Cassiodorus — Commentary on Scripture

Psalms 14:1

We cannot do good unless we have come to Christ through God’s mercy. For when we approach him and do not turn away from him, without a doubt every good is performed. This is the end that was promised in the heading of the psalm.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 14:1

Psalms 15:1

Unlike some of the psalms, this one is not shrouded in darkness, but here the Lord responds to the prophet’s question following the pattern of the Decalogue, indicating that one reaches his blessed hall by ten virtues.… This is that divine Decalogue, a spiritual psaltery of ten strings. This is a number befitting of a crown, which only the one who destroyed the world’s vices together with his Father was able to fulfill. Let us constantly ask for his almighty power so that we who are not able to fulfill what has been commanded may be able to do them once we have been enriched by his gift.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 15:1, 5

Psalms 15:2

He testifies in the Gospel that he always spoke without deceit when he says “Everything that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” What could be more pure or simple than that the unchangeable truth, without corruption by any addition or omission, might come to human ears in the purest possible integrity. “Nor did he commit any wrong against his neighbor.” … [This virtue is] demonstrated in the life of the Lord: … Not only did Jesus hurt no one, he also endured all things patiently.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 15:3

Psalms 15:2

The Lord Christ … entered the temple in Jerusalem free from all sin. For while others entered the house of God for purification, he alone entered in such a state that he might stand before the face of the Father without sin. He did not do this that the law might grant him something, but so that he, as the best legislator, might bestow something on the law by fulfilling it.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 15:2

Psalms 15:4

When people swear an oath, they make a promise with God as their witness. But when God himself makes a promise, it is more appropriate to say that he has sworn. For “to swear” means “to speak justly” or “to speak truthfully.” Now a person speaks truthfully when he promises those things which are fulfilled. Therefore God’s swearing consists in making promises and fulfilling them, as it says elsewhere: “The Lord has sworn truthfulness to David, and he will not deceive him.”

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 15:4

Psalms 15:5

Money is clearly to be understood in two senses in the Holy Scriptures. The first is the metal money that we are completely forbidden to loan out for interest, because the vice of greed consists of the desire to demand back what you know that you have not lent. The Lord Christ certainly had this sort of money, which he entrusted to Judas to be distributed to the poor. He did not devote this type of money to making interest, but he gave it to those in need because of his merciful generosity in order to teach us. The other kind of money is the sort that we are persuaded by the gospel’s teaching to give over to gain interest, namely, the most holy proclamations and divine instructions.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 15:5

Psalms 16:1

Let us consider how this psalm teaches us about the tremdendous gift of salvation. In times of suffering, it conveys confidence and promises eternal glory in hope, so that by teaching us that our future will be prosperous we do not fear adversity in the present. This psalm is a heavenly school, a source of learning for life, a lecture hall filled with truth, and without doubt a unique teaching which occupies its students with fruitful meanings rather than with the flattery of empty words.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 16:11

Psalms 16:1

The person of the Lord Savior is represented throughout the entire psalm. The first theme is undertaken from the perspective of his humanity in accordance with his custom. He speaks to the Father, asking to be saved because he has always placed his hope in him. In speaking this way, he does not minimize his own divinity in any way, but shows the nature of his humanity.… In the second theme, he returns thanks to the Father, who by appearing at his right hand, has overcome the iniquity of this age by the strength of his omnipotence. On this basis, he claims that his soul has been freed from hell, and he mentions that after the glory of the resurrection he has been placed among the delights at his right hand.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 16:1

Psalms 16:2

He points all things back to the one who has freely given them, not to himself who has received what was conferred on him.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 16:2

Psalms 16:6

According to an ancient custom, an inheritance used to be divided by roping off the lands, so that each person might obtain a portion of land by measurement, allotted by the size of the tract and the status of the individual. In this way, it says in the Old Testament that Moses commanded Joshua to distribute the inheritance of the promised land to the children of Israel through the use of cords. So he now rightly said “cords,” because he spoke about the breadth and glory of his inheritance.… The inheritance of Christ is the predestined multitude of the saints.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 16:6

Psalms 16:8

By explaining what he did, he passes on to us the unique remedy through which we can avoid sins. For the person who constantly keeps him in his mental line of sight does not turn toward transgressions in any way.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 16:8

Psalms 16:10

Where are the false statements of the Apollinarians who say that the Lord Christ did not have a rational soul? Here he cries out and gives thanks to the Father because his soul is not abandoned to hell in the normal way, but is glorified by a swift resurrection and has passed to the realms of heaven.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 16:10

Psalms 16:11

To “fill up from full” means to make something more than full, and he who brings more pours into a container that is already full. That joy fills up in such a way that the vessel always remains full. This text also indicates that all the righteous are going to be filled with the joy of the Lord’s face in that blessedness, and because it is the Lord who speaks, he testifies that he is able to be filled up among them. But we should consider more carefully what it means when he says here that he will be filled with delights at the right hand of the Father, although he said earlier “for he is at my right hand so that I may not be moved.” Without a doubt, in this age after he assumed human flesh, he was whipped, bruised by slaps, and splattered with spittle. Since he was not overcome at all by any of these adversities, the Scripture rightly says that the Lord was always there at his right hand. For he overcame the opposition of the world because he did not depart at all from the contemplation of his Father. But after the glory of the resurrection, he can rightly say that he found delight…

To “fill up from full” means to make something more than full, and he who brings more pours into a container that is already full. That joy fills up in such a way that the vessel always remains full. This text also indicates that all the righteous are going to be filled with the joy of the Lord’s face in that blessedness, and because it is the Lord who speaks, he testifies that he is able to be filled up among them. But we should consider more carefully what it means when he says here that he will be filled with delights at the right hand of the Father, although he said earlier “for he is at my right hand so that I may not be moved.” Without a doubt, in this age after he assumed human flesh, he was whipped, bruised by slaps, and splattered with spittle. Since he was not overcome at all by any of these adversities, the Scripture rightly says that the Lord was always there at his right hand. For he overcame the opposition of the world because he did not depart at all from the contemplation of his Father. But after the glory of the resurrection, he can rightly say that he found delight at the right hand of the Father since by that time the opposition of the world had come to an end, his humanity had become filled by the glorification of his full majesty, and he now reigns united with the Word together with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever and forever. “Even to the end” refers to perfection and eternity. His glory remains in his perfection and will not come to an end at any time.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 16:11

Psalms 17:1

Although some psalms contain prayers combined sporadically with other diverse material, this psalm is almost entirely a supplication in its composition. Therefore it is appropriately designated as such from the start, since its purpose is entirely focused on zeal for prayer.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 17:1

Psalms 17:4

When sins are avoided, the path is hard, and the ascent is always difficult. But when we slip toward vices, the road is easy and downhill. But the Lord Christ appeared before us in this world and demonstrated the laws of meekness and self-control. So he rightly says that through the commands of the Lord he walked the hard ways of people with undefiled feet.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 17:4

Psalms 17:5

“In the paths,” that is, “in your commandments”; for if we are devoted followers on the ways that are truly the right ones, then we will obtain the rewards of our heavenly fatherland.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 17:5

Psalms 17:6

Human weakness is not strong enough to reach the Father on its own. For when he hears, he graciously shows his indulgence, and he bestows his mercy in advance so that he is able to accept the prayers of those who implore him.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 17:6

Psalms 17:8

The Father’s protection is compared to wings. Mercy and love are, so to speak, the wings of the Father with which he asks to be protected. This comparison is drawn from the example of birds who guard their own dear offspring by spreading out their wings.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 17:8

Psalms 19:8

They are truly right, because he is known to have acted in the same say as he taught. In contrast, those whose words are not consistent with their works show that their version of justice is not right.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 19:9

Psalms 19:9

The fear of God is not an anxious confusion but an undaunted perseverance, a state that is not altered by any change in this life, but remains focused on the same thing with a sincere conscience. For human fear changes with time and is not holy, because it cannot be productive. But the fear of God does not have anything to do with the passions. For although one appropriately fears his Maker, he knows without a doubt that the one who judges him is merciful to those who seek him in prayer. Therefore whoever is known both to fear and to love his Judge lives in complete holiness. When love is combined with awe, it is the fear of the Lord, what is called reverence in secular terms.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 19:10