Expositions on the Book of Psalms 13
13.0 Psalm XIII PL 36, 141
13.1 Psalm XIII PL 36, 141
1. “For Christ is the end of the law to every one that believeth.” “How long, O Lord, wilt Thou forget me unto the end?” (ver. 1) that is, put me off as to spiritually understanding Christ, who is the Wisdom of God, and the true end of all the aim of the soul. “How long dost Thou turn away Thy face from me?” As God doth not forget, so neither doth He turn His face away: but Scripture speaks after our manner. Now God is said to turn away His face, when He doth not give to the soul, which as yet hath not the pure eye of the mind, the knowledge of Himself.
[vers. 1.] Quid sit in finem, non est saepius repetendum. Finis enim Legis Christus, ad justitiam omni credenti , sicut Apostolus dicit. Illi credimus, quando incipimus viam bonam ingredi; ipsum videbimus, cum pervenerimus: et ideo ipse finis.
13.2 PL 36, 141
2. “How long shall I place counsel in my soul?” (ver. 2). There is no need of counsel but in adversity. Therefore “How long shall I place counsel in my soul?” is as if it were said, How long shall I be in adversity? Or at least it is an answer, so that the meaning is this, So long, O Lord, wilt Thou forget me to the end, and so long turn away Thy face from me, until I shall place counsel in mine own soul: so that except a man place counsel in his own soul to work mercy perfectly, God will not direct him to the end, nor give him that full knowledge of Himself, which is “face to face.” “Sorrow in my heart through the day?” How long shall I have, is understood. And “through the day” signifies continuance, so that day is taken for time: from which as each one longs to be free, he has sorrow in his heart, making entreaty to rise to things eternal, and not endure man’s day.
Dixit imprudens in corde suo: Non est Deus. Nec ipsi enim sacrilegi et detestandi quidam philosophi, qui perversa et falsa de Deo sentiunt, ausi sunt dicere, Non est Deus: ideo ergo, Dixit in corde suo; quia hoc nemo audet dicere, etiam si ausus fuerit cogitare. Corrupti sunt et abominabiles facti sunt in affectionibus suis: id est, dum amant hoc saeculum, et non amant Deum: ipsae sunt affectiones quae corrumpunt animam, et sic excaecant, ut possit etiam dicere imprudens in corde suo: Non est Deus; sicut enim non probaverunt Deum habere in notitia, dedit illos Deus in reprobum sensum . Non est qui faciat bonitatem, non est usque ad unum. Usque ad unum: vel cum ipso uno potest intelligi, ut nullus hominum intelligatur: vel praeter unum, ut accipiatur Dominus Christus; sicut dicimus, Iste ager usque ad mare est; non utique simul computamus et mare. Et iste est melior intellectus ut nemo intelligatur fecisse bonitatem usque ad Christum; quia non potest quisquam hominum facere bonitatem, nisi ipse monstraverit: et illud verum est; quia usquequo quisque cognoscat unum Deum, non potest facere bonitatem.
13.3 PL 36, 141
3. “How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?” either the devil, or carnal habit.
[vers. 2.] Dominus de coelo prospexit super filios hominum, ut videat si est intelligens aut requirens Deum. Super Judaeos potest intelligi, ut honoratius eos appellaverit filios hominum, propter unius Dei cultum, in comparatione Gentilium de quibus arbitror superius dictum: Dixit imprudens in corde suo, Non est Deus, et caetera. Prospicit autem Dominus, ut videat per animas sanctas suas: quod significat id quod dictum est, de coelo; nam per seipsum nihil eum latet.
13.4 PL 36, 141
4. “Look on me, and hear me, O Lord my God” (ver. 3). “Look on me,” refers to what was said, “How long” dost “Thou turn away Thy face from me.” “Hear,” refers to what was said, “How long wilt Thou forget me to the end? Lighten mine eyes, that I sleep not in death.” The eyes of the heart must be understood, that they be not closed by the pleasurable eclipse of sin.
[vers. 3.] Omnes declinaverunt, simul inutiles facti sunt: id est, Judaei tales facti sunt, quales et Gentes, de quibus supra dictum est. Non est qui faciat bonum, non est usque ad unum: similiter ut supra intelligendum est. Sepulcrum patens est guttur eorum. Aut voracitas significatur inhiantis gulae; aut in allegoria, qui occidunt et quasi devorant interfectos eos, quibus suorum morum perversitatem persuadent. Cui simile est e contrario quod Petro dictum est, Macta et manduca ; ut in suam fidem et bonos mores Gentes converteret. Linguis suis dolose agebant: comes est voracibus adulatio et omnibus malis. Venenum aspidum sub labiis eorum: Venenum dolum dicit; aspidum autem, quia nolunt audire praecepta legis, sicut aspides nolunt audire verba incantantis , quod in alio psalmo evidentius dicitur. Quorum os maledictione et amaritudine plenum est: hoc est, venenum aspidum. Veloces pedes eorum ad effundendum sanguinem: consuetudine malefaciendi. Contritio et infelicitas in viis eorum: omnes enim malorum hominum viae plenae sunt laboribus et miseria; ideo Dominus clamat: Venite ad me, omnes qui laboratis et onerati estis, et ego reficiam vos. Tollite jugum meum, et discite a me, quoniam mitis sum et humilis corde. Jugum enim meum lene est, et sarcina mea levis est . Et viam pacis non cognoverunt: hanc utique quam Dominus, ut dixi, commemorat, in jugo leni et sarcina levi. Non est timor Dei ante oculos eorum: isti non dicunt, Non est Deus; sed tamen non timent Deum.
13.5 PL 36, 142
5. “Lest at any time mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him” (ver. 4). The devil’s mockery is to be feared. “They that trouble me will exult, if I be moved;” the devil and his angels; who exulted not over that righteous man, Job, when they troubled him; because he was not moved, that is, did not draw back from the stedfastness of his faith.
[vers. 4.] Nonne cognoscent omnes qui operantur iniquitatem? judicium minatur. Qui devorant populum meum sicut cibum panis: id est quotidie; cibus enim panis quotidianus est. Devorant autem populum, qui sua commoda ex illo capiunt, non referentes ministerium suum ad gloriam Dei, et ad eorum quibus praesunt salutem.
13.6 PL 36, 142
6. “But I have hoped in Thy mercy” (ver. 5). Because this very thing, that a man be not moved, and that he abide fixed in the Lord, he should not attribute to self: lest when he glories that he hath not been moved, he be moved by this very pride. “My heart shall exult in Thy salvation;” in Christ, in the Wisdom of God. “I will sing to the Lord who hath given me good things;” spiritual good things, not belonging to man’s day. “And I will chant to the name of the Lord most high” (ver. 6); that is, I give thanks with joy, and in most due order employ my body, which is the song of the spiritual soul. But if any distinction is to be marked here, “I will sing” with the heart, “I will chant” with my works; “to the Lord,” that which He alone seeth, but “to the name of the Lord,” that which is known among men, which is serviceable not for Him, but for us.
[vers. 5.] Dominum non invocaverunt: non enim vere hunc invocat, qui ea desiderat quae illi displicent. Illic trepidaverunt timore, ubi non erat timor: id est, in damno rerum temporalium. Dixerunt enim: Si relinquamus eum sic, credent in eum omnes, et venient Romani, et tollent nobis et locum et gentem . Timuerunt regnum terrenum amittere, ubi non erat timor; et amiserunt regnum coelorum, quod timere debuerant: et hoc de omnibus temporalibus commodis intelligendum est, quorum amissionem cum timent homines, ad aeterna non veniunt.