Изъяснение псалма 20-го.

Ps.20:1. To the head of the choir. Psalm of David. “In the end, a psalm to David.” After this brilliant and glorious victory, after the visible death of the Assyrians, blessed Hezekiah fell into illness, and having learned through the Prophet Isaiah that he would die, he propitiated God with hot tears, and not only received liberation from the disease, but was also promised fifteen years of life. Therefore, the divine David, as if on behalf of the people, also wrote this psalm, hymning God for recovery of the king. Ps.20:2. Lord! The king rejoices in Your power and rejoices immensely in Your salvation. Ps.20:3. You gave him what his heart desired, and you did not reject the request of his lips. “Lord, in Your power the king will rejoice, and in Your salvation he will rejoice greatly.” “Thou hast given him the desire of his heart, and thou hast taken away from him the desire of his mouth.” How strong and philanthropic, says the Prophet, You graciously accepted the prayer of our king, and gave him everything he asked; It would be better to say that he granted him even more than he asked for. For he also added this: Ps.20:4. For You greeted him with the blessings of goodness, You placed a crown of pure gold on his head. “As you preceded him with a blessed blessing, you placed on his head a crown from an honorable stone”; because he gave him a kingdom, which he did not ask for, and out of His own generosity adorned his head with a royal crown. Ps.20:5. He asked You for life; You gave him longevity for ever and ever. “Belly asked you to eat, and you gave him the length of days forever and ever”; that is, he received what he asked for and accepted life as he wished. And the expression: “for ever and ever” also points to the future life, to which perishability belongs. Ps.20:6. Great is his glory in Thy salvation; You have placed upon him honor and greatness. “Great is his glory through Thy salvation: place glory and splendor on him”; because he not only granted him salvation, but also made him famous, high and worthy of wonder, both by miraculously beating his enemies and by returning the sun back. And this became so well known everywhere, on land and at sea, that the king of Babylon sent gifts to those who themselves had previously brought gifts to the Assyrians. For after the slaughter of the Assyrians, this king guessed that it was for Hezekiah’s sake that the sun made, or suffered, this return. Ps.20:7. You have placed blessings on him forever, you have made him glad with the joy of Your countenance. “For give him a blessing for ever and ever: make him glad with Thy face.” Yes, and in all generations he will be glorious, having taken such boldness before You. For the words: “with Your face” Symmachus translated: “before Your face.” Therefore, says the Prophet, he will rejoice and have constant pleasure, having been worthy of Your sight, that is, Your favor. And the reason for this was that I placed my trust in You. For the Prophet added the following: Ps.20:8. For the king trusts in the Lord, and in the goodness of the Most High he will not be shaken. “For the king trusts in the Lord, and is not moved by the mercy of the Most High.” He gains the upper hand over those at war, taking advantage of Your grace; and he uses it, not placing his trust in any person, but solely out of hope in You. Ps.20:9. Your hand will find all your enemies, your right hand will find [all] those who hate you. “Let Your hand be found against all Your enemies: Let Your right hand find all those who hate You.” Symmachus expressed this more clearly: “Your hand will embrace all Your enemies, Your right hand will find all those who hate You.” What was said has a close connection with the previous one. It was not in vain that the king encouraged himself with hope in You, but knowing that Your right hand would be able to crush all enemies. With the words: “right hand” and “hand” the Prophet again named God’s effectiveness. Ps.20:10. In the time of Your wrath You will make them like a fiery furnace; in His wrath the Lord will destroy them, and the fire will consume them. Ps.20:11. You will destroy their fruit from the earth and their seed from among the sons of men. “Thou shalt lay them down like a furnace of fire at the time of Thy face: the Lord will crush me with His wrath, and the fire will destroy them.” “You will destroy their fruit from the earth, and their seed from the sons of men.” It is not difficult for You, says the Prophet, to kindle them like a furnace, and, as a highly flammable substance, to destroy with fire, not only them, but also their descendants (for He called descendants both seed and fruit), so that all memory of them will be blotted out. He said: “in the time of face” instead of: “in the time of Your wrath,” when you decide to do this, and recognize the time as appropriate for punishment. Ps.20:12. For they undertook evil against You, they formed plans, but they could not [carry them out]. “Like I’m angry with you”; because they have raised up a tongue against you, and have spoken blasphemous words. “Having thought about the advice, they won’t be able to draw it up.” Some lists read: “compile”. And Symmachus put it this way: “they thought impossible thoughts.” And with this the Prophet predicts the blasphemous sayings of the Assyrian: “Let not God deceive you, in whom you place your trust, to deliver Jerusalem out of my hand” (2 Kings 18:28–35). About these sayings he says that they thought impossible thoughts, or “having thought about advice, they will not be able to formulate them,” hoping that just as they overcame idols, so they will overcome the true God. Ps.20:13. You will set them as a target, from Your bows You will shoot arrows at them. “As if I had laid a backbone.” Symmachus expressed it this way: “because you will make them look back.” For those who escaped defeat from the Angel you will put to flight, and you will force them to show their rear, so that when they come home, they will announce what has happened. The Prophet presented this in the form of a prediction, as something that had not yet come true. “Thou shalt prepare their face for Thy abundance.” This, as others argued, was said in the opposite sense, and was understood as follows: “Thou shalt prepare Thy face for Thy abundance,” that is, Thou shalt punish those who remained and those who escaped. But it is possible, while maintaining the same composition of words, to adapt the same thought to the words. “Thou shalt prepare their face for Thy abundance”; because it is not difficult and convenient for You to subject them to the executions remaining with You, and those who escaped, turned back, and think that they escaped death, it is possible for You to stop, return and punish. Ps.20:14. Be exalted, O Lord, by Your power: we will sing and glorify Your power. “Be exalted, O Lord, in Thy strength: let us sing and sing of Thy strength.” God does not ascend as one who is humiliated, nor does He accept anything that He did not have, but He reveals that He has. Therefore, the Prophet rightly said: “Be exalted, O Lord, in Your power.” For Your height is demonstrated by indescribable power, which we will constantly sing and praise You, telling Your wonders. You might be interested in: