Изъяснение псалма 85-го.

"Prayer to David" Blessed David, according to the inscription, brought a prayer to the Lord God, asking for some help; foreshadows both the attack of the Assyrians on Jerusalem and Hezekiah’s hope in God, and at the same time predicts the calling and salvation of all nations. Ps.85:1. Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear me, for I am poor and needy. “Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear me: for I am poor and needy.” The beginning of prayer shows the way of thinking; because both, the divine David and the wonderful Hezekiah, possessing the wealth of truth, did not look at it, but saw only the poverty of nature, and begged God to show mercy to this nature, inseparable from poverty. The expression: “Incline, O Lord, Thy ear,” is used in a figurative sense, and the image of speech is borrowed from a sick person who, due to weakness, cannot speak loudly, and forces the doctor to incline his ear to his lips. Ps.85:2. Preserve my soul, for I revere You; Save, my God, Your servant who trusts in You. “Keep my soul, as I am reverend.” The Prophet did not fall into contradiction by calling himself and Hezekiah together both beggar and saint, but since both had as enemies unjust and lawless people, who were not in the least offended by them and who wished them death unjustly, the Prophet called both himself and Hezekiah saint, since they did not give the enemies any reason for hostility. The meaning of his words is this: I myself am “poor and wretched,” and do not have enough in virtue, but in comparison with my enemies I will turn out to be reverent, because they are wicked and lawless, and I have knowledge of You; They oppressed me unjustly, and I am suffering an unjust attack. “Save Thy servant, O my God, who trusteth in Thee.” I trusted in You, Lord, save me; reward your hope with salvation. Ps.85:3. Have mercy on me, Lord, for I cry to You every day. “Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I will cry to You all day long.” Show me Thy love for mankind, O Lord, for I unceasingly proclaim Thy mercy. Instead of: “all day,” Symmachus translated: “every day.” Ps.85:4. Make glad the soul of Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul “Make glad the soul of Thy servant: for thou hast taken my soul unto Thee.” Dispel despondency in those who love Your service and give courage to the soul that bows to You. Ps.85:5. For You, Lord, are good and merciful and abundant in mercy to all who call on You. “For You, Lord, are good and meek, and abundant in mercy to all who call on You.” You are good and philanthropic, and you pour out springs of mercy to those who need it. Instead of: “meek,” Aquila and Theodotion used: “let us reconcile with ease,” which is why the word “meekness” conveys the idea of ​​long-suffering. Ps.85:6. Hear, O Lord, my prayer and listen to the voice of my prayer. “Inspire, O Lord, my prayer, and listen to the voice of my supplication.” Посему, имея столько благости, благосклонно приими моление мое. Ps.85:7. In the day of my sorrow I cry to You, because You will hear me. “In the day of my tribulation I cried out to You, because You heard me.” I offer this prayer, having the experience of Your mercy, because even before, when I begged You, You gave me what I asked for. Ps.85:8. Among the gods there is no one like You, O Lord, and there are no works like Yours. “There is no one like You in God, O Lord, and there is no one according to Your works.” since the wicked Rapsak uttered these arrogant words: “The gods of the tongues were not able to deliver their country out of my hand: will the Lord deliver Jerusalem out of my hand” (2 Kings 18:33, 35), then the prophecy presents Hezekiah crying: “there is no one like you in God, O Lord, and there is no one according to your work.” Those gods have an empty name, to which nothing corresponds in reality, and which they appropriated to themselves predatoryly; and You have a name that corresponds to reality. And the Prophet very appropriately added deeds to the Divine naming: “I am not like You in God, O Lord, and I am not according to Your deeds.” Those gods are completely inanimate, and cannot protect themselves, and Your splendor is inexpressible in human language. Ps.85:9. All the nations created by You will come and worship before You, O Lord, and glorify Your name. Ps.85:10. For You are great and work wonders - You, O God, are the only You. “All the nations that you have created will come and worship before you, Lord.” It is known that this did not happen at all under blessed David; under Hezekiah, probably some, being amazed at the slaughter of the Assyrians, flocked to God. But the truth of the prophecy was shown by the time that followed the incarnation of our God and Savior, because through saving suffering the divine face of the Apostles was sent into the whole universe. The Bishop told them: “Go and teach all languages” (Matthew 28:19); and they taught as they were commanded, and having dispelled the cloud of ignorance, they caused everyone to see the Sun of Righteousness and worship the God who saved. This is also shown by the addendum “As you are great, and you work miracles, you are the only God.” They will sing hymns to You, knowing that You are the only God, because the greatness of Your miracles gives them this knowledge. Ps.85:11. Guide me, O Lord, in Thy path, and I will walk in Thy truth; establish my heart in the fear of Your name. “Teach me, O Lord, in Thy way, and I will walk in Thy truth.” Having foreshadowed to the pagans their future liberation from error, the Prophet begs that he himself may take advantage of this direction and walk along the path of truth. “Let my heart rejoice in fearing Your name.” He who has acquired reverence for God loves a life in accordance with the law, and such a life is the mother of joy. Therefore, the Prophet rightly prayed that his heart would be gladdened by the fear of God. This is what he says in another place: “Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice” (Ps. 104:3); and again: “I remembered God and rejoiced” (Ps. 76:4). Ps.85:12. I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart and glorify Your name forever. Ps.85:13. For great is Thy mercy toward me: Thou hast delivered my soul from the depths of hell. “I will confess to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify Your name forever”: “For Your mercy is great upon me.” I know, says the Prophet, that you will fulfill the request, stop the sorrows and arrange me in such a way that I will offer a song of thanks for the philanthropy shown to me. “And you delivered my soul from the lowest hell.” The Prophet depicted the greatness of the dangers, for the divine David was repeatedly exposed to such dangers, when Saul pursued him in war, and when he was persecuted by Absalom; and the attack of the Assyrians threatened obvious death; That’s why he called such dangers extreme death and the most infernal hell. Ps.85:14. God! the proud have risen up against me, and a crowd of rebels seeks my soul: they do not represent You before them. “O God, the transgressors have risen up against me, and a host of powers have sought my soul.” And David's enemies lived lawlessly, and the Assyrians were workers of wickedness and wickedness; Moreover, both of them had power that promoted the evil heart, and from this there was a twofold reason for fear for those who were offended. Therefore, they resort to God and ask for His help. “And I will not offer it to You before me.” They did not bring to mind Your providence. Ps.85:15. But You, Lord, are a generous and merciful God, long-suffering and abundantly merciful and true. Ps.85:16. Look upon me and have mercy on me; Grant Thy strength to Thy servant, and save the son of Thy servant. “And You, O Lord my God, are generous and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in mercy and truth”: “Look upon me and have mercy on me.” since You are the source of love for mankind, you pour out currents of generosity and mercy, but truth is also inherent in You, you judge those who live in wickedness, then shed drops of goodness and make me the conqueror of those at war. “Give Thy power to Thy servant, and save the son of Thy servant.” For I am Your servant and the son of Your handmaid; that is, from ancient times, starting from my ancestors, I have been under Your dominion, and therefore, as a slave to a ruler, I ask for salvation. Ps.85:17. Show me a sign for good, so that those who hate me may see and be ashamed, because You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me. “Do a sign for good with me.” Of the signs, some serve as punishment, like those shown on the Egyptians, and others serve as salvation, like those shown on the Hebrews. That is why the Prophet introduced this division into his speech and asked not just a sign, but a sign of good, as if saying: create for me a sign that brings salvation, a sign that would miraculously bring me an abundance of benefits. “And let those who hate me see and be ashamed, because You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.” For those who are hostile, seeing the providence about me, will be filled with shame and will be reviled by everyone. You might be interested in: