Expositions on the Book of Psalms
THE WORKS OF ST. AUGUSTIN. [PsaLmM CXVII.
in my haste, All men are liars." In consternation he hath had regard to his infirmity, and hath seen that he ought not to presume on himself ; for as far as pertaineth to the man himself, he is a liar, but by the grace of God he is made true ; lest yielding to the pressure of his enemies he might not speak what he had believed, but might deny it; even as it happened to Peter, since he had trusted in himself, and was to be taught that we ought not to trust in man. And if every one ought not to trust in man, surely not in himself; because he is a man. Rightly therefore in his fear did he perceive that every man was a liar ; since they also whom no fear robs of their presence of mind, so that they never lie by yielding to the persecutors, are such by the gifts of God, not by their own strength. .
the free mother of us all.3 And free indeed from sin she is, but the handmaid of righteousness; to whose sons still pilgrims it is said, "Ve have been called unto liberty; '4 and again he maketh them servants, when he saith, "but by love serve one another." fet therefore that servant say unto God, Many call themselves martyrs, many Thy servants, because they hold Thy Name in various heresies and errors; but since they are beside Thy Church, they are not the children of Thy handmaid. But "I am Thy servant, and the son of Thine handmaid." "Thou hast broken my bonds asunder."
12. "I wili offer to Thee the sacrifice of praise' (ver. 17). For I have not found any deserts of mine, since Thou hast broken my bonds asunder ; I therefore owe Thee the sacrifice of praise; because, although I will boast that I am Thy servant, and the son of Thy handmaid, I will glory not in myself, but in Thee, my Lord, who hast broken asunder my bonds, that when I return from my desertion, I may again be bound unto Thee.
g. " What," he asketh, "what reward shall I give unto the Lord, for all the benefits that He hath returned unto me?" (ver. 12). He saith not, for all the benefits that He hath done unto me; but, "for all the benefits that He hath returned unto me.'' What deeds then on the man's part had preceded, that all the benefits of God were not said to be given, but returned? What had preceded, on the man's part, save sins? God therefore repayeth good for evil, whilst unto Him men repay evil for good; for such was the return of those who said, " This is the heir: come, let us kill him.''?
13. "I will pay my vows unto the Lord " (ver. 18). What vows wilt thou pay? What victims hast thou vowed? what burnt-offerings, what holocausts? Dost thou refer to what thou hast said a little before, "I will receive the cup of salvation, and will call upon the Name of the Lord ;" and, "I will offer to Thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving"? and indeed whosoever well considereth what he is vowing to the Lord, and what vows he is paying, let him vow himself, let him pay himself as a vow: this is exacted, this is due. On looking at the coin, the Lord saith, "Render unto Czesar the things which are Cesar's, and unto God the things which are God's:"5 his own image is rendered unto Cesar: let His image be rendered unto God.
10. But this man seeketh what he may return unto the Lord, and findeth not, save out of those things which the Lord Himself returneth. "I will receive," he saith, the cup of salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord " (ver. 13). ""My vows will I render to the Lord, before all His people"' (ver. 14). Who hath given thee the cup of salvation, which when thou takest, and callest upon the Name of the Lord, thou shalt return unto Him a reward for all that He hath returned unto thee? Who, save He who saith, " Are ye able to drink the cup that I shall drink of ?""?, Who hath given unto thee to imitate His sufferings, save He who hath suffered before for thee? And therefore, " Right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of His Saints"' (ver. 15). He purchased it by His Blood, which He first shed for the salvation of slaves, that they might not hesitate to shed their blood. for the Lord's Name; which, nevertheless, would be profitable for their own interests, not for those of the Lord.
14... In the "courts,"" she 4saith,, "of sthe Lord's house" (ver. 19). What is the Lord's house, the same is the Lord's handmaid: and what is God's house, save all His people? It therefore followeth, "In the sight of all His people." And now he more openly nameth his mother herself. For what else is His people, but what followeth, "In the midst of thee, O Jerusalem"? For than that which is returned grateful, if it be returned from peace, and in peace. But they who are not sons of this handmaid, have loved war rather than peace... .
11. Let therefore the slave purchased at so great a price confess his condition, and say,
PSALM CXVII.°
" Behold, O Lord, how that I am Thy servant : "Tam Thy servant, and the son of Thine handmaid " »(ver.(ur6)<>. 2-. This,. therefore,sis the son of the heavenly Jerusalem, which is above,
1. "O praise the Lord, all ye heathen : praise Him, all ye nations" (ver. 1). These are the courts of the Lord's house, this all His people,
3 Gal. iv. 26. 6 Lat. CXVI. 4 Gal. v. 13. A sermon to the people.
5 Matt. xxii. 21.
T Matt. xxi. 38. 2 Matt. xx. 22. [He omits ver. 14.—C.]