Psalms 31

Psalms 31:1

Augustine of Hippo: “In You, O Lord, have I trusted, let Me not be put to confusion for ever” [Psalms 31:1]. In You, O Lord, have I trusted, let Me never be confounded, while they shall insult Me as one like other men. “In Your righteousness rescue Me, and deliver Me.” And in Your righteousness rescue Me from the pit of death, and deliver Me out of their company. — Exposition on Psalms 31

Cassiodorus: He rightly made an appeal for the Lord’s justice, since he knew that he would suffer at the hands of the unjust. What a truly amazing and divine exchange! He received death and gave salvation in return; he endured injuries and distributed honors; he took upon himself pain and conferred safety. He is both unique and fully devoted who offered sweet things when he received what was bitter. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:2

Evagrius Ponticus: Not only does God free us into righteousness but also into temperance, fortitude and love. He uses “righteousness” to embrace all virtues. Perhaps he understands “Christ” for “righteousness.” “He is made wisdom to us by God and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” — NOTES ON THE Psalms 30[31].2

Psalms 31:2

Arnobius the Younger: God rescues and frees the one who puts his hope in him. He bends his ear to them, and he snatches them … so that they are saved. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 31:3

Augustine of Hippo: “Bend down Your ear unto Me” [Psalms 31:2]. Hear Me in My humiliation, near at hand unto Me. “Make haste to deliver Me.” Defer not to the end of the world, as with all who believe in Me, My separation from sinners. “Be unto Me a God who protects Me.” Be unto Me God, and Protector. “And a house of refuge, that You may save Me.” And as a house, wherein taking refuge I may be saved. — Exposition on Psalms 31

Psalms 31:3

Evagrius Ponticus: He leads through right faith and works and nourishes through his own understanding. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 30[31].4

Theodoret of Cyrus: Now, through all the verses occurring here, at any rate, we learn the measure of his prudence: his appeal for divine assistance is made on the basis not of his own virtue but of God’s name and of God’s righteousness and because he hoped in him. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 31:3

Psalms 31:4

Augustine of Hippo: “You shall bring Me out of this trap, which they have hidden for Me” [Psalms 31:4]. You shall bring Me out of these snares, which they have hidden for Me. “For You are My Protector.” — Exposition on Psalms 31

Cassiodorus: The snare was certainly hidden by the enemies, but there was not one which could be hidden from Christ, nor did he fall into death by being deceived, but consciously he accepted it in order to liberate us. So the Jews hid a trap for Christ because they believed that he was only a man, and they were devising a plan to destroy him by an ambush. So he says that he will be brought out, in other words, by the kindness of the resurrection he will be raised quickly to the heavenly realms. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:5

Theodoret of Cyrus: By this he indicated the plot of Ahithophel, which he put into operation against him, as we have spoken about previously. … After frequently encountering many disasters I was freed from them by your aid—thus I entrust my soul to your providence. He calls providence here once again “hands.” — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 31:4

Psalms 31:5

Augustine of Hippo: “Into Your hands I commend My Spirit” [Psalms 31:5]. To Your power I commend My Spirit, soon to receive It back. “You have redeemed Me, O Lord God of truth.” Let the people too, redeemed by the Passion of their Lord, and joyful in the glorifying of their Head, say, “You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.” — Exposition on Psalms 31

Cassiodorus: Let us consider why these words have been placed here which the Gospel text quotes.… Certainly so that you may recognize that here too he spoke who so many centuries later would speak the same words when fixed on the cross. “Into your hands” means “Into your truth” by which you always perform what is kind and just. In this way, he commends to the Father the inestimable treasure, namely, that soul that regularly carried out the Fathers desires in complete compliance with the Father’s intention. It was therefore fitting that such a spirit be commended to such a great guardian. Next he testifies that he was redeemed. But let us examine at what price; it was the price which the Apostle indicates: “He emptied himself, taking on the form of a servant.” You see how great the price was that he brought his majesty as low as human flesh, and he emptied himself in order that he might fill human things with heavenly things. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:6

Evagrius Ponticus: Here spirit indicates mind. The mind that clings to God is one spirit. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 30[31].6

Luke (23:44-49): And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. [Psalms 31:5] Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned. And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.

Theodore of Mopsuestia: Now, it is to be noted that the Lord cited this verse when on the cross, not that it was said of him in prophetic manner, as some commentators think, but because these words suited him when exposed to the risk of death and passion. So he cited this verse at the time when his soul was separated from his body, and [he] rightly entrusted it to the Father so that he might restore it to his body when it was in need of it at the time of the resurrection. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 31:6

Psalms 31:6

Augustine of Hippo: “Thou hatest them that hold to vanity uselessly” [Psalms 31:6]. Thou hatest them that hold to the false happiness of the world. “But I have trusted in the Lord.” — Exposition on Psalms 31

Cassiodorus: “I will hope in the Lord,” in whom there is nothing empty, … but everything remains fixed and whole. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:7

Theodore of Mopsuestia: You hated them and rebuffed those paying constant attention to doing wrong; far from doing evil in the heat of passion, they involve themselves in the practice of evil as though an obligation (the sense of “paid constant attention”). By “futile things” he refers to the wrongdoing. By “in vain” he means that they got no benefit from their involvement in evildoing because of his hating and punishing them and not allowing them to bring to completion the object of their efforts. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 31:7

Psalms 31:7

Augustine of Hippo: “I will be glad, and rejoice in Your mercy:” which does not deceive me. “For You have regarded My humiliation:” wherein You have subjected me to vanity in hope. [Romans 8:20] “You have saved my soul from necessities” [Psalms 31:7]. You have saved my soul from the necessities of fear, that with a free love it may serve You. — Exposition on Psalms 31

Cassiodorus: Let us give attention to the one who says that his humility was respected. It is he who both created heaven and earth and holds them intact, he whom the heavenly powers serve. But there was humility in the Most High for this reason, because also a true human nature was connected to him, made perfect from his very conception. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:8.31:8

Psalms 31:8

Augustine of Hippo: “And hast not shut me up into the hands of the enemy” [Psalms 31:8]. And hast not shut me up, that I should have no opening for recovering unto liberty, and be given over for ever into the power of the devil, ensnaring me with the desire of this life, and terrifying me with death. “You have set my feet in a large room.” The resurrection of my Lord being known, and my own being promised me, my love, having been brought out of the straits of fear, walks abroad in continuance, into the expanse of liberty. — Exposition on Psalms 31

Evagrius Ponticus: The reasons of temptation, when they are realized, provide a broad plane for the soul. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 30[31].9

Psalms 31:9

Augustine of Hippo: “Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am troubled” [Psalms 31:9]. But what is this unlooked-for cruelty of the persecutors, striking such dread into me? “Have mercy on me, O Lord.” For I am now no more alarmed for death, but for torments and tortures. “My eye has been disordered by anger.” I had my eye upon You, that You should not abandon me: You are angry, and hast disordered it. “My soul, and my belly.” By the same anger my soul has been disturbed, and my memory, whereby I retained what my God has suffered for me, and what He has promised me. — Exposition on Psalms 31

Cassiodorus: When the flesh perceived that dangers were looming, it was troubled by fear. Note that he frequently says that he was troubled, but nowhere indicates that he despaired. This was spoken by him in order that the heavenly Master might display this pattern for us to imitate. Distress seeks out the human race to foster a familiar relationship with God, but despair does not stem from divine holiness. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:10

Evagrius Ponticus: Nothing darkens the mind like unbridled wrath. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 30[31].10

John Cassian: The deadly poison of anger has to be utterly rooted out from the inmost corners of our soul. For as long as this remains in our hearts and blinds with its hurtful darkness the eye of the soul, we can neither acquire right judgment and discretion nor gain the insight that springs from an honest gaze or ripeness of counsel, nor can we be partakers of life, or retentive of righteousness or even have the capacity for spiritual and true light: “for,” says one, “my eye is disturbed by reason of anger.” — INSTITUTES 8:1

Psalms 31:10

Augustine of Hippo: “For my life has failed in pain” [Psalms 31:10]. For my life is to confess You, but it failed in pain, when the enemy had said, Let them be tortured until they deny Him. “And my years in groanings.” The time that I pass in this world is not taken away from me by death, but abides, and is spent in groanings. “My strength has been weakened by want.” I want the health of this body, and racking pains come on me: I want the dissolution of the body, and death forbears to come: and in this want my confidence has been weakened. “And my bones have been disturbed.” And my steadfastness has been disturbed. — Exposition on Psalms 31

Clement of Rome: Let your children take part in the instruction that is in Christ, let them learn how powerful with God is humility, how strong is a pure love, how the fear of him is beautiful and great and saves those who live in it in holiness with a pure mind. For he is a searcher of thoughts and desires; his breath is in us, and when he wills, he will take it away. — 1 CLEMENT 21

Psalms 31:11

Augustine of Hippo: “I have been made a reproach above all mine enemies” [Psalms 31:11]. All the wicked are my enemies; and nevertheless they for their wickednesses are tortured only till they confess: I then have overpassed their reproach, I, whose confession death does not follow, but racking pains follow upon it. “And to my neighbours too much.” This has seemed too much to them, who were already drawing near to know You, and to hold the faith that I hold. “And a fear to mine acquaintance.” And into my very acquaintance I struck fear by the example of my dreadful tribulation. “They that did see me, fled without from me.” Because they did not understand my inward and invisible hope, they fled from me into things outward and visible. — Exposition on Psalms 31

Cassiodorus: Christ the Lord, though innocent and undefiled, was being considered a disgrace among those who were desecrating themselves with wicked sin.… A disgrace indicates a terribly heinous act, what the evil Jews were convinced had been committed by our Lord Savior when they said: “This man is not from God, who does not keep the Sabbath,” and elsewhere: “You are a Samaritan and have a demon.” — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:12

Psalms 31:12

Augustine of Hippo: “I have been forgotten, as one dead from the heart” [Psalms 31:12]. And they have forgotten me, as if I were dead from their hearts. “I have become as a lost vessel.” I have seemed to myself to be lost to all the Lord’s service, living in this world, and gaining none, when all were afraid to join themselves unto me. — Exposition on Psalms 31

Cassiodorus: Those who do not believe the Scriptures at all saw the Lord fixed on the cross and walked away from his divinity, anticipating that their expectation was ended by this death. Likewise heretics, who hear the divine Scriptures in the church and who see miracles, walk away from the church to hear wicked proclamations, fleeing from the truth in which they have little tolerance to continue on.… “A ruined vessel” is one that is broken and without purpose, and so it is always thrown away. So also Jesus, when he died, was considered by unbelievers to be like a broken vessel that should be thrown away. How could it be said more humbly than that the almighty Majesty be compared to fragile jars? But consider that it was those who were mad who thought about Christ this way. But there always existed in him a unique omnipotence and an amazing divine fullness. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:13-14

Theodoret of Cyrus: Everyone has given me up for lost, he is saying, like a vessel mislaid or a corpse occupying a tomb. He brought out the degree of forgetfulness by reference to the worthless vessel: just as when lost it vanishes from the memory of the losers for reason of its worthlessness, he is saying, so too am I in their estimation like someone nonexistent and have become deserving of no esteem. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 31:7

Psalms 31:13

Augustine of Hippo: “For I have heard the rebuking of many dwelling by in a circuit” [Psalms 31:13]. For I have heard many rebuking me, in the pilgrimage of this world near me, following the circuit of time, and refusing to return with me to the eternal country. “Whilst they were assembling themselves together against me, they conspired that they might take my soul.” That my soul, which should by death easily escape from their power, might consent unto them, they imagined a device, whereby they would not suffer me even to die. — Exposition on Psalms 31

Psalms 31:14

Augustine of Hippo: “But I have hoped in You, O Lord; I have said, You are my God” [Psalms 31:14]. For You have not changed, that You should not save, Who dost correct. — Exposition on Psalms 31

Cassiodorus: The order of the words is wonderful and most holy. When his enemies … held on to a hope in their own strength, he says that he put his hope in the Lord, since he knew that their power was nothing and by the plots they were attempting they would kill themselves rather than him.… The Lord Christ says: “You are my God,” but he says this from the perspective of the human nature that he assumed, which, as he says later, was subject both to time and to death. He does not, as his enemies were thinking, mention that his life was going to be ended by their persecution, but he commends the times of his life to the Lord. For we exist by his work as our Creator; we are enlivened as he determines; and we also pass on when he gives the command. For this reason, it is necessary that his hope be set on the Lord, for he knew that his life and his death were under God’s control. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:15-16

Psalms 31:15

Augustine of Hippo: “In Your hands” are “my lots” [Psalms 31:15]. In Your power are my lots. For I see no desert for which out of the universal ungodliness of the human race You have elected me particularly to salvation. And though there be with You some just and secret order in my election, yet I, from whom this is hid, have attained by lot unto my Lord’s vesture. [John 19:24] “Deliver me from the hands of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.” — Exposition on Psalms 31

Diodorus of Tarsus: He says “my lot” in the sense of all my relief and all my tribulation. Since everyone has times when they are distressed and times when they are also made happy, he means, “my lot,” the times allotted to me for being made glad and for being distressed, all these are “in your hands” and capable of being changed as you wish. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 31

Psalms 31:16

Augustine of Hippo: “Make Your Face to shine upon Your servant” [Psalms 31:16]. Make it known to men, who do not think that I belong unto You, that Your Face is bent upon me, and that I serve You. “Save me in Your mercy.” — Exposition on Psalms 31

Diodorus of Tarsus: Since it seemed as though God had turned away from them and was angry with them, he asks for reconciliation: Only have regard to me, he is saying, and it is sufficient for my salvation. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 31

Pseudo-Athanasius: In this I trust, that I shall be saved if you make your face to shine on me, hiding your back from me. — EXPOSITION ON Psalms 31

Psalms 31:17

Augustine of Hippo: “O Lord, let me not be confounded, for I have called upon You” [Psalms 31:17]. O Lord, let me not be put to shame by those who insult me, for that I have called upon You. “Let the ungodly be ashamed, and be brought down to hell.” Let them rather who call upon stones be ashamed, and made to dwell with darkness. — Exposition on Psalms 31

Cassiodorus: In saying, “Save me in your mercy,” he denies his own merit. He constantly repeats the same things in order to teach us, nor does he ever become weary of his beloved confession, because the sweetness of the truth does not become distasteful to him. He also adds: “Lord, may I not be put to shame, for I have called upon you.” Wonderful and complete is this proclamation which contains both the petition of a humble person and the indestructible strength of one who believes. So he asks not he not be put to shame by God failing to answer his prayer. But how does he believe that he is heard? “For I have called on you.” Calling upon the Lord in faith is an act which finds favor rather than insulting God, for the one who calls cannot at all be deceived, assuming that he is heard by God. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:18

Psalms 31:18

Augustine of Hippo: “Let the deceitful lips be made dumb” [Psalms 31:18]. In making known to the peoples Your mysteries wrought in me, strike with dumb amazement the lips of them that invent falsehood of me. “Which speak iniquity against the Righteous, in pride and contempt.” Which speak iniquity against Christ, in their pride and contempt of Him as a crucified man. — Exposition on Psalms 31

Evagrius Ponticus: One who speaks falsely receives mercy when he becomes silent. He gives up deceit. — NOTES ON THE Psalms 30[31].19

Psalms 31:19

Augustine of Hippo: “How great” is “the multitude of Your sweetness, O Lord” [Psalms 31:19]. Here the Prophet exclaims, having sight of all this, and admiring how manifoldly plenteous is Your sweetness, O Lord. “Which You have hid for them that fear You.” Even those, whom Thou correctest, You love much: but lest they should go on negligently from relaxed security, Thou hidest from them the sweetness of Your love, for whom it is profitable to fear You. “You have perfected it for them that hope in You.” But You have perfected this sweetness for them that hope in You. For Thou dost not withdraw from them what they look for perseveringly even unto the end. “In sight of the sons of men.” For it does not escape the notice of the sons of men, who now live no more after Adam, but after the Son of Man. “You will hide them in the hidden place of Your Countenance:” which seat You shall preserve for everlasting in the hidden place of the knowledge of You for them that hope in You. “From the troubling of men.” So that now they suffer no more trouble from men. — Exposition on Psalms 31

Augustine of Hippo: From the law comes our fear of God, from faith our hope in him; but grace is hidden from those who are in fear of punishment. The soul that labors under that fear, not yet victorious over evil concupiscence and still held in the stern ward of that same fear, must take refuge by faith with the mercy of God, that he may grant what he commands, impart the sweet savor of grace and by his Holy Spirit make the delight of his precepts greater than the attraction that obstructs the keeping of them. Thus that “countless sum of his sweetness,” the law of faith that is the love of him written and shed abroad in our hearts, is perfected to them that hope in him, so that the healed soul may work that which is good, not in fear of punishment but through love of righteousness. — ON THE SPIRIT AND THE LETTER 51

Cassiodorus: There is an abundance of sweetness, for the Lord’s sweetness is expressed by the many benefits that he gives. He is sweet when he corrects, sweet when he pardons, and sweet when he promises eternal rewards to believers. But you must understand that he is only sweet to those who have acquired a taste for him. His sweetness cannot come to those who have not deserved to experience him. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:20

Cyril of Jerusalem: The sum of your sins does not surpass the magnitude of God’s mercies. Your wounds are not beyond the healing skill of the great Physician. Only surrender to him with faith, tell the Physician of your malady. Repeat the words of David: “I said, I will confess against myself my iniquity to the Lord,” and in like manner will be verified the second part of the verse: “And you forgave the wickedness of my heart.” — Catechetical Lecture 2:6

Theodoret of Cyrus: Now, the verse has this sense: You hide the rewards and prizes for those who fear you, O Lord, many and great and marvelous though these are, and instead you allow them to struggle with sweat and tears. Yet there comes the time when you reveal the rewards, giving cheer to the athletes.… Then he described in detail the providence in their favor.… Your appearance suffices, he is saying (he calls it “presence”), for them to be freed from all human disturbance and commotion, and to conceal them as though admitted to the precincts of some tabernacle and render them invisible. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 31:10

Psalms 31:20

Arnobius the Younger: Although the just suffer trials in this age, a greater sweetness awaits them, if they persevere to the future, which the Lord hides meanwhile for those who fear him. He does not wish to show it in this age, so he may complete it for the ones hoping in him in the presence of those who mock them. Now he hides them in the secret of his presence from the vexation of people.… Then he magnifies his mercy when he prepares a fortified city, which angels surround, the mother city of holy Jerusalem. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 31

Augustine of Hippo: “You will protect them in Your tabernacle from the contradiction of tongues” [Psalms 31:20]. But here meanwhile while evil tongues murmur against them, saying, Who has come thence? You will protect them in the tabernacle, that of faith in those things, which the Lord wrought and endured for us in time. — Exposition on Psalms 31

Gregory of Nyssa: God’s abounding goodness aids us in a hidden way, and in the present life it is not clearly evident. For every objection of unbelievers would be removed, could we actually see what we only hope for. But our hopes await the ages to come, so that there may then be revealed what at present our faith alone apprehends. — ADDRESS ON RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION 17

Psalms 31:21

Augustine of Hippo: “Blessed be the Lord; for He has made His mercy marvellous, in the city of compassing” [Psalms 31:21]. Blessed be the Lord, for after the correction of the sharpest persecutions He has made His mercy marvellous to all throughout the world, in the circuit of human society. — Exposition on Psalms 31

Cassiodorus: We should regard the “surrounded city” as the physical location of Jerusalem, which is set in the midst of the nations and is known to exist as the temple of God. The nations that are located around it were worthy to receive the precepts of the Christian teaching, as if the purest of springs opened itself up to them, and they were irrigated with the gifts of heavenly life. So in this city the Lord “has made his mercy wonderful,” since it was there in fact that he deemed it fitting to teach, to perform miracles, and to suffer for human salvation. There too he revealed the glory of his resurrection, where he chose to make known such immense mysteries. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:21

Theodoret of Cyrus: He surrounded and enclosed me in his habitual lovingkindness, he is saying, as the inhabitants encircle a city with a strong rampart. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 31:11

Psalms 31:22

Augustine of Hippo: “I said in my ecstasy” [Psalms 31:22]. Whence that people again speaking says, I said in my fear, when the heathen were raging horribly against me. “I have been cast forth from the sight of Your eyes.” For if You had regard to me, You would not suffer me to endure these things. “Therefore You heard, O Lord, the voice of my prayer, when I cried unto You.” Therefore putting a limit to correction, and showing that I have part in Your care, You heard, O Lord, the voice of my prayer, when I raised it high out of tribulation. — Exposition on Psalms 31

Hippolytus of Rome: The mercy of God is not so “marvellous” when it is shown in humbler cities as when it is shown in “a strong city,” and for this reason “God is to be blessed.” — Fragments from Commentaries on Various Books of Scripture - On Psalm XXXI. 22

Theodoret of Cyrus: This psalm is likely to have been spoken by blessed David at the time of being pursued by Absalom.… I thought that on falling into sin, he is saying, I was far from your care; but you took account of my humble words and did not despise me in my need. Now, he rightly called his sin “departure”: after treading the way of righteousness he left it and turned aside; but he stumbled and fell foul of bloodthirsty brigands. This very thing reveals David’s virtue: he was not in the habit of sinning, but departing a little from his chosen course he suffered that awful slide. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 31:1, 11

Psalms 31:23

Augustine of Hippo: “Love the Lord, all you His saints” [Psalms 31:23]. The Prophet again exhorts, having sight of these things, and says, “Love the Lord, all you His saints; for the Lord will require truth.” Since “if the righteous shall scarcely be saved, where shall the sinner and the ungodly appear?” [1 Peter 4:18] “And He will repay them that do exceeding proudly.” And He will repay them who even when conquered are not converted, because they are very proud. — Exposition on Psalms 31

Cassiodorus: When he has completed a hymn on the kindnesses granted to him, he urges the saints to love the Lord, since his members love the Author of such a kindness when they recognize that it has been bestowed on their Head. “Love” he says, now as to his friends, not as if speaking to servants, for fear is characteristic of servants, but love characterizes the relationship between friends. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:24

Diodorus of Tarsus: He repays extraordinarily those who are guilty of arrogance so as to bring out that God loathes this transgression more than every other sin. — COMMENTARY ON Psalms 31

Theodoret of Cyrus: You who pass through the present life with divine hope, strengthen your souls with bravery and heed the directions of the pilot, traveling wherever he leads. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 31:12

Psalms 31:24

Arnobius the Younger: There will be a judgment in which the Lord will require truth and he will repay the haughty. Be strong; flag not; let your heart be comforted. Be secure, you who hope in the Lord. — COMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 31

Augustine of Hippo: “Quit you like men, and let your heart be strengthened” [Psalms 31:24]: working good without fainting, that you may reap in due season. “All you who trust in the Lord:” that is, you who duly fear and worship Him, trust ye in the Lord. — Exposition on Psalms 31

Cassiodorus: This is the power of the entire psalm and in it the usefulness of the sacred passion is concentrated … namely, that they not be frightened by the sufferings predicted, but that the hearts of the faithful find strength for the glorious imitation that they knew had been introduced to provide the healing of salvation for the world.… So this is an appeal to good people not to withdraw themselves from their good intention because of the weakness of their flesh.… For in this way, the hearts of those who endure are strengthened, if they fortify their hope through the Lord’s power. — EXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 31:25