Expositions on the Book of Psalms (continued)
THE WORKS OF ST. AUGUSTIN. [Psatm LXXIV. what? For yet as a stranger I am speaking: "to cleave," he saith, " to God isa good thing: " but now in my sojourning (for not yet hath come the substance), I have "to put in God my hope."' So long therefore as thou hast not yet cloven, therein put thy hope. Thou art wavering, cast forward an anchor to the land.t' Not yet dost thou cleave by presence, cleave fast by hope. "To putin God my hope." And by doing what here wilt thou put in God thy hope? What will be thy business, but to praise Him whom thou lovest, and to make others to be fellow-lovers of Him with thee? Lo, if thou shouldest love a charioteer, wouldest thou not carry along other men to love him with thee? A lover of a charioteer whithersoever he goeth doth speak of him, in order that as well as he others also may love him. For nought are loved abandoned men, and from God is reward required in order that He may be loved? Love thou. God for nought, grudge God to no one. ... For what followeth? "In order that I may tell forth all Thy praises in the courts of the daughter of Sion." "Tn the courts: " for the preaching of God beside the Church is vain. A small thing it is to praise God and to tell forth all His praise. In the courts of the daughter of Sion tell thou forth. Make for unity, do not divide the people; but draw them unto one, and make them one. I have forgotten how long I have been speaking. wont to understand any but the people of the Jews; let us see whether perchance the voice in this Psalm be not of that same people. But of what sort of Jews and of what sort of people of Israel? For they are not of the chaff, but perchance of the grain;5 not of the broken branches, but perchance of those that are strengthened. 'For not all that are of Israel are: Israelites," %".:. . There: are "therefore: cer: tain Israelites, of whom was he concerning whom was said, '"' Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom guile is not."7 I do not say in the same manner as we are Israelites, for we also are the seed of Abraham. For to the Gentiles the Apostle was speaking, when he said, " Therefore the seed of Abraham ye are, heirs according to promise." § According to this therefore all we are Israelites, that follow the footsteps of the faith of our father Abraham. But let us understand here the voice of the Israelites in the same manner as the Apostle saith, " For I also am an Israelite, of 'the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin." 9 Here therefore let us understand that whereof the Prophets have spoken, 'a remnant shall be saved." *° Of the remnant therefore saved let us hear in this place the voice; in order that there may speak that Synagogue which had received the Old Testament, and was intent upon carnal promises ; and by this means it came to pass that their feet were shaken. For in another Psalm, where too the title hath Asaph, there is said what? "How good is the God of Israel to men right in heart. But my feet were almost moved." '! And as if we were saying, whence were thy feet moved? " Well nigh," he saith, "my steps were overthrown, because I was jealous in the case of sinners, looking on the peace of sinners." '? For while according to the promises of God belonging to the Old Testament he was looking for earthly felicity, he observed it to abound with ungodly men; that they who worshipped not God were enriched with those things which he was looking for from God: and as though without cause he had served God, his feet tottered. ... But opportunely it hath chanced not by our own but by God's dispensation, that just now we heard out of the Gospel, that "the Law was given by Moses, Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ." 73 For if we distinguish between the two Testaments, Old and New, there are not the same Sacraments '4 nor the same promises ; '5 nevertheless, thesame commandments' for the most part... . When examined they are either all found to be the same, or there are scarce any in the Gospel which have not been spoken by the Prophets.
Now the Psalm being ended, even judging by this closeness,? I suppose I have held a long discourse: but it doth not suffice for your zeal ; ye are too impetuous.3 O that with this impetuosity ye would seize upon the kingdom of Heaven.
PSALM LXXIV.4
1. This Psalm's Title is, "' Of the Understanding of Asaph." Asaph in Latin is translated congregation, in Greek Synagogue. Let us see what this Synagogue hath understood. But let us understand firstly Synagogue: from thence we shall understand what the Synagogue hath understood. Every congregation is spoken of under the general name of Synagogue: one both of beasts and of men may be called a congregation ; but here there is no congregation of beasts when we heard "understanding." . . . For this the Psalm's Title doth prescribe, saying, "Of the understanding of Asaph." It is therefore a certain understanding congregation whereof we are about to hear the voice. But since properly Synagogue is said of the congregation of the people of Israel, so that wheresoever we may have heard Synagogue, we are no longer
T Oxf. mss. '' Wavering, from the earth cast an anchor before thee upward."
6 Rom. ix. 6. 9 Rom. xi. 1. 12 Ps, Ixxiii. 2. 1S Promtissa.
7 John i. 47. 10 Rom. ix. 27. 13 Johni. 17, 16 Precepta.
5 Matt. iii. 12. 8 Gal. iii. 29. Il Ps, Ixxiii, 1, 2. 14 Sacramenta, 2 Odore, lit. 'smell; "' one ms. ardore, "'heat;" Ben. conj. sudore. P. 341, note 4, supra. —C. 4 Lat. LXXIII. Sermon to the people.