Psalm 52 [MT 53]

The 33rd Psalm was spoken by David when he "changed his countenance before Abimelech, and he sent him away, and he left." The current Psalm would be the one following that Psalm in historical sequence. For the Scripture says in Kingdoms, "And one of the servants of Saul was there that day." And this indicates the time at which David came into the house of Abimelech and ate the "loaves of offering," receiving them from the high priest. For at the very same point in time, Doeg the Syrian, the tender of Saul's mules, came to Saul and said, "I have seen the son of Jesse having come to Nob, to Abimelech the son of Ahitub, the priest, and all the sons of his father; and he inquired on his behalf through God, and he gave him provisions. And the king sent someone to call Abimelech the priest, and all the sons of his father, the priests of the Lord in Nob, and they all came before the king," at which point, on Saul's order, this same Doeg put to death the priests of the Lord—" men who bore the ephod, and he smote the city of Nob with the edge of the sword, including men and women, infants and babies, and calves and donkeys and sheep."

So when David learned that this had been done in this way, he uttered the words before us, which contain neither an ode, nor a hymn, nor anything else of that sort. For how, in the face of the disaster that happened to so many priests, could he have sung odes of theirs and psalms? Hence, nothing of the kind is written as epigraph, but it was only said "to the end" and "of understanding": ["To the end,"] since the final elements of his words recount the good things, when he says, "But I am like a fruitful olive tree," etc.; and ["of understanding," since discerning] the meaning of the words put forth here requires the understanding that comes from God. Now then, when he was with Abimelech and tasted the priestly nourishment, he changed his "taste"—or his "ways," according to the interpretation of the others—and raised blessings and thanksgivings to God, saying: "I will bless the Lord at all times; the praise of him is always in my mouth," etc. But now, when he had learned of the actions of Doeg the slanderer—how he had destroyed so many priests, doing a diabolical deed—he marshalled the words of the present passage as though against him

"Why does he glory in malice that is mighty?" [Psalm 52:1]. Observe, my brethren, the glorying of malignity, the glorying of evil men. Where is glorying? "Why does he glory in malice that is mighty?" That is, he that in malice is mighty, why does he glory? There is need that a man be mighty, but in goodness, not in malice. Is it any great thing to glory in malice? To build a house does belong to few men, any ignorant man you please can pull down. To sow wheat, to dress the crop, to wait until it ripen, and in that fruit on which one has laboured to rejoice, does belong to few men: with one spark any man you please can burn all the crop. To breed an infant, when born to feed him, to educate, to bring him on to youth's estate, is a great task: to kill him in one moment of time any one you please is able. Therefore those things which are done for destruction, are most easily done. "He that glories, let him glory in the Lord:" [1 Corinthians 1:31] he that glories, let him glory in goodness. Thou gloriest, because you are mighty in evil. What are you about to do, O mighty man, what are you about to do, boasting yourself much? You are about to kill a man: this thing also a scorpion, this also one fever, this also a poisonous fungus can do. To this is your mightiness reduced, that it be made equal to a poisonous fungus? This therefore do the good citizens of Jerusalem, who not in malice but in goodness glory: firstly, that not in themselves, but in the Lord they glory. Secondly, that those things which make for edification they earnestly do, and do such things as are strong to abide: but things which make for destruction they may do, for the discipline of men advancing, not for the oppression of the innocent. To this mightiness then that earthly body being compared, why may it not hear out of these words, "Why does he glory in malice that is mighty?"

Exposition on Psalm 52

Here begins the second group of fifty. And as was said at the beginning of the book, the first fifty pertains to the penitent; this second fifty pertains to those who are making progress. Concerning these, three things are to be seen in order: for the first degree of those making progress is justification; the second degree is the exercise of good works; the third is the consideration of divine works. And so this group of fifty is divided into three parts. First he treats of those things that pertain to justification; second he treats of those things that pertain to the execution of good works, at "O God, your judgment"; third he treats of those things that pertain to the consideration of divine works, at "God has stood." In justification two things are necessary: namely, a turning away from sin and a turning toward God. And so, by way of opposition, there are two things in sin: namely, a turning away from God and a turning toward sin. First, therefore, he sets forth Psalms that pertain to the aversion and detestation of sin; second, he sets forth Psalms that constitute or contain subjection to God, at Ps. 61: "Shall not my soul be subject to God." Concerning the first he does two things. First he shows the malice of sinners; second he shows the evils that are done by sinners. Sin is aggravated by two things: namely, by the affection for sinning, and by contempt of God. First, therefore, he aggravates the malice of sinners from the first; second, he aggravates their malice from the second, at Ps. 52: "The fool has said." The title: "Unto the end, for understanding, of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and reported to Saul: David has come into the house of Abimelech." This history is found in 1 Sam. 21 and 22, when David, fleeing from Saul, came to Nob where the priests were, and received the sword of Goliath and the loaves of proposition, and Doeg the Edomite was present, who was powerful among the shepherds; and when Saul complained that no one would fight for him against David, this Doeg reported how Abimelech the priest had received David and given him the sword of Goliath and the loaves of proposition: and so Saul in his wrath ordered all the priests to be killed. And when the others were unwilling to lay hands upon the priests to kill them, this Doeg killed all the priests. But there is a discrepancy between the title and the history, because the chief priest in the history is called Achimelech, but in the title Abimelech. And the Gloss says that this happened through the fault of the copyists, or on account of the mystery: for by David is signified Christ, both because he exercised the office of royal dignity and also because he exercised the dignity of the priesthood by eating the loaves of proposition. Doeg is interpreted as "mute"; Edomite as "earthly"; Saul as "petition"; Abimelech as "the kingdom of my father." By Doeg, therefore, who was moved by earthly things, when David came -- that is, Christ -- to Abimelech -- that is, to the Jews, which is "the kingdom of my father" -- he reported to Saul, that is, to death, that the wicked summoned it by their hands and words and killed him. Or Doeg, that is, the Antichrist, who at the end of the world will stir up the earthly. When Christ came into the Church, he reported to the Devil, that he will persecute the Church. And principally this entire Psalm is understood of the wicked who persecute Christ, either in himself or in his members. This Psalm is divided into two parts. In the first he treats of the malice of the sinner who is attached to iniquity. Second, he treats of the justice of the saints, at "But I am like a fruitful olive tree." Concerning the first he does two things. First he treats of the guilt of the wicked. Second, of their punishment, at "Therefore God will destroy you." It should be known, moreover, that in a man who is attached to sin, three things follow in order. The first is delight in sin. The second is thinking about sin, because we think about the things we love. The third is glorying in the perpetration of sin. Everyone naturally rejoices when he does what he loves. So then he proceeds from the last. First, concerning the glory of the wicked in the act of sin. Second, concerning thinking about sin, at "All day long." Third, concerning the love of sin, at "You have loved." Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth the power of certain ones for doing evil. Second he shows that some glory in their evil deeds. Some, moreover, are prompt and strong for evil, and weak for good. He says, therefore: you, sinner, "who are mighty in iniquity": Jer. 3: "You have done evil and have prevailed": Is. 5: "Woe to you who are mighty at drinking wine," etc. You, therefore, who are thus mighty, "why" -- that is, for what reason -- "do you glory in malice?" You ought rather to be ashamed and confounded and sorrowful: Prov. 2: "They rejoice when they have done evil, and exult in the worst things." Jerome has: "Why do you glory in malice? The mercy of God endures all day long." And this is the sense: as if to say, you who are mighty in evil, why do you glory in malice? Mercy is prepared, to which you can turn.

Exposition on the Psalms of David

The material we have before us was spoken much earlier in time than the history pertaining to the 50th Psalm. For [the history of Doeg] took place, and [the words] were spoken, while Saul was still alive, and before David's kingship. Many long years later, after the death of Saul, and at the end of his own kingship, David made the confession contained in the 50th Psalm, which he placed before [the 51st] because of its connection to the 49th Psalm, as I have already shown. Those Psalms, 20 in number, from 51 to 70, with epigraphs "of David," took their subject-matter from a different point of origin: indeed, they appear to have been spoken while Saul was still alive, before David reigned. For the one before us now was spoken while Saul was still alive, "when Doeg the Idumaean came and reported to Saul…'David came to the house of Abimelech.'" But the 53rd Psalm too was spoken "when the Ziphites came and told Saul, 'Look--is not David hidden with us?'" Also, the 55th Psalm has this epigraph: "When the Philistines seized him in Gath"—and this period too precedes David's kingship, while Saul still survived alive. And the 56th Psalm gives the epigraph: "Of David, when he was running away from Saul into the cave." In the same way also, the 58th Psalm says [in the epigraph], "When Saul sent, and guarded his house, in order to kill him." The 59th Psalm, however, even though it was spoken after the death of Saul, when David was now king, still preceded the actions relating to Uriah. This is indicated by the heading, which shows the time period involved by saying, "When he set on fire Mesopotamia of Syria, and Syria Soba, and Joab returned and smote the Ravine of Salt—twelve thousand." And this chronologically precedes the confession expressed in the 50th Psalm. Furthermore, the 62nd Psalm was spoken by David "when he was in the desert of Idumaea," while Saul was still living. Consider how more or less the majority of the second part of the book of the Psalms of David (apart from the 50th) include those which were spoken by him before the period of his actions pertaining to Uriah.

The first part of the same book, however, from the first Psalm to the 40th, [seemed to] contradict that order; for that part included those dating after the confession of the 50th Psalm. The third Psalm, then, was spoken by David "when he was running away from Absalom his son." And he was fleeing from his son after the events connected to Uriah. But also in the sixth Psalm, he was mourning for the same actions, saying, "I grew tired in my groaning; I shall wash my bed every night—with my tears I shall moisten my mattress." And the seventh Psalm, spoken "for the words of Cush the son of Iamin," would belong to the same time period. Moreover, also the 17th Psalm has been proved to have been spoken at the end of David's life. But also the 37th Psalm, with the epigraph "for remembrance," having the same train of thought as the sixth, begins with the same words, saying, "Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger, and do not correct me in your wrath." And going forward, he makes the same confession as that in the 50th Psalm, besides other passages, also when he says, "For my transgressions have gone over my head…My wounds stank and decayed before my foolishness."

And if you bring together [these indications] for yourself, you will discover that the majority of the Psalms in the first part were spoken after the time period of the history relating to Uriah, whereas those following the 50th Psalm precede [David's] actions regarding Uriah chronologically. Why in the world, then, were the first ones in chronological sequence not put in first place—and instead, those which were spoken first, while Saul was still living, are in the second part of the Psalms—and those which are chronologically last are in the first part? I think they have this arrangement so that the discourse would not move from the better to the worse; for the phrase, "to the end, lest you be destroyed," appears to have been observed also in the case of the Psalms' arrangement. For this reason, the gloomier material was placed first, so that the nicer / more useful material would be kept for second, the worse things being hidden and made to disappear by the appearance of the better ones in second place. And it is likely that David wished to draw a veil over his fault afterwards by means of his prior good deeds. And someone might say that he arranged his confessions first in accordance with tremendous piety, because "the righteous one is his own accuser in the opening prosecution" But since so many things about the arrangement apparent [in the book of Psalms] have been laid bare for you, it is now time to pass on also to the words of Psalm 51 that are before us.

Well then, he writes the words in question after learning what Doeg the Syrian had brought about by means of his slanders against David. Therefore he speaks as though addressing him: "Why do you boast in wickedness, you powerful one?"—or as though addressing the devil, who was at work in him. For he was not unaware of the one who was opposing him at all times and always fighting against him, at one time through Saul, in the current instance through Doeg, and at other times in different ways through different people. So then, the one who is powerless and weak and slight in wickedness, when the better character prevails in him, since he is feebler in wickedness, will hide himself as he sins and is pricked by his conscience, and will repent, and devise for himself a remedy for his own wickedness using confession and true repentance. The one who is powerful in wickedness, however, goes crazy and boasts over it, as though he were making himself more majestic by a great good deed.

And the passage before us appears to me to be describing the character that is the opposite of the one that made the prior confession in the 50th Psalm. For in that Psalm, after slipping once into wickedness, he repented in the end and wore himself out with confession, and lamentation over his own evil deeds.

"In iniquity the whole day upon injustice has your tongue thought" [Psalm 52:2]: that is, in the whole of time, without weariness, without intermission, without cessation. And when you do not, you think, so that when anything of evil is away from your hands, from your heart it is not away; either you do an evil thing, or while you can not do, you say an evil thing, that is, thou evil-speakest: or when not even this you can do, you will and thinkest an evil thing. "The whole day," then, that is, without intermission. We expect punishment to this man. Is he to himself a small punishment? Thou threatenest him: thou, when you threaten him, wilt send him whither? Unto evil? Send him away unto himself. In order that you may vent much rage, you are going to give him into the power of beasts: unto himself he is worse than beasts. For a beast can mangle his body: of himself he cannot leave his heart whole. Within, against himself he does rage of himself, and do you from without seek for stripes? Nay, pray God for him, that he may be set free from himself. Nevertheless in this Psalm, my brethren, there is not a prayer for evil men, or against evil men, but a prophecy of what is to result to evil men. Think not therefore that the Psalm of ill-will says anything: for it is said in the spirit of prophecy.

Exposition on Psalm 52

"All day long your tongue devises injustice," etc. Here he shows the second point which he set forth above: namely, that they not only glory in their malice, but think about how they may do evil. And first he sets forth the assiduity of their thinking without interruption; hence he says, "All day long your tongue has devised injustice." It is said improperly that the tongue thinks, because thinking pertains to the heart; and therefore it can be understood in two ways: "your tongue," that is, your heart, which is manifested in the tongue: Sir. 21: "In the mouth of fools is their heart," because it is one with the tongue, that is, the heart is ready for speech. Or "the tongue has devised injustice" insofar as it speaks what has been devised, all day long. And especially because he teaches through the tongue how to sin. Second, he carries out effectively what he devises; hence he says, "Like a sharp razor you have wrought deceit." And here is a comparison as to three things. First, because a sharp razor, that is, a barber's blade, cuts effectively and quickly, because no hair resists it; so Doeg did not reverence the priesthood nor the fear of David, nor anything; but he killed all the priests. Mic. 2: "In the morning light they do it," that is, immediately. Or "like a sharp razor," etc.: because just as a razor shaves hairs, so the wicked sharpen deceit against the just, that is, they send persecutors; but they truly do this like a razor, which shaves superfluous hairs: because only superfluous things, that is, temporal things, can sinners take from the saints, but never spiritual things. But "like a razor," etc., because it promises only cleansing, but just as inexperienced barbers cut the flesh, so the wicked do, who by their machinations strive to cut the flesh of the just, that is, their reputation, with an unjust tongue: Ps. 27: "They speak peace with their neighbor," etc.

Exposition on the Psalms of David

There follows then what? All your might and all your thought of iniquity all the day, and meditation of malignity in your tongue without intermission, has performed what, done what? "As with a sharp razor you have done deceit" [Psalm 52:3]. See what do evil men to Saints, they scrape their hair. What is it that I have said? If there be such citizens of Jerusalem, that hear the voice of their Lord, of their King, saying, "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul:" that hear the voice which but now from the Gospel has been read, "What does it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and of himself make wreck:" [Matthew 16:26] they despise all present good things, and above all life itself. And what is Doeg's razor to do to a man on this earth meditating on the kingdom of heaven, and about to be in the kingdom of heaven, having with him God, and about to abide with God? What is that razor to do? Hair it is to scrape, it is to make a man bald. And this belongs to Christ, who in the Place of a Skull was crucified. [Matthew 27:33] It makes also the son of Core, which is interpreted baldness. [1 Chronicles 6:22] For this hair signifies a superfluity of things temporal. Which hairs indeed are not made by God superfluously on the body of men, but for a sort of ornament: yet because without feeling they are cut off, they that cleave to the Lord with their heart, so have these earthly things as they have hair. But sometimes even something of good with "hair" is wrought, when you break bread to the hungry, the poor without roof you bring into your house; if you shall have seen one naked, you cover him: [Isaiah 58:7] lastly, the Martyrs themselves also imitating the Lord, blood for the Church shedding, hearing that voice, "As Christ laid down His life for us, so also ought we also to lay down for the brethren," [1 John 3:16] in a certain way with their hair did good to us, that is, with those things which that razor can lop off or scrape. But that therefore even with the very hair some good can be done, even that woman a sinner intimated, who, when she had wept over the feet of the Lord, with her hair wiped what with tears she wetted. [Luke 7:38] Signifying what? That when you shall have pitied any one, you ought to relieve him also if you can. For when you have pity, you shed as it were tears: when you relieve, you wipe with hair. And if this to any one, how much more to the feet of the Lord. The feet of the Lord are what? The holy Evangelists, whereof is said, "How beautiful are the feet of them that tell of peace, that tell of good things!" Therefore like a razor let Doeg whet his tongue, let him whet deceit as much as he may: he will take away superfluous temporal things; will he necessary things everlasting?

Exposition on Psalm 52

"You have loved." Here he treats of the affection of the wicked, or of the sinner, for harming his neighbor. And this affection consists in two things: namely, in external and internal matters. First, therefore, in external matters he shows the withdrawal of justice. He says, therefore, "You have loved malice more than benignity." Benignity, that is, "good fire-quality": and so it makes the soul of a man melt toward sharing good things; malice, on the contrary, drives a man's impulse to harm. And those wicked sinners have loved malice more than goodness, that is, benignity, because they are more prompt to evil than to good, since they are cold and lax: Job 20: "When evil is sweet in his mouth, he hides it under his tongue." As to the withdrawal of justice, he says, "You have loved speaking iniquity more than speaking equity": Ps. 10: "He who loves iniquity hates his own soul."

Exposition on the Psalms of David

The old confusion of tongues was beneficial when people, who were of one language in wickedness and impiety, just as some still are, were building the tower. But by the confusion of their language, the unity of their intention was broken up and their undertaking destroyed. Much more worthy of praise is the present miraculous unity of language [at Pentecost]. Being poured from one Spirit on many people, it brings them again into harmony. And there is a diversity of gifts, which stands in need of yet another gift to discern which is the best, where all are praiseworthy. That division also might be called noble of which David says, “Confuse the wicked, O Lord, confound their speech.” Why? Because “you love every harmful word, O you deceitful tongue!” Here he very expressly indicts the tongues of the present day that sever the Godhead.

On Pentecost, Oration 41:16

"You have loved malice above benignity" [Psalm 52:4]. Before you was benignity; herself you should have loved. For you were not going to expend anything, nor were you going to fetch something to love by a distant voyage. Benignity is before you, iniquity before you: compare and choose. But perchance you have an eye wherewith you see malignity, and hast no eye wherewith you see benignity. Woe to the iniquitous heart. What is worse, it does turn away itself, that it may not see what it is able to see. For what of such has been said in another place? "He would not understand that he might do good." For it is not said, he could not: but "he would not," he says, "understand that he might do good," he closed his eyes from present light. And what follows? "Of iniquity he has meditated in his bed;" that is, in the inner secrecy of his heart. Some reproach of this kind is heaped upon this Doeg the Edomite, a malignant body, a motion of earth, not abiding, not heavenly. "You have loved malignity above benignity." For will you know how an evil man does see both, and the former he does rather choose, from the other does turn himself away? Wherefore does he cry out when he suffers anything unjustly? Wherefore does he then exaggerate as much as he can the iniquity, and praise benignity, censuring him that has wrought in him malignity above benignity? Be he then a rule to himself for seeing: out of himself he shall be judged. Moreover, if he do what is written, "You shall love your neighbour as yourself;" [Matthew 22:39] and, "Whatsoever good things you will that men should do unto you, these also do ye do unto them:" [Matthew 7:12] at home he has means of knowing, because what on himself he will not have to be done, he ought not to do to another. "You have loved malice above benignity." Iniquitously, inordinately, perversely you would raise water above oil: the water will be sunk, the oil will remain above. You would under darkness place a light: the darkness will be put to flight, the light will remain. Above heaven you would place earth, by its weight the earth will fall into its place. Thou therefore will be sunk by loving malice above benignity. For never will malice overcome benignity. "You have loved malice above benignity: iniquity more than to speak of equity." Before you is equity, before you is iniquity: one tongue you have, whither you will you turn it: wherefore then rather to iniquity and not to equity? Food of bitterness do you not give to your belly, and food of iniquity do you give to your malignant tongue? As you choose whereon to live, so choose what you may speak. Thou preferrest iniquity to equity, and preferrest malice to benignity; thou indeed preferrest, but above what can ever be but benignity and equity? But you, by placing yourself in a manner upon those things which it is necessary should go beneath, will not make them to be above good things, but thou with them will be sunk unto evil things.

Exposition on Psalm 52

As to internal matters, he says, "You have loved all words of ruin," drawing others into death, as Doeg did; and again into the evil of guilt: 1 Cor. 15: "Evil conversations corrupt good morals." Or, precipitating yourself; and therefore he says, "with a deceitful tongue." And you who are talkative and deceitful, or you do this through a deceitful tongue: Jer. 9: "A wounding arrow is their tongue; it has spoken deceit."

Exposition on the Psalms of David

So that the righteous, when they see it, will be afraid and will mock him.

Because of this there follows in the Psalm, "You have loved all words of sinking under" [Psalm 52:5]. Rescue therefore yourself, if you can, from sinking under. From shipwreck you are fleeing, and dost embrace lead! If you will not sink, catch at a plank, be borne on wood, let the Cross carry you through. But now because you are a Doeg the Edomite, a "motion," and "of earth," you do what? "You have loved all words of sinking-under, a tongue deceitful." This has preceded, words of sinking-under have followed a tongue deceitful. What is a tongue deceitful? A minister of guile is a tongue deceitful, of men bearing one thing in heart, another thing from mouth bringing forth. But in these is overthrowing, in these sinking under.

Exposition on Psalm 52

"Therefore." Above, the Psalmist treated of the malice of sinners; here, however, he treats of their punishment: and concerning this he does two things. First he sets forth the punishment of those wicked ones. Second he shows the usefulness of their punishment, at "The just shall see." Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth the punishment of the wicked. Second he sets forth the manner of arriving at that punishment, at "He will pluck you out." He says, therefore, "Therefore," namely because "you have loved malice," etc., "and you have loved words of ruin to cast others down," "God will destroy you unto the end," that is, in perpetuity: Ps. 27: "You will destroy them, and you will not build them up." And rightly: "Cast them down, O Lord, and divide their tongues" (Ps. 54). As to the manner: "He will pluck you out." Where it should be noted that first this destruction is set forth as to the manner itself. Second, as to the loss of future goods. As to the first, two things are to be considered. For sometimes it happens that men have certain foundations for their prosperity, such as friends, riches, and the like: and therefore they are compared to a root, because through these they are rooted in these things; and therefore he says, "He will pluck you out" from all those things in which and through which you are rooted in prosperity: Job 19: "He has taken away my hope like a tree torn up": Jer. 1: "That you may pluck up and destroy," etc. Second, he migrates after the first loss, that is, he is totally transferred; hence, "He will remove you," that is, he will make you pass, "from your tent," that is, from your house and from your state and from your dignity: Is. 22: "I will drive you from your station": Job 20: "The eye that had seen him shall see him no more." Another reading has, "from his tent," that is, the Church: Rev. 21: "Behold, the tabernacle of God with men." Now the good are mixed with the wicked; but in the end the wicked shall be excluded from the Church, where now they are in number, not in merit. As to the loss of future goods, he says, "And your root from the land of the living," namely, "he will pluck out." By "root" is understood here charity, which is the root of all goods: Eph. 3: "Rooted in charity," etc. God takes this away from the land of the living, because he takes from you the gift of charity which he gave. Likewise, from the good, covetousness will be taken away, which can be signified by "root": 1 Tim. 6: "The root of all evils is covetousness." God takes this from spiritual men, because those who are intent on temporal things cannot arrive at the land of the living: because "those who wish to become rich fall into temptation" (ibid.), in which covetous desires the wicked are rooted, namely the Antichrist and the Devil: Job 5: "I have seen the fool," that is, the sinner, "with a firm root, and I immediately cursed his beauty."

Exposition on the Psalms of David

"Wherefore God shall destroy you at the end" [Psalm 52:6]: though now you seem to flourish like grass in the field before the heat of the sun. For, "All flesh is grass, and the brightness of man as the bloom of grass: the grass has withered, and the bloom has fallen down: but the word of the Lord abides for everlasting." [Isaiah 40:6-8] Behold that to which you may bind yourself, to what "abides for everlasting." For if to grass, and to the bloom of grass, you shall have bound yourself, since the grass shall wither, and the bloom shall fall down, "God shall destroy you at the end:" and if not now, certainly at the end He shall destroy, when that winnowing shall have come, and the heap of chaff from the solid grain shall have been separated. Is not the solid grain for the barns, and the chaff for the fire? Shall not the whole of that Doeg stand at the left hand, when the Lord is to say, "Go ye into fire everlasting, which has been prepared for the devil and his angels"? [Matthew 25:41] Therefore "God shall destroy at the end: shall pluck you out, and shall remove you from your dwelling." Now then this Doeg the Edomite is in a dwelling: "But a servant abides not in the house for ever." [John 8:35] Even he works something of good, even if not with his doings, at least with the words of God, so that in the Church, when he "seeks his own," [Philippians 2:21] he would say, at least, those things which are of Christ.

"But He shall remove you from your dwelling." "Verily, verily, I say unto you, they have received their reward." [Matthew 6:2] "And your root from the land of the living." Therefore in the land of the living we ought to have root. Be our root there. Out of sight is the root: fruits may be seen, root cannot be seen. Our root is our love, our fruits are our works: it is needful that your works proceed from love, then is your root in the land of the living. Then shall be rooted up that Doeg, nor any wise shall he be able there to abide, because neither more deeply there has he fixed a root: [Matthew 13:5] but it shall be with him in like manner as it is with those seeds on the rock, which even if a root they throw out, yet, because moisture they have not, with the risen sun immediately do wither. But, on the other hand, they that fix a root more deeply, hear from the Apostle what? "I bow my knees for you to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you may be in love rooted and grounded." And because there now is root, "That ye may be able," he says, "to comprehend what is the height, and breadth, and length, and depth: to know also the supereminent knowledge of the love of Christ, that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God." Of such fruits so great a root is worthy, being so single, so budding, for buddings so deeply grounded. But truly this man's root shall be rooted up from the land of the living.

Exposition on Psalm 52

"The just shall see." Here is set forth the fruit of punishment: for God punishes here and foretells punishments for the benefit of the just. First, on account of the fear of punishment, because "they shall fear." And this can be applied to the state of the present life, in which the just fear by having reverence for God, and they fall from the state in which they are: Rom. 11: "Do not think highly of yourself, but fear." But those who are in the fatherland do not fear falling from any state, because they are confirmed in the perfection of grace, because they will not be separated, but they will fear with filial reverence: Ps. 18: "The fear of the Lord is holy," etc. And they will reverence the justice of God. Nevertheless, more specifically in the present life they fear. Second, on account of the contempt of sin and present prosperity. And first derision is set forth. Second, the cause of derision is set forth, at "Behold." As to the first, "over him," that is, against him, namely the sinner, "they shall laugh," that is, they shall despise his confidence and prosperity. And this will especially happen in the future: Ps. 57: "The just man shall rejoice when he shall see the vengeance": Job 22: "The just shall see and shall rejoice"; and they deride, first, the pride of the sinners; second, their vain confidence and their fragile glory.

Exposition on the Psalms of David

And this was said as though to Doeg, who was a Syrian by descent, but lived in the midst of Israel—and, I suppose, perhaps even entered the tabernacle of God along with the multitude, pretending to be pious. But it was also said to everyone who is powerful in wickedness, who uses his tongue instead of a sword for the destruction of souls: the "farmer of souls" would pluck him out just like some bitter and destructive root, even if he seems for some brief time to have been planted in the tabernacle of God and in his Church. Such a person, after being plucked out and cast away far from the tabernacle of the holy, will lie as a pitiable spectacle for the benefit and chastening of those who see him—they will take in with their eyes the severe judgment of God against such a person and will make every effort and guard themselves against falling into a similar situation. Later, when they recall with their memory the former boasting of the one who was powerful in wickedness, his grandeur and arrogance, but also see the humiliation and destruction that pursued him after that, they will consider him a laughing-stock, considering how he has fallen so low from such a height. And they will accept the judgment of God, confessing that it is righteous. Then, they will also go through the reasons why the impious one has suffered these things and justify God's judgment. For he ought not to have been haughty-minded over riches, nor to have been exalted over the vanity of the present life, but to have made God alone his hope and help, and not to have wavered in this hope. But he abandoned the good anchor of his own soul, and by hanging his hopes on vain wealth he made himself a joke, incurring nothing more than laughter for his vain and thoughtless boastfulness.

"And the just shall see, and shall fear; and over him they shall laugh" [Psalm 52:7]. Shall fear when? Shall laugh when? Let us therefore understand, and make a distinction between those two times of fearing and laughing, which have their several uses. For so long as we are in this world, not yet must we laugh, lest hereafter we mourn. We have read what is reserved at the end for this Doeg, we have read and because we understand and believe, we see but fear. This, therefore, has been said, "The just shall see, and shall fear." So long as we see what will result at the end to evil men, wherefore do we fear? Because the Apostle has said, "In fear and trembling work out your own salvation:" [Philippians 2:12] because it has been said in a Psalm, "Serve the Lord in fear, and exult unto Him with trembling." Wherefore "with fear"? "Wherefore let him that thinks himself to stand, see that he fall not." [1 Corinthians 10:12] Wherefore "with trembling"? Because he says in another place: "Brethren, if a man shall have been overtaken in any delinquency, you that are spiritual instruct such sort in the spirit of gentleness; heeding yourself, lest you also be tempted." [Galatians 6:1] Therefore, the just that are now, that live of faith, so see this Doeg, what to him is to result, that nevertheless they fear also for themselves: for what they are today, they know; what tomorrow they are to be, they know not. Now, therefore, "The just shall see, and they shall fear." But when shall they laugh? When iniquity shall have passed over; when it shall have flown over; as now to a great degree has flown over the time uncertain; when shall have been put to flight the darkness of this world, wherein now we walk not but by the lamp of the Scriptures, and therefore fear as though in night. For we walk by prophecy; whereof says the Apostle Peter, "We have a more sure prophetic word, to which giving heed ye do well, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day shine, and the day-star arise in your hearts." [2 Peter 1:19] So long then as by a lamp we walk, it is needful that with fear we should live. But when shall have come our day, that is, the manifestation of Christ, whereof the same Apostle says, "When Christ shall have appeared, your life, then ye also shall appear with Himself in glory," [Colossians 3:4] then the just shall laugh at that Doeg....

Exposition on Psalm 52

Their pride, because they did not hope in God but trusted in themselves, and they shall say: the just shall say, "Behold the man who did not set God as his helper," that is, did not consider that he needed the help of God: Ps. 11: "Our lips," etc. Deut. 32: "He has forsaken his maker." Concerning vain confidence; hence he says, "But he hoped in the multitude of his riches": Prov. 11: "He who trusts in his riches shall fall": 1 Tim. 6: "Charge the rich of this world," etc. Concerning vain glory, to do evil and with God's permission to prevail; hence he says, "And he prevailed in his vanity." And they are derided for this: Ps. 93: "The Lord knows the thoughts of men, that they are vain." Or "he prevailed," etc., so that it refers to the miser, who in some respect prevails over all other sinners: Sir. 10: "Nothing is more wicked than the miser." And from this, once led to this point, he easily falls into other sins. Or it can refer to the Antichrist, because he prevails over all others.

Exposition on the Psalms of David