Psalm 45 — God is our refuge and strength

^45:1^ Unto the end, for the sons of Korah, for the hidden. ^45:2^ God is our refuge and strength: a helper in the troubles which have found us exceedingly. ^45:3^ Therefore, we will not fear when the earth shall be troubled, and the mountains shall be removed into the heart of the sea.

^45:4^ Their waters roared and were troubled; the mountains were troubled with his strength.

^45:5^ The stream of the river makes the city of God joyful; the Most High has sanctified his own tabernacle.

^45:6^ God is in the midst of it, it shall not be moved. God will help it in the morning early.

^45:7^ Nations were troubled, and kingdoms were bowed down; he uttered his voice, and the earth trembled.

^45:8^ The Lord of armies is with us; the God of Jacob is our protector.

^45:9^ Come and behold the works of the Lord, what wonders he has done upon earth, ^45:10^ making wars to cease even to the end of the earth. He shall destroy the bow, and break the weapons: and the shield he shall burn in the fire.

^45:11^ Be still and see that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, and I will be exalted on the earth. ^45:12^ The Lord of armies is with us, the God of Jacob is our protector.

462. After the psalmist asks for the divine help against the trials which he is suffering from enemies, when he says, O God, with our ears (Ps 43:2), and having been heard, describes the king’s glory, saying, my heart has uttered (Ps 44:2), now here, having been heard on behalf of the people, he describes the favor given to the people.

And just as the preceding psalm described Christ’s glory, so this psalm describes the favors extended to Christ’s faithful.

So the title, too, describes this, and it has a twofold text: unto the end, a psalm of David for the hidden.

The hidden things which were from the beginning are secrets, namely, that the Son of God would become man, that God would die, and that the nations would be converted to Christ. These were most secret. My secret to myself (Isa 24:16). Which was not known to the sons of men (Eph 3:5). And these were revealed through Christ. I will utter things hidden (Matt 13:35). Hidden things he has brought forth to light (Job 28:11).

Therefore, the psalm here tending unto the end, that is, unto Christ, is of David for the hidden, that is, for the manifestation of what is hidden.

Another text has: for the sons of Korah. Korah, which means “Calvary,” should be taken as standing for the Cross of Christ. Therefore, this psalm is associated with the faithful of Christ’s Cross, for the revelation of secrets.

Jerome has: for the living. For here he treats the topic of troubles, and how to find salvation from them. Therefore it is for the living, that is, for those who are preserved in life, and those who are preserved by God’s help are said to be “in secret.” You shall hide me in the secret of your face from the disturbance of men (Ps 30:21).

Therefore, this psalm is divided into two parts.

First, he discusses divine help against troubles;

second, he discusses the peace granted after troubles, at come and behold.

Regarding the first, he makes two points.

First, he puts forward the cause of these favors;

second, he explains the evils and the favors given in opposition to the evils, at they roared.

Regarding the first of these, he makes two points.

First, he describes the help of God against past troubles;

second, he describes the trust conceived concerning those in the future, at therefore, we will not fear.

Regarding the first, he makes two points.

He touches first on God’s help;

second, on the tribulation against which the divine help is given.

If anyone desires to help someone who is afflicted, he may do this in three ways.

First is that he receive him when he flees, and this is very little;

second, that he assist him in the present trouble;

third, that he offer him external help.

And God, who is a refuge, does these three things; and so he says: God is our refuge. The name of the Lord is a strong tower (Prov 18:10).

Likewise, he helps and strengthens those who are fighting and afflicted, and so he says: strength. He gives strength to the weary (Isa 40:29).

Likewise, he gives help exteriorly, directly, and through others, so he says: a helper. A helper in due time (Ps 9:10). This help is necessary in the troubles which have found us exceedingly.

These troubles are both spiritual and bodily.

The spiritual troubles are sins, and these find men exceedingly, since the pain of repentance is the greatest of all pains. I am afflicted and humbled exceedingly (Ps 37:9). And Christ is a refuge in this trouble, since he consoles them in it, and by him man is strengthened and helped.

The saints suffered bodily tribulations in the early Church. We were pressed out of measure (2 Cor 1:8), and so he says: exceedingly.

Jerome has: powerful help was found in troubles. And so the word exceedingly refers to the divine help.

Therefore we will not fear. As Psalm 26:1 says, the Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? (Ps 26:1), as if to say, “I shall fear no one.” And rightly, because God is our refuge and our strength, a helper in troubles which have found us exceedingly.

Second, he points out what things should be feared. Now, there are two: general trouble, and the oppression of the great. General trouble is when all are killed. The other is when the leaders are captured. In these, fear has a place.

But: I will not fear when the earth shall be troubled, that is, if the whole people is troubled, and the mountains shall be removed into the heart of the sea. Nor shall I fear even if the great are captured.

But mystically, the earth, which is firm, signifies the Jews who were firm and fixed in their knowledge of the one God, and were encircled by the nations, as the earth is surrounded by the sea and encircled by the waters. Your land is desolate (Isa 1:7), and so it signifies the persecution which the faithful suffered from the Jews, as if to say, “I will not fear when the Jews are disturbed by the preaching of Christ.” Herod, hearing this, was troubled (Matt 2:3).

And I will not fear because the mountains, that is, the apostles, will go over to the gentiles. Behold, we turn to the gentiles (Acts 13:46).

Into the heart of the sea, that is, to the dispersal of the nations, because the nations held the apostles in great reverence.

Or into the heart of the sea means, even to the far reaches and extremes of the earth. I will send you to the gentiles (Acts 22:21).

463. Their waters roared and were troubled. Here, he shows what the troubles are.

First, he describes them metaphorically;

second, he explains them.

Therefore, he says: their waters roared and were troubled.

According to Jerome it is: its waters. And this is a better text, and this is the sense: they were removed into the heart of the sea; its waters, that is, the sea’s, namely, the people, roared because of their anger. All your waves, you have brought in upon me (Ps 87:8).

But the mountains, that is, the leaders like Nero and others, were troubled with his strength, namely, God’s, since even the mountains are troubled by his strength.

The Hebrew has: in their pride.

Mystically, it can be read: the mountains roared, that is, the apostles, who are called mountains; the waters were troubled, that is, the people of the gentiles, at the sound of the mountains—that is, at the preaching of the apostles.

Waters signify wisdom, as if to say, “The waters, that is, the prophets of the gentiles, were troubled.” I will destroy the wisdom of the wise (1 Cor 1:19).

Or the mountains, that is, the apostles, were troubled, namely, exteriorly by tribulations, in the strength of the sea.

But this seems contradictory to say elsewhere: the just man is not troubled (cf. Ps 36:22–28).

But it should be said that it is true interiorly, since whatever befalls the just man will not make him sad.

464. The stream of the river. He described the troubles which the saints endured using a kind of image; now here he describes the divine consolation using another image, in regard to two qualities:

namely, in regard to the flowing out of divine grace,

and in regard to the consolation of the divine presence, at God is in the midst of it.

And as the trouble is expressed using the image of roaring and troubled waters, so the consolation is expressed using the image of a river, which signifies grace because of the abundance of waters, since in grace there is an abundance of gifts—the river of God is filled with water (Ps 64:10)—and also since it derives from a source, namely, the spring, but the spring does not, in turn, derive from the river, since the spring is the river’s source, and the Holy Spirit is from the Father and the Son. He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb (Rev 22:1).

Likewise, as a river moves sand and stones, so the Holy Spirit moves the heart to an act. Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water (John 7:38).

But, while some rivers move slowly, this one does not, since it is swift, so he says: the stream of the river.

And this can refer to two things:

first, that the Holy Spirit freely and immediately pours over the heart. Suddenly there came a sound from heaven (Acts 2:2).

In another way, it refers to the fact that the Holy Spirit of love moves the heart by its impulse. When he shall come as a violent stream (Isa 59:19). Whosoever are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God (Rom 8:14). The fountain of gardens . . . which run with a strong stream from Lebanon (Song 4:15).

Jerome has: the divisions of the river. And these are the graces of the Holy Spirit, since there are diversities of grace (1 Cor 12:4).

Its effect is twofold.

Joyfulness is one, and this is signified when he says: it makes the city of God joyful. And this is made clear from the authority of Sacred Scripture, which says: the kingdom of God is not food and drink but justice, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17). The fruit of the Spirit is peace, joy (Gal 5:22).

And the reason is because it makes one love God. And there is always joyfulness in this love, since one always delights in the presence of the beloved, and he who loves God has God present. He who abides in charity, abides in God (1 John 4:16).

This city is the Church. Glorious things are said of you, O city of God (Ps 86:3).

There are three things in this city which belong to its essence.

First is that there is a multitude of the free, since if there is only one, or a few, it is not a city, and so also if they are slaves. And this is particularly found in the Church: we are not children of the bondswoman, but of the free (Gal 4:31).

The second is that it is sufficient unto itself. For a village does not have all that is necessary for human life, either healthy or sick, but a city has all that is necessary for life. And this sufficiency is in the Church, since whatever is necessary for the spiritual life is found in it. We shall be filled with the good things of your house (Ps 64:5).

The third is the unity of the citizens, since it is called a city because of the unity of its citizens, since a city is, as it were, a unity of citizens. And this is true of the Church. That they may be one as we also are one (John 17:22). Therefore, this city is gladdened by the grace of the Holy Spirit descending upon it.

The second effect of the Holy Spirit is holiness, so he says: the Most High has sanctified his tabernacle. This tabernacle is, in one sense, the city itself. In a city, peaceful people dwell; in the tabernacle, the Church Militant, which has peace here on earth from God, nevertheless suffers disquietude from the world. In the world you shall have distress, . . . but in me peace (John 16:33).

And therefore, something is called a city from the first quality, and from the second a tabernacle.

Therefore, the Most High has sanctified it through his own blood. Jesus, that he might sanctify by his own blood (Heb 13:12).

Likewise, he sanctifies it through the sacraments, in which the power of Christ’s blood is at work. But you are washed, you are sanctified, but you are justified (1 Cor 6:11).

Or it can be taken otherwise. The principal tabernacle of a king or of a leader exists in a city or in the army; so in this city, that is, the Church, the principal tabernacle is Christ’s body. And this body is called a tabernacle: knowing that the laying away of my tabernacle is at hand (2 Pet 1:14).

And the body of Christ is a tabernacle, because in it exists the entire fullness of divinity. The Most High sanctified this tabernacle, not because it was not holy before, but because he himself formed it as holy in its conception; which was unique to Christ.

465. God is in the midst of it. Here, he describes the consolation from his presence.

First, he describes the favor of this presence;

second, its effect, at it shall not be moved.

Therefore he says: God is in the midst of it, namely, of the Church. Indeed, asserting that God is in you (1 Cor 14:25).

And he says, in the midst, to show that he is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34; Eph 6:9). Now, the “middle” is what is equally distant from two extremes. And God, insofar as he is in himself, is the same toward all. Jesus stood in the midst of the disciples (Luke 24:36). The tree of life in the midst of paradise (Gen 2:9).

Or he says, in the midst, because the heart is said to be in the middle of a man. Therefore, he is said to be in the midst because he dwells in our hearts.

The effect of God’s presence is twofold:

steadfastness against evil things,

and strength for good ones.

Therefore he says that God is in the midst of it, namely, of the city: it shall not be moved, that is, it is strong and steadfast. Those who trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion (Ps 124:1). The gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matt 16:18).

In regard to the second effect, he says: God will help it, for it is needs not only steadfastness against evil things, but help to accomplish good ones. Therefore he says: God will help it, that is, the Church, in the morning, early.

Morning means the source of good works. Some say that good begins from a natural principle and that its end and consummation are in God. But the morning is contrary to this: from its beginning, a good work is from God.

One source of a good work is on the part of the intellect, understanding; another is on the part of the will, and these are both from God, since we are not sufficient to think anything of ourselves, as the Apostle says, but our sufficiency is from God (2 Cor 3:5). Likewise in him is the capacity both to will and to accomplish (Phil 2:13), as the same Apostle says.

And by the added early, he signifies that the Church is helped by the spiritual illumination of the Holy Spirit. Arise, be enlightened (Isa 60:1).

Another text has by his countenance, and this could refer either to the present state—and then it signifies the presence of the help of the one who principally comes to his aid: show us your face, O Lord, and we shall be saved (Ps 79:4)—or to the future state, as if to say, “He is now in her midst and permits her to be shaken, but in the future he will furnish her with help through the vision of his countenance.” You shall make him joyful in gladness with your countenance (Ps 20:7).

This is the text in Hebrew. And thus morning and early are understood to mean the same thing, namely, the musing of early morning, since the best hour for contemplation is in the morning. In the morning I will stand before you (Ps 5:5). Likewise: I will meditate on you in the morning (Ps 62:7), as if to say, “God will help him with his countenance, that is, in the contemplation of his majesty.”

And these things can be referred to the Blessed Virgin Mary, since she is the city: he dwelt in her; the river’s stream, that is, the Holy Spirit, rejoiced her; he sanctified her in the womb of her mother, after her body was formed and her soul created. (Cf. ST III, q. 27, a. 1.) Then, at the beginning, the glory of the Lord came down upon the tabernacle (Exod 40:32).

And the sanctification of the Blessed Virgin was different from that of the other saints, since they were sanctified in such a way that they did not sin mortally but did sin venially. So: if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves (1 John 1:8). But the Blessed Virgin never sinned either mortally or venially. (Cf. ST III, q. 27, a. 4.) You are all fair, O my love (Song 4:7). And this is why he says: it shall not be moved, not even to venial sin.

And so he also says: God will help her in the morning, early, that is, from her coming to be in the womb. And this is why he says that the Lord helped her in the early morning.

466. Nations were troubled. Above, the psalmist laid out metaphorically the affliction of others and his own consolation; but here he explains plainly what was said.

First, about affliction,

and second, about consolation, at the Lord of armies;

and he explains it all in an orderly way.

Above, speaking about trouble, he says: they roared and were troubled, where he touched on the trouble and its cause, with his strength.

Likewise, he treated the troubling of the waters, and he explains it when he says: nations were troubled. The many waters are many peoples (Rev 17:15).

They were troubled, in an evil sense, because they raged against Christ.

Or in a good sense, because those who are converted to the good experience affliction because of their former way of life.

Likewise, he explains the mountains were troubled by saying that kingdoms were bowed down, that is, the kings of the earth were subjected to the faith of Christ. They shall worship you with their face towards the earth (Isa 49:23).

And he explains the reason when he says: he uttered his voice.

Above, he said: with his strength. In the Old Testament it says: he uttered his voice—this was first through the prophets and afterwards through himself. He thundered from heaven (Ps 17:14). Let your voice sound in my ears (Song 2:14).

At this voice the earth trembled, first Judea and afterwards the whole earth universally. With trembling shall the earth be moved (Isa 24:19).

Now, some were moved to evil by Christ’s voice, like the Pharisees and many others. Some were moved to good, like the apostles and those who were converted to the faith.

467. The Lord of armies. Here, he explains what he says about consolation, namely: God is in its midst. And he describes God helping, both his presence and his help.

He describes God in two ways, since he is the Lord of powers,

for he rules not only the lower creatures,

but also the heavenly powers.

It was not enough for man that angels were sent, whom he sent to give the Old Testament, but it was necessary that he come himself, so that he might make known that the human soul is of such excellence that it cannot be made happy except by the God of powers. Lord, look down from heaven and see (Ps 79:15).

And he is with us through the likeness of our flesh, taking the form of a servant (Phil 2:7); and likewise through a shared life, afterwards he was seen upon earth (Bar 3:38); and likewise through grace dwelling in us: that Christ may dwell by faith in your heart (Eph 3:17). And so he is called Emmanuel, that is, “God with us.”

The God of Jacob is our protector. Here, he shows the help which he has from God, since he is our protector, who protects us with his care. You, O Lord are my protector (Ps 3:4).

Or he shows how he is with us by taking on our nature. Nowhere does he take hold of angels, but of the seed of Abraham (Heb 2:16). Therefore, he says: the God of Jacob.

He is called the God of powers because of the gentiles, lest they believe that we have another God than him. He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, “I will declare your name to my brethren; in the midst of the Church I will praise you (Heb 2:11; Ps 21:23).

468. Come and behold. Here, he describes the resulting tranquility, and he uses a tripartite structure.

First, he arouses attention.

Second, he describes the tranquility.

And third, he brings in the conclusion.

First, he leads us into consideration of the divine works, and so he says: come by faith. We walk by faith (2 Cor 5:7). And behold, by eagerness and diligence. Come to me all you who labor (Matt 11:28).

And behold, that is, by considering the works of the Lord. The work of the Lord you regard not (Isa 5:12). This is said to sinners. Wonderful are your works (Ps 138:14). What wonders he has done upon earth. These works are wonders, which foreshadow something in the future.

They are also the wonders which were done in the time of Christ, either those surrounding the death of Christ or those which he worked during his life, which were all signs of future things. And they are upon earth, that is, above all natural power.

And he indicates what they are when he says: making wars cease.

First was the work of peace.

Second, he indicates the magnitude of this work.

Third, its usefulness, at he made wars cease, since at the time of the birth of Christ, peace had been achieved in the whole world. In his day justice shall spring up, and abundance of peace (Ps 71:7). There he has broken the powers (Ps 75:4).

And these works signify this peace, which Christ effected between God and human nature.

The physical extent of magnitude of this peace is shown by saying: even to the end of the earth, since there was universal peace.

In the literal sense, this was at the time of the nativity of Christ, since then civil wars had ceased and Octavius had subjugated the whole world. And this peace foreshadowed that peace which Christ would extend to all men. Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men (Luke 2:14).

The magnitude of this peace in time is also shown, since it is enduring. And he describes this ending nature: if a man fears war, he preserves his weapons. And so he says: he shall destroy the bow, and break the weapons, as if to say, “This peace will last so long that all will forget weapons. This peace will last so long that they shall turn their swords into plowshares, and their spears into sickles (Isa 2:4).”

And he describes the weapons of attack which wound from afar: he shall destroy the bow. I will break in pieces the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel (Hos 1:5).

And some wound from nearby, and these are the sword and lance.

Likewise, he describes weapons of defense, since the shield he shall burn with fire.

And these weapons signified the perpetuity of the peace which will come through Christ. His empire shall be multiplied, and there shall be no end of peace (Isa 9:7).

He shall destroy the bow—that is, deceitful plots: let their bow be broken (Ps 36:15)—and break the weapons, that is, the obvious traps. When a strong man, armed, keeps his court, those things are in peace which he possesses (Luke 11:21).

And the shield he shall burn in the fire, that is, the defenses of stubborn minds, by which they try to resist the divine will. His body is like molten shields, shut close up with scales pressing up against one another (Job 41:6). He will burn these with the fire of the Holy Spirit, which softens hardness of heart. I am come to cast fire on the earth (Luke 12:49).

469. Be still and see. Here is the goal of peace.

The goal of temporal peace, according to the Philosopher, is the contemplation of truth. So peace is a useful goal for the active life, and peace is ordered to contemplation.

And according to Augustine, Christ brought about the peace of the Roman empire so that the apostles could travel throughout the whole world. And so he explains the source of such peace: be still and see.

So it is clear that God gives peace so that they are free not for evil works, but for the contemplation of the truth. That you may be free for prayer (1 Cor 7:5). He will be free for the prophets (Sir 39:1).

With see, he says two things:

first, that Christ is true God;

second, that faith in him should be spread throughout the whole world.

In regard to the first, he says that he is God. See that I alone am, and there is no other God besides me (Deut 32:39).

In regard to the second: I will be exalted among the nations, that is, I will be lifted on high in the faith of the nations. From the rising of the sun . . . my name is great among the gentiles (Mal 1:11).

And here he says again: I shall be exalted on the earth, namely, the land of the Jews, who are called “earth” because of their firmness. Until the fullness of the gentiles should come in and so all Israel should be saved (Rom 11:25–26).

He shows in this God’s magnitude. When he says: the Lord of armies is with us, it is as if to say, “Now that you have seen these great works of God, we can say that the Lord of armies is with us.” And this was explained above.