Chapter 39

Ps.39:1. Finally, a psalm to David. This song is offered on behalf of the new people, taken out of the ditch of disaster, and then it is introduced to the person of Christ, explaining to the grateful the way of building the economy. After this, the face of the Israeli believers is again introduced, wanting to get rid of the sin of unbelief and together describing the disasters that befell them for unbelief. Ps.39:2. I have endured the Lord, and have heeded me. This is similar to what was said: “through your patience you will gain your souls” (Luke 21:19). Ps.39:3. And lift me up from the pit of passions. And what did I do for you? Having heard, he says, he brought him out of the depths of sin, freed him from the voluptuousness of the mortal body, or from the gates of death and corruption there, or from worldly entertainment. For those caught in them get bogged down in sins, like in mud. The “ditch” of “passions” is vice and ignorance. And set my feet on stones, and straighten my feet. The Apostle Paul says that “the stone... is Christ” (1 Cor. 10:4). because I learned to walk the path pleasing to God, that is, in an active life and in right dogmas. Ps.39:4. And put into my mouth a new song, singing to our God, that is, the law of the Gospel. For, having achieved dispassion, after the renewal of our house, we sing a new song. Many will see and fear and hope. on the Lord, because preaching is spread throughout the whole world. Ps.39:5. Blessed is the man, for the name of the Lord is his hope. Then he adds something new for the sake of conviction, and says: truly the most blessed of all is the one whose hope is one God, and who has not turned his attention to the care of this life; for this is “vanity, false frenzy,” and vain worries. Chaste frenzy is such a state in real life in which the prophets seemed to many to be frantic, and in which the righteous man, boasting, says: “I died in my frenzy” (Ps. 115: 2). And do not look down on false vanity and frenzy. So, only the one who places his hope in God is called blessed, and not the one who is amused by the cares of life, which are both “frenzy” and “falsehood.” Ps.39:6. You have done many things, O Lord my God, Your miracles. The works, he says, accomplished by You during the dispensation are both numerous and wonderful. I announced them to others too. And this sermon spread throughout the whole of heaven, and therefore there were countless numbers of believers. Ps.39:7. You did not desire sacrifices and offerings, but you completed the body. Here the face of Christ is introduced, saying to the Father: since You did not desire sacrifice and offering, and did not deign to accept burnt offerings made according to the Law; then having taken upon Yourself the body that You yourself “made” for Me, because the Holy Spirit and the power of the Most High overshadowed the holy Virgin. “I’ll come” Ps.39:9. do Your will. But what was the will of the Father, if not explained by the Lord himself, when He said: “Behold... this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I will not destroy all that I have given, but will raise it up at the last day” (John 6:39)? And what was said: Ps.39:8. in the main book, is interpreted as follows: the Jews call the scroll “the head.” So Isaiah, when he was taught the mystery of the incarnation of the Only Begotten, was told: “Take for yourself a new scroll... and write in it with human writing” (Is. 8:1). Moreover, the statutes of the new covenant are written not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of flesh, as the Lord says through the prophet Jeremiah: “I have given My laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts” (Jer. 31:33), meaning that the Church will accept the new law into the innermost and mental repositories of the heart, and its commandments “will greatly delight” (Ps. 111:1 ). Ps.39:10. We preach the great truth in the Church. The “Great Church” is the soul that has believed in the Savior in every nation. She is justified by having Him who justifies the wicked. Ps.39:11. I have not hidden Your truth in my heart. He understands the truth preached to him, the truth that is above the Law and the canopy. What was said: Thy truth and Thy salvation have been destroyed, that is, he did not keep silent, did not keep Your truth within Himself. He calls the gospel preaching “truth.” But He did not hide Your salvation, that is, the path to the salvation You have given, or the grace acceptable by faith. “The host of many people” refers to the Church, gathered from Israelites and pagans. For Christ reveals to the rational nature the doctrine of mercy and truth, and the doctrine of salvation. And a person acquires the teaching about truth in contemplative teaching, and about salvation in active teaching. Ps.39:12. But You, Lord, do not remove Your compassions from Me. After Christ taught the mystery of the economy, the face of Israel, who remained in unbelief, is introduced. For, as someone who did not believe in God’s mercy, and because of this he was despised and experienced every calamity, he comes to repentance, begging for bounties. The calling of the Israelis, which will be in the last days, is also indicated. Let Thy mercy and Thy truth intercede for me. We confess that You are the one who saved and protected us from ancient times. And the Church of God, having received salvation, again asks for God’s providence, due to all kinds of attacks from people and demons, which it mentions in subsequent words. Ps.39:13. As if the evil one has possessed me, there is no end to it. Describes the disasters that befell them after they did not believe in Christ. You have increased more than the hair of my head, and leave me my heart. This is similar to if someone said: I am the same as a person who has no mind or heart. For the Israelites became a violent and unwise people. Ps.39:15. Let them turn back and be ashamed of those who wish me evil. So Israel cries out against mental enemies, or against the scribes and Pharisees who were plotting against the salvation of his soul, when they spoke about Christ - then: “He will not cast out demons, only about Beelzebub” (Matthew 12:24), then: “Do you have demons? Who is looking to kill you? (John 7:20) Ps.39:18. I am poor and wretched. The Lord will take care of me. Filled with great audacity, Israel, having come to repentance, calls itself poor and wretched, and already agrees that its hope is the Lord. You are my helper and my protector, O my God, do not become stubborn. To this end, he says, will come the Church, which was previously impoverished and suffered great poverty in the world, but enriched by Your power and glorified by Your help, for which it asks God, so that it does not become rigid; in this, at her request, He will not touch, as it is said: “He who goes will come and will not tarry” (Hab. 2:3). You might be interested in: