Psalm 25 [MT 26]

Two things give faith to the Christian, that he has the mercy of God before his eyes and that he accepts the truth of the universal faith.

"Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in my innocence" [Psalm 26:1]. Judge me, O Lord, for, after the mercy which You first showed me, I have some desert of my innocence, the way whereof I have kept. "And trusting in the Lord I shall not be moved." And yet not even so trusting in myself, but in the Lord, I shall abide in Him.

One is the apparent (and often no doubt real) self-righteousness of the Psalms: 'Thou shalt find no wickedness in me' (17:3), 'I have walked innocently' (26:1), 'Preserve thou my soul, for I am holy' (86:2). For many people it will not much mend matters if we say that sometimes the speaker was from the first intended to be Israel, not the individual; and even, within Israel, the faithful remnant. But of course there was to come a Sufferer who was in fact holy and innocent. All these assertions were to become true in His mouth. And if true, it was necessary they should be made. Our Lord therefore becomes the speaker in these passages when a Christian reads them; by right—it would be an obscuring of the real issue if He did not. For He denied all sin of Himself. (That, indeed, is no small argument of His Deity. For He has not often made even on the enemies of Christianity the impression of arrogance; many of them do not seem as shocked as we should expect at His claim to be 'meek and lowly of heart'. Yet He said such things as, on any hypothesis but one, would be the arrogance of a paranoiac.)

The petition for judgment does indeed appear to be dangerous, but a separation from evil people is recognized to be an appropriate request from one who is well deserving. Therefore this request does not arise from the detestable pride in merits, but it is the just petition of a faithful servant, asking to be separated from the most vile in order not to have a portion with wicked people. A holy person asks for judgments to be made because of certainty in God's mercy, as the Apostle says: "As to the rest, a crown of righteousness has been set aside for me, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will grant to me on that day." The psalmist walks in innocence because he puts his hope in the Lord, as he says later; nor does he find confidence in his own powers, but in God's generosity. A fitting proof of this matter follows, for he maintains that he has not been weakened in his trust in the Lord. This is the "innocence" which he spoke about earlier, namely, his confidence in God's power that no weakness of sin is able to weigh him down.

It is not to be read, as some commentators claim, "Judge me, Lord," for if it is read "Judge me," it gives quite a different sense, as though to say, condemn me, as also in Psalm 5 he appealed in the words "Condemn them, Lord," which is not appropriate for a suppliant to ask for in his own case. So it is to be read as "Give me a just verdict" … because I did not swerve from my innocent purpose, nor did I have any doubts about the hope I placed in you.

I appeal to you, O Lord, to act as judge of the justice of my cause: I know you are God, I placed my hopes in your providence, and I am confident I shall not fall into the hands of my pursuers.

Above, the Psalmist set forth a prayer against tribulations; here, however, so that his prayer may be more acceptable, he puts forward his own justice. The title is straightforward, because it is not new. Concerning this, therefore, the Psalmist does two things. First he sets forth his whole intention in general. Second he explains it in particular, at "I have not sat with the council." Concerning the first he does three things. First he asks for judgment. Second he alleges his justice, at "Because I." Third he excuses any presumption, at "Because your mercy." David, from his own person or from the person of a just man, seeing himself mixed in with sinners in place -- if not in merit -- asks to be distinguished from them; hence he says, "O Lord, judge," that is, distinguish me from them. But against this: "Enter not into judgment with your servant, because no one living shall be justified in your sight" (Ps. 142). I respond. It must be said that there is a twofold judgment, namely of severity and strictness: and this judgment he does not seek, because no one could bear it; the other is a judgment of mercy and examination: and this he seeks: Jer. 10: "Correct me, O Lord, but in judgment and not in your fury," that is, of severity. And he proposes his innocence; and therefore he says, "Because I have walked in my innocence," that is, I have advanced in my innocence, or "I have entered," because our life is a kind of journey. Prov. 4: "I will lead you through the paths of equity, which when you have entered," etc. And this "in my innocence," which I propose to maintain: Job 22: "The innocent shall be saved, and he shall be saved by the cleanness of his hands." "I shall not be weakened": Jerome has "I shall not fail," namely in maintaining this innocence: Job 27: "Until I fail, I will not depart from it": and this I shall do, not in my own strength but by confidence in divine help, because "trusting in the Lord I shall not be weakened": 1 Mac. 2: "All who hope in him do not grow weak." But against this: this seems to be presumption: Job 9: "If I try to justify myself, my own mouth will condemn me." I respond. It must be said that the allegation of innocence can sometimes proceed from pride, when someone attributes it to himself, and this is evil; sometimes from divine mercy, and this is good; and therefore he adds, "Because your mercy."

"Prove me, O Lord, and try me" [Psalm 26:2]. Lest, however, any of my secret sins should be hid from me, prove me, O Lord, and try me, making me known, not to You from whom nothing is hid, but to myself, and to men. "Burn my reins and my heart." Apply a remedial purgation, as it were fire, to my pleasures and thoughts.

"Prove and test" is not spoken presumptuously, but is made as a request for improvement. For when God examines and tests us, he makes us conscious of our sin and brings us to the fruition of repentance.

It follows: "And thus shall you eat it. You shall gird your loins." What is understood by the loins except the delight of the flesh? Hence the Psalmist also asks, saying: "Burn my loins." For if he had not known that the pleasure of lust resides in the loins, he would by no means have asked that they be burned. Hence, because the power of the devil has prevailed over the human race especially through lust, it is said of him by the voice of the Lord: "His power is in his loins." Therefore he who eats the Passover ought to have his loins girded, so that he who celebrates the solemnity of resurrection and incorruption may no longer be subject to corruption through any vices, may subdue pleasures, and may restrain the flesh from lust.

If need be, we will not only partake of the blessings of life but bear its appointed sorrows as a trial to our souls. For in this way is divine Scripture accustomed to speak of human afflictions, by which, as gold is tried in the fire, so the human spirit is tried and is found to be worthy either of condemnation or of praise.… We are therefore prepared and are ready to say, "Try me, O Lord, and prove me; purge my reins and my heart."

And again David saith, "Examine me, O Lord, and try me, prove my reins and my heart."

But how do you know that you are innocent? "Prove me, O Lord," you know this. And he sets forth three things: namely, proof, tribulation, and temptation. The second follows from the first, the third from the second. He says, therefore, "O Lord, prove me," not so that you may learn something about me from this, but so that you may show it to others. A person is best proved through temptation, which is the taking of experience: temptation is the receiving of experience about what one does not know; proof, however, is the manifestation of virtue about what one does know. And therefore he says, "Try me," namely for this purpose, that I may appear tested to myself and to others: for God does not tempt to evil: Jas. 1: "God is not a tempter of evils"; but he is said to tempt when certain things are shown through immense difficulty. This temptation, moreover, is done through fire, as it is said in Wis. 3: "As gold in the furnace he has tried them." And therefore he says, "Burn my loins and my heart," that is, send tribulations, through which it may be clear what is in my heart and loins. To the heart is attributed thought, to the loins pleasure. And this appears through tribulations; because those who delight in earthly things are greatly disturbed when they lose them, but not those who do not delight in them. Or it can be referred to the fire of the Holy Spirit: Lk. 12: "I have come to cast fire upon the earth": as if to say, lest I fail in tribulations, apply your help, send the fire which may burn away whatever is carnal in my pleasures and whatever is vain in my thoughts.

"For Your mercy is before my eyes" [Psalm 26:3]. For, that I be not consumed by that fire, not my merits, but Your mercy, whereby You have brought me on to such a life, is before my eyes. "And I have been pleasing in Your truth." And since my own falsehood has been displeasing to me, but Your truth pleasing, I have myself been pleasing also with it and in it.

He was not able to forget his mercy, for he is constantly aware that he is the recipient of help; the kindness that has been delivered to him always stands before his eyes.… "In your truth" stands for "In your Christ," for he is the one who says, "I am the way, the truth and the life." For he is not able to be pleasing to the Father, unless he has been strengthened by such faith.

If Christ our God is truth, as indeed he said, "I am the Truth" and if David in truth was pleasing to God, surely David was pleasing to God in God.

The grace of justification is given in the present time, but the grace of glorification is saved as a future grace. The one is of faith, the other of sight. Paul says that now "we walk by faith, not by sight." What the saints believe now, then they will see.… The just person living by faith says with trusting faith, "I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living." This, therefore, is the order of divine redemption and reward in humankind so that, having been justified, he believes now what, having been glorified, he will receive then.

He seeks justice so that he may tell of mercy.

Here he excuses himself in two ways for asking to be tried. First from his thought, because he thinks of God's mercy, when he says, "Because your mercy is before my eyes"; as if to say, I ask to be tried because I trust in your mercy, which always provides a way out with the temptation: Is. 63: "I will remember the mercies of the Lord, the praise of the Lord for all the things the Lord has rendered to me." Likewise from the love of justice. "And I have been well pleased in your truth," that is, if you punish me for my sins, it pleases me; if I am tried, I know that you will reward me.

"I have not sat with the council of vanity" [Psalm 26:4]. I have not chosen to give my heart to them who endeavour to provide, what is impossible, how they may be blessed in the enjoyment of things transitory. "And I will not enter in with them that work wickedly." And since this is the very cause of all wickedness, therefore I will not have my conscience hid, with them that work wickedly.

In 26:4, the good man is not only free from "vanity" (falsehood) but has not even "dwelled with," been on intimate terms with, those who are "vain." He has "hated" them (5)...

But I am inclined to think a Christian would be wise to avoid, where he decently can, any meeting with people who are bullies, lascivious, cruel, dishonest, spiteful, and so forth.

Not because we are "too good" for them. In a sense because we are not good enough. We are not good enough to cope with all the temptations, nor clever enough to cope with all the problems, which an evening spent in such society produces. The temptation is to condone, to connive at; by our words, looks and laughter, to "consent."

...

What makes this contact with wicked people so difficult is that to handle the situation successfully requires not merely good intentions, even with humility and courage thrown in; it may call for social and even intellectual talents which God has not given us. It is therefore not self-righteousness but mere prudence to avoid it when we can.

Now he lists the things that he has accomplished through the Lord's kindness; such kindness is the basis of his claim that he was pleasing to God. "I have not sat in the council of vanity"; he does not agree to the deliberations of the wicked by any participation in their plan. It can happen that a holy person through some chance may come to the council of the wicked where inappropriate or empty matters are put forward. But while he is aware of these things, he does not sit comfortably with them nor does he tarry over them with any delight, but either he tries to argue against the proposals or he abandons them. So while he previously denied that he sat with the wicked, now he claims that he did not enter in with the most wicked. Earlier he avoided their deliberation, later he also abandoned their actions. "Going into" pertains to a wicked action, when something begins to be done heedlessly. "Going into" indicates the beginning of the activity that the holy person professes is foreign to his conscience.

Here he explains his intention in particular. And first he sets forth his innocence. Second he sets forth his petition, at "Do not destroy me with the wicked, O God." He shows, therefore, his innocence. And first by his withdrawal from evil. Second by his approach to good, at "I will wash." Now there is a threefold kind of evil, according to three sins. For sin is either against God, or against neighbor, or against oneself. Against oneself are sins of vanity, by which a man vainly delights in earthly things; and of these he says, "I have not sat with the council of vanity"; as if to say, I do not claim that in some way I was never with them, because it cannot happen that a man never takes vain delight in earthly things; but he says, "I have not sat": Tob. 3: "I never mixed myself with those who play; nor have I made myself a companion of those who walk in levity." Sins against neighbor are sins generated through action; hence he says, "And with those who do iniquitous things I will not enter," that is, not only have I not sat, etc., but I have not even entered, that is, in no way have I mixed myself with them: Prov. 1: "My son, if sinners entice you, do not walk with them."

"I have hated the congregation of evil doers." But to arrive at this council of vanity, congregations of evil doers are formed, which I have hated. "And I will not sit with the ungodly" [Psalm 26:5]. And, therefore, with such a council, with the ungodly, I will not sit, that is, I will not place my consent. "And I will not sit with the ungodly."

Do not be malicious toward one another, for the Lord detests this vice, as he says: "I hate the assembly of evildoers." Let us, then, amend vices of the flesh, dearly beloved, for the sake of beauty of soul, in which there is the image of Christ. I speak the truth, brothers, that if we want to observe all these things, we will also say to the one who is tempting us: Do not persuade me, devil, to defile the image of my God by listening to you. He suffered for me, he was covered with spittle for me, he was struck with blows on the cheek for me, he was scourged for me, he was hung on a cross for me. This the servant of God should say to his tempter: Truly you will not persuade me to do what you are urging.

It would have been a lesser thing for a holy person to have avoided the wicked council if he had also hated the assembly of those who are deceptive in every way. Hatred indicates division, just as there is cooperation in love. Whereas he said earlier that he did not sit in the council of vanity, so now he professes that he does not sit with the wicked. Both of these groups should be forsaken completely. Some are vain and others are wicked. The vain are those who occupy themselves with ephemeral pursuits and spend their time in needless discussion. But the wicked are heretics who attempt to degrade the divine Scriptures by their treacherous questions, just as the apostle Peter says: "Distorting them to their own destruction and ruin." So he properly warns us to avoid both groups, for the former love empty things and later plant the spears of their depravity.

Likewise, the aforesaid sins are thought in the heart; hence he says, "I have hated the assembly of evildoers," that is, the congregation of the malicious: Ps. 118: "I have hated the wicked," that is, their fault and iniquity. Third, he sets forth sin against God, which is impiety; and therefore he says, "And with the wicked," that is, heretics and schismatics, "I will not sit," that is, I will not share in their doctrines: Heb. 13: "Do not be led away by various and strange doctrines."

"I will wash mine hands amid the innocent" [Psalm 26:6]. I will make clean my works among the innocent: among the innocent will I wash mine hands, with which I shall embrace Thy glorious gifts. "And I will compass Thy altar, O Lord."

Whoever purifies his deeds through his zeal for noble behavior washes his hands "among the innocent." He did well to add "among the innocent," for the guilty are also able to wash their hands, as Pontius Pilate did … when he polluted his soul by his foul betrayal of the Lord.… But whoever cleanses his deeds with the tears that render satisfaction washes his hands in the spiritual sense.

You have seen the deacon who gives to the priest water to wash, and to the presbyters who stand around God's altar. He gave it not at all because of bodily defilement; it is not that, for we did not enter the church at first with defiled bodies. But the washing of hands is a symbol that you ought to be pure from all sinful and unlawful deeds; for since the hands are a symbol of action, by washing them, it is evident, we represent the purity and blamelessness of our conduct. Did you not hear the blessed David opening this very mystery and saying, "I will wash my hands in innocence, and so will I compass your altar, O Lord"? The washing therefore of hands is a symbol of immunity from sin.

Our mind is the rational altar on which we burn all irrational thoughts with the fire sent from the Father.… When the soul reflects on itself, it encompasses the altar of God, nor does it seek a corner of corruption.… Contemplation is the altar of corporeal and incorporeal things by which my mind is cleansed. One who embraces it, that is, learning, declares all the marvels of God.

Above, the Psalmist showed his innocence by the fact that he separated himself from evil; here, however, he shows it by the fact that he applies himself to good. And because the goods whose application makes us just are divine goods, therefore he speaks of his application to them. Concerning this he does two things. First he sets forth his effort. Second, its effect, at "O Lord, I have loved the beauty of your house." Concerning the first, he does three things. First he proposes his disposition for divine worship. Second he sets forth the divine worship itself, at "I will go round about." Third, the fruit, at "That I may hear the voice of praise." The disposition is formed through purity and innocence: Ps. 14: "Lord, who shall dwell in your tabernacle?" etc. Ps. 23: "The innocent in hands and clean of heart." And therefore, that he may approach in purity, he treats of purity. He says, therefore, "I will wash my hands among the innocent," that is, my works, which are principally washed by God through the grace he infuses: Ps. 50: "Wash me yet more, O Lord, from my iniquity," etc. Likewise they are washed by us through penance: Is. 1: "Wash yourselves, be clean," etc. "I will wash," therefore, that is, I will apply penance so that they may be washed. And this "among the innocent," because from companionship manners are formed: Ps. 17: "With the innocent you shall be innocent," etc. And thus washed, I shall approach divine worship. "And I will go round about your altar, O Lord." Here he speaks of the material altar, and it is said, "I will go round about your altar, O Lord," because he either prays or stands near it; Sir. 50, concerning Simon the high priest: "He himself standing beside the altar." And therefore the priest when he approaches the sacrament says "I will wash," etc. Or it can be understood of the spiritual altar. The altar is in the temple: and just as there is a threefold temple, so there is a threefold altar. The first is the just man: 1 Cor. 6: "Do you not know that your members are the temple of the Holy Spirit?" The altar of this temple is the heart: Lev. 6: "The fire," namely of charity, "shall burn always on the altar," that is, in the heart. This altar we ought to go round about, or stand near, that is, adorn, always returning to Christ: Prov. 4: "With all watchfulness keep your heart, because life proceeds from it." Another temple is the Church: and the altar of this temple is Christ: Heb. 13: "We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat." Or faith. And this we ought to go round about, so that with our whole heart we may be around him. The third temple is God himself: Rev. 21: "I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty is its temple," etc.; and the altar of this temple is the mercy of God. And this we ought to go round about with the desire of the mind: Ps. 144: "The Lord is sweet to all, and his mercies are above all his works."

"That I may hear the voice of Your praise." That I may learn how to praise You. "And that I may declare all Your wondrous works" [Psalm 26:7]. And after I have learned, I may set forth all Your wondrous works.

Consequently he shows the fruit: and there is a twofold fruit, namely to hear and to narrate; hence he says, "That I may hear the voice of praise." And this literally around the material altar, because this sacrifice is most acceptable to God: Ps. 49: "The sacrifice of praise shall honor me." Likewise, the praise which the Holy Spirit speaks in us: Ps. 84: "I will hear what the Lord God speaks in me." Likewise, in heaven: Is. 35: "Joy and gladness," etc. Or "that I may hear the voice of praise," that is, of Christ praising me: and this will be at the judgment when he shall say, "I was hungry," etc. (Mt. 25). But Rev. 22 says: "Let him who hears say: Come." Hence we hear so that we may tell others: Is. 21: "What I have heard from the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, I have announced to you." And therefore he adds, "That I may declare all your wonderful works": Sir. 42: "Did not God make his saints declare," etc. And he says "all your wonderful works," as to affection or endeavor, not as to effect, because he is greater than all praise.

"O Lord, I have loved the beauty of Your house:" of Your Church. "And the place of the habitation of Your glory" [Psalm 26:8]: where You dwell, and art glorified.

What he calls "the glory of your house" is not the beauty of walls or the most expensive table settings, but the most blessed quality of those actions in which the entire church rejoices: namely, the joyful singing of psalms, the holiness of prayers, the most humble devotion of Christian people. Earlier he spoke about the entire church, but now he comes to speak about the saints among whom the glory of God is known to dwell. The Apostle has this to say about them: "For the temple of God is holy—you are that temple." For by speaking of "dwelling place," he means the hidden place of the human heart. To this he makes the amazing addition "of your glory," for wherever God dwells, his glory is there, since he makes glorious whatever place he deems fit to inhabit, and the greatness of the guest house increases due to the merits of the guest.

Here he shows the affection he has for divine worship, which, to be fitting, ought to be an affection of love. For this reason he says, "O Lord, I have loved the beauty of your house." Dionysius says: "The good and the beautiful is lovable to all." Hence every man loves what is beautiful: the carnal love carnal beauty, the spiritual love spiritual beauty, and this is the beauty of the house of God: Num. 24: "How beautiful are your tabernacles, O Jacob, and your tents, O Israel! As woody valleys, as watered gardens near the rivers, as tabernacles which the Lord has fashioned." This beauty, moreover, is the beauty of good works, or of divine gifts, or of the saints themselves; because all of these are, as it were, a certain adornment of the house of God. All of these, therefore, I have loved, so that they might make me fit for the beauty of the house of God. Thus, therefore, the affection is shown, because it is love, and beauty, and adornment. But it should be known that this beauty comes from God's dwelling in it; just as a house is not beautiful unless it is inhabited: hence I have loved me so that you may dwell in me, or I have loved the fatherland so that I may dwell there or may tend toward it. And therefore he says, "And the place where your glory dwells": and all of these -- that is, good works, the gifts of God, and the saints themselves -- are the beauty of the house of God, insofar as divine grace, which beautifies like light, shines in them, as Ambrose says, because without light all things are ugly: Ez. 43: "The glory of the Lord entered through the gate."

"Destroy not my soul with the ungodly" [Psalm 26:9]. Destroy not then, together with them that hate You, my soul, which has loved the beauty of Your house. "And my life with the men of blood." And with them that hate their neighbour. For Your house is beautified with the two commandments.

Here he explains the petition for judgment that he seeks: and he explains what kind of judgment he sought: and he asks two things. First he asks to be separated from evils that may come in the future. Second, from evils he suffers in the present, at "Redeem me." First, therefore, he sets forth the petition. Where it should be known that punishment is reserved by God for two kinds of men: namely those who are wicked or sinners against God: Ez. 18: "The wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him." And therefore he says, "Do not destroy," etc.: as if to say, if I am afflicted here and suffer earthly evils with the wicked, nevertheless do not destroy my soul with them. Likewise, punishment is reserved for the wicked against their neighbor: therefore he says, "And with men of blood, my life": Ps. 54: "Men of blood and deceit." Here are counted all who offend against their neighbor, in whatever way. There is, moreover, a threefold blood. One which is caused by food and drink: hence food and drink is called the blood of the poor: Sir. 34: "The bread of the needy is the life of the poor man; he who defrauds him is a man of blood." The second is the blood of a man; and this the murderer sheds. The third is the blood of seed for the preservation of the species, and this the fornicator sheds, because he does not act for the sake of offspring.

"In whose hands is wickedness." Destroy me not then with the ungodly and the men of blood, whose works are wicked. "Their right hand is full of gifts" [Psalm 26:10]. And that which was given them to obtain eternal salvation, they have converted into the receiving this world's gifts, "supposing that godliness is a trade."

"In whose hands are iniquities"; as if to say, I ask this, namely to be separated from them then, because now I am separated in manner of life and conduct, because "iniquities are in their hands," namely, they are very prone to evil: Prov. 1: "Their feet run to evil and hasten to shed blood": Is. 59: "Works of iniquity are in their hands." Likewise there is the inclination of their affections to worldly things; hence he says, "Their right hand is filled with bribes": Job 15: "Fire shall devour the tents of those who gladly accept bribes." Or "their right hand is filled with bribes"; as if to say, although they are wicked, yet you give them temporal things, and in these consists their reward: Mt. 6: "They have received their reward."

"But I have walked in mine innocence: deliver me, and have mercy on me" [Psalm 26:11]. Let so great a price of my Lord's Blood avail for my complete deliverance: and in the dangers of this life let not Your mercy leave me.

"Redeem me," means, make me free through the precious blood of your first advent by which the world was delivered when it was being held subject to sins. "And have mercy on me," that is to say, in his world, where you pardon those who pray to you faithfully.

Consequently he describes himself, saying, "But I have walked in my innocence"; as if to say, I ask this so that, just as you prepare evils for them, so you may prepare goods for me, as Ps. 83 says: "He will not deprive of good things those who walk in innocence." Consequently he asks to be freed from present evils. The evils that befall a man can be twofold; for they are either external evils, and from these he asks to be redeemed: hence he says, "Redeem me," as a slave from the evils that oppress me. Or concerning the redemption of the human race. Or they are interior evils, and from these he asks to be freed; hence he says, "Have mercy on me," because mercy properly regards interior evil: Prov. 14: "Sin makes peoples wretched."

"My foot has stood in uprightness." My Love has not withdrawn from Your righteousness. "In the Churches I will bless You, O Lord" [Psalm 26:12]. I will not hide Your blessing, O Lord, from those whom You have called; for next to the love of You I join the love of my neighbour.

Here is set forth the reason why he asks this; and it is twofold. One is from the past, which is the rectitude of life; hence he says, "My foot," that is, my affection or my progress, "has stood in the right path." Likewise, concerning the future, "I propose always to serve you"; hence he says, "In the churches I will bless you, O Lord," that is, before many: Ps. 39: "I have announced your justice in the great church." And he says in the plural, on account of the multitude of particular churches, as it is said in Rev. 3.