Latest / Reformed Thinking / When Truth Fails, God’s Word Remains (Psalm 12) | Saint Augustine

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When Truth Fails, God’s Word Remains (Psalm 12) | Saint Augustine · Reformed Thinking

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Welcome to Reformed Thinking, the show that takes a look at
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the big ideas of our faith. And welcome to the Deep Dive,
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where we take a stack of sources, articles, research,
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personal notes, and really try to pull out the most important
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Nuggets of knowledge or insight just for you.
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Think of it as maybe a shortcut to getting informed on some
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pretty deep stuff, with hopefully some surprising facts
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and enough clarity to keep you listening.
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Yeah, trying to make it accessible but without, you
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know, losing the depth. That's right, today we're
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undertaking a deep dive in some really rich ancient wisdom.
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We are looking at Saint Augustine's exposition of Psalm
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12. Our sources today are drawn
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primarily from the Classic collection Nicene and Post
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Nicene Fathers, specifically Volume 8, which has Augustine's
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expositions on the Psalms. We're zeroing in on Psalm 12,
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along with some helpful notes and commentary based directly on
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that text. OK, so we've got the Cortex from
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Augustine himself, and our mission, our goal for this deep
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dive. Well, I think it's really to
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unpack Augustine's perspective on this particular Psalm.
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We want to see how he interprets it, especially in light of
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eternal realities versus, you know, the vanity of this world.
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Right, that contrast seems key. And also looking at the struggle
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he sees between spiritual authenticity and, well, worldly
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deceit. And importantly, how Augustine
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sees God's action, specifically God's action in Christ, as the
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answer presented in the Psalm. And then thinking about what all
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of this might mean for us, you know, living right now in a
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world that, let's be honest, still grapples with these very
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same issues of truth, deceit, and where we find hope.
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Absolutely. It feels very relevant, doesn't
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it? So let's jump right in.
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OK, so we begin our deep dive by looking at where Augustine
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himself starts his exposition, which is naturally with the
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title of the song. He quotes it as to the end for
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the 8th, A Psalm of David, and that phrase for the 8th.
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It really seems to capture Augustine's attention right
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away, doesn't it? It feels significant, like it's
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a key right at the start. It certainly does.
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Augustine sees that phrase for the 8th as carrying substantial
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weight. It points us immediately beyond
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just the immediate context of maybe King David's historical
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situation. So not just about David's time.
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Not just about David's time, he offers us 2 primary, and I think
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they're really interconnected ways to understand what this 8th
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might signify within the sort of spiritual landscape of the Psalm
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itself. OK so 2 main ways to read For
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the 8th, what's the first one he lays out for us?
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The first way he presents it is that the 8th might be seen as
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representing the Day of Judgment.
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OK, the final judgment. Right.
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This reading immediately positions the Psalm within, you
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know, an eschatological framework.
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It points forward to a definite future event, a moment of
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ultimate reckoning and culmination, something distinct
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from the flow of our current everyday experience.
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So it's looking towards a future decisive intervention by God, a
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specific day. A specific day, potentially.
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That's one angle. The second interpretation, and
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this one is maybe even more central to his overall reading
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of the song. Yeah, is that the 8th represents
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the eternal age itself. Not just a single day, but a
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whole age, an era. Exactly an entire era, the age
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of eternity that arrives ash of the present temporal time.
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Our current age has concluded. Augustine has this interesting
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view of our current experience of time, the cycle we're all
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accustomed to. You mean like weeks, days?
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Precisely. He sees it as a cycle of seven
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days. He explicitly uses that phrase.
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Like the days of our week, the recurring pattern of time we
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live in, always coming back around.
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That's the idea. He sees the present time with
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its rhythm of coming and going. It's repeating pattern of days
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as this kind of cycle of seven. So the 8th day, or maybe better
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the eighth age is therefore something that follows this
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pattern. That's different.
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Crucially different, it signifies a state or a time that
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is, well, fundamentally beyond our current temporal existence.
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It's state of rest, perhaps of completion, that stands outside
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that recurring earthly cycle of seven days.
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It's a kind of transcendence of these temporal limitations we
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experience now. OK, so it breaks the cycle.
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It's something new, something beyond.
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And who is this eternal age, this 8th specifically designated
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for in Augustine's view? Who gets to enter it?
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According to Augustine's reading both of the Psalms title and the
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themes that fall within it, this eternal age, this 8th is
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specifically said to be given to the Saints.
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Ah, so it's the inheritance of the believers.
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Yes. It's not just some abstract
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concept of eternity floating out there.
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It's presented as the ultimate destination, the promised future
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state specifically for God's people.
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It's their inheritance, the state they enter into after this
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temporal cycle finally concludes.
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Wow, so that initial phrase in the title for the 8th
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immediately frames the entire Psalm, doesn't it?
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It lifts it right out of just being a historical writing by
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David about, you know, the specific challenges or triumphs
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of his own time. Augustine interprets it as
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something that points powerfully beyond the present moment,
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directing our gaze towards either eternity itself or that
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future day of judgement. It gives the Psalm this
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profound, enduring eschatological dimension, making
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it relevant across all ages because it's speaking to these
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ultimate realities that. Interpretive move right at the
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start is just fundamental to his whole exposition.
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And OK, so with that eternal perspective set by the title
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establishing the ultimate hope, the Psalm that immediately
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plunges into a really stark description of a challenging
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spiritual state within the present time, within that cycle
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of seven days we just talked about.
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The contrast. The contrast and the opening
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words are absolutely crucial for setting the scene.
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Save me, O Lord, for the holy hath failed.
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The holy hath failed. I mean, that phrase alone sounds
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like a diagnosis of a deep spiritual crisis in the world
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the psalmist is describing. What does Agustin understand
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that to me? And what exactly is this
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failing? He explains to the phrase, The
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holy hath failed signifies that holiness itself, or perhaps the
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presence of holy individuals characterized by it, is simply
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not found in any meaningful abundance.
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It's describing a state of absence, a kind of spiritual
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scarcity. So is he saying there are
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absolutely no holy people left at all?
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Or is it more that holiness itself as a quality is somehow
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absent or severely lacking in the world?
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Well, the text says the holy hath failed, and Agustin
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interprets this as holiness itself being lacking or scarce
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among the people of that generation.
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To illustrate this kind of lack, this absence of something
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necessary or expected, something that should be present but
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isn't, he uses these simple kind of relatable analogies from
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everyday life. He says it's like saying corn
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fails. Meaning there's a famine, a
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severe lack of grain. Right.
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Or he says, it's like saying money fails, meaning there's a
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scarcity of currency, a lack of the means of exchange.
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So in this spiritual context, it signifies A profound spiritual
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scarcity of holiness among people.
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It's just not present in abundance, or maybe in certain
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quarters it's simply not present at all.
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It describes a kind of spiritual barrenness, a generation where
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genuine holiness is truly difficult to encounter.
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Right. A world where spiritual purity
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is hard to find, where holiness seems to be in critically short
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supply, like a famine of grain or a collapse of currency, but
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happening in the spiritual realm.
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Yeah. And it's not just holiness
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that's failing, is it? The text immediately follows
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with for the truths have been minished from among the sons of
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men. This is another really critical
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point Agustin picks up on regarding the state of humanity
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described right at the outset of the Psalm.
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He notes that truth itself, you know, and it's ultimate reality,
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is 1. He sees truth as a single,
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unified source, the fundamental source of enlightenment and
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understanding, particularly for holy souls.
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OK, truth is one, but the Psalm uses the plural word truths.
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Truths have been minished. How does he account for that
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plurality if truth is ultimately singular?
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That's where his illustrative analogy comes in, and it's quite
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helpful. He says that for the many
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individual souls, for the diverse human experience, there
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can be many manifestations or reflections of this single
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unified truth. He beautifully compares it to
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seeing many reflections from one face in different mirrors.
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I see. So the face is one that's the
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single unified source of truth. Exactly.
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But it's reflections, its presence, or maybe it's
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perception in many different souls can be spoken of in the
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plural. Each mirror captures an aspect
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or a reflection, however partial or distorted, of that single
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face. So when the Psalm says the
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truths have been minished, it doesn't mean that the absolute
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singular truth has somehow ceased to exist or shrunk in its
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being. No, not at all.
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Rather, it means that the presence, the reflection, or
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maybe the influence of the single truth has decreased or
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become scarce among people. It's a diminishing of its grasp
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or its power in the lives of humanity.
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People are less attuned to it, less shaped by it, less
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reflective of it in their own lives and thoughts.
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That's a good way to put it. The reflection is fading or the
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mirrors are clouded perhaps. So the initial picture painted
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by the Psalm as interpreted by Augustine is one of really
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pervasive spiritual failure. We see the scarcity of true
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holiness, a diminishing of truths, influence and reflection
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in human lives, and just a general state of spiritual
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barrenness among humanity. This sets a truly stark context
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for understanding the characteristics of the people in
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this generation and, I suppose, the desperate need for the
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divine intervention that the Psalm will go on to describe.
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Absolutely. It paints A bleak picture of the
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now of the seven day cycle against which the hope of the
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8th stands out. So against this backdrop of
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failing holiness and diminishing truth, the Psalm still through
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Augustine's interpretive lens, directs our focus on to the
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specific characteristics of the people within this particular
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generation. And a central theme that emerges
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immediately from their description is deceit.
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The text uses some pretty vivid language.
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Here. He has talked vanity, each man
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to his neighbor, and this connects directly to the phrase
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that follows it. Deceitful lips with a heart and
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a heart. They have spoken evil things.
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Let's take those phrases and just break them down point by
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point, just as Agustin does in his exposition.
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First, this idea of talking vanity.
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What does that mean? It sounds like just empty talk
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maybe? It's more than just meaningless
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or idle chatter, though. It includes that.
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It signifies speaking things that are empty of substance,
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futile in terms of eternal value, or fundamentally intended
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to deceive. It's speech that lacks truth,
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lacks spiritual substance, and is often aimed at misleading
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others or is just simply worthless in any enduring sense.
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Just vanity. Emptiness.
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And when it says each man to his neighbor.
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Augustine points out that we should understand neighbor here.
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Broadly, it means every person engaging in this kind of speech
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with those around them. It suggests A pervasive
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condition within this generation.
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It's not just a few bad apples, it's widespread.
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OK, so vanity, emptiness, deceitful speech is common.
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And then we encounter this really striking and perhaps
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slightly unusual phrase with a heart and a heart.
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What does Augustine make of that repetition?
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Augustine is remarkably clear and direct in his interpretation
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of this specific phrase. He states pretty unequivocally
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that the very repetition saying with a heart and a heart is
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meant to explicitly signify a double heart.
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A double heart? That's a powerful image.
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What does that imply about the inner state of a person?
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What does it mean to have a double heart?
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This double heart is identified by Augustine as the very root of
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the problem he's describing. In this generation, it means a
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fundamental lack of sincerity at one score and inner duplicity or
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insincerity in one's deepest self.
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So being 2 faced essentially. Yes, being 2 faced, not genuine,
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having an inner division where one's true intentions or beliefs
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are not aligned or or perhaps even contradictory.
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It's a state of internal falsehood, of not being whole or
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integrated in one's inner person.
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OK, a fragmented or divided inner state.
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And how does this double heart manifest outwardly in their
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behavior according to the Psalm? Well, it manifests directly
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through the actions and words described immediately afterwards
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in the text, through deceitful lips and through speaking evil
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things. So the lips just reflect the
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heart. Exactly.
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These deceitful lips are the outward expression of the inner
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double heart. They're lips that speak falsely,
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that intend to mislead, that communicate in A2 faced manner
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precisely because they lack the sincerity that would come from a
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single undivided heart. They don't match the inner
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reality, or perhaps they perfectly match an inner reality
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that is itself internally contradictory and insincere.
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And the consequence? The fruit of this deceitful
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speech stemming from that divided heart is the Speaking of
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evil things. Yes, Augustine emphasizes the
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harmful nature of the speech. It's not merely empty or vain.
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It's actively damaging, destructive, and rooted in that
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profound inner duplicity that stems from a divided double
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heart. It causes real harm.
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So Augustine's point is that this isn't just careless gossip
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or harmless empty talk. It originates from a place of
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fundamental insincerity deep within the person, a divided
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self that simply cannot speak truthfully or sincerely because
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it isn't unified in truth itself.
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That's precisely Augustine's reading, and this inner
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insincerity and outward deceitfulness are, in his view,
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closely tied to pride and a deliberate rejection of God's
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authority. The Psalm text continues,
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remember, by Speaking of the tongue speaking great things,
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which Augustine straightforwardly identifies as
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the proud tongue. It's the speech of arrogance.
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And these are the very ones who then utter that incredibly
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audacious and frankly rebellious boast.
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We will magnify our tongue. Our lips are our own.
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Who is Lord over us? I mean, that statement is just
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incredibly revealing, isn't it? It lays bare their inner state
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and their defiant attitude towards any higher power,
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especially towards God. Augustine identifies these
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individuals quite starkly. He calls them proud hypocrites.
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Proud hypocrites combining that inner duplicity, the double
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heart, with outward arrogance and self assertion.
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Yeah. He sees their pride and their
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insincerity is deeply intertwined.
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They put their confidence, their trust, entirely in their own
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speech. They rely on their ability to
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speak persuasively or manipulatively or deceptively to
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influence others at assert their own will.
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Their perceived power resides entirely in their words, and
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they trust in that power alone, making an idol of their own
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tongue. And that defiant question, Who
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is Lord over us? What does that signify in
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Augustine's analysis? Crucially, their declaration our
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lips are our own. Who is Lord over us is the
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clearest possible indication, I guess.
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In argues that they are not submitting themselves to God.
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It's a declaration of autonomy. Complete autonomy.
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Their arrogant, self reliant speech is a direct rejection of
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God's authority over their words, over their lives, over
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their very being. They are effectively declaring
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our words belong entirely to us, our ability to speak as our own
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power. And no one, especially not God,
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has the right to tell us what to say or how to live.
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It's a declaration of absolute self sovereignty, casting off
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any notion of accountability to a higher power.
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It's an open Declaration of Independence then, placing their
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own will, their own words, and their own perceived power
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completely above any divine authority.
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It's self-reliance pushed to the point of outright rebellion
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against God. Exactly.
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This generation, then, is characterized not just by
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deceitful and insincere speech stemming from a double heart and
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proud self-reliance, but also by their fundamental attitude of in
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submission towards God. And this whole complex of
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attitudes and behaviors is further described by the Psalm
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in terms of their focus and their very movement through
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life. The Psalm uses a rather vivid
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and perhaps slightly puzzling image.
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Here it says the ungodly walk in a circle roundabout.
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What does Augustine understand by this?
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Walking in a circle? What does that picture
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represent? Augustine interprets this.
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Walking in a circle is signifying their consuming focus
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on the desire of things temporal.
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Temporal things. You mean things of this world?
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Things that are temporary, fleeting, not eternal.
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Yes, precisely that. Their deepest desires, their
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life's pursuits, their energy, their focus.
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It's all centered entirely on things that belong exclusively
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to this temporary world in this present age, things that don't
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last. And he draws a direct parallel
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here, connecting it back to the earlier theme.
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He likens this temporal desire, this circular focus, to a wheel
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that revolves as a wheel in a repeated circle of seven days.
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Connecting back again to that concept of the seven day cycle
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from the Psalms title, he's weaving it all together.
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He really is. It ties it all together
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beautifully within Agustin's framework.
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They were completely caught up in the cyclical nature of
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worldly concerns, utterly tied to the rhythm and the
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limitations of the present time, constantly revolving around the
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same temporary things again and again and again.
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They were trapped, you could say, in that repetitive cycle.
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Just going round and round, focused on the same earthly
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stuff. And what is the consequence, the
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ultimate spiritual consequence, of being so completely caught
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and engrossed in that temporal cycle, that circular movement?
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Because they are so engrossed in this temporal cycle, focus
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solely on the temporary and the fleeting, Augustine says they do
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not arrive at the 8th, that is at eternity.
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They never get there. They never break out of the
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circle. Their intense, exclusive focus
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on the temporary things of the seven day cycle prevents them
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from ever reaching the eternal State, the eighth age for which
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the Psalm is titled and which is the ultimate destination of the
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Saints. They are confined to the
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perpetual spinning wheel of time and worldly desire, unable to
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break free into the rest and transcendence of eternity.
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Their desires bind them to the cycle.
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They are essentially trapped by their own worldly desires,
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unable to lift their gaze or their steps towards the eternal
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realities represented by the 8th.
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Yes, and this intense focus on temporal things, this walking in
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a circle, Augustine says, leads to a certain kind of
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multiplication. But it's a specific kind of
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multiplication, one that turns away from the unity of God.
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Multiplication. That sounds like it could be
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good, like multiplying blessings or something, but you're saying
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it's negative here. What kind of multiplication is
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he referring to? It's definitely not
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multiplication in a positive spiritual sense, like growing in
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grace or holiness. It's a multiplication of
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concerns, of distractions, of earthly pursuits, of temporal
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desires. It's getting more and more
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entangled in the many things of this world.
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OK, more stuff, more worries, more distractions.
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Exactly. And he quotes a passage from the
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book of Wisdom, Wisdom 9.15, to illustrate how this works.
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For the corruptible body weighs down the soul, and the earthy
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Tabernacle presses down the mind that museth upon many things.
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So being completely consumed by earthly temporal concerns
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doesn't just occupy the mind, it actually burdens the soul and
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scatters the mind's focus, weighing it down and distracting
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it from focusing on God, who is the ultimate unity, the ultimate
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one. That's exactly right.
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Their focus on the many things, the multiplicity of temporal
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things, actively pulls them away from the spiritual reality of
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God's unity. And Agustin points out how this
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stands in stark contrast to the righteous, though as mentioned
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elsewhere, the righteous are described as being multiplied
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after the height of God, going from strength to strength.
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A different kind of multiplication.
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A completely different kind. That's a spiritual increase, a
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growth in grace, a deepening strength that moves them towards
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God's unity, towards simplicity of focus on Him rather than away
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from it. The ungodly multiply worldly
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cares that scatter the righteous multiply spiritual strength that
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integrates and directs them towards God.
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Wow, so you have this powerful picture emerging from
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Augustine's reading. A world where holiness and truth
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are genuinely failing, populated by people driven by deceit,
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inner duplicity, the double heart, proud self-reliance, and
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the circular trapping focus on temporal desires that multiplies
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distractions and pulls them away from God.
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It sounds like a pretty bleak assessment of this generation
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described in the Psalm. It is undeniably bleak.
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But the Psalm doesn't end there, does it?
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It also speaks of a different group within this generation,
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one that is not defined by these negative characteristics.
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It absolutely does. After describing the ungodly in
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their desperate state, the Psalm turns its attention to mention
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the wretchedness of the needy and the sighing of the poor.
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OK, the needy and the poor. Who are these individuals in
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Augustine's interpretation? Is he simply talking about those
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without material wealth, The economically poor?
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Augustine is quite clear that while material poverty might
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sometimes overlap with this description, his primary
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interpretation here is that these are those who are lacking
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spiritual good things. They are spiritually in need and
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spiritually poor. So it's a spiritual poverty he's
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focused on. Yes, their wretchedness and
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their sighing are not primarily about a lack of material
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possessions, although that could be part of their experience too.
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But fundamentally, it's about a deep spiritual lack and a
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heartfelt longing, a sighing for something more, something
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spiritual, something they currently don't possess.
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They recognize their spiritual destitution, they feel.
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It they know they are lacking something essential, and it is
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because of their state, because of the wretchedness and sighing
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of these spiritually needy people, that God declares, Now I
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will arise, saith the Lord. This feels like the turning
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point in the Psalm, the shift from describing the pervasive
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problem to announcing God's solution.
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It really is the hinge point. This declaration marks God's
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active, decisive intervention into the situation of spiritual
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failure and pervasive human deceit.
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And Augustine importantly connects this pivotal statement.
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Now I will arise specifically to the Gospel accounts of Jesus
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ministry. He references moments where the
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Lord himself felt pity, deep compassion for his people
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because they were like sheep without a shepherd, distressed,
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scattered, leaderless. He saw them as a harvest field,
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desperately needing laborers. Like in Matthew 9 for instance,
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when Jesus looks at the crowds and has compassion on them
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because they were harassed and helpless because of their state
22:01
of spiritual lack and vulnerability.
22:03
Exactly that kind of divine pity and recognition of their
22:05
desperate spiritual need. So Augustine interprets God the
22:08
Father, saying, Now I will arise in this Psalm in response to the
22:11
state of these needy and poor ones as God deciding in his
22:15
great mercy and compassion to vouchsafe to send his own Son.
22:18
The sending of Christ into the world is God's decisive action.
22:22
It is God Himself arising to specifically address the
22:27
spiritual plate of these people, to provide what they lack, what
22:30
they are poor in, what they are sighing for.
22:32
That connection powerfully links this Old Testament Psalm
22:36
directly to the central event of the New Testament, the
22:39
incarnation, the coming of Christ.
22:41
And you mentioned it ties into Jesus teachings as well.
22:43
Absolutely. Augustine explicitly ties it
22:46
into the Sermon on the Mount, quoting directly.
22:48
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of
22:50
heaven. The first Beatitude.
22:52
The very first one. And Augustine puts particular
22:55
emphasis on that phrase core in spirit.
22:58
He argues that this blessing is specifically for those who
23:01
recognize their spiritual need. Those who are described in the
23:04
Psalm as lacking spiritual good things, those who are sighing.
23:07
They are blessed precisely because of that state of
23:09
recognized spiritual poverty, because it humbles them and
23:12
opens them up to receive the Kingdom that God provides.
23:16
It aligns perfectly with the psalmist description of the
23:18
needy and the poor. Their poverty becomes the
23:21
doorway to blessing. That's a powerful connection,
23:24
and God follows this declaration.
23:26
I will arise with a specific promise I will place in
23:30
salvation. What does Agustin understand by
23:33
that specific phrasing? I will place in salvation.
23:36
It sounds a little unusual. It does sound a bit unusual, and
23:39
Agustin picks up on that. He points out that the phrasing
23:41
isn't quite what we might expect.
23:43
God doesn't say what he would place in salvation.
23:46
It's not I will place them in salvation or I will place my
23:49
health in salvation. It's just I will place in
23:52
salvation. Right.
23:52
So how does Augustine read that? Augustine understands this to
23:55
mean that the placement, the divine action happens within
23:59
salvation itself. And crucially, he argues, this
24:02
phrase in salvation must be understood as in Christ.
24:07
So salvation itself is presented almost as a sphere, a location,
24:10
and that location is Christ. Christ embodies salvation.
24:13
Yes, that's precisely how Augustine sees it.
24:15
Christ is the very location, the sphere, the embodiment of this
24:17
promised salvation. He even references another
24:20
scripture to support this the words of Agent Simeon in the
24:22
temple holding the infant Jesus, when he says, For mine eyes have
24:26
seen thy salvation. Directly identifying Jesus as
24:29
God's salvation. Exactly relating the salvation
24:32
directly and personally to Christ himself.
24:35
So when God says in the Psalm I will place in salvation,
24:38
Augustine interprets this to mean that God places all that is
24:42
necessary, all the help, the deliverance, the comfort needed
24:45
to address the wretchedness of the needy and to comfort the
24:48
sighing of the poor within Christ.
24:51
Christ is the means, the agent, and the very location of this
24:54
divine intervention and salvation.
24:56
He is their salvation. Everything needed is found in
24:59
Him. OK, that makes sense of the
25:01
phrasing. And Christ teaching with
25:03
authority is also mentioned in relation to this act, isn't it?
25:06
How does that aspect fit into God placing in salvation?
25:09
Yes, it's connected immediately after in Augustine's commentary
25:12
on the phrase. I will deal confidently in him.
25:15
He links this directly to the Gospel statement about Jesus's
25:17
teaching, how he taught them as one having authority and not as
25:20
their scribes. A different kind of teaching.
25:22
A completely different kind. This authority that Christ
25:26
possesses and exercises, Augustine suggests, comes from
25:29
being in Him, that is, being one with the Father, perfectly
25:32
embodying the Father's will and purpose in this saving act.
25:35
It's not a derived human authority like the scribes had,
25:38
its inherent divine authority. It is part of God's confident,
25:42
powerful, and authoritative action on behalf of the needy.
25:46
God's action in Christ is decisive, effective, and
25:49
authoritative. So the salvation provided is not
25:51
weak or uncertain. It comes with divine power and
25:54
authority through Christ. And this whole divine action,
25:57
God arising, acting specifically in Christ, placing in salvation,
26:02
culminates in a powerful promise specifically for this group, for
26:05
the righteous ones who are needy and poor in spirit.
26:07
It finds its ultimate culmination, it's secure outcome
26:10
in the promise found later in the Psalm that will, Lord shall
26:13
preserve us and keep us from this generation to eternity.
26:16
From this generation, that phrase stands out.
26:19
He means the generation characterized by all that
26:21
deceit, pride, spiritual failure and temporal focus we discussed
26:24
earlier. Yes, exactly, exactly that
26:26
generation. That's the essential contrast
26:28
being drawn throughout the Psalm.
26:30
The righteous, the needy and poor who trust in God exists
26:34
within this present state, surrounded by that generation
26:37
defined by its negative traits. They described here as needy and
26:41
poor in their current condition in the seven day cycle.
26:44
But that's not their final state.
26:46
Not at all. The promise is that God himself
26:49
will actively preserve them from the dangers, the temptations,
26:53
the corrupting influence of that ungodly generation, and will
26:56
keep them, guard them, escort them safely into their future,
27:00
their ultimate state. And what is that ultimate state
27:02
described as? Their ultimate state is
27:04
described in stark contrast to their present condition, as
27:07
being there is wealthy and rich in eternity.
27:11
From a state of spiritual poverty and wretchedness in this
27:13
life to 1 of lasting spiritual wealth and richness in the
27:17
eternal age. That's a complete and total
27:19
reversal of their present condition.
27:21
It is indeed. It's the complete and glorious
27:24
reversal made possible only by God's direct, gracious
27:27
intervention in Christ. God promises to preserve them
27:30
through the difficulties and dangers posed by the current
27:33
ungodly generation, characterized by deceit, and to
27:36
keep them safe all the way into the eternal age.
27:39
The 8th, which they, unlike the ungodly caught in the temporal
27:42
circle, are destined to reach and inhabit.
27:44
And their multiplication is different too, right?
27:46
Completely different. Remember the ungodly multiply
27:49
temporal concerns that scattered them.
27:51
The righteous, Augustine says, are multiplied after the height
27:54
of God, moving from strength to strength.
27:57
This signifies genuine spiritual progress and growth, moving
28:01
towards unity with God, fulfilling their spiritual
28:03
purpose. It's an inward strengthening,
28:05
not an outward scattering. OK, so we have the character of
28:08
the ungodly and their dead end, and the character of the needy
28:12
righteous and their hope in God's action through Christ
28:15
leading to eternal wealth. Now, in stark contrast to the
28:19
deceitful, vain, proud and empty speech of the ungodly generation
28:23
described earlier, the song presents a completely different
28:26
kind of word, a different standard of communication.
28:28
Yes, it shifts focus to the divine standard.
28:31
The words of the Lord are described very simply but
28:34
powerfully as pure words. Pure words, and Augustine
28:39
dedicates some time to explaining precisely what pure
28:41
means in this specific spiritual context.
28:44
Doesn't. He he does, he says they are
28:46
without the alloy of pretense. Without the alloy of pretense.
28:50
That's an interesting phrase. Like metal that hasn't been
28:52
mixed with something lesser. What does that suggest about the
28:54
nature of God's communication? Exactly like pure, unadulterated
28:58
metal. This signifies that God's words
29:02
are utterly sincere, completely genuine, and absolutely
29:05
truthful. They are not mixed with any
29:08
hidden motives, any subtle falsehood, any manipulative
29:11
intent, or any attempt whatsoever to deceive.
29:14
This is a direct and powerful contrast to the double heart and
29:18
the deceitful lips of men we talked about earlier.
29:20
Right. Human words are often mixed
29:22
alloyed. But God's words are exactly what
29:24
they claim to be. They are transparently, simply,
29:27
purely true. There's no mixture, no
29:30
contamination of ulterior motive or hidden agenda.
29:33
Just pure truth. And he contrasts this divine
29:36
purity of word with instances where truth is handled
29:39
improperly, even by people who might be trying to speak it.
29:42
He does. He makes a very pointed
29:43
observation that many preach the truth, and purely.
29:46
Now this isn't necessarily saying they preach outright
29:47
falsehoods all the time, although that happens too.
29:50
But his point here is that even when speaking objective truth,
29:53
they can mix it with something that corrupts its purity, that
29:55
alloys it. How so?
29:56
What corrupts it? Specifically, he says, they do
29:59
so by selling it for the bribe of the advantages of this life.
30:03
Selling the truth. So proclaiming truth, but doing
30:07
it for personal gain, for worldly benefits, maybe for
30:10
prestige or financial advantage or popularity.
30:13
Precisely that Agustin uses that striking phrase, selling it for
30:17
the bribe. This shows that even if the
30:19
propositional truth might be present in the words being
30:21
spoken, if the motivation behind speaking that truth is mixed
30:25
with selfish desires, a focus on temporal gain, worldly
30:29
recognition, or any other non spiritual self-serving
30:32
motivation, Augustine considers that truth to be preached
30:36
impurely. The motive contaminates the ACT.
30:39
Even if the words themselves are true.
30:41
Even then, God's words, on the other hand, are completely
30:44
unmixed, presented without any such alloy of selfish motive or
30:47
pretense. They are unadulterated truth,
30:50
spoken purely for truth's sake and for God's glory and our
30:53
good. OK, so God's words are unmixed
30:55
truth presented in absolute purity.
30:57
Exactly. And the Psalm elects Augustine's
30:59
exposition of it uses a really powerful metaphor to describe
31:02
not just the nature of this curity, but also how it's truth
31:05
is proven, how we come to know it's reliable.
31:07
God's words are described as silver tried by the fire for the
31:10
earth. Silver tried by the fire.
31:13
That immediately brings to mind an image of intense testing,
31:16
purification, refinement, making.
31:18
Make sure it's genuine silver. It absolutely does.
31:21
That's the core of the metaphor. This signifies that the words of
31:24
the Lord are not just declared pure in themselves in some
31:27
abstract way, but their truth and reliability are actively
31:30
approved to sinners by means of tribulations.
31:33
Approved through tribulations. Yes, the fire here represents
31:38
intense testing and refinement, specifically through difficult
31:41
experiences, through trials, through the tribulations faced
31:44
here on Earth in this seven day cycle.
31:47
It is through these challenging, sometimes painful experiences
31:50
that the truth, the solidity, the reliability of God's words
31:54
are proven and made evident to us.
31:56
They are shown to stand the test of the most intense heat life
31:58
throws at us. Their purity is demonstrated in
32:01
the furnace. So the trials we face actually
32:03
serve to demonstrate the truth and purity of God's promises and
32:06
commands. And the text has another layer
32:08
to this metaphor. This silver is purified 7 times.
32:11
What does this number seven times signify?
32:13
In Augustine's interpretation of this metaphor, 7 is often
32:17
significant. It is purified 7 times,
32:20
indicates a state of complete and thorough purification.
32:23
Perfection, essentially, And Agustin doesn't just leave this
32:26
as a general idea of really, really pure he connects this
32:30
sevenfold purification explicitly to seven specific
32:34
spiritual qualities, or perhaps steps in the life of the
32:37
believer. OK, he gets specific.
32:39
What are these 7 qualities? He lists them, likely drawing on
32:42
other Scripture, particularly interpretations of Isaiah 11.
32:45
They are first the fear of God, second Godliness or piety, third
32:50
knowledge, 4th Might or fortitude, 5th counsel, 6th
32:55
Understanding, and 7th Wisdom. Fear, godliness, knowledge might
33:00
counsel, understanding wisdom. That sounds like a progression
33:04
in spiritual maturity. It does, doesn't it?
33:06
A deepening closeness to God, a growing conformity to His will
33:09
and wisdom. These qualities describe a path
33:12
of spiritual development. And Agustin connects these seven
33:14
spiritual qualities, which are linked to the purification of
33:17
God's words, to something else significant from Christ's own
33:20
teaching, doesn't he? Yes, he makes another powerful
33:22
connection here. He connects them quite
33:24
explicitly to the seven steps of Beatitude described by our Lord
33:27
in the Sermon on the Mount. The Beatitudes again.
33:30
The Beatitudes again he lists those as well-being poor in
33:34
spirit, being meek, those that mourn, those which hunger and
33:38
thirst after racistness, the merciful, the pure in heart and
33:41
the peacemakers. Augustine sees a deep
33:43
correspondence between the seven stages of the silvers,
33:46
purification and these seven steps towards blessedness
33:50
outlined by Christ. So the purification of God's
33:53
words proven by fire is somehow metaphorically tied to these
33:56
very stepped or qualities that describe genuine spiritual
33:59
growth and the state of blessedness, the path the
34:02
righteous are called to walk. Exactly.
34:04
It's as if the word itself is purified through these stages.
34:07
Or perhaps it purifies the believers.
34:09
They walk this path defined by the Beatitudes.
34:12
The word is the perfectly refined guide for the soul,
34:15
undergoing its own refinement. There's a beautiful symmetry
34:17
there. There really is.
34:18
So the sevenfold purification of God's words is linked directly
34:22
to the process of spiritual formation and the blessedness
34:25
described by Christ himself. It shows how God's Word is
34:29
perfected and proven, and how it functions powerfully in the life
34:32
of those who are undergoing their own process of spiritual
34:35
development guided by that very word.
34:37
OK, but there are technically 8 beatitudes right?
34:40
What about the 8th 1? Yes, the 8th Beatitude.
34:43
Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousness's
34:46
sake. This one is often seen as
34:48
standing somewhat distinct from the first seven, maybe as a
34:51
capstone or a consequence. How does Augustine relate this
34:54
beatitude to the metaphor of the silver tried by fire?
34:58
Does he connect it? He makes a crucial connection,
35:00
one that really deepens the interpretation of this metaphor.
35:04
The 8th beatitude, the suffering of persecution specifically for
35:07
the sake of righteousness, is said by Augustine to denote the
35:10
fire itself, whereby the silver is proved 7 times.
35:14
Whoa. Not just another step in the
35:16
purification, but the fire itself.
35:18
Exactly. It signifies the very process of
35:20
testing. This highlights that suffering
35:23
persecution isn't just another stage in the purification
35:26
process. After the initial 7 qualities or
35:28
steps are developed is the intense refining fire.
35:31
It's the ultimate test, the final and most severe
35:34
tribulation through which God's words, and by extension those
35:38
who hold on to those words and are shaped by them, are
35:40
thoroughly proven and purified, having already progressed
35:43
through those 7 stages or acquired those 7 qualities.
35:46
So it's the final, intense heat that confirms and reveals the
35:50
purity that was forged through the preceding steps.
35:53
It's where the sevenfold purification faces its ultimate,
35:56
most demanding test. Precisely.
35:58
It's the Crucible experience that demonstrates the
36:00
genuineness of the faith and the word that underpins it.
36:03
So to sum up this part, God's pure words are presented as
36:07
unadulterated truth, proven utterly reliable through the
36:11
refining fire of trials and tribulations, especially
36:14
persecution. And these words are intimately
36:17
linked to the very path of spiritual growth and blessedness
36:20
described by Christ Himself in the Beatitudes.
36:23
They stand in stark and absolute contrast to the deceitful, vain,
36:28
proud and impure language of the ungodly generation.
36:31
That's a perfect summary. Augustine's exposition of Psalm
36:34
12, then, draws for us this fundamental contrast, this clear
36:38
spiritual dividing line that runs right through humanity,
36:41
right through the generation the Psalm describes.
36:43
OK, let's pull those two sides together.
36:45
Clearly, on one side we have the ungodly generation vividly
36:48
described by the Psalm and interpreted so sharply by
36:51
Augustine. Yes, characterized by, well, a
36:54
pervasive spiritual failure. Holiness has failed.
36:56
Truths are menished. Characterized by inner
36:58
duplicity, that double heart leading to insincerity and
37:01
deceitful speech. Characterized by proud and
37:04
boastful talk that openly rejects God's authority.
37:06
Who is Lord over? Us and trapped in that circle.
37:09
And trapped in that consuming circular focus on temporal
37:13
things, things of the seven day cycle which ultimately prevents
37:17
them from ever arriving at eternity.
37:19
The 8th. They are weighed down by earthly
37:21
concerns, and their multiplication of these
37:24
distracting cares actively turns them away from the spiritual
37:27
reality of God's unity. They are spiritually scattered
37:30
and lost in time. A dead end, spiritually
37:33
speaking, and on the other side, standing in stark contrast to
37:36
all of that. On the other side are the needy
37:38
and the poor. And again, we need to remember
37:40
Augustine's focus here, not necessarily those lacking
37:43
material possessions primarily, but those who recognize their
37:46
deep lack of spiritual good things.
37:49
They are in a state of found spiritual need, and they
37:51
expressed this through sighing, through longing for God.
37:54
But crucially for them, there is hope.
37:56
There's God's promise and God's action.
37:58
God doesn't leave them in that state of spiritual destitution
38:00
and longing. Absolutely not.
38:02
God in his immense compassion sees their state and declares,
38:06
Now I will arise. He acts, and Agustin interprets
38:09
this divine arising specifically as God sending his son Christ
38:13
into the world precisely to address their condition.
38:15
To meet their specific need and provide the salvation they lack
38:19
and long for. Precisely.
38:21
Salvation is found exclusively in Christ.
38:24
It is in Him that God places all that is necessary to address the
38:27
wretchedness of the needy and to comfort the sighing of the poor.
38:31
Christ is the salvation they require.
38:33
He provides what they lacked. And this salvation isn't just a
38:37
concept. It's intrinsically tied to
38:39
Christ teaching and acting with God's own authority, reflecting
38:43
the confidence and the efficacy of God's powerful action on
38:45
their behalf. And the standard and guide for
38:47
these righteous ones, these needy and poor, who are saved in
38:50
Christ, are completely different from the vain and deceitful
38:53
words that characterize the ungodly generation.
38:56
Completely different. Their standard, their guide,
38:59
their very foundation for life and faith is the pure words of
39:02
the Lord. These words are unalloyed truth,
39:06
proven, reliable and true through the refining fire of
39:09
tribulation and, as we saw, intimately connected to the
39:13
steps of genuine spiritual growth and the path of
39:16
blessedness described by Christ Himself.
39:18
These pure words lead them towards spiritual wisdom,
39:21
towards unity with God, and steer them away from the deceit
39:24
and vanity of the world. And therefore their ultimate
39:27
destiny, their final destination, is radically
39:30
different from that of the ungodly who remain caught
39:33
endlessly in the temporal cycle of vanity.
39:35
It could not be more different. While they exist for a time as
39:39
needy and poor in this present temporal existence, living
39:42
within the cycle of seven days and often surrounded by the
39:44
pressures and temptations of the ungodly generation, they're held
39:47
secure by divine promise. God promises to preserve them
39:50
from the influence and ultimate fate of this generation and keep
39:53
them safe to eternity. All the way to the 8th.
39:56
All the way to the 8th. They're the eternal age, the
39:59
eighth age that follows and transcends the cycle of seven
40:02
days. They will be dramatically
40:04
transformed from their present state of spiritual poverty into
40:07
a state of being eternally wealthy and rich.
40:10
From spiritual lack and wretchedness here and now to
40:14
eternal richness and fullness in God's presence.
40:17
It's the complete and glorious reversal, the ultimate
40:20
fulfillment enabled entirely by God's merciful intervention in
40:24
Christ. And remember their
40:25
multiplication. They're multiplied not in
40:28
temporal concerns that scatter and way down the soul, but after
40:31
the height of God moving from strength to strength towards
40:34
unity with God, fulfilling their true spiritual purpose and
40:38
direct opposition to the ungodly who are trapped by their focus
40:41
on temporal multiplication which leads away from God.
40:44
And just a loop back to the beginning, the 8th also carries
40:46
that initial meaning you mentioned representing the day
40:49
of judgement. How does that fit into this
40:51
final picture? Yes, that remains a significant
40:54
underlying interpretation within Augustine's reading.
40:58
The judgment serves as the ultimate point where the
41:00
contrast we've been discussing between the ungodly forever
41:04
trapped by time and their temporal desires and the
41:06
righteous preserved by God's grace and entering into eternity
41:10
is made absolutely final and clear for all eternity.
41:13
It's the great separation. And the fire.
41:16
The fire of persecution or purification which Augustine
41:19
linked to the 8th P attitude and the sevenfold purification of
41:21
God's words, could certainly be seen as a kind of foretaste or
41:25
perhaps a preparation for this ultimate proving, this final
41:29
separation and culmination that occurs at the judgement.
41:32
It tests and reveals who belongs to which destiny.
41:34
So this deep dive into Augustine's exposition of Psalm
41:37
12 provides us with a really powerful and enduring framework
41:41
for thinking about these fundamental issues of spiritual
41:44
authenticity, the pervasive reality of deceit and vanity in
41:47
the world, and the ultimate destiny of humanity based on its
41:50
response to God. It really does.
41:52
It sharply defines the difference between, on the one
41:54
hand, a life rooted in deceit, inner in sincerity, pride, and
41:58
that consuming focus on temporal vanity, and on the other hand, a
42:01
life marked by a humble recognition of spiritual need,
42:04
met entirely by God's grace and powerful action in Christ,
42:07
guided by His pure, proven Word and oriented steadfastly towards
42:11
that eternal age, the 8th, where true and lasting wealth resides.
42:15
It certainly challenges us, doesn't it?
42:17
Challenges you. Listening right now, perhaps, to
42:19
consider where we are placing our ultimate confidence and
42:22
directing our deepest desires. Is it in our own words, our own
42:27
perceived abilities? Are temporary worldly pursuits
42:30
that just seem to revolve in a circle?
42:32
Or is it firmly in the pure words of the Lord, words tested
42:35
by fire, and in the salvation found purely and solely in
42:38
Christ? And it offers such genuine hope,
42:41
I think, for those who feel spiritually poor, who may be
42:44
sigh and long for spiritual good things, especially when
42:47
surrounded by a culture saturated with a vanity and
42:49
deceit. It assures them that God sees
42:52
their state, He hears their sighing, and He acts powerfully
42:56
on their behalf, preserving them through this present generation
42:59
toward the glory of the eternal age.
43:01
There is definitely a lot to ponder from this ancient text in
43:05
Augustine's profound insights, which, as you said earlier, feel
43:08
remarkably relevant to our own times.
43:11
We hope this deep dive into Augustine on Psalm 12 has
43:13
provided you with some valuable perspective and food for
43:16
thought. Maybe think about that stark
43:18
contrast Augustine draws between the double heart pursuing
43:21
temporal vanity trapped in the endless circle of seven days
43:24
versus the pure words of God proven by fire leading towards
43:28
the eternal rest and richness of the 8th.
43:31
Where do you see these two opposing forces, these two ways
43:34
of being, at play in the world around you today?
43:36
Or perhaps even if we're honest within your own inclinations and
43:39
desires. That's certainly something worth
43:41
meditating on. We look forward to our next deep
43:44
dive with you here on Reformed Thinking.