WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.880 --> 00:00:05.200
<v Speaker 1>Psalm one hundred nineteen, Discourse thirty of Expositions on the

2
00:00:05.200 --> 00:00:09.199
<v Speaker 1>Book of Psalms, Volume five. This is a LibriVox recording.

3
00:00:09.480 --> 00:00:12.679
<v Speaker 1>All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more

4
00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:18.480
<v Speaker 1>information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Expositions

5
00:00:18.519 --> 00:00:22.160
<v Speaker 1>on the Book of Psalms, Volume five by Saint Augustine

6
00:00:22.160 --> 00:00:28.440
<v Speaker 1>of Hippo Psalm one hundred nineteen, Discourse thirty, verse one

7
00:00:28.519 --> 00:00:32.840
<v Speaker 1>hundred fifty three. Let no man said in Christ's body

8
00:00:33.280 --> 00:00:37.520
<v Speaker 1>imagine these words to be alien from himself, since in

9
00:00:37.600 --> 00:00:40.960
<v Speaker 1>truth it is the whole body of Christ, placed in

10
00:00:41.039 --> 00:00:45.119
<v Speaker 1>this humble state, that speaketh. Whence beginneth the reading of

11
00:00:45.159 --> 00:00:50.240
<v Speaker 1>this Psalm concerning which we have now undertaken to treat, Oh,

12
00:00:50.240 --> 00:00:54.520
<v Speaker 1>consider my humiliation and deliver me, for I forget not

13
00:00:54.640 --> 00:00:58.840
<v Speaker 1>Thy law. In this place. We cannot understand any law

14
00:00:58.880 --> 00:01:02.960
<v Speaker 1>of God so suitably as that whereby it is immutably

15
00:01:03.039 --> 00:01:07.239
<v Speaker 1>determined that every one that exalteth himself shall be abased,

16
00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:11.719
<v Speaker 1>and every one that humbleth himself shall be exalted. The

17
00:01:11.760 --> 00:01:15.799
<v Speaker 1>proud therefore is involved in evils, that he may be humbled.

18
00:01:16.359 --> 00:01:19.840
<v Speaker 1>The humble is delivered from evils that he may be exalted.

19
00:01:22.079 --> 00:01:26.879
<v Speaker 1>Verse one hundred fifty four. Avenge thou he saith my cause,

20
00:01:27.239 --> 00:01:31.640
<v Speaker 1>and deliver me. The former sentence is here almost repeated,

21
00:01:32.120 --> 00:01:37.120
<v Speaker 1>for the words oh, consider mine humiliation answer unto these.

22
00:01:37.640 --> 00:01:42.760
<v Speaker 1>Avenge thou my cause, and the words deliver me also

23
00:01:42.840 --> 00:01:46.560
<v Speaker 1>occur above. And what is theirs said? For I do

24
00:01:46.680 --> 00:01:50.200
<v Speaker 1>not forget thy law. Agreeth with what we read here,

25
00:01:50.840 --> 00:01:54.599
<v Speaker 1>Quicken me according to thy word. For these words are

26
00:01:54.640 --> 00:01:57.920
<v Speaker 1>the law of God, which he hath not forgot, so

27
00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:01.599
<v Speaker 1>that he hath abased himself and will therefore be exalted.

28
00:02:02.560 --> 00:02:06.359
<v Speaker 1>But the words quicken me pertain to this very exultation,

29
00:02:07.120 --> 00:02:12.520
<v Speaker 1>for the exultation of the saints is everlasting life. Verse

30
00:02:12.560 --> 00:02:16.639
<v Speaker 1>one hundred fifty five. Health he saith is far from

31
00:02:16.680 --> 00:02:21.319
<v Speaker 1>the ungodly, for they regard not thy righteousnesses. For who

32
00:02:21.360 --> 00:02:25.080
<v Speaker 1>discerneth thee? O Thou who hast said health is far

33
00:02:25.120 --> 00:02:29.400
<v Speaker 1>from the ungodly? Who separated THEE from the ungodly? So

34
00:02:29.520 --> 00:02:32.400
<v Speaker 1>that health is not far from THEE. But with THEE,

35
00:02:33.199 --> 00:02:37.599
<v Speaker 1>this separateth THEE. That what they have not done, thou

36
00:02:37.639 --> 00:02:42.319
<v Speaker 1>hast done. That is, thou hast regarded the righteousnesses of God.

37
00:02:43.439 --> 00:02:47.400
<v Speaker 1>But what hast thou that thou hast not received. Art

38
00:02:47.400 --> 00:02:50.800
<v Speaker 1>thou not he who a little before didst say, I

39
00:02:50.919 --> 00:02:54.080
<v Speaker 1>call with my whole heart. Hear me, O Lord, I

40
00:02:54.120 --> 00:02:59.159
<v Speaker 1>will keep thy righteousnesses. Thou therefore hast received from Him

41
00:02:59.560 --> 00:03:03.039
<v Speaker 1>unto whom whom thou didst call, the power to keep them.

42
00:03:03.560 --> 00:03:07.719
<v Speaker 1>He therefore doth himself separate thee from those from whom

43
00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:11.639
<v Speaker 1>health is far, because they have not regarded the righteousnesses

44
00:03:11.680 --> 00:03:17.879
<v Speaker 1>of God verse one hundred fifty six. This he saw

45
00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:21.439
<v Speaker 1>himself also, for I should not see it. Say if

46
00:03:21.439 --> 00:03:24.759
<v Speaker 1>I saw it in him, say if I were in him.

47
00:03:25.080 --> 00:03:27.639
<v Speaker 1>For these are the words of the Body of Christ,

48
00:03:27.919 --> 00:03:31.520
<v Speaker 1>whose members we are. He saw this, I say, and

49
00:03:31.599 --> 00:03:35.840
<v Speaker 1>at once added, great are thy mercies, O Lord, even

50
00:03:35.919 --> 00:03:39.759
<v Speaker 1>our seeking out thy righteousnesses than cometh of thy mercies

51
00:03:40.759 --> 00:03:44.319
<v Speaker 1>quicken me according to thy judgment. For I know that

52
00:03:44.360 --> 00:03:47.919
<v Speaker 1>Thy judgments will not be upon me without thy mercy

53
00:03:50.120 --> 00:03:54.039
<v Speaker 1>Verse one hundred fifty seven. Many there are that trouble

54
00:03:54.120 --> 00:03:57.800
<v Speaker 1>me and persecute me. Yet I do not swerve from

55
00:03:57.879 --> 00:04:03.240
<v Speaker 1>thy testimonies. This hath been realized. We know it, we

56
00:04:03.360 --> 00:04:07.520
<v Speaker 1>recollect it, we acknowledge it. The whole earth hath been

57
00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:11.639
<v Speaker 1>crimsoned by the blood of martyrs. Heaven is flowery with

58
00:04:11.719 --> 00:04:15.159
<v Speaker 1>the crowns of martyrs. The churches are adorned with the

59
00:04:15.240 --> 00:04:20.480
<v Speaker 1>memorials of martyrs. Seasons distinguished by the birth days of martyrs,

60
00:04:21.000 --> 00:04:25.360
<v Speaker 1>cures more frequent by the merits of martyrs. Went this

61
00:04:25.639 --> 00:04:29.800
<v Speaker 1>save because that hath been fulfilled which was prophesied of

62
00:04:29.920 --> 00:04:33.600
<v Speaker 1>that man, who hath been spread abroad around the whole world.

63
00:04:34.600 --> 00:04:37.680
<v Speaker 1>Many there are the trouble me and persecute me. Yet

64
00:04:37.720 --> 00:04:42.000
<v Speaker 1>have I not swerved from thy testimonies? We recognize this

65
00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:46.160
<v Speaker 1>and render thanks to the Lord, our God, for thou man,

66
00:04:46.399 --> 00:04:50.120
<v Speaker 1>thou hast thyself said in another psalm, if the Lord

67
00:04:50.240 --> 00:04:53.199
<v Speaker 1>himself had not been on our side, they would have

68
00:04:53.279 --> 00:04:57.360
<v Speaker 1>swallowed us up. Quick behold the reason why thou hast

69
00:04:57.439 --> 00:05:01.000
<v Speaker 1>not swerved from his testimonies, and asked one the palm

70
00:05:01.079 --> 00:05:04.079
<v Speaker 1>of the heavenly calling amid the hands of the many

71
00:05:04.120 --> 00:05:09.240
<v Speaker 1>who persecuted and troubled thee Verse one hundred fifty eight.

72
00:05:09.920 --> 00:05:14.120
<v Speaker 1>I have seen he saith the foolish, and I pined, Or,

73
00:05:14.199 --> 00:05:17.399
<v Speaker 1>as other copies read, I have seen them that keep

74
00:05:17.480 --> 00:05:21.920
<v Speaker 1>not covenant. This is the reading of most. But who

75
00:05:22.000 --> 00:05:24.959
<v Speaker 1>are they who have not kept covenant? Save they who

76
00:05:25.000 --> 00:05:28.279
<v Speaker 1>have swerved from the testimonies of God, not bearing the

77
00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:32.720
<v Speaker 1>tribulation of their many persecutors. Now this is the covenant

78
00:05:33.040 --> 00:05:36.759
<v Speaker 1>that he who shall have conquered shall be crowned. They who,

79
00:05:36.920 --> 00:05:41.319
<v Speaker 1>not bearing persecution, have by denials, swerved from the testimonies

80
00:05:41.360 --> 00:05:45.199
<v Speaker 1>of God, have not kept the covenant. These then the

81
00:05:45.240 --> 00:05:49.600
<v Speaker 1>Psalmist saw and pined, for he loved them, for that

82
00:05:49.720 --> 00:05:53.959
<v Speaker 1>jealousy is good, springing from love, not from envy. He

83
00:05:54.040 --> 00:05:57.079
<v Speaker 1>addeth in what respect they had failed to keep the covenant,

84
00:05:57.639 --> 00:06:01.319
<v Speaker 1>because they kept not Thy word. For this they denied

85
00:06:01.480 --> 00:06:07.920
<v Speaker 1>their tribulations Verse one hundred fifty nine. And he commendeth

86
00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:12.000
<v Speaker 1>himself as differing from them, and saith, behold, how I

87
00:06:12.040 --> 00:06:16.439
<v Speaker 1>have loved Thy commandments. He saith, not, I have not

88
00:06:16.600 --> 00:06:20.680
<v Speaker 1>denied Thy words or testimonies, as the martyrs were urged

89
00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:25.439
<v Speaker 1>to do, and when they refused, suffered intolerable torments. But

90
00:06:25.560 --> 00:06:28.360
<v Speaker 1>he said this, wherein is the fruit of all sufferings.

91
00:06:29.040 --> 00:06:31.600
<v Speaker 1>For if I give up my body to be burned

92
00:06:31.920 --> 00:06:36.560
<v Speaker 1>and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. The Psalmist,

93
00:06:36.759 --> 00:06:42.240
<v Speaker 1>praising this virtue, saith, behold, how I have loved Thy commandments.

94
00:06:43.079 --> 00:06:46.759
<v Speaker 1>Then he asketh his reward, O Lord, quicken me according

95
00:06:46.759 --> 00:06:50.959
<v Speaker 1>to thy mercy, these put me to death? Do thou

96
00:06:51.079 --> 00:06:54.920
<v Speaker 1>quicken me? But if a reward be asked of mercy

97
00:06:55.439 --> 00:06:59.279
<v Speaker 1>which justice is bound to give, how much greater is

98
00:06:59.360 --> 00:07:02.920
<v Speaker 1>that mercy which enabled him to gain the victory on

99
00:07:03.000 --> 00:07:08.040
<v Speaker 1>account of which the reward was sought For Verse one

100
00:07:08.079 --> 00:07:13.040
<v Speaker 1>hundred sixty. The beginning, he saith of thy words is truth.

101
00:07:13.560 --> 00:07:18.600
<v Speaker 1>All the judgments of thy righteousness endure for evermore from truth,

102
00:07:18.639 --> 00:07:22.279
<v Speaker 1>he saith, thy words do proceed, and they are therefore

103
00:07:22.319 --> 00:07:26.079
<v Speaker 1>truthful and deceive no man, For in them life is

104
00:07:26.120 --> 00:07:30.920
<v Speaker 1>announced to the righteous punishment of the ungodly. These are

105
00:07:30.920 --> 00:07:37.560
<v Speaker 1>the everlasting judgments of God's righteousness. End of Some one

106
00:07:37.639 --> 00:07:44.800
<v Speaker 1>hundred nineteen Discourse thirty