Беседа 19 на псалом 108 67

Ps.109:1-11. To the end. Psalm of David. God! To my praise, do not be silent. For the mouth of a sinner and the mouth of a flatterer were opened against me, speaking or against me with a flattering tongue, and surrounded me with words of hatred and armed themselves against me without guilt (mine): Instead of loving me, they lied against me, and I prayed, And they repaid me with evil for good and hatred for my love. Place a sinner over him, and let the devil stand at his right hand. When he is tried, let him come out condemned, and let his prayer become a sin. May his days be short, and may another take his dignity. Let his sons be orphans and his wife a widow. While wandering, let his sons migrate and ask that they be expelled from their homes. May the lender collect everything he has, and may strangers plunder what he has acquired through his labors. Bewilderment aroused by the content of the psalm, as serving as an expression of intense anger and filled with curses to the enemy. – Who is this enemy who has grieved the Holy Spirit so much that divine wrath extends to children, wife and parents? – And how does the Apostle Peter relate the words of this psalm to Judas? – The psalm contains a prophecy in the form of a curse, which refers partly to Judas, partly to others who rebel against the priesthood and their neighbors with deceit and malice. An explanation of individual expressions indicating what especially angers God, what shows extreme cruelty in the persecution of a person, and what is the main cause of the disasters experienced by people. The psalmist asks for divine intercession for the sake of God’s mercy and his extreme suffering, intensified by the ridicule of his enemies. – The salvation of praising the Lord for His mercies. 1. Here we need great attentiveness, because the words spoken, even when they are pronounced and at first glance, confuse many who are inattentive. This whole psalm is filled with curses; all speech is permeated by them and reveals in the speaker a strong and fiery anger, which does not stop at the wicked person himself, but extends the punishment to his children, his father, and his mother, and is not content with misfortune alone, but adds disaster to disaster. In fact, look what he asks. “Set a sinner over him, and let the devil stand at his right hand,” i.e. let vicious and treacherous people be his accusers, and let him not overcome them. This means: “When he is tried, let him come out condemned.” He is not satisfied with this punishment either, but with such a condemnation he also asks that someone else receive his honor after him: “and his dignity, he says, let another take it.” He does not stop there either, but blocks the only remaining pier for him, asking that he not receive any mercy from God: “and his prayer says, let him be a sin.” Moreover, he asks that he undergo premature death: “let his sons be orphans,” he says. He doesn’t stop here either, although that would be enough, but he continues. A very inflamed soul tends not to be satisfied with one or two punishments, but asks for so many. The next one is even more difficult: he asks for orphanhood and widowhood for those remaining after him. Although this must happen after his death, he, burning with anger, considers this too to be one of the curses. He does not stop at orphanhood, but even after such disasters he extends further, increases the burden, asks that his descendants be exiles and migrants: “while wandering, let his sons migrate,” he says, “i.e. let them wander without stopping, let them not even have the necessary food and never stop moving from place to place, being driven and pursued throughout the whole earth and not finding a place for shelter anywhere. At the same time, he asks them for poverty, and extreme and unbearable poverty, so that they do not receive help even from their relatives, but, wandering, seek it from foreigners and strangers. And listen to how he expresses it. Having said: “Let his sons move and ask,” he adds: “Let them be expelled from their homes. May the lender collect everything he has, and may strangers plunder what he has acquired through his labors.” This is a new type of misfortune, so that his property would be plundered, so that he would be attacked by creditors, endure all kinds of insults and, what is most difficult, have no defender amid such disasters, since he asks for this too: “let him not have an intercessor,” he says (Ps. 109:12). Misfortunes in themselves are unbearable; but when there is no defender, then they are even more difficult. “Let him not be generous to his orphans.” Oh, what great anger when premature orphanhood does not find compassion for itself, and not only compassion, but is also condemned to extreme destruction: “let his children be destroyed,” he says, “with one generation, let his name be blotted out” (Ps. 109:13). Do you see speech filled with anger and stopping at nothing? He asks that they live in various and varied misfortunes, that they be given over to all kinds of disasters and die in obscurity. And as if the misfortune of his children were not enough, he also adds: “Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord, and let the sin of his mother not be cleansed. May they always be before the Lord, and may their memory be destroyed from the earth” (Ps. 109:14, 15). This is especially characteristic of anger - to reveal in detail the misfortunes that are said in general, and often repeat the same thing. Having said: “Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered,” he adds: “Let it not be cleansed.” Although this is one and the same thing, anger prompted me to say both; and the meaning of these words is as follows: kill him, kill him, destroy him. Do you see how many curses there are? If you want, I will list them again from the beginning. Let him, he says, fall among evil people, be accused, handed over to their power, condemned, suffer premature death, lose his honor and see that it passed not to his descendants, but to someone else; let his wife perish, and his children suffer poverty and orphanhood, spend their lives in beggary, be condemned and expelled from everywhere, have no protector, be deprived of God’s favor, not finding for themselves any refuge or refuge; let his name be blotted out from the earth, and he perish in obscurity; let both his father and mother be punished for their sins and die in an unfortunate and ill-fated manner. 2. Doesn’t all of the above amaze the listener? Do you want to know who this man is who is so condemned? If we, hearing that a person is being reproached, ask those present about whom this is being said, then all the more, hearing such curses from the prophet, it is necessary to find out, and find out with fear and a contrite heart, who this person is, who has been subjected to such strong anger, who has so grieved the Holy Spirit that so many and such terrible disasters are spoken about him. Therefore, if you wish, let us read this psalm again from the beginning with great attention. Don't make any noise. I will explain it as carefully as I can. The subject of the study is not unimportant. And firstly: why, when the sinner himself is condemned, are his children, his wife, and his parents punished along with him? Secondly: who is this one who is under the curse? Thirdly: how does the chief of the apostles prove that this psalm refers to Judas, or better, not the whole psalm, but part of the psalm? “In the book of Psalms it is written: Let his court be desolate, and let there be no one living in it; and let another take his dignity” (Acts 1:20)? Here again another question presents itself to us, since not all this is written in the present psalm; That’s why he pointed not to just one psalm, but to the whole book. Precisely the words: “let his court be empty” are found in another psalm (Ps. 68:26), and in this one: “let another take his dignity”: but Peter combined both into one testimony. This is what Paul often does; for example, when he says: “The Deliverer will come from Zion and turn away wickedness from Jacob. And this is my covenant to them, when I take away their sins from them” (Rom. 11:26, 27). What, someone will say, is the above a prophecy or a curse? Prophecy in the form of a curse. We can find the same thing in other places; Jacob did the same. Since listeners need to be taught what happened to others, many prophecies are composed in such a way that the very way of expression increases fear in society. In fact, it is not the same thing to say that such and such will suffer in such and such a way, or to say the same thing in the form of anger and indignation. And what I say is not without reason, I will explain it to you with prophetic sayings. When Jacob was preparing to die, he said to his sons: “Gather together, and I will tell you what will happen to you in the days to come” (Gen. 49:1); and, intending to prophesy, from the very beginning he seems to be inflamed with anger and begins the prophecy with a curse: “Reuben,” he says, is my firstborn! you are my strength and the beginning of my strength, the height of dignity and the height of power; but you raged like water, you will not prevail” (Gen. 49:3, 4), predicting his future destruction in the form of a curse. He, speaking about blessings, says in the form of a prayer (to Joseph): “may he bless you with the blessings of heaven from above... which exceed the blessings of the ancient mountains and the pleasantness of the eternal hills” (Gen. 49:25–26), although this is also a prophecy. But it is obvious that all this does not come from human passion. His grandfather does the same with Canaan: “Canaan..., he says, will be a slave” (Gen. 9:26), so that you know that God, who protects the offended, punishes those who offend. And Christ used the same image of speech, calling people to himself under the guise of prophecy and lamentation: “Woe,” He said, to you, Chorazin! woe to you, Bethsaida! ; and one more thing: Jerusalem! Jerusalem! slaying the prophets" (Luke 10:13; Luke 13:34). Who is the psalm talking about? The Spirit prophesied here in part about Judas through David; and the rest is about others. Prophecy also comes in this form. We will repeatedly see such a composition of the psalm that the beginning of it refers to one person, and the rest to another. The above can be seen from another place: when the Jews entered the promised land, the son of Joshua received a command from God to divide the twelve tribes into twelve parts and pronounce partly blessings and partly curses. These blessings and curses were a prediction of the future: “You are cursed..., he said, in the city, and you [will be] cursed in the field” (Deut. 28:16), and countless similar curses concerning the tribes made up a long speech. The same can be said here, i.e. under the guise of a curse, a prophecy was compiled, which means and foretells the events that happened to Judas, and then touches on another subject, namely: it speaks against some people who rebel against the priesthood - so that we know how great the evil is to rebel against the priests of God and use deceit and untruth against them. What is said here is nothing more than a suggestion that will befall those who offend their neighbors and rebel with deceit and malice against people who have done nothing wrong. If the psalmist asks that his children also be punished, do not be embarrassed by this, beloved; Here he calls children those who themselves participate in the vices of such people. Scripture often calls children and sons by natural kinship and partners in wickedness, even if they were not natural sons, as, for example, when it says: “your father is the devil” (John 8:44). Although the Jews were not the sons of the devil by nature, how could those clothed with flesh be the sons of the incorporeal? - however, due to their participation in wickedness, they became related to him. That’s why it calls them strangers to Abraham: “If you, he says, were the children of Abraham, you would do the works of Abraham” (John 8:39). And that a son is not punished for his father, just as a father is not punished for his son, everyone knows this - and the law says this - unless the father raised his son badly; but even then he is punished not for his son, but for his own negligence, like, for example, Eli (1 Samuel 3:13). 3. If you wish, let us repeat this psalm from the beginning. “To my praise, do not be silent.” Another translator (Aquila) says: “God, do not heed my praise.” Third (Symmachus): “do not remain silent,” i.e. do not leave without punishment, but punish for such deeds, because You are glorious, great and powerful to correct them. “For the mouth of a sinner and the mouth of a flatterer were opened against me, speaking or against me with a flattering tongue, and surrounded me with words of hatred and armed themselves against me without guilt (mine): instead of loving me, they lied against me, and I prayed.” Do you see strong anger? Do you see the insidious plan? Do you see the intruders? God is especially angry when a sinner does evil with intention, with premeditation and with great effort. It’s different when someone fell through infatuation and deception; it is different when someone, committing evil, does something like a deed; it is different - and this is the greatest crime - when they plot against someone who does not plot against himself. Having said: “instead of loving me,” the psalmist expresses nothing more than that to the benefactor who is worthy of love, who should have been rewarded with good, they rewarded the opposite. “And I prayed.” Do you see wisdom? Do you see humility? Do you see meekness? Do you see the reverence of the soul? I did not arm myself, he says, did not enter into the struggle, but resorted to You, called on Your help and Your assistance - this is the strongest weapon and invincible intercession. Further, having spoken about Judas, how he condemned himself, pronounced a death sentence on himself, how he hanged himself, how his apostleship passed to another, he again turns to the previous subject. Such is the property of prophecy that speech is sometimes interrupted in it, another event is introduced and, after it has been presented, an appeal is again made to the previous one. And this prophecy was hidden because of the ingratitude of the Jews. It points, as I said before, to a certain person who plotted against the priesthood after the time of the return of the Jews from Babylonian captivity. The most curious know this from history. For him, the psalmist predicts great disasters, the deprivation of protectors, - he asks that every refuge be blocked for him, so that no long-suffering, no compassion, no forgiveness will be shown to him. This, apparently, is a curse, as I said above and will not stop saying often, but in fact there is a prophecy that proves how angry God is when the priesthood is plotted against. Then he sets out the disasters in detail and says: “because he did not think to show mercy and pursued the poor, and needy, and broken-hearted man, in order to kill (him)” (Ps. 109:16). This is extreme cruelty, great inhumanity, when someone not only plots, but plots against someone who can bend to mercy and arouse compassion. Such a person reached the point of brutal ferocity and even became worse. Beasts are ferocious by nature; and he, being gifted with intelligence, betrayed his nobility to vice. And the animals show some kindness and meekness towards those of the same tribe and those of the same kind; and these people were not even ashamed of the unity of nature, but they drove away and rejected the one who should have had mercy, supported and approved. “And he loved the curse - and it will befall him, and he did not desire the blessing - and it will be removed from him” (Ps. 109:17). Since the psalmist asked him for many disasters, he shows that the beginning and cause of them was not in anyone else, but in himself, who by his own deeds rejected God’s help and brought upon himself the wrath of God. “And he clothed himself with the curse as with a garment, and it entered like water into his womb, and like oil into his bones” (Ps. 109:18). Here the power of punishment and the duration of torment are shown, and at the same time it is suggested that the misfortunes of all people come from themselves, from their own guilt, when by their deeds and actions they themselves reject goodness and subject themselves to punishment. “Let it be to him like a garment in which he is clothed, and like a girdle with which he is always encircled” (Ps. 109:19). He says this to show the unspeakable wrath of God that will befall such people. The meaning of these words is as follows: disasters will so engulf them that there will be no change, but they will cling to them and remain with them constantly. Further instilling that God punishes wickedness and corrects vice, and that such a sentence will fall not only on this sinner, but on all those guilty of the same thing, he adds: “such is the fate of those who slander me before the Lord and speak evil about my soul” (Ps. 109:20), i.e. such is the punishment, such is the judgment of those who rebel, who plot evil, who are at enmity against me. "Those who speak evil about my soul." Consequently, there are punishments for words, and the most severe punishments. 4. Having finished speaking about this, he again resorts to God, asking for His intercession. He does not stop at punishing the offenders, but, wanting to show that those who suffer have an avenger for the insults they inflict and receive great intercession, he adds: “But You, O Lord, Lord, do to me according to Your name, for Your mercy is good” (Ps. 109:21). Look at his gratitude, look at his humility. Although he had sufficient reason to ask for intercession in his very suffering, since from many places of Scripture one can see that those who suffer unjustly from people have great boldness to ask themselves for help from God, but he, without pointing out this, resorts to God’s love for mankind and says: “do unto me according to Thy name,” i.e. as if he were saying this: not because I was worthy of it, but for Myself, for the sake of the fact that You are humane and merciful. That’s why he adds: “for Your mercy is good.” He said well: “For Your mercy is good.” With people, mercy is often not like this, but sometimes it serves to harm and destruction, but with God it is always for good. “Deliver me, for I am poor and needy and my heart is troubled within me” (Ps. 109:22). Do you see that he again asks to save him not as worthy, not as righteous, but as completely exhausted, as tormented, as having endured countless calamities? “And my heart is troubled within me.” Such is the power of disasters: they not only destroy the body, but also disturb the soul. “Like a shadow when it turns aside, I disappeared, I was driven out like locusts” (Ps. 109:23). Depicts the power of the perfidy of the attackers, their unspeakable malice, and the activity that he himself showed in such circumstances. “My knees are weak from fasting, and my body is changed from (deprivation of) oil” (Ps. 109:24). Do you see what weapons he used against intrigues and anger against him? “And I became a laughingstock to them: they, as I looked at me, nodded their heads” (Ps. 109:25). Such are the judgments of the vicious: they not only do not retreat when they see that the righteous is opposing them with piety, but they also blame, mock, and revile. What is he? He resorts to invincible help and insurmountable protection: “Help me,” says, Lord my God, and save me according to Your mercy. And let them understand that such is Your hand, and You, O Lord, have done it” (Ps. 109:26-27). What does it mean: “what is your hand?” Your help, Your protection. I want not only to be saved, but so that they also know by whom I was saved, so that I can have a double trophy, a double crown, the highest glory. “They will be cursed, but You bless them; those who rise up against me will fast, and Your servant will rejoice” (Ps. 109:28). Here he teaches the listener wisdom; shows that even if people subject the righteous man to countless curses, they will not harm him in any way, because God blesses him, and shame and dishonor will be directed to them. "Your servant will rejoice." He said well: “he will rejoice,” expressing that this joy comes from the same place where blessings are given; nothing, he says, that is deplorable can no longer confuse me when I have the joy that comes from You. “Let those who slander me be clothed with shame, and be covered with their shame as with a garment” (Ps. 109:29). See how he also asks that they not only be subjected to punishment, but also shame and dishonor, so that this will serve as a lesson for them to correct themselves and a reason for a change for the better. “And I will loudly confess the Lord with my mouth and praise Him among the multitude, for He has stood at the right hand of the poor to save my soul from those who persecute me” (Ps. 109:30-31). As a reward for all this, he sends glorification, thanksgiving, and praise to God, proclaims His deeds to everyone, and becomes a preacher of the blessings bestowed upon him among everyone. This is a sacrifice, this is an offering to always keep in memory the benefits of God, to imprint them in the mind, to preach with the lips, to make many listeners of His benefits. Thus, the one who accepted the benefit will receive a reward for his gratitude and will be rewarded with even greater mercy from God, and those who listen will become more zealous because of what happened to others, and the benefit shown to others will become for them the greatest incentive to excel in virtue. The psalms in the text are translated by P. Yungerov - Editorial office of the ABC of Faith You might be interested in: