Изъяснение псалма 129-го.

"Song of Degrees". The face of the righteous brings prayer to God; and this confirms the beginning of the psalm. Ps.129:1. From the depths I cry to You, Lord. “Out of the depths I called to you, Lord,” that is, from within, from my very heart, I send out prayer. For Divine Scripture accuses those who pray only with their lips; and in one place the Prophet Jeremiah says to the God of all: “Thou art near their mouth, but far from their bellies” (Jer. 12:2); and God himself, through the mouth of the Prophet Isaiah, accuses the Jews, saying: “This people honor Me with their lips, but in their hearts they are far from Me” (Is. 29:13). And now those who pray send their prayers from the depths of their hearts. Ps.129:2. Lord! hear my voice. Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my prayers. "Lord, hear my voice." “Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my prayer.” Although the Prophet expressed it in human terms; however, he knew the incorporeality of the Divine; because he called hearing also sight. Our eyes have the ability to see, and our ears are entrusted with the ability to hear; but with what God hears, He sees, with what He sees, He hears. Ps.129:3. If You, Lord, notice iniquities, - Lord! who can resist? “Lord, if you see iniquity.” The face of the righteous begs the Lord not to proportion punishments to sins. So blessed Ananias attributed the iniquity of the people to his own face. “Lord, who will stand?” If you hold the scales of judgment truthfully, who will be able to bear the sentence pronounced on him? For all must undergo destruction. “As if you have purification.” Your love for mankind is coupled with righteousness, and usually you are more likely to be the latter than the former. Ps.129:4. But with You is forgiveness, let them revere You. Ps.129:5. I hope in the Lord, my soul trusts; I trust in His word. “For Thy name’s sake, Lord, I have endured Thee; my soul has endured Thy word.” Instead of: “name,” Aquila and Theodotion translated: fear, and Symmachus: law. However, the meaning of the saying is clear. The Prophet says: knowing this goodness of Yours, because you are led by mercy, as if by some kind of law, I do not renounce good hopes, expecting the promised benefits. For the Prophet here called a good promise “by word.” God promised humanity to the repentant. “My soul trusts in the Lord,” “From the morning watch until night,” that is, all day; because the last hour of the night is the morning watch, and to this day the last watches stand on guard. “From the morning watch let Israel trust in the Lord.” The righteous are not content to have the wealth of hope in God, but they convince everyone else to strive for a similar acquisition, and show the benefit that comes from it. Ps.129:6. My soul waits for the Lord more than the watchmen wait for the morning, more than the watchmen wait for the morning. “For with the Lord is mercy, and with him is great deliverance: and he will deliver Israel from all their iniquities.” The prophetic word contains a prediction about the Master: for He is “the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). So the divine Gabriel said to the holy Virgin: “give birth to a Son and call His name Jesus” (Luke 1:31). “He will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). You might be interested in: