The Enarrations, or Expositions, on the Psalms

^23. The Prophet addresses this Queen (for he delights in singing to her), and moreover each one of us, provided, however, we know where we are, and endeavour to belong to that body, and do belong to it in faith and hope, being united in the membership of Christ. For it is us whom he addresses, saying, “Hearken, O daughter, and behold”, as being one of the “Fathers” (for they are “daughters of kings”), although it be a Prophet, or although it be an Apostle that is addressing her; addressing her, as a daughter, for we are accustomed to speak in this way, “Our fathers the Prophets, our fathers the Apostles;” if we address them as “fathers,” they may address us as children: and it is one father's voice addressing one daughter. “Hearken, O daughter, and see.” “Hear” first; afterward “see.” For they came to us with the Gospel; and that has been preached to us, which as yet we do not see, and which on hearing of it we believed, which by believing it, we shall come to see: even as the Bridegroom Himself speaks in the Prophet, “A people whom I have not known served me. In the hearing of me with the ear it obeyed me.” What is meant by on “hearing of me with the ear”? That they did not “see.” The Jews saw Him, and crucified Him; the Gentiles saw Him not, and believed. Let the Queen who comes from the Gentiles come in “the vesture of gold, clothed with various colours;” let her come from among the Gentiles clad in all languages, in the unity of Wisdom: let it be said unto her, “Hearken, O daughter, and see.” If you will not hear, you shall not “see.”...

“And incline your ear.” It is not enough to “hearken;” hearken with humility: bow down your ear. “Forget also your own people, and your father's house.” There was a certain “people,” and a certain house of your father, in which you were born, the people of Babylon, having the devil for your king. Whencesoever the Gentiles came, they came from their father the devil; but they have renounced their sonship to the devil. “Forget also your own people, and your father's house.” He, in making you a sinner, begot you loathsome: the Other, in that “He justifies the ungodly,” begets you again in beauty.

24. “For the King has greatly desired your beauty”. What “beauty” is that, save that which is His own work? “Greatly desired the beauty”— Of whom? Of her the sinner, the unrighteous, the ungodly, such as she was with her “father,” the devil, and among her own “people”? No, but hers of whom it is said, “Who is this that comes up made white?” She was not white then at the first, but was “made” white afterwards. For “though your sins shall be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow.” “The king has greatly desired your beauty.” What King is this? “For He is the Lord your God.” Now consider whether you ought not to forego that your father, and your own people, and to come to this King, who is your God? Your God is “your King,” your “King” is also your Bridegroom. Thou weddest to your King, who is your God: being endowed by Him, being adorned by Him; redeemed by Him, and healed by Him. Whatever you have, wherewith to be pleasing to Him, you have from Him.

25. “And the daughters of Tyre shall worship Him with gifts”. It is that selfsame “King, who is your God,” that the daughters of Tyre shall worship with gifts. The daughters of Tyre are the daughters of the Gentiles; the part standing for the whole. Tyre, a city bordering on this country, where the prophecy was delivered, typified the nations that were to believe in Christ. Thence came that Canaanitish woman, who was at first called “a dog;” for that you may know that she was from thence, the Gospel speaks thus. “He departed into the parts of Tyre and Sidon, and behold a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts,” with all the rest that is related there. She who at first, at the house of her “father,” and among her “own people,” was but “a dog,” who by coming to, and crying after that “King,” was made beautiful by believing in Him, what did she obtain to hear? “O woman, great is your faith.” “The King has greatly desired your beauty. And the daughters of Tyre shall worship with gifts.” With what gifts? Even so would this King be approached, and would have His treasuries filled: and it is He Himself who has given us that wherewith they may be filled, and may be filled by you. Let them come (He says) and “worship Him with gifts.” What is meant by “with gifts”?...“Give alms, and all things are clean unto you.” Come with gifts to Him that says, “I will have mercy rather than sacrifice.” To that Temple that existed aforetime as a shadow of that which was to come, they used to come with bulls, and rams, and goats, with every different kind of animal for sacrifice: that with that blood one thing should be done, and another be typified by it. Now that very blood, which all these things used to figure, has come: the King Himself has come, and He Himself would have your “gifts.” What gifts? Alms. For He Himself will judge hereafter, and will Himself hereafter account “gifts” to certain persons. “Come” (He says), “ye blessed of My Father.” Why? “I was an hungred, and you gave Me meat,” etc. These are the gifts with which the daughters of Tyre worship the King; for when they said, “When saw we You?” He who is at once above and below (whence those “ascending” and “descending” are spoken of), said, “Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of Mine, you have done it unto Me.”

26....“The rich among the people shall entreat Your face.” Both they who shall entreat that face, and He whose face they will entreat, are all collectively but one Bride, but one Queen, mother and children belonging all together unto Christ, belonging unto their Head....

27. “All the glory of her, the King's daughter, is from within”. Not only is her robe, outwardly, “of gold, and of various colours;” but He who loved her beauty, knew her to be also beautiful within. What are those inward charms? Those of conscience. It is there Christ sees; it is there Christ loves her: it is there He addresses her, there punishes, there crowns. Let then your alms be done in secret; for “all the glory of her, the King's daughter, is from within.” “With fringes of gold, clothed with various colours”. Her beauty is from within; yet in the “fringes of gold” is the diversity of languages: the beauty of doctrine. What do these avail, if them be not that beauty “from within”? “The virgins shall be brought unto the King after her.” It has been fulfilled indeed. The Church has believed; the Church has been formed throughout all nations. And to what a degree do virgins now seek to find favour in the eyes of that King! Whence are they moved to do so? Even because the Church preceded them. “The virgins shall be brought unto the King after her. Her near kinswomen shall be brought unto You.” For they that are brought unto Him are not strangers, but her “near kinswomen,” that belong to her. And because he had said, “unto the King,” he says, turning the discourse to Him, “her near kinswomen shall be brought unto You.”

28. “With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought and shall be led into the Temple of the King”. The “Temple of the King” is the Church itself: it is the Church itself that enters into “the Temple of the King.” Whereof is that Temple constructed? Of the men who enter the Temple? Who but God's “faithful” ones are its “living stones”? “They shall be led into the Temple of the King.” For there are virgins without the Temple of the King, the nuns among the heretics: they are virgins, it is true; but what will that profit them, unless they be led into the “Temple of the King”? The “Temple of the King” is in unity: the “Temple of the King” is not ruinous, is not rent asunder, is not divided. The cement of those living stones is “charity.”