Expositions on the Book of Psalms (continued)
164 THE WORKS "OF (Sts AUGUSTIN, [PsaLm XLVIII.
sit down with him in the kingdom of heaven, and be his sons. Whereby his sons? Not as born of his flesh, but by following his faith. "But the children of the kingdom," that is, the Jews, "shall be cast into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." They shall be condemned to outer darkness who are born of the flesh of Abraham, and they shall sit down with him in the kingdom of heaven, who have imitated Abraham's faith.
Christ, then, in those who are strong, of whom saith the Apostle, " We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak,''7 is called the firmament. Of this it is sung in this Psalm. Let us hear, acknowledge, associate, glory, reign. For Her called firmament, hear also in, the Apostolic Epistles, "the pillar and firmament ® of the truth."9 ...
2. "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised" '(ver.1).) 0%) Thatiis, "in'the city of our God, in His holy mountain.' This is the city set upon an hill, which cannot be hid: this is the candle which is not hidden under a bushel,'° to all known, to all proclaimed. Yet are not all men citizens thereof, but they in whom "great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised." What then is that city: let us see' whether perhaps, since it is said, "In the city of our God, in His holy mountain," we ought not to enquire for this mountain where also we may be heard... . What then is that mountain, brethren? One is it with great care to be enquired for, with great solicitude investigated, with labour also to be occupied and ascended. But if in any part of the earth it is, what shall we do? Shall we go abroad out of our own country, that to that mountain we may arrive? Nay, then we are abroad, when in it we are not. For that is our city, if we are members of the King, who is the head of the same city. ... For there was a certain corner-stone contemptible, whereat the Jews stumbled," cut out of a certain mountain without hands, that is, coming of the kingdom of the Jews without hands, because human operation went not with Mary of whom was born Christ." But if that stone, when the Jews stumbled thereat, had remained there, thou hadst not had whither to ascend. But what was done? What saith the prophecy of Daniel? What but that the stone grew, and became a great mountain? How great? So that it filled the whole face of the earth.3 By growing, then, and by filling the whole face of the earth, that mountain came tous. Why then seek we the mountain as though absent, and not as being present ascend to it; that in us the Lord may be "oreat, and greatly to be praised'?
11. And what they who belonged to the God of Abraham? "For the mighty gods of the earth are greatly lifted up." They who were gods, the people of God, the vineyard of God, whereof it is said, "Judge betwixt Me and My vineyard," ? shall go into outer darkness, shall not sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, are not gathered unto the God of Abraham. Wherefore? "For the mighty gods of the earth ;" they who were mighty gods of the earth, presuming upon earth. What earth? Themselves ; for every man is earth. For to man was it said, " Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."3 But man ought to presume upon God, and thence to hope for help, not from himself. For the earth raineth not upon itself, nor shineth for itself; but as the earth from heaven expecteth rain and light, so man from God ought to expect mercy and truth. They then, "the mighty gods of the earth, were greatly lifted up," that is, greatly prided themselves: they thought no physician necessary for themselves, and therefore remained in their sickness, and by their sickness were brought down even to death. The natural branches were broken off that the humble wild olive tree might be grafted in.t Hold we fast then, brethren, humility, charity, godliness : since we are called, on their proving reprobate, even by their example let us fear to pride ourselves.
PSALM XLVIIIs5
1. The title of this Psalm is, "A song of praise, to the sons of Korah, on the second day of the week." Concerning this what the Lord deigneth to grant receive ye like sons of the firmament. For on the second day of the week, that is, the day after the first which we call the Lord's day, which also is called the second week-day, was made the firmament of Heaven.®
3. Further, . . . when he had said, "in the city of our God, in His holy mountain," what added he? "Spreading abroad the joys of the whole earth, the mountains of Sion" (ver. 2). Sion is one mountain, why then " mountains"? Is it that to Sion belonged also those which came from the other side, so as to meet together on the Corner Stone, and become two walls, as it were two mountains, one of the circumcision, the other of the uncircumcision; one of the. . . The second day of the week then we ought not to understand but of the Church of Christ : but the Church of Christ in the Saints, the Church of Christ in those who are written in Heaven, the Church of Christ in those who to this world's temptations yield not. For they are worthy of the name of "firmament." The Church of
9 x Tim, iii. 15. 12 Matt. i. 16, 7 Rom. xv. 1. 10 Matt. v. 14, 15. 13 Dan. ii. 35.
8 E. V, " ground." 11 Rom. ix. 32.
I Matt. viii. 12. 3 Gen. iii. 19. 4 Rom. xi. 17. 2 Isa. v. ;: 5 Lat. XLVII, 6 Gen. i. 6-8.