Expositions on the Book of Psalms (continued)
Psatm XXXIX.] ON THE PSALMS. 117
17. "Thou with rebukes hast chastened man for iniquity ; Thou hast made my life to consume away like a spider" (ver. 11). There is much that is discerned by this Idithun; by every one who discerns as he does; who overleaps as he does. For he says, that he has fainted in God's corrections ; and would fain have the stroke removed away from him, " because it is He who made him." Let Him renew me, who also made e; let Him who created me, create me anew. But yet, Brethren, do we suppose that there was no cause for his fainting, so that he wishes to be " renewed," to be "created anew"? It is " for iniquity," saith he, "that Thou hast chastened man." All this, my having fainted, my being weak, my "crying out of the deep," all of this is because of "iniquity ;"' and in this Thou hast not condemned, but hast "chastened" me. "Thou hast chastened man for sin."" Hear this more plainly from another Psalm: "It is good for me that Thou hast afflicted me, that I might learn Thy righteousness." I have been "afflicted," and at the same time "it is good for me ;"' it is at once a punishment, and an act of favour. What hath He in store for us after punishment is over, who inflicts punishment itself by way of favour? For He it is of whom it was said, "I was brought low, and He made}. . me whole:"' and, "It is good for me that Thou hast afflicted me, that I might learn Thy righteousness."'? "Thou chastenest man for iniquity." And that which is written, '"'Thou formest my grief in teaching me,'"'3 could only be said unto God by one who was "leaping beyond'' his fellows ; "Thou formest my grief in teaching me ;" Thou makest, that is to say, a lesson for me out of my sorrow. It is Thou that formest that very grief itself; Thou dost not leave it unformed, but formest it; and that grief, that has been inflicted by Thee, when formed, will be a lesson unto me, that I may be set free by Thee. For the word jimges is used in the sense of " forming," as it were moulding, my grief; not in the sense of " feigning "' it ; in the same way that Jingtt is applied to the artist, in the same sense that figwdus is derived from fingere. Thou therefore " hast chastened man for iniquity." I see myself in afflictions ; I see myself under punishment; and I see no unrighteousness in Thee. If I therefore am under punishment, and if there is no unrighteousness with Thee, it remains that Thou must have been "chastening man for iniquity."
life consume like a spider." This is the chastening! What consumes away sooner than the spider? I speak of the creature itself; though what can be more liable to "consume away" than the spider's webs? Observe too how liable to decay is the creature itself. Do but set your finger lightly upon it, and it is a ruin: there is nothing at all more easily destroyed. To such a state hast Thou brought my life, by chastening e "because of iniquity." When chastening makes us weak, there is a kind of strength that would be a fault. ... It was by a kind of strength that man offended, so as to require to be corrected by weakness: for it was by a certain " pride" that he offended ; so as to require to be chastened by humility. All proud persons call themselves strong men. Therefore have many "come from the East and the West," and have attained "to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of
Heaven." + Wherefore was it that they so attained? Because they would not be strong. What is meant by "would not be strong'? They were afraid to presume of their own merits. They did not "go about to establish their own righteousness," that they might " submit themselves to the righteousness of God." 5. Behold! you are mortal; and you bear about you a body of flesh that is corrupting: away: "And ye shall fall like one of the princes. Ye shall die like men,''® and shall fall like the devil? What good does the remedial discipline of mortality do you? The devil is proud, as not having a mortal body, as being an angel. But as for you, who have received a mortal body, and to whom even this does no good, so as to humble you by so great weakness, you shall " fall like one of the princes." This then is the first grace of God's gift, to bring us to the confession of our infirmity, that whatever good we can do, whatever ability we have, we may be that in Him; that " He that glorieth, may glory in the Lord."8 "When I am weak," saith he, " then am I strong." 9
1g. ' But surely every man living disquieteth himself in vain."" He returns to what he mentioned a little before. Although he be improving here, yet for all that, "every man living disquieteth himself in vain;'' forasmuch as he lives in a state of uncertainty. For who has any assurance even of his own goodness? " He is disquieted in vain." Let him "cast upon the Lord the burden"' '° of his care ; let him cast upon Him whatever causes him anxiety. 'Let Him sustain thee ;"' let Him keep thee. For on this earth what is there that is certain, except death?
18. And by what means hast Thou "chastened" him? Tell us, O Idithun, the manner of thy chastening ; tell us in what way thou hast been "chastened.", " And Thou hast made my
4 Matt. viii. rz. 5s Rom. ms 6 Ps. Ixxxii. 7. 7 [Dan. x. 13. '' Princes" understood of angels. Then, Isa. xiy. 12, So Shaks.; ' He falls like Lucifer," etc. —C. 1 Cor. i. 32. 9 2 Cor, xii. ro. lo Ps. lv. 22.
I Ps, cxix. 71. ep GIDC a 68 2 Ps, cxvi. 6, cxix. 71. 3 Ps, xliv. 20. Qui fingis dolorem in preecepto (Vulgate, labovent); E. V. " which frameth mischief by a law."
THE WORKS OF 'ST."AUGUSTIN. [PsaLmM XXXIX.
Consider the whole sum of all the good or the ill of this life, either those belonging to righteousness, or those belonging to unrighteousness ; what is there that is certain here, except death?
a sojourner, with whom I am hereafter to abide, when I have reached my home. But what home is that to which you are to remove from this estate of a sojourner? Recognise that home, of which the Apostle speaks, " We have an habitation of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens." If this house is eternal in the Heavens, when we have come to it, we shall not be sojourners any more. For how should you be a sojourner in an eternal home? But here, where the Master of the house is some day to say to you, " Remove," while you yourself know not when He will say it, be thou in readiness. And by longing for your eternal home, you will be keeping yourself in readiness for it. And be not angry with Him, because He gives thee notice to remove, when
Have you been advancing in goodness? You know what you are to-day; what you will be to-morrow, you know not! Are you a sinner? you know what you are to-day; what you will be to-morrow, you know not! You hope for wealth ; it is uncertain whether it will fall to your lot. You hope to have a wife; it is uncertain whether you will obtain one, or what sort of one you will obtain. You hope for sons: it is uncertain whether they will be born to you. Are they born? it is uncertain whether they will live: if they live, it is uncertain whether they will grow up in virtue, or whether they will fall away. Whichever way you turn, all is uncertain, death alone is certain. Art thou poor? It is uncertain whether thou wilt grow rich. Art thou unlearned? It is uncertain whether thou wilt become learned. Art thou in feeble health, it is uncertain whether thou wilt regain thy strength. Art thou born? It is certain that thou wilt die: and in this certainty of death itself, the day of thy death is uncertain. Amidst these uncertainties, where death alone is certain, while even of that the hour is uncertain, and while it alone is studiously guarded against, though at the same time it is in no way to be escaped, " every man living disquieteth himself in vain 2.3.
He Himself pleases. For He made no covenant with thee, nor did He bind Himself by any engagement; nor didst thou enter upon the tenancy of this house on a certain stipulation for a definite term: thou art to quit, when it is its Master's pleasure. For therefore is it that you now dwell there free of charge. "For I am a sojourner with Thee, and a stranger." Therefore it is there is my country: it is there is myhome. "Iam a sojourner with Thee, and a stranger." Here too is understood " with Thee." For many are strangers with the devil: but they who have already believed and are faithful, are, it is true, "strangers" as yet, because they have not yet come to that country and to that home: but still they are strangers with God. For so long as we are in the body, we are strangers from the Lord, and we desire, whether we are strangers, or abiding here, "we
20. " Hear my prayer, O Lord" (ver. 12). Whereof shall I rejoice? Whereof should I groan? I rejoice on account of what is past, I groan longing for these which are not yet come. "Hear my prayer, and give ear unto my cry. Hold not Thy peace at my tears." For do I now no longer weep, because I have already "passed by," have "left behind " so great things as these? "Do I not weep much the more?" For, ' He that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow." * The more I long for what is not here, do I not so much the more groan for it until it comes? do I not so much the more weep until ipcemes rt."
may be accepted with Him.'3 I am a "sojourner with Thee; and a stranger, as all my fathers were." If then I am as all my fathers were, shall I say that I will not remove, when they have removed? Am I to lodge here on other terms, than those on which they lodged here alsop ...
22. "Grant me some remission, that I may be refreshed before I go hence" (ver. 13). Consider well, Idithun, consider what knots those are which thou wouldest have "loosed" unto thee, that thou mightest be "refreshed before thou goest hence." For thou hast certain fever-heats from which thou wouldest fain be refreshed, and thou sayest, "that I may be refreshed," and " grant me a remission." What should He remit, or loosen unto thee, save that difficulty under which, and in consequence of which, thou sayest, "Forgive us our debts. Grant me a remission before I go hence, and be no more.'"' Set me free from my sins, " before I go hence," that I may not go hence with my
21. " For I am a sojourner with Thee." But with whom am I a "sojourner"? When I was with the devil, I was a "sojourner ;"' but then I had a bad host and entertainer; now, however, I am with Thee; but I am a "sojourner "' still. What is meant by a sojourner? I am a "sojourner" in the place from which I am to remove ; not in the place where I am to dwell for ever. The place where I am to abide for ever, should be rather called my home. In the place from which I am to remove I am a "sojourner ;" but yet it is with my God that I am
1 Eccles. i. 18.