Беседа 31 на псалом 121 86

Ps.121:1. Song of Degrees. I rejoiced when they said to me: “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” . The hardships during the Babylonian captivity awakened in the Jews a fiery love for the temple and Jerusalem. – “Jerusalem, which is under construction, is like a city whose buildings are joined together” (Ps. 122:3). – The glory of Jerusalem, as the only place of worship of the tribes of Israel to God. - The purpose of this establishment. – What does it mean: “Israel was revealed” (Ps. 121:4)? - Glory to Jerusalem as the capital. – “Pray for peace in Jerusalem... May there be peace in your strength” (Ps. 122:6–7). – Prayer for the prosperity of Jerusalem for the glory of God. 1. And now many would even be upset at such an invitation. If someone invites you to go to the horse lists or to the spectacles of lawlessness, then many flock; and few go to the house of prayer without laziness. But it was not so with the Jews. What could be more unfortunate when Christians turn out to be more careless than Jews? Why did they become like this? I repeat again: captivity made them better. Those who previously abhorred and avoided the church and listening to the sayings of the divine, went to the mountains, groves and oak forests, and indulged in great wickedness, have now abandoned their addiction to superstition, joyfully heed this call, awaken, rebel and admire in their souls. They suffered from hunger and thirst, not “a hunger for bread, nor a thirst for water, but a thirst for hearing the words of the Lord” (Am. 8:11), and, having experienced such punishment, they strive with great desire for that from which they had previously retreated. They embrace the very platform (Zion) and say: “For Thy servants have loved its stones, and have pity for its dust” (Ps. 101:15); again: “When will I come and appear to the face of God?” ( Ps.41:3 ); also: “I will remember You from the land of Jordan and Hermonim, from the Little Mountain” (Ps. 42:7); and again: “I remembered and poured out my soul before me” (Ps. 41:5). What, tell me, “do you remember?” “How I will go to the place of a wondrous settlement, to the house of God” (Ps. 42:5), i.e. that I will come to these faces, these solemn meetings, this worship. “Are our feet standing in your courts, O Jerusalem” (Ps. 121:2). Another translator (unknown translator, see Orig. Ex.) says: “I rejoiced when they said to me: we have come to the house of the Lord; Our feet are in your courts, O Jerusalem" Do you see excessive joy? As if they had already received what they wanted, they rejoiced at the calling itself and embraced the house of prayer and the city with great love. This is what God always does. When we, possessing goods, do not feel it, then God snatches them from our hands, so that what possession did not do, deprivation does. They also experienced the same thing, hugging the church, hugging the city, giving great thanks to God for returning their fatherland, “Jerusalem under construction is like a city whose buildings are joined together” (Ps. 122:3). Another (Symmachus): "created like a city" (την οικοδομημένην ὼς πολιν). Those. according to the translation of the seventy: Jerusalem will be built like a city - indicates the time before its construction; or, according to another translator: we returned to Jerusalem, built like a city, indicating events after the captivity. Since then there was great desolation and ruins throughout the entire city, the towers were overthrown, the walls were destroyed, and only the remains of the ancient fatherland were visible, the returning Jews, seeing its desolation, remember its former prosperity, extol it with praise and say that a city so glorious and magnificent, which had a church, rulers, kings, high priests, and was distinguished by great beauty, was brought to such a pitiful state. And that this is so, listen to the words themselves: “Jerusalem under construction”; therefore, it was not yet a city then. This is also evident from the following words that the prophet adds: “the buildings are connected together.” Here he says that in the city the buildings were united, solid and continuous, that there was nothing empty between them, but in all places it was built up often, completely, together, so that before the captivity it was a continuous and coherent whole. Therefore, another translator (Symmachus), who expressed this, says: “having a connection” (συνάφεν έχουσα). Then he expresses other praise for him. “For the tribes went there, the tribes of the Lord, according to the revelation of Israel, to glorify the name of the Lord” (Ps. 122:4). This especially adorned the city, not so much with its splendor and buildings, but with the fact that everyone flocked there when there was a national or church meeting, or there was a question about something. Since there was a church here, all the liturgical rites were performed, there were priests, and Levites, and the royal palace, and the inaccessible (holy of holies), and the vestibule, and sacrifices, and the altar, and holidays, and celebrations, and prayers, and readings, in a word - since the whole essence of the social structure was concentrated here, all tribes had to gather here, especially three times a year: on Easter, on Pentecost and on the holiday tabernacles, because in other places all this was not permitted. That is why, in praise of the city, he says: “the tribes went there.” Another (Aquila): "there the sceptres ascend" (σκηπτρα). He didn’t just say: tribes, but: “tribes of the Lord.” Although all the tribes were the Lord's, they were not allowed to do all this in their own fatherland; such an honor was given to the capital, which gathered and attracted everyone. 2. This was established for the purpose of knowledge of God, so that the Jews, wandering everywhere, would not have reasons and paths to idolatry. That is why God commanded to make sacrifices there, to pray there, to celebrate celebrations there, by the very limitation of the place, wanting to protect, restrain and curb their thoughts, which were inclined towards wickedness. This is what the prophet expresses with the words: “the tribes of the Lord, according to the revelation of Israel.” What does it mean: “by revelation Israel”? The greatest testimony, proof, sign of God's providence, in which there was no excuse left for them if they retreat, turn aside and turn to idols. This was the greatest evidence of His providence, power and wisdom. There the law was read, which contains information and narrations about ancient great events; There they, meeting each other, were united by love; there the celebrations that took place served as a reason and opportunity for them to have mutual relations; The fear (of God) increased, piety increased, and countless benefits came from their flow into this city. “To glorify the name of the Lord,” i.e. to give thanks, perform divine services, pray, make gifts and sacrifices, which led them to piety and made the social structure more solid. “For there are thrones set up for judgment, thrones in the house of David” (Ps. 121:5). This is another advantage of the city. Which? The fact that there are royal palaces there. This is precisely what the words mean: “there are thrones set for judgment, thrones in the house of David.” Another translator (unknown translator): "houses of David" (του οίκου). The two authorities, priests and kings, were united there into one, so that the city was decorated, as it were, with a double decoration - a crown and a diadem. There were judges there, to whom cases were brought up that exceeded the understanding of others. If in some other cities a question arose that led to bewilderment, then it was presented, as if on appeal, to the judges of Jerusalem and permission was obtained from there. This is how it was in ancient times; and now everything was in a pitiful state - there was complete desolation, destruction, ruins, a few remnants of pitiful-looking buildings, only hinting and reminding of the former prosperity. However, the prophet does not limit his speech to these sad memories, but arouses joyful hope and says: “Pray for peace in Jerusalem, and (may there be) abundance for those who love you!” (Ps. 122:6). What does it mean: “pray for peace in Jerusalem”? In other words: ask, demand. Another translator (Symmachus) says: “greet Jerusalem” (ασπάσατε), i.e. pray that he will return to his former prosperity, that he will get rid of frequent wars, that he will finally receive peace. Either it speaks (the prophet) or it prophesies. “Pray for peace in Jerusalem,” i.e. peace will be given to him. “And (may there be) abundance for those who love you!” . Another (Symmachus): “they will be calm” (ηρεμήοσουσιν). Third (unknown, see Orig. Ex.): “may those who love you prosper” (ευ παθήσαιεν αγαπωντές σε). Here the greatest prosperity is represented when it is not limited only to the city itself, but those who love it also enjoy the benefits, whereas in former times it was the opposite. Then those who hated him and attacked him were especially strong, stronger and more glorious than others, and easily won victories. But now those who love you will be in great safety, will be protected with you. Here he means either those who will assist them, or the citizens themselves. “Let there be peace in your strength and abundance in your fortress towers!” (Ps.121:7), Another (unknown, see Orig. Ex.): “in your enclosure” (προτεισκίσματι ̣). Third (Symmachus): “in your neighborhood” (περιβόλω). What does it mean: “in your strength”? This means: in your bosom, in your inhabitants, in your prosperity. Since the war is destructive and destroyed him, he wishes him peace. “And abundance in your fortress towers.” Another (Symmachus): "in your palaces" (βασιλείοις). Third (unknown, see Orig. Ex.): “prosperity” (ευπάθεια). Fourth (unknown, see Orig. Ex.): “calmness” (ηρεμία). He predicts for them not only deliverance from disasters, but also the receipt of countless benefits: peace, abundance, fertility. What is the use of the world if they live in poverty, misery, hunger? And what is the use of abundance if there is war? That is why he predicts for them both these and other benefits - both being in abundance and enjoying it in safety, in peace. “For the sake of my brothers and my neighbors, I said about you: “(let there be) peace!” (Ps. 122:8). He understands either the neighbors who rejoiced at their fall, and prays for peace, so that they too will humble themselves and know the power of God, or he speaks about the brothers who lived in the city. So, “for the sake of my brothers and my neighbors,” let there be peace, so that you may calm down at least late, having become better from disasters. “For the sake of the house of the Lord our God I have sought your good” (Ps. 121:9). Another (unknown translator, see Orig. Ex.): “I will say peace in you” (λαλήσω είρήνην έν σοί). Having said: “for the sake of my brothers and my neighbors..., and showing that he prays about this not for the sake of their merits, but in order to benefit them more, he adds: for the sake of the house of the Lord our God,” i.e. I wish peace for His glory, for the restoration of His worship, for the greater spread of His teaching. Some of the Jews were born during the captivity, while others witnessed both the captivity and return. The first learned about all this from the elders - about the beauty and prosperity that had happened before, during the performance of the divine service, which they lost. Do you see how he humbles their pride, so that they do not think that they have received benefits because they have suffered a worthy punishment, but know that they have been returned to their fatherland for the glory of God, and knowing this, they are careful so that, indulging in previous sins, they do not experience the same thing? Knowing this, we will try our best not to fall; If we ever fall into sins, then we will try to get up quickly and not return to the old ways, so as not to hear what was said to the paralytic: “Behold, you have recovered; Sin no more, lest anything worse happen to you” (John 5:14). This is said in order to teach the virtuous to firmly preserve their virtue, and those freed from sins to remain with the good change, so that we all together receive heavenly blessings, of which may we all be worthy by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. The psalms in the text are translated by P. Yungerov - Editorial office of the ABC of Faith You might be interested in: