Беседа 55 на псалом 145 121

Ps.145:1–2. Hallelujah. Haggai and Zechariah. Praise the Lord, my soul. I will praise the Lord in my life; I will sing to my God as long as I exist. What does it mean: “in them there is no salvation” (Ps. 146:3)? – You can’t rely on people, especially bosses. – The psalmist’s advice to the descendants of Jacob is to seek help from the God of the fathers, who delivers from such disasters that are beyond human strength. – “And the way of sinners will destroy” (Ps. 146:9). 1. The prophet begins this psalm with what he ended the previous one with praise and glorification. This contributes greatly to the purification of the soul. “My praise,” as I have repeatedly said, he calls glorification through works, just as Christ says: “Let your light shine before people, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16); also Paul: “glorify God in your body and in your soul” (1 Cor. 6:20). And just as in the previous psalm the prophet said: “I will bless You every day” (Ps. 144:2), so here: “I will sing to my God as long as I exist.” Then, again wanting to make other people participants in the doxology, he begins to talk about God’s love for mankind, burning and flaming with love, surveying the entire universe, inviting everyone into his choir. Indeed, this constitutes great praise and the greatest glory for God when He calls many to be partakers of His salvation. “Do not put your trust in princes or in the sons of men, for in them there is no salvation” (Ps. 146:3). Another translator (unknown, see Orig. Ex.) says: “on the one who cannot save” (τω μὴ έχοντι σωσαι). Let those who hope for human protection, fragile and unfaithful, listen to this admonition and advice. What does it mean: “in them there is no salvation”? They, he says, have no power in their own salvation, cannot even protect themselves; when death comes, they will lie more silent than stones. This is what the following words mean: “his spirit will go away, and he will return to his land: on that day all will perish for his thoughts” (Ps. 146:4). Another (unknown, see Orig. Ex.): “his assumptions” (προθέσις). The meaning of these words is as follows: who cannot protect himself, how can he save others? There is nothing weaker and more unreliable than such hope. The deeds themselves show this. Paul, talking about hope in God, said: “But hope does not disappoint” (Rom. 5:5). Human affairs are not like that; they are weaker than a shadow. Don't tell me that such and such a person is the boss. And the boss in this respect has no advantage over an ordinary person; it is subject to the same obscurity. Even if you can say something amazing, you shouldn’t especially hope for him because he is the boss. Such power is very fragile. If he does not fall, he is prone to anger and uses his power unintentionally, as if he would not have to give an account to the one who took the vow from him; if he is well-intentioned, then the sooner in comparison with private people he can be subject to falls, the greater and more numerous he is surrounded by intrigues; and the more easily he can be caught, the more people there are plotting against him. What do bodyguards mean? What do numerous guards mean? So, whoever in a well-ordered city cannot even vouch for his own body, but is in such an anxious state, as if he were among enemies, how can he save others? Whoever, during times of peace, is more afraid of those at war, how can he keep others safe and free from danger? Many on their own could have lived in safety, but they died precisely because they relied on such people; when these latter fell, they fell with them; for others, the very guards became traitors. However, the prophet, leaving all this - because many avoided such cases - points to what is beyond doubt, death. Even if, he says, everything goes well for you, if he is kind to you, supportive and ready for rewards, then, having ended his life among promises, he leaves you with empty hopes, because he did not have enough life to fulfill the promise. If he does not even have enough life to fulfill the promise, but his life is interrupted before fulfillment, then you are resorting to unreliable help. Or don’t you know that this happened to many, and when their patron fell, they, having lost their helper, suffered a greater fall from this? But what am I saying about the fragility and failure to fulfill promises, when the culprit himself does not remain long? “And he will return, says the prophet, to his land.” If he perishes, then much less his promises. That’s why the prophet adds: “On that day everyone will perish for his thoughts,” expressing that not only will his promises not be fulfilled, but the promiser himself will perish. What then does he do? Having rejected human hopes, he points out a safe haven and an indestructible fortress and offers advice. This is the most excellent way of exhortation - to turn away from the weak and lead to the strong, to destroy the false and present the true, to expose the harmful and show the useful. “Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, and whose trust is in the Lord his God” (Ps. 146:5). Do you see the importance of advice and exhortation? By the name of bliss he means all blessings and shows the security of this hope. Having called the one who trusts in God blessed, he then speaks about the power of the Helper, explaining what man is like and what God is like; he perishes, but this one abides, and not only himself abides, but also his works. That’s why he adds: “Who created the heavens and the earth, the sea and everything that is in them, keeps the truth forever” (Ps. 146:6). 2. If His works are constant, then how much more is He Himself immutable and omnipotent; His very works prove His power and that He is such. But what if He, despite immutability and omnipotence, does not want? Many foolish people say this. But look how the prophet destroys such doubt. Having said: “Who created the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, preserves the truth forever,” he adds: “executes (just) judgment for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry. The Lord looses those who are bound” (Ps. 146:7). The meaning of his words is as follows: this is the work of God, ordinary and especially characteristic of Him, so as not to leave the offended without attention, not to pass by the oppressed, to give a helping hand to those against whom intrigues are being plotted; and this is constant. Therefore he says: “forever,” indicating this, and not only this, but also what follows. “Let him eat food to the hungry. The Lord looses the bound. The Lord makes the blind wise.” Another (unknown translator, see Orig. Ex.): “enlightens” (φωτιζει). “The Lord makes the blind wise, the Lord raises up the downtrodden, the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord protects strangers, He will accept the orphan and the widow, and He will destroy the way of sinners” (Ps. 146:8, 9). Do you see how he proves in every way that God’s providence extends to everything, that His work is to deliver from disasters, satisfy hunger, and free from bonds? However, people can also do this to some extent; but the following is not. He heals, he says, blindness, restores the fallen, glorifies those who shine in virtue, saves the defenseless, comforts and encourages those who mourn and those in need from orphanhood and widowhood. Then, saying: “loves the righteous,” he shows that God helps many even for misfortune alone. Thus, He feeds the hungry because they are hungry, although there is no virtue in this; He allows the bound because they are bound, although this is not a virtue, but a misfortune; He gives sight to the blind due to blindness, although this is not a merit, but a misfortune, as well as relaxation, and wandering, and orphanhood, and widowhood. If He helps those who are in misfortune, then much more those who strive in virtue. So, if He is able and willing, and all His deeds are constant, if He accepts virtue and has mercy for misfortunes, then why don’t you leave the unreliable, weak, corruptible protector, and don’t resort to the strong and invincible, Who does not reproach for misfortunes, but delivers from them, and can do whatever He wants? Look at how accurately the prophet expressed himself in his last words. He did not say: he will destroy sinners, but their “way”, i.e. their deeds. God does not turn away from beings, but hates vices. “The Lord will reign forever. Thy God, O Zion, unto generation and generation!” (Ps. 145:10). If He reigns constantly and abides forever, then there should be no doubt; but if He did not repay here, then He postpones it until a greater reward. So, let us not be embarrassed and worried about temptations if we do not immediately receive deliverance from them, but let us leave the time of deliverance to the Lord Himself; and when we do something good, we will not immediately demand reward, but we will also rely on His will, because if He delays, then later He will give greater reward. Let us thank Him for everything and constantly send Him praise. In this way, we will spend our present life in great security, and we will achieve indescribable blessings, through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory and power, with His beginningless Father and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. The psalms in the text are translated by P. Yungerov - Editorial office of the ABC of Faith You might be interested in: