(1) This is also a strange psalm, that he begins to dispute with our Lord God, and asks him. But he does this in order to give his doctrine the more prestige, that it is decided by divine opinion, which means "dwelling in the tabernacle of God," which are good works, how one should become pious. He looked at the various ways of men, that everyone wants to be pious, this one this way, that one that way, and if one looks at it from behind and from the front, then it is only one's own choice. One says thus, another thus. Lord, tell us what is right. Let the Lord say what pleases him best.
V. 1. Lord, who will dwell in your tabernacle? Who will dwell on your holy mountain?
Out of humility he calls the kingdom of God in the world a "tabernacle". Dear Lord, tell us rightly, who belongs among your people? One says of Aaron and the Levites, the other of many sacrifices 2c. But teach us. So he calls the place where God dwells through the Word also a "mountain" where he puts his name.
V. 2: He who walks without change.
3. the word "without change" means blameless, perfect, righteous, as the
In the first Epistle to the Hebrews, he translates a pious, upright man who walks in faith toward God, so that he is upright before God because of his faith, and blameless before the world. As if he wanted to say: It does not matter about the ceremonies, the boys can do them, too. It is said that he who walks uprightly, whether in the temple or outside, great or small, poor or rich.
And does it right.
(4) The others all practice hypocrisy and do useless things, as he said above [Ps. 12:3]. He alone follows what is right, as he will now tell you in detail.
And speak the truth from the heart.
(5) The most important thing is to teach righteously and to have the word, to honor God's word, to hear it, to learn it and to do it with all one's heart. Therefore he speaks against those of whom he said above in the twelfth Psalm, v. 3: "They dissemble, and teach out of a divided heart," who neither have nor know the word rightly.)
V. 3. who does not slander with his tongue.
(6) Although this may be understood of slanderers, yet I understand from the word that he means those who speak the truth purely, and beware of all false preaching and words, lest they subtract from the word and pervert it. The papists know nothing about virtue; they burn incense to it and put on caseloads, although this work makes the whole world happy. Therefore it is a grace above all grace not to corrupt the Scriptures.
And does no harm to his neighbor.
(7) According to the word, the neighbor is not to harm but to benefit him, and this is done very little. But this concerns most the hypocrites, who speak lies, deal in deceit, and become persecutors of righteousness. Day and night they think only that they do harm, like H[archduke] G[eorg] v[on] S[achsen] and H[archduke] H. v. B. 2) with un-
1) So the Latin edition; in the old translation: "can".
2) Perhaps also here like Col. 1445, s 27, and in the 17th Psalm towards the end (s 29) the Dukes of Bavaria are meant.
They will go around his duke. But if they cannot do harm, they revile him at least, as follows. Then they do not make a conscience, go in all the devil's name, give a hundred guilders to a monastery and endow a mass, so they have done well.
And do not disgrace your neighbor.
8. defile them and say that they call us heretics and evil-doers. If they can do this, their troubles are cooled. But the righteous does not harm his neighbor, neither with words nor with deeds. There is nothing at all about gray caps and casels, and yet they are the best works among the papists.
V. 4: He who does not respect the wicked but honors the godly.
(9) This is the most beautiful verse: for the righteous is not a man of persons. But the adversaries are wholly captive to the reputation of persons. Whether a man be a wicked knave, if he be mighty, well is he courted: but the righteous looketh not on how holy, how learned, how rich, how mighty he is. So say badly: Does Duke George also do this, so that he pays attention to the word and does not harm his neighbor? If he [the godly] sees virtue in him, he honors him, even if he were a beggar; if he does not see it in him, he considers him as a wicked man, tells him so, punishes him: You despise the word, you revile your neighbor, therefore I will not swear with you. One must add much to virtue and risk life and property, like our pious prince, because he separates himself so completely from the others for the sake of doctrine. Thus the Psalm says: Such a man does not look at the person whether he is powerful or poor, but looks badly at the commandment of God. For he knows that our Lord God is well able to repay him. Now these are works that are practiced among Christians against God and their neighbor. Now he will also say of their dealings.
He who swears to his neighbor and keeps it.
10. Does such a man run away from the people into the deserts? No, but he remains in the midst of the business of the world; he must also feed in the world. And now that he has gone-
When he speaks of the works that each person does for himself, he goes on to speak of the dealings that concern things or business. These are also good works, which no one respects, acting honestly and faithfully with people; as it must be, then, that one keeps what he has spoken. But such virtue is also strange, and few people make a conscience of it. Hence these sayings have come: The world is full of infidelity. Item: Good words, little behind them. So now he says of a pious man that he is in the wrong, and is faithful all the way. If then he is to keep faith all the time, it will certainly not come off without his harm, for he will not be kept faithful all the time. You also see that a Christian is allowed to enter into all kinds of contracts (contractus).
V. 5. He who does not give his money on usury.
11. ho, ho, where are they? It is therefore permissible to deal in money, but usury is not.
not allowed. The good works have faded away in the papacy; the monks do not know anything about them, because they are not in the hands.
And does not take gifts over the innocent.
(12) Then he stabs the great magistrates, the judges who can judge or testify, and lets themselves be corrupted. Now such sin was common among that people, and the Jews sinned, especially in these last three things; as it is still among the rich and noble. But these things belong to the ninth and tenth commandments, that by practices they have deprived one another of goods. The works should now be seen, which neither Aristotle nor any philosopher has seen.
Whoever does that will probably stay.
13 The Lord God has spoken it, he says; he shall remain who does this.