Psalms 5:10

Judge them, O God. Let them know that Thou art the judge, let them know that Thou dost regard human affairs: Thou who art to judge at the end, judge also in the present: Thou who art to judge in general, judge now in part: let those who are unwilling to feel Thee as Father feel Thee as judge. Judge them, O God. Why? for what cause? It follows: Let them fall from their thoughts. For if in the present Thou wilt render to them what they deserve, they will begin to withdraw from their evil thoughts. As long as they do not feel Thee as judge, they do not fear. Let them fall from their thoughts. Excellently he said, from their thoughts: for daily the heretics change their doctrines. In short, if a man of the Church, learned in the Scriptures, contends against them, and refutes them from the holy Scriptures, immediately they seek out some other new doctrine to devise. They do not seek how they may be saved, but how they may prevail. Therefore he said now, Let them fall from their thoughts: let them fall from their many thoughts, and let them have Thee as their one thought.

According to the multitude of their impieties cast them out. He did not say from where He should cast them out: whether He should cast them out from heaven, whether He should cast them out from the earth: from where He should cast them out, the Scripture does not say; but it is a ὑπερβατόν (a transposition) and a ὕστερον πρότερον (a putting of the latter first). We ought therefore to read, According to the multitude of their impieties cast them out. What he says is this: cast them out from their many impieties for the sake of Thy mercy, that is, let them not be in their many impieties. It can also be interpreted otherwise: since they have been most impious, and have been unwilling to fall from their thoughts, and heap impieties upon impieties, and daily gather them, and have more impieties, therefore cast them out. From where? From her who obtains the inheritance, that is, the Church, which obtains Thy inheritance. Do Thou cast them out from there, so that, since they do not have the faith of the Church, they may not dwell in the Church either. For they have provoked Thee, O Lord. Thou, O Lord, by nature art sweet; but whoever are sinners and heretics turn the nature of Thy sweetness into bitterness by their own vice.

"Judge them, O God: let them fall from their own thoughts" [Psalm 5:10]. It is a prophecy, not a curse. For he does not wish that it should come to pass; but he perceives what will come to pass. For this happens to them, not because he appears to have wished for it, but because they are such as to deserve that it should happen. For so also what he says afterwards, "Let all that hope in You rejoice," he says by way of prophecy; since he perceives that they will rejoice. Likewise is it said prophetically, "Stir up Your strength, and come:" for he saw that He would come. Although the words, "Let them fall from their own thoughts," may be taken thus also, that it may rather be believed to be a wish for their good by the Psalmist, while they fall from their evil thoughts, that is, that they may no more think evil. But what follows, "drive them out," forbids this interpretation. For it can in no way be taken in a favourable sense, that one is driven out by God. Wherefore it is understood to be said prophetically, and not of ill will; when this is said, which must necessarily happen to such as chose to persevere in those sins, which have been mentioned. "Let them," therefore, "fall from their own thoughts," is, let them fall by their self-accusing thoughts, "their own conscience also bearing witness," as the Apostle says, "and their thoughts accusing or excusing, in the revelation of the just judgment of God." [Romans 2:15-16] "According to the multitude of their ungodlinesses drive them out:" [Psalm 5:10] that is, drive them out far away. For this is "according to the multitude of their ungodlinesses," that they should be driven out far away. The ungodly then are driven out from that inheritance, which is possessed by knowing and seeing God: as diseased eyes are driven out from the shining of the light, when what is gladness to others is pain to them. Therefore these shall not stand in the morning, and see. And that expression is as great a punishment, as that which is said, "But for me it is good to cleave to the Lord," is a great reward. To this punishment is opposed, "Enter into the joy of Your Lord;" [Matthew 25:21] for similar to this expulsion is, "Cast him into outer darkness." [Matthew 25:30] "Since they have embittered You, O Lord" [Psalm 5:10] "I am," says He, "the Bread which came down from heaven;" [John 6:51] again, "Labour for the meat which wasts…