Moralia in Job 785

Verse 25. — And the Almighty shall be against thine enemies, and silver shall be heaped up for thee. God, when the enemies are put to flight, enriches us with the silver of the divine word. — What other enemies do we suffer more than the malignant spirits, who besiege us in our very thoughts, that they may be able to break into the city of our mind and hold it captive under the yoke of their dominion? That by the name of 'silver' the sacred words are designated, the Psalmist bears witness, who says: The words of the Lord are chaste words, silver tried by fire for the earth (Psalm 11[:7]).

And often, when we are intent upon the sacred words, we more grievously endure the snares of the malignant spirits, because they sprinkle the dust of earthly thoughts upon our mind, so that they may darken the eyes of our intention from the light of inmost vision. This the Psalmist had assuredly endured, when he said: Depart from me, ye malignant, and I will search the commandments of my God (Psalm 118[:115]). Plainly intimating, of course, that he could not search out the commandments of God while he endured in his mind the snares of the malignant spirits. Which we recognize to be signified also in the work of Isaac under the wickedness of the Philistines, who filled with a heap of earth the wells that Isaac had dug (Genesis 26[:15]).

For we indeed dig these wells when we penetrate deep into the hidden senses of sacred Scripture. Yet the Philistines secretly fill them when, as we strive toward the heights, the unclean spirits thrust in earthly thoughts, and carry off, as it were, the water of divine knowledge we had found. But because no one overcomes these enemies by his own strength, it is said through Eliphaz: And the Almighty shall be against thine enemies, and silver shall be heaped up for thee. As if it were plainly said: When the Lord by his own power has driven back the malignant spirits from thee, the shining talent of the divine word within grows greater. There follows: