Homilies on the Psalms

Homilies on the Psalms

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Homily 23, on Psalm 95

1 Latin source: Germanus Morin (ed.), Sancti Hieronymi Presbyteri Tractatus sive Homiliae in Psalmos, Anecdota Maredsolana III (Maredsoli, 1897) — public domain. Psalm numbering follows the Septuagint/Vulgate (Morin). 2 The ninety-fifth psalm is headed with this title: When the house was being built after the captivity, a song of David. The whole mystery is in the title: the whole sacrament of our life and our salvation is in the title. When the house was being built after the captivity, a song of David. The Jews understand this passage thus: When, after the Babylonian captivity, under Ezra and Zerubbabel and Jeshua the son of Josedech, the temple was built again, a song of David. David, they say, knew in the spirit, five hundred years beforehand, that the temple was to be built again. So they say. But if this is so, O Jew, as you interpret it, what does it mean, what follows: Sing to the Lord a new song? And then, Declare his glory among the nations? What is this new song? Who are these nations? You see, then, that according to the letter that kills it cannot stand at all. Therefore it must be interpreted mystically: When the house was being built after the captivity. Would that my house too might be built after captivity! Many of us have been taken captive, many have been led away into Babylon, many have borne the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar on their own necks; many have been cast into his furnace and have burned, many have lost the temple of the Lord, and in them the house of God has been overthrown. The unhappy Judas, while he was an apostle, was the house of God.

3 The devil came, and Judas took the morsel, and at once Satan entered into him, and his house was overthrown, and it was not restored, because he did not do penance. But if anyone does penance after sin, his house is rebuilt after captivity. Let us therefore pray, we also, to the Lord — first, indeed, that our house may not be overthrown; that the Chaldean and the Assyrian may not come and overthrow the temple of Christ within us. But if it has been overthrown, then, as in a shipwreck, by a second consolation, by means of a plank we can be saved. When the house was being built after the captivity. Daily this house of Christ is being built up in those who do penance. Indeed, he did not say, When the house had been built, lest it should seem only to have been, to be a thing of the past; but was being built, to show that this is happening daily. Thus far we have spoken concerning our soul. But we can also put it another way: when the Church of Christ was being built up after its ruin. Let us see, then, what follows after this title.

4 Sing to the Lord a new song. Happy penance! Though you have fallen, yet if you do penance, you are called the new house of Christ. Sing to the Lord a new song. A new house deserves a new song. Sing to the Lord a new song. Who are to sing? Sing to the Lord, all the earth. If it is said of the temple at Jerusalem, O Jew, how is all the earth summoned to praise? Sing to the Lord, all the earth. This passage defeats both the Jew and the Novatian. Sing to the Lord, all the earth: not Jerusalem, but the whole world. Here the Jew is slain. Sing to the Lord, all the earth. The Novatian is slain. How? For the Novatian says: There are certain sins for which we ought to do penance — for instance, for lying, for perjury, for theft; but the man who has committed fornication, the man who has done murder, that man cannot do penance. Hear what it says: Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Now all the earth — the adulterer too, and the murderer — and all sins are earthly. But if all sins are earthly, whatever sin you have, do penance, and in all things you shall be saved.

5 Sing to the Lord, bless his name. The name of the Lord is Savior, from the fact that he was made for us. Sing to the Lord. Proclaim day from day his salvation. What does it mean to say: Proclaim day from day his salvation? The simple man understands it thus: On all days praise the Lord — that is, let day succeed to day — that is, you have praised today, praise tomorrow also. The sense indeed seems simple; but to me it seems that something else of the mystery lies hidden. Proclaim day from day his salvation. The Savior cannot be praised except in the day. For it ought to have said: Praise the Lord day and night, if it were speaking of this ordinary day. For we should have to say this, if we understand it according to the letter. If then we praise the Lord in the day, can we not again praise him in the night? See, therefore, what it says: Whenever you praise the Lord, always praise him in the light — not in the darkness of sins, but in the light of virtues. Let the sun of Christ always rise in your soul, that a new light may always be born in you. Proclaim day from day his salvation. Let us put it another way as well. There are two days, not three, not four, not five: there are two days, the Old Testament and the New. In the one Christ shines, and in the other Christ shines.

6 Do not praise him only in the Old Testament, lest you be Jews; do not praise him only in the New Testament, lest you be Manichaeans. Praise him day from day, that is, in the Old and in the New Testament: which two days make one light. For this reason it is also written in Leviticus: 'Every animal that divides the hoof and chews the cud is clean.' That is, if it has two hooves and chews the cud, it is clean. If therefore it has one hoof, it is not clean. The Jew has one hoof, and therefore is unclean. The Manichaean has one hoof, and therefore is unclean. And because it has one hoof, it does not chew over its food, and what it has once sent down into the belly it brings back up again to the throat, and chews it, and makes it fine, so that what had been coarse may be sent down again fine into the belly — this, indeed, pertains to the speaking of the divine mysteries. Every animal that divides the hoof and chews the cud is clean. The Jew has one hoof: for he believes in only one testament, and does not chew the cud. For he reads only the letter, and considers nothing, seeks nothing within. But the churchman divides the hoof and chews the cud, that is, he believes in both testaments, and in both testaments he often searches; and whatever lies hidden in the letter, he brings forth in the spirit. Why have I said all this?

7 Because it is written: Proclaim day from day his salvation. For this reason the apostles too are sent two by two; for this reason we have not one eye but two; for this reason we have two ears, for this reason two nostrils, for this reason two lips, for this reason two hands, two feet. We have nothing single in us except what is shameful: and the members of our body bear witness to the mysteries of the two testaments. 8 Bring to the Lord, you families of the nations, bring to the Lord glory and honor. If it is said of the temple at Jerusalem, what does it now mean: Bring to the Lord, you families of the nations, bring to the Lord glory and honor? The multitude of the nations, the calling of the nations, is the gathering of the Church. Bring to the Lord glory and honor. When we honor the Lord in our body, the Lord is glorified in us. Bring to the Lord glory to his name. The glory of the servant is the glory of the master. 'He who receives you receives me.' Happy the servant, on whose account the master is glorified.

9 Take up victims, and enter into his courts. 'A holy victim, living, pleasing to God.' Take up victims. Bring victims yourselves. What victims? Be yourselves the victims. Virginity is a whole-burnt-offering to Christ: all chastity, whether in virginity or in widowhood or in continence, is a victim to Christ. I speak a new thing: the victim of chastity carries itself. Take up victims, and enter into his courts: adore the Lord in his holy court. I see many courts, I see one court. Take up victims, and enter into his courts: behold, many courts. Again, Adore the Lord in his holy court: behold, one court. See, then, that one cannot come from one court to many courts; but from many courts one comes to one court. Do you wish to know this very mystery in another passage as well? That merchant, who had many pearls, sold the many that he might buy the one. And in Micah it is said: 'Stand,' he says, 'in the ways of the Lord, and inquire,' he says, 'after the way of the Lord.' Unless we have stood in the many ways, we cannot find the one way. What are these many pearls, what are the many ways, what are these many courts — that we may find the one pearl and the one way and the one court? Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Moses, Joshua the son of Nun, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, the twelve prophets, David, Solomon — these were courts. These are our courts: first we enter into them; and from those courts we afterward come to the court of the Gospel, where Christ is found.

10 Let all the earth be moved before his face. See what it says. Heaven is not moved before the face of God; but whoever is earthly, he looks upon the Lord, and is moved, and trembles. Say among the nations that the Lord has reigned. Unless the earth has been moved and has withdrawn from its earthly works, the Lord will not reign among the nations. 11 For he has set right the round world, which shall not be moved. Nothing is ever set right except what was formerly straight and afterward became crooked. So therefore both we, and the whole human race, understand God by nature. For there are no nations that do not by nature understand their Creator. For though they venerate stones and wood, yet they understand that there is something greater than they themselves are, and in their very error they show that they have wisdom — that is, there is no nation that does not by nature understand God. Indeed the heathen worship idols, that is, they venerate stones and wood; and if perchance they have started a quarrel, and if some oath has come up between them, they do not say, These stones see, this wood sees: but, God sees, and God hears. See, then, what it says: For he has set right the round world, which shall not be moved. For this cause Christ came, and set right the human race, which before had been made crooked, that it might not be moved forever. For his cross is the pillar of the human race: upon that pillar his house has been built. I say the cross — not the wood, but the passion. Moreover, this cross is both in Britain, and in India, and in the whole round world. Indeed, what does he say also in the Gospel? 'Unless you take up my cross, and daily follow me.' See what it says:

12 Unless your soul has been so prepared for the cross, as mine was for you, you cannot be my disciples. Happy is he who carries in his breast the cross, and the resurrection, and the place of Christ's nativity, and the place of the ascension. Happy is he who has Bethlehem in his heart, in whose heart Christ is daily born. And indeed, what does Bethlehem mean? House of bread. Let us too be a house of bread, of him who came down from heaven. Daily Christ is crucified for us: we are crucified to the world, and Christ is crucified in us. Happy is he in whose heart Christ daily rises again: if daily he does penance for his sins, even the light ones. Happy is he who daily ascends from the Mount of Olives to the kingdoms of heaven, where the olives of the Lord are fruitful, where the light of Christ is born, where are the olive groves of the Lord. 'For I am like a fruitful olive tree in the house of the Lord.' Let us too, then, kindle our lamp from that olive, and at once with Christ we shall go to the kingdoms of heaven. For he has set right the world, which shall not be moved. The inhabited world (oikoumene), in which he himself dwells; for it is better said in Greek, oecumene, than in Latin. Let us pray that our oecumene too may be set right, in which the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit may dwell.

13 For unless our oecumene has been inhabited, it cannot be set right. There are many things that might be said. But since today is the day of the dedication feast (encaenia), and the dedication feasts are always in stormy weather, in rains, in winter. Indeed it is written in the Gospel: 'And the Lord was walking,' it says, 'at the dedication feast (encaenia) in Jerusalem, in the porch of Solomon, because it was winter and rains.' See what it says. At the dedication feast he was walking in the porch, because there was storm and rains. When someone wishes to renew himself to Christ, when the house is being built after captivity, if anyone should wish to renew his house, and to renew it to Christ; if anyone should wish to forsake the world, and to join himself to Christ: at once the storm, at once the winter, at once the rain rises up. But Christ — nay, in Christ the poor little ones, seeing the dedication feast, seeing the storm, seeing the floods, seeing the winter, leave the floods and flee under the porch of Solomon, that is, they are sheltered by the peace of Christ.

14 For Solomon is interpreted "peaceful," he who said, 'My peace I give to you, my peace I leave to you.' Let us too, then, walk in the porch of Solomon, let us be sheltered by his majesty, let us have his help, and let us say that word from the Song of Songs, that 'the winter is past, and the rain is gone, it has gone away' in Christ Jesus.

Homily 24, on Psalm 96

1 Latin source: Germanus Morin (ed.), Sancti Hieronymi Presbyteri Tractatus sive Homiliae in Psalmos, Anecdota Maredsolana III (Maredsoli, 1897) — public domain. Psalm numbering follows the Septuagint/Vulgate (Morin). A Psalm of David, when his land was established. We read in the books of Kingdoms and of Chronicles that David was a warlike man, that he subjected all the surrounding nations, and reduced them under his own power. This for the moment according to the letter, so that we understand it in this way: A Psalm of David which he sang to the Lord, when, his adversaries having been conquered, he restored peace to his land, that is, to Judaea. This according to the history. But if David is interpreted as "strong in hand," and no one is strong in hand except him who conquered all nations, our David, to whom the demons cried out, "Why have you come to torment us before the time, Son of David?" — then this psalm was composed by him, when his land was established. And the holy presbyter said excellently, that this land which is established is our bodies. For truly at that time ought we to sing to God, when our land has been set in order. But let us also speak of it in another way; for it does no harm, if we understand the same thing in two or three ways. For it is written in Solomon: "You shall take these things," he says, "upon the tablet of your heart threefold." It does no harm to say something different, when it is said with one spirit. When his land was established. This land, before our David conquered all, did not have peace, but everywhere there was discord. One nation worshipped Jupiter, another Mercury, another Juno, and all the nations had different idols. The standard of the cross was raised up, and all the land was established.

2 The Lord has reigned, let the earth exult. Let the whole earth, and all the world, which had before been subjected to demons and idols, rejoice now that the Lord reigns. The Lord has reigned. The Lord the Creator who made you, he himself has reigned. O you who before were subjected under the lord the devil, now you are subjected under the Lord the Creator. Let the many islands be glad — the holy presbyter spoke well of our souls, which are battered this way and that by various thoughts as if by various waves. But let us also call the churches islands. And indeed it is said in another place too: "Many islands shall be converted to me." Do you wish to know that the churches are called islands? It is said in the prophet in the person of the Lord: "Speak," he says, "to the inhabitants of this island." Let the many islands be glad. For just as islands are set in the midst of the sea, so also the churches are set as it were in the midst of the sea of this world, and thus they are battered by persecutions as if by diverse waves. But these islands are battered daily, yet they are not overthrown. They are indeed in the sea, but they have Christ for their foundation, who cannot be moved.

3 Cloud and darkness are round about him. Two things are round about the Lord, cloud and darkness. I think this is the cloud of which it is said in the Gospel: "And a bright cloud overshadowed them" — at that time when the Lord was transfigured, and the apostles fell down, and a bright cloud overshadowed them. I think these are the clouds to which the Lord commanded that they should not rain rain upon Israel. I think these are the clouds of which it is said in another place: "Your truth reaches even to the clouds" — that truth of the Lord which says in the Gospel: "I am the way and the truth and the life. The truth of God is Christ. The truth of the Lord reaches even to the clouds. The clouds are the apostles and the prophets; to these it was commanded that they should not rain rain upon Israel. For from the time — according to the history, as it is written in the book of Judges — that the fleece was dried up, the rain has run out over the whole world. What is said is this: Israel was dried up, and the rain ran out over the whole world. Cloud and darkness are round about him. "The Lord comes into Egypt upon a light cloud. See what he says. The Lord comes, the Lord and Savior, into this Egypt, in which we are: into the place of darkness, where Pharaoh is, the Lord comes. He comes only upon a light cloud.

4 What is this light cloud? It seems to me to be holy Mary, weighed down by no human seed. This light cloud came into the world, and carries with it the Creator of the world. And what is said there in Isaiah? "The Lord comes into Egypt upon a light cloud: and the idols of Egypt shall be shattered. The Lord comes, and the idols of Egypt were shaken and struck and destroyed. This cloud destroyed the Serapeum in Alexandria; not the emperor, a mortal man, but this cloud which came into Egypt. Cloud and darkness are round about him. We have spoken of the cloud: let us speak of the darkness. The Lord is in darkness. The Lord is either in light, or in darkness. He is in light for beginners: for to beginners he speaks more simply; but those who are perfect, to them he speaks mystically. And indeed to the apostles he did not speak as to the crowds, but he spoke inwardly. And what does he say? "He that has ears to hear, let him hear. So this is what he means, and darkness is round about him: that is, and mysteries are round about him. Therefore it is said also in Exodus: "And all the people," he says, "stood below; but Moses alone entered into Mount Sinai, into the darkness. For not all the people of God could know the mysteries which Moses alone could know. It is said of God: "He made darkness his hiding-place."

5 Justice and judgment are the setting-right of his throne. What does he mean, the setting-right of his throne? He ought to have said, the stability of his throne. When therefore it is said, the setting-right of his throne, it is shown that whatever is set right was crooked before it was set right. The judgment of God, therefore, before it comes to judge, seems as it were crooked: now the judgment seems to be unjust and crooked. For when wicked men are made rich and the holy are poor, does not the judgment of God seem to be crooked? But when he shall come to judge, so as to render to each one according to his works, at that time his throne shall be as it were set right. And indeed, do you wish to know that it is spoken of the judge? A fire shall go before him. Let him who is holy not fear this fire; let him who is a sinner fear it. This fire purges the holy, consumes sinners. A fire shall go before him. "Who makes his angels spirits, and his ministers a burning fire." I think these are the fires, that is, his angels. These angels, therefore, that is his fire, shall go before him. These angels — whom do they consume? Whoever is wood, hay, stubble. But he who is gold, silver, and precious stones shall indeed be cast into the fire, but shall be found the cleaner.

6 His lightnings have shone upon the world. The philosophers say that lightnings are generated from the collision of clouds. For unless the sound is first heard, the lightnings are not seen. This is said also of the flint-stone: that unless they are struck together, the fire in the middle does not come forth. This we have said according to the natural history, and we are still speaking to little ones. We have therefore stated the nature of things, so that from the nature of things we may bring forth something spiritual. The stone which is commonly called flint, if it is alone, cannot send forth fire: but if it is struck together with another stone, the fire in the middle is struck out. Suppose for me that Jeremiah, Isaiah, Elijah are a cloud: and that Paul too, and Peter, and the rest of the apostles are a cloud. These clouds, therefore, when they have been struck together among themselves, send forth the fire in the middle, and it gives light to the world. His lightnings have shone upon the world; the earth saw and was shaken. The lightnings of the apostles shone in the whole world, and the earth was shaken. They spoke, and the whole world heard the thunder of their voice. They had two things together: both a mighty voice, and the splendor of lightnings. These lightnings enlightened those who believed, and burned up those who did not believe.

7 The mountains flowed away like wax. To me these mountains seem to be the powers of the demons. Or certainly the mountains are proud men, whoever they be. This fire does not consume the humble, but whoever are mountainous. And indeed, whenever a lightning-bolt is sent forth, it strikes with difficulty those who are in the valley, but always those who are on the mountain. The heavens have announced his justice. These are the heavens of which it is said also in the eighteenth psalm, "The heavens declare the glory of God." The heavens announce his justice: the earth does not announce it. Whoever is heaven does not fear the just God: whoever is of the heavens does not fear to announce his justice: whoever is holy and is heaven, he does not fear the just God. But the sinner seeks a merciful God.

Homily 25, on Psalm 97

1 Latin source: Germanus Morin (ed.), Sancti Hieronymi Presbyteri Tractatus sive Homiliae in Psalmos, Anecdota Maredsolana III (Maredsoli, 1897) — public domain. Psalm numbering follows the Septuagint/Vulgate (Morin). 2 Sing to the Lord a new song. The new song is the Son of God crucified, which had never before been heard. Let a new thing have a new song. Sing to the Lord a new song. He indeed is a man who suffered — but you, sing to the Lord. He suffered indeed as a man, but he saved as God. Sing to the Lord a new song. A new song deserves a new name. Therefore it is said elsewhere too: 'And a new name,' he says, 'shall be given to you.' A new name deserves a new song. And in the Apocalypse it is said: 'To him that overcometh,' he says, 'I will give a pebble, and I will write upon it a new name.' The new name is that of the Christians. Sing to the Lord. Why? For what has he done? Why does he deserve a new song? Because he has done marvelous things. He worked signs among the Jews: he healed the paralyzed, he cleansed the lepers, he raised the dead. This other prophets also did. He turned a few loaves into many and fed a countless multitude. This Elisha also did. What then did he do that is new, so that he deserves a new song? Do you want to know what new thing he did? God died as though a man, that men might live; the Son of God was crucified, that he might lift us up to heaven. Because he has done marvelous things.

3 Do you want to know that he has done marvelous things? The widow's son lay in the upper room: Elisha came and drew himself together, and placed mouth to mouth, and hands to hands, and feet to feet. For if he had stretched himself out, the widow's son would not have come back to life: therefore he drew himself together, that he might give life. Since he was in the form of God, therefore he took the form of a man, therefore he drew himself together, that he might make us higher. 4 His own right hand has saved for him. What he says is this: He saved men — not another's work, but his own; that is, what he had made for himself, he himself saved for himself. He had made man for salvation, who by his own fault had perished: this One died, that he might save man for himself by his own right hand. Here 'right hand' is put for power, and 'arm' for strength. And his holy arm. Although both 'arm' and 'right hand' may be said to be Christ — 'The right hand of the Lord has done valiantly.' 'And the arm of the Lord, to whom has it been revealed?' — nevertheless, since here it is said of Christ, the right hand and the arm of the Lord is his power.

5 The Lord has made known his salvation. He did not say 'he showed,' but 'he made known.' What he says is this: what before they had known of God, and by their own fault had forgotten. Therefore God, coming by his grace, made manifest to them this thing which they had lost. So this is what he says: Him whom Adam had known, whom Seth had known, whom Enoch had known, who called upon the Lord and hoped in him, and whom Noah had known, and whom afterward the human race had forgotten — he came again into the world, that men who afterward had forgotten might again come to know him. The Lord has made known his salvation. In the Hebrew it reads: The Lord has made known his Jesus. For wherever 'salvation' (salutare) is said, in the Hebrew 'Jesus' is put. In the sight of the nations he has revealed his righteousness. By no means in Judea alone, but in the sight of the nations. For it was just that the Savior should save his creature. He has revealed his righteousness — which had been obscured by the unbelief of men.

6 He has remembered his mercy. 'He has shut up all things under sin, that he might have mercy on all.' And his truth to the house of Israel. He remembers mercy: he fulfills truth. He has remembered his mercy: that is, toward the people of the nations. And his truth to the house of Israel: fulfilling by this work what he had promised to the patriarchs. 7 All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Not Israel and Judah alone saw it, but all the ends; and at the same time, according to the mystical senses, the ends of the earth. As long as we are in the midst of the earth, we cannot see God. When therefore we as it were leave the earth and are on the summit, then we deserve to see God. Do you want to know how the ends of the earth see God? We read in Ezekiel: 'And those wheels,' he says, 'which are turned, were called gelgel,' which means 'revelation, revelation.' For GEL means 'revelation,' GELGEL 'revelation, revelation.' Those wheels then hear 'revelation, revelation': because the wheel touches the earth as it were only at some small point, and the whole of it hastens toward heaven. Therefore it is said also in another place: 'Holy stones are rolled upon the earth.' And what is said in Ezekiel? 'Wherever,' he says, 'the spirit went, thither the wheels also followed.' Let us too follow the Holy Spirit, and let us be called wheels. And what is said there? 'And they went not,' he says, 'backward, but always went forward.' And at the same time consider what he says. 'They did not turn back,' he says, 'but always went forward.' For they forgot the things that were past, and reached out toward the things before them. 'And they were full,' he says, 'of eyes.' For all of those wheels were full of the light of God. It is not the time now to discuss the wheels and the cherubim and the living creatures in Ezekiel.

8 Rejoice in God, all the earth. Not Judea alone, but all the earth — rejoice in the Lord. Send forth the standards of the victorious army. Sing and exult and make melody. Sing — in thought; but make melody — that is, with all your members. Let the hand make melody in almsgiving, let the foot make melody by going about in good work. 9 Make melody to the Lord on the harp. Let all your strings have voice. There cannot be a harp if one string is missing. What does it profit you if you are chaste, and yet greedy? What does it profit you if you are both chaste and generous in almsgiving, and yet envious? What does it profit you if you have six strings whole and one broken? If one string is lacking, the perfect sound of the harp cannot exist. On beaten trumpets and with the sound of the horned trumpet. We read in the book of Numbers that there are two kinds of trumpets: one kind of trumpet beaten out of silver, and another kind of trumpets made of horn. So here both are named: On beaten trumpets and with the sound of the horned trumpet. What is said is this. The trumpet beaten out of silver is the word of God. 'The words of the Lord are chaste words: silver tried by fire, purified sevenfold.' Again, in 'the sound of the horned trumpet,' here the man of God is brought in reigning. In the scriptures 'horn' is properly said for kingship and for power, as it is written there: 'He has raised up a horn of salvation for us.' And in another place it is written: 'In you we will toss our enemies on the horn.' So see here what he says. Have two trumpets, both the silver and the horned: the silver, that you may have the word; the horned, that you may have power.

10 Do you want to know that 'horn' is always put in a good sense? We read in Leviticus: 'Let no animal be offered except whatever is horned.' Three kinds of animals are offered: the ox, which has horns, and the ram, which has horns, and the he-goat, which has horns. Do you suppose it is said without reason, that no animal be offered except what is horned? So we too, as long as we have a horn, deserve to be a victim of God. But if our horn has been struck off, we are as it were feeble, and we cannot come among the priests of God. 11 Let the sea be moved, and the fullness thereof. Let the sea be moved, and let the bitter waters be changed into sweet. In fact, Marah too was changed and made into a sweet taste. Nothing else made that bitter water sweet except the wood of the cross, which had been cast into it. It seems to me that the bitter sea is the law of Moses. This is what is called Marah, that is, 'bitter.' This bitter water of the old law received the wood of the cross, and was made sweet.

12 The rivers shall clap their hands together. Let us ask the Jews, who understand according to the letter. Do rivers have hands? Do rivers have voices? Do rivers have feet? Do rivers have a belly? Someone may say: It is not written about a belly, about feet. But I say to you: from one member we understand the rest as well; for we cannot understand hands without feet, without a belly, without the other members. The rivers shall clap their hands together. The rivers, which have drunk from the fountain of Jesus. 'They have forsaken me,' he says, 'the fountain of living water.' The rivers themselves run from the fountain of Christ. He is the fountain, we are the rivers — if indeed we deserve to be rivers. Christ is the fountain, and the saints are the rivers; but those who are lower are little streams. Others, however, are torrents. Who are the torrents? Those who have waters for an hour, and when temptation comes are dried up. The rivers shall clap their hands together. It is not one river, there are many rivers: as many as the saints are, so many also are the rivers. But these rivers have no dissension among themselves: since they are the rivers of Christ, therefore they have concord among themselves. The rivers shall clap their hands together. They clap with the hand: the works of the saints are the praise of God. Christ is praised not by voice, but by work; he does not hear the voice, but the works.

13 The rivers shall clap their hands together. Therefore he himself says in the Gospel: 'He who thirsts, let him come and drink; and rivers,' he says, 'shall flow from his belly.' The mountains shall exult in the sight of the Lord. What likeness is there between rivers and mountains? But since he speaks of the perfect saints, he did not say, 'the little streams shall clap their hands together,' but, 'The rivers shall clap their hands together.' See the order. Let the sea be moved, and the whole world: the rivers clap their hands together, his saints: the mountains no less, who have attained to the highest righteousness. Let us say it also in another way. Let the sea be moved, which before had been unmoved — let it be moved at the coming of Christ. Let the sea be moved: we have already said, this is the law of Moses. The rivers clap their hands together: this is the prophets. The mountains shall exult before the sight of the Lord: this is the apostles. Because he comes to judge the earth. By no means did he come only lowly in the flesh, but he comes glorious in his majesty. Because he comes to judge the earth. He did not say 'to destroy,' but 'to judge.' He comes to judge, that he may separate the tares from the wheat: he comes, that he may separate the bad little fish from the good.

14 He shall judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in equity. Righteousness is set down, and equity. If righteousness is set down, and afterward equity, it is properly called εὐθύτης (euthytēs), 'straightness,' which makes the crooked straight. So he comes to judge in his righteousness, that what is crooked may in him be made straight. To whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Homily 26, on Psalm 98

1 Latin source: Germanus Morin (ed.), Sancti Hieronymi Presbyteri Tractatus sive Homiliae in Psalmos, Anecdota Maredsolana III (Maredsoli, 1897) — public domain. Psalm numbering follows the Septuagint/Vulgate (Morin). 2 The Lord has reigned, let the peoples be angry. Three psalms have the same beginning: the ninety-second, the ninety-sixth, and the ninety-eighth. But although they have the same beginning in the opening verse, at the end they are different. For how does it read in the ninety-second? 'The Lord has reigned, he has clothed himself in beauty.' But in the ninety-sixth: 'The Lord has reigned, let the earth rejoice'; and in the ninety-eighth: 'The Lord has reigned, let the peoples be angry.' The sequence seems as it were to be contrary to itself. For it ought first to have said 'The Lord has reigned, let the peoples be angry,' and afterwards to say 'The Lord has reigned, let the earth rejoice,' and last of all 'The Lord has reigned, he has clothed himself in beauty.' But the different order gives us some hint toward understanding. 'The Lord has reigned, he has clothed himself in beauty.' The Lord has reigned, and he has clothed himself with the patriarchs and the prophets and the believing people. He has clothed himself in beauty: the patriarchs and the prophets were as it were the garment of Christ. That is the loincloth which is written of in Jeremiah: that is the loincloth which Jeremiah had about his loins. Do you wish to know that the saints are, as it were, a loincloth, the garment of God?

3 Afterwards God himself speaks to Jeremiah: 'Just as you,' he says, 'placed that loincloth about your loins, so I too have joined my people to myself.' As, then, a garment is about a man, so the people is about God. But because this loincloth, because this beauty with which the Lord had been clothed, was exposed across the Euphrates in a cleft of the rock, and there rotted away, and was led off into captivity by the Assyrians—what does the Lord do? He is not naked, he cannot be without a loincloth, he cannot be without a garment: the former people having been lost, he makes himself a garment out of the people of the Gentiles. And what is said? The Lord has reigned, let the earth rejoice. Let the earth rejoice, the whole earth, that is, the entire people of believers. Then, do you wish to know that the second loincloth is spoken of concerning the people of the Gentiles? The Lord, he says, has reigned, let the earth rejoice: let the many islands be glad. Not one island, Judaea, but many islands, that is, the whole world. Let someone say to me: Give me an example from the Scriptures where Judaea alone is called one island. Everything we say we ought to affirm from the holy Scriptures. 'For in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word stand.' The word of the one speaking does not have as much authority as the Lord's command.

4 We read in the prophet Ezekiel: 'And you,' he says, 'son of man, speak to the inhabitants of this island'—that is, of Judaea. Since, therefore, one island has been forsaken, now it is said: Let the many islands be glad. Therefore concerning the loincloth it is said of the former people: The Lord has reigned, he has clothed himself in beauty. Of the second people, gathered from the Gentiles: The Lord has reigned, let the earth rejoice, let the many islands be glad. Now in the third it is said: The Lord has reigned, let the peoples be angry. Whether they be of the Jews, or of the Gentiles, whoever do not believe, let them be angry. 'Why have the nations raged, and the peoples devised vain things?' 5 The Lord has reigned, let the peoples be angry. The Lord suffered, the Lord was crucified, the Lord died, the Lord rose again, the Lord ascended victorious to heaven. The Lord has reigned, let the peoples be angry. Who are these peoples? Let us give an example from the Gospel. 'A certain man,' he says, 'a householder, went to receive for himself a kingdom in a far country.' What is farther than heaven from earth? He left the earth, he went to the heavens, to receive for himself a kingdom. 'And his citizens,' he says, 'who hated him, sent an embassy, saying: We will not have this man to reign over us.' But he received the kingdom, and came to those wicked citizens. He came to those who did not want to have him as king. And now the Holy Spirit says to the wicked citizens: Whether you will or will not, the Lord has reigned, let the peoples be angry. O the mercy of the Holy Spirit: he did not say, let them perish, but, let them be angry. He wished to signify the fault, not the punishments. They are angry, and the Lord entreats. And what does he say? 'Come to me, all you who are burdened.' I have received the kingdom from the Father—rather, the man whom I took up. I give as God, I receive as man.

6 Who sits upon the cherubim, let the earth be moved. As long as the earth is unmoved, it cannot be healed. He is not speaking of the earthquake by which we see lands shaken, and the whole race of mortals afraid; but he speaks of our earth, which, as long as it is unmoved, cannot be healed: but when it is moved and trembles, then it will recover health. 'Upon whom,' he says, 'shall I rest, except upon the humble and the quiet, and him who trembles at my words?' Since the earth of the one trembling is moved, therefore he who sits upon the cherubim begins to sit upon the earth of the trembling one. Happy is he who is the throne of God, happy is he in whom God ever sits. There are different postures: for either we sit, or we stand, or we walk, or we lie down. Unhappy is he for whom God lies down: for he lies down with the one lying down. Just as he weeps with the one weeping and laughs with the one laughing, so he lies down with the one lying down. Just as he thirsts with the one thirsting, and hungers with the one hungering, and is naked with the one naked, so too he lies down with the one lying down. He, then, who is wounded and lies down—he too is in a manner said to lie down with him. But he who walks—he also walks with him.

7 He who walks seems indeed to be better than he who lies down; yet he has not yet come to the happiness of him who stands. Finally, when Adam hid himself from the face of God, God was walking to him after midday. Let someone say: If Adam had offended, and had been cast out of paradise, then whoever has God walking to him is in perfect unhappiness. And I say: If Adam had been utterly slain, and no place of repentance had been given to him, God would have lain down for him. But now, because a place of repentance is given to him, therefore God walks to him. Moses hears from God: 'But you, stand here with me.' And Stephen the martyr, when he was fighting, saw Jesus standing at the right hand of the Father. But God is presented as sitting in two ways. If he sits in us, we are happy; but if, while we walk, he sits in others, we are unhappy. As it says, 'The books were opened, and thrones were placed,' in Daniel. And thrones were placed. There he is set as it were a judge. Although, therefore, unhappy is he who is judged, yet happy is he for whom he sits. So, then, here too God is said to sit upon the cherubim. Cherubim is interpreted 'multitude of knowledge': whoever has a multitude of knowledge, he is the throne of God. Multitude of knowledge is not knowledge alone, but also works: for that is true knowledge which is confirmed by works.

8 Otherwise, in vain does someone promise knowledge by word, when he destroys it by his deed. 9 And the king's honor loves judgment. Whoever is a sinner fears the judgment of God: for he does not want to know a judge, but a merciful one. But whoever is holy, and hears God, and glorifies him in his body, this man does not fear the judge, but loves him. For example, if some most severe judge should come, and is said to be cruel and as it were drinking blood—if anyone is a murderer, he fears such a judge as this. But he who has done no evil, and hates the things that are evil, not only does not fear the judge, but even loves him. For what does he say? It is well done, that such a judge should come: there were so many robberies, so many vices are practiced, there are so many murderers: it is well done, that such a judge should come. For whoever is holy does not fear the judge, but loves him. At that time is fulfilled, And the king's honor loves judgment.

10 You have prepared uprightnesses. What he says is this: You made all men upright, but by their own fault they have been corrupted. You created man upright. And see what he said, uprightnesses: not one, but many. For everything that you made is upright. 11 And adore the footstool of his feet, for it is holy. What is this footstool of the feet of Jesus, which is holy? We read in another place: 'Heaven is my throne, but the earth is the footstool of my feet.' And now it is said, Adore the footstool of his feet. If the earth is the footstool of the feet of Jesus, and it is said, Adore the footstool of his feet: is the earth therefore to be adored? How is it that we read in the Apostle that, except for the Creator, we ought not to adore the creature? To adore is said in Scripture in two ways: for there is said an adoration as toward God, and there is said to adore as it were to honor. When we say to adore toward God, adoration is properly set toward God. But when it is said of a man—for example, Sarah adored Abraham, and Elijah adored Ahab, that most impious king—it is not said that Elijah so adored Ahab as God, but here adoration is set as a greeting. Now, therefore, let us see this that he says, And adore the footstool of his feet, in which sense he says it. Do we adore the footstool of the feet of God as God, or do we adore and greet it as a man?

12 We read in the Lamentations of Jeremiah, we read also in another prophet: 'How the Lord,' he says, 'has sanctified the footstool of his feet.' And there the footstool of his feet is called Jerusalem, or the temple: this, then, according to the history. We read also in another place, And adore the footstool of his feet. If the feet do not stand except on the footstool, then this which is said 'And adore where his feet have stood' is said also of the footstool. Therefore according to the letter we can say, for example, where he was born, where he was crucified, where he rose again. This we say for beginners. But otherwise the footstool of the feet of Jesus is the soul of the believer. Happy is he in whose breast the feet of Jesus are daily placed. Would that his feet were placed in my breast too, would that his footprints might ever cling in my heart, would that I too might say with the bride: 'I will hold him, and I will not let him go.' The bridegroom is quickly offended, he ever loves cleanness: wherever he sees filth, he quickly withdraws. And adore the footstool of his feet, for it is holy. Not every footstool of his feet, but whatever is holy: as many as persevere in holiness. For example, Adore the footstool of his feet: adore Peter and Paul and the rest of the apostles—that is, honor them. For it is holy. Adore those who persevere in holiness;

13 but those who were a footstool and are not holy, do not adore them. For example, Judas the traitor was a footstool of God: but since he is not holy, do not adore him. I have read in a certain man's book: 'The assumption,' he says, 'of the human body—that is, the man whom God deigned to take up from Mary—this,' he says, 'he calls the footstool of his feet.' Although indeed the man was taken up, and in comparison with God every creature is the footstool of his feet, yet this very footstool has been joined to God and to him who sits upon it. See what a thing I dare to say. I adore the footstool that once was, just as I adore the throne. 'For even if we had known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him so no longer.' He had, perhaps, a footstool before his death, before his resurrection, when he ate, when he drank, when he suffered our affections. But after he rose again and ascended victorious to the heavens, I do not understand one who sits and another that is the footstool, but the whole in Christ is a throne. You ask and say: Why, or on what account? How it is, I do not know, and yet I believe that it is so. Do you wonder if I am ignorant of the mystery of the divinity, when I do not know myself?

14 Do you ask me how both the divinity and the incarnation are one, when I do not know how I live? To have understood God is to have believed; to know God is to honor him. It suffices me to know what is written, it suffices me to know what I believe: more than that I neither will nor desire. For if I should wish to know more, I begin to lose even this which I believe. We are called faithful, not rational. Finally, it is said even by the Lord: 'Do you believe that I can do this?' And it is said to the woman: 'Your faith has made you whole'—not reason, not inquiry, not why or on what account it was done. She believed that it might be done, and it was done because she believed. 15 Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among those who call upon his name. Many err, and think that blessed Samuel was a priest. He was not a priest, he was a Levite. Finally, even his garment was not made as for a priest, but as for a Levite. For it is written: 'And his mother made for him,' it says, 'an ephod bad garment.' Ephod means garment, but bad means linen. Now, none had the linen garment except the Levites. But the priests of God had it of five kinds, that is, of gold, of hyacinth, of fine linen, of purple, of scarlet. Whoever, then, were of the priestly line had these garments. But the Levites had the ephod bad, that is, the linen garment. This very thing, then, is now said. Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among those who call upon his name. They are priests, this one is a Levite. Yet with God it is not rank that is sought, but works. Finally, what Moses did, Samuel also did. Just as Moses withstood God, that he should not strike the people, when he said to him: 'Let me alone, that I may strike this people.' See the power of Moses. What does God say to him? Let me alone: you do me violence, your prayers as it were hold me fast, your prayers restrain my hand. I send the arrow, I send the darts: and your prayers protect the people. Let me alone, that I may strike this people.

16 And at the same time consider the mercy of God. When he says, Let me alone, he shows that if Moses does not let him alone, God does not strike. If, then, you do not let me alone, I will not strike: let me alone, and I will strike. In another manner, therefore, what does he say? Do not let me alone, and I will not strike. Let us see whether Samuel too did this very thing. We read in the books of Kingdoms that he stayed the wrath of God coming upon the people, since even in the time of the harvest he made rain and thunders and lightnings. And what, he says, is written there? 'And there came,' it says there, 'stones of hail, and they struck the Allophyli.' See how wise the fire, how wise the hail. Where Samuel was, the lightnings do not dare to come: for they see the prophet of God, they see the Levite. The hands of Samuel threatened the lightnings. He was praying, and the lightnings could not come. But why have I said all this? Because Moses and Aaron and Samuel, under different names, performed the same virtues. And let us bless the Lord: to whom be glory unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Homily 27, on Psalm 100

1 Latin source: Germanus Morin (ed.), Sancti Hieronymi Presbyteri Tractatus sive Homiliae in Psalmos, Anecdota Maredsolana III (Maredsoli, 1897) — public domain. Psalm numbering follows the Septuagint/Vulgate (Morin). Misericordiam et iudicium cantabo tibi Domine—Mercy and judgment I will sing to you, O Lord. Let sinners hear of mercy, those who despair of their salvation, those who are doing penance; let those who scorn hear of judgment, who say: "The Lord is merciful, let us sin, he pardons us." Psallam et intellegam in via inmaculata—I will sing psalms and understand in the unspotted way. That a person should understand what he is singing, and that his mind should contemplate the psalm itself, so that his thoughts do not wander outside, and he seem indeed to sing psalms with his body, while his mind is without fruit. In the unspotted way: that as I walk in this world I may act justly, and have no spot. When will you come to me? But when I have received understanding, and have acted justly, then with confidence I say to the Lord: "When will you come to me?" And "you will come" is to be understood of his second coming.

2 Perambulabam in innocentia cordis mei in medio domus meae—I walked about in the innocence of my heart in the midst of my house. Nothing so pleases God as simplicity and innocence. And so among the other winged creatures the Holy Spirit was well pleased in none but the dove, on account of its simplicity, and among the four-footed beasts in the sheep, on account of its meekness. Non proponebam ante oculos meos rem iniustam—I set no unjust thing before my eyes. I put nothing before the Lord, nor did I consent to iniquity; but I was wholly turned to God. Facientes praevaricationes odivi—I have hated those who commit transgressions. Whether it was my father, or my mother, or brother, or sister, or friend: nevertheless, if he had turned aside from the fear of the Lord, I held him in hatred, and I did not approach him at all. I did not set kinship or friendship before devotion to God.

3 Non adhaesit mihi cor pravum—A depraved heart did not cling to me. There was in me nothing difficult or anything perverse, but fairness and justice. As the malignant one turned aside from me, I did not know him: that is, if he was a friend to me or a neighbor, whether a bishop or a presbyter, or one established in any rank whatever: nevertheless, if he perverted his ways, I so fled from him that I made no mention of him at all. Detrahentem secreto proximo suo, hunc persequebar—Him who secretly disparaged his neighbor, this one I persecuted. So far ought we not to consent to the disparager, that we should even, as far as it lies in us, pursue such a person, providing for what is useful in both cases: that we neither listen willingly, nor permit him to sin. For so great is the distance between the fornicator and the disparager: that he who fornicates kills only himself, but he who disparages plunges to ruin both himself and the one who listens.

4 Superbo oculo et insatiabili corde, cum hoc non edebam—With the proud of eye and the insatiable of heart, with such a one I did not eat. If anyone was proud or greedy, with such a one I did not eat at all. Oculi mei super fideles terrae, ut sederent mecum—My eyes were upon the faithful of the earth, that they might sit with me. He did not say the rich, or emperors, or bishops, or presbyters, or deacons, but the faithful: with these I sat. A bishop, a holy man, can also say this: that I did not ordain as presbyter the man who was obsequious to me, or my kinsman, but the one whom I knew to be faithful. And again the same man can say: that I held all my clerics and laity to be faithful. This little verse can also be spoken in the person of the Lord. Ambulans in via inmaculata, hic mihi ministrabat—He who walked in the unspotted way, this one ministered to me. For I did not ordain those who were my kinsmen, but the just and the faithful.

5 Qui loquitur iniqua, non direxit in conspectu oculorum meorum—He who speaks unjust things has not prospered in the sight of my eyes. For I so turned aside from him who disparaged his neighbor, that I neither believed such a one nor listened to him. In matutinis interficiebam omnes peccatores terrae—In the mornings I slew all the sinners of the earth. Well did he say, the sinners of the earth: for sinners are earthly. This is what he means, that the promptings of the devil, which he was suggesting to me, I cast out of my heart, and did not take up. For when evil thoughts are cast out, the demons are slain. The Jews, hearing this verse, and following the letter that kills, and desiring to shed blood, if anyone has transgressed against the law, put him to death. Since indeed they are not content with the slaying of the prophets: but they even crucified the Lord himself. Ut disperderem de civitate Domini omnes qui operantur iniquitatem—That I might destroy out of the city of the Lord all who work iniquity. Would that we too may destroy out of the city of the Lord those who work iniquity. The city of the Lord is the church of the saints, the congregation of the just. Disperderem—that I might destroy: that is, I will reprove and rebuke him who sins, that he may do penance, and destroy iniquity out of his heart. For he did not say, that he may be cast out.

Homily 28, on Psalm 101

1 Latin source: Germanus Morin (ed.), Sancti Hieronymi Presbyteri Tractatus sive Homiliae in Psalmos, Anecdota Maredsolana III (Maredsoli, 1897) — public domain. Psalm numbering follows the Septuagint/Vulgate (Morin). Prayer of the poor man, when he is in anguish, and pours out his supplication before the Lord. He speaks of a poor man, not of this world, but of the one about whom it is written: 'Blessed are the poor in spirit.' When he is in anguish: when he calls to mind his sins, both past and present. Pours out: with his whole heart, not with his lips. But who is able to pour out his prayer before the Lord? Who is able not to be stung by his own conscience? Turn not away your face from me. If anyone prays with a pure heart, and is not accused by his own conscience, he can say this. For the sinner does not dare to say, turn not away your face from me: but rather he says: 'Turn away your face from my sins.'

2 For my days have failed away like smoke. For example, I was a little child, and while I know it not, I came into the age of youth, and again into full age, and while I know it not, I have grown old: and my days have failed away like smoke. But some people think themselves to be everlasting, and they persevere in their sin. And my bones are withered like a dry twig for kindling. By 'bones' he means strength itself. If therefore what is strong in me has withered and been made weak: how much more the flesh, which is weak by nature? I am smitten like grass, and my heart is withered. Just as it is also written elsewhere: 'Man, his days are like grass.' For such is the life of men: it is green, and quickly it withers. Because I have forgotten to eat my bread. He did not say, I had no desire to eat, or I despised eating. To such a degree did the memory of my sins come upon me, and such penance did I do, that I even forget to eat, having my longing set on God, and considering him alone.

3 By reason of the voice of my groaning my bone has cleaved to my flesh. Let those who do penance learn how they ought to do penance. For I so dried myself up, that I was without flesh, and my skin clung to my bones. He said 'flesh' for 'skin.' I have become like the pelican of the wilderness. There are said to be two kinds of these birds. One lives in the waters, and its food is fish; and one lives in the wilderness, and its food is venomous creatures, that is, serpents and crocodiles and lizards. Now these birds are called in Latin 'onocrotali.' To that one therefore have I become like, which lives in the wilderness, which eats venomous creatures: that is, my food was to me as it were poison. I have become like the night-raven in its dwelling-place. We know that the raven is black, and has nothing white in it. He wished to say, by way of hyperbole, that I have become like the night-raven. If therefore it is black in the day, how much more in the night? So therefore have I become, considering myself because of my sins.

4 For I have eaten ashes like bread. I dipped my bread in ashes, and so ate it. If therefore the prophet says this, what should we do? And I mingled my drink with weeping. Nothing was sweet to me, neither bread, nor drink: but I longed only for the heavenly bread, that is, Christ. Because of the face of your wrath and indignation. And all these things I did, considering your coming and the judgment to come. Because lifting me up you have dashed me down. Let those say this who were once holy, and fell: for having been exalted in their virtues, afterward they fell. Since indeed the saints say: because lifting me up you held me. My days have declined like a shadow. If my days, how much more my nights? that is, if the light, how much more the darkness? And I have withered like grass. For as grass, so man passes away, and is dried up.

5 You, rising up, will have mercy on Sion. From this little verse it is manifest that this psalm is spoken in the person of Sion, and not in the person of the prophet. Now Sion is she who is set upon a watchtower, and looks out upon the things which come from afar. This Sion therefore, who is set on high and on a lofty place, has fallen. Therefore 'let him who stands take heed lest he fall.' Because it is the time to have mercy on her, because the time has come. Either it is the time of mercy on account of penance, or it signifies according to the coming of the Savior. Let him therefore be confident who does penance, since the time of salvation has come: for the Lord is merciful. For its stones have pleased your servants. The stones are the saints: but the earth, that is, sinners, stand in need of the Lord's mercy.

Homily 29, on Psalm 102

1 Latin source: Germanus Morin (ed.), Sancti Hieronymi Presbyteri Tractatus sive Homiliae in Psalmos, Anecdota Maredsolana III (Maredsoli, 1897) — public domain. Psalm numbering follows the Septuagint/Vulgate (Morin). Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. It is said also in another place: "Know that the Lord himself is God." And now it is said, And all that is within me, bless his holy name. If we have said, Bless the Lord, O my soul, and the Lord is Lord, what name of the Lord does he seek here? If he is called Lord, the Lord, why does he say, And all that is within me, bless his holy name? The coming of the Son is the name of the Father. Before the coming of Christ, God was known, but the Father was unknown. Indeed, he himself says in the Gospel: "Father, I have revealed your name to men." We cannot linger over each individual little verse, since the psalm is long; but we ought to fit brief little remarks to the individual verses, expounding the sense rather than weaving together the words.

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his rewards. The Lord has bestowed many rewards upon us, he has bestowed great benefits upon us: for he made the heaven, the earth, all the elements for us. The sun itself and the moon and the stars and all the elements run and run back again for our sake. O wretched creatures that we are: the elements serve us, and we do not serve the Lord. It is a great thing, therefore, that God made for our sake all the things we see. For a house is always made for the sake of the one who dwells in it. If we are the dwellers of the world, and the world is the house of men, and the house has been made for the sake of the dweller: it is a great thing, therefore, that he made for our sake all the things we see, that he made us to be born, to live, to move, to understand our Creator, that he set us apart from the beasts, that they look downward, bent toward the earth, while he made us stand upright to gaze upon heaven. And these things indeed are great: but greater is the fact that he was born for our sake. "Who, though he was in the form of God, did not think it robbery to be equal to God, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, made obedient even unto death, and death on a cross." Since we were mortal because of our sin, he himself deigned to die for us mortals, so that he might make us alive.

3 Who heals all your infirmities. Our soul has many infirmities. As many sins, so many infirmities. Indeed, there was also that woman in the Gospel, who for eighteen years had a spirit of infirmity, and could not lift her head upright... See what he says. When someone has a spirit of infirmity, he is bent over, he looks downward, he gazes at the earth, he cannot see heaven. Who redeems your life from destruction. "You were bought," he says, "with a price: do not become the servants of men." What is a greater price than for the Creator to pour out his own blood for the creature? Who crowns you in mercy and compassions. Who crowns you. When he has redeemed, then he crowns. And he crowns, not because of your merits, but because of his own mercy. "O Lord, you have crowned us as with a shield of your good will." See what he says, O Lord, you have crowned us as with a shield of your good will. Does anyone crown with a shield? Surely he who crowns, crowns with flowers, crowns with gold, crowns with the other kinds of crowns. Does anyone crown with a shield? But the Lord's shield is a crown: for it protects and defends, and thus it crowns. And here, therefore, what is there signified by a shield, here is signified by mercy; and the shield, while it protects, is mercy.

Homily 30, on Psalm 103

1 Latin source: Germanus Morin (ed.), Sancti Hieronymi Presbyteri Tractatus sive Homiliae in Psalmos, Anecdota Maredsolana III (Maredsoli, 1897) — public domain. Psalm numbering follows the Septuagint/Vulgate (Morin). This psalm contains the created world itself praising and blessing the Lord its creator through the prophet; just as he also says in the eighteenth psalm: "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims the works of his hands." Bless the Lord, O my soul. The prophet rouses himself to bless God. But to bless the Lord means this: whoever praises the Lord blesses himself. O Lord my God, you are exceedingly magnified. You who are the God of all are in a special way my God: because I am not a slave of sin, because I have deserved to be called your servant. You are exceedingly magnified. When I look upon the sky, the earth, the birds, the four-footed beasts, the serpents, and your whole creation, I marvel, and I magnify the creator.

2 You have put on confession and beauty. "Confession" is understood in two ways. Either it refers to the glory of God: that is, you have put on glory, just as in the Gospel the Savior himself says, "I confess to you, Father," that is, I glorify you. Or it means that we confess our sins to the Lord: for in the very act of confessing our sins to God, we glorify him. And you have put on beauty. Notice the order: first someone confesses, and thus he receives loveliness and beauty, and afterward light. For this is what follows: Clothed with light as with a garment. Now this is said in a special way of the Lord, that all things belonging to him are in the light, just as in Ezekiel the Cherubim are written to be "full of eyes." For example: I look at the sky and the earth, and I understand the creator. I see the trees in their season putting forth leaves, sending out blossoms, bearing fruit, and I understand the creator. I see the ant, and every tiny creature, and I understand the creator. Therefore the whole creation of God has eyes, and is full of understanding.

3 Stretching out the heaven like a skin. This means that from the beginning God stretched out the heaven, just as when someone opens a scroll and again rolls it back up, as is written elsewhere: "And the heaven shall be rolled up like a scroll." You who cover its upper parts with waters. Just as it is written in Genesis, that there are waters above the firmament, and likewise beneath. You who walk upon the wings of the winds. He signifies that God is present everywhere. You who make your angels spirits. What he passed over in Genesis, he indicated in this verse. For although God created all things, he made no mention anywhere of the angels. And he said, You who make your angels spirits, for this reason: because the angels do not have a body, but are wholly light. And your ministers a burning fire. He signifies their purity, and that they are not subject to sins. In another sense: for example, someone is holy, and a good angel, an angel of light, is sent to him. But if he is a sinner, an angel of wrath is sent to him, to set him on fire and torment him.

4 You who founded the earth upon its own stability. And truly it is marvelous how great a mass of earth hangs by the power of God. It shall not be moved for ever and ever. For it stands unmoved, by the providence of God. The deep, like a garment, is his clothing. As is written elsewhere: "And he made darkness his hiding-place," and again: "The judgments of the Lord are a great deep." He signifies the unspeakable governance of God, and that we cannot comprehend the wisdom of God. For just as we cannot gaze with these eyes into the deep, so neither can we gaze into the greatness nor into the wisdom of God. But according to the Hebrew we ought to understand "his clothing" in this way, that "of the earth" is to be supplied; so that the sense is that this very deep surrounds the whole earth — the thing they call the ocean. For around the whole earth there are waters, and the earth is like an island.

5 The waters shall stand above the mountains. Not, as some suppose, that the waters stand above the mountains because of winter and the rains; but the mountains were covered by the waters, and the earth did not appear. But according to the figurative interpretation, the waters are to be taken for doctrine, and the mountains for the saints. At your rebuke they shall flee. And truly at God's command the water withdrew, and the earth appeared, as is also written in Genesis: "And God gathered the waters into one gathering." At the voice of your thunder they shall be afraid. For the thunder is the voice of the Lord. For he gave the command, and the waters were separated. The mountains ascend, and the plains descend. He signifies the rush of the waters, because after the manner of mountains the waters rise up on high, and again are brought low.

6 You have set a boundary which they shall not pass. For it is marvelous to hear the roaring of the sea, and its rush, and the waves lifted up as high as heaven, and coming as if to cover the whole earth; and yet at the shore they lay down their rush, and return to themselves, and do not overstep God's command — while men do not keep God's command. Neither shall they turn back to cover the earth, as happened under Noah, the flood. You who send forth springs in the valleys. Perhaps someone says: If all things were made for the service of man, what use is it that waters run in the desert? This too was done for our salvation and by God's providence, so that the four-footed beasts might have nourishment for our service. In another sense: because God made all things by his dispensation, and all things are his, and he feeds even the brute animals. The waters shall pass through the midst of the mountains. Since the things that were on the mountains needed to grow green from the rains of the Lord, therefore God sent the waters. But according to the figurative interpretation, it signifies the holy works of the just.

7 Over them the birds of heaven shall dwell. Remember the parable of the mustard seed, and the birds that dwell in it. From the midst of the rocks they shall give voice. Each thing in its own tongue praises the Lord. In the Hebrew it has "of the trees." From the fruit of your works the earth shall be filled. In another sense: from all your benefits the earth shall be filled. In another sense: from your works, that is, your apostles, many have been filled. Bringing forth hay for the cattle. Attend carefully, since the cattle eat hay. And grass for the service of men. Since he created all things for his own glory. That he may bring forth bread out of the earth. He speaks of the Lord, who deigned to become man, as it is written: "I am the living bread, who came down from heaven." And wine gladdens the heart of man. This is the wine which the Lord promised to drink after the resurrection (anastasis).

8 That he may make the face cheerful with oil. The face of God makes the just cheerful; but of sinners "let it not fatten the head." And bread strengthens the heart of man. The bread which came down from heaven. The trees of the field shall be filled. Since the Lord waters even the trees, so that they may give us fruit. There the sparrows shall build their nests. By "sparrows," let us understand all birds — the whole from a part. The house of the heron is their leader. The heron is a bird of very great size: and it is said to conquer even the eagle, and to have the eagle itself as its food. And it is not like the other birds, which have fixed nests, and go to their own places at evening; but this one sleeps wherever the darkness overtakes it. But according to the figurative interpretation, the monk has no cell, but wherever he finds himself, there he stays; and his battle is with the devil who reigns in this world, just as the heron too conquers the eagle, the king of the birds, as it is written: "Though you be exalted like the eagle, from there I will drag you down, says the Lord." For the eagle is the devil, according to Ezekiel. The high mountains for the stags. This animal kills serpents and eats them. Therefore it fittingly dwells in the mountains, this one that slays the intelligible serpent — the one who was wiser in paradise than all the beasts, who deceived Eve. The rock is a refuge for the hedgehogs. He who is timid has the rock as his refuge: and the rock is Christ.

9 He made the moon for seasons. They say that when the moon waxes, all fruits also grow, and when it wanes, the fruits again diminish. Therefore he said fittingly, He made the moon for seasons. Or let us understand the moon in another way as the Church: for as the Church advances, we advance with it; and when it suffers persecution and is diminished, we too are diminished with it and suffer persecution. The sun knew its setting. If the sun sets, do we suppose ourselves to be everlasting? In this, moreover, it is a thing to marvel at, how so great a light and so great a brightness, which covers the whole world with its light, sets in a moment. But let us pray that the sun of righteousness may not set upon us. You have set darkness, and it became night: in it all the beasts of the forest shall pass through. And according to the letter it has its own order: for night was made for this reason, that men might rest from their works, and that the beasts might go out to their feeding. But according to the figurative interpretation, when the sun of righteousness has set upon us, all things are dark to us, and then the beasts pass through against us, and the roaring lion, wishing to seize and devour us.

10 The young lions roaring, that they may seize, and seek from God their food. He said fittingly, from God: since indeed he desires to deceive the saints — for example, Judas, David, Solomon, Peter — as it is written: "His food is choice." The sun arose, and they were gathered together. Let not the one who has fallen be saddened, but let him do penance: the sun of righteousness rises upon him, and all the beasts and his sins flee from him, and he becomes such as he was before. For the sun of righteousness has arisen again. Man shall go forth to his work, and to his labor until the evening. But after the sun of righteousness has arisen, we go forth again to our labor until the evening, that is, until the consummation. Therefore we ought to work righteousness at every time. How magnified are your works, O Lord. The prophet comes into an ecstasy of mind. Not finding how he might praise the Lord, he said: How magnified are your works, O Lord. Your works surpass human understanding. You have made all things in wisdom. In our Lord Jesus Christ (for he himself is the wisdom of God), according to the apostle who says that in him all things were created. The earth is filled with your possession. And truly all the works of the Lord are full of wisdom. For when we see the ant know when winter is coming, and store up food for itself; and again the gnat, so tiny, having eyes, a belly, and all its members, just as we have; and the flea, and the rest: and then we see the elephant, so great a beast, having eyes, nostrils, feet, a belly, just as we have in those same places: and likewise the bee, how it makes honey and wax: are these things not worthy of wonder and full of wisdom?

11 This great and spacious sea with its arms. Is this not a matter of wondrous wisdom, how in the sea there are creeping things beyond number, and fish both greater and smaller: and how they are in the deep, and there draw their life, where, if a man should fall in, he dies, while they themselves, if they come onto the land, die? There the ships shall pass through. Which of us is a strong ship, able to flee from this world, and not be submerged, nor strike upon a rock — but let him have understanding to steer him, that he may be able to be saved? This dragon which you formed to mock him. The Jews say: God made a great dragon, which is called Leviathan, and it is in the sea; and when, they say, the ocean recedes, the dragon turns. But let us say: This is the dragon who was cast out of paradise, who deceived Eve, and was given into this world to mock us. For how many monks and clerics has he cast down! All things wait upon you, that you may give them food in due season. Because all things live by God's nod.

12 You will take away their spirit, and they shall fail. He signifies the consummation of the world, when at the command of the Lord all things are destroyed, as it is written: "Earth you are, and into the earth you shall go." You will send forth your spirit, and they shall be created. On the day of consummation. If the Spirit creates, therefore he is God: for he creates in the same way as the Father also does. Let the glory of the Lord be for ever. If the glory of the Lord is for ever, then we too, who glorify, shall be everlasting. The Lord shall rejoice in his works. For it is the Lord's joy, when we, his creation, bless him on the day of resurrection. Who looks upon the earth, and makes it tremble. For our earth shall tremble on the day of judgment. And it signifies the earthly sinners. Who touches the mountains, and they smoke. If the mountains smoke, how much more the earth? The saints smoke, since we shall all be saved through fire. For it would not have smoke, unless there were fire.

13 I will sing to the Lord in my life; I will make music to my God as long as I am. Just as he also said elsewhere: "Let me be, that I may be refreshed before I depart, and be no more." Let me be for a little while, that I may do penance for my sins: since in hell there is no one who can confess his sins. May my speech be pleasing to him. May it be pleasing to him, so that one may worthily be able to praise and bless God. He spoke in the optative mood, not the imperative. But I will delight in the Lord. Blessed are those who say this after the judgment. Let sinners fail from the earth. He did not say that the sinners should perish, but that sin itself should, so that it may not appear. And with sin not appearing, of course there are then no more sinners, but all shall be found to be just. And the wicked, so that they shall be no more. So that they may be no longer wicked, but just.

Homily 31, on Psalm 104

1 Latin source: Germanus Morin (ed.), Sancti Hieronymi Presbyteri Tractatus sive Homiliae in Psalmos, Anecdota Maredsolana III (Maredsoli, 1897) — public domain. Psalm numbering follows the Septuagint/Vulgate (Morin). Confess to the Lord and call upon his name. Confess and say: because we are sinners, but you are merciful, and you have mercy on us. And call upon his name. So that we may not fashion idols in our hearts, but we will call upon our Lord, and he himself will be our redemption. Proclaim his works among the nations. Let the Jews blush, who say that only within Israel were his wonders and his works accomplished. Sing to him and make music to him. He who understands the holy Scriptures, and meditates continually on the law of the Lord, and whose mind contemplates heavenly things, this man sings to God. But he who has within himself all the virtues — that is, is a worker of good work — this man, composing as it were a lyre out of the virtues, makes music to the Lord. Tell of all his wonders. In the one hundred and sixth psalm he says: 'Those who go down to the sea in ships, doing their work in many waters: they themselves have seen the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.' If we cross over in this bodily ship of ours unharmed, and nowhere does the storm overwhelm us, nor do we strike against a rock and shatter our ship, we are able to tell of the wonders of God. And truly it is a great miracle to pass through this world without stain.

2 Be praised in his holy name. This is a prophecy concerning the people of the gentiles: that is, that we should be and be called Christians from the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let the heart of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Let the monks be glad, for the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. If of those who seek, how much more of those who find him? For those who find him are unshaken. Seek the Lord and be strengthened. Before we sought the Lord, we were weak; but now, seeking him, we are firm and strong. But if we also find him, how much more perfect shall we be? Seek his face always. To the Hebrews indeed it was written, that three times in the year they should appear before the Lord. And what righteousness was this? And what great thing did anyone do, to appear three times in the year in the sight of God? There he was speaking to little children; but here the prophet tells those who believe in God to seek him always, just as it is also written in the gospel, that we should pray without ceasing.

3 Remember his wonders which he did. In Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the desert. The seed of Abraham, his servants: the sons of Jacob, his chosen ones. If someone is seed, he is not yet also a son, according to what is written in the gospel: 'If you were the sons of Abraham, you would do the works of your father.' Therefore, that in which they glory, they are not; and if they are seed, they are servants set under fear, not having the perfect love which casts out fear. We are the sons of Jacob, of him who supplanted his brother, and took away his birthright. 'But many are called, and few are chosen.' And they passed from nation to nation. Many think that he speaks of the captivity of the Jews. It is not so. For he speaks of Abraham. He went out from the land of the Chaldeans, and came into Mesopotamia, and from Mesopotamia into the land of promise, and again into Egypt. And from a kingdom to another people. We pass through many kingdoms, in order to reach the land of promise.

4 He did not permit man to harm them. Pharaoh, that he should harm Abraham in the person of Sarah, nor Abimelech Isaac in the person of Rebecca. And he rebuked kings for their sake. He says the same thing, Pharaoh and Abimelech. Touch not my anointed ones, and do no malice among my prophets. He speaks of the patriarchs themselves. Let the Jews therefore blush, who say that unless someone is anointed with royal ointment, he cannot be called anointed (christ). For they say this, that our Lord is not the Christ, because he is not anointed with royal ointment. Behold, before the law the patriarchs, not anointed with royal ointment, are called anointed ones (christs). But they are anointed ones (christs) who are anointed with the Holy Spirit. Therefore our Lord too is rightly called Christ. Which they deny, going against the Scriptures. And he called famine upon the land. Very often it happens that those things which are thought to be adverse, these are brought about by the providence of God for our benefit. For unless the brothers of Joseph had been jealous of him, and had sold him, how would he have gone down into Egypt? If the famine had not come about, how would the patriarchs have gone down into Egypt, and been recognized by their brother? How would Pharaoh have been struck with ten plagues? How would they have gone out of Egypt? How would waters have come out of the rock in the wilderness? How would the mysteries which were done in the desert as a figure have come to be? For we understand them spiritually. If Judas had not betrayed the Lord, how would we have been saved? If the Jews had not crucified him, and had not been unbelieving, how would we have believed? Joseph therefore went into Egypt, to prepare lodging and food for his brothers.

5 He sent a man before them. He speaks of Joseph himself. Joseph was sold as a slave. A well-born and holy man is sold. They humbled his feet in fetters. Because he refused to consent to the Egyptian mistress. They humbled his feet in fetters: but they could not humble his righteousness. For when he was sixteen years old, he was loved passionately by the mistress, and though set in such an age, which is more given over to pleasure, he refused to consent to iniquity, but rather feared the peril of his soul. The iron passed through his soul. By the iron he means sin itself, which slays the soul. In another sense: because he was in peril, accused by the mistress of such a crime. For the mistress burned for him, as it is written: 'All the adulterers, their hearts are like an oven.' Until his word should come. He speaks of the word of the Lord himself, who set him free.

6 The utterance of the Lord inflamed him. For unless he had been inflamed by the Holy Spirit, he could not have conquered lust. For the Spirit of the Lord inflamed him, and extinguished the fire of lust. The king sent, and loosed him. According to the letter, Pharaoh sent, and loosed him. In another sense: if anyone is tempted by lust, unless the Lord appears and looses him, he cannot escape sin. And Jacob was a sojourner in the land of Ham. For the just man never dwells in the land, but is a sojourner of the earth. And he increased his people exceedingly. For they went down into Egypt in seventy-five souls, and six hundred thousand went out of Egypt.