Expositions on the Book of Psalms
586 THE WORKS°OR (ST. sAUGUSTIN, {[PsALm CXIX.
mercies. "Quicken me according to Thy judgment." For I know that Thy judgments will not be upon me without Thy mercy.
him to gain the victory, on account of which the reward was sought for?
158. " The beginning," he saith, " of Thy words is truth ; all the judgments of Thy righteousness endure for evermore" (ver. 160). From truth, he saith, Thy words do proceed, and they are therefore truthful, and deceive no man, for in them life is announced to the righteous, punishment to the ungodly. 'These are the everlasting judgments of God's righteousness,
155. " Many there are that trouble me, and persecute me; yet do I not swerve from Thy testimonies" (ver. 157). This hath been realized : we know it, we recollect it, we acknowledge it. The whole earth has been crimsoned by the blood of Martyrs ; heaven is flowery with the crowns of Martyrs, the Churches are adorned with the memorials of Martyrs, seasons distinguished by the birthdays of Martyrs, cures more frequent' by the merits of Martyrs. Whence this, save because that hath been fulfilled which was prophesied? of that Man who hath been spread abroad around the whole world. We recognise this, and render thanks to the Lord our God. For thou, man, thou hast thyself said in another Psalm, "If the Lord Himself had not been on our side, they would have swallowed us up quick." 3 Behold the reason why thou hast not swerved from His testimonies, and hast won the palm of thy heavenly calling amid the hands of the many who persecuted and troubled thee.
Schin.
159. We know what persecutions the body of Christ, that is, the holy Church, suffered from the kings of the earth. Let us therefore here also recognise the words of the Church : " Princes have persecuted me without a cause: and my heart hath stood in awe of Thee" (ver. 161). For how had the Christians injured the kingdoms of the earth, although their King promised them the kingdom of heaven? How, I ask, had they injured the kingdoms of earth? Did their King forbid His soldiers to pay and to render due service to the kings of the earth? Saith He not to the Jews who were striving to calumniate Him, " Render unto Ceesar the things that are Czesar's, "/and unto God the things that are God's''?5
156. " Ihave seen," he saith, " the foolish, and I pined" (ver. 158): or, as other copies read, "T have seen them that keep not covenant: this is the reading of most. But who are they who have not kept covenant, save they who have swerved from the testimonies of God, not bearing the tribulation of their many persecutors? Now this is the covenant, that he who shall have conquered shall be crowned. They who, not bearing persecution, have by denial swerved from the testimonies of God, have not kept the covenant. These then the Psalmist saw, and pined, for he loved them. For that jealousy is good, springing from love, not from envy. He addeth in what respect they had failed to keep the covenant,
Did He not even in His own Person pay tribute from the mouth of a fish?® Did not His forerunner, when the soldiers of this kingdom were seeking what they ought to do for their everlasting salvation, instead of replying, Loose your belts, throw away your arms, desert your king, that ye may wage war for the Lord, answer, "Do violence to no man: neither accuse any falsely: and be content with your wages'??? Did not one of His soldiers, His most beloved companion,® say to his fellow soldiers, the provincials,? so to speak, of Christ, "' Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers'? '® Does he not enjoin the Church to pray for even kings themselves? '! How then have the Christians offended against them? What due have they not rendered? in what have not Christians obeyed the monarchs of earth? 'The kings of the earth therefore have persecuted the Christians without a cause. They too had their threatening words: I banish, I proscribe, I slay, I torture with claws, I burn with fires, I expose to beasts, I tear the limbs piecemeal.'? But heed what he hath subjoined : "And my heart hath stood in awe of Thy word." My heart hath stood in awe of these words,'3 "Fear not them that kill the body," etc. I have scorned man who persecuteth me, and have overcome the devil that would seduce me.
" Because they kept not Thy word." For this they denied in their tribulations.
157. And he commendeth himself as differing from them, and saith, "' Behold, how I have loved Thy commandments" (ver. 159). Hesaith not, I have not denied Thy words or testimonies, as the Martyrs were urged to do, and, when they refused, suffered intolerable torments: but he said this wherein is the fruit of all sufferings ; for, "if I give up my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.'4 The Psalmist, praising this virtue, saith, '' Behold, how I have loved Thy commandments." Then he asketh his reward, "'O Lord, quicken me, according to Thy mercy.' These put me to death, do Thou quicken me. But if a reward be asked of mercy, which justice is bound to give ; how much greater is that mercy, which enabled
5 Matt. xxii. 21. 6 Matt. xvii. 24-26. 7 Luke iii. 14. 8 Comes (count or earl), a title of honour in the Imperial Court.
t Crebrescunt santtates, De Crv. De. xxii. 8. | Vol. ii. p. 484, this series. The miracles of post-apostolic times are not matter of faith. But see Newman's Fleury, Oxford, 1842.—C.] 2 [In this verse. — C. SePSICKIV.°2, 3. .402'Cor, xu. 3,
9 See on Ps. xci. and on Ps. civ. 10 Also Rom. xiii. 1, 7, 8. 11 ; Tim. ii. 1, 2. See A. N. F. vol. p. viii. 682. = Cal 13 Matt. x. 28.