5/11/21
Augustine. Exposition on the Book of Psalms. Schaff, Philip (editor). New York: Christian Literature Publishing Co, 1886. Nicene and Post-Nicene Church Fathers: Series 1: Volume VIII. Re-published 2014, Catholic Way Publishing. Kindle electronic edition, ISBN-13: 978-1-78379-372-3.
“Psalm 116"
Psalm 116 begins with an expression of trust. The Lord hears my prayer, so I would sing to him. Augustine calls all Christians to love the Lord since he hears us (Augustine Psalms, loc. 338733, par. 1). Augustine moves into an allegorical interpretation, saying that we know God hears because of belief. He is called on particularly "in my days," which Augustine associates with Paul's observation that Jesus was born in "the fulness of time" (Augustine Psalms, loc. 338737, par. 3). In contrast to this, though, perhaps we should consider our days as those days we arrange for ourselves. This seems to comport more with the text of verse three, where the days are entangling and painful.
Verse four describes the days of trouble yielding to a call on the Lord (Augustine Psalms, loc. 338750, par. 4). When we are turned by trouble so as to call on the Lord, we find he is gracious (v. 5). To this gracious attitude of God, Augustine adds "'righteous,' because He scourgeth; and again, 'merciful,' because He receiveth; for 'He scourgeth every son whom He receiveth'" (Augustine Psalms, loc. 338759, par. 5). He is able to keep even little ones, according to verse six, so his chastening is not to be feared.
Again in verse seven, we are called to turn to rest in the Lord. He is the one who delivers us even from death (v. 8) (Augustine Psalms, loc. 338767, par. 6). Augstine finds this to be a quiet confidence. In the end, all will be put to right. In this context, Augustine quotes Paul's statements of death being swallowed in victory.
Verse 10 again makes it clear that we are not immune from suffering. Yet this suffering is often brought "by those who oppose the truth" (Augustine Psalms, loc. 338784, par. 7). These sufferings can lead to fear, as Augustine understands verse 11. Persecution is difficult (Augustine Psalms, loc. 338788, par. 8).
God's love returns benefits to us. In verse 12 we ask what we would give to God, who gives good in exchange for evil (Augustine Psalms, loc. 338801, par. 9). The conclusion is that, having received salvation, all we can do is make promises to God (Augustine Psalms, loc. 338805, par. 10). Augustine emphasizes the idea that we have been bought at a price, and a great price, which he takes, in verse 15, to be his blood which purchases his saints through death (Augustine Psalms, loc. 338810, par. 10).
In the end, we confess we are God's servants (v. 16). We give praise to God (v. 17), because he has rescued us and made us His handmaids (Augustine Psalms, loc. 338818, par. 12). So we also pay our vows (v. 18). We have been taken into the Lord's house as his servants (v. 19) (Augustine Psalms, loc. 338827, par. 14).