Беседа 8 на псалом 10 27

Ps.10:1-3. At the end (psalm) to David. 28 I trust in the Lord; how will you say to my soul, “Fly to the mountains like a bird?” 29 For behold, the sinners have drawn their bows, and have prepared arrows in their quiver, that in the darkness they may shoot at the upright in heart. 30 And what You did, they destroyed, but what did the righteous do? The Lord is in His holy church. 31 The great power of trust in God and the powerlessness of enemy intrigues and attacks. – Why do many of the wicked overcome others? -What is the weapon of the righteous against the wicked? – “He who loves unrighteousness hates his own soul” (Ps. 10:5). – What does it mean: “their share (from) the cup”? ( Ps. 10:6 ) – The dangers of the rich, and the peace of the righteous. 1. Great is the power of hope in God. She is an impregnable fence, an insurmountable wall, an invincible help, a quiet haven, an indestructible fortress, an irresistible weapon, an irresistible force that makes its way among impassable places. With it, the unarmed defeated the armed, the wives defeated their husbands, and children very easily turned out to be stronger than those experienced in the art of war. And is it surprising that they defeated their enemies when they were victorious over the world itself? Before them, the elements forgot their nature and turned in their favor, the animals were no longer animals, and the oven was no longer an oven, because hope in God transforms everything. Sharp teeth, a cramped prison, natural ferocity, painful hunger, jaws close to the prophet’s body, nothing (was for them) an obstacle, but hope in God, holding back the jaws stronger than any bridle, turned them back. Imagining this, the Psalmist said to those who advised him to leave and flee and seek salvation in safe places: “I trust in the Lord, as you say to my soul”? What are you saying? I have the Lord of the universe as my assistant; I have the one who does everything easily and always as my leader and patron; and you send me to an uninhabited place and advise me to seek safety in the desert? Is the help of the desert greater than the One who can do everything with great ease? Why do you force me, heavily armed, to flee, as if naked and unarmed, and want to make me an exile? You would not advise someone who has an army and is surrounded by walls and weapons to flee into the desert, and if you did, you would seem ridiculous: why do you expel the one with whom the Lord of the universe himself is, forcing him to wander and flee from the attack of sinners? Besides what has been said, I have another reason not to run. If God helps, and the attackers are sinners, then is not the one who advises to imitate the timid birds subject to extreme dishonor? Don't you know that the army prepared against me is weaker than a spider's web? If the enemy of the earthly king, wherever he goes, is always in danger, fears and trembles, then even more so is the enemy of God of all: wherever he goes, everyone is his enemy, and even nature itself, because, just as the elements and animals fear the friends of God, and are respected by every creature, so inanimate creatures arm themselves and attack the enemy and adversary of God. That is why some were torn to pieces by animals before they touched the ground, others were destroyed by fire. The enemies have arrows and a quiver, and everything is ready for them - they have already “prepared” them, he says, “into the quiver” - but they have no strength, and we are not afraid of anything like that; Even if I saw someone releasing an arrow, I would not be afraid. Indeed, what is the use of weapons if there is no strength? So they don’t have it either, because God’s favor is not towards them. They plot and attack indirectly; but that is why I especially laugh at them, because they throw their arrows in the darkness. Nothing can be more powerless than a man plotting intrigues. There is no need for others to strike him; he falls by his own hand and dies by his own cunning. What could be more powerless than someone who is defeated by his own weapons? In addition to this, it must be said that they attack us not only as sinners strengthened by God, and, moreover, with deceit, but also attack innocents who have not done them any harm. And this does not little to make them weak. Just as those who go against the prick (Acts 9:5) do it no harm, but damage their own feet, so do they. At the same time, there is another reason that destroys the power of their attack. Which one? “What,” he says, “you did, they destroyed.” The meaning of his words is as follows: they attack and wage war with You, violating Your law and Your commandments. Truly, they are striving to destroy Your commandments, and perfect ones at that. Either this is what the prophet says, or that they are transgressors of the law. No small proof of their weakness is that they go to war without keeping Your commandments. That is why they fight against the right and plot intrigues, because they do not obey Your commands. 2. Having revealed the weakness of the enemies, and showing it not in the way that others show it (since he did not say that they have neither money, nor fortresses, nor allies, nor cities, nor art in war, but, leaving and despising all this as meaning nothing, he said that they are lawless, that they attack people who have not done them any harm, that they violate the commandments of God), - the prophet then speaks about the arming of the righteous, revealing and hence the ease their victories over their enemies. Likewise, we must distinguish between the strong and the weak, and not be especially afraid of what people worthy of ridicule are afraid of. Really, what do they say? So-and-so is cruel, cunning, has a lot of money and great power. But that’s why I especially laugh at him: all these are types of weakness. But he, you say, knows how to plot? In this you reveal to me a new kind of weakness. Why do so many of these people win? Because you don’t know how to fight them well, because you yourself seek the same thing that makes them weak - fame and power. Avoid this cause of enmity, defeat your opponents differently: the proud - with humility, the selfish - with non-covetousness, the incontinent - with abstinence, the envious - with friendliness, and you will easily defeat them. Having revealed, as I said above, the weakness of the opponents, see how he depicts the armament of the righteous. “The righteous man says what he did”? Those. When the enemies are so prepared, you ask: how did the righteous arm himself? Listen. “The Lord is His throne in heaven, His eyes look upon the poor, His eyes try the sons of men” (Ps. 10:4). Do you see how briefly he expressed his defense of him? You ask: what did he do? I resorted to God, who lives in heaven and exists everywhere. He did not draw a bow, did not prepare a quiver, like his enemies, did not sit down in darkness, but leaving all this behind, protected himself against everything with hope in God and opposed them to the One who does not need anything like that, neither in time, nor in place, nor in weapons, nor in money, but with one wave accomplishes everything. Do you see his defense, invincible, quick and easy? “His eyes look upon the poor, His pupils test the sons of men. The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked, but he who loves unrighteousness hates his own soul” (Ps. 10:4-5). Another translator (Aquila) says: “his eyes search.” Third (unknown translator, see Orig. Ex.): “The Lord, the righteous tester.” Fourth (Aquila): “He tests the righteous and the wicked, and the one who loves unrighteousness His soul hates.” “He who loves untruth hates his own soul.” Do you see a ready Helper, a trustworthy Protector, Who is present everywhere, sees everything, watches everything, Who especially tends to provide and take care, even if no one asks Him, to hinder those who offend, help those who are offended, to give some rewards for virtues, and to assign punishments to others for sins? He knows everything; His eyes see the whole universe; and not only knows, but also wants to fix everything. Therefore, in another place, expressing the same thing, the prophet calls Him “righteous” (Ps. 10:7). If He is righteous, then He will not just look at such things. He abhors the wicked and approves of the righteous. Further, revealing here also what he spoke about in the previous psalm, i.e., that vice in itself can sufficiently punish sinners, he adds: “he who loves unrighteousness hates his own soul.” Vice is disgusting to the soul, hostile and destructive, so that the vicious person already experiences punishment even before punishment. Do you see how enemies turn out to be easy to catch from all sides, if the righteous also has such a Helper, and they are defeated by the very weapon with which they defend themselves, causing harm and destruction to themselves? Do you see the ease of this help? There is no need to go somewhere, or run, or spend property, because God is present everywhere and sees everything. “He will bring down snares on sinners: fire, and brimstone, and a stormy spirit - their share (from) the cup (of sorrows). For the Lord is righteous and loves righteousness; His face sees righteousness” (Ps. 10:6, 7). Another translator says (unknown translator, see Orig. Ex.): “he will rain on the lawless coals.” The third, unknown translator (see Orig. Ex.): “He will see righteousness in their face,” i.e. the righteous, or His - God. Having spoken of the punishment that comes from vice itself, and knowing that many do not look at it, the prophet finally shakes the soul of the wicked with punishment sent from above, using strong expressions and terrible names; says that fire, brimstone, stormy winds and hot coals will rain down on them from above, wanting to represent with these figurative expressions the inevitability of revenge, the highest degree of torment, the speed and destructive power of punishment. 3. What does it mean: “their share (from) the cup”? This is their destiny, he says, this is their property, this will befall them in life, they will die from this. The reason is given below: because the All-Seeing One will not allow this to go unpunished. As another prophet says: “Your pure eyes cannot look at evil deeds, and You cannot look at oppression” (Hab. 1:13), so he also expresses it in the words: “The Lord is righteous and loved righteousness.” It is especially natural for God to accept truth and justice, and He will never allow anything contrary to it. That is why at the beginning of the psalm the prophet said: “I trust in the Lord, how will you say to my soul: “Fly to the mountains like a bird?” Those who hope for the blessings of this life are no better than the bird, which, hoping for the desert, becomes easily visible to everyone. This is the one who hopes for wealth. Just as a bird is caught by children, and by nets, and by snares, and by other countless means, so a rich man is caught by both friends and enemies. He lives in even greater danger than a bird, having many people who catch him, and above all - their vicious desires; he is an exile, always dependent on the circumstances of the time; he is afraid of the ferocity of the executioners, and the wrath of the king, and the deceit of flatterers, and deception from friends; when enemies rise up against him, he trembles more than anyone else; and when there is peace, he fears intrigues, because he does not have lasting and inalienable wealth. Therefore, he constantly wanders and moves from one place to another, passing through deserts and mountains, dwelling in darkness, finding deep darkness in the middle of the day and plotting intrigues. The righteous is not like that. “The path of the righteous is like a shining light, which becomes brighter and brighter until the full day” (Prov. 4:18). They do not dare to plot intrigues or do injustice, and have a calm soul. But the vicious, constantly plotting intrigues, always remain in darkness and fear, like thieves, robbers and adulterers; They see darkness during the day, because their soul is overwhelmed by fear. How can this darkness be dispelled? If, having abandoned all this, you are confirmed in your hope in God, even if you were the greatest sinner. “Look,” says the Wise One, at the ancient generations and see: who believed the Lord - and was ashamed?” (Sir.2:10)? He did not say: righteous, but: “who.” At least, he says, he was a sinner. What is surprising is that even sinners, holding on to this anchor, become invincible to everyone; Such is the special quality of devotion to God that even when burdened with sins you will find encouragement in His love for mankind, because just as “cursed is the man who trusts in man... so blessed is he who trusts in the Lord” (Jer. 17:5, 7). So, leaving everything else, hold on to this anchor. God sees everything and judges righteously, and not only judges, but also carries out his judgment. Therefore, the prophet, having spoken of His righteousness, depicts punishment by fire and a stormy spirit. He does this because he cares about sinners and wants to motivate them to reform with punishment. Let us, for all these reasons, resort to Him and constantly turn our gaze to Him. In this way we will achieve all the good things in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. The psalms in the text are translated by P. Yungerov - Editorial office of the ABC of Faith Another translator (Symmachus) says: victory song to David. The third (Aquila and Theodotion) - to the winner. Another (Aquila): “climb the mountains like a bird.” Third (unknown translator, see Orig. Ex.): “moved.” Another (Symmachus): “as in darkness.” Another (Symmachus): “because the laws have been broken.” Third (unknown, see Orig. 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