Psalm 14

a. Domine quis habitabit in

tabernaculo
tuo?
aut
quis
requiescet in monte sancto tuo?

Lord, who shall dwell in your tabernacle? or

rest on your holy mountain?

b. Qui ingreditur sine macula, et

operatur iustitiam. Qui loquitur
veritatem in corde suo, qui non egit
dolum in lingua sua.

He who enters without blemish, and does

justice. He who speaks the truth in his heart,
and has not brought about deceit in his
speech.

c. Nec fecit proximo suo malum, et

opprobrium non accepit adversus
proximos suos.

He who has done no evil to his fellow man, and

accepts no reproach against his neighbours.

d. Ad nihilum deductus est in

conspectu eius malignus: timentes
autem Dominum glorificat.

In his sight, the wicked are brought to nothing;

but he glorifes those that fear the Lord.

e. Qui iurat proximo suo et non

decipit, qui pecuniam suam non
dedit ad usuram, et munera super
innocentem non accepit. Qui facit
haec,
non
commovebitur
in
aeternum.

He who swears an oath to his neighbour, and

does not break it; he who has not given his
money to usury, nor taken bribes against the
innocent. He who does these things, shall not
be moved forever.

a. Supra Psalmista egit de malitia et

dolo adversariorum; hic agit de propria
iustitia. Et primo ostendit qualis sit
iustitia quam Deus acceptat. Secundo,
quasi gratias agens ostendit qualis sit
sua iustitia, ibi, Conserva me.

Previously, the psalmist treated of the malice and

deceit of his enemies. Here, he treats of proper
justice. First, he shows what kind of justice God
accepts, and then, as one giving thanks, he shows
the quality of His justice, at, Preserve me (Psalm
15).

Titulus, Psalmus David. In Psalmo isto

duo facit: nam quasi sacerdos existens
coram Deo consulit Deum. Primo
ponitur quaestio. Secundo expositio,
ibi, Qui ingreditur sine macula.

In this psalm (the title of which is A Psalm of

David), he does two things. Inasmuch as he
consults with God, like a priest standing in God's
presence, he first poses a question, and then offers
an explanation, at, He who enters without blemish.

Praemittit ergo duplicem quaestionem,

quia duplex est status praesentis
ecclesiae, et futurae. Primus est
militantium: Apoc. 14. Amodo iam dicit
spiritus ut requiescant. Et hi duo status
signati sunt in veteri testamento. Quia
primo habuerunt tabernaculum: Ex. 26.
Quamdiu habuerunt bella et labores: 2.
Reg. 7. Factum est cum dedisset
Dominus requiem David ab universis
inimicis suis, dixit ad Nathan: Vides
quod ego habitem in domo cedrina, et
arca Dei posita est in medio pellium?
Postea fecit templum, quando habuit
pacem.

So, he puts forth two questions because of the twofold status of the Church, that is, in the here and
now, and in the future. The first refers to the Church
as it struggles on this earth, the Church Militant Apocalypse 14: From henceforth now, says the
Spirit, that they may rest from their labours - and
both are indicated in the Old Testament. For at first
they had the tabernacle - ??: For a long time they
had wars and labours; 2 Kings 7: It came to pass
that when the Lord had given David rest from all of
his enemies, he said to Nathan: Do you see that I
dwell in a house of cedar and that the ark of God is
lodged within skins? Afterwards, he made the
temple, when there was peace.

Per tabernaculum designatur ecclesia

militans, per templum in monte factum
status futurae vitae: et ideo dicit, Quis
habitabit in tabernaculo tuo, idest in
praesenti ecclesia; quasi dicat, quis est
dignus habitare: peccatores enim
habitant
numero,
non
merito.
Hieronymus habet, Quis peregrinabitur:
Ps. 67. Habitare facit unamines in
domo.

By the tabernacle is designated the Church as it

struggles on this earth, and by the temple on the
mount, the state of its future life. Thus he says,
Who shall dwell in your tabernacle, that is, in the
Church of the present, as if he were saying, Who is
worthy to dwell: for sinners dwell among the
multitude, and not among the deserving. Jerome's
version has, Who will be absent from - Psalm 67:
(God) who makes men of one manner to dwell in a
house.

Secunda quaestio, Quis requiescet in

monte santo tuo? Et dicitur mons
sanctus, quia nihil est ibi coinquinatum:
Hier. 31. Benedicat tibi Dominus,
pulchritudo iustitiae, mons sanctus: Isa.
35. Via sancta vocabitur: Ex. 15.
Introduces eos, et plantabis in monte
haereditatis tuae, firmissimo habitaculo
tuo quod operatus es Domine.

The second question is Who shall rest on your

holy mountain? The mountain is called holy
because there is nothing defiled there - Jeremias
31: The Lord bless you, the beauty of justice, the
holy mountain; Isaiah 35: It shall be called the holy
way; Exodus 15: You shall bring them in, and plant
them on the mountain of your inheritance, in your
most firm habitation which you have made, O Lord.

b. Qui. Hic ponitur responsio: et circa

hoc duo facit. Primo commemorat
merita habitantium in praedictis locis,
scilicet in tabernaculo, et in monte
sancto Dei. Secundo praemium, ibi,
Qui facit haec, non commovebitur in
aeternum.

He who. At this point, he gives his response in a

two-fold manner. First, he mentions the merits of
those living in the previously mentioned places,
namely in the tabernacle and on God's holy
mountain, and secondly, their reward, at, He who
does these things, shall not be moved forever.

Ponit autem decem effectus virtutum.

Sed
actio
virtuosi
consideratur
dupliciter. Primo per comparationem ad
se. Secundo per comparationem ad
alios.

While he describes ten effects of virtue, the action

of the virtuous is considered in a two fold way, first,
through a comparison with their own action, and
secondly, with that of others.

Primo proponit ea, per quae homo

bene operatur in se. Secundo ea per
quae se bene habet ad proximum, ibi,
Nec fecit proximo suo etc. In se,
quantum ad exteriora, in opere, et in
locutione. In opere, quantum ad duo.
Primo, quod fugiat malum; et ideo dicit,
Qui ingreditur sine macula. Vita ista
quaedam via est ad vitam aeternam; et
ideo
dicit, Ingreditur, idest in via
graditur: Ps. 41. Ingrediar in locum
tabernaculi. Item 118. Beati immaculati
in via. Sine macula, scilicet mortali,
quia peccatum veniale non habet
maculam proprie: Eccl. 31. Beatus
dives qui inventus est sine macula.
Sed in Christo, et in Virgine Maria nulla
omnino macula fuit, et istis appropriatur
temperantia, quia contra temperantiam
maculatur. Secundo, ut faciat bona; et
ideo sequitur, Et operatur iustitiam,
idest ea ad quae iustitia inclinat; et
reducitur ad eam prout est specialis
virtus.

He first describes those things through which a

man operates well as such, and then those things
through which he is well-related to his neighbour,
at, He who has done no evil to his fellow man etc.
With respect to the former, his activity and speech
are described in relation to exterior things. His
activity is described in two ways. First, that he
avoid evil. Thus, he says, He who enters without
blemish. His very life is a sort of road to eternal life.
Thus, he says, He who enters, that is, he who
walks in the way - Psalm 41: I will go into the place
of the tabernacle; Psalm 118: Blessed are the
undefiled in the way. Without blemish, namely
mortal sin, since venial sin does not blemish
properly speaking - Ecclesiasticus 31: Blessed is
the rich man that is found without blemish. But no
blemish at all arose in Christ and the Virgin Mary;
temperance is attributed to both, since a person in
opposition to temperance is blemished. Second,
that he do good works. Hence he continues, And
does justice, that is, those things to which justice
inclines. And he is brought to justice as it is a
special virtue.

In sermone, primo, ut faciat bonum, Qui

loquitur veritatem, idest faciat bonum
locutionis: Isa. 33. Quis poterit habitare
ex vobis cum ardoribus sempiternis?
Qui ambulat in iustitiis, et loquitur
veritatem. Et dicit, In corde, contra illos
qui loquuntur veritatem a casu, non ex
proposito: Prov. 12. Labium veritatis
firmum erit: 1 Pet. 2. Deponentes omne
mendacium, et omnem dolum, quasi
modo geniti infantes. Secundo, ut vitet
malum, scilicet dolositatem: Hier. 9.
Sagitta vulnerans lingua eorum, dolum
locuta est.

His speech is described next, first, that he do good,

He who speaks the truth, namely, that he do good
through his speech - Isaiah 33: Which of you shall
dwell with everlasting burnings? He who walks in
just ways, and speaks the truth, In his heart,
against those who speak the truth by chance, and
not by their own effort - Proverbs 12: The lip of truth
shall be steadfast; 1 Peter 2: Laying aside every lie
and deceit, as newborn babes. Secondly, that (in
his speech) he avoid evil , namely deceitfulness Jeremiah 9: Their tongue is a piercing arrow,
deceitful is their speech.

Qui non egit dolum in lingua sua. Alia

litera, Qui non est facilis in lingua sua:
Prov. 25. Urbs patens et absque
murorum ambitu, vir qui non potest in
loquendo coercere spiritum suum. Alia
litera, Et non est accusatio in lingua
eius, quia scilicet non est detractor et
relator, vel quia verba sua non sunt
accusabilia: Eph. 4. Omnis sermo
malus de ore vestro non procedat.

And has not brought about deceit in his speech.

Another version has, And is not free in his speech Proverbs 25: As a city that lies open and is not
encircled with walls, so is a man that cannot
restrain his own spirit in speaking. Another version
has, And there is no accusation in his speech,
either because he is not a detractor and a gossip,
or his words are not reprehensible - Ephesians 4:
Let no evil speech proceed from your mouth.

c . Nec fecit. Supra egit Psalmista de

virtuosa operatione quam Deus
acceptat, connumerando per quae
homo bene operatur in se; hic autem
connumerat ea, per quae se bene
habet ad proximum.

He who has done no evil. Previously, the psalmist

treated of virtuous activity which God accepts. He
did this by enumerating those activities by which a
man operates well with respect to himself. Here,
however, he enumerates those activities through
which he is well-related to his neighbour.

Et hic quantum ad proximum petit tria.

Primo, ut ei non noceat. Secundo,
quod non consentiat nocenti: Rom. 1.
Qui talia agunt, regnum Dei non
consequentur; sed digni sunt morte
non solum qui faciunt ea, sed etiam qui
consentiunt facientibus. Tertio, quod
non decipiat ipsum.

He describes three things with respect to his

neighbour. First, that he do him no harm, second,
that he not consent to harm - Romans 1: Those
who do such things, do not obtain the kingdom of
god; they are worthy of death, not only those that
do these acts, but they also that consent to those
that do them - and third, that he not ensnare him.

Dicit ergo quantum ad primum, Nec

fecit proximo suo malum, nec
corporaliter, nec spiritualiter: Rom. 12.
Nulli malum pro malo reddentes: Col.
ult. Dum tempus habemus, operemur
bonum.

Therefore, he says with respect to the first, He who

does no evil to his fellow man, neither corporally or
spiritually: Romans 12: To no man rendering evil
for evil; Galatians 6: While we have time, let us
work good.

Quantum ad secundum dicit, Et

opprobrium non accepit adversus
proximos suos. Aliquis dicit aliquid
contra alius, sed non est sustinendum;
et ideo dicit, Opprobrium non accepit,
tunc scilicet, quando ille qui audit
verba detractoria contra eum, et ex his
detestatur illum, de quo dicuntur, vel
etiam ipse dicit aliis: Eccl. 19. Audisti
verbum contra
proximum tuum,
commoriatur in te etc. Eccl. 28. Sepi
aurem tuam spinis, et noli audire
linguam nequam.

With respect to the second, he says, And has

accepted no reproach against his neighbours.
People say things against another, but such are
not to be endured. For this reason he says, And
has accepted no reproach, that is, at that time,
when he hears disparaging words against another,
on account of these words he destests that man,
concerning which they are said, or he even speaks
to them (these words) - Eccl. 19: You have heard a
word against your neighbour; let it die in you etc.;
??? (psalm 57:5-6, proverbs 17:4): Close your ear
to intricacies, and do not listen to vile speach.

Hieronymus: Si non est auditor, non est

detractor. Bernardus: Detrahere aut
detrahentem audire, quid horum
damnabilius sit, non facile dixero: Prov.
25. Ventus aquilo dissipat pluviam, et
facies tristis linguam detrahentem, quia
ad literam detrahens cessat cum
audiens contristatur.

Jerome says, If one is not a listener, one is not a

detractor. Bernardus states, I cannot easily say
which is more deserving of condemnation, to
disparage, or to listen to one disparaging. Proverbs
25: The north wind disperses the rain, and a sad
face the speech of one disparaging, since
disparaging litterally ceases when the one
listening is saddened.

d. Ad nihilum. Hic ostendit quod non

despiciat. In homine sunt duo, scilicet
vitium
et
virtus.
Vitium
est
despiciendum; et ideo dicit Malignus,
inquantum
talis, Ad nihilum est
deductus, idest nihil reputatur; et hoc
est bonum. Primo ad tollendum
aemulationem:
quandoque
enim
aliquis malus exaltatur: Hier. 12. Via
impiorum prosperatur etc.

To nothing. At this point, he shows what he will not

despise. There are two things which pertain to
man, namely sin and virtue. Sin is to be despised;
and thus he says The wicked, insofar as that sort,
are brought to nothing, that is, are considered as
nothing. And this is good, first to eliminate the
imitation (of their ways); for an evil is sometimes
honoured - Jeremias 12: The way of the wicked
prospers etc.

Sed propter hoc nullo modo debet eum

reputare magnum, sed debet eum
despicere: Mala. 2. Gloria hominis
peccatoris stercus et vermis est: hodie
extollitur et eras non invenitur, quia
conversus est in terram, et cogitatio
eius periit.

However, according to this, one ought never to

consider him great, but ought to despise him Malachi 2: The glory of man's sin is dung and
worm: today it is exalted and tomorrow it is not
found, because he has lived on the land, and his
thought has perished.

Vel aliquis magnus intendit nocere,

sed ex quo est malignus contemnas
eum: quia talium derogatio est nostrae
vitae adprobatio: Ps. 26. Si consistant
adversum me castra, non timebit cor
meum, idest peccatores.

Or a great person intends to do harm, but because

he is wicked, you despise him: for that sort of
disparagement is an approving of our life - Psalm
26: If an army, that is, sinners, persists against me,
my heart will not fear.

Sed virtuosum hominem reputa

magnum; ideo dicit, Timentes autem
Dominum glorificat: Eccl. 25. Quam
magnus est qui invenit sapientiam et
scientiam, sed non est super timentem
Dominum.

But the virtuous man is consider to be great; thus

he says, But he glorifies those that fear the Lord Eccl. 25: How great is he who finds wisdom and
knowledge, but there is none above him who fears
the Lord.

Glossa aliter exponit, Ad nihilum

deductus est in conspectu eius
malignus, idest diabolus vinctus est ab
e o : Io. 2. Vicistis malignum etc.
Dominus glorificat timentes Dominum,
scilicet se. Sed prima expositio est
magis literalis.

The gloss explains this differently: In his sight, the

wicked are brought to nothing, that is, the devil is
conquered by him - John 2: You have conquered
the wicked etc. The Lord glorifies those who fear
the Lord, namely himself. However, the first
explanation is the more literal one.

e. Hic prohibet ne decipiat proximum.

In tribus autem proximus decipitur,
videlicet in promissis, et hoc per
iuramentum; et ideo dicit, Qui iurat etc.,
idest firmat ad decipiendum, quia non
servat: Zach. 8. Iuramentum mendax
non diligas: Levi. 14. Non periurabis in
nomine Dei tui, et non pollues illud.
Iurare non pertinet ad virtutem, sed
iuramentum servare.

Here, he holds back so that he does not deceive

his neighbour. One's neighbour is deceived in
three ways. First, in promisses, and this, through
an oath; thus he says, He who swears an oath etc.,
that is, assents so as to deceive, because he does
not comply - Zachariah 8: You do not love the
deceitful oath; Leviticus 14: You will not swear
falsely in the name of the your God, nor will you
defile it. Swearing does not pertain to virtue, but
rather to the keeping of an oath.

Item
in
contractibus.
Unde Qui
pecuniam suam non dedit ad usuram:
Luc. 6. Mutuum date, nihil inde
sperantes:
et
munera
super
innocentem non accepit: Prov. 17.
Munera de sinu, idest ecclesiae,
impius accepit, ut pervertat semitas
iudicii: Deut. 23. prohibetur quod non
detur fratri ad usuram, quia vendit quod
non est, cum non habeat usumfructum.

Secondly, in agreements. So, He who has not

given his money to ursury - Luke 6: Give a loan,
hoping nothing in return: and do not accepts bribes
against the innocent; Proverbs 17: The wicked
accept gifts from the bosom, that is, from the
C h u rc h , to corrupt the path of the judge;
Deuteronomy 23 forbids that it be given to a
brother in usury, because he sells what does not
exist, although he does not have usufruct (the right
of enjoying the use and advantages of another's
property short of the destruction or waste of its
substance).

Item in iudiciis, quando dat sententiam

contra innocentes; et ideo dicit, Et
munera: Isa. 5. Vae qui iustificatis
impios propter munera: Iob 19. Ignis
devorabit tabernacula eorum, qui
munera libenter accipiunt.

Thirdly, in judgments, when he gives a statement

against the innocent; and thus he says, And bribes
- Isaiah 5: Woe to those who justify wicked deeds
on account of bribes; Job 19: Fire will devour the
dwellings of those who readily accept bribes.

Consequenter ponitur praemium, Qui

f e c i t , idest
servat: Haec, omnia
praedicta: Iac. 1. Estote factores verbi:
Rom. 2. Non auditores legis iusti sunt
apud Deum, sed factores.

Consequently, he sets down a reward (for the one)

who does these things, that is who observes all of
the aforesaid - Jacob 1: Be doers of the word;
Romans 2: The hearers of the law are not justifed
before God, but rather the doers.

Non commovebitur in aeternum, idest

hic habitabit in monte sancto meo: Infra
124. Qui confidunt in Domino sicut
mons Syon etc. Ps. 54. Non dabis in
aeternum fluctuationem iusto.

Shall not be moved forever, that is, this person will

dwell on my holy mountain - Psalm 124: He who
trusts in the Lord is like Mount Syon etc.; Psalm 54:
You will not deliver the just into eternal unrest.

Latin Text according to the Venice Edition of MDCCLXXV

The Aquinas Translation Project (http://www4.desales.edu/~philtheo/loughlin/ATP/index.html)