Augustine of Hippo — Commentary on Scripture

VAU. Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation, according to thy word.

"And let Your loving mercy come also unto us, O Lord" [Psalm 119:41]. This sentence seems annexed to the foregoing: for he does not say, Let it come unto me, but, " And let it come unto me."...What then does he here pray for, save that through His loving mercy who commanded, he may perform the commandments which he has coveted? For he explains in some degree what he meant by adding, "even Your salvation, according to Your word:" that is, according to Your promise. Whence the Apostle desires us to be understood as the children of promise: [Romans 9:8] that we may not imagine that what we are is our own work, but refer the whole to the grace of God....Christ Himself is the Salvation of God, so that the whole body of Christ may say, "By the grace of God I am what I am." [1 Corinthians 15:10]

Psalms 119:42

So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word.

"And so shall I make answer," he says, "to them that reproach me with the word" [Psalm 119:42]. It is doubtful whether it be "reproach me with a word;" or, "I will answer with a word;" but either signifies Christ. They to whom Christ crucified is a stumbling-block or foolishness, [1 Corinthians 1:23] reproach us with Him; ignorant that "the Word was made flesh, and dwelt in us;" [John 1:14] the Word which "was in the beginning," and "was with God, and was God." [John 1:1] But although they may not reproach us with the Word which is unknown unto them, because His Divinity is not known unto those by whom His weakness on the Cross is despised; let us nevertheless make answer of the Word, and let us not be terrified or confounded by their reproaches. For "if they had known" the Word, "they would never have crucified the Lord of glory." [1 Corinthians 2:8] ...Therefore, when the Psalmist had said, "I will make answer unto them that reproach me with the word:" he at once adds, "For my trust is in Your words," which means exactly, in Your promises.

Psalms 119:43

And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments.

"O take not the word of Your truth away out of my mouth even exceedingly" [Psalm 119:43]. He says, out of my mouth, because the unity of the body is speaking, among whose members those also are counted who failed at the hour by denying, but by penitence afterwards came again to life, or even, by renewing their confession, received the palm of martyrdom, which they had lost. The word of truth, therefore, was not "even exceedingly," or, as some copies have it, even every way, that is not altogether taken from the mouth of Peter, in whom was the type of the Church; because although he denied for the hour, being disturbed with fear, yet by weeping he was restored, [Matthew 26:70-75] and by confessing was afterwards crowned. The whole body of Christ therefore speaks....Next follows, "for I have hoped in Your judgments." Or, as some have more strictly rendered it from the Greek, "I have hoped more;" a word which, although compounded in a somewhat unusual way, yet answers the necessary purpose of conveying the truth in a translation....Behold the saints and the humble in heart when they ha…

"O take not the word of Your truth away out of my mouth even exceedingly" [Psalm 119:43]. He says, out of my mouth, because the unity of the body is speaking, among whose members those also are counted who failed at the hour by denying, but by penitence afterwards came again to life, or even, by renewing their confession, received the palm of martyrdom, which they had lost. The word of truth, therefore, was not "even exceedingly," or, as some copies have it, even every way, that is not altogether taken from the mouth of Peter, in whom was the type of the Church; because although he denied for the hour, being disturbed with fear, yet by weeping he was restored, [Matthew 26:70-75] and by confessing was afterwards crowned. The whole body of Christ therefore speaks....Next follows, "for I have hoped in Your judgments." Or, as some have more strictly rendered it from the Greek, "I have hoped more;" a word which, although compounded in a somewhat unusual way, yet answers the necessary purpose of conveying the truth in a translation....Behold the saints and the humble in heart when they have trusted in You, have not failed in persecutions: behold also those who from trusting in themselves have failed, and nevertheless have belonged to the Very Body, have wept when they became known unto themselves, and have found Your grace a more solid support, because they have lost their own pride.

Psalms 119:44

So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.

"So shall I always keep Your law" [Psalm 119:44]: that is, if You will not take the word of Your truth out of my mouth. "Yea, unto age, and age of age:" he shows what he meant by "alway." For sometimes by "alway" is meant, as long as we live here; but this is not, "unto age, and age of age." For it is better thus translated than as some copies have, "to eternity, and to age of age," since they could not say, and to eternity of eternity. That law therefore should be understood, of which the Apostle says, "Love is the fulfilling of the law." [Romans 13:10] For this will be kept by the saints, from whose mouth the word of truth is not taken, that is, by the Church of Christ Herself, not only during this world, that is, until this world is ended; but for another also which is styled, "world without end.". ..

Psalms 119:45

And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.

"And I walked at liberty: for I sought Your precepts" [Psalm 119:45]...."And I walked at liberty." Here the copulative conjunction, "and," is not used as a connecting particle; for he does not say, and I will walk, as he had said, "and I will keep Your commandments for ever and ever:" or if this latter verse be in the optative mood, and may I keep Your law; he does not add, And may I walk at liberty, as if he had desired and prayed for both of these things; but he says, "And I walked at liberty." If this conjunction were not used here, and if the sentence were introduced free from any such connection with what preceded, "I walked at liberty," the reader would never be induced by anything unusual in the mode of speech to think he should seek for some hidden sense. Doubtless, then, he wished what he has not said to be understood, that is, that his prayers had been heard; and he then added what he had become: as if he were to say, When I prayed for these things, You heard me, "And I walked at liberty;" and so with the remaining expressions which he has added to the same purpose.

Psalms 119:46

I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.

"I spoke of Your testimonies also," he says, "before kings, and I was not ashamed" [Psalm 119:46]: as one who had sought and had received grace to answer those who reproached him with the word, and the promise that the word of truth should not be taken from his mouth. Struggling for this truth even unto death, not even before kings was he ashamed to speak of it. For testimonies, whereof he does avow that he was speaking, are in Greek styled μαρτύρια, a word which we now employ instead of the Latin. The name of "Martyrs," unto whom Jesus foretold, that they should confess Him even before kings, [Matthew 10:18] is derived hence.

Psalms 119:47-48

And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.

"And I meditated," he says, "on Your commandments, which I have loved" [Psalm 119:47]. "My hands also have I lifted up unto Your commandments, which I have loved" [Psalm 119:48]; or, as some copies read, "which I have loved exceedingly," or "too much," or "vehemently," as they have chosen to render the Greek word σφόδρα . He then loved the commandments of God because he walked at liberty; that is, through the Holy Spirit, through whom love itself is shed abroad, [Romans 5:5] and enlarges the hearts of the faithful. But he loved, both in thought and in acts. With a view to thought, he says, "And I meditated:" as to action, "My hands also have I lifted up." But to both sentences, he has annexed the words, "which I have loved:" for "the end of the commandment is love out of a pure heart." [1 Timothy 1:5] ...The following words, "And my study was in Your statutes," relate to both. This expression most of the translators have preferred to this, "I rejoiced in," or "I talked of," a version which some have given from the Greek ἠ δολ

Psalms 119:49

ZAIN. Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.

"O remember Your word unto Your servant, wherein You have given me hope" [Psalm 119:49]. Is forgetfulness incident to God, as it is to man? Why then is it said unto Him, "O remember"? Although in other passages of holy Scripture this very word is used, as, "Why have You forgotten me?" and, "Wherefore forgettest Thou our misery?". ..These expressions are borrowed from moral discourses on human affections; although God does these things according to a fixed dispensation, with no failing memory, nor with an understanding obscured, nor with a will changed. When therefore it is said unto Him, "O remember," the desire of him who prays is displayed, because he asks for what was promised; God is not admonished, as if the promise had escaped from His mind. "O remember," he says, "Your word unto Your servant:" that is, fulfil Your promise to Your servant. "Wherein You have given me hope:" that is, in Your Word, since You have promised, You have caused me to hope.

Psalms 119:50

This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

"The same is my comfort in my humiliation" [Psalm 119:50]. Namely, that hope which is given to the humble, as the Scripture says: "God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble." Whence also our Lord Himself says with His own lips, "For whosoever exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted." We well understand here that humiliation also, not whereby each man humbles himself by confessing his sins, and by not arrogating righteousness to himself; but when each man is humbled by some tribulation or mortification which his pride deserved; or when he is exercised and proved by endurance; [Sirach 2:4-5] whence a little after this Psalm says, "Before I was troubled, I went wrong."...And the Lord Jesus, when He foretold that this humiliation would be brought upon His disciples by their persecutors, did not leave them without a hope; but gave them one, whereby they might find comfort, in these words: "In your patience shall you possess your souls;" and declared even of their very bodies, which might be put to death by their enemies, and seemingly be…

"The same is my comfort in my humiliation" [Psalm 119:50]. Namely, that hope which is given to the humble, as the Scripture says: "God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble." Whence also our Lord Himself says with His own lips, "For whosoever exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted." We well understand here that humiliation also, not whereby each man humbles himself by confessing his sins, and by not arrogating righteousness to himself; but when each man is humbled by some tribulation or mortification which his pride deserved; or when he is exercised and proved by endurance; [Sirach 2:4-5] whence a little after this Psalm says, "Before I was troubled, I went wrong."...And the Lord Jesus, when He foretold that this humiliation would be brought upon His disciples by their persecutors, did not leave them without a hope; but gave them one, whereby they might find comfort, in these words: "In your patience shall you possess your souls;" and declared even of their very bodies, which might be put to death by their enemies, and seemingly be utterly annihilated, that not a hair of their heads should perish. [Luke 21:17-18] This hope was given to Christ's Body, that is, to the Church, that it might be a comfort to Her in her humiliation....This hope He gave in the prayer which He taught us, where He enjoined us to say, "Lead us not into temptation:" [Matthew 6:13] for He in a manner implicitly promised that He would give to His disciples in their danger that which He taught them to ask for in their prayers. And indeed this Psalm is rather to be understood to speak of this hope: "For Your word has quickened me." Which they have rendered more closely who have put not "word," but "utterance." For the Greek has λόγιον, which is "utterance;" not λόγος, which is "word."

Psalms 119:51

The proud have had me greatly in derision: yet have I not declined from thy law.

The next verse is, "The proud dealt exceeding wickedly: yet have I not shrinked from Your law" [Psalm 119:51]. By the proud he wished to be understood the persecutors of the pious; and he therefore added, "yet have I not shrinked from Your laws," because the persecution of the proud attempted to force him to do this. He says that they dealt "exceeding wickedly," because they were not only wicked themselves, but even tried to make the godly wicked. In this humiliation, that is, in this tribulation, that hope comforted him which was given in the word of God, who promised aid, that the faith of the Martyrs might not faint; and who by the presence of His Spirit gave strength to them in their toils, that they might escape from the snare of the fowlers.. ..

Psalms 119:52

I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself.

"For I was mindful of Your judgments from the beginning of the world, O Lord, and received comfort" [Psalm 119:52]; or, as other copies have it, "and I was exhorted," that is, received exhortation. For either might be rendered for the Greek pareklhqhn. "From the beginning of the world," that is, from the birth of the human race, "I was mindful of Your judgments" upon the vessels of wrath, which are fitted unto perdition: "and I received comfort," since through these also have You shown the riches of Your glory on the vessels of Your mercy. [Romans 9:22-23]

Psalms 119:53 · 2 passages

Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law.

So there you are, I have said a few words to prevent the boats from sinking. Something much more dreadful happened at that catch of fish, and that is that the nets were broken. The nets were broken, heresies arose. What else, after all, are schisms, but tears of the fabric? The first catch of fish has to be endured and tolerated in such a way that nobody grows weary, even though it is written, "Weariness has taken hold of me because of sinners who forsake your law." It is the boat crying out that it is being overloaded by the mob, as though the boat itself is giving voice to these words, "I have become weary because of sinners who forsake your law." Even if you are being overloaded, always see to it that you do not sink. Bad people are to be put up with now, not to be separated and cut off. "Mercy and judgment we shall sing to the Lord." First of all mercy is extended, and later on judgment is exercised; separation will happen at the judgment. Now may the good person listen to me and become better; may the bad person too listen and become good, while it is the time for repentance, no…

So there you are, I have said a few words to prevent the boats from sinking. Something much more dreadful happened at that catch of fish, and that is that the nets were broken. The nets were broken, heresies arose. What else, after all, are schisms, but tears of the fabric? The first catch of fish has to be endured and tolerated in such a way that nobody grows weary, even though it is written, "Weariness has taken hold of me because of sinners who forsake your law." It is the boat crying out that it is being overloaded by the mob, as though the boat itself is giving voice to these words, "I have become weary because of sinners who forsake your law." Even if you are being overloaded, always see to it that you do not sink. Bad people are to be put up with now, not to be separated and cut off. "Mercy and judgment we shall sing to the Lord." First of all mercy is extended, and later on judgment is exercised; separation will happen at the judgment. Now may the good person listen to me and become better; may the bad person too listen and become good, while it is the time for repentance, not for sentence.

"Weariness has held me; for the ungodly that forsake Your law" [Psalm 119:53]. "Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage" [Psalm 119:54]. This is the low estate, in the house of mortality, of the man who sojourns away from Paradise and the Jerusalem above, whence one going down to Jericho fell among robbers; but, in consequence of the deed of mercy which was done him by that Samaritan, [Luke 10:30, 37] the statutes of God became his song in the house of his pilgrimage; although he was weary for the ungodly that forsook the law of God, since he was compelled to converse with them for a season in this life, until the floor be threshed. But these two verses may be adapted to the two clauses of the preceding verse, respectively.

Psalms 119:55

I have remembered thy name, O LORD, in the night, and have kept thy law.

"I have thought upon Your Name, O Lord, in the night-season, and have kept Your law" [Psalm 119:55]. Night is that low estate wherein is the trouble of mortality; night is in the proud who deal exceeding wickedly; night is the fear for the ungodly who forsake the law of the Lord; night is, lastly, the house of this pilgrimage, "until the Lord come, and bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts, and then shall every man have praise of God." [1 Corinthians 4:5] In this night, therefore, man ought to remember the Name of the Lord; "So that he who glories, may glory in the Lord." [1 Corinthians 1:31]

Psalms 119:56

This I had, because I kept thy precepts.

Considering this, he adds, "This was made unto me, because I sought out Your righteousnesses" [Psalm 119:56]. "Your" righteousnesses, whereby Thou dost justify the ungodly; not mine, which never make me godly, but proud. For this man was not one of those who, "ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God." [Romans 10:3] Others have better interpreted these righteousnesses, as those whereby men are justified for nought through God's grace, though by themselves they cannot be righteous, "justifications." But what means, "This was made unto me"? What is "This"? It is perhaps the law? As he had said, "and I have kept Your law;" to which he subjoins, "This was made unto me," meaning, "This was made my law." We must therefore enquire first what was thus made unto him, next in what manner, whatever it may have been, was made unto him. "This," he says, "was made unto me:" not "This law," for the Greek, as I have said, refuses this sense. Perhaps then, "This night:" since the preceding sente…

Considering this, he adds, "This was made unto me, because I sought out Your righteousnesses" [Psalm 119:56]. "Your" righteousnesses, whereby Thou dost justify the ungodly; not mine, which never make me godly, but proud. For this man was not one of those who, "ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God." [Romans 10:3] Others have better interpreted these righteousnesses, as those whereby men are justified for nought through God's grace, though by themselves they cannot be righteous, "justifications." But what means, "This was made unto me"? What is "This"? It is perhaps the law? As he had said, "and I have kept Your law;" to which he subjoins, "This was made unto me," meaning, "This was made my law." We must therefore enquire first what was thus made unto him, next in what manner, whatever it may have been, was made unto him. "This," he says, "was made unto me:" not "This law," for the Greek, as I have said, refuses this sense. Perhaps then, "This night:" since the preceding sentence stands thus: "I have thought upon Your Name, O Lord, in the night-season:" and the next words are, "This was made unto me:" since then it is not the law, it must truly be the night which is thus spoken of. What then means, "I had the night-season: for I have sought out Your righteousnesses"? Rather light had come unto him than night, since he sought out the righteousnesses of God. And it is thus rightly understood, "It was made unto me," as if it were said, It became night for my sake, that is, that it might profit me. For that low estate of mortality is not absurdly understood as night, where the hearts of mortals are hid to one another, so that from such darkness innumerable and heavy temptations arise....

Cheth

Psalms 119:57-59

CHETH. Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy words.

Let us hear what follows: "I have promised to keep Your law." What means, "My portion, O Lord: I have promised to keep Your law" [Psalm 119:57]; save because the Lord will be each man's portion then, when he has kept His law? Consider therefore what he subjoins: "I entreated Your face, with my whole heart:" and saying in what manner he prayed: "O be merciful," he says, "unto me, according to Your word" [Psalm 119:58]. And as if he had been heard and aided by Him whom he prayed unto, "I thought," he says, "on my own ways, and turned away my feet unto Your testimonies" [Psalm 119:59]. That is, I turned them away from my own ways, which displeased me, that they might follow Your testimonies, and there might find a path. For most of the copies have not, "Because I thought," as is read in some; but only, "I thought." But what is here written, "and I turned away my feet:" some read, "Because I thought, Thou also hast turned away my feet:" that this may rather be ascribed to the grace of God, according to the Apostle's words, "For it is God who works in us." [Philippians 2:13] ...

Psalms 119:60

I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.

Lastly, when he had received this blessing of grace, he says, "I was ready, and was not disturbed, that I may keep Your commandments" [Psalm 119:60]. Which some have rendered, "to keeping Your commandments," some "that I should keep," others "to keep," the Greek being τοῦ φυλ

Psalms 119:61

The bands of the wicked have robbed me: but I have not forgotten thy law.

But in what manner he was ready to keep the divine commandments, he has added, in these words: "The bands of the ungodly have surrounded me: but I have not forgotten Your law" [Psalm 119:61]. "The bands of the ungodly" are the hindrances of our enemies, whether spiritual, as the devil and his angels, or carnal, the children of disobedience, in whom the devil works. [Ephesians 2:2] For this word peccatorum is not from peccata, "sins;" but from peccatores, "sinners." Therefore when they threaten evils, with which to alarm the righteous, that they may not suffer for the law of God, they, so to speak, entangle them with bands, with a strong and tough cord of their own. For "they draw iniquity like a long rope," [Isaiah 5:18] and thus endeavour to entangle the holy, and sometimes are allowed so to do.

Psalms 119:62

At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments.

"At midnight," he says, "I rise to give thanks unto You: because of Your righteous judgments" [Psalm 119:62]. This very fact, that the bands of the ungodly surround the righteous, is one of the righteous judgments of God. On which account the Apostle Peter says, "The time has come when judgment must begin at the house of the Lord." [1 Peter 4:17] For he says this of the persecutions which the Church suffered, when the bands of the ungodly surrounded them. I suppose, therefore, that by "midnight" we should understand the heavier seasons of tribulation. In which he said, "I arose:" since He did not so afflict him, as to cast him down; but tried him, so that he arose, that is, that through this very tribulation he might advance unto a bolder confession.

Psalms 119:63-64

I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.

For I imagine that what follows, "I am a companion of all them that fear You, and keep Your commandments" [Psalm 119:63], does relate to the Head Himself, as it is in the Epistle which is inscribed to the Hebrews: "Both He that sanctifies and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren.". ..Therefore Jesus Himself speaks in this prophecy: some things in His Members and in the Unity of His Body, as if in one man diffused over the whole world, and growing up in succession throughout the roll of ages: and some things in Himself our Head. And on this account, that since He became the companion of His brethren, God of men, the Immortal of the mortal, for this reason the seed fell upon the earth, that by its death it might produce much fruit; he next adds concerning this very fruit, "The earth, O Lord, is full of Your mercy" [Psalm 119:64]. And whence this, save when the ungodly is justified? That we may make progress in the knowledge of this grace, he adds, "O teach me Your righteousnesses!"

Teth