Psalm 52:1

Unto the end, for Maeleth, understandings to David. The fool said in his heart: There is no God. (Psalm 52:1 DR)

The end of an action—that is, that to which it is ordered or directed—is that which gives it its moral character. Our end for which we were created is meant to be the Beatific Vision, and thus our actions and desires should be directed to that end, but alas, the Fall of man in the garden and the consequent loss of the grace of sanctification in Original Sin frustrates that end so that we are not of our own efforts or desires directed or oriented towards that end. And even if we did desire it, the lack of sanctifying grace prevents its attainment, somewhat like a bird meant to fly who is born with broken wings.

The fool of which the Psalmist speaks is certainly inclusive of the committed atheist, but not by any means exclusive of it, for to live contrary to one’s created end is tantamount to saying in one’s heart: there is no God, for we then live in a practical atheism:

David does not convey here, that one particular person said so, but that men in general, through the corruption of their intellect, had come to such a pitch of blindness, as to become entirely regardless of their last end, and to think there was no God who regarded mankind, or to whom they would be accountable. “The fool,” that is, the man bereft of all sense, “said in his heart, There is no God;” that is, began to think God had no existence, and not only was the mind become corrupt and foolish, but also, so was the will; so that men, in general, leaned to sin, never to good; for the avoiding of sin, and the doing good, are very different things, when we speak of an act absolutely and perfectly good. For men without faith or grace, acting on the strength of corrupt nature alone, generally fall into sin; yet sometimes produce certain moral good works, which cannot be called sin; yet are not perfectly and absolutely good, when they do not bring man to the chief good. (St. Robert Bellarmine, A Commentary on the Book of the Psalms, 13, 1.)

Contrary to the madness of Calvinism’s horrid doctrine of Total Depravity, St. Bellarmine reminds the reader that man apart from grace and faith can produce morally good works; the important distinction, however, is that apart from the vivification of grace in the soul by the outpouring of charity in the heart by the Holy Ghost (cf. Romans 5:5), these morally good acts fall short of an act that is perfectly and absolutely good, since the latter is enabled and directed towards man’s chief end and good. This chief end and good is precisely what man lost in the Fall—sanctifying grace—which is nothing other than union with God. Thus, contrary to the Calvinists, the morally good works of those without faith or grace are not therefore sins, but at the same time are not the works for which we are created in Christ Jesus (cf. Ephesians 2:10). It is this distinction which St. Paul has in mind in Romans 3:

Because by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified before him. For by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now without the law the justice of God is made manifest, being witnessed by the law and the prophets. Even the justice of God, by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe in him: for there is no distinction: For all have sinned, and do need the glory of God. (Romans 3:20-23 DR)

As this Psalm begins, the Psalmist thus takes a rather dim yet realistic view of fallen human nature, for while there are some who will openly state their disbelief in God (and are probably the more honest for it), the reality is that in our fallen nature we all tend to live in this practical atheism by desiring that which is contrary to God’s law and living according to our own understanding of what is good, much like our first parents were “promised” in the garden by the serpent (cf. Genesis 3:5).

In contrast to this, the Psalmist titles the Psalm: Unto the end, for Maeleth, understandings to David. The end here is paradigmatically understood by St. Augustine as referring to Christ: For the end of the law is Christ, unto justice to every one that believeth. (Romans 10:4 DR) This end in Christ is thus often also spoken of in respect to His mystical Body the Holy Catholic Church, as is the case here:

The title of it is: At the end, for Maeleth, understanding to David himself. For Maeleth, as we find in interpretations of Hebrew names, seems to say, For one travailing, or in pain. But who there is in this world that travails and is in pain, the faithful acknowledge, because thereof they are. Christ here travails, Christ here is in pain: the Head is above, the members below…

How would it be a great thing to persevere, unless amid molestations, and temptations, and distractions, and scandals, men had to persevere? For no one is bid to endure good things… For his sake are rebuked here the men, amid whom he groaneth, amid whom he is in pain, and the consolation of one in pain and travail at the end of the Psalm is drawn forth and expressed. Who are they, then, amid whom we travail and groan, if in the Body of Christ we are, if under Him, the Head, we live, if among His members we are counted? Who they are, hear ye. (St. Augustine, Expositions on the Psalms, 52, 1.)

The Psalmist’s words are thus not meant merely as an invective against the wicked or unbelieving, but rather arise from the travail of the righteous man when surrounded by the those who choose to seek another end then that which is directed towards God. They may in their words give lip service to God, but in their hearts and thus ultimately in their actions they prove what they really believe. And when given full sway in society, it ultimately leads to men seeking their own desires and pleasures, which naturally is in and of itself a burden to the righteous (such as when Lot dwelt in Sodom), with the end result that the righteous will not be allowed to live and let live, as it were, as the Scriptures describe:

But let our strength be the law of justice: for that which is feeble, is found to be nothing worth. Let us therefore lie in wait for the just, because he is not for our turn, and he is contrary to our doings, and upbraideth us with transgressions of the law, and divulgeth against us the sins of our way of life. He boasteth that he hath the knowledge of God, and calleth himself the son of God. He is become a censurer of our thoughts. He is grievous unto us, even to behold: for his life is not like other men's, and his ways are very different. We are esteemed by him as triflers, and he abstaineth from our ways as from filthiness, and he preferreth the latter end of the just, and glorieth that he hath God for his father. Let us see then if his words be true, and let us prove what shall happen to him, and we shall know what his end shall be. (Wisdom 2:11-17 DR)

It is fascinating to notice how many of our modern social pathologies are prophetically described in this short exposition. Those who say in their hearts that there is no God make strength to be the law of justice; that is, might makes right as the modern colloquialism has it. They cannot abide to have the just not participate in their evils and thus lie in wait for them, precisely because the refusal of the righteous to participate in their evil deeds becomes a reproach to their consciences. The righteous refuse to accept the things of this world that the wicked so desperately desire (cf. Wisdom 2:1-9) as their true end. And contrary to perhaps the wicked giving lip service to only wanting to be tolerated in their lifestyle, at bottom they must have the affirmation for their inversion of their true end. The just and righteous simply cannot be allowed to not affirm their life and worldview; they must be made to proactively agree with and affirm it—or else:

For if he be the true son of God, he will defend him, and will deliver him from the hands of his enemies. Let us examine him by outrages and tortures, that we may know his meekness and try his patience. Let us condemn him to a most shameful death: for there shall be respect had unto him by his words. (Wisdom 2:18-20 DR)

This is of course a prophecy of our Lord Jesus Christ, but—as noted earlier—applies to His mystical Body as well, for, as He says in the Gospel:

If you had been of the world, the world would love its own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember my word that I said to you: The servant is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you: if they have kept my word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for my name's sake: because they know not him who sent me. (John 15:19-21 DR)

And while there is perhaps more explicit atheism in the world today than ever in the past, the Psalmist still primarily has in mind the fallen state of man, a state of practical atheism, which St. Augustine describes in detail:

But, if it be examined in another sense, is not that found to be in more men, which we supposed to be in men few and uncommon, and almost in none? Let them come forth into the midst that live evil lives, let us look into the doings of profligate, daring, and wicked men, of whom there is a great multitude; who foster day by day their sins, who, their acts having been changed into habit, have even lost sense of shame: this is so great a multitude of men, that the Body of Christ, set amid them, scarce dares to censure that which it is not constrained to commit, and deems it a great matter for itself that the integrity of innocence be preserved in not doing that which now, by habit, either it does not dare to blame, or if it shall have dared, there breaks out the censure and recrimination of them that live evil lives, more readily than the free voice of them that live good lives. And those men are such as say in their heart, There is no God. (St. Augustine, Expositions on the Psalms, 52, 1.)

The habitual commission of sin becomes unto men that manner of saying in the heart that there is no God. This can arise, of course, from utter indifference to God or His law and judgment, and sloth is always our race’s way of seeking the path of least resistance. If this were the case, there might be room for invisible ignorance, as the indifference itself might not be malicious but rather might arise from a lack of knowledge.

However, St. Augustine sees a more insidious motivation and reality at work, in that we hardly ever tend to this sort of indifference or invincible ignorance; rather, we recruit God to affirm our way of life:

Such men I am confuting. Whence confuting? That their doings please God, they judge. He does not therefore affirm, some say, but The unwise man has said in his heart, There is no God. Which men do so far believe there is a God, that the same God they judge with what they do to be pleased. But if you being wise dost perceive, how the unwise man has said in his heart, There is no God, if you give heed, if you understand, if you examine; he that thinks that evil doings please God, Him he does not think to be God. For if God is, He is just; if He is just, injustice displeases Him, iniquity displeases. But you, when you think that iniquity pleases Him, dost deny God. For if God is one Whom iniquity displeases, but God seems not to you to be one whom iniquity displeases, and there is no God but one whom iniquity displeases, then when you say in your heart, God does countenance my iniquities, you say nothing else than, There is no God. (St. Augustine, Expositions on the Psalms, 52, 1.)

In C.S. Lewis’ Perelandra there is a recapitulation of the temptation of Eve that takes place with the Green Lady, the Eve of Perelandra. A scientist from Earth named Weston is possessed and travels to Perelandra to tempt her, which in this case is not with tasting forbidden fruit but rather about living on the Fixed Lands, which is forbidden to the Green Lady who lives on Floating Islands. Weston attempts to tempt her by convincing her that God (Maleldil) wants her to know good for herself, rather than learning it from her husband the King or from Maleldil. He frames this as something Maleldil actually desires for her:

“Since Piebald and I have come to your world we have put many things into your mind which Maleldil has not. Do you not see that He is letting go of your hand a little?” “How could He? He is wherever we go.” “Yes, but in another way. He is making you older — making you to learn things not straight from Him but by your own meetings with other people and your own questions and thoughts.” (C. S. Lewis, Perelandra, Chapter 8)

And though the actual locus of the temptation is distinct between fruit and Fixed Lands, the actual temptation is the same, to know good in and of oneself, rather than receiving it graciously from God. For Eve the temptation was couched in terms of God being stingy towards man, that He was keeping a great good from them. In this way the tempter was presenting himself as a liberator from bondage or oppression, but also subtly hinting that they could have even deeper union with God in that they would be like gods, if only they had the courage to do so.

Weston’s temptation of the Green Lady follows similar lines, although with more of an emphasis on enlisting God into the affirmation of her will and of her desires and actions. He tries to convince her that Maleldil wants her to break this one command, and that by doing so she will be in fact pleasing Him:

He longs — oh, how greatly He longs to see His creature become fully itself, to stand up in its own reason and its own courage even against Him. But how can He tell it to do this? That would spoil all. Whatever it did after that would only be one more step taken with Him. This is the one thing of all the things He desires in which He must have no finger. Do you think He is not weary of seeing nothing but Himself in all that He has made? If that contented Him, why should He create at all? To find the Other — the thing whose will is no longer His — that is Maleldil’s desire.” (C. S. Lewis, Perelandra, Chapter 9)

Ransom—Piebald from earlier—was also sent to Perelandra by the eldil to counter Weston, and interjects with some reason:

“I think He made one law of that kind in order that there might be obedience. In all these other matters what you call obeying Him is but doing what seems good in your own eyes also. Is love content with that? You do them, indeed, because they are His will, but not only because they are His will. Where can you taste the joy of obeying unless He bids you do something for which His bidding is the only reason? When we spoke last you said that if you told the beasts to walk on their heads, they would delight to do so. So I know that you understand well what I am saying.” (C. S. Lewis, Perelandra, Chapter 9)

Obedience to God’s law for the sake of obedience is the essence of love and charity towards God, even if our understanding does not always attain to the reasons behind them. But that is, after all, the essence of faith, in believing and loving God for His own sake, rather than because we have come to a rational apprehension of the why behind it. It is, in fact, when we attempt to temper God’s law according to our own understanding that we begin to enlist God into affirming our desires and our wills, so that we try and get God’s stamp of approval for all our choices and actions, which eventually ends in deception wherein we call evil good and good evil.

As St. Augustine noted in commenting on this passage, if we think that God approves of our evil actions, we call into question God’s justice and righteousness, by which we make Him into no God at all, and thus in our hearts truly and foolishly say there is no God.

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For this animation I wanted it to be a bit chaotic, and so I found a background texture and and used some wiggle hold in the position and rotation, and then added in the text. I applied some heavy chromatic aberration to give it more of a crazy look and then added in some overlay textures, glows and glitches for the final animation.

Enjoy.

View a higher quality version of this gif here: