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Augustine of Hippo

Nicene & Post-Nicene · AD 325–500 · 7,530 passages across 62 books

Commentary

5,001–5,020 of 7,530
Psalms 26:9

Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men:

"Destroy not my soul with the ungodly" [Psalm 26:9]. Destroy not then, together with them that hate You, my soul, which has loved the beauty of Your house. "And my life with the men of blood." And with them that hate their neighbour. For Your house is beautified with the two commandments.
Psalms 26:10

In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.

"In whose hands is wickedness." Destroy me not then with the ungodly and the men of blood, whose works are wicked. "Their right hand is full of gifts" [Psalm 26:10]. And that which was given them to obtain eternal salvation, they have converted into the receiving this world's gifts, "supposing that godliness is a trade." [1 Timothy 6:5]
Psalms 26:11

But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.

"But I have walked in mine innocence: deliver me, and have mercy on me" [Psalm 26:11]. Let so great a price of my Lord's Blood avail for my complete deliverance: and in the dangers of this life let not Your mercy leave me.
Psalms 26:12

My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the LORD.

"My foot has stood in uprightness." My Love has not withdrawn from Your righteousness. "In the Churches I will bless You, O Lord" [Psalm 26:12]. I will not hide Your blessing, O Lord, from those whom You have called; for next to the love of You I join the love of my neighbour.
Psalms 27:1

A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Christ's young soldier speaks, on his coming to the faith. "The Lord is my light, and my salvation: whom shall I fear?" [Psalm 27:1]. The Lord will give me both knowledge of Himself, and salvation: who shall take me from Him? "The Lord is the Protector of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?" The Lord will repel all the assaults and snares of mine enemy: of no man shall I be afraid.
Psalms 27:2

When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

"Whilst the guilty approach unto me to eat up my flesh" [Psalm 27:2]. Whilst the guilty come near to recognise and insult me, that they may exalt themselves above me in my change for the better; that with their reviling tooth they may consume not me, but rather my fleshly desires. "Mine enemies who trouble me." Not they only who trouble me, blaming me with a friendly intent, and wishing to recall me from my purpose, but mine enemies also. "They became weak, and fell." Whilst then they do this with the desire of defending their own opinion, they became weak to believe better things, and began to hate the word of salvation, whereby I do what displeases them.
Psalms 27:3

Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

"If camps stand together against me, my heart will not fear." But if the multitude of gain-sayers conspire to stand together against me, my heart will not fear, so as to go over to their side. "If war rise up against me, in this will I trust" [Psalm 27:3]. If the persecution of this world arise against me, in this petition, which I am pondering, will I place my hope.
Psalms 27:4

One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

"One have I asked of the Lord, this will I require." For one petition have I asked the Lord, this will I require. "That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life" [Psalm 27:4]. That as long as I am in this life, no adversities may exclude me from the number of them who hold the unity and the truth of the Lord's faith throughout the world. "That I may contemplate the delight of the Lord." With this end, namely, that persevering in the faith, the delightsome vision may appear to me, which I may contemplate face to face. "And I shall be protected, His temple." And death being swallowed up in victory, I shall be clothed with immortality, being made His temple.
Psalms 27:5

For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

"For He has hidden me in His tabernacle in the day of my evils" [Psalm 27:5]. For He has hidden me in the dispensation of His Incarnate Word in the time of temptations, to which my mortal life is exposed. "He has protected me in the secret place of His tabernacle." He has protected me, with the heart believing unto righteousness.
Psalms 27:6

And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.

"On a rock has He exalted me." And that what I believed might be made manifest for salvation, He has made my confession to be conspicuous in His own strength. "And now, lo! He has exalted mine head above mine enemies" [Psalm 27:6]. What does He reserve for me at the last, when even now the body is dead because of sin, lo! I feel that my mind serves the law of God, and is not led captive under the rebellious law of sin? "I have gone about, and have sacrificed in His tabernacle the sacrifice of rejoicing." I have considered the circuit of the world, believing on Christ; and in that for us God was humbled in time, I have praised Him with rejoicing: for with such sacrifice He is well pleased. "I will sing and give praises to the Lord." In heart and in deed I will be glad in the Lord.
Psalms 27:7

Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

"Hear my voice, O Lord, wherewith I have cried unto You" [Psalm 27:7]. Hear, Lord, my interior voice, which with a strong intention I have addressed to Your ears. "Have mercy upon me, and hear me." Have mercy upon me, and hear me therein.
Psalms 27:8

When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.

"My heart has said to You, I have sought Your countenance" [Psalm 27:8]. For I have not exhibited myself to men; but in secret, where Thou alone hear, my heart has said to You; I have not sought from You anything without You as a reward, but Your countenance. "Your countenance, O Lord, will I seek." In thus search will I perseveringly persist: for not anything that is common, but Your countenance, O Lord, will I seek, that I may love You freely, since nothing more precious do I find.
Psalms 27:9

Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

"Turn not away Your face from me" [Psalm 27:9]: that I may find what I seek. "Turn not aside in anger from Your servant:" lest, while seeking You, I fall in with somewhat else. For what is more grievous than this punishment to one who loves and seeks the truth of Your countenance? "Be Thou my Helper." How shall I find it, if Thou help me not? "Leave me not, neither despise me, O God my Saviour." Scorn not that a mortal dares to seek the Eternal; for Thou, God, dost heal the wound of my sin.
Psalms 27:11

Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.

"Appoint me a law, O Lord, in Your way" [Psalm 27:11]. For me then who am setting out toward You, and commenting so great a profession, of arriving at wisdom, from fear, appoint, O Lord, a law in Your way, lest in my wandering Your rule abandon me. "And direct me in the right path because of mine enemies." And direct me in the right way of its straits. For it is not enough to begin, since enemies cease not until the end is attained.
Psalms 27:12

Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

"Deliver me not up unto the souls of them that trouble me" [Psalm 27:12]. Suffer not them that trouble me to be satiated with my evils. "For unrighteous witnesses have risen up against me." For there have risen up against me they that speak falsely of me, to remove and call me back from You, as if I seek glory of men. "And iniquity has lied unto itself." Therefore iniquity has been pleased with its own lie. For me it has not moved, to whom because of this there has been promised a greater reward in heaven.
Psalms 27:13

I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

"I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living" [Psalm 27:13]. And since my Lord has first suffered these things, if I too despise the tongues of the dying ("for the mouth that lies slays the soul" [Wisdom 1:11]), I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living, where there is no place for falsity.
Psalms 27:14

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

"Wait on the Lord, quit yourself like a man: and let your heart be strong, yea wait on the Lord" [Psalm 27:14]. But when shall this be? It is arduous for a mortal, it is slow to a lover: but listen to the voice, that deceives not, of him that says, "Wait on the Lord." Endure the burning of the reins manfully, and the burning of the heart stoutly. Think not that what you do not as yet receive is denied you. That you faint not in despair, see how it is said, "Wait on the Lord."
Psalms 28:1

A Psalm of David. Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.

"Unto You, O Lord, have I cried; My God, be not silent from me" [Psalm 28:1]. Unto You, O Lord, have I cried; My God, separate not the unity of Your Word from that which as Man I am. "Lest at any time Thou be silent from me: and I shall be like them that go down into the pit." For from this, that the Eternity of Your Word ceases not to unite Itself to Me, it comes that I am not such a man as the rest of men, who are born into the deep misery of this world: where, as if You are silent, Your Word is not recognised.
Psalms 28:2

Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.

"Hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication, whist I pray unto You, while I hold up my hands to Your holy temple" [Psalm 28:2]. Whilst I am crucified for their salvation, who on believing become Your holy temple.
Psalms 28:3

Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.

"Draw not My Soul away with sinners, and destroy me not with them that work iniquity, with them that speak peace with their neighbours" [Psalm 28:3]. With them that say unto Me, "We know that You are a Master come from God." [John 3:2] "But evil in their hearts." But they speak evil in their hearts.

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