Homilies on Psalms 36–38 — Homily 8 — Psalm 38 (LXX; MT 39), Homily I — "Dixi: Custodiam vias meas"
Latin source: Origen's Greek homilies on Psalms 36, 37, and 38, surviving only in Rufinus of Aquileia's Latin translation (c. 401), from the reading text of J.-P. Migne (ed.), Patrologia Graeca 12 (Paris, 1862), cols. 1319–1410 (In Psalmos). This English translation is released into the public domain.On the thirty-eighth psalm, which is called: "I said: I will keep my ways".
1. Just as one man advances according to God, and by applying zeal to himself becomes better than his former self, so also it used to happen to the whole people. And on this account, as it too advanced, there came to it also an increase of the law. In short, just as it is written in the law, there are certain precepts for the priests and Levites concerning sacrifices and the other solemn observances: yet when the people advanced, at that time when there was still in it the power of advancing, the matter did not stand still in that first order, but there were bound to those men certain more eminent legislations, a second and a third. And if anyone wishes to know what these things are that were added concerning the priests and Levites, let him read the first book of Chronicles, and let him patiently examine that whole catalogue of names, and he will find there a certain admirable order and a distribution of the tribes, each according to its own name and place having received by lot something distinctive in the solemn order. But he will also find the Levites and priests distributed among various offices and orders, so that some are set over the opening of the doors of the temple, others to whom the keys are entrusted, to others the care of the sacrifices and the altars is committed. And there are many things which from the history of that book we can say about the priestly institutions. If therefore anyone is able to observe how the Jews serve a copy and a shadow of the heavenly things, let him ascend from the lower foundation of the word to its highest and uppermost summits, and let him contemplate from these the state of the priesthood to come and that heavenly election, and there he will contemplate what these priestly orders are, or what are the offices of the Levites that are exhibited in the heavenly ministries, and he will conceive in his mind all things in the heavens which he saw laid down on earth. For there too there will be a people, and from the people of God chosen Levites, and from these again chosen and distinguished priests, and among the priests nonetheless very many differences: just as in the first book of Chronicles it is indicated that there are twenty-four orders of priests, some under Eleazar, others under the chief Ithamar, whose courses (Ephemeriae) they are also said to be.
2. But perhaps someone of the hearers may say: What do these things pertain to the psalm? Very much. For it is the superscription of this psalm. "Unto the end, for Idithun, a psalm of David". This Idithun we find to be one of those to whom the zeal and care of hymns to God was committed. It was therefore necessary for us, finding this name in the superscription of the psalm, to show who this Idithun was, and how, after the first law, a second ordinance was made concerning the priestly observances. Among the Greeks, whoever composed songs or musical tunes furnished them to be sung by those to whom it seemed good in the contest: and it came about that one man indeed was crowned in the contest, while another composed the song for the victor. In the Psalms therefore of divine Scripture, whoever are superscribed according to the Seventy translators, unto the end, are among others titled victory-songs, or for the victory, or for the victor, evidently for the reason that as it were a praise of victory is brought into them. David therefore, filled with the divine Spirit, made this psalm, and gave it to Idithun, upon whom the office of singing hymns to God had been enjoined, as to one powerful in this kind of discipline. And therefore for this reason it is superscribed: "Unto the end, for Idithun, a psalm of David".
3. But now let us at last see what the voice of the righteous man utters, and, seeing ourselves as though in a mirror, let us look at ourselves, whether we can be such, or whether much is lacking to us, or whether indeed we are now near, although we have not yet fully attained. Since therefore the beginning of many sins is human speech, and our mouth serves many evils, and it is very difficult to find a man who, for even one hour at least, keeps his mouth and his tongue from sin, he says: "I said: I will keep my ways, that I sin not with my tongue". I said to my very self, and I spoke within myself, and I added these things: Thus I wish to keep my ways, that I sin not; in this way I can keep them, if I guard my tongue. "For by thy words", he says, "thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned". And again: "Amen I say to you, for every idle word you shall render an account in the day of judgment". Not only, he says, for that which you have spoken ill, but for what you have spoken idly, because an evil word is not idle, for it works an evil work. But an idle word is one that does neither anything good nor anything evil. If therefore in the day of judgment we shall render an account not only for evil words, but even for idle ones, who shall boast that he has a chaste heart? Or who is confident in saying: I am clean from sin? Nevertheless the righteous man says: "I said: I will keep my ways, that I sin not with my tongue. I set a guard to my mouth". Elsewhere indeed it is written: "With all keeping guard thy heart", but here: "I set a guard to my mouth". And again elsewhere it is written: "See, draw a hedge of thorns around thy possession". And again: "Bind up thy money and thy gold, and make for thy mouth a door and a bar, and for thy words a yoke and a balance". I think that the observance of these commandments makes the one who observes them both meek and blessed, not only the outcome of things, but the very observance itself. For while he always watches his mouth, and guards his tongue, so as not to bring forth a word before he examines it and considers within himself whether it ought to be said, whether the word is such as ought to be uttered, whether the person is such as either ought to or is able to hear, whether the time is opportune for uttering the word: while he weighs each of these things, all wrath and fear is shut out, and the impulse of ill-considered rage is mitigated, and such a man cuts off entirely all deliberation; and so at last the word, proceeding as it were out of a certain tranquillity and a settled mind through meekness, affords grace to those who utter it and healing to those who hear.
4. But since we sin most of all at that time, when the sinner stands against us, instigating and provoking us to send forth from our mouth something such as would hold us guilty in the future judgment, the holy Prophet, describing this, says: "While the sinner stood against me, I was dumb and was humbled and kept silence from good things". Whenever the sinner stood against me and spoke ill of me, and disparaged and irritated me to render him the like, and to bring forth from my mouth things equal to his, I at that time meditated silence, so as to answer nothing at all. Therefore he says: "While the sinner stood against me, I was dumb and was humbled and kept silence from good things". But we sometimes, if we are unwilling to be humbled, think other things and say within ourselves: What is this? This man has held me in contempt and has dared to thrust such things in my face, and thus to stir up speech against me; shall I not bring against him the like, or even heavier things, so that he too may hear worse than he said? But the righteous man does not act thus, but rather humbles himself, even if the one who disparages and heaps abuse be a slave, or if he be lowly and a sinner and unworthy. He says: "While the sinner stood against me, I was dumb and was humbled and kept silence from good things". He did not say: "and I kept silence" only, but "I kept silence from good things"; wherein he shows that although there are good things in me, and I have been taught and instructed in good teachings and disciplines, and am able even to teach others the things that are good, nevertheless at that time when the sinner stands against me and assails me with abuse and reproaches, I even restrain and repress my good words: lest either I inflame in him the fire of his own perdition, while he is not able at once to obey evil things and to behold good things, or I do harm to my words. What then? Will this seem to be perfect which he says: "While the sinner stood against me, I was dumb and was humbled and kept silence from good things"? Or is it indeed a progress, yet not yet perfection? For in this place I think three things can be assigned from the Scriptures, in which he says that the sinner stands against him, and speaks in his ears the things by which he can be irritated and exasperated to retaliate. And if indeed I am small, I seek the like, and an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and I repay curses for curses. But if I have already advanced somewhat, yet am not yet perfect, I both keep silence and bear the reproaches patiently, and answer nothing at all. But if I am perfect, I do not keep silence, but when I am cursed, I bless, just as Paul also said: "We are cursed and we bless, we suffer persecution and we endure it, being blasphemed we entreat". And since those who do these things, that is, who render blessings for curses, who for blasphemies entreat, seem to men to be as it were cattle and refuse, as those who have no sense of injury, therefore he added, saying: "We are made as it were the refuse of this world, the offscouring of all". But we are unwilling to become with the apostles the refuse of this world, but wish not to be despised by men, nay rather even to be feared, and we do enough to repay those who harm us, and to anticipate the vengeance which the Lord reserved for himself, saying: "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord". But if we cannot advance so far, and ascend to that summit of truth, so as to say with Paul: "We are cursed and we bless, we suffer persecution and we endure it, being blasphemed we entreat", let us at least say this which we are still taught through the Prophet: "While the sinner stood against me, I was dumb and was humbled, and I kept silence from good things".
5. And what did he add to these things? "And my sorrow", he says, "was renewed". Those who in the struggle of the contest engage in mutual blows against one another always try to prepare themselves in these things, so that they may bravely bear the blows inflicted on them by their adversaries, and not receive the sense of pain, and this is for them the highest excellence: to sustain the strokes of arms or of heels without pain. Among these, that man is more perfect who, at the stroke of the wound, receives no sting of pain. But the second is he who indeed feels pain, but by no means yields to the pains. Understand something of this sort also in ourselves, when we are cursed, and the antagonist stands against us; if indeed we are well instructed, and strengthened in mind by long meditation, we are in no way at all grieved by the curses or reproaches inflicted, but by reason of the exceeding constancy and patience of mind we are as though lacking the sense of pain, and through much meekness, if I may dare so to name it, we become in a certain manner as it were imitators of God: for God is cursed by heretics, is blasphemed by those who deny his providence, is blamed by those who are ignorant of the treasures of his wisdom: and tell me, can you at all think this, that for all these injuries God indeed feels pain, but suffers as we do? Or is it not that, as the divine nature through its impassibility, it neither receives the sense of pain in any way, nor is stirred by any injuries or reproaches? Such therefore will he be, nay rather every perfect and righteous man will imitate such a one as he was who said: "We are cursed and we bless, we suffer persecution and we endure it, being blasphemed we entreat". But he who is not yet perfect, yet advances, when he is cursed is dumb and is humbled and keeps silence from good things. But this man who is of this sort feels pain and says: "And my sorrow was renewed". Describe to me a wound that is being cured, and its cure advancing and now near to the scar: then next, upon that very wound which had already begun to draw over a scar, behold another wound inflicted, and through this fresh wound that former one renewed. Such a thing also befalls this man who advances, but is not yet perfect, nor has yet been brought to the highest health. If therefore, while the skin is still tender, the wounds of curses and reproaches come upon him, the sorrow is renewed, and distresses are made ready, and then he rightly says: "While the sinner stood against me, I was dumb and was humbled, and I kept silence from good things, and my sorrow was renewed". See therefore how he who is placed in the struggle, who desires to restrain himself from wrath or rage, and while he meditates these things within himself, and the irritation of the sinner comes upon him, which indeed disturbs and wearies him, yet does not conquer him, but although he is provoked and inflamed to answer, yet gnawing back his sorrow he restrains and represses it, this man says: "My sorrow was renewed". For the reason, namely, that I was already advancing, and already believed myself to have arrived at health, before I was exasperated, and before I was assailed with reproaches; but now my wound is torn open, and is renewed by the sword-points of cursing, while the sorrow of the injury breaks my patience.
6. In what follows he still further describes the passion of the one who advances, when he says: "My heart grew hot within me". For when one hears the voice of the evil-speaker and the detractor, he cannot be without sorrow, like that man who is perfect, who by long-continued constancy has already merited blessedness: but this man feels pain, and feeling pain, with his heart growing hot, boils within himself and is troubled, yet not to such a degree as also to bring forth a word with a troubled heart, but he indeed grows hot in his inner parts, moved by the indignity of the matter, yet he boils away the flames of his heat through silence.
7. Let us see also another saying of the righteous man, which too with the utmost zeal we ought to be jealous to emulate. "And in my meditation a fire shall blaze forth". I too meditate upon the words of the Lord, and I frequently exercise myself in them, but I do not know whether I am such that in my meditation, from each single word of God, a fire proceeds, and kindles my heart, and inflames my soul to observe the things that I meditate. I too now speak the words of God, but I would wish that first in my own heart, and secondly also in the minds of the hearers, they might blaze forth: just as were those words which Jesus spoke, of which those who had heard said: "Was not our heart burning within us when on the way he opened to us the Scriptures"? Would that now too, as we open the divine Scriptures, our heart might grow hot within us, and in our meditation a fire be kindled, and we be stirred to the doing of the things that we hear and read. Such, in short, were also the words of Jeremiah, according to what is written, when the Lord says to him: "Behold, I have given my words behind into thy mouth a fire". Why a fire? Because the words which he spoke kindled the hearers, and nothing lukewarm nor cold remained in them: but just as fire consumes and destroys all matter, and receives into itself nothing unclean or polluted; so also those whose heart the fire of the divine word has kindled will no longer suffer to be polluted with material and worldly filth, will receive into themselves nothing lukewarm, and what is worthy to be vomited out, nor will they suffer their charity to grow cold as iniquity is multiplied in them: but their lamps will always be lighted, and their lanterns burning, and they themselves ready as servants awaiting their lord returning from the wedding. Or was this not that fire of which our Savior said: "I came to send fire upon the earth, and what do I wish but that it burn"? This without doubt is the fire which puts to flight the cold of sin, and recalls the warmth of the spirit. This is surely also that which is related in the Acts of the apostles, when it says that there appeared to them divided tongues as of fire, and that they settled upon the apostles, evidently for the reason that, being about to preach the word of the Gospel, they ought to be strengthened by the grace of fiery vigor, so that the souls of the hearers might take the flame through the transmission of the word. But whence to me this, that the fire of the tongue might come into my heart, and that from a fiery tongue I too might bring forth a word, so that from me a swift fire might be kindled by my words in the hearts of the hearers, and might convict him who has sinned, and my word might become to him a chastisement, so that, scorched and inflamed by my words, he might come to repentance, which works stable salvation out of the sorrow which is according to God, which he received from the rebuke of the word of God? And would that I might so kindle every soul of the hearers, that whoever is conscious to himself, not bearing the burning of our word, but inflamed within in all his inward parts, might the more swiftly consume the hidden filth of vices lurking within: so that, after he had destroyed all that is proper and dear to the flesh and to the grosser matter, then at last this fire might become in him a light and a burning lamp: which ought to be placed not under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, that it might give light to all who are in the house. If therefore the word you have heard has kindled you, and you have understood what the Apostle said: "And who is it that gladdens me, except him who is grieved by me"? Since his words were fire, and the Apostle rejoiced wherever he saw anyone, upon hearing his word, grieved and pricked in conscience from the things he had heard, kindled by a certain fire of his conscience from the recollection of his fault, therefore he said: "And who is it that gladdens me, except him who is grieved by me"? So therefore let us too do enough that in our meditations a fire may be kindled, which first may burn us, both by the recollection and the conscience of our sins, but afterward, when we are now purged of vices, may illumine and enlighten us.
8. "I have spoken", he says, "with my tongue". Let us consider what he has spoken with his tongue: for it seems to me that through these things he indicates something mystical. He says therefore: "Make known to me, O Lord, my end, and the number of my days, what it is, that I may know what is lacking to me". If, he says, thou hast made known my end to me, and hast made known to me how great is the number of my days, I shall be able through these things to know also that other thing, what is lacking to me. Or perhaps through these things this too will seem to be indicated, that just as there is some end of every art — for example, the end of building is to make a house; of ship-building, to construct a ship which can overcome the waves of the sea and bear the assaults of the winds; and of each art there is some such end, on account of which the art itself seems to have been devised: so perhaps there is a certain end of our way, or of the whole world, on account of which are done all the things that are done in our life, or on account of which the world itself was either established or subsists. Of which end the Apostle too makes mention, saying: "Then the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God and the Father". Toward which end indeed we must hasten, so that this very thing may be worth the effort, that we were created by God. And again, just as the frame of our body, small and slight from the beginning of birth, yet immediately urges and stretches toward a certain end of its stature through the increases of age, and again, just as our soul, according to that which it passes in this body, hastens first to receive a stammering speech, secondly then a clearer one, and then at last to arrive at perfect and complete discourse: in this way also our whole life is now imbued as it were stammering among men on earth: but it is consummated and arrives at its summit in the heavenly places with God. The prophet therefore desires for this reason to know his end, on account of which he was made, so that, gazing at the end and beholding his days and considering perfection, he may see how much is lacking to him toward that end to which he tends. For example, as if we should suppose someone handed over to a craft, and this man saying to his master, I wish to know what the perfection of this craft is, and to know who is the perfect smith or builder: and when he has learned this, let him inquire how much is lacking to him from that perfection, or how much he has advanced in the discipline of the craft, so that when he has known both, he may know what he has, and may recognize what is lacking to perfection; so also now the prophet prays to learn from God, that there may be made known to him his end, and what the number of his days is. In which it is not to be thought that he speaks of the bodily time and the years of this life, but he wishes to know the whole number of days, what it was in the first life, what it was in the second sojourning, what in the third. "For much", he says, "was my soul a sojourner". As if those who went out of Egypt should say: "Make known to me, O Lord, my end", which is the good land and the holy land, "and the number of my days" in which I walk, "that I may know what is lacking to me", how much remains until I arrive at the holy land of promise: so also here he wishes to know the number of the days in which he makes his journey. For we have some days indeed in this world, but some also outside this world. For one day is made by this course of the sun of our heaven, bounded by the spaces of this heaven; another day has he who merits to arrive at the ascent of the second heaven. For a far brighter day does he pass who could be caught up or arrive even to the third heaven, where he will find not only ineffable light, but will also hear words which it is not permitted a man to speak. I know also other days, whose number perhaps the prophet rightly seeks. For just as in this heaven the sun, having risen and illuminating the whole world, makes a day: so also in the heart of the righteous man, which for its constancy and firmness is rightly called the firmament of God, if the sun of righteousness, Jesus Christ our Lord, rises and illuminates it with the light of knowledge and truth, he makes a day in his heart: and the more frequently he rises and illuminates, the greater a number of such days will he reckon for himself. Worthily therefore, conscious to himself of such illumination, the prophet says: "Make known to me, O Lord, my end, and the number of my days, what it is, that I may know what is lacking to me".
9. And he adds: "Behold, thou hast set my days as old ones". In the Greek it is written, παλαιστάς, which signifies a measure of four fingers. Wishing therefore to teach us who now in this life lead brief and very few days, he spoke this verse of which we spoke above. From which it is understood that another too could say, that Thou hast set my days one finger, as following upon the brevity of time, and another two fingers or three. But I ask whether any of men can say, that My days are ten fingers, or twenty, or even more. And because we come upon difficult passages, I would wish to inquire whether somewhere in the Scriptures we find any such thing, from which that which seems obscure could be opened up more plainly. In Isaiah I remember it is written: "Who has measured", he says, "the water with his hand, and the heaven with a span, and all the earth with his fist"? From which let whoever is the more prudent of the hearers consider, through the several passages, the differences of the measures, how the part of life which is heavenly, of those indeed who merit to be called heaven, is said to be measured with the span of God, whatever that span of God is: and of those whose life is still earthly, their life is measured with the fist of God. But to inquire now the difference of the divine fist would perhaps exceed both our speech and your hearing. Nevertheless just as there he measured the water with his hand, the heaven with a span, and all the earth with his fist, and weighed the mountains in a balance, and the hills in a scale; so also here, according to the same consequence, this measure is to be understood, since to God nothing is without measure, nothing without weight, but all things stand for him in number and measure. So too the prophet's life is both numbered and measured to God, while it is governed by the reasons of his providence.
10. He also adds in what follows and says: "My substance is as nothing before thee". Unless he had added before thee, I should be greatly grieved, for the reason that he had said the human substance to be nothing. But now, because he said before thee, it is as if he said that in comparison indeed either with the angels or with the rest of the creatures, my substance is not abject, nor least. In short, even if we act well, and keep the commandments of the Lord, we are invited to the fellowship of the angels: "They shall be", he says, "as the angels of God in heaven". But in comparison with God, even if I be Peter, against whom the gates of hell shall not prevail, my substance before him is nothing. And he used sufficiently the proper term of nature. For all is nothing, however great it be, whatever is out of nothing, for he alone is the one who is, and who always is. But our substance is as nothing before him: inasmuch as it was procreated by him out of nothing.
11. But in what follows, as if explaining this very thing which he said, that "my substance is as nothing before thee", he added and says: "Nevertheless the whole is vanity, every living man". How do you take "living"? If indeed we think true life to be vanity, why do we labor? But see whether perhaps this which he says, every living man, is to be taken of this present life, as it is written, and we shall prove it by testimonies. For all things that are in this life among men are vain, even if Moses be in this life, for he too knows in part, and prophesies in part, and sees through a mirror and in an enigma, and knows a shadow, and is taught figures, and does not yet see the truth, and therefore he is indeed living, but his life is vanity. And do you wish to see that it is vanity? "When that which is perfect shall have come, those things which are in part shall be destroyed". But all that is destroyed is vanity. And if whatever is in part is destroyed, if the prophets know in part, rightly is their life too called vanity; but the inferior things are destroyed when those which are better and perfect have come, and by this they are proved to be vain, in that as being in part and imperfect they are destroyed. "The whole therefore is vanity, every living man". But that this sentence is to be taken of this life, hear Ecclesiastes testifying and saying: "I praised all who have died above all who live, whoever they are that live even until now, and good above these two is he who has not yet been born". He praises therefore the dead more than the living, because those have at least this much of gain, that they are freed from the bonds of this body, and are no longer clothed with flesh and skins, nor inserted into bones and sinews, nor any longer subject to the necessity of the body. If therefore you have understood what it is to live in the flesh, even if one be Moses, or whoever he is, this life is troublesome to him. For she is not released from corruption, who is surrounded by a mortal and earthly body. See therefore that the whole is vanity, every living man; let us despise this vain life, and hasten to the holy and blessed and true life, and let us tend toward it with soul and mind, all vanity being shaken off. Nor let us call sweet this light which we now use. For this those men say, who are ignorant of the sweetness of the true light, but have not perceived even any first tokens of the true light, nor do they know that an angelic life is to be hoped for by the soul, when they shall have escaped from the vanity of this life. Whence we too who believe these things, let us now be transferred in mind and faith to heaven, and walking on earth let us have our conversation in the heavens, that there may be our treasure, where our heart also is, and that we may merit to attain the heavenly kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom is glory and power and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen.