Psalm LXXXIX
37“What man is he that shall live, and shall not see death?” (ver. 48). For being raised from the dead He dieth no more, and death hath no more dominion over Him. And as in another Psalm it is said, “Thou shalt not leave my soul in Hell, neither shalt Thou suffer Thy Holy One to see corruption,” the Apostolic teaching takes up this testimony, and in the Acts of the Apostles thus argues against the unbelieving; Men and brethren, we know that the patriarch David is dead and buried, and his flesh hath seen corruption. Therefore it cannot be said of him, “neither shalt Thou suffer Thy Holy One to see corruption.” Of whom then is it said? “What man is he that shall live, and shall not see death?” Perhaps there is no man such. Nay, but “who is it?” is said to make thee inquire, not despair. But perhaps there may be some man “that shall live, and shall not see death,” and yet perhaps he did not speak of Christ, who died? There is no man “that shall live, and shall not see death,” except Him who died for mortals. That thou mayest be assured that it is said of Him, consider the sequel; “What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death?” Did He never die then? He did. How then shall He live, and never see death? “He shall deliver His own soul from the hands of Hell.” He is spoken of alone indeed, in that He alone of all others “shall live, and shall not see death: He shall deliver His own soul from the hand of Hell,” because although the rest of His faithful shall rise from the dead, and shall themselves live for evermore, without seeing death; yet they shall not themselves deliver their own souls from the hands of Hell. He who delivers His own soul from the hands of Hell, Himself delivers those of His believers: they cannot do so of themselves. Prove that He delivers His own soul. “I have power to lay down My life, and I have power to take it again. No man taketh ‘it from Me;’ for I Myself slept, but I lay it down of Myself, and take it again,” because it is He Himself who delivers His own soul from the hands of Hell.
38But in the very faith in Christ great difficulties occurred, and the heathen in their rage long said, “When shall he die, and his name perish?” On account of these then who have now long believed in Christ, but were destined to doubt for some time, these words follow, “Lord, where are Thy old loving-kindnesses?” (ver. 49). We have now acknowledged Christ our purifier, we now possess Him in whom Thy promises were to be fulfilled; show forth in Him what Thou hast promised. It is He Himself that shall live, and not see death: Himself who delivers His own soul from the hand of Hell: and yet we are still in suffering. Thus spoke the Martyrs, whose birthdays we are celebrating. He shall live, and not see death: He delivers His soul from the hands of Hell: yet “for Thy sake we are killed all the day long: and are counted as sheep appointed to be slain.” “Lord, where are Thy old loving-kindnesses which Thou swarest unto David in Thy truth?”
39“Remember, Lord, the rebuke that Thy servants have” (ver. 50). Even while Christ was living, and while He was sitting on His Father’s right hand, reproaches were cast against the Christians: they long were reproached with the name of Christ. That widowed one who brought forth, and whose children were more than those of the married wife, heard ill names, heard reproaches: but the Church, multiplied as she is, extending right and left, no longer remembers the reproach of her widowhood. “Remember, Lord,” in the memory of whom there is abundant sweetness. “Remember,” forget not. Remember what? “the rebuke that Thy servants have: and how I do bear in my bosom the rebukes of many people.” I went, saith he, to preach of Thee, and I heard reproaches, and bore them in my bosom, because I was fulfilling the prophecy. “Being defamed we entreat: we are made as the filth of the earth, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.” Long the Christians bore reproaches in their bosom, in their heart: nor dared resist their revilers; before, when it was a crime to answer a heathen: it is now a crime to remain a heathen. Thanks be to the Lord! He remembered our rebukes: He raised the horn of His Anointed on high, He made Him the Wonderful among the kings of the earth. Now no one insults Christians, or if he does, it is not in public: he speaks as if he were still more fearful of being heard, than anxious to be believed. “I bear in my bosom the rebukes of many people.”
40“Wherewith Thine enemies have blasphemed Thee, O Lord” (ver. 51), both Jews and Pagans. “Wherewith they have blasphemed.” Wherewith have they blasphemed Thee? “With the change of Thine Anointed.” They objected that Christ died, and was crucified. Madmen, what is your reproach? Although there is now no one to use it: yet supposing some still remaining that so speak, what is your reproach? that Christ died? He was not destroyed, but changed. He is styled “dead” on account of the three days. Wherewith then have thine enemies blasphemed Thee? Not with the loss, not with the perdition of Thine Anointed, but with His “change.” He was changed from temporal to eternal life: He was changed from the Jews to the Gentiles; He was changed from earth to heaven. Let then Thy vain enemies blaspheme Thee still for the change of Thine Anointed. Would that they may be changed: they will not in that case blaspheme the change of Christ, which displeases them since they themselves will not be changed. “For there is no change with them, and they fear not God.”
41They have blasphemed the change of Christ; but what dost thou answer? “The blessing of the Lord for evermore. Amen and Amen” (ver. 52). Thanks to His mercy, thanks to His grace. We express our thanks: we do not give them, nor return them, nor repay them: we express our thanks in words, while in fact we retain our sense of them. He saved us for no reward, He heeded not our impieties: He searched us out when we searched not for Him, He found, redeemed, emancipated us from the bondage of the devil and the power of his wicked angels: He drew us to Him to purify us by that faith, from which He releases those enemies only who believe not, and who for that reason cannot be purified. Let those who still remain infidels say every day what they choose; day by day they shall be fewer and fewer that remain; let them revile, mock, accuse, not the death, but the change of Christ. Do they not see that, when they say these things, they fail in purpose either by believing or by dying? For their curse is temporal: but the blessing of the Lord “for evermore.” To confirm that blessing is added, “Amen and Amen.” This is the signature of the bond of God. Secure then of His promises, let us believe the past, recognise the present, hope for the future. Let not the enemy lead us astray from the way, that He, who gathers us like chickens under His wings, may foster us: lest we stray from His wings, and the hawk of the air carry us off while yet unfledged. For the Christian ought not to hope in himself: if he hopes to be strong, let him be reared by his mother’s warmth. This is the hen who gathers her young together; whence is the reproach of our Saviour against the unbelieving Jerusalem. “Behold, your house shall be left unto you desolate.”
Hence was it said, “Thou hast made his strongholds a terror.” Since then they would not be gathered together under the wings of this hen, and have given as a warning to teach us to dread the unclean spirits that fly in the air, seeking daily what they may devour; let us gather ourselves under the wings of this hen, the divine Wisdom, since she is weakened even unto death of her chickens. Let us love our Lord God, let us love His Church: Him as a Father, Her as a Mother: Him as a Lord, Her as His Handmaid, as we are ourselves the Handmaid’s sons. But this marriage is held together by a bond of great love: no man offends the one, and wins favour of the other. Let no man say, “I go indeed to the idols, I consult possessed ones and fortune-tellers: yet I abandon not God’s Church; I am a Catholic.” While thou holdest to thy Mother, thou hast offended thy Father. Another says, Far be it from me; I consult no sorcerer, I seek out no possessed one, I never ask advice by sacrilegious divination, I go not to worship idols, I bow not before stones; though I am in the party of Donatus. What does it profit you not to have offended your Father, if he avenges your offended Mother? what does it serve you, if you acknowledge the Lord, honour God, preach His name, acknowledge His Son, confess that He sitteth by His right hand; while you blaspheme His Church? Does not the analogy of human marriages convince you? Suppose you have some patron, whom you court every day, whose threshold you wear with your visits, whom you daily not only salute, but even worship, to whom you pay the most loyal courtesy; if you utter one calumny against his wife, could you re-enter his house? Hold then, most beloved, hold all with one mind to God the Father, and the Church our Mother. Celebrate with temperance the birthdays of the Saints, that we may imitate those who have gone before us, and that they who pray for you may rejoice over you; that “the blessing of the Lord may abide on you for evermore. Amen and Amen.”