12.] Hoc itaque considerans devotissimus populus fidelium testium, quomodo infirmitatem humanam Dei misericordia non relinquat, in cujus infirmitatis pavore dictum est, «Omnis homo mendax;» quomodo consoletur humiles, et impleat spiritu fiduciae trepidantes, ut pene mortuo corde reviviscant, nec in semetipsis fidentes sint, sed in eo qui suscitat mortuos , et linguas infantium facit disertas ; qui ait, «Cum autem tradent vos, nolite cogitare quomodo aut quid loquamini: dabitur enim vobis in illa hora quid loquamini; non enim vos estis qui loquimini, sed Spiritus Patris vestri qui loquitur in vobis» : haec ergo omnia considerans ille qui dixerat, «Ego dixi in pavore meo, Omnis homo mendax,» et videns gratia Domini se factum veracem, «Quid retribuam,» inquit, «Domino, pro omnibus quae retribuit mihi?» Non ait, pro omnibus quae tribuit mihi; sed «pro omnibus quae retribuit mihi.» Quae igitur praecesserant hominis, ut omnium donorum Dei non attributio, sed retributio vocari possit? quae praecesserant hominis nisi peccata? Retribuit ergo Deus bona pro malis, cui homines retribuunt mala pro bonis: haec enim retribuerunt qui dixerunt, «Hic est haeres; venite, occidamus eum» .
115.5 PL 36, 1493
5. “For they have mouths, and speak not: eyes have they, and see not” (ver. 5). “They have ears, and hear not: noses have they, and smell not” (ver. 6). “They have hands, and handle not; feet have they, and walk not; neither cry they through their throat” (ver. 7). Even their artist therefore surpasseth them, since he had the faculty of moulding them by the motion and functions of his limbs: though thou wouldest be ashamed to worship that artist. Even thou surpassest them, though thou hast not made these things, since thou doest what they cannot do. Even a beast doth excel them; for unto this it is added, “neither cry they through their throat.” For after he had said above, “they have mouths, and speak not;” what need was there, after he had enumerated the limbs from head to feet, to repeat what he had said of their crying through their throat; unless, I suppose, because we perceive that what he mentioned of the other members, was common to men and beasts? For they see, and hear, and smell, and walk, and some, apes for instance, handle with hands. But what he had said of the mouth, is peculiar to men: since beasts do not speak. But that no one might refer what hath been said to the works of human members alone, and prefer men only to the gods of the heathen; after all this he added these words, “neither cry they through their throat:” which again is common to men and cattle.…How much better then do mice and serpents, and other animals of like sort, judge of the idols of the heathen, so to speak, for they regard not the human figure in them when they see not the human life. For this reason they usually build nests in them, and unless they are deterred by human movements, they seek for themselves no safer habitations. A man then moveth himself, that he may frighten away a living beast from his own god; and yet worshippeth that god who cannot move himself, as if he were powerful, from whom he drove away one better than the object of his worship.…Even the dead surpasseth a deity who neither liveth nor hath lived.…
[«vers.» 13, 15.] Sed quaerit iste quid retribuat Domino, et non invenit, nisi ex eis quae ipse Dominus retribuit. «Calicem,» inquit, «salutaris accipiam, et nomen Domini invocabo.» O homo, peccato tuo mendax, dono Dei verax, et ideo jam non homo; quis tibi dedit calicem salutaris, quem accipiens, et invocans nomen Domini, retribues ei pro omnibus quae retribuit tibi? quis nisi ille qui ait, «Potestis bibere calicem quem ego bibiturus sum» ? Quis tibi dedit imitari passiones suas, nisi qui pro te passus est prior? Ideoque, «Pretiosa in conspectu Domini mors sanctorum ejus.» Emit eam sanguine suo, quem prior fudit pro salute servorum, ne pro Domini nomine servi fundere dubitarent; quod tamen eorum, non Domini utilitati, proficeret.
115.6 PL 36, 1493
6. But they seem to themselves to have a purer religion, who say, I neither worship an idol, nor a devil; but in the bodily image I behold an emblem of that which I am bound to worship.…They presume to reply, that they worship not the bodies themselves, but the deities which preside over the government of them. One sentence of the Apostle, therefore, testifieth to their punishment and condemnation; “Who,” he saith, “have changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever.” For in the former part of this sentence he condemned idols; in the latter, the account they give of their idols: for by designating images wrought by an artificer by the names of the works of God’s creation, they change the truth of God into a lie; while, by considering these works themselves as deities, and worshipping them as such, they serve the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever.…
[«vers.» 16.] Confiteatur itaque conditionem suam mancipium tanto pretio comparatum, et dicat: «O Domine, ego servus tuus; ego servus tuus, et filius ancillae tuae.» Ergo et emptus est, et vernaculus est. An cum matre simul est emptus? an quia vernaculus est, pro peccato fugae suae depraedatus, et ideo emptus, quia redemptus est? Filius enim est ancillae secundum quod omnis creatura subdita Creatori est, et verissimo Domino verissimum debet famulatum: quem cum exhibet, libera est, hanc accipiens a Domino gratiam, ut ei non necessitate, sed voluntate deserviat. Ergo iste filius est Jerusalem coelestis, quae sursum est, mater omnium nostrum libera . Et libera quidem a peccato, sed ancilla justitiae: cujus filiis adhuc peregrinantibus dicitur, «Vos in libertatem vocati estis;» et rursus eos servos facit, dicens, «Sed in charitate servite invicem» : quibus item dicitur, «Cum serviebatis peccato, liberi eratis a justitia; nunc vero liberati a peccato, facti autem servi Deo, habetis fructum vestrum in sanctificationem, finem vero vitam aeternam» . Dicat ergo Deo servus iste, Multi se martyres dicunt, multi servos tuos, quia nomen tuum habent in variis haeresibus et erroribus; sed quia praeter Ecclesiam tuam sunt, non sunt filii ancillae tuae: «Ego» autem «servus tuus, et filius ancillae tuae.»
115.7 PL 36, 1494
7. But, it will be said, we also have very many instruments and vessels made of materials or metal of this description for the purpose of celebrating the Sacraments, which being consecrated by these ministrations are called holy, in honour of Him who is thus worshipped for our salvation: and what indeed are these very instruments or vessels, but the work of men’s hands? But have they mouth, and yet speak not? have they eyes, and see not? do we pray unto them, because through them we pray to God? This is the chief cause of this insane profanity, that the figure resembling the living person, which induces men to worship it, hath more influence in the minds of these miserable persons, than the evident fact that it is not living, so that it ought to be despised by the living.
[«vers. 17.] Disrupisti vincula mea; tibi sacrificabo sacrificium laudis.» Neque enim inveni ulla merita mea, quando tu disrupisti vincula mea; ideo sacrificium laudis tibi debeo: quia etsi gloriabor quod servus tuus sim et filius ancillae tuae; non in me, sed in te Domino meo gloriabor, qui disrupisti vincula mea, ut a fuga rediens religarer tibi.
115.8 PL 36, 1494
8. The result that ensueth is that described in the next verse: “They that make them are like unto them, and so are all such as put their trust in them” (ver. 8). Let them therefore see with open eyes, and worship with shut and dead understandings, idols that neither see nor live. “But the house of Israel hath hoped in the Lord” (ver. 9). “For hope that is seen is not hope; for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” But that this patience may endure to the end, “He is their helper and defender.” Do perhaps spiritual persons (by whom carnal minds are built up in “the spirit of meekness,” because they pray as higher for lower minds) already see, and is that already to them reality which to the lower is hope? It is not so. For even “the house of Aaron hath hope in the Lord” (ver. 10). Therefore, that they also may stretch forward perseveringly towards those things which are before them, and may run perseveringly, until they may apprehend that for which they are apprehended, and may know even as they are known, “He is their helper and defender.” For both “fear the Lord, and have hoped in the Lord: He is their helper and defender” (ver. 11).
[«vers. 18.] Vota mea Domino reddam.» Quae vota redditurus es? Quas vovisti victimas? quae incensa? quae holocausta? An ad illud respicis, quod paulo ante dixisti, «Calicem salutaris accipiam, et nomen Domini invocabo;» et, «Tibi sacrificabo sacrificium laudis?» Et revera quisquis bene cogitat quid voveat Domino et quae vota reddat, seipsum voveat, seipsum reddat: hoc exigitur, hoc debetur. Inspecto nummo Dominus dicit; «Reddite Caesari quae Caesaris sunt, et Deo quae Dei sunt» : imago sua redditur Caesari, imago sua reddatur Deo.
115.9 PL 36, 1494
9. For we do not by our deservings prevent the mercy of God; but, “The Lord hath been mindful of us, and hath blessed us. He hath blessed the house of Israel, He hath blessed the house of Aaron” (ver. 12). But in blessing both of these, “He hath blessed all that fear the Lord” (ver. 13). Dost thou ask, who are meant by both of these? He answereth, “both small and great.” That is, the house of Israel with the house of Aaron, those who among that nation believed in Jesus the Saviour.…For in the character of those who out of that nation believed, it is said, “Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.” Seed, because when it has been scattered over the earth, it multiplied.
[«vers.» 19.] Sed qui meminit non solum servum se esse Dei, sed et filium ancillae Dei, videt ubi reddat vota sua, conformatus Christo per calicem salutaris. «In atriis,» inquit, «domus Domini.» Quae domus Dei est, haec ancilla Dei est: et quae domus Dei, nisi omnis populus ejus? Ideo sequitur, «In conspectu omnis populi ejus.» Et apertius jam nominat ipsam matrem. Quid est enim aliud populus ejus, nisi quod sequitur, «In medio tui, Jerusalem?» Tunc est enim quod redditur gratum, si de pace atque in pace reddatur. Qui autem filii hujus ancillae non sunt, bellum potiusquam pacem amaverunt. Ne quis autem existimet atria domus Domini, et omnem populum ejus Judaeos significari, quia ita clausit iste psalmus, ut diceret, «In medio tui, Jerusalem,» cujus nomine carnales Israelitae gloriantur; audite sequentem psalmum, qui quatuor versiculis continetur.
115.10 PL 36, 1490
10. For the great ones, of the house of Aaron, have said, “May the Lord increase you more and more, you and your children” (ver. 14). And thus it hath happened. For children that have been raised even from the stones have flocked unto Abraham: sheep which were not of this fold, have flocked unto him, that there might be one flock, and one shepherd; the faith of all nations was added, and the number grew, not only of wise priests, but of obedient peoples; the Lord increasing not only their fathers more and more, who in Christ might show the way to the rest who should imitate them, but also their children, who should follow their fathers’ pious footsteps.
115.11 PL 36, 1490
11. Therefore the Prophet saith unto these great and small, the mountains and the little hills, the rams and the young sheep, what followeth: “Ye are the blessed of the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (ver. 15). As if he should say, Ye are the blessed of the Lord, who made the heaven in the great, earth in the small: not this visible heaven, studded with luminaries which are objects to these eyes. For “The heaven of heavens is the Lord’s” (ver. 16); who hath elevated the minds of some saints to such a height, that they became teachable by no man, but by God Himself; in comparison of which heaven, whatever is discerned with carnal eyes is to be called earth; which “He hath given to the children of men;” that when it is contemplated, whether in that region which illumineth above, as that which is called heaven, or in that which is illumined beneath, which is properly called earth (since in comparison with that which is called heaven of heaven, the whole, as we have said, is earth;) the whole therefore of this earth He hath given to the children of men, that by the consideration of it, as far as they can, they may conceive of the Creator, whom with their yet weak hearts they cannot see without that aid to their conception.
115.12 PL 36, 1490
12. …But nevertheless since they derive the truth and richness of wisdom, not from man nor through man, but through God Himself, they have received little ones who shall be heaven, that they may know that they are heaven of heaven; as yet however earth, unto which they say, “I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.” For to those very sons of men whom He made heaven, He who knoweth how to provide for the earth through heaven, hath given earth upon which they work. May they therefore abide, heaven and earth, in their God, who made them, and let them live from Him, confessing unto Him, and praising Him; for if they choose to live from themselves, they shall die, as it is written, “From the dead, as though he were not, confession ceaseth.” But, “The dead praise not Thee, O Lord, neither all they that go down into silence” (ver. 17). For the Scripture in another passage proclaimeth, “The sinner, when he cometh into the abyss of wickednesses, scorneth.” “But we, who live, will praise the Lord, from this time forth for evermore” (ver. 18).