Изъяснение псалма 119-го.

"Song of Degrees". Theodotion translated: the song of ascensions, and Symmachus and Aquila: the ascents. The ascensions or degrees indicate the return of the captive people from Babylon. For the grace of the Spirit, foreseeing both captivity and future liberation, predicted both, both arranging something useful for the Jews and bringing benefit to us. Not every song of the degrees foretells the same thing, but one represents the disasters in Babylon, another the good news of the return, another the joy on the way, another the wars that happened after the return, and another the building of the church; and the variety of prophecies makes it impossible to get enough of this sweet singing. Each of these psalms is presented as if sung by the face of the saints who were then; for the prophetic word introduces them to express what is proposed. The first psalm of degrees depicts both disasters and God's favor. Ps.119:1. I cried out to the Lord in my sorrow, and He heard me. “I cried out to the Lord when I was in sorrow, and he heard me.” The beginning of the psalm shows both the greatness of sorrow and the abundance of God’s love for mankind. The lamentant says: I begged the Lord, and was granted favor. Then he retells what words he said while praying. Ps.119:2. God! deliver my soul from lying lips, from an evil tongue. “Lord, deliver my soul from the lips of the unrighteous and from the tongue of flattery,” that is, I beg you to deliver me from those who are malicious and unrighteously use cunning deception. Such were those who laid snares for the praying Daniel and the evil accusers of Ananias and his friends. Ps.119:3. What will the evil tongue give you and what will it add to you? Ps.119:4. Sophisticated arrows of the strong, with burning coals of wood. “What will be given to you or what will be added to you with a flattering tongue?” “The arrows of the strong are refined, with desert coals.” Here the grace of the Spirit comforts those oppressed by grief, and shows what a truthful judgment is pronounced on those who act treacherously. For the Prophet calls the God of all “strong”, and the speed of punishments by “arrows of the strong”, and borrows the image of speech from the fired arrows, which conveniently cut through the air; “desert coals” depicts the cruelty of punishment, its destroying and devastating power. For this is the property of fire. The Prophet seems to say this: do not be disheartened by the tongue of the unrighteous; the punishments sent by the Righteous Judge are likened to the speed of arrows and the devastating power of coals. Ps.119:5. Woe is me that I dwell with Mosoch, I dwell at the tents of Kedar. “Alas for me, for my coming will continue.” I said this while praying, and the Lover of Mankind, hearing this, was moved with compassion. The Prophet calls being in a foreign country an “alienation.” The time of seventy years is rightly considered long. The Prophet said that this is the perfect length of human life. “The days of our years,” he says, “are seventy years in them” (Psalm 89:10). “I moved from the village of Kedar.” Kidar is the second son of Ishmael; His descendants still live near Babylon. And so, since from ancient times they were hostile to each other (it is said: “Give away the servant and her son: for the son of the servant shall not inherit with my son Isaac” (Gen. 21:10); they rightly complain about themselves that they are deprived of their former freedom, live near those who are almost their slaves, and themselves are forced to servile. Ps.119:6. My soul lived long with those who hated the world. Ps.119:7. I am peaceful: but as soon as I speak, they lead to war. “My soul has traveled many times,” that is, the time of migration is long. “With those who hate the world, be at peace:” “Whenever you say to them, I fight you.” Here the evil behavior of the Babylonians is shown; because, not having anything to accuse them of, they plotted evil and treated those who loved the world as enemies. You might be interested in: