Salmos 62
Augustine of Hippo · Comentário Patrístico (catena)
Salmos 62:1
From him truly is patience, true patience, holy patience, religious patience, right patience; Christian patience is a gift of God. For many robbers also suffer most patiently; and while not yielding and overcoming the torturer, afterwards are punished with eternal fire. The cause distinguishes the martyr from patience, or rather, from the hardness of the wicked. The punishment is the same, but the cause is different. We sang with the voice of the martyrs (for Vincent had said these things in his prayers): Judge me, O God, and distinguish my cause from an unholy nation. His cause is distinguished: because he fought for truth, for justice, for God, for Christ, for faith, for the unity of the Church, for indivisible charity. Who granted him this patience? Who? Let the Psalm tell us. For it is read there, it is sung there: Will not my soul be subject to God? From him indeed is my patience. Whoever thinks that Saint Vincent could do these things by his own strength is greatly mistaken. For whoever presumes that he can do this by his own strength, even if he seems to conquer through patience, is overcome by pride. To conquer well is to conquer all machines. When it offers allurements, it is conquered by continence: when it inflicts punishments and torments, it is conquered by patience: when it suggests errors, it is conquered by wisdom. — Sermon 274
Salmos 62:1
The title of it is, "Unto the end, in behalf of Idithun, a Psalm to David himself." I recollect that already to you hath been explained what Idithun is. ...Let us see how far he hath leaped over, and whom he hath "leaped over," and in what place, though he hath leaped over certain men, he is situate, whence as from a kind of spiritual and secure position he may behold what is below. ...He being set, I say, in a certain fortified place, doth say, "Shall not my soul be subject to God?" [Psalm 62:1]. For he had heard, "He that doth exalt himself shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted:" and fearful lest by leaping over he should be proud, not elated by those things which were below, but humble because of Him that was above; to envious men, as it were threatening to him a fall, who were grieved that he had leaped over, he hath made answer, "Shall not my soul be subject to God?" ..."For from Himself is my salvation." — Exposition on Psalm 62
Salmos 62:2
"For Himself is my God and my salvation, my taker up, I shall not be moved more" [Psalm 62:2]. I know who is above me, I know who stretcheth forth His mercy to men that know Him, I know under the coverings of whose wings I should hope: "I shall not be moved more." — Exposition on Psalm 62
Salmos 62:3
Therefore, down from the higher place fortified and protected, he, to whom the Lord has been made a refuge, he, to whom is God Himself for a fortified place, has regard to those whom he has leaped over, and looking down upon them speaks as though from a lofty tower: for this also has been said of Him, "A Tower of strength from the face of the enemy:" he gives heed therefore to them, and says, "How long do ye lay upon a man?" [Psalm 62:3]. By insulting, by hurling reproaches, by laying wait, by persecuting, you lay upon a man burthens, you lay upon a man as much as a man can bear: but in order that a man may bear, under him is He that has made man. If to a man ye look, "slay ye, all of you." Behold, lay upon, rage, "slay ye, all of you." "As though a wall bowed down, and as a fence smitten against;" lean against, smite against, as if going to throw down. And where is, "I shall not be moved more"? But wherefore? "I shall not be moved more." Because Himself is God my Saving One, my taker up, therefore ye men are able to lay burdens upon a man; can you anywise lay upon God, who protects man? "Slay ye, all of you." What is that size of body in one man so great as that he may be slain by all? But we ought to perceive our person, the person of the Church, the person of the Body of Christ. For one Man with His Head and Body is Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the Body and the Members of the Body: two in one Flesh, and in one voice, and in one passion, and, when iniquity shall have passed over, in one rest. The sufferings therefore of Christ are not in Christ alone; nay, there are not any save in Christ. For if Christ you understand to be Head and Body, the sufferings of Christ are not, save in Christ: but if Christ thou understand of Head alone, the sufferings of Christ are not in Christ alone. For if the sufferings of Christ are in Christ alone, to wit in the Head alone; whence says a certain member of Him, Paul the Apostle, "In order that I may supply what are wanting of the oppressions of Christ in my flesh"? [Colossians 1:24] If therefore in the members of Christ you are, whatsoever man you are that art hearing these words, whosoever you are that dost hear these words (but however, you hear, if in the members of Christ you are): whatsoever thing you suffer from those that are not in the members of Christ, was wanting to the sufferings of Christ. Therefore it is added because it was wanting; you fill up the measure, you cause it not to run over: you suffer so much as was to be contributed out of your sufferings to the whole suffering of Christ, that has suffered in our Head, and does suffer in His members, that is, in our own selves. Unto this our common republic, as it were each of us according to our measure pays that which we owe, and according to the powers which we have, as it were a quota of sufferings we contribute. The storehouse of all men's sufferings will not be completely made up, save when the world shall have been ended....That whole City therefore is speaking, from the blood of righteous Abel even to the blood of Zacharias. [Matthew 23:35] Thence also hereafter from the blood of John, through the blood of the Apostles, through the blood of Martyrs, through the blood of the faithful ones of Christ, one City speaks, one man says, "How long do ye lay upon a man? Slay ye, all of you." Let us see if you efface, let us see if you extinguish, let us see if you remove from the earth the name thereof, let us see if you peoples do not meditate of empty things, saying, "When shall She die, and when shall perish the name of Her?" "As though She were a wall bowed down, and a fence smitten against," lean ye against Her, smite against Her. Hear from above: "My taker up, I shall not be moved more:" for as though a heap of sand I have been smitten against that I might fall, and the Lord has taken me up. — Exposition on Psalm 62
Salmos 62:4
"Nevertheless, mine honour they have thought to drive back" (ver. 4). Conquered while they slay men yielding, by the blood of the slain multiplying the faithful, yielding to these and no longer being able to kill; "Nevertheless, mine honour they have thought to drive back." Now because a Christian cannot be killed, pains are taken that a Christian should be dishonoured. For now by the honour of Christians the hearts of ungodly men are tortured: now that spiritual Joseph, after his selling by his brethren, after his removal from his home into Egypt as though into the Gentiles, after the humiliation of a prison, after the made-up tale of a false witness, after that there had come to pass that which of him was said, "Iron passed through the soul of him:" now he is honoured, now he is not made subject to brethren selling him, but corn he supplieth to them hungering. Conquered by his humility and chastity, uncorruptness, temptations, sufferings, now honoured they see him, and his honour they think to check. ...Is it all against one man, or one man against all; or all against all, or one against one? Meanwhile, when he saith, "ye lay upon a man," it is as it were upon one man: and when he saith, "Slay all ye," it is as if all men were against one man: but nevertheless it is also all against all, because also all are Christians, but in One. But why must those divers errors hostile to Christ be spoken of as all together? Are they also one? Truly them also as one I dare to speak of: because there is one City and one city, one People and one people, King and king. One City and one city is what? Babylon one, Jerusalem one. By whatsoever other mystical names besides She is called, yet One City there is and one city; over this the devil is king, over that Christ is King. ... — Exposition on Psalm 62
Salmos 62:5
Let us so admire the fortitude of the holy martyrs in their suffering, as to proclaim the grace of the Lord. For they did not want to be praised in themselves, but in Him of whom it is said: "In the Lord my soul shall be praised." Those who understand this do not become proud: they ask with trembling, they receive with joy: they persevere, they no longer lose. Because they are not proud, they are meek. And therefore, after he said: "In the Lord my soul shall be praised," he added: "The meek shall hear and be glad." For what would weak flesh, what a worm and decay be, unless what we sang were true: "My soul shall be subject to God, for my patience is from Him"? Indeed, so that the martyrs could endure all evils for the sake of faith, their virtue is called patience. — Sermon 283:1
Salmos 62:5
Let the martyr turn his back to the unfaithful and ungrateful flatterer: let him turn his face to the most kind giver, and attribute his suffering to God, not as if he had offered this to God of his own; but rather say: My soul will praise the Lord, let the meek hear and be glad. And when you say to him, What does it mean: My soul will praise the Lord? Is it praised in you then? He responds: Will not my soul be subject to God? For my patience is from him. Why then is it mine? I opened my bosom, and willingly accepted; from him is mine. And from him, and mine; and because it is from him, therefore it is more securely mine. It is mine, but it is not from me to me. To have my gift, I acknowledge the giver God. For if I do not acknowledge the giver God, God takes away his good, and my evil remains, through my will. — Sermon 284:3
Salmos 62:5
What dost Thou, O Idithun, Body of Christ, leaping over them? What dost Thou amid all these things? What wilt Thou? wilt faint wilt Thou not persevere even unto the end? wilt Thou not hearken, "He that shall have persevered even unto the end, the same shall be saved," though for that iniquity aboundeth, the love of many shall wax cold? And where is it that Thou hast leaped over them? where is it that Thy conversation is in Heaven? But they cleave unto earthly things, as though earthborn they mind the earth, and are earth, the serpent's food. What dost thou amid these things? ..."Nevertheless, to God my soul shall be made subject" (ver. 5). And who would endure so great things, either open wars, or secret lyings-in-wait? Who would endure so great things amid open enemies, amid false brethren? Who would endure so great things? Would a man? and if a man would, would a man of himself? I have not so leaped over that I should be lifted up, and fall: "To God my soul shall be made subject: for from Himself is my patience." What patience is there amid so great scandals, except that "if for that which we do not see we hope, through patience we look for it"? There cometh my pain, there will come my rest also; there cometh my tribulation, there will come my cleansing also. For doth gold glitter in the furnace of the refiner? In a necklace it will glitter, in an ornament it will glitter: let it suffer however the furnace, in order that being cleansed from dross it may come into light. This is the furnace, there is there chaff, there gold, there fire, into this bloweth the refiner: in the furnace burneth the chaff, and the gold is cleansed; the one into ashes is turned, of dross the other is cleansed. The furnace is the world, the chaff unrighteous men, the gold just men; the fire tribulation, the refiner God: that which therefore the refiner willeth I do; wherever the Maker setteth me I endure it. I am commanded to endure, He knoweth how to cleanse. Though there burn the chaff to set me on fire, and as if to consume me; that into ashes is burned, I of dross am cleansed. Wherefore? Because "to God my soul shall be made subject: for from Himself is my patience." — Exposition on Psalm 62
Salmos 62:6
"For Himself is my God and My Saving One, my Taker up, I will not remove hence" [Psalm 62:6]. Because "Himself is my God," therefore He calls me: "and my Saving One," therefore He justifies me: "and my Taker up," therefore He glorifies me. For here I am called and am justified, but there I am glorified; and from thence where I am glorified, "I will not remove." For a sojourner I am with You on earth as all my fathers were. Therefore from my lodging I shall remove, from my Heavenly home I shall not remove. — Exposition on Psalm 62
Salmos 62:7
"In God is my salvation and my glory" (ver. 7). Saved I shall be in God, glorious I shall be in God: for not only saved, but also glorious, saved, because a just man I have been made out of an ungodly man, by Him justified; but glorious, because not only justified, but also honoured. For "those whom He hath predestined, those also He hath called." Calling them, what hath He done here? "Whom He hath called, the same also He hath justified; but whom He hath justified, the same also He hath glorified." Justification therefore to salvation belongeth, glorifying to honour. How glorifying to honour belongeth, it is not needful to discuss. How justification belongeth to salvation, let us seek some proof. Behold there cometh to mind out of the Gospel: there were some who to themselves were seeming to be just men, and they were finding fault with the Lord because He admitted to the feast sinners, and with publicans and sinners was eating; to such men therefore priding themselves, strong men of earth very much lifted up, much glorying of their own soundness, such as they counted it, not such as they had, the Lord answered what? "They that are whole need not a Physician, but they that are sick." Whom calleth He whole, whom calleth He sick? He continueth and saith, "I have not come to call just men, but sinners unto repentance." He hath called therefore "the whole" just men, not because the Pharisees were so, but because themselves they thought so to be; and for this reason were proud, and grudged sick men a physician, and being more sick than those, they slew the Physician. He hath called whole, however, righteous men, sick, the sinners. My being justified therefore, saith that man that leapeth over, from Himself I have: my being glorified, from Himself I have: "For God is my salvation and my glory." "My salvation," so that saved I am: "my glory," so that honoured I am. This thing hereafter: now what? "God of my help, and my hope is in God;" until I attain unto perfect justification and salvation. "For by hope we are saved: but hope which is seen, is not hope." ... — Exposition on Psalm 62
Salmos 62:8
Therefore no one is self-sufficient except by God's gift. You have a gift against pleasures: "For this itself," he says, "was wisdom, to know whose gift it was: no one is self-sufficient except by God's gift." You have a gift against pains: "For from him," he says, "is my patience." Therefore, hope in him, all the assembly of the people. Hope in him, do not trust in your own strength. Confess your misdeeds to him, expect your good from him. Without his help, you will be nothing, no matter how proud you are. Therefore, to be able to be humble, pour out your hearts before him. And so that you do not remain in evil within yourselves, say what follows: "God is our helper." — Sermon 283:3
Salmos 62:8
"Hope ye in Him all the council of the people" (ver. 8). Imitate ye Idithun, leap over your enemies; men fighting against you, stopping up your way, men hating you, leap ye over: "Hope in Him all the council of the people: pour out before Him your hearts:" ...By imploring, by confessing, by hoping. Do not keep back your hearts within your hearts: "Pour out before Him your hearts." That perisheth not which ye pour out. For He is my Taker up. If He taketh up, why fearest thou to pour out? "Cast upon the Lord thy care, and hope in Him." What fear ye amid whisperers, slanderers hateful to God, where they are able openly assailing, where they are unable secretly lying in wait, falsely praising, truly at enmity, amid them what fear ye? "God is our Helper." Do they anywise equal God? Are they anywise stronger than He? "God is our Helper," be ye without care. "If God is for us, who is against us?" "Pour out before Him your hearts," by leaping over unto Him, by lifting up your souls: "God is our helper." — Exposition on Psalm 62
Salmos 62:9
"Nevertheless, vain are the sons of men, and liars are the sons of men in the balances, in order that they may deceive, being at one because of vanity" [Psalm 62:9]. Certainly many men there are: behold there is that one man, that one man that was cast forth from the multitude of guests. [Matthew 22:11] They conspire, they all seek things temporal, and they that are carnal things carnal, and for the future they hope them, whosoever do hope: even if because of variety of opinions they are in division, nevertheless because of vanity they are at one. Divers indeed are errors and of many forms, and the kingdom against itself divided shall not stand: [Matthew 12:25] but alike in all is the will vain and lying, belonging to one king, with whom into fire everlasting it is to be thrown headlong [Matthew 25:41] — "these men because of vanity are at one." And for them see how He thirsts, see how He runs in thirst. — Exposition on Psalm 62
Salmos 62:10
You are troubled, you hoard, you think, you labor, you stay awake. By day you are vexed with labors, by night you are agitated with fears. So that your purse may be filled with coins, your soul burns with cares. I see, I grieve: you are troubled, and as He who is incapable of deceit says, you are troubled in vain. You hoard wealth. Even supposing that everything you do turns out well, let us not speak of losses, of so many dangers, where each gain brings a particular death (I speak not of bodily deaths, but of evil thoughts; as gold increases, faith perishes; as you are clothed outwardly, you are stripped inwardly), therefore let us omit these things, let us be silent about other matters, let us pass over adversities, let us only consider prosperity, behold you are hoarding, behold wealth flows from all sides, and like streams, coins rush; everywhere poverty burns, from every side abundance flows. Have you not heard: If riches increase, do not set your heart on them? Behold you acquire, you are not troubled without profit, yet you are troubled in vain. Why, you ask, am I troubled in vain? Behold, I fill sacks, my walls can scarcely hold what I acquire: why am I troubled in vain? Because you hoard and do not know for whom you gather. Or if you know for whom, I beg you, tell me too. I will hear you. For whom? If you are not troubled in vain, tell for whom you hoard. For myself, you say. Do you dare to say this as one who will die? For my children, you say. Do you dare to say this about those who will die? Great piety: a father hoards for his children; but rather great vanity: one who will die hoards for those who will die. If not for yourself, because you will leave behind whatever you gather, then this is also true of your children; they will succeed, not endure. I refrain from saying for which children, lest what greed gathered, luxury may waste. One person loses through excess what you gathered through labor. But I omit this. Perhaps your children will be good, they will not be luxurious; they will keep what you left behind, increase what you kept, they will not waste what you gathered. Your children are equally vain if they do this, if they imitate you in this. I say to them what I said to you, I say to your child for whom you keep these things, I say to him: You hoard and do not know for whom you gather these. Just as you did not know, so he does not know. If vanity remained in him, did truth ever fail in itself concerning him? — Sermon 60:3
Salmos 62:10
Wherefore, until that consolation come, remember, in order to your "continuing in prayers and supplications night and day," that, however great the temporal prosperity may be which flows around you, you are desolate. For the apostle does not ascribe this gift to every widow, but to her who, being a widow indeed, and desolate, "trusteth in God, and continueth in supplication night and day." Observe, however, most vigilantly the warning which follows: "But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth;" for a person lives in those things which he loves, which he greatly desires, and in which he believes himself to be blessed. Wherefore, what Scripture has said of riches: "If riches increase, set not your heart upon them," I say to you concerning pleasures: "If pleasures increase, set not your heart upon them." Do not, therefore, think highly of yourself because these things are not wanting, but are yours abundantly, flowing, as it were, from a most copious fountain of earthly felicity. By all means look upon your possession of these things with indifference and contempt, and seek nothing from them beyond health of body. For this is a blessing not to be despised, because of its being necessary to the work of life until "this mortal shall have put on immortality," in other words, the true, perfect, and everlasting health, which is neither reduced by earthly infirmities nor repaired by corruptible gratification, but, enduring with celestial rigour, is animated with a life eternally incorruptible. For the apostle himself says, "Make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof," because we must take care of the flesh, but only in so far as is necessary for health; "For no man ever yet hated his own flesh," as he himself likewise says. Hence, also, he admonished Timothy, who was, as it appears, too severe upon his body, that he should "use a little wine for his stomach's sake, and for his often infirmities." — Letter 130
Salmos 62:10
I speak, therefore, to Your Charity. Do not love the happiness of this world, and those of you who might have it, do not place your hope in it. It is deceitful, it deceives, it is not possessed. And if it is possessed, it should not be loved, it should not be hoped in, and it will not be a trap. The Apostle says, "Command the rich of this world, command the rich to be." But the rich of this world are Christians, they are faithful. Command them. What? Not to be proud, nor to place their hope in the uncertainty of riches. As the psalm also says: "If riches flow, do not set your heart on them." If it flows, it makes a river: you set your heart on it, and it carries you away. — Sermon 25A.2
Salmos 62:10
He turneth therefore Himself to them, thirsting for them: "Do not hope in iniquity" [Psalm 62:10]. For my hope is in God. Ye that will not draw near and pass over, "do not hope in iniquity." For I that have leapt over, my hope is in God; and is there anywise iniquity with God? This thing let us do, that thing let us do, of that thing let us think, thus let us adjust our lyings in wait; "Because of vanity being at one." Thou thirstest: they that think of those things against thee are given up by those whom thou drinkest, "Do not hope in vanity." Vain is iniquity, nought is iniquity, mighty is nothing save righteousness. Truth may be hidden for a time, conquered it cannot be. Iniquity may flourish for a time, abide it cannot. "Do not hope upon iniquity: and for robbery be not covetous." Thou art not rich, and wilt thou rob? What findest thou? What losest thou? O losing gains! Thou findest money, thou losest righteousness. "For robbery be not covetous." ...Therefore, vain sons of men, lying sons of men, neither rob, nor, if there flow riches, set heart upon them: no longer love vanity, and seek lying. For "blessed is the man who hath the Lord God for his hope, and who hath not had regard unto vanities, and lying follies." Ye would deceive, ye would commit a fraud, what bring ye in order that ye may cheat. Deceitful balances. For "lying," he saith, "are the sons of men in the balances," in order that they may cheat by bringing forth deceitful balances. By a false balance ye beguile men looking on: know ye not that one is he that weigheth, Another He that judgeth of the weight? He seeth not, for whom thou weighest, but He seeth that weigheth thee and him. Therefore neither fraud nor robbery covet ye any longer, nor on those things which ye have set your hope: I have admonished, have foretold, saith this Idithun. — Exposition on Psalm 62
Salmos 62:11
What follows? "Once has God spoken, these two things I have heard, that power is of God [Psalm 62:11], and to You, O Lord, is mercy, for You shall render to each one after his works" [Psalm 62:12]...."Once has God spoken." What do you say, Idithun? If you that had leapt over them art saying, "Once He has spoken;" I turn to another Scripture and it says to me, "In many quarters and in many ways formerly God has spoken to the fathers in the prophets." [Hebrews 1:1] What is, "Once has God spoken"? Is He not the God that in the beginning of mankind spoke to Adam? [Genesis 3:17] Did not the Selfsame speak to Cain, to Noe, to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, to all the Prophets, and to Moses? One man Moses was, and how often to him spoke God? Behold even to one man, not once but ofttimes God has spoken. Secondly, He has spoken to the Son when standing here, "You are My beloved Son." [Matthew 3:17] God has spoken to the Apostles, He has spoken to all the Saints, even though not with voice sounding through the cloud, nevertheless in the heart where He is Himself Teacher. What is therefore, "Once has God spoken"? Much has that man leapt over in order to arrive at that place, where once God has spoken. Behold briefly I have spoken to your Love. Here among men, to men ofttimes, in many ways, in many quarters, through creatures of many forms God has spoken: by Himself once God has spoken, because One Word God has begotten....For it could not be but that God did Himself know that which by the Word He made: [John 1:3] but if that which He made He knew, in Him there was that which was made before it was made. For if in Him was not that which was made before it was made, how knew He that which He made? For you can not say that God made things He knew not. God therefore has known that which He has made. And how knew He before He made, if there cannot be known any but things made? But by things made there cannot be known any but things previously made, by you, to wit, who art a man made in a lower place, and set in a lower place: but before that all these things were made, they were known by Him by whom they were made, and that which He knew He made. Therefore in that Word by which He made all things, before that they were made, were all things; and after they have been made there are all things; but in one way here, in another there, in one way in their own nature wherein they have been made, in another in the art by which they have been made. Who could explain this? We may endeavour: go ye with Idithun, and see. — Exposition on Psalm 62