Psalm 38 [MT 39]

Have no doubt about it, when people annoy and torment you when you are doing the right thing, those people are the lackeys of the wickedest sinner of all. They are slaves of the author of every evil deed. David saw this with prophetic eyes and recognized the face of the evil one. So he kept quiet. He had no wish whatever to do the will of the evil one. So he kept quiet. He had no wish whatever to do the will of him who ruins one's peace of mind. He simply said nothing. He closed his doors in silence; patience lay before him, and silence kept a sleepless vigil. No enemy could creep in, and from his cloistered lips no ambivalent speech, no heedless talk, could issue forth. Mightier far is the patient person who can govern himself than the valiant one who captures citadels. The just person is his own cloister; he is his own eternal guard.

"I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue" [Psalm 39:1]. ...For it is not without reason that the tongue is set in a moist place, but because it is so prone to slip. Perceiving therefore how hard it was for a man to be under the necessity of speaking, and not to say something that he will wish unsaid, and filled with disgust at these sins, he seeks to avoid the like. To this difficulty is he exposed who is seeking to "leap beyond."... Although I have "leaped beyond" the pleasures of earth, although the fleeting passions for things temporal ensnare me not, though now I despise these things below, and am rising up to better things than these, yet in these very better things the satisfaction of knowledge in the sight of God is enough for me. Of what use is it for me to speak what is to be laid hold of, and to give a handle to cavillers? Therefore, "I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue. I keep my mouth with a bridle." Wherefore is this? Is it on account of the religious, the thoughtful, the faithful, the holy ones? God forbid! These persons hear in such a manner, as to praise what they approve; but as for what they disapprove, perhaps, among much that they praise they rather excuse than cavil at it; on account of what persons then dost thou "take heed to thy ways," and place a guard on thy lips "that thou mayest not sin with thy tongue"? Hear: it is, "While the wicked standeth over against me." It is not "by me" that he takes up his station, but "against me." Why?... Even the Lord Himself says, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now." And the Apostle, "I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal." Yet not as to persons to be despaired of, but as to those who still required to be nourished. For he goes on to say, "As babes in Christ, I have fed you with milk, and not with meat; for hitherto ye were not able." Well, tell it unto us even now. "Neither yet now are ye able." Be not therefore impatient to hear that which as yet thou art not capable of; but grow that thou mayest be "able to bear it." It is thus we address the little one, who yet requires to be fed with kindly milk in the bosom of Mother Church, and to be rendered meet for the "strong meat" of the Lord's Table. But what can I say even of that kind to the sinner, who "taketh his stand against me," who either thinks or pretends himself capable of what he "cannot bear;" so that when I say anything unto him, and he has failed to comprehend it, he should not suppose that it was not he that had failed to comprehend, but I who had broken down. Therefore because of this sinner, who "taketh up his stand against me, I keep my mouth as it were with a bridle."

"I said" [has] the sense, "I determined," his meaning being, I determined within myself not to sin against my oppressor simply in action but also not to say anything against him by word of mouth, especially since what is initially verbal abuse turns to physical abuse, and the person who is determined not to do physical harm ought not have recourse to verbal abuse.

Just as one man advances according to God, and by applying zeal to himself becomes better than his former self, so also it used to happen to the whole people. And on this account, as it too advanced, there came to it also an increase of the law. In short, just as it is written in the law, there are certain precepts for the priests and Levites concerning sacrifices and the other solemn observances: yet when the people advanced, at that time when there was still in it the power of advancing, the matter did not stand still in that first order, but there were bound to those men certain more eminent legislations, a second and a third. And if anyone wishes to know what these things are that were added concerning the priests and Levites, let him read the first book of Chronicles, and let him patiently examine that whole catalogue of names, and he will find there a certain admirable order and a distribution of the tribes, each according to its own name and place having received by lot something distinctive in the solemn order. But he will also find the Levites and priests distributed among various offices and orders, so that some are set over the opening of the doors of the temple, others to whom the keys are entrusted, to others the care of the sacrifices and the altars is committed. And there are many things which from the history of that book we can say about the priestly institutions. If therefore anyone is able to observe how the Jews serve a copy and a shadow of the heavenly things, let him ascend from the lower foundation of the word to its highest and uppermost summits, and let him contemplate from these the state of the priesthood to come and that heavenly election, and there he will contemplate what these priestly orders are, or what are the offices of the Levites that are exhibited in the heavenly ministries, and he will conceive in his mind all things in the heavens which he saw laid down on earth. For there too there will be a people, and from the people of God chosen Levites, and from these again chosen and distinguished priests, and among the priests nonetheless very many differences: just as in the first book of Chronicles it is indicated that there are twenty-four orders of priests, some under Eleazar, others under the chief Ithamar, whose courses (Ephemeriae) they are also said to be.

But perhaps someone of the hearers may say: What do these things pertain to the psalm? Very much. For it is the superscription of this psalm. "Unto the end, for Idithun, a psalm of David". This Idithun we find to be one of those to whom the zeal and care of hymns to God was committed. It was therefore necessary for us, finding this name in the superscription of the psalm, to show who this Idithun was, and how, after the first law, a second ordinance was made concerning the priestly observances. Among the Greeks, whoever composed songs or musical tunes furnished them to be sung by those to whom it seemed good in the contest: and it came about that one man indeed was crowned in the contest, while another composed the song for the victor. In the Psalms therefore of divine Scripture, whoever are superscribed according to the Seventy translators, unto the end, are among others titled victory-songs, or for the victory, or for the victor, evidently for the reason that as it were a praise of victory is brought into them. David therefore, filled with the divine Spirit, made this psalm, and gave it to Idithun, upon whom the office of singing hymns to God had been enjoined, as to one powerful in this kind of discipline. And therefore for this reason it is superscribed: "Unto the end, for Idithun, a psalm of David".

But now let us at last see what the voice of the righteous man utters, and, seeing ourselves as though in a mirror, let us look at ourselves, whether we can be such, or whether much is lacking to us, or whether indeed we are now near, although we have not yet fully attained. Since therefore the beginning of many sins is human speech, and our mouth serves many evils, and it is very difficult to find a man who, for even one hour at least, keeps his mouth and his tongue from sin, he says: "I said: I will keep my ways, that I sin not with my tongue". I said to my very self, and I spoke within myself, and I added these things: Thus I wish to keep my ways, that I sin not; in this way I can keep them, if I guard my tongue. "For by thy words", he says, "thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned". And again: "Amen I say to you, for every idle word you shall render an account in the day of judgment". Not only, he says, for that which you have spoken ill, but for what you have spoken idly, because an evil word is not idle, for it works an evil work. But an idle word is one that does neither anything good nor anything evil. If therefore in the day of judgment we shall render an account not only for evil words, but even for idle ones, who shall boast that he has a chaste heart? Or who is confident in saying: I am clean from sin? Nevertheless the righteous man says: "I said: I will keep my ways, that I sin not with my tongue. I set a guard to my mouth". Elsewhere indeed it is written: "With all keeping guard thy heart", but here: "I set a guard to my mouth". And again elsewhere it is written: "See, draw a hedge of thorns around thy possession". And again: "Bind up thy money and thy gold, and make for thy mouth a door and a bar, and for thy words a yoke and a balance". I think that the observance of these commandments makes the one who observes them both meek and blessed, not only the outcome of things, but the very observance itself. For while he always watches his mouth, and guards his tongue, so as not to bring forth a word before he examines it and considers within himself whether it ought to be said, whether the word is such as ought to be uttered, whether the person is such as either ought to or is able to hear, whether the time is opportune for uttering the word: while he weighs each of these things, all wrath and fear is shut out, and the impulse of ill-considered rage is mitigated, and such a man cuts off entirely all deliberation; and so at last the word, proceeding as it were out of a certain tranquillity and a settled mind through meekness, affords grace to those who utter it and healing to those who hear.

In these events one may understand as fulfilled the prophecy which says: "while the sinner stood against me, I was made dumb and was humbled and kept silent from good things", so that that sinner foretold in these words may be understood to be Caiaphas, who stood against Jesus. At the same time we learn also from this passage to despise the voices of slanderers and false witnesses, so that we neither hold them worthy of our reply, nor defend our own selves where the things said against us are not consistent. For what need is there to resist those who resist themselves by saying things contrary to themselves? Especially where it is a greater thing freely and bravely to be silent than to defend oneself without any profit, so that we may not be humbled by false witnesses and wicked slanderers.

It is a universal custom to be upset when you see your plans at the mercy of sinners, and to be upset also at your own misfortunes, especially when you are badly treated by wrongdoers while conscious of your own virtuous behavior. The general run of people react to such developments by turning to criticism and displeasure with the God of all. Hence, blessed David says, "I shall guard my ways so as not to sin with my tongue": I kept my words to myself, that is, I made a decision and judgment to guard myself against any sin.

The Psalmist has confessed that he suffered his affliction on account of his sin; here, however, he promises caution for the future. The title is as follows: "Unto the end, a canticle of David, for Idithun." And this is not new, although the title is new, because as is found in the history of 1 Chr. 15, when David brought back the Ark of the Covenant which had been captured by the Philistines, he appointed four thousand singers who would sing the Psalms; he placed them within, and called them Asaph, Ithamar, and Idithun, and this one is placed in the title. And as Origen says, this custom also existed among the Greeks, that if at some time there were poets who recited songs among the people, if the songs had not been composed by the reciters themselves but by others, the victory was not given to the reciter but to the poet. So it is also with the Psalms; for David composed all the Psalms, and some he himself sang before the Ark, as is found in 2 Sam. 6; others he gave to others to sing, and therefore those to whom they were given were, as it were, singers, and the Psalms are inscribed to them: both on account of their dignity, because they were prophets, and on account of their mystical significance. Hence this befits the mystery of Idithun, which is interpreted as "a man knowing inwardly," or "leaping over"; and it signifies one who leaps over the vanity of the world, about which much is treated in this Psalm. This Psalm is therefore divided into two parts. In the first he sets forth the caution he exercises to escape dangers. In the second he shows the necessity of caution, at "Behold, you have made measurable." Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth the caution. Second he shows the danger arising from it, at "I was dumb." Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth the caution. Second he gives the reason for the caution, at "I set a guard upon my mouth." In the caution three things are to be considered: namely, the resolve to be cautious; hence he says, "I said," that is, with deliberation in my heart I determined and resolved. Eccl. 2: "I said in my heart, I will go and abound in delights." Second, what he resolves is to be considered: because "I will guard my ways," that is, my courses of action. And a man ought to guard the ways of God so as to imitate them. Job 23: "My foot has followed his steps. I have kept his way and have not turned aside from it." Likewise he ought to guard his own ways lest he err. Deut. 4: "Guard your ways and your endeavors." Third, the fruit that follows from this is to be considered: "that I may not offend with my tongue." A man ought to guard himself diligently from all sins, and especially from the sin of the tongue, because he easily falls into them; for the tongue is mobile, and easily breaks forth into evil. Or another reason is that the tongue is the immediate organ for expressing the interior concept of the heart. Hence as soon as a word is in the heart, it is on the tongue; and therefore it must be diligently guarded. Next the reason for this guarding is given: "I set a guard upon my mouth, when the sinner stood against me"; as if to say: this is the reason why I guard my ways in this manner, because the adversary is always against me. Elsewhere it is said that a man should set a guard upon his heart: Prov. 4: "With all watchfulness guard your heart." Here he says that he sets a guard upon his mouth—not that it should be totally shut, but it should be guarded, that is, preserved from evil words as regards the time and as regards what he says. Eccl. 8: "For every matter there is a time and an opportunity." And why did I set a guard upon my mouth? "When the sinner stood against me." This is explained in three ways. One sense is: "against me," to lie in ambush; and then caution is more necessary. Sir. 5: "If you have understanding, answer your neighbor; but if not, let your hand be upon your mouth." Mt. 22: "to catch him in his speech." The second sense is: "against me," to injure or attack; because even then, when he attacks, you ought to guard yourself, because therein lies virtue. 1 Pet. 2: "When he was reviled, he did not revile in return." The third sense is: "Against me," that is, in my sight, so as to be instructed; and then caution is necessary lest he set forth all things to all people. For certain things are to be spoken to the just that are not to be said to sinners. 1 Cor. 3: "I could not speak to you as to spiritual persons, but as to carnal." Mt. 7: "Do not give what is holy to dogs"; as if to say: I set a guard lest I disclose the secrets of doctrine to sinners.

If you know there is sin, be silent. Do not add to your guilt by denying it. If you are not aware of sin, be silent. You are secure in your innocence. The reports of other people cannot nail any sin to a conscience that knows itself to be innocent.

"I became deaf, and was humbled, I held my peace from good" (ver. 2). For this person, who is "leaping beyond," suffers some difficulty in a certain stage to which he hath already attained; and he desires to advance beyond, even from thence, to avoid this difficulty. I was afraid of committing a sin; so that I spoke not; that I imposed on myself the necessity of silence: for I had spoken thus, "I will take heed to my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue." Whilst I was too much afraid of saying anything wrong, I kept silence from all that is good. For whence could I say good things, except that I heard them? "It is Thou that shalt make me to hear of joy and gladness." And the "friend of the bridegroom standeth and heareth Him, and rejoiceth on account of the bridegroom's voice," not his own. That he may speak true things, he hears what he is to say. For it is he that "speaketh a lie," that "speaketh of his own." ... When therefore I had "put a bridle," as it were, "on my lips;" and constrained myself to silence, because I saw that everywhere speech was dangerous, then, says he, that came to pass upon me, which I did not wish, "I became deaf, and was humbled;" not humbled myself, but was humbled; "and I held my peace even from good." Whilst afraid of saying any evil, I began to refrain from speaking what is good: and I condemned my determination; for "I was holding my peace even from what is good."

"And my sorrow was stirred up again" (ver. 2). Inasmuch as I had found in silence a kind of respite from a certain "sorrow," that had been inflicted upon me by those who cavilled at my words, and found fault with me: and that sorrow that was caused by the cavillers, had ceased indeed; but when "I held my peace even from good, my sorrow was stirred up again." I began to be more grieved at having refrained from saying what I ought to have said, than I had before been grieved by having said what I ought not. "And my sorrow was stirred up again."

In temptation, good words flee from us and the spirit is silent. The soul speaks about those temptations that it recognizes and is silent about those it does not. In this place "good" indicates the virtues and knowledge that flee in the time of temptation.

When he was silent he ceased from good, that is, from the meditation of the Law, which is the teacher of good. When the grief of the sin renewed, the wound from sin became more serious, as when we lead others from meditation on the Law. It becomes a festering sore, having applied no medicine from divine precepts. And so he has not stood in silence, but when he had returned to his senses, he cast out that very thing bringing such harm to his spirit. He shows this by "my heart grew hot."

If insults are offered to you or to anyone else, or wrongs done, be immovable, and as far as an answer in retaliation is concerned, be silent "as one that is dumb," always singing in your heart this verse of the psalmist.

But since we sin most of all at that time, when the sinner stands against us, instigating and provoking us to send forth from our mouth something such as would hold us guilty in the future judgment, the holy Prophet, describing this, says: "While the sinner stood against me, I was dumb and was humbled and kept silence from good things". Whenever the sinner stood against me and spoke ill of me, and disparaged and irritated me to render him the like, and to bring forth from my mouth things equal to his, I at that time meditated silence, so as to answer nothing at all. Therefore he says: "While the sinner stood against me, I was dumb and was humbled and kept silence from good things". But we sometimes, if we are unwilling to be humbled, think other things and say within ourselves: What is this? This man has held me in contempt and has dared to thrust such things in my face, and thus to stir up speech against me; shall I not bring against him the like, or even heavier things, so that he too may hear worse than he said? But the righteous man does not act thus, but rather humbles himself, even if the one who disparages and heaps abuse be a slave, or if he be lowly and a sinner and unworthy. He says: "While the sinner stood against me, I was dumb and was humbled and kept silence from good things". He did not say: "and I kept silence" only, but "I kept silence from good things"; wherein he shows that although there are good things in me, and I have been taught and instructed in good teachings and disciplines, and am able even to teach others the things that are good, nevertheless at that time when the sinner stands against me and assails me with abuse and reproaches, I even restrain and repress my good words: lest either I inflame in him the fire of his own perdition, while he is not able at once to obey evil things and to behold good things, or I do harm to my words. What then? Will this seem to be perfect which he says: "While the sinner stood against me, I was dumb and was humbled and kept silence from good things"? Or is it indeed a progress, yet not yet perfection? For in this place I think three things can be assigned from the Scriptures, in which he says that the sinner stands against him, and speaks in his ears the things by which he can be irritated and exasperated to retaliate. And if indeed I am small, I seek the like, and an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and I repay curses for curses. But if I have already advanced somewhat, yet am not yet perfect, I both keep silence and bear the reproaches patiently, and answer nothing at all. But if I am perfect, I do not keep silence, but when I am cursed, I bless, just as Paul also said: "We are cursed and we bless, we suffer persecution and we endure it, being blasphemed we entreat". And since those who do these things, that is, who render blessings for curses, who for blasphemies entreat, seem to men to be as it were cattle and refuse, as those who have no sense of injury, therefore he added, saying: "We are made as it were the refuse of this world, the offscouring of all". But we are unwilling to become with the apostles the refuse of this world, but wish not to be despised by men, nay rather even to be feared, and we do enough to repay those who harm us, and to anticipate the vengeance which the Lord reserved for himself, saying: "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord". But if we cannot advance so far, and ascend to that summit of truth, so as to say with Paul: "We are cursed and we bless, we suffer persecution and we endure it, being blasphemed we entreat", let us at least say this which we are still taught through the Prophet: "While the sinner stood against me, I was dumb and was humbled, and I kept silence from good things".

And what did he add to these things? "And my sorrow", he says, "was renewed". Those who in the struggle of the contest engage in mutual blows against one another always try to prepare themselves in these things, so that they may bravely bear the blows inflicted on them by their adversaries, and not receive the sense of pain, and this is for them the highest excellence: to sustain the strokes of arms or of heels without pain. Among these, that man is more perfect who, at the stroke of the wound, receives no sting of pain. But the second is he who indeed feels pain, but by no means yields to the pains. Understand something of this sort also in ourselves, when we are cursed, and the antagonist stands against us; if indeed we are well instructed, and strengthened in mind by long meditation, we are in no way at all grieved by the curses or reproaches inflicted, but by reason of the exceeding constancy and patience of mind we are as though lacking the sense of pain, and through much meekness, if I may dare so to name it, we become in a certain manner as it were imitators of God: for God is cursed by heretics, is blasphemed by those who deny his providence, is blamed by those who are ignorant of the treasures of his wisdom: and tell me, can you at all think this, that for all these injuries God indeed feels pain, but suffers as we do? Or is it not that, as the divine nature through its impassibility, it neither receives the sense of pain in any way, nor is stirred by any injuries or reproaches? Such therefore will he be, nay rather every perfect and righteous man will imitate such a one as he was who said: "We are cursed and we bless, we suffer persecution and we endure it, being blasphemed we entreat". But he who is not yet perfect, yet advances, when he is cursed is dumb and is humbled and keeps silence from good things. But this man who is of this sort feels pain and says: "And my sorrow was renewed". Describe to me a wound that is being cured, and its cure advancing and now near to the scar: then next, upon that very wound which had already begun to draw over a scar, behold another wound inflicted, and through this fresh wound that former one renewed. Such a thing also befalls this man who advances, but is not yet perfect, nor has yet been brought to the highest health. If therefore, while the skin is still tender, the wounds of curses and reproaches come upon him, the sorrow is renewed, and distresses are made ready, and then he rightly says: "While the sinner stood against me, I was dumb and was humbled, and I kept silence from good things, and my sorrow was renewed". See therefore how he who is placed in the struggle, who desires to restrain himself from wrath or rage, and while he meditates these things within himself, and the irritation of the sinner comes upon him, which indeed disturbs and wearies him, yet does not conquer him, but although he is provoked and inflamed to answer, yet gnawing back his sorrow he restrains and represses it, this man says: "My sorrow was renewed". For the reason, namely, that I was already advancing, and already believed myself to have arrived at health, before I was exasperated, and before I was assailed with reproaches; but now my wound is torn open, and is renewed by the sword-points of cursing, while the sorrow of the injury breaks my patience.

Whosoever feareth sleepeth not, and if he sleepeth, he seeth in his dream the cause of his fear; he eateth not, and he drinketh not, and if the force of natural craving compel him, fear is mingled with his meat and drink. Everything which attacketh the man who is filled with the fear of God abideth outside him, for fear keepeth fast hold upon the place of his understanding, and upon all the places of ingoing and outgoing of the city of his soul. Like the watchmen who stand by the gates of the city, even so doth fear keep fast hold upon the places of ingoing and outgoing of the soul, and it permitteth no act or thought to enter in or to go forth which it examineth not; for it neither permitteth any internal thought whatsoever to go forth, nor any external act that is not seemly to go in. And moreover this Prophet maketh known in other places the fear of God; "My flesh contracteth through fear of Thee, and I am afraid of Thy judgments." And again he saith, "I am like a wine skin in ice, but I have not forgotten Thy commandments." And again he saith, "Sorrow is in my heart all the day long. How long, O Lord, wilt thou turn Thy face from me? How long wilt Thou forget me, for ever? How long wilt Thou set trouble in my soul?" And again he saith, "Heal me, O Lord, for my bones tremble, and my soul is greatly moved. I am weary with my groaning; every night make I my bed to swim; and I water my couch with my tears. Mine eye hath become sick because of Thine anger"; now it is evident that all these things arose from [his] fear of God. And again he saith, "I roared by reason of the groaning of my heart"; and again he saith, "Lead me, O Lord, in Thy fear and righteousness"; and again he saith, "There is no soundness in my flesh before the fear of Thee, and there is no health in my bones in the presence of my sins. For my iniquities have gone over my head; and [they are] as a heavy burden heavy upon me. My wounds stink and are corrupt, and in the presence of my iniquities I tremble greatly. All the day long I walk in sadness. For my ankles are filled with trembling. I am much moved, and I am brought to great misery." And again he saith, "My heart is turned back, and my strength hath forsaken me; and the light of my eyes is no longer with me." And again he saith, "I kept silent, and I was sorrowful, and I was afflicted even from good; And my sickness was stirred. My heart became hot within me; and in my body the fire kindled." And again he saith, "I was dumb, and I opened not my mouth; because Thou didst it. I have come to an end because of [Thy] rebuke of my sins."

"I was dumb." Here he sets forth the danger of caution into which one could fall; on account of which he says: seeing sinners fighting against me, I resolved to be completely silent; hence he says, "I was dumb," that is, I was utterly silent. But sometimes it happens that on account of caution a person indiscreetly keeps silent at some times; and sometimes a person is silent outwardly but is troubled inwardly. Sir. 33: "The heart of a fool is like a rushing wheel." But this man is not troubled inwardly; therefore he says, "I was humbled," namely within; but there is a danger: because while I wished to be silent from evil things, I was also silent from good things—either from good words which I did not speak, or from good people to whom I was unwilling to speak. Eph. 4: "Let no evil speech proceed from your mouth, but if any good word for the building up of faith," etc. Hence it follows: "and my sorrow was renewed"; as if to say: previously I grieved over indiscreet speech; now I grieve over indiscreet silence; as if to say: sorrow renewed itself in me.

"And while I was musing, the fire burned" [Psalm 39:3]....I reflected on the words of my Lord, "Thou wicked and slothful servant, you ought to have put My money to the exchangers, and I at My coming should receive it again with usury." [Matthew 25:26-27] And that which follows may God avert from those who are His stewards! Bind him hand and foot, and let him be cast into outer darkness; [Matthew 25:30] the servant, who was not a waster of his master's goods, so as to destroy them, but was slothful in laying them out to improve them. What ought they to expect, who have wasted them in luxury, if they are condemned who through slothfulness have kept them? "As I was musing, the fire burned." And as he was in this state of wavering suspense, between speaking and holding his peace, between those who are prepared to cavil and those who are anxious to be instructed,...in this state of suspense, he prays for a better place, a place different from this his present stewardship, in which man is in such difficulty and in such danger, and sighing after a certain "end," when he was not to be subject to these things, when the Lord is to say to the faithful dispenser, "Enter thou into the joy of your Lord," [Matthew 25:27] he says, "Then spoke I with my tongue." In this fluctuation, in the midst of these dangers and these difficulties, because, that in consequence of the abundance of offenses "the love of many is waxing cold," [Matthew 24:12] although the law of the Lord inspires delight, in this fluctuation then, (I say), "then spoke I with my tongue." To whom? Not to the hearer whom I would fain instruct; but to Him who hears and takes heed also, by whom I would fain be instructed myself. "I spoke with my tongue" to Him, from whom I inwardly hear whatever I hear that is good or true.— What did You say?

A soul entangled in many sins can prepare for itself a certain ointment once it begins to reflect on its behavior, and collects its many and manifold sins, hems them together and crushes them in the mortar of its conscience. It cooks them, as it were, within a breast that boils up like a pot over the fire of repentance and sorrow, so that it can exclaim with the Prophet: "My heart became hot within me. As I mused the fire burned." Here then is one ointment which the sinful soul should provide at the beginning of its conversion and apply to its still smarting wounds, for the first sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit.

Whence therefore will you burn? Whence will "coals of fire" be found in you, who are never set on fire by the word of the Lord, never inflamed by the words of the Holy Spirit? Hear also elsewhere David himself saying: "my heart grew warm within me, and in my meditation a fire blazes forth". Whence do you grow warm? Whence is fire kindled in you, who never meditate on the divine words — nay, what is more unhappy, you grow warm at the spectacles of the circus, you grow warm at the contests of horses, at the struggle of athletes? And that fire is not from the altar of the Lord, but is that which is called "strange fire".

In what follows he still further describes the passion of the one who advances, when he says: "My heart grew hot within me". For when one hears the voice of the evil-speaker and the detractor, he cannot be without sorrow, like that man who is perfect, who by long-continued constancy has already merited blessedness: but this man feels pain, and feeling pain, with his heart growing hot, boils within himself and is troubled, yet not to such a degree as also to bring forth a word with a troubled heart, but he indeed grows hot in his inner parts, moved by the indignity of the matter, yet he boils away the flames of his heat through silence.

Let us see also another saying of the righteous man, which too with the utmost zeal we ought to be jealous to emulate. "And in my meditation a fire shall blaze forth". I too meditate upon the words of the Lord, and I frequently exercise myself in them, but I do not know whether I am such that in my meditation, from each single word of God, a fire proceeds, and kindles my heart, and inflames my soul to observe the things that I meditate. I too now speak the words of God, but I would wish that first in my own heart, and secondly also in the minds of the hearers, they might blaze forth: just as were those words which Jesus spoke, of which those who had heard said: "Was not our heart burning within us when on the way he opened to us the Scriptures"? Would that now too, as we open the divine Scriptures, our heart might grow hot within us, and in our meditation a fire be kindled, and we be stirred to the doing of the things that we hear and read. Such, in short, were also the words of Jeremiah, according to what is written, when the Lord says to him: "Behold, I have given my words behind into thy mouth a fire". Why a fire? Because the words which he spoke kindled the hearers, and nothing lukewarm nor cold remained in them: but just as fire consumes and destroys all matter, and receives into itself nothing unclean or polluted; so also those whose heart the fire of the divine word has kindled will no longer suffer to be polluted with material and worldly filth, will receive into themselves nothing lukewarm, and what is worthy to be vomited out, nor will they suffer their charity to grow cold as iniquity is multiplied in them: but their lamps will always be lighted, and their lanterns burning, and they themselves ready as servants awaiting their lord returning from the wedding. Or was this not that fire of which our Savior said: "I came to send fire upon the earth, and what do I wish but that it burn"? This without doubt is the fire which puts to flight the cold of sin, and recalls the warmth of the spirit. This is surely also that which is related in the Acts of the apostles, when it says that there appeared to them divided tongues as of fire, and that they settled upon the apostles, evidently for the reason that, being about to preach the word of the Gospel, they ought to be strengthened by the grace of fiery vigor, so that the souls of the hearers might take the flame through the transmission of the word. But whence to me this, that the fire of the tongue might come into my heart, and that from a fiery tongue I too might bring forth a word, so that from me a swift fire might be kindled by my words in the hearts of the hearers, and might convict him who has sinned, and my word might become to him a chastisement, so that, scorched and inflamed by my words, he might come to repentance, which works stable salvation out of the sorrow which is according to God, which he received from the rebuke of the word of God? And would that I might so kindle every soul of the hearers, that whoever is conscious to himself, not bearing the burning of our word, but inflamed within in all his inward parts, might the more swiftly consume the hidden filth of vices lurking within: so that, after he had destroyed all that is proper and dear to the flesh and to the grosser matter, then at last this fire might become in him a light and a burning lamp: which ought to be placed not under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, that it might give light to all who are in the house. If therefore the word you have heard has kindled you, and you have understood what the Apostle said: "And who is it that gladdens me, except him who is grieved by me"? Since his words were fire, and the Apostle rejoiced wherever he saw anyone, upon hearing his word, grieved and pricked in conscience from the things he had heard, kindled by a certain fire of his conscience from the recollection of his fault, therefore he said: "And who is it that gladdens me, except him who is grieved by me"? So therefore let us too do enough that in our meditations a fire may be kindled, which first may burn us, both by the recollection and the conscience of our sins, but afterward, when we are now purged of vices, may illumine and enlighten us.

But the remedy of interior charity is applied; and therefore he says: "My heart grew hot within me," that is, the heat of charity was stirred up in my heart. Prov. 6: "Can a man hide fire in his bosom, and his garments not burn?" So it is impossible that a man should hide the words of God when his heart is inflamed with charity. Ps. 119: "Your word is a fire," etc. The cause of this stirring is meditation on divine things; hence he says: "and in my meditation a fire shall blaze forth." Nothing is loved unless it is good and beautiful. Hence in outward loves, bodily sight is the cause of love. And therefore if you wish to approach spiritual things, your heart must be kindled with the love of God. The effect of this stirring is that he who had resolved to be silent is moved to speak; hence he says, "I spoke." Acts 2: "They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak." Gregory: "The Spirit makes those whom he fills both burning and speaking." Job 4: "Who can restrain a conceived word?" Something similar is said in Jer. 20: "The word of the Lord became," etc. "And I said, I will speak no more," etc., and there follows, "and it became in my heart as a burning fire." Or it is explained according to the Gloss: "I became deaf," that is, I was made deaf. God does not give grace to a man unless he uses it; and therefore when someone through negligence does not use the grace given to him, God takes it away from him, as is clear from the parable of the talent. Lk. 19: "Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has ten minas." And therefore he says, "I became deaf and was humbled," that is, cast down; and then it does not sound as virtue but as fault; and therefore he says, "My heart grew hot from anxiety." Origen explains it differently: "I said, I will guard my ways." Full stop. "That I may not offend with my tongue, I set a guard upon my mouth." And afterwards, "When the sinner stood against me, I was dumb." Now there are three kinds of men. Some, when placed in tribulations, curse their persecutors; some bless them; some are in the middle, who at least attain to this, that they are silent. Thus he escaped the first degree, because he set a guard upon his mouth and did not curse. But because he was dumb and did not bless, he escaped the second degree, because he felt sorrow and burned inwardly from indignation, etc.

It is not that he was enquiring about his own death—death is not the end of one who will rise again—but rather his enquiry concerned that end of which the apostle speaks: "Afterwards there will be the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God and the Father". … Evil will fade to nothingness, and eternal good will take its place.… That, surely, is the true end. It is not the end of one person alone, but the end of all. Why then does David say "my end"? But consider a moment who it is that is speaking. He speaks as humankind or as one representing men and sharing the same substance as they; he is one who stands for all, is in the likeness of all and is truly versed in that perfection that belongs to the consummate man.

"Lord, make me to know mine end" [Psalm 39:4]. For some things I have passed by already; and I have arrived at a certain point, and that to which I have arrived is better than that from which I have advanced to this; but yet there remains a point, which has to be left behind. For we are not to remain here, where there are trials, offenses, where we have to bear with persons who listen to us and cavil at us. "Make me to know mine end;" the end, from which I am still removed, not the course which is already before me.

Not even all the possessions amassed nor all humankind, if measured by their lifetime, from Adam to the last human being—not even this measure is anything in comparison with the measure of your life, Lord.

The end of the rational nature is the understanding of the holy Trinity.

"I have spoken", he says, "with my tongue". Let us consider what he has spoken with his tongue: for it seems to me that through these things he indicates something mystical. He says therefore: "Make known to me, O Lord, my end, and the number of my days, what it is, that I may know what is lacking to me". If, he says, thou hast made known my end to me, and hast made known to me how great is the number of my days, I shall be able through these things to know also that other thing, what is lacking to me. Or perhaps through these things this too will seem to be indicated, that just as there is some end of every art — for example, the end of building is to make a house; of ship-building, to construct a ship which can overcome the waves of the sea and bear the assaults of the winds; and of each art there is some such end, on account of which the art itself seems to have been devised: so perhaps there is a certain end of our way, or of the whole world, on account of which are done all the things that are done in our life, or on account of which the world itself was either established or subsists. Of which end the Apostle too makes mention, saying: "Then the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God and the Father". Toward which end indeed we must hasten, so that this very thing may be worth the effort, that we were created by God. And again, just as the frame of our body, small and slight from the beginning of birth, yet immediately urges and stretches toward a certain end of its stature through the increases of age, and again, just as our soul, according to that which it passes in this body, hastens first to receive a stammering speech, secondly then a clearer one, and then at last to arrive at perfect and complete discourse: in this way also our whole life is now imbued as it were stammering among men on earth: but it is consummated and arrives at its summit in the heavenly places with God. The prophet therefore desires for this reason to know his end, on account of which he was made, so that, gazing at the end and beholding his days and considering perfection, he may see how much is lacking to him toward that end to which he tends. For example, as if we should suppose someone handed over to a craft, and this man saying to his master, I wish to know what the perfection of this craft is, and to know who is the perfect smith or builder: and when he has learned this, let him inquire how much is lacking to him from that perfection, or how much he has advanced in the discipline of the craft, so that when he has known both, he may know what he has, and may recognize what is lacking to perfection; so also now the prophet prays to learn from God, that there may be made known to him his end, and what the number of his days is. In which it is not to be thought that he speaks of the bodily time and the years of this life, but he wishes to know the whole number of days, what it was in the first life, what it was in the second sojourning, what in the third. "For much", he says, "was my soul a sojourner". As if those who went out of Egypt should say: "Make known to me, O Lord, my end", which is the good land and the holy land, "and the number of my days" in which I walk, "that I may know what is lacking to me", how much remains until I arrive at the holy land of promise: so also here he wishes to know the number of the days in which he makes his journey. For we have some days indeed in this world, but some also outside this world. For one day is made by this course of the sun of our heaven, bounded by the spaces of this heaven; another day has he who merits to arrive at the ascent of the second heaven. For a far brighter day does he pass who could be caught up or arrive even to the third heaven, where he will find not only ineffable light, but will also hear words which it is not permitted a man to speak. I know also other days, whose number perhaps the prophet rightly seeks. For just as in this heaven the sun, having risen and illuminating the whole world, makes a day: so also in the heart of the righteous man, which for its constancy and firmness is rightly called the firmament of God, if the sun of righteousness, Jesus Christ our Lord, rises and illuminates it with the light of knowledge and truth, he makes a day in his heart: and the more frequently he rises and illuminates, the greater a number of such days will he reckon for himself. Worthily therefore, conscious to himself of such illumination, the prophet says: "Make known to me, O Lord, my end, and the number of my days, what it is, that I may know what is lacking to me".

Here he turns to God and is set ablaze. "I spoke with my tongue: Lord, make known to me my end, and the number of my days." Here a twofold petition is set forth. The first, at "Make known to me, Lord, my end." End is taken here as Christ. Rom. 10: "Christ is the end of the law." And he says, "Lord, make known to me Christ." The other petition is at "Make known to me the number of my days," that is, I wish to consider what the present life is like, so that I may compare it to that end; because these days are evil, few, and imperfect, but those are most perfect; and then it is known that "the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the future glory that shall be revealed in us," as is said in Rom. 8. And thus, "that I may know what is lacking to me," that is, how I am imperfect for that life. Origen says that "end" is taken here for perfection. For every art has an end which it intends, which is its perfection; and thus he says, "Make known to me my end," that is, what is the highest way of perfection in which you wish me to walk. Ps. 119: "I have seen the end of all perfection." "And the number of my days": that is, my works, which are days; as if to say: make me rightly judge my works, how much they are worth. And this, "that I may know what is lacking to me," namely, from perfection. Or it can be simply explained concerning the end of life, because, as is said in Eccl. 7, "In all your works, remember your last end." "And the number of my days," etc., that is, how long I shall live, so that I may prepare myself for repentance.

God, who knows precisely the allotted days of each one of us, regards nothing as immeasurable. His knowledge embraces the measure of all things. To him nothing is beyond his understanding, nothing is unweighed, nothing is unmeasured, nothing is unnumbered. He says, "The very hairs of your head have been numbered." … We know that God is said to have measured the heavens with the palm of his hand22—the palm, from thumb to little finger, being the span by which a thing is measured and its length ascertained. Those who accept this reading understand that our days are measured or numbered, and in that sense they are short. However, the all-knowing God has measured, as we said above, and fully comprehends the very heavens.… The prophet's days are not short but great, for God has measured them with the same palm as that with which he measured the heavens.

"Behold, thou hast made my days old" (ver. 5). For these days are "waxing old." I long for new days "that never shall wax old," that I may say, "Old things have passed away; behold, things are become new." Already new in hope; then in reality. For though, in hope and in faith, made new already, how much do we even now do after our old nature! For we are not so completely "clothed upon" with Christ, as not to bear about with us anything derived from Adam. Observe that Adam is "waxing old" within us, and Christ is being "renewed" in us. "Though our outward man is perishing, yet is our inward man being renewed day by day." Therefore, while we fix our thoughts on sin, on mortality, on time, that is hastening by, on sorrow, and toil, and labour, on stages of life following each other in succession, and continuing not, passing on insensibly from infancy even to old age; whilst, I say, we fix our eyes on these things, let us see here "the old man," the "day that is waxing old;" the Song that is out of date; the Old Testament; when however we turn to the inner man, to those things that are to be renewed in place of these which are to be changed, let us find the "new man," the "new day," the "new song," the "New Testament;" and that "newness," let us so love, as to have no fears of its "waxing old."... This man, therefore, who is hasting forward to those things which are new, and "reaching forward to those things which are before," says, "Lord, make me to know mine end, and the number of my days, which really is, that I may know what is wanting unto me." See he still drags with him Adam; and even so he is hasting unto Christ. "Behold," saith he, "thou hast made my days old." It is those days that are derived from Adam, those days, I say, that thou hast made old. They are waxing old day by day: and so waxing old, as to be at some day or other consumed also. "And my substance is as nothing before Thee." "Before Thee, O Lord, my substance is as nothing." "Before Thee;" who seest this; and I too, when I see it, see it only when "before Thee."

When "before men" I see it not. For what shall I say? What words shall I use to show, that which I now am is nothing in comparison of That which truly "Is"? But it is within that it is said; it is within that it is felt, so far as it is felt. "Before Thee, O Lord," where Thine eyes are; and not where the eyes of men are. And where Thine eyes are, what is the state of things? "That which I am is as nothing."

"But, verily, every man living is altogether vanity." "But, verily." For what was he saying above? Behold, I have already "leaped beyond" all mortal things, and despised things below, have trampled under foot the things of earth, have soared upwards to the delights of the law of the Lord, I have been afloat in the dispensation of the Lord, have yearned for that "End" which Itself is to know no end, have yearned for the number of my days that truly "is," because the number of days like these hath no real being. Behold, I am already such a one as this; I have already overleaped so much; I am longing for those things which abide. "But verily," in the state in which I am here, so long as I am here, so long as I am in this world, so long as I bear mortal flesh, so long as the life of man on earth is a trial, so long as I sigh among causes of offence, as long as while I "stand" I am in "fear lest I fall," as long as both my good and my ill hangs in uncertainty, "every man living is altogether vanity."...

The life of mortals is a hard cause. What else is it to be born here, except to enter into a laborious life? Of the greater future labor, the very crying of the infant is a witness. From this troublesome banquet no one excuses himself. We must drink what Adam has offered. We were made by the hands of truth, but because of sin, we were cast into days of vanity. We were made in the image of God, but we wore it down through the transgression of sin. Therefore, the psalm admonishes us about how we were made, and to where we have arrived.

No virtue is in the true perfection of virtue unless it approves each thing according as it is to be approved: but, as is said in the Psalm, every living man is altogether vanity: therefore no one is of perfect virtue unless he considers himself vain and useless, and wills to be so considered by everyone.

It seems quite clear that in most parts of the Old Testament there is little or no belief in a future life; certainly no belief that is of any religious importance. The word translated 'soul' in our version of the Psalms means simply 'life'; the word translated 'hell' means simply 'the land of the dead', the state of all the dead, good and bad alike, Sheol. [...] In many passages this is quite clear, even in our translation, to every attentive reader. The clearest of all is the cry in 89:46: 'O remember how short my time is: why hast thou made all men for nought?' We all come to nothing in the end. Therefore 'every man living is altogether vanity' (39:6). Wise and foolish have the same fate (49:10). Once dead, a man worships God no more; 'Shall the dust give thanks unto thee?' (30:10); 'for in death no man remembereth thee' (6:5). Death is 'the land' where, not only worldly things, but all things, 'are forgotten' (88:12). When a man dies 'all his thoughts perish' (146:3). Every man will 'follow the generation of his fathers, and shall never see light' (49:19): he goes into a darkness which will never end.

Such, brothers, is our life, we whose existence is so transitory. Such is the game we play on earth: we do not exist, and we are born, and being born we are dissolved. We are a fleeting dream, an apparition without substance, the flight of a bird that passes, a ship that leaves no trace on the sea. We are dust, a vapor, the morning dew, a flower growing but a moment and withering in a moment. "A person's days are as grass: as the flower of the field, so shall he flourish." Beautifully has holy David meditated on our weakness … and he defines the days of a person as the measure of a span.

And he adds: "Behold, thou hast set my days as old ones". In the Greek it is written, παλαιστάς, which signifies a measure of four fingers. Wishing therefore to teach us who now in this life lead brief and very few days, he spoke this verse of which we spoke above. From which it is understood that another too could say, that Thou hast set my days one finger, as following upon the brevity of time, and another two fingers or three. But I ask whether any of men can say, that My days are ten fingers, or twenty, or even more. And because we come upon difficult passages, I would wish to inquire whether somewhere in the Scriptures we find any such thing, from which that which seems obscure could be opened up more plainly. In Isaiah I remember it is written: "Who has measured", he says, "the water with his hand, and the heaven with a span, and all the earth with his fist"? From which let whoever is the more prudent of the hearers consider, through the several passages, the differences of the measures, how the part of life which is heavenly, of those indeed who merit to be called heaven, is said to be measured with the span of God, whatever that span of God is: and of those whose life is still earthly, their life is measured with the fist of God. But to inquire now the difference of the divine fist would perhaps exceed both our speech and your hearing. Nevertheless just as there he measured the water with his hand, the heaven with a span, and all the earth with his fist, and weighed the mountains in a balance, and the hills in a scale; so also here, according to the same consequence, this measure is to be understood, since to God nothing is without measure, nothing without weight, but all things stand for him in number and measure. So too the prophet's life is both numbered and measured to God, while it is governed by the reasons of his providence.

He also adds in what follows and says: "My substance is as nothing before thee". Unless he had added before thee, I should be greatly grieved, for the reason that he had said the human substance to be nothing. But now, because he said before thee, it is as if he said that in comparison indeed either with the angels or with the rest of the creatures, my substance is not abject, nor least. In short, even if we act well, and keep the commandments of the Lord, we are invited to the fellowship of the angels: "They shall be", he says, "as the angels of God in heaven". But in comparison with God, even if I be Peter, against whom the gates of hell shall not prevail, my substance before him is nothing. And he used sufficiently the proper term of nature. For all is nothing, however great it be, whatever is out of nothing, for he alone is the one who is, and who always is. But our substance is as nothing before him: inasmuch as it was procreated by him out of nothing.

But in what follows, as if explaining this very thing which he said, that "my substance is as nothing before thee", he added and says: "Nevertheless the whole is vanity, every living man". How do you take "living"? If indeed we think true life to be vanity, why do we labor? But see whether perhaps this which he says, every living man, is to be taken of this present life, as it is written, and we shall prove it by testimonies. For all things that are in this life among men are vain, even if Moses be in this life, for he too knows in part, and prophesies in part, and sees through a mirror and in an enigma, and knows a shadow, and is taught figures, and does not yet see the truth, and therefore he is indeed living, but his life is vanity. And do you wish to see that it is vanity? "When that which is perfect shall have come, those things which are in part shall be destroyed". But all that is destroyed is vanity. And if whatever is in part is destroyed, if the prophets know in part, rightly is their life too called vanity; but the inferior things are destroyed when those which are better and perfect have come, and by this they are proved to be vain, in that as being in part and imperfect they are destroyed. "The whole therefore is vanity, every living man". But that this sentence is to be taken of this life, hear Ecclesiastes testifying and saying: "I praised all who have died above all who live, whoever they are that live even until now, and good above these two is he who has not yet been born". He praises therefore the dead more than the living, because those have at least this much of gain, that they are freed from the bonds of this body, and are no longer clothed with flesh and skins, nor inserted into bones and sinews, nor any longer subject to the necessity of the body. If therefore you have understood what it is to live in the flesh, even if one be Moses, or whoever he is, this life is troublesome to him. For she is not released from corruption, who is surrounded by a mortal and earthly body. See therefore that the whole is vanity, every living man; let us despise this vain life, and hasten to the holy and blessed and true life, and let us tend toward it with soul and mind, all vanity being shaken off. Nor let us call sweet this light which we now use. For this those men say, who are ignorant of the sweetness of the true light, but have not perceived even any first tokens of the true light, nor do they know that an angelic life is to be hoped for by the soul, when they shall have escaped from the vanity of this life. Whence we too who believe these things, let us now be transferred in mind and faith to heaven, and walking on earth let us have our conversation in the heavens, that there may be our treasure, where our heart also is, and that we may merit to attain the heavenly kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom is glory and power and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen.

"Behold, you have made my days measurable." Above, the Psalmist mentioned the caution exercised through silence, the danger threatening from silence, and the remedy by which the danger is averted; here, however, he shows the necessity of the aforementioned caution, which is drawn from the misery of the present life. And concerning this he does two things. First he describes the misery of the present life. Second, he asks for a remedy against it, at "And now, what is." Concerning the first he does two things. First he describes the misery of this life with respect to life itself. Second, with respect to life's occupation, at "Surely in an image." Concerning the first he does two things. First he describes this misery with respect to life. Second he assigns the reason, at "Surely all things." He shows the misery of this life with respect to its brevity and with respect to its weakness. As to the first he says: "Lord, I asked that you would make known to me the number of my days. But are my days numerable? Yes, because behold, you have made my days measurable." Man was so constituted that if he had never sinned, he would not die, and thus his days would not be measured; but by sinning he dies, and so they can be numbered. Job 14: "The days of man are short; the number of his months is with you." But granted that life were short, it could still be so precious that it should be highly esteemed; yet even this is nothing, because "my substance and my nature and my life are as nothing before you," that is, in comparison with you, although it may appear to be something in comparison with the lowest creatures. Is. 40: "All nations are as though they were not, so are they before him." But it can be said thus: "my substance," that is, when I consider that which is before you, that is, the eternal goods which you will give to the saints, I regard my substance as nothing. Or thus: Those who consider the things of this world before you, that is, with a divine eye, regard them as nothing.

"Surely all things." Here he assigns the reason according to the letter. "All things," according to our text, is either in the nominative case singular or in the nominative case neuter gender and plural. If in the second way, then the sense is: "Surely all things"; as if to say: it is not surprising if the life of man is nothing before you, because "all things," that is, all lower things, are vanity. And therefore Jerome has: "For all things are vanity," as being, as it were, the reason for the preceding. Eccl. 1: "All things are vanity." And they are called vanity because vanity is opposed to solidity and stability; for all things that are in the world are subject to mutability, and therefore are vain. And even among them, every living man is subject to mutability, and thus is vanity. Rom. 8: "For the creature," that is, man, "was made subject to vanity, not willingly." Or according to the letter, if "all" is in the singular, then the sense is: "All vanity," that is, every vanity, "is every man living," that is, is in every man living in a worldly manner. A man is called vain from the fact that he pursues mutable things. Jer. 2: "They walked after vanities and became vain." Or thus: "Every man living," that is, carnally, "is all," that is, complete vanity.

"Albeit man walketh in the Image" [Psalm 39:6]. In what "Image," save that of Him who said, "Let Us make man in Our Image, after Our Likeness." "Albeit man walks in the Image." For the reason he says "albeit," is, that this is some great thing. And this "albeit" is followed by "nevertheless," that the "albeit" which you have already heard, should relate to what is beyond the sun; but this "nevertheless," which is to follow, to what is "under the sun," and that the one should relate to the Truth, the other to "vanity." "Albeit," then, "that man walketh in the Image, nevertheless he is disquieted in vain." Hear the cause of his "disquieting," and see if it be not a vain one; that thou mayest trample it under foot, that thou mayest "leap beyond it," and mayest dwell on high, where that "vanity" is not. What "vanity" is that? "He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not for whom he may be gathering them together." O infatuated vanity! "Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust, and hath not respected vanities, nor lying deceits." To you indeed, O covetous man, to you I seem to be out of my senses, these words appear to you to be "old wives' tales." For you, a man of great judgment, and of great prudence, to be sure, are daily devising methods of acquiring money, by traffic, by agriculture, by eloquence perhaps, by making yourself learned in the law, by warfare, perhaps you even add that of usury. Like a shrewd man as you are, you leave nothing untried, whereby you may pile coin on coin; and may store it up more carefully in a place of secrecy. You plunder others; you guard against the plunderer; you are afraid lest you should yourself suffer the wrong, that you yourself do; and even what you do suffer, does not correct you. ...Examine your own heart, and that prudence of yours, which leads you to deride me, to think me out of my senses for saying these things: and tell me now, "You are heaping up treasures; for whom are you gathering them together?" I see what you would tell me; as if what you would say had not occurred to the person described here; you will say, I am keeping them for my children? This is the voice of parental affection; the excuse of injustice. "I am keeping them" (you say) "for my children." So then you are keeping them for your children, are you? Did not Idithun then know this? Assuredly he did; but he reckoned it one of the things of the "old days," that have waxed old, and therefore he despised it: because he was hastening on to the new "days."...

For He, "by whom all things were made," hath built "mansions" for all of us: thither He would have that which we have go before us; that we may not lose it on earth. When, however, you have kept them on earth, tell me for whom you are to "gather them together"? You have children: add one more to their number; and give something to Christ also. "He is disquieted in vain."

The soul is great in that it is capable of eternal things, and upright in that it desires heavenly things: the soul which does not seek or savor the things that are above, but the things that are upon the earth, is plainly not upright, but crooked, even though on account of this it does not cease to be great, remaining as it does even so capable of eternity. For it will never at any time not be capable of eternity, even if it never shall have been actually possessing it, so that it may be as it is written: "Surely man passes through as an image"; yet only in part, so that the eminence of the Word may be apparent from its very wholeness. For in what respect could the Word fall from being great or upright, since it so possesses these things that it is what it has? Or it is in part for this reason: lest, if the soul were deprived of the whole, no hope of salvation would remain. For if it should cease to be great, it would also cease to be capable. For the greatness of the soul, as I said, is estimated from its capacity. But what could it hope for, of which it were not capable?

And so through the greatness which it retains even when uprightness is lost, man passes through as an image, limping as it were on one foot, and become an alien son. For of such I believe it was said: "The alien sons have lied to me, the alien sons have grown old, and they have limped from their paths." Fittingly they are called alien sons: for sons, on account of the greatness they have retained; aliens, on account of the uprightness they have lost. Nor would he have said "they limped," but rather "they fell," or something similar, if men had entirely put off the image. But as things stand, according to greatness indeed man passes through as an image; but as far as uprightness is concerned, as one limping, he is troubled and cast down from the image, Scripture speaking thus: "Surely man passes through as an image; but indeed he is troubled in vain." In vain altogether: for it follows: "He heaps up treasure, and knows not for whom he gathers it." Why does he not know, unless because, bending himself down to these lowest and earthly things, he heaps up earth for himself? Assuredly he does not know, concerning those things which he commits to the earth, for whom he gathers them: whether for the moth that destroys, or for the thief that digs through; for the enemy that plunders, or for the fire that devours.

Adam passed over from truth to vanity. Hence in the Psalm: "A phantom only, man goes his ways; like vapor only are his restless pursuits; he heaps up stores, and knows not who will use them." For as long as vain, transitory, passing good is loved, man is "passing over." And such passing over Wisdom reproves. This passing over is the cause of every evil.

"Although man walks about in an image". An image is necessarily the image of something. For Holy Scripture too, when it names an image, sometimes indeed defines it and says whose image it is, but sometimes sets down "image" without any qualification. Thus, concerning the Savior, when it says "who is the image", it did not keep silent whose image he is, but added, saying: "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature". And again, when it teaches us about the diverse images, and that each single person bears some image, it says: "As we have borne the image of the earthly, so let us bear the image of the heavenly". With a qualification—either "of the earthly" or "of the heavenly"—it named the image. But elsewhere it speaks without any qualification, just as in this place it says: "Although man walks about in an image". But in the image of what? Of God, or in the image of the earthly, or in the image of the heavenly? How am I to know in this what it is that divine Scripture wishes to teach us, which says without any qualification: "Although man walks about in an image (I know not whose)"? For if indeed it were speaking of the righteous alone, it would without doubt have said: Although man walks about in the image of the heavenly. Or if it were speaking of sinners only, it would surely have said: Man walks about in the image of the earthly. But since it is pronounced generally concerning all mortals—of whom some bear the image of the heavenly, namely all who live according to the law of God, and others bear the image of the earthly, who live according to the flesh—therefore it necessarily kept silent about the specific designation of the image, and set forth a general judgment concerning all men, that every man walks about in an image. It is now for you to examine and search out from each one's faith and works, from his manner of life and deeds, from his thoughts and words, and to consider whether he walks about in the image of the heavenly or in the image of the earthly. If you are merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful, without doubt the image of the heavenly Father is in you. If you do good not only to your friends but even to your enemies, repaying good for evil, just as the heavenly Father "makes his sun to rise upon the good and the evil, and rains upon the just and the unjust", the image of the heavenly is in you. And if you are perfect in all things, as your heavenly Father is perfect, the image of the heavenly is in you. And again, if you are not an imitator of Christ nor of the apostle Paul, who says: "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ", but are an imitator of the works of the devil, who was a murderer from the beginning; and if you are wise in earthly things, and speak earthly things, and your treasure and your heart are on the earth, you bear the image of the earthly. But since we have come upon these places in which discussion has been stirred up concerning the image, it seems necessary to bring forward into the midst also that verse of the psalm in which it is written concerning sinners: "Lord, in your city you will bring their image to nothing". It is established therefore that God brings the image of sinners in his city to nothing; but the image of the righteous he without doubt guards and preserves. This, then, is the image of the earthly, that is, of sinners, which God will bring to nothing in his city; that is, if anyone departs from this world and carries with him the image of the earthly, on account of an image of this kind he will be brought to nothing in that city of God, nor will he obtain a portion among the citizens of that heavenly city, whoever carries back no insignia of the heavenly image.

But this verse seems to me to contain also another mystery: that the life and manner of living in this world is a kind of imaginary thing and an image, while the future one will not be imaginary but true; and this is what is meant, that each person has an image of virtue, yet does not properly and sincerely live in the virtue itself. Now what we say is of this sort: Wisdom and knowledge are a great part of the virtues; but in the present life, if anyone thinks he has known, he has not yet known as he ought to know, for he who knows, knows in a riddle. Therefore we walk about in an image of knowledge and not in knowledge itself, through which one knows face to face. So likewise we walk about in the image of wisdom, and not yet in wisdom itself, because we do not yet behold the glory of the Lord with unveiled face. The same things I dare to say concerning the righteousness of God, that we walk about in an image of righteousness, and do not yet proceed in that righteousness which is face to face. For human nature, clothed with skin and flesh, set within bones and sinews, will not be able to grasp righteousness itself bare, nor to bear and endure its sincere truth according to the power and strength of its nature. For Christ himself is the nature of the virtues: he himself is the righteousness which did not come to the human race in the fullness of its splendor, because Jesus Christ emptied himself of the form of God, that he might take the form of a servant. And indeed if the discourse of Scripture were speaking of the Jews alone, it would perhaps have said: Although man walks about in a shadow; but because, as I judge, the discourse is about those who are better than were those who lived according to the shadow of the law, therefore it is written: "Although man walks about in an image". This will come more clearly to understanding from the words of the apostle Paul, who designates three kinds of properties in the law, speaking of a shadow and an image and the truth; for he says: "For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things, can never by the same sacrifices which they offer unceasingly year by year make perfect those who draw near". Therefore the law has a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things, thus showing that the image of the things is other than what is designated by that shadow. And if anyone can perceive that that observance of the Jewish worship, and that temple, did not have an image but a shadow, let him see also that the altar and the goats and the calves that are offered—that all these are a shadow, concerning which it is written: "A shadow upon the earth". But if anyone comes from the shadow to the image of the things, and sees the coming of Christ made in the flesh, let him see him as high priest, offering indeed even now sacrifices to the Father, and hereafter about to offer them; and let him understand that all these are images of spiritual things, and that by bodily services heavenly things are designated. Therefore that is called an image which is received for the present, and which human nature can behold. If you can penetrate the heavens with mind and spirit, and follow Jesus who penetrated the heavens, and now stands before the countenance of God on our behalf, there you will find those good things whose shadow the law had, and whose image Christ showed in the flesh, which have been prepared for the blessed, which neither eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor has it ascended into the heart of man. When you have seen these, you will understand that he who walks about in them, and continues in the desire and longing for them, this one no longer walks about in an image, but already in the truth itself. "Yet man walks about in an image". Let us therefore repeat that discourse which the Apostle spoke, in which he designated two general images, one indeed earthly, but the other heavenly, and let us compare with this the words "Although man walks about in an image"; and let us divide this thing that has been said generally into many kinds, so that when the discourse is divided through each part and examined, what lies hidden within may become clear. Now this is what we say: Every hostile power, and every divine virtue which lends aid to those who desire to obtain salvation—each of these expresses certain images in the soul of those who present themselves by diverse pursuits to be a receptacle of them. For example, as we said above, all men indeed bear either the image of the heavenly or of the earthly, but even within these very things there is much diversity. For instance, every sinner bears the image of the earthly, but not everyone in the same way: the murderer and the liar, or the adulterer and the reviler, or the corrupter of boys and the thief do not equally bear the image of the earthly—although all these bear the image of the earthly, yet there is much difference among them according to the diversity of sin. According to these diversities, then, of the image of the earthly, contemplate also the diversity of the image of the heavenly, and behold Paul bearing the image of the heavenly, and Timothy. And what then? Do we think that the image of the heavenly was in Timothy in the same way as in Paul? Did the image of Paul have nothing more, nothing more excellent beyond the image of Timothy? I judge that, according to that in which Paul preceded Timothy in the merits of his life, in the power of his word, in the greatness of soul of his purpose, so also in him there shone forth a greater and more splendid image of the heavenly—such an image as Christ formed in him, when he spoke in him; and another and, as I judge, far inferior image was formed in him by the one who said: "And the angel who was speaking in me said". And thus, searching through each thing even within yourself, you will find a diversity of image, whether earthly in sinners or heavenly in the saints. Everything, therefore, that is done by us through each hour or moment fashions some image; and therefore we ought to examine our acts through each detail, and to test ourselves in this deed and in that word, whether a heavenly or an earthly image is depicted in our soul. But it will not seem useless to remind you also of this, that many in this world have perished on account of images of evil kings—or rather of tyrants—for this alone, that tyrannical images were found in their possession, and this alone sufficed for their condemnation. Let each one of you therefore now search himself, and review the secret places of his heart, and diligently inquire what images he bears there. If you are found to have there the forms of the devil and the image of Satan, what refuge of life will there be for you, who will have mercy on you, when from the innermost chamber of your heart a tyrannical image will be brought forth? But if you wish that I designate for you images of this kind by their species, hear. Anger is a tyrannical image; avarice, deceit, pride, arrogance, worldly glories, envies, drunkenness, carousings, and things like these. And if you do not more quickly cast these out of your house, if you do not draw off and scrape away from your senses every disguise of this most wicked painting, and wipe off every figment of this poisoned color, these very images will make you perish. This concerning that which is written: "Man walks about in an image".

There follows: "He treasures up, and knows not for whom he gathers these things". For it was necessary to inquire what those things are that are treasured up while it is unknown for whom they are gathered, and what those things are that are gathered while it is not unknown for whom they remain.

"Surely in an image." Here he shows the misery of the human condition with respect to occupation; and concerning this he does three things. First he shows that there is something in man that ought to resist vanity. Second he shows in general the vanity of his occupation, at "but in vain." Third he shows the same in particular, at "he heaps up treasures." He says therefore: "Every man is vanity; yet there is something fixed in man that always remains in him while he passes through; and this is the image." And this can be explained in three ways. In one way, concerning the image of God, which exists insofar as man is endowed with reason. Gen. 1: "Let us make man in our image and likeness." And this image ought to resist vanity—namely, reason—and ought to exclude it, namely vanity. And this is what he says: although man is subject to vanity, he is nevertheless always endowed with reason. But because it is not determined here whose image it is, therefore note here a twofold image: one of the heavenly man, and another of the earthly man. 1 Cor. 15: "As we have borne the image of the earthly man, let us bear also the image of the heavenly." I say therefore that every man is vanity; yet every man passes through into some image, because either through good works he represents in himself the image of the heavenly man, or through evil works the image of the earthly. Or otherwise: "Image" implies likeness. Now the course of this life is directed by some knowledge, because the affections are moved according to what is known. Now there is a twofold knowledge. One by which truth is known, and this is certain. The other is through verisimilitude, and this is, as it were, the knowledge of an image, because it does not attain to truth itself but to a likeness of truth. If man attained to truth itself as it is, he would not be troubled, because he would consider the condition of this life and what we shall be after this life, and thus he would not be occupied with this life but would tend toward the things of the other life. And therefore Jerome has: "insofar as man passes through in an image, so much is he troubled," that is, insofar as man falls short of the true knowledge of truth, so much is he troubled by the occupation of this life, whether in good things or in evil. Lk. 10: "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things." Therefore when he does good works, he is not troubled in vain; but when he does not occupy himself with good things, then he is troubled in vain. Is. 49: "I have spent my strength in vain." And he gives an example of the occupation that troubles men, which is the occupation of avarice; this indeed most greatly troubles men. Concupiscence occupies men for a time, and similarly anger. But, as is said in Eccl. 5, "the covetous man is not satisfied with money"; and therefore concerning him he gives the example, saying, "He heaps up treasures and knows not for whom he gathers them," that is, he accumulates superfluous treasures in this life. Mt. 6: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth," namely in vain and to no purpose, because you do not know for whom you are gathering them. Not for himself, because Job 27: "When the rich man falls asleep, he takes nothing with him." Therefore for others, but he does not know for whom; because sometimes he does not gather for children, because they do not survive him; and if they do survive, he nevertheless does not know what sort they will be, because sometimes they are against their parents.

Our hope and our patience is Christ; he is our redemption; he is our expectation.… Look on us, Lord, when you come in judgment; let your mercy look on us.… In the power of your mercy lies the substance of our soul and life. We must not fear physical death; rather, we should fear him who can save or destroy our soul. Our soul's substance is that virtue that God has poured into hearts made in the image of himself.

"And now" [Psalm 39:7]. "And now," saith this Idithun,-looking back on a certain "vain" show, and looking up to a certain Truth, standing midway where he has something beyond him, and something also behind him, having below him the place from which he took his spring, having above him that toward which he has stretched forth;-"And now," when I have "over-leaped" some things, when I have trampled many things under foot, when I am no longer captivated by things temporal; even now, I am not perfect, "I have not yet apprehended." "For it is by hope that we are saved; but hope that is seen is not hope; for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it." Therefore he says: "And now what wait I for? Is it not for the Lord?" He is my expectation, who hath given me all those things, that I might despise them. He will give unto me Himself also, even He who is above all, and "by whom all things were made," and by whom I was made amongst all; even He, the Lord, is my Expectation! You see Idithun, brethren, you see in what way he waiteth for Him! Let no man therefore call himself perfect here; he deceives and imposes upon himself; he is beguiling himself, he cannot have perfection here, and what avails it that he should lose humility?...

"And my substance is ever before Thee." Already advancing, already tending towards Him, and to some extent already beginning to "be," still (he says ) "my substance is ever before Thee." Now that other substance is also before men. You have gold, silver, slaves, estates, trees, cattle, servants. These things are visible even to men. There is a certain "substance that is ever before Thee."

We will have to say that if we give in to troubles, we do not believe in him insofar as he is endurance; and if we are weak, we have not believed in him insofar as he is strength.

There follows: "And now what is my expectation? Is it not the Lord?" As Christ is our wisdom, and Christ is righteousness, according to what is written: "Who was made wisdom for us from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption"; so also our expectation, that is, our patience, is Christ. Therefore let not the wise man glory in wisdom, nor the strong in his strength, because we have all things in Christ. And now therefore what is my expectation, that is, my patience? The Lord. "And my substance is from you". If I have a substance of spiritual riches, it is from God; "for God breathed into the face of man the breath of life, and man was made into a living soul".

"And now, what is my expectation," etc. Here he asks God's help against misery. And first he sets forth the confidence from which his prayer proceeds. Second he sets forth his prayer, at "From all my iniquities." Third he asks to be heard, at "Hear." Sometimes a man is in misery; and then either he trusts to be freed by himself, or by another. If he trusts to be freed by himself, he does not wait for another but has recourse in himself. If by another, then he waits, because he hopes to be helped by another. So it is in this misery, because his days are short, and he does not trust in himself, but says with Job 6: "Behold, there is no help for me in myself"; but he awaits help from God. Hence he says, "What is my expectation? Is it not the Lord?"; as if to say: he alone can free me, because he alone is above all truth, who alone is truth. Is. 30: "Blessed are all who wait for him." In expectation there is also delay; as if to say: I will wait. Hab. 2: "If it makes delay, wait for it." "And my substance is with you." Here is set forth the reason for the confidence he has in God. It is natural that a man should trust in the God with whom he places what he has. He therefore who places all that he has in God can trust in God. And therefore he says: "My substance is with you"; as if to say: even if in myself I am nothing, yet whatever I hope to be and whatever I have is in you. Heb. 10: "Knowing that you have a better and an enduring substance." Mt. 6: "Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven." 2 Tim. 1: "I know whom I have believed, and I am certain." The Gloss explains this of Christ. "My substance is with you," that is, you, Christ, will take from my flesh, because "he was made of the seed of David according to the flesh," Rom. 1.

It is not merely one lapse that he is confessing, for he prays to be forgiven all his iniquities. He knows that without God's forgiveness no one can be saved. For we were born in sin. We have inherited a stain. Our human condition has a congenital tendency to sin.

"Deliver me from all my transgressions" [Psalm 39:8]. I have "over-leaped" a great deal of ground, a very great deal of ground already; but, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the Truth is not in us." I have "over-leaped" a great deal: but still do I "beat my breast," and say, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." Thou therefore art "my expectation!" my "End." For "Christ is the end of the Law unto righteousness, unto every man that believeth." From all mine offences: not only from those, that I may not relapse into those which I have already "over-leaped;" but from all, without exception, of those on account of which I now beat my breast, and say, "Forgive us our debts." "Deliver me from all mine offences:" me being thus minded, and holding fast what the Apostle said, "As many of us as be perfect, let us be thus minded." For at the time that he said that he was not "already perfect," he then immediately goes on and says, "As many of us as be perfect, let us be thus minded."... Art thou then, O Apostle, not perfect, and are we perfect? But hath it escaped you, that he did just now call himself "perfect"? For he does not say, "As many of you as are perfect, be ye thus minded;" but "As many of us as be perfect, let us be thus minded;" after having said a little before, "Not that I have already attained; either am already perfect." In no other way then can you be perfect in this life, than by knowing that you cannot be perfect in this life. This then will be your perfection, so to have "over-leaped" some things, as to have still some point to which you are hastening on: so as to have something remaining, to which you will have to leap on, when everything else has been passed by. It is such faith as this that is secure; for whoever thinks that he has already attained, is "exalting himself," so as to be "abused" hereafter. ...

Although this holy man was conducting himself in noble devotion, he still asks to be freed from all of his iniquities by the Lord's mercy.

"From all my iniquities deliver me". He necessarily added "from all", so that of course no iniquity may hold and constrain us. But let us consider how God delivers from iniquities. If, repenting for our evil deeds, we turn to God, God, receiving our conversion from us, grants absolution of iniquities according to the measure of the conversion. For to whom more is remitted, loves more; and therefore it is said of that woman that "much was remitted to her, because she loved much". According to the measure of the repentance, then, the quantity of remission is regulated; let us not deceive ourselves, thinking that these things are dispensed by no rules, by no judgments. For I think that he who has fulfilled all righteousnesses washes away all iniquities; but he who has worked few, or some part of righteousness, dissolves some part of his iniquities; and he who has borne perfect and entire repentance for all his evils, so that he now offers a pure heart to God, this one washes away at once every stain of his sins; but if he has repented in part, he has also in part now merited absolution. Knowing these things, then, and that God delivers some indeed from all their iniquities, while he frees others from some iniquities, the prophet, confident, I think, that he had done those things by which he would be worthy to be delivered from all iniquities, says boldly to the Lord: "From all my iniquities deliver me".

"You have made me a reproach to the foolish". As long as we have sins, it is necessary that we be reproached by the foolish one and our accuser, the devil; and if our sins are found not to be blotted out, but written in us by the pen of the devil, through these very things which we have done the enemy will reproach us. For just as all good things are said to be written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, so all evil things are written down with the ink and pen of the devil. On account of which our Lord and Savior blotted out the handwriting of our sins, which was written against us with the devil's endorsement, just as he had also foretold before through the prophet who said: "Behold, I blot out your iniquities like a cloud, and your sins like a mist, and I will no longer remember them". Therefore, that we may not be reproached by the foolish one, let us turn ourselves away from all our iniquities, lest, censuring in us the stains of sins—that is, the insignia of his own will—he reproach us and say: Behold, this man was called a Christian, and was sealed with the sign of Christ on his forehead, but he bore my wills and my handwritings in his heart. Behold, this man who renounced me and my works in baptism has again inserted himself into my works and obeyed my laws. Freed therefore from all iniquities, let us take care that on the day of judgment we do not succumb to reproaches of this kind from the foolish devil.

"From all." Above, the Psalmist set forth the confidence he had in God when he said, "And now, what is my expectation," etc.; here, however, he sets before God his petition. And concerning this he does three things. First he asks God for the removal of guilt. Second he asks for the removal of punishment. Third he assigns the reason for the conjunction of these petitions. The second, at "Remove." The third, at "On account of iniquity." Concerning the first he does two things. First he makes his petition. Second he alleges the merit of being heard, at "You have given me as a reproach." He says therefore, "From all my iniquities," etc. Where it should be noted that this petition is commendable on account of the thing requested, which is necessary, namely to be freed from sin. Job 11: "If you put away the iniquity that is in your hand, and let not wickedness dwell in your tabernacle, then in justice you shall lift up your face without blemish." Second, because he does not ask on account of his own merits but asks that it be given him by God. Is. 43: "I am he who blots out your iniquities for my own sake." Third, because he asks to be freed from all of them; because it is impious to ask pardon from God for sins if total deliverance is not hoped for from him. Jn. 7: "I have made a whole man sound on the Sabbath." Hence he says, "From all my iniquities deliver me"; as if to say: I do not ask to be freed from one sin only, but from all. Ezek. 36: "You shall be cleansed from all your defilements." Ps. 25: "Forgive all my sins." Merit is taken from the part of the one who suffers. Tob. 3: "You forgive all the sins of men in tribulation." And therefore first he shows what he endures; second he shows the patience he had; third he assigns the cause. He says therefore, "You have given me as a reproach to the fool," which can be understood in two ways. In one way, that the reproach is a punishment inflicted on him by God, because just as the proper reward of the virtuous person is honor, so the punishment of sin is reproach. Mal. 2: "You have scandalized many in the law." In another way, that God caused it, that is, the patience, not the reproach, but the occasion of reproach from the fact that he now begins to despise earthly things, which the foolish and unwise regard as a reproach on account of the patience he exercises.

"I became dumb; and I opened not my mouth" [Psalm 39:9]. But it was to guard against "the foolish man," that "I became dumb, and opened not my mouth." For to whom should I tell what is going on within me? "For I will hear what the Lord God will speak in me; for He will speak peace unto His people." But "There is no peace," says the Lord, "to the wicked." [Isaiah 48:22] "I was dumb, and opened not my mouth; because it is Thou that made me." Was this the reason that you opened not your mouth, "because God made you"? That is strange; for did not God make your mouth, that you should speak? "He that planted the ear, does He not hear? He that formed the eye, does He not see?" God has given you a mouth to speak with; and do you say, "I was dumb, and opened not my mouth, because You made me"? Or does the clause, "Because You made me," belong to the verse that follows?

For my part, I realized that this happens to me with your permission, and I waited longer in the knowledge that I would receive help from the same quarter from which comes also the allowance of my suffering.

"I was struck dumb and did not open my mouth, because it is you who did it". This too we have already expounded above, when we treated that verse which says: "While the sinner stands against me, I was struck dumb and was humbled and kept silence from good things". For it is good that at the time when weapons—whether of disparagements, or of insults, or of reproaches—are hurled against us, we should remember this verse which says: "I was struck dumb and did not open my mouth, because it is you who did it". This indeed seems to need inquiry: what is it that he said, "It is you who did it", and yet did not add what he did. But the very order teaches us, since it describes as a kind of contest between us and the sinner who stands against us; and that it indicates that God did this very thing, that is, that for the sake of our exercise and progress God made these struggles. Therefore for this reason I will remember, that you made these struggles and you prepared for us these exercises of patience. For when he provoked me to wrath, when he assailed me with insults, that I might not overstep the bounds of patience and utter from my lips some word that would not please you, "I was struck dumb and did not open my mouth". But if I am able to accomplish something greater according to the precepts of Paul, I will not only be struck dumb and not open my mouth, but even when I am cursed, I will bless, and when I am blasphemed, I will entreat.

Whosoever feareth sleepeth not, and if he sleepeth, he seeth in his dream the cause of his fear; he eateth not, and he drinketh not, and if the force of natural craving compel him, fear is mingled with his meat and drink. Everything which attacketh the man who is filled with the fear of God abideth outside him, for fear keepeth fast hold upon the place of his understanding, and upon all the places of ingoing and outgoing of the city of his soul. Like the watchmen who stand by the gates of the city, even so doth fear keep fast hold upon the places of ingoing and outgoing of the soul, and it permitteth no act or thought to enter in or to go forth which it examineth not; for it neither permitteth any internal thought whatsoever to go forth, nor any external act that is not seemly to go in. And moreover this Prophet maketh known in other places the fear of God; "My flesh contracteth through fear of Thee, and I am afraid of Thy judgments." And again he saith, "I am like a wine skin in ice, but I have not forgotten Thy commandments." And again he saith, "Sorrow is in my heart all the day long. How long, O Lord, wilt thou turn Thy face from me? How long wilt Thou forget me, for ever? How long wilt Thou set trouble in my soul?" And again he saith, "Heal me, O Lord, for my bones tremble, and my soul is greatly moved. I am weary with my groaning; every night make I my bed to swim; and I water my couch with my tears. Mine eye hath become sick because of Thine anger"; now it is evident that all these things arose from [his] fear of God. And again he saith, "I roared by reason of the groaning of my heart"; and again he saith, "Lead me, O Lord, in Thy fear and righteousness"; and again he saith, "There is no soundness in my flesh before the fear of Thee, and there is no health in my bones in the presence of my sins. For my iniquities have gone over my head; and [they are] as a heavy burden heavy upon me. My wounds stink and are corrupt, and in the presence of my iniquities I tremble greatly. All the day long I walk in sadness. For my ankles are filled with trembling. I am much moved, and I am brought to great misery." And again he saith, "My heart is turned back, and my strength hath forsaken me; and the light of my eyes is no longer with me." And again he saith, "I kept silent, and I was sorrowful, and I was afflicted even from good; And my sickness was stirred. My heart became hot within me; and in my body the fire kindled." And again he saith, "I was dumb, and I opened not my mouth; because Thou didst it. I have come to an end because of [Thy] rebuke of my sins."

The patience he had, he shows when he says, "I was dumb." A sign of patience is that when words of reproach are brought against a man, he does not return evil for evil, as Christ, 1 Pet. 2: "When he was reviled, he did not revile in return." And therefore he says, "I was dumb and did not open my mouth." And this can be referred to two things. In one way, that when he says "I did not open," he designates the continuation of patience, because although someone may seem patient for a time and be silent, afterward, having become impatient, he speaks at length. Is. 53: "He shall be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and shall be dumb as a lamb before his shearer, and shall not open his mouth." Ps. 38: "But I, as a deaf man, did not hear, and as a mute not opening his mouth"; as if to say: I had patience. Or, "I was dumb" from reproaches against my neighbor, "and I did not open my mouth" against God. The cause is, "because you have done it." And this can be referred to what is said, "a reproach." The cause for bearing injuries patiently is when he considers that this happens to him by the divine judgment. David did this when he said in 2 Sam. 16: "Let him alone, that he may curse." Prov. 3: "My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord, nor grow weary when you are corrected by him." Or it can be referred to what he says, "I was dumb, because you have done it," namely, the patience.

The strong hand strikes as though harshly, but it is swift to heal. If it is powerful to wound, it is also powerful when it comes to applying a remedy. As the Lord says, "I will strike, and I will heal." … This hand of the Lord took from Job all that he had and gave it all back again. In fact, he greatly added to Job's store of good things, even doubling what he had before. Do not be troubled because David says he has fainted. A person can faint and rise up stronger than before. "The Lord lifts up all that fall and sets up all that are cast down." Whoever is corrected will rise up with virtue.

"Remove Your stroke away from me" [Psalm 39:10]. Because it is "Thou that hast made me," let it not be Your pleasure to destroy me utterly; scourge, so that I may be made better, not so that I faint; beat me, so that I may be beaten out to a greater length and breadth, not so that I may be ground to powder. "By the heaviness of Your hand I fainted in corrections." That is, I "fainted" while You were correcting me. And what is meant by "correcting" me? Except what follows.

"Remove your plagues from me; from the strength of your hand I have fainted". What the Latin translators rendered "plagues," in the Greek codices is written "scourges," so that it is: "Remove your scourges from me". This one seems, of course, to say when he is set as it were under the correction of scourges, when, like a man, he is corrected for his sins, or scourged that he may be amended. Just as that also is understood by very many which is written: "Son, do not grow weary of the discipline of God, nor faint when you are rebuked by him. For whom God loves, he corrects, and scourges every son whom he receives". Whenever, therefore, anyone is rebuked with corrections of this kind, he seems fittingly to say: "Remove your scourges from me. From the strength of your hand I have fainted". But that also seems fittingly to be applied which is written: "In rebukes on account of iniquity you have corrected"—or "instructed"—"a man". But I know also other scourges by which we are more vehemently tormented, namely those which wisdom describes through the prophet (for indeed I call it a prophet): "Who will set scourges over my thought, and the correction of wisdom over my heart, that my ignorances which I have committed may not be spared, and that my sins may not be passed over?" Do you see how it prays that its heart be scourged for its sins, and that its thoughts be beaten? Whenever, therefore, you see yourself after sin afflicted and tormented in heart, and accused by your own thoughts; whenever you see yourself marked by your conscience, and scourged by its lashes, presume for yourself the hope of amendment and salvation. For the way of conversion is nearer to you than to those who do not even perceive that they have sinned, nor are grieved over their misdeeds, nor suffer the scourges of conscience. You therefore, if you see yourself scourged and tormented in your thoughts, and attending to the hope of salvation as near at hand, say concerning those who have indeed sinned in like manner, yet do not likewise repent for their misdeeds, that they "are not among the labors of men, and shall not be scourged with men; therefore pride has taken hold of them". You therefore, if you are tormented and afflicted in your heart, say to the Lord: "Many indeed are the scourges of sinners, but mercy shall surround those who hope in the Lord". We have shown, then, that scourges are prepared for men in two ways: either perceptibly from without, when we are scourged either by illnesses, or by losses, or by diverse kinds of afflictions; or also when, from the recollection of a misdeed, we are bored through in heart by the goads of an urging conscience. To both, then, it is fitting to say: "Remove your plagues from me". But perhaps someone says: Granted that for these torments which are inflicted from without a prayer of this kind seems suitable, which begs that the torments cease—but will it seem to hinder also the goad of the heart and the regard of the mind? Measure is sought in all things; much more in scourges is measure very suitable. For if they are beyond measure, even those things which are good will harm you. And what shall I say about scourges? "Finding honey", says Solomon, "eat as much as suffices, lest perhaps, being sated, you vomit it up". But if in honey measure is useful, how much more rightly will it be sought and preserved in scourges? On account of which the Apostle too, fearing excessive scourges of the heart of the one who had transgressed and was grieving excessively, said: "Lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up by too great sorrow".

His second petition is about the removal of punishment. And first he sets forth the petition; second the reason for the petition. He says, "Remove from me your scourges," that is, your chastisements. And this can be explained in two ways. Either concerning bodily chastisements—and these are external, such as scourges and other adversities by which a man is chastised by God for his sins. Jer. 30: "I have struck you with the wound of an enemy." Therefore, remove these scourges from me. Likewise there are spiritual wounds, that is, interior ones, such as the remorse of conscience. Ps. 50: "I will reprove you and set it before your face." And he asks for these to be removed. According to Origen, the cause of this petition is from strength. External chastisement is very useful insofar as it is borne patiently; but when it is not borne patiently but one fails and despairs, the chastisements are harmful. 2 Cor. 2: "Console him, lest he be swallowed up by excessive sorrow." And therefore, fearing this, he asks for the scourges to be removed, because "I have failed from the force," that is, from the violence of your striking. Is. 8: "With a strong hand he instructed me." 1 Sam. 5: "The hand of the Lord was very heavy." A man fails in three ways under chastisements. One way is common to the good and the bad, which is bodily. Ps. 90: "And in your wrath we have failed." Another is the way of impatience, and this belongs to the wicked. Job 4: "Now the blow has come upon you, and you have failed." Another way belongs to the good, by which one departs from himself and tends toward God. Ps. 119: "My soul has fainted for your salvation." And in any of these ways what is said here can be understood; as if to say: therefore I ask that you remove your scourges from me, because I am corrected according to the third mode of failing; because "I have failed from the strength of your hand in reproofs." Or because I despair, according to the second mode. Or because I cannot endure, according to the first mode. Nor does it matter if it is said, according to another reading, "in reproofs I have failed," etc.

"Thou with rebukes hast chastened man for iniquity; Thou hast made my life to consume away like a spider" (ver. 11). There is much that is discerned by this Idithun; by every one who discerns as he does; who overleaps as he does. For he says, that he has fainted in God's corrections; and would fain have the stroke removed away from him, "because it is He who made him." Let Him renew me, who also made me; let Him who created me, create me anew. But yet, Brethren, do we suppose that there was no cause for his fainting, so that he wishes to be "renewed," to be "created anew"? It is "for iniquity," saith he, "that Thou hast chastened man." All this, my having fainted, my being weak, my "crying out of the deep," all of this is because of "iniquity;" and in this Thou hast not condemned, but hast "chastened" me. "Thou hast chastened man for sin." Hear this more plainly from another Psalm: "It is good for me that Thou hast afflicted me, that I might learn Thy righteousness." I have been "afflicted," and at the same time "it is good for me;" it is at once a punishment, and an act of favour. What hath He in store for us after punishment is over, who inflicts punishment itself by way of favour? For He it is of whom it was said, "I was brought low, and He made me whole:" and, "It is good for me that Thou hast afflicted me, that I might learn Thy righteousness." "Thou chastenest man for iniquity." And that which is written, "Thou formest my grief in teaching me," could only be said unto God by one who was "leaping beyond" his fellows; "Thou formest my grief in teaching me;" Thou makest, that is to say, a lesson for me out of my sorrow. It is Thou that formest that very grief itself; Thou dost not leave it unformed, but formest it; and that grief, that has been inflicted by Thee, when formed, will be a lesson unto me, that I may be set free by Thee. For the word finges is used in the sense of "forming," as it were moulding, my grief; not in the sense of "feigning" it; in the same way that fingit is applied to the artist, in the same sense that figulus is derived from fingere. Thou therefore "hast chastened man for iniquity." I see myself in afflictions; I see myself under punishment; and I see no unrighteousness in Thee. If I therefore am under punishment, and if there is no unrighteousness with Thee, it remains that Thou must have been "chastening man for iniquity."

And by what means hast Thou "chastened" him? Tell us, O Idithun, the manner of thy chastening; tell us in what way thou hast been "chastened." "And Thou hast made my life consume like a spider." This is the chastening! What consumes away sooner than the spider? I speak of the creature itself; though what can be more liable to "consume away" than the spider's webs? Observe too how liable to decay is the creature itself. Do but set your finger lightly upon it, and it is a ruin: there is nothing at all more easily destroyed. To such a state hast Thou brought my life, by chastening me "because of iniquity." When chastening makes us weak, there is a kind of strength that would be a fault. ...It was by a kind of strength that man offended, so as to require to be corrected by weakness: for it was by a certain "pride" that he offended; so as to require to be chastened by humility. All proud persons call themselves strong men. Therefore have many "come from the East and the West," and have attained "to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of Heaven." Wherefore was it that they so attained? Because they would not be strong. What is meant by "would not be strong"? They were afraid to presume of their own merits. They did not "go about to establish their own righteousness," that they might "submit themselves to the righteousness of God." ...Behold! you are mortal; and you bear about you a body of flesh that is corrupting away: "And ye shall fall like one of the princes. Ye shall die like men," and shall fall like the devil. What good does the remedial discipline of mortality do you? The devil is proud, as not having a mortal body, as being an angel. But as for you, who have received a mortal body, and to whom even this does no good, so as to humble you by so great weakness, you shall "fall like one of the princes." This then is the first grace of God's gift, to bring us to the confession of our infirmity, that whatever good we can do, whatever ability we have, we may be that in Him; that "He that glorieth, may glory in the Lord." "When I am weak," saith he, "then am I strong."

I realize that all your scourging proves to be for a person's correction and betterment; it is not as though you were indifferent to human beings in allowing them to suffer, instead preferring to improve their souls.

"In rebukes for iniquity you have instructed a man, and you have made his soul waste away like a spider". The soul that sins becomes grosser. For such is the nature of sin, on account of which it is written: "The heart of this people has been made gross". But just as sin makes gross, so on the contrary virtue renders the soul subtle, and—if I may wring out, as it were, a novelty of wording—it wipes away and destroys everything corporeal in it, and renders it more purely incorporeal. But that the soul of the sinner grows gross, and, so to speak, becomes fleshly, is indicated by that which is written: "My spirit shall not remain in these men, because they are flesh". Without doubt he names as "flesh" the grosser and sinful souls. If, then, the soul grows gross, so that it becomes flesh, he teaches what remedy God prepares: "In rebukes", he says, "for iniquity you have instructed a man, and you have made his soul waste away like a spider". It is therefore the work of God to make waste away and consume whatever is of the grosser matter by which the soul is surrounded, that he may thin down and file away the prudence of the flesh, and thus at last recall the soul to a subtle understanding of heavenly and invisible things. Certain such things we find designated no less under a mystery in the prophet Ezekiel, when flesh is said to be put into a cauldron, or pot, and cooked, and it is said that they are cooked and have wasted away, or the flesh is boiled down and the broth is boiled off. These things are written in these very words, because the cauldrons or pots, kindled with flames, will receive us—into which we will be cast, we who have made our souls fleshly, or gross—if we do not first, while we are in this world, arrive through repentance at making our flesh waste away, and reducing the grossness of our soul to the subtlety of a spider. If we go forth still fleshly from here, we will be sent into those pots which are kindled with wood, or hay, or stubble, that is, with our works which we have laid upon the foundation of Christ. Such is that, as I suppose, which Jeremiah says: "I saw", he says, "a cauldron or pot burning, and its face from the face of the north". Or again when he saw a rod of nut-wood. Let us therefore inquire concerning this saying, why he showed at the same time a rod and a pot kindled with fire: so that, if indeed you accept discipline through the rod and are amended, you may have no need of the kindled pot; but if you remain undisciplined and are not amended by the rod—that is, by the word of correction, either confuted or repenting, and corrected by such a rod as Paul speaks of: "What do you wish—that I come to you with a rod, or in the love of a spirit and of gentleness?"—if, then, you are not amended by such a rod, you will be sent into the pot, and the pot will be kindled. For this reason, then, Jeremiah saw both at the same time, both the rod and the kindled pot, so that, fearing both, we may see the one from the other. This concerning that which is written: "You have made his soul waste away like a spider".

If, then, we turn the discourse back to the nature of that animal, from that aspect by which it unfolds a most subtle work which the eye can scarcely comprehend, the exposition which we explained above will seem apt. But if anyone refers it to that which Isaiah writes in his book, that "they have woven the web of a spider", it is to be taken otherwise: that all the things which the sinner weaves and does, you may know to be as nothing as those things which the spider weaves, though they seem varied and composed, though arranged with a certain exquisite art. How much did those rich men who were before us weave, who gathered riches by various arts and cunning devices, who sought magistracies, honors, consulships with diverse ambition—all these wove the webs of a spider. For as vain, as frivolous as is the weaving of the spider, so were all the things they did, and therefore their souls have been made to waste away like the spider's. "Yet every man is vanity". This we have already explained in the passages above.

So this is what should concern us, being rescued from sins and attaining reconciliation with you, which results in complete resolution of problems, and not taking pains over other things, which are futile and useless for the painstaker, never bringing one an outcome for the pains or providing one with lasting benefit from the pains.

"On account of iniquity you have corrected man." This is the reason why he proposes a twofold petition: because first the cause is removed, and afterward the effect is removed. Guilt is the cause of chastisements; and therefore he says that man is chastised on account of sin. Hence he says, "You have corrected," that is, chastised man, "on account of iniquity," that is, on account of his sins. And therefore first he asks for sins to be removed, because future punishments are for damnation, but the punishments of this life are for purification, as far as they go in themselves, and are for correction. Ps. 32: "Many are the scourges of the sinner." "And you have made his soul waste away like a spider." Here is set forth the manner or limit of correction: "to waste away," that is, to dry up. It can therefore be explained corporally, when it is referred to bodily tribulation, because the moisture and richness of the body is dried up, and thus life wastes away. Job 33: "His flesh shall waste away." Likewise there: "His flesh is consumed by punishments." In another way, it can be referred to the soul. In man there is spiritually a twofold richness. One is evil, through bodily pleasures. Deut. 32: "He grew fat, and forsook God his maker." And to be dried from this richness is good; and this is what he says: "You have made to waste away," that is, you have dried up my soul like a spider, from the love of carnal things; because the spider is a hot animal and is not fat, because it makes the finest threads; so the soul, separated from carnal pleasures, clings through its affection to invisible things and produces invisible works and affections. 2 Cor. 4: "While we look not at the things which are seen," etc. Or, "to waste away," that is, to dry up from the richness of devotion, as Ps. 63 says: "Let my soul be filled as with marrow and fatness"; and this is a bad drying up. This happens because the soul becomes undevout and clings to sins and lacks the richness of devotion like a spider. Likewise the web of the spider is fragile, and so the thoughts of sinners are vain. Is. 59: "They have woven webs of spiders," that is, useless and vain things, "they have made." Likewise the spider emits so much of those threads that it dies; so men die spiritually on account of the sins they commit. Jas. 1: "Sin, when it is completed, begets death." And it is read thus: "His soul, being like a spider, you have made to waste away," that is, to dry up with a good drying. "Surely every man is troubled in vain." Here is the failure of correction; because although he makes them waste away in this manner, nevertheless many remain in their malice or return to evil. And that some are not troubled in vain, this is not insofar as they are men, but insofar as they are elevated by God from earthly things to the contemplation of heavenly things.

"Hear my prayer, O Lord" (ver. 12). Whereof shall I rejoice? Whereof should I groan? I rejoice on account of what is past, I groan longing for these which are not yet come. "Hear my prayer, and give ear unto my cry. Hold not Thy peace at my tears." For do I now no longer weep, because I have already "passed by," have "left behind" so great things as these? "Do I not weep much the more?" For, "He that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow." The more I long for what is not here, do I not so much the more groan for it until it comes? do I not so much the more weep until it comes?...

"For I am a sojourner with Thee." But with whom am I a "sojourner"? When I was with the devil, I was a "sojourner;" but then I had a bad host and entertainer; now, however, I am with Thee; but I am a "sojourner" still. What is meant by a sojourner? I am a "sojourner" in the place from which I am to remove; not in the place where I am to dwell for ever. The place where I am to abide for ever, should be rather called my home. In the place from which I am to remove I am a "sojourner;" but yet it is with my God that I am a sojourner, with whom I am hereafter to abide, when I have reached my home. But what home is that to which you are to remove from this estate of a sojourner? Recognise that home, of which the Apostle speaks, "We have an habitation of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens." If this house is eternal in the Heavens, when we have come to it, we shall not be sojourners any more. For how should you be a sojourner in an eternal home? But here, where the Master of the house is some day to say to you, "Remove," while you yourself know not when He will say it, be thou in readiness. And by longing for your eternal home, you will be keeping yourself in readiness for it. And be not angry with Him, because He gives thee notice to remove, when He Himself pleases. For He made no covenant with thee, nor did He bind Himself by any engagement; nor didst thou enter upon the tenancy of this house on a certain stipulation for a definite term: thou art to quit, when it is its Master's pleasure. For therefore is it that you now dwell there free of charge. "For I am a sojourner with Thee, and a stranger." Therefore it is there is my country: it is there is my home. "I am a sojourner with Thee, and a stranger." Here too is understood "with Thee." For many are strangers with the devil: but they who have already believed and are faithful, are, it is true, "strangers" as yet, because they have not yet come to that country and to that home: but still they are strangers with God. For so long as we are in the body, we are strangers from the Lord, and we desire, whether we are strangers, or abiding here, "we may be accepted with Him." I am a "sojourner with Thee; and a stranger, as all my fathers were." If then I am as all my fathers were, shall I say that I will not remove, when they have removed? Am I to lodge here on other terms, than those on which they lodged here also?...

What the psalmist means is: As long as I am in this body, I am unhappy. Who of us could say that? If we are octogenarians, we are afraid to die; if we are centenarians and sick besides, still we cling to life and beg for respite. Why do we do that? Because sin gnaws at our conscience. We know that if we leave our body, we are going not to Christ but to hell. On the contrary, what does the apostle say? "I desire to depart and to be with Christ." Give me freedom from anxiety, for after death I am going to be with Christ; even now I long to die. So our psalmist, because he is one who loves the Lord, cries: Unhappy man that I am, because my sojourn is prolonged!

"Hear my prayer, O God, and my supplication; give ear to my tears". It is fitting once again to offer prayer to God even with tears, and to be moved from the innermost recesses into supplication of the Lord, so that the mind, believing in the judgment to come, may review the recollection of its misdeeds not without tears and lamentation. Who, dissolved into tears, says to the Lord: "I pour out my prayer in your sight"? "Give ear, therefore, to my tears, and be not silent", he says, "from me"—that is, while I pray be not silent. But what then? While I am still speaking, say: Behold, I am here.

"For I am a sojourner with you, and a pilgrim, as all my fathers". Because I am a pilgrim, I am necessarily also a sojourner, for I am not as you are. For you alone are eternal, and we, as far as is found, have a beginning. But I, if I be made worthy to be with you, am nevertheless a sojourner and a pilgrim with you; because all my fathers too were sojourners and pilgrims with you; and Abraham is a pilgrim with you, because he did not always exist, but then began to exist when you willed, and so Isaac and Jacob and all the righteous.

"Hear my prayer, O Lord, and my supplication," etc. Here he asks that his petition be admitted, where he asks to be heard. And he sets forth three things that make a petition acceptable to God. The first is the elevation of the mind to God, and this is prayer, which is the ascent of the mind to God; hence he says, "Hear my prayer, O Lord." Ps. 69: "But I direct my prayer to you, O Lord." The second is the continuance of asking, and this when he says, "and my supplication." Jas. 5: "The continual prayer of a just man avails much." The third is the abundance of tears, and he shows this when he says, "Give ear to my tears." "Be not silent." Here is set forth a sign of being heard; hence he asks that God not be silent. Now God is sometimes said to be silent with regard to the wicked, when he does not punish them, as is said in Is. 42: "I have been silent, I have always kept still, I have been patient," etc. "Be not silent," that is, do not refrain from punishment. Likewise sometimes he is silent by not consoling the good; and thus he says, "Be not silent" to my soul, but "say to my soul: I am your salvation," Ps. 35. And God does this in this life when he says to the sinner: "Your sins are forgiven you," Lk. 5. And also in the future, when he will say, "Come, blessed of my Father," etc., Mt. 25. Jerome has: "Do not be deaf to my tears," and this is connected with the preceding. "For I am a stranger with you." Here he assigns the reason for his petition; as if to say: God commanded this, Ex. 22, namely that strangers should be heard. And because I am a stranger, it is just that you hear me. I have left the world and have fled to you, and I am with you as a stranger, because in this world I do not have a lasting dwelling, but I am as a pilgrim tending elsewhere, namely to the homeland of eternal life, "as all my fathers were." For many are strangers in this world, not having affection for worldly things. "As all my fathers," namely the saints who were pilgrims, as the Apostle says, 2 Cor. 5: "Having food and wherewith to be covered, with these let us be content," 1 Tim. 6.

Forgive me, so that I need no longer be a pilgrim and a wayfarer. Forgive me so that I may be called home from exile. If you forgive me, before I go from this place, I shall no longer be an exile and a pilgrim. Once you will have forgiven me, I will no longer be in foreign parts. I shall be a fellow citizen of your saints; I shall be with my ancestors, who were pilgrims before me and are now truly citizens. I shall be a member of God's household. I shall not dread punishment but shall merit grace through our Lord Jesus; with whom, Lord God, be praise to you, and honor and glory forever; now and always and for ages of ages. Amen.

"Grant me some remission, that I may be refreshed before I go hence" (ver. 13). Consider well, Idithun, consider what knots those are which thou wouldest have "loosed" unto thee, that thou mightest be "refreshed before thou goest hence." For thou hast certain fever-heats from which thou wouldest fain be refreshed, and thou sayest, "that I may be refreshed," and "grant me a remission." What should He remit, or loosen unto thee, save that difficulty under which, and in consequence of which, thou sayest, "Forgive us our debts. Grant me a remission before I go hence, and be no more." Set me free from my sins, "before I go hence," that I may not go hence with my sins. Remit them unto me, that I may be set at rest in my conscience, that it may be disburthened of its feverish anxiety, the anxiety with which "I am sorry for my sin. Grant me a remission, that I may be refreshed" (before everything else), "before I go hence, and be no more." For if thou grantest me not a "remission, that I may be refreshed," I shall "go and be no more." "Before I go" thither, where if I go, I shall thenceforth "be no more. Grant me a remission, that I may be refreshed." A question has suggested itself, how he will be no more. ...What is meant then by "shall be no more," unless Idithun is alluding to what is true "being," and what is not true "being." For he was beholding with the mind, with which he could do so, with the "mind's eye," by which he was able to behold it, that end, which he had desired to have shown unto him, saying, "Lord, make me to know mine end." He was beholding "the number of his days, which truly is;" and he observed that all that is below, in comparison of that true being, has no true being. For those things are permanent; these are subject to change; mortal, and frail, and the eternal suffering, though full of corruption, is for this very reason not to be ended, that it may ever be being ended without end. He alluded therefore to that realm of bliss, to the happy country, to the happy home, where the Saints are partakers of eternal Life, and of Truth unchangeable; and he feared to "go" where that is not, where there is no true being; longing to be there, where "Being" in the highest sense is! It is on account of this contrast then, while standing midway between them, he says, "Grant me a remission, that I may be refreshed before I go hence and be no more." For if Thou "grantest me not a remission" of my sins, I shall go from Thee unto all eternity! And from whom shall I go to all eternity? From Him who said, I Am He that Am: from Him who said, "Say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you." He then who goes from Him, in the contrary direction, goes to non-existence. ...

Grant me a little time that I may repent for my sins, for in hell no one has the power to confess his sins.

"Give me remission that I may be refreshed before I depart, and shall be no more, for I am a sojourner": as long as I am with you, so long I am; but if I go forth from you, I have lost even this very thing that I am, and I shall be as one who is not. Thus for this reason he says concerning sinners: "And they shall be as those who are not". And elsewhere: "Who called the things that are not". "Give me remission that I may be refreshed before I depart, and shall be no more". It must be known, nevertheless, that it is within us either to be or not to be. As long as we cleave to God and are joined to him who truly is, we too are. But if we depart from him and do not cleave to our God, we fall by vice into the contrary. Not, therefore, through this is the substantial destruction of the soul designated, but it is said "not to be" when it does not remain in him who truly and always is, from whom he himself is. Therefore for this reason the prophetic word too exhorts us, saying: "After the Lord our God we shall go, and to him we shall cleave". But let us ourselves also say: "My soul has cleaved after you", in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom is honor and glory unto the ages of ages. Amen.

"Forgive me." Here he asks for the hastening of his being heard; as if to say: let what I ask be done quickly. And first he sets forth the effect of the petition; second he determines the time. Hence he says, "Forgive me," namely my sins, because (Ps. 32), "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered." And this so that here I may "be refreshed," namely from sin, or from the punishment that the evil one intends. Wis. 4: "But the just man, if he be taken by death, shall be in refreshment." And do this, namely forgive me, "before I depart," that is, before I withdraw from this world, because there is no remission there. Job 10: "Before I go, and return no more, to the land of darkness," etc. "And I shall be no more." This can be understood in two ways. In one way thus: forgive, etc., because after I have departed, I shall no longer be in a state where sins can be forgiven. Job 7: "My eye shall not return to see good things," namely present things. In another way thus: forgive, etc., because if I depart from this world unless you have forgiven my sins, I shall no longer be in a good state of being. Job 18: "Let his companions dwell in his tabernacle, who are not."