Expositions on the Book of Psalms 21
21.0 Psalm XXI PL 36, 126
21.1 Psalm XXI PL 36, 167
1. The title is a familiar one; the Psalm is of Christ.
[vers. 1.] In finem, pro resurrectione sua ipse Dominus Jesus Christus loquitur. Matutina enim fuit prima sabbati resurrectio ejus, qua susceptus est in aeternam vitam, cui mors ultra non dominabitur . Dicuntur autem ista ex persona crucifixi: nam de capite psalmi hujus sunt verba quae ipse clamavit cum in cruce penderet, personam etiam servans veteris hominis, cujus mortalitatem portavit. Nam vetus homo noster confixus est cruci cum illo .
21.2 PL 36, 167
2. “O Lord, the King shall rejoice in Thy strength” (ver. 1). O Lord, in Thy strength, whereby the Word was made flesh, the Man Christ Jesus shall rejoice. “And shall exult exceedingly in Thy salvation.” And in that, whereby Thou quickenest all things, shall exult exceedingly.
[vers. 2.] Deus, Deus meus respice me, quare me dereliquisti longe a salute mea? longe factus a salute mea; quoniam longe est a peccatoribus salus . Verba delictorum meorum: nam haec verba sunt non justitiae, sed delictorum meorum. Vetus enim homo confixus cruci loquitur; etiam causam ignorans quare eum dereliquerit Deus: aut certe, Longe a salute mea sunt verba delictorum meorum.
21.3 PL 36, 167
3. “Thou hast given Him the desire of His soul” (ver. 2). He desired to eat the Passover, and to lay down His life when He would, and again when He would to take it; and Thou hast given it to Him. “And hast not deprived Him of the good pleasure of His lips.” “My peace,” saith He, “I leave with you:” and it was done.
[vers. 3.] Deus meus, clamabo ad te per diem, nec exaudies: Deus meus, clamabo ad te in rebus prosperis hujus vitae, ut non mutentur; nec exaudies, quia verbis delictorum meorum ad te clamabo. Et nocte, et non ad insipientiam mihi: et in adversis utique hujus vitae clamabo ut prosperentur, et similiter non exaudies. Neque hoc facis ad insipientiam mihi, sed potius ut sapiam quid clamare me velis; non verbis delictorum ex desiderio temporalis vitae, sed verbis conversionis ad te in vitam aeternam.
21.4 PL 36, 167
4. “For Thou hast presented Him with the blessings of sweetness” (ver. 3). Because He had first quaffed the blessing of Thy sweetness, the gall of our sins did not hurt Him. “Diapsalma. Thou hast set a crown of precious stone on His Head.” At the beginning of His discoursing precious stones were brought, and compassed Him about; His disciples, from whom the commencement of His preaching should be made.
[vers. 4.] Tu autem in sancto habitas, laus Israel: tu autem in sancto habitas, et ideo immunda delictorum verba non exaudies. Laus videntis te, non ejus qui laudem suam quaesivit in gustando vetito cibo, ut apertis corporeis oculis abscondere se conaretur a conspectu tuo .
21.5 PL 36, 167
5. “He asked life; and Thou gavest Him:” He asked a resurrection, saying, “Father, glorify Thy Son;” and Thou gavest it Him, “Length of days for ever and ever” (ver. 4). The prolonged ages of this world which the Church was to have, and after them an eternity, world without end.
[vers. 5.] In te speraverunt patres nostri: omnes justi scilicet, non quaerentes suam laudem, sed tuam; speraverunt, et eruisti eos.
21.6 PL 36, 167
6. “His glory is great in Thy salvation” (ver. 5). Great indeed is His glory in the salvation, whereby Thou hast raised Him up again. “Glory and great honour shalt Thou lay upon Him.” But Thou shalt yet add unto Him glory and great honour, when Thou shalt place Him in heaven at Thy right hand.
[vers. 6.] Ad te clamaverunt, et salvi facti sunt: ad te clamaverunt, non verbis delictorum a quibus longe est salus, et ideo salvi facti sunt. In te speraverunt, et non sunt confusi: in te speraverunt, nec eos fefellit spes; non enim in se illam posuerunt.
21.7 PL 36, 168
7. “For Thou shalt give Him blessing for ever and ever.” This is the blessing which Thou shalt give Him for ever and ever: “Thou shalt make Him glad in joy together with Thy countenance” (ver. 6). According to His manhood, Thou shalt make Him glad together with Thy countenance, which He lifted up to Thee.
[vers. 7.] Ego autem sum vermis, et non homo: ego autem jam non ex persona Adam loquens, sed ego proprie Jesus Christus sine semine in carne natus sum, ut essem in homine ultra homines; ut vel sic dignaretur imitari humana superbia humilitatem meam. Opprobrium hominum et abjectio plebis: in qua factus sum opprobrium hominum, ita ut pro convicioso maledicto diceretur; Tu sis discipulus ejus , et plebs me contemneret.
21.8 PL 36, 168
8. “For the King hopeth in the Lord.” For the King is not proud, but humble in heart, he hopeth in the Lord. “And in the mercy of the Most Highest He shall not be moved” (ver. 7). And in the mercy of the Most Highest His obedience even unto the death of the Cross shall not disturb His humility.
[vers. 8.] Omnes qui conspiciebant me, subsanabant me: omnes qui conspiciebant me, irridebant me, Et locuti sunt labiis, et moverunt caput: et locuti sunt non in corde, sed in labiis.
21.9 PL 36, 168
9. “Let Thy hand be found by all Thine enemies.” Be Thy power, O King, when Thou comest to judgment, found by all Thine enemies; who in Thy humiliation discerned it not. “Let Thy right hand find out all that hate Thee” (ver. 8). Let the glory, wherein Thou reignest at the right hand of the Father, find out for punishment in the day of judgment all that hate Thee; for that now they have not found it.
[vers. 9.] Nam irridenter moverunt caput, dicentes: Speravit in Dominum, eruat eum; salvum faciat eum, quoniam vult eum. Haec verba erant, sed in labiis dicebantur.
21.10 PL 36, 168
10. “Thou shalt make them like a fiery oven:” Thou shalt make them on fire within, by the consciousness of their ungodliness: “In the time of Thy countenance:” in the time of Thy manifestation. “The Lord shall trouble them in His wrath, and the fire shall devour them” (ver. 9). And then, being troubled by the vengeance of the Lord, after the accusation of their conscience, they shall be given up to eternal fire, to be devoured.
[vers. 10.] Quoniam tu es qui extraxisti me de ventre: quoniam tu es qui extraxisti me, non solum de illo ventre virginali, nam omnibus hominibus lex ista nascendi est ut de ventre extrahantur, sed etiam de ventre Judaicae gentis; cujus tenebris obtegitur, et nondum in lucem Christi natus est, quisquis in carnali observatione sabbati et circumcisionis caeterorumque talium salutem ponit. Spes mea ab uberibus matris meae: spes mea Deus, non ex quo uberibus virginis lactari coepi, nam et ante utique; sed ab uberibus Synagogae, sicut de ventre dixi, extraxisti me, ne carnalem consuetudinem sugerem.
21.11 PL 36, 168
11. “Their fruit shalt Thou destroy out of the earth.” Their fruit, because it is earthly, shalt Thou destroy out of the earth. “And their seed from the sons of men” (ver. 10). And their works; or, whomsoever they have seduced, Thou shalt not reckon among the sons of men, whom Thou hast called into the everlasting inheritance.
[vers. 11.] In te confirmatus sum ex utero: ipse est uterus Synagogae, qui me non pertulit, sed jactavit me: non autem cecidi, quia continuisti me. De ventre matris meae Deus meus es tu. De ventre matris meae: non effecit venter matris meae ut tanquam parvulus oblitus essem tui.
21.12 PL 36, 168
12. “Because they turned evils against Thee.” Now this punishment shall be recompensed to them, because the evils which they supposed to hang over them by Thy reign, they turned against Thee to Thy death. “They imagined a device, which they were not able to establish” (ver. 11). They imagined a device, saying, “It is expedient that one die for all:” which they were not able to establish, not knowing what they said.
[vers. 12.] Deus meus es tu, ne discedas a me: quoniam tribulatio proxima est. Deus meus ergo es tu, ne discedas a me: quoniam tribulatio juxta me est; nam est in corpore meo. Quoniam non est qui adjuvet: quis enim adjuvat, si tu non adjuvas?
21.13 PL 36, 168
13. “For Thou shalt set them low.” For Thou shalt rank them among those from whom in degradation and contempt Thou wilt turn away. “In Thy leavings Thou shalt make ready their countenance” (ver. 12). And in these things that Thou leavest, that is, in the desires of an earthly kingdom, Thou shalt make ready their shamelessness for Thy passion.
[vers. 13.] Circumdederunt me vituli multi: circumdedit me multitudo luxuriantis plebis. Tauri pingues obsederunt me: et principes ejus de oppressione mea laeti, obsederunt me.
21.14 PL 36, 168
14. “Be Thou exalted, O Lord, in Thy strength” (ver. 13). Be Thou, Lord, whom in humiliation they did not discern, exalted in Thy strength, which they thought weakness. “We will sing and praise Thy power.” In heart and in deed we will celebrate and make known Thy marvels.
[vers. 14.] Aperuerunt in me os suum: aperuerunt in me os, non de Scripturis tuis, sed de cupiditatibus suis. Sicut leo rapiens et rugiens: sicut leo cujus rapina est, quod apprehensus adductus sum; et rugitus, Crucifige, Crucifige !