Salmos 17
Augustine of Hippo · Comentário Patrístico (catena)
Salmos 17:1
"Hear My righteousness, O God, consider My supplication." "Hearken unto My prayer, not in deceitful lips:" not going forth to You in deceitful lips. — Exposition on Psalm 17
Salmos 17:2
"Let My judgment from Your countenance go forth." From the enlightening of the knowledge of You, let Me judge truth. Or at least, let My judgment go forth, not in deceitful lips, from Your countenance, that is, that I may not in judging utter anything else than I understand in You. "Let My eyes see equity:" the eyes, of course, of the heart. — Exposition on Psalm 17
Salmos 17:3
"You have proved and visited Mine heart in the night-season" [Psalm 17:3]. For this Mine heart has been proved by the visitation of tribulation. "You have examined Me by fire, and iniquity has not been found in Me." Now not night only, in that it is wont to disturb, but fire also, in that it burns, is this tribulation to be called; whereby when I was examined I was found righteous. — Exposition on Psalm 17
Salmos 17:4
What the Lord has commanded seems hard and harsh, that any who wish to follow him should deny themselves. But nothing can be hard and harsh that is commanded by one who helps us to do what he commands. You see, both these things are true, both what is said to him in the psalm: "Because of the words of your lips I have kept to hard ways"; and what he himself said, "My yoke is easy, and my burden is light." The fact is, whatever is hard in the commandments is made easy by charity. — SERMON 96:1
Salmos 17:4
"That My mouth may not speak the works of men" [Psalm 17:4]. That nothing may proceed out of My mouth, but what relates to Your glory and praise; not to the works of men, which they do beside Your will. "Because of the words of Your lips." Because of the words of Your peace, or of Your prophets. "I have kept hard ways." I have kept the toilsome ways of human mortality and suffering. — Exposition on Psalm 17
Salmos 17:5
"To perfect My steps in Your paths" [Psalm 17:5]. That the love of the Church might be perfected in the strait ways, whereby she arrives at Your rest. "That My footsteps be not moved." That the signs of My way, which, like footsteps, have been imprinted on the Sacraments and Apostolical writings, be not moved, that they may mark them who would follow Me. Or at least, that I may still abide fixedly in eternity, after that I have accomplished the hard ways, and have finished My steps in the straits of Your paths. — Exposition on Psalm 17
Salmos 17:6
"I have cried out, for You have heard Me, O God" [Psalm 17:6]. With a free and strong effort have I directed My prayers unto You: for that I might have this power, You have heard Me when praying more weakly. "Incline Your ear to Me, and hear My words." Let not Your hearing forsake My humiliation. — Exposition on Psalm 17
Salmos 17:7
"Make Your mercies marvellous" [Psalm 17:7]. Let not Your mercies be disesteemed, lest they be loved too little. "Who savest them that hope in You from such as resist Your right hand:" from such as resist the favour, whereby You favour Me. — Exposition on Psalm 17
Salmos 17:8
"Keep Me, O Lord, as the apple of Your eye": which seems very little and minute: yet by it is the sight of the eye directed, whereby the light is distinguished from the darkness; as by Christ's humanity, the divinity of the Judgment distinguishing between the righteous and sinners. "In the covering of Your wings protect Me." In the defence of Your love and mercy protect Me. — Exposition on Psalm 17
Salmos 17:9
"Keep Me, O Lord, as the apple of Thine eye": which seems very little and minute: yet by it is the sight of the eye directed, whereby the light is distinguished from the darkness; as by Christ's humanity, the divinity of the Judgment distinguishing between the righteous and sinners. "In the covering of Thy wings protect Me." In the defence of Thy love and mercy protect Me. "From the face of the ungodly who have troubled Me." — Exposition on Psalm 17
Salmos 17:10
"Mine enemies have compassed about My soul;" "they have shut up their own fat" [Psalm 17:10]. They have been covered with their own gross joy, after that their desire has been satiated with wickedness. "Their mouth has spoken pride." And therefore their mouth spoke pride, in saying, "Hail, King of the Jews," [Matthew 27:29] and other like words. — Exposition on Psalm 17
Salmos 17:11
"Casting Me forth they have now compassed Me about" [Psalm 17:11]. Casting Me forth outside the city, they have now compassed Me about on the Cross. "Their eyes they have determined to turn down on the earth." The bent of their heart they have determined to turn down on these earthly things: deeming Him, who was slain, to endure a mighty evil, and themselves, that slew Him, none. — Exposition on Psalm 17
Salmos 17:12
"As a lion ready for prey, have they taken Me" [Psalm 17:12]. They have taken Me, like that adversary who "walks about, seeking whom he may devour." [1 Peter 5:8] "And as a lion's cub dwelling in secret places." And as his cub, the people to whom it was said, "You are of your father the devil:" [John 8:44] meditating on the snares, whereby they might circumvent and destroy the just One. — Exposition on Psalm 17
Salmos 17:13
"Arise, O Lord, prevent them, and cast them down" [Psalm 17:13]. Arise, O Lord, Thou whom they suppose to be asleep, and regardless of men's iniquities; be they blinded before by their own malice, that vengeance may prevent their deed; and so cast them down. — Exposition on Psalm 17
Salmos 17:14
"Deliver My soul from the ungodly." Deliver My soul, by restoring Me after the death, which the ungodly have inflicted on Me. "Thy weapon: from the enemies of Thine hand" (ver. 14). For My soul is Thy weapon, which Thy hand, that is, Thy eternal Power, hath taken to subdue thereby the kingdoms of iniquity, and divide the righteous from the ungodly. This weapon then "deliver from the enemies of Thine hand," that is of Thy Power that is from Mine enemies. "Destroy them, O Lord, from off the earth, scatter them in their life." O Lord, destroy them from off the earth, which they inhabit, scatter them throughout the world in this life, which only they think their life, who despair of life eternal. "And by Thy hidden things their belly hath been filled." Now not only this visible punishment shall overtake them, but also their memory hath been filled with sins, which as darkness are hidden from the light of Thy truth, that they should forget God. "They have been filled with swine's flesh." They have been filled with uncleanness, treading under foot the pearls of God's words. "And they have left the rest to their babes:" crying out, "This sin be upon us and upon our children." — Exposition on Psalm 17
Salmos 17:15
Holy and divine words, brothers, are recited to us continually, indeed daily, for our benefit, so that our souls may be nourished: and in the future age may be filled with eternal feasts; as the prophet says: I shall be satisfied when Your glory is revealed. But what this future glory is, with what riches it blossoms, and with what splendor it shines, we can praise, but we cannot explain. Why? Because we read: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, what God has prepared for those who love Him. If therefore such and so great are the eternal and heavenly goods which the Almighty Lord has prepared for His holy, catholic, and faithful people; what is God Himself, who has prepared such and so great things? What is, I say, Almighty God? What, except immeasurable, ineffable, incomprehensible, above all, beyond all, besides all? For He transcends all His creation, surpasses all His works, excelling all. For if you ask about greatness, He is greater; if beauty, more beautiful; if sweetness, sweeter; if splendor, more radiant; if justice, more just; if strength, stronger; if mercy, more merciful. For no reason permits that any creation should be equal to its creator, or a work be compared to its artist: as it is read in the prophet: He who made strong things is stronger; and He who made beautiful things is more beautiful than them. — Sermon 384
Salmos 17:15
We thirst, we hunger, we need to be satisfied: but on the way there is hunger, in the homeland there is satiety. When will we be satisfied? I shall be satisfied when your glory is revealed. But now the glory of our God, the glory of our Christ, is hidden: and with him, ours is also hidden. But when Christ, your life, appears, then you will also appear with him in glory. — Sermon 255
Salmos 17:15
For what are those treasures of wisdom and knowledge, what are those divine riches, unless they suffice for us? And what is that multitude of sweetness unless it satisfies us? Therefore, show us the Father, and it suffices for us. And in a certain psalm, one of us, or in us, or for us, says to Him: I shall be satisfied when Your glory is revealed. But He and the Father are one: and he who sees Him sees the Father. Therefore, the Lord of hosts, He is the king of glory. Turning to us, He will show us His face; and we shall be saved, and we shall be satisfied, and it will suffice for us. — Sermon 194
Salmos 17:15
"But I shall appear in Thy righteousness in Thy sight" (ver. 15). But I, Who have not appeared to them that, with their filthy and darkened heart, cannot see the light of wisdom, "I shall appear in Thy righteousness in Thy sight." "I shall be satiated, when Thy glory shall be manifested." And when they have been satiated with their uncleanness, that they could not know Me, I shall be satiated, when Thy glory shall be manifested, in them that know Me. In that verse indeed where it is said, "filled with swine's flesh," some copies have, "filled with children:" for from the ambiguity of the Greek a double interpretation has resulted. Now by "children" we understand works; and as by good children, good works, so by evil, evil. — Exposition on Psalm 17