The Enarrations, or Expositions, on the Psalms

^7. Now let us hasten over the verses following after the destruction of Jerusalem, for the reason that they are both evident, and it does not please me to tarry over the punishment even of enemies. “As if in a forest of trees with axes, they have cut down the doors thereof at once; with mattock and hammer they have thrown Her down”. That is, conspiring together, with firm determination, “with mattock and hammer” they have thrown Her down. “They have burned with fire Your Sanctuary, they have defiled on the ground the Tabernacle of Your name”.

8. “They have said in their heart (the kindred of them is in one)”— Have said what? “Come ye, let us suppress the solemnities of the Lord from the land”. “Of the Lord,” has been inserted in the person of this man, that is, in the person of Asaph. For they raging would not have called Him the Lord whose temple they were overthrowing. “Come ye, let us suppress all the solemnities of the Lord from the land.” What of Asaph? What understanding has Asaph in these words? What? Does he not profit even by the discipline accorded? Is not the mind's crookedness made straight? Overthrown were all things that were at first: nowhere is there priest, nowhere Altar of the Jews, nowhere victim, nowhere Temple. Is there then no other thing to be acknowledged which succeeded this departing? Or indeed would this promissory sign have been taken away, unless there had come that which was being promised? Let us see therefore in this place now the understanding of Asaph, let us see if he profits by tribulation. Observe what he says: “Our signs we have not seen, no longer is there prophet, and us He will not know as yet”. Behold those Jews who say that they are not known as yet, that is, that they are yet in captivity, that not yet they are delivered, do yet expect Christ. Christ will come, but He will come as Judge; the first time to call, afterwards to sever. He will come, because He has come, and that He will come is evident; but hereafter from above He will come. Before you He was, O Israel. You were bruised because you stumbled against Him lying down: that you may not be ground to powder, observe Him coming from above. For thus it was foretold by the prophet: “Whoever shall stumble upon that stone shall be bruised, and upon whomsoever it shall have come, it shall grind him to powder.” He does bruise when little, He shall grind to powder when great. Now your signs you see not, now there is no prophet: and you say, “and us He will not know as yet:” because yourselves know not Him as yet. “No longer is there a prophet; and us He will not know as yet.”

9. “How long, O God, shall the enemy revile?”. Cry out as if forsaken, as if deserted: cry out like a sick man, who hast chosen rather to smite the physician than to be made whole: not as yet does He know you. See what He has done, who does not know you as yet. For they to whom there has been no preaching of Him, shall see; and they that have not heard shall understand: and thou yet criest out, “No longer is there a prophet, and us He will not know as yet.” Where is your understanding? “The adversary does provoke Your name at the end.” For this purpose the adversary does provoke Your name at the end, that being provoked You may reprove, reproving You may know them at the end: or certainly, “at the end,” in the sense of even unto the end.

10. “Why do You turn away Your hand, and Your right hand from the midst of Your bosom unto the end?”. Again, another sign which was given to Moses. For in like manner as above from the rod was a sign, so also from the right hand now. For when that thing had been done concerning the rod, God gave a second sign: “thrust,” He says, “your hand into your bosom, and he thrust it: draw it forth, and he drew it forth: and it was found white,” that is, unclean. For whiteness on the skin is leprosy, not fairness of complexion. For the heritage of God itself, that is, His people, being cast out became unclean. But what says He to him? Draw it back into your bosom. He drew it back, and it was restored to its own colour. When doest Thou this, says this Asaph? How long dost Thou alienate Your right hand from Your bosom, so that being without unclean it remains? Draw it back, let it return to its colour, let it acknowledge the Saviour. “Wherefore do you turn away Your hand, and Your right hand from the midst of Your bosom unto the end?” These words he cries, being blind, not understanding, and God does what He does. For wherefore came Christ? “Blindness in part happened unto Israel, in order that the fullness of the Gentiles might enter in, and so all Israel might be saved.” Therefore now, O Asaph, acknowledge that which has gone before, in order that you may at least follow, if you were not able to go before. For not in vain came Christ, or in vain was Christ slain, or in vain did the grain fall into the ground; but it fell that it might rise manifold. A serpent was lifted up in the desert, in order that it might cure of the poison him that was smitten. Observe what was done. Do not think it to be a vain thing that He came: lest He find you evil, when He shall have come a second time.