Psalm 54 (Vulgate 53)

1. The title of this Psalm hath fruit in the prolixity thereof, if it be understood: and because the Psalm is short, let us make up by tarrying over the title, our not having to tarry over the Psalm. For upon this dependeth every verse which is sung. If any one, therefore, observe that which on the front of the house is fixed, secure he will enter; and, when he shall have entered, he will not err. For this on the post itself is prominently marked, namely, in what standeth thus: At the end, in hymns, understanding to persecutor of the holy man David, very well we know: that Saul was bearing the figure of a temporal kingdom, not to life but to death belonging, this also to your Love we WaS bearinS lhe b&ire of Christ, or of the Body of Christ, ye ought both to know and to call to mind, ye that have certain village, Ziph, whereof the inhabitants were Ziphites, in whose country David had hidden himself, when Saul would find and slay him. These Ziphites then, when they had learned this, betrayed him to the king his persecutor, to them indeed was their betrayal, and to David himself of no harm. For their evil disposition was shewn: but Saul not even after their betrayal could seize David; but rather m a certain cave in that very country, when into his hands Saul had been given to slay, David spared him, and that which he had in his power he did not. But the other was seeking to do that which he had not in his power. Let them that have been Ziphites take heed: let us see those whom to us the Psalm presenteth to be understood by the occasion of those same men.

V; WeJDquire then h7 what word is translated Ziphites, we nnd, Men flourishing. Flourishing then were certain enemies to holy David, flourishing before him hiding. We may find them in mankind, if we are willing to understand ViiTT'i.-? US find here at first David hidi°g> and we shall find his adversaries flourishing. Observe David hiding: For ye are dead saith the Apostle to the members of Christ, and your Ijfe ts Ud with Christ in God. These men, m£n / 1^ J"' WhGn Sha11 the^ be nourishing? CW' he saith> your life, shall have appeared, then ye also with Him shall appear in glory. When these men shall be flourishing, then shall be those Ziphites withering. For observe to what flower their glory is compared: ^//la.40,6. flesh is grass, and the honour of flesh as the flower of grass. What is the end? The grass hath withered, and the flower hath fallen off. Where then shall be David? See what followeth: But the Word of the Lord abideth for ever. These therefore are two sorts of men, which ye ought both to distinguish and to choose one of them. For what doth it profit thee to know, if thou art slow to choose? And indeed now the power of choosing lieth near thee: there shall come a time when thou shalt no more have the power of choosing, when no longer God shall defer the1 sentence of1 judgment. For who are these flourishing Ziphites, except that body of Doeg the Edomite; of whom already we have spoken to your Love a few days since: of whom it was said, Behold a man that hath not set God for his helper, but hath trusted in the multitude of his riches, and hath prevailed in his vanity. These are the flourishing sons of the world, of whom but now ye have heard from the Gospel, that In their own generation they are more crafty than thehn\ie\6y children of ligh t. For they too seem to look forward unto the future, whereto they know not whether they may come. Ye have heard what that steward did to his master, making for himself a store out of his master's property, and bestowing it upon his debtors, in order that when he should be removed from his stewardship, he might be received by them. And though he defrauded his master, yet his master praised his wit8, not heeding his own loss, but his ingenuity. How much more ought we, Himself our Lord Jesus Christ ad-heart'' monishing, to make to ourselves friends of the Mammon of iniquity? For Mammon is interpreted riches. But our riches are in that place, where is our house eternal in the heavens. Again, money temporal they call riches, who5' except for a time cannot flourish, nor for everlasting from these do will to make to themselves friends, because true riches they know not. These riches then to be riches iniquity alone doth count, flourishing as it does for a time like grass. These are the Ziphites, enemies of David, flourishing in the world.

3. These men sometimes are observed of the weak sons of light, and their feet totter, when they have seen evil men in felicity to flourish, and they say to themselves, 6 Of what profit to me is innocence? What doth it advantage me that I serve God, that I keep His commandments, that I oppress no one, from no one plunder any thing, hurt no one, that what I can I bestow? behold, all these things I do, and they flourish, I toil.' But why! Wouldest thou also wish to be a Ziphite? They flourish in the world, wither in judgment, and after withering, into fire everlasting shall be cast: wouldest thou also choose this? Art thou ignorant of what He hath promised thee, Who to thee hath come, what in Himself here He displayed? If the flower of the Ziphites were to be desired, would not Himself thy Lord also in this world have flourished? Or indeed was there wanting to Him the power to flourish? Nay but here He chose rather amid the Ziphites to hide, and to say to Pontius Pilate, as if to one being himself also a flower of the Ziphites, and in suspicion about His kingdom, My kingdom is not of this world. Therefore here He was hidden: and all good men are hidden here, because their good is within, it is concealed, in the heart it is, where is faith, where charity, where hope, where their treasure is. Do these good things appear in the world? Both these good things are hidden, and the reward of these good things is hidden. But truly the dignity of the world is white, in what manner? It is bright for a time; will it alway be bright? It is grass in the winter, until the summer it is green. Let not that thing therefore be done in the mind, which in another Psalm we light on. For there a certain one confesseth that he almost fell himself, and that his steps slipped walking in the way of God, while he was beholding the flower, as it were, and felicity of the ungodly: and after that he understood what God was reserving for the wicked at the last, and what He that cannot deceive was promising to the just toiling, returning thanks for this understanding, *e SJutn' H°w 9°°d is Me ®°d of Israel to the right in heart! Wherefore dost thou say this? But my own feet9 he saith, were almost moved. For what reason? Because I was jealous toward sinners, beholding the peace of sinners. But his steps were strengthened after that he understood at the last. For that which in the same Psalm a little after he saith, On this account labour is before me,ib.\6. is this; a great question to me hath arisen in my heart, wherefore men do evil, and in the world flourish, but many men do well, and in this world do labour. While this great question was before my eyes, and laborious to be investigated; there is labour, he saith, before me: until I enter into the Sanctuary of God, and understand at the last things. What are these last things? What but those things which we know already in the Gospel to have been foretold? For when the Son of Man shall be come, there shall be gathered before Him all nations, and He shall separate them, as a shepherd divideth the sheep from the goats; the sheep He shall set on the right hand, the goats on the left. Behold then shall these Ziphites be separated: flame followeth separation. Where is the flower of them that now on the left hand shall stand? Shall they not then groan? shall they not then be racked with a too late penitence, and say, Of what profit to us hath been pride9and what hath boasting of riches bestowed upon us? All these things have passed8, away like a shadow, O ye Ziphites, on the left hand standing, too late it repenteth you in the shadow to have flourished. Wherefore did ye not acknowledge David, _ whose hiding among you ye betrayed? For then if ye had been amended, that sorrow would not have been without fruit. For there is a sorrow with fruit, there is one without fruit: a sorrow with fruit is now when thyself thou accusest, when in thyself thou censurest thy evil customs, when them censured thou dost persecute, persecuted thou shuttest them out, and, after these have been shut out, thou art changed, putting off" from thyself the old man, and putting on the new, choosing rather the reproach of Christ than the flower of the Ziphites. Moreover, if while holding thy good in secret, and hiding amid Ziphites, holding in secret also the promise of thy reward, there shall have chanced to thee any high place of the world, be not lifted up: for if lifted up thou shalt have been, thou wilt fall unto the flower of the Ziphites. For so it was with a certain holy woman, Esther, amid the then people of the Jews: though she was the wife of a foreign king, she so shared the danger of her countrymen, that she interceded with the king for her countrymen: she began to pray, and m tne vei7 prayer she confessed that all those royal deckings 'were to her but as the cloth of a menstruous woman. If these things women can do, cannot men? And if these things a Jewish woman could do, shall not the Christian Church be able? This therefore I would say to your Love. If riches flow in, set not your heart upon them. Though they abound, and there follow thee the prosperity of the world, trust not thou in the sea, though it smile on thee. If riches flow in, if they abound, trample them, and depend upon thy God. For when them beneath thee thou shalt have put, and on Him shalt have depended, when they shall have been taken away thou wilt not fall. Let not perchance by thy thought evil and unchristian, that be done in thee which is spoken of in another Psalm, when there had been made mention of the flower of these Ziphites. 1 Too deep, saith> have become Tliy thoughts. I saya, it is said, Too deep hate become Thy thoughts: a man unwise shall not know, and a fool shall not understand, these things. Shall not understand what? When there shall rise up sinners like grass, and all they that work iniquity shall have beheld, that they perish for ever arid ever. They have been delighted with the flower of evil men: they have said with themselves, Behold evil men flourish, I suppose evil men God doth love; and being delighted with the temporal flower of iniquity, they turned themselves to iniquity, so that they perished. Not for a time, as they flourish, but for ever and ever. Whence this? Because a man unwise shall not know, and a fool shall not understand, these things; not entering into the Sanctuary of God, in order to < understand at the last things.' And because somewhat difficult is this understanding, from thence beginneth this Psalm, namely, how David was hiding among the Ziphites, and was not delighted with the flower of the Ziphites; but chose rather amid them humility, in order that he might have with God hidden glory. What then to him is there being ascribed in this title? At the end, in hymns: that is, in praises. In what praises? The Lord hath given, the Lord hath taken away; as it hath pleased the Lord, so hath been done: be the name of the Lord blessed. Withered in a manner did he seem, in the loss of all his substance? God forbid! Leaves had fallen; the root was living. Therefore, At tht end in hymns. What is " Understanding to David himself?" Understanding against this^ "A man unwise shall not know, and a fool shall?-92fi-not understand these things" Understanding to David himself, when there came the Ziphites, and said to Saul, Behold, is not David hidden with us? And be he hidden with you, so long as he flourish not like you. Hear, there*- fore, the voice of him.

4. Ver. 1. O God, in Thy name make me safe, and in Thy virtue judge me. Let the Church say this, hiding amid the Ziphites. Let the body Christian say this, keeping secret the good of its morals, expecting in secret the reward of its merits, let it say this: O God, in Thy name make me safe, and in Thy virtue judge me. Thou hast come, O Christ, humble Thou hast appeared, despised Thou hast been, scourged hast been, crucified hast been, slain hast been; but, on the third day hast risen, on the fortieth day into Heaven hast ascended: Thou sittest at the right hand of the Father, and no one seeth: Thy Spirit thence Thou hast sent, Which men that were worthy have received; fulfilled with Thy love, the praise of that very humility of Thine throughout the world and nations they have preached Thy name I see to excel among mankind, but nevertheless as weak to us hast Thou been preached. For not even did that Teacher of the Gentiles say, that among us he knew any thing, Save Christ Jesus, and Him crucified; in order that of Him we might choose the reproach, rather than the glory of the flourishing Ziphites. Nevertheless, of Him he saith what? Although He died of weakness, yet He liveth of the power1 of God. He came then that He might die ofi weakness, He is to come that He may judge in the power of God: but through the weakness of the Cross His name hath been illustrious. Whosoever shall not have believed upon the name made illustrious through weakness, shall stand in awe at the Judge, when He shall have come in power. But* lest He that once was weak, when He shall have come strong, with that fan send us to the left hand; may He " save us in His name, and judge us in His virtue." For who so rash as to have desired this, as to say to God, for instance, Judge Is it not wont to be said to men for a curse, "God judge thee f" So evidently it is a curse, if He judge thee in His virtue; and shall not have saved thee in His name: but when in name precedent He shall have saved thee, to thy health in virtue consequent He shall judge. Be thou without care: that judgment shall not to thee be punishment, dividing. For in a certain Psalm thus is said: Judge me, 0 God, and divide my cause from the nation unholy. What is, Judge me f Divide me from the Ziphites, amid whom 1 lie hid; I have endured their flower, may there now come also my flowering. And their flower indeed hath been temporary, and the grass withering, it hath fallen off: but my flower shall be what? They that are planted in the House of the Lord, in the courts of the House of our God shall flourish. There remaineth therefore to us also flower, but that which falleth not, like the leaf of that tree planted beside waters, whereof is said, " And His leaf shall not fall off." O God, therefore, in Thy name make me safe, and in Thy virtue judge me.

5. Ver. 2. O God, hearken to my prayer, in Thy ears receive the words of my mouth. Let the words of my mouth reach Thine ears, because it is not the flower of the Ziphites that I desire of Thee. In Thy ears receive the words of my mouth. Do Thou receive. For to the Ziphites even if there sound my prayer, they hear not, because they understand not. In temporal things to wit they rejoice, good things everlasting to desire they know not how. To Thee may my prayer attain, driven forth and darted out from the desire of Thy eternal blessings: to Thy ears I send it forth, aid it that it may reach, lest it fall short in the middle of the way, and fainting as it were it fall down. But even if there result not to me now the good things which I ask, I am secured nevertheless that hereafter they will come. For even m the case of transgressions a certain man is said to have asked of God, and not to have been hearkened to for his good. For privations of this world had inspired him to prayer, and being set in temporal tribulations he had wished that tTP°ra; ^bulations sh0^ pass away, and there should the flower of grass; and he saith, My God, my God, why hast TJwu forsaken pie? The very voice of Christ it is, but for His members' sake. The words, he saith, of my transgressions I have cried to Thee throughout the day, and Thou hast not hearkened: and by night, and not for the sake of folly to me: that is, " and by night I have cried, and Thou hast not hearkened; and nevertheless in this very thing that Thou hast not hearkened, it is not for the sake of folly to me that Thou hast pot hearkened, but rather for the sake of wisdom that Thou hast not hearkened, that I might perceive what of Thee I ought to ask. For those things I was asking which to my cost perchance I should have received." Thou askest riches, O man; how many have been overset through their riches? Whence knowest thou whether to thee riches may profit? Have not many poor men more safely been in obscurity; having become rich men, so soon as they have begun to blaze forth, they have been a prey to the stronger? How much better they would have lain concealed, how much better they would have been unknown, that have begun to be inquired after not for the sake of what they were, but for the sake of what they had! In these temporal things therefore, brethren, we admonish and exhort you in the Lord, that ye ask not any thing as if it were a thing settled, but that which God knoweth to be expedient for you. For what is expedient for you, ye know not at all. Sometimes that which ye think to be for you is against you, and that which ye think to be against you is for you. For sick ye are; do not dictate to the physician the medicines he may choose to set beside you. If the teacher of the Gentiles, Paul the Apostle, saith, For what tee shouldRom.8, pray for as we ought, we know not, how much more we? Who nevertheless, when he seemed to himself to pray wisely, namely, that from him- should be taken away the thorn of the flesh, the angel of Satan, that did buffet him, in order that he might not in the greatness of the revelations be lifted up, heard from the Lord what? Was that done which he wished? Nay1, in order to that being done which was expedient, He heard from the Lord, I say, what? Thrice, he saith, / besought the Lord that He would take it from me; and He said to me, My Grace suffice/ h for thee: for12'8' virtue in weakness is made perfect. Salve to the wound I have applied; when I applied it I know, when it should - be taken away I know. Let not a sick man draw back from the hands of the physician, let him not give advice to the physician. So it is with all these things temporal. There are tribulations; if well thou worshippest God, thou wilt know that He knoweth what is expedient for each man: there are prosperities; take the more heed, lest these same corrupt thy soul, so that it withdraw from Him that hath given these things. Therefore this man understanding saith what! O God, hearken to my prayer; in Thy ears receive the words of my mouth.

6. Ver. 3. For aliens have risen up against me. What aliens? Was not David himself a Jew of the tribe of Judah? But the very place Ziph belonged to the tribe of Judah; it was of the Jews. How then aliens? Not in city, not in tribe, not in kindred, but in flower. For wilt thou know of those aliens? In another Psalm, alien sons they have been * called, whose mouth hath spoken vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of iniquity. And he enumerateth the flower of the Ziphites. Of whom their sons are like young plants established in their youth: their daughters disposed and decked like the similitude of a temple: their garners full, breaking forth from this unto this: their sheep fruitful, multiplying in their goings out; their oxen fat: there is no falling of enclosure, nor going forth, nor cry in their streets. But see the Ziphites, see them for a time flourishing. Blessed they have called the people to whom these things are. With reason alien sons. Thou amid the Ziphites hiding saidst what? Blessed the people whereof the Lord is its God. Out of this affection this prayer is being sent forth into the ears of the Lord, when it is said, In Tliy ears receive the words of my mouth; for aliens have risen vp against me.

7. And mighty men have sought after my soul. For in a new manner, my brethren, they would destroy the race of holy men, and the race of them that abstain from hoping m this world, all they that have hope in this world. Certainly commingled they are, certainly together they live. Very much to one another are opposed these two sorts: the one of those that place no hope but in things secular, and in temporal felicity, and the other of those that do firmly place their hope in the Lord God. And though concordant are these Ziphites, do not much trust to their concord: temptations are wanting; when there shall have come any temptation, so as that a person may be reproved for the flower of the world, I say not to thee he will quarrel with the Bishop, but not even to the Church Herself will he draw near, lest there fall any part of the grass. Wherefore have I said these words, brethren? Because now gladly ye all hear in the name of Christ, and according as ye understand, so ye shout out at the word; ye would not indeed shout at it unless ye understood. This your understanding ought to be fruitful. But whether it is fruitful, temptation doth try; lest suddenly when ye are said to be ours, through temptation ye be found aliens, and it be said, aliens have risen up against me> and mighty men have sought my soul. Be not that said which followeth, They have not set forth God before their face. For when will he set God before his face, before whose eyes there is nought but the world? namely, how he may have coin upon coin, how flocks may be increased, how barns may be filled, how it may be said to his soul, Thou hast many good things, be merry, feast, take thy fill. Doth he set before his face Him, that unto one so boasting and so blooming with the flower of the Ziphites saith, Fool, that is, "man not understanding," " man unwise," " This night shall be taken from thee thy soul; all these things which thou20' hast prepared, whose shall they be fn

They have not set forth God before their face.

8. Ver. 4. For behold, God helpeth me* Even themselves know not themselves, amid whom I am hiding. But if they too were to set God before their face, they would find in what manner God helpeth me. For all holy men are helped by God, but within, where no one seeth. For in like manner as the conscience of ungodly men is a great punishment, so a great joy is the very conscience of godly men. For our glory this is, saith the Apostle, the testimony of our 2 conscience. In this doth glory that man within, not in the flower of the Ziphites without, that now saith, For behold God helpeth me. Surely though afar off are to be those things which He promiseth, this day have I a sweet and present help; to-day in my heart's joy I find that without cause certain say, Who doth shew to us good things? For there is signed upon us the light of Thy countenance, 0 Lord, Thou hast put pleasantness into my heart. Not into my vineyard, not into my flock, not into my cask, not into my table, but into my heart. For behold God helpeth me. How doth He help thee? And the Lord is the lifter up of my soul.

9. Ver. 5. Turn away evil things unto mine enemies. So however green they are, so however they flourish, for the fire they are being1 reserved. In Thy virtue destroy Thou them. Because to wit they flourish now, because to wit spring up like grass: do not thou be a man unwise and foolish, so that by giving thought to these things thou perish for ever and ever. For, Turn Thou away evil things unto mine enemies. For if thou shalt have place in the body of David Etimself, in His virtue He will destroy them. These men flourish in the felicity of the world, perish in the virtue of God. Not in the same manner as they flourish, do they also perish: for they flourish for a time, perish for everlasting: flourish in unreal good things, perish in real torments. In Thy virtue destroy Thou them, whom in Thy weakness Thou hast endured.

10. Ver. 6. Voluntarily I will sacrifice to Thee. Who can even understand this good thing of the heart, at another's sjDeaking thereof, unless in himself he hath tasted it? What is, Voluntarily I will sacrifice to Thee? Nevertheless, I will say on; let him receive that is able, as he is able: let him believe that is not able, and pray that he may be able. For ought we by any means so to pass over this verse as not to commend it to you? I say to your Love, my affection for it doth sufficiently invite me to speak something concerning it: and thanks I render to God, that with attention ye hear. But if I should observe you reluctant to hear, unwillingly on this verse I should hold my peace, and yet in my heart, as far as the Lord would deign to grant, I should not hold my peace. May there come then unto my tongue that which in heart hath been conceived: may there be drawn forth in word that which in mind is kept: say we as we are able, what is, Voluntarily I will sacrifice to Thee. For what sacrifice here shall I take, brethren? or what worthily shall I offer to the Lord for His mercy? Victims shall I seek from flock of sheep, ram shall I select, for any bull in the herds shall I look out, frankincense indeed from the land of the Sabaeans shall I bring? What shall I do? What offer; except that whereof He speaketh, Sacrifice of praise shall honour Me? Wherefore then voluntarily? Because truly I23, love that which I praise. I praise God, and in the self-same praise I rejoice: in the praise of Himself I rejoice, at Whom being praised, I blush not. For He is not praised in the same manner as by those who love the theatrical follies is praised either a charioteer, or a hunter, or actor of any kind, and by their praisers, other praisers are invited, are exhorted, to shout together: and when all have shouted, ofttimes, if their favourite is overcome, they are all put to the blush. Not so is our God: be He praised with the will, loved with charity: let it be gratuitous that He is loved and that He is praised. What is gratuitous? Himself for the sake of Himself, not for the sake of something else. For if thou praisest God in order that He may give thee something else, no longer freely dost thou love God. Thou wouldest blush, if thy wife for the sake of riches were to love thee, and perchance if poverty should befal thee, should begin to think of adultery. Seeing that therefore thou wouldest be loved by thy partner freely, wilt thou for any thing else love God? What reward art thou to receive of God, O covetous man? Not earth for thee, but Himself He keepetb, Who made heaven and earth. Voluntarily I will sacrifice to Thee: do it not of necessity. For if for the sake of any thing else thou praisest God, out of necessity thou praisest. If there were present to thee that which thou lovest, thou wouldest not praise God. See what I say: thou praisest God, for example, in order that He may give thee abundant money: if thou wert to have from any other quarter abundant money, not from God, wouldest thou praise God? If, therefore, because of money thou praisest God, not voluntarily thou sacriflcest to God, but out of necessity thou sacrificest: because, beside Him, something else has thy love. Thence hath it been said, Voluntarily I will sacrifice to TJiee. Despise all things, to Himself give heed. These things also which He hath given, because of the Giver are things. For He giveth entirely, He giveth these temporal things: and to certain men to their good, to certain men to their harm, after the height and depth of His judgments. At the abyss of which judgments an Apostle stood *n awe> saym&> ^ ^e ^Pth °f,ne niches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! For who shall find out His ways, or who shall comprehend His counsels? He knoweth when He giveth, to whom He giveth; when He taketh away, and from whom He taketh away. Ask thou in this present time that which may profit thee hereafter, ask that which may help thee for eternity. But Himself without price love thou: because from Him thou findest not any thing that He may give better than Himself; or if thou findest a better thing, this ask thou. Voluntarily I will sacrifice to Thee. Wherefore voluntarily? Because gratis. What is gratis? And I will confess to Thy name, O Lord, for it is a good thing: for nothing else, but because a good thing it is. Doth he say, / will confess t& Tliy name, O Lord, because Thou givest me fruitful manors, because Thou givest me gold and silver, because Thou givest me extended riches, abundant money, most exalted dignity? Nay. But what? For it is a good thing. Nothing 1 find better than Thy name: therefore I will confess to Thy name, O Lord, for it is a good thing.

11. Ver. 7. For out of all tribulation Thou hast delivered me. For this cause I have perceived how good a thing is Thy name: for if this I were able before tribulations to acknowledge, perchance for me there had been no need of them. But tribulation hath been applied for admonition, admonition hath redounded to Thy praise. For I should not have understood where I was, except of my weakness I had been admonished. Out of all tribulations, therefore, Thou hast delivered me. And upon mine enemies mine eye hath looked back: upon those Ziphites mine eye hath looked back. Yea, their flower I have passed over in loftiness of heart, unto Thee 1 have come, and thence I have looked back upon them, and have seen that All flesh is grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass: as in a certain place is also said, I have seen the ungodly man to be exalted and raised up like 1 the cedars of Lebanon: I passed by, and, lo! he was not. Wherefore he was not? Because thou hast passed by. What is, because thou hast passed1^**** by f Because not to no purpose hast thou heard Lift up thy heart; because not on earth, where thou wouldest have rotted, thou hast remained; because thou hast lifted thy soul to God, and thou hast mounted beyond the cedars of Lebanon, and from that elevation hast observed: and Lo! he was not; and thou hast sought him, and there hath not been found place for him. No longer is labour before thee; because thou hast entered into the sanctuary of God, and16, hast understood for the last things. So also here thus he concludelh. And upon mine enemies mine eye hath looked back. This do ye therefore, brethren, with your souls; lift up your hearts, sharpen the edge of your mind, learn truly to love God, learn to despise the present world, learn voluntarily to sacrifice the offerings of praise; to the end that, mounting beyond the flower of the grass, ye may look back upon your enemies,