Judgement And Joy

Et hunc peccatorum a facie Dei interitum, necesse est ut justorum laetitia consequatur. Nam et continuo subjectum est: Et justi laetentur laetitia. Aequa enim judicii coelestis et justa moderatio est, ut peccatores morte conficere, ita, et justos laetitia munerari. Idipsum autem ad ostendendum judicii examen est consecutum: Exsultent in conspectu Dei, epulentur in laetitia. Mundo enim corde, secundum evangelicae benedictionis merita, conspectu Dei digni sunt. Verum laetari in laetitia significationis est altioris, causam scilicet perfectae laetitiae ostendens. Plerique enim in his quae sibi sunt nocitura laetantur ut gaudet lascivus in scortis, ut fur laetatur in furtis, ut unumquemque pro vitiis suis ea quae exercet oblectant. Verum qui in laetitia laetatur, causam laetitiae ex ipsius laetitiae honesta utilique veritate suscipit. Et idcirco ait: In laetitia laetentur, quia in conspectu Dei exultabunt: eam verae exsultationis docens esse laetitiam, quae conspectus Dei jucunditate perfecta sit. Exsultationis autem hujus atque epulantium gaudia, ex quibus est laetitia justorum, sanctus Moyses in divina illa Deuteronomii cantione ita meminit, dicens: Jucundamini coeli simul cum eo, et adorent eum omnes angeli Dei. Jucundamini gentes cum populo ejus, et confortent eos omnes filii Dei. In hac itaque laetitia laetabuntur et justi, coelesti gaudio unanimes, exsultationis divinae societate laetantes. Sanctus Hilarius Pictaviensis, Tractatus super Psalmos, Tractatus in Psalmum LXVII Source: Migne PL 9.444b-c

With this destruction of sinners from the face of God it is necessary that the joy of the righteous should follow, and so the Psalm continues, 'And the righteous shall rejoice in joy.' 1 The just and fair arrangement of the heavenly judgement is that sinners are swept away by death and the righteous are gifted joy. And immediately the result of judgment is revealed, 'They shall exult in the sight of God, they shall feast in joy.' With pure hearts, according to that merited by the evangelical blessing, they are made worthy of the sight of God. 2 This rejoicing in joy has a higher meaning, that is, it reveals the cause of true joy. For many rejoice in things which are harmful, so that a lascivious man has his joy in whores, a thief in theft, and likewise whoever delights in exerting himself in his vices. He who rejoices in joy, takes up the cause of joy from a true and upright and beneficial joy. And therefore it says that they shall rejoice in joy, because they shall exult in the sight of God, which teaches that the joy of true exultation is perfected in the delight in the sight of God. The joy of this exultation and feasting from which is the joy of the righteous, Moses mentions in that divine song in Deuteronomy, 'Let the heavens rejoice with Him, and let all the angels of God adore Him. Let all the nations rejoice with His people, and let all the sons of God strengthen them.' 3 In this, then, the righteous rejoice in joy, united with the joy of heaven, rejoicing in the association with Divine exultation. Saint Hilary of Poitiers, Homilies on the Psalms, from Psalm 65 1 Ps 67.4 2 Mt 5.8 3 Deut 32.43