Martin Luther on Psalms 132:15

Verse. 15. Her vitailes I will blesse, and will satisfie her poore with bread.

This word vitailes signifieth properly a pray. Why ye Scripture calleth our foode and sustenance a pray. But why doth the Scripture so call the sustenance whereby we liue? Euen for the same cause for the which Christ calleth it our dayly breade: So that, like as beastes doe dayly followe their pray and finde it, they sowe not, they labour not, but by pray they atteyne all that they haue: Euen so shoulde we not heape vppe that through couetousnes and incredulitie, which may serue vs for many yeres, but shoulde daily looke for and receiue at the handes of the Lord, that which is dayly offered vnto vs, (employing our labour notwithstanding as a meane to atteine the same) & therewith be content, as the beast is when he hath obteined his pray. For couetousnes & incredulitie is not content with present benefits, although ye Lorde doe neuer so faythfully promise to feede vs, and giue vs all things necessary for this life. Thus the Scripture properly & very aptly calleth our foode and sustenance a pray which commeth vnto vs taking no care, but labouring & leauing ye care vnto God, as our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs, Matt. 6. who commaundeth vs to labour and diligently endeuour to doe that belongeth to our vocation: for of the Hebrewes that is counted labour which euery day hath and bringeth with it. But withall he commaundeth vs to take no thought for worldly thinges, but to leaue all carefulnes vnto the Lorde who promiseth that we shall no more lacke then the birdes and other beastes doe, which haue that is sufficient, and yet labour not nor make prouision for the same. For this is not the ende of our labour, that in this life we should still seeke to enrich our selues and neuer be satisfied. For although we haue the treasures of this world, yet with this life we must forsake them. And like as this life is not certeine, but is as a pray, which we so long enioy as it pleaseth the Lorde: euen so is the portion of our sustenance but, as you would say, a snatch, wherewith we must be content to liue, and not be carefull for the time to come. So doth this word condemne all faithlesse carefulnes and carefull incredulitie, wherewith notwithstanding we can nothing preuaile.

A saying of Cyprian worthy to be remembred. Cyprian hath a goodly saying to this effect and worthie to be remembred. Christians (saith he) which haue forsaken this world, doe so litle care for earthly thinges, that they aske no more but foode and rayment. For their hartes are fixed vppon the eternall treasures of the world to come. They seeke to liue but from day to day, as straungers hauing here no continuing citie, but looking for one to come. And good cause there is why yt Disciple of Christ should desire no more but for the present day, which is commaunded not to be careful for to morrowe. For it is an absurde thing that we should desire to liue long in this world, which pray for the spedy comming of the kingdom of Christ.

Bread what it signifieth. That which followeth: & her poore I will satisfie with bread, is a phrase or kind of speech well knowne. For breade the Hebrewes are wont to call meate and drinke, like as we call vitailes whatsoeuer perteineth to our foode and sustenance. These things he promiseth, but to the poore: for so he calleth his people. For he seeth the condition of his Church to be such, that in the middes of the riches and wealth of the world, it onely hungreth & thirsteth. The pouertie of the Leuites was exceeding great vntill they aspired to honor and dignitie, as also our Prelates doe. For Satan so ruleth in these matters, that he neuer ceaseth to oppresse the ministerie as much as in him lyeth, with pouertie and contempt. This many not contented to beare, doe fall so farre, that rather then they will lack, they will teach the thinges that please men, that so they may attaine to wealth and dignitie.

The godly must therefore hold fast this promise: that the Lord saith he will giue breade vnto his poore. For both these thinges shall come to passe, that they shall haue breade, and yet they shall be poore. And why? Because the kingdom of Christ is not of this world. Let those therefore which are of the ministery, and are the principall part of this kingdom, be content to suffer reproch, hatred and contempt, or else let them be no ministers. For the inheritance of this world is not promised to the godly, but the assured and euerlasting inhertiance of the life to come. Wherefore Christ calleth the poore in spirite, blessed and happy, which notwithstanding must suffer many calamities. On the other side, those that abound in wealth and are full, he calleth miserable and vnhappy, because the time shall come when they shall weepe. Wherefore let vs thus make our account, that if we wil be the people of God, we must in this life content our selues with those thinges whiche are necessary for the back and the belly. All other incommodities let vs patiently beare and ouercome in hope of the glory whiche shall be reuealed vpon the sonnes of God.