Salmos 112

Augustine of Hippo · Comentário Patrístico (catena)

Salmos 112:1

"Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord: he will have great delight in His commandments" [Psalm 112:1]. God, who alone judgeth both truthfully and mercifully, will see how far he obeyeth His commandments: since "the life of man on earth is a temptation," as holy Job saith. But "He who judgeth us is the Lord." ...He therefore will see how far each man profiteth in His commandments; yet he who loveth the peace of this building together, shall have great delight in them; nor ought he to despair, since there is "peace on earth for men of good will." — Exposition on Psalm 112

Salmos 112:1

But even if this should be referred to the form in which each one shall rise, what should hinder us from applying to the woman what is expressly said of the man, understanding both sexes to be included under the general term "man?" For certainly in the saying, "Blessed is he who feareth the Lord," women also who fear the Lord are included. — City of God 22.18

Salmos 112:1

Your fourth question is, "Why David said, 'His seed shall be mighty on the earth, the generation of the righteous shall be blessed,' when we know that the children of the just were and are cursed and those of the unjust were and are blessed." I answer this question from an exposition of the same psalm that I gave to the people. For, "Blessed is the one who fears the Lord; he shall delight exceedingly in his commandments." God, who alone judges rightly and mercifully, shall see how much he excels in his commandments, since, as holy Job says, "The life of [a person] on earth is a warfare." And again it is written, "For the corruptible body is a load on the soul, and the earthly habitation presses down the mind that muses on many things." But he who judges us is the Lord, and we should not judge before the time until the Lord shall come and bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the counsels of the heart. Then shall each person have praise from God. Therefore, [God] shall see how much each person excels in his commandments, yet each person shall delight exceedingly who truly loves the peace of the cobuilding, nor should each person despair now, since "in his commandments he shall delight exceedingly," and there will be "peace in the land to men of good will." — EIGHT QUESTIONS OF DULCITIUS 4

Salmos 112:2

Next follows, "His seed shall be mighty upon earth" (ver. 2). The Apostle witnesseth, that the works of mercy are the seed of the future harvest, when he saith, "Let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap;" and again, "But this I say, He which soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly." But what, brethren, is more mighty than that not only Zacchaeus should buy the kingdom of Heaven by the half of his goods, but even the widow for two mites, and that each should possess an equal share there? What is more mighty, than that the same kingdom should be worth treasures to the rich man, and a cup of cold water to the poor? — Exposition on Psalm 112

Salmos 112:2

Salmos 112:3

"Glory and riches shall be in his house" [Psalm 112:3]. For his house is his heart; where, with the praise of God, he lives in greater riches with the hope of eternal life, than with men flattering, in palaces of marble, with splendidly adorned ceilings, with the fear of everlasting death. "For his righteousness endures for ever:" this is his glory, there are his riches. While the other's purple, and fine linen, and grand banquets, even when present, are passing away; and when they have come to an end, the burning tongue shall cry out, longing for a drop of water from the finger's end. [Luke 16:24] — Exposition on Psalm 112

Salmos 112:4

"Unto the right-hearted there arises up light in the darkness" [Psalm 112:4]. Justly do the godly direct their heart unto their God, justly do they walk with their God, preferring His will to themselves; and having no proud presumption in their own. For they remember that they were some time in darkness, but are now light in the Lord. [Ephesians 5:8] "Merciful, pitying, and just is the Lord God." It delights us that He is "merciful and pitying," but it perhaps terrifies us that the Lord God is "just." Fear not, despair not at all, happy man, who fearest the Lord, and hast great delight in His commandments. — Exposition on Psalm 112

Salmos 112:5

Be thou sweet, be merciful and lend. For the Lord is just in this manner, that He judges without mercy him who has not shown mercy; [James 2:13] but, "Sweet is the man who is merciful and lends" [Psalm 112:5]: God will not spew him out of His mouth as if he were not sweet. "Forgive," He says, "and you shall be forgiven; give, and it shall be given unto you." [Luke 6:37-38] Whilst you forgive that you may be forgiven, you are merciful; while you give that it may be given unto you, you lend. For though all be called generally mercy where another is assisted in his distress, yet there is a difference where you spend neither money, nor the toil of bodily labour, but by forgiving what each man has sinned against you, you gain free pardon for your own sins also....He who is unwilling to give to the poor, seeks riches; listen to what is written, "You shall have treasure in heaven." [Matthew 19:21] You will not then lose honour by forgiving: for it is a very laudable triumph to conquer anger. You will not grow poor by giving; for a heavenly treasure is a more safe possession. The former verse, "Riches and plenteousness shall be in his house," was pregnant with this verse. — Exposition on Psalm 112

Salmos 112:6

Therefore, the righteous will be in eternal memory, and will not fear bad news. For the judge of all the living and the dead is coming, as we read in the Gospel. And it is true, because those things which we now see did not exist when they were foretold as future. What you see now is the name of Christ being preached among all nations, people turning to one God, idols being abandoned, demons being abandoned, temples being overthrown, images being shattered; all these things did not yet exist, yet they were foretold, and now they are seen. Therefore, in the Scriptures where these things, which we now see, are written (they were written then when they were not seen, but were promised as future), we read about things that have not yet come. For the day of judgment has not yet come, the resurrection of the dead has not yet come, He who was first to be judged has not yet come to judge. Judged unjustly, He will judge justly. Deferring power, showing patience when He wishes. Therefore, He will come, and just as He promised to come with His angels, so He will come and appear in glory to all, even to those resurrected. For each one will be resurrected with their cause. For as one is received into the prison upon dying, so they proceed to the judge in the same state. Now is the time to settle one's cause, as once enclosed, they cannot. Therefore, those who have good causes are received into rest: however, those who have bad causes are received into punishment. But they will endure greater punishments when they have been resurrected: in comparison with which, the ones that the souls of wicked men endure after death are like the dreams of those tormented in their sleep. For their souls suffer, their flesh does not suffer. However, a greater torment is if one is tortured while awake. Therefore, when all have risen and appeared before the just judge, as he himself predicted, he will separate them as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats: he will place the goats on the left, but the sheep on the right. And he will say to those who are on the right: Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. At this voice the right ones rejoice, the just rejoice. But to those who are on the left, he will say: Go into eternal fire with the devil and his angels. From this evil hearing, the just will not fear. — SERMON 328:5

Salmos 112:6

He therefore who doth these things, "shall guide his words with discretion." His deeds themselves are the words whereby he shall be defended at the Judgment; which shall not be without mercy unto him, since he hath himself shown mercy. "For he shall never be moved" (ver. 6): he who, called to the right hand, shall hear these words, "Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." For no works of theirs, save works of mercy, are there mentioned. He therefore shall hear, "Come, ye blessed of My Father;" for, "the generation of the right ones shall be blessed." Thus, "the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance." — Exposition on Psalm 112

Salmos 112:6

Today we celebrate the memory of the just. Therefore, this sermon is owed to your Charity through our ministry, so that we may speak something from that which we sang with heart and voice with the Lord's consent: "The just will be in eternal memory, he will not fear an evil hearing." For indeed this Psalm was read to remind us to what good purpose this solemnity is held. It is not because the holy Church celebrates with annual return the final days of those just and holy ones who depart from this world that honor is thereby increased for those just ones, but rather, an example is proposed for us to imitate. — SERMON 335L.I

Salmos 112:7

"He will not be afraid of any evil hearing; for his heart stands fast and believes in the Lord" [Psalm 112:7]. Such as the words which he will hear addressed to those on the left hand, "Depart into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." [Matthew 25:34, 41] He therefore who seeks here not his own things, but those of Jesus Christ, [Philippians 2:21] most patiently endures sufferings, waits for the promises with faith. Nor is he broken down by any temptations. — Exposition on Psalm 112

Salmos 112:8

"His heart is established, and will not shrink, until he see beyond his enemies" [Psalm 112:8]. His enemies wished to see good things here, and when invisible blessings were promised them, used to say, "Who will show us any good?" Let our heart therefore be established, and shrink not, until we see beyond our enemies. For they wish to see good things of men in the land of the dying; we trust to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living. — Exposition on Psalm 112

Salmos 112:9

But it is a great thing to have the heart established, and not to be moved, while they rejoice who love what they see, and mock at him who hopeth for what he seeth not; "what the Lord hath prepared for them that love Him." How great is the value of this which is not seen, and it is bought for so much as each man is able to give for it. On this account he also "dispersed abroad, and gave to the poor" (ver. 9): he saw not, yet he kept buying; but He was storing up the treasure in heaven, who deigned to hunger and thirst in the poor on earth. It is no wonder then if "his righteousness remaineth for ever:" He who created the ages being his guardian. "His horn," whose humility was scorned by the proud, "shall be exalted with honour." — Exposition on Psalm 112

Salmos 112:9

Therefore, it is good that one should do good: and there is good from which to do good. The good that does good is God. For no one makes a person good except Him who is always good. Therefore, to be good, call upon God. But there is another good from which to do good: that is, whatever you possess. It is gold, it is silver; it is good, not such that it makes you good, but from which you do good. You have gold, you have silver; and you covet gold and you covet silver. And you have, and you covet; and you are full, and you thirst. It is a sickness, not prosperity. There are people in sickness, filled with fluid, and they are always thirsty. They are filled with fluid, and they thirst for fluid. How then do you delight in wealth when you have the hydropic desire? Therefore, you have gold, it is good: you have, not that it makes you good, but from which you do good. What good, you ask, will I do with gold? Have you not heard the Psalm? "He has distributed, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." This is good, this is the good from which you are good, righteousness. If you have the good from which to be good; do good from the good from which you are not good. You have money, spend it. By spending money, you increase righteousness. For he has distributed, given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever. See what is diminished and what is increased. Money is diminished, righteousness is increased. That is diminished which you were going to let go of, that is diminished which you were going to leave behind: that is increased which you will possess forever. — SERMON 61:3

Salmos 112:10

"The ungodly shall see it, and he shall be angered" [Psalm 112:10]: this is that late and fruitless repentance. For with whom rather than himself is he "angered," when he shall say, "Our pride, what has it profited us? The boastfulness of our riches, what has it given us? [Wisdom 5:8] " seeing the horn of him exalted with honour, who "dispersed abroad, and gave to the poor." "He shall gnash with his teeth, and consume away:" for "there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." For he will no more bring forth leaves and bloom, as would happen if he had repented in season: but he will then repent, when "the desire of the ungodly shall perish," no consolation succeeding. "The desire of the ungodly shall perish," when "all things shall pass away like a shadow," [Wisdom 5:8-9] when the flower shall fall down on the withering of the grass. "But the word of the Lord that endures for ever," [Isaiah 40:8] as it is mocked by the vanity of the falsely happy, so will laugh at the perdition of the same when truly miserable. — Exposition on Psalm 112

Salmos 112:10

Dearly beloved, whether the Jews receive these divine testimonies with joy or with indignation, nevertheless, when we can, let us proclaim them with great love for the Jews. Let us not proudly glory against the broken branches; let us rather reflect by whose grace it is, and by much mercy, and on what root, we have been ingrafted. Then, not savoring of pride but with a deep sense of humility, not insulting with presumption but rejoicing with trembling, let us say, "Come and let us walk in the light of the Lord," because his "name is great among the Gentiles." If they hear him and obey him, they will be among them to whom Scripture says, "Come to him and be enlightened, and your faces shall not be confounded." If, however, they hear and do not obey, if they see and are jealous, they are among them of whom the psalm says, "The wicked shall see and shall be angry, he shall gnash with his teeth and pine away." "But I," the church says to Christ, "as a fruitful olive tree in the house of God, have hoped in the mercy of God for ever, yea forever and ever." — IN ANSWER TO THE JEWS 10:15