Беседа 14 на псалом 45 49

Ps.45:1-3. To the end. Through the sons of Kore. About the secrets ah. Psalm. 50 God is our refuge and strength, our helper in the severe tribulations that have befallen us. 51 Therefore we will not be afraid when the earth is shaken and the mountains are turned into the depths of the sea. Divine help is more powerful than any earthly force; it does not exclude, however, attention to the circumstances of the time. – By “mountains” and “depths of the sea” are meant great dangers, which, however, do not bring fear to those who trust in God. – Divine care for the Jews and quick help for them from the “Lord of hosts.” – Future establishment of peace on earth; application of the Psalmist's words about this to Christian times. – “Be still and know that I am God” (Ps. 45:11). 1. The prophet, with his characteristic wisdom, here diverts the listener from the affairs of everyday life and leads him to a higher hope. Do not point out to me, he says, weapons, walls, fences, wealth, military skill, many horses, bows, arrows, armor, crowds of comrades, troops of warriors, bodily strength, experience of the combatants; all this is weaker than cobwebs and shadows. If you want to see invincible power, an unchanging refuge, an insurmountable fortress, an unshakable fence, then resort to God, turn to His strength. He said well: “God is our refuge and strength,” expressing that sometimes we win by running away, and sometimes by showing firmness and resistance. You really need to do both - sometimes attack, and sometimes evade. This is what Paul did, sometimes avoiding and sometimes rebelling against those who resisted the word of truth. This is what Christ did and taught us. We should do the same - we should carefully observe the circumstances of the time and pray so as not to fall into temptation, according to the word of the Gospel, and when it befalls us, then not to be cowardly, but to stand courageously. “Helper in the grave sorrows that befall us.” As I have often said before, I will say so now: God does not prevent sorrows from befalling us; but when they have comprehended, He helps us, thus giving us benefit and experience. The word: “zelo” 52 should be attributed to the word: “Helper”. Truly, God does not help in any way, but with His abundant help He gives great consolation in sorrows. He gives us not the kind of help that is needed due to the nature of sorrows, but much more. “Therefore we will not fear when the earth shakes.” Do you see how He gives great help and in great abundance? He did not say: we will not be defeated, we will not fall, but we will not tolerate what is generally characteristic of human nature: “we will not be afraid,” we will not be afraid. Why? Because God's help is excessive. By naming here the earth, the mountains and the heart of the seas, the prophet is not talking about the elements, but by their name he means unbearable dangers. Even if we saw, he says, everything being destroyed, even if we saw unbearable confusion, even if something happened that had never happened, even if all nature, so to speak, rose up on itself, even if the mountains moved from their place, even if everything shook in its foundation and the very first elements were mixed, even if such great confusion occurred, and then we will not only not be defeated, but also “we will not be afraid.” And the reason is that the Lord of all this helps us, gives us a hand, assists us. If even in this case we would not be afraid and would not fall into cowardice, then much less will we be afraid if our enemies attack us and our opponents arm themselves against us. “The noise of the fir trees, and their waters rose, and the mountains shook at His power” (Ps. 45:4). Another translator (Symmachus) says: “when the waters roar and are troubled and the mountains shake in his glorification.” Having said that we will not be afraid, even if everything is in confusion, the prophet then speaks about the power of God, that His power is invincible. Therefore, he rightly says: “We will not fear”; and as always, so now it indicates the power of God, either in nature or in events with people. The meaning of his words is as follows: God shakes, shakes, changes everything according to His will; for Him everything is convenient and easy. It seems to me that the prophet here means a crowd of brave people, the most skillful of enemies, countless opponents. But the power of God, he says, is such that with one wave of Him everything is accomplished. How can we be afraid, having such a Lord? Διαψαλμα – change of tone (there is no this word in Slavic). Another (Akilah): “all the time.” "River Currents." Another (Aquila, Symmachus, Theodotion): “divisions.” In Hebrew: “streams” (falagav). “The currents of the river make glad the city of God: O holy city is the Most High” (Ps. 45:5). Another (Symmachus): “sanctuary of the village of Vyshnyago.” “God is in his midst, and he will not be shaken: God will help him early in the morning” (Ps. 45:6). Another (Symmachus): "about morning." Third (Aquila): “when the morning comes.” Having spoken about the power and strength of God, that everything is easy for God, the prophet moves on to God’s providence for the Jews, describing in brief words the benefits shown to them. He, so strong, so powerful and terrible, holding and bearing everything, shaking and moving everything, transforming and changing, filled our city with countless blessings. “Re ka” here means the abundant, unhindered and generous outpouring of the highest blessings. The Prophet seems to be saying this: all good things pour out on us as if from sources. Just as a river, dividing into many streams, irrigates the country through which it flows, so God’s providence surrounds us on all sides, pouring out abundantly, rapidly flowing in and filling everything. It not only gives us security and irresistible help, but also spiritual joy. That is why the prophet says: “Oh, the Most High, holy is His village.” And it’s no small blessing to call this place your village. 2. It was not in vain that he said: “The Most High.” A being so lofty, uncontained by any place, ineffable, deigned to call our city His village and protects it from all sides. This is the meaning of the expression: “in the midst of it,” as in another place He says: “I am with you” (Matthew 28:20). God embraces him on all sides; therefore, he will not only not suffer any calamity, but also “will not be shaken.” And the reason is that he receives the most immediate, decisive and always ready help - this is precisely what the expression means: “from early morning”, help that is immediate and not long expected, but always ready and acting quickly and at the appropriate time. “The nations were in confusion, the kingdoms were thrown aside, the Most High gave His voice: the earth shook” (Ps. 45:7). Another translator (Aquila) says: “the nations gathered together.” Here the prophet depicts the power of God's help. Not in unimportant dangers, he says, but when kings and peoples attacked from all sides, surrounded and besieged one of our cities, it not only did not suffer any disaster from them, but also won, overcame and scattered the attackers. This is what the expression means: “the kingdoms declined, the Most High gave His voice,” i.e., as if he subdued the cities with just his voice. The expression is sensual and humanoid; God conquers not with a voice and an exclamation, but with one wave and will; however, he used here an expression more lofty than the previous ones, wanting to elevate the listener above sensory concepts. Presenting God as constantly armed, and wanting to show that all this was said in a figurative, figurative sense and adapted to us - after all, God has no need for anything like that - he now added: “gave His voice: the earth shook,” expressing that not only cities, peoples and villages, but also this element itself, God shakes. However, Scripture often calls people earth, as, for example: “the whole earth had one language” (Gen. 11:1). “The Lord of hosts is with us, our intercessor is the God of Jacob” (Ps. 45:8). In Hebrew, instead of “powers” ​​it says: “Sabaoth.” See how the prophet from earth turns his speech to heaven, to countless hosts of angels, to the faces of archangels, to higher powers. What are you pointing out to me, he says, about the armies, the barbarians, the conquered people? Imagine His power in the heavenly kingdom, how many armies of invisible forces He has in His power. He rightly called them “powers,” showing their power, as in another place he says: “mighty with might, who do His word” (Ps. 102:20). So one angel once descended and killed one hundred and eighty-five thousand (2 Kings 19:35). If He is so strong, then won’t He really want to give us a helping hand? Don’t be afraid of this, he says; That’s why he adds: “our intercessor.” God can and wants this: therefore do not be afraid. What if we are unworthy? But He was kind to our fathers. That’s why he adds “the God of Jacob,” and seems to say so; This is what He has always done for a long time, from the beginning. Διαψαλμα – change of tone (there is no this word in Slavic). Another (Akilah): “always.” “Come and see the works of God, the wonders that He has performed on earth: He will cease warfare to the ends of the earth, He will break bows and break weapons, and burn shields with fire” (Ps. 45:9-10). Another (unknown translator, see Orig. Ex.): “broke.” “And he will burn the shields with fire.” Another (unknown, see Orig. Ex.): “and he will burn the chariots with fire.” Having spoken about the land, the sea, the mountains, about the spiritual intercession and help provided to them, the prophet again turns his speech to the audience, pointing to these trophies, out of his great joy and love for the Lord, and proclaiming the victories that He won for them. Well the prophet said: “miracles,” and did not say: victories and trophies. Indeed, these events did not take place according to the usual order of things, victories were won not by weapons and bodily strength, but by the will of God, and the deeds themselves show that the Lord himself was their leader. Since the weak defeated the strong, the few defeated the many, the oppressed the oppressors, and all this was accomplished beyond expectation, he rightly calls these miracles, as something miraculous that happened and spread throughout the entire earth. 3. The one who would apply this in a figurative sense to the present time would not sin. Christ stopped the cruel war with demons and spread peace throughout the universe. Depicting this, Isaiah said: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Is. 2:4). Before the coming of Christ, all people put on weapons, and no one was free from this occupation, cities fought with cities and the noise of battles was heard everywhere; and now most of the universe is at peace, everyone is safely engaged in crafts, cultivating the land, crossing the seas, and only a small part bears the rank of warriors to guard all the others. And there would be no need for them if we did what we should and did not need to be reminded through punishments. The prophet here calls the wrath of God “fire” and says that they will burn their weapons and chariots, having won a great victory, which is what happened, as Ezekiel narrates (Ezekiel 39:10). The curious know this event. “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” (Ps. 45:11). Another translator (unknown translator, see Orig. Ex.) says: “be healed” and “understand.” Third (unknown, see Orig. Ex.): “Be still, that you may know.” In Hebrew: “uarfu, uada.” It seems to me that the prophet here is speaking to the pagans and, as it were, saying: know His strength and power, which appears throughout the entire universe; but for this you must be calm, you must have a sound soul. The word “calm down” means this very thing: leave delusions, leave behind your old way of life, come out of the darkness of the evil deeds surrounding you, so that, guided by the indications of miracles and having a calm soul, you will know the Lord of all. For this, it is not enough just to know miracles, but you also need to have a grateful soul. The Jews also had miracles, and, however, this did not in the least contribute to their salvation. Just as the rays of the sun are not enough to see, but you also need a clean and healthy eye, so here miracles alone are not enough. That is why the prophet, having spoken about miracles, inspires those who wish to benefit from them to renounce the evils surrounding them in order to know the God of all. “Be still and know that I am God,” and not idols and graven images. Be quiet and I will present you with much evidence. This means the words: “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on the earth,” i.e. through works I will appear to you great and lofty. The Being of God, incorruptible and ineffable, is high and in itself; but since you do not see this, I will show you this by deeds, not only in Palestine and Jerusalem, but also among you pagans. Thus God is glorified by overcoming and conquering, working miracles in Babylon, and in Egypt, and in the desert, and throughout the entire universe, so that they can know Him everywhere. “The Lord of hosts is with us, our intercessor is the God of Jacob” (Ps. 45:12). This God, great everywhere, high everywhere, is always with us. So, do not be afraid and do not be embarrassed, having such an invincible Lord, to whom is due all honor and glory, with the beginningless Father and His life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. The psalms in the text are translated by P. Yungerov - Editorial office of the ABC of Faith Another translator (Aquila) says: to the conqueror of the sons of Korah. Third (Aquila): a song about youth. Another (unknown translator, see Org. Egz.): “found in sorrows.” The word zelo (very) is not in the Russian translation. You might be interested in: