Psalm 1
Text
Latin
1 Beatus vir qui non abiit in consilio impiorum, et in via peccatorum non stetit, et in cathedra pestilentiæ non sedit;
2 sed in lege Domini voluntas ejus, et in lege ejus meditabitur die ac nocte.
3 Et erit tamquam lignum quod plantatum est secus decursus aquarum, quod fructum suum dabit in tempore suo: et folium ejus non defluet; et omnia quæcumque faciet prosperabuntur.
4 Non sic impii, non sic; sed tamquam pulvis quem projicit ventus a facie terræ.
5 Ideo non resurgent impii in judicio, neque peccatores in concilio justorum:
6 quoniam novit Dominus viam justorum, et iter impiorum peribit.
English
1 BLESSED is the man, that hath not gone in the counsel of the impious, & hath not stoode in the way of sinners, and hath not sitte in the chayre of pestilence:
2 But his wil is in the way of our Lord, and in his law he wil mediate day and night.
3 And he shal be as a tree, that is planted nigh to the streames of waters, which shal geue his fruite in his time:
4 And his leafe shal not fal: and al thinges whatsoeuer he shal doe, shal prosper.
5 The impious not so: but as dust, which the wind driueth from the face of the earth.
6 Therefore the impious shal not rise againe in judgement: nor sinners in the councel of the iust
7 For our Lord knoweth the way of the iust, and the way of the impious shal perish.
Augustine
Enarratio
Superbia cathedra pestilentiae recte intelligitur.
1. [v 1.] Beatus vir qui non abiit in consilio impiorum: de Domino nostro Iesu Christo, hoc est homine Dominico, accipiendum est. Beatus vir qui non abiit in consilio impiorum: sicut homo terrenus qui uxori consensit deceptae a serpente, ut Dei praecepta praeteriret. Et in via peccatorum non stetit: quia venit quidem in via peccatorum, nascendo sicut peccatores; sed non stetit, quia eum non tenuit illecebra saecularis. Et in cathedra pestilentiae non sedit: noluit regnum terrenum cum superbia; quae ideo cathedra pestilentiae recte intellegitur, quia non fere quisquam est qui careat amore dominandi et humanam non appetat gloriam; pestilentia est enim morbus late pervagatus, et omnes aut pene omnes involvens. Quamquam accommodatius accipiatur cathedra pestilentiae, perniciosa doctrina, cuius sermo ut cancer serpit 1. Deinde considerandus est ordo verborum, abiit, stetit, sedit: abiit enim ille, cum recessit a Deo; stetit, cum delectatus est peccato; sedit, cum in sua superbia confirmatus, redire non potuit, nisi per eum liberatus, qui neque abiit in consilio impiorum, nec in via peccatorum stetit, nec in cathedra pestilentiae sedit.
In lege et sub lege.
2. [v 2.] Sed in lege Domini fuit voluntas eius, et in lege eius meditabitur die ac nocte. Iusto non est lex posita, ut dicit Apostolus 2; sed aliud est esse in lege, aliud sub lege: qui est in lege, secundum legem agit; qui est sub lege, secundum legem agitur. Ille ergo liber est, iste servus. Deinde aliud est lex quae scribitur, et imponitur servienti; aliud lex quae mente conspicitur, ab eo qui non indiget litteris. Meditabitur die ac nocte: aut sine intermissione intellegendum est; aut die in laetitia, nocte in tribulationibus; dicitur enim: Abraham diem meum vidit, et gavisus est 3; et de tribulatione dicitur: Insuper et usque ad noctem emendaverunt me renes mei 4.
Christus lignum salutis.
3. [v 3.] Et erit tamquam lignum quod plantatum est secundum decursus aquarum: id est, aut secundum ipsam Sapientiam, quae dignata est hominem suscipere ad salutem nostram; ut ipse homo sit lignum plantatum secundum decursus aquarum: potest enim et hoc intellectu accipi, quod in alio psalmo dicitur: Fluvius Dei repletus est aqua 5. Aut secundum Spiritum sanctum, secundum quem dicitur: Ipse vos baptizabit in Spiritu sancto 6; et illud: Qui sitit, veniat, et bibat 7; et illud: Si scires donum Dei, et quis est qui a te aquam petit; petisses ab eo, et daret tibi aquam vivam, unde qui biberit non sitiet in aeternum; sed efficietur in eo fons aquae salientis in vitam aeternam 8. Aut secundum decursus aquarum, secundum populorum peccata, quia et aquae populi interpretantur in Apocalypsi 9; et decursus non absurde intellegitur lapsus, quod pertinet ad delictum. Lignum ergo illud, id est Dominus noster, de aquis decurrentibus, id est populis peccatoribus, trahens eos in via in radices disciplinae suae, fructum dabit, hoc est, constituet Ecclesias; in tempore suo, id est, postquam clarificatus est resurrectione et ascensione in coelum. Tunc enim Spiritu sancto misso Apostolis, et eis in fiducia sui confirmatis et directis in populos, fructificavit Ecclesias. Et folium eius non decidet: id est, verbum eius non erit irritum; quia omnis caro foenum, et claritas hominis ut flos foeni: foenum aruit, et flos decidit, verbum autem Domini manet in aeternum 10. Et omnia quaecumque fecerit prosperabuntur: id est, quaecumque illud lignum attulerit; quae omnia videlicet accipienda sunt fructus et folia, id est facta et dicta.
Superbia est ventus.
4. [v 4.] Non sic impii, non sic: sed tamquam pulvis quem proicit ventus a facie terrae. Terra hic accipienda est ipsa stabilitas in Deo, secundum quam dicitur: Dominus pars haereditatis meae, etenim haereditas mea praeclara est mihi 11; secundum hanc dicitur: Sustine Dominum, et observa vias eius, et exaltabit te, ut possideas terram 12; secundum hanc dicitur: Beati mites, quia ipsi haereditate possidebunt terram 13. Similitudo autem hinc ducta est; quia ut haec terra visibilis exteriorem hominem nutrit et continet, ita illa terra invisibilis interiorem hominem. A cuius terrae facie proicit ventus impium, id est superbia, quia inflat. Quam cavens ille qui inebriabatur ab ubertate domus Dei, et torrente voluptatis eius potabatur, dicit: Non veniat mihi pes superbiae 14. Ab hac terra proiecit superbia eum qui dixit: Ponam sedem meam ad Aquilonem, et ero similis Altissimo 15. Ab huius terrae facie proiecit etiam eum qui, cum consensisset et gustasset de prohibito ligno, ut esset sicut Deus, abscondit se a facie Dei 16. Hanc terram ad interiorem hominem pertinere, et inde superbia hominem proici, maxime intellegi potest in eo quod scriptum est: Quid superbit terra et cinis? quoniam in vita sua proiecit intima sua 17; unde enim proiectus est, non absurde se dicitur proiecisse.
Aliud impii, aliud peccatores.
5. [v 5.] Ideo non resurgunt impii in iudicio: ideo scilicet, quia tamquam pulvis proiciuntur a facie terrae. Et bene hoc eis dixit auferri quod superbi ambiunt, id est ut iudicent, ut hoc ipsum planius dictum intellegatur sequenti sententia: Neque peccatores in consilio iustorum. Solet enim hoc modo repeti planius quod superius dicitur, ut peccatores intellegantur impii; et quod supra dictum est in iudicio, hic dictum sit in consilio iustorum. Aut certe si aliud sunt impii, aliud peccatores; ut quamquam omnis impius peccator sit, non tamen omnis peccator sit impius. Impii non resurgunt in iudicio: id est, resurgent quidem, sed non ut iudicentur, quia iam poenis certissimis destinati sunt; peccatores autem non resurgunt in consilio iustorum, id est ut iudicent, sed forte ut iudicentur, ut de his dictum sit: Uniuscuiusque opus quale sit, ignis probabit: si cuius opus manserit, mercedem accipiet: si cuius autem opus exustum fuerit, detrimentum patietur; ipse autem salvus erit, sic tamen quasi per ignem 18
Nesciri a Domino est perire.
6. [v 6.] Quoniam novit Dominus viam iustorum. Quemadmodum dicitur: Novit salutem medicina, morbos autem non novit; et tamen etiam morbi arte medicinae agnoscuntur; sic dici potest, nosse Dominum viam iustorum, viam vero impiorum non nosse; non quia aliquid Dominus nescit, et tamen dicit peccatoribus: Non novi vos 19. Iter autem impiorum peribit, pro eo positum est, ac si diceretur: Iter autem impiorum non novit Dominus. Sed planius dictum est, ut hoc sit nesciri a Domino, quod est perire, et hoc sit sciri Domino, quod est manere: ut ad scientiam Dei esse pertineat, ad ignorantiam vero non esse; quia Dominus dicit: Ego sum qui sum; et: Qui est, misit me 20.
Exposition
Superbia cathedra pestilentiae recte intelligitur.
1. Blessed is the man that has not gone away in the counsel of the ungodly Psalm 1:1. This is to be understood of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord Man. Blessed is the man that has not gone away in the counsel of the ungodly, as the man of earth did, 1 Corinthians 15:47 who consented to his wife deceived by the serpent, to the transgressing the commandment of God. Nor stood in the way of sinners. For He came indeed in the way of sinners, by being born as sinners are; but He stood not therein, for that the enticements of the world held Him not. And has not sat in the seat of pestilence. He willed not an earthly kingdom, with pride, which is well taken for the seat of pestilence; for that there is hardly any one who is free from the love of rule, and craves not human glory. For a pestilence is disease widely spread, and involving all or nearly all. Yet the seat of pestilence may be more appropriately understood of hurtful doctrine; whose word spreads as a canker. 2 Timothy 2:17 The order too of the words must be considered: went away, stood, sat. For he went away, when he drew back from God. He stood, when he took pleasure in sin. He sat, when, confirmed in his pride, he could not go back, unless set free by Him, who neither has gone away in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of pestilence.
In lege et sub lege.
2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law will he meditate by day and by night Psalm 1:2. The law is not made for a righteous man, 1 Timothy 1:9 says the Apostle. But it is one thing to be in the law, another under the law. Whoever is in the law, acts according to the law; whoever is under the law, is acted upon according to the law: the one therefore is free, the other a slave. Again, the law, which is written and imposed upon the servant, is one thing; the law, which is mentally discerned by him who needs not its letter, is another thing. He will meditate by day and by night, is to be understood either as without ceasing; or by day in joy, by night in tribulations. For it is said, Abraham saw my day, and was glad: John 8:5-6 and of tribulation it is said, my reins also have instructed me, even unto the night.
Christus lignum salutis.
3. And he shall be like a tree planted hard by the running streams of waters Psalm 1:3; that is either Very Wisdom, Proverbs viii which vouchsafed to assume man's nature for our salvation; that as man He might be the tree planted hard by the running streams of waters; for in this sense can that too be taken which is said in another Psalm, the river of God is full of water. Or by the Holy Ghost, of whom it is said, He shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost; Matthew 3:11 and again, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink; John 7:37 and again, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that asks water of you, you would have asked of Him, and He would have given you living water, of which whoever drinks shall never thirst, but it shall be made in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. Or, by the running streams of waters may be by the sins of the people, because first the waters are called peoples in the Apocalypse; Revelation 17:15 and again, by running stream is not unreasonably understood fall, which has relation to sin. That tree then, that is, our Lord, from the running streams of water, that is, from the sinful people's drawing them by the way into the roots of His discipline, will bring forth fruit, that is, will establish Churches; in His season, that is, after He has been glorified by His Resurrection and Ascension into heaven. For then, by the sending of the Holy Ghost to the Apostles, and by the confirming of their faith in Him, and their mission to the world, He made the Churches to bring forth fruit. His leaf also shall not fall, that is, His Word shall not be in vain. For, all flesh is grass, and the glory of man as the flower of grass; the grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord abides forever. Isaiah 40:6-8 And whatsoever He does shall prosper that is, whatsoever that tree shall bear; which all must be taken of fruit and leaves, that is, deeds and words.
Superbia est ventus.
4. The ungodly are not so, they are not so, but are like the dust which the wind casts forth from the face of the earth Psalm 1:4. The earth is here to be taken as that steadfastness in God, with a view to which it is said, The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, yea, I have a goodly heritage. With a view to this it is said, Wait on the Lord and keep His ways, and He shall exalt you to inherit the earth. With a view to this it is said, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5 A comparison too is derived hence, for as this visible earth supports and contains the outer man, so that earth invisible the inner man. From the face of which earth the wind casts forth the ungodly, that is, pride, in that it puffs him up. On his guard against which he, who was inebriated by the richness of the house of the Lord, and drunken of the torrent stream of its pleasures, says, Let not the foot of pride come against me. From this earth pride cast forth him who said, I will place my seat in the north, and I will be like the Most High. Isaiah 14:13-14 From the face of the earth it cast forth him also who, after that he had consented and tasted of the forbidden tree that he might be as God, hid himself from the Face of God. Genesis 3:8 That his earth has reference to the inner man, and that man is cast forth thence by pride, may be particularly seen in that which is written, Why is earth and ashes proud? Because, in his life, he cast forth his bowels. Sirach 10:9 For, whence he has been cast forth, he is not unreasonably said to have cast forth himself.
Aliud impii, aliud peccatores.
5. Therefore the ungodly rise not in the judgment Psalm 1:5: therefore, namely, because as dust they are cast forth from the face of the earth. And well did he say that this should be taken away from them, which in their pride they court, namely, that they may judge; so that this same idea is more clearly expressed in the following sentence, nor sinners in the counsel of the righteous. For it is usual for what goes before, to be thus repeated more clearly. So that by sinners should be understood the ungodly; what is before in the judgment, should be here in the counsel of the righteous. Or if indeed the ungodly are one thing, and sinners another, so that although every ungodly man is a sinner, yet every sinner is not ungodly; The ungodly rise not in the judgment, that is, they shall rise indeed, but not that they should be judged, for they are already appointed to most certain punishment. But sinners do not rise in counsel of the just, that is, that they may judge, but perhaps that they may be judged; so as of these it were said, The fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall then suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Nesciri a Domino est perire.
6. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous Psalm 1:6. As it is said, medicine knows health, but knows not disease, and yet disease is recognised by the art of medicine. In like manner can it be said that the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly He knows not. Not that the Lord is ignorant of anything, and yet He says to sinners, I never knew you. Matthew 7:23 But the way of the ungodly shall perish; is the same as if it were said, the way of the ungodly the Lord knows not. But it is expressed more plainly that this should be not to be known of the Lord, namely, to perish; and this to be known of the Lord, namely, to abide; so as that to be should appertain to the knowledge of God, but to His not knowing not to be. For the Lord says, I Am that I Am, and, I Am has sent me.