Chapter 81 of 450

Expositions on the Book of Psalms

Psatm XLIX.] ON THE PSALMS. 169

Who are the "sons of men'? They who appertain to the Son of Man. We have already before explained this distinction to your Sanctity,3 and have concluded that Adam was a man, but not the son of man; that Christ was the Son of Man, but was God also. For whosoever pertain to Adam, are "earthborn :"' whosoever pertain to Christ, are "'sons of men." Nevertheless, let all hear, I withhold my discourse from no one. If one is "earthborn," let him hear, because of the judgment: another is a "son of man," let him hear for the kingdom's sake. " The rich and poor together." Again, the same words are repeated. The expression "rich" refers to the "earthborn ;" but the word " poor" to the "sons of men." By the "rich" understand the proud, by the "poor" the humble. . . . He saith in another Psalm, '' The poor shall eat and be satisfied."4 How hath he commended the poor? "The poor shall eat and be satisfied." What eat they? That Food which the faithful know. How shall they be satisfied? By imitating the Passion of their Lord, and not without cause receiving their recompense. "The poor shall eat and be satisfied, and they shall praise the Lord who seek Him." Whatof the rich? Even they eat. But how eat they? "All the rich upon the earth have eaten and worshipped." 5 He said not, " Have eaten and are satisfied ;" but, "have eaten and worshipped." They worship God indeed, but they will not display brotherly humaneness. These eat and worship ; those eat and are filled: yet both eat. Of the eater what he eateth is required: let him not be forbidden by the distributor to eat, but let him be admonished to fear him who doth require his account. Let these words then be heard by sinners and righteous, nations, and those who inhabit the world, "'earthborn and sons of men, the rich and the poor together:"' not divided, not separated. That is for the time of the harvest to do, the hand of the winnower will effect that.© Now together let rich and poor hear, let

PSALM XLIX.:

The First Part.

1... . "Hear ye these things, all ye nations "' (ver. 1). Not then you only who are here. For of what power is our voice so to cry out, as that all nations may hear? For Our Lord Jesus Christ hath proclaimed it through the Apostles, hath proclaimed it in so many tongues that He sent ; and we see this Psalm, which before was only repeated in one nation, in the Synagogue of the Jews, now repeated throughout the whole world, throughout all Churches ; and that fulfilled which is here spoken of, " Hear ye these words, all ye nations." . . . Of whom ye are: " With ears ponder, all ye that dwell in the world." This He seemeth to have repeated a second time, lest to have said "hear," before, were too little. What I say, he saith, "hear, with ears ponder," that is, hear not cursorily. What is, "with ears ponder'? It is what the Lord said, "he that hath ears to hear, let him hear: "'? for as all who were in His presence must have had ears, what ears did He require save those of the heart, when He said, "he that hath ears to hear, let him hear"? 'The same ears also this Psalm doth smite. "With ears ponder, all ye that dwell in the world."' Perhaps there is here some distinction. We ought not indeed to narrow our view, but there is no harm in explaining even this view of the sense. Perhaps there is some difference between the saying, "all nations," and the saying, "all ye that dwell in the world." For perchance he would have us understand the expression, 'dwell in," with a further meaning, so as to take all nations for all the wicked, but the dwellers of the world all the just. For he doth inhabit who is not held fast: but he that is occupied is inhabited, and doth not inhabit. Just as he doth possess whatever he hath, who is master of his property : but a master is one who is not held in the meshes of covetousness: while he that is held fast by covetousness is the possessed, and not the possessor. . . 2. Therefore let even the ungodly hear: "Hear ye this, all ye nations." Let the just also hear, who have not heard to no purpose, and who rather rule the world than are ruled by the world: "with ears ponder, all ye that dwell in the world."

goats and sheep feed in the same pasture, until He come who shall separate the one on His right hand, the other on His left.? Let them all hear together the teacher, lest separated from one another they hear the voice of the Judge.

4. And what is it they arenowto hear? " My mouth shall speak of wisdom, and the meditation of my heart understanding" (ver. 3). And this repetition is perhaps made, lest perchance if he had said only " my mouth," thou shouldest suppose that one spake to thee who had understanding but in his lips. For many have understanding in their lips, but have not in their heart, of whom the Scripture saith, "This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart

3. And again he saith, '"' both all ye earthborn, and sons of men" (ver. 2). The expression "earthborn'"' he doth refer to sinners; the expression "sons of men" to the faithful and righteous. Ye see then that this distinction is observed. Who are the "earthborn"? The children of the earth. Who are the children of the earth? They who desire earthly inheritances. ies

4 Ps, xxii. 26. 5 Ps, xxii. 29. 3 On Ps. viii.

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