HOMILY 15
HOMILY 15
ON PSALM 82 (83)
COD, WHO" like to you?"
Beea"", the,. i, no one like You, we look for no other Creator except You.
'Be not silent, 0 God, and be not still!' We are silent; do You intercede in our behalf. This is the voice of the just man, for he who says: 'Be not silent, 0 God,' is at peace with his conscience.
'For behold, your enemies raise a tumult: By following the tropological method of interpretation, we are able to apply this verse to the Church and to heretics. Then again, in accordance with its literal character, we can take it as a reference to the Jews and the rest of the nations that on all sides were assailing Judea. 'For behold, your enemies raise a tumult.'
The psalmist purposely called the garrulousness and detraction of adversaries a tumult. 'For behold, your enemies raise a tumult: See what he says: they made a noisy commotion; they made a clinking sound in my ears like tinkling cymbals.
'Tumult' is the word, for one hears only an uproar and does not distinguish a voice; hence, the meaning: They were uttering words, to be sure, as if they were determined to denounce me, but what I heard was not at all a voice, only a noise. 'And they who hate you lift up their heads.' Notice that the man who holds his head high in arrogance hates
God. 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.'2
'They who hate you lift up their heads.' If you ever have anything against another, if a brother disparages you, and 1 Cf. Ps. 82 (83).2.
2 James 4.6; Peter 5.5; Provo 3.34; 18.12; cf. Letter 76.1, PL 22.689 (456).
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SAINT JEROME
you are humble for the sake of Christ while your opponent is haughty for the sake of the devil, you are imitating Him who says: 'Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.'l1 But the proud man who glorifies himself follows the example of him who says: 'I will scale the heavens, above the stars I will set up my throne; I will be like the Most Highl'4
'And they who hate you lift up their heads.'
'Against your people they plot craftily.' All that is necessary is to be God's people. 'They conspire against those whom you protect.' No need here for interpretation; the implication is obvious enough. 'They say, "Come, let us destroy their nation.'"
Let them be wiped out as a nation because they are the people of God. 'Let the name of Israel be remembered no morel' Blotted out be his name who knows
God by experience!
'Yes, they consult together with one mind.' Unfortunate creatures that we are, unhappy people of God; it is not possible for us to be as united in good as wrong-doers are allied in evil. 'And against you they are allied: The tents of Edom and the Ismaelites.' Perceive that there is mystical meaning concealed in these names. 'The tents of Edom and the Ismaelites, Moab and Agarenes, Gebal and Ammon and Amalec, the strangers with the inhabitants of Tyre; the Assyrians, too, are leagued with them; they are the forces of the sons of Lot.'5 There are eleven nations fighting against the saints.
Because they fought against saints, they could not reach the perfect number, twelve. 'The tents of Edom.' Edomites do not live in stable houses with firm foundations, but in tents that they easily move about from place to place. The name
Edom has a twofold connotation, sanguinary or terrene.6
Distinguish, therefore, the enemies of the saints; the tents of Edom are the worldly. 'And the Ismaelites.' The Ismaelites represent those who are a law unto themselves, who yield to 3 Matt. 11.29.
4 Cf. Isa. 14.13, 14.
5 Cf. Ps. 82 (83).7-9.
6 Cf. Commentarioli in ps. 107.
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their own capnclOus hearts and evil desires. Ezechiel expresses the same thought: 'Son of man, prophesy against the prophets that prophesy their own thought, and do whatever their spirit impels.'7 We, however, must not follow our own inclinations and be labeled Ismaelites, 'obedient to themselves,' but rather be called Ismael, 'obedient to God.'s 'Moab' means 'from the father'; therefore, those who withdraw from God the Father.9 'Agarenes'lo are proselytes. They who were to be the blest dwellers of God have become proselytes.
'Gebal' connotes a 'fruitless valley'; GE is the equivalent of valley and BAL surely implies empty. These enemies of God's people are not, therefore, from the mountain, but from the fruitless valley. 'And Ammon' indicates a confused people who place their trust in the mob and not in true childlike faith. 'Amalec' means 'licking the ground,'11 for the adversaries of the people of God do not eat of heavenly bread, but lick the ground like snakes. 'Strangers': wherever our text has the word 'alienigenae,' the Hebrew has 'Philistines.'12
As 'Philistines' means 'dying from a poisonous draught,'13 the interpretation is that they who have been inebriated from the cup of the devil fall headlong in their drunkenness. 'With the inhabitants of Tyre.' The Hebrew for Tyre is SOR, which means 'anguish and tribulation.'14 They who should have been only pilgrims in this world have become attached to it, thus the assailants of God's people live in SOR, that is, in the anguish and tribulation of their soul.
Now let us see whom such great foes of the saints have for their leader, whether it be the Savior or the devil? What does it say in the next verse? 'The Assyrians, too, are leagued with 7 Cf. Ezech. 13.2, 3.
8 Cf. Heb1'ew Questions on Genesis 16.11, PL 23.1012 (330).
9 Cf. Commentary on Isaia 15.1, PL 24.167 (184); Hebrew Questions on Genesis 19.36, PL 23.1017 (335).
10 Cf. On Hebrew Names, PL 23.819.
11 Ibid.
12 Cf. Commentary on Isaia 2.8, PL 24.48 (36).
13 Cf. On Hebrew Names, Lagarde 6.12; Letter 65.4, PL 22.625 (376).
14 Cf. Letter 65.18, PL 22.635 (388); Commentary on Isaia 23.1, PL 24.275 (320).
SAINT JEROME
them.' The Assyrian is Nabuchodonosor, the enemy of God who led His people into captivity. Although they seem to have a great number of nations fighting on their side, nevertheless, their leader is the Assyrian, or the devil, for the Assyrians 'are the forces of the sons of Lot.' The name 'Lot' designates 'one who turns aside.'15 Evil spirits formerly were angels who fell with the devil and became his satellites, just as it is written in John's Book of Apocalypse that the dragon fell from the heavens and drew down with him a third part of the stars.16 What, then, does the prophet mean? This: they who have come with so many nations to attack Your people and have with them the Assyrians, and the devil for their leader, are the forces of the sons of Lot-the fallen angels-who have turned aside from You and are doing just what evil spirits do.
You see that these are very difficult passages; you appreciate their obscurity, how practically every word is packed w:ith divine secrets, and that we are forced from necessity to pause over a Hebrew vocabulary so loaded with mystery. We certainly are not engaged in airing a point of rhetoric, but are endeavoring to understand and explain what the Holy Spirit said. Unless we interpret this passage as we have done, what benefit is it to the churches of Christ to read of the tents of Edom, and the Ismaelites, and so on, with all the other names?
Because these nations have come as enemies against Your people, let us hear what judgment the psalmist calls down upon them.
'Deal with them as with Madian; as with Sisara.' You have read the Book of Judges; this is that Madian17 whom Gedeon defeated.
'As with Sisara and Jabin: Jabin and Sisara are the foes whom Debora and Barac18 conquered. 'At the torrent Cison, who perished at Endor.' Debora and Barac destroyed Sisara, the general of 15 Cf. Letter 66.11, PL 22.645 (401); Commentary on Ezechiel 25.1, PL
25.234 (286).
16 Apoc. 8.12.
17 Judges 7, 8.
18 Judges 4.
HOMILY 15
the army. So much for what Scripture says; learn now what it means. Lord, because they are so arrogant, because they have come with a mighty army, because their prince is
Nabuchodonosor the king of the Assyrians,19 because they are the forces of the sons of Lot, because they follow the example of the fallen angels, because in their pride they have claimed equality with You; for all these reasons, 1 beg of You to overpower them, not by a man, but to their shame by a woman.
'They became dung on the ground.' Who?
Madian, Sisara, and Jabin, these three became putrid on the ground like dung. The name 'Madian' means 'one who is negligent of judgment.' The warriors against Your people are heedless of the judgment that is to come. 'Sisara' is understood as 'the vision of a horse.' Your people's enemies are not of Your flock or of Your herd, but are stallions that rage with madness over the fillies.20 Stallions are always ready for battle. 'And Jabin.' 'Jabin' means 'discernment.' They who trust in their own wisdom and not in the glory of God rot on the ground like dung. They who were glorying in their army, whose king was the Assyrian, and who used to boast 'I will scale the heavens,'21 not only fell down to earth, but on the ground became dung.
'Make their nobles.' What nobles? Those who fight against Your people. 'Like Oreb and Zeb; all their chiefs like Zebee and Salmana.' 1 suppose you have read in the Book of Judges the story of Gedeon, who is also called Jerobbaal, how he outwitted those four kings while fighting for the people of God and put an end to them. And notice the kind of nobles these Madians are who abandoned the judgment of God:
'Oreb and Zeb; all their chiefs like Zebee and Salmana.'
Who would dream that such words contain mysteries of the Savior? The philosophers read them and smile; the rhetori19 Cf. Letter 123.16, PL 22.1057 (914).
20 Cf. Commentary on Jeremia 5.7, 8, PL 24.715 (875).
21 Isa. 14.13.
SAINT JEROME
dans read them and sneer. Not only the rhetoricians, however, but the Jews, too; they have not the key to their treasures, for a veil covers their eyes.&:! 'Oreb' means a 'hole in which a snake lurks'; 'Zeb' equals 'wolf.' Mark, now, the names of the chiefs of Christ's opponents: 'Zebee,' 'victim or spoil that the wolf will strangle'; and 'Salmana,' 'masters of malice.'
See, then, the divine secrets hidden away in names? 'Who said, "Let us take for ourselves the dwelling place of God." ,
They bragged, but they did not accomplish their boast for God was fighting in behalf of the people He had set apart for Himself.
'0 my God, make them like a wheel.'23 Notice the mercy of the phophet; he does not pray against them, but for them.
See what he says: My God, who art the God of all, my very own God, 0 my God, make them like a wheel. They who lay their foundation in malice, let them have no foundation at all, but let them roll back and forth and never remain fixed in their malice. 'Like chaff before the wind. As a fire raging in a forest.' 'Like chaff'; not as the wheat, but as chaff; if there is anyone among them who is nothing but stubble and chaff, let him perish. 'As fire raging in a forest.'
The psalmist did not say 'fruit·bearing trees' but a woodland that bears no fruit. If, therefore, anyone is like stubble, nonproductive of grain, if anyone is like a forest of trees without fruit, let him perish. 'As a flame setting the mountains ablaze,' let the pride that is in them burn up.
'So pursue them with your tempest and . . . with your storm.' Do what? Will You strike them down? No, 'rout them' in order to save them. 'Darken their faces with disgrace' in order to dismay them. Why do that? 'That men may seek your name, 0 Lord.' You see how he is pleading, not against them, but for their salvation. Besides, note what he says in the following verse: 'Let them be shamed and put to rout forever, let them be confounded and perish'; let them cease
22 2 Cor. 3.15; d. Letter 58.9, PL 22.585 (325).
23 Cf. Ps. 82 (83).14; d. Commentarioli in 11S. 82.14.
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to exist as far as their evil is concerned, but let the good in them be saved. Notice that this perdition does not signify annihilation but salvation. What comes next? 'Knowing that you alone are the Lord, the Most High over all the earth.'
Let him who will, exalt himself and be exalted; but let us say:
'You alone are the Most High over all the earth.' No matter how high anyone may exalt himself, we have God who is
Lord over all.