Expositions on the Book of Psalms (continued)
Psatm CXLIX.] ONSATHE PSALMS. 679 him that is fighting, in crowning the conqueror.
and boast of his conscience. For every one ought to exult with fear, for that wherein he exulteth is God's gift, not his own desert. For there be many that please themselves, and think themselves righteous ; and there is another passage which goeth against them, which saith, "Who shall boast that he hath a clean heart, and that he is pure from sin?"'3_ There is then, so to speak, a limit to glorying in our conscience, namely, to know that thy faith is sincere, thy hope sure, thy love without dissimulation. 'The exultations of God are in their mouths"? (ver. 6). In such wise shall they " rejoice in their closets," as not to attribute to themselves that they are good, but praise Him from whom they have what they are, by whom they are called to attain to what they are not, and from whom they hope for perfection, to whom they give thanks, because He hath begun.
"And the meek He shall lift up in salvation." For the proud too are lifted up, but not in salvation: the meek are lifted in salvation, the proud in death: that is, the proud lift up themselves, and God humbleth them: the meek humble themselves, and God lifteth them up.
6. "The saints shall exult in glory" (ver. 5). I would say somewhat important about the glory of the saints. For there is no one who loveth not glory. But the glory of fools, popular glory as it is called, hath snares to deceive, so that a man, influenced by the praises of vain men, shall be willing to live in such fashion as to be spoken of by men, whosoever they be, in whatsoever way. Hence it is that men, rendered mad, and puffed up with pride, empty within, without swollen, are willing ever to ruin their fortunes by bestowing them on stage-players, actors, men who fight with wild beasts, charioteers. What sums they give, what sums they spend! They lavish the powers not only of their patrimony, but of their minds too. They scorn the poor, because the people shouteth not that the poor should be given to, but the people do shout that the fighter with wild beasts be given to. When then no shout is raised to them, they refuse to spend; when madmen shout to them, they are mad too: nay, all are mad, both performer, and spectator, and the giver. This mad glory is blamed by the Lord, is offensive in the eyes of the Almighty. . . . Thou choosest to clothe the fighter with wild beasts, who may be beaten, and make thee blush: Christ is never conquered ; He hath conquered the devil, He hath conquered for thee, and to thee, and in thee ; such a conqueror as this thou choosest not to clothe. Wherefore? Because there is less shouting, less madness about it. They then who delight in such glory, have an empty conscience. Just as they drain their chests, to send garments as presents, so do they empty their conscience, so as to have nothing precious therein.
8. "And swords' sharpened on both sides in their hands." 'This sort of weapon contains a great mystical meaning, in that it is sharp on both sides. By "swords sharpened on both sides," we understand the Word of the Lord: 5 it is one sword, but therefore are they called many, because there are many mouths and many tongues of the saints. How is it two edged? It speaks of things temporal, it speaks also of things eternal. In both cases it proveth what it saith, and him whom it strikes, it severeth from the world. Is not this the sword whereof the Lord said, "I am not come to send peace upon earth, but a sword''?® Observe how He came to divide, how He came to sever. He divideth the saints, He divideth the ungodly, He severeth from thee that which hindereth thee. The son willeth to serve God, the father willeth not: the sword cometh, the Word of God cometh, and severeth the son from the father. ... Wherefore then is it in their hands, not in their tongues? "And swords," it saith, "sharpened on both sides in their hands." By "in their hands," he meaneth in power. They received then the word of God in power, to speak where they would, to whom they would, neither to fear power, nor to despise poverty. For they had in their hands a sword; where they would they brandished it, handled it, smote with it: and all this was in the power of the preachers. For if the Word be not in their hands, why is it written, "The Word of the Lord was put in the hand of the Prophet Haggai'"'?7 Snrely, brethren, God set not His Word in His fingers. What is meant by, "was put in his hand"? It was put into his power to preach the Word of the
7. But the saints who "exult in glory," no need is there for us to say how they exult: just hear the verse of the Psalm which followeth : "The saints shall exult in glory, they shall rejoice in their beds:" not in theatres, or amphitheatres, or circuses, or follies, or market places, but 'in their chambers."' What is, "in their chambers"? In their hearts! Hear the Apostle Paul exulting in his closet: ' For this is our glory, the testimony of our conscience."'? On the other hand, there is reason to fear lest any be pleasing to himself, and so seem to be proud,
3 Prov. xx. 9. Se 4 Framee. [He says: " That is called a sword which is commonly called sfata. For there are swords sharpened only on one side, which are called »zachera@. But these /rame@ are also called romphee and spate,"'—C.]
I [There is a play here on the word cuéz7e, which was used of a box in the theatre, CzézZe oftens means a small apartment, and this is our author's idea, Matt. vi. 6. Elsewhere he speaks of the **closet"' as the heart, I vary the text accordingly. —C.] 2 2 Cor. i. 12.
5 Heb, iv. 12, 6 Matt. x. 34. 7 Hag. i. 1, marg.