Chapter 72

In this psalm, the prophet depicts the unfoundedness of people’s opinions about the judgments of God, because they are deep, unsearchable and filled with great incomprehensibility, and those who do not know the foundations of God about each economy fall into absurd thoughts. Therefore, having first depicted to us the very thoughts (the reason for them was given by the well-being of the wicked people, for it is said: “These are sinners and gobblers” (Ps. 73:12)) he then teaches what the end of the wicked themselves will be, so that, knowing this clearly, we would not be bothered by the visible incongruities of what happens in this life. Ps.73:1. How good is the God of Israel with a right heart. Starting to describe the prosperity of people who live wickedly, and for this the cruel punishment prepared for them, he presents the idea that God is good for the upright, and therefore those who choose the destiny of those who live piously should know this, that God will be good for some who are right in heart, and not for those who sin by doing evil. If the wicked apparently prosper, then no one should be embarrassed by this, imagining the punishment that awaits them in the near future. Ps.72:3. As if I were jealous of the lawless, the world of sinners is in vain, and so on. He retells what caused confusion in his soul: firstly, he was embarrassed by the fact that the wicked spend their lives in deep peace, then he was also embarrassed by the fact that they prosper throughout their whole lives, and their prosperity continues until death, even they encounter a death that no one will refuse if you ask him whether he wants such a death for himself. I was also embarrassed by the fact that if any admonishing punishment befalls the wicked for sin, then it is not heavy, but light and bearable. On top of all this, he was embarrassed by the fact that the wicked do not share human labors, do not have the need to work daily to earn the necessary food for themselves, because this labor of human hands is imposed on people as if instead of punishment. Ps.72:6. For this reason, I will retain my pride to the end. Since they enjoy all the blessings and do not experience any evil, then for this reason they have given themselves over to pride without measure, which has made them unjust and wicked, so that their wickedness becomes fat and well-fed. Ps.72:7. Transcending into the love of the heart. Lawful prosperity produced a crafty skill in their souls. How can this be seen? Is it not because they think and speak evil? Ps.73:8. A lie as high as a verb. It means an increasing degree of their wickedness, so that they are already blaspheming God himself. Ps.72:9. I have set my mouth in heaven. They utter, he says, blasphemous words against God, while they themselves are humiliated and their language is on earth. Ps.72:10. For this reason My people will turn to this. For this reason those who are exalted will be brought down. The meaning of the speech is this: punishing them will bring some benefit and will serve My people towards their conversion. For having seen what end awaits the wicked, they will not come to anything like this, knowing clearly that God oversees the deeds of men. And the days of fulfillment will be found in them. When they acquire such a thought, then, and only then, will they fulfill the time of their life well, according to what was said: he rested “full of days” (Gen. 25:8), that is, all their days were filled with good deeds. Ps.72:11. And deciding: what will God lead? My people will benefit from the overthrow of the wicked. The above-mentioned wicked and lawless people indulged in wickedness to such an extent that those who look at their lives are tempted, perplexed and say: does God watch over human deeds? For it is said: “What will you take away?” instead of saying: why do they say that God knows our affairs and controls everything, and how can He have knowledge of our affairs? Ps.72:12. These are sinners and gobblers forever, holding onto wealth. The reason for the temptation is put forward in those who see the wicked “gobbling”, and it is precisely the fact that in real life they spend their entire century in prosperity. Ps.72:13. And they said, “Has food justified my heart in vain?” And I, he says, seeing this, was indignant in my thoughts, thinking to myself: will my work on virtue not be in vain? And this work consists in striving in righteousness, being clean from unjust deeds, punishing oneself for past sins by confessing them, and as if for this purpose, that is, in order to subject oneself to torture for one’s sins, rising from the very bed. Ps.72:15. In other words, let us say this: behold, the generation of Your sons has transgressed. I thought to myself in the following way: if I communicate to others these thoughts that came to my mind (namely: “Have I justified my heart in vain?”), then I will become the source of every temptation for them. By doing this, I will transgress the covenants of Your sons, that is, righteous men. And these covenants of the Saints consist in not being a source of temptation for each other. Ps.72:16. And I did not understand this, work is before me. Having assumed that I knew such deep judgments of God, I encountered a difficulty for myself, because the judgments are deep and unsearchable. At least, I have determined for myself the proper time for knowing this, and namely, the time of God’s judgment, when you will reward everyone according to his deeds (Rom. 2:6). Ps.72:18. Moreover, for their flattery you put evil on them... Having learned the future with a prophetic spirit, I say that the cause of cruel punishments will be for them the wickedness of their character, because their exaltation will turn into their downfall. And this real wealth of theirs will be imputed to them as if it were the thinnest ghosts of dreamers, empty and in every shadow. Ps.73:20. And in Your city you will abase their image. The city of the Lord is Jerusalem above; The “image” of “them” is the image of earthly Jerusalem. The meaning of the speech is this: since they bear on themselves the image of earthly Jerusalem, and not heavenly, they will be humiliated for this, for at that time they will hear: “We do not know you” (Matthew 25:10), as not having His heavenly image on them. Ps.73:21. For my heart was heated, and my bowels were changed, Ps.72:22. and I was humiliated and did not understand. Since “I was jealous of jealousy for the Lord” (1 Kings 19:10), so that both my heart and my insides were filled with fiery zeal, then for this very thing I was honored to become enlightened, and to know what was happening to Your city and to the image of the wicked. But before, I was like dumb cattle, unable to penetrate the orders of Providence. However, I was not abandoned by You, O God, and I did not lose my hope in You, but I remained “with You” (Ps. 72:23), and I did this not by my own strength, but by Your grace. For You yourself, according to Your love for mankind, took my hand on my right hand, supported and preserved me, so that my steps would not move and my legs would not waver in standing before You. Ps.72:25. What is there in heaven? And what did You want on earth? Since there is nothing in heaven for me except You alone, then out of necessity I did not want to accept anything that exists on earth, because all of this is perishable and temporary. I wanted only one thing, and with this desire I tormented myself on earth, and this desire is that You become my, and, moreover, my only part. Ps.72:27. For all those who separate themselves from You will perish. I, Master, maintained unity with You, and acted well in this, knowing that the end of those who are outside You will be destruction, and those who remain with You will receive the good part, because when they enter the heavenly Jerusalem, they will inherit the best part - to always enjoy Your songs. You might be interested in: