Изъяснение псалма 25-го.

"Psalm to David." And this psalm, it seems to me, was spoken by the divine David about himself. I think that it was written before the previous psalm. In that David mentioned sin, and great sin (for he says: “Cleanse away my sin: there is much” (Ps. 24:11)); and here he describes his own various kinds of virtues. Why do I believe that I uttered these words when I was persecuted by Saul and forced to live with foreigners, where, seeing that they were given over to wickedness, superstition and all kinds of lawlessness, I avoided their meetings and public feasts in honor of demons. This interpretation of the sayings themselves will show this more clearly. Ps.25:1. Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity, and trusting in the Lord, I will not be shaken. “Judge me, Lord, for I have walked in kindness; and trusting in the Lord I will not faint.” Leading by simplicity, says the Prophet, without causing any harm to Saul, and so cruelly expelled, I beg You to become the Judge of my case. For I know You, O God, I have placed my hopes in Your providence, and I hope that I will not be delivered into the hands of persecutors. Ps.25:2. Tempt me, O Lord, and test me; melt my bowels and my heart. “Test me, O Lord, and try me, kindle my bowels and my heart.” And from this it is clear that the psalm was written before sin, because, as someone who lives in simplicity and gentleness, who has not experienced sin, he desires dangerous exploits. He calls thoughts the womb and the heart; and we talked about this many times. Ps.25:3. For Your mercy is before my eyes, and I have walked in Your truth. “For Thy mercy is before my eyes.” I beg you to subject me to temptation and set me on fire like gold, because I trust in Your mercy and expect help from it. Supported by it, “and I am well pleased in Thy truth.” Then he describes the types of benevolence. Ps.25:4. I have not sat with deceitful people, and I will not go with deceitful people. Ps.25:5. I have hated the gathering of evil-doers, and I will not sit with the wicked. “I do not ride with a vain crowd, nor do I go with lawbreakers.” “I hate the church of the wicked, and I will not sit with the wicked.” He says that I cared so much about pleasing You that when I was with wicked and lawless people, I avoided their meetings and harmful conversations with them. And this means staying with foreigners, with whom he was forced to live together during the flight, but did not agree to be an accomplice with them in wickedness and lawlessness. Ps.25:6. I will wash my hands in innocence and walk around Your altar, O Lord. Ps.25:7. To proclaim with the voice of praise and tell all Your wonders. “I will wash my innocent hands and build up your altar, O Lord”: “Let me hear the voice of Your praise, and tell me all Your wonders.” Therefore, I greatly abhor their superstition, but I desire to see Thy altar, O Lord, to listen with my ears to Thy hymns and to teach the ignorant the greatness of Thy wonders. And what was said: “I will wash my innocent hands,” is similar to what was done by Pilate, who, not wanting to become an accomplice in the murder of the Jews, washed his hands, and by his very deed showed his distance from what the Jews were committing. Therefore, says the Prophet, as innocent and having no communication with them, I will boldly wash my hands. Ps.25:8. God! I have loved the habitation of Your house and the dwelling place of Your glory. Ps.25:9. Do not destroy my soul with sinners and my life with the bloodthirsty. Ps.25:10. Whose hands are full of crime, and whose right hand is full of bribery. “Lord, I have loved the beauty of Your house and the dwelling place of Your glory.” “Do not destroy my soul with the wicked, and do not destroy my belly with the men of blood.” “In the hand of iniquity, their right hand is filled with gifts.” Instead of the word: “splendor,” Symmachus used: “palace”; and instead of the words: “men of blood”, “men of murder.” As quickly as possible, Master, says the Prophet, deliver me from being with them, who have loved Your house, who exudes the rays of Your grace, so that I do not perish along with the wicked people, lovers of gifts, murderers who sacrifice righteousness. And with this the Prophet again made it clear that he was speaking about foreigners; and he called the tabernacle the house of God, because the divine church had not yet been built. That’s why he added: “the dwelling place of Your glory.” Ps.25:11. But I walk in my integrity; deliver me, [Lord,] and have mercy on me. Ps.25:12. My foot is on the straight path; in the meetings I will bless the Lord. “I have walked through my kindness: deliver me, O Lord, and have mercy on me.” “My foot is in the right.” But while I live with them, I am guided by the simplicity of faith, and until now I have avoided all vice, and having established my feet in the righteousness of piety, I have stood safely and firmly. I beg you to preserve this firmness to the end; and this will happen if I get rid of cohabitation with them. “In the churches I will bless You, Lord.” From here we understand most clearly that the psalm is spoken about David himself; because the Prophet, foreseeing with prophetic eyes a change in the universe, makes a promise through the writing of psalms in all churches throughout the universe to sing songs and bless God. And this prophecy was fulfilled, because throughout all the land and sea the great David, through the mouths of the pious, praised the benefactor of God. You might be interested in: