Lover and friend have you put far from me, and my acquaintance into darkness.
Read Chapter 88
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
"A friend Thou hast put far from me: and mine acquaintance from my misery" (ver. 18). All these evils have taken place, and are happening in the limbs of Christ's body, and God turns away His face from their prayers, by not hearing as to what they wish for, since they know not that the fulfilment of their wishes would not be good for them. The Church is "poor," as she hungers and thirsts in her wanderings for that food with which she shall be filled in her own country: she is "in toils from her youth up," as the very Body of Christ saith in another Psalm, "Many a time have they overcome me from my youth." And for this reason some of her members are lifted up even in this world, that in them may be the greater lowliness. Over that Body, which constitutes the unity of the Saints and the faithful, whose Head is Christ, go the wraths of God: yet abide not: since it is of the unbelieving only that it is written, that "the wrath of God abideth upon him." The terrors of God disturb the weakne...
Misery. Hebrew, "darkness. "Thou hast permitted my friends to abandon me, and hast exposed me to disgrace. (Calmet)
They were afraid lest they might be involved in my calamities, (Menochius) if they appeared in my defence, (Haydock) or seemed to know me. (Du Hamel)
