The Twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity
Augustine on Psalm 144
Home, Twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity
O LORD, we beseech thee, absolve thy people from their offences; that through thy bountiful goodness we may all be delivered from the bands of those sins, which by our frailty we have committed. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ's sake, our blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen.
Source: Sacramentary of Bishop Leo of Rome [461] and of Gregory. Said the Sunday week before the penitential season of Advent, it begs God for absolution. Today's Gospel echos this theme as the woman was released from her bands of infirmity through faith [Barbee and Zahl]
2nd Sam v. 17, Psalm 129, 130, 131 | 144, 145, Colossians i. 3 & St. Matthew ix. 18
Homily of Augustine on Psalm CXLIV
2nd Samuel v. 17
But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold. The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. And David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand. And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim. And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them. And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. And when David inquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines. And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.Psalm 129, 130, 131 | 144, 145
Colossians i. 3
WE give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth: as ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit. For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; streng-thened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.St. Matthew ix. 18
WHILE Jesus spake these things unto John's disciples, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples. And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: for she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, he said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.
Scripture from 1928 Book of Common Prayer and KJV
The Collects of Thomas Cranmer, Barbee and Zahl
Psalm CXLIV
1. The title of this Psalm is brief in number of words, but heavy in
the weight of its mysteries. "To David himself against Goliath." This
battle was fought in the time of our fathers, and ye, beloved, remember
it with me from Holy Scripture....David put five stones in his scrip,
he hurled but one. The five Books were chosen, but unity conquered.
Then, having smitten and overthrown him, he took the enemy's sword, and
with it cut off his head. This our David also did, He overthrew the
devil with his own weapons: and when his great ones, whom he had in his
power, by means of whom he slew other souls, believe, they turn their
tongues against the devil, and so Goliath's head is cut off with his
own sword.
2. "Blessed be the Lord my God, who teacheth my hands for battle, my
fingers for war" (ver. 1). These are our words, if we be the Body of
Christ. It seems a repetition of sentiment; "our hands for battle," and
"our fingers for war," are the same. Or is there some difference
between "hands" and "fingers"? Certainly both hands and fingers work.
Not then without reason do we take "fingers" as put for "hands." But
still in the "fingers" we recognise the division of operation, yet
still a sort of unity. Behold that grace! the Apostle saith, [5839] To
one, this; to another, that; "there are diversities of operations; all
these worketh one and the self-same Spirit;" there is the root of
unity. With these "fingers" then the Body of Christ fighteth, going
forth to "war," going forth to "battle."...By works of Mercy our enemy
is conquered, and we could not have works of mercy unless we had
charity, and charity we could have none unless we received it by the
Holy Ghost; He then "teacheth our hands for battle, and our fingers for
war:" to Him rightfully do we say, "My Mercy," from whom we have also
that we are merciful: "for he shall have judgment without mercy, that
hath showed no mercy." [5840]
3. My Mercy and my Refuge, my Upholder and my Deliverer" (ver. 2). Much
toileth this combatant, having his flesh lusting against his spirit.
Keep what thou hast. Then shalt thou have in full what thou wishest,
when "death shall have been swallowed up in victory;" [5841] when this
mortal body has been raised, and is changed into the condition of the
angels, and rises aloft to a heavenly quality....There is life, there
are good days, where nought lusteth against the spirit, where it is not
said, "Fight," but "Rejoice." But who is he that lusteth for these
days? Every man certainly saith, "I do." Hear what followeth. I see
that thou art toiling, I see that thou art engaged in battle, and in
danger; hear what followeth:..."Depart from evil, and do good:" let not
the poor first weep under thee, that the poor may rejoice through thee.
For what reward, since now thou art fighting? "Seek peace, and ensue
it." Learn and say, "My Mercy and my Refuge, mine Upholder and my
Deliverer, my Protector:" "mine Upholder," lest I fall; "my Deliverer,"
lest I stick; "my Protector," lest I be stricken. In all these things,
in all my toil, in all my battles, in all my difficulties, in Him have
I hoped, "who subdueth my people under me." Behold, our Head speaketh
together with us.
4. "Lord, what is man, that Thou hast become known unto him?" (ver. 3).
All is included in "that Thou hast become known unto him." "Or the son
of man, that Thou valuest him?" Thou valuest him, that is, Thou makest
him of such importance, Thou countest him of such price, Thou knowest
under what Thou placest him, over what Thou placest him. For valuing is
considering the price of a thing. How greatly did He value man, who for
him shed the blood of His only-begotten Son! For God valueth not man in
the same way as one man valueth another: he, when he findeth a slave
for sale, giveth a higher price for a horse than for a man. Consider
how greatly He valued thee, that thou mayest be able to say, "If God be
for us, who can be against us?" And how greatly did He value thee, "who
spared not His own Son"? "How shall He not also with Him freely give us
all things?" [5842] He who giveth this food to the combatant, what
keepeth He in store for the conqueror?...
5. "Man is made like unto vanity: his days pass away like a shadow"
(ver. 4). What vanity? Time, which passeth on, and floweth by. For this
"vanity" is said in comparison of the Truth, which ever abideth, and
never faileth: for it too is a work of His Hand, in its degree. "For,"
as it is written, "God filled the earth with His good things." [5843]
What is "His"? That accord with Him. But all these things, being
earthly, fleeting, transitory, if they be compared to that Truth, where
it is said, "I Am That I Am," [5844] all this which passeth away is
called "vanity." For through time it vanisheth, like stroke into the
air. And why should I say more than that which the Apostle James said,
willing to bring down proud men to humility, "What is," saith he, "your
life? It is even a vapour, which appeareth for a little time, and then
vanisheth away." [5845] ...Work then, though it be in the night, with
thine hands, that is, by good works seek God, before the day come which
shall gladden thee, lest the day come which shall sadden thee. For see
how safely thou workest, who art not left by Him whom thou seekest;
"that thy Father which seeth in secret may reward thee openly." [5846]
...
6. "Lord, bow Thy heavens, and come down: touch the mountains, and they
shall smoke" (ver. 5). "Flash Thy lightning, and Thou shalt scatter
them; send forth Thine arrows, and Thou shalt confound them" (ver. 6).
"Send forth Thy Hand from above, and deliver me, and draw me out of
many waters" (ver. 7). The Body of Christ, the humble David, full of
grace, relying on God, fighting in this world, calleth for the help of
God. What are "heavens bowed down"? Apostles humbled. For those
"heavens declare the glory of God;" and of these heavens declaring the
glory of God it is presently said, "There is neither speech nor
language, but their voices are heard among them," etc. [5847] When then
these heavens sent forth their voices through all lands, and did
wonderful things, while the Lord flashed and thundered from them by
miracles and commandments, the gods were thought to have come down from
heaven to men. For certain of the Gentiles, thinking this, desired even
to sacrifice to them....But they commended to these the Lord Jesus
Christ, humbling themselves, that God might be praised; because "the
heavens" were "bowed," that "God" might "come down."..."Touch the
mountains, and they shall smoke." So long as they are not touched, they
seem to themselves great: they are now about to say, "Great art Thou, O
Lord:" [5848] the mountains also are about to say, "Thou only art the
Most Highest over all the earth." [5849]
7. But there are some that conspire, that "gather themselves together
against the Lord, and against His Christ." [5850] They have come
together, they have conspired. "Flash forth Thy lightnings, and Thou
shalt scatter them." Abound with Thy miracles, and their conspiracy
shall be broken...."Send forth Thine arrows, and Thou shalt confound
them." Let the unsound be wounded, that, being well wounded, they may
be made sound; and let them say, being set now in the Church, in the
Body of Christ, let them say with the Church, "I am wounded with Love."
[5851] "Send forth Thine Hand from on high." What afterward? What in
the end? How conquereth the Body of Christ? By heavenly aid. "For the
Lord Himself shall come with the voice of the Archangel, and with the
trump of God shall He descend from heaven," [5852] Himself the Saviour
of the body, the Hand of God. What is, "Out of many waters"? From many
peoples. What peoples? Aliens, unbelievers, whether assailing us from
without, or laying snares within. Take me out of many waters, in which
Thou didst discipline me, in which Thou didst roll me, to free me from
my filth. This is the "water of contradiction." [5853] ..."From the
hand of strange children." Hear, brethren, among whom we are, among
whom we live, from whom we long to be delivered. "Whose mouth hath
spoken vanity" (ver. 8). All of you to-day, if ye had not gathered
yourselves together to these divine shows [5854] of the word of God,
and were not at this hour engaged in them, how great vanities would ye
be hearing! "whose mouth hath spoken vanity:" when, in short, would
they, speaking vanity, hear you speaking vanity? "And their right hand
is a right hand of iniquity." What doest thou among them with thy
pastoral scrip with five stones in it? Say it to me in another form:
that same law which thou hast signified by five stones, signify in some
other way also. "I will sing a new song unto Thee, O God" (ver. 9). "A
new song" is of grace; "a new song" is of the new man; "a new song" is
of the New Testament. But lest thou shouldest think that grace
departeth from the law, whereas rather by grace the law is fulfilled,
"upon a psaltery of ten strings will I sing unto Thee." Upon the law of
ten commandments: therein may I sing to Thee; therein may I rejoice to
Thee; therein may "I sing to Thee a new song;" for, "Love is the
fulfilling of the law." [5855] But they who have not love may carry the
psaltery, sing they cannot. Contradiction cannot make my psaltery to be
silent.
8. "Who giveth salvation to kings, who redeemeth David His servant"
(ver. 10). Ye know who David is; be yourselves David. Whence "redeemeth
He David His servant"? Whence redeemeth He Christ? Whence redeemeth He
the Body of Christ? "From the sword of ill intent deliver me." "From
the sword" is not sufficient; he addeth, "of ill intent." Without doubt
there is a sword of good intent. What is the sword of good intent? That
whereof the Lord saith, "I came not to send peace on earth, but a
sword." [5856] For He was about to separate believers from unbelievers,
sons from parents, and to sever all other ties, while the sword cut off
what was diseased, but healed the members of Christ. Of good intent
then is the sword twice sharpened, powerful with both edges, the Old
and New Testaments, with the narration of the past and the promise of
the future. That then is the sword of good intent: but the other is of
ill intent, wherewith they talk vanity, for that is of good intent,
wherewith God speaketh verity. For truly "the sons of men have teeth
which are spears and arrows, and their tongue is a sharp sword." [5857]
"From" this "sword deliver me" (ver. 11). "And take me out of the hand
of strange children, whose mouth hath spoken vanity:" just as before.
And that which followeth, "their right hand is a right hand of
iniquity," the same he had set down before also, when he called them
"many waters." For lest thou shouldest think that the "many waters"
were good waters, he explained them by the "sword of ill intent."
9. "Whose sons are like young vines firmly planted in their youth"
(ver. 12). He wisheth to recount their happiness. Observe, ye sons of
light, sons of peace: observe, ye sons of the Church, members of
Christ; observe whom he calleth "strangers," whom he calleth "strange
children," whom he calleth "waters of contradiction," whom he calleth a
"sword of ill intent." Observe, I beseech you, for among them ye are in
peril, among their tongues ye fight against the desires of your flesh,
among their tongues, set in the hand of the devil wherewith he
fighteth. [5858] ...What vanity hath their mouth spoken, and how is
their right hand a right hand of iniquity? "Their daughters are fitted
and adorned after the similitude of a temple." "Their garners are full,
bursting out from one store to another: their sheep are fruitful,
multiplying in their streets" (ver. 13): "their oxen are fat: their
hedge is not broken down, nor their road, nor is their crying in their
streets" (ver. 14). Is not this then happiness? I ask the sons of the
kingdom of heaven, I ask the offspring of everlasting resurrection, I
ask the body of Christ, the members of Christ, the temple of God. Is
not this then happiness, to have sons safe, daughters beautiful,
garners full, cattle abundant, no downfall, I say not of a wall, but
not even of a hedge, no tumult and clamour in the streets, but quiet,
peace, abundance, plenty of all things in their houses and in their
cities? Is not this then happiness? or ought the righteous to shun it?
or findest thou not the house of the righteous too abounding with all
these things, full of this happiness? Did not Abraham's house abound
with gold, silver, children, servants, cattle? What say we? is not this
happiness? Be it so, still it is on the left hand. What is, on the left
hand? Temporal, mortal, bodily. I desire not that thou shun it, but
that thou think it not to be on the right hand....For what ought they
to have set on the right hand? God, eternity, the years of God which
fail not, whereof is said, "and Thy years shall not fail." [5859] There
should be the right hand, there should be our longing. Let us use the
left for the time, let us long for the fight for eternity. "If riches
increase, set not your heart upon them." [5860] ...
10. "They have called the people blessed who have these things" (ver.
15). O men that speak vanity! They have lost the true right hand,
wicked and perverse, they have put on the benefits of God inversely. O
wicked ones, O speakers of vanity, O strange children! What was on the
left hand, they have set on the right. What dost thou, David? What dost
thou, Body of Christ? What do ye, members of Christ? What do ye, not
strange children, but children of God?...What say ye? Say ye with us,
"Blessed is the people whose Lord is their God."
Let us pray in the words of Augustine.
Turn we to the Lord God, the Father Almighty, and with pure hearts offer to him, so far as our
meanness can, great and true thanks, with all our hearts praying his exceeding kindness, that of
his good pleasure he would deign to hear our prayers, that by his Power he would drive out the
enemy from our deeds and thoughts, that he would increase our faith, guide our understandings,
give us spiritual thoughts, and lead us to his bliss, through Jesus Christ his Son our Lord, who
liveth and reigneth with him, in the Unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
[A prayer which he was wont to use after his Sermons and Lectures.]
NPNF (V1-08) St. Augustine
Notes:
Sermon to the people.
[5839] 1 Cor. xii. 8, etc.
[5840] Jas. ii. 13.
[5841] 1 Cor. xv. 54.
[5842] Rom. viii. 31, 32.
[5843] Ecclus. xvi. 29.
[5844] Exod. iii. 14.
[5845] Jas. iv. 14.
[5846] Matt. vi. 4.
[5847] Ps. xix. 1, 3, 4.
[5848] Ps. xlviii. 1.
[5849] Ps. lxxxiii. 18.
[5850] Ps. ii. 2.
[5851] Cant. ii. 5, LXX.
[5852] 1 Thess. iv. 16.
[5853] Numb. xx. 13.
[5854] Spectacula.
[5855] Rom. xiii. 10.
[5856] Matt. x. 34.
[5857] Ps. lvii. 4.
[5858] Eph. vi. 12.
[5859] Ps. cii. 27.
[5860] Ps. lxii. 10.
Finis
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