The Enarrations, or Expositions, on the Psalms

^4. Lastly, there follows, “And let just men be joyous, and exult in the sight of God, let them delight in gladness”. For then shall they hear, “Come, you blessed of My Father, receive ye the kingdom.” “Let them be joyous,” therefore, that have toiled, “and exult in the sight of God.” For there will not be in this exultation, as though it were before men, any empty boasting; but (it will be) in the sight of Him who unerringly looks into that which He has granted. “Let them delight in gladness:” no longer exulting with trembling, as in this world, so long as “human life is a trial upon earth.” Secondly, he turns himself to those very persons to whom he has given so great hope, and to them while here living he speaks and exhorts: “Sing ye to God, psalm ye to His name”. Already on this subject in the exposition of the Title we have before spoken that which seemed meet. He sings to God, that lives to God: He psalms to His name, that works unto His Glory. In singing thus, in psalming thus, that is, by so living, by so working, “a way make ye to Him,” he says, “that has ascended above the setting.” A way make ye to Christ: so that through the beautiful feet of men telling good tidings, the hearts of men believing many have a way opened to Him. For the Same is He that has ascended above the “setting:” either because the new life of one turned to Him receives Him not, except the old life shall have set by his renouncing this world, or because He ascended above the setting, when by rising again He conquered the downfall of the body. “For The Lord is His name.” Which if they had known, the Lord of glory they never would have crucified.

5. “Exult ye in the sight of Him,” O you to whom has been said, “Sing ye to God, psalm ye to the name of Him, a way make ye to Him that has ascended above the setting,” also “exult in the sight of Him:” as if “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.” For while you make a way to Him, while you prepare a way whereby He may come and possess the nations, you are to suffer in the sight of men many sorrowful things. But not only faint not, but even exult, not in the sight of men, but in the sight of God. “In hope rejoicing, in tribulation enduring:” “exult ye in the sight of Him.” For they that in the sight of men trouble you, “shall be troubled by the face of Him, the Father of orphans and Judge of widows”. For desolate they suppose them to be, from whom ofttimes by the sword of the Word of God both parents from sons, and husbands from wives, are severed: but persons destitute and widowed have the consolation “of the Father of orphans and Judge of widows:” they have the consolation of Him that say to Him, “For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord has taken up me:” and they that have hoped in the Lord, continuing in prayers by night and by day: by whose face those men shall be troubled when they shall have seen themselves prevail nothing, for that the whole world has gone away after Him. For out of those orphans and widows, that is, persons destitute of partnership in this world's hope, the Lord for Himself does build a Temple: whereof in continuation he says, “The Lord is in His holy place.”