Изъяснение псалма 7-го.

Ps.7:1. The song of lament that David sang to the Lord in the case of Hus, of the tribe of Benjamin. “A psalm to David, which the Lord sang about the words of Husha, the son of Jamen.” Blessed David, fleeing from his criminal son, found himself an assistant, Hushai, who convinced Absalom not to follow the suggestion of Ahithophel and not immediately pursue his father, but to gather all the people, and then take up arms against his parent. And Ahithophel, alarmed and extremely offended that the advice of the Husiev was preferred to his, became a suicide and ended his life in a noose. And the divine David, taking advantage of this slowdown in the attack, found time to flee and was saved. Therefore, this psalm, like a kind of song and prayer, brings to the Savior God, and also adds instruction to those who suffer offense from someone, advising them to place their trust in God and expect help from Him, and frightening those who do offense with a reminder of the righteous judgment of God. Ps.7:2. Lord, my God! in You I trust; save me from all my persecutors and deliver me. Ps.7:3. Let him not, like a lion, pluck out my soul, tormenting me when there is no deliverer [and saver]. “Lord my God, in You I trust, save me from all those who persecute me, and deliver me.” “Let me not, like a lion, snatch away my soul; I am not the one who delivers, nor the one who saves,” that is, not relying on any human help, and keeping my only hope in You, I beg you to be worthy of Your providence; because I am afraid that those who threaten me with war, attacking me like a wild beast and finding me abandoned without Your Providence, will destroy me completely. Ps.7:4. Lord, my God! if I have done anything, if there is injustice in my hands. “Lord my God, if I have done this.” Then he presents more clearly what he said: “If there is iniquity in my hand.” And showing what kind of untruth he means here, he immediately adds: Ps.7:5. If I paid evil to the one who was with me in the world - I, who saved even the one who without reason became my enemy. Ps.7:6. Then let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake me, let him trample my life into the ground, and cast my glory into dust. “If I reward those who repay me with evil, then I will fall away from my enemies.” “May the enemy marry my soul, and may he overwhelm and trample my belly into the ground, and may he place my glory in the dust.” Virtue has many types, not only chastity and prudence, but also courage and justice. Therefore, David here testifies not that he has achieved high virtue, but that, without having done the slightest offense to his enemies, he unjustly suffers persecution from them. Not only, he says, I myself did not start the offense, but I never even agreed to take revenge on those who offended me. Having had Saul in his hands many times, he did not repay him for his unjust hostility. Therefore, I beg You, Master, who wisely knows everything, to judge me truthfully, and if I have ever done anything like this, to deprive me of Your guardianship (for this is expressed in the words: “Let me fall away from my enemies”), and give me into the hands of the hostile, so that they will not only deprive me of the glory and kingdom that You have given me, but also put me to a shameful death. For he understood this when he said: “He will place my glory in the dust.” Ps.7:7. Arise, O Lord, in Thy wrath; move against the fury of my enemies, awaken for me to the judgment that You have commanded. “Rise up, O Lord, by Thy wrath, exalt my enemies to the ends.” Symmachus translated: irritation, Theodotion: rage, Aquila: impatience. Therefore, David begs the righteous Judge not to show patience, but to pronounce a righteous sentence and impose punishment on those who offend. For he used the word: “resurrect” in the meaning: show no more patience. Similar to this expression: “Arise, sleep away, O Lord” (Ps. 43:24)? For even there he called long-suffering sleep; and also: “Arise, O Lord, help us” (Ps. 43:27). Now is the time not for love of mankind, but for righteous anger. Therefore, put a limit to my enemies, stopping their unrighteous invasion. “And arise, O Lord my God, according to the commandment which thou hast commanded.” You have legitimized protecting the offended. Therefore, fulfill yourself, O Lord, what you commanded others to do, and give me your help. Ps.7:8. A crowd of people will stand around You; rise above it to a height. “And a host of people will bypass Thee: and regarding this, look up to the heights.” When this Providence of Yours is revealed, everyone will sing to You and call You the Most High God, because You oversee everything and impose a worthy punishment on those who offend. For what is said: “turn to the heights” means: You, the highest by nature, but unknown to many, show by your care for the offended who You are. Then David prophesies: Ps.7:9. The Lord judges the nations. Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to my integrity within me. “The Lord judges people.” It will not only be my case that will be judged, but that of the entire human race. “Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to my kindness toward me.” The divine David did not attribute the truthfulness to himself in these words. For we hear that he cries out contrary to this: “For I know my iniquities, and I will take away my sin before me” (Ps. 50:5); and: “Reh, let me confess my iniquity to the Lord” (Ps. 31:5). On the contrary, what is meant here is justice in the present case. In no way, he says, did I offend either Absalom, or Ahithophel, or those who armed themselves with him against me. Therefore, I beg you to judge me according to this truth and kindness, and not according to the sins I have already committed. I ask that the present case be judged on its own merits, and not be punished now for other sins. Ps.7:10. Let the malice of the wicked cease, and strengthen the righteous, for You test hearts and bellies, O righteous God! Ps.7:11. My shield is in God, who saves the upright in heart. “Let the wickedness of sinners end, and correct the righteous.” Instead of: “let it pass,” Symmachus put: “let it be done.” If the malice of those living viciously turns out to be vanity, then the disciples of virtue will complete the path set before them with great zeal. “Search hearts and bellies, O God.” Righteous “my help comes from God, who saves the upright in heart.” The Prophet here refers to thoughts as wombs. since lustful desires are aroused in the wombs, thoughts of lust then arise from them; then in a figurative sense he called thoughts wombs. Therefore, he says, He who knows the innermost thoughts of the human mind will provide me with fair help, as He usually does this; because he always protects the offended. For this reason, the Prophet frightens those living in anger, pointing to righteous punishments, and foretells the death of Ahithophel. Ps.7:12. God is a righteous judge, [mighty and long-suffering], and a God who is strict every day. “God is a judge, righteous, and strong, and slow to anger, and do not bring wrath on every day.” He has a love for mankind, which allows him to endure human sins for a long time; because even if he sees that people do not gain any benefit from it, he still hesitates to punish him, but still frightens them with threats. But if, having neglected this, they still sin, he immediately, in all fairness, consigns them to final destruction. This is what the Prophet expressed in the added words: Ps.7:13. If someone doesn't apply. He sharpens His sword, bends His bow and guides it. Ps.7:14. He prepares vessels of death for him, He makes His arrows scorching. “If you do not turn, He will cleanse His weapons, He will strain His bow, and He will make preparations.” “And in it are prepared the vessels of death.” This is not a punishment yet, but a threat. The Prophet said: “cleanse”, not strike; “The bow is strained”, but not the arrows. And informing that he casts arrows at some, he immediately added: “He made His arrows burnt.” Those who have taken into themselves the inflammable substance of sin, giving, as the divine Paul says, “wood, hay, reeds” (1 Cor. 3:12), they will be struck by these fiery arrows. Ps.7:15. Behold, the wicked conceived unrighteousness, was pregnant with malice and gave birth to lies. “Behold, more untruth” - Ahithophel, who inspired this crafty thought. “Disease conceived, and gave birth to iniquity.” Out of malice, ready to go to any extreme, he armed the lawless son against his father, who had committed no offense. Ps.7:16. He dug a ditch, and dug it out, and fell into the hole that he had prepared. Ps.7:17. His anger will turn on his head, and his wickedness will fall on his crown. “There is a pit of destruction, and of fossils, and it will fall into the pit that it has made.” “His sickness will return to his head, and unrighteousness will come down upon his head.” He will get entangled in his own nets, will receive a reward for his labors, and will be caught by the snares that he has placed to ensnare others. Ps.7:18. I praise the Lord in His righteousness and sing to the name of the Lord Most High. “Let us confess to the Lord in His righteousness, and sing to the name of the Lord Most High.” And I, having been honored with such Divine Providence, will constantly sing songs to the Benefactor, telling the truth of the judgment. You might be interested in: