Fourth Sunday after Trinity
Augustine on Psalm XXIV
O GOD, the protector of all that trust in thee, without whom
nothing is strong, nothing is holy; Increase and multiply upon us
thy mercy; that, thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass
through good things temporal, that we finally lose not the things
eternal. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for the sake of Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
Collect Source: Sacramentary of Bishop Gregory of Rome [ca 600AD]. See Latin. English prayer book translation does not have "good" as does the Latin
Psalms 19, 20 | 24, 25 ; Romans viii. 18 & St. Luke vi. 36
Homily of Augustine on Psalm XXIV
Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
Romans viii. 18.
I RECKON that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.St. Luke vi. 36.
BE ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.HOMILY
Augustine
Psalm XXIV
Notes:
Psalm XXIV
A psalm of David himself, on the first day of the week. [621]
1. A Psalm of David himself, touching the glorifying and resurrection
of the Lord, which took place early in the morning on the first day of
the week, which is now called the Lord's Day.
2. "The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof, the compass of
the world, and all they that dwell therein" (ver. 1); when the Lord,
being glorified, is announced for the believing of all nations; and the
whole compass of the world becomes His Church. "He hath founded it
above the seas." He hath most firmly established it above all the waves
of this world, that they should be subdued by it, and should not hurt
it. "And hath prepared it above the rivers" (ver. 2). The rivers flow
into the sea, and men of lust lapse into the world: these also the
Church, which, when worldly lusts have been conquered by the grace of
God, hath been prepared by love for the reception of immortality,
subdues.
3. "Who shall ascend into the mount of the Lord?" Who shall ascend to
the height of the righteousness of the Lord? "Or who shall stand in His
holy place?" (ver. 3). Or who shall abide in that place, whither He
shall ascend, [622] founded above the seas, and prepared above the
rivers?
4. "The innocent of hand, and the pure in heart" (ver. 4). Who then
shall ascend thither, and abide there, but the guiltless in deed, and
pure in thought? "Who hath not received his soul in vain." Who hath not
reckoned his soul among things that pass away, but feeling it to be
immortal, hath longed for an eternity stedfast and unchangeable. "And
hath not sworn in deceit to his neighbour." And therefore without
deceit, as things eternal are simple and undeceiving, hath so behaved
himself to his neighbour.
5. "This man shall receive blessing from the Lord, and mercy from the
God of his salvation" [623] (ver. 5).
6. "This is the generation of them that seek the Lord" (ver. 6). For
thus are they born that seek Him. "Of them that seek the face of the
God of Jacob. [624] Diapsalma." Now they seek the face of God, who gave
the pre-eminence to the younger born. [625]
7. "Take away your gates, ye princes" (ver. 7). All ye, that seek rule
among men, remove, that they hinder not, the entrances which ye have
made, of desire and fear. "And be ye lift up, ye everlasting gates."
And be ye lift up, ye entrances of eternal life, of renunciation of the
world, and conversion to God. "And the King of glory shall come in."
And the King, in whom we may glory without pride, shall come in: who
having overcome the gates of death, and having opened for Himself the
heavenly places, fulfilled that which He said, "Be of good cheer, for I
have overcome the world." [626]
8. "Who is this King of glory?" Mortal nature is awe-struck in wonder,
and asks, "Who is this King of glory?" "The Lord strong and mighty." He
whom thou didst deem weak and overwhelmed. "The Lord mighty in battle"
(ver. 8). Handle the scars, and thou wilt find them made whole, and
human weakness restored to immortality. The glorifying of the Lord,
which was owing to earth, where It warred with death, hath been paid.
9. "Take away your gates, ye princes." [627] Let us go hence
straightway into heaven. Again, let the Prophet's trumpet cry aloud,
"Take away too, ye princes of the air, the gates, which ye have in the
minds of men who `worship the host of heaven.'" [628] "And be ye lift
up, ye everlasting gates." And be ye lift up, ye doors of everlasting
righteousness, of love, and chastity, through which the soul loveth the
One True God, and goeth not a-whoring with the many that are called
gods. "And the King of glory shall come in" (ver. 9). "And the King of
glory shall come in," that He may at the right hand of the Father
intercede for us.
10. "Who is this King of glory?" What! dost thou too, prince of the
power of this air, [629] marvel and ask, "Who is this King of glory?"
"The Lord of powers, He is the King of glory" (ver. 10). Yea, His Body
now quickened, He who was tempted marches above thee; He who was
tempted by the angel, the deceiver, goes above all angels. Let none of
you put himself before us and stop our way, that he may be worshipped
as a god by us: neither principality, nor angel, nor power, separateth
us from the love of Christ. [630] It is good to trust in the Lord,
rather than to trust in a prince; [631] that he who glorieth, should
glory in the Lord. [632] These indeed are powers in the administration
of this world, but "the Lord of powers, He is the King of glory."
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
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[620] Lat. XXIII.
[621] [Surely a foretokening of our Sunday.--C.]
[622] Al. "hath ascended."
[623] [Light, resurrection, and sanctification are the glories of the
Lord's Day, and "this man" inherits all this.--C.]
[624] ["God of Jacob." So the Vulgate, after the Septuagint.--C.]
[625] Rom. ix. 12.
[626] John xvi. 33.
[627] ["Ye princes." So Septuagint and Vulgate.--C.]
[628] 2 Kings xvii. 16.
[629] Eph. ii. 2.
[630] Rom. viii. 39.
[631] Ps. cxviii. 9.
[632] 1 Cor. i. 31.
Latin Collect
Protector in te sperantium Deus, sine quo nihil est balidum, nihil sanctum; multiplica super nos misericordiam tuam; ut te rectore, te duce, sic transeamus per bona temporalia, ut non amittamus aeterns
Per. - Greg. Sac --- Miss. Sar.
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