Cassiodorus

In his own words on Proverbs

• Proverbs 1:6

  "He made darkness his cover, his pavilion around him: dark water in the clouds of the air." … Remember that darkness is used also in a good sense, as in this passage from Solomon's Proverbs: "He also understands a parable and a dark saying." All divine matters that we do not know about are dark to us, that is, deep and obscure, though they bask in continuous light. A hiding place, namely, the secret place of his majesty, which he reveals to the just when it falls to them to gaze face to face upon the glory of his divinity. "His pavilion around him": this expression is explained as the glorious worthiness of the blessed, that those who have persevered faithfully in his church dwell beside him. "Around him" indicates his nearness, for he encircles and penetrates all things, but he is not encircled by anyone, because he is not able to be hemmed in by any place.

  EXPOSITION OF THE PSALMS 17:12

• Proverbs 3:12

  [The Lord] visits with a rod when he imposes stern punishment. In the same spirit Paul when writing to the Corinthians said, "What will you? Shall I come to you with a rod? Or in charity and in the spirit of meekness?" He also visits us with stripes when he takes lighter vengeance on us; for a rod strikes us in one way, but whips flick us in another. Clearly each of these befalls Christian people according to the nature of their sin, enabling them to make progress toward salvation. As Solomon puts it: "For whom the Lord loves, he chastises; he whips every son whom he accepts."

  EXPOSITION OF THE PSALMS 88:33

• Proverbs 3:16

  As Proverbs has it, "Length of days and years of life are in his right hand," and this means eternal blessedness, whereas "In his left hand are riches and glory," denoting the good things of this world, though there is no doubt that these can be bestowed by him. Moreover, it is his right side to which the saints are allotted when separated from the rest to obtain their rewards, whereas the left side is that mentioned when sinners are to be condemned to eternal punishment; for the saints have longed for things heavenly, whereas sinners have sought worldly goods. We also read that sinners have given the left hand's role to their right hand; our prophet is to say of them in Psalm 143: "Their mouth has spoken vanity, and their right hand is the right hand of iniquity." But the true use of the right hand is where the bestowal of the Lord's grace is demonstrated.

  EXPOSITION OF THE PSALMS 120:5

• Proverbs 15:13

  The church explains how it can please the Lord in the light of the living, which means in the brightness of the saints, among whom [the church] is made beautiful, spotless and without wrinkle. Whatever befalls them shines from its face. Just as a man's healthy constitution makes his face more handsome, just as in Solomon's words, "When the heart rejoices the countenance flourishes," so the beauty of the features of holy church is diffused abroad when found in the merits of the blessed.

  EXPOSITION OF THE PSALMS 55:13

• Proverbs 16:32

  That anger is less offensive which does not lead to indignant actions. In the words of Scripture, "He that conquers his anger is better than he who takes a city." So the injunction to control anger is extended, so that if we are already angry we do not sin through impulsive rashness. Because of human frailty we cannot govern our hot emotions, but with the help of God's grace we contain them with the discipline of reason.

• Proverbs 16:32

  The type of anger which does not lead to deeds motivated by anger is easily forgiven, as Scripture says: "He that conquers his anger is better than he who captures a city." For this reason, the command to manage anger is given so that, if we are already angry, we may not sin through an act of indiscreet rashness. Because of our human brokenness we are not able to get complete control of our hot emotions, but with God's help, we contain them by the power of reason that we are taught.

  EXPOSITION OF THE PSALMS 4:5

• Proverbs 24:16

  A Christian is said to rise again in two different senses: when he perseveres in God's gifts of justification after he has been set free by grace from the death of the vices in this world, as the most wise Solomon says: "A just man falls seven times and he rises again." There is also said to be that general resurrection at which the just will obtain their eternal rewards.

  EXPOSITIONS OF THE PSALMS 19:9