The Homilies of Saint Jerome, Volume 1 (1–59 on the Psalms)

32. Homily 32 On Psalm 105 (106)

HOMILY 32 ON PSALM 105 (106) LLELUIA, Alleluia.'! It is necessary to bear in mind the rule that whenever there are two alleluias in the prescription of a psalm, one marks the end of the preceding psalm; the other, the beginning of the following one. 'Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.' 0 you who sin grievously and despair of salvation, and think that because of the magnitude of your sins you cannot obtain pardon, I admonish you-rather the prophet admonishes you-to give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. Great are your sins, but great is the Lord who has pity on you. Confess your sins to the Lord; do penance and do not despair of your salvation, for the Lord is compassionate. Give thanks to the Lord, you who have very great sins. Do not trust in your own strength, but trust in the mercy of the Lord. 'For his kindness endures forever.' Grasp that the psalmist says: 'forever.' 'In the nether world who gives you thanks?'2 It is not possible for anyone in hell to be sorry for his sins. While you are still in this world, I beg of you to repent. Confess and give thanks to the Lord, for in this world only is He merciful. Here, He is able to compassionate the penitent, but because there He is judge, He is not merciful. Here, He is compassionate kindness; there, He is judge. Here, He reaches out His hand to the falling; there, He presides as 1 Cf. Ps. 105 (106).1; d. Commentarioli in ps. 104.1. 2 Ps.6.6. 234 HOMILY 32 235 judge. Now, I have said all this for the benefit of those who maintain that in hell there is contrition for sin. 'Who can tell the mighty deeds of the Lord?' No one is .worthy to proclaim the great deeds of the Father except the Son; no one is able to express the might of the Father except Him who is Himself mighty. He who is Himself omnipotent, who is in the bosom of the Father, is able to tell and proclaim the almighty works of Omnipotens. 'Or proclaim all his praises?' Before our Lord spread abroad the praises of the Father in the Gospel, the Father's praise was unheard of in the world. If taken spiritually, everything that is written in the old law can be understood of the Father. 'Happy are they who observe what is right, who do always what is just.' Right it is for David to utter this prayer. He himself had obeyed the Lord's decrees and had done what was right; but because he did not obey and do justice at all times, he fell; for what does he say? 'Happy are they who observe what is right, who do always what is just; but be cognizant that to be happy is to do the right at all times. After all, what does it profit a man if for twenty years he preserves continence but afterwards falls? That is the message of the following words of the prophets: 'The virtue which a man has practiced will not save him on the day that he sins; neither will the wickedness that a man has done bring about his downfall on the day that he turns from his wickedness.'3 Neither should the virtuous man be secure nor the sinner despair of his salvation, for in each of them there should be both fear and hope. 'Who do always what is just.' Our Lord is justice, for He is called the justice of the Lord. Happy is he, therefore, who does what is just, who brings forth Christ. How do we bring Christ forth-or justice? If we live justly, justice is conceived in us, and justice is begotten of us, and we are the mother of justice. Happy and blessed is he who at all times is both father and mother of justice. 3 Ezech. 33.12; cf. Letter 54.6, PL 22.553 (285); 122.3, PL 22.1045 (898). 236 SAINT JEROME 'Remember me, 0 Lord, as you favor your people.' What blessed David is saying is this: 'I know the old law, 0 Lord; perfect happiness is not in the old law but in the Gospel; I know that the first people has offended You and that a new people is...