Augustine on the Majesty of God

[Semper Fidelis]

From Book 1, Chapter 4

4. What, then, are You, O my God— what, I ask, but the Lord God? For who is Lord but the Lord? or who is God save our God? Most high, most excellent, most potent, most omnipotent; most piteous and most just; most hidden and most near; most beauteous and most strong, stable, yet contained of none; unchangeable, yet changing all things; never new, never old; making all things new, yet bringing old age upon the proud and they know it not; always working, yet ever at rest; gathering, yet needing nothing; sustaining, pervading, and protecting; creating, nourishing, and developing; seeking, and yet possessing all things. You love, and burn not; You are jealous, yet free from care; You repent, and have no sorrow; You are angry, yet serene; You change Your ways, leaving unchanged Your plans; You recover what You find, having yet never lost; You are never in want, while You rejoice in gain; You are never covetous, though requiring usury. Matthew 25:27 That You may owe, more than enough is given to You; yet who has anything that is not Yours? You pay debts while owing nothing; and when You forgive debts, lose nothing. Yet, O my God, my life, my holy joy, what is this that I have said? And what says any man when He speaks of You? Yet woe to them that keep silence, seeing that even they who say most are as the dumb.

 

[MW]

Every time I read this statement I think, This God is my God! It is a wonderful confession. Here is Outler's translation, which preserves the old majesty of style to express the majesty of thought:

4. What, therefore, is my God? What, I ask, but the Lord God? "For who is Lord but the Lord himself, or who is God besides our God?" Most high, most excellent, most potent, most omnipotent; most merciful and most just; most secret and most truly present; most beautiful and most strong; stable, yet not supported; unchangeable, yet changing all things; never new, never old; making all things new, yet bringing old age upon the proud, and they know it not; always working, ever at rest; gathering, yet needing nothing; sustaining, pervading, and protecting; creating, nourishing, and developing; seeking, and yet possessing all things. Thou dost love, but without passion; art jealous, yet free from care; dost repent without remorse; art angry, yet remainest serene. Thou changest thy ways, leaving thy plans unchanged; thou recoverest what thou hast never really lost. Thou art never in need but still thou dost rejoice at thy gains; art never greedy, yet demandest dividends. Men pay more than is required so that thou dost become a debtor; yet who can possess anything at all which is not already thine? Thou owest men nothing, yet payest out to them as if in debt to thy creature, and when thou dost cancel debts thou losest nothing thereby. Yet, O my God, my life, my holy Joy, what is this that I have said? What can any man say when he speaks of thee? But woe to them that keep silence--since even those who say most are dumb.
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[Ivan]

I need to read a lot of Augustine!

 

[PresbyDane]

 

[ColdSilverMoon]

Reading Confessions recently was truly a life-changing experience for me in many ways. I don't see how one can read that book and not come away with a renewed biblical fear of God...

 

[Scott1]

It is remarkable that Augustine's work stood as probably the greatest systematic theology in the church for eleven centuries.

When one reads this depth and sees its insight into God, its no wonder it is helpful even today.

 

[A.J.]

I've read his On the Free Choice of the Will, and his thoughts on the Biblical themes and his way of explaining them are profound indeed.

-----Added 3/4/2009 at 12:31:47 EST-----

Four of Augustine's writings are available in this website. Check them out!

Augustine - A Treatise on Grace and Free Will
Augustine - Book 1: A Treatise on the Predestination of the Saints
Augustine - Book 2: A Treatise on the Gift of Perseverance
Augustine - Confessions