Беседа 33 на псалом 123 88

Ps.123:1. Song of Degrees. If the Lord were not with us, let Israel say. The psalmist encourages the Israelites returning from captivity to attribute their salvation to the Lord. Why were they given security not suddenly, but little by little? “They would have swallowed us up alive” (Ps. 123:3). – How can a person pacify his passions? -Who can you be angry with? – Comparison of the strong anger of enemies with a stream and the meaning of it. - “Blessed is the Lord, who has not given us over as prey to their teeth!.. Our help is in the name of the Lord” (Ps. 124:6, 8). 1. I have often said, and now I will say, and I will not stop saying: the fruit of captivity is great and can lead those who are attentive to wisdom. In fact, look at what those who resorted to idols, turned away from God and indulged in wickedness say now after the captivity, how do they attribute their salvation to God? And the prophet, as an excellent funeral director, commands them to constantly say this. Having said it himself, he also inspires them, as a teacher to his disciples, saying: “If the Lord had not been with us when people rose up against us, they would have swallowed us up alive” (Ps. 124:2-3). They were unarmed, naked, captives, slaves, had just been freed from disaster, had a city without walls, or even had no city at all, and upon their return they were ready prey for everyone; but instead of a wall and a fortress they had God. We will say the same thing now: “if the Lord had not been with us..., then they would have swallowed us up alive.” Indeed, what would our enemy the devil not do, “if the Lord were not with us”? Listen to what Christ says to Simon: “Simon! Simon! Behold, Satan asked that he might sift you like wheat, but I prayed for you, so that your faith would not fail” (Luke 22:31, 32). This evil and insatiable beast, if it were not constantly bridled, would overthrow and upset everything. If he, having received some small power over blessed Job, destroyed his house to the ground, distorted his body, caused such deplorable events, destroyed his property, killed his children, filled his flesh with worms, armed his wife, made friends enemies, inspired slaves to insult him in such ways, then, not being restrained in various ways, would he not destroy everyone? That is why the prophet says: “if the Lord were not with us.” They were very few in number and poor, and many attacked them upon their return. But the wisdom of God was also revealed in this, that security was not suddenly given to them, but little by little and gradually. God did this in order to keep them in the knowledge of God and so that the correction made in them by captivity would not disappear. Since deliverance from disasters usually makes people more careless, even during the bestowal of blessings He allowed them to be subjected to frequent temptations, so that temptations would be for them a constant exercise in wisdom. God does not leave people forever either in misfortune, so that they do not become exhausted, or in happiness, so that they do not become careless; but arranges their salvation in various ways. “They would have swallowed us up alive.” Do you see how he depicts the brutality of the attackers? Indeed, there are people who reveal the ferocity of animals, and act even more ferociously towards their fellow tribesmen. The beast, having attacked once, leaves its rage and leaves, or, being driven away, does not attack again; and people often, after failure, attack again, trying to tear apart the very body of their neighbor. So reckless is the anger, so seething and bubbling this passion! How can we eradicate this disease? If we are reasonable, if we think about death among those who die every day, if we delve into our very nature, which is earth and ashes. When the beauty of a face seduces your soul, then go to the monuments and tombs of your ancestors, and look at those lying there, how they turned to dust, and you will receive from this sight a great disposition to contrition. Do not reproach my words for cruelty. Just as those possessed by a fever, freed from illness, need clean air, so those raging with passions, coming to the monuments, seem to find a healthy location and get rid of many diseases. In fact, one type of urn is enough to humble the proudest man. From here, transport your thoughts to the future terrible day, to those tortures and condemnations, to those punishments in which there is no consolation, from which no one will protect you. With all this, pacify passions. Remember also about those people who in this life fell from wealth to poverty, from glory to dishonor; and if you want to be angry, then be angry not at your brother, but at the evil spirit. This is who you can direct this passion towards; never make peace with him, pour out and exhaust your anger on him, set a trap for him, never stop waging war against him. “When their wrath was enraged against us, the water would have drowned us: but our soul crossed the stream, our soul crossed the swift water” (Ps. 124:3-5). The prophet here calls the inexpressible wrath of the enemies “stream” and “water.” He is water, rushing randomly and with great swiftness and force carrying away what it encounters. However, this speaks not only about the onset of disasters, but also about their passing. 2. Let us not lose heart when disasters befall us. Whatever they may be, they are a stream and a fleeting cloud; whatever sorrow you call, it has an end; no matter what calamity is indicated, it has a limit. And if they had no end, then our nature would not be enough. But, you say, they captivate many people? Not because of their own impetuosity, but because those who are carried away are themselves careless and easily stumble. Therefore, so that we do not be carried away and go along the very depths of this stream, we will inspect its terrain and hold on to the sacred anchor, so as not to suffer shipwreck. Likewise, the flow of water can be terrible for a while, and then decreases immensely. "The water would drown us." Another translator (unknown translator, see Orig. Ex.) says: “then the waters would drown us like an abyss, having reached our soul” (ύδατα ώς φάργξ παρελθόντα). “But our soul crossed the stream.” Another (Aquila) says: “then the proud would rise above our souls like waters” (ώς τά υδατα ὺπερήφανοι). Do you see what God’s help is, how in the midst of such disasters He did not allow them to be drowned? God allows disasters to multiply not in order to drown us, but to make us more experienced and more clearly demonstrate His power. The enemies here are called proud, who, attacking stronger than any stream and any irresistible water, did not cause them any harm; and the reason for this is the help of God, assistance from above, invincible protection. Therefore, having spoken about deliverance from disasters, the prophet also speaks about the Author of deliverance, and, moreover, in the form of a doxology: “Blessed is the Lord, who did not deliver us up as prey to their teeth! Our soul is delivered like a bird from a fowler’s net: the net is broken, and we are delivered” (Ps. 123:6-7). Do you see how he portrays both his own weakness and the strength of his enemies? They attacked like wild beasts and lions, ready to devour their very body, armed with both strength and fury; and these were weaker than any bird. But the wondrous works of God are especially revealed when the weak defeat the strong. The attack was unbearable not only because on the one hand there were strong and terrible enemies, filled with great rage and ready to devour the very flesh, and on the other people weak, few in number and elusive, but also because the latter were in the midst of disasters, were placed in the most difficult circumstances and were threatened by wars on all sides. But He who is always strong and ready to save delivered us, he says, with great ease even after we had been exposed to disasters. Wanting to express this, he said this: “our soul was delivered like a bird from a bird-catcher’s net: the net was torn, and we were delivered.” Then, showing how it was, he adds: “Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Ps. 124:8). Do you see the power of the Protector? Do you see His power? He also destroyed the means of attack themselves. This can also be taken in a figurative sense, in relation to the devil and the human race. The prophet shows how God delivered him from him, how he destroyed his wiles. This happened from the time when Christ told the disciples: “I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy” (Luke 10:19). Now it is no longer an open struggle and an equal battle; but the devil lies cast down to the ground, and you stand upright and strike from above; he is weak, and you are strong. Why does he often defeat us? Because of our cowardice, because of the carelessness of those sleeping. If you want to oppose him, he will not dare to go against you. If he defeats you while you are sleeping, then this does not happen because of his strength, but because of your cowardice. Who, even the weakest, will not defeat the sleeper? But now the mighty one is bound, his vessels are plundered (Matthew 12:29), his strength is crushed, his refuge is destroyed, his swords are taken away from him. What do you want more? Why are you afraid of him? Why are you afraid? You are commanded to trample on him, weakened: why do you tremble, tell me, why do you hesitate? Don't you understand what kind of Helper you have? After all, not only has the enemy become weaker, but your help has also become greater. The troubles of the flesh have been pacified, the burden of sin has been laid aside, you have received the grace of the Spirit, the power of the anointing: “Because the law, weakened by the flesh, was powerless, God sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sacrifice for sin and condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not live according to the flesh” (Rom. 8:3, 4). He made the flesh submissive, gave you weapons - the breastplate of righteousness, the girdle of truth, the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit; He gave you a pledge; He feeds you with His flesh, He gives you His blood to drink; handed you the cross like a spear, a spear that will never be broken; He tied the devil and threw him to the ground. So, you are irresponsible if you are victorious; you have no excuse if you suffer defeat, because you have countless means to victory. “The network broke and we got rid of it. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who created heaven and earth." Do you see what kind of Leader, what kind of King you have? The Creator of everything, by His word, produced such creatures, so huge, so great. Don’t lose heart, stand courageously; nothing prevents you from erecting a glorious trophy. Knowing this, beloved, let us watch and strive, we will not sleep, but, sharpening our weapons and intensifying our zeal, we will continually attack the enemy, so that, having won a bright victory, we may achieve with great glory the kingdom of heaven, which may we all be worthy of through 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: