Expositions on the Book of Psalms (continued)
Psaim CIX.] ON THE PSALMS. 539
16. " And that, because he remembered noe water into his bowels, like oil into his bones; to act mercifully" (ver. 15) ; either Judas, or the people itself. But "remembered not" is better understood of the people: for if they slew Christ, they might well remember the deed in penitence, and act mercifully towards His members, whom they most perseveringly persecuted. For this reason he saith, "but persecuted the poor man and the beggar "' (ver. 16). It may indeed be understood of Judas; for the Lord did not disdain to become poor, when He was rich, that we might be enriched by His poverty.' But how shall I understand the word " beggar,'"' save perhaps because He said to the Samaritan woman, " Give me to drink,'"'? and on the Cross He said, "I thirst.""3 But as to what followeth, I do not see how it can be understood of our Head Himself, that is, the Saviour of His own body, whom Judas persecuted. For after saying, '' He persecuted the poor man and the beggar:" he addeth, "and to slay," that is, "that he might slay Him," for some have so rendered it, " Him that was pricked at the heart." This expression is not commonly used except of the stings of past sins in the sorrows of penitence ; as it is said of those who, when they had heard the Apostles after our Lord's ascension, were " pricked in heart,"' even they who had slain the Lord. 23 but it is styled cursing, because God hath appointed torments for such men.
18. " Let it be unto him as the cloak which covereth him" (ver. 18). Since he hath before spoken of the cloak, why doth he repeat it? When he said, " He clothed himself with cursing as with a raiment;'' doth the raiment with which he is "covered" differ from that with which he is "clothed"? For every man is clothed with his tunic, covered with his cloak ; and what is this, save boasting in iniquity, even in the sight of men? "and as the girdle," he saith, " that he is alway girded withal."" Men are girded chiefly that they may be better fit for toil, that they may not be hindered by the folds of their dress. He therefore girdeth himself with curses, who designeth an evil which he hath carefully contrived, not on a sudden impulse, and who learneth in such a manner to do evil, that he is always ready to commit it.
19. "This is the work of them that slander me before the Lord" (ver. 19). He said not, "their reward," but, "their work:" for it is clear that by the clothing, covering, water, oil, and girdle, he was describing the very works by which eternal curses are procured. It is not then one Judas, but many, of whom it is said, "This is the work of them that slander me before the Lord." Although indeed the plural number might have been put for the singular ; even as, when Herod died, it was said by the Angel, "' They are dead which sought the young Child's life." 8 But who slander Christ more before the Lord, than they who slander the very words of the Lord, by declaring that it is not He whom the Law of the Lord and His Prophets announced beforehand? 'And of those that speak evil against my soul:" by denying that He, when He had willed, could have arisen: though He saith, "I have power to lay down My life, and I have power to take it again." 9
17. The Psalm then continueth: "His delight was in cursing, and it shall happen to him" (ver. 17). Although Judas loved cursing, both in stealing from the money bag, and selling and betraying the Lord: nevertheless, that people more openly loved cursing, when they said, "His blood be on us, and on our children." 4 " He loved not blessing, therefore it shall be far from him." Such was Judas indeed, since he loved not Christ, in whom is everlasting blessing ; but the Jewish people still more decidedly refused blessing, unto whom he who had been enlightened by the Lord said, " Will ye also be His disciples?'"'5 'He clothed himself with cursing, like as with a raiment:"' either Judas, or that people. "And it came into his bowels like water."® Both without, then, and within ; without, like a garment; within, like water: since he hath come before the judgment-seat of Him "who hath power to destroy both body and soul in hell;''7 the body without, the soul within. 'And like oil into his bones." He showeth that he worketh evil with delight, and storeth up cursing for himself, that is, everlasting punishment; for blessing is eternal life. For at present evil deeds are his delight, flowing like
20. " But work Thou with me, O Lord God" (ver. 20). Some have thought "mercifully" should be understood, some have actually added it; but the best copies have the words thus:
" But work Thou with me, O Lord God, for Thy Name's sake."" Whence a higher sense should not be passed over, supposing the Son to have thus addressed the Father, "Deal Thou with Me," since the works of the Father and of the Son are the same. Where although we understand mercy, —for these words follow, " for sweet is Thy mercy," — because he said not, " In me," or, "over me ;"' or anything of this sort : but, " work Thou with Me;" we rightly understand that the Father and Son together work mercifully towards the vessels of mercy."° " Work with me," ™
I 2 Cor. viii. 9. 2 John iv. 7. 3 John xix. 28, 4 Matt. xxxii. 25. 5 John ix 27. 6 [It seems to me there is here a reference to the water of jealousy, Numb. v. 22, 23. Compare Acts i.18. As to oil, generally a, blessing, compare Ps. lv. 21; Prov. v. 3, 4. 'For envy they delivered Him." Prov, xiv. 30. —C. 7 Matt. x. 28.
9 John x, 18. I Fac Mecum. 8 Matt. ii. 20. 10 Rom, ix. 23.
540 THE WORKS' OF ST. AUGUSTIN. [PsaLm CIX.
may also be understood to mean, help me. We use this expression in our daily language, when we are speaking of anything which is in our favour ; "It works with us." For the Father aideth the Son, as far as the Deity aideth Man, on account of His having assumed the " form of a servant,'"' to which Man, God, and to which "Form of a servant," the Lord too is Father. For in the "form of God," the Son needeth not aid, for He is eqally all-powerful with the Father, on which account He also is the helper of men. . . . And because when he had said, "Work Thou with me," he added, "for Thy Name's sake," he hath commended grace. For without previous deserving works, human nature was raised to such a height, that the whole in one, the Word and Flesh, that is, God and Man, was styled the Only-begotten Son of God. And this was done that that which had been lost might be sought by Him who had created it, through that which had not been lost ; whence | the following words, " For Thy mercy is sweet."
through the oil, not for the worse, but for the better, that is, rising from the dishonour of death to the glory of immortality. . . . His flesh was not yet changed. But whether the Holy Spirit be represented by water through the notion of ablution or irrigation, or by oil through that of exultation and the inflaming of charity ; It doth not differ from Itself, because Its types are different. For there is a great difference between the lion and the lamb, and yet Christ is represented by both... . 24. "I became also a reproach unto them" (ver. 24): through the death of the Cross. "For Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us."° "They looked upon Me, and shaked their heads." Because they beheld His crucifixion, without beholding His resurrection: they saw when His knees were weakened, they saw not when His flesh was changed.
25. "Help me, O Lord my God: O save me according to Thy mercy" (ver. 25). This may be referred to the whole, both to the Head and to the body: to the Head, owing to His having taken the form of a servant; to the body, on account of the servants themselves. For He might even in them have said unto God, " Help Me:"' and, "O save Me:" as in them He said
21. "QOdeliver me, for I am needy and poor" (ver. 21). Need and poverty is that weakness, through which He was crucified! "And my heart is disturbed within me." This alludeth to those words which He spoke when His Passion was drawing near, " My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." 2
| unto Paul, "' Why persecutest thou Me" ?7
The following words, "according to Thy mercy," describe grace given gratuitously, not according to the merit of works.
22. "I go hence like a shadow that declineth" (ver.22). By this he signified death itself. For as night comes of the shadow's declining, so death comes of mortal flesh. "And am driven away as the locusts." This I think would be more suitably understood of His members, that is, of His faithful disciples. That he might make it much plainer, he preferred writing "locusts" in the plural number: although many may be understood where the singular number is used, as in that passage, '' He spake, and the locust came ;''3 but it would have been more obscure. His disciples, then, were driven away, that is, were put to flight by persecutors, either the multitude of whom He wished to be signified by the word. locusts, or their passing from one place to another.
26. "And let them know how that this is Thy Hand, and that Thou, Lord, hast made it" (ver. 26). He said, " Let them know," of those for whom He even prayed while they were raging ; for even those who afterwards believed in Him were among the crowd who shook their heads in mockery of Him. But let those who ascribe unto God the shape of the human body, learn in what sense God hath a hand. Let us therefore understand, that the Hand of God meaneth Christ: whence it is elsewhere said, ' Unto whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" ...
27. "Though they curse, yet bless Thou" (ver.27). Vain therefore and false is the cursing of the sons of men, that have pleasure in vanity, and seek a lie ;9 but when God blesseth, He doth what He saith. 'Let them be confounded that rise up against me." For their imagining that they have some power against Me, is the reason that they rise up against Me; but when I shall have been exalted above the heavens, and My glory shall have commenced spreading over the whole earth, they shall be confounded. ' But Thy servant shall rejoice :" either on the right hand of the Father, or in His members when they rejoice, both in hope
23. ""My knees are weak through fasting" (ver. 23). We read, that our Lord Christ underwent a fast of forty days:4 but had fasting so great power over Him, that His knees were weakened? Or is this more suitably understood of His members, that is, of His saints? "And my flesh is changed because of the oil ;''5 because of spiritual grace, Whence Christ was so called from the Greek word, chrisma, which | signifies unction. But the flesh was changed t 2 Cor. xiii. 4. 2 Matt. xxvi. 38. 3 Ps. cv. 34. 4 Matt. iv.2. | ¥ 5 [Strange that our author's power of association fails to connect this with John xii 7, and so with another incicent in the history of Judas, quite to his purpose. See this series, vol. vi. p. 174. —C.]
7 Acts ix. 4. © Gal. iii. 13. & 9 Ps, iv. 2. 8 Isa. lili. 1.
Psatm CX.J ON? THE PSALMS. 541 among temptations, and after temptations for evermore.
the Gospel. For when our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ asked of the Jews, whose Son they alleged Christ to be, and they had replied, "the Son of David ;"" Heat once replied to their answer, " How then doth David in spirit call Him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto My Lord?" etc. "If then," He asked, " David in the spirit call Him Lord, how is He his son?'"5 With this verse this Psalm beginneth.
28. "Let my slanderers be clothed with shame" (ver. 28): that is, let it shame them to have slandered me. But this may also be understood as a blessing, in that they are amended. "And let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a double cloak ;" for dplois is a double cloak; that is, let them be confounded both within and without: both before God and before men.
2. "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool" (ver. 1). We ought, therefore, thoroughly to consider this question proposed to the Jews by the Lord, in the very commencement of the Psalm. For if what the Jews answered be asked of us, whether we confess or deny it; God forbid that we should deny it. If it be said to us, Is Christ the Son of David, or not? if we reply, No, we contradict the Gospel ; for the Gospel of St. Matthew thus beginneth, "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David."® The Evangelist declareth, that he is writing the book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David. The Jews, then, when questioned by Christ, whose Son they believed Christ to be, rightly answered, the Son of David. The Gospel agreeth with their answer. Not only the suspicion of the Jews, but the faith of Christians, doth declare this. oy Sali betien David in the spirit called Him Lord, how is He his son?" The Jews were silent at this question : they found no further reply: yet they did not seek Him as the Lord, for they did not acknowledge Him to be Himself that Son of David. But let us, brethren, both believe and declare: for, "with the heart we believe unto righteousness : but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation ;"7 let us believe, I say, and let us declare both the Son of David, and the Lord of David. Let us not be ashamed of the Son of David, lest we find the Lord of David angry with us.
29. "As for me, I will confess greatly * unto the Lord with my mouth" (ver. 29)... . Is He said to "praise among the multitude" because He is with His Church here even unto the end of the world ;? so that we may understand by 'among the multitude," that He is honoured by this very multitude? For he is said to be in the midst, unto whom the chief honour is paid. But if the heart is, as it were, that which is midmost of a man, no better construction can be put on this passage than this, I will praise Him in the hearts of many. For Christ dwelleth through faith in our hearts ;3 and therefore he saith, 'with my mouth," that is, with the mouth of my body, which is the Church.
30. 'For He stood at the right hand of the poor" (ver. 30). It was said of Judas, " Let Satan stand at his right hand ;" since he chose to increase his riches by selling Christ ; but here the Lord stood at the right hand of the poor, that the Lord Himself might be the poor man's riches. 'He stood at the right hand of the poor," not to multiply the years of a life that one day must end, nor to increase his stores, nor to render him strong in the strength of the body, or secure for a time; "but," he saith, 'to save my soul from the persecutors." Now the soul is rendered safe from the persecutors, if we do not consent to them unto evil; but there is no such consent to them when the Lord standeth at the right hand of the poor, that he may not give way through his very poverty, that is, weakness. This aid was given to the Body of Christ in the case of all the holy Martyrs.
We know that Christ sitteth at the right hand of the Father, since His resurrection from the dead, and ascent into heaven. It is already done: we saw not it, but we have believed it: we have read it in the Scripture, have heard it preached, and hold it by faith. So that by the very circumstance that Christ was David's Son, He became His Lord also. For That which was born of the seed of David was so honoured, that It was also the Lord of David. 'Thou wonderest at this, as if the same did not happen in human affairs. For if it should happen, that the son of any private person be made a king, will he not be his father's lord? What is yet more wonderful may happen, not only that the son of a private person, by being made a king, may
PSALM CX.4
1... . This Psalm is one of those promises, surely and openly prophesying our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ; so that we are utterly unable to doubt that Christ is announced in this Psalm, since we are now Christians, and believe
I [He says: " The word zs is used in Latin to express excess, the contrary to parum, which meaneth deficiency. 'The Greek word for 2zz7s is ayav: but this verse hath ogedoa, not ayav; which our translators have sometimes rendered by xzzs, sometimes by valdé
('very much'). Now if 7277s be taken as equivalent to valde, it may be understood of praise: for this confession signifieth praise. For the next words are, 'and I will praise Him among the multitude.'"' — C.] = Matt. xxvill. 20. ' 3 Eph. iii. 17. 4 Lat. CIX. A sermon to the people.
5 Matt. xxii. 42-45. 6 Matt. i. 1. 7 Rom, x. 10,