The Enarrations, or Expositions, on the Psalms

^6. But we too were there. He goes to the members. “I have called to mind the days of old”. Did He “call to mind the days of old,” by whom every day was made? No, but the body speaks, each one who has been justified by His grace, who dwells in Him in love and devout humility, speaks and says, “I have meditated upon all Your works:” plainly because You have made all things good, and nothing would have stood fast, which was not established by You. Your creation is made a spectacle unto me: I have sought in the work the Artificer, in all that is made the Maker. Wherefore this, to what purpose this, save that he might understand, that whatever there was of good in himself was made by Him....Look back then upon the Framer of your life, the Author of your substance, of your righteousness, and of your salvation: “meditate upon the works of His hands,” for the righteousness too which is in you, you will find to pertain to His hand. Hear the Apostle teaching you this, “not of works,” he says, “lest any should boast.” Have we no good works? Plainly we have: but see what follows; “for we are His workmanship,” says he. “We are His workmanship:” perhaps in thus speaking of workmanship, he meant to mention the nature whereby we are men? Evidently not: he was speaking of works. But let us not make conjectures; let the text go on, “for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.” Think not then that you yourself doest anything, save in so far as you are evil....“Work out your own salvation,” says the Apostle, “with fear and trembling.” If we do work out our own salvation, wherefore with fear, wherefore with trembling, when what we work is in our own power? Hear wherefore with fear and trembling: “for it is God that works in you both to will and to do, of His good pleasure.” Therefore “with fear and trembling,” that it may delight our Maker to work in the lowly valley....

7. “I stretched forth,” says he, “my hands to You: my soul is as a land without water to You”. Rain upon me, says he, to bring forth from me good fruit. “For the Lord shall give sweetness, that our land may give her fruit.” “I have stretched forth my hands to You; my soul is as a land without water,” not to me, but “to You.” I can thirst for You, I cannot water myself.

8. “Speedily hear me, Lord”. For what need of delay to inflame my thirst, when already I thirst so eagerly? You delayed the rain, that I might drink and imbibe, not reject, Your inflowing. If then Thou for this cause delayed, now give; for “my spirit has failed.” Let Your Spirit fill me. This is the reason why You should speedily hear me. I am now become “poor in spirit,” make Thou me “blessed in the kingdom of heaven.” For he in whom his own spirit lives, is proud, is puffed up with his own spirit against God....

9. “Turn not Thou away Your Face from me.” You turned it away from me when proud. For once I was full, and in my fullness I was puffed up. Once “in my fullness I said, I shall never be moved.” “I said in my fullness, I shall not be moved,” knowing not Your Righteousness, and establishing my own; but “You, Lord, in Your Will hast afforded strength to my beauty.” “I said in my fullness, I shall not be moved,” but from You came whatever fullness I had. And to prove to me that it was from You, “You turned away Your Face from me, and I was troubled.” After this trouble, where into I was cast, because You turned away Your Face, after the weariness of my spirit, after my heart was troubled within me, because You turned away Your Face, then became I “like a land without water to You: turn not Thou away Your Face.” You turned it away from me when proud; give it back to me now I am humble. Because, if Thou turn it away, “I shall be like to them that go down into the pit.” What is, “that go down into the pit”? When the sinner has come into the depth of sins, he will show contempt. They “go down into the pit,” who lose even confession; against which is said, “Let not the pit close her mouth over me.” This depth Scripture calls mostly “a pit,” into which depth when a sinner has come, “he shows contempt.” What is, “he shows contempt”? He no longer believes in Providence, or if he do believe, he thinks that he has no longer anything to do with it....

10. “Make me to hear in the morning Your mercy, for in You have I hoped”. Behold, I am in the night, yet “in You have I hoped,” until the iniquity of the night pass away. “For we have,” as Peter says, “a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that you take heed, as unto a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the daystar arise in your hearts.” “Morning” then he calls the time after the end of the world, when we shall see what in this world we believe. But what here, until the morning come? For it is not enough to hope for the morning; we must do somewhat. Why do somewhat? God is to be sought with the hands in the night. What is, “with the hands”? By good works. Since then we must thus hope for the morning, and bear this night, and persevere in this patience until the day dawn, what meanwhile must we do here? Lest perchance thou think that you will do anything of yourself, whereby you may earn to be brought to the morning. “Make known to me, O Lord, the way wherein I must walk.” Therefore did He kindle the lamp of prophecy, therefore did He send the Lord in the vessel, as it were, of the flesh, who should even say, “My strength is dried up like a potsherd.” Walk by prophecy, walk by the lamp of future things predicted, walk by the word of God....

11. “Deliver me from mine enemies, O Lord, for unto You have I fled for refuge”. I who once fled from You, now flee to You. For Adam fled from the Face of God, and hid himself among the trees of Paradise, so that of him was said in the Book of Job, “As a servant that flees from his Lord, and finds a shadow.” He fled from the Face of his Lord, and found a shadow. Woe to him, if he continue in the shade, lest it be said afterward, “All things are passed away like a shadow.” The rulers of this world, of this darkness, the rulers of the wicked; against these ye wrestle. Great is your conflict, not to see your enemies, and yet to conquer. Against the rulers of this world, of this darkness, the devil, that is, and his angels; not the rulers of that world, whereof is said, “the world was made by Him,” but that world whereof is said, “the world knew Him not.” “For unto You have I fled for refuge.”...Whither should I flee? “Whither shall I go from Your Spirit?”

12. “Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God”. Glorious confession! glorious rule! “For Thou,” says he, “art my God.” To another will I hasten to be re-made, if by another I was made. You are my all, “for You are my God.” Shall I seek a father to get an inheritance? “You are my God,” not only the Giver of mine inheritance, but mine Inheritance itself. “The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance.” Shall I seek a patron, to obtain redemption? “You are my God.” Lastly, having been created, do I desire to be re-created? “You are my God,” my Creator, who hast created me by Your Word, and re-created me by Your Word. “Teach Thou me:” for it cannot be that You are my God, and yet I am to be my own master. See how grace is commended to us. This hold fast, this drink in, this let none drive out of your hearts, lest you have “a zeal, of God, but not according to knowledge.” Say then this: “Your good Spirit,” not my bad one, “Your good Spirit shall lead me into the right land.” For my bad spirit has led me into a crooked land. And what have I deserved? What can be reckoned as my good works without Your aid, through which I might obtain and be worthy to be led by Your Spirit into the right land?