Psalm 112 (Vulgate 111)

1. I believe, brethren, that ye remarked and committed to memory the title of this Psalm. The conversion, he saith, of Haggai and Zechariah. These prophets were not as yet in existence, when these verses were sung. For between the time of David, and the removal of the people of Israel to Babylon, fourteen generations are computed, as holy Scripture, and chiefly St. Matthew the Evangelist, doth witness; while the restoration of the overthrown temple was expected seventy years after that migration: and when these years were completed, under Darius, king of Babylon, these two Prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, were filled with the Holy Ghost; and either within one year after other began *° ProPnesy tnat which seemeth to pertain to the restoration of the temple, as was foretold so long before. But whoever fixeth the eye of his heart on things done in the body, and doth not extend his view into the grace of spiritual apprehension, dwelleth in mind among the stones of the temple, wherein a visible fabric is raised aloft by the hands of men; nor is he made a living stone, fit for the temple, which the Lord first typified in His own body, when He said, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. For the holy Church herself is the more full body of the Lord, whose wead ascended into heaven, Who is in the highest sense a living stone, of Whom the blessed Peter saith, To Whom coming, as unto a living si one, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Christ the Corner stone. The living stones. Wherefore also it is contained in Scripture, Behold, 1 lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious; and he that believeth on Hint, shall not be confounded. Therefore that each man may become a living stone fit for such a building, let him understand spiritually the restoration of the temple from the ancient ruin which was made in Adam, as the renovation of a new people, according to the new and heavenly man: that as we have borne the image of the earthly, we may also bear the image of Him Who is from Heaven, that we may after all the ages of this world, the seventy years, as it were, which are fixed beforehand in the mystic number of perfection, and, as it were, after the bondage of a long pilgrimage, not be built together in a framework that shall fall, but be made firm by an immortality that shall last for evermore. For ye should consider the spiritual Jerusalem as no less your own than of the Jews. For so the Apostle saith, i\WEph.2, therefore ye are no mare strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone; in Whom all the building fitly framed together growelh unto an holy temple in the Lord: in Whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. This is the temple of God, unto which pertaineth the mystery of the prophecy of Haggai and Zechariah: to which again the same Apostle saith, For the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. Whoever therefore converteth himself to the work of this building together, and to the hope of a firm and holy edifice, like a living stone from the miserable ruin of this world, understandeth the title of the Psalm, understandeth the conversion of Haggai and Zechariah. Let him therefore chaunt the following verses, not so much with the voice of his tongue as of his life. For the completion of the building will be that ineffable peace of wisdom, the beginning of which is the fear of the Lord: let him therefore, whom this conversion buildeth together, begin thence.

2. Ver. 1. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord: he will have great delight in His commandments. God, Who alone judgeth both truthfully and mercifully, will see how far he obeyeth His commandments: since the life of man earin s a temptation, as holy Job saith. And again it written: for the corruptible body presseth down the soul, and the earthly tabernacle weigheth down the mind that many things But He who judgeth us is the Lord, nor ought we to judge before the time, until the Lord Cometh, and bringeth to light the hidden things of darkness, and shall make clear the counsels of the heart;*and then shall every man have praise of God. He therefore will see how far each man profiteth in His commandments; yet he who loveth the peace of this building together, shall have great delight in them; nor ought he to despair, since he shall have great delight in His commandments, and there is peace on earth for men of good will.

3. Ver. 2, 3. Next follows, His seed shall be mighty upon earth. The Apostle witnesseth, that the works of mercy are the seed of the future harvest, when he saith, Let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap; and But this J say, He which soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly. But what, brethren, is more mighty than that not only Zacchaeus should buy the kingdom of Heaven tne na^f °f his goods, but even the widow for two mites, and that each should possess an equal share there? What is more mighty, than that the same kingdom should be worth treasures to the rich man, and a cup of cold water to the poor? But there are persons who do these things, while they are seeking earthly possessions, either hoping for a reward from the Lord here, or desiring the praise of men; but, the generation of the right ones shall be blessed; that is, the works of those whose gracious God is the God of Israel, who are right-hearted; now a right heart is not to withstand the Father when He chasteneth, and to trust Him when He promiseth; not theirs, whose feet are moved away, whose treadings go astray and slip, as it is sung in another Psalm, while they are grieved at the wicked, seeing the ungodly in such prosperity, and imagine that their works perish, because a perishable reward is not given them. But that man who feareth God, and who by the conversion of an upright heart is fitted for an holy temple of God, neither seeketh the glory of men, nor lusteth for earthly riches; but nevertheless, glory and riches shall be in his house. For his bouse is his heart; where, with the praise of God, he liveth in greater riches with the hope of eternal life, than with men flattering, in palaces of marble, with splendidly adorned ceilings, with the fear of everlasting death. For his righteousness endureth for ever: this is his glory, there are bis riches. While the other's purple, and fine linen) and grand banquets, even when present, are passing away; and when they have come to an end, the burning tongue shall cry out, longing for a drop of water from the finger's end.

4. Ver. 4 — 9. Unto the righUhearted there ariseth up light in the darkness. Justly do the godly direct their heart unto their God, justly do they walk with their God, preferring His will to themselves; and having no proud presumption in their own. For they remember that they were some time in darkness, but are now light in the Lord. Merciful, pitying, and just is the Lord God. It delighteth us that6,8. He is merciful and pitying, but it perhaps terrifieth us that the Lord God is just. Fear not, despair not at all, happy man, who fearest the Lord, and bast great delight in His commandments; be thou sweet, be merciful and lend. For the Lord is just in this manner, that He judgeth without mercy him who hath not shewn mercy; but, (ver. 5.) Sweet is the man who is merciful and lendeth: God will not spew him out of His mouth as if he were not sweet. Forgive, He saith, and ye shall be forgiven; give, and it shall be given unto you. Whilst thou forgivest, that thou mayest be forgiven, thou art merciful; whilst thou givest that it may be given unto thee, thou lendest. For though all be called generally mercy where another is assisted in his distress, yet there is a difference where thou spendest neither money, nor the toil of bodily labour, but by forgiving what each man hath sinned against thee, thou gainest free pardon for thine own sins also. I imagine that these two offices of kindness, of forgiving sins, as in the passage of the Gospel, forgive, and ye shall be forgiven; give, and it shall be given unto you; are thus distinguished in this verse also, sweet is the man who is merciful and lendeth. Let us not be slothful in these matters, brethren. He who desireth that he himself be avenged, seeketh glory; but listen to the words of Scripture, he that conquereth his anger is better than he ta,keth a city* He who is unwilling to give to the poor, seeketh riches; listen to what is written, Thou shalt have treasure in Jieaven. Thou wilt not then lose honour by forgiving: for it is a very laudable triumph to conquer anger: wilt not grow poor by giving;, for a heavenly treasure is a more safe possession. The former verse, Riches and plenteousness shall be in his house, was pregnant with this verse.

5. He therefore who doth these things, shall guide his words with discretion. His deeds themselves are the words whereby he shall be defended at the Judgment; which shall not be without mercy unto him, since he hath himself shewn mercy. (Ver. 6.) For he shall never be moved: he who, called to the right hand, shall hear these words, Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For no works of theirs, save works of mercy, are there mentioned. He therefore shall hear, Come, ye blessed of My Father; for, the generation of the right ones shall be blessed. Thus, the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance. (Ver. 7.) He will not be afraid of any evil hearing; such as the words which he will addressed to those on the left hand, Depart into everlasting Jire, prepared for the devil and his angels.

6. He therefore who seeketh here not his own things, but those of Jesus Christ, most patiently en dure th sufferings, waiteth for the promises with faith. Nor is he broken down by any temptations: (ver. 8.) His heart is established, and will not shrink, until he see beyond his enemies. His enemies wished to see good things here, and when invisible blessings were promised them, used to say, Who will shew us any good? Let our heart therefore be established, and shrink not, until we see beyond our enemies. For they wTish to see good things of men in the land of the dying; we trust to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

7. But it is a great thing to have, the heart established, and not to be moved, while they rejoice who love what they see, and mock at him who hopeth for what he seeth not; and he shall not shrink, until he also see not here below, what his enemies see, but above, higher than his enemies, what the eye hath not seen, nor hath the ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man what the Lord hath prepared for them that love Him. How great is the value of this which is not seen, and it is bought for so much as each man is able to give for it. On this account he also dispersed abroad, and gave to the poor: he saw not, yet he kept buying; but He was storing up the treasure in heaven, Who deigned to hunger and thirst in the poor on earth. It is no wonder then if his righteousness remaineth for ever: He who created the ages being his guardian. His horn, whose humility was scorned by the proud, shall be exalted with honour.

8. Ver. 20. The ungodly shall see it, and he shall be angered: this is that late and fruitless repentance. For with whom rather than himself is he angered, when he shall say, Our pride, what hath it profited usf the boaslfulness of our riches, what hath it given usf seeing the horn of him exalted with honour, who dispersed abroad, and gave8' to the poor. He shall gnash with his teeth, and consume away: for, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For he will no more bring forth leaves and bloom, as would happen if he had repented in season: but he will then repent, when the desire of the ungodly shall perish, no consolation succeeding. The desire of the ungodly shall perish, when all things shall pass away like a shadow, when the flower shall fall down on the withering of the grass. But the word of the Lord that endureth for ever, as it is£8a-40» mocked by the vanity of the falsely happy, so will laugh at the perdilion of the same when truly miserable.