Psalm 118 (Vulgate 117)

]. We have heard, my brethren, the Holy Spnfit warning and exhorting us to offer the sacrifice of confession unto God. Now confession is either of His praise, or of our sins. Now that confession, whereby we confess unto God our sins, is known unto all; so that the less learned multitude imagine that this only is meant by the word confession in the holy Scriptures; for when this word hath once been heard from the lips of the reader, immediately the pious sound of the beating of breasts followetb. But they ought to consider what sense it is said in another Psalm: For I will enter into the place of the admirable tabernacle, even unto the house of God; in the voice of thanksgiving and confession; of the sound of them tfyat keep holy day. For here it is surely clear, that the voice and sound of confession doth not relate to the sadness of penitence, but to the joy fulness of a crowded festivity. Or if any one still doubteth concerning so clear a testimony, what will he say to this passage in Ecclesiastic us: Bless the Lord, all His works, magnify His Name, and confess to His praise with the songs of your lips, and with harps, and in confession. Ye shall say after this manner: All the worksy of the Lord are exceeding good. Here certainly the dullest person cannot doubt that confession meaneth the praises of God; unless indeed there is perversity so great in any man's mind, that he dare to say even that our Lord Jesus Christ Himself confessed His sins unto His Father. But if any ungodly person should attempt to make this objection on the ground of the word confession, he would easily be refuted by the context itself: for thus speaketh: I confess unto Thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Thy sight. Who would not understand Him to say this in praise of the Father? Who would not see that this confession doth not pertain to sorrowfulness of heart, but to joy; especially since the Evangelist saith immediately before, In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, I confess unto 77tee,*X' O Father.

2. Ver. 1. Wherefore, most beloved, since it is not on any groupj^to be questioned, with so many concurrent testi* monies, the like of which ye may of yourselves remark in the Scriptures, that the word confession is used in the inspired writings, not only in the sense of sin, but in that of the praises of God; what more harmonious interpretation can we arrive at, than that we are taught in this Psalm, when we chaunt Allelujah, which meaneth, Praise the Lord, that we should, when we hear the words, Confess unto the Lord, praise the Lord? The praise of God could not be expressed in fewer words than these, For He is good. I see not what can be more solemn than this brevity, since goodness is so peculiarly the quality of God, that the Son of God Himself when addressed by some one as, Good Master, by one, namely, who beholding His?flesh, and comprehend* ing not the fulness of His divine nature, considered Him as man only, replied, Why callest thou Me good? There t#Mark none good but one, that is, Ood. And what is this* but to{g] say, If thou wishest to call Me good, recognise Me as God? But since it is addressed, in revelation of things to come, to a people freed from all toil and wandering in pilgrimage, and from all admixture with the wicked, which freedom was given it through the grace of God, Who not only doth not evil for evil, but even returneth good for evil; it is most appropriately added, Because His mercy endureth for ever.

3. Ver. 2. Let Israel now confess that He is good, and that His mercy endureth for ever. (Ver. 3.) Let the house of Aaron now confess that His mercy endureth for ever* (Ver. 4.) Yea, let all now that fear the Lord confess that His mercy endureth for ever. Ye remember, I suppose, most beloved, what is the house of Israel, what is the house of Aaron, and that both are those that fear the Lord. For they are the little and the great, who have already in another Psalm been happily introduced into your hearts: in the12,13, number of whom all of us should rejoice that we are joined toSetner> *n His grace Who is good, and Whose mercy endureth for ever; since they were listened to who said, jfay fog £orfj increase you more and more, you and your children; that the host of the Gentiles might be added to the Israelites who believed in Christ, of the number of whom are the Apostles our fathers, for the exaltation of the perfect and the obedience of the little children; that all of us when made one in Christ, made one flock under one Shepherd, and the body of that Head, like one man, may say, / called upon the Lord in trouble, and the Lord heard me at large. The narrow straits of our tribulation are limited: but the large way whereby we pass along hath no end. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?

4. Ver. 6, 7. The Lord is my helper; I will not fear what man doeth unto me. But are men, then, the only enemies that the Church hath? What is a man devoted to flesh and blood, save flesh and blood? But the Apostle saith, We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the princes and rulers of the darkness of this world; that is, the rulers of the wicke<J, of those who love this world, and are therefore darkness; for we also were at one time darkness, but now are we light in the Lord. Against, he saith, spiritual wickedness in high places; that is, the devil and n;s angels; that devil whom elsewhere he calleth the prince of the power of the air. Hear therefore what followeth: (ver. 7.) The Lord is my helper: therefore shall I despise mine enemies. From what class soever my enemies may arise, whether from th^ number of evil men, or from the number of evil angels; in the Lord's help, unto Whom we chaunt the confession of praise, unto Whom we sing Allelujah, they shall be despised.

5. Ver. 8. But, when my enemies have been brought to contempt, let not my friend present himself unto me as a good man, so as to bid me repose my hope in himself: for It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put any confidence in man. Nor let any one, who may in a certain sense be styled a good angel, be regarded by myself as one;n whom I ought to put my trust: for no one is good, save God alone; and when a man or an angel appear to aid us, when they do this of sincere affection, He doth it through them, Who made them good after their measure. (Ver. 9.) It is therefore better to trust in the Lord, than to put any confidence in princes. For angels also are called princes, even as we read in Daniel, Michael, your prince.

6. Ver. 10, 11. All nations compassed me round about,1' but in the Name qf the Lord have I taken vengeance on them. Tf^f kept me in on every side, they kept me in, I say, on every side; but in the Name of the Lord have I taken vengeance on them. In the words, All nations compassed me round about, but in the Name of the Lord have I taken vengeance on them, he signifieth the toils and the victory of the Church; but, as if the question were asked how she could have overcome so great evils, he looketh back to the example, and declareth what she had first suffered in her Head, by adding what followeth, They kept me in on every side: and the words, All nations, are with reason not repeated here, because this was the act of the Jews alone. But in the Name of the Lord have I taken vengeance on them, because there that very religious nation, (which is the body of Christ, and *n behalf of which was done all that was done in mortal form with immortal power, by that inward divinity, through the outward Mesh,) suffered from persecutors, of whose race that flesh was assumed and hung upon the Cross.

7. Ver. 12. They came about me as bees do a hive, and burned up even as the fire among the thorns: and in the Name of the Lord have I taken vengeance on them. Here then the order of the words corresponds with the order of events. For we rightly understand that our Lord Himself, the Head of the Church, was surrounded by persecutors, even as bees surround a hive. For the Holy Spirit is speaking with mystic subtlety of what was done by those who knew not what they did. For bees make honey in the hives: while our Lord's persecutors, unconscious as they were, rendered Him sweeter unto us even by His very Passion; so that we may taste and see how sweet is the Lord, Who died for our sins, and arose for our justification. But 25. what followeth, and burned up even as the fire among the thorns, is better understood of His Body, that is, of a people spread abroad, whom all nations compassed about, since it was gathered together from all nations. They burned up j^re among (he thorns, when they consumed this sinful flesh, and the grievous piercings of this mortal life, in the flame of persecution. And, he saith, in the Name of the Lord have I taken vengeance on them: either because they themselves, that wickedness, which in them persecuted the righteous, having been extinguished, were joined with the people of Christ; or because the rest of them, who have at this time scorned the mercy of Him Who calleth them, will at the end feel the truth of Him Who judgeth them.

8. Ver. 13. / have been driven on like a heap of sand, so that I was falling, but the Lord upheld me. For though there were a great multitude of believers, that might be compared to the countless sand, and brought into one communion as into one heap; yet what is man, save Thou be mindful of Him? He said not, the multitude of the Gentiles could not surpass the abundance of my host, but, the Lord, he saith, hath upheld me. The persecution of the Gentiles succeeded not in pushing forward, to its overthrow, the host of the faithful dwelling together in the unity of the faith; since they trusted in Him, Who would uphold both individuals and all collectively; because He could never have been wanting to them when they called upon Him*

9. Ver, 14. The Lord is my strength and my praise, and is become my salvation. Who then fall, when they are pushed, save they who choose to be their own strength and their own praise? For no man falleth in the contest, except he whose strength and^praise faileth. He therefore whose strength and praise is the Lord, falleth no more than the Lord falleth. And for this reason He hath become their salvation; not that He hath become any thing which He was not before, but because they, when they believed on Him, became what they were not before, and then He began to be salvation unto them when turned towards Him, which He was not to them when turned away from Himself.

10. Ver. 15. The voice of joy and health is in the dwellings of the righteous; where they who raged against their bodies thought there was the voice of sorrow and destruction. For they did not know the inward joy of the saints in their fiature hope. Whence the Apostle also saith, As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; and again, And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also. 1. Ver. 16. The right hand of the Lord hath brought mighty things to pass. What mighty things? saith he. The right hand of the Lord, he saith, hath exalted me. It is a mighty thing to exalt the humble, to deify the mortal, to bring perfection out of infirmity, glory from subjection, victory fro% suffering, to give help, to raise from trouble; that the true salvation of God might be laid open to the afflicted, and the salvation of men might remain of no avail to the persecutors. These are great things: but what art thou surprised at? hear what he repeateth. Man exalted not himself, man perfected not himself, man gave not himself the glory, man conquered not, man was not salvation to himself: The right hand of the Lard hath brought mighty things to pass.

11. Ver. 17. / shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. But they, while they were dealing havoc and death on every side, thought that the Church of Christ was dying. Behold, he now declareth the works of the Lord. Every where Christ is the glory of the blessed Martyrs. By being beaten He conquered those who struck Him; by beiug patient of torments, the tormentors1; by loving, those who raged against Him. teTSd

12. Ver. 18. Nevertheless, let him point out to us, whyimpatithe body of Christ, the holy Church, the people of adoption, suffered such indignities. The Lord, he saith, hath chastened and corrected me, but He hath not given me over unto death. Let not then the boastful wicked imagine that aught hath been permitted to their power: they would not have that power, were it not given them from above. Oft doth the father of a family command his sons to be corrected by the most worthless slaves; though he designeth the heritage for the former, fetters for the latter. What is that heritage? Is it of gold, or silver, or jewels, or farms, or pleasant estates? Consider how we enter into it: and learn what it is.

13. Ver. 19. Open me, he saith, the gates of righteousness. Behold, we have heard of the gates. What is within? That I may, he saith, go into them, and give thanks unto the Lord. This is the confession of praise full of wonder, even Pi.42,4. unto the house of God, in the voice of joy and confession of among such as keep holiday: this is the everlasting bliss of the righteous, whereby they are blessed who dwell in the Lord's house, praising Him for evermore.

14. Ver. 20. But consider how the gates of righteousness are entered into. These are the gates of the Lord, he saith, the righteous shall enter into them. At least let no wicked man enter there, that Jerusalem^, which receiv^i not one where it is said, ^Vithout are dogs. Be it enough, that in my long pilgrim Sig&Jhave had my habitation among the tents of Kedar: and that, with them that were enemies unto peace I laboured for peace: I endured even unto the end the intercourse of the wicked, but these are the gates of the Lord: the righteous shall enter into them.

15. Ver. 21. I will confess unto Thee, O Lord, for Thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. How often is that confession proved to be one of praise, that doth not point out wounds to the physician, but giveth thanks for the health it hath received. But the Physician Himself is the Salvation.

16. Ver. 22. But wno is this Whom we speak of? The Stone which the builders rejected; for, It hath become the head Stone of the corner; to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that He might reconcile both unto God in one body; circumcision, to wit, and uncircumcision.

17. Ver. 23. By the Lord was it made unto it: that is, it is made into the head stone of the corner by the Lord. For although He would not have become this, had He not suffered; yet He became not this through those from whom He suffered. For they who were building, refused Him: but in the edifice which the Lord was secretly raising, that was made the head stone of the corner which they rejected. And it is marvellous in our eyes: in the eyes of the inner man, in the eyes of those that believe, those that hope, those that love; not in the carnal eyes of those who, through scorning Him as if He were a man, rejected Him.

18. Ver. 24. This is the day which the Lord %ath made. This man remembereth that he had said in former Psalms, Since He hath inclined His ear unto me, therefore will I call upon Him as long as I live; making mention of his old days; whence he now saith, This is the day which the25m~2^' Lord hath made; that is, wherein He hath given me Salvation. This is the day whereof He said, In an accep table time have J heard thee, and in a day of Salvation have I helped thee; that is, a day wherein He, the Mediator, hath become the head Stone of the corner. Let us rejoice, therefore,%//d be glad in Him.

19. Ver. 25. Save me now, O Lord: prosper Thou well my way, O Lord. Because it is the day of Salvation, save me: because we, returning from a long pilgrimage, are separated from those who hated peace, with whom we were peaceful, and who, when we spoke to them, made war upon us without a cause; prosper well our way as we return, since Thou hast become our Way.

20. Ver. 26. Blessed be He that cotneth in the Name of the Lord. Cursed, therefore, is he that cometh in his own name; as He saith in the Gospel; 66 1 am come in i/yJobnS, Father's Name, and ye receive Me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive" We have blessed you out of the house of God. I believe that these are the words of the great to the little, of those great ones, to wit, who in spirit commune with God the Word, Who ia with God, as they may in this life; and yet temper their discourse for the sake of the little ones, so that they may sincerely say what the Apostle saith: For whether we ^J3c^*t beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. For the love of Christ constraineth us. They bless the little children from the inner house of the Lord, where that praise faileth not age after age: consider therefore what they proclaim from thence.

21. Ver. 27. God is the Lord, Who hath shewed us light. That Lord, Who came in the Lord's Name, Whom the builders refused, and Who became the head Stone of the corner, that Mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ, is God, He is equal with the Father, He hath shewed us2>6- light, that we might understand what we believed, and declare it to you who understand it not as yet, but already believe it. But that ye also may understand, Declare a holy day in full assemblies, even unto the hams of the altar; that is, even unto the inner house of God, from " which we have blessed you, where are the high places of the altar. Declare a holy day, not in a slothful manner, but in full assemblies, For this is the voice of joyfulness among those that keep holy day, who walk in the place of the wonderful tabernacle, even unto the house of God. For if there be there the spiritual sacrifice, the everlasting sacrifice of praise, both the Priest is everlasting, and tlif peaceful mind of the righteous an everlasting altar. This we say more openly, brethren 2 whoever desire to understand God the Word, let not flesh suffice for them, because for their sakes the Word was made flesh, that they might be nourished with milk; nor let this holy day suffice on earth, in which that Lamb was slain: but let it be declared in the public paths, until, our minds being raised by God, we reach the inner Divinity of Him, Who hath deigned to vouchsafe to us, that we might be fed with milk, a human nature out-? wardly.

22. Ver. 29. And what shall we sing there, save His praises? What else shall we say there, save, Thou art my God, and I will confess unto Thee; Thou art my God, and I will praise Thee. I will confess unto Thee, for Thou hast heard me, and art become my Salvation. We will not say these things in loud words; but the love that abideth in Him of itself crieth out in these words, and these words are love itself. Thus, as he began with praise, so he endeth: (ver. 29.) Confess unto the Lord, for He is gracious, and His mercy endureth for ever. With this the Psalm commenceth, with this it endeth; since, as from the commencement which we have left behind, so in the end, whither we are returning, there is not any thing that can more profitably please us, than the praise of God, and Allelujah evermore. Preface.

I have expounded all the rest of the Psalms, which we know the Book of the Psalms containeth, which by the