Super Psalmo 22
Psalm 22
Dominus regit me
The Lord rules me
22:1 Psalmus David. Dominus regit me, et nihil mihi deerit: 22:2 in loco pascuae, ibi me collocavit. Super aquam refectionis educavit me; 22:3 animam meam convertit. Deduxit me super semitas justitiae propter nomen suum.
22:1 A psalm for David. The Lord rules me, and I shall want nothing. 22:2 He has set me in a place of pasture. He has brought me up on the water of refreshment; 22:3 he has converted my soul. He has led me on the paths of justice for his own name’s sake.
22:4 Nam etsi ambulavero in medio umbrae mortis, non timebo mala, quoniam tu mecum es. Virga tua, et baculus tuus, ipsa me consolata sunt. 22:5 Parasti in conspectu meo mensam adversus eos qui tribulant me; impinguasti in oleo caput meum; et calix meus inebrians, quam praeclarus est!
22:4 For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they have comforted me. 22:5 You have prepared a table before me against them that afflict me. You have anointed my head with oil; and my chalice which inebriates me, how goodly is it!
22:6 Et misericordia tua subsequetur me, omnibus diebus vitae meae. Et ut inhabitem in domo Domini in longitudinem dierum.
22:6 And your mercy will follow me all the days of my life. And that I may dwell in the house of the Lord unto length of days.
203. Psalmista supra in persona Christi dixit de sua tribulatione multa; hic autem dicit de remedio quo in ea sustentatur.
203. Above, the psalmist, in the person of Christ, spoke about his many tribulations; now here he speaks about the remedy by which he is upheld during them.
Et primo commemorat beneficia quibus sustentatur.
First, he remembers the favors by which he is upheld;
Secundo potentiam sustentationis, ibi, domini est terra.
second, the power of upholding, at the earth is the Lord’s.
Psalmus iste non habet novum titulum, sed videtur designare aliquos in via ambulantes: unde potest significare reditum populi de Babylone, et signat reditum Christi de mundo ad caelum.
This psalm does not have a new title but seems to refer to those walking along a road. Thus it can signify the return of the people from Babylon, and it can signify the return of Christ from the world to heaven.
Circa hoc duo facit.
He considers two aspects of this.
Primo commemorat beneficia praeterita.
First, he recalls the favors already given to him.
Secundo commemorat beneficia futura, ibi, et misericordia tua.
Second, he calls to mind future favors, at and your mercy will follow me.
Circa primum duo facit.
He considers two types of former favors.
Primo commemorat beneficia quae consistunt in consolatione bonorum.
First, he remembers the favors that consist in the consolation of good things;
Secundo ea quae consistunt in adjutorio contra mala, ibi, nam et si ambulavero.
second, those which consist in help against evil, at for though I should walk.
Circa primum tria tangit.
He touches on three aspects of consoling goods.
Primo commemorat sufficientiam divinae promissionis.
First, he remembers the sufficiency of the divine promise;
Secundo ejus abundantiam, ibi, in loco pascuae.
second, its abundance, at in a place of pasture;
Tertio ejus effectus, ibi, animam meam convertit.
and third, its effect, at he has converted my soul.
Ponit ergo primo divinam provisionem: unde dicit, dominus regit me.
Therefore, he first describes the divine provision, so he says, the Lord rules me.
Hieronymus, Dominus pascit me. Et idem est; quia qui pascit, regit. Et intelligitur in persona Ecclesiae, dici de Christo qui est pastor noster: Joan. 10: ego sum pastor bonus: Matth. 6: respicite volatilia caeli et cetera quia Deus dicitur pastor noster: ipse enim pascit etiam volatilia caeli, ut dictum est Mich. 7: pasce populum tuum in virga tua, gregem hereditatis tuae: Rom. 15: qui exurget regere gentes.
Jerome has, the Lord shepherds me. And they are the same, since he who shepherds, rules. And this is understood to be said in the person of the Church about Christ, who is our shepherd. I am the good shepherd (John 10:11). Behold the birds of the air, for they neither sow, nor do they reap, nor gather into barns, and your heavenly Father feeds them (Matt 6:26), since God is called our shepherd. For he feeds the birds of the air, as is said. Feed your people with your rod, the flock of your inheritance (Mic 7:14). He that shall rise up to rule the gentiles (Rom 15:12).
Et sufficienter pascit; unde dicit, nihil mihi deerit: scilicet de eo quod est necessarium ad salutem: et in temporalibus Luc. 22, quando misi vos sine sacculo et pera et cetera numquid aliquid et cetera. Matth. 6: primum quaerite regnum Dei, et haec omnia adjicientur vobis. Tum in futuro omnem sufficientiam habebimus, quia nihil deerit nobis, quoniam habebimus Deum.
And he feeds them enough, so it is said, I shall want nothing of what is necessary for salvation. And it is the same in regard to temporal things: when I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, did you want anything? (Luke 22:35). Seek you therefore first the kingdom of God . . . and all these things shall be added unto you (Matt 6:33). Then, in the future, we will have enough, since we will lack nothing because we will have God.
Abundantiam omnem designat metaphorice per abundantiam cibi et potus. Quia si pascit, habet se ad nos sicut pastor ad oves; quae duobus pascuntur, scilicet herbis et aqua.
He signifies every abundance metaphorically by the abundance of food and drink. If he feeds us, he acts towards us as a shepherd does to the sheep, since they are fed on two things: namely, vegetation and water.
Quantum ad primum dicit, in loco pascuae ibi me collocavit, id est pascuoso, ubi est abundantia herbarum. Haec abundantia sunt sacra documenta divinae Scripturae et spiritualium abundantia: Ezech. 34: in herbis virentibus et in pascuis pinguibus pascentur.
In regard to the first, he says, he has set me in a place of pasture, that is, in a field where there is an abundance of vegetation. This abundance is the holy writings of the divine Scriptures and the abundance of spiritual things. They shall be fed on the green grass and in fat pastures (Ezek 34:14).
Quantum ad secundum dicit, super aquam refectionis educavit me.
In regard to the second, he says, he has brought me up on the water of refreshment.
Et dicit collocavit, quia sermo divinus duo facit:
And he says, he has set, since the divine word does two things.
scilicet incipientes instruit,
It instructs beginners,
et perficientes firmat.
and it strengthens the perfect.
Propter primum dicit, in loco pascuae.
Because of the first, he says, in a place of pasture.
Propter secundum dicit, ibi me collocavit.
Because of the second, he says, he has set me.
Quantum ad secundum dicit, super aquam refectionis educavit me. Haec est aqua Baptismi: Ezech. 36: effundam super vos aquam mundam et cetera.
In regard to the second, he says, he has brought me up on the water of refreshment. This is the water of baptism. I will pour upon you clean water (Ezek 36:25).
Vel est aqua sapientiae sacrae doctrinae; quae quidem et est cibus, quia confortat; et aqua, quia refrigerat: Eccl. 15: aqua sapientiae salutaris potavit illum.
Or it is the water of the wisdom of sacred doctrine, which indeed is a food, because it strengthens, and water, because it refreshes. She shall give him the water of wholesome wisdom to drink (Sir 15:3).
Animam meam convertit. Hic est effectus pascuae, quia animam meam convertit. Vel dicit, quae sint haec pascua; quia conversio animae.
He has converted my soul. This is the effect of feeding: that he has converted my soul. Or, he says that these are pastures because of the conversion of soul.
Est autem duplex effectus spiritualis doctrinae.
Now there are two effects of spiritual teaching.
Primus est interior, in conversione animae ad Deum, quando totaliter se a rebus mundi trahit. Ps. 18: lex domini immaculata convertens animas, testimonium et cetera. Et conversio fit virtute Dei. Thren. ult.: converte nos domine ad te.
The first is interior, in the conversion of the soul to God, which completely draws one away from the things of this world. The law of the Lord is unspotted, converting souls: the testimony of the Lord is faithful, giving wisdom to little ones (Ps 18:8). And conversion comes about by the power of God. Convert us, O Lord, to you, and we shall be converted (Lam 5:21).
Alius effectus est exterior, ut opera exteriora exequatur; unde dicit: deduxit me super semitas justitiae; haec autem sunt bona opera. Isa. 40: rectas facite semitas Dei nostri.
Another effect is exterior, that he accomplish exterior works, so he says, he has led me on the paths of justice; now these are good works. Make straight in the wilderness the paths of our God (Isa 40:3).