HOMILY 2
HOMILY 2
ON PSALM 5
II HE FIFTH PSALM has for its title: 'Unto the end, for her that obtains the inheritance. A psalm of David:!
There are many who insist that the titles do not belong to the psalms but who really do not know why they hold such a view. If the titles were not found in all the manuscripts
-Hebrew, Greek, and Latin-their position would be tenable.
Since, however, there are titles in the Hebrew books, and this one in particular marks the fifth psalm, I am amazed at the implication that there can be anything in Scripture without reason. If it be true that 'not one jot or one tittle shall be lost from the Law,'2 how much more shall not a word or a syllable be lost?
'Unto the end for her that obtains the inheritance. A psalm of David: Our inheritance is not promised at the beginning, but at the end of the world. The Jews thought that they had obtained theirs at the beginning; we obtain ours at the end.
That is precisely why the Apostle John says: 'Dear children, it is the last hour:3 The end means the last hour; the inheritance is at the end.
'Unto the end, for her that obtains the inheritance: Who is she who is to obtain the inheritance? I believe it is the Church, for it is the Church who receives the inheritance. 'A psalm of David: David sings at the beginning that the Church wins the inheritance at the end. The fifth psalm, therefore, sings
1 Cf. Ps. 5.1.
2 Matt. 5.18.
3 1 John 2.18.
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in the name of the Church. There are, however, several other interpretations. Many say that the psalm accords with the history of the people of Israel who long to return to Judea from Babylon, but they have failed to interpret 'Unto the end' and 'for her that obtains the inheritance: We, then, by 'combining spiritual with spiritua1'4 shall endeavor with the help of your prayers to consider this psalm as applying to the Church.
'Hearken to my words, 0 Lord.' Noone has confidence like this· except the Church. The sinner does not dare to say:
'Hearken to my words, 0 Lord: The man who has cursed in his rage does not dare to say: 'Hearken to my words, 0 Lord: but rather hopes that God wills not to hear him. 'Attend to my cry:5 The word 'cry' in Scripture does not refer to the cry of the voice, but to the cry of the heart.6 In fact, the Lord says to Moses: 'Why are you crying out to me?'7 when Moses had not uttered any cry at all. Again, the Apostle says: 'into our hearts, crying, "Abba, Father," '8 But you would say: one who cries out does not cry out with his heart but with his tongue. With what meaning then does the Apostle say: 'into our hearts, crying'? When our lamentation and our conscience entreat the Lord, this is the cry that God heeds. Likewise, the words of Jeremia: 'Let there be no repose for my eyes.'9
Notice what he says: 'Let not even the pupil of my eye be silent: Sometimes, the very pupil of our eye cries out to God.
But does one not cry out with his tongue, and not with his eye? No, just as we cry in our hearts when we beseech God with our groaning, so, too, when we pour forth our tears to God, the pupil of our eye is crying out to the Lord.
'My King and my God!' In truth, only he has dared to say, 'My King and my God: in whose mortal body sin does not 4 1 Cor. 2.13.
5 Cf. Ps. 5.2.
6 Cf. Commentarioli in ps. 65.
7 Exod. 14.15.
8 Gal. 4.6.
9 Lam. 2.18.
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reign.1° 'My King and my God.' Because You reign in me and sin does not, that is why You are my God. You are my God because my stomach is not my God, gold is not my· God, lust is not my God. Since You are virtue and I desire to possess virtue, You are my God, You are my virtue.
'At dawn you hear my voice.' Some exegetes explain these words quite simply in this way: I rise at dawn to pray and make supplication to You. Certainly, this interpretation is allowable. But what does the verse really mean? God hears our voice in the morning; will He not hear us in the evening? Nor in the middle of the night? Listen to what the words really mean: As long as I am wandering in the darkness of error,
You do not hear me, but after the sun of justice has come into my heart, then You will. 'At dawn you hear my voice.' The psalm does not say, at the third hour, nor at the sixth hour, nor in the full daylight, but 'at dawn'; just as soon as the shades of night have begun to scatter, You hear my voice; just as soon as I begin a good work, You hear my voice; You do not wait for the end. It is mine to will; Yours to accomplish,11
'At dawn I will stand before you, and will see.'12 Notice the order: at dawn, not in the evening; not in the darkness, but at dawn. 'At dawn I will stand before you: I shall stand steadfast; I shall imitate Moses. 'At dawn I will stand before you':
I will stand before You and before no other. Moreover, when morning comes I shall continue to be standing, standing before You. Then I will deserve to see You.
'And will see.' It is understood, of course, I will see You.
Many make a poor reading of these words and say, l-rr6t/1T1 p.£, but we know that this reading is incorrect and should be, br6t/1op.at, that is, 'I will see.' Hence, that order which we mentioned before: while the light of virtue is beginning to penetrate my soul and I stand before You-not sit down, not 10 Cf. Rom. 6.12.
II Cf. Against the Pelagians 3.1, PL 23.596 (781); 1.5, PL 23.523 (700); Letter 130.12, PL 22.1117 (989).
12 Cf. Ps. 5.4.
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lie d9wn, but stand-and You fix my steps firmly upon a rock,13 then, by degrees, I shall deserve to see You.
'For you, 0 God, delight not in wickedness: You will not hear me in the broad daylight, but early in the morning, because, my God, You do not will iniquity. The very moment that I begin to withdraw from iniquity, that very moment do
I merit Your attention to my prayers.
'No evil man remains with you: Whenever an evil man leaves us, we ought to rejoice. It shall be with us as with the Lord, that an evil man does not live with us any more than he dwells with the Lord. Hear what the Holy Spirit says:
'No evil man remains with you'; the wicked will not remain with you. For 'what fellowship has light with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?'14 Thus, when any of the wicked part from.our company, we, too, shall say:
'They have gone forth from us, but they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would surely have continued with US:15 The words: 'No evil man remains with you: are addressed to God, for if God is fire and a consuming fire,16 everyone who is stubble, everyone who is wood, runs away from the fire lest he be consumed.
'The arrogant may not stand in your sight: Since the Scripture says they may not stand, it is obvious that at some time they were in the presence of God. God permitted them to remain in His sight while He was waiting for them to repent, but because they held out in their wickedness, they could not remain before Him.
'You hate all evildoers: Unhappy the man whom God hatesl Whom does God hate? The evildoer. But if we are all sinners and every sinner is hated by God, it would naturally follow that we are all hated by God. If, however, we are all hated by God, how is it that we have been saved by grace?17 'You
13 Cf. Ps. 39.3.
14 2 Cor. 6.14, 15.
15 1 John 2.19.
16 C( Deut. 4.24.
17 Cf. Eph. 2.5, 8.
HOMILY 2
hate all evildoers.' The psalmist did not say, those who have been guilty of wrongdoing, but those who are wrongdoers.
Those who persevere in sin are those who are held in abhorrence by God, but those who abandon the ways of sin are loved by the Lord. 'You hate all evildoers.' These words are intended for sinners who are persisting in sin. Let us look at the next verse.
'You destroy all who speak falsehood.' I find a new thought in these words.18 The worker of evil is hated by God; the liar perishes. Let us see now which is the worse state, to be hated by God or to perish. The man whom God hates is unhappy indeed, for he exists in the enmity of God; nevertheless, he is still alive, but the liar who is destroyed has ceased to exist.
The man who lies is more unfortunate, therefore, than the one who does evil. Though the evildoer is subject to the hatred of God, the liar perishes altogether. 'A lying mouth slays the SOUI.'19
What meaning is there, further, to the words: 'For God is true, and every man is a liar'?20 If everyone who utters a lie has already destroyed his soul, and all of us are liars, are we all going to perish? What Scripture says in the words: 'You destroy all who speak falsehood: we should interpret as referring to heretics, both from the forward movement of the psalm and from the order within the movement itself. The doer of evil has, indeed, killed his own soul; but the heretic
-the liar-has killed as many souls as he has seduced.
'You destroy all who speak falsehood.' But who are these people who speak falsehood? 'The bloodthirsty and the deceitful the Lord abhors.' Every heretic is bloodthirsty, for every day he spills the blood of souls. 'The bloodthirsty and the deceitful.' Deceitful is the right word. He is both a murderer and a practitioner of deceit. How is he deceitful? His words
18 Cf. Letter 55.4. PL 22.563 (299); Letter 69.3. PL 22.656 (415); Against the Pelagians 1.14a. PL 23.530 (708); Against the Luciferians 12. PL
23.175 (184).
19 Wisd. 1.11.
20 Rom. 3.4.
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deliberately misrepresent the words of the Lord. 'The bloodthirsty and the deceitful the Lord abhors: Just think of the condition of the heretic: the Lord abhors himl The psalm says of sinners: 'You hate all evildoers'; of false teachers, 'the Lord abhors them:
'But I, because of your abundant kindness, will enter your house: The wicked in their iniquity depart from Your house;
I, by Your mercy, shall enter Your house. 'I will enter your house: which is the Church. 'I will worship at your holy temple in fear of you: The Church is Your house; also Your temple.
'0 Lord; because of my enemies, guide me in your justice:
Indeed, do I long to enter Your house, and I desire to enter it by Your way of justice. Because my enemies are continually besetting my path with snares and setting traps for me all along the way-while my one longing is to enter Your house
-I am beseeching You to keep my feet firm in Your path to the very end. It is mine to set my feet in Your way; it is Yours to direct my steps.
'Because of my enemies, make straight your way before me:21 Make straight Your way before me on account of the enemies who seek to ensnare me. What is this way of Yours?
The reading of Holy Scripture. Direct my steps, therefore, lest I stumble in the reading of Your Word through which I desire to enter Your Church, for everyone whose understanding of Holy Writ is faulty falls down in the path of God.
'For in their mouth there is no sincerity: This is a description of heretics. The heretic is the bloodthirsty and deceitful man whom the Lord abhors. 'In their mouth there is no sincerity: Heretics do not have Christ, the Truth, on their lips because they do not have Him in their heart. 'Their heart is vain.'22 The Hebrew text is better here, their heart €-Trlf3ovAOY
[is treacherous], for truly the heart of the heretic lies in wait 21 Cf. Against the Pelagians 3.8, PL 23.605 (791); Letter 106.4, PL
22.839 (644).
22 Cf. Ps. 5.10.
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for all whom he may ensnare. 'Their throat is an open grave.'
Heretics are unhappy men; they are whited sepulchres, full of dead men's bones.23 'Their throat is an open grave: Arius,
Eunomius, and other heretics have tongues like arrows, jaws like empty tombs. 'Their throat is an open grave: 'Open' is well said, for whenever anyone;: has been deceived enough to enter that tomb, the heretic is ready and draws him right in.
The mouths of heretics are forever gaping. 'Their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue.' They mean one thing in their heart; they promise another with theit lips. They speak with piety and conceal impiety. They speak
Christ and hide the Antichrist, for they know that they will never succeed with their seduction if they disclose the Anti· christ. They present light only to conceal darkness, througli light they lead to darkness. 'They flatter with their tongue.
'Punish them, 0 God: Let them know that You are Judg{ and that You are mindful of human affairs. You are going tc judge in the end; judge now also in the present. You are to judge in general; judge now in particular. Those who refus( to know the Father, let them experience the Judge. 'Punisl them, 0 God.' And how? The answer follows: 'Let them faJ: by their own devices.' If you repay them now in the presenl as they deserve, they will begin to withdraw from their evi schemes. As long as they do not experience You as Judge they are without fear. 'Let them fall by their own devices.
Excellently said, 'by their own devices,' for heretics chang! or alter their doctrine from day to day. In fact, if a theologiar learned in the Scriptures contends with them, them with proof from the Sacred Books, what do they do bu straightway look around in search of a new doctrine. They d< not seek knowledge for the sake of salvation, but look arounc for new doctrine to vanquish the opponent; hence, the psalmis said: 'Let them fall by their own devices.' Let them fall their own countless contrivances and let them have but on! recourse, You, my God.
23 Cf. Matt. 23.27.
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'For their many sins, cast them out.' Now, it does not say from which place God should cast out the wicked, whether
He should cast them out of heaven or from the face of the earth. Scripture is not clear in this point because of the transposed word order of this verse, hyperbaton and hysteroproteron. We have to read, therefore: 'For their many sins, cast them out'; but the meaning is, because of Your mercy, cast them off from their many wickednesses; do not let them, go .on living in their many sins. There is, however, another interpretation. Because the wicked have been so thoroughly wicked, they have not wanted to give up their evil schemes, but have gone on adding sin to sin and heaping up their sins daily; their wickedness grows increasingly and for that reason, they are to be cast out.
But 'cast them out' from where? From her who obtains the inheritance, that is, from the Church who obtains Your inheritance. Cast them out, for they may not abide in the Church, since they do not have faith in her. 'Because they have rebelled against you.' You are, 0 Lord, sweet by nature, but sinners and heretics change the sweetness of Your nature into bitterness because of their evil devices.
'But let all who take refuge in you be glad.' Let sinners and heretics perish; let Your churchmen be glad. 'And exult forever.' Here, we ought to say something about eternity, not about the present but the future world. As a matter of fact,
Scripture did not say they rejoice in the present world, as 'let them exult' implies the future world. Here, sorrow; then, there will be true joy. In the present world, heretics laugh; in the future, they will lament; we, indeed, lament in the present that we may rejoice in the future. 'And exult forever.'
What will this joy of holy men be like? 'And you will dwell in them.'24 They will be blessed and happy who deserve to possess Christ as their guest. 'And you will dwell in them.'
Happy are they who will become the tabernacles of Christl 'That you may be the joy of those who love your name.'
24 Cf. Ps. 5.12.
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Everyone who loves the Lord will exult in the Lord. See what it says: 'That you may be the joy of those who love your naII!e'; they who love; not they who fear, but they who love. Wherever there is fear, love is absent, for 'perfect love casts out fear.'z5
Whoever love the name of the Lord, they will rejoice.
That you may be the joy'; our beatitude is of the future, to which alone the promise refers. Let some rule with power; others possess wealth; still others receive honors and recognition. We, on the other hand, are miserable in this life in order to be happy in the next. Let us follow Christ our Lord.
He who says he believes in Christ 'ought himself also to walk, just as he walked.'26 Christ, the Son of God, 'has not come to be served but to serve' ;27 He did not come to command, but to obey; He did not come to have His own feet washed, but to wash the feet of His disciples; He did not come to strike others, but to be struck; He did not give blows, but He received them; He did not crucify, but was crucified; He did not destroy, but Himself suffered destruction; He was poor to make us rich; He was scourged for our sake that we might escape scourging. As often as we are struck, let us offer our cheek to the blows; let us lay bare our back to receive the stripes; let us imitate Christ. He who is struck with blows imitates Christ; he who strikes imitates the Antichrist.
Now why do I say all this? To glorify the name of Christ in whatsoever we suffer in this life. While we are talking, while we are walking, suddenly we are carried off. I myself who speak to you today, know not what tomorrow holds for me.
If a slight fever should come upon me, where is that voice of mine? Where is my pride? Suddenly turned into ashes. 'Why are dust and ashes proud?'28 We are nothing but dust and ashes. 'For dust you are, and unto dust you shall return:29
And dust vaunts itself against its maker! The next words of 25 1 John 4.18.
26 1 John 2.6.
27 Mark 10.45.
28 Sirach (Ecclus.) 10.9.
29 Gen. !I.l9.
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the psalm are: 'For you will bless the just man.'30 You will bless the just in the future life; so beatitude is postponed.
'0 Lord, you crown31 him with the shield of your good will.'
In the world, a shield is one thing and a crown another, but with God, He Himself is our shield, He Himself is our crown.
He protects us as if He were a shield; as God He crowns us.
He is our shield; He is our crown.32 So says Scripture: '0 Lord, you crown him with the shield of your good will.' You surround us with Your shield, and Your protection is our crown; Your shield is our crown; it is our triumph, for the crown is the symbol of victory.
Let us give thanks to God, and let us beseech Him in His good will to be our shield and crown that we may never depart from Him and that we may follow Him and declare with Jeremia: '1 was not weary of following yoU.'33 To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen.
30 Cf. Ps. 5.13.
31 Ibid.
32 Cf. Against the Pelagians 3.1. PL 23.596 (781).
33 Cf. Jer. 17.16. LXX.