The Enarrations, or Expositions, on the Psalms

^11. Therefore that man having been condemned that “has trusted in the multitude of his riches, and has prevailed in his vanity:” for what more vain, than he that thinks coin more to avail than God? Therefore that man having been condemned that said, blessed of the people to whom these things are: thou that sayest, “Blessed the people of whom is the Lord their own God,” dost think of yourself what? dost hope for yourself what? “But I;” now at length hear that body: “But I am like an olive, fruit-bearing in the house of God”. Not one man speaks, but that olive fruit-bearing, whence have been pruned the proud branches, and the humble wild olive graffed in. “Like an olive, fruit-bearing in the house of God, I have trusted in the mercy of God.” He did what? “In the multitude of his riches:” therefore his root shall be plucked out from the land of the living. “But I,” because “like an olive, fruit-bearing in the house of God,” the root whereof is nourished, is not rooted out, “have trusted in the mercy of God.” But perchance now? For even herein men err sometimes. God indeed they worship, and are not now like to that Doeg: but though on God they rely, it is for temporal things nevertheless; so that they say to themselves, I worship my God, who will make me rich upon earth, who to me will give sons, who to me will give a wife. Such things indeed gives none but God, but God would not have Himself for the sake of such things to be loved. For to this end oftentimes those things He gives even to evil men, in order that some other thing good men of Him may learn to seek. In what manner then do you say, “I have trusted in the mercy of God”? Perchance for obtaining temporal things? Nay but, “For everlasting and world without end.” The expression, “For everlasting,” he willed to repeat by adding, “world without end,” in order that by there repeating he might affirm how rooted he was in the love of the kingdom of heaven, and in the hope of everlasting felicity.

12. “I will confess to You for ever, because You have done”. “Have done what?” Doeg You have condemned, David You have crowned. “I will confess to You for ever, because You have done.” Great confession, “Because you have done”! “Have done” what? Except these very things which above have been spoken of, that like an olive fruit-bearing in the house of God, I should trust in the mercy of God for everlasting and world without end? You have done: an ungodly man cannot justify himself. But who is He that justifies? “Believing,” he says, “on Him” that justifies “the ungodly.” “For what have you which you have not received? But if you have received, why do you glory as if you have not received, as if of yourself you have?” Be it far from me that I should so glory, says he, that is opposed against Doeg, that bears with Doeg upon earth, until he remove from his dwelling, and be rooted up from the land of the living. I glory not as if I have not received, but in God I glory. “And I will confess to You because You have done,” that is, because You have done not according to my merits, but according to Your mercy. But I have done what? If you recollect, “Before, I was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious.” But you, what have you done? “But mercy I have obtained, because ignorant I did it.” “I will confess to You for ever, because You have done.”

13. “And I will look for Your name, for it is pleasant.” Bitter is the world, but Your name is pleasant. Even if certain sweet things are in the world, yet with bitterness they are digested. Your name is preferred, not only for greatness but also for pleasantness. “For unjust men have told to me their delights, but it is not as Your law, O Lord.” For if there were nothing sweet to the Martyrs, they would not have suffered with equanimity so great bitterness of tribulations. Their bitterness by any one was experienced, their sweetness easily could no one taste. The name of God therefore is pleasant to men loving God above all pleasantnesses. “I will look for Your name, for it is pleasant.” And to what do You prove that it is pleasant? Give me a palate to which it is pleasant. Praise honey as much as you are able, exaggerate the sweetness thereof with what words you shall have the power: a man knowing not what honey is, unless he shall have tasted, what you say knows not. Therefore the rather to the proof the Psalm inviting you says what? “Taste and see that sweet is the Lord.” Taste you will not, and you say, Is it pleasant? What is pleasant? If you have tasted, in your fruit be it found, not in words alone, as it were only in leaves, lest by the curse of the Lord, to wither like that fig-tree you should deserve. “Taste,” he says, “and see, that sweet is the Lord.” Taste and see: then you shall see, if you shall have tasted. But to a man not tasting, how do you prove? By praising the pleasantness of the name of God, whatsoever things you shall have said are words: something else is taste. The words of His praise there hear even the ungodly, but none taste how sweet it is, but the Saints. Further, a man discerning the sweetness of the name of God, and wishing to unfold and wishing to show the same, and not finding persons to whom he may unfold it; for to the Saints there is no need that he show it, because they even of themselves taste and know, but the ungodly cannot discern what they will not taste: does, I say, what, because of the sweetness of the name of God? He has borne him immediately away from the crowds of the ungodly. “And I will look,” he says, “for Your name, for it is pleasant, in the sight of Your Saints.” Pleasant is Your name, but not in the sight of the ungodly. I know how sweet a thing it is, but it is to them that have tasted.