Expositions on the Book of Psalms 123
123.1 Psalm CXXIII PL 36, 1639
1. …Let this singer ascend; and let this man sing from the heart of each of you, and let each of you be this man, for when each of you saith this, since ye are all one in Christ, one man saith this; and saith not, “Unto Thee, O Lord, have” we “lift up” our “eyes;” but, “Unto Thee, O Lord, have I lift up mine eyes” (ver. 1). Ye ought indeed to imagine that every one of you is speaking; but that One in an especial sense speaketh, who is also spread abroad over the whole world…
What maketh the heart of a Christian heavy? Because he is a pilgrim, and longeth for his country. If thy heart be heavy on this score, although thou hast been prosperous in the world, still thou dost groan: and if all things combine to render thee prosperous, and this world smile upon thee on every side, thou nevertheless groanest, because thou seest that thou art set in a pilgrimage; and feelest that thou hast indeed happiness in the eyes of fools, but not as yet after the promise of Christ: this thou seekest with groans, this thou seekest with longings, and by longing ascendest, and while thou ascendest dost sing the Song of Degrees.
[«vers.» 1-5.] Bene jam nostis, fratres charissimi, canticum graduum esse canticum ascensionis nostrae, eamdemque ascensionem non corporis pedibus fieri, sed cordis affectibus. Hoc saepissime insinuavimus vobis; nec eadem saepius repetenda sunt, ut sit locus dicendi quae nondum dicta sunt. Et iste ergo psalmus, quem nunc vobis cantatum audistis, «Canticum graduum» superscribitur. Ipse est titulus ejus. Cantant ergo ascendentes: et aliquando tanquam unus cantat, aliquando tanquam multi; quia et multi unus, quia et unus Christus, et in Christo membra Christi cum Christo unum faciunt, et horum omnium membrorum caput in coelo est. Corpus autem etiamsi laborat in terra, non est praecisum a capite suo. Desuper enim caput prospicit, et consulit corpori. Nam si non consuleret, non diceret illi persecutori adhuc Saulo, nondum Paulo: «Saule, Saule, quid me persequeris» ? Et haec optime nostis, et usitata sunt vobis. Non autem cum fastidio commemorentur eis quibus non exciderunt, ut per eorum patientiam redeant in cor etiam eorum quibus exciderant; salubria sunt enim, et saepius dicenda. Sive ergo unus cantet, sive multi cantent; et multi homines unus homo est, quia unitas est; et Christus, sicut diximus, unus est, et omnes Christiani membra sunt Christi.
123.2 PL 36, 1640
2. …Where then are the ladders? For we behold so great an interval between heaven and earth, there is so wide a separation, and so great a space of regions between: we wish to climb thither, we see no ladder; do we deceive ourselves, because we sing the Song of Degrees, that is, the Song of ascent? We ascend unto heaven, if we think of God, who hath made ascending steps in the heart. What is to ascend in heart? To advance towards God. As every man who faileth, doth not descend, but falleth: so every one who profiteth doth ascend: but if he so profit, as to avoid pride: if he so ascend as not to fall: but if while he profiteth he become proud, in ascending he again falleth. But that he may not be proud, what ought he to do? Let him lift up his eyes unto Him who dwelleth in heaven, let him not heed himself…
Quid ergo isti cantant? haec membra Christi quid cantant? Amant enim, et amando cantant, desiderando cantant. Aliquando cum tribulatione cantant, et aliquando exsultando cantant, cum in spe cantant. Tribulatio enim nostra in praesenti saeculo, spes vero nostra de futuro saeculo: et nisi in tribulatione praesentis saeculi consoletur nos spes futuri saeculi, perimus. Gaudium ergo nostrum, fratres, nondum est in re, sed jam in spe. Spes autem nostra tam certa est, quasi jam res perfecta sit: neque enim timemus promittente Veritate. Veritas enim nec falli potest, nec fallere: bonum est ut haereamus illi; illa nos liberat, sed si manserimus in verbo ejus. Modo enim credimus, tunc videbimus: cum credimus, spes est in isto saeculo; cum videbimus, res erit in futuro saeculo. Videbimus autem facie ad faciem : tunc autem videbimus facie ad faciem, cum hahuerimus corda mundata. Beati enim mundo corde, quoniam ipsi Deum videbunt . Unde autem corda mundantur, nisi per fidem, sicut Petrus ait in Actibus Apostolorum: «Mundans fide corda eorum» Mundantur autem corda nostra per fidem, ut possint esse idonea capere speciem. Ambulamus enim nunc per fidem, nondum per speciem; sicut Apostolus dicit, «Quamdiu sumus in corpore, peregrinamur a Domino.» Et quid est, «peregrinamur? Per fidem enim ambulamus,» inquit, «non per speciem» . Qui ergo peregrinatur, et per fidem ambulat, nondum est in patria, sed jam est in via; qui autem non credit, nec in patria est, nec in via. Sic ergo ambulemus, tanquam in via simus; quia ipse Rex patriae factus est via. Rex patriae nostrae, Dominus Jesus Christus; et ibi veritas, hic autem via. Quo imus? Ad veritatem. Qua imus? Per fidem. Quo imus? Ad Christum. Qua imus? Per Christum. Ipse enim dixit: «Ego sum via, veritas et vita» . Dixerat autem aliquando credentibus in se: «Si manseritis in verbo meo, vere discipuli mei estis; et cognoscetis veritatem, et veritas liberabit vos» . «Et cognoscetis,» inquit, «veritatem,» sed «si manseritis in verbo meo.» In quo verbo? Sicut dicit Apostolus, «Hoc est verbum fidei quod praedicamus» . Primo ergo verbum fidei est; in quo verbo fidei si manserimus, cognoscemus veritatem, et veritas liberabit nos. Veritas immortalis est, veritas incommutabilis est: veritas illud Verbum est de quo dicitur, «In principio erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum, et Deus erat Verbum.» Et quis hoc videt, nisi corde mundato? Unde mundantur corda? «Et Verbum caro factum est, et habitavit in nobis» . Quod ergo manet Verbum in se, veritas est ad quam venimus, et quae nos liberat: quod autem praedicatur verbum fidei, in quo nos vult Dominus permanere, ut cognoscamus veritatem; hoc est, «Verbum caro factum est, et habitavit in nobis.» Credis in Christum natum in carne, et pervenies ad Christum natum de Deo, Deum apud Deum.
123.3 PL 36, 1641
3. If, my brethren, we understand by heaven the firmament which we see with our bodily eyes, we shall indeed so err, as to imagine that we cannot ascend thither without ladders, or some scaling machines: but if we ascend spiritually, we ought to understand heaven spiritually: if the ascent be in affection, heaven is in righteousness. What is then the heaven of God? All holy souls, all righteous souls. For the Apostles also, although they were on earth in the flesh, were heaven; for the Lord, enthroned in them, traversed the whole world. He then dwelleth in heaven. How?…How long are they the temple according to faith? As long as Christ dwelleth in them through faith; as the Apostle saith, “That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” But they are already heaven in whom God already dwelleth visibly, who see Him face to face; all the holy Apostles, all the holy Virtues, Powers, Thrones, Lordships, that heavenly Jerusalem, wanderers from whence we groan, and for which we pray with longing; and there God dwelleth. Thither hath the Psalmist lifted up his faith, thither he riseth in affection, with longing hopes: and this very longing causeth the soul to purge off the filth of sins, and to be cleansed from every stain, that itself also may become heaven; because it hath lifted up its eyes unto Him who dwelleth in heaven. For if we have determined that that heaven which we see with our bodily eyes is the dwelling of God, the dwelling of God will pass away; for “heaven and earth will pass away.” Then, before God created heaven and earth, where did He dwell? But some one saith: and before God made the Saints, where did He dwell? God dwelt in Himself, he dwelt with Himself, and God is with Himself. And when He deigneth to dwell in the Saints, the Saints are not the house of God in such wise, as that God should fall when it is withdrawn. For we dwell in a house in one way, in another way God dwelleth in the Saints. Thou dwellest in a house: if it be withdrawn, thou fallest: but God so dwelleth in the Saints, that if He should Himself depart, they fall…
Exsultantes cantant isti quos legimus; membra ista Christi exsultantia cantant psalmum istum. Et quis hic exsultat, nisi in spe, sicut dixi? Et nobis certa sit ipsa spes, et exsultando cantemus. Non enim qui cantant alieni sunt a nobis, aut non in hoc psalmo vox nostra est. Sic audite, tanquam vos ipsos audiatis; sic audite, tanquam in speculo Scripturarum vos ipsos attendatis. Cum enim tanquam speculum attendis Scripturas, exhilaratur facies tua: cum similem te invenies exsultatione spei, membris quibusdam Christi, quae membra ista cantarunt; eris et tu in ipsis membris, et cantabis ista. Cur ergo isti cantant ista exsultando? Quia evaserunt. Ergo spes est in qua cantant. Cum enim hic sumus et peregrinamur, nondum evasimus. Praecesserunt quidem membra quaedam de corpore illo de quo et nos sumus, quae possunt in veritate cantare. Et hoc cantarunt martyres sancti: jam enim evaserunt, et in exsultatione cum Christo sunt, recepturi corpora jam incorrupta, eadem ipsa quae primo erant corruptibilia, in quibus passi sunt poenas; inde illis fient ornamenta justitiae. Ergo, sive illi jam in re, sive nos in spe conjungentes affectum coronis eorum, et desiderantes talem vitam qualem hic non habemus, sed habere non poterimus nisi eam hic desideraverimus, cantemus simul omnes, et dicamus: «Nisi quia Dominus erat in nobis.» Respexerunt enim quasdam tribulationes quas passi sunt, et consideraverunt in eo jam loco et in beatitudine et in securitate constituti, qua transierint, quo venerint; et quia difficile erat inde liberari, nisi adesset manus liberantis, in gaudio dixerunt, «Nisi quia Dominus erat in nobis.» Sic coeperunt cantare: nondum dixerunt unde evaserint; tanta exsultatio est: «Nisi quia Dominus erat in nobis.»
123.4 PL 36, 1641
4. What then followeth, since he hath said, “Unto Thee do I lift up mine eyes”? (ver. 2). How hast thou lifted up thine eyes? “Behold, even as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress: even so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until He have mercy upon us.” We are both servants, and a handmaiden: He is both our Master and our Mistress. What do these words mean? What do these similitudes mean? It is not wonderful if we are servants, and He our Master; but it is wonderful if we are a maiden, and He our Mistress. But not even our being a maiden is wonderful; for we are the Church: nor is it wonderful that He is our Mistress; for He is the Power and the Wisdom of God…When therefore thou hearest Christ, lift up thine eyes to the hands of thy Master; when thou hearest the Power of God and the Wisdom of God, lift up thine eyes to the hands of thy Mistress; for thou art both servant and handmaiden; servant, for thou art a people; handmaiden, for thou art the Church. But this maiden hath found great dignity with God; she hath been made a wife. But until she come unto those spiritual embraces, where she may without apprehension enjoy Him whom she hath loved, and for whom she hath sighed in this tedious pilgrimage, she is betrothed: and hath received a mighty pledge, the blood of the Spouse for whom she sigheth without fear. Nor is it said unto her, Do not love; as it is sometimes said to any betrothed virgin, not as yet married: and is justly said, Do not love; when thou hast become a wife, then love: it is rightly said, because it is a precipitate and preposterous thing, and not a chaste desire, to love one whom she knoweth not whether she shall marry. For it may happen that one man may be betrothed to her, and another man marry her. But as there is no one else who can be preferred to Christ, let her love without apprehension: and before she is joined unto Him, let her love, and sigh from a distance and from her far pilgrimage…
«Dicat nunc Israel: Nisi quia Dominus erat in nobis.» Nunc dicat, quia jam evasit. Evadentes enim, id est, eos, qui jam evaserunt, constituit intuendos psalmus iste. Constituamus illos et nos in corde jam triumphantes; et tanquam ibi et nos simus, sicut in superiore psalmo dictum est, «Stantes erant pedes nostri in atriis Jerusalem» . Nondum ibi erant, sed in via erant: tanta autem laetitia erat festinantium, et tanta perveniendi spes, ut adhuc in via positi et laborantes, jam sibi illic constituti viderentur. Sic et nunc ponamus nos in illo triumpho qui erit in futuro saeculo, quando insultabimus morti jam finitae, jam consumptae; quando dicemus, «Ubi est, mors, contentio tua? ubi est, mors, aculeus tuus» ? jam conjuncti Angelis, et exsultantes cum Rege nostro, qui primus resurgere voluit, quamvis prior mori noluerit. Multi enim ante illum mortui sunt, sed nemo ante illum resurrexit in aeternum. Exsultantes autem cum illo, etiam ibi spe et corde constituti, quia evasimus, cogitemus quid evasimus, quae scandala, quas tribulationes mundi, quas persecutiones omnium Paganorum, quos dolos omnium haereticorum, quas suggestiones diaboli, quas cupiditatum conflictationes. Omnia ista quis evaderet, «nisi quia Dominus erat in nobis? Dicat nunc Israel;» securus enim dicit Israel, «Nisi quia Dominus erat in nobis.» Quando? «Cum insurgerent homines super nos.» Noli ergo mirari: victi sunt; homines enim erant: Dominus autem erat in nobis, non homo erat in nobis; homines autem insurrexerunt super nos. Sed tamen opprimerent homines alios homines, nisi in his hominibus qui non potuerunt opprimi, non homo esset, sed Dominus.
123.5 PL 36, 1642
5. “For we have been much filled with contempt” (ver. 3). All that will live piously according to Christ, must needs suffer reproof, must needs be despised by those who do not choose to live piously, all whose happiness is earthly. They are derided who call that happiness which they cannot see with their eyes, and it is said to them, What believest thou, madman? Dost thou see what thou believest? Hath any one returned from the world below, and reported to thee what is going on there? Behold I see and enjoy what I love. Thou art scorned, because thou dost hope for what thou seest not; and he who seemeth to hold what he seeth, scorneth thee. Consider well if he doth really hold it…I have my house, he hath boasted himself. Thou askest, what house of his own? That which my father left me. And whence did he derive this house? My grandfather left it him. Go back even to his great grandfather, then to his great grandfather’s father, and he can no longer tell their names. Art thou not rather terrified by this thought, that thou seest many have passed through this house, and that none of them hath carried it away with him to his everlasting home? Thy father left it: he passed through it: thus thou also wilt pass by. If therefore thou hast a mere passing stay in thy house, it is an inn for passing guests, not an habitation for permanent abode. Yet since we hope for those things which are to come, and sigh for future happiness, and since it hath not yet appeared what we shall be, although we are already “sons of God;” for “our life is hidden with Christ in God:” “we are utterly despised,” by those who seek or enjoy happiness in this world.
Ergo, «Nisi quia Dominus erat in nobis, cum insurgerent homines super nos.» Quid enim facerent vobis homines, exsultantibus et cantantibus, et secure tenentibus beatitudinem sempiternam? quid vobis facerent homines insurgentes in vos, nisi Dominus esset in vobis? quid facerent? «Forsitan vivos absorbuissent nos. Vivos absorbuissent;» non prius occidissent, et sic absorbuissent. O immanes! o crudeles! Non sic absorbet Ecclesia: Petro, «Macta et manduca» , dictum est; non, Vivos absorbe. Quomodo ergo Petrus, id est Ecclesia, mactat, et sic manducat? et quomodo isti qui exsurrexerunt super nos, «forsitan vivos absorbuissent nos, nisi quia Dominus erat in nobis?» Quia in Ecclesiae corpus nemo intrat, nisi prius occisus. Moritur quod fuit, ut sit quod non fuit. Alioquin, qui non occiditur et non manducatur ab Ecclesia, esse in numero populi potest, qui videtur oculis humanis; in numero autem populi qui cognitus Deo est, de quo dicit Apostolus, «Novit Dominus qui sunt ejus» ; non potest esse nisi manducatus, nec manducari poterit, nisi primo mactatus. Venit paganus, adhuc in illo idololatria vivit; inserendus est membris Christi: ut inseratur, necesse est manducetur; sed non potest manducari ab Ecclesia, nisi primo mactatus. Renuntiet saeculo, tunc mactatur; credat in Deum, tunc manducatur. Quomodo ergo illi «vivos absorbuissent nos, nisi quia Dominus erat in nobis?» Surrexerunt enim multi persecutores aliquando, et nunc non desunt. Singillatim insurgunt, et aliquando vivos absorbent, sed in quibus non est Dominus. Ideo ante omnia illi dixerunt, «Nisi quia Dominus erat in nobis;» quia multi absorbentur, in quibus non est Dominus. Hi sunt qui vivi absorbentur, qui sciunt malum esse, et lingua consentiunt. Surrexerunt enim quidam persecutores, et dixerunt hominibus: Thurificate; si non feceritis, occidimus vos. Illi amaverunt hanc vitam, et dulcedo vitae hujus tenuit eos. Non plus dilexerunt ea quae promisit Deus, quam ea quae videbant in terra. Illa enim credere jubebantur, quae nondum videbant, ista quae amabant videbant. Plus retinentes ea quae videbant, excluserunt de cordibus Dominum; et quia non erat in eis Dominus, vivi absorpti sunt. Quid est, vivi absorpti sunt? Thurificando idolis, scientes quia nihil est idolum. Nam si aliquid putarent esse idolum, mortui absorberentur: cum autem putant nihil esse idolum, et noverunt omnia illa Gentilium vana esse, vivunt; et tamen cum faciunt quod volunt persecutores, vivi absorbentur. Sed ideo vivi absorbentur, quia non in eis est Dominus. In quibus autem inest Dominus, occiduntur et non moriuntur. Qui autem consentiunt et vivunt, vivi absorbentur, absorpti moriuntur. Isti autem qui passi sunt, et non cesserunt tribulationibus, exsultant et dicunt, «Dicat nunc Israel;» dicat exsultans, dicat securus, «Nisi quia Dominus erat in nobis, cum insurgerent homines super nos, forsitan vivos absorbuissent nos.»
123.6 PL 36, 1643
6. “Our soul is filled exceedingly; a reproach to the wealthy, and a contempt to the proud” (ver. 4). We were asking who were “the wealthy:” he hath expounded to thee, in that he hath said, “the proud.” “Reproach” and “contempt” are the same: and “wealthy” is the same with “proud.” It is a repetition of the sentence, “a reproach to the wealthy, and a contempt to the proud.” Why are the proud wealthy? Because they wish to be happy here. Why? since they themselves too are miserable, are they wealthy? But perhaps when they are miserable, they do not mock us. Listen, my beloved. Then perchance they mock when they are happy, when they boast themselves in the pomp of their riches! when they boast themselves in the inflated state of false honours: then they mock us, and seem to say, Behold, it is well with me: I enjoy the good things before me: let those who promise what they cannot show depart from me: what I see, I hold; what I see, I enjoy; may I fare well in this life. Be thou more secure; for Christ hath risen again, and hath taught thee what He will give in another life: be assured that He giveth it. But that man mocketh thee, because he holdeth what he hath. Bear with his mockeries, and thou wilt laugh at his groans: for afterwards there will come a season when these very persons will say, “This was he whom we had sometimes in derision.” …
«Cum irasceretur furor eorum super nos.» Nostis, fratres, in aliquo de superioribus psalmis, in ipso initio canticorum graduum contra linguam subdolam petisse auxilium quemdam, qui coepit ascendere; et dixisse, «Domine, erue animam meam a labiis injustis, et a lingua dolosa.» Primo enim cum coeperit homo ascendere et proficere, in ipso exordio ascensionis, linguas dolosas patitur, blandas ad perniciem, blandas ad malam suasionem: Quid facis? quare hoc facis? Aliter enim vivi non potest? serviri aliter Deo non potest? Tu solus es qui vis hoc esse quod alii non sunt! Et si inveneris alios qui tecum sunt, illa blanda et dolosa lingua quid dicit? Ecce illi potuerunt; forte tu non poteris. Aggrederis; deficies: et melius erat non incipere, quam coepisse et defecisse. Lingua dolosa adhuc blanditur. Si perseveraveris, vincitur lingua dolosa et blandiens, incipit esse aperte saeviens; et quae blandiebatur ut seduceret, minatur ut terreat. Sed si Dominus est in te, et non reliqueris de corde tuo Christum; quomodo per sagittas acutas et carbones desolatorios vicisti linguas dolosas , id est, per verba Dei quibus transfixum erat cor tuum, et per exempla justorum qui de mortuis vivificati sunt, de peccatoribus facti sunt justi, quomodo carbones de morte revivescunt: quomodo ergo illos vicisti sagittis et carbonibus desolatoriis, dolose blandientes et blandiendo seducentes; sic istos vinces jam irascendo comminantes, quia blandiendo seducere nequiverunt. Victi sunt cum blandirentur, vincantur et cum minantur. Sed vincuntur, quomodo, «nisi quia Dominus erat in nobis?» Manifestum est quia non vicisti tu, sed vicit ille qui est in te. Imperatorem talem portas, et vinceris? Nonne ille est quem portas, qui dixit, «Ego vici saeculum» ? nonne prior moriens vicit diabolum, cum semper esset super omnem creaturam, quia Verbum Deus est apud Deum? Quare vicit, nisi ut te doceret cum diabolo dimicare? Et tamen jam doctus, nisi in te sit ille qui prior tibi vicit, vinceris. «Nisi quia Dominus erat in nobis, dum insurgerent homines super nos, forsitan vivos absorbuissent nos. Dum irasceretur furor ipsorum super nos:» jam irascuntur, jam aperte saeviunt: «forsitan aqua demersisset nos.» Aquam dicit populos peccatores; et videbimus qualem aquam in consequentibus. Quicumque autem consensisset illis, aqua illum operuisset. Moreretur enim morte Aegyptiorum, non transiret exemplo Israelitarum. Nostis enim, fratres, quia per aquam populus Israelitarum transiit, et ipsa aqua populus Aegyptiorum coopertus est . «Aqua,» inquit, «demersisset nos.»
123.7 PL 36, 1644
7. To this we must add, that sometimes those also who are beneath the scourge of temporal unhappiness, mock us…Did not the robber mock, who was crucified with our crucified Lord? If therefore they who are not wealthy mock us, why doth the Psalm say, “A reproach to the wealthy”? If we carefully sift the matter, even these (the unfortunate) are wealthy. How are they wealthy? Yea; for if they were not wealthy, they would not be proud. For one man is wealthy in money, and proud on that score: another is wealthy in honours, and is proud on that account: another imagines himself wealthy in righteousness, and hence his pride, which is worse. They who seem not to be wealthy in money, seem to themselves to be wealthy in righteousness towards God; and when calamity overtakes them, they justify themselves, accuse God, and say, What wrong have I been guilty of, or, what have I done? Thou repliest: Look back, call to mind thy sins, see if thou hast done nothing. He is somewhat touched in conscience, and returneth to himself, and thinketh of his evil deeds; and when he hath thought of his evil deeds, not even then doth he choose to confess that he deserves his sufferings; but saith, Behold, I have clearly done many things; but I see that many have done worse, and suffer no evil. He is righteous against God. He also therefore is wealthy: he hath his breast puffed out with righteousness; since God seemeth to him to do ill, and he seemeth to himself to suffer unjustly. And if thou gavest him a vessel to pilot, he would be shipwrecked with it: yet he wishes to deprive God of the government of this world, and himself to hold the helm of Creation, and to distribute among all men pains and pleasures, punishments and rewards. Miserable soul! yet why do ye wonder? He is wealthy, but wealthy in iniquity, wealthy in malignity; but is more wealthy in iniquity, in proportion as he seemeth to himself to be wealthy in righteousness.
Sed qualis est ista aqua? Torrens est, fluit cum impetu, sed transitura est. Torrentes enim dicuntur fluvii qui repentinis imbribus crescunt: magnum habent impetum; quisquis incurrerit trahitur, sed in quo Dominus non est; in quo autem Dominus est, transit torrentem anima ipsius. Adhuc fluit torrens, sed jam transiit anima martyrum. Adhuc quamdiu saeculum hoc nascendo et moriendo currit, torrens est: hinc persecutiones, de isto torrente. Hinc bibit ille primus caput nostrum, de quo dictum est in psalmo: «De torrente in via bibit.» De torrente, aqua illa quae significat populum persecutorem, inde bibit ille qui dixit discipulis: «Potestis bibere calicem quem ego bibiturus sum» ? «De torrente in via bibit.» Quid est, «in via bibit?» Transiens bibit, non haesit. In via bibit; quia de illo forte dictum est, «Et in via peccatorum non stetit» . Transiens bibit. Et quid inde dictum est? «Propterea exaltabit caput» . «De torrente,» inquit, «in via bibit, propterea exaltabit caput.» Exaltatum est enim jam caput nostrum, quia de torrente in via bibit; passus est enim Dominus noster. Si ergo jam exaltatum est caput nostrum, quid timet corpus torrentem? Sine dubio, quia caput exaltatum est, et corpus dicet postea, «Torrentem pertransiit anima nostra: fortasse pertransiit anima nostra aquam sine substantia.» Ecce qualem aquam dicebat, «Forsitan aqua demersisset nos.» Quales autem aqua est sine substantia? Quid est, «sine substantia?»
123.8 PL 36, 1644
8. But a Christian ought not to be wealthy, but ought to acknowledge himself poor; and if he hath riches, he ought to know that they are not true riches, so that he may desire others…And what is the wealth of our righteousness? How much soever righteousness there may be in us, it is a sort of dew compared to that fountain: compared to that plenteousness it is as a few drops, which may soften our life, and relax our hard iniquity. Let us only desire to be filled with the full fountain of righteousness, let us long to be filled with that abundant richness, of which it is said in the Psalm, “They shall be satisfied with the plenteousness of Thy house: and Thou shalt give them drink out of the torrent of Thy pleasure.” But while we are here, let us understand ourselves to be destitute and in want; not only in respect of those riches which are not the true riches, but of salvation itself. And when we are whole, let us understand that we are weak. For as long as this body hungers and thirsts, as long as this body is weary with watching, weary with standing, weary with walking, weary with sitting, weary with eating; whithersoever it turneth itself for a relief from weariness, there it discovereth another source of fatigue: there is therefore no perfect soundness, not even in the body itself. Those riches are then not riches, but beggary; for the more they abound, the more doth destitution and avarice increase…Let then our whole hunger, our whole thirst, be for true riches, and true health, and true righteousness. What are true riches? That heavenly abode in Jerusalem. For who is called rich on this earth? When a rich man is praised, what is meant? He is very rich: nothing is wanting to him. That surely is the praise of him that praiseth the other: for it is not this, when it is said, He wants nothing. Consider if he really want nothing. If he desires nothing, he wants nothing: but if he still desires more than what he hath, his riches have increased in such wise, that his wants have increased also. But in that City there will be true riches, because there will be nothing wanting to us there; for we shall not be in need of anything, and there will be true health…
Primo quid est, «Forsitan pertransiit anima nostra?» Quomodo potuerunt enim, Latini expresserunt quod Graeci dicunt ἄρα. Sic enim graeca habent exemplaria, ἄρα: quia dubitantis verbum est, expressum est quidem dubitationis verbo, quod est «fortasse;» sed non omnino hoc est. Possumus illud verbo dicere minus quidem latine conjuncto, sed apto ad intelligentias vestras. Quod Punici dicunt, «iar,» non lignum, sed quando dubitant; hoc Graeci, ἄρα: hoc Latini possunt vel solent dicere, Putas, cum ita loquuntur: Putas, evasi hoc? Si ergo dicatur, Forsitan evasi, videtis quia non hoc sonat: sed quod dixi, Putas, usitate dicitur; latine non ita dicitur. Et potui illud dicere, cum tracte vobis; saepe enim et verba non latina dico, ut vos intelligatis. In Scriptura autem non potuit hoc poni, quod latinum non esset; et deficiente latinitate, positum est pro eo, quod non hoc sonaret. Sic tamen intelligite dici: Putas, «pertransiit anima nostra aquam sine substantia?» Et quare dicunt, Putas? Quia magnitudo periculi vix facit credibile quod evasit. Magnam necem pertulerunt, in magnis discriminibus fuerunt; omnino sic pressi sunt, ut pene vivi consentirent, ut pene vivi absorberentur: jam ergo evadentes, jam securi, sed ipsius periculi magnitudinem recordantes, Putas, inquiunt, «pertransiit anima nostra aquam sine substantia?»