Salmos 118
Augustine of Hippo · Comentário Patrístico (catena)
Salmos 118:1
...We are taught in this Psalm, when we chaunt Allelujah, which meaneth, Praise the Lord, that we should, when we hear the words, "Confess unto the Lord" (ver. 1), praise the Lord. The praise of God could not be expressed in fewer words than these, "For He is good." I see not what can be more solemn than this brevity, since goodness is so peculiarly the quality of God, that the Son of God Himself when addressed by some one as "Good Master," by one, namely, who beholding His flesh, and comprehending not the fulness of His divine nature, considered Him as man only, replied, "Why callest thou Me good? There is none good but one, that is, God." And what is this but to say, If thou wishest to call Me good, recognise Me as God? But since it is addressed, in revelation of things to come, to a people freed from all toil and wandering in pilgrimage, and from all admixture with the wicked, which freedom was given it through the grace of God, who not only doth not evil for evil, but even returneth good for evil; it is most appropriately added, "Because His mercy endureth for ever." — Exposition on Psalm 118
Salmos 118:1
We have been warned and instructed by the Spirit of God to confess to the Lord. And this is the reason given for confessing to the Lord, because He is good. It is briefly said what is deeply thought. Confess, he says, to the Lord. And as if we asked: "Why," the answer is: Because He is good. What more do you seek, or if you seek anything else, what do you seek but the good? Such is the strength of the good that even the wicked seek the good. But the things that are called good are good because they owe their goodness to some good. If we seek all good things from where they have their goodness, let us remember: And God made everything, and behold, it was very good. Therefore there would be nothing good unless it were made by the good. And by what kind of good? A good that nobody made. Therefore, there would be nothing good unless it were made by the good, which itself was not made. The heavens are good, but created good; the angels are good, but created good; the stars, sun and moon, the alternation of night and day, the changes of seasons, the ages of the world, the cycles of the years, the sprouts of trees and herbs, the nature of animals, and among all these, the praising creature, man. All are good, but created good. And they are good from God, not from themselves. He who made these things is above all and is good, because nobody made Him good, but He is good in Himself. Yet He is not good to Himself alone, but also to us. Therefore, confess to the Lord, for He is good. — Sermon 29
Salmos 118:2-5
"Let Israel now confess that He is good, and that His mercy endureth for ever" (ver. 2). "Let the house of Aaron now confess that His mercy endureth for ever" (ver. 3). "Yea, let all now that fear the Lord confess that His mercy endureth for ever" (ver. 4). Ye remember, I suppose, most beloved, what is the house of Israel, what is the house of Aaron, and that both are those that fear the Lord. For they are "the little and the great," who have already in another Psalm been happily introduced into your hearts: in the number of whom all of us should rejoice that we are joined together, in His grace who is good, and whose mercy endureth for ever; since they were listened to who said, "May the Lord increase you more and more, you and your children;" that the host of the Gentiles might be added to the Israelites who believed in Christ, of the number of whom are the Apostles our fathers, for the exaltation of the perfect and the obedience of the little children; that all of us when made one in Christ, made one flock under one Shepherd, and the body of that Head, like one man, may say, "I called upon the Lord in trouble, and the Lord heard me at large" (ver. 5). The narrow straits of our tribulation are limited: but the large way whereby we pass along hath no end. "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?" — Exposition on Psalm 118
Salmos 118:6
But are men, then, the only enemies that the Church hath? What is a man devoted to flesh and blood, save flesh and blood? But the Apostle saith, "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against," ...he saith, "spiritual wickedness in high places;" that is, the devil and his angels; that devil whom elsewhere he calleth "the prince of the power of the air." — On the Psalms, Psalm 118
Salmos 118:7
Hear therefore what followeth: "The Lord is my helper: therefore shall I despise mine enemies" (ver. 7). From what class soever my enemies may arise, whether from the number of evil men, or from the number of evil angels; in the Lord's help, unto whom we chant the confession of praise, unto whom we sing Allelujah, they shall be despised. — On the Psalms, Psalm 118
Salmos 118:8
But, when my enemies have been brought to contempt, let not my friend present himself unto me as a good man, so as to bid me repose my hope in himself: for "It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put any confidence in man." — Exposition on Psalm 118
Salmos 118:8
Moreover, he will destroy every dominion and authority through the express manifestation of the kingdom of the Father so that all may know that no ruler and no authority, whether they are heavenly or earthly, have possessed any dominion and authority of themselves but by him from whom are all things, not only in respect of their existing but also in respect of their ordering. For in that appearing there will remain no hope for anyone in any ruler or in any person. This is said even now by way of prophecy: "It is good to hope in the Lord rather than to hope in people; it is good to hope in the Lord rather than to hope in princes." Thus, with this meditation, the soul rises up even now to the kingdom of the Father, neither placing much value in the power of anyone besides him, nor, to its own destruction, flattering itself about its own. — ON EIGHTY-THREE VARIED QUESTIONS 69:4
Salmos 118:9
Nor let any one, who may in a certain sense be styled a good angel, be regarded by myself as one in whom I ought to put my trust: for "no one is good, save God alone;" and when a man or an angel appear to aid us, when they do this of sincere affection, He doth it through them, who made them good after their measure. "It is" therefore "better to trust in the Lord, than to put any confidence in princes." For angels also are called princes, even as we read in Daniel, "Michael, your prince." — Exposition on Psalm 118
Salmos 118:10
"All nations compassed me round about, but in the Name of the Lord have I taken vengeance on them." He signifies the toils and the victory of the Church. — Exposition on Psalm 118
Salmos 118:11
"They kept me in on every side, they kept me in, I say, on every side; but in the Name of the Lord have I taken vengeance on them." As if the question were asked how she could have overcome so great evils, he looks back to the example, and declares what she had first suffered in her Head, by adding what follows, "They kept me in on every side:" and the words, "All nations," are with reason not repeated here, because this was the act of the Jews alone. There that very religious nation (which is the body of Christ, and in behalf of which was done all that was done in mortal form with immortal power, by that inward divinity, through the outward flesh), suffered from persecutors, of whose race that flesh was assumed and hung upon the cross. — Exposition on Psalm 118
Salmos 118:12
"They came about me as bees do a hive, and burned up even as the fire among the thorns: and in the Name of the Lord have I taken vengeance on them" [Psalm 118:12]. Here then the order of the words corresponds with the order of events. For we rightly understand that our Lord Himself, the Head of the Church, was surrounded by persecutors, even as bees surround a hive. For the Holy Spirit is speaking with mystic subtlety of what was done by those who knew not what they did. For bees make honey in the hives: while our Lord's persecutors, unconscious as they were, rendered Him sweeter unto us even by His very Passion; so that we may taste and see how sweet is the Lord, "Who died for our sins, and arose for our justification." [Romans 4:25] But what follows, "and burned up even as the fire among the thorns," is better understood of His Body, that is, of a people spread abroad, whom all nations compassed about, since it was gathered together from all nations. They consumed this sinful flesh, and the grievous piercings of this mortal life, in the flame of persecution. "Taken vengeance on them:" either because they themselves, that wickedness, which in them persecuted the righteous, having been extinguished, were joined with the people of Christ; or because the rest of them, who have at this time scorned the mercy of Him who calls them, will at the end feel the truth of Him who judges them. — Exposition on Psalm 118
Salmos 118:13
"I have been driven on like a heap of sand, so that I was falling, but the Lord upheld me" [Psalm 118:13]. For though there were a great multitude of believers, that might be compared to the countless sand, and brought into one communion as into one heap; yet "what is man, save Thou be mindful of Him?" He said not, the multitude of the Gentiles could not surpass the abundance of my host, but, "the Lord," he says, "has upheld me." The persecution of the Gentiles succeeded not in pushing forward, to its overthrow, the host of the faithful dwelling together in the unity of the faith. — Exposition on Psalm 118
Salmos 118:14
"The Lord is my strength and my praise, and has become my salvation" [Psalm 118:14]. Who then fall, when they are pushed, save they who choose to be their own strength and their own praise? For no man falls in the contest, except he whose strength and praise fails. He therefore whose strength and praise is the Lord, falls no more than the Lord falls. And for this reason He has become their salvation; not that He has become anything which He was not before, but because they, when they believed on Him, became what they were not before, and then He began to be salvation unto them when turned towards Him, which He was not to them when turned away from Himself. — Exposition on Psalm 118
Salmos 118:14
The fortitude of the martyrs of Christ, both men and women, is Christ. For if only men were strong in suffering, virtue would be ascribed to the stronger sex. Therefore, the weaker sex could also suffer bravely because God could do all things in everyone. So whether it is a man or a woman, in their tribulation they should say: The Lord is my strength; and: I will love you, Lord, my strength. Love itself is a virtue: for whoever knows how to love can endure all things for the sake of what they love. And if illicit love persuaded lovers to endure many hardships bravely for their trifles and sins, and they place no danger before their eyes as they lie in wait for another's modesty, how much stronger should they be in the love of God who love Him, from whom they cannot be separated, whether living or dying? The impudent lover indeed loses what he loves if he is killed for the sake of his beloved; but the strong and just lover of God not only does not lose what he loved by dying, but finds what he loved by dying. Finally, the lover of sin fears to confess, the lover of God fears to deny. Let us, therefore, choose the love, brothers, in which we can live innocently and die safely; for with this love chosen, when it possesses our hearts, for us to live will be Christ, and to die will be gain. By dying, we avoid what we hate; by dying, we reach what we love. — SERMON 299E.1
Salmos 118:15
"The voice of joy and health is in the dwellings of the righteous" (ver. 15); where they who raged against their bodies thought there was the voice of sorrow and destruction. For they did not know the inward joy of the saints in their future hope. Whence the Apostle also saith, "As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing;" and again, "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also." — Exposition on Psalm 118
Salmos 118:16
"The right hand of the Lord hath brought mighty things to pass" (ver. 16). What mighty things? saith he. "The right hand of the Lord," he saith, "hath exalted me." It is a mighty thing to exalt the humble, to deify the mortal, to bring perfection out of infirmity, glory from subjection, victory from suffering, to give help, to raise from trouble; that the true salvation of God might be laid open to the afflicted, and the salvation of men might remain of no avail to the persecutors. These are great things: but what art thou surprised at? Hear what he repeateth: "The right hand of the Lord hath brought mighty things to pass." — Exposition on Psalm 118
Salmos 118:17
"I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord" [Psalm 118:17]. But they, while they were dealing havoc and death on every side, thought that the Church of Christ was dying. Behold, he now declares the works of the Lord. Everywhere Christ is the glory of the blessed Martyrs. By being beaten He conquered those who struck Him; by being patient of torments, the tormentors; by loving, those who raged against Him. — Exposition on Psalm 118
Salmos 118:17
I am disposed, after careful examination, to doubt whether the expression so often used by the Lord, "the kingdom of heaven," can be found in these books [Old Testament]. It is said, indeed, "Love wisdom, that you may reign forever." And if eternal life had not been clearly made known in the Old Testament, the Lord would not have said, as he did even to the unbelieving Jews, "Search the Scriptures, for in them you think that you have eternal life, and they are they that testify of me." And to the same effect are the words of the psalmist: "I shall not die but live and declare the works of the Lord." And again: "Enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death." Again, we read, "The souls of the righteous are in the hand of the Lord, and pain shall not touch them"; and immediately following, "They are in peace; and if they have suffered torture from people, their hope is full of immortality; and after a few troubles, they shall enjoy many rewards." Again, in another place: "The righteous shall live forever, and their reward is with the Lord, and their concern with the Highest; therefore shall they receive from the hand of the Lord a kingdom of glory and a crown of beauty." These and many similar declarations of eternal life, in more or less explicit terms, are found in these writings. Even the resurrection of the body is spoken of by the prophets. The Pharisees, accordingly, were fierce opponents of the Sadducees, who disbelieved the resurrection. This we learn not only from the canonical Acts of the Apostles, which the Manichaeans reject, because it tells of the advent of the Paraclete promised by the Lord, but also from the Gospel, when the Sadducees question the Lord about the woman who married seven brothers, one dying after the other, whose wife she would be in heaven. As regards, then, eternal life and the resurrection of the dead, numerous testimonies are to be found in these Scriptures. But I do not find there the expression "the kingdom of heaven." This expression belongs properly to the revelation of the New Testament, because in the resurrection our earthly bodies shall, by that change that Paul fully describes, become spiritual bodies, and so heavenly, that thus we may possess the kingdom of heaven. And this expression was reserved for him whose advent as king to govern and priest to sanctify his believing people was ushered in by all the symbolism of the old covenant, in its genealogies, its typical acts and words, its sacrifices and ceremonies and feasts and in all its prophetic utterances and events and figures. He came full of grace and truth, in his grace helping us to obey the precepts and in his truth securing the accomplishment of the promises. He came not to destroy the law but to fulfill it. — AGAINST FAUSTUS, A MANICHAEAN 19:31
Salmos 118:18
Nevertheless, let him point out to us, why the body of Christ, the holy Church, the people of adoption, suffered such indignities. "The Lord," he says, "hast chastened and corrected me, but He has not given me over unto death" [Psalm 118:18]. Let not then the boastful wicked imagine that anything has been permitted to their power: they would not have that power, were it not given them from above. Oft does the father of a family command his sons to be corrected by the most worthless slaves; though he designs the heritage for the former, fetters for the latter. What is that heritage? Is it of gold, or silver, or jewels, or farms, or pleasant estates? Consider how we enter into it: and learn what it is. — Exposition on Psalm 118
Salmos 118:19
"Open me," he says, "the gates of righteousness" [Psalm 118:19]. Behold, we have heard of the gates. What is within? "That I may," he says, "go into them, and give thanks unto the Lord." This is the confession of praise full of wonder, "even unto the house of God, in the voice of joy and confession of praise, among such as keep holiday:" this is the everlasting bliss of the righteous, whereby they are blessed who dwell in the Lord's house, praising Him for evermore. — Exposition on Psalm 118
Salmos 118:20
But consider how the gates of righteousness are entered into. "These are the gates of the Lord" he saith, "the righteous shall enter into them" (ver. 20). At least let no wicked man enter there, that Jerusalem which receiveth not one uncircumcised, where it is said, "Without are dogs." Be it enough, that in my long pilgrimage "I have had my habitation among the tents of Kedar:" I endured even unto the end the intercourse of the wicked, but "these are the gates of the Lord: the righteous shall enter into them." — Exposition on Psalm 118
Salmos 118:21
"I will confess unto You, O Lord, for You have heard me, and have become my salvation" [Psalm 118:21]. How often is that confession proved to be one of praise, that does not point out wounds to the physician, but gives thanks for the health it has received. But the Physician Himself is the Salvation. — Exposition on Psalm 118
Salmos 118:22
Therefore, when they began to desire this, they began to belong to Jacob, who believed in Christ, and the flock of the Lord was made in Judah itself. But what does the Lord say about this flock? I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I go to bring them, and there will be one flock and one shepherd. What other sheep does the Lord Jesus Christ have, if not from the gentiles? The sheep from the gentiles were joined to the Jewish sheep. For from the Jews were the Apostles. There were also five hundred brethren who saw the Lord after the resurrection. From there was Nathaniel himself, of whom the Lord testified that there was no deceit in him. There were one hundred and twenty who, when they were in the house, the Holy Spirit came to fill them, whom He had promised to the disciples. There were so many thousands of people we read about in the Acts of the Apostles baptized in the name of Christ, even those who crucified Christ. Therefore, there were sheep from there, and many sheep. But not only those. The Lord had others from the gentiles. These two peoples, coming as if from different paths, are also signified by the two walls. Indeed, the Church of the Jews came from circumcision. The Church of the gentiles came from the uncircumcision. Coming from different paths, they were united in the Lord. Therefore, the Lord was called the corner stone. For the psalm says: The stone which the builders rejected, this became the head of the corner. And the Apostle says: Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner stone. Where there is a corner, two walls are joined; two walls do not meet at the corner unless they come from different directions; for if they come from one direction, they do not form a corner. Therefore, the two kids, these are the two peoples, these are the two folds, these are the two walls, these are the two blind men who were sitting by the road, these are the two boats in which the fish were hauled up. In many places of the Scriptures, the two peoples are understood, but they are one in Jacob. — SERMON 4:18
Salmos 118:22
But who is this whom we speak of? "The Stone which the builders rejected" [Psalm 118:22]; for "It has become the head Stone of the corner" to "make in Himself of two one new man, so making peace; and that He might reconcile both unto God in one body;" [Ephesians 2:15-16] circumcision, to wit, and uncircumcision. — Exposition on Psalm 118
Salmos 118:22
Figuratively stated: "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone." If we take the stone literally, which stone did the builders reject, and it became the cornerstone? If we take the corner literally, on whose corner was this stone made the head? If we admit it is said figuratively, and you take it figuratively; the cornerstone is Christ; the head of the corner, the head of the Church. Why is the Church a corner? Because here he called the Jews, there the Gentiles, and as if two walls coming from different directions and converging in himself, he united by the grace of his peace. For he himself is our peace, who made both one. — SERMON 89:4
Salmos 118:23
"By the Lord was it made unto it" [Psalm 118:23]: that is, it is made into the head stone of the corner by the Lord. For although He would not have become this, had He not suffered: yet He became not this through those from whom He suffered. For they who were building, refused Him: but in the edifice which the Lord was secretly raising, that was made the head stone of the corner which they rejected. "And it is marvellous in our eyes:" in the eyes of the inner man, in the eyes of those that believe, those that hope, those that love; not in the carnal eyes of those who, through scorning Him as if He were a man, rejected Him. — Exposition on Psalm 118
Salmos 118:24
"This is the day which the Lord hath made" (ver. 24). This man remembereth that he had said in former Psalms, "Since He hath inclined His ear unto me, therefore will I call upon Him as long as I live;" making mention of his old days; whence he now saith, "This is the day which the Lord hath made;" that is, wherein He hath given me Salvation. This is the day whereof He said, "In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of Salvation have I helped thee;" that is, a day wherein He, the Mediator, hath become the head Stone of the corner. "Let us rejoice," therefore, "and be glad in Him." — On the Psalms, Psalm 118
Salmos 118:24
What we have sung to God: This is the day which the Lord has made, hence let us speak of what the Lord has given. Here the Prophetic Scripture surely wanted us to understand something. That day which is not common, not conspicuous to the eyes of the flesh! It is not that day which rises and sets but the day which could know its dawn, not its setting! Let us see what the same Psalm previously said: The stone which the builders rejected, this has become the cornerstone. By the Lord has this been done, it is marvelous in our eyes. And it continues: This is the day which the Lord has made. Let us take the beginning of this day from the cornerstone. Who is the cornerstone which the builders rejected if not the Lord Christ whom the Jewish teachers rejected? For the experts of the Law, the teachers of the Jews, rejected Him saying: This one is not from God who loosens the Sabbath. You have already said: This one is not from God who loosens the Sabbath. The stone which the builders rejected, this one has become the cornerstone. How as the cornerstone? Why is Christ called the cornerstone? Because every corner unites two walls from different angles. The Apostles came from the circumcision, they came from the people of the Jews, they also came from those crowds which preceded and followed His beast, saying what is in this same Psalm: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; from there came so many churches of which the Apostle Paul says: I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which are in Christ, but they only heard that he who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once destroyed and they glorified God in me, Jews but adhering to Christ like the Apostles, coming and believing in Christ and making one wall. The other part remained, the Church coming from the Gentiles. They found each other; peace in Christ, unity in Christ who made both one. This is the day which the Lord has made. Consider the whole day as the head and the body, the head Christ, the body the Church. This is the day which the Lord has made. — SERMON 258:1
Salmos 118:25
"Save me now, O Lord: prosper Thou well my way, O Lord" [Psalm 118:25]. Because it is the day of Salvation, "save me:" because we, returning from a long pilgrimage, are separated from those who hated peace, with whom we were peaceful, and who, when we spoke to them, made war upon us without a cause; "prosper well our way" as we return, since You have become our Way. — Exposition on Psalm 118
Salmos 118:26
"Blessed be He that comes in the Name of the Lord" [Psalm 118:26]. Cursed, therefore, is he that comes in his own name; as He says in the Gospel: "if another shall come in his own name, him you will receive." [John 5:43] "We have blessed you out of the house of God." I believe that these are the words of the great to the little, of those great ones, to wit, who in spirit commune with God the Word, who is with God, as they may in this life; and yet temper their discourse for the sake of the little ones, so that they may sincerely say what the Apostle says: "For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. For the love of Christ constrains us." [2 Corinthians 5:13-14] They bless the little children from the inner house of the Lord, where that praise fails not age after age: consider therefore what they proclaim from thence. — Exposition on Psalm 118
Salmos 118:27
That Lord, who came in the Lord's Name, whom the builders refused, and who became the head Stone of the corner, that "Mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ," is God, He is equal with the Father, He hath showed us light, that we might understand what we believed, and declare it to you who understand it not as yet, but already believe it. — On the Psalms, Psalm 118
Salmos 118:28
But that ye also may understand, "Declare a holy day in full assemblies, even unto the horns of the altar;" that is, even unto the inner house of God, from which we have blessed you, where are the high places of the altar. "Declare a holy day," not in a slothful manner, but "in full assemblies" (ver. 28). For this is the voice of joyfulness among those that keep holy day, who walk "in the place of the wonderful tabernacle, even unto the house of God." For if there be there the spiritual sacrifice, the everlasting sacrifice of praise, both the Priest is everlasting, and the peaceful mind of the righteous an everlasting altar. ... — On the Psalms, Psalm 118
Salmos 118:29
And what shall we sing there, save His praises? What else shall we say there, save, "You are my God, and I will confess unto You; You are my God, and I will praise You. I wilt confess unto You, for You have heard me, and art become my Salvation." We will not say these things in loud words; but the love that abides in Him of itself cries out in these words, and these words are love itself. Thus as he began with praise, so he ends: "Confess unto the Lord, for He is gracious, and His mercy endures for ever" [Psalm 118:29]. With this the Psalm commences, with this it ends; since, as from the commencement which we have left behind, so in the end, whither we are returning, there is not anything that can more profitably please us, than the praise of God, and Allelujah evermore. — Exposition on Psalm 118
Salmos 118:29
Let us commend ourselves to God, my brothers, by works of mercy. "O praise the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endures forever." Give praise, for God is merciful, and he wishes to forgive the sins of those who give praise. In addition, offer sacrifice to him. O man, be merciful to your fellow mortals, and God will show mercy to you. You are a mortal; the other person is a mortal also; you are both in need of mercy. On the other hand, God is not in need of mercy, but he is merciful. If, however, the person who is in need of mercy does not show mercy to another who is in need of mercy, how does he expect mercy from One who will never be in need of mercy? Think over what I am saying, brothers. For example, whoever is pitiless in regard to a shipwrecked person remains pitiless until he himself suffers shipwreck. But if he has been shipwrecked, whenever he sees a shipwrecked person he recalls his former experience and he experiences a sympathetic feeling of mercy. Hence, a personal experience of misfortune softens the one whom the common bond of human nature was not able to incline to mercy. How readily he who has been in service in the past has compassion on a servant! How readily he who was once a hired laborer feels sorry for a laborer deprived of his pay! The person who has once suffered a similar loss sympathizes most sincerely with a parent lamenting the loss of a child. Therefore, a similarity of suffering softens any degree of hardness in a human heart. If, then, you who either have been in need of mercy or who fear that you may be in such need (for, as long as you are on this earth, you ought to fear what you have not been, to remember what you have been and to consider what you may be)—if, then, encompassed with the memory of your former need of mercy, with the fear of future needs and with the suffering of present miseries, you do not have mercy on a person who is in trouble and in need of your help, do you expect him whom misery has never afflicted to have mercy on you? And do you fail to give of the abundance that you have received from God and then wish God to give to you from that which he has not received from you? — SERMON 259:3