7 “And mighty men have sought after my soul.” For in a new manner, my brethren, they would destroy the race of holy men, and the race of them that abstain from hoping in this world, all they that have hope in this world. Certainly commingled they are, certainly together they live. Very much to one another are opposed these two sorts: the one of those that place no hope but in things secular, and in temporal felicity, and the other of those that do firmly place their hope in the Lord God. And though concordant are these Ziphites, do not much trust to their concord: temptations are wanting; when there shall have come any temptation, so as that a person may be reproved for the flower of the world, I say not to you he will quarrel with the Bishop, but not even to the Church Herself will he draw near, lest there fall any part of the grass. Wherefore have I said these words, brethren? Because now gladly ye all hear in the name of Christ, and according as you understand, so ye shout out at the word; ye would not indeed shout at it unless ye understood. This your understanding ought to be fruitful. But whether it is fruitful, temptation does try; lest suddenly when you are said to be ours, through temptation ye be found aliens, and it be said, “Aliens have risen up against me, and mighty men have sought my soul.” Be not that said which follows, “They have not set forth God before their face.” For when will he set God before his face, before whose eyes there is nought but the world? namely, how he may have coin upon coin, how flocks may be increased, how barns may be filled, how it may be said to his soul, “You have many good things, be merry, feast, take your fill.” Does he set before his face Him, that unto one so boasting and so blooming with the flower of the Ziphites says, “Fool” (that is, “man not understanding,” “man unwise”), “this night shall be taken from you your soul; all these things which you have prepared, whose shall they be?”
8. “For behold, God helps me”. Even themselves know not themselves, amid whom I am hiding. But if they too were to set God before their face, they would find in what manner God helps me. For all holy men are helped by God, but within, where no one sees. For in like manner as the conscience of ungodly men is a great punishment, so a great joy is the very conscience of godly men. “For our glory this is,” says the Apostle, “the testimony of our conscience.” In this within, not in the flower of the Ziphites without, does glory that man that now says, “For behold God helps me.” Surely though afar off are to be those things which He promises, this day have I a sweet and present help; today in my heart's joy I find that without cause certain say, “Who does show to us good things? For there is signed upon us the light of Your countenance, O Lord, You have put pleasantness into my heart.” Not into my vineyard, not into my flock, not into my cask, not into my table, but “into my heart.” “For behold God helps me.” How does He help you? “And the Lord is the lifter up of my soul.”
9. “Turn away evil things unto mine enemies”. So however green they are, so however they flourish, for the fire they are being reserved. “In Your virtue destroy Thou them.” Because to wit they flourish now, because to wit they spring up like grass: do not thou be a man unwise and foolish, so that by giving thought to these things thou perish for ever and ever. For, “Turn Thou away evil things unto mine enemies.” For if you shall have place in the body of David Himself, in His virtue He will destroy them. These men flourish in the felicity of the world, perish in the virtue of God. Not in the same manner as they flourish, do they also perish: for they flourish for a time, perish for everlasting: flourish in unreal good things, perish in real torments. “In Your strength destroy,” whom in Your weakness You have endured.
10. “Voluntarily I will sacrifice to You”. Who can even understand this good thing of the heart, at another's speaking thereof, unless in himself he has tasted it? What is, “Voluntarily I will sacrifice to You”?... For what sacrifice here shall I take, brethren? Or what worthily shall I offer to the Lord for His mercy? Victims shall I seek from flock of sheep, ram shall I select, for any bull in the herds shall I look out, frankincense indeed from the land of the Sabæans shall I bring? What shall I do? What offer; except that whereof He speaks, “Sacrifice of praise shall honour Me”? Wherefore then “voluntarily”? Because truly I love that which I praise. I praise God, and in the self-same praise I rejoice: in the praise of Himself I rejoice, at whom being praised, I blush not. For He is not praised in the same manner as by those who love the theatrical follies is praised either by a charioteer, or a hunter, or actor of any kind, and by their praisers, other praisers are invited, are exhorted, to shout together: and when all have shouted, ofttimes, if their favourite is overcome, they are all put to the blush. Not so is our God: be He praised with the will, loved with charity: let it be gratuitous (or voluntary) that He is loved and that He is praised. What is “gratuitous”? Himself for the sake of Himself, not for the sake of something else. For if you praise God in order that He may give you something else, no longer freely do you love God. You would blush, if your wife for the sake of riches were to love you, and perchance if poverty should befall you, should begin to think of adultery. Seeing that therefore you would be loved by your partner freely, will you for anything else love God? What reward are you to receive of God, O covetous man? Not earth for you, but Himself He keeps, who made heaven and earth. “Voluntarily I will sacrifice to You:” do it not of necessity. For if for the sake of anything else you praise God, out of necessity you praise. These things also which He has given, because of the Giver are good things. For He gives entirely, He gives these temporal things: and to certain men to their good, to certain men to their harm, after the height and depth of His judgments....“Voluntarily I will sacrifice to You.” Wherefore “voluntarily”? Because gratis. What is gratis? “And I will confess to Your name, O Lord, for it is a good thing:” for nothing else, but because a “good thing” it is. Does he say, “I will confess to Your name, O Lord,” because You give me fruitful manors, because You give me gold and silver, because You give me extended riches, abundant money, most exalted dignity? Nay. But what? “For it is a good thing.” Nothing I find better than Your name.
Source: The Enarrations, or Expositions, on the Psalms (New Advent)