The Enarrations, or Expositions, on the Psalms

⁵ “I considered upon the right hand, and saw”. He considered upon the right hand, and saw: whoso considers upon the left hand, is blinded. What is to consider on the right hand? Where they will be to whom shall be said, “Come, you blessed of My Father,” etc.,...He goes on to say, “and there was none that knew me.” For when you fear all things, who knows what you regard, whether you direct your eyes to the right hand or to the left? If, in bearing, you seek the praise of men, you have regarded the left: if, in bearing, you seek the promises of God, you have regarded the right hand. Have you regarded the right hand, you shall see: have you regarded the left hand, you shall be blinded. But even when you see on the right hand, there will be none to know you. For who comforts you save the Lord? “Flight has perished from me.” He speaks as though he were hemmed in. Let the persecutors rejoice over him; he is overpowered, he is taken, he is hemmed in, he is conquered. “Flight has perished” from him who flees not. But he who flees not, suffers whatever he can for Christ: that is, he flees not in soul. For in body it is lawful to flee; it is allowed, it is permitted; for the Lord says, “When they persecute you in one city, flee to another.” He then who flees not in soul, from him “flight has perished.” But it makes a difference why he flees not; whether because he is hemmed in, because he is caught, or because he is brave. For both from him that is caught flight has perished, and from him that is brave flight has perished. What flight then is to be avoided? What flight shall we allow to perish from us? That whereof the Lord speaks in the Gospel, “The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, when he sees the wolf coming, flees.” When he sees the ravager, why flees he? “Because he cares not for the sheep.”...In two ways a man's life is sought, either by his persecutors or by his lovers. So then “there is none to seek my life,” he said of them; verily they persecute my life, and they seek not my life. But if they seek my life, they will find it clinging to You: and if they know to seek it, they know also to imitate it.

6. “Unto you have I cried, O Lord: I have said, You are my hope”. When I endured, when I was in tribulation, “I said, You are my hope.” My hope here, therefore I endure. But “my portion,” not here, but “in the land of the living.” God gives a portion in the land of the living; but not something from Himself without Himself. What will He give to one that loves Him, save Himself?

7. “Give heed unto my prayer, for much have I been humbled”. Humbled by persecutors, humbled in confession. He humbles himself out of the sight of man: he is humbled by enemies in their sight. Therefore is he lifted up by Him both visibly and invisibly. Invisibly are the martyrs already lifted up; visibly shall they be lifted up, “when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption” in the resurrection of the dead; when this very part of him, against which alone her persecutors could rage, shall be renewed. “Fear not them that kill the body, but cannot kill the soul.” And what perishes? What kill they?...Why then are you anxious about the rest of your members, when you shall not lose even a hair? “Deliver me from them that persecute me.” From whom do you think that he prays to be delivered? From men who persecuted him? Is it so? Are merely men our enemies? We have other enemies, invisible, who persecute us in another way. Man persecutes, that he may slay the body; another persecutes, that he ensnare the soul....There are then other enemies of ours too, from whom we ought to pray God to deliver us, lest they lead us astray, either by crushing us with troubles of this world, or alluring us by its enticements. Who are these enemies? Let us see whether they are plainly described by any servant of the Lord, by any soldier, now perfected, who has engaged with them. Hear the Apostle saying, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood:” as though he would say, Turn not your hatred against men; think not them your enemies; think not that it is by their hostility you are being bruised; these men whom you fear are flesh and blood....“For they are strengthened over me.” Who said, “they are strengthened over me”? The Body of Christ cries out; it is the voice of the Church; the members of Christ cry out, “Much has the number of sinners increased.” “Because iniquity has abounded, the love of many waxes cold.”

8. “Bring forth my soul out of prison, that it may confess to Your Name”. This “prison” has been variously understood by former writers. And perhaps it is the prison which is called in the title, “the cave.” For the title of this Psalm runs thus: “Of understanding to David himself, a prayer when he was in the cave.” That which is the cave, the same is also the prison. Two things have we set before us to understand, but when we have understood one, both will be understood. A man's deserts make a prison. For in one dwelling place one man finds a house, another a prison....To some then it has seemed that the “cave” and “prison” are this world; and this the Church prays, that it may be brought out of prison, that is, from this world, from under the sun, where all is vanity. Beyond this world then God promises that we shall be in some sort of rest; therefore perhaps do we cry concerning this place, “Bring my soul out of prison.” Our soul by faith and hope is in Christ; “Your life is hid with Christ in God.” But our body is in this prison, in this world....But some have said, that this prison and cave is this body, so that this is the meaning of, “Bring my soul out of prison.” But this interpretation too is somewhat at fault. For what great thing is it to say, “Bring my soul out of prison,” bring my soul out of the body? Do not the souls of robbers and wicked men go forth from the body, and go into worse punishment than here they have endured? What great request then is this, “Bring my soul out of prison,” when, sooner or later, it must needs come forth? Perhaps the righteous says, “Let me die now; bring forth my soul from this prison of the body.” If he be too hasty, he has not love. He ought indeed to long for and desire, as the Apostle says, “having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, which is far better.” But where is love? Therefore it follows, “but to abide in the flesh is needful for you.” Let God then lead us forth from the body, when He will. Our body too might be said to be a prison, not because that is a prison which God has made, but because it is under punishment and liable to death. For there are two things to be considered in our body, God's workmanship, and the punishment it has deserved....Perhaps then he meant by, “Bring my soul out of prison,” bring my soul out of corruption. If thus we understand it, it is no blasphemy, the meaning is consistent. Lastly, brethren, as I think, he meant this; “Bring my soul out of prison,” bring it out of straitness. For to one who rejoices, even a prison is wide; to one in sorrow, a field is strait. Therefore prays he to be brought out of straitness. For though in hope he have enlargement, yet in reality at present he is straitened....It is not the body that weighs down the soul, but the corruptible body. It is not the body then that makes the prison, but the corruption. “Bring my soul out of prison, that it may give thanks to Your Name.” Now the words which follow seem to come from the Head, our Lord Jesus Christ. And they are the same as yesterday's last words. Yesterday's last words, if you remember, were, “I am alone, until I pass over.” And here what are the last words? “The righteous shall sustain me, until thou recompense me.”