Беседа 42 на псалом 132 101

Ps.133:1. Song of degrees. This is what is good and what is pleasant: brothers living together! The high dignity of love, as combining with pleasantness and benefit, and its comparison with the sacred ointment poured on the head of the high priest, and with dew. - “For there the Lord commanded blessing” (Ps. 132:3). – Where is “there”? Love is the queen of virtues. 102 1. Many things are good, but lack pleasantness; others are enjoyable but not good; both can be very difficult to connect. But what the prophet is talking about combines both, pleasantness and kindness. This is primarily love; along with benefit, it contains convenience and pleasantness. Here he glorifies her. He is talking not just about living and not about staying in the same house, but about living “together”, i.e. with consent and love - because this is where unanimity comes from. Having said that this is “what is good and what is pleasant,” he then explains his words with examples and gives material comparisons that can present the subject to the listener in the clearest form. What are the comparisons? Look: “(this is) the same as ointment on the head, running down onto the beard, onto Aaron’s beard, running down onto the edges of his garment” (Ps. 133:2). Aaron, being the high priest, was anointed with myrrh, which flowed from all sides, and from this anointing he was very desirable, pleasant and amiable to those who looked at him. Just as he,” says the prophet, “being anointed with myrrh, shone in appearance, was bright in face, filled with a great fragrance, and brought pleasure to the eyes that looked at him, so is this beautiful; and just as that spectacle was not only good, but also pleasant to the eye, so this gives pleasure to the soul. “Like the dew of Hermon that descends on the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord commanded blessing and life forever” (Ps. 132:3). He also gives another comparison, which contains great pleasantness and gives pleasure to the viewer. It was not in vain that he said this. Since before the captivity the ten tribes of Israel and two tribes lived separately, which is why many lawlessnesses, disturbances, strife and wars occurred between them, he urges that this should not happen, and advises that the people should no longer be divided, but should live together, united, under the rule of one leader and king, so that love would pass from beginning to end, like dew descending on everything. He compares love with peace and dew, wanting to show through the first its incense, and through the second - its calmness and pleasant appearance. “For there the Lord commanded blessing and life forever.” Where is “there”? In such a life, in such harmony, in such unanimity, in such cohabitation. Indeed, this is a blessing, and the opposite is a curse. That is why someone, glorifying this, says: “unanimity among brothers and love among neighbors, and wife and husband living in harmony with each other” (Sir. 25:2). Another, secretly expressing the power of unity, says: “if two are lying, then they are warm..., and a thread twisted three times will not soon break” (Eccl. 4:11, 12); shows here both pleasure and strength, suggesting that during times of rest you will experience great pleasure, and during activity there will be great strength. And one more thing: “An embittered brother is more impregnable than a strong city” (Proverbs 18:20). And Christ says: “Where two or three are gathered in My name, there I am in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). And nature itself demands this. Therefore, in the beginning, God, having created man, said: “It is not good for man to be alone” (Gen. 2:18), and, having created a living being, i.e. He united his wife with the need for communication with her husband, wanting in countless ways to bring us closer to each other. "And life to eternity". Well the prophet added this; Where there is love, there is great security, great favor of God. She is the mother of all blessings, she is the root and source of them, she is the cessation of wars, the extermination of strife. Expressing this, he added: “and life forever.” Indeed, just as disagreement and discord cause death and premature death, so love and harmony produce peace and unanimity, and where there is peace and unanimity, everything in life is safe and completely reliable. But why talk about the present? Love brings us heaven and unspeakable blessings; she is the queen of virtues. Knowing this, let us zealously nourish it within ourselves, so that we may receive both present and future blessings, which may we all be worthy of, by the grace and love 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. Yungerov - Editorial office of the ABC of Faith Another (unknown, see Orig. Ex.): “what is good, what is good” (αγαθὸν και) You might be interested in: