Изъяснение псалма 21-го.

Ps.21:1. To the head of the choir. When dawn appears. Psalm of David. “At the end, about the intercession of the morning, a psalm to David.” This psalm foreshadows the suffering and resurrection of the Lord Christ, the calling of the pagans and the salvation of the universe. This also makes it possible to see the inscription; because the “morning intercession” is the coming of our Savior, who, like the morning, has risen to those who sit in darkness. The Lord is the true light; the rising light produces morning, with the appearance of which darkness is dispelled. Therefore a psalm was spoken about Him. For the sacred Apostles and the Savior Himself, who clearly pronounced the beginning of the psalm about Himself, must be believed more than those who attempt to interpret it differently. Ps.21:2. My God! My God! [listen to me] why have you forsaken me? The words of my cry are far from saving me. “God, My God, consider Me, Thou hast forsaken Me.” Nailed to the tree, the Lord spoke these words, using the most Jewish sayings: “Eli Or, lima sabachvani” (Matthew 27:46). How can one reject the testimony of Truth itself? He says that He was abandoned because, although He did not commit a single sin, He was nevertheless given over to death, which assumed power over those who sinned. Therefore, what he calls abandonment is not the separation of the united Divinity, as some believed, but the allowing of suffering to occur. For the Divinity was inherent in the suffering image of the slave, and allowed him to suffer, arranging the salvation of all nature, but he himself did not suffer from this suffering. For was it possible for a passionless nature to suffer? The Lord Christ speaks this as a man. And since He was the firstfruits of human nature, He utters the words in the adjunct for all nature: “Far from My salvation is the word of My sins.” It should be known that none of the other translators mentioned the Falls; On the contrary, Aquila translated: “my sobs.” Symmachus: “my lamentations”, Theodotion: “my cry”. But so as not to think that we are using other translators here with the intention of exposing those who interpreted this psalm differently, we will adhere to the translation of the Seventy; because, taking into account the expression of the Seventy, these interpreters argued that the psalm was not befitting the Savior. They said: How is it possible for someone who has not sinned to say: “Far from My salvation is the word of My sins”? Therefore, let them hear the great John, who cries: “Behold, Lamb of God, take away the sins of the world” (John 1:29); and the divine Paul, who says: “He who knew no sin, commit sin for us, that we may be righteous towards Him” (2 Cor. 5:21); and again: “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, becoming a curse against us” (Gal. 3:13). Therefore, just as, being the source of truth, he took upon himself our sin, and being a sea of ​​blessing, he accepted the oath imposed on us, and “endured the cross, heedless of shame” (Heb. 12:2), so he spoke these words for us. For, if He voluntarily subjected Himself to the punishment determined for us, “the punishment of our peace is upon Him,” as the Prophet says (Is. 53:5): much more, instead of us, He spoke these words for us, and cries out: “Far from My salvation are the words of My sins.” Do not look, he says, at the sins of nature, but grant salvation for my suffering. And since, according to humanity, enduring suffering, during it he repeatedly prayed, saying: “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me” (Matthew 26:39), and with sadness he said: “My soul is sorrowful unto death” (Matthew 26:38); then the psalm foreshadowing this, rightly said: Ps.21:3. My God! I cry during the day, and You do not listen to me, at night, and there is no peace for me. “My God, I will call in the days, and you will not hear: and in the night, and not to my madness.” Or according to the translation of others: “and in the night, and not silence”; that is, day and night I cried incessantly, and could not remain silent; But You did not hear, but gave Him over to suffering. However, I know the secret of this house-building. For this is expressed by the words: “and I am not foolish.” I realized that it was not in vain that you delayed the fulfillment of the request, but that you were constructing something great and saving in suffering. Ps.21:4. But You, O Holy One, live among the praises of Israel. “You live in holy things, praise to Israel.” What is most extraordinary is that suffering occurs while You dwell in this holy body. The Prophet calls Him the praise of Israel, as one who is praised and hymned by His own servants. For instead of the word “praise,” other translators used the word “song.” Ps.21:5. Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You delivered them. Ps.21:6. They cried to You and were saved; They trusted in You and did not remain in shame. “In Thee did our fathers trust.” It also shows the benefits of hope. “I trusted, and I delivered: I cried out to You, and was saved: I trusted in You, and was not ashamed.” But I know clearly, he says, that all our fathers placed their hope in Your help, and were not deceived in their hope, and having called on You for help, they took advantage of Your providence. Ps.21:7. I am a worm, not a man, reproached by people and contempted by the people. “I am a worm, and not a man, a reproach to men, and a disgrace to men.” Like a worm, I seemed insignificant and became an object of ridicule. Others said that the image of a worm also means birth from a virgin, because a worm does not receive its existence from copulation. But I think that here the worm only means humiliation. And I guess so, because it is said: Ps.21:8. Everyone who sees me curses at me, speaking with their lips, nodding their heads. Ps.21:9. “He trusted in the Lord; let him deliver him, let him save him, if he pleases him.” “All those who saw Me mocked, spoke with their lips, and nodded their heads.” “Let him trust in the Lord, that he may deliver him: that he may save him as he willeth him.” And this is written in the Holy Gospel. For it is said: “They shook their heads and said: He saved others, but cannot save himself?” (Matthew 27:39, 42). And one of the thieves said: “If you are the Son of God, save yourself and this woman” (Luke 23:39). And we will also find in the Holy Gospel these words: “I trust in the Lord, that He may deliver Him; let Him save Him, as He wills Him” (Matthew 27:43). Ps.21:10. But You brought me out of the womb, You placed hope in me at my mother’s breasts. Ps.21:11. I was left to You from the womb; From my mother’s womb You are my God. “Because You plucked Me from the womb, My hope came from My mother’s suck.” “I am committed to You from falsehood, from the womb of My mother You are My God.” Blessed Isaiah also predicted this. For, having said: “Behold, a virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they will call His name Immanuel,” he added: “To bear oil and honey, before He understands good or evil, He will put away the evil one, choosing what is good” (Is. 7:14-16). Therefore, blessed David, presenting the face of the Lord Christ, says: “You created Me in the womb, and then brought Me out of it, and while still feeding on milk, falling on my mother’s breasts, I placed My hopes in Your care.” Ps.21:12. Do not move away from me, for sorrow is close, but there is no helper. Ps.21:13. Many bulls surrounded me; the fat Bashans surrounded me. Ps.21:14. They opened their mouth against me like a lion, hungry for prey and roaring. “Do not retreat from Me, for sorrow is near, for you cannot help Me.” For then the host of disciples also left Him. Then the Prophet predicts types of sorrows. “The fat young men have taken hold of Me.” “You opened Your mouth against Me, like a lion that roars and roars.” The Prophet calls the priests and scribes, who were entrusted with leadership over the people, and who acted very arrogantly, as bulls, and youths as those subordinate to them. He calls them fat, as having enjoyed the benefits given by Him. For this is what the great Moses foretold: “And Jacob ate, and was filled, and the beloved was denied: fat, thick, wide: and forsake the Lord who made Him” (Deut. 32:15). And blessed Hosea likens the people of God to a wild youth: “like a youth, Ephraim rushed furiously with a goad” (Hosea 4:16). He named the people Ephraim. So he says: “And Ephraim is a learned youth, to love debate” (Hos. 10:11), that is, he loves quarrels and stubbornness; because debate (νεικος) does not call victory, but perseverance, and showing the humiliation that follows, he adds: “I will step on her neck’s goodness,” I will humble her proud neck, and I will impose the yoke of slavery. Therefore, the psalm prefigures the revolt of the bishops, scribes and Pharisees, who, imitating the riot of bulls and the fury of lions, surrounded the Lord Christ. Ps.21:15. I was poured out like water; all my bones crumbled; my heart became like wax and melted in the midst of my insides. Ps.21:16. My strength has dried up like a shard; my tongue clung to my throat, and You brought me to the dust of death. “As water is poured out, and all my bones are scattered.” He calls the sacred Apostles bones; because the Church also calls it a body; and the strength of the body is the bones; they support everything that is soft and decaying in the body. During the suffering, all the Apostles scattered, splitting here and there, like water. “My heart was melted like wax in the midst of My belly.” “My strength has become weak, and My tongue has clung to My throat, and You have brought Me into the dust of death.” And all this happened during suffering; because the heart overflowed with fear, like wax from fire, and the fortress did not have the same effectiveness. And the tongue remained motionless. The Divine Evangelists inform us that the one repeatedly asked did not answer anything. And after suffering he is consigned to the grave, which the Prophet called the dust of death, because those given up for burial are covered with dust. Ps.21:17. For dogs have surrounded me, a crowd of evil ones has surrounded me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. Ps.21:18. One could count all my bones; and they look and make a spectacle out of me. “For a host of evildoers have overcome me, and have overcome me.” After the Jews, he mentions the pagan army; because the Jews delivered Him to the Gentiles. Therefore, the prophecy preserved the order of events. It was right that he called the Jews bulls and the pagans dogs. For it is said: “It is not good for a child to take away bread and give it to a dog” (Matthew 15:26). However, through suffering, those who were in ancient times dogs by faith entered into the rank of sons, and those who in ancient times enjoyed guardianship as sons accepted the name of dogs; because, like dogs, they were furious with the Lord. Blessed Paul cries out for them: “Beware from dogs, beware from evil workers, beware from being cut” (Phil. 3:2). And the prophetic word, calling them dogs, said: “A host of evil ones have conquered Me.” And then he describes what they dared to do. “I plowed My hands and My nose.” “You have cut up all my bones.” And this is obvious and clear even to the most stubborn. For we hear in the Holy Gospel, the Lord Himself says to His holy disciples: “You see My hands and My nose, for I myself am” (Luke 24:39). Yes, and Thomas showed the wounds of the nail and the wound of the spear. What was said: “they cut out all My bones” means: those who nailed them strained My body so much that if anyone wanted, it would not be difficult for him to find out the number of bones. “They watched and despised Me,” that is, they mocked and laughed at Me. Ps.21:19. They divide my garments among themselves and cast lots for my clothes. “I divided My garments for myself, and cast lots for My clothing.” And the sacred gospel story clearly announces this. Ps.21:20. But You, Lord, do not move away from me; my strength! hurry to help me. “But You, Lord, do not remove Your help from Me, attend to my intercession.” Ps.21:21. Deliver my soul from the sword and my lonely from the dogs. “Deliver My soul from the weapon: and from the hand of the dog My only begotten.” Ps.21:22. Save me from the mouth of the lion and from the horns of the unicorns, having heard, deliver me. “Save Me from the mouth of lions, and save My humility from the horn of the unicorn.” since, he says, I have no human help, then may I have Your intercession, and may I get rid of both them and the one who acts through them and attacks Me like a dog and a lion. For he calls the lion, the dog and the unicorn “the one who has,” according to the apostolic word, “the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14), who even during the time of suffering advanced on Him like a beast, causing death. The Lord said this in the Divine Gospel: “Now is the judgment of this world: now the prince of this world will be cast out” (John 12:31); and again: “The prince of this world is coming, and in Me he will find nothing” (John 14:30). However, having not found anything that he was looking for (and looking for the reproaches of sin), he shamelessly and extremely unjustly put him to death. He suffered injustice, having arranged to destroy the common death. Ps.21:23. I will proclaim Your name to my brothers, in the midst of the congregation I will praise You. “I will tell Your name to my brethren: in the midst of the church I will sing to You.” And from here it is clear that He spoke this according to humanity, because according to humanity He endured what He said. For He calls those who believe in Him brethren; but they are His brethren as to a man; because as God, He is Lord and Lord, and as a man, He is also called brother. He is the only begotten and the firstborn; and one thing befits Him as God and Lord, and the other as a man. Just as God was born alone and is called the only begotten. And as a person, he is also called the firstborn. And the witness to this is the Apostle, who says: “For He was the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom. 8:29). Therefore, he says, having told this to My brethren, through them I will sing to You, causing them to compose this song to You. Then he fulfills his promise. Ps.21:24. Those who fear the Lord! praise Him. All the seed of Jacob! glorify Him. Let all the seed of Israel revere Him. “You who fear the Lord, praise Him, all the seed of Jacob, glorify Him, so that all the seed of Israel may fear Him.” Since the Church was made up of both pagans and Jews, she encourages both to sing, calling some after their ancestor Jacob and Israel, and others fearing God because of virtue, which alone is sufficient to adorn instead of gender. But it was customary to call the Jews who came to the law from among the pagans that way. And this is what the story of Acts teaches us. For the divine Apostle, speaking to the people, expressed himself this way: “men of Israel and those who fear God in you” (Acts 13:16). Ps.21:25. For He did not despise or disregard the sorrow of the sufferer, He did not hide His face from him, but heard him when he called to Him. “For thou shalt not despise, lower than the indignant prayer of a beggar, nor turn away Thy face from Me, and when Thou hast cried out to Him, having heard Me.” Sing, he says, to Him who became for you the author of this salvation, who did not want to despise your most humble nature, and through My resurrection brought about your salvation. After this, he makes it possible to see the equality with the Father that he has as God. For he added: Ps.21:26. In You is my praise in the great congregation; I will pay my vows to those who fear Him. “My praise comes from You, in the great church we will confess to You.” How I make You known to men; so You teach all people to give Me the same honor, sometimes saying: “This is My beloved Son, in Him I am well pleased: Hear Him” (Matthew 17:5), sometimes saying: “And I will glorify You and again I will glorify” (John 12:28). So in revelation he gave knowledge of Him to Peter, so he revealed Him to Paul, and so through them again to men. For the Prophet called the Church “great” the Church extending to the ends of the earth. “My prayers will I offer before those who fear Him.” Prayers (εὐχή) here does not call prayers, but vows. For the law also knows this difference in meaning: “if you promise a vow (ε ὔ ξ ῃ εὐχὴν) to the Lord” (Deut. 23:21), that is, you make some promise to God. So, since above He promised to sing praises through those who believed in Him; then here he expresses more clearly that he will bring the promises to fulfillment, so that those who learn from the words of God from the very events will learn the truth of these words. Since he mentioned the Church, he, of necessity, makes predictions about it, and foreshadows the calling of all nations. For he calls them wretched, as from ancient times they did not have the wealth of piety, but were enslaved to the wretchedness of ignorance. Ps.21:27. Let the poor eat and be satisfied; let those who seek Him praise the Lord; May your hearts live forever! “The wicked eat and are satisfied, and those who seek Him praise the Lord.” Not all will be satisfied, because not all have submitted to the Gospel, but those who have received the divine desire. He said about these hungry and thirsty people that they will be satisfied by enjoying immortal food. This divine food known to us is both spiritual teaching and the mysterious immortal supper, which those worthy of the mysteries know about. “Their hearts will live forever and ever,” because even the corruptible, still surrounded by a body, but inspired by the hope of resurrection, expect eternal life. Ps.21:28. All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the tribes of the heathen will bow before You. “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord.” It is well said: “they will be remembered,” because, having received being from God, they forgot the Creator. “All the ends of the earth” are not one people, and not two peoples, but from all the nations thousands will flow across the universe, and with zeal they will receive the light of the knowledge of God. “And the whole tongue of the fatherland will bow before Him.” And teaching that dominion is not alien, but actually belongs to God, he added: Ps.21:29. For the kingdom is the Lord's, and He is Ruler over the nations. “For the Lord’s is the kingdom, and He has tongues”; because God is not only the God of the Jews, but the Creator of all human nature. This is what the Apostle said: “Or is the God of the Jews only, and not of the tongues? her and languages. For there is one God, who will justify circumcision by faith and uncircumcision by faith” (Rom. 3:29–30). Ps.21:30. All the rich lands will eat and worship; All who go down into the dust and cannot save their lives will bow before Him. Ps.21:31. [My] descendants will serve Him, and will be called the Lord's forever. Ps.21:32. They will come and proclaim His truth to the people who are born, what the Lord has done. “All the fatness of the earth has eaten and bowed down: before Him shall all that go down into the earth fall.” For those who eat and are satisfied, testifying their gratitude for the immortal food, will worship the Giver of this as God. And since in the previous verse he mentioned some of the fat, who became so from this divine food, he added by the way: “before Him all who descend into the earth will fall”; because after the resurrection from the dead, some voluntarily, and others involuntarily; some out of love, and others out of fear, will render this worship to God, according to this apostolic word: “Every tribe of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth will worship Him, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:10-11). “And My soul lives for Him.” “And My seed shall work for Him.” And the seed of the Lord Christ are those who were reborn by the washing of rebirth and who received the gift of sonhood. Therefore, he said that His “soul lives” and does not work, but His seed works, because the perceived nature is united with the perceived Divinity and has become a participant in the same glory and honor. “The coming generation of the Lord will proclaim.” “And His righteousness will be proclaimed to the people, that they will be born as those who have, even as the Lord has done.” I do not mean this generation, says the Prophet, under whom I, David, foretell this. But I speak about the generation to come, about the people who will be born, which the Lord of all Himself has formed. So the Prophet foretold all this; and I cry about the lack of understanding of the Jews, about the fact that, constantly reading the words of God, they do not see the truth shining in them, but claim that the psalm was spoken about David, although they hear him himself crying: “The coming generation of the Lord will proclaim, and His righteousness will be proclaimed to people to be born to those who have, even as the Lord has created. All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the tongues of the fatherland will bow before Him. And all the fat people of the earth ate and worshiped Him.” For we see that nothing like this happened under David or under any of David’s descendants. There is only one Lord Christ, from David in the flesh God the Word became man, and from David received the form of a slave; because he filled the whole earth and sea with the knowledge of God, and from ancient times he convinced those who were given over to error and worshiped idols to worship the true God instead of non-existent gods. But, leaving the rant with the Jews, let us proceed to the present labors, to the explanation of the other psalms. You might be interested in: