Expositions on the Book of Psalms 142
142.1 Psalm CXLII PL 36, 1845
1. …“With my voice have I cried unto the Lord” (ver. 1). It were enough to say, “with voice:” not for nothing perhaps has “my” been added. For many cry unto the Lord, not with their own voice, but with the voice of their body. Let the “inner man” then, in whom “Christ” hath begun to “dwell by faith,” cry unto the Lord, not with the din of his lips, but with the affection of his heart. God heareth not, where man heareth: unless thou criest with the voice of lungs and side and tongue, man heareth thee not: thy thought is thy cry to the Lord. “With my voice have I prayed unto the Lord.” What he meant by, “I have cried,” he explained when he said, “I have prayed.” For they too who blaspheme, cry unto the Lord. In the former part he set down his crying, in the latter he explained what it was. As though it were demanded, With what cry hast thou cried unto the Lord? Unto the Lord, saith he, I have prayed. My cry is my prayer, not reviling, not murmuring, not blaspheming.
De psalmo quem cantavimus, loquar quod Dominus dederit, Charitati vestrae. Hesterno die psalmus brevior tractabatur, sed spatium temporis dabat nobis copiam etiam de paucis multa dicendi: nunc quoniam prolixior psalmus est, non debemus tantum in singulis versibus immorari; ne forte non concedat Dominus facultatem, ut totum peragere valeamus.
142.2 PL 36, 1845
2. “I will pour out before Him my prayer” (ver. 2). What is, “before Him”? In His sight. What is, in His sight? Where He seeth. But where doth He not see? For so do we say, ‘where He seeth,’ as though somewhere He seeth not. But in this assemblage of bodily substances men too see, animals too see: He seeth where man seeth not. For thy thoughts no man seeth, but God seeth. There then pour out thy prayer, where He alone seeth, who rewardeth. For the Lord Jesus Christ bade thee pray in secret: but if thou knowest what “thy closet” is, and cleansest it, there thou prayest to God. “But thou,” saith He, “when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and shut the door, and pray to thy Father in secret, and He who seeth in secret shall reward thee.” If men are to reward thee, pour out thy prayer before men: if God is to reward thee, pour out thy prayer before Him; and close the door, lest the tempter enter. Therefore the Apostle, because it is in our power to shut the door, the door of our hearts, not of our walls, for in it is our “closet,”—because it is in our power to shut this door, saith, “neither give place to the devil.” But what is to “shut the door”? This door hath as it were two leaves, desire and fear. Either thou desireth something earthly, and he enters by this; or thou fearest something earthly, and he enters by that. Close then the door of fear and desire against the devil, open it to Christ. How dost thou open these folding doors to Christ? By desiring the kingdom of heaven, by fearing the fire of hell. By desire of this world the devil entereth, by desire of eternal life Christ entereth; by fear of temporal punishment the devil entereth, by fear of everlasting fire Christ entereth.…
[«vers.» 1.] Titulus Psalmi est, «Ipsi David, quando eum filius suus persequebatur.» In Regnorum libris novimus hoc factum esse, exstitisse inimicum Abessalon patri suo, gessisse contra illum non solum civile, verum etiam domesticum bellum: illum autem non dejectum inique, sed humiliatum pie, accepisse a Domino disciplinam; sustinuisse medicinam, non retribuentem iniquitati iniquitatem, sed paratum cor habuisse ad sequendam Domini voluntatem . Ille David ita laudabilis: sed alius David vere Manu fortis, quod interpretatur David, Dominus noster Jesus Christus agnoscendus est nobis. Praeterita enim illa facta figurae fuerant futurorum; nec diu commendandum est quod saepe audistis, quod optime retinetis. Quaeramus ergo in hoc psalmo Dominum et Salvatorem nostrum Jesum Christum praenuntiantem se per hanc prophetiam, et quid futurum esset in hoc tempore, per ea quae pridem facta sunt praedicantem. Ipse enim se in Prophetis praedicabat; quoniam ipse est Verbum Dei; nec illi tale aliquid dicebant, nisi pleni Verbo Dei. Annuntiabant ergo Christum, pleni Christo; et illi eum venturum praecedebant, quos praecedentes non deserebat. Agnoscamus ergo quemadmodum et Christum persequebatur filius suus: habebat enim filios, de quibus dicebat, «Non jejunant filii sponsi, quamdiu cum eis est sponsus: cum autem ab eis ablatus fuerit sponsus, tunc jejunabunt filii sponsi» . Ergo filii sponsi, Apostoli: et inter hos persecutor Judas diabolus. Passionem itaque suam in hoc psalmo praedicaturus est Christus; audiamus.
142.3 PL 36, 1845
3. “My tribulation I will proclaim in His sight.” There is a repetition, both in the two preceding sentences, and in these which follow: the sentiments are two, but both twice expressed.…For, “in His sight,” is the same as “before Him;” “I will proclaim my tribulation,” is the same as, “I will pour out my prayer.” When doest thou this? Being set in the midst of persecution, he saith, “while my spirit failed from me” (ver. 3). Wherefore hath thy spirit failed, O martyr, set in tribulation? That I may not claim my strength as mine own, that I may know that Another worketh in me the goodness I have. And men perhaps have heard that my spirit hath failed within me, and have despaired of me, and have said, “we have taken him captive, we have overpowered him;” “and Thou hast known my paths.” They thought me cast down, Thou didst see me standing upright. They who persecuted me and had seized me, thought my feet entangled, “but their feet were entangled, and they fell, but we are risen, and stand upright.” For mine eyes are ever unto the Lord, for He shall pluck my feet out of the net.” I have persevered in walking, for “he that shall persevere unto the end, the same shall be saved.” They thought me overpowered, but I continued walking. Where did I walk? In paths which they saw not, who thought me prisoner, in the paths of Thy righteousness, in the paths of Thy commandments.…For every path is a way, but not every way is a path. Why then are those ways called paths, save because they are narrow? Broad is the way of the wicked, narrow the way of the righteous. That which is “the way” is also “the ways,” just as “the Church” is also “the Churches,” the “heaven” also the “heavens:” they are spoken of in the plural, they are spoken of also in the singular. On account of the unity of the Church it is one Church; “My dove is one, she is the only one of her mother.” On account of the congregation of brethren in various places there are many Churches. “The Churches of Judæa which are in Christ rejoiced,” saith Paul, “and they glorified God in me.” Thus he spake of Churches; and of one Church he thus speaketh, “Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God.”…
Rursus autem ad hoc intentam facimus Charitatem vestram, non docendo quod ignoratis, sed admonendo quod nostis; Dominum et Salvatorem nostrum Jesum Christum caput esse corporis sui, illum unum mediatorem esse Dei et hominum, hominem Jesum , natum ex virgine, tanquam in solitudine, sicut in Apocalypsi audivimus. Per solitudinem quippe arbitror, quod solus ita natus est. Hunc enim illa mulier peperit, recturum populum in virga ferrea . Haec autem mulier, antiqua est civitas Dei, de qua in psalmo dicitur: «Gloriosa dicta sunt de te, civitas Dei.» Haec civitas initium habet ab ipso Abel, sicut mala civitas a Cain. Antiqua ergo ista civitas Dei, semper tolerans terram, sperans coelum, quae etiam Jerusalem vocatur et Sion. Utique de nato quodam in Sion, et conditore ipsius Sion, psalmus quidam dicit: «Mater Sion, dicet homo.» Quis homo? «Et homo factus est in ea; et ipse fundavit eam Altissimus» . Denique ipse in Sion factus est homo, sed humilis factus est homo; et idem ipse Altissimus fundavit eam civitatem in qua factus est homo. Itaque et illa mulier sole cooperiebatur, sole ipso justitiae quem non cognoscunt impii; qui dicturi sunt in fine: «Ergo erravimus a via veritatis, et justitiae lumen non luxit nobis, et sol non ortus est nobis» . Est ergo quidam sol justitiae qui non oritur impiis. Caeterum istum solem facit oriri super bonos et malos . Ergo et amicta erat sole, et gestabat visceribus masculum paritura. Idem ipse erat condens Sion, et nascens in Sion: et illa mulier civitas Dei, ejus luce protegebatur, cujus carne gravidabatur. Merito et lunam sub pedibus habebat , quia mortalitatem crescentis et decrescentis carnis virtute calcabat. Ergo ipse Dominus Jesus Christus caput et corpus: voluit enim etiam loqui in nobis, qui dignatus est mori pro nobis; membra sua nos fecit. Aliquando itaque ex persona membrorum suorum loquitur, aliquando ex persona sua, tanquam capitis nostri. Habet aliquid ille quod dicat sine nobis; nos sine illo nihil possumus dicere. Apostolus dicit: «Ut suppleam quae desunt pressurarum Christi, in carne mea» . «Ut suppleam,» inquit, «quae desunt pressurarum,» non mearum, sed «Christi; in carne,» non jam Christi, sed «mea.» Patitur, inquit, adhuc Christus pressuram; non in carne sua, in qua ascendit in coelum, sed in carne mea, quae adhuc laborat in terra. Christus, inquit, pressuram patitur in carne mea: «Vivo enim non jam ego, vivit vero in me Christus» . Nisi enim Christus et in membris suis, hoc est fidelibus suis, pressuram ipse pateretur, Saulus in terra Christum in coelo sedentem non persequeretur. Denique aperte hoc exponens quodam loco: «Sicut enim corpus unum est,» inquit, «et membra multa habet; omnia autem membra corporis cum sint multa, unum est corpus: ita et Christus» . Non ait, Ita et Christus et corpus; sed, «corpus unum membra multa, ita et Christus.» Totum ergo Christus: et quia totum Christus, ideo caput de coelo, «Saule,» inquit, «Saule, quid me persequeris» ? Tenete hoc, et fixum omnino commendate memoriae, tanquam filii ecclesiasticae eruditionis et fidei catholicae, ut agnoscatis Christum caput et corpus, eumdemque Christum Verbum Dei unigenitum aequalem Patri; et inde videatis quanta gratia pertingatis ad Deum, ut ipse voluerit esse nobiscum unus, qui est cum Patre unus. Quomodo cum Patre unus? «Ego et Pater unum sumus» . Quomodo nobiscum unus? «Non dicit,» inquit, «Et seminibus, tanquam in multis; sed tanquam in uno, Et semini tuo, quod est Christus.» Sed ait aliquis: Si Christus semen Abrahae, numquid et nos? Mementote quia semen Abrahae Christus; ac per hoc si et nos semen Abrahae, ergo et nos Christus. «Quomodo unum corpus multa membra, ita et Christus: et Quotquot in Christo baptizati estis, Christum induistis.» Nempe semen Abrahae Christus; nec contradici potest apostolicis apertissimis verbis, «Et semini tuo, quod est Christus.» Videte quid nobis dicat: «Si autem vos Christi, ergo semen Abrahae estis» . Ideo magnum est illud sacramentum: «Erunt duo in carne una» . Apostolus dicit: «Sacramentum hoc magnum est; ego autem dico in Christo et in Ecclesia» . Christus et Ecclesia, duo in carne una. Refer ad distantiam majestatis duo. Duo plane. Non enim et nos Verbum, non enim et nos in principio Deus apud Deum, non enim et nos ille per quem facta sunt omnia . Venitur ad carnem, et ibi Christus et ille et nos. Non ergo miremur in Psalmis: multa enim dicit ex persona capitis, multa ex persona membrorum; et hoc totum tanquam una persona sit, ita loquitur. Nec mireris quia duo in voce una, si duo in carne una.
142.4 PL 36, 1847
4. “In this way, wherein I was walking, they hid a trap for me.” This “way wherein I was walking,” is Christ; there have they laid a trap for me, who persecute me in Christ, for Christ’s Name’s sake. There then “have they hid for me a trap.” What in me do they hate, what in me do they persecute? That I am a Christian.…For the heretics too wish to hide a stumbling-block for us in the Name of Christ, and are themselves deceived. What they think that they put in the way, they put outside the way, for they themselves are outside the way. They cannot set a trap where themselves are not.…The Pagan thinketh to put a stumbling-block in the way, when he saith to me, “Thou worshippest a crucified God.” He findeth fault with the Cross of Christ, which he understandeth not. He thinketh that he setteth in Christ, what he setteth near the way. I will not depart from Christ, so shall I not fall from the way into the trap. Let him mock at Christ crucified, let me see the Cross of Christ on the foreheads of kings. What he laugheth at, therein am I saved. Nought is prouder than a sick man, who laugheth at his own medicine. If he laughed not at it, he would take it, and be healed. The Cross is the sign of humility, but he through excess of pride acknowledgeth not that whereby may be healed the swelling of his soul. But if I acknowledge, I am walking in the way. So far am I from blushing at the Cross, that in no secret place do I keep the Cross of Christ, but bear it on my forehead. Many sacraments we receive, one in one way another in another: some as ye know we receive with the mouth, some we receive over the whole body. But because the forehead is the seat of the blush of shame, He who said, “Whosoever shall be ashamed of Me before men, of him will I be ashamed before My Father which is in heaven,” set, so to speak, that very ignominy which the Pagans mock at, in the seat of our shame. Thou hearest a man assail a shameless man and say, “He hath no forehead.” What is, “He hath no forehead”? He hath no shame. Let me not have a bare forehead, let the Cross of my Lord cover it.…
Judas filius sponsi persequens sponsum. Hoc tunc contigit; an et futurorum exemplum praemissum est? Multos enim falsos fratres passura erat Ecclesia, ut et adhuc et usque in finem sponsum illum filius persequatur. «Si» enim «inimicus exprobrasset mihi, sustinuissem utique,» ait; «et si is qui oderat me, super me magna locutus fuisset, abscondissem me utique ab eo.» Quis est inimicus? quis est qui oderat me? Qui dicit: Quis est Christus? Homo fuit Christus, nec vivere potuit, cum vellet vivere: et mortuus est, inquiunt, nolens, evictus, crucifixus, occisus. Inimici ista dicunt. Apertus iste inimicus est, ait Christus, odit me, apertas mihi indicit inimicitias; facile est istum vel tolerare vel vitare: quid facio de Abessalon? quid facio de Juda? quid de falsis fratribus? quid de malis filiis et tamen filiis, qui non contra nos blasphemant Christum, sed nobiscum adorant Christum, et in nobis persequuntur Christum? De quibus consequenter in eodem psalmo dicitur: Alium facile erat perferre, eum qui oderat me; vel abscondere me ab eo. Abscondis enim te a pagano, intrans Ecclesiam. Quando autem et ibi invenis quod times, quid quaeris ubi te abscondas? Denique ille ipse apostolus qui gemit in periculis a falsis fratribus: «Foris,» inquit, «pugnae, intus timores» . «Si» ergo «is qui oderat me, super me magna locutus fuisset, abscondissem me utique ab eo; tu vero unianimis meus» . Unianimem dicit, tanquam unum in Christo. Est ergo Ecclesiae quod ferat foris, gemat intus: inimicos tamen suos deputet foris et intus; foris facilius evitabiles, intus difficilius tolerabiles.
5. Dicat ergo Dominus noster, dicat Christus nobiscum totus Christus: «Domine, exaudi orationem meam, percipe auribus precem meam.» Hoc est, «exaudi;» quod, «percipe auribus:» repetitio, confirmatio est. «In veritate tua exaudi me, in tua justitia.» Ne utcumque accipiatis, cum dicitur, «in tua justitia.» Commendatio est enim gratiae, ne unusquisque nostrum justitiam suam putet. Haec enim justitia Dei est, quam ut habeas Deus dedit. Nam qui voluerunt de sua justitia gloriari, quid de illis dicit Apostolus? «Testimonium eis,» inquit, «perhibeo, quia zelum Dei habent.» De Judaeis loquens, «Zelum Dei,» inquit, «habent, sed non secundum scientiam.» Quid est, «non secundum scientiam?» Quam enim tu commendas utilem scientiam? numquid illam quae cum sola fuerit inflat; quae nisi comitata fuerit charitate, non aedificat ? Non utique ipsam; sed illam scientiam comitem charitatis, magistram humilitatis. Vide si ipsa est: «Zelum,» inquit, «Dei habent, sed non secundum scientiam.» Exponat quam dicat scientiam: «Ignorantes Dei justitiam et suam volentes constituere, justitiae Dei non sunt subjecti» . Qui ergo volunt constituere justitiam suam? Qui quod bene fecerint, sibi imputant, quod male, Deo: omnino perversi. Denique recti erunt, cum hoc ipsum converterint. Perversus ideo, quia quod male, Deo; quod bene, tibi: rectus eris, quando quod male feceris, tibi; quod bene feceris, Deo. Non enim ex impio juste viveres, nisi ab illo justus factus, qui justificat impium . Ergo, inquit, «In veritate tua exaudi me, in tua justitia,» non in mea; ut «inveniar in illo non habens meam justitiam, quae ex lege est, sed eam quae est ex fide» . Ecce, «In tua justitia exaudi me.» Ad me enim cum respicio, nihil aliud meum quam peccatum invenio.
142.5 PL 36, 1845
5. “I considered upon the right hand, and saw” (ver. 4). He considered upon the right hand, and saw: whoso considereth upon the left hand, is blinded. What is to consider on the right hand? Where they will be to whom shall be said, “Come, ye blessed of My Father,” etc.,…He goeth on to say, “and there was none that knew me.” For when thou fearest all things, who knoweth what thou regardest, whether thou directest thine eyes to the right hand or to the left? If, in bearing, thou seekest the praise of men, thou hast regarded the left: if, in bearing, thou seekest the promises of God, thou hast regarded the right hand. Hast thou regarded the right hand, thou shalt see: hast thou regarded the left hand, thou shalt be blinded. But even when thou seest on the right hand, there will be none to know thee. For who comforteth thee save the Lord? “Flight hath perished from me.” He speaketh as though he were hemmed in. Let the persecutors rejoice over him; he is overpowered, he is taken, he is hemmed in, he is conquered. “Flight hath perished” from him who fleeth not. But he who fleeth not, suffereth whatever he can for Christ: that is, he fleeth not in soul. For in body it is lawful to flee; it is allowed, it is permitted; for the Lord saith, “When they persecute you in one city, flee to another.” He then who fleeth not in soul, from him “flight hath perished.” But it maketh a difference why he fleeth not; whether because he is hemmed in, because he is caught, or because he is brave. For both from him that is caught flight hath perished, and from him that is brave flight hath perished. What flight then is to be avoided? what flight shall we allow to perish from us? That whereof the Lord speaketh in the Gospel, “The Good Shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, when he seeth the wolf coming, fleeth.” When he seeth the ravager, why fleeth he? “Because he careth not for the sheep.”…In two ways a man’s life is sought, either by his persecutors or by his lovers. So then “there is none to seek my life,” he said of them; verily they persecute my life, and they seek not my life. But if they seek my life, they will find it clinging to Thee: and if they know to seek it, they know also to imitate it.
142.6 PL 36, 1848
6. “Unto thee have I cried, O Lord: I have said, Thou art my hope” (ver. 5). When I endured, when I was in tribulation, “I said, Thou art my hope.” My hope here, therefore I endure. But “my portion,” not here, but “in the land of the living.” God giveth a portion in the land of the living; but not something from Himself without Himself. What will He give to one that loveth Him, save Himself?
[«vers 2.] Et ne intres in judicium cum servo tuo.» Qui cum illo volunt intrare in judicium, nisi qui ignorantes Dei justitiam, suam volunt constituere? «Quid est quod jejunavimus, et non vidisti, defraudavimus animas nostras, et nescisti» ? tanquam dicentes: Fecimus quod jussisti; quare non reddis quod promisisti? Respondet tibi Deus: Ut accipias quod promisi, ego dabo; ut faceres, quare acciperes, ego dedi. Denique superbis talibus loquitur propheta: «Quid vultis mecum judicio contendere? Omnes dereliquistis me, dicit Dominus» . Quid vultis mecum in judicium intrare, et vestras justitias commemorare? Commemorate justitias vestras; ego novi facinora vestra. Quomodo approbabo justitiam, ubi damnabo superbiam? Merito iste humilis in corpore Christi, discens a capite quoniam mitis est et humilis corde , «Ne intres,» inquit, «in judicium cum servo tuo.» Non litigemus; nolo tecum habere causam, ut ego proponam justitiam meam, tu convincas iniquitatem meam: «Ne intres in judicium cum servo tuo.» Quare hoc? quare timet? «Quoniam non justificabitur coram te omnis vivens. Omnis vivens,» hic utique vivens, in carne vivens, moriturus vivens, natus homo, ex hominibus vivens, de Adam, Adam vivens; omnis ita vivens justificari forte potest coram se, non coram te. Quomodo, coram se? Sibi placens, tibi displicens: «coram te» autem «non justificabitur omnis vivens.» Noli ergo mecum intrare in judicium, Domine, Deus meus. Quantumlibet rectus mihi videar, producis tu de thesauro tuo regulam, coaptas me ad eam, et pravus invenior. «Ne intres in judicium cum servo tuo.» Bene, «cum servo tuo.» Indignum est tibi cum servo tuo intrare in judicium, nec quidem cum amico tuo: quia, «Vobis dico amicis meis» , non diceres, nisi ex servis amicos tu ipse fecisses. Tu licet dicas amicum, ego confiteor servum: misericordia indigeo, fugitivus redeo, pacem quaero; non sum dignus vocari filius tuus , «Ne intres in judicium cum servo tuo; quoniam non justificabitur in conspectu tuo omnis vivens. Ante mortem ne laudes hominem quemquam» : omnino «omnis vivens.» Quid ipsi arietes, quid ipsi Apostoli, de quorum prole dicitur: «Afferte Domino filios arietum» ? Ex his Paulus est, qui dicit non se esse perfectum: «Non quia jam acceperim,» inquit, «aut jam perfectus sim» . Denique, fratres, ut cito agnoscatis, ipsi didicerunt orare quod oramus, ipsis data est regula postulandi, a Jurisperito coelesti: «Sic orate,» inquit, Et cum quaedam praemisisset, posuit et hoc ut dicerent arietes nostri, duces ovium, et praecipua membra Pastoris et congregatoris unius gregis; ipsi didicerunt dicere: «Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris» . Non dixerunt, Gratias tibi, qui dimisisti nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris; sed, «Dimitte, sicut dimittimus.» Orabant autem utique jam fideles, utique jam Apostoli: nam ista oratio dominica magis fidelibus datur. Si debita illa tantummodo dicerentur quae per Baptismum dimittuntur, catechumenis congrueret magis orare, «Dimitte nobis debita nostra.» Dicant ergo Apostoli, dicant, «Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris.» Et cum eis dictum fuerit, Quare hoc dicitis? quae debita vestra? Respondeant, «Quoniam non justificabitur in conspectu tuo omnis vivens.»
142.7 PL 36, 1849
7. “Give heed unto my prayer, for much have I been humbled” (ver. 6). Humbled by persecutors, humbled in confession. He humbleth himself out of the sight of man: he is humbled by enemies in their sight. Therefore is he lifted up by Him both visibly and invisibly. Invisibly are the martyrs already lifted up; visibly shall they be lifted up, “when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption” in the resurrection of the dead; when this very part of him, against which alone her persecutors could rage, shall be renewed. “Fear not them that kill the body, but cannot kill the soul.” And what perisheth? what kill they?…Why then art thou anxious about the rest of thy members, when thou shalt not lose even a hair? “Deliver me from them that persecute me.” From whom thinkest thou that he prayeth to be delivered? From men who persecuted him? Is it so? are merely men our enemies? We have other enemies, invisible, who persecute us in another way. Man persecuteth, that he may slay the body; another persecuteth, that he ensnare the soul.…There are then other enemies of ours too, from whom we ought to pray God to deliver us, lest they lead us astray, either by crushing us with troubles of this world, or alluring us by its enticements. Who are these enemies? Let us see whether they are plainly described by any servant of the Lord, by any soldier, now perfected, who hath engaged with them. Hear the Apostle saying, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood:” as though he would say, Turn not your hatred against men; think not them your enemies; think not that it is by their hostility you are being bruised; these men whom ye fear are flesh and blood.…“For they are strengthened over me.” Who said, “they are strengthened over me”? The Body of Christ crieth out; it is the voice of the Church; the members of Christ cry out, “Much hath the number of sinners increased.” “Because iniquity hath abounded, the love of many waxeth cold.”
[«vers. 3.] Quoniam persecutus est inimicus animam meam, humiliavit in terra vitam meam.» Vide nos, vide caput nostrum pro nobis: «Quoniam persecutus est inimicus animam meam.» Persecutus est plane et diabolus animam Christi, et Judas animam magistri: et nunc ad persecutionem corporis Christi idem diabolus manet; Judas autem Judae succedit. Non ergo deest de quo dicat et corpus, «Quoniam persecutus est inimicus animam meam, humiliavit in terra vitam meam. Humiliavit,» inquit, «in terra vitam meam.» Alio loco dicitur: «Curvaverunt animam meam» . Quid enim nobiscum agit, quisquis persequitur, nisi ut relicta spe coelesti terram sapiamus, persecutori cedentes terrena diligamus? Et illi quidem, quantum in ipsis est, hoc agunt: nobis autem hoc non contingat, quibus dicitur, «Si resurrexistis cum Christo, quae sursum sunt sapite, ubi Christus est in dextera Dei sedens; quae sursum sunt quaerite, non quae super terram: mortui enim estis» . Nam non justificabitur coram Deo omnis vivens. Illi ergo vel aperte saeviendo, vel occulte insidiando conantur perducere vitam nostram ad terram: contra hos vigilemus, ut dicere possimus, «Nostra enim conversatio in coelis est» . «Humiliavit,» inquit, «in terra vitam meam» inimicus.
142.8 PL 36, 1850
8. “Bring forth my soul out of prison, that it may confess to Thy Name” (ver. 7). This “prison” has been variously understood by former writers. And perhaps it is the prison which is called in the title, “the cave.” For the title of this Psalm runneth thus: “Of understanding to David himself, a prayer when he was in the cave.” That which is the cave, the same is also the prison. Two things have we set before us to understand, but when we have understood one, both will be understood. A man’s deserts make a prison. For in one dwelling place one man finds a house, another a prison.…To some then it has seemed that the “cave” and “prison” are this world; and this the Church prayeth, that it may be brought out of prison, that is, from this world, from under the sun, where all is vanity. Beyond this world then God promiseth that we shall be in some sort of rest; therefore perhaps do we cry concerning this place, “Bring my soul out of prison.” Our soul by faith and hope is in Christ; “Your life is hid with Christ in God.” But our body is in this prison, in this world.…But some have said, that this prison and cave is this body, so that this is the meaning of, “Bring my soul out of prison.” But this interpretation too is somewhat at fault. For what great thing is it to say, “Bring my soul out of prison,” bring my soul out of the body? Do not the souls of robbers and wicked men go forth from the body, and go into worse punishment than here they have endured? What great request then is this, “Bring my soul out of prison,” when, sooner or later, it must needs come forth? Perhaps the righteous saith, “Let me die now; bring forth my soul from this prison of the body.” If he be too hasty, he hath not love. He ought indeed to long for and desire, as the Apostle saith, “having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, which is far better.” But where is love? Therefore it followeth, “but to abide in the flesh is needful for you.” Let God then lead us forth from the body, when He will. Our body too might be said to be a prison, not because that is a prison which God hath made, but because it is under punishment and liable to death. For there are two things to be considered in our body, God’s workmanship, and the punishment it has deserved.…Perhaps then he meant by, “Bring my soul out of prison,” bring my soul out of corruption. If thus we understand it, it is no blasphemy, the meaning is consistent. Lastly, brethren, as I think, he meant this; “Bring my soul out of prison,” bring it out of straitness. For to one who rejoiceth, even a prison is wide; to one in sorrow, a field is strait. Therefore prayeth he to be brought out of straitness. For though in hope he have enlargement, yet in reality at present he is straitened.…It is not the body that weigheth down the soul, but the corruptible body. It is not the body then that maketh the prison, but the corruption. “Bring my soul out of prison, that it may give thanks to Thy Name.” Now the words which follow seem to come from the Head, our Lord Jesus Christ. And they are the same as yesterday’s last words. Yesterday’s last words, if ye remember, were, “I am alone, until I pass over.” And here what are the last words? “The righteous shall sustain me, until thou recompense me.”
«Collocaverunt me in tenebrosis, sicut mortuos saeculi.» Hoc a capite expeditius auditis, et expeditius hoc in capite agnoscitis. Ille enim pro nobis mortuus factus est, sed non mortuus saeculi. Qui enim mortui sunt saeculi? et quomodo ille non erat mortuus saeculi? Mortui saeculi, merito mortui, mercedem recipientes iniquitatis, et mortem ducentes ex peccati propagine; ex illa voce qua dicitur: «Ego enim in iniquitatibus conceptus sum, et in peccatis mater mea in utero me aluit» . Venit autem ille per virginem assumens carnem, non iniquitatem carnis, assumens carnem mundam mundatricem. Illi autem quem peccatorem putabant, tanquam mortuum saeculi deputabant. At ille qui in alio psalmo dixit, «Quae non rapui, tunc exsolvebam» ; et qui dixit in Evangelio, «Ecce venit princeps mundi,» praepositus mortis, operis mali persuasor, supplicii exactor; «Venit,» inquit, «et in me nihil inveniet.» Quid est, «in me nihil inveniet?» Nullam culpam, nihil quare mori debeam. «Sed ut sciant omnes quia voluntatem,» inquit, «Patris mei facio, surgite, eamus hinc» . Ut moriar, inquit, voluntatem Patris mei facio, non autem morte sum dignus. Nihil feci unde moriar, sed facio ut moriar; ut illi per innocentis mortem liberentur, qui habebant quare morerentur. «Collocaverunt me in tenebrosis,» tanquam in infernis, tanquam in sepulcro, tanquam in ipsa passione; «velut mortuos saeculi,» eum qui dicit, «Factus sum sicut homo sine adjutorio, inter mortuos liber» . Quid est, «liber?» quare «liber?» Quia omnis qui facit peccatum, servus est peccati . Denique non solveret a vinculis, nisi liber a vinculis. Ille liber mortem occidit, vinculum vinxit, captivitatem captivavit, et collocaverunt eum in tenebrosis tanquam mortuos saeculi.