Homilies on the Psalms 1 part 3/12

It belongs to a magnanimous mind, one that bends to no human need, and to a man who has perfected the habit of righteousness to the utmost, to render to each what accords with his worth;

and to despise evildoers, even if they happen to be clothed with great power, or flourishing in wealth, or in the distinction of their lineage, or claiming brilliance for themselves—yet if wickedness alone is found to reside within them—to despise such men, that is, to reckon them as nothing;

but conversely, to glorify and exalt and consider blessed those who fear the Lord, even if they are poor, or of ignoble birth, or unlearned in speech, or weak in body—having been taught by the Spirit to call such men blessed; for it says, "Blessed are all who fear the Lord."

And it belongs to the same disposition to despise the evildoer, even though he is exalted in splendor, and to glorify the one who fears the Lord, even though he is lowly, even though poor in this life, even though contemptible, even though possessing none of the outward things that invite esteem.

He who swears to his neighbor and does not break faith.

Why is it that here the keeping of an oath is permitted among the noble deeds befitting the perfect man, while in the Gospel it is entirely forbidden? "Who shall sojourn, and who shall dwell [in your tabernacle]?" "He who swears to his neighbor, and does not break faith."

But there [in the Gospel it says], "But I say to you, do not swear at all."

What then do we say? That the Lord everywhere holds to the same aim, forestalling the outcomes of sins, and cutting off wickedness from its very first beginning.

For just as the old law said, "You shall not commit adultery;"

but the Lord said, "You shall not even lust;"

and that law said, "You shall not murder;"

but he who legislates the more perfect things said, "You shall not even be angry;"

so too here, the one is content with the keeping of oaths, while the other cuts off the very occasion of perjury.

For the one who keeps his oath might perhaps at some time also unintentionally fail;

but the one who does not swear has altogether escaped the danger of perjury.

But in many places Scripture also calls an "oath" the unchangeable affirmation concerning each matter;

as in, "I have sworn, and I have resolved to keep the judgments of your righteousness;"

and, "The Lord has sworn, and will not change his mind."

So then, it is possible that it is said here too in this sense:

"He who swears to his neighbor;"

that is, one who gives firm assurance to his neighbor, and does not break it;

so that it may be in harmony with what was said by the Lord: "Let your word be yes, yes, and no, no."

When giving firm assurance concerning such matters, give your assent;

if the thing has not happened, let denial follow;

if the thing has happened, let assent give firm confirmation.

Try to present the truth in itself, apart from any entanglement with something else, making use of bare affirmations.

Let the untrustworthy man bear the harm of his own untrustworthiness.

For it is utterly shameful and foolish to accuse oneself of being unworthy of trust, and to bring in the security that comes from oaths.

But there are certain sayings which have the form of oaths, yet are not oaths, but rather a courtesy toward those who hear them.

As Joseph, ingratiating himself with the Egyptian, swore "by the health of Pharaoh."

And the Apostle, in demonstrating his love for the Corinthians, said:

"By the boast in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord."

For he who had been entrusted with the Gospel did not disobey the Gospel's teaching, but delivered a bare statement in the form of an oath, showing by this manner that his boast concerning them was worth everything to him.

"And do not turn away from him who wishes to borrow from you."

This saying calls us to that which is communal, and mutually affectionate, and proper to nature.

For man is a political creature, and one formed to gather together in community.

And in common social life and in our dealings with one another, readiness to share is necessary for the correction of what is lacking.

He wishes you, on the one hand, because of love, to be open in simplicity toward those who ask, but on the other hand, by reasoning, to discern the need of each of those who beg.

And this we have learned in the Acts, in what manner it is possible for this to be rightly accomplished by those who fulfill the aim of piety with expert knowledge:

"For as many as were owners of lands or houses," it says, "sold them and brought the prices of what was sold, and laid them at the feet of the apostles."

For since many, going beyond the use of necessities, make their request an occasion for trade and a pretext for licentious luxury, it was necessary that the collection of moneys be made by those entrusted with the care of the poor, so that from there the distribution of necessities might be made, expertly and prudently, according to each person's need.

For just as in the case of the sick there is often need of wine, yet it is not for everyone to judge rightly the proper time and measure and quality of it;

but there is need of a physician for the administering of the wine;

so also the management concerning the care of those in need cannot be carried out beneficially by everyone.

For to those who compose mournful songs to deceive women, and who put forward their bodily mutilations and sores as an occasion for profit, lavish generosity in service is not altogether beneficial.

For the supply of aid will become for them an occasion for evil.

Rather, one must repel the clamoring of such people with a small gift, while showing compassion and brotherly love toward those who have been taught to bear affliction with patience;

concerning whom it will also be said to them, "I was hungry, and you gave me food," and so on.

"And do not turn away from him who wishes to borrow from you."

And this precept is connected with what preceded.

For indeed the one who asks here, being poor, asks a loan from you, showing you the Rich One in the heavens, who will discharge the debt for him on your behalf.

"For he who shows mercy to the poor," it says, "lends to God."

And the guarantee of the loan is the kingdom of heaven.

May it be granted that we all be made worthy of this, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom, to the Father and the Holy Spirit, be glory and dominion, unto the ages of ages.

we were not permitted, on account of the hour, [to proceed further]

But now we have come as grateful debtors, paying back to you the debts of what was left undone for you.

Now what remains is brief to hear, so that it might seem so, and perhaps it has escaped the notice of many of you, such that it was not even supposed that anything of the psalm had been left out;

yet having learned that this brief expression has great power with respect to the affairs of life, we did not think it right to omit the benefit that comes from its examination.

The Prophet, in sketching out in his discourse the perfect man, the one who is destined to attain the unshaken life, enumerated among his virtuous deeds that he has not given his silver on interest.

In many places of Scripture this sin has been condemned.

For Ezekiel counts the taking of interest and excess among the greatest of evils, and the Law expressly forbids it:

"You shall not lend on interest to your brother or your neighbor."

And concerning a city that flourishes amid a multitude of evils, what does the psalm say? "Usury and deceit have not departed from her streets."

And now the Prophet has taken up this very same thing as characteristic of human perfection, saying:

"He has not given his silver on interest."

For indeed it is the height of inhumanity that one man, being in want of necessities, should seek a loan for the relief of his life, while another, not content with the principal, devises for himself, out of the misfortunes of the poor man, revenues, and gathers riches.

The Lord, then, clearly commanded us, saying:

"And do not turn away him who wishes to borrow from you;"

but the money-lover, seeing a man bent down before his knees by necessity, beseeching him — what humble thing does he not do? what does he not say? — does not have mercy on one acting beyond his own dignity, does not take our common nature into account, does not yield to the entreaties, but stands unbending and implacable, not giving way to petitions, not moved by tears, persisting in his refusal, swearing on oath and calling curses upon himself, that he is indeed utterly without money, and that he himself is looking around to see if he might find some lender, and confirming the lie by oaths, thereby adding perjury as an evil merchandise to his inhumanity.

But when the one seeking the loan mentions interest, and names securities, then, lowering his brow, he smiles, and somewhere even recalls a friendship inherited from their fathers, and calls him an acquaintance and a friend, and says, "We shall see if there is anywhere any money laid by for us."

"It is a deposit, placed with us by a friend for the purposes of business."

"But he has fixed heavy interest upon it;"

"yet we shall certainly reduce it somewhat, and give it to you at a lower rate of interest."

Putting on such an act, and fawning upon and enticing the wretched man with such words, having bound him further with written bonds, and having, in addition to the poverty already oppressing him, taken away also the man's freedom, he departed.

For he who has made himself liable for interest which he cannot pay off has willingly accepted a self-chosen slavery for life.

Tell me, do you seek money and resources from the man who has none? And if he were able to make you richer, why would he be seeking help at your doors? Having come for an ally, he found an enemy.

Seeking an antidote, he encountered poison.

It is as if some physician, coming in to the sick, instead of restoring health to them, were even to take away the small remnant of their strength;

so also you make the misfortunes of the wretched an occasion for your own profit.

And just as farmers pray for rain, for the multiplying of their seeds, so also you seek out the want and poverty of men, so that your money may become productive for you.

in view of the present necessity, he ventures upon the loan.

Then the one was overcome, yielding to necessity;

while the other departs, having secured himself with written contracts and pledges.

Having received the money, at first he is splendid and overjoyed, made radiant by another's borrowed bloom, signaling by it a change in his way of life;

for now there is a lavish table, more costly clothing, servants transformed in appearance to a more splendid style, flatterers, drinking companions;

but as the money quietly ebbs away, and time, advancing, brings on the interest along with itself, no nights bring him rest, no day is bright, no sun pleasant, but he is disgusted with his life, hates the days as they hasten toward the appointed deadline, fears the months as fathers of interest. And if he sleeps, he sees in a dream the moneylender, an evil dream, standing over his head;

and if he is awake, interest is his constant thought and care;

The one runs after him like a dog after prey;

while the other, like ready quarry, cowers at the encounter.

For his poverty takes away his freedom of speech.

For both of them the reckoning is on their fingers;

the one rejoicing over the increase of the interest, the other groaning over the increase of his misfortunes.

"Drink waters from your own vessels;"

that is, look around at your own resources; do not go to another's springs, but gather for yourself the comforts of life from your own streams.

Do you have bronze vessels, clothing, a beast of burden, all kinds of household goods? Sell these;

consent to give up everything, except your freedom.

"But I am ashamed to make these things public," he says.

Why then is it that a little later someone else will bring these very things out for sale, and auction off what is yours, and before your very eyes will sell them off at a bargain price? Do not go to another's door.

For what belongs to another is truly a narrow well.

It is better to relieve one's need by gradual expedients than, having suddenly been elated by what belongs to another, to be stripped later of all one's possessions at once.

If then you have the means from which to repay, why do you not resolve your present need from these very resources? But if you are at a loss as to repayment, you are treating one evil with another evil.

Do not accept a creditor who besieges you.

Do not endure being sought out and hunted down like some other kind of prey.

Borrowing is the beginning of falsehood;

an occasion of ingratitude, of thanklessness, of perjury.

The words of the borrower are one thing, and the words of the one being asked for repayment are another.

Would that I had never met you then—I would already have found the means for release from my need.

Was it not against my will that you thrust the money into my hand? Your gold, moreover, is adulterated with bronze, and your coin is counterfeit.

So whether the lender is a friend, do not let his friendship be the loss you suffer;

or if he is an enemy, do not become subject to one who is ill-disposed toward you.

Having briefly adorned yourself with what belongs to another, you will later be deprived even of your ancestral possessions.

You are poor now, but free.

Dogs, when they receive something, are tamed;

but the creditor, when he receives something, is only further provoked.

For he does not stop barking, but seeks even more.

If you swear an oath, he does not believe you;

he searches into your private affairs, your transactions; he pries into everything.

If you go out from your chamber, he drags you toward himself and hauls you along;

if you hide yourself indoors, he stands over your house and knocks at the door.

Before your wife he shames you, before your friends he insults you, in the marketplaces he throttles you;

he renders your life unlivable.

But, he says, the need is great, and there is no other resource of money.

What good, then, comes from putting off today's need? For your poverty will come upon you again like a good runner, and the same need will be present once more, with an added burden.

For the loan provides not complete release, but only a brief postponement of one's helplessness. Let us endure today the hardships that come from want, and not set them aside for tomorrow.

poor both today and hereafter;

but if you borrow, you will be worn down more grievously still, since interest intensifies your poverty even further.

And now, indeed, no one reproaches you for being poor;

but if you become liable for interest, there is no one who will not blame you for your imprudence.

Let us not, then, in addition to our involuntary misfortunes, further draw upon ourselves a self-chosen evil out of our own folly.

It is the mark of a childish mind not to restrain oneself within one's present means, but, entrusting oneself to uncertain hopes, to venture recklessly into manifest and indisputable harm.

Consider now from where you will make repayment.

From what you receive? But that is not sufficient both for your need and for repayment.

And if you also reckon in the interest, from where will the money be multiplied to such an extent that it separately meets your need, separately fulfills the principal, and besides that also generates interest? So you will not repay the loan from what you receive.

From some other source, then? Let us then wait upon those hopes, and not come, like fish, to the bait.

For just as fish swallow the hook along with the food, so we too, for the sake of money, are impaled upon interest.

Being poor procures no shame at all.

Why then do we add to ourselves the reproaches that come from owing debt? No one heals wounds with wounds, nor cures evil with evil, nor corrects poverty with interest.

For if you are well provided for, you have no need of a loan;

but if you have nothing, you will not be able to repay the loan.

Do not give your life over to afterthought, lest one day you come to bless the days before you owed interest.

In this one thing do we the poor differ from the rich: in freedom from care.

And we laugh at them as they lie awake, while we ourselves sleep;

and while they are always anxious and troubled, we ourselves are free of care and at ease.

The debtor, however, is both poor and full of anxiety;

sleepless by night, sleepless by day, troubled in mind at every hour;

now appraising his own property, now the costly houses, the fields of the rich, the clothing of those he meets, the furnishings of those who host banquets.

If these things were mine, he says, I would sell them for so much and so much, and be rid of the interest.

These thoughts of his settle upon his heart by night, and by day they take hold of his mind.

If you knock on the door, the debtor is under the bed.

Is the dog barking? He is drenched in sweat, gripped by anguish, and looks all around for some way to flee.

When the deadline draws near, he worries over what falsehood he will tell;

what pretext he might fabricate in order to put off the creditor.

Do not think of yourself only as one who receives, but also as one who will be called upon to repay.

Why do you yoke yourself to a beast that breeds so prolifically? They say that hares both give birth and suckle their young and conceive again, all at the same time.

And for usurers, money is at once lent out, and begotten, and sends up yet more offspring beneath it.

For you have not yet even received it into your hands, and already for the present month you are being charged for its yield.

And this in turn, once lent out, bred another evil, and that one bred another still, and the evil goes on without end.

For interest (tokos), I think, gets its name on account of the evil's prolific breeding.

For from what else could it be? Or perhaps it is called tokos on account of the birth-pangs and griefs which it naturally tends to produce in the souls of those who have borrowed.

For just as labor pains come upon a woman in childbirth, so the appointed deadline comes upon the debtor.

Interest upon interest, an evil offspring of evil parents.

Let these be called offspring of vipers—the progeny brought forth by interest.

They say that vipers are born by eating their way through their mother's belly.

And interest-payments likewise are begotten by devouring the houses of those who owe them.

Seeds sprout over time, and living creatures come to full term over time;

but interest is begotten today, and this very day it begins to breed.

Among animals, those that give birth quickly also quickly cease from breeding;

But money, once it takes on the swift beginning of increase, admits an endless addition toward more.

It reaches a certain magnitude, and then its growth stops;

but the silver of the greedy keeps growing together with all time.

Animals, having handed over the bearing of young to their offspring, themselves cease from bringing forth;

but the silver of moneylenders both bears offspring from what accrues afterward, and the original sum grows young again.

May you never come to experience this monstrous beast!

Why do you begrudge yourself the freedom of life? No boxer so avoids the blows of his opponent as the borrower avoids meeting his creditor, hiding his head behind pillars and walls.

"How then shall I be sustained?" he says. You have hands, you have a skill;

there are many devices for making a living, many resources.

But you are unable? Beg from those who possess.

But is begging shameful? It is far more shameful to borrow and then defraud the lender.

I say these things not at all as one laying down a law, but showing that everything is more bearable for you than borrowing.

The ant is able to sustain itself, neither begging nor borrowing;

and the bee even bestows the remains of its own food upon kings;

though nature gave them neither hands nor skills;

but will you, man, that resourceful and ingenious creature, not find a single device out of them all for the conduct of life? And yet we see that it is not those in want of necessities who come to borrowing (for they do not even have anyone to trust them), but rather men borrow who give themselves over to loose expenditures and unfruitful extravagances, men enslaved to womanish self-indulgence.

"For me," he says, "costly clothing and gold ornaments; for my children, becoming adornment of garments; and for my servants too, flowery and many-colored wraps; and for my table, abundance."

He who performs such services for his wife goes to the money-changer, and before he has even made use of what he received, he takes on one master after another, and by continually re-binding himself to his lenders, through the unbroken continuity of the evil he escapes the exposure of his poverty.

And just as those suffering from dropsy are under the false impression of corpulence, so too this man exists in the illusion of abundance, always taking, and always giving, and paying off what came before out of second loans, procuring for himself the credibility to keep borrowing through the very continuity of the evil.

Then, just as in cholera those who vomit up whatever presently lies within them, and before being completely purged take in a second helping of food, vomit again with pain and convulsions;

so too these men, taking on interest upon interest, and before clearing off the first debts, bringing in a second loan, revel for a short time in what belongs to others, but afterward bewail even their own possessions.

Oh, how many has the property of others destroyed!

How many, having grown rich as in a dream, have paid the penalty of loss to the full!

"But many," one says, "have also grown rich from loans."

But more, I think, have also laid hold of the noose.

But you look only at those who grew rich, and do not count those who hanged themselves, who, unable to bear the shame of the demands for repayment, preferred death by the noose to living in disgrace.

I myself have seen a pitiful sight: freeborn children being dragged to the slave market on account of their father's debts.

Do you have no money to leave to your children? Then do not also take away their noble, free birth.

Preserve for them this one possession at least, freedom, the deposit which you yourself received from your parents.

No one was ever reproached for his father's poverty;

but a father's debt leads his children to prison.

Do not leave behind a bond of debt that, like a paternal curse, descends upon children and grandchildren.

Hear, you rich, what sort of counsel we give to the poor because of your inhumanity:

to endure their present hardships rather than accept the calamities that come from interest.

"And what sort of loan is this," one says, "to which no hope of repayment is joined?" Consider the force of the saying, and you will marvel at the loving-kindness of the Lawgiver.

For "he who shows mercy to the poor lends to God."

For to you will belong the security that comes from safekeeping;

while to the one who received it belongs the profit of its use.

But if you also seek an increase, be content with what comes from the Lord.

He himself will pay back the increase on behalf of the poor.

Await humane, gracious returns from him who is truly loving toward mankind.

For the things you exact leave no room for any excess of inhumanity.

You profit from misfortunes, you collect silver from tears, you throttle the naked man, you strike the starving man;

there is no thought whatsoever of kinship with the one who suffers;

and yet you call the profits derived from this humane.

Woe to those who call the bitter sweet, and the sweet bitter, and who call inhumanity loving-kindness.

Not even Samson's riddles, which he propounded to his drinking companions, were like this:

"Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness";

for out of the misanthrope came forth loving-kindness.

They do not gather grapes from thorns, nor figs from thistles, nor humane kindness from interest.

For every rotten tree produces evil fruit.

"Collectors of hundredths" and "collectors of tenths" — names dreadful even to hear;

monthly collectors, who, like the demons that cause epileptic seizures, attack the poor according to the cycles of the moon.

This is an evil gift for both parties, both for the one who gives and for the one who receives;

bringing loss to the one in his money, and to the other in his very soul.

The farmer, once he has taken the ear of grain, does not go searching again under the root for the seed;

but you, though you already have the fruits, do not let go of the principal either.

The one who weeps over the interest is plain to see;

but whether there will be anyone to enjoy the abundance derived from it is uncertain.

For it is unclear whether you will not leave the enjoyment of your wealth to others, having stored up for yourself only the evil that comes from injustice.

The twenty-eighth psalm has, indeed, the title common to the others;

for there is added: "Of the going forth of the tabernacle."

But what is this? Let us consider what the "going forth" is, and what the "tabernacle" is, so that we may be able to enter into the intent of the psalm.

According to the historical sense, it will seem that this instruction is given to the priests and Levites once they have left off their work, so that they might remember what they ought to have prepared themselves with for the service.

For to those going forth from the tabernacle and now departing, the word solemnly declares what they ought to have prepared, and with what they should be equipped to meet the next occasion of service;

namely: "ascribe glory to his name";

namely, that it is fitting to render service nowhere else than in the court of the Lord and in the place of the sanctuary.

But as regards the law, the following occurs to us:

neither is the ram to be understood as merely the male among the sheep, nor the tabernacle as the dwelling constructed of this lifeless material, nor the "going forth of the tabernacle" as a departure from the temple; but for us the tabernacle is this body, as the Apostle taught us, saying, "We who are in this tabernacle groan";

"And no scourge shall come near your dwelling."

The 'going-forth of the tent' is our departure from this life, for which the text bids us to prepare, bringing to the Lord such and such gifts;

since our labor here is provision for what is to come.

And he who here, through good works, brings glory and honor to the Lord — this one stores up for himself glory and honor, according to the just recompense of the Judge.

In many of the copies, however, we found it added: 'Bring to the Lord, O sons of God.'

And since not every gift is acceptable to God, but only that of one who offers it from a pure heart;

'For prayers from a harlot's wages are not pure,' it says;

And again Jeremiah says: 'Will vows and holy flesh take away your wickedness, or will you be pure by these things?' Therefore the psalm wishes us first to be sons of God, and only then to proceed to offering gifts to God — and these not just any gifts, but such as He Himself has appointed.

First say, 'Father,' then ask for what follows.

...whether you are worthy to call God, the Holy One, your own father.

If you wish always to be a son of the Holy One, let sanctification adopt you as his son.

Bring, then, to the Lord — not just anyone, nor those descended from just anyone, but sons of God.

The gifts that are about to be required are great;

therefore he chooses great ones to be the offerers.

For so that he might not cast your thoughts down to the ground, nor make you seek a ram — this irrational, four-footed, bleating animal — expecting that God would be propitiated by its sacrifice, he says, 'Bring to the Lord, O sons of God.'

For there is no need of a son, that he should offer up a son; but if the son is something great, it is fitting that what is offered be something great and worthy both of the son's disposition and of the father's dignity.

'Bring, then,' he says, 'the sons of rams;'

so that those offered by you might themselves be changed from being sons of rams into becoming sons of God.

The ram, then, is a leading animal, guiding the sheep to nourishing pastures and to resting-places by the waters, and again to the folds and the sheepcotes.

Such, too, are those who preside over the flock of Christ;

leading them forward to the flourishing and fragrant food of spiritual teaching, watering them with the living water abundantly supplied by the Spirit, raising them up and nurturing them toward fruit-bearing;

and guiding them to rest, and to safety from those who lie in wait against them.

The text, then, wishes the sons of these to be brought to the Lord by the sons of God.

But if the rams are those who lead the rest, then their sons would be those who, through zeal for good works arising from the teaching of their leaders, have been formed for a life according to virtue.

Bring, then, to the Lord, O sons of God; bring to the Lord the sons of rams.

Have you learned to whom he is speaking? Have you learned about whom? 'Bring to the Lord,' he says, 'glory and honor.'

And it is possible to glorify God through self-control and through the sanctification befitting those who profess piety, according to the exhortation of Paul, who says:

This is the glory the Lord also demands from those who believe in him and have been honored with the grace of adoption as sons.

'For a son,' it says, 'glorifies his father;'

...to him, from the fruits of his own righteousness.