Беседа 45 на псалом 135 105

Ps.135:1. Hallelujah. Confess to the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever. The boundless greatness of God's mercy, sovereignty and omnipotence. – Miracles are actions not only of power, but also of goodness. – Manifestations of divine omnipotence in the events of the Red Sea, in the desert and in the land of Canaan. – The power of human humility and the universality of divine providence. 1. Having spoken above about the benefits that God showed to people, now the prophet also talks about how great His mercy is; without measuring it - this is impossible - but, wanting to show its boundless greatness, he calls everyone to praise and says: “confess to the Lord,” that is, thank, glorify Him. “For His mercy endures forever.” What does it mean: “forever”? He not only sometimes does good, but sometimes refrains from doing so, not sometimes only shows mercy, but sometimes ceases to show mercy, as happens with people who are hindered by passions, cowardice does not allow it, pleasing others is stopped, circumstances do not allow it; but God is not like that: He constantly shows mercy, and never ceases to do so, although He does it in different and varied ways. Thus, says the prophet, He always has mercy and never ceases to do good to people. Further, having said that God constantly has mercy, the prophet also gives evidence of His mercy and the constancy of this mercy, borrowing them from visible objects. But since he led his listeners to piety, see how he again compares God with pagan gods, and again out of condescension towards the listeners. What does He say? “Confess to the God of gods, and each time he adds: for His mercy endures forever” (Ps. 135:2). “Confess to the Lord of lords, for His mercy endures forever” (Ps. 136:3). In the previous psalm, he says that the Lord is “our God above all gods” (Ps. 134:5), and here he says even more - that He is their Lord and their Master - whether you understand idols or demons, because although the demons have angered Him and are given over to shame, they are also slaves and subject to Him. Therefore, he says, “confess” that you have a God who is above all, to whom there is no like, who is the Lord of all, the Lord of all. However, He is also called the God of those who please Him; for example, when it is said: “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob” (Ex. 3:6). Why is He called the God of demons here? This is said in a different sense, and that in a different sense. There, His closeness and special love for them is presented; and here His superiority is shown. “He alone has done great wonders, for His mercy endures forever” (Ps. 135:4). Having said that He is the Lord and Master of the gods, the prophet now gives proof of this truth, confirms what was said, again pointing to His power. He did not say: “to the one who created,” but: “to the one who creates,” expressing that He constantly does good, works miracles, performs wondrous deeds 106. The Prophet represents two special properties of Him: that He “creates” and that “One” creates; or better to say - three and even four: that He “does”, and creates “miracles”, and “great” miracles, and creates “One”. These words do not refute the Son of God, but only God is contrasted with demons. Let us see what miracles these are, great miracles that He alone performs. However, at the beginning the prophet spoke to us not about strength, but about the love of mankind and the goodness of God: “Confess,” he said, to the Lord, for He is good. Why did He now turn to power? Because these miracles are actions not only of strength, but also of philanthropy. Explaining what kind of miracles these are, he continues: “He created the heavens with reason, for His mercy endures forever. He established the earth on the waters, for His mercy endures forever” (Ps. 135:5-6). Another translator (unknown translator, see Orig. Ex.) says: “who formed the earth in the waters” (πιλήσαντι παρ υδασι). “He alone created the great lights, for His mercy endures forever: the sun to rule the day, for His mercy endures forever. The moon and stars to rule the night, for His mercy endures forever” (Ps. 135:7-9). If all this shows His power and wisdom, then at the same time it shows His great love for mankind. The fact that all this is so majestic, beautiful and durable, proclaims power and wisdom; and the fact that it was made for us and for our benefit, proclaims His love for mankind and constant goodness. Do you see how “His mercy endures forever”? He did not do this for ten or twenty years, and not for a hundred, two hundred, or a thousand years, but continued to express this very thing, and adds in each verse: “For His mercy endures forever.” It is also amazing that He, having created this and provided it to us at the beginning, did not deprive it even when a person transgressed the commandment, but what He gave him when he had not yet sinned, He left for his enjoyment even after the fall, and did not prevent him from using it after the sin. Moreover, He created not only one heaven, but also another, showing at the very beginning that He would not leave us on earth, but would move us there. If He did not want to move us there, then why would heaven be created? This element is not needed for Himself, because He has no need for anything; but, wanting to move us from the earth there, He prepared the monasteries there. 2. That is why the prophet, knowing this, adds in each verse: “His mercy endures forever,” marveling at His love for mankind. “He established the earth on the waters.” Look here at His love for mankind. When we became mortal and were subjected to many needs, He did not leave us even then, but gave us an appropriate shelter here for a while and filled the earth with so many signs of His love for mankind that it is impossible to express them in words. Plunging into the abyss of these blessings and seeing this boundless sea, the prophet raised his voice in delight and said: “How great are Your deeds, Lord! You have created all things with wisdom” (Ps. 103:24). Whoever looks at the sun, at the moon, at the order of times, will now see all His love for mankind. Indeed, these elements contribute no little to the well-being of our life and even to life itself: they nourish, give ripeness to fruits, so that without them it would be impossible to live, show us the seasons, indicate the hours of the day, distinguish between the course of day and night, guide those traveling on land and sea, and provide benefits in other countless ways. Do you see how “His mercy endures forever,” and why the prophet repeats this in every verse? Another translator (unknown translator, see Orig. Ex.) translates the words: “to control the day” as follows: “owns the day” (επικρατειν). Third (unknown translator): "to the region at night" (εν νυκτί). “He smote Egypt with its firstborn, for His mercy endures forever. And He brought Israel out from among them, for His mercy endures forever. With a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for His mercy endures forever” (Ps. 135:10-12). He often turns to the miracle that happened in Egypt, due to the great ingratitude of the Jews, who, constantly hearing, forgot about it. And indeed, this miracle is no small mercy; it delivered them from captivity, from slavery, and for their descendants it served as a reason for the knowledge of God. However, something else is also hinted at here. For what? The fact that even after those executions their liberation from slavery depended on His power, which struck them with fear and drowned the Egyptians in the sea. And he says this so that any of the foolish would not think that God, having commanded them to take gold and silver vessels, commanded it out of His weakness. He did this, wanting in all respects to be terrible for his enemies and to show that He could do everything with force and authority, and secretly and unnoticed by them. What He did openly, He did not do because He could not do it secretly; and what he arranged secretly, he did not do because he could not take it openly; but in both cases he showed His strength. And that this also brought great fear to the foreigners, listen to how the magicians of Azotia later said: “And why should you harden your heart, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? behold, when the Lord showed His power over them, they let them go, and they went away” (1 Samuel 6:6). Do you see how they feared Him and therefore - because of the abduction, secrecy, unknown to them? “He divided the Red Sea into parts, for His mercy endures forever” (Ps. 136:13). Another (Symmachus): “to branches” (είς τομάς). Third (unknown translator, see Orig. Ex.): “to pieces” (είς τμήματα). Some say that there was more than one path, but the water parted separately for each tribe, so that there were many passages. All this, if it showed His great power and revealed Him to be terrible and great, then at the same time it was a matter of great love for mankind, not only towards those who were worthy of this, but also towards enemies, if they wanted to be attentive. In fact, He did not suddenly drown them, but when they, after so many miracles, decided to throw themselves into the water. Even if they were the most insensitive of all, they should have, imagining the previous miracles and the present ones that happened before their eyes, be amazed at His power, bow down and leave the inappropriate competition. But they, seeing how all nature, according to His will, changes its properties and rebels against them, even at this they did not abandon their madness, but, looking at such an extraordinary miracle, boldly embarked on this extraordinary and new path. That is why the sea became a grave for them, and this was not a work of nature, but an execution sent from God. Therefore, in a short time, the opposite actions took place, and the sea was divided not in one place, but according to the number of all the tribes. With each of the signs, the prophet mentions mercy, because it was predominantly the goal of God’s actions, and miracles were performed in the elements so that they would not be attributed to the natural order of things, but to a higher wave that worked miracles. It was the same with the sea. And that this did not happen by chance then is clear from the fact that nothing like that happened after that; Meanwhile, everything that happens naturally is often repeated and usually happens at a certain time. “And He brought Israel through the midst of it, for His mercy endures forever” (Ps. 135:14). 3. Do you see how rightly the prophet adds in every verse: “His mercy endures forever”? All this shows His continuous care. Although the events themselves had an end, the memory of them served for descendants as a great incentive to the knowledge of God; being transmitted to descendants through memory, they guided them to great wisdom. However, not only these miracles were performed, after them God’s providence did not cease, and His love for mankind did not stop at the events of Egypt, but every time and every century presents abundant evidence of His ineffable love for mankind. Surprised by this, the prophet constantly adds: “For His mercy endures forever.” He added well: “He led Israel through his midst,” because this too is a work of God’s power. It was not enough just to part the sea and make the transition convenient for them - this could even more amaze them, frighten them and keep them from determination, inspiring great fear with its unusualness - but the power of God, even after the retreat of the sea, produced courage in them and inspired them to follow this new and unusual path. When the waters rose on both sides, it was necessary to have an exalted and courageous soul so as not to be afraid of the transition and not to fear that the sea, rising on both sides, would fall on them and drown the entire camp. “And he cast down Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea, for his mercy endureth forever” (Ps. 136:15). He used this expression, wanting to show how easy the drowning was. Moreover, notice how, along with power and anger, God also showed long-suffering, not first by destroying them - although they reached such shamelessness and resistance - as when they themselves voluntarily threw themselves into the abyss. It is not in vain that Pharaoh’s army is punished; since it shared the sin and participated in the persecution, it shared both the punishment and torment. “He led His people in the wilderness, for His mercy endures forever” (Ps. 136:16). This is no less than taking you across the sea. In fact, although the land there was dry and it was possible to set up a camp on it, there were many other inconveniences. There, everything could destroy them and put them to a cruel death: hunger, drought, thirst, the rays of the sun striking more than they should, and a multitude of wild animals, and a lack of everything necessary. You know how much a person needs. But they, being deprived of all this, having neither shelter, nor food, nor sufficient clothing, nor shoes, and nothing else like that, as if rejoicing among the cities, continued their journey in this situation through the entire desert. Look how many miracles that happened in the desert, and how many years of leadership of the people the prophet does not count, but mentions only two miracles that happened over the kings there. Passing in silence their new food, wonderful shelter, a lamp that never ceased to appear, clothes that did not wear out, shoes that did not wear out, springs that flowed from stones, and other unusual and wonderful phenomena that made the path convenient for them, he mentions only two, how God defeated the foreign kings, how he erected a trophy and granted them victory; and the rest is left to the listener to imagine in detail. Therefore he says: “He has struck down great kings, for His mercy endures forever. And he slew the mighty kings, for His mercy endures forever: Sihon king of the Amorites, for His mercy endures forever, and Og king of Bashan, for His mercy endures forever” (Ps. 135:17-20). And to each verse he adds: “for His mercy endures forever,” showing that although some enemies were replaced by others, no one defeated them. Why? Because they were constantly rewarded with God’s love for mankind. This is what he expresses by constantly repeating: “For His mercy endures forever.” “And he gave their land for an inheritance, for His mercy endures forever. For a heritage unto Israel His servant, for His mercy endureth forever” (Ps. 135:21-22). Two types of good deeds: the one that they defeated their enemies, and the one that became the masters of their possessions. Indeed, it was a matter of great power that they not only expelled the natives, but were also able to occupy and hold someone else's land. Further, again explaining that they became the owners of all this not by their own merits, but solely by the goodness of God, he adds: “He remembered us in our humiliation, for His mercy endures forever” (Ps. 135:23), expressing that it is not in virtues, not in happiness, but “in our humiliation.” The meaning of these words is as follows: our misfortune and suffering were enough to bend Him to mercy. So in the beginning, when He freed them from Egypt, He did not say: “I saw that I saw” their change for the better, but: “I saw the suffering of My people in Egypt” (Ex. 3:7). “And He delivered us from our enemies, for His mercy endures forever” (Ps. 136:24). In order not to separately list wars, attacks, victories, trophies, he again, touching in one word on a number of their exploits and leaving what happened in particular with the Jews, turns to His universal providence and says: “He gives food to all flesh, for His mercy endures forever” (Ps. 135:25). Another (Aquila): "who gives bread" (ός δίδωσιν αρτον). Third (Symmachus): "bread giver" (διδοὺς αρτον). So, it is not earth, not water, not air, not a ray of sunlight, nor anything else that produces fruit, but everything comes from Him. Look here not only at His power, but also at His inexpressible love for mankind. As Christ said: “For He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unjust” (Matt. 5:45), so the prophet here also expresses in the words: “He gives food to all flesh,” i.e., not only to the righteous and virtuous, but also to sinners and the wicked and to the entire human race, which especially proclaims His dominion. Do you see that the psalm was composed especially to lead to the knowledge of God? Therefore, at the beginning, he first of all pointed to universal phenomena, and at the end he concluded his speech with them: above he spoke about the sun and the moon, about lightning and rain, which occur not only in one part of the universe, and in conclusion he pointed to the food common to all. Then, having proven God’s providence for everything, he added: “Confess to the God of Heaven, for His mercy endures forever” (Ps. 135:26), because from the above-mentioned phenomena it is also revealed that He is the Lord of everything, both above and below, and His providence and care extends to everything. Let us offer Him gratitude for everything, for the universal and for the particular, for goodness, for philanthropy, for power, for care, and we will do this constantly throughout our lives, as the psalmist says: “Confess to the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever.” This is a sacrifice; this is an offering; this especially inclines Him to mercy towards us and attracts His favor, which may we all be worthy of, 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 The saint reads not: “to the one who created,” but: “to the one who creates” - τω ποιουντι. You might be interested in: