The Enarrations, or Expositions, on the Psalms

^11. Lastly, what have You done in the sea itself, to pacify its rage, and to weaken it? “You have humbled the proud as one that is wounded”. There is a certain proud serpent in the sea, of which another passage of Scripture speaks, “I will command the serpent, and he shall bite him;” and again, “There is that Leviathan, whom You have made to mock him,” whose head He bruises above the water. “You,” he says, “hast humbled the proud, as one that is wounded.” You have humbled Yourself, and the proud was humbled: for the proud held the proud ones through pride: but the great One is humbled, and by believing in Him become small. While the little one is nourished by the example of One who from greatness descended to humility, the devil has lost what he held: because the proud held only the proud. When such an example of humility was displayed before them, men learned to condemn their own pride, and to imitate the humility of God. Thus also the devil, by losing those whom he had in his power, has even himself been humbled; not chastened, but thrown prostrate. “You have humbled the proud like one that is wounded.” You have been humbled, and hast humbled others: You have been wounded, and hast wounded others: for Your blood, as it was shed to blot the handwriting of sins, could not but wound him. For what was the ground of his pride, except the bond which he held against us. This bond, this handwriting, You have blotted out with Your blood: him therefore have You wounded, from whom You have rescued so many victims. You must understand the devil wounded, not by the piercing of the flesh, which he has not, but by the bruising of his proud heart. “You have scattered Your enemies abroad with Your mighty arm.”

12. “The heavens are yours, the earth also is Yours”. From You, over Your earth they rain. Yours are the heavens, by whom is preached Your truth in circuit of You; “Yours is the earth,” which has received Your truth in circuit of You; and what has resulted from that rain? “You have laid the foundation of the round world, and all that therein is.” “You have created the north and the seas”. For nothing has any power against You, against its Creator. The world indeed may rage through its own malice, and the perversity of its will; does it nevertheless pass over the bound laid down by the Creator, who made all things? Why then do I fear the north wind? Why do I fear the seas? In the north indeed is the devil, who said, “I will sit in the sides of the north; I will be like the Most High;” but You have humbled, as one wounded, the proud one. Thus what You have done in them has more force for Your dominion, than their own will has for their wickedness. “You have created the north and the seas.”

13. “Thabor and Hermon shall rejoice in Your name.” Those mountains are here understood, but they have a meaning. “Thabor and Hermon shall rejoice in Your name.” Thabor, when interpreted, signifies an approaching light. But whence comes the light of which it is said, “You are the light of the world,” unless from Him concerning whom it is written, “That was the true light, which lights every man coming into the world”? The light then which is the light of the world comes from that light which is not kindled from any other source, so that there is no fear lest it be extinguished. The light then comes from Him, who is that candle which is not set beneath the bushel, but on a candlestick, Thabor the coming light. Hermon means his curse. Justly the light comes and is made the curse of him. Of whom but the devil, the wounded one, the proud one? Our illumination then is given from You; that he is held accursed of us, who kept us in his own error and pride, is from You. “Thabor and Hermon, therefore, shall rejoice,” not in their own merits, “but in Your name.” For they shall say, “Not unto us, Lord, not unto us, but to Your name give the praise,” on account of the raging sea: lest “the heathen say, Where is now their God?”

14. “You have a mighty arm”. Let no man arrogate anything to himself. “You have a mighty arm:” by You we were created, by You we have been defended. “You have a mighty arm: strong be Your hand, and high be Your right hand.”

15. “Righteousness and judgment are the preparation of Your seat”. Your righteousness and judgment will appear in the end: they are now hidden. Of Your righteousness it is treated in another Psalm, “on the hidden things of the Son.” There will then be a manifestation of Your righteousness and judgment: some will be set on the right, others on the left hand: and the unbelieving will tremble, when they see what now they mock at, and believe not: the righteous will rejoice, when they shall see what they now see not, yet believe. “Righteousness and judgment are the preparation of Your seat:” especially in the Day of Judgment. What then now? “mercy and truth go before Your face.” I should fear the preparation of Your seat, Your justice, and Your coming judgment, did not mercy and truth go before You: why should I at the end fear Your righteousness, when with Your mercy going before You Thou blottest out my sins, and by showing forth Your truth fulfillest Your promises? “Mercy and truth go before Your face.” For “all the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth.”