Nota: The ungodly doctrine and life he calls advice and ways, if it is yet vain ungodly and sinful thing. It seems and glitters well as a delicious advice and way; but because it is not God's word, but own beautiful conceit, everything is lost and condemned, with masters and disciples.
In lege Domini voluntas ejus.
Ejus is the new man in Christ; without and apart from Christ the old Adam hates the law. But what he does not like to do, he does half of it, where he is forced; where he is not forced, but does it for reward and enjoyment, he does it wrongly; where he can be free, he does the contradiction. So does the world, that is, all men by nature. Of this one must
J. C. S. sent to him" (Walch). - This interpretation is missing in the Wittenberg, in the Jena; in the Erlangen only marginally according to Walch.
1) The year only in Walch.
consider. Whoever lives in the world and among people will not see, hear, or experience anything else. The rhyme of the world is not: In lege Domini voluntas ejus; but: In lege Domini odium vel simulatio ejus, there adjust yourself, and learn patientiam.
Blessed is he who delights in the law of the Lord. 2)
Yes, of course, there must be desire to do what one is supposed to do, even in external matters," and then it will happen. But where there is unwillingness and unwillingness, things go as they may, not as they ought. Much less will it work in the way of salvation, where the devil hinders and persecutes without ceasing, where God's word is not accepted and kept with joy and love against all deceit and violence of Satan, the world and the flesh.
The righteous delight in the word of God, and gladly speak of it day and night; therefore they can do all things, do all things, and remain green and fruitful forever, like a palm tree by the water.
The wicked have pleasure in their God, belly and mammon, therefore they can also nothing, do nothing, do not remain, but perish, like a shadow, with all their good, honor, doing, power, belly, mammon. For the word of God abides forever, and all who abide in it with lust and love, amen.
V. 6 The Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked perishes.
Righteous is called, and can be called nothing else from the beginning of the world, than he who believes in the seed of the woman, the seed of Abraha, the seed of David, the son of Mary the Virgin, who is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who died for us and rose from the dead. The way, nature, life and death of such righteous or faithful ones is known to God and pleases Him for eternity. But the wicked, that is, those who do not believe, their way, nature, life, and what they do or suffer, perish and are lost forever.
2) The following three paragraphs are printed in the editions as if they were three different interpretations, while it is obvious that they form One Whole.
3) This time specification only in Walch.
The Lord knows the way of the righteous.
The life and being of the wicked stands well for a time, green, blooming and resplendent, as if it wanted to be completely alone and remain forever. Whereas the life and being of the godly is nothing at all. But the end of the wicked is to perish like smoke, and to be carried away like chaff scattered by the wind, into eternal darkness and destruction. Who could believe it! Therefore be still, "Command the Lord your ways, and hope in him; he will do it well," Ps. 37:5.
The Lord knows the way of the righteous 2c.
The life of the righteous walks in the word of God, as the other verse says, "but delights in the law of the Lord," therefore he must have happiness here and there, as the tree by the water always grows green, bears, and does not wither. But human life, even if it is righteous in the sight of the world, must at last perish and not remain. For there is not the word of God that abides forever.
The Lord knows the way.
The same is seen every day; it is not yet believed, and people live so securely (especially the godless) as if their nature would remain forever.
The Lord knows the way.
Flesh and blood do not believe such things. For even the true saints and Christians, when they see how unequal things are in the world, since the wicked are on top and the pious are underneath, they think that God has forgotten them, does not know them, does not respect them, and has even abandoned them. Again, the wicked, because they feel that it goes according to all their will, and do what they want, think they sit in God's bosom, who knows no one but they alone. Therefore, you must look at this verse with spiritual eyes, not with cow's eyes, so that God knows the way of the righteous and knows nothing about the wicked, otherwise you will never understand it.
The Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked perishes.
No godless man believes this; a godly man believes it, but very weakly. 1) Because
1) Erlanger: hardly.
This requires waiting, and waiting a long time, because it seems much different before the eyes, and especially lasts a long time, that the wicked are green, flourish and prevail, in property, honor, power, according to all their will, and on the other hand the righteous are plagued by the devil and the world, both in body and soul, in honor and property, persecuted, also miserably murdered by them as rebels, heretics and children of the devil.
The Lord knows the way.
Believe this, and you will live; otherwise, when you consult your reason, you will see and experience the contradiction. Therefore, these things are presented to you through God's word, which is certainly true and abides forever; judge by them, you will not lack them. And learn that faith clings to that which is not seen, not to that which is before the eyes.
Psalm 2:7.
You are my son, today I have begotten you.
In this saying it is known that God is a God in three persons, different. The first is the Father, since he says: "You are my Son, today I have begotten you." The other is the Son, Messiah, as He speaks of His Father, "The LORD spoke to me." The third is the Holy Spirit, who such. The third is the Holy Spirit, who pronounces this saying and the whole Psalm through David.
Psalm 2 [v. 10. 11. 1. 2)
Let yourselves therefore be instructed, ye kings, And let yourselves be chastened, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
Why does the prophet leave out the mob and address only the kings and rulers? There is no doubt that where the rulers serve Christ the Lord and are obedient, the mob cannot hinder anything. But where they persecute or despise God's word, the mob can help nothing. Where churches and schools stand well, Christ will again know how to thank the authorities abundantly. But where churches and schools (without which the Word of God cannot remain)
2) According to the facsimile included in the first edition of the Erlanger Ausgabe Bd. 7 a. E., the facsimile included in the first edition.
The one who is to blame for this will be no one but the authorities and the great lords. It will also happen to them (as he says here) that they perish on the way through his wrath.
D. Paulo Tuchero patritio Niirmbergensi Martinus Luther, D.
Kiss the son.
It says that whoever accepts the Son shall have all grace and be a loving child; whoever does not must remain a child of wrath.
Kiss the son. 1)
It is decided that whoever does not kiss the Son, that is, does not believe in Christ, the Son of God, must be under the wrath. But whosoever believeth and trusteth in him shall have no trouble; he shall be a child of grace and of life. Joh. 3, 36.
"Right finds itself", is a common saying. The histories prove this. For whether injustice has the process for an equally long time, it is still said in the end: Veritas oppugnari potest, expugnari non potest, time makes hay out of the grass; it greens or blossoms, however beautiful it wants, it must wither. Sic omnes impii. Ps. 92, 8.
Blessed are all those who trust in him. 2)
This will certainly remain true, although it has many a journey, nor shall it be lacking by a hair, They shall well become aware of it, and shall not resist the crowd; If it consumes this year and many a year. Soon the time will come when it will be revealed, And all things will be made clear, So that it can be spoken of freely. Then they will confess that God will keep his word and his word, and will not spare the enemy his vengeance in the end.
1) This interpretation is found twice in Walch and in the Erlangen edition, vol. 52, p. 296 and p. 297; the second time with the sections: "Recht findet sich" 2c.
2) This passage is also found in the old editions of the Tischreden, Cap. I, s 65, with the superscription: "Other rhymes of D. Martin Luther on the words of the Psalm: Loatl ornno," HUI timont Oonainnm. Found in M. Erasmi Sarcerii Liberei among the Colloquiis Lutheri." Line 4 reads there, "It is fulfilled wholly"; dre last line is, "That GOtt receives his word and Lahr." In our edition of the Tischreden this is omitted.
Psalm 3:9.
With the Lord you will find help, and your blessing upon your people.
With us is nothing but curse and damnation, brought into and over us by the devil.
Psalm 8:5. 3)
What is man, that you remember him, and man's child, that you take care of him? 2c.
This one, whom the prophet here and the Scriptures often call the child or son of man, is Jesus Christ, the Lord over all, that is, the true, living, eternal God, as the Scriptures everywhere testify. This Psalm also confirms this powerfully, since it then says: "You have made Him Lord over the work of Your hands; You have put everything under His feet.
From this it follows that the praiseworthy liberal arts, invented and brought to light by learned, excellent people, even though they were pagans, are useful and beneficial to people in this life, and are also the creatures and noble, precious gifts of this child of man (the Lord is above all), which he has used and still needs for his pleasure, for the praise, honor and glory of his holy name.
Psalm 18:31.
The speeches of the Lord are purified, he is a shield to all who trust in him.
Proverbs 30:5.
All of God's words are purified, and are a shield to those who trust in Him.
God's word teaches to trust in God, and is a pure and certain word, which neither deceives nor fails, as words of men do. Therefore, he who learns and keeps it learns to trust in God. He who learns to trust in God has a certain protection and shield against all evil, be it the devil, death, sin, or whatever it may be, and that same for eternity. For God is almighty and eternal, who wants to be the protector himself, through his word.
3) To this saying, the Wittenberg and Jena editions give the marginal gloss: 8oo seripsit in Homeri xoönia.
Psalm 22:7.
I am a worm, and not a man, a mockery of the people and contempt of the people.
The holy scripture is God's word, written, and (that I speak it thus) lettered, and formed in letters, just as Christ is the eternal word of God, veiled in humanity. And as Christ was kept and acted in the world, so is the written Word of God. It is a worm and not a book compared to other books. For such honor, with study, reading, contemplation, retention and use, does not happen to it as it does to other human writings; if it becomes good to it, it lies under the bench 2c. The others tear it, crucify it, scourge it, and put it through all kinds of torture, until they interpret and stretch it to their heresy, mind, and will, and finally even destroy, kill, and bury it, so that it is cast out of the world and forgotten, and in its place sits the whore with the golden chalice, the filthy and filthy bowls, and other books of the rotten. But it must remain and come up again; no guarding or defending will help.
Therefore, it is a good sign to whom the precious gift is given, that he has love and pleasure for the Scriptures, reads them gladly, holds them high and valuable. God certainly honors him again, that he has the right seal of the called and chosen saints, and belongs to the apostles and other saints, who do not hold with the damned world that Christ is a worm, a mockery of the people, and despised by the people, but confess with St. Peter that he is the Son of the living God, Matth. 16, 16, and that the Scriptures are written by the Holy Spirit.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
Whoever could believe it, would be a fat, safe, blessed sheep of this faithful shepherd, who has also laid down his life for his 3) sheep. Woe to the shameful unbelief that does not follow such a faithful shepherd and bishop of souls, and would rather be eaten by the wolf to eternal death.
1) In the editions: "his".
2) The time determination is only with Walch.
3) Erlanger: such.
V. 4. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
God's word is a light that shines in the darkness and shines brighter than the sun in the middle of the day. For in death not only the light of this sun goes out, but also reason with all its wisdom. Then the word of God shines with all faithfulness, an eternal sun, which only faith sees and follows into eternal clear life.
Psalm 27:4.
One thing I ask of the Lord, and that I would like, is that I may remain in the house of the Lord all my life.
Maneat mihi Fides in verbum, et manebo domesticus Dei et haeres Regni, hoc est certum; that is, let there be only my faith, so I will remain God's housemate and his kingdom's heir.
V. 14. Wait for the Lord, be confident and undaunted, and wait for the Lord.
A young man should become accustomed and learn to trust in God. For if he is to live, the devil will lay many a snare for him and blow so much evil wind under his eyes that he must have God's help and comfort, which he graciously and abundantly offers him through the Word.
Wait for the Lord.
This is God's way of consuming help and comfort, so that our faith may be tried and proven; then God will certainly not remain outside.
Psalm 31:23.
Be of good cheer, all you who wait for the Lord.
Thus, the Psalter primarily promotes faith in God. Because the believer must suffer much from the devil and the world, faith and trust in God are necessary. For unbelief is too impatient, so good works cannot suffer much, for they want to be unnoticed but honored.
Psalm 32:10.
Whoever hopes in the Lord will be embraced by goodness.
How full the Scriptures are of the first commandment, that we should place all our comfort, hope and confidence in God alone, 1) the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, whom He has made a sacrifice for us, and in no other creatures, either in heaven or on earth. This is in sum: We are to have no other gods except the one, living, eternal God, who revealed Himself through His Word and sent His only begotten Son to the world as Savior. We are to believe in Him, trust Him with all our hearts, and call upon Him in the name of this Mediator and Savior. This is what it means to have a God.
Psalm 33:9.
Ipse dixit, et facta sunt; ipse mandavit, et creata sunt. If he speaks, it is done; if he gives, it stands.
All creatures were created by the word, and when he called or spoke, they stood there and said: Here we are. So we should not doubt what God says to us through His dear Son (who is His eternal Word Himself), that must be, stand and walk as He speaks. But the devil, who was the first to fall away, has so weakened and blinded us through original sin that we cannot believe or think that what he says must be true and true, even though he testifies and confirms it with miraculous signs and the creation of all creatures before our eyes from the beginning of the world, and so powerfully convicts us that (as St. Paul says, Apost. 17:27) we would like to grope and grasp him, he is so close to us. It does not help yet. But blessed is he who notices and loves the ipse and dixit.
Psalm 34:12.
Come here, children, listen to me, and I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
He who fears the Lord will keep his commandments and not disobey. He who is obedient will be blessed here and there, though he must suffer much in such obedience.
1) Here the Erlangen edition, whose redaction is shorter and, as it seems to us, more original, continues like this: "Otherwise, do not trust in any creatures in heaven or from earth. That is in sum so much said: We shall have no other gods; for to have a God is as much as to trust God".
sam. He who is obedient also believes what God says and accepts Christ, His Son, through whom He speaks to us. He who has Him has everything. But to this belongs hope and perseverance to the end.
V. 16, 17: The eyes of the Lord look upon the righteous, and his ears upon their cry. But the face of the LORD is upon them that do evil, to cut off their remembrance from the earth.2
This is certainly true, but who believes it? The great godless multitude in the world, who ask nothing of God, His word and kingdom, but serve and worship their god, the belly, they live freely and securely in the rush, without any fear of God, letting nothing challenge them, not even thinking that God is angry with them, looks at them sourly, and will soon eradicate their memory from the earth. Moreover, they take pleasure and joy in it, and laugh in their fists when they see that the pious, who accept the word, hold it dear, confess it and spread it, are evil, persecuted, blasphemed as heretics and seducers, and in some cases even miserably murdered; to which they then also confidently help.
Again, it grieves, saddens and offends the hearts of devout Christians when they see that the despisers of God, the "epicureans" and mammon servants, are so happy in the world that they lead out everything they undertake, trample on the pious and suppress them as much as they can. This makes them impatient at times, thinking that God has forgotten them, and so they lose the glorious comfort that "the eyes of the Lord are upon them, and his ears upon their cry. But be of good cheer, you who fear God, hold fast to the Word, believe and pray, be patient for a little while, and wait, for it will surely come to pass as the Psalm says, namely, that the Lord will help the righteous out of all their troubles, even though they must suffer much, and "the wicked who hate the righteous will be put to death by calamity," v. 22.
V. 16: The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears upon their cry.
2) In the issues: siehet.
This is a great comfort, so that every Christian can comfort himself in all his afflictions and say: I know for certain that our Lord God loves me dearly, even though I am now in this great distress and do not see how I can be helped. But I command my dear God, who now looks upon me in this affliction as a mother looks upon her little child whom she has carried under her heart; he will do it well; I will also ask him, and will certainly believe that he will hear me and save me.
V. 18 When the righteous cry out, the Lord hears and delivers them from all their distress.
A great certainty is this: if we call, the Lord will hear, and will rather hear and much more than we can always call. Are we not worthy of reproach for being so lazy as to call, when we have such glorious and comforting promises, and so many of them? O shout and cry out whoever can; there is no lack of hearing. And especially in this terrible last time, shortly before the end of the world, calling and crying out to God, the Father of our Savior Jesus Christ, will be of great need; therefore let us watch, and call without ceasing, so that we do not fall into temptation.
Psalm 37:30, 31.
The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue teaches justice. The law of his God is in his heart; his footsteps do not slip.
Remember, God's word must be meant in the heart and with seriousness, pure without any addition, so it makes the walk sure and safe. But the doctrine of men is a slippery path; one must slip and stumble until one breaks neck and leg.
Psalm 40:8, 9.
In the book it is written of me, your will, my God, I gladly do.
The spirit speaks as if he knew of no book (although the world is full of them), but only of this book, the holy scripture, which is read or respected very little in the world. He may read it himself to his own, if he wants to be understood. For it writes nothing
of men, nor of the belly (like the others all), but of the fact that God's Son has been obedient to the Father for us, and has accomplished His will. Whoever does not need this wisdom should leave this book, for it is of no use to him. It teaches a different and eternal life, of which reason knows nothing and can comprehend nothing.
Therefore, if anyone wishes to study this book, let him look for nothing else in it but what the Psalm says, namely, that the Son of God, who willingly and obediently became a burnt offering for us, should make atonement for God's wrath in heaven and on earth and in all creatures. For all creatures, even the angels (though not willingly), are subject to vanity for service, Rom. 8:20, until through Christ the wrath is finally removed, all things are restored to their rightful place and brought to their first freedom, amen.
In the book is written by me, your will 2c.
This is the book of the Holy Spirit, namely the Holy Scriptures, in which one must seek and find Christ, not only through the promise, but also through the law. For even the law cannot be understood apart from Christ, because no one knows what it wants and how it is to be fulfilled; as he says here, "Your will, my God, I gladly do, and your law is in my heart." Yes, that same heart is the right living tablet, in which we can read the law and learn it with joy. Summa, apart from this book you will not find Christ, be it ever so good.
In the book is written of me, your will, my God 2c.
In which will we are all sanctified, justified and saved. Just as St. Paul also says in Romans 5:19: "Through one obedience many are made righteous. If you want to know what God's gracious will is, read this book, which teaches about Christ's obedience for our sins, and you will find that this is God's will, that we should be justified and saved through His Son's obedience; otherwise all our actions are nothing but disobedience, sin, death and hell.
Your will, my God, I do gladly.
Yes, of course, you alone do it, dear Lord, what God wants, that is, the Father wants to make all men blessed; but you alone shall and must do it, through your blood. This is to be sought and studied in this book, so it is understood. 2)
Psalm 45:11, 12.
Hear, daughter, look upon it, and incline thine ears; forget thy people and thy father's house, and the king shall delight in thy beauty: for he is thy Lord, and thou shalt worship him.
This King is far different from the kings of this time, but we must obey him and, as he says, forget father, house, people and all that we have here, which this temporal life holds in high and glorious esteem. For he hath prepared for us an eternal life, where no man can help us, neither father, nor people, nor things that are on earth, but this King alone. And he shall be man, our King, and also God, whom we shall worship, which is Jesus Christ, the Son of God and of Mary, our dear Lord and Savior, praised by the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever, amen.
Listen, daughter, look at it 2c.
Nothing is more beautiful in the sight of God than a soul that gladly hears this royal word. Therefore he speaks here: If you will hear and see; as if the Holy Spirit wanted to say: See, that you hold out your ears, open your eyes and heart, then you are a beautiful bride to the King, Jesus Christ, and a dear daughter to God the Father. Again, who does not like to hear,
1) In the old editions: "sol".
2) Another redaction, a summary of the two previous interpretations, is found in De Wette, vol. V, p. 525, reprinted from Innocent News, 1730, p. 715 (The proof: "Walch, XXI, 1596" is incorrect):
In the book is written of me, My God, your will I gladly do.
By this sufficiency or obedience of Christ we are all sanctified, Heb. 10, as St. Paul says Rom. 5: By one obedience many are justified.
Much should be studied in this book: The book is to be studied, so it will be understood.
3) Erlanger: "die sein" instead of: so dieses Königes.
He is the devil's bride and daughter. For even among men there is nothing better than obedience, nothing uglier than disobedience. But to hear God's word gladly belongs to forgetting father and people, that is what original sin and birth, also what reason, worldly wisdom, and all nations' holiness and own righteousness are capable of.
Forget your people 2c.
Here it is, there it is: he who is to believe in Christ must forget the law, the Father, and all works and righteousness. It is briefly said, but it comes out sour. Magnum verbum, abnegationem sui docens.
Listen, daughter 2c., the king will take pleasure in your beauty.
Here the Holy Spirit speaks that the highest beauty is when one gladly hears God's word and is obedient. In such people God has all His pleasure and joy, and they shall also be His beloved brides and grooms. But those who are disobedient and do not listen are disgraceful, displeasing people, in whom neither God nor men take pleasure, but only the devil, who is the father of lies and all disobedience, of whom they are also brides. God protect us from this, amen.
Psalm 50. 15.
Call upon me in trouble, and I will hear you, and you shall praise me.
This is said so much: Dear man, if you are in trouble, if you are in misery and distress, and if you are lacking here and there, then ask, call and cry out to me for advice, help and comfort: I will hear you gladly, and help you so wonderfully out of your distress that you shall say: You must have thanks for this in eternity, you gracious, faithful God.
V. 23. He who offers peace offerings praises me 2c.
The unbelieving saints always want to give to God as if He were in their service, since He is God and gives to us, and wants to give everything, because we need His goodness; but He wants us to be grateful, and considers Him to be our God.
4) In the Wittenberg: "sticktests", Jena: "stickst", Erlanger: "stickts" instead of: steckst du.
Psalm 55:23, 24.
Throw your concern to the LORD, he will provide for you, and will not leave the righteous in trouble forever. But you, God, will push them down into the pit; the bloodthirsty and the false will not bring their lives to the half. But I hope in you.
We, who confess Christ and His Word at this time, also have our tribulations and sufferings, and bear our cross, as all God's children have borne before us, which is a sure indication that we have the right, pure, divine doctrine, and are God's children, and that God has loaded such a cross on us out of His gracious will, for our good, so that our faith may be tried and proven. But we have the promise that these tribulations of ours will not last forever, but for a little while, yes, as Isaiah Cap. 54, 7. and St. Paul 2 Cor. 4, 17. say, only for a moment (although it seems to us to be a long time). So Christ also comforts us John 16:22: "Over a little while you will see me again, and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you." This is also what the prophet means here when he says: "The Lord will not leave the righteous in trouble forever."
Therefore we should not be fainthearted, not impatient, nor despondent, but, as the Holy Spirit exhorts us here, so send ourselves into the cause that we cast our concern upon the Lord. And because the matter is his, not ours (for we are persecuted for his word, and much ours is strangled), we should not doubt that he will take care of us and, according to his promise, will not leave us in trouble forever, but will miraculously deliver us from this great trouble. This is what we are to do, namely to call upon and pray with faith and from the heart to the almighty, eternal Father of our Savior Jesus Christ, because our enemies basically seek nothing else (they color and decorate their actions as they wish) but the destruction of right doctrine, and that they may again set up and confirm the wretched papacy's blasphemous abominations 1) and lies, so that he may throw the bloodthirsty and false ones (this is what the Holy Spirit calls them in Psalm 5:7) into the pit.
1) Erlanger: des Pabstthums Greuel.
so that they may not bring their lives to the half, nor accomplish what they have undertaken to do. Amen to that, every one that hopes in the Lord, and loves his word, amen.
Cast your concern upon the Lord, and He will provide for you.
Glossa St. Peter, 1 Ep. 5, 7. "Cast all your care upon him, for he cares for you."
Ah! Whoever could learn "throwing" would learn that it is certainly so. But he who does not learn such throwing must remain a rejected, thrown down, subjugated, thrown out, cast down and overthrown man.
Psalm 56:9.
Lord, count my flight, put my tears in your sack, without doubt you count them.
The prophet wants to say a lot: "If no one wants to consider my suffering and misery, you look so carefully at it, Lord, that you count all my steps in my flight, how far, how far away I have to be chased and run, do not forget any tears that I cry; but I know that you write them all down in your register and will not forget them. From this, according to the example of David, each one who is persecuted by the enemies of the truth and driven into misery for the sake of confessing Christian doctrine, take this comfort that he is certain and does not doubt that his flight, his tears are all counted and reckoned before God, all the footsteps and steps that become sore to him are written down, and all the tears are put in God's bag, so that not one shall fall or be forgotten.
But if it comes to this, out of God's gracious will, that someone has to endure and die, let him command his soul to God, as the faithful Creator and Savior, and let this be his comfort, that God will preserve all his bones, so that not one of them shall be broken, Ps. 34, 21. As also Christ speaks Luc. 12, 7: "Your hairs on your head are all numbered" 2c.
Psalm 71:6.
In you, O Lord, I have relied from my mother's womb; you have drawn me from my mother's womb. My glory is always from you.
This much is said, before I was, lived, wove, and could do nothing, you, Lord, were over me in my mother's womb, graciously took care of me, as your creature, warmly cared for me, and miraculously preserved me. Rather, O faithful guardian of mankind, you do this to me, who now, born a man into the world, live, walk, stand, create, and know you through your word; although it seems much different before my eyes, and my old Adam, who hangs from my neck to the pit, feels the contradiction.
But it seems and feels as it will, I do not turn to it, let it also not err, but hold me to your word that you are my Lord from mother's womb. This is not deceptive or lacking; I rely on it and thereby awaken and strengthen my faith, which does not look at the visible things that are present, but waits for the invisible things through hope and patience. Praise be to you, my Lord and my God, forever and ever.
Psalm 98:1.
Sing to the Lord a new song, for he does wonders. He conquers with his right hand and with his holy arm.
Since the Holy Spirit calls us all to sing, it is certain that He also calls us to accept such miracles as have been performed and proclaimed for our salvation and good. Therefore, the doubt and unbelief is condemned here, who says: "What do I know, whether God has done such victory and miracles for me by His right hand or by His arm (that is, by His Son)? Hear (says the Spirit), to you, to you, it is done, you, you, you shall sing, be glad, and give thanks; this is my will and opinion.
Who forgives all your sins, and heals all your infirmities, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with grace and mercy. Who makes thy mouth glad, and thou shalt grow young again like an eagle.
In these three verses, the prophet recounts six kinds of good deeds, for which he, his
1) i.e. something.
2) This time determination is found only in Walch.
In the same way as in the example, all believers in Christ are exhorted to praise and give thanks to God with all their heart.
The first is that all our sins are forgiven us in and through Christ, our one Mediator and High Priest, who incurred the righteous and terrible wrath of God against our sin, and offered Himself for it to God, thereby reconciling the eternal Father and representing us without fail.
The other is that for the sake of Christ, God will not impute to us the remaining sins that still cling to us until the pit, of which there are only many, in addition great and heavy, but will cover them all, cleanse them and heal them.
The third is that he also saves us daily from many dangers of death, since we often should have perished in fire, water, item, sword, pestilence, or other plagues because of our sin, and keeps us alive out of pure grace.
The fourth, that He crown us above with grace and mercy, as with a shield, giving the Holy Spirit, who upholds us in the truth, comforts us in all our troubles, and adorns us with His gifts.
The fifth, that He may also give us courage and joy, that we both, with heart and mouth, may confidently and undauntedly praise and preach such benefits of God before all the world, for the benefit and betterment of many, that they may also recognize God's grace and mercy, praise Him for it, and call upon Him in time of need.
The sixth, that we may be restored in Christ and made new creatures in God's image, that by the help of the Holy Spirit, whom we have received through faith, we may willingly begin to render to God the new obedience that will be perfect in that life 2c.
Psalm 107:20.
God sent His word and made them well and saved them so that they would not die.
A man who hears a word from another lets it be a word and accepts what it says. But what God (who certainly keeps faith) speaks and promises in His word (which endures forever), the fleshly heart does not want to accept that it is God's word, which is certain and true. People may well have
a great desire, when things are going badly for them (having nothing of their own, being imprisoned, lying in mortal peril, floating in danger on the water, suffering theurung half distress, being harassed and oppressed by tyrants), for help and salvation from all these distresses, which God creates and provides through His word, as the Psalm reports here: "God sent His word and helped them" 2c.
But they lack that they do not believe that Suum Acerbum, his, his (God's) word is certain, firm and true; therefore they also do not seek help in their needs from him, but verbum suum, id est, porcorum et scrofarum, that is, follow their carnal sense, whose fruits they will also reap (instead of the temporal welfare and gentle life they sought), namely hell and eternal damnation. So they have fished well.
Psalm 109:31.
The Lord is at the right hand of the poor, to help him from those who condemn his life.
Note that ordinary judges and authorities persecute and condemn Christ and his followers to death, which they should protect and defend. If Turks or unchristian tyrants did it, it would be no wonder. But because it is done by those who bear the name and title of Christian authorities, it is extremely painful. But what reward such persecutors finally get is shown in the following Psalm (Ps. 110:5, 6): "The Lord at thy right hand shall smite the kings in the time of his wrath" 2c. "He will bruise the head over many lands." And Ps. 2:4, 5: "He who dwells in heaven laughs at them, and the LORD mocks at them. He shall speak to them in his wrath, and with his fury shall he make them afraid." Item, v. 12: "His wrath will soon burn."
Psalm 110, 1.
Sit at my right hand.
He sets Him very high, not at Rome, nor at Constantinople, but at His right hand, where He will sit secure from His enemies. Now let him who is afraid put on armor; if it helps, it helps. But we know that it must help, because he lives and remains.
alive, the XXXXX XX, that is, the Lord, to whom the Lord said, "Sit at my right hand." There it is. Therefore rejoice in the LORD, and sing joyfully all the righteous, and praise all the upright. Ps. 32, 11.
Psalm 112, 1.
Blessed is he who fears the Lord, who has great delight in his commandments.
Of course, he will not be afraid of the devil, much less of sin, death and all misfortune, whatever it may be called, that the devil is a founder and causer. Cause, he already has, through the word he believes, all the heavenly goods, forgiveness of sins, righteousness, eternal life and bliss, which the Son of God acquired for him through his death and resurrection. And if it is only for a little while, he will indeed possess them in eternal joy and delight; this is certainly true.
Psalm 116:10, 15.
I believe, therefore I speak; but I am greatly afflicted. The death of his saints is worthy in the sight of the Lord.
If this is true, then the saints who believe, speak or confess, and are afflicted and suffer because of it (for of such the psalm speaks), will look upon death differently than the unbelieving great multitude in the world, namely, for a blessed departure and passage from this misery and misery valley (where the devil is prince and God) into that life where there will be inexpressible and glorious joy and eternal bliss. They work diligently at this art, studying and practicing it daily, asking earnestly that our dear Lord Jesus 1) Christ may give them a blessed hour, and then comfort them through His Spirit, so that they may commit their little souls to Him in right faith, knowledge and confession. To such, death is not terrible, but a dear welcome, especially at this last perilous time. For through death, as the Scripture says, Isa. 57:1, 2, "they are snatched away from calamity, come to peace, and rest in their chambers.
1) "JEsus" is missing in the Erlanger.
On the other hand, there is nothing more horrible and terrible to the unbelievers, of which they are more terrified, trembling and fearful, than death. Cause, the gospel will not come to them (will remain silent that they should confess it and suffer over it), because it is a word from the cross, and preaches of future heavenly, eternal goods, which one must hope for and expect in patience, after which they ask little, but rather they strive for it with the greatest diligence, so that they may get honor, riches, power, good days in this life, and thus send themselves into it, as if they wanted to stay here forever.
But because all these things are uncertain and transitory, of which they are not sure for a moment, they act as fools, so that their heart hangs on the temporal and relies on it, and thereby neglect, even despise, persecute and blaspheme the dear word, which alone shows us the way to heaven and can comfort us in all kinds of distress and death.
Therefore it serves them right that when they think they want to live best, death overtakes them and snatches them away, and both lose this and that life, and receive eternal death and damnation as a reward. This is a horrible, terrible death, protect us from it, dear Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
The LORD is my strength, and my psalm, and is my salvation.
On nothing shall we rely nor defy, but on the Lord, who shall be our strength, and do all things in us. For this we shall praise and give thanks to him, that he alone may be our psalm; so we shall surely be blessed in him. From this it follows that this Lord is Jesus Christ, true God, born of the Father in eternity, and also true man, born of Mary when the time was fulfilled, because he is praised here as our power or strength, psalm and salvation.
The Lord is my power, and my psalm, and is my salvation.
Not before Christ can be our power, we become powerless in ourselves, and
1) This ZeittsstimmmiA is rmr at Walch:
crucified through all kinds of suffering; then he also becomes our psalm, song and chant. Then follows victory and salvation into eternal life.
V. 22. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
So it must go. For thus it is written that Christ and his followers are despised by the world, by the best, the most learned, the "greatest," as those who are called the world's helpers and governors, and who alone want to be the right builders of all classes. Nevertheless, he is and remains the cornerstone from which all who believe in him are built, and through him they are saved. On the other hand, the builders who reject him will always die one by one like cattle, and go to hell, because their worm will not die and their fire will not go out. Isa. 66, 24.
Psalm 119:1. 2)
Blessed are those who live without change, who walk in the law of the Lord.
The highest comfort is when one is certain that his deeds are God's command. For he can finally stand, and must succeed against all devils, the world and all evil, if he holds fast to it. But what is without God's word must finally dissolve, even if all the devils and the world hold on to it with iron mountains and steel trees.
V. 4. You commanded to diligently keep your commands.
It is especially important to note the word "your", which is found in almost all verses, or in each of them evenly, 3) so that he will tear us away from the teachings of men and keep us with God's teachings.
Therefore, one should also follow with the heart, and if the same word, show reluctance in the heart to the doctrine of men.
2) In this Psalm, because in the old Bibles the verse numbers are not available, in the Wittenberg and in the Jena editions the octonaries (divisions of eight verses each) are given. Walch misunderstood this, considered it to be a determination of time, and therefore "1. Oct." 2c. resolved by: "October 1," 2c. We have not designated the octonaries because the number of verses is given.
3) "into fine uniform," that is, in the verses which are uniform to this verse.
V. 5. Oh that my life would keep your rights with all seriousness. 1)
Whoever does not investigate God's word, gladly reads it, gladly hears it, and lets it be his daily bread, will never keep it. But he who loves to study it, to read it, to hear it, and to handle it daily, he is surely the one who keeps it. The same also thanks God for such grace. For it is impossible that he should despise God's word, regardless of whether the flesh is weak and its nature rages against the spirit. But whoever begins to despise it, will soon thereafter persecute it, and finally blaspheme and condemn it, as one, unfortunately, experiences daily.
V. 9: How will a young man go his way blamelessly? If he keeps himself according to your words. 2)
Although people of all ages should let themselves be governed by God's word, this is especially necessary for the youthful age, before it absorbs wrong opinions and is thereby corrupted. For there is little hope in the old who are already corrupted, as Jeremiah says [Cap. 13, 23. loosely from the Vulgate^: "If a Moor can walk fine skin, ye also shall lose 3) to do evil." Therefore also the heathen and the godless have noticed that much lies in what one gets used to. Thus the poet says: Principiis obsta, sero medicina paratur. It is better preserved than lamented, say the Germans (dicit Germania). 1545.
Martinus Luther, D.
V. 21. Cursed are those who lack your commandments.
Those who lack God's word cannot prosper, they must wither, like the fig tree. For "what my Father has not planted," says Christ Matth. 15, 13, "must be uprooted.
1) This passage is duplicated in Walch (Col. 1377 and 1378) and in the Erlangen edition, Vol. 52, p. 316 and p. 317. We have omitted it the first time, where it has the second verse as a superscription. The Wittenberg and Jena editions have only our text.
2) This interpretation is found in "D. Christian Löber's Historie Von Ronneburg" 2c. Altenburg 1722. p. 387 f. Luther wrote the same (in Latin, we have translated it) in the Bible of the mayor of Neustadt an der Orla Basilius Güpner (Seidemann-De Wette, Vol. VI, p. 646.).
3) In Latin non UeUilUoeritis. Here we have omitted "no" because it is too much.
V. 54. Your rights are my song in my house, "in which I am a stranger. 4)
Because I am despised on earth and must be a guest, and I have been put to shame by the world, because I do not want to weep with it, nor speak and do what it would like to hear and have, I take comfort in the fact that I have God's word, in which He promises and gives me His eternal grace and heavenly goods. I will sing joyfully of this, praising and thanking God to the displeasure of the world and the devil.
V. 60. I hasten and do not delay to keep your commandments.
A godly man, who waits for God's word of his profession, is always skilled and ready to do much good, and does it without ceasing; what he undertakes is done by him, and no human commandment can hinder him or turn him away from it. So he does more good in one hour than an ungodly man does all his life. Cause, because his deeds are done in faith and obedience to God, God gives his blessing and prosperity to them. On the other hand, a wicked man can do nothing but evil, and does it without ceasing. For since he does not live his life according to God's word, and does not desire to know it, but despises it, and does something special of his own choice, against God's command, even if he does much and everything, it is still called nothing done. For "obedience is better than sacrifice." And "he who does not gather with me," says Christ Luc. 11:23, "scatters.
V 92. If your law had not been my comfort, I would have perished in my misery. 5)
No other book, doctrine, or word can comfort us in hardship, fear, misery, death, even among the devils and in hell, without this book alone, which God has given us.
4) In the old editions, the words: "therein I am a stranger" are put in brackets to emphasize them. We have used speech marks instead.
5) This interpretation is found, as "Seideman" (De Wette VI, 341) says, in a copy of the folio Bible published in Wittenberg in 1545 by Hans Luft, which is in the Dresden library, in a "copy imitating the writing of the original". We give the text according to the Wittenberg edition. The variants are insignificant, without influence on the content.
Word teaches, and in it God Himself talks to us as a man talks to his friend. Other teachings may make rich, powerful, honest, and lift this life high; but when adversity and death come storming along, they flee as the faithless rogues, with all their honor, goods, power, friendship, and leave shamefully and treacherously: For they know nothing, can do nothing, do nothing in divine, eternal things. The world is still mad, senseless and furious, does not respect this book, even persecutes it and blasphemes it, as if it were the devil's book. From which heap God protect us.
V. 98. You make me wiser with your commandment than my enemies are; for it is my treasure forever.
The devil is called and is a thousandfold artist, yet he must become a fool, and with all his cunning and violence become a disgrace, even to the poor Lazaro, or least, most despised Christian, that he cannot harm him. Cause, a Christian is much too wise for him and all his limbs (as high and clever as they are), because he sticks to God's word, which is a divine power and wisdom that gives strength, counsel and action to the faithful, so that they finally prevail against all their enemies and win, even if they have to suffer much because of it.
V. 99. I am more learned than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my speech.
God's wisdom is nowhere to be found except in His Word. Whoever loves and values it, and always deals with it, is not only an enlightened doctor, proven by God, over all other worldly wise men and scholars, but also a judge over all wisdom and doctrine, both of devils and men. Again, whoever does not mean God's word in earnest, but follows the teachings and wisdom of men, and lives and governs his life according to them, is and remains an unlearned student of the Scriptures all his life. And even if he talks and writes a lot about it, and therefore makes himself believe that he is a master of it, he still does not understand anything about it, is drowned in his carnal thoughts, is deceived, and deceives others.
1) This year is only in Walch.
I am more learned than all 2c.
Is this not strange talk? He calls them his teachers, and yet he confesses that they did not teach him God's word. Should we not also say the same against the papists, who want to be and be called our teachers, and can themselves do nothing? I am more learned than you, because you idols sit there in office, and can teach nothing of God's word, but vain lies.
V. 100. I am wiser than the ancients, for I keep your command.
This is a perverse and annoying speech, that the old, that is, the ecclesiastics, scholars, wise 2c. should learn from the young, and become fools, when naturally and properly the young should learn from the old. This now makes the pope and his foolish, that we cannot suffer their old violins of human laws, and call us heretics, as those who want to be wiser than the old. But here it says that the young, who have God's word, study and practice, shall be wiser than the old, because they do not have nor want to have God's word, and must remain old fools, die, and be eternally damned 2c.
I am smarter 2c.
Yes, of course, the holy scripture is the highest, yes, only and divine wisdom. That is why it makes young people wiser than the old, and who they are, who want to be wise without, even against the holy scripture. As also the19. Psalm, v. 8, says: "The testimony of the Lord is sure, and makes the foolish wise."
V. 105. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Reason is also a light, and a beautiful light. But the way and the foot that should go out of sins and death to righteousness and life, it cannot show nor meet, but remains in darkness. Just as our unlit and waxed lights do not illuminate the heavens, nor the earth, but the narrow corners of houses; but the sun illuminates the heavens, the earth, and the earth itself.
2) This year is only in Walch.
everything: so God's word is also the right sun, which gives us the eternal day to live and to be joyful. Such a word is given abundantly and sweetly in the Psalter. Happy is he who has a desire for it and likes to see such light, for it likes to shine. But mice and bats do not like it, that is, the world.