Psalm 27 — Unto you will I cry, O Lord

^27:1^ A psalm for David himself. Unto you will I cry, O Lord. O my God, be not silent to me; lest you be silent to me, I become like those who go down into the pit.

^27:2^ Hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication when I pray to you, when I lift up my hands to your holy temple.

^27:3^ Hand me not over together with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity destroy me not, who speak peace with their neighbor, but evils are in their hearts.

^27:4^ Give them according to their works, and according to the wickedness of their inventions. Give to them according to the works of their hands; render to them their reward.

^27:5^ Because they have not understood the works of the Lord, and the operations of his hands. You shall destroy them, and shall not build them up.

^27:6^ Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard the voice of my supplication.

^27:7^ The Lord is my helper and my protector; in him my heart has hoped, and I have been helped. And my flesh has flourished again, and with my will I will give praise to him.

^27:8^ The Lord is the strength of his people, and the protector of the salvation of his anointed.

^27:9^ Save, O Lord, your people, and bless your inheritance, and rule them and exalt them forever.

247. In the previous psalm, the psalmist showed the trust that he had in God; now here he adds a psalm of prayer that he might not fail in trust.

The title of the psalm is a psalm for David himself. It is said that, according to the literal sense, some psalms refer to the person of David. This one is among these and seems to pertain to David himself.

Or it could be that he made this himself and he sang this and others.

In the mystical sense, this psalm is titled not for the figurative David, but the true David, namely, Christ. For in this psalm the prayer of Christ to the Father that he be freed from suffering evils is treated mystically.

Therefore, he does three things in this psalm.

First, he asks to be heard;

second, he puts forward his petition, at hand me not over;

third, he gives thanks, at blessed be the Lord.

Now there are two reasons for his petition to be heard.

The first reason is imminent danger.

The second reason is his devotion, at hear, O Lord.

He makes three points about his danger.

First, he shows his unfailing intention to pray.

Second, he asks to be heard, at be not silent.

Third, he describes his imminent danger, at be not silent.

He shows his intention to pray when he says, O Lord, I cry to you, not once but continuously. We ought always to pray (Luke 18:1). Pray without ceasing (1 Thess 5:17).

Afterwards, he asks to be heard: be not silent, O my God. The usual way of speaking is that, when someone hears a prayer, he is said to respond to it. Therefore, God is seen to respond when he fulfills the will of the one praying. You shall call me, and I will answer you (Job 14:15). Therefore, be not silent, that is, do not withhold your response from me. My justice shall answer for me tomorrow (Gen 30:33).

Afterwards, his imminent danger is shown: lest you be silent to me. It is true even of the perfect man that, if he is sent away from you, he will fail. Destruction is your own, O Israel; your help is from me (Hos 13:9). For if you are ever silent by not hearing me, I become like those who go down into the pit, that is, to hell. But yet you shall be brought down to hell, into the depth of the pit (Isa 14:15). My life is fallen into the pit (Lam 3:53).

Jerome has, lest you being silent, I become similar to those.

Now mystically, the gloss says that this is said in the person of Christ, because Christ cried that he not be deserted by the divinity. (Peter Lombard, Magna glossatura (Patrologia Latina [Migne], 191:277).) And he says, be not silent, by withdrawing the favor of the Resurrection from me, and lest you be silent, that is, lest you desert me in the Passion. Otherwise I may seem to be like other men descending into the pit, as my enemies think. I am counted among those who go down into the pit (Ps 87:5).

248. Another reason that he asks to be heard is the devotion of his prayer.

Now this devotion consists in two things:

the interior things of the heart

and exterior works.

It consists in interior things, since God is a spirit, and those who adore him should be spiritual. The true adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and in truth (John 4:23). And so he says, hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication when I pray to you.

But we should be reverent in our performance and exterior signs, so he says, when I lift up my hands to your holy temple.

This is read in two ways.

Either according to the literal sense, according to the gloss: the Jews had the precept that wherever they were, they would pray towards the place where they knew Jerusalem was.

Or, when I lift up, that is, I raise, my hands to your temple, that is, towards heaven. The Lord is in his holy temple (Ps 10:5). Therefore, I will pray not only in the devotion of my heart; I will also pray in exterior signs towards heaven, and I will show a certain devotion.

Or, when I lift up my hands, that is, my works, to the temple, that is, I direct them towards God. Let my prayer, that is, my works, be directed as incense (Ps 140:2).

It can also be explained about Christ, since he lifted up his hands towards the temple in that he did not condemn it, but he approved it by expelling those selling and buying in it.

Or, he extended his hands on the Cross. All the day long have I spread my hands to a people who believes not, but contradicts me (Isa 65:2; Rom 10:21). To the temple, that is, the Church, built by his Passion.

249. Hand me not over together with the wicked and with the workers of iniquity. Here he puts forward the petition that he not be shaken in the same punishment with the impious.

He makes two points about this.

First, he describes their guilt;

and second, he describes their punishment, at give them according to their works.

In regard to the first, he shows their guilt, mentioning their sins—that is, their evil intention and evil action.

I say, hear, O Lord, my voice, and do this when I pray, that I may be delivered from the destruction of sinners.

Although the just are often together with sinners during life, nevertheless they will not be with them at the judgment. He separated the good from the evil (cf. Matt 25). Distinguish my cause from the nation that is not holy (Ps 42:1). Will you destroy the just with the wicked? (Gen 18:23).

And so he says, hand me not over, to damnation, together with the wicked. Properly, wicked sinners are those who sin out of habit or have the intention of sinning in regard to the act and the execution of the sin.

Someone carries out the act of sinning in two ways:

through manifest injustice

and through deceit. And this is the one who speaks of peace to others.

About those who do injustice he says, with the workers of iniquity destroy me not. Those are said to be workers of iniquity who openly do injustice. Although not every sin is specifically an act of injustice, every sin does involve injustice insofar as it does not render obedience to God.

About those who carry out deceit, he says, who speak peace with their neighbor.

And he describes two things about them.

Sweet words are in their mouth. By pleasing speeches and good words, they seduce the hearts of the innocent (Rom 16:18). A man who speaks to his friend with flattering and dissembling words spreads a net for his feet (Prov 29:5).

They have something else in their heart; so it follows, but evils are in their hearts, those which they prepare for their enemies. With his mouth he speaks peace with his friend and secretly lies in wait for him (Jer 9:8).

This can all be referred to Christ, who was considered to be among the criminals on the Cross (Isaiah 53). But he asks that he not be handed over with them—that is, crucified with them for the same cause—because their suffering or condemnation was because of their own sins, but the suffering of Christ because of our iniquity.

Likewise, do not hand me over unjustly to the same end with sinners, that is, not in accordance with the intention of those who intended the name of Christ to perish. And these are those who spoke peace to their neighbor, and to Christ when they tested him to ensnare him in speech, but evils were in their hearts, that is, evil intentions, to ensnare him so they could apprehend him (Matt 22).

It follows: give them according to their works, and according to the wickedness of their inventions.

250. Give to them according to the works of their hands. Here he discusses their tribulation and punishment.

First, he touches upon the punishment itself;

second, the justice of the punishment, at according to their works;

third, its endurance, at because they have not understood . . . you shall destroy them.

A double guilt is posited:

one exterior, which is of the mouth;

another interior, which is of the heart.

And so he says in regard to the exterior guilt, give them according to their works. For you will render to every man according to his works (Ps 61:13). Give: take it as foretelling, that is, you will give. He says this either by conforming himself to the divine justice: the just shall rejoice when he shall see the revenge (Ps 57:11); or it can be referred to Christ. You, O Lord Father, give them according to their works, as if to say, “Something of value did come from my Passion, but you give them, namely, sinners, not according to its fruits but according to their intention, which was evil.” For their works were evil (John 3:19).

In regard to the interior guilt, he says, according to the wickedness of their inventions. Inventions are their ways of thinking how to do evil and to sin. And these are punished gravely by God, but they should be given a just punishment.

So the literal sense continues: he says, give to them according to the works of their hands, which were not forced; rather, they sinned voluntarily out of their own depravity. So their works are the works of their hands.

According to this text as applied to Christ, he says, according to the works of their hands, since although the Jews did not crucify Jesus with their own hands, nevertheless their tongues and hands did bring about this crime, since it was done through their power.

So he says, render to them their reward, that as they did this by their evil intention, so render evil to them. With what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again (Matt 7:2).

251. Because they have not understood the works of the Lord, and the operations of his hands. Above, the psalmist put forward the punishment deserved by the evil and its justice. Afterwards he describes here the endurance of their punishment, and he does two things in this verse.

First, he touches upon the irrevocable nature of the punishment;

second, its cause.

Now it should be known that a man sins frequently, and by this he incurs the guilt of punishment, but sometimes a man is moved to fear by many acts of the divine justice, and he is moved to hope through the works of mercy, and because of these he is converted to penitence and healed. But if he endures in sin through habit and his understanding perishes, there is no hope of salvation. Because no one understands, they shall perish forever (Job 4:20). Blind the heart of this people (Isa 6:10). And so he puts forwards the lack of understanding as the cause of irrevocable punishment.

It should be known that not every work is a work of the hands but only those that are exterior, for indeed there are interior works. So in regard to God there are some spiritual things which he works in us. You have wrought all our works for us, Lord (Isa 26:12). Certain corporeal things are of heaven. For the works of Christ are spiritual, such as the salvation of the faithful, but the miracles are corporeal. The works which I do give testimony to me (John 5:36).

And so he says, because they have not understood the works of the Lord, namely, spiritual things, and the operations of his hands, namely, the corporeal, you shall destroy them, and you will so destroy them that you shall not build.

And this refers to a twofold destruction:

one spiritual, since they are destroyed by falling away from the faith, although not from the notice of God. Scatter them by your power and bring them down (Ps 58:12).

But nevertheless, these who are so destroyed are sometimes rebuilt, as Peter was, and so these are rebuilt or they will be rebuilt towards the end of the world. Blindness in part has happened in Israel until the fullness of the gentiles should come in and so all Israel shall be saved (Rom 11:25–26).

Or it refers to corporeal destruction, since what the Romans destroyed has never been rebuilt, nor will it ever be rebuilt.

Or they were destroyed by the Babylonians and raised up again by the Persians.

Or they were destroyed by Antiochus and raised up by the Romans. But they were finally destroyed by the Romans so as to never be rebuilt.

252. Blessed be the Lord. Here he gives thanks as though he has been heard.

And first, he gives thanks for the favors given to him.

Second, he gives thanks for the favors given to the whole people: the Lord is the strength.

He makes two points regarding the first.

First, he gives thanks that he has been heard;

second, he shows in what he was heard, at the Lord is my helper.

Therefore, he says, I have asked and my petition was heard, so blessed be the Lord. For us to bless God is to cause goodness in ourselves, for he spoke and they were made (Ps 148:5). For us to bless God is to know his goodness by which we are made good, and nothing is added to him from this.

Nevertheless, we should do this for all his favors. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies (2 Cor 1:3). Bless the God of heaven . . . because he has shown his mercy to you (Tob 12:6). And so he says, for he has heard the voice of my supplication, that is, the devotion of my heart. Prayer avails much (Jas 5:16).

253. Here he shows how he was heard, that is, that the help of God followed.

And he makes three points regarding this.

First, he describes the favor of divine help;

second, his deserving of the favor, at in him my heart has hoped;

third, the effect of the favor, at and my flesh has flourished.

Man is in need of the divine help for two reasons: to do good and to be delivered from evils and advance in the good.

In regard to divine help for doing good he says, the Lord is my helper. Without me you can do nothing (John 15:5). The Lord God is my helper (Isa 50:7).

In regard to the being delivered from evils, he says, and my protector, a protector from evil as a shield protecting man from exterior arrows. In the shadow of his hand he has protected me (Isa 49:2). You have protected me from the assembly of the malignant (Ps 63:3).

But for what merit do you defend me? Certainly nothing of my own? No. But not for another reason except that in him my heart has hoped, as though I trust in him from intimate affection. In you I put my trust; let me not be ashamed (Ps 24:2). And so, I have been helped. Those who hope in the Lord shall renew their strength (Isa 40:31).

Now all these things can be referred to Christ insofar as he is man, for as God he himself helps and protects all together with the Father. Insofar as he is man he is helped and protected by the Father. And so it follows, in him my heart has hoped.

The effect of the help is described here in regard to two effects:

first, in regard to the flesh;

second, in regard to the soul, so he says, and my flesh has flourished again.

Man’s youth is compared to a flower, since just as a flower is a sign of fruit to come, so the youth of a man is a sign of his future life. In the morning he shall grow up like grass (Ps 89:6). Therefore, flesh shall then flourish again when the old will be rejuvenated. For a man seems to grow old in sadness, but in joy he seems to become young again. Nevertheless in Christ it flourished like a noble and incorruptible flower.

In the first man, his flesh flourished through the purity of innocence, but it was soiled by sin. But in Christ it flourished again in the Resurrection, for it was conceived without sin by the Holy Spirit. A flower shall rise up out of his root (Isa 11:1).

Likewise, in the first state, human nature flourished because it was incorruptible, but through sin it became subject to corruption. The body is dead through sin (Rom 8:10). But Christ flourished again in the Resurrection. And our bed is flourishing (Song 1:15).

In regard to the soul, it is said, and with my will I will give praise to him. As long as the soul is in sin, it is against the will of God and turned to temporal things, but when it is repaired through conversion, then the will is converted to God and confesses God by praising him.

Or if this is said of Christ, it refers to his members, the faithful. I will freely sacrifice to you, and will give praise, O God, to your name because it is good (Ps 53:8).

254. The Lord is the strength of his people. Here he gives thanks for the favors of the people.

First, he describes the favors already presented;

second, he asks that they be continued, at save, O Lord, your people.

These are the same favors which had been done for him when he says, the Lord is my helper.

He says they were done for the people when he says, the Lord is the strength of his people. The people of the Jews were delivered through me from the Philistines. And Christ is the strength of his people who are delivered by him from sin. The Lord is my strength . . . and he has become my salvation (Isa 12:2). My protector and I have hoped in him (Ps 143:2).

And here he is the protector of the salvation, that is, he protects those who were saved through Christ. There is no other name under heaven . . . in which we may be saved (Acts 4:12). Therefore, Christ protects us in the present so that we may not fall into sin, and so he is the salvation, that is, of those predestined to salvation whom he will protect in the future, delivering them from every evil. They shall no more hunger nor thirst, neither shall the sun fall on them, nor any heat (Rev 7:16).

255. Save, O Lord, your people. Here he shows the endurance of the favors or of salvation.

First, he describes the salvation;

second, its way, at bless.

Therefore, he says, O Lord, you are my protector. Save your people, that is, I ask that you lead them to salvation. I pray not that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from evil (John 17:15). Israel is saved by the Lord with an eternal salvation (Isa 45:17).

Afterwards, he describes the way of coming to salvation, to reach which three things are required:

namely, the gift of grace,

governance,

and spiritual progress.

In regard to grace, he says, and bless your inheritance, that is, confirm his gifts. The blessing of the Lord is upon the head of the just (Prov 10:6). And he says, inheritance, because the elect are an inheritance. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord (Ps 32:12).

In regard to governance, he says, rule them, since even with grace governance is necessary. Where there is no governor, the people shall fall (Prov 11:14).

In regard to spiritual progress, he says, and exalt them, that is, advance them through progress forward, forever.

This can be understood in two ways.

First, it is in the intellect, when it is elevated to the clear knowledge of the truth. Behold my servant shall understand, he shall be exalted (Isa 52:13).

Second, it is in the affections, when he does not desire carnal things but spiritual. Having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ (Phil 1:23). For he is removed from this life to the life of glory. I will lift you up above the high place of the clouds and I will feed you (Isa 58:14).