Psalm 28 [MT 29]

The Prophet speaks, "Bring unto the Lord, O you Sons of God, bring unto the Lord the young of rams" [Psalm 29:1]. Bring unto the Lord yourselves, whom the Apostles, the leaders of the flocks, have begotten by the Gospel. [1 Corinthians 4:15]

Everyone who discusses divine matters in an orderly way so as always to hold the correct opinion concerning the Father, the Godhead of the Only-begotten and the glory of the Holy Spirit, brings glory and honor to the Lord. And, because his providence penetrates even to the smallest things, he increases the glory who is able to give the reasons for which all things were created and for which they are preserved, and also for which, after this present stewardship, they will be brought to judgment. He who is able himself to contemplate each individual creature with clear and unconfused thoughts and, after having contemplated them himself, is able to present to others also the facts concerning the goodness of God and his just judgment, he is the one who brings glory and honor to the Lord and who lives a life in harmony with this contemplation. For, the light of such a person shines before others, since by word and work and through mighty deeds of every kind the Father in heaven is glorified.

Surely the holy teachers are often understood by the word rams, since they are the leaders of flocks that follow the Lord. Hence the psalmist says in a pleasing manner: "Bring to the Lord, O children of God, bring to the Lord the offspring of rams," which is clearly to say, "Bring to the Lord, O angels of God to whom the responsibility for this task has been delegated, bring to the Lord in heaven the spirits of the faithful who, through imitation of the blessed apostles' life and faith, have proved worthy to become their offspring."

You who are entrusted with the divine message, he is saying, and are called children of God, bear the divine message everywhere with all enthusiasm, transform those reared on nonsense into rational people and offer them first to God; then through them present the worship and the hymns, celebrating the benefactor in the divine dwellings. This resembles what was said by the Savior to the sacred apostles, "Go, make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."

In other Psalms, the Psalmist recalled the confidence he has in God; here, however, as one who has been delivered, he gives thanks. And first are set forth Psalms pertaining to thanksgiving. Second, he recalls the benefits bestowed, at "In you, O Lord, I have hoped." Concerning the first, he does two things. First, he invites others to give thanks. Second, he himself gives thanks, at "I will exalt you." The title: "A Psalm of David, at the completion of the tabernacle." And note the history of 1 Kgs. 4, where the children of Israel in the time of Eli fought against the Philistines, and the ark of God was captured, and it was in that land for six months. Finally, because of the plague, they sent it back to Gibeah. And when Saul had died, David took it and carried it to Jerusalem, and made a tabernacle for it, and danced before it, as is found in 2 Kgs. 6; and then this Psalm seems to have been composed. Mystically, the tabernacle designates the holy Church: Rev. 21: "Behold, the tabernacle of God with men." This tabernacle, namely the Church, has been snatched from the hands of the Philistines, that is, the demons; and what is said in this Psalm pertains to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, through which this tabernacle is brought to completion. It is therefore divided into two parts. In the first, he invites others to offer to God through thanksgiving. In the second, he recalls the benefits, at "The voice of the Lord is upon the waters." Concerning the first, he does three things. First, he shows to whom offering should be made. Second, who should offer. Third, what they ought to offer. He says therefore, "Bring." But to whom? "To the Lord," alone, and to no other: Ex. 22. That offering should be made to God alone is stated in 1 Chr. 29: "All things are yours, and what we have received from your hand, we have given to you." He shows who ought to offer: "sons of God." Sir. 34: "The Most High does not approve the gifts of the wicked." Gen. 4: "God first looked upon Abel, and then upon his gifts," because a person must first please God and then make an offering to him. And therefore he says, "sons of God," through faith: Jn. 1: "But to as many as received him, he gave the power to become sons of God, to those who believe in his name." Likewise, through charity: 1 Jn. 3: "See what manner of love God has given us," etc. Through good works: Rom. 8: "Those who are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God."

"Bring." Here he shows what should be offered. And first he sets forth the bodily sacrifice. Second, the spiritual one, at "Bring to the Lord glory." Offerings were made from three kinds of animals: namely, from oxen, goats, and rams; and above all other animals, the lamb was the most customary sacrifice. Hence in Ex. 29, it is said that every morning and evening one lamb was sacrificed, because through the lamb Christ was most expressly prefigured: Jn. 1: "Behold the Lamb of God." And therefore he says, "Bring to the Lord the offspring of rams," that is, lambs. Mystically, the rams are the leaders of the flock, that is, the apostles: Ps. 46: "The princes of the peoples have gathered together." Their offspring are the faithful: 1 Cor. 4: "In Christ Jesus, through the Gospel, I have begotten you." Bring, therefore, yourselves to God, you who are the offspring of rams.

"Bring." Next he sets forth the spiritual sacrifice. And first he states it. Second, he clarifies it, at "Bring to the Lord glory to his name." It should be noted that the Lord wished these things to be offered to him not for his own sake, because he himself said, "Shall I eat the flesh of bulls?" etc., but so that we might recognize him as the source of all our goods and the end to which all things are to be referred. And therefore it is lawful for no one to offer sacrifice except to God. For God is the end, and we can add nothing to him; and therefore we ought to glorify him, so that whatever we do, we do for his glory: 1 Cor. 10: "Do all things for the glory of God." Likewise, God is the source, and therefore we owe him honor. Mal. 1: "If I am the Lord, where is my honor?" And therefore he says, "Bring to the Lord glory and honor." 1 Tim. 1: "To God alone be honor and glory." "Adore the Lord." Here he clarifies the spiritual sacrifice. And first he shows how we owe him glory. Second, how we owe him honor. He says therefore that God himself is glorious, and therefore we owe him glory; hence he says, "Bring to the Lord glory to his name." He is glorious in himself; but his name ought to be glorious in us, that is, so that in our knowledge it may be glorious. And that he may be glorious and illustrious in us, we ought to give him honor. And therefore he says, "Adore the Lord in his holy court," that is, in this Church, which is like the court of heaven. Or "in the court," that is, in the mind: Jn. 4: "True worshipers," etc.

"Bring unto the Lord glory and honour" [Psalm 29:2]. By your works let the Lord be glorified and honoured. "Bring unto the Lord glory to His name." Let Him be made known gloriously throughout the world. "Worship the Lord in His holy court." Worship the Lord in your heart enlarged and sanctified. For you are His regal holy habitation.

Many assume an attitude of prayer, but they are not in the court because of the wandering of their mind and the distraction of their thoughts coming from vain solicitude.… He who makes his belly a god, or glory, or money, or anything else that he honors more than all things neither adores the Lord nor is in the holy court, even though he seems to be worthy of the visible assemblies.

We are taught in the Prayer Book to "give thanks to God for His great glory", as if we owed Him more thanks for being what He necessarily is than for any particular benefit He confers upon us; and so indeed we do and to know God is to know this. But I had been far from any such experience; I came far nearer to feeling this about the Norse gods whom I disbelieved in than I had ever done about the true God while I believed. Sometimes I can almost think that I was sent back to the false gods there to acquire some capacity for worship against the day when the true God should recall me to Himself.

He commands us to worship the Lord in his holy court, teaching that it is not allowed to worship outside the church which holds the orthodox faith.

When Jesus was baptized, after the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit came down as a dove, the Father spoke over the waters saying, "You are my Son." The God of majesty thundered, that is, he spoke profoundly over the waters, that is, over the nations so that they would be made complete in virtue and in the magnificence of Christ Jesus. And each one stood apart from the rebellious and rejoiced.

"The Voice of the Lord is upon the waters" [Psalm 29:3]. The Voice of Christ is upon the peoples. "The God of majesty has thundered." The God of majesty, from the cloud of the flesh, has awfully preached repentance. "The Lord is upon many waters." The Lord Jesus Himself, after that He sent forth His Voice upon the peoples, and struck them with awe, converted them to Himself, and dwelt in them.

The waters are also the saints, because rivers flow from within them, that is, spiritual teaching that refreshes the souls of the hearers. Again, they receive water that springs up to eternal life, wherefore it becomes in those who receive it rightly "a fountain of water, springing up unto life everlasting." On such waters, then, is the Lord.

All this is of course in one way very close to Paganism. Thor and Zeus also spoke in the thunder; Hermes or Iris was the messenger of the gods. But the difference, though subtle, is momentous, between hearing in the thunder the voice of God or the voice of a god. As we have seen, even in the creation-myths, gods have beginnings. Most of them have fathers and mothers; often we know their birthplaces. There is no question of self-existence or the timeless. Being is imposed upon them, as upon us, by preceding causes. They are, like us, creatures or products; though they are luckier than we in being stronger, more beautiful, and exempt from death. They are, like us, actors in the cosmic drama, not its authors... Thus, when you hear in the thunder the voice of a god, you are stopping short, for the voice of a god is not really a voice from beyond the world, from the uncreated. By taking the god's voice away—or envisaging the god as an angel, a servant of that Other—you go further. The thunder becomes not less divine but more. By emptying Nature of divinity—or, let us say, of divinities—you may fill her with Deity, for she is now the bearer of messages. There is a sense in which Nature-worship silences her—as if a child or a savage were so impressed with the postman's uniform that he omitted to take in the letters.

Nature never taught me that there exists a God of glory and of infinite majesty. I had to learn that in other ways. But nature gave the word _glory_ a meaning for me. I still do not know where else I could have found one. I do not see how the "fear" of God could have ever meant to me anything but the lowest prudential efforts to be safe, if I had never seen certain ominous ravines and unapproachable crags.

Now, the verse forecasts the voice emanating from heaven at the Jordan, "This is my Son, the Beloved, in whom I am well pleased." He called it "thunder" as coursing to the whole world through the sacred Gospels.

Mystically, "The voice of the Lord upon the waters." A twofold benefit is implied: namely, of conversion and of the gifts that are given to the converted. "The voice of the Lord in power." According to the mystery, this can be explained in two ways. In one way, so that it is referred to the preaching of Christ; and so it deals with the conversion of Jews and Gentiles. Of the Jews, when he says "upon the waters." Human beings are likened to waters, because just as waters, people flow and do not return, 2 Kgs. 14. Hence "upon the waters" is said "the voice," that is, the preaching of the Lord, that is, upon the Jewish people, because from the teaching of God -- not yet incarnate, but awaited -- the Jews were converted to God. Concerning the conversion of the Gentiles, it follows when he says, "The God of majesty thundered." Thunder is formed in a cloud, in which the incarnation itself is signified, which is like a cloud: Is. 19: "Behold, the Lord ascends upon a light cloud." The God of majesty, therefore, thundered, that is, the almighty thundered through preaching from the cloud of his flesh: Job 37: "He will thunder with his voice marvelously." And he says "upon many waters," because the voice of the incarnate Lord was not only upon the Jews but upon the Gentiles: Is. 49: "I have given you as a light to the nations," etc. Or "upon the waters" of Baptism; hence from the time that Christ was baptized, this Psalm is sung.

"The voice of the Lord is upon the waters," etc. Here he sets forth the divine benefits. And first, the past ones. Second, the future ones, at "The Lord makes the flood to dwell," etc. Concerning the first, he does two things. First, he enumerates the benefits bestowed. Second, he concludes with thanksgiving, at "And in his temple." The benefits bestowed can be explained figuratively and mystically. Figuratively, indeed; and so in the first part he sets forth two benefits bestowed: namely, at the departure, and second, after the departure from it, at "The voice of the Lord breaking." And first he recalls the benefit of the departure from Egypt. Second, he makes it manifest. He says therefore: "The voice," that is, the command, "of the Lord was upon the waters" of the divided sea, as is said in Ex. 14. And he magnifies this in three ways. First, on the part of authority: "The God of majesty," who is majesty itself: Is. 6: "The whole earth was full of his majesty," "thundered," because when Moses raised his hands, a wind blew. And this blowing he calls "thundered," because thunder is produced from the agitation of winds. Also on the part of the matter, because he dried up not small waters but many, namely those of the sea: Is. 41: "Did you not dry up the sea?" Wis. 10: "He brought them across through exceedingly great water." Also on the part of the effect, from the fact that it was of great power in that it cast down the enemies: Ex. 15: "Your right hand, O Lord, has struck the enemy." For this reason it is said, "The voice of the Lord in power." Also another effect is of magnificence; hence he says, "The voice of the Lord in magnificence," because he made them pass through the sea on dry ground. Hence it follows in the same place, namely Ex. 15: "Magnificent in holiness, terrible and praiseworthy," etc. "The voice of the Lord breaking the cedars, and the Lord will break," etc.

"The Voice of the Lord is in power" [Psalm 29:4]. The Voice of the Lord now in them themselves, making them powerful. "The Voice of the Lord is in great might." The Voice of the Lord working great things in them.

The voice of the Lord is not in the weak and dissolute soul but in that which vigorously and powerfully achieves the good.… Magnificence is virtue extraordinarily great. One who performs great actions becomingly … hears himself called magnificent. When the soul is not enslaved by the pride of the flesh but assumes a greatness and dignity proper to it because of its awareness of its attributes received from God, in this soul is the voice of the Lord. Therefore, they who entertain noble thoughts of God, contemplating sublimely the reasons for creation, and being able to comprehend to a certain extent at least the goodness of God's providence, and who besides are unsparing in their expenditures and are munificent in supplying the needs of their brothers, these are the magnificent people in whom the voice of the Lord dwells.… No difficult conditions will grieve the magnificent person; nor, in short, will any suffering greatly trouble him, nor will the sins of paltry and contemptible little people move him, nor the impurity of the flesh humble him. He is almost inaccessible to the humiliating passions, which cannot even look on him because of the loftiness of his mind.… Those, then who give great glory to God, elevate his magnificence.

From this he prophesies the power imparted to the apostles.… The narrative of the Acts also teaches us things in harmony with this: we learn from there how at his ascension Christ the Lord addressed his holy disciples in the words, "Stay in this city until you have been clothed with power from on high." Ten days later on the feast of Pentecost, "there came a sound from heaven like that of a violent wind blowing." … Now, he gives the name "voice" to the grace of the Spirit filling the apostles with power and might and rendering puny people magnificent.

"The voice of the Lord in power." Above, the Psalmist, according to the mystical understanding, touched upon the mystery of the conversion of the Jews and Gentiles; here, however, he sets forth the benefit of temporal gifts. And concerning this he does three things. First, he proposes the spiritual gifts. Second, he sets forth the uprooting of vices that follows from them, at "The voice of the Lord breaking." Third, the advancement or promotion to good things, at "The voice of the Lord preparing." In spiritual gifts there is this difference: because to some, spiritual gifts are given for those things that are commonly fitting and must be done and are necessary for salvation; to others, for certain arduous things, such as working miracles and the like. As to the first, he says, "The voice of the Lord in power," that is, by the Lord's command, power is given to fulfill the precepts. As to the second, he says, "The voice of the Lord in magnificence," that is, by the Lord's command, power is given to his saints to do great things: Ps. 67: "Over Israel is his magnificence." The Gloss adapts these to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. And the first, namely the conversion of the faithful, to the gift of fear, which is accomplished by divine power, to which it pertains to allow fears. Magnificence pertains to the gift of knowledge, because to knowledge it pertains to do great things: Sir. 25: "How great is the one who finds wisdom."

"The Voice of the Lord breaking the cedars" [Psalm 29:5]. The Voice of the Lord humbling the proud in brokenness of heart. "The Lord shall break the cedars of Libanus." The Lord by repentance shall break them that are lifted on high by the splendour of earthly nobility, when to confound them He shall have "chosen the base things of this world," [1 Corinthians 1:28] in the which to display His Divinity.

The cedar is at times praised by Scripture as a stable tree, free from decay, fragrant, and adequate for supplying shelter, but at times it is attacked as unfruitful and hard to bend, so that it offers a representation of impiety.… The Lord is said to break those vainly puffed up and magnifying themselves in the things of this world that are considered exalting, wealth, glory, power, beauty of body, influence or strength.… Just as the cedars, which are lofty in themselves, because they are produced on a high mountain become more conspicuous through the added height of the mountain, so also those leaning on the perishable things of the world are cedars indeed through their false glory and vanity of mind; and they are called cedars of Libanus because they are glorying in the elevation that belongs to another and are raised up to their false glory by the earth and earthly circumstance, as if by the summit of Libanus.

He signals through these words the overthrow of the idols: since the idols' precincts in ancient times were on high places, providing no fruit to their worshipers, he likened them to "the cedars of Lebanon," which though lofty do not naturally bear edible fruit.

"The voice of the Lord breaking." Here he treats the exclusion of vices, and he touches first on the vice of pride. Second, of concupiscence, at "The voice of the Lord dividing the flame of fire." Third, the vice of unbelief or contempt, at "The voice of the Lord shaking the desert." He shows, therefore, first the exclusion of pride. Hence it should be noted that just as fir trees are tall, so are cedars; and therefore through them pride is signified. He says therefore, "The voice of the Lord breaking the cedars," that is, the power of the divine command over all the proud: Is. 14: "Your pride has been dragged down to Hell." "And he will break the cedars of Lebanon," that is, the voice of the Lord over the arrogant and proud, reducing them by his power; because all kings were converted to Christ through this. And finally upon the cedars of Lebanon, because the greater ones among the Jews were converted, as about Nicodemus, Jn. 3.

Next he recalls the benefits bestowed after the crossing. And this can be understood in two ways. First, through the removal of evil. Second, through the conferring of goods, at "The voice of the Lord shaking." Concerning the first, he does two things. First, he sets forth the benefit. Second, the ease of conferring the benefit, at "And he will reduce to pieces." He says therefore: "The voice of the Lord breaking the cedars." Cedars are great men; and this signifies the Amorites, who were tall and strong: Amos 2: "I destroyed the Amorite before their face, whose height was the height of cedars, and he was as strong as an oak." Likewise, in the entire land that had been promised to them, there were Amorites and other nations who could not be exterminated and subjugated until the time of David. All the Amorites still dwelt around Lebanon, as is said in Josh. 15. And therefore he says, "The Lord will break the cedars of Lebanon," that is, the Amorites who still dwelt there, "and he will reduce them to pieces like a calf of Lebanon, and Sharon like the offspring of unicorns." The Hebrews have it thus: "And he will reduce them like a calf of Lebanon and Sharon like the offspring of wild oxen." And the literal sense is this: because there is a difference between wild oxen and domestic cattle, since wild oxen are nourished in marshlands, while cattle are on the mountains. For on Mount Lebanon there were many pastures where great cedars grew. Likewise there were calves and cattle there. He says therefore: it will be as easy for God to crush the cedars of Lebanon as if he were crushing a calf of Sharon. Sharon is a certain place: Is. 35: "The beauty of Carmel and Sharon." This place is watery, where wild oxen graze. As if to say: even Sharon he will crush like the offspring of a wild ox, or a calf.

"And shall bruise them as the calf of Libanus" [Psalm 29:6]. And when their proud exaltation has been cut off, He will lay them low after the imitation of His Own humility, who like a calf was led to slaughter [Isaiah 53:7] by the nobility of this world. "For the kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers agreed together against the Lord, and against His Christ." "And the Beloved is as the young of the unicorns." For even He the Beloved, and the Only One of the Father, "emptied Himself" of His glory; and was made man, [Philippians 2:7] like a child of the Jews, that were "ignorant of God's righteousness," [Romans 10:3] and proudly boasting of their own righteousness as peculiarly theirs.

This animal is called the unicorn, but I cannot say that I have seen him. But I have seen four brazen figures of him set up in the four-towered palace of the King of Ethiopia. From these figures I have been able to draw him as you see. They speak of him as a terrible beast and quite invincible, and say that all his strength lies in his horn. When he finds himself pursued by many hunters and on the point of being caught, he springs up to the top of some precipice whence he throws himself down and in the descent turns a somersault so that the horn sustains all the shock of the fall, and he escapes unhurt. And scripture in like manner speaks concerning him, saying, Save me from the mouth of lions, and my humility from the horns of unicorns. And again: And he that is beloved as the son of unicorns; and again in the blessings of Balaam wherewith he blessed Israel, he says for the second time: God so led him out of Egypt even as the glory of the unicorn; thus bearing complete testimony to the strength, audacity, and glory of the animal.

The people who believe, freed from that error [idolatry] and called beloved for that reason, will be invincible and unconquerable in being rid of polytheism and worshiping one Godhead.

Likewise, "And he will reduce them like a calf." Here the perfection of conversion is set forth. Mount Lebanon is very rich in pastures, and the priests, on account of the abundance of victims, had cattle graze there. And therefore, "He will reduce them like a calf of Lebanon," that is, he will humble them like a calf of Lebanon, so that they may offer themselves as a sacrifice, just as the calf nourished on Mount Lebanon is offered. And this is evident, because many great people exposed themselves to martyrdom for Christ: Mt. 22: "My bulls and fatted calves have been slaughtered." "And the beloved one, as the offspring of unicorns." This can be read in two ways. First, so that it signifies the authority of the crushing; as if to say: the Beloved One will do these things. And according to this, the Beloved One is placed in the singular, as having authority. "This is my Son," etc. Mt. 3. And he will do these things as the offspring of unicorns, that is, as the son of the Jews, because the mystery of the incarnation accomplished these things. And the Jews are called unicorns inasmuch as they glory in the worship of one God. Or he is called a unicorn because according to his eternal generation he is without a mother, and according to his temporal generation he was a son without a father. In another way, "The Beloved One," etc., that is, Christ, as an example of this crushing, will suffer, giving others an example of suffering: 1 Pet. 2: "Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you might follow in his footsteps." And he will suffer not as God, but as the offspring of the unicorns, that is, of the Jews. Let us return, therefore, to the literal sense.

"The Voice of the Lord cutting short the flame of fire" [Psalm 29:7]. The Voice of the Lord, without any harm to Himself, passing through all the excited ardour of them that persecute Him, or dividing the furious rage of His persecutors, so that some should say, "Is not this haply the very Christ;" others, "Nay; but He deceives the people:" [John 7:41, 12] and so cutting short their mad tumult, as to pass some over into His love, and leave others in their malice.

Although fire seems to human intelligence to be incapable of being cut or divided, yet by the command of the Lord it is cut through and divided. I believe that the fire prepared in punishment for the devil and his angels is divided by the voice of the Lord, in order that, since there are two capacities in fire, the burning and the illuminating, the fierce and punitive part of the fire may wait for those who deserve to burn, while its illuminating and radiant part may be allotted for the enjoyment of those who are rejoicing. Therefore, the voice of the Lord divides the fire and allots it, so that the fire of punishment is dark, but the light of the state of rest remains unkindled.

The voice of the Lord extinguishes the burning arrows of evil. That voice is the spiritual teaching that calls the ones believing in Christ grounded in wisdom.

"The voice of the Lord dividing the flame." Here he recalls the benefit by which they were freed from an evil inflicted by God. In Num. 11, it is said that on account of the murmuring of the people, fire invaded part of the camp, and at the raising of Moses' hands the fire was extinguished. And this is what he says: "The voice," that is, the command, "of the Lord dividing," that is, destroying, "the flame of fire." Next he recalls the benefits that promote in good. And he sets forth three: first, the benefit of the multiplication of the people; second, the nourishment of the little ones; third, guidance through the desert. Jerome's text reads, "The voice of the Lord causing the desert to bring forth." It is read thus in Joshua: None of those who came out of Egypt and entered the desert entered the promised land, except Joshua and Caleb, as is clear from Num. 14. But all who entered it were born in the desert. And therefore he recalls this benefit, that the people were not extinguished. Hence he says, "The voice of the Lord causing to bring forth," that is, causing to give birth, "and especially the desert of Kadesh." Because as far as Moses' intention went, those leaving Egypt would immediately enter the promised land and come to Kadesh. Hence they sent scouts, and those scouts dissuaded them and they were afraid to enter. And on account of that sin, all died. And because from that point they gave up entering, all died in this desert. Or according to our text, "The voice of the Lord shaking the desert," that is, stirring to generation throughout the desert of Kadesh. "The voice of the Lord preparing the deer." Jerome has, "acting as midwife for the deer." The Hebrew has, "preparing the mules." Deer dwell in deserts. And because the children of Israel were in the desert for forty years, they are called deer: Ps. 17: "He made my feet like the feet of deer," because the women had the opportunity to give birth and to nurse. "And he will reveal the dense forests," or thickets, because he provided guidance through the pillar of fire by night and of cloud by day: Ps. 135: "He led his people through the desert." Mystically, in that he says "The voice of the Lord breaking," the gift of fortitude is signified. And here he sets forth the exclusion of the sin of concupiscence, when he says, "The voice of the Lord dividing the flame of fire," namely of concupiscence: Wis. 6: "The desire for wisdom will lead to the everlasting fire." And this nourishes other evils, concerning which 1 Jn. 2 says: "All that is in the world is either the concupiscence of the eyes," etc. And this consumes: Job 31: "It is a fire that devours to destruction." Basil explains it thus: "The voice of the Lord dividing," etc., because on the day of judgment, by divine power, fire will be divided, because burning without light will be in the fire enveloping the reprobate. Fire shining without burning will be for the glory of the elect. And what he says pertains to the gift of counsel. "The voice of the Lord shaking the desert." Here he sets forth the exclusion of a twofold unbelief: namely, of the Gentiles and of the Jews. As to the first, he says, "The voice of the Lord shaking the desert," that is, he stirred the nations to faith by converting them to it: Is. 54: "Many are the children of the desolate one" (that is, of the Gentile people) "more than of her who has a husband," that is, than of the synagogue. As to the second, he says, "The desert of Kadesh," which is interpreted as "holy of the law," because the Jews, sanctified through the lawgiver, will be converted at the end of the world: Is. 1: "Our land is desolate," etc. And this pertains to the gift of understanding. Next he recalls the benefit that pertains to promotion in good things. And first he sets forth the conferral of wisdom. Second, its act. He says therefore, "The voice of the Lord preparing the deer," that is, holy and perfect men; because just as deer repel venomous things, so the saints repel every sin; and just as deer pass through thorns without injury, so the saints pass through the vanity of the world without delight. Gen. 49: "Naphtali is a deer let loose, giving words of beauty." And these are prepared by God, not by themselves. And God himself "will reveal" to them "the dense things," that is, those things that are hidden from others: Mt. 11: "You have revealed them to little ones." And this pertains to the gift of wisdom. Next he concludes with thanksgiving for the aforesaid benefits, saying, "In his temple all will speak glory": Ps. 148: "Young men and maidens, old men with the younger, let them praise the name of the Lord." Another text has, "Everyone will speak or declare glory." It is true that each person has common gifts and also special ones. And for this special gift, each one will declare glory: Sir. 51: "To him who gives me justice, I will give glory."

"The Voice of the Lord moving the wilderness" [Psalm 29:8]. The Voice of the Lord moving to the faith the Gentiles once "without hope, and without God in the world;" [Ephesians 2:12] where no prophet, no preacher of God's word, as it were, no man had dwelt. "And the Lord will move the desert of Cades." And then the Lord will cause the holy word of His Scriptures to be fully known, which was abandoned by the Jews who understood it not.

The thick woods, the woody souls in which, like some wild beasts, the varied passions of sins lurk, are cleared out by that word, which is "keener than any two-edged sword."

The souls that were in the desert by yielding to faults are moved to words of repentance, so that leaving those faults they become the habitation of God.

The desert was the church that, at first, had no children. By the preaching of Christ, this wilderness "was shaken" and "came to labor and gave birth, and there was born in a single day an entire nation." She who before was called the "wilderness of Cades," the desert of holiness—inasmuch as she had been barren of virtues—begins "to bring forth stags" and send out in throngs holy people who kill the serpents on earth, contemptuous of their poisons. While they are running throughout the world proclaiming the gospel of Christ, "in his temple all say 'Glory' " to God!

"The Voice of the Lord perfecting the stags" [Psalm 29:9]. For the Voice of the Lord has first perfected them that overcame and repelled the envenomed tongues. "And will reveal the woods." And then will He reveal to them the darknesses of the Divine books, and the shadowy depths of the mysteries, where they feed with freedom. "And in His temple does every man speak of His glory." And in His Church all born again to an eternal hope praise God, each for His own gift, which He has received from the Holy Spirit.

One who is in the temple of God does not speak out abuse or folly or words full of shameful matters, but "in his temple all shall speak his glory." … This one duty, referring glory to the Creator, belongs to every army of heavenly creatures. Every creature, whether silent or uttering sound, whether celestial or terrestrial, gives glory to the Creator. But wretched people who leave their homes and run to the temple, as if to enrich themselves somewhat, do not lend their ears to the words of God; they do not possess a knowledge of their nature; they are not distressed, although they have previously committed sin; they do not grieve at remembering their sins, nor do they fear the judgment; but, smiling and shaking hands with one another, they make the house of prayer a place of lengthy conversation, pretending not to hear the psalm that solemnly protests and says, "In the temple of God all shall speak his glory." You not only do not speak his glory, but you even become a hindrance to the other, turning his attention to yourself and drowning out the teaching of the spirit by your own clamor. See to it that you do not at some time leave condemned along with those blaspheming the name of God instead of receiving a reward for glorifying him. You have a psalm; you have a prophecy, the evangelical precepts, the preachings of the apostles. Let the tongue sing, let the mind interpret the meaning of what has been said, that you may sing with your spirit, that you may sing likewise with your mind. Not at all is God in need of glory, but he wishes you to be worthy of winning glory. Therefore, "what a person sows, he will also reap." Sow glorification, that you may reap crowns and honors and praises in the kingdom of heaven. This statement, "In his temple all shall speak his glory," was made not unfittingly in a digression, because some in the temple of God talk endlessly until their tongue aches; and these enter without profit.

Now, he called "woods" the idols' precincts as being utterly fruitless; these are the kinds of woods or coppices that the best woodcutters are accustomed to chop down, leaving the earth bare of them, and they plant fruitbearing trees and sow seeds of edible crops. The cultivators of the world did this, too: pulling up idols' precincts by the roots, they planted the divine churches in their place.

The Lord lives in the flood, that is, in water that washes away faults, and in that same water, the King sits forever. There he gives strength to the people, the ones believing him. He blesses his people in peace.

"The Lord inhabites the deluge" [Psalm 29:10]. The Lord therefore first inhabites the deluge of this world in His Saints, kept safely in the Church, as in the ark. "And the Lord shall sit a King for ever." And afterward He will sit reigning in them for ever.

Therefore, God dwells in each one singly as in his temples, and in all of them gathered together as in his temple. As long as this temple, like the ark of Noah, is tempest-tossed in this world, the words of the psalm are verified: "The Lord dwells in the flood," although, if we consider the many people of the faithful of all races whom the Apocalypse describes under the name of waters, they can also be appropriately meant by "the Lord dwells in the flood." But the psalm goes on: "And the Lord shall sit as king forever," doubtless in that very temple of his, established in eternal life after the tempest of this world. Thus, God, who is everywhere present and everywhere wholly present, does not dwell everywhere but only in his temple, to which, by his grace, he is kind and gracious, but in his indwelling he is received more fully by some, less by others.

God sits in the soul that shines from its washing, as if he were making it a throne for himself.

God dwells in the flood, that is, in the multitude of those who believed in Christ, who [as it says in the next verse] gives power to his people and blesses it in peace. For we are strengthened in Christ, who also gave us his peace.

He will build a world that is inundated with the torrent of iniquity, will restore it and will make it a new creation. Hence blessed Paul also cries aloud, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation."

"The Lord." Here he treats of the hoped-for benefits. And first he recalls the power of the benefactor. Second, he sets forth the hoped-for benefits, at "The Lord will give strength to his people." In the Hebrew it reads, "The Lord sat enthroned at the flood," and this has a plain sense. As if to say: it is true that he did this for the people of Israel. Was he not of the same power at some earlier time? Indeed, from the beginning of the world his judgments were manifest. And he recalls one manifest one: that by his judgment, on account of the sins of men, he brought about the flood. "And the Lord will sit as king forever," judging, namely, the peoples in equity. Jerome has, "The Lord inhabits the flood," or "causes it to be inhabited." When the flood inundated, the earth was emptied of inhabitants. Afterward, he again causes the earth, then devastated, to be inhabited through the multiplication of men. Mystically, this can be read in three ways. In one way, so that the word "flood" is, as it were, an accusative appended to the infinitive "to inhabit," because in Noah's ark only those people inhabited the flood. And so through Noah's ark the Church is signified, and the saints who are in it securely inhabit the flood of tribulations. In another way, conversely, as if "the flood inhabits in his temple." The flood represents the world and the carnal people of the world: Nah. 1: "With an overflowing flood he will make a complete end." He will therefore cause this flood to inhabit in his temple when they are converted. "And he will sit as king forever," as was explained above. In another way, "He inhabits the flood," that is, the baptismal waters, which he himself inhabits through the effect of grace. Next he recalls the hoped-for benefits. And first, those pertaining to progress. Second, to the end. As to the first, he says, "The Lord will give strength to his people," through which they can make progress: Is. 40: "He gives power to the fallen, and to those who had no strength," etc. As to the second, he says, "The Lord will bless his people with peace": Is. 32: "My people shall sit in the beauty of peace, in tents of confidence, in plentiful rest."

"The Lord will give strength to His people" [Psalm 29:11]. For the Lord will give strength to His people fighting against the storms and whirlwinds of this world, for peace in this world He hath not promised them. "The Lord will bless His people in peace." And the same Lord will bless His people, affording them peace in Himself; for, saith He, "My peace I give unto you, My peace I leave with you."