Moralia in Job 1112

Same verse. — 'Who gave songs in the night' (Job xxxv, 10). Lest we be overcome, God tempers tribulations with consolation. A song in the night is gladness in tribulation, because although we are afflicted by the pressures of temporality, we nevertheless already rejoice in hope concerning eternity. Paul preached songs in the night, saying: 'Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation' (Romans xii, 12). David had taken up a song in the night, who said: 'You are my refuge from the pressure that has surrounded me, my exultation; deliver me from those who surround me' (Psalm xxxi, 7 [Ps. 32:7]). Behold, he names the pressure night, and yet he calls his deliverer his exultation amid straits. Outwardly indeed there was night in the encompassing of pressure, but inwardly songs resounded from the consolation of gladness.

For because we cannot return to eternal joys except through temporal losses, the whole intent of Sacred Scripture is that the hope of abiding gladness may strengthen us amid these transitory adversities. Whence also the prophet Ezekiel testifies that he received a book, in which were written lamentations, a song, and woe (Ezekiel ii, 9-10). For what is figured by this book but the divine utterances? Which, because they enjoin upon us tears and mournings, are represented as having lamentations written in them. They also contain a song and woe, because they so preach joy out of hope, that in the present nevertheless they fall upon pressures and straits. They contain a song and woe, because although we there long for sweet things, it is first necessary that here we tolerate bitter ones.

The Lord preached a song and woe to His disciples, when He said: 'These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace; in the world you shall have pressure' (John xvi, 33). As though He plainly said: Let there be for you from me inwardly that which by consoling may refresh, because there will be from the world outwardly that which by raging may grievously press. Because, therefore, every weak person, when he is pressed, is wearied by too great faintheartedness from the hope of joy, and while outwardly he tolerates adverse things, inwardly he forgets that in which he rejoiced, it is well said: 'He did not say, Where is God who made me, who gave songs in the night?' For if he said these things, he would temper the force which he suffers; and through the fact that he sought within that which is abiding, he would not judge that which he endures outwardly, being transitory, to be intolerable. There follows: