Tuesday, August 15, 2023

Gerhoh of Reichersberg on Psalm 132:8

Gerhoh of Reichersberg (A.D. 1093-1169), Commentarius in Psalmos (P.L., CXCIII, 619–1814; CXCIV, 1-1066), Psalm 132 (Vulgate 131) at verse 8.

Psalm 131:8 "Arise, O Lord, into your rest; you and the ark of your sanctification." Noah's Ark, long tossed by the floods during the deluge, finally rested upon the mountains of Armenia after the flood ceased. Likewise, the ark fashioned by Moses, often moved from place to place in the mobile Tabernacle or even, when the tabernacle at Shiloh was rejected, is read about being led around among foreigners. But at last, when the temple was constructed in Jerusalem, the ark itself rested there. All these things happened symbolically, and they did not provide perpetual rest because you, Jesus Christ, greater than Noah, greater than Moses, and greater than Solomon, had not yet arisen to your rest; indeed, you had not yet been born in Bethlehem (Ephrata). Therefore, I, David, burning with great desire for that rest, which was not to be followed by any disturbance of unrest – as happened when Jerusalem was laid waste and the temple burned, and the Ark of God was hidden by Jeremiah in a secret place, to be concealed there for seventy years – longed for your coming, which I had heard was to begin in Bethlehem (Ephrata) and spread to the fields of the forest. But because our birth would have benefited us nothing if we had not been redeemed by your death and resurrection, I also desired your resurrection, constantly saying: "Arise, O Lord, into your rest; you and the ark of your sanctification." The Holy Church, partly gathered already, has in part rested in Abraham's bosom. But that was not complete rest in the infernal regions, outside the paradise closed by the first man's sin but opened by your death and resurrection. Therefore, there was a continual outcry in the hearts of the ancient fathers, continually desiring and saying: "Arise, O Lord, into your rest; you and the ark of your sanctification." Arise from the dead and enter into the rest of God. You, the true Noah, wearied by the flood of your passion, but after your resurrection, no longer to be wearied because death will no longer rule over you. You slept troubled, thus arise, no longer to be troubled. You slept, and sleeping on the cross you were mocked by your own people, the Jews, as if by impious Ham. But though dying and dead, you did not cease to be God, because therein "his power is hidden" (Habakkuk 3:4). Arise then, and show your strength to both your enemies and friends, so that your enemies, made as if dead, cease to insult you, and your friends rejoice, seeing their Lord, and your dominion, where you rule among your enemies. Arise to curse the descendants of the son who mocked you as Father, and to bless the sons who honor you and remember your death under the cloak of venerable sacraments, as you yourself said: "Do this in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19).

Thus arise into your rest, you and the ark of your sanctification, so that neither you nor your ark, namely the Holy Church, is further struck by the stormy flood, which has penetrated your soul and the souls of all who faithfully sing and say: "Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck" (Psalm 69:1) and so on to the end of the psalm. Your ark has been greatly shaken by these waters of temptations and tribulations, which now seeks rest in all things, constantly saying to you: "Arise, O Lord, into your rest; you and the ark of your sanctification." For although you once rose, and with many saints liberated from hell, entered into your rest, yet you still seem to sleep to your Church or any faithful soul when you allow it to be shaken by excessive storms of temptation. Because of such storms to be calmed, O Lord, often arising, command the winds and the sea, so that great tranquility occurs, in which you and your ark, the Holy Church or any faithful soul, may rest. You were once awakened as if sleeping, as if a mighty one drunk with wine, and you struck your enemies in their hind parts because they had placed the ark of your sanctification in the temple of Dagon. And now therefore arise as a mighty one, and strike your enemies, worshipers of Dagon or Mammon, freeing from them the ark of sanctification, namely your body, which they treat unworthily, and do not cease to work wonders against them until, with eternal disgrace humbled to repentance, it is free for legitimate priests to minister in temples built and consecrated to you, especially in episcopal temples built for this purpose, that therein the ark of your sanctification may rest, abundant with suitable ministers, to whom the consecration of the Lord's blood is entrusted. For such ministers we also now pray constantly, saying...

Psalmus CXXXI VERS 8 Surge Domine in requiem tuam, tu et arca sanctificationis tuæ Arca Noe diu fluctibus in diluvio agitata cessante tandem diluvio requievit super montes Armeniæ. Similiter arca per Moysen fabricata in tabernaculo mobili diu de loco ad locum translata, vel etiam repulso tabernaculo Silo inter alienigenas legitur circumducta : sed tandem fabricato in Jerusalem templo manufacto, illuc introducta requievit arca ipsa. Hæc omnia in figura contingebant, neque præstabant requiem perpetuam, quia tu major Noe, major Moyse, majorque Salomone, Jesu Christe, nondum surrexeras in requiem tuam, imo nondum natus eras in Ephrata. Propterea ego David magno flagrans desiderio illius requiei, cui non erat successura ulla inquietudinis perturbatio, sicut vastata Jerusalem temploque combusto evenit magna perturbatio, et arca Dei per Jeremiam recondita est in locum secretum per septuaginta annos illic occultanda, optavi adventum tuum, quem audieram in Ephrata inchoandum, et in campos sylvæ dilatandum. Sed quia nihil nobis nasci profuit, nisi redimi profuisset morte ac resurrectione tua, optavi etiam resurrectionem tuam dicendo assidue : Surge, Domine, in requiem tuam, tu et arca sanctificationis tuæ. Sancta videlicet Ecclesia in sinu Abrahæ jam partim collecta ex parte requievit; sed non erat plena requies in locis infernalibus extra paradisum primi hominis peccato clausum, sed tua morte ac resurrectione reserandum. Fuit igitur continuus clamor in cordibus antiquorum patrum jugi desiderio vociferantium ac dicentium : Surge, Domine, in requiem tuam, tu el arca sanctificationis tuæ. Surge a mortuis, et ingredere in requiem Dei, tu verus Noe diluvio passionis fatigatus, sed post resurrectionem tuam non ultra fatigandus, quia mors tibi ultra non dominabitur. Surge et ingredere in requiem Dei, quia te vidit justum coram se ex omnibus gentibus. Dormisti conturbatus, ideo surge, non ultra conturbandus. Dormisti, et dormiens in cruce a Filio tuo populo Judæorum quasi ab impio Cham derisus es, tanquam nudus ornamento insitæ tibi Divinitatis caruisses, cum tu licet moriens et mortuus, esse Deus non desiisses, quia ibi "abscondita est fortitudo" tua non destructa (Habac III, 4). Surge itaque, tuamque fortitudinem tuis inimicis et amicis ostende, ut et inimici tui facti velut mortui desinant insultare tibi, et amici gaudeant viso te Domino, viso tuo dominio, quo tu dominaris in medio inimicorum tuorum. Surge maledicturus posteritatem filii te Patrem irridentis, et benedicturus filios te honorantes mortisque tuæ memoriam sub pallio venerabilium sacramentorum celebrantes, prout ipse dixisti : "Hoc facite in meam commemorationem" (Luc XXII 19).

Sic surge in requiem tuam, tu el arca sanctificationis tuæ, ne vel te vel arcam tuam, sanctam videlicet Ecclesiam pulset ulterius diluvium procellosum, cujus quæ intraverunt usque ad animam tuam, et usque ad animas omnium fideliter psallentium et dicentium : "Salvum me fac Deus quoniam intraverunt aquæ usque animam meam" (Psal LXVIII 2), et cætera usque in finem psalmi. Multum quassata est arca tua istis aquis tentationum et tribulationum, quæ nunc in omnibus requiem quærit, dicens tibi assidue : Surge, Domine, in requiem tuam, tu et arca sanctificationis tuæ. Licet enim semel surrexeris, et cum sanctis multis de inferno liberatis in requiem tuam introieris, tamen adhuc Ecclesiæ tuæ vel cuique fideli animæ dormis, quando eam nimiis tentationum procellis permittis quassari. Propter hujusmodi procellas mitigandas, o Domine, frequenter surgens, impera ventis et mari, ut fiat tranquillitas magna, in qua requiescas tu et arca tua, sancta videlicet Ecclesia seu quæque fidelis anima. Tu quondam excitatus es tanquam dormiens Dominus, tanquam potens crapulatus a vino, et percussisti inimicos tuos in posteriora, quod arcam sanctificationis tuæ posuerant in templo Dagon, et non cessasti operari mirabilia tua circa ipsam arcam tuam, donec introducta est in requiem tuam, collocata videlicet in templo sancto suo, ubi ministrarent sacerdotes legitimi, et sancti a sacerdotibus Dagon longe distincti. Et nunc igitur surge tanquam potens, et percute inimicos tuos cultores Dagon sive Mammon, liberando ab eis arcam sanctificationis, videlicet corpus tuum, quod indigne tractant, neque cesses contra eos operari mirabilia tua, donec illis opprobrio sempiterno humiliatis ad pœnitentiam sacerdotibus legitimis liberum sit in templis tibi ædificatis et sacratis ministrare, maxime in templis episcopalibus ad hoc fabricatis, ut in eis requiescat arca sanctificationis tuæ ministris idoneis abundantibus, quibus committatur Dominici sanguinis consecratio. Pro hujusmodi ministris etiam nunc oramus assidue dicentes :

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