Psalm 22 — The Lord rules me

^22:1^ A psalm for David. The Lord rules me, and I shall want nothing. ^22:2^ He has set me in a place of pasture. He has brought me up on the water of refreshment; ^22:3^ he has converted my soul. He has led me on the paths of justice for his own name’s sake.

^22:4^ For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they have comforted me. ^22:5^ You have prepared a table before me against them that afflict me. You have anointed my head with oil; and my chalice which inebriates me, how goodly is it!

^22:6^ And your mercy will follow me all the days of my life. And that I may dwell in the house of the Lord unto length of days.

203. Above, the psalmist, in the person of Christ, spoke about his many tribulations; now here he speaks about the remedy by which he is upheld during them.

First, he remembers the favors by which he is upheld;

second, the power of upholding, at the earth is the Lord’s.

This psalm does not have a new title but seems to refer to those walking along a road. Thus it can signify the return of the people from Babylon, and it can signify the return of Christ from the world to heaven.

He considers two aspects of this.

First, he recalls the favors already given to him.

Second, he calls to mind future favors, at and your mercy will follow me.

He considers two types of former favors.

First, he remembers the favors that consist in the consolation of good things;

second, those which consist in help against evil, at for though I should walk.

He touches on three aspects of consoling goods.

First, he remembers the sufficiency of the divine promise;

second, its abundance, at in a place of pasture;

and third, its effect, at he has converted my soul.

Therefore, he first describes the divine provision, so he says, the Lord rules me.

Jerome has, the Lord shepherds me. And they are the same, since he who shepherds, rules. And this is understood to be said in the person of the Church about Christ, who is our shepherd. I am the good shepherd (John 10:11). Behold the birds of the air, for they neither sow, nor do they reap, nor gather into barns, and your heavenly Father feeds them (Matt 6:26), since God is called our shepherd. For he feeds the birds of the air, as is said. Feed your people with your rod, the flock of your inheritance (Mic 7:14). He that shall rise up to rule the gentiles (Rom 15:12).

And he feeds them enough, so it is said, I shall want nothing of what is necessary for salvation. And it is the same in regard to temporal things: when I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, did you want anything? (Luke 22:35). Seek you therefore first the kingdom of God . . . and all these things shall be added unto you (Matt 6:33). Then, in the future, we will have enough, since we will lack nothing because we will have God.

He signifies every abundance metaphorically by the abundance of food and drink. If he feeds us, he acts towards us as a shepherd does to the sheep, since they are fed on two things: namely, vegetation and water.

In regard to the first, he says, he has set me in a place of pasture, that is, in a field where there is an abundance of vegetation. This abundance is the holy writings of the divine Scriptures and the abundance of spiritual things. They shall be fed on the green grass and in fat pastures (Ezek 34:14).

In regard to the second, he says, he has brought me up on the water of refreshment.

And he says, he has set, since the divine word does two things.

It instructs beginners,

and it strengthens the perfect.

Because of the first, he says, in a place of pasture.

Because of the second, he says, he has set me.

In regard to the second, he says, he has brought me up on the water of refreshment. This is the water of baptism. I will pour upon you clean water (Ezek 36:25).

Or it is the water of the wisdom of sacred doctrine, which indeed is a food, because it strengthens, and water, because it refreshes. She shall give him the water of wholesome wisdom to drink (Sir 15:3).

He has converted my soul. This is the effect of feeding: that he has converted my soul. Or, he says that these are pastures because of the conversion of soul.

Now there are two effects of spiritual teaching.

The first is interior, in the conversion of the soul to God, which completely draws one away from the things of this world. The law of the Lord is unspotted, converting souls: the testimony of the Lord is faithful, giving wisdom to little ones (Ps 18:8). And conversion comes about by the power of God. Convert us, O Lord, to you, and we shall be converted (Lam 5:21).

Another effect is exterior, that he accomplish exterior works, so he says, he has led me on the paths of justice; now these are good works. Make straight in the wilderness the paths of our God (Isa 40:3).

Or the paths are counsels: I will lead you by the paths of equity (Prov 4:11). And this is for his own name’s sake, that is, the glory of your name. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us (Ps 78:9).

204. For though I should walk. Here he describes the favors against evil:

first in general,

second in particular, at your rod and your staff.

And he speaks using the image of a man going through a dangerous place who needs security, and he describes this blessing here: for though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils, for you are with me, as a leader and protector, and I will be safe.

The shadow of death is said about present tribulation, for a shadow is a sign of a body which is coming. The law is a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ (Col 2:17), so tribulation is like an indicator of death.

In the midst, that is, in deep or intense tribulation. If I shall walk in the midst of tribulation, you will quicken me (Ps 137:7).

But the shadow of death is said about the present life, obscured by the mist of sin. Let a mist overspread it (Job 3:5).

Or the shadow of death is said about the deeds of heretics who bear in themselves the image of the devil. The flood divides that stone in the dark and the shadow of death (Job 28:3–4).

Now it is called the shadow of death because it cannot bring about evil while God is present. Set me beside you and let any man’s hand fight against me (Job 17:3). When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and the rivers shall not cover you. When you walk in the fire, you shall not be burnt (Isa 43:2).

Now, in addition to what has been said about security, he describes three favors which God causes in them.

First, he sustains them, so it says, your rod and your staff, they have comforted me.

And this can be understood in two ways.

In one way, we understand the direction of the path through the rod***. The rod of your kingdom is a rod of uprightness*** (Ps 44:7). By staff, we understand a prop. The staff of our old age (Tob 5:23).

The text of Jerome has, support, as if to say, your showing and sustaining have comforted me, that is, they have brought me consolation along the way. (Pseudo-Jerome, Breviarium in Psalmos (Patrologia Latina [Migne], 26:558b).) The God of all consolation who comforts us (2 Cor 1:3–4).

In another way, this can be explained as referring to correction, since a rod is used to correct. He who spares the rod hates his son (Prov 13:24). And he says, your staff, namely, the discipline of one who is older, as if to say, “Your correction, mild and harsh, has given me consolation.” Whom he loves, he chastises, and as a father he is pleased in his son (Prov 3:12).

In regard to the second favor which God causes in them, he says, you have prepared a table before me, indeed of a double teaching. She has set forth her table, she has sent her maids to invite to the tower (Prov 9:2–3), where there are various dishes, namely, the different spiritual writings. And this is before me because on his law he shall meditate day and night (Ps 1:2).

Or it is the sacramental table, that is, the altar.

For three tables are written about in Scripture.

First is the table of the Old Law. You shall make the table of setim wood, and set upon the table the loaves of proposition (Exod 25:23, 30).

Another is that of the New Testament. You cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord and of the table of devils (1 Cor 10:21), and this table was the reality and the figure.

The third table is in the fatherland: I give to you a kingdom, so that you may eat and drink at my table, in my kingdom (Luke 22:29–30).

And at both of these tables we fight against our enemies, so he says, against those who afflict me, since through the table, which is Sacred Scripture, we expel temptations. In all things taking the shield of faith, whereby you may be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of the most wicked one (Eph 6:16). Also, the body of Christ protects against enemies, as Chrysostom says. (John Chrysostom, Homiliae in Ioannem 47 (Patrologia Graeca [Migne], 59:260–61).)

You have anointed my head with oil, that is, with joy.

Now two things are expressed here:

the anointing with oil

and the inebriation of wine.

This is said using an image from the ancient Eastern people who anointed their heads with oil at feasts. To give them a crown in place of ashes, the oil of joy in place of mourning (Isa 61:3).

My head, that is, Christ, you have anointed, that is, filled with abundance of the oil of spiritual grace so that grace has flowed to us from him. One Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him (1 Cor 8:6). God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness (Ps 44:8).

Or he says, my head, that is, my mind. But you, when you fast, anoint your head (Matt 6:17), that is, your mind, with oil, that is, with spiritual devotion.

And your chalice, which is either mine (that is, the one given to me) or yours, that is, given by you. This chalice is the gift of divine love which inebriates, since as the drunk man is not said to be in himself or acting according to himself but according to the wine, so he who is full of the divine love is said to be acting according to God, for he has been taken out of himself. (Cf. ST I-II q. 28, a. 3.) Eat, O friends, and be inebriated (Song 5:1). As the rain and the snow come down from heaven . . . and inebriate the earth, and make it to spring, . . . so shall my word be, which shall go forth from my mouth (Isa 55:10–11*). I am become as a drunken man, and as a man full of wine, at the presence of the Lord* (Jer 23:9).

Or chalice is said referring to the blood of Christ, since it should inebriate.

And how goodly is it, that is, how very clear.

205. And your mercy will follow me. Here he describes future favors:

first, in regard to participating in the divine gifts;

second, in regard to delighting in God himself.

Therefore, he says that you have done for me everything that was promised, but I ask you that your mercy will follow me.

In another place, he asked for those things which go before; here he asks for those which follow, and both are necessary, since those which come before are necessary to inspire the soul and those which follow to help the soul so that it may be effective.

That I may dwell in the house of the Lord, that is, in the Church, unto length of days, that is, always through grace and in heaven through glory. One thing I have asked of the Lord . . . that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life (Ps 26:4). You shall be glad and rejoice forever in these things (Isa 65:18).