Augustine of Hippo — Commentary on Scripture

Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.

What then, when the sun went down, when our Lord suffered? There was a sort of darkness with the Apostles, hope failed, in those to whom He at first seemed great, and the Redeemer of all men. How so? "Thou made darkness, and it became night; wherein all the beasts of the forest shall move" [Psalm 104:20]....Here the beasts of the forest are used in different ways: for these things are always understood in varying senses; as our Lord Himself is at one time termed a lion, at another a lamb. What is so different as a lion and a lamb? But what sort of lamb? One that could overcome the wolf, overcome the lion. He is the Rock, He the Shepherd, He the Gate. The Shepherd enters by the gate: and He says, "I am the good Shepherd:" and, "I am the Door of the Sheep.". ..Learn thus to understand, when these things are spoken figuratively; lest perchance when you have read that the Rock signifies Christ, [1 Corinthians 10:4] ye may understand it to mean Him in every passage. In one place it means one thing, another in another, just as we can only understand the meaning of a letter by seeing its po…

What then, when the sun went down, when our Lord suffered? There was a sort of darkness with the Apostles, hope failed, in those to whom He at first seemed great, and the Redeemer of all men. How so? "Thou made darkness, and it became night; wherein all the beasts of the forest shall move" [Psalm 104:20]....Here the beasts of the forest are used in different ways: for these things are always understood in varying senses; as our Lord Himself is at one time termed a lion, at another a lamb. What is so different as a lion and a lamb? But what sort of lamb? One that could overcome the wolf, overcome the lion. He is the Rock, He the Shepherd, He the Gate. The Shepherd enters by the gate: and He says, "I am the good Shepherd:" and, "I am the Door of the Sheep.". ..Learn thus to understand, when these things are spoken figuratively; lest perchance when you have read that the Rock signifies Christ, [1 Corinthians 10:4] ye may understand it to mean Him in every passage. In one place it means one thing, another in another, just as we can only understand the meaning of a letter by seeing its position. "The lion's cubs roaring after their prey, do seek their meat from God" [Psalm 104:21]. Justly then our Lord, when near unto His going down, the very Sun of Righteousness recognising His going down, said to His disciples, as if darkness being about to come, the lion would roam about to seek whom he might devour, that that lion could devour no man, unless with leave: "Simon," said He, "this night Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not." [Luke 22:31-32] When Peter thrice denied, [Matthew 26:70, 74] was he not already between the lion's teeth?...

Psalms 104:22

The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.

"The Sun has arisen, and they get them away together, and lay them down in their dens" [Psalm 104:22]. More and more as the Sun rises, so that Christ is recognised by the round world, and glorified therein, do the lion's whelps get them away together; those devils recede from the persecution of the Church, who instigated men to persecute the house of God, by working in the sons of unbelief. [Ephesians 2:2] Now that none of them dares persecute the Church, "the Sun has arisen, and they get them away together." And where are they? "And they lay them down in their dens." Their dens are the hearts of the unbelieving. How many carry lions crouching in their hearts? They burst not forth thence, they make no assault upon the pilgrim Jerusalem. Wherefore do they not so? Because the Sun is already risen, and is shining over the whole world.

Psalms 104:23

Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.

What are you doing, O man of God? Thou, O Church of God? What are you, O body of Christ, whose Head is in Heaven? What are you doing, O man, His unity? "Man," he says, "shall go forth to his work" [Psalm 104:23]. Let therefore this man work good works in the security of the peace of the Church, let him work unto the end. For sometime there will be a sort of general darkening, and a sort of assault will be made, but in the evening, that is, in the end of the world: but now the Church does work in peace and tranquillity; for "man shall go forth to his work, and to his labour, unto the evening."

Psalms 104:24 · 5 passages

O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.

"All things" then, my brothers, "all things"—each and every one—"were made through him, and without him was nothing made." But how were all things made through him? "That which was made, in him is life." Now this can be taken as follows: "That which was made in him, is life." And if we express the sentence in this way, everything is life. For what was not made in him? For he himself is the wisdom of God, and in the psalm it is said, "You have made all things in wisdom." If, then, Christ is the wisdom of God and the psalm says, "You have made all things in wisdom," as all things were made through him, so they were made in him.

This Word, through which heaven and earth were made, this Word was not itself made. I mean, if it was made, through what was it made? "All things were made through it." So if whatever has been made was made through the Word, the Word itself, clearly, through which all things were made, was not made. One more point: the narrator of the works of creation, God's servant Moses, says, "In the beginning, God made heaven and earth." He made heaven and earth in the beginning. By what means did he make it? Through the Word. Did he also make the Word? No; well what, then? "In the beginning was the Word"; that through which he made things already was; that is how he made what as yet was not. We can understand it, and rightly understand it, in the sense that heaven and earth were made in the only-begotten Word itself. They were made in, you see, that through which they were made. This can be, and be understood as, the beginning in which God made heaven and earth. This Word, after all, is also the wisdom of God, about which it is said, "You have made all things in wisdom." If God made all things…

This Word, through which heaven and earth were made, this Word was not itself made. I mean, if it was made, through what was it made? "All things were made through it." So if whatever has been made was made through the Word, the Word itself, clearly, through which all things were made, was not made. One more point: the narrator of the works of creation, God's servant Moses, says, "In the beginning, God made heaven and earth." He made heaven and earth in the beginning. By what means did he make it? Through the Word. Did he also make the Word? No; well what, then? "In the beginning was the Word"; that through which he made things already was; that is how he made what as yet was not. We can understand it, and rightly understand it, in the sense that heaven and earth were made in the only-begotten Word itself. They were made in, you see, that through which they were made. This can be, and be understood as, the beginning in which God made heaven and earth. This Word, after all, is also the wisdom of God, about which it is said, "You have made all things in wisdom." If God made all things in wisdom, and his only-begotten Son is without a shadow of doubt that wisdom of God, let us not doubt that whatever we have learned was made through the Son, was also made in the Son. The Son himself, after all, is certainly the beginning. When the Jews were questioning him and saying, "Who are you? he answered, The beginning." There you have, "In the beginning, God made heaven and earth."

In case any of us should struggle with this, there are just two commands: God and neighbor; the one who made you, and the one he made you to be with. No one has told you "Love the sun, love the moon, love the earth and everything that has been made." These are the things in which God is to be praised, the Maker to be blessed. "How magnificent are your works!" we say; "in wisdom you have made them all." They are yours, you have made them all. Thanks be to you! But you have made us over all of them. Thanks be to you! For we are your image and likeness. Thanks be to you! We have sinned, we have been sought. Thanks be to you! We have been negligent, we have not been neglected. Thanks be to you! When we despised you, we were not despised; in case we should have forgotten your divinity and should lose you, you even took upon yourself our humanity. Thanks be to you! When and where can there not be thanks?

I will not contest the point, chiefly because it gives me the liveliest satisfaction to find the Trinity celebrated in the very beginning of the book of Genesis. For having said "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth," meaning that the Father made them in the Son (as the psalm testifies where it says, "How manifold are Thy works, O Lord! in Wisdom hast Thou made them all"), a little afterwards mention is fitly made of the Holy Spirit also.

"O Lord, how great are made Your works!" [Psalm 104:24]. Justly great, justly sublime! Where were those works made, that are so great? What was that station where God stood, or that seat whereupon He sat, when He did those works? What was the place where He worked thus? Whence did those so beautiful works proceed at the first? To take it word for word, every ordained creation, running by ordinance, beautiful by ordinance, rising by ordinance, setting by ordinance, going through all seasons by ordinance, whence has it proceeded? Whence has the Church herself received her rise, her growth, her perfection? In what manner is she destined to a consummation in immortality? With what heralding is she preached? By what mysteries is she recommended? By what types is she concealed? By what preaching is she revealed? Where has God done these things? I see great works. "How great are made Your works, O Lord!" I ask where He has made them: I find not the place: but I see what follows: "In Wisdom have You made them all." All therefore You have made in Christ...."The earth is full of Your creation…

"O Lord, how great are made Your works!" [Psalm 104:24]. Justly great, justly sublime! Where were those works made, that are so great? What was that station where God stood, or that seat whereupon He sat, when He did those works? What was the place where He worked thus? Whence did those so beautiful works proceed at the first? To take it word for word, every ordained creation, running by ordinance, beautiful by ordinance, rising by ordinance, setting by ordinance, going through all seasons by ordinance, whence has it proceeded? Whence has the Church herself received her rise, her growth, her perfection? In what manner is she destined to a consummation in immortality? With what heralding is she preached? By what mysteries is she recommended? By what types is she concealed? By what preaching is she revealed? Where has God done these things? I see great works. "How great are made Your works, O Lord!" I ask where He has made them: I find not the place: but I see what follows: "In Wisdom have You made them all." All therefore You have made in Christ...."The earth is full of Your creation." The earth is full of the creation of Christ. And how so? We discern how: for what was not made by the Father through the Son? Whatever walks and does crawl on earth, whatever does swim in the waters, whatever flies in the air, whatever does revolve in heaven, how much more then the earth, the whole universe, is the work of God. But he seems to me to speak here of some new creation, of which the Apostle says, "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. And all things are of God." [2 Corinthians 5:17-18] All who believe in Christ, who put off the old man, and put on the new, [Ephesians 4:22-24] are a new creature. "The earth is full of Your works." On one spot of the earth He was crucified, in one small spot that seed fell into the earth, and died; but brought forth great fruit....

Psalms 104:25

So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.

..."So is the great and wide sea also; wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts" [Psalm 104:25]. He speaks of the sea as terrible. Snares creep in this world, and surprise the careless suddenly; for who numbers the temptations that creep? They creep, but beware, lest they snatch us away. Let us keep watch on the Wood; even in the water, even on the waves, we are safe: let not Christ sleep, let not faith sleep; if He has slept, let Him be awakened; He will command the winds; He will calm the sea; [Matthew 8:24-26] the voyage will be ended, and we shall rejoice in our country. For I see in this terrible sea unbelievers still; for they dwell in barren and bitter waters: but they are both small and great. We know this: many little men of this world are still unbelievers, many great men of this world are so: there are living creatures, both small and great, in this sea. They hate the Church: the name of Christ is a burden to them: they rage not, because they are not permitted; the cruelty which cannot burst forth in deeds, is shut up within the heart. For all…

..."So is the great and wide sea also; wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts" [Psalm 104:25]. He speaks of the sea as terrible. Snares creep in this world, and surprise the careless suddenly; for who numbers the temptations that creep? They creep, but beware, lest they snatch us away. Let us keep watch on the Wood; even in the water, even on the waves, we are safe: let not Christ sleep, let not faith sleep; if He has slept, let Him be awakened; He will command the winds; He will calm the sea; [Matthew 8:24-26] the voyage will be ended, and we shall rejoice in our country. For I see in this terrible sea unbelievers still; for they dwell in barren and bitter waters: but they are both small and great. We know this: many little men of this world are still unbelievers, many great men of this world are so: there are living creatures, both small and great, in this sea. They hate the Church: the name of Christ is a burden to them: they rage not, because they are not permitted; the cruelty which cannot burst forth in deeds, is shut up within the heart. For all, whether small or great, "creeping things, both small and great," who at present grieve at the temples being shut, the altars overthrown, the images broken, the laws which make it a capital crime to sacrifice to idols; all who mourn on this account, are still in the sea. What then of us? And by what road then are we to journey unto our country? Through this very sea, but on the Wood. Fear not the danger; that wood which holds together the world does bear you up.

Psalms 104:26 · 3 passages

There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.

"There shall go the ships" [Psalm 104:26]. Lo, ships float upon that which alarmed you, and sink not. By ships we understand churches; they go among the storms, among the tempests of temptations, among the waves of the world, among the beasts, both small and great. Christ on the wood of His cross is the Pilot. "There shall go the ships." Let not the ships fear, let them not much mind where they float, but by Whom they are steered. "There shall go the ships." What voyage do they find tedious, when they feel that Christ is their Pilot? They will sail safely, let them sail diligently, they will reach their promised haven, they will be led to the land of rest.

There is a passage, too, in the Book of Job, of which the devil is the subject: "This is the beginning of the creation of God, which he made to be a sport to his angels," which agrees with the psalm, where it is said, "There is that dragon which Thou hast made to be a sport therein." But these passages are not to lead us to suppose that the devil was originally created to be the sport of the angels, but that he was doomed to this punishment after his sin. His beginning, then, is the handiwork of God; for there is no nature, even among the least, and lowest, and last of the beasts, which was not the work of Him from whom has proceeded all measure, all form, all order, without which nothing can be planned or conceived. How much more, then, is this angelic nature, which surpasses in dignity all else that he has made, the handiwork of the Most High!

And because God, when he created him, was certainly not ignorant of his future malignity, and foresaw the good which he Himself would bring out of his evil, therefore says the psalm, "This leviathan whom Thou hast made to be a sport therein," that we may see that, even while God in his goodness created him good, he yet had already foreseen and arranged how he would make use of him when he became wicked.

Psalms 104:27 · 2 passages

These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.

Do you wish to see how incapable he is of hurting you, unless permitted? "These," he says, "wait all upon You, that You may give them meat in due season" [Psalm 104:27]. And this serpent wishes to devour, but he devours not whom he wishes....You have heard what the serpent's meat is. Thou dost not wish that God give you to be devoured by the serpent; because not the serpent's food: i.e. forsake not the Word of God. For where it is said to the serpent, "Dust you shall eat," it is said to the transgressor, "Dust you are, and unto dust you shall return." Thou dost not wish to be the serpent's food? Be not dust. How, you reply, shall I not be dust? If you have not a taste for earthly things. Hear the Apostle, that you may not be dust. For the body which you wear is earth: but do thou refuse to be earth. What means this? "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." [Colossians 3:2] If you dost not set your affections on earthly things, you are not earth: if you are not earth, you are not devoured by the serpent, whose appointed food is earth. The Lord gives the serpe…

Do you wish to see how incapable he is of hurting you, unless permitted? "These," he says, "wait all upon You, that You may give them meat in due season" [Psalm 104:27]. And this serpent wishes to devour, but he devours not whom he wishes....You have heard what the serpent's meat is. Thou dost not wish that God give you to be devoured by the serpent; because not the serpent's food: i.e. forsake not the Word of God. For where it is said to the serpent, "Dust you shall eat," it is said to the transgressor, "Dust you are, and unto dust you shall return." Thou dost not wish to be the serpent's food? Be not dust. How, you reply, shall I not be dust? If you have not a taste for earthly things. Hear the Apostle, that you may not be dust. For the body which you wear is earth: but do thou refuse to be earth. What means this? "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." [Colossians 3:2] If you dost not set your affections on earthly things, you are not earth: if you are not earth, you are not devoured by the serpent, whose appointed food is earth. The Lord gives the serpent his food when He will, what He will: but He judges rightly, he cannot be deceived, He gives him not gold for earth. "When You have given it them, they gather it."...

Let us all therefore fix our gaze on him, that he may feed our hungry souls; he himself was hungry for our sake, seeing that "he became poor though he was rich, in order that by his poverty we might be enriched." How appropriate that we sang to him just now, "All things look to you to give them their food at the proper time." If all things, then all people; if all people, then us too. So if I am going to give you anything good in this sermon, it is not I who shall be giving it but he from whom we all receive because we all look to him. It is time for him to give, but we must do what he said if he is to give, namely, we must look to him. Let us gaze on him with our minds, because just as the eyes and ears of your bodies are turned to me, so the eyes and ears of your minds should be turned to him.

Psalms 104:28-29 · 2 passages

That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.

"When you open Your hand, they shall all be filled with good" [Psalm 104:28]. What is it, O Lord, that You open Your hand? Christ is Your hand. "To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" [Isaiah 53:1] To whom it is revealed, unto him it is opened: for revelation is opening. "When You open Your hand, they shall all be filled with good." When Thou revealest Your Christ, "they shall all be filled with good." But they have not good from themselves; this is oftentimes proved unto them. "When Thou hidest Your face, they are troubled" [Psalm 104:29]. Many filled with good have attributed to themselves what they had, and have wished to boast as in their own righteousnesses, and have said to themselves, I am righteous; I am great: and have become self-complacent. Unto these the Apostle speaks: "What have you, that you did not receive?" [1 Corinthians 4:7] But God, wishing to prove unto man that whatever he has he has from Him, so that with good he may gain humility also, sometimes troubles him; He turns away His face from him, and he falls into temptation; and He shows him that his righteousn…

"When you open Your hand, they shall all be filled with good" [Psalm 104:28]. What is it, O Lord, that You open Your hand? Christ is Your hand. "To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" [Isaiah 53:1] To whom it is revealed, unto him it is opened: for revelation is opening. "When You open Your hand, they shall all be filled with good." When Thou revealest Your Christ, "they shall all be filled with good." But they have not good from themselves; this is oftentimes proved unto them. "When Thou hidest Your face, they are troubled" [Psalm 104:29]. Many filled with good have attributed to themselves what they had, and have wished to boast as in their own righteousnesses, and have said to themselves, I am righteous; I am great: and have become self-complacent. Unto these the Apostle speaks: "What have you, that you did not receive?" [1 Corinthians 4:7] But God, wishing to prove unto man that whatever he has he has from Him, so that with good he may gain humility also, sometimes troubles him; He turns away His face from him, and he falls into temptation; and He shows him that his righteousness, and his walking aright, was only under His government....

Don't we see such things every day in human affairs—a kind of hard and inexorable mercy? How many things sick people ask the doctors for, counter to their health, and how many things the doctors, in mercy, refuse them! They refuse them and so spare them; if they grant them, they are being cruel. The doctor knows this; and doesn't God? The one who was created like you knows how to deal with you in this way; and doesn't the one who created you both know how to deal with you both? Accordingly, dearly beloved, in all your troubles, all your fears, all your joys, beg God to grant you, of temporal goods, what he knows is best for you. As for eternal things, though, such as "hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done as in heaven also on earth," and others of that sort, ask for them without a qualm or qualification; they cannot possibly be to your disadvantage.Choose, cherish, gather; he opens his hand, after all, and fills every soul with blessing. "And when you give," it says, "they gather." None of us should have any doubts about heavenly good things; even if they are de…

Don't we see such things every day in human affairs—a kind of hard and inexorable mercy? How many things sick people ask the doctors for, counter to their health, and how many things the doctors, in mercy, refuse them! They refuse them and so spare them; if they grant them, they are being cruel. The doctor knows this; and doesn't God? The one who was created like you knows how to deal with you in this way; and doesn't the one who created you both know how to deal with you both? Accordingly, dearly beloved, in all your troubles, all your fears, all your joys, beg God to grant you, of temporal goods, what he knows is best for you. As for eternal things, though, such as "hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done as in heaven also on earth," and others of that sort, ask for them without a qualm or qualification; they cannot possibly be to your disadvantage.Choose, cherish, gather; he opens his hand, after all, and fills every soul with blessing. "And when you give," it says, "they gather." None of us should have any doubts about heavenly good things; even if they are deferred, they will be given. The reward is not being refused, but desire is being whetted. We must go on desiring day after day, because it is a great thing we are going to receive. We must go on thirsting day after day, because it is the fountain of life we shall be drinking from. All the same, dearly beloved, there is something it is not an impudence for us to ask for, because the apostle taught us; let us ask that "we may spend a quiet and tranquil life, and with all piety and charity."

Psalms 104:30-31

Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.

And see what follows: "You shall send forth Your Spirit, and they shall be made" [Psalm 104:30]. You shall take away their spirit, and send forth Your own: You shall take away their spirit: they shall have no spirit of their own. Are they then forsaken? "Blessed are the poor in spirit:" [Matthew 5:3] but they are not forsaken. They refused to have a spirit of their own: they shall have the Spirit of God. Such were our Lord's words to the future martyrs: [Matthew 10:20] "It is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaks in you." Attribute not your courage to yourselves. If it is yours, He says, and not Mine, it is obstinacy, not courage. "For we are His workmanship," says the Apostle, "created unto good works." [Ephesians 2:10] From His Spirit we have received grace, that we may live unto righteousness: for it is He that justifies the ungodly. [Romans 4:5] "You shall take away their spirit, and they shall fail; You shall send forth Your Spirit, and they shall be made: and You shall renew the face of the earth:" that is, with new men, confessing themselves to have be…

And see what follows: "You shall send forth Your Spirit, and they shall be made" [Psalm 104:30]. You shall take away their spirit, and send forth Your own: You shall take away their spirit: they shall have no spirit of their own. Are they then forsaken? "Blessed are the poor in spirit:" [Matthew 5:3] but they are not forsaken. They refused to have a spirit of their own: they shall have the Spirit of God. Such were our Lord's words to the future martyrs: [Matthew 10:20] "It is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaks in you." Attribute not your courage to yourselves. If it is yours, He says, and not Mine, it is obstinacy, not courage. "For we are His workmanship," says the Apostle, "created unto good works." [Ephesians 2:10] From His Spirit we have received grace, that we may live unto righteousness: for it is He that justifies the ungodly. [Romans 4:5] "You shall take away their spirit, and they shall fail; You shall send forth Your Spirit, and they shall be made: and You shall renew the face of the earth:" that is, with new men, confessing themselves to have been justified, not righteous of their own power, so that the grace of God is in them. What then? When He has taken away our spirit, we shall be turned again to our dust, beholding to our edification our weakness, that when we receive His Spirit we may be refreshed. See what follows: "Be the glory of the Lord for ever" [Psalm 104:31]. Not yours, not mine, not his, or his; not for a season, but "for ever." "The Lord shall rejoice in His works." Not in yours, as if they were yours: because if your works are evil, it is through your iniquity; if good, it is through the grace of God. "The Lord shall rejoice in His works."

Psalms 104:32

He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.

"Who looks on the earth, and makes it tremble; who touches the hills, and they shall smoke" [Psalm 104:32]. O earth, you were exulting in your good, to yourself you ascribed your fullness and opulence; behold, the Lord looks on you, and causes you to tremble. May He look on you, and make you tremble: for the trembling of humility is better than the confidence of pride....For it is God, he says, which works in you. For this reason then with trembling, because God works in you. Because He gave, because what you have comes not from you, you shall work with fear and trembling, for if you fear not Him, He will take away what He gave. Work, therefore, with trembling. Hear another Psalm: "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice unto Him with trembling." If we must rejoice with trembling, God beholds us, there comes an earthquake; when God looks upon us, let our hearts tremble; then will God rest there. Hear Him in another passage: "Upon whom shall My Spirit rest? Even on him that is lowly and quiet, and who trembles at My Word." [Isaiah 66:2] "Who looks on the earth, and makes it tremble…

"Who looks on the earth, and makes it tremble; who touches the hills, and they shall smoke" [Psalm 104:32]. O earth, you were exulting in your good, to yourself you ascribed your fullness and opulence; behold, the Lord looks on you, and causes you to tremble. May He look on you, and make you tremble: for the trembling of humility is better than the confidence of pride....For it is God, he says, which works in you. For this reason then with trembling, because God works in you. Because He gave, because what you have comes not from you, you shall work with fear and trembling, for if you fear not Him, He will take away what He gave. Work, therefore, with trembling. Hear another Psalm: "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice unto Him with trembling." If we must rejoice with trembling, God beholds us, there comes an earthquake; when God looks upon us, let our hearts tremble; then will God rest there. Hear Him in another passage: "Upon whom shall My Spirit rest? Even on him that is lowly and quiet, and who trembles at My Word." [Isaiah 66:2]

"Who looks on the earth, and makes it tremble; who touches the hills, and they shall smoke" [Psalm 104:32]. The hills were proud, and boastful of themselves, God had not touched them: He touches them, and they shall smoke. What means the smoking of the hills? That they pray unto the Lord. Behold great hills, proud hills, vast hills, prayed not to God: they wished themselves to be entreated, and entreated not Him who was above them. For what powerful, arrogant, proud man is there upon the earth, who deigns humbly to entreat God? I speak of the ungodly, not of the "cedars of Libanus, which the Lord has planted." Every ungodly man, unhappy soul, knows not how to entreat God, while he wishes himself to be entreated by men. He is a hill; it is needful that God touch him, that he may smoke: when he has begun to smoke, he will offer prayers unto God, as it were the sacrifice of his heart. He smokes unto God, he then beats his breast: he begins to weep, for smoke does elicit tears.

Psalms 104:33

I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

"I will sing unto the Lord in my life" [Psalm 104:33]. What will sing? Everything that is willing. Let us sing unto the Lord in our life. Our life at present is only hope; our life will be eternity hereafter: the life of mortal life, is the hope of an everlasting life. "I will praise my God while I have my being." Since I am in Him for ever and ever, while I have my being, I will praise my God. Let us not imagine that, when we have commenced praising God in that state, we shall have any other work: our whole life will be for the praises of God. If we become weary of Him whom we praise, we may also become weary of praising. If He is ever loved, He is ever praised by us.

Psalms 104:34

My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.

"Let my discourse be pleasing to Him: my joy shall be in the Lord" [Psalm 104:34]. What is the discourse of man unto God, save the confession of sins? Confess unto God what you are, and you have discoursed with Him. Discourse unto Him, do good works, and discourse. "Wash you, make you clean," says Isaiah. [Isaiah 1:16] What is it to discourse unto God? Unfold yourself to him who knows you, that He may unfold Himself to you who know not Him. Behold, it is your discourse that pleases the Lord; the offering of your humility, the tribulation of your heart, the holocaust of your life, this pleases God. But what is pleasing to yourself? "My joy shall be in the Lord." This is that discoursing which I meant between God and yourself: show yourself to Him who knows you, and He shows Himself unto you who know not him. Pleasing unto Him is your confession: sweet unto you is His grace. He has spoken Himself unto you. How? By the Word. What Word? Christ....