Psalms 64:10

3. “And he shall be like a tree planted hard by the running streams of waters” ( ver. 3 ); that is either Very “Wisdom,” which vouchsafed to assume man’s nature for our salvation; that as man He might be “the tree planted hard by the running streams of waters;” for in this sense can that too be taken which is said in another Psalm, “the river of God is full of water.” Or by the Holy Ghost, of whom it is said, “He shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost;” and again, “If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink;” and again, “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that asketh water of thee, thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water, of which whoso drinketh shall never thirst, but it shall be made in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” Or, “by the running streams of waters” may be by the sins of the people, because first the wa …

13. “Thou hast visited the earth, and hast inebriated it” ( ver. 9 ). Whence hast inebriated the earth? “Thy cup inebriating how glorious it is!” “Thou hast visited the earth, and hast inebriated it.” Thou hast sent Thy clouds, they have rained down the preaching of the truth, inebriated is the earth. “Thou hast multiplied to enrich it.” Whence? “The river of God is filled with water.” What is the river of God? The people of God. The first people was filled with water, wherewith the rest of the earth might be watered. Hear Him promising water: “If any man thirst, let him come to Me and drink: he that believeth on Me, rivers of living water from his belly shall flow:” if rivers, one river also; for in respect of unity many are one. Many Churches and one Church, many faithful and one Bride of Christ: so many rivers and one river. …

[2.] In this passage he intimates the lovingkindness of God towards man: and the teaching [of the Gospel] he calls “rain”: and what he said above, “when for the time ye ought to be teachers” ( c. v. 12 ), this he says here also. Indeed in many places the Scripture calls the teaching “rain.” For (it says) “I will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it” ( Isa. v. 6 ), speaking of “the vineyard.” The same which in another place it calls “a famine of bread, and a thirst of water.” ( Amos viii. 11 .) And again, “The river of God is full of waters.” ( Ps. lxv. 9 .)

17. Only let us recognise the purpose of the evil. Why have the crops withered, our storehouses been emptied, the pastures of our flocks failed, the fruits of the earth been withheld, and the plains been filled with shame instead of with fatness: why have valleys lamented and not abounded in corn, the mountains not dropped sweetness, as they shall do hereafter to the righteous, but been stript and dishonoured, and received on the contrary the curse of Gilboa? The whole earth has become as it was in the beginning, before it was adorned with its beauties. Thou visitedst the earth, and madest it to drink, but the visitation has been for evil, and the draught destructive. …

81. Perhaps they brought him flesh in the evening, as it were stronger food, such as the Corinthians, whose minds were weak, could not take, and were therefore fed by the Apostle with milk. So, stronger meat was brought in the evening of the world, in the morning bread. And so, because the Lord commanded this food to be supplied, that word of prophecy may be suitably addressed to Him in this place: “Thou wilt give joy in the outgoings of morning and evening;” and, farther on: “Thou hast prepared their food, for so is its preparation.”