Expositions on the Book of Psalms
604. THE WORKS OF ST. AUGUSTIN. [PsaLmM CXXVI in the heart, whence whatsoever proceedeth, if it is evil, defileth us, if it is good, cleanseth us. For concerning this very mouth ye heard when the Gospel was read. For the Jews reproached the Lord, because His disciples ate with unwashen hands.3 They reproached who had cleanness without ; and within were full of stains. They reproached, whose righteousness was only in the eyes of men. But the Lord sought our inward cleanness, which if we have, the outside must needs be clean also. ' Cleanse," He saith, "the inside," and "the outside shall be clean BUS. Ae Lh ct 4. But let us return to what was just now read from the Gospel, relating to the verse before us, "Our mouth was filled with joy, and our tongue with delight :"" for we are inquiring what mouth and what tongue. Listen, beloved brethren. The Lord was scoffed at, because His disciples ate with unwashed hands. The Lord answered them as was fitting, and said unto the crowds whom He had called unto Him, " Hear ye all, and understand: not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man." 5 What is this? when He said, what goeth into the mouth, He meant only the mouth of the body. For meat goeth in, and meats defile not a man ; because, "All things are clean to the clean ;" and, "every creature of God is good, and none to be refused, if it be received with thanks Piving.o 53 for whom innocent blood was given were redeemed, and, turned back from their captivity, they sing this Psalm.
2. "When the Lord turned back the captivity of Sion, we became as those that are comforted "
(ver. 1). He meant by this to say, we became joyful. When? "When the Lord turned back the captivity of Sion." What is Sion? Jerusalem, the same is also the eternal Sion. How is Sion eternal, how is Sion captive? In angels eternal, in men captive. For not all the citizens of that city are captives, but those who are away from thence, they are captives. Man was a citizen of Jerusalem, but sold under sin he became a pilgrim. Of his progeny was born the human race, and the captivity of Sion filled all lands. And how is this captivity of Sion a shadow of that Jerusalem? 'The shadow of that Sion, which was granted to the Jews, in an image, in a figure, was in captivity in Babylonia, and after seventy years that people turned back to its own city.'... But when all time is past, then we return to our country, as after seventy years that people returned from the Babylonish captivity, for Babylon is this world ; since Babylon is interpreted " confusion." . . . So then this whole life of human affairs is confusion, which belongeth not unto God. In this confusion, in this Babylonish land, Sion is held captive. But "the Lord hath turned back the captivity of Sion." '" And we became," he saith, '' as those that are comforted." That is, we rejoiced as receiving consolation. Consolation is not save for the unhappy, consolation is not save for them that groan, that mourn. Wherefore, "as those that are comforted," except because we are still mourning? We mourn for our present lot, we are comforted in hope : when the present is passed by, of our mourning will come everlasting joy, when there will be no need of consolation, because we shall be wounded with no distress. But wherefore saith he "as" those that are comforted, and saith not comforted? This word "as," is not always put for likeness : when we say " As," it sometimes refers to the actual case, sometimes to likeness : here it is with reference to the actual case... . Walk therefore in Christ, and sing rejoicing, sing as one that is comforted ; because He went before thee who hath commanded thee to follow Him.
5. Guard the mouth of thy heart from evil, and thou wilt be innocent: the tongue of thy body will be innocent, thy hands will be innocent; even thy feet will be innocent, thy eyes, thy ears, will be innocent ; all thy members will serve under righteousness, because a righteous commander hath thy heart. ' Then shall they say among the heathen, the Lord hath done great things for them."
6. " Yea, the Lord hath done great things for us already, whereof we rejoice"' (ver. 3). Consider, my brethren, if Sion doth not at present say this among the heathen, throughout the whole world ; consider if men are not running unto the Church. In the whole world our redemption is received ; Amen is answered. The dwellers in Jerusalem, therefore, captive, destined to return, pilgrims, sighing for their country, speak thus among the heathen. What do they say? 'The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we rejoice." Have they done anything for themselves? They have done ill with themselves, for they have sold themselves under sin. The Redeemer came, and did the good things for them.
3. "Then was our mouth filled with joy, and our tongue with exultation" (ver. 2). That mouth, brethren, which we have in our body, how is it " filled with joy"? It useth not to be
" filled," save with meat, or drink, or some such thing put into the mouth. Sometimes our mouth is filled; and it is more that we say to your holiness,? when we have our mouth full, we cannot speak. But we have a mouth within, that is,
7. "Turn our captivity, O Lord, as the torrents in the south" (ver. 4). Consider, my
I Jer. xxv. 11, XXIX. To. 2 7 A bishop seems to have been present. —C. ] 4 Matt. xxiii. 26, © x Tim. iv. 4. 3 Matt. xv. 1, etc. 5 Matt. xv. 10, 11.