Psalm 39 — With expectation I have waited

^39:1^ Unto the end, a psalm for David himself. ^39:2^ With expectation I have waited for the Lord, and he was attentive to me. ^39:3^ And he heard my prayers, and brought me out of the pit of misery and the mire of dregs. And he set my feet upon a rock, and directed my steps. ^39:4a^ And he put a new canticle into my mouth, a song to our God.

^39:4b^ Many shall see and shall fear, and they shall hope in the Lord. ^39:5^ Blessed is the man whose trust is in the name of the Lord and who has not had regard to vanities and lying follies.

^39:6^ You have multiplied your wonderful works, O Lord my God, and in your thoughts there is no one like to you. I have declared and I have spoken; they are multiplied above number.

^39:7^ Sacrifice and oblation you did not desire; but you have perfected ears for me. Burnt offering and sin offering you did not require. ^39:8^ Then said I, “Behold, I come.” In the head of the book it is written of me ^39:9^ that I should do your will. O my God, I have desired it, and your law in the midst of my heart.

^39:10^ I have declared your justice in a great church; lo, I will not restrain my lips; O Lord, you know it. ^39:11^ I have not hid your justice within my heart: I have declared your truth and your salvation. I have not concealed your mercy and your truth from a great council.

^39:12^ Withhold not, O Lord, your tender mercies from me. Your mercy and your truth have always upheld me. ^39:13^ For evils without number have surrounded me; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I was not able to see. They are multiplied beyond the hairs of my head and my heart has forsaken me.

^39:14^ Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; look down, O Lord, to help me. ^39:15^ Let them be confounded and ashamed together, who seek after my soul to take it away. Let those be turned backward and be ashamed who desire evils to me. ^39:16^ Let those immediately bear their confusion, who say to me, “It is well, it is well.” ^39:17^ Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you and let such as love your salvation say always, “The Lord be magnified.”

^39:18^ But I am a beggar and poor; the Lord is careful for me. You are my helper and my protector; O my God, do not delay.

415. In the preceding psalms, the psalmist asked for divine help against the malice of the wicked, and he showed his intention to be cautious; now here he treats his trust in the divine help.

He makes two points regarding this.

First, he describes the trust itself;

second, he treats the mercy which is the cause of the trust, at blessed is he who understands (Ps 40:2).

He makes two points about the first.

First, he recalls the trust that he has in God, which comes from the past;

second, by asking for the future, at withhold not, O Lord.

He considers the past blessings in two ways.

First, by listing past favors, he recalls the trust that he has in God;

second, he shows the mercy of God through which he does good, at you have multiplied.

This psalm mystically treats the change of the Old Covenant to the New.

The title is unto the end, a psalm for David.

In other psalms, the end is understood to be Christ. The end of the law is Christ (Rom 10:4). Here, the end can be taken as the New Covenant, which is the end of the Old. The end of the commandment is charity (1 Tim 1:5).

He recalls three things concerning the trust that comes from the past favors.

First is the effectiveness of trust in general.

Second, he touches on it in particular, at he set.

Third, he shows that this is also found in others, at many shall see.

He considers two aspects of trust in general.

First, he treats the trust, showing its effect;

second, the sign of trust.

Therefore, he says, with expectation I have waited for the Lord. This text can be understood in the literal sense to say that David, in his own person, waited for the divine help many times.

But since it is spoken in the person of the Church, it is better understood as about the human race as a person, expecting the grace of the New Covenant.

And he says, with expectation I have waited for the Lord, to show its continuation, since although he may delay, he will not fail. If he make any delay, wait for him, for he shall surely come (Hab 2:3). And so the just man should always keep his trust in God, since he does not fail those who hope in him.

Or it can be referred to various states of expectation, since the patriarchs and prophets and all others waited, as is commonly held.

He joins attention to his exterior expectation when he says, and he was attentive to me, since, although God hears all, nevertheless he is not attentive to all, since not all are directed towards the good, and so he was attentive to me, that is, to what was useful to me.

Prayer is a sign of trust, since no one really asks unless he hopes to be heard. And so he says, and he heard my prayers. He has regard to the prayer of the humble (Ps 101:18).

And he brought me out of the pit of misery. Here he describes the effect of trust in those things in which he is heard in particular.

He touches on three of them.

First is deliverance from evils.

Second is a gathering together of goods, at and he set my feet upon a rock.

Third is thanksgiving for both, at and he put a new canticle into my mouth.

Now there are two evils which men flee, the evil of misery and that of punishment.

In regard to the first, he says, he brought me out of the pit of misery. This can be referred to the temporal misery in which David often found himself. It is called a pit of temporal misery because of its depth and size. It can also be applied to the misery of guilt, since sin makes nations miserable (Prov 14:34). And both can be traced back to the guilt of carnal vices, when he says, out of the pit of misery, that is, from the depths of carnal sins.

Or it can be referred to the spiritual sins by which a just man becomes involved in sin, so he says, out of the mire of dregs. When referring to carnal sins he does not speak of mire simply, but that of the dregs, or of the dung, according to Jerome, since neither is the mire on the earth corrupt, nor are dregs stinking or abominable.

Or it is the pit of misery, that is, the lower regions from which the saints were led by Christ. And the mire is the disgrace from which the saints were led but in which the demons are detained.

Afterwards he treats the gathering together of goods, in which he describes two things which should be praised.

First is that a man stand fast in goods, and in regard to this he says, he set my feet upon a rock, that is, he set my affections by which I go forward into the spiritual way. Rock is said to mean the firmness of divine help. The Lord is my rock (2 Sam 22:2). Or Christ is called the rock. And the rock was Christ (1 Cor 10:4). And so he stands firm upon the rock, that is, upon the divine help. Or, he sets my feet, that is, my affections, upon Christ.

Second is that he advance in goods, and in regard to this he says, and he directed my steps, that is, he pointed me to the better things. The heart of a man disposes his way, but the Lord must direct his steps (Prov 16:9).

Afterwards he gives thanks, as if to say, “What we praise is above my strength, because it is above all praise.” So God is worthy to be praised by God, so he says, and he put a new canticle in my mouth. Do you seek a proof of Christ who speaks in me? (2 Cor 13:3).

It is a new canticle, that is, about new favors, and they are this: the work of the Incarnation. The Lord has created a new things upon the earth: a woman shall compass a man (Jer 31:22).

Also new is the way of deliverance: by his own blood he entered once into the holies, having obtained eternal redemption (Heb 9:12).

And the Lord put a new canticle in my mouth, because the new canticle is the New Testament. And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, the faithful mercies of David (Isa 55:3). No man could say the canticle except those hundred forty-four thousand (Rev 14:3).

So there is a new king, a new law, and new joy.

The men of the Old Testament sang old songs: an eye for an eye, a life for a life. They also descended to hell, since the gates of the kingdom were closed; the Cherubim, in whose hands were a sharp sword, guarded paradise.

But all the men of the New Law sing a new song, which the new man, Christ, brought. Behold, I make all things new (Rev 21:5). The new people sings a new song: about the Incarnation of the Lord, the Resurrection, the Ascension, the Nativity, and the other things of this kind.

So when carrying out the solemn precepts, the ministers of the Church are clothed in white, or sing and speak wearing silken decoration, since no one may presume to sing a new canticle unless made new.

I sing a song not about vanity, nor about dirty things, but which pleases God, so he says, a hymn or a song which pleases our God—that is, the praise of God. A hymn, O God, becomes you in Zion (Ps 64:2). Singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord (Eph 5:19).

416. Many shall see and shall fear. Here is discussed its usefulness for others, that is, for the conversion of others.

First, he describes the usefulness itself;

second, he mentions its fruit, at blessed is the man.

This is the order of conversion. It first happens that a man sees that to which he should be converted, so he say, many shall see, that is the birth of Christ.

Many earlier peoples expected to see him. Afterwards, he was seen upon earth and conversed with men (Bar 3:38).

Simeon saw him whom he received in the temple, as did many others. My eyes have seen your salvation (Luke 2:30). Many prophets and kings have desired to see the things that you see, and have not seen them (Luke 10:24).

Or many saw the miracles of Christ. We have seen wonderful things today (Luke 5:26), either through faith or with the eyes.

Second, he should fear him to whom he should be converted, so he says, and shall fear. The fear of the Lord drives out sin, for he who is without fear cannot be justified (Sir 1:28, 27).

Third is hope: for we are saved by hope (Rom 8:24). For unless hope comes with fear a man will flee from God. And so there should be fear, by which he flees sin, and hope, by which he approaches God.

The fruit will be beatitude, so he says, blessed is the man whose trust is in the name of the Lord.

Here he first describes the fruit, which is beatitude,

and those to whom it belongs, those who cling to God.

He first describes the correct opinion and excludes the false.

The correct opinion is that beatitude belongs to none but those who have hope in him. Blessed are all those who wait for him (Isa 30:18). And so he says, blessed is the man whose trust is in the name of the Lord. This name of Jesus is true hope, since in it is salvation. So he is blessed who does not expect temporal things from him, but the eternal salvation which his name promises. So those who hope for the salvation of God are blessed.

Or, blessed is the man whose trust is in the name of the Lord, that is, whose trust is in the invocation of the name of the Lord. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will call upon the name of the Lord our God (Ps 19:8).

It is a false opinion that blessedness consists in temporal things or in the worship of idols, and he excludes this when he says, and who has not regard to vanity, that is, for temporal things and pleasures, in which are included all things that belong to pleasures and temporal goods. Vanity of vanities (Eccl 1:2).

He excludes the second when he says, lying follies, that is the worship of idols in which false images are crafted—images which men consider to be deities. Likewise, many lascivious, unclean, and cruel things are practiced there. They are mad while they are merry (Wis 14:28).

They were false, since they were established in falsity and not founded upon the divine power, which was not fitting for them. Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the many follies in their midst (Amos 3:9). To these pertain all vain and noxious superstitions, such as necromancy, divination, and augury.

Or this is said about madness, irascibility, brawls, or the vain spectacles of games.

417. You have multiplied your wonderful works, O Lord my God. Above, the psalmist, speaking as Christ or the Church, explained his trust and its effect, namely, the many favors of God; now here, he shows the cause of this trust—namely, how it moves one to confession, and hope, and leads to merit.

And so, one cause of trust is many temporal goods, which are like certain repayments which a man gives to God for his benefits. What shall I render to the Lord (Ps 115:12).

And so this can be explained in two ways:

since the merits of Christ are the cause of trust,

and repayment belongs to merits. This consists in preaching the divine truth.

He makes three points about this.

First, he puts forwards the meritorious action, the announcement of the divine works.

Second, he gives the reason for the announcement, at sacrifice and oblation you did not desire.

Third, he puts down its mode, at I have declared your justice.

He considers three things regarding the action.

First, he shows that the mercy which must be declared is abundant.

Second, he shows the cause or necessity of this declaration: they are multiplied. The matters declared are abundant.

And this is first in regard to the multiplication of the divine works since you have multiplied your wonderful works. And this is found in the works of nature. Who does wonderful and searchable things (Job 5:9). Wonderful are your works (Ps 138:14).

And he is sufficient in himself to do wonders, since he is not instructed by another, but acts through his own thoughts. So he says, and in your thoughts, namely, through the ordinances of your wisdom. You have made all things in wisdom (Ps 103:24). To whom have you given counsel? (Job 26:3). Surely not to God! Who has been his counselor? (Rom 11:34). He is great and sufficient in his work.

Likewise, he excels in both, since he works wonders, as when he made Peter to walk on the sea, and did a multitude of other wonderful works which can be included here.

And no one can be compared to him in works, or even in thoughts. So he says, there is no one like to you. There is none among the gods like unto you, O Lord (Ps 85:8), in regard to the first. For as the heavens are exalted above the earth, so are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts (Isa 55:9), in regard to the second.

Therefore, you have an overflow of material to declare, so he adds, I have declared and I have spoken. And he says, I have declared, in which he points out the manifestation of the divine works, and I have spoken, as if to say, “I have expressly spoken with words rather than with a gesture.”

Or he points out the order of preachers.

Or, I have declared, I, Christ, through the prophets, and I have spoken, I, myself in my own person. I myself spoke, “Behold, I am here” (Isa 52:6).

The necessity of preaching is found in the multitude of evils: they are multiplied above the number of goods. And so this needs to be declared to diminish the evils and increase the goods. How straight is the way that leads to life . . . and how wide is that which leads to destruction (Matt 7:14, 13).

Or, they are multiplied above number: the number of fools is infinite (Eccl 1:15).

Or it can be taken otherwise to signify the effect of preaching, that is, the good are multiplied through preaching, over an estimable number. May the Lord God . . . add to this number a thousand (Deut 1:11). Many are the children of the desolate, more than of her who has a husband (Isa 54:1).

Jerome has it differently: you have multiplied your wonderful works, my God, and your thoughts for us, that is, for our salvation. I think thoughts of peace (Jer 29:11). I have not found their order, before you. And this is said, that there is no one like to you.

And Jerome continues, if I desire to declare and express them, they are more than I can declare, as if to say, “There are more than it is possible to number.” For so Jerome describes the effect of the divine works when he says, they are multiplied above number.

418. Burnt offering and sin offering you did not require. Here, he gives the reason why he is giving this recompense to God for the benefits, or why he has declared them.

He assigns a twofold cause to this.

First, he puts forward the divine will as a cause;

second, his own intention, at then I said.

About the first, it should be known that in the Old Testament, they offered various sacrifices for the benefits received from God, and in general there were four types of these which were offered to God. (Cf. ST I-II, q. 102, a. 3, ad 10.) For every sacrifice is an oblation, but not every oblation is a sacrifice, since a sacrifice implies that a part of it is made holy.

So, when there was nothing in the oblation except what was for the usage of the priest, it was a pure oblation;

when only part of it went there (think, for example, of what was burnt), then it was called a sacrifice.

Now there were three kinds of sacrifices in the Old Testament.

One was considered the most worthy, which was called a holocaust.

The second sacrifice was for sin.

The third was a victim, or peace offering.

The first was completely burnt up, and this was most acceptable, and it is named from holon, which means “total.”

In the offering for sin, part was burnt up and another part was given for the use of the priest, and nothing went for the use of the one offering, since they gave it for sin.

There were variations only in two cases:

when it was offered for the sin of the priest, and then the whole was burnt up, since nothing was to remain there.

It was the same when it was offered for the whole people, since there were priests among them.

Now, a victim was divided into three parts. One was offered to God, another was given to the priests, and another was given to those making the offering. He touches on all of these here.

He touches on the peace offering when he says, sacrifice.

He touches on the simple oblation when he says, and oblation you did not desire.

He touches on the holocaust when he says, holocaust and sin offering, as if to say, “You have accomplished many favors for me, and I desire to give back to you, but not sacrifice and that sort of thing, since you do not want them in the time of the New Testament, since then the figures ceased and the other sacrifices were figures of the true sacrifice, namely, Christ.” And so after Christ, the temple is destroyed, and the sacrifices ceased. So the Jews kept using these for a little while, namely, while the circumcision was a sign.

Or, you did not desire, that is, you have not accepted for their own sake the good works which man does, for those things which are accepted by God for their own sake are the work of justice, faith, and virtue. Now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you but that you fear the Lord your God and walk in his ways and love him and serve your God with all your heart and all your soul (Deut 10:12).

But he does not accept oblations for their own sake. Shall I eat the flesh of bullocks? (Ps 49:13). No. But what should I do? Offer to God the sacrifice of praise (Ps 49:14).

Why, therefore, were they appointed in the law?

I respond. For two reasons: as figures of the future sacrifice—all these things happened to them in figure (1 Cor 10:11)—and as a precaution, so that they would not offer them to idols, turning away to idolatry while they lived in the midst of the nations, to which the children of Israel were prone at the beginning of the law. (Cf. ST I-II, q. 102, a. 3, resp.)

But in Exodus there is no mention of sacrifices until after the people adored the calf. I spoke not to your fathers and I commanded them not in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning the matter of burnt offerings and sacrifices (Jer 7:22).

The sacrifice of the New Law, which contains Christ himself, which is acceptable to God in itself, is different from this.

You have perfected ears for me. Another text has, a body. And so the Apostle takes it: a body you have fitted to me (Heb 10:5). And this is the sense: you have desired another sacrifice in the New Covenant, since another sacrifice came. For I have given my body, so that I may offer a holy sacrifice.

Or, you have perfected, that is, you have given me a body perfect, without stain.

Or, you have fitted, that is, unified me.

Or, you have perfected ears for me.

Or, you have opened, and this fits with what came before, since he wants us to offer the sacrifice of lips, that is, the preaching of the works of God, rather than animals.

And so he says, ears, as if to say, “You require from me what you principally gave to me, namely, the power to receive wisdom.” And so you ask that the wisdom which we receive is shown, so that we declare and preach it. The Lord God has opened my ear (Isa 50:5).

And you did not require, that is, did not accept, burnt offering and sin offering.

Or, you did not require a victim for sin. I desire not holocausts of rams and fat of fatlings and calves and blood and lambs and buck goats (Isa 1:11). For it is said that this holocaust is acceptable to God.

But because a holocaust is such a simple sacrifice, it is like when we do good works. If all our works are done for God, then it is a holocaust. And if we keep continence for a time, it is a sacrifice; if we keep perpetual virginity, then it is a holocaust, since these are works of perfection, so they are most acceptable to God. (Cf. ST II-II, q. 186, a. 1, resp.; a. 3, ad 6.)

Then I said, “Behold, I come.” Here he gives the cause on his part for the preaching of the divine works, by showing his intention.

First, he shows his intention.

Second, he shows that it conforms to the divine will, at in the head of the book it is written of me.

He wants these words particularly to be explained about David and to continue in this way, as if he says, behold, I come, by approaching you spiritually, and in the head of the book it is written of me. I have established you as the head of the tribes of Israel.

But since the Apostle explains this about Christ, we also should explain it about him. And so when he says, then, he shows the cause and necessity of the coming of Christ, since the sacrifices of the Old Covenant were not accepted by God, since the law brought nothing to perfection (Heb 7:19). For it is impossible that with the blood of oxen and goats sins should be taken away (Heb 10:4).

And so it was necessary, so that the true sacrifice could come, that it be manifested. And so he says, behold, I come, namely, through the Incarnation. And he says, behold, as if to say, “I am at hand because of my closeness.” Her time is at hand (Isa 14:1). Stir up your might and come (Ps 79:3).

And this intention is conformed to the divine will, so he says, in the head of the book. The book is Christ. A book is an instrument in which are found the thoughts of the heart. Now in Christ are the thoughts of the divine intellect. In whom are all hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3). The head of the book is God the Father. The head of Christ is God (1 Cor 11:3). Therefore, in the head of the book, that is, in the will of God the Father, it is written, that is, ordained, of me, that I am coming.

Or it can be understood otherwise. It is the book of predestination, which is the book of life. Let them be blotted out of the book of life, or of the living (Ps 68:29). In this book are written all who shall be saved, but in order, since the Savior is at the head of the book, and all are written through him. Whom he predestined to be made conformable to the image of his Son (Rom 8:29). He chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy (Eph 1:4). As if to say, “Nothing is written about Christ as it is about others, but he is at the head of the book.”

Or it is in the head of the book of Psalms, since the first psalm is written about Christ. Blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly (Ps 1:1). Therefore, he shows his intention to illuminate.

Afterwards, he shows his intention to obey, as he is man. Now, principally, there are in man two things: the will and the intellect. The will of man should be subject to the divine will, and the intellect should be directed according to the law of God. And so he says, O my God, Father insofar as I am God.

Or, O my God, insofar as I am man, I desired that I should do your will, which is my will, insofar as I am God. Not my will but yours be done (Luke 22:42).

Likewise, my intellect is guided by you. So he says, and your law in the midst of my heart; and he says, in the midst, since he knows the divine reasons perfectly.

419. I have declared your justice in a great church. Here the manner of his declaration is given.

We should declare three things about the divine:

his works of justice,

teachings of truth,

and the blessings of the divine mercy.

Here he says he has declared these three.

First, he says he has declared the works of justice: I have declared your justice, which justice he declared or preached in three ways:

first, publicly,

promptly,

and purely.

In regard to the first, he says, in a great church. So it is in a congregation made up of many. I have spoken openly to the world (John 18:20).

Or it is in the great church, that is, in the Catholic Church, since it is great in power and endurance. The gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matt 16:18). And it is great in its diffusion. From the rising of the sun even to the going down, my name is great (Mal 1:11).

In regard to the second, he says, lo, I will not restrain my lips, as if to say, “I do not give in to those who forbid it.” Grant unto your servants that with all confidence they may speak your word (Acts 4:29).

In regard to the third, he says, you know it, that is, you have approved my intention. You know all their counsel (Jer 18:23).

Or, you know it, that is, from eternal predestination.

It can be read in regard to Christ when he says, I have not hid your justice in my heart.

He confesses the teachings of truth when he says, your truth. Christ confessed this before Pilate. For this was I born and for this I came into the world, that I should give testimony to the truth (John 18:37). My mouth shall meditate truth (Prov 8:7).

And I have declared your salvation, since salvation comes to a man through the confession of truth. Everyone who shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Joel 2:32).

He confesses the blessings of mercy when he says, I have not concealed your mercy and your truth from a great council, since mercy and truth follow each other, and so he says, truth.

He does not put it here to mean the truth of doctrine, but the truth of justice in keeping his promises, since God is true. Now truth consists in that he gives what he promises, since he is not our debtor except insofar as he promises. (Cf. ST I, q. 21, a. 1, ad 3.)

420. Withhold not, O Lord. Above, the psalmist recalled the trust that he has in God, because of the past. Now here, he describes the trust that he has in God in regard the future, expressing this through prayer.

He makes two points about this.

First, he puts forward his prayer in general;

second, in particular, at be pleased.

He makes two points regarding the first.

First, he puts forward his petition.

Second, he gives a reason for his petition, at your mercy.

Therefore, he says, I have declared your justice. . . . But withhold not, O Lord, your tender mercies from me.

Some have already received the mercy of God, namely, those who enjoy grace and glory. The earth is full of the mercy of the Lord (Ps 32:5; Cf. Ps 118:64).

There are others who have no impediment to mercy, but are worthy of it. The Lord is nigh to all those who call upon him (Ps 144:18).

There are others in whom there is an impediment; thus he is far from them.

And so I ask that your mercy be not far from me because of my defects. And so this petition has a twofold reason,

one on the part of trust, which is engendered by the experience of the divine goodness.

Another is the need which he suffers.

There are two things by which God aids us, namely, his mercy, in that he generously gives to us those things which he did not even promise—but that the gentiles are to glorify God for his mercy (Rom 15:9)—and his truth, when he repays either what was promised, or for merit. And so these are united together, since he always does what he promises or gives abundantly.

These two are necessary to a man: mercy, that he might be drawn to the hope of glory, and truth, that he might trust. And in this we do not draw God to us through our merits, but God draws and has drawn us through them. And so he says, your mercy and your truth have always upheld me.

Another cause is the need caused by evils.

He describes two evils:

those which come from exterior things,

and others which are from the interior, at they have surrounded me.

In regard to the first, he says, for evils without number have surrounded me, which are evils that have been brought upon me by the world and by enemies. They surrounded me like bees (Ps 117:12). And he says, without number, since there are an infinite number of dangers in the world and an infinite number of evil men. The number of fools is infinite (Eccl 1:15).

The interior evils are sins, and these evils are dangerous in two ways:

because of their seriousness, since my iniquities have overtaken me, that is, my sins have bound me by their weight. His own iniquities catch the wicked (Prov 5:22). And I was not able to see: their own malice blinded them (Wis 2:21). Your iniquities have made a division between you and your God (Isa 59:2).

They are likewise dangerous because of their multitude. So he says, they are multiplied beyond the hairs of my head. For as there are innumerable hairs, so there are innumerable sins, and especially venial sins, since if they do not terrify because of their weight, they nevertheless terrify because of their multitude.

The gloss has, if you have avoided the serious obstacles, beware of the grains of sand, not that venial sins become a mortal sin, no matter however and whichever of them are done, but since they dispose us to it. (Glossa interlinearis.) In many things we all offend (Jas 3:2).

The effect of this is distraction of heart. Dying flies spoil the sweetness of the ointment (Eccl 10:1). And so he says, and my heart has forsaken me, as if to say, “Even if they do not take away charity, nevertheless they block its fervor and so distract the heart so it does not burn.” Your servant has found in his heart to pray this prayer to you (2 Sam 7:27).

Or, my heart has forsaken me, that is, I do not think of the things that are useful to me. The light of my eyes itself is not with me (Ps 37:11).

421. Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me. Here he makes his prayer explicit.

First, he sets forth the prayer in regard to himself;

second, in regard to the evil, at let them be confounded;

third, in regard to the good, at let them rejoice and be glad in you.

In regard to himself, he asks that he be delivered from evils: you deliver those who wait for you (Sir 51:12). And that he may be aided in reaching the goods to be sought, since your help is given to us through providence. And this does not come from my merits, but from your good pleasure. So he says, be pleased.

The condition of the persons who are his adversaries is shown when he says, to deliver me, from evils, or from men, or from sins. And notice that he says, be pleased, lacking no confidence in the mercy of God, as if to say, “If you want, you are able.”

And so he says, look down, O Lord, to help me, in good action, as if to say, “Look upon penitents in their sorrow.” God’s glance is our help.

Let them be confounded and ashamed together. Here he describes the defeat of his adversaries,

some of whom are deadly and seek to kill him.

There are some others who do not seek to kill, but only to harm.

There are others who seek to deride him in words, or to deceive him.

And three types of evils are pointed out here. These can be understood as leading either to good or to evil, since there are two types of shamed defeat.

One shame is good, which is that of penitence: what fruit therefore had you then in those things of which you are now ashamed? (Rom 6:21).

Another is the shame resulting from punishment.

Therefore, he says, let them be confounded, that is, let them be punished. And he prays this by conforming himself to the divine will or justice.

Or he says, let them be confounded, that is, let them repent, and be ashamed together, or with the fear of punishment.

In regard to the first is: whereas wickedness is fearful, for it bears witness of its own condemnation (Wis 17:10).

Or it is by fear spurring them on to penance. And this is for those who seek after my soul, that is, to kill him physically.

Or they seek souls to lead them into darkness. Give me the souls, and the rest take for yourself (Gen 14:21).

He asks that his bodily enemies be stopped, so he says, let them be turned back, to the good—that is, let them follow Christ, behind him (cf. Matt 16).

Or it is for evil, that is, that they may be cut off from their intention so that they fail. And let those be ashamed who think evil to me (Ps 69:4), that is, those who rejoice in my evils. All my enemies have heard of my evil; they have rejoiced that you have done it (Lam 1:21).

He asks that his petition against these enemies be heard quickly, since a delay will be harmful. For because sentence is not speedily pronounced against evil, the children of men commit evils without any fear (Eccl 8:11). And so he says, let them immediately bear their confusion, that is, let them be defeated quickly, since they are those who, by applauding, say to me, “It is well, it is well!” that is, they rejoice deceitfully as flatterers.

Or, it is well, that is, they laugh or insult. Jerome has this understanding, since for this word he has, vah, as the Jews mocked Christ (Matt 27:40).

For the good, he asks that they may rejoice in his help and his deliverance and may praise God. And in regard to the rejoicing in his help he says, let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. In regard to praising God is: and let such as love your salvation say always, “The Lord be magnified.”

Here he notes four things which are appropriate for the good.

First is that they love the salvation of God, which is Christ. My eyes have seen your salvation (Luke 2:30).

Second is that they seek the action of loving. In my bed I sought him (Song 3:1). Seek the Lord while he may be found (Isa 55:6).

Third is that they rejoice in the love they have found, so let them be rejoice. I will rejoice in the Lord (Hab 3:18). Rejoicing is an exterior sign of joy. In regard to the interior, gladness is like joy and an expansion of heart.

Fourth is thanksgiving and praise, so he says, and let them say always, “The Lord be magnified.” Rejoice and praise, O you habitation of Zion, for great is he who is in the midst of you, the Holy One of Israel (Isa 12:6).

422. But I am a beggar and poor. Here he notes the cause of his petition.

First, he puts forward his own weakness;

second, he puts the help of God against it.

Therefore, he says, “I ask for all this, since I cannot do anything by myself, since I am a beggar.”

And this can be read in two ways.

In one way it is said literally about Christ in his own person, he who lived in this world and was poor and a beggar. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that being rich he became poor for your sakes, that through his poverty you might be rich (2 Cor 8:9). He is called a beggar who seeks sustenance from another; he is poor who does not have enough to satisfy himself. And these can both be said about Christ. The Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head (Luke 9:58).

Or, I find it spiritually necessary to beg from God the help of grace, and I am poor, since the things which I have are not sufficient for me. And so, because I recognize this, the Lord is careful for me. And because I am in need, you are my helper and my protector. And because of the danger, do not delay. Lord, help me (Matt 15:25).