Psalm CXXXII
16“I will bless her widow with blessings, and will satisfy her poor with bread” (ver. 15). Every soul that is aware that it is bereft of all help, save of God alone, is widowed. For how doth the Apostle describe a widow? “She that is a widow indeed and desolate, trusteth in God.” He was speaking of those whom we all call Widows in the Church. He saith, “She that liveth in pleasure, is dead while she liveth;” and he numbereth her not among the widows. But in describing true widows, what saith he? “She that is a widow indeed and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.” Here he addeth, “but she that liveth in pleasure, is dead while she liveth.” What then makes a widow? That she hath no aid from any other source, save from God alone. They that have husbands, take pride in the protection of their husbands: widows seem desolate, and their aid is a stronger one. The whole Church therefore is one widow, whether in men or in women, in married men or married women, in young men or in old, or in virgins: the whole Church is one widow, desolate in this world, if she feel this, if she is aware of her widowhood: for then is help at hand for her. Do ye not recognise this widow in the Gospel, my brethren, when the Lord declared “that men ought always to pray and not to faint”? “There was in a city a judge,” He said, “which feared not God, neither regarded man. And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him day by day, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.” The widow, by daily importunity, prevailed with him: for the judge said within himself, “Though I fear not God; neither regard man, yet because this woman troubleth me, I will avenge her.” If the wicked judge heard the widow, that he might not be molested; heareth not God His Church, whom He exhorteth to pray?
17Also, “I will satisfy her poor with bread;” what meaneth this, brethren? Let us be poor, and we shall then be satisfied. Many who trust in the world, and are proud, are Christians; they worship Christ, but are not satisfied; for they have been satisfied, and abound in their pride. Of such it is said, “Our soul is filled with the scornful reproof of the wealthy, and with the despitefulness of the proud:” these have abundance, and therefore eat, but are not satisfied. And what is said of them in the Psalm? “All such as be fat upon the earth have eaten and worshipped.” They worship Christ, they venerate Christ, they pray unto Christ; but they are not satisfied with His wisdom and righteousness. Wherefore? Because they are not poor. For the poor, that is the humble in heart, the more they hunger, the more they eat; and the more empty they are of the world, the more hungry they are. He who is full refuseth whatsoever thou wilt give him, because he is full. Give me one who hungereth; give me one of whom it is said, “Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled:” and these will be the poor of whom he hath just said, “And will satisfy her poor with bread.” For in the very Psalm where it is said, “All such as be fat upon the earth have eaten and worshipped;” this is said of the poor also, and exactly in the same manner as in this Psalm, “The poor shall eat, and be satisfied: they that seek after the Lord shall praise Him.” Where it is said, “All such as be fat upon earth have eaten and worshipped:” it is said, “the poor shall eat, and be satisfied.” Why, when the rich are said to have worshipped, are they not said to be satisfied; yet when the poor are mentioned, they are said to be satisfied? And whence are they satisfied? What is the nature, brethren, of this satisfying? God Himself is their bread. The bread came down upon the earth, that He might become milk unto us; and said to His own, “I am the Living Bread which came down from heaven.” Hence these words in the Psalm, “The poor shall eat, and be satisfied.” From what source shall they be satisfied? Hear what followeth: “And they that seek after the Lord shall praise Him.”
18Be ye therefore poor, be ye among the members of that widow, let your help be solely in God alone. Money is nought; not thence will ye have aid. Many have been cast headlong down for money’s sake, many have perished on account of money; many for the sake of their riches have been marked out by plunderers; they would have been safe, had they not had what made men hunt for them. Many have presumed in their more powerful friends: they in whom they presumed have fallen, and have involved in their ruin those who trusted in them. Look back upon the instances to be seen in the human race. Is it anything singular that I am telling you? We speak these things not only from these Scriptures; read them in the whole world. Take heed that ye presume not in money, in a friend, in the honour and the boasting of the world. Take away all these things: but if thou hast them, thank God if thou despisest them. But if thou art puffed up by them; think not when thou wilt be the prey of men; already art thou the Devil’s prey. But if thou hast not trusted in these things, thou wilt be among the members of that widow, who is the Church, of whom it is said, “I will bless her widow with blessings;” thou wilt also be poor, and one of those of whom it is said, “And will satisfy her poor with bread.”
19Sometimes, however, and we must not pass over this without mention, thou findest a poor man proud, and a rich man humble: we daily endure such persons. Thou hearest a poor man groaning beneath a rich man, and when the more powerful rich man presseth upon him, then thou seest him humble: sometimes not even then, but even then proud; whence thou seest what he would have been, had he any property. God’s poor one is therefore poor in spirit, not in his purse. Sometimes a man goeth forth having a full house, rich lands, many estates, much gold and silver; he knoweth that he must not trust in these, he humbleth himself before God, he doth good with them; thus his heart is raised unto God, so that he is aware that not only do riches themselves profit him nothing, but that they even impede his feet, save He rule them, and aid them: and he is counted among the poor who are satisfied with bread. Thou findest another a proud beggar, or not proud only because he hath nothing, nevertheless seeking whereby he may be puffed up. God doth not heed the means a man hath, but the wish he hath, and judgeth him according to his wish for temporal blessings, not according to the means which it is not his lot to have. Whence the Apostle saith of the rich, “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.” What therefore should they do with their riches? He goeth on to say: “That they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate.” And see that they are poor in this world: “Laying up in store for themselves,” he addeth, “a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” When they have laid hold of eternal life, then will they be rich; but since they have it not as yet, they should know that they are poor. Thus it is that God counteth among His poor all the humble in heart, who are established in that twofold charity, whatever they may have in this world—among His poor, whom He satisfieth with bread.
20“I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall rejoice and sing” (ver. 16). We are now at the end of the Psalm; attend for a short space, Beloved. “I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall rejoice and sing.” Who is our salvation, save our Christ? What meaneth, therefore, “I will clothe her priests with salvation”? “As many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ.” “And her saints shall rejoice and sing.” Whence shall they rejoice and sing? Because they have been clothed with salvation: not in themselves. For they have become light, but in the Lord; for they were darkness before. Therefore he hath added, “There will I raise up the horn of David” (ver. 17): this will be David’s height, that trust be put in Christ. For horn signifieth height: and what sort of height? Not carnal. Therefore, while all the bones are wrapped up in flesh, the horn goeth beyond the flesh. Spiritual altitude is a horn. But what is spiritual loftiness, save to trust in Christ? not to say, It is my work, I baptize; but, “He it is who baptizeth.” There is the horn of David: and that ye may know that there is the horn of David, heed what followeth: “I have ordained a lantern for mine Anointed.” What is a lantern? Ye already know the Lord’s words concerning John: “He was a burning and a shining light.” And what saith John? “He it is who baptizeth.” Herein therefore shall the saints rejoice, herein the priests shall rejoice: because all that is good in themselves, is not of themselves, but of Him who hath the power of baptizing. Fearlessly therefore doth every one who hath received baptism come unto His temple; because it is not man’s, but His who made the horn of David to flourish.
21“Upon Him shall My sanctification flourish” (ver. 18). Upon whom? Upon Mine Anointed. For when He saith, “Mine anointed,” it is the voice of the Father, who saith, “I will bless her widow with blessings, and will satisfy her poor with bread. I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall rejoice and sing.” He who saith, “There will I raise up the horn of David,” is God. He Himself saith, “I have ordained a lantern for Mine Anointed,” because Christ is both ours and the Father’s: He is our Christ, when He saveth us and ruleth us, as He is also our Lord: He is the Son of the Father, but both our Christ and the Father’s. For if He were not the Father’s Christ, it would not be said above, “For Thy servant David’s sake, turn not Thou away the presence of Thine Anointed.” “Upon Him shall My sanctification flourish.” It flourisheth upon Christ. Let none of men assume this to himself, that he himself sanctifieth: otherwise it will not be true, “Upon Him shall My sanctification flourish.” The glory of sanctification shall flourish. The sanctification of Christ therefore in Christ Himself, is the power of the sanctification of God in Christ. In that he saith, “shall flourish,” he refers to His glory: for when trees flourish, then are they beautiful. Sanctification therefore is in Baptism: thence it flourisheth, and is brightened. Why hath the world yielded to this beauty? Because it flourisheth in Christ; for, put it in man’s power, and how doth it then flourish? since “all flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof as the flower of the grass.”