Беседа 36 на псалом 126 92

Ps.126:1-2. Song of Degrees. If the Lord does not build the house, the builders labor in vain; if the Lord does not preserve the city, the watchman watches in vain. It is in vain that you rise early: arise, you who eat the bread of tribulation, having rested, after He has given His beloved sleep. The Jews needed divine help not only to build the church and city, but also to preserve what was built; it is equally necessary for everyone; without this help, the most intense efforts of the working people are in vain; with her there is peace and many children. – “Like arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the sons of the exiled” (Ps. 126:4). - The bliss of those whose affairs are promoted by help from above. 1. This psalm speaks of the state of affairs upon the return of the Jews from captivity. When, upon their release from captivity and upon returning from the country of foreigners, they found the city destroyed, the walls and towers reduced to ruins, and began to restore them, and meanwhile many, jealous of the well-being of the Jews and fearing their well-being, attacked them from different sides and hindered the work, time was wasted among such events, and so much time was spent that more than forty years were spent on the construction of the church. The Jews expressed this when they said: “This church took forty-six years to build” (John 2:20), meaning not the first construction of the church under Solomon, but the subsequent one, which took place after the liberation from Persia. Since a lot of time was spent on building the church, the city and the walls (building the city took even more time), the prophet, teaching them again, resorts to God, explains this and shows that everything will be in vain and in vain if they do not receive help from God. Without God's help it is impossible not only to free oneself from captivity, but also to restore the wall upon liberation. What am I saying: rebuild the walls and build a city? Even what was built and completed, no one could have preserved if they had not had such assistance. The prophet says this in order to convince them by all means to again turn to God’s help, so that from tranquility they do not become more careless. That is why God did not give them benefits suddenly, but gradually and little by little, so that after a quick deliverance from disasters they would not turn again to their former wickedness; and during the very bestowal of blessings he often reminded them of the attack of enemies, constantly awakening them from carelessness. The words of the prophet were spoken generally, but received their origin from this event. Indeed, they need to be applied to everyone, so that we ourselves are not careless, do not remain inactive, but so that, doing what depends on us, we place everything on God, constantly and in everything holding out hope in Him. Just as it is impossible to bring things to the end without God’s help, so with God’s help, if we ourselves are careless and inactive, it is impossible to reach the end. “It is in vain that you rise early: arise, you who eat bread (in) sorrow” (Ps. 126:2). Another translator (Aquila) says: “those who are slow to sit down” (βραδύνουσι καθησθαι). Third (unknown translator, see Orig. Ex.): “those who delay sitting” (χρονίζουσι του καθησθαι). The meaning of these words is as follows: even if you didn’t sleep, even if you got up until the morning, even if you were slow to go to bed, using all your time on labor and work, but if you do not receive help from above, then all human affairs will be destroyed and there will be no benefit from such efforts. “Arise, you who eat the bread of (in) tribulation.” With these words he expresses that they led a hard-working life, being together warriors and builders. With one hand, he says, they held a basket or a stone, and with the other a sword, dividing themselves for construction and war, and carried garbage along with their shields. Since the city was not fenced with walls and was defenseless, the Jews, indeed, constantly fearing sudden and unexpected attacks, built walls armed; They had swords, shields and spears with them, and far from them there were spies who informed them of the secret movements of the enemies, and gave a sign with the sound of trumpets as soon as they noticed their approach from afar. But even if you did this, says the prophet, and ate bread in exhaustion, everything will be in vain and in vain if you do not receive help from above. If they so needed help from above to restore the city and walls, then we, who follow the path that leads to heaven, need much more. “This is the inheritance from the Lord - sons! The reward is the fruit of the womb!” (Ps. 127:3). What is the connection of speech here? Great and inseparable from the previous one. The meaning of these words is as follows: if God does not give His help, then everything is in vain; and when He gives His help, then sleep will be pleasant, then there will be peace, and life free from dangers and filled with peace. 2. So, when God gives them sleep, when He calms them, when He repels the attackers, then they will not only build a city, not only preserve it, but will also receive much greater benefits; they will be the fathers of many children, God will give them many more children. “The reward is the fruit of the womb.” What does it mean? As a reward, he says, they will receive many children. Although it is a work of nature, when God gives His help, then it will be more successful, because it also needs help from above, with it Jerusalem will be filled with many inhabitants. However, their prosperity will not be limited to just this, i.e. construction, preservation and procreation, but something else will be added to this; and what exactly, the prophet explains in further words: “As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, so are the sons of the exiled” (Ps. 127:4). Other (unknown, see Orig. Ex.): “bound” (πεδητων). The meaning of his words is as follows: they will not only be behind safe walls, in a fortified city, among numerous children, but they will also be terrible for enemies, as terrible as arrows. He didn’t just say: “arrows, but in the hand of a strong man.” Arrows in themselves are not terrible, but when they are in the hands of a strong person, then they threaten the attackers with death. So they will be scary. Who are they? "Sons of the Exiled", i.e. those who were once weak were bound. He constantly reminds them of previous disasters during times of prosperity, in order to correct their hearts by all means - both with what they suffered, and with what they got rid of, and with what they will enjoy. “Blessed is he who fulfills his desire through them: they will not be ashamed when they speak in the gates with their enemies” (Ps. 127:5). Another (Theodotion) says: “Blessed is he who fills his quiver with them” (φαρετραν). Those. and this will be given to them: bodily strength, unbearable fear for others, many children, security, the beauty of the city, victory and trophies in wars. That is why he pleases them, as having the opportunity to enjoy such prosperity. They will, he says, be armed. But this is not the source of their bliss, but that they will not be ashamed. “They will not be ashamed when they speak at the gates with their enemies.” What is this? The greatest trophy, the greatest glory, triumph, bliss. They will not be blamed as if they were not worthy of God’s providence, or as if they had a powerless God, or, although powerful, but rejected His providence from themselves by their sins. On the contrary, distinguished by all this - the city, walls, guards, children, weapons, strength - they will not hide at the sight of enemies, but will meet them with great courage, adorning themselves, exalting themselves, magnifying themselves with all this, as a sign of God's protection over them. The height of all blessings and the crown of bliss is to be able to be magnified by God’s help. Therefore, the prophet ends his speech with this, teaching everyone, first of all, to look for this decoration and boast about it. Let us also acquire this decoration in order to be worthy of eternal blessings, grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, with the Holy Spirit, be glory forever and ever. Amen. The psalms in the text are translated by P. 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