Psalm 63 (Vulgate 62)

1. For the sake of those that perchance are as yet unskilled in the name of Christ; for as much as from every quarter He doth gather men together, Who for all men hath given His Blood, we must say in few words something which both they gladly may hear that know, and they may learn that know not. Those Psalms which we sing, before that our Lord Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, by the dictation of the Spirit of God were spoken and written down. For David was king among the nation of the Jews, which nation alone did worship One God, that hath made Heaven and earth, the sea and all things which in them are, whether the things which are seen, or the things which are not seen. But the rest of the nations either did worship idols, which with their hands they had made, or the creation of God, not the Creator Himself, that is, either sun, or moon, or stars, or sea, or mountains, or trees. For all these things God hath made; and would have Himself to be praised in them, not them to be worshipped instead of Himself. In this same nation of Jews, I say, David was king, of whose seed was born our Lord Jesus Christ of the Virgin Mary; because from him the Virgin Mary derived her lineage, who bear Christ: and so were these Psalms spoken: and there was prophesied in them Christ to come after many years: and there was spoken of by those Prophets, that lived before our Lord Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, whatsoever was to be in our times, which now we read of and see: and much we rejoice, that our Hope hath been foretold by holy men, who saw not that thing fulfilled, but in the Spirit saw it as future: and we now read, and hear from readers, we discourse of those things; and as they are in the Scriptures, so we see them now fulfilled throughout the whole world. For this who would not rejoice? Who would not hope for those things to come which not yet have come, because of those things which being now so many, have been fulfilled? For now, brethren, ye see, how the whole world, the whole earth, all nations, all regions run unlo the name of Christ, and believe in Christ. Truly ye see this thing, after what sort every where are overthrown the vanities of the heathen, ye see this thing, evident it is to you. Is this too a thing we have read to you from a book, and not one that is doing before your eyes? This whole thing therefore which ye see come to pass before your eyes, was written of, countless revolutions of years before, by those men whom now we read, when already we see those things fulfilled. But forasmuch as those things also have been written which have not yet come; how our Lord Jesus Christ is to come to judge, Who at first came that He might be judged; (for He came at first humble, hereafter He is to come exalted; He came that He might shew an example of patience, hereafter He is to come that He may judge all men according to their deserts, whether good men, or evil men;) because, I say, not yet hath come this thiDg which we hope for, namely, that Christ is to come as the Judge of quick and of dead, we ought to believe it. The small part which remaineth let us believe is to come, when already we see so many things which then were future, now completed. For fool is he that will not believe the few things which remain, when he seeth so many things to be fulfilled, which men were not, when they were being foretold.

2. This Psalm therefore is spoken in the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ, both Head and Members. For that One Person that was born of Mary, and suffered and was buried, and rose again, and ascended into Heaven, and at the right hand of the Father now sitteth and intercedeth for us, is our Head. If He is the Head, we are the members: the whole Church of Him which every where is spread abroad, is the Body of the Same, whereof He is Himself the Head. For not only the believers that now are, but they also that have been before us, and that after us are to be even unto the end of the world, do all belong to His Body: of which Body Himself is the Head, That hath ascended into Heaven. Because therefore now we know Head and Body, He is Head, we Body. When we kear the vojce 0f the Same, both from the Head we ought to hear it, and from the Body too: because whatever He hath suffered, therein we also have suffered: because that which we also suffer in ourselves, Himself also suffereth. In like manner as if the head suffer any thing, is the hand able to say tnat sun<kretn uot • or it* tue hand suffereth any thing, is the head able to say that it suffereth not? or if the foot suffereth any thing, is the hand able to say that it suffereth not? Whenever one member of ours suffereth any thing, all the members haste to succour the member which is suffering. If therefore when He suffered, we in Him did suffer, and He now hath ascended into Heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father: whatever His Church suffereth in the tribulations of this world, in temptations, in necessities, in difficulties, (for thus She must needs be instructed, in order that with fire like gold She may be purged,) Himself suffereth. We prove this thing, how we in Him have suffered, by the Apostle saying, But if dead ye are with Christ, why yet as though living about this world do ye decree? Also he saith, that our old man hath been crucified together with Him, that the body of sin might be made void. If therefore in Him we are dead, in Him also we have risen again. For the same Apostle saith, But if ye have risen again with Christ, taste those things which are above, those things which are above seek ye, where Chfist is on the right handof God sitting. If therefore in Him we are dead, and in Him have risen again, and if Himself in us dieth, and in us riseth again; (for Himself is the Oneness of Head and Body;) not without reason the voice of the Same is our voice, and our voice is also the voice of the Same. Let us hear therefore the Psalm, and Christ speaking therein let us perceive.

3. This Psalm hath the Title, For David Himself, when he was in the desert of Idumcea. By the name of Idumaea is understood this world. For Idumaea was a certain nation of men going astray, where idols were worshipped. In no good sense is put this Idumaea. If not in a good sense it is put, it must be understood that this life, wherein we suffer so great toils, and wherein to so great necessities we are made^62* subject, by the name of Idumaea is signified. Even here is a desert where there is much thirst, and ye are to hear the voice of One now thirsting in the desert. But if we acknowledge ourselves as thirsting, we shall acknowledge ourselves as drinking also. For he that thirsteth in this world, in the world to come shall be satisfied, according to the Lord's saying, Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for the same shall be satisfied. Therefore in this world we ought not to love fulness. Here we must thirst, in another place we shall be filled. But now in order that we may not faint in this desert, He sprinkleth upon us the dew of His word, and leave th us not utterly to dry up, so that there should not be in our case any seeking of us again, but that we may so thirst as that we may drink. But in order that we may drink, with somewhat of His Grace we are sprinkled: nevertheless we thirst. And what saith our soul to God?

4 Ver. 1. God, my God, unto Thee from the light I watch. What is to watch? It is, not to sleep. What is to sleep? There is a sleep of the soul; there is a sleep of the body. Sleep of body we all ought to have: because if sleep of body is not taken, a man fainteth, the body itself fainteth. For our frail body cannot long sustain a soul watching and on the stretch on active works; if for a long time the soul shall have been intent on active pursuits, the body being frail and earthly holdeth her not, sustaineth her not for ever in activity, and fainteth and falleth. Therefore God hath granted sleep to the body, whereby are recruited the members of the body, in order that they may be able to sustain the soul watching. But of this let us take heed, namely, that our soul herself sleep not: for evil is the sleep of the soul. Good is the sleep of the body, whereby is recruited the health of the body. But the sleep of the soul is to forget her God. Whatsoever soul shall have forgotten her God, sleepeth. Therefore the Apostle saith to certain persons that forgot their God, and being as it were in sleep, did act 'the follies of the worship of idols — (For so are they that worship idols, as they that see in slumbers empty visions: but if the soul of the same persons do wake up, she understandeth by whom she hath been made, and worshippeth not that which herself hath made) — The Apostle, I say, saith to certain persons, Rise, thou that steepest, and rise up from the dead, and Christ shall enlighten thee. Was the Apostle waking up one sleeping in body? Nay, but he was waking a soul sleeping, in as much as he was waking her, in order that she might be lightened by Christ. Therefore as to these same watchings sailh this man, God, my God, unto Thee from the light I watch. For thou wouldest not watch of thyself, unless there should arise thy Light, to wake thee from sleep. For Christ lighteneth souls, and maketh them to watch: but if His light He taketh away, they slumber. For for this cause to Him there is said in another Psalm, Lighten mine eyes, that I may never slumber in death. Or if from Him being turned away they slumber, He is a present light to them, and they are not able to see, because they sleep. In like manner also is he that sleepeth in body during the day now the sun hath arisen, now is the day grown hot, and he is as it were in the night, because he watcheth not that he may see the day that is already risen; so in certain men, when Christ is now present, when the truth hath now been preached, there is yet a sleep of the soul. To those men therefore, if ye watch, ye will be saying daily, Rise, thou that steepest, and rise up from the dead, and Christ shall enlighten thee. For your life and your manners ought to watch in Christ, in order that those Heathen men sleeping may perceive, and at the sound of your watchings may be awakened, and may themselves shake off sleep, and may begin in Christ with you to say, O God, my God, unto Thee from the light I watch.

5. Ver. 2. My soul hath thirsted for Thee. Behold that desert of Idumaea. See how here he thirsteth: but see what good thing is here, Hath thirsted for Thee. For there are they that thirst, but not for God. For every one that willeth any thing to be granted to him, is in the heat of longing; the longing itself is the thirst of the soul. And see ye what1 longings there are in the hearts of men: one longeth for gold, another longeth for silver, another longeth for possessions, another inheritance, another abundance of money, another many herds, another a wife, another honours, another sons. Ye see those longings, how they are in the hearts of men. All men are inflamed with longing, and scarce is found one to say, My soul hath thirsted for Thee. For men thirst for the world: and perceive not themselves to be in the desert of Idumaea, where their souls ought to thirst for God. Say we therefore, My soul hath thirsted for Thee: say all we, because in the harmony of Christ all were one soul: let this same soul thirst in Idumaea.

6. Hath thirsted for Thee, he saith, my soul: in how many ways for Thee my flesh also? A small thing it is that my soul hath thirsted, my flesh also hath thirsted. Consider if the soul thirsteth for God, in what manner doth the flesh also thirst for God? For when the flesh thirsteth, for water1 it thirsteth: when the soul thirsteth, for the Fountain ofJ?.88'<for Wisdom it thirsteth. From that very Fountain shall be made drunken our souls, as saith another Psalm, They shall be made drunken with the fruitfulness of Thy House, and with the flood of Thy delights Thou shalt give them to drink. Wisdom therefore must be thirsted after, righteousness must he thirsted after. With it we shall not be satisfied, with it we shall not be filled, save when this life shall have been ended, and we shall have come to that which God hath promised. For God hath promised equality with Angels: and now the Angels thirst not as we do, they hunger not as we do; but they have the fulness of truth, of light, of immortal wisdom. Therefore blessed they are, and out of so great blessedness, because they are in that City, the Heavenly Jerusalem, afar from whence we now are sojourning in a strange land, they observe us sojourners, and they pity us, and by the command of the Lord they help us, in order that to this common country sometime we may return, and there with them sometime with the Lord's fountain of truth and eternity we may be filled. Now therefore let our soul thirst: whence doth our flesh also thirst, and this in many ways? In many ways for Thee, he saith, my flesh also. Because to our flesh also is promised Resurrection. As to our soul resurrection. Resurrection of the flesh of such sort is promised to us: hear ye, and learn, and hold fast what is the hope of Christians, on account of which we are Christians. For not to this end are we Christians, that we may seek for ourselves earthly felicity, which ofttimes both robbers and wicked men have. For the sake of another felicity we are Christians, which then we shall receive, when that whole life of this world shall have passed away. Therefore is promised to us resurrection of the flesh also; and such a resurrection of the flesh is promised, as that this flesh which now we bear, shall rise again at the last. And let it not seem to you a thing incredible. For if God hath made us that were not, is it a great thing for Him to make again us that were? Therefore let not this seem to you to be incredible, because ye see dead men as it were decaying, and passing into ashes and into dust. Or if any dead man be burned, or if dogs tear him in pieces, do ye think that from this he will not rise again? All things which are dismembered, and into a sort of dust do decay, are entire with God. For into those elements of the world they pass, whence at first they have come, when we were made: we do not see them; but yet God will bring them forth, He knoweth whence, because even before we were, He created us from whence He knew. Such a resurrection of the flesh therefore to us is promised, as that, although it be the same flesh, that now we carry, which is to rise again, yet it hath not the corruption which now it hath. For now because of the corruption of frailty, if we eat not, we faint and are hungry; if we drink not, we faint and are thirsty; if long time we watch, we faint and sleep; if long time we sleep, we faint, therefore we watch; if long time we eat and drink, though for refreshment we may eat and drink, the very prolonged refreshment is a cause of fainting; if long time we stand, we are wearied, therefore we sit; and if long time we sit, there also are we wearied, and therefore we rise up. Secondly, see how without any standing is our flesh: for infancy passeth away into boyhood, and thou seekest infancy, and infancy is not, for now instead of infancy is boyhood: again this same also passeth into youths thou seekest boyhood and findest not: theyoung manbecometh a middle aged man, thou seekest the young man and he is not: the middle aged man becometh an old man, thou seekest a middle aged man and findest not: and an old man dieth, thou seekest an old man and findest not: our age therefore standeth not still: every where is weariness, every where faintness, every where corruption. Observing what a hope of resurrection God promiseth to us, in all those our manifold faintings we thirst for that incorruption: and so our flesh manifoldly doth thirst for God. In this Idumaea, in this desert, manifoldly as it toileth, so manifoldly doth it thirst; manifoldly as it is wearied, so manifoldly doth it thirst for that unwearying incorruption.

7. Nevertheless, my brethren, the flesh of a good Christian and a believer even in this world for God doth thirst: for if the flesh hath need of bread, if it hath need of water, if it hath need of wine, if it hath need of money, if this flesh hath need of a beast, from God it ought to seek it, not from demons and idols and I know not what powers of this world. For there are certain who when they suffer hunger in this world, leave God and ask Mercury or ask Jove to give unto them, or her. whom they call * Heavenly V or any the like demons: not for God their flesh thirsteth. Eut they that thirst for God, every where ought to thirst for Him, both soul and in flesh: for to the soul also God giveth His bread, that is the Word of Truth: and to the flesh God giveth the things which are necessary, for God hath made both soul and flesh. For the sake of thy flesh thou askest of demons: hath God made the soul, and the demons made the flesh? He that hath made the soul, the Same hath made the flesh also: He that hath made both of them, the Same feedeth both of them. Let either part of us thirst for God, and after labour manifold let either simply be filled.

8. But where thirsteth our soul, and our flesh manifoldly, not for any one but for Thee, O Lord, that is our God? it thirsteth where i In a land desert, and without way, and without water. Of this world we have spoken, the same is Idumaea, this is the desert of Idumaea, whence the Psalm hath received its title. In a land desert. Too little it is to xxiii. where * Virgo Ccelestia' is re- ped together with Bereoynthia, the say desert, where no man d welleth; it is besides, both without way, and without water. O that the same desert had even a way: O that into this a man running, even knew where he might thence get forth! He seeth no man to his comfort, he seeth no way whereby he may be free from the desert place. Therefore in that place he taketh lodging. O that there were even water, whence he might be refreshed, that from thence cannot get forth. Evil is the desert, horrible, and to be feared: and nevertheless God hath pitied us, and hath made for us a way in the desert, Himself our Lord Jesus Christ: and hath made for us a consolation in the desert, in sending to us preachers of His Word: and hath given to us water in the desert, by fulfilling with the Holy Spirit His preachers, in order that there might be created in them a well of water springing up unto life everlasting. And, lo! we have here all things, but they are not of the desert. Therefore what properly belongs to the desert this Psalm hath first noticed, in order that when thou too hadst heard in what evil case thou wast, whatever consolations thou mightest have here, either of associates, or of way, or of water, thou shouldest not ascribe to the desert, but to Him That hath deigned to visit thee in the desert.

9. Ver. 3. Thus in a holy thing I have appeared to Thee, that I might see Thy power and Thy glory* At first i my soul thirsted, and my flesh manifoldly for Thee in a desert, and in a land without way, and without water,' and thus in a holy thing I have appeared to Thee that I might see Thy power and Thy glory. Unless a man first thirst in that desert, that is in the evil wherein he is, he never arriveth at the good, which is God. But / have appeared to Thee, he saith, in a holy thing. Now in a holy thing is there great consolation. / have appeared to Thee, is what? In order that Thou mightest see me: and for this reason Thou hast seen me, in order that I might see Thee. / have appeared to Thee, that I might see. He hath not said, I have appeared to Thee that Thou mightest see: but, / have appeared to Thee, that I might see Thy power and Thy glory. Whence also the Apostle, But now, he saith, knowing God, nay having been known of God. For first ye have appeared to God, in order that to you God might be able to appear. That / might see Thy power and Thy glory. In truth in that forsaken place, that is, in that desert, if as though from the desert a man striveth to obtain enough for his sustenance, he will never see the power of the Lord, and the glory of the Lord, but he will remain to die of thirst, and will find neither way, nor consolation, nor water, whereby he may endure in the desert. But when he shall have lifted up himself to God, so as to say to Him out of all his inward parts, My soul hath thirsted for Thee; how manifoldly for Thee also my jksh I lest perchance even the things necessary for the flesh of others he ask, and not of God, or else long not for that resurrection of the flesh, which God hath promised to us: when I say, he shall have lifted up himself, he will have no small consolations.

10. Behold, brethren, in like manner as our flesh, so long as it is mortal, so long as it is frail, before that resurrection hath those comforts whereby we live, as bread, water, fruits, wine, oil: (if all these comforts and succours forsake us, even to continue we are unable;) though not yet this flesh hath received that perfect soundness, wherein it will suffer no difficulty, no need: so also our soul, while here it is in this flesh, amid the temptations and dangers of this world, is still weak; but hath moreover those same comforts of the Word, comforts of prayer, comforts of discourse: these things are to our soul as those to our flesh. But when our flesh shall have risen again, so that no longer of these we have need, it will have a kind of position and condition of its incorruption: so also our soul will have to its food Himself the Word of God, by Which were made all things. Nevertheless, thanks to God, Who now in this desert forsaketh us not, either in giving to us what is necessary for the flesh, or in giving to us what is necessary for the soul: and when by any necessities He instructeth us, He willeth that we should love Him the more; lest perchance through fulness we be corrupted, and forget Him. He withdraweth from us sometimes the things which are necessary, and grindeth us down; in order that we may know that Father and Lord He is, not only when comforting, but also when chastening. For He is preparing us for a certain inheritance incorruptible and great If one cask, or one vessel1 of thine, or whatever thou hast in thy house, thou art intending to leave to thy son, and that he may not lose it, thou instructest him, and if with the whip for correction thou chastenest him, that he may not lose that nothing of thine, which he is himself also to leave here, even as thou dost; wilt thou not have our Father also to instruct us with the whippings even of necessities or tribulations, Who is going to give us such an inheritance as cannot pass away? For as our inheritance God will give us Himself, so that Himself we may possess, and by Himself we may be possessed for everlasting.

11. Therefore in a holy thing let us appear to God, that He may appear to us: let us appear in holy longing, that He may appear to us in the power and glory of the Son of God. For to many He hath not appeared: let them be in the Holy One, that He may appear to them also. For many think Him to have been only man; because He is preached as having been born of man, crucified and dead, as having walked on earth, having eaten and having drunk, and as having done all other things that are human; and they think Him to have been such an one as are the rest of men. But ye have heard but now when the Gospel was being read in what terms He hath notified His Majesty: / and My Father are One. Behold how great a Majesty and how great an Equality with the Father hath come down to the flesh because of our infirmity. Behold how greatly beloved we have been, before that we loved God. If before that we loved God, so much by Him we were beloved, as that His Son, Equal with Himself, He made a Man for our sake, what doth He reserve for us now loving Him? Therefore many men think it to be a very small thing that the Son of God hath appeared on earth; because they are not in the Holy One, to them hath not appeared the power of the Same and the glory of the Same: that is, not yet have they a heart made holy, whence they may perceive the eminence of that v^ue* an^ may ren<^er thanks to God, nor that to which for their own sakes so great an One came, unto what a nativity, wnat a Passion> the7 are no* able to see, His glory and His power1. l2- Ver- 4- For belter is Thy mercy than9 lives. Many are the lives of men, but one life God promiseth: and He giveth not this to us as if for our merits but for His mercy. For what good thing have we done, to merit this? Or what good deeds of ours have gone before, that God should give to us His Grace? Hath He found righteousnesses to crown and not transgressions to forgive? Nay, it would not have been unjust if He had willed to punish the transgressions which He hath forgiven. For what is so just a thing, as that a sinner should be punished? Though a just thing it be, that a sinner should be punished; it hath belonged to the mercy of Him not to punish a sinner but to justify him, and of a sinner to make a just man, and of an ungodly man to make a godly man. Therefore His mercy is better than lives. What lives? Those which for themselves men have chosen. One hath chosen for himself a life of business, another a country life, another a life of usury, another a military life; one this, another that. Divers are the lives, but better is Thy life than our lives. Better is that which Thou givest to men amended, than that which perverse men choose. One life Thou givest, which should be preferred to all our lives, whatsoever in the world we might have chosen. For better is Thy mercy than lives: my lips shall praise Thee. My lips would not praise Thee, unless before me were to go Thy mercy. By Thy gift Thee I praise, through Thy mercy Thee I praise. For I should not be able to praise God, unless He gave me to be able to praise Him. For better is Thy mercy than lives: my lips shall praise Tliee.

12. Ver. 5. So I will speak good of Thee in my life9 and in Thy name I will lift up my hands. 6 So I will speak good of Tliee in my life.'' Now in my life which to me Thou hast given, not in that which I have chosen after the world with the rest among many lives, but that which Thou hast given to me through Thy mercy, that I should praise Thee. So I will speak good of Thee in my life. What is so? That to Thy mercy I may ascribe my life wherein Thee I praise, not to my merits. And in Thy name I will lift up my hands. Lift up therefore hands in prayer. Our Lord hath lifted up for us His hands on the Cross, and stretched out were His hands for us, and therefore were His hands stretched out on the Cross, in order that our hands might be stretched out unto good works: because His Cross hath brought us mercJ ' Beh°ld> He hath lifted up hands, and hath offered: for us Himself a Sacrifice to God, and through that Sacrifice have been effaced all our sins. Let us also lift up our hands to God in prayer: and our hands being lifted up to God shall not be confounded, if they be exercised in good works. For what doth he that lifteth up hands? Whence hath it been commanded that with hands lifted up we should pray to God? For the Apostle saith, Lifting up pure hands without anger and dissension. It is in order that when thou liftest up hands to God, there may come into thy mind thy works. For whereas those hands are lifted up that thou mayest obtain that which thou wilt, those same hands thou thinkest in good works to exercise, that they may not blush to be lifted up to God. In Thy name I will lift up my hands. Those are our prayers in this Idumeea, in this desert, in the land without water and without way, where for

Christ is.the Way, but not the way of this earth.

14. And what shall I say, when I shall lift up my hands b in Thy name? what shall I require? Ah! brethren, when ye lift up hands, ask what ye are to require! For from the Almighty ye require. Some great thing require ye, not such things as they require that not yet have believed. Ye see what sort of things are given even to ungodly men. Art thou to require from thy God money? Doth He not give it even to wicked men, that in Him believe not? What great thing therefore art thou to require, which He giveth to evil men also? But let it not displease thee that those things which He giveth to evil men also, are so trifling that even to evil men they are worthy to be given: in order that those things which can be given even to evil men may nol seem to thee as if they were great things. God's indeed are all earthly gifts: but see, how those things which He giveth even to evil men, are not to be esteemed as any thing great. There is another thing which He reserveth for us. But let us think of those things which He giveth even to evil men, and hence let us perceive what thing He reserveth for good men. What things He giveth to evil men see ye: He giveth to them this light, see ye that both good men and evil men see it! the rain which cometh down upon the earth; and from hence how great good things do spring? and thence is made distribution both to evil men and to good men, according to the Gospel saying, That maketh His sun to rise upon good men and evil men, and raineth upon just men and unjust men. Those gifts therefore which do spring either from rain, or from the sun, from our Lord indeed we ought to require, forasmuch as they are things necessary; but not those things alone, because those things are given both to good men and to evil men. What therefore ought we to require, when we lift up hands? For as best it could, the Psalm hath spoken this. What is it that I have said, as best it could? As best could human mouth unto human ears. For by means of human mouths these words have been spoken,, and in certain figures they have been spoken, as all the weak, as all the babes could receive them. What hath he said? What hath he required? In Thy name he saith, I will lift up my hands. As going to receive what? As though with marrow and fatness my soul should be filled. Do ye think that this soul hath longed for any fatness of flesh, my brethren? For he hath not longed for this as if it were some great matter, namely, that fat rams or fat hogs for him should be killed, or that he should come to some tavern, where he might find choice meats wherewith to fill himself. If we shall have supposed this, we are 1 worthy to hear those words. Therefore something spiritual we ought to perceive. Our soul hath a sort of fatness. For the souls which lack that wisdom, do grow thin; and become so utterly attenuated, as that in all good works they speedily fall short. Why do they speedily fall short in all good works? Because they have not the fatness of their fulness. Hear the Apostle, speaking of a fat soul, giving commandment that every one should work well. He saith what? A cheerful giver God loveth. Whence could, a fat soul be2Cor.9, fat, except by the Lord it were filled? And nevertheless howsoever fat here it be, what will it be in the world to come, where God will feed us? Meanwhile in this sojourning, what we shall be then, cannot even be told. And perchance that fulness we desire here when we lift up our hands, at the time of which with fatness we shall be so filled, that all our Want shall utterly perish, and for nothing we shall long; forasmuch as the whole will be before us, whatever we loog here, whatever as a great matter we love here. Already our fathers are dead, but God liveth: here we could not always have fathers, but there we shall alway have one living Father, when we have our father-land: whatever is our earthly land, there we cannot alway be; and others must needs be born, and sons of elder citizens are born, to shut out from thence their fathers. For to this end a boy is born, to say to his elder, What doest thou here? It must needs be that they that succeed and are born should shut out them that have gone before them. There all we alike shall live: there will be no successor, because there will be no predecessor. What sort of country is that? But thou lovest here riches. God Himself shall be to thee thy riches. Bat thou lovest a good fountain. What is more passing clear than that wisdom? What more bright? Whatsoever is an object of love here, in place of all thou shall have Him that hath made all things, as though with marrow and fatness my soul should be filled: and lips of exultation shall praise Thy name. In this desert, in Thy name I will lift up my hands: let my soul be filled as though with marrow and fatness, and my lips with exultation shall praise Thy name. For now is prayer, so long as there is thirst f when thirst shall have passed away, there passeth away praying and there succeedeth praising. And tips of exultation shall praise Thy name.

15. Ver. 7. If I have remembered Thee upon my bed, in the dawnings I did meditate on Thee: (ver. 8.) because Thou hast become my helper. His ' bed' he calleth his rest. When any one is at rest, let him be mindful of God; when any one is at rest, let him not by rest be dissolved, and forget God: if mindful he is of God when he is at rest, in his actions on God he doth meditate. For the dawn he hath called actions, because every man at dawn beginneth to do something. What therefore hath he said? If mindful I have been of Thee on my bed, in the dawnings also I was meditating on Thee. If therefore I was not mindful on my bed, in the dawn also I did not meditate on Thee. Can he that thinketh not of God when he is at leisure, in his actions think of God? But he that is mindful of Him when he is at rest, on the Same doth meditate when he is doing, lest in action he should come short. Therefore he hath added what? And in the dawnings I was meditating on Thee: became Thou hast become my helper. For unless God aid our good works, they cannot be accomplished by us. And worthy things we ought to work: that is, as though in the light, since by Christ shewing the way we work. Whosoever worketh evil things, in the night he worketh, not in the dawn; according to the Apostle, saying, They that are drunken, in the night are drunken; and they that sleep,in the night do sleep: let its that are of the day, be sober. He exhorteth us that after the day we should walk honestly: As in the day9 honestly let us walk. And again, Ye, he saith, are sons of light, and sons of day; we are not of night nor of darkness. Who are sons of night, and sons of darkness? They that work all evil things. To such a degree they are sons of night, that they fear lest the things which they work should be seen: and the evil things which openly they work, for this reason openly they work, because many men work those things: the things which few men work, in secret they work: but they that work such things openly, are indeed in the light of the sun, but in the darkness of the heart. No one therefore in the dawn worketh, except him that in Christ worketh. But he that while at leisure is mindful of Christ, on the Same doth meditate in all his actions, and He is a helper to him in a good work, lest through his weakness he fail.

16. And in the covering of Thy wings I will exult. I am cheerful in good works, because over me is the covering of Thy wings. If thou protect me not, forasmuch as I am a chicken, the kite will seize me. For our Lord Himself saith in a certain place to that Jerusalem, a certain city, where He was crucified: Jerusalem, He saith, Jerusalem, how often I have willed to gather together thy sons, as though a37, hen her chickens, and thou wouldest not? Little ones we are: therefore may God protect us under the shadow of His wings. What when we shall have grown greater? A good thing it is for us that even then He should protect us, so that under Him the greater, alway we be chickens. For alway He is greater, however much we may have grown. Let no one say, let Him protect me while I am a little one: as if sometime he would attain to such magnitude, as should be self-sufficient. Without the protection of God, nought thou art. Alway by Him let us desire to be protected: then alway in Him we shall have power to be great, if alway under Him little we be. And in the covering of Thy wings I will exult.

17. Ver. 9. My soul hath been glued on behind Tliee. See ye one longing, see ye one thirsting, see ye how he cleaveth to God. Let there spring up in you this affection. If already it is sprouting, let it be rained upon and grow: let it come to such strength, that ye also may say from the whole heart, My soul hath been glued on behind Thee. Where is that same glue? The glue itself is love. Have thou love, wherewith as with glue thy soul may be glued on behind God. Not with God, but behind God; that He may go before, thou mayest follow. For he that shall have willed to go before God, by his own counsel would live, and will not follow the commandments of God. Because of this even Peter was rebuked, when he willed to give counsel to Christ Who was going to suffer for us. For as yet Peter was weak, and knew not how great profit there was for mankind in the blood of Christ. Now the Lord, That had come to redeem us, and to give His blood a ransom for us, began to proclaim His Passion. Peter was alarmed for His Lord, as if He were about to die, Whom he would have had here alway to live just as he then saw Him: because being given up to his carnal eyes, by carnal affection about the Lord he was held fast; and he saith to Him, Far be it from Thee, 0 Lord^ he ThQu merciftd tQ Thyself. And the Lord, Go back behind Me, Satan: for thou savour est not the things are °f ou* Mie Ihings which are of men. Wherefore, the things which are of men? Because to go before Me tnou desirest, 8° Dac^ behind Me, in order that thou mayest follow me: so that now following Christ he might say, My soul hath been glued on behind Thee. With reason he addeth, Me Thy right hand hath taken up. My soul hath been glued on behind Thee, me Thy right hand hath taken Tnig Christ hath said in us: that is in the Man 1 Which He was bearing for us, Which He was offering for us, He hatn said tnis- Tne Church also saith this in Christ, she saith it in Her Head: for she too hath suffered here great persecutions, and by Her individual members even now he suffereth. For what man belonging to Christ is not vexed with divers temptations, and do not the devil and his angels daily strive with him, in order that he may be led astray by some lust, by some suggestion, either by promise of gain or fear of loss, or by promise of life or fear of death, either by the enmity of some great man, or the friendship of some great man? By every means the devil striveth in what way he may throw down: and in persecutions we live, and we have for our perpetual enemies, the devil and his angels: but let us not fear. The devil and his angels are as it were kites: under the wings of that Hen let us stay, and he is not able to touch us. For the Hen which protecteth us, is strong. Weak She is for our sake: but strong She is in Herself; our Lord Jesus Christ, the very Wisdom of God. Therefore the Church also saith this: My soul hath been glued on behind Thee, Thy right hand hath taken me up.

18. Ver. 9. But themselves in vain have sought my soul. What have they done to me that have sought to destroy my soul? O that they were seeking my soul, so that they might believe with me: but they have sought my soul to destroy me. For they were not going to carry off the glue, wherewith my soul hath adhered behind Thee. For who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or hunger, or nakedness, or sword? Thy right hand hath taken me up. Therefore because of that glue, and because of Thy right hand most mighty, in vain they have sought my soul. As many as have persecuted or desire to persecute the Church, of them this may be understood: chiefly, however, let us take this of the Jews, who sought to destroy the Soul of Christ, both in Himself our Head Which they crucified, and in His disciples whom afterwards they persecuted. They have sought my souL They shall go unto the lower places of the earth. Earth they were unwilling to lose, when they crucified Christ: into the lower places of the earth they have gone. What are the lower places of the earth? Earthly lusts. Better it is to walk upon earth, than by lust to go under earth. For every one that in prejudice of his salvation desireth earthly things, is under the earth: because earth he hath put before him, earth upon himself he hath put, and himself beneath he hath laid. They therefore fearing to lose earth, said what of the Lord Jesus Christ, when they saw great multitudes go after Him, forasmuch as He was doing wonderful things? If we shall have let Him go alive, there will come the Romans, and will take away from us both place and nation. They feared to lose earth, and they went under the earth: there befel them even what they feared. For they willed to kill Christ, that they might not lose earth; and earth they therefore lost, because Christ they slew. For when Christ had been slain, because the Himself had said to them, The kingdom shall be taken from you, and shall be given up to a nation doing righteousness: there followed them great calamities of persecutions: there conquered them Roman emperors, and kings of the nations: they were shut out from that very place where they crucified Christ, and now that place is full of Christian praisers: it hath no Jew, it hath been cleared of the enemies of Christ, it hath been fulfilled with the praisers of Christ. Behold, they have lost at the hands of the Romans the place, because Christ they slew, who to this end slew, that they might not lose the place at the hands of the Romans. Therefore, They shall enter into the lower places of the earth.

19. Ver. 10. They shall be delivered unto the hands of the sword. In truth, thus it hath visibly befallen them, they have been taken by storm by enemies breaking in. Portions of foxes they shall be. Foxes he calleth the kings of the world, that then were when Judaea was conquered. Hear in order that ye may know and perceive, that those he calleth foxes. Herod the king the Lord Himself hath called a fox. Go ye, He saith, and tell that fox. See and observe, my brethren: Christ as King they would not have, and portions of foxes they have been made. For when Pilate the deputy governor in Judaea slew Christ at the voices of the Jews, he said to same Jews, Your King shall I crucify f Because He was called King of the Jews, and He was the true King. And they rejecting Christ said, We have no king but Ccesar. They rejected a Lamb, chose a fox: deservedly portions of foxes they were made.

20. Ver. 11. The King in truth1, is so written, because they chose a fox, a King in truth they would not have. The King in truth: that is, the true King, to whom the title was inscribed, when He suffered. For Pilate set this title in scribed over His Head, The King of the Jews, in the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin tongues: in order that all they that should pass by might read of the glory of the King, and the infamy of the Jews themselves, who, rejecting the true King, chose the fox Caesar. The King in truth shall rejoice in God. They have been made portions of foxes: The King in truth shall rejoice in Qod. He Whom they seemed to themselves as if to overcome, when they crucified Him, at the time when He was crucified did shed the ransom, wherewith He bought the round world. The King in truth shall rejoice in God: every one shall be praised that sweareth in the Same. Why shall every one be praised that sweareth in the Same? Because for himself he hath chosen Christ, not a fox: because when those Jews insulted, then He gave that whence they might be redeemed. To Himself therefore we belong, that hath redeemed us, that for us hath conquered the world, not with armed soldiery, but with despised Cross. The King in truth shall rejoice in God: every one shall be praised that sweareth in the Same. Who sweareth in Him? He that promiseth to Him his life, that voweth to Him and payeth, he that becometh a Christian: this is what he saith in, Every one shall be praised that sweareth in the Same. For stopped up is the mouth of men speaking unjust things. How many unjust things have the Jews spoken? How many evil things have spoken, not only the Jews, but also all men that for the sake of idols have persecuted the Christians? When they were raging against the Christians, they were thinking that they could make an end of Christians: while they were thinking that they could make an end, the Christians grew, and they themselves have been made an end of. Stopped up is the mouth of men speaking unjust things. No one dareth now openly to speak against Christ, now all men fear Christ. For stopped up is the mouth of men speaking unjust things. When in weakness the Lamb was, even foxes were bold against the Lamb. There conquered the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and the foxes were silenced. For stopped5' up is the mouth of men speaking unjust things.