The Enarrations, or Expositions, on the Psalms

¹ This Psalm commends unto us the mercies of God, proved in ourselves, and is therefore the sweeter to the experienced. And it is a wonder if it can be pleasing to any one, except to him who has learned in his own case, what he hears in this Psalm. Yet was it written not for any one or two, but for the people of God, and set forth that it might know itself therein as in a mirror. Its title needs not now to be treated, for it is Halleluia, and again Halleluia. Which we have a custom of singing at a certain time in our solemnities, after an old tradition of the Church: nor is it without a sacred meaning that we sing it on particular days. Halleluia we sing indeed on certain days, but every day we think it. For if in this word is signified the praise of God, though not in the mouth of the flesh, yet surely in the mouth of the heart. “His praise shall ever be in my mouth.” But that the title has Halleluia not once only but twice, is not peculiar to this Psalm, but the former also has it so. And as far as appears from its text, that was sung of the people of Israel, but this is sung of the universal Church of God, spread through the whole world. Perchance, it not unfitly has Halleluia twice, because we cry, Abba, Father. Since Abba is nothing else but Father, yet not without meaning the Apostle said, “in whom we cry, Abba, Father;” but because one wall indeed coming to the Corner Stone cries Abba, but the other, from the other side cries Father; viz., in that Corner Stone, “who is our Peace, who has made both one.”...

2. “Confess unto the Lord that He is sweet, because for aye in His mercy”. This confess ye that He is sweet: if you have tasted, confess. But he cannot confess, who has not chosen to taste, for whence shall he say that that is sweet, which he knows not. But ye if you have tasted how sweet the Lord is, “Confess ye to the Lord that He is sweet.” If you have tasted with eagerness, break forth with confession. “For aye is His mercy,” that is, for ever. For here “for aye,” is so put, since also in some other places of Scripture, for aye, that is, what in Greek is called εἰς αἰῶνα, is understood for ever. For His mercy is not for a time, so as not to be for ever, since for this purpose His present mercy is over men, that they may live with the Angels for ever.

3. “Let them say who are redeemed of the Lord, whom He has redeemed from the hand of their enemies”. Redeemed indeed it seems was also the people of Israel from the land of Egypt, from the hand of slavery, from fruitless labours, from miry works; yet let us see whether those who say these things, are they who were freed by the Lord from Egypt. It is not so. But who are they? “Those whom He redeemed.” Still one might take it also of them, as redeemed from the hand of their enemies, that is, of the Egyptians. Let them be expressed exactly who they are, for whom this Psalm would be sung. “He gathered them from the lands;” these might still be the lands of Egypt, for there are many lands even in one province. Let him speak openly. “From the east and the west, from the north and the sea”. Now then we understand these redeemed, in the whole circle of the earth. This people of God, freed from a great and broad Egypt, is led, as through the Red Sea, that in Baptism it may make an end of its enemies. For by the sacrament as it were of the Red Sea, that is by Baptism consecrated with the Blood of Christ, the pursuing Egyptians, the sins, are washed away....“But all these things happened to them in a figure, and were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come.”...

4. “They wandered in the wilderness, in a dry place, they found not the way of a city to dwell in”. We have heard a wretched wandering; what of want? “Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them”. But wherefore did it faint? For what good? For God is not cruel, but He makes Himself known, in that it is expedient for us, that He be entreated by us fainting, and that aiding us He be loved. And therefore after this wandering, and hunger, and thirst, “And they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distress”. And what did He for them, as they were wandering? “And He led them in the right way”. They found not the way of a city to dwell in, with hunger and thirst they were vexed and faint, “and He led them into the right way, that they might go into a city to dwell in.” How He helped their hunger and thirst, He says not, but even this expect ye: “Let them confess unto the Lord His mercies, and His wonders towards the children of men”. Tell them, you that are experienced, to the inexperienced; ye that are already in the way, already directed towards finding the city, already at last free from hunger and thirst. “Because He has satisfied the empty soul, and filled the hungry soul with good things”.

5. “Them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, fast bound in beggary and iron”. Whence this, but that you were attributing things to yourself? That you were not owning the grace of God? That you were rejecting the counsel of God concerning you? For see what He adds: “Because they rebelled against the words of the Lord through pride”, not knowing the righteousness of God, and wishing to establish their own, “and they were bitter against the counsel of the Most High.” “And their heart was brought low in labour”. And now fight against lust; if God cease to aid you may strive, you can not conquer. And when you shall be pressed by your evil, your heart will be brought low in labour, so that now with humbled heart you may learn to cry out, “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”...Freed, you will confess the mercies of the Lord. “And they cried unto the Lord when they were troubled, and He delivered them out of their distresses”. They were freed from the second temptation. There remains that of weariness and loathing. But first see what He did for them when freed. “And He led them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their bonds asunder”. “Let them confess to the Lord His mercies, and His wonders to the children of men”. Wherefore? What difficulties has He overcome? “Because He broke the gates of brass, and snapped the bars of iron”. “He took them up from the way of their iniquity, for because of their unrighteousnesses they were brought low”. Because they gave honour to themselves, not to God, because they were establishing their own righteousness, not knowing the righteousness of God, they were brought low. They found that they were helpless without His aid, who were presuming on their own strength alone.