Augustine of Hippo — Commentary on Scripture

A Song of degrees. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say:

"Many a time have they fought against me from my youth up" [Psalm 129:1]. The Church speaks of those whom She endures: and as if it were asked, "Is it now?" The Church is of ancient birth: since saints have been so called, the Church has been on earth. At one time the Church was in Abel only, and he was fought against by his wicked and lost brother Cain. [Genesis 4:8] At one time the Church was in Enoch alone: and he was translated from the unrighteous. [Genesis 5:24] At one time the Church was in the house of Noah alone, and endured all who perished by the flood, and the ark alone swam upon the waves, and escaped to shore. [Genesis vi.-viii] At one time the Church was in Abraham alone, and we know what he endured from the wicked. The Church was in his brother's son, Lot, alone, and in his house, in Sodom, and he endured the iniquities and perversities of Sodom, until God freed him from amidst them. [Genesis xiii.-xx] The Church also began to exist in the people of Israel: She endured Pharaoh and the Egyptians. The number of the saints began to be also in the Church, that is, in the…

"Many a time have they fought against me from my youth up" [Psalm 129:1]. The Church speaks of those whom She endures: and as if it were asked, "Is it now?" The Church is of ancient birth: since saints have been so called, the Church has been on earth. At one time the Church was in Abel only, and he was fought against by his wicked and lost brother Cain. [Genesis 4:8] At one time the Church was in Enoch alone: and he was translated from the unrighteous. [Genesis 5:24] At one time the Church was in the house of Noah alone, and endured all who perished by the flood, and the ark alone swam upon the waves, and escaped to shore. [Genesis vi.-viii] At one time the Church was in Abraham alone, and we know what he endured from the wicked. The Church was in his brother's son, Lot, alone, and in his house, in Sodom, and he endured the iniquities and perversities of Sodom, until God freed him from amidst them. [Genesis xiii.-xx] The Church also began to exist in the people of Israel: She endured Pharaoh and the Egyptians. The number of the saints began to be also in the Church, that is, in the people of Israel; Moses and the rest of the saints endured the wicked Jews, the people of Israel. We come unto our Lord Jesus Christ: the Gospel was preached in the Psalms.. ..For this reason, lest the Church wonder now, or lest any one wonder in the Church, who wishes to be a good member of the Church, let him hear the Church herself his Mother saying to him, Marvel not at these things, my son: "Many a time have they fought against me from my youth up."

"Many a time have they fought against me from my youth up." The church speaks of those whom it tolerates, and as if it were asked, "Is it now?" The church is of ancient birth. As long as saints have been so called, the church has been on earth. At one time the church was in Abel only, and he was fought against by his wicked and lost brother Cain. At one time the church was in Enoch alone, and he was translated from the unrighteous. At one time the church was in the house of Noah alone and endured all who perished by the flood, and the ark alone swam on the waves and escaped to shore. At one time the church was in Abraham alone, and we know what he endured from the wicked. The church was in his brother's son, Lot, alone, and in his house, in Sodom; and he endured the iniquities and perversities of Sodom, until God freed him from their midst. The church also began to exist in the people of Israel: they endured Pharaoh and the Egyptians. The number of the saints began to be also in the church, that is, in the people of Israel. Moses and the rest of the saints endured the wicked Jews, th…

"Many a time have they fought against me from my youth up." The church speaks of those whom it tolerates, and as if it were asked, "Is it now?" The church is of ancient birth. As long as saints have been so called, the church has been on earth. At one time the church was in Abel only, and he was fought against by his wicked and lost brother Cain. At one time the church was in Enoch alone, and he was translated from the unrighteous. At one time the church was in the house of Noah alone and endured all who perished by the flood, and the ark alone swam on the waves and escaped to shore. At one time the church was in Abraham alone, and we know what he endured from the wicked. The church was in his brother's son, Lot, alone, and in his house, in Sodom; and he endured the iniquities and perversities of Sodom, until God freed him from their midst. The church also began to exist in the people of Israel: they endured Pharaoh and the Egyptians. The number of the saints began to be also in the church, that is, in the people of Israel. Moses and the rest of the saints endured the wicked Jews, the people of Israel. We come to our Lord Jesus Christ: The gospel was preached in the Psalms. … For this reason, lest the church wonder now, or lest any one wonder in the church who wishes to be a good member of the church, let him hear the church his mother saying to him, Marvel not at these things, my child: "many a time have they fought against me from my youth up."

Psalms 129:2

Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me.

"Now may Israel say." She now seems to be speaking of herself: for she seemed not to have commenced herself, but to have answered. But to whom has she replied? To them that think and say, How great evils do we endure, how great are the scandals that every day thicken, as the wicked enter into the Church, and we have to endure them? But let the Church reply through some, that is, through the voice of the stronger, let her reply to the complaints of the weak, and let the stable confirm the unstable, and the full-grown the infant, and let the Church say, "Many a time have they vexed me from my youth up" [Psalm 129:2]. Let the Church say this: let her not fear it. For what is the meaning of this addition, "From my youth up," after the words, "Many a time have they fought against me"? At present the old age of the Church is assailed: but let her not fear. Hath she then failed to arrive at old age, because they have not ceased to fight against her from her youth up? Have they been able to blot her out? Let Israel comfort herself, let the Church console herself with past examples. Why have…

"Now may Israel say." She now seems to be speaking of herself: for she seemed not to have commenced herself, but to have answered. But to whom has she replied? To them that think and say, How great evils do we endure, how great are the scandals that every day thicken, as the wicked enter into the Church, and we have to endure them? But let the Church reply through some, that is, through the voice of the stronger, let her reply to the complaints of the weak, and let the stable confirm the unstable, and the full-grown the infant, and let the Church say, "Many a time have they vexed me from my youth up" [Psalm 129:2]. Let the Church say this: let her not fear it. For what is the meaning of this addition, "From my youth up," after the words, "Many a time have they fought against me"? At present the old age of the Church is assailed: but let her not fear. Hath she then failed to arrive at old age, because they have not ceased to fight against her from her youth up? Have they been able to blot her out? Let Israel comfort herself, let the Church console herself with past examples. Why have they fought against me? "For they could not prevail against me."

Psalms 129:3

The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows.

"Upon my back have sinners built; they have done their iniquity afar off" [Psalm 129:3]. Why have they fought against me? Because "they could not prevail upon me." What is this? They could not build upon me. I consented not with them unto sin. For every wicked man persecutes the good on this account, because the good man consents not with him to evil. Suppose he do some evil, and the Bishop censure him not, the Bishop is a good man: suppose the Bishop censure him, the Bishop is a bad man. Suppose he carry off anything, let the man robbed be silent, he is a good man: let him only speak and rebuke, even though he does not reclaim his goods, he is everything bad. He is bad then who blames the robber, and he is good who robs!...Heed not that such an one speaks to you: it is a wicked man through whom It speaks to you; but the word of God, that speaks to you, is not wicked. Accuse God: accuse Him, if you can.

Psalms 129:4

The LORD is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.

"The righteous Lord shall hew the necks of the sinners" [Psalm 129:4]....Which of us does not fix his eyes upon the earth, like the Publican, and say, "Lord, be merciful unto me a sinner"? [Luke 18:13] If therefore all are sinners, and none is found without sin; all must fear the sword that hangs above their neck, because "the righteous Lord shall hew the necks of the sinners." I do not imagine, my brethren, of all sinners; but in the member which He strikes, He marks what sinners He strikes. For it is not said, The righteous Lord will hew the hands of the sinners; or their feet; but because proud sinners were meant to be understood, and all proud men carry lofty necks, and not only do evil deeds, but even refuse to acknowledge them to be such, and when they are rebuked, justify themselves:. ..as it is written in Job (he was speaking of an ungodly sinner), "he runs against God, even upon his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers;" [Job 15:26] so he here names the neck, because it is thus you exalt yourself, and dost not fix your eyes upon the ground, and beat your breast. You s…

"The righteous Lord shall hew the necks of the sinners" [Psalm 129:4]....Which of us does not fix his eyes upon the earth, like the Publican, and say, "Lord, be merciful unto me a sinner"? [Luke 18:13] If therefore all are sinners, and none is found without sin; all must fear the sword that hangs above their neck, because "the righteous Lord shall hew the necks of the sinners." I do not imagine, my brethren, of all sinners; but in the member which He strikes, He marks what sinners He strikes. For it is not said, The righteous Lord will hew the hands of the sinners; or their feet; but because proud sinners were meant to be understood, and all proud men carry lofty necks, and not only do evil deeds, but even refuse to acknowledge them to be such, and when they are rebuked, justify themselves:. ..as it is written in Job (he was speaking of an ungodly sinner), "he runs against God, even upon his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers;" [Job 15:26] so he here names the neck, because it is thus you exalt yourself, and dost not fix your eyes upon the ground, and beat your breast. You should cry unto Him, as it is cried in another Psalm, "I said, Lord, be merciful unto me, for I have sinned against You." Since thou dost not choose to say this, but justifiest your deeds against the Word of God; what follows in Scripture comes upon you: the righteous Lord shall hew the necks of sinners.

Psalms 129:5 · 2 passages

Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion.

"Let them be confounded and turned backward, as many as have evil will at Sion" [Psalm 129:5]. They who hate Sion, hate the Church: Sion is the Church. And they who hypocritically enter into the Church, hate the Church. They who refuse to keep the Word of God, hate the Church: "Upon my back have they built:" what will the Church do, save endure the burden even unto the end?

You accuse a person of greed, and he accuses God on the ground that he made gold. Do not be covetous. And God, you reply, should not make gold. This now remains, because you can not restrain your evil deeds, you accuse the good works of God: the creator and architect of the world displeases you. He ought not to make the sun either; for many contend concerning the lights of their windows and drag each other before courts of law. Oh, if we could restrain our vices! For all things are good, because a good God made all things; and his works praise him, when their goodness is considered by him who has the spirit of discerning them, the spirit of piety and wisdom.

Psalms 129:6

Let them be as the grass upon the housetops, which withereth afore it groweth up:

But what says he of them? The next words are, "Let them be even as the grass of the house tops: that withers before it be plucked up" [Psalm 129:6]. The grass of the house tops is that which grows on house tops, on a tiled roof: it is seen on high, and has not a root. How much better would it be if it grew lower, and how much more joyfully would it bloom? As it is, it rises higher to a quicker withering. It has not yet been plucked up, yet has it withered: not yet have they received sentence from the judgment of God, and already they have not the sap of bloom. Observe their works, and see that they have withered.

Psalms 129:7

Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom.

The reapers will come, but they fill not their sheaves from these. For the reapers will come, and will gather the wheat into the barn, and will bind the tares together, and cast them into the fire. Thus also is the grass of the house tops cleared off, and whatever is plucked from it, is thrown into the fire; because it had withered even before it was plucked up. The reaper fills not his hands thence. His next words are, "Whereof the reaper fills not his hand; neither he that binds up the sheaves his bosom" [Psalm 129:7]. And, "the reapers are the angels," [Matthew 13:39] the Lord says.

Psalms 129:8

Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the LORD be upon you: we bless you in the name of the LORD.

"So that they who go by say not so much as, The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we have blessed you in the name of the Lord" [Psalm 129:8]. For you know, brethren, when men pass by others at work, it is customary to address them, "The blessing of the Lord be upon you." And this was especially the custom in the Jewish nation. No one passed by and saw any one doing any work in the field, or in the vineyard, or in harvest, or anything of the sort; it was not lawful to pass by without a blessing....Who are the passers by? They who have already passed hence to their country through this road, that is, through this life: the Apostles were passers by in this life, the Prophets were passers by. Whom did the Prophets and Apostles bless? Those in whom they saw the root of charity? But those whom they found lifted on high on their house tops, and proud in the bosses of their bucklers, they declared against these what they were doomed to become, but they gave them no blessing. You therefore who read in the Scriptures, find all those wicked men whom the Church bears, who are declared cursed, p…

"So that they who go by say not so much as, The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we have blessed you in the name of the Lord" [Psalm 129:8]. For you know, brethren, when men pass by others at work, it is customary to address them, "The blessing of the Lord be upon you." And this was especially the custom in the Jewish nation. No one passed by and saw any one doing any work in the field, or in the vineyard, or in harvest, or anything of the sort; it was not lawful to pass by without a blessing....Who are the passers by? They who have already passed hence to their country through this road, that is, through this life: the Apostles were passers by in this life, the Prophets were passers by. Whom did the Prophets and Apostles bless? Those in whom they saw the root of charity? But those whom they found lifted on high on their house tops, and proud in the bosses of their bucklers, they declared against these what they were doomed to become, but they gave them no blessing. You therefore who read in the Scriptures, find all those wicked men whom the Church bears, who are declared cursed, pertain unto Antichrist, pertain unto the devil, pertain to the chaff, pertain to the tares....But they who say, None save God sanctifies, nor is any man good save by the gift of God; they bless in the name of the Lord, not in their own name: because they are the friends of the bridegroom, [John 3:29] they refuse to be adulterers of the bride.

Psalms 130:1

A Song of degrees. Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.

"Out of the deep have I called unto You, O Lord: Lord, hear my voice" [Psalm 130:1]. Jonas cried from the deep; from the whale's belly. [Jonah 2:2] He was not only beneath the waves, but also in the entrails of the beast; nevertheless, those waves and that body prevented not his prayer from reaching God, and the beast's belly could not contain the voice of his prayer It penetrated all things, it burst through all things, it reached the ears of God: if indeed we ought to say that, bursting through all things, it reached the ears of God, since the ears of God were in the heart of him who prayed. For where has not he God present, whose voice is faithful? Nevertheless, we also ought to understand from what deep we cry unto the Lord. For this mortal life is our deep. Whoever has understood himself to be in the deep, cries out, groans, sighs, until he be delivered from the deep, and come unto Him who sits above all the deeps....For they are very deep in the deep, who do not even cry from the deep. The Scripture says, "When the wicked has reached the depth of evils, he despises." [Proverbs …

"Out of the deep have I called unto You, O Lord: Lord, hear my voice" [Psalm 130:1]. Jonas cried from the deep; from the whale's belly. [Jonah 2:2] He was not only beneath the waves, but also in the entrails of the beast; nevertheless, those waves and that body prevented not his prayer from reaching God, and the beast's belly could not contain the voice of his prayer It penetrated all things, it burst through all things, it reached the ears of God: if indeed we ought to say that, bursting through all things, it reached the ears of God, since the ears of God were in the heart of him who prayed. For where has not he God present, whose voice is faithful? Nevertheless, we also ought to understand from what deep we cry unto the Lord. For this mortal life is our deep. Whoever has understood himself to be in the deep, cries out, groans, sighs, until he be delivered from the deep, and come unto Him who sits above all the deeps....For they are very deep in the deep, who do not even cry from the deep. The Scripture says, "When the wicked has reached the depth of evils, he despises." [Proverbs 18:3] Now consider, brethren, what sort of deep that is, where God is despised. When each man sees himself overwhelmed with daily sins, pressed down by heaps and weights, so to speak, of iniquities: if it be said unto him, Pray unto God, he laughs. In what manner? He first says, If crimes were displeasing unto God, should I live? If God regarded human affairs, considering the great crimes which I have committed, should I not only live, but be prosperous? For this is wont to happen to those who are far in the deep, and are prosperous in their iniquities: and they are the more plunged in the deep, in proportion as they seem to be more happy; for a deceitful happiness is itself a greater unhappiness....

Psalms 130:2-3

Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

"Lord, hear my voice. O let Your ears consider well the voice of my complaint" [Psalm 130:2]. Whence does he cry? From the deep. Who is it then who cries? A sinner. And with what hope does he cry? Because He who came to absolve from sins, gave hope even to the sinner down in the deep. What therefore follows after these words: "If Thou, Lord, will be extreme to mark what is amiss, O Lord, who may abide it?" [Psalm 130:3]. So, he has disclosed from what deep he cried out. For he cries beneath the weights and billows of his iniquities....He said not, I may not abide it: but, "who may abide it?" For he saw that near the whole of human life on every side was ever bayed at by its sins, that all consciences were accused by their thoughts, that a clean heart trusting in its own righteousness could not be found.

Psalms 130:4

But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

But wherefore is there hope? "For there is propitiation with You" [Psalm 130:4]. And what is this propitiation, except sacrifice? And what is sacrifice, save that which has been offered for us? The pouring forth of innocent blood blotted out all the sins of the guilty: so great a price paid down redeemed all captives from the hand of the enemy who captured them. "With You," then, "there is propitiation." For if there were not mercy with You, if Thou chosest to be Judge only, and refused to be merciful, You would mark all our iniquities, and search after them. Who could abide this? Who could stand before You, and say, I am innocent? Who could stand in Your judgment? There is therefore one hope: "for the sake of Your law have I borne You, O Lord." What law? That which made men guilty. For a "law, holy, just, and good," [Romans 7:12] was given to the Jews; but its effect was to make them guilty. A law was not given that could give life, [Galatians 3:21] but which might show his sins to the sinner. For the sinner had forgotten himself, and saw not himself; the law was given him, that he…

But wherefore is there hope? "For there is propitiation with You" [Psalm 130:4]. And what is this propitiation, except sacrifice? And what is sacrifice, save that which has been offered for us? The pouring forth of innocent blood blotted out all the sins of the guilty: so great a price paid down redeemed all captives from the hand of the enemy who captured them. "With You," then, "there is propitiation." For if there were not mercy with You, if Thou chosest to be Judge only, and refused to be merciful, You would mark all our iniquities, and search after them. Who could abide this? Who could stand before You, and say, I am innocent? Who could stand in Your judgment? There is therefore one hope: "for the sake of Your law have I borne You, O Lord." What law? That which made men guilty. For a "law, holy, just, and good," [Romans 7:12] was given to the Jews; but its effect was to make them guilty. A law was not given that could give life, [Galatians 3:21] but which might show his sins to the sinner. For the sinner had forgotten himself, and saw not himself; the law was given him, that he might see himself. The law made him guilty, the Lawgiver freed him: for the Lawgiver is the Supreme Power.. ..There is therefore a law of the mercy of God, a law of the propitiation of God. The one was a law of fear, the other is a law of love. The law of love gives forgiveness to sins, blots out the past, warns concerning the future; forsakes not its companion by the way, becomes a companion to him whom it leads on the way. But it is needful to agree with the adversary, while you are with him in the way. [Matthew 5:25] For the Word of God is your adversary, as long as thou dost not agree with it. But you agree, when it has begun to be your delight to do what God's Word commands. Then he who was your adversary becomes your friend: so, when the way is finished, there will be none to deliver you to the Judge. Therefore, "For the sake of Your law I have waited for You, O Lord," because you have condescended to bring in a law of mercy, to forgive me all my sins, to give me for the future warnings that I may not offend...."For the sake," therefore, "of" this "law I have waited for You, O Lord." I have waited until You may come and free me from all need, for in my very need You have not forsaken the law of mercy...."My soul has waited for Your word."...

Psalms 130:5

I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.

We therefore trust without fear on the word of Him who cannot deceive. "My soul has trusted in the Lord, from the morning watch even unto night" [Psalm 130:5]. This morning watch is the end of night. We must therefore understand it so that we may not suppose we are to trust in the Lord for one day only. What do you conceive to be the sense, then, brethren? The words mean this: that the Lord, through whom our sins have been remitted, arose from the dead at the morning watch, so that we may hope that what went before in the Lord will take place in us. For our sins have been already forgiven: but we have not yet risen again: if we have not risen again, not as yet has that taken place in us which went before in our Head. What went before in our Head? Because the flesh of that Head rose again; did the Spirit of that Head die? What had died in Him, rose again. Now He arose on the third day; and the Lord as it were thus speaks to us: What you have seen in Me, hope for in yourselves; that is, because I have risen from the dead, you also shall rise again.

Psalms 130:7-8

Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.

"For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption" [Psalm 130:7]. Admirable! This could not have been better said in its own place, on account of the words, "From the morning watch." Wherefore? Because the Lord rose again from the morning watch; and the body ought to hope for that which went before in the Head. But, lest this thought should be suggested: The Head might rise again, because It was not weighed down with sins, there was no sin in Him; what shall we do? Shall we hope for such a resurrection, as went before in the Lord, while we are weighed down by our sins? But see what follows: "And He shall redeem Israel from all his sins" [Psalm 130:8]. Though therefore he was weighed down with his sins, the mercy of God is present to him. For this reason, He went before without sin, that He may blot out the sins of those that follow Him. Trust not in yourselves, but trust from the morning watch....

Psalms 131:1 · 2 passages

A Song of degrees of David. LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.

"Lord, my heart is not lifted up" [Psalm 131:1]. He has offered a sacrifice. Whence do we prove that he has offered a sacrifice? Because humility of heart is a sacrifice....If there is no sacrifice, there is no Priest. But if we have a High Priest in Heaven, who intercedes with the Father for us (for He has entered into the Holy of Holies, within the veil),...we are safe, for we have a Priest; let us offer our sacrifice there. Let us consider what sacrifice we ought to offer; for God is not pleased with burnt-offerings, as you have heard in the Psalm. But in that place he next shows what he offers: The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, shall Thou not despise.

"Lord, my heart was not lifted up, neither were my eyes raised on high" [Psalm 131:1]; "I have not exercised myself in great matters, nor in wonderful things which are too high for me" [Psalm 131:2]. Let this be more plainly spoken and heard. I have not been proud: I have not wished to be known among men as for wondrous powers; nor have I sought anything beyond my strength, whereby I might boast myself among the ignorant. As that Simon the sorcerer wished to advance into wonders above himself, on that account the power of the Apostles more pleased him, than the righteousness of Christians....What is above my strength, he says, I have not sought; I have not stretched myself out there, I have not chosen to be magnified there. How deeply this self-exaltation in the abundance of graces is to be feared, that no man may pride himself in the gift of God, but may rather preserve humility, and may do what is written: "The greater you are, the more humble yourself, and you shall find favour before the Lord:" [Sirach 3:18] how deeply pride in God's gift should be feared, we must again and again…

"Lord, my heart was not lifted up, neither were my eyes raised on high" [Psalm 131:1]; "I have not exercised myself in great matters, nor in wonderful things which are too high for me" [Psalm 131:2]. Let this be more plainly spoken and heard. I have not been proud: I have not wished to be known among men as for wondrous powers; nor have I sought anything beyond my strength, whereby I might boast myself among the ignorant. As that Simon the sorcerer wished to advance into wonders above himself, on that account the power of the Apostles more pleased him, than the righteousness of Christians....What is above my strength, he says, I have not sought; I have not stretched myself out there, I have not chosen to be magnified there. How deeply this self-exaltation in the abundance of graces is to be feared, that no man may pride himself in the gift of God, but may rather preserve humility, and may do what is written: "The greater you are, the more humble yourself, and you shall find favour before the Lord:" [Sirach 3:18] how deeply pride in God's gift should be feared, we must again and again impress upon you....

Psalms 131:2

Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.

"If I had not lowly thoughts, but have lifted up my soul, as one taken from his mother's breast, such the reward for my soul" [Psalm 131:2]. He seems as it were to have bound himself by a curse:...as though he had been going to say, Let it so happen to me. "As one taken away from his mother's breast, may be my soul's reward." You know that the Apostle says to some weak brethren, "I have fed you with milk, and not with meat; for hitherto you were not able to bear it, neither yet now are you able." [1 Corinthians 3:2] There are weak persons who are not fit for strong meat; they wish to grasp at that which they cannot receive: and if they ever do receive, or seem to themselves to receive what they have not received, they are puffed up thereby, and become proud thereupon; they seem to themselves wise men. Now this happens to all heretics; who since they were animal and carnal, by defending their depraved opinions, which they could not see to be false, were shut out of the Catholic Church....

Psalms 131:3

Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.

This Psalm therefore concludes to this purpose: "O Israel, trust in the Lord, from this time forth and even unto eternity" [Psalm 131:3]. But the word seculum does not always mean this world, but sometimes eternity; since eternity is understood in two ways; until eternity, that is, either evermore without end, or until we arrive at eternity. How then is it to be understood here? Until we arrive at eternity, let us trust in the Lord God; because when we have reached eternity, there will be no longer hope, but the thing itself will be ours.

Psalms 132:1-5

A Song of degrees. LORD, remember David, and all his afflictions:

"Lord, remember David, and all his meekness" [Psalm 132:1]. David according to the truth of history was one man, king of Israel, son of Jesse. He was indeed meek, as the Divine Scriptures themselves mark and command him, and so meek that he did not even render evil for evil to his persecutor Saul. He preserved towards him so great humility, that he acknowledged him a king, and himself a dog: and answered the king not proudly nor rudely, though he was more powerful in God; but he rather endeavoured to appease him by humility, than to provoke him by pride. Saul was even given into his power, and this by the Lord God, that he might do to him what he listed: but since he was not commanded to slay him, but had it only placed in his power (now a man is permitted to use his power), he rather turned towards mercy what God gave him....The humility of David is therefore commended, the meekness of David is commended; and it is said to God, "Lord, remember David, and all his meekness." For what purpose? "How he swore unto the Lord, and vowed a vow unto the Almighty God of Jacob" [Psalm 132:2]. T…

"Lord, remember David, and all his meekness" [Psalm 132:1]. David according to the truth of history was one man, king of Israel, son of Jesse. He was indeed meek, as the Divine Scriptures themselves mark and command him, and so meek that he did not even render evil for evil to his persecutor Saul. He preserved towards him so great humility, that he acknowledged him a king, and himself a dog: and answered the king not proudly nor rudely, though he was more powerful in God; but he rather endeavoured to appease him by humility, than to provoke him by pride. Saul was even given into his power, and this by the Lord God, that he might do to him what he listed: but since he was not commanded to slay him, but had it only placed in his power (now a man is permitted to use his power), he rather turned towards mercy what God gave him....The humility of David is therefore commended, the meekness of David is commended; and it is said to God, "Lord, remember David, and all his meekness." For what purpose? "How he swore unto the Lord, and vowed a vow unto the Almighty God of Jacob" [Psalm 132:2]. Therefore remember for this, that he may fulfil what he has promised. David himself vowed as though he had it in his power, and he prays God to fulfil his vow: there is devotion in the vow, but there is humility in the prayer. Let no one presume to think he fulfilled by his own strength what he has vowed. He who exhorts you to vow, Himself aids you to fulfil. Let us therefore see what he vowed, and hence we comprehend how David should be understood in a figure. "David" is interpreted, "Strong of hand," for he was a great warrior. Trusting indeed in the Lord his God, he dispatched all wars, he laid low all his enemies, God helping him, according to the dispensation of that kingdom; prefiguring nevertheless some One strong of hand to destroy His enemies, the devil and his angels. These enemies the Church wars against, and conquers....What then does he mean, "How he swore," etc.? Let us see what vow is this. We can offer God nothing more pleasing than to swear. Now to swear is to promise firmly. Consider this vow, that is, with what ardour he vowed what he vowed, with what love, with what longing; nevertheless, he prays the Lord to fulfil it in these words, "O Lord, remember David, and all his meekness." In this temper he vowed his vow, and there should be a house of God: "I will not come within the tabernacle of mine house, nor climb up into my bed" [Psalm 132:3]. "I will not suffer my eyes to sleep, nor my eyelids to slumber" [Psalm 132:4]. This seems not enough; he adds, "Neither the temples of my head to take any rest, until I find out a place for the Lord; an habitation for the God of Jacob" [Psalm 132:5]. Where did he seek a place for the Lord? If he was meek, he sought it in himself. For how is one a place for the Lord? Hear the Prophet: "Upon whom shall My Spirit rest? Even upon him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at My words." [Isaiah 66:2] Do you wish to be a place for the Lord? Be thou poor in spirit, and contrite, and trembling at the word of God, and you will yourself be made what you seek. For if what you seek be not realized in yourself, what does it profit you in another....