Psalm 11 — Save me, O Lord, for there is now no saint

^11:1^ Unto the end; for the octave, a psalm for David. ^11:2^ Save me, O Lord, for there is now no saint; for truths are decayed from among the children of men.

^11:3^ They have spoken vain things, every one to his neighbor with deceitful lips, and with a double heart they have spoken.

^11:4^ May the Lord destroy all deceitful lips, and the tongue that speaks proud things. ^11:5^ Who have said, “We will magnify our tongue; our lips are our own; who is lord over us?”

^11:6^ By reason of the misery of the needy, and the groans of the poor, now will I arise, says the Lord. I will set him in safety; I will deal confidently in his regard. ^11:7^ The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried by the fire, purged from the earth refined seven times. ^11:8^ You, O Lord, will preserve us, and keep us from this generation forever. ^11:9^ The wicked walk round about; according to your highness, you have multiplied the children of men.

87. In the preceding ten psalms, the psalmist wrote about the persecution which he suffered from Absalom his son, through which the persecution which Christ suffered from Judas was prefigured.

Now in this second set of ten, as is shown by the titles of the Psalms, he treats the persecution which he suffered from Saul, through which the persecution which Christ suffered from the chief priests is prefigured.

Now these ten are divided into two groups.

In the first, he asks to be delivered from his enemies.

In the second group, after having been delivered, he prays for his exaltation in the psalm that begins, may the Lord hear you (Ps 19:2).

This does fit the history of David because David was raised to the kingship at the death of Saul, and it also fits the mystery of Christ, whose reign was confirmed by his death. For which cause, that he was obedient to the Father even unto death, God also has exalted him (Phil 2:9).

In the first group, he accomplishes two things.

First, he begs for deliverance.

Second, he gives thanks for deliverance, and he does this in Psalm 17:2: I will love you.

While begging for deliverance, he makes three points.

First, he shows the greatness of the malice of his persecutors.

Second, he calls to mind the characteristics of justice, at Lord, who shall dwell (Ps 14:1).

Third, he begs to be answered effectively for the sake of his own justice, at hear, O Lord (Ps 16:1).

He shows the malice of his persecutors in two ways.

First, he recalls the deceitfulness of his adversaries.

Second, he declares their iniquity, at the fool has said (Ps 13:1).

He treats two points connected to their deceitfulness.

First, he calls to mind their deceitfulness.

Second, he begs for divine light so that he will not be snared by them: how long, O Lord? (Ps 12:1).

Now this fits well the history of David, against whom Saul practiced deceit. This psalm is begun with the title unto the end; for the octave, a psalm for David, which was explained above.

In calling to mind their deceitfulness, he makes three points.

First, he gives his memory of their deceit;

second, he begs for their destruction: may the Lord destroy;

third, he describes the reason for being answered: by reason of the misery.

In describing his memory of their deceitfulness, he discusses two things.

First, he describes their lack.

Second, he adds the sign of their lack, at they have spoken vain things.

Concerning the first, it should be known that David, as though stunned at seeing the growing malice of his adversaries towards himself, first turns to divine help, saying, save me, O Lord. And he does this rightly, since there is no savior apart from him, as is said in Isaiah 43:11.

Second, he lists what they lack.

Now, two things preserve a man from evil:

namely, fear of the Lord: he who fears God, keeps his commandments (Sir 2:21);

and the love of truth, since good works are called true as though in harmony with a rule, because if they were not right they would be dishonorable.

Now, some do not refrain from evils because of fear of the Lord, but rather draw back from them because of their dishonor. (Cf. ST II-II, q. 19, a. 3, ad 1.) But another sort of person does not fear disgrace either, and so it is said about him that he neither fears God, nor has regard for man (Luke 18:4). And so he excludes these two deterrents from the adversaries of the psalmist.

First, the fear of God is mentioned, when he says, for there is now no saint, for holiness consists in the fear and worship of God. So those things dedicated to divine worship are called holy. It is as if he were to say, “no man who fears God is found in this world.” The holy man has perished from the earth and there is no one upright among men (Mic 7:2).

Second, he excludes the love of the truth when he says, for truths are decayed.

But it could be asked, why does he say truths in the plural? There is no truth of God in the land (Hos 4:1).

To this it should be said that the primordial truth, which is in the divine intellect, is one. I am the way, the truth and the life (John 14:16). But just as from the one face of a man many images can be found reflected in many mirrors (or in one broken mirror), so from the one divine truth many truths are found in many souls. And so in the soul which does not attain to the divine simplicity, but is composed from that whereby it is and what it is, (That is, its being and its essence. Cf. In I sent., d. 8, q. 5, a. 2, corp.) there also appear many truths which come from the one truth by which the holy soul is enlightened. These truths decay when the soul falls away from God through guilt.

Or it should be said that he says truths because of the threefold created truth which is in the saints,

namely, that of life: remember how I have walked before you in truth (Isa 38:3);

that of doctrine: we know that you are a true speaker, and teach the way of God in truth (Matt 22:16);

and that of justice: provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, in whom there is truth (Exod 18:21).

It seems that the psalmist speaks about this truth, namely the truth of justice, from which Saul had withdrawn when he persecuted David unjustly. Therefore, it must be said that these truths do not decay in themselves, but from among the children of men, who have become depraved through their guilt.

And indeed, the truth of life decays when good is judged to be evil. That of doctrine decays when light is called darkness. The truth of justice indeed decays when the bitter is judged to be sweet, and conversely. Woe to you who call evil good, and good evil, who put darkness for light, and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter (Isa 5:20).

Now he says that sanctity is not found, since once it has been given by God through grace, it can be immediately lost by one mortal sin. (Cf. ST I-II, q. 88, a. 1.) But truth decays successively.

Jerome has, since mercy cannot be found and since the faithful have decayed, since mercy and justice to one’s neighbor are missing. But who shall find a faithful man? (Prov 20:6).

88. Following this, when he says, they have spoken vain things, he gives the sign of the lack of holiness, and it is twofold: vanity, and deceit.

The first sign of this lack is vanity, and in regard to this he says, they have spoken vain things. That is vain which has no grounding. Therefore, those things are true realities which are grounded on nothing vain. The end of the commandment is charity, from a pure heart, and a good conscience, and an unfeigned faith from which things some, going astray, turned aside to vain babbling (1 Tim 1:5–6). Let every man take heed of his neighbor (Jer 9:4).

Gregory has, a vain word is the sign of a vain mind. (Cf. Pseudo–Bernard, Tractatus de interiori domo 24 (Patrologia Latina [Migne], 184:533).) And that which is not from the mind is vain, so also superfluous words are vain. Where there are many words, there is oftentimes want (Prov 14:23).

Also, what is not stable is vain, and so words about temporal things are vain. He who is of the earth, of the earth he speaks (John 3:31). Your speech shall mutter out of the earth (Isa 29:4).

But to whom do they speak vain things? To his neighbor, to whom they ought to speak about the truth. Speak the truth every man with his neighbor (Eph 4:25).

The second sign of the lack of holiness is deceit, and in regard to this he says, with deceitful lips, and with a heart and a heart they have spoken.

The repetition of the word heart signifies a double heart. Now they show one thing in their mouth but have another in their heart. They appear to sorrow, but they rejoice; to love, but they hate; to suffer, and they are glad. A double minded man is inconstant in all his ways (Jas 1:8). Woe to those who are of double heart and wicked lips (Sir 2:14).*

89. May the Lord destroy. Here, he asks for their destruction.

He first asks for it,

and then he shows its cause, at all deceitful lips.

It as if they should perish doubly, in body and in soul. Bring upon them the day of affliction, and with a double destruction, destroy them, O Lord God (Jer 17:18).

Afterwards, he describes the cause of their malice, and in doing so he describes three things:

first, namely, fraud, since they have deceitful lips, for it is deceit when someone does one thing and pretends another. Deceit is conceived in the heart, but it is hidden by words and actions. Deceit is in the heart of those who think evil (Prov 12:20).

God destroys them by uncovering it, and then it no longer has the character of deceit, for deceit is hidden wickedness. So he does not really ask for their destruction but rather for the uncovering of their wickedness.

Or, he asks for the destruction of their wickedness through grace. The wicked scourged, the fool shall be wiser (Prov 19:25), so he says, deceitful lips.

The gloss says, as though the reason for the petition is the deceitfulness.

Or: destroy them, by punishing their wickedness, so that they may meet in these wicked plans the just judgment of God, as is said in Esther 7 about Hamaan, who was against Mordecai; he was hanged on the gibbet, which he had prepared for Mordechai (Esth 7:10). I will make your tongue stick fast to the roof of your mouth, and you shall be dumb, and not as a man who dares to do other fraud (Ezek 3:26). When a pestilent man is punished, the little one will be wiser (Prov 21:11). Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, and the rod of correction shall drive it away (Prov 22:15).

Second, he describes their boasting: the tongue that speaks proud things about itself among those who consider them to be great. They have set their mouth against heaven and their tongue has passed through the earth (Ps 72:9).

Now we are accustomed to revere what is greater in another and not to give attention to what is lesser. Therefore, those who seem to be great and equal to God despise God, that is, divine honors.

So it is said about the Antichrist that he speaks against the God of gods. Who opposes, and is lifted up above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he sits in the temple of God, showing himself as if he were God (2 Thess 2:4).

And concerning Antiochus it is said, it is just to be subject to God, and that a mortal man should not equal himself to God (2 Macc 9:12).

And about Herod, the people acclaimed him, saying, “It is the voice of a god, and not of a man” (Acts 12:22).

And so they cannot be excused because they did not accomplish what they intended, he adds, who have said, that is, by their intention, we will magnify our tongue.

Third, he describes their blasphemy or pride: our lips are our own.

For it is the first species of pride to judge that what one has is from himself. (Cf. ST II-II, q. 162, a. 4.) Do not multiply to speak lofty things, boasting (1 Sam 2:3). Not that we are sufficient to think any thing of ourselves as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God (2 Cor 3:5).

The second species of pride is when someone wants to be glorified in something above others, so he says, who is lord over us? Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? (Job 21:15). They returned, that they might be without yoke; they became like a deceitful bow (Hos 7:16). A vain man is lifted up into pride, and thinks himself born free like a wild ass’s colt (Job 11:12).

90. By reason of the misery. Here he describes the answer to his prayer.

First, he promises it;

second, he describes his certainty, at the words of the Lord are pure;

and third, he describes his belief, at you, O Lord will preserve us.

Therefore, he says, by reason of the misery, that is, the many lacks, of the needy, that is, of those lacking resources, and the groans, that is, the sobs, of the poor, that is, those who have little. To you is the poor man left (Ps 9:35). And he heard their groaning, and remembered the covenant (Exod 2:24).

Now will I arise, says the Lord. Now is in an opportune time. A helper in due time in tribulation (Ps 9:10). In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you (2 Cor 6:2; Isa 49:8).

I will set him in safety, that is, I will appoint him; I will deal confidently in his regard, that is, I will be in him. Be not afraid at their presence for I am with you (Jer 1:8). The Lord of hosts has decreed, and who can disannul it? And his hand is stretched out and who shall turn it away? (Isa 14:27). They shall fight against you, and shall not prevail, for I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you (Jer 1:19). Your life shall be saved for you because you have put your trust in me, says the Lord (Jer 39:18).

Afterwards, he describes the certainty of the promise: the words of the Lord are pure words; they have not become adulterated through the addition of anything extraneous. They are either purified from superfluity, or they are uncorrupted, since someone is called chaste before sexual experience, but continent afterwards. They are not vain but firm. Heaven and earth shall pass, but my words shall not pass (Matt 24:35).

Second, they are full of truth: as silver tried by the fire. Silver is white without stain, sound without pretense, fragrant without infection. It is purged of the earth, that is, from earth. Now, the Greeks lack the ablative, and this is a translation from the Greek. It is refined seven times, that is, perfect.

And the prophet responds, you, therefore, O Lord, will preserve us from evil. And keep us in good from this generation forever.

Therefore, the wicked walk round about, so they never reach the end of the path which they intend, namely, to afflict others as they desire. Their paths are become crooked to them (Isa 59:8).

And why? Because according to your highness, you have multiplied the children of men, since in my house there are not merely vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and pottery and some indeed which have been sanctified for honor . . . prepared for every good work (2 Tim 2:20–21).

Or, the wicked walk round about in vices, not reaching the middle path of virtue. The souls of your enemies shall be whirled (1 Sam 25:29).