Psalms 119:108

"Make the freewill offerings of my mouth well pleasing, O Lord" [Psalm 119:108]: that is, let them please You; do not reject, but approve them. By the freewill offerings of the mouth are well understood the sacrifices of praise, offered up in the confession of love, not from the fear of necessity; whence it is said, "a freewill offering will I offer You." But what does he add? "and teach me Your judgments"? Had he not himself said above, "From Your judgments I have not swerved"? How could he have done thus, if he knew them not? Moreover, if he knew them, in what sense does he here say, "and teach me Your judgments"? Is it as in a former passage, "You have dealt in sweetness with Your servant:" presently after which we find, "teach me sweetness"? This passage we explained as the words of one who was gaining in grace, and praying that he might receive in addition to what he had received.

A most holy and solemn day has dawned for us to rejoice in, and one that is very special and glorious for this church as its crowning ornament, seeing the most blessed Cyprian filled it with the light for us by the glory of his sufferings. For praising this revered bishop and venerable martyr no tongue would be sufficient, not even were he to praise himself. So in this sermon of mine, which I am paying to your ears as something owed you on his account, please acknowledge the loving readiness of my will, rather than demanding an effective display of any skill. Thus it is, you see, that when the holy praise singer perceived himself to be less than capable of praising God—for which, indeed, not just speech but even any thought is insufficient—he said, "Make the voluntary offerings of my mouth acceptable, Lord." Let me too say the same; let this also be a sign of my devotion, and even if I am not equal to explaining what I wish, may there be an acceptable offering in the fact that I do wish.