Expositions on the Book of Psalms 131
131.1 Psalm CXXXI PL 36, 1715
1. In this Psalm, the humility of one that is a servant of God and faithful is commended unto us, by whose voice it is sung; which is the whole body of Christ. For we have often warned you, beloved, that it ought not to be received as the voice of one man singing, but of all who are in Christ’s Body. And since all are in His Body, as it were one man speaketh: and he is one who also is many.…Now he prayeth in the temple of God, who prayeth in the peace of the Church, in the unity of Christ’s Body; which Body of Christ consisteth of many who believe in the whole world: and therefore he who prayeth in the temple, is heard. For he prayeth in the spirit and in truth, who prayeth in the peace of the Church; not in that temple, wherein was the figure.…
[«vers.» 1, 2.] Justum quidem erat, charissimi, ut fratrem potius audiremus collegam meum, praesentem omnibus nobis. Et modo non negavit, sed distulit: et ideo hoc indico Charitati vestrae, ut mecum promissum teneatis. Non fuit autem absurdum Charitati vestrae, ut prior obtemperarem jubenti: extorsit enim mihi ut esset modo auditor meus, eo sane pacto ut et ego sim ipsius, quia in ipsa charitate omnes ejus auditores sumus, qui unus nobis in coelo Magister est . Ergo animum intendite ad Psalmum, quem in ordine, sicut nostis, tractandum habemus. Est etiam ipse praenotatus, «Canticum graduum;» et aliquanto caeteris sub eodem titulo prolixior. Non ergo immoremur, nisi ubi necessitas coegerit; ut totum, si Dominus permiserit, explicare possimus. Quia et vos non tanquam rudes omnia debetis audire; aliquid et de praeteritis auditionibus adjuvare nos debetis, ne omnia tanquam nova a nobis dici necesse sit. Et novi quidem esse debemus, quia vetustas nobis obrepere non debet; sed etiam crescendum et proficiendum est. De ipso quippe profectu ait Apostolus: «Etsi exterior homo noster corrumpitur, sed interior renovatur de die in diem» . Non sic proficiamus ut ex novis veteres efficiamur, sed ipsa novitas crescat.
131.2 PL 36, 1716
2. “Lord, my heart is not lifted up” (ver. 1). He hath offered a sacrifice. Whence do we prove that he hath offered a sacrifice? Because humility of heart is a sacrifice.…If there is no sacrifice, there is no Priest. But if we have a High Priest in Heaven, who intercedeth with the Father for us (for He hath entered into the Holy of Holies, within the veil),…we are safe, for we have a Priest; let us offer our sacrifice there. Let us consider what sacrifice we ought to offer; for God is not pleased with burnt-offerings, as ye have heard in the Psalm. But in that place he next showeth what he offereth: “The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, shalt Thou not despise.
«Memento, Domine, David, et omnis mansuetudinis ejus. Sicut juravit Domino; votum vovit Deo Jacob.» David secundum fidem rerum gestarum unus homo erat, rex Israel, filius Jesse. Erat quidem et ipse mansuetus, sicut eum indicat atque commendat Scriptura divina, et ita mansuetus ut nec persecutori suo Saüli malum pro malo reddiderit. Servavit autem erga eum tantam humilitatem, ut illum regem fateretur, se autem canem: et non proterve nec superbe, cum esset in Deo potentior, respondebat regi; sed eum placare potius affectabat humilitate, quam concitare superbia. Etiam in potestate datus est ei Saül, et hoc a Domino Deo, ut ei faceret quidquid vellet: sed quia non praeceptum illi erat ut occideret, sed tantum in potestate datus illi erat (licet autem homini uti potestate sua); ad lenitatem potius deflexit quod ei Deus concessit. Qui si vellet occidere, careret inimico: sed quomodo diceret, Dimitte mihi debita, sicut et ego dimitto debitoribus meis . In speluncam intravit Saül ubi erat David, nesciens quod illic esset David: ad necessaria ventris ille intravit. Surrexit David sensim et lente post ipsum, praecidit illi de veste panniculum, quem illi ostenderet, ut nosset quia illum habuerat in potestate; et non necessitate, sed voluntate pepercerat, et noluit occidere . Forte ipsam mansuetudinem commendavit modo dicens, «Memento, Domine, David, et omnis mansuetudinis ejus.» Hoc secundum rerum gestarum fidem, quam Scriptura divina, ut diximus, continet. Sed solemus in Psalmis non ad litteram attendere, sicut in omni prophetia, sed per litteram scrutari mysteria. Et meminit Charitas vestra quia cujusdam hominis vocem in omnibus Psalmis solemus audire; qui unus habet caput et corpus. Caput autem in coelo est, corpus in terra: sed quo praecessit caput, et corpus secuturum est. Et jam non dico quis caput sit, qui corpus sint; quia scientibus loquor.
131.3 PL 36, 1716
3. “Lord, my heart was not lifted up, neither were mine eyes raised on high” (ver. 1); “I have not exercised myself in great matters, nor in wonderful things which are too high for me” (ver. 2). Let this be more plainly spoken and heard. I have not been proud: I have not wished to be known among men as for wondrous powers; nor have I sought anything beyond my strength, whereby I might boast myself among the ignorant. As that Simon the sorcerer wished to advance into wonders above himself, on that account the power of the Apostles more pleased him, than the righteousness of Christians.…What is above my strength, he saith, I have not sought; I have not stretched myself out there, I have not chosen to be magnified there. How deeply this self-exaltation in the abundance of graces is to be feared, that no man may pride himself in the gift of God, but may rather preserve humility, and may do what is written: “The greater thou art, the more humble thyself, and thou shalt find favour before the Lord:” how deeply pride in God’s gift should be feared, we must again and again impress upon you.…
Commendatur ergo humilitas David, commendatur mansuetudo David; et dicitur Deo, «Memento, Domine, David, et omnis mansuetudinis ejus.» Ad quam rem «memento, Domine, David? Sicut juravit Domino, votum vovit Deo Jacob.» Ergo ad hoc memento, ut impleat quod promisit. Ipse David vovit tanquam in potestate habens, et rogat Deum ut impleat quod vovit: est devotio voventis, sed est humilitas deprecantis. Nemo praesumat viribus suis se reddere quod voverit: qui te hortatur ut voveas, ipse adjuvat ut reddas. Quid ergo vovit videamus, et hinc intelligimus quemadmodum sit accipiendus in figura David. David autem interpretatur, Manu fortis. Erat enim magnus belligerator. Praesumens quidem de Domino Deo suo, confecit bella omnia, prostravit omnes inimicos suos, Deo se adjuvante, quemadmodum se habebat illius imperii dispensatio; praefigurans tamen fortem manu quemdam ad debellandos inimicos, diabolum et angelos ejus. Hos autem inimicos Ecclesia debellat. Et quomodo debellat? Mansuetudine. Mansuetudine enim ipse Rex noster vicit diabolum. Saeviebat ille; iste sufferebat: victus est qui saeviebat; vicit qui sufferebat. In ista mansuetudine corpus Christi, quod est Ecclesia, vincit inimicos. Sit manu fortis, operando vincat. Cum autem corpus Christi est et templum, et domus, et civitas; et ille qui caput corporis est, et habitator domus est, et sanctificator templi est, et rex civitatis est: quomodo Ecclesia omnia illa, sic Christus omnia ista. Quid ergo vovimus Deo, nisi ut simus templum Dei? Nihil gratius ei possumus offerre, quam ut dicamus ei quod dicitur in Isaia, «Posside nos» . Et quidem in istis possessionibus terrenis patrifamilias praestatur, quando ei datur possessio: non sic est possessio, quae est Ecclesia; ipsi possessioni praestatur, ut a tali possideatur.
131.4 PL 36, 1717
4. “If I had not lowly thoughts, but have lifted up my soul, as one taken from his mother’s breast, such the reward for my soul” (ver. 2). He seemeth as it were to have bound himself by a curse:…as though he had been going to say, Let it so happen to me. “As one taken away from his mother’s breast, may be my soul’s reward.” Ye know that the Apostle saith to some weak brethren, “I have fed you with milk, and not with meat; for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.” There are weak persons who are not fit for strong meat; they wish to grasp at that which they cannot receive: and if they ever do receive, or seem to themselves to receive what they have not received, they are puffed up thereby, and become proud thereupon; they seem to themselves wise men. Now this happeneth to all heretics; who since they were animal and carnal, by defending their depraved opinions, which they could not see to be false, were shut out of the Catholic Church.…
Quid ergo dicit, «Sicut juravit Domino, votum vovit Deo Jacob?» Videamus quod votum. Jurare est autem firme promittere. Attendite votum hoc, id est, quod voverat quo ardore voverit, quo amore, quo desiderio; et tamen ad hoc implendum Dominum deprecatus est dicens. «Memento, Domine, David, et omnis mansuetudinis ejus.» In hac mansuetudine votum vovit, ut sit domus Dei: «Si introiero in tabernaculum domus meae, si ascendero super lectum stratus mei. Si dedero somnum oculis meis.» Parum visus est dicere, «somnum oculis meis: Et palpebris meis dormitationem; et requiem temporibus meis» si dedero, «quoadusque inveniam locum Domino, tabernaculum Deo Jacob.» Ubi quaerebat locum Domino? Si mansuetus erat, in se quaerebat. Quomodo est enim locus Domini? Audi prophetam: «Super quem requiescet Spiritus meus? Super humilem, et quietum, et trementem verba mea» . Vis esse locus Domini? Esto humilis, et quietus, et tremens verba Dei, et tu ipse efficieris quod quaeris. Si enim in te non fiat quod quaeris, in altero quid tibi prodest? Operatur quidem Deus aliquando per evangelistam salutem alterius tantum, si ipse dicit et non facit; et fit per linguam ejus in alio locus Domino, non autem fit ipse locus Domino. Qui autem quae docet bene facit, et sic docet, fit locus Domino cum eo quem docet: quia omnes credentes unum locum faciunt Domino. In corde enim habet locum Dominus; quia unum cor est omnium in charitate copulatorum.
131.5 PL 36, 1718
5. Another opinion indeed hath been entertained, and another sense in these words.…It has been evidently explained, my brethren, where God would have us to be humble, where lofty. Humble, in order to provide against pride; lofty, to take in wisdom. Feed upon milk, that thou mayest be nourished; be nourished, so that thou mayest grow; grow, so that thou mayest eat bread. But when thou hast begun to eat bread, thou wilt be weaned, that is, thou wilt no longer have need of milk, but of solid food. This he seemeth to have meant: “If I had not lowly thoughts, but have lifted up my soul:” that is, if I was not an infant in mind, I was in wickedness. In this sense, he said before, “Lord, my heart was not lifted up, nor mine eyes raised on high: I do not exercise myself in great matters, nor in wonderful things above me.” Behold, in wickedness I am an infant. But since I am not an infant in understanding, “If I had not lowly thoughts, but have lifted up my soul,” may that reward be mine which is given unto the infant that is weaned from his mother, that I may at length be able to eat bread.
Quam multa millia crediderunt, fratres mei, quando pretia rerum suarum posuerunt ad pedes Apostolorum! Sed quid de illis dicit Scriptura? Certe facti sunt templum Dei; non tantum templum Dei singuli, sed et omnes templum Dei simul. Facti sunt ergo locus Domino. Et ut noveritis quia unus locus factus est Domino in omnibus, Scriptura dicit: «Erat illis anima una et cor unum in Deum» . Multi autem ne faciant locum Domino, sua quaerunt, sua diligunt, potestate sua gaudent, privatum suum concupiscunt. Qui autem vult facere locum Domino, non de privato, sed de communi debet gaudere. Hoc illi fecerunt de rebus suis privatis; fecerunt illas communes. Quod habebant suum, numquid amiserunt? Si soli haberent, et unusquisque suum haberet; hoc solum haberet quod suum habebat: cum autem quod proprium erat, commune fecit; et ea quae erant caeterorum, ipsius facta sunt. Intendat Charitas vestra: quia propter illa quae singuli possidemus, existunt lites, inimicitiae, discordiae, bella inter homines, tumultus, dissensiones adversum se, scandala, peccata, iniquitates, homicidia. Propter quae? Propter ipsa quae singuli possidemus. Numquid propter ista quae communiter possidemus, litigamus? Aerem istum communiter ducimus, solem communiter omnes videmus. Beati ergo qui sic faciunt locum Domino, ut privato suo non gaudeant. Talem ergo describebat iste, qui dicebat, «Si introiero in tabernaculum domus meae.» Privatum hoc erat. Sciebat privato se impediri, ne faceret locum Domino, et ea commemorat quae ad seipsum pertinebant: non introibo «in tabernaculum domus meae, donec inveniam:» quid? cum inveneris locum Domino, intrabis in tabernaculum tuum? An ipsum erit tabernaculum tuum, ubi inveneris locum Domino? Quare? Quia ipse eris locus Domini, et cum eis qui fuerint locus Domini, unum eris.
131.6 PL 36, 1718
6. This interpretation, also, brethren, displeaseth me not, since it doth not militate against the faith. Yet I cannot but remark that it is not only said, “As one taken away from milk, such may be my soul’s reward;” but with this addition, “As one taken away from milk when upon his mother’s breast, such may be my soul’s reward.” Here there is somewhat that induces me to consider it a curse. For it is not an infant, but a grown child that is taken away from milk; he who is weak in his earliest infancy, which is his true infancy, is upon his mother’s breast: if perchance he hath been taken away from the milk, he perisheth. It is not without a reason then that it is added, “Upon his mother’s breast.” For all may be weaned by growing. He who groweth, and is thus taken away from milk, it is good for him; but hurtful for him who is still upon his mother’s breast. We must therefore beware, my brethren, and be fearful, lest any one be taken away from milk before his time.…Let him not therefore wish to lift up his soul, when perchance he is not fit to take meat, but let him fulfil the commandments of humility. He hath wherein he may exercise himself: let him believe in Christ, that he may understand Christ. He cannot see the Word, he cannot understand the equality of the Word with the Father, he cannot as yet see the equality of the Holy Spirit with the Father and the Word; let him believe this, and suck it. He is safe, because, when he hath grown, he will eat, which he could not do before he grew by sucking: and he hath a point to stretch towards. Seek not out the things that are too hard for thee, and search not the things that are above thy strength; that is, things which thou art not as yet fit to understand. And what am I to do? thou repliest. Shall I remain thus? “But what things the Lord hath commanded thee, think thereupon always.” What hath the Lord commanded thee? Do works of mercy, part not with the peace of the Church, place not thy trust in man, tempt not God by longing for miracles.…
Abstineamus ergo nos, fratres, a possessione rei privatae; aut ab amore, si non possumus a possessione; et facimus locum Domino. Multum est ad me, ait aliquis. Sed vide quis sis, facturus locum Domino. Si vellet apud te hospitium habere aliquis senator, non dico senator, procurator alicujus magni secundum saeculum, et diceret, Offendit me quiddam in domo tua; etsi amares hoc, auferres tamen ne eum offenderes, ad cujus amicitiam ambires. Et quid tibi prodest hominis amicitia? Forte ibi non solum nullum auxilium, sed et periculum invenires. Nam multi non periclitabantur antequam majoribus jungerentur; exoptarunt majorum amicitias, ut majora pericula incurrerent. Securus opta amicitiam Christi: hospitari apud te vult; fac illi locum. Quid est, fac illi locum? Noli amare teipsum, illum ama. Si te amaveris, claudis contra illum; si ipsum amaveris, aperis illi: si autem aperueris et intraverit, non peries amando te, sed invenieris cum amante te.
131.7 PL 36, 1719
7. For if ye be not exalted, if ye raise not your heart on high, if ye tread not in great matters that are too high for you, but preserve humility, God will reveal unto you what ye are otherwise minded in. But if ye choose to defend this very thing, which ye are otherwise minded about, and with pertinacity assert it, and against the peace of the Church; this curse which he hath described is entailed upon you; when ye are upon your mother’s breast, and are removed away from the milk, ye shall die of hunger apart from your mother’s breast. But if ye continue in Catholic peace, if perchance ye are in anything otherwise minded than ye ought to be, God will reveal it to you, if ye be humble. Wherefore? Because “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace unto the humble.”
[«vers. 3.] Si introiero in tabernaculum domus meae, si ascendero super lectum stratus mei.» Privata enim res ipsa, ubi homo acquiescit, superbos facit; ideo dixit, «Si ascendero.» In re quam privatam quisque possidet, necesse est superbus sit: inde se enim tendit homo ad hominem, cum ambo sint caro. Quid est homo, fratres? Caro. Et quid est alter homo? Altera caro. Et tamen caro dives extendit se contra carnem pauperem; quasi aliquid illa caro attulerit quando nata est, aut aliquid auferat quando moritur. Ad hoc plus habuit, ut plus tumeret. Iste autem qui vult invenire locum Domino, dicit, «Si ascendero super lectum strati mei.»
131.8 PL 36, 1719
8. This Psalm therefore concludeth to this purpose: “O Israel, trust in the Lord, from this time forth and even unto eternity” (ver. 3). But the word seculum doth not always mean this world, but sometimes eternity; since eternity is understood in two ways; until eternity, that is, either evermore without end, or until we arrive at eternity. How then is it to be understood here? Until we arrive at eternity, let us trust in the Lord God; because when we have reached eternity, there will be no longer hope, but the thing itself will be ours.
[«vers. 4.] Si dedero somnum oculis meis.» Multi enim cum dormiunt, non faciunt locum Domino. Tales excitat Apostolus: «Surge, qui dormis, et exsurge a mortuis; et illuminabit te Christus» ; et alio loco, «Nos autem qui diei sumus, vigilemus, et sobrii simus: nam qui dormiunt, nocte dormiunt; et qui inebriantur, nocte ebrii sunt» . Noctem dicens iniquitatem, in qua illi obdormiunt cupiendo ista terrena. Et omnes istae felicitates quae videntur saeculi, somnia sunt dormientium. Et quomodo qui videt thesauros in somnis, dormiens dives est; sed evigilabit, et pauper erit: sic omnia ista vana hujus saeculi, de quibus homines gaudent, in somno gaudent: evigilabunt quando nolunt, si non modo evigilant quando utile est; et invenient somnia fuisse illa, et transisse, sicut dicit Scriptura, «veluti somnium exsurgentis» : et alio loco, «Dormierunt somnum suum, et nihil invenerunt omnes viri divitiarum in manibus suis» . «Dormierunt somnum suum,» finitus est somnus, «et nihil invenerunt in manibus suis;» quia in somnis videbant divitias transitorias. Iste ergo qui vult invenire locum Domino, dixit etiam, «Si dedero somnum oculis meis.» Sunt autem quidam qui non dormiunt, sed dormitant. Aliquantum retrahunt se ab amore temporalium, et rursus revolvuntur in eum; quasi dormitantes, caput crebro inclinant. Evigila, excute somnum; dormitando casurus es. Non vult Psalmus, oculis suis dare somnum, nec palpebris dormitationem, eum qui vult invenire locum Domino.