Изъяснение псалма 1-го.

Ps.1:1. Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, and does not stand in the way of sinners, and does not sit in the seat of the wicked. “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, and does not stand in the path of sinners, and does not sit in the seats of destroyers.” From this it is not difficult to see that those who translated the divine Scriptures, which in ancient times found inscriptions among the Jews, translated them into the Hellenic language. For this and the following psalm, having been found uninscribed, they left without an inscription, not daring to add anything of their own to the words of the Spirit. Some of those who described the contents of the psalms argued that this psalm contains moral teaching. But it seems to me that he is no less dogmatic than moral. For it contains an accusation not only of sinners, but also of the wicked, and advises to constantly listen to Divine words, from which we derive not only moral, but also dogmatic benefit. Very appropriately, the great David presented his own writing with blessings, imitating in that his Son and at the same time the Master, I mean the Savior Christ, Who began the teaching taught to the sacred disciples with blessings, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for for them is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). The Lord Christ, as a man, is the son of David, according to the saying of the sacred Gospel: “the book of the kinship of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1); and as God, he is the Lord and Creator of it; Here is the saying of David himself about this: “The Lord said to My Lord: Sit at My right hand” (Ps. 109:1). Therefore, David pleases the one who did not follow the common path with the wicked, did not accept the indispensable advice of sinners (for he called this standing), and avoids the constant corruption of the destroyers. Although the title blessed is a divine designation (the divine Apostle is a witness to this when he cries: “blessed and the only mighty one, the King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Tim. 6:15), yet the Lord God communicated this name, like other names, to people. For, being called faithful (it is said: “God is faithful, in whom He quickly called His Son into fellowship" ( 1 Cor. 1:9); and blessed Moses says: “God is faithful, and there is no unrighteousness in Him” (Deut. 32:4), and he called the people who undoubtedly accepted His words faithful. Likewise, being and being called God, the Greatly Gifted One communicated this name to people, and says: “Az rekh: you are naturally gods and sons of the Most High: but you die like men” (Ps. 82:6-7). And so, the name: “blessed” is the fruit of improvement in virtue. For, just as every activity in life has its own goal, and exercise in struggle - olive crowns, military affairs - victories and victorious monuments, medicine - health and deliverance from illnesses, merchants - collecting money and increasing wealth; so the science of virtue has as its fruit and goal Divine gratification. But seeing that only the husband is pleased here, no one will think that the female sex is deprived of pleasure; because the Lord Christ, having presented the pleasures of husbands, did not forbid wives from acquiring virtue. The Word of God includes men and women; because “the head of the wife is the husband,” as the divine Apostle says (1 Cor. 11:3). The members of the body are united with the head and rejoice when the head is crowned. Likewise, when we address someone and call him a dear head, we do not separate the bodily members, but under the name of the part we greet the whole. It was not just that David first mentioned the path, then about standing, and finally about sitting gray, but on the contrary, knowing exactly that the thought, whether it be bad or good, first comes into motion, and then is established, and after this it assumes a certain unshakable constancy. Therefore, the Prophet advises not to allow any evil thought into the mind and not to embark on an unlawful deed. Divine Scripture usually calls those who are devoted to atheism or polytheism wicked, and sinners - those who intend to live in lawlessness and love a depraved life, and destroyers - not only those who bring themselves to destruction, but also those who spread destruction to others, like a disease that affects people and animals, which infects those who approach them. Therefore the word commands their hosts to flee. But to improve in virtue, it is not enough to avoid only vice; it is said: “turn away from evil and do good” (Ps. 33:15); and blessed Isaiah says: “Cease from your wickedness, learn to do good” (Is. 1:16-17). Therefore, blessed David very rightly added: Ps.1:2. But his will is in the law of the Lord, and he meditates on His law day and night! “But his will is in the law of the Lord, and in his law he will learn day and night.” One must not only disdain what was said above, but day and night heed God’s law, desire what the divine law inspires, and arrange one’s own life in accordance with it. For this is how the God of all things laid down the law, saying through Moses: Let the words of this law always be in your mouth, learn from them, “as you sit, and when you stand up, and when you lie down, and when you walk along the way. And I will bind it on your hand, and let it be unshakable before your eyes” (Deut. 6:7-8). Then the Prophet shows the fruit growing from this. For he says: Ps.1:3. And he will be like a tree planted by streams of water, which brings forth its fruit in its season, and whose leaf does not wither; and in everything he does, he will succeed. “And it shall be, like a tree planted at the issue of water, that it will yield its fruit in its season, and its leaf will not fall away, and everything that it creates will prosper”; because the streams of the Divine Spirit act like water irrigation. How waters make the trees planted with them bloom; thus the Spirit imparts the power to bear divine fruits. That is why the Lord Christ called His teaching water. For he says: “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink” (John 7:37); “The water that I will give him will be a fountain of living water flowing into an everlasting belly” (John 4:14); and again: “Believe in Me, as the Scripture says, rivers from his belly will flow out as living waters” (John 7:38). And he also says to the Samaritan woman: “He who drinks from this water will again thirst, but whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never thirst” (John 4:13–14). So through the Prophet Isaiah says: “I will give thirst to those who walk in the abyss; I will open springs on the mountains, and on the hills rivers to water my chosen generation, my people, whom I have provided” (Is. 41:18, Is. 43:20–21). Therefore, blessed David rightly likened those learning Divine words to trees planted on the banks of the water, whose leaves are always green, and which bear fruit in due season, because the ascetics of virtue, although they collect the fruits of their labors in the future life, nevertheless here, as if some leaves, constantly carrying good hope within themselves, turn green and rejoice, and in the delight of the spirit bear the burden of labor. And the greatly gifted Master always promotes their zeal, because “to those who love God,” as the divine Apostle says, “all things work together for good” (Rom. 8:28). That is why blessed David said: “and whatever he does, he will succeed.” For “from the Lord,” he says, “a man’s feet are made straight, and his ways are greatly delighted” (Ps. 36:23). But not simply, but with great precision, he says: “all.” For, having first forbidden all types of vice, and having shown the perfection of the Divine laws, he then added: “Everything that he does will prosper,” knowing that he, agreeing his will with the Divine law, will not want to do anything contrary to the law, since it is said: “his will is in the law of the Lord.” Thus, having aroused through this to virtue and taught perfect wisdom, the Prophet strengthens the ascetics with the idea of the opposite, and says: Ps.1:4. Not so - the wicked, [not so]: but they are like dust swept away by the wind [from the face of the earth]. “Not so wicked, not so.” Intensifying the negation shows the opposite more clearly. “But like dust, the wind sweeps it away from the face of the earth.” The devotees of virtue, watered by Divine words, eternally grow green and bear timely fruit, while the wicked, trampled underfoot by hostile spirits, are likened to dust, which is conveniently carried hither and thither by contrary winds. Ps.1:5. Therefore the wicked will not stand in judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. “For this reason the wicked will not rise again for judgment, nor the sinner for the council of the righteous.” The All-Holy Spirit outlined everything with great accuracy. He did not say: “the wicked will not be resurrected,” but “they will not be resurrected for judgment,” that is, they will be resurrected, but not for judgment, but for condemnation; because they have no need for reproof, and their wickedness is obvious, they expect only punishment. Just as they are brought to the court not in order to convict, but in order to pronounce a sentence on them in accordance with the laws: so those who spent their lives in wickedness will immediately be punished after the resurrection, and will not be brought to trial, but will hear a sentence of execution. And those who apostatized from evil teachings, but led a lawless life, will be placed far from the host of the righteous. For the word: “council” was translated by Aquila and Theodotion as “assembly”, and Symmachus as “confluence”. Ps.1:6. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. “For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, and the way of the wicked will perish,” that is, a righteous judge knows everything before the judgment, and has no need for either proof or accusation. Therefore, giving each his due, he will honor some with glorification and crowns, while others he will send to eternal torment. You might be interested in: