and joyful in charity. A troubled heart, as mentioned in Psalm 142, signifies a person vexed by hardships and temptations, which must be resisted at all costs.

St. Augustine explains that "approaching a deep heart" in Psalm 63 means to understand the secrets of the Most High God. In Isaiah, a blinded heart signifies the hearts of the Jews at the coming of Christ, overwhelmed by a dark confusion. A contrite heart in Psalm 50 designates a person who scorns themselves and worldly things, devoting themselves solely to the study of divine matters. In the same Psalm, a pure heart represents one who meditates only on sublime things. Furthermore, in Psalm 137, to "give one's heart to God" is nothing other than directing all thoughts and actions toward the Highest God as the ultimate goal. For this reason, in the daily sacrifice of the Mass, the Priest recites these words in the Preface: "Lift up your hearts" (*Sursum corda*), so that everyone understands that human concerns must be set aside and the mind directed toward its heavenly home.

A hardened and burdened heart in Exodus describes a person so overwhelmed by crimes that they do not repent even when struck by calamities. Akin to this is the stony heart mentioned in Ezekiel. Some interpret this, not inaccurately, as the original stain of sin, since the Prophet says: "I will take away the stony heart and give you a heart of flesh"—referring to Baptism, or the inclination toward God's law infused by the Holy Spirit during baptism; this is how Galatinus explains it. The heart of the bridegroom in the Song of Songs represents one who meditates daily on wisdom and mysteries. To "find the heart," as in the history of the Kings, signifies a hatred of sin. Conversely, in Psalm 49, to be "abandoned by the heart" indicates a soul prone to crime. The heart of a man given to a beast in Daniel denotes a fleshy heart granted to one compared to senseless cattle. The heart of the King is said to "perish" in Jeremiah when Princes and Doctors of the Church fall away from the faith. In Psalm 65, St. Augustine interprets "looking upon iniquity in the heart" as embracing one's crimes. Finally, because the heart lies hidden in the innermost recesses of the chest, it is used in the sacred pages to signify something concealed. Indeed, it is sometimes used to mean a tomb, which is built in the bowels of the earth just as the heart is buried in the chest; for this reason, Christ in the Gospel called the tomb "the heart of the earth," saying: "the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights."

The arms are the next parts to be considered. The arms of God the Father signify the Son and the Holy Spirit, according to the assertion in Isaiah: "my arms shall judge the peoples." St. Augustine explains this in his book *On the Essence of the Divinity*. Therefore, many theologians not unreasonably interpret the "Arm of the Lord" as the Son, since Isaiah offers these words: "To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? He himself bore our labors and carried our sorrows; he was wounded for our iniquities and bruised for our sins; the discipline of our peace was upon him, and by his bruises we are healed." In another sense, this arm is proclaimed as the power and justice of God; for we read in Psalm 20: "Until I announce your arm to every generation that is to come." Likewise, the "exalted arm" in Psalm 135 designates Christ, or his power, which brought about the most holy redemption of the human race during his Passion.

The "arm gathering ears of grain" in Isaiah represents the Apostles and preachers who drew some of the Jews toward good fruit and the path of salvation. By the "outstretched arm" in Jeremiah, many understand those wonders and miracles which the Supreme Architect performed when leading the people back from Egypt. However, others interpret it as the power of the divine name—a name which Moses extended into many branches when he brought the Law. For the Law was nothing other than the name of God extended into its various names and titles, as many theologians assert.

When the Psalmist writes that the arm of the transgressor shall be broken, Origen understands this as a weakened arm, since it extends itself to no work of mercy or kindness. Regarding the arm "cast off" by God in Malachi, Lauretus, in his *Silva Allegoriarum*, explains this as wicked works that are neglected and rejected by God. Isaiah once pronounced these words: "A man shall eat the flesh of his own arm." Many explain this as a symbol of a man invading another's property, or to denote the vice of an ungrate