Psalm 110 [MT 111]

"I will make confession unto You, O Lord," he says, "with my whole heart" [Psalm 111:1]. Confession is not always confession of sins, but the praise of God is poured forth in the devotion of confession. The former mourns, the latter rejoices: the former shows the wound to the physician, the latter gives thanks for health. The latter confession signifies some one, not merely freed from every evil, but even separate from all the ill-disposed. And for this reason let us consider the place where he confesses unto the Lord with all his heart. "In the counsel," he says, "of the upright, and in the congregation:" I suppose, of those who shall "sit upon the twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." [Matthew 19:28] For there will be no longer an unjust man among them, the thefts of no Judas are allowed, no Simon Magus is baptized, wishing to buy the Spirit, while he designs to sell it; no coppersmith like Alexander does many evil deeds, [2 Timothy 4:14] no man covered with sheep's clothing creeps in with feigned fraternity; such as those among whom the Church must now groan, and such as she must then shut out, when all the righteous shall be gathered together.

"These are the great works of the Lord, sought out unto all His wills" [Psalm 111:2]: through which mercy forsakes none who confesses, no man's wickedness is unpunished. [Hebrews 12:6] ...Let man choose for himself what he lists: the works of the Lord are not so constituted, that the creature, having free discretion allowed him, should transcend the will of the Creator, even though he act contrary to His will. God wills not that you should sin; for He forbids it: yet if you have sinned, imagine not that the man has done what he willed, and that has happened to God which He willed not. For as He would that man would not sin, so would He spare the sinner, that he may return and live; He so wills finally to punish him who persists in his sin, that the rebellious cannot escape the power of justice. Thus whatever choice you have made, the Almighty will not be at a loss to fulfil His will concerning you.

"Confession and glorious deeds are His work" [Psalm 111:3]. What is a more glorious deed than to justify the ungodly? But perhaps the work of man preventeth that glorious work of God, so that when he hath confessed his sins, he deserveth to be justified. ...This is the glorious work of the Lord: for he loveth most, to whom most is forgiven. This is the glorious work of the Lord: for "where sin abounded, there did grace much more abound." But perhaps a man would deserve justification from works. "Not," saith he, "of works, lest any man boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works" For a man worketh not righteousness save he be justified: but by "believing on Him that justifieth the ungodly," he beginneth with faith; that good may not by preceding show what he hath deserved, but by following what he hath received. ...

"He has made His wonderful works to be remembered" [Psalm 111:4]: by abasing this man, exalting that. Reserving unusual miracles for a fit season, that thus human weakness, intent upon novelty, may remember them, although His daily miracles be greater. He created so many trees throughout the whole earth, and no one wonders: He dried up one with a word, and the hearts of mortals were thunderstruck. [Matthew 21:19-20] For that miracle, which has not through its frequency become common, will cling most firmly to the heart. But of what use were the miracles, save that He might be feared?

What too would fear profit, unless "the gracious and merciful Lord" gave "meat unto them that fear Him"? [Psalm 111:5]; meat that does not spoil, "bread that comes down from heaven," which He gave to no deservings of ours. For "Christ died for the ungodly." [Romans 5:6] No one then would give such food, save a gracious and merciful Lord. But if He gave so much to this life, if the sinner who was to be justified received the Word made flesh; what shall he receive when glorified in a future world? For, "He shall ever be mindful of His covenant." Nor has He who has given a pledge, given the whole.

"He shall show His people the power of His works" [Psalm 111:6]. Let not the holy Israelites, who have left all their possessions and have followed Him, be saddened; let them not be sorrowful and say, "Who then can be saved?" For "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." For "with men these things are impossible, but with God all things are possible." [Matthew 19:24-26] "That He may give them the heritage of the heathen." For they went to the heathen, and enjoined the rich of this world "not to be high-minded, nor to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God," [1 Timothy 6:17] to whom that is easy which is difficult for men. For thus many were called, thus the heritage of the heathen has been occupied, thus it has happened, that even many who have not abandoned all their possessions in this life in order to follow Him, have despised even life itself for the sake of confessing His Name; and like camels humbling themselves to bear the burden of troubles, have entered as it were through a needle's eye, through the piercing straits of suffering. He has wrought these effects, unto whom all things are possible.

"The works of His hands are verity and judgment" [Psalm 111:7]. Let verity be held by those who are judged here. Martyrs are here sentenced, and brought to the judgment-seat, that they may judge not only those by whom they have been judged, but even give judgment on angels, [1 Corinthians 6:3] against whom was their struggle here, even when they seemed to be judged by men. Let not tribulation, distress, famine, nakedness, the sword, separate from Christ. For "all His commandments are true;" [Romans 8:35] He deceives not, He gives us what He promised. Yet we should not expect here what He promised; we should not hope for it.

But "they stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and equity" [Psalm 111:8]. It is equitable and just that we should labour here and repose there.

...since "He sent redemption unto His people" [Psalm 111:9]. But from what are they redeemed, save from the captivity of this pilgrimage? Let not therefore rest be sought, save in the heavenly country. God indeed gave the carnal Israelites an earthly Jerusalem, "which is in bondage with her children:" but this is the Old Covenant, pertaining unto the old man. But they who there understood the figure, even then were heirs of the New Covenant; for "Jerusalem which is above is free, which is our everlasting mother in heaven." But that transitory promises were given in that Old Testament is proved by the fact itself: however, "He hath commended His covenant for ever." But what, but the New? Whosoever dost wish to be heir of this, deceive not thyself, and think not of a land flowing with milk and honey, nor of pleasant farms, nor of gardens abounding in fruits and shade: desire not how to gain anything of this sort, such as the eye of covetousness is wont to lust for. For since "covetousness is the root of all evils," it must be cut off, that it may be consumed here; not be put off, that it may be satisfied there. First escape punishments, avoid hell; before thou longest for a God who promiseth, beware of one who threateneth. For "holy and reverend is His Name."

I think I shall not seem to be taking too much on myself, if, in the midst of my children, I yield to my desire to teach, seeing that the master of humility himself has said, "Come, you children, listen to me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord." Therein one may observe both the humility and the grace of his reverence for God. For in saying "the fear of the Lord," which seems to be common to all, he has described the chief mark of reverence for God. As, however, fear itself is the beginning of wisdom and the source of blessedness—for they that fear the Lord are blessed—he has plainly marked himself out as the teacher for instruction in wisdom and the guide to the attainment of blessedness.

..."The fear of the Lord," therefore, "is the beginning of wisdom." "Understanding is good" [Psalm 111:10]. Who gainsayeth? But to understand, and not to do, is dangerous. It is "good," therefore, "to those that do there after." Nor let it lift up the mind unto pride; for, "the praise of Him," the fear of whom is the beginning of wisdom, "endureth for ever:" and this will be the reward, this the end, this the everlasting station and abode. There are found the true commandments, made fast for ever and ever; here is the very heritage of the New Covenant commanded for ever. "One thing," he saith, "I have desired of the Lord, which I will require: even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life." For, "blessed are they that dwell in the house" of the Lord: "they will be alway praising" Him; for "His praise endureth for ever."

No one accomplishes these ten commandments by their own strength, unless assisted by the grace of God. If therefore no one fulfills the law by their own strength, unless God aids with His Spirit; now recall how the Holy Spirit is commended in the sevenfold number, just as the holy prophet says, that the man be filled with the Spirit of God, of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and fortitude, of knowledge and piety, the Spirit of the fear of God. These seven operations commend the Holy Spirit in the sevenfold number, who, as if descending to us, begins with wisdom and ends with fear. But we, ascending, begin with fear and are perfected in wisdom. For the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

No one is saved without knowledge of himself, from which indeed the mother of salvation, humility, arises, and the fear of the Lord, which itself, just as it is the beginning of wisdom, so also is the beginning of salvation. No one, I say, is saved without that knowledge, who yet has the age and faculty of knowing. This I say on account of little children and the mentally deficient, whose case is different. What if you are ignorant of God? Can there be hope of salvation with ignorance of God? Not even this. For you can neither love one whom you do not know, nor possess one whom you have not loved. Know yourself therefore, that you may fear God; know him, that you may likewise appease him. In the one you are initiated into wisdom, in the other you are also brought to perfection, because the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord, and the fullness of the law is love. Both ignorances therefore must be guarded against by you, just as without the fear and love of God salvation cannot exist. The rest are indifferent, having neither salvation if they are known, nor damnation if they are not known.

He also said, 'The beginning and the end is the fear of the Lord. For it is written, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Ps. 111:10) and, when Abraham built an altar the Lord said to him, "Now I know that you fear God" (Gen. 22:12).'

Fairer in my eyes is the beauty that we can gaze on than that which is painted in words; of more value the wealth that our hands can hold, than that which is imagined in our dreams; and more real the wisdom of which we are convinced by deeds, than that which is set forth in splendid language. For "a good understanding," he said, "have all they who act accordingly," not they who proclaim it. Time is the best touchstone of this wisdom, and "the gray head is a crown of glory."

And again he said, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Now the end of the path of good works is spiritual love, therefore from love divine wisdom is produced, and the blessed David well taught us that the beginning of this way of wisdom is the fear of God. For as to every matter in [this] world there is a beginning and an end, and as the paths which are trodden down naturally by the passage of footsteps have also a beginning and an end, even so hath the path of virtue a beginning and an end; its beginning is the fear of God, and its end is the wisdom which is born of love. And it is right that every man who wisheth to begin the Christian life should begin it with the fear of God, even according to the teaching of the blessed David.

It has also been a subject of discussion, how extremely frequent is the intercourse that heretics hold with magicians, with charlatans, with astrologers, with philosophers; and the reason is that they are people who devote themselves to curious questions. "Seek, and you shall find," is everywhere in their minds. Thus, from the very nature of their conduct may be estimated the quality of their faith. In their discipline we have an index of their doctrine. They say that God is not to be feared; therefore all things are in their view free and unchecked. Where, however, is God not feared, except where he is not, there truth also is not. Where there is no truth, then, naturally enough, there is also such a discipline as the heretics. But where God is, there exists "the fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom." Where the fear of God is, there is seriousness, an honorable and yet thoughtful diligence, as well as an anxious carefulness and a well-considered admission [to the sacred ministry], a safely guarded communion, promotion after good service, a scrupulous submission [to authority], a devout attendance, a modest gait, a united church and God in all things.