Изъяснение псалма 34-го.

"Psalm to David." And this psalm was also spoken by blessed David, who was persecuted by Saul. It mentions Doik's cunning; because he reported to Saul about the action of priest Abimelech, and became the reason for the beating of many; Mention is also made of Ziphi and others who informed Saul about David, as shown by the expressions found in the psalm. Ps.34:1. Intercede, O Lord, in litigation with those who litigate against me, overcome those who fight with me. “Judge, O Lord, those who offend me, overcome those who fight me.” There is a wonderful order in what the Prophet said, befitting the prayer of a righteous person; because he asks God to first judge everyone, and then give a verdict and punishment. Ps.34:2. Take your shield and armor and rise to my aid. Ps.34:3. Draw your sword and block the path of those who pursue me; say to my soul: “I am your salvation!” “Take the weapon and the shield and rise up to help me”: “Put down your sword and make a stand against those who persecute me.” Having mentioned warfare, he, of necessity, lists the types of weapons, frightening those living viciously with the very type of these weapons. God does not bring into action so many weapons when punishing offenders; A word is enough for him to put them to death. “The words of my soul: I am your salvation.” Your word is sufficient for my salvation. since the Prophet mentioned weapons, it is not without reason that he shows that God has no need for such benefits, but with a single word he punishes some and benefits others. Ps.34:4. Let those who seek my soul be ashamed and disgraced; may those who plot evil against me turn back and be covered with dishonor. “Let those who seek my soul be ashamed and put to shame; let those who think evil about me turn back and be ashamed.” Let them not succeed, says the Prophet, in what they are planning, and let the fruit of wickedness for them be shame. Ps.34:5. Let them be like dust before the wind, and let the Angel of the Lord drive them away. “Let them be like dust before the wind, and the angel of the Lord insulting them.” The Prophet used this similarity in the first psalm. “Not so wickedness, not so: but like dust, which the wind sweeps away from the face of the earth” (Ps. 1:4). Ps.34:6. Let their path be dark and slippery, and let the Angel of the Lord pursue them. “Let their way be dark and creeping, and the Angel of the Lord shall chase them.” Put them to flight, commanding the invisible Angels to pursue them. So we find in Scripture that the Assyrians were beaten by the Angel, and the firstborn of Egypt were struck by the destroyer. He also calls the fall a slip, because those who stumble and are stumbled fall. And to prove the correctness of the prayer, the Prophet adds: Ps.34:7. For without guilt they hid a hole for me - their net, without guilt they dug it for my soul. “As if in vain I hid the destruction of my net, blaspheming my soul in vain.” Unjust intrigues are being used against me, says the Prophet. Symmachus translated the word: “vilification”: “undermined”; makes it clear that the destruction is being prepared in secret. Ps.34:8. May unexpected destruction come upon him, and may his net, which he hid for me, catch him; let him fall into it to destruction. “Let a net come to him that is unknown, and a catch that is hidden, let him embrace him, and let him fall into the net,” that is, let them themselves be subjected to what is prepared for others, let them get entangled in their own nets, suffer an unexpected catch. The Prophet expressed this with the words: “a network that knows no more.” Ps.34:9. And my soul will rejoice in the Lord, it will rejoice in salvation from Him. Ps.34:10. All my bones will say: “Lord! Who is like You, who delivers the weak from the strong, the poor and needy from their plunderer?” “Let my soul rejoice in the Lord, rejoice in His salvation.” “All my bones cry: Lord, Lord, who is like You?” And I will find delight and joy in Your blessings, Master, and with all my strength I will cry out that You are the only God. For the words: “Who is like You?” mean: You are the only God who has power over all. “Deliver the poor from the hand of those who strong him, and the poor and the needy from those who plunder him.” You do not allow the poor to be oppressed by the strong, but you bridle the last and help the first. Ps.34:11. Unrighteous witnesses have arisen against me: what I do not know, they interrogate me about. “Having stood up as a witness to unrighteousness, even without knowing it, I questioned me.” I was subjected to slander, says the Prophet, accused of something that I did not even think about. Since Saul, wounded by envy, suspected David that he was planning to steal power from him, and therefore continued to be hostile to him, then, taking advantage of this, the haters did not cease to slander him. David calls them lying witnesses. Among them were Doik, Zithei, and besides them many others. Ps.34:12. They reward me with evil for good, with orphanhood for my soul. “I have rewarded the wicked one with a good cart, and the childlessness of my soul.” I overthrew Goliath, who arrogantly boasted before the whole people, I repeatedly overcame foreigners, and with spiritual rattles I freed him from demonic fury, and he does not cease to be hostile to me, intending to put me to death and oblivion by all. For the Prophet called oblivion childlessness, since the memory of a person is preserved by children. Therefore, the God of all says through the Prophet Isaiah: “Let not the wretch say: I am a dry tree. This is what the Lord says to those who choose, whatever I want, I will give them in My house and in My fence a wonderful place, and a good name, the best of sons and daughters” (Isa. 56:3-5). Ps.34:13. During their illness, I dressed myself in sackcloth, exhausted my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned to my bosom. “When I was always cold, I clothed myself in sackcloth and humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned to my bosom.” From this we learn how to overcome misfortunes. Putting on sackcloth and exhausting myself with fasting, says the Prophet, I offered prayers to God and acquired the fruits of my petition. This is what the words mean: “my prayer will return to my bosom,” that is, having prayed, I received what I asked from God, and my bosom was filled. Ps.34:14. I acted as if I were my friend, my brother; I walked mournfully, with my head bowed, as if mourning my mother. “As we pleased our neighbor, as our brother; as weeping and lamenting, so we humble ourselves.” Truly like a brother, says the Prophet, I rendered him every service, in humility I became like one who mourns and weeps, not allowing myself to think highly of my merits. History also shows this. For to Saul’s question: “Are you, child of David?” answered, saying: “Your servant, the Lord is the king” (1 Samuel 26:17). And again: “Why, O Lord, do you persecute the king after a dead dog, and after a single flea?” (1 Kings 26:18; 1 Kings 24:15). Ps.34:15. And when I stumbled, they rejoiced and gathered together; Scolders gathered against me, I don’t know why, they vilified me and didn’t stop. “And she rejoiced at me, and gathered herself together: she gathered herself against me, and knew not the wounds.” They attacked me with many people, hoping to kill me, and attacked suddenly, trying to capture me, when I did not know about the danger. The words: “the wounds gathered against me, and I did not know”, Symmachus translated as follows: “the fighters gathered against me, but I did not know.” “Having been divided and not moved,” that is, having been deceived in hope and being scattered, they did not repent of having intended evil, but again turned to the same thing. Ps.34:16. With the hypocritical scoffers they gnashed their teeth at me. “Tempt me, imitate me with imitation, grind your teeth on me.” They tried all the methods, says the Prophet, intending to satiate their rage: sometimes they tried to ensnare me with deceptive words; and sometimes they gnashed, roaring like a lion. Ps.34:17. God! How long will you look at this? Take my soul away from their atrocities, take my lonely soul away from the lions. “Lord, when will you see it?” The Prophet said this not as a complaint, but wanting help, that is, when will you appear and protect the offended? “Save my soul from their wickedness.” Make sure that my soul overcomes all their tricks. Deliver “my only begotten from the lion.” Having said above: “You gnashed your teeth at me,” since gnashing is characteristic of lions, he rightly called them lions, exposing the bloodthirstiness and brutality of the heart. Symmachus translated the words: “my only begotten”: “my loneliness,” that is, a soul deprived of all human help. Ps.34:18. I will glorify You in a great congregation, among a multitude of people I will praise You. “We will confess to You in the Church many, among the heavy people I will praise You.” Symmachus expressed “among the people who are grievous”: “among the numerous people.” This was a prediction, and the prediction came true. For throughout all the land and sea, through those who believed, the divine David sang songs to God. He calls the churches of the whole universe a many church and a numerous people. Ps.34:19. So that those who are unjustly at enmity against me do not triumph over me, and those who hate me innocently do not wink at each other. “Let not those who are at enmity with me unrighteously, those who hate me and those who despise my eyes, rejoice over me.” Here again he makes mention of those who instigated Saul, who hypocritically showed friendship and acted like enemies. The Prophet expressed the same thing more clearly in subsequent words. Ps.34:20. For they do not speak of peace, but they form evil plans against the peaceful of the earth. “For I have spoken peaceably, and thought of flattery against anger”; because using friendly words, as if in some land they were trying to hide anger, having hearts filled with deceit. Ps.34:21. They widen their mouth at me; they say: “okay! Fine! our eyes have seen.” “She opened her mouth towards me, saying: It is good, it is good, what our eyes have seen.” And when they saw that I sensed malicious intent, they finally discovered their hidden hostility and loudly expressed joy at my misfortunes. Ps.34:22. You have seen, Lord, do not remain silent; God! don't move away from me. Ps.34:23. Move, awaken for my judgment, for my litigation, my God and my Lord! “You have seen, O Lord, but do not remain silent: Lord, do not depart from Me.” “Arise, O Lord, and bring my judgment, O my God and my Lord, upon my land.” You are the judge, Lord, you oversee everything, and nothing escapes Your supervision. Look at what has been done, and do not leave me deprived of Your providence. But judge and soon pronounce your verdict. The following words mean the same. Ps.34:24. Judge me according to Thy righteousness, O Lord my God, and let them not triumph over me. Ps.34:25. Let them not say in their hearts: “Good! [good!] to our liking!” Let them not say, “We have devoured him.” “Judge me, O Lord, according to Thy righteousness, O Lord my God, and let not my enemies rejoice over me. Let them not say in their hearts: it is good, it is good for our souls: below, let them say: by the devouring of it.” If you hesitate in judgment, Lord, they will laugh again, they will turn my illnesses into a reason for joy, and they will consider my misfortune to be their own prosperity. Ps.34:26. Let all who rejoice in my misfortune be ashamed and disgraced; let those who magnify themselves over me be clothed with shame and disgrace. “Let those who rejoice in my evil be ashamed and put to shame; let those who speak against Me be clothed with shame and shame.” It is fitting for those who mock their neighbors to be ashamed. This is why the Prophet asked that the majestic and eloquent be in shame. Ps.34:27. Let those who desire my righteousness rejoice and be glad and say continually: “May the Lord be magnified, who desires peace for His servant!” “Let those who desire my righteousness rejoice and be glad: and let them say, “Let the Lord be magnified, who desire peace for His servant.” May those who wish me good things, who care that I may be in peace, never cease to have fun and rejoice; and seeing that I have achieved it, let them sing praises to You, Master. Ps.34:28. And my tongue will preach Your righteousness and Your praise every day. “And my tongue shall learn Thy righteousness, Thy praise all day long.” And I, taking advantage of Your providence, will study Your commandments day and night, and unceasingly praise Your good deeds. Symmachus translated the words: “all day”: “every day,” meaning unceasing hymn. This ends the psalm. And I beg the readers not to turn the prayers of the righteous into any harm for themselves and not to derive from this a reason to curse their enemies, but to know that the Prophet lived his life in the spirit of the law, and not the Gospel. The law commanded to love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But the Lord Christ, indicating the most perfect virtue, said: “It was said to the ancients: love Thy sincere One and hate Thy enemy. But I say to you: love your enemies, and bless those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:43–44). In accordance with this, the divine Apostle said: “bless and do not curse” (Rom. 12:14). Therefore, considering this difference, know what is in accordance with the law and what is in accordance with grace. Moreover, blessed David did not say this cursing, but prophetically predicted what would undoubtedly happen. And that he did not take revenge on those who offended him, according to the Gospel law, about this listen to what he himself says: “If I repay those who repay me with evil, let me then fall away from my lean enemies: let the enemy marry my soul, and let him overwhelm and trample my belly into the ground, and place my glory in the dust” (Ps. 7:5-6). Don’t think that he only said this and didn’t actually do it; on the contrary, the words were followed by execution. And actions are clearer than words. For, twice having the enemy in his hands, he not only did not kill himself, but also prevented those who intended to kill him. And when the enemy fell in battle, he mourned him bitterly; and the one who announced his death, because he announced it with pleasure and boasted, as if he himself had killed, put him to death. I thought it necessary to expand on this for the sake of those who themselves slander and present the divine David as an example, so that they would benefit from taking David’s lofty wisdom as a model. You might be interested in: