Psalms 4:2

8. What utterances sent I up unto Thee, my God, when I read the Psalms of David, those faithful songs and sounds of devotion which exclude all swelling of spirit, when new to Thy true love, at rest in the villa with Alypius, a catechumen like myself, my mother cleaving unto us, in woman’s garb truly, but with a man’s faith, with the peacefulness of age, full of motherly love and Christian piety! What utterances used I to send up unto Thee in those Psalms, and how was I inflamed towards Thee by them, and burned to rehearse them, if it were possible, throughout the whole world, against the pride of the human race! And yet they are sung throughout the whole world, and none can hide himself from Thy heat. …

9. I alternately quaked with fear, and warmed with hope, and with rejoicing in Thy mercy, O Father. And all these passed forth, both by mine eyes and voice, when Thy good Spirit, turning unto us, said, O ye sons of men, how long will ye be slow of heart? “How long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing?” For I had loved vanity, and sought after leasing. And Thou, O Lord, hadst already magnified Thy Holy One, raising Him from the dead, and setting Him at Thy right hand, whence from on high He should send His promise, the Paraclete, “the Spirit of Truth.” And He had already sent Him, but I knew it not; He had sent Him, because He was now magnified, rising again from the dead, and ascending into heaven. …

40. Whereat, then, dost thou rejoice in all things, O great Paul? Whereat dost thou rejoice? Whereon dost thou feed, O man, re newed in the knowledge of God, after the image of Him that created thee, thou living soul of so great continency, and thou tongue like flying fowls, speaking mysteries, for to such creatures is this food due, what is that which feeds thee? Joy. Let us hear what follows. “Notwithstanding,” saith he, “ye have well done that ye did communicate with My affliction.” Hereat doth he rejoice, hereon doth he feed; because they have well done, not because his strait was relieved, who saith unto thee, “Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress;” because he knew both “to abound and to suffer need,” in Thee Who strengthenest him. …

2. “When I called, the God of my righteousness heard me” ( ver. 1 ). When I called, God heard me, the Psalmist says, of whom is my righteousness. “In tribulation Thou hast enlarged me.” Thou hast led me from the straits of sadness into the broad ways of joy. For, “tribulation and straitness is on every soul of man that doeth evil.” But he who says, “We rejoice in tribulations, knowing that tribulation worketh patience;” up to that where he says, “Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us;” he hath no straits of heart, they be heaped on him outwardly by them that persecute him. …

And observe, I pray you, herein also the lowly-mindedness of Paul. For though he were in peril because of the Gospel he preached; yet saith he not, he was saved for his merit, but for the mercies of God. But this he afterwards declareth more clearly, and now goes on to say, “Who comforteth us in all affliction.” ( 2 Cor. i. 4 .) He saith not, “Who suffereth us not to come into affliction:” but, “Who comforteth in affliction.” For this at once declareth the power of God; and increaseth the patience of those afflicted. For, saith he, “tribulation worketh patience.” ( Rom. v. 3 .) And so also the prophet, “Thou hast set me at large when I was in distress.” ( Ps. iv. 1 .) He doth not say, “Thou hast not suffered me to fall into affliction,” nor yet, “Thou hast quickly removed my affliction,” but, whilst it continueth, “Thou hast set me at large:” ( Dan. iii. 21 . …