V. 1. 2. A Psalm of David, to be sung. The heavens tell the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands.
1) That this psalm is to be understood from the ministry of the gospel is taught and enforced by Paul when he says Rom. 10:18: "Have they not heard it? For their sound has gone out into all the earth, and their words into all the world." Therefore the heavens, the feasts, the sun, the days, the nights, and similar things must be taken figuratively. Through them, as through lovely blankets, the spirit draws us from this visible world to the vision of a new world, in which there are other heavens, nights and days, whose image and shadow we see in this world. So here the clear circumstances and the context of what is said, then also the reputation of the New Testament, force us to take the secret interpretation, which otherwise an interpreter of Scripture must refrain from as much as possible, lest he lose his simple mind and wander about in nothing 2) but his own dreams. For so we often say: one must not play with secret interpretations in Scripture (at least not in argument), if the secret interpretation is not forced by other passages of Scripture.
2 But we have also said in the foregoing that the spirit sometimes uses figurative words.
2) We have followed here the reading of the Wittenberg and the Jena edition: nioris. The Erlanger offers: niortis, the Baseler: niortnis. The Weimar edition has mortis in the text, but this is improved in the addenda according to the Wittenberg.
when dealing with a kind of figurative matter (if I may speak so). Thus Ps. 2:9: "Thou shalt smite them with an iron scepter" 2c. Although the Gospel is sweet and gentle, yet it seems iron to the flesh, pronouncing a glorious thing with low and base words. Here, on the other hand, speaking as it were in an exalted manner, the prophet pronounces the things that are lowly in the eyes of men with glorious and mighty words, using figurative speech and almost universally calling those "the heavens," which were yet the sweepings and lees of the world, and in truth a kind of living image that represented something other than it was.
3 "The heavens" are therefore the apostles and all those who administer the apostolic office, that is, the ministry of the Word. And here we will see that it is explained to us with excellent eloquence what the Gospel is, what it means to be an apostle or a bishop in the Church, and also what the character of the one who wants to be a bishop must be.
First of all, they must be "the heavens" and "the festivals. Dear, what virtue is there that is not required in the ministry of the church? "The heavens" are God's throne and dwelling place, as it is said in Isa. 66, 1: "The heavens are my throne." A bishop of the Church of God must therefore have God dwelling in him, so that he is blameless and adorned with all the gifts, as Paul describes him Tit. 1, 7-9. and 1 Tim. 3, 2. ff., namely that he has a heavenly life
and lead a life worthy of God on earth, so that through this purity he deserves to be instructed from above and to be taught by God [Joh. 6, 45.], so that he does not present his own things to earthly minded people, but divine things.
5. then he should be "a stronghold between the waters", because the Holy Spirit liked to call it "the heavens", Gen. 1, 6. because of future mysteries, because a bishop and servant of the word must be firm in faith when he is placed in the middle of the waters of persecutions for the sake of the word of God, so that he does not give way to superiors or subordinates, and is not moved by prosperity or adversity. And it is these things that make a person holy in the sight of God, firm against men. For if a man is a hireling, he will flee, and not be a firm, but "clouds without water" [Ep. Jude, v. 12] or "a vapor that lasts a little while" [Jac. 4, 14].
But the ministry is: "to tell the glory of God and to proclaim the work of His hands". This is described with simple words, without a picture. Thereby we are also forced to understand people under the "heavens", since the visible heaven cannot tell and proclaim, because it does not have a mouth, tongue or voice, unless we wanted to speak figuratively.
(7) Therefore you see that the apostles and apostolic men are not commanded by the Scriptures, but that they should make the living voices resound in the church, and that for this reason those are not bishops and priests who today are called so 1) even if they could perform all the prayers and all the masses in one day. For their office is not to read the horas canonicas, to attend masses, to roar in the churches, to make noise with musical instruments, and to fill everything with incomprehensible and non-speaking (surdis et mutis) sounds; yes, even to perform miracles, or to adorn life with the best works, efforts, and exercises, and to shine by a good example to others is not enough, but one should not be called bishops and priests.
1) Erlanger: sit instead of: she.
should tell and proclaim and serve others with the word. But where are those who do this? Nor is it enough to tell or proclaim anything of any kind, so that one does not proclaim the glory of men or the works of men's hands, but the glory of God and the works of his hands, that is, nothing other than the gospel. For what is the gospel but the proclaiming of the glory of GOD and His works, that is, JESUS Christ, the Son of GOD? This we will see when we have seen what the glory of God and the works of His hands are.
8 Paul says 1 Cor. 1, 23. f.: We preach Christ, to the Jews an offense and to the Greeks foolishness, but to the called saints divine power and divine wisdom. For God alone is righteousness, truth, wisdom, power, holiness, salvation and all good. But ours is unrighteousness, foolishness, lies, weakness and all evil, as all this is abundantly proven in Scripture, and we have often taught in the foregoing. For [Ps. 116, 11.] "all men are liars," and 1Hos. 13, 9.] "Israel, thou bringest thyself into mischief." Therefore all lack the glory they should have in GOD, and no flesh can boast before Him, as Paul says Rom. 3, 23. 27. fund 1 Cor. 1, 29.] But "Christ is made unto us of GOD wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" [1 Cor. 1, 30.], and "by him dwelleth the glory of GOD in our land, and righteousness looketh down from heaven" [Ps. 85, 10. 12.], "that whosoever shall boast may boast of the LORD" [1 Cor. 1, 31.]. For "God, the Father of mercies, hath blessed us with all manner of spiritual blessings in heavenly things," but not otherwise than "through Christ," 2 Cor. 1:3 [Eph. 1:3].
9 Therefore, the glory of God cannot be told unless the shame of men is told at the same time, nor can God be praised as true, just and merciful unless it is preached of us that we are liars and sinners and wretched people. If we believe both of these things, we will be blessed, and the mercy of God will reign in us for His glory. Thus it is said in Ps. 51:6: "Against you alone have I sinned,
1128 L. XVI, 140 f. Works on the first 23 Psalms. Ps. 19, 1. 2. d. IV, 1475-1477. 1129
that thou mayest be right in thy words." So there is nothing in us of which we can boast, but everything that can disgrace us is abundant. But in GOD there is that of which we can boast, and nothing by which we can be put to shame.
10. From this it may be inferred that the glory of God is twofold: that by which we boast in Him, after He has given us a clear conscience, by grace freely, through His mercy; and that by which He is glorified in us and by us; and that the glory of God be proclaimed is nothing else but that that be preached whereby God is glorified, and of which we boast, that is, all the wonders of His ineffable mercy, and the riches of the glory of His mercies poured out upon us, that is, that in truth Jesus Christ and the gospel be taught purely.
(11) Behold, then, how the Spirit has spoken such great things in a very short word, and not only in a very short word, but also in a very appropriate word, for it expresses not only the things, but also the custom of the things. For many preach Christ, but in such a way that they never understand or announce His custom and good deeds, as the great multitude of preachers do, who preach only the histories of Christ when they preach best. But this is not Christian preaching if you preach Christ only according to history; this does not mean preaching God's glory, but if you teach that the history of Christ serves to benefit us who believe to righteousness and salvation, that he did this not for himself but for us according to the will of God the Father, and that we know that all that is in Christ is ours. This faith and this knowledge of the Lord causes us to love, honor and glorify him.
(12) Although Moses and the prophets knew this honor, they did not tell it, but foretold that it would one day be told, since the teaching of the Law worked rather the honor of men and the dishonor of God, in that men, through the works of the Law, either become hopeful and presumptuous, or despair and hate God. This
Telling comes to "the heavens". Therefore, this psalm is also one of the passages in which, as the apostle Rom. 1, 2. says, the gospel is promised in the holy scriptures through the prophets.
Since all that Christ has is ours, as the gospel teaches, and I have not ascribed righteousness to the works of the law, but to the grace of God, 1) it is thought to follow from this what was also thought to follow from the preaching of the apostle, namely, that we should no longer do good works, indeed, we should do evil, so that good may come from it [Rom. 3, 8], sin so that God may be glorified [Rom. 3, 5. 7.], persist in sin so that grace may become all the more powerful [Rom. 6, 1.], and the like. For such is the mind of the prudence of the flesh, which comprehends not the glory of God, because it is stifled in its glory. The apostle refutes this beautifully Rom. 6, 1. ff. and Cap. 8, 5. f. Now is not the time to talk about this.
14. "The work of his hands." Here is said, that is, a privates, something manufactured, not so-called temporary acts or accomplishments. Thus, again, the power of God's grace is praised, and our shame is revealed. For the works of God's hands are the new creatures themselves, the believers themselves, of whom Jacobus says [Cap. 1, 18.]: "He begat us according to His will, by the word of truth, that we might be the firstfruits of His creatures." And Paul in the Epistle to the Galatians [Cap. 6, 15.]: "For in Christ JEsu neither circumcision nor foreskin counts for anything, but a new creature." For the word of the Gospel does not change the actions of him who does them, 2) nor does it look at the sacrifice, but at him who offers the sacrifice, for the works do not make pleasing in the sight of God, but he who is pleasing does [pleasing] works, and the glory of God is only in those who do the works, but not at all in the works.
1) In the Basel edition: triduitnr instead of: lrilrni. This change probably comes from the fact that the editor (as well as the old translator) considered triUui to be the iuüuitlvus prassentis passive!
2) In the Basel: a^ntes instead of: uMntis. - Here Luther will have thought of the sacrifice of Cain and Abel. Cf. Walch, St. Louis Edition, Vol. Ill, 108, Z15 ff.
Moses changes the works through the law, but not those who do works; therefore he makes hypocrites and only makes people righteous according to outward appearances. But the gospel makes alive and works the truth in men.
15) That he speaks of the works of a new creation (recreationis), not of those of the creation, can be inferred from the fact that he prophesies of the Gospel, in which it is taught what must become of us, although in fact there is no difference between the creation and the new creation, since God brings both forth from nothing, and all creation is a work of God's hands, except the ungodly. For everything else does not serve itself, does not act, but is driven (non agunt, sed aguntur), and are for God's glory alone; in the image of these things we too must be permitted.
(16) What, then, is the work of the hands of God proclaimed, but to teach that the old man is crucified and the new put on, that one dies to Christ and rises with Christ, and that thus the glory of God is fulfilled in us?
(17) There again you see how briefly and appropriately the Spirit speaks not only the mysteries of the cross of Christ, but also its custom and benefit, so that you can learn here, too, that they are nothing but talkers who preach Christ's suffering only in a historical way, but do not teach its custom and fruit, which consists in our becoming works of God's hands. Where then will free will remain? Where that man should do as much as is in him? Since we are taught here that we are made, not do, and that we do not work, but that God works us, that we are powers, not doers, the whole theology of the arrogant falls apart. And this is the reason why those must be "heavens" and "strongholds" who tell this, since this is contrary to the whole world, especially to the wise, holy and powerful, and it is necessary that they do not give way to the rage and impetuosity of these people.
V. 3: One day tells another, and one night makes known to another.
(18) This verse has been treated strangely and differently; let us leave that and follow our sense. For he seems to be explaining what he said in the first verse, lest a carnal man should understand or expect that the glory of God and the works of his hands should be told in such a way that we should see the thing itself at the same time, or that what is told should be visible, as it is with the glory and works of men and of whom it is told; for thus faith would be destroyed. Therefore, the prophet wants to understand such honor and such works of God, which cannot be comprehended unless they are grasped in word and faith. For it is not seen that it is only God's glory, let alone that it should have appeared, which we are in the works of God, but meanwhile we believe by faith. What else would it be that he said "they tell", "they proclaim"? For what is told is not presented to the eyes but to the ear, it is not shown in deed but in word. Hence he says that the heavens by their telling present not a thing, but the word; he does not show that which is known, but the knowledge (scientiam) or cognition, that he may put out the eyes, take captive the senses, make us fools, and by preaching (auditu) alone make us blessed by faith. For in the case of the philosophers, those who tell something make it seem that they are indicating the things themselves, not the word, since knowledge is not indicated, but indicates a thing; therefore, they become foolish in these speeches of God.
19 But he puts "days" and "nights" together in a lovely contrast. The days are the heavens themselves, the apostles, the festivals, to whom the Lord says, Matth. 5, 14: "You are the light of the world. And Paul in the Epistle to the Ephesians [Cap. 5, 8.], "But now ye are a light in the Lord." And Phil. 2, 15. f.: "Under which ye shine as lights in the Wett; that ye may keep the word of life." This day, made by the new sun, Christ, says the word to another day, that is, to the world, or to the men of the world, who shine by the light of their own wisdom; that is, he would have it
1132 L. XVI, 144-146. Works On the First 22 Psalms. Ps. 19, 3. 4. W. IV, 1486-1484. 1133
not that she should see it, but that she should believe it, and cease to be day and wise in her own eyes, as if to say: The wisdom of the Spirit preacheth unto the wisdom of the flesh, and preacheth so as to take her captive by the word, and make her foolish. For the wisdom of the Spirit is day in the sight of God, the wisdom of the flesh is day in the sight of the world, that is, each of them is famous, glorious and honorable in its place. Thus it is said in 1 Cor. 1:20, 19: "Has not God made the wisdom of this world foolishness? For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the understanding of the prudent will I reject."
(20) I like this view because it is written that the gospel is to be preached to those who know nothing about it, Romans 15:21: "To whom it is not preached of him, they shall see it. Since then one day proclaims the word to another, he does not tell it to the one to whom it has already been proclaimed, nor even to himself, the proclaimer, but to another, and that to one who is opposed to him, to whom it had not been proclaimed.
21 But that days and nights are to be understood figuratively, this requires that he says: "He says it" (eructat verbum), "she makes it known" (indicat scientiam). For the natural days do not proclaim the word, or teach a knowledge, or hear and know, since the word, the hearing, the knowledge, the instruction, but also the proclaiming and the announcing belong to living men on earth. But also the following verse, which says about speaking and languages, confirms the same. Thus the night, that is, the believing apostles, make it known to the unbelieving night. For it is a repetition of the same thing or doubling (geminatio). For just as the faithful are a light before God and in God, so they are a night before the world and in the world, namely hidden and despised, yes, even in their own eyes nothing and darkness, because they do not please themselves. On the other hand, the ungodly and unbelievers, as they are a light in the world and in their own eyes, pleasing themselves and appearing beautiful, are night and darkness in the spirit and in the eyes of God. For thus says
the apostle [Eph. 5, 8]: "You would have been darkness.
(22) Now the prophet makes four distinctions here, naming men as they are according to their different appearances and parts. The wicked are day in their eyes, according to the outward man, night in the eyes of God, according to the inward man. The godly are days in the eyes of God, according to the inward man, night in the eyes of men and in their own, according to the outward man.
(23) Notice with what deliberation the prophet speaks, how he ascribes the word to the day and the knowledge to the night, because to the night, that is, to the world, the knowledge is shown according to the inward man, but to the day, that is, to the same world, the word is proclaimed according to the outward man. For the word is for hearing, by heart, but the knowledge is for hearing, by heart; but whoever wishes may also understand by knowledge the oral word. So the meaning is that those who have understanding in the spirit teach knowledge to those who have understanding in the flesh, that is, they give knowledge by word of hidden things that they do not reveal. Thus Luc. 1, 76. 77. is written of John, that he goes before the Lord to give, not salvation itself, but knowledge of salvation, because our salvation is hidden with Christ in God, but the knowledge of it is revealed through the word of faith.
V. 4. There is no speech nor language, since their voice is not heard.
Who are the "theirs"? The heavens, the days and nights that tell the glory of God and the works of His hands. But where will we hear these heavens? or in what people? or in what languages will they speak? He answers: They will speak in the languages of all nations and in all lands, as the following verse will say. This was fulfilled when the apostles proclaimed in many tongues the great deeds of God, and it is still being fulfilled in the whole world, because the gospel, which was spread by the apostles in many tongues, still resounds in the same tongues.
to the end of the well, although not all speak in different languages; nor is this necessary.
(25) How loquelae and sermones are distinguished is not yet quite clear to me. Many think that loquelae refers to the languages, sermones to the differences or peculiarities of the same language, as in the Hebrew language the Galileans differed from the Jews, as we read in the Gospel, where they said to Peter (Marc. 14, 66. Matth. 26, 73.): "You are a Galilean, because your language betrays you." I am content with the fact that this verse teaches that the apostles spoke in all languages.
(26) But this verse stops the mouths of those who say that the apostles spoke only in one language, the Hebrew, but that others heard their own languages. For here he says that there is no language in which their voice was not heard. For if it was the voices of the apostles, and these were heard by men in all languages, they certainly made themselves heard in divers languages; or if they did not utter these sounds (sonuerunt), it was not their voices, but either those of the hearers, or of the desire that was between them.
(27) But by what miracle they gave forth the diverse voices, so that the hearing was not confused (for the same ear cannot hear diverse voices at the same time), who can know? He who gave it to speak in many tongues, could also cause any one to reach the people who had that language without (disturbing] noise and unmixed with others, as Christ spoke to Saul 1) from heaven, and yet was heard by Paul alone. Lucas indicates this very thing [Apost. 2, 6.], when he says that the multitude died, and each one heard that they spoke with his own language, as if he wanted to say: "Each one heard only his own language, and yet each one heard the same [apostles], and they spoke in man's own language.
1) Baseler: 8aulo; in the other editions Lauli. The following seems to contradict the passage Apost. 9, 7. The text is probably not in order here.
tion of different languages. For he does not say, "They heard their own language," but, "Each one heard that they spoke with his own language," that is, that they spoke in their own language and were not merely heard. Why else would it have been necessary for the apostles to understand the Greek language in which they wrote? The Hebrew language would have sufficed; nor would it then have been necessary to say that they spoke in many languages, but that they were heard with many ears, and the miracle would not have been in the languages of the preachers, but in the ears of the hearers.
28 Again, see how he praises faith, for things are not seen which are told, but their voices are heard; hearing alone is required in the Church of GOD. Jerome translates thus: Non sunt sermones, non sunt verba, quibus non audiatur vox eorum, where the word verba is expressed by XXXXX, which sometimes means things or stories, or a rumor (famam), as I believe is taken here. And not only faith, but also the effect and fruit of the word is praised at the same time, because it is said that they did not speak into the wind, but their voices were heard, that is, admitted and received, which is done by faith. I leave here the question raised by some: whether this verse is fulfilled, since all nations have not yet heard the gospel? It is easy for anyone to answer.
V. 5 Their line goes out to all the earth, and their speech to the end of the world.
29. here he indicates the place (as I have said (§ 24]) where these heavens shall give forth sound, lest any man complain or make excuse that he cannot sail over the sea, or ascend into heaven to hear. "For the word is almost near thee in thy mouth and in thy heart," says Moses, 5, Book 30, 14. For to this end they were gifted with divers tongues, that their sound might go forth into all lands. And see how carefully the Spirit chooses his words; lest the apostles be thought to be the authors of the word, he makes them servants and workers.
bear witness, as Christ says [Matth. 10, 20.]: "For it is not you who speak, but it is your Father's Spirit who speaks through you." And again [John 16:14.], "The same shall transfigure me, and [John 15:26. f.] shall bear witness of me, and ye shall bear witness also." Therefore he says: Their voices are heard, but another is he that speaketh. Their sound goes out, but it is another who brings it forth (efflat) and sends it out, using their voice and words as his instruments.
30 Augustine applies this passage against the Donatists, who confined the church to a corner in Africa; but it must be directed much more against our new Donatists, who say that there are no believers in India and Persia and Asia. For where the sound and the words of the Spirit are, there without doubt is the true church of Christ. For the Spirit of Christ speaks only in His Church. Therefore, since here is a manifest text that the sound of the apostles has gone forth into all lands, and one does not read that the same has been revoked, we must be careful not to boast ourselves alone as believers with the godless Donatists, whether those or these, who perhaps are nothing less than believers, since we do not hear the word and the sound of the apostles anywhere.
(31) And although the Hebrew text says, "Their cord (regula) goes out into all the earth," the apostle Rom. 10:18 says, "their sound," and it comes to the same thing. For the sound of the gospel is the cord by which the church is built. For it is not built by the bodily tools of craftsmen, but by the word of life. At the same time, however, a certain measure is indicated by this word, according to which the office of each apostle is divided in the whole world. For they did not all preach in the same place, but were distributed over the whole world, not that they should take the riches of it for themselves, but that each one should lead his part back to Christ.
He made a hut for the sun in the same. 1)
1) Vulgate: In sole posuit tadernaculurü suum.
This is the last part of the preceding verse in Hebrew and reads thus: "He has made a tabernacle for the sun in them. Some take the sun in the proper sense for our visible sun, under which the church or humanity of Christ, the tabernacle of God, was revealed. But it is better, I think, that the prophet continues in the picture he has begun, and that the sun is such a one as can stand in these heavens and dwell in them. This is also indicated by the following verse: "And the same goes forth as a bridegroom." And the interpreters 2) have changed the Hebrew XXX, which means "in the same" (in eis, that is, in the aforementioned heavens), into suum, yes, they have generally omitted it, although in fact this image is taken from our sun and the visible heavens, in which the sun dwells and runs from morning to evening in a very lovely course. Therefore the meaning is: He has Christ, who is the sun of righteousness (as he is called Mal. 4:2, "Unto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise, and salvation under the wings thereof"), set [to dwell] in the apostles. For he enlightens them, speaks, works, and is all in them.
For we see that also in our (his) heaven the sun is his glory and his whole being, since when the sun has set and darkness reigns, rather a sad chaos than a heaven is before our eyes. Thus, if the apostles or their successors were without the Christ dwelling in them, they would truly be a chaos, and not "the heavens." Therefore, this verse gives the reason for what has been said before, that all the glorious things that have been said of the heavens, and all that they are able to do, are not based on their power, but that they are able to do them through the power of the Christ dwelling in them.
34. but "the tabernacle" is faith in Christ, by which he dwells in us, as it is said in Eph. 3:17, "Christ dwelling in your hearts through faith." Of this says Je-
2) Instead of iMerpres in the outputs either read interpretes, or instead of rü.utaruM put mntavit.
saias, Cap. 4, 5. f.: "For it will be a screen over all that is glorious, and will be a shelter for the shade of the day from the heat, and a refuge and concealment from the weather and rain," that is, faith protects on both sides, from fortune and misfortune.
V. 6, 7: And she went forth as a bridegroom out of his chamber, and rejoiced as a hero to run the way. She arises at one end of heaven, and runs back to the same end, and nothing is hidden from her heat.
35 That is, he prepared the gospel, or what the apostles were to tell about in the gospel. For in these two verses he describes the sun, of which he had said that a tabernacle was made for it in the apostles, from which the whole gospel resounds, and which is the glory of God, in which he also decided everything. It is almost the opinion of all that these two verses speak of the incarnation, the walk and the ascension of Christ; this opinion we will follow in the first place.
The chamber of Christ, which in Hebrew means something hidden and veiled, is understood by all of the Virgin Mary, from whose womb he came forth, like the sun from the dawn, yes, from the concealment of the night. This is certainly a beautiful opinion, by which the ineffable birth is indicated, in which the power of the Most High overshadowed the Virgin, and in secret this child (foetum) of salvation worked, of which nature knew nothing, nor could reach it. For just as the rising sun comes forth in such a way that it is visible to all, and yet no one can know where it comes from, so Christ, when He was born, came forth in such a way that all could see Him, and yet (as Isaiah [Cap. 7, 14.] prophesied) He had an inexpressible birth, because this, that one should be born of a virgin without the man's assistance, goes beyond the custom and understanding of nature.
37 But he calls him a bridegroom, because he is joined to mankind and to the church in one flesh, which is a
The Lord is the great and sweet mystery in which the rich and the poor, the righteous and the sinner, the blessed and the damned, the child of grace and the child of misery are united. For by no other word can this mercy be more gloriously extolled than that He is called the Bridegroom of the Church, wherein it is prophesied that all that is His is given to us, and all that is ours is taken away. .
But how does the bridegroom go out of his chamber? and why does he praise this sun, Christ, by this comparison? Perhaps because a bridegroom goes out adorned and garlanded, rejoicing out of love for his bride. Thus Christ came forth from the Virgin's body out of love for the Church, adorned and crowned in spirit, while he came according to the flesh in the highest poverty and contempt. For he came full of adornment and crowns of God's grace, rejoicing in the love of his Church. Therefore, he rejoiced like a hero to run the way, that is, in great strength of love and spirit he increased, worked, fought in the battle of death with the devil and our sins, suffered and died.
39. "It arises at one end of heaven," one wants to be said of the birth in eternity, because he came forth from the Father and came into the world, as he says Joh. 16, 28. "And returneth unto the same end again," one declares of his ascension. Furthermore, by "the heat thereof" is understood the Holy Spirit, who filled the whole world by transfiguring Christ, that he is the Lord over all things, and that all things are put under his feet.
(40) The opinion of these people, I say, is true, but not expressed in the right place, for it lacks order and proper sequence, and it seems to me that the prophet is not speaking of Christ's incarnation, walk and ascension, but of his glorification and the preaching of him. For he describes the heavens and the whole mystery of Pentecost and the ministry of the gospel. Therefore I assume that he does not go back to what happened before the Pentecosts, but rather follows what followed the telling of the heavens.
and the gift of languages, namely the kingdom of faith, which is spread over the whole earth. This seems to me both the order and the words, if we only assume that the prophet speaks figuratively, as the majesty of the sacred mystery requires. For thus we have the heavens, the feasts, the days, the nights, the sun, the tabernacle of the sun taken in a spiritual sense from the mystical Christ preached by the apostles. Thus, in the same continuous or uninterrupted homonymous speech, the bridegroom's coming out of the chamber, the rising and returning, and the joyfulness of running 1) the way, can only refer to the reigning Christ preached and believed through the Gospel. These are my thoughts, without wishing to oppose anyone who has a better view; for the psalm is about a new world, as we have said.
41. since the sound of the heavens goes forth into all the earths, he who has made his tabernacle in these same heavens goes forth through this their ministry, and is manifested in earthly hearts through faith, by which he betroths himself to the church of the whole earth, as it is said in Hosea Cap. 2, 19. f., "I will betroth myself unto thee for ever; I will trust myself unto thee in righteousness and in judgment, in grace and in mercy; yea, in faith will I betroth myself unto thee." For Christ did not actually and fully become the Bridegroom by His incarnation alone, but also by His Church's consenting to His covenant through faith. For "he that hath the bride is the bridegroom" [John 3:29]. For consent makes marriage; before the same it is more properly said of a suitor than of a bridegroom. Therefore, his coming forth as a bridegroom is his revelation, so that the church may believe in him, that is, if he is believed in, it is revealed that he is the bridegroom.
(42) But what is "out of the chamber" or out of the hidden place, I do not understand, unless the prophet understood it in this way.
1) Jenaer and Erlanger: exaltatio instead of: exultatio.
that Christ may arise in the hearts of believers in such a way that one does not know where he comes from, as he says John 3:8: "The wind blows where it wills, and you hear its sound, but you do not know from where it comes or where it goes", so that the gracious condescension (dignatio) of the merciful God, by grace in vain, may be displayed. For it is not by our thinking, our understanding, our willing that faith in Christ comes to us, but everyone who is endowed with faith in Christ is preceded by the Spirit with incomprehensible and hidden effect, just by hearing the word, without any other effort on our part.
(43) If I am correct here, then this way of speaking, Ps. 135, 7: "Who makes the wind come out of secret oysters", and Ps. 17, 14: "Whose belly you fill with your treasure", will belong to the same figurative way of speaking. For if the things that belong to the nourishment of the body come forth from the hidden things of God, so that no man by his effort can forestall them, seize them, or bring them about, how much more are the divine and eternal things, which are given in faith and by faith, brought about by the ministry and hearing of the Word, without our effort! He adds, therefore, with necessity, that Christ may come forth and arise in our hearts, like a bridegroom out of hiding, so that the glory of God and the works of His hands, not the hope of our free will, may be told.
44. But it is beautiful that this hidden thing of God is called the chamber of the bridegroom, since the church is called everywhere in Scripture, that is, the hidden thing, which is the chamber of Christ, out of which Christ (that is, all that is of Christ, 2) whether it be faith, or the word, or the power) went forth and appeared in the world. For since this is revealed in the Church, at the same time Christ is revealed, since as the Bridegroom He has all that the Church has. Thus Paul says Eph. 3, 10. f.: "That now it might be made known to the principalities" and rulers in heaven, to
2) Erlanger: et ONristi instead of: est ONri8ti.
1142 A- xvi, 154-istz. Interpretations on the Psalms. W. iv, iiM-nso. 1143
of the church, the manifold wisdom of God, according to the purpose from the world, which He has demonstrated in Christ our Lord." Since the church and faith in Christ thus go forth, Christ certainly goes forth in the church, and through the church and out of the church before the eyes of the world, as it is also said in 1 Tim. 3:16: "Great indeed is the mystery of God: He is manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, appeared to the angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on by the world, received up into glory."
(45) And I know not what emphasis there is in the words of this verse. It is greater than I could obtain, that he should bring in Christ as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber. For by this short word he seems to make the church and Christ one flesh and one spirit, and all things common between them, to which also the Song of Solomon alludes, since it describes the origin and the coming forth of the church, saying [Song of Solomon 6:9]: "Who is she that cometh forth as the dawn, fair as the moon, chosen as the sun?"
Yes, it was common for David to compare the exit of Christ and the church to the exit of the dawn or the sun, like Ps. 110:3: "Thy children shall be born unto thee as the dew out of the dawn," where we have [in the Vulgate]: Ex utero ante luciferum genui te. For what is the womb of the dawn but the chamber of the church out of which Christ went forth, in that by the gospel preached by the apostles the Christians were multiplied in whom Christ was, and they in Christ? So about the same thing are the last words of David, 2 Sam. 23, 4: "As the light of the morning, when the sun goeth out in the morning without clouds, when from the brightness after the rain the grass groweth out of the earth." But also Job curses his day [Cap. 3, 1. 9.]: "He must not see the light, nor the eyebrows of the dawn."
47. May we call "the chamber" the hidden things of God, or the womb of the Church, out of which Christ comes forth and grows, there is nothing in it; both are true, and from the bodily birth of Christ this spiritual birth is easily understood. For as
In the Holy Virgin both were hidden, namely the womb of the Virgin and the hidden work of God, through which Christ was formed and born, so it happened in the Church with both. For out of the womb of the apostles, who were the first Church, and through the secret work of God, Christ came forth in spiritual birth and was revealed to the world. For Christ would be nothing if He were only born in the flesh into His person, if He were not also born in the spirit into His body, which is the Church. We understand it in this way that the prophet in his parable speaks mainly of this birth, as I said, through which he actually came out like a bridegroom.
48 "She rejoices like a hero, to run the way." "A hero" (gigas), Hebrew XXXX, 1) is called a mighty one and a ruler, but in spirit, by which the prophet indicates that the church, and Christ in it, had had happy progress through the word of the apostles, and increased against all the power of hell, although the church according to the flesh was weakened by various and many persecutions. For Christ has not been weakened, but has even run with joy, glorified and exalted through the whole world, just as the visible sun seems to rejoice, as it were, when it rises and ascends on high.
But the royal prophet speaks in a peculiar and royal way, so that I must confess that I cannot attain his words by any interpretation, although I grasp the matter to some extent even by reflection. For he describes in one short word the struggle of the church, which stands in proud faith against all the powers of the world through the exceedingly powerful Word, ascribing everything to Christ as a hero who fights valiantly and overcomes and leads it out well, even though all this appears quite different to the senses. For, just as he had the exceedingly lowly 2) apostles with the splendid images of heaven, feasts, day, night
1) In the Erlanger and in the Baseler: "u the Wittenberger and the Jenaer have rightly deleted the "a".
2) Jenaer: Milissimvs instead of: viiissinaos.
11^4 xvi, 156-158. Works on the first 22 Psalms. Ps. 19, 6. 7. w. iv, 1499-1502. 1445
In the same way that he praised the power of Christ, the hero who walks in the church and spreads far and wide through the gospel, he describes with the same verbosity in images the power of Christ, the hero who walks in the church and spreads far and wide through the gospel in the highest weakness and (as it seemed) reduction of this church, so that he did not appear as a bridegroom but as an enemy, and had the appearance that he would not go out but would perish. That is why he says that he comes out of hiding and out of the closet, that is, through the mystery of the cross and the crucified church.
50 A summo coelo egressio ejus, et occursus ejus usque ad summum ejus. The Hebrew text, in more appropriate words, says: "It arises at one end of heaven, and returns to the same end." In this he indicates, in extraordinarily appropriate words, that the Church has multiplied throughout the world. For he calls "the end of heaven" what we call the horizon, remaining in the image of the visible sun. For just as everywhere on earth the same sun is directed from morning to evening, as it were from one end of heaven to the other (for so it appears to the senses), so Christ rises everywhere on earth, and his church is gathered from morning and evening, as he says Matt. 8:11: "Many shall come from morning and evening, and shall sit with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." Isa. 49, 12. "Behold, these shall come from afar, and behold, those from the north, and these from the sea, and these from the land of Sinim." And Isa. 43:5-7: "I will bring thy seed from the morning, and will gather thee from the evening; and will say toward the north, Give; and toward the south, Resist not. Bring my sons from afar, and my daughters from the ends of the earth, all that are called by my name, even whom I have created for my glory, and prepared them, and made them."
51 This thought is expressed in the second Psalm, v. 8: "I will give you the nations for an inheritance, and the end of the world for a possession. And Ps. 72:8: "He shall reign from sea to sea, and from the waters even unto the end of the world." Therefore, summum coelorum and summum eorum is included in the
In this verse it is said in the same way as Christ says Matth. 24, 31: "They will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven (a summis coelorum, that is, from the morning) to the other" (usque ad terminos eorum, that is, until the evening). For thus Christ was gathered out of the people of the earth, from morning till evening; everywhere He was preached, everywhere He was believed, everywhere He became the Bridegroom of the Church, which was done by the ministry of the Word alone, even as the preachers did not think of it, nor foresee it. For so the apostles heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God before they had decided to preach to them 1). And Isa. 49, 21. the church marvels that it was surprised by the multitude of believers, of whom it had no provision, saying, "Who begat me these? I am barren, solitary, exiled and outcast. Who brought up these for me? Behold, I was left solitary; where then were these?" For thus the good smell of Christ in the apostles led people from all over the wide world to the word and faith of Christ, that is, from one end of heaven to the other.
52. "And nothing is hidden from its heat." There is no doubt that here the Holy Spirit is figuratively called the heat of the sun. But here he did not look at any person, nor did he make any distinction between Gentiles and Jews, because he is the same Lord over all, who was able to raise up children for Abraham even from the stones. For as all have sinned, so all have been justified and made alive by grace through the heat of the Spirit which had mercy on them. But he chose to call it "heat" rather than by any other name, that he might indicate the power of the Spirit who makes alive. For heat is a characteristic of life, cold of death. Thus it is said in Gen. 1, 2: "The spirit of God hovered on the water", that is, he sat brooding over it and warmed it by his heat, in order to give life.
1) In the original edition: iilis, which all editions except Weimar's have changed to illi. This change is not necessary. Compare Apost. 8, 14, where both in: Latin as well as in German, the collective term Samaria is followed by the plural.
just as a hen incubates her eggs and brings them to life.
In the Hebrew it is not written: Qui se abscondat [who can hide himself], which indicates the fleeing of a man who hides himself, just as Adam hid himself in paradise, but simply: He is not hidden from their heat, which rather indicates that he who is hidden will be mercifully found and enlightened or brought to light, just as Luc. 2, 31. f. is said of Christ that he is prepared to enlighten the Gentiles. For this is an expression of what he had said, that Christ reigns everywhere on earth, and that there is no place where his Spirit does not justify men and make them alive, lest the ungodly should bind the church of Christ in any place, and shut it up in the corner where they sit, wanting only to be regarded as being enlivened by the warmth of the Spirit, when in fact they are dead from the cold of Babylon.
For this is what the prophet means to say, that only at the coming of the gospel will the Holy Spirit be poured out on the whole world. For the law neither gives nor has warmth, but rather is coldness, making even 1) people unwilling, lazy, even dead to good works, as it says in Ps. 147:17 ff: "Who can abide before his frost? He speaketh, and it melteth; he maketh his wind to blow, and it thaweth." He will, I say, send forth the word of evangelical warmth, that is, of the Spirit, that will melt it, as it is also said in Ps. 125:4, "O Lord, turn our prison; as thou dost dry the waters at noon."
V. 8: The law of the Lord is without change and restores the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, and makes the foolish wise.
55) After describing the ministry of the gospel and its work, which is to bring glory to God, to plant faith in Christ and to give the Spirit through the same word, he goes on to describe the fruit of the gospel, which is the love of the law, that is, the fulfillment of the law, as it is described in Romans 13,
1) The Basel edition has et erased here.
10. means, "Love is the fulfillment of the law." For the law is not fulfilled by works, but by love, and it does not want to be loved with works only in appearance, but from the heart.
(56) Therefore the prophet has in mind those who have received the Spirit through the word of faith, and have become joyful and have gained love to do what is of the law, and teaches how holy and righteous and good the law is, which seems bitter, unjust and harsh to those who are without the Spirit, though this is not the fault of the law, but of the hearts. As if he made a comparison between Christ and Moses, saying, They hated Moses, and fled from his shining face; yea, they also attacked him with stones, and always murmured against him. For herein is pictured the mutual conduct of the law and the inclination to evil. But Moses was indeed the most ruthless man on earth, which they did not recognize, and the law of the Lord is exceedingly loving, which the corrupt heart does not recognize until the voice of the bridegroom, after the wickedness has been taken away and the spirit has been given, the law is recognized and loved.
57 Therefore, although he speaks of the law, which is the letter written in the ten commandments, he speaks only of the beloved letter that has already been drawn into the spirit. For thus the Lord promised Jer. 31, 33. "I will put my law in their heart, and write it in their mind." This he indicates by saying, "The law is without change," that is, without blemish or blameless, that is, (as it reads in Hebrew) which makes good and blameless, which it does not do unless it is written by the finger of the Spirit, and taught by the heat of the word; therefore he also mentioned the heat beforehand in the preceding verse.
(58) We have elsewhere abundantly said how the law is a letter, whether it be written or spoken or understood, until it be loved. This love, however, does not come from the law itself teaching, but from the warmth that justifies.
and converts souls. In short, in these verses the prophet ascribes such glorious gifts to the law, that it is without change, converts souls, and the like, so that he distinguishes it from the law that is taught without the word of faith and the warmth of the spirit, which only stains and turns away souls, making unbelieving and unintelligent people, so that everything that he praises of the law in this passage may be understood as belonging to the spirit that warms through the word of faith. For this reason he also expresses his joy with such a great abundance of words, since he repeats the law so often (namely six times) always with different words, and praises it with twelve epithets, as it were, as with twelve fruits of the tree of life, in that he clearly demonstrates through this verbosity what actually happens in a soul that loves the law and rejoices in it. For he who loves the law cannot praise it enough; so much does it please him, whereas before it displeased him completely. Therefore, let us also consider all this in opposition (per antithesis), so that we may more easily recognize what the law does without the spirit, and what the spirit does in us without the law.
59. First, the law is "without change" through faith, not merely in itself or (as it is called) objective, but also in us or (as it is called) effective (for by its very nature [formaliter] it is always without change), because it makes us good and undefiled, and is loved by those who have now become undefiled and good, as a law without change, that is, truly recognized for what it is. But without faith it not only does not make us undefiled or good, nor is it loved, but it also makes us guilty and evil people, and is hated as evil, because the law causes wrath [Rom. 4:15] and death [Rom. 7:13], which everyone hates, and it forbids evil desire, at which everyone becomes indignant and unwilling, even though he feigns obedience for fear of punishment. This hypocrisy is attacked and annulled by what follows.
60. second [Vulg.], "It converts souls," for (as I have said) the law before the Spirit converts the hand for fear of the
But it turns the heart away the more through hatred of these punishments and through displeasure at the prohibition of the evil air; it also converts the mouth, the eyes and ears, and all the powers, but the heart is not righteous and the spirit is not sincere. Therefore, lest anyone should understand that in these verses the law is praised absolutely, it is necessary that he should understand at the same time that the law has become such through faith, but that it does not accomplish such things by itself alone. For the law does not do such things, but it becomes of such a nature through the heat of the sun, which rises through faith in the word. It becomes, I say, such in us in whom it was quite contrary before faith. For in this sense it is clearly understood that the fruit of faith in the gospel is that the law has become lovable, and such a thing as he here describes.
Third, "The testimony of the Lord is sure. There is no doubt that by "testimony of the Lord" is understood the same as by "law," as also by the following four names, "commands," "commandments," "fear," "rights," for ever different causes. For "law" (lex) it is called, because it instructs or instructs us in that which we do not know. "Testimony" is called bearing witness, because it is given as a sign and memo by others, as it were as witnesses and messengers, by one who is absent and not before our eyes. We will deal with the other names in their place; here we will see only the two types mentioned.
For the law by teaching makes XXXX (that is, good people), and converts souls when it is taught otherwise in faith. It is a certain testimony, for though it is the testimony of one who is absent, who is nowhere visible, yet it does not deceive or delude. For it is not fulfilled in vain, and our work is not forgotten before him who is not seen. For in this way faith believes that the testimony of God is certain (fidele). This thing tends to make people suspicious of faithfulness, then also sluggish to keep faith, because people deal with each other according to what
1150 D- xvi, IS2-I64. Interpretations on the Psalms. W. iv, isos-isis. 1151
they can see it before their eyes and grasp it with their hands. 1) And not only in this way is it reliable in a suffering way (passive), but it also makes reliable people in an active way (active), so that those who have faith are not more sluggish in their doing when they are absent from the one whose testimony is, than when they are present before him. On the other hand, where the spirit of faith is not, it is not considered certain, nor does it make reliable (fideles) people, but rather it makes unfaithful people (infideles). For they act as if the one who commanded it did not exist at all, or did not demand it or repay it. Thus the testimony becomes void and false for them, because they themselves are void and false.
Fourth: "It makes the foolish wise. Parvuli here are actually the simple-minded and those who are easily persuaded, as Proverbs 1:22: "How long will you foolish ones (parvuli) be foolish?" and Cap. 14:15: "A foolish one (innocens) believes everything," which actually fits the "testimony". For only those hear the testimony of the Lord who are easily persuaded and led like little children, since it is proclaimed by lowly and despised witnesses from Him who is so far removed from all sense. But they become wise through the testimonies, that is, they become such people who recognize things that are beyond all understanding and far from us, that is, they come to the knowledge of God. Knowing Him, they withdraw from all things that can be seen and grasped, and strive to please Him whom they do not see. In this way, the law, by teaching heavenly things, becomes through faith the testimony of the Lord, which is wise and "after" wise people.
(64) On the other hand, those great ones who cannot be persuaded are rather attached to present things; blinded by them, they become unwise and understand nothing of the absent God. Even if they are forced to speak, hear, or think of God for fear of punishment, they depart from Him in their hearts and become absorbed in the
1) üdc for cash money, not on faith.
Things they see. This is because the testimony of the Lord has not yet become such that it could make the foolish wise, that is, it has been taught without spirit.
In Hebrew XXXX can be taken XXXX collective, that is, as the epitome of the testimonies, or all that there is of the testimonies of the Lord, as we say XXXXX, the youth, that is, the totality of the young people, or all that there is of young people. But this serves little to the point, only that we must pay attention to the chosen expression of the royal prophet.
V. 9 The commands of the Lord are right and gladden the heart. The commandments of the LORD are pure, and enlighten the eyes.
Fifth, he praises the commands (justitias, which the Latin interpreter elsewhere translates by justificationes, since here it is not XXXXX, but XXXX, which is also rendered by statutes and commandments) as "right", which are directed by the gospel of grace. The law of the Lord is called justificationes from the effect that they justify (justificent [cf. § 58]) and exercise in justification (in justificando), or, so that we agree with the Hebrew, because they set men in right order and guide them in what they must do; on this fits nicely the praise that they are right and delight. For before the law of the Lord is spiritually understood, it makes the consciences very restless and distressed, and wearies them by many detours of works, in that they fall short of the righteousness of the law, and yet do not attain to the righteousness of the law, as the wandering of the children of Israel in the wilderness on the shore of the Red Sea illustrates, where they grumbled because of the complaints, and began to be distressed because of the toil and the ripening. For the law is not satisfied by works, but by its unending activity it completely exhausts those who do it, dragging them hither and thither, so it also makes sad, arouses sullenness, causes people to be discontented, to walk in crooked ways, and to be unwilling. But when it is taken spiritually, that is, loved
1152 L. xvi,is4f. Works on the first 22 Psalms. Ps. 19, 9. W. iv, 1512-1515. H5Z
When the word "good" is used, it is wonderfully brief and leads straight to the goal, making people cheerful and ready for all good works.
The sixth thing is that it makes the heart glad, while it is far more contrary to the flesh. For the letter kills and weighs down the hearts, in that they feel that the requirement of the law is not satisfied by either strength or works, and they realize that the more they strive and do works, the more they become guilty (debere). Or if they do not labor in this matter, they delight in works in a vain and perverse confidence, because they delight not in God, nor in a clear conscience and the law of the Lord, but in themselves. This is not a joy of the heart, but of the body and of the senses, in that there is nevertheless a restless conscience hidden within, which will come to light in its own time; just as the testimonies make wise those who are arrogant in the letter, by which they think themselves wise. For as long as the law is a letter, it always works one of these two things; for either it only converts in appearance, or in truth only turns away more. Thus it either gives a fictitious wisdom, or makes still more unintelligent. Thus it only makes you happy in appearance, or only saddens you more. Therefore the Spirit touches three qualities (habitudines) of the law, since he does not simply say [Vulg., v. 8.], "It converts," but adds: "the souls." Thus he does not content himself with saying, "It makes wise," but adds, "the foolish;" and [v. 9.], "They delight," not any arbitrary thing, but, "the heart." So we shall see it with what follows. For he indicates a threefold kind of people: some who do not know the law, others who know it and hate it, and others who know it and love it.
(68) If the law is not known, it makes converts only in appearance, for it converts, but not their souls. But if it is hated, it makes them more turned away, and that from the heart. How? Namely, those who presume to fulfill it by their own efforts have not yet recognized it,
How spiritual the law is. Therefore they set up their own righteousness and think, according to their blindness, that they have fulfilled the law, that they have become good, converted and without change, while through this ungodliness they are twofold defiled and twofold perverted, and the law is twofold defiled to them and twofold turns away their souls, precisely by this foolish delusion of their innocence and feigned conversion, first, because they are in fact ungodly (nocentes) and apostate, secondly, because they adorn this ungodliness (nocentiam) and apostasy by a semblance of works, and arrogantly boast themselves of vanity and falsehood.
(69) But those who know the law, as it is spiritual, put away this presumption, and know that by the law is required of them that which they neither can nor have. Therefore they are tormented by conscience, or hate it, that their lusts are denied them, and that what they do not have is required of them. Since with this hatred they hate the good law, they are more averted, and become angrier, so that even the law is not without change to them, but from a different cause from those mentioned before [§ 68]. For those neither acknowledge that it is without change, nor do they become without change through it; but these acknowledge it, and yet do not become without change through it. But those who love and acknowledge it also become without change.
70 Thus the testimony of the Lord, if it is not recognized, makes wise only according to appearance (ficte), for it makes wise people, but not those who are "silly" (parvuli), but because it is hated, it only makes more incomprehensible. How so? Since they presume to do enough by works, and do not know how to do nothing, they make themselves believe that they are wise and understand everything, and that they have become faithful (fideles) and true, while through this ungodly hypocrisy everything is doubly opposed. But those who realize how unfaithful (infideles) and vain they are, and have nothing to suffice with, hate the testimonies of the Lord and wish they were not bound by them. Through this evil will they become even more unintelligent, and are drawn even more to follow the
They would rather that those invisible things were not there, so much is lacking in them that they should strive for them. So with neither of these is the testimony of the Lord certain, and such as makes wise, but from different causes. In the case of the former, because they do not even realize how certain it is, they are completely vain, and do not become wise through it; in the case of the latter, because they see that it is certain, and they themselves are vain, yet they do not allow themselves to be instructed by it, so that they become wise. But to those who love it, it is certain, and it instructs them wisely.
(71) Thus the commands that are not known make merry only in appearance; for they rejoice, but not their hearts. They inflate with joy those who are arrogant in their works, so that they make themselves believe that they are righteous and pleasant, when in fact (as Ecclesiastes tells Solomon, Cap. 4:17) they do not know how much evil they do, and inwardly they have an entirely troubled and not at all cheerful conscience. But those who realize that they are not righteous, and are driven to many things by the demands of the law, hate the law and are afflicted by many complaints, and are always sad before the Lord in all their ways, as it says in Mal. 3:14: "We lead a hard life before the Lord." So for neither of them are the commands of the Lord right, nor do they please the heart.
Seventh: "The commandments of the Lord are pure" (lucidum). It seems to me that the interpreters have rendered by "bright" (lucidum) that which in Hebrew means "pure" or elect; for it is the same expression which is set Ps. 18:27: "With the pure thou art pure"; perhaps moved by what follows: "And enlighten the eyes," which fits more to that which is bright than to that which is pure (electum). Next, they may have wished to avoid a useless repetition (nugationem)1 , since they translated above [v. 8.], "The law of the LORD is without change." But neither of these causes is sufficient. For why did they
1) Compare K 87.
it is not given rather also in such a way: The commands are joyful, instead of being "right," because it follows: "and gladden the heart"; or: The testimony is wise, instead of: it is "certain", because it follows: "and makes wise"? So also in the other things no consideration is given to uniformity. But we have said [§ 57] that "without change" (immaculatam) in Hebrew actually means: blameless (innocentem) or, what Paul ascribes to the law, righteous, holy and good. So it must mean: "The commandments of the Lord are pure" (electum).
73. But it is actually called a commandment because it demands and forbids, and therefore understands the law of God in the part in which it is most burdensome and hated, since being instructed, put in order, and guided (of which we have said that the law, insofar as it is a testimony and command), is easier, and human arrogance can bear it more easily; But the commandment he hates and despises as a stern driver and harsh ruler, and obeys only with displeasure and with grumbling. But of those who do not understand it, that is, of the first kind of men, of whom we have said that they are hypocrites, it is believed to be kept by them alone, presuming to fulfill it with their works; but when the spirit comes which kindles love for the commandment, it is not only not despised or hated, but is reckoned among the most precious and elect things. For then the commandments of the Lord become in truth "louder" (electum), so that they would not for any thing in the world that they were not given, and if they were not given, they would most gladly desire that they should be given.
Eighth, "They enlighten the eyes. The ignorant hypocrites, who are hopeful in the appearance of works, make the commandments blind in fact, thinking that they are very enlightened and see everything. For the commandments enlighten, but not their eyes. Others, however, make them completely blind, who, through hatred of the commandments, are led to consider nothing less and more contemptible than these very commandments; but their evil airs prefer them to these, and choose them in
their hearts, no matter how much they pretend otherwise, forced by fear. For what greater blindness can there be than that one, instead of the very lawful commandment of God, should consider the shameful evil pleasures forbidden in this commandment to be the choicest and most delicious things? But those who love the commandment, who consider that the evil lusts are exceedingly shameful, consider nothing more choice and delicious than the commandment of the Lord, which not only shows or bears witness against such shameful things, but also forbids them altogether, so that it commands that they should not be. For they delight in the fact that they are most strictly forbidden, and that the opposite things are most urgently required. Thus the very commandment of the Lord coincides with all their desires. For they have enlightened eyes, and see clearly what things are to be loved in truth, and what things are to be hated in truth.
(75) But before we pursue other matters, and that we may no longer be in uncertainty, we ask by what means we may attain that the law may be without change, the testimony certain, the commands right, the commandments pure, the fear pure, the righteousness true, and also that the other things may come to pass which have been and will be said of the law. I answer: You never get there by doing works and laboring, because it is not fulfilled by works and efforts, but by despairing of works and efforts. For the law cannot delight before its fulfillment, but after its fulfillment. But since the foolish saints of works seek to fulfill it by their works and never despair of themselves, they inevitably grow weary and labor in vain. For as long as they find that in themselves with which they can pay the demand of the law, they do not cease to deal with works, and thereby to be restless and to afflict the law. Thus the law exhausts and wearies them until it consumes them forever.
(76) But those who have experienced their inability and confess that they cannot satisfy the requirement of the law, despair of themselves and take refuge in Christ, the only Fulfiller of the law, in
if they hear him and believe in him, since he is the end of the law; he who believes in him is righteous [Rom. 10:4]. Now everyone who is of this nature, before all his works and without any law, receives in vain, through this humility and his faith, the Holy Spirit, who, not by works, but by the grace of his power alone, kindles a new and delightful desire of love, and makes hateful the desire which is forbidden in the law. After this has happened, the will is already changed into another and looks at the law of the Lord and sees that it commands and forbids exactly what he himself, ignited by the Holy Spirit, desires and loves. Thus it happens that he must necessarily love the law, which in all things meets his desires, praise it, and sing about what is sung about in these verses.
For then man sees that it is not through the fault of the law, but of the will, that the law increases sin and thereby causes wrath, since it is without change, and converts souls, makes them wise, gladdens and enlightens the eyes. For if the law by its nature increased sin and caused wrath, love would do the same, which is the friend of the law and agrees with it in all things. It does this also when it is outside the will, just as the law, which is always outside the will, where love is not present. For what did the love of Christ do to the Jews but greater wrath and sin? So also the law works in all men, as long as it is outside their will, but not in their will, nor their will in it, until it is loved, and that is loved which the law commands.
V. 10. The fear of the Lord is pure (sanctus) and abides forever. The rights of the Lord are true, all righteous.
The Hebrew text actually has, "The fear of the Lord is pure," or louder, and this is not said as by an epithet (as is usually thought) by which it is to be distinguished from the servile fear, as far as I can understand, but the fear of the Lord is taken here simply
for the fear of God, of which he indicates by the glory of praise that it becomes pure through the gospel in the hearts of those who burn with the heat of the word, while in all others it is impure, that is, considered impure. This we understand the more easily if we take this verse to be said of the fear and its purity objective, in the way we have spoken of all things aforesaid. For so also the law of the Lord, taken simply, is without change, but only to them that are without change; but to them that are penitent it is penitent and hateful. Thus the testimony of the Lord is certain to the godly, but uncertain to the ungodly. Thus the commandments of the Lord are pure to the righteous, but reprehensible and despised to the wicked. So also here "pure" must be referred, not to the fear itself, but to the attitude of those in whom it is considered pure. For as a man is, so is the law to him, and as for the law.
The ninth thing is that the fear of the Lord is pure, since the hypocrites also imagine that they fear God and are pure in the fear of the Lord, although they are doubly impure and in fact despise Him in their hearts. But others, who know their impurity very well, feel that they do not fear God, and would rather be free not to fear Him, choosing the impurity of their heart, which despises God and does not see Him. But those who love the law, have enlightened eyes, and know God, see how pure the fear of the Lord is, how he who fears the Lord and turns away from sin does not neglect anything. Such a one delights in this purity because he himself is also so minded as the fear requires, having become of the same mind with it in all things.
(80) But why is fear counted among the laws and commandments, and not rather, or equally, love? I do not know what to say, but I will make an attempt: Because it is love alone that makes the law and that which the law works wholesome and good, but the law primarily awakens the fear of God, as 2 Mos. 19, 16.
Mount Sinai, and in all those who are struck and grieved by the demands and threats of the law. Because this fear is by heart and outside the will (as well as the law, which aroused it), that is, it is not loved, therefore it is impure not through its guilt, but through the guilt of the will; but where it is loved, it becomes pure. For then it fears GOD, as also the loving will desires his, having become conformed to him in all things. For love takes pleasure in seeing that God is feared; the law not only commands this, but also does it.
81 Since he speaks here of the fear of God, which the law inspires, which, when loved, is pure, when hated, is impure, it is not badly counted among the names of the law; indeed, it seems to be the law of the letter itself, since in fact the letter of the law is not recognized unless the conscience is terrified by the sight of the law, and the law has become, as it were, a terrifying fear, as Mount Sinai, the image of the law, indicates.
82. The tenth is, "And abideth for ever." For just as the law, which is fulfilled by love, is eternally fixed, so also the fear, which is born of the law, becomes eternal when it is instilled by love. And as the law, if it is not loved nor fulfilled, is temporal, and is often consigned to oblivion, so also the fear, if it is not loved, remains temporal and only for an hour, and is never firm nor true. Therefore, for those hypocrites, fear remains a fabricated one, for it remains only for an hour, according to outward appearances. But with those who hate it, it never is, let alone should remain, because they never let it into the heart, nor love it. And by fearing it in this way, they despise God more and more, therefore they become all the more impure. For he who does not fear with will (volens) despises twofold. But those who love them, because they fear with their will (volenter) what the law commands, love them eternally and firmly, and agree with the law in all things.
The eleventh is: "The judgments of the Lord are true. These "judgments" can, indeed must, be understood to be both the law itself and what it works in us. For thus the law of the Lord is called the judgment (judicium) of the Lord from his office, because it judges and condemns the flesh, or concerns the old man, and that which belongs to the mortification of the flesh. Therefore, all offences are rightly called judgments, which kill the old man, so that the law may be fulfilled. For just as the law, if it is not taught nor understood, need not even be called a law, and the testimony, if it is not known and felt, is not even a testimony (for if the mind of man is not moved by the word of the law, it is as if a fairy tale were told to a deaf man, as happens with the ignorant hypocrites who despise the word of the law): so judgment, if it is not felt in the effect that it kills the flesh, is also not to be called a judgment. Therefore, as the law, when it terrifies, awakens the fear of the Lord, so it kills the flesh when it judges, and judgment rightly follows fear, so that what it fears may befall the ungodly flesh. But it fears the judgment of the law; after it has been judged and killed by it, the new man, who is born inwardly through faith, loves and praises this judgment, and what was previously burdensome in the flesh becomes pleasant to him.
(84) Therefore the hypocrites, who know not the judgments of the Lord, yet pretend all things, are doubly vain, because they never desire to be judged and humbled from the heart, yet they boast that they are the most humble and lowly, and that the judgments of the Lord are true. But because they hate them, though they do not deny that they are true, they are not true to them, because they do not want to be made true by them, that is, they do not want to be judged or killed by them, and would rather they were not there. But by those who love them, they are recognized as truthful, and it is they who have made Daniel, Cap. 3 [Prayer of Asariah, v. 31], sing this to the Lord: "All,
What you have done for us, O Lord, you have done according to true judgment. For he smites no one for nothing (vane) and in vain, since in the flesh there is always that which in truth is worthy of judgment and death, that is, sin.
The twelfth is: "All are righteous. For the Hebrew verb is one that stands without closer relation (absolutum), that is, they are righteous. In semet ipsa, is the same expression which Ps. 4, 9. In id ipsum means: In pace in id ipsum, 1) which has such a meaning that it sits together and joins together in a crowd, so that in semet ipsa is the same as: all at the same time, or all with one another, so that the meaning is: The judgments of the Lord are all righteous, which is said because the judgments, being true, and having found (habeant) in the flesh what they must judge, judge the same righteously, and by this very means make righteous those who love them, and acknowledge that they are righteous. But to those who hate them, they are unjust, because they do not even want to be justified by them. But to the hypocrites they are just in a fictitious way, because they [the judgments] make them (eos) just, but not all; for what they themselves have chosen, according to that they want to be judged and justified.
Take heed that the prophet says "judgments" in the majority and adds: "all" or "all of them." This must be a great love, which loves the judgments of the Lord, which are many and various, since we have much of the suffering of Christ [2 Cor. 1:5]. Then it is difficult to attach righteousness to all judgments, by which the perseverance of love is indicated. There are, of course, many who bear one or another of the Lord's judgments without grumbling, and are justified; a great number who bear many things and many things, but few who bear all things, and bear with joy and praise those things which increase as it were without end, and are daily heaped upon them. For these are they who glory in tribulations [Rom. 5:3], and count it joy when they fall into many temptations, which the prophet teaches in the following verse.
1) Compare Ps. 4, § 73.
V. 11. They are more precious than gold and much fine gold; they are sweeter than honey and honeycomb.
The Hebrew text has not [like the Vulgate] lapidem pretiosum multum, but XXXX, that is, much fine gold, because Jerome also has said "much delicious fine gold". For it is wanted that 12 be the noblest gold, as the Indian or Ophirian (ophirisum), [which country has its name] from Ophir and Hevila, the grandsons of Eber, Gen. 10, 29. Hence Gen. 2, 11. f. is said that the gold of the land of Hevila is very good. Therefore it is also said in 2 Chron. 8, 18 that Solomon sent ships across the Red Sea to Ophir and brought gold there. Likewise from Josaphat 1 Kings 22, 49. Since it came at last predominantly in use, one called it obrizum, which should mean so much as ophirisum [ophirian]. Job 31:24: "Have I put the gold for my confidence, and said to the nugget of gold (obrizo), My comfort?" Isa. 13, 12.: "That a man should be more precious than fine gold, and a man more precious than gold pieces of Ophir" (obrizo mundo), where in Hebrew XXXX XXX is written. With Job, however, is alone what has been spoken of in the title of the 16th Psalm. So it is clear from many passages that this interpreter, whoever he may have been, has carefully avoided the uniformity of the speech (omoeologiam), that is, the useless repetition of the same thing, which one calls nugatio 1), and has often brought in his own opinion.
The translator has also omitted the whole expression, which the Hebrew text has with "Honigseim", as 2^ with the fine gold (obrizo), in this way: "gold and much fine gold", "honey and overflowing Honigseim", as Jerome has translated; perhaps because he [the translator] also wanted to avoid the monotony of the speech here. For XXX, which here means XXXX in the plural, means both honey-seed and an overflow, so that it seemed inconsistent to him to say favum favorum. But I follow Jerome, so that I believe that the prophet has as in the first part "gold and much fine gold", 1) Compare § 72.
so said in the last part "Honey and much or abundant honey glue".
Now the question is about the word "honey germ", since one believes that the expression XXX means more the spices, although it is also taken for honey germ. There again I take the liberty to assume that the prophet wanted to combine in such a way with the ordinary honey the nobler honey, which we call honey germ, as he combined with the gold the nobler fine gold.
90 This verse proves what I have said, namely, that this psalm speaks of the law of the Lord, which has become lovable through the gospel, or as it is in the eyes of those who do not deal in works but believe. For as it is more desirable to him who loves it than all treasures, and sweeter than all pleasures (voluptates) (which he extols by the quantity of gold and honey), so it is also without change, certain, right, pure, true, converts souls, makes the foolish wise, gladdens hearts, enlightens eyes, endures forever, is righteous in all things. On the other hand, before the gospel and faith, for the one who hates it, it is completely the opposite in all things. It is therefore a great miracle of the Spirit and of the hand of the Most High, which brings about this change, that they like above all things what they disliked above all things before. For what do men seek more eagerly than riches and pleasures? and yet the spirit is more pleased with the law of the Lord than the flesh is with riches and their pleasures.
(91) Yes, in order that his power may shine forth all the more clearly, the Spirit makes use of an increase (auxesin) in the proclamation of the praises of the Law of the Lord in this miracle. For at first the law is very mild in that it teaches; though the flesh also suffers this only with impatience, which it bears only unwillingly to hear something that is repugnant to it. But it is harsher when it reproaches as a testimony, and teaches about things that are not seen, demanding a righteous nature (fidelitatem); but even more so when it weighs down with various ways of becoming righteous (justificationibus). Thereupon it increases and becomes a
1164 L. XVI, 175-177, On the first 22 Psalms. Ps. 19, 11. 12. W. IV, 1530-1534. 1165
Commandment, in that it presses hard and drives. Then it terrifies and crushes through fear; finally it becomes exceedingly hard, in that it goes so far through its judgment that the flesh must be completely killed and condemned. For here the flesh is most impatient, and though it hates and abhors the law in all the foregoing parts, yet in this last part it hates and abhors it in the highest degree. And yet the spirit, when it comes, makes all this not only bearable, but also beloved and desirable and sweet above all that can be desired and above all that can grant delight.
I believe that from all this it is clear how excellent a prophet David was, how he had his own way of speaking, and his own images and figurative speeches (figuras et tropos) both in words and in utterances, since he was able to recite with very clear words such deep and hidden things in the greatest brevity, so that no one can attain it.
Thus we have the fruit of the evangelical preaching, the love of righteousness and the hatred of ungodliness, that is, the fulfillment of all laws. Since we cannot attain this through any powers, works, laws or efforts, all that is left is to despair of everything and attain it through faith in Christ alone.
V. 12. also thy servant is remembered by them, and he that keepeth them hath great reward. 1)
The Hebrew text says instead of custodit ea [he keeps them]: He is careful, or reminded, or taught by them, which Jerome translates: He will teach them. But our Latin interpreter comes nearer, who says: He keeps them, having been induced again by the following expression to guess the meaning of the preceding, as he is wont to do; yet he is not far from it. I believe, however, that what he says belongs to all that has gone before, not merely to "judgment. But in truth, what is the law, progressing gradually to a testimony, commands, commandments, fear, and judgment, other than these very judgments, that is, the death of the Lord?
1) Vulgate: Utenim kervus tuus eustoäit ea, in eu^toclieiiciis illis rotridntio raulta.
of the old man? In this one piece, the law is fulfilled. For after sin is taken away, the law is fulfilled, and only righteousness reigns. Therefore, those who are God's servants have only one concern, namely, that they practice well in that which is the noblest and last part of the law, that is, the judgments, and, carefully and remembered, pay attention to the old leaven. In this opinion Paul also says Gal. 5:24: "But they that are Christ's, crucify their flesh with the lusts and desires."
95 And truly he reminds them not in vain to be careful, because of the serpent's cunning, which easily deceives the unwary, as the apostle fears concerning the Corinthians [2 Cor. 11:3]. For no matter how careful one may be, one cannot sufficiently grasp how mischievous the prudence of the flesh is, and how mischievous an eye it has, with how its striving it seeks its own, and adorns itself with a holy appearance. Tauler speaks beautifully about this in his sermons, in which he so often accuses nature of being exceedingly deceitful in its dispositions.
96) All these things are resisted by the judgments and the law of the Lord, until the body of sin is completely killed and destroyed, and this mortal is swallowed up by the immortal life. Meanwhile, however much we may serve in the spirit and delight in the law of the Lord, yet the body that decays weighs down the soul, that with the flesh we serve the law of sin, and this is the cause that we must take careful heed of the judgments of the Lord, by which this bondage of sin is condemned.
97. And though this be burdensome and laborious, yet to them that are exercised thereby shall be given a peaceable fruit of righteousness, as the apostle teacheth the Hebrews in the 12th chapter, v. 11, and here David: "And he that keepeth them hath great reward." "For thy work shall be well rewarded," says the Lord through Jeremiah [Cap. 31:16.] All this is said for the comfort of those who labor, not to strengthen the desire of those who, as the hirelings and servants
as those who, by certain miserable works that they do, make God, I do not know, what kind of a huckster, since they do not want to burden themselves with trouble in the courts of the Lord. So he also comforts 1 Cor. 15, 58. those who have trouble: "You know that your labor is not in vain in the LORD." For the servants of God must know that they please GOtte in their labor, lest they grow weary and despair in sorrowful spirit, since He wants to have cheerful laborers in His law who seek no reward (gratuitos). But to those who please God, great reward inevitably follows, even though they do not seek it, since God cannot deny Himself, who says to Abraham, Gen. 15:1: "I am your very great reward."
V. 13: Who can tell how often he misses? Forgive me the (wisely) hidden faults!
98 "Heir" and "my" (meis) are not in the Hebrew, and delicta are errors (errores), as Jerome translates it, or the sins that one does ignorantly (ignorantiae). This is how all have interpreted the title of the 7th Psalm: Ignorantia David. 1) By this also are signified those sins which, through the hidden error of presumption and pride, we take for good actions; namely, the roguishness of the flesh, that it often deceives us in the midst of tribulation and lowliness, so that we please ourselves precisely because of lowliness, and find pride precisely because of the contempt of ourselves, precisely because of the confession of sin, precisely because of the accusation of our pride. Therefore it cannot be otherwise than that the judgments of the Lord are always true and righteous, even though we are judged by them without ceasing, and all that we are and do is condemned by them.
Now the question arises: Where do these errors and mistakes come from in the servant of God, who keeps the judgments of the Lord, and to whom the Law is without change, certain, right, pure and lovable in every way? Is not love the fulfillment of the law? Does not the servant of God keep the
1) Compare Ps. 7, K 5.
Judgments of God, or is he lying in that he holds them? The apostle answers Rom. 8, 10: "The body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness. Therefore the spirit of the prophet teaches that those who believe in Christ are sinners and saints at the same time, and delight in the law of God and serve Him with the mind, but with the flesh serve the law of sin (Rom. 7, 25.). For so far as they believe they are righteous, but so far as they still have flesh they are sinners. "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh" [Gal. 5:17].
By flesh, however, we do not mean (as I have said) the [visible] gross part of us, but the quite hidden and deceitful disposition of the flesh, namely the head of the old serpent, from which no one can sufficiently guard himself. The devil also makes it so that no one recognizes his errors, and we all give offense in many things and are stained with hidden faults, so that there is no righteous person on earth who does good and does not sin. So the verdict is clear: as long as we are in the flesh, no one recognizes our faults. Therefore, with Job, Cap. 9, 28. 2) [Vulg.], we must fear because of all our works and know that before God no living person is righteous [Ps. 143, 2.].
Therefore, a man must despair of himself and all that is his and take this one remedy, that he take refuge in the throne of mercy and ask to be cleansed of his hidden faults. Only through this humility can he be blessed, for the heart of man is evil and no one can fathom it (Jer. 17:9), and who can boast that he has a pure heart? And Augustine says here with truth: Sin covers the eyes in such a way that one cannot see even that from which they are covered, indeed, that one can see this least of all, as this is also seen in fleshly eyes. Therefore he does not say: Who has defects? For all have them; but not all recognize them, yea, no man recognizes them.
2) Weimarsche (erroneous): Job 9, 2.
1168 L. xvi, 18" f. Works on the first 22 Psalms. Ps. 19, 13. 14. w. iv, 1536-1539. hßg.
102. But since this is a thing which is known to extend over all (scientia universalis), in that the Prophet attributes to all men without distinction defects which they do not recognize, what then do our sophists, who pretend to insurmountable ignorance, of the advanced bar, of the first movement, to do as much as is in us, and of many other trifling things that make men safe and pure, careless and careless, so that they are heedless of the judgments of God, and dream that they can at least at times be without a venial sin?
The prophet has certainly been without mortal sin, and claims that there are people who say this about themselves (as those speak of mortal sin), even without venial sin, since he speaks this while being inflamed in spirit. For he would not pray this to God either if he were not fervent in spirit. And yet he says that his faults are not known to anyone, namely such faults that would not make him blessed if God did not cleanse him of them. Nor would he pray so urgently because of venial sins, and ask to be cleansed of the same, which those hold so low as to teach that they are taken away by I know not what things, which one would almost call ridiculous. Thus Paul says 1 Cor. 4, 4. that he is conscious of nothing, but is not justified in it, and Jacobus [Cap. 3, 2.], "We are all manifoldly wanting." All these sayings of truth and humility blot out those haughty hypocrites all at once by their ungodly thoughts, with which they devised good works and merits, and distinguished venial sins from mortal sins, of which he now says:
V. 14. Keep thy servant also from the proud, that they rule not over me; and I shall be without change, and innocent of great iniquity. 1)
104. in Hebrew it says this way: Also keep your servant from the proud, so that they will not rule over me, and I will be free from them.
1) Vulgate: IÄ alieriis pure" ssrvo tuo, si in ei non tusrint äominati, tun" iiuiuaeulutus ero, "t ernunändor a äelieto maximo.
Change be, and remain innocent of great iniquity. 2) For the interpreters seem to have read the letter X instead of X, therefore they translated XXXX instead of XXXX, that is, strangers instead of proud. And what here [in the Vulgate] is expressed by parce, which in Hebrew is: for custody (in custodiam), whereby one is restrained from doing or suffering anything, as Gen. 20:6: "I have kept thee (custodivi), that thou sin not against me," that is, I have restrained thee. The emphasis in this word indicates the greatest danger and the most dangerous battle by which the ravening wolves, the hypocrites, under sheep's clothing, seek to devour the simple-minded souls and to draw them away from the godliness of faith (by which alone the law is fulfilled and loved) into the superstition of godlessness and works, by which only the law is violated even more. For it is such a great thing to persevere in the godliness of faith that the Spirit cannot sufficiently remind and inculcate us to beware of the flattering doctrines of proud hypocrites.
But with how great confidence does he say that they are "proud"! For indeed, where faith is not, confidence in works is proud without end, but with such a secret and spiritual cunning that they themselves, who are proud, cannot recognize it at all; for everything that belongs to humility and godliness they show with a more beautiful appearance than the true believers, so that no one can be sure but he whom the Lord has preserved and kept back, lest he be carried away by their examples and words, as is prayed and taught to pray here. These are the ones of whom it is said in Rom. 16:18, "By sweet words and splendid speech they deceive the innocent hearts."
106. He thus says: Preserve your servant, lest these proud ones carry me away and deceive me. For if I am preserved by thee, that they can do nothing against me, however seemly their armies and boasts of works and words may be,
2) This is how Luther put it in the first translation of the Psalms in 1524, in this volume Col. 18.
then in truth I will be innocent, perfect, without change and simple, in German: "a pious man. There he shows at the same time in contrast that he will be godless if he is not preserved, and those would get the upper hand over him. For if faith is lost, he will trust in works and howl with the wolves who before was a simple sheep of Christ.
107] I have said above [57, 72] that our Latin interpreter translates the word XX generally by immaculatus ["without change"], which for the apostle Rom. 16, 18. means "innocent" or simple-minded, Greek: άχάχους. The words of the apostle which brightly illuminate this verse are these [Rom. 16. 17- f.]: "But I exhort you, brethren, that ye take heed to them which cause division and offence beside the doctrine which ye have learned, and depart from them. For such serve not the Lord JEsu Christ, but their belly; and by sweet words and glorious speech they deceive the innocent hearts." Truly, this passage throws light on innumerable passages in the prophets and psalms, and attacks all the statutes of men with marvelous force, emphasis, and expressive words; therefore every Christian mind should keep it firmly and vividly in mind.
108. and remain innocent of great iniquity. Many think that this "great iniquity" is pride, and not evil, but obscure and inauthentic, since impiety is pride. But the prophet wants to say that the wicked keep themselves pure from the small sins by not killing, not stealing, not breaking marriage, as that Pharisee boasts in the Gospel [Luc. 18, 11] (for Christ also calls these commandments Matth. 5, 19. the smallest). Moreover, they are not at all cleansed from the great and manifold (multo) iniquity by which everything is defiled, even the good works of the ungodly, so much so that they are even more defiled by these very works because of them. This is ungodliness and unbelief. Therefore, we must understand that the prophet is speaking comparatively, having in mind two different purities of two sins, which are judged according to different judgments.
For the wicked purify themselves from the smallest sins, that is, those that can be committed through the body, the lesser part of man, while they do not consider the greatest sin, that is, the one which they commit as hardened people with the soul, their greater part, and yet do not see.
(109) On the other hand, the godly consider it a small thing that they are clean from those small sins, if they are not also clean from that great one, which, although it is only one, makes many sins, yes, sins in all things. And I believe that the prophet intentionally wanted to mark this ungodliness by this epithet, that he calls it "many" and "great" (for both mean the Hebrew because it is the same with other sins, that each one for itself is only one sin, but the one who has this monster has at the same time many and great sins, in that it burdens all our works (of which there must necessarily be many) with the most evil (as they say) secondary circumstances and faults, namely with ungodliness against God. Therefore, although it is only one sin, at the same time it is also said to be very many and very great sins.
V. 15. Let the speech of my mouth and the conversation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my refuge and my redeemer.
The adverbium semper [in the Vulgate] is an addition. Now the meaning is: If I shall be clean from the great iniquity, and the proud could do nothing against me, that is, if I shall be justified by the faith that purifies the heart, not by the works that defile, then I shall be truly pleasing and acceptable in your sight. But if I am pleasant, then my speech and my thoughts will also be pleasant. For the fruit of a good tree will be good. But let no one think that his words are pleasing, no matter how beautiful they may seem, if he is righteous without faith, because he is stained with many and great iniquities.
(111) Although the "speech" and "conversation of the heart" can be understood from the ordinary speech or prayers, they are not the same as the "speech" and "conversation of the heart".
1172 L- xvi, 184-18". Works on the first 22 Psalms. Ps. 19, 15. 20, 1. 2. W. iv, 1542-1547. 1173
I still believe that it is understood from the words of the teaching. For those who have a pure faith also immediately teach purely, as it is written Ps. 116:10: "I believe, therefore I speak." And faith does not remain idle in secret, but comes forth and confesses to GOD for his own and other people's blessedness, as he said above [v. 6.] about the sun going out. To this opinion, I believe, he added "of my mouth" and "of my heart" to indicate the office of teaching. Therefore the meaning is indeed the same as is said in the first Psalm, v. 3: "And his leaves wither not, and what he doeth prospereth." For in this way the same is spoken of the good tree. So here: If we are pure, our sermons will please God; he will cooperate and confirm them, and will make them have a happy progress and convert even the adversaries, as it is said in Proverbs 16:7: "If a man's ways please the Lord, he also makes his enemies pleased with him." But if we will not be pure, what is left but that they [our sermons] displease, and have no good progress, and also drive the friends to war [against us]?
112 Not for nothing he adds: "before you". For the speeches of pure faith are abhorrent to all men, as Christ foretold Matth. 5, 11. and 13, 21. because they crucify the old man and punish the world because of
of sin, which is pleasing in the sight of God, but intolerable in the sight of men; and yet, because they please God, they have good progress, even against the will of the world.
For this very reason, in the end, he calls the Lord his "stronghold" (which in Hebrew means -mx, that is, my rock) and his "redeemer," not only because he redeemed him from the sins and the attempts of the hypocrites and placed him on the rock of pure faith, but also because he made him persevering and victorious against the enemies of the Word, having given him the joy of the Spirit to speak, as the Lord says to Jeremiah Cap. 1:8, "Fear them not: for I am with thee, and will deliver thee." So also the apostles prayed, Apost. 4, 29, 31, that they might speak the word against the Jews with all joy; and immediately the place was moved, and they spoke with joy, full of the Holy Spirit.
We have spoken abundantly about "the conversation of the heart" in the first and second Psalm [Ps. 1, § 38 f. Ps. 2, § 4]. It is, in fact, a preoccupation with the word, ready for teaching, as will be said below Ps. 49, 4. "My mouth shall speak of wisdom, and my heart shall say of understanding" (meditatio cordis mei prudentiam). Therefore, either the same is doubled here by repetition (tautologiam), or one is explained more by the other.
1) In the issues: 9.