TRV
Gregory the Dialogist
Late Patristic · AD 500–800
2,896 passages across 55 books of the Bible · Who was this?
On Ezekiel
20 of 274-
Ezekiel 2:6
There can be no bad without good, no good without bad in the church. My friends, before your time on earth is over, recall these examples. Strengthen yourselves to bear with the bad. If we are the offspring of God's chosen ones, we must live according to their example. The good have never refused to bear with the bad.
FORTY GOSPEL HOMILIES 38
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Ezekiel 2:6
But why he ought not to fear the tongues of detractors, the reason is also added, when it is immediately subjoined: "Because the unbelieving and subverters are with you, and you dwell among scorpions." For those to whom he was sent to speak would need to be feared if they had pleased Almighty God in faith and work. But because they are unbelieving and subverters, detracting in their words, they are not to be feared, because it is very foolish if we seek to please those whom we know do not please the Lord. But the judgments of the just ought to be held in fear and reverence, because they are members of Almighty God, and they reprove on earth that which the Lord rebukes from heaven. For the detraction of the perverse is the approbation of our life, because it is already shown that we have something of justice if we begin to displease those who do not please God. For no one can be pleasing in one and the same matter to the Almighty Lord and to His enemies. For he denies himself a friend to God who pleases His enemy. And he will be opposed to the enemies of truth who is subjected to that…
But why he ought not to fear the tongues of detractors, the reason is also added, when it is immediately subjoined: "Because the unbelieving and subverters are with you, and you dwell among scorpions." For those to whom he was sent to speak would need to be feared if they had pleased Almighty God in faith and work. But because they are unbelieving and subverters, detracting in their words, they are not to be feared, because it is very foolish if we seek to please those whom we know do not please the Lord. But the judgments of the just ought to be held in fear and reverence, because they are members of Almighty God, and they reprove on earth that which the Lord rebukes from heaven. For the detraction of the perverse is the approbation of our life, because it is already shown that we have something of justice if we begin to displease those who do not please God. For no one can be pleasing in one and the same matter to the Almighty Lord and to His enemies. For he denies himself a friend to God who pleases His enemy. And he will be opposed to the enemies of truth who is subjected to that same truth in his mind. Whence holy men, inflamed in the rebuke of free speech, do not fear to arouse against themselves the hatred of those whom they know do not love God. Which the Prophet ardently displaying, offered to the Creator of all as if in a gift, saying: "Did I not hate those who hate You, O God, and waste away over Your enemies? With perfect hatred I hated them, and they have become enemies to me." -
Ezekiel 2:6
But the matter requires great inquiry: when we hold to the path of right action, whether we should always despise the words of detractors, or certainly sometimes restrain them. On this matter it must be known that we ought not to stir up the tongues of detractors by our own effort, lest they themselves perish; yet when they are stirred up through their own malice, we ought to bear them with equanimity, so that our merit may increase. Sometimes, however, we should also restrain them, lest while they spread evil things about us, they corrupt the hearts of the innocent who could have heard us unto good. For this is why John rebuked the tongue of his detractor, saying: "Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us; therefore, if I come, I will call attention to his works which he does, prating against us with malicious words." Hence Paul likewise speaks of the detracting Corinthians, saying: "'His letters,' they say, 'are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.' Let such a person consider this: that what we are…
But the matter requires great inquiry: when we hold to the path of right action, whether we should always despise the words of detractors, or certainly sometimes restrain them. On this matter it must be known that we ought not to stir up the tongues of detractors by our own effort, lest they themselves perish; yet when they are stirred up through their own malice, we ought to bear them with equanimity, so that our merit may increase. Sometimes, however, we should also restrain them, lest while they spread evil things about us, they corrupt the hearts of the innocent who could have heard us unto good. For this is why John rebuked the tongue of his detractor, saying: "Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us; therefore, if I come, I will call attention to his works which he does, prating against us with malicious words." Hence Paul likewise speaks of the detracting Corinthians, saying: "'His letters,' they say, 'are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.' Let such a person consider this: that what we are in word through letters when absent, such we will be also in deed when present." Those whose life is set forth as an example for imitation ought, if they can, to restrain the words of detractors against themselves, lest those who could have heard should not hear their preaching, and, remaining in wicked ways, should despise living well. -
Ezekiel 2:6
But often in people this very order of speaking is confused. For sometimes someone speaks through the swelling of pride, and thinks that he speaks through the authority of freedom; and sometimes another keeps silent through foolish fear, and thinks that he keeps silent through humility. The former, attending to the position of his governance, does not measure the feeling of his pride; the latter, considering the position of his subjection, fears to say the good things which he perceives, and does not know how guilty he becomes against charity by keeping silent. Thus indeed pride cloaks itself under the guise of authority, and human fear cloaks itself under the guise of humility, so that often neither the one is able to consider what he owes to God, nor the other what he owes to his neighbor. For the one, while he looks upon those who are subject to him and does not attend to Him to whom all are subject, is lifted up in elation and glories in his elation as though it were authority. The other, however, sometimes fearing lest he lose the favor of a superior and thereby suffer some temp…
But often in people this very order of speaking is confused. For sometimes someone speaks through the swelling of pride, and thinks that he speaks through the authority of freedom; and sometimes another keeps silent through foolish fear, and thinks that he keeps silent through humility. The former, attending to the position of his governance, does not measure the feeling of his pride; the latter, considering the position of his subjection, fears to say the good things which he perceives, and does not know how guilty he becomes against charity by keeping silent. Thus indeed pride cloaks itself under the guise of authority, and human fear cloaks itself under the guise of humility, so that often neither the one is able to consider what he owes to God, nor the other what he owes to his neighbor. For the one, while he looks upon those who are subject to him and does not attend to Him to whom all are subject, is lifted up in elation and glories in his elation as though it were authority. The other, however, sometimes fearing lest he lose the favor of a superior and thereby suffer some temporal loss, conceals the right things he understands, and silently within himself calls the very fear by which he is constrained humility. But the one to whom he is unwilling to say anything, he judges in his thoughts by remaining silent; and it happens that from the very thing by which he considers himself humble, he is more gravely proud. Therefore freedom and pride must always be distinguished, as must humility and fear, lest either fear pretend to be humility, or pride pretend to be freedom. And so Ezekiel, because he was being sent to speak not only to the people but also to the elders, lest he believe imprudent fear to be humility, is admonished that he ought not to fear, when it is said: "Do not fear them." And lest perhaps he dread the words of their disparagement, it is added: "Neither be afraid of their words." -
Ezekiel 2:6
In this matter it should also be noted that when it is said to the prophet: "The unbelieving and the subverters are with you, and you dwell among scorpions," a remedy of consolation is offered to us, whom it often wearies to live when we do not wish to dwell with the wicked. For we complain why all who live with us are not good. We do not wish to bear the evils of our neighbors; we decree that all ought already to be saints, while we do not wish to be what we must bear from our neighbors. But in this matter it is clearer than light that, while we refuse to bear the wicked, how much we ourselves still lack of goodness. For no one is perfectly good unless he has also been good among the wicked. Hence blessed Job declares of himself, saying: "I was a brother of dragons and a companion of ostriches." Hence the apostle Paul says to his disciples: "In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom you shine as lights in the world." Hence Peter, the pastor of the Lord's flock, says: "He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the injurious conduct of the wicked. For he was righteous in…
In this matter it should also be noted that when it is said to the prophet: "The unbelieving and the subverters are with you, and you dwell among scorpions," a remedy of consolation is offered to us, whom it often wearies to live when we do not wish to dwell with the wicked. For we complain why all who live with us are not good. We do not wish to bear the evils of our neighbors; we decree that all ought already to be saints, while we do not wish to be what we must bear from our neighbors. But in this matter it is clearer than light that, while we refuse to bear the wicked, how much we ourselves still lack of goodness. For no one is perfectly good unless he has also been good among the wicked. Hence blessed Job declares of himself, saying: "I was a brother of dragons and a companion of ostriches." Hence the apostle Paul says to his disciples: "In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom you shine as lights in the world." Hence Peter, the pastor of the Lord's flock, says: "He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the injurious conduct of the wicked. For he was righteous in sight and hearing, dwelling among those who from day to day tormented the soul of the righteous man with their lawless deeds." -
Ezekiel 2:6
They would be less evil if those who are unbelieving had not also been subverters. For since they themselves do not believe that there are rewards of the heavenly kingdom or punishments of hell, abandoned to their own depravities, they subvert others as well from faith and good works, so that the kingdom which they themselves refuse to seek, another might not attain either. For when they perceive that certain tender souls are beginning good things and now avoiding evil, by mocking what is promised in heaven, by despising what almighty God threatens concerning the punishments of hell, by praising temporal goods, and by promising with cunning persuasion the pleasures of the present age, they turn aside the minds of the innocent and pervert their paths. They rejoice if they can call anyone back from life and drag them to death; they take delight in their own depravities and exult in those of others as well. Their own punishment is certainly not enough for those who act so as not to die alone.
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Ezekiel 2:6
But in this matter, it is necessary that the mind investigate itself with subtle inquiry, lest perhaps it seek the glory of its own praise, and our thought pretend that it seeks the gain of souls. For often the mind is fed by praise of its own name, and as if under the pretext of spiritual gains, it rejoices when it learns that good things are said about it. And often it grows angry against detractors in defense of its own glory, and pretends to itself that it does this out of zeal for those whose hearts the word of the detractor disturbs from the good path. Therefore, those who, examining their conscience subtly, find in themselves nothing of the love of private glory, ought greatly to take care that the words of detractors do not prevail against their reputation.
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Ezekiel 2:6
For this is why the just and perfect sometimes proclaim their virtues and narrate the good things they have received from God—not so that they themselves might advance by displaying them before men, but so that they might draw those to whom they preach toward life by their own example. Hence the apostle Paul narrates to the Corinthians how many times he was beaten with rods, how many times stoned, how many times he endured shipwreck, how much he suffered for the truth, that he was caught up to the third heaven, that he was led into paradise—so that he might turn their minds away from false preachers, so that while he made known what sort of man he was, those whom he knew they wrongly venerated might become worthless in their eyes. When the perfect do this—that is, when they speak of their own virtues—in this too they are imitators of almighty God, who speaks His own praises to men so that He might be known by men. For when He commands through His Scripture, saying, "Let another praise you, and not your own mouth," how does He Himself do what He forbids? But if almighty God were silen…
For this is why the just and perfect sometimes proclaim their virtues and narrate the good things they have received from God—not so that they themselves might advance by displaying them before men, but so that they might draw those to whom they preach toward life by their own example. Hence the apostle Paul narrates to the Corinthians how many times he was beaten with rods, how many times stoned, how many times he endured shipwreck, how much he suffered for the truth, that he was caught up to the third heaven, that he was led into paradise—so that he might turn their minds away from false preachers, so that while he made known what sort of man he was, those whom he knew they wrongly venerated might become worthless in their eyes. When the perfect do this—that is, when they speak of their own virtues—in this too they are imitators of almighty God, who speaks His own praises to men so that He might be known by men. For when He commands through His Scripture, saying, "Let another praise you, and not your own mouth," how does He Himself do what He forbids? But if almighty God were silent about His virtues, no one would recognize Him; if no one recognized Him, no one would love Him; if no one loved Him, no one would return to life. Hence it is also said of Him through the Psalmist: "He will announce the power of His works to His people, that He may give them the inheritance of the nations." Therefore He announces His virtues not so that He Himself might advance by His own praises, but so that those who have come to know Him from His praise might come to the perpetual inheritance. Thus the just and perfect are not blameworthy not only when they rebuke words of reproach against themselves, but also when they speak to the weak about the virtues they possess, because through their own life which they recount they seek to bring the souls of others to life. -
Ezekiel 2:6
There is, however, one reason why the society of the wicked must be avoided: lest, if by chance they cannot be corrected, they draw others to imitation; and since they themselves are not changed from their wickedness, they may pervert those who have been joined to them. Hence Paul says: "Evil communications corrupt good manners." And as it is said through Solomon: "Do not be a friend to an angry man, nor walk with a furious man, lest perhaps you learn his ways and take a stumbling block to your soul." Therefore, just as perfect men ought not to flee from perverse neighbors, because they often draw them to righteousness and are themselves never drawn to perversity, so all who are weak ought to avoid the society of the wicked, lest they be delighted to imitate the evils which they frequently observe and cannot correct. For in this way, by hearing the words of our neighbors daily, we take them into our mind, just as by breathing in and out we draw air into our body. And just as bad air drawn in by constant breathing infects the body, so perverse speech constantly heard infects the mind…
There is, however, one reason why the society of the wicked must be avoided: lest, if by chance they cannot be corrected, they draw others to imitation; and since they themselves are not changed from their wickedness, they may pervert those who have been joined to them. Hence Paul says: "Evil communications corrupt good manners." And as it is said through Solomon: "Do not be a friend to an angry man, nor walk with a furious man, lest perhaps you learn his ways and take a stumbling block to your soul." Therefore, just as perfect men ought not to flee from perverse neighbors, because they often draw them to righteousness and are themselves never drawn to perversity, so all who are weak ought to avoid the society of the wicked, lest they be delighted to imitate the evils which they frequently observe and cannot correct. For in this way, by hearing the words of our neighbors daily, we take them into our mind, just as by breathing in and out we draw air into our body. And just as bad air drawn in by constant breathing infects the body, so perverse speech constantly heard infects the mind of the weak, so that it wastes away with delight in wicked work and the iniquity of continual discourse. -
Ezekiel 2:7
"Therefore you shall speak my words to them, if perhaps they may hear and be still, because they are provokers." Everyone who sins, what else does he do but provoke the wrath of his Creator against himself? And we know that as often as we transgress in deed, as often in word, as often in thought, we provoke God against us just as many times. But nevertheless He endures, and mercifully waits, offering patience through Himself, but through His preachers He extends to us the word of exhortation. Moreover, everyone who preaches what is right, if he is heard, appeases the wrath of the provoked Creator over the transgressing people. Hence it is necessary that he himself ought not to do evil, which is accustomed to provoke the fury of his Creator among the people.
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Ezekiel 2:8
"Open your mouth and eat whatever I give you." We open our mouth when we speak rightly; and we eat what we receive from God, because the food of life is both granted and increased in our understanding when we begin to preach. Hence another prophet says: I opened my mouth and drew in the spirit. For he would not have drawn in the spirit unless he had opened his mouth, because unless he had devoted himself to preaching to his neighbors, the grace of spiritual teaching would not have grown in him.
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Ezekiel 2:8
"But you, son of man, hear whatever I speak to you, and do not be provoking, as the provoking house is." That is, do not yourself do the evil things which you see being done, lest you yourself commit what you were sent to prohibit. For every preacher must always consider with attentive mind, lest he who was sent to raise up the fallen should himself fall into wickedness of deed along with the fallen, and lest the sentence of Paul strike him who says: "In what you judge another, you condemn yourself." Whence Balaam, filled with the Spirit of God for speaking, yet still held in carnal life by his own spirit, speaks of himself, saying: "The hearer of the words of God has spoken, who knows the doctrine of the Most High, and sees the visions of the Almighty, who falling has his eyes open." He had his eyes open while falling, who saw the right thing that he should say, but despised living rightly. Falling, that is, in perverse work, and having his eyes open in holy preaching.
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Ezekiel 2:8
There is, however, another thing that can be understood as to why blessed Ezekiel, who is sent to preach, is forbidden to be rebellious. For unless he obeyed when he was sent to speak words, he would have provoked the almighty Lord—just as the people provoked Him by their perverse deeds, so the prophet would have provoked Him by his silence. For just as the wicked provoke God because they speak or do evil things, so sometimes the good provoke Him because they remain silent about good things. Therefore, for the former it is a fault to do perverse things; for the latter, to remain silent about right things. In this respect, then, even the good provoke God along with the wicked, because when they do not rebuke perverse things, they grant them license to continue through their silence.
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Ezekiel 2:9
Let him therefore say: "Which was written within and without," because in sacred eloquence the strong are satisfied by more hidden and sublime sayings, and we little ones are nourished by plainer precepts. Whence it is written: "The high mountains are for the deer, the rock is a refuge for the hedgehogs." For let those have the mountains of understanding who already know how to make the leaps of contemplation. But let the rock be a refuge for the hedgehogs, because we little ones, covered with the thorns of our sins, even if we cannot understand lofty things, are saved in the refuge of our rock, that is, in faith in Christ. Whence also it is said to certain ones: "I judged myself to know nothing among you except Christ Jesus, and him crucified." As if he were saying: Because I considered that you could not grasp the mysteries of his divinity, I spoke to you only of the weakness of his humanity.
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Ezekiel 2:9
"And I looked, and behold, a hand was sent to me, in which was a rolled-up book; and he spread it out before me, and it was written inside and outside." Just as the order of preachers is designated by the prophet, so the pages of Sacred Scripture are designated by the book which he received. Now the scroll is the obscure speech of Sacred Scripture, which is wrapped up in the profundity of its meanings, so that it may not easily be penetrated by the understanding of all. But the scroll is unrolled before the prophet, because the obscurity of sacred speech is opened before preachers. The hand of God had extended a rolled-up scroll when He was saying to the apostles: "The kingdom of heaven has become like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. And when the grass had grown and produced fruit, then the weeds also appeared," and the rest which your charity remembers even without my recounting it. But He unrolled the scroll which He had shown rolled up when He explained what He had spoken through ri…
"And I looked, and behold, a hand was sent to me, in which was a rolled-up book; and he spread it out before me, and it was written inside and outside." Just as the order of preachers is designated by the prophet, so the pages of Sacred Scripture are designated by the book which he received. Now the scroll is the obscure speech of Sacred Scripture, which is wrapped up in the profundity of its meanings, so that it may not easily be penetrated by the understanding of all. But the scroll is unrolled before the prophet, because the obscurity of sacred speech is opened before preachers. The hand of God had extended a rolled-up scroll when He was saying to the apostles: "The kingdom of heaven has become like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. And when the grass had grown and produced fruit, then the weeds also appeared," and the rest which your charity remembers even without my recounting it. But He unrolled the scroll which He had shown rolled up when He explained what He had spoken through riddles, saying: "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world. The good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; but the weeds are the sons of wickedness. The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the consummation of the age, and the harvesters are angels. Therefore just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so it will be at the consummation of the age." And so the rolled-up scroll is unrolled when what had been set forth obscurely is opened through the breadth of understanding. Truth unrolled this rolled-up scroll when He accomplished in His disciples what is written: "Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures." -
Ezekiel 2:9
Concerning this book it is further added: "Which was written within and without." For the book of sacred eloquence is written within through allegory, without through history. Within through spiritual understanding, but without through the simple sense of the letter, still suited to those who are weak. Within, because it promises invisible things; without, because it arranges visible things through the rectitude of its precepts. Within, because it promises heavenly things, but without because it teaches how earthly things are to be despised, whether they are to be used or fled from out of desire. For it speaks certain things concerning heavenly secrets, but commands other things in external actions. And indeed those things which it commands outwardly are plain, but those things which it narrates concerning internal matters cannot be fully apprehended.
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Ezekiel 2:9
Whence it is written: "Stretching out the heaven like a skin, who covers its upper parts in the waters." For what is signified by the name of heaven except sacred Scripture? From which the sun of wisdom, and the moon of knowledge, and from the ancient Fathers the stars of examples and virtues shine for us. This is stretched out like a skin, because, formed through the tongue of flesh by its writers, it is unfolded before our eyes by being expounded through the words of teachers. But what is signified by the name of waters except the most holy choirs of angels? Of which it is written: "And let the waters that are above the heavens praise the name of the Lord." The Lord covers the upper parts of this heaven in the waters, because the deep things of sacred eloquence, that is, those things which it narrates concerning the nature of divinity or concerning eternal joys, while we are still ignorant, are known to the angels alone in secret. Therefore this heaven is both stretched out before us, and yet its upper parts are covered in the waters, because both certain things of sacred eloquence…
Whence it is written: "Stretching out the heaven like a skin, who covers its upper parts in the waters." For what is signified by the name of heaven except sacred Scripture? From which the sun of wisdom, and the moon of knowledge, and from the ancient Fathers the stars of examples and virtues shine for us. This is stretched out like a skin, because, formed through the tongue of flesh by its writers, it is unfolded before our eyes by being expounded through the words of teachers. But what is signified by the name of waters except the most holy choirs of angels? Of which it is written: "And let the waters that are above the heavens praise the name of the Lord." The Lord covers the upper parts of this heaven in the waters, because the deep things of sacred eloquence, that is, those things which it narrates concerning the nature of divinity or concerning eternal joys, while we are still ignorant, are known to the angels alone in secret. Therefore this heaven is both stretched out before us, and yet its upper parts are covered in the waters, because both certain things of sacred eloquence now lie open to us through the opening of the spirit, and certain things which can be manifest to the angels alone are still kept hidden from us. Concerning which hidden things, however, we already perceive a part through spiritual understanding, we have already received the pledge of the Holy Spirit, because we have not yet fully known these things, and yet we love them from the depths of our heart, and in many spiritual senses which we have already known, we are fed with the food of truth. -
Ezekiel 2:10
But if you still cling in mind to the present age, if you still delight in earthly pleasures, you cannot love the eternal joys you hear about. Therefore learn the woe that is written in this volume, and drive from your soul through fear what you love, so that from the judgment you may be able to love the song you read. For there under the figure of one condemned the whole multitude of the reprobate is represented, when it is said by the voice of Truth: "Binding his feet and hands, cast him into the outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." For then the reprobate fall into outer darkness, because now they cast themselves down into inner darkness of their own will, so that they would follow the light of truth neither by believing nor by doing good. Bound in feet and hands they are commanded to be cast out, because now while it is the time for working and running, they refused to have free hands and feet for good action. There the woe of the reprobate is written: "Their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched." There it is said to the damned and rej…
But if you still cling in mind to the present age, if you still delight in earthly pleasures, you cannot love the eternal joys you hear about. Therefore learn the woe that is written in this volume, and drive from your soul through fear what you love, so that from the judgment you may be able to love the song you read. For there under the figure of one condemned the whole multitude of the reprobate is represented, when it is said by the voice of Truth: "Binding his feet and hands, cast him into the outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." For then the reprobate fall into outer darkness, because now they cast themselves down into inner darkness of their own will, so that they would follow the light of truth neither by believing nor by doing good. Bound in feet and hands they are commanded to be cast out, because now while it is the time for working and running, they refused to have free hands and feet for good action. There the woe of the reprobate is written: "Their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched." There it is said to the damned and rejected: "Depart from me, you cursed, into eternal fire, which has been prepared for the devil and his angels." -
Ezekiel 2:10
In this volume, therefore, all things that edify, all things that instruct, are contained in writing. For you have sinned, and now you repent of having committed unlawful deeds—that you may be taught to do penance, there you find lamentations. You desire to refresh your mind with hope of heavenly joys—there you find a song for your consolation. But if you have both committed evils and do not repent of having committed them, but raise the neck of your mind, bow down to no lamentations of penance, and are corrected by no expectation of heavenly joys, whether you will or not, you shall hear the woe written there, so that he whom neither fear humbles to repentance nor hope exalts to heavenly rewards may now foresee the punishment of his damnation and fall into eternal torment without excuse.
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Ezekiel 2:10
"And there were written in it lamentations, a song, and woe." There is no doubt that "song" (carmen) is sometimes used in a good sense and sometimes in a bad sense, because we can speak of both a joyful song and a mournful song. But following the usage of Sacred Scripture, which almost always uses "song" in connection with prosperity, we take "song" in this passage as said in a good sense. For when almighty God had delivered His people from the Red Sea, it is written: "Then Moses and the children of Israel sang a song to the Lord." And when David had achieved victory over his enemies, it is written: "David spoke to the Lord the words of this song." Solomon also says: "Like vinegar on soda is one who sings songs to a wicked heart." For if vinegar is poured on soda, the soda immediately fizzes and bubbles up. And when a perverse mind is rebuked through correction, or is urged toward good through the sweetness of preaching, it becomes worse from the correction; and it is inflamed thereby into the wickedness of murmuring, when it ought to have been restrained from wickedness. Through Eli…
"And there were written in it lamentations, a song, and woe." There is no doubt that "song" (carmen) is sometimes used in a good sense and sometimes in a bad sense, because we can speak of both a joyful song and a mournful song. But following the usage of Sacred Scripture, which almost always uses "song" in connection with prosperity, we take "song" in this passage as said in a good sense. For when almighty God had delivered His people from the Red Sea, it is written: "Then Moses and the children of Israel sang a song to the Lord." And when David had achieved victory over his enemies, it is written: "David spoke to the Lord the words of this song." Solomon also says: "Like vinegar on soda is one who sings songs to a wicked heart." For if vinegar is poured on soda, the soda immediately fizzes and bubbles up. And when a perverse mind is rebuked through correction, or is urged toward good through the sweetness of preaching, it becomes worse from the correction; and it is inflamed thereby into the wickedness of murmuring, when it ought to have been restrained from wickedness. Through Elihu also it is said concerning the ungrateful man who despairs of himself: "And he did not say, 'Where is He who made me, who gives songs in the night?'" For a song in the night is joy in tribulation. We receive a song in the night when amid present afflictions we are consoled by future joys. The Apostle was showing us a song in the night when he said: "Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation." David indicates that he has a song in the night, saying: "You are my refuge from the distress that surrounds me; my exultation, deliver me from those surrounding me." For he who recounts that he is surrounded by distresses, and yet declares that God is his exultation, without doubt sings a song in the night. Therefore, since Sacred Scripture has almost always been accustomed to use "song" in a good sense, it ought to be understood by us in this passage in the same way.