[1. A Psalm of David, to be sung to song].
2 God, you are praised in the silence of Zion, and vows are paid to you.
3. you hear prayer, therefore all flesh comes to you.
4. our iniquity is hard upon us; you will forgive our sin.
Blessed is he whom thou choosest, whom thou dost admit to dwell in thy courts: he hath abundant comfort from thy house, the 1) holy temple.
6 Hear us according to the marvelous righteousness, O God, our salvation, who art the confidence of all on earth, and far off by the sea.
007 He that strengtheneth the mountains with his might, and is armed with power.
1) Erlanger: "dem"; so also afterwards in the interpretation. The old editions have like our Bible: yours.
In order that we may grasp this psalm more recently and more easily, let us divide it into three parts. For there are also three different regimes on earth, ordered and established by God. The first is called his heavenly kingdom, that is, his divine word and service, since he rules over consciences and souls through preaching, baptism and sacrament, and is properly called and ought to be called the Christian or divine regiment, since he himself is lord and prince, and we are his courtiers, all of us who have been baptized and called to hear his word, or called to the ministry of baptizing, preaching, comforting, exhorting 2c. This is the highest and most noble, so he leads from the beginning to the end of the world, and all power is in it. For he hath so given up the other reigns, that yet he will not leave his own.
8. who stills the roar of the sea, the roar of its waves, and the raging of the nations,
009 That they that dwell in the same ends may be astonished at thy signs. Thou makest glad the weavers, both of the morning and of the evening.
010 Thou hast visited the land, and watered it, and made it very rich. The fountain of God hath abundance of water; thou hast made her corn prosperous; for so thou buildest the land.
(11) Thou waterest his furrows, and wettest his plowed ground; with rain thou makest it soft, and sowest his growth.
12. you crown the year with your goods, and your footsteps drip with fat.
013 The dwellings also of the wilderness are fat, that they drip; and the hills round about are merry.
014 The fields are full of sheep, and the meadows are thick with corn; they shout and sing.
The other (which this psalm calls "hills" and "mountains") is kingdoms and principalities, lands and people, or commonwealths, which we call the worldly regiment, or worldly rule and authority.
004 The third is the last and lowest government, where every man is given his wife, and his child, and his house, and his farm, to rule them, and to keep the food, and to build the land. For the others cannot wait for the same, who are in the preaching office, nor those who are to rule and counsel. Therefore the third estate must also be there (namely, the common man), who build the land and work, so that they and others can feed themselves.
(5) These three are all touched upon in this psalm one after another. And although it is especially made to thank and pray to God for
The lowest [regiment], 1) namely, for good weather and gracious time, is nevertheless the way of the prophets, where they speak of the same benefit and gifts of God, that they also attract the others, especially the high grace. So also here, since he has undertaken to praise and thank for the domestic regiment or agriculture (as one wants to call it), he continues and reaches out, and also leads a praise and thanksgiving for the other two regiments.
Now it happens with all three, that each of them has its devil, by which it is hindered or corrupted. The first one has it with its red spirits and heretics, who falsify and corrupt the doctrine, and take or pervert the sacraments, thus destroying God's kingdom. There is a daily war in Christendom, which has always stood and will stand until the last day. For the devil never ceases to challenge the same, to reverse or destroy it. Therefore it has 2) its offices, which it must always do. First, to preach and to know the right doctrine. Secondly, to uphold and defend it against the devil and his servants who cling to him. Where therefore this kingdom is to be preserved, one must pray for it; but where it stands, one must give thanks for it. In the Lord's Prayer we pray daily for this [Matth. 6, 9. 10. Luc. 11, 2.]: "Hallowed be your name, your kingdom come" 2c. Where it comes to pass that it stands thus and is pure, then one may sing this psalm, and many others (which speak of it in particular), to praise and thanksgiving to God, who has given it and must also preserve it.
7. the other now also has its devil, who causes destruction in the world, as namely, murder, war, riots 2c., since God removes the hand when he wants to punish, and decrees that princes and lords fall over each other, destroy and devastate land and people.
(8) Likewise, the third must also have its devil, where wicked masters and wives, or disobedient and unfaithful children and servants are in the house; item, all kinds of misfortune and damage to fruits, livestock and other things, thereby the
1) Erlanger: "the lowest".
2) In the Wittenberg and the Jena instead of: "it" the explanatory words: "this first realm".
food is corrupted. In order that both of these things may happen properly, it is necessary to pray that God will protect and preserve against the devil, and where it is right to do so, to thank and praise Him.
(9) Now, if we were pious, and each one lived rightly in his position, there would be no doubt that we would have a gracious God, and the devil would not gain much. As if we preachers were faithful and diligent, God would well protect us from heresy and error. Likewise, if princes and lords were faithful to their regiments, mutiny, war, rebellion and other misfortunes would cease. Likewise, if every house and servants were pious and did what they should, God would also graciously continue to give blessings and prosperity.
(10) But because we are not pious, we must also suffer as a punishment that the devil roars and causes misfortune everywhere. Because we do not respect God's word, nor are we grateful for it, he has to teach us (through the spirits of the wicked, who deceive the world and plague it with false doctrine) what treasure it is and where we got it from. So must he teach lords and rulers and the disobedient subjects, when he sends war, murder, fire and dissension into the land, that they may know for what and whence they pray, and to whom they should give thanks for such good. Likewise, he must sometimes send us a plague or harm at home, and leave a little room for the devil to punish us, lest he lose his divinity, but teach us that he is God who gives us such things, and wants to be known and honored for it, that we do not live, as if we had it of ourselves and were not allowed to be anything, as we will also hear in this psalm that he primarily complains about our sin, so that we deserve that he shows his hand and punishes us, and first prays that God will first of all take it away from us and be merciful, so that the punishment will also be averted. And he begins it in the best and finest way with thanksgiving, so that he may give God his glory and a loving, pleasant sacrifice, and teach us to recognize from whom we have all kinds of goods, and how we should thank him for them.
V. 2. God, you are praised in the silence of Zion, and vows are paid to you.
(11) O how fine and praiseworthy God art thou (he will say), who givest and maintainest all the three kinds of government in the world (as he will tell it properly hereafter); therefore we also owe thee praise and thanksgiving. And this happens "in the silence of Zion", or Jerusalem, where the spiritual government is going on and is God's service. For at that time there was no other place or place where one should worship God, but he had bound the hearts of all men who wanted to meet and worship the right God to this place, so that, even though they could not be there in body, they would have to turn and look there with their hearts and call only on the God who dwelt there, knowing and knowing no other God.
12 Thus it was in the days before Christ. But now this Zion has become so great and wide that it fills heaven and earth. For Zion, with its temple and worship and all its people, is now broken and destroyed, but God has built a much greater and more glorious one in Christ. Where He is with His Word and Sacrament, there is also the true Zion. Therefore, whoever now believes in this Christ and confesses, praises or adores Him, praises and thanks the right God in the right Zion or Jerusalem.
But he adds this little word, in silentio, "in silence. For this also belongs to a Christian who wants to pray and praise, that he may be a little patient and suffer, and not curse or murmur, or become unwilling to God, if it does not happen and go as soon as he likes; but it is said, as the 4th Psalm, v. 5, says: "If you are angry, do not sin; speak with your heart on your couch, and be silent," or be quiet. Item, Isa. 30, 15: In silentio et spe erit fortitudo vestra, "if you were silent and hoped, you would be helped," that is, to learn to praise God and give thanks, even though He is not there as soon as we would like, but to be accustomed to His ways and to be patient, even if He consumes something. For this is yet a small thing, that we praise and give thanks, because He gives what we desire, and leaves
We may do as we please, but praise and thanksgiving must be done in such a way that we remain still and steadfast, and wait patiently for his help. For he is such a God, who does not leave him to decide the person, time and place, what, when or how he should give, so that we may learn to know him rightly and believe that he knows better how he should do it, so that it will be of use and good to us than we do ourselves.
(14) See, this is why it is called "Praising God in Silence," that is, not to become impatient, but to learn to forgive and to wait, and always to persevere in faith. For we see what people are like when they fall into impatience, how they rage and rumble, and give a terrible account of themselves; they must be called quiet (that is, patient). For with such impatience they hinder themselves, that they cannot pray nor praise. But again, where one praises him in silence, or with patience, that one waits for him a little while, and suffers, this he likes, and pleases him as his dearest sacrifice and worship (as he will now say). As when we pray for Christendom against the heretics and seducers, that his kingdom may come, and the mobs and troubles cease; item, for a good temporal government and peace in the land, or for our house and farm, cattle and grain, 2c., and yet we are consumed, and let it be seen as if it would not get better. We must not let this hinder us, nor stop us, but always praise and glorify that we have a gracious God, who hears our prayer (as he says soon after), and will not remain outside. As we certainly hope that some of us will experience that the present mobs and troubles will perish, even if it can be seen much differently now; and indeed we have already experienced that he has often and wonderfully helped us in many and great troubles, when it could also be seen badly, and we had to be quiet and wait.
(15) But what does it mean that he says, "Vows are paid to you"? Just as he has now said, "You are praised" 2c. For nothing can be given to God, nor can anything be done, unless vows are paid to him, namely, those that he wants from us, and has himself ordained and decreed. (For he does not want any of these, which we ourselves make to him, or which we undertake to serve him without his word). Now
we all vowed to have him for a God according to his commandment, saying, "I am the LORD your God" 2c. Me you shall serve, and no other 2c. So we vow in baptism that we will honor, praise, celebrate and worship the Lord Christ, and no other. I cannot pay such vows in any other way than by saying to him with my heart and mouth, "I thank you, my Lord Christ, and praise and extol you before the world, that you are the one who is gracious to me and helps me. For so I received it in baptism, that thou shouldest be my Lord and God, and none other. See, that means recently, the right vow paid, and the right service done, which he wants us to do, of which more is often said elsewhere. This is the first verse, that one should praise and thank him. Now, for what shall one give thanks and praise, or what is the child called? For this (he says),
V. 3. You hear prayers, therefore all flesh comes to you.
16. Everyone who wants to pray and give thanks should come to you, for there is no other God on earth. Where "to thee"? or, where is he found? In former times in Jerusalem, or in Zion (as he said), but now nowhere, except in the Lord Christ, in whom he has presented himself to all the world in all places, that one (excluding all other gods and services) should come here alone. Why is that? Because you alone are such a God, who gladly lets himself be asked, and also gladly hears. That is his right price, therefore he is to be praised, and thus one should get to know him from this psalm, and certainly believe that he likes to hear prayers and also wants to hear.
(17) What then will we lack if he does not give us what we desire and need? Certainly not from him, but [it] will certainly be our fault that we are too lazy and lazy to pray. For he will not lie to you, because he says that he is the God who loves to hear prayers; not only one or some (as the great saints), but all men on earth. For he says: "All flesh comes to you", that is, all that may be called a man. If then thou art flesh and blood, thou art also herein called and required, and standest
in this verse as well as I, and I as well as you, and is lured and whistled to you and me as well as to this or that saint. For he is not the God of the Jews or of the priests alone (as if they alone could pray), but my God and the God of us all, who are called flesh or man. For I am baptized in his name and believe in the same God as all the others; therefore he will hear my prayer as gladly as the others.
(18) Therefore it must surely be lacking in us, that we do not do such things, which he would like to have, and of which he bears the name, and wants to be so praised and glorified, that he gladly hears prayers, and also gladly wants to give what is asked. But that [it] does not happen, no one does, but we ourselves, who do not want to do him the service, that we only pray confidently, and do not pay attention that he would like it so much, and would even like to hear and give as much as we may demand it. But because we do not pray, he cannot give us either; so the devil himself comes upon us, afflicting and hindering us in every way. This is the first defect and harm, so that we hinder ourselves from throwing away prayer, when we could bring all misfortune from us, if we only pray confidently on his word and promise in the right Zion, that is, in faith in Christ, who promises us that whatever we ask in his name, we shall receive [John 16:24]. Now the other defect is that which he himself indicates in the following verse, saying:
V. 4 Our iniquity oppresses us; you will forgive our sin.
(19) This is the stone that lies on the heart of almost everyone, that we cannot pray. O I would gladly pray (we say), if I knew that my prayer would be acceptable to him; I will let others pray who are more pious and more skillful than I am. For I am a poor sinful man, but where there is sin, prayer is not valid [John 9:31], for God is angry with them and does not hear them. By such thoughts the devil beats down prayer and disturbs it, so that nothing comes of it, even though someone would like to pray.
wanted to pray. Now it is true that sin is there, and it is not a small piece, because he himself displays it and confesses that it cheaply frightens and drives back. For he also feels the heavy stone (which is called our sin) that lies there and presses, so that the heart cannot rise. For who can lift up his heart and eyes against God, if he knows that he has angered him and deserves all the plagues? So it happens that no one prays at all, everyone relies on someone else, and thinks: I cannot pray now, I will let those pray who are pious, and wait until I also become pious, and so neither I, nor you, nor others pray. Where will you finally find someone who prays?
20 Now, how shall we advise him? We cannot resist; it is written there, and it is true, we are all sinners in the first place, and our sin presses us hard. But if you know no counsel, listen to what this verse teaches you when you feel such anguish that your heart says, "Oh, you are not able to pray now, do you not feel your sin, how you have angered God? 2c. If such things occur to you and hinder prayer, do as you hear here and see the prophet speak and do. "Our sin oppresses us" (he says). This is true; but if I should not pray for it, and should not begin to pray until I felt myself without sin, I would never come to it, and the devil would put a lock upon me, that I could never open my mouth. Nay, not so (saith he), but first see how thou layest aside the same burden. Sayest thou: How? Shall I run to Rome, or to St. James, or repent until I feel sin no more, and become worthy to pray? No, nothing will be done, but only in this way, that you fall badly before God with this distress, and say, as it says here, "Oh, Lord, our sin weighs us down. Even though we know that we should pray, and that you are glad to hear, we cannot do so because of this burden; but because you want to be asked, and call all flesh to come to you, I come with this, and lay down this burden before you, and ask that you will forgive my sin and be merciful to me.
21 Behold, therefore, you have rightly offered prayer to
If you are caught in the greatest need that oppresses you and hinders you or makes you unskilled, so that you cannot pray, and you have removed the heavy stone from your heart, then it will be done properly; otherwise you will never be able to pray properly. For I have also tried it, and it can still happen to me, when I want to begin to pray, that the devil drives me away by such thoughts: Oh, you are not skillful now, I want to wait a while, and meanwhile do something else, until I become more skillful; and so I get further and further away, from one hour to the next, yes, from one day to the next, that I must at last force myself against it, and continue to pray, when I feel most skillful. For it is said that he who is not skillful today will be even more unskillful tomorrow, and that no one is skillful through forgiveness. If you do not learn to pray because you are clumsy and feel your difficulty, you will never learn. For when the sweet thought comes, Now I am skillful, now I will pray aright, 2c., that must be the devil, and make your prayer sinful and shameful. Therefore nothing is better than thus spoken: If I am unskillful, and feel the burden of sin, I will do as the prophet David did, and all the people of God, who were much holier than we, and yet complain of sin. If they did not let it hinder them, then my sin should not hinder me either, but I will run all the more to prayer and present the same need to God above all things.
22. Behold, this is the right golden art, how to become skillful in prayer; not by your own worthiness or devotion, but that you look up to it, since you feel unskillful, and present it to him and say: Lord, because you want me to pray and come to you, I will come and pray enough, and the very thing that hinders me the most and drives me back from you is my sin, which is on my neck and presses me, that you take it from me and forgive it. So you will certainly become more skillful, and soon feel lighter and happier. And only thus always against this burden pushed through and continued,
That you do not let sin cause you to err, nor refuse to pray; but so that you do not think to abide in sins.
(23) For we speak not at all of those who are not oppressed by their sin, nor desire to be rid of it, but still have pleasure and joy in it. For these should not and cannot pray, as those who feel no cause or need for prayer. But of such we speak, who feel that they would gladly pray, and yet are clumsy and weighed down by their sin, and go and devour themselves with it, and may not pray until they are rid of it. This is what the psalm teaches, saying: "Dear one, if you want to be free from sin and pray, just look at this hour now, and take on the same trouble, and you will already be skilled. And since you have laid aside this heaviest burden, and have now laid aside the first thing, continue after this, and pray also for the needs of all the world, that God may also do to others as he has done to you; namely, for the spiritual government, that his name may be hallowed everywhere, and his word preached, and that the people may be grateful for it 2c. Item, that emperors, kings and princes may rule well in their regiments, preventing blood, war and other mischief. And after that also for your house and daily bread. This is what is called rightly and worthily prayed. And it is certainly heard, even if it is not done quickly; for it means to pray and praise "in silence," that is, with patience.
(24) So from this verse you have the right way to begin prayer, both with the confession of our unworthiness and with faith, in which we hold up to God His will and promise that He will have our prayer and gladly answer it. And if we would do this, and not let the devil hinder us, we would do wonders and miracles through prayer; just as it is, praise God, that what good happens now and is preserved, that is preserved through prayer, and where we kept praying with earnestness and diligence, much more and greater things should happen. But now we must repay others who do not pray, and suffer a little with them, because we live with them. The
1) Erlanger: sollts.
is now the preface of the psalm, in which he prepared himself for prayer and removed the obstacle. Now he starts from the first, spiritual regiment, and thus goes on from this to the others.
V. 5 Blessed is he whom thou choosest, whom thou dost admit to dwell in thy courts; he hath abundant comfort from thy house, the holy temple.
(25) This is a true Davidic way, which he leads before all other prophets, that he praises first of all God's word and service, and then his kingdom, given to him by God. He is especially diligent in these two things, as he has also made several psalms especially about them. Thus he also indicates here how great it is when God shows honor and grace to someone, that he chooses him and lets him dwell in his holy temple, and there he becomes a partaker of all the good, comfort and sweetness that is in his house or temple. This gift he uses to exalt and praise very highly; as St. Paul also praises everywhere, and considers to be the greatest treasure, to have and to know God's word. For in the sight of the world it is a contemptible thing: it goes madly to it and calls it heresy, or, if it does not condemn it nor persecute it, it leaves it, and does not respect it, but turns its back on it, and waits for its thing, as it does not ask much about God and His kingdom 2c. But this holy prophet holds it out of the measure high and dear, to whom the grace happens, and so good can become, that he may come to his house or church, or also to his churchyard. For he calls all three, "in thy house", "courts", and "thy holy temple".
26 Now at that time (when King David was alive) God had not yet built a house or temple without the tabernacle of Moses, with the ark and the mercy seat, and in no permanent place, though he went about building a magnificent temple and making great supplies for it; but he was refused until the reign of his son Solomon. He still goes forth with true, full, great joy and thankfulness, and calls the place where God dwells a castle, or a temple, or a temple of God.
God's house, and God's court, and yet was a small hut, only twenty cubits long, and ten cubits wide, without windows and always windows, without having an open space around it, a hundred cubits long, and fifty wide, as a churchyard. Still he praises it so well over all goods and grace, where a man is called and chosen, that he may come so near to him in the court and tabernacle. Now it was nothing but wooden boards and knitted carpets, and a churchyard without a wall, drawn from a net. Why then does he praise it so highly above all castles and royal buildings, indeed, above all the world's goods and treasures?
27) Answer: He was a man of God, and full of the Spirit, and knew well that God had appointed the same place especially, that He would speak and be present there, and whoever would come there, that God Himself would hear, and what he prayed there, or was told to him, that should be yes and kept. I would run to that place if I knew of such a place or house (even if it were made of vain leaves or cobwebs), where I would hear (as from God Himself) what I needed for my salvation, and have everything I would ask for, and not consider how small it would always be. How much do you think that there have been, and still are, people who have run all over the world, and would gladly have consumed all their possessions, where they might have found a place where they could hear the comfort that God would be gracious to them and hear their prayers. But it is as they say: They carry onions, they bring back garlic; in their uncertain delusion they run, in the same they come back. But if we knew of such a place, where God would speak to us from heaven and hear our prayer, who would not run there, even to the end of the world, and take no treasure on earth for it?
28 Now there was the tabernacle, and after that the temple of Solomon. For so it was ordained of God by Moses, when he said, Exodus 20:24, "In the place where I will set up the memorial of my name, there will I come unto thee, and bless thee" 2c. That was told them so much: Where this tabernacle
how little it is to be esteemed: nor where it is, there will I be also, and so be that it shall be called with grace, that I may bless you, and do you good; and what ye hear there, that God shall have spoken, and what ye ask, that will I hear, and give unto you 2c. Such a thing would still be worthy to be held holy and high, as a delicious house of God or divine castle and temple, even if it were a straw hut; for the host who is at home there (how small the house is), he pays for it all.
(29) Behold, therefore the prophet so joyfully praises and extols: Praise and thanks be to God that we have a place where God Himself dwells, preaches His word, and declares His will, hears our prayer, and helps us out of all troubles. What more do we want, or what better can we desire? For if we have this, we have a higher treasure than all kings and princes, and will not much inquire whether all the odds are against us, and all the devils do not laugh. Therefore I may justly boast, and say, O happy man! what a blessed man is he that cometh to grace, and is so blessed that he may come to thee where thou dwellest, that is, that he may hear thee or thy word. For such glory and defiance have no other nations, nor so many kings and mighty men of the earth, as to say, With us dwelleth GOD, here is his temple, where he speaketh and is heard; but we alone (says he of his people) are called and chosen to be called GOD's people, and have a GOD dwelling with and among us. This is the glory that none on earth can equal, and it cannot be said how great a thing it is, to have a place where God dwells and speaks, and tells us what to do to him, how to pray and how to call upon him.
030 Now this he glorified, when it was not yet so abundant as it is now in Christ: but we ought first to sing this verse much more joyfully, and to praise it without ceasing, if we had hearts to understand it, and eyes and ears to see and hear it. But the devil does us the mischievousness that we do not see this joy and our treasure, which we have much more gloriously than they had. For now it is no longer
But he has built an outer temple or church, the wall of which goes around the whole world; as St. Paul Col. 1:23 says, "that the gospel may be preached among every creature under heaven"; and Ps. 19:5, "Their rule goes out into all the earth, and their speech to the ends of the world. This means a church that is as wide as heaven and earth. For he now causes his word to pass through all creatures, as he himself commanded the apostles [Marc. 16, 15.] "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Which is no other thing than as if he said, "I will build a church (through the preaching of the gospel) as wide and as large as the whole world, where I will dwell and speak. For where his word or ministry goes, there he dwells in all the world, making himself heard and speaking to us all.
If the holy prophet David had experienced such things, and seen such great honor and grace, I think he would have rejoiced to death, because he can boast that God dwells there in the small, narrow corner, so that one can see how these people can make use of it and need it, which we despise so miserably, who have God's word so abundantly, and such a large church or house of God throughout the whole world. We are still so stubborn and hardened that we neither sing nor praise, nor like to hear about it; indeed, what is worse, most people despise it and rage against it. Shouldn't God strike us with thunder and lightning that we give thanks so badly for such grace and blessing, which we have so abundantly greater and more abundant than they have had?
(32) What shall we say in that day, when they shall come and say, O, if we had had the honor and grace that is done unto you, how would we have sung and shouted as joyfully as ye have felt in our psalms! what have ye done, which have had it in all churches, in all houses, and in all places? One day they will be reddened, and will stand with all shame, and condemn themselves, who have so shamefully despised it, and they will
Go, as Christ says, that Sodoma and Gomorrah will fare much worse than the cities and people who have heard his word and yet despised it. But the world will not let it be told nor advised, go, and despise all that is threatened of God's wrath. But he is not afraid of their wrath either; he lets them confidently despise and mock it, but in the end he will punish them mercilessly, so that they will know what they have despised.
But God protect us and give us the grace to be among the multitude who hold God's word dear. For what more shall he do, the pious God, than to send us home with his dear word, and thereby promise us his grace, both here and there, that he will always be with us, and hear our prayer, forgive our sin, save us from death, and also give us enough on earth, and when we have suffered a little here, then take us eternally to heaven? and shall not earn more with this in the world, than that such glorious preaching and comfort should be most shamefully despised? But let those who despise it be despised, as those who are not worthy to know such grace and treasure. But I (says he, and he who is a true Christian) hold it that whoever may be, since God's church and dwelling place is, that he must be a chosen man, and is called blessed.
(34) Now we have the grace to come to him daily and without ceasing, and to be where he is. But where is he? Nowhere, except where his Word and Sacrament are. But where are they? Nowhere, but everywhere in the world. Therefore, he can be found and come to him everywhere. But the only thing lacking is that we cannot give him the name he gives him, that he dwells there, and that this means to come to him. For we have eyes like the cow when it looks at a new gate. So we also see that the priest baptizes or administers the sacrament, but we are not so wise that we could say, "Here I come to God," as it is truly called coming to him. For who is it that made or instituted baptism and sacrament? Not a man or some creature, but He Himself instituted and commanded them. Therefore, if I am there-
I will surely come to God Himself, who baptizes. But because one sees no more than water and the hand of man, we hang on to our eyes and think no further.
(35) But this holy prophet did not do so, though he saw nothing but the tabernacle covered with skins, and the net drawn round, and the cedars, 1) or the tablets, that he might also say, Ho, what is this? I have seen more such things. But thus he says: There I see God's house or temple, here I come to you 2c. For he beholds with right spiritual eyes God's word and order, who has promised himself there. So when he heard his priests or Levites, he did not look at them (as we do) according to their mouths or noses, nor think it was a human thing, but according to God's word, which they taught, and considered it, where Moses or God's word was read or preached, that there was neither Moses nor Aaron, but God's word, and is also called, coming to God himself, and belonging to God.
(36) But in us is the infirmity (as I have said), that we cannot so regard the word (which we hear or preach), and think that it is not of man, but of God, when it is not of man, but of God's command. Therefore, where it is spoken by a preacher or another man's mouth (even if he were to speak by an ass), it was spoken by God. Therefore the power is in him, that we do not look at it only by the body, that is, by the mouth and nose of man, but do the honor to think where it comes from, or by what order it goes, and why it is called the word of God. So then, everyone may well think that it did not come from or through man, nor was it invented; otherwise, if it were human, others, as Turks and Gentiles, would have it as well as we. But to us it is given, that we have it, and understand it, and put it into our mouths to preach, so that he teaches and preaches through us, and we are no more than his mouth and tongue. Therefore it is to be honored and heard as God Himself.
1) "cedern" is an adjective here. Erlanger: Cedern.
For he has rich comfort from your house, the holy temple.
(37) O blessed, and blessed, and blessed beyond measure, is he that hath this treasure. For he has a treasure, not of gold nor of silver, but of other, higher goods; and he is rich and full of great possessions. For he hears God speaking to him, the King and Lord of lords, even of angels, and the richest comfort. For he speaks of eternal goods, namely: I am your God, who created you, and I give you everything, and I will give you much more. Send you my Son, who will shed his blood for you and wash you with it, and strengthen and comfort you with my word and spirit, and will not leave you in trouble, but will put my hand to it, and help and protect you. Is this not a richness and fullness of all comfort, when we hear that he speaks to us like this, and does what our heart desires? For this is why he himself speaks to us, otherwise he might well let others speak, as he spoke through Moses, and still speaks through princes, father and mother, when he gives laws and tells us what we should do. But comfort is not there in trouble and sorrow, nor salvation from sins and fear of death and hell, unless it comes to hearing him himself, saying, "Behold, I will protect you and save you, and give you everything, even myself, and you shall be my dear child. Whoever hears this and considers what great good it is and brings with it, may well laugh, sing and jump with joy, and fear nothing, for he has great comfort from God.
38 And there (he speaks again) "from your house, the holy temple". Behold, how useful the prophet can make this little piece for him, that he repeats it over and over again, "from your house, the holy temple. All this is based on the word by which he shows and reveals himself to us. For it is called his house, not so that he leaves it there as it stands and remains high up in heaven, where we cannot come to him, but God's house it is called for this reason, and also that he dwells in it and wants to be found there. Just as it is not called God's word, that he has made it his home up there in the
Heaven speak, but that se^is in our heart and mouth. For he is and dwelleth with us, speaketh and worketh through us, helping us to believe, pray, and all things. For he does not build his house like a carpenter who builds a house and goes away, but he himself wants to live and stay there, even if there is neither wood nor stone, and everything is open.
39 For in Hebrew a house is not only a roof and walls, but also a householder who keeps house and has a wife, children and servants. Where this is not, there is no house for them. So here, where God is and speaks, there is certainly His house; as the Scriptures clearly testify about the patriarch Jacob, Gen. 28:17, when he was lying in the field at night, and in a dream he saw a ladder reaching from the earth to heaven, and God was speaking to him on top of it 2c., and when he awoke he said, "What shall I say? After all, here is GOD's Hans." Item: "This must be a holy place, for surely God dwells here, and is the gate of heaven." Where did this come from? It was nothing but an open field, and had neither wall nor walls. But because God spoke to him there, he said, "God dwells here.
40 So we should also learn to say, where one hears his word or preaching, that this is called God's house, and he himself actually dwells and speaks there. Item, where baptism is, that he himself baptizes 2c. For he is not (as [§ 38] said) such a master who builds a house, and then goes away and leaves it standing, but does it all for the purpose that he himself may be there, create and rule. Therefore he calls it not only "his house", but also "his temple", that is, his castle or royal house (as afterward King Solomon built a temple, as a glorious, royal palace), which is called "a holy temple", in which he leads his spiritual regiment and does holy things. So he also has his royal castle and palace with us, where the preaching chair and baptism is. For this we should also give thanks with the prophet, that he draws so near to us that we hear him daily, and are with him in his temple and palace, where we hear vain rich consolations.
(41) Now to build special houses and churches is not commanded, but it is good for the simple who are denied.
The goal is to bring them to a place where they can hear and learn the Word of God and practice the sacraments together, as well as to have a special ministry and people to do this, even though every Christian can do it himself and has it with him.
V. 6. Hear us according to your marvelous righteousness, O God, our salvation, who art the confidence of all on earth, and far off by the sea.
It is not enough that God has established and appointed his kingdom, but it must also be added that he upholds and defends it. Just as in a worldly kingdom it is not enough to set up a regiment, but it is also necessary that he uphold it. Item, as he must not only give husband and wife to sit at home and do what belongs to housekeeping, but also strength and power to maintain it, so that they may remain in it; Because I have said that every government has its devil, who would gladly hinder and destroy it, the spiritual with the spirits of the wicked, the secular with war and disobedience, the domestic with unfaithfulness and all kinds of misfortune, so that it must be he in all ranks who must nourish and defend, give and defend both.
43) So it goes here in the spiritual regime: where God's word goes out that he builds his church, the devil is quickly there and builds his chapel next to it. For he cannot have rest. Because God has a place on earth, he seeks to destroy it. We may take care of that, and have nothing else to comfort us. For therefore also God is called in the Scriptures a LORD of hosts, as one that lieth in the field for ever. For the devil also lies in the field against him, and cannot bear that a Christian should be on earth. Therefore he works and sends false spirits among his preachers and Christians to destroy his kingdom, both with doctrine and life, so that it remains true that he always has a chapel where God has his church. Therefore he asks here for thanksgiving, because he has brought us to his dwelling place, where we hear him, that he may also keep us there.
44. but he asks that God hears and upholds "in righteousness" 2c. For this is the warfare in this spiritual realm, that one may
and fights how to become righteous or how to remain pious; everything is to be done for righteousness, then the dispute arises, how we can become pious and blessed before him. For he teaches that we are righteous before God through Christ alone, by grace alone, freely given [Eph. 2:8,9]. His church also speaks and believes this way. And blessed are those who hear and keep these things! Against this the other group contends, who set righteousness on our doings and merits, and make their clamor against us, that with this doctrine we hinder and prevent good works, and make the people slothful 2c. This is the strife; who will resist or separate? For the devil hath possessed them, that they will not be instructed, crying and raging against us without ceasing.
45 Therefore, says he, because the world strives against our doctrine and word, which is preached in thy temple, and condemns and persecutes us for it, thou mayest do the best. Hear us, who are called to thy holy habitation, when we hear the word; and do thou also the other power, that we also may be protected thereby. For though I have been baptized and taught of my Lord Christ, that I may know where I am to abide, yet may I have strength and protection to abide; so strong is the devil, together with the world, that he could snatch me away. Therefore the prayer must always go, that he who has given us that we should come to this, may also add to it his power and strength, and keep us in it to the end. That is why he calls him "God of our salvation," that is, the God who must help us and give us victory. For "God of salvation" means as much as God of our victory, or who gives the victory, namely against the enemies of his kingdom or his righteousness.
46. and calls the righteousness preached in his temple "a strange righteousness," that is, not such righteousness as the world understands and praises, but such as the whole world is offended at. For this is a ridiculous thing in the sight of all reason, especially of those who want to be holy, that we should be righteous and be called righteous only through another, when we do nothing at all. Oh how the heathen mocked when they first heard that the Christians were such men, who
praising such a God who was born of a virgin and then crucified and died, 2c., and accepting and worshipping such a public executioner on the gallows, believing that they would become righteous just because he died, and that this would be enough for their sin, and they would not have to do anything else.
(47) This has always been, and still is, a strange, even an annoying sermon, and may well be called a strange or terrible righteousness, at which all the world is annoyed and afraid. For they cannot judge otherwise according to their wisdom, but thus: How can this be called righteousness, since we do nothing, and people are therefore pious, that they believe in another, who died on the cross like a cursed and damned man? If this is true, let us live as we wish, and do what we desire, for what good works may we do? Behold, this is what the wicked boys teach (they say), thereby destroying the church and worship, and tearing asunder the regiments and all that is fine and good. Where is left here what our fathers and Moses, yes, God Himself commanded? Shall all this perish and be nothing? Only dead, dead, with the wicked and damned teachers!
(48) I know this well, he says, and confess it, that it is a strange righteousness, and so strange that you alone must maintain it. For as it is not of our own devising, nor grown out of human understanding, but rather is contrary to it, so it is not ours to maintain it. For when these righteousnesses teach me that we are to be saved and blessed without our merit, through Christ alone, and yet after that we are also to do good works, they go against their righteousness, Mosiah's or their works, which is according to reason; on this they stand so stubborn and gnarled that what is said or sung to them is not acceptable to them, and is to them a strange, unruly thing. Therefore you must preserve it (you who are our salvation and victor), and it is in your hands alone to carry it out, as it was in the beginning when we learned how to believe and live.
49. Now this is a warning for us Christians
and consolation, 1) that we are not surprised if great, excellent people become hostile to this teaching, condemn pope and bishops, trample princes and lords underfoot. For it is too strange for them that they cannot accept it. For they are drowned in such thoughts as they have conceived from the teaching of the law: God wants one to be pious and to do good; item, God loves the pious and is hostile to sinners 2c. This is in them, and is right, but not rightly understood; but, as they have taken it from the words, they stand on it as hard as iron, not knowing how God makes pious, or what he means by pious, namely, not because I do or merit by myself; otherwise I thirst for nothing everywhere from Christ, and his death would be in vain, and there would be no difference between Turks and Christians, but who are as diligent to do good works as we are.
50 Now the gospel teaches us that we cannot do anything by our works to obtain God's grace and be justified before Him, but must come to the Lord Christ (through the word preached to us) with this faith: "You are the one who redeems me from sins, from death and the power of the devil, and earns me grace and everything with God. This is the right doctrine or righteousness before God. But they do not hear it, and it remains a strange righteousness, not only to them (for they do not consider it a righteousness, but call it a damned doctrine and life), but also to us (who accept it), that He alone must preserve it, and give the victory to stay with it. As also Ps. 118:22 says: "The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this is from the Lord, and is marvelous in our eyes" 2c. For the builders are the noblest and best of the people, who lead and govern them; but they must reject this stone.
51 But what does God do to it? He goes to it, and from the stone rejected by the high-minded and high-born, He makes a precious cornerstone, yes, a church, which all the world
1) Erlanger: "gebet"; Wittenberger and Jenaer: "geben".
fills. This also means a strange building and strange righteousness. But it is therefore so portrayed to us, that we know that it must and should be so, and do not wonder whether great and high people are hostile to the doctrine or are offended by it; but rather miracle is in the eyes of Christians, as the same Psalm [Ps. 118:23] says, that a sensible, wise, learned man comes to it, and is so enlightened that he may accept it; otherwise, according to reason, it would be right and just that all the world should be offended by it and run against it. Therefore, one must pray here (as both the same [118th] Psalm and this one do) that God Himself will help and give happiness, that this righteousness will retain the victory, and that God's church may remain against the devil's chapel.
Thou art the confidence of all on earth, and afar off by the sea.
(52) Though the world long boasts of this thing, and rejects and condemns this doctrine or righteousness, yet nothing is established; there is no confidence on earth, but thou. Run 'so wett the world is, to the end, to all seas, yet it is you alone on whom human heart's comfort can stand and abide. Let all the gods, saints, and scholars, with all their might and power, come together, teach, preach, and comfort as they will and can, yet they cannot make glad any heart, nor give counsel nor comfort to any conscience, but you alone do it by this teaching or word heard in your temple.
(53) And hereby he secretly moves that the church or Christianity (in which the doctrine of the right consolation, or of this confidence and faith in him, is preached) should go as far as the world is, even if it is persecuted in the world. For he clearly says that there is no other comfort or confidence without Him alone, in all the world and among all the people of the earth, who also have gods and worship, but they are and can do nothing at all; but if they are to have right confidence and comfort, it must be you (he says). There is only one light in all the world, and only one God who can comfort, that is you, whom we have and preach; he must remain in the end, and keep the victory, as he has remained until now.
54. So then he described the first spiritual kingdom of Christ, that it is such a government, where he himself dwells and speaks, and has to do with righteousness and truth, that is, that both the doctrine (how to become godly before God) and also the life go right and are preserved in his temple, against the devil's chapels, that is, against all sorts of slanders and aversions that strive against the right doctrine Thus the right image of Christianity is painted, that it stands in the hearing and believing of the Word, through which He forgives sin, hears prayer and comforts; But so that one must suffer it to be called heresy, and to condemn the Christians, and yet be preserved in it by its power, and is called a strange kingdom or righteousness, which, as glorious and great a consolation as it is, is so terrible and horrible to behold that everyone shrinks from it; so that we may know that it must be so, and learn that he alone is the victor and savior here. What follows now all belongs to the other two regiments, which we want to pass over recently.
V. 7: He establishes the mountains with his power, and he is armed with might.
(55) This is the worldly government also expressed in its words, and it is the way of the Scriptures that they call kingdoms or regiments mountains, as it is said in the prophet Jeremiah, Cap. 51, 25, concerning the kingdom of Babylon: "Behold, I am against thee, thou evil mountain, which destroyest all the earth, and I will make thee a burnt mountain" 2c. So one reads now and then in the Psalter and prophets that it is very common for them to call a whole regiment or country and dominion, according to whether it is large or small, a large or small mountain. Thus he says: "That worldly dominions, empires, kingdoms, principalities, cities, councils and commonwealths stand on earth and walk in their order is not man's doing nor ability, but God's rule. For this we see before our eyes, that at all times the multitude that rules is far too small and too weak for the other multitude, and if the multitude or rabble were mad and foolish, there would be scarcely one against a thousand, and soon all would be slain.
56 Who now holds the reins here that
a single person has so many heads under him, who must be subject to him, and hold so much land and people in bondage? Certainly no one, but God alone. Therefore one should give him praise and thanks for it, where it stands and remains. For the devil does not like to see it and challenges it everywhere, on the outside through evil neighbors who cause war and strife, and on the inside with disobedient and rebellious subjects. For he does not want any state to have peace or a regiment to grow and prosper, but, as he is a liar and a murderer from the beginning, so he must attack both the spiritual kingdom with lies and the worldly kingdom with murder. Thus our sin and ingratitude also deserve that God should inflict it upon us, so that we (as said above [§ 6 ff.]), having learned by experience, may also learn to sing this verse with thanksgiving, that it is he who must give and keep it, that there may be peace, and that it may be well in the regiment.
57 For this is his name: "He who establishes the mountains in his power"; as the Scriptures also use to speak, as of King Solomon, that under him the kingdom was confirmed, or became firm and stable [1 Kings 2:12.], confirmatum vel consolidatum, that it neither wavered nor floundered, as it had floundered before under David, that he always sat on the scupper, and could not bring it where he would, and well learned by his own experience that it was not in his strength nor power to make the reign, whether it was already established, and steady, as the world thinks, and many such fools sit in the regiment, who presume and presume to hold and handle the regiment with their wisdom and understanding, thinking that everything must go according to their head, as if it all stood on them, and where they were not, the world must fall.
But one also sees how they run at it and do nothing, that one must say that it is not in their hand, and. They should command the regiment, or perish over it, and must therefore let this verse remain true, that he does it by his power, when he says: You shall be king, prince or regent 2c., and gives the country and subjects that they accept it.
and obey, and fes] must thus go and remain, because he so orders it (as St. Paul Rom. 13, 2. calls the worldly regime his order), and does not let it happen that one destroys the same 2c. But this has been said often and much else, without it being seen that he teaches this here, that ruling the land and the people is not at all in man's wit or strength, but belongs to God's power and might alone.
59. "And is armed (saith he) with power," that is, as he said before [vv. 5, 6] of the spiritual regiment, that he must both give it, and also receive where he hath given it: so also of this he saith, that he must both do it, and is not only armed to approach, but also to execute. To establish regiments (he says) is yours; but that they also remain as they are set, that is also yours; and if you never hold and protect, then neither protection nor strength helps to maintain a regiment, as all histories sufficiently show, and the pagans themselves have also seen and testified, as Virgilius 1) says of Hector: If Troy might have been saved by man's hand and strength, then she would have been saved by the hero, Hector.
(60) But it goes like this: if a country is to perish, that God will never protect it, it may have the finest, strongest people, and yet it will not help. Babylon was such a city, like none other in the world, and impossible to win, and yet so shamefully turned back four times, as it was least to be missed. For he is able (says the 107th Psalm, v. 16) to break the doors of brass and to shatter the bars of iron, 2c. and there is no power too strong for him that he cannot suddenly break if he wants to. Therefore, as long as he protects, so long stands and remains any country or empire; and if he also ceases to protect, it is nothing more. Therefore we should learn not to rely on ourselves, nor to presume to preserve anything, but to call upon him and trust in him.
Now, with what does he do this, or what kind of armor does he need for this? "With power" (he says), that is his armor, which he has put on, and with it he protects and defends. For thus he has arranged it, that it may be
so must go, and will not have it otherwise; as he saith [Matt. 26:52], "He that taketh the sword shall perish by the sword." The same order and will does it, and directs it, that he must go by it; this is his power and strength, and must have no other armor nor armor for it: and though any man cast himself out against it, and begin any thing, yet it goeth not forth; as follows.
V. 8. who stills the roar of the sea, the roar of its waves, and the raging of the nations.
(62) Then he himself shows how the government of the world is, that it is contested everywhere, and the devil stirs up all kinds of things against it, rebellion and war, and speaks, according to the scriptural way, of kingdoms, lands and people, as of a great flood of water and the roaring of the sea, indicating how it goes with it, as on a wild, impetuous sea, where it storms and roars everywhere with the roaring of the waves, as if everything wanted to go over and over: that [it] is just as little in man's power to calm, as little can the sea be calmed, when the storm winds fall from it and the waves roar. But he can increase such a roar if he wants, and make it suddenly subside and become still, just as he made Pharaoh king with all his people still, when he stormed and raged against the people of Israel as if he wanted to devour them [Ex. 14:27]. How he quieted the king of Assyria, who roared and raged against the city of Jerusalem, and slew a thousand men a hundred times in one night [2 Kings 19:35]. For so mighty is he, if he will keep it, that all the world must be silent when he tells them, though they be wicked, and rage as though they would turn all things back.
63 He also calms the raging of the nations. He himself indicates what the roar of the sea and the waves are, saying: "If a nation or a mob wants to be mad and foolish and start a riot, it can soon be called to cease and be quiet. Therefore, both war and rebellion, which no man can prevent or help, must be resisted until the hour comes for them to perish; then he will let go his hand and stop, so that it may be seen that the people are not able to sustain themselves.
V. 9. so that those who dwell at the same ends will be astonished at your signs.
(64) You sign 1) in such a way that all the world must fear, as if they were struck in the mouth, when they see that you do not want to suffer, and prove your signs, so that others must be shocked by them and be horrified by them, and confess that they are called your miracles and God's signs, and all the world must say: God has done this, God has made peace, and He has fought off the enemies, which no man could have done, nor could have provided for himself; as David well experienced and learned in his stories, and we have also experienced in our own things, and can boast of it. So you have both that he establishes and maintains the regiment, both at home and outside, among neighbors and subjects.
You make merry what there webert, both of the 2) morning and evening.
(65) When God makes peace, quiets the turmoil, and gives a quiet regiment, then it happens that everything stirs and weaves, and everything is joyful; namely, in the morning, when the people go out to work in the field, or drive out the cattle, or bring them in, then one hears them all going out with joy and working, singing and shouting, the cattle bleating and screaming, and so going home again in the evening. After that, in the evening and at night, the animals and game go out of the forest and holes to feed. As the 104th Psalm, v. 20-23, also describes: "Thou makest darkness, and night cometh; and all the wild beasts are stirred up; the young lions roaring for prey, and seeking their meat of God. But when the sun goes out, they rise up and lie down in their holes. So man goes out to his work and to his farm until the evening. This is what he means here, weaving or going out in the morning and evening, both of men to their work and of animals to their food.
Now, that everything weaves, goes out and comes in so safely and happily, nobody gives that,
1) "You sign" - you do signs.
2) "des" sehlt in the original and in the Erlanger.
for the dear peace. For where there is no peace, there is not much singing, nor merriment, nor the cattle bleating in the field, nor the shepherds with the bagpipe, but all must remain at home and in the wall, as shut up and imprisoned, so that they cannot move merrily, nor attend to their work and food.
67. Therefore, one may praise and thank God where He gives peace. But it is a grievous plague that all the world should so go and misuse peace and all the good things and pleasures that peace brings, and not even think where they got such security and good things, nor how dear and great they are to be esteemed, until they have to learn it through war and all kinds of punishment. These are now the two pieces of his regiment or order, as he establishes and maintains them 3) himself, and those who want to challenge and destroy it, throw it on their heads in their time. Now follows the third, which is the house regiment, by which he gives and maintains nourishment of the body.
V. 10, 11: Thou dost visit the land, and water it, and make it very rich. God's fountain has water in abundance; you make her grain grow well, for so you build the land. Thou waterest its furrows, and wettest its plowed ground; with rain thou makest it soft, and blessest its crops.
(68) This is easy to understand, but to learn that this is also God's work and gift, and is no more with man than with any other. For the devil, as is his way, is always hindering and preventing food and daily bread wherever he can, and we would certainly not have long to eat if God Himself did not give and keep the grain in the field and the bread in the house. But how many are there on earth who believe that God does such things, or even think to thank Him for them? Meanwhile they go about eating and drinking, feeding and grazing on the goods, like a sow from the trough, or gathering, scratching and scratching, and do not do otherwise than as if they owed nothing to God, and had it all from themselves. And make
3) In the original: "ers", which is: he she.
650 Erl-i7s-i74. Interpretations on the Psalms. W. v. ns-sW. 651
so that they do not enjoy any of the goods with love and joy, which they could have, if they would only give God the glory and say such Deo gratias: Lord, you have given me everything, and you also preserve it, so that I can use it with peace. So everything would be blessed and joyful, and the bread would still taste so good and be good for you, and you could still be so happy with all the goods, and you would not need any food or effort. But if you splurge with contempt for God, or if you are stingy and miserly, your reward is that you are deprived of blessings and have an evil conscience, and in the end you must either become a beggar over it, or you will never be able to enjoy your possessions.
69. Now," he says, "over all the goods that you give spiritually and temporally to all the race, you also do this, that you build the land and make it grow out of the ground for all the people and all the animals, so that all may be fed and make merry: "You look after the land," see for yourself, and take care of it in due time, like a faithful householder, how and when it should grow or bear, provide rain and water enough for it yourself, so that it all turns out well, and the land becomes very rich 2c.
(70) And he says much about how God himself waters and waters the land, both from above with rain and from below with springs and streams from the earth, as a special gift and blessing; as it is, since without water nothing can grow or live on earth. Therefore, all cities and villages must be situated near water, or at least have wells, and yet they do not appear to have it, nor are they respected for having it. For what is more common in the world than water, and who has ever thought to thank God for it? But how necessary and delicious it is, we would have to say, if we should not have water for an hour. And that it is God's gift from heaven, he can well teach us, if he does not let it rain for a moon or two, since both wells and streams dry up, so that both men and cattle have to cry for water. Such experiences finely show us that he must do it himself, and that no human ability and diligence can help that a stalk or a grain can be watered.
2c., and for our sake everything that lives there must fade away and all plants perish. But where he gives water, everything increases and grows, and bears fruit, so that everything can recover and flourish.
(71) But especially of one's own house-stone or little estate he says, "God's fountain has abundance of water. For the Scripture teaches that every man's little treasure is called a fountain or spring, as Proverbs 5:15-18 also does. But here he calls it God's goodness, as God gives and blesses. For just as a fountain always has water and does not run dry, since it does not receive its water from man but from God Himself, so also a pious man's house is a true fountain, given and preserved by God, so that it must have enough and not run dry or dry up; but what now springs up and is consumed, already grows new for the next year, and always springs up from the earth (as from an eternal fountain), from one year to the next.
72. Therefore, everyone should write this verse over his little house or estate and thank God that he has such a fountain, which God Himself makes and gives, and which is called his fountain, as it is not acquired or maintained by man's work or effort, but is provided and given by Him; And so it always remains full and wells up, so that its water cannot be taken from it, even though it is small and insignificant, and the devil and evil neighbors do not grant it; otherwise, if it were to be acquired by men, it would soon be spoiled and devastated.
Thus, the word "God's fountain" both indicates that He gives and sustains domestic food and goods. The dear fathers were able to speak so finely and sweetly of God's gifts, and to recognize them and give thanks for them. Accordingly, every ruler or sovereign may call his country and people a little fountain of God (as David also called his city and people, in which God's word and love were, Ps. 46:5), and thank God for it, and leave their great kingdoms and sovereignties to others who do not have them, because they do not recognize them as God's gift.
74. from this it follows: where god himself waters, and makes his fountains to water.
must be guessed that one bushel carries ten or twenty bushels, and so on all the things that are to be carried. And describe how it springs and increases, namely, "that he waters the furrows, and moistens his plowed land," that the field becomes finely soft, both from above with dew and rain, and below with sap; "for thus (he says) you build the land. You are the right builder who builds the land, much more and better than the husbandman, who does nothing more to it than to break up the field, plow it and sow it, and then leave it. God Himself must always be present with rain and warmth, and do everything so that it grows and turns out well, while the husbandman lies at home and sleeps, and has done nothing without preparing the soil. But God must build it Himself if anything is to grow out of it; otherwise the farmer would have to plow and sow forever and work himself to death before he would bring forth a grain, and all his toil and labor would be lost if God did not do it Himself. Not that he should not therefore work and do all that he knows and can, for he himself demands and praises the work, because he says, "his furrows and his plowed soil," but only wants to show us that there is not enough of it, yes, nothing at all is accomplished, if he does not do it himself, through our effort, thought and counsel.
For if it were to be in our power to devise it ourselves, nothing would come of it, and we would be like that farmer who was too clever for our Lord God, and God could never make it right for him, as he asked him, to let him devise it himself, as he wished, and God heard his request and granted it to him. Then the farmer started and did it as he wanted it, and it went according to all his wishes, so that it rained and the sun shone when he wanted it, and it was the most delicious weather, as one should want it, and it was most beautiful, that he cried to get such a good year, the like of which no man had experienced. But at the last, when he harvested, he found only hollow ears and empty straw; then he thought that he had forgotten the wind.
1) Instead of: "the sun shone" in the original: "scheinet".
(76) This indicates that we cannot do it (if it were up to us), nor can we do it ourselves, even if He gives rain and everything in due time; but He must also bless the plant (as He says here), so that it flourishes and grows well; as St. Paul also says about spiritual cultivation, 1 Eor. 3, 6. 7.: "I have planted, another has watered, but God has given the flourishing. So then neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but GOD who gives the flourishing."
V. 12. You crown the year with your goods, and your footsteps drip with fatness.
(77) He includes all that God gives throughout the year. For if you go through the whole year, you will find that almost every month it brings new goods, fruits, meat, birds, fish, 2c., and each one fine in its time. May brings grass and all kinds of flowers, from which you get milk and butter; summer and autumn all kinds of grain and beautiful berries, fruits, wine and fruit, spilling, cherries, plums, apples, pears, nuts, grain, barley, corn. In addition the winter, how cold and dead it is, but it gives wood, so that one always has something to fetch. Every animal and all kinds of birds feed and bear in their season. And those who have experienced it say that the sea brings four or five new kinds of fish every moonshine. That is, "the year crowned", or a beautiful wreath and a round circle made throughout the year; and again, that always comes something new to see and enjoy with pleasure.
78. "And your footsteps are dripping with fatness." That is, where thou treadest and walkest, there only drippeth 2) and overfloweth with good, that it beareth all things with heaps, and smiteth them with blessing. For where he gives the blessing, so that it is not spoiled by thieves and peelers, or vermin and other plagues, there it goes in such a way that one must say: Here God has gone, there it drips everything with fat, and is so full that it can no longer carry. For where he himself goes, there it must certainly grow. That is why they are called "God's footsteps"; because he makes
2) In the original: "treifts", immediately following: "Ireufts"; in the Wittenberg and in the Jena: "treuffts".
(as stated above [§ 74]) even a farmer or tiller from God, as he himself must build the field, and see to it everywhere himself, if it is to be well fed. Therefore, those who teach agriculture say that the footsteps of the master must make the field fat, and that there is no better dung to fertilize the field than that which falls from the master's shoes, that is, where he himself has often walked and trodden. So God must also be there with his footsteps, where the field shall grow fat and bear well. And we should be thankful where he himself walks and stands (if only we could give him room from avarice and seek such things from him). For where he does not go, there it cannot go, there the devil goes with his footsteps, and makes everything die and spoil.
V. 13, 14: The dwellings of the wilderness also are fat, that they ooze; and the hills stand about them rejoicing. The fields are full of sheep, and the meadows are thick with grain; they sing and rejoice.
He calls villages and farms "dwellings in the wilderness," which are not in cities or hard by, but far away and lonely in the field. There it also runs from fat, that it does not go alone at home, but also outside everywhere around and gives enough. Likewise also "the hills" (he says), which is not exactly country, as their country kind are almost vain hills, there it all stands most amusingly, finely green and multicolored of foliage, grass and flowers, that no amusing mirror is on earth, but a beautiful green seed in the Lenzen; In addition, on the meadow full of sheep goes, because they have fresh pasture enough and grow fat, and the meadows or grounds are thick and full of grain, that one sees everywhere his pleasure, how he gives everything on earth abundantly and superfluously, not only to the need, but also to the pleasure. And so all the world can rejoice and be glad about God's grace and gifts, both spiritual and bodily (as they are described in this psalm), if they could only see and recognize it rightly.