The Enarrations, or Expositions, on the Psalms

^5. “I slept, and took rest”. It may be not unsuitably remarked, that it is expressly said, “I,” to signify that of His own Will He underwent death, according to that, “Therefore does My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man takes it from Me; I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.” Therefore, says He, you have not taken Me as though against My will, and slain Me; but “I slept, and took rest; and rose, for the Lord will take me up.” Scripture contains numberless instances of sleep being put for death; as the Apostle says, “I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep.” Nor need we make any question why it is added, “took rest,” seeing that it has already been said, “I slept.” Repetitions of this kind are usual in Scripture, as we have pointed out many in the second Psalm. But some copies have, “I slept, and was cast into a deep sleep.” And different copies express it differently, according to the possible renderings of the Greek words, ἐ γὼ δš ἐκοιμήθην καὶ ὕπνωσα. Unless perhaps sleeping may be taken of one dying, but sleep of one dead: so that sleeping may be the transition into sleep, as awakening is the transition into wakefulness. Let us not deem these repetitions in the sacred writings empty ornaments of speech. “I slept, and took rest,” is therefore well understood as “I gave Myself up to My Passion, and death ensued.” “And I rose, for the Lord will take Me up.” This is the more to be remarked, how that in one sentence the Psalmist has used a verb of past and future time. For he has said, both “I rose,” which is the past, and “will take Me up,” which is the future; seeing that assuredly the rising again could not be without that taking up. But in prophecy the future is well joined to the past, whereby both are signified. Since things which are prophesied of as yet to come in reference to time are future; but in reference to the knowledge of those who prophesy they are already to be viewed as done. Verbs of the present tense are also mixed in, which shall be treated of in their proper place when they occur.

6. “I will not fear the thousands of people that surround me”. It is written in the Gospels how great a multitude stood around Him as He was suffering, and on the cross. “Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God”. It is not said to God, “Arise,” as if asleep or lying down, but it is usual in holy Scripture to attribute to God what He does in us; not indeed universally, but where it can be done suitably; as when He is said to speak, when by His gift Prophets speak, and Apostles, or whatsoever messengers of the truth. Hence that text, “Would you have proof of Christ, who speaks in me?” For he does not say, of Christ, by whose enlightening or order I speak; but he attributes at once the speaking itself to Him, by whose gift he spoke.

7. “Since You have smitten all who oppose me without a cause.” It is not to be pointed as if it were one sentence, “Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God; since You have smitten all who oppose me without a cause.” For He did not therefore save Him, because He smote His enemies; but rather He being saved, He smote them. Therefore it belongs to what follows, so that the sense is this; “Since You have smitten all who oppose me without a cause, You have broken the teeth of the sinners;” that is, thereby have You broken the teeth of the sinners, since You have smitten all who oppose me. It is forsooth the punishment of the opposers, whereby their teeth have been broken, that is, the words of sinners rending with their cursing the Son of God, brought to nought, as it were to dust; so that we may understand “teeth” thus, as words of cursing. Of which teeth the Apostle speaks, “If you bite one another, take heed that you be not consumed one of another.” The teeth of sinners can also be taken as the chiefs of sinners; by whose authority each one is cut off from the fellowship of godly livers, and as it were incorporated with evil livers. To these teeth are opposed the Church's teeth, by whose authority believers are cut off from the error of the Gentiles and various opinions, and are translated into that fellowship which is the body of Christ. With these teeth Peter was told to eat the animals when they had been killed, that is, by killing in the Gentiles what they were, and changing them into what he was himself. Of these teeth too of the Church it is said, “Your teeth are as a flock of shorn sheep, coming up from the bath, whereof every one bears twins, and there is not one barren among them.” These are they who prescribe rightly, and as they prescribe, live; who do what is written, “Let your works shine before men, that they may bless your Father which is in heaven.” For moved by their authority, they believe God who speaks and works through these men; and separated from the world, to which they were once conformed, they pass over into the members of the Church. And rightly therefore are they, through whom such things are done, called teeth like to shorn sheep; for they have laid aside the burdens of earthly cares, and coming up from the bath, from the washing away of the filth of the world by the Sacrament of Baptism, every one bears twins. For they fulfil the two commandments, of which it is said, “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets;” loving God with all their heart, and with all their soul, and with all their mind, and their neighbour as themselves. “There is not one barren among them,” for much fruit they render unto God. According to this sense then it is to be thus understood, “You have broken the teeth of the sinners,” that is, You have brought the chiefs of the sinners to nought, by smiting all who oppose Me without a cause. For the chiefs according to the Gospel history persecuted Him, while the lower people honoured Him.

8. “Salvation is of the Lord; and upon Your people be Your blessing”. In one sentence the Psalmist has enjoined men what to believe, and has prayed for believers. For when it is said, “Salvation is of the Lord,” the words are addressed to men. Nor does it follow, “And upon Your people” be “Your blessing,” in such wise as that the whole is spoken to men, but there is a change into prayer addressed to God Himself, for the very people to whom it was said, “Salvation is of the Lord.” What else then does he say but this? Let no man presume on himself, seeing that it is of the Lord to save from the death of sin; for, “Wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? The grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” But bless, O Lord, Your people, who look for salvation from You.