Expositions on the Book of Psalms
THE WORKS OF Ts AUGUSTIN,
[PsaLm LX.
Christ as dead, at dawn at Him rising again they exulted. "For Thou hast become my taker up, and my refuge in the day of my tribulation."
but that things future may be prefigured... . But here this thing is inserted for this especial reason, that there it is not written 5 that he burned up Mesopotamia in Syria, and Syria Sobal. But now let us begin to examine these things after the significations of things future, and to bring out the dimness of shadows into the light of the word.
8. "My Helper, to Thee I will play, because Thou, O God, art my taker up" (ver. 17). What was I, unless Thou didst succour? How much despaired of was I, unless Thou didst heal? Where was I lying, unless Thou didst come to me? Certes with a huge wound I was endangered, but that wound of mine did call for an Almighty Physician. To an Almighty Physician nothing is incurable. . . . Lastly, thinking of all good things whatsoever we may have, either}. . in nature or in purpose, or in conversion itself, in faith, in hope, in charity, in good morals, in justice, in fear of God ; all these to be only by His gifts, he hath thus concluded: "My God is my mercy." He being filled with the good things of God hath not found what he might call his God, save "his mercy." no one must despair! If thou say, my salvation, I perceive that He giveth salvation ; if thou say, my refuge, I perceive that thou takest refuge in Him ; if thou say, my strength, I perceive that He giveth to thee strength: "my mercy," is what? All that I am is of Thy mercy. .
2. What is "to the end" ye know. For "' the end of the law is Christ."° Those that are changed ye know. For who but they that do pass from old life into new? . . . " For ye were sometime darkness, but now light in the Lord." 7 But they are changed "into the title's inscription,". who into the kingdom of Christ do pass over from the kingdom of the devil. It is well that they are changed unto this title's inscription. But they are changed, as followeth, " unto teaching." He added, " for David himself unto teaching : " that is, are changed not for themselves, but for David himself, and are changed unto teaching.
. When therefore would Christ have changed us, unless He had done that which He spake of, "Fire Lbave come to send into the world" ?° If therefore Christ came to send into the world fire, to wit to its health and profit, we must inquire not how He is to send the world into fire, but how into the world fire. Inasmuch as therefore He came to send fire into the world, let us inquire what is Mesopotamia which was burned up, what is Syria Sobal? The interpretations therefore of the names let us examine according to the Hebrew language, wherein first this Scripture was written. Mesopotamia? they say is interpreted, "exalted calling." Now the whole world by calling hath been exalted, Syria '° is interpreted "lofty." But she which was lofty, burned up hath been and humbled. Sobal is interpreted "empty antiquity."" Thanks to Christ that hath burned her. Whenever old bushes are burned up, green places succeed; and more speedily and more plentifully, and more fully green, fresh ones spring out, when fire hath gone before them to the burning up of the old. Let not therefore the fire of Christ be feared, hay it consumeth. " For all flesh is hay, and all the glory of man as flower of hay."''* He burneth up therefore those things with that fire. "And turned Joab." Joab is interpreted enemy. 'There was turned an enemy, as thou wilt understand it. If turned unto flight, the devil it is: if converted to the faith, a Christian it is. How unto flight? From the heart of a Christian: "The Prince of this world," He saith, " now hath been cast out." 2. But how can a Christian turned to the Lord be an enemy turned? Because he hath become a believer that had been anenemy. "Smote Edom." Edom is interpreted "earthly." That earthly one ought
O name, under which}. .
PSALM LX."
1. David the king was one man, but not one man he figured ; sometimes to wit he figured the Church of many men consisting, extended even unto the ends of the earth: but sometimes One Man he figured, Him he figured that is Mediator of God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.?__ In this Psalm therefore, or rather in this Psalm's title, certain victorious actions of David are spoken of :
"To the end, in behalf of those men that shall be changed unto the title's inscription, unto teaching for David himself, when he burned up Mesopotamia in Syria, and Syria Sobal, and turned Joab, and smote Edom, in the valley of salt-pits twelve thousand."' We read of these things in the books of the Reigns,3 that all those persons whom he hath named, were defeated by David, that is, Mesopotamia in Syria, and Syria Sobal, Joab,t Edom. These things were done, and just as they were done, so there they have been written, so they are read: let him read that will. Nevertheless, as the Prophetic Spirit in the Psalms' titles is wont to depart somewhat from the expression of things done, and to say something which in history is not found, and hence rather to admonish us that titles of this kind have been written not that we may know things done,
I Lat. LIX. Sermon preached to the people a little while after the exposition of the former Psalm.
2 Tim. ii. 5. 3 Vide 2 Sam. viii. 4 He seems to take "' Joab" as in the accusative, as though it were not the name of David's officer, but of some conquered nation,: Eis 10 téAos, LXX. Rom. x. 4. 8 Luke xii. 49. 9 Aram Naharaim, 31 Tsa,xl.6. 12 John xii. 31.
5 7.e., elsewhere, 7 Eph. v. 8. 10 Aram,
Psatm LX.] ON THE PSALMS. 245 to be smitten. For why should one live earthly, that ought to live heavenly? There hath been slain therefore life earthly, let there live life heavenly. " For as we have borne the image of the earthly, let us bear also the image of Him that is from Heaven." ' See it slain: " Mortify your members which are upon earth."? But when he had smitten Edom, he smote " twelve thousand in the valley of salt-pits." Twelve thousand is a perfect number, to which perfect number also the number of the twelve Apostles is ascribed: for not to no purpose is it, but because through the whole world was to be sent the Word. But the Word 3 of God, which is Christ, is in clouds, that is, inthe preachers of truth. But the world of four parts doth consist. The four parts thereof are exceeding well known to all, and often in the Scriptures they are mentioned: they are the same as the name of the four winds, East, West, North, and South. To all these four parts was sent the Word, so that in the Trinity all might be called. The number twelve four times three do make. With reason therefore twelve thousand 4 earthly things were smitten, the whole world was smitten: for from the whole world was chosen out the Church, mortified from earthly life. Why "in the valley of salt-pits'?~ A valley is humility: salt-pits signify savour. For many men are humbled, but emptily and foolishly, in empty oldness they are humbled. One suffereth tribulation for money, suffereth tribulation for temporal honour, suffereth tribulation for the comforts of this life; he is to suffer tribulation and to be humbled: why not for the sake of God? why not for the sake of Christ? why not for the savour of salt? Knowest thou not that to thee hath been said, ' Ye are the salt of earth," and, " If the salt shall have been spoiled, for no other thing will it be of use, but to be cast out" ?5 A good thing it is therefore wisely to be humbled. Behold now are not heretics being humbled? Have not laws been made even by men to condemn them, against whom divine laws do reign, which even before had condemned them? Behold they are humbled, behold they are put to flight, behold persecution they suffer, but without savour ; for folly, for emptiness. For now the salt hath been spoiled: therefore it hath been cast out, to be trodden down of men. We have heard the title of the Psalm, iet us hear also the words of the Psalm.
and returning in order that they might be good men? That destruction indeed that David made, strong of hand, our Christ, whose figure that man was bearing; He did those things, He made this destruction with His sword and with His fire: for both He brought into this world. Both " Fire I am come to send into the world," © thou hast in the Gospel: and "A sword I have come to send into the earth,"7 thou hast in the Gospel. He brought in fire, whereby might be burned up Mesopotamia in Syria, and Syria Sobal: He brought in a sword whereby might be smitten Edom. Now again this destruction was made for the sake of "those that are changed unto the title's inscription." Hear we therefore the voice of them: to their health smitten they were, being raised up let them speak. Let them say, therefore, that are changed into something better, changed unto the title's inscription, changed unto teaching for David himself; let them say, "' Thou hast had mercy upon us." Thou hast destroyed us, in order that Thou.mightest build us ; Thou hast destroyed us that were ill builded, hast destroyed empty oldness ; in order that there may be a building unto a new man, building to abide for everlasting. . . . 4. "Thou hast moved the earth, and hast troubled it"? (ver. 2). How hath the earth been troubled? In the conscience of sinners. Whither go we? Whither flee we, when this sword hath been brandished, "' Repent, for near hath drawn the kingdom of Heaven" ?' "Heal the crushings? thereof, for moved it hath been." Unworthy it is to be healed, if moved it hath not been: but thou speakest, preachest, threatenest us with God, of coming judgment holdest not thy peace, of the commandment of God thou warnest, from these things thou abstainest not; and he that heareth, if he feareth not, if he is not moved, is not worthy to be healed. Another heareth, is moved, is stung, smiteth the breast, sheddeth tears. . . . 5. The first labour is, that thou shouldest be displeasing to thyself, that sins thou shouldest battle out, that thou shouldest be changed into something better: the second labour, in return for thy having been changed, is to bear the tribulations and temptations of this world, and amid them to hold on even unto the end. Of these things therefore when he was speaking, while pointing out such things, he addeth what? "Thou hast shown to Thy people hard things"
3. "God, Thou hast driven us back, and hast destroyed us" (ver. 1). Is that David speaking that smote, that burned up, that defeated, and not they to whom He did these things, that is to say, their being smitten and driven back, that were evil men, and again their being made alive
(ver. 3): to Thy people now, made tributary after the victory of David. "Thou hast shown to Thy people hard things." Wherein? In persecutions which the Church of Christ hath endured, when so much blood of martyrs was spilled. "Thou hast given us to drink of the
2 Col. iii. 5. 1 1 Cor. xv. 49. 2 '4 [See p. 181, note 12, supra. —C.] 3 Ezek. xxxvii. 9. 5 Matt. v. 13.
© Luke xii. 49. 7 Matt. x. 34. 8 Matt. iii. 2. 9 Contritiones.