Expositions on the Book of Psalms
PsaLmM LXXIIL] ON THE PSALMS. 341 will"? Hear the apostle, who was at first a|/did not alway have God, how great a good beast longing for things earthly, and living after the Old Testament. He saith what? "I that at first was a blasphemer, and persecutor, and injurious: but mercy I obtained." * What is, "in Thy will"? "By the grace of God I am what I am."'? "And in3 glory Thou hast taken me up." Now to what glory he was taken up, and in what glory, who can explain, who can say? Let us await it, because in the Resurrection it will be, in the last things it will be.
should I have? 'To this is added, that He promiseth Himself to me, and He promiseth that I shall have this for everlasting. So great a thing I have, and never have it not. Great felicity: "my portion is God!" How long? "For everlasting." For behold and see after what sort He hath loved him; He hath made his heart chaste: "God of my heart, and my portion is God for everlasting." His heart hath become chaste, for nought now God is loved, from Him is not sought any other reward. He that doth seek any other reward from God, and therefore is willing to serve God, more precious doth make that which he willeth to receive, than
23. And he is beginning to think of that same Heavenly felicity, and to reprove himself, because he hath been a beast, and hath longed for things earthly. "' For what have I in Heaven, and from Thee what have I willed upon earth?"
Him from whom he willeth to receive. What then, is there no reward belonging to God? None except Himself. The reward belonging to God, is God Himself. This he loveth, this he esteemeth ; if any other thing he shall have loved, the love will not be. chaste. Thou art receding from the Fire immortal, thou wilt grow cold, wilt be corrupted. Do not recede. Recede not, it will be thy corruption, it will be thy fornication. Now he is returning, now he is repenting, now he is choosing repentance, now he is saying, " my portion is God." And after what sort is he delighted with that Same, whom he hath chosen for his portion.
(ver. 25). By your voice I see that ye have understood.4| He compared with his earthly will the heavenly reward which he is to receive; he saw what was there being reserved for him ; and while thinking and burning at the thought of some ineffable thing, which neither eye hath seen, nor ear heard, nor into the heart of man hath ascended,5 he hath not said, this or that I have in Heaven, but, " what have I in Heaven?" What is that thing which I have in Heaven? What is it? How great is it? Of what sort is it? 'And,' since that which I have in heaven doth not pass away, "from Thee what have I willed upon earth?" ®. . . Thou reservest, he saith, for me in Heaven riches immortal, even Thyself, and I have willed from Thee on earth that which even ungodly men have, which even evil men have, which even abandoned men have, money, gold, silver, jewels, households, which even many, wicked men have: which even many profligate women have, many profligate men: these things as a great matter I have desired of my God upon earth: though my God reserveth Himself for me in Heaven!
25. "Behold, they that put themselves afar from Thee shall perish" (ver. 27). He therefore departed from God, but not far: for "I have become as it were a beast," he saith, and "I am alway with Thee.''7 But they have departed afar, because not only things earthly they have desired, but have sought them from demons and the Devil. "They that put themselves afar from Thee shall perish." And what is it, to become afar from God? "Thou hast destroyed every man that committeth fornication away from Thee." To this fornication is opposed chaste love. What is chaste love? Now the soul doth love her Bridegroom: what doth she require of Him, from Her Bridegroom whom she loveth? Perchance in like manner as women choose for themselves men either as sons-in-law or as bridegrooms: she perchance chooseth riches, and loveth his gold, and estates, and silver and cattle and horses, and household, and the like. Far be it. He doth love Him alone, for nought he doth love Him: because in Him he hath all things, for " by Him were made all things." ®
24. " My heart and my flesh hath failed, O God of my heart" (ver. 26). This then for me in Heaven hath been reserved, "God of my heart, and my portion is my God." What is it, brethren? Let us find out our riches, let mankind choose their parts. Let us see men torn with diversity of desires: let some choose warservice, some advocacy, some divers and sundry offices of teaching, some merchandise, some farming, let them take their portions in human affairs: let the people of God cry, '' my portion is my God." Not for a time "my portion ;"' but "my portion is my God for everlasting." Even if I alway have gold, what have 1? Even if I
26. But thou doest what? " But for me to cleave to God is a good thing" (ver. 28). This is whole good. Will ye have more? I grieve at your willing. Brethren, what will ye have more? 'Than to cleave to God nothing is better, when we shall see Him face to face.2 But now
1; Tim. i. 13. 2 x Cor. xv. 10. 3 So mss.; Ben, '' with." 4 [Here there were voluntary "'amens," or the like, from the people. See p. 207, supra. — Cy 5 x Cor, it. 9. 6 [Here he interpolates: ''I will speak as I am able, but forgive me; accept my endeavour, mine earnestness to attempt; for to explain it I have not power." —C.]
9 x Cor. xiii. 12, 7 Ps, Ixxiii. 21. 8 John''i. 3.