Expositions on the Book of Psalms
PsaALM CXXXIL.] ON THE PSALMS. 621 and these will be the poor of whom he hath just said, " And will satisfy her poor with bread." For inthe very Psalm where it is said, " All such as be fat upon the earth have eaten and worshipped ;"' this is said of the poor also, and exactly in the same manner as in this Psalm, " The poor shall eat, and be satisfied: they that seek after the Lord shall praise Him." ! Where it is said, " All such as be fat upon earth have eaten and worshipped :"' it is said, " the poor shall eat, and be satisfied." Why, when the. rich are said to have worshipped, are they not said to be satisfied ; yet when the poor are mentioned, they are said to be satisfied? And whence are they satisfied ? What is the nature, brethren, of this satisfying ? God Himself is their bread. The bread came down upon the earth, that He might become milk unto us; and said to His own, "I am the Living Bread which came down from heaven." 2 Hence these words in the Psalm, "The poor shall eat, and be satisfied."" From what source shall they be satisfied? Hear what followeth: " And they that seek after the Lord shall praise Ham' thou seest him humble: sometimes not even then, but even then proud ; whence thou seest what he would have been, had he any property. God's poor one is therefore poor in spirit, not in his purse. Sometimes a man goeth forth having a full house, rich lands, many estates, much gold and silver; he knoweth that he must not trust in these, he humbleth himself before God, he doth good with them ; thus his heart is raised unto God, so that he is aware that not only do riches themselves profit him nothing, but that they even impede his feet, save He rule them, and aid them: and he is counted among the poor who are satisfied with bread. 'Thou findest another a proud beggar, or not proud only because he hath nothing, nevertheless seeking whereby he may be puffed up. God doth not heed the means a man hath, but the wish he hath, and judgeth him according to his wish for temporal Llessiags, not according to the means which it is not his lot to have. Whence the Apostle saith of the rich, " Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy." What therefore should they do with their riches ? He goeth on to say: "That they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate." And see that they are poor in this world: " Laying up in store for themselves," he addeth, ''a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." 3 When they 'have laid hold of eternal life, then will they be rich ; but since they have it not as yet, they should know that they are poor. Thus it is that God counteth among His poor all the humble in heart, who are established in that twofold charity, whatever they may have in this world — among His poor, whom He satisfieth with bread.
18. Be ye therefore poor, be ye among the members of that widow, let your help be solely in God alone. Money is nought; not thence will ye have aid. Many have been cast headlong down for money's sake, many have perished on account of money; many for the sake of their riches have been marked out by plunderers; they would have been safe, had they not had what made men hunt forthem. Many have presumed in their more powerful friends: they in whom they presumed have fallen, and have involved in their ruin those who trusted in them. Look back upon the instances to be seen in the human race. Is it anything singular that I am telling you? We speak these things not. only from these Scriptures ; read them in the whole world. Take heed that ye presume not in money, in a friend, in the honour and the boasting of the world. Take away all these things: but if thou hast them, thank God if thou despisest them. But if thou art puffed up by them; think not when thou wilt be the prey of men; already art thou the Devil's prey. But if thou hast not trusted in these things, thou wilt be among the members of that widow, who is the Church, of whom it is said, "I will bless her widow with blessings ;"' thou wilt also be poor, and one of those of whom it is said, " And wilk satisfy her poor with bread."
20. "I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall rejoice and sing" (ver. 16). We are now at the end of the Psalm; attend for a short space, Beloved. 'I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall rejoice and sing." Who is our salvation, save our Christ? What meaneth, therefore, "I will clothe her priests with salvation"? "As many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ." 5 "And her saints shall rejoice and sing." Whence shall they rejoice and sing? Because they have been clothed with salvation: not in themselves. For they have become light, but in the Lord ; for they were darkness before.® Therefore he hath added, "There will I raise up the horn of David" (ver. 17): this will be David's height, that trust be put in Christ. For horn signifieth height: and what sort of height ?
1g. Sometimes, however, and we must not pass over this without mention, thou findest a poor man proud, and a rich man humble: we daily endure such persons. Thou hearest a poor man groaning beneath a rich man, and when the more powerful rich man presseth upon him, then
3 x Tim. vi. 17-19. 4 Matt. xxii. 37-39. 5 Gal. iii, 27. 6 Eph. v. 8
"EPs, xxii. 29, 26. 2 John vi. 51,