Беседа 5 на псалом 7

Ps.7:1-2. The psalm of David, which he sang to the Lord, regarding the words of Hushai, the son of Jamenite, “O Lord my God! I trusted in You, save me from all those who persecute me and deliver me” 15. Explanation of the inscription of the psalm using translations other than the Greek 70. - Who was Hushai mentioned here? – The instructive example he set of trust in God and loyalty to virtuous people, despite the latter’s misfortunes. - Advice from Hushai the Architean to Absalom and his benefit to the persecuted David, who expressed gratitude to God in this psalm. – David’s gentle prayer for salvation from visible and invisible enemies. – How should you pray to be heard from God? – David’s confession of his innocence and gentleness, which exceeds the requirements of the Old Testament law. – The admonition is not only not to have enmity towards enemies, but also to destroy its root – love of money and vanity. – Literal explanation of Ps.7:7-10: rise, Lord, by Thy wrath... let the wickedness of sinners come to an end. Saying: Lord judge me according to my righteousness, does not the Psalmist disagree with what he said: Do not enter into judgment with Your servant? – Whom God loves. – The suffering of many righteous people in this world was foretold by the Lord and established by unsearchable divine wisdom for the good of man. “Sinners who do not receive punishment here are worthy of crying.” – Why aren’t we punished every day for our sins? – The benefit of punishing sinners for the righteous. – Explanation of words: they tested hearts and wombs...; righteous help... God is a righteous judge... What are our common, everyday sins, and how does the Psalmist threaten those who are careless about their correction? – Attributing to God a bow, sword and arrows, the Psalmist uses humanoid expressions in order to touch rude people and arouse the fear of punishment. – Manifestation of divine love for mankind in the very threats of punishment. “He who digs a hole for his neighbor will fall into it himself.” – Advancement in virtue is especially facilitated by frequent conversation with God in prayer. – An exhortation to love God not for His good, but for His own sake. 1. We should know the Scriptures and historical events so well that we do not need to expound them at length; but since some, busy with everyday affairs, others, indulging in carelessness, have not heard of them, it is necessary to expound at length the subject of this psalm. Listen carefully. What is the subject of this psalm? 16 David had a son, Absalom, a rebellious and depraved youth. He once rebelled against his father and, having expelled him from the kingdom, from home and fatherland, he himself took possession of everything in his place; He was not ashamed of either nature, nor upbringing, nor age, nor previous events, but was so cruel and rebellious, more like a beast than a man, that, having dissolved all these obstacles, he trampled on the very laws of nature and filled everything with confusion and horror. Yes, then everything was violated: the laws of nature, shame before people, reverence before God, philanthropy, mercy, gratitude for upbringing, respect for old age. If he did not want to respect David as a father, he should have respected him as an elder; if he did not respect gray hair, then he should have been ashamed of him as a benefactor; if not for this, then he should be ashamed of him, as if he had not done him any harm; but the passion of lust for power drove all shame out of him and turned him into a beast. And while blessed David, who gave birth to and raised him, wandered in the desert, in a foreign land, as an exile, fugitive and immigrant, experiencing all the disasters that came from here, he enjoyed the blessings of his father. When things were in such a situation, when the troops were on the side of Absalom, and the cities submitted to this tyrant, a certain Hushai, an honest man, a friend of David, remained faithful to his friendship for him, despite the change in circumstances, and, seeing him wandering in the desert, tore his clothes, sprinkled ashes on his head, and wept bitterly and sincerely; and, since he could do nothing else, he offered him consolation with his tears. He was not a friend of circumstances and power, but a friend of virtue; therefore, even with the change of power, he did not betray his friendship. David, seeing his concern, said to him: True, all this shows in you a friend who is sincerely disposed towards us, but this will not help us at all, but we need to consult and judge how to end the disasters that have befallen us and find some way to get rid of the unfortunate circumstances. Having said this, he gives Husi the following advice: go to my son, take on the appearance of his friend and inform me of his intentions, and make the advice of Ahithophel in vain. This Ahithophel then ruled the tyrant, was knowledgeable in military affairs and skilled in war and battles - which is why David feared him more than the tyrant himself: he was so skilled! Having heard this, Hushai obeyed; he did not think anything cowardly, or unworthy of a husband, and did not say: what if I am captured? What if my pretense is discovered? What if my hypocrisy is exposed? Ahithophel is skillful; maybe he will reveal this too, expose me, and I will die in vain and in vain. He thought nothing of the matter and went to the tyrant’s camp, placing his hope in God in everything and exposing himself to danger. I said all this not only to praise David, but to show the disasters that he suffered, and other useful things that can be learned from this story. Thus, many often ask: why do the righteous suffer in poverty, while the wicked enjoy peace? You can find the answer here. The righteous man was in an unhappy position, and the villain, the exorcist, the enemy and adversary of nature itself, was in happiness and the royal palaces. But neither this one received any benefit from this, nor the saint suffered any harm; on the contrary, this one underwent great sorrows, and the other one shone even brighter, becoming purer from sorrow, like gold in a furnace. 2. From here learn, firstly, not to be embarrassed by such disasters if you see that they happen to the righteous; secondly, do not change, depending on the circumstances, but remember the laws of friendship; thirdly, to deal with dangers to virtue; fourthly, and in the midst of misfortunes, maintain hope, expecting help from God. So Hushai then did not look at the army, nor at the fear of the tyrant, nor at the multitude of horses, nor at the ranks of soldiers, nor at the conquest of cities, nor at the desert, loneliness and weakness of David; but I saw only one thing - the irresistible help of God and His favor, and, in accordance with this, reasoning about both sides, I found one weak and the other strong. One acted unjustly, and the other maintained justice; therefore, he, having gone not where there are many people, but where the help of virtue is, thus received the favor of God. I say this so that we, too, with the righteous, even if they are weak, will have fellowship, and the unrighteous, even if they are strong, will move away, because vice, even if it has the whole universe on its side, is weakest of all, and virtue, even if it remains alone, is strongest of all, having God on its side. Indeed, who can save someone against whom God is acting? Who can destroy the one whom God helps? Understanding all this, and not losing hope, Hushai went to where he was sent, and, arriving and seeing the tyrant approaching, approached him. This one, suddenly seeing him and, being blinded by the lust for power, did not carefully test him, but, mocking and reproaching, said: “Why didn’t you go with your friend?” (2 Samuel 16:17), without even mentioning the latter’s name out of hatred and great enmity. Hushai, not at all embarrassed or afraid, answered: when God was with him, then I was on his side, and since now He is with you, then I should serve you. This aroused the tyrant's pride and arrogance, without examining anything carefully - because a frivolous person believes every word, as happened to him - and, having betrayed himself to his enemies, he immediately places him among his confidants and ranks him among his first friends. God orchestrated all this by being present and controlling events. Then, when there was a meeting regarding the war and when others offered different opinions about whether they should attack immediately or hesitate a little, Ahithophel, skilled in advice, approached and expressed his opinion, proposed the following advice: now let us attack your father, weary and embarrassed; if we don’t give him any rest, we’ll take him; If we now attack him, unprepared, it will not be difficult for us (2 Samuel 17:2). Having heard this, the tyrant invites Hushai, who has hypocritically come over to his side, and makes him a participant in the conference - although, according to human common sense, a person who had just appeared should not have been given such honor and given such trust in him to consult with him in such important matters, but, as I said before, when God arranges, then the difficult becomes easy, - Husiah calls, gives him the right to vote and invites him to say his opinion on the subject meetings. What about Hushai? Never, he says, was Ahithophel mistaken. Do you see the wisdom of this man? He does not suddenly reject Ahithophel's opinion, but after praising him. Having first expressed surprise at him as someone who gave prudent advice in former times, then he condemns his real advice. He says the following: I am surprised that Ahithophel was mistaken now, because his advice, in my opinion, is useless; if we attack now, then your father, like an irritated bear, full of anger, despairing of his life and fighting with complete indignation, will not think about his own salvation and will rush at us with great force; if we hesitate a little, we will attack with greater readiness and with greater safety, and without any difficulty, easily, as if caught in a net, we will take it. Absalom approves of this opinion and says that it is more profitable for him. Meanwhile, Hushai said this, wanting to give David time to prepare, take courage and gather an army. Having thus refuted the opinion of Ahithophel, he secretly sent some people to David and notified him that the tyrant approved of his opinion, which would give David victory. And so it really happened: David, taking advantage of the time and preparing himself, attacked and won. Ahithophel, in his prudence and experience, understood this and concluded from this the consequences, i.e. that such advice would be disastrous for Absalom, and, unable to bear the insult, he went home and, taking a noose, hanged himself, and thus ended his life. 3. Having learned all this, David writes a real psalm, offering up songs of thanksgiving to God and placing all success in the struggle on Him. That’s why at the beginning he says this: “Lord, my God! I trust in You” (Ps. 7:2), not in Hushai and not in human wisdom, not in his prudence and not in my own mind, but “in You.” We will do the same, and if any good deed is done to us by people, we will thank God for it, even if the good deeds were shown to us through ourselves or through other people. If we begin to act in this way, then nothing will be difficult for us, nothing difficult. David does exactly the same thing, and seems to say: I do not place my hope of salvation in the words of Hushai, but in Your assistance. And look with what kind of emotional disposition he speaks now, as well as always. He did not say: Lord God, but: “Lord my God,” as in another place he says: “God! You are my God, I have been seeking You from the early dawn” (Ps. 62:2). He made a request to God, and like everyone else, and especially because of the abundance of love for Him. This is what God does in relation to the righteous: being the common God of all, he calls himself especially the God of the righteous: “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob” (Ex. 3:6). And look at the wisdom of the prophet; saying: “Lord, my God! I trust in You,” he did not add: punish my enemy, destroy my enemy, but what? He asks only for himself and says: “save me from all my persecutors and deliver me” (Ps. 7:2). Notice how, even in the midst of suffering, he does not call the father by name, respecting nature even in misfortune, seeing him as a son even during struggle, not forgetting his parental feelings even in danger. So he was child-loving and philanthropic, or - better - he was so wise! It was not so much the necessity of nature that made him such as the meekness of his soul, and he attributed the whole matter more to the army than to the tyrant; and therefore he says: “Save me from all my persecutors and deliver me.” Do you see how kindly he mentions them too? He did not say: save me from those who fight against me, from those who plunder my property, from those who are satiated with my royal treasures, but: “those who persecute me... Let him not, like a lion, tear out my soul, tormenting me when there is no deliverer [and saver]” (Ps. 7:2-3). However, he gathered an army and had many on his side; why does he say: “when there is no one who delivers [and saves]”? Because he considered the assistance of the whole universe to be nothing if he did not receive help from above, just as with this help he did not consider himself alone, even if he was abandoned by everyone. That is why he said: “The king will not be saved by the multitude of the army; great strength will not protect a giant” (Ps. 32:16). Some, taking these words in a figurative sense, say that “lion” and “persecutors” mean the devil and evil spirits. The prophet, seeing that his son is carried away by the devil and is in his power, asks that the same thing not happen to him, and indicates the reason why his son was subjected to this. What is this reason? By wickedness, he says, he turned away the help of God from himself; That’s why he adds: “there is no one who delivers [or saves].” And that the devil is called a lion in Scripture, listen to how it says: “your adversary the devil walks around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). And the prophet himself says in another place: “You will trample on the lion and the dragon” (Ps. 90:13). This beast takes various forms; but if we remain awake, then both the lion and the serpent will be worthless than any dust, and will never directly attack us, and if they do attack, they will be trampled upon, because you will, the Lord said, “tread on serpents and scorpions” (Luke 10:19). He walks like a lion with great rage, but if he attacks those who have Christ, and the cross on their forehead, and the fire of the Spirit, and the lamp that never goes out, then he will not be able to even look at them, but, turning back, he will run away and will not dare to return. And in order for you to be convinced that what I have said is not idle talk, look at Paul. He was also a man, and yet this lion was so afraid of him that he fled from his clothes and shadow. And no wonder; he could not bear the fragrance of Christ that emanated and spread from Paul, he could not look at the lamp of virtue. “Lord, my God! if I have done anything, if there is iniquity in my hands” (Ps. 7:4). You must always remember that you must not only pray, but pray in such a way as to be heard. Prayer is not enough to get what we want if we do not send it in the way that pleases God. And the Pharisee prayed, but received no benefit; and the Jews also prayed, but God turned away from their prayers, because they did not pray as they should pray. Therefore, we are commanded to pray such a prayer that could be fully heard. The prophet expressed this in the previous psalm, where he not only asked to be heard, but at the same time did everything due on his part. What is it? Namely: “every night I wash my bed, I wet my bed with my tears; again: I am tired of my sighs; again: get away from me, all you who practice iniquity; and yet my eye is withered for sorrow” (Ps. 6:7–9). 4. All this, namely: sobs, tears, sighs, moving away from wicked people, fear and apprehension of God’s judgment, are sufficient to be heard from God. And in another place the prophet said: “Hear me, O God of my righteousness! In cramped times You gave me room” (Ps. 4:2). To be heard from God, it depends on the following conditions: first, if we are worthy to receive what we ask; secondly, if we pray in accordance with the laws of God; thirdly, if we pray unceasingly; fourthly, if we do not ask for anything worldly; fifthly, if we ask for something useful; sixthly, if we do what is due on our part. Thus, many were heard: Cornelius was heard for life (Acts 10:4), the Syrophoenician woman - for constancy in prayer (Mark 7:26), Solomon - for the subject of the petition: “because you, it was said to him, did not ask for wealth, did not ask for the souls of your enemies” (1 Kings 3:11), the publican - for humility (Luke 18:14), others - for other. How it depends on whether to be heard or not to be heard depends on the opposite, even if those praying were righteous. Who was more righteous than Paul? But when he asked a useless request, he was not heard: “about this,” he says, “I prayed to the Lord three times..., but the Lord said to me: “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Cor. 12:8, 9). Who is also more righteous than Moses? But he was not heard, and the Lord said to him: “It is enough for you” (Deut. 3:26); he asked to enter the promised land, but it was useless, so God did not allow him. In addition, we are not heard for another reason, namely, when we pray and do not forsake our sins. God pointed out this when he said about the Jews to Jeremiah: “Do not offer prayers and petitions for them... Do you not see what they are doing” (Jer. 7:16, 17)? They, he says, do not lag behind wickedness, and you ask for them? But I won't hear you. Also, when we ask for something against our enemies, then not only are we not heard, but we also insult God. Prayer is medicine; and if we do not know how this medicine should be applied, then we do not receive any benefit from it. But let’s see what the prophet says in the words of the prayer: “Lord, my God! if I did something." What does it mean: “if I did something”? I suffer, he says; but did I rebel against my father, did I commit such lawlessness? And here again he does not dare to call the wicked man by name, but he laments and is ashamed of his son. Just as a noble man, if he saw his wife committing adultery, would not dare to name her sin by name, so he does exactly the same; doesn’t say: did I rebel against my parent, was I a pusher, but: “if I did something.” Why am I mentioning this? What kind of virtue is it not to be a cut-off, which no one will see even among wild animals? "If there is iniquity in my hands." I’m not talking about that untruth; but no other untruth will be found in my hands. He says this not out of pride, but being forced to point out his good deeds. However, what has been said is not as important as what follows. What is it? “If I paid with evil” (Ps. 7:5), he says. Listen carefully. What is said in these words is important. Okay - don't offend; but it is much better and more worthy of a wise soul not to take revenge for insults. Although the law allowed this, commanding that an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth (Deut. 19:21), although revenge was not a violation of the law, he was so wise that he not only did not break the law, but in many ways surpassed the law and went above its limits, since he did not consider it sufficient for virtue not to transgress the limits of the commandments. Just as the Apostle Paul, allowing one to live from the gospel, did not live himself, but preached the gospel freely (1 Cor. 9:14), so blessed David, despite the fact that the law allowed for revenge for insults, did not remain within these limits, but exceeded them. What is required of us is not only not to take revenge on our enemies, but also to do good to them: “Pray for those who oppress you; do good, said the Lord, to those who hate you” (Matthew 5:44). For David it was important not to take revenge, but much higher than the commandment of the law; That’s why he says: “if I did anything, if there is injustice in my hands, if I repaid with evil the one who was with me in the world.” In relation to his son, of course, nature itself prevented this; but did I, he says, insult anyone, or take revenge on others? What kind of forgiveness, what kind of justification can we have, who after the coming of Christ do not reach the level of those who lived in the Old Testament, while this is required of us in great abundance? “Unless, the Lord said, your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, then you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matt. 5:20). Just as one who lived under the law and did good is unequal to one who lived before the law and did the same, so one who lives under grace is unequal to one who lived under the law, but in time there is a great difference between them. Paul, explaining this in relation to vice and in relation to virtue, see how many are surprised at some and how he considers others worthy of greater punishment: “For when the Gentiles, he says, who do not have the law, by nature do what is lawful, then, not having the law, they are a law to themselves” (Rom. 2:14). 5. Do you see how he praises and glorifies those who did good without the law? Look how he considers those who sin under grace to be worthy of greater punishment in comparison with those who sinned under the law: “Whoever rejects the law of Moses, he says, in the presence of two or three witnesses, is punished without mercy with death, then how much more severe punishment, do you think, will be guilty of the one who tramples on the Son of God and does not consider as holy the Blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and the Spirit of grace insults? ( Heb. 10:28, 29 ). And he considers those who sinned before the law to be worthy of less punishment in comparison with those who sinned under the law: “those, he says, who, not having the law, sinned, are outside the law and will perish, i.e. will be punished more easily, not having the law as their accuser, but only nature, and those who sinned under the law will be condemned according to the law,” i.e. will be punished more severely, having as their accuser, besides nature, the law (Rom. 2:12). “I, who saved even the one who without reason became my enemy, then let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake me, let him trample my life into the ground, and let him cast my glory into dust” (Ps. 7:5-6). Do you see the boldness of the righteous man and his clear conscience? If he had not been completely confident in himself, he would not have doomed himself to such disasters. The meaning of his words is as follows: if I offended, if I took revenge, then let this and that happen to me. He pronounces a sentence on himself and asks to be judged and punished not according to the measure, but much more than he deserves, dooms himself to a punishment that the law did not assign to him. Look what this punishment is: “then let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake me, let him trample my life into the ground, and cast my glory into dust,” i.e. let him destroy me with disgrace and disgrace, let him destroy my glory along with my life. What does it mean: “he will cast my glory into dust”? This means: let him humiliate, let him trample underfoot, let me become the prey of enemies. Who could be more wicked than Absalom, a shameless and unbridled insulter, who persecuted his father, and such a father, moreover, so meek and humble? What then? Did David repay evil - those who did evil to him? Did he remember evil? Never. If you consider the story of Saul, then this answer will become completely clear to you. In fact, the one who, after a thousand good deeds, trophies, victories, did him harm, plotted against him, tried every day to kill him, he, having captured him sleeping once, twice, and many times, as if imprisoned and not having a guard with him, spared him, although many advised to strike and kill him, restrained his anger, although he knew that, leaving him the opportunity to avoid death, he would retain his enemy and implacable enemy. But neither the memory of the past, nor the fear of the future, nor anything else like that prompted him to decide to kill. He was guided by wisdom, restrained his hand, curbed his anger and preferred to be exposed to dangers and intrigues, to lose his fatherland and freedom, than to defeat and kill the enemy who was hostile against him in vain and without reason, who, after countless benefits, threatened him with death. And from many other things one can see his wise soul. That is why he doomed himself to many and serious disasters, such as: to remain without success, to be defeated by enemies with great danger for himself, to undergo an inglorious death, and moreover - what is worse than death itself - to experience this from enemies; That’s why he used all measures to leave a good memory of himself after death. Meanwhile, look at what disasters he condemns himself to: to work without benefit, to give victory over himself to his enemies, to die, and not an ordinary death, but so that the memory of him is destroyed - an inglorious death. Of course, he would not have doomed himself to all this if, in his conscience, he was not completely confident in himself. If he had enemies, then it is not his fault; he himself gave no reason for this. What reason did he give to enmity his son? Which one is Saul? When the son did something worthy of punishment, did he not return it and accept it, subjecting him to temporary admonition? But didn’t he save Saul, who threatened him with death, having him repeatedly in his hands (2 Samuel 14:21; 1 Samuel 24:7)? Therefore, look not at whether he had enemies, but at whether he himself made them his enemies. And Christ commanded not only not to have enemies - this is not in our power - but not to hate them; In this we are in control, but in that we are not. To be hated in vain does not depend on our will, but on those who hate. Thus, evil people usually hate good people without reason and in vain. So they hated Christ in vain, as He himself says: “They hated Me in vain” (John 15:25). And the apostles had enemies - false apostles, and the prophets - false prophets. We should not be concerned about not having enemies, but so that we do not have them justly, or through our own fault, so that we, even if we are hated a thousand times, do not ourselves hate and do not turn away from others, because this is what enmity consists of - hatred and disgust. When I am hated, but I do not hate myself, then the other has me as an enemy. and not I him. If I pray for him, if I wish to do good to him, then how can I consider him an enemy? That is why Paul says: “If it is possible on your part, be at peace with all people” (Rom. 12:18). 6. So, let us do what is due on our part, and thereby earn sufficient praise. What is needed on our part? Here's an example: does so-and-so hate you and offend you? You love him and do good to him. Does he dishonor and revile you? Bless and praise him. But even after this he does not stop his enmity? In this case, he gives you a great reward. Truly, evil people, the more stubbornly they continue their enmity, despite our disposition towards them, the more glorious they prepare rewards for us and the weaker they make themselves. He who hates and does not stop hostility suffers, becomes exhausted, spends his life in constant war; and whoever is above these arrows stands far from worries, delivers the greatest benefit to himself, and not to the enemy, and, trying to reconcile with him and not be at enmity, saves himself from war and quarrel. So, let us avoid enmity with others and root out its root - vanity and love of money, because all enmity stems either from addiction to money or from vanity. If we are above these passions, then we will be above enmity. If someone insults you, bear it courageously; He did not insult you, but himself. If someone strikes you, do not raise your right hand; at the same time he hit himself, striking you with his hand and himself with anger, and gaining a bad opinion from everyone. If this seems difficult to you, then imagine that someone in a rage tore your clothes, and say: who suffered the evil - was it you who suffered this, or he who did it? Obviously he is. Although your clothes are torn here, the one who did this suffered greater harm than the one who suffered, because whoever has a torn heart—which produces anger—hasn’t he suffered much greater harm than you, who have not experienced anything like that? Don't say the clothes are yours; he had already torn his own heart apart. Just as a disease, jaundice, cannot be detected unless the bile overflows and overflows its limits, so anger does not become immoderate unless the heart breaks. And just as you, seeing someone suffering from jaundice, even if he has done you thousands of evils, do not want to take on his illness, do the same with anger. Do not compete, do not imitate malice, but pity the one who does not curb this beast within himself and, first of all, harms and destroys himself. And that such people really harm themselves can be heard from many who, trying to stop hostility, convince those at war like this: spare yourself, you are harming yourself. Such is malice: it harms only those who feed it, and perverts everything. So, wanting to take revenge on others, let us not deprive ourselves of a quiet haven. If someone, having suffered a shipwreck and drowning, began to revile you while standing on the ground, then, of course, you would not be offended and would not leave the ground to drown with him. Think the same way here: whoever insults and reviles you is subject to a shipwreck, or a storm, and drowns, falling into a whirlpool of anger; and you, enduring this courageously, remain calm in the pier, on the shore. If you get carried away with imitating him, you will drown not him, but yourself. “Arise, O Lord, in Thy wrath; move against the fury of my enemies” (Ps. 7:7). The prophet says this, expressing that God rises and not in anger; for example, when he says: “Arise, Lord! save me, my God!” (Ps.3:8). When you hear: “Arise,” then do not understand anything corporeal. Just as sitting in relation to God does not mean anything bodily, so does this. “The Lord..., says the Psalmist, will sit... as king forever” (Ps. 28:10). What exactly does sitting mean here? Firmness, immobility, immutability of nature, constancy, as he expressed by the very opposition, because, having said: “You, O Lord, are exalted forever,” he added: to disappear forever (Ps. 92:8-9). Just as sitting with God is not physical, so is rebellion: the first signifies constancy, and the last power, punishing and crushing. However, it sometimes also means judicial power; for example, when he says: “You are seated on the throne, O righteous Judge” (Ps. 9:5), and Daniel: “thrones were set, and the Ancient of Days sat” (Dan. 7:9). It also means royal power; for example, when he says: “Your throne, O God, endures forever; the scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom” (Ps. 44:7). Therefore, the expression: “sit at My right hand” (Ps. 109:1) means equality of honor. What does it mean: “in Your wrath”? And this should also be understood in a Godly manner. The wrath of God is not passion, but means punishment and torment. “Move up against the fury of my enemies” (Ps. 7:7). Another translator (Theodotion) says: in anger at (έν θυμο έπί) your enemies; third (Symmachus): in the rage of those who grieve me (έν νολψ τών θλιβόντων με); fourth (Aquila): in the indignation of the binders (έν άνυπερΰεσίαις έγδεσύγτωγ); in Hebrew: at the ends (webarof). Look how here too the prophet does not avenge himself, but speaks of the glory of God. He did not simply say: punish my enemies, or your enemies, but: “rise up.” But how can the High One ascend? The one who is always the Highest? The height of His nature neither decreases nor increases; He is perfect and all-pleasant and always remains the same. How and in what way does He ascend? He ascends in the souls of many. For example, He often endures for a long time; and His enemies do not understand His long-suffering, they consider it humiliation and powerlessness, so that He is humiliated not in reality, but in their souls. 7. Just as the sun seems dim to sick eyes, so God appears small and powerless in the minds of such people. But just as the sun only seems so due to the illness of those who suffer, but in reality is not dark, so God, although he appears powerless due to the madness of such people, is in fact not powerless. What does the righteous man say? Rise up before our enemies, take revenge and show Your power, so that those who consider You small will see Your glory from what they suffer. You see how he means not himself, but God. By the words: “move up against the fury of your enemies,” some mean: on the heads; others: let none of the enemies escape. Great is the virtue of a righteous man if he has the same enemies and the same friends with God; just as great is the wickedness of the one who has the friends of God as his enemies and His enemies as his friends. Just as it is said of God that He has enemies, not because He hates them or turns away from them, but because He does not tolerate their evil deeds, so the righteous man has enemies, not wanting to take revenge on them, but turning away from their malice. “Wake up for me to the judgment that You have commanded” (Ps. 7:7). Another translator mentioned by Origen in Exaplah says: by court (χρίματι). “A crowd of people will stand around You” (Ps. 7:8). Another (Symmachus): let it be (χυχλώσατω) thee. “Rise above him on high” (Ps. 7:8). Another translator (Theodotion) says: and above (έπάγω) turn to the height. Third, Aquila: and to (έπί) he turned to the height; in Hebrew: about that (ualea). What does it mean: “which You commanded”? So, he says, to help those who are offended and not to leave those exposed to intrigues unattended. What You have commanded us, Show us Yourself through your deeds. Others understand something else here, namely, that the prophet promises to resist His enemies. “A host of people will stand around You.” And here do not imagine anything human; although the expressions are such, the thoughts are worthy of God. What does it mean: “around You”? In other words: he will sing to You, he will glorify You, he will send forth great praise to You. Since the Jews did this in choirs, standing in a circle in the church and sanctuary, and thus offered songs of thanksgiving, he expresses praise in the way they stood. And the meaning of his words is as follows: take revenge, help; this will exalt You before your enemies, and Your people will send You great praises. See how he doesn't mean himself, but God. Everywhere he expresses the desire that God be glorified by both his enemies and his own. “Rise above him to a height.” Over whom - over them? Host. For him, he says, ascend to heights; elevate us, exalt us, accomplish lofty deeds, make this host glorious and famous, return to it its former prosperity. Look how everywhere he combines instruction with prayers. Having said above: “when I cry, hear me... and have mercy on me” (Ps. 4:2), he changes his speech to exhortation and says: “sons of men!.. how long will you love vanity and seek lies” (Ps. 4:2, 3)? And here, having said: “rise above him on high,” he continues: The Lord judges the nations (Ps. 7:8–9). Another translator (unknown translator, see Orig. Ex.) says: The Lord will judge (διχάσει). He teaches people who think that everything exists without a reason and by chance that there is Providence over our deeds, requiring an account of what is being done. And he means judgment here as both future and present. There there will be a general and open judgment, but here God demands an account in a private way, awakening the careless and disposing the unbelievers to the thought of Providence over everything. “Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness” (Ps. 7:9). Another translator (Aquila) says: according to my righteousness (τό δίχαιογ). “And according to my integrity in me. Let the wickedness of the wicked cease” (Ps. 7:9-10). Another translator (Aquila) says: let the wicked be filled with bitterness (άπαρτισΰήτω χαχώσις χατά τών άσεβώγ). “But strengthen the righteous” (Ps. 7:10). Another (Aquila): and establish (εδράσεις) the righteous. But how does he, saying in another place: “And do not enter into judgment with Your servant” (Ps. 142:2), here says: “Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness”? There he talks about one thing, and here about something else. There, saying: “Do not enter into judgment with Your servant,” he expresses: Do not enter into judgment with me, do not examine my life in comparison with the good deeds shown by You, which is why he adds: “Because not one living will be justified before You,” i.e. if he sue You (Ps. 142:2). But that’s not what he’s saying here. He wants to be judged not by God, but by himself; That’s why he says: “according to my righteousness,” i.e. according to my righteousness. Here he calls righteousness that he did not stretch out his hands unrighteously; He expressed this above in the words: “if I have done anything,” and the following (Ps. 7:4). He expresses the same thing with the words: “and according to my integrity in me”; That's why, he says, I want to be judged. Great is the boldness of the righteous here too. He says this, being forced by necessity. Which one? Because many unreasonable people, regarding his suffering, formed a bad opinion about him. There are many unreasonable people who usually draw a bad conclusion about his life from the misfortunes of others. So it was with Job. Not knowing anything bad about him, they told him: you have not yet been punished enough for your sins (Job 33:27). And the barbarians took Paul for a vicious and criminal man when a viper hung on his hand, which is why they said: “He who has escaped from the sea, the judgment of God does not allow him to live” (Acts 28:4). And Shimei called David a murderer, forming such a bad opinion about him because of his misfortune (2 Samuel 16:7). 8. So, so that the same thing doesn’t happen to you, let’s talk about this a little. Indeed, I hear many people say: if God loved the poor, then He would not allow them to be poor; I hear others, seeing someone suffering from a long illness and disease, say: where is his alms, where are his good deeds? Therefore, so that you do not sin in this way, let us consider this. If a sane person cannot hate the good and love the wicked, then how dare you say this about the Lord, that God hates the poor, even if they were virtuous, and loves the rich, even if they were vicious, opening his mouth to blasphemy and not understanding the importance of this error? To prevent you from sinning in this way, find out what God loves and what he hates. Whom does He love? The One who fulfills His commandments. “I will love him..., He says, and We will come to him” (John 14:21, 23), - not rich, not healthy, but obeying my commands. And whom does He hate and abhor? The one who does not fulfill His commandments. So, when you see someone who does not fulfill His commandments, then, even if he was healthy, even if he was surrounded by wealth, consider him among those hated by God; and the virtuous, even if you saw him in illness or poverty, count him among His loved ones. His love is not for those, but for these. Don’t you see in everyday affairs that those loved by kings especially and first of all are exposed to dangers in battles, receive wounds, and are sent on campaigns? Haven’t you heard that “The Lord punishes whomever he loves; does he beat every son whom he receives” (Heb. 12:6)? But many, you might say, are tempted when they see this. Yes, but not through the fault of the virtuous, but through our own ignorance. This is not where the reward for our labors lies; Here are the feats, and awards and crowns come after. Do not look for peace and security during exploits and on the day of struggle, do not confuse different times. But many, you say, are weak. God provides for them too; He made it possible for many of the righteous to enjoy prosperity even here - not for themselves, but for the weak. Therefore, if the righteous who are in affliction tempt you, let those who live in peace strengthen you; and if the wicked, who enjoy prosperity, trouble you, then let those who are subject to punishment and torment correct you. Have you not heard Christ, who says: “in the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33)? Why are you looking for peace when He said this? Have you not yet heard Him say: “The world will rejoice; will you be sad” (John 16:20)? Thus, foolish people could rightly be tempted if the opposite of what He said happened; and if everything happens as it should, then why are you tempted? But why, you say, did God establish this? Don't explore or test. “Will the product say to the one who made it: “Why did you make me like this?” (Rom.9:20) That is why the prophet, reproaching the Jews for the fact that they, filled with countless vices, investigated the ways of God, says: “They seek Me every day and want to know My ways, like a people who do righteousness and do not forsake the laws of their God; they ask Me about the judgments of righteousness, they desire to draw closer to God” (Is. 58:2); they acted as if some servant, who had upset his master and was guilty of a thousand misdeeds, instead of appeasing his master’s anger, began to demand an account of why he acted in this way. Do not explore this, instead of crying and lamenting and washing away your sins. I say this not because I cannot imagine the reasons, but because I want to turn you from this inquisitiveness to concern for your own salvation. Why did He establish this way? By condescension to the human race. He appointed labors here, where life is short, and saved crowns for the future, where life is ageless and immortal. These works soon end and pass away, otherwise they remain eternal and will never have an end. On the other hand, through this He exercises souls in the love of virtue. When the soul chooses virtue, despite difficulties and not yet receiving rewards, it shows favor and great zeal for it; and when she runs away from vice, despite its pleasures and without yet being punished, she learns to hate and turn away from it. Thus, she acquires the skill of turning away from vice and loving virtue. There is another reason. Which? The fact that sorrow especially disposes us to wisdom and makes us strong. And along with this there is another reason. Which? God wants to teach us to despise the present, not to cling or become attached to it. This is why He appointed sorrows and labors here, and made everything pleasant and joyful to pass away. “Let the wickedness of the wicked cease, and strengthen the righteous” (Ps. 7:10). What does it mean: “let it cease”? Send, he says, punishment and stop their anger. Just as rotten wounds are cleansed with bitter medicines, cauterizations and cuttings, so vices are stopped by punishment. 9. Knowing this, we should mourn not those who are punished and suffer, but those who sin with impunity. The first evil is to sin, and the second is for those who sin not to receive any healing, or, more correctly, this is the first and gravest evil. Just as it is difficult not to be exposed to illness, but when sick not to receive treatment, and how we pity not so much the one who has a putrefactive wound, but rather the one who lies with it and does not receive help from the doctor, and who is cut off and cauterized, we consider him returning to health, paying attention not to the pain that comes from cutting, but to recovery, so we should think about the soul: we should grieve and grieve not for those who are punished, but for their return to health - but about those who sin with impunity. But, you say, if punishments deter vices, then why aren’t we punished for sins every day? Because if this were so, then the human race would have been destroyed long ago and there would have been no time for repentance. Remember Paul. If he had been punished for persecution and killed, then how would he have had time to repent, after repentance to do many good deeds and, so to speak, to lead the entire universe from error to truth? Don’t you see that doctors, when someone has many wounds, use a medicine that is not as strong as the nature of the wounds requires, but which the patient’s strength can endure, so that, while healing the wounds, they do not destroy the patient? Therefore, God does not punish everyone suddenly and not everyone according to their deserts, but lightly and gradually; and often, punishing one, admonishes many others through him. This often happens with the body: cutting off one member brings health to many others. Look how the soul of a righteous man is imbued with love, how he always seeks the common good and the destruction of vices - not so that revenge is taken on his enemies, but so that they lag behind the vices. Let us also always keep in mind how vices would cease; Let us grieve for those who are mired in them, even if they were dressed in silk clothes, and please those who live virtuously, even if they struggle with extreme poverty, let us leave behind appearances and penetrate into the souls of both. Then we will see the wealth of one and the poverty of the other. Indeed, what does it matter when someone is dressed in shiny clothes outside? How is it different from workshops and hangers? How is he richer than those who trade in them? But this is not the wealth of the righteous: it is lasting and permanent. If the rich, being so poor, do not feel this, then it is not at all surprising. And those who are crazy in their minds do not feel their illness, but that is why they are especially pitiful and not at all happy; if they felt it, they would at least see a doctor, but now the worst evil from this disease is that, having been exposed to it, they do not even understand that they have been exposed to it. Therefore, do not look at the fact that the rich man rejoices when he becomes rich, but mourn him especially because he does not feel what evil he is subjected to. To rejoice in this is not characteristic of man, but of the extremely unreasonable. “And strengthen the righteous.” What does it mean? When the vicious are punished, he says, then the righteous become more attentive, so that two benefits come from here: those who lag behind vice, and those who cleave more closely to virtue. Just as a healthy person, seeing another being cauterized or cut off, becomes more attentive to his health, so it is the same here. Truly, many were then tempted even from those who, apparently, were attentive to themselves, and fell into cowardice at the sight of the well-being of vicious people. That is why the prophet says in another place: “My feet almost slipped; I envied the foolish” (Ps. 73:2-3). And another writer says: “Why is the way of the wicked prosperous” (Jer. 12:1)? Job also proposed many such questions. But then those who spoke and asked so spoke and asked because they were imperfect; and now the one who is embarrassed by this is not worthy of any forgiveness, because he was taught such wisdom, accepted such a teaching about the future, received the clearest instruction about Gehenna, and about the kingdom, and that everyone will be rewarded there according to their deserts. “You test hearts and bellies, O righteous God” (δίκαιος) (Ps. 7:10). “My shield is in God, who saves the upright in heart” (Ps. 7:11). Another translator (Theodotion) says: tester (έταστής) of hearts and wombs, righteous God, my protector (υπερασπιστης μου). The third is an unknown translator, mentioned by Origen in Exapla: Righteous God. And seventy interpreters said this: God, who searches hearts and bellies, is righteous (δίκαια) my help from God. The prophet said that God would judge the world; now He also speaks about how He will judge. He does not need, he says, neither witnesses, nor denunciations, nor proofs, nor written certificates, nor anything like that, because He Himself knows the unseen. So, let none of the madmen say: how will He judge a world so vast? He who created a non-existent world can judge the existing one. “The womb of ami” the prophet here calls the innermost thoughts, the innermost, the deepest, borrowing a comparison from the position of this part of the body. 10. What does it mean: “you test”, or as another translator (unknown, see Orig. Ex.) said: exploring (δοκιμάζων)? Although the expressions here are human, the thoughts are worthy of God. Just as Paul, saying: “He who searches the hearts” (Rom. 8:27), uses the word: test instead of - clearly know, so he uses the word: “test” instead of the words: knowing for sure. And to explore means to reveal what constitutes a sign of accurate understanding and knowledge, just as Paul says: “all things are naked and open before His eyes” (Heb. 4:13). “My shield is in God, who saves the upright in heart.” Another translator says: my righteous protector. What does it mean: “my shield is in God”? Fairly, he says, it would have been granted to me by God, because I do not ask for anything unjust. Likewise, if we want to be rewarded with help from above, we must ask for what is consistent with righteousness, so that by the very nature of the request we can win over the Savior of the “right in heart.” This He promotes, this He usually heeds. Since I, says the prophet, have not stretched out my hands to injustice and do not desire revenge, then it would be fair for me to receive help from God. Knowing this, let us not ask for anything that would hinder alms. If you begin to ask against your enemies, then help to you would be unrighteous, because it is contrary to the law of the Giver of help; the same way if you start asking for wealth, beauty, or something similar, worldly, fleeting and contrary to the wisdom of the soul. Let us ask so that we may receive. “God is a righteous judge, [mighty and long-suffering], and a God who is strict every day” (Ps. 7:12). Another translator (unknown, see Orig. Ex.) says: indignant (έμβριμώμεγος) every day; in Hebrew: throughout life (χατά πάσαγ ζωήγ); still another (Aquila): threatening (απειλούμεγος), indignant, not punishing. The meaning of these words is as follows: if God is “righteous,” then, of course, He wants to punish the unrighteous; if He is “strong ok,” then, of course, He can do it. But what, you say, is His love for mankind, if He judges truthfully? Firstly, that He does not suddenly send punishment, but most of all, that He forgives all sins in the font of regeneration; secondly, in the fact that repentance also brings. If you imagine that we sin every day, you will especially see how inexpressible the greatness of His love for mankind is. The prophet expresses this very thing: “God is a righteous judge, [mighty and long-suffering].” You are perplexed: why does He not punish, if He is both able and willing? Know, says the prophet, that He is long-suffering and “severely exacting every day.” So that any unreasonable person does not think that God does not punish out of impotence, he shows the reason for the delay: because God’s long-suffering is great and immeasurable. He is patient in order to bring you to repentance; and if you do not receive any benefit from this medicine, then He will send punishment. So, we deserve punishment every day. If this were unfair, then the prophet would not have pointed out this as something important: “every day strictly exacting.” But since deeds require punishment, and God’s love for mankind withholds deserved punishment, he says this. Do you see how here he shows the dispassion of God and calls punishment “retribution”? After all, no one inflicts anger on another, but he has anger in himself, and inflicts punishment on another. Thus, he means nothing more than punishment with the words: “every day strictly exacting.” Why does he say: “every day”? Let everyone delve into their conscience and then understand this. I won’t talk about everyone’s secret sins; who can avoid common sins? Which ones? For example: is there any day on which we do not pray lazily and with great carelessness? And that this deserves the wrath of God can be seen from the following. Tell me: if you approached the judge yawning and were convicted, would he not immediately punish you and send you into exile? Yes, you will say, because he is a man. What then? As a man, he, having been insulted, in justice should not have been angry, because he was insulted by someone equal to him in human dignity; and God, being offended, could rightly send punishment. Sin against Him is greater than sin against man. Moreover, when a person does this, he means his own good, and God means yours, so in this regard, sin against Him deserves greater indignation. After all, it is not the same thing to despise those who seek theirs, or those who seek yours. The latter deserves more anger - when you do not abandon laziness, even intending to ask for what is useful for yourself. Also: who has not offended his brother in vain? Don't tell me that you wronged a slave; “In Christ Jesus there is neither slave nor free; there is neither male nor female” (Gal.3:28). Who, again, did not condemn? Who hasn't lied? Who hasn't looked at a woman with voluptuous eyes? Who wasn't jealous? Who hasn't been vain? Who hasn't spoken an idle word? All this is subject to punishment. If we, not caring about spiritual things, were also careless about everyday things, we would deserve some excuse, but now we are deprived of this excuse. In everyday affairs we are cheerful, but in spiritual affairs we are completely careless. Therefore, so that those who hear that God is long-suffering do not become even more careless, the prophet adds: “If anyone does not convert, He sharpens His sword, strains His bow and directs it” (Ps. 7:13). Another translator (Symmachus) says: he will refine his sword (μάχαιραγ αύτοϋ άχογήσει). He strains his bow and prepares it. Another (Symmachus) says: it will strain (έχτεγεΐ). “He prepares for him vessels of death, He makes His arrows scorching” (Ps. 7:14). Another says (Symmachus): for burning (είς τό χαίειγ). 11. What will those who represent God as humanoid say here because they ascribe hands, feet and eyes to Him? Are there bows, arrows, a whetstone, a sword and a quiver in heaven? Meanwhile, another writer says: “the mountains and the foundations of the earth shake with fear when He looks” (Sir.16:19). And this same prophet says: “he looks at the earth, and it shakes” (Ps. 103:32). If, only by looking at the earth, He shakes the stone masses, then even more so He can do this with people. Why is it that He who can destroy the universe with one glance, or better yet, with one will - since He who created it with one wave of the will, of course, can destroy it with one desire - is said to have a sword and a bow? “In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the tops of the mountains are His” (Ps. 94:4), “He is the One who sits above the circle of the earth, and those who live on it are like locusts before Him. Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are counted as a speck of dust in the balance” (Isa. 40:22, 15); if the angel sent by Him killed one hundred and eighty-five thousand in a short period of time (2 Kings 19:35); but what do I say: angel? - if flies, locusts and worms destroyed the army of the Egyptians, then why does He need a bow, why does He need a sword? Why is it said this way? Because of the rudeness of the listeners, in order to touch their souls with ordinary names of weapons. Who “has in His hand...thy breath” (Dan. 5:23), and “throws down His hail in pieces; Who can resist His frost? (Ps. 147:6), what is a weapon for? But, as I said above, this is said because of the rudeness and insensitivity of the listeners. What does “sophisticate” mean? Is sharp. Does He really need the whetstone? Is there really rust on His sword? Who in their right mind can take this literally? With all this, as I said above, the prophet depicts punishment and uses very sensual expressions so that the most unreasonable people can see that they should not stop here in words, but deduce from this Godly thoughts. Anyone who is perplexed as to why anger and rage are attributed to God will be much more perplexed by these expressions. If they need to be taken not literally, but in a godly manner, then, obviously, the words rage and anger are just as accurate. Sensual expressions are used in order to touch rude listeners - because the prophet is not even satisfied with what is said, but adds even more humanoid expressions in order to increase the fear instilled. He represents God not only as having a sword, but also as putting on weapons. Since everyone is afraid differently when they hear that the sword is being sharpened, or when they hear that the bow is already in their hands, he, wanting to shake the soul of the listeners with humanoid expressions, says: “he strains his bow and directs it,” which frightens the listener, and at the same time shows the long-suffering of God and His anger. He did not say: he lowered it, or let it go, but: “he strains his bow and directs it,” i.e. ready to go down. However, is it surprising that this is said in the Old Testament, if in the new Testament, John, talking with the Jews, says something similar? “Already the ax lies at the root of the trees” (Luke 3:9). How? Is God really imitating a woodcutter cutting down trees with an axe? Is it really necessary to take the ax and trees here too? No; just as one does not need to take tares and wheat literally when it is said: “His shovel is in His hand, and He will clear His threshing floor and gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12). What is a poleaxe? Punishment and torment. What are trees? People. What are the tares? Evil. What is wheat? Kind ones. What is a trend? Separation of some from others. So here the sword, bow and arrows mean punishment and torment. Then, with the words: “he strains his bow and directs it,” the prophet expresses the slowdown and delay of punishment, however, the delay is short-lived, but ready to end. And he calls “vessels of death” arrows. Just as the tools necessary for agriculture are called agricultural, those needed for swimming are called swimming, and those used for weaving are called weaving, so he calls those that cause death mortal tools. Further explaining what kind of mortal weapons he means, he adds: “His arrows,” expressing the speed of punishment when God wants it. What does it mean: “scorching”? Punished, subjected to torture. Is fire really not enough, but more arrows are needed? Do you see that all this is said in a figurative sense and is strengthened in order, thus, to instill more fear? And the meaning of his words is as follows: God has prepared punishments for those who are about to be punished. If he had said otherwise, he would not have inspired such fear; and now, pointing to arrows, a sword, a bow, drawing it and striving, instruments of death and flame, with such a variety of names he increased the feeling of fear in the listeners. Then, alleviating this fear, he adds: “scorching.” So that any foolish person does not think that God stretches out his hand to everyone and takes up arms against everyone, he adds: “with scorching”. Paul expresses the same thing when he speaks of a ruler: “for he does not bear the sword in vain” (Rom. 13:4). If the sword does this to leaders and inspires fear, then even more so to God. However, even this shows His extraordinary love for mankind, that He frightens and intensifies punishments in words, so that they are not fulfilled in reality. For this purpose He drew the bow, for this purpose He prepared it, for this purpose He laid down the arrows, for this purpose He prepared to punish, so as not to proceed with the punishment. 12. Strengthening his speech with the expression: “sharpenes,” the prophet shows the strength and speed of punishment, the expression: “strains” - its proximity, the expression: “prepares” - the inevitability if they do not correct themselves, the expression: “scorching” - the guilty themselves, so that, having understood all this, they leave wickedness. And if rage and anger were at work here, then God would not have predicted this to those who were about to be punished. Anger does not act this way, but on the contrary, especially when it is in full force, it strives to carry out punishment and torment. Enemies and everyone who wants to carry out punishment not only do not talk about it, but even attack secretly, so that those who are subject to punishment, having learned about it, cannot be warned. But God does not act like this, but quite the opposite: He predicts, and delays, and frightens with words, and takes all measures so as not to bring the threat into action. This is what He did with the Ninevites. And there He pulled the bow, sharpened the sword, prepared the arrows, but did not strike. Don't you see that the words of the prophet are a bow, an arrow and a sharp sword when he says: “With God, for three days' walk... and Nineveh will be destroyed” (Jon. 3:3-4)? But He did not release this arrow, because it was not prepared to be released, but to be put aside. Warriors arm themselves to punish; but God - not so, but in order to, having taught people with fear, to restrain his hand from punishment. Let us not be embarrassed; the fear inspired by words is a sign of great love for mankind, and the more terrible expressions He uses, the greater goodness they flow from. And parents, when they do not want to punish their children, express their anger more strongly with words; so He, when He does not want to punish, inspires the strongest fear with words. He says that he prepared Gehenna so that he would not cast us into Gehenna. That is why the Gospels say a lot about punishment, and even more than about the kingdom. Since insensitive people are not so much influenced by the promise of blessings as by the fear of torment, which disposes them to virtue and deviates them from vice, God especially dwells on these latter and often speaks about them. Let us not grieve when we hear terrible expressions; they bring great benefit, representing both His long-suffering and justice; Let us neither despair of salvation, because He is long-suffering, nor indulge in carelessness, because He is righteous; here He shows great long-suffering, but there He will actually punish those who do not take advantage of it. To prevent this from happening to us, we will still reject the punishment there. “Behold, the wicked conceived iniquity, was pregnant with malice, and gave birth to lies” (Ps. 7:15). In Hebrew: instead of bole - yeval (“conceived a disease”). Another translator (Symmachus) says: and having conceived (καί κυήσας). And gave birth to lawlessness. Other (Aquila): lie (ψεύδός). “He dug a ditch, and dug it out, and fell into the pit that he had prepared” (Ps. 7:16). Another (Symmachus): to the destruction that he caused (είς διαφθοράν ήν είργάσατο). The Prophet said that God was preparing to punish; said that He sends punishments; He enlightened the listener with this, showing that wrath was hanging over him from above; and now he teaches him by deed itself and shows that even before punishment, wickedness in itself is punishment. Expressing this, Paul also says: “receiving in ourselves the due recompense for our error” (Rom. 1:27), and presents examples of those who suffered extreme disasters from wickedness. Since many rude people are usually especially brought to their senses when they see punishments on others, he represents them too. This is what Christ does, who, having said a lot about Gehenna, also represents those thrown into it, such as: the rich man who lived under Lazarus, the foolish virgins, the servant who hid one talent in the ground, and those who suffered in this life, such as those crushed by a fallen tower and those whose blood Pilate mixed with the victims (Luke 13: 1, 4). So Peter, having said a lot about Gehenna, then especially amazed the listeners when he presented examples of those punished, and before their eyes he carried out the punishment of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5: 1-11). This is what Paul did with the sorcerer (Acts 13:11). He inspires the same thing, only in a different way, when he mentions those wandering in the wilderness and says this: “I do not want to leave you, brethren, in ignorance that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and they were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and everyone ate the same spiritual food; and they all drank the same spiritual drink: for they drank from the spiritual stone that followed; the stone was Christ. But God was not pleased with many of them, for they were slain in the wilderness” (1 Cor. 10:1-5). Speaking about the future, i.e. about Gehenna, punishment and torment, he provides evidence of this from the past, presenting the punished themselves, some as serpents, others as an all-destructive death. David does the same here, meaning either Ahithophel or Absalom. Some claim that this was told to them about Ahithophel. So, as if it were unusual for one and the same person to say: “Save for me the youth Absalom,” and after his death: “Oh, who would let me die in your place” (2 Samuel 18:5, 33), and says what He now says. But he could speak the former by the natural impulse of nature, and the latter now by the inspiration of the Spirit. However, whether this was said about Absalom or Ahithophel, you need to delve into what was said; I won’t talk much about the persons to whom this applies. 13. What do we learn from here? The prophet inspires that he who digs a hole for his neighbor will himself fall into it; and just as women in the throes of childbirth are tormented by these torments, so the one who plots intrigues, before he offends his neighbor, himself is tormented and tormented, and not easily, but with great pain. Wanting to express the strength of this pain, he called it the disease of birth. In general, when Scripture wants to show us unbearable grief, it expresses it by the name “birth pain.” So in another place it is said: “terror seized the inhabitants of the Philistines” (Ex. 15:14), i.e. fear, trembling, labor, sorrow. Paul also says: “When they say, ‘Peace and safety,’ then destruction will suddenly come upon them, just as the pain of childbirth comes upon a woman with child, and they will not escape” (1 Thess. 5:3). Here he points to two circumstances: the intolerability and the unexpectedness of suffering. And Hezekiah says: “babies have reached the opening of their mothers’ wombs, but there is no strength to give birth” (Is. 37:3), expressing his unbearable fear and anxiety with the disease of birth. This is exactly how the prophet expresses himself here. Truly, even if someone was immeasurably wicked, the judgment of conscience is not destroyed, because it is by nature and implanted in us by God from the beginning. No matter what efforts we make, he remains, calling out, condemning, punishing, and there is no one living viciously who would not experience thousands of torments, both plotting evil and bringing the plan to fruition. Was there anyone more wicked than Achaab? But he, too, having desired the vineyard, remember what torment he experienced. Being the king and owner of everything, not encountering any contradiction from anyone, he, unable to bear the reproaches of his conscience, walked sadly, with his head bowed, embarrassed, gloomy, expressing on his face the reproach of a condemning conscience and unable to hide the sorrow that was in his soul; That’s why he was noticed by his wife (1 Kings 21:5). The traitor who decided to commit such an atrocity, unable to bear the torment of the reproaches of his conscience, hanged himself, and thus ended his life. But just as one who lives viciously endures torment, so one who lives virtuously enjoys tranquility and peace of mind. Look how much torment someone who wants to take revenge on someone or do some injustice suffers. He is filled with anger, torn with vexation, subjected to the excitement of countless thoughts, chooses thousands of paths, feels fear, horror and trembling, will he succeed in his intention, will he carry out vengeance; and yet anger uncontrollably disturbs him, and before he offends another, he destroys himself. On the contrary, he who abstains from anger is free from all this; and it is very natural, because he is his own master and arranges everything himself, and he needs time, and place, and cunning, and deceit, and weapons, and preparations, and insolence, and flattery, and servility, and hypocrisy. Do you see how easy virtue is, and how difficult vice is - how calm this one is, and how this one is filled with confusion? Depicting him, the prophet says: “The wicked conceived untruth, was pregnant with malice and gave birth to a lie.” From this it is clear that untruth is not in our nature, but is something alien to us. That’s why it’s a burden and, until we free ourselves from it, it causes us birth pains. Thus, a born baby, until it is completely developed, naturally remains in the mother’s womb; therefore, remaining in it, it does not cause pain; and when it develops, its stay there becomes unnatural, and therefore birth diseases occur. Nature, constrained, tries to throw it out, as having accomplished and accomplished everything and no longer having the opportunity to wear it. However, here there is conception first, and then birth illnesses; and then there is pain first, and then conception and childbirth. What does this mean? The fact that here birth diseases occur only during childbirth, and there - from the very beginning. As soon as a person wants something bad, then before he stops his thought on it, confusion and anxiety appear in his soul. The seed, once placed in the womb of a woman, itself forms into the composition of what is born; and in people plotting, today one thought is born, tomorrow another, and thousands of bad seeds are thrown one after another, and every day new conceptions and birth diseases appear that torment the soul that produces them. What happens here is that birth is different from what usually happens among women; it is similar to the birth of vipers, in which children are born by tearing apart the womb and tearing apart the sides of the mother: this also happens with intrigues and untruths! But no matter how much we strengthen ourselves, we cannot describe in words the torment that the wicked experience. That is why someone said: “If you are violent, then you will endure alone” (Proverbs 9:12). Indeed, what is more intolerable and painful than the state of a person who envies, plots, and covets other people’s property? These passions torment the soul more cruelly than any executioner. 14. So, the prophet rightly called such thoughts diseases of birth. But just as women give birth from copulation with men, and if their bodies are healthy, then the children born from them are the same, and if they are damaged, then the children are similar in nature to their parents, so are their thoughts. If you treat good people, then your offspring will be like that, and if you treat evil people, and you are not careful, you will receive great harm from them. Listen to what the prophet says: “they were with child, they were tormented, and they gave birth like wind” (Is. 26:18); and about the works of the devil: “they hatch serpent eggs and weave cobwebs” (Is. 59:5). Let us run away from vicious people. Isn’t it foolish, when one can conceive and give birth according to the commandments of God, not to want this, but to chase after the societies of vicious people, acting like a woman who, having the opportunity to unite with the king, would not want this, but, instead of him, would choose a robber and thief as her partner? “He dug a ditch, and dug it out, and fell into the hole that he had prepared.” Here the prophet again uses figurative expressions; Just as he expresses grief through birth illnesses, so with a ditch he depicts the difficulty of liberation from vice. “And he fell into the hole that he had prepared,” or as another says: “he who digs a hole will fall into it” (Proverbs 26:27). And this is the work of God’s love for mankind - to assign such a fate to treachery that the nets entangle the treacherous people themselves, so that they will be taught to give up enmity and intrigues against their neighbors. This happened under Moses. The one they wanted to kill was saved; and Pharaoh, in the very way in which he plotted against infants, destroyed himself - because, having ordered the killing of infants, he forced Moses’ mother, out of fear, to expose the child in the river, from which Pharaoh’s daughter pulled out a basket and, finding a child in it, raised one who, having grown up, destroyed them all (Ex. 2: 3). From here the good providence of God is clearly revealed, and strong admonition is given to vicious people, and consolation to those fleeing vices. This is what happened to the beautiful Joseph. The brothers, having sold him into slavery, suffered what they suffered; they did not cause him any harm and even benefited him, but they themselves experienced sad consequences. And many similar examples could be given. Look at others too. Has anyone taken someone else's property? He destroyed himself. As often happens, he even brought benefit to the offended person, but caused harm to his own soul. Has anyone insulted someone else? He pierced himself with the sword. Not tolerating evil, but doing evil, constitutes true disaster. That is why Paul exhorted it is better to endure insults than to offend (1 Cor. 6:7). And Christ taught, if someone is hit on the cheek, not to respond in kind, but also to expose oneself to receive the blow (Matthew 5:39). This is a sign of the greatest strength, it produces patience, it makes the soul strong, it puts it above passions. The one who offends, beats, or dishonors another is first caught by passion and becomes a captive, and then, apparently, harms his neighbor, while he himself has already been subjected to the most severe evil, having given himself over to extreme slavery. “His malice will turn on his head, and his wickedness will fall on his crown” (Ps. 7:17). This is said, as they say, both about Ahithophel and about Absalom, because both of them lost their heads. The first one ended his life by strangling himself; and the second, having driven up under a tree and caught his hair on it, hung for a long time. So Judas ended his life by being strangled, having seen that he had done everything to the death of his own head. And Ahithophel, realizing that David would certainly win, went and hanged himself. And Absalom involuntarily hung on a tree, and was not killed immediately, but beforehand he hung as if before a judgment seat, being attached to a tree, and according to the highest court of God he hung for a long time, experiencing torment from his conscience. He wanted to dip his hand in his father's blood; the father, despite this, asked the soldiers to spare him, and was so far from vanity that even after death he mourned him. So that you may be convinced that what happened was not a matter of human effort, but entirely of divine determination, behold, hair and wood bound him, and the dumb animal betrayed him; Instead of a rope, hair served, instead of a gallows, a tree, and instead of an executioner, a little horse brought him here. And look at this wonderful thing. When he was in such distress, none of his devotees dared to come and remove him, although there was so much convenient time. And it was God who arranged that he was not taken down and brought bound to his father, because his father’s love spared him excessively; and it is worthy of surprise that the one who reconciled him with his father (2 Samuel 14:33) himself killed him, becoming, as it were, a strong accuser of him. However, he killed, and God determined so. 15. That it was really so determined from above, listen to how the prophet himself expresses it. Having said: “His anger will turn on his own head...,” he says: I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness and sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High (Ps. 7:17–18). Let us thank the Lord, he says, not rejoicing at the defeat of others, but recognizing God’s determination. But who can thank Him “according to His righteousness”? Who can praise Him as He is? Nobody. What does it mean: “according to His righteousness”? In other words: for His righteousness. I will sing, he says, in honor of the Lord on High, because His victories and trophies are His, not mine. Just as in a war, when the king wins, his subjects form choirs and sing, sending him praises, so will I do the same. He did not say: glorified, but: “I glorify,” showing that even after receiving benefits he does not forget them, does not become careless, but is aware and awake - not because God has a need for this, but because it is useful and beneficial for us. Just as God accepted sacrifices, having no need for sacrifices - “If I were hungry, He says, I would not have told you” (Ps. 49:12) - but, wanting to lead people to honor Him, so He accepts hymns, not having a need for our praise, but desiring our salvation. God very much desires our progress in virtue. Nothing contributes more to progress in virtue than frequent conversation with God, constant thanksgiving and praise to God. The prophet praises God, marveling at His justice and forbearance. But where, you say, is his long-suffering, if the tyrant was killed? And here it was great and lasting. God kept him alive for a long time so that he would repent; gave him possession of the royal treasures, so that, seeing the house in which he grew up and was raised, and the objects that reminded him of his father, he would come to repentance. Truly, if he was not a beast and did not have a heart of stone, then all this could have brought him to his senses: the table at which he sat with his father, the house, the seats where admonitions were given to him when he committed the murder, and besides, much more could soften him. He heard that his father wandered around like an exile and fugitive, that he suffered extreme hardships. If this did not soften him, then what happened to Ahithophel - the noose and death - should have brought him to his senses and brought him to repentance. After all, he did not know about what happened to his friend. And what could he blame his father for when he did this? Is it because his father removed him from his sight (2 Samuel 14:32)? But for this he should have been surprised and grateful that he accepted the fratricide so meekly. Having nothing to blame his father for, he was carried away by a reckless desire, and, moreover, when his father was already an old man, and when his hope was ready to be fulfilled, he did not endure even a little time. How did he not think that, having won the victory, he would begin to lead the most miserable life, becoming unclean and worthy of damnation for his very trophy? 16. Where are those who complain about poverty now? What poverty, what illness, what sorrow is not heavier than all this? But David did not think anything of the kind, was not annoyed, did not cry and did not say: I receive good rewards, studying in the law of God day and night, being in such a rank, being the most humble of all; Having spared my enemies, I myself am delivered into the hands of a shameless son. He did not say or think anything like that, but endured everything with wisdom, having one consolation in his circumstances - that all this did not happen without the knowledge of God. As the three youths said: “Let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor will we worship the golden image that you have set up” (Dan. 3:18), and if someone had asked them: with what hope are you dying, what are you expecting, what are you hoping for after death, after burning (because then everyone did not have the hope of resurrection), then he would have heard from them: for us the greatest reward is to die for God - so he I found the greatest consolation in the fact that God, knowing what had happened, did not interfere with it. Likewise, a lover is ready to suffer death a thousand times for his beloved, although after death he expects nothing from her. So we must endure everything, not in anticipation of the kingdom, not in the hope of some other future blessings, but for God himself. Meanwhile, many are so careless and lazy that they do not cleave to virtue even when rewarded for it; They do not listen to God who promises the kingdom, but they love the devil who drags him into Gehenna. What is more terrible than such madness? But what am I talking about Gehenna? Even before Gehenna, here he exposes us to sorrow, shame, ridicule, countless torments, and many strive for him. Imagine an adulterer: what a miserable life he drags out, how even before Gehenna he is suspicious, afraid of shadows, cannot look at anyone with straight eyes, but, fearing everyone, both those who know and those who do not know, he sees sharp swords everywhere, death hanging over his head, executioners, judgment courts. Does anything like this happen with chastity, even if it is accompanied by thousands of difficulties? Isn’t the chaste always in a joyful mood, and the adulterer not always in despondency and darkness? The same can be seen in others, in those who indulge in anger and curb anger, in those who steal what belongs to others and give it away, or better yet, squander theirs for God. These are in a quiet haven, and those, carried away by the whirlpool of real evils, swirl every day. In addition, when one who indulges in covetousness reaches old age and sees that passion does not give him pleasure, and approaching death inspires fear, then imagine what suffering he experiences. But this is not the case with the virtuous; on the contrary, then he especially rejoices and is glad when he reaches old age, because his pleasure then does not fade, but flourishes even more. For adulterers, debauchees, covetous people, gluttons, old age puts an end to pleasure; and for people who live virtuously, it serves to increase pleasures. So, even before Gehenna and the torment there, all this is enough to touch our soul. Remembering this, let us run away from vice and cleave to virtue, let us love God not for His goods, but for Himself. Thus, in this life we ​​will follow the path of virtue, which in itself is narrow, but is made wide by the good will of travelers, and the heights of which may we all be vouchsafed to reach by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Translation by P. Yungerov – Editorial office of “ABC of Faith” “A psalm to David, his praise will be sung to the Lord.” Another translator (Aquila) says: "psalm" about "ignorance of David" (ψαλμός ύπερ άγνοίας τω). The third (Simach): “ignorance of David” (άγνόημ τω Δαυίδ), and, instead of Hushai, reads: “Ethiopian” (Aquila). But what was said is still unclear, because you do not know history. And since we must not only reprove, but also teach, it is necessary to tell the event itself. So, it is necessary, first of all, to say who this Hushai, the son of Jemen, was, and what were his words, for which David sang this psalm to God? You might be interested in: