{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/108/1080176.htm","path":"chr/ecf/108/1080176.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/108/1080176.htm","text":"Psalm CXLIII. 5811\n1. \u2026The title of the Psalm is, \u201cTo David himself, when his son was pursuing him.\u201d We know from the Books of Kings 5812 that this happened:\u2026but we must recognise here another David, truly \u201cstrong in hand,\u201d which is the explanation of David, even our Lord Jesus Christ. For all those events of past time were figures of things to come. Let us seek then in this Psalm our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, announcing Himself beforehand in His prophecy, and foretelling what should happen at this time by things which were done long ago. For He Himself foretold Himself in the Prophets: for He is the Word of God. Nor did they say ought of this kind, save when filled with the Word of God. They announced then Christ, being filled with Christ, 5813 they went before Him about to come, and He deserted not them going before.\u2026\n2. Let then our Lord speak; let Christ with us, whole Christ, speak. \u201cLord, hear my prayer, receive with Thine ears my entreaty\u201d (Psa. 143.1). \u201cHear\u201d and \u201creceive with ears\u201d are the same thing. It is repetition, it is confirmation. \u201cIn Thy truth hear me, in Thy righteousness.\u201d Take it not without emphasis when it is said, \u201cin Thy righteousness.\u201d For it is a commendation of grace, that none of us think his righteousness his own. For this is the righteousness of God, which God hath given thee to possess. For what saith the Apostle of them, who would boast of their own righteousness? Speaking of the Jews, he saith, \u201cthey have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.\u201d 5814 \u2026Thou art perverse, because thou imputest what thou hast done ill to God, what well to thyself: thou wilt be right, when thou imputest what thou hast done ill to thyself, what well to God.\u2026Behold, \u201cin Thy righteousness hear me.\u201d For when I look upon myself, nought else do I find mine own, save sin.\n3. \u201cAnd enter not into judgment with Thy servant\u201d (Psa. 143.2). Who are willing to enter into judgment with Him, save they who, \u201cbeing p. 652 ignorant of the righteousness of God, go about to establish their own?\u201d \u201cWherefore have we fasted, and Thou hast not seen; wherefore have we afflicted our souls, and Thou takest no knowledge?\u201d 5815 As though they would say, \u201cWe have done what Thou hast commanded, wherefore dost Thou not render to us what Thou hast promised?\u201d God answereth thee: I will give to thee to receive what I have promised: I have given thee that thou shouldest do that whereby thou mayest receive. Finally, to such proud ones the Prophet speaketh; \u201cWherefore will ye plead with Me? ye have all transgressed against Me, saith the Lord.\u201d 5816 Why will ye enter into judgment with Me, and recount your own righteousnesses?\u2026\u201cFor before Thee every one living shall not be justified.\u201d \u201cEvery one living;\u201d living, that is, here, living in the flesh, living in expectation of death; born a man; deriving his life of man; sprung from Adam, a living Adam; every one thus living may perhaps be justified before himself, but not before Thee. How before himself? By pleasing himself, displeasing Thee. Enter not then into judgment with me, O Lord my God. How straight soever I seem to myself, Thou bringest forth a standard from Thy store-house, Thou fittest me to it, and I am found crooked. Well is it said, \u201cwith Thy servant.\u201d It is unworthy of Thee to enter into judgment with Thy servant, or even with Thy friend. 5817 \u2026What of the Apostles themselves?\u2026That ye may perceive it at once, they learnt to pray what we pray: to them was given the pattern of prayer by the heavenly Counsellor. \u201cAfter this manner,\u201d saith He, \u201cpray ye.\u201d 5818 And having set down certain things first, He laid down this too to be said by the leaders of the sheep, the chief members of the Shepherd and Gatherer 5819 of the one flock; even they learnt to say, \u201cForgive us our debts.\u201d 5820 They said not, \u201cThanks be to Thee, who hast forgiven us our debts, as we too forgive our debtors,\u201d but, \u201cForgive, as we forgive.\u201d But surely the faithful prayed then, surely the Apostles prayed then, for this Lord\u2019s Prayer was given rather to the faithful. If those debts only were meant which are forgiven by Baptism, it would befit catechumens rather to say, \u201cForgive us our debts.\u201d Let the Apostles then say, yea let them say, \u201cForgive us our debts.\u201d And when it is said to them, \u201cWherefore say ye this? what are your debts?\u201d let them answer, \u201cfor in Thy sight every one living shall not be justified.\u201d\n4. \u201cFor the enemy hath persecuted my soul: he hath humbled my life on the earth\u201d (Psa. 143.3). Here we speak, here our Head speaketh for us. Manifestly both the devil persecuted the Soul of Christ and Judas the Soul of his Master: and now too the same devil remaineth to persecute the Body of Christ, and one Judas succeedeth another. There lacketh not then of whom the Body too may say, \u201cFor the enemy hath persecuted my soul.\u201d For what doth each one who persecuteth us endeavour save to make us abandon our heavenly hope, and savour of the earth, yield to our persecutor, and love earthly things? \u201cThey have laid me in dark places, as the dead of the world.\u201d This ye hear more readily from the Head; this ye perceive more readily in the Head. For He died indeed for us, yet was He not one of the \u201cdead of the world.\u201d For who are the \u201cdead of the world\u201d? And how was not He one of the \u201cdead of the world\u201d? \u201cThe dead of the world\u201d are those who have died of their own desert, receiving the reward of iniquity, deriving death from the sin transmissed to them; according as it is said, \u201cFor I was conceived in iniquity.\u201d 5821 \u2026In dying, saith He, I do the will of My Father, but I am not deserving of death. Nought have I done wherefore I should die, yet is it Mine own doing that I die, that by the death of an innocent One, they may be freed who had wherefore they should die. \u201cThey set me in places,\u201d as though in Hades, as though in the tomb, as though in His very Passion, \u201cas the dead of the world.\u201d 5822\n5. \u201cAnd My Spirit within me,\u201d saith He, \u201csuffered weariness\u201d (Psa. 143.4). Remember, \u201cMy soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.\u201d 5823 Here we see one voice. Do we not see plainly the transition from the Head to the members, from the members to the Head?\u2026\n6. But we too were there. He goes to the members. \u201cI have called to mind the days of old\u201d (Psa. 143.5). Did He \u201ccall to mind the days of old,\u201d by whom every day was made? No, but the body speaketh, each one who has been justified by His grace, who dwelleth in Him in love and devout humility, speaketh and saith, \u201cI have meditated upon all Thy works:\u201d plainly because Thou hast made all things good, and nothing would have stood fast, which was not established by Thee. Thy creation is made a spectacle unto me: I have sought in the work the Artificer, in all that is made the Maker. Wherefore this, to what purpose this, save that he might understand, that whatever there was of good in himself was made by Him.\u2026Look back then upon the Framer of thy life, the Author of thy substance, of thy righteousness, and of thy salvation: \u201cmeditate upon the works of His hands,\u201d for the righteousness too which is in thee, thou wilt find to pertain to His hand. Hear the Apostle teaching thee this, \u201cnot of works,\u201d he saith, \u201clest any should boast.\u201d Have p. 653 we no good works? Plainly we have: but see what follows; \u201cfor we are His workmanship,\u201d 5824 saith he. \u201cWe are His workmanship:\u201d perhaps in thus speaking of workmanship, he meant to mention the nature whereby we are men? Evidently not: he was speaking of works. But let us not make conjectures; let the text go on, \u201cfor we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.\u201d Think not then that thou thyself doest anything, save in so far as thou art evil.\u2026\u201cWork out your own salvation,\u201d saith the Apostle, \u201cwith fear and trembling.\u201d 5825 If we do work out our own salvation, wherefore with fear, wherefore with trembling, when what we work is in our own power? Hear wherefore with fear and trembling: \u201cfor it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do, of His good pleasure.\u201d Therefore \u201cwith fear and trembling,\u201d that it may delight our Maker to work in the lowly valley.\u2026\n7. \u201cI stretched forth,\u201d saith he, \u201cmy hands to Thee: my soul is as a land without water to Thee\u201d (Psa. 143.6). Rain upon me, saith he, to bring forth from me good fruit. \u201cFor the Lord shall give sweetness, that our land may give her fruit.\u201d 5826 \u201cI have stretched forth my hands to Thee; my soul is as a land without water,\u201d not to me, but \u201cto Thee.\u201d I can thirst for Thee, I cannot water myself.\n8. \u201cSpeedily hear me, Lord\u201d (Psa. 143.7). For what need of delay to inflame my thirst, when already I thirst so eagerly? Thou didst delay the rain, that I might drink and imbibe, not reject, Thy inflowing. If then Thou didst for this cause delay, now give; for \u201cmy spirit hath failed.\u201d Let Thy Spirit fill me. This is the reason why Thou shouldest speedily hear me. I am now become \u201cpoor in spirit,\u201d make Thou me \u201cblessed in the kingdom of heaven.\u201d 5827 For he in whom his own spirit liveth, is proud, is puffed up with his own spirit against God.\u2026\n9. \u201cTurn not Thou away Thy Face from me.\u201d Thou didst turn it away from me when proud. For once I was full, and in my fulness I was puffed up. Once \u201cin my fulness I said, I shall never be moved.\u201d \u201cI said in my fulness, I shall not be moved,\u201d knowing not Thy Righteousness, and establishing mine own; but \u201cThou, Lord, in Thy Will hast afforded strength to my beauty.\u201d \u201cI said in my fulness, I shall not be moved,\u201d but from Thee came whatever fulness I had. And to prove to me that it was from Thee, \u201cThou didst turn away Thy Face from me, and I was troubled.\u201d 5828 After this trouble, where into I was cast, because Thou didst turn away Thy Face, after the weariness of my spirit, after my heart was troubled within me, because Thou didst turn away Thy Face, then became I \u201clike a land without water to Thee: turn not Thou away Thy Face.\u201d Thou turnedst it away from me when proud; give it back to me now I am humble. Because, if Thou turn it away, \u201cI shall be like to them that go down into the pit.\u201d What is, \u201cthat go down into the pit\u201d? When the sinner has come into the depth of sins, he will show contempt. They \u201cgo down into the pit,\u201d who lose even confession; against which is said, \u201cLet not the pit close her mouth over me.\u201d 5829 This depth Scripture calleth mostly \u201ca pit,\u201d into which depth when a sinner hath come, \u201che showeth contempt.\u201d What is, \u201che showeth contempt\u201d? He no longer believeth in Providence, or if he do believe, he thinketh that he has no longer aught to do with it.\u2026\n10. \u201cMake me to hear in the morning Thy mercy, for in Thee have I hoped\u201d (Psa. 143.8). Behold, I am in the night, yet \u201cin Thee have I hoped,\u201d until the iniquity of the night pass away. \u201cFor we have,\u201d as Peter saith, \u201ca more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the daystar arise in your hearts.\u201d \u201cMorning\u201d then he calleth the time after the end of the world, when we shall see what in this world we believe. But what here, until the morning come? For it is not enough to hope for the morning; we must do somewhat. Why do somewhat? God is to be sought with the hands in the night. What is, \u201cwith the hands\u201d? By good works. Since then we must thus hope for the morning, and bear this night, and persevere in this patience until the day dawn, what meanwhile must we do here? lest perchance thou think that thou wilt do aught of thyself, whereby thou mayest earn to be brought to the morning. \u201cMake known to me, O Lord, the way wherein I must walk.\u201d Therefore did He kindle the lamp of prophecy, therefore did He send the Lord in the vessel, 5830 as it were, of the flesh, who should even say, \u201cMy strength is dried up like a potsherd.\u201d 5831 Walk by prophecy, walk by the lamp of future things predicted, walk by the word of God.\u2026\n11. \u201cDeliver me from mine enemies, O Lord, for unto Thee have I fled for refuge\u201d (Psa. 143.9). I who once fled from Thee, now flee to Thee. For Adam fled from the Face of God, and hid himself among the trees of Paradise, so that of him was said in the Book of Job, \u201cAs a servant that fleeth from his Lord, and findeth a shadow.\u201d 5832 He fled from the Face of his Lord, and found a shadow. Woe to him, if he continue in the shade, lest it be said afterward, \u201cAll things are passed away like a shadow.\u201d 5833 The rulers of p. 654 this world, of this darkness, the rulers of the wicked; against these ye wrestle. Great is your conflict, not to see your enemies, and yet to conquer. Against the rulers of this world, of this darkness, the devil, that is, and his angels; not the rulers of that world, whereof is said, \u201cthe world was made by Him,\u201d but that world whereof is said, \u201cthe world knew Him not.\u201d 5834 \u201cFor unto Thee have I fled for refuge.\u201d\u2026Whither should I flee? \u201cWhither shall I go from Thy Spirit?\u201d 5835\n12. \u201cTeach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God\u201d (Psa. 143.10). Glorious confession! glorious rule! \u201cFor Thou,\u201d saith he, \u201cart my God.\u201d To another will I hasten to be re-made, if by another I was made. Thou art my all, \u201cfor Thou art my God.\u201d Shall I seek a father to get an inheritance? \u201cThou art my God,\u201d not only the Giver of mine inheritance, but mine Inheritance itself. \u201cThe Lord is the portion of mine inheritance.\u201d 5836 Shall I seek a patron, to obtain redemption? \u201cThou art my God.\u201d Lastly, having been created, do I desire to be re-created? \u201cThou art my God,\u201d my Creator, who hast created me by Thy Word, and re-created me by Thy Word. \u201cTeach Thou me:\u201d for it cannot be that Thou art my God, and yet I am to be mine own master. See how grace is commended to us. This hold fast, this drink in, this let none drive out of your hearts, lest ye have \u201ca zeal, of God, but not according to knowledge.\u201d 5837 Say then this: \u201cThy good Spirit,\u201d not my bad one, \u201cThy good Spirit shall lead me into the right land.\u201d For my bad spirit hath led me into a crooked land. And what have I deserved? What can be reckoned as my good works without Thy aid, through which I might obtain and be worthy to be led by Thy Spirit into the right land?\n13. Listen, then, with all your power, to the commendation of Grace, whereby ye are saved without price. \u201cFor Thy Name\u2019s sake, O Lord, Thou shalt quicken me in Thy righteousness\u201d (Psa. 143.11); not in mine own: not because I have deserved, but because Thou hast mercy. For were I to show mine own desert, nought should I deserve of Thee, save punishment. Thou hast pruned off from me mine own merits; Thou hast grafted in Thine own gifts. \u201cThou shalt bring forth my soul out of tribulation.\u201d \u201cAnd in thy mercy shalt bring mine enemies to destruction: and thou shalt destroy all them that afflict my soul; for I am Thy servant\u201d (Psa. 143.12).\nLat. CXLII. A sermon to the people.\n651:5812 651:5813\n[1 Pet. 1:10, 11, 12.\u2014C.]\n651:5814 652:5815 652:5816 652:5817 652:5818 652:5819\nCongregatoris; mss. Congregatores, The gatherers.\n652:5820 652:5821 652:5822 652:5823 653:5824 653:5825\nPhil. 2:12, 13.\n653:5826 653:5827 653:5828 653:5829 653:5830 653:5831 653:5832\nJob vii. 2, LXX.\n653:5833 654:5834 654:5835 654:5836 654:5837","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. VIII: Expositions on...","type":"page"}