O Lord, my heart is
not lifted up, my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with
things too great and too marvelous for me.
But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a
child quieted at its mother’s breast; like a child that is quieted is my
soul. O
Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and for evermore.[1]
From first
glance, it may appear that the psalmist is making a judgment of something in which
he is not the authority: O Lord, my heart
is not lifted up. God is the judge
of our hearts, not us. We come to this
conclusion from God, speaking through the prophet, saying, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately corrupt; who
can understand it?[2] He,
then, continues: “I the Lord search the
mind and try the heart, to give to every man according to his ways, according
to the fruit of his doings.”[3] Therefore, we can ascertain that this is a
prophecy which pertains to our Lord, Jesus, for he is the only one who truly
knows himself, the weakness of his humanity, and the strength of divinity. It is Jesus only who can without a doubt
state, “O Lord, my heart is not lifted
up, my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too
great and too marvelous for me.” St.
Robert Bellarmine says this of the psalmist: “The prophet, being quite certain
of saying nothing but the truth, directly addresses God, whom no one can
deceive, and asserts that he was never subject to pride, either in his interior
or his bearing.”[4] This can only apply to the Son of God and the
person he kept humble, i.e. Virgin Mary. This psalm is attributed to King David, who
has the incident of adultery with Bathsheba, another man’s wife. Adultery comes from pride, which is the heart
being lifted up and the eyes being raised too high—especially in David’s case;
therefore, David must be speaking of himself.
Because
this applies to Jesus, who is the Christ, then this also must apply to the Body
of Christ, which is the Catholic Church, to which each of us belong. Christ and the Church cannot be separate from
us or us from them. What applies to
Christ also applies to the Church and, therefore, must apply to us. As a result of the egregious sins of some of
the leaders in the Church, some may be hesitant to believe this, but this
shouldn’t be the case. We’ll get to this
a little later.
We read in
the Catechism: “…The Church’s mission is not an addition to that of Christ and
the Holy Spirit, but is its sacrament: in her whole being and in all her
members, the Church is sent to announce, bear witness, make present, and spread
the mystery of the communion of the Holy Trinity … All of us who have received one and the same
Spirit, that is, the Holy Spirit, are in a sense blended together with one
another and with God. For if Christ,
together with the Father’s and his own Spirit, comes to dwell in each of us,
though we are many, still the Spirit is one and undivided. He binds together the spirits of each and
every one of us … and makes all appear as one in him. For just as the power of Christ’s sacred flesh
unites those in whom it dwells into one body, I think that in the same way the
one and undivided Spirit of God, who dwells in all, leads all into spiritual
unity.”[5] “The word ‘Church’ means ‘convocation.’ It designates the assembly of those whom God’s
Word ‘convokes,’ i.e., gathers together to form the People of God, and who
themselves, nourished with the Body of Christ, become the Body of Christ.”[6] “The Church is both visible and spiritual, a
hierarchical society and the Mystical Body of Christ. She is one, yet formed of two components,
human and divine. That is her mystery,
which only faith can accept.”[7] Because Christ is in us, Jesus’ divinity is
also in us—as a result of Baptism and the other Sacraments. As a result, there must be some way in which
our passage must apply to us.
The
Catechism further teaches us: “Christ
unites us with his Passover: all his members must strive to resemble him, ‘until
Christ be formed’ in them. ‘For this reason,
we … are taken up into the mysteries of his life, … associated with his
sufferings as the body with its head, suffering with him, that with him we may
be glorified.’ Christ provides for our growth: to make us grow toward him, our
head, he provides in his Body, the Church, the gifts and assistance by which we
help one another along the way of salvation. Christ and his Church thus together make up
the ‘whole Christ’ (Christus totus). The Church is one with Christ.”[9] Also, the author to the Hebrews tells us: Christ was faithful as a son placed over his
house. We are his house, if only we hold
fast to our confidence and pride in our hope.[10] He further exhorts us: …Let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and
persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed
on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he
endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of
the throne of God.[11] Therefore, we must accept suffering gladly, in
order that my heart is not lifted up, my
eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and
too marvelous for me. There may be
sins which we committing that we may not consider egregious, which in God’s
eyes, are extremely egregious.
St.
Augustine teaches us: “In this Psalm, the humility of one that is a servant of
God and faithful”—Jesus—"is commended unto us, by whose voice it is sung, which
is the whole body of Christ. For we have
often warned you, beloved, that it ought not to be received as the voice of one
man singing, but of all who are in Christ’s Body. And since all are in His Body … one man speaks… Now, he prays in the temple of God who prays
in the peace of the Church, in the unity of Christ’s Body--which Body of Christ
consists of many who believe in the whole world—and, therefore, he who prays in
the temple is heard.”[12]
In other
words, this passage speaks to Christ and his Body, and there must be
unity—peace—in the Body. Otherwise, we
have a monster: the members of a body rebelling against the body. It would be as if the right arm of a person
was rebelling against the brain, and the left leg also rebelling, fighting for
its own will. The author to the Hebrews
also speaks to this unity, this peace, when he says: Obey your leaders and defer to them, for they keep watch over you and
will have to give an account, that they may fulfill their task with joy and not
with sorrow, for that would be of no advantage to you.[13] The “leaders” being referred to here relates
to those leaders in the Church because of what precedes: Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and
imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the
same yesterday, today, and forever. Do
not be carried away by all kinds of strange teaching.[14] Yes, we may see bad bishops, bad priests, or
bad deacons. This is because we are not
perfected yet, as was spoken of previously.
This is to be expected. We are
not perfect; neither is our leaders perfect.
However, we do trust God and the Church he has given us, and he has told
us to obey your leaders and defer to
them, for they keep watch over you…
God will not condemn us for obeying his commandments. Nonetheless, we also pray for our leaders,
for each other, and for ourselves—because we are not perfect: In the days when he was in the flesh, he
offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was
able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Son though he was, he learned obedience from
what he suffered…[15] Even if we are nearing death’s door, we
cannot keep ourselves from all sin—even when we are near death. Does that not cause us to mourn, to
pray? We are accountable for even our
thoughts and our words. In the
Confiteor, we pray: “I confess to almighty God… that I have great sinned, in my
thoughts and in my words…” How can we
hold another human being—who is probably less sinful than ourselves—to a higher
standard? If we desire others to pray
for us, should we not also be praying for them?
In the Confiteor, do we not pray, “Therefore, I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to
the Lord our God? Should this exempt the
bishops, priests, and deacons, and the other religious? Of course not. We are all sinners, striving to please God
and mourning over our sins.
…my heart is not lifted up. For the psalmist to say this, we may safely
assume that he is aware that pride is abominable to God and that he is cautious
to subdue pride by the grace of God. St.
Augustine wisely concludes that, as a result of these words, the psalmist has
offered a sacrifice because humility of heart is a sacrifice. He goes on to remind us that “God is not
pleased with burnt offerings,” that “the sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit:
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you shall not despise (Ps 51:17).”[16] Although we offer up our good deeds--which we
have accomplished through the grace of God--we also offer up “tears” for our
sins. Jesus did not “bear” our sins as
if they were in a bag that he was carrying; he bore our sins as if he had
committed them—even though he had not.
It is for this reason, he offered
prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to
save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Son though he was, he learned obedience from
what he suffered. The Son of God,
although divine and without sin, learned
obedience from what he suffered. How
difficult it must have been for him to resist all concupiscence when we give in
after only very slight resistance. How
willingly do we criticize others, yet desire to hold others to a higher
standard. Nevertheless, we retain that
hope that God will perfect us, desiring to please God, not displease him. We know we are weak; how can we demand
another human beings to be strong? Let
us also offer prayers and supplications
with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save [us] from death, knowing
that we will be heard because of [our]
reverence. Jesus, Son though he was, he learned obedience from
what he suffered; let us also learn obedience from what we suffer. In this way, our hears will not be lifted up. What we suffer, we suffer deservedly, whether
we realize it or not. As a matter of
fact, what we actually suffer is minuscule to what we really deserve to suffer.
… my eyes are not raised too high…
Nothing that we have or are comes from us.
If we have intelligence, it is a gift of God. If we have health, it is a gift of God. If we have wealth, it is a gift of God. Moreover, these gifts are not for us to gloat
over or to hoard. These gifts are given
in order that we may glorify God by aiding (loving) our neighbor. We like to elevate ourselves. We want people to look up to us, to
compliment us. We elevate ourselves, and
then we think we are humble. St. Robert
Bellarmine tells us, “Many, with a semblance of humility, are full of interior
pride and self-importance; and many look down upon their neighbors without the
slightest effort at concealing their pride and impudence.”[17] Pride exhibits itself when we are critical of
others, when we attribute accolades to ourselves or even others, e.g. “my child
is so smart.” Pride also exhibits itself
when we think we deserve praise, promotions, etc. Some of the synonyms of “pride” cause us to
ponder, which are: self-esteem, dignity, honor, self-respect,
ego, self-worth, self-image, self-identity, self-regard, pride in oneself,
pride in one's abilities, belief in one's worth, faith in oneself.” St. Thomas Aquinas states, “Pride is said to
be the beginning of every sin, not as though every sin originated from pride,
but because any kind of sin is naturally liable to arise from pride.”[18]
This passage
causes us to search our hearts, causes us to see the pride within us, and
causes us to confess, repent, and cry out to the One who can take the pride
from us. If we cannot see pride within
us, it is pride itself that is preventing us from seeing. Therefore, we need to cry out for humility.
I do not occupy myself with things too great
and too marvelous for me. But I have
calmed and quieted my soul, like a child quieted at its mother’s breast; like a
child that is quieted is my soul. St.
Augustine gives this interpretation: “‘If I had not lowly thoughts, but have
lifted up my soul, as one taken from his mother’s breast, such the reward for
my soul.’ He seems, as it were, to have
bound himself by a curse: …as though he had been going to say, ‘Let it so
happen to me. As one taken away from his
mother’s breast, may [this] be my soul’s reward’.”[19] Bellarmine echoes this sentiment: “Not
satisfied with having declared to God, the searcher of hearts, that he always
had the greatest abhorrence of all manner of pride, he confirms it by an oath
or imprecation, in order to make it more thoroughly believed by all; and,
therefore, says, ‘If I was not humbly minded’ about myself, ‘but exalted in my
soul’—and, thus, looking down upon others--‘as a child that is weaned is
towards his mother,’ as a child recently weaned lies crying and moaning on its
mother’s lap or breast by reason of being deprived of that usual nourishment
that was so sweet and agreeable to it, ‘so reward in my soul,’ so may my soul
be deprived of the sweetness of divine consolation, my especial, and nearly my
only delight.”[20] No one of us, I would think, would be so bold
or brash to call a curse down upon himself or herself, saying there is no pride
in us. Not even King David did this, for
he cried out: Have mercy on me, O God, according
to thy steadfast love; according to thy abundant mercy blot out my
transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from
my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is
ever before me. Against thee, thee only,
have I sinned, and done that which is evil in thy sight… Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash
me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Fill
me with joy and gladness; let the bones which thou hast broken rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all
my iniquities. Create in me a clean
heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take
not thy holy Spirit from me. Restore to
me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.[21] We would also much rather pray Psalm 51 than
calling down a curse upon ourselves, asserting that there is no pride within
us.
Augustine goes
on: “Here... [is what] induces me to consider it a curse: For it is not an
infant, but a grown child, that is taken away from milk”—speaking of those
persons who knows Christ basically but do not really desire to grow in him (cf.
1 Cor 3:1-2, He 5:11-14, 1 Pe 2:1-3). “He
who is weak in his earliest infancy, which is his true infancy, is upon his
mother’s breast. If … he has been taken
away from the milk, he perishes. It is
not without a reason then that it is added, ‘Upon his mother’s breast.’ For all may be weaned by growing. He who grows and is thus taken away from milk,
it is good for him, but hurtful for him who is still upon his mother’s breast”—the
person who is old enough to be weaned but desires not. “We must therefore beware, my brethren, and be
fearful lest anyone be taken away from milk before his time… Let him not, therefore, wish to lift up his
soul when … he is not fit to take meat, but let him fulfill the commandments of
humility. He has [within him that which]
he may exercise himself: Let him believe in Christ, that he may understand
Christ. He cannot see the Word; he
cannot understand the equality of the Word with the Father; he cannot as yet
see the equality of the Holy Spirit with the Father and the Word; let him
believe this, and suck it. He is safe,
because, when he has grown, he will eat, which he could not do before he grew
by sucking; and he has a point to stretch towards. Seek not out the things that are too hard for you,
and search not the things that are above your strength--that is, things which you
are not as yet fit to understand. ‘And
what am I to do?’ you reply; ‘Shall I remain thus?’ [The] things the Lord has commanded you, think
thereupon always (Eccl 3:22). What has
the Lord commanded you? Do works of
mercy, part not with the peace of the Church, place not your trust in man,
tempt not God by longing for miracles… For,
if you be not exalted, if you raise not your heart on high, if you tread not in
great matters that are too high for you, but preserve humility, God will reveal
unto you what you are otherwise minded in (Ph 3:15). But, if you choose to defend this very thing
which you are otherwise minded about, and with pertinacity assert it, and
against the peace of the Church, this curse which he has described is entailed
upon you. When you are upon your
mother’s breast and are removed away from the milk, you shall die of hunger
apart from your mother’s breast”—the Catholic Church. “But, if you continue in Catholic peace, if …
you are in anything otherwise minded than you ought to be, God will reveal it
to you if you [are] humble. [Why]? Because ‘God resists the proud and gives grace
unto the humble’ (Ja 4:6, 1 Pe 5:5).”[22] We, being proud, cannot make ourselves
humble. Humble is what God makes us;
however, we must ask for it, praying as the psalmist does in Psalm 51 above.
O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time
forth and for evermore. Augustine
explains this: “Until we arrive at eternity, let us trust in the Lord God;
because when we have reached eternity, there will be no longer hope, but the
thing itself will be ours.”[23] Bellarmine interposes this thought: “The
conclusion of the Psalm explains the object of the great praise so conferred on
humility, for the holy soul did not mean or intend to hold himself up as an
example of it, but he wanted to admonish the people how little they ought to
confide in themselves and how much in God; and he, therefore, says, ‘Let Israel
hope in the Lord.’ If I, a king and a
prophet”—and Jesus is priest, prophet, and King—"dare not take a shine out
of myself by reason of my power and my wisdom and, instead of relying on
myself, cast all my hope on God, it certainly is only right that Israel, my
people, and who are also God’s people, should not ‘imagine that they are
something when they are nothing,’ nor confide in their own strength, but hope
in the Lord—they will hope in him, not only today and tomorrow, but forever and
ever.”[24]
Because
Advent is upon us, this Psalm is very beneficial to us. We look upon Christmas as Jesus’ Coming. We are looking forward to his Second
Advent. Because his Coming is soon, we
need to be searching and praying, praying that Christ show us our sins,
bringing us to confession and repentance.
We must be preparing for his Coming, and this is how we prepare. This passage tells us what we have to
be. We need to recognize the fact that
our hearts are lifted up and that that must not be the case. We acknowledge it, knowing that it is only by
the grace and strength of God that the pride within us will be removed. We also know that, because we are asking and
seeking, he will not deny us. Yes, we
will probably tire of asking; however, we must persevere in it. Hope in
the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. As long as we are asking, we have hope. It is when we stop that we have lost hope. God desires to remove the pride in us—in his
own way; however, we must desire it also.
[1] Catholic Biblical Association (Great Britain), The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition,
(New York: National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, 1994), Ps
131:1–3.
[2] Ibid., Je 17:9.
[3] Ibid., Je 17:10.
[4] Saint Robert Bellarmine. A Commentary on the Book of
Psalms (Illustrated) (p. 618), Ps 130. Aeterna Press. Kindle Edition.
[5] Catholic Church, Catechism of the Catholic Church,
2nd Ed., (Washington, DC: United States Catholic Conference, 2000), 195, Para
788.
[6] Ibid., 205, Para 777.
[8] Ibid., 202, Para 769.
[9] Ibid., 209–210, Para 793-795.
[10] New American Bible, Revised
Edition., (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops,
2011), Heb 3:6.
[11] Ibid., Heb 12:1–2.
[12] Augustine of Hippo, Saint Augustin: Expositions on the Book of Psalms, 1888, 8, 614, Ps
131.
[13] New American Bible, Revised
Edition., (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops,
2011), Heb 13:17.
[14] Ibid., Heb 13:7–9.
[15] Ibid., Heb 5:7–8.
[16] Augustine of Hippo, Saint Augustin: Expositions on the Book of Psalms, 1888, 8,
614–615.
[17] Saint Robert Bellarmine. A Commentary on the Book of
Psalms (Illustrated) (p. 618), Ps 130. Aeterna Press. Kindle Edition
[18] Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, (London: Burns
Oates & Washbourne), STh., II-II q.162 a.7 ad 1.
[19] Augustine of Hippo, Saint Augustin: Expositions on the Book of Psalms, 1888, 8, 615.
[20] Saint Robert Bellarmine. A Commentary on the Book of
Psalms (Illustrated) (p. 619), Ps 130. Aeterna Press. Kindle Edition
[21] Catholic Biblical Association (Great Britain), The Holy Bible:
Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, (New York: National
Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, 1994), Ps 51:1–12.
[22] Augustine of Hippo, Saint Augustin: Expositions on the Book of Psalms, 1888, 8, 615–616,
Ps 131.
[23] Ibid., Ps 131.
[24] Saint Robert Bellarmine. A Commentary on the Book of
Psalms (Illustrated) (pp. 619-620), Ps 130. Aeterna Press. Kindle Edition
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