Изъяснение псалма 82-го.

Ps.82:1. Song. Psalm of Asaph. "Song of Psalm to Asaph." Upon the return of the Jews from Babylon, the nearby neighbors, seeing the renovation of God's church and their glory, came together, and having gathered other barbarian nations, they launched a war against the Jews. And this is predicted both by the divine Joel and Ezekiel, and by the wonderful Prophets Micah and Zechariah. However, the Jews overcome everyone, led by Zerubbabel and whom God will overcome from above, crushing the insolence of their enemies. This is what the present psalm foretells. In the form of a prayer, the prophecy of the Divine Spirit is presented, teaching those at war how they should appease God. Ps.82:2. God! Don’t be silent, don’t be silent, and don’t remain quiet, O God. “God, who can be like You?” And all the collected together nature of Angels and men cannot compare with Your power, because Your power is incomparable. The Prophet used the word “who” instead of “no one.” “Don’t be silent, keep quiet, O God.” We beg You, Lord, not to use more patience than You are accustomed to. For this means what is said: “be humble.” This is how Symmachus translated it: “do not remain alone.” Then the Prophet shows the reason for this request. Ps.82:3. For behold, Your enemies make a noise, and those who hate You have lifted up their heads. “Behold, Thy enemies made a noise, and raised up the head of those who hate Thee.” Like the sea, they make noise and worry, treating us arrogantly and impudently, out of hostility towards You, they have decided to fight with us; for, in enmity against You, they also attack the people devoted to You. Ps.82:4. They have formed an insidious plot against Your people and are taking counsel against those whom You have guarded. “Thy evil will is against Thy people, and Thy counsel is against Thy saints.” Symmachus, instead of: “to Thy holy things,” translated: “to Thy hidden things,” and Aquila, as well as Theodotion: “to Thy hidden things.” since from them the Lord Christ had to come in the flesh, and these peoples came together with the intention of completely eradicating the Jewish race, the All-Holy Spirit teaches the Jews to offer the following prayer: not only are our enemies acting maliciously and maliciously against us, but also against what is hidden in you and hidden in us, which you foretold would flourish from the tribe of Judah. For when the root is cut off, from what will the fruit be born? And through Isaiah the God of all men made it clear, saying: “In this way a berry is found on the blight, and they say: Do not destroy it, for the blessing of the Lord is in it, so I will create one who serves Me for my sake, I will not destroy everyone for his sake, and I will bring out the seed from Jacob and from Judah” (Is. 65:8-9), and then I will give over the rest to final destruction. Therefore, for the sake of one berry, the whole garden, even the entire vineyard, enjoyed God’s care; and when this berry is removed, and other fruits are gathered with it, then the remaining vineyard is given over to the wild beasts, the boar from the oak grove eats it, and the “solitary wonder” devours it, and all those who pass by trample it as much as they like (Ps. 79:13-14). These here, say those praying, not only against us, but also against Thy Hidden One, they dare to rage. Ps.82:5. They said: “Let us go and destroy them from among the nations, so that the name of Israel will no longer be remembered.” “I decided: come and I will consume the tongue, and the name of Israel will not be remembered.” They want to cause us ultimate destruction and consign the notorious Israel to oblivion. Then the Prophet lists the neighboring nations by which others, having been called, gathered. Ps.82:6. They conspired with one accord and formed an alliance against You. “As if we had conferred together with like-mindedness, we bequeathed a covenant to Thee.” By general agreement, those who have launched a battle against You are as follows: Ps.82:7. the villages of Edom and Ishmael, Moab and Hagar. "Villages of Idumea and Izmail". The Edomites were descended from Esau, because Esau was called Edom. And the Ishmaelites are the descendants of Ishmael. "Moab and Hagarites." Moab is the son of Lot, and from him came the people; The Hagarians are another generation from Ishmael, named after Hagar, the mother of Ishmael. Ps.83:8. Ebal and Ammon and Amalek, the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tire. "Ebal and Ammon and Amalek". Amalek himself is a descendant of Esau, and from him came the people; Ammon is the son of Lots, they occupy part of Arabia, and Ebal lives in the vicinity of Idumea. "Foreign women with those living in Tire." Other commentators call foreigners Philistines, but we call them inhabitants of Palestine, because they, being the only ones remaining from the race of Canaan and living together with Israel, were rightly called primarily foreigners. Ps.83:9. And Assur came to them: they became a muscle for the sons of Lot. “For Assyrian also came with them.” The Assyrians did not reign at this time. Therefore, the prophetic word makes clear the Samaritans, Assyrian settlers, who settled in their cities after the captivity of the ten tribes. “Lot’s son came to the intercession.” The prophetic word makes it clear that the Moabites and Ammonites predominantly rebelled against the people of God and gathered other nations. Ps.82:10. Do to them as you did to Midian, as to Sisera, as to Jabin at the brook Kishon. Ps.82:11. Which were destroyed in Endor, and became dung for the earth. “Do unto them as Midian and Sisera, as Jabim in Potots Kissova”: "Needed in Endor". They remember with gratitude previous benefits, asking for the same help for themselves. And these military leaders were crushed by Barak and the prophetess Devorah. “It was like earthly pus,” because, remaining unburied, they turned to dust, and, as if some kind of pus, mixed with the earth. Ps.82:12. Deal with them, with their princes, as with Oreb and Zib, and with all their leaders, as with Zebah and Zalman. “Put down their princes, like Oreb and Zibah, and Zebeah and Zalman, all their princes.” And the history of the Judges mentions these. But Gideon, led by the grace of God, killed them. Those depicted in the psalm beg that their enemies should be crushed like these, and they present the reason for this. Ps.82:13. Who said: “Let us take possession of the villages of God.” “I decided: let us inherit the sanctuary of God.” They boast of their courage and boldly dream of taking possession of the church dedicated to You. For the Prophet called the church the sanctuary of God. And Symmachus translated the word: “sanctuary”: “dwelling.” From this the entire content of the psalm becomes clear. Since the Jews, having returned, created a church and all the legal services were performed in it (without a church, according to the law, it was not possible to serve God), and for a reason consistent with the law of life of the Jews, their close neighbors were at enmity with them, then all their aspiration was directed towards the church, in order to destroy with it both the people and the divine services according to the law. Ps.83:14. My God! Let them be like dust in a whirlwind, like straw before the wind. “My God, put me like a stake,” that is, they were ordered to remain in misfortunes of all kinds and surrounded by continuous disasters. “Like a reed in the face of the wind.” Scatter them like reeds blown by the wind. Ps.82:15. How fire burns the forest, and how the flame scorches the mountains. Ps.82:16. So chase them with Your storm and throw them into confusion with Your whirlwind. “Scorch an oak grove like fire, burn mountains like a flame”: “Thus I am married to Your storm, and I am troubled by Your anger.” - In oak groves, fire ignites by itself when trees, swayed by a strong wind, rub against one another, produce heat through friction, and little by little they ignite from each other. Therefore, the Jews ask that their enemies, like this, mutually destroy each other, and be given over to their own iniquities, according to the prophecy that says: “Walk by the light of your fire and by the flame that you kindled” (Is. 50:11). Ps.82:17. Fill their faces with dishonor, so that they may seek Your name, O Lord! “Fill their faces with dishonor: and they will seek Your name, O Lord.” For having been deceived in what they desire and filled with shame, they will recognize Your power. Ps.83:18. Let them be ashamed and dismayed forever, let them be put to shame and perish. Ps.82:19. And let them know that You, whose only name is Lord, are the Most High over all the earth. “Let them be ashamed and troubled for ever and ever; and they will be put to shame and perish": “And let them know that Your name is Lord, You are the only Highest in all the earth.” They ask for benefits to their enemies, even while suffering attacks from them, for they pray that instead of insolence they would be clothed with shame, and as a result of shame they would acquire the knowledge of God, and having freed themselves from idolatry, they would learn by experience that He alone is God and Master, “who lives on the high and looks down on the lowly” (Ps. 112:5-6), ruling and disposing of all creation. You might be interested in: