Cassiodorus — Commentary on Scripture

Psalms 33:5

He describes the Lord by telling what he has done or what he does every day. We say that we love the things in which we are often engaged. So here the Lord’s love of mercy is celebrated in song … because he often imparts this mercy as a gift.… Since in this world he shows his love of mercy when he scatters it far and wide, when he bears with sinners, when he patiently waits for blasphemers, when he offers life to the unworthy and other similar acts that plainly ought to be attributed to divine compassion.… What follows is the statement that “the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord.” It is just this mercy that preserves us when we are miserable, when we struggle in the battle because of the devil’s attack, when we are distracted from the commands of heaven by the weakness of our flesh.… Therefore let us seek the mercy with which the entire world is filled.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 33:5

Psalms 33:6

If we examine the passage more carefully, he even indicates the holy Trinity here. For by using the term word he reveals the Son, by adding “of the Lord” he speaks of the Father, and with the phrase “by the spirit of his mouth” he surely wants the Holy Spirit to be understood, who proceeded from the Father before all time. And in order that you may understand the unity manifest in three persons, he refers to his mouth, rather than their mouths.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 33:6

Psalms 33:8

The prophet rightly asks that all things be moved by the Lord, because everything that is arranged by his ordering is always applied to useful matters. But although he had earlier spoken about all things in a general way, he now turns his attention to people. Even though the universe needs to be administered by his command, the human race has the greatest need of such administration; the human race is known to be subject to acts of sin because it has become corrupted from its original nature because of vices that creep into it.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 33:8

Psalms 33:11

We properly understand his counsel as the secret of the incarnation, since it was known to have been granted in order to provide counsel for the human race. It is not undone in any age, but remains for eternity, because the triumphant death of the Lord forever abolished the destruction brought about by the devil.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 33:11

Psalms 33:13

A person does not look to the Lord, but the Lord looks to a person … for when it says “and he looks upon,” it indicates the graces of the One who shows compassion, for we say that we look upon those to whom we claim that something has been bestowed. Consider that he does not say that sins were looked upon, but people. When he looks upon sins, he punishes, but when he focuses his attention on a person, then he pardons.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 33:13

Psalms 33:15

God has “fashioned the hearts” of those to him he has granted the gifts of his understanding. We say that modelers fashion, since they compose forms in accordance with the needs of their work. Likewise, the Lord also forms the minds of the just and sets them in order to guide them to the gifts of his mercy.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 33:15

Psalms 33:19

These are the two prayers of the most faithful Christian: to be rescued from eternal death at the coming judgment and to spend time here with spiritual nourishment. The Lord rescues the souls of the just from death when he raises them from the power of the devil, when by his kindness he frees those held captive by sin. In hunger, he feeds them while they are in this world, when there is a lack of good things. He does not cease to nourish with spiritual food those whom he has redeemed.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 33:19

Psalms 33:20

When the psalmist says “he waits,” he indicates the endurance of the Christian … since it is endurance that makes the martyrs glorious, that watches over the good things of our faith, that conquers everything that stands against us, not by fighting against God’s will, but by enduring, not by complaining, but by giving thanks. Endurance suppresses deceptive luxury, it overcomes the heat of anger, it removes the jealousy that lays waste the human race, it renders people gentle, it smiles appropriately at the kind, and it sets the cleansed in good order for the rewards that are to come. Endurance wipes away the dregs of every pleasure; it makes souls appear bright. Through endurance we serve as God’s soldiers, through it we conquer the devil, through it we arrive as the blessed to his heavenly kingdom, for it is written, “in your endurance you will gain possession of your souls.”

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 33:20

Psalms 33:20

The psalmist’s word waits reflects the patience of the Christian.… Patience is what makes glorious martyrs, what guards the blessings of our faith, what conquers all adversity not by wrestling but by enduring, not by grumbling but by giving thanks. Patience represses the extravagance that beguiles us. It overcomes hot anger, it removes the envy that ravages the human race, it makes people gentle, it smiles becomingly on the kind, and it orders people who are cleansed to attain the rewards that are to come. Patience wipes away the dregs of all pleasure; patience makes souls pure. Through patience we soldier for Christ, through it we conquer the devil, through it we blessedly attain the kingdom of heaven. As Scripture says, “In your patience you shall possess your souls.”

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 33:20

Psalms 34:4

By saying “from all,” nothing is left which you might have suspected was still standing in opposition.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 34:5

Psalms 34:4

“I sought the Lord” not in the expansive space of lands nor through broad and expansive regions, but in the heart. If we reflect on his majesty there, we find it present in every way.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 34:5

Psalms 34:5

His light is said to be inaccessible when the unique and omnipotent character of its substance is described. But when the grace of the holy Godhead pours itself forth, one both approaches him and is offered blessed illumination.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 34:6

Psalms 34:6

The word this indicates the person poor in spirit who is not only devoid of worldly riches, but also of abundant vices. This is the poor person who is enlightened as he approaches God, whose face does not blush, and his prayer is heard appropriately, leading to his salvation when he cries to the Lord; afterwards he comes forth not to be freed from a single affliction, but from all earthly distresses. This takes places regularly for the just when they yield their souls to holy conduct and are taken from the chaotic disaster of this world to lasting freedom from care.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 34:7

Psalms 34:11

This is not the fear that leads to dread, but the kind that leads to love. Fear of people is full of bitterness, but this fear is full of sweetness. The first compels us to slavery, but the second draws us toward freedom. Finally, the first fears confinement, but the second opens up the kingdom of heaven. So he rightly professes that this second type of fear is useful and we ought to learn it with an eager mind.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 34:12

Psalms 34:14

To see good days it is insufficient simply to abstain from evil acts; our compassion must also compel us to perform good works. The first stage of virtue is not to covet what belongs to others, but then the higher stage is not to hold back our own possessions from those in need. In the first stage, we escape blame, but in the second we win the palm of compassion.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 34:15

Psalms 34:16

After explaining the grace toward the just, he now turns his attention to the punishment of the wicked.… Understand that he sees both groups, but his gaze results in a different outcome for each group; he looks at the just to hear them, but looks upon sinners to destroy them. When he says “from the earth,” he means the future homeland, which only those who have pleased God will possess. The “remembrance” of the sinners will perish, because there will not be any recollection of them among the just.… Those who leave the Lord’s memory surely go on to eternal punishments.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 34:17

Psalms 34:17

What then do we say about the martyrs, since it is well known that they were not freed from the torments of the tyrants? They were certainly set free when they were conducted to the kingdom of heaven; they were plainly released from all their troubles. For the cry of the just is always heard, not only for this life, but most of all for their eternal benefit.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 34:18

Psalms 34:19

The afflictions of the just are certainly many, for the devil pursues them with great power and people also often oppress them out of jealousy. The wicked can be afflicted sometimes too, if they suffer something adverse by themselves, but the just are oppressed both by their own sufferings and when they share in those of others through love.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 34:20

Psalms 34:22

This psalm has certainly ended well in the hope of those who are good that, after forsaking the association of the wicked, they may instead reach toward the good things yet to come.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 34:23

Psalms 35:1

This statement, as has been noted, refers to the devil and his followers.… For when he gives the command, “pray for your enemies,” this statement does not apply to people. Thus, he asks that they be condemned whom he knows by virtue of his foreknowledge would not come to the remedies of repentance. For in what follows, when he turns his attention to people, he desires that they be converted, not that they perish.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 35:1