The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tested in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
7. "The words of the Lord" are "pure words" (ver. 6). This is in the person of the Prophet himself, "The words of the Lord" are "pure words." He says "pure," without the alloy of pretence. For many preach the truth impurely; for they sell it for the bribe of the advantages of this life. Of such the Apostle says, that they declared Christ not purely. "Silver tried by the fire for the earth." These words of the Lord by means of tribulations approved to sinners. "Purified seven times:" by the fear of God, by godliness, by knowledge, by might, by counsel, by understanding, by wisdom. For seven steps also of beatitude there are, which the Lord goes over, according to Matthew, in the same sermon which He spake on the Mount, "Blessed" are "the poor in spirit, blessed the meek, blessed they that mourn, blessed they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, blessed the merciful, blessed the pure in heart, blessed the peacemakers." Of which seven sentences, it may be observed how all that ...
Pure words, very different from those of the deceitful, ver. 3. (Calmet)
Earth, dross, or in the crucible, or "for the ruler of earth: "(Pagnin; Haydock) current money. If we alter the Hebrew a little, it may be, "with care, (bahalil, which is never elsewhere used for a crucible) gold refined seven times "often, (Proverbs xxiv. 16.) or as much as possible. (Calmet)
