Expositions on the Book of Psalms (continued)
PSALMS. 565
Psatm CXIX.] ON THE he addeth, "to go in the path of Thy commandments, for therein is my desire" (ver. 35). My desire is powerless, unless Thou Thyself makest me to go where I desire. And this is surely the very path, that is, the path of God's commandments, which he had already said that he had run, when his heart was enlarged by the Lord. And this he calleth a "path,'' because "the way is narrow which leadeth unto life ;''5 and since it is narrow, we cannot run therein save with a heart enlarged... . 36. He next saith, " Incline mine heart unto Thy testimonies, and not to covetousness"' (ver.
the fear of punishment, but widened through love, and the delight we have in righteousNESS. axe fle.
31. In this great Psalm there cometh next in order that which, with the Lord's help, we must consider and treat of. 'Set a law for me, O Lord, the way of Thy statutes, and I shall seek dtralwayi (Wel. 33). = =
32. Why doth this man still pray for a law to be laid down for him ; which, if it had not been laid down for him, he could not have run the way of God's commandments in the breadth of his heart? But since one speaketh who is growing in grace, and who knoweth that it is God's gift that he profiteth in grace; what else doth he pray, when he prayeth that a law may be laid down for him, save that he may profit more and more? As, if thou holdest a full cup, and givest it to a thirsty man; he both exhausts it by drinking it, and prayeth for it by still longie Por, Itsy...
36). This then he prayeth, that he may profit in the will itself.° ... But the Apostle saith, " Avarice is a root of all evils." 7 But in the Greek, whence these words have been rendered into our tongue, the word used by the Apostle is
10t wAeovefta, which occurs in this passage of the Psalms ; but gi Aapyupia, by which is signified "love of money." But the Apostle must be understood to have meant genus by species when he used this word, that is, to have meant avarice universally and generally by love of money, which is truly the root of all evils'... If therefore our heart be not inclined to covetousness, we fear God only for God's sake, so that He is the only reward of our serving Him. Let us love Him in Himself, let us love Him in ourselves, Him in our neighbours whom we love as ourselves, whether they have Him, or in order that they may have Him... . 37. The next words in the Psalm which we have undertaken tc expound are, " O turn away mine eyes, lest they behold vanity: and quicken Thou me in Thy way" (ver. 37). Vanity and truth are directly contrary to one another. The desires of this world are vanity: but Christ, who freeth us from the world, is truth. He is the way, too, wherein this man wisheth to be quickened, for He is also the life: "I am the way, the truth, and the life," 9 are His own words.
33. But what meaneth, "Evermore"? ... Doth " evermore" mean as long as we live here, because we progress in grace so long; but after this life, he who was in a good course of improvement here, is made perfect there? ... Here the law of God is examined into, as long as we progress in it, both by knowing it and by loving it: but there its fulness abideth for our enjoyment, not for our examination. 'Thus also is this spoken, "Seek His face evermore." ! Where, evermore, save here? For we shall not there also seek the face of God, when " we shall see face to face."? Or if that which is loved without a change of affection is rightly said to be sought after, and our only object is, that it be not lost, we shall indeed evermore seek the law of God, that is, the truth of God: for in this very Psalm it is said, "And Thy law is the truth." 3 It is now sought, that it may be held fast ; it will then be held fast that it may not be hOStic
38. .. . He prayeth that those eyes wherewith we consider on what account we do what we do, may be turned away that they behold not vanity ; that is, that he may not look to vanity, as his motive, when he doeth anything good. In this vanity the first place is held by the love of men's praise, on account of which many great deeds have been wrought by those who are styled great in this world, and who have been much praised in heathen states, seeking glory not with God, but among men, and on account of this
34. 'Give me understanding, and I shall search Thy law, yea, I shall keep it with my whole heart" (ver. 34). For when each man hath searched the law, and searched its deep things, in which its whole meaning doth consist; he ought indeed to love God with all his heart, with all his soul, with all his mind; and his neighbour as himself. " For on these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." ¢ This he seemeth to have promised, when he said, " Yea, I shall keep it with my whole heart."
S Matt. vii. 14. 6 [He says: '' He useth here a Greek expression, from which covetousness generally may be understood, whereby every man seeketh more than is enough: for the word mA¢ov meaneth move, and éfcs signifieth having, being derived from the verb to have. It is therefore termed mAeovegéca, from having too much: a word which the Latin translators in this passage have variously rendered by emolument, utility, and avarice, which last is best." —C.]
35. But since he hath no power to do even this, save he be aided by Him who commandeth him to do what He commandeth, '' Make me,"
3 Ps, cxix. 142. IPs7 CV,4> 2 x Cor, xiii. 12. 4 Matt. xxii. 37-40.
7 1 'Tim. vi. 10. 8 Gen. iii. 5. 9 John xiv. 6,