Expositions on the Book of Psalms
296 THE WORKS7OF STFAUGUSTIN, [PsaLm LXVIII.
Churches are the players on the timbrels, with they would have been praiseworthy dogs: just as they are praised, of whom is said, "The tongue of Thy dogs." . 30. "There have been seen Thy steps, O God" (ver. 24). The steps are those wherewith Thou hast come through the world, as though in that chariot Thou wast going to traverse the round world; which chariot of clouds He intimateth to be His holy and faithful ones in the Gospel, where He saith, " From this time' ye shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds." ? Leaving out that coming wherein
'chastened flesh being spiritually tuneful.
66 In the Churches," then, 'bless ye the Lord God from the wells of Israel.'"' For from thence He first chose those whom He made wells. For from thence were chosen the Apostles; and they first heard, "He that shall have drunk of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst, but there shall be made in him a well of water springing unto life everlasting." §
33. "There is Benjamin the younger in a trance' (ver. 27). There is Paul the last of the Apostles, who saith, " For even I am an Israelite, out of the seed of Abraham, out of the tribe of Benjamin."9 But evidently "in a trance," all men being amazed at a miracle so great as that of his calling. For a trance is the mind's going out: which thing sometimes chanceth through fear; but sometimes through some revelation, the mind suffering separation from the corporal senses, in order that that which is to be represented may be represented to the spirit. Whence even thus may be understood that which here hath been written, namely, "in a trance;" for when to that persecutor there had been said ' from Heaven, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me:''?! there being taken from him the light of the eyes of flesh, he made answer to the Lord, whom in spirit he saw, but they that were with him heard the voice of him replying, though seeing no one to whom he was speaking. Here also the trance may be understood to be that one of his, whereof he himself speaking, saith, that he knew a man caught up even unto the third Heaven; but whether in the body, or whether out of the body, he knew not : ? but that he being caught up into Paradise, heard ineffable words, which it was not lawful for a man to speak. "Princes of Juda the leaders of them, princes of Zabulon, princes of Nephthalim."" Since he is indicating the Apostles as princes, wherein is even " Benjamin the younger in a trance," in which words that Paul is indicated no one doubteth; or when under the name of princes there are indicated in the Churches all men excelling and most worthy of imitation: what mean these names of the tribes of Israel? ... For the names are Hebrew: whereof Juda is said to be interpreted confession, Zabulon habitation of strength, Nephthalim my enlargement. All which words do intimate to us the most proper princes of the Church, worthy of their leadership, worthy of imitation, worthy of honours. For the Martyrs in the Churches hold the highest place, and by the crown of holy worth they do excel. But however in martyrdom the first thing is confession,
He shall be Judge of quick and dead, 3 " From this time," He saith, "ye shall see the Son of Man coming in clouds." These "Thy steps have been séen," that is, have been manifested, by the revealing the grace of the New Testament. Whence hath been said, " How beautiful are the feet of them that proclaim peace, that proclaim good things!"4 For this grace and those steps were lying hid in the Old Testament : but when there came the fulness of time, and it pleased God to reveal His Son,5 that He might be proclaimed among the Gentiles, "there were seen Thy steps, O God: the steps of my God, of the® King who is in the holy place." In what holy place, save in His Temple? " For the Temple of God is holy," he saith, " which ye are."'7
31. But in order that those steps might be seen, "there went before princes conjoined with men psalming, in the midst of damsels players on timbrels" (ver. 25). The princes are the Apostles: for they went before, that the peoples might come in multitudes. "They went before"' proclaiming the New Testament: "conjoined with men psalming," by whose good works that were even visible, as it were with instruments of praise, God was glorified. But those same princes are "in the midst of damsels players on timbrels,"' to wit, in an honourable ministry: for thus in the midst are ministers set over new Churches; for this is ''damsels:" with flesh subdued praising God; for this is "players on timbrels," because timbrels are made of skin dried and stretched.
32. Therefore, that no one should take these words in a carnal sense, and by these words should conceive in his mind certain choral bands of wantonness, he continueth and saith, "In the Churches bless ye the Lord" (ver. 26) : as though he were saying, wherefore, when ye hear of damsels, players on timbrels, do ye think of wanton pleasures? 'In the Churches bless ye the Lord." For the Churches are pointed out to you by this mystic intimation: the Churches are the damsels, with new grace decked: the
9 Philip. iii. 5, 8 John iv. 14. Rae
3 2 Tim. iv. 1. 6 Oxf. mss. '' my." 2 Mark xiii. 26. 5 Gal. iv. 4. tA modo. 4 Rom. x, 15. 7 x Cor, iii, 17.
cts ix. 4. 10 Oxf. mss. '' He was about to say." 12 2 Cor. xii. 2.
Psatm LXVIIL.] ON THE PSALMS. 297 and for this is next put on strength to endure whatsoever shall have chanced; then after all things have been endured, straits being ended, breadth followeth in reward. It may also thus be understood ; that whereas the Apostle chiefly commendeth these three things, faith, hope, love ;' confession is in faith, strength in hope, breadth in love. For of faith the substance is, that with the heart men believe unto righteousness, but with the mouth confession be made unto, salvation.?_ But in sufferings of tribulations the thing itself is sorrowful, but the hope is strong. For, "if that which we see not we hope for, through patience we wait for it.'3 But breadth the shedding abroad of love in the heart doth give. For "love perfected casteth out fear:'' which fear "hath torment," 4 because of the straits of the soul... . 34. "Command, O God, Thy Virtue" (ver. 28). For one is our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things,5 and we in Him, of whom we read that He is " the Virtue of God and the Wisdom of God." ® But how doth God command His Christ, save while He commendeth Him? For "God commendeth His love in us, in that while yet we were sinners, for us Christ died."7 "How hath He not also with Him given to us all things?" ® "Command, O God, Thy Virtue: confirm, O God, that which Thou hast wrought in us." Command by teaching, confirm by aiding.
it is usual in the Latin language for writing to be called style, because with the s//us it is done: so then cane also, because with a cane it is done. The Apostle Peter saith, that ' men unlearned and unstable do wrest the Scriptures to their own proper destruction : " '? these are the beasts of the cane, whereof here is said, " Rebuke Thou the beasts of the cane."
36. Concerning these also is that which followeth, "The congregation of bulls amid the cows of the peoples, in order that there may be excluded they that have been tried with silver." '3 Calling them bulls because of the pride of a stiff and untamed neck: for he is referring to heretics. But by "the cows of the peoples," I think souls easily led astray must be understood, because easily they follow these bulls. For they lead not astray entire peoples, among whom are men grave and stable ; whence hath been written, "In a people grave I will praise Thee :"' "+ but only the cows which they may have found among those peoples. "For of these are they that steal into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, who are led with divers lusts, alway learning, and at the knowledge of the truth never arriving." '5 . . . For, "may be excluded," hath been said, meaning, may appear, may stand forth: as he saith, " may be made manifest.'"" Whence also, in the art of the silversmith, they are called exclusores, who out of the shapelessness of the lump are skilled to mould the form of a vessel. For many meanings of the holy Scriptures are concealed, and are known only to a few of singular intelligence, and are never vindicated so suitably and acceptably as when our diligence to make answer to heretics constraineth us. For then even they that neglect the pursuits of learning, shaking off their slumber, are stirred up to a diligent hearing, in order that their opponents may be refuted. In a word, how many senses of holy Scriptures concerning Christ as God have been vindicated against Photinus, how many concerning Christ as man against Manichzeus, how many concerning the Trinity against Sabellius, how many concerning the Unity of the Trinity against Arians, Eunomians, Macedonians? How many concerning the Catholic Church in the whole world spread abroad, against Donatists, and Luciferians, and others, whoever they be, that with like error dissent from the truth: how many against the rest of heretics, whom to enumerate or mention were too long a task, and for the present work unnecessary? . . . Of whom, as it were bulls, that is, not subject to the peaceful and gentle yoke of discipline, the Apostle maketh mention, in the place where he hath said that such an one
35. "From Thy Temple in Jerusalem, to Thee kings shall offer presents" (ver. 29). Jerusalem, which is our free mother,? because the same also is Thy holy Temple: from that Temple then, "to Thee kings shall offer presents." Whatever kings be understood, whether kings of the earth, or whether those whom " He that is above the heavens distinguisheth over the dove silvered ;"' "to Thee kings shall offer presents."' And what presents are so acceptable '° as the sacrifices of praise? But there is a noise against this praise, from men bearing the name of Christian, and having diverse opinions. Be there done that which followeth, '" Rebuke Thou the beasts of the cane" " (ver. 30). For both beasts they are, since by not understanding they do hurt: and beasts of the cane they are, since the sense of the Scriptures they wrest according to their own misapprehension. For in the cane the Scriptures are as reasonably perceived, as language in tongue, according to the mode of expression whereby the Hebrew or the Greek or the Latin tongue is spoken of, or the like ; that is to say, by the efficient cause the thing which is being effected is implied. Now
T 1 Cor. xiii. 13. 2 Rom. x. to. 4 1 John iv. 18. ' 5 x Cor. viii. 6. 7 Rom, v. 8. 8 Rom. viii. 32. 10 Oxf. mss. "' more acceptable than." II Or, " pen" (of cane), calamz. > Pi ?
3 Rom. viii. 25. 6 3 Cor. i. 24. 9 Gal. iv. 26.
12 2 Pet. iii. 16. 14 Ps, xxxv. 18. 13 See on Ps. lv. p. 216, note 7. 15 2 Tim. iii. 6, 7.
298 THE 'WORKS "OF -ST) AUGUSTIN, [PsaLm LXVIIL
/may begin, not from these this. . ie Thissis faith, whereof to the Church Herself is said in the Song of Songs, " Thou shalt come and shalt pass hence from the beginning of faith."7 For She hath come ® like the chariot of God in thousands of men rejoicing, having a prosperous course, and She hath passed over from this world to the Father: in order that there may come to pass in Her that which the Bridegroom Himself saith, who hath passed hence from this world to the Father,? "I will that where I am, these also may be with Me:" ?° but from the beginning of faith. Because then in order that good works may follow, faith doth precede ; and there are not any good works, save those which follow faith preceding : nothing else seemeth to have been meant in, '" Ethiopia shall come before the hands of her to God," but, Ethiopia shall believe in God. For thus she " shall come before the hands of her," that is, the works of her. Of whom, except of Ethiopia herself? For this in the Greek is not ambiguous: for the word "of her'! there in the feminine gender most clearly hath been put down. And thus nothing else hath been said than " Ethiopia shall come before her hands to God," that is, by believing in God she shall come before her works. For, "I judge," saith the Apostle, "that a man is justified through faith without the works of the Law. Is He God of the Jews only? Is He not also of the Gentiles?" So then Ethiopia, which seemeth to be the utmost limit of the Gentiles, is justified through faith, without the works of the Law. . .. For the expression in Greek, xetpa airns, which* most copies have, both of "hand of her" and " her own hand" may be understood: but that which is uncommon in the Greek copies, xetpas airijs, by both " hands of her" and " her own ® hands," in Latin may be expressed.
must be chosen for the Episcopate as is " able to exhort in sound doctrine and to convince the gainsayers. For there are many unruly ;''! these are bulls with uplifted neck, impatient of plough and yoke: vain-talkers and leaders astray of minds ; which minds this Psalm hath intimated under the name of cows... . 37. "There shall come ambassadors out of Egypt, Ethiopia shall prevent the hands of Him"
(ver. 31). Under the name of Egypt or of Ethiopia, he hath signified the faith of all nations, from a part the whole: calling the preachers of reconciliation ambassadors. ' For Christ," he saith, "we have an embassy, God as it were exhorting through us: we beseech you for Christ to be reconciled to God." 2 Not then of the Israelites alone, whence the Apostles were chosen, but also from the rest of the nations that there should be preachers of Christian peace, in this manner hath been mystically prophesied. But by that which he saith, "shall prevent the hands of Him," he saith this, shall prevent the vengeance of Him: to wit, by turning to Him, in order that their sins may be forgiven, lest by continuing sinners they be punished. Which thing also in another Psalm is said, " Let us come before 3 the face of Him in confession." 4 As by hands he signifieth vengeance, so by face, revelation and presence, which will be in the Judgment. Because then, by Egypt and Ethiopia he hath signified the nations of the whole world ; immediately he hath subjoined, "to God (are) the kingdoms of the earth." Not to Sabellius, not to Arius, not to Donatus, not to the rest of the bulls stiff-necked, but "to God (are) the kingdoms of the earth." But the greater number of Latin copies, and especially the Greek, have the verses so punctuated, that there is not one verse in these words, "to God the kingdoms of the earth,' but, "to God," is at the end of the former verse, and so there is said, " Ethiopia shall come before the hands of her to God," and then there followeth in another verse, " Kingdoms of the earth, sing ye to God, psalm ye to the Lord" (ver. 32). By which punctuation, doubtless to be preferred by the agreement of many copies, and those deserving of credit, there seemeth to me to be implied faith which precedeth works: because without the merits of good works through faith the ungodly is justified, just as the Apostle said, "To one believing in Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness:"?5 in order that afterwards faith itself through love may begin to work. For those alone are to be called good works,® which are done through love of God. But these faith must needs go before, so that from thence these
38. Henceforward, as if through prophecy all things had been discoursed of which now we see fulfilled, he exhorteth to the praise of Christ, and next He foretelleth His future Advent. "Kingdoms of earth, sing ye to God, psalm ye to the Lord: psalm ye to God, who hath ascended above the Heaven of Heavens to the East" (ver. 33). Or, as some copies have it, "who hath ascended above the Heaven of Heaven to the East." In these words he preceiveth not Christ, who believeth not His Resurrection and Ascension. But hath not "to the East," which he hath added, expressed the very spot; since in the quarters of the East istwhere He rose again, and whence He ascended? Therefore above the Heaven of Heaven He
7 Cant.iv. 8, LXX. E. V. " the top of Amana." 8 Oxf. mss. '' shall come," '' shall pass." 9 John xiii. 1. 10 John xvii. 24. II Lat. e7zs, of him or her. 12 Rom. iii. 28, etc. 13 Suas.
3 Or, "' prevent." 1 Tit. i. g, 10, © Sola bona opera. 2 2 Cor. v. 20. 4 Ps. xcv. 2. 5 Rom. iv. 5.