PSALM 34

TITLE. A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.

In his exposition of this title, S. Augustine, perhaps, displays a greater depth of Scriptural study than in any other part of his commentary on the Psalms. David changed his behaviour before Abimelech: the True David changed His behaviour, that is, came in a way which they expected not, before “the kingdom of His FATHER,”—(for so Abimelech is interpreted,)—that is, before the Jews. David “affected:” the Son of David took our affections and sicknesses on Him. David drummed (so is the Vulgate) on the doors: in the drum, S. Augustine sees its tension, and applies it to the tension of our LORD on the Cross. His spittle ran down on his beard: that is, CHRIST affected the speech and behaviour of children.

The whole exposition, which takes up an entire sermon,—it was preached on a Saturday,—is most remarkable, and to literalists must appear the wildest effort of an unrestrained fancy.