The Enarrations, or Expositions, on the Psalms

^30. “Poor and sorrowful I am”. Why this? Is it that we may acknowledge that through bitterness of soul this poor One does speak evil? For He has spoken of many things to happen to them. And as if we were saying to Him, “Why such things?”— “Nay, not so much!” He answers, “poor and sorrowful I am.” They have brought Me to want, unto this sorrow they have set Me down, therefore I say these words. It is not, however, the indignation of one cursing, but the prediction of one prophesying. For He was intending to recommend to us certain things which hereafter He says of His poverty and His sorrow, in order that we may learn to be poor and sorrowful. For, “Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” And, “Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.” This therefore He does Himself before now show to us: and so, “poor and sorrowful I am.” The whole Body of Him says this. The Body of Christ in this earth is poor and sorrowful. But let Christians be rich. Truly if Christians they are, they are poor; in comparison with the riches celestial for which they hope, all their gold they count for sand. “And the health of Your countenance, O God, has taken Me up.” Is this poor One anywise forsaken? When do you deign to bring near to your table a poor man in rags? But again, this poor One the health of the countenance of God has taken up: in His countenance He has hidden His need. For of Him has been said, “You shall hide them in the hiding place of Your countenance.” But in that countenance what riches there are would ye know? Riches here give you this advantage, that you may dine on what you will, whenever you will: but those riches, that you may never hunger. “The health of Your countenance, O God, has taken Me up.” For what purpose? In order that no longer I may be poor, no longer sorrowful? “I will praise the name of the Lord with a song, I will magnify Him in praise”. Now it has been said, this poor One praises the name of the Lord with a song, he magnifies Him in praise. When would He have ventured to sing, unless He had been refreshed from hunger? “I will magnify Him with praise.” O vast riches! What jewels of God's praise has he brought out of his inward treasures! These are my riches! “The Lord has given, the Lord has taken away.” Then miserable he has remained? Far be it. See the riches: “As it has pleased the Lord, so has been done, be the name of the Lord blessed.”

31. “And it shall please God:” that I shall praise Him, shall please: “above a new calf, bearing horns and hoofs.” More grateful to Him shall be the sacrifice of praise than the sacrifice of a calf. “The sacrifice of praise shall glorify me.” “Immolate to God the sacrifice of praise.” So then His praise going forth from my mouth shall please God more than a great victim led up to His altar....Therefore above this calf my praising shall please You, such as hereafter will be, after poverty and sorrow, in the eternal society of Angels, where neither adversary there shall be in battle to be tossed, nor sluggard from earth to be stirred up. “Let the needy see and rejoice”. Let them believe, and in hope be glad. Let them be more needy, in order that they may deserve to be filled: lest while they belch out pride's satiety, there be denied them the bread whereon they may healthily live. “Seek the Lord,” ye needy, hunger ye and thirst; for He is Himself the living bread that came down from Heaven. “Seek the Lord, and your soul shall live.” You seek bread, that your flesh may live: the Lord seek ye, that your soul may live.

32. “For the Lord has hearkened to the poor”. He has hearkened to the poor, and He would not have hearkened to the poor, unless they were poor. Will you be hearkened to? Poor be thou: let sorrow cry out from you, and not fastidiousness. “And His fettered ones He has not despised.” Being offended at His servants, He has put them in fetters: but them crying from the fetters He has not despised. What are these fetters? Mortality, the corruptibleness of the flesh are the fetters wherewith we have been bound. And would ye know the weight of these fetters? Of them is said, “The body which is corrupted weighs down the soul.” Whenever men in the world will to be rich, for these fetters they are seeking rags. But let the rags of the fetters suffice: seek so much as is necessary for keeping off want, but when you seek superfluities, you long to load your fetters. In such a prison then let the fetters abide even alone. “Sufficient for the day be the evil thereof.” “Let there praise Him heavens and earth, sea and all things creeping in them”. The true riches of this poor man are these, to consider the creation, and to praise the Creator. “Let there praise Him heavens and earth, sea and all things creeping therein.” And does this creation alone praise God, when by considering of it God is praised?