Psalm 14 — Lord, who shall dwell in your tabernacle?

^14:1^ A psalm of David. Lord, who shall dwell in your tabernacle? Or who shall rest in your holy hill?

^14:2^ He who walks without blemish, and works justice; ^14:3a^ he who speaks truth in his heart, who has not used deceit in his tongue,

^14:3b^ nor has done evil to his neighbor, nor taken up a reproach against his neighbors.

^14:4a^ In his sight the malignant is brought to nothing; but he glorifies those who fear the Lord.

^14:4b^ He who swears to his neighbor, and deceives not; ^14:5^ he who has not put out his money to usury, nor taken bribes against the innocent; he who does these things shall not be moved forever.

103. Above, the psalmist treated the malice and deceit of his adversaries; here he treats individual justice.

First, he shows what sort of justice God accepts.

Second, as though giving thanks, he shows what his own justice is like, at preserve me (Ps 15:1).

The title is a psalm of David.

In this psalm, he does two things, for he takes counsel with God like a priest standing before God.

First, he puts forward a question.

Second, he gives the response: he who walks without blemish.

And he asks a double question, since the state of the Church is twofold: that of the present and that of the future.

First is the time of fighting. From henceforth the Spirit says that they may rest (Rev 14:13).

And these two states are signified in the Old Testament because they first had the tabernacle, as in Exodus 26, when they were involved in war and labors. It came to pass when the Lord had given rest to David from all his enemies, he said to Nathan, “Do you see that I dwell in a house of cedar, and the ark of God is lodged within skins?” (2 Sam 7:1–2). Afterwards, they built the temple when they had peace.

The Church Militant is signified by the tabernacle, and the state of the future life by the temple built on the mountain. And so he says, who shall dwell in your tabernacle, that is, in the present Church, as though to say, “Who is worthy to dwell in it?” For sinners dwell there numerically, but not by merit.

Jerome has, who will walk around? Who makes men of one manner to dwell in a house (Ps 67:7).

The second question is, who shall rest in your holy hill? And it is called his holy hill since there is nothing tainted there. The Lord bless you, the beauty of justice, the holy mountain (Jer 31:23). It shall be called the holy way (Isa 35:8). You shall bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of your inheritance, in your most firm habitation which you have made, O Lord (Exod 15:17).

104. He who walks without blemish. Here, he gives the response, and he makes two points.

First, he calls to mind the merits of those living in the places that were mentioned, that is, in the tabernacle and on the holy mountain of God.

Second, he brings to mind their reward, at he who does these things shall not be moved forever.

He describes ten effects of virtue. (Cf. Peter Lombard, Magna glossatura (Patrologia Latina [Migne], 191:168–69).)

The action of the virtuous one is considered in two ways:

first, in itself;

and second, in relation to others.

First, he describes those things through which a man does well in regard to himself;

and second, those through which he does well in regard to his neighbor: nor taken up a reproach against his neighbors.

In himself, a man can do well in regard to external things both in work and in speech.

He can do this in two ways in his works.

First is that he flee evil, and so it says, he who walks without blemish. This life is a road to eternal life, and so he says, he walks, that is, progresses along the way. I will go into the place of the tabernacle (Ps 41:5). Blessed are the undefiled in the way (Ps 118:1).

He is without blemish, that is, mortal sin, since venial sin does not properly involve blemish. Blessed is the rich man who is found without blemish (Sir 31:8). But there was no blemish at all in Christ and the Virgin Mary. This can be understood in regard to temperance, since blemishes are against temperance.

Second is that he do good, and so it follows, he who works justice, that is, those things to which justice inclines one, and they are connected to it insofar as it is a special virtue.

Next is described how he is virtuous in words.

First is that he do good in his speech: he who speaks truth, that is, he speaks good words. Which of you shall dwell with everlasting burnings? He who walks in justice, and speaks truth (Isa 33:14). And he says, in his heart, contrasting with those who speak the truth by chance and not intentionally. The lip of truth shall be steadfast (Prov 12:19). Laying away all lying and all guile, as newborn babes (1 Pet 2:12).

Second is that he avoid evil, namely, deceitfulness. Their tongue, a piercing arrow which has spoken deceit (Jer 9:8). Who has not used deceit in his tongue.

Another version has, he who is not quick with his tongue. A city that lies open and is not compassed with walls, a man who cannot restrain his own spirit in talking (Prov 25:28).

Another version has, and there is no accusation on his tongue, since he is not a detractor and tattletale, or since his words are not blameworthy. Let no evil speech proceed from your mouth (Eph 4:29).

105. Nor has he done evil. Above, the psalmist treated the virtuous action which God accepts, listing those things through which man acts well in regard to himself. Now here he lists those by which he acts well in regard to his neighbor.

And here, he asks three things in regard to his neighbor.

First, that he do him no harm;

second, that he does not consent to his harm: who did such things, not following the kingdom of God; but not only those who do them are worthy of death, but also those who consent to those who do them (Rom 1:32);

third, that he not deceive him.

Therefore, he says in regard to his neighbor, nor has he done evil to his neighbor, either physically or spiritually. To no man rendering evil for evil (Rom 12:17). While we have time, let us work good (Gal 6:10).

In regard to the second, he says, nor taken up a reproach against his neighbors. Someone may speak something against someone else, but it is should not be endured, and so he says, he does not accept a reproach, that is, when he hears detracting words spoken against someone, he spurns the one by whom they are said, or he speaks to others. (Cf. ST II-II, q. 73, a. 4.) Have you heard a word against your neighbor? Let it die in you (Sir 19:10). Hedge in your ears with thorns, and do not hear a wicked tongue (Sir 28:28).

Jerome: if he is not a listener, he is not a detractor. Bernard: I cannot easily say which of these is more damnable, to detract or to listen to detraction. (Bernard, On Consideration 2.13 (Patrologia Latina [Migne], 182:756).) The north wind drives away rain, as a sad countenance does a backbiting tongue (Prov 25:23), since, according to the text, detraction stops when the one hearing is saddened.

106. In his sight the malignant is brought to nothing. Here he shows what he does not despise.

In man there are two things: vice and virtue.

Vice should be despised, and so he says, the malignant, insofar as he is such a person, is brought to nothing, that is, accounted nothing.

This is good: first, to put a stop to the imitation that occurs when an evil man is exalted. The way of the wicked prospers (Jer 12:1), but no one should repute him as great for this, but should despise him. The glory of a sinful man is dung and worms; today he is lifted up and tomorrow he shall not be found (1 Macc 2:62–63).

Or it can be that some great man intends to do harm, but because he is malignant you despise him, since such disapproval is an approval of our life. If armies, that is, sinners, in camp should stand against me, my heart shall not fear (Ps 26:3).

But consider the virtuous man to be great, and so he says, he glorifies those who fear the Lord. How great is he who finds wisdom and knowledge, but there is no one above him who fears the Lord (Sir 25:13).

The gloss explains this in another way: the malignant will be brought to nothing in his sight, that is, by him the devil shall be conquered. (Peter Lombard, Magna glossatura (Patrologia Latina [Migne], 191:169).) You have overcome the wicked one (1 John 2:13). The Lord glorifies those who fear the Lord, that is, himself. But the first explanation is more literal. (Aquinas disagrees with himself; Cf. ST II-II, q. 89, a. 4.)

107. Here he prohibits deceiving one’s neighbor. Now a neighbor is deceived in three ways.

First, in promises, and this takes place through swearing, and so he says, he who swears, that is, declares so as to deceive, since he does not honor it. Love not a false oath (Zech 8:17). You shall not swear falsely in the name of your God, nor profane it (Lev 19:12). To swear does not belong to virtue, but to honor an oath does.

Second, in contracts, so he says, he who has not put out his money to usury. Lend, hoping for nothing thereby (Luke 6:35). Nor taken bribes against the innocent. The wicked man takes gifts out of his bosom, that is, the Church, that he may pervert the paths of the just (Prov 17:23). Deuteronomy 23 prohibits giving to one’s brother for usury, since he sells what he does not have, when he does not have the usufruct. (Cf. ST II-II, q. 78, a. 1, resp.)

The third way is in judgments, when he gives sentence against the innocent, and so he says, woe to those who justify the wicked for gifts (Isa 5:23). Fire shall devour their tabernacles, who love to take bribes (Job 15:34).

Finally, he describes the reward. He who does, that is, upholds, these things, all that was said. Be doers of the word (Jas 1:22). Not the hearers of the law are justified before God, but the doers (Rom 2:13).

He shall not be moved forever, that is, he will dwell here on my holy mountain. Those who trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion (Ps 124:1). He shall not suffer the just to waver forever (Ps 54:23).