Praise the Lord, all nations; praise him, all peoples.
For his goodness and faithfulness are over us forever, alleluia.
(1) This is a short and easy psalm, made, no doubt, so that every man may be the more diligent to mark it, and the more careful to remember what he says, that no one may complain of the length or quantity, much less of the sharpness, height, or depth of the words. For they are short, fine, bright, common words that anyone can understand if he will only pay attention to them and think about them.
(2) For all the words of God want the same, so that one does not run over them and think that one has understood them purely on the basis of reason. As the frivolous, satiated, weary spirits do, when they have once heard a word of God, [it] must be an old thing, and gape at something new, as if they knew everything and everything that they have heard. This is a dangerous plague and a wicked, secret trick of the devil, who has made people fearless, safe, and bold, and has sent and prepared them for all kinds of error and deceit, and is actually the vice called acedia, slothfulness in the service of God. Against this St. Paul teaches, Rom. 12, 11, that one should be ardent in spirit. And Revelation 3:15, 16, the Spirit says of such, "Oh that thou wert cold or hot; but because thou art lukewarm, neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."
3 For it is also true that such half-learned people are the most useless people on earth, and it would be much better for them if they could do nothing at all. For they disobey no one, can do everything themselves better than all the world, know how to judge all art and scripture; and all in all, they can teach no one anything righteous, nor do they allow themselves to be taught by anyone. They have eaten the school bag, which suffers no master, and yet they have no light in it, so that they can teach others rightly.
4. such unholy people have the devil
Nowadays, there is a particularly large number of such people, since no Sudeler is unable to hear a sermon or read a chapter in German, so he makes himself a doctor and crowns his donkey, persuading himself that he can now do everything better than all those who teach him. Those who can bridle the horse by the tail are called masters. All this (I say) comes from reading or hearing God's word so lightly, and not heeding it with fear, humility and diligence.
5. I have often felt such devils and temptations in myself, and even today I can hardly sufficiently guard against them and bless them; I freely confess this as an example to whom it pleases, since I am now almost an old doctor and preacher, and certainly know, or should know, as much in the Scriptures as all such clever people know, but I still have to become a child, and every day early in the morning I count orally to myself the Lord's Prayer, the Ten Commandments, the faith, and what I want to have for dear Psalms and Proverbs, all things as children are now taught and accustomed; Although I must otherwise deal daily with the Scriptures, and stand in battle with the devil, nor may I say in my heart, the Lord's Prayer is old, you know the Ten Commandments, you know the faith well 2c., but learn daily from it, and remain a student of the Catechism, feel also that it helps me noticeably, and find with experience that God's word is not to be learned, but is actually true that the 147th Psalm, v. 5, says of it [Vulg.]: "Of His understanding is no number." And the wise man [Sir. 24, 29. Vulg.], "He that drinketh of me thirsteth for me more. "2c. So then, what should I do with the secure, sated conceited masters who neither fight nor act?
6. so i probably hold, is such no one not,
He can do everything that the Holy Spirit says in this short psalm; but if they should say or teach anything to anyone, they would not know how to approach either behind or in front. To the shame of such unrighteous people, and in honor of the word of God, I have taken it before me to interpret it, so that one may see how God's word, however bright and mean it may be, is nevertheless all groundless; and even if it could be reasoned out (as it is not), it is nevertheless groundless because of virtue and power, and always makes the heart new and fresh, refreshes, refreshes, comforts, strengthens without ceasing. I see and learn daily how the dear prophets practiced the ten commandments, and where their preaching and prophecy spring and flow from. So let us take from 1) this psalm four parts, namely, a prophecy, a revelation, a teaching and an exhortation.
From divination.
(7) Then he prophesies and proclaims with short and few words the great work and miracle of God, namely, the gospel and kingdom of Christ, which at that time was promised but not yet revealed, and says: "Praise the Lord, all Gentiles. This is so much to say that God is not only God of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles, and not of a small part of the Gentiles, but of "all the Gentiles" as far as the world is. For he who calls "all the Gentiles" does not exclude any. Thus we Gentiles are assured and certain that we also belong to God and to heaven, and shall not be condemned, even though we are not Abraham's bodily blood and flesh; as the Jews boast as if they alone were God's children and heirs of heaven, because of the bodily birth of Abraham, and the holy arch-fathers, kings and prophets. True, they alone have the honor before all men, that they are the children of such holy fathers; but the honor they have is not only that they are God's children and heirs of His kingdom of heaven, but this psalm sings and testifies that we Gentiles also have the same honor.
1) Thus the Wittenbergers and the Jenaers; Erlanger: an.
8 For if all the Gentiles are to praise God, it must first be that he has become their God. If he is to be their God, they must know him and believe in him, and forsake all idolatry, since one cannot praise God with an idolatrous mouth or with an unbelieving heart. If they are to believe, they must first hear his word and thereby receive the Holy Spirit, who cleanses and enlightens their hearts through faith. For one cannot come to faith, nor obtain the Holy Spirit, the word must first be heard; as St. Paul says Rom. 10:14: "How shall they believe, of whom they have heard nothing?" Gal. 3:2: "Ye have received the Spirit through the preaching of faith." If they are to hear His word, preachers must be sent to them to proclaim the word of God; for all Gentiles are not able to come to Jerusalem, or to abstain from the small crowd of Jews. So also here he does not say, "All Gentiles, come to Jerusalem," but lets them stay where they are and addresses them there in their place, so that they may praise God.
(9) This is what I am saying, if anyone would drag this psalm with a Jewish gloss, that all the Gentiles should come to Jerusalem and become Jews. Jerusalem would be much too small, if she were as large as the whole kingdom of David and Solomon was before. For all the Gentiles and the whole race is too great; even about this the text does not give. Thus we have the fact before us that God sent His apostles and disciples to all the Gentiles, preaching the gospel, giving the Holy Spirit, redeeming them from sin, death and the devil, cleansing their hearts through faith, and thus adopting them as children and heirs and as His people, yet He did not call them to Jerusalem, nor did He call them Jews. There are also enough other sayings in Scripture that testify that God's word should come to the Gentiles and among the Gentiles, so that they remain in their place; as Ps. 19:5: "Their reverberation has gone out into all the earth, and their word to the end of the world," just as the prophet Zephaniah prophesies that the Gentiles should remain Gentiles, and yet God's word should come to them.
people, and says [Cap. 2:11], "He shall weaken all the gods of the earth, and they shall worship him every man in his place, and all the isles of the Gentiles," 1) and the like.
(10) Now behold what a tumult this little psalm makes in the whole world, how it storms and tears among the idols. For the world has been full of idolatry, rot and error, so that even the Romans, who were the most powerful and the most intelligent, hold more than a hundred gods, thus dividing the world into innumerable errors; Nor may this Psalm contain such thoughts, and also freely say, that all such rottenness and idolatry should cease, and all the nations should come into one faith, that they should all honor and praise one God, and that through the word of God, out of such diverse worship, one united flock and one shepherd should become.
(11) It is a wonder how a human heart can take such a thing into consideration, believe it, and prophesy for certain that it should happen; although it must be remembered how hard the devil would oppose, resist, and hinder it with all the power and wisdom in the world, so that it would have been an exceedingly impossible thing to see. He is still allowed to say it, and yet it has happened, and both are great miracles, both that a man should believe such a thing, and it has also happened.
12) There we see how the word of God must be an almighty power of God, Rom. 1, 16. For it has cleared up the idolatry, the mobs and the error, which at that time prevailed in the world, so purely that not a hair of it is exaggerated, in spite of the fact that emperors, princes, wise men, saints, and all devils, and the whole world have raged against it so exceedingly vehemently and stiff-necked. For the world has never taken upon itself to fight against idolatry. It can suffer all kinds of error, but when God's word comes, it becomes mad and foolish, and does not want to suffer it; nor has it had to suffer it, and has perished over it.
(13) This work is the greatest that God has done on earth, much greater than the work of the Lord.
1) This last sentence: "as also the prophet" 2c. up to here is missing in the Coburg edition.
the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt, when only the king Pharaoh drowned with his people in the Red Sea. But here the whole, angry, senseless world was drowned, and God's word remained, and Christianity was preserved. We should praise this work and comfort ourselves with it, as we can see from this great example that God's word will and must remain, no matter how much the devil and the world rage and rage; it has done enough great miracles in the world, and it will not diminish now.
(14) The heretics afterward also opposed it with a great multitude, with power and art; but where are they now? They are gone, the word still stands, the Christians are still there. Now, at this time, the Turk, the end-Christian and many others are also fighting against it, but they will gain as much from it as the previous ones. Only beware, and give room, give way and follow at times (that is my advice), whom the word attacks, it must win. If you do not want it with grace, it will happen with disgrace, because it is said: Verbum Domini manet in aeternum, "God's word remains forever" [Is. 40, 8]. If you do not want to believe it, then come to know it.
It has overthrown the power of the world (which protects idolatry). It has put down the wisdom of the world (which defends heresy). Of course, he will also overcome the wickedness of the world (as both idolatry and heresy are now defended), so that nothing will stand against him. This is our consolation now, and we also see that it is trying to press on and penetrate. For many plans and cleverness, which began against it, have been completely destroyed, and great rage and violence have been brought to shame.
Praise the Lord, all the nations.
16 "Gentiles," which in Hebrew is Goim, the Jews commonly call all peoples who are not Jews, just as we do, and all peoples are called Gentiles if they are not Christians. But its actual interpretation is that it means a nation, or a whole country's people; just as we Germans are a nation or Goi, Bohemia also one, Hungary one, Poland one, and so on, that also the Jewish people is often called Goi, as 2 Mos. 19, 6: "You shall call My holy
Be goi." Is. 1, 4: "Woe to the sinful Goi", and many more places; and also in this verse the Jews are understood, when he says: "Praise, all Goim", that is, all countries, all nations, or all peoples, all kinds of languages, kingdoms and principalities 2c. We Germans do not really have a word for it, so I have left it at the common usage that Goim is called Gentiles, because it does not hinder the understanding. But the little word peoples, Ummim, where he says, praise the Lord, all peoples, I think, is actually plebem, that is, the people of any city, which is called the community, that Goim are the people of a whole country under a king, prince or lord, Ummim, however, the people of any city or community.
I say this because the end-Christ and his followers think that they are not Christians, what is not under their tyranny. The spirit says here "all Gentiles and peoples", which will not lie, of course. "All Gentiles," however, have not ever been under One Lord or Bishop, nor will they ever come under any. For all this dominion over all the nations belongs to you alone, of whom this psalm sings, saying: "Praise the Lord, all nations"; the other princes and kings will have to be satisfied with some things, and will not become like God.
(18) Therefore, he who is not under the pope is not a heretic. For if it were a necessary article of faith that all the world should be under the pope, then God would have to be a liar, since such an article has never been fulfilled nor true, nor will it ever be true. Now all articles of faith, as God's word and promises, must be true and fulfilled; for the future article of the resurrection has already been fulfilled in some, and especially in Christ Himself. But that all the world is under the pope has never been fulfilled or true for a moment. And if all the popes had had it, except one, the article would still be false in the same one, as he who would be a pope, should have all the world, according to Christ's word, and yet would not have it.
19 Therefore it cannot be an article of faith, and had it ever been fulfilled, it should have been fulfilled in St. Peter's time, whom they make the first pope,
and is also the greatest, with whom Christ himself spoke, and promised and gave the keys to his person. If Peter should have had it, and yet did not, then Christ has not kept his word, and no pope may hope that it will happen to him; it is a lie and foolishness to do so.
(20) How can it be true that all the Gentiles should come under one Christ and praise God, when all the Gentiles persecute Christ, as He Himself says in Matt. 24:9: "You must be hated by all men for My name's sake"? Answer: The psalm does not say that all men, or all those who are among the Gentiles, should praise him; but all Gentiles, that is, where there are Gentiles, or country and cities, there the gospel should go, and bring some to faith into the kingdom of Christ. Though all men believe not, yet Christ reigneth in all places where men are, keeping his word, baptism, and sacrament there against all devils and men: for the gospel and baptism must come throughout all the world: as they are come, and come daily, as he saith Marc. 16:15, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." And Ps. 19:1: "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the strongholds of the heavens preach the work of His hands," that is, as far as the heavens and their strongholds go, Christ is preached everywhere. Wherever there is the gospel, baptism and sacrament, there is his church, and there are certainly living saints there; there they praise him, and he rules over them, even if they are vain young people and children. But there are also old people among them; that must not be missing.
021 Yea, saith he, this is a small kingdom, that there be so few Christians among the Gentiles. Dearly beloved, it is not a small kingdom, neither is it a small power; first, that Christ, for the sake of the same few, should be so mighty there, as to have the devil, the world, death, life, and all things, in his hand. If this were not so, the devil would not let him keep his gospel and baptism for an hour, not even for a moment, and the world would not let a Christian live for an hour. But the fact that the gospel, baptism and Christians remain, he shows his almighty power over the world.
all the devils and men that are among all the heathen in all places, as Ps. 110:2 says, "Thou shalt reign among thine enemies," and Ps. 45:12 [Vulg.], "Kings shall worship thee in the midst of thine enemies.
(22) Secondly, that he also protects and preserves his Christians with the same power, and then governs them in a special way, namely with the Holy Spirit, redeems them from sins, death and hell, and makes them pious, alive and blessed. Therefore, the fewer Christians and the more unbelievers and devils there are in a place, the more mightily and powerfully Christ reigns there. If he has little to rule there, he has all the more to defend and protect. This is from the first part.
From Revelation.
23 This psalm also reveals a great, special secret, which was known to few even in the time of the apostles and has now almost disappeared again under the papacy, namely, that the kingdom of Christ is not a temporal, transient, earthly kingdom, which is to be governed by laws and rights, but a spiritual, heavenly and eternal kingdom, which must be governed apart from and above all laws, rights and external ways. For here he calls the Gentiles to remain Gentiles; he does not demand of them (as is also mentioned above, 9.10) that they should run from their country or cities to Jerusalem; he does not demand that they should abandon or renounce their worldly rights, customs and ways and become Jews, just as little as he demands of the Jews themselves that they should abandon their law.
(24) Everything he demands is different and higher than external, worldly law, laws or ceremonies. Every country and city keeps or changes its law, he does not inquire; where they are kept, they do not hinder his kingdom, for he says here: "Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles." Gentiles, however, are people in countries and cities (as said in § 16), but countries and cities cannot be nor exist, they must have their rights, customs and ways, so that they govern, judge, punish, protect and keep peace; they may change these according to opportunity, but they cannot do without them.
25. for where we hear Gentiles or kings called in Scripture, we must look not only at the person with the crown, but also at their whole regiment, with laws, offices, rights, customs, usages and habits, as their kingdom stands and goes within; otherwise what kind of kings or lords would they be? Apple kings or painted lords they would have to be; as Ps. 72, 10.: "The kings of the sea and in the islands will bring gifts."
(26) Yes, with such words the Holy Spirit confirms the worldly rights and rule of all countries, and considers them kings, and thereby gives the understanding that they remain in their rule, and that everyone should be subject and obedient to his king and lord. He does not punish them because they are kings, or nations, or peoples; he himself created them, ordered them, and divided the world among them to rule, as Paul testifies in Acts 17:26. 17, 26. also testifies. If he wanted to rebuke or punish them, he would not call them kings, Gentiles or nations, but would address them in other words. Since he calls them kings and pagans and confirms them, we should rather let them be kings and pagans, that is, nations or worldly rulers, and hold them in honor.
(27) With this he also confirms all crafts, professions and trades, which are in such secular dominions, they are called what they want, as long as they are honest and praiseworthy, according to their own land law, be it citizen, farmer, shoemaker, tailor, scribe, horseman, master, servant 2c. For without all these (says Sirach [Cap. 38, 36.]) no city nor country exists: that one should know, such estates in themselves are not against God, and must not let them go, if one wants to serve God, and crawl into a monastery, or otherwise set up a sect; yes, they are all estates appointed by God, that they should serve Him by the word Gen. 3, 19.: "You shall eat your bread in the sweat of your nose." This is what he wants to have kept.
(28) There is yet another thing which he requireth of the nations and of the people in this psalm: Say not, Ply your trade, all ye heathen: for the same is already commanded in Genesis 3:19, as is heard. Let it not suffice him that thou shouldest become a carthusian, a monk, a nun, a priest; yea, let it please him less than the least craft upon the earth.
Earth; rejects and condemns it, because they are self-chosen classes, which flee, avoid and despise the sweating of the nose (Gen. 3, 19. commanded to all men), as if they wanted to establish better services, than God Himself has established with the sweating of the nose; as the clever, mischievous reason always wants to master God, and stings their own with God.
29 What is it then that he demands? It is "praise the Lord. Oh, this is a high demand, and a midday, unpleasant estimation, and tax beaten upon the world (as it understands and interprets it); so this psalm becomes a heretic and the most poisonous sermon that has come upon the earth. For what does it mean to praise the Lord? It means to deny all other gods, to abandon all other worship, to condemn all your own holiness, wisdom and merit.
(30) Neither country nor people, neither kings nor lords, can suffer that their gods and worship should be condemned, and their wisdom and holiness rejected. Rather (they say), the doctrine wants to take away our gods (as Apost. 19, 24. ff. Demetrius lamented), and our worship shall be nothing, our fathers and we shall all have been fools, our custom, old usage and old tradition shall be error. The boys are rebels and blasphemers, want to make us a new God and teach us new faith; to the fire, to the gallows, to the executioner with the boys! Then it goes, as the 2nd Psalm, v. 1. ff., says: "Why do the nations rage, and the peoples speak so vainly? Why do the kings of the earth rebel, and the rulers take counsel against the Lord and his anointed?" and say, "Let us break up their strongholds, and cast away their cords from us."
31And truly it is worthy of wonder and question why they rage so against the LORD, whom they ought to praise; and reproach his kingdom and dominion, building and hanging, as if they should be his prisoners, when he does nothing to them, takes nothing from them, calls them kings, country and people, lets them also remain kings, country and people, and keep what they have, desiring only that he may be their God, which does them no harm.
but brings them all good, both temporally and eternally (as follows in the other verse), helps them out of the bonds of the devil, and frees them from the snares of death and sins. He desires nothing else than what is due to him according to all law, and demands his own, namely the divinity, that he may be God, in addition to what is most necessary and useful to them, namely their own life and salvation. But nothing else comes of it; it must be called bondage and ropes, it must be called unpleasant essays, it must be called heresy and doctrine of the devil, it must be called turmoil, discord and strife, it must be called new God and new faith, and the rioting and raging they started must all be the doctrine's fault. They want to be called children of peace, fathers, masters and friends, even if they are nonsensical in murdering, burning and persecuting, yet the dear doctrine lets them remain, and calls them kings, princes, lords, country and people, teaches peace with all diligence.
With this the world shows that it is the devil's own, blind, possessed, mad and foolish, that they persecute God, who gives them temporal peace and all goods, leaves and confirms them, and also gives them eternal peace, heavenly goods and infinitely blessed life; must still be blasphemed about it as a heretic and rebel, and also bear the guilt of the raving, which they start and do.
If anyone has not read or heard these things from the world in the time of the apostles, martyrs and heretics, let him see and grasp them now in our time in the Sophists and Papists, from whom nothing is taken, but everything they have is confirmed by this doctrine, and only it is desired that they should praise the Lord, leave their old idolatry, and change their unchristian worship, that they may have peace and life here and there. But how they stand on this, everyone sees well, must not say much about it now.
(34) And this is also what hinders the Jews even today, that they do not want to become Christians, because they cannot stand that the Gentiles should be called God's people, and yet remain Gentiles. They think that one must circumcise oneself and keep their old Law of Moses; they do not hear and see that God here
In this Psalm, and in many other places, he calls the Gentiles to his praise, and yet lets them remain Gentiles or nations according to their outward nature and laws; So that he might mightily abolish the law of Moses, as not being necessary for praising God or becoming God's people, because here he calls the Gentiles to praise God, who lived uncircumcised and without the law of Moses in their own laws, and yet cannot praise God unless they first become God's people through his word, as is said above [§ 8].
35 Not that God herewith despises or condemns the Law of Moses, as if it were sin or error in Himself, but that He demands something higher and different, which is, if one does and lives according to the Law of Moses, namely, that one should praise the Lord among all the Gentiles. If they do not want to do this, then all their being and doing, kept according to the law of Moses, should and must be lost, condemned and sin. Just as Paul allowed the Jews everywhere to be circumcised and to keep the laws of Moses, if they only believed in Christ above all things and considered faith alone necessary for salvation, even without the law; and again allowed the Gentiles to remain in their laws and rights, if they only believed in the same Christ, and considered such faith alone necessary for salvation, even without their law and right, as he says in 1 Corinthians 7:19. 7, 19: "Circumcision is nothing, and foreskin is nothing, but keeping God's commandment." Item, Rom. 3, 20.: "By the work of the law no one is justified before God." And again Gal. 6, 15: "In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor foreskin counts for anything, but a new creature." And 1 Cor. 7:18: "Let him who is circumcised not put on foreskin; and let him who is uncircumcised not put on circumcision."
(36) Yes, they say, we praise the Lord in the law of Moses, therefore we are certainly his people. Answer: But they do not praise the Lord, who wants to be praised by all the Gentiles and is also praised, because they do not want to believe that the Gentiles can praise God without the Law of Moses. Therefore, they do not consider God to be the Lord who is praised among all the nations, as this psalm sings and all the Scriptures say. For, should it be true that this
Psalm, then God must become one God among all the Gentiles, and yet they remain Gentiles without Mosiah's law.
(37) Where has there ever been a God whom all the nations have praised, but this God of ours, whom I Christians praise and honor? And where is a God whose word has gone forth so far into all the world, and has been so powerfully received and maintained, though kings and princes have opposed it without ceasing, as the gospel of Christ is? Or, how can there ever come a God whom all the Gentiles should praise, when they should become Jews, and not remain Gentiles, as this Psalm prophesies should happen? If all Gentiles should praise God, and yet be called and remain Gentiles, and not have to become Jews, it is certain that the Mosaic Law is not necessary for praising God or becoming God's people.
38. Therefore, it must be certain that the Law of Moses must be finished and abolished, since what this Psalm says has happened, namely that all the Gentiles praise God and become God's people, without Law and circumcision, and the Jews must become Gentiles, that is, they must believe that the God whom all the Gentiles praise is their own true God, and the God of all their fathers and prophets, who proclaims to them through this Psalm that He must become the God not of the Jews alone, but of all the Gentiles. If they do not do this, they deny their own God and do not believe his word, which he says here that he wants to be the God of all the nations.
39. he promised Abraham himself before he was circumcised and long before Moses' time, when he said to him: "You shall no longer be called Abram, but Abraham; for I have made you the father of many nations," Gen 17:4. here he says that Abraham shall not be the father of one people, but of many peoples or nations. So it is certain that the Jews are only a few goy, and not many goy. If the Scriptures are true, Abraham's God must be the God of many Gentiles, and not only of the Jews. But they would not be Gentiles if they all had to become a Jewish people.
40Therefore the law of Moses is henceforth no longer necessary, when the God has come to
1150 Eri. 4o, soi-303. interpretations on the psalms. W. v, img-ien. 1154
praise all the Gentiles and accept them as one God. If they want to circumcise themselves and keep their Law of Moses, God does not ask anything, provided that they do not consider it necessary for them to remain God's people. For where they consider it necessary, it is just as much said: The Gentiles may not be God's people, so God cannot be God to the Gentiles without Mosiah's law. That is just as much as said, God teaches us and keeps us faithful in this and similar psalms.
(41) And how come we should now keep Moses' law among all the Gentiles, if we wanted to be God's people? Was it not necessary at that time, when Jerusalem and Judaism, and Moses still stood high, before God came among all the Gentiles? For Jonah the prophet abundantly testifies that the city of Nineveh is called the city of God, and also had the right God of the Jews; and yet they were Gentiles, and also remained uncircumcised, and without Moses' law, in their own law. So Lot and Job were also God's servants, without circumcision and Mosiah's law. Likewise the king Pharaoh in Egypt and his people at the time of Joseph. Item, the prince Naaman of Syria in the time of Elisha. Item, the widow of Sarepta in the time of Elijah; and the like, all of whom have known and pledged the right God of Abraham, and yet have not become Jews. Therefore it is an old blindness that they hope to make all Gentiles Jews in Messiah's time, when before such a thing was not necessary for any Gentile to become God's people. It is enough to praise God (says the Psalm here), that is, recognize, believe, praise and give thanks; this is what makes God's people.
I have said this not only against the error of the Jews, but also much more against some erroneous spirits who want to burden us Gentiles with Mosiah's laws, which God Himself also took from the Jews. Therefore, both spiritual and worldly rulers want to master it, want to confuse the consciences with it, and change worldly rights, just as if the gospel taught nothing different and higher than worldly rights, or
43) It is true that in the Law of Moses the worldly regiment and the outward manner are finer,
The law and customs of all nations are such that it would be desirable for all the world to have more than one share in such rights. But because it is not necessary, and without unmistakable danger and harm such a change cannot happen, let it remain a wish, and let each country keep its rights, customs and ways, as it is said: "Some countries, some customs. And keep your conscience free and clear from the law of Moses, and know that God demands no more of all Gentiles than His praise and glory, as the gospel preaches of Him to all the world, and be obedient to all that He has taught and commanded in the gospel, then you are His people, and praise the one Lord with all Gentiles and Jews, in one faith and worship.
(44) Yes, it is very good and beneficial that God has so dealt with Jerusalem, torn apart the Jews' rule, abolished Moses, and disturbed them so that they will never arise again. For because they are so stiff-necked that they will not accept the Gentiles' God (who is also their own God), since they are so horribly afflicted and ruined, what should they do if they still had their regiment, law and Jerusalem whole? Likewise, such wrath of God is an example, terrible to tyrants, and comforting to believers throughout the world. Terrible (I say), because if God did not want to spare Jerusalem, the finest city that existed on earth, which was also the most beloved to Him, His own house and dwelling place, and the most holy, in which the greatest saints and prophets still lie; Nor did he regard the most beautiful government and law on earth, which he himself had established; nor did he regard that the Jews were his own people and the heirs of the holy fathers, blood and flesh, but tore and scattered all things, because they would not have this Lord of all the Gentiles for their God: What then should he spare to other kings, and countries, and people of the Gentiles, who also would not suffer this LORD?
45. 1) In our time, too, the monasteries and convents will be torn apart.
1) From here on to § 48 inet, missing in the Coburg edition.
and be torn to pieces, as it has begun, regardless of how beautiful and good it seems to be. For they also blaspheme this Lord of all the Gentiles, whom they should praise, and do not want to suffer him, but exalt and praise their own work and nature so highly that they not only want to be Christians and become blessed, but also higher and better than the common Christians, and in addition sell and communicate the work and merit to the other Christians, thereby subjecting themselves to help them to heaven; all of which is an unspeakable abomination.
(46) And what do they do but say in effect: A bad, common Christian man is nothing compared to us; the Christian's standing is much lower than our standing; through baptism no one can rise as high as through our plates and caps; a Christian would never be saved if our standing did not help him. But what else is this said, but that baptism is nothing, Christ's blood is nothing, Christ's death and life is nothing, God's word is nothing, God Himself is nothing; we, we are higher and better than baptism, Christ and God. For if they should consider themselves less than God, they should truly consider themselves less than Christ and His blood; if they should consider themselves less than Christ's blood, they should also consider themselves less than baptism, which is blessed with Christ's blood, yes, baptizes with Christ's blood; if they should consider themselves less than baptism, they should also consider themselves less than the common Christians, and their status less than the common Christian status; but if they should consider their status less than the common Christian status, where would they remain?
If they are to continue in their splendor and glory, they must make themselves something higher, better and holier than the common Christians are, that is, they must consider themselves higher than all holy Christendom or the Christian church is, higher than baptism, higher than Christ's blood, higher than the Holy Spirit and God Himself is. This means to praise oneself and to blaspheme the Lord of all Gentiles. Now no one can deny that they have done this, and that they have exalted their status above that of the common Christians.
the work itself present, so that they are convinced.
(48) If they kept their monasteries and convents for this purpose, and also used them to educate Christian youth and teach them the faith and discipline, so that they would have fine persons for Christian offices, and would therefore be nothing other than Christian schools, as they were founded from the beginning, and the names of the prelatures, as provost, dean, scholastic, cantor, and the like, well indicate, then they would be fine monasteries. But to make them into a better state than the common Christian state is wrong, and denies and curses Christ. They are to serve and help the Christian state, like the schools, housekeeping and secular government, along with all other creatures; but they are not to be better or higher than the Christian state. The Christian state should hover over everything and everything, like heaven over earth, because it is Christ's state itself and God's own work. Because they do not want to do this, they must, like the stiff-necked Jerusalem, also be torn apart and broken up. This Lord of all the Gentiles must be praised and allowed to remain, or everything will come to nothing.
49. he said it in the second psalm, and will have this LORD to be king and GOD among all nations. He who will not, let him go to ruins, be it ever great, mighty, wise, fine, holy. "Let all the Gentiles praise this LORD." I mean, we see also indeed how he has reduced to ashes the greatest city of Rome, and the mightiest empire on earth, even above it, and has so torn and shattered the mighty regiment that scarcely any individual shards remain. For he saith Ps. 2:9: "Thou shalt feed them with a rod of iron, and shatter them as a pot." And again, v. 12: "Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish in the way." That is, beware, if you do not obey the Son, there is no more grace, but only ruin, so that both you and your way (that is, your nature, actions, government, laws, rights, worship 2c.) must perish and never rise again. For he does not want any service, no regiment, no
1154 Erl. 4o, 305-308. interpretations on the psalms. W. v, us-vns. 1155
They do not know or know holiness, wisdom, power, height, greatness, people, country or people, but praise the Lord, who has become King and God among all the nations, and is preached, as this Psalm says. This and no other. For those who do not believe, let experience teach them, as the Jews and Romans learned. This is ours, who believe, comfort, and certain hope of our salvation.
50 Let this be said of the revelation of this Psalm. For it is still today a high and great understanding where someone knows that a Christian being is a higher and even different thing than all worldly and spiritual rights, laws, outward holiness, government, and how it may be called, whether it be with Jews or Gentiles. For St. Paul himself boasts in Eph. 3, 3. that it was a revelation made to the apostles themselves, that the Gentiles without the law of Moses, yes, without all and above all laws, should be God's people; as we also read in Acts 10 and 11 that St. Peter himself did not know this until a vision from heaven happened to him, when he had to go to Cornelio, the Gentile.
51 And (as far as I understand) the whole book of Acts was written for the sake of this Psalm and similar Scriptures, so that it would be proven that the Gentiles would become God's people without Mosiah's law. As also there Apost. 15, 6. ff. a special concilium was held about this at Jerusalem, and only Peter, Paul and Barnabas held forth about this piece, against the whole multitude of all believers. So it is very difficult for reason and nature that spiritual and secular status should be nothing compared to Christian status. Reason always wants to mix it up, to make a worldly or spiritual regime out of the Christian state, which is to be grasped and governed by laws and works, and loses everything over it, that it does not know what Christ or the Christian state is, as we have also experienced all this so far, unfortunately, all too well under the papacy.
52 It is called a revelation and remains a revelation. For you will find nothing of this in all spiritual law, in all laws of all popes, they are called Decretal, Clementin, Sexten, Extravaganten, or whatever they want,
in all summists, in all scribenten sententiarum, in all monks' sermons, in all ordinations of the estates, in all ordinariis of the monasteries and convents, in all rules of all kinds of monks and nuns, in all postils of Scripture, in all statutes of all concilia, in all St. Hieronymo, in all St. Gregory, in all the cassations of all theologians, in all the lections of all high schools, in all the masses and vigils, in all the ceremonies of all churches, in all the foundations for souls, in all the brotherhoods of all sects, in all the pilgrimages in all places, in all the services of Mary and all the saints, in all the indulgences of all the bulls, in all the chancery of the pope, in all the court of the pope, in all the courts of all the bishops: nothing, nothing do you find (I say) of this piece in all of them, but rather vain hindrance and blindness of this revelation.
What have the pope and the bishops made of the gospel and the Christian church other than a purely spiritual, even a worldly regiment? What do the pagans, the fanatics, and the mad saints seek now but to turn the gospel into an outward holiness or a new monasticism in gray skirts and sour clothes? It is said: "Praise the Lord, all Gentiles"; be Gentiles, stay Gentiles, become Gentiles, found spiritual orders, establish rules and order, make laws and worldly regiments, keep chastity, become married, and what you can think up of the outward being and doing, as you wish; only take care that you do not think to be Christians and to become blessed with it; only do not think that such is called Christianity or Christian being. For all reason can devise and establish such things as these, and none of Christ's may do so; it must come higher than all that you may do and devise, namely, that you praise the Lord. But the above praises you yourselves, and not the Lord; for it is your thing, done in yourselves and by yourselves out of reason, and planted and created beforehand in nature.
From the teaching.
(54) There he teaches the highest wisdom on earth, namely faith, which is divine, not human, a secret,
and not manifest, a heavenly and not earthly wisdom, which no man knows (as Paul says 1 Cor. 2, 6.), not even the princes of this world know. Therefore it must be called the worst heresy before the world, and be condemned as the doctrine of the devil.
(55) And it is an unpleasant thing that this psalm may sing, "God's goodness is upon us," and that this should be the reason why all the Gentiles should praise God, namely, that they have grace and mercy and all good things from God, all for nothing, without any merit, work or law. Against this the Jews boast that they have God's law and their own works, as St. Paul testifies Rom. 3:2, and the 147th Psalm, v. 19, 20, also says: "He declares his word to Jacob, and his judgments to Israel; so he does no Gentile, nor does he let them know his judgments." And it is true that the law and the prophets were theirs alone until the time of Christ, as St. Paul says in Romans 3. But after Christ, and with Christ, all the Gentiles have the gospel, namely the preaching of grace, as this Psalm says.
But there are fine words in this verse, which should not be spoken so coldly and crudely. First of all, he speaks of "his goodness", that is, not our work, holiness, wisdom, but his grace and mercy. What then is God's mercy? It is that out of pure mercy, for the sake of Christ, our dear bishop and mediator, he forgives all our sins, puts away all wrath, leads us from idolatry and error to the truth, purifies, enlightens, sanctifies and justifies our hearts through faith and the Holy Spirit, and chooses us as children and heirs, adorns and decorates us with his gifts, redeems and protects us from the devil's power, and in addition gives us eternal life and blessedness; and yet also provides and sustains this temporal life with all its necessities, through the service and cooperation of all the creatures of heaven and earth. None of which, not even the least, the whole world can ever deserve, let alone all of them, or some of the great ones; indeed, through their idolatry, ingratitude, contempt and all kinds of sin, they deserve without ceasing the wrath of God, death and hell.
57 But where this is true (as yes must be true), it is not true.
it certainly follows that our work, wisdom and holiness are nothing in the sight of God. For if it is God's goodness, it is not our merit; if it is our merit, it is not God's goodness, Rom. 11:6. Therefore, the Jews with their laws and works may not stand, much less the pagans with their idolatries, and just as little the sophists with the abominations of their masses, foundations, monasteries, pilgrimages, and the like innumerable little human fiefdoms and works.
Why do they all persecute this doctrine of the grace of God and call it heresy? Because they do not want to despise or reject its teaching and work. For that God's grace gives us so much [as is said in 29 ff.], they might well suffer; but that their thing should be nothing at all, and that only the mere, pure grace should be valid before God, that must be heresy. For they also want to have their hand in the sod, and do so much by their free will that they may earn and drain God's grace from him, along with all the above-mentioned goods; so that it is not God's grace, but our merit that first obtains grace, and so that we are the journeymen who lay the first cornerstone, upon which God then builds his grace and goodness, so that he must thank, praise and worship us, and we become his gods; But not, again, that we should thank, praise (as this Psalm says) and worship him, and that he should be our God, unless we have first begun the good, and built a foundation for his graces from our merit.
(59) These babble this psalm with the mouth, but with the heart they interpret and read it thus: Let all the earth praise us, and let all the people magnify us; for our work is over them, and our doctrine shall endure forever. But that they read thus in the heart, they cannot deny. Then they convince all their endowments, letters, 1) fraternity letters, in which they seal, certify, promise, and sell, rightly and honestly, of a perpetual, eternal purchase, their vigils and soul masses and all their good works, and share the same with their founders, both ancestors and descendants, that they may thereby be freed from sins, and from the sins of the world.
1) "Letters" is missing in the Erlanger. It will be meant "the indulgence of the bulls" (§ 82).
The first two are saved from purgatory and become blessed, as if they had never been baptized or Christians.
60) Where is God's grace beforehand, which does this without work? Yes, it must therefore also be purchased by other works beforehand. Does this not mean to blasphemously and abominably set and exalt our work for and above God's grace? Does this not mean to take away God's divinity and to deny Christ? They still do not repent and amend such things, but stubbornly they still want to hide and adorn them. But their seals and letters, bulls and books, are too much in the day, and bear witness too powerfully against them, and suffer neither covering nor adorning.
Now choose which one you want, this verse has three minds. So the first one reads: Our work prevails over us before the grace of God. The other: Our work is without Christ, but beside the grace of God over us. The third: God's grace rules over us without and before all works, through Christ. The first two are of the Jews, Turks, Sophists and all false Christians, invented out of their own heads. The third is of the Holy Spirit and of all true Christians.
(62) That the first two are also Sophists, so that they are also true Jews and Turks, is not only proved by their letters, seals, bulls and books, but they also confirm it by the fact that they still defend their work, and murder, burn and persecute the people about it most horribly. For if they thought the third mind was right, they would not only have to refrain from persecution, but also change and improve all their monasteries, convents, and the whole of their being, because nothing else has been in use in them up to now, except to sell their work to the people, to redeem them from sins, and to bring them to heaven; this is undeniable. For I and all of us have also been in such abominations ourselves, have helped teach and do it; but praise be to God who has helped us out.
On the other hand, he says: "it rules", that is, it reigns over us, imperat et regnat gratia. It is a kingdom of grace that is more powerful in and over us than all wrath, sin and evil. This word has never been understood by a sophist or a saint of works.
understand it as little as a Jew and a Turk. For since they want to advance and obtain grace by works, it is not possible for them to know what the kingdom of grace or the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of Christ means, but their heart must be like this (as it was for me, since I was a sophist): if they do good, they have grace; if they sin or fall, or feel sin, grace also falls and is lost, they must again seek and find it by their own works; otherwise they cannot think.
64 But this does not mean the kingdom of grace, which rules over works, but a kingdom of works, which rules over grace. But "to rule", Gabar Hebrew, means here to be in charge and to have the upper hand and to be powerful, so that you must understand the kingdom of grace in a childlike way, that God has built a new, great heaven over us who believe through the gospel, which is called the heaven of grace, and is much, much greater and more beautiful than this visible heaven, moreover eternal, certain and everlasting.
(65) Whosoever therefore is under this heaven cannot sin, nor be in sins; for it is a heaven of grace, infinite and eternal. And if any man sin or fall, he shall not therefore fall out of that same heaven; for he shall not abide under it, but shall go with the devil into hell, as unbelievers do. And though sin is felt, or death bares its teeth, and the devil terrifies, yet here is much more grace ruling over all sin, and much more life ruling over death, and much more God ruling over all devils; that such sin, death, devils in this kingdom is not 1) different, but like dark clouds under the bodily sky, which cover the sky for a time, but they may not rule over it, they must remain under it, and let the sky remain over them, rule and reign; but they must finally pass away. So, even though sin bites, death terrifies, and the devil makes himself felt with temptations, they are still clouds; the heaven of grace rules and reigns, they must remain under it, and finally depart.
1) Erlanger: nothing.
(66) This cannot be done by works, but by faith alone, which is sure that such a heaven of grace is above it, without its work, which it also looks upon when it sins or feels sin, and is comforted by it, without all its merits or works.
But those who want to deaden sins and death with works, must of necessity despair, because it is impossible to know all sin, Psalm 19:13, even the little that can be known, and the devil or God's judgment will open up those sins that cannot be known or known. So the conscience will be frightened and say: O Lord God, I have never done anything for this sin. For it has been accustomed to do enough for sin with works, and now it is hurriedly confronted with so many and great sins, which it has never known, much less done enough for them, so it must despair.
(68) Then the devil adds, and makes all his good works to be sins. Where does he want to go now? He knows nothing of the kingdom of grace, that God's goodness rules over us, nor is he accustomed to trust in His grace. So both works and the doctrine of works perish and disappear like smoke. Yes, it is good to talk about works and doing good and to make money with them until the hour comes when the devil and God's judgment stir the conscience: then it is found how annual, poisonous, harmful and damning such teaching is. But [it] is then too long persevered, where God does not particularly signs and wonders.
(69) But he that is in the kingdom of grace, whose heart is thus, Whether he feeleth right sin, or no sin; whether the devil comprehendeth sin, or no sin; whether he destroyeth good works, or no good works; whether the judgment of God threateneth, or terrifieth, he saith, These are indeed sour and dark clouds, but the grace of God ruleth and reigneth over us; the heaven of grace is mightier than the hell of sins; the heaven of grace abideth for ever, the hell of sins passeth away. For this verse does not deny 2). Yes, he confesses that the believers
1) In the Wittenberg and in the Jena: "solchs"; in the Erlangen: "solche".
2) Erlanger: denies.
He says that they feel the judgment of God, sin, death and the devil, and are afraid of them, but on the other hand he says that they have defiance, and grace is above, and has the upper hand and dominion, so that they can sing: Praise be to God that his grace is over us, and is mightier than our sin 2c.
(70) Behold, this is done without works, and must be done without works, or both grace and heaven would be lost in a moment; as David also tried this many times, and laments, Rev. 119:92: "If thy law were not my delight, I should perish in my misery. But he who is untried knows nothing about it, and must attack sin with works, to do enough for it and to curb it. This is no different from putting out fires with straws, or measuring the wind with bushels, and doing such lost and harmful work.
Third, he says, "about us. Who are they? For by this word "us" he separates himself from all others who are not with us. This is, as said above [§ 65], over the poor sinners alone, who recognize themselves, and feel that they are in sins, death, and all misfortune. For the saints of works have no right to grace, nor do they feel in themselves any sin, death, or devil, but only holiness, life, and the kingdom of heaven; they are the dear child.
For this reason, this verse is twice false and untruthful here. First, that in our rebellion such our doctrine and faith must not be God's grace, but vain doctrine of the devil and God's wrath. Secondly, that our outward nature cannot be viewed in any other way than as if God were our enemy and had handed us over to the devil. So that both doctrine and life cannot be viewed in any other way than as if the devil ruled over us and not God's grace. Again, there it can be seen, with our enemies, as if God were their friend, and both rule over their doctrine and life. Therefore, these words are to be understood spiritually, and only with faith in the spirit, and not to be judged according to outward appearance, otherwise this psalm will be full of trouble and lies. For it is not found otherwise in fact, neither are these words, that it might well be called thus: Hail and blaspheme, all nations, for the wrath of God is upon you.
and fury is upon us forever, without ceasing.
73 Now behold the holy prophet and king David, how in this psalm he becomes an apostate Jew, and joins the Gentiles; forsakes Moses and all Judaism, and becomes a Gentile. For he speaks to the Gentiles and not to the Jews, and calls them to praise the Lord; that is clear and certain. Nor does he say, "For the goodness of God is upon you Gentiles," but "upon us," as if he were among the Gentiles and also a Gentile. For with the "us" he makes himself a Gentile, and not the Gentiles the Jews; or at least he makes Gentiles and Jews one people, under one God, without all law and without Moses, only by praising and glorifying. In this way he completely abolishes the old law, testifies and shows that it is not necessary to keep it; and that it was kept only as a sign of such praise, and not as a work or merit or special worship, as the Jews, Turks, Sophists and all reason think. But now that the praise itself has come to the Gentiles of the whole world, we should not esteem the sign of praise so highly, but should practice the praise itself and become vain lions, not remaining Jews or Gentiles.
74. fourth, he says, "and his faithfulness," that is, his constancy, that he has promised and bound himself by his dear word to be our God, and not to turn away his grace from us, that we may be sure of it; as he began it, so it shall remain and endure forever. This also serves so that we should not doubt his promise, even though it may seem much different outwardly, as it is said [§§ 65, 66], and seems to be vain wrath and no grace. For he will be faithful and hold fast his promise, if we will but hold fast with faith, and not fall away through unbelief or impatience. All we need to do is to wait a little, so that we can bear the cross and not grow weary or tired; for "hope does not bring to shame," says St. Paul in Romans 5:5, and "God cannot lie," Romans 3:3 and Titus 1:2. Therefore, we must learn that the aforementioned goodness and grace are not visible, but rather that they are not visible.
Cross and antagonism are visible, we feel that. And our adversaries have the outward goodness and grace, although they do not recognize it, but much more wavy they regard the secret wrath, so God threatens them through his word.
So this kingdom of grace is and remains a secretly hidden kingdom from the world, preserved in word and faith until the time of its revelation. Therefore even the wicked do not want it and do not like it, but say, Ps. 2:3: "Let us break his bands and cast off his cords"; we do not want such a kingdom to rule over us; Luc. 19:14: "We do not want him to rule over us. Why? Because such a kingdom, as said above [§ 63 ff.], condemns and rejects all their outwardly own doings and being, in which they trust, and demands that they trust only in God's grace, which is promised secretly and secretly, only through His word, and is grasped with faith. So it is that instead of praise and thanksgiving they are all blasphemers, cursers and persecutors against the dear kingdom of grace, like the foolish who fight and rage against their own salvation and blessedness until they perish, and succeed in what they are striving for, as Ps. 109:17 says: "He would have the curse, and it shall come to him; he would not have the blessing, and it shall remain far enough from him." Volenti non fit injuria, one cannot give anyone without his thanks.
As it is with grace, so it is with the faithfulness or truth of God. Grace appears outwardly, as if it were a vain wrath, so deeply does it lie hidden, covered with two thick skins, namely, that they condemn our evil and the world, and avoid it as a plague and wrath of God, and we ourselves do not feel otherwise in ourselves; so that Peter says [2 Ep. 1, 19] that the word alone shines for us, as in a dark place; yes, of course, a dark place!
Therefore, God's faithfulness and truth must always become a great lie before it becomes truth. For in the eyes of the world it is called heresy; so we ourselves always think that God wants to leave us and not keep His word, and begins to become a liar in our hearts. And in sum, God
cannot be God, he must first become a devil; and we cannot go to heaven, we must first go to hell; cannot become God's children, we must first become the devil's children. For everything that God speaks and does, the devil must have spoken and done, and our flesh itself also holds that the Spirit keeps us accurate and honest in word, and teaches us to believe otherwise.
Again, the lie of the world cannot become a lie, it must first become truth; and the wicked do not go to hell, for they went to heaven before, and do not become children of the devil, they must be children of God before. And summa, the devil becomes and is not a devil, unless he was God before; he becomes not an angel of darkness, unless he became an angel of light before. For what the devil speaks and does, God must have spoken and done; this the world believes, and moves us well ourselves.
79 Therefore, it is highly spoken and must be of high intellect that God's grace and truth, or His goodness and faithfulness, rule over us and are incumbent upon us. But it is comforting who can grasp it, when he is certain that it is God's grace and faithfulness; and yet can look at it differently, and can say with spiritual defiance: Well, I know beforehand that God's word must become a great lie, even in myself, before it becomes truth. Again, I know that the devil's word must first become the tender divine truth before it becomes a lie; I must grant the devil a little hour of divinity, and let devilishness be ascribed to our God; but that is not the end of the day, for in the end it is said: "His goodness and faithfulness rule over us.
80. fifthly, he says: "forever", or forever, without ceasing and without end. For this kingdom of grace shall not only endure and remain here on earth during this life, but also forever after this life, there in heaven, and shall also be established during this time, so that it shall never waver nor fall.
1) The following up to the end of ? 79 is missing in the Coburg edition.
For though we are uncertain, and at times may stumble and fall through sin and error, yet grace does not fall and waver; neither must I seek a new grace and another kingdom, but heaven is still open, and that same kingdom of grace awaits me when I return.
(81) And do not go about, as some lie and deceive, that Christ alone has been sufficient for former sins (which occurred before baptism), but for future or subsequent sins we ourselves must be sufficient. Nor, as St. Jerome says yearly and evil, that repentance is the other plank on which one must sail when the ship of innocence is broken after baptism. Not to me the other board. The ship does not break, baptism does not cease, the kingdom of grace does not fall, but, as the Psalm says here, endures forever over us. But if I fall out of the ship, well, I will get back in. If I turn away from baptism, farewell, I will return to it. If I stray from the kingdom of grace, farewell, I will return to it. Baptism, ship and grace remain forever, and do not fall or waver because of my falling or wavering; otherwise God Himself would also have to fall, who promises to keep such grace forever.
From the admonition.
He exhorts us, and even tells us how we should serve God, and tells us to praise and give thanks. For since we have nothing of ourselves, but everything from God, it is good to reckon that we can give him nothing, nor pay or repay his grace, nor does he demand anything from us. Therefore, the only thing that remains is for us to praise and thank Him; first of all, to recognize and believe in our hearts that we have everything from Him, and that He is our God; then to go out and freely confess this with our mouths before the world, to preach, praise and thank Him. This is the right, proper worship, the right priestly office, and the dear acceptable sacrifice; as St. Peter says 1 Ep. 2, 9: "Ye are the royal priesthood, that ye should preach the virtue of him that called you out of darkness unto his marvelous light."
(83) Yes, but we are smitten in the mouth over such praise; the world will not and cannot hear it. One must dare to do this if one wants to make this sacrifice to God, for it is said, "Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles. It is not: Praise men, or the world, but "the Lord", and his works or grace, and not the works of men, but rather condemn them.
(84) And with this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving is fulfilled all the worship and sacrifice of the Old Testament, that we may have none of these. For this Psalm imposes no other service on the Gentiles than praise and thanksgiving, confessing and preaching God's grace and faithfulness. Yes, even the sacrifices in the Old Testament counted for nothing, but were cursed and condemned if they were done in the opinion that one wanted to serve God with them, as if one were giving him something in such a sacrifice or work. Read about this in the 50th Psalm, v. 8-10, and Isa. 1, 2. ff., Jer. 7, 22. and many more places. For Moses did not command them, but, as he says Deut. 26:2, 10, they should not do such sacrifices otherwise than as a thanksgiving or praise, or as a sign of praise and thanksgiving; not as if they wanted to do God a great service with it, or as if he needed oxen's flesh and calves' blood, but Ps. 50:14 says: "Offer me sacrifices of thanksgiving"; and again, v. 23: "Sacrifices of thanksgiving praise me." And especially in your glorious Psalm 51, v. 18: "If thou hadst pleasure in sacrifice, I would surely offer it; but burnt offerings are not pleasing unto thee." As if to say, "If it were done by sacrifice or works, I am a king; I would find about ten florins to buy a heifer for sacrifice; but there will be another sacrifice here.
85 But because they would not leave their sacrifices, he destroyed them to the ground, and for this he prepared in all the world the right sacrifice, the sacrifice of praise, as he says here, and Malachi 1:10, 11: "I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I take an offering at your hand: for my name is great among the heathen, from the going forth even unto the going down; and a pure and acceptable sacrifice is offered unto me in every place" 2c. This is the sacrifice of praise, since by preaching and confessing.
nce the name of the Lord is magnified in all the world, and highly praised; for to magnify his name is such a fine, beautiful sacrifice, as he says here.
If such sacrifices are condemned by the Jews because of the false opinion that they made a work and merit out of them, what then should the sacrifices of the mass, monastic vows, pilgrimages, saintly service, and the like be valid among us Christians? since they are much worse than the sacrifices of the Jews. First of all, because the sacrifices of the Jews were ordained by God and founded and commanded in Scripture; but our sacrifices and vows are without Scripture, a mere poem of their own and the fancy of men; which alone is sufficient to condemn them. For a man is not to initiate or establish worship, nor to master or teach God how to serve Him. Secondly, in the New Testament, the thank-offering is to be the proper service, and not a work-offering. For the kingdom of grace cannot suffer that we would give, earn or pay God with our works, but it is the greatest blasphemy and idolatry, and nothing else, but denying and mocking God, because the sacrifice of thanksgiving must perish through the same work offering, and cannot remain beside it. For he who wants to earn and gain by works certainly does not think to receive anything in vain or by grace, but wants to deal with God and deceive Him; but he who does not receive by grace does not give thanks either.
(87) Yes, they say, what one vows, one should keep; this teaches both divine and secular law. Answer: Vows are of two kinds: one that one vows to God, the other that one vows to men. We can vow nothing to God, except that we will take Him for God, praise Him and give thanks for all His benefits and grace, as the holy archfather Jacob vowed in Gen. 28:21, saying, "The Lord shall be my God." As the first commandment also demands such a vow. For we can give him nothing; so he may give us nothing, that is certain, for he has given it to us before; but he would gladly be our God.
Therefore the sayings in the Psalter, and elsewhere in Scripture, of vows against God,
The sophists do not understand this, and interpret it as vows of their own choosing, when they are vows of thanksgiving and obedience to the first commandment, as the 116th Psalm, v. 12 ff. says: "What shall I repay the Lord for all his benefits? I will take the cup of salvation, and preach the name of the LORD; I will pay my vows before all his people." There you see that he does not know how to repay the Lord without preaching and thanking God before all the people, and thus keeping his vows according to the first commandment. This he calls his cup of salvation, that is, it makes him blessed; as also the 50th Psalm, v. 23, says, "Thank offerings praise me, and this is the way that I show my salvation"; and Rom. 10:10, "With the mouth confess, and one is saved." In Scripture, "cup" means to each his part. Meaning: Some want to buy God with works; I let them have their portion and their thing, that is a cup of destruction; my cup, my portion shall be to praise God, that is salvation and blessedness.
89. Wherever vows strive against this vow of gratitude, they are to be condemned and to cease; as all monastic and other vows do. For they are all done in the ungodly, damned opinion that one wants to win God with them and earn grace, and not just have or give thanks for undeserved grace. For the pope himself says: In malis promissis non expedit servare fidem, evil vows shall not be kept.
(90) Likewise, where a vow is made to a man, the proviso should and must always be understood, even if it is not reported, that is, if it is not against God; for against God one cannot make a vow. As if the emperor swears this and that to the pope in his coronation, and afterwards it is found that one or some of the pieces are against God, he may not absolve himself from his oath. For he never took an oath, nor did he swear in the power of his oath, for he had previously sworn to God in baptism that he would do nothing against God, but praise and glorify His Gospel and name. Against such an oath, the pope cannot demand anything from him, it has
1) "or thank" is missing in the Erlanger.
name, as it may be. 2) Also, God has forbidden such an oath in the other commandment: "You shall not take the name of your God in vain.
91 But what I say of the emperor's oath, that I say of all men's oaths. For one cannot deny that not all oaths are good, and that it is as easy to err in oaths as in all other matters. That's why you don't have to barge in like that and rumble: Yes, yes, you have vowed and sworn, you must keep it. Yes, dear fellow, it is not enough that I have vowed; I would like to vow that I would become a Turk or a Jew. I have vowed more to God in baptism, and I owe it more to keep it than all my other vows. And where my other vows are a hair's breadth against this first vow, I will trample them underfoot, lest I deny my God or despise His grace. It is highly necessary to keep diligent and great distinction in the vows, because it is a very dangerous thing about it, and has a great appearance of worship, that even high, spiritual people can easily miss and err in this, and it is not for anyone to judge such things, as the insolent, wild minds think.
(92) I want to have led such four pieces this time out of this little psalm, and I pay attention that it is the right useful way to handle the holy scriptures, as Paul 1 Cor. 14 also praises such four pieces, which he wants to handle in the scriptures, since he says, v. 6: "Dear brothers, if I came to you and spoke with tongues, what would I be of use to you? if I did not speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophecy, or by teaching. He speaks here of "speaking in tongues," which is nothing else than reading the Scriptures orally. And yet he wants such tongues or simple Scripture to act fourfold. Not that he wants to make various meanings out of it, as Origen and Jerome, together with their equals, do with their allegories, but wants to give much in a simple sense, as I ([I] hope) have now also done here.
2) The following to the end of this paragraph is not in the Coburg edition.
For prophecy in this place is called interpreting the Scriptures of the prophets concerning Christ. Teaching is called preaching faith, Titus 2:1, how he who makes us godly by grace makes us godly without merit. Knowledge is called report and distinction in outward offerings and customs, 1 Cor. 8:7 ff, which I have called exhortation here, in which I have also touched on such a report of the sacrifice and vow. Revelation, of course, is something more than allegory, namely, to meet something special in Scripture, which not everyone else can meet, who nevertheless has some of the previous three pieces, or all three.
94. 1) I do this mostly so that I may give cause or instruction to all others who need it, to seek and act on the main point of our Christian doctrine in Scripture everywhere, namely, that we must become devout, alive and blessed without all merit, by the grace of God alone, given to us in Christ, and that otherwise no other way or path, no other manner or work may help us to achieve this. For I see and experience all too well every day how manifoldly the wicked devil pursues this main thing, so that he may eradicate it again.
(95) And although the weary saints consider it an unnecessary thing to do this almost and always (for they make themselves believe that they know it almost well, and have long since learned it), yet I know well how far their conceit is lacking, and know nothing everywhere about how much is attached to this piece. For where this one piece remains pure on the plan, Christianity also remains pure and fine in harmony, and without all divisions, since this piece alone, and nothing else, makes and sustains Christianity. All the other pieces may also shine with false Christians and hypocrites; but where it does not remain, there it is not possible that some error or spirit of the rot may be resisted. I know this for a fact, and I have tried it so much that I could not move either the Turkish or the Jewish faith where I should act without this piece.
96. and wherever there are or there are bands, you have no doubt that they will come.
1) The section from s 94 to? 105 (inel.) is not in the Coburg edition.
have certainly fallen from this main piece, regardless of the fact that they talk a lot about Christ with their mouths, and almost preen and adorn themselves. For this piece does not give rise to divisions, since it cannot be, the Holy Spirit must also be there, who does not give rise to divisions, but gives and maintains unity.
Especially when you hear an untimely and immature saint who boasts that he knows almost well that we must be saved by God's grace without our work, and presents himself as if it were a bad art in front of him, you have no doubt that he does not know what he is saying and may never know or taste it. For it is not an art that can be learned or boasted of; it is an art that wants to keep us as pupils and remain master.
And all who know and understand it do not boast that they know it all, but feel something of it as a pleasant taste and smell, which they seek and run after, wondering and not being able to grasp it or finish it as they would like, thirsting, hungering and longing for it more and more, and not being satisfied to hear nor to act; as St. Paul himself confesses that he has not yet grasped it; and Christ, Matth. Paul [Phil. 3, 12.] himself confesses that he has not yet grasped it; and Christ, Matth. 5, 6. blessed those who feel such hunger and thirst for righteousness.
99. And if anyone desires, let him think of me by this example, which I will confess herewith. The devil caught me several times when I did not think of this main thing, and plagued me with sayings of the Scriptures so that heaven and earth became too narrow for me. The works of men and the laws were all right, and there was no error in the whole papacy. Recently, no one had ever erred except Luther alone; all my best works, teaching, preaching and books had to be condemned. Also, the shameful Mahomet almost became a prophet to me, and both Turks and Jews became vain saints.
Therefore, dear brother, do not be proud, nor too sure and certain that you know Christ well. Now you hear how I confess to you what the devil was able to do against Luther, who was also supposed to be almost a
He has preached, written, spoken, sung and read so much about this art, and yet he must remain a student in it, and at times he is neither student nor master. Therefore be advised, and do not say Hui. You stand, but watch and do not fall. Thou canst do all things, but see that thou lack not the art. Be afraid, be humble, and pray that you may grow in this art and be protected from the devil who is called Klügel or Kündelin, who can do everything and learns everything on the fly.
101. Now if you want or need to deal with matters concerning the law and works, or sayings and examples of the fathers, take this main piece before you first of all, and do not let yourself be found without this piece, so that the dear sun, Christ, may shine in your heart, so that you can judge freely and safely through and about all laws, examples, sayings and works, and say: Well, if there is anything good or right in them, I know it well that they are neither good nor right except for this life; for for grace and that life Christ alone is good and right. And if you do not do this, you can be sure that the laws, sayings, examples and works, with their pretty appearance and the great reputation of the person, will mislead you, so that you will not know where you are. I have also seen it in St. Bernard; when the same man begins to speak of Christ, it is because there is air; but when he is out of this piece, and speaks of rules or works, it is no longer St. Bernard. And so it is with St. Augustine, Gregory and all the others, that if Christ is not with them, they are vain worldly teachers, like the philosophers or jurists.
For this reason Christ is also called a cornerstone in Scripture, upon which everything must be built and founded that is to stand before God. But whatever is built without him and not based on him must come to nothing and cannot stand. And what is lacking now in the mobs and mad saints, but that they have left this cornerstone, and have again fallen into works? There they cannot get along, but must continue, and also out of baptism and sacrament.
(which are God's word and commandment) are vain works of man.
(103) The Anabaptists say that baptism is nothing if a person is not pious beforehand; they do not want to become pious through and from baptism, but to make baptism holy and good through their piety. That is (I mean) to say that this cornerstone is thoroughly lost, and not by Christ's grace, which baptism gives, but to become holy beforehand by itself, so that baptism gives nothing, creates nothing, brings nothing, but we bring and give everything to baptism beforehand, so that it is nothing but a mere, unnecessary sign, so that such holy people may be known; so that baptism also cannot be such a lasting sign or characteristic, so that someone may be known, but happens once, after which it can no longer be seen by anyone. This is what the devotees do with their sacrament; it does not have to make them pious or give them grace, but it shows and testifies how pious and holy they are without such a sacrament.
And what has made in the papacy such divisions, innumerable sects, sects and idolatries of all kinds of mad saints, priests, monks and nuns, but that they have fallen away from Christ, and before that have become devout by works?
For this reason St. Paul teaches the Ephesians and Colossians so diligently that Christ is our head, and that we should diligently hold on to this head, and thus remain and increase as members of one body. For the devil does not celebrate or sleep, he would gladly tear us from this head; he knows well that this piece will break his neck and crush his serpent's head, as is promised in Genesis 3:15.
But God, our dear, eternal Father, who has so abundantly enlightened us through His dear Son and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, may He also strengthen us with complete faith through His Holy Spirit, and give us strength to follow such light faithfully and diligently, and to praise and glorify Him with all the Gentiles, both with teaching and life. To him be thanksgiving and glory for all his unspeakable grace and gifts for ever and ever. Amen.