Expositions on the Book of Psalms (continued)
THE WORKS OF ST. AUGUSTIN. [PsaLtm CXIX. their own strength, and are therefore, though by God's law, yet still endeavouring to set up their own righteousness ; but as the son of promise, who hungering and athirst after it, by seeking, by asking, by knocking,? as it were begs it of the Father, that being adopted he may receive it through His only-begotten Son. . ... His enemies sought from the same commandment temporal rewards ; and therefore it was not unto them for ever, as it was unto this man. For they who have translated "for ever" have rendered better than they who have written "for an age," since at the end of time there can be no longer a commandment of the law. .. . 99. But what meaneth the following verse, " I have more understanding than my teachers'? with great honour, life, acquired by the death of this life, and by sorrows and reproaches. But in what he hath added, "Thy commandment is exceeding broad;'' I understand only love. For what would it have profited him, whatever death impended over him, in the midst of whatsoever torment, to confess those testimonies, if love were not in the confessor? ... Broad therefore is the commandment of charity, that twofold commandment, whereby we are enjoined to love God and our neighbour. But what is broader than that, "on " which "hang all the Law and the Prophets'?!
Mem.
97. We have frequently admonished you, that love was to be understood by that praiseworthy breadth, by means of which, while we do the commandments of God, we feel no straitness. On this account also after saying above in this great Psalm, "Thy commandment is exceeding broad:"? in the following verse he showeth wherefore it is broad: "what love have I unto Thy law, O Lord!" (ver. 97). Love is therefore the breadth of the commandment. For how can it be that what God commandeth to be loved, be loved, and yet the commandment itself be not loved? For this itself is the law ; " in all the day," he saith, "is my study in it."" Behold how I have loved it, that in the whole day my study is in it; or rather, as the Greek hath it, "all the day long," which more fully expresses the continuance of meditation. Now that is to be understood through all time; which is, for ever. By such love lust is driven out: lust, which repeatedly opposeth our performing the commandments of the law, when " the flesh lusteth against the spirit: " 3 against which the spirit lusting, ought so to love the law of God, that it be its study during the whole day... . 98. And he then addeth: "Thou hast made me to understand Thy commandment above mine enemies; for it is ever with me" (ver. 98). For "they have indeed a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge," etc.4 But the Psalmist, who understandeth the commandment of God above these his enemies, wishes to be found with the Apostle, " not having'' his " own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is of the faith of Christ, which is of God ;"'5 not that the Law which his enemies read is not of God, but because they do not understand it, like him who understandeth it above his enemies, by clinging to the Stone upon which they stumbled. For "Christ is the end of thelaw," etc.,° " that they may be justified freely through His grace ;"'7 not like those who imagine that they obey the law of (ver. 99). Who is he who had more understanding than all his teachers? Who, I ask, is he, who dareth to prefer himself in understanding above all the Prophets, who not only by speaking taught with so excellent authority those who lived with them, but also their posterity by writing? . . . What is here said, could not have been spoken in Solomon's person. . . . I recognise plainly Him who had more understanding than His teachers, since when He was a boy of twelve years of age, Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, and was found by His parents after three days' space, "sitting in the temple among the doctors, hearing them and asking them questions." !° The Son Himself hath said, "As My Father hath taught Me, I speak these things." ' It-is very difficult to understand this of the Person of the Word ; unless we can comprehend that it is the same thing for the Son to be taught as to be begotten of the Father. . . . " He took upon Himself the form of a servant ;"' '? for when He had assumed this form, men of more advanced age might think Him fit to be taught as a boy; but He whom the Father taught, had more understanding than all His teachers. " For Thy testimonies," He saith, "'are my study." For this reason He had more understanding than all His teachers, because He studied the testimonies of God, which, as concerning Himself, He knew better than they, when He spoke these words: "Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man," etc.%3
100. But these teachers may be understood very reasonably to be those aged men, of whom he presently saith, 'I am wiser than mine elders "' (ver. 100). And this seemeth to me to be repeated here thus, that that age of His which is well known to us in the Gospel might be called to our remembrance ; the age of boyhood, during which He was sitting among the aged, understanding more than all His teachers. For the 2 Ps. cxix, 96. 3 Gal. v. 17. 5 Philip. iii. 9. I Matt. xxii. 37-40.
8 Matt. v. 6. Ps 9 Matt. vil. 7. i John viii. 28. 12 Philip. ii. 7.
© Rom, x. 4. 4 Rom. x. 2, 3. 7 Rom. iii. 24.
10 Luke ii. 42-46. 13 John v. 33-36.